Dear Bryan,

I was a big fan of you taking over the reigns from Babcock. That guy made 1 good decision during his whole tenure (signing Calderon). You showed up with much fan fare. free sprint ringtones free nokia ringtones tracfone free gospel ringtones phone ringtones verizon free ringtones verizon tv theme ringtones mosquito ringtones cell cricket free phone ringtones free lg ringtones verizon wireless get free ringtones for my cell phone free get ringtones cingular cell phone ringtones free cingular wireless ringtones free ringtones for motorola phone get free ringtones free tracfone ringtones listen mosquito ringtones nextel ringtones cd cell free phone ringtones verizon wireless info nokia remember ringtones You used words like vision and excellence that frankly make me giddy like a little school girl.
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Popularity: 17% [?]

The Raptors gave a valiant effort. They hung around, and didn’t let the Lakers put them away till late in the 4th. I couldn’t ask for anything more. They were outclassed by a better team, no bones man. The usual suspects reared their ugly heads again, but I am too tired to give my thoughts on this game…I assure you I have a lot to say about tonights game, you will get them from my comments. Anyways:

Head over to Arsenalist for the perfect post game wrap-up.

Head over to Dinosty for genius quips, primo pics and … funny … type stuff…he’s good.

Head over to Cuzoogle for instructional videos on how to play proper basketball.

Head over to AltRaps for a complete listing of every related article/opinion available.

Or check out below for my PBP (play-by-play):

<<<– Stats by the quarter.

Here’s my PBP (play-by-play):
Here’s my PBP (play-by-play):
Here’s my PBP (play-by-play):

1st Quarter:

• Parker curls off a Rasho screen for a short jumper in the key.
• Rasho gets the ball deep in the post with Fisher on his hip, and he drops in the hook.
• Kobe penetrates casually and kicks to Odom for an open trey.
• Bryant hits a ridiculous trey in Moon’s eye…not Moon’s fault.
• Bargnani post’s Bryant up, takes it to the rack and lays it up.
• Bryant pulls up for a trey in transition, and sticks it…gonna be a long night.
• Moon doesn’t swing the ball, and jacks up a brick.
• Odom takes it back on the break, and hits the layup in traffic and draws the foul.
• Smitch is wearing his Goti suit.
• Parker nails a trey in the corner on the break.
• Bryant answers with a quick trey of his own….really long night.
• Parker strips Bryant like a dirty girl, and dunks it on the break.
• Calderon steals the ball from Kobe.
• Calderon executes the pick-and-roll to perfection with Rasho, setting Rasho up for an easy dunk in the paint.
• Moon gets the swing pass, dribbles and pops a jumper.
• Rasho hits a jumper from the pick-and-pop.
• Fisher get’s open, and sticks the jumper.
• Parker almost crowns Odom on the break, but draws the foul, he hits 1 of 2.
• TJ drops a lead pass to Hump on the break for a layup.
• TJ then steals the ball on the other end on the entry pass to Gasol.
• Humphries doesnt pass the ball when pressured and turns it over.
• Rasho tips in the rebound off TJ’s penetration.
• Bryant stops the bleeding with a sweet fade in the paint.
• Hump is all over the boards, tipping the ball away from Odom.
• Bryant sticks it left handed from about 12 feet, he means business.
• Ford draws a foul on a three point attempt with 0.6 seconds left on the clock, he hits all 3 and the Raptors take a 3 point lead into the 2nd.

2nd Quarter:

• TJ penetrates and shovels the ball to Kapono who draws the foul taking it to the rack, he hits both from the stripe.
• Brezec grabs an offensive board, and draws a foul.
• Farmar hits an open trey off Walton’s offensive board.
• Hump hits Primo with a sweet entry pass for the layup + 1.
• Ford comes off the pick from Hump, and nails the jumper.
• Turiaf hits a turn around jumper over Primo.
• Delfino gets rejected taking it to the rack.
• TJ pulls up and hits another jumper with the friendly roll.
• Turiaf hits his 3rd jumper of the quarter.
• Primo plays hi-lo with Hump who draws a flagrant from Kobe, he hits 1 of 2.
• Kobe is WIDE open under the basket and Turiaf finds hit for a dunk.
• Kobe catches an alley-oop, kicks it out to Farmar for a trey…in transition, Raptors timeout.
• Bargnani misses an open jumper from the pick and roll with Kapono.
• Coby Karl hits an open trey in the corner.
• Ford sticks a three in Fisher’s eye to quiet the crowd.
• Fisher answers with a jumper of his own.
• Raptors commit a 24 second shot clock violation.
• Chuck does a really bad impersonation of Nicholson.
• Rasho drops a sick dime to a cutting Bargnani for a dunk.
• Walton answers with a sick dime to a cutting Kobe in traffic for a layup.
• Fisher sticks another open trey…Kobe was doubled and kick it out.
• Rasho drops it off to Rasho for a layup.
• Parker goes glass from the hand-off from Rasho.
• Walton splits the double and threads the needle to Gasol for an open layup.
• Bargnani hits a triple, I don’t know how because the stupid production crew were replaying the previous play.
• Kobe loses the ball, then scores.
• Moon hits a three in the corner off the swing.
• Bryant penetrates easily and kicks out to an open Fisher for a three.

3rd Quarter:

• Rasho grabs an offensive board, and puts back Moon’s missed layup.
• Odom puts down a massive dunk.
• Parker shakes free and stick a trey.
• Calderon throws the ball away, but everyone misses the tip in transition.
• Parker hits another three.
• Fisher answers with one of his own.
• Parker answers with a trey in Odom’s eye.
• Bargnani takes it baseline and hits a reverse layup.
• Fishers scores in the paint the other way.
• Gasol shakes and bakes in the paint and lays it up, sick move.
• Odom gets the ball on a pick-and-roll with Kobe and lays it up on the reverse.
• Parker gets the ball to Rasho for a baby hook from 3 feet out.
• Fisher finally misses an open three point attempt.
• Parker gets the ball to Rasho in the same spot, but Rasho misses.
• Kobe hits a deep trey off of the penetration and swing pass.
• Parker takes it baseline and draws the foul from Gasol, he hits both from the line.
• Kobe seems like he is toying with the Raptors; man he’s good.
• Ford throws a back-door to Moon for a sweet dunk on the baseline.
• Odom pops a jumper in Bargnani’s eye.
• Ford turns the ball over then fouls Fisher.
• LOL…BC is standing in the dark all pissed off, lol…
• Parker tips the ball away from Turiaf, but misses the off balance jumper on the baseline on the other end.
• Ford hits a running hook shot in the paint over Farmar.
• Walton grabs an offensive rebound off Odom’s missed jumper.
• Turiaf kicks out to an open Odom for the trey.
• Ford hits a jumper inside the arc.

4th Quarter:

• Walton strips Hump of a sure layup, then Farmar hits a jumper on the other end.
• Farmar comes back and hits another jumper on the step back, Raptors timeout.
• Is Graham in the game a sign that Smitch has given up? I’m not sure. I guess if Baston gets in we have our answer.
• TJ drops a floater in traffic on the break.
• Ford threads a sick pass to Graham, who draws the foul going to the rack, he hits both from the line.
• Kobe finds an open Vujacic under the rim for an easy layup.
• TJ penetrates and kicks to Kapono for an open jumper from the elbow.
• Kobe puts it down on the alley-oop from Farmar.
• Turiaf takes it baseline, drawing a foul, hitting both from the line, extending the lead to 10, and icing the game.

Technorati Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Carlos Delfino, Coby Karl, Derek Fisher, Jack Nicholson, Jamario Moon, Jason Kapono, Joey Graham, Jordan Farmar, Kobe Bryant, Kris Humphries, Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers, Luke Walton, Maceo Baston, Pau Gasol, Primoz Brezec, Rasho Nesterovic, Ronny Turiaf, Sam Mitchell, Sasha Vujacic, TJ Ford

Popularity: 31% [?]

Carlos Delfino has had a great season. Picked up for two future 2nd round picks from the Detroit Pistons in the off-season, he flew under the radar as an inconsequential pick-up, a move meant to add bench depth and continue to grow the Raptors’ international flavor. Continue Reading

Popularity: 28% [?]

