Toronto Raptors atop the Eastern Conference ahead of Orlando Magic game | National Post
There is ample reason for optimism, though. The Raptors are third in offensive rating and seventh in defensive rating. They have shot the second most free throws in the league, and their starting lineup has outscored opponents by an absurd 46 points in just 63 minutes — the best raw total in the league. In playing the likes of Orlando, Boston, Philadelphia and the undermanned Thunder, the Raptors have had a soft schedule so far. However, despite DeRozan’s protestations, it might indeed mean something. “If you’re leading early on, I think that just breeds confidence,” guard Lou Williams said. “Especially with a young group of guys that set a goal that they want to be good, they want to be at the top of the East, they want to be one of those teams that’s talked about.”
Raptors second unit is pushing starters | Toronto Sun
You can bet that Terrence Ross got up 500 shots last week and stepped up his game considerably because he knows full well that James Johnson has been giving the team strong minutes behind him. The depth has also helped when injuries have struck. Patrick Patterson has come in for Amir Johnson and Tyler Hansbrough and the other big men have helped spell Jonas Valanciunas and Johnson. Hansbrough has been far more effective this season and his offensive advanced stats are stellar. Dwane Casey is enjoying the options his front office has provided. “James (Johnson) has played his role very well, as a defensive player (guarding) multiple positions,” Casey said. The coach says Johnson’s ability to guard every position but centre has allowed him to be more creative and to use Vasquez and fellow guard Lou Williams at times alongside Kyle Lowry in a three-guard lineup.
Toronto Raptors’ early ascent feels real: Arthur | Toronto Star
That being said, the Raptors are 6-1, tied with Houston and Memphis for the league’s best record, with the best point differential in the NBA, before you take the Sixers exchange rate into account. The Raptors are in first place. Everyone be cool. “It don’t mean nothing right now, honestly,” says DeMar DeRozan, who is scoring more per minute than he has in his NBA career. “That’s how we’re looking at it. We’re seven games in, honestly, we know we have a lot more to improve on.” “We’re still working on a lot of stuff, trying to figure out what we are, trying to figure out our identity,” said coach Dwane Casey, who only had to introduce two new offensive sets this season. It’s early, he kept saying. It’s early. “You going to tell me San Antonio, look at their record right now, you going to tell me they’re not going to be in the money?” Yes, this is true. There is so far to go. But let’s hold onto this moment for a second, OK?
Weekly Rap: Scary-good Raps can improve further | Sportsnet.ca
he Raptors current seven-game homestand features three games worth circling on the calendar. The first resulted in a 103-84 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday night, while the second and third are Toronto’s upcoming dates with the Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies. The Raptors will have no problems getting revved up to play those marquee matchups, but before those two games they host the Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz—teams that, on paper, the Raptors should handle. Will Toronto be able to fight human nature and stay focused on the task at hand against the Magic and Jazz?
Lowry’s Best Assists to Raptors Come Off the Court | Basketball Insiders
Lowry embraced the position as the Raptors’ social planner to help build chemistry. He organizes team events such as trips to the bowling alley and the movies. When the Raptors play against the 76ers in his hometown of Philadelphia, he invites the entire squad to his house the evening before the game. Forget about hotel room service, the Lowry family delivers five-star treatment. “We have a nice big home-cooked dinner,” Terrence Ross said. “His wife and his mom cook for us. It’s good, too. He brings his barber in … He’s got pool tables, video games, we watch the games there. We’ll get to Philly around 6:00, get to his house around 9:00, won’t leave until 11:00. It’s fun being at his house.” For as many group events as Lowry plans, he also develops one-on-one relationships with his teammates. Just as he formed bonds with veterans when he was a young player, he does the same with those starting their careers.
NBA MVP Watch: Who Are the Early Favorites? | numberFire
Number four might be the unlikeliest of our five candidates to actually win the award when all is said and done. Nonetheless, Lowry has really emerged as a star in this league. He’s a hidden gem north of the border, but he’s really come out this year as a man on a mission to put Toronto right back into the playoff mix. Now that he’s getting paid like a top guard, Lowry is proving himself worth every penny. Through seven games, he’s our fourth ranked player with a nERD of 18.5. Lowry’s the main reason his team sits pretty at 6-1. He possesses a 29.6% share of his team’s total nERD of 62.5. As the “King of the North” and leader of the Raps, I wouldn’t be surprised if Lowry is in and out of our top five throughout the season.
