Second Last Home Game of the Season

Tonight we have... I can't even say it, the matchup is so bad. The Washington Wizards come to town for an 8 PM tip-off. Why the late start? Probably because no one wants to watch this game anyway. It's the second last home game of this horrid season, and you can watch (if you are some sort of masochist) on TSN 2 (take that! You probably can't watch it anyway!) or on channelsurfing.net, or listen on the Fan590. This game is also available on ESPN2. Something tells me this isn't what the ESPN bigwigs had in mind when they scheduled this game on national TV. More along the lines of: "Dominating froncourts of Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh matched up with Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison! Plus a great guard matchup of pass-first Jose Calderon against shoot-first, -second and -third Gilbert Arenas!" Sigh... and now for a very special What to Watch Instead...

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W2WI:
- Paint drying.
- Sea Monkeys.
- Grass growing.
- Something that will make you feel good about yourself.

Raps Look to Get Back on Track

Tonight we have the Raps closing out a back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers at 7 PM. The game will as always be on channelsurfing.net and the Fan590, and will - rejoice, for this is a happy day! - be on TSN 666! The Raptors have lost two straight following an impressive six-game streak, and the Pacers are looking for their sixth win in their past eight games.

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W2W4:
- Troy Murphy has been somewhat of a Turok suring his career. This season he has 45 double-doubles, two shy of the Pacers' franchise mark, and three straight against the Raps. He also recorded a 20-20 game on December 10th.
- Speaking of double-doubles, Chris Bosh has recorded an impressive eight straight. He'll be looking for more against a fairly weak Indiana frontcourt beyond Murphy. Bosh has 40 total double-doubles this season.
- A fun matchup to watch, as always, will be T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon. This season, Teej has a slight advantage in scoring at 15.1 PPG to Jose's 13.1, but Jose has a higher FG% (.502 to .448), 3FG% (.415 to .347) and FT% (league-leading .979 to .867). Ford also has a small edge in rebounding (3.6 to 2.9), but Jose's passing shines through, with the biggest statistical difference coming between Jose's 8.8 APG and T.J.'s 5.3. We should call him Jose and the Pass-ycats! Sorry. I'll show myself out.

Jose and Friends Host the Hawks

When: 7 pm
Where: The Score, Channelsurfing.net, Fan 590

Two pieces of bad news came to the Raptors on their Sunday night loss to the Knicks. Firstly they were officially eliminated from the playoffs. Secondly, it became impossible for them to go .500 at home, as they slipped to 17-21 at home with just 3 home games left.
Tonight the Raptors host the Hawks of Atlanta, who are 43-34 on the season, clinching their first winning season in almost a decade. As of late, the Hawks are not looking like the hottest team. They have lost 3 straight and 8 of their last 9 from home.
Need more good news, Raptor fans? Chris Bosh has been a Hawk hunter this season. Although the season series sits at 2-1 for Atlanta, Chris is averaging 26.0 points and 10.7 rebounds while shooting 50.9 percent (28-for-55) in those three games.

W2W4:
- See the paragraph on Chris Bosh above.
- The Hawks have their own Raptor Killer Turok, his name is Mike Bibby. Bibby has averaged 22.0 points and 6.7 assists in the series, shooting 61.0 percent from the field (25-for-41) and 57.1 percent from 3-point range (12-for-21).
- Coach Jay Triano spoke today saying that he would not rest his starters and play the younger players, despite their elimination from playoff contention. "Maybe the rotations happen a little bit earlier and rests (for the starters) are a bit longer, but it's not going to be dramatic," Triano stated. However, Jay is curious to see what potential there is in Patrick O'Bryant and Quincy Douby.

Red-Hot Raptors Take on Knicks (Again)

After another decisive win yesterday the Raptors are set to take on the Knicks at the ACC. The Raptors are playing some of their best basketball in a couple seasons and could win their seventh straight game.

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W2W4:
- The Raps' frontcourt of Chris Bosh, Shawn Marion and Andrea Bargnani has been very consistent over this win streak. Yesterday they combined for 52 points and 32 rebounds.
- Jose Calderon. He's nice to watch.
- The Knicks have been terrible in Toronto since the Raptors entered the league in '95. After winning six straight games against the babyfaced expansion Dinos, our boys have won 16 of 19 games. We'll see if the Raptors can improve the more recent winning percentage to .850.

