Tip-In: Round One

How mad was Frank that Atlantic CBC didn't play the game? VERY. Turned on "Wind at my Back", and almost had a conniption.

benjibopper concurs with frank, only for me in hali it was gd fasiontv.

I am actually impressed that the Raps took the C's to overtime, on a night that they shot 36%, Bargnani was a non-factor, and CB4 until the 4th was invisible. Despite all this, their defense kept them in the game until they made their run. If the D was that of 2 years ago, when J-Rose and gang ruled, this would have been a huge blow out. So I am happy despite the loss. If the Raps had had even an "OK" shoot night, this game would have been over without OT, an the Raps would have won.

I have to say I thought this game was literally unbearable to watch with everything the Raps throwing up (save TJ) clanking off the rim, or worse, missing it all together.

How can it be though that a Raptors team shooting so ice cold could manage to get this team to OT?

Kudos:

- Sam Mitchell. When the Raps were barely showing a pulse early on he found something that worked (TJ) and he kept going to it. Everything else he switched away from after giving it a good whirl.

- TJ Ford. A few more games like the last few and he'll be a lock for an all-star nod. They won't be able to ignore numbers like he is putting up.

- Kapono and Flipper: both the SF's Colangelo brought in had solid if unspectacular games. Flipper was a better defensive presence, but Kapono hit some key late shots to bring the game close.

Bricks:

- Bargnani and Bosh. For both our two superstars-on-the-cusp to flounder in the same game is immensely frustrating. Bosh looked bewildered at times by the Celtics D, and he forced way too many opportunities. And Bargs couldn't hit the ground with the ball if he dropped it. Wide open look after wide open look simply failed to go in, or in some cases, land in the same hemisphere as the basket.

In both cases though, the players were still a surprisingly tenacious force on D. Bosh had a couple of momentum swinging blocks, and Bargs was even seen to be a force on the glass.

The bad news: After a night where everything went right for them against NJ we just saw what happens when everything goes wrong.

The good news: Everything went wrong for us and we still took the popular favourites to dethrone us as Atlantic champs to OT before losing on an all-star caliber shot.

that was such a boring first 3/4 I found myself switching between golf and the game. Did not live up to the hype. Looking forward to another chapter in the raptor and new look celtics

For the first half, I wasn't even sure what I was looking at. The raps were tight, intimidated, and ball movement was non-existant. Instead they pounded it inside and ran isolations for tj's hot hand. Even a mediocre shooting night would have won this one for the raps, but those damn celtics just would not leave the shooters. Overall I found myself strangley impressed because this grinding kind of half court style is what things come down to in the playoffs and the raps kept themselves in it. It's too bad we didn't steal this one, because these celts are going to be scary good if they all stay healthy.

Hoy benjibopper, I'm a Haligonian as well! Wind at my Back came on at 4, I didn't get to try and watch the game till then. Power was out for me :P

Going to go watch the Rainmen home opener? I'll be there.

A few points:

- Bargnani has been so good that sometimes its tough to remember that he's only in his second year. Games like this are to be expected, but I bet he bounces back in a big way against the Bucs.
- I guess as bad as the Raps were, they still had a shot to win. The good thing is it looks like Bosh, who was mostly absent the first 2 3/4 games, now has his legs back. - I want Juan Dixon to get less burn. He's a defensive liability and his offense isn't good enough ot make up for it. That being said, I don't mind him as our 8th or 9th guy in the rotation.
- I wonder if Bill Simmons still thinks the Raps are only a 39 win team?

my favourites number of the game were 44, 46 and 49 - kg, peirce and allen's minutes repectively. Can they keep this up all season? raps only had bosh at 44, rest under 40.

Did he or did he not, take over the game when it mattered?
I am talking about Chris Bosh, did he not get Kevin Garnett out of the game with five fouls!
Nothing was dropping...Hurts!

I'll tell you why we lost this game...it comes downs to confidence, see they hate jersey, its easy to get riled up!
No one hates KG, RA or PP, they're good guys that these Raps probably cheer for in the playoffs.
They're all stars and on paper they look dangerous, well they are DANGEROUS!!
Would i make a trade for them with any of my Future stars, hell no, but if i know one thing, if these raps had to make a bet on the side without none the wiser, who do u think they'd bet on to win??

They walked into the game defeated, those bricks weren't good defense it was nerves and its the only reason we lost.
oh
yeah
One more thing, Ray Allen totally pushed Parker into the screen by Garnett........watch the game in an hour on TV, not the highlights, and you'ill catch it!

Peas&Luv

Keon Clark statement

"They walked into the game defeated, those bricks weren't good defense it was nerves and its the only reason we lost. "

You hit it on the head and we have seen this before with this team especially Bosh but He is leaarning. Our big game player since last year TJ without a doubt.

Frank: i hope to see some rainmen games, gotta check their sched.

I was pleased with what I saw of the Celtics game. The Raps played has if they too have been reading the press clippings regarding the big three and were tight as I have ever seen them but yet they were never quite out of the game. They concentrated on defense until they found their stroke which wasn’t until the 4th quarter. Having chance to win this game with an abysmal shooting percentage in overtime is in itself a confidence booster against a team like the Celtics. They learnt sometime about themselves. This performance can only help them in the many games to follow.

I was impressed with how the Raptors kept the game close despite their horrendous shooting. I like that we outrebounded the celtics on the offensive glass, had fewer turnovers and more blocks. The Raps defence was solid all game without many breakdowns - I lost count of the number of shot-clock violations called against Boston. That being said, I disagreed with Mitchell's decision to stop double teaming Garnett in overtime, especially after he started killing us down low time and time again. Juan Dixon did a great job of doubling down at the end of the fourth, getting the ball out of Garnett's hands and quickly getting back to his man. It also took the Raptors too long at the start of the game to figure out they shouldn't leave Ray Allen alone on the three point line. Ever.

