McGrady with the shoutout to Chris Bosh

After the Pistons' romp of the Toronto Raptors 115-93 last night, Tracy McGrady had a funny post game quote, calling out Chris Bosh for selling out the city of Toronto.



But really Toronto, why are we still booing T-Mac?
(video via The Score)

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present the RAPS TALK Audio Podcast - Episode 4 (12.21.10)

Click HERE to check out Episode 4 of  RAPS TALK with U-E, Ryan and myself, Romy Aquino.  This episode we take a look at the past two weeks with the Toronto Raptors, we discuss the first third of the Raptors season, we talk New York Knicks and we discuss our thoughts on the big trades with the Orlando Magic/Washington Wizards/Phoenix Suns from this past weekend.

Subscribe to RAPS TALK, our audio podcast on iTunes
If you don't have iTunes, you can subscribe here
Check out our Facebook Page
Follow @hiphoopjunkies on Twitter

LA's Second Unit Defeats the Raps - LAKERS 120, RAPTORS 110

LAKERS 120, RAPS 110
The "oohs" and "ahhhhs" came out for Kobe Bryant in Toronto on Sunday afternoon as the Lakers defeated the Raps at the ACC.  But Kobe only had to play 28 minutes as the Lakers second unit took care of business.  Andrew Bynum had 16 points and Matt Barnes (who almost landed on the Toronto Raptors during the offseason) finished with 12 points and 9 boards off of the Lakers' bench.

Early Christmas Gifts - RAPTORS 98, NETS 92

RAPS 98, NETS 92
Last night marked the return of a few familiar faces, former Raptors coach, Sam Mitchell, former Raptor, Kris Humphries, but it also marked the return of a few starters in Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani.  After a brutal loss against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Jay Triano got a few early Christmas gifts with the return of his starting point guard Jose Calderon and leading scorer, Andrea Bargnani, who had 32 points and 9 boards including this "THUNDEROUS SLAM....OH MY!":

A Few Fashionable Canadian Ballers - The Miami Heat Intro

Looks like a couple of Canuck ballers (and one former Toronto Raptor) are big time now that they're playing down in South Beach. Check out Jamaal Magloire, Joel Anthony and Chris Bosh in the Miami Heat intro (just in case you haven't seen it yet)

(via the Hightop Fadeaway)

Did you turn off the TV at the half? RAPTORS 120, PISTONS 116

RAPS 120 , PISTONS 116

The Raps are supposed to outright win games like this.  But the Raps were so sloppy in the first half that it didn't look like they would even have a chance to win tonight's game.  The Pistons came out gunning and  flat out dominated the Raptors in the first half.  Toronto had 11 early turnovers midway through the second quarter while the Pistons had just one turnover as the Raps allowed 72 points by the half.  This one started out ugly and most Raps fans had already changed the channel at that point.

Oh, Those Home Rims - KNICKS 113, RAPS 110

KNICKS 113, RAPS 110
In a rematch from last Sunday's matchup between the Knicks and the Raptors, Toronto came prepared to put out a better effort than last Sunday.  And they did, Andrea Bargnani had a career night but it wasn't enough to defeat the New York Knicks.  Il Mago scored a career-high 41 points to go along with his 7 points and 6 rebounds in the 113-110 loss, putting the Raps to 3rd in the Atlantic with a 8-14 record.  Amare Stoudemire led the charge in the finals minutes (five fouls and all) scoring 8 of his 34 points in the final three minutes.  But the final shot was what mattered most as Raymond Felton nailed a ridiculous three-pointer that had the lucky bounce (or I should say bounces) with just 2.7 seconds to play.

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present the RAPS TALK Audio Podcast - Episode 3 (12.07.10)

Click HERE to check out Episode 3 of  RAPS TALK with U-E, Sean, Ryan and myself, Romy Aquino.  This episode, we break down this past week with the Toronto Raptors, we discuss Andrea Bargnani as the face of the franchise and who we think would win between Charles Barkley and Barack Obama in a game of one on one.

Subscribe to RAPS TALK, our audio podcast on iTunes
If you don't have iTunes, you can subscribe here
Check out our Facebook Page
Follow @hiphoopjunkies on Twitter

AMARE > AMIR - KNICKS 116, RAPTORS 99

KNICKS 116, RAPS 99
Even though Amir Johnson had a career game against the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, Amare Stoudemire was just too much for the Raptors.  Amare Stoudemire was beasting for the New York Knicks, scoring 31 points and pulling down 16 boards as the Knicks cruised to a 116-99 victory.   Amir Johnson had an impressive performance with a season-high 22 points and career 16 boards for the Raps.  The Raps relied on the second unit to keep them in this one but couldn't close in on the Knicks.  New York was hot from the three ball range, knocking down 12 threes that kept the Raps out of it.

