Its_asdf's Raptors - Week 12 Recap + Gay Injury Update

Settings :

Team : Toronto Raptors
Difficulty : Allstar (yes, I'm bad )
Played/Sim Quarter Length : 12 minutes
Season Length : 82 games
Playoff Length : 7-7-7-7
Rosters : NBA365 Mod
Sliders : NBA365 Mod
CPU Trades : On
Draft Prospects: Actual draft class of 2014
Team Chemistry: ON
Player Roles: ON
Trade Override: OFF
Trade Deadline: ON
CPU Trades: ON
Preseason Games: OFF

Current Roster


Starting 5:
PG - Kyle Lowry
SG - DeMar DeRozan
SF - Rudy Gay
PF - Amir Johnson
C - Jonas Valanciunas


Bench:
C - Spencer Hawes
PG - Michael Carter-Williams
PF - Tyler Hansbrough
SG - Terrence Ross
C - Cole Aldrich
PG - Dwight Buycks
PF - Quincy Acy
Reserves:
PF - Steve Novak
C - Aaron Gray
SF - Austin Daye

Last edited by Its_asdf on Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:46 pm, edited 32 times in total.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
====================

1. Prologue: Raptors Face Murky Expectations This Season
2. Week One Recap
3. Week Two Recap
4. Toronto Star Article: New Season, Old Problems
5. Week Three Recap
6. Richardson Waived; Ujiri Looking at Free Agent Options
7. Raptors Add Size by Signing Aldrich
8. Week Four Recap
9. Week Five Recap
10. November Player Report Card
11. NBA.com November Stats
12. Week Six Recap
13. Aldridge Losing Patience in Portland + News Around the NBA
14. Week Seven Recap
15. Raptors Ross an Erratic X-Factor + News Around the NBA
16. Raptors Involved in Trade Talks + News Around the NBA
17. Week Eight Recap
18. Raptors Deal Augustin and Fields to Sixers for Carter-Williams and Hawes + News Around the NBA
19. Week Nine Recap
20. Casey Calls out Gay
21. Week Ten Recap
22. December Player Report Card
23. NBA.com December Stats
24. News Around the NBA
25. Denver Shopping McGee and Chandler
26. Week Eleven Recap
27. News Around the NBA
28. Pitching in for DeMar
29. Week Twelve Recap
30. Injury Update: Gay Out for the Season

Last edited by Its_asdf on Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:47 pm, edited 27 times in total.

Raptors Face Murky Expectations This Season
New Management and Old Faces Puts Team in a State of Flux Before Season Opener


The Raptors must get improved production from Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan if they are to compete for a chance at the playoffs.

By: Cathal Kelly Basketball, Published on Sun Oct 28 2013

Usually with the completion of training camp and basketball season rapidly approaching, a sense of excitement can fill a team's locker room as team ambitions and goals are renewed. For the Toronto Raptors, a sense of confusion looms over many of the players instead.

Another unspectacular season finally forced a change in the Raptors' management, with most of the alterations arriving in the front office. In terms of the roster itself, what remains are the jumbled up pieces that serve as a reminder of the disappointing 7 year tenure of the Bryan Colangelo era. While the players themselves are saying the right things and preparing themselves for the October 31st season opener against the Celtics, optimism has become difficult to come by for the fans of the franchise north of the border. "I think we're good enough to make the playoffs to be honest," said Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan. "With Rudy (Gay) with us for a full season and some time to gel, I feel confident we can take this team to another level and make the fans happy."

In a way, DeRozan's confidence is not unwarranted. The Raptors did play .500 basketball when they acquired Rudy Gay mid-season, and the bench play, which was the x factor in many lost games, has seen an upgrade with the acquisitions of former Pacer role players Tyler Hansborough and D.J. Augustin. The top 5 Eastern Conference teams are essentially set in stone barring any freak injuries or unforeseen circumstances, and .500 basketball can easily land a trip into the post season as the final 3 seedings are up for grabs.

The problem is, many of the bottom dwellers from last season have made strides this off season. Detroit, Atlanta and Cleveland have wagered their cap space for upgrades via free agency, while teams such as Washington, Orlando and even Charlotte have added more young talent to fuel their internal growth projects. Raptors head coach Dwane Casey seems to have realized this and isn't exactly as confident as DeRozan is. "We still have a lot of work to do if we want to get to the playoffs," replied Casey when he was relayed DeMar's proclamation of playoff hopes. "We need to see improvement all across the board from all of our guys."

When asked what exactly he was looking for, Casey was quick to point out the Raptors' faults from last season. "We need to start talking more on the defensive end." Casey also stresses the importance of the growth of second year players Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross. However, the glimpses shown during the Raptors' Summer League games were a mixed bag. Valanciunas showed that he was a man among boys, displaying new found physicality and grit that the Raptors sorely need upfront. Terrence Ross on the other hand, looked apathetic and played disappointly, which spells trouble for the Raptors as he is considered one of the few perimeter threats on the team despite an underwhelming rookie season as the 8th overall pick.

The defensive side of the court is not the only problem, according to Casey. "We also need some work offensively as well; our perimeter guys like DeMar, Terrence, Rudy and Kyle need to start picking their spots. There's no excuses for them at this point, but I have confidence we can make it to the post season if all goes according to plan."

Unfortunately for Casey, it hasn't gone according to plan in almost a decade. Like any other season with the Raptors, all we can do is wait and see. Hope isn't the easiest thing to come by anymore.

=========================
Discussion:
Outside of the actual Association, I want to keep posters engaged by discussing with the Association itself and getting a read as to what people are thinking. I will try to have a Discussion section at the end of every Association-related post to help facilitate this discussion. This will also be the section where I will get your guys' opinions on other things such as trades, what storylines you want developed on the Raptors, etc.

Given that this is my first article for this association, what's everyone's opinion thus far? Any tips or opinions regarding the format, the tone, or the content of the article itself? I'm thinking of having one Raptors related article every week to give you guys a pulse on what the Raptors staff, players and management are feeling as the season progresses.

