Well, if the Raptors were waiting for a powerhouse team in the NBA so they could make a statement, tonight is the night. We have Raptors vs. Lakers, 9:30 PM (EST) tipoff. The game is on theScore and the Fan590. The Lakers have the league's best record at 13-1 and have won six straight road game. The Raptors' record currently stands at 8-7, having won two straight.
Read NBA.com's preview
What to Watch For:
- Jermaine O'Neal is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight. This means Jamario Moon - who has played quite well as a starter - will most likely return to his role as an energy man off the bench. JO will need to help keep Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol off the boards while contributing on the offensive end.
- Chris Bosh has continued to be dominant over the recent stretch. He's averaging almost 34 points per game over his last four and he will need to keep it up to beat a very tough lakers team.
- The Lakers don't foul their opponents very often - on Friday the Mavericks attempted just nine free throws. It's critical that Jose and AP penetrate to allow Bosh and O'Neal to work down low.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Dwight "How-hard" (Can a Free Throw Be?) - a Friday Night Ramble
- Dwight Howard is one of the league's premier big men. He's averaging 21.2 points on efficient 59% from the field, 13.5 rebounds, almost four blocks, an assist and a half and a reasonable 2.7 turnovers per game. He's becoming dominant on defense and his strength and explosiveness make him hard to stop on the offensive end. But he's brutal from the free throw line. Putrid. Awful. Tearshed-inducingly disgusting. He cannot shoot a free throw. In his first season he actually shot fairly well, going for 67%. He hasn't shot over 60% in a season since. This season he's going for 57% - that's right, he's shooting better from the floor than the line. The argument "big men don't shoot well from the line" does not fly with Prehistoric Hoops. Chris Bosh (admittedly more of a finesse player) shoots 83%. Tim Duncan shoots 68%. Carlos Boozer shoots 73%. I kind of feel bad for Stan Van Gundy, really. He has the game's most dominant player, but this kid just can't play more than three feet from the hoop. Imagine if he shot just 65% - not spectacular, but he'll punish you more often than not. This is obviously possible, he shot even better in season number one. But being such a poor free-throw shooter allows teams to use Hack-a-Dwight - which is becoming more and more popular - and watch for it when starting big men are down with injury - and he just can't make them pay. Shooting 65% would put a stop to Hack-a-Dwight, and would make him even more potent down low, as coaches can't throw out their Mark Madsens (yes, still in the league) and Hilton Armstrongs to use six fouls and just push him out of the lane. He would go for 26 a game and record a 20-20 as often as a 30-10.
We at PH play basketball, nothing too impressive, but we can shoot our free throws. I, for instance, pride myself on making 8 of 10 every time. I don't play in the NBA (or do I?) but that also means I don't have 168 hours per week to work on my game.
Just imagine.
- Don't worry! Ron Artest still fancies himself a rapper!
- Stephon Marbury has been suspended for a game for "conduct detrimental to the team." Yawn.
- The Summer of LeBron is in full force. The Knicks, as we've discussed, are major players, with only four players under contract and $18M committed for the summer of 2010. It's gotten so bad that Charles Barkley has said something rude and in-your-face! Barkley said the following in an interview with ESPN, "If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up. I'm a big LeBron fan. He's a stud. You gotta give him his props. I'm getting so annoyed he's talking about what he's going to do in two years. I think it's disrespectful to the game. I think it's disrespectful to the Cavaliers." Wise words from the Round Mound of Rebound.
- As a side note, Barkley's autobiography "I May Be Wrong but I Doubt It" is a very interesting read. Unless you've been living under a rock since the 1980s, you'll know that Sir Charles is a very outspoken, articulate man. 250 pages of ranting makes for entertainment.
- The subject of rotund power forwards brings us into our Obscure Former Raptor Update. This week we'll bring you up to speed on the second best player in NBA history with the nickname "The Big O" - Oliver Miller. Miller, according to his Wikipedia page he was once reprimanded by the Phoenix Suns for showing up late to a game while holding a McDonald's bag. Believe it or not, Miller was still playing in 2004 with the Timberwolves, playing 10 minutes a game off the bench, and most likely averaging more oxygen tanks per game rebounds, tipping the scales at 325 pounds. Perhaps the most interesting part of Miller's career is that he twice placed for the Harlem Globetrotters. The only viable explanation for this travesty is that they used Miller's tummy as a trampoline.
Miller's career averages are a semi-respectable 7.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and an impressive three fouls per game. Andrea Bargnani, eat your heart out. Before Oliver Miller eats your whole body.
We at PH play basketball, nothing too impressive, but we can shoot our free throws. I, for instance, pride myself on making 8 of 10 every time. I don't play in the NBA (or do I?) but that also means I don't have 168 hours per week to work on my game.
Just imagine.
- Don't worry! Ron Artest still fancies himself a rapper!
- Stephon Marbury has been suspended for a game for "conduct detrimental to the team." Yawn.
- The Summer of LeBron is in full force. The Knicks, as we've discussed, are major players, with only four players under contract and $18M committed for the summer of 2010. It's gotten so bad that Charles Barkley has said something rude and in-your-face! Barkley said the following in an interview with ESPN, "If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up. I'm a big LeBron fan. He's a stud. You gotta give him his props. I'm getting so annoyed he's talking about what he's going to do in two years. I think it's disrespectful to the game. I think it's disrespectful to the Cavaliers." Wise words from the Round Mound of Rebound.
- As a side note, Barkley's autobiography "I May Be Wrong but I Doubt It" is a very interesting read. Unless you've been living under a rock since the 1980s, you'll know that Sir Charles is a very outspoken, articulate man. 250 pages of ranting makes for entertainment.
- The subject of rotund power forwards brings us into our Obscure Former Raptor Update. This week we'll bring you up to speed on the second best player in NBA history with the nickname "The Big O" - Oliver Miller. Miller, according to his Wikipedia page he was once reprimanded by the Phoenix Suns for showing up late to a game while holding a McDonald's bag. Believe it or not, Miller was still playing in 2004 with the Timberwolves, playing 10 minutes a game off the bench, and most likely averaging more oxygen tanks per game rebounds, tipping the scales at 325 pounds. Perhaps the most interesting part of Miller's career is that he twice placed for the Harlem Globetrotters. The only viable explanation for this travesty is that they used Miller's tummy as a trampoline.
Miller's career averages are a semi-respectable 7.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and an impressive three fouls per game. Andrea Bargnani, eat your heart out. Before Oliver Miller eats your whole body.
Second Straight W - 93-88 Raps
Tonight was another must-win game for the Raptors, and on the strength of Chris Bosh and some nicely balaced play from the supporting cast the Raps got their second win in a row. Flat out, CB4 played like an MVP. While we hardly played our best basketball of the season, we got stops when we needed to (read: in the last 3 minutes of the fourth) and Bosh took over all dimensions of the game. Our record stands at 8-7, finishing up the homestand 2-2 before embarking on a very tough stretch of the schedule.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game
Chris Bosh. Noticing a trend, anyone? CB dropped another monster game, putting up 30 points on 13-26 from the floor (0-2 from three) and 4-5 from the line. This was one of his most well-rounded games to date: he contributed 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks too. Not bad.
Notables:
Joey Graham - 11 points (5-10 FG, 0-1 3FG, 1-1 FT), 5 rebounds, one steal. We've been taking Tylenol, but our Joey Graham Fever isn't going away. He turned in his second straight effective game, looking very confident and had some very emphatic dunks and rebounds. It's great to see him so energetic, and he's giving the Raps needed scoring and toughness in the absence of Jermaine O'Neal.
Jason Kapono - 16 points (6-10 FG, 2-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 2 assists, 2 rebounds. Nice game from Jason, including a very pretty dish down low to Bosh. Iced the game with two free throws off the inbounds with about 30 seconds left, and shot the ball. That's his job.
Jose Calderon - 6 points (3-11 FG, 0-4 3FG), 11 asists, 4 rebounds, one turnover. Jose shot very poorly, and had one scary moment in which he turned his ankle before falling directly on the ball while going out of bounds. He was fine, and actually had his first "classic Jose" moment, slashing through the lane and finishing off the glass in traffic. His shot will come, and his distribution is still there. No need to worry, Raptors fans.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Every Raptor except Roko Ukic (who played under four minutes, recording an assist) scored at least one basket. This was one of the most balanced game scoring-wise in recent memory for the Dinos, and it shows that while Chris Bosh still shoulders the load, he can set up his teammates and be just as effective.
Next game: Sunday, November 30th, 9:30 PM at Los Angeles Lakers
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game
Chris Bosh. Noticing a trend, anyone? CB dropped another monster game, putting up 30 points on 13-26 from the floor (0-2 from three) and 4-5 from the line. This was one of his most well-rounded games to date: he contributed 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks too. Not bad.
Notables:
Joey Graham - 11 points (5-10 FG, 0-1 3FG, 1-1 FT), 5 rebounds, one steal. We've been taking Tylenol, but our Joey Graham Fever isn't going away. He turned in his second straight effective game, looking very confident and had some very emphatic dunks and rebounds. It's great to see him so energetic, and he's giving the Raps needed scoring and toughness in the absence of Jermaine O'Neal.
Jason Kapono - 16 points (6-10 FG, 2-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 2 assists, 2 rebounds. Nice game from Jason, including a very pretty dish down low to Bosh. Iced the game with two free throws off the inbounds with about 30 seconds left, and shot the ball. That's his job.
Jose Calderon - 6 points (3-11 FG, 0-4 3FG), 11 asists, 4 rebounds, one turnover. Jose shot very poorly, and had one scary moment in which he turned his ankle before falling directly on the ball while going out of bounds. He was fine, and actually had his first "classic Jose" moment, slashing through the lane and finishing off the glass in traffic. His shot will come, and his distribution is still there. No need to worry, Raptors fans.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Every Raptor except Roko Ukic (who played under four minutes, recording an assist) scored at least one basket. This was one of the most balanced game scoring-wise in recent memory for the Dinos, and it shows that while Chris Bosh still shoulders the load, he can set up his teammates and be just as effective.
Next game: Sunday, November 30th, 9:30 PM at Los Angeles Lakers
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Raptors Host the Hawks
Alliteration aside, Friday night the Hawks land in Toronto. 7 o'clock tipoff; it's available for view on TSN, for listen on the Fan590, and online on channelsurfing.net. The Hawks currently stand at 9-5, coming off a win in Milwaukee. The Raptors are back at .500 (7-7) after a win against the Bobcats. Look for them to try and carry that momentum into this game.
What to watch for:
- Toronto's favourite player to leave wide open, Mike Bibby, is coming to Toronto! Last game against the Raps Bibby had 19 points, 12 assists and shot 71% from downtown.
- Will Jermaine O'Neal play?
- CB4 is 2nd in the league in points per game with 27.6. He is second only to LeBron James, who averages just 0.3 points more than Bosh per game. MVP cheers anyone?
- Roko Ukic was very effective as Jose Calderon's backup in limited minutes against Charlotte. 2 points, 3 assists, and most importantly 0 turnovers in 7 minutes. Maybe Will Solomon can learn a thing or two about ball control from Hot Cocoa Roko.
- I have a confession. I've got Joey Graham fever! Against Charlotte, Joey came off the bench and provided energy, taking the ball to the hoop and being aggressive. Joey ended up 17 points and 6 boards in 22 minutes. If we see him getting minutes against Atlanta, hopefully the aggressive Joey will show up.
What to watch for:
- Toronto's favourite player to leave wide open, Mike Bibby, is coming to Toronto! Last game against the Raps Bibby had 19 points, 12 assists and shot 71% from downtown.
- Will Jermaine O'Neal play?
- CB4 is 2nd in the league in points per game with 27.6. He is second only to LeBron James, who averages just 0.3 points more than Bosh per game. MVP cheers anyone?
- Roko Ukic was very effective as Jose Calderon's backup in limited minutes against Charlotte. 2 points, 3 assists, and most importantly 0 turnovers in 7 minutes. Maybe Will Solomon can learn a thing or two about ball control from Hot Cocoa Roko.
- I have a confession. I've got Joey Graham fever! Against Charlotte, Joey came off the bench and provided energy, taking the ball to the hoop and being aggressive. Joey ended up 17 points and 6 boards in 22 minutes. If we see him getting minutes against Atlanta, hopefully the aggressive Joey will show up.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Raps Get Needed Win - 93-86 Raps
Tonight was... well, not much of a team game. Chris Bosh was dominant as usual, but a new face stepped up as an efficient second option: Joey Graham. Thanks to solid production, the Raptors survived another lacklustre effort past the franchise player. The Raptors' record currently stands at 7-7.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh... yet again. CB4 was pretty ridiculous, going for 39 points on 15-20 from the field and 9-10 from the line. Efficient, don't you think? He also added 12 rebounds and two blocks just for kicks. Chris carried us. We needed it.