Quiet Thunder - RAPTORS 111, THUNDER 99

 written by Ryan Dickison

RAPTORS 111, THUNDER 99
Prior to Friday’s game, the Raptors had won four of their last five at home. Oklahoma City, hadn't lost to an Eastern Conference team away from home since March 21 of last season. Fortunately for the Raptors, Oklahoma was without the league’s top scorer Kevin Durant, who missed his second straight game with a sprained left knee. 

HHJ & HHN present "Jay Triano Needs a Swear Jar"

So far this season, we've seen Jay Triano drop a couple of expletives in post game press conferences when the Raps put out a poor effort. We think it's time Jay Triano had a swear jar.



Shoutouts to Jeorge Sadi for the camera work!

GET WELL REGGIE!

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North are paying tribute to you, Reggie Evans. Get well, soon!



Shoutouts to Jeorge Sadi for the the camera work!

The J.A.H.O.W.

This week, Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present to you the J.A.H.O.W. where we feature a member of the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak.  What's does J.A.H.O.W. stand for?

Just Watch.



Shoutouts to Jeorge Sadi for the camera work!

Third Quarter Pizza - RAPTORS 127, WIZARDS 108

RAPS 127, WIZARDS 108
The Raps started off with a 72-point first half.  You read that right, 72 points. 

Raptors' fans then had free pizza at the end of the third.

The End.

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present the RAPS TALK Audio Podcast - Episode 2 (11.29.10)

The Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North fam recently got together and decided to start our own hoops audio podcast entitled "RAPS TALK".  Raps Talk is a roundtable discussion based on the Toronto Raptors.  This is where we'll talk about how terrible the Raps are (or how good they are), what curse word Jay Triano used in the latest press conference  and what else has been happening around the NBA.  We're a panel of four dudes based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia and we plan on bring the podcast on a weekly basis.

Below is Episode 2, where we talk about the Raps recent winning (and losing) streak, our thoughts on the recent lineup changes, what we thought of Stojakovic and Bayless' Raptors debut and we also bounce around the NBA and talk some Lebron and ROY predictions.

RAPS TALK, EPISODE 2 (11.29.2010) 
Panel: Romy Aquino, U-E Sampang, Sean Francois and Ryan Dickison


And in case you missed Episode 1, take a listen here.

EPISODE 1 (11.23.2010)


You can subscribe to our feed on iTunes, here's how:

1. Open up iTunes
2. Go to ADVANCED>Subscribe to Podcast...
3. Enter the following URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RapsTalk
4. Hit OK and you're set!

Please let us know what you think of the podcast in the comments section below.

Hawks Handle the Reggie-less Raptors - HAWKS 96, RAPTORS 78

written by Ryan Dickison
 
HAWKS 96, RAPS 78
Leading into Sunday’s game against Atlanta, the Raptors had won seven of their previous nine home afternoon games. The Hawks meanwhile, rolled into Toronto on a back-to-back coming off a win on Saturday over the New York Knicks.

Those Inconsistent Hawks Roll into the T-Dot

This afternoon, the Raptors look to avoid a losing streak when they face off against the 10-7 Atlanta Hawks who started off the season 6-0.  Whether it was a easy schedule to start the season or not, the Hawks have been somewhat all over the place.  So much so, that Coach Larry Drew called them out earlier this week, calling their performance "embarrassing".  The call out may have worked as they bounced back last yesterday with a win over the Knicks.

The Old Guys Prevail - CELTICS 110, RAPTORS 101

CELTICS 110, RAPS 101
I think we all saw this coming.  The Celtics were looking for revenge after losing to the Raps last Sunday afternoon, and the old guys prevailed last night.  The Celtics also had a body back that they were missing from last Sunday's game too.  Rajon Rondo.  Rondo and the Celtics dominated immediately in the first quarter, building a 31-20 lead after one quarter.  The Raps on the other hand, struggled to put out a consistent effort in the 9-point loss to the Celtics.

FROM HALI TO T.O. - Hip Hoop Junkies takes a trip from Halifax to Toronto

So this past weekend I took a short little vacation to Toronto to catch a couple of Toronto Raptors games. I caught two great Raptor wins, with victories over both the Rockets and the Celtics. I was also able to check out All Access with Sonny Weems and DeMar DeRozan (hosted by RaptorSpace Kat) at Real Sports. Check it out...



Make sure you check out previous videos on our Youtube channel, HipHoopJunkiesTV

Bargnani, Boards & Bayless - RAPTORS 106, SIXERS 90

RAPS 106, SIXERS 90

Can you say four-game winning streak?  It looks like Raptors have gained a new level of confidence in themselves after wins against the Celtics, Rockets and now two wins against the Sixers.  Reggie Evans grabbed a career-high 22 boards last night, which was two shy of Donyell Marshall's team record of 24.  It's kind of crazy that Evans was traded from the Sixers back in June in '09 for who?  Jason Kapono.  I guess we can easily say that the trade worked out okay for the Raps.  Evans also had 12 points to go with his bucket full of boards in his first double double of the season.

Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North - RAPS TALK Ep. 10 (Nov 23/10)

Check out the latest episode of RAPS TALK (Episode 10) where we discuss the last week with the Toronto Raptors. This week, we discuss the Raps' recent win streak, the newest Raptors Peja Stojakovic and Jerryd Bayless and the latest on the rook, Ed Davis. We also welcome another member to the crew, Ryan Dickison.




Make sure you check out previous videos on our Youtube channel, HipHoopJunkiesTV

Amir 3000 Seals the Deal - RAPTORS 102, CELTICS 101

written by Ryan Dickison

RAPS 102, CELTICS 101
The Toronto Raptors entered Sunday’s game against the Boston Celtics with a few familiar faces missing from their usual rotation. Jarrett Jack, David Andersen and Marcus Banks were sent to the Big Easy in a 5-player deal for combo-guard Jarryd Bayless, shooting guard Peja Stojakovic and cash considerations.

It's Always Sonny in Philadelphia - RAPTORS 94, SIXERS 86

RAPS 94, SIXERS 86
Well, that wasn't too bad.  The Raps ended their four game road trip with a 2-2 record, including a 94-86 win over the Philadelphia 76ers last night.  Sonny Weems put up a career high 25 points, playing a team-high 41 minutes.  The Raps had decent night offensively, and one thing that is quite apparent is that the Raptors' success this year depends largely on Andrea Bargnani's offense.  If Andrea Bargnani is having an offnight, it's going to be tough for this team to win games.  Bargs had a season-high 30 points on 12 of 18 shooting to lead all scorers.  Toronto had an impressive fourth quarter outscoring the Iguodala-less Sixers squad 25-15.

Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North - RAPS TALK Ep. 9 (Nov 16/10)

It's a new NBA season and we're back it again for another season of Toronto Raptors vlogs.  It's been a rough start for the Raps, with the team racking up a pile of losses to start the season.  So this week, Sean, U-E and myself had a roundtable discussion about both the pleasure and the pain of this 2010-11 Toronto Raptors team.



Big ups to Jeorge for the camera work!

Make sure you follow the three of us on Twitter:
@romyaquino, @uesampang and @seanfrancois

"It was a hell of a ride." Matt Devlin talks with Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh hasn't been overly impressive with the Miami Heat so far averaging just 14 points per game to go along with 6 boards/game. Matt Devlin had the chance to talk with Chris Bosh when the Raptors visited the Miami Heat over the weekend. Bosh talked free agency, what didn't work with the Raptors, what he would have done differently and what he loved about the city of Toronto.


What did you think of the interview?

Raps Take Tired Talents to South Beach - HEAT 109, RAPTORS 100

 HEAT 109, RAPS 100
Coming off a hard-fought battle against the Orlando Magic the night before, the Raps had another tough test against former teammate, Chris Bosh, and the Miami Heat last night.  But Bosh didn't get a chance to stick it to the Raptors last night, finishing with just 12 points and 6 boards in only 22 minutes due to foul trouble.

Win.....Number......2!!! RAPTORS 110, MAGIC 106

RAPS 110, MAGIC 106
Going into this game, I had little faith that the Raps could pull out more than one win on this four-game road trip.  And I really didn't think this would be the game the Raps would win.  But DeMar DeRozan helped lead the Raps to a victory with his career-high 26 points (8-13) to go with his 7 boards and 2 assists. 

Oh, Those Bargnani Turnovers - BOBCATS 101, RAPS 96

written by guest blogger, Ryan Dickison

BOBCATS 101, RAPS 96

Wednesday’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats began with an Andrea Bargnani turnover and ended on an Andrea Bargnani turnover. In the words of Alanis Morissette, isn’t it ironic, don’t you think??   

In what was a must win game for both teams opening this young season with a 1-6 record, the Raptors looked to establish Bargnani early which led to an impressive 5 of 6 shooting from the field for 10 of the 22 first quarter Raptor points. It was important for the first unit to get out to a strong start after falling behind by double digits over the course of their 5-game losing streak. Unfortunately for the Raptors, their other four starters didn’t contribute much at all. DeRozan picked up three quick fouls that kept him on the bench for the majority of the first half, making him a non-factor until late in the fourth quarter. Linas Kleiza appeared to have been hampered by his sore Achilles tendon, contributing little with 4 points on 2 of 7 shooting in only 17 minutes of action. Jarrett Jack had more turnovers than assists (6/5) and Reggie Evans wasn’t much of an offensive threat as per usual.

Catch the liveblog of the Raptors-Warriors game tonight on TheScore.com!

 

Sitting at home watching the Raps-Warriors game tonight? Catch Romy Aquino of Hip Hoop Junkies on the liveblog of the Raptors-Warriors on TheScore.com and join the conversation!

