Finally, this 10 day and 6 game Raptor road trip concludes with a game in Golden State. The Raptors are looking for a win to end their road trip with a respectable 3-3 record. The game is on TSN at 10:30, but can also be caught on channelsurfing.net and the Fan 590. The Raptors and the Warriors have met already once this season. On Halloween, the Raptors were able to out run the Warriors en route to a 112-108 victory.
What to watch for:
- The Raptors have an opportunity to pounce on a battered Golden State team. Jamal Crawford has sat out the past 2 games with a strained groin, Corey Maggette has been out since December 6 with a strained hamstring, and who even knows where Monta Ellis is. And I'm sure Marco Belinelli is still having trouble feeling his extremities after this. Watch Marco fly at the bottom right of your screen!.
- Jermaine O'Neal is definitely finding his niche in Toronto, averaging 25 points over his last 4 games. His optimism is only a nice bonus as he notes that, “Obviously, the season hasn’t gone the way we want it to go so far, but there’s lot of time left and I think we’re doing the necessary things to put ourselves in a good position for the second half of the season".
- We here at Prehistoric Hoops have not given enough press to Jose Calderon's free throw streak. He has now set the franchise record of consecutive free throws hit at 69, and he is still going strong. Please do everything in your power not to jinx Jose, he has never done anything bad to you.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Blazers Take Season Series: 102-89 Trailblazers
The Trailblazers didn't need a game-winning Steve Blake shot, as they handled the Raptors to get back in the win column. This loss snaps the Raptors 2 game win streak and the Trailblazers take the season series 2-0. This was due in large part to Brandon Roy, who went 14-19 from the field for 32 points and 9 assists. He dismantled the Raptors in the fourth quarter scoring 14 of his 32 in the frame. Jay Triano had this to say: "We tried different guys, we tried double-teaming him, and he threw it out, we ran and we blitzed him. We had two different guys on him any time there was a screen”. Struggling Portland rookie Greg Oden added 16 and 10 for his team.
The Raptors Trailblazers matchup provides Raptor fans with a glimpse of what could have been. In the 2006 NBA draft the Raptors selected Andrea Bargnani with their 1st overall pick, while Roy went 6th. Roy had 32 and 9 against the Raptors, while Andrea had 13 and 2 rebounds. Roy is a one time all star who is averaging 23 points, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 5.3 assists per game. Andrea may have potential to become a dominant NBA player, but he is currently a streaky pseudo-role player for the Raptors who averages just under 10 points a game (9.9).
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 29 points, 9 rebounds. Mr. Consistent. He was a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists. Followed up his best game as a Raptor with another solid performance. As Jermaine humbly said, "My success that I've had over the last couple of weeks has been based off my teammates. It's good to get numbers, but it's better to win and get everybody else involved."
Jason Kapono - Jason is in the "Notables" column for the wrong reasons. 0 points tonight, going 0-5, 0-2 from beyond the ark.
Will Solomon - Another one who is in the "Notables" for the wrong reason. 2 turnovers in 9 minutes. Somebody get this guy some glue.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors shot just 12 free throws the entire game, 11 of them coming from Chris Bosh's hands. This, combined with their ice cold 12-of-34 from the field in the second half sunk the Raptors. Low free throw attempts numbers indicate that the Raptors aren't being aggressive enough and may be relying on their shooting ability too much.
The Raptors Trailblazers matchup provides Raptor fans with a glimpse of what could have been. In the 2006 NBA draft the Raptors selected Andrea Bargnani with their 1st overall pick, while Roy went 6th. Roy had 32 and 9 against the Raptors, while Andrea had 13 and 2 rebounds. Roy is a one time all star who is averaging 23 points, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 5.3 assists per game. Andrea may have potential to become a dominant NBA player, but he is currently a streaky pseudo-role player for the Raptors who averages just under 10 points a game (9.9).
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 29 points, 9 rebounds. Mr. Consistent. He was a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists. Followed up his best game as a Raptor with another solid performance. As Jermaine humbly said, "My success that I've had over the last couple of weeks has been based off my teammates. It's good to get numbers, but it's better to win and get everybody else involved."
Jason Kapono - Jason is in the "Notables" column for the wrong reasons. 0 points tonight, going 0-5, 0-2 from beyond the ark.
Will Solomon - Another one who is in the "Notables" for the wrong reason. 2 turnovers in 9 minutes. Somebody get this guy some glue.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors shot just 12 free throws the entire game, 11 of them coming from Chris Bosh's hands. This, combined with their ice cold 12-of-34 from the field in the second half sunk the Raptors. Low free throw attempts numbers indicate that the Raptors aren't being aggressive enough and may be relying on their shooting ability too much.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Raps in Portland
Tonight is Raptors at Trail Blazers, 10 PM tipoff. Our Raps have won their last two games and Jermaine O'Neal is coming off his best game of the season. During the last match-up between these two teams JO had 26 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 6 blocks, and last night against the Kings he had his highest scoring output in two seasons. Hopefully he can keep it up and Chris Bosh can bust out of his slump to give Portland big men a hard time.
NBA.com preview
What to Watch for:
- The Raptors have arguably the best big man combo in CB4 and JO, but Portland boasts several talented post players themselves: Joel Pryzbilla, LaMarcus Aldridge and rookie Greg Oden. The battle down low will be very important in this game.
- Brandon Roy's fantastic start has been slowed recently, but he dropped 22 in the Blazers' previous game and is always a threat to dominate the scoreboard. The Raps' perimeter defense will need to stay focused to keep him from taking the game over.
- The Trail Blazers have one of the best home records in the league at 10-3. Hopefully our boys can hang around and steal one on the road.
NBA.com preview
What to Watch for:
- The Raptors have arguably the best big man combo in CB4 and JO, but Portland boasts several talented post players themselves: Joel Pryzbilla, LaMarcus Aldridge and rookie Greg Oden. The battle down low will be very important in this game.
- Brandon Roy's fantastic start has been slowed recently, but he dropped 22 in the Blazers' previous game and is always a threat to dominate the scoreboard. The Raps' perimeter defense will need to stay focused to keep him from taking the game over.
- The Trail Blazers have one of the best home records in the league at 10-3. Hopefully our boys can hang around and steal one on the road.
Offensive Burst Powers Raps - 107-101 Raptors
Jermaine O'Neal was unstoppable on offense and had one of the most effective offensive games the Raptors have had in a long time allowed them to come back and take the lead for good with about 5 minutes left. It was the first Raptors win in Sacramento in over a decade as the Dinos had lost ten consecutive games at Arco Arena dating back to their last win on March 13, 1997.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal had one of the most efficient games by a Raptor this season. He had a season-high 36 points on amazing 15-19 from the field and 6-8 from the line, adding 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks. JO carried this team.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, one turnover. A very nice game establishing the offense and had one very pretty play in which he snuck behind the defense for a rebound and putback.
Chris Bosh - 13 points, 7 rebounds. finished the game with 5 fouls and as a result only played 27 minutes, luckily JO picked up the slack this game.
Jason Kapono - 10 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds. Jason hit a couple big shots and moved the ball well. Hopefully he'll keep shooting to allow JO and Bosh to operate.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot incredibly well this game, hitting 55.1% (38-69) of their field goals, 36.4% (4-11 ) of their threes and 75% (27-36) of their free throws. Their efficiency helped overshadow the 16 turnovers and the Kings' 40% (8-20) shooting from behind the arc.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal had one of the most efficient games by a Raptor this season. He had a season-high 36 points on amazing 15-19 from the field and 6-8 from the line, adding 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks. JO carried this team.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, one turnover. A very nice game establishing the offense and had one very pretty play in which he snuck behind the defense for a rebound and putback.
Chris Bosh - 13 points, 7 rebounds. finished the game with 5 fouls and as a result only played 27 minutes, luckily JO picked up the slack this game.
Jason Kapono - 10 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds. Jason hit a couple big shots and moved the ball well. Hopefully he'll keep shooting to allow JO and Bosh to operate.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot incredibly well this game, hitting 55.1% (38-69) of their field goals, 36.4% (4-11 ) of their threes and 75% (27-36) of their free throws. Their efficiency helped overshadow the 16 turnovers and the Kings' 40% (8-20) shooting from behind the arc.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Prehistoric Hoops Hiatus
Well, it's the holiday season, and our Clark Kent lives have caught up to us at PH. We'll be going on hiatus for the next few days, and hey, if the Raps can turn it around, maybe we'll stay gone! (Not really. We know how awesome we are and would not do that to you.)
We will leave you with this article about Shaquille O'Neal's free-throw shooting by ESPN stat-head John Hollinger. It's a great read and he (as always) brings up some interesting and unusual stats.
So, happy holidays from Prehistoric Hoops, and if you need something for the person who has everything... donate to charity. The charity being the Raptors. And the donation being wins. Please.
We will leave you with this article about Shaquille O'Neal's free-throw shooting by ESPN stat-head John Hollinger. It's a great read and he (as always) brings up some interesting and unusual stats.
