The Raps got some revenge last night at the ACC by crushing the Washington Wizards...
Editor's Note: The HQ is expanding! Since about the end of last season it became clear to the team that they could use a few extra resources to help on the content side, so last month they put out the call to Ryerson's School of Journalism here in Toronto, seeking interns. They've narrowed their list down to a few final candidates, but want readers help in deciding who eventually rounds out the team. To that end, the HQ will be posting work from the finalists, and at the end of it, will seek feedback from you, the readers, as to who should get the gig!
We had the bulk of our intern submissions last this week, and here's our sixth and final entry, courtesy of Robby Frankel...
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There are good nights and there are bad nights for every team in the NBA. Tonight was a good night for the Raps.
The Raps stomped the Washington Wizards out of the ACC last night, putting up their highest point total of the season in an assertive 127-108 win. And amazingly, fortunately and surprisingly, most of the credit should go to Bargnani.
Bargs put up 18 points and 18 boards with 3 assists on 8-13 shooting. He pulled the Raps away in the second quarter when the game was still in reach. For a big man who is constantly criticized for not being able to rebound, putting up 8 boards and leading the team in the category (along with my main man Joey Dorsey) is a decent sign, and he'll need to continue this effort on the glass, especially with Reggie Evans out for a while. But it has become clear over the past few games; this is our number one guy.
Of course the other big story from last night was the debut of Ed. (Despite only having played one game in a Raptors uniform, he's already achieved one-name status). The kid looked nice, scoring 11 points and grabbing 6 boards in 24 minutes. Ed seemed comfortable in the offense, defensively adequate, and had good energy, and most importantly, good chemistry with the other young guns. DeRozan hit him for a sick, wicked and nasty behind-the-back pass for a speakin-bad-gramma slamma jamma in the second. It was nothing short of delightful.
DeMar himself had a good night with a team-high 20 points. But he was scoring when the score was already out of reach, as the Raptors won in dominant fashion.
The night was good, but things must be kept in perspective. We were playing the Wizards. This juggernaut of a franchise is one of two teams in the NBA yet to win a game on the road (along with the Clippers) and the Wiz have won 5 games total this season.
In other words, this 19-point win against Washington doesn't mean 1/32 as much (Ed's number) as the one-point win against Boston just over a week ago.
Washington, for whatever reason, just did not come to play. It must have been encouraging for Wiz fans to see their beloved first overall pick John Wall drop 19 and 8 after a three-game absence with a knee injury and manage nearly 32 minutes of gametime, but other than that, the team fell flatter than Gilbert Arenas gun jokes. And his 1-10 shooting.
Agent Zero (I love the newborn power of that nickname after the weapons charges) put up only 7 pts in nearly 30 minutes of action, Andray Blatche finished with 17 and Javale McGee put up a game-high 21 points.
Random observation of the night - Sonny Weems is playing good basketball. This guy is growing, playing like he wants to win, and looks like he's having fun playing for the dinosaurs. He put up 18 points and shot 7-12, and most importantly, he plays a fast-paced and exciting brand of ball that gets fans into the game. Don't act like you're not impressed.
The Raps are used to blowouts, just not being on this side of them. Andrea needs to be a dependable scorer for the team to have any chance to win, because his size/arsenal combination makes him the one Raptors player who is at many times unguardable, and with OKC coming in on friday, the big man will be our only hope to have any type of advantage on the Thunder. Call me a skeptic, but do you think the defensively- challenged Calderon is going to have any fun watching his next assignment, Russell Westbrook, in the film room these next couple days? In the words of Michelle Tanner, "No way, Jose."
It was only the Wizards. But before that it was the Celtics. And before that it was the Magic. Maybe the Raps are on the rise. Maybe the eighth seed in the East isn't a delusion. Maybe Ed Davis will be a star. They're all just maybes, but believing in the maybes is what being a fan is all about.
-Robby Frankel