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

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Sorry for posting this so late, I had most of it done, but my girlfriend had made plans for us to hang out with her friend and her friends boyfriend..lame…the best thing that came out of the night was the food (Yamato restaurant in Yorkville) and the fact that Chris Bosh was sitting at the table next to mine. Continue Reading

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There is no place like home…where the hell were these guys the last two games? The Raptors came out, and gave a full 48 minute effort against the Magic. Smitch must have been passing around that brain juice. I expected a win, I’ll be honest, but not one where Bosh got 15pts 5rebs 5ast. Continue Reading

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The Air Canada Centre will be pumping tonight when the Toronto Raptors host the Orlando Magic in Game #3. The Magic won the first two games at home, but the Raptors know that this is a must win game. If the Raptors fall behind 3-0, they’ll find themselves booking tee times with the Maple Leafs next week. Continue Reading

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The skinny on Game 2:

• The Magic come out gunning on all cylinders and get out to a 17 point 1st quarter lead, no surprises there.
• Turkoglu knocks Bosh on his ass, gets a flagrant foul, no one steps up to defend the franchise (but Smitch gives him an earful on the sidelines), no surprises yet again.
• The Raptors answer, and cut the lead to 2 by the half, again, no surprise.
• Bosh and the Raptors bench (Kapono, Delfino and Calderon) keep it close in the 2nd half.
• With 9 seconds left, and the Magic up 1, Smitch calls a timeout, supposedly to draw up a play.
• Raptors inbound to Calderon, who comes up a weak pick-and-roll with Bosh, Bosh jacks up a shot, misses, game over. Continue Reading

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Dwight Howard is an absolute MONSTER! 25 points, 22 (6) rebounds and 5 blocks was more than enough to lead his team to victory in game 1 over the Raptors. There isn’t anyone on the Raptors roster, or in the NBA, that can shut down Howard - especially when he’s hitting his free throws. Continue Reading

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I have to admit, the last few days I haven’t been following the Raptors in the media, so when I saw that Bargnani was starting over Moon, it blew me away, I didn’t see that shit coming I’ll be honest. It is shocking Smitch would make a move a move like that for the first game of the playoff series with the Magic.

Starting Bargnani was a symptom of the sickness he Raptors were suffering this afternoon. The disease is called ‘Balls’, as in, the Raptors suck balls. I have been calling for Smitch to shorten the bench, and define the rotation for the last month and change. Had no idea he was going to use one lineup for the regular season, then a totally different one for the playoffs. I’m sure Van Gundy was pleased to see Bargnani starting the game.

I guess we have our answer as to what two things BC will be doing this offseason:

1. Get a new coach.
2. Get someone who can start/play the small forward position.

Not a real mystery how the Magic took down the Raps, Howard dominated both paints; Orlando penetrated and kicked to the open shooter; the open shooter hit their shots; the Raptors suck balls.

Nelson more than countered Forderon’s effectiveness. I said this was a cause of concern in this series, and everyone ripped me a new *sshole. I mean, Kidd did the same thing last year. Fuck that, Felton and Quinn gave these guys serious problems in the stretch run to the playoffs - what did people think Nelson would do?

Parker and Rasho were the only guys to show up on time. In fact, Parker was carrying the burden of keeping these guys in the game until Bosh decided to show up. Bosh, statistically, had a decent game, but was really a non-factor throughout The Raptors run at the game.

Uhmm…Kapono did well. Hit a couple threes and other open shots. Errr…yea..I seriously don’t have a whole lot to contribute today, so on to the play-by-play:

1st Quarter (Stats):

