<div align="center"> vs Toronto Raptors (17-31) vs San Antonio Spurs (37-10) Local TV: Toronto (The Score), San Antonio (FSNSW) Venue: Air Canada Centre Date: Wednesday, Feb. 8th, 2006 TipOff time: 7:10 PM Eastern</div> [DIV=50%] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"> <font size="1">Mike James-Morris Peterson-Jalen Rose-Chris Bosh-Antonio Davis</font> <font size="3">Key Reserves</font> <font size="1">Pape Sow-Jose Calderon-Joey Graham-Pape Sow</font> <font size="3">Coach</font> <font size="1">Sam Mitchell</font></div> <font size="3">Key Injuries</font> Rafael Araujo (Shoulder Bruise) - Out [/DIV] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"> <font size="1">Tony Parker-Manu Ginobili-Bruce Bowen-Robert Horry-Rasho Nesterovic</font> <font size="3">Key Reserves</font> <font size="1">Michael Finley-Nick Van Exel-Nazr Mohammed-Brent Barry</font> <font size="3">Coach</font> <font size="1">Greg Popovich</font></div> <font size="3">Key Injuries</font> Tim Duncan (Flu) - Questionable Robert Horry (Knee) - Game-time decision <font size=""3"">Let The Sir Speak:</font> Barkley after the spurs received their 04-05 championship rings: "They [The NBA] could save some time and just give em the rings they're gonna give em next year." <font size="3">Prediction</font> With or without Duncan, the Spurs are a load to handle. Parker is third in the league in points in the paint so you know he'll get his. It's the Bruce Bowens, Van Exels, Mohammeds and Berrys that killed us over the years. Spurs win a close one, 95-93. <div align="center"> </div>
I'd just like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that we selected Michael Bradley over Tony Parker. Cheers.
If Toronto loses this game, they can look at the fact that Sean Marks (Sean Marks???) outscored the entire Raps bench by himself.
The Raptors quit going to Bosh in overtime and that cost us the game. That, and the missed free throws. Antonio Davis has pissed me off in his first game in his second stint as a Raptor. 1-6 from the line, missing two in OT that would have given us the lead. Pape Sow, meanwhile, went 4-5 in 7 minutes. Ironic, huh?
The Raptors lost this game from the freethrow line in the OT. Also MIke James kept forcing the issue. Bosh needed some touches in the OT.
I actually wished the Raptors bought out AD after this game. Missed two free throws and a wide open layup at the end of regulation, missed two free throws and had the ball go right through his fingers for a turnover in overtime I don't know what Mitchell is trying to do. AD hadn't played this many minutes this whole season.
Seemed to me that Mike James didn't trust his teammates to make a play as game wound down. If we're going to sign him for the future, he's going to have to learn that he can't win the game by himself. AD's free throw shooting was horrible, but it wasn't the reason we lost. In fact, he was an upgrade at the center position. His presence in the post allowed Bosh to have a big game. It didn't show on the stat sheets, but he had a pretty solid game.
Raptors need to play some major and i mean major defense. They've i think given up over 110+ points in the past week or so.. And yes the FT killed the Raptors..
Wow, Sean Marks came out of no where, where was our D. But the bottom line is that we didnt hit our FT's and played very poorly in OT. And Tony Parker lit us up.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Eclipse:</div><div class="quote_post">I actually wished the Raptors bought out AD after this game. Missed two free throws and a wide open layup at the end of regulation, missed two free throws and had the ball go right through his fingers for a turnover in overtime I don't know what Mitchell is trying to do. AD hadn't played this many minutes this whole season.</div> Well the fact that he's actually getting to the line is good thing.... and let's also not forget that key put back he made at the end of regulation.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dunksworth:</div><div class="quote_post">Well the fact that he's actually getting to the line is good thing.... and let's also not forget that key put back he made at the end of regulation.</div> Sorry, but that doesn't make up for the 6 free points that he should have had. At the very least make a couple of those free throws.
^i admit, the missed free throws and the butter fingers at the end were pretty bad, but if u're saying that we're better off w/o him then I beg to differ. C'mon, we got freakin Araujo and Pape Sow as our starting centers! AD isn't the same guy who was once an all-star for our team, but he can definitely help us out a WHOLE lot... As for the game, we played terribly defensively, but a few positives stuck out: We outrebounded them 69-62 and we beat them in points in the paint 52-44...... these are some of the things we're terrible at and we did a good job w/ it tonight against one of (if not, the) best teams in the league.... not too shabby
After seeing Eva Longoria as the poster girl in the game thread, now i wish toronto play spurs everyday so that i can see different maxim pics of her
I don't think we're better off without him but I do think that we should play him sparingly off the bench and not the 30 odd minutes he played tonight. Especially when Pape and Graham played 9 and 7 minutes respectively. It's not going to do us any good to play AD so much, especially when he's going to be gone next season. Why not give the young guys a chance? I was afraid that Mitchell would give away all their minutes to Davis and from the looks of things right now, I was right to be think that way. Pape has played pretty well lately and even I, who was skeptical of what he could do, am impressed so far.
already hating on AD?!?!? what's up with you so called Raps fans??? He played solid ball and CB wouldn't have had the game he did without Davis in there playing solid tough ball, he's not gonna light it up like he used to but that isn't what we need. So he missed some free throws, so did Mike James and no one is crying about that. Let's not forget that without his putback he wouldn't have even had the chance to miss the free throws. I think we lost this game in overtime b/c we couldn't get the ball to Bosh who had Bowen on him, while Bowen is a good defender he is significantly smaller than Bosh. Instead we had Mike James taking too long in the shotclock holding onto the ball and then chucking up a long jumpshot. As for playing Pape, the more minutes he played the more likely he would not have been able to continue. Also by playing AD so much it gives Hoffa and Pape the chance to watch what needs to be done and how they should try and play.
we're nott hating AD, we're stating the truth, that he missed crucial shots that costed us the game. HE got a really nice pass by CB4 under the net and he missed the backboard lay in. But, i think hes just not gettin used to the new teammates. We all know AD is not going to be staying long here, but he did the right thing and showed up like a pro. Anyways dont hate the player, hate the game. Toronto didnt do a good job on tony parker. still wishin alvin was back.
One thing I definately have to say is that the Spurs whole defense is vastly different without Duncan in the lineup. Wow, I didn't know he had that much defensive impact, but they didn't even look close to the same defensive team, especially down the stretch, we were scoring quite easily inside the paint for the most part, and their were a lot of second chance oppurtunities.
Manu Ginobili signed my SLAM September '05 magazine w/ him, Horry and Duncan in the cover. It was truly a good night, even though the Raps lose a close one.
