Toronto Raptors 07/08
kenshunt
Posts: 2,863
Well the NBA is back on tap, so lets see how this years Raptors will fair.
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10/31/2007 11:15:11 PM
TORONTO - Midway through the second quarter of the Toronto Raptors' season-opener, Jose Calderon threw up a high looping pass to Chris Bosh that the all-star forward finished with a resounding dunk.
The two-pronged point guard tandem of Calderon and T.J. Ford wanted to set the tone for the new season. They did just that as the Raptors began their quest for a second straight Atlantic Division title Wednesday with a 106-97 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
"T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon did great," said Raptors coach Sam Mitchell. "If you look at their stat line, it was unbelievable."
Ford had 14 points and 12 assists, while Calderon had 13 points and four assists. They each had just one turnover.
Andrea Bargnani scored 20 points to top Toronto in the season-opener for both teams, while Chris Bosh had 16 points, and Anthony Parker added 13.
Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 23 points, while Kyle Korver had 20.
The Raptors nearly blew a 22-point third-quarter lead, up by only eight heading into the fourth quarter as the 76ers crept ever closer. A running jump shot by Iguodala pulled the visitors within 90-89 with 4:47 left.
Bargnani then sunk a three-pointer and was fouled on the play by Canadian Samuel Dalembert, and made the subsequent free throw for just the 14th four-point play in franchise history. That put Toronto back up by five and brought the capacity crowd of 19,800 at Air Canada Centre to its feet.
"They were an important four points," said Bargnani. "I received a very nice pass, I was hoping it would come to me and I was a little lucky."
Ford drove to the basket to finish with a nifty finger roll with 1:46 left, then Jason Kapono, the former Miami Heat sharp-shooter Toronto signed in the off-season, connected on a long jumper to put Toronto up by nine, and the Raptors' held on for a season-opening win.
"We've got stuff we want to prove to ourselves," Ford said. "We want to prove that we are a good basketball team, we are the division champions, and we're going to carry ourselves that way."
Ford and Calderon ran the offence with precision, picking up where they left off last season.
"We're great partners and we just try to play our game," Calderon said. "The two of us, we look good out there. I'm happy when we play like we did tonight, and I think (Ford) thinks the same way."
Bosh had a decent night considering a knee injury limited him to 15 minutes over the final two pre-season games combined, and kept him out of the previous three games completely.
"It felt good to be back out there, but I'm not up to 30 minutes a game yet, so I just have to be patient with the whole situation," said Bosh.
With Bargnani leading the way, the Raptors showed off their offensive prowess, shooting 49 per cent.
But while Mitchell's stressed rebounding throughout the pre-season, the Sixers won the battle of the boards, outrebounding Toronto 47-35 and grabbing a couple of key boards in the final few minutes.
The Sixers shot 46 per cent on the night.
"We put ourselves in such a hole down 22 points," said Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks. "Toronto is a good basketball team the way they spread the floor and kick the ball to different players."
Dalembert, a Montreal native, finished with four points and six rebounds. The Sixers centre was had played just one pre-season game because of a stress fracture in his foot.
Toronto came out strong, committing just a single turnover in the first quarter, and taking an eight-point lead off a basket by Kapono midway through the frame. But the Sixers held Toronto to just a field goal in the final 3:14 and the Raptors had a narrow 24-22 lead heading into the second.
Both teams connected on 67 per cent of its shots in a second quarter shootout, but Toronto managed to put some distance on the Sixers with a 17-4 run to lead 58-50 at halftime.
Bargnani had seven points in the third, including a layup with 6:04 left in the quarter that gave Toronto a 22-point lead. The Sixers outscored Toronto 12-4 to the end of the quarter cutting the Raptors' lead to 81-67 heading into the fourth.
The Raptors face two more Atlantic Division foes in their next two games. They'll travel to New Jersey to play the Nets on Friday, then host the revamped Boston Celtics on Sunday.
