NBA: Raptors Rant

2008-11-26T13:18:00.002-05:00

Hey Raptor fans, I think we're ready for the Bobcats tonight, and I love it when Matt Devlin agrees! You can watch his video here. And don't forget to watch the game! Like you need a reminder.

2008-10-30T13:43:00.001-04:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Raptors fans!

2008-10-16T16:01:00.001-04:00

Chris Bosh isn't going anywhere, for now. Although Greece sounds tempting...

Beijing via Vegas?

2008-07-24T12:43:00.001-04:00

Chris Bosh is in Vegas this week with Team USA, preparing for the Olympics. I guess there are a lot of good Chinese restaurants there. :)

Raptors trounce Magic, thanks to Bosh

2008-02-21T13:39:00.002-05:00

I was nervous about the outocme against the Orlando Magic, but looks like I didn't need to be! Watching Bosh bring in 40 points was spectacular. I could get used to games like this. :)

Looks like the Raptors have a new face

2007-07-26T14:41:00.001-04:00

From the official site of the Toronto Raptors:

"The Raptors introduced forward Maceo Baston to the media on Tuesday. Watch what he had to say about rejoining the Raptors and his expectations for the upcoming season."

Be sure to head over there and check it out!

3on3 Returns

2007-05-10T19:10:00.000-04:00

The NBA will once again host 3on3 tournaments throughout Canada in most of the major cities. Hurry up and register if you'd like to compete, and maybe we'll see you on the court!

Raptors floor the Bulls

2007-04-10T13:02:00.000-04:00

After the ejection of Morris Peterson from Sunday's game and Bargnani still out, the Raptors still put a hurtin' on the Bulls, 103-89. The Bulls had taken the previous seven games played in Toronto, so you might say the Bulls had it coming... We could possibly face them again after the first round of playoffs.

Pull it together Raptors

2007-03-09T15:35:00.000-05:00

Whew! There's only one thing worse than a 3 game losing streak, a 4 game losing streak. Thankfully the Grizzlies continue to under perform their opponents. Hopefully this is the bump that will get the Raptors back on the NBA playoff radar.

The coolest logo of all...

2007-01-17T17:41:00.000-05:00

Seriously, why does the best and coolest team logo (that vicious-looking raptor claw!) go to a Canadian team?

Toronto Raptors minus Chris Bosh

2006-12-17T02:27:00.000-05:00

I'm missing Bosh here... he's out 4 games straight now because of his knee. With an average of over 20 points per game, he's not bad when he's on the court, but with all the injuries this season I'm starting to forget what he looks like.

(Easy for me to say, right? Closest I come to these guys' physical exertion is when I'm asked to carry groceries, and I complain about that too.)

Trampled by the Bulls

2006-12-09T17:16:00.000-05:00

Well, the Toronto Raptors got beat by the Chicago Bulls. Apparently the whole Wallace's-headband-controversy wasn't enough to put them off their game (if you ask Wallace, it may have contributed to the win).

Of course, considering we haven't beaten the Bulls since 2002, I'm thinking the addition of the headband didn't matter much.

Now that is the way!

2006-12-02T15:24:00.000-05:00

We're awake now!!!

Not just awake either, but going to so far as to prompt this beginning to a recent news story:

"It threatened to turn into a lazy afternoon for the Toronto Raptors after jumping out to a 27 point first half lead against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday..."

Nice turnaround! Of course, the game ended up a little tighter...

"Not only did they start by shooting the lights out to the tune of 60 percent in the first quarter, they controlled the boards – their own in particular. For most of the season the Raptors have been dreadful at cleaning their own glass and in the third quarter they suffered a relapse. A 27 point lead, whittled to 16 points by halftime, was cut to just four in the third frame after a 21-9 Pacers run."

...but we still pulled it out. That's the ticket, guys. Keep it up!

Are we awake yet?

2006-11-17T11:16:00.000-05:00

Well, seven games in, and things aren't looking good. Sure, we're scoring points, but when you let the other team outscore you every time, what good does it do?

C'mon guys, stay tight on the defense! I know there's a lot of new components on the team, but we're out of pre-season here. I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to see some new plays.

Chris, T.J. and Raptors rout Bucks

2006-11-04T20:08:00.000-05:00

It was nice to have T.J. Ford on the Raptors' roster, not the Bucks, especially in the second half of the game--that's when he lit up and made 10 of his 13 points and 8 of his 11 assists. Meanwhile, Chris Bosh tossed in 26 and pulled down 15 rebounds. Add those guys to a Toronto team that has been demonstrating teamwork since the preseason, and you end up with tallies like Raptors 109, Milwaukee Bucks 92. Nice job!

Finally, I can catch a game

2006-10-28T12:22:00.000-04:00

All I can say is it's about damn time!

