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.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
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?
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?
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Bigs Take Down Grizzlies - 103-82 Raptors
Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani combined for a very impressive 53 points and 18 rebounds as the big-man duo of Marc Gasol and Darrell Arthur was simply no match for the talented, powerful combo down low. Our Raps now stand at 16-21 and have won four of their last five games - not coincidentally, Bargnani is averaging 21.1 points over his last six contests; the best scoring run of his career.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh had his first dominant game of the new year as he just abused Memphis, doing pretty much whatever he wanted both on offense and defense. He shot a blistering 11-13 from the field to go with 10-12 from the line and added 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. While the assessment that Bosh tends to have his best games against mediocre teams seems to have more and more merit, if it means the Raps win the games they're supposed to, it's good for more than a few W's.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 21 points (8-14 FG, 3-4 3FG, 2-4 FT), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Bargnani has been consistent and dominant on offense over the last stretch - there's no way around it. If he can keep it up, when Jose Calderon returns (and Jermaine O'Neal, if he can keep it up off the bench) this team will make some noise.
Will Solomon - 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-2 FT), 9 assists, 3 steals. Jose who? King Solomon's wisdom led him to another excellent game starting at the point, and he again showed good shot selection and great distribution, finishing one dime away from his second career double-double.
Jason Kapono - 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3FG), 6 assists, 2 rebounds. Played solid third/fourth fiddle, shooting a nice percentage and distributing the ball well from the wings. When Bosh and Bargnani are rolling, it's important for him and Anthony Parker (3 points, 5 assists) to space the defense from the perimeter.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Again there was a huge discrepancy between the Raptors' and their opponent's shooting percentages. The Raptors were on fire for much of the game, putting up 55.6% (40-72) from the field, 40% (4-10) from three and 79.2% (19-24) from the free-throw line. The Grizzlies, however, were stifled all night long by solid Raptor defense (particularly in the second half, in which they were outscored 56-38), finishing shooting just 42.5% (31-73) on field goals, 30% (3-10) from three-point distance and 68% (17-25) from the line. The Raptors also held slight advantages in almost every statistical category as well - 13-15 in turnovers, 38-33 in rebounds, 26-15 in assists, and 6-4 in blocks.
Next Game: Sunday, January 11th, 12:30 PM vs. Boston Celtics
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Chris Bosh had his first dominant game of the new year as he just abused Memphis, doing pretty much whatever he wanted both on offense and defense. He shot a blistering 11-13 from the field to go with 10-12 from the line and added 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. While the assessment that Bosh tends to have his best games against mediocre teams seems to have more and more merit, if it means the Raps win the games they're supposed to, it's good for more than a few W's.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 21 points (8-14 FG, 3-4 3FG, 2-4 FT), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Bargnani has been consistent and dominant on offense over the last stretch - there's no way around it. If he can keep it up, when Jose Calderon returns (and Jermaine O'Neal, if he can keep it up off the bench) this team will make some noise.
Will Solomon - 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-2 FT), 9 assists, 3 steals. Jose who? King Solomon's wisdom led him to another excellent game starting at the point, and he again showed good shot selection and great distribution, finishing one dime away from his second career double-double.
Jason Kapono - 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3FG), 6 assists, 2 rebounds. Played solid third/fourth fiddle, shooting a nice percentage and distributing the ball well from the wings. When Bosh and Bargnani are rolling, it's important for him and Anthony Parker (3 points, 5 assists) to space the defense from the perimeter.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Again there was a huge discrepancy between the Raptors' and their opponent's shooting percentages. The Raptors were on fire for much of the game, putting up 55.6% (40-72) from the field, 40% (4-10) from three and 79.2% (19-24) from the free-throw line. The Grizzlies, however, were stifled all night long by solid Raptor defense (particularly in the second half, in which they were outscored 56-38), finishing shooting just 42.5% (31-73) on field goals, 30% (3-10) from three-point distance and 68% (17-25) from the line. The Raptors also held slight advantages in almost every statistical category as well - 13-15 in turnovers, 38-33 in rebounds, 26-15 in assists, and 6-4 in blocks.
