Cheese Heads On The Menu

So Raptors are on a winning streak!!! Ok it is one game and I guess that can't really be classed as a streak. But with the Spurs, Blazers, Improving Clippers and Heat next on the sked, a road win in Milwaukee might be badly needed. But it won't be easy as the Bucks have Brandon Jennings back and I am still not sure who on the Raptors can stop Andrew Bogut. The Raps do have Leandro Barbosa back though to help out. Jerryd Bayless however remains out, as is the soon to be returning and soon to be a daddy again Reggie Evans. Will see what we get from the Raptors with the pressure of the losing streak off their shoulders.

Bogut goes right to work with the easy score but Bargnani answers on the other end. Jennings drives and the easy drop off for another Bogut two. Demar DeRozan answers that and so far a ping pong match at 4-4. Raptors started a little push to break away a nice pass by Weems to Bargnani pump fakes for 3 and steps in and drains the 2 to make it 10-7 Raptors. Bucks would flip that around and the Raps were looking a bit sloppy as Jennings would get a gift dunk off a turnover to make it 14-11 Bucks. Raps had missed 7 straight attempts after a hot start on offence, make that 8 as Weems can't hit on the jumper. Raptors would get down 5 and finally DeRozan would hit a jumper to end the drought. But Maggette back on the other end had an answer. Triano called a time out and Barbosa checked in for his first action in awhile. Raptors got tagged for a 5 second call out of time out. Ed Davis was in as well and got a rebound. Bogut some nice D leads to easy Bucks basket in transition and it was 24-17 and that would be the score after 1.

Bargnani hits a bucket to get 2nd going on the right foot, but after a Barbosa steal a missed 3 from Bargs. The a Buck basket and a Bargnani charge that he was not convinced was. Raptors were struggling to find anything positive on the offensive end of the floor. Barbosa looked really rusty will a couple shots that were not really close at all. Julian Wright had it stolen away and the Bucks blew a chance to extend the lead with a travel in transition. Bargnani would hit and as bad as Raps had played only down 6. Make that 4 as Barbosa smartly decided to go to the drive to get on the scoreboard and it was 28-24 Bucks. A Davis block leads to a Calderon bucket in transition and the Raptors had an 8-2 run and were down just 2. Time out for the Bucks as they needed to re-group.

Raptors doubled Bogut and it worked forcing ball out of his hand and an empty possession for them. Jose to Double D and this game was back to even at 32 a piece. But the Bucks would get the next two scores and make it 36-32 in their favour and force Jay Triano to call a time out. Raptors were just not looking good at all yet they were in this game 36-34 with just 2 to play in the half. Bogut abuses Ed Davis for an easy to points and DeRozan would answer as his jumper was on point tonight. A steal and Weems slam in transition and were tied at 38. But Bogut would take it at Bargnani and give Bucks a 40-38 halftime lead. This game was as good old J.R you to say in WWE "Bowling Shoe Ugly" and Raps went bowling so this makes sense.

Two turnovers and 4 points to start the half for the Bucks was I am sure not part of Jay Triano's halftime speech. Bucks came out on a 9-2 run and were kick it butt and Jay Triano called a time out to review his halftime thoughts with his team. DeRozan had an excellent first half yet the Raptors refused to give him the ball misses from Jose,Bargnani and others were better options then the guy shooting 6 of 7? Raptors had dug an 11 point hole down 55-44 and still not one shot for Demar. Jose Calderon was El Stinko at 2-15 and he would take a seat. Raptors would cut the Buck lead to 7, but this had been a brutal quarter for the most part. Raptors got the ball to DeRozan and he would deliver late in the quarter but it might have been to little to late. Not often I disagree with Jack Armstrong, but he said Bargnani was keeping the Raptors in this. I disagree he was keeping the Raptors from winning by not allowing the ball to go to DeRozan who was hot.

Bargnani would get to the line and make a couple he had 21 but was a volume 21 if you get my meaning. But Bargnani was getting it rolling I have to admit another bucket and lead was cut to 6. But a Bucks three pointer would make the lead 9 then add on another 3 and the lead was 11. It becomes a concern when Bargs and DeRozan are both doing well and they can not balance out the touches and scoring. Bragnani can't take shots from the bench though and that is where he would head with his 4th foul. Bucks had built their largest lead of the night with the score 75-62 lead. It would only get worse as the Bucks would build the lead to 20 points and the Raptors fate was pretty much decided with 5:15 to play. Raps shot 36% and lose 92-74 to the Bucks.

DeRozan and Bargnani get 41 of the Raptors 74 and the Raptors overall offence was brutal in this one. The defence was not great but when they can hold a team under 100 points that is respectable for this group. But they failed to take advantage of it. Another 0 for night from 3 point land....0 for 10 and the new streak from 3 is very short. As was the Raptors winning ways ending after just 1 win.

