Pops Mensah-Bonsu News

Wednesday, December 23, 2009 11:34 AM Time for some holiday cheer Michael Grange W e'll be on a holiday rotation at From Deep over the next week or so, but I just wanted to leave a little seasonal cheer for your stockings.

Amir Johnson, right, and fellow Raptors Marcus Banks, Sonny Weems, Marco Belinelli and Pops-Mensah-Bonsu have added much-needed spunk and hustle for Toronto when they have been given playing time.

It would be hard to call the notes on the wipe board inside the Toronto Raptors locker room insightful.

Head coach Jay Triano chose not to alter his starting five last night and was rewarded with a 20-5 lead eight minutes into the game.

Toronto Raptor forward Pops Mensah Bonsu, a former star at George Washington University, carries donated items at the DC Armory.

The NBA fined Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire and Charlotte Bobcats forward Tyson Chandler $7,500 each Sunday for posting to their Twitter accounts during games in violation of league rules.

The Suns' Steve Nash, centre, tries to find room between the Raptors' Chris Bosh, left, and Hedo Turkoglu, during Sunday's game.

On the road, losing with the Raptors. Their road record is now 2-7. To be fair to Toronto, the NBA handed them a very tough opening road schedule against eight Western Conference clubs to start the season.

Before the game Shavlik Randolph was trying to convince Michael Beasley that J.J. Redick's rap style was similar to Nas.

The Raptors didn't have a great week and mostly got outplayed, but it was at the hands of many good teams.

Asked yesterday if Wade, who was in the Air Canada Centre for last night's game against the Toronto Raptors , had told him it was 28 degrees in Miami yesterday, responded: "No" The girls in bikinis? Nope.

Bosh is a lot of things, but he's not a ball-handler and you simply can't give him the ball in the open court and ask him to create.

One night it's Steve Nash producing game-changing plays and a game-winning shot, the next it's Carmelo Anthony imposing his will.

When/where: 7 p.m.; Target Center. TV/radio: FSH; 610 AM, 850 AM . Key players: Rockets forward Luis Scola has excelled in the team's two back-to-backs this season, making 20 of 31 shots and averaging 21.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on nights the Rockets needed his energy.

Mensah-Bonsu rejoins Raptors, Turkoglu out Eds: APNewsNow. DENVER Toronto has claimed forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu off waivers from Houston and he is expected to be in uniform for the Raptors' game at Denver.

Monday, November 16, 2009 12:29 PM Raptors delivering some D Michael Grange N ot to get all too Maple Leafs, where any success suggests a parade route is in the works and any loss a moral victory, but the Raptors have to be encouraged by last night's game, even if they continued their winless ways against Nash's Suns.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu , a fan favourite in his short stint with the Raptors last year, was placed on waivers by the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Kevin Garnett scored 21 points, Ray Allen added 20 and the Boston Celtics beat the Toronto Raptors 101-82 on Sunday for fifth straight preseason win.

Shane Battier sprinted up the floor, beating the Toronto Raptors to his favorite spot in the corner, a step beyond the 3-point line.

A name like Pops Mensah-Bonsu is bound to raise some eyebrows and questions. Where did this guy come from? What has he done in the league so far? And most importantly, what did he do to his parents for them to give him a name like that? I can't answer the last one, but here's the deal with Pops.