pass happy Raptors rolling into 2013 on a huge roll

The Raptors after squashing the Magic in Orlando by 35 (123-88) are heading into 2013 on a huge roll winning 7 of their last 8 games and headed into the new year with a 11-20 record which is impressive after starting 4 and 19. The huge turn around is that the Raptors are sharing the ball as they had 33 assists against the Magic on 46 made field goals and it starts with the point guards moving the ball around and find the open guy as Jose Calderon had 10 assists and even Kyle Lowery had 6 assists in the game but they were not the only ones picking up dimes as the rest of the team picked up 17 which is one less than the Magics team who had a total of 18. The passing of the ball was so contagious that 10 of the Raptors 12 players who found floor time and it lead to 56% shooting from the floor and over 55% from beyond the arc as they took 27 threes and made 15 because they found the open shot so they got a lot of clean threes which are the right three attempts in my books. With the Raps happy on offensive as everyone is sharing the rock right now they have taken that positive and taken it to their defensive possessions so that they are willing to take one for the team and make it as hard as possible for the opponents to score. They kept the Magic under 44% and they have shrink points allowed a game to almost 100 points and their defensive play have taken the second worst points (29) against to 21st in the league. It also helps to have only 9 turnovers compared to 33 assists and it is a style of game that will keep the Raptors on the right track as long as they fell it is important to stay with the Dwayne Casey program as this is the style of game Casey has been trying to get the Raps to play in their first 97 games with him as head coach. DeMar DeRozen has decided to go back to taken the ball to the hoop and he went to the line 8 times against the Magic after going to the line 11 times against the Hornets and he ended up leading the team in points with 24. Ed Davis put up 18 points and took down 7 of the Raps 44 boards which was second to Landry Fields who had 9 boards to go with a 3 for 3 night from the floor and 6 points. Terrence Ross had 16 points and went 6 of 10 from the floor and 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and the point guards also put up points as Lowery went 6 of 12 from the floor with 2 threes and 2 free throws for 16 points while Jose Calderon went 6 of 10 from the floor with 2 threes and a free throw for 15 points. Canadian Andrew Nicholson lead the Magic with 22 points and second on the team with 8 boards and was the shining star for the lost Magic Tom Mehegan

Jose Calderon is amazing but it is to let him go

Jose Calderon in the Raptors now 5 game win streak has done everything the team has needed and is very smart with his decision making as he takes what tyhe opponents give him. As when he has a passing lane to an open Raptor he makes the pass like at least 14 assists in 3 of the last Raptors 6 games including the short-handed with 8 players against Brooklyn and coming up short and when opponents cut off his passing lanes he takes high % shots and make them like 23 against the Cavs shooting 10 of 15 from the floor. This nothing new for Calderon as he has been a point guard slayer in Toronto with the likes of T.J. Ford, Jerryd Jack, Jerryd Bayless, and now Kyle Lowery all guys in one shape or form was supposed to the point of the future and Lowery is learning like all the rest that Calderon is Pitbull when it comes to his time on the court. So I would love to keep him and he is right now the best thing for the Dwayne Casey system and has shown that without Lowery and Andrei Bargnani and their sticky fingers that do not want any other Raptor getting touches it still is time for Calderon to be traded once agsin for the future of the team. As he has been a good soldier for the team and paid very well (10 mil this season) but every time he turns around the Raps bring in someone they believe is better than him and as a free agent after this season he would likely rather walk than stick around. So if they wait too long it will it may turn a Carter/Bosh situation where at the end of the day they get nothing for him and if they could pair him up with Bargnani it would be the best for the team going forward. This is because Bargnani tried Casey's system last season and was pretty successful with only one problem he got hurt over and over again and he now refuses to take it to the basket for easy points and getting to the line and if he was not scared of getting hurt I would love him and keep him. So with him going back to to the jumper and not getting the job done at all I do not have the time patience for that kind of game from any Raptor player. Finally with the ball moving around and getting open uncontested shots that are falling into the basket and one for all love fest going on it is also helping the D which is stronger and is able to put up a wall while the Raps take some silly shots when there not focused. When Lowery comes back next week he will need to get with the program and help the bench as that is where he will be getting his minutes for the time being Tom Mehegan

The NBA can have the Raptors franchise back

The NBA has treated the city of Toronto and those dinosaurs that the city calls a basketball team and it all started after the first season when the Raptors won the lottery and should of had their chance at A.I. (Alvin Iverison) just like the Orlando Magic did when they came in to the league in 1989 and before their fifth season when they had Shaq fall into their laps. The Raptors were only allowed to pick second best and got Marcus Camby instead and even though I would not want him we could of gotten something for him if they could had him. Then there has been the Chris Bosh situation when they let his contract run out and got nothing for him just like the Cavs did with Lebron James but at least the Cavs got the first overall draft pick which happened with a lottery ball they got from the LA Clippers and ended up with the first and fourth draft picks the year after he departed. Then the next season New Orleans Hornets traded Chris Paul and then jumped 6 spots and jumped the Raptors and got the first overall draft pick and now the Orlando Magic traded away their next superstar Dwayne Howard and will probably get the first overall draft pick even though they will not be the worst team. Then it looks like the Washington Wizards are the worst team in the league and will get the most balls in the lottery and will be No.2 and with the Raptors only able to protect a lottery pick (first three picks in the draft) so they can only likely get the third pick and will have a one in 12 chance to get the pick and if they do not get the third pick the pick goes to the New Orleans Peacocks who will likely get the fourth overall pick as the NBA wants to be nice with the New Orleans Saints owner who now owns the Hornets who will soon be called the peacocks. So if the NBA wants to continue to make fun of the Raptors and not allow them to be abale to play on a fair playing field they should take the team and put it somewhere else where they wants to succeed like Seattle and not let the Raptor franchise die the slow death that has begun at the ticket window. I'm Out Tom Mehegan