Notes: The Raptors handed out several awards before the game: Bosh for all-NBA second team, and Jorge Garbajosa and Bargnani as all-rookie first team. Mitchell was honoured for being named The Sporting News NBA coach of the year, and GM Bryan Colangelo as NBA executive of the year. . . A vocal group of Toronto FC fans occupied a section of the arena.
http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=221859&hubname=
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Toronto 2011 night 2
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the team needs a lot of work ... some key problems:
rebounding - they got killed on the boards
transition D - fastbreak pts favour philly 17-2 (partly to due with boards but there were a lot of 1 against 3 baskets)
stagnant offence - when they blew the lead, they had no motion on the offence - it was 1 on 1 offence
this team can only go so far as the smitch can take them ...
on the plus side - bargnani and ford looked awesome ... AP is solid and so, were the new additions ...
I think Boston is going to suck, sure they got KG and RA but can they play together? Thats the Raptors strong point is that they play as a unit no matter who is on the floor.
Yi and Dixon
The Canadian Press
11/6/2007 11:52:52 PM
MILWAUKEE (AP) - The Milwaukee Bucks didn't seem to miss their coach very much Tuesday night.
Actually, they didn't miss much of anything.
Even Desmond Mason's unorthodox jump hook shots were falling on a scalding shooting night for the Bucks, who shot 60.3 per cent from the field in a runaway 112-85 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Mason finished 10-for-10 and had 21 points.
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"I got fouled on two of them and still made them," said Mason, who returned to Milwaukee as a free agent in the off-season. "Those were some lucky ones."
The Bucks' offensive outburst came despite the absence of coach Larry Krystkowiak, who went to the hospital after his wife, Jan, went into labour with twins Tuesday afternoon.
Krystkowiak, in his first full year as the Bucks' head coach after replacing Terry Stotts in the middle of last season, was there for the birth of healthy twin daughters just over a half-hour after tipoff.
By then, the Bucks had the game under control.
"He got twins and a 30-point win," Bucks guard Mo Williams said. "What else can you ask for?"
Bucks assistant Tony Brown coached the team in Krystkowiak's absence, presiding over a steady stream of scoring that started early and never really let up. On defence, the Bucks held Toronto star Chris Bosh to one point, his lowest total since being held scoreless against Seattle on Feb. 12, 2004. The Raptors' starting scored just 28 points.
Bosh, who nursed a nagging left knee injury through the pre-season, wasn't willing to chalk his struggles up to conditioning.
"I am healthy enough to play basketball," Bosh said. "If I'm on the court, there is no excuse. I just have to keep playing."
A team official offered Bosh a stat sheet after the game, but Bosh said he didn't need it.
Raptors coach Sam Mitchell wasn't willing to nitpick Bosh's play.
"I am not going to talk about an individual guy," Mitchell said. "It was a whole team effort, not just one guy."
Juan Dixon led the Raptors with 20 points on a night that, combined with an overtime loss to Boston on Sunday, added up to a significant letdown from their 106-69 victory over New Jersey last Friday.
"I told our guys we proved two things: We're good enough to win by 30, but we're also good enough to lose by 30," Mitchell said. "We have got to come out ready to play. Hopefully it was just one of those nights."
For a while, it looked like the Bucks were going to have their best shooting night in more than two decades. Milwaukee was shooting over 65 per cent with five minutes left in the game, but got sloppy at the end. Milwaukee hasn't shot 65 per cent or higher for a game since a victory over Sacramento on Dec. 15, 1985.
With Bosh limited to 10 minutes in the first half after committing two early fouls, the Bucks took their first double-figure lead with a 14-0 run late in the first quarter.
Milwaukee led 59-39 after a three-point play by Andrew Bogut with 2:36 left in the second quarter. Toronto then went on a 9-2 run to close within 13, but Williams hit a jumper at the horn to give the Bucks a 63-48 lead.
Milwaukee shot 67.5 from the field in the first half, including 76.2 per cent in the first quarter.
Bosh's only point came on a free throw with 5:22 left in the second quarter. He playing sparingly in the second half.
Milwaukee went on a 17-3 run in the third quarter that included six points by Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian and was capped by Mason's 10th straight field goal attempt without a miss.
Mitchell wished his team's defence had made life a little harder on Mason, but admitted that some of the shots were spectacular.
