Raptors’ Carroll responds to Jae Crowder’s comment | Sportsnet.ca
In an interview on Thursday, Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder said that he thinks his team has what it takes to reach the Eastern Conference Finals this coming season, and that he “wasn’t worried about” the three-time defending division champ Toronto Raptors impeding the Celts’ progress. Shortly after the story below was published, Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll was asked about Crowder’s comments during an appearance on SN 590 The Fan.
Here’s what Carroll had to say: “I think it’s a comment from a person who hasn’t been in a playoff situation. When you haven’t been on that level you don’t understand what it takes. Myself, going to back-to-back Conference Finals, I know what it takes. I think it’s a comment from a guy who hasn’t played at that level, sounds like a young [guy] comment.”
Shots fired!
DeMar DeRozan has stayed loyal to L.A. and Toronto | LA Daily News
Those at the Drew League and Compton High convey the same feeling about DeRozan.
The reasons first point toward DeRozan’s on-court accomplishments.
As early as 14 years old, DeRozan played pickup games at the Drew League that featured endless matchups against other future NBA players, such as Crossroads’ Baron Davis and Leuzinger’s Dorell Wright. There, DeRozan threw down countless windmill dunks that Smiley argued was “good enough to be in the NBA dunk contest.”
“They gave you that toughness not to have any fear,” DeRozan said. “A grown man is not going to take it easy on you because you’re a kid out there. They’re going to go at you.”
DeRozan then stayed determined in ensuring Compton High would become relevant despite rivals Centennial and Dominguez dominating the local landscape. Those opponents became casualties when DeRozan guided the Tarbabes his junior year to the Huntington Beach Ocean View championship.
“It was motivating , not just because of the rivalries,” said Tony Thomas, DeRozan’s high school coach. “Every one of those schools recruited him and he decided to stay at his home school.”
Countless parents and faculty expressed concern to Thomas that DeRozan would eventually leave. DeRozan frequently heard from friends he should. Instead, DeRozan guided Compton High to two Moore League titles, their first in a decade.
“Nobody can ever tell me what I need to do,” DeRozan said, “or what I should do better than myself.”
Raptors Norman Powell Style Combines Dwyane Wade And Tony Allen | Pro Bball Report
Injuries created opportunities and Powell played in 25 games averaging 22.8 minutes and started 20 games after the All-Star break. Once he was in, there really was no way for Casey to get him out of the rotation.
Playing at the two and the three, Powell averaged 9.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists after the All-Star break. He was shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three-point range on 3.1 three-point attempts a game. Eventually even Casey had to stop calling Powell’s offensive production “gravy.”
Powell was tenth in rookie scoring after the break and had the fifth best rookie plus/minus at +2.9. He had earned his right to be on the court with his defense, but his offense was just getting too hard to overlook.
In April, he earned the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award averaging 15.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 31.6 minutes in eight games.
At 23-years-old, Powell isn’t a finished product and he doesn’t have to look like Wade or Allen to be a very important and effective player for the Raptors next season. Just maintaining that aggressive mindset and taking another step forward in his skills development will be big for Toronto.
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Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan can learn a lot from USA Basketball | Tip of the Tower
DeRozan is a liability on defense, but it’s not due to lack of physical limitations – his principles are bad. He dies on screens and is absent-minded when off the ball.
Spending time with people as savvy as Jordan and George can allow the 26-year old to learn through osmosis. If he keeps getting exposed in certain ways, his teammates will be able to guide him though his mistakes.
Authority figures can only provide so much advice. Eventually, players will turn to each other for assistance and there will be a plethora of help.
All players see the floor differently, whether they are looking for passing lanes, shooting pockets or seams to the rim. This crop of USA basketball brings a very unique set of players to the table.
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I never was really content with how last season went. I felt like I could’ve played better. I’m always looking at the next thing I need to achieve, even when I do have a good game. Most people are, like, “You did phenomenal for a second-round pick,” but I never pictured myself as a second-round pick. I felt I was a top-20 pick in the draft, and everything else was just trying to go out there and prove people wrong.
It was good for me to make a little noise last season, have people talking about you, but I still block all that out because there’s so much more for myself that I feel like I can achieve.
The whole reason why I came to Vegas this year was to work on things that the Raptors want me to improve upon—leading the young guys, keeping the energy up, talking to the team and getting them ready and adjusted. I’m talking to the young guys about what this season is going to look like, what they should expect and trying to lead by example.
I’m a real hard-working committed guy, so I’m coming in here not looking for rest or an excuse. I’m playing through everything—adversity, bad calls, whatever it is. It’s the same thing they’ve got to do. Mainly I’m a leader by example by just the work I put in, and people usually follow along with that. But now it’s working on being that vocal leader.
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Who is Fred VanVleet and why he have Raptors contract? | Raptors Rapture
Fred reminds me of J.J. Barea, a small, feisty ballhandler and defender who has made the NBA through hustle and brains rather than athleticism. I don’t know whether Fred has even a puncher’s chance to make the big club out of camp. After all, there are 3 men ahead of him (Kyle Lowry, Cory Joseph, Delon Wright), none of whom are going to donate their minutes to an unknown rookie.
Yet he’s not completely unknown. Fred led his Shockers, appropriately enough, to a completely unexpected Final Four berth in the 2013 NCAA Championships. They were defeated by eventual champion Louisville, but their run was impressive. Here’s a link to the Wichita State website for Fred’s collegiate achievements, which are impressive.
There’s a lot of Lowry in Fred’s game also. He’s an effective rebounder, and isn’t shy about physical contact with bigger players (which in his case includes almost everyone). His assist to turnover ratio is no more than respectable, but I’m spoiled because I remember the golden years of Jose Calderon.
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