Notables:
Joey Graham - Joey G actually came up huge in this game, going for 17 points (6-8 FG, 5-5 FT) and 6 boards in 21 minutes. He had 5 fouls, but chalk it up to overeagerness. Excellent production and allowed himself to play big, meaningful minutes. Hopefully he's finally figured out how to string together some good games in a row and we can see Graham's true ability.
Jose Calderon - 10 points (4-10 FG, 2-6 3FG), 9 assists, 3 rebounds. Isn't feeling 100% yet but shows very few signs of slowing down other than driving less than usual. His shot is not too far gone and his vision is still brilliant.
Andrea Bargnani - 11 points (4-15 FG, 2-6 3FG, 1-2 FT), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks. Nice all-around game on a terrible shooting night from Bargs. Showed he can contribute when his shot isn't falling, and hopefully he continues doing so. Unfortunately put up 4 turnovers and 4 fouls - needs to get back to keeping those down as he has in recent games.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot better in all three departments, helping to edge the Bobcats despite Charlotte's plus-seven edge in field goal attempts and plus-four advantage in free throw attempts. The Raps shot 50% (36-72) to Charlotte's 43% (34-79) from the field, 37.5% (6-16) to 18.7% (3-16) from three and 88.2% (15-17) to 71.4% (15-21) from the stripe. As many storylines as Toronto has this year, the game comes down to putting the ball in the bucket, and they did so with efficiency tonight.
Next game: Friday, November 28th, 7:00 PM vs. Atlanta Hawks
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh... yet again. CB4 was pretty ridiculous, going for 39 points on 15-20 from the field and 9-10 from the line. Efficient, don't you think? He also added 12 rebounds and two blocks just for kicks. Chris carried us. We needed it.
Notables:
Joey Graham - Joey G actually came up huge in this game, going for 17 points (6-8 FG, 5-5 FT) and 6 boards in 21 minutes. He had 5 fouls, but chalk it up to overeagerness. Excellent production and allowed himself to play big, meaningful minutes. Hopefully he's finally figured out how to string together some good games in a row and we can see Graham's true ability.
Jose Calderon - 10 points (4-10 FG, 2-6 3FG), 9 assists, 3 rebounds. Isn't feeling 100% yet but shows very few signs of slowing down other than driving less than usual. His shot is not too far gone and his vision is still brilliant.
Andrea Bargnani - 11 points (4-15 FG, 2-6 3FG, 1-2 FT), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks. Nice all-around game on a terrible shooting night from Bargs. Showed he can contribute when his shot isn't falling, and hopefully he continues doing so. Unfortunately put up 4 turnovers and 4 fouls - needs to get back to keeping those down as he has in recent games.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot better in all three departments, helping to edge the Bobcats despite Charlotte's plus-seven edge in field goal attempts and plus-four advantage in free throw attempts. The Raps shot 50% (36-72) to Charlotte's 43% (34-79) from the field, 37.5% (6-16) to 18.7% (3-16) from three and 88.2% (15-17) to 71.4% (15-21) from the stripe. As many storylines as Toronto has this year, the game comes down to putting the ball in the bucket, and they did so with efficiency tonight.
Next game: Friday, November 28th, 7:00 PM vs. Atlanta Hawks
Raps Need to Get Back on Track
Tonight we have a clash of Eastern conference titans in Raptors vs. Bobcats, 7:00PM tipoff. You can watch on theScore, channelsurfing.net or listen on the Fan. This is a must-win for the Raps. I hate to say it (I'm a big Sam Mitchell fan) but if they drop to 6-8 he's on the hot seat. They are allowed to lose to Boston and Detroit (even big losses), but they simply have to beat the Bobcats. Period. Let's hope they do - the Dinos won 89-79 in the season's last matchup between these two teams.
What to Watch for:
- The Raptors need to come out with a sense of urgency. 6-7? Come on fellas. Chris Bosh will be playing like a man possessed, and hopefully he can make like KG and get some guys on this squad to play some D.
- The Bobcats have very small point guards: Raymond Felton and DJ Augustin are both six-feet tall. Jose Calderon and Roko Ukic are 6-3 and 6-5, respectively. Look for some big point play: last game the guards combined for 15 points and 13 assists.
- The Raptors played some of their best defense against the Bobcats in the last showdown, holding Charlotte to 37% shooting. If the Raps don't bring it, however, Gerald Wallace, Augustin and Felton, Jason Richardson and Emeka Okafor could all have big nights.
What to Watch for:
- The Raptors need to come out with a sense of urgency. 6-7? Come on fellas. Chris Bosh will be playing like a man possessed, and hopefully he can make like KG and get some guys on this squad to play some D.
- The Bobcats have very small point guards: Raymond Felton and DJ Augustin are both six-feet tall. Jose Calderon and Roko Ukic are 6-3 and 6-5, respectively. Look for some big point play: last game the guards combined for 15 points and 13 assists.
- The Raptors played some of their best defense against the Bobcats in the last showdown, holding Charlotte to 37% shooting. If the Raps don't bring it, however, Gerald Wallace, Augustin and Felton, Jason Richardson and Emeka Okafor could all have big nights.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
It's The Defense, Stupid
After the Celtics made a mockery of the Raptors on Toronto's home court, the Raptors now stand at 6-7. They are now last in the Atlantic division, and have paralleled their record from last season at this point. "But how is this possible?", the naive Raptor fan may ask, "We made that blockbuster deal for Jermaine O'Neal! He was supposed to give us all the defense we needed."
Well, thus far it has been a roller coaster ride of defensive intensity and rebounding. The first few games were an abysmal attempt on the boards for the Raptors. However recently, in starting three big men, things have been beginning to click on the boards. As for defensive intensity, the Raptors have now allowed over 100 points in 7 out of their 13 games and have lost to every legitimate Eastern team they have faced. And today as the "fire Sam Mitchell" cheers were rabid, and all Sam could muster up in his post game interview was "we have been through tougher times than this". I could not help but smile at this remark. Here you have your franchise player, livid about the lack of effort in this game, and all Sam can say is that there have been worse situations. Maybe its time for a brainstorm, Sam.
Your team is currently giving up 99.25 points per game, 10th worst in the league. Your opponents are shooting 45% from the field against you, 13th worst in the league. Clearly something must be done. Toronto should not be near the bottom, we are supposed to be a legitimate playoff team this year.
Last in the Atlantic Division and a sub .500 record is not doing us justice. I am aware that we are only 13 games in to the season, but I am a believer that adjustments need to be made early. "It was just one of those nights" and "we have been through tougher times than this" should not be legitimate answers to the Raptors failings at this point. Look at what we are doing wrong and address it. It is a simple equation that has worked. Take rebounding, for example. Our first five games we were outrebounded heavily. So in practice, Sam said they worked extensively on rebounding, and unsurprisingly, the worst rebounding team in the NBA began to outrebound opponents. Take a page from your own book Sam, do some defensive drills. It is no shock why the Celtics are in a class of their own in the NBA, they hold opponents to 89 points per game on an average of 39.4% shooting from the field.
Well, thus far it has been a roller coaster ride of defensive intensity and rebounding. The first few games were an abysmal attempt on the boards for the Raptors. However recently, in starting three big men, things have been beginning to click on the boards. As for defensive intensity, the Raptors have now allowed over 100 points in 7 out of their 13 games and have lost to every legitimate Eastern team they have faced. And today as the "fire Sam Mitchell" cheers were rabid, and all Sam could muster up in his post game interview was "we have been through tougher times than this". I could not help but smile at this remark. Here you have your franchise player, livid about the lack of effort in this game, and all Sam can say is that there have been worse situations. Maybe its time for a brainstorm, Sam.
Your team is currently giving up 99.25 points per game, 10th worst in the league. Your opponents are shooting 45% from the field against you, 13th worst in the league. Clearly something must be done. Toronto should not be near the bottom, we are supposed to be a legitimate playoff team this year.
Last in the Atlantic Division and a sub .500 record is not doing us justice. I am aware that we are only 13 games in to the season, but I am a believer that adjustments need to be made early. "It was just one of those nights" and "we have been through tougher times than this" should not be legitimate answers to the Raptors failings at this point. Look at what we are doing wrong and address it. It is a simple equation that has worked. Take rebounding, for example. Our first five games we were outrebounded heavily. So in practice, Sam said they worked extensively on rebounding, and unsurprisingly, the worst rebounding team in the NBA began to outrebound opponents. Take a page from your own book Sam, do some defensive drills. It is no shock why the Celtics are in a class of their own in the NBA, they hold opponents to 89 points per game on an average of 39.4% shooting from the field.
Celtics at Toronto
Today the Boston Celtics Visit the Toronto Raptors for a 12:30 matinee game. The game will be available for view on CBC or channelsurfing.net, and for listen as always on the Fan 590. The Raptors look to not sink below .500, they currently sit at 6-6.
What to Watch For:
- The Raptors are currently 0-4 when facing teams with better records than them in the East. This does not exactly scream playoff contender. The Raptors are still looking for that statement win over an Eastern power.
- Jermaine O'Neal is playing today, he is in the starting lineup. He had a big impact in the first game versus the Celtics, will he be able to step up again?
- Last game against the Celtics, and for many of the their games this season, the Raptors have shown an inability to play 48 minutes. In Boston, they dropped the ball in the fourth quarter, allowing Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to go off. Hopefully the Raptors will have learned a lesson.
- Last game in the second half Chris Bosh only had one field goal. That simply cannot happen today if the Raptors want a W.
What to Watch For:
- The Raptors are currently 0-4 when facing teams with better records than them in the East. This does not exactly scream playoff contender. The Raptors are still looking for that statement win over an Eastern power.
- Jermaine O'Neal is playing today, he is in the starting lineup. He had a big impact in the first game versus the Celtics, will he be able to step up again?
- Last game against the Celtics, and for many of the their games this season, the Raptors have shown an inability to play 48 minutes. In Boston, they dropped the ball in the fourth quarter, allowing Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to go off. Hopefully the Raptors will have learned a lesson.
- Last game in the second half Chris Bosh only had one field goal. That simply cannot happen today if the Raptors want a W.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Knickerbockers Make Offers: A Friday Night Ramble
- Firstly, I would like to apologize for the rhyme in the title.
- The Knicks have completed 2 trades today. First they sent Jamal Crawford to Golden State for Al Harrington, and second they sent Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the L.A. Clippers for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. These deals have apparently been made to free up salary cap space in 2010, when notables such as Dwayne Wade, Lebron James and Chris Bosh become free agents. Dwayne's and Chris' agent has been quoted saying "I find it sort of strange, the reality is it's two years away. I don't know why there's so much talk about it." Wise words.
- Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder has more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds this season. He has 39 rebounds this season, 23 coming from the offensive end.
- Chris Paul is averaging more assists per game (11.9) than T.J. Ford and Andre Miller combined (11.6). I think BC made the right move in keeping Jose. As for Andre Miller, to quote my co-blogger Ben, "Only once he establishes the NBA record for unnecessary dribbles in a career will Andre Miller be an above average point guard".
- Dwight Howard has been to the line fewer than 11 times just once in the past six games, averaging 12.7 attempts over the stretch. Too bad his free throw percentage is a miserable .539. Hack-a-Dwight anyone?
- Jose Calderon, unsurprisingly, sits at the bottom of the Eddy Curry Fantasy Line, a stat in which a player must average more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined. Jose is averaging 5.80 good stats to 1 turnover. The top/bottom ten players on the Eddy Curry Line: (1) Desmond Mason, (2) Kevin Durant, (3) Jason Thompson, (4) Thaddeus Young, (5) Marc Gasol, (6) Bobby Simmons, (7) Andres Nocioni, (8) Emeka Okafor, (9) Yao Ming, (10) David West.
- This week, former 10 day Raptor Linton Johnson was released by the Charlotte Bobcats. One may say he had a relatively short stint-on Johnson (I'm sorry).
- On that note, we can launch into our Obscure Former Raptor Update. Today's centrepiece: Nate Huffman. An import from Maccabi Tel-Aviv, 7'1 Nate Huffman played 7 games in the 02-03 season for the Raptors, averaging 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Hooray for another failed Glen Grunwald experiment. Huffman was released by the Raptors and his contract was terminated by the Raptors. Team management charged that he hid a knee injury from them when he signed the contract. Huffman responded by suing them in 2003. In February 2004, however, an arbitrator ruled that the Raptors were responsible for Huffman’s contract. Tough luck, Glen. After getting his money from the Toronto Raptors he decided to fund a basketball camp for children in 2005 with retired Romanian-Israeli basketballer Constantin Popa.
