Raptors first in East, breeze by no-name Sixers | Toronto Star
They didn’t slip at all, jumping out to a 33-20 first-quarter lead and coasting home. Casey called the performance “professional” and it was from the aspect that the Raptors got a bad team down and didn’t let it get any hope. “We’ve been in a lot of games where we had big leads and we lost them, especially with a team like that, that’s not going to give up,” said DeMar DeRozan, who led all scorers with 24 points while playing only 26 minutes. “We’ve been (trying) to put our foot on people’s necks when we get a lead and not give them any hope. We didn’t let up, at no point. They probably hit a couple of threes, two threes in a row, and we picked up the defence again. . . . That’s the way we have to play when we gain leads.” The Sixers were, in a word, awful. They started a lineup that would perhaps contend for a D League title and brought even more suspect talent off the bench. They were missing key pieces in the injured Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel, but it’s hard to imagine two more young players making any kind of difference.
Raptors crush lowly 76ers | Toronto Sun
The team moved to 6-1 for the first time and more importantly, took sole possession of top spot in the Eastern Conference after seven games or more for the first time with a 120-88 annihilation of the Philadelphia 76ers. Sure, it is pretty early to point out these things, but considering it has taken 20 seasons for it to happen, the Raptors might as well live it up. To the credit of the team, the high-flying Raptors did not get stuck in a dreaded “trap game” on Sunday against the woeful Sixers, now 0-6 and looking like a smart money pick to shatter the NBA’s all-time record for fewest wins in a season. Toronto shot 69% in the opening quarter and 61% in the first half, compared to Philly’s 40%. The Raptors also got to the free throw line at will, building a 17-5 attempts edge in the half against the overmatched Sixers defenders.
Raptors Win, 76ers One Game Closer to 2015 Draft | Raptors HQ
Similar to the Washington game, the Raptors looked better defensively out of the gate. Help defence was flying, as the Sixers regularly settled for 1-on-1 play with Tony Wroten, who led Philadelphia with 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting. Chris Johnson chipped in 16 off the bench, but may be remembered better for getting denied by Terrence Ross. This one was never all that competitive (fans got their pizza with 8:10 left) – those looking for entertainment elsewhere could look to Drake’s eyewear or Karter Lowry’s outstanding varsity jacket. Props to Dad for raising a patriot.
Lewenberg: East-leading Raptors dispose of winless 76ers | TSN
“I thought we were very professional and took a very professional approach,” Dwane Casey said following his team’s rout of the 76ers in a 120-88 victory. “Those guys are a young team and I knew they were going to come out and play hard, and they did that in the first few minutes of the game. Our guys played the way we should play.” Facing a cast of characters that even the staunchest hoops head would have difficulty picking out of a line-up, Toronto took the lead less than two minutes into Sunday’s contest and never relinquished. DeMar DeRozan was the first to identity and exploit a glaring mismatch, welcoming JaKarr Sampson – an un-drafted rookie – to the league, attacking him to the tune of seven points in three minutes. By the end of the opening quarter, they had scored 33 points, two days after dropping 28 on the Wizards, shooting 69 per cent – a percentage that didn’t drop below 60 until early in the third frame.
Game Rap: Raptors 120 Sixers 88 | Toronto Raptors
Just an incredibly efficient night at the office from DeRozan. The All-Star shot 8-for-12 from the field and hit all eight of his free throw attempts on his way to a game-high 24 points to go with six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 26 minutes of work. Not a second of that floor time was in the fourth. Head coach Dwane Casey took notice of his leading scorer’s refined approach. “One thing I thought DeMar (DeRozan) did a great job with is he took what the defence gave him. If they gave him a drive he took it; he didn’t force things, he kicked it out and found shooters and his spacing was good. There are going to be nights where he’ll have the match-up, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to score.”
Sixers Blown Out in Toronto | Hoop76
McDaniels is clearly the second round keeper the 76ers hoped they could lock up at a below market rate for multiple years before the season started. They may not have gotten the four-year deal they wanted but the 76ers have to be happy with what they have after nights like tonight. There were a few missed defensive rotations and ugly three point attempts but the highlight-worthy blocked shots and willingness to attack the rim more than made up for it. At a point in the fourth quarter the chance of catching another K.J. highlight was the only 76ers-centric reason to still have the game on.
After years of despising everything Lou Williams stood for, I found myself watching him today and not totally hating it. Sam Hinkie has helped us all move on, and the Lou Williams Hate Advisory Index (LWHAI) can be retired for good. This truly is a new era at LB.
Kelly: Raptors, Sixers blowout a tale of two teams | The Globe and Mail
Do you have a beer-league team at work? A bunch of friends, every one of them well into the middle-age slide? Usually only practise 10 minutes before games? Do you usually draw those mutants from Maintenance, most of whom you are pretty sure are ringers? Right, well, you’re still better than the 76ers. The 76ers are an exaggerated version of Raptors squads past. The key difference – they were purpose-built to lose. Fielding a roster of promising greenhorns and D-League scrubs, they’re doing a hell of a job at it. This is no longer an NBA team. It’s a human study into the long-term effects of tanking. To their credit, they are triers. Most of their trying involves taking hopeless fouls and missing free throws. They were down 19 early, at which point the Raptors engaged their autopilot. They haven’t had the opportunity to test that much this year, so it’s good news to find out it still works. It finished 120-88. Standouts for the Raptors: Everyone. Standouts for the 76ers: the team psychologist, his therapist and everyone in their lives who has to listen to them talk about basketball.