UP NEXT: Opening week recap w/ Boston season opener!

The Raptors are one of the most intriguing teams to use in 2k just because of Derozan and Gay, although both sucks at hitting the 3.

JUST PLAY VALANCIUNAS LIKE HE'S THE SECOND COMING OF SHAQ AND THE RAPS WILL WIN AT 4.

phpBB [video]

[buzzy]

Gay's jumper is pretty wet I thought, just don't ever take a shot with Landry Fields.

Last edited by buzzy on Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

It's a well written article. I'd stress the importance of Kyle Lowry though. Gay, Ross and DeRozan will give you enough scoring via drives and hopefully when their shots are falling. But Lowry has to be the playmaker and defend well.

As hova- said, the article is well-written. The format is appealing, and the tone is engaging. I'm a fan of Kyle Lowry, so I'm hoping he does well here. Even though Rudy Gay is your go-to-guy, Lowry's play will have a significant impact on the performance of the team.

Week 1 Featured Game: Raptors Fall to Celtics in Season Opener

100 (1-0) vs 96 (0-1)

Bos: 16|25|28|21|10
Tor: 26|16|28|20|6



It was a battle of the big men for the Raptors-Celtics season opener, but Canadian kid Kelly Olynyk got the last laugh over Jonas Valanciunas.

2013/10/30

The crowd at the Air Canada Centre roared to life minutes before the Toronto Raptors' season opener against the Boston Celtics, only to have the life sucked out of it in the waning moments of the game.

The Raptors got off on the right foot by feeding off the energy of their crowd, going on a quick 26-16 opening barrage to start the game. The Raptors played mostly zone throughout the quarter, severely limiting the effectiveness of the Celtic's backcourt of Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley. Rondo, the Celtic's main offensive weapon was hounded throughout the game, limited to 5 for 21 shooting but still almost managed a triple double with a 14-8-13 statline. Combine that with the fact that DeMar DeRozan scored 8 of his 23 points in the first quarter and the Raptors looked well on their way to a victory.

"It was our game plan throughout the game to send multiple help defenders at him so that he couldn't get into the paint," said Raptors coach Dwane Casey. "We did a good job of stopping their main weapon, but we failed to limit their second and third options."

Unfortunately, things got ugly for Toronto. The Raptors lost starters Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas to early foul trouble in the second quarter. Lowry played a big part in setting up both the offence and defence, so naturally the Raptors' offence crumbled. Valanciunas also was the Raptors leading rebounder for the game (14 rebounds), and the Celtics managed to get multiple second chance points from their frontcourt of Brandon Bass and Kelly Olynyk when he was on the bench.

Speaking of Olynyk, the Celtics rookie centre viewed the game as a homecoming of sorts, as that BC native returned to his home country of Canada for the first time as an NBA player. He did not fail to impress, finishing with 17 points and 7 rebounds. "We got great minutes from Kelly tonight," said Celtics forward Jeff Green. "He was agressive and got their big men into early foul trouble which was huge. They don't have a lot of big bodies off the bench that could bang down low with us." When asked if Olynyk was extra motivated to play his first NBA game in Canada, Green could only reply with a smile. "Oh yeah, you could tell that he wanted this one bad."

From halftime onwards, the game was a neck in neck battle, as both teams traded leads throughout the third and fourth quarter. The Raptors managed to claw to a 6 point lead with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter. Timely three point shooting from both Green and reserve guard Courtney Lee quickly erased the deficit and the game would go into overtime. Green would score 6 of the Celtics' 10 points in the extra session to put the Raptors away for good.

The Raptors struggled with their offence late, as star player Rudy Gay struggled offensively throughout the game. The 6'9 wing managed only 13 points on 21 shots. "Every time I went up in the paint there would be 2/3 guys hacking me," complained Gay. "The refs were calling it loose today, but I think it was kind of ridiculous some of things they got away with."

KEY PERFORMERS:

Celtics:
J. Green: 18 pts, 9 rebs, 3stls, 8-13 FG, 2-3 3pt ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
K. Olynyk: 17 pts, 7 rebs, 5-11 FG, 7-8 FT. 1 stls
R. Rondo: 14 pts, 8 rebs, 13 asts, 5-21 FG, 2 stls
B. Bass: 12 pts, 8 rebs, 1 ast, 6-9 FG, 1 to
G. Wallace: 11 pts, 4 rebs, 1 blk, 4-8 FG, 3-4 FT

Raptors:
D. DeRozan: 23 pts, 7 rebs, 10-21 FG, 1 blk, 1 stl
K. Lowry: 14 pts, 1 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls, 6-12 FG
J. Valanciunas: 15 pts, 14 rebs, 4 asts, 6-13 FG, 5 fouls
A. Johnson: 11 pts, 9 rebs, 3 asts, 4-6 FG, 3-4 FT

Raptors Blow-Out Hawks in the Third Quarter

96 (1-1) vs 73 (0-2)

Tor: 19|24|26|27
Atl: 12|21|16|24


2013/11/01

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
R. Gay: 19 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts, 6-16 FG, 6-8 FT
K. Lowry: 19 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts, 7-14 FG, 2-4 3PT ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
D. DeRozan: 16 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts, 2 blks, 6-13 FG
T. Ross: 14 pts, 9 rebs, 3 stls, 5-12 FG, 4-7 3PT
J. Valanciunas: 8 pts, 13 rebs, 2 blks, 4-10 FG

Hawks:
L. Williams: 16 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts, 5 TOs, 5/6 FT
P. Millsap: 15 pts, 11 rebs, 1 blk, 1/1 3PT, 6/13 FG
A. Horford: 13 pts, 12 rebs, 3 asts, 3 blks, 6-14 FG

Gay's Season High Buries Bucks

110 (2-1) vs 107 (1-2)

