Raps Perform Magic Trick - 99-95 Raptors

In a stunning spoiler, the Raptors have pulled off a fifth straight win, this one over a team that is actually good. Led by spectacular showings by Chris Bosh, Shawn Marion and Jose Calderon, the Raps withstood the Magic's four-man attack of Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson Rafer Alston, who combined for 83% (79 points) of the Magic's overall scoring. The game had 21 lead changes.

NBA.com Recap

Player of the Game:
Shawn Marion grabbed his first PH PotG nod with a nicely rounded box score of 17 points (8-13 FG, sickening 1-4 FT), 15 rebounds, 6 assists and one steal. He's been getting high-percentage shots, been active on the glass and is a very effective point-forward, and he's adapted well to the Raptors' system.

Notables:
Chris Bosh - 24 points (10-20 FG, 4-4 FT), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 5 turnovers. Tough to resist giving Bosh the PotG nod, but 5 turnovers is even uglier than 25% free throw shooting. The two bigs brilliantly anchored the frontcourt with Andrea Bargnani's foul trouble.
Jose Calderon - 21 points (8-13 FG, 2-3 3FG, 3-3 FT), 8 assists, 3 rebounds. Brutally efficient. What else is there to say?
Andrea Bargnani - 16 points (7-12 FG, 0-2 3FG, 2-2 FT), 2 rebounds, 6 fouls in 25 minutes. Was scoring like he usually does, but was very hampered by foul trouble, having to deal with Superman and the Turkish Il Mago, Turkoglu. At least this isn't happening every day like last season, am I right?

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors, helped along by Orlando's dismal (40.8%, 31-76) shooting, managed to outrebound the Magic by fourteen, and held Howard to just nine rebounds - though four of those were offensive, the team was boxed-out respectably by the Raptors, and the Magic recorded nine offensive boards to the Raps' ten.

Side Note:
Just to let you all in on a little secret, the +/- statistic in basketball is by far the stupidest stat ever. Jake Voskuhl, namesake of the act of "recording a Voskuhl", posted a horrific line of 0 points on 0-2 shooting (1 block against), 3 fouls and 2 rebounds in 6:37, yet he was +7. Someone please explain to me how he actually helped the Raptors. I will give you a chocolate bar nothing.

Four Straight! - 134-129 Raptors, OT

In a game in which defence was non-existent, the Raptors' firepower - mostly consisting of Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon - was too much, overcoming the Bulls backcourt of Ben Gordon and Derrick Rose, who combined for 60 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. The Bulls made some scary runs and had two excellent chances to win the game in regulation, including a missed layup by Rose, but the Raptors took over in the extra frame to win their fourth straight game for the first time since December of 2007.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Jose keyed the Raptors' offense brilliantly. He tied a Raps franchise record with 19 assists, poured in an efficient 22 points on 8-11 field goals, 2-3 threes, and (surprise!) a perfect 4-4 from the line, and also contributed 3 steals. Jose was the consummate playmaker and led the Raptors to victory the only way he knows how.

Notables:
Chris Bosh - 31 points (10-21 FG, 0-1 3FG, 11-11 FT), 15 rebounds, 2 assists. CB was dominant down low, pounding the ball into the lane and drawing foul after foul. He also returned to the CB we know and love on the glass, picking up 4 offensive boards.

Andrea Bargnani - 28 points (10-20 FG, 3-6 3FG, 5-6 FT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists. Bargs seems to be taking lessons from Chris, as he's become more adept at getting to the line, where he converts an excellent 83% of his attempts. Il Mago's season numbers are up to 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu - 13 points (5-8 FG, 3-5 FT), 4 rebounds, 1 block. Matt Devlin calls him "Big Daddy," but Raptors fans should herald the arrival of "Possum's Phone Ban" - the Raps' energizer. He had two thunderous dunks that helped give the Raptors some crucial momentum - one off an offensive rebound and one after a block, running the floor and throwing it down as the trailer for an and-1. This man is here to stay.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
Every Raptor recorded at least one rebound, helping the Raps outrebound the Bulls 42-32, including 13-9 on the offensive end.

One last note: It's great to be back, Raptors fans (whoever is left, that is...).

Raps Squeak Out a W - 107-106 Raptors

Yay! Three-game winning streak! For the first time since the opening stretch of the season, the Toronto Raptors have won three straight games. After Devin Harris missed an open elbow jumper that could have won the game for New Jersey, the Raptors look to extend their winning streak to four games when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Jose Calderon, Joey Graham and Anthony Parker combined to form a very effective trio, together going for 53 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds. Harris and Vince Carter led New Jersey in scoring with 25 and 27, respectively.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game
Anthony Parker has been spectacular playing back-up point guard recently, and last night was no exception. Parker finished with 21 points, 6 assists and 7 rebounds in assuming the role of primary wing scorer. While it's not reasonable to expect AP to keep it up for the remainder of the season, it's great to ride his hot streak.

