Game 31 Raptors at Nuggets

Raptors took care of business on the first game of a back to back against the Clippers last night. Letès see how they can fair in the Mile High City against the Nuggets tonight.

• Last time these two teams saw each other the Raptors were victorious in overtime. It's going to be another tough one tonight with the high altitude and being on a back to back.
• Ty Lawson and Arron Aflalo both had great games last time they played the Raptors. Raptors D will need to work hard to contain them tonight.
• Kyle Lowry continued his All-Star playing ways last night with 25 points against Chris Paul. Look for him to lead the charge again tonight

Song Of The Day

"Lucky Denver Mint" - Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World may have made a name for themselves with their 2001 album Bleed American, but they were releasing great music all the way back to the 90's. Inspired by Elliot Smith, Heatmiser and Mr T Experience, they released 3 albums in the 90's going all the way back to 1994. "Lucky Denver Mint" comes from the 1999 album Clarity and was used in the soundtrack for Never Been Kissed.

Raptors in the Mile High City!!

Game 30 Raptors at Clippers

With game number 30 about to begin, so begins the most greuling road swing by the Raptors this season. 5 games on the West coast facing back to backs and some serious competition. Can't look too far ahead as it begins today in Los Angeles against the Clippers

• The Clippers played on Christmas day against the best team in the league Golden State Warriors and won 100-86
• The Brazilian KD Bruno Caboclo will not be making any appearances in up coming games as he has been assigned to the D-League (Developmental League) to hone his game and see court time. Get 'em Bruno
• The Clippers are a tough team with many All-Star players (Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford) a champion Coach in Doc Rivers and a powerful bench. Raptors must be focused and disciplined today.
• DeMar DeRozan made the trip, but will likely not play. Look for James Johnson or Landry Fields to get the start.

Song Of The Day

"Los Angeles Is Burning" - Bad Religion

The Clippers organization was almost burned to the ground by fans and players a-like last year when it was revealed their 82 year old owner had made racist remarks. He has since been removed and a new younger owner has taken his place. "Los Angeles Is Burning" is from the 2004 Bad Religion album The Empire Strikes First. Thats what the Raptors need to do in this street fight, hit first.

Go West young men!!

Game 29 Raptors at Bulls

The Raptors last home game of 2014 has come and gone as they'll close out the year on a 6 game road trip that begins in Chicago. Last time these teams met, The Bulls bested the Raptors in prime time. Let's take a look at the factors tonight

• Derrick Rose is likely out for the Chicago Bulls and while Chicago has been getting used to winning without their super star point guard, it's a big help for Toronto tonight
• Landry fields did not pass concussion tests again tonight and will miss the game. As will DeMar DeRozan again, the Raptors are 9-3 without DeMar.
• As mentioned above this game marks the start of a difficult road trip for Toronto with games away against Golden State, LA Clippers and Portland. This is a different Raptors team though than years passed. Expect some exciting basketball over the holidays

SONG OF THE DAY

"Chicago Is So Two Years Ago" - Fall Out Boy

Before Fall Out Boy drank the mainstream suicide kool-aid they had a couple fantastic albums in their formative years. Their first such album was 2005's Take This To Your Grave which featured some hard hitting and grinding punk rock that featured some pop elements for good measure. Songs like "Grand Theft Autumn" and "The Pros and Cons Of Breathing" set the stage for their next album From Under The Cork Tree, the triumph of which the band has yet to overcome or match. "Chicago Is So Two Years Ago" is another of the songs that jump out at you and remind you of time that Fall Out Boy's music could stop you in your tracks. It also features Justin Pierre from Motion City Soundtrack. More on them another time.

MAYBE BRUNO WILL PLAY AGAIN!! BRUNO! BRUNO! BRUNO!

Game 28 Knicks at Raptors

With the Friday night victory of the Detroit Pistons the Raptors return home for their last home game of the year to face The New York Knicks. Last time these two teams met Toronto took the victory in Overtime.