Tor: 38|21|22|29
Mil: 39|20|22|26


2013/11/02

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
R. Gay: 31 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 15-24 FG, 1 blk ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
D. DeRozan: 28 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts, 11-19 FG, 6-8 FT
T. Ross: 15 pts, 2 rebs, 1 asts, 7-15 FG, 1-3 3PT
K. Lowry: 7 pts, 10 rebs, 13 asts, 2-6 FG, 2 TOs

Bucks:
B. Knight: 21 pts, 1 rebs, 10 asts, 5 TOs, 3-3 3PT
J. Henson: 18 pts, 9 rebs, 3 asts, 1 blk, 7-12 FG
O.J Mayo: 17 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 5-8 3PT, 6-16 FG
L. Sanders: 8 pts, 10 rebs, 1 stl, 2 blks , 3-4 FG

RAPTOR OF THE WEEK:


DeMar DeRozan
22.3 ppg
5.3 rpg
2.3 apg
1.3 stls
51% FG
26% 3PT

While Kyle Lowry, Rudy Gay and Jonas Valanciunas each had pretty impressive stat lines in each of the games this week, it has been DeMar DeRozan who has been the steady offensive presence for the Raptors' first three games. DeMar's agressiveness has led to many trips to the freethrow line thus far, but has struggled with his shot from the line at 67%. We shouldn't be too worried though, as DeMar has historically been a good free throw shooter throughout his career.

Next Week's Games

=========================
Discussion:
Hey guys, so with the first week over and the recaps are up, what are your guys thoughts on the formatting, etc? The formatting, to me, might look a bit colourless; a little too much black on white text. However, I'm not exactly a big graphics guy but I'd like to hear what you guys think about it. I'm also a bit "meh" on the recapping format on the non-featured games. I feel like they're a bit too basic, but my initial plan for this type of formatting was to present to you guys a choice as to which game you wanted to read about. I post up what are going to be next week's games and then you could choose which game you would like to see a more in-depth recap about. Anyway, as the season progresses and there is more NBA news (rumour headlines, transactions, team winning streaks, etc.) I will also add supplementary information to these recaps.

So please, be sure to let me know which game you want to see a detailed recap of for next week's games!

Last edited by Its_asdf on Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:13 pm, edited 5 times in total.

The Raptors are one of the most intriguing teams to use in 2k just because of Derozan and Gay, although both sucks at hitting the 3.

JUST PLAY VALANCIUNAS LIKE HE'S THE SECOND COMING OF SHAQ AND THE RAPS WILL WIN AT 4.

phpBB [video]

Yeah, I'm working diligently to bump up DeRozan's three point rating. It's currently sitting at a 69, which isn't all that bad but he still struggles a bit when shooting them in the open. Gay is actually pretty good, rated around 77.

I'm glad someone else adores the "wicktory" meme. I'm trying to make him more of a focal point of the offence but its tough. There isn't a lot of spacing right now since the wings like DeRozan and Gay hang around mid range a lot, but I agree, I really want him and Lowry to have bigger roles than they currently have at the moment.

Gay's jumper is pretty wet I thought, just don't ever take a shot with Landry Fields.

I 100% agree, the seperation he can get from the crossover + mid range fadeaway is ridiculous in this game. If you haven't noticed, I tried to cheese him a bit too much in the Boston game, resulting in his poor shooting performance, haha. I pretty much scored 18 of his 31 points of the Milwaukee game in the first quarter just off of those. Fields.... Yeah I find it hard to find time for him. I actually kind of like him as a player, but he's not that useful in the game and Terrence Ross provides a bigger perimeter threat.

It's a well written article. I'd stress the importance of Kyle Lowry though. Gay, Ross and DeRozan will give you enough scoring via drives and hopefully when their shots are falling. But Lowry has to be the playmaker and defend well.

Thanks man!

Yeah, I agree. I love Lowry and feel like he doesn't get enough love from the Toronto fan base for some reason. The guy is a good three point shooter with a beastly all around game but it's hard to do anything else with him in game because of his height unfortunately.

As hova- said, the article is well-written. The format is appealing, and the tone is engaging. I'm a fan of Kyle Lowry, so I'm hoping he does well here. Even though Rudy Gay is your go-to-guy, Lowry's play will have a significant impact on the performance of the team.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. I agree, with the defense part. Lowry was actually considered an elite defensive point guard a few seasons ago under certain advanced stats (forget which though). But like I said earlier, his lack of height makes him hard to check people in game and I also have a terrible habit of gambling for steals while playing him.

Unfortunate to lose in OT against the Celtics, but at least you bounced back nicely to win two in a row.

As for the recap, I think it looks fine the way it is. The non-featured games cover enough information in my opinion; they might be too basic, but they are non-featured games after all.

That Heat game should be a good one, assuming they don't overwhelm you and run you out of the gym.

Week 2 Featured Game: LeBron and Heat Withstand Raptor Comeback

87 (5-0) vs 85 (2-2)

Mia: 18|25|24|20
Tor: 15|20|26|24



Role players Greg Oden and Rashard Lewis stepped up in Wade's absence, combining for 21 points.

2013/11/05

With Dwyane Wade sidelined with a torn hand ligament, the Toronto Raptors were hoping to end the Miami Heat's undefeated record. On the other hand, Greg Oden, and Rashard Lewis had other plans. The Heat's second leading scorer and all-star awkwardly fell on his hand during the Heat's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks of action. "They showed why they were the two time NBA champions tonight, and they've shown it for the past week or so by going undefeated," said Rudy Gay, who finished with a game high 28 points. "Their role players have filled in for Wade nicely."

Ray Allen was slotted into the starting five for Miami and flourished with 17 points in the game. Seldom used bench players Greg Oden and Rashard Lewis also played a big role in the offence, both scoring double figures off the bench and used their length on defense to bother the Raptors' athletic offense. "We were just out of rhythm completely," sighed Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. "The first two quarters of the game was an absolute mess. We can't expect to beat good teams, let alone the NBA champs, by coming out with that kind of energy."

