 | Amir Johnson, PF 37 MIN | 3-4 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 8 PTS | +1His defense on Aldridge through the first three-quarters was crucial in building that lead the Blazers had to go gangbusters down the stretch and into OT to overcome. Aldridge blew up in the 4th in spite of solid defense by our boy. Tied the game with 5 seconds left. Yea, clutch. The stats weren’t there, but he did his job. Respect. |  |
 | James Johnson, PF 32 MIN | 7-11 FG | 0-0 FT | 11 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 14 PTS | -3Played with the ball a little too much on a couple possessions (I know I’m nitpicking), but an otherwise perfect game on both ends of the floor for him. His playmaking off the dribble was especially fun to watch hitting Amir and Patterson under the rim for easy layups/dunks. |  |
 | Terrence Ross, SF 38 MIN | 5-15 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 12 PTS | -5Disappointing game on offense, but he played very good defensively, and was on the floor in crunch for that very reason: pushing Lillard into the waiting defense as regulation time expired couldn’t have been any better scripted. Both his threes came in transition on the catch and shoot; that’s a devastating weapon to have in your arsenal. That’s about the nicest thing I’ve said about him all season. |  |
 | Jonas Valanciunas, C 30 MIN | 7-15 FG | 0-0 FT | 8 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 14 PTS | -4You know what happens when he’s decisive and gets good position in the paint? Damn good things. Dude was huge tonight on both ends of the floor. Kamen couldn’t deal, and neither could the other guy…Free-something; that guy got owned too. Not the right guy to be playing in this type of game in the crunch, but how much worse could it have gone? Also note there weren’t any pump fakes. | |
 | Kyle Lowry, PG 41 MIN | 10-26 FG | 5-6 FT | 7 REB | 5 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 4 TO | 25 PTS | -4His offensive rebounding was HUGE and kept the Raptors in the game, but his shooting, especially in the clutch, just wasn’t there. In fact, he forced quite a bit, and missed more than he hit. I was mostly concerned with his lack of serious playmaking. Felt like he was trying to beat Lillard at his own game, and actually did an admirable job, but the Raptors don’t need that. Should have hit that three for the game….played damn hard though. |  |
 | Patrick Patterson, PF 29 MIN | 2-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 7 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 4 PTS | -11Could have used his offense off the bench; badly actually. Defended well, and grabbed some boards, but a forgettable one since I can’t remember anything he did all game. | |
 | Tyler Hansbrough, PF 9 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +4Defended the low post; boxed out; crashed boards; rinsed and repeated every second he was on the floor. Solid boost off the bench. | |
 | Greivis Vasquez, PG 23 MIN | 5-13 FG | 1-2 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 13 PTS | -3Missed more shots than he hit, but his lack of assists what was what hurt the most. Hit a couple clutch threes in the 1st and 4th, and was the only person off the bench who tried to make something happen offensively, but what ever happened to the guy who averaged 10 assists a game for a full season a couple years ago? That happened, right? |  |
 | Louis Williams, SG 25 MIN | 1-10 FG | 5-5 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 7 PTS | 0Laid an egg; forced it on offense, and didn’t make up for it anywhere else. Karma for all the 6th man of the year talk (there is merit to that talk, but just saying…). |  |
 | Dwane Casey The rotation was short and tight, which was necessary, and had everyone on the same page for the first three quarters, but man…draw up a play or something. There has to be something in that playbook of yours when the Raptors need a bucket other than “give it to Lowry.” | |
Five Things We Saw
- Man defense. Help defense. Rotations. Pick-n-roll defense; all were executed from good to great for most of the evening (more later). At one point, the Blazers were shooting 7% from behind the arc. That doesn’t happen by fluke. Brickcity didn’t last all game, but it was a ‘thing’ for much of the night.
- The Raptors, for some reason, eased up at the end of each of each of the first three quarters wipingout all the good they did earlier in each quarter, basically let the Blazers hang around in a game they didn’t deserve to (maybe they did): the 1st ended with a 6-2 Blazers run; the 2nd with a 7-2 run; the 3rd 6-0. That all happened in 4.5 minutes; one-Raptor timeout was called during that time #telling. Like the old golf adage that one great shot erases three bad ones.
- Rebounding was obviously a major focus for the game. The Blazers are the best in the league at it, but the Raptors took it to them all night, and made sure it wasn’t a thing for Portland. Everybody was boxing out, crashing the glass, and making a concerted effort to do their part. It was the lone aspect of the game that got a full-48 (and part of OT).
- Way too much hero ball. The Raptors did a terrible job of moving the ball around and getting people good looks; 14 assists isn’t ever going to cut it.
- I hate to say it, but the refs were brutal…that’s all I’m going to say.
