Raptors win ugly in Kobe Bryant’s last Toronto visit | Toronto Sun
Bryant was at his best in the fourth with nine points, including a pair of threes, but any boost the Lakers got from the Kobe love was far outweighed by the sheer lack of experienced NBA-level talent on the roster. Even so, the Raptors appeared determined to give this one back to the Lakers and they almost succeeded. The two teams were tied after three quarters with the Lakers staying in this one with their rebounding and second-chance points. Were it not for Bismack Biyombo’s 13 boards and his career high 15 points, this one quite possibly could have gone the other way. The Raptors, clearly the better team, finally got it going in the fourth quarter and got some separation with a couple of minutes remaining. Kyle Lowry had yet another solid night in leading the Raptors with 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists but the revelation of the night was Terrence Ross.
Roster-thin Raptors get it done against Lakers | Toronto Star
The loss of two players who were integral to Toronto’s solid effort against the unbeaten Golden State Warriors on Saturday was a talking point but hardly an excuse for the difficulties the Raptors had against the Lakers, who dragged a 3-17 record into the game after being drilled in Detroit on Sunday. The Raptors once again got caught playing down the level of the opposition, letting repeated leads slip away before finally putting the Lakers away in the final four minutes. But the issue may become larger than Toronto’s lethargic play against teams they can and should bury early. “We got loose offensively, over-handled it a bit, and that allowed them to get back in it,” coach Dwane Casey said.
Raptors fans rewarded on Kobe Night in Toronto | Sportsnet.ca
So, about that Raptors victory. It wasn’t what you’d call pretty. And while fans got what they wanted, Toronto head coach Dwane Casey did not. He wanted his team to play 48 consistent minutes defensively against a Lakers team they should have had a much easier time shutting down. He also wanted to have the luxury of resting some of his starters, which didn’t materialize as the Lakers hung around in the game and forced Casey to play both DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry for more than 35 minutes in a game they would have ideally checked out of early in the final quarter (DeRozan in particular has been leaned on heavily of late, playing more than 35 in each of his last eight games). “These are some dangerous habits we have,” Casey said. “Defensively, we all have to be better. That’s where the slippage came. That’s how they got back into the game. I thought we got loose a little bit offensively, over-handled a little bit—and that allowed them to get back into the game.”
Game Rap: Raptors 102, Lakers 93 | Toronto Raptors
IT WAS OVER WHEN Cory Joseph sank a pair of free throws with 43 seconds remaining to give Toronto a 10-point lead and keep the game out of reach for the Lakers. Going into the fourth with the score tied, the Raptors outscored Los Angeles 31-22 in the quarter to get the 102-93 victory and move to 13-9 on the season.
Game Recap: Lakers Swept By Raptors Despite Julius Randle’s Double-Double | Lakers Nation
A basket from Joseph and a three-point play from Derozan put Toronto ahead, but Russell responded with a great drive to keep it a one possession game. A layup from Randle and a three from Russell tied the game, but a turnover led to a dunk for Ross as the Raptors stayed ahead by a basket. Kobe started to get going as he hit a short jumper and a tough corner three to keep the Lakers within two points. The Lakers were unable to keep it there, however as the Raptors responded with a 7-0 run capped off by an alley-oop from Lowry to Biyombo. The run continued as Lowry and Derozan hit jumpers to suddenly give the Raptors an 13 point cushion. At that point it was pretty much academic. Lou Williams hit a three, but it didn’t matter and Kobe got a massive standing ovation as he left the court with 25 seconds left. The Lakers would fall 102-93 to the Raptors.
