Official Game Thread: Orlando @ Toronto (2/7/07)

<div align="center"> <font size=""4"">@</font>
<font size=""4"">Orlando Magic</font> VS. <font size=""4""><font color=""Red"">Toronto Raptors</font></font>

<font size=""4"">25-23, 2nd Southeast</font> <font size=""4"">25-23, 1st Atlantic</font>

<font size=""4"">WHEN:Wed., Feb. 7, 7:00pm
WHERE: Air Canada Centre
TV: NBALP, SCORE
</font>




(click on logo for team stats)

<font size=""4"">Starters</font>

<font size=""1"">Calderon, Parker, Garbajosa, Bosh, Nesterovic</font>

<font size=""4"">Bench</font>

<font size=""1"">Bargnani, Humphries, Graham, Slokar, Ford, Peterson, Martin</font>

<font size=""4"">Team Injuries/Inactive List</font>

<font size=""1"">Sow, Jones</font>



(click on logo for team stats)

<font size=""4"">Starters</font>

<font size=""1"">Nelson, Bogans, Turkoglu, Battie, Howard</font>

<font size=""4"">Bench</font>

<font size=""1"">Arroyo, Milicic, Ariza, Diener, Outlaw, Garrity, Redick</font>

<font size=""4"">Team Injuries/Inactive List</font>

<font size=""1"">Augustine, Dooling, Hill</font>



<font size=""5"">Who's Hot</font>




<font size=""1"">Bosh: 28.7 ppg in last 6 gp / Jose:16 ppg in last 3 gp</font>




<font size=""1"">D12: 16.7 ppg in last 15 gp / Hedo: 17.3 ppg in last 3 gp</font>



<font size=""5"">Key Match-ups </font>


<font size=""3"">Hedo Turkoglu vs. Jorge Garbajosa</font>


<font size=""3"">Jameer Nelson vs. Jose Calderon</font>



<font size=""3"">Fox Sports World's Head to Head Match-ups</font>
(click either player photo to see numbers against one another)

PG vs. PG

SG vs. SG

SF vs. SF

PF vs. PF

C vs. C




(click on image for preview *NOTE: only available on "Game Day")



<font size=""4"">Prediction</font>

<font size=""4""><font color=""Red"">Raptors</font></font> - 110
<font size=""4"">Magic</font> - 106</div>

Magic roll into town playing so-so over the last month. Without Hill, Hedo has done an admirable job filling in and D12 is continuing his stellar play this season. They'll make it close, but in the end I feel another "W" on the horizon. ray:

Predict and discuss!

<div align="center"><font size=""4"">New Raptor Mascot</font>



Eva Mendes</div>

 

Great job with the game preview, as always.

Although we won the last game against Orlando, i feel this matchup is going to be much tougher. The magic were playing under their potential last game and should be a tough opponent. Hopefully Bargnani can have as good a game as he had last time.

 

Beat me to the preview, J. Nice one, nonetheless (can't go wrong with Eva).

Orlando and Toronto are currently tied, so this is a pretty significant game if the Raps are serious about fighting for 1st in the conference. The Magic really broke out of their recent slump in a big way against the Nets. We can't rely on our shooters to bail us out in this game, though (like last night or Bargnani did against Orlando last time). Rasho is the key, IMO. Last time he managed to prevent Dwight from establishing position and did a great job on defense. We'll need that again.

 

You know the Raps are doing well when the previews are going up 2 days before the game....Love it.

I hope this isn't a let down. When I look at the East, I don't see anyone under the Nets challenging for a playoff birth. I think thats gonna leave 9 teams and 8 playoff spots. If the raps can get some breathing space in the Atlantic, it looks ripe for the picking. A win against Orlando will go a long way in terms of confidence especially if the Raps don't win the division.

 

Well done on the preview. Raptors will be well rested for this game, also the Magic play tuesday night in Milwaukee so hopefully they're legs will be tired.

Magic have struggled lately especially Dwight Howard. Howard is Avg 14.09 pts per game in his last 11 games and his rebounding #'s are way down. Hopeully he has hit the wall cause he was absolutely dominant to start the season.

ACC should be rocking.

 

Amazing preview as always J.

I smell another raps W with this game too. I'm not as confident about the Lakers and Bulls games, so getting 3 games over .500 is important before those two games.

 

Knowing Sam, Rasho will probably do a great job on Dwight early on and then take him out and not put him back in the game until the second half.

This should be a good one though. Lets pass the Magic in the standings

 

2 days rest, at home, Magic on a back-to-back. Sounds like a win to me.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Bobcats Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">2 days rest, at home, Magic on a back-to-back. Sounds like a win to me.</div>

Agreed, the fact that they're coming off the back to back while we've got a 3day rest is a huge factor. This is a huge game for us in terms of placing in the conference and proving ourselves as well. Hopefully we win this game and use the confidence and go to Chicago playing strong.

 

Good news, New Jersey just lost 100-98 to Philly in OT.

 

its funny how the nets are 3.5 games out of 1st in the division...and with a win tonight, the raps are only 3.5 games out of 1st in the conferance.

 

We need this one because the next 3 are going to be tough with the Lakers, Pistons and the Bulls. We could easily lose all three.

 

U2 Vertigo is the introduction song? Wow...

 

27-24 Orlando after the first quarter. We definitely let a crappy offensive team like Orlando score 100+.

 

BOSH: "MVP, MVP, MVP"

Ford and Calderon lethal


Nets won a tight one in Hotlanta. Carter made a driving layup with 7 seconds to take the lead and then some chump for Atlanta missed the game winning jumper.

Nets 87 Atlanta 85

 

Bosh with a career high 41!

Nice win. I can definitely get used to this. Tied for fifth in the conference

 

You mean they're 4th because that's what they are... but if you're looking at it from a pure record standpoint than yes 5th..

This is just awesome, i can feel the chemistry bubbling within the team... the point guards, not enough can be said about them, double doubles for both Ford and Calderon.

It seems that everyone knows where everyone is on the court, it is amazing. I admit that our defense still is somewhat shaky but it will come.

P.S - I like it when Bargnani drives to the hole hard.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Mr.Wade Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">You mean they're 4th because that's what they are... but if you're looking at it from a pure record standpoint than yes 5th..
</div>

Yes, I like to look at our actual standing, just in case something happens to our division title.

 

The rate bosh was scoring in the 3rd quarter was amazing, i've never seen such instant offense from our guy.

Ford and Calderon again were key. Things keep clicking. I also liked the way we ran the break at times during this game.

On the downside I wasn't a fan of our defense. We spent way too much time chasing guys around the 3 point arc. We're still slow to react on our rotations and we're running out to catch shooters. JJ was open a little too often for my liking.

 

Chris Bosh is the real deal.

He can score from anywhere on the court and in a few years he and the Raptors will both be very scary.