Here is the link:

Liveblog on theScore.com

Matt Devlin and Jack Armstrong sing "Living on a Prayer"

What happens when you're on a four-game West Coast road trip and you're stuck calling a Toronto Raptors team that can't pull out a win?

This happens.



Thank god, that road trip is over.

WTF - Jay Triano Droppin' Bombs

After dropping their second game on their West Coast road trip, Jay Triano expressed his frustrations by dropping an 'F' bomb on live television. Somebody better tell Jay that there's still 78 games left to play....including their next game against the Lakers. It's gonna be a LONG season. (via Slam Online)

A New Era of Toronto Raptors Basketball

Welcome to a new era of Toronto Raptors basketball.  Starting tonight, this is no longer a Chris Bosh team, this is a Toronto Raptors franchise that is scrambling for a new identity.  This is a team that is projected to barely reach 30 wins and will be a basement team in the East. So with that said, the franchise has to turn somewhere to put people in the seats at the Air Canada Centre. 

The Raptors now have to pick up the pieces and rebuild with youth.  So who's been selected to entertain Raptors fans this season?  We have Amir Johnson, DeMar DeRozan and Sonny Weems, aka The Young Onez.  While they aren't superstar material, they are leading this team into a new direction.  Expectations for this team are low, so let's hope the Young Onez can help re-brand this franchise into something entertaining.

NBA Blog 2010-11 Previews: Southwest Division Recap

It's NBA opening day, and we finish off the blog previews in the Southwest where the Spurs are still a top team in the West, Yao is back and Dirk has started his own Twitter account.  Check 'em out...

Grizzlies:  Straight Outta Vancouver | 3 Shades of Blue | SBN Recap
Hornets: At the Hive | Hornets247 | SBN Recap
Mavericks: MavsMoneyball | The Two Man Game
Rockets: The Dream Shake | SBN Recap
Spurs: Pounding the Rock | Project Spurs | SBN Recap
All Previews at SBNation

The Perfect Hedo Turkoglu Heckle

I think the best heckles come when there is a lull in the crowd and when the crowd is a bit sparse.  Case in point, at a Raptors preseason game against the Suns, take a listen as one fan just rips into Hedo at the ACC. 

NBA Blog 2010-11 Previews: Southeast Division Recap

Man, I'm going to miss that Chris Bosh scream.  Here's the blogger previews for the Miami Heat division....err....I mean Southeast Division:

Bobcats: Rufus on Fire | Hoops Addict | SBN Recap
Hawks: Peachtree Hoops
Heat: Peninsula Is Mightier | SportsAgentBlog.com
Magic: Orlando Pinstriped Post | Magic Basketball | Orlando Magic Daily | Orlando Sports Central
Wizards: Bullets Forever | Sparty and Friends | Truth About It | SBN Recap
All Recaps: All Recaps

"Maybe if I hide under this towel, Raps fans might not recognize me"

(Photo via Yahoo! Sports)

Welcome to the NBA, Mr. Rautins

Hip Hoop Junkies would like to officially welcome a new Canuck into the NBA, Mr. Andy Rautins.  The dude is featured in the 2010-2011 New York Knicks promo, check it out below.  Keep it up Andy, we'll be watching!


(via Hooped Up)

NBA Blog 2010-11 Previews: Northwest Division Recap

Next up to the plate, the bloggers break down the Northwest Division where Deron Williams will attempt to make Al Jefferson an All-Star and  Kevin Durant will make a run for this year's MVP, check 'em out:

Jazz: SLC Dunk | Salt City Hoops | SBN Recap
Nuggets: Denver Stiffs  |  Roundball Mining Company  |  The Nugg Doctor  |  SBN Recap
Thunder:  Welcome to Loud City | Planet BBall | SBN Recap
Timberwolves:  Canis Hoopus | TwolvesBlog
Blazers:  Blazersedge.com | SBN Recap
Recaps: All Previews

The Basketball Jones Break Down the Raptors

Expect a big season from the dudes at The Basketball Jones this year as they'll be all over the place: on the web, on your iPhone Score app and even on your television screen! The Jones', Tas Melas, broke down their Toronto Raptors season mini-preview with a predicted record of 28-54. The highlight of the preview? The Hedo montage...


And if you haven't check out the TBJ trailer with Trey Kerby, you've gotta watch this.

DeMar's Summer Mixtape

The summer's over...Chris Bosh has left the building...and we walk into a new chapter of this Raptors organization. And who's the face of the franchise is 2010-2011? The Young Gun, DeMar DeRozan. And judging from this video, DeMar has been putting in work. Let's hope for a huge sophomore season from DeMar.



(via BallIsLife)

NBA Blog 2010-11 Previews: Central Division Recap

Next up, a few Central Division bloggers ranked their teams for this upcoming season, where I personally think the Bulls will win the East.

