Seattle vs Toronto: Official Game Thread

Details:

When: Friday, November 12th
Where: Key Arena, Seattle
Time (Seattle): 7:30
TV: Fox Sports, League Pass

Projected Starters:

<font color="green">Seattle (4-1)</font>

Luke Ridnour
Ray Allen
Rashard Lewis
Reggie Evans
Jerome James

<font color="Purple">Toronto (4-1)</font>

Rafer Alston
Vince Carter
Jalen Rose
Chris Bosh
Loren Woods

Injury Troubles:

<font color="green">Seattle</font>

Vitaly Potapenko: Broken hand, ruled out.
Ibo Kutluay: Knee tendinitis, ruled out.
Flip Murray: Quadricep strain, ruled out.

<font color="Purple">Toronto</font>

Alvin Williams: Inflamed knee, ruled out.
Pape Sow: Knee tendinitis, ruled out.
Jerome Moiso: Strained hamstring, ruled out.

Brief Notes:
<ul>
[*]The Sonics go for five in a row against the equally hot Raptors, who come fresh off inflicting Utah's first defeat of the season.
[/list]
<ul>
[*]Luke Ridnour comes off his best game as a pro, with 17 points, five assists, five rebounds, two steals and only a single turnover in 31 minutes against Mike Bibby and Bobby Jackson. However, he faces another in-form young point guard in Rafer Alston, who is enjoying a career year as Toronto's starting (and only healthy) point guard.
[/list]
<ul>
[*]This game may match up Ray Allen and Vince Carter, two prominent names in off-season trade rumours, and speculation they could even swap places. Both have started the current season off very well, too.
[/list]
<ul>
[*]Toronto will need to recover from the loss of powerhouse forward Pape Sow, and subsequently will be forced to rely on scrubs such as Chris Bosh and Donyell Marshall if they hope to inflict Seattle's first home defeat of the season.
[/list]

All predictions, analysis and discussion relating directly to the game, both before, during and after, to be posted in this thread.

 

I think that vs Toronto Sonics have actually first time this season advantage down low. Bosh is too skinny, Marshall undersized, Woods is Toronto's Jerome James. I hope Sonics will use this advantage and stretch their defence and then it would be a walk in the park. But Toronto defeated Utah in thei last game so reality can be very different. I hope Ridour can contain Alston - he is explosive. My predicyion : Sonics 101 - Raptors 94.

 

Marshall looks like he may miss the game through injury, which means Bosh is going to have to play a lot of minutes. I'd almost go as far as to say we have the advantage at the four, because Fortson and Evans will push Bosh out of the paint every single time.

 

^You will probably win the rebouding battle but offensively Bosh has the advantage. He can either take them off the dribble or shoot the jumper. Most of his shots come that way in the first place. Bosh has had trouble with bigger fowards such as Zach Randolph but I think he will step it up tonight

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Semmi:</div><div class="quote_post">Woods is Toronto's Jerome James. </div>

How is Woods Jerome James?? He is exactly the opposite of Jerome James....not to mention 100 pounds lighter. He is actually an okay player, not to be slept on. I don't see Jerome play that much but skill wise so unless this is a pie eating contest I would think Loren has the advantage here.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post">^You will probably win the rebouding battle but offensively Bosh can either take them off the dribble or shoot the jumper.</div>

No doubt, I am Bosh's biggest fan. Absolutely adore the way he plays, wanted him in Seattle badly when there were rumours of us getting Toronto's number four pick, and think he has all the tools to be a big star in this league. Plus he's on my fantasy team, so I love him.

I am just concerned about the toll playing on Fortson and Evans may have on his body. Sure, he can hang outside and shoot jumpers all day, but if he comes into the paint he will get a lot of contact. I don't doubt his aggression or his willingness to bang bodies, I doubt his current body shape's ability to absorb too much from a team that has marked it's last four games with a lot of physical play. With no Donyell or Moiso, he will play at least 40 minutes.

 

Very true but I would be worried if he was any other player than Bosh. Just watching this kid play I know what his mentality is like and even when he gets knocked down he will come back and attack. Reggie and Fortson are both rough hustle players but I think Bosh is advanced enough offensively to deal with them. But in the rebounding department we will suffer. Bosh just does not rebound that well for a PF.

BTW he's on my fantasy team too

 

I have absolutely no doubts Bosh will keep going at them and get up after every hit, I just worry that if he takes too much contact, his body may not be able to cope with it for a full game.

We'll see though, should be a great game between two of the NBA's hottest teams.

