@ Toronto Raptors (25-25) at Seattle Sonics (24-27) Thursday February 12, 2004 10:00 pm EST Venue: KeyArena Probable Starting Lineups PG: Alvin Williams (TOR)/Antonio Daniels (SEA) SG: Morris Peterson (TOR)/Ray Allen (SEA) SF: Vince Carter (TOR)/Rashard Lewis (SEA) PF: Donyell Marshall (TOR)/Reggie Evans (SEA) C: Chris Bosh (TOR)/Vitaly Potapenko (SEA) <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Toronto (25-25) at Seattle (24-27) 10:00 pm EST 2003-04 Stats at a Glance SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Toronto Raptors aim for their first three-game winning streak in more than two months when they visit the Seattle SuperSonics on Thursday at KeyArena. The Raptors, who have won four of their last five contests, have not won three in a row since a season-high five-game streak December 2-9. Toronto improved to 2-0 on its four-game road trip with a 101-94 triumph over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. All-Star Vince Carter contributed 29 points and Morris Peterson added 27 for the Raptors, who have won their last three road games. Peterson sank a career high-tying seven 3-pointers. Donyell Marshall chipped in 25 and 11 rebounds for Toronto, which already has surpassed its win total of last season. ------------------------ Toronto beat Seattle at the Air Canada Centre on December 7, 108-98, to snap a four-game skid in the series. </div> Click here for the full NBA.com Preview Keys to the Game <ul> [*]Bench productivity: With Jalen Rose out, Morris Peterson will be starting which limits our bench scoring ability. Jerome Moiso, Lonny Baxter, Michael Curry, and Milt Palacio need to be smart on both ends of the floor once they get some playing time. Considering that the Raptors bench is weak on the offensive end, it is important they play well defensively, so when the starters aren't on the floor hopefully they can hold the Sonics to minimal scoring. [*]Defensive Intensity: The Raptors can't get lazy on defense or theres no hope in winning this game, they're going to have to get back quickly to prevent transition baskets. [*]Take it to the basket: It will be important for the Raptors to get to the line, especially Mo and Vince. If they can get one of Ray Allen or Rashard Lewis in foul trouble it will make their night a whole lot easier, but if they get in the habit of forcing jump shots it will be a very long night. [/list] <font color="red">thefranchise3's Prediction:</font> The Raptors have won their last three straight on the road, led by Vince Carter and Donyell Marshall. Last night against Phoenix Morris Peterson put up 27 points, if he can continue his success and help Vince and Marshall on the offensive end, they've got a great shot at winning this game. Raptors by 4. Visit the Sonics Forum and post in the game thread, click here! <font size="1">All player pictures are from NBA.com</font>
bout time...was wonderin when this was commin up i almost did one myself big game, seattle has been playing really good ball lately, and 3 in a row would be a big win for the raps. be interesting to see who has the bigger game, ray ray or vince. interesting matchup. hopefully mo pete does a good job, perimiter D is the only thing mo pete has been consistant at this year judging the way the raps been playing lately...im gonna go with the raps (as usual lol) by 5 big games out of bosh, donyell and vince again. mo pete will struggle
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dj_premium_plus:</div><div class="quote_post">big game, seattle has been playing really good ball lately</div> Seattle have lost six of eight, all with Brent Barry out of the line-up. Their two wins in that time came against Chicago and Phoenix.
Gotta go with the Raps on this one. VC should put up at least 23 pnts, ray ray will have at least 25. Raps by 4.
Luke Ridnour and Ray Allen tore up the Raptors towards the end of the second period. Halftime: Seattle 49, Toronto 34.
tough lost! i thought raps were gonna catch up in the 4th but we just couldnt! now i learned that i cant always depend on the raps to catch up in th 4th! Bosh looked banged up today, i hope he gets better
Game before allstar weekend, why am I not surprised. Anyway at least they tried to get back with some dignity but the sonics were just on fire today.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting rapz_rulez:</div><div class="quote_post">tough lost! i thought raps were gonna catch up in the 4th but we just couldnt! now i learned that i cant always depend on the raps to catch up in th 4th! Bosh looked banged up today, i hope he gets better</div> VC also looked banged up, definitely not the way the Raptors wanted to end the 1st half.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post"> Seattle have lost six of eight, all with Brent Barry out of the line-up. Their two wins in that time came against Chicago and Phoenix.</div> your right...my bad! i dont know where i got the impression they were playing good ball, but when the game started and they threw that stat at me, i was surprised. for some reason i had the feeling they been runnin it lately. my bad all the way. bout the game: i have a new nickname for vince.... half man half GAME whats with these horrid first halfs, and sick deadly all star play in the 2nd half? we need you all game vince not just in the 2nd half holy **** did seattle ever light us up! it seemed like every time we were starting to make a push, they'd drop a 3 ball in our faces. deadly shooting on their part. where was our D? hurting effort by the raps donyell rips it up AGAIN! i want this cat to retire a raptor bosh goes down and out again? god at least he's got the allstar break to relax. guess he wont be playing in the softmore/rookie game lets all pray we turn this ship around in the 2nd half of the season. with less then 30 games to go, i hope we can win around 20.
The Sonics were just on fire today. When you see Calvin Booth making 10 footers then you know you are in trouble. On the other side of the coin the Raptors just could not get it together, I saw Vince miss three straight jump shots without trying to drive to the basket. Horrible effort from the Raptors, there was no energy. I hope CB4 doesn't play in the rookie game, he has to rest that ankle for the second half.
WEll...Bosh DID in the end play in the Rookie vs. Soph game and he played really smart. Didn't demand the ball a lot, but was effective with it when he had it. He understands that risking an injury that would be very costly for his team over a silly game isnt sensible, and i greatly respect him for that. To me, the Rookie vs. Soph game was a piece of crap. No defense whatsoever...it was as if the Rooks didnt care whether they won or lost (even tho both LeBron and Melo said before the game that they wanted to win). What a joke of a game. The Sophs didn't even use Yao and still murdered us. Well....at least it was flashy. However, there is such a thing as too much flash.
