Legends66NBA7
01-01-2016, 08:17 PM
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The Toronto Raptors managed to grab their slim lead atop the Atlantic Division without their preferred starting lineup intact.
After their top five were reunited for the first time in more than a month and won despite some lackluster play, the Raptors continue trying to get those pieces to jell in a New Year's Day matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.
The Raptors (20-13) were tied with Boston for first in the Atlantic after beating the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 20 -- the last time DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll started together before Wednesday.
Valanciunas was sidelined 17 games by a hand injury and came off the bench in Monday's loss in Chicago after Carroll, who missed nine with a bruised knee, returned for Saturday's victory at Milwaukee.
Despite the injuries, Toronto went 11-6 from Nov. 22-Dec. 26 and leads the Celtics by 1 1/2 games thanks in part to center Bismack Boyombo and a rotation of forwards. While Wednesday's reunion of regulars wasn't pretty, DeRozan led the way and Boyombo played well to lift Toronto to its fourth win in five games, 94-91 over Washington.
The Raptors had a miserable night from the field, shooting 34.1 percent and 6 of 24 from 3-point range, but DeRozan made up for his 9-of-24 performance by hitting all 15 free throws to finish with a season high-tying 34 points.
Valanciunas, averaging 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds when he was hurt, went 4 for 7 in 20 minutes with eight points and nine rebounds. Boyombo added 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.
Carroll shot 2 for 10 and Lowry 2 of 12.
"Every game is going to be a process and I think it's going to continue to get better," said DeRozan, whose team was averaging 101.6 points before Valanciunas was injured. "It feels good to be healthy again."
Trying to get the frontcourt clicking could prove difficult against the Hornets (17-14), who rank fourth with 38.8 points allowed in the paint per game.
Charlotte might take a hit in that department with center Al Jefferson out at least six weeks because of knee surgery. However, he's played only twice since Dec. 2 and the club boasts several 7-footers, including Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky.
"We've got to play with whoever's healthy, whoever's on the court," Zeller told the team's official website.
That size could again cause Toronto to rely more on its outside shot, which wasn't much help in the first meeting of the season. The Raptors went 9 for 39 from behind the arc in a 109-99 overtime road loss to the Hornets on Dec. 17.
Toronto, fourth in the NBA with 96.4 points allowed per game, is facing a Hornets team that has slumped of late with six losses in nine.
Giving up 99.7 points a contest, Charlotte fell to 13-2 when scoring 100 or more with Wednesday's 122-117 loss to the Clippers. Kemba Walker had 29 points, Kaminsky added 20 and Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lamb chipped in 19 apiece, but the Hornets allowed Los Angeles to shoot 52.1 percent overall and 15 of 30 from beyond the arc.
"We started the game with no defensive mentality -- we couldn't guard them," coach Steve Clifford said during a brief postgame presser during which he took no questions.
In addition to missing Jefferson, Charlotte played without guard Jeremy Lin (ankle), who scored a season-best 35 points against the Raptors on Dec. 17. DeRozan put up 31 for Toronto in that contest.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/drp/nba/raptors/sites/default/files/styles/story_main_photo/public/rapsvs-web_1.png
http://mlse.digital/raptors/projectedlineups-010116.jpg
The Toronto Raptors managed to grab their slim lead atop the Atlantic Division without their preferred starting lineup intact.
After their top five were reunited for the first time in more than a month and won despite some lackluster play, the Raptors continue trying to get those pieces to jell in a New Year's Day matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.
The Raptors (20-13) were tied with Boston for first in the Atlantic after beating the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 20 -- the last time DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll started together before Wednesday.
Valanciunas was sidelined 17 games by a hand injury and came off the bench in Monday's loss in Chicago after Carroll, who missed nine with a bruised knee, returned for Saturday's victory at Milwaukee.
Despite the injuries, Toronto went 11-6 from Nov. 22-Dec. 26 and leads the Celtics by 1 1/2 games thanks in part to center Bismack Boyombo and a rotation of forwards. While Wednesday's reunion of regulars wasn't pretty, DeRozan led the way and Boyombo played well to lift Toronto to its fourth win in five games, 94-91 over Washington.
The Raptors had a miserable night from the field, shooting 34.1 percent and 6 of 24 from 3-point range, but DeRozan made up for his 9-of-24 performance by hitting all 15 free throws to finish with a season high-tying 34 points.
Valanciunas, averaging 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds when he was hurt, went 4 for 7 in 20 minutes with eight points and nine rebounds. Boyombo added 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.
Carroll shot 2 for 10 and Lowry 2 of 12.
"Every game is going to be a process and I think it's going to continue to get better," said DeRozan, whose team was averaging 101.6 points before Valanciunas was injured. "It feels good to be healthy again."
Trying to get the frontcourt clicking could prove difficult against the Hornets (17-14), who rank fourth with 38.8 points allowed in the paint per game.
Charlotte might take a hit in that department with center Al Jefferson out at least six weeks because of knee surgery. However, he's played only twice since Dec. 2 and the club boasts several 7-footers, including Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky.
"We've got to play with whoever's healthy, whoever's on the court," Zeller told the team's official website.
That size could again cause Toronto to rely more on its outside shot, which wasn't much help in the first meeting of the season. The Raptors went 9 for 39 from behind the arc in a 109-99 overtime road loss to the Hornets on Dec. 17.
Toronto, fourth in the NBA with 96.4 points allowed per game, is facing a Hornets team that has slumped of late with six losses in nine.
Giving up 99.7 points a contest, Charlotte fell to 13-2 when scoring 100 or more with Wednesday's 122-117 loss to the Clippers. Kemba Walker had 29 points, Kaminsky added 20 and Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lamb chipped in 19 apiece, but the Hornets allowed Los Angeles to shoot 52.1 percent overall and 15 of 30 from beyond the arc.
"We started the game with no defensive mentality -- we couldn't guard them," coach Steve Clifford said during a brief postgame presser during which he took no questions.
In addition to missing Jefferson, Charlotte played without guard Jeremy Lin (ankle), who scored a season-best 35 points against the Raptors on Dec. 17. DeRozan put up 31 for Toronto in that contest.