 | Luis Scola, PF 32 MIN | 5-11 FG | 1-2 3FG | 4-6 FT | 9 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 15 PTS | +20 +/- Watching him guard Nowitzki was scary, until you realize this isn’t the Nowitzki that would drop 25 in a quarter against an immobile forward like way back when. Scola got away with it defensively by bumping Nowitzki off the block, was fortunate when the German missed his open looks, and had a good game when matched up against Zaza Pachulia. So much so, when Nowitzki was lighting up Bennett in the fourth, Casey brough him back in for DEFENSIVE reasons. |  |
 | Terrence Ross, SF 33 MIN | 5-9 FG | 4-8 3FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 16 PTS | +5 +/- No James Johnson tonight so we needed him. Another game where he hit three threes, one of them a two-for-one which had shades of Steph Curry painted on it. Defensively, more active than usual as he got some deflections. He’s taking baby steps towards looking like an NBA player. For me, though, let’s not get excited until he does this for a month. |  |
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 | Bismack Biyombo, C 38 MIN | 4-9 FG | 0-0 3FG | 1-2 FT | 20 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 9 PTS | +8 +/- Another monster game game on the boards. Too bad NBA doesn’t keep track of “shots changed” because he’s contesting everything at the rim. Raptors switched on D a lot in this game which saw Biyombo covering guys like Parsons and Powell, and he did not let us down. Offensively, he ate what he was fed. If he had to pick up a spoon to eat it, he got it all over his face. |  |
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 | Kyle Lowry, PG 38 MIN | 6-13 FG | 2-4 3FG | 3-3 FT | 10 REB | 7 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 17 PTS | +1 +/- He made damn sure the Raptors weren’t getting off to a slow start. The most energetic guy on the court and it was contagious, as the Raptors got off to a hot start on the backs of their two big guns. Put an emphasis on ball distribution over shooting tonight, especially in the fourth where he found Joseph for two big threes. Another high-minute game from Lowry, and we have to be aware that this is the exact point of the season last year where he started to fall off. |  |
 | DeMar DeRozan, SG 40 MIN | 10-17 FG | 2-3 3FG | 6-8 FT | 4 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 7 TO | 28 PTS | +1 +/- Another uber-efficient game from DeRozan who scored against Wes Matthews, Chandler Parsons, and Dwight Powell. Even hit a couple threes for good measure, and that mid-range game is looking flat-out smooth and very dependable. I’m almost there, I want to believe, again…I’m almost there. | |
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 | Anthony Bennett, PF 10 MIN | 2-5 FG | 1-3 3FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 5 PTS | -12 +/- The rigamortis was nowhere to be found! The 905 warmed up him up and he came in to contribute in the third quarter by hitting a three and a drive, before Nowitzki torched him to start the fourth, when he was benched. Hey, any time he does something other than score in his own net, we have to consider it a positive. | |
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 | Patrick Patterson, PF 8 MIN | 0-2 FG | 0-2 3FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 0 PTS | -3 +/- Missed open looks, passed up even even more open ones. Decided his flu-like symptoms were too much to bear, and called it a night. |  |
 | Lucas Nogueira, C 8 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 3FG | 1-2 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 1 PTS | -4 +/- Got the call in the first half but the Raptors didn’t run any two-man action for him so he was lost on offense. Was a bit too light defensively and didn’t do anything of consequence. |  |
 | Cory Joseph, PG 27 MIN | 3-6 FG | 2-4 3FG | 4-4 FT | 4 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 12 PTS | -3 +/- He’s had a few rough games of late, and today was a turn for the better. Hounded Barea who can be dangerous, and hit his perimeter looks. The blind drives are still there, and I wish he’d be more pass-aware because when he drives, he does suck in the defense leaving guys open. | |
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 | Delon Wright, PG 7 MIN | 0-2 FG | 0-0 3FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +6 +/- He played. Had one play where he split the double for a gorgeous drive and then blew the layup. Had another play where had a nice bounce pass for Biyombo for the dunk. Back to the 905 for him, so overall, he’s on track. |  |
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 | Dwane Casey Scola on Nowitzki paid off. Who would’ve thunk it? Handled the Dallas zone well but running good screens up top and getting right into the paint. Made Dallas pay for the zone by hitting and dominating the glass, which was key. Called up Bennett at the right moment and got production out of him. That small Dallas lineup at the end completely surprised Casey who had no answer for them. Probably would’ve gone small and mobile if he had Johnson or Patterson available, but stuck with Scola out there and almost got burned. | |
Three Things We Saw
- Dallas ended the game on a blitz which included a 17-5 run thanks to a lineup of Barea, Charlie V, Jenkins, Evans and Anderson, which came out of nowhere. Dallas had almost given up the game and the Raptors let their guard down, only for this no-name lineup to clean up.
- Rebound. Rebounding. Rebounding. It’s the most important thing out there, and the Raptors won the rebounding battle 52-34. That was huge. Raps also had 20 assists which is 2.5 above the average.
- Key play of the game where the Raptors were able to get it over the halfcourt line, and score:
Just like we drew it up. pic.twitter.com/gJZEvBicxp
— Raptors Republic (@raptorsrepublic) December 23, 2015
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