<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Wednesday, January 17th (All times eastern) Sacramento Kings (14-21) at Toronto Raptors (18-21), 7 p.m. (Sports Network) - The struggling Sacramento Kings resume their four-game road trip this evening when they visit the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Sacramento has dropped six in a row and lost the opener of the trip on Monday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Kevin Martin poured in 30 points and Shareef Abdur-Rahim added 25 in the 102-97 loss. Ron Artest had 12 points, five boards and five assists in the setback for the Kings, who are 4-10 on the road this season and last in the Pacific Division. Sacramento will also visit Boston and Detroit on the swing. Kings center Brad Miller (personal) is probable for Wednesday's game. Meanwhile, the Raptors have won three of their last four games and will open a five-game homestand Wednesday night. Toronto posted a 104-86 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center on Monday, as Chris Bosh scored 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting and Joey Graham added 18 points off the bench. Anthony Parker chipped in 17 points, while T.J. Ford added 13 points and 11 assists for Toronto, which is tied with New Jersey atop the Atlantic standings. The Raptors are 10-6 at home this season and will also host Utah, Charlotte, New Orleans/Oklahoma City and Boston. Toronto lost to Sacramento, 107-92, on November 12 this season. The Kings have won two of three and six of the last eight meetings. Sacramento has dropped five of its last eight trips to the Air Canada Centre. </div> Could be a trap game for the Raptors. They better be ready to play
Wow those 300 pound weights TJ Ford has been lifting really paid off when brushing off Kevin Martin. This game is all about ball movement. If we can keep it going in our offense we should be able to win. The Kings shot selection tonight has made it easy for us to play good defense, lets hope that continues.
Woah, last time I checked it was like 67-67, now it's 99-85 with 2 minutes to go. I take it Toronto made a big run in the 4th.
Nice game. Calderon played out of his mind in the 2nd half. The ball movement we were getting out of the offense was amazing. Props to the defense too not allowing the Kings to get too many chances. Edit: oh ya and 50 points off the bench !!!! wow
Raps played one hell of a game. Arguably their best of the season: -Bosh actually showed signs of playing within a team offense and passed out of the double team quite a few times. Two instances stand out (one pass to a Bargnani 3 and dropoff to a slashing Mo-Pete) wouldn't have been made in the last few games. -We actually moved the ball on offense. I'm not sure where that came from, because our players still didn't move off the ball, so I think a lot had to do with the Kings' crappy D. -Our perimeter D has become pretty solid this season and it was great tonight. We rotated on the double teams effectively and contested most of the shots. Unfortunately, we're still quite weak downlow and it led to a 3rd quarter Kings run. -Bargnani was probably the only player that had a bad game today. Everyone else played great and unselfish. -A call around the 9 min. mark of the 4th quarter really stood out to me. Peterson jumped into 2 Kings' defenders for a 3 pointer and got no call. I personally think it's a good no call, but any other big-name guard (especially Kobe) would've been shooting 3 free throws immediately. -I actually like our prospects on this homestand, now that we've set a good precedent and started off strong.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Raps played one hell of a game. Arguably their best of the season: </div> against a team under .500 and immersed in a 6 game losing streak. the raps didn't impress me at all until the fourth quarter which follows the usual trend thus far this season. the raps are beating team with their superior depth, which usually manifests itself in the fourth quarter when the other teams starters are gassed, e.g. tonight, the twolves game, nearly the suns game, and a bunch of others.
Yea, I was definitely exaggerating after watching a pretty entertaining game. So I'll take that back. But I was impressed that they actually addressed some problems that have been plaguing them all season (shooting, ball movement, Bosh's selfishness, offensive rebounding).
We're closing in on .500 baby! It's been so long now when we've actually been in contention, I forgot how it felt like, but it's definitely a nice feeling All those years of suffering, makes it sweeter. We are in no means a powerhouse, but I like how we're making huge steps this season.
I thought the 4th quarter may have been the best basketball i've seen from the raptors all year. 1st half was just average though. I agree that some of the ball movement we got was amazing.
It's great how if T.J struggles, we can just put Calderon in and not lose anything at all. There's no dropoff.
<div class="quote_poster">Eclipse Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">It's great how if T.J struggles, we can just put Calderon in and not lose anything at all. There's no dropoff.</div> Ford struggled, but was knocking down key shots that stopped their runs, and when we couldn't get a bucket.
Raps are finally playin good ball... This team will make it to the playoffs by winning the atlantic, that gets us the homecourt advantage. We not only gonna get pass the first round, but we might be in the conference finals...... TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. Im actually impressed with Mitchell as of late anyways.
The Kings are a sub .500 club, but they've had the Raps number for years. They're like Chicago...just a team that we've always struggled against in recent history. So this is a good win for us...looking at the schedule, if we count friday's game against Utah as a loss, and the next 3 as a win, then we'll be at .500...which is more then I could ask for. .500 ball is underachievment for some teams, but for the Raps its an over achievment...in the east it puts you in the playoffs...and all experts and analysts had the Raps going way under .500 and missing the playoffs. We're not there yet...but things are certainly looking good for the future of this club. I thought AP did a terrific job guarding Martin tonight...and Mo picked up his offence when we needed him. Tonights kind of night is what I would like to see out of Joey on a consistant basis. I dont need to see more of those 18 point nights...if he can drop 10ppg on 5 of 7 shooting and a few boards here and there, I'm as happy as can be with Joey's play.
<div class="quote_poster">boshbosh Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Raps are finally playin good ball... This team will make it to the playoffs by winning the atlantic, that gets us the homecourt advantage.</div> Didn't they change things this year where the team with the better record always gets home court in every playoff matchup, regardless of the seed?
<div class="quote_poster">deception Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">furthermore, four of the remaining games are against playoff teams as well as a very good kings team, who the raptors have historically struggled against</div> <div class="quote_poster">deception Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">against a team under .500 and immersed in a 6 game losing streak.</div> A little inconsistent.
<div class="quote_poster">Drunkballer Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">A little inconsistent.</div> hypocrisy? i say so but i enjoyed calling out chutney.
<div class="quote_poster">deception Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">hypocrisy? i say so but i enjoyed calling out chutney.</div> lol, OK.
