Toronto Raptors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – Recap – October 12, 2013 – ESPN
Austin Daye scored 12 points to help the Toronto Raptors win a sloppy preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 104-97 on Saturday night.
Raptors’ Steve Novak no mystery man | Toronto Star
“I’m very clear about who I am as a player and I think my role, it can be (needed) on this team,” said Novak, the only tangible asset obtained by the Raptors in the summer trade of Andrea Bargnani. “Obviously, to spread the floor for DeMar (DeRozan) and Rudy (Gay) and just give them space is important, and to just make shots when I get them and just always be aggressive. I think having guys like Rudy and DeMar will make my job easier, and hopefully vice-versa.”
Did Andrea Bargnani really deserve to be booed by Toronto Raptors fans? | National Post
Bargnani certainly could have helped himself out, though. He could be aloof with the media, which should not matter but does impact the public’s perception, and often appeared disinterested on the court. He failed to move the needle much when it came to his two primary weaknesses, rebounding and help defence, two skills that are closely associated with effort and basketball intelligence. Beyond that, the constant rumblings from within the organization that Bargnani milked injuries, or at least did not rush back from them, painted a picture of a player who tried but did not give everything he had to the team.
Timberwolves Fall to Raptors 104-97 | Canis Hoopus
Despite the rough start shooting the ball, Toronto’s inability to hit their free throws and keep Love off the line kept the Wolves in the game early, and the worst the Wolves saw in the quarter was a 7-point deficit. As the quarter went on, the offensive flow improved dramatically, and the quarter was a competitive one for the most part.
Raptors Hold Off Wolves, 104-97 | Timberwolves.com
“Our first unit is flat, so that’s a challenge to us,” Wolves forward Kevin Love said. “I thought we played better on both sides of the ball in the second half, but starting the game we just need to bring it more. We need more energy, we need to know what we’re doing offensively and pick it up defensively. Overall, we just need to play better.”
