10 things I saw from Raptors-Hawks | Getting Benched
No one on the Hawks can stop DeMar DeRozan, and that’s why I’m confident in this potential second-round matchup. DeRozan averaged 24.3 points on 52/71/78 against the Hawks this season. Nobody even got close to staying in front of him tonight. Kent Bazemore is too flighty and foul-prone, Thabo Sefolosha is too small and too slow.
Raptors tame Hawks, reach 50-win mark | Toronto Sun
The big number on this night was 50.
“It means a lot,’’ said DeRozan of the 50-win total.
It should mean a lot, but there’s a lot more at stake.
Bad on Monday night against visiting OKC, the Raptors were awfully good against the Hawks, playing well at both ends of the floor as Toronto forged a 54-41 advantage at intermission.
Good ball movement, shots being contested, players getting back in transition, it was bounce-back time for the home side and the Raptors did not disappoint.
Raptors beat Hawks for franchise-record 50th win | Toronto Star
Fifty wins in a season doesn’t get you anything except a level of self-satisfaction and the continued growing respect of rivals throughout the league. And given Toronto had never been at this level — the only one of 30 NBA teams to have never posted a 50-win season — there is an internal appreciation for the accomplishment that runs deep.
“It means everything to me,” DeMar DeRozan said. “This is where I’ve been my whole career. I’ve been through the tough times. Now to be, what do you call it? The winningest Raptor of all-time, and now to break the franchise record three years in a row, it definitely means a lot to me.
“You can never take that away, you can never take that away. When you guys bring up things that I’ve done here, reality really hits me honestly, because you really don’t think about all of the things you’ve done or things you’ve accomplished.”
Game Rap: Raptors 105, Hawks 97 | Toronto Raptors
RAPTORS PLAYER OF THE GAME
It seemed fitting that longest-tenured Raptor DeMar DeRozan had a fantastic game agains the Hawks in the team’s 50th win of the season. DeRozan has been with the franchise throughout its rebuilding years and relishes the opportunity to be in the record books. He finished Wednesday’s contest with a game-high 26 points on 9-for-16 field goals, including 3-for-4 from deep, and 5-for-6 at the free throw line. DeRozan added five rebounds, six assists, and three steals and was a team-best +16.
Raptors cruise past Hawks for record 50th win | Raptors HQ
There are certainly reasons to feel trepidatious about where this season might ultimately wind up. Kyle Lowry is the motor of this team – and he had fluid drained from his elbow with nine games remaining on the schedule and has shot a miserable percentage over the last five games (he posted an ugly 4-of-19 mark against the Hawks Wednesday night).
Then there’s DeMarre Carroll, whose signing was supposed to provide the Raptors with the kind of defensive pillar that would help Toronto exorcise it’s past playoff shortcomings. With just 23 games this season, Carroll has yet to live up to his mandate. And while he appeared confident about his odds of returning before the playoffs tip off when addressing the media Wednesday, you can hardly fault fans for being skeptical until they see him physically enter a game given the history of failed big-ticket acquisitions they’ve been exposed to.
But even if the Raptors fizzle out again in the playoffs, it shouldn’t take away from the immensely fun six month experience this year’s team has supplied its fans. No disappointing playoff loss can take away Kyle Lowry’s game-winner against Cleveland, or the wildly entertaining spurts of energy Lucas Nogueira has randomly popped in for. Vines of DeMar DeRozan crowning Rudy Gobert and Norman Powell’s gorgeous dunk against Atlanta are going to loop in perpetuity. Toronto will always have two All-Stars in the 2015-16 season. Terrence Ross became pop culture-relevant while simultaneously making his new contract look like a bargain. Bismack Biyombo, a $2 million player from the junk pile, became an instant fan favourite. Do I need to go on? There have been endless positives to be derived from what’s happened leading up to tonight’s milestone victory that will still be entrenched in Raptors history even if a repeat of last year’s playoff letdown takes place in mid-April.
Hawks-Raptors: Five observations | Atlanta Journal Constitution
Lowry-DeRozan combo too much
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer knew the key against the Raptors was stopping Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. They failed. The all-star guards combined for 53 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds.
“Lowry and DeRozan … those guys are all-stars, MVP candidates, everything,” Budenholzer said before the game. “You try to throw everything at them and they still manage to get shots and score. If we can make it difficult on them and keep them off the free-throw line and the 3-point line, those are two huge things.
Atlanta Hawks fall to Toronto Raptors on the road 105-97 | Peachtree Hoops
As the Hawks attempted to come back, their efforts kept coming up short. Whether they couldn’t get a foul cal, turnovers, or just simply missed baskets, the Hawks stayed in the hole that they were put in. Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder combined for 14 points in the quarter, but it seemed as if it didn’t even matter. Norman Powell had 10 points for the Raptors, and DeRozan had yet another great quarter with nine points. The Raptors took an 89-67 lead into the fourth quarter.
