Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic
April 28, 2008.
Playoffs - Game 5

Arsenalist: “We practically lost this series with the magic running the same play about 250 times. Drive, kick and shoot.”

That about sums it up really. I’m really at a loss for words. I blame Smitch for this crap. Say what you want AltRaps, but when questions about substitutions, strategy and adjustments arise…whatever, the man sucks as a coach. The Smitch watch is officially in full affect as far as I’m concerned.

Bosh was incognito in the most important game of the season. He put up 16pts and 9rebs, but really was a non-factor in the game. From the tip off, he settled for jumpers, and didn’t attack the rim until late in the 4th. Howard/Lewis can’t cover the guy, but he bails them out by shooting J’s from the perimeter. I understand that he can knock them down, but when he isn’t knocking them down, and isn’t driving, there is no space to operate.

The officiating sucked balls. It is frustrating to watch so many missed calls, bad calls, late calls, make-up calls and all around bad calls. I don’t know what kind of scrutiny these guys come under for their decisions, but it seems to get worse every year. Anyways, enough with that…

I wish I could say that the Raptors played well, but they really didn’t. It was more of the same from the previous 4 games. Orlando came out strong, but they started to turn the ball over (unforced) and missed a ton of open looks. The Raptors seemed to be a bit more active on the defensive end, and did a pretty good job in the 1st on the offensive glass, but you knew once the Magic started to hit all those open looks, the game would get out of hand.

The Magic easily won the battle of the boards, grabbing 55 (16 offensive) to the Raptors 37 (9 offensive). Had it not been for all those turnovers 13, and all those missed threes (they went 9-32) this game would have been a blowout.

Down 80-72, the Raptors went on a 10-4 run, to cut the lead to 2. We all knew what was to come. Some ill advised shots, no rebounding, no pressure, nothing. Anyways, with the score 84-82, Delfino jacks a shot from the elbow, early in the shot clock and with no one rebounding, obviously missing. And the Raptors were outscored 18-10 the rest of the way with the familiar penetration and kick to an open shooter for the three.

Unfortunately that is all I have say. Am I surprised, no, I called the Magic in 5, am I disappointed? Yes, of course. The Magic won this series by coming out strong in the 1st, coasting for the 2nd and 3rd, and turning it on in the 4th. Aside from game 1, every single game was there for the Raptors to take, and no one grabbed the low hanging fruit. That’s about all I got for now. This isn’t the end of the season for RaptorsTalk.com, we have a full off-season of speculation, second guessing, our two-cents and general dismay in store for you. The pleasure has been mine (bloggin, not watching these guys stink it up):

1st Quarter (Stats):

• Raptors lose the tip.
• Bargnani picks up two quick fouls in 20 seconds. The second one was a bit weak though.
• Nelson swings to an open Lewis for a trey off the offensive rebound and defensive scramble.
• Bosh misses a 10 footer over Nelson.
• Bargnani tips the ball away from Howard.
• Ford hits a high arcing jumper over Howard.
• Nelson takes TJ to the rack.
• Bosh misses a jumper from the foul line.
• Hedu penetrates and kicks to an open Evans for a trey in the corner 8-2 Magic, Raptors need a timeout.
• They don’t take one, and Ford turns the ball over, Hedu starts the break and gets it to Evans for a dunk, now Smitch calls a timeout…idiot.
• Ford comes off the pick-n-roll with Bosh, lobs it to Bosh and he lays it up.
• Parker strips Howard of the ball in the paint.
• Moon forces a trey, but hits it from the corner…I don’t like it, but I’ll take it.
• Howard grabs an offensive board, and lays it back up with the left. No troubles.
• Ford finds a wide open Bargnani under the basket for a layup.
• Moon steals the ball from Nelson, and Bosh grabs the offensive board off TJ’s missed shot and puts it back.
• Bosh grabs another offensive board, kicks it out to Bargnani who swings to Moon who hesitates and jacks a trey…hits it…I’ll take it.
• Moon grabs an offensive board, but Bargnani bricks the three point attempt.
• Hedu penetrates and drops it off to Howard for a two-hander in the paint.
• Ford doesn’t get the foul on the take at Howard.
• Hedu commits a charge on Parker on the drive the other way.
• Ford turns it back over…
• Evans drives from the corner and lays it up high off the glass.
• Parker comes off the screen, spins and draws the foul on the shot attempt, hits both from the line.
• Howard finds a cutting Nelson (from the corner) and Nelson being so wide open, he easily lays it up.
• Bosh gets the ball in the post, gets triple teamed, kicks it out to Bargnani who misses the trey.
• Moon deflects the ball from Howard, and TJ takes it to the rack on the break, Magic timeout.
• Moon forces a turnover on Howard.
• Bosh gets doubled in the post, kicks out to Delfino who swings to Calderon for an open trey.
• Moon blocks Evans layup, and forces a jump ball.
• Evans wins the jump, Hedu misses the jumper.
• Delfino grabs Bosh’s misssed jumper, but misses a trey from the corner.
• Dooling grabs the board, gets out on the break, and lays it up.
• Calderon jacks a trey…misses.
• Kapono gets the ball behind the arc, penetrates, hits a layup in the paint +1 - misses the FT.
• Calderon nails a trey as the quarter finishes.
• 26-22 Raptors lead at the end of the 1st.

