Toronto Raptors show versatility in wins over Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers | National Post
Although Valanciunas did not play in the game’s final four minutes and 45 seconds, the Raptors leveraged his skills for the 32 minutes he was on the floor. None of Phoenix’s traditional big men, from starter Miles Plumlee to reserves Alex Len and Shavlik Randolph, had a prayer. Valanciunas had a career-high 27 points, missing just one of his 11 field-goal attempts and one of his eight free throws. A segment of Raptors fans have been desperate for Valanciunas to become a more prominent part of the Raptors’ offence, and he was just that on Monday. Credit goes to both Valanciunas and Lowry, who looked for the centre play after play, whether in the post or in the pick-and-roll. “He was dominant tonight. He was really aggressive. He asserted himself,” Lowry said. “He really attacked the basket. He really went out there and played like a true, dominant 7-foot centre.” “When teams want to speed it up like that,” said Raptors reserve Chuck Hayes, “we’ve got to slow it down and feed the big fella.”
Raptors cool off Suns | Toronto Sun
The Raptors forced 20 Suns turnovers, leading to 24 points. The biggest ones were courtesy of Lowry. “He had a sequence where he got the block, loose ball, got the steal, got the assist and then the charge. Unbelievable. That shows our leader, man,” said Hayes. Casey said Lowry “kind of always finds a way to find those big plays down the stretch, that’s just his nature … He’ll coast a little bit, but when it’s really that time of day, he steps up.” Lowry shifted the credit toward Valanciunas. “He was dominant tonight. He was really aggressive. He asserted himself,” Lowry said. “He really attacked the basket (and) went out there and played like a true, dominant 7-foot centre.”
Valanciunas, DeRozan spark Raptors past Suns | Toronto Star
Toronto withstood a barrage of seven Phoenix three-pointers in the fourth quarter — wiping out a Raptors lead that had stretched to 15 points – and simply won by playing better than the other guys when the game was on the line. “One night it’s free throws, one night it’s jump balls, one night it’s steals, one night it’s rebounds — or one night it’s going to be rebounds,” coach Dwane Casey joked. “It’s . . . finding different ways to win.” Before yet another boisterous sellout crowd of 19,800, it was enough small plays down the stretch that made the biggest difference. Lowry had a huge steal off Isaiah Thomas with Toronto up two and about 23 seconds left, a deft move that led to a jump ball between the two diminutive guards. The Raptors got control after the jump only because Terrence Ross made a wonderful save of a ball headed out of bounds, and they iced the game at the free-throw line.
Lewenberg: Red-hot Raptors win shootout with high-scoring Suns | TSN
As long as Casey is in charge, the Raptors will continue to hang their hats on defence. That’s what wins in this league, as he’ll tell you. It’s what won on this night. However, it’s their suddenly red-hot offence that has helped propel them to their best start in team history. Monday’s game featured two of the league’s highest scoring teams. The Raptors entered their meeting with Phoenix ranked second in points per game (first in the East), just ahead of the fourth-ranked Suns. It’s hardly unusual to see the Suns at the top of the NBA’s offensive hierarchy. With Steve Nash at the helm of a prolific and revolutionary offence, the Suns paced the NBA in scoring for six straight seasons earlier in the decade. Last year, their first under head coach Jeff Hornacek, they tailored their attack around a pair of dynamic point guards, reestablishing themselves as a nightly threat to run you out of the gym. But it’s a relatively new look for the defensive-minded Raptors. Their rise to the top of the scoring ladder has been gradual. It’s been more subtle.
