Raptors still have some holes in their game | Toronto Sun
Two things I’d like to see Valanciunas change in his game: (1) Stop with all of the shot fakes. He can hit a mid-range jumper. If you are open, fire away, without hesitation. Faking, putting it on the floor and attacking isn’t the best option for Valanciunas given he is a 7-footer without ridiculous speed and athleticism and because he also doesn’t protect the ball well enough. Again, he can make those shots and should take them. The exception would be when he is closer to the bucket and can use an up-fake to set up the driving hooks which have turned into a solid part of his game. (2) Valanciunas must take better care of the ball. He brings it down too low too often — something players are usually taught not to do — which leads to strips, steals, caroms off of feet, etc. But he’s getting there and the more confidence Casey and his teammates show in him, the better he will be.
Raptors would sorely miss James Johnson | Toronto Sun
Consider the player efficiency rating that ESPN uses to gauge and compare individual rating based on per-minute productivity. Despite being a defensive specialist, which is one area that outside of blocks and steals doesn’t really get measured by this formula, Johnson is still the second-highest rated Raptor on the list behind only Kyle Lowry. Johnson’s PER is a stunning 20.91 which is 37th best in the NBA. Lowry’s PER of 23.08 puts him 18th overall in the league. It’s not a perfect stat but it is the best one in terms of measuring the impact on a game a player has. Johnson’s per game average of 7.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and almost a steal a game doesn’t sound like a huge deal but when combined speak to the impact he has had on the Raptors’ early-season success.
Raptors’ Casey, DeRozan have relationship that transcends basketball | Toronto Star
It remains to be seen how this coupling of a young yet old man and very much the same guider will take the Raptors, but it’s impressive to consider how far they have come. DeRozan is an NBA all-star, Casey is mentioned these days in discussions about the better coaches in the league and it’s large part because of the relationship. Those values, those traits they unequivocally display, have everything to do with where they are and how far they’ve come and will be the thing they most remember. “I think you appreciate a person even more when you go through the tough times with them,” said DeRozan. “When you see success after that, it’s special.” Special, like the two old souls from different eras who are far more similar than they are different.
DeMar DeRozan: A Rough Start to the Season | Hoops Habit
To date, the Raptors have done just that by accumulating a record of 8-2, and putting themselves alone atop the Eastern Conference at the ten game mark. But where things appear to be going swimmingly for Toronto, a problem exists below the surface … DeMar DeRozan is struggling to match his output from last year. This isn’t to say that DeRozan is playing poorly (his Player Efficiency Rating is higher than last year), but he has yet to show the regular improvement in production that has defined his career to date. A notoriously hard worker, both in and out of season, DeRozan is renowned for his work ethic and ability to add to his game each offseason. So far this year, DeMar has instead displayed a regression in a variety of different areas.Simply put, prior to Saturday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, there has been something wrong with DeMar DeRozan this season.
NBA East Leading Raptors Live Up To #WeTheFourth | Pro Bball Report
Most of the Raptors fourth quarter scoring differentials have been 5 points or less, however, what is worth noting is Toronto’s tendency to pour it on when needed at the end. Toronto only led the Thunder by 3 points heading into the final period and used a 27-18 quarter to pull away for the win. At home to Orlando, Toronto trailed by 11 after the third and used a 32-17 outburst to pull out the 4 point win. On Saturday the Raptors used a strong third quarter to get a 4 point lead over the Jazz and then blew the game open with a 35-21 fourth quarter.
