The Toronto Raptors (15-13) have lost two in a row on their Western Conference road trip and they’ll be hard pressed to end the streak when they take on the Pacific Division leading Phoenix Suns (18-8).
The Raptors are playing their second game of a back-to-back. Last night they lost to the Seattle Supersonics 123-115. Stand out rookie Kevin Durant led the Sonics with 27 and sharp shooting veteran Wally Szczerbiak scored 23. Jose Calderon had one of his best games of the season, scoring 15 points and matching a career high with 16 assists.
The Suns have owned the Raptors over the past four seasons. In their last meeting the Suns knocked off the Raptors 136-123. Leandro Barbosa scored a game high 35 points and Canadian Steve Nash had 10 points and 18 assists. Raptors point guard TJ Ford scored a team high 27 points and Anthony Parker had 22 points in the loss. The Raptors were without Chris Bosh (strained groin) and Andrea Bargnani (hyper extended knee).
Starting 5:
Jose Calderon/Steve Nash
Anthony Parker/Raja Bell
Jamario Moon/Grant Hill
Chris Bosh/Shawn Marion
Rasho Nesterovic/Amare Stoudamire
Key Match ups:
The Raptors were undermanned last time these teams met in Toronto. Chris Bosh didn’t get a chance to showcase his all-star skills to one of the best teams in the NBA. Bosh has been playing very well since returning from injury and is averaging 22.7 ppg and 11 rpg over his last three games. CB4 averages 17.7 ppg in his career against the Suns, but if the Raptors want to walk away from Phoenix with a win then they’ll need Bosh to at his best. Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudamire will make it tough for Bosh to improve on his career numbers.
Steve Nash loves to play against the Toronto Raptors. He averages 15.2 ppg and 9.2 apg in eighteen career games against the Raptors. He seems to be pretty much unstoppable when the ball is in his hands and I don’t think the Raptors will be able to stop him tonight. Jose Calderon is a decent defender, but there is a reason Nash is a two time MVP.
Game Notes:
If the Raptors beat the Suns tonight then they’ll register their 16 victory before the Holiday break, a feat no other Raptor team achieved; former Raptor and Sun Keon Clark has a trial date set for March on drug and weapon charges; Anthony Parker is averaging 17 ppg in his last two games and has drained seven 3 pointers.
Suns guard Raja Bell recorded his 600th three pointer against the Spurs; trade rumours are swirling around Suns “utility man” Boris Diaw. There have been rumours about arguing on and off the court and the odd man out could be Diaw. Diaw signed a 5 year/45 million dollar deal.
Technorati Tags: Amare Stoudamire, Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Chris Bosh, Grant Hill, Jamario Moon, Jose Calderon, Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Raja Bell, Rasho Nesterovic, Shawn Marion, Steve Nash, Toronto Raptors
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Good Luck Raptors…
December 23rd, 2007 at 12:25 am
We lost a battle but we may have started to win the war…
December 23rd, 2007 at 12:27 am
unfortunately, i have been in virginia for a couple days, and missed both of these games. looking at the boxscore for this game with the suns, something that is just shocking is that the raptors had 10 assists, as a team - with calderon chipping in only 4. seems a little low to me.
bosh had a monster game, 24 trips to the line is ridiculous. can’t wait to get back, and see the game in an hour.
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:10 am
Thanks for the superb revamped site. This is a great Christmas gift for Raptors fans. Can’t have enough solid Raps sites. Very well done!
December 23rd, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Bosh is realizing that he can take almost anyone to the hole. being a leftly makes it hard for defenders to block his shot and he’s shooting a great percentage from the line. calderon should have been in double digits in assist but not when your boys arent hitting their shots.
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:50 pm
thanks walter, we aim to please. i hope bosh isn’t just realizing he can take everyone off the dribble, he should be realizing he needs to be doing it more, and by more, i mean all the time.
December 23rd, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Steve Nash is so so good.
December 23rd, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I should say so, so good
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:09 pm
at least the raps brought x’mas joy to folks inside the sun’s arena. steve nash and co. ‘toyed’ w/ them !
December 23rd, 2007 at 10:08 pm
sadly, this incarnation of the raptors will always be toyed with by the elite, and suffer lapses at the hands of lesser teams who get hot.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:21 am
theres the rub…theres the rub
December 25th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Sam and rmissaghi,
Watched the phoenix game, and all I can say is Phoenix is a ridiculous team.
INTERESTING POINT:
Marion has the ugliest shot in basketball history. Every time he took a shot in the game I kept saying: “that is flat out the ugliest shot I’ve ever seen” until he racked up a ridiculous amount of pts, then I found myself thinking maybe Andrea should change his silky smooth air ball for an ugly, never fail Shawn Marion trey!!!
Why Phoenix would want to trade a guy who averages a Double - Double every game is beyond my understanding…… I’d trade a lot to get that guy!
P.S. Raptors can’t be mentioned in the same breath as Phoenix…….
SOAP BOX TIME: TOPIC - STEVE NASH
It’s one thing to make a ridiculous pass, it’s another to do it at full speed, change the spin of the ball so it takes a short hop to your guy and at the same time make it out of reach from the other player. If you watched this game you can see Steve Nash makes ridiculous passes, not by just placing the ball but changing the spin and speed and making it hop so perfectly to the player can catch it in perfect stride to make the next play …..
Anyways, I wish they slowed down the whole game so I can see all the impressive nuances of his game…..
December 26th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
marion poses an interesting problem for the suns, he makes a lot of money, does a double-double, while never getting his number called. he is getting frustrated being the 3rd or 4th option, and wants a larger role.
if phoenix can’t win it this year, i suspect they will trade him for cap purposes. i would trade anyone but bosh for him right now if i could.