<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#E86E32"><span style="font-family:Impact">New York</span> </span></span><span style="color:#E86E32">(22-31)</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">(21-35)</span> </div> <div align="center"> When: Friday February 20th, 2008 @ 7:30 PM EST Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 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> The much hyped trade deadline came and passed, and nothing of note really went down. It's interesting to see the economic reality of the NBA sober up a lot of the trade rumours and enthusiasm about future plans. The fact is that the salary cap will more than likely be lowered for the next couple seasons. Not only does that make teams hesitant to tack on players to their payroll (even if they are a sure-fire talent), it also affects the next two free agency classes. Teams aiming for that much vaunted 2010 class are really going to have to keep trimming their payroll to stick to that plan. Additionally, you have to believe that potential free agents will see their value plummet with few and less eager buyers on the market. The Raptors and Knicks are both impacted by this. The Knicks will definitely have to find a way to lower their payroll heading into 2010, if they want to pull off the "one superstar plus Lebron" scenario. Right now it doesn't look like they'd have the space to pull it off, and then you have to wonder why Lebron would leave a good situation when he won't have another superstar to team with. Similarly, the Raptors are really banking on finding a number 2 in 2009 in order to convince Bosh to stay the next offseason. With a lowered cap, the team might be forced to choose between spending it all on that big name or retaining a bunch of our role players. If that is the case, we might see a repeat of this season where team just has no depth to back up their reasonably solid starting lineup. <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:#E86E32">Chris Duhon - Wilson Chandler - Al Harrington - David Lee - Jared Jeffries</span> <span style="color:#c8362d">Jose Calderon - Anthony Parker - Shawn Marion - 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:#E86E32">Jared Jeffries</span> vs. <span style="color:#c8362d">Andrea Bargnani</span></div> This is, by far, the most favourable matchup the Raptors have tonight. Coming off a game where Andrea had his ass handed to him by the experienced, technically sound Zydrunas Ilgauskas, it's important for him to bounce back to his pre-All Star Weekend production level. This team can't function when he's not playing his usually solid post D and is bricking it up on offense. Confidence has always been a big thing with Bargnani, and you've got to hope that knowing he'll be lined up against a scrub like Jeffries should motivate him. He needs to be a more efficient and assertive scorer for the Raps to have a chance tonight.
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>UGLY GIRL THAT PERSONIFIES THE '08-'09 RAPTORs</u></span></div></span>
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) Chicks got big lips. I expect the Raps to take this one. We got Bosh back, and he should be able to have a big game againist the Knicks.
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) Wow, that really is an awesome picture. Nice find speeds. I'm excited to see the Marion-Bosh-Bargnani tandem. If one of them is missing, we're pretty much going to lose. All three of them together have some potential for success though.
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) are u kidding?!?!?!?! Raptors traded away Will "Shit-on-a-stick" Solomon.
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) knicks win 111- 100. nate robinson scores a career high 45 points
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) Gotta feed Marion. He's the only player who's offense doesn't depend on jumpshots.
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) Toronto has a butter soft interior. Everyone is taking it to the rack. You guys missing JO?
Re: Game Thread! (New York @ Toronto) Bosh looks real rusty. He was letting Lee get any sort of position against him. I'm more worried about their offense, to be honest.