"All 82 regular-season games will be available on TV, but the telecasts will be shared by four networks: The Score (30), Raptors NBA TV (24), TSN (20) and Rogers Sportsnet (eight).

...

Fans really have small cause for complaint. In addition to the full Raptors schedule, additional National Basketball Association games will be carried on Raptors NBA TV (154 telecasts nationally), Sportsnet (123 regionally, but available nationwide on digital TV) and the Score (40 nationally). That's a big presence in a country that has been slow to warm to the NBA."

Good start...

2006-10-23T00:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, so the team changes are making this Toronto Raptors fan happy... we're still unbeaten in the pre-season after a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Way to go, guys!

The time for change

2006-10-20T00:56:00.000-04:00

For those of us who still have faith in the Toronto Raptors, there's some good news on the horizon. Toronto team president and general manager Bryan Colangelo has been hard work making changes. Thanks to some new additions from the San Antonio Spurs and the Milwaukee Bucks, it's a good bet the Raptors are on their way up.

Although with only 27 wins last year, I'm not sure where else they can go...

The Raptors are coming, the Raptors are coming

2006-10-17T01:38:00.000-04:00

I love it!

Mascot takes on crowd

From the article: "The Raptor was performing a skit at the top of a stepladder late in the second quarter of yesterday's game with the New Jersey Nets when he lost his balance and fell. He was last seen limping into the tunnel under the stands with what appeared to be a sore left leg.

A young girl sitting courtside received brief medical attention after the ladder fell on her."

Not that I like hearing about little girls being hurt, but still - can you imagine buying a ticket to see the Toronto Raptors, only to end up with one in your lap?

How the other half lives

2006-10-15T22:17:00.000-04:00

Too funny... I'm reading a story on how rookie Uros Slokar is adapting to life in Toronto. Says he's still learning where to bank, how to convert from Euros to dollars, how to open an account.

Dude. Considering the fact that you're living in a condo near the Air Canada center, just be glad you make an NBA salary, because the first thing you'd learn otherwise is that the dollar don't go nowhere in digs like that.

Must be nice!

Toronto Opens With Intensity

2006-10-12T16:13:00.000-04:00

Okay, the Toronto Raptors' opening preseason game against the Boston Celtics wasn't lovely. I lost count, but the online rehash mentioned 28 turnovers--ouch! BUT some other numbers that Raptors' fans were bound to like better: Chris Bosh with 22 points in 23 munutes, including 3 from downtown.

And oh yes, these:
Toronto Raptors 118, Boston Celtics 112

Let's do that in the real season! Hm, we take on the Celtics at the Air Canada Centre on December 1st. Better get my tickets soon.

training camp

2006-10-02T19:33:00.000-04:00

Training Camp kicks off this week in Waterloo, where the Raptors plan to hone a Suns-style offense. Nine new players will be introduced, Andrea Bargnani included. The change in atmosphere has the team and fans excited about this season, and expectations of a playoff bid are definitely in the air. The housecleaning looks great on paper, so it should be a real treat to see the Raptors finally back in form.

Bring on the commonwealth games!

2006-07-10T14:01:00.000-04:00

I have spent some time away from Toronto recently, and I just wanted to note how excited I am with the sporting prospects awaiting me on my return home. I have a great feeling about the Toronto Raptors’ draft prospects in 2007, while my favorite Toronto Blue Jays are poised to take over the eastern division this year with a decent hitting record and the impossibility of the Chicago Red Sox repeating their World Series success. Viva Toronto!

A fly on the wall.

2006-05-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

The Toronto Raptors are looking to fill some holes at point guard and center in the NBA Draft. Rumor has it that they might pick LeMarcus Aldridge from Texas to fill at point guard. With the Draft still five weeks away I bet we will hear a lot of different rumors. I hope at least this one is true.

Playoff highlights and hopes

2006-04-30T15:15:00.000-04:00

The Dallas Mavericks are up two games to none against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Pistons are up two games over the Milwaukee Bucks as well. The New Jersey Nets and the Indiana Pacers are tied with 2 games a piece. The Miami Heat are up two to one over the Chicago Bulls. I’m cheering for the Phoenix Suns to bury the Los Angeles Lakers. This year’s playoffs are turning out to be very exciting even though my Toronto Raptors didn’t make it.

Toronto Drawing Dead in Final Days

2006-04-05T00:51:00.000-04:00

The Toronto Raptors played well against the New Orleans Hornets but lost the game in double overtime 113-120 on Sunday. Tonight they played just as well but lost again to the Boston Celtics. Tonight’s game was exciting to the end and one of the highest scoring match ups all season. We have to do something to get out of his slump.

Raptors loss to the Pistons stings but doesn’t really hurt.

