Game 25: Raptors at 76ers!

Keep those wins coming! The Raptors absolutely trounced the Bucks on Monday winning by 22 points. Let's see how they match up against the Sixers!

• Tonight should be our first look at Philly rookie sensation Joel Embiid. He's been sidelined for a few years with injuries and is on a minutes restriction this year, so he didn't make the trip when the Sixers came to Toronto. Should be a good match up with JV
• Nerlens Noel who missed the beginning of this season is back to the DL after spraining an ankle like 5 minutes into his first game back. Poor Sixers can't catch a break
• FORMER RAPTOR ALERT: Though Canadian Nik Stauskas was a huge Raptor fan growing up, the only former TO player in Philly right now is Jerryd Bayless. Bayless spent a few years in Toronto after being trading from New Orleans with Peja Stojakovic for Jarrett Jack and a few other players. He was never fully healthy though and gave up most of his starts to Jose Calderon. He declined to resign with the Raptors after Toronto traded for Kyle Lowry. Bayless is injured and will not play tonight

Tonight's Raptor Track!

G-Love & The Special Sauce - "I 76"

G. Love & The Special Sauce are a funk, hip-hop, alternative band straight outta Philly. On their 1997 album Yeah, It's That Easy they pay tribute to the city and their favourite basketball team the Philadelphia 76ers with the track "I-76". They name drop a ton of former players including current Toronto assistant coach and 905 head coach Jerry Stackhouse.

Raptors 2nd in East 17-7! 76ers 15th in East 6-18!

Game 24: Bucks at Raptors!

Raptors make another stop in at home to take on the visiting Milwaukee Bucks for the second time this season. Let's see how it stacks up

• Raptors should have a full squad tonight. Norman Powell started against Boston on Friday as DeMarre Carroll didn't make the trip. Powell had one of his best games of the season as a result
• The Bucks are going to be without Khris Middelton as they have for most of the year as he recovers from a ruptured hamstring
• FORMER RAPTOR ALERT: The only former Raptor on the Bucks is Milwaukee native Steve Novak. He was the lone player that actually played for Toronto who was involved in the Bargnani trade with New York back in 2013. Marcus Camby and Quintin Richardson were either waived or moved elsewhere. Novak played one year with the Raptors before being traded to Utah.

Tonight's Raptor Track!

Tyler Flowers - "The Deer Song"

I guess I coulda picked a Christmas song since we're close to that time of year. Something about a reindeer or what not, but instead i'm going with this back road country track about good ol' boys huntin' deer. Yeehaw!

Raptors 2nd in East 16-7! Bucks 9th in East 11-11!

Game 23: Raptors at Celtics!

The homestand is over and the Raptors went 5-1! Not too shabby! They hit the road tonight and the first stop is Boston to take on the Celtics.

• Playing the Celtics these days isn't the walk in the park that it's been over the past few years. Though they didn't land KD, Boston did attract another big name free agent over the off season in Al Horford. Though he was hurt earlier in the season, he's been back and ripping it up as of late
• Someone who is hurt for the C's is Isaiah Thomas their all-star point guard. He'll be sidelined tonight with a groin injury
• It's the first time Jared Sullinger will visit his former team and city since signing in Toronto. Though he won't play, he'll still be there
• FORMER RAPTOR ALERT: Amir Johnson....*sniff*...he'll always be a Raptor in my heart. You can see his face still adorning the background of my blog.

Tonight's Raptor Track!

The Dream Syndicate - "Boston"

Never heard this song before so it's an exciting experience for me as well! I think i've heard the band name before, but don't know much about them. Here we go!!

Raptors 2nd in East 15-7! Celtics 3rd in the East 13-9!

Game 22: Timberwolves at Huskies!

We're nationally televised tonight folks as Minnesota rolls in to town! The Raptors are also re-donning their ol' Huskies uniforms for another throwback night!

• The Timberwolves are a young team, but they've been turning heads as of late. Zach Lavine, Karl Anthony-Towns and Canada's own Andrew Wiggins are all having big games for the Wolves
• The Raptors six game win streak is over as they lost to the Cavs on Monday, but another is potentially in sight as Toronto's schedule is on the lighter side coming up, albeit on the road.
• DeMarre Carroll will play for Toronto, usually will sit on one game of a back to back and the Raptors play in Boston tomorrow night. Nikola Pekovic is out for the Timberwolves
• FORMER RAPTOR ALERT: John Lucas III is a 2nd or 3rd string PG for the Wolves. He played for the Raptors back in the 2012-2013 season. He once went 5/5 from 3 during his Raptor tenure. yep

Tonight's Raptor Track!

