This game wiped me out man. With the spectre of losing another game to the Sonics weighing on me heavily, I started to assess my involvement with this team. Seriously. I may sound melodramatic, but I am really emotionally involved with the Raptors. Sounds pathetic and juvenile, but when I get behind something, I really get behind it. Anyways, I digress, the Raptors pulled out a win, and I’m not forced to make any decisions, lol.

Seriously though, what the hell man? The Raptors came out flat, disinterested, disenchanted, disconnected, what have you…they are not playing with any sense of urgency after dropping games to the Knicks, Pacers, Bobcats and the Wizards. By my count, that is 10 games they should have won, but didn’t this season. Which leads one to think if they are underachieving…I say no, they are doing what they should be. Losing games you should have won is still a loss, which means this team is a 6 game over .500 team, plain and simple, no better or worse.

Anyways, I have to keep this short, my GF is on me to spend quality time with her…the Raptors didn’t win this game, the Sonics lost it. If they protected the ball (22 turnovers), they would have won this game. In tennis, you have a stat known as unforced turnovers. This speaks to committing a turnover without any pressure form the opposing player (in our case, team). The Sonics committed 22 of these, leading to 30+ points off the turnover by the Raptors. If they committed their season average of 16, they would have won this game, I have no doubt in the mind.

The Raptors still suck, but I take this rim. That half-time interview with TJ was really interesting, expect a podcast or an article (depending on whether I shave - don’t want to be looking all Hezbollah on video) tomorrow on him (TJ). Here’s my wrap-up:

1st Quarter:

• Do I even have to say it? I wont say it, but I guarantee a win…I wont say guarantee, but I expect one.
• The Raptors haven’t won a tip off since Bosh went down.
• Moon steals a sloppy cross court pass.
• Bargnani sticks a jumper inside the arc, Wilcox will be giving him enough space to shoot that.
• Rasho hands off to Parker for a baseline dunk.
• Green hits an open three, Jose forgot about him in the corner.
• Moon tips in Rasho’s missed hook shot off of the pick and roll with JC.
• Rasho gets in the lane and sticks a half-hook.
• JC drops a dime to an open Rasho for a layup, he should be dunking those. I actually can’t remember the last time he dunked the ball.
• Moon takes the swing pass from Parker, steps in and hits the jumper.
• Moon doesn’t stop Watson’s penetration, hoping for a block, and sends him to the line, Earl hits both.
• Moon doesn’t make that extra swing pass to Parker, but hits the jumper.
• Watson gets deep into the zone, and drops off to Wilcox for a layup + 1.
• Parker turns the ball over, which leads to a Durant alley-oop on the break.
• Parker stops the bleeding and nails a jumper inside the arc in the corner.
• Petro scores easily in the corner off the drop step hook shot.
• Rasho draws a foul under the rim, he hits both.
• Parker gets in deep and kisses a J high off the glass.
• Parker grabs an offensive board, and gets fouled putting it back, he hits both.
• Primo checks in with a mohawk.
• Watson hits a an open jumper.
• Ford drives, steps back and hits the J.
• Watson drops a nice pass to Wilcox for a nasty dunk.
• End of the 1st - Seattle 31 Toronto 24…disgusted isn’t the word here.

2nd Quarter:

• Raptors suck. Petro and Wilkens hit shots to extend the lead to 11.
• Kapono finally hits a three off of TJ’s penetration.
• Raptors don’t get back on D, and Collison answers with a dunk.
• Collison hits a turn around jumper over TJ.
• Delfino nails a trey.
• I dig the in-game interview with Colangelo. BC was very disappointed with the last 4 losses! lol…
• Delfino curls around a screen, and TJ hits him with a pass for an easy layup. Soncis turn the ball over.
• Kapono hits another trey off of Humphries offensive board.
• Ridnour takes it coast to coast to answer with a layup.
• Kapono drops a dime to an open Hump for a layup.
• Wilkens answers with an open trey..
• Delfino draws a foul with a duck under post move, he hits both from the line.
• Wilkens answers again with a J in the corner.
• Bargnani takes it to the rack and hits a layup.
• TJ gets out on the break, and Hump tips in his missed layup.
• TJ runs down an offensive board, but misses the layup…
• Hump steals the ball from Wilcox, then Ford turns it over, then Wilcox dunks on the break.
• Delfino emphatically dunks with his Dr. J impression in Petro’s eye.
• Calderon back in, and Watson is penetrating at will again.
• Seattle is getting all the foul calls, this is ridiculous.
• Calderon sticks a trey in the corner from Delfino’s skip pass.
• Collison drops in an easy layup.
• JC steals the ball, and gets fouled on the break.
• Parker penetrates and drops off to Hump for a couple pump fakes, and a layup.
• Parker steals the ball, then throws it away in transition with Watson laying it up in transition.
• Hump takes it baseline and lays it up in Wilcox’s eye.
• Watson abuses Calderon on the dribble-drive, again.
• Hump grabs another offensive board, and draws the foul, he misses both from the line.
• Delfino forces a layup, hits it, but doesn’t get the foul call…BS man.
• End of the 2nd - Seatle 58 Toronto 54…not as disgusted, but pretty close to throwing up.