2006-03-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

The Raptors put forth an admirable effort against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday but couldn’t catch up in the end and fell 98-105. I was impressed by how well the Raptors hung on during an unceasing Pistons assault that lost little energy as the game wore on. Mike James was the star Raptor with 24 points and 11 assists. I’ve had my eye on him all season and believe he has as much talent as some of the better guards in the league like Steve Nash or Jason Kidd.

Raptors Impressive Offense Against the Wizards

2006-02-03T23:33:00.000-05:00

The Toronto Raptors pulled off a nice high-scoring win over the Washington Wizards this week. I wish I’d had tickets to that game but I think I am going to try and go see them host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday of next week. Sunday’s the Super Bowl but don’t forget the Raptors play the Los Angeles Clippers around 1 in the afternoon.

Several Questions

2005-06-07T20:42:00.000-04:00

Just wondering how many of you Raptor fans out there are really Raptor fans?

How many of you fans jumped off the band wagon because of a season that was poorly played by the Raptors?

For those of you crazy Canadians enough who follow Toronto all season, when did you become a Raptor Fan?

How did you become Raptor fans?

And why did you become a Raptor fan?

Securing Seventh Pick

2005-05-31T17:17:00.000-04:00

- from the official site of the Toronto Raptors

With 2003 draftee Matt Bonner representing them at the table at the NBA Draft Lottery, the Raptors secured the seventh pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, which will be held on Tuesday, June 28 in New York. Pre-draft Workouts have begun and Friday the Raptors brought in Canadian Juan Mendez to showcase his skills for the basketball staff. The Raptors also updated the draft workout schedule Saturday.

Charity Game by Nash

2005-05-24T19:27:00.000-04:00

Grouping together with some of the greats of basketball, Steve Nash announced that his charity game in Toronto will be going on this summer (July 29th, 2005). The group of athletes to participate will be announced in the following weeks.

The Steve Nash Foundation Charity Classic is being put together in order to gain funds for an all-age, all-access basketball centre in Toronto. Athletes, music, and food will be present in this free admittance event.

Early Entry Candidates Announced

2005-05-19T16:56:00.000-04:00

- from NBA.com

The National Basketball Association announced today that 108 players, including 73 college and high school players and 35 international players, have filed as early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2005.

Underclassmen and international players wishing to renounce their remaining intercollegiate eligibility and enter NBA Draft 2005 were required to submit a letter to the NBA postmarked no later than Saturday, May 14. Players who have applied for early entry have the right to withdraw their names from consideration for the Draft by notifying the NBA of their decision in writing no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21.

Alvin Williams

2005-05-15T15:30:00.000-04:00

Alvin Williams had to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday. The surgery was performed in Colorado. This particular surgery was done in order to remove scar tissue but showed progress in William’s already operated on knee. He will start rehabilitation immediately.

Steve Nash Brings Home NBA MVP Prize

2005-05-10T17:31:00.000-04:00

- from NBA.com

After the league in assists and his Phoenix Suns into the second round of the playoffs, Canadian Steve Nash has been named NBA MVP. Nash becomes the first point guard to take home the award since Magic Johnson last won the honour in 1990. Also ... Rumours are swirling that Nash is poised to host a charity game at Air Canada Centre this summer.

Draft Lottery

2005-05-06T17:01:00.000-04:00

- from the official site of the Toronto Raptors

Stay up to date with all the draft happenings around the Raptors in the Raptors Draft Lottery Index. The lottery goes May 24 and the Raptors are in the seventh slot, meaning they have the seventh-best chance at winning the number-one overall pick on June 28 at the Draft.

Rafer Alston

2005-05-02T17:08:00.000-04:00

Rafer Alston averaged a pretty good year with the Toronto Raptors. Being one of the team’s random leading scorers, Alston averaged a 14.2 ppg. The best game he had recently was against the Bucks, where Alston put in 22 points.

Alston began his basketball playing at Fresno State. He was born in New York. Alston premiered in the NBA in 1999. He signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and played with them for approximately 3 years. Thereafter, Alston joined the Toronto Raptors and left for one season to play with the Miami Heat.

2005 Close/Draft

2005-04-26T19:15:00.000-04:00

So, the season has finally come to an abrupt halt. Toronto ended up fourth in the Atlantic division standings with a record of 33-49. After a season of ups and downs, what do all of you Toronto Raptors see as the highlights? (Comments appreciated)

Taking a look forward at the draft, the Toronto Raptors have the 7th and 16th spots in the first round.

Vicious Fans/Vicious Carter

2005-04-19T17:44:00.000-04:00

- from ESPN.com

Vince Carter thrived in front of his former fans.