2nd Quarter (Stats):

• Dooling penetrates and draws the foul on Moon in the paint, hits 1 of 2 from the line.
• Moon finds a slashing Kapono on the inbounds for a layup.
• Bogans penetrates, and pulls up in the paint for a jumper, tough shot.
• Parker fakes the three, puts it on the floor and hits a runing floater over Howard.
• Calderon penetrates and lays it up over Gortat.
• Hedu puts it on th floor and draws the foul on the drive, hits both from the line.
• Jose comes off Rasho’s screen and sticks the jumper.
• Hedu penetrates and kicks to an open Dooling for the three.
• Rasho gets called for an illegal screen.
• Parker plays great defense on Dooling on the perimeter, then Kapono forces Evans to travel.
• Delfino sticks a deep trey in transition…I don’t like it, but I’ll take it.
• Evans finds a rolling Howard for a nasty two-handed dunk (the Raptors played pretty good perimeter defense before that).
• Howard gets fouled by Rasho on the layup attempt, hits both from the line.
• Delfino penetrates, pump fakes, gets everyone off there feet, ducks under and draws the foul, hits both from the line.
• Nelson plays with the ball, steps back, and hits a tough jumper over Ford as the shot clock was winding down.
• Ford penetrates and kicks to an open Delfino for a trey.
• Lewis attacks the paint, hits the layup and gets the continuation…hits the FT.
• Howard blocks Bosh in the paint, TJ gets the ball back and lays it up in Nelsons face, then talks some trash.
• Delfino picks up his second foul on Lewis, who hits both from the line.
• Ford gets called for the charge, dipping his shoulder into Nelson on the drive.
• Lewis tips the offensive board to the perimeter, and Howard ends up drawing a foul under the basket, hits 1 of 2 from the line.
• Bosh misses a hook over Howard from 12.
• Lewis misses an open trey.
• Nelson goes coast-to-coast, misses the layup, Howard grabs the offensive board, misses the put back, Lewis grabs the offensive board, it gets to Howard who gets fouled under the rim…hits 1 of 2 from the line.
• Bosh fouls Lewis, Lewis hits both from the line.
• Ford hits a step back fade-away over Nelson.
• Orlando turns the ball over under the rim, TJ gets out on the break, and draws the foul on drive, hits both from the line.
• Nelson crosses over, and hits a DEEP jumper over Ford.
• Ford comes off Rasho’s screen, gets into the paint, fades and hits the J over Howard.
• Lewis hits a tough jumper over Moon.
• 50-49 Raptors lead at the half.

3rd Quarter (Stats):