Toronto Raptors benefit from playing in the weaker Eastern Conference | National Post
Geography remains the prime tormenter for the Suns. A year after winning 63% of interconference games, teams from the Western Conference had a 45-19 record (.703 winning percentage) against teams from the East heading into Monday’s games. Since 2002, the East won at least 50% of its games against the West just once. As noted by SB Nation’s Tom Ziller in an article advocating the end of conferences, only one team from the West — Oklahoma City, currently missing two superstars — has a losing record against the East this year. In the East, only three teams, Toronto, Washington and Chicago, have an average point differential better than plus-1.0 per game; in the West, there are 10 such teams. Or, just look at the Suns. They started their season 5-5, with eight of those games against Western Conference teams. On Nov. 17, they started a five-game Eastern Conference road trip that ends on Monday in Toronto. They are now 9-5, having beaten Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia and Indiana by a combined 53 points. The West has one truly depressing team, and that team has Kobe Bryant. Even the young teams that are destined to miss the playoffs are loaded with exceptional athletes and potential.
Everything’s working out just right for Raptors | Sportsnet.ca
The win improved the Raptors record to 12-2, tying them for the best record in the NBA with Memphis — who the Raptors bested when they visited Toronto last week — and extended their lead over Washington for the best record in the Eastern Conference. As a result Dwane Casey’s biggest job these days is trying to make it sound like the team that went 41-21 to end last season has only picked up the pace this year and is still a work in progress. “We’re still a growing team, it’s too early to look at records and who won what,” said Casey. “My job is to continue to push, continue to improve and not get caught up in records or anything like that.” Caution is a hard note to sound around a team and a fan base where everything seems to be so upside down. After years of everything that could go wrong, the Raptors are like a rich divorcee in Vegas: Nothing is wrong.
Valanciunas Big Early, Lowry Heroic Late as Raptors Eclipse Suns 104-100 | Raptors HQ
Jonas Valanciunas would not be the first Raptor you’d predict to shine against the run-and-gun Suns. Still, for most of the first half, against an overmatched Alex Len and Miles Plumlee, Valanciunas had his way. He finished the game with a career-high 27 points (on 10-of-11 shooting) and 11 rebounds. “I was just doing my job,” Jonas said after the game. “I was rebounding the ball, trying to get open, setting good screens and that’s my game.” Valanciunas’ game proved to be so effective that the Suns’ only answer was to go small. They’re fourth quarter rally – they outscored the Raps 34-23 in the fourth – was fueled by the dynamite Isaiah Thomas, the smallest player on both teams. He went for a quick 16 points (12 in the fourth quarter) on 6-of-10 shooting, and four 3s. The Raptors 15-point third quarter lead evaporated and the statement changed. The Raps needed to rally. While it was the biggest player on the Raptors who helped build their lead, it was the smallest, Kyle Lowry, who helped keep it. “It was huge,” Coach Casey said of Lowry’s late-game heroics. “That last play when he dove on the ball and just poked it away and caught them sleeping was huge in that situation.”
Raptors 104, Suns 100: A failed rally | Valley of the Suns
The Suns managed just 36 points in the paint to Toronto’s 52 yet somehow got hot enough in the fourth quarter to outscore Toronto 34-23 thanks to seven made three-point buckets. The defense finally found its way during the fourth as well, and it made up for a game where Phoenix just couldn’t knock down open jumpers. Goran Dragic went 3-for-9 and had four turnovers to his four assists, while the Morris twins didn’t have enough to stretch the court. Don’t blame Phoenix’s ball movement. It was good, and almost too unselfish. When the Suns weren’t missing open shots, they were forcing passes and giving up open looks. That was part of the turnover problem. Eric Bledsoe played a complete game for the Suns, dropping 25 points to go with seven rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. Thomas and Green torched Toronto in the fourth, but their turnovers ultimately caused the rally to fall short.
The Suns were down 100-98 when the ball was poked lose from Thomas ending in a jump ball between Kyle Lowry and Thomas. Lowry won the tip ending in two made free throws by DeMar DeRozan. Eric Bledsoe hit two free throws to close the gap back within two but DeRozan again hit two more free throws to seal the game for the Raptors. The Suns won the quarter 34-23 but couldn’t get the win. Jonas Valanciunas ended with a career high 27 points on 10-11 shooting for the Raptors. Lowry had 14 points, DeRozan had 23 points, and Lou Williams ended with 17 points. The Suns shot 46.4% while the Raptors shot 45.1%. The final score was 104-100 Raptors.
