But when DeMar DeRozan, the longest serving Raptor, was asked about the slide and its implications, he seemed surprisingly unperturbed. “All we’ve got to do is get it turned at the right time, especially going into the playoffs,” DeRozan said. “We all know what we can do. We’re not in this position by luck or anything of that nature. Sometimes it just takes that flick of the wrist.” DeRozan used the phrase “flick of the wrist.” But he just as well could have used “flip of the switch.” The way the Raptors have been operating most of the past few weeks, after all, more than a few of them appear to believe they have the ability to do precisely that on the eve of the postseason—flip the proverbial playoff-mode switch and in an instant transform themselves from slumping to surging. How else to you explain the relative calm emanating from a club that’s lost 13 of 16 games? “It’s a marathon, man,” said Amir Johnson after Monday’s win over the Pacers. “Why not pull a San Antonio? Somehow they hang around all season and then they just hit the gas. The next thing you know, you’re in the Finals.” Leaving aside whether or not pulling a San Antonio is advisable or doable for a franchise that still hasn’t won a best-of-seven playoff series in its 20-season history, Casey isn’t fond of the idea. And, for the record, he said Monday that doesn’t think his team is partaking in such a strategy.
It’s been a revealing season for Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors. They’ve been one of the best teams in the NBA and yet an afterthought for some, as teams in Atlanta, Cleveland and Chicago — and that’s just in the Eastern Conference — have garnered more and more of the spotlight. Lowry, of course, is used to being overlooked and underrated. He’s dealt with it his entire career. And that won’t change just because he earned his first All-Star nod this season and is the catalyst and leader, on and off the floor, for one of the top teams in basketball. In fact, we’re certain that Lowry and the Raptors will have to continue to scrap for anything they get … which exactly the way Lowry likes it. We dig deep on his journey — past, present and future — on Episode 193 of the Hang Time Podcast … Featuring Kyle Lowry.
Raps’ Casey on the defensive again | Toronto Sun
Dwane Casey will continue to preach it until he’s Kentucky blue in the face, stressing defence, hammering home the importance of containing the dribble, controlling the boards and protecting the paint. It’s Casey identity, the one aspect to basketball that can overcome any shooting slump, compensate for any hostile environment on the road and is the true barometer for any post-season success. There have been glimpses from the Raptors this season, but perhaps this team, regardless of any victory or sustained stretch of wins, is too trigger-happy from the perimeter, less inclined to feed the post and fundamentally flawed when it comes to playing defence. But each time they do play defence and each time an opponent can’t make shots, contested or open, it provides Casey with some hope. In the final analysis, this Raptors team will be judged when the post-season arrives, a time when every possession must be treated as though the game and its outcome is on the line.
Quick Stat Hits: Let’s Talk Ideal Raptors Lineups | Raptors HQ
As we approach the end of the season and the start of the playoffs, it is time to start focusing on exactly which lineups work best together for the Toronto Raptors. Let’s take a look at the offensive, defensive and net ratings of the Raptors’ top lineups.
DeMar DeRozan: Where Are You? | Hoops Habit
Perhaps most notable is his drop in free throw attempts per game from last season. He averaged 8.0 in 2013-14 and is only getting there 6.8 times a night now. This is where DeRozan gets a lot of his points, because although he’s a poor overall shooter (40.0 percent) he is a great free throw shooter (81.6 percent) and his percentage there hasn’t dropped off much from last year. Speaking of poor shooting, DeRozan’s TS% (true shooting percentage) is only a measly 49.2 this season. That’s the lowest of his career. By contrast, Dwyane Wade’s TS% is 53.8 and he’s well past his prime due to injury. Yet, DeRozan’s usage percentage is the highest it’s ever been this season at 28.2. He’s having the game run through him now more than ever and he’s not delivering. He’s falling off. And this is one of Toronto’s several issues.
DeMar DeRozan Brings Kiara and Diar To All-Star Book Program Event | Pro Bball Report
DeMar said, “It’s definitely important that you guys were able to open your imagination, you know, educate yourself at an early age, see the bigger picture out there in the world, you know, read books and expanding your mind, learn something new every single day.” One touching and cute moment was when First Book Canada presented a gift basket (full of books) to DeMar’s daughter Diar so that she can also become a great reader and learn new things. A youth from the organization presented the gift to Diar and Diar simply used her two strong little arms grabbed the gift bucket nicely with a smile on her face. Tom Best said “She is as strong as her dad, she has the DNA”, and laughter broke out.