So, happy holidays from Prehistoric Hoops, and if you need something for the person who has everything... donate to charity. The charity being the Raptors. And the donation being wins. Please.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Spurs Kick Raps While We're Down - 107-97 Spurs
Well, Tony Parker played pretty well. 24 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds - not bad. He led the Spurs to a franchise-record-tying 16 three-balls in destroying any semblance of Raptor perimeter defense. Well... the Raps' record ia 10-17. Hope of a turnaround to this season is becoming dimmer every day. Well, here goes the player awards...
NBA.com Recap
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal put up pretty stats. 24 points on 12-20 from the field, 10 rebounds. But hey, it seems these days it wouldn't be telling the whole truth to ignore that JO didn't get to the line once in 36 minutes and had 5 of his 8 missed field goals blocked. Sigh...
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists. Bosh's numbers are solid - he's too talented to have bad games, but teams are learning to key in on him, and his numbers are plumetting. He must be getting very frustrated by now.
Jose Calderon - 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists. Even the most efficient point guard in the league is having difficulties conjuring up offense in the anemic Raps system. It's a sad state of affairs.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Plain and simple: Perimeter defense. The Spurs jacked up 35 three-pointers, making an astounding 16 of them, for a 45.7% clip. The Raptors responded with 4-12 for 33.3%. Jason, Anthony, Jose, Jamario, Joey - put a hand in the face and move your feet. Please?
NBA.com Recap
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal put up pretty stats. 24 points on 12-20 from the field, 10 rebounds. But hey, it seems these days it wouldn't be telling the whole truth to ignore that JO didn't get to the line once in 36 minutes and had 5 of his 8 missed field goals blocked. Sigh...
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists. Bosh's numbers are solid - he's too talented to have bad games, but teams are learning to key in on him, and his numbers are plumetting. He must be getting very frustrated by now.
Jose Calderon - 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists. Even the most efficient point guard in the league is having difficulties conjuring up offense in the anemic Raps system. It's a sad state of affairs.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Plain and simple: Perimeter defense. The Spurs jacked up 35 three-pointers, making an astounding 16 of them, for a 45.7% clip. The Raptors responded with 4-12 for 33.3%. Jason, Anthony, Jose, Jamario, Joey - put a hand in the face and move your feet. Please?
Friday, December 19, 2008
Raptors Lose to the Thunder! 91-83 Thunder
Orange and blue streamers fell from the rafters tonight. Why? BECAUSE THIS WAS THE THUNDER'S FIRST HOME WIN IN OVER A MONTH. Of course, this had to come against our beloved struggling Raptors. Our team is now in a bona fide basketball recession, losing 4 straight and 9 of their past 11. They now sit unchallenged as the worst in the Atlantic Division at 10-16.
Hey, at least it can't get much worse than that, right? Wrong: Jermaine O'Neal left the game at half time with a sore left shoulder.
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 22 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists. 1 of 2 Raptors in double digits tonight. Chris grabbed 8 offensive boards and tried his best to put the Raptors on his back.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist. The only other Raptor in double figures. Not much else positive to say about his game tonight... He made a three? He had an offensive board?
Joey Graham - 9 points, 9 rebounds. +6 on the floor. He kept bringing the energy that we are all becoming accustomed to.
Stat of the game:
The Oklahoma City Thunder give up 103.3 points per game. Tonight the Raptors scored 83. The Raptors were held to 36% from the floor and 2-17 from three point range. Simply put, the Thunder do not know how to play defense. People keep saying that the Raptor offense is fine, they just need to fix their defense. However, the Raptors have only made it to 100+ points in 2 of their last 13 games. Maybe getting back on the winning end of games involves more than just defense.
Hey, at least it can't get much worse than that, right? Wrong: Jermaine O'Neal left the game at half time with a sore left shoulder.
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 22 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists. 1 of 2 Raptors in double digits tonight. Chris grabbed 8 offensive boards and tried his best to put the Raptors on his back.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist. The only other Raptor in double figures. Not much else positive to say about his game tonight... He made a three? He had an offensive board?
Joey Graham - 9 points, 9 rebounds. +6 on the floor. He kept bringing the energy that we are all becoming accustomed to.
Stat of the game:
The Oklahoma City Thunder give up 103.3 points per game. Tonight the Raptors scored 83. The Raptors were held to 36% from the floor and 2-17 from three point range. Simply put, the Thunder do not know how to play defense. People keep saying that the Raptor offense is fine, they just need to fix their defense. However, the Raptors have only made it to 100+ points in 2 of their last 13 games. Maybe getting back on the winning end of games involves more than just defense.
Raptors Hit Up Oklahoma
Tonight at 8:00 the Raptors play the newly moved Oklahoma City Thunder. The game is on TSN 2 (BOOOOO!), but regular people can listen on the Fan590 or watch on channelsurfing.net. Our beloved Raptors have lost 8 of their last 10, and made a mockery of their last home stand, going 0-3. The fans booed the Raptors off the court against the Mavericks on Wednesday, and Chris Bosh had some words. "Fans, whether they know it or not, they dictate a lot" and "If I wanted to get booed, I'd go on the road". Luckily for the Raptors, the Oklahoma City Thunder may be the only colder team. The Thunder have lost their last 8 in a row, and are 2-24 overall.
What to Watch For:
- Kevin Durant leads the Thunder in points per game, field goal percentage, three point percentage, and free throw percentage. Looks like the Thunder have a franchise player of their own.
- On Monday, the Raptors squandered a 10-point lead late in the third quarter in a 94-87 loss to New Jersey. Two days later, Toronto led Dallas by 12 points after one quarter, but went on to lose 96-86. Hopefully the Raptors will look to hold on to any lead they can get.
- The Raptors are about to begin a 5 game road trip, and they have lost 6 of their last 8 on the road. They need a good start to this road trip - each passing game becomes more of a must-win for our Dinos.
What to Watch For:
- Kevin Durant leads the Thunder in points per game, field goal percentage, three point percentage, and free throw percentage. Looks like the Thunder have a franchise player of their own.
- On Monday, the Raptors squandered a 10-point lead late in the third quarter in a 94-87 loss to New Jersey. Two days later, Toronto led Dallas by 12 points after one quarter, but went on to lose 96-86. Hopefully the Raptors will look to hold on to any lead they can get.
- The Raptors are about to begin a 5 game road trip, and they have lost 6 of their last 8 on the road. They need a good start to this road trip - each passing game becomes more of a must-win for our Dinos.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Jawai Cleared to Play
The Raptors received some good news Wednesday night when Nathan Jawai, the Raptors' rookie centre was cleared to resume physical activity. Jawai had been sidelined since training camp due to an abnormality with his heart. He's now cleared for action and will hopefully be ready to play in the near future.
Jawai was drafted in the 2nd round, 41st overall, in the 2008 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers. He was then dealt to Toronto in the Jermaine O'Neal trade. In the 2007-08 NBL season, Jawai averaged 17.3 points per game, 9.4 rebounds per game and 1 block per game in 30 minutes.
Jawai was drafted in the 2nd round, 41st overall, in the 2008 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers. He was then dealt to Toronto in the Jermaine O'Neal trade. In the 2007-08 NBL season, Jawai averaged 17.3 points per game, 9.4 rebounds per game and 1 block per game in 30 minutes.
Mavs Turn it On in Second Half - 96-86 Mavericks
There were a couple of trends that continued in tonight's game. First, the obvious one: the Raps got outrebounded. Big. Tonight was 47-37 in favour of Dallas. The other is not as obvious but has presented itself often in the recent string of games: the Raptors again coughed up a double-digit lead and were unable to mount their own rally. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry poured in 27 apiece in busting the Raptors' defense down to size (in this case, our size is XXL), and Josh Howard added a solid 20.
Raptors recap
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal had a pretty nice game down low, going for 19 points on passable 7-15 from the field and perfect 5-5 from the line. He added 7 rebounds and an impressive 3 blocks, and was the best Raptor big man tonight by a long shot.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 11 points (5-12 FG, 0-2 3FG, 1-1 FT), 10 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers. Jose had a beautiful game again, but his scoring efficiency, besides that perfect game, doesn't appear to be as deadly as before his injury.
Jamario Moon - 13 points (5-7 FG, 3-3 3FG), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, one block. Jamario was once again in the running for Player of the Game. He's been doing the little things right, playing good defense and not forcing his offense. That's all we can ask from him at this point; he'll really never carry this team.
Chris Bosh - 12 points (6-20 FG, 0-2 3FG, 0-2 FT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals. Chris has had an off month in December, but when was the last time he had a legitimately bad game? No, it wasn't tonight as he contributed nicely all-around as usual... but 6-20 shooting? That's bad. He even missed a dunk. And let's face it, if we aren't all that successful when Bosh is putting up MVP numbers... well, you finish that sentence.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
What were you expecting? Rebounding, people. We again got destroyed on the boards, 47-37. But hold on, maybe the problem isn't as bad as people think. The Raptors shot 42.9% (36-84) from the field, missing nine more shots than the Mavs (who shot 50%, 39-78). That means that all the Mavericks had to do to outrebound us by ten is grab all nine of those missed shots and beat us by one in offensive rebounding. Lo and behold, this game was practically even on the offensive side of things: the Mavs had 8 offensive boards to the Raptors' 7. So maybe it's not just that "this team can't rebound". Don't think I'm making excuses for this team, though - rebounding is crucial to this team's success - but it's pretty clear (at least in this game) that maybe shooting is more important than just raw rebound numbers.