• New York will be without Amare Stoudamire and JR Smith. Though they still have some big players in Carmelo Anthony, Iman Shumpert and ex-Raptor Jose Calderon.
• Landry Fields took a nasty fall on Friday night, though he initially passed the concussion test he failed to pass it this morning. He'll miss the game with 8 stitches in his head. Look for Grievis to get the start.
• DeMar DeRozan was out getting some shots up earlier today, but is likely a few games away yet. Which is fine. No sense reaggrevating an injury over the holidays.

Song Of The Day

"Fairy Tale of New York" - The Pogues

'Tis the season! And since the Raptors got snubbed once again for the highly coveted Christmas Day game, i'll play the Christmas song today. The best Christmas song in my opinion is "Fairy Tale of New York" by English group The Pogues.

#defendourterritory

Game 26: Nets at Raptors Drake Night!

This will be the first time the Toronto Raptors go up against Brooklyn since they lost to the Nets by 1 point in game 7 of the first round of the 2013-2014 Playoffs. It's time for some payback.

• The Nets have lost a few pieces since we last saw them namely Paul Pierce who inked a 2-year deal with Washington in the summer. Shaun Livingston who is now with the Golden State Warriors and even lost their coach Jason Kidd, who now coaches the Bucks.
• Though the Nets do have centre sensation Brook Lopez back who was out all last year due to injuries. Jonas Valanciunas is going to have his hands full. I hope he's prepared for the challenge of matching this big man.
• Tonight is Drake Night at the ACC with the Raptor's Global Ambassador in attendance, handing out shirts and likely playing some music for the sold out crowd as well. Should be a fun game.

Song of the Day

"Surfacing" - Slipknot

I really should have done a Drake song here, but i'm sure there will be other opportunities for that. This song just gets me so amped up!!! In honour of Raptors GM Masai Ujiri's now famous few seconds as a microphone assassin when he loudly exclaimed to a hyped up Toronto crowd "FUCK BROOKLYN" i'm playing this killer Slipknot track which drops the F-bomb around 16 times.

But seriously, fuck Brooklyn.

Say it again! FUCK BROOKLYN on Drake night!!

Game 25 Magic at Raptors

It's the 3rd of 4 regular season match-ups between the Orlando Magic and the Toronto Raptors.

• Raptors are on the second night of a back to back after beating the New York Knicks in overtime last night. While the Magic had the night off and were waiting for their opponents in Toronto.
• This will be the first time the Raptors see the Magic's sophomore guard Victor Oladipo. The #2 pick in the 2013 NBA draft.
• Landry Fields has been giving the Raptors good minutes starting for the team, but will have his hands full with tough matches like Tobias Harris and Channing Frye

Song of the Day

"Do You Believe In Magic?" - The Lovin' Spoonful

Perhaps the best known song from this New York based band. It reached it's peak in 1965. This song talks about how music has the ability to cross barriers and create happiness and freedom to those who let it into their world. Sports can have the same effect. Healing powers and understanding, acceptance even through the power of sport. It's great.

Greatest hits.....

Game 24 Raptors at Knicks

The first quarter of the 2014-2015 NBA season is behind us and the Raptors have fared well! Sitting atop the Eastern Conference they take on Atlantic Division rivals New York tonight at Madison Square Garden

• With a new coach (Derek Fisher) and new GM (Phil Jackson) New York had high hopes heading into this season. They've been brought back down to reality though and currently own a 5-20 record
• Iman Shumpert is out for the game and JR Smith is questionable with a foot injury. As well as Ex-Raptor Andrea Bargnani who is still benched due to multiple injuries.
• Former Raptors Jose Calderon and Quincy Acy now play for the Knicks. I'm sure some Raptor watchers hoped for a better future for these fan favourites from the past

Song Of The Day

"I Wanna Be A NY Ranger" - Misfits

I'll probably never write a blog for the NHL. If I do and need to do a write-up/song collaboration for a New York Rangers game i'm sure i'll regret tipping my hand in this blog. There is no song called "I Wanna Be A NY Knick" afterall. John Cafiero actually intended to let  punk brothers The Ramones record this song, but by the time it came about The Ramones had already stopped making music. The Misfits then came aboard and gave the song the proper energy and power it deserved.

