Raptors trusting each other after Rudy leaves

It took 5 days to get the new pieces into the city but when Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, and John Salmons finally dressed against the Sixers on Friday and the Raps set a season high in assists with 24 in a 108-100 victory. Terrene Ross feels comfortable in the starting lineup as he went 10 of 16 for 24 points included 4 of 7 from beyond the line while Amar Johnson is shooting over 70% from the floor since Tyler Hansbrough got injured and Amar got back into starting lineup and took higher % shots including 8 for 11 from the floor (17 points) to go with 10 boards. DeMar DeRozan lead the team with 27 points and Jonas Valanciunas ;ead the team with 13 boards and Kyle Lowery had more assists (11) than shots taken (9) to help even though he had a tough shooting night (2 of 9 from the floor). The Raptors set the pace by making 12 assists in the first 12 minutes and had 24 assists on 39 made field goals as the Raps really control the game as they shot 47.6% and when the Sixers got it close the Raps went on a run and it looked like they listened to Casey and stuck to the game plan. The next night the Raptors went to Chicago and took on the struggling Bulls and just continued the same game plan and just like against the Sixers the night before they bent but did not allow the Bulls to take over the game as every time they got it close the Raps pulled away and really kept the crowd quiet and won by 22 (99-77). They even set a new season high in assists with 26 and kept the turnover low (11) and Amar Johnson was not as hot as he had been (6 for 11) but still had 14 points and 8 boards and was one of the four Raps with double digits in points as did Jonas who had 15 points to go with 11 boards. Kyle Lowery lead the team with 16 points and was tied in assists with Greivis Vasquez (both had 6) while DeMar had 15 points and both went 7 of 14 from the floor. The Raps also set a season high in blocked shots with 11 and 13 Raptor players saw the floor and 9 of them played over 14 minutes and they are really playing like a team since Rudy Gay was sent to Sacramento and The Raps (9-13) again are in the mix in the Titanic division lead picture only a half game behind the Celtics (11-14). If the Raps stop putting up over 20 threes a game they would be even better Tom Mehegan