Toronto Raptors trying to ease the workload of star guards Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan | National Post
So far, the Raptors have succeeded in easing the burden on Lowry and DeRozan. Through 10 games, Lowry is playing a smidge more than 33 minutes compared to 36 last year, while DeRozan is at 34 instead of 38. The math is simple enough to figure out: Following the Rudy Gay trade, the Raptors were particularly thin on the wing last year, with the unreliable John Salmons as the primary backup to both DeRozan and Terrence Ross. That led to Casey playing DeRozan more often and also using two-point guard lineups frequently, which led to increased time for Lowry. Lou Williams and James Johnson have effectively replaced the exiled Salmons. Johnson’s versatility has given Casey more options on the wing, while Williams has played next to backup point guard Greivis Vasquez more than Lowry has. Johnson has a severely sprained ankle, and there is no timetable for his return. That will complicate Casey’s task, surely.
Raptors will need to bear down against Grizzlies | Toronto Sun
While talented, Memphis prides itself on its “grit-n-grind” identity, its throwback style of basketball. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol live in the paint, a pair of old school big men who can shoot the ball, but love backing down overmatched opponents. The Grizzlies also love to get after the opposition, pressing them into turnovers with quick hands and athleticism. Few do that better than Mike Conley or Tony Allen. “They are playing very, very well offensively and they play that grab, hold and hit style of defence that wins in the playoffs,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said. “They’re one of the top teams in the league right now.” For Hansbrough, the biggest challenge will be containing the Grizzlies on the backboards. “It’s going to be a challenge, especially when you’ve got Zach Randolph and Gasol down there,” he admitted. “You’ve got to keep them off the glass, I think that’s going to be the most important part, kind of limit their easy touches down low and try to prevent them from getting the ball for offensive rebounds.
Lewenberg: Raptors to honour Carter in Wednesday’s return | TSN
How will it go? No one can possibly know for sure. With Carter and his new team, the red-hot Memphis Grizzlies, in town for a match-up of unlikely conference leaders, the Raptors will honour VC in a video tribute sometime during the first quarter as part of their continued 20th anniversary celebrations. It’s a decision that’s sure to spark controversy and awaken an ongoing, decade-long debate in and around Toronto: Does Carter’s Raptor legacy merit any kind of salute? And if so, to what extent and at what time is it appropriate? The breakup was unquestionably ugly, something that neither party is especially proud of, although no one has fully embraced their share of the blame. The franchise mishandled Carter for most of his tenure, especially towards the end. They failed to build a contender around him and alienated him with botched draft picks and the hiring of Rob Babcock.
Do You Want the Raptors To Honour Vince Carter? | Raptors HQ
It’s been buzzing around on Twitter for most of the afternoon: When the Memphis Grizzlies visit the Raptors tomorrow for their game at the ACC, the arena is set to play a video montage to honour Carter.
Vince Carter to get video tribute at Raptors-Grizzlies game Wednesday | Toronto Star
The team plans one of the many video tributes they are paying to icons of the past to help celebrate its 20th anniversary and no one is iconic as Carter, who will be honoured during a first-quarter timeout. Guessing the reaction is difficult because there are those who will not let go of a decade-long anger at Carter and how vociferous they will be can’t be told. But there is a greater context that should be taken into consideration. “Never mind what happened with him 10 years ago,” was the gist of the point the high-ranking team staff member made. “They should cheer him for what he did for basketball in Canada.” It’s tough to argue with that logic.
Raptors need to make peace with their past | Sportsnet.ca
But I don’t want to see the Raptors become the Maple Leafs or, in some ways, the Toronto Blue Jays – the latter of whom have, mercifully, realized in recent years that there is a fine line between honouring back-to-back World Series winners and hitting the current group of players over the head with it. It wasn’t just “Flashback Fridays,” which led to underground printing of t-shirts that read “Turn The Page Tuesdays” by players in response. It was the constant reminders on the Rogers Centre video board; the constant feting. It is interesting that it took the return of Paul Beeston as president and chief executive officer for a new balance to be struck. It was Beeston, one of the faces of those back-to-back titles, who decided to low-key the 20th anniversaries of the 1992 World Series and the follow-up 1993 win.
