Sam Holako

Raptors had their share of surprises, disappointment in the first half of NBA season | Toronto Star No one really knows what this team would look like over time since it’s barely been together. To date, Andrea Bargnani and Landry Fields have each missed 20 games, Alan Anderson’s missed 17, Linas Kleiza’s been out for…

Here is the (midterm) Raptors report card | National Post Things are trending positively: The Raptors hung tough last week with both Brooklyn and Chicago, and defeated the star-studded (if lost) Lakers to finish off the first half on Sunday. Still, it is hard to see the Raptors’ opening 41 games as anything but disappointing.…

The Morning After: Kyle Lowry is the Raptors’ best shot against better teams | National Post “We’re not worried about Kyle,” Anderson started. “Kyle is a bull. He’s just … Kyle is … you know, you can’t … It’s hard to describe Kyle if you don’t know him. He’s Kyle, but he’s like one of…

Electric fourth quarter sends Nets over Raptors | National Post Lowry, who was expected to miss the second half after spraining his left ankle, brought the Raptors within eight, but seven straight points by the Nets reopened a 15-point advantage on Johnson’s jumper with 3:52 to go, and a final flurry by Lowry, who scored…

Toronto at Brooklyn | CBSSports Johnson has been playing well despite battling a right foot injury, though he couldn’t help the Raptors avoid blowing a 20-point lead Sunday. Leading scorer DeMar DeRozan, averaging a career-best 17.9 points, said Johnson’s play should inspire the team. “There’s no excuse when you’re out there on the floor, because…

Raptors fall to Bucks despite impressive afternoon from Amir Johnson | National Post “People don’t understand how hurt Amir is,” DeRozan said. “He comes to practice the next day and can barely get through practice. “It makes us look at it like we can’t have no excuses when we’re out there on the floor. When…

Raptors’ stingy defence silences Bobcats in dominating victory | National Post You have to wonder: Did Casey’s efforts last year pay dividends this year? “We were just trying to build a defensive mindset. I thought we took a step back from that,” Casey said. “[We need] a culture of toughness, a culture of competing every…

Raptors starters must live in the paint | National Post Now, Calderon is the only viable three-point threat along the starters. Wings DeMar DeRozan and Landry Fields are not factors from deep, with the former a 29% shooter and the latter missing each of his three attempts from long range this year. And if either…

Raptors feel NHL players’ pain when it comes to shortened season | National Post More than 200 NHL players signed with European teams during the lockout while many others spent time in the American Hockey League. That number is far greater than the amount of players who took basketball jobs elsewhere during the NBA lockout.…

Trading For Gay No Longer Worth It | RaptorBlog Here’s what Rudy Gay is right now, and what he’ll probably be for the majority of his prime years (he’s 26): A borderline All Star from year to year who can be depended on for 17-18 points and 5-6 rebounds per 36 minutes while playing inconsistent…

Thunder: Conquerors of the Great White North – William Bennett Berry Alan Anderson’s big game not enough as Raptors fall to Thunder | National Post “We compete, we fight, we did a lot of good things,” Calderon said. “But against this team we cannot make one turnover, you make a mistake you’re going to pay…

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings cool off Raptors | National Post There is ample evidence suggesting that the Raptors were not flat until Cousins flattened them. Nominal starter Aaron Gray had two fouls in five minutes; the Raptors’ best option at centre, Amir Johnson, fouled out in just over nine minutes. The Raptors relied on going small…