Next Game: Sunday, January 11th, 12:30 PM vs. Boston Celtics
Thursday, January 8, 2009
"The Magician" Outpowers Wizards - 99-93
Andrea Bargnani turned in his fifth straight impressive offensive showing with 25 points on near-perfect 8-9 from the field including 4-5 from three and 5-5 from the line. Chris Bosh and Anthony Parker were also very effective. The Wizards were led by former (for a few seconds) Raptor Antawn Jamison who finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals despite fouling out after playing 37 minutes. The Raptors improved to 15-21, despite finishing the game with an Ostertagean total of 20 turnovers.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Bargs was more than solid again last night, shooting a remarkable percentage in his 25-point effort while adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Overall a very nice night from Bargnani, playing through trade rumours that have him heading to Dallas.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 18 points (5-16 FG, 0-2 3FG, 8-9 FT), 8 rebounds, 6 assists. Bosh had another off-shooting night but was masterful in distributing the rock, something he's done often this season. It's very nice to see him affect the game postively even when he can't score at will.
Anthony Parker - 15 points (6-9 FG, 2-3 3FG, 1-2 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks. Parker has been crashing the boards recently and it's turning up huge results. Besides his scoring which is also way up, AP is averaging over 5 boards in his last four games.
Will Solomon - 14 points (7-11 FG, 0-1 3FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers. Will's been playing nicely as Jose Calderon's (hamstring) fill-in starter. He's put up solid numbers, and despite 5 fouls (refs in Europe are much more lenient on guard physicality) he has kept the ball in control, which is all one can ask from him.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors didn't really play that well. Of course, we know a W's a W, but the only thing that really saved them was shooting. The Raps owned a +7 advantage at the free throw line (17-20 for 85% compared to 10-18 for 55.6%) and shot an impressive 54.4% (37-68) from the field compared to Washington's 46.4% (39-84). Toronto's hot shooting helped overshadow a brutal twenty turnovers (Washington had 12), and Jamison's abysmal 3-8 shooting from the line certainly helped matters as well.
Next Game: Friday, January 7th, 7:00 PM vs. Memphis Grizzles
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Bargs was more than solid again last night, shooting a remarkable percentage in his 25-point effort while adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Overall a very nice night from Bargnani, playing through trade rumours that have him heading to Dallas.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 18 points (5-16 FG, 0-2 3FG, 8-9 FT), 8 rebounds, 6 assists. Bosh had another off-shooting night but was masterful in distributing the rock, something he's done often this season. It's very nice to see him affect the game postively even when he can't score at will.
Anthony Parker - 15 points (6-9 FG, 2-3 3FG, 1-2 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks. Parker has been crashing the boards recently and it's turning up huge results. Besides his scoring which is also way up, AP is averaging over 5 boards in his last four games.
Will Solomon - 14 points (7-11 FG, 0-1 3FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers. Will's been playing nicely as Jose Calderon's (hamstring) fill-in starter. He's put up solid numbers, and despite 5 fouls (refs in Europe are much more lenient on guard physicality) he has kept the ball in control, which is all one can ask from him.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors didn't really play that well. Of course, we know a W's a W, but the only thing that really saved them was shooting. The Raps owned a +7 advantage at the free throw line (17-20 for 85% compared to 10-18 for 55.6%) and shot an impressive 54.4% (37-68) from the field compared to Washington's 46.4% (39-84). Toronto's hot shooting helped overshadow a brutal twenty turnovers (Washington had 12), and Jamison's abysmal 3-8 shooting from the line certainly helped matters as well.
Next Game: Friday, January 7th, 7:00 PM vs. Memphis Grizzles
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Raps Go Buck Hunting
Tonight the Milwaukee Bucks will host the Toronto Raptors. The game is at 8:00 on Raptors NBA TV, but can also be seen on channelsurfing.net and heard on the Fan 590.
Our Raptors have won their last two, quite impressively I might add. Tonight Toronto goes for their first 3 game win streak since their 3-0 record at the beginning of the season.
As for the Bucks, they sit at 16-19, 3rd in the Central Division. They present a very winnable game. This is first time the Raptors have played a sub-.500 team in 5 games.
W2W4 (What to Watch for):
- Andrea Bargnani is back to playing like he knows what a basketball is. In his last 3 contests he's averaging 21 points and just under 6 rebounds. He's stepped up in Jermaine O'Neal's absence.
- Will Jermaine O'Neal and Jose Calderon play? If Jose plays, tonight will show the match up of Luke Ridnour vs. Jose. Luke is currently ahead of Jose in all star voting, a reason for this is not yet available.
