Raptors Try To Buck The Trend

It is a Friday home game, so that means I am off the ACC and Toronto to cover this one. Raptors are in the midst of a terrible losing streak and moral is low. Eventually the Raptors will win a game again it has to happen right? The last time the Raptors lost 9 straight it was back in 2005 where the Raptors started the season losing 9 straight. In that same season was the last time the Raptors lost 10 in a row from March 26th to April 12th 2006. For a touch of irony that 10 game losing streak began with a loss to the Bucks. Raptors with those 2 huge losing streaks finished the season 27-55. This version of the Raptors is 20 games below .500. They have had 21 different players suit up for the team this year and are pushing to set the record of 24. While the Bucks have been a massive disappointment after making the playoffs last year they made a number of changes and it has not exactly worked out well. Injuries have been part of their story as well with Brandon Jennings having injury issues so much so it got Demar DeRozan into the dunk contest. Along with Jennings, John Salmons and Drew Gooden are listed as day to day.

The Basics: Bucks 17-26 (11-12 vs East) Raptors 13-33 (Lost 9 straight as you may have heard?)

When Last We Saw Them: Raptors played a good first quarter and then that was about it. Demar DeRozan continued his good play of late and Andrea Bargnani didn't play well at all. All the cast of characters you would expect to be a part of a Sixers win were. But most of all the Raptors got crushed in the paint.

Key Match Ups: Coming off a loss in which the Raptors got owned in the paint this is pretty easy. Say it with me.....Andrew Bogut. The Raptors better have a plan to stop him. Bogut and Bargnani have some things in common in the sense they both were picked first in weak drafts. But after that there is not much else that is similar. Cory Maggette has struggled with the Bucks but has had some success over the years vs the Raptors. He will hope for a Mike Miller like performance to get him going. No Brandon Jennings should mean advantage Calderon for the Raptors. Keyon Dooling is a big step down from Brandon Jennings. DeRozan vs Chris Douglas-Roberts should be a match-up the Raptors can win as well.

Other Things Of Note: It is January 28th and this is the first time we have seen the Bucks. They will play the Bucks 4 times this season. Bucks won the season series last year 2-1 for what it is worth. Ryan will be doing your re-cap of this on with myself down at the ACC. I will be in search of interviews and try and catch up with Demar DeRozan and get his thoughts on heading home for the All-Star game to compete in the Dunk Contest. It is unlikely the Raptors will be involved in the game on Sunday but Demar should be front and center on both Friday and Saturday. Rob Base is in the house for halftime. Last year it was Vanilla Ice makes you wonder what washed up 90's or 80's Rapper they will dig up next year? With Demar DeRozan being from Compton what is Eazy E doing these days? Well wait that might not be that family friendly would it.

Where is it on? TSN 2 (NHL is having their All-Star draft. OH SO SAD I WILL MISS THAT. NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND > NHL ALLSTAR WEEKEND)

Nothing New, Despite Some New Bodies.

Really this game had all the elements I would have expected in a loss to the Sixers. Jrue Holiday played well. Andrea Iguodala had steals and slams and Lou Williams hit some big time 3's. Not even the Sixers or a 9 game losing streak can stop the development of Demar DeRozan. Sixers had 7 players in double figures including all 4 players they used off the bench. Raptors had no answer for Marreese Speights and just in general were allowing to many easy buckets in the paint.

As for the new Raptors at least on first glance I predict Trey Johnson will not last for a 2nd contract for 10 days if he plays like that. Just wasn't all that impressed but to be fair probably had a lot on of nerves for this one. He was 1-4 with 3 points and 2 turnovers in about 12 minutes and I was as I said under whelmed with the performance. As for Alexis Ajinca he barely saw the floor but it was long enough to get a dunk,steal, rebound and 2 fouls in under 6 minutes. Honestly hard to evaluate based on that but he does look big out there and like the fact he was not afraid to foul.