Will the Toronto Raptors Win More Than 48 Games This Year? | Raptors Rapture
The good news is that the Raptors are only going to play two teams that are currently over .500 in their last 15 games. Those teams are the Chicago Bulls and the Houston Rockets. The bad news is that they will play the Bulls twice in important games, which will help settle the race for third-place in the East. So, if the Raptors can properly execute against the teams that they should easily beat on paper, the 49 win total is easily in their grasp. It probably won’t be that simply, as it rarely ever is in the NBA. Upsets happen, but it’s the job of head coach Dwane Casey and his team to limit them. They need to return to the form they played with early on in the season, where they moved the ball unselfishly and played more active defence.
Flip Saunders to miss Wolves game in Toronto | Dunking with Wolves
Overall, Mitchell’s coaching record is 156-189 (.452), all with Toronto. It will be fun to see him go up against former Wolves coach Dwayne Casey, who was perhaps also wrongfully fired by his old team. Casey went 33-49 with a ragged Wolves roster in 2005-2006 and was fired after a 20-20 start the following season. Over the past year-plus in Toronto, the Raptors are 88-61. (That’s better than the Wolves have been in over a decade.) At any rate, watching Mitchell take the reigns will be a different experience. Tanking injuries are once again important to watch heading into this road back-to-back. The Wolves would beat the Knicks at full strength, so they may just rest Nikola Pekovic, Ricky Rubio, Gary Neal, and Kevin Garnett for a couple more games and play them at home on Sunday.
Gameday preview: Wolves at Toronto | Star Tribune
Players to watch: Wolves G Zach LaVine is coming off an erratic game in which he scored 20 points, hit on four of six three-pointers but also turned the ball over six times. F Chase Budinger’s 18 points Monday was his second-highest single-game total of the year. Raptors G DeMar DeRozan has scored 21 or more points in seven of eight games, averaging 24.6 ppg in that time.
Wiggins eager to turn heads in Toronto homecoming | Star Tribune
Wiggins is the face of Canada’s burgeoning basketball scene. Anthony Bennett became the first Canadian to go first overall in the draft in 2013. But Wiggins, who followed suit last summer, has had far more success on the court than Bennett, his Wolves teammate who will not play Wednesday because of injury. So when Wiggins takes the court at the Air Canada Centre Wednesday night, it will be more than exciting. “I think it will be a big, big deal,” Wolves assistant Sam Mitchell said. He was head coach of the Raptors from 2004-08, winning coach of the year honors after the 2006-07 season. Mitchell, who will coach the Wolves Wednesday with Flip Saunders in Ohio with his ailing father, was in Toronto as the basketball groundswell was beginning. He knows how important Wiggins is in Canada. “You’re talking about the prodigal son,” Mitchell said. “He’s gotten so much hype. Things have changed there. Basketball has grown so fast. Oh, yeah. This is going to be big.”
Sam Mitchell to serve as head coach vs. Raptors | Sportsnet.ca
The Toronto Raptors will see a familiar face when they face off against the Timberwolves on Wednesday night with Sam Mitchell serving as Minnesota’s head coach in place of Flip Saunders, who will miss the game in Toronto due to personal reasons.
NBA Updates :: Beast from the East: Toronto Raptors | NBA General Sportsblog
The Raptors have 40 wins on the season and where once it appeared they would easily become the first team in franchise history to win 50 games, that is nothing close to a certainty anymore. They have to finish 10-6 to finish at 50 wins. There are so must win games on schedule — two with Boston, two with Minnesota, games with the Knicks, Detroit, Miami, Orlando, Brooklyn and the Lakers. That’s 10 possible wins. But there there’s two with Charlotte, and games against Portland, Houston. Fifty is possible, not probable. More important than that is how they play. How they grow. How they get ready for the playoffs. And how fast they can get back to where they used to be.
NBA Preview – Minnesota Timberwolves at Toronto Raptors – Mar 18, 2015 | CBSSports.com
The Raptors have enjoyed themselves while winning six straight and 18 of 19 against Minnesota (14-52), which has averaged 90.9 points during a 10-game road skid in the series. The Wolves’ last victory over Toronto away from home came by a 108-97 score Jan. 21, 2004.
Photo by Lucas Oleniuk / Toronto Star
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