- The Knicks have completed 2 trades today. First they sent Jamal Crawford to Golden State for Al Harrington, and second they sent Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the L.A. Clippers for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. These deals have apparently been made to free up salary cap space in 2010, when notables such as Dwayne Wade, Lebron James and Chris Bosh become free agents. Dwayne's and Chris' agent has been quoted saying "I find it sort of strange, the reality is it's two years away. I don't know why there's so much talk about it." Wise words.
- Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder has more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds this season. He has 39 rebounds this season, 23 coming from the offensive end.
- Chris Paul is averaging more assists per game (11.9) than T.J. Ford and Andre Miller combined (11.6). I think BC made the right move in keeping Jose. As for Andre Miller, to quote my co-blogger Ben, "Only once he establishes the NBA record for unnecessary dribbles in a career will Andre Miller be an above average point guard".
- Dwight Howard has been to the line fewer than 11 times just once in the past six games, averaging 12.7 attempts over the stretch. Too bad his free throw percentage is a miserable .539. Hack-a-Dwight anyone?
- Jose Calderon, unsurprisingly, sits at the bottom of the Eddy Curry Fantasy Line, a stat in which a player must average more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined. Jose is averaging 5.80 good stats to 1 turnover. The top/bottom ten players on the Eddy Curry Line: (1) Desmond Mason, (2) Kevin Durant, (3) Jason Thompson, (4) Thaddeus Young, (5) Marc Gasol, (6) Bobby Simmons, (7) Andres Nocioni, (8) Emeka Okafor, (9) Yao Ming, (10) David West.
- This week, former 10 day Raptor Linton Johnson was released by the Charlotte Bobcats. One may say he had a relatively short stint-on Johnson (I'm sorry).
- On that note, we can launch into our Obscure Former Raptor Update. Today's centrepiece: Nate Huffman. An import from Maccabi Tel-Aviv, 7'1 Nate Huffman played 7 games in the 02-03 season for the Raptors, averaging 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Hooray for another failed Glen Grunwald experiment. Huffman was released by the Raptors and his contract was terminated by the Raptors. Team management charged that he hid a knee injury from them when he signed the contract. Huffman responded by suing them in 2003. In February 2004, however, an arbitrator ruled that the Raptors were responsible for Huffman’s contract. Tough luck, Glen. After getting his money from the Toronto Raptors he decided to fund a basketball camp for children in 2005 with retired Romanian-Israeli basketballer Constantin Popa.
Raps Come Out On Wrong End of Barn Burner: 129 - 127 Nets
It took almost two overtimes to reach a conclusion to what can only be described as a battle. The Raptors looked like they had the game clinched, up 18 halfway through the third quarter. However, a magnificent performance by (I hate to say) Vince Carter, including the game tying three pointer and the game winning bucket, gave the Nets the win. Vince finished with 39 points and the Raptors are back to a .500 team at 6-6. Perhaps the most terrifying part of the game: Jermaine O'Neal left the game after Sean Williams' flagrant foul. He will go in for tests, his current status is a strained right knee.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 42 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists in 44 minutes. How could anyone ever criticize this man? Down the stretch, Chris hit big bucket after big bucket, including the game tying three pointer with 2 seconds left in overtime. Chris also tied his career high in points with 42. It is truly a shame that the Raptors couldn't pull out a win.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 26 points, 15 assists, 5 rebounds in 44 minutes. A red hot 8-11 from the field and 4-5 from three point range, Jose's back! However, Jose did commit an uncharacteristic 5 turnovers. No one is flawless, but this guy is pretty close.
Andrea Bargnani - 29 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists in 49 minutes. Andrea played the most of any Raptor tonight. He set a new career high in points and played like an elite.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
Say what you want about our production numbers: yes, it is quite spectacular that Bosh, Bargnani, and Jose combined for 92 points; or that we got robbed by Vince tonight. However, our bench combined for 15 points. This results in heavy minutes for starters and the starters being relied upon for the scoring duty. In knowing this fact, it is no surprise that Andrea's three-balls in overtime were hitting the front rim: he played 49 minutes and took 25 shots! In contrast, the Nets bench went off for a respectable 31 points. It's a simple message: the Raptors need bench players to produce in order to take some of the scoring pressure off of the starters.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 42 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists in 44 minutes. How could anyone ever criticize this man? Down the stretch, Chris hit big bucket after big bucket, including the game tying three pointer with 2 seconds left in overtime. Chris also tied his career high in points with 42. It is truly a shame that the Raptors couldn't pull out a win.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 26 points, 15 assists, 5 rebounds in 44 minutes. A red hot 8-11 from the field and 4-5 from three point range, Jose's back! However, Jose did commit an uncharacteristic 5 turnovers. No one is flawless, but this guy is pretty close.
Andrea Bargnani - 29 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists in 49 minutes. Andrea played the most of any Raptor tonight. He set a new career high in points and played like an elite.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
Say what you want about our production numbers: yes, it is quite spectacular that Bosh, Bargnani, and Jose combined for 92 points; or that we got robbed by Vince tonight. However, our bench combined for 15 points. This results in heavy minutes for starters and the starters being relied upon for the scoring duty. In knowing this fact, it is no surprise that Andrea's three-balls in overtime were hitting the front rim: he played 49 minutes and took 25 shots! In contrast, the Nets bench went off for a respectable 31 points. It's a simple message: the Raptors need bench players to produce in order to take some of the scoring pressure off of the starters.
VC and the Nets Visit the ACC
Tonight is Raptors vs. Nets, 7:00 PM tipoff. The game is available on TSN, the Fan590, and at channelsurfing.net. It's Vince Carter's first return to Toronto this season, and of course he will be booed mercilessly. As he deserves.
What to Watch For:
- The Nets traded Jason Kidd last season for up-and-coming guard Devin Harris as well as scrub DeSagana Diop. Harris has been scoring at a solid clip, around 23 points per game, but he's been fairly ineffective as a distributor, with under six assists per game.
- New Jersey relies heavily on its two big guns to score, with only three players averaging double figures in points: Harris, Vince Carter at 22.6 per game, and Keyon Dooling at 10 even. This means that if Calderon and Parker can lock down their men, the Raps should have a good chance to win.
- The Nets are also giving up over 101 points per game this season. If the Raptors can establish Bosh, O'Neal, and a secondary scorer or two early, they should be able to score at will. This team has very poor big men, with Brook Lopez's non-existent D and Josh Boone's non-existent O, Bosh and O'Neal should have their way down low.
- In a match-up of soft foreign 7-footers, Andrea Bargnani (assuming he plays the 3) will be matched up with Yi Jianlian. Both are averaging around 10 points per game, but Chairman Yi has been a force on the boards, going for a little over seven per game. Andrea will need to think back to the definiton of "box-out" to keep Yi from being a game-changer.
What to Watch For:
- The Nets traded Jason Kidd last season for up-and-coming guard Devin Harris as well as scrub DeSagana Diop. Harris has been scoring at a solid clip, around 23 points per game, but he's been fairly ineffective as a distributor, with under six assists per game.
- New Jersey relies heavily on its two big guns to score, with only three players averaging double figures in points: Harris, Vince Carter at 22.6 per game, and Keyon Dooling at 10 even. This means that if Calderon and Parker can lock down their men, the Raps should have a good chance to win.
- The Nets are also giving up over 101 points per game this season. If the Raptors can establish Bosh, O'Neal, and a secondary scorer or two early, they should be able to score at will. This team has very poor big men, with Brook Lopez's non-existent D and Josh Boone's non-existent O, Bosh and O'Neal should have their way down low.
- In a match-up of soft foreign 7-footers, Andrea Bargnani (assuming he plays the 3) will be matched up with Yi Jianlian. Both are averaging around 10 points per game, but Chairman Yi has been a force on the boards, going for a little over seven per game. Andrea will need to think back to the definiton of "box-out" to keep Yi from being a game-changer.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Raptors Get Needed W - 101-95 Raps
Q: What happens when you take the Raptors on Tuesday and add Jose Calderon?
A: We don't really have a punch line, but the Raptors are a lot better with him.
Jose had a game - the only phrase that comes to mind is "ruthlessly efficient" - what we've now really come to expect. He's hurting, no doubt. A man averaging nine assists and double figures in points doesn't reach either figure, posting 7 dimes and 9 points, but you can see it in every possession. Nothing forced. No out-of-control spinning drives that end in "didn't I have the ball a second ago?". Just pretty, intelligent basketball. Jose committed one turnover. He had two steals including a game-changing pick and bucket at the other end. We like this guy.
Read the NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Andrea Bargnani was due for a good game - he had a bad game against Orlando, after all - and posted a season high in points with 25 (on 9-15 FG, 3-4 3FG, 4-4 FT) and added four boards and two blocks just for kicks. He did what he's supposed to do - score. It worked.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 15 points (7-17 FG, 1-1 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 steals. If his 40-and-18 was an ICBM, this was a tactical cruise missile. He saved a little of his energy, didn't kill himself on every possession, and let JO and AP do some work. Isn't it nice when your superstar can take an off night and put up a double-double?
Jermaine O'Neal - 16 points (8-17 FG), 17 boards, 3 assists. JO seems like he's getting in the habit of owning the backboards. Fifth straight game with a double-double. Double double-doubles from down low is a very nice thing.
Anthony Parker - 19 points (6-12 FG, 5-5 3FG, 2-2 FT), 6 rebounds. AP showed up on offense! He was guarding Wade, and he gave up 40, but Flash is one of the best scorers in the league. At least Mr. Parker gave Dwyane something to worry about on the opposite end, making every one of his five threes.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot 9-13 (69.2%) from the Land of Three Points, led by Parker's perfect 5. Bargs was 3-4, Jose went 1-2, and Moon and Kapono each missed one. This team looks more like the one that was so fun to watch in the first three games. Let's hope it stays that way, shall we?
Next game: Friday, November 21, 7:00PM vs. New Jersey Nets
A: We don't really have a punch line, but the Raptors are a lot better with him.
Jose had a game - the only phrase that comes to mind is "ruthlessly efficient" - what we've now really come to expect. He's hurting, no doubt. A man averaging nine assists and double figures in points doesn't reach either figure, posting 7 dimes and 9 points, but you can see it in every possession. Nothing forced. No out-of-control spinning drives that end in "didn't I have the ball a second ago?". Just pretty, intelligent basketball. Jose committed one turnover. He had two steals including a game-changing pick and bucket at the other end. We like this guy.
Read the NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Andrea Bargnani was due for a good game - he had a bad game against Orlando, after all - and posted a season high in points with 25 (on 9-15 FG, 3-4 3FG, 4-4 FT) and added four boards and two blocks just for kicks. He did what he's supposed to do - score. It worked.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 15 points (7-17 FG, 1-1 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 steals. If his 40-and-18 was an ICBM, this was a tactical cruise missile. He saved a little of his energy, didn't kill himself on every possession, and let JO and AP do some work. Isn't it nice when your superstar can take an off night and put up a double-double?
Jermaine O'Neal - 16 points (8-17 FG), 17 boards, 3 assists. JO seems like he's getting in the habit of owning the backboards. Fifth straight game with a double-double. Double double-doubles from down low is a very nice thing.
Anthony Parker - 19 points (6-12 FG, 5-5 3FG, 2-2 FT), 6 rebounds. AP showed up on offense! He was guarding Wade, and he gave up 40, but Flash is one of the best scorers in the league. At least Mr. Parker gave Dwyane something to worry about on the opposite end, making every one of his five threes.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot 9-13 (69.2%) from the Land of Three Points, led by Parker's perfect 5. Bargs was 3-4, Jose went 1-2, and Moon and Kapono each missed one. This team looks more like the one that was so fun to watch in the first three games. Let's hope it stays that way, shall we?
Next game: Friday, November 21, 7:00PM vs. New Jersey Nets
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Toronto Visits Heat
Tonight at 7:30 PM we have the second face-off between our Raptors and the Miami Heat in four days. The Raps won the previous match-up 107-96, with CB4 leading seven Raptors in double figures with 27 points. Against the Heat, the Raps looked like they could do anything they wanted for 42 minutes of the game (they had a six-minute field-goal-less drought in the fourth quarter) and plenty of Raptors made notable contributions. The Raptors need this game. Period. Going below .500 - even ignoring the absence of Jose Calderon - would be a confidence killer for this team. You can watch the game on The Score (or on channelsurfing.net) and you can listen in with the Fan590.
NBA.com's preview
What to Watch For:
- Chris Bosh. The Franchise is averaging over 32 points in his last three games. Last night against Orlando (against whom he always seems to play well) he dropped a 40-point, 18-rebound bomb - and the lack of a supporting cast beyond Jermaine O'Neal allowed the Raptors to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The big fella just refuses to quit. As long as he's not exhausted, Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley will have their hands full once again.