• Raptors lose the tip.
• Lewis penetrates from the wing and kicks to Nelson who is wide open…he obviously burries the trey.
• Bosh forces a jumper over Lewis, leads to Turkoglu finishing the layup on the break.
• Parker curls off Bosh’s screen and nails a deep jumper.
• Turkoglu gets in the lane, and puts down a dunk in some traffic.
• Bosh steals the ball from Nelson and sends TJ in for the layup on the break.
• Lewis penetrates and kicks to Evans for a trey.
• Rasho gets into the key and hits a hook.
• Hedu penetrates and kicks to Lewis for an open trey in the corner, Raptors need a timeout…don’t take one.
• Howard hits a bank shot over Rasho.
• Turkoglu dishes to Nelson for a trey, 18-8 Orlando, Raptors timeout.
• Bosh takes it to the rack and draws a foul from Howard, hits both from the line.
• Rasho hits a jumper from the corner.
• Nelson penetrates and kicks to Evans who takes a dribble and nails the jumper.
• Parker nails a jumper inside the arc.
• Bosh turns the ball over and TJ fouls Nelson on the break, he hits both from the line.
• Moon in at the 6min mark…guess Bargnani wont be starting at 3 anymore…fucking Smitch.
• Hedu steps inside the arc and swings to an open Evans who nails a trey from the corner.
• Howard blocks Rasho in the paint right to Parker who attempts the trey and draws the foul from Hedu, he hits all three from the line.
• Lewis pump fakes and drives to the rack hitting a runner off glass over Bosh.
• Lewis pump fakes, drives baseline, spins into the lane and hits a jump hook over Bosh, wow.
• Nelson penetrates, again, and kicks to a wide open Evans for the trey, timeout Raptors.
• Bosh plays with the ball, gets out of the double, gets into the paint, draws the foul from Evans and hits the layup, hits the free throw too, wow.
• Howard blocks Bosh right at the rim.
• Lewis hits a trey in transition..
• Calderon penetrates and kicks to Parker for an open trey in the corner.
• Calderon leaves Dooling wide open, and Howard finds him for a trey…
• Dooling is wide open, and Howard finds him for a trey…kind of a broken play…Raptors…suck.
• Bosh gets into the paint, and turns it over after leaving his feet.
• Howard gets the ball deep in the paint, and hits a turn around hook over Bosh.
• 43-23 Magic at the end of the first.

2nd Quarter (Stats):

• Bargnani takes the feed from Calderon and rips through the lane for a dunk.
• Bogans dribbles past 3 Raptors and easily lays it up in the paint.
• Calderon gets fouled or something, hits both from the line.
• Dooling comes off Hedu’s screen and hits an open jumper.
• Bogans hits an open jumper…Turkoglu found him nicely…again…this is out of hand.
• Calderon steps inside the arc and knocks down a jumper.
• Rasho tips back Calderon’s missed layup.
• Turkoglu fakes the trey, drives past Rasho and Bargnani, and dunks in the paint and draws the foul, + 1 (misses the FT).
• Dooling swings to an open Bogans for another open trey.
• Dooling finally misses an open trey off of Turkoglu’s penetration.
• Rasho hits a turn around hook in the paint.
• Lewis lobs the ball to Howard, the grabs it inbetween 3 Raptors, and puts it down.
• I wonder if I should have a banana or an avocado…?
• TJ gets into the paint, and drops a pass off to Rasho for a hook, Magic timeout.
• Bosh is forced into a bad shot by Lewis on the perimeter…go to the FRICKEN RACK MAN!
• Kapono nails a trey from the elbow extended…he was right open.
• Evans gets it right back off of Lewis’ drive and kick.
• Bosh steals Lewis’ bad skip pass, leads to a Kapono trey in transition, Magic timeout.
• Kapono gets open off the inbounds, and hits a short jumper off glass.
• Rasho puts up a brick from 4 feet.
• Bosh bricks a jumper…
• Ford draws the foul on the drive.
• Parker takes the feed from Ford, goes to the baseline and dunks it.
• Bosh finally battles in the paint but doesn’t get the ball as TJ jacks a trey.
• Raptors finish the 2nd on a 14-3 run, cutting the lead to 60-47 heading into the half.

3rd Quarter (Stats):