Both teams hung their hat on their defence for the first half of basketball, with a 43-35 Miami lead going into half-time. The Heat were clearly missing Wade, shooting only 38% in the entire game, but the Raptors failed to capitalize by shooting only 40% themselves. For much of the game, the offence was ran through each of the respective team's small forwards. Rudy Gay and LeBron James both caught fire in the second half, with LeBron scoring 12 of his team's 24 points in the third and Gay scoring 12 of his team's 26 points in the fourth.

The Raptors managed to chip away at the Heat lead and were only down 85-82 with 2:47 remaining in the game. Not surprisingly, the Raptors would yet again run out of gas and miss four of their last five shots. "It was a close game, but we wore them down at the end because they spent all of their energy playing catch-up," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.


KEY PERFORMERS:

Heat:
L. James: 25 pts, 8 rebs, 7 asts, 2 stls, 10/17 FG ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
R. Allen: 17 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts, 1 stls, 7/14 FG
G. Oden: 11 pts, 2 rebs, 4/8 FG, 3/4 FT
R. Lewis: 10 pts, 4/6 FG, 2/4 3PT

Raptors:
R. Gay: 26 pts, 8 rebs, 1 ast, 7/15 FG, 9/11 FT
J. Valanciunas: 14 pts, 9 rebs, 1 blk, 6/11 FG
D. DeRozan: 13 pts, 4, rebs, 2 asts, 2blks, 5/17 FG
K. Lowry: 9 pts, 6 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls, 2/9 FG

Augustin Becomes Unexpected Hero in Charlotte

98 (3-2) vs 93 (2-3)

Tor: 24|29|20|25
Cha: 27|30|18|18


2013/11/06

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
D. DeRozan: 23 pts, 1 reb, 2 asts, 9/16 FG, 5/5 FT
R. Gay: 21 pts, 4 rebs, 8/15 FG, 4/4 FT ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
D. Augustine: 19 pts, 1 reb, 4 asts, 5/7 FG, 3/3 3PT

Hornets:
K. Walker: 22 pts, 6 rebs, 7 asts, 10/17 FG, 2/3 3PT
R. Sessions: 15 pts, 3 rebs, 1 ast, 6/12 FG
B. Gordon: 13 pts, 2 rebs, 1 ast, 5/16 FG

Gay-Granger Scoring Duel Leads to Raptors' First Consecutive Wins of the Season

90 (4-2) vs 83 (3-3)

Tor: 25|17|18|30
Ind: 19|23|19|22


2013/11/08

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
R. Gay: 27 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
D. DeRozan: 13 pts, 2 rebs, 5 asts, 5/10 FG
A. Johnson: 10 pts, 10 rebs, 3 stls, 5/11 FG

Pacers:
D. Granger: 34 pts, 9 rebs, 1 ast, 12/22 FG, 7/13 3PT
D. West: 20 pts, 12 rebs, 4 asts, 6/18 FG, 8/8 FT
G. Hill: 9 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts, 4/9 FG

Raps Can't Contain Jazz's Backcourt Scoring Trio

106 (2-5) vs 101 (4-3)

Uta: 25|28|26|27
Tor: 25|24|27|25


2013/11/09

KEY PERFORMERS:

Jazz:
B. Rush: 22 pts, 8-14 FG
T. Burke: 18 pts, 3 rebs, 7 asts, 6/18 FG, 3/6 3PT ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
A. Burks: 17 pts, 2 rebs, 1 asts, 7/9 FG
G. Hayward: 11 pts, 8 asts, 5/11 FG

Raptors:
K. Lowry: 30 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls
T. Ross: 15 pts, 4 rebs, 6/14 FG, 3/6 3PT
R. Gay: 12 pts, 6 rebs, 5/11 FG

RAPTOR OF THE WEEK:


Rudy Gay
21.5 ppg
6.25 rpg
1.5 apg
49% FG
48% 3PT

Rudy Gay ended the previous week on a strong 31 point outing, and he seemed to carry that momentum on to this week. The 6'8 forward has been deadly from everywhere on the court this week, especially from three. Gay did end the week on a poor 12 point outing in a loss versus Utah. However, given the uneven performances of pretty much all of the Raptors this week Rudy has performed the most consistently and most effectively.

Next Week's Games

New Season, Old Problems
First Two Weeks of Play Showcases Raptors' Inconsistency


Kyle Lowry must limit his tunnel vision of the offence and gambling on defence.

By: Cathal Kelly Basketball, Published on Nov 9 2013

On paper, a 4-3 start to the season looks promising for the Raptors' new 2013-2014 season; this is especially true considering that many of those wins are coming off of road games against potential playoff calibre teams in Atlanta, Indiana and Milwaukee. It also speaks about the mental fortitude of the team and that this team could legitimately make a push for the playoffs. After all, the execution on offfence seems sharper, the players seem hungrier, and the stakes seem bigger now that the Raptors are now half a decade away from their last playoff appearance.

However, if you delve deeper into these three games, many of the same problems that mired the 34-48 Raptors last season still exist on this team. For one, the Raptors bench continues to be a lingering problem that loses leads for the team. The Raptors bench aside from Terrence Ross (and one random offensive outburst from DJ Augustin), has been incredibly lacklustre. The good news is, Dwane Casey seems to realize this problem, but the question from Raptors fans have always been his ability to actually implement these said changes instead of giving lip service.

Next up you have the enigma that is Kyle lowry. Lowry has always been lauded for his ability to be a two way player, a versatile point guard who gives you a bit of everything on the stat sheet. The Raptors look fantastic offensively when he is on his game, opening up slashing lanes for DeMar and Rudy by being a constant three point threat, orchestrating the pick and roll beautifully to set up easy baskets for Amir and JV. However, there are some nights where he is absolutely dead weight for the team from a point guard stand point.

A recurring trend for most teams is to attack Lowry on offence, get him into foul trouble, and severely agitate him. Lowry has tendencies to let his ego get the best of him and freestyle the offense by putting his head down and bullying his way into the paint to get stripped or pick up even more fouls. The point guard position has not looked much stronger from last year (sorry, Augustin fans), and so much of the Raptors' offense is dependent on Lowry making smart decisions. Perhaps it might be time to give Dwight Buycks a call up and see what he is capable of.