"Some of the shots he hit - the fadeaway, one-handed jump shot, hook shot - you have got to give him credit," Mitchell said.
Michael Redd added 17 points for the Bucks, while Williams scored 13, Yi and Bogut both had 12 and Bobby Simmons added 11. Bogut had 11 rebounds.
Notes: Milwaukee G Charlie Bell bruised his right quadriceps in the second quarter but was able to return. . The Raptors became the first team in NBA history to hit at least one three-pointer in 700 straight games. They set the NBA record when the streak reached 595 in 2006. . Vin Baker holds the Bucks' franchise record with a 13-for-13 shooting game in 1997. . In a text message to the Bucks' PR staff, Krystkowiak said his wife and daughters were doing well after her delivery.
http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=222316&hubname=
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boston rules
November 10, 2007
Box Score | Photo Gallery | Video: Game Day | Coach's Edge | Game in Six Minutes
(PHILADELPHIA, AP) - The Bulls' dismal start has T.J. Ford confused.
Carlos Delfino scored 16 points and Chris Bosh added 14 points and six rebounds to help the Toronto Raptors beat the listless Chicago Bulls 101-71 on Saturday night.
The Raptors made quick work out of the Bulls despite playing their fourth game in five nights.
``What's going on with this team?'' Ford said.
Ford had 14 assists and Andrea Bargnani scored 14 points for Toronto, which had its largest win against Chicago in franchise history.
Leading 41-30 at the half, the Raptors opened up the third quarter by outscoring the Bulls 14-1 for a 52-31 lead. Anthony Parker hit a three and Jamario Moon stole Luol Deng's bad pass and took it for a breakaway dunk to give the Raptors a 21-point lead that started the boos from the sellout crowd.
Toronto coach Sam Mitchell started Moon to match up against Deng. It was the first start in the league for the 27-year old rookie and he held Deng to 2-of-7 shooting.
``We thought we could use his defence against this team,'' Mitchell said. ``I started him because I felt like taking a roll of the dice, I would take a chance tonight.''
Bulls coach Scott Skiles cleared his starters from the floor with 9:35 left in the third quarter, but it didn't help as Parker immediately hit another three against the Chicago reserves. Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Ben Wallace, Ben Gordon and Hinrich never returned to the game.
``I never want to do that. On a night when the boo-birds are out I don't want to embarrass the group like that,'' Skiles said. ``I thought I would take a gamble right there to see if someone could come into the game and be a catalyst for us. I felt like in unison that group was not performing really well.''
Andres Nocioni led Chicago with 20 points.
The vibe hasn't been good in Chicago since the Bulls were involved in Kobe Bryant trade rumours less than two weeks ago. General manager John Paxson put to rest the Kobe Bryant trade rumours less than a week ago, but some fans continued to chant ``Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!'' while the Bulls were down 30-plus points in the third quarter.
``Obviously the Kobe chants is something that never seems like it will never stop being talked about. We understand the crowd's frustration. We're very frustrated as well,'' Hinrich said.
Ford thought the chants have been wearing on the Bulls.
``I'm pretty sure for what it seemed it looked like it kind of affected the guys, but I'm not sure. I'm not in their locker room.''
b> Notes: Before Saturday's game, the Raptors dropped 15 of their last 17 games against Chicago. ... The restless Bulls fans started the wave in the fourth quarter.
http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/recap_111007.html
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T.J. Ford
The Sports Network
11/14/2007 12:04:04 PM
(Sports Network) - The Utah Jazz are on a roll and open a three-game road trip against the Toronto Raptors tonight at Air Canada Centre.
The Raptors are also on a winning streak and have won two in a row since a three-game slide and will play host for three straight games up north. They last played on Saturday and posted a 101-71 win over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center, as Carlos Delfino scored 16 points to lead six Toronto players in double figures.
Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani had 14 apiece, Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker each chipped in 12 points and Jason Kapono finished with 11 for the Raptors, who will also welcome Indiana and Golden State to Air Canada Centre. T.J. Ford finished with five points and dished out 14 assists in the win over Chicago.
In injury news for Toronto, forward Joey Graham is questionable for Wednesday's game with a strained left quadriceps.