A Guide to Reducing Your Opponents' Total Rebounds, by this humble blogger:
Step one: Put ball in hoop.
Repeat.
Next Game: Friday, December 19th, 8:00 PM at Oklahoma City Thunder
Raptors recap
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal had a pretty nice game down low, going for 19 points on passable 7-15 from the field and perfect 5-5 from the line. He added 7 rebounds and an impressive 3 blocks, and was the best Raptor big man tonight by a long shot.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 11 points (5-12 FG, 0-2 3FG, 1-1 FT), 10 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers. Jose had a beautiful game again, but his scoring efficiency, besides that perfect game, doesn't appear to be as deadly as before his injury.
Jamario Moon - 13 points (5-7 FG, 3-3 3FG), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, one block. Jamario was once again in the running for Player of the Game. He's been doing the little things right, playing good defense and not forcing his offense. That's all we can ask from him at this point; he'll really never carry this team.
Chris Bosh - 12 points (6-20 FG, 0-2 3FG, 0-2 FT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals. Chris has had an off month in December, but when was the last time he had a legitimately bad game? No, it wasn't tonight as he contributed nicely all-around as usual... but 6-20 shooting? That's bad. He even missed a dunk. And let's face it, if we aren't all that successful when Bosh is putting up MVP numbers... well, you finish that sentence.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
What were you expecting? Rebounding, people. We again got destroyed on the boards, 47-37. But hold on, maybe the problem isn't as bad as people think. The Raptors shot 42.9% (36-84) from the field, missing nine more shots than the Mavs (who shot 50%, 39-78). That means that all the Mavericks had to do to outrebound us by ten is grab all nine of those missed shots and beat us by one in offensive rebounding. Lo and behold, this game was practically even on the offensive side of things: the Mavs had 8 offensive boards to the Raptors' 7. So maybe it's not just that "this team can't rebound". Don't think I'm making excuses for this team, though - rebounding is crucial to this team's success - but it's pretty clear (at least in this game) that maybe shooting is more important than just raw rebound numbers.
A Guide to Reducing Your Opponents' Total Rebounds, by this humble blogger:
Step one: Put ball in hoop.
Repeat.
Next Game: Friday, December 19th, 8:00 PM at Oklahoma City Thunder
Mavs Pay Toronto a Visit
Tonight we have (another) critical game for the Raptors. Our Dinos currently sit at 10-14, and Dallas comes in at 13-10. The game tips at 7:00 PM and is on TSN2 (boooo!), the Fan590 and www.channelsurfing.net. The Raptors downward slide continutes, and if we can't pull out this game, it might be spiraling out of control.
NBA.com's preview
What to Watch For:
- The Raptors have been outrebounded in every game over the last 13. Not coincidentally, you may have noticed we are 2-7 in our last 9. Time to pick it up on the boards - we're looking at you, Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal. We used their full names cause we're angry, like parents do. See how that works?
- This game's key matchup is Dirk Nowitzki and Bosh. Dirk is averaging 26.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, very similar to Bosh's 24.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Whichever of these players comes out with more intensity could very well win the game for his team.
- Jose Calderon and Jamario Moon have their work cut out for them in the defensive end today, as they'll be guarding Jason Terry and his 21 points and 4 assists, and Josh Howard and his always-solid 19 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.
* We at Prehistoric Hoops apologize for the lack of a postgame recap for Monday's game against New Jersey. Both editors were in the home stretch of final exams, and unfortunately could not find the time to publish one. Thank you for your understanding, and happy holidays from PH!
NBA.com's preview
What to Watch For:
- The Raptors have been outrebounded in every game over the last 13. Not coincidentally, you may have noticed we are 2-7 in our last 9. Time to pick it up on the boards - we're looking at you, Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal. We used their full names cause we're angry, like parents do. See how that works?
- This game's key matchup is Dirk Nowitzki and Bosh. Dirk is averaging 26.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, very similar to Bosh's 24.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Whichever of these players comes out with more intensity could very well win the game for his team.
- Jose Calderon and Jamario Moon have their work cut out for them in the defensive end today, as they'll be guarding Jason Terry and his 21 points and 4 assists, and Josh Howard and his always-solid 19 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.
* We at Prehistoric Hoops apologize for the lack of a postgame recap for Monday's game against New Jersey. Both editors were in the home stretch of final exams, and unfortunately could not find the time to publish one. Thank you for your understanding, and happy holidays from PH!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Nets Revisit Toronto
Tonight Vince Carter and the Nets return to Toronto. The game starts at 7, and can be seen on TSN 2 (booooo!), channelsurfing.net, and heard on the Fan 590. With Toronto's tough loss to New Orleans, the Raptors fell to 5-6 on home court. "We just have to put something together, get some confidence at home,” said Chris Bosh. Last game against the Nets, the Raptors came out on top with a stunning defensive effort. They limited the Nets to just 79 points, and Vince Carter was 0-13 from the field. The season series between the rivals is now 1-1.
What to Watch For:
- Vince returns yet again. He will be booed. Mercilessly and deservingly.
- Yesterday's game saw the manipulation of the Raptors defense by the Hornets. The Hornets shot 48% (36-75) from the field and 36.4% (12-33) from three. Hopefully the newly defensive-minded Raptors can come back.
- The latest Raptor, Jake Voskuhl, may dress tonight. Let's see what he can bring to the Raptors down low.
What to Watch For:
- Vince returns yet again. He will be booed. Mercilessly and deservingly.
- Yesterday's game saw the manipulation of the Raptors defense by the Hornets. The Hornets shot 48% (36-75) from the field and 36.4% (12-33) from three. Hopefully the newly defensive-minded Raptors can come back.
- The latest Raptor, Jake Voskuhl, may dress tonight. Let's see what he can bring to the Raptors down low.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Jake Voskuhl is the Newest Raptor
Today the Raptors announced that they signed Jake Voskuhl, an 8 year veteran of the league. Voskuhl is no stranger to moving cities, as this is his 5th team in eight years. Among them, he played in Phoenix with our pal Bryan. Voskuhl is averaging 4.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 15.1 minutes in 412 regular season games. He has a big frame, standing at 6'11, 255 pounds. Maybe he will bring some rebounding and fill up the key in what will probably be limited minutes.
Read the press release
Read the press release
Raptors Can't Get Over the Hump - 99-91 Hornets
The Raptors were in the game throughout all four quarters today, but when it came to crunch time, the Raps could not come up with stops or scores when they needed them. This helped highlight a very poor shooting performance from the Raps: outside of Jose Calderon (perfect 8-8 FG, 5-5 3FG, 1-1 FT), Jermaine O'Neal (7-10 FG and 5-6 FT) and Joey Graham (2-4 FG) every Raptor shot well under 50% from the floor, notably Jason Kapono going 3-14 overall and 1-7 from three and Chris Bosh needing 17 field goals (making six and missing his only three-pointer) and his 13-15 from the line to score his 25 points. Not the efficiency we've come to expect from this team.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Jose Calderon stepped up tonight and continues to shine against tough competition, tonight's being a matchup with Chris Paul. As noted earlier, Jose did not miss a shot, going for 22 points to go along with 7 assists and 3 rebounds. A very effective game from Ho-say.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 19 points, 7 rebounds. At times Jermaine was dominant down low, abusing Hilton Armstrong especially, but when guarded by the 6'8" James Posey he had trouble scoring.
Chris Bosh - 25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists. Despite Chris' tough shooting night, he still put up stellar numbers, and moved the ball exceptionally well against a swarm of Hornets defenders (nice wording, eh?).
Jamario Moon - 7 points (2-7 FG, 1-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Jamario was active again, shooting poorly but affecting the game positively on the boards and on defense. Another solid performance.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors' stellar defense of the previous two games was nowhere to be found today, allowing the Hornets to shoot 48% (36-75) from the field 36.4% (12-33) from three. The Raptors need to get back to defending if they want to get back to .500 - they proved when they defend, they're tough to beat.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Jose Calderon stepped up tonight and continues to shine against tough competition, tonight's being a matchup with Chris Paul. As noted earlier, Jose did not miss a shot, going for 22 points to go along with 7 assists and 3 rebounds. A very effective game from Ho-say.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 19 points, 7 rebounds. At times Jermaine was dominant down low, abusing Hilton Armstrong especially, but when guarded by the 6'8" James Posey he had trouble scoring.
Chris Bosh - 25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists. Despite Chris' tough shooting night, he still put up stellar numbers, and moved the ball exceptionally well against a swarm of Hornets defenders (nice wording, eh?).
Jamario Moon - 7 points (2-7 FG, 1-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Jamario was active again, shooting poorly but affecting the game positively on the boards and on defense. Another solid performance.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors' stellar defense of the previous two games was nowhere to be found today, allowing the Hornets to shoot 48% (36-75) from the field 36.4% (12-33) from three. The Raptors need to get back to defending if they want to get back to .500 - they proved when they defend, they're tough to beat.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Raptors Host the Hornets
Once again alliteration aside, the Raptors look to extend their 2 game win streak against the New Orleans Hornets, Sunday at 12:30. The game is on CBC, channelsurfing.net, and on the Fan 590. The last time the Raptors had a three game winning streak was during the first three games of the season, from October 29 to November 1st. Hopefully the Raptors can keep up the defensive intensity and fast pace that has helped them win the previous two games. On New Orleans' side of things, they sit at an underacheiving 12-7, 3rd in the southwest division.