Carter ignored the boos and scored 39 points in his first game in Toronto since being traded, and the New Jersey Nets kept their playoff hopes alive by coming back from a 14-point halftime deficit for a 101-90 victory over the Raptors on Friday night.

Fans booed Carter from the moment stepped on the court, heckled him during the U.S. national anthem and jeered every time he touched the ball.

"When they go home tonight they have something to think about," Carter said.

Additional security guards were posted by the Nets bench to protect Carter, who was once beloved but now reviled because he demanded a trade and acknowledged he didn't push himself as hard as he should have in Toronto.

The jeering was far more sustained and louder than ex-Raptors Tracy McGrady and Damon Stoudamire received when they returned.

"I just kind of blocked it out," said Carter who demanded out less than halfway into a six-year, $94 million contract. "I'm happy with the way things turned out. Maybe they are not, but this was a fun game believe it or not."

Donyell Marshall

2005-04-14T15:21:00.000-04:00

- from FOXSports.com

Raptors placed forward Donyell Marshall on the injured list with a strained Achilles' tendon. Marshall's season is probably over. It'd be nice to see the Raptors give Matt Bonner starter's minutes the rest of the way, but they'll start Jalen Rose and Chris Bosh at the forward spots.

Raptors Losing

2005-04-10T18:24:00.000-04:00

The Raptors have been screwing up as of late. In the last games, loss has been the key. Having been bounce from Playoff possibility, it’s almost as if the Raptors had completely given up.

In their last game, the Raptors went head to head against the Chicago Bulls. With a victory of 110-97, the Bulls finally clinched their Playoff berth.

The Chicago Bulls are beginning a clutch story here. Having won the last 9 of their last 10 games, the Bulls are making sure that they are not left out of the running. For a while, Cleveland and Indiana were neck and neck with Chicago. Now, Chicago has pressed up from the fold as a youthful team with vigor. They currently have clinched the number 4 slot in the Eastern Conference.

Raptors

2005-04-05T20:46:00.000-04:00

Well, this has not exactly been the best season for the Raptors. Currently, we have a record of 30-43. The Raptors don’t appear to have the possibility of jumping up to 8th place. In the last 10 games, the Raptors put in a record of 3-7.

In their most recent game, Toronto lost to the #2 team in the Eastern Conference; the Detroit Pistons. Detroit led the game with a final score of 113-103. Rasheed Wallace of Detroit led in scoring with 25 points and 12 rebounds. He was among 5 Pistons who had a double digit game.

"We are coming down the homestretch and we have to make sure we have our act together. We are in playoff mode now."
- Rasheed Wallace

Raptors/Bobcats Preview

2005-03-31T16:01:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

STANDINGS: (through March 30): Raptors - 5th place, 9 GB, Atlantic Division. Bobcats - 4th place, 38 GB, Southeast Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Raptors - F Rose, F Bosh, C Rafael Araujo, G Alston, G Morris Peterson. Bobcats - F Wallace, F Okafor, C Brezec, G Knight, G Jason Kapono.

TEAM LEADERS: Raptors - Rose, 17.6 ppg; Bosh, 8.9 rpg; Alston, 6.7 apg. Bobcats - Okafor, 14.9 ppg and 10.6 rpg; Knight, 8.9 apg.

SEASON SERIES: 1-1.

LAST MEETING: Jan. 28; Bobcats, 101-94. At Charlotte, N.C., Rush scored 21 points and Brezec had 17 points and tied his career high with 12 rebounds to help the Bobcats halt a 10-game losing streak.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Raptors - 8-29 on the road. Bobcats - 12-24 at home.

INJURIES: Raptors - C Loren Woods (shoulder). Bobcats - G-F Tamar Slay (foot); G Kareem Rush (knee); F Theron Smith (knee).

Raptors vs. Cavaliers

2005-03-22T19:31:00.000-05:00

With time waning before the Playoffs, teams in the Eastern Conference are struggling to either keep their spots or move up. In the Eastern Conference standings, only Miami has made a solid Playoff berth. Charlotte and Atlanta have been booted from even gaining the possibility of entrance into the running.

Toronto is currently holding a steady rear position in the Atlantic Division. But, they are still fighting fiercely.

In their most recent game, Toronto took down the Cavaliers in a 105-98 game. This must have been crushing to LeBron James, who made an unbelievable 56 points for the Cavaliers. But, this was not enough to seal the deal. This has made Cleveland’s ninth straight road loss.

GO TORONTO!!!

Raptors Failure

2005-03-17T19:24:00.000-05:00

- from the official site of the Toronto Raptors

Milt Palacio's driving layup missed the mark as time expired and the Raptors fell to the host Celtics 110-109 Wednesday. Jalen Rose scored a season-high 35 points for Toronto, which erased a 16-point deficit to take the lead with less than two minutes remaining. Chris Bosh, who left the game with a lower back bruise early in the fourth quarter, is listed as day-to-day.