Related Info
Jazz/Raptors Gameday
Power Rankings: Jazz #4, Raptors #12
Player Rankings: Boozer #2, Bosh #4 at PF
Utah took both meetings with Toronto last season and has won four straight and eight of the last 11 matchups.
Utah is 6-2 on the season and has won four straight games, including Monday's 117-93 victory over the Sacramento Kings at EnergySolutions Arena. Carlos Boozer scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Jazz, who have scored more than 100 points in each game during their winning streak and are averaging 110.3 during that span.
Andrei Kirilenko added 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Ronnie Brewer had 13 points in the win. Mehmet Okur and Gordan Giricek each recorded 12 points for Utah, which will also visit Cleveland and Indiana on the trek.
The Jazz have won two in a row at Air Canada Centre.
http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=222854&hubname=
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Associated Press
11/14/2007 10:28:42 PM
TORONTO - Rookie Jamario Moon and utility player Kris Humphries were the two bright spots on an otherwise ugly night for the Toronto Raptors.
And that says plenty about the Raptors' performance in a 92-88 loss to the red-hot Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
With the Raptors' shooting continuing to run cold, and big men Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani having off nights, Moon scored 15 points and played a team-high 33 minutes, while Humphries grabbed 14 rebounds against his former team.
''We've got to have more people than those two young guys,'' Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said afterwards. ''We count on them to give us energy, and give us minutes, but not to win us basketball games.''
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Anthony Parker scored 19 points to top Toronto (4-4).
Carlos Boozer had 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Jazz (7-2) to their fifth straight victory, while Deron Williams added 22 points.
While the Jazz boasts the best offence in the league - they came into the game averaging 111.9 points a night - the visitors led by a low-scoring 64-59 heading into the fourth quarter of an ugly affair for both teams Wednesday.
''You take any win you can,'' Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. ''People don't realize how difficult it is to win.''
The Jazz led by as much as seven points in the final few minutes before six straight points from Bosh - including two big dunks - cut Utah's lead to 87-85 with 46 seconds on the clock.
A three-pointer by T.J. Ford with 18 seconds left pulled Toronto to within 89-88. But Williams connected on a pair of free throws, and Ford couldn't get a decent shot off in the final few seconds, sending the Raptors to their third loss at home this season. Toronto is 3-1 on the road.
''Eventually we want to get a roll at home and start doing a better job of protecting our home court,'' said Bosh, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Ford finished with 13 points and eight assists.
The game wasn't pretty with the Raptors committing numerous mind-numbing turnovers - 17 giveaways that cost them 10 points - drawing groans from the Air Canada Centre crowd of 17,337.
The Raptors outrebounded the Jazz 50-46. But once again, they had trouble shooting, connecting on just 39 per cent of their shots. Utah shot 43 per cent.
''It's nothing we haven't seen before,'' said Bosh. ''We've been through episodes where guys can't make shots, or as a team we're just in a funk from the field. But you know what? We just have to keep going. That's all I can say.''
Until the final few minutes, Bosh hadn't had one of his better nights, shooting just 5-for-12 from the field. His frontcourt partner Andrea Bargnani had a horrible night, chucking up 11 shots and making just one to finish with two points and three boards.
''Andrea needs to worry about the other things - rebounding, playing defence, running on the break - and then the shots will come,'' Mitchell said. ''If you come into a basketball game looking to score, you're going to struggle sometimes. Don't even think about scoring.''
Moon had a strong night in just his second start of his career, but shrugged off his performance.
''We lost, so it wasn't too good,'' said Moon. ''After a loss, you don't really think about what you did, you think of the things you could have done to make a different outcome of the game.''
The 27-year-old high-flying rookie has been one of the feel-good stories on the Raptors' young season, earning a spot on Toronto's roster after toiling for several teams in the minor leagues, including the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association.
Humphries put in a solid 27 minutes, diving to the floor for numerous loose balls.
Rasho Nesterovic had eight rebounds in 20 minutes, leaving the game with a sprained right ankle midway through the third quarter.
The Jazz was playing without Matt Harpring (flu bug).
