“The Lord is good” - Anthony Parker

The Raptors roll into Boston, give up 16 offensive rebounds, turn the ball over 18 times, hit 15 of 21 from behind the arc, shoot 58% from the field, hand out 32 assists, hit 19 of 19 from the line and score 114 points. Oh yea, they also won.

From the tip-off, the Raptors went at the Celtics and didn’t allow them to dictate pace/tempo or anything for that matter. To top off this bizzarro night, somebody who looks exactly like Bargnani, dropped 20pts 7rebs 7asts and a block, and played pretty decent low post defense (with the occasional lapse). I imagine this is what the Raptors brain trust was envisioning in the off-season with the lack those moves they made.

Smitch sat Calderon way too long in the 4th, but aside from that, made all the right moves:

1. Called timely timeouts.
2. Went 10 deep into the bench, but played the right people for the right amount of minutes at the right times.
3. Sat Jamario when he was struggling.

As I had mentioned, the Raptors surrendered 16 offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 18 times, leading to 20 more Celtic possessions (the Raptors took 69 shots from the field, but managed 114 points). Don’t get it twisted, the Raptors sloppy play kept the the Celtics in the game, and kept the score unnecessarily close.

Colangelo really needs to step up and get the Raptors some help on the boards. Bosh is getting warn out battling in the blocks. I really believe the Raptors should hold out until TJ returns, and use the assets we have for help on the boards.

Down to business:

1st Quarter:

• I can’t believe Bargnani is starting…Colangelo is definitely winning the battle of wills with Mitchell.
  • Wins the tip at least.
• Bosh turns the ball over on the first possession, then fouls Perkins on Pierce penetration.
• Parker is still hot on that curl-catch-shoot.
• Bargnani hits a jumper over Allen, then a trey over Garnett - he is going to have his hands full on defense covering Garnett though.
• Rondo is penetrating way to easily, thankfully he isn’t doing anything when he gets in the paint.
• Bosh hits a layup +1 on Calderon penetration - 14-9 Raps.
• Moon misses an open jumper.
• Allen hits a trey…Moon didn’t help Parker on the high screen.
• Boston get a layup on Bargnani missed shot, then Calderon turns it over for a Rondo layup, Raptors timeout.
• They turn the ball over on the play out of the timeout…WTF?
• Moon forces a turn over on the next possession.
• Bosh hits a jumper in rhythm.
• Rondo blows by Calderon for a ridiculously open layup.
• Calderon answers with a trey.
• Bosh blocks Allen on his penetration.
• Bargnani nails a wide open trey from Moon.
• Calderon has to make Rondo work on both ends of the floor.
• Garnett wide open when Bargs forgets to cover him.
• Pierce hits a trey in transition in Moons eye.
• Celtics punishing the Raptors on all their mistakes.
• Bosh takes a charge from Perkins., then gets fouled on the floor on the other end twice in under 30 seconds.

2nd Quarter:

• Raptors need to protect the ball more.
• Have to take advantage with Garnet and Allen on the bench.
• Raptors playing really sloppy, need a time out to get their house in order with the Celtics up 8 (and Garnett and Allen on the bench).
• Bargnani hits a jumper off the high pick and roll.
• Chuck: “they stole Garnett out of Minnesota”
• Tony Allen punishing the Raptors in the paint.
• Boston extends their lead with Garnett and Allen/Pierce on the bench.
• Parker gets +1 on curl-catch-shoot.
• Raptors turn the ball over, again…leads to Tony Allen layup in transition.
• I don’t like the direction this game has gone in. Celtics aren’t playing good, Raptors are playing like shit.
• Nesterovic hits a hook in traffic +1 off a nice Parker pass.
• Parker drains a three.
• Bargnani banging on the boards…HE’S ALIVE!
• Calderon hits jumper in corner over Rondo from the give and go with Rasho.
• Calderon forces turnover, and gets fouled in transition - clear path violation +2 + ball
• Raptors on a 12-0 run to take the lead on a Rasho jumper.
• Raptors are keeping the Celtics in the game with poor defense and turnovers.
• Bargnani swings the ball to Calderon for an open trey.
• Garnett answers with a tough layup in traffic.
• Parker hits a three from the corner.
• Smitch calls for a timeout with 12 seconds left…gotta take it to the Celtics going into the half.
• Calderon turns it over, leads to a Rondo dunk with 0.1 seconds left in the quarter.