My $0.02:

- All aboard the TJF bandwagon! Paraphrasing Tony the Tiger, he was "simmpplee greaaat!" My only issue with Mitchell was when NOTHING was working in the first half, I thought we could have seen a little of Calderon and Ford play together.

- "My momma said there gonna be nights like this". Enough said. Now lets see how they take it out on Milwaukee.

Was at the game so missed out on some of the replays but have a few questions: 1)At the end of one Dixon hit a shot that wasn't counted. It looked like it beat the buzzer to me but the refs didn't even review it. What did I miss? 2) At the end of regulation, I thought the Raps still had one time out left, so instead of Delfino launching a 3/4 court shot, I was sure they should have called time. Did I miscount somewhere?
And I must say, the fans yesterday were brilliant. Even with a game as bad as that for the first 3/4's, they were never quiet for long. Even my dad said his throat was sore by the end of the game!

Dixon's shot looked late on tv and Delfino made an error there was 1 time out left he just did not call for it

To add to the possible reasons why the raps played so tight to start, I have to wonder if the CBC tv coverage had anything to do with it. National in Canada and probably a lot of US stations picked it up because the C's are the big whoop. Just thinking last year, the raps lost a big nationally(US) televised game I seem to recall, or at leas came out super tight for no apparent reason.

yeah, good game for what it was. bosh mos def was trying too hard early on, but man did he pick it up in the 4th. looked like good old cb4 taking the scrubs to school on ISO's. he still isn't even %100, which is a great sign of things to come.

unfortunately bargs still sucks pretty hard when his shot isn't falling. he gets all twitchy with the fakes and pumps but doesn't actually go anywhere. he'll figure it out, no doubt.

now that I've seen boston in action, I'm not too worried. without help, the big 3 will win games, but they won't last. toronto's bench will definitely be the difference down the road.

with the payroll Boston must have paying the big 3 does anybody know if they can afford to trade for more help this year and get a more quality bench?

Disappointed with end result - when TJ tied it at the end of regulation I thought OT was ours. Can't wait for our next game against them.
After watching perhaps the ugliest first half possible, cannot criticize our effort in second half.
An observation and not a criticism- CB4 needs help on Garnett(as does every other team).

Watched the US feed late last night as I was traveling during game time. Man is Chuck amazing compared to some of the other broadcasters out there. The Boston crew are such hommies it’s unbelievable! Apparently, Boston is the best defensive team in the league as they managed to stop Toronto’s shooters. Really amazing how they defended those wide open shots we weren’t making. Every foul called against Boston was a tick tack foul and most missed Boston baskets were a blown foul call by the refs. Unbelievable. Oh, and by the way, Rondo is much faster than TJ and TJ was only blowing by him repeatedly due to Rondo’s foul troubles.

Unfortunately, the US feed lost the video signal for the last two plays of the game so I missed Allen’s shot.

Not sure what’s going on with Bosh. He really looks like he picked up where he left off with NJ last year. He doesn’t seem capable of creating his own shot unless he is matched up against inferior players. He needs to get to the basket against everyone! He needs to do the things that will help him succeed like catching the ball closer to the basket and having a faster move to the basket!

Rubik, why would you have Calderon in there instead of a better shooter like Dixon?

Wasn’t the time out a 20? If so, there is no point calling it as you can’t advance the ball so there isn’t much of an advantage.

Maybe they were tight because of the 2:30 start time. They aren’t used to playing then.

P.S. Franchise, I had the same thought. When Garnet came back with 5, why not go after him? They didn't call one play for the player KG was defending.

Erezona, I also had the US feed. For everyone who watched the CBC feed, let me tell you, you don't know torture unless you watch a game announced by Tommy Heinsohn. He whines about EVERY call that doesn't go the Celtics way. Four games a year I have to listen to this guy. Ugh... I'm glad the feed cut out at the end of overtime, and I was spared having to listen to his gloating.

LAs Only Raptor Fan, did I hear him correctly suggesting that a couple of the Raptors should be delt with off the court like in the old days? Was he suggesting what I thought he was?

How can this guy be on the air? Did he win some NBA analyst survivor contest?

Was at the game, sigh. Erezona is definitely correct, it was a 20 second time out so even if Delfino called the time out in the end of regulation the Raps would have had to start from their own end.

I too am really unsure why Smitch didn't get double coverage on KG in OT (obviously maintaining a defender on Ray Ray, not that it mattered this game). Bosh also had 5 fouls by OT so it's not like he could play agressive D on KG.

I must give props to Posey and House, both of whom hit some big shots since Rondo stunk up the joint. It's not THAT weak a bench if the Celts stay 7 deep like the Suns do, or go 8 deep if Tony Allen gets his legs back. Then again, if one of their big 3 misses a lot of time, they will really be exposed, and the Raps, conversely, won't. Bring on the Aussie, Chali V and the Big Yee.

Erezona - "How can this guy be on the air? Did he win some NBA analyst survivor contest?"

Actually Tommy Heinsohn is a Hall of Fame player for the Celts. I guess he is expected to be the perfect homer for Beantown.

"Rubik, why would you have Calderon in there instead of a better shooter like Dixon?"

Because there was non-existent ball movement in the first half, Celts were playing off of TJ who was making them pay, but I didn't many moves to the cup. Figured with 2 guards it would open up the offense.

Some great points about the Celtics' commentators...Chuck is over the top but recently I've noticed just how bad some of the US feeds are...Houston, Boston, and the Magic have always been one of the worst. Home team favouritism doesn't come close to describing the calls...

That being said, if I have to see Chuck at a spa or fondling onions all year...