Raptors Fly to Orlando

Wednesday night at 7:00 the Raptors fly in to Orlando to play the Magic.
For view: TSN 2 TSN 666, channelsurfing.net
For listen: The Fan 590

The Magic have a lot of things going for them this season. They sit atop the Southeast Division with a healthy 55-18 record, they are winners of their last 6 straight, and have not lost a home game in the month of March.

Well here's the bad news, Orlando, the month of March is over! You opened up February with a loss at home, prepare to crumble under the awesome power of the Raptors!

The Raptors have won 4 games in a row, their longest streak of the year, and effectively dropping the 'C' (for now) that preceded their name. They are coming off of a glorious overtime win over Los Bulls, due in large part to the play of Jose Calderon and Chris Bosh, coupled with the energy of Pops Mensah-Bonsu Possum's Phone Ban.

The Raptors will try to split the season series tonight. The Magic are currently up 2-1.

W2W4:
- Dwight Howard grabbed 18 rebounds on Monday night, making him the youngest player in NBA history to record 5,000 career rebounds. If he didn't do it Monday night, he will do it Wednesday night. Dwight Howard owns the Raptor key.
- On another Dwight related note, this season vs. the Raps Howard has averaged 29 points and 10 rebounds per contest. HOWEVER, Dwight Howard has not yet met Pops Mensah-Bonsu Possum's Phone Ban KryptoDwight.
- Ex-Raptor Rafer Alston is the newest member of the Magic. He will most likely try to get revenge on the Raps and try too hard, resulting in embarrassing himself.

Raptors Host the Bulls

Today at the horrendously awkward time of 3:30, our beloved Raptors will play the Chicago Bulls.
For view: CBC and channelsurfing.net
For listen: Fan 590
The Bulls, or Los Bulls as they are referred to this season, sit second in the Central Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 36-38 record. Los Bulls are going for their fifth straight win, however they are just 12-26 on the road, a far from impressive record.
The Raptors have won three games in a row (to the Clippers, the Bucks, and the Thunder. The streak sounds a lot more impressive if the teams aren't mentioned)! In doing so they have tied their longest streak of the year. Despite this sudden surge, the Raps still own a 27-45 record, second only to Washington for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

What To Watch For
- Los Bulls present a balanced scoring game with speed and toughness. They can score from the inside with Tyrus Thomas, and the newly added Brad Miller (I refuse to recognize Joakim Noah as a skilled basketball player), or they can step out and threaten from beyond the three point line with Ben Gordon and John Salmons and penetrate with Derrick Rose. Any team that can bring both Gordon and Kirk Hinrich off the bench means business.
- On their current win streak, the Raptors are averaging 109.0 points while allowing just 92.7 points. For all of the non math people out there, that works to a differential of 16.3 points per game. Hopefully they will come out with a non-Raptoresque intensity level.
- Quincy Douby is now the latest addition to the Raptors! The D-League call up joins other Raptor D-Leaguers Nathan Jawai, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, and Patty O'Bryant. The Raptors are now 27% D-League, and just 9 of the original 15 Raps from the beginning of 2009 remain on the team. Who will be the next to go?

Bucks Come to ACC

Tonight's game features the Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks - 7:00 PM tipoff, available on TSN, Fan590 and www.channelsurfing.net. The Raps have won three straight for the first time since the beginning of the season and look to win four in a row for the first time since December of 2007! Meanwhile, after Michael Redd sh-Redd-ed his knee, the Bucks are struggling mightily to hold on to their playoff berth without their sweet-shooting star guard. They've lost both games since Redd has gone down.

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W2W4:
- The Bucks have had to rely greatly on youngsters Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Ramon Sessions with The Redd Baron's continued injury troubles. Mbah a Moute has been outperforming expectations this year, providing an athletic, defensive presence off the bench.
- Andrea Bargnani had his first "Old Bargs" game in recent memory against the Nets. He struggled mightily against a fairly weak Nets frontcourt, finishing with just 8 points and 1 rebound. It was the first time in 16 games that Bargnani had finished with fewer than 15 points. He will certainly look to prove that Wednesday was the exception - not the hot streak.
- For the fourth time in Chris Bosh's six NBA seasons, he has been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Bosh is averaging a career-high in points with 23.2 per game, and adding 9.7 rebound, 2.5 assists and 0.9 blocks while shooting 49.8% from the field and 80.3% from the line. As always, remarkably consistent and outstanding numbers from the franchise, CB4.