- Jose Calderon - or not. He's still "day-to-day" but hopefully after seeing yesterday's gong show involving Will Solomon and seven turnovers, he'll go out and buy a bionic leg or something. This team is just not the same without him. And ignore Matt Devlin - the team's Big Three does not include Andrea Bargnani. It includes Numero Ocho.
- Dwyane Wade shot 6-for-16 from the floor for 19 points last night against the Wizards, but helped out with 10 assists and six rebounds. Anthony Parker will again need to contribute on D and keep him out of the lane.
- Interesting side note alert! The top three scorers in the NBA right now, in order: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh. That 2003 NBA Draft Class wasn't half bad, eh?
NBA.com's preview
What to Watch For:
- Chris Bosh. The Franchise is averaging over 32 points in his last three games. Last night against Orlando (against whom he always seems to play well) he dropped a 40-point, 18-rebound bomb - and the lack of a supporting cast beyond Jermaine O'Neal allowed the Raptors to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The big fella just refuses to quit. As long as he's not exhausted, Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley will have their hands full once again.
- Jose Calderon - or not. He's still "day-to-day" but hopefully after seeing yesterday's gong show involving Will Solomon and seven turnovers, he'll go out and buy a bionic leg or something. This team is just not the same without him. And ignore Matt Devlin - the team's Big Three does not include Andrea Bargnani. It includes Numero Ocho.
- Dwyane Wade shot 6-for-16 from the floor for 19 points last night against the Wizards, but helped out with 10 assists and six rebounds. Anthony Parker will again need to contribute on D and keep him out of the lane.
- Interesting side note alert! The top three scorers in the NBA right now, in order: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh. That 2003 NBA Draft Class wasn't half bad, eh?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Raptors Can't Contain Magic: 103-90 Orlando
It was clear that the Raptors missed Jose tonight. The Raps got off to a blazing start in the first quarter, shooting over 60%, however the rest of the game saw the gradual decline of Toronto. Tonight's game, if anything, proved that two people can not win a game, as the well rounded Magic pushed past the Raptors, rather, they pushed past Bosh and O'Neal.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 40 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists in 45 minutes. Oh what a night from Toronto's All-Star. Tonight everyone except for Chris seemed to be shrugging their shoulders when given the opportunity to score. He was on a mission tonight, but unfortunately, he could not give us the win.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 16 points, 10 rebounds in 26 minutes. One of three (yes, three) Raptors to hit double figures in points last night. His third consecutive game putting up a double-double.
Stat of the game:
How about 21 turnovers and only 12 assists? At times this game looked like the Globetrotters versus the Generals. The Magic would easily grab our passes and make us turn over the ball with apparent ease. Will Solomon: 7 (seven) turnovers! What are you thinking Will? Hopefully Raptor point guards for years to come will watch this game and be told, "This is exactly how to not play the point".
The Raptors will have to bounce back quickly, as they fly to Miami to play the Heat tomorrow night.
Special thank you to Matt Devlin tonight for his unneeded negativity while commentating the Raptor game tonight. Not the best way to get a new city to like you Matt...
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 40 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists in 45 minutes. Oh what a night from Toronto's All-Star. Tonight everyone except for Chris seemed to be shrugging their shoulders when given the opportunity to score. He was on a mission tonight, but unfortunately, he could not give us the win.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 16 points, 10 rebounds in 26 minutes. One of three (yes, three) Raptors to hit double figures in points last night. His third consecutive game putting up a double-double.
Stat of the game:
How about 21 turnovers and only 12 assists? At times this game looked like the Globetrotters versus the Generals. The Magic would easily grab our passes and make us turn over the ball with apparent ease. Will Solomon: 7 (seven) turnovers! What are you thinking Will? Hopefully Raptor point guards for years to come will watch this game and be told, "This is exactly how to not play the point".
The Raptors will have to bounce back quickly, as they fly to Miami to play the Heat tomorrow night.
Special thank you to Matt Devlin tonight for his unneeded negativity while commentating the Raptor game tonight. Not the best way to get a new city to like you Matt...
Monday, November 17, 2008
Toronto Visits Orlando, Tuesday 7:00
Tuesday night the Raptors fly to Orlando to face the team that eliminated them from the 2008 playoffs. The game is available for view on the Score, and for listening on the Fan 590. You can also watch online with channelsurfing.net.
What to watch for:
- In the Raptors vs. Magic series in the postseason of 2008, the Raptors could not find any way to contain Dwight Howard. With the addition of Jermaine O'Neal, how will the Raptors fare in keeping Dwight off of the boards?
- Last game Bosh and O'Neal were huge, posting a combined 38 points and 25 rebounds. Hopefully we can see this production again.
- Jose Calderon's official status is "day-to-day". He will be a game-time decision in Orlando.
- Against the Heat, Sam Mitchell elected to add Andrea Bargnani to the starting lineup. He played well, and allowed Kris Humphries to greatly contribute in limited minutes. Will Sam keep Bargs in the starting 5?
The Magic currently sit atop the Southeast division with a record of 7-3. This game can give the Raptors the statement win they have been looking for all season.
What to watch for:
- In the Raptors vs. Magic series in the postseason of 2008, the Raptors could not find any way to contain Dwight Howard. With the addition of Jermaine O'Neal, how will the Raptors fare in keeping Dwight off of the boards?
- Last game Bosh and O'Neal were huge, posting a combined 38 points and 25 rebounds. Hopefully we can see this production again.
- Jose Calderon's official status is "day-to-day". He will be a game-time decision in Orlando.
- Against the Heat, Sam Mitchell elected to add Andrea Bargnani to the starting lineup. He played well, and allowed Kris Humphries to greatly contribute in limited minutes. Will Sam keep Bargs in the starting 5?
The Magic currently sit atop the Southeast division with a record of 7-3. This game can give the Raptors the statement win they have been looking for all season.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Raps Stop Losing Streak at 2 - 107-96 Raptors
The Raptors showed up for all 4 quarters today, something they were struggling with through the beginning of the season. Even with Dwyane Wade going off for 29 points, the Raptors were able to pound the ball inside against the Heat. With Jose Calderon sitting out to heal his hamstring, Will Solomon got the nod to start. Andrea Bargnani was also placed in the starting 5, replacing the struggling Jamario Moon. Great bench support was very helpful as the Raptors improve to 5-4.
Raptors recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh - 27 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist in 41 minutes. Toronto's All-Star led the Raptors with 27 points, providing key hoops when the Raptors needed them. Overall, the Raptors were +7 with him on the court. Another great outing for Chris.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points, 18 rebounds, 2 blocks in 34 minutes. Reminding everyone why BC brought him in, Jermaine owned the boards with 18, 5 of which were offensive, in posting his third consecutive double-double.
Will Solomon - 15 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds in 34 minutes. In his first start, the Raptors latest import played like he belonged with the big boys. He dished the ball beautifully and shot the ball within reason. However, Will again struggled with turnovers, he had 4 today.
Kris Humphries - 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists in 16 minutes. In his first outing getting reasonable minutes, Hump shot a near perfect 5-6, got to the line 5 times, and crashed the offensive boards for 4. Bargnani starting at SF may open doors for Hump.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Oh my God we outrebounded a team! The rebounds were 52 - 35 in favour of the Raptors, good for a margin of +17. We also put up more points in the paint. This could be expected as Miami is largely a small ball team; their starting centre, Udonis Haslem, is only 6'8!
Next game: Tuesday, November 18th, 7:00PM at Orlando Magic
Raptors recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh - 27 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist in 41 minutes. Toronto's All-Star led the Raptors with 27 points, providing key hoops when the Raptors needed them. Overall, the Raptors were +7 with him on the court. Another great outing for Chris.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points, 18 rebounds, 2 blocks in 34 minutes. Reminding everyone why BC brought him in, Jermaine owned the boards with 18, 5 of which were offensive, in posting his third consecutive double-double.
Will Solomon - 15 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds in 34 minutes. In his first start, the Raptors latest import played like he belonged with the big boys. He dished the ball beautifully and shot the ball within reason. However, Will again struggled with turnovers, he had 4 today.
Kris Humphries - 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists in 16 minutes. In his first outing getting reasonable minutes, Hump shot a near perfect 5-6, got to the line 5 times, and crashed the offensive boards for 4. Bargnani starting at SF may open doors for Hump.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Oh my God we outrebounded a team! The rebounds were 52 - 35 in favour of the Raptors, good for a margin of +17. We also put up more points in the paint. This could be expected as Miami is largely a small ball team; their starting centre, Udonis Haslem, is only 6'8!
Next game: Tuesday, November 18th, 7:00PM at Orlando Magic
Heat Visit Toronto
Today's game is Miami at Toronto, 1:00PM tipoff. The game is on TSN2 (boo!) but you can listen live with League Pass or listen on the Fan590. You can also watch live at ChannelSurfing.net! (thanks to reader Adam for the tip). NBA.com's preview is available here.
What to Watch For:
- Heat prized rookie Michael Beasley. A rookie out of Kansas State, Beast-ley absolutely destroyed the NCAA last year. He's very strong, athletic and can shoot the rock, standing at about 6-8. He'll play the 4 for Miami and along with Wade is likely to be a cornerstone of the franchise.
- The Raptors haven't played in four days. They had a pretty busy schedule in the first couple weeks so hopefully they used the free time to get some rest. There's also the risk that the Raps could come out slowly due to rust.
- Update: Jose Calderon is a no-go. Will Solomon will start in his place.
What to Watch For:
- Heat prized rookie Michael Beasley. A rookie out of Kansas State, Beast-ley absolutely destroyed the NCAA last year. He's very strong, athletic and can shoot the rock, standing at about 6-8. He'll play the 4 for Miami and along with Wade is likely to be a cornerstone of the franchise.
- The Raptors haven't played in four days. They had a pretty busy schedule in the first couple weeks so hopefully they used the free time to get some rest. There's also the risk that the Raps could come out slowly due to rust.
- Update: Jose Calderon is a no-go. Will Solomon will start in his place.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Curse of the BamBeno - A Friday Night Ramble
- What's the best thing that has come out of Yugoslavia since, well, ever? Beno Udrih tore up the NBA this week, averaging 19 points, 5 boards, 5 assists and just under 2 steals per game. He's been the leader - not Kevin Martin - in his Kings' attempt to get back on track. They were 2-1 this week.
- On the same note of NBA domination, look at O.J. Mayo go! Two 30+ point games this week.
- It was reported this week that Antonio McDyess has fought being traded to Toronto in the hopes of staying in Detroit. Guess what Antonio, we don't want you! Ever thought of that? You can go sit around a table with Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Antonio Davis and Alonzo Mourning and talk about what a dark, evil place Toronto is. We'll be throwing whale blubbber at you from our igloos.
- In other Canuck news, Canadian basketball hero Steve Nash got suspended 1 game for an altercation in the Suns game versus the Rockets. ESPN describes the fight's escalation: During the altercation, Barnes knocked back Alston with his shoulder, and Alston charged him. Nash ran in and was pushed back by McGrady, who was shoved down by O'Neal. Alston and Barnes both got 2 game suspensions.
- The Nets' Josh Boone is shooting 26% from the line this season. Enough said.
- The NBA All-Star ballot was released this week, which included such names as: Eddy Curry, Monta Ellis and Manu Ginobili, 3 players who have not even played a game this year. Remember when there used to be standards to be on the All-Star ballot?
Obscure Former Raptor Update:
On the subject of All-Stars, Prehistoric Hoops' all-time favourite player Jelani McCoy was a starting centre in the D-League All-Star game last year. As well, his Wikipedia page states that Jelani McCoy is able to time travel: "In February 2007, he signed with Spanish club Menorca BÃ squet and two weeks before was dismissed." He was signed, travelled back in time, and was dismissed two weeks earlier. Jelani Marwan McCoy, there's always room for you on the PH roster.
- On the same note of NBA domination, look at O.J. Mayo go! Two 30+ point games this week.
- It was reported this week that Antonio McDyess has fought being traded to Toronto in the hopes of staying in Detroit. Guess what Antonio, we don't want you! Ever thought of that? You can go sit around a table with Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Antonio Davis and Alonzo Mourning and talk about what a dark, evil place Toronto is. We'll be throwing whale blubbber at you from our igloos.
- In other Canuck news, Canadian basketball hero Steve Nash got suspended 1 game for an altercation in the Suns game versus the Rockets. ESPN describes the fight's escalation: During the altercation, Barnes knocked back Alston with his shoulder, and Alston charged him. Nash ran in and was pushed back by McGrady, who was shoved down by O'Neal. Alston and Barnes both got 2 game suspensions.
- The Nets' Josh Boone is shooting 26% from the line this season. Enough said.