What to watch for:
- Chris Paul is averaging 19.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 12.6 assists per game, along with 2.4 steals per game against the Raptors. He knows how to control the floor against the Raptors and is a lockdown defender. Jose Calderon will need to be at his finest to keep Toronto's offence flowing.
- In the last 2 games, the Raptors have shown great team defense and balanced scoring. Hopefully they can keep that up against a tough Hornets squad that boasts some very talented scorers in Paul, David West (20 ppg), and Peja Stojakovic (14 ppg).
- The Raptors are yet to win against a Western conference team above .500, and have only one win against Western conference teams (vs. Golden State on Halloween) in 5 tries. Hopefully the time difference will throw off the Hornets and Chris Paul's basketball-playing-robotic brain.
What to watch for:
- Chris Paul is averaging 19.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 12.6 assists per game, along with 2.4 steals per game against the Raptors. He knows how to control the floor against the Raptors and is a lockdown defender. Jose Calderon will need to be at his finest to keep Toronto's offence flowing.
- In the last 2 games, the Raptors have shown great team defense and balanced scoring. Hopefully they can keep that up against a tough Hornets squad that boasts some very talented scorers in Paul, David West (20 ppg), and Peja Stojakovic (14 ppg).
- The Raptors are yet to win against a Western conference team above .500, and have only one win against Western conference teams (vs. Golden State on Halloween) in 5 tries. Hopefully the time difference will throw off the Hornets and Chris Paul's basketball-playing-robotic brain.
Raps Learn to Love Karma - 101-79 Raptors
In a game that most likely had every single Toronto Raptors fan in the world smiling, the Raps pulled out another big win for their second in a row in their journey back to .500. Vince Carter had the first game in his career in which he did not make a field goal while playing at least 10 minutes. He spent 29 minutes bricking shot after shot, finishing with a line of 3 points on 0-13 from the floor including two missed threes and 3-4 from the line, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls, 3 turnovers and a +/- rating of a Stephon Marbury-esque -32. Remember Vince's 39 points last meeting? Raise your hand if you like justice, Raptors fans.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Jamario Moon gets his first Player of the Game nod with a very strong all-around game. He finished with 8 points (4-10 FG), just shy of being the seventh Toronto player in double figures, to go with a team-leading 9 rebounds, 5 steals and a block. Excellent defensive game to help shut down Vince and the Nets.
Notables:
Jason Kapono - 16 points (6-15 FG, 4-9 3FG), 5 rebounds. Had another big scoring night as a starter. Didn't shoot as well as last game, but Kapono taking shots and missing is still better than Will Solomon taking them in the first place.
Joey Graham - 16 points (5-8 FG, 0-1 3FG, 6-6 FT), 3 assists, 2 rebounds. It appears that Joey "OM" G has finally found his niche. He's consistently bringing energy on both sides of the ball and is playing with great confidence. It's also nice to see a thunderous dunk nearly every game to get his teammates pumped.
Roko Ukic - 10 points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3FG, 5-6 FT), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, one turnover. Led the team in assists, contributed on both sides of the ball and had his most efficient scoring night of the season. PH bias, you say? Perhaps, but it looks like Hot Cocoa Roko is learning a thing or two from Jose.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Well, this one is easy. The Raptors played great defence for the second straight game (and second straight win - pattern anyone?) in holding the Nets to just 31.3% shooting (26-83) and 26.1% (6-23) from three-point land. The great defence helped counteract a fairly unimpressive shooting performance from the Raptors, in which they shot a mediocre 43.8% (32-73) themselves.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Jamario Moon gets his first Player of the Game nod with a very strong all-around game. He finished with 8 points (4-10 FG), just shy of being the seventh Toronto player in double figures, to go with a team-leading 9 rebounds, 5 steals and a block. Excellent defensive game to help shut down Vince and the Nets.
Notables:
Jason Kapono - 16 points (6-15 FG, 4-9 3FG), 5 rebounds. Had another big scoring night as a starter. Didn't shoot as well as last game, but Kapono taking shots and missing is still better than Will Solomon taking them in the first place.
Joey Graham - 16 points (5-8 FG, 0-1 3FG, 6-6 FT), 3 assists, 2 rebounds. It appears that Joey "OM" G has finally found his niche. He's consistently bringing energy on both sides of the ball and is playing with great confidence. It's also nice to see a thunderous dunk nearly every game to get his teammates pumped.
Roko Ukic - 10 points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3FG, 5-6 FT), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, one turnover. Led the team in assists, contributed on both sides of the ball and had his most efficient scoring night of the season. PH bias, you say? Perhaps, but it looks like Hot Cocoa Roko is learning a thing or two from Jose.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Well, this one is easy. The Raptors played great defence for the second straight game (and second straight win - pattern anyone?) in holding the Nets to just 31.3% shooting (26-83) and 26.1% (6-23) from three-point land. The great defence helped counteract a fairly unimpressive shooting performance from the Raptors, in which they shot a mediocre 43.8% (32-73) themselves.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Jerry-atric Sloan: It's Ramble Time!
- I would start off by apologizing for the title, but I hope that's implied by now.
- Congratulations Jerry Sloan! You celebrated your 20th season coaching the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. Sloan was hired to coach on December 9, 1988 and since then, has only had one losing season with the Jazz. No one currently in major pro sports has been coaching in the same place as long as the 65 year old. Congrats Jerry!
- In much more disappointing and possibly apocalyptic news (I know, nice segue), the Golden State Warriors have named Ronnie Turiaf captain of their team! Ronnie joins Stephen Jackson and Andris Biedrins in leading the team. Why shouldn't a man who plays 20 minutes a game and averages 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game be captain?
- Earlier this week, Derrick Rose cut his arm with a knife and required 10 stitches. How did this happen? Apparently Rose was carving an apple in bed, stood up to get a bottle of water, forgot the knife was there, and sat back down. Really Derrick, thats the best you could do? Rose referred to it as a "silly accident", and had to miss practice on Monday.
- The NBA's latest crybaby, Antonio McDyess, used the negotiation tactics of a five year old and got his way on Tuesday, as the Pistons resigned him after he refused to play for the Nuggets. His refusal to play was allegedly because he and Kenyon Martin got in a "I know you are but what am I" shouting match, and Anthony Carter relentlessly referred to him as "poopypants".
- Speaking of crybabies (thats segue for you), Alonzo Mourning is still looking to return to the Miami Heat, but is one month away from deciding whether to attempt a comeback from major knee surgery. Although Mourning is 38, the scary thing is he would still probably be an effective defensive centre, despite consistently being one of the worst players in the league in terms of kidneys/minutes played.
- In the first All-Star ballot returns, the results were largely unsurprising. But Yi Jianlian (he of the sparkling 11 points, 6 boards and 1 assist per game) is 3rd in voting for forwards in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the 4th place Chris Bosh by over 82,000 votes! This is simply unfathomable. It is time to do moral justice, basketball enthusiasts. Go to NBA.com and vote your hearts out!
- Congratulations Jerry Sloan! You celebrated your 20th season coaching the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. Sloan was hired to coach on December 9, 1988 and since then, has only had one losing season with the Jazz. No one currently in major pro sports has been coaching in the same place as long as the 65 year old. Congrats Jerry!
- In much more disappointing and possibly apocalyptic news (I know, nice segue), the Golden State Warriors have named Ronnie Turiaf captain of their team! Ronnie joins Stephen Jackson and Andris Biedrins in leading the team. Why shouldn't a man who plays 20 minutes a game and averages 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game be captain?
- Earlier this week, Derrick Rose cut his arm with a knife and required 10 stitches. How did this happen? Apparently Rose was carving an apple in bed, stood up to get a bottle of water, forgot the knife was there, and sat back down. Really Derrick, thats the best you could do? Rose referred to it as a "silly accident", and had to miss practice on Monday.
- The NBA's latest crybaby, Antonio McDyess, used the negotiation tactics of a five year old and got his way on Tuesday, as the Pistons resigned him after he refused to play for the Nuggets. His refusal to play was allegedly because he and Kenyon Martin got in a "I know you are but what am I" shouting match, and Anthony Carter relentlessly referred to him as "poopypants".
- Speaking of crybabies (thats segue for you), Alonzo Mourning is still looking to return to the Miami Heat, but is one month away from deciding whether to attempt a comeback from major knee surgery. Although Mourning is 38, the scary thing is he would still probably be an effective defensive centre, despite consistently being one of the worst players in the league in terms of kidneys/minutes played.
- In the first All-Star ballot returns, the results were largely unsurprising. But Yi Jianlian (he of the sparkling 11 points, 6 boards and 1 assist per game) is 3rd in voting for forwards in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the 4th place Chris Bosh by over 82,000 votes! This is simply unfathomable. It is time to do moral justice, basketball enthusiasts. Go to NBA.com and vote your hearts out!