The Raptors were coming off a two-game road trip, beating the Bulls 101-71 Saturday in Chicago, and winning 105-103 in Philadelphia the previous night.
Parker led the way with 10 points in the first quarter as Toronto raced out to a seven-point lead. The Raptors were up 22-18 to end the first.
The Raptors' shooting dropped off in the second quarter - they shot just 5-for-22. Toronto trailed as much as seven in the quarter and Utah had a 39-36 lead at the break.
The Raptors fought back in the third, a bank shot from Parker with four minutes left in the quarter giving them a three-point lead. The Jazz responded with a 10-1 run to end the quarter.
NOTES: The game was the Raptors' first of three straight at home. The Raptors host Indiana on Friday and Golden State on Sunday. . . Toronto FC coach Mo Johnston had a courtside seat.
http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=222887&hubname=nba
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Raptors huddle together
The Sports Network
11/16/2007 12:13:43 PM
(Sports Network) - The Indiana Pacers try to snap a five-game losing streak when they visit the Toronto Raptors this evening at Air Canada Centre.
Indiana opened the season with a promising 3-0 start, but has since struggled to reach the win column. In Wednesday's 103-90 setback to the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center, Marquis Daniels had 19 points to the way.
All-Star Jermaine O'Neal scored 17 points, while Jamaal Tinsley netted 15 points and Jeff Foster pulled down 14 boards in a losing cause.
In injury news for the Pacers, forward Troy Murphy is questionable for Friday's game in Canada because of an injured leg.
Meanwhile, Toronto will resume a three-game homestand this evening and had a two-game winning streak halted after Wednesday's 92-88 loss to the Utah Jazz.
Anthony Parker netted 19 points for Toronto, which made just 38.5 percent of its shots from the floor and 31.8 percent from beyond the arc. Jamario Moon had a career-high 15 points, Chris Bosh finished with 14 points and T.J. Ford scored 13 to go along with eight assists for the Raptors.
Toronto will close out the stand versus Golden State on Sunday afternoon. Raptors forward Joey Graham (leg) and center Rasho Nesterovic (ankle) are both questionable for tonight's game versus Indiana.
The Raptors went 2-1 against the Pacers last season, but Indiana has won three of five and nine of the last 14 encounters.
Indiana has dropped its last two games at Air Canada Centre
http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=222998&hubname=nba
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Associated Press
11/17/2007 1:15:30 AM
TORONTO - With the clock ticking down to end the third quarter, Anthony Parker glanced at the basket from way down the court, then unleashed a spectacular 66-foot shot that sailed in.
The Toronto Raptors' shots were finally falling Friday, and the result was a 110-101 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
''I thought it had a chance and it looked like it was on line, and after I shot it I yelled, `Come on, give me something,' I had just missed a free throw and a little five-foot floater,'' said Parker, who finished with 15 points.
''I think (the shot) gave us some momentum, a little bounce to our step.''
''It's a relief,'' Bosh said on winning at home. ''But we're not worried, we don't get too frantic. We have to do a better job of being aggressive, we have to do a better job of playing defence, and once we do those things, we're going to defend our home court just fine. I think tonight is going to start it off for us.''
Six Raptors scored in double figures as Jose Calderon had 15 points and 10 assists, while fellow point guard T.J. Ford finished with 15 points and seven assists. Jason Kapono added 12 points and Carlos Delfino, 11.
Jamaal Tinsley and Troy Murphy had 20 points apiece to top the Pacers, who dropped to 3-6 with their sixth straight loss.
The Raptors managed to overcome another sluggish start. After trailing by 11 in the first quarter, they took their first lead in the second, then opened the third quarter with a 14-4 run. Parker tossed up his long-distance shot to end the quarter that brought the capacity crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre to its feet and sent Toronto into the fourth quarter with an 81-74 lead.
A three-pointer by Delfino, followed by a long jumper by Parker gave Toronto a 99-90 advantage with 3:20 left to play. The Pacers pulled to within three points with just over a minute to go, but Calderon sunk a three with 49 seconds left to put the home team back up by six and ice the win for Toronto.