Raptors’ Lowry becoming a star | Philly.com
He produced consecutive eye-dropping performances this past week against two of the NBA’s elite point guards: the Boston Celtics’ Rajon Rondo (35 points, including a key steal late in the game) and the Washington Wizards’ John Wall (triple-double, his Raptors-record fourth). “I think he’s a stud,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said of the muscular 6-foot-1, 204-pounder. “He’s a bowling ball. He’s a pit bull. . . . He’s grown on me.”
Raptors should be thanking Steve Nash | Toronto Sun
Lowry averaged over 29 minutes a game in his first season with the Raptors and last year started 79 games while setting career highs in minutes (36.2), points (17.9), assists (7.4), rebounds (4.7) and three point field goal percentage (38%). This past summer, he signed a four-year deal, reportedly worth $48 million and is one of the key components on what is considered one of the best young teams in the NBA. “I really thought Steve was the kind of guy that could have helped and taught Kyle some things. But Kyle’s a bulldog,” said Colangelo. “He’s an type A personality, I’m really glad to see the coach (Dwane Casey) letting him go a little bit and allowing him to express some of that freedom out on the court. And he answers the bell.” Colangelo said when the Raptors traded for Lowry they projected him to become a top-10 point guard in the NBA, in the hopes that he could eventually push that to top 5. Turns out, he is nearing that status now and along with DeMar DeRozan gives the Raptors one of the best guard tandems in the league.
Raptors proving teams can win without losing – Sportsnet.ca
Adam Silver owes Masai Ujiri a thank-you letter. He should accompany it with a hefty donation to the Toronto Raptors general manager’s Giants of Africa Foundation. And while he’s at it he should arrive at James Dolan’s door with some flowers and a vintage guitar for the wannabe rock-and-roller and owner of the New York Knicks.
DeMar DeRozan is gratified to see the growth of college teammate Nik Vucevic | Orlando Sentinel
Vucevic always has been impressed with DeRozan’s game. Last season, DeRozan earned his first All-Star selection and helped the Raptors win the Atlantic Division title. This past summer, he played for Team USA when it won the gold medal at the FIBA World Cup in Spain. Meanwhile, DeRozan and the Raptors continue to improve. DeRozan, a 6-foot-7 shooting guard, is averaging 22.7 points per game. Toronto, which is off to a 6-1 start, will enter Tuesday night’s matchup against Orlando with the best record in the Eastern Conference. “You always want to see people that you know well do well,” Vucevic says. “DeMar is a guy that I was pretty close with in college. We were in the same class. We were both freshmen. He really improved his game a lot, and I’m very happy for him. He’s a guy that works really hard and spends a lot of time in the gym. It’s really great. I’m happy for him.”
Toronto Raptors’ Lou Williams’ ability to draw fouls both a science and an art | National Post
“Shot fakes? I don’t pump fake,” Williams said after Sunday’s victory, in which he scored 16 points in 18 minutes. “Nah, I just create contact.” Williams’ methodology is a little different than we are used to in Toronto. He does not have the series of moves and counter-moves that DeRozan has, nor the head-down, just-try-to-stop-me approach that Lowry uses. Williams’ ability to draw fouls is as much both art and science. It is effective. Statistics from John Schuhmann at NBA.com show DeRozan was sixth in the league last year in free throws attempted per field goal attempted in the restricted area — a quick way to determine a player’s ability to get fouled in non-traditional spots on the floor. (Atlanta’s brilliant Kyle Korver was first). Williams was eighth in the same category.
Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors: Tuesday NBA game preview | Toronto Star
Magic are still without promising young guard Victor Oladipo, out with a facial fracture. . . . Orlando comes in off a loss in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon despite 27 points and 12 rebounds from Vucevic, who is turning into an excellent young centre. . . . Mississauga’s Andrew Nicholson has fallen far out of favour in Orlando, a Did Not Play-Coach’s Decision in four straight games. . . . Orlando’s two wins have come on a Tobias Harris buzzer-beater over Philadelphia and in overtime against Minnesota. . . . To commemorate Remembrance Day, the Raptors will wear camouflage jerseys, with a twist. They will be the short-sleeved T-shirt-style jerseys in camouflages so they’ll be even more hidden. . . . The Raptors have never started a season with five straight home wins. . . . Toronto has won eight in a row over the Magic, including earlier this season in Orlando.
NBA.con Power Rankings – Raptors Come in at #4
Toronto (6-1) Pace: 97.1 (10), OffRtg: 109.4 (3), DefRtg: 99.9 (7), NetRtg: +9.5 (3) With no Bradley Beal, we didn’t get an answer on the better-backcourt question, but the Raptors’ easy win over the Wizards on Friday was a good way to start a seven-game homestand. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have been consistently good, but Terrence Ross’ 3-point shooting (8-for-13 over the weekend) is more noteworthy.
Armstrong: Five quick thoughts on Raptors, Olynyk, and more | TSN
Team off to best start in franchise history at 6-1. Think back to the dark days of the 4-19 start during the 2012-13 season and how far they’ve come. From that point on, his teams have gone 84-64 and that includes a 6-12 start last year. Nice to finally have a good start this time around. Bottom line, the Organization has stayed patient with Coach Casey and they’ve been rewarded for it. Lots of work still to do and ground to cover with 75 games to play yet it’s nice to briefly reflect on how far they’ve come. Leadership has had a lot to do with it. Coaching does matter a whole lot and Casey has paid his dues and deserved a second chance after the plug was pulled way too early on him in Minnesota. Good things happening for a good guy.
BALLnROLL – Jonas Valanciunas Is The Centre of Attention
“The attention is not taking my humbleness,” Valanciunas responds when we ask him about the added focus on him going into this season. “I haven’t proved that I’m the best centre in the league, so I have a lot of things to do.” That response would more than likely be reiterated by Raptors coach Dwane Casey, a guy who isn’t short on praise for his big man when he performs, but someone who also isn’t shy about doling out criticism and restricting minutes when he slips up. Last season Casey kept his centre on a relatively short leash—Valanciunas has a tendency to get into foul trouble and Casey has shown a reluctance to let him play through early fouls. He’s also had issues defending the pick-n-roll during his early going in the league and Casey, a defensive-minded disciplinarian, has let the media know when he’s been unhappy with Valanciunas’ defence.
NBA Preview – Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors | CBSSports.com
As they look to extend the best start in team history, the Raptors will try to open 5-0 in Toronto for the first time in 11 years as they continue a seven-game homestand against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. Toronto (6-1) is averaging an NBA-best 107.4 points after shooting a season-high 56.6 percent in Sunday’s 120-88 home win over Philadelphia. The Raptors moved alone atop the conference for the first time in their 20-year history. “They are one of the best teams in the East right now,” 76ers guard Tony Wroten said. DeMar DeRozan needs 21 points to pass Andrea Bargnani for third on the Raptors’ all-time list. He hit 8 of 12 from the field and all eight free-throw attempts against the 76ers for 24 points.
Magic-Raptors Preview | FOX Sports
“It feels good to start good like this,” center Jonas Valanciunas said. “We’ve got to do this every game.” Toronto, seeking its best home start since going 5-0 in 2003, faces an Orlando team that has scored 90.3 per game while dropping three of four on the road. The Magic (2-5) have also averaged 90.0 points during an eight-game losing streak to Toronto and have reached 100 four times while going 2-29 in their last 31 on the road. Both road wins in that span have come against the woeful 76ers on Feb. 26 and on Wednesday. The Magic were outrebounded 45-31 in a 104-96 loss at Brooklyn on Sunday as they failed to win a third straight. The Raptors held a 50-40 rebounding edge in a 108-95 win at Orlando on Nov. 1. ”A lot of times, rebounding is position, your early work,” coach Jacque Vaughn said Sunday. “I think we can continue to address that and take care of that.”
Photo Credit: Casey Campbell
I can haz yo linkz???!? rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