Raptors Go To Jersey
Tonight the Raptors fly to New Jersey to take on the game's greatest Raptor killer, Vince Carter, and the New Jersey Nets. The game is at 7:30 and can be viewed on TSN or at channelsurfing.net, and can be heard on the Fan 590. The Nets currently sit 2nd in the Atlantic Division at 11-9, due largely in part to the best scoring tandem in the association, Carter and Devin Harris. In addition, the Nets' Yi Jianlian currently sits 3rd in Eastern Conference forward voting and is above Chris Bosh who is in 4th. Nobody is quite sure why Yi's 11 points per game and 6 rebounds per game are better than Chris' 24.7 and 10.1, but hey, if life didn't have mysteries, no one would have anything to ponder.
What To Watch For:
- For the first time since November 28, the Raptors are going into a game coming off of a win. Lets see if they remember how to ride the momentum after a win.
- The Pacers game saw the return of Jamario Moon to the lineup, and he responded with 17 points and 8 boards. A great way to counterbalance Andrea Bargnani's recent struggles.
- Joey Graham has scored in double digits in his last 5 games, and in 7 out of the last 8. Credit his aggressiveness and explosiveness. Have we mentioned the irony that he has his pilots license?
- Anthony Parker sat out last game with a sprained ankle. Will he play today? In his place last game Jason Kapono started and responded going 11-16 for 25 points and 8 rebounds.
What To Watch For:
- For the first time since November 28, the Raptors are going into a game coming off of a win. Lets see if they remember how to ride the momentum after a win.
- The Pacers game saw the return of Jamario Moon to the lineup, and he responded with 17 points and 8 boards. A great way to counterbalance Andrea Bargnani's recent struggles.
- Joey Graham has scored in double digits in his last 5 games, and in 7 out of the last 8. Credit his aggressiveness and explosiveness. Have we mentioned the irony that he has his pilots license?
- Anthony Parker sat out last game with a sprained ankle. Will he play today? In his place last game Jason Kapono started and responded going 11-16 for 25 points and 8 rebounds.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Raps Get Back in the Win Column - 101-88 Raptors
Smiles from Jamario Moon, Jason Kapono and Chris Bosh in the fourth quarter of tonight's game said it all. The Raptors finally made some runs and stayed on top by double figures for most of the fourth en route to a big win at home. Kapono had his best game this season and provided timely shooting in a game when the Raps were without Anthony Parker and Kris Humphries.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the Game:
Kapono finally broke out with a huge game tonight. He put up 25 points on great 11-16 from the field (3-7 from three), 8 rebounds, 2 assists and even blocked a shot. Even with all his great numbers, the most impressive part of his game isn't visible in the box score. Jason created his own shot, showing off serious handles and putting his great mid-range game on display. On one play, he spun off his defender to his left, took a dribble over and launched a wide-open three. He missed, but if he had made it, it would have been the play of his career.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 21 points (9-16 FG, 3-5 FT), 10 rebounds and 2 assists. Came out of his recent slump with a nice, All-Star performance. Hopefully CB4's feeling better, and can get some rest before Friday's tilt.
Jamario Moon - 17 points (7-12 FG, 1-3 3FG, 1-3 FT), 8 rebounds, 3 blocks. Jamario showed us a little flashback to last season, being active on defense and on the boards, including a monster putback slam. One thing he didn't show last season was a very hot jumper, knocking down a three and mid-range Js with consistency, and was a great asset to the Raps tonight.
Jose Calderon - 11 points (3-9 FG, 1-2 3FG, 4-4 FT), 14 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and only 2 turnovers. Jose was magnificent. He moved the ball with meaning and kept the Raps' offense flowing, helping five other players score in double figures.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot very well, shooting efficient 49.4% from the field, while defending the Pacers very well, holding them to just 34.7% shooting. In particular, the Raps guarded the Pacers' leading scorer Danny Granger effectively, holding him to just 9-25 from the field and 3-11 from long range.
Next Game: Friday, December 12th, 7:30 PM at New Jersey Nets
NBA.com Recap
Player of the Game:
Kapono finally broke out with a huge game tonight. He put up 25 points on great 11-16 from the field (3-7 from three), 8 rebounds, 2 assists and even blocked a shot. Even with all his great numbers, the most impressive part of his game isn't visible in the box score. Jason created his own shot, showing off serious handles and putting his great mid-range game on display. On one play, he spun off his defender to his left, took a dribble over and launched a wide-open three. He missed, but if he had made it, it would have been the play of his career.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 21 points (9-16 FG, 3-5 FT), 10 rebounds and 2 assists. Came out of his recent slump with a nice, All-Star performance. Hopefully CB4's feeling better, and can get some rest before Friday's tilt.
Jamario Moon - 17 points (7-12 FG, 1-3 3FG, 1-3 FT), 8 rebounds, 3 blocks. Jamario showed us a little flashback to last season, being active on defense and on the boards, including a monster putback slam. One thing he didn't show last season was a very hot jumper, knocking down a three and mid-range Js with consistency, and was a great asset to the Raps tonight.
Jose Calderon - 11 points (3-9 FG, 1-2 3FG, 4-4 FT), 14 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and only 2 turnovers. Jose was magnificent. He moved the ball with meaning and kept the Raps' offense flowing, helping five other players score in double figures.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors shot very well, shooting efficient 49.4% from the field, while defending the Pacers very well, holding them to just 34.7% shooting. In particular, the Raps guarded the Pacers' leading scorer Danny Granger effectively, holding him to just 9-25 from the field and 3-11 from long range.
Next Game: Friday, December 12th, 7:30 PM at New Jersey Nets
Raptors Hope to End Skid vs. Pacers
7:00 pm, The Score, Fan 590, www.channelsurfing.net
The Raptors have dropped 5 straight. One can only hope that they can come out on the winning end against the 7-13 Pacers.
NBA.com Preview
What to Watch For:
- In the summer, the Raptors sent TJ Ford over to Indiana in order to assure Jose the starting spot. Tonight presents Jose vs. TJ. We all know that whoever fares better tonight is ultimately the better point guard, right?
- Anthony Parker will sit out tonight with a sprained ankle, look for Jason Kapono to start in his place.
- Jay Triano has talked about how he wants to play active defense and push the ball. Thus far we have seen little fast breaking and too much passiveness. Maybe the Raptors took note of a thing or two from the Cavaliers last night.
The Raptors have dropped 5 straight. One can only hope that they can come out on the winning end against the 7-13 Pacers.
NBA.com Preview
What to Watch For:
- In the summer, the Raptors sent TJ Ford over to Indiana in order to assure Jose the starting spot. Tonight presents Jose vs. TJ. We all know that whoever fares better tonight is ultimately the better point guard, right?
- Anthony Parker will sit out tonight with a sprained ankle, look for Jason Kapono to start in his place.
- Jay Triano has talked about how he wants to play active defense and push the ball. Thus far we have seen little fast breaking and too much passiveness. Maybe the Raptors took note of a thing or two from the Cavaliers last night.
Stop Walking and Run
Over the last five games, it's clear that the Raptors' biggest weakness has been exposed for the world to see. No, it's not rebounding, transition defence, fast break points or lack of a slasher. It's the Raps' inability to put together runs. It's really been there the entire year, but weaknesses show up in losses, not wins.
Individual games this season are really shaping up the way the Blue Jays' 2005 season went. For most of the season they didn't record a winning or losing streak longer than five games (out of 162, remember). They did record one 9-game losing streak which was the main reason they ended the season below .500. But that journey seems to perfectly reflect the Raptors in every individual journey so far this season. The Raptors are almost never out of the game in the first half, they're too talented for that. but over and over, you see a decisive third- or fourth-quarter run that does the Raptors in. In last night's game against the Cavs, they completely dominated the third quarter en route to a blowout win.
You always hear the announcers and colour guys talk about how "good teams will always make their run". And it's true - think about the times the Raptors have been up big in the third or fourth (seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?). Against New Jersey the Raptors had a three possession lead with a minute and a half to go, and against Atlanta we had a nine-point lead that was cut to three with a minute left. Whether it's the coaching staff, the motivation they give, or something else, the Raptors have to learn to focus - that means everyone, as a team - and put together some runs. If these guys are willing to trail by a wide margin going into every fourth quarter, it's the only way to pick up Ws.
Individual games this season are really shaping up the way the Blue Jays' 2005 season went. For most of the season they didn't record a winning or losing streak longer than five games (out of 162, remember). They did record one 9-game losing streak which was the main reason they ended the season below .500. But that journey seems to perfectly reflect the Raptors in every individual journey so far this season. The Raptors are almost never out of the game in the first half, they're too talented for that. but over and over, you see a decisive third- or fourth-quarter run that does the Raptors in. In last night's game against the Cavs, they completely dominated the third quarter en route to a blowout win.
You always hear the announcers and colour guys talk about how "good teams will always make their run". And it's true - think about the times the Raptors have been up big in the third or fourth (seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?). Against New Jersey the Raptors had a three possession lead with a minute and a half to go, and against Atlanta we had a nine-point lead that was cut to three with a minute left. Whether it's the coaching staff, the motivation they give, or something else, the Raptors have to learn to focus - that means everyone, as a team - and put together some runs. If these guys are willing to trail by a wide margin going into every fourth quarter, it's the only way to pick up Ws.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
5th Straight Loss, 4th Blowout in the Stretch: 114-94 Cavs
Good news: the Raptors are in the record books!