Raptors Set to Visit Nets

Tonight at 7:30 we have the Raptors paying the New Jersey Nets a visit. The game is on TSN2 (booo), the Fan590 and www.channelsurfing.net. The Raptors have won two straight and look forward to their third straight game against a sub-.500 team. A game against (shudder) former Raptor Vince Carter is always important, and hopefully the Dinos will bring their A-game to continue along their road to .500.

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W2W4:
- Eric Smith points out that over Andrea Bargnani's last 15 games, he has put up 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 37 minutes per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and an even 50% from three. He's been dominant in 2009, and it's getting to be a given that he'll have 15+ and more than three boards - it seems the days of 4 points, 0 boards, 5 fouls and 3 turnovers are gone.
- Anthony Parker, as well, has put up some impressive numbers recently. In his last five games, he's averaged almost 15 points, over 7 assists and 6 rebounds, while shooting 50% from the floor. Jay Triano's plan to have him play point guard with Jose Calderon playing limited minutes has been ingenious.
- Against the Thunder in the Nets' last game, VC15 and Devin Harris combined for just 18 points on 6-of-29 shooting. Hopefully AP and Jose can keep them both in check and off balance.

Raptors Host the Dethroned Kings

Today the struggling 10-34 Sacramento Kings fly in to Toronto to face our beloved Raptors. This will be the Raptors first time coming off of a win since January 9. More importantly, the Kings are an astounding 0-17 against Eastern Conference teams. On the whole, the Kings are sitting last in the Pacific Division and have lost their last 4 straight. The game goes at 6 o clock and will be available on TSN, the Fan 590, and on channelsurfing.net

W2W4:
- For the first time since December 31, Jose Calderon was able to play the full game. He finished with 23 points, 10 assists, and 0 turnovers, completely changing the Raptors game for the better. Even Jay Triano agrees that "it’s completely different with him on the floor".
- Amidst lingering trade rumors and the outstanding recent play of Andrea Bargnani, Jermaine O'Neal, centrepiece of Brian Coleangelo's offseason, has been cast to the bench and finding himself to be much less influence in a game. Hopefully he will adjust to his new, not-so-flattering role.
- Sacramento has dropped 14 of its last 15 on the road, and bring the leagues worst road record to Toronto at 3-19. The Raptors simply need to capitalize.

Raps Visit Detroit

Tonight we have our Raptors visiting the Detroit Pistons, tipoff at 7:30 PM - available on TSN2 (blargh!) as well as www.channelsurfing.net and on the radio with the Fan590. The Pistons have beaten our guys ten straight times at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and the Raps have dropped six in a row and 12 of their last 20. Maybe the pressure of a hostile arena can inspire the Dinos to steal a win on the road.

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W2W4:
- The Pistons have started guards Richard Hamilton, Allen Iverson and sensational sophomore Rodney Stuckey recently, but head coach Michael Curry says he will only start two of the three, bringing the third off the bench. Stuckey's play has been outstanding, but his size (just 205 pounds at listed 6-5) leaves the Pistons vulnerable on defense to big guards.
- Sorry Raptors fans, but Jose Calderon will miss yet another game with a sore hamstring. It is unclear whether Anthony Parker will continue to start at point guard or if Will Solomon or Roko Ukic will get the nod.
- Jermaine O'Neal, however, will play again after missing Monday's game against Atlanta. Jermaine's been mentioned in trade rumours as of late, primarily heading to Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, but hopefully he can ignore them and play to his potential.

Raptors Need a Win at Home

Today's matinee features the Raptors at home hosting the Phoenix Suns amidst blockbuster trade rumours that have Jermaine O'Neal heading to Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. Marion was a key cog in the Phoenix team that won 62, 54, and 61 games from 2004-07, and would mean that the Raps would start a very talented starting five: Jose Calderon at the 1, either Jason Kapono or Anthony Parker at the 2, Marion at the 3, and Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani down low. This rumour obviously means that the Raps' front office thinks Bargnani's recent spectacular play is here to stay. Back to the game...

W2W4:
- Steve Nash of course. He's always a threat to take over a game scoring, distributing and running, and the Raptors' transition defense will need to be near-perfect to avoid being run out of the building.
- Andrea Bargnani has been showcasing his incredible talent in 2009. Since December 31, he's been averaging 21.1 points and has only recorded one game with fewer than 5 rebounds. He's raised his season averages to 12.8 points and 4.9 rebounds. He's been playing like a first overall pick, and it's fun to watch.
- The Raps will be without O'Neal, Calderon and Kapono today and will need solid play from backups Roko Ukic and Will Solomon to have any chance against Steve Nash's Suns.