Raptors-Grizzlies: Wednesday game preview | Toronto Star
The right ankle sprain suffered by Toronto’s James Johnson has been termed “severe” by the team. He’s out for this game and for the foreseeable future . . . The Grizzlies come in with the best record in the NBA — 10-1 after drubbing Houston in Memphis on Monday night . . . Conley left that game against Houston in the third quarter after getting hit on the shoulder . . . Grizzlies are considered the best defensive team in the NBA and up a league-lowest 91.5 points per game.
Toronto Raptors’ Most Startlig Statistics of 2014-15 Season so Far | Bleacher Report
Entering his third year in the league, Valanciunas was expected to see an increased role in an offense that’s relied heavily on the backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. As Lowry told the Toronto Sun’s Ryan Wolstat back in September: “We can’t just do all guard-oriented types of things. We have to make sure he’s more involved and have to put a little pressure on him to score the ball.” While his numbers haven’t taken an enormous hit, Valanciunas has yet to establish himself as much of a low-post presence because, frankly, he hasn’t had enough of an opportunity to do so.
Kyle Lowry: ‘Wanted The Pressure On Me’ The Morning Show – CBS Sports Radio
Lowry, who was a free agent this past offseason, could have signed elsewhere but elected to stay in Toronto, which finished with the No. 3 seed in the East last year. “I think the situation was perfect for me,” Lowry said. “We had 11 guys coming back. The continuity was there. Overall, I think it was the best situation for me to win and (be) a big part of it.” Lowry, 28, was a star at Villanova in the mid-2000s. He was drafted by Memphis, spent three seasons there, and then spent three seasons in Houston before signing with Toronto in 2012. Lowry averaged 17.9 points, 7.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds last season. This year, he is averaging 18.3, 5.8 and 4.8, respectively. Why did it take him so long to find his niche in the NBA? “I don’t know,” he said. “I think it’s just a thing where I took the right situation. The NBA is all about situation and opportunity. I believe the opportunity came and the situation is the right one. A lot of people go through that same type of situation and try to find themselves. For me, it took a little longer, but I’m happy I found it.”
NBA News & Rumors: Raptors Could Trade For Kenneth Faried | Realty Today
“Faried was a fan favorite in Denver, but multiple sources with knowledge of the Nuggets’ thinking maintain the team “isn’t crazy about him,” particularly Shaw,” Arnovits reported. “But with Faried’s boffo showing last summer with Team USA and a loyal following in Denver, the media-conscious Nuggets caved, adding yet another imperfect 4-man to their lot.” The Raptors are expected to be one of the leading suitors for Faried because of the player’s association with general manager Masai Ujiri, the guy that drafted him 22nd overall in 2011.
Ten Thoughts Through Ten Games: Part One of Two | Raptors Rapture
The past few years have been tough on Raptors fans. Underwhelming performances, head-scratching trades and free agent signings, a long playoff drought; it seemed that almost anything that could have gone wrong, did. Things have changed for the better now. The Raptors have become a team that is expected to win their division and one that should be able to move past the first round of the playoffs. For the first time in a long time, fans can actually be optimistic about the season at hand. With the way the roster is structured, this feeling should become the norm for the next couple of seasons. Breathe it in and enjoy, Raptors fans, it’s been a while.
Air Canada Centre Reviews, Toronto Raptors | Stadium Journey
It is impossible not to notice the massive amount of Leafs history hanging from the rafters, but the arena and team have gone out of their way to ensure Raptors fans feel at home. There are large murals at the ends of the 500-level seats and a ring of ‘We the North’ banners top the 100-level section. Before entering the arena, fans will notice the massive black and white ‘We the North’ banner on Bay Street and this theme continues throughout the public-access Galleria as well as in the concourses. The arena’s exterior facade does well to incorporate the building’s history as the postal terminal for the city and ornate carvings of canoes, airplanes, and other historical delivery methods grace the stone walls. At the west end of the arena is Maple Leaf Square, rechristened Jurassic Park during the Raptors’ playoff run where tens of thousands of supporters packed the square and overflowed down Bremner Street to watch the game free on the big screen mounted to the side of the building.
