Raptors Rapid Recap - Toronto 94 - Minnesota 88
by RaptorsHQ - Franchise on Dec 8, 2009 10:16 PM EST
in Game Day
17 comments
-If you're a fan of fast-paced, action-packed, lights-out shooting offence...well...this game wasn't for you.
-Toronto outlasted Minnesota despite shooting a putrid 32 PER CENT from the field, winning their ugliest game of the year. Neither team could get it going as Minny shot only 37 per cent themselves, and combined, the two teams were 5 of 37 from downtown.
-And yes, that ugly 3-point shooting meant that Toronto's NBA record for 3-point makes was in jeopardy. It wasn't until about five minutes left in the game that Andrea Bargnani hit a long-range bomb to extend the streak, and Antoine Wright hit one even later...just for good measure. Funny thing was, the Raps desperately needed both as the Wolves were pressing hard.
-Chris Bosh was a workman again despite playing under the weather and he finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds. And Jarrett Jack, who started in place of the injured Jose Calderon, had 17 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds. Minnesota was led by Kevin Love with 18 and 7, and Jonny Flynn with 17 points and 8 assists.
-So what won this game for the Raptors in the end? Ironically, free-throw shooting. Toronto got to the line an incredible 48 times, making 40 of them. Minnesota? Only 23 attempts.
-Again, this was hardly a marquee performance by the Raps, but one that was nevertheless a solid win as they ground things out despite not being able to hit the broad side of a barn door. One thing is for certain, the team can't play like this tomorrow night against the Bucks (who gave the Celtics all they could handle tonight) so hopefully TO puts this one FAR behind them and moves on...
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Solid win
This one should of never been close. Solid defensive effort.
We shot 2 of 21 from 3. Thats what? 10%. And a lot of them were good clean looks. Only reason it was close was because of that..
Our inside game was great. A ridiculous 48 trips to the line, If I were a TWolves fan I’d be bitching about the refs.
Defense was good, although Minny is not the best challenge.
Only bad I see is that Bargnani has completely stopped bringing the ball to the net. If his shot isn’t falling he has to be able to go to the hole.
On the positive, he didn’t give up. Got some solid boards in the fourth and a nice put back tip-in. His D didn’t hurt us.
I love seeing a team find a way to win when the shots aren’t falling. The number of free throws shot by the Raps was impressive.
But the question is: Why couldn’t the offence get going against this horrific Minnesota squad?
Jack had a nice line and all, but I think Calderon was greatly missed tonight. Maybe not on defence though. Haha.
by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Dec 8, 2009 10:34 PM EST reply actions
Ya, they really missed Calderon tonight. This game is exactly the reason I wouldn’t want to see him traded. The team looked completely lost out there at times on offense. The entire Raptors team finished with 14 assists. I’m too lazy to look, but I’m guessing that’s pretty close to a season low.
Even though he didn’t play well tonight, I would have liked to have seen Belinelli play some backup PG. There are many times I feel he’s got a better feel for the game than Jack. Apparently not tonight, though.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
damn streak
Question for Leo and Matt: what is the Raptors record during “the streak” that they talked about all night? Why are they talking about some three-pointer streak? It’s irrelevant. Talk about the game.
I second that notion. Matt Devlin is the worst thing i have ever seen or heard. He has no idea what he is talking about. His sentences don’t make sense. I can pick out several times in any game where he is just flat out wrong in what he had just said. It also doesn’t help his case that he is a huge douche bag, and looks like he has been arrested for sexual deviation in the past.
I can honestly say that I spend alot of time while watching the raps, just swearing at Devlin through the tv screen. PLEASE FIRE THIS GUY AND GET SWIRSK BACK. Chuck wasn’t a basketball expert, but his commentary was at the least entertaining and fluid.
AND WHAT’S WITH HIS F’N HAIRCUT!!!!!
Yeah
Chuck was Raptors basketball. He joined the Raptors in Vince’s rookie year, right when I started to take notice of this basketball franchise in my city. Chuck wasn’t an expert, but you don’t need the play-by-play guy to be one. I want my local play-by-play guy to have flair and personality a bit like Joe Bowen has with the Leafs. He reflected the excitement of the VC years, he brought passion during the Babcock disaster and than into the BC transition.
Devlin is monotonous and boring. Oh well.
by torontocoltsfan on Dec 9, 2009 5:23 PM EST up reply actions
A couple of thoughts...
1) Marcus Banks is a disaster as the backup PG. The ghost of WIll Solomon is haunting this team!
2) Bosh’s scoring is down because he’s not getting to the line for whatever reason.
…and, I hope no one is celebrating after squeaking by the 2nd worst team in the league. If the Raps can get by the Bucks, and take either the Hawks game or the Rockets game, I’d be far more excited. However, I’m ready for a letdown, especially if Banks has to put in minutes.
I was actually surprised how many times I thought Bosh got fouled but didn’t get a call. He did seem to take more jumpers than usual tonight, but that’s because that’s what was given to him.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
It did look at the end like they were lining up three players between Bosh and the basket.
I've been looking at the sky
by Back In Black on Dec 9, 2009 1:12 PM EST up reply actions
Banks
It’s more or less his first game of the season, I knoe he’s a professional ans should be ready but I hope this run prepares him to do much better tomorrow.
Me, I think they’re suddenly missing Douby a lot more than they’ve enjoyed Mensah-Bonsu.
I've been looking at the sky
by Back In Black on Dec 8, 2009 11:54 PM EST up reply actions
Why, because Douby looks better sitting on a bench? I don’t think it matters one way or the other. Banks wasn’t needed, but Triano might as well give him some burn. As I said above, I would have played Belinelli at backup PG. This is a far cry from last year when Anthony Parker was the best option at backup PG.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
Only because my feeling was Douby was higher on the PG depth chart than Banks. His 11 minutes with 0 assists and 1 for 4 shooting helped to keep this game close. I think you can certainly pin at least some of the 10 point bench performance on the backup point guard.
I would have liked to see more Belinelli time too, but we didn’t, and he was available.
I've been looking at the sky
by Back In Black on Dec 9, 2009 1:17 PM EST up reply actions
This was the Raptors best game of the year.
Don’t disrespect Minnesota’s effort who were 2-2 in their last 4 games with wins over Utah in Minny & Denver in Denver, both teams who Rap’s struggled with.
The Raptors won with their DEFENSIVE effort (as strange as that sounds) with their defensive stats, and current reputation, and AGGRESIVE EFFORT on going to the basket ( 48 FTA’s) when nobody could make a shot at a season worst 32% FGA’s.
This was a perfect trap game that last year, and earlier this year they would have lost 10 out of 10 times. Turk, Andrea, Jack, and Wright made big clutch plays in the last 4-1/2 mins to ensure the win, that was in doubt till the end.
They really missed Calderon, although Jack did an excellent job in filling in, he was not as good on the P&R offense, and was sorley missed with the bench players depending on Banks in his stead, who was unable to do anything near as well.
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