Toronto Raptors reserves show they can be relied on in season-opener | National Post
None of the five reserves that Dwane Casey played on Wednesday played more than half of the game’s 48 minutes, but each contributed in his own way. Vasquez and Patterson scored in double digits; Lou Williams had eight points, showing flashes of his magic in isolation sets. James Johnson took just two shots, but played his typically superb defence, leading to a key fourth-quarter steal. And then there was Tyler Hansbrough. When Jonas Valanciunas picked up two quick fouls, Hansbrough was surprisingly the first man off of the bench, instead of Patterson. “Tyler brought the energy, the rebounding, the mixing it up,” Casey said. “He brought a physical presence in the paint, which we needed. That’s what he brings. Tyler’s doing a much better job this season of really spacing, screening and getting to his positions. It sounds crazy, but he helps other people score by just [having] proper positioning and not worrying about post-up positioning and clogging [the lane] up.”
Raptors put on show in winning home opener: Arthur | Toronto Star
And the Raptors went out and delivered a show. Their two backcourt stars, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, struggled to make shots. Toronto played with pace, but forgot sharpshooter Kyle Korver existed several times, which is inadvisable. But they hung a 60-point first half on the Hawks, and got big play in managed minutes from Amir Johnson, from Terrence Ross, from Jonas Valanciunas and Greivis Vasquez and newcomer Lou Williams. Their two best players shot 7-for-27, and the defence had some lapses, and the bottom nearly fell out in the final few minutes. The crowd was incredible. “It felt like a playoff atmosphere,” said Johnson, who only found out what that felt like in Toronto in April. “Best crowd in the NBA,” said Vazquez. “It’s a party.”
Recap: Raptors Survive 4th Quarter Barrage from Hawks, Regional Manager Mike Scott | Raptors HQ
The bench unit of Greivis Vasquez, James Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough (the first man off the bench, surprisingly), Patrick Patterson and Lou Williams got some extended play together. The B squad was able to mix it up and run with the Hawks. Vasquez led the Raps’ scorers off the bench with 12 points.
Valanciunas, Raptors withstand Hawks’ rally for season-opening win | TSN
DeRozan had 15 points but finished 4 for 16 from the field and 0 for 1 from three-point range. Lowry, who signed a new four-year, US$48-million deal this summer, scored 11 points but made 3-of-11 shots and missed his three three-pointers. But the pair found other ways to contribute as DeRozan recorded career highs in rebounds (11) and steals (six) while Lowry added 10 assists. “I’m not just trying to be a scorer,” DeRozan said. “If we’re not making shots we all have to figure out ways we can affect the game in a good way.
Post Game: Toronto Raptors edge out Atlanta Hawks | Raptors Cage
This late-game drama is all-too-familiar for Raptor fans. While Toronto did hold an eight point lead halfway through, the Hawks shot an advantageous 46.3% from the field and a blistering 57.1% from beyond the arc. Korver absolutely lit up the Raps, shooting 6-7 from three-point land, while Scott went 4-6. It’s safe to say that perimeter defense is a necessary adjustment for the next game. Aside from guarding the three, Toronto did an excellent job protecting the rim and forcing turnovers. Valanciunas and Johnson combined for five blocks. DeRozan’s six steals, which mainly came in transition, were included in an astounding 17 turnovers from Atlanta. For the most part the home team put on a sound defensive effort, but there’s no doubt that coach Dwane Casey has already addressed the lackluster perimeter coverage.
Raptors 109-Hawks 102: Bend but don’t break | Raptors Rapture
Do not expect Casey to go easy on the guys next practice; he’ll be outraged at the astronomical shooting numbers the Hawks put up (especially a 30 point 2nd quarter and 31 point 4th quarter!). Kyle Korver really did a lot of damage against the Raptors tonight shooting 7-10 and 6-7 from beyond the arc. Mike Scott also had an impressive outing hurting the Raptors with 8-11 shooting and 4-6 beyond the arc. Raptors standouts were vast, but I’ll limit to just a few.