3rd Quarter:

• Rasho opens things up with a hook in the paint.
• Watson opens things up with a turnover.
• Calderon steals the ball and gets it to a slashing Bargnani who draws the foul, he hits both from the stripe.
• Parker gets to the rack after getting Durant off his feet, lays it up and gives the Raps a 2 point lead. Sonics timeout.
• Raptors force Sonics to miss shot out of timeout with some good defense.
• Bargnani misses two treys in a row.
• Bargs takes the hand off from Rasho, and hits the jumper from the corner.
• Wilcox puts it down in Rasho’s mouth, again.
• Parker dribbles around a high screen and sticks a jumper.
• Green drops a nice pass to Wilcox who dunks it again, easily and open.
• Bargs hit a jumper inside the arc in the corner.
• Collision answers with one at the top of the key.
• Parker drops a sick pass to Rasho who hits the layup + 1.
• Jose gets inside the arc, and sticks a jumper.
• Wow, Moon gives up an open jumper and swings it to Parker for an open trey. All off Calderons penetration.
• Watson lobs an alley-oop who hits the layup + 1.
• Calderon nails a jumper inside the arc in the corner.
• Watson walks into the lane and hits another layup.
• Parker creates his own shot and nails a trey in the corner.
• Moon blocks Durants shot with the shot clock expiring.
• Moon hits a fade-away in the paint.
• Moon forces a jumper…
• Durant forces a trey on the next possession.
• Rasho forces a jumper at the top of the key…
• Collison hits a layup in transition from the entry feed from Durant…too easy.
• Collison hits a contested jumper in the key.
• Rasho hits a contested hook in the key.
• Ford hits a floater in the key.
• Watson hits a tough shot off the screen.
• Bargnani hits a jumper at the top of the key.
• TJ breaks down the defense and hits a layup in traffic.
• End of the 3rd - Seattle 79 Toronto 89…finally the Raptors outscore the Sonics 35-21. Took them long enough, hopefully they don’t come out flat to start the 4th.

4th Quarter:

• Hump puts back Delfino’s missed layup.
• Hump forces the jumper, and gets an entertaining/friendly roll.
• Bargnani takes it to the rack, and draws the foul, he hits both.
• Ridnour penetrates and drops it off to a cutting Wilcox for an open/nasty dunk down the lane.
• Ridnour penetrates and drops it off to Wilcox who pump fakes, takes it in, tries to dunk it, and gets fouled by Hump. He hits 1 of 2.
• Kapono pulls up of the dribble and sticks the J.
• Ridnour answers.
• Kapono puts another up in Elsons eye.
• Bargnani nails a jumper off of TJ’s penetration.
• Durant hits a jumper out of the timeout.
• Wilcox catches the ball out 12ft, and takes it in for a layup.
• TJ turns the ball over, then steals it, then turns it over which leads to a Durant basket on the break.
• Calderon steals the ball and sends Delfino in for the layup, who draws the foul and hits both from the line.
• Wilkens pulls up and hits a jumper.
• Rasho fumbles the dish pass from Parker in the paint.
• Ridnour gets knocked to the ground, gets up, wipes the blood off, and hits both from the line.
• Delfino threads a sick pass to Rasho who actually dunks it.
• Wilcox turns it over, and Delfino gets fouled on the break, he hits both.
• Parker drives from the corner, and draws the foul, he ices the game hitting both from the line…peace…

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