Bucks: Brew Hoop | NBAMate | SBNation Recap

Bulls: Blog-A-Bull | SBNation Recap

Cavs: Fear The Sword | WaitingForNextYear

Pacers: Indy Cornrows

Pistons: DetroitBadBoys  |  Detroit Basketball |  Need4Sheed.com  |  SB Nation Detroit  |

Recaps: All Previews

Once upon a time...

Toronto Raptors Media Day '01

(via SI.com)

NBA Blog 2010-11 Previews: Pacific Division Recap

The blogger previews continue with the Pacific division where Captain Canada himself, Steve Nash, along with former Toronto Raptor, Hedo Turkoglu will be battling with the defending world champs. Let's see what these bloggers from the West Coast had to say...

Clippers: Clips Nation |  SBNation Recap

Kings: Sactown Royalty |  Cowbell Kingdom |  SBNation Recap

Lakers: Silver Screen and Roll |  Forum Blue and Gold |  NBAtipoff |  SBNation Recap

Suns: Bright Side Of The Sun |  SB Nation Arizona |  ValleyoftheSuns |  SBNation Recap

Warriors: Golden State of Mind |  SBNation Recap

Recaps: All Previews

(Tardy) Knicks Preview: Straight Bangin'

Are Steve Nash's Suns playoff bound this season?

I Know What Amir Johnson Did This Summer

While other teams in the East are looking forward to new guys like Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh and of course, Lebron James making an impact on their teams, the Toronto Raptors are looking to Amir Johnson. to have a big season  With the departure of Chris Bosh in the offseason, Amir Johnson will have to step in and fill those shoes.  He put in work in the offseason, check out his mixtape at the LA Drew League. (via Ballislife.com)

AIR JOSES? Check out Jose Calderon's newest signature kicks

Via Nice Kicks: Jose Calderon has just released his signature shoe through the Chinese sneaker company, Li-Ning.  The Li-Ning Jose Calderon Yu-Shai 4 release date is still unknown.

Are you down with these kicks?  Check out more pics at NiceKicks.com

Does it get more Canadian than this?

Steve Nash playing hockey on his basketball card? (via Kicks on Cards)

NBA Blog Previews: Atlantic Division Recap

So while we wait for the NBA season to start, a bunch of us hoops bloggers broke down 2010-11 NBA season previews.  First up, the blogging homies broke down the Atlantic Division, check 'em out:

Celtics: CelticsBlog | Celtics 24/7 | Celtics Central | Celtics Hub | CelticsLife | Gino's Jungle | RedsArmy.com | SBNation Boston | SBN Recap

Knicks: Posting and Toasting | Bandwagon Knick | KnickerBlogger.Net | SBN Recap

Nets: NetsDaily | NetsAreScorching | Fanway | SBN Recap

Raptors: Raptors HQ | Hoops Addict | Hip Hoop Junkies | SBN Recap

Sixers: Liberty Ballers

Recaps: All Previews

Which team will be the worst of the bunch?  Is it the Raps? Is it the Nets?  Post your thoughts...

Toronto Raptors 2010-11 Season Preview

Team Name: Toronto Raptors
Last Year’s Record: 40W-42L
Key Losses: Chris Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu, Marco Belinelli, Antoine Wright
Key Additions: Linas Kleiza, Leandro Barbosa, David Andersen, Ed Davis

What significant moves were made during the offseason?
Well, the offseason has pretty much been a bust for the Toronto Raptors. First off, Chris Bosh decided to “take his talents to South Beach” and join forces with Dwyane Wade and one, Mr. Lebron James. To make matters worse, Bryan Colangelo wasn't able to turn CB4 into a substantial name coming up north. Then, there were a flurry of rumours that were flying around this summer, where Toronto would give up Hedo Turkoglu, Jose Calderon and Reggie Evans for Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler. Most fans got excited for this potential new-look Raptors team but that dream trade was quickly crushed when MJ got off the golf course and vetoed the trade. The lone bright spot of the offseason was that Colangelo was able to unload that hefty contract of Hedo Turkoglu for the Brazilian Blur, Leandro Barbosa.

Jay Triano Captures Gold

Congrats to Jay Triano for helping Team USA capture gold over that bum and former Toronto Raptor, Hedo Turkoglu!

Jay Triano Trick Shots

Toronto Raptors coach and Team USA assistant, Jay Triano, put on a performance with a few of his trick shots at a Team USA practice. The "REWIND" layup takes the cake.

Team USA takes on former Raptor, Hedo Turkoglu, and the Turkish national team for the gold medal on Sunday.

NBA Jam Session 2010 - Halifax: Hoops Talk with Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks

The highlight for us at Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North at last weekend's NBA Jam Session in Halifax was getting the opportunity to talk with Atlanta Hawks All-Star center, Al Horford. The Dominican-born player was selected to play in his first NBA All-Star game last season and was also an integral part of the Atlanta Hawks' successful 09-10 season with their first 50-win season in over 10 ten years. A big thanks goes out to the folks at NBA Canada for allowing us to have a few minutes with Al, make sure you check out more about NBA Jam Session at nbajamsessioncanada.com.

