Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Toronto Raptors 123, Orlando Magic 88 - The '2012 Exit' Edition

posted by Mike Masaya

POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   RAPTOR 123, MAGIC 88    SEASON RECORD: 11W-20L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: DEMAR DEROZAN

LINE: 21 pts (7-14), 7-8 FT,  3 reb, 3 ast

If there has been one consistent Raptor this year it has been without a doubt DeMar DeRozan. As great as DeMar DeRozan has performed during their last few wins my fear was that he would soon become the team’s crutch. My fear was likely not warranted as the Raptors went on a 5 game winning streak leading up tonights win against the Orlando Magic with a team total 33 assists. It’s was clear everyone from the starters to the bench players were pulling their weight last night and the truth is that is the only way they are going to win.

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - San Antonio Spurs 100, Toronto Raptors 80 - The 'Holiday Hangover' Edition

posted by Mike Masaya

POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   SPURS 100, RAPTORS 98    SEASON RECORD: 9W-20L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: AMIR JOHNSON

LINE:  12 pts (6-8), 6 reb

Things didn’t look so bad to start for Amir who had 4 points in the first quarter and ended the half with 4-4 shooting, 8 points and 5 rebounds with the Raptors only down 7 points. The trio of Duncan, Splitter and Diaw were simply too much for Amir and Ed Davis in the end who struggled with  8 points on 3-7 shooting and 7 rebounds as his stat line. With that being said, Amir scored more points than any of the Raptors starting five with the same amount of playing time which is either good or bad news depending on your optimism.

PODCAST: Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 36 (12.24.2012)

Episode 36 of RAPS TALK (12.24.12) - We're going streaking!  The Toronto Raptors go into the Christmas break with a five-game winning streak and we have to have a celebration podcast.  On this week's RAPS TALK podcast, we talk winning streak, Andrea Bargnani, Amir Johnson's new haircut and we also have our regular segments "Hoop Heads Humour of the Week" and "The Wenningtons of the Week."  Victories, baby!

If you're new to the podcast, make sure you subscribe to the RAPS TALK podcast on iTunes.

Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Toronto Raptors 93, Orlando Magic 90 - The 'I'll Take Five With That' Edition

POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   RAPTORS 93, MAGIC 90    SEASON RECORD: 9W-19L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: TERRENCE ROSS

LINE:  13 pts (5-8), (3-5) 3 pt, 2 stl

Terrence Ross appeared to be a bit bashful about his spectacular performance and highlight dunks during post game interviews shortly after tonight's win. With his speed and athleticism now being fueled by his increased minutes and confidence, Ross will be the talk of the town during this Raptors holiday break. A scrappy defensive play earned himself a steal that protected the Raptors lead and was key to completing the Raptors first 5 game win streak since 2010. The accolades are well deserved and are something he should start getting used to.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #2: JOSE CALDERON

LINE:  13 pts (6-9), 4 reb, 9 ast, 2 stl

Watching Jose Calderon perform as well as he has since the trade controversy started is how most fans expected this season to start. Calderon showed more commitment on the defensive end poking at loose balls and staying in front of his man even though opposing Point Guard Arron Afflalo made it seem otherwise. Shooting 52% and dishing out 49 assist during this 5 game win streak its clear the Raptors have found a comfortable rhythm. The improved ball movement and shot selection by not only Jose but the entire team has made all the difference.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #3: AMIR JOHNSON

LINE:  10 pts (4-9), 7 reb, 2 stl, 2 blks

The Raptors’ bench has without a doubt stepped up during these last 5 games. It seems that every night someone will pick up the slack and become the anchor when ship starts to drift. Amir Johnson was in his usual “Pound the Rock” mode  on both ends of the court altering or blocking shots and hitting the floor for loose balls. With Jonas Valanciunas going down early with a broken finger, Amir had plenty of opportunities to give the Raptors a fighting chance during tonight’s win.

SHOUTOUTS TO THE MAGIC:

ARRON AFFLALO

LINE: 26 pts (7-11), (3-3) 3 pt, 9-9 FT, 5 ast

The Orlando Magic came into tonight’s game without Glen Davis and knew they would have to grind it out for a tough win. When Jonas Valanciunas went out with an injury to his hand it became anyone’s game and Arron Afflalo thought it should be his. Afflalo seemed unstoppable doing whatever he pleased against the Raptors’ backcourt and if the Magic had won, only he and 3 other Magic players would have been responsible. In no way overlooking performances by Vucevic, Ayon and Moore whose stat lines were fantastic, Afflalo kept the team confident and believing they could win.