I think my greatest concern about this game was more the reaction to it. I live blogged it for The Score mobile and normally our audience is engaged and has tons to say during Raptor games. Last night there was hardly any of that and the result was almost expected by folks. Even myself I found that I personally have become numb to the losing. Raptors have the 2nd longest losing streak in the league at 9 games and Cleveland the only team worse as their losing streak sits at 18.

Raptors really only showed up on defence in 1st Quarter and after that the Sixers busted it wide open with easy transition points (30 fast break points) and easy points in the paint which was 56 points I believe.

Home or Away the Raptors can't seem to win anywhere of late. That was the 4th straight loss at home and it is just a case of a team that lacks the talent to compete night in and night out. The injuries have been costly with No Reggie Evans, Barbosa Klezia and until recently Weems. But still it doesn't take away from the frustration. Once the Sixers made the run to take the lead in the 2nd quarter you never had the impression that Raptors were going to win. It was the right impression as well as the Raptors didn't win losing 107-94 to Philly.

"Behind Enemy Lines"

Who do you think is the most valuable team in the NBA right now? Miami fans may say the Heat and while it is true they had the hugest jump in value percentage, they still sit in the seventh spot according to a recent report. Give up? The New York Knicks. They have jumped over the Lakers for top spot as the most valuable franchise in the NBA. Forbes magazine ranks them as number one and valued at $655 million due to an increase in ticket sales and sponsorships at Madison Square Garden. The most troubling part of their report? According to Forbes, 17 of 30 teams in the NBA lost money last season. Unbelievable. More than half the teams in the NBA? Good news for the Raptors, they sit at 10th on Forbes most valuable NBA team list. Let's hope one day that's their rank in league play. This week, the Raptors take on the Bucks, Timberwolves, Pacers and Hawks. Let's get at it.

Milwaukee Bucks @Toronto Raptors - Friday, January 28

• This will be the first time the Bucks and Raptors will meet this season.
• As of Thursday, the Bucks are 17-26 and 9th in Eastern Conference (5 spots ahead of the Raptors).
• Milwaukee notable: Bucks signed guard Garett Temple to a 10-day contract. Temple, 24 years old, has appeared in 30 games with San Antonio, Houston and Sacramento over the past two seasons.
• Milwaukee Inactive List: Brandon Jennings (left foot), Drew Gooden (left foot) and Michael Redd. John Salmons has been out with a right hip injury but was rostered against the Hawks this week but no playing minutes logged.
• Raptors need to watch: Garett Temple. He started the fourth quarter against the Hawks this week after only one practice since being signed to the team Tuesday. He made a solid impact on their defense in the dying minutes of that game.
• Key for the Raptors: The Bucks are putting on a happy face. They have lost 10 games in their last 15 and the Raptors need to play consistent and push the right buttons.

Toronto Raptors @Minnesota Timberwolves - Saturday, January 29

• This will be the first time the Timberwolves and Raptors will meet this season.
• As of Thursday, the Timberwolves are at the bottom of the West, 10 and 35.
• Timberwolves Head Coach Kurt Rambis has been like the Wayne Gretzky of the coaching world this season. Lots of talent and experience coaching a less than mediocre team. (Rambis was 14 years in the NBA as a player, 9 seasons with the Lakers. He spent 7 seasons as an assistant coach with the Lakers beside Phil Jackson before coming to Minnesota).
• Timberwolves Inactive List: Lazar Hayward and Kosta Koufos.
• Raptors need to watch: Forward Kevin Love. He had 31 points, 21 rebounds and shot 3 for 3 from behind the 3 point line for the Wolves against the Thunder during their last meeting.
• Key for the Raptors: This team is fighting stay alive but this is the kind of team that can be the most dangerous and unpredictable. They have nothing to loose. The Raptors need to make sure they do loose by sustaining a lead of at least 10 throughout the game - not letting the lead change hands.