Raptors end streak for Hawks

2005-03-12T17:10:00.000-05:00

After a 13-game losing streak, the Toronto Raptors helped end the streak for the Atlanta Hawks in an overtime game. The Raptors, keeping a decent record under their belt, could not take the win in the end. Atlanta, being a very young team, is developing slowly and the Raptors took this game too lightly.

``I told our guys, if you want to be famous, if you're not ready to play, then you will be in all the news reports at 10 o'clock. That's not a knock against Atlanta. They're a young basketball team, they're learning and they're going to play hard, they're going to try to win games, and we've got to go out focused and mentally ready to play.''
- Raptors head coach Mitchell

This is not to say the Raptors did not play a good game. Rookie Matt Bonner put out a career-high scoring game of 21 points. Both Rafer Alston and Donyell Marshall each added in 19 points. Jalen Rose put in 22.

Raptors lose to the Grizzlies

2005-03-06T14:38:00.000-05:00

In a career-high scoring game for Shane Battier, the Raptors were manhandled by the Grizzlies with a score of 86-75. This makes win #33 for the Grizzlies. Not only did it make a career-high scoring game for Battier, but it also gave the 600th coaching victory for Mike Fratello.

"We just stopped passing the ball. We didn't move the ball around, and when we did get some open looks, we didn't make shots."
- Raptors coach Sam Mitchell

Jalen Rose scored 19 points for the Raptors, but when it came down to the last few seconds of the game, he added in a flagrant foul. Rose was ejected from the game and left angrily; throwing his jersey into the stands.

Toronto runs from the Bulls

2005-02-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

In a fairly close scoring game, the Bulls took over the game and closed it off at 121-115. The Bulls applied very nice pressure, not allowing the Raptors to take the lead at all throughout the game. The only time they came close was tying it up 90-90 in the third quarter.

Both Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon played very well for the Bulls. Hinrich, who scored 28 points in the game, made a career high of six 3-pointers. He had to leave the game in the fourth quarter due to a jammed index finger. Gordon, who is on his rookie season, made 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, giving a good push for the Bulls.

"Ben has had so many fourth quarters like that. Now you kind of just expect it from him. He hits tough shots and our guys rely on him for that, and he had another big fourth quarter."
- Bulls coach Scott Skiles

On the Raptors side of the spectrum, Jalen Rose scored 25 points. Rafer Alston also added in 21 points. Chris Bosh scored 28.

"We just didn't stop them. There wasn't much defense in the game."
- Chris Bosh

Raptors vs. Bucks

2005-02-10T17:37:00.000-05:00

Jalen Rose scored 26 points, but it still was not enough to keep the Bucks from taking the victory. In a very close game, the Bucks took the victory by a score of 110-107. On the Bucks side, Michael Redd played a snazzy game shooting 11-20; scoring 29 points throughout. Desmond Mason was 19-28; scoring 18 points.

The real scoop right now is trouble with Rafer Alston. In a previous game, Alston was escorted out during the fourth quarter after leaving midway through the game. Alston also served a two-day suspension due to walking out during the middle of practice. Apparently, the coach and the player have been getting to each other’s throats. Alston played a good game and has potential, but the team needs to cooperate and not play like children.

``When I walked out of practice the other day, I was man enough to apologize, I was man enough to say I made a mistake. Somebody better be man enough to say they made a mistake.''
-Rafer Alston

Struggling

2005-01-30T15:36:00.000-05:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

ared Jeffries drove down the lane for an emphatic first-quarter dunk, then, in a sweeping gesture, pointed at Washington's injured co-captain sitting at the end of the bench.

The Wizards stopped moping about Larry Hughes' injury and instead let him inspire them to one of their most important wins of the season Friday night. Six players scored a dozen points or more, and a two-game losing streak ended with a 118-109 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

``Tonight was the night for us to really come back and say, 'Look, we lost a really good player, but we've got to pick it up and still play,''' Jeffries said.

Antawn Jamison had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Juan Dixon scored 26 as the Wizards raced to a 15-point first-quarter lead, shot 56 percent in the first half, then withstood a Jalen Rose-led rally in the second half.

Hughes, the surprising Wizards' best all-around player, was on the bench for the first time since breaking his thumb in last Saturday's victory over Phoenix. The Wizards had been blown out in two games since at San Antonio and Dallas.

After those losses, the Wizards spoke about coming to grips with losing Hughes for four to six weeks. Hughes, concerned about his teammates' play, gave them a serious pep talk at Friday's shootaround.

``He gave us a speech and told us we need to get back on our feet,'' said Gilbert Arenas, who scored 23 points and made 17 of 20 free throws. ``We can sit here and sulk all day. Sulk don't give you no wins.''

