Raptors playing best basketball in at least 7 years

The Toronto Raptors who are given a little respectability back to the Atlantic division @ 500 (16-16) and are something I have been look for a very long time with a two end game as they are being able to play hard on the defensive end. While on the offensive end being able to pass the ball around like pros because they are no longer afraid of a gaping hole on the offensive end meaning if they pass the ball they would not see it again. They are also raising some eyebrows around the league as they did have a five game win streak broken by the two-time raining defending champs of the NBA world the Miami Heat 102-97 but gave the Heat everything they could handle as they went blow for blow in the first half with the Heat up one point (52-51). In the third quarter was able to pounce on the Heat going up 9 (77-68) and when the Heat scored 9 straight points the Raps would fold up shop and pack it in but instead they answered back with a 5 point lead going into the fourth quarter (84-79). In with bad shot selection in the quarter and free throw jitters (12-21) all game long the Raps still down with 23 and 16 seconds and a few chances to tie up the game but it just did not happen. The game would been so much more exciting in the Raps 4 or 5 of those missed free throws and the game was extremely exciting anyways with DeMar DeRozan leading the team 26 points (11 for 19) to go with 7 assists. While Amar (8 boards) and Jonas (5 boards) both ended up with 17 points each while Kyle Lowry had 9 of the Raps 24 assists and 14 points but it was the real deal LBJ 30 points on 18 shots (12 of 18) along with a team high in assists (5) along with 4 boards while Chris Bosh took down 11 of them. The Raps Friday night put up a season 29 assists in a 101-88 win over the Washington Wizards after pasting them 36-16 in the third and had a 26 point lead and Kyle Lowry had 11 of the assists and 19 points while the Raps were lead by the 20 points from DeMar DeRozan while Patrick Patterson had 18 off the bench. The Raps started the Year of 2014 on a high being the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday 95-83 as Lyle Lowry lead with 14 of the 27 assets on the night and chipped in with 13 points on the night. While DeRozan had another 26 (9 of 21) to go with 9 boards and 3 assists and Terrance Ross had 18 (6 of 18) and Jonas 13 points and 9 boards as well. It was the Raptors draft pick Roy Hibbert who fouled out of the game and only played 21 minutes in the game and the strong Pacer team turned the ball or 5 more times (22-17) and it way only just their 6 in 31 games so Hibert was just thanking the Raps in his owm special way for trading him before he actually had to play a game as a Raptor. Raptors ended 2013 by beating the Chicago Bulls 85-79 in a very sloppy game and it was the fourth quarter that the Raptors erased a Bulls 62-57 lead with the best quarter of the games 28-17 and Derek Rose-less Bulls just was not able to match the Raps work ethics in the fourth quarter. Carlos Boozer mailed it in with a 1 for 8 night and inly 4 points and 5 boards and maybe heading elsewhere in the offseason but Joakim Noah did not pulling down 16 oards along with 6 assists and 7 points in the game. The Raptors struggled but pulled through like winners even on a less than perfect play with only 16 assists to 15 turnovers but making it count at the line going 31 times even if they only hit 23 of them. Jonas had 15 points and 9 boards to lead the team and was the one to step up when everybody else was preoccupied by New Years or the Pacers on New Year's day. Hope they stay on track because the Pacers will not be friendly hosts this up coming week Tom Mehegan