Next up for the Raps: @ San Antonio (Wednesday)

Photo via National Post

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Toronto Raptors 97, Detroit Pistons 91 - The 'Make It Four in a Row' Edition

posted by Romy Aquino
POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   RAPTORS 97, PISTONS 91    SEASON RECORD: 8W-19L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: JOSE CALDERON

LINE:  7 pts, 17 ast, 2 TO 
Four wins in a row. The first four-game winning streak since November 2010. Well, better late than never. And who's been making things click for this Raptors team? The veteran Raptor point guard, Jose Calderon. He finished with 7 points and 17 dimes on the night, just one short of his season-high of 18 assists.  This was Jose's fifth 15+ assist game of the year... teammates got to be happy. 

The Raptors are finally playing 48 minutes of basketball and are actually closing out games. Now it's just time to slowly dig themselves out of a hole and put together more wins.

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Toronto Raptors 113, Cleveland Cavaliers 99 - The 'Everywhere Man' Edition

posted by Romy Aquino
POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   RAPTORS 113, CAVS 99    SEASON RECORD: 7W-19L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: ALAN ANDERSON
LINE:  18 pts (6-12), 5-7 3pt, 6 reb, 2 ast
Matt Devlin called Alan Anderson the "Everywhere Man" on Tuesday night because he was doing it all for the Raptors: nailing threes, playing D, grabbing boards, you name it...and it was all off the bench. Anderson, who recently came back from foot injury, nailed five threes (three in teh fourth quarter) in the Raptors 113-99 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Toronto held the Cavs under 100 points and picked up their third straight victory. That's right....the Raps are on a three-game win streak. You're not dreaming.

PODCAST: Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 35 (12.17.2012)

Episode 35 of RAPS TALK (12.17.12) - A win?  Yes sir.  It was a brutal West Coast road trip but finally the Raptors snap their losing streak and pulled out a win without Andrea Bargnani or Kyle Lowry.  This week, we talk Amir Johnson suspension, the Raptors past week, Colangelo and Bargnani in the press and we also have our regular segments "Hoop Heads Humour of the Week" and "The Wenningtons of the Week."  Victory, baby!

If you're new to the podcast, make sure you subscribe to the RAPS TALK podcast on iTunes.

Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Toronto Raptors 95, Dallas Mavericks 74 - The 'Attack of the Bench' Edition

POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   RAPTORS 95, MAVERICKS    SEASON RECORD: 5W-19L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: LINAS KLEIZA

LINE:  20 pts (7-13), (5-11) 3 pt, 5 reb

Tying his season high 20 points first reached in a Utah loss back in November Linas Kleiza had one of those games that reminds everyone that may have forgot how good he can be. Not only was Kleiza beaming with confidence but his teammates were looking to him on offence knowing he had the hot hand, and making sure he touched the ball at least once on each possession.  Sitting out 4 games in December with one 5 minute outing where he picked up 3 points and another where he had 17 points in 29 minutes, it’s once again clear that with playing time and confidence Linas Kleiza is a key player coming off the bench.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #2: TERRENCE ROSS

LINE:  18 pts (6-14), 4-4 FT, 5 reb, 2 ast

Being a NBA 1st round draft pick is never easy especially if you’ve been drafted to a team like the Raptors who have struggled for the past few seasons. With Ross scoring an average of 6 ppg since joining the league he knows now is the time to prove himself with drama surrounding the Raptors starters resulting in an increased offensive output. With Kyle Lowry hurt, Andrea Bargnani hurt and surrounded by trade rumours and Landry Fields still out the rest of the Raptors are getting an opportunity to show what we’ve always known they can do.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #3: JOSE CALDERON

LINE:  14 pts (5-9), 4 reb, 3 ast

With Jose Calderon used to stepping into a starting role for the Raptors it was a business as usual. With all 7 years in the NBA playing for Raptors Jose’s request to be traded no doubt indirectly lit a fire under his teammates. A public request to be traded is directed to his teammates as much as it is directed to the front office. The positive side of this kind of negativity is that Jose will play hard trying to prove he is not the problem while his teammates do the same resulting in all around great performances. Whether impressing future suitors or current owners all eyes are on the Raptors which may be a public motivating factor which they desperately need.