Lastly, the Raptors' have simply been playing up to their competition. How does a team go toe-to-toe with the defending champs (granted they are still a top 5 team in the East even without Wade thanks to a certain man by the name of LeBron James) one game and then get bullied by a backcourt trio of Brandon Rush, Trey Burke and Alec Burks? When the Raptors play their style of game, they are a really strong team in the East. This team feasts on transition baskets and quick post up opportunities in the paint by players such as DeRozan and Valanciunas. This point alludes back to the above point on Lowry, where the Raptors would take themselves out of games at times by simply going away from what has made them successful in a game. There are truly Jekyll and Hyde-esque performances to be had by this team on a quarter-to-quarter basis.

The Raptors can make the playoffs this year. It is most certainly a possibility. The only problem is, they're playing a style that's bound to get figured out by 29 other teams. There's still plenty of time left to the season, but we kept saying the same thing last year.

=========================
Discussion:

Alright so with the second week under way, I have a definite feeling that this team will be heading into mediocrity soon. I am going to consider shaking up the roster soon, whether it be via free agency or trades. The thing is, I am always horrifically biased when it comes to players, so I think I need you guys to give me some ideas as to which position is of greatest need for me at the moment and/or which players are the biggest trade assets. I will probably be delving into this topic a bit more later on depending on what kind of repsonses I get and which players/positions I should be pursuing. I'm leaning towards trying to up the playing time of some of the role players on the bench (Fields, Daye, maybe bring in Buycks?) and see what happens from there.

Anyway, as usual, please feel free to tell me which of the upcoming games you would wish to see a more in-depth recap about for Week 3!

Unfortunate to lose in OT against the Celtics, but at least you bounced back nicely to win two in a row.

As for the recap, I think it looks fine the way it is. The non-featured games cover enough information in my opinion; they might be too basic, but they are non-featured games after all.

That Heat game should be a good one, assuming they don't overwhelm you and run you out of the gym.

Yeah surprisingly the Heat game was pretty competitive, although I'm not sure how much of that has to do with Wade being out of the game. The lead only got to double digits once and I quickly came back in the second half thanks to Rudy's ridiculous shot creation ability in the game lol. Then the computer got smart and decided to stick LeBron on him again and my offence just wilted. This team can be so frustrating on offence sometimes if my three point shooters aren't hitting their shots and letting me space the floor.

How's Ross doing at providing 3pt shooting for you? Toronto has almost everything else besides shooting: an adequate PG, a 2-way bigman with potential, and an all-star level go-to scorer. But it seems that everybody else is just mediocre from deep, and I'm guessing they pack the paint against JV inside and crowd Rudy from midrange. Looking forward to seeing if somebody's going to be able to step up from the bench.

Wow, Oden stayed healthy to score 11 points.

You have a decent line-up with young guys on the bench, who just need to develop. Ross should become a beast, as he can shoot threes and dunk, which is the ultimate 2K combo. I'd look to upgrade the front court, you'll need some consistent production from there. JV will develop, but for the time being.

Week 3 Featured Game: Raptors Claw Back Behind Gay's 3 Point Play in Overtime

110 (5-3) vs 107 (5-3)

Tor: 20|29|22|26|13
Hou: 32|28|14|23|10



The go-ahead and-one layup to silence the Rockets' crowd

2013/11/11

There was a reason why the Toronto Raptors acquired Rudy Gay mid-way through last season, and this game was yet again proof of his tantalizing ability score in crunch time. Gay scored 16 of his season high 35 points in the second half of the game to rally a Raptor come back to send the game into overtime. Gay would then score another 5 points in the extra session, including the game-winning basket. "What can I say? I love the big moments," grinned Gay after being asked about his last shot. "I was brought in to be the leader of this team, and I'm here to show everyone that I have what it takes to be the guy you give the ball to when you need a basket."

"There was not much we could do on that last shot," said Rockets head coach Kevin McHale, shaking his head as he thought about the final moments of the game once again. "We sent help into the paint because we knew he was their go-to guy but he is just so long and athletic you can only do so much to bother the shot."

Gay received the ball at the top of the circle with 5.7 seconds left in the game and the scored tied at 107. A quick behind the back dribble on Chandler Parsons freed up the driving lane for Gay, who was met by Rockets' big men Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones at the basket. Gay absorbed contact from Howard and was hit on the arm by Jones on the way up to the rim, but Gay's monstrous wingspan allowed him to lay the ball in softly for a three point play. Gay then hit the free throw to give the Raptors their only lead of the entire game. James Harden, who finished with 21 points, clanked a long three pointer at the other end in an attempt to tie the game.

"Give them credit for coming back, but I feel like this game was ours to lose," said Parsons, who had a 20 point, 10 rebound effort. "We got a big lead early on and got complacent. That's when they started to hit their threes to get back in the game and I made the mistake of overplaying his (Rudy Gay's) left hand at the end."

The Rockets bolted out to an early 15 point lead in the second quarter, mostly thanks to Donatas Montiejunas. The Lithuanian sharpshooting power forward had a team high 26 points and scored the majority of his points in the first half. The Rockets also kept the Raptors in foul trouble throughout the game, going to the free throw line 38 times but only converted 28 attempts. The third quarter was an especially rough quarter for the Rockets, going 1 for 8 from the line which allowed the Raptors to come back with timely three point shooting from DeMar DeRozan (6 of 7 from three) and Rudy Gay (5 of 7 from three). DeRozan also finished with 30 points in the game, helping Gay shoulder the majority of the offensive attack in the second half.