I don't wanna be a NY Knick...

Game 23 Pacers at Raptors

Before this season this would have been a match-up to circle your calender for. Just a season ago the Pacers were forerunners for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and had some great pieces in Paul George and Lance Stephenson. Let's take a look at tonight's battle

• For Indiana Lance Stephenson signed with Charlotte in the off season. Also All-Star Paul George broke his leg in a horrific accident before the FIBA World Cup and is out for the year. 
• David West is back for the Pacers but is still not back to his true form. Roy Hibbert and Luis Scola are still big obstacles and the Raptors need to be ready for their intensity
• Still no DeMar DeRozan, but the Raptors are going to need to bring defensive accuracy and energy to bounce back after the loss to Cleveland on Tuesday.

Song of the Day

A Change Of Pace - "War In Your Bedroom"

Tonight there is an Eastern Conference war in the ACC. A Change Of Pace are from Arizona and have been performing together since 2001. They site Third Eye Blind as a major influence, but you can hear elements from all over the musical world sprinkled within their songs. "War In Your Bedroom" is from the 2006 album Prepare The Masses.

Time to bounce back raps!

Game 22 Raptors at Cavaliers (Early game)

Early game. A whole half an hour earlier than the east coast starts we're used to. But it's notable!! The Raptors square off against the LeBron led Cavaliers for the third time this early season. What else can we possibly talk about?

• Both teams are on a back to back. Raptors took care of the Nuggets at home last night and Cleveland were in Brooklyn and walloped the nets 110 to 88. Ouch.
• Raptors need to step up their defense if they want to beat the Cavs. It's what head coach Dwane Casey preached during their weekend practices and we saw some shines of it last night, but still gave up 107 points through 4 quarters and an overtime.
• Landry Fields will start for the injured DeMar DeRozan tonight. You read that right. Greivis Vasquez will come off the bench. I like Landry, he's shown some great defense in the past and is a smart player. Hopefully he's not too rusty. Greivis off the bench gives us more scoring along side Patterson and Williams.

Song Of The Day

Patty Griffin - "Ohio"

Since we're in Ohio for tonight's game I decided to show a cool song by Maine's Patty Griffin. This one is from her 2013 album American Kid and features Led Zeppelin' Robert Plant on backing vocals. Griffin is a very accomplished performer and songwriter, winning a Grammy in 2011 for her album Downtown Church she's had many of her songs covered by high profile artists such as Joan Osborne, Kelly Clarkson, Emmylou Harris and The Dixie Chicks.

Let's at least split the series with Cleveland!!

Game 21 Nuggets at Raptors (post game)

Raptors return to the winning side of the column by outlasting the visiting Denver Nuggets in overtime 112-107.

• Nuggets were without Kenneth Faried, Nate Robinson, and Javale McGee. Though they still played very well on a back to back. Ty Lawson and Aaron Aflalo put up big time numbers.
• Raptors haven't won in overtime at home since March 2009. Glad to see that one change tonight.
• Big games from Jonas Valanciunas, Patrick Patterson and Sweet Lou Williams. Always good to see different players step up, especially with DeMar DeRozan still out with an injury.

Song Of The Day

"Nugget" - Cake

Cake are one of those bands that is difficult to pigeon toe into a specific genre. The monotone-esque vocals, funky bass beats and the inclusion of brass instruments made Cake stand out among the majority of music on the radio when they arrived in the 90's. "Nugget" is off the fantastic 1996 album Fashion Nugget kind of an unofficial title track.

Looouuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Game 20 Cavaliers at Raptors

20 games in an Toronto sits high atop the East with an impressive record of 15-4. It should also be noted that the Raptors have had the best offense of any team in 35 years this season. Scoring an average of 116.3 points per 100 possessions! Impressive. Tonight Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers make their first Canadian appearance.