The Raptors shot 47 per cent on the night, a huge improvement over the shooting woes that had plagued them in the previous few home games. They shot 12-for-23 from three-point range.
The Pacers outrebounded Toronto 47-35 and outscored the Raptors 30-18 in the paint.
But a win at home meant plenty to Toronto, who were 3-1 on the road, but 1-3 at home before Friday night. Last season, the Raptors never lost more than two in a row in the friendly confines of the ACC.
Bosh was solid, going hard to the basket from the opening whistle. He shot 12-for-13 from the free throw line.
''I wanted to start off the game aggressive,'' Bosh said. ''By me driving, I think we got more open shots, we were able to step right to it and knock them down. I think if I begin the game aggressive and they start to clog up the lane, that will give our three-point shooters a chance to knock some down.''
Jorge Garbajosa, who'd been cemented to bench, played a season-high 24 minutes and scored eight points, but it was his intensity on the defensive end that stood out.
''I don't feel myself that important that I have to open the eyes of anybody, I just do my job,'' Garbajosa said. ''It is easy. When I come into the court, I try to do the best I can, sometimes I play more, sometimes I don't play, but it's not my job to choose when I play.''
Andrea Bargnani's troubles continue. The second-year centre picked up three fouls in his first five minutes and never saw the floor again.
The Pacers, meanwile, were reeling after yet another loss.
''I don't know what it is,'' Tinsley said. ''I've been here seven years and it seems like the same thing. It's frustrating when you go out there and play good for one half and in the second half, you lay an egg. We've go to get together some day, somehow. It's getting frustrating. You get tired of hearing the same old thing.''
Danny Granger was assessed a flagrant foul midway through the third quarter. Jamario Moon was in the air about to sink a fastbreak dunk when Granger lunged at him from behind, sending the Raptor rookie sprawling into the basket stanchion.
The Raptors had yet another shaky start, hitting just four of their first 15 shots and trailed by as much as 11 points in the first quarter. The Pacers took a 30-22 lead into the second.
Toronto rallied in the second, shooting 50 per cent from the field, and a three-pointer by Garbajosa put the Raptors up 46-45 for their first lead of the game. The Pacers led 56-53 at halftime.
Ford led the way with 11 points in the third quarter, as the Raptors outscored the Pacers 28-18 in the frame and led 81-74 with a quarter left to play.
NOTES: Maceo Baston started in place of Rasho Nesterovic, who sprained his right ankle Wednesday against Utah. . . The Raptors host Golden State on Sunday before heading on the road for three games, at Dallas, Memphis and Cleveland. . . Toronto FC striker Danny Dichio was at the game, as was Toronto Argonauts slotback Arland Bruce III.
http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=223049&hubname=
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Well here's what to expect tonight.
Bosh-less Raps host Cavs on TSN
The Sports Network
11/30/2007 1:47:26 PM
(Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors close out a three-game homestand tonight when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday
Catch the action on TSN and TSN HD at 7pm et/4pm pt.
Toronto has won two straight and three of four games and owns a 4-4 record at Air Canada Centre this season.
In Wednesday's 103-91 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, Anthony Parker scored 19 points and Jose Calderon added 13 points and 10 assists to lead the Raptors. Carlos Delfino and Jason Kapono each scored 14 points in the win.
Bosh is doubtful and Bargnani is questionable for tonight's game. Raptors guard T.J. Ford (leg, hand) is also questionable for Toronto.
Cleveland had a four-game winning streak stopped after Wednesday's 109-74 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the opener of the trek at The Palace of Auburn Hills. LeBron James led Cleveland with 15 points, all coming in the first half after he suffered an injured left index finger.
James did not return to play the second half and X-rays taken were negative. He is listed as questionable for tonight's game. Sasha Pavlovic tallied 13 points, while Drew Gooden added nine boards and nine points in the loss at Detroit.
Cleveland posted a 111-108 victory over Toronto on November 24 this season at Quicken Loans Arena, and has won four straight, eight of nine and 10 of the previous 12 meetings.
The Cavs are 4-1 over their last five games at Toronto.
http://www.tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=224013&hubname=
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much more motion in the offense and their team defense especially on transition is much better (all of this vs. beginning of season) ...
they'll need to have some big wins in december tho ... still haven't really beaten a quality opponent ...