- Last game against the Raps, newly acquired Richard Jefferson had a quiet 9 points. However, now he is adjusted to his teammates and the Scott Skiles system. Expect him to be near, if not, above his average of 17 points per game against the Raptors.
Our Raptors have won their last two, quite impressively I might add. Tonight Toronto goes for their first 3 game win streak since their 3-0 record at the beginning of the season.
As for the Bucks, they sit at 16-19, 3rd in the Central Division. They present a very winnable game. This is first time the Raptors have played a sub-.500 team in 5 games.
W2W4 (What to Watch for):
- Andrea Bargnani is back to playing like he knows what a basketball is. In his last 3 contests he's averaging 21 points and just under 6 rebounds. He's stepped up in Jermaine O'Neal's absence.
- Will Jermaine O'Neal and Jose Calderon play? If Jose plays, tonight will show the match up of Luke Ridnour vs. Jose. Luke is currently ahead of Jose in all star voting, a reason for this is not yet available.
- Last game against the Raps, newly acquired Richard Jefferson had a quiet 9 points. However, now he is adjusted to his teammates and the Scott Skiles system. Expect him to be near, if not, above his average of 17 points per game against the Raptors.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Raptors Remain Undefeated in the New Year - 108-102 Toronto
The Raptors couldn't silence Superman today, who put up 39 and 8, but in the end the Raps came out with a victory to stay undefeated in 2009. The injury-riddled Raptors (missing Jermaine O'Neal and Jose Calderon) played great team defense and kept the offense flowing for all four quarters, controlling the pace and the flow of the game as they tied up the season series 1-1.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the Game:
Anthony Parker - 26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists. A red hot 13-16 from the floor, Anthony hit some key shots late in the clock and late in the game. Another typical do-it-all game, doing the intangibles and the little things that he's been known to do. Tonight Parker was just 1 point off of his career high, who would have thought this on a night where he didn't even attempt a three ball?
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists. Perhaps most importantly, Chris went 13-14 from the free throw line. Some of these free throws came late in the fourth when the Raptors needed a cushion.
Andrea Bargnani - 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. Redefining streaky, it appears that Andrea is out of his cold streak.
Roko Ukic - 12 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds. Roko for sure opened some eyes today, as he played the entire fourth quarter and set up some key buckets.
Full Box Score
Stat of the Game:
Late in the fourth quarter, it came down to who could make their foul shots. Both teams shot 24 foul shots tonight; the Raptors hit 23 of their 24, the Magic hit just 17. They can thank Dwight Howard for those misses as he shot 11-18 and missed many free throws when the Magic were trying to mount their comeback. After the game, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy commented on this, saying “That’s about what he shoots, but it’s not good enough. Sixty percent at the free throw line makes it tough. We’ve got a tremendous advantage down there. They couldn’t guard him at all, but they get to the fourth quarter and they just foul and it’s one for two every time. Then you’re coming to the other end and it’s two for two. That’s a big difference.” Howard must be used to this by now, as his only reaction was “I’m going to miss free throws". Maybe its time to hit the gym, Dwight.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the Game:
Anthony Parker - 26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists. A red hot 13-16 from the floor, Anthony hit some key shots late in the clock and late in the game. Another typical do-it-all game, doing the intangibles and the little things that he's been known to do. Tonight Parker was just 1 point off of his career high, who would have thought this on a night where he didn't even attempt a three ball?
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists. Perhaps most importantly, Chris went 13-14 from the free throw line. Some of these free throws came late in the fourth when the Raptors needed a cushion.
Andrea Bargnani - 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. Redefining streaky, it appears that Andrea is out of his cold streak.
Roko Ukic - 12 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds. Roko for sure opened some eyes today, as he played the entire fourth quarter and set up some key buckets.