Bad news: they are in the record books because LeBron James became the leader in career steals for the Cavs and Zydrunas Ilgauskas became the leader in career rebounds for the Cavs.
The Raptors once again showed a lack of intensity and the defense has not yet shown up. The Raps have now fallen to 8-12, and look to snap their 5 game losing streak tomorrow against Indiana.
Player of the game:
Joey Graham - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist. Used garbage minutes at the end of the game effectively. The Raptors' leading scorer tonight.
Notables:
Roko Ukic - 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist. We may be biased because we love Roko, but 10 points, 0 turnovers, and overall +7 when he was on the floor makes for a pretty good night for Roko.
Jose Calderon - 14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists. Tried to get a stagnant offense going tonight...
Chris Bosh - 9 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists. Bosh's numbers have become less and less amazing during this losing streak. Fatigue anyone?
Stat of the game:
The Cavs beat out the Raptors in every category possible:
- Rebounds: 45 - 33 Cavs
- Assists: 29 - 18 Cavs
- Turnovers: 11 - 19 Cavs
- Steals: 11 - 5 Cavs
- Points in the paint: 48 - 36 Cavs
- Fast break points: 17 - 10 Cavs
I am a believer that the Raptors have the skill to compete with the Cavs and other above .500 teams. However, it looks as if the Raps just don't have the intensity nor the effort to play in these games as of late. Very heartbreaking to any Raptor fan.
Bad news: they are in the record books because LeBron James became the leader in career steals for the Cavs and Zydrunas Ilgauskas became the leader in career rebounds for the Cavs.
The Raptors once again showed a lack of intensity and the defense has not yet shown up. The Raps have now fallen to 8-12, and look to snap their 5 game losing streak tomorrow against Indiana.
Player of the game:
Joey Graham - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist. Used garbage minutes at the end of the game effectively. The Raptors' leading scorer tonight.
Notables:
Roko Ukic - 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist. We may be biased because we love Roko, but 10 points, 0 turnovers, and overall +7 when he was on the floor makes for a pretty good night for Roko.
Jose Calderon - 14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists. Tried to get a stagnant offense going tonight...
Chris Bosh - 9 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists. Bosh's numbers have become less and less amazing during this losing streak. Fatigue anyone?
Stat of the game:
The Cavs beat out the Raptors in every category possible:
- Rebounds: 45 - 33 Cavs
- Assists: 29 - 18 Cavs
- Turnovers: 11 - 19 Cavs
- Steals: 11 - 5 Cavs
- Points in the paint: 48 - 36 Cavs
- Fast break points: 17 - 10 Cavs
I am a believer that the Raptors have the skill to compete with the Cavs and other above .500 teams. However, it looks as if the Raps just don't have the intensity nor the effort to play in these games as of late. Very heartbreaking to any Raptor fan.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Raptors Go To Cleveland
7 o'clock: TSN,Channelsurfing.net, Fan 590
The Raptors are on a 4 game losing streak, and facing Cleveland will be a tough way to get back on the winning end of things. The Cavs are 17-3, and are on an 8 game win streak. The Cavs are also averaging 103 points per game, so the Raptors will have to do their best to try and play defense like a real team.
What to watch for:
- The Cavaliers are a perfect 11-0 at home.
- LeBron James (obviously). This season he's averaging 26.5 points per game, 7 rebounds per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. More astoundingly, he's been doing this in 35.4 per game, down an average of 3.7 minutes per game from last year. "Mr. Fourth Quarter" has been nothing of the sort this year, simply because the red-hot Cavs haven't needed him in the fourth, especially at home. The Cavs led by 26, 26, 40 and 21 points heading into the fourth quarter of the last four home games.
- The Raptors have now dropped to last place in the Atlantic division, hopefully this will give them some flair coming into this game.
- Last game, Jermaine O'Neal played his best game in a Raptor uniform, with 10-18 FG, 24 points, 8 Rebounds, 2 Assists, and 6 blocks. Hopefully he will respond in a big way against the Cavs.
The Raptors are on a 4 game losing streak, and facing Cleveland will be a tough way to get back on the winning end of things. The Cavs are 17-3, and are on an 8 game win streak. The Cavs are also averaging 103 points per game, so the Raptors will have to do their best to try and play defense like a real team.
What to watch for:
- The Cavaliers are a perfect 11-0 at home.
- LeBron James (obviously). This season he's averaging 26.5 points per game, 7 rebounds per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. More astoundingly, he's been doing this in 35.4 per game, down an average of 3.7 minutes per game from last year. "Mr. Fourth Quarter" has been nothing of the sort this year, simply because the red-hot Cavs haven't needed him in the fourth, especially at home. The Cavs led by 26, 26, 40 and 21 points heading into the fourth quarter of the last four home games.
- The Raptors have now dropped to last place in the Atlantic division, hopefully this will give them some flair coming into this game.
- Last game, Jermaine O'Neal played his best game in a Raptor uniform, with 10-18 FG, 24 points, 8 Rebounds, 2 Assists, and 6 blocks. Hopefully he will respond in a big way against the Cavs.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Raptors Lose Close One - 98-97 Blazers
That's right - the Raptors didn't get blown out. Unfortunately, Steve Blake hit a tremendous three with about nine seconds left to put the Blazers up one after Chris Bosh's jumper had the Raps up two. On the other end, Chris looked terribly uncomfortable and ended up throwing up a desperation floater from the baseline that unsurprisingly missed. This game probably lowered the Raptors' morale... if it can go any lower.
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal had his best game in a Raptors uniform thus far. He put up season highs in points (24 on 10-18 from the field and 4-4 from the line) and blocks with 6, and also added 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Hindsight is 20-20 but... we just don't understand why that final play wasn't drawn up for JO.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3FG), 13 assists, 2 turnovers. Jose was magnificent. No blame can fairly be placed on him.
Anthony Parker - 8 points (3-7 FG, 2-3 3FG), 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals. Excellent defensive game from AP, and guarded Roy quite effectively - Roy shot 6-16 for the game.
Joey Graham - 10 points (4-5 FG, 2-2 FT) and 2 rebounds. Good Joey showed up again! Graham looks more and more like a solid role player with each passing game, and had one monster driving dunk that might've been the play of the night.
Stat of the Game:
Portland had a plus-17 advantage on the boards, including 18 offensive rebounds (to Toronto's four). Folks, just can't win when you give up that many second- and third-chance points. It defeats players' confidence (especially seeing how often those points came after a block) and reduces your own team's ability to put together a run. Toronto has to get back to being competitive on the boards.
Next game: Tuesday, December 9th, 7:00 PM at Cleveland Cavaliers
Player of the Game:
Jermaine O'Neal had his best game in a Raptors uniform thus far. He put up season highs in points (24 on 10-18 from the field and 4-4 from the line) and blocks with 6, and also added 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Hindsight is 20-20 but... we just don't understand why that final play wasn't drawn up for JO.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3FG), 13 assists, 2 turnovers. Jose was magnificent. No blame can fairly be placed on him.
Anthony Parker - 8 points (3-7 FG, 2-3 3FG), 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals. Excellent defensive game from AP, and guarded Roy quite effectively - Roy shot 6-16 for the game.
Joey Graham - 10 points (4-5 FG, 2-2 FT) and 2 rebounds. Good Joey showed up again! Graham looks more and more like a solid role player with each passing game, and had one monster driving dunk that might've been the play of the night.
Stat of the Game:
Portland had a plus-17 advantage on the boards, including 18 offensive rebounds (to Toronto's four). Folks, just can't win when you give up that many second- and third-chance points. It defeats players' confidence (especially seeing how often those points came after a block) and reduces your own team's ability to put together a run. Toronto has to get back to being competitive on the boards.
Next game: Tuesday, December 9th, 7:00 PM at Cleveland Cavaliers
Trailblazers Visit the ACC
Today is Portland at Toronto, 1:00PM tipoff. Brandon Roy and his young, talented group of bigs visit to try to extend the Raps' losing skid. Hopefully Jay Triano had some choice words for our Dinos and they can play with the same fire we saw earlier in the season. The game is available on TSN, the Fan590 and www.channelsurfing.net.
NBA.com preview
What to watch for:
- Brandon Roy is one of the best all-around guards in the game. With a deadly mid-range game, the ability to penetrate and shoot from deep, Anthony Parker has yet another difficult assignment.
- Portland has a very talented group of big men, including Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Pryzbilla. Jermaine O'Neal, Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh will need to keep the Blazers off the boards if they want a chance to win.
- The Raptors thus far have had the second most difficult schedule based on opponent winning percentage. But, the bottom line is, the Raps need to prove they can beat "better" teams if they want respect around the league - something they have been completely unable to do.
NBA.com preview
What to watch for:
- Brandon Roy is one of the best all-around guards in the game. With a deadly mid-range game, the ability to penetrate and shoot from deep, Anthony Parker has yet another difficult assignment.
- Portland has a very talented group of big men, including Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Pryzbilla. Jermaine O'Neal, Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh will need to keep the Blazers off the boards if they want a chance to win.