Toronto Raptors @Indiana Pacers - Monday, January 31

• The Pacers and Raptors have met once already this season on December 6th. Pacers took it 124-100.
• The Raptors edged them in the 3rd quarter of this game in points but the Pacers held on in the rest.
• During this last meeting, the starting Pacers were all in double digits: Danny Granger put up 21 points. Only the Raptors top three saw double: Jose Calderon also had 21.
• Indiana Inactive List: Dahntay Jones, Josh McRoberts and Lance Stephenson.
• Raptors need to watch: Brandon Rush. He had 26 points off the Pacers bench against the Raptors in December.
• Key for Raptors: Have a stronger bench. Barbosa and Bayless both had twelve points each off the bench when they last met the Pacers. They need to be able to go the distance with this team.

Toronto Raptors @ Atlanta Hawks - Wednesday, February 2

• The Hawks and Raptors met twice already this season. Toronto lost both times.
• During their last meeting on November 28th, Atlanta lead the first 3 quarters in scoring. Toronto tried to rally in the 4rth but it wasn't enough. Final score 96-73 Hawks.
• Top four Hawks in double digit points versus two in the Raptors line-up. It was Bargnani and DeRozan for the Raptors.
• As of Thursday, Atlanta is 5th in the East at 29 and 17.
• Hawks Inactive List: Josh Powell, Pape Sy and Marvin Williams.
• Key for Raptors: Don't let them have the lead for more than one quarter if that. On their first meeting of the season on November 28th, Atlanta lead the scoring in the 1st and 4rth quarters and lead the first three in the second meeting. The Raptors need to pace themselves, no costly turnovers and be strong in the fourth.

As always, thank you for joining me. Please keep your comments and suggestions coming on Twitter (@ddegraauw) and on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw, purple jacket/red microphone). Have a great weekend and see you again on Tuesday for more NBA coverage in "NBAz in 7 Dayz".

Good Bye Gaines, Hello Johnson

As Doug Smith had suggested has become the reality of things Gains has been released in order for the Raptors to sign Trey Johnson. Calderon's health seemed to be the reason Gaines was able to pick up another 10 day contract. But with Calderon expected to play that gave the green light to send Gaines packing in favour of Johnson. Here is all the details from the Raptors Press Release:

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have signed guard Trey Johnson to a 10-day contract. He is the sixth GATORADE Call-Up of the 2010-11 NBA Development League season. To make room on the roster the Raptors released Sundiata Gaines early from his 10-day contract. Johnson, 6-foot-5, 215 pounds is the leading scorer in the D-League this season averaging 25.8 points for the Bakersfield Jam. He has scored in double-digits in each of his 26 games, posting 20 or more points on 22 occasions and 30 or more in five games and a season-best 43 on December 15 at Austin. Johnson is also averaging 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting .510 percent from the field. Johnson is in his fourth season with the Jam. He owns career D-League averages of 20.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 36.2 minutes. His head coach during the 2007-08 season was current Raptors assistant coach Scott Roth. A product of Jackson State in Mississippi, Johnson played four games with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2008-09 campaign totaling four points and one rebound. In October he went to training camp with the Los Angeles Lakers.Gaines was signed to a second 10-day contract Monday. He appeared in six contests with the Raptors averaging 5.8 points, 1.8 assists and 15.0 minutes.Toronto’s roster stands at 15 players.

So Johnson becomes the 21st new names to be added to the list. The last season anything like this one was 97/98 where Raptors had 24 different faces in their line up. That gem came to me from Zack Cooper via twitter @ZCooperstown. Our DNB Guest always lending me a helping hand. Speaking of Gems here is a recent post game interview with Johnson talking about ironically the chance of being called up to the NBA. Interview was post game after a D-League game about a week ago.



So welcome to the latest Raptor will see if he sticks around. Raptors take on the Sixers tonight and I will still be doing it for The Score.com and ScoreMobile.

DNB Top Ten: Power Forwards

This week we'll be taking a look at the top 10 PF's in the NBA currently. This season we have seen several PF's take their game up to another level, some have seen their starts decrease, but still continue to produce efficient, while others have maintained the level of play we have seen from them in the last few years. There has also been a rookie PF who has taking the NBA by storm, and is giving us all a glimpse of the future of the position. But when it is all said and done, just who is the best PF in the league and who will be left out of this top 10? Let's find out.