While the Wizards were celebrating, Sam Mitchell was launching a conspiracy theory. The Raptors coach said after the game outside people were ``trying to coach'' his players, a byproduct of the team's recent turnaround.

``What I'm saying is that as you have success, you have people that it's not their job to coach the players, and they're trying to give them too much information,'' said Mitchell, whose team had won three straight and eight of 10.

Mitchell declined to give details, other than to say the people are outside the organization and that he was deliberately using the media as a platform to counter them. Asked if the people know who they are, he said: ``They probably will after this.''

Rose, who scored a season-high 32 points, sounded as if had no idea what the coach was talking about.

``I don't know who it is, either,'' Rose said. ``I've been around too long for somebody to tell me what to do out there on the court. They're too worried about asking for money. They ain't trying to give advice about basketball.''

Whatever the reason, the Raptors missed their first nine shots and played with little passion and even less defense in the first half. The Wizards scored a season-high 65 first-half points to take a 23-point lead at the break.

Rose, who has been unhappy about being the subject of trade rumors as well as his demotion from the starting lineup, started on the bench again. He played the entire second half, scored 23 points and helped cut down a 26-point.

Washington's lead hovered between 11 and 14 for much of the fourth quarter. The Raptors didn't cut the lead to single digits until Chris Bosh's basket with 1 second remaining.

Rose wasn't able to complete the comeback because of Dixon, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter.

But instead of talking about a comeback that failed, the Raptors spent much of the time after the game scratching their heads over their coach's new theory.

``This is the first time we've heard anything about that,'' forward Morris Peterson said. ``I think everybody in this locker room are professionals and what got us here is believing in ourselves. People on the sideline or wherever, I always tune them out. If some of my friends try to tell me how to play, I say: 'OK then, why don't you come out here and do it?' That's what I've always done.''

These 2 losses can't get to us. We loss to both one of the best and one of the worst teams in the NBA, but we have to keep on fighting. Lets hope Jalen and Bosh can whip something together, and have it be a win. Keep on fighting Raptors!

The New Year

2005-01-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

The Raptors at the beginning of the NBA season in 2004 were (10-21), now that is wasn’t very promising at all. Then the departure of Vince Carter didn't seem as appealing either.

Although it is the New year and in 2005 the Toronto Raptors in the month of January are (7-2) which gives them a combined record of (17-23), but the point my fellow Raptors fans, is not that they are below .500 but that it seems that the kinks are out and the talent is polished enough to still fix some of the season.

But the W's have to keep on coming...

Hard Times

2005-01-11T17:19:00.000-05:00

Alston had missed his last 23 shots over three games before his layup in the 3rd quarter against the Golden State Warroirs this past Sunday night, which led to Alston making his next six shots which propelled Toronto to bully over Golden State 36-17 in the third quarter.

"Someone brought it to my attention. 'You know you're 0-for-23,'to go 0-for-23 is incredible. It's just great to get the monkey off my back."-Rafer Alston
Alston's shot a 3 pointer to give Toronto a 78-59 at the end of the third, which set the tempo of the game in the last quarter. At the end of the night Alston had 15 points.

Bitter Taste

2005-01-03T11:42:00.000-05:00

In the last meeting on Decemeber 1 the Magic won 129-108. In was in Orlando and Francis scored 23 points with Hill addeding his 17 as the Magic had eight of their players in double figures that night, including Howard who had a season-high 20 rebounds.

Now the Magic are traveling over to Toronto for another matchup.

Post game Report

2004-12-20T13:26:00.000-05:00

Rapotors.com, from the official site of Canada's Team

Vince Carter had already been edited out of the Toronto Raptors' pre-game video on the Jumbotron, and his front-row seats normally occupied by mom Michelle and wife Ellen Rucker sat glaringly vacant.

His former team, however, didn't miss him at all.

The Raptors defeated the New Jersey Nets 110-99 on Sunday, three days after the six-player blockbuster trade between the two teams, and the Raptors' first game at the Air Canada Centre without the enigmatic superstar on their roster.

The Raptors traded their disgruntled swingman to the Nets on Friday for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and two first-round draft picks. Because of Monday's noon deadline for the trade, none of the players involved in the trade played Sunday. Carter spent the day at home packing.

The Raptors proved they could win without their former franchise player. Holding a six-point advantage heading in the final quarter, Murray lit it up for 12 points in the fourth quarter, and his three-pointer with 6:53 left in the game gave Toronto a 96-80 lead, their biggest of the game.

There was an odd feeling in the building Sunday, as the new Carter-less era began for the Raptors after his six-plus seasons with the team. Even just his absence from the bench, dressed in his designer suits and laughing with teammates, was strange. Fans, who had resoundly booed Carter this season, didn't appear to mind. There was nary a Carter sign to be seen amid the crowd of 16,938.