- The NBA All-Star ballot was released this week, which included such names as: Eddy Curry, Monta Ellis and Manu Ginobili, 3 players who have not even played a game this year. Remember when there used to be standards to be on the All-Star ballot?
Obscure Former Raptor Update:
On the subject of All-Stars, Prehistoric Hoops' all-time favourite player Jelani McCoy was a starting centre in the D-League All-Star game last year. As well, his Wikipedia page states that Jelani McCoy is able to time travel: "In February 2007, he signed with Spanish club Menorca BÃ squet and two weeks before was dismissed." He was signed, travelled back in time, and was dismissed two weeks earlier. Jelani Marwan McCoy, there's always room for you on the PH roster.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Raps Lose Fourth in Last Five - 106-96 76ers
For pretty much the first time this season, Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh were dominant inside in the same game - and even with a nice game from Bargs off the bench the Raps couldn't overcome a balanced game from Philly. CB4 turned in 30 and 12 while JO had 19, 11 and 2 blocks, and Bargnani continued his string of strong games with 15, 5 and 2 blocks of his own. Philly was led by Elton Brand with 25, and they totalled five players with double digits in scoring, and seven players with at least 7 points. In all, the Sixers came out with more energy, confidence and hunger than the Raptors, and our record currently stands at: average. 4-4.
Raptors Post Up
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh continued to play like a surefire All-Star, topping the 30-point barrier once again, adding 12 rebounds, 2 assists, one steal and one block while shooting 10-15 from the floor and 10-13 from the line. At least even in this rough stretch we know there's nothing wrong with Mr. Franchise.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 19 points (6-13 FG, 7-7 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 blocks. For the first time this season Jermaine turned in a second solid performance in as many games. It's great to see he's shooting well and has his confidence back - now we just need to put up the W.
Andrea Bargnani - 15 points (6-11 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 blocks. Continued to be solid offensively off the bench. Perhaps Andrea is, in fact, better suited to being instant offense from the pine rather than the pressure of starting. No matter the reason, production from Andrea is something to be happy about.
Roko Ukic - 2 points (1-2 FG), 3 assists, one steal in under 4 minutes. If he had played 48 minutes, he would'e put up a triple double! But in seriousness, solid numbers in whatever action he can get is a good sign from Hot Cocoa Roko as he looks to regain the backup point guard title from Will Solomon, who was decent again last night with 9 points, 2 assists and 2 turnovers. For Roko's sake as well as Jose's, hopefully he can produce meaningfully in more significant minutes.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors, while doing a decent job on the glass (minus-3, 40-37), played Swiss Cheese Defense, allowing Philadelphia to shoot 53.7% from the floor (43-80) and 54.5% from three-point land (6-11). In their court, the Raps shot just 42.5% from the field (34-80) and a very uncharacteristic 23.8% on threes (5-21). It's simple, fellas: pick up the defense and hit your shots. Let's regroup for Miami.
Next game: Sunday, November 16, 1:00 PM vs. Miami Heat
Raptors Post Up
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh continued to play like a surefire All-Star, topping the 30-point barrier once again, adding 12 rebounds, 2 assists, one steal and one block while shooting 10-15 from the floor and 10-13 from the line. At least even in this rough stretch we know there's nothing wrong with Mr. Franchise.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 19 points (6-13 FG, 7-7 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 blocks. For the first time this season Jermaine turned in a second solid performance in as many games. It's great to see he's shooting well and has his confidence back - now we just need to put up the W.
Andrea Bargnani - 15 points (6-11 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 blocks. Continued to be solid offensively off the bench. Perhaps Andrea is, in fact, better suited to being instant offense from the pine rather than the pressure of starting. No matter the reason, production from Andrea is something to be happy about.
Roko Ukic - 2 points (1-2 FG), 3 assists, one steal in under 4 minutes. If he had played 48 minutes, he would'e put up a triple double! But in seriousness, solid numbers in whatever action he can get is a good sign from Hot Cocoa Roko as he looks to regain the backup point guard title from Will Solomon, who was decent again last night with 9 points, 2 assists and 2 turnovers. For Roko's sake as well as Jose's, hopefully he can produce meaningfully in more significant minutes.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors, while doing a decent job on the glass (minus-3, 40-37), played Swiss Cheese Defense, allowing Philadelphia to shoot 53.7% from the floor (43-80) and 54.5% from three-point land (6-11). In their court, the Raps shot just 42.5% from the field (34-80) and a very uncharacteristic 23.8% on threes (5-21). It's simple, fellas: pick up the defense and hit your shots. Let's regroup for Miami.
Next game: Sunday, November 16, 1:00 PM vs. Miami Heat
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Raptors Come Home for 76ers
Tonight at 7:00 PM we feature the first rematch of the young season, with our Raptors set to take on an underachieving Philadelphia team that stands at 2-5. The game is available on the radio, as always, on the Fan590, and The Score on TV, and you can listen live with League Pass. Elton Brand has been fairly effective but has been unable to lead this team, and Andre Iguodala, after averaging nearly 20 points per game last season, is going for under 12 while shooting below 40% from the floor. In the season opener, the Raptors defeated the Sixers in Philly despite getting killed on the boards. The 76ers are also currently on a three-game losing streak which the Raps will look to extend. You can check out NBA.com's game preview.
What to watch for:
- The Sixers are one of the best rebounding teams in the league both in terms of differential and total rebounds - despite allowing almost 40 rebounds per game to their opponents. They play a fairly fast pace and are shooting quite poorly, but Samuel Dalembert, Elton Brand, Reggie Evans and Andre Iguodala are all threats to crash the boards. Bosh and JO will need to work the glass hard to win.
- Jose Calderon needs to get back to his scoring ways to be as effective as possible. He usually shoots a high percentage while allowing easier penetration and distribution, and the Raps count on him to take some of the pressure off the inside with his scoring.
- Anthony Parker has been quiet the last few games. Despite his tough defensive assignments, his outside steadiness and scoring has been missing, and the Raptors would love to get it back.
- Hopefully the Raptors are not distracted by swirling trade rumours, and Andrea Bargnani can stay focused on providing scoring - and recently, defense too - off the bench.
What to watch for:
- The Sixers are one of the best rebounding teams in the league both in terms of differential and total rebounds - despite allowing almost 40 rebounds per game to their opponents. They play a fairly fast pace and are shooting quite poorly, but Samuel Dalembert, Elton Brand, Reggie Evans and Andre Iguodala are all threats to crash the boards. Bosh and JO will need to work the glass hard to win.
- Jose Calderon needs to get back to his scoring ways to be as effective as possible. He usually shoots a high percentage while allowing easier penetration and distribution, and the Raps count on him to take some of the pressure off the inside with his scoring.
- Anthony Parker has been quiet the last few games. Despite his tough defensive assignments, his outside steadiness and scoring has been missing, and the Raptors would love to get it back.
- Hopefully the Raptors are not distracted by swirling trade rumours, and Andrea Bargnani can stay focused on providing scoring - and recently, defense too - off the bench.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Raptors Interested in Wallace, Harrington?
The Raptors have reportedly been talking with the Bobcats and the Warriors about acquiring a perimeter player. Specifically, the Raptors have been looking at Gerald Wallace and Al Harrington. You can check out RealGM's Wiretap article here.
This season, Gerald Wallace is averaging 15 points per game, almost 9 rebounds per game and 2 assists. His three point percentage is a solid .455. Maybe most importantly, Gerald is averaging upwards of 2 steals per game, and can bring the Raptors an athletic small forward who is not afraid to attack the bucket.
Al Harrington has publically stated that he wants out of Golden State. Slightly less attractive and effective than Gerald, Al is averaging 12 points and 5 rebounds. His career has also been riddled with personal and attitude problems. However, Al is a 6'10 big man who can shoot the three ball.
It is a mystery what BC has up his french cuffs. However, if Joey Graham is able to produce like he did against the Celtics, why be so quick to rush for a trade? Especially considering we may have to give up Andrea...
This season, Gerald Wallace is averaging 15 points per game, almost 9 rebounds per game and 2 assists. His three point percentage is a solid .455. Maybe most importantly, Gerald is averaging upwards of 2 steals per game, and can bring the Raptors an athletic small forward who is not afraid to attack the bucket.
Al Harrington has publically stated that he wants out of Golden State. Slightly less attractive and effective than Gerald, Al is averaging 12 points and 5 rebounds. His career has also been riddled with personal and attitude problems. However, Al is a 6'10 big man who can shoot the three ball.
It is a mystery what BC has up his french cuffs. However, if Joey Graham is able to produce like he did against the Celtics, why be so quick to rush for a trade? Especially considering we may have to give up Andrea...
Raptors Drop One in Boston - 94-87 Celtics
For the first three quarters last night it looked like the Raps could pull off a huge confidence booster in Boston. We were playing solid, efficient offense and stingy defense. But when the Celts made their run in the fourth we couldn't stop the bleeding and some threes by Jesus Shuttlesworth and Paul Pierce broke the game open. Jermaine O'Neal busted out of his slump with a big game, but unfortunately the good guys couldn't pick up the W. Our record currently stands at 4-3.
Raptors Post Up
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal all the way last night. It looked like JO's intensity would carry us through, although that wasn't meant to be. He finished with 23 points (on 8-17 FG and 7-9 FT), 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Hopefully for him and Raptors fans this means he will finally break out of his offensive slump.
Notables:
Jason Kapono - 14 points (6-10 FG, 2-3 3FG), 6 assists, 4 rebounds. A surprisingly well-rounded game from Jason, and he stepped up when no one else could play backup to Jermaine's main event.
Jose Calderon - 7 points (2-9 FG, 1-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 10 assists, one steal, one block. Played distributor as always but did not shoot well at all. He needs to be more consistent shooting the rock to allow him to penetrate more easily, but it's impossible to pin the blame on him.
Chris Bosh - 9 points, 7 rebounds. Looked sluggish after Sunday's dominance in Charlotte. While he didn't have a particularly bad game, this team counts on him to dominate the post alongside Jermaine O'Neal, and needs both to play well. One or the other just won't cut it against the best team in the NBA.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Boston was plus-11 in free throws, shooting 88.9% (24-27) to the Raptors 72.2% (13-18).
Next game: Wednesday, November 12th, 7:00 PM vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Raptors Post Up
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal all the way last night. It looked like JO's intensity would carry us through, although that wasn't meant to be. He finished with 23 points (on 8-17 FG and 7-9 FT), 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Hopefully for him and Raptors fans this means he will finally break out of his offensive slump.
Notables:
Jason Kapono - 14 points (6-10 FG, 2-3 3FG), 6 assists, 4 rebounds. A surprisingly well-rounded game from Jason, and he stepped up when no one else could play backup to Jermaine's main event.
Jose Calderon - 7 points (2-9 FG, 1-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 10 assists, one steal, one block. Played distributor as always but did not shoot well at all. He needs to be more consistent shooting the rock to allow him to penetrate more easily, but it's impossible to pin the blame on him.
Chris Bosh - 9 points, 7 rebounds. Looked sluggish after Sunday's dominance in Charlotte. While he didn't have a particularly bad game, this team counts on him to dominate the post alongside Jermaine O'Neal, and needs both to play well. One or the other just won't cut it against the best team in the NBA.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Boston was plus-11 in free throws, shooting 88.9% (24-27) to the Raptors 72.2% (13-18).
Next game: Wednesday, November 12th, 7:00 PM vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Monday, November 10, 2008
Raps Visit the Champs
Oh boy... big game tonight. Raptors at Celtics, 7:00 PM tipoff. It's available on the Fan as always and on Raptors NBA TV. You can also listen live with League Pass. The Raptors are in the second game of a back-to-back, on the road, playing the best team in the league. It would be very very nice to see the guys rise to the challenge. Last night Chris Bosh was a superstar. Jose and Will Solomon combined for 15 points, 13 assists and one turnover. Jermaine played great defence and was active on the boards, and Bargnani was huge off the bench. That said... it takes a whole lot more to beat the reigning NBA champions than the Bobcats.
NBA.com preview
What to watch for:
- A match up of quite possibly the two best forwards in the East - Bosh and Kevin Garnett. While it unfortunately doesn't look like CB's defence will ever be quite like Defensive Player of the Year KG's, it's improving rapidly and his intensity is getting up there as well. This is a critical match up.
- Perimeter play. Boston has one of the best swingman combos in the league in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon will have to give maximum effort to keep these guys from dropping bombs all over the court.
- This year the Raps have a definite advantage in two positions: point guard and centre. Jose is having a monster year already (16.2 points, 9.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, just 1.7 turnovers) and Jermaine... well his scoring has been lacking. His defence has been nothing short of sensational (when he's not in foul trouble) - he's averaging nearly two blocks a game. If Jose keeps Rajon Rondo working on the other end (as quick as Rondo is, he can't contain Calderon) and JO stops out of his funk, these two guys will give the Raptors a chance to win.