Recap: Raptors bully 76ers, take top spot in the East | Raptors Watch
The 76ers were getting carved up defensively, and without exaggeration it can be said their defense was completely non-existent at times. The Raptors did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted to do it. At one point in the second quarter, Amir Johnson was so wide-open from three that he actually took about five seconds to shoot the ball before sinking it from behind the arc. The Raptors went into the half up 60-45, shooting 17/17 from the free throw line. There were flaws though – the Raptors had 12 turnovers at the half and 20 overall. That’s nine more turnovers than they’ve had in any game this season.
Post Game: Toronto Raptors show no mercy vs Philly 76ers | Raptors Cage
The Raptors had some fun tonight as they hosted the lowly Philadelphia 76ers. The Raps showed no mercy as they thrashed the tanking squad by a score of 120-88. The W puts the Raps at an impressive 6-1 to start the season – giving them the sole position at the top of the Eastern conference. Feels good. This game wasn’t particularly close at any point. The Raps were up by 41 points at one point. All dressed players got a chance to contribute tonight, and it was definitely a good opportunity for the rotational players to log some rest after a relatively heavy past couple of days.
Raptors 120 – Philadelphia 76ers 88: Blowed ’em up real good | Raptors Rapture
Toronto was led once again by the ultra-efficient DeMar DeRozan, who needed a mere 25+ minutes to amass 24 points. Several of his buckets were spectacular, and he continues to draw fouls, hitting all 8 attempts from the charity stripe. Kyle Lowry is still struggling with his 3-point shot, but hustled and defended in his usual fashion. His turnovers outnumbered his assists 4-3, but that won’t happen often, and was moot against the punchless 76ers.
DeMar DeRozan: Analytical Anomaly | SLAM Magazine
Outside of that simple logic, the other elements of DeRozan’s game are anomalies in today’s NBA. Last season, he attempted only 210 three-pointers, 106th most in the League. He’s a maestro of the mid-range; often taking five or six dribbles before cocking the ball above his shoulder, fading away from the basket and launching a 17-foot turnaround over his defender. Through five games this season, 40.8 percent of his shots have come from 15-19 feet, the zone otherwise known as the anti-Houston Rockets long two. “I don’t care about analytics at all. I could give a hell about ‘em,” DeRozan said. “I don’t try to base myself off machines, I just try to take advantage of everything within that arc.” It’s a strategy coach Dwane Casey is comfortable with. “I know he’s an analytical nightmare, but he’s one of the best mid-range shooters in the League because he does get to the free-throw line,” Casey said. “So it kind of equals itself out and I don’t have to fight with the analytical people all the time.”
How has Demar Derozan’s work ethic influenced your life? | RealGM
I want to start off by saying that I”ve been watching the Raptors for as long as I can remember. Players have come and gone, but no one has influenced me in the way Demar has. Lets forget for one second all the negatives we criticize his game for here on realgm. But just his work ethic how has it influenced your life? I used to be a lazy S.O.B not caring about my health or what I wanted to do with my life. Since Demar was drafted I followed him closely I immediately fell in love with his work ethic. Staying at home watching game footage instead of partying on New Years or using his left hand all off season just to get an edge on the court. I admired his work ethic and decided I wanted that too. I changed my life I hit the gym I studied hard I didn’t let anything get in the way of what I wanted. I went from 210lb to 165lb. My first year of university I did horrible, but second year I improved a bit by third and fourth year I was thinking of medical school. I am now a UFT med school student. I want to take this time to thank Demar Derozan for showing me just how far hard work can get you even if you don’t have the natural talent.
The Raptors’ Only Hope is Love | Raps In 2016
There is a long list of very good players who refused to play here, demanded a trade or simply left without a goodbye. Three of them might go into the Hall of Fame. We developed them as kids and gave them freedom to learn through mistakes. We loved them. They didn’t love us back. Not Kyle Lowry though. He came back. Like his mother said, “How can you not want to go back to a city that showed the kind of love they showed?” There is no team without Kyle. Love brought him back.
Toronto Raptors Are Number One | Pro Bball Report
The surprising Raptors play their next 5 games at home and face the 2-5 Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Since Toronto defeated the Magic in Orlando 108-95 a week ago and neither the Rockets, Grizzlies nor Warriors play on Monday, Toronto’s stay atop of the NBA standings may not be short-lived. Argue all you want about strength of schedule, teams can only play the opponents scheduled in front of them and the Raptors have taken care of business through their first 7 games. First place overall is theirs to enjoy – for now and when fans are used to seeing their team fighting for position in the NBA Draft Lottery, it would be just plain wrong to not let them celebrate when things are looking this good.
I can haz yo linkz??!?! rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
