Chris Bosh, the reigning NBA Player of the Week, leads the Toronto Raptors (20-17) into Motown to face the Central Division leading Detroit Pistons (28-10) on Tuesday night. Bosh averaged 33 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 2.0 bpg last week and won the award for the fourth time in his career. The Pistons knocked off the Raptors earlier this month 101-85. Rip Hamilton scored a team high 22 points and Andrea Bargnani scored a game high 25 points.
The Raptors defeated the Northwest Division leading Portland Trailblazers on Sunday afternoon, 116-109 in double overtime. Chris Bosh scored a game high 38 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in 55 minutes.
The Pistons are coming off their worst performance of the season. They lost to the New York Knicks 89-65 on Sunday night. It was the Pistons fourth game in five nights and they looked tired. Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton were a combined 4-16 from the field for nine points and the Pistons as a team shot 30% from the field. Zach Randolph bounced back after being benched for the second half against the Raptors, scoring 25 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.
Starting 5:
Jose Calderon/Chauncey Billups
Anthony Parker/Rip Hamilton
Jamario Moon/Tayshaun Prince
Chris Bosh/Antonio McDyess
Andrea Bargnani/Rasheed Wallace
Key Match-ups:
Anthony Parker has averaged 20 ppg after scoring only seven points against the Pistons on January 4th. Not only is Parker scoring, but he’s playing great defense against opponents top players. It seems that AP’s defense fuels his offence. He’ll be matched up against the Pistons leading scorer, Rip Hamilton who averages 18.1 ppg.
Chauncey Billups has made a career of hitting big shots. When the ball is in his hands he either sets up his teammates or takes the ball himself. Jose Calderon had trouble keeping Billups in front of him when these teams last met, but after seeing the strong defense Calderon played against a bigger Brandon Roy, I feel confident that Calderon will bounce back.
Game Notes:
Raptors Jamario Moon finally received his invitation to compete in this years Dunk Competition. The league has yet to name the other three competitors; here is a link to a Roster Report Card for the Toronto Raptors; Keeping an eye on the Atlantic, the Nets lost to the Blazers, dropping them to 18-19 on the season and the Boston Celtics dropped two games in a row for the first time this season; the Raptors are 10-9 on the road this season.
Piston forward Tayshaun Price has held scoreless against the Knicks, he was 0-10; guard Chauncey Billups needs only two 3-pointers to become the 2nd Piston with 800 in their career (Joe Dumars); The Pistons are 13-3 at home this season.
Technorati Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Brandon Roy, Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh, Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars, Jose Calderon, New York Knicks, Portland Trailblazers, Rasheed Walllace, Richard Hamilton, Toronto Raptors, Zach Randolph
January 15th, 2008 at 11:42 am
fingers crossed.. but i’m not holding my breath for a win.
please prove me wrong!
January 15th, 2008 at 11:55 am
I just want them to be compeitive for 48 minutes of the game no 4th quarter collpase!!!
January 15th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
i want our (bosh, calderon, parker) to duplicate the same performance they had in the blazers game. and for parker to put down a baseline dunk on prince.
January 15th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
imagine if Bosh, calderon, and parker put up the same numbers against the Pistons as they did against the Blazers, but then throw in a good game by Delfino, Bargnani and Kapono? it would be nice to see but i dont think so.
the pistons are the elite team in the East, I know Boston is awesome, but the Pistons have the resume to back it up. in a 7 games series i would hate to see Rip, Chauncey and Sheed all the time.
January 15th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I have to believe that this will be a good game. Detroit is looking to bounce back, and the Raps should be feeling pumped after a good win.
So what should we be doing to remain competitive and steal a win in Motown?
January 15th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
This should be a good game, but I’m scared of what Detroit is going to do after such a crappy performace against one of the worst team in the league. Detroit doesnt have the luxuury of bounce back games because they never really have to bounce back, but Flip Saunders is a great coach and I imagine he gave his team quite the talking to. also, the veterns in the lockerroom wont tolerate another crappy performance so the Pistons will come out with something to prove.
I want the Raps to win, and they do have a chance if they play within themselves and get some secondary scoring out of Kapono, Delfino and Bargs
January 15th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
So much optimism will only lead to disappointment. Why don’t you guys just come to grips with how terrible the Raptors really are and that way anything they do right will be a pleasent surprise. The Pistons are way too good to be defeated by the Raptors, even if Bosh lights it up for 40 there isnt anyone to carry the load when he’s on the bencn. Kapono…Free agent BUST! Bargnani…the next Darko Milicic!
January 15th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
they aren’t terrible, just not as good as we have been led to believe. kapono hasn’t been a bust, just not utilized properly, you’re worse than i am man…lol.
January 15th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
yeah I agree - the Raptors are not terrible. In fact they are a good team, just not great. The Pistons are good, but they are capable of losing as they demonstrated Sunday versus the Knicks. The Raps are going to have to match the energy level of the Pistons who are going to be looking to get off to a hot start to atone for their bad game in NY.
I would agree that Kapono isn’t worth the millions we are paying him, but he is second in the league in 3 point FG%; so its just a matter of utilizing him better. Lets remember that he flourishe in Miami because of the penetration of D-Wade; the Raps don’t have a comparable slasher. Kapono should be eagerly expecting the return of TJ Ford, who if he plays his game should help Kapono get back on track.
Bargnani has definitely dissapointed, but to compare him to Darko is a stretch. Bargs was second in voting last year in ROY and lets remember that he was hit with that appendicitis just as he was getting red hot. Teams have adjusted on Bargs this year, and so he has some work to do in order to make adjustments to his game and to improve on his weaknesses. I think you will see Bargnani back to last years form by the end of the year. I’m not closing the books on this kid yet. I will say that he will never be the player Brandon Roy will be.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
thanks Smitch for prolonging our run from the 1st 1/2 by starting players who contributed to that run in the 2nd 1/2 (sarcasm, and am watching Jpod instead now)
January 15th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
The Pistons lost because they are VERY VERY TIRED!!! Expect them to bounce back today.