Raps Hope To Bounce Back vs. Bulls

7 o clock tonight, the Raptors host the Chicago Bulls. The game is on TSN 2, but can be actually seen on channelsurfing.net, and as always on the Fan 590. The Raptors hope to get back in the win column after a tough home and home against the Celtics, where they lost both games, hence losing the season series to Boston 4-0.

W2W4:
- The Bulls sit 4th in the Central Division with a 16-22 record, very similar to the Raptors current position (16-23, 3rd in Atlantic). Also similarly to the Raptors, the Bulls have lost their last 2. At least someone is walking out of tonight's game with their losing skid snapped. Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich, 2 role players for the Bulls, have recently rejoined their team after a period of being injured.
- This is the Raptors first look at Derrick Rose, the number 1 pick overall in the 2008 draft. He is off to a great start in his first NBA season, averaging 16.7 points and 6 assists per game. Look for him to take advantage of weak Raptor defense at the point guard spot.
- The Raptors have had one of the toughest schedules in the Association thus far. They need to win games against sub .500 teams for them to be successful.
- Tonight will be Jermaine O'Neal's 9th straight missed game if he does not play. At some point, Raptor fans will have to truly question the true value Jermaine can bring the club. I'm sure this is on Jermaine's mind as well, upon hearing the latest around the rumor mill: Jermaine for Shawn Marion.

Raps Hope To Use Momentum Against Boston

12:30 on CBC, channelsurfing.net, or the Fan 590, the Raptors will host the Boston Celtics. The season series against the Celts currently stands in favour of Boston, 2-0. This is the first game in a home and home with the Celtics, and these two games will be the last time the Raptors see the reigning NBA champs in the regular season.

W2W4:
- The Celtics are struggling? That's right! The hottest starting team in the NBA has hit a rough patch in the new year, losing 4 straight. In these 4 losses, they have been held under 90 points 3 times. The Raptors need to play defense and have solid interior toughness.
- The Raptors are winning? That's right! The slow starting Raptors are now 4-1 in the new year, and they are doing it all without Jermaine and Jose. In their wins, the Raptors have used a quick start in the first quarter to build a solid lead. Look for that vs. the Celtics and for the Raptors to use the early game time to their advantage.
- Coming into this game, Andrea Bargnani is red hot, and has provided a huge offensive filling while Jermaine and Jose rest. He is averaging just under 21 points per outing in the new year, while shooting just under 67% from 3.
- Raptor fans keep twiddling their thumbs, waiting for Jose Calderon and Jermaine O'Neal to return. Will this be the game?

Raptors Getting Lobbed a Softball

Tonight at 7, the Raptors will visit DC to play the 7-21 Wizards. The game is on TSN 2 (BOOOOOO), but us regular folk can catch it on channelsurfing.net or the Fan 590. The Raptors simply need to take advantage of the games where they play weaker opponents, something they have been unable to do thus far.

W2W4:
- Jose Calderon, Jermaine O'Neal, and Jamario Moon will all miss tonight's game. Jamario flew back to Alabama to be with his wife, she is due to give birth.
- Hassan Adams is a Raptor no more. He was dealt today for a future second round pick. You will be missed Hassan.
- Andrea Bargnani is averaging 21.0 points since entering the starting lineup. We will need productivity like that tonight.
- Could-be Raptor Antawn Jamison is averaging 21.7 points and 9 boards per contest against the Raps. Expect the same tonight, as he and Caron Butler carry the offense for the stumbling Wizards.

T-Mac and the Rockets Hit Toronto

The Raptors hope to start off the new year with a win against the Houston Rockets. The game is at 7:00, and is on TSN 2, but regular people can watch it on channelsurfing.net or listen on the Fan 590.

What to Watch For:
- Yao and McGrady are not friendly faces for Toronto fans. Together, they average 48 points per game against the Raptors. Hopefully one of the new years resolutions of the Raptors was to start playing some defense.
- The Rockets are in one of the toughest divisions in the league, the Southwest. They sit third in their division at 20-12. They know the importance of every win and will come out with intensity. Hopefully the Raptors will match theirs.
- No word yet on whether Jermaine O'Neal and Jason Kapono will play or not.
- The Rockets are in a rut of their own. They have been held to 92.2 points per game and 39.8 percent shooting over its last five contests.

Raptors Finish Up Western Road Trip in Golden State

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.