Metallica - "Of Wolf & Man"

Ah so good. This song is actually about werewolves I think, but basketball players are men and one team is called the TimberWOLVES. So this game is of wolf and man as well! And Metallica is the best band in the world!

Raptors 2nd in East 14-7! Timberwolves 13th in West 6-15!

Game at 7pm (ET)

Game 21: Cavaliers at Raptors!

SIX IN A ROW BAYBAY!!!

It's the third meeting between the Cavaliers and Raptors and both teams are in two very different places from when they met previously. Let's take a look at what's going down

• Cavaliers and Raptors are tied for first place. This is a rematch and possibly a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals. It should be a good one
• Cavs are on a 3 game losing streak, losing to the Clippers and Bulls after they lost to the Bucks back on the 29th. Both teams are going to be coming out hard tonight
• JR Smith and Mike Dunleavy JR are questionable for tonight's game. Smith dealing with a sore knee and MDJ is returning from a concussion

Tonight's Raptor Track!

Drowning Pool - "Step Up"

Just wanted a tune to get us amped up! Both teams are going to be saying that they need to step up tonight, just hoping that the Raptors step up a little more

Raptors tied for 1st in East 14-6! Cavaliers tied for 1st in East 13-5!

Game 20: Hawks at Raptors!

5 wins in a row for the Toronto Raptors!! Longest streak of our season! We're only 20 games in but let's see if we can make it 6 as the Atlanta Hawks come to town!

• DeMarre Carroll sat last night against the Lakers. He's on a restriction where he doesn't play both games of back to backs. I'm sure he chose to sit against LA so he can have a shot against his former team
• Atlanta landed one of the biggest free agents of last summer in Dwight Howard. Howard is an Atlanta native and wanted a shot to not only be back in the Eastern Conference but play for his hometown Hawks
• No Paul Millsap for Atlanta tonight as he didn't make the roadtrip with the team. Thabo Sefalosha has been starting in his stead
• FORMER RAPTOR ALERT: Kris Humphries now plays for Atlanta. He's bounced around alot since leaving Toronto all those years ago, playing for the Nets, Celtics, Wizards, Mavericks and Suns

Tonight's Raptor Track!

Hawkwind - "Silver Machine"

Long before Lemmy was the whiskey-swillin', broad-bashing, chain-smokin' lead singer of Motorhead, one of planet Earth's loudest bands, he was in an acid band called Hawkwind. They liked drugs, trippy-dippy drugs. Lemmy was kicked out for doing the "wrong kinds of drugs" as he put it and in retaliation shagged all his old bandmate's old ladies. 

Raptors 2nd in East 13-6! Hawks 9th in East 10-10!

Game 19: Lakers at Raptors!

Another win during the six game home stand! Raptors beat Memphis 120-105 on Wednesday night! It's Friday night in TO and the lake show is in town!

• The Lakers have an impressive young team coached by an impressive young coach in Luke Walton. Plenty of talent to keep an eye on tonight: Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr and Jordan Clarkson
• D'Angelo Russell and Jose Calderon are on the injured list for LA. Usual 2 for the Raptors (Sullinger and Wright)
• Raptors got Hawks tomorrow and Cavaliers on Monday, so a win tonight would be nice before they head into that tough 2 game stretch.
• FORMER RAPTOR ALERT: One time Toronto Six Man Of The Year Lou Williams now makes his home with the LA Lakers and still finds himself in a comfy bench role and as mentioned earlier Jose Calderon, long time Raptor mainstay and fan favourite, also dons the purple and gold, though tonight he will be sitting on the bench

Tonight's Raptor Track!

The Tragically Hip - "Lake Fever"

Don't think they were talking Showtime when Gord and the boys recorded this one for their 2000 album Music @ Work.  But a great song nonetheless. With their young core I can see why many LA fans have caught the Laker Fever, they'll be a good time for years to come.

Raptors 2nd in East 12-6! Lakers 9th in West 10-10!