Game 67: Raptors vs. Bobcats - Pre-game
Coming off a big win over the Pacers, the Raptors will hope to continue to abuse the luck of the Irish as much as possible. I figure, hey, St. Patty’s isn’t until Tuesday, so the Raptors are full within their rights to wear the lucky green jerseys again on Monday, no? Hell, wear them for the rest of the season if it means they can come up with some more wins. I’m not thinking playoffs, but honestly, it’s just nice to see a win every once in a while. It mixes things up.
So while I am in the mood for making comments about uniforms, let me remind you that the Raptors are playing the Bobcats, whose uniforms and logo are ridiculous, especially for a relatively new team. Now that I have that out of my system, let’s get on with things.
The Bobcats are at least moving in the right direction. They’re 5 wins ahead of the Raptors and have a decent mix of scoring and defense. They have a coach who understands the game, but realistically, who knows if he is just going to up and quit at any moment he feels like it (or if a better opportunity presents itself). The Raptors have already taken two from the Bobcats this season, so the chance to sweep them is there if they are able to pick up a win here and then again on the 20th, but let’s not go crazy. This is a Raptors team that more often than not, disappoints.
If there is one thing the Raptors should have learned from their win over the Pacers, it’s that when you are able to hold teams under 100 points, you have a better chance of winning. I know, it almost sounds like a stupid thing to say, but it really becomes crystal clear when you look at the Raptors this year.
The Raptors should also all be taking note of the effort that is coming from the man simply known as Pops. Sure, there is a little bit of over-hype going on with Pops, but come on, the city is starving for anything right now. If there is something the fans of Toronto love, no matter what the sport, it is a guy who goes out and hustles, isn’t afraid to get dirty and shows a love for the game. Think about it. There weren’t many guys more loved in the Blue Jays organization than Reed Johnson (when he was around). Leaf fans are still in love with Dougie. Argo fans will always love Pinball. Possibly one of the best loved Raptors was JYD. It just vibes with the city.
The Raptors are going to have to be careful that they don’t sleep on anybody in this game, because the Bobcats have some balanced scoring in their lineup. Six times this season, the lineup of Boris Diaw, Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor, Raja Bell and Raymond Felton has created a scenario where each player was in double figures. The team overall has done it eight times. It almost looks like they are starting to gel, starting to figure things out a bit more.
The Raptors are going to have to play some good D, pulling down boards and then make sure that the offence turns defensive stops into offensive points. Like I said, I’m not thinking about the playoffs, but to quote Nuke Laloosh, “Winning, it’s like, better than losing.”
3 in the Key
1. The Raptors can’t let Boris Diaw get going from behind the arc. He could put them in a hole early if he gets into one of his moods.
2. Keep feeding the bigs. Bosh and Bargs have been playing well together, with Bargs showing some toughness. Keep it going in there.
3. Hustle on the boards. Pops and Joey need to continue to demonstrate the hustle needed to win.
Linkage for Mar 14 8am to Mar 16 8am - Raptors Republic on March 16th, 2009
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