Notables:
Jose Calderon - 17 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals. Jose was again magnificent, orchestrating the Raptors offense and even playing some pretty solid defense. When Jose is at the point, this Raptor attack just rolls along.
Joey Graham - 15 points, 5 rebounds. Joey did not have eye-popping numbers, but his contribution didn't show up in the box score. He used his athleticism and provided energy to a sometimes lethargic Raptors squad, and was instrumental in the win.
Chris Bosh - 18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal. Bosh, Andrea Bargnani (8 points, 1 rebound, 5 fouls) and Jermaine O'Neal (8 points, 4 rebounds, 5 fouls) were all held in check well by the Nets' Brook Lopez and double-teams by Harris and Keyon Dooling. Bosh showed why he's a three-time All-Star, however, by fighting through and finishing with impressive numbers. It would be nice to see him get on the boards a little harder though.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were on fire last night, knocking down eleven three-pointers and going for 55.7% (39-70) overall and 11-22 (50%) from the Land Beyond the Arc. This helped offset a 11-14 New Jersey advantage in turnovers and the Nets' 15 made threes.

Next Game: Friday, January 30th, 7:00 PM at Milwaukee Bucks

Raps Slam Kings - 113-97 Raptors

Last night was another triumphant night for the Dinos, albeit over a very poor Kings team. Each of the Raptors big men put up impressive games, and the backcourt of Jose Calderon and Anthony Parker was brilliant. Nathan Jawai even made his debut for the home crowd. With the Raps on a little two-game winning streak, hopefully we can take some confidence into a tough stretch of games.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Last night it was the franchise, Chris Bosh. He tore apart the Kings frontcourt, giving Jason Thompson and Brad Miller fits, both of whom ended the game with 5 fouls. Christopher put up 31 points on 12-22 from the field and 7-8 from the line and added 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Whenever CB4 asserts his dominance in a game, he's nearly impossible to stop.

Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 24 (7-14 FG, 2-4 3FG, 8-10 FT), 7 rebounds. He can hardly go a day without at least a Notables entry, as he's been on fire lately. Another excellent performance from Il Mago.
Jose Calderon - 16 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 3FG, 3-3 FT), 8 assists. In just his second game back, Jose was spectacular once again, putting up great numbers in just 27 minutes. Along with Anthony Parker in the backcourt (11 points, 7 assists) the Raps guards were very effective.
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds. Not an overwhelming game for JO, but he was effective on the glass, didn't force shots on offense and for the first time in a while, looked confident out there. A step in the right direction.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were ahead in almost every statistical category last night, but one thing stands out. The Raps were plus-11 (25-29 for 86.2%, versus 14-17 for 82.4% for the Kings) at the line. This really shows that the Raps are making a concerted effort to get the ball inside. It's certainly a testament to coaching and Bargnani's confidence that he made 10 trips to the line, actually finishing with more attempts than Bosh.

Next Game: Wednesday, January 28th, 7:30 PM at New Jersey Nets

Raptors Welcome Back Jose With A W: 114-94 Raps

Two sadly unfamiliar sights for Raptors fans tonight: a win and Jose Calderon playing. Raptor fans would love to see these two things happen more often, as Canada's team improves to 17-28 and Jose played in just his third game of 2009. On Chicago's side, Kirk Hinrich (17), Ben Gordon (19), and Luol Deng (14), led the charge. Rookie sensation Derrick Rose finished with 12 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 4 turnovers.
NBA.com Recap

Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 23 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, 0 turnovers, 9-10 field goal shooting. Jay Triano summed it up best when he said, "It’s completely different with him on the floor, he’s in control of the ball. He’s in control of the other players on the floor. He makes shots. He makes plays."

Notables:
Anthony Parker - 14 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds. Parker's stats only went up with his return to the 2 spot and the return of Jose.
Andrea Bargnani - 22 points, 5 rebounds. Raptor fans are used to seeing streaky production from Andrea. However, this is an Andrea that we are not used to seeing; Eerily consistent, poised, and aggressive.
Joey Graham - 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals. Joey still played a significant 31 minutes despite moving back to the bench. Most importantly, he shot 6-7 from the field and his numbers did not dwindle.
Chris Bosh - 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals. Although an off shooting night from Chris (6-17 from the field), Chris found other ways to contribute. Notice his 6 (six) steals! Overall he was an impressive +25 tonight.
Full box score

Stat of the game:
With the return of Jose, the Raptors shared the ball much more, with 27 assists on 43 made field goals. However, most impressive was their defense. Tonight the Raptors caused 23 turnovers and held to Bulls to a pseudo-respectable 94 points.

Bigs Take Down Grizzlies - 103-82 Raptors

Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani combined for a very impressive 53 points and 18 rebounds as the big-man duo of Marc Gasol and Darrell Arthur was simply no match for the talented, powerful combo down low. Our Raps now stand at 16-21 and have won four of their last five games - not coincidentally, Bargnani is averaging 21.1 points over his last six contests; the best scoring run of his career.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh had his first dominant game of the new year as he just abused Memphis, doing pretty much whatever he wanted both on offense and defense. He shot a blistering 11-13 from the field to go with 10-12 from the line and added 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. While the assessment that Bosh tends to have his best games against mediocre teams seems to have more and more merit, if it means the Raps win the games they're supposed to, it's good for more than a few W's.

Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 21 points (8-14 FG, 3-4 3FG, 2-4 FT), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Bargnani has been consistent and dominant on offense over the last stretch - there's no way around it. If he can keep it up, when Jose Calderon returns (and Jermaine O'Neal, if he can keep it up off the bench) this team will make some noise.
Will Solomon - 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-2 FT), 9 assists, 3 steals. Jose who? King Solomon's wisdom led him to another excellent game starting at the point, and he again showed good shot selection and great distribution, finishing one dime away from his second career double-double.
Jason Kapono - 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3FG), 6 assists, 2 rebounds. Played solid third/fourth fiddle, shooting a nice percentage and distributing the ball well from the wings. When Bosh and Bargnani are rolling, it's important for him and Anthony Parker (3 points, 5 assists) to space the defense from the perimeter.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
Again there was a huge discrepancy between the Raptors' and their opponent's shooting percentages. The Raptors were on fire for much of the game, putting up 55.6% (40-72) from the field, 40% (4-10) from three and 79.2% (19-24) from the free-throw line. The Grizzlies, however, were stifled all night long by solid Raptor defense (particularly in the second half, in which they were outscored 56-38), finishing shooting just 42.5% (31-73) on field goals, 30% (3-10) from three-point distance and 68% (17-25) from the line. The Raptors also held slight advantages in almost every statistical category as well - 13-15 in turnovers, 38-33 in rebounds, 26-15 in assists, and 6-4 in blocks.

Next Game: Sunday, January 11th, 12:30 PM vs. Boston Celtics

"The Magician" Outpowers Wizards - 99-93

Andrea Bargnani turned in his fifth straight impressive offensive showing with 25 points on near-perfect 8-9 from the field including 4-5 from three and 5-5 from the line. Chris Bosh and Anthony Parker were also very effective. The Wizards were led by former (for a few seconds) Raptor Antawn Jamison who finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals despite fouling out after playing 37 minutes. The Raptors improved to 15-21, despite finishing the game with an Ostertagean total of 20 turnovers.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Bargs was more than solid again last night, shooting a remarkable percentage in his 25-point effort while adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Overall a very nice night from Bargnani, playing through trade rumours that have him heading to Dallas.

Notables:
Chris Bosh - 18 points (5-16 FG, 0-2 3FG, 8-9 FT), 8 rebounds, 6 assists. Bosh had another off-shooting night but was masterful in distributing the rock, something he's done often this season. It's very nice to see him affect the game postively even when he can't score at will.
Anthony Parker - 15 points (6-9 FG, 2-3 3FG, 1-2 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks. Parker has been crashing the boards recently and it's turning up huge results. Besides his scoring which is also way up, AP is averaging over 5 boards in his last four games.
Will Solomon - 14 points (7-11 FG, 0-1 3FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers. Will's been playing nicely as Jose Calderon's (hamstring) fill-in starter. He's put up solid numbers, and despite 5 fouls (refs in Europe are much more lenient on guard physicality) he has kept the ball in control, which is all one can ask from him.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors didn't really play that well. Of course, we know a W's a W, but the only thing that really saved them was shooting. The Raps owned a +7 advantage at the free throw line (17-20 for 85% compared to 10-18 for 55.6%) and shot an impressive 54.4% (37-68) from the field compared to Washington's 46.4% (39-84). Toronto's hot shooting helped overshadow a brutal twenty turnovers (Washington had 12), and Jamison's abysmal 3-8 shooting from the line certainly helped matters as well.

Next Game: Friday, January 7th, 7:00 PM vs. Memphis Grizzles

Raptors Remain Undefeated in the New Year - 108-102 Toronto

The Raptors couldn't silence Superman today, who put up 39 and 8, but in the end the Raps came out with a victory to stay undefeated in 2009. The injury-riddled Raptors (missing Jermaine O'Neal and Jose Calderon) played great team defense and kept the offense flowing for all four quarters, controlling the pace and the flow of the game as they tied up the season series 1-1.

NBA.com Recap

Player of the Game:
Anthony Parker - 26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists. A red hot 13-16 from the floor, Anthony hit some key shots late in the clock and late in the game. Another typical do-it-all game, doing the intangibles and the little things that he's been known to do. Tonight Parker was just 1 point off of his career high, who would have thought this on a night where he didn't even attempt a three ball?

Notables:
Chris Bosh - 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists. Perhaps most importantly, Chris went 13-14 from the free throw line. Some of these free throws came late in the fourth when the Raptors needed a cushion.
Andrea Bargnani - 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. Redefining streaky, it appears that Andrea is out of his cold streak.
Roko Ukic - 12 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds. Roko for sure opened some eyes today, as he played the entire fourth quarter and set up some key buckets.

Full Box Score

Stat of the Game:
Late in the fourth quarter, it came down to who could make their foul shots. Both teams shot 24 foul shots tonight; the Raptors hit 23 of their 24, the Magic hit just 17. They can thank Dwight Howard for those misses as he shot 11-18 and missed many free throws when the Magic were trying to mount their comeback. After the game, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy commented on this, saying “That’s about what he shoots, but it’s not good enough. Sixty percent at the free throw line makes it tough. We’ve got a tremendous advantage down there. They couldn’t guard him at all, but they get to the fourth quarter and they just foul and it’s one for two every time. Then you’re coming to the other end and it’s two for two. That’s a big difference.” Howard must be used to this by now, as his only reaction was “I’m going to miss free throws". Maybe its time to hit the gym, Dwight.

