Game 66: Raptors vs. Pacers - Pre-game

So I guess today’s game could be billed as a battle of the teams who are just disillusioned enough to think that they still have a shot at the playoffs. Well, at least the Pacers still have what can be termed as an outside shot of making it, but the Raptors? If Raptors fans are still thinking about the playoffs, I hope they’re talking about the Leafs, not the Raptors…and you know how much I hate the Leafs.

There is a chance that Danny Granger could return to the lineup for the Pacers, who have been without his services for about a month and for the Raptors sake, let’s hope that he isn’t able to return today. The last thing the Raptors need right now is a team still trying to make the playoffs getting an emotional and physical boost from the return of one of their more exciting players.

If you still care about the TJ/Jose thing, then you’re officially an idiot, but both players are playing well right now (although Jose is still not 100% in my opinion). Ford lit up the Hawks Friday night, scoring 29 with 5 assists. It was classic Ford, making cuts and hitting the lane with reckless abandon. It would be nice to see both players play at the top of their games today, just because in the two previous games, we haven’t had the luck of seeing it happen.

In the last 41 games, the Pacers have had 15 in which at the end of regulation the two teams were separated by no more than three points, which might not bode well for the Raptors, who just don’t seem to have the mental toughness to close anything out that is close. We saw it again against the Pistons on Friday night, the Raptors went into overtime and couldn’t pull out a win again, although you have to give them some credit for battling a tough opponent. If this game comes down to the wire, will the Raptors be able to use some muscle to ensure a win? Hopefully, they will be able to take care of Roy Hibbert, who has been playing well lately on the glass. Let’s also hope that they are able to take care of Troy Murphy, who for some reason, they always seem to have some problems with.

3 in the Key

1. Attack the rookie. If Andrea is healthy, the Raptors will need him to go at Hibbert, over whom he has an athletic advantage. Andrea needs to get Hibbert into early foul trouble.

2. Don’t let TJ start getting to the paint. If you can keep TJ outside, then you really don’t have to worry so much about him, but if he starts cutting to the paint, he could have one of those afternoons.

3. Close it out. If it is close down the stretch, the Raptors should have enough options to be able to close one out against the Pacers, even though the Pacers have a better record.

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