Kobe’s Toronto swan song ends in defeat as the Raptors beat the Lakers 102-93 | Raptors HQ
After three quarters, it was remarkable how unremarkable Bryant had been to that point; he was unselfish, rarely forcing the action and shooting well (5-of-11). On a breakaway opportunity, his age showing, Bryant opted for the lay-up, his legs no longer able to carry him up for the dunk. It was the correct play. But then the fourth started and something funny happened. With the score tied at 78, Ross threw down another huge dunk, then hit a three. Kobe, as we’ve been conditioned to expect, came back and hit a jumper right in Ross’ mug. Terrence responded, and amazingly, Kobe hit a corner three. For a few minutes it looked like we’d get some kind of Ross vs. Bryant showdown, a vintage Kobe performance, something amazing. It was clear Kobe could see the narrative coming too. “When I was sitting on the bench and they started chanting ‘We want Kobe,” he remarked after the game, “I thought they started chanting a little too early, I do. I thought, ‘Give me five minutes’.” Still, as Byron Scott inexplicably went away from Julius Randle (who had a mean 15 and 11 for the game) and rookie D’Angelo Russell down the stretch, it looked like it would be up to Kobe. But then he airballed a three and missed another forced jumper along the baseline–his money spot as Casey noted pre-game. And suddenly the lead was pushed back up by Lowry, DeRozan and a fearsome alley-oop finish from Biyombo.
T-Ross steals Kobe’s shine as the Toronto Raptors defeat the Lakers | Raptors Cage
The offence was able to put up 102 points against a relatively weak Lakers defence. The Raptors managed to shoot a modest 46% from the floor on their way to victory. The bench woes continue for anyone not named Cory Joseph. Apart from his 14 points the rest of the bench combined to score just 6 points. The real bright spot in this game however was the performance from Ross. After being inserted into the starting line-up for the first time this season, Ross came out guns-a-blazing with 13 first quarter points. He rarely looked lost on the floor, and conducted himself like an assertive basketball player for the first time since Nov.1st. Thank you Ross, and please come again.
Unfortunately didn’t get a chance to play vs. Kobe today because @kobebryant :)) No hard feelings. pic.twitter.com/QycKxkhwAm
— Jonas Valanciunas (@JValanciunas) December 8, 2015
Raptors 102 – LA Lakers 93: Kobe waves farewell to Toronto | Raptors Rapture
Fortunately, Kyle Lowry was on hand to once again provide the spark needed. He drained five long balls on his way to a game-high 27 points. Cory Joseph, who is getting more minutes than several starters, chipped in with 14. He’s getting to the free throw line more frequently these days. DeMar DeRozan continues to look lost when faced with any lengthy shot, but penetrated nicely and dished 7 assists. The power forward spot is a wasteland at the moment. Luis Scola managed two lonely free throws. One has to wonder if coach Dwane Casey will dust off Anthony Bennett, throw him on the floor, and hope for the best. With a bench shorter than it’s ever been, Norman Powell saw a few minutes of action, and James Johnson played almost 17.
It won’t be easy for Kobe to say goodbye one final time: Arthur | Toronto Star
“Because you have to just take what the defence gives you. Like, when you come up and you catch and you shoot and the defence is off you, you have to take the shot. You cannot play according to what just happened. Because — I can’t stress that on you enough, even if you’re writing a s— story about me, which is totally fine; it’s fine, it’s not the first one, it won’t be the last one. But I mean, it’s really important for kids to understand that you cannot hold onto the last play, because it will affect you. You’ve got to let it go. You’ve got to play what’s right in front of you. Some days will be better than others. And that’s what I try to do. And tonight I was able to trust my legs a little more and get to the mid-range, right, get to the pull-ups, get to the elbow sweet spots. And the shots were going for me a little more tonight.” And I asked him about Michael Jordan, the man he patterned himself after, and the interview he gave ESPN the Magazine when he turned 50. In that piece by Wright Thompson, Jordan said of his competitiveness, “I can’t help myself. It’s an addiction. You ask for this special power to achieve these heights, and now you got it and you want to give it back, but you can’t. If I could, then I could breathe.” What comes after, for Kobe?
