<div align="center"> <font size=""4"">@</font> <font size=""4"">Houston Rockets</font> VS. <font size=""4""><font color=""Red"">Toronto Raptors</font></font> <font size=""4"">40-25, 3rd Southwest</font> <font size=""4"">36-29, 1st Atlantic</font> <font size=""4"">WHEN: Fri., Mar. 16, 7:00pm WHERE: Air Canada Centre TV: NBALP, TSN, TSNHD </font> (click on logo for team stats) <font size=""4"">Possible Starters</font> <font size=""1"">Ford, Parker, Garbajosa, Bosh, Nesterovic</font> <font size=""4"">Bench</font> <font size=""1"">Bargnani, Dixon, Humphries, Graham, Martin, Slokar, Peterson</font> <font size=""4"">Team Injuries/Inactive List</font> <font size=""1"">Sow, Calderon</font> (click on logo for team stats) <font size=""4"">Starters</font> <font size=""1"">Alston, McGrady, Battier, Howard, Ming</font> <font size=""4"">Bench</font> <font size=""1"">Tsakalidis, Hayes, Head, Synder, Lucas, Novak, Mutumbo</font> <font size=""4"">Team Injuries/Inactive List</font> <font size=""1"">Spanoulis, Sura, Wells</font> <font size=""5"">Who's Hot</font> <font size=""1"">Bosh: 24.2 ppg, 50 FG% in last 5 gp / Ford: 20.6 ppg in last 3 gp</font> <font size=""1"">Tmac: 27 ppg in last 13 gp / Yao: 23.7 ppg in last 3 gp</font> <font size=""5"">Key Match-ups </font> <font size=""3"">Tracy McGrady vs. Anthony Parker</font> <font size=""3"">Yao Ming vs. Rasho Nesterovic</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> - 90 <font size=""4"">Rockets</font> - 96</div> Although I was wrong with my prediction the last time these teams played, with Yao back and the Rockets relatively heathly I'm gonna say we lose a close one Friday night against our Houston foes. Predict and discuss! <div align="center"><u><font size=""5"">Raptor Babe(s) of the Game</font></u> </div>
The raps really haven't been playing that well lately (with the exception of T.J.) even though we're winning. We'll probably get eaten alive on the glass and lose this one. I do think Bargnani will have a huge game though, I just don't see Houston's big men closing out fast enough on him from 3.
I was impressed with our defense last night, though. It was probably the best D we played since the All-Star Break. I'm skeptical about how we match up against a Houston team with Yao Ming. Hopefully we can get them caught up in a shooting contest again.
Houston should be smarting from the beat down we gave them a couple weeks ago on their homecourt no less. I expect them to want to come out and do the same to us. Copnversly the Raptors winners of 4 in a row should be fat and happy. It's a shame gambling is illegal cause its an even/money line and if gambling were legal I would bet my life savings on houston to win (-1). Houston in a Blow Out, Book It.
This is going to be tough. The Raps have to play better than they have been playing lately. Parker can limit TMac and then we'll just let Yao do whatever he has to do. Raps by 5
I didn't realize Calderon and Parker wouldn't be playing. That really changes my expectations. I'm loving Bargnani's play so far. It's the first time this season where he's given me the impression that he could play center in the future. He's clearly weaker than Yao, but is doing a good job of not giving him great position.
<div class="quote_poster">Drunkballer Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Houston should be smarting from the beat down we gave them a couple weeks ago on their homecourt no less. I expect them to want to come out and do the same to us. Copnversly the Raptors winners of 4 in a row should be fat and happy. It's a shame gambling is illegal cause its an even/money line and if gambling were legal I would bet my life savings on houston to win (-1). Houston in a Blow Out, Book It.</div> Bookmakers of the world, offer me a job!!
I had to listen to this game on Radio until the fourth quarter when i finally made my way home. Eric Smith kept saying Bargnani was doing a decent job on Yao defensively ... any of this true ?
<div class="quote_poster">a13x Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I had to listen to this game on Radio until the fourth quarter when i finally made my way home. Eric Smith kept saying Bargnani was doing a decent job on Yao defensively ... any of this true ?</div> Neh, he was aggressively fronting Yao but to Yao's credit, Bargnani had the help of constant double teams. I thought that Rasho did a much better job.
