DeMar DeRozan shoots career-high as Raptors get back on track against Mavericks | National Post
Casey took out the thoroughly commendable Chuck Hayes, and made a forward-minded decision. When Valanciunas checked into the game, the Raptors trailed 80-77. The Mavericks scored just a one field goal the rest of the way, as the Raptors won those final minutes 16-5. Yet, it was not the future that made Casey opt for Valanciunas. It was a more practical concern. “One thing that was concerning us was [Samuel] Dalembert and also [Brandan] Wright’s length, with Chuck and also Pat [Patterson]. Jonas did a good job on the boards,” Casey said. “That was the main thing he was in there for. He got a couple of offensive rebounds. The game was quick for him when they went small in the first quarter. Our [defensive] rotations were slow, or non-existent, so to speak. We had to do something there. He came back in the second half.”
Raptors come back from 21 down to beat Mavericks | Toronto Sun
A few minutes into the game the much tougher call was whether to boo the entire Raptors squad that came out as flat as could be. But as this Raptors team has shown on many occasions this year, it’s not how they start a game that matters. Sure the 21-point deficit with the game not even a quarter old was tough to take, particularly given the three losses in the past four games, but perseverance has become a big part of this team’s makeup as they came back to beat the Mavericks 93-85.
Rapid Recap: Raptors Overcome 21 Point Deficit to Beat Mavericks 93 – 85 | Raptors HQ
Even more encouraging was DeRozan’s final line. After struggling with his shot the past few games, DeRozan netted his 40 points on a very efficient 15 of 22 shooting, and he also got to the free-throw line 14 times. Throw in a few rebounds and assists (he had three of each) and it was a pretty fine night for the one who was once dubbed as the future Vince Carter for the Dinos. Those free throws were huge for Toronto, setting the tone for a much more aggressive attack from the Raps in the paint as the club got to the line 28 times tonight, compared to just 12 for Dallas.
Final score: Mavs self-destruct in Toronto, 93-85 | Mavs Moneyball
This looked like a very winnable game — Dirk or no Dirk — and that’s about all I can say. Discussing blown leads and bad defense is just getting repetitive and boring.
The Difference: Mavericks 85, Raptors 93 | Mavericks Outsider Report
Without Dirk Nowitzki, beating the Toronto Raptors on the road seemed unlikely, so slowly watching a 21 point lead disappear into an eight point loss is down right frustrating. The Mavericks had a chance to steal one on the road against one of the better teams in the league and were unable due to excessively sloppy basketball. As the season winds down and the schedule tightens up, Dallas will wish they had a win against Toronto to give them cushion in the ever competitive Western Conference.
Lewenberg: DeRozan pads All-Star resume with career night | TSN
“He got in the flow of the game,” Casey said of DeRozan, who scored 15 points in the third quarter, then another nine in the fourth, missing just two shots in the second half. “He was running the pick-and-roll, they started blitzing him, he did a good job of finding [his teammates] and then the ball found him back and that was good. It was a growth on his part from being double teamed but being patient enough to get the ball back and be able to score.” The Raptors’ guard was remarkable coming out of the break, knocking down off balance jumpers, getting to the rim at will but most importantly, he was efficient and he got to the free throw line. DeRozan needed just 22 shots to become the seventh player in franchise history to record 40 points, connecting on nine of 14 attempts from the stripe and knocking down his only three-pointer.
Carter not ready for complete reconciliation with Raps | Sportsnet
The topic of how to deal with Carter’s legacy in Toronto is pertinent because time is flying by. Carter isn’t ready to hang it up yet as a valued Sixth Man for the surprising Mavericks, who are hanging onto a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference. But the Raptors are in a fight in the East and Wednesday night it was DeMar DeRozan – the best shooting guard to play in Toronto since Carter left – who rang up a career-high 40 points as Toronto survived falling behind by 21 points in the first half before clawing their way back. His effort earned a nod from his famous predecessor: “Sometimes when you have athleticism like that you go, you just play,” said Carter, who finished with eight points and four assists. “He’s now slowing down and everything else is developing and it’s making him a tough player.”
DeMar DeRozan shoots career-high as Raptors get back on track against Mavericks | National Post
Casey took out the thoroughly commendable Chuck Hayes, and made a forward-minded decision. When Valanciunas checked into the game, the Raptors trailed 80-77. The Mavericks scored just a one field goal the rest of the way, as the Raptors won those final minutes 16-5. Yet, it was not the future that made Casey opt for Valanciunas. It was a more practical concern. “One thing that was concerning us was [Samuel] Dalembert and also [Brandan] Wright’s length, with Chuck and also Pat [Patterson]. Jonas did a good job on the boards,” Casey said. “That was the main thing he was in there for. He got a couple of offensive rebounds. The game was quick for him when they went small in the first quarter. Our [defensive] rotations were slow, or non-existent, so to speak. We had to do something there. He came back in the second half.”