• TJ gets out on in transition, and draws the foul on Lewis, hits both from the line.
• Nelson hits Howard (who is deep in the post) with an entry pass that turns into a two-handed dunk.
• Bosh cleans up Parkers turnover, hits the layup and draws the foul on Howard, hits it from the line, 9 point game.
• Howard spins right and draws the foul, hits both from the line.
• Nelson skips to Hedu for a trey. He was somewhat open running baseline and curling to the elbow extended.
• Bosh drives in traffic and draws the foul, hits both from the line.
• Lewis nails a trey from Nelson’s penetration.
• Parker steals the ball from Nelson, and nails the trey on the break.
• Ford penetrates and kicks to Bargnani for a trey, 9 point game again.
• Howard grabs an offensive board in traffic, and put down a nasty two-hander.
• Howard blocks Rasho again, then Orlando forces the Raptors into a 24 second violation.
• Nelson easily penetrates and lays it up.
• Bosh finds Rasho in the paint for a hook.
• Nelson easily penetrates again, through 4 guys, and lays it up.
• Bosh grabs an offensive board, and draws a foul on the put back, hits both from the line.
• Parker rips an offensive board away from Howard.
• Bosh commits a charge on Lewis.
• Rasho lobs an alley-oop to Bosh for a tip in.
• Howard gets the ball deep in the post and draws the foul. Hits both from the line.
• Parker penetrates and kicks out to Rasho for an 18 footer.
• Calderon goes backdoor to Parker for the layup.
• Howard grabs an offensive board, and gets fouled on the way up, hits both from the line.
• Calderon airballs the ball, then Bosh gets called for the foul on Howard, he hits 1 of 2 from the line.
• Calderon steps inside the arc and nails a jumper.
• Dooling gets into the paint, and returns the favour.
• Kapono hits a jumper in transition.
• Turkoglu loses his defender with the pump fake and hits a runner in the paint.
• Howard blocks Calderon on the layup attempt, man is a beast.
• 85-75 Orlando lead heading into the 4th.

4th Quarter (Stats):

• Calderon finds Kapono behind the arc, and nails the trey.
• Parker curls off the screen and draws the foul on Evans on the shot, hits both from the line.
• Bargnani fouls Howard under the basket, he hits 1 of 2 from the line.
• Kapono nails another trey from the corner, 5 point Magic lead!
• Turkoglu poss up Parker and hits a fade away in the paint to stop the bleeding.
• Hedu finds Howard under the rim for a two-hander, lead back to 9.
• Howard grabs Hedu’s missed layup, and puts it back.
• Kapono forces a trey, and bricks the shit out of it.
• Howard puts back Evans’ missed trey with a nasty dunk, Raptors timeout (Magic by 13).
• Rasho turns the ball over, and Nelson lays it up on the break.
• Parker penetrates and kicks to Calderon for a trey.
• Nelson gets into the paint, and draws the foul on JC…hits both from the line.
• Delfino grabs an offensive board in traffic.
• Bosh draws the foul on Howard on the drive.
• Bosh gets fouled taking it to the paint by Nelson, hits both from the line.
• Parker gets fouled shooting the trey (Hedu foul) hits 2 of 3 from the line.
• Nelson forces a jumper over Parker with the shot clocking winding down…sticks it…
• Turkoglu tips the missed layup in, 3 times, before it goes in.
• Nelson gets into the paint, and draws the foul on the jumper, hits both…both are daggers, I’m done taking notes.

Technorati Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Carlos Delfino, Chris Bosh, Chris Quinn, Dwight Howard, Hedu Turkoglu, Jamario Moon, Jameer Nelson, Jason Kapono, Jason Kidd, Jose Calderon, Keeyon Dooling, Keith Bogans, Maurice Evans, Rashard Lewis, Sam Mitchell, TJ Ford

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I had to take a few days off the Raptors after they secured the 6th seed. Much like them, this season was really taxing on me (I even developed a condition), so I had to rest up, and prepare, both mentally and physically, for the Raptors playoffs against Superboy and the Orlando ‘Tricks’.

I predicted the Magic in 5, I even went on the record. Sadly, as many of you know, I am pretty emotional when it comes to the Raptors, so that prediction was made out of haste, sorry my precious, but I have had a couple days to really marinate on this match-up, and I don’t think it is as bad as I originally thought.

The reality is if the Raptors rolled into the playoffs with a better record, we would have caught the Cavs in the first round. Even if we had homecourt, that is not a match-up I want to see. I was nervous about the Nets last year, Lebron and co. would have drove me to the valium and kool-aid. Like it or not, the stars have aligned, and the Raptors are seriously in the best position at post season success this playoffs.

As far as predictions, I am having a hard time predicting it. Truth be told, my heart says Orlando in 5, but the idiot in me has the Raptors in 7 for some reason. The match-up is interesting as they are pretty similar. The winner of this series will be the team that can make stops when they count. Both teams aren’t a defensive juggernaut, and try to outscore opponents to win.

It wont be easy, I’m not on the bandwagon, but here’s hoping for some solid playoff ball, the Raptors have a chance to steal because all the pressure is on Orlando, and they may not be up to the task (although they finished the season like champs). Anyways, I should have a surprise for you guys very shortly. Hopefully sooner then later, stay tuned.

Go Raps!

Technorati Tags: NBA Playoffs, Orlando Magic

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