SHOUTOUTS TO THE MAVERICKS:

CHRIS KAMAN

LINE: 15 pts (7-18), 5 reb

Chris Kaman has shown next to no drop in his stat line since 2003 and the Mavericks front office realized that and quickly made the big man a huge asset to the team. Scoring less than 10 points only three times this season while averaging 14 pts and 6 reb, one can only wonder what will happen when Dirk Nowitzki comes back from injury. No doubt the number of touches he gets will drop but if Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle can find a way to manage their minutes and run plays for both big men, the Mavericks have a chance to make noise once again in the West.

Next up for the Raps: vs Houston (Sunday)

Photo via The Globe and Mail

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Brooklyn Nets 94, Toronto Raptors 88 - The 'Where the hell is everybody?' Edition

posted by Romy Aquino
POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   NETS 94, RAPTORS 88    SEASON RECORD: 4W-18L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: ED DAVIS
LINE:  24 pts (11-13), 12 reb, 3 stl
The Raps came back home after a brutal five game West Coast road swing only to have some key players missing on their squad.  No Bargnani. No Lowry. No Kleiza. No Amir Johnson (suspension). With an injury-riddled roster, Coach Casey was ready to let Ed Davis run wild on Wednesday night and Davis didn't disappoint. Ed Davis was like Patrick Ewing out on the floor, rebounding and hitting jumpers in the paint, making the most of this playing opportunity. And it was what the fans wanted, less Bargnani and more Ed Davis. Bargnani looks to be out indefinitely with a ligament tear in his right elbow and strained wrist so we'll definitely get to see more of Ed Davis in the coming weeks. Kyle Lowry will also be out for ten days with his tricep injury. It was another ugly fourth quarter in this one with the Raps losing 94-88 to the Brooklyn Nets. Ed Davis was one of the few bright spots on the night for the Raptors.

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Portland Trail Blazers 92, Toronto Raptors 74 - The 'Brick Wall' Edition

POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   TRAIL BLAZERS 92, RAPTORS 74    SEASON RECORD: 9W-18L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: ED DAVIS

LINE:  14 pts (3-7), 8-8 FT, 9 reb

No true Raptors fan would have hoped for Andrea Bargnani to play poorly, but it has allowed Ed Davis to step up and show everyone what he is capable of. When given above 20 minutes of playing time Davis easily scores in double digits and flirts with a double double. It will become harder for coach Casey to justify not increasing Davis’ minutes as the proof is in the numbers. I’m no NBA coach, however if we can all see it, Davis and the rest of the team can see it and which is sure to eventually cause tension in the locker room. There is no doubt that in house fighting is the last thing this Raptors team needs.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #2: DEMAR DEROZAN

LINE:  20 pts (7-16), 6-6 FT,  4 reb,

If there is a positive side to the brick wall the Raptors have hit, it would be that DeMar DeRozan has not missed a step. In the last 4 Raptors losses prior to last night DeRozan has maintained his season average of 18 points and 5 rebounds. All this while doing his best to keep the Raptors competitive in close games as well as blowouts. The blame game has already begun and there is no reason DeMar DeRozan should be taking part in any of it.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #3: JOSE CALDERON

LINE:  12 pts (4-7), 6 ast

A Raptor who could find themselves inside the circle of blame I mentioned earlier is Jose Calderon. Whether or not he deserves to be there is up for debate. Shooting less than 10 shots, averaging 6 points, 4 assists and only 1 turnover over the last 5 games, some might wonder if he needs to be doing more as a backup who gets about 20 minutes per game. Those stats mirror the majority of NBA backup point guards so I’m not sure there is more the fans can ask for.

SHOUTOUTS TO THE TRAIL BLAZERS:

LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE

LINE: 30 pts (11-19), 12 reb

The best part about following the NBA closely is when you come across players like LaMarcus Aldridge. No where near a late night talk show or seen galavanting at an All-Star weekend dunk competition, Lamarcus Aldridge rewards true NBA fans with a career average of 20 points with a phenomenal 77% shooting. It makes you wonder why there was so much debate about his 2012 All-Star nod. He is a franchise player plain and simple. If you ask me, he probably prefers being under the radar because since being drafted 2nd overall in 2006 no one has been able to or bothered figuring out how to stop him.