Houston, We Have a W - 94-73 Raptors

The Raps finally got their big win at home yesterday, blowing out the Rockets with inpenetrable defense and some balanced scoring. They held Tracy McGrady (15 ppg) to 4 points on 2-9 shooting in 28 minutes. In a very "I'm related to Vince Carter"-moment after the game he whined, "It's kind of hard to get in a groove when you are touching the ball once every five minutes." All 12 Raptors who dressed got at least 5 minutes of playing time and every one of them managed at least one field goal - a nice confidence booster, especially for the scrubs. Jason Kapono (quad contusion) played 21 minutes, while Jose Calderon (hamstring) left the game after playing just 12 minutes. It's crucial for him to return if the Raptors hope to go on a winning streak. Jermaine O'Neal (knee) says he's day-to-day and may play Sunday against the Magic.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
In a game which yielded very balanced numbers across the board, Anthony Parker played the most solid, effective game last night. AP scored 8 points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3FG, 2-2 FT) while leading the team in rebounding with 8, and adding 3 steals and one assist. A very balanced night from Anthony, doing the little things that has seen him return to the starting lineup.

Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 19 points (8-12 FG, 2-4 3FG, 1-2 FT), 6 rebounds, one block. Il Mago had his second straight very effective offensive game and played impressive defense on Yao Ming (14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 turnovers). Perhaps (we're praying) he's found a way to produe every night.
Chris Bosh - 19 points (8-18 FG, 3-6 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists. Scored well and shot passably, but it would be nice to see him get to the glass more often - and go back to being an automatic free throw shooter (he's missed 6 free throws in his last two games).
Will Solomon - 8 points (4-6 FG), 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 turnovers (!). Backing up Jose in extended minutes last night, Will was fantastic. He distributed, played competent defense and basically performed like a solid backup point guard. He finally lived up to the trust Triano has in him with a great game.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
Easy. The Raptors shot very well, going for 48.2% (40-83) shooting overall including 44.4% (4-9) from The Land Beyond. It must have been Shaquille O'Neal Appreciation Night in Toronto because the Raptors - the league's finest free throw-shooting team shot an abysmal 58.8% (10-17) from the line. Impressively, the Raptors also held Houston to ice-cold 34.1% (28-82) shooting from the field and 25.9% (7-27) from three point country. A decisive victory for the boys in red.

Next Game: Sunday, January 4th, 12:30 PM vs. Orlando Magic

Offensive Burst Powers Raps - 107-101 Raptors

Jermaine O'Neal was unstoppable on offense and had one of the most effective offensive games the Raptors have had in a long time allowed them to come back and take the lead for good with about 5 minutes left. It was the first Raptors win in Sacramento in over a decade as the Dinos had lost ten consecutive games at Arco Arena dating back to their last win on March 13, 1997.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal had one of the most efficient games by a Raptor this season. He had a season-high 36 points on amazing 15-19 from the field and 6-8 from the line, adding 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks. JO carried this team.

Notables:
Jose Calderon - 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, one turnover. A very nice game establishing the offense and had one very pretty play in which he snuck behind the defense for a rebound and putback.
Chris Bosh - 13 points, 7 rebounds. finished the game with 5 fouls and as a result only played 27 minutes, luckily JO picked up the slack this game.
Jason Kapono - 10 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds. Jason hit a couple big shots and moved the ball well. Hopefully he'll keep shooting to allow JO and Bosh to operate.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot incredibly well this game, hitting 55.1% (38-69) of their field goals, 36.4% (4-11 ) of their threes and 75% (27-36) of their free throws. Their efficiency helped overshadow the 16 turnovers and the Kings' 40% (8-20) shooting from behind the arc.

Raps Learn to Love Karma - 101-79 Raptors

In a game that most likely had every single Toronto Raptors fan in the world smiling, the Raps pulled out another big win for their second in a row in their journey back to .500. Vince Carter had the first game in his career in which he did not make a field goal while playing at least 10 minutes. He spent 29 minutes bricking shot after shot, finishing with a line of 3 points on 0-13 from the floor including two missed threes and 3-4 from the line, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls, 3 turnovers and a +/- rating of a Stephon Marbury-esque -32. Remember Vince's 39 points last meeting? Raise your hand if you like justice, Raptors fans.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Jamario Moon gets his first Player of the Game nod with a very strong all-around game. He finished with 8 points (4-10 FG), just shy of being the seventh Toronto player in double figures, to go with a team-leading 9 rebounds, 5 steals and a block. Excellent defensive game to help shut down Vince and the Nets.

