<table border="1" class="gamePreview"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="center"> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana">When: Friday November 30th, 2007 @ 7:00PM EST Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON TV/Radio: TSN, 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="#B94056">Cleveland Cavaliers (9-7)</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">(8-7)</font></font></p> </p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4 align="center"><font face="Verdana" color="#000000"><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="#B94056">PG-Daniel Gibson SG-Sasha Pavlovic </font><font size="2" face="Verdana" color="#B94056">SF-Lebron James (?) PF-Drew Gooden C-Zydrunas Ilgauskas </font><font color="#5e8abc"><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" color="#000000"><center>SEASON STATS</center></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Scoring:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">100.3PPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Field Goal %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">44.8 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">3-Point %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">37.0 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">44.5 RPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Assists:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">19.9 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">99.3PPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Field Goal %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">44.6 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">3-Point %:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">42.2 %</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">41.0 RPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Assists:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">23.0 APG</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana" color="#000000"><center>TEAM LEADERS</center></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Points:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">James (30.7 PPG)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Ilgauskas (11.5 RPG)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">Assists:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#B94056">James (8.1 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 (18.8 PPG)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Rebounds:</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#c8362d">Bosh (7.9 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" color="#000000">KEY MATCHUP</font></center></h4> <h4><center><font face="Verdana"><font color="#B94056">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</font> <font color="#000000">vs.</font> <font color="#c8362d">Andrea Bargnani</font></font></center></h4> <center> <font face="Verdana"></font></p> </center><font face="Verdana"> There's a lot of uncertainty around the starting lineups for each team, but the one constant that Cleveland can rely on is Ilgauskas. He's been playing excellent this season and has been a force on the boards. The Raptors have to be hesitant about this matchup, because they'll either be lining up a shaken Bosh/Bargnani or maybe even neither. Kris Humphries and Rasho Nesterovic will be invaluable tonight, because limiting those second chance opportunities is the most effective way of stifling the Cavs offense. </font></td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana" color="#000000"><center>PREDICTION</center></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="prediction"> <td colspan="2"> <font face="Verdana">Its hard to make a prediction when you don't know who's going to be playing. Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, and even TJ Ford are all question marks and even if they do suit up, there's not telling how effective they'll be. In such uncertain circumstances, you got to look at the Raptors' depth as a significant advantage. This team was built to weather this stretches and I like the chances of Toronto giving an all-around team effort led by the superb playmaking of Calderon.</font></p> </p> <center><font size="4" face="Verdana"><font color="#c8362d">Toronto wins 92</font>- <font color="#B94056">86</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>
As of right now... Lebron James (sprained non-shooting finger, general wussiness) and Chris Bosh (groin strain) are game-time decisions. Andrea Bargnani's knee is still sore but he's expected to play. TJ Ford will decide if he's ready, but I'm guessing he's not. This'll be the first full game I've watched in 2 weeks. Looking forward to it.</p>
Chutney, you should use my new template, it just cuts out some of the stuff that doesn't need to be there.</p> I don't expect LeBron to play tonight, not with a re-match with the Celtics just around the corner. I think Toronto will win, just with a higher score than you. It's so important for Drew Gooden and Ilgauskas to play well. If the Cavs are to win they need to dominate on the boards and get a lot of second chance points.</p> My preview is here: http://www.sportstwo.com/Thread/View/NBA/CLEVELAND/2004287</p>
If LeBron doesn't play, the Raptors have a great chance. No one is really there to create, so the Raptors can play some zone without the worry of someone driving to the hoop and kicking it out.</p> I also predict a big game from Moon, just because he might not have to guard LeBron, and that means he will be able to get in the lane easier and draw some contact.</p> My biggest concern is if Bosh is playing. Even with no LeBron, we need a guy like Bosh to close out games and get our offense started. While I do think/know we can win without him, he is our franchise guy, and we do need him.</p>
Thanks for that info chingy. I'll start using that new one from now on.</p> We're playing good so far. I'd like to see us play some better defense and show more committment to rebounding. Nobody's boxing out Gooden and he's just slipping in and grabbing the ball. Other than that, our offense is great right now. Bargnani's played well and Delfino's just awesome. Ford's dribbling a bit too much, but I think he's just trying to get used to playing again. Cleveland's playing there starters a lot so far. I think it'll hurt them in the next couple quarters.</p>