- The Raptors thus far have had the second most difficult schedule based on opponent winning percentage. But, the bottom line is, the Raps need to prove they can beat "better" teams if they want respect around the league - something they have been completely unable to do.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Raptors Pummelled Again - 114-87 Jazz
Unfortunately, Jay Triano's second career game as head coach (he filled in for one game last year) was a complete and utter disaster. The Raptors again defended like the French army and played with the urgency of a Pizza Pizza delivery man. Utah - a painfully slow-paced team that loves to utilize big men Carlos Boozer (who did not play) and all-around centre Mehmet Okur in the half-court, looked like the Showtime Lakers, piling up transition points with crisp passing and timely rebounds. The Jazz played the Raps' weaknesses perfectly, dominating the paint and glass and getting out and running in the open court.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh. One of the only bright spots. 18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks. Played pretty well. Chris had one of his worse games this season and was still by far the best Raptor.
Notables:
Joey Graham - 13 points, 5 rebounds. Shot well (6-9 FG, 1-1 FT), but had four fouls and three turnovers. Good Joey (sort of) keeps showing up. Maybe give him a shot at starting, Jay?
Andrea Bargnani - 7 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks. Nice defensive game from Andrea. Needs to shoot better, he shot 3-12 from the floor, 1-1 from the line and missed all four threes. This team needs scorers. He's one of them.
Jose Calderon - 10 points, 8 assists. Yeah, played pretty well. But as much as we love Jose... we can't help but feel that he's just not the same since he's come back. For lack of a better word: it's as if he's missing his "onions".
Full box score
Stat(s) of the Game:
Where to start? We were minus-14 on the boards. Utah forced 23 turnovers, and put up 31 assists on 47 made field goals. And this must be mentioned: Kosta Koufos and Matt Harpring combined for 24 points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes. Shudder.
Next game: Sunday, December 7th, 1:00PM vs. Portland Trail Blazers
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh. One of the only bright spots. 18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks. Played pretty well. Chris had one of his worse games this season and was still by far the best Raptor.
Notables:
Joey Graham - 13 points, 5 rebounds. Shot well (6-9 FG, 1-1 FT), but had four fouls and three turnovers. Good Joey (sort of) keeps showing up. Maybe give him a shot at starting, Jay?
Andrea Bargnani - 7 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks. Nice defensive game from Andrea. Needs to shoot better, he shot 3-12 from the floor, 1-1 from the line and missed all four threes. This team needs scorers. He's one of them.
Jose Calderon - 10 points, 8 assists. Yeah, played pretty well. But as much as we love Jose... we can't help but feel that he's just not the same since he's come back. For lack of a better word: it's as if he's missing his "onions".
Full box score
Stat(s) of the Game:
Where to start? We were minus-14 on the boards. Utah forced 23 turnovers, and put up 31 assists on 47 made field goals. And this must be mentioned: Kosta Koufos and Matt Harpring combined for 24 points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes. Shudder.
Next game: Sunday, December 7th, 1:00PM vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Friday, December 5, 2008
The Rose of the NBA - A Friday Night Ramble
- This weeks Friday night ramble features Derrick Rose, who broke the ankles of supposed "above average" point guard Andre Miller. Take a look. Rose, as a rookie, is lighting up the NBA. He is averaging close to 19 points, 6 assists, and 4 boards. Too bad, Kirk...
- The Spurs' big three are back in action, as Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are both back from injury. They have won their last 2 games, and now stand at 10-8 after their dreadful start. Watch for underrated rookie George Hill as well.
- Yesterdays dunk of the night featured Tyrus Thomas. Apparently the rim did something to piss him off. Watch Tyrus soar.
- Dallas’ Jason Kidd made a 3-pointer Thursday night, the 1,386th of his career, tying Antoine Walker for ninth in NBA history. Even Kidd, a career .337 three-point shooter, did it in over 200 fewer attempts than Employee Number 8.
- Philadelphia forward Elton Brand will miss Friday’s game at Detroit with a strained right hamstring. Brand had an MRI on Thursday and did not travel with the Sixers. He is listed as day-to-day. Just a friendly reminder to all those who disliked the Jermaine O'Neal trade due to his past injuries, yet rejoiced at Elton Brand coming to Philly.
- Rockets' guard Rafer Alston was shocked to hear that the Raptors fired coach Sam Mitchell on Wednesday. "We had our issues, but we allowed other things to seep into our relationship, and that's where the problems got out of hand," Alston said rather incoherently. If that weren't enough, Rafer went on to contradict himself by saying "I know (the Raptors) haven't been happy with the way they have played this year, but this shocked me." Its good that Rafer took the time out of his busy schedule of bribing 2K sports to get him rated 79 overall in NBA 2K8 and flexing in his mirror to talk to the presses about Sam's firing.
- The Spurs' big three are back in action, as Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are both back from injury. They have won their last 2 games, and now stand at 10-8 after their dreadful start. Watch for underrated rookie George Hill as well.
- Yesterdays dunk of the night featured Tyrus Thomas. Apparently the rim did something to piss him off. Watch Tyrus soar.
- Dallas’ Jason Kidd made a 3-pointer Thursday night, the 1,386th of his career, tying Antoine Walker for ninth in NBA history. Even Kidd, a career .337 three-point shooter, did it in over 200 fewer attempts than Employee Number 8.
- Philadelphia forward Elton Brand will miss Friday’s game at Detroit with a strained right hamstring. Brand had an MRI on Thursday and did not travel with the Sixers. He is listed as day-to-day. Just a friendly reminder to all those who disliked the Jermaine O'Neal trade due to his past injuries, yet rejoiced at Elton Brand coming to Philly.
- Rockets' guard Rafer Alston was shocked to hear that the Raptors fired coach Sam Mitchell on Wednesday. "We had our issues, but we allowed other things to seep into our relationship, and that's where the problems got out of hand," Alston said rather incoherently. If that weren't enough, Rafer went on to contradict himself by saying "I know (the Raptors) haven't been happy with the way they have played this year, but this shocked me." Its good that Rafer took the time out of his busy schedule of bribing 2K sports to get him rated 79 overall in NBA 2K8 and flexing in his mirror to talk to the presses about Sam's firing.
Raptors Hope To Get A Win Off A Tough Road Trip
Raptors at Utah, 10:30. The game is available for your viewing pleasure on TSN and channelsurfing.net, and for listen on the Fan 590. So far through 2 games on their 3 game Western Conference visit, the Raptors are 0-2, losing by a combined 58 points in those 2 games. In this road trip, the Raptors have let go of their head coach, Sam Mitchell, but hey, at least Jermaine O'Neal returned to the lineup after 3 DNP's.
The Jazz are currently 12-8, while the Raptors are 8-9.
What to watch for:
- Jay Triano! Lets see if he can draw up a play, or tell the Raptors players to play defense.
- The Raptors catch a break tonight as Carlos Boozer will not play, and Andrei Kirilenko, who averages 2.8 blocks per game against the Dinos, is not 100%. This may enable the Raptors to get an advantage inside.
- Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker average 70% and 60% respectively from three point land in their career vs. the Jazz. Hopefully they will be able to lift them out of the shooting funk the Raps have gotten themselves into the past couple days. Last game against the Nuggets, the Raptors shot 36.6 percent, the worst of the season thus far.
The Jazz are currently 12-8, while the Raptors are 8-9.
What to watch for:
- Jay Triano! Lets see if he can draw up a play, or tell the Raptors players to play defense.
- The Raptors catch a break tonight as Carlos Boozer will not play, and Andrei Kirilenko, who averages 2.8 blocks per game against the Dinos, is not 100%. This may enable the Raptors to get an advantage inside.
- Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker average 70% and 60% respectively from three point land in their career vs. the Jazz. Hopefully they will be able to lift them out of the shooting funk the Raps have gotten themselves into the past couple days. Last game against the Nuggets, the Raptors shot 36.6 percent, the worst of the season thus far.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Coaching Change - What It Means
As you no doubt know by now, yesterday the Raptors fired head coach of four full seasons Sam Mitchell. Former assistant Jay Triano has been promoted to head coach on in an interim basis. Triano served as head coach once last year, coaching the Raps to a rout over Minnesota.
This deal could signal several things.
1) Bryan Colangelo seized the opportunity to bring in his own guy. For years in the NBA, it has been a custom that for every front-office regime change, there is a coaching overhaul as well. When BC was brought in, he told Sam Mitchell he has a blank slate and would only be replaced if he performed poorly. Well, Smitch went on to win Coach of the Year in helping completely turn the Raptors around. Unfortunately, Marc Iavaroni and Mike D'Antoni, Colangelo's two key coaches in Phoenix, are now the head coaches of the Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks, respectively. If BC wants to bring in his own guy, it's pretty much down to Flip Saunders, Jeff Van Gundy, maybe Pat Riley - or Isaiah Thomas (that noise you just heard was your involuntary cry of "PLEASE GOD! NO!").
2) Jay Triano will be held over as a permanent head coach. Triano is a well-respected assistant in the league, having survived three head coaching changes (Lenny Wilkens, Kevin O'Neill, and now Sam Mitchell), coaching Team Canada to their best-ever record, and helping out with Team USA in recent years. It might be time for Triano to step into the spotlight.
3) BC has a trick up his sleeve. Bryan Colangelo is a man famous for making something from nothing. He turned a laughingstock Raptors franchise into a playoff team seemingly overnight, immediately after transforming the Phoenix Suns from bottom-dwellers into contenders. With the best-dressed front-office executive at the helm of this team, there's really no saying what will happen.