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
R. Gay: 35 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 14/22 FG, 5/9 3PT ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
D. DeRozan: 30 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts, 11/19 FG, 6/7 3PT
K. Lowry: 13 pts, 9 rebs, 7 asts, 3/13 FG

Rockets:
D. Montiejunas: 26 pts, 6 rebs, 9/18 FG, 4/9 3PT
J. Harden: 21 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts,
C. Parsons: 20 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts
D. Howard: 9 pts, 10 rebs, 4 blks

Memphis' Frontcourt Bullies Toronto for an Easy Win

89 (5-4) vs 104 (5-4)

Tor: 21|23|24|21
Mem: 29|27|22|16


2013/11/13

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
K. Lowry: 18 pts, 6 rebs, 7 asts, 6/13 FG
J. Valanciunas: 10 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts, 5/18 FG
T. Ross: 12 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls

Grizzlies:
Z. Randolph: 23 pts, 10 rebs, 4 stls, 9/17 FG ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
T. Prince: 22 pts, 7 rebs, 8/14 FG
M. Gasol: 16 pts, 11 rebs, 6 asts, 2 blks, 7/10 FG
M. Conley: 11 pts, 3 rebs, 9 asts, 4 stls

Fernandez's Career-High Carries Bulls to Beatdown Over Raptors

126 (5-2) vs 103 (5-5)

Chi: 34|28|29|35
Tor: 26|21|28|28


2013/11/15

KEY PERFORMERS:

Bulls:
R. Fernandez: 27 pts 1 reb, 8 asts, 9/10 FG ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
C. Boozer: 19 pts, 4 rebs, 9/14 FG
D. Rose: 17 pts, 8 rebs, 7 asts, 8/10 FG
J. Butler: 13 pts, 4 rebs, 5 asts, 6/7 FG

Raptors:
K. Lowry: 28 pts, 3 rebs, 4 asts, 9/18 FG
J. Valanciunas: 19 pts, 9 rebs, 5 asts, 9/11 FT
R. Gay: 16 pts, 4 rebs, 6/14 FG
D. Augustin: 15 pts, 7/17 FG

Duo of DeRozan and Gay Run Over Blazers

89 (4-6) vs 109 (6-5)

Por: 30|20|15|24
Tor: 29|30|26|24


2013/11/17

KEY PERFORMERS:

Blazers:
L. Aldridge: 20 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 9/19 FG
T. Robinson: 13 pts, 13 rebs, 5/10 FG
C. McCollum: 12 pts, 1 reb, 4 asts, 3 stls
D. Lillard: 10 pts, 1 reb, 4 asts, 3/9 FG

Raptors:
R. Gay: 22 pts, 5 rebs, 1 ast, 2 stls
J. Valanciunas: 16 pts, 13 rebs, 8/13 FG ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
D. DeRozan: 21 pts, 6 rebs, 2 blks, 8/17 FG
K. Lowry: 16 pts, 2 rebs, 8 asts, 2 stls, 6/10 FG

RAPTOR OF THE WEEK:


Kyle Lowry
18.75 ppg
5 rpg
6.5 apg
45% FG
34% 3PT
2.0 TO
*note: averages are for the week, not over the entire season.

That Toronto Star article on Kyle Lowry's inconsistent motor must have really rubbed him the wrong way, because the pint sized point guard turned his play up quite a bit this week. Lowry's worst outing this week was a lackluster 3 for 13 shooting performance against Houston, but nevertheless managed to nearly grab a triple double. In all four games, Lowry has made a dramatic impact by being a solid distributor, a big time scoring threat from anywhere on the court and an incredible rebounder for a guard. It wouldn't be surprising to see Lowry to be the Raptor of the week for multiple times this season as he is in the final year of his contract.

Next Week's Games

Richardson waived; Ujiri Looking at Free Agent Options
Aldrich, Petro, Williams and Thomas Among Free Agents on Raptors' Radar



Nov 18, 2013

It was announced today by Raptors' General Manager Masai Ujiri that they have waived veterran guard Quentin Richardson and are looking to use the extra roster space to add more big men depth.

Richardson was acquired by the Raptors in the trade with New York which sent Andrea Bargnani to the New York Knicks. Richardson was essentially signed to a one year deal by the Knicks in order to balance out the salaries to ensure that the trade would go through. "Richardson and his agent came up to me and told me that their wish was to try their luck elsewhere and try to find a roster spot on a championship contender," spoke Ujiri. "I have no problem with that, and I wish Quentin the best of luck in the future."

Meanwhile, the Raptors intend to bolster their weak bench with another center/power forward to round out their roster via free agency. "It is as of right now probably our biggest area of need," said Ujiri. " We're trying to look for low risk, high reward players out there who can fill in minutes off the bench for us."

Last season, the Raptors would play Aaron Gray as one of their big men off the bench, but the stylistic change in the Raptors offense to a more up-tempo style that favours running the floor means that Gray is probably on the outside looking in for the Raptors' rotation. Many sources say the Raptors are looking heavily into free agents Cole Aldrich, Johan Petro, Tyrus Thomas and Sean Williams, players that can run the floor and who can fit the mold of what the Raptors are looking for.

Ujiri appears to plan on making a small move for now, but says that there is still too much uncertainty as to whether this is the first step towards any other roster overhauls. "We're still evaluating what we need to do with the players on this team and it will be an on-going process," Ujiri said. The Raptors' have also gotten off to a somewhat surprsing start to the season, beating some of the stronger teams in the league which has made Ujiri hesistant to pull the trigger on any deals. "We're in no rush to make any trades or additions, but we are not afraid to make a move that we think will make our team better in the long run."

Headlines Around the NBA:
-Joel Freeland on the Block, Mavericks interested
-Wizards Want to Trade Ariza to Nets
-Andre Miller Demands Trade from Nuggets, Package with Mozgov available?
-Heat Interested in Ibaka
-Bargnani Available to the Highest Bidder

=========================
Discussion:

Well obviously this isn't exactly world shattering news, but I would really like to have a few more options in terms of my big man rotation. As Martti pointed out, my big men rotation off the bench kind of blows. At this point of the season, there aren't going to be many solid big men free agents out there, but I would like to grab a somewhat young-ish big guy off the bench who can grab me some rebounds. I think it's for the best if I don't look for a supremely polished offensive big man as there are not a lot of shots to go around at the moment. Aside from the bumbling corpse known as Aaron Gray and Quincy Acy, the options are pretty limited for the second big to come off the bench (I feel obligated to give Hansborough a large portion of the big man minutes off the bench because he's an Ujiri signing, but boy do I fucking hate him in real life and in this game ). I'm not leaning as much into Thomas or Williams because they're a bit too much like 4's which I feel the Raptors have an abundance of already. I prefer the size of Petro and Aldrich a lot more.