The Canadian Press
11/30/2007 10:29:38 PM
TORONTO - The Toronto Raptors' mantra has long been: when one player goes down, another steps up.
Friday night with Chris Bosh sidelined with a groin injury, Andrea Bargnani and Carlos Delfino both posted career performances to lead Toronto 91-82 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bargnani poured in a career-best 26 points, while Delfino came off the bench to add 24 points - also a career high - plus nine rebounds, sending the Raptors (9-7) into their game Saturday at Washington on a season-high three-game win streak.
"I feel good," Bargnani said afterwards. "It was a very tough game because C.B. was out and T.J. (Ford) was coming back (after sitting four games), so it was difficult, but we played very good."
The Raptors led for most of the night, taking a 76-65 advantage into the fourth quarter in front of a capacity crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre. Delfino had seven points in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the final frame to put Toronto up 85-65, their biggest lead of the game.
"I feel good, coming off the bench you have the opportunity to see how the game's going," Delfino said. "The last couple of games, I've been hitting shots and it's a good feeling, and it's good for the team also."
The Raptors coughed up much of their sizeable lead in an ugly final few minutes. Gibson scored seven straight points, his basket with 15 seconds left cutting Toronto's lead to 89-82. Bargnani, who played despite bruising his knee two nights earlier against Memphis, sunk a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left to cap the night.
Bosh missed the game with a strained right groin he suffered in Tuesday's practice. The all-star forward played 12 minutes on Wednesday before limping to the locker-room, then skipped Thursday's practice for diagnostic testing and is listed as day-to-day.
James is also day-to-day after spraining his left index finger Wednesday night.
The injuries spoiled any anticipation of a rematch between the two all-stars. The Raptors lost 111-108 at Cleveland last week in what was an epic battle between Bosh and James. Bosh scored 41 points to tie his career high, while James had 37 points as part of his third triple-double of the season.
Bargnani and Delfino didn't mind playing a bigger role in Bosh's absence.
"Carlos did a great job, and without C.B. there, there are a lot more shots," Bargnani said. "And we did a good job to take the shots C.B. normally takes and we made them."
Ford made his first appearance since he suffered a "stinger," a nerve irritation that radiates down the arms. But the guard, who came off the bench for Calderon, looked rusty after his week away, finishing with two points and six assists.
"We just told him to come back and ease his way in, just try to get everybody going and see how he feels," Mitchell said. "You could tell he was rusty, he didn't have but one practice since he's been out, (Thursday) was really the first time he'd touched the basketball, so we expected that."
The Raptors shot a decent 48 per cent on the night, while the Cavs shot 39 per cent.
Toronto also won the battle of the boards, outrebounding their visitors 44-39.
The Cavs were lost offensively without James, through whom practically every play is run.
"Right now it's tough because we took a loss," said Gibson. "But at the same time it's great for the team to deal without him because he is so much of a focal point. Without him, other guys step in and continue to get better and try to find that niche."
The Raptors shot 60 per cent in the first quarter, but couldn't gain any ground on the Cavs as Cleveland led 28-27 going into the second.
The Raptors opened the quarter with a 19-8 run, a three-pointer by Delfino giving Toronto a 46-36 advantage. But Bargnani's three with 8.3 seconds left was Toronto's only basket in the final 1:41 of the half as the Cavs cut Toronto's lead to 54-49 at the break.
Calderon's driving layup at 5:04 in the third - which he parlayed into a three-point play after he was fouled - put the Raptors up 70-57 and they led 76-65 with a quarter left in the game. NOTES: The Cavaliers have won nine of their last 10 games against the Raptors, including the previous four straight before Friday. .. The game was the third of a three-game homestand. It was also the first of back-to-back games. The Raptors are at Washington on Saturday to face the Wizards. .. Toronto Argonauts head coach Mike (Pinball) Clemons was at the game
http://www.tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=224063&hubname=
Toronto 2011 night 2
Hamilton 2011
London 2013
Toronto 2011 night 2
Hamilton 2011
London 2013