Next up for the Raps: vs Brooklyn (Wednesday)

Photo via The Star

PODCAST: Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 34 (12.10.2012)

Episode 34 of RAPS TALK (12.10.12) -Ok, this is getting bad.  The Toronto Raptors are stuck on four wins and can't seem to get another one.  On this week's podcast we break down some of the ugly losses on this West Coast road swing, talk Bargnani/Gasol rumours, discuss the current NBA standings and we also have our regular segments "Hoop Heads Humour of the Week" and "The Wenningtons of the Week."  Welcome to Rock Bottom, Raptor fans.

If you're new to the podcast, make sure you subscribe to the RAPS TALK podcast on iTunes.

Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Los Angeles Clippers 102, Toronto Raptors 83 - The 'Pound the Rock Bottom' Edition

posted by Romy Aquino
POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   CLIPPERS 102, RAPTORS 83    SEASON RECORD: 4W-17L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: DEMAR DEROZAN
LINE:  24 pts (10-17), 5 reb, 4 ast,
Colangelo called it "embarrassing" basketball after Friday's loss to the Jazz and after a closed door meeting with the team, the Raptors were looking to put out a better effort on Sunday afternoon but they still came out on the losing end. The Raps got punked by the Clippers second unit in the fourth quarter getting outscored 25-10 to finish out the game. It's the same theme, the Raptors failed to play four quarters of basketball.......they could only manage just three on Sunday, losing by almost twenty against the Clippers.

Playing back in his stomping grounds of LA, DeMar led the charge in the first three quarters and finished with 24 points on seventeen shots. The problem was that he couldn't keep the Raps in this one in the final quarter.

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Sacramento Kings 107, Toronto Raptors 100 - The 'Tweets is Talkin' Edition

POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   KINGS 107, RAPTORS 100    SEASON RECORD: 4W-15L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: KYLE LOWRY

LINE:  34 pts (9-20), 12-12 FT, 11 ast, 5 reb

The clock is ticking on whether or not the Raptors can build some momentum this season before playoff predictions begin to fall flat. Kyle Lowry’s performance echoed the thoughts of many which was a need for hustle, to compete for a full 48 minutes and leave it all on the floor. Scoring a season high 34 points with 12 of them coming from the free throw line, Lowry’s hustle showed he is well aware the postseason window is closing fast and it’s only December.

PODCAST: Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 33 (12.02.2012)

Episode 33 of RAPS TALK (12.02.12) - Yessir, the Raptors didn't go winless this week...they had six straight losses but then finally pulled out a win against the Phoenix Suns on Friday.  On this week's podcast we recap the previous week with the Toronto Raptors, discuss the Raptors' signing of Mickael Pietrus, review NBATV Canada's 'Open Gym Episode 2' and we also have our regular segments "Hoop Heads Humour of the Week" and "The Wenningtons of the Week."  Enjoy the podcast, peeps!

If you're new to the podcast, make sure you subscribe to the RAPS TALK podcast on iTunes.

Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

Pound the Rock Stars of the Night - Toronto Raptors 101, Phoenix Suns 97 - The 'Back on Track' Edition

POUND THE ROCK STARS - On a nightly basis, no matter how good or bad the Raps play, no matter if they blow out a team or if they get blown out and no matter if they win or lose, these are the Raptors with the best 'Pound the Rock' status for the night.

FINAL SCORE:   RAPTORS 101, PHOENIX 97    SEASON RECORD: 4W-13L

POUND THE ROCK STAR #1: DEMAR DEROZAN

LINE:  23 pts (8-18), 7-9 FT, 7 reb, 8 reb, 4 ast

The Raptors and their fans were finally awarded with a huge sigh of relief ending a 6 game losing streak against the Phoenix Suns last night. DeMar DeRozan once again came out guns blazing taking advantage of switches and driving hard and fast to the basket. Pound the Rock honors for DeMar are not only for his stat line though. DeRozan was also cleaning up his mistakes which normally would have resulted in turnovers, showing improved awareness in tough spots after being criticized about it a few weeks ago. Turning his only steal into two points was fun to watch as he out ran the entire Suns roster like a track star to the delight of the home crowd.