3rd Quarter:

• Pierce takes it to Moon to start the 3rd.
• Parker is on fire, hits another open trey from the corner off a couple swings.
• Moon casually turns the ball over…this is getting ridiculous - gets hooked for Delfino.
• Bosh steals a rebound from Pierce, which leads to a Delfino three from the elbow extended.
• Perkins drops a nice dime to a wide open Allen in the paint.
• Bargnani answers with a reverse layup +1 - foul on Garnett.
• Boston penetrating at will, with no difficulties.
• Bosh forces a jumper, misses.
• Bargnani misses the swing to an open Parker in the corner.
• Makes up for it by hitting the next jumper
• Ray Allen got away with a double-dribble on a layup in transition.
• Rondo penetrates, kicks to an open Pierce who burries a trey from the corner, Raptors timeout.
• Delfino hits a three from the corner off a swing from Bargnani (Calderon penetration started the whole thing).
• Bargnani hits a trey from Calderon penetration.
• Raining treys! Delfino hits one from the corner off Bargnani swing.
• Bosh hits a bad shot…needs to attack the paint.
• Bosh gets fouled rebounding, no call, leads to Ray Allen three.
• Calderon answers with a trey from Bargnani penetration.
• Calderon turns it over, Allen hits 2 FT’s in transition.
• Bosh hits acrobatic hook in paint, doesn’t get the foul call.
• Raptors get called for 24 second shot clock violation.
• Scalabrine hits a three with 0.7 seconds left in the quarter.

4th Quarter:

• Not the time to be sitting Calderon.
• Celtics grab a couple offensive rebounds, offset by Moon turnover.
• Bosh needs to attack the rim, but hits a fade over Scalabrine.
• Raptors interior defense is ugly like Popeye Jones.
• Parker is butter with that curl-catch-shoot.
• Moon shoots a fade jumper from inside the line…Smitch is pissed!
• Moon plays great defense on Pierce, altering his shot.
• Bosh turns the ball over in the paint, looks like he was passing to Mr. Belvedere.
• Calderon finally in at the 8 minute mark.
• Celtics bail the Raptors out with a bad foul.
• Delfino grabs an offensive board, but puts up a brick to even things out.
• Makes up for it by hitting a trey from the corner from a Calderon swing.
• Garnett goes to the line after throwing a violent pump fake on Bosh.
• Parker on fire, hitting a pull up from the elbow extended.
• Celtics have officially pitched a tent in the paint. They pitched the tent in the 1st, but I thought up that lame line just now.
• Bargnani misses another swing to an open Parker in the corner, he puts up a brick.
• Pierce is The Truth…nails a big three to put the Celtics up 7 with under 5 minutes left, Raptors timeout.
• Bosh picks up a foul in the paint, hits both.
• Ray Allen missess a three and runs down his own rebound on the baseline while the Raptors watch.
• Bosh hits a j inside the three point line.
• Calderon left Rondo wide open under the basket, Garnett finds him.
• It would be really good if the Raptors could grab a rebound. Celtics offensive rebounding is killing us.
• Parker hits a three from the corner in Allen’s eye - 106-104 Celtics.
• Rondo walks into the paint and hits a layup.
• Bosh loses the handle in the paint, sloppy.
• Delfino nails a trey off Calderon penetration 108-107 Celtics
• Pierce strolls into the lane and hands off to Garnett for an open dunk.
• Bosh answers with a dunk 110-109 Celtics.
• Pierce misses a step back over Delfino, out on Perkins - Raptors timeout.
• Calderon gets fouled and goes to the line with 30 seconds left on the clock, hits both - 111-110 Raptors.
• Boston grabs two offensive rebounds, and Ray Allen hits a cool jumper from the foul line - 112-111 Celtics.
• Raptors timeout…hopefully they get a decent shot, and not a hail mary as time expires…
• Parker inbounds to Calderon, high pick from Bosh, penetrates to the rim, and hits a layup in traffic + 1 - 114-112 Raptors.
• Celtics timeout with 10.5 seconds left on the clock.
• Ray Allen inbounds to House, who hands off to Pierce, who penetrates and kicks to an open House for a three, who misses, Allen grabs the offensive rebound, and misses a 6 footer at the buzzer….wow

Technorati Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Boston Celtics, Bryan Colangelo, Carlos Delfino, Chris Bosh, Chuck Swirsky, Jamario Moon, Kegin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Rasho Nesterovic, Ray Allen, Sam Mitchell, Tony Allen

Popularity: 41% [?]