What do you guys think? Feel free to recommend any other players, whether it be via free agency or even a trade. The problem is to try to find a player who would be happier rounding out the roster as a role player or diamond in the rough prospect as opposed to a superstar big man.

Last edited by Its_asdf on Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

How's Ross doing at providing 3pt shooting for you? Toronto has almost everything else besides shooting: an adequate PG, a 2-way bigman with potential, and an all-star level go-to scorer. But it seems that everybody else is just mediocre from deep, and I'm guessing they pack the paint against JV inside and crowd Rudy from midrange. Looking forward to seeing if somebody's going to be able to step up from the bench.

Ross is doing very well, and as shown from that Houston game, the 3 point shooters that I do have can be incredibly streaky. Ross has been great though, I was really suprised by how well rounded he is in this game. Keep an eye out for Mr. Ross in the future, I might have something planned for him.

Wow, Oden stayed healthy to score 11 points.

You have a decent line-up with young guys on the bench, who just need to develop. Ross should become a beast, as he can shoot threes and dunk, which is the ultimate 2K combo. I'd look to upgrade the front court, you'll need some consistent production from there. JV will develop, but for the time being.

Yeah the ability for 2k to live out your deepest fantasies (or worst nightmares) can make for quite the experience lol. I do like some of the players that are coming off the bench (Augustin, Ross) and others not so much. I REALLY want to try to make Fields work because of his stupidly large contract, but my goodness he is just turrible in this game. But yeah, I already said it and I'll say it again, Ross is one of my favourite players on this roster at the moment. He's very J.R. Smith esque in his ability to heat up in a hurry while being a gazelle in transition. I agree with what you said about lacking in the big man department, and from now on that's an area I'm actively trying to address at the moment.

What about a guy like Kenneth Faried? In all of my associations, he's a beast and can be acquired for pretty much nothing. This may be a bit far fetched, but pairing up Derrick Favours and JV would be amazing. You would also get an improved bench, since Amir would be a sixth man.

Good comeback win against the Rockets. One thing I'm concerned about for them in real life is free throws; can they make them? Even though they were missing free throws, the three-point barrage between Gay and DeRozan and the former's clutch play were the real reasons you won.

If all you need is a big man with size to grab you rebounds, I don't think you can go wrong with Aldrich or Petro. However, regardless of your hate for Hansbrough, it also wouldn't hurt to give him a go.

I'd go with Tyrus Thomas, but that's because I've liked him since his rookie year and it's been sad seeing his career go down after getting that big contract.

I feel for Tyrus after the way things have gone for him recently, but Cole really does everything you'd need him to on the cheap. I'd be running Aldrich a lot in my association if Golden State hadn't given away Ezeli.

Funny that Acy isn't doing much for you, he usually seems to rebound pretty well as long as he isn't forced to play center.

Raptors Add Size by Signing Aldrich
Ujiri Inks Former Lottery Pick to a Two Year Deal


Aldrich will most likely be the second big man off the bench after Tyler Hansborough.

Nov 19 2013

After waiving veteran swingman Quentin Richardson who had yet to play a game, the Toronto Raptors held a press conference today to announce that they have signed free agent center Cole Aldrich to a two year deal. Sources indicate that the contract is worth around 2.91 million over the two year span.

"We are happy to bring Cole into our roster and feel that he brings some added depth to one of our weaknesses," spoke Raptors GM Masai Ujiri at the press conference held today. "Cole is a big body who can play defence, rebound, block shots and can be a complimentary player down low off the bench for us."

The 6'11 center out of Kansas was drafted 11th overall in the 2011 NBA draft but has yet to make a significant impact in the NBA. He has already been on three teams in two seasons with averages of 2.0 points per game and 2.3 rebounds per game. Aldrich has played for the Thunder, the Rockets and the Kings, but has only played a total of 86 games in two seasons.

When asked about his career thus far, Aldrich insisted that he simply never had the opportunity to prove himself. "I'm not here to worry about what I should have done," claimed Aldrich. "I just want to compete with the Raptors and show people that I can be an effective player in the NBA." He later added, "I think if I just play my game and work hard everything else should fall into place."

Last edited by Its_asdf on Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

Week 4 Featured Game: Fourth Quarter Meltdown Seals Raptors' Fate

98 (6-6) vs 106 (8-5)

Tor: 33|20|25|20
Phi: 28|20|25|33



DeRozan had a strong game and threw down a dunk of the year worthy dunk this game, but it wasn't enough.

2013/11/20

The Philadelphia 76ers continue their surprising start to the season by ending the game on a 33 point fourth quarter barrage. Most of the damage was done by Sixer guard Evan Turner, who finished with a 28 point, 10 rebound double double and has become one of the leaders of the young 76er team. Turner also got a lot of help from Thaddeus Young and recent free agent acquisition Delonte West, who each poured in 21 and 20 points respectively. "You know, a lot of people wrote us off early on in the season, but I think that the growth of a lot of our players has really caught people off guard when they play us," Turner said.

To answer Evan Turner's 28 point performance was DeMar DeRozan, who also scored 28 points himself to lead the Raptors. The entire game was highlighted with a back and forth duel between Turner and DeRozan, each seemingly scoring at will against the opposing defences. "It was fun to watch, that's for sure," said Sixers rookie Nerlens Noel. Noel had 6 points and 8 rebounds. "There was a lot of trash talking and a lot of baskets by both of those players. I'm just glad we got the win though."

