The Raptors bounce back from last nights loss to the Pistons, by beating the Kings who were welcoming back both Ron Artest and Mike Bibby from injury. Bibby was playing in his first game of the season, and really impressed me as it seem he hasn’t missed a beat. He was dangerous from the perimeter, and played really well.

The Raptors started the game slow, but took control in the 2nd quarter, and didn’t look back. Delfino had a career game with 26pts, 7rebs and 6assits. Bosh had another monster game, 31pts and 9rebs. You wouldn’t believe it, but the Raptors out rebounded the Kings 42-29. You read it, the Raptors actually out rebounded someone, and badly.

Bargnani had one of the better games of the last few. He didn’t shoot well (3-13), but was aggressive and grabbed 6 rebounds, while playing some decent defense (decent, not good). As long as he keeps making progress, I am good.

As you might be able to get from my tone, I’m not too excited about this win. I wasn’t worried at all the whole game. This was a game the Raptors should have won, and did win. Good things happened on the court, but they need to take the good things they did (penetrating and sharing the ball), and keep it going into the Atlanta and Philly games this weekend.

Bosh and Calderon played about 5 more minutes than they should have (they each played over 40 minutes), but they didn’t play too much last night, so they should be reasonably fresh going into the weekend.

1st Quarter:

• Bargnani turns the ball over, but hustles back and grabs rebound off the missed layup.
• Bargnani hits reverse layup in traffic off of Parker’s penetration.
• Moon misses an open jumper in the corner.
• Raptors turn the ball over on sloppy inbound pass by Moon.
  • Moon makes up for it by hitting an open jmper, then stealing the ball which leads to a Calderon layup on the break.
• Sacramento is playing some sloppy-ass basketball.
• Calderon hits a trey off of Delfino penetration.
  • He then finds a wide open Bosh for a dunk.
• TV coverage sucks. We missed two plays because they were re-showing plays…pisses me off.
• Mikki Moore puts down an open dunk.
• Bosh jacks a j and misses, please attack the rim Bosh…please!
• Parker curls off Bosh scree and hits a tear drop in the paint.
• Bosh bits on a weak Miller pump-fake.
• Parker still feeling it from the perimeter.
• Bibby bits his first shot of the season, rather easily…
• Bargnani misses two 3s in a row, then air balls a 7 footer, then fouls Moore under the basket in a span of 40 secons.
  • At least he is consistently been playing badly.
• Hump steals the ball from Artest.
• Bibby hits an open trey in transition.
• Salmons steals the ball and passes to Miller for a layup before time expires…this is going to be a frustrating game, I feel it.

2nd Quarter:

• Delfino nails a trey with Sac showing zone.
• Bosh grabs an offensive board, hits a layup +1 baby!
• Bosh in the post again, dropping sweet baby hook.
• Delfino burries another trey.
• Artest takes it at Humphries for a really easy layup, really easy…Humphries was there physically, but didn’t do anything…
• Bosh answers with a dunk.
• Bibby hits another wide open jumper.
• Humphries grabs an offensive board, then kicks it to an open Kapono who nails the trey.
• Delfino hits another trey, raining threes!
• BOOYA! Kapono hits another three from Kapono feed on the break.
• Dixon gets the call in Calderon relief time.
• Hump takes a horrible shot with the clock winding down.
• Is it me, or does the Bosh bobble-head doll look like Reggie Theus?
• Bargnani doesn’t swing the ball to an open Kapono in the corner…missess the jumper from the elbow.
• This unit on the floor for the Raptors isn’t going to cut it - Dixon, Humphries, Bargnani, Delfino and Kapono.
• Dixon finds Bargnani under the rim for a baby hook.
• Bosh fakes shot at the top of the key and drives it to the basket.
• Bargnani leaves Miller wide open for a trey.
• Delfino banging in the paint, grabs offensive board and draws a foul.
• Bargnani hits open jumper from the corner off of 4 swings in a row. I really wasn’t confident he would hit that shit, glad he did.
• Bosh not settling for the jumper, keeps taking it to the rack, and seeing some results.
• Bargnani lumbers a bit on that first step, needs to make that first step a bit more explosive.
• Bosh steals the ball, pushes the ball on the break, and feeds Calderon for the layup.
• Bosh doesn’t jack a jumper with 2 seconds left, but drives and gets the foul - hits both those bad boys.

3rd Quarter:

• Bargnani leaves Miller open for another jumper at the top of the key.
• Garcia hitting all his shots.
• Bosh converts a nice pass from Calderon, and 1 baby.
• I really want Moon to become a better shooter, I get too nervous when he jacks a shot.
• Bargnani air balls a trey.
• Parker puts down a serious dunk on the baseline.
• Garcia missess a nice back door pass from Miller.
• Parker nails open three from the corner.
• He then steals the ball, leading to a Bosh tip in on the break.
• I didn’t realize the Raptors were up 16.
• Bosh answer Bibby jumper with one of his own.
• Calderon takes it to the rack in traffic.
  • He then shoots a deep three…damn ugly, bounces off the backboard HARD - makes up for it by hitting an open three off Parker penetration.
• Moon dishes to Bosh on drive, Bosh draws a foul, and hits both FT
• Raptors up 20!
• Parker steals ball from Bibby, converts layup on the break + 1!
• Bibby playing damn good for his first game of the season.
• Moon bites on Kevin Martin fake. Martin hits jumper while falling to the ground +1.
• Raptors timeout.
• Parker dribbles ball off foot on subsequent game.
• Moon grabs a big offensive rebound.
• Martin has a damn ugly shot…ugly, but deadly.
• Bosh fouled in the paint, hits both.
• Martin gets another and 1 situation, getting annoying.

4th Quarter:

• Bosh/Calderon start the 4th - Smitch wants to put this game away quick.
• Delfino hits trey off of some really sweet ball movement.
• Kapono hits jumper off of some really sweet ball movement.
• Delfino hits nice fade off Bosh feed.
• Hump finishes a fugly (f*cking ugly) layup.
• Raptors have 100 points with 8 minutes left in the game

One of the highlights of the game for me was Leo asking Chuck if it is time for Bosh/Bargnani to come out of the game. Chuck answers in his usual fashion:

“Sam Mitchell will have to make a decision soon about Bosh and Calderon coming out”

Leo is like:

“Yea, but what would you do?”

Chuck babbles:

“Well, me, errr….you would have to trust your bench doesn’t squander a 22 point lead.”

Swirsky has been toting the company line for so long, that he can’t even answer a direct question posed to him…hilarious!

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