In Montreal. Anyone going? I'm super hyped about the game for some reason. Probably because it'll be the first time i'm gonna get to see the 3 guys i'm watching for (Lowry, Ross and Val) all playing (and I bet quite possibly even playing on the floor at the same time at some point. Plus Bargs has a calf injury so i'm assuming he'll be held out which means a big opportunity for Val again. Plus the Knicks will be a good challenge for us to see how we stack up against a legit playoff team/division rival.
Yeah I was wrong, Bargs is in the lineup. He's actually looked pretty good so far. Man that lineup of Lowry/Derozan/Fields/Bargs/Val was looking awesome. Val with that nice backdown move, Bargs with a stepback, and Lowry pushing the pace and being aggressive. Sucks that Val picked up those 2 quick ones but in the few minutes he's played so far he looked very confident and aggressive. Crazy athletic play by Derozan on that alley oop. I finally have a team I can watch again, no matter what position they end up in.
He's probably the best overall player on the Raptors.
I was very excited when we picked him up. I honestly think he catches people off guard. He's undersized. He's not the greatest passer out there. He's not the fastest. He's not the best shooter. But he does a lot of things well. He reads the game, he's a smart player, he's tenacious, he's aggressive and he's a run the ball and attack point guard kind of like a poor man's Rondo with better shooting ability and more of an offensive mentality.
Lowry looked awesome. And i'm lovin Val's aggressiveness/fearlessness. Only 20 years old!. damn!
We are watchable again! I went through a 2 year stretch of only memories being enough to keep me even mildly entertained by this team. Val looks like a beast on the blocks. And once he can get a little smarter on the defensive end we will have a true gem. 10 boards and a block in 24 minutes. And Lowry was controlling the tempo all game. Knocking down 3's left and right, making some pinpoint passes, started the fast break, rebounding, playing D, everything. Jose looked like he was a little uncomfortable coming off that bench roll but he seemed to pick it up in the 2nd half and sort of figure out his place. I know it's only the preseason but I still think we are going to surprise a lot of people with how competitive we are, even if this team falls out of the playoff race.
Not gonna lie the first stretch where Val was on the floor, I was excited. That kid will be a keeper.
I was hyped when he caught the ball on the block and backed down Amar'e with authority and made that hook shot over him. I've seen his highlights over in Europe so we all know the kid can play but i've been waiting to see him get that confidence to show his stuff out there and it seems like with each passing game he's getting it.
As for Terrance Ross I don't know I still feel like we wasted that pick. But we'll see if time proves me wrong.
He was actually quite active defensively, for him. Blocked a couple shots in the paint, grabbed rebounds. He put forth a good effort tonight on the defensive end, much more activity than usual. But we all know that for whatever reason he seems to play better D when his shots are falling.
Raps vs. Knicks tonight!!
Val looks like a beast on the blocks. And once he can get a little smarter on the defensive end we will have a true gem. 10 boards and a block in 24 minutes. And Lowry was controlling the tempo all game. Knocking down 3's left and right, making some pinpoint passes, started the fast break, rebounding, playing D, everything. Jose looked like he was a little uncomfortable coming off that bench roll but he seemed to pick it up in the 2nd half and sort of figure out his place. I know it's only the preseason but I still think we are going to surprise a lot of people with how competitive we are, even if this team falls out of the playoff race.
I don't know I still feel like we wasted that pick. But we'll see if time proves me wrong.
