A simple statement from our #RTZ Tweet of the Night winner @Liston, but one that speaks volumes about two distinct and clashing trains of thought present in the Raptors’ 96-79 win over the Knicks on Friday at ACC.

First the Linsanity portion, which saw large pockets of the sellout crowd out in force to support Knicks lead guard Jeremy Lin. Groups of fans clearly had planned for this event, as there were shirts and signs that ran the gamut of every terrible pun involving a surname that didn’t resonate quite as ...

NBA.com Preview | Game Notes

Probable Starters

TOR – Jerryd Bayless (G), DeMar DeRozan (G), James Johnson (F), Andrea Bargnani (F), Aaron Gray (C).
CHA – D.J. Augustin (G), Gerald Henderson (G), Corey Maggette (F), Tyrus Thomas (F), Bismack Biyombo (C)

Key Injuries

TOR – Jose Calderon (right ankle sprain) – day-to-day
CHA – None

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here’s what I’m keeping an eye on tonight as the Raptors close out a back-to-back against the Bobcats in Charlotte.

Monitoring Il Mago: Andrea Bargnani logged 39 minutes last night in yesterday’s OT win over the Grizzlies, easily ...

NBA.com Preview | Game Notes

Probable Starters

TOR – Jerryd Bayless (G), DeMar DeRozan (G), James Johnson (F), Andrea Bargnani (F), Amir Johnson (C).
MEM – Mike Conley (G), Tony Allen (G), Rudy Gay (F), Marreese Speights (F), Marc Gasol (C)

Key Injuries

TOR – Jose Calderon (right ankle sprain) – day-to-day
MEM – Darrell Arthur (torn right Achilles) – out for the season, Zach Randolph (torn right MCL) – day‐to‐day

NBA.com Preview | Game Notes

Probable Starters

TOR – Jerryd Bayless (G), DeMar DeRozan (G), James Johnson (F), Andrea Bargnani (F), Amir Johnson (C).
CLE– Kyrie Irving (G), Anthony Parker (G), Alonzo Gee (F), Antawn Jamison (F), Ryan Hollins (C)

Key Injuries

TOR – Jose Calderon (right ankle sprain) – out
CLE – Anderson Varejao (right wrist fracture) – out.

The Raptors were back on the practice court on Thursday – a January rarity for Dwane Casey and his team during a month of the schedule loaded with back-to-backs and unforgiving travel.

“Practices are precious,” said Casey on Thursday. “This is the second one we’ve had [this week] and it’s going to help us. Going into a [hotel] ballroom and walking through stuff as a young team just doesn’t simulate the game speed and the veteran savvy of a team like Boston or tomorrow night like Portland.”

Casey said he treated Thursday’s ...