The Brazilian Blur Breaks Iguodala's Ankles

Raps fans, here's a peek into what the newest member of the Raptors, Leandro Barbosa, is bringing to the team this season.  Take a look at the anklebreaker in Brazil's loss to Team USA today.


(via DimeTV)

FIBA Former Raptor Watch: ROKO SIGHTING!

Roko Ukic: 33 minutes, 5 pts, 4 dimes in Croatia's 106-78 loss against Team USA.

Photo credit: (AFP PHOTO/MUSTAFA OZER)

LEBANON 81, CANADA 71 - Canada loses jersey numbers and opening game at the FIBA Worlds

Canada dropped their opening game at the Turkey FIBA World Championships to Lebanon 81-71.  It was a disappointing loss for the Canucks as Lebanon outscored Canada 23-14 in the final quarter.  Even more embarrassing was the fact that some of the numbers on team Canada's jerseys were peeled off during the game. 

View the boxscore here.

Photo credit: (AFP PHOTO/FRANCK FIFE)

NBA Jam Session 2010 - Halifax: Hoops Talk with the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak

Next up to bat.....the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak.  Sophia, Candice, Char and Kat were here in Halifax for this year's NBA Jam Session.  We had a chance to talk to the ladies about the new Dance Pak blog, the Toronto Raptors, Halifax and DONAIRS!!!

Check it out...

More from NBA Jam Session Halifax - Hoops Talk with Anthony "Buckets" Blakes of the Harlem Globetrotters

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North are back at it again. We caught up with one of the NBA Jam Session attendees that was here in Halifax, Anthony "Buckets" Blakes, of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters. Check it out:



Be sure to check out more about the Harlem Globetrotters at harlemglobetrotters.com and NBA Jam Session Canada at nbajamsessioncanada.com

NBA JAM SESSION 2010 - Halifax Edition

This weekend, NBA Jam Session, started their cross Canada tour that kicked off here in Halifax. Sean Francois, DJ Plaeboi (viralmixtape.com) and myself, Romy Aquino, checked out the festivities on the Halifax Waterfront. In attendance was Anthony "Buckets" Blakes from the Harlem Globetrotters, the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak (including the host of Raptorspace, Kat), Coach Jack Armstrong, Detroit Pistons mascot, Hooper, and of course, the NBA All-Star from the Atlanta Hawks, Al Horford.

Check out our teaser video from the events and stay tuned for some exclusive interviews with some of the attendees coming up!

Raptors Dance Pak are Bloggin'

So this year's Toronto Raptors Dance Pak have started up a blog of their own which you can find on Raptors.com.  The blog gives a behind the scenes look at this year's Dance Pak outside from their on-the-court performances. In their latest post, this year's crew attempted to show off their b-boy/beatbox skills at this year's Canada/France matchup at the ACC.  

RaptorspaceKat and the crew also dropped by my hometown of Halifax for a visit at this year's NBA Jam Session, which kicked off on the East Coast.  We have some pics/video which will be dropping on the site very soon!

Barkley: "The Raptors Gon' Suck!"

Classic. This was back in July but I just caught this today...Charles Barkley just rips on the Raptors and Toronto sports.

Chris Bosh discusses Bryan Colangelo, Lebron on the Dan Patrick Show

Former Toronto Raptor, Chris Bosh, was recently on the Dan Patrick show this past Wednesday.  Bosh discussed his move to Miami, the rumours that Lebron had asked him to join the Cavs and his thoughts on Bryan Colangelo's recent quotes about him quitting on the Raptors last season.  Here's a video snippet of the interview but you can listen to the full segment here.

David Andersen Youtube Mix!!!

In the biggest offseason acquisition for the Toronto Raptors, the team has acquired centre David Andersen from the Houston Rockets for a second rounder.  Who is David Andersen? I really don't know BUT.....he has a Youtube Mix!

You be the judge.

Rippin' The Raps!

Now that Hedo Turkoglu got out of Toronto, it didn't take long for him to rip on Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors organization.

From The Star.com:

“People have to realize something is wrong with that organization and nobody wants to go there anymore,” he said in a phone interview from Turkey. “It’s not just the players who see this.”

Sean Francois - Top Ten Finalist on The Score's Drafted 2

Ok, you've seen him blogging on Hoop Heads North, you've seen him blogging on this site, you've seen his vlogs on Raptorspace.com, you've caught his sports thoughts on Twitter and now.....he's living his life long dream and is a top ten finalist in this year's Drafted 2: The Search For Canada's Next Sportscaster on The Score.  Personally, I don't know anyone who eats, breathes and sleeps sports like this guy.

