The Raptors need to cut down on their amount of lapes in the game

The Toronto Raptors are solid on D and are 6 games over .500 (32-26) and are 6-2 in their last 8 games but they will need to more mentally strong as like the other 29 NBA teams they have ups and downs in the game. The only problem is that when they hit the bottom of downs they can not fix the problem and the Raps allow 30 plus points in a quarter like last night against the wizards when they put up 36 points in the second quarter in a game that went three overtimes that they lost 134-129. Against the Bulls and gave up 31 points in the first quarter and the Bulls averaged 92 points a game and were down 10 after 12 minutes and battled back could never fight all the way back to win as they fell 94-92 in what felt like a playoff game. So by the time the playoffs happen the Raptors desperately need to figure out how to bounce back a lot quicker when they go flat because 12 minute ball will make sure you are laughed and the Raps have been laughed at for years. So a minute or two here and there is fine and will help hopefully double their playoffs series victory before they meet one of the two real teams in the Pacers or the heat. Dwayne Casey has a lot of teachable moments that he can use in video down the stretch as they do more video work and walk throughs instead of practices as the Players will need more rest so they do not ware down before the playoff starts anf allow Casey to show a different way of teaching his players and make him a better all around coach. Terrence Ross shutdown D will be huge in a playoff situation while Kyle Lowry if he continues to play within himself he will be more desirable to the rest of the league so he can go back south while laughing all the way to the bank. DeMar DeRozan will need to learn when to pass up a shot for someone else's better shot as he will be smothered by the opponents with double and triple teams and will need the three-pointing Lowry, Ross, along with Patterson, Salmons, and Vasquez off the bench. The Raptors D will be a strong point going into the playoffs with 5 guys on the floor knowing what to do on the very important defensive end Tom Mehegan s

Raptors all-star break report card

Raptors 28-24 third in the eastern conference Offence B The office has been very good lead by DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry who is completely different player since his buddy Rudy left town especially in the fourth quarter where they close to the top in points differential in the final quarter. The mark would be much higher if they started games like they finish them but instead they can easily be looking at a double digit hole that they work really hard to get out of and usually succeed at it. Sharing the rock A+ They are middle of the pack in assists (20.9) but since Rudy left it has been more like 23-24 a game with everybody sharing the ball and assists just fall out of the sky and it is all lead by Kyle Lowry who is close to a double-double every night. The assists are opening a lot of chances to get easy baskets and no one is afraid to give up the ball because if they get themselves into scoring position they will get the ball back. 3-balls D The three-ball is something they will live and die by as they take too many instead of pushing the ball down low for more paint points and yes I know that with the extra passes they are getting clean shots but high 20s or low 30s attempt wise it is a little too much and costs victories. Free throws B The Raptors are shooting 77% from the charity strip but some games they just come out flat and build plenty of houses as they throw brick after brick some games I think Dwight Howard would be a better shooter on a given night and it has also lost them games. offensive rebounds A They are sitting 6Th in the league with 12 a game lead by Jonas and Amar and that is very good but sometimes they are not willing to fight for them and get push out of the way which is not good. Defensive A++++++++++++ The D when the team can not shoot to save their lives will keep them into the games with additions like Patterson, Salmons, and even Hayes help keep the games manageable and with the Raps fourth in the league with 96.9 points against it is easy to see how the D leads to the O that brings home the bacon. Rebounds A They are seventh in the league in allowing only 41.3 boards a game while taken 43.4 a game which is a plus 2 on the boards Opponents shooting B+ They are top 10 in opp shooting (44%) and it is all made possiable by the switching, hustling back on D, getting in the shooter's face and not leaving them open for easy shots (36.7% 3-balls). At Home C They have started to demand respect winning like 6 in a row at home they are 14-10 and have given away games on their own floor which the better teams do not do. The do have 17 of their last 30 at the ACC which is something they should take advantage of. On the road A For a franchise that has a franchise high 17 road wins and never a winning record on the road 500 28 road games in is impressive (14-14) with wins in Denver, OKC, Utah, and Milwaukee all places they have not been successful. They look like a team that plays better on the road so if they can play strong on the road as well as at home they should be tough for however theyplay in the first round. Dwayne Casey B Casey has guys willing to play his way and it makes him look better and makes it easiler to make the right decision in a game. Raptors are solid heading into the dress rehearsal for the playoffs Tom Mehegan