Notables:
Jason Kapono - 16 points (6-15 FG, 4-9 3FG), 5 rebounds. Had another big scoring night as a starter. Didn't shoot as well as last game, but Kapono taking shots and missing is still better than Will Solomon taking them in the first place.
Joey Graham - 16 points (5-8 FG, 0-1 3FG, 6-6 FT), 3 assists, 2 rebounds. It appears that Joey "OM" G has finally found his niche. He's consistently bringing energy on both sides of the ball and is playing with great confidence. It's also nice to see a thunderous dunk nearly every game to get his teammates pumped.
Roko Ukic - 10 points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3FG, 5-6 FT), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, one turnover. Led the team in assists, contributed on both sides of the ball and had his most efficient scoring night of the season. PH bias, you say? Perhaps, but it looks like Hot Cocoa Roko is learning a thing or two from Jose.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
Well, this one is easy. The Raptors played great defence for the second straight game (and second straight win - pattern anyone?) in holding the Nets to just 31.3% shooting (26-83) and 26.1% (6-23) from three-point land. The great defence helped counteract a fairly unimpressive shooting performance from the Raptors, in which they shot a mediocre 43.8% (32-73) themselves.

Raps Get Back in the Win Column - 101-88 Raptors

Smiles from Jamario Moon, Jason Kapono and Chris Bosh in the fourth quarter of tonight's game said it all. The Raptors finally made some runs and stayed on top by double figures for most of the fourth en route to a big win at home. Kapono had his best game this season and provided timely shooting in a game when the Raps were without Anthony Parker and Kris Humphries.

NBA.com Recap

Player of the Game:
Kapono finally broke out with a huge game tonight. He put up 25 points on great 11-16 from the field (3-7 from three), 8 rebounds, 2 assists and even blocked a shot. Even with all his great numbers, the most impressive part of his game isn't visible in the box score. Jason created his own shot, showing off serious handles and putting his great mid-range game on display. On one play, he spun off his defender to his left, took a dribble over and launched a wide-open three. He missed, but if he had made it, it would have been the play of his career.

Notables:
Chris Bosh - 21 points (9-16 FG, 3-5 FT), 10 rebounds and 2 assists. Came out of his recent slump with a nice, All-Star performance. Hopefully CB4's feeling better, and can get some rest before Friday's tilt.
Jamario Moon - 17 points (7-12 FG, 1-3 3FG, 1-3 FT), 8 rebounds, 3 blocks. Jamario showed us a little flashback to last season, being active on defense and on the boards, including a monster putback slam. One thing he didn't show last season was a very hot jumper, knocking down a three and mid-range Js with consistency, and was a great asset to the Raps tonight.
Jose Calderon - 11 points (3-9 FG, 1-2 3FG, 4-4 FT), 14 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and only 2 turnovers. Jose was magnificent. He moved the ball with meaning and kept the Raps' offense flowing, helping five other players score in double figures.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot very well, shooting efficient 49.4% from the field, while defending the Pacers very well, holding them to just 34.7% shooting. In particular, the Raps guarded the Pacers' leading scorer Danny Granger effectively, holding him to just 9-25 from the field and 3-11 from long range.

Next Game: Friday, December 12th, 7:30 PM at New Jersey Nets

Second Straight W - 93-88 Raps

Tonight was another must-win game for the Raptors, and on the strength of Chris Bosh and some nicely balaced play from the supporting cast the Raps got their second win in a row. Flat out, CB4 played like an MVP. While we hardly played our best basketball of the season, we got stops when we needed to (read: in the last 3 minutes of the fourth) and Bosh took over all dimensions of the game. Our record stands at 8-7, finishing up the homestand 2-2 before embarking on a very tough stretch of the schedule.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game
Chris Bosh. Noticing a trend, anyone? CB dropped another monster game, putting up 30 points on 13-26 from the floor (0-2 from three) and 4-5 from the line. This was one of his most well-rounded games to date: he contributed 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks too. Not bad.

Notables:
Joey Graham - 11 points (5-10 FG, 0-1 3FG, 1-1 FT), 5 rebounds, one steal. We've been taking Tylenol, but our Joey Graham Fever isn't going away. He turned in his second straight effective game, looking very confident and had some very emphatic dunks and rebounds. It's great to see him so energetic, and he's giving the Raps needed scoring and toughness in the absence of Jermaine O'Neal.
Jason Kapono - 16 points (6-10 FG, 2-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 2 assists, 2 rebounds. Nice game from Jason, including a very pretty dish down low to Bosh. Iced the game with two free throws off the inbounds with about 30 seconds left, and shot the ball. That's his job.
Jose Calderon - 6 points (3-11 FG, 0-4 3FG), 11 asists, 4 rebounds, one turnover. Jose shot very poorly, and had one scary moment in which he turned his ankle before falling directly on the ball while going out of bounds. He was fine, and actually had his first "classic Jose" moment, slashing through the lane and finishing off the glass in traffic. His shot will come, and his distribution is still there. No need to worry, Raptors fans.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
Every Raptor except Roko Ukic (who played under four minutes, recording an assist) scored at least one basket. This was one of the most balanced game scoring-wise in recent memory for the Dinos, and it shows that while Chris Bosh still shoulders the load, he can set up his teammates and be just as effective.