Raptors come back from 21 down to beat Mavericks | Toronto Sun
A few minutes into the game the much tougher call was whether to boo the entire Raptors squad that came out as flat as could be. But as this Raptors team has shown on many occasions this year, it’s not how they start a game that matters. Sure the 21-point deficit with the game not even a quarter old was tough to take, particularly given the three losses in the past four games, but perseverance has become a big part of this team’s makeup as they came back to beat the Mavericks 93-85.
Rapid Recap: Raptors Overcome 21 Point Deficit to Beat Mavericks 93 – 85 | Raptors HQ
Even more encouraging was DeRozan’s final line. After struggling with his shot the past few games, DeRozan netted his 40 points on a very efficient 15 of 22 shooting, and he also got to the free-throw line 14 times. Throw in a few rebounds and assists (he had three of each) and it was a pretty fine night for the one who was once dubbed as the future Vince Carter for the Dinos. Those free throws were huge for Toronto, setting the tone for a much more aggressive attack from the Raps in the paint as the club got to the line 28 times tonight, compared to just 12 for Dallas.
Final score: Mavs self-destruct in Toronto, 93-85 | Mavs Moneyball
This looked like a very winnable game — Dirk or no Dirk — and that’s about all I can say. Discussing blown leads and bad defense is just getting repetitive and boring.
The Difference: Mavericks 85, Raptors 93 | Mavericks Outsider Report
Without Dirk Nowitzki, beating the Toronto Raptors on the road seemed unlikely, so slowly watching a 21 point lead disappear into an eight point loss is down right frustrating. The Mavericks had a chance to steal one on the road against one of the better teams in the league and were unable due to excessively sloppy basketball. As the season winds down and the schedule tightens up, Dallas will wish they had a win against Toronto to give them cushion in the ever competitive Western Conference.
Lewenberg: DeRozan pads All-Star resume with career night | TSN
“He got in the flow of the game,” Casey said of DeRozan, who scored 15 points in the third quarter, then another nine in the fourth, missing just two shots in the second half. “He was running the pick-and-roll, they started blitzing him, he did a good job of finding [his teammates] and then the ball found him back and that was good. It was a growth on his part from being double teamed but being patient enough to get the ball back and be able to score.” The Raptors’ guard was remarkable coming out of the break, knocking down off balance jumpers, getting to the rim at will but most importantly, he was efficient and he got to the free throw line. DeRozan needed just 22 shots to become the seventh player in franchise history to record 40 points, connecting on nine of 14 attempts from the stripe and knocking down his only three-pointer.
Carter not ready for complete reconciliation with Raps | Sportsnet
The topic of how to deal with Carter’s legacy in Toronto is pertinent because time is flying by. Carter isn’t ready to hang it up yet as a valued Sixth Man for the surprising Mavericks, who are hanging onto a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference. But the Raptors are in a fight in the East and Wednesday night it was DeMar DeRozan – the best shooting guard to play in Toronto since Carter left – who rang up a career-high 40 points as Toronto survived falling behind by 21 points in the first half before clawing their way back. His effort earned a nod from his famous predecessor: “Sometimes when you have athleticism like that you go, you just play,” said Carter, who finished with eight points and four assists. “He’s now slowing down and everything else is developing and it’s making him a tough player.”
DeMar DeRozan shoots career-high as Raptors get back on track against Mavericks | National Post
Casey took out the thoroughly commendable Chuck Hayes, and made a forward-minded decision. When Valanciunas checked into the game, the Raptors trailed 80-77. The Mavericks scored just a one field goal the rest of the way, as the Raptors won those final minutes 16-5. Yet, it was not the future that made Casey opt for Valanciunas. It was a more practical concern. “One thing that was concerning us was [Samuel] Dalembert and also [Brandan] Wright’s length, with Chuck and also Pat [Patterson]. Jonas did a good job on the boards,” Casey said. “That was the main thing he was in there for. He got a couple of offensive rebounds. The game was quick for him when they went small in the first quarter. Our [defensive] rotations were slow, or non-existent, so to speak. We had to do something there. He came back in the second half.”
Raptors come back from 21 down to beat Mavericks | Toronto Sun
A few minutes into the game the much tougher call was whether to boo the entire Raptors squad that came out as flat as could be. But as this Raptors team has shown on many occasions this year, it’s not how they start a game that matters. Sure the 21-point deficit with the game not even a quarter old was tough to take, particularly given the three losses in the past four games, but perseverance has become a big part of this team’s makeup as they came back to beat the Mavericks 93-85.