With Carter still recovering from a strained Achilles' tendon, Raptors GM Rob Babcock could have set an earlier closing time for the deal and played the two new players on Sunday.

``But I'm a very strong believer in fair play, I don't think it would be fair to try and manipulate a deal to try and get a win like that,'' said Babcock.

Mourning may never play for the Raptors. The 34-year-old is dealing with health issues, and has also said he only wants to play for a contender, so the Raptors could buy out his contract or try to trade him.

The Raptors will benefit from the two Williamses though, who have garnered a reputation as hard-working players. Head coach Sam Mitchell said he's looking forward to their hustle on the boards, as the Raptors have struggled rebounding this season. They kept pace with the Nets on Sunday, with both teams grabbing 28 rebounds.

The Raptors outshot the Nets 54 per cent to New Jersey's 52.

The lead changed 11 times in the first half, the Nets going up by six points on a Jefferson jump shot at 1:54 of the first quarter. A three-pointer by Peterson and three free throws from Murray pulled the Raptors even with New Jersey, 22-22, to end the frame.

Toronto took a five-point advantage midway through the second, but Jefferson scored 13 of his 22 first-half points over the next five minutes and the Nets took a five-point lead. The Raptors battled back and Peterson sunk a three with 0.2 on the clock to give Toronto a 50-49 lead at halftime. Peterson high-fived the fans in the front row after the shot.

The Raptors held the lead for most of the third quarter, and a pair of free throws by Alston with five seconds left put Toronto up 79-73 heading into the fourth.

The Kidd Returns

2004-12-07T14:15:00.000-05:00

from ESPN.com

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Jason Kidd couldn't have scripted a better ending, except perhaps for a flashier assist on the game-winning basket.

Making his season debut, Kidd was credited with an assist on Richard Jefferson's jumper from the lane with 7.1 seconds left that gave the New Jersey Nets an 88-86 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Jefferson pretty much did all the work on the key play, catching Kidd's pass on the right wing, taking three dribbles to his left and launching a 9-footer that fell through.

"Heck, yeah. He deserved an assist," Jefferson said. "I finished, but he put me in position to finish it."

After sitting out the season's first 16 games recovering from left knee surgery, Kidd had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes with the Nets restricting his playing time.

Jefferson had 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for New Jersey, which began the night in last place in the Atlantic Division after winning only four of its first 16 games with Kidd sidelined.

"It was a whole different feeling when he was out there," Nets forward Eric Williams said. "We got the ball up and down the floor, and the game just looked a whole lot better."

Vince Carter had 22 points for Toronto, but he missed a driving layup just before the final buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. Chris Bosh added 15 points.

"I thought for sure it went in. As I'm turning around heading to the bench, I see Richard Jefferson holding the ball -- but he wasn't under the basket," Carter said.

Kidd defended Carter on the final play, the ball bouncing around the rim and missing to give Toronto its fourth straight loss.

"I wanted to guard him," Kidd said. "We all knew in the huddle where the ball was going to end up. I wanted to guard him and try to make it as tough as possible. I thought he was going to try to win the game by shooting a 3, so I tried to ride him and make him take it to the basket."

Trade rumors involving Carter and Jalen Rose have been circulating daily around the Raptors, who were outrebounded 61-36.

"I'm just numb. I am not angry. I'm not frustrated. I'm just numb," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. "It's not my job to change the roster, it's just my job to coach the players, and I am going to do that to the best of my ability."

Coach Lawrence Frank limited Kidd to 11 first-half minutes, and the Nets trailed 47-42 at intermission after Kidd contributed only two points, two assists and four rebounds with five turnovers.

Travis Best was the Nets' starting point guard at the beginning of the second half, with Kidd staying seated until 5:40 remained. Kidd played the remainder of the third quarter, but Jacque Vaughn replaced him at the start of the fourth.

The Nets trailed 78-73 when Kidd returned with 5:54 left, and his 3-pointer with 1:56 remaining tied the game at 84-84.

"Watching a lot of basketball, watching the great shooters like Ray Allen, they don't think, they just shoot," Kidd said. "When you start to think about maybe passing, that's when your brain might get in the way of the shot. My new philosophy is just let it go.

A pair of free throws by Jefferson with 52.5 seconds left made it 86-84, giving New Jersey its first lead since midway through the first quarter. Carter tied it 10 seconds later with a pair from the line.

Knicks Survive Raptors’ Rally

2004-11-28T15:16:00.000-05:00

from raptors.com

The New York Knicks avoided a home-and-away sweep behind a number of season-high performances.