Hawks-Raptors: Report Card | Atlanta Journal Constitution
Defense: D
The Hawks’ key to the game was keeping DeRozan and Lowry off the free-throw and 3-point line. They did not succeed. The two guards were 12 of 14 from the line and 5 of 8 from long range. When concentrating on the two all-stars, Valaciunas answered with a big game inside.
Hawks-Raptors: Quoteboard | Atlanta Journal Constitution
“DeRozan hit a lot of shots tonight. Lowry is a super crafty player. He got himself to the free-throw line. He just makes plays. Overall, they played great. They had a lot of guys come in and hit shots. Just a rough night for us. A super frustrating night for us.” – Kent Bazemore on Lowry and DeRozan
50’s grand: Raptors top Hawks to set new franchise record for wins | Ball Don’t Lie
Toronto once again sits two games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 1 seed in the conference with eight games remaining. The odds of them topping LeBron James and company before regular season’s end remain long, and come mid-April, the Raptors will face all the same questions about their postseason fortitude. (That goes double if Lowry, who has now missed 50 of his last 65 shots since suffering his elbow injury, doesn’t look demonstrably better shooting by the time Round 1 tips off.) But that was always going to be true, and as valuable as it is to consider tomorrow’s problems, it’s also plenty worth it to celebrate today’s victories. The best Raptors team we’ve ever seen just made franchise history. Enjoy it, Toronto fans.
Raptors reach 50 wins for first time in franchise history | The Globe and Mail
The Raptors, positioned second in the East, have eight games left in the regular season, which ends April 13. The team has precious little practice time remaining during that time, so Carroll said he will likely do much of his practice with some of the Raptors’ younger developing players. He said he hasn’t targeted any particular game for his return. He will make sure the knee is right first.
“When you play like a dog, you can’t go out and be passive,” Carroll said. “I don’t want to be a poodle out there; I want to be a bulldog.”
Toronto Raptors set franchise record with 50th win, defeat Hawks | Raptors Cage
Offence: A
The offence was impeccable this game. Toronto scored 105 points on 45% shooting from the field, 48% from beyond the arc and 79% from the charity stripe. Another positive note on the offence from this game was the 26 assists on the 36 made field goals. When executed well, ball movement is a thing of beauty. As mentioned before, DeMar and Kyle had 26 and 17, respectively, and Jonas Valanciunas chipped in 19 points. This is a great sign, especially against another playoff bound team.
How Raptors rookie Powell went from next man up to key contributor | Sportsnet.ca
Not every night has been successful, as Powell was yet another victim of his mentor Westbrook’s league-wide triple-double rampage on Monday. It is definitely a trial-by-fire type of immersion. It is not to the degree that the top picks of the draft usually deal with, but it is more than the scraps that most rookies outside of the lottery typically get.
Powell’s decisiveness offensively has been particularly impressive. His percentages are still rising after a rough start to the year, but the biggest difference between him and Johnson, who had been Carroll’s primary replacement in the starting unit for most of 2016, is how quickly he operates when the ball comes to him. With Johnson, there is far more surveying of the court, something the Raptors do not necessarily need given how often Lowry and DeMar DeRozan already hold the ball.
Frankly, this was not part of his early-season D-League training. With Raptors 905, Powell was essentially a DeRozan clone, operating as a second point guard on the floor, counted on to make plays for himself and others. With the Raptors, it is catch and shoot, catch and drive or catch and pass.
Blogtable: Another early playoff exit for Toronto? | Hang Time Blog
Define “early.” If you mean before the conference finals, heck yes, they should be worried. The Raptors are respected, to be sure, but I don’t think any of the potential Top 3 seeds in the Eastern Conference (Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte) would be terrified by not having home court against Toronto in a semifinal series. The Raptors are a combined 9-3 against that quartet going into Wednesday’s game with the Hawks (7:30 ET, NBA TV), but they were 4-0 in the regular season against the Washington Wizards in 2014-15, and we know where that got them. But: at least Paul Pierce is safely in the Western Conference now, and can’t torment Toronto for a third straight postseason. And: the Raptors have two lockdown units, featuring Bismack Biyombo, Patrick Patterson, Terrence Ross and Cory Joseph — with either Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan as the fifth wheel. They rank third (with Lowry) and fourth (with DeRozan) in the league in defensive rating among five-man rotations that have logged 200 or more minutes this season. But can that group get a big bucket against a top-shelf defense that takes either Lowry or DeRozan away?
Raptors’ DeMarre Carroll eager to make post-season contribution | Toronto Star
The reason the Raptors bestowed such a grand contract on Carroll last summer was for the coming weeks. When healthy and in top shape, he’s one of the best wing defenders in the league, which addresses a glaring post-season need for the Raptors.
“I can impact the game defensively for this team and don’t have to take a shot,” he said. “You have other guys, guys who we depend on to score like DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. I’ve just got to go out there and play defence.
