The Raptors who are in the middle of 5 games in a week ended up having to practice Thursday which was the first two non-game days this week and came into tonight's against the Washington Wizards and had in their mind that they would do what it took to have Saturday off in south beach before have to play against the Miami Heat on Super Sunday where they will miss most of the Big Game because they will be in the air heading to Washington for Monday match up with the Wizards.
So in the Thursday practice the Raps were reminded to ball to the hoop where the worst case scenario is that U go to the line and shoot two free throws so in the first half the Raps had 38 points in the paint and 17 free throw attempts and they made 10 of them and took a 55-45 halftime lead by a 8-0 run in a span of 71 seconds. Amir Johnson took it to heart and it was his first double digits in points and/or rebound since Martin Luther King Day in Atlanta because he was perfect from floor (5 of 5) and from the line (2 of 2) in the first half and had 12 points and 5 boards @ halftime while Barbosa had 11 points, James Johnson had 10 points, and Jose Calderon had 7 assists @ half.
In the third quarter The Wizards came out and went after DeRozan and started 7 of 8 from the floor and the Raps started 1 of 9 and it was a 14-5 run during a span of 4:48 and it was 60-59 and then Casey took a timeout and probably asked them if they wanted to practice tomorrow so the Raptors came back out and outscored the Wiz 20-10 to end the quarter and started the fourth quarter on a 8-2 run over the first 3:41 to take a 17 point lead @ 88-71. The Raps got the lead up to 21 points as Kleiza ordered pizza for the fans as they went up 102-81 with a three and the game ended 106-89 and the Raps got a season high 61 boards which was a plus 24 on the boards while they had 68 points in the paint and 19 of 28 from the line.
Jose Calderon was the only Raptor over 30 minutes with just over 35 minutes and was close a triple-double 8 points, 8 boards, and 17 assists. Amir Johnson left his personal issues in the locker room with 18 points and 13 boards while Barbosa had 19 points, 2 boards, and 3 steals and James Johnson had 13 points. DeRozan had 11 points and 7 boards and did to the hoop a little while Jamaal Magloire had 6 boards in only 6 and a half minutes.
For the Wiz Nick Young had 21 points and 4 boards, John Wall had 15 points along with 5 boards and 4 assists, and Trevor Booker had 13 points along with 7 boards.
It was a very good bounce back game but it is the Wiz and the return in DC on Monday will be more interesting but first Bosh and the Heat on Super Sunday
Tom Mehegan
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