The Toronto Raptors (38-37) look to clinch a playoff birth for the second year in a row when they play the Charlotte Bobcats (28-47) tonight at the ACC. The Raptors knocked off the Bobcats 104-100 on Wednesday Night.
The Raptors are currently tied with the Wizards and 76ers for the 5th spot in the Conference. If the three teams remain tied at the end of the season the Wizards would finish 5th, Raptors 6th and the 76ers 7th.
Starting 5:
Raymond Felton/TJ Ford
Jason Richardson/Anthony Parker
Gerald Wallace/Jamario Moon
Emeka Okafor/Chris Bosh
Nazr Mohammed/Rasho Nesterovic
Key Match-ups:
Chris Bosh was aggressive when these teams played on Wednesday. He managed to knock down 13-16 shots from the line and scored a total 32 points. Bosh is the focal point of the Raptors offence and when he attacks the basket and gets to the line he’s at his best. Emeka Okafor is a great defender, but he couldn’t stop CB4 on Wednesday and won’t stop him tonight.
Jason Richardson is the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the. He is averaging 28.0 ppg in his last two against the Raptors. Anthony Parker worked hard on defense on Monday, but J-Rich managed to score 26.
Game Notes:
The Bobcats held a player only meeting and were quoted as saying “(bleep) the coach (Sam Vincent), lets win for ourselves,” Reportedly part-owner Michael Jordan isn’t happy with Vincent and could be in the market for a new Head Coach; Emeka Okafor averages 13.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg and 1.9 bpg in 10 career games against the Raptors; the Bobcats are 9-28 on the road this season
The Raptors are expected to file an official protest to the NBA over the “shot clock malfunction” against the Atlanta Hawks. This will be the second protest in Atlanta this season (Miami Heat Dec. 19); Assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini is high on the list for the GM of the Milwaukee Bucks; TJ Ford had 23 points and 13 assists in Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks; the Raptors are 22-15 at home this season.
Technorati Tags: Charlotte Bobcats, Chris Bosh, Emeka Okafor, Jason Richardson, Anthony Parker, Michael Jordan, Sam Vincent, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Maurizio Gherardini, Milwaukee Bucks, TJ Ford
April 4th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I’ll give the Raps some credit and say they’ll beat up on the old bobcats and the rest of the teams they play (minus Detroit). they’ll finish in 5th or 6th and play LeBron and Co. or Dhow and the Magic, either way their in it tough.
April 4th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
That is one hell of a quote from the Bobcats locker room. Sam Vincent is a definite gonner - I’m all for MJ on the sidelines.
Arsenalist’s last blog post..It’s Friday and time for another Raptors weekend
April 4th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I feel the best case scenario is for the raps for finish strong, meaning strong team D, shoot around 50%, lots of assists, rebounding etc. if they build enough confidence over the next couple of weeks then they’ll have a shot at knocking off the Cavs or Magic
April 4th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
MJ on the sidelines would be awesome!! guys would want to play for him for sure. people would buy tickets just to see him coach. I was reading about Okafor rejecting an offer from the bobcats because he’s holding out for Dwight Howard money. thats ridiculous. the guys good and does a lot of things on the floor, but he isnt Dhow…nobody is
April 4th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
it is a bad-bad quote to come out, i definitely want to see mj on the sidelines. not sure if he would make a good coach, but bird was, so it isn’t a big stretch mj would be.
looks like vincent is gone, but if they had a healthy team, they would have been much better. they are right there in the east, and should be much better next season, especially with a new coach.