Valanciunas, DeRozan help Raptors fend off late Phoenix Suns rally: By the Numbers | Arizona Sports
Suns forward Markieff Morris finished with 17 points on 8-of-16 shooting in 37 minutes. It was the fifth game in a row that he has shot 50 percent or better from the field. The fourth-year forward is hitting 51.1 percent of his shots so far this season. He also grabbed eight boards Monday, which is the most he’s pulled down in the last 11 games.
Phoenix Suns’ furious rally falls short in loss to Toronto Raptors | AZ Central
The Suns almost swiped a fifth consecutive victory anyway, employing a small-ball lineup to take a lead a six minutes later and have possessions in the last two minutes to take a lead and then to tie. Instead, they committed two more turnovers for their fourth 20-turnover game in the first 15 games. With Markieff Morris and P.J. Tucker as big men, the Suns stormed back off 14 fourth-quarter points by Eric Bledsoe and 12 fourth-quarter points by Isaiah Thomas. Gerald Green committed an offensive foul trying to drive the baseline with the game tied and 1:16 to play. After Toronto took a 100-98 lead off a possession with two offensive rebounds, the Suns had what would prove to be their final chance. Markieff Morris set a high screen for Thomas as the Suns had riddled Toronto with pick-and-rolls all quarter. This time, Kyle Lowry went over the screen easily. When Thomas tried to cross his dribble, Lowry poked it loose and wound up tying up Thomas at midcourt as several Suns tried to get a timeout.
Observations From Toronto’s Locker Room After Beating Phoenix 104-100 | Hoops Addict
Weird vibe in Toronto’s locker room tonight. On the one hand, the team escaped with a win to push their record to 12-2. However, it was clear talking with the players they were grumpy with choking up a big lead in the fourth quarter. None of the usual joking around between teammates that normally happens after wins. More of a somber, business approach tonight once the media got into the locker room.
Valanciunas Has A Career Best As Raptors Go 4-0 Vs NBA West | Pro Bball Report
The game was decided in the final couple of minutes as the heart and hustle of Kyle Lowry was on full display. Lowry shot 1-5 in the quarter, but he made the layup that put the Raptors up 98-95 with 2:09 left in the game. Then with 23 seconds left, it was Lowry who tackled Isaiah Thomas, tied up the ball and won the jump-ball that put this game out of reach. The final score was 104-100 Toronto. Lowry finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and a block. DeRozan scored 23 points and got to the free throw line 13 times. Player-of-the-Week Lou Williams scored 17 points. Valanciunas’ 27 points was the game-high as he shot 10-11 from the field and 7-8 from the charity stripe.
Post game: Toronto Raptors down Phoenix Suns at home | Raptors Cage
The Raptors’ interior defense was solid in this contest. The Suns shot 46.4% from the field and trailed through three quarters. Unfortunately for the Dinos, their opponent laid out a blistering performance from three-point territory in the fourth quarter and made the final minutes a bit more interesting. Phoenix mounted an incredible run in the late comeback, shooting 7-10 from three and 11-16 from the field. The Raps’ perimeter defense failed to adjust, and as a result, the visitors closed the double-digit gap in short time. The defensive MVP of the night is Lowry, who instigated a crucial jump ball at the expense of offensive coordinator Isaiah Thomas which ultimately secured the W.
Raptors edge Suns, 104-100 | Raptors Watch
here were a few ties, and DeRozan and Patrick Patterson came up clutch, draining all of their free throws in the final minutes. DeMar iced his last two with 5.2 seconds left, making the game 104-100, and the Suns finally succumbed. Whew. This is the first time in franchise history that the Raptors have started 4-0 against the Western Conference. They are now on a five-game winning streak. They are tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the best record in the NBA at 12-2. Things are good in T-dot.
