Raptors crush Philly to take Eastern Conference pole position.
 | Amir Johnson, PF 18 MIN | 2-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 5 PTS | +4 Was listed as questionable for the game but figured, meh, better get a shootaround in. He’s pacing himself this season, taking the precautionary rest, taking a possession or two off when he sees fit, and taking the long view for the season and the playoffs. |  |
 | Terrence Ross, SF 29 MIN | 6-11 FG | 1-2 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 17 PTS | +28 Had a play where he drove the ball into traffic and didn’t pull-up, lean sideways, or stop short, and actually layed it in. More of that please. He’s already a good spot-up shooter, and we need to see more than just three-point shooting from him. Had a couple steals, but Philly’s passing is so careless that that’s the least he could do. Thought he let his checks get off too many threes, which is ironic since he talked about the importance of scouting reports after the last game. |  |
 | Jonas Valanciunas, C 23 MIN | 4-6 FG | 4-4 FT | 5 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 5 TO | 12 PTS | +11 This guy’s angry at the world and it shows. He’s pushing guys walking back up on defense, getting a little too aggressive in post-up situations, and quite sure if he saw a gun lying around on the scorer’s table during the game, he’d use it. Finished his gimmes today, had the usual couple post moves, and was also starved for touches. On that note, one play that I fully expected the Raptors to run more this season was him and Johnson in hi-los, I think I counted one pass between the two this game, and for that matter, all season. |  |
 | Kyle Lowry, PG 25 MIN | 5-10 FG | 4-4 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 4 TO | 14 PTS | +15 Must be tough to get up for a game like this and kudos to him for showing up. If you blame him for being sloppy with the turnovers again, realize that he sees who’s guarding him and will take chances that he normally wouldn’t. He is the ultimate stop-gap for the Raptors right now, in that if things are teetering even slightly, bring Lowry in and he’ll put an end to it. | |
 | DeMar DeRozan, SG 26 MIN | 8-12 FG | 8-8 FT | 6 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 24 PTS | +10 Quietly efficient again. Guarded by some lanky defenders, the type he has known to have trouble with, he made good use of pump-fakes and step-ins to get himself into areas where the defense has to either let him take his shot, or foul him. Defensively somewhat suspect in the first quarter against Wroten, but picked it up and closed out the shooters going forward. |  |
 | Tyler Hansbrough, PF 19 MIN | 2-2 FG | 3-4 FT | 6 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 7 PTS | +27 They passed him the ball a bit more today, and he sure did disappoint. Not that he missed shots or turned it over, just that once he caught it he didn’t quite know what to do with it. You basically have to hit him in perfect stride on the right hand with just the right amount of velocity on the pass for him to finish. Still, we’re not judging him on that here, and let’s take a bow to Tyler for slugging it out and being the most energetic Raptor on the court (well, maybe James Johnson aside). |  |
 | James Johnson, PF 21 MIN | 4-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 8 PTS | +19 Hallelujah! This guy continues to be the opposite of James Johnson V1. I’d say he’s gotten a few upgrades, to name a few: new and improved brain processor where he realizes when it’s his time to shoot, and when it’s not (note: it’s usually not). Increased RAM which allows him to try harder for longer stretches of the game and give consistent effort, and a PCI slot which enables his coach to communicate with him. The guy’s bringing the defense, getting up in people’s faces, and basically causing havoc. Also, this. |  |
 | Patrick Patterson, PF 21 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | +25 Another meh game, I feel that his threes need to be falling for him to get back to his full confidence. Still leaves his feet too much on defense, and since he’s a guy who needs his offense created for him, needs to be in-sync with Vasquez off the bench to be effective. Right now, he’s a man somewhat lost in the rotation, especially when Hansbrough’s in there killing the spacing for him. |  |
 | Chuck Hayes, C 6 MIN | 0-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -6 MIP 2014-15. |  |
 | Greg Stiemsma, C 3 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -9 I miss Jordan Hamilton. | |
 | Greivis Vasquez, PG 26 MIN | 5-11 FG | 2-2 FT | 4 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 13 PTS | +18 Came in as part of a three-PG lineup and did well running the show. I find him fairly easy to grade because he’s measured on how well the offense runs when he’s on, and it did fine today. He did get torched on defense multiple times, but whatever. | |
 | Louis Williams, SG 18 MIN | 5-9 FG | 5-6 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 16 PTS | +24 Forced a few shots and rightfully so, this was the game to do it. Slowly getting his rhythm back and we’re all very happy for him. Hit another end-of-quarter three which has become somewhat the norm. | |
 | Landry Fields, SG 6 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | -6 We finally know the answer to the question of when Landry Fields gets to play: when we’re up 30 at home against a winless team. | |
 | Dwane Casey Three-PG lineup with Vasquez, Lowry and Williams. Scored on 3 of 4 possessions. Boo for not activating the Brazilians for this foreseeable blowout. Had a chill night where little thinking was required. | |
Four Things We Saw
- Raps shot 69% in the first to assume control. Good to see them get a quick start again, obviously, the pre-game speech was about not taking the opposition lightly and they didn’t.
- Philly shot 34 threes, that’s double of what the Raptors shot. Clearly their strategy is to hope that they get hot and stay in the game, worked for about 8 minutes
- The Raptors were up by 41 in this game.
- You can’t really read much into this game, so I won’t. I’ll leave it at this: in year’s past the Raptors have been known to drop a stinker at home in a game they were expected to win, and it’s encouraging to see a level of professionalism in the team.