1. Dirk Nowitzki ( 24.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.7 BPG)

Probably the most efficient and consistent of all current PF's, Dirk has once again shown that he's amongst the NBA's elite players. In his 13 seasons in the league he has averaged 21+ points in 11 on those season and has helped lead the Mavs to 10 straight seasons of 50+ wins. He is also one of the most clutch players in the league, first amongst PF's, and a annual All-Star. This season he is looking to lead the Mavs to another 50+ win season and their first franchise NBA championship. With his efficient play and the assistance of Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler(if he's back in time), the Mavs could be a solid contender come playoffs time, if they don't underachieve again.

2. Amar'e Stoudemire ( 26.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.3 BPG)

After leaving Phoenix in the offseason to sign with the Knicks, many questioned whether Amar'e would be able to play without Steve Nash or be as efficient without him. Those questions have quickly ceased because Amar'e has stepped out of Nash's shadow and shown that he doesn't need him to be a great player. Averaging career highs in points, assists and blocks this season, Amar'e along with Felton, Gallinari and Chandler have helped make the Knicks relevant again and have pushed them into playoff contention. Though they are a long-shot from being a title contender with the level of defense they play, or don't play, at least Amar'e has given Knick's fans something to cheer about again, that isn't the NBA draft.

3. Pau Gasol ( 18.6 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.9 BPG)

Since the Lakers acquired Gasol in the 2007-08 season they have gone on to win two NBA championships and have made three straight appearances to the NBA finals. After being called soft in that first finals appearance Gasol has responded and shown that he can be a physical player and a huge part of the Lakers success. With Kobe leading the way, Gasol and the Lakers are looking towards completing a 3-peat this season and the franchise's 17th championship. Who would have thought that in 4 seasons, Gasol would have been a 2-time NBA champion and on his way to being a 3-time champ.

4. Tim Duncan ( 13.6 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 2.0 BPG)

A 4-time NBA champion, 3-time Finals MVP, 2-time regular season MVP, 12 time All-Star, just to name a few of his accolades, Tim Duncan is as good as it gets. He can score, rebound and most importantly play defense. He is also the master of his patented off-the-backboard jumpshot. Even though he is currently averaging career lows in both points and rebounds, Duncan still remains a crucial part of the Spurs offense and along with Parker, Ginobli and a a huge supporting cast, plan on leading the spurs to their 5th franchise NBA title. Currently with the best record in the entire NBA the spurs are poised to doing just that, unless a team out West finds a way to get past them in the playoffs.

5. Kevin Garnett ( 15.1 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.7 BPG)

As the backbone to the Celtics defensive intensity, KG is probably the most intimidating PF to go up against. With his death-stare, ferociousness and well-known potty-mouth he can get under the skin of any opposing player, whether it be a PF or PG (just ask Jose Calderon) and it is this trait that makes him one of the bests at this position. And did I mention that he possesses a great offensive game. Though it seems like Shaq may be softening him a bit off the court and on the sidelines, he still remains a beast on the court on a nightly basis. The one thing that may hinder the Celtics hope of claiming another NBA title will be his health. If he can stay healthy they are almost a shoe-in to win the East, if they can get by the Heat and Magic that is, and head to the Finals once again.

6. Chris Bosh (18.6 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1,9 APG, 0.7 BPG)

Yes his stats have dropped significantly from last season, but what did we expect when he decided to take his talents to South Beach. Though some may say that he's just riding the coattails of Wade and Lebron, Bosh has been producing efficiently and is still one of the best at the PF position. With a lethal jumpshot that extends to three point range and the ability to use his quickness to get to the bucket and the FT line, Bosh is a match-up nightmare for many opposing players. If his rebounding numbers were in the 10+ range maybe he would have cracked the top 5 on this list, but for now he'll have to settle for 6th.

