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.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #2: MICKAEL PIETRUS

LINE:  21 pts (8-15), 6 reb

The rumors are long gone and the reality is Mickael Pietrus is now a Raptor. Besides the great scoring he can provide a team like the Raptors who tend to live and die by the jump shot, Mickael Pietrus is booming with confidence. With only 2 turnovers in 3 games he has adjusted well as the new kid on the block and is making the team better in many ways and is in no way holding them back. A great pick up that any Raptors supporter can feel good about night in and night out.

POUND THE ROCK STAR #3: ED DAVIS

LINE:  13 pts (5-10), 11 reb

The ‘Tweets’ is talkin’. We all know better than to believe that disgruntled fans will actually decide coaches rotations, play calling and general manager’s decisions. Be that as it may, some fans need to be given some credit. It is becoming a trend that when Ed Davis performs at a high level he is rewarded by heading back to the bench. On the flip side, when Andrea Bargnani is playing poorly, after long break on the pine, he is rewarded with an opportunity to finish out the game. Ed Davis has been playing great as of late and his commitment to scoring in the paint and crashing the boards is fantastic. Simply put, leave him in. Coach Casey wants to pound the rock, well that’s what Ed Davis is doing, so allow him do it.

SHOUTOUTS TO THE KINGS:

DEMARCUS COUSINS

LINE: 25 pts (11-18), 13 reb

The best way to describe DeMarcus Cousins’ career in the NBA would be ‘Potential, Performance and Personality.’ Cousins lived up to many expectations coming out of college from a stacked Kentucky team and averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds as a rookie. His performance improved to 18 points and 11 rebounds the following year and it would seem the sky's the limit. The only one of the 3 P’s that has been holding him back is his personality. Easily frustrated and prone to outbursts on and off the court, Cousins is still among the league’s elite and most talented Centers. If he can remove his negative attitude from the equation he could find himself being talked about for all the right reasons for a change and remove the fluff that overshadows his phenomenal talents.

Next up for the Raps: @ Utah (Friday)

Photo via My San Antonio