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Join Date: Dec 2007
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Daily Raptor Dish - 01.03.11
DeRozan not getting the calls
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DeRozan has shown a willingness to attack the basket that has not been seen from a Raptors swingman for quite some time, but he hasn’t been rewarded for it.
DeRozan is just 38th in the NBA, averaging 4.7 trips to the line a game. In February, he is averaging just 3.45 attempts, including four games without a single free-throw try.
“How he responds to not getting calls will delay his ability to get the calls,” Triano said.
“I would say he’s been excellent, he’s frustrated obviously but (with Andrea Bargnani out vs. Dallas) ... he’s facing the number one defence for the first time in his career.
“It’s great learning for him. You fight through it and get better.”
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Raptors lowering ticket prices all around
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According to MLSEL chief operating officer Tom Anselmi, lower bowl season seats will be dropped anywhere between 5-30% while upper bowl ducats will fall in the 10-almost-40% range, prices not seen since the dismal Rob Babcock era.
In an even bigger surprise: “We are freezing prices for 2012-13 and will pay out interest if there is a work stoppage next season,” Anselmi added.
The team will also be bringing back its draft party and various other “loyalty packages.”
“We’re doing a bunch of things to reward loyalty.” Anselmi said.
It is a wise move. While there is some intriguing young talent on hand, the NBA is as star-driven as ever and the Raptors are still a couple of standout players away from becoming relevant again. It might take a while until that happens, so keeping prices down is a sound decision for a franchise that has one playoff series win to its credit over its first 16 years.
The Raptors have slipped to 17th in average attendance (the team’s lowest mark since the 2005-06 season), are drawing 1,350 less fans per game than a season ago, about 2,200 less than during the 2008-09 campaign and about 3,000 less than in 2007-08.
In an attempt to woo fans that aren’t season seat holders, MLSEL will also be introducing dynamic pricing after experimenting with it in some sections this season.
“There are some trouble sections, we want to renew and grow and get a full building again,” Anselmi explained.
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Jose Calderon needs to be selfish, coach says
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Jose Calderon is a pass-first, shoot-second kind of guy.
He is an unselfish sort, the type of point guard who gets more satisfaction in giving than getting, his 9.1-assists per game this season by far the best average on the Toronto Raptors roster (and fifth-best in the NBA).
Raptors head coach Jay Triano, however, would like to see a little bit more balance in the Spaniard’s offence and is constantly urging the 29-year-old to take more shots.
Calderon’s line in last Sunday’s 114-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks was more to Triano’s liking. He hit on seven of his 10 shots and finished with 15 points while passing off eight assists and grabbing eight rebounds.
“And he can do even more,” Triano said after team practice Monday. “I think there were a couple clips where he came off the screen in the second half and looked to be a passer. I’ve always said that you come off screens you can be a scorer. And if they take that away then you can be a passer.
“I just think sometimes he gets predictable with him coming off screens wanting to make plays rather than to play basketball.”
The Dallas game marked the first time in eight outings that Calderon had taken at least 10 shots.
Against the Phoenix Suns last Friday, Calderon only attempted three. Against the Chicago Bulls in the game before that, he took five.
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Raptors game day
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Who's hot? Forward Carl Landry, acquired from Sacramento in a trade last week, scored 13 points on Sunday in his second game with New Orleans.
Who's not? The Hornets allowed 11 three-pointers during a home loss to Houston Sunday. New Orleans is 1-11 when they allow 10 or more three-pointers.
Who's hot? Amir Johnson led the Raptors with 21 points in Sunday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He has made 22 of 28 field-goal attempts in his last three games.
Who's not? The Raptors are 4-19 against Southwest and Southeast division teams this season.
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Triano vexed by Raptors' England trip
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Triano scoffed at the suggestion the continent-hopping may actually help his players bond.
"We're going to hold hands on the airplane and sing 'London Bridge is Falling Down' or something," he said sarcastically.
"If they don't know each other by now something is wrong. But we can embrace the trip. There are a lot of distractions, and it's a great challenge for us to stay focused on the game."
The Raptors will leave for London immediately following Tuesday night's home game against the New Orleans Hornets.
"It's a great challenge for us to stay focused on the New Orleans game and not think ahead about getting on an airplane," Triano said. "With young players I'm sure the focus of their day [Tuesday] is about the next week and not the Hornets so, again, this is part of the growth and development of being mentally tough and staying focused."
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Toronto vs. New Orleans
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Despite missing all but one of his eight shots and scoring six points, Paul did his part in an 85-81 home win over Toronto on Jan. 17. He recorded 11 assists to help New Orleans overcome a 12-point second-half deficit and avoid a third straight loss in the series.
The Raptors (16-44) gave up another lead - this time a 19-point first-quarter edge - in a 114-96 loss to Dallas on Sunday. Without leading scorer Andrea Bargnani (flu-like symptoms), Toronto was outscored by 25 in the final 24 minutes.
The Raptors have lost 20 of 23.
"They were just picking us apart," said point guard Jose Calderon, who finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. "... We stopped them in the first half but in the second we couldn't stop it."
Calderon went scoreless Jan. 17 but had 13 assists and five boards.
If Bargnani can't play Tuesday, the Raptors will need guard DeMar DeRozan to continue his hot streak. DeRozan is averaging 18.9 points and 51.5 percent shooting in 11 games this month, and he scored a team-best 23 in the last matchup with the Hornets.
The Raptors won 98-92 on Dec. 20, 2009, in the teams' last meeting in Toronto.
New Orleans will try to sweep the season series for the second time in three years.
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