Raptors need to earn respect

The Toronto Raptors like in the past believe that they are disrespected and demand the ref give them the "respect" calls that the elite franchises get and this past week in Sacramento against the Kings was no different. So in a game that be the difference between a winning and losing road trip the Raptors decide that will be good houseguests to Rudy Gay and his new teammates while former tenants got to remember how it felt living in Sacramento for three quarters and were down 20 large. Then in the fourth the Raptors with 28.5 seconds left with a Kyle Lowry 3-ball would of cut it to two with the meter still running most likely a foul but it goes the other way and Lowry is called for a flop and three is wiped out and he is T up and tossed from the game and the Kings go on to A 109-101 VICTORY. I agree that the Refs were putting on a show for the new boss Adam Silver who was at his first game since becoming the new commissioner of the NBA and yes the King got 51 free throws and the Raps only got 24 of them but was the Raptors style of play and more to the point lack of play that cost them the game and the winning road trip. If the Raps had stuck to the game plan of pounding that rock against the second worth % D in the paint then it would been a victory no matter what the refs decide to do and on D they were screen doors as DeMarcus Cousins (25 points and 10 boards) an Rudy Gay (24 and 10) used and abused the Raps and did not look like the 16 win team that they came into the game like. So the Raptors half the game the fouls would of been more even as they have played games where the opponents had a huge free throw advantage and by the end of the game it was pretty even because they stuck to the game plan and executed it. So the Raptors are playing like an above average Eastern conference team and have deserved some respect from stripes and I believe for the most part they have gotten what they deserve so if they play more of the game at a higher energy they will be taken the game out of the refs hands. Raptors have the first invasion of the pelicans of New Orleans and the Nuggets both at home before the all-star weekend and could get some respect by closing the pre-all-star break on a two-game winning streak Tom Mehegan

Raptors breaking old habits with ig D

The Toronto Raptors started a 5 game western road trip in the city of horrors for them Denver against the Nuggets where they had not won since late 2004 when Chris Bosh (Raptors) and Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) were rookies and since then the Raptors lost 8 straight games in the mile high city to an average tune of 17 points and included Sam Mitchell and Jay Triano coached their last games as Raps head coaches there. It was also the sight of Julian Wright I do not want to get in the game game as they were down 40-plus and it was not the only games in Denver that the Raptors during the 8 game stretch. That all changed Friday night when the Raptors and their freshly branded all-star DeMar DeRozan stepped on the court after missing Wednesday game against the Orlando Magic and lead the Raps with 19 points to a 100-90 win over the nuggets. It was a normal first half with it being Denver style as the Raptors and nuggets went shot for shot with little D to be shown and the Raps were up 7 60-53 but in the second half it was a different style as the Raptors jammed their big D down the nuggets throats. In the third quarter they combined their smothering D with a powerful offensive punch outscoring the nuggets 26-17 and had the lead up to 20 large and they were able to drag their limp bodies over the finish line with one made free throw in the last 7:44 of the game while Nuggets were only able to take advantage to the tune of 15 points as the Raps stilled smothered on D even if they struggled on O. Terrence Ross added 18 points while Jonas had 13 points to go with 8 boards while the all-star snub Kyle Lowry had 13 points and 6 assists as it was a great team effort as John Salmons dished 9 assists to go with his 11 points. The next night they went to Portland to face a furious trail blazers team who had been stewing over a two-game losing streak since Tuesday so the 33-12 and 18-5 at home Portland Trail Blazers jumped on the out of tune Raps early up 12 after 12 minutes and pushed it to 17 by halftime and in the third quarter they maxed out at a 19 point lead and usually that is the point they pull covers over heads and hide. This is diffidently a different Raptors because every punch they took they rallied back to single digits and then they got it down to 5 near the end of the third when the Blazers caught fire from beyond the arc hitting 3 straight 3-balls to go back up 14 again and it was a tough Raps team. They still more air in their lungs even if they were on life support down 98-82 with 7:42 left in the game and in 7 and half minutes they outscored the Blazers 21-4 for a short lived 103-102 lead. With the Blazers up 104-103 with a 11 and a half seconds on the clock they still had their hands on the ball and DeRozan had the stripped and a couple of Portland free throws later Portland took it 106-103. The game was lost for the Raps at the free throw line as they missed half of their first 14 free throws while Portland made 11 of their first 12 but the Raptors if even DeMar hits the tech foul on Portland the first of two it would of been heading to an extra 5. The Raptors did hit 10 of their last 11 free throws to end the game 17 of 25 from the line while Portland went 20 of 25 and DeMar DeRozan set a career high in assists with 12 to go with 36 points (14 of 29 from the floor). Kyle Lowry had 8 more assists and 23 more points to give the Raps 20 of the 27 assists on 40 made field goals and 59 of the Raptors 103 while Jonas and Amar were stuffed the whistle as Jonas played 30 minutes and had 5 fouls while Amar picked up 4 in 15 minutes and then there was Terrence Ross with 4 in 26 minutes with no made 3's as the Raps missed their first 10 and then went 6 of 10 the rest of the way. This is a team u can really love Tom Mehegan