• Ford penetrates, pulls up and nails the jumper over Nelson.
• Lewis swings to a wide open Evans for the trey. Raptors didn’t rotate at all.
• Bosh takes it to the rack and air balls the layup.
• Ford turns it over under the rim, which leads to Hedu putting it down on the break.
• Bosh pops it from the corner over Howard.
• Lewis misses a wide open trey.
• Ford misses the layup and Evans gets out on the break and lays it in over Parker.
• Ford almost throws the ball away again, but the Raps recover with 2 on the clock.
• Parker inbounds to Bosh who hands off to Parker for a trey as the clock expires.
• Moon tips the ball away from Howard - would have been a sure dunk.
• Nelson blows by Ford and lays it up over Bargnani.
• Bosh gets the ball in the low block and hits a turn around J over Howard.
• Hedu hits the back of the rim on the shot attempt.
• Howard draws the double, kicks to Hedu who misses the open trey…leads to Ford out on the break who lobs it to Moon for a dunk/layup.
• Lewis shakes/bakes, gets free and lays it up easily.
• Nelson turns it over, Bosh gets out on the break, then grabs the offensive board, feeds it to Bargnani for a layup.
• Bargnani forces Howard to travel in the paint.
• Moon takes it baseline, misses but doesn’t draw the foul.
• Turkoglu blows by Moon and lays it up in traffic.
• Nelson finds an open Bogans, who misses the trey, but Howard grabs the offensive board and draws the foul.
• Delfino doesn’t get back from doubling Howard and Bogans punishes him with an open trey.
• Howard finds a slashing Evans who blows the layup.
• Delfino drives to the rack and draws the foul on Howard, hits both from the line.
• Delfino takes it to the rack, gets a LATE call, and hits both from the stripe.
• Nelson misses an open as Ford goes under the screen.
• Ford misses a layup in transition.
• Nelson gets open, again, gets the ball and nails - not gonna miss twice in a row from the same spot, Raptors timeout.
• Bosh gets the ball in the low post, gets the double, kicks to Kapono who penetrates and bricks it.
• Dooling nails the J on th eother end.
• Delfino jacks a trey…bad.
• Dooling misses an fairly open look off the swing from Lewis.
• Bosh jab steps and misses the jumper over Howard.
• Howard gets the ball in the low block, turns and hits a hook over Bosh (Bosh took a couple elbows before).
• Calderon draws a weak foul from Dooling…officiating sucks.
• Parker draws a foul, another weak one, and nails both from the line.
• Howard almost tips the ball back in on the offensive end, draws the foul from Kapono, and hits 1 of 2 from the line.
• Calderon comes off of Bosh’s screen and turns it over.
• 74-68 Magic lead heading into the final quarter.

4th Quarter (Stats):

• Howard gets the ball in the low post, turns and hits the hook.
• Calderon finds Kapono in the paint, who turns and hits a floater over Howard.
• Howard gets the ball deep in the post again, turns and draws the foul on Bosh, hits both from the line.
• 78-70 Magic.
• Kapono shakes/bakes, and finds an open Bosh for the dunk - 78-72 Magic.
• Lewis shoots a fade-away, misses, the ball finds its way to Howard someone for the dunk - 80-72 Magic.
• Kapono lays it up from the inbounds play - 80-74 Magic.
• Hedu misses another jumper.
• Kapono comes off Bosh’s screen and nails a deep J over Bogans - 80-76 Magic.
• Turkoglu drives and hits a bank shot over Parker - 82-76 Magic.
• Nelson penetrates and hits Lewis with a pass for an open jumper in the corner - 84-76 Magic.
• Bosh misses a 3 footer.
• Nelson jacks a deep J with the shot clock expiring.
• Delfino penetrates from the wing, and hits a J early in the shot clock - 84-78 Magic.
• Bosh penetrates and draws the foul on Bogans, hits 1 of 2 from the line - 84-79 Magic.
• Delfino plays great D on Turkoglu on the drive.
• Howard blocks Delfino into the 1st row.
• Bosh penetrates and draws a foul on Howard, hits 1 of 2 from the line 84-81 Magic.
• Nelson throws the ball away on the penetration.
• Bosh gets the ball on the elbow, posts Howard up, turns and hits the hook - 84-82 Magic.
• Delfino forces a bad shot from the elbow…misses.
• Lewis penetrates, draws the double and kicks to Bogans for the open trey - 87-82 Magic.
• Kapono jacks a deep trey with the shot clock expiring…bad…
• Howard grabs another offensive board…then Turkoglu finds Howard deep in the post who turns and hits the short hook - 89-82 Magic.
• Kapono misses the deep jumper, and Bosh draws the 5th foul on Howard.
• Hedu turns the ball over, but Delfino jacks an ill-advised trey…should have went into Bosh.
• Hedu penetrates, draws the double, and kicks to an open Nelson for a trey in the corner - 92-82 Magic…Raptors timeout…
• Bosh takes it to the rack and puts down a quick dunk - 92-84 Magic.
• Hedu penetrates and finds an open Bogans again, and Bogans nails it 95-84 Magic.
• Calderon misses the jumper from the top of the key.
• Calderon fouls Nelson on the perimeter, Nelson hits both from the line 97-84 Magic.
• Delfino misses the short hook in the paint…
• Parker nails a trey in transition - 97-87 Magic.
• Hedu takes it right through the paint, and puts down the dunk - 99-87 Magic.
• Calderon answers with a quick layup - 99-89 Magic.
• Kapono fouls Lewis on the inbounds pass, he hits both daggers from the line - 101-89 Magic…it’s over…

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