Full Box Score
Stat of the Game:
Late in the fourth quarter, it came down to who could make their foul shots. Both teams shot 24 foul shots tonight; the Raptors hit 23 of their 24, the Magic hit just 17. They can thank Dwight Howard for those misses as he shot 11-18 and missed many free throws when the Magic were trying to mount their comeback. After the game, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy commented on this, saying “That’s about what he shoots, but it’s not good enough. Sixty percent at the free throw line makes it tough. We’ve got a tremendous advantage down there. They couldn’t guard him at all, but they get to the fourth quarter and they just foul and it’s one for two every time. Then you’re coming to the other end and it’s two for two. That’s a big difference.” Howard must be used to this by now, as his only reaction was “I’m going to miss free throws". Maybe its time to hit the gym, Dwight.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Houston, We Have a W - 94-73 Raptors
The Raps finally got their big win at home yesterday, blowing out the Rockets with inpenetrable defense and some balanced scoring. They held Tracy McGrady (15 ppg) to 4 points on 2-9 shooting in 28 minutes. In a very "I'm related to Vince Carter"-moment after the game he whined, "It's kind of hard to get in a groove when you are touching the ball once every five minutes." All 12 Raptors who dressed got at least 5 minutes of playing time and every one of them managed at least one field goal - a nice confidence booster, especially for the scrubs. Jason Kapono (quad contusion) played 21 minutes, while Jose Calderon (hamstring) left the game after playing just 12 minutes. It's crucial for him to return if the Raptors hope to go on a winning streak. Jermaine O'Neal (knee) says he's day-to-day and may play Sunday against the Magic.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
In a game which yielded very balanced numbers across the board, Anthony Parker played the most solid, effective game last night. AP scored 8 points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3FG, 2-2 FT) while leading the team in rebounding with 8, and adding 3 steals and one assist. A very balanced night from Anthony, doing the little things that has seen him return to the starting lineup.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 19 points (8-12 FG, 2-4 3FG, 1-2 FT), 6 rebounds, one block. Il Mago had his second straight very effective offensive game and played impressive defense on Yao Ming (14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 turnovers). Perhaps (we're praying) he's found a way to produe every night.
Chris Bosh - 19 points (8-18 FG, 3-6 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists. Scored well and shot passably, but it would be nice to see him get to the glass more often - and go back to being an automatic free throw shooter (he's missed 6 free throws in his last two games).
Will Solomon - 8 points (4-6 FG), 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 turnovers (!). Backing up Jose in extended minutes last night, Will was fantastic. He distributed, played competent defense and basically performed like a solid backup point guard. He finally lived up to the trust Triano has in him with a great game.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Easy. The Raptors shot very well, going for 48.2% (40-83) shooting overall including 44.4% (4-9) from The Land Beyond. It must have been Shaquille O'Neal Appreciation Night in Toronto because the Raptors - the league's finest free throw-shooting team shot an abysmal 58.8% (10-17) from the line. Impressively, the Raptors also held Houston to ice-cold 34.1% (28-82) shooting from the field and 25.9% (7-27) from three point country. A decisive victory for the boys in red.
Next Game: Sunday, January 4th, 12:30 PM vs. Orlando Magic
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
In a game which yielded very balanced numbers across the board, Anthony Parker played the most solid, effective game last night. AP scored 8 points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3FG, 2-2 FT) while leading the team in rebounding with 8, and adding 3 steals and one assist. A very balanced night from Anthony, doing the little things that has seen him return to the starting lineup.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 19 points (8-12 FG, 2-4 3FG, 1-2 FT), 6 rebounds, one block. Il Mago had his second straight very effective offensive game and played impressive defense on Yao Ming (14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 turnovers). Perhaps (we're praying) he's found a way to produe every night.
Chris Bosh - 19 points (8-18 FG, 3-6 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists. Scored well and shot passably, but it would be nice to see him get to the glass more often - and go back to being an automatic free throw shooter (he's missed 6 free throws in his last two games).
Will Solomon - 8 points (4-6 FG), 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 turnovers (!). Backing up Jose in extended minutes last night, Will was fantastic. He distributed, played competent defense and basically performed like a solid backup point guard. He finally lived up to the trust Triano has in him with a great game.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
Easy. The Raptors shot very well, going for 48.2% (40-83) shooting overall including 44.4% (4-9) from The Land Beyond. It must have been Shaquille O'Neal Appreciation Night in Toronto because the Raptors - the league's finest free throw-shooting team shot an abysmal 58.8% (10-17) from the line. Impressively, the Raptors also held Houston to ice-cold 34.1% (28-82) shooting from the field and 25.9% (7-27) from three point country. A decisive victory for the boys in red.