Rapid Recap: Raptors Overcome 21 Point Deficit to Beat Mavericks 93 – 85 | Raptors HQ
Even more encouraging was DeRozan’s final line. After struggling with his shot the past few games, DeRozan netted his 40 points on a very efficient 15 of 22 shooting, and he also got to the free-throw line 14 times. Throw in a few rebounds and assists (he had three of each) and it was a pretty fine night for the one who was once dubbed as the future Vince Carter for the Dinos. Those free throws were huge for Toronto, setting the tone for a much more aggressive attack from the Raps in the paint as the club got to the line 28 times tonight, compared to just 12 for Dallas.
Final score: Mavs self-destruct in Toronto, 93-85 | Mavs Moneyball
This looked like a very winnable game — Dirk or no Dirk — and that’s about all I can say. Discussing blown leads and bad defense is just getting repetitive and boring.
The Difference: Mavericks 85, Raptors 93 | Mavericks Outsider Report
Without Dirk Nowitzki, beating the Toronto Raptors on the road seemed unlikely, so slowly watching a 21 point lead disappear into an eight point loss is down right frustrating. The Mavericks had a chance to steal one on the road against one of the better teams in the league and were unable due to excessively sloppy basketball. As the season winds down and the schedule tightens up, Dallas will wish they had a win against Toronto to give them cushion in the ever competitive Western Conference.
Lewenberg: DeRozan pads All-Star resume with career night | TSN
“He got in the flow of the game,” Casey said of DeRozan, who scored 15 points in the third quarter, then another nine in the fourth, missing just two shots in the second half. “He was running the pick-and-roll, they started blitzing him, he did a good job of finding [his teammates] and then the ball found him back and that was good. It was a growth on his part from being double teamed but being patient enough to get the ball back and be able to score.” The Raptors’ guard was remarkable coming out of the break, knocking down off balance jumpers, getting to the rim at will but most importantly, he was efficient and he got to the free throw line. DeRozan needed just 22 shots to become the seventh player in franchise history to record 40 points, connecting on nine of 14 attempts from the stripe and knocking down his only three-pointer.
Carter not ready for complete reconciliation with Raps | Sportsnet
The topic of how to deal with Carter’s legacy in Toronto is pertinent because time is flying by. Carter isn’t ready to hang it up yet as a valued Sixth Man for the surprising Mavericks, who are hanging onto a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference. But the Raptors are in a fight in the East and Wednesday night it was DeMar DeRozan – the best shooting guard to play in Toronto since Carter left – who rang up a career-high 40 points as Toronto survived falling behind by 21 points in the first half before clawing their way back. His effort earned a nod from his famous predecessor: “Sometimes when you have athleticism like that you go, you just play,” said Carter, who finished with eight points and four assists. “He’s now slowing down and everything else is developing and it’s making him a tough player.”
Raptors Vets Turn Tide While DeRozan Sets New Highs | Pro Bball Report
While the Raptors bench can take credit for stopping the Mavericks cold after the first quarter and Vasquez picked up the flu-stricken Lowry, as Toronto slowly made up that early 21 point deficit, this game became all about DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan scored 12 of the Raptors 15 first quarter points and the Mavericks soon set about making his life miserable. Quick double teams, pressure bordering on hard fouls, anything to get DeRozan off his game, but this time it wasn’t going to work. “In the first quarter (DeRozan) wasn’t getting those flow shots,” Casey said. “After that we started getting them (from) our offense. He was running the pick-and-roll and they started blitzing him and he did a good job of finding (teammates) and the ball found him back and that was good. He was being double-teamed, but being patient enough to get the ball back and (continue) to score.”
Why It’s Too Early for Toronto Raptors to Give Up on Jonas Valanciunas | Bleacher Report
Big men typically take a while to develop into quality NBA players, and the ones who can make an immediate impact are few and far between. This is especially true for players without any experience playing college basketball, as they usually aren’t as far along their developmental curves. Such is the case for Valanciunas. Remember, this center is only 21 years old, and he won’t turn 22 until May. Not only is he in the midst of his second professional season, but he’s still filling out and is rather young for a player with a year in the NBA already under his belt. He should be handled with patience, and it’s still fine to view him as the potential savior of the Raptors as a result.
Raptors’ Ross ready to defend slam-dunk title | Toronto Sun
The field has yet to be announced, but Ross, who has known since he won a year ago that he would be back to defend, has some general and very definite ideas of who he would like to see in the competition. First the general — “I don’t know, somebody I could beat,” he said laughing at his own little joke.
Have something for Morning Coffee? Send it over: rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
