Raptors Roll Call vs Hornets – Dec 20

Filling in for the vacationing AltRaps, it’s the “No, no revenge here” edition. Banks – It’s hard to believe but he’s looked like an NBA player of late, not a good one by any means but nonetheless, an NBA player. Played some defense on CP3, stuck a jumper behind a screen and deserved more than…

Filling in for the vacationing AltRaps, it’s the “No, no revenge here” edition.

Banks – It’s hard to believe but he’s looked like an NBA player of late, not a good one by any means but nonetheless, an NBA player. Played some defense on CP3, stuck a jumper behind a screen and deserved more than the 0 assists he’s credited with. Play like this and he might even latch on to a D-League team after his contract runs out.

Bargnani – A nice time to bless us with his fifth double-double of the season, 11 rebounds and no, they didn’t fall into his lap. A key block on a driving guard is the play he should be remembered for and he better give a Christmas gift to Bosh for cleaning up two of his 5 errant threes. The three-point shot is missing, he’s 6/26 of late which isn’t cutting it. Hit one went it counted late, though.

Belinelli – Marcus Banks is ahead of him in the rotation and his first option on offense is a step-back three. ‘Nuf said.

Bosh – 25/11 on 10-16. Sometimes the stats do the talking, he got fired up early and made West look like a statue on more than one play. The talk from the Hornets locker-room was all about revenge and his play took the wind out of them early.

Calderon – Windows 7 was his idea.

DeRozan – Key in the that third quarter stretch which kept the Hornets at bay. Shortened his jumper by stepping in and was his usual slashing self, the NJ game helped him regain his confidence. Once the rookie develops that upper-body strength and gets his mid-range going, watch out.

Evans – Is anybody missing Kapono?

Jack – Awesome. He pushes it early in the shot-clock, he doesn’t waste time dribbling, he sets up his teammates on a plate, he plays defense and he runs the offense better than Calderon. The question is can he play 35 minutes every night? Wait, it’s not like Jose can do that. You think Chris Paul was expecting to go 3-13 against a backup? Jack made it happen.

Johnson – 12 rebounds in 22 minutes and that’s not even counting the times he got pushed in the back for a loose ball foul, Songaila and Okafor still don’t know what hit ’em. Don’t make calls for him to start, he’s a great bench player and does what he’s asked to do to perfection. Let’s not ruin that.

Mensah-Bonsu – Tomorrow’s D-Day and I say we let go of POB instead.

Nesterovic – You know that guy who gets in to the up-elevator wanting to go down and desperately keeps hitting P1 hoping for something to happen? That’s Rasho.

O’Bryant – When the Player’s Association votes on the CBA, get gets 1/5th of a vote.

Turkoglu- Came out looking to make things happen which is all we ask of the $53M man. His 7 assists (many on the high screen) speak to how effective he can be if we just let him do what he’s good at – create. We even saw a bit of the PnR with him and Bosh; the icing on the cake was picking off the lazy cross-court pass for a breakaway dunk. DPOY.

Weems – Was overheard asking Belinelli how his ass tasted. We know he can slash, we know he can run the break, but the defensive work today was admirable, the fourth quarter steal off the in-bounds pass was all hustle. He knew when he was about to do too much and dished it off in time to collect 5 dimes. The fadeaway he hit was, dare I say, Kobesque. I have no issues with him taking mid-range jumpers when the sagging defense dares him to.

Wright – Even the dogs in the doghouse don’t want him there.

Driving The Bus:  Jarrett Jack

Under The Bus:  Marco Belinelli

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