7. Carlos Boozer ( 19.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.4 BPG)

After missing a good portion of the first half of the season, Boozer has returned to show that he is indeed a top-notch PF in this league. In the 27 games he has played, he has recorded 17 double doubles and has proven to be a great compliment to Derrick Rose. With the Bulls off to their best start in years, Boozer, Rose and Noah plan on leading them to the NBA finals and winning the franchise's 1st championship since the MJ era in Chicago.

8. Blake Griffin (22.8 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.6 BPG)

After being out all of last season with an injury, this kid has shown this season that he is gonna be a star in this league. With the Rookie of the Year award already guaranteed to be his and already talk of him being an All-Star this season, Blake has a pretty bright future ahead of him, even if he does play for the Clippers, who have been playing better as of late. Currently 2nd overall in the league in double-doubles with 36, ahead of the likes of Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, he has also shown that he can be a dominant rebounder in this league and has a pretty good offensive game which includes a jumper. If he keeps improving and the clippers keep that core of him, Gordon, Baron and the other young guys, it won't be too long until the Clippers will be known a a playoff contender and not "that other LA team."

9. LaMarcus Aldridge (21.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.2 BPG)

With the injuries to Brandon Roy and Greg Oden, just to name a few, the Blazers needed someone to step on and help carry the load and Aldridge did just that. Currently averaging career highs in points, rebounds and minutes, he has become a key part to this Blazers team. Like many of today's PF's his game revolves around his jumpshot, but he has the ability to get in the post and to the FT line with his quickness. With this only being his 5th season in the league he can still get better, and if Roy and Oden can regain their form, this Blazers team could make some noise in the West once again.

10. David West ( 19.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 BPG)

As a key part of the Hornets team, West is also starting to show that he can be a clutch player also and hitting several game winners this season with the most recent coming against OKC on Monday. Though his defense is not the greatest and there are nights when he can disappear in games, he is still a tough match-up for opposing PF's. Along with CP3 he has helped lead the Hornets to 9 straight victories in which they moved into the 5th seed out West. Come playoff time we'll see if he can keep up his performance, but as for now he remains one of the top PF's in the league.

We'll there you have it, the top 10 PF's currently in the NBA. Whether they are the go-to guy of just a complimentary player, these guys have shown that they can produce efficiently and effectively for their teams and play a huge role in the success of their respective teams. Stay tuned for next weeks installment.

8 is MORE THAN ENOUGH!!!

After awhile you just forget what it was like when your team wins a game. If this happens you are in the middle of a long season. In case you forgot last time it happened it was against the Sacramento Kings on January 9th 2011. Since then the Raptors have not made it to the winner's circle. Although they have had some great efforts in attempting to do so. Tonight's opponent can relate to how the Raptors feel. The Sixers limped out of the gate but have battled there way to a playoff spot in the pitiful Eastern Conference. Doug Collins has been known as a guy that can make teams instantly better. He has never been a guy that has been able to lead a team to ultimate success though. But if you want a good coach to change the culture of your organization he has an excellent track record. The Raptors roster for tonight will be a bit of mystery and that is not new. Alexis Ajinca the latest Raptor did not practice with his new team yet and then you have you long list of injured, sick and recovering Raptors. Toronto does have a 2-0 series lead on the season. But those games came early in the year and roster is much different both in terms of health and the Raptors roster moves since.

The Basics: Philadelphia 19-25 (5-18 on Road) Raptors 13-32 (1-9 in Last 10)

When Last We Saw Them: This Happened (Be Advised Language in This Clip)....

Some how that makes this loss sting a little less. As you saw Rudy Gay hit a game winner and sunk the Raptors. It was the 8th straight loss and 3rd straight at home. Normally I will not post things with profanity but that was just to funny not too post f-bombs or not.