So make sure you support the lone competitor out of Atlantic Canada as he chases his dream job.  Make sure you vote for Sean Francois on the Drafted.ca website!

Photo via Drafted.ca

CANADIAN CONTENT: Joel Anthony re-signs with the Miami Heat

According to Marc Spears of Yahoo!:

Heat just announced the re-signing of center Joel Anthony.

SUMMER SLAM: Forget the Miami Big Three, Toronto has their own trio

Well...it's no Lebron, Wade and Bosh, but these three will be entertaining Raptors fans in Toronto next season.  DeMar DeRozan, Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson aka The Young Gunz.  They've got together and put together a dunk contest video where the loser's punishment  is:  wearing tights in downtown T.O.  Check it.

LEBRON.....BOSH....WADE have joined forces...

...to wreak havoc on Cleveland Cavaliers fans!



(The best part of the video: The Delonte West appearance.)

Reggie Tweets his Farewell

T DOT IT WAS FUN. LOVE THE FANS 4EVERYTHING AND I WISH I WAS NEVER HURT THIS PAST SEASON. LOVE YALL T.DOT. AND THANKS 4 EVERYTHING RAPTORS.

Peace out, Reggie.

Bosh, Wade.....the new duo in Miami

(via NBA Offseason) Ha. I'll miss Bosh but I love this photoshop.

C....B.....Gone! Chris Bosh headed to Miami

It's official.....Chris Bosh is headed south with Dwyane Wade in Miami.  They announced it today on ESPN.

Prehistoric Blogger: Marcus Camby

Throwback:  Marcus Camby, prehistoric blogger for the Toronto Raptors (via Fat Shawn Kemp)

BC welcomes the rooks, Ed Davis and Solomon Alabi

Today, Bryan Colangelo had the official press conference introducing the two newest rookies to this year's Raptors squad, Ed Davis and Solomon Alabi.


Also, check out this year's Toronto Raptors Summer League roster.

HELLO!!! Jack Armstrong on Chris Bosh

Jack Armstrong posted his thoughts on Chris Bosh and this whole free agency frenzy:

"Shut up!! No more goofy tweets and acting like an attention starved teenager."

HELLO!!!!  Check out the rest of his post at TSN.ca

Colangelo: "It's likely that he (Bosh) will leave"

Bryan Colangelo spoke this evening to Bob McCown of the FAN 590:

"It's likely that he (Bosh) will leave"

Check the audio here.

Photo credit: (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Steve Nash vs. the Vuvuzela

Well, this Summer, Steve Nash went back to his birthplace of South Africa as the World Cup correspondent for the CBS Sports, and let's say he's happy to be back:

SMITCH TO NEW JERSEY!

According to former Raptor, Jalen Rose (via his twitter account):

"#nba(update)Sam Mitchell will be the top asst of the NJ Nets coaching staff...not sure when "official" announcement will happen."

This will put the 2006-2007 Coach of the Year, Sam Mitchell and 2005-2006 Coach of the Year, Avery Johnson together on the Nets bench. 

Two Coaches of the Year!  A Russian Billionaire!  The #3 Lottery Pick!  Things are looking up for NJ!

DeMar Dominates in LA

What does DeMar DeRozan do in the offseason? 

Well, so far this summer, he went back home to L.A. and dominated in LA's Drew League, where some of the best ballers in LA come to play. 

Check out the highlights...


Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE

Tweet World, Welcome @IamAmirJohnson!

Well, look who's joining the social media world?  Amir Johnson recently signed up for his own Twitter account, @IamAmirJohnson and he has also put out his own YouTube channel, AmirTV!  Hopefully, we can check out Amir's thoughts during the Raps' playoff run.......HOPEFULLY.

Here Comes the Home Stretch

One down, one more to go.

Well, what a horrible finish to this Raps season.  First of all, the 104-88 loss to the Bulls at the ACC on Sunday may be the nail in the coffin for the Raps' playoff hopes but Toronto finally ended their losing skid with a win over the Pistons last night.  So playoff hopes are still alive.  Andrea Bargnani put up a career 33 points while former Piston, Amir Johnson, also put up a career-high with his 26 points.  

Hedo Turkoglu. Party Machine.

Big ups to the guys at The Basketball Jones. 

Raps fans, how can you hate on Hedo?  He just likes to party.

Northern Touch - Steve Nash and His High Fives

Steve Nash likes to high five and Phoenix Suns' intern, Jess the Itern discussed the Canuck baller's excessive high fiving with a few of Steve's teammates.

DAGGER - NUGGETS 97, RAPTORS 96

NUGGS 97, RAPS 96
I was liveblogging for a couple of NCAA games last night but in between games, I was able to watch the end of the Raptors's heartbreaking loss to Denver Nuggets. 