NBA.com preview
What to watch for:
- A match up of quite possibly the two best forwards in the East - Bosh and Kevin Garnett. While it unfortunately doesn't look like CB's defence will ever be quite like Defensive Player of the Year KG's, it's improving rapidly and his intensity is getting up there as well. This is a critical match up.
- Perimeter play. Boston has one of the best swingman combos in the league in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon will have to give maximum effort to keep these guys from dropping bombs all over the court.
- This year the Raps have a definite advantage in two positions: point guard and centre. Jose is having a monster year already (16.2 points, 9.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, just 1.7 turnovers) and Jermaine... well his scoring has been lacking. His defence has been nothing short of sensational (when he's not in foul trouble) - he's averaging nearly two blocks a game. If Jose keeps Rajon Rondo working on the other end (as quick as Rondo is, he can't contain Calderon) and JO stops out of his funk, these two guys will give the Raptors a chance to win.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Raptors Come Back - 89-79 Raptors
For the first two and half quarters of this one, it looked like the Raptors had lost all their confidence, hustle - and ability to shoot. But Chris Bosh played like a superstar, giving us energy, scoring, rebounding and defense down the stretch to lead a 19-0 run late in the game which gave the Raps an unsurmountable lead. Andrea Bargnani also played well, and Will Solomon gave some nice backup minutes for Jose.
Check out the Raptors recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh was the man today. He took it upon himself to not allow our team to drop to 3-3, and it turns out against a team like the Bobcats (though they knocked off New Orleans the other day) his talent and determination was enough. CB4 had 30 points (on scorching 12-17 FG and 6-7 FT), 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. He - like the rest of the team - looked a little rusty early, and he ended up with 5 turnovers and 3 fouls. But you can't take anything away from him - he was dominant.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 18 points (6-10 from the field including 3-5 from three, 3-4 from the line), 5 rebounds, 3 blocks. Another excellent, rounded game from Bargnani. Maybe even more importantly, Il Mago only had one turnover and one foul. Also had some key defensive plays down the stretch and hit some huge shots. Getting production like this every game would be a lifesaver.
Jose Calderon - 13 points (6-10 FG, 1-4 3FG), 7 assists, 0 turnovers. A solid if unspectacular game from Jose. Was backed-up effectively by Will Solomon (2 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover) and as a result "only" played 35 minutes.
Jermaine O'Neal - 5 points (0-5 FG(!), 5-6 FT), 9 rebounds, two assists, one block. For some reason, his scoring is just not there. But there's no doubting that Bosh is loving the move over to power forward, looking at his stats. It's definitely nice to see that JO is active on the boards and on defense despite his scoring. Before the start of the season, we were worried what would happen if JO didn't get his touches, and if his attitude would rub off on the rest of the team. Thus far, he's been a veteran leader and hopefully just wants to win. Only played 20 minutes tonight because the Bobcats were going with a small line-up and because Bargnani was playing so well.
Jamario Moon - 10 points (5-8 FG, 0-2 3FG), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, one block. A return to last year's Super Jamario - hustle, chipping in some points here and there, great rebounding and defense. He needs to be active to be effective, and tonight he was both of those things.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot 49.3% (35-71) from the field to Charlotte's 37% (30-81). But tonight, for the first time this season, the Raptors outrebounded their opponents, 44-36. Yeah, it's almost completely because the Bobcats couldn't land a shot in the ocean with a beach ball, but baby steps, people.
Next game: Tomorrow (Monday) at Boston Celtics, 7:30 PM tipoff
Check out the Raptors recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh was the man today. He took it upon himself to not allow our team to drop to 3-3, and it turns out against a team like the Bobcats (though they knocked off New Orleans the other day) his talent and determination was enough. CB4 had 30 points (on scorching 12-17 FG and 6-7 FT), 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. He - like the rest of the team - looked a little rusty early, and he ended up with 5 turnovers and 3 fouls. But you can't take anything away from him - he was dominant.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 18 points (6-10 from the field including 3-5 from three, 3-4 from the line), 5 rebounds, 3 blocks. Another excellent, rounded game from Bargnani. Maybe even more importantly, Il Mago only had one turnover and one foul. Also had some key defensive plays down the stretch and hit some huge shots. Getting production like this every game would be a lifesaver.
Jose Calderon - 13 points (6-10 FG, 1-4 3FG), 7 assists, 0 turnovers. A solid if unspectacular game from Jose. Was backed-up effectively by Will Solomon (2 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover) and as a result "only" played 35 minutes.
Jermaine O'Neal - 5 points (0-5 FG(!), 5-6 FT), 9 rebounds, two assists, one block. For some reason, his scoring is just not there. But there's no doubting that Bosh is loving the move over to power forward, looking at his stats. It's definitely nice to see that JO is active on the boards and on defense despite his scoring. Before the start of the season, we were worried what would happen if JO didn't get his touches, and if his attitude would rub off on the rest of the team. Thus far, he's been a veteran leader and hopefully just wants to win. Only played 20 minutes tonight because the Bobcats were going with a small line-up and because Bargnani was playing so well.
Jamario Moon - 10 points (5-8 FG, 0-2 3FG), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, one block. A return to last year's Super Jamario - hustle, chipping in some points here and there, great rebounding and defense. He needs to be active to be effective, and tonight he was both of those things.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot 49.3% (35-71) from the field to Charlotte's 37% (30-81). But tonight, for the first time this season, the Raptors outrebounded their opponents, 44-36. Yeah, it's almost completely because the Bobcats couldn't land a shot in the ocean with a beach ball, but baby steps, people.
Next game: Tomorrow (Monday) at Boston Celtics, 7:30 PM tipoff
Raptors Go To Charlotte
At 1:00 today, the Raptors will play the Bobcats. The game is available to watch on CBC. The Bobcats are 1 game into a 6 game homestand. Last game they defeated the New Orleans Hornets 92-89. On the Raptors side, they have dropped 2 straight games and look to bounce back from a blowout in Atlanta.
What to watch for:
- Larry Brown became coach of the Bobcats in the offseason. This is the Raptors first look at Brown's Bobcats.
- Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, Matt Carroll, Adam Morrison, and Jared Dudley can all put the ball in the basket. Look for the Bobcats to spread the floor with their ability to penetrate and shoot.
- Jason Kapono may replace Jamario Moon in the starting lineup today. Kapono had 14 points on Friday, while Moon has had some struggles in the season's beginning. Sophmore slump?
- The Raptors have been outrebounded in every game thus far, and keeping Emeka Okafor off the glass will be no easy feat. Hopefully Sam Mitchell will have ran some rebounding drills in Saturday's practice.
The Raptors, who started the season at a powerful 3-0, have now fallen to 3-2. This game could make the statement that, either the Raptors can bounce back and are a contender, or they are simply a .500 ball club. Hopefully it will not be the latter.
What to watch for:
- Larry Brown became coach of the Bobcats in the offseason. This is the Raptors first look at Brown's Bobcats.
- Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, Matt Carroll, Adam Morrison, and Jared Dudley can all put the ball in the basket. Look for the Bobcats to spread the floor with their ability to penetrate and shoot.
- Jason Kapono may replace Jamario Moon in the starting lineup today. Kapono had 14 points on Friday, while Moon has had some struggles in the season's beginning. Sophmore slump?
- The Raptors have been outrebounded in every game thus far, and keeping Emeka Okafor off the glass will be no easy feat. Hopefully Sam Mitchell will have ran some rebounding drills in Saturday's practice.
The Raptors, who started the season at a powerful 3-0, have now fallen to 3-2. This game could make the statement that, either the Raptors can bounce back and are a contender, or they are simply a .500 ball club. Hopefully it will not be the latter.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Raps Get Blown Out: 110 - 92
The Raptors promising 3-0 start has quickly diminished to a 3-2 record as the Atlanta Hawks remain unbeaten. Despite Josh Smith getting injured in the first quarter and not returning, the Hawks dominated play throughout the game and received little defensive resistance from the Raptors. At the forefront of the Hawks charge were Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson. Bibby, a classic Raptor killer, provided 19 points and 12 assists, while Johnson added 17 points. 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The words of Sam Mitchell say it all: "There was just nothing we could do to stop them. We just couldn’t guard them tonight. Almost everybody was off. It happens.”
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 26 points, 8 rebounds in 38 minutes. Bosh also got to the line 12 times, which is a great number. However Bosh had an uncharacteristic 0 assists.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocked shots in 30 minutes. Hopefully his early season jitters are gone and we will see this type of production more this season from Jermaine. Also, his three blocks were a nice aspect of the night. A step in the right direction, however Jermaine did not grab any offensive boards.
Jason Kapono - 14 ponts, 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 30 minutes. Jason showed that he was not afraid to shoot tonight, taking 15 shots. And with his ability, why not take 15 shots a game? It is nice to see some bench scoring that is not Andrea Bargnani.
Jose Calderon - 6 points, 12 assists, 4 rebounds in 36 minutes. A very uncharacteristic 2-10 shooting night for Jose. No doubt he will bounce back though.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors were simply outworked tonight. Yet again the worst rebounding team in the league did not dissapoint last night, as they were minus 9 on the boards. Furthermore, the speedy Hawks were able to get out and run, leading to 18 fast break points. The Raptors only had 3.
The Raptors will look to rebound (yes, that is a pun) Sunday in Charlotte against the 2-3 Bobcats.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 26 points, 8 rebounds in 38 minutes. Bosh also got to the line 12 times, which is a great number. However Bosh had an uncharacteristic 0 assists.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocked shots in 30 minutes. Hopefully his early season jitters are gone and we will see this type of production more this season from Jermaine. Also, his three blocks were a nice aspect of the night. A step in the right direction, however Jermaine did not grab any offensive boards.
Jason Kapono - 14 ponts, 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 30 minutes. Jason showed that he was not afraid to shoot tonight, taking 15 shots. And with his ability, why not take 15 shots a game? It is nice to see some bench scoring that is not Andrea Bargnani.
Jose Calderon - 6 points, 12 assists, 4 rebounds in 36 minutes. A very uncharacteristic 2-10 shooting night for Jose. No doubt he will bounce back though.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors were simply outworked tonight. Yet again the worst rebounding team in the league did not dissapoint last night, as they were minus 9 on the boards. Furthermore, the speedy Hawks were able to get out and run, leading to 18 fast break points. The Raptors only had 3.
The Raptors will look to rebound (yes, that is a pun) Sunday in Charlotte against the 2-3 Bobcats.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Game Five - Raptors at Hawks
Tonight's matchup is Toronto at Atlanta, 7:30 PM tipoff. NBA.com is being weird, so we can't find the TV channel (although it will still be on the Fan590) or NBA.com's preview (you can see ESPN.com's preview), but you can still listen live with NBA League Pass. Tonight should be a very entertaining game.
What to watch for:
- A match-up between two great young forwards: the always-improving Josh Smith and our very own Chris Bosh.
- Mike Bibby, the Hawks' point guard, is playing well, but his work will be cut out for him trying to contain red-hot Jose Calderon.
- On the flip side, Anthony Parker will need to bring his "A" defensive game against the very talented Joe Johnson. JJ is not known as a particularly skilled defensive player, so if AP can make him work on the other end, it will help the Raptors greatly.
- Al Horford is already known as a "Turok" (Raptor-killer) in his young career. It will be up to Jermaine O'Neal to stay out of foul trouble and keep him off the boards, or he'll be giving Sam Mitchell fits all game.
What to watch for:
- A match-up between two great young forwards: the always-improving Josh Smith and our very own Chris Bosh.
- Mike Bibby, the Hawks' point guard, is playing well, but his work will be cut out for him trying to contain red-hot Jose Calderon.
- On the flip side, Anthony Parker will need to bring his "A" defensive game against the very talented Joe Johnson. JJ is not known as a particularly skilled defensive player, so if AP can make him work on the other end, it will help the Raptors greatly.
- Al Horford is already known as a "Turok" (Raptor-killer) in his young career. It will be up to Jermaine O'Neal to stay out of foul trouble and keep him off the boards, or he'll be giving Sam Mitchell fits all game.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Celebration Time!
Well, we at Prehistoric Hoops have now officially been around for over one whole month!
Some random thoughts:
- We like Matt Devlin. Now he's no Chuck Swirsky, but kudos to the Raps for getting a well-respected voice who knows how to announce. One of the things we liked best about Chuck is how he called games on TV like a radio announcer; he would actually describe the play instead of getting really bored and drawing on the screen. It's also nice to see that the Raps didn't try to replace Chuck, realizing he's one of a kind, and Devlin's passion and excitement level is much higher than we expected. He seems in sync with Leo and Jack as well which is an added bonus.