Sadly, this is a lottery team without Bosh. After leading 32-22 at the end of the first, Smitch decided to go small-ball, and it all fell apart. What a disgusting game. How do you lose to a team that is 19-39? Give them 18 offensive rebounds, open jumpers, play small ball, basically do everything wrong. Two games in a row, and Smitch is exposed as having no strategy other than ride Bosh into the ground. How else do you explain him playing Bosh 40 minutes in a blowout win over the Wolves? That was probably the catalyst for losing Bosh for 4 games. Continue Reading

Popularity: 31% [?]

Couple interesting things about the game tonight: for those of you who follow the money lines - on Wednesday, the spread was Toronto + 14; yesterday it was Toronto + 11; today it was Toronto + 10. Anyways, I took Indiana today, not because I thought the Raptors were going to lose, but because I was thinking the Pacers weren’t going to let the Raptors sweep them so easily, and would really come out of the blocks gunning. Continue Reading

Popularity: 28% [?]

A classic Raptor win: 60% from the field, 53% from behind the arc and 84% from the line. The Raptors ran into a horrible Miami Heat team, and dropped the hammer on their weak asses. This game was more a testament to how bad the Heat are, than how good the Raptors are. I mean, they still shot 60% from the field, but not because of anything other than weak defense by a team full of players I have never heard of.

The Heat still managed to out-rebound the Raptors, scoring most of their points inside of 15 feet, uhm…Sam Mitchell looked extra greasy on the sidelines, his curls were popping. Yea, I got nothing, hard to analyze a game where the Raptors go on a 26-6 run to start the game against a team that has lost 19 of their last 20.

The Raptors have the next 4 days off, when they play the Clippers in another game they should take down. As Arsenalist wrote, the Raptors have an easy schedule this month, and are on well on their way to taking advantage with an cake walk in Miami. If you are interested, here’s my wrap-up:

1st Quarter:

• On a serious note, if the Raptors lose to The Mild Heat, I’m going to boycott something, or start a petition or something.
• Moon starts the game shooting fade away one-handers from the foul line.
• Bargnani forces Blount into Bosh for a missed hook, then comes back down and hits a jumper.
• Bargnani take it baseline for a dunk.
• Parker is butter from behind the arc.
• Bosh finishes a nice feed from Bargnani +1.
• Parker and Bargnani run the pick and roll to perfection for an open jumper.
• Calderon steals the ball, that leads to an open Bosh facial.
• Bargnani penetrates and kicks to Parker for an open trey.
• I’m actually embarrassed for the Heat right now. The Raptors are shooting off the chain (83%), and have a 20 point lead (26-6) in the first.
• Bosh completes a tough layup from the Calderon entry pass, should have got a foul.
• The Heat are clanking shot after shot, FUGLY.
• Some guy on Miami I have never heard of finishes the break with a dunk, and Smitch calls a TO.
• Jack Armstrong likes his men clean shaven.
• Bosh gets a really easy layup in the paint, Shaq looked upset.
• Wade needs to step up and take over, the Heat suck.
• This is a perfect game for Andrea to drop 35, and for TJ to ease back into the swing of things.
• Bosh posts up some guy (don’t know who he is for the life of me), and decides to jack a fade instead of attacking the youngsta, idiot.
• 33-12 at the end of the 1st, lol.

2nd Quarter:

• The Raptors need to step it up and take it to Miami, put them away early, and clear the bench. Joey Graham is getting antsy at the end of the bench.
• True to form, Chris Quinn hits an open jumper to start the 2nd.
• Bargnani answers with a jumper from the elbow.
• The Lord is good, TJ to check in.
• Bargnani drops a sweet dime to Bosh for an open jumper.
• Kapono steals the ball, and Calderon finishes on the break.
• The Raptors are playing sloppy defense, fouling another no name Heat player driving to the rim.
• Ford is officially back in action.
• Ford drops a sick backdoor pass to Kapono.
• Delfino misses a three from the corner off of TJ’s no look pass.
• Hump shoots an airball as time winds down on the clock.
• I didn’t understand a word Lucas said.
• Kapono steals another ball, and hits a jumper on the other end.
• Kapono nails a jumper off of TJ’s penetration.
• Kapono misses a TJ backdoor pass, stopped running.
• Kapono is all over the place, running around a screen for an open jumper.
• Kapono. Kapono. Kapono…lol. He got a bullshit foul called on him. He stripped Wade of the ball, but the refs didn’t think so.
• Wade finishes an alleyoop in transition, Smitch TO.
• Bosh hits a jumper out of the TO. Contrary to what Jack claims, a jumper is not a high percentage shot.
• Johnson takes it to Bosh on the net play.
• Bosh commits a charge.
• Davis hits an open layup off of Wade’s penetration
• Calderon misses an open Bargnani twice in a row. Seems like he only likes to pass to Bosh.
• Humphries blocks a wide open Cook. He is the only guy who contests.
• Not quite what I was hoping for when I said the Raptors have to take it to the Heat, but they go into the half up 18.