Hawks Fall to Raptors 109-102 | HawksHoop
One of the biggest problems for the Hawks that led to the loss was turnovers. The Hawks had 19 of them (compared to only 10 for Toronto) and the Raptors took advantage, scoring 23 points off of the ATL mistakes. DeMar DeRozan, who’s offensive game was shut down by an extremely active DeMarre Carroll, was a pest to the Hawks offense, grabbing six of the Raptors’ 13 steals. The turnover problem seemed to be a reflection of Atlanta’s overall point guard play, which was pretty poor outside of Jeff Teague’s scoring. Teague had six turnovers on the night and simply was not paying attention multiple times throughout the game. His backup, Shelvin Mack, was likely Atlanta’s worst player on the floor for the game. Mack did have a five to one assist to turnover ratio, but he was generally miserable at running the offense during his time on the floor, and he was awful with his shot-selection, leading to a 1-for-6 night from the field for the former Butler Bulldog.
Hawks vs Raptors final score: Atlanta’s comeback bid falls short in Toronto | Peachtree Hoops
Both teams traded punches in the early going. The Hawks used a 7-0 run to close to within a single point at 51-50 with just over two minutes remaining in the half. The Raptors responded after a time out and closed the half with a 9-2 run to take a 60-52 lead into the intermission. Toronto poured it on in the third and continued to pound away at the Hawks. The Raptors outscored Atlanta 26-19 in the period and extended the lead to 86-71 heading to the fourth.
Observations From Toronto Raptors Locker Room After Beating Atlanta Hawks 109-102 | Hoops Addict
Dwane Casey has a funny analogy about how it only matters what you do when the popcorn’s popping. It’s his way of saying big players step up in big moments when fans are packed in the stands. After the game Casey was asked about Amir Johnson being ready to play when the popcorn was popping and couldn’t resist letting loose with this great quote: “He put butter on it and salt and everything else. He was ready to roll tonight and I was really happy with his energy.”
Just where will this promising Raptors start end? | Sportsnet.ca
The early returns were positive. Not only was Ross reliably knocking down threes, he chipped in with a couple of steals, he patiently found Amir Johnson in the post on occasion. The brittle flower that wilted in the playoffs last season seems poised to put that behind him. Valancuinas played as the Raptors want to him to play. He challenged Atlanta at the rim, defensively. He scrapped for offensive rebounds and he earned his 17 points the hard way, making it to the foul line 10 times, converting nine, while grabbing eight rebounds.
Raptors look to build off fan excitement and last year’s success | Eh Game – Yahoo Sports Canada
When point guard Kyle Lowry, fresh off signing a new four-year $48 million contract extension over the summer, stepped to the centre of court to welcome back the fans and kick off the franchise’s 20th anniversary season with a short speech, he was quickly drowned out by cheers, left to simply stand in silence and smile. “There’s definitely a lot of excitement,” Amir Johnson said before the game. “I’ve seen the best and worst of this franchise. Some people would say Toronto is back with a little bit more life this year and it’s definitely something to play for and be happy about.” A lot has changed in a year.
Armstrong: What the Raptors need to do to win another division title | TSN
They can have an even better season than I predict if Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas take the next step in Year 3 and play game in and game out with consistency. They need to rebound the ball with great toughness, stay healthy and keep the offence efficient and productive in late game situations. I put this team in the category of good with the potential to be very good if everything goes exactly right. Not a ton of margin for error here. Elite? I think they are a better player or two away from that. I’m cautiously optimistic yet realism is vital. Should be a fun year. Can’t wait, let’s roll!
Cabbie Presents: Kyle Lowry | BarDown
In part one of Cabbie’s interview with Toronto Raptors PG Kyle Lowry, he explains the impact of the “We The North” campaign, his role as co-captain on the Toronto Raptors and his relationship with DeMar DeRozan.
I can haz your linkz????? rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