Key Match-Ups: Thankfully for the guy in that clip...no Rudy Gay to worry about. But there will be Jrue Holiday to deal with for Bayless or Jose depending on the status of Calderon. I admit I am surprised and how Holiday has developed. I remember he was one of the guys that got a lot of talk for the Raptors to select in his draft year. I was not a fan of the idea of him as Raptor. But he has proven me wrong. He may not be Russell Westbrook but he is pretty good to decent in his own right. Andre Iguodala has had a down year by his standards but he always seems to show up when he sees those Raptor Jerseys on the other end of the floor. Again depending on who is healthy they will have a tough time with him passed on his history against the Raptors alone. Also beware of Lou Williams coming off the bench he gets hot shooting and he could go off like a Mike Miller did to the Raptors.

Other Things Of Note: Sixers come in off wins over the Suns and Jazz after dropping a contest to Bobcats who sit just behind them is the Eastern Conference Playoff race. Sixers unlike the Raptors have had the good fortune of health having only 29 man games lost due to injury or suspension. After a 3-13 start the Sixers are 16-12 since.

I will be Liveblogging this game for The Score.com and ScoreMobile and you can join me by clicking this link as we will get rolling just about 10 minutes before 7pm. At that time will have all the roster news for this one.

Where Is It On? TSN 2 (Wayne Gretzky's Birthday is a National Holiday for TSN so this is understandable....Happy B-Day Wayne)

Why You Should Be Happy The Streak Is Over

It is an old expression by now in basketball and it goes like this "You live by the 3 and you will die by the 3". Many of us are not old enough to remember that the 3 point shot has not always been a part of the sport of basketball. It something you need to keep in mind when you evaluate the players of today. For instance Vince Carter recently passed 20,000 points. He has 1,368 made 3 pointers 681 of those as a Raptor. If the shot did not exist you could minus that 1,368 from his point total. But more to the point in his career he is 37.5% from behind the arc and 44.5% overall. Almost any player your care to research will have a higher FG% than 3% and it is just common sense. The closer you are able to get to the basket the more likely you are to make a shot. Also if you think back to his Raptor career what was one of criticisms of Carter. Well yeah his overall toughness and heart. But he was also taken to task for not driving as much as he did early in his career and settling for 3 point shots.

So why have we applauded this team for basically doing the same thing in keeping this streak alive? I did the research last night and shared it on Twitter. The Raptors record during this 986 game streak is 445-541 that is only a .451 winning percentage. Overall below .500 and yet it is celebrated like it means something. Yes it is an NBA record but where does it rank in significance? I would suggest that it is not to high. Do you think Mark Cuban will make such a big deal if his Mavericks eventual pass the Raptors and take over this streak? Mark Cuban only wants one thing and cares about one thing and that is an NBA Championship. It always should be about winning. Records of any kind are insignificant if they are not attached to winning.

While many have lamented at the fact that Demar DeRozan is not a capable three point shooter it is something that concerns me far less. In his career he has only attempted 41 times from 3 point range and converted just 6 times for a percentage that is 14.6%. I will admit that needs to improve but it is not life and death. Here is what you should be excited about in terms of DeRozan. Last season he got to the free throw line 194 times and already this season just past the half way mark has got there 225 times. He has converted 323 times overall when getting to that line. That adds up to 77.1% free throw percentage. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Making a free throw is far more likely than it is making a three point shot. Sure DeRozan eventually will need to be able to make a 3 point shot but the fact he can consistently get to the line will serve the Raptors far more than even if he became a respectable three point shooter.

The Raptors for years have become dependent on the 3 point shoot and this streak for me was a symbol of that dependence. When you look at the limited amount of success the Raptors have had you can say they have died many more times by the three than they have lived by it. Even in terms of guys like Kleiza and Bargnani we should want to see them post up more and take quality shots. While the 3 point shot can be and effective weapon in the sport of basketball it should be used more economically in terms of offence. Less attempts and more quality attempts. That is a path to consistent performance and ultimately more wins.

Some have said that this streak was all the Raptors had and represents some form of accomplishment. Sorry but look up next time at the ACC and find that one Division Championship banner. That is an accomplishment that is based on winning. This three point streak is more like having perfect attendance in school. It is great you showed up for school everyday. But if you don't learn anything when you are there does it mean anything? That is in essence what this 3 point streak is and was.