Raps Hang On To Finish Summer League With A Win

Oh the end of Summer League is here. Things we have learned from it? Ed Davis still has work to do but you can already see the difference in him being able to work with the coaching staff since April and have them guide his off-season work. Terrance Ross showed both some of the reasons why the Raptors took him at number 8 and some of the reasons why some folks feel that might have been high. Still the talent and the skills the Raptors were after seem to be there. It is now on both Ross and the Raptors to develop it. We only got a glimpse of Quincy Acy and you saw why many myself included mention the name Reggie Evans along side his. You also got to see a bit of the differences in terms of the offensive skill level he has. Aside from that not a lot else will matter from this Summer League roster. If the Raptors do in fact follow through as rumours suggest and sign John Lucas III than that would make Ben Uzoh and Bobby Brown's chances of an invite in the fall to camp as slim and none. Devoe Joesph represented himself well but he also likely is not in the Raptors future plans right now. As for today it is the Knicks provide the opposition as no one in New York is concerned with Summer League in the slightest as they still are coming to terms with Jeremy Lin taking the money and running to Houston. It has left many head scratching that suddenly now the Knicks have become concerned with money they pay someone. That team down the street in Brooklyn looks pretty good and Knicks more than anyone in the Atlantic will have to deal with that.

The Game:

Knicks miss on a three to open it up and Bobby Brown hits on his open look from three. Brown keeps it rolling and scores on a pull up jumper for 2. Ed Davis gets in on the fun and Raptors jump off to a 7-0 run against the Knicks still searching for first win in Summer League at 0-3. Knicks make a pair at the line and Ross misses his first attempt of that afternoon. Knicks battled there way back after a slow start to trail 8-6 with 6:20 to play in first. Bobby Brown forces a runner in the lane and that does hit with 5:53 to play. Both teams having trouble shooting hanging in the 20% range early on. Just one of the many reasons I will not miss Summer League that much. Ross with shot clock running down chucks it up for a long two and hits it to give Raptors a 12-8 lead. Poor D from the Raptors giving the Knicks a wide open three which they hit. Knicks were shooting just 25% prior to that but still you can't give anyone even in Summer League that open a look. Knicks make it back to back threes leaving the game tied at 14 with a Raptors bucket on the other end. Raptors would respond after letting the Knicks nose in front. Weems and Joesph with back to back buckets give the Raptors a 20-16 lead. Raptors would add a bucket as would the Knicks to make score after one 22-18 Raptors.

Raptors continue to get burned by the Knicks from three point range which is a surprise when you factor in the Knicks have shot only 19% from three coming into this one. Today they are now 3-6 currently. Ben Uzoh gets a steals and finishes it off on the other end. Raptors hanging on to the lead as Uzoh make it back to back hoops for him after a couple Knick free throws and Raptors lead 28-25. Uzoh seems to have took a page from Bobby Brown as for the third straight possession he goes up and this time draws a foul. Makes the score 30-26 Raptors. Ben Uzoh is doing it all himself after Knicks make one of two at the line Uzoh again draws contact and goes back to the line. He makes both and Raptors lead 32-27. Uzoh finally decides passing might be a good idea and Joesph nails a jumper to maintain the five point lead. J.R Smith's little brother answers for the Knicks and makes it a three point game. Landry Fields got interviewed on Knicks broadcast this guy continues to grow on me. He called the so called poison pill in Jeremy Lin's contract a tic tac for James Dolan the Knicks owner. If that is true what is the poison pill in his contract not much smaller than a tic-tac? As I ponder what is smaller than a tic-tac Ross gets to the line and gets the Raptors back in front as the Knicks had fought back to tie it at 37. Raptors give up jet another 3 from Withers who Ed Davis set a pick on after the bucket heading back up the floor and sent him flying. That didn't deter the little guy as he made a jumper to extend the lead to 4 after Raptors failed to score.Ross with a nice pass gets an assist to get Raptors back on scoreboard but they still trail 45-40 in late stages of half. Brown to Wright on the Alley Oop makes it 45-42. Ed Davis missed a jumper in the lane around foul line just inside of it on the block. Brown takes it himself and scores and draws the foul which Brown makes to tie the score with 10 seconds to play. Raptor give back what Knicks gave them with  basket and a foul. Brown able to get to line before time expires and cuts Knicks lead to 48-47 at the half.