NBA Basketball Power Rankings | ESPN
Since the Rudy Gay trade, Toronto sports the East’s best record at 52-24, which is 4½ games better than Chicago’s 48-29. The committee (of one) is starting to get its hopes up, in other words, that our long-awaited return to T-Dot for the first time since 2007 won’t have to wait until All-Star Weekend in 2016.
So Uh what happened to Amir Johnson? | RealGM
Is he on his decline? or is he just injured. I know he bring its on defence but what happened to his scoring and rebounding??
Lou Williams’ Media Session After Being Named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week | Hoops Addict
Lou Williams is normally a shy, reserved player, so it was great to hear him open up about being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, the doubt that crept into his mind while he was rehabbing from knee surgery, his ability to draw fouls and the winning atmosphere in Toronto’s locker room that was apparent early in the season.
NBA – Can Toronto Raptors win Eastern Conference | ESPN [insider]
Watching Toronto go on a 24-2 second-half run in its win at Cleveland on Saturday was pretty convincing. The addition of explosive bench scorer Lou Williams has shored up a key roster shortcoming and helped give the Raptors a top-10 bench. On the downside, every rotation player on the roster has a winning percentage significantly exceeding his preseason projection, with two exceptions: Greivis Vasquez and Tyler Hansbrough. Some of the overachievers — such as Jonas Valanciunas, Patrick Patterson and Terrence Ross — are young players who might simply be getting better faster than we thought. But as a roster, Toronto is due to regress as the schedule toughens. And then there’s this cautionary tale: Last season’s Indiana Pacers. The moral of that story is that championships are not won in November. Nevertheless, the chasm between Toronto and everyone else in the Eastern Conference can’t be ignored. As for the kittens, the differentials, adjusted and otherwise, tell a yawn-inducing story of utter mediocrity. Washington’s plus-3.4 margin of victory translates to about 48 wins over a full season. After accounting for the Wizards’ 25th-ranked schedule, that MOV gets knocked down to plus-1.4. And that’s the second-best mark in the East. The Cavaliers have faced the league’s sixth-toughest schedule, and the fifth-most difficult set of opposing offenses. So Cleveland owns the third-ranked adjusted MOV (plus-0.6). I imagine that’s small consolation to a team that is reeling at the moment.
Ranking the 10 Most Surprising Hot Starts in the NBA #5. Toronto Raptors | Bleacher Report
Is it even fair to refer to the Toronto Raptors as dark-horse title contenders anymore? They own the best record in the Eastern Conference (11-2) and the biggest positive point differential (plus-12.2) in the entire league. To be sure, the fact that the Raptors are good isn’t at all astonishing. Last season, the core of this squad went 42-22 and nearly nipped the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs after trading away Rudy Gay in the wake of a 6-12 start. It only figures that this club’s continuity, with Kyle Lowry returning to Toronto via free agency to maintain arguably the East’s best backcourt alongside All-Star DeMar DeRozan, would yield yet another momentous step forward.
The 7 Most Exciting Teams to Watch in the NBA This Season | Sports Cheat Sheet
No team typifies that sort of zeal than the Toronto Raptors — two decades into the franchise’s history, the only remaining Canadian NBA team is finally having their chance in the sun. They lost Vince Carter, they lost Chris Bosh, but they’ve wandered into dominance over not just the Atlantic Division (no big feat, to be honest, the rest of the teams there are in a bad way right now) but also the entire Eastern Conference. It’s a long time coming for a team that’s been consistently underachieving to this point in their NBA tenure. No one can say if their success is sustainable, but for now the Raptors are on a long, wild ride of winning games, and they’re doing it in style. Plus, they have Lou Williams, one of the most entertaining shooting guards in the game.
I can haz yo linkz??! rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
