<table border="1" class="gamePreview"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="center" colspan="2"> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana">When: Sunday November 25th, 2007 @ 12:00PM EST Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON TV/Radio: CBC, FAN 590</font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="center"> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Chicago Bulls (2-9)</font></p> </p> </td> <td class="center"> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#c8362d"><font face="Verdana">Toronto Raptors </font><font face="Verdana">(6-7)</font></font></p> </p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4 align="center"><font face="Verdana"><center>PROJECTED STARTERS</center></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="roster"> <td> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">PG-Kirk Hinrich SG-Ben Gordon </font><font size="2" face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">SF-Andres Nocioni PF-Tyrus Thomas C-Ben Wallace </font><font color="#ee1c24"><font face="Verdana"> <font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font></font></font></p> </td> <td> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font> <font face="Verdana"><font size="2"><font color="#c8362d">PG-Jose Calderon SG-Anthony Parker SF-Jamario Moon PF-Chris Bosh C-Andrea Bargnani</font> </font> </font><font color="#b90456"><font face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font></font></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana"><center>SEASON STATS</center></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#0084c7">Scoring:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">88.2PPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Field Goal %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">39.0 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">3-Point %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">27.4 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">42.9 RPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Assists:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">20.4 APG</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Scoring:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">98.8PPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Field Goal %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">43.8 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">3-Point %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">43.7 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">41.3 RPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Assists:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">22.5 APG</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana"><center>TEAM LEADERS</center></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Points:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Gordon(18.4 PPG)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Wallace (7.2 RPG)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Assists:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#ee1c24">Hinrich (5.5 APG)</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Points:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Bosh (17.9 PPG)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Bosh (8.3 RPG)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Assists:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Ford(7.8 APG)</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><center><font face="Verdana">KEY MATCHUP</font></center></h4> <h4><center><font face="Verdana"><font color="#ee1c24">Ben Wallace</font> vs. <font color="#c8362d">Andrea Bargnani</font></font></center></h4> <center> <font face="Verdana"></font></p> </center><font face="Verdana"> I didn't get a chance to watch much Raptors basketball this past week and a half, but I did manage to catch the end of the third quarter against Dallas (on radio), and most of the second quarter against Cleveland (in a crowded restaurant with no volume). From that small and unreliable sample size, I noticed terrible perimeter defending, but also very weak rebounding. We're not a great defensive team and to stop teams when they go through their inevitable hot streaks, we're really going to have to limit those second chances. 47-28 nights (vs. the Cavs) is completely unacceptable. And against an athletic team like the Bulls, with one of the better rebounders in the league, we'll need our young bigs to really rise to the challenge.</font></td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana"><center>PREDICTION</center></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="prediction"> <td colspan="2"> <font face="Verdana">I'm sure I'd be a little cautious or pessimistic had I seen the Raps play over the past week, but that break has allowed to build some measure of unwarranted optimism. I still think this team's got a great chance against a Chicago squad that looks as confuzzled as the day we blew them out. Chris Bosh looks to have regained his form and I'm not as afraid that our point guard will get into a one-on-one battle with Ben Gordon. Not to mention, Luol Deng's probably still out. </font></p> </p> <center><font size="4" face="Verdana"><font color="#c8362d">Toronto wins 99 </font>- <font color="#ee1c24">91</font></font></center></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p>
<div align="center"><font size="4"><u>Something to look at while you wait for the game.... </u></font></div>
I dont find anything odd about it....anyways nice game today by the Raptors, I missed the first half because I thought the game began at 1pm like it does most of the time on Sunday. Im always very critical of Moon and Mitchell for playing Moon heavy minutes but every single game he makes me a believer (Moon not Mitchell)! Is anyone else really anxious to get TJ back in our lineup?</p>
I've been harsh on Moon too at times, but not anything to do with him... All to do with Sam and how he uses him. But... after watching yesterday, I now see that it is crucial to have Moon on the floor for as long as he's been playing. The Other players on the team likely also understand the importance of having him on the floor... I just wish the media would lay off of this story for a bit... Every time one of our players is interviewed, they are asked about JM and what they think about his play. It doesn't seem to be affecting JM, being in the spotlight... but the rest of the team might be annoyed with the attention he gets!</p>
Moon gets all this attention because he is a "feel good story" and came from being a guy playing in different minor leagues to starting in the NBA. What he brings is great defense and something the Raptors never had at the SF position. He had 6 blocks and 3 steals, what other Raptor SF had that kind of game. I think with more time, he will be an elite player who brings a lot to any team he plays for.</p>
Nothing wrong with Moon's game at all, I just find it odd that we're pushing him so hard. Against the Cavs, Lebron was beating him all the time but Mitchell was too scared to put AP or Delfino on the guy, what's with that? It's just like when Ford sucks and we don't give him the hook, what's the point of having depth if you're going to play favorites? At current pace, i can't see us improving much over last years performance.</p>
I think a big part of last years success was due to our strong core and everybody on the team knew their role, this year is a little different as you really dont know what to expect each game..like for example Parker may come in a play 35 minutes one game and then 18 the next and the same goes for everyone else on the team. Im still hoping for the Raptors to surpass 47 wins this season but I would just like to see a proper rotation first, about Moon again though I just really dont like him taking jumpshots...I dont know why I rather him just continuosly drive to the basket but now I really dont mind him playing a ton of minutes because he has shown us that he deserves it. Moon for ROY!</p>
It sounded like another great game (listened to it on the radio).</p> Has anyone seen the King of the Hill episode where Bobby makes the track team to motivate the other athletes? I totally thought the Moon was being Bobby Hill-ed when the Raps signed him this summer, boy am I glad I was wrong.</p> But really, we just beat a team we where supposed to. Sure the team was down a guy, (or two, if you count Garbo and Joey, which I don't) but it'd be a bigger story if the team lost.</p>
Moon is everything that Joey Graham was supposed to be. Kind of makes up for not picking Danny Granger. Kind of, but not really... Mos, I think that lack of predictability comes from not having a consistent rotation. As hard as it might be with all of our depth, Mitchell needs to decide on a depth chart and go from there. Having players coming in and out of the starting lineup with fluctuating playing time doesn't allow them to get into a rhythm and I think its part of the reason the teams been so inconsistent and unpredictable so far. Smitch made the same mistake early last season as well, but eventually worked it out after a couple months. Preferrably, you'd like the coach to be set by the end of training camp but hopefully he settles on something soon.</p>