- Speaking of Chuck Swirsky, it was just brought to my attention that former "Banger Brother" Robert Archibald (from the Mengke Bateer era) currently plays in the Euroleague for Unicaja Malaga, averaging 7.3 points in almost 20 minutes. If you're wondering, Lonny Baxter is averaging 10 points per game for Panionios BC of Greece.
- Chris Bosh will make an All-NBA Team this year: book it. Ditto for Jose and the Eastern Conference All-Star team. If Rodney Stuckey ends up playing the 1 for Detroit instead of AI (with Iverson at off-guard) - and hey, maybe even if he doesn't - Jose has a real shot at claiming the title of the East's best point man.
- Jermaine O'Neal needs to get in shape. While he's jumping and running just fine, his continued foul trouble tells me he's playing defense with his hands, not his feet. It would be nice to shed his recently acquired nickname of "The Drain" while he's at it.
- We're surprised mainly with two teams this season. The first is Portland, who are underacheiving largely due to the poor play of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge - both are shooting under 42%. The play of Rudy Fernandez has been a nice bright spot for them, though. The other team is the LA Clippers. With the arrivals of Baron Davis and Marcus Camby (for whom the Clips effectively traded two basketballs, a rubber band and a moustache comb), this team was set for big things. But they have stuggled mightily on offense. No one besides DeAndre Jordan (who is 1-1 in 1 game) is shooting over 46% from the floor, with Baron Davis shooting 35%, Marcus Camby shooting 38% and Cuttino Mobley shooting 39%. Not good. At least Al Thornton is averaging 16.8 points on 46% shooting.
- The NBDL draft is tomorrow. [insert too-easy joke here]
- We hope you're enjoying Prehistoric Hoops, and keep reading!
Some random thoughts:
- We like Matt Devlin. Now he's no Chuck Swirsky, but kudos to the Raps for getting a well-respected voice who knows how to announce. One of the things we liked best about Chuck is how he called games on TV like a radio announcer; he would actually describe the play instead of getting really bored and drawing on the screen. It's also nice to see that the Raps didn't try to replace Chuck, realizing he's one of a kind, and Devlin's passion and excitement level is much higher than we expected. He seems in sync with Leo and Jack as well which is an added bonus.
- Speaking of Chuck Swirsky, it was just brought to my attention that former "Banger Brother" Robert Archibald (from the Mengke Bateer era) currently plays in the Euroleague for Unicaja Malaga, averaging 7.3 points in almost 20 minutes. If you're wondering, Lonny Baxter is averaging 10 points per game for Panionios BC of Greece.
- Chris Bosh will make an All-NBA Team this year: book it. Ditto for Jose and the Eastern Conference All-Star team. If Rodney Stuckey ends up playing the 1 for Detroit instead of AI (with Iverson at off-guard) - and hey, maybe even if he doesn't - Jose has a real shot at claiming the title of the East's best point man.
- Jermaine O'Neal needs to get in shape. While he's jumping and running just fine, his continued foul trouble tells me he's playing defense with his hands, not his feet. It would be nice to shed his recently acquired nickname of "The Drain" while he's at it.
- We're surprised mainly with two teams this season. The first is Portland, who are underacheiving largely due to the poor play of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge - both are shooting under 42%. The play of Rudy Fernandez has been a nice bright spot for them, though. The other team is the LA Clippers. With the arrivals of Baron Davis and Marcus Camby (for whom the Clips effectively traded two basketballs, a rubber band and a moustache comb), this team was set for big things. But they have stuggled mightily on offense. No one besides DeAndre Jordan (who is 1-1 in 1 game) is shooting over 46% from the floor, with Baron Davis shooting 35%, Marcus Camby shooting 38% and Cuttino Mobley shooting 39%. Not good. At least Al Thornton is averaging 16.8 points on 46% shooting.
- The NBDL draft is tomorrow. [insert too-easy joke here]
- We hope you're enjoying Prehistoric Hoops, and keep reading!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
First Loss: Detroit 100 Toronto 93
On a night where the Raptors could have made a statement win over an Eastern Conference power, the Raptors underperformed and did their best impression of defense played by ballers on the AND1 mixtape tour. Allowing Tayshaun Prince to go off for 27 points on 10-13 shooting is certainly no easy feat, no disrespect to Tayshaun.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 24 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 9-9 free throws in 36 minutes. Making big shots when the Raptors needed them and yet again playing a heroic game. Come on Sam, why is he only playing 36 a game?
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 26 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist in 45 minutes. Chris played, as usual, like the All-Star that he is. He was just about the only Raptor to get on the offensive glass tonight, snatching 4 offensive boards. With those four offensive rebounds he actually tied Antonio Davis for the all-time franchise record.
Andrea Bargnani - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist in 21 minutes. A red hot 4-5 from the floor and 2-2 from three point range makes us wonder: "why isn't Andrea shooting more?"
Stat of the game:
The Raptors rank last in the league in rebounding and tonight took no exception. The Raptors, yet again, were outrebounded 43 to 38. Sam Mitchell said they worked on their rebounding a bit in practice yesterday, however maybe it's time to pay a little more attention to the paint. In addition, the Raptors' role players were nowhere to be seen tonight. Bosh, Calderon, and Bargnani were the only three Raptors to put up over 10 points, and frankly they were the only ones with games worth mentioning.
The Raptors first loss comes to a Detroit team without their finals MVP Chauncey Billups, big man Antonio McDyess, or newly acquired Allen Iverson. Even with these players missing the Pistons controlled the game, as they always do against a Toronto team that can never seem to play them well.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 24 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 9-9 free throws in 36 minutes. Making big shots when the Raptors needed them and yet again playing a heroic game. Come on Sam, why is he only playing 36 a game?
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 26 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist in 45 minutes. Chris played, as usual, like the All-Star that he is. He was just about the only Raptor to get on the offensive glass tonight, snatching 4 offensive boards. With those four offensive rebounds he actually tied Antonio Davis for the all-time franchise record.
Andrea Bargnani - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist in 21 minutes. A red hot 4-5 from the floor and 2-2 from three point range makes us wonder: "why isn't Andrea shooting more?"
Stat of the game:
The Raptors rank last in the league in rebounding and tonight took no exception. The Raptors, yet again, were outrebounded 43 to 38. Sam Mitchell said they worked on their rebounding a bit in practice yesterday, however maybe it's time to pay a little more attention to the paint. In addition, the Raptors' role players were nowhere to be seen tonight. Bosh, Calderon, and Bargnani were the only three Raptors to put up over 10 points, and frankly they were the only ones with games worth mentioning.
The Raptors first loss comes to a Detroit team without their finals MVP Chauncey Billups, big man Antonio McDyess, or newly acquired Allen Iverson. Even with these players missing the Pistons controlled the game, as they always do against a Toronto team that can never seem to play them well.
Iverson Will Not Play Tonight
The Raptors first look at Allen Iverson in a Pistons jersey will have to wait until later in the season due to league complications. Iverson and Cheikh Samb, the players being sent to Detroit from Denver, passed their physicals, however Chauncey Billups is still awaiting a physical which will happen on Thursday. Until then, the NBA can not sign off on the deal.
What does that translate to tonight?
In a battle of unbeaten teams in the east, this may give Toronto the edge. The Pistons are now without Billups and McDyess, two significant role players on the team. These two being gone added with Iverson and Samb not being able to play, this could translate into a win for a Raptors team looking to get off to an impressive 4 - 0 start.
What does that translate to tonight?
In a battle of unbeaten teams in the east, this may give Toronto the edge. The Pistons are now without Billups and McDyess, two significant role players on the team. These two being gone added with Iverson and Samb not being able to play, this could translate into a win for a Raptors team looking to get off to an impressive 4 - 0 start.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Game Four - Raptors vs. Pistons
Up next we have the Detroit Pistons, fresh off a trade that completely shifted a balance of talent in the league. Gone are top-tier floor general and former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups and the always steady Antonio McDyess (and backup Cheikh Samb) and now dressing in the blue and red is future first-ballot Hall of Famer Allen Iverson. The Answer will make his Detroit debut, and he or Rodney Stuckey will start at the 1-spot. Tip-off is at 7:00 PM and the game is available, as always, on the Fan590 as well as The Score, and you can listen live here with NBA League Pass. You can also check out Mike Ulmer's game preview.
What to watch for:
- Um... Allen Iverson?
- Both teams have 3-0 records, and both will be playing rough to keep their record unblemished.
- The Raptors will need to try to control the inside this game if they want to win. While Rasheed Wallace is a nice player and Jason Maxiell is solid at his specialities, they can't match up with Bosh's quickness or O'Neal's size. It's key for the Raptors to try to outrebound the Pistons and get dirty on the boards if they want to come out on top.
- Jose Calderon will need to return to his efficient ways to beat Detroit. Assuming he (and not Anthony Parker) will be guarding Allen Iverson, it's very important for him to take care of the rock as well as making AI work on the defensive end, or he could go off for a huge game (as he's always dangerous to do).
What to watch for:
- Um... Allen Iverson?
- Both teams have 3-0 records, and both will be playing rough to keep their record unblemished.
- The Raptors will need to try to control the inside this game if they want to win. While Rasheed Wallace is a nice player and Jason Maxiell is solid at his specialities, they can't match up with Bosh's quickness or O'Neal's size. It's key for the Raptors to try to outrebound the Pistons and get dirty on the boards if they want to come out on top.
- Jose Calderon will need to return to his efficient ways to beat Detroit. Assuming he (and not Anthony Parker) will be guarding Allen Iverson, it's very important for him to take care of the rock as well as making AI work on the defensive end, or he could go off for a huge game (as he's always dangerous to do).
Monday, November 3, 2008
Bosh Named Player of the Week
This week Chris Bosh was named the season's first Eastern Conference Player of the Week in leading the Raptors to a 3-0 start. He's won it four times before, and this week he posted averages of 26 points, 10 rebounds and 3.7 assists. It's crucial for Bosh to keep up his play and leadership as he's the engine that keeps us going. But for now, we can celebrate some recognition!
Chris Paul was named the Western Conference Player of the Week.
Read the press release
Chris Paul was named the Western Conference Player of the Week.
Read the press release
Pistons and Nuggets Complete Blockbuster
Today the Denver Nuggets sent (former?) superstar guard Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, forward/centre Antonio McDyess, and backup centre Cheikh Samb. Billups and McDyess were teammates in Denver from 1998 to 2000, with Billups going to Minnesota and McDyess staying with the Nuggets for two more seasons.
This deal makes very little sense to me. Detroit's success - playoff runs the last five years - was based entirely on their rock-solid team play. NBADraft.net's Robert McChesney's Gold Medal Superstar Theory lists the Pistons an incredible anomaly when they won the NBA Finals in 2004. However, this theory overlooks the fact that despite their lack of a defined "superstar" the Pistons were one of the most balanced teams ever assembled, and every player who received significant minutes was able to take over a game, if necessary, in his own way. Why is this relevant? The trade completed today brings a player, albeit a very talented one, who may or may not know the meaning of the word "team." He famously (and comically) defended his right to skip practice while with the Philadelphia 76ers. His 27.7 career scoring average is very deceiving, as he averages almost 23 field goal attempts per game, shooting below 43% on those attempts. He also averages 3.7 turnovers a game, which somewhat tarnishes his 6.3 assists.
All that being said, the Pistons aren't getting any younger, aren't getting any more talented, and their championship window is slamming shut. While I don't think this trade will work out at all, as I think Iverson will hog the ball as he has his entire career, it was certainly necessary to shake this roster up for one last run at the title. Unfortunately for the Pistons, that title won't come until they rebuild.
Grade for Pistons: C
On the Nuggets side, they definitely came out on top. Iverson and Carmelo Anthony was an experiment gone awry, with no legitimate point guard to control the distribution of wealth. Billups adds a proven point guard with the added ability to take scoring pressure off Anthony. It gives the Nuggets a solid three-man rotation down low with McDyess, Kenyon Martin (at least until he gets injured) and Nene. Cheikh Samb can also replace the nigh-useless Steven Hunter as a safety net.
While this trade makes a lot of sense, I don't think it will actually pay off more than a first round exit that takes a game or two longer. The Western powers are too even, with four legitimate contenders to make it through to the Finals: the Lakers, the Hornets, the Jazz and the ageless Spurs, and five if you're sold on Houston. This gives the Nuggets good odds to make the sixth seed, and one of those teams gets unlucky with injuries, a fifth place finish isn't out of the question. Unfortunately, the only team Denver has a chance to beat in a seven-game series is Houston - they'll lose in five or six to anyone else - and they won't be that lucky. The bottom line, however, is the Nuggets' front-office is showing their fan base they're committed to winning, even if that means 50 regular-season W's and a first-round exit. And they'll sell a Billups jersey or two.
