<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#c8362d"><span style="font-family:Impact">Toronto</span> </span></span><span style="color:#c8362d">(32-25)</span> vs. <span style="color:#F15A30"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact">Charlotte</span></span></span> <span style="color:#F15A30">(19-39)</span> </div> <div align="center"> When: Sunday March 2nd, 2007 @ 6:00PM EST Where: Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, NC TV/Radio: TSN, 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'>The Toronto Raptors hope Chris Bosh’s health won’t be a major issue in the final six weeks of the regular season. Despite leaving the team’s most recent game with a sore right knee, the All-Star forward could be ready when the Raptors visit the struggling Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday. The injury forced Bosh to leave late in the first quarter of Toronto’s 122-111 home loss to Indiana on Friday night. Bosh didn’t return, but an MRI revealed no structural damage, just minor swelling, leaving the 6-foot-10 forward optimistic he’ll be ready when the Raptors (32-25) open a three-game road trip Sunday. “I gave up some buckets I wouldn’t usually give up. I didn’t feel that I would be effective out there,” said Bosh, the team leader with 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. “I think I know my body now. I’ve had things similar to this. I know if I take care of it, I’ll be fine.” Bosh, who dealt with a sore left knee throughout the preseason, tweaked his right knee in Monday’s win at Indiana and also felt some soreness after a victory Wednesday over Minnesota. Toronto’s 98-79 home win over Charlotte on Dec. 3 was one of five games Bosh missed due to a groin injury. He has averaged 23.2 points and 9.4 rebounds in nine career games versus the Bobcats, though his value certainly goes beyond one game. Toronto, which had its three-game winning streak snapped Friday, is fourth in the Eastern Conference and hoping to earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Bosh averaged 26.5 points in the six games prior to getting hurt on Friday. “Hopefully, it’s not serious because we definitely need him, his inside presence,” Toronto guard T.J. Ford said. “He’s an All-Star, so we definitely need him, especially right now.” On Friday, Bosh had seven points when he left the game. Andrea Bargnani scored 27 points and Anthony Parker added 25 for the Raptors, who trailed by 11 in the first quarter and were forced to play catch-up. Though Toronto scored more than 100 points for the fourth straight game and 13th time in 16 contests, the game also marked by far the most points it has allowed to an Eastern opponent all season. As the Raptors look to bounce back, they’ll try for a fifth consecutive win over Charlotte (19-39) while looking to improve to 5-1 all-time against the Bobcats on the road.</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:#c8362d">Jose Calderon - Anthony Parker - Jamario Moon - Andrea Bargnani - Rasho Nesterovic</span> <span style="color:#F15A30">Raymond Felton - Matt Carroll - Jason Richardson - Emeka Okafor - Nazr Mohammed</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:#c8362d">Andrea Bargnani</span> vs. <span style="color:#F15A30">Nazr Mohammed</span></div> Toronto obviously needs to clamp down on Jason Richardson and prevent him from driving to the basket at will. But that's become a rather redundant statement. Aside from the usual need to shore up their perimeter defense, the Raptors will also need Andrea Bargnani to step up in Chris Bosh's absence. Bosh torched the Bobcats in the meeting and he's really been the team's only consistent source of points in the paint. Bargnani will need to continue playing heavy minutes (no quick, stupid fouls) and hit his shots on offense. But, in addition to that, the Raps will need him to show better shot selection than he did against Indiana on Friday. 27 points is impressive, but he took far too many 3 pointers. On the other side of the ball, he'll need to continue his strong rebounding and defense against the strong-bodied Mohammed. <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'r done</div>
<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>
That is some fantastic side boob. The boys better come out ready to play today. I am sick of seeing this team play to the level of the opponent as opposed to playing to their capabilities. I believe they will though. With Bosh out, I think the team will know it needs to try harder out of the gate and automatically start looking for someone to step up. I would look for a big game out of AP and C-Delf and it should be interesting to see who the extra frontcourt minutes go to.
Primoz should be coming out strong. I expect a huge night from him with a state line along the lines of: 46 points, 22 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 blocks, 5 steals in 5 minutes.
I want to see if Andrea can step up and lead this team with Bosh out, but more likely it will be the TJ Ford show.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Master Shake @ Mar 2 2008, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Primoz should be coming out strong. I expect a huge night from him with a state line along the lines of: 46 points, 22 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 blocks, 5 steals in 5 minutes. </div> That's a lil low don't you think?
Im hoping for a good game for Bargnani, Emeka is a good matchup for him on offense but he'll have to work his butt off on defense...anyways I hope we play hard the Bobcats are slumping really hard and there is no reason we cant take the win tonight even without Bosh!
That's two straight games where Sam has decided to go small and its effectively taken us out of the game. Oh, that and everybody on the court is playing like pansies. No rebounding, no semblance of perimeter defense, and TJ thinks he's Allen Iverson again.
Sometimes I love this team and sometimes I hate this team. These last two games have been unbearable.
Did anyone see Bosh in the pregame interview? He looked more concerned about his knee then they are making it out to be. Maybe it is something more.
This was a horrible lose! These last two games proves how horrible we are on defense when teams decide to penetrate against us and crash the glass...I too dont understand why Sam would go small for so long, offense was not our problem is was defense. My respect for TJ Ford coming back from that scary injury is fading and that disappointment is coming back when he attempts to take pull up jump shots, Calderon has not been playing like himself lately and we need him to shake it off.
Yea Ford is ****ing our system up right now, I'd give it like 2-3 games for him to get back in. We got blowed out stats-wise. almost 20 off. boards bobcats had 20 more shot attempts graham-14 minutes?