Next Game: Sunday, January 4th, 12:30 PM vs. Orlando Magic
Friday, January 2, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Raptors' New Year Unhappy - 114-107 Nuggets
The Raptors had no problems scoring last night on New Year's Eve (Happy New Year everybody!) but they had problems galore on the defensive end. Five Raptors scored in double figures, led by Andrea Bargnani's 26 points, but the Nuggets finished with an amazing seven players in double figures - only Anthony Carter (0 in 11 minutes) and Dahntay Jones (4 in 16 minutes) didn't have effective scoring nights, as everyone else found some way to score even in their limited playing time.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Andrea Bargnani finally broke out of his slump yesterday, starting out very slowly on offense but finishing with very impressive numbers of 26 points (9-19 FG, 3-6 3FG, 5-5 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 blocks and 2 steals. While Bargnani won't put up those stats on a regular basis (especially on teams that at least attempt to play defense, unlike the Nuggets) it should serve as a confidence booster for him.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 24 points (7-18 FG, 0-3 3FG, 10-13 FT), 11 rebounds. Bosh was hounded all night by guards and forwards alike, and while he didn't shoot very well, he still managed to get to the line and find ways to be effective, particularly on the boards: he had 4 offensive rebounds.
Jose Calderon - 18 points (6-9 FG, 4-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 11 assists, 5 rebounds. Jose continued his spectacular distribution and shooting, but one thing stands out. Last night he had 5 turnovers, and against Golden State he had four. Now everyone is allowed a slump, but Jose - and yes, he did have 27 assists to go with those 9 turnovers - is one of the most consistent guards in the league, and he needs to help carry this team.
Anthony Parker - 12 points (5-10 FG, 2-4 3FG), 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals. Parker was a starter again (finally) and played passable defense on the Nuggets perimeter players (J.R. Smith and Dahntay Jones combined for just 14 points on 7-17 shooting). He also had a nice game getting active on the boards and helping to distibute. Parker needs to contribute to give this team hope.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
This game was actually remarkably close in every statistical category (check the box). However, the Raptors' swiss cheese defense again allowed Denver penetration and scoring almost at will. The Nuggets shot 51.2% (42-82) from the floor and 44.4% (8-18) from the arc, to the Raptors' 46.9% (38-81) from the field and 41.7% (10-24) from three. Defense, fellas. And all that even with Jason Kapono out there as a pylon.
Next Game: Friday, January 2nd, 7:00 PM vs. Houston Rockets
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Andrea Bargnani finally broke out of his slump yesterday, starting out very slowly on offense but finishing with very impressive numbers of 26 points (9-19 FG, 3-6 3FG, 5-5 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 blocks and 2 steals. While Bargnani won't put up those stats on a regular basis (especially on teams that at least attempt to play defense, unlike the Nuggets) it should serve as a confidence booster for him.
Notables:
Chris Bosh - 24 points (7-18 FG, 0-3 3FG, 10-13 FT), 11 rebounds. Bosh was hounded all night by guards and forwards alike, and while he didn't shoot very well, he still managed to get to the line and find ways to be effective, particularly on the boards: he had 4 offensive rebounds.
Jose Calderon - 18 points (6-9 FG, 4-4 3FG, 2-2 FT), 11 assists, 5 rebounds. Jose continued his spectacular distribution and shooting, but one thing stands out. Last night he had 5 turnovers, and against Golden State he had four. Now everyone is allowed a slump, but Jose - and yes, he did have 27 assists to go with those 9 turnovers - is one of the most consistent guards in the league, and he needs to help carry this team.
Anthony Parker - 12 points (5-10 FG, 2-4 3FG), 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals. Parker was a starter again (finally) and played passable defense on the Nuggets perimeter players (J.R. Smith and Dahntay Jones combined for just 14 points on 7-17 shooting). He also had a nice game getting active on the boards and helping to distibute. Parker needs to contribute to give this team hope.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
This game was actually remarkably close in every statistical category (check the box). However, the Raptors' swiss cheese defense again allowed Denver penetration and scoring almost at will. The Nuggets shot 51.2% (42-82) from the floor and 44.4% (8-18) from the arc, to the Raptors' 46.9% (38-81) from the field and 41.7% (10-24) from three. Defense, fellas. And all that even with Jason Kapono out there as a pylon.
Next Game: Friday, January 2nd, 7:00 PM vs. Houston Rockets
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