This deal could signal several things.
1) Bryan Colangelo seized the opportunity to bring in his own guy. For years in the NBA, it has been a custom that for every front-office regime change, there is a coaching overhaul as well. When BC was brought in, he told Sam Mitchell he has a blank slate and would only be replaced if he performed poorly. Well, Smitch went on to win Coach of the Year in helping completely turn the Raptors around. Unfortunately, Marc Iavaroni and Mike D'Antoni, Colangelo's two key coaches in Phoenix, are now the head coaches of the Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks, respectively. If BC wants to bring in his own guy, it's pretty much down to Flip Saunders, Jeff Van Gundy, maybe Pat Riley - or Isaiah Thomas (that noise you just heard was your involuntary cry of "PLEASE GOD! NO!").
2) Jay Triano will be held over as a permanent head coach. Triano is a well-respected assistant in the league, having survived three head coaching changes (Lenny Wilkens, Kevin O'Neill, and now Sam Mitchell), coaching Team Canada to their best-ever record, and helping out with Team USA in recent years. It might be time for Triano to step into the spotlight.
3) BC has a trick up his sleeve. Bryan Colangelo is a man famous for making something from nothing. He turned a laughingstock Raptors franchise into a playoff team seemingly overnight, immediately after transforming the Phoenix Suns from bottom-dwellers into contenders. With the best-dressed front-office executive at the helm of this team, there's really no saying what will happen.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Sam Mitchell Fired
The Raptors have announced that following yesterday's 39-point loss to Denver, head coach Sam Mitchell has been fired. He will be replaced by Jay Triano on an interim basis. Mitchell holds Toronto's all-time coaching wins record with 156, and won Coach of the Year in 2007. The move was somewhat predictable, but hopefully the Raptors can realize the urgency of their current situation and turn the season around - fast.
Read the press release
Read the press release
Raptors Can't Bounce Back - 132-93 Nuggets
Last night was not a pretty sight at all if you're a Raptors fan. The Raptors trailed by fourteen points after the first quarter and lost by the fifth-largest differential in franchise history. The Raptors, in continuing to showcase their acting skills while emulating a seventh-grade phys ed class, allowed the Nuggets to pile up the most assists of any team so far this season. All around, not such a great game.
Read the NBA.com recap... or don't
Player of the Game:
Well, it has to be Chris Bosh. Statistically had a nice game with 24 points on 7-15 from the field and 10-10 on free throws to go with 12 rebounds and 5 assists. Unfortunately, even Bosh was at blame for some abhorrent defense, and his run-of-the-mill Franchise performance was not nearly enough.
Notables:
Roko Ukic - 13 points (3-9 F, 1-3 3FG, 6-6 FT), 2 rebounds, one assist. Hot Cocoa still hasn't found his jumper, but last night (yes, in garbage time, we know) he showcased his ability to get to the basket and hit all six of his free throws. Maybe this will help his confidence and allow him to play with a little more swagger.
Kris Humphries - 4 points (2-5 FG), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Nice game in 16 mostly meaningless minutes for Kris. As reader Mintz... astutely pointed out, Humphries had four times as many rebounds as JO... in two fewer minutes.
Jose Calderon - 9 points (3-5 FG, 3-4 3FG), 7 assists, 2 turnovers. Jose was effective as usual. It would be nice to see him penetrate once in a while, though...
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
I'm on the record as saying that plus-minus in basketball is largely meaningless, but one stat stands out as portraying this entire game. Chauncey Billups (24 points, 14 assists) was +48 while on the floor. He did whatever he wanted against non-existent defense. But I suppose it's true... there's no D in Toronto.
Next game: Friday, December 5th, 10:30 PM at Utah Jazz
Read the NBA.com recap... or don't
Player of the Game:
Well, it has to be Chris Bosh. Statistically had a nice game with 24 points on 7-15 from the field and 10-10 on free throws to go with 12 rebounds and 5 assists. Unfortunately, even Bosh was at blame for some abhorrent defense, and his run-of-the-mill Franchise performance was not nearly enough.
Notables:
Roko Ukic - 13 points (3-9 F, 1-3 3FG, 6-6 FT), 2 rebounds, one assist. Hot Cocoa still hasn't found his jumper, but last night (yes, in garbage time, we know) he showcased his ability to get to the basket and hit all six of his free throws. Maybe this will help his confidence and allow him to play with a little more swagger.
Kris Humphries - 4 points (2-5 FG), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Nice game in 16 mostly meaningless minutes for Kris. As reader Mintz... astutely pointed out, Humphries had four times as many rebounds as JO... in two fewer minutes.
Jose Calderon - 9 points (3-5 FG, 3-4 3FG), 7 assists, 2 turnovers. Jose was effective as usual. It would be nice to see him penetrate once in a while, though...
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
I'm on the record as saying that plus-minus in basketball is largely meaningless, but one stat stands out as portraying this entire game. Chauncey Billups (24 points, 14 assists) was +48 while on the floor. He did whatever he wanted against non-existent defense. But I suppose it's true... there's no D in Toronto.
Next game: Friday, December 5th, 10:30 PM at Utah Jazz
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Raptors Visit Nuggets
Tonight at 9:00 pm, the Raptors play the Nuggets. This is the Raps first look at the Nuggets with Chauncey Billups, who has led the team to an 11-3 record with him in the lineup. Billups is averaging 18.6 points and 6.7 assists in 14 games with the Nuggets. The Raptors look to tread above .500 with a win in Denver. The game is available on The Score, the Fan 590, and channelsurfing.net.
What to watch for:
- The Nuggets star, Carmelo Anthony, left the Nuggets last game in the first quarter with an elbow injury. He says he hopes to play tonight.
- Jermaine O'Neal has now missed three games straight, and it became apparent against the Lakers that the Raptors are missing his body in the middle. Hopefully he will get to play tonight.
- The Raptors were simply outhustled in Los Angeles. Hopefully they will have learned a thing or two from that loss.
What to watch for:
- The Nuggets star, Carmelo Anthony, left the Nuggets last game in the first quarter with an elbow injury. He says he hopes to play tonight.
- Jermaine O'Neal has now missed three games straight, and it became apparent against the Lakers that the Raptors are missing his body in the middle. Hopefully he will get to play tonight.
- The Raptors were simply outhustled in Los Angeles. Hopefully they will have learned a thing or two from that loss.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Raptors Outrun, Outplayed By Lakers: 112 - 99 Lakers
The Raptors put together a nice little 2 game win streak. However, along came Kobe and his band of 14-1 Lakers. The Raptors were simply outpaced, outrebounded, and outplayed. The Lakers controlled the pace and the paint, making it evident what Jermaine O'Neal brings on a nightly basis. Jermaine, its time to come back. The Raptors are now back to .500 at 8-8. This was the first game of the Raptors' three game road trip. Sadly, the opponents don't get easier, as the remaining games are at Denver and Utah.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 12 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists. Jose looks like he's getting healthier since his hamstring pull. Jose only took 9 shots, he was probably too busy selflessly passing to his teammates.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocked shots. Yes, you did read correctly, Andrea had 4 blocks. Even more amazingly he only had 1 foul! Talk about maturing...
Anthony Parker - 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists. He was 4-6 from three point land, pretty much the only reason why we could marginally keep pace with the Lakers.
Stat of the game:
Question: What do you get when you combine the fourth letter of the alphabet with a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary?
Answer: You get defense!
Question: What have the Raptors lacked all season?
Answer: Defense!
The Raptors continued their imitation of a sixth grade basketball team's defense against the Lakers. The Lakers hit the 100 point mark with 7:26 left in the fourth quarter! They shot 51% from the field. Furthermore: the Raptors were minus-18 on the glass, minus-26 in points in the paint, and minus-11 in fast break points. If I didn't know better, I would think that Sam Mitchell is resorting to wishing for the ghost of Nate Huffman to somehow appear and keep the basketball out of their net (a la Antoine Tyler in The Sixth Man).
The one positive the Raptors can take out of this game is the balanced scoring. 6 Raptors were in double figs, as well as solid bench production.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 12 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists. Jose looks like he's getting healthier since his hamstring pull. Jose only took 9 shots, he was probably too busy selflessly passing to his teammates.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocked shots. Yes, you did read correctly, Andrea had 4 blocks. Even more amazingly he only had 1 foul! Talk about maturing...
Anthony Parker - 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists. He was 4-6 from three point land, pretty much the only reason why we could marginally keep pace with the Lakers.
Stat of the game:
Question: What do you get when you combine the fourth letter of the alphabet with a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary?
Answer: You get defense!
Question: What have the Raptors lacked all season?
Answer: Defense!
The Raptors continued their imitation of a sixth grade basketball team's defense against the Lakers. The Lakers hit the 100 point mark with 7:26 left in the fourth quarter! They shot 51% from the field. Furthermore: the Raptors were minus-18 on the glass, minus-26 in points in the paint, and minus-11 in fast break points. If I didn't know better, I would think that Sam Mitchell is resorting to wishing for the ghost of Nate Huffman to somehow appear and keep the basketball out of their net (a la Antoine Tyler in The Sixth Man).
The one positive the Raptors can take out of this game is the balanced scoring. 6 Raptors were in double figs, as well as solid bench production.
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