<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#0D588D"><span style="font-family:Impact">Minnesota</span> </span></span><span style="color:#0D588D">(12-43)</span> vs. <span style="color:#c8362d"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact">Toronto</span></span></span> <span style="color:#c8362d">(31-24)</span> </div> <div align="center"> When: Wednesday February 28th, 2007 @ 7:00PM EST Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON TV/Radio: The SCORE, FAN 590 </div> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"> <span style="font-family:Impact"><u>GAME PREVIEW</u></span></div></span> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Many players have helped Toronto build a three-year run of dominance against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Contributions from a variety of sources are now keeping the Raptors among the Eastern Conference’s top teams. Following another outstanding performance from their reserves, the Raptors look to extend a seven-game winning streak against the lowly Timberwolves when the teams conclude their season series Wednesday night. Toronto (31-24) hasn’t lost to Minnesota (12-43) since a 108-97 defeat on Jan. 21, 2004. The Raptors won the first game between the teams the following season, and haven’t lost since. Toronto has used a different starting lineup in each of its seven games during its run against Minnesota, including a 105-82 win on Feb. 10 in the teams’ first meeting this season. The Raptors, who have one of the best scoring benches in the league at 34.1 points per game, finished with 42 in that game against the Timberwolves. Against Indiana on Monday night, Toronto’s reserves had 55 points in a 102-98 win. It was one of the best games the Raptors have gotten from their bench this season, led by Carlos Delfino’s 23 points and T.J. Ford’s 16. In fourth place in the East, Toronto will continue to look to its bench down the stretch of a grueling regular season. The Raptors seemed happiest with Ford’s performance against the Pacers. The speedy guard added seven assists in 26 minutes, the most he’s played since missing 24 games with an arm stinger. He played two more minutes than starter Jose Calderon and was in the game the entire fourth quarter. “With our guys getting healthy, I think we now have a second-team punch with T.J. getting into shape and into rhythm,” Delfino said. “It opens things up for us offensively, and it sure can change our game.” Calderon has played well in Ford’s absence, averaging 14.2 points and 9.6 assists in 41 starts, but Raptors coach Sam Mitchell insists there’s no controversy at point guard. “When T.J. comes into the game, he gives you a different look, and when Jose comes into the game, he gives you a different look,” Mitchell said. The Wolves, meanwhile, have been getting mediocre play from point guard Sebastian Telfair, who averages 9.6 points and 6.0 assists a contest. It’s Minnesota big man Al Jefferson that will give Toronto the most trouble, but the Raptors match up well with Chris Bosh in the middle.</div> <div align="center">Source: Yahoo!Sports</div> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>STARTING LINEUPS</u></span></div></span> <div align="center"> <span style="color:#0D588D">Sebastian Telfair - Randy Foye - Corey Brewer - Ryan Gomes - Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#c8362d">Jose Calderon - Anthony Parker - Jamario Moon - Chris Bosh - Andrea Bargnani</span></div> <span style="font-family:Impact"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><u>KEY MATCHUP</u></div></span></span> <div align="center"> <span style="color:#0D588D">Al Jefferson</span> vs. <span style="color:#c8362d">Andrea Bargnani</span></div> Andrea's offensive numbers may be inconsistent in the games after the All-Star break, but the one area that he's shown a surprising improvement and level of consistency in is his rebounding and defense. He's no longer picking up foolish fouls that effectively nail him to the bench. Bargnani's fronting his man, trying to prevent opponents from establishing position before they get the ball, and boxing out on the defensive boards. Against the Knicks, he looked like a younger, more athletic Rasho Nesterovic. Well a much more formidable challenge awaits him in Jefferson. He did an admirable job defending "Big Al" in the last matchup and the Raptors will look to AB to do more of the same. This team is remarkably more effective when they can depend on Andrea to be on the floor for 30+ minutes. On the other side of the court, the Raps could benefit if his shot is falling tonight. He's looked very fluid on offense in the last two games (even if he was missing his shots against Indiana), and continuing to do more of the same will only make it harder on the lowly Timberwolves. <div align="center"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>PREDICTION</u></span></span></div> <div align="center">Just get the job done, boys.</div> <span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><span style="color:#c8362d">Toronto 102</span> - <span style="color:#0D588D">Minnesota 94</span></div></span>
<u><span style="font-family:Impact"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center">Something to look at while you wait for the game....</u></span></span></div> <div align="center"></div>
great win, hopefully we can string together a large winning streak and distance ourselves from the Cavs while we can and inch ourselves closer to 3rd seed.
Solid win. We started out terrible, but shook it off quickly and ran with it from the 2nd quarter on. There really isn't much to complain about here. This is starting to look like a deeper, more well-rounded ballclub (granted, we are facing crappy teams). Orlando lost to Philly and Cleveland lost to Boston. Lebron went down with an ankle injury, but he returned and it doesn't seem serious. Either way, looks like we only got positive news tonight. We're 4th: a game ahead of Cleveland and 3 games back of Orlando.
Easy one. No lead was safe for the Wolves. It only took a few strong minutes and we took the game away from them. Even when we were still down in the first the game was ours. Also, what is the deal with Kirk Snyder, anyways?
+ orlando has played 4 more games then us so if we catch up in games it might only be a 1, 2 game lead for them
yeah the Raps seem to have a few games in hand over the teams higher in the standing then them so that could play out huge.