3rd Quarter:

• Broken record time: the Raptors need to step up and put the Heat away right now.
• Blount crowns Bosh in transition.
• Bosh is a black hole tonight. At least he is producing…getting fouled on a drive to the rim, he hits both from the stripe.
• Calderon nails the jumper on the pick-and-pop with Bosh.
• Williams hits a wide open three from the elbow extended.
• The Heat are hanging around, trading baskets with the Raptors.
• Wade is warming up…Raptors need to make a couple stops, this is getting ridiculous.
• Bosh grabs a defensive board in traffic, and draws a foul.
• Bosh puts a sick dunk over Wright from a nice entry pass by Parker.
• Calderon hits a trey at the 5:42 mark, and Chuck is calling the game. Second time in a week he has the balls to call the game when it isn’t so obvious. He’s still a pussy.
• Calderon tosses a nice alleyoop to Moon.
• Bargnani nails a trey off of Parker’s penetration.
• Moon misses an easy layup attempt over a no-name Heat player.
• Wade bricked a three from the corner.
• Moon’s jumper is FUGLY.
• Parker hits another trey from the corner.
• This game is boring the shit out of me, the Raptors are only winning because Miami sucks, don’t get it twisted.

4th Quarter:

• Swirsky actually got out the Proscuitto and Provolone, lol.
• Heat front court are taking it to Hump and Bargs on the boards.
• Bosh and Parker were dancing like idiots on the bench.
• Smitch’s soul glow is dripping down his face.
• Delfino gets fouled on the break, converts both.
• TJ dishes a sick behind the back pass to Hump in transition, wow.
• Joey G finally gets in the game with the Raps up 35.
• TJ got out on the break, pump faked, and banked in a shot from a foot.
• RaptorsTV goes to Super Bowl Ads in the middle of the game, that is how bad this game has got.
• I’m uhh..done taking notes.
• Uhmmm…sick dunk by TJ on the baseline…ok I’m done now.

Technorati Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Carlos Delfino, Chris Bosh, Jack Armstrong, Jamario Moon, Jason Kapono, Joey Graham, Kris Humphries, Mark Blount, Miami Heat, Sam Mitchell, TJ Ford

Popularity: 31% [?]

Quality win for the Raptors. Not a must win, but it really was. Can’t be losing to teams who aren’t .500 at this point. Can’t get excited over this win, but I am for one reason: the Hawks went on a 13-2 run to start the 3rd, and the Raptors responded with a run of their own to take a lead into the 4th. You read it, the Raptors withstood a serious run, retook the lead, and held on for the win. Continue Reading

Popularity: 100% [?]

Not much to really write about:

1. Raptors are coming off an emotional double overtime win
2. Pistons are coming off an embarrasing loss to the Knicks
3. Pistons were ready to play, and the Raptors weren’t (tired I think they were) Continue Reading

   Popularity: 33% [?]

What a boring game. I put down my notes halfway through the 3rd because there was no chance the Knick’s were going to come back and take it, I would have bet my left nut on it. I don’t even know what to say, the game sucked the life out of me. Ruined my night. I am really glad the Raptors won, because if we lost to the Knick’s, if we ever lose to the Knick’s this season, the shit storm I will raise will be bad. Continue Reading

Popularity: 28% [?]

Rule # 1: stop the bleeding … check!
Rule # 2: fix the problem … uhmm, working on it.

So the Raptors won a game, I’m not going to say a must win, but it was. Can’t be losing to lesser teams at this point of the season. Those sorts of transgressions can only happen at the beginning of the year when things are being worked out/through; or at the end of the season, when things don’t matter, and Baston, Graham and Martin running wild on the court. Continue Reading

Popularity: 34% [?]