• DeMar DeRozan still sits out with a groin injury for the Raptors while Cleveland's only injury is the knee of Matthew Dellavedova.
• Last time these two teams met Cleveland was up early in the first quarter 24-6, but the Raptors were able to turn it around and pull out the W. The Cavaliers are sure to want revenge. Need some big defense on LeBron from T-Ross and James Johnson. And try to slow down Kyrie Irving any way possible,
• Tonight the NBA will be honouring Nelson Mandela. Raptors' GM Masai Ujiri was inspired by Mandela when he founded Giants Of Africa, a program to encourage and educate African youth through basketball. Many guests will be in attendance tonight such as Charles Barkley, Dikembe Mutombo, Tracy McGrady and Brendan Shanahan.

Song Of The Day

"Kyrie" - Mr. Mister

Kyrie Irving was selected #1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft, the same draft they selected Tristan Thompson 4th, one pick before The Raptors took Jonas Valanciunas. Plenty of draft alumni in the match-up tonight, but it was the heroics of Irving that lead the Cavs to a victory of the Knicks of New York last night. However this game goes, tonight should be fun.

Also in this video, the 80's burns white hot.

Check out the Giants Of Africa website for more info!

Game 19 Raptors at Jazz

It's the second and final time that the Raptors and the Jazz will face each other in the regular season for 2014-2015! Y'know New Orleans should really get the Jazz name back, and then I guess Utah can have the Raptors because of the Utahraptor fossils discovered there, but then what would Toronto be called? Let's see what's the popular movie now? Mockingjay? The Toronto Mockingjays? Too close to Blue Jays...ah fuck it....Utah you're keeping the Jazz

• Last time the Jazz and Raptors met Toronto won 111-93 at home. 
• The Jazz are on a six game losing streak, only 2 games in their last 10. Still there are some big talents on the Jazz. Rudy Gobert, Dante Exum and of course future All-Star (i'm sure of it) Gordon Hayward. This team did defeat LeBron and the Cavs earlier this year.
• Second night of a back-to-back for the Raptors while the Jazz played last on Monday night. Gotta bring the energy!

Song of the day:

"Shattered Dreams" - Johnny Hates Jazz

Want a gift bag full of great songs but don't want each band to have a whole catalog of hits to sort through? Look no further than the 1980's!! It's like they were handing out hit songs with the amount of One Hit Wonders that decade produced. Johnny Hates Jazz were from England and "Shattered Dreams" got them international fame, but little else they did gained them any attention. Why does Johnny hate The Jazz? Maybe he's a New Orleans fan and wants the name of his Basketball team back.

From wikipedia:

Utahraptor (meaning "Utah's predator"^[1]) is a genus of theropod dinosaurs. It contains a single species, Utahraptor ostrommaysorum, which is the largest known member of the family Dromaeosauridae. Fossil specimens date to the upper Barremian stage of the early Cretaceous period (in rock strata dated to 126 ± 2.5 million years ago).^[2]

Game 18 Raptors at Kings

Oi these West Coast road trips really are difficult. For the players and us poor fans who are trying to stay up late to watch the game in Eastern Time. Sacramento is never an easy place for Toronto to grind out a win. Let's see what the Raptors got!

• It looked like DeMarcus Cousins was questionable tonight with an illness, but in all likelihood #15 will hit the court tonight. Good for the Kings, bad for Toronto as he is near unstoppable.
• Our first in season look at Canadian boy Nik Stauskas. He can drain a contested 3 like nobody's business, Raptors cannot leave him open
• Still no DeMar DeRozan, so Vasquez, Fields, James Johnson, everyone needs to step up and shake Sunday's loss from their minds to come through tonight.

Song Of The Day

"King For A Day" - Jamiroquai

James Johnson played for the Kings for a season or less. He had longer hair and wore protective glasses, or maybe they were just for show, not sure. He was kind of a King for a day. Jamiroquai are one of those great bands that you can't describe, there is no other group you can compare them to and all of their songs come from different styles. "King For A Day" is our song of the day!

Let's get itttt