Next game: Sunday, November 30th, 9:30 PM at Los Angeles Lakers

Raps Get Needed Win - 93-86 Raps

Tonight was... well, not much of a team game. Chris Bosh was dominant as usual, but a new face stepped up as an efficient second option: Joey Graham. Thanks to solid production, the Raptors survived another lacklustre effort past the franchise player. The Raptors' record currently stands at 7-7.

NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh... yet again. CB4 was pretty ridiculous, going for 39 points on 15-20 from the field and 9-10 from the line. Efficient, don't you think? He also added 12 rebounds and two blocks just for kicks. Chris carried us. We needed it.

Notables:
Joey Graham - Joey G actually came up huge in this game, going for 17 points (6-8 FG, 5-5 FT) and 6 boards in 21 minutes. He had 5 fouls, but chalk it up to overeagerness. Excellent production and allowed himself to play big, meaningful minutes. Hopefully he's finally figured out how to string together some good games in a row and we can see Graham's true ability.
Jose Calderon - 10 points (4-10 FG, 2-6 3FG), 9 assists, 3 rebounds. Isn't feeling 100% yet but shows very few signs of slowing down other than driving less than usual. His shot is not too far gone and his vision is still brilliant.
Andrea Bargnani - 11 points (4-15 FG, 2-6 3FG, 1-2 FT), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks. Nice all-around game on a terrible shooting night from Bargs. Showed he can contribute when his shot isn't falling, and hopefully he continues doing so. Unfortunately put up 4 turnovers and 4 fouls - needs to get back to keeping those down as he has in recent games.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot better in all three departments, helping to edge the Bobcats despite Charlotte's plus-seven edge in field goal attempts and plus-four advantage in free throw attempts. The Raps shot 50% (36-72) to Charlotte's 43% (34-79) from the field, 37.5% (6-16) to 18.7% (3-16) from three and 88.2% (15-17) to 71.4% (15-21) from the stripe. As many storylines as Toronto has this year, the game comes down to putting the ball in the bucket, and they did so with efficiency tonight.

Next game: Friday, November 28th, 7:00 PM vs. Atlanta Hawks

Raptors Get Needed W - 101-95 Raps

Q: What happens when you take the Raptors on Tuesday and add Jose Calderon?
A: We don't really have a punch line, but the Raptors are a lot better with him.
Jose had a game - the only phrase that comes to mind is "ruthlessly efficient" - what we've now really come to expect. He's hurting, no doubt. A man averaging nine assists and double figures in points doesn't reach either figure, posting 7 dimes and 9 points, but you can see it in every possession. Nothing forced. No out-of-control spinning drives that end in "didn't I have the ball a second ago?". Just pretty, intelligent basketball. Jose committed one turnover. He had two steals including a game-changing pick and bucket at the other end. We like this guy.

Read the NBA.com recap

Player of the Game:
Andrea Bargnani was due for a good game - he had a bad game against Orlando, after all - and posted a season high in points with 25 (on 9-15 FG, 3-4 3FG, 4-4 FT) and added four boards and two blocks just for kicks. He did what he's supposed to do - score. It worked.

Notables:
Chris Bosh - 15 points (7-17 FG, 1-1 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 steals. If his 40-and-18 was an ICBM, this was a tactical cruise missile. He saved a little of his energy, didn't kill himself on every possession, and let JO and AP do some work. Isn't it nice when your superstar can take an off night and put up a double-double?
Jermaine O'Neal - 16 points (8-17 FG), 17 boards, 3 assists. JO seems like he's getting in the habit of owning the backboards. Fifth straight game with a double-double. Double double-doubles from down low is a very nice thing.
Anthony Parker - 19 points (6-12 FG, 5-5 3FG, 2-2 FT), 6 rebounds. AP showed up on offense! He was guarding Wade, and he gave up 40, but Flash is one of the best scorers in the league. At least Mr. Parker gave Dwyane something to worry about on the opposite end, making every one of his five threes.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot 9-13 (69.2%) from the Land of Three Points, led by Parker's perfect 5. Bargs was 3-4, Jose went 1-2, and Moon and Kapono each missed one. This team looks more like the one that was so fun to watch in the first three games. Let's hope it stays that way, shall we?

Next game: Friday, November 21, 7:00PM vs. New Jersey Nets

Raps Stop Losing Streak at 2 - 107-96 Raptors

The Raptors showed up for all 4 quarters today, something they were struggling with through the beginning of the season. Even with Dwyane Wade going off for 29 points, the Raptors were able to pound the ball inside against the Heat. With Jose Calderon sitting out to heal his hamstring, Will Solomon got the nod to start. Andrea Bargnani was also placed in the starting 5, replacing the struggling Jamario Moon. Great bench support was very helpful as the Raptors improve to 5-4.

Raptors recap

Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh - 27 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist in 41 minutes. Toronto's All-Star led the Raptors with 27 points, providing key hoops when the Raptors needed them. Overall, the Raptors were +7 with him on the court. Another great outing for Chris.

Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points, 18 rebounds, 2 blocks in 34 minutes. Reminding everyone why BC brought him in, Jermaine owned the boards with 18, 5 of which were offensive, in posting his third consecutive double-double.
Will Solomon - 15 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds in 34 minutes. In his first start, the Raptors latest import played like he belonged with the big boys. He dished the ball beautifully and shot the ball within reason. However, Will again struggled with turnovers, he had 4 today.
Kris Humphries - 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists in 16 minutes. In his first outing getting reasonable minutes, Hump shot a near perfect 5-6, got to the line 5 times, and crashed the offensive boards for 4. Bargnani starting at SF may open doors for Hump.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
Oh my God we outrebounded a team! The rebounds were 52 - 35 in favour of the Raptors, good for a margin of +17. We also put up more points in the paint. This could be expected as Miami is largely a small ball team; their starting centre, Udonis Haslem, is only 6'8!

Next game: Tuesday, November 18th, 7:00PM at Orlando Magic

Raptors Come Back - 89-79 Raptors

For the first two and half quarters of this one, it looked like the Raptors had lost all their confidence, hustle - and ability to shoot. But Chris Bosh played like a superstar, giving us energy, scoring, rebounding and defense down the stretch to lead a 19-0 run late in the game which gave the Raps an unsurmountable lead. Andrea Bargnani also played well, and Will Solomon gave some nice backup minutes for Jose.

Check out the Raptors recap

Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh was the man today. He took it upon himself to not allow our team to drop to 3-3, and it turns out against a team like the Bobcats (though they knocked off New Orleans the other day) his talent and determination was enough. CB4 had 30 points (on scorching 12-17 FG and 6-7 FT), 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. He - like the rest of the team - looked a little rusty early, and he ended up with 5 turnovers and 3 fouls. But you can't take anything away from him - he was dominant.

Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 18 points (6-10 from the field including 3-5 from three, 3-4 from the line), 5 rebounds, 3 blocks. Another excellent, rounded game from Bargnani. Maybe even more importantly, Il Mago only had one turnover and one foul. Also had some key defensive plays down the stretch and hit some huge shots. Getting production like this every game would be a lifesaver.
Jose Calderon - 13 points (6-10 FG, 1-4 3FG), 7 assists, 0 turnovers. A solid if unspectacular game from Jose. Was backed-up effectively by Will Solomon (2 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover) and as a result "only" played 35 minutes.
Jermaine O'Neal - 5 points (0-5 FG(!), 5-6 FT), 9 rebounds, two assists, one block. For some reason, his scoring is just not there. But there's no doubting that Bosh is loving the move over to power forward, looking at his stats. It's definitely nice to see that JO is active on the boards and on defense despite his scoring. Before the start of the season, we were worried what would happen if JO didn't get his touches, and if his attitude would rub off on the rest of the team. Thus far, he's been a veteran leader and hopefully just wants to win. Only played 20 minutes tonight because the Bobcats were going with a small line-up and because Bargnani was playing so well.
Jamario Moon - 10 points (5-8 FG, 0-2 3FG), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, one block. A return to last year's Super Jamario - hustle, chipping in some points here and there, great rebounding and defense. He needs to be active to be effective, and tonight he was both of those things.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot 49.3% (35-71) from the field to Charlotte's 37% (30-81). But tonight, for the first time this season, the Raptors outrebounded their opponents, 44-36. Yeah, it's almost completely because the Bobcats couldn't land a shot in the ocean with a beach ball, but baby steps, people.

Next game: Tomorrow (Monday) at Boston Celtics, 7:30 PM tipoff

Raptors Win Another Thriller - 91-87 Raps

On the second night of a back-to-back, playing against a very energetic Bucks squad in their home opener, the Raptors actually led for much of the third and fourth. But the Bucks made their run, and it looked like our Raps were out of gas. After Anthony Parker missed a three that could have iced the game and put us up by four, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (remember him?) made a hook shot in the lane to regain the lead. In their zone, Jose got the ball back and calmly knocked down a tres with about 21 seconds left to put us up two. Michael Redd then missed a jumper that would have tied the game, Moon grabbed the board, was immediately fouled and made his freebies. Redd followed with a layup to bring the Bucks back to within reach, but the Raptors called a timeout and got the ball in to Calderon, whose two free throws were the dagger.

Read the Raptors' recap

Player of the Game:
No doubt last night, it was Jose. Dropped a career-high 25 points and dished out 9 assists. Shot 8-15 from the floor, 3-4 on threes and 6-6 from the line. He actually committed six turnovers (when was the last time that happened?) but that's certainly an anomaly, and we can chalk it up to fatigue.

Notables:
Chris Bosh - 20 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists on a night when he looked tired and was hounded all night by Bucks defenders. It's a credit to his improvement as a passer that on such a tough night he is still extremely effective, and his passing has opened up his own scoring - it makes it much tougher for other teams to double up on him when they know he can dish it to Jose, Parker or JK for a three.
Jamario Moon - 15 points, 2 rebounds. Missed some ill-advised shots, but he made them when it counted, scoring 5 points in the last two minutes of the game on a three and two free throws. It would be nice to see him a little more active on the boards.
Anthony Parker - 11 points, 4 steals, 3 assists. Solid as always, played great defence alternating between Richard Jefferson (who had 9 points) and Michael Redd (who had 19).
Jermaine O'Neal - unfortunately is in the "Notables" section largely for bad reasons. Actually had a pretty decent game stat-wise, posting 11 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks, but fouled out with 5:24 left to play and had 4 turnovers. While he hasn't played badly despite his fouls, he needs to work on taking care of the ball (and granted, tonight everyone was off their game) and staying on the floor, as his defence has been sensational.

