Raptors VS Pacers (Game 2)

Series Tied 1-1

The Raptors fans actually got to see their team win tonight. It was a relief to see them pull it off. There were many reasons for the Raptors victory and the Pacers loss, let's take a look at them.

Unlike last game, Jonas Valanciunas stayed out of foul trouble for the whole game. He ended the game with 4 personals and he played 31 minutes in the game. He contributed largely with 23 points and 15 rebounds which really destroyed the Pacers. The Pacers really have to find a way to stop Valaciunas.

Kyle Lowry has had another poor game. He shot just 30.8% from the field and he was 0-5 from 3-point range. It really hasn't been the Pacers that have stopped him from scoring either. They have actually left Lowry open as he shot 2-10 on uncontested field goals. Unlike last game though, Lowry did a great job of reacting differently. He got into the play in different ways than trying to score. He had 9 assists and 7 rebounds in the game along with only 2 turnovers. So while Lowry didn't shoot well at all, he was a big factor in the win for the Raptors.

A thing that really determined the game was the bench. The Raptors bench played really well while the Pacers bench played pretty poorly. The Pacers bench shot just 1-12 from 3 while the Raptors bench shot 5-10 from 3. The Raptors bench was much more efficient than the Pacers bench.

Both teams didn't play the best tonight, but it was obvious that the Raptors had the edge. One thing that the Raptors have to do is win 1 game in Indiana. If the Pacers win all of their home game, they are going to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

Kings VS Raptors: Toronto Needs Valanciunas Back

The Kings and the Raptors went head to head on December 20th. The Kings came out of Toronto with the win and it is clear that the Raptors are struggling. Why are they struggling though? The main reason is because both Valanciunas and Carroll are out of the starting line-up due to injuries. Let's jump into the game.

The Kings Dominated On Offense
This Sacramento Kings team couldn't miss the other night. Maybe this had something to do with Carroll out, but the Kings still shot 52.6% from the field as well as shooting 42.9% from 3-point range. Of course, this isn't that surprising since the Kings are 5th in field goal percentage and also 5th in 3-point percentage. It also isn't surprising that the Raptors only shot 37.2% from the field and 27.6% from the 3-point line knowing that they are 21st in field goal percentage and 17th in 3-point percentage.

Kyle Lowry Had a Short Night
Lowry really struggled in this game, and he never got to go on a hot streak considering the fact that he was ejected in the 4th quarter. When he argued with a call, the ref gave him a tech. Lowry continued to argue and was thrown out of the game with another tech. The Raptors were only down by 7 at that point.

Bismack Is No Jonas
While Biyombo had 13 rebounds in the game, rebounding is about the only thing that he did. He shot 0-7 from the field and had 2 points off of free throws. He didn't have an assist or a steal. He only had 1 block defensively. They need Jonas. Bismack just doesn't have the offensive caliber that Jonas has on the floor. The Kings had 52 points in the paint and Jonas would have cut that down. Biyombo can rebound and that is about it.

The Kings Of Tempo
There were tons of fast break points for this Kings team and the Raptors couldn't stop it. The thing is, when you have DeMarcus Cousins getting 5 fastbreak points in a game, then your guy are not getting back. Everybody on the Kings were getting out and running in transition and the Raptor were not getting back.

Rajon Rondo Is a Beast
He was the reason why they won this game. He had 19 points along with 13 assists. This kid had 12 points in the paint. 12. He was getting to the rim and finishing on Lowry. He was getting his teammates involved and getting high percentage shots in the paint and Lowry couldn't guard him. Rondo is showing that he deserves to be a starting point guard. Without him, I don't think that the Kings win this game.

Other Points

• DeMar DeRozan lead the way for the Raptors with 28 points. He also added 7 rebounds.
• All 5 of the Kings starters had over 10 points. The team really moved the ball well as they had 26 assists.
• Omri Caspi had a double-double, 15 point and 11 rebounds. He has proved to be a great asset for the team. Expect him to keep up his production.
• The Raptors were short-handed and only played 3 guys off the bench, even after Lowry was ejected. Hopefully they can get Carroll and Jonas back soon, because they don't have much of a bench without them.

As you can see, the Raptors are suffering in some areas without Carroll and Jonas. Hopefully they can get them back soon. Hope you guys liked the post. See you next time on NBA Inside The Play Nation. 

Fantasy Friday (Nov. 27)

Well, this is going to be another classic fantasy post, but first, I want to go over Jonas Valanciunas and his injury.

Jonas Valanciunas is going to be out for about 6-8 weeks with a broken hand. If you have him, that isn't that great. If you trade him, you aren't going to a good value out of him. That is really going to hurt you. However, if your team is struggling, you can trade for this guy low. When he comes back, he is going to do really well, which could really help your team out.

Over-Performers Of The Week

1. Luis Scola: With Jonas Valanciunas out, this man has played great. In the past 4 games, Scola has averaged 17 PPG and 6.25 RPG. That is great, and he will most likely continue til Valanciunas comes back.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo: This freak has averaged 20 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1 steal, 1.3 blocks in the last 4 games while only averaging 1.3 turnovers. You might say, I don't want Giannis, he shoots horribly! Well guess what, he shot 60.9% from the field, 50% from 3, and 91.3% from the FT line in the last 4 game! He has over-exceeded my expectations this week.

Under-Performers Of The Week

1. Kevin Martin: The last 3 games, Kevin Martin has shot 30% from the field and 33% from the 3 point line this week. While he is still doing well from the FT line, K-Mart is struggling with his offense only averaging 10 PPG this week. I do expect him to do better as he gets through this shooting slump, but I would put him on your bench as of right now.
2. John Wall: He has averaged okay numbers, but they aren't John Wall numbers. This week he has averaged 13.3 points, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers. Not only that but his shooting hasn't been the best as it is under 40% from the field. Like K-Mart, J-Wall is just having a tough time right now, and I expect him to pick it up.

Pick-Ups Of The Week

1. Bismack Biyombo: This guy won't be scoring much, but he will be getting you boards with Valanciunas is out. This week he has averaged 10 rebounds per game. He is owned by 14% on Yahoo and 12.7% on ESPN
2. Marco Belinelli: This past week he has averaged 17.5 PPG while making 3 threes per game. He is only owned by 18% on Yahoo and 11.7% on ESPN.

So there are your players of the week. Hoped you liked it. If you want to see past fantasy posts, just go to the fantasy section on the top you your page. See you all next week here on NBA Inside The Play Nation.