<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">(9-12)</span> vs. <span style="color:#0B355E"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact">New Jersey</span></span></span> <span style="color:#0B355E">(11-9)</span> </div> <div align="center"> When: Friday December 12th, 2008 @ 7:30PM EST Where: Noiseless Zombie Arena, Newark, NJ TV/Radio: TSN, FAN 590 </div> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"> <span style="font-family:Impact"><u>THOUGHTS ON THE GAME</u></span></div></span> I had an exam this morning so I stayed up all last night studying and wasting time as usual. Oddly enough I didn't feel tired while I was studying over the night, but I predictably crashed and burned immediately after handing in the exam. I collapsed on the sofa immediately when I got home and have just slept until now. All this is a roundabout way for me to discuss that shit builds up in and around your eyelids when you sleep. That crap bugs the hell outta me. Especially when you sleep for a lot of time in an uncomfortable position, the stuff just buiilds up like crazy and takes forever to pry off. And even when you think you've got it all off, it still feels like there's still some on leading me to stupidly rub my eyelids repeatedly despite the fact it's kinda obvious that nothing's there. And then my eyes get all irritated and shit. Yea. Fucking eye crap. All inner monologues aside, this is an important game for Toronto. You'll remember the Nets game as probably the most heartbreaking loss this season. It just seemed to break the will of most of these players and we've yet to fully recover from it. Players' performances have not rebounded to where they were before and Colangelo even referenced it when explaining why he fired Smitch. So yea, needless to say Toronto would benefit greatly if they could come out of that shithole of a basketball arena with a victory. Both for revenge's sake and to build up a little more momentum before we return to being blown out by the really great teams in the NBA. Jermaine O'Neal will of course be playing. This is worth pointing out because he left the previous matchup in the 3rd quarter with an injury that lasted for a couple weeks. That was a turning point in a lot of ways. Obviously his absence left a gaping hole in our defense allowing Devin Harris and VC to re-ignite and lead their team on a comeback. That's the only reason they won (I have to cling to this reasoning. It makes the loss sting less). But the injury also cut down JO in the midst of a period where he seemed to really be reaching a level where we expected when we traded for him. Since then he's had to kind of start from scratch again, although he showed some progress in the last couple games. No doubt everyone around the team would like to see him continue tonight. <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 - Chris Bosh - Jermaine O'Neal</span> <span style="color:#0B355E">Devin Harris - Vince Carter - Bobby Simmons - Yi Jianlian - Brook Lopez</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">Jose Calderon</span> vs. <span style="color:#0B355E">Devin Harris</span></div> The last time these two teams faced off, Devin Harris went buckwild for 30 points and a shitload of drives to the basket (especially in the 4th quarter and OT). The objective cannot be simpler for Jose Calderon. We all know he's a weak perimeter defender, especially against quick PG's who can drive to the basket, but he needs to PLAY OFF HIM. Seriously. I never understood this in the last game. You have a guy that has yet to develop that portion of his game. He's not a complete liability from behind the arc, but he is a poor outside shooter and he's primarily looking to beat you off the dribble. So don't let him. Take a couple steps back and let him call your bluff. It's been proven that he'll miss 2 out every 3 shots he takes, and he doesn't even like to take that many to begin with. Jose has JO back behind him clogging the middle, so he needs to play with his head and force Devin into jumpshooter. <div align="center"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>LEO RAUTINS' INSIGHTFUL THOUGHT OF THE DAY</u></span></span></div>
lmao, great game thread Chutney. I'm posting in this one now that NJ game threads have turned to crap as of late.
Kapono at SG? Good luck guarding the biggest impact on the Nets-Raptors series the past couple of years.
I'm really not sure how that wasn't a foul. The Raptors deserved some calls these past two possessions.
OK, I'm back! Had to switch to my laptop. I'm glad VC started off strong. He flashed the characteristic VC sulky face. Awesome.
lol, looks like its just you and me in this thread tonight. All the other Raptors posters are out partying on a Friday night. Or they're grounded. Whatever.
well I just came back from making dinner (asian peanut butter noodles, from scratch!) so now I can seriously look at the game.
Its the only pizza place near my house thats run by Italians. Call me racist, but I refuse to eat pizza made by my fellow South Asians. That stuff just runs through you so quickly.
Good defensive set by the Raptors just there: Bosh knew that Anderson was a 3 pt scorer and shadowed the passing lane just enough to force Hassel to try and create on the baseline. They force a tough pass to Josh Boone and sure enough, it hits the out of bounds line.
