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
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 STAR #2: JONAS VALANCIUNAS
LINE: 15 pts (6-6), 3 reb, 2 blk
Just like Ed Davis, the absence of Andrea Bargnani is providing JV some extra opportunities especially with only eight healthy bodies on the roster. The Raptors offence was all Ed Davis and Valanciunas to start this game, who accounted for the majority of the Raptors scoring. Valanciunas was perfect from the floor going 6-6 from the field, finishing with 15 points.
POUND THE ROCK STAR #3: JOSE CALDERON
LINE: 10 pts (4-13), 15 ast, 3 reb
Every time that Jose Calderon has to fill in at the starting point guard, he steps up. Fifteen dimes to go along with ten points (not the best shooting night, 4-13) and with Lowry out ten days, the Raptors still have an excellent backup point guard in Jose to step in. They just need to put together a few W's.
SHOUTOUTS TO THE NETS:
JOE JOHNSON
LINE: 23 pts (7-14), 4-6 3PT, 2 reb, 4 ast
It was only a matter of time before Joe Johnson made an impact in this game, and he did it when it mattered most, the second half. Johnson had 23 points with 12 of them coming from three-point land. Brooklyn broke their five game losing streak of the season after recently losing a heartbreaker against their rival Knicks the night before.Next up for the Raps: vs Dallas (Friday)
(Photo via Raptors.com)
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