Grade for Nuggets: A
This deal makes very little sense to me. Detroit's success - playoff runs the last five years - was based entirely on their rock-solid team play. NBADraft.net's Robert McChesney's Gold Medal Superstar Theory lists the Pistons an incredible anomaly when they won the NBA Finals in 2004. However, this theory overlooks the fact that despite their lack of a defined "superstar" the Pistons were one of the most balanced teams ever assembled, and every player who received significant minutes was able to take over a game, if necessary, in his own way. Why is this relevant? The trade completed today brings a player, albeit a very talented one, who may or may not know the meaning of the word "team." He famously (and comically) defended his right to skip practice while with the Philadelphia 76ers. His 27.7 career scoring average is very deceiving, as he averages almost 23 field goal attempts per game, shooting below 43% on those attempts. He also averages 3.7 turnovers a game, which somewhat tarnishes his 6.3 assists.
All that being said, the Pistons aren't getting any younger, aren't getting any more talented, and their championship window is slamming shut. While I don't think this trade will work out at all, as I think Iverson will hog the ball as he has his entire career, it was certainly necessary to shake this roster up for one last run at the title. Unfortunately for the Pistons, that title won't come until they rebuild.
Grade for Pistons: C
On the Nuggets side, they definitely came out on top. Iverson and Carmelo Anthony was an experiment gone awry, with no legitimate point guard to control the distribution of wealth. Billups adds a proven point guard with the added ability to take scoring pressure off Anthony. It gives the Nuggets a solid three-man rotation down low with McDyess, Kenyon Martin (at least until he gets injured) and Nene. Cheikh Samb can also replace the nigh-useless Steven Hunter as a safety net.
While this trade makes a lot of sense, I don't think it will actually pay off more than a first round exit that takes a game or two longer. The Western powers are too even, with four legitimate contenders to make it through to the Finals: the Lakers, the Hornets, the Jazz and the ageless Spurs, and five if you're sold on Houston. This gives the Nuggets good odds to make the sixth seed, and one of those teams gets unlucky with injuries, a fifth place finish isn't out of the question. Unfortunately, the only team Denver has a chance to beat in a seven-game series is Houston - they'll lose in five or six to anyone else - and they won't be that lucky. The bottom line, however, is the Nuggets' front-office is showing their fan base they're committed to winning, even if that means 50 regular-season W's and a first-round exit. And they'll sell a Billups jersey or two.
Grade for Nuggets: A
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Raptors Win Another Thriller - 91-87 Raps
On the second night of a back-to-back, playing against a very energetic Bucks squad in their home opener, the Raptors actually led for much of the third and fourth. But the Bucks made their run, and it looked like our Raps were out of gas. After Anthony Parker missed a three that could have iced the game and put us up by four, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (remember him?) made a hook shot in the lane to regain the lead. In their zone, Jose got the ball back and calmly knocked down a tres with about 21 seconds left to put us up two. Michael Redd then missed a jumper that would have tied the game, Moon grabbed the board, was immediately fouled and made his freebies. Redd followed with a layup to bring the Bucks back to within reach, but the Raptors called a timeout and got the ball in to Calderon, whose two free throws were the dagger.
Read the Raptors' recap
Player of the Game:
No doubt last night, it was Jose. Dropped a career-high 25 points and dished out 9 assists. Shot 8-15 from the floor, 3-4 on threes and 6-6 from the line. He actually committed six turnovers (when was the last time that happened?) but that's certainly an anomaly, and we can chalk it up to fatigue.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 20 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists on a night when he looked tired and was hounded all night by Bucks defenders. It's a credit to his improvement as a passer that on such a tough night he is still extremely effective, and his passing has opened up his own scoring - it makes it much tougher for other teams to double up on him when they know he can dish it to Jose, Parker or JK for a three.
Jamario Moon - 15 points, 2 rebounds. Missed some ill-advised shots, but he made them when it counted, scoring 5 points in the last two minutes of the game on a three and two free throws. It would be nice to see him a little more active on the boards.
Anthony Parker - 11 points, 4 steals, 3 assists. Solid as always, played great defence alternating between Richard Jefferson (who had 9 points) and Michael Redd (who had 19).
Jermaine O'Neal - unfortunately is in the "Notables" section largely for bad reasons. Actually had a pretty decent game stat-wise, posting 11 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks, but fouled out with 5:24 left to play and had 4 turnovers. While he hasn't played badly despite his fouls, he needs to work on taking care of the ball (and granted, tonight everyone was off their game) and staying on the floor, as his defence has been sensational.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors again shot very well from behind the arc, going 50% (8-16) and from the line, going for 88.5% (23-26). It's important, especially on the road, to make open shots and free throws, and last night our boys did what they needed to do.
Next game: Wednesday, November 5th vs. Detroit Pistons
Read the Raptors' recap
Player of the Game:
No doubt last night, it was Jose. Dropped a career-high 25 points and dished out 9 assists. Shot 8-15 from the floor, 3-4 on threes and 6-6 from the line. He actually committed six turnovers (when was the last time that happened?) but that's certainly an anomaly, and we can chalk it up to fatigue.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 20 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists on a night when he looked tired and was hounded all night by Bucks defenders. It's a credit to his improvement as a passer that on such a tough night he is still extremely effective, and his passing has opened up his own scoring - it makes it much tougher for other teams to double up on him when they know he can dish it to Jose, Parker or JK for a three.
Jamario Moon - 15 points, 2 rebounds. Missed some ill-advised shots, but he made them when it counted, scoring 5 points in the last two minutes of the game on a three and two free throws. It would be nice to see him a little more active on the boards.
Anthony Parker - 11 points, 4 steals, 3 assists. Solid as always, played great defence alternating between Richard Jefferson (who had 9 points) and Michael Redd (who had 19).
Jermaine O'Neal - unfortunately is in the "Notables" section largely for bad reasons. Actually had a pretty decent game stat-wise, posting 11 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks, but fouled out with 5:24 left to play and had 4 turnovers. While he hasn't played badly despite his fouls, he needs to work on taking care of the ball (and granted, tonight everyone was off their game) and staying on the floor, as his defence has been sensational.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors again shot very well from behind the arc, going 50% (8-16) and from the line, going for 88.5% (23-26). It's important, especially on the road, to make open shots and free throws, and last night our boys did what they needed to do.
Next game: Wednesday, November 5th vs. Detroit Pistons
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Game Three - Raptors at Milwaukee
Tonight the Raptors fly in to play the second of their back to back games. The game is at 8:30, available for view on TSN and for listen on the Fan590.
Hey, the Raptors are unbeaten! Watch them try to begin the season 3-0!
What to watch for:
- Richard Jefferson in a Bucks jersey. He has not been effective with the Bucks yet, however, maybe if his team were to actually get him the ball, he could produce a lot more this season.
- Andrea was brilliant off of the bench last night, providing 19 big points (and no, not all of them were jump shots). Hopefully he will be able to dominate against Andrew Bogut tonight.
- Chris Bosh is doing what he does best, dominating every aspect of the game. He is red hot and is a pleasure to watch. His numbers only seem to be better with the addition of Jermaine, and his move to power forward.
- Even with the addition of JO the Raptors have been out-rebounded in their first two games. Is it time to make an adjustment, or should Sam wait until we lose?
- Fatigue may be a factor today for the Raptors, especially with the back-to-back, as they needed to go to overtime last night, resulting in every starter and Bargnani playing 31 minutes or more, with Calderon, Bosh and Parker all playing over 40.
Hey, the Raptors are unbeaten! Watch them try to begin the season 3-0!
What to watch for:
- Richard Jefferson in a Bucks jersey. He has not been effective with the Bucks yet, however, maybe if his team were to actually get him the ball, he could produce a lot more this season.
- Andrea was brilliant off of the bench last night, providing 19 big points (and no, not all of them were jump shots). Hopefully he will be able to dominate against Andrew Bogut tonight.
- Chris Bosh is doing what he does best, dominating every aspect of the game. He is red hot and is a pleasure to watch. His numbers only seem to be better with the addition of Jermaine, and his move to power forward.
- Even with the addition of JO the Raptors have been out-rebounded in their first two games. Is it time to make an adjustment, or should Sam wait until we lose?
- Fatigue may be a factor today for the Raptors, especially with the back-to-back, as they needed to go to overtime last night, resulting in every starter and Bargnani playing 31 minutes or more, with Calderon, Bosh and Parker all playing over 40.
Raps Pull It Out in Overtime - 112-108 Raptors
Tonight was a huge confidence booster for the Raptors. After a neck-and-neck game for much of the first four quarters, we found ourselves playing catchup in crunch time. When JO, who did not play well offensively, picked up his fifth foul and sat on the pine, Andrea Bargnani was called upon to play crucial minutes. Bargnani, who was already playing very aggressively, carried the Raps through the fourth and in overtime. He certainly played the best we've seen in a long time. In overtime, the Raptors scored the first eight points and played lockdown defense on the Warriors.
Read NBA.com's preview
Player of the Game:
Can't help but give it up for Il Mago tonight. After a poor offensive showing in the season opener (0 points on 0-4 shooting) despite decent defensive play (5 rebounds, 2 blocks) both Smitch and Andrea himself were unhappy with his play. But he stepped up big time last night, posting 19 points on blistering 8-10 (1-2 from three) from the field and 2-2 from the line. He also posted 5 boards, 3 blocks including two monster blocks on Al Harrington in OT, and perhaps most importantly, only committed one foul and had two turnovers in 31 minutes. He played like a number one pick, and that's all we can ask.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - probably had the best game overall, but Bargnani stepped up enough that he deserved the Player of the Game. Had 31 points (12-24FG, 7-10FT), 9 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block in 42 minutes. Did have three turnovers, but when you have the ball in your hands as much as CB4, it's acceptable. The scariest part of his game: he started off very slowly, shooting 2-5 from the line and looking extremely uneasy against Harrington. And he still dropped 31.
Jose Calderon - absolutely dazzling play from Numero Ocho. In 43 minutes: 16 points (4-10 from the field, 0-1 from three, 8-8 from the line). 13 assists. 5 rebounds. And one turnover. Jose Calderon is an All-Star.
Anthony Parker - 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals in 41 minutes. Big game from AP, especially on defense. While it's not reasonable to expect production like this every night, he's definitely still capable of making big plays and scoring when he needs to.
Jermaine O'Neal - in a foul-plagued game, only 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. It's nice to see that he's active and using his body on defense even in foul trouble, and when Andrea plays like that backing him up, he can definitely be a force all the time in our end.
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were plus-13 in free throw shooting (26-30 to 13-19). This certainly helps counteract Golden State's 11 threes, plus-10 in rebounding, plus-14 in points in the paint and plus-16 in field goal attempts.
Next game: Tonight, November 1st, at Milwaukee Bucks
Read NBA.com's preview
Player of the Game:
Can't help but give it up for Il Mago tonight. After a poor offensive showing in the season opener (0 points on 0-4 shooting) despite decent defensive play (5 rebounds, 2 blocks) both Smitch and Andrea himself were unhappy with his play. But he stepped up big time last night, posting 19 points on blistering 8-10 (1-2 from three) from the field and 2-2 from the line. He also posted 5 boards, 3 blocks including two monster blocks on Al Harrington in OT, and perhaps most importantly, only committed one foul and had two turnovers in 31 minutes. He played like a number one pick, and that's all we can ask.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - probably had the best game overall, but Bargnani stepped up enough that he deserved the Player of the Game. Had 31 points (12-24FG, 7-10FT), 9 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block in 42 minutes. Did have three turnovers, but when you have the ball in your hands as much as CB4, it's acceptable. The scariest part of his game: he started off very slowly, shooting 2-5 from the line and looking extremely uneasy against Harrington. And he still dropped 31.
Jose Calderon - absolutely dazzling play from Numero Ocho. In 43 minutes: 16 points (4-10 from the field, 0-1 from three, 8-8 from the line). 13 assists. 5 rebounds. And one turnover. Jose Calderon is an All-Star.
Anthony Parker - 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals in 41 minutes. Big game from AP, especially on defense. While it's not reasonable to expect production like this every night, he's definitely still capable of making big plays and scoring when he needs to.
Jermaine O'Neal - in a foul-plagued game, only 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. It's nice to see that he's active and using his body on defense even in foul trouble, and when Andrea plays like that backing him up, he can definitely be a force all the time in our end.
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were plus-13 in free throw shooting (26-30 to 13-19). This certainly helps counteract Golden State's 11 threes, plus-10 in rebounding, plus-14 in points in the paint and plus-16 in field goal attempts.
Next game: Tonight, November 1st, at Milwaukee Bucks
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