Toronto’s love affair with Kobe Bryant continues | Toronto Sun
Bryant shot better against the Raptors over his career (.471 from the field) than against any other club and the 27.2 points he averaged against the team were his third-highest marks. Everyone remembers his 81-point game in L.A. against Sam Mitchell’s crew, but he had some other terrific performances against the Raptors over the years. There was 48 in a 2004 meeting, 46 at the ACC in 2008 and 41 as recently as March of 2013, a total he has bested only twice since. A year earlier, Bryant buried the Raptors with a late surge. In 2010, he notched 16 rebounds, along with his 27 points. Number two behind the 81 point game though might have been a 109-107 Lakers win at the ACC back in 2002 that saw Bryant and O’Neal both score 31 points Bryant also bested Vince Carter in scoring in a blowout L.A. win that year.
Kobe’s bizarre farewell tour hits Toronto | TSN
With the exception of a few airballs, Bryant actually turned in one of his better performances of the campaign. The 37-year-old recorded 19 points on 8-for-16 shooting – the first time he’s hit at least 50 per cent of his attempts this season – to go along with eight rebounds and four assists. But, more often than not, it hasn’t been pretty. At this pace, the period at the end of Bryant’s hall-of-fame career will be a historically terrible season. Through 18 games, the Lakers guard is hitting 30 per cent of his field goal attempts and 22 per cent of his threes. No one that has shot as much as he does has shot that poorly, ever. At 37 and coming off three serious, season-ending injuries, Bryant’s body is failing him and he’s too proud, or stubborn, or both, to adapt, let alone surrender to it. It’s been hard to watch, even for those competing against him. “It definitely sucks, especially to see him go out like that,” said DeRozan, before channeling Kevin Durant, who expressed a similar sentiment last week. “Just the backlash he gets, especially this year with the media killing him [is frustrating]. That man played at the highest level of basketball for over 18 years, you’ve got to give him credit no matter how he goes out. He could average one point for the rest of the year, that don’t take away from him being one of the greatest players of all-time.”
Toronto gives Kobe a warm sendoff | The Globe and Mail
The talkative and very quotable Bryant did a ten-minute press conference in a bright mood after the game in a packed media room, since the press group was far too big for a locker room scrum. It’s been a nightly thing for him on the road lately. Bryant was asked why he doesn’t take fewer shots or change his style to cope with age and injuries. “I shot 50 per cent tonight? Finally!,” he said with a good-natured, self-deprecating laugh. “You can’t play according to what just happened, and I can’t stress that to you enough. Even if you’re writing a s – –t story about me, and that’s totally fine – it won’t be the last. It’s important and kids should know this. You can’t hold on to the last play. You’ve got to let it go, that’s what I try to do.”
Raptors’ Carroll out indefinitely with knee injury | Toronto Sun
DeMarre Carroll will be sidelined for an indefinite period of time with a right knee contusion. “I remember it was in the Clippers game I was running running around a screen chasing JJ Reddick and I (knocked knees) with DeAndre Jordan,” Carroll said after the game. “I remember it. I thought it was just a hit knee and it swelled up but a couple of days ago, I was like it was not getting any smaller. It was still swollen. So I went and got an MRI and went and saw the specialist today and he diagnosed it. “It’s been really bothering me for 2.5 weeks so I went and saw a specialist today. He was kind of surprised I’ve been playing on it. I’m like I can take pain. It’s just one of those things. It’s been 2.5 weeks and it ain’t got no better.”
DeMarre Carroll Out Indefinitely With Knee Injury | Today’s FastBreak
He was averaging just 12.2 points and 5.1 boards per contest, and surprisingly, hasn’t had the impact on the defense that was expected of him. In fact, Toronto’s defensive rating with him on the court, 103.0 is 6.3 points higher than when he’s on the bench. Of course, there is nuance to such stats, and you can only make so much of them. And typically, when a player is fitting in with a new group it can take time to adapt. Add that in with the plantar fascitis he was battling through the early part of the season, and it’s not just making excuses for his play. If nothing else, this will be a speed bump to that. Whatever the on/off numbers say, this hurts.
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