[gfy]ImmenseMajorCornsnake[/gfy]
Amir Johnson, PF 20 MIN | 0-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 0 PTS | +7 Took this guy about five minutes to get into mid-season form. Doesn’t look like he’s carrying a piano on his back when he’s running, nor does he favor his ankle. Ready for the season to start. | |||||||||
Terrence Ross, SF 25 MIN | 5-10 FG | 1-3 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 11 PTS | -12 Lot of people were wondering what he’s been upto this summer, and as he showed in the first half, he’s been busy working on his mid-range step-back game and ball handling. Miss that feathery touch, good to see it there early. Hurt his ankle in the end, was in some pain. | |||||||||
Jonas Valanciunas, C 17 MIN | 2-3 FG | 8-8 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 12 PTS | +2 Good moves against Boogie early before his possessions got a little bumbly. Still got some issues with handling the ball and dribbling too high, but still, looks more ready than he did at this point last season. | |||||||||
Kyle Lowry, PG 25 MIN | 1-6 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 5 PTS | +3 Didn’t get fat. Whew. Jumper wasn’t there, his will to pass was. Get ‘em next time. | |||||||||
DeMar DeRozan, SG 21 MIN | 7-16 FG | 6-8 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 21 PTS | +2 Clearly the guy who tried the hardest in this game. You can totally tell he’s way ahead of everyone else in terms of fitness and readiness. Ready for the season to start. Didn’t play crunch time which shows you what this game means. | |||||||||
Tyler Hansbrough, PF 20 MIN | 3-4 FG | 4-4 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 11 PTS | -2 Hit a three. His free-throw form seems to be improved and other than that, it’s regular scheduled programming for TylerHans. Looks to be more a little more reliable in two-man games than before, certainly seems to be putting a little more thought in his play than just using all force and grit. | |||||||||
James Johnson, PF 26 MIN | 3-7 FG | 1-2 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 8 PTS | -1 Didn’t force the game, and instead hit the glass and tried to expend effort on defense in a pre-season game (that’s difficult to do). Cut to the rim well, seems to have some chemistry with Vasquez. So far, so good. | |||||||||
Jordan Hamilton, SF 8 MIN | 2-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 5 PTS | +10 Hit a bank shot without calling it. I think he’s the new Antoine Wright, whatever that means. | |||||||||
Chuck Hayes, C 8 MIN | 1-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | -3 You know that guy at work who always looks stressed but nobody knows what he does, but since he’s so stressed they just leave him alone? Yeah… | |||||||||
Greg Stiemsma, C 17 MIN | 1-2 FG | 1-2 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 3 PTS | +7 Brings whatever Hansbrough brings, no idea why we’d need him other than 15th man insurance. Bah..keep him, he reminds of a Swedish tourist who got left behind on the tour bus. | |||||||||
Greivis Vasquez, PG 22 MIN | 3-9 FG | 2-2 FT | 4 REB | 8 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 9 PTS | +3 Deployed as part of a two-PG backcourt with Lou Williams, did well to pull the Raps back in it with some nice quarterbacking play with the second-unit. Doesn’t look like he’s missed a beat. | |||||||||
Louis Williams, SG 28 MIN | 5-13 FG | 2-4 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 12 PTS | +12 Tested his jumper early from all angles, wasn’t really dropping. Did a bunch of ball-handling but was most suited playing off Vasquez as part of the second unit. | |||||||||
Dwane Casey Didn’t play Caboclo, likely sending a message that nothing is guaranteed. Same for Bebe. I figure both will feature heavily in the next one. |
Four Things We Saw
- Raps looked pretty composed and in-tune given that it’s the first game of the pre-season. Probably the most cohesive pre-season game you’ve ever seen. I’d even say it was somewhat entertaining.
- Canadian Nick Stauskas got in the game and hit a couple shots, thus already surpassing Jimmer Fredette’s NBA career.
- The Raps were ahead comfortably at half-time, the Kings made a third quarter run, even took the lead in the fourth, which is when Vasquez got serious and there was enough talent on the floor for the Raptors to pull through, despite operating at 50%.
- Blake will have a full post-game tomorrow AM.