The Raptors held a small 5 point lead going into the fourth quarter, but DeRozan received no help in the fourth quarter and the Sixers took advantage of the floundering Raptors defence. Philadelphia native Kyle Lowry put on a show in his home town with a 23 point 8 assist outing, but was the only other Raptor to make a meaningful impact on the game. "It's frustrating to be in control for most of the game and then just throw it away like that," said Lowry. "We need to put together 48 minutes of good basketball, not 36. This is what 36 minutes of good basketball looked like tonight."

Raptors head coach Dwane Casey cited the team's lackluster performance at the free throw line as one of the reasons why the game got so out of hand in the final quarter. "We shot 8 for 18 from the line," Casey lamented. "That right there is a 10 point swing that could have kept us from losing the game."

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
D. DeRozan: 28 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts, 12/22 FG, 3/5 3PT
K. Lowry: 23 pts, 3 rebs, 8 asts, 9/14 FG. 3/5 3PT
A. Johnson: 13 pts, 5 rebs, 6/11 FG

Sixers:
E. Turner: 28 pts, 10 rebs, 5 asts, 13/26 FG ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
T. Young: 21 pts, 9 rebs, 1 ast, 10/12 FG
D. West: 20 pts, 2 rebs, 6 asts, 7/15 FG

Raptors Go Ice Cold as Wizards Get the W

89 (6-6) vs 80 (6-7)

Was: 25|26|16|22
Tor: 27|14|20|19


2013/11/22

KEY PERFORMERS:

Raptors:
R. Gay: 21 pts, 7 rebs, 2 asts
K. Lowry: 19 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts, 7/14 FG
D. DeRozan: 11 pts, 3 rebs, 4 asts

Wizards:
J. Wall: 22 pts, 3 rebs 7 asts, 2 stls, 8/25 FG ***(PLAYER OF THE GAME)***
B. Beal: 15 pts, 6 rebs, 7/10 FG
T. Ariza: 12 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 4/11 FG

RAPTOR OF THE WEEK:


Kyle Lowry
21 ppg
5.5 rpg
6.5 apg
57% FG
46% 3PT
1.5 TO
*note: averages are for the week, not over the entire season.

Despite playing only two games, Lowry has continued to put up stellar all around numbers this week. A recurring trend this season for the Raptors' offence would be to have DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay taking turns being the primary option on offence, but it is always Lowry who is following steadily behind one of them. If there has been one complaint this week on Lowry, it has got to be his defence. In both games against Philadelphia and Washington, Lowry has been letting opposing point guards wreak havoc, as both Delonte West and John Wall scored 20 or more points.

Next Week's Games

=========================
Discussion:

Well that was a pretty disappointing week to say the least, I got my ass handed to me by two of the crappier teams in the East. I'm now sitting at below .500 and next week I'm up against two of the best in the East (Nets and Heat). At the same time, I'm pretty happy that the team is on a bit of a downswing. If this trend continues you can be sure to have me pull the trigger on some sort of change, whether it be a coaching change or a trade. We'll have to wait and see though, the going's not too tough right now but being below .500 for the first time this season is not a good feeling.

Anyway, as usual, please let me know which game you would prefer to have a more in-depth recap on. Both games look to be against top tier teams so you can't really go wrong with either.

Last edited by Its_asdf on Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

What about a guy like Kenneth Faried? In all of my associations, he's a beast and can be acquired for pretty much nothing. This may be a bit far fetched, but pairing up Derrick Favours and JV would be amazing. You would also get an improved bench, since Amir would be a sixth man.

Faried would be an interesting choice. I think he would complement Valanciunas pretty well as a starting 4 and both are super high energy guys. However, him and Favors are both pretty important pieces to their respective franchises and I personally don't feel right when I try to make lopsided trades. I really like that you pointed out Denver as a potential team to deal with though, I like a lot of their players and I am currently looking into certain scenarios involving them to further the story.

I am also a fan of moving Amir to the bench, but my options at the moment are pretty limited. We shall see what's in store in the future.

Good comeback win against the Rockets. One thing I'm concerned about for them in real life is free throws; can they make them? Even though they were missing free throws, the three-point barrage between Gay and DeRozan and the former's clutch play were the real reasons you won.

If all you need is a big man with size to grab you rebounds, I don't think you can go wrong with Aldrich or Petro. However, regardless of your hate for Hansbrough, it also wouldn't hurt to give him a go.

Yeah, you can bet your ass that team's are going to go for the hack a Howard/Asik strategy in late game scenarios. I still think with the lineup they got they should be beating teams well before that should happen, though. That team is going to be scary next season!

Yeah, Hansborough is currently my seventh man in my rotation after Ross and he usually soaks up the majority of the minutes when one of Amir or JV get in foul trouble or get fatigued early on. He's just really clunky to use in game and he has Kwame esque hands every time I try to get him to score underneath the basket. I'm hell bent on torturing myself and continuing to use him because I have faith in Ujiri....

I'd go with Tyrus Thomas, but that's because I've liked him since his rookie year and it's been sad seeing his career go down after getting that big contract.

I was really leaning towards Thomas, but he was asking for a lot of money and a lot of years (I think 3 years around $3 mill per). Any player who can run and jump tend to be pretty good in 2k and I tried him out a few games and I really liked him. However Vesapasian92 and Axel seemed to favour Aldrich more so you got outvoted 2-1.

I feel for Tyrus after the way things have gone for him recently, but Cole really does everything you'd need him to on the cheap. I'd be running Aldrich a lot in my association if Golden State hadn't given away Ezeli.

Funny that Acy isn't doing much for you, he usually seems to rebound pretty well as long as he isn't forced to play center.

Acy is 6'7 and seems to be more of a small forward size but he plays like a power forward which is weird. I feel like the 4 spot is pretty well covered with Johnson, Hansborough and even JV can slide over there as well considering how mobile he is. Acy, like Fields, is a player I like on the team but I just don't have the minutes to spare for him, unfortunately.