“After playing in the Eastern Conference final with Atlanta I understand what it takes and what role I need to play. All I need is a couple games.”
Raptors’ 50th win worth celebrating, but now only doubt remains | Sportsnet.ca
“We’ve seen the top doctors in the United States,” said Carroll, who saw a doctor in Chicago on Tuesday and his surgeon in New York Wednesday morning. “They said it’s a go. I think I’m gonna start really ramping it up in the next couple of days. Hopefully I’ll be back.”
Despite the qualifier – “hopefully” leaves a whole lot of wiggle room should his knee flare up again – he always believed he’d find his way back to the floor.
“I never thought [my season could be over],” said Carroll. “One thing about me is I’m going to do anything I can to give myself an opportunity because this game isn’t promised to you and I know that. After going through all the things I’ve been through I don’t take it for granted so if you don’t see me on the court you better rest assured that I’m trying to get on the court.”
Raptors’ Carroll gets good news about knee | Toronto Sun
Carroll’s knee has been a topic of debate and speculation, but he says he will be back before the playoffs begin, intimating he’d like to play as many as two games.
His style is such where reintegration won’t be problem given his strength is on defence, a versatility that allows Carroll to defend multiple positions.
Swelling has been the main issue with Carroll’s knee as he went on what seemed to be a “world tour’’ visiting with some of the top medical officials.
He was very appreciative at how the Raptors have dealt with him during this extended period of inactivity and added both Carroll and the franchise were “on the same page.”
Carroll hopes to return ahead of playoffs | TSN
“Hopefully I’m going to try to play a couple games before the end of the season,” Carroll told reporters. “That’s the goal. We’re going to try to ramp it up a lot this week to try to get some conditioning back.”
“But the way I play, I play like a dog. When you play like a dog, you can’t go out there being passive. I don’t want to be a poodle out there. I want to be like a bulldog.”
Listen to The HeadQuarters: Episode 24, brought to you by Landry Fields | Raptors HQ
This week Sean Woodley is joined by Harsh Dave for an end-of-the-world podcast to worry about Kyle Lowry’s elbow problem, question the handling of DeMarre Carroll by the Raptors this season, give props to Norman Powell on his recent play and answer listener questions. This episode is brought to you by Landry Fields.
Toronto Raptors: The DeMarre Carroll Conundrum | Hoops Habit
Of course, it’s important to remember the health of Carroll comes first and foremost, but the question that all Raptors fans have to be asking right now is how will the likely loss of Carroll affect the Raptors’ season going forward?
On one hand, not having Carroll for most of the season has forced Raptors head coach Dwane Casey to look at players like James Johnson and Norman Powell to start at the team’s small forward spot and it’s paid off for the team all throughout the season.
On the other hand, having a player like Carroll would have been big for a Raptors team that is wanting to make noise in the playoffs this year.
At least an ailing elbow is a reasonable explanation for Lowry’s shooting struggles. However, Lowry doesn’t think rest will help get him back on track, which helps explain why he’s averaged 35 minutes per game over the last three games.
Toronto’s next six opponents are playoff teams, including potential first round opponents Charlotte and Indiana. Lowry has made it clear he wants to keep playing, and he hopes getting his elbow drained is the only aid he needs.
What the Raptors need is a healthy Lowry, who ranks third in total minutes played this season behind Houston’s James Harden and Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, in just under three weeks time when the playoffs begin. He’s been banged up in each of the Raptors’ last two postseason runs and if Toronto is going to progress to the second round, that can’t be the case again.
And why this cover? Why now? If it was as simple as SLAM being the “hip-hop basketball magazine,” a description bestowed on us for years by outsiders (if not us), we would have put a rapper on the cover years ago. It had to be the right rapper, which Drake, with his millions of fans, upcoming album and official role as the Raptors Global Ambassador, is. And it had to be the right players, which Kyle and DeMar, fresh off their All-Star spots and still hungry for their first SLAM cover, certainly are. And the right timing. With the upstart Raptors poised to go on the franchise’s deepest Playoff run ever, our Playoff Issue certainly fit that bill. Hope you guys agree.
Toronto Raptors: Injuries Could Be Linked To Overuse | Hoops Habit
Even more concerning, since injuring his elbow in January against the Orlando Magic, Kyle Lowry has led the NBA in minutes per game. Even more egregious, since March 11–with the Raptors holding an eight-game lead for second place in the Eastern Conference–Lowry has averaged 37.8 minutes a game, second in the NBA behind James Harden‘s 37.9 minutes a game.
Why don’t the Raptors pull a ‘Spurs’? | Reddit
If I were the one making the decisions, I would CONSIDER shutting down Lowry for the rest of the regular season.
We all know what this team is like without him in the playoffs (aka last years sweep) so why not focus on getting him to 100%? he is the single largest factor in this teams success in the playoffs.
But I would keep him practicing to avoid rust..
Did I miss something? Send me any Raptors-related article/video: rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