Boy I must be pumped for end of Summer League there were game recaps not this long for regular season games last year. Ed Davis gets second half off to a better start with a jumper in rhythm on the baseline. This remains a tight affair tied at 51. Bobby Brown never shy to take a shot does and gives the Raptors a 55-53 lead. Ross extends that lead with a slam in transition. Raptors build on this advantage as the Knicks broadcast talks with Amare. Raptors continue to roll as the lead gets up to 7 points leading 62-55 with 5:30 to go here in the third. Brown the drive and drop off to Ed Davis who draws the foul. Davis has done a decent job getting to the line in Summer League and has been better once he gets there. I didn't jinx him as he makes both and Raptors lead keeps growing. Thompson finally ends the Raptors run with a bucket for the Knicks. Joesph answers on the other end and Raptors back up 9. Which is what the Raptors have held the Knicks to so far in this quarter just 9 points. Raptors get a three and extend largest lead of day to 12 point up 69-57 with 2:10 left in the third. Ben Uzoh gets his point total to double figures with a leaner with shot clock about to expire. Raptors took foot off the gas pedal a bit and allowed the Knicks to creep back a bit at the end of the 3rd. Another three late takes a 16 point lead and cuts it to 8. Raptors answer with a three to make it an 11 point lead after three with the score 76-65. Raptors in that 10 minutes out scored the Knicks 29-17.

Raptors start the 4th with a nice Alley oop and then get out on the break and score again quickly getting the lead to 15. But the Knicks still searching for a win were not apt to give up quite yet. They got things back to even for the quarter but that still leaves them 11 behind. Ed Davis grabs a board to get him to double figures which has been a regular occurrence in Summer League and is one point shy of a double double. Knicks trim Raptors lead to 9 with just under 5 to play. Ed Davis gets the lead back to double figures and gets himself a double double and Raptors lead 87-76. Knicks flirting with getting back in this down 89-81 with 2:34 to play. Knicks hit a three which has been a theme and the lead down to just 4. A charge on the other end and Knicks ball with 49 seconds to play. Make it a 2 point lead on strength of a 13-2 run. Davis misses on other end but secures rebound off a Knick miss that would have tied the game. Raptors heading to line with 12.1 to play. Joesph to the line missed second but Ed Davis get the board and he heads to line for 2 more with 11.1 to play. Makes both and ices the game. Knicks got three to make it interesting but Raptors escape with a 94-92 Win.

Knicks fall to 0-4 in Summer League and Raptors are done Summer League closing with two wins to finish 2-3. I have a complete wrap on Summer League later tonight or tomorrow. But quick take is Ed Davis showed us signs of improvement but still want to see more. Ross showed both why Raptors like him and why others think he was taken to high. Finished Summer League on sour note with just 5 points and shooting just 2-8. We unfortunately only got a glimpse of Quincy Acy who missed the last 3 games with a back bruise. He was as advertised in what we did see. As for the rest ultimately not likely to see any of them. Maybe Uzoh if the Raptors fail to sign John Lucas III. Joseph the Canadian and brother of Cory from the Spurs had a nice finish to Summer League today and here is hoping he catches on somewhere.
  


Things of Note:

• Knicks 4-10 from three point range 
•  Bobby Brown with 11 points shooting 3-5
• Ed Davis just 3 points and 6 rebounds in first half.
• Raptors shot 50% in first half
• Big 3rd for the Raptors gives them double digit lead.
• Quincy Acy remains out with back bruise.

 Heading to Nate Robinson Summer League Hall of Fame:

He was clutch at the end. So let's give it to Ed Davis with 15 points (12 in 2nd Half) , 11 rebounds and 2 Blocks. 

Heading to the NBDL:

Daniel Orton may not even make the D-League. 1-4 with 4 points and he was quite under whelming overall through 5 games.