<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">(37-36)</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">(28-45)</span> </div> <div align="center"> When: Monday March 31st, 2008 @ 7:00PM EST Where:Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, NC TV/Radio: Rogers Sportsnet/RaptorsTV, 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'>emerged from obscurity last season to win their first division title in 12 seasons of existence. A second division crown out of reach this season, though, and the Raptors are trying to avoid a return to mediocrity. After exceeding last season’s total with their 36th loss, the playoff-hopeful Raptors look to avoid falling back to .500 on Monday when they visit the Charlotte Bobcats for the first of two meetings in five days. On the heels of four straight losing seasons, Toronto matched a franchise record with 47 wins in 2006-07, finishing with the best record in the Atlantic Division and making the playoffs for the first time since 2001-02. While the Raptors (37-36) are counting on a return trip to the postseason, they’ve been inconsistent in their attempts to secure one. They’ve won more than three consecutive games just once - a four-game run from Dec. 9-14 - and are just 5-12 in their last 17 contests. That stretch has dropped Toronto to sixth in the East, just one-half game ahead of seventh-place Philadelphia. They still have a four-game edge over eighth-place Atlanta. However, any momentum Toronto had gained from winning consecutive games for the first time this month was lost with Sunday’s 118-111 defeat against New Orleans. “The effort was there, we just couldn’t stop anything,” Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said. While Sunday’s loss came at home, Toronto has lost its last seven road games to fall to 15-21 away from Air Canada Centre. The Raptors haven’t had a longer road losing streak since they dropped their last seven road games of 2005-06 and their first seven of 2006-07. Two meetings with Charlotte (28-45) could help Toronto get back on track, but the Raptors may have caught the Bobcats at the wrong time. The Bobcats have won three straight and four of five after a five-game losing streak to maintain their slim hopes of making the franchise’s first playoff appearance. Charlotte would have to pass four teams in its final nine games.</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">TJ Ford - Anthony Parker - Jamario Moon - Chris Bosh - Rasho Nesterovic</span> <span style="color:#F15A30">Raymond Felton - Jason Richardson - Gerald Wallace - 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">Anthony Parker</span> vs. <span style="color:#F15A30">Jason Richardson</span></div> J-Rich torched the Raptors in the last matchup and if they truly intend to come into North Carolina and take care of business, he should be priority number one. Parker's a good perimeter defender and I'm looking for him to play solid, fundamental D (contesting his shots, making him drive into traffic, etc.). The flipside to that is that the Raptors have to rotate better than they did again Chris Paul and the Hornets, an help out Anthony whenever Richardson gets loose. Toronto could also use Parker's earlier offensive output. He's struggled a bit the past couple games, disappearing at times, but we all remember how great he played a couple weeks ago when Bosh was out. <div align="center"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>PREDICTION</u></span></span></div> Barring an absolute choke, this should be a nice bounce-back win against a surprisingly competitive Bobcats squad.
<div align="center"><span style="font-family:Impact"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><u>Something to look at while you wait for the game....</u></span></span></div> <div align="center"></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BasX @ Mar 31 2008, 09:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>hot girl hot night hot win thats hot</div> Co-sign.
good win, finally bosh got his rhytm back, and hopefully raps build on this, i dont want them loosin the 6th seed
I really hope things start clicking soon and they get into Playoff form. JUST beating the Bobcats isnt gonna cut it when we face Lebron or Dwight in the first round.