Jamal Crawford scored 30 points and Stephon Marbury had 15 assists to help the Knicks return to .500 with a 108-102 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

The Knicks avenged a 114-91 loss at Toronto on Wednesday, their worst defeat since being routed by 34 points in their home opener against Boston three weeks ago. They have won five straight home games since.

Three days after being held to just seven points on 3-of-14 shooting, Crawford bounced back. He made 11-of-22 shots, including 3-of-7 from the arc, and credited his teammates for having a hand in his most productive game as a Knick.

"My teammates put me in great positions," Crawford said. "Kurt (Thomas) and those guys have been setting great screens and Stephon has been finding me just like he's been finding everyone else. They all made it easy for me."

"Jamal is just a terrific young man," Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens said. "He accepts constructive criticism extremely well. He just wants to be better."

New York (6-6) led through most of this contest. Marbury scored 18 points, including a jumper that made it 103-91 with 1:59 remaining.

The Raptors responded with consecutive 3-pointers by Morris Peterson and Vince Carter. A layup by Jalen Rose capped an 11-0 run and pulled Toronto within 103-102 with 24 seconds left.

"I think we were maybe stalling too much," Crawford said. "We knew the clock was in our favor."

But Crawford followed with a pair of free throws, and Carter missed a driving layup with 15 seconds remaining as the Raptors lost their eighth straight visit to Madison Square Garden and fifth consecutive road contest overall.

"What can you say? It just didn't go in," said Carter, who played just five minutes in the fourth quarter and scored 19 points. "It didn't fall."

"(The) bottom line is we didn't find a way to play together in all four quarters," Rose added.

Nazr Mohammed scored 19 points and Tim Thomas added a season-high 17 for New York, which shot 51 percent (45-of-88).

Mohammed continued his recent surge as he also collected 10 rebounds en route to his third straight double-double and fourth in six games. Thomas, who came in shooting just 31 percent this season, had 13 in the first half as the Knicks withstood a late 16-3 run by the Raptors and took a 50-43 lead into the locker room.

"I'd say Tim is starting to make real good progress," Wilkens said. "I want him to continue. Tonight was the best all-around game he's played in quite a while. I was very pleased about it."

Peterson scored a season-high 18 points, making four 3-pointers.

KINGS vs. RAPTORS

2004-11-09T19:12:00.000-05:00

from NMA.com

Just three games into the NBA season, the Toronto Raptors are already delivering on Sam Mitchell's promise.

When he arrived at training camp, the new Raptors coach vowed to turn the team into a run-and-gun group that ran hard, shot lots, shared the ball and created plays. In other words, a far different team than last year's squad that plodded to a 33-49 record.

So far, it seems to be working. The inspired Raptors are 3-0 for the first time in the team's 10-year history, beating formidable opponents Houston, Detroit and Portland along the way.

``The biggest thing has been: one, getting guys to buy into coach's philosophy,'' said Raptors star Vince Carter. ``Then two: guys understanding what their role is on this team, what they're expected to do when they get out there. If we can put it all together, anything can happen.''

The Raptors were optimistic as they left Monday for a gruelling Western road trip that begins Tuesday in Sacramento, the first of six games over nine nights.

``We're the underdogs,'' said Jalen Rose. ``We're approaching it like we're trying to get famous, nobody knows who we are, nobody's paying attention to us.''

The new-look Raptors actually didn't make wholesale changes in the off-season; their only notable signings were point guard Rafer Alston and forward Loren Woods. The big difference has been Mitchell, who saw a group of guys at camp who were fast and athletic, but not particularly big, so he simply implemented a style that plays to their strengths...

White, Nuggets Elude Raptors

2004-10-27T14:47:00.000-04:00

NBA.com
DENVER, Oct. 26 (Ticker) -- Rodney White scored 25 points off the bench as the Denver Nuggets posted a 102-98 preseason victory over the Toronto Raptors.
A three-year veteran who found no suitors on the free agent market, White made all seven shots in the first half.

The Nuggets saw a 97-84 lead with 5:39 left trimmed to one point in the final two minutes. But 5-5 point guard Earl Boykins hit a jumper and two free throws to preserve the Nuggets' fifth victory in six exhibition games.

After shooting 56.8 percent (21-of-37) in the first half, the Raptors had their biggest lead at 66-62 before Denver went on a 12-2 run -- highlighted by dunks by Kenyon Martin and Nenê -- and took the lead for good.

Martin had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets. Chris Bosh and Rafer Alston scored 18 points apiece for the Raptors.

Losers of four of its five preseason games, Toronto was without star Vince Carter, who was not with the team because of personal reasons.

GO RAPTORS!!!

2004-08-19T18:48:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,
I'm just getting set up here on my first blog dedicated to the Toronto Raptors, so please come back and see me!