Davis Debuts As Raptors Light Up The Wiz

First a little bad news before we get to all of the good news from the night's action at the ACC. Apparently the person that informed via my Twitter about Reggie Evans recovery time was on the money. They had said 6-8 weeks and after surgery today it was released during the game that Reggie Evans is indeed expected to be out 8 weeks. The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, North Carolina. So not sure if Reggie Evans was in any condition to watch his team take on the Wiz, but if he was able to he would have had a big smile. The Raptors were also without Peja Stojakovic who missed his 2nd straight game with swelling in his knee. But the Raptors would have Ed Davis fresh off his shortened re-hab stint with the Erie Bayhawks. The lesson Ed Davis learned from that experience is, he never wants to go back to the D-League again. At least from his performance in his debut that may not be an issue.

1st Quarter

Andrea Bargnani got off to a sluggish start and Amir Johnson who got the start in place of Evans was injured himself in the very early moments of this one. Raptors were forced to call a time out with Wizards up 4-2 and looking like Amir might be lost. Ed Davis was at least planned to only play limited minutes in his debut. An Injury to Amir would have thrown that plan out the window. But after the time out Amir was able to keep going. Watching on was John Wall from the Wizards bench as he was expected to play but not to start. So Wall didn't get to do the Dougie in front of Toronto Hip Hop Star Drake who was in attendance. Based on how the Raptors played tonight we would like to encourage him to come to more games. After that 4-2 lead the Wizards were pretty much blitzed the rest of the evening. Well that is not exactly true Wizard did hang in the game in the early going. Ed Davis would check in and have an instant impact with and offensive board and a put back for his first 2 points of his NBA Career to tie the game at 19. Not long after Davis would have a block leading to score for himself on the other end. Raptors Rookie from last Year Demar DeRozan had a dunk that was 10 worthy in a dunk contest and worth 2 in the game. Couple of Barbosa baskets would help build a lead. Andrea Bargnani would check back in after getting an early hook. He would be a totally different player for the rest of the night. He dominated down the stretch and when the music stopped to end the first Raptors had a 34-25 lead. They were also shooting an insane percentage of like 62%.

2nd Quarter

Wall was very quiet and Wizards defence was non existent. While Bargnani was dominant coming off the bench. He along with Barbosa and some others build at 42-27 lead and were crushing the Wizards. Raptors refused to stop as a Barbosa bucket made it an 18 point lead. The Raptors it seemed could not be stopped on offence. Well maybe it was more the Wizards couldn't stop anyone. Maybe it was both. Regardless the Raptors point total kept climbing and climbing. If the Raptors offence was a stock you would be yelling sell as there was possible way it could be better. The highlight might have been a Calderon pass to DeRozan that he would drop off for Ed Davis for a huge slam. The lead would climb to 21 on a Weems highlight reel jam. Leaving you to wonder was this the Washington Wizards or the Washington Generals. When the tot board or make that scoreboard was done it was 72-52.

3rd Quarter

By the time it was done Raptor fans at the ACC had free Pizza enough said.

4th Quarter

Garbage time at the ACC. Wizards actually out scored the Raptors 56-55 in the second half. Raptors lost 109-94 in Washington with out Wall. In Toronto with Wall it was the Raptors winning 127-108.

Yeah that wasn't much of a second half summary was it? But honestly this game was over long before even half time. Raptors had 7 players in double figures including Davis in his debut with 11 points 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in his debut in 24 and change on the floor. Perhaps the best story of the night beyond Davis' debut was their rookie last season Demar DeRozan. Demar had not played well for a number of games but he had a team high 20 and looked solid with 6 boards and 3 dimes. I declare his hamstring healed and he looked the best he has in a long time.

Have Raptors finally found a point guard combination that works? Forderon and Jackeron both ultimately failed. But maybe Calderless works. Jose had 11 points 8 dimes with 2 steals and Bayless had 16 points and 5 dimes and 6 rebounds. All together we had 27 points 13 assists 9 rebounds and 2 steals. That is pretty good.

Andrea at times was dominate but only had 18 points but the big stat for him was 8 rebounds. We mentioned Bayless 16 off the bench and Barbosa had 16 as well. All totalled the bench had 56 points. Outscoring a Wizards bench that had just 44 that included normally a starter John Wall with 19. But that number was a not exactly as impressive as it looks like. A lot of Wall's points came long after this game was decided.

Raptors move on to play OKC on Friday and Dino Nation Blog will be in the house for this one. The Thunder needed triple OT to beat the Nets with K.D not in the line-up. Much like many fans wanted to see John Wall tonight at the ACC. I would love to see Kevin Durant, but if K.D doesn't play the odds for the Raptors chances to win go up a lot. Tonight was a good bounce back for a number of players and the team as whole. This was one of those winnable games and Wizards are now 0-9 on the road. But the Raptors got some revenge and played with some serious purpose on the way to that win.