Full box score

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors again shot very well from behind the arc, going 50% (8-16) and from the line, going for 88.5% (23-26). It's important, especially on the road, to make open shots and free throws, and last night our boys did what they needed to do.

Next game: Wednesday, November 5th vs. Detroit Pistons

Raps Pull It Out in Overtime - 112-108 Raptors

Tonight was a huge confidence booster for the Raptors. After a neck-and-neck game for much of the first four quarters, we found ourselves playing catchup in crunch time. When JO, who did not play well offensively, picked up his fifth foul and sat on the pine, Andrea Bargnani was called upon to play crucial minutes. Bargnani, who was already playing very aggressively, carried the Raps through the fourth and in overtime. He certainly played the best we've seen in a long time. In overtime, the Raptors scored the first eight points and played lockdown defense on the Warriors.

Read NBA.com's preview

Player of the Game:
Can't help but give it up for Il Mago tonight. After a poor offensive showing in the season opener (0 points on 0-4 shooting) despite decent defensive play (5 rebounds, 2 blocks) both Smitch and Andrea himself were unhappy with his play. But he stepped up big time last night, posting 19 points on blistering 8-10 (1-2 from three) from the field and 2-2 from the line. He also posted 5 boards, 3 blocks including two monster blocks on Al Harrington in OT, and perhaps most importantly, only committed one foul and had two turnovers in 31 minutes. He played like a number one pick, and that's all we can ask.

Notables:
Chris Bosh - probably had the best game overall, but Bargnani stepped up enough that he deserved the Player of the Game. Had 31 points (12-24FG, 7-10FT), 9 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block in 42 minutes. Did have three turnovers, but when you have the ball in your hands as much as CB4, it's acceptable. The scariest part of his game: he started off very slowly, shooting 2-5 from the line and looking extremely uneasy against Harrington. And he still dropped 31.
Jose Calderon - absolutely dazzling play from Numero Ocho. In 43 minutes: 16 points (4-10 from the field, 0-1 from three, 8-8 from the line). 13 assists. 5 rebounds. And one turnover. Jose Calderon is an All-Star.
Anthony Parker - 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals in 41 minutes. Big game from AP, especially on defense. While it's not reasonable to expect production like this every night, he's definitely still capable of making big plays and scoring when he needs to.
Jermaine O'Neal - in a foul-plagued game, only 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. It's nice to see that he's active and using his body on defense even in foul trouble, and when Andrea plays like that backing him up, he can definitely be a force all the time in our end.

Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were plus-13 in free throw shooting (26-30 to 13-19). This certainly helps counteract Golden State's 11 threes, plus-10 in rebounding, plus-14 in points in the paint and plus-16 in field goal attempts.

Next game: Tonight, November 1st, at Milwaukee Bucks

Raptors Undefeated - 95-84 Raptors

The Raptors won their first game of the regular season on the strength of 44 points, 19 rebounds and 8 assists combined from Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal. The Raptors started sluggishly, not making a field goal for the first five minutes of the game, but hung around long enough for "Hot Cocoa" Roko Ukic (sorry) to come in and prove why he is the backup point guard. He brought energy and leadership off the bench, including a beautiful play in which he coralled a loose ball followed by a pretty behind-the-back dribble to give him the open lane for an easy layup.

NBA.com Recap

Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 27 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists. In the first of likely dozens of spectacular performances, Bosh started the season with a bang. He shot 9-16 from the floor and 9-10 for the line. If Bosh brings this every night (which he's capable of) he'll give the Raps a chance to win every night out.

Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists. Silenced his critics, for a day at least. Played very well and was active on defense. Did pick up five fouls, but at least one was very questionable, a blocking foul that in this blogger's humble opinion was an obvious charge.

Jose Calderon - 13 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds. A very solid, efficient game from Jose, as we're used to seeing, recording just one turnover, and shooting 5-9 from the field (3-5 from three). Also answered the trivia question, "Who made the first field goal for the Toronto Raptors in the 2008-09 season?"

Jason Kapono - 15 points (10 in the 4th quarter), 2 rebounds. Was blisteringly hot this game, shooting 3-4 from three and 6-8 overall. If he does what he was brought here to do - shoot, shoot, and shoot some more - the Raptors will be very happy with his complement to Jamario Moon's athleticism.

Full box score

Stat of the game:
Looking at the game stats, it's shocking that the Raptors won this game, let alone by such a wide margin. They were absolutely annihilated on the boards, losing that battle 56-33, committed seven more fouls (23-14) and were minus-eight in free throw points. However, the Raps shot 62.5% (10-16) from three-point land, turned the ball over just ten times (to Philly's 18) and held the Sixers to 34.5% shooting from the floor. While it's common knowledge that Philly is a poor outside shooting team (5-20 from three), every team has their weaknesses, and tonight it looked like the Raptors capitalized.

Next game: Friday 7:00 PM vs. Golden State Warriors