Carmelo Anthony with the dagger:

TEN GRAND - RAPTORS 106, HAWKS 105

RAPTORS 106, HAWKS 105
He struggled in last night's game, only shooting 6 for 19, but Chris Bosh came up big when he needed to.  Bosh nailed a jumper with just 2.1 seconds to play to help snap the Raps' losing slump.  They caught a huge break when Hedo Turkoglu missed his second free throw with 14 seconds to play and regained possession  when Atlanta attempted to grab the rebound but turned it over back to the Raps.  This gave enough time for Bosh to make the J over Al Horford.

TBJ's St. Patty's Day NBA Tribute

Happy St. Patty O'Bryant's Day!

Chris Bosh on the CBC Radio Show, Q

Chris Bosh was on the radio waves back in December on the CBC radio show, Q with Jian Ghomeshi.  Here he talks about his DVD, Tiger Woods and his weight gain from the offseason, check out the video version of the interview here:

Game, Set, Match - LAKERS 109, RAPS 107

LAKERS 109, RAPS 107
Yeah, Bosh hit a big three with 9 seconds to play. 

Yeah, Jarret Jack had a nice line (18 pts, 7 rebounds, 7 dimes)

And yeah, some dude sitting with the guy from Maroon 5 may have influenced the game but really it all boiled down to this:



Raps take on the Sacramento Kings tonight...

Raps-Lakers Preview with Lakers blog, With Malice

On Tuesday, the Raptors head to LA to face off against Kobe, Ron-Ron and company.  The Lakers, who are 29-5 at home are on an uncommon three-game losing skid.  The Raptors have been struggling as well, and have lost four of their last five games including their recent 114-101 home loss to the Sixers. 

FROM MTL to FLA

Courtesy of Canada Basketball, Montreal native and Pensacola Junior College alumni, Joel Anthony recently did an interview with Panhandle Sports Broadcasting based out of Florida.  PSB also talked to Joel's teammates, Michael Beasley and Udonis Haslem and talked a bit about the Canadian baller.

ROCKED - ROCKETS 116, RAPTORS 92

ROCKETS 116, RAPS 92
Good teams win on the road.  Good teams adapt when they're shorthanded.  The Raps looked nothing like a good team at all last night. 

RAPTORS VLOGGER MASH-UP

Check out Hip Hoop Junkies/Hoop Heads North on the latest vlogger mash-up on the most recent episode of Raptorspace on RaptorsTV. Also on this vlogger mash-up is a video from the fine folks over at Raptors Republic.

Is Steve Nash ugly enough for the Canadian Olympic hockey team?

With the US defeating Canada 5-3 in Men's Olympic hockey last night, should Team Canada call up Steve Nash?  Steve thinks he should at least be considered...

NEW JACK SWING - RAPTORS 109, WIZARDS 104

RAPS 109, WIZ 104

The Raps got their chance to see the new-look Washington Wizards on Saturday night.  The Wiz had a few new faces like Josh Howard, Al Thornton and James Singleton on the roster, who were acquired at the trade deadline, but the team looked alright even without their former stars Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler.  The Raps were without Chris Bosh once again but Jarret Jack stepped up and took care of business at home.  Jack helped close out the Wizards in the fourth quarter, where he scored 11 of his 23 points. 

30 W's for the Raps, 50 L's for the Nets - RAPTORS 106, NETS 89

RAPS 106, NETS 89
Last night, Toronto notched their 30th win of the season while New Jersey notched their 50th defeat of the season.  Ouch.

Bosh Does Dallas

CB4 didn't let his hometown Dallas fans down.  Bosh hit two clutch free throws down the stretch to put the East up two after the game was knotted at 139. The made free throws turned out to be the game winners as Bosh put up his best All-Star performance to date with 23 points and 10 rebounds. 

He did it on a huge stage, with over 108,000 in attendance at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium.

Photo credit:  (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)

MAD SKILLS - Nash Takes the Skills Challenge Title

Fresh from lighting the Olympic cauldron at the Vancouver Winter Olympic opening ceremonies, Steve Nash travelled to Dallas to prove that he can still get it done with the young'ns at the age of 36.  Captain Canada breezed past Deron Williams to take the title in this year's All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge.  Nash won it with a time of 29.9 seconds, check out the replay:

RAPS TALK with Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North Ep. 7 (Feb. 10/10)

Episode Summary:  It's the NBA All-Star Break and the homies from Hoop Heads North and Hip Hoop Junkies are at it again, grading the Toronto Raptors' first half using All-Star Dunk Contest grading.


Also, check HHJ and HHN in the the latest episode of Raptorspace, in the Vlogger mash-up.

Fans Let DeMar Dunk

It wasn't too flashy, it wasn't too exciting but DeMar did what he needed to do to get past the LA Clippers' Eric Gordon during the Dunk-In at halftime of last night's Rookie-Sophmore game.  DeMar kept his cards close and didn't show too much as he's likely saving the goodies for Saturday night.  Big ups to DeMar!