 

i think araujo might step up tonight in tandem with bosh to keep the lanes clear of the seattle big men. bosh cant force either of them out...but if araujo can keep james busy, it'll be that much easier for bosh to drive by or shoot the J

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post">
How is Woods Jerome James?? He is exactly the opposite of Jerome James....not to mention 100 pounds lighter. He is actually an okay player, not to be slept on. I don't see Jerome play that much but skill wise so unless this is a pie eating contest I would think Loren has the advantage here. </div>

Actually I meant that they have both height and they both have skills. Woods is playing his breakout year and I still hope (silly me!) that Jerome will be a player someday not just a big scarecrow who fouls out in 10 minutes. I think when Sonics frontcourt handeled Camby, B.Miller and Duncan & Nesterovic so well then they can handle Bosh & Woods with ease.

 

We (the raptors) have the upperhand at PG, and PF but every other matchup is a good one and its even. Im hoping Donyell Marshall can play if he cant it means either big minutes for Bonner or Araujo. Im gonna take my raptors by 6.

 

I will be surprised If this isn't a 105-101 type game, both teams are scoring alot of points and shooting the ball very well from deep. Ray v Vince is always a very good match-up to watch, seems so far VC hasn't quite been up to his normal standard shooting wise but the Raptors are playing so well togeather so he hasn't been depended on as much as he used to.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">
Toronto will need to recover from the loss of powerhouse forward Pape Sow, and subsequently will be forced to rely on scrubs such as Chris Bosh and Donyell Marshall if they hope to inflict Seattle's first home defeat of the season
</div>

Lol, Am I the only one who noticed that?

Anyways, to the game. Ray Allen/VC matchups are always fun to watch. Both teams are hot this is one tricky game to predict. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the Sonics will take this 106-104, probably in overtime. I just have that feeling. Vince Carter will need to step it up a little more as well. He was doing well against Utah because he was somewhat driving but he kept throwing up floaters. Bosh I believe has the upper hand offensively over the Sonics front court but it is defensively where he will need to shine. Woods will have another solid game of 10 9 and 2 so I'm not too concerned about him. I expect Skip to do well against Luke and I'm sort of concerned about Jalen Rose. Despite the clear advantages at PF and PG positions, I still believe Ray Allen's going to will his team to victory. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Toronto will need to recover from the loss of powerhouse forward Pape Sow, </div>

Does this even make sense? I think you meant Donyell Marshall instead of Pape Sow.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">and subsequently will be forced to rely on scrubs such as Chris Bosh and Donyell Marshall if they hope to inflict Seattle's first home defeat of the season</div>

Chris Bosh a scrub? I think you meant Matt Bonner, and probably Rafael Araujo instead of Bosh and Marshall.

Anyways, this should be a high scoring affair. I think Bosh will have another big game, and use his quickness on Fortson, Evans and James. I'm just hoping Vince goes to the basket. He can't get caught up in the shooting affair with Allen, Lewis and the Sonics.

 

Supersonic, please tell me you're being sarcastic about the Pape Sow and the scrubs comments! .. Please! ..

This could be one of the toughest games we play on the road the entire season. Seattle ain't a title contender, but they play the same style as us with better efficincy from long range. If we don't penetrate 80% of the time, we're going to be in a deep deep trouble.

I predict a really entertaining game with both teams reaching the century mark, 110-101.

Enjoy it, peace.

 

Ha ha, I can't believe people actually took that seriously.

 

Does anyone have a sense of humour?

The refs don't, since when does Ray ever foul out?

Antonio Daniels, I love you. Fortson's fairytale start ends, but Evans' continutes with probably his best game as a pro. Rashard couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo, and then nails that HUGE three.

Props to the Raps, they were great in the second half but just fell short.

 

omg guys...chill out. some of you have absolutely no sense of humour. learn to take a joke


anyways...tough loss. big buckets from you guys down the stretch. Least we can take some positives away from this one...bonner with another solid job off the bench. at least vince took it to the rack with the final play of the game. dont know why he kept fading away from the bucket though. he should have just stoped and turned around and gone up strong. man...if we just made 2 extra free throws we would have won.

 

<font size="6">GO SONICS WOOOO!!!!!!

<font size="2">What a great game, so much emotion involved. Antonio Daniels was the definition of clutch. Reggie Evans was relentless in the paint. Everyone on the Sonics played their hearts out and made it so fun to watch. I would have jumped around if i didnt sprain my ankle earlier today. GREAT TIME TO BE A SONICS FAN BABY!

Also, how about Craig Ehlo's pronunciation of player names. I heard these tonight...

Jerome Moiso - Maurice Moo-oso
Rafer Alston - Rafael Alston
Vladimir Radmanovic - Vladirimin..Vladirin...VLADE
</font></font>

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Supersonic:</div><div class="quote_post">Does anyone have a sense of humour?</div>

Don't need to PMS over this. I really couldn't see that it was a joke, because you were indicating that Marshall was gonna play, when he placed on the IR. I just thought you got names mixed up.

Anyways, Raptors played very hard to get back into it after a horrible start. We almost pulled it off, but Daniels got the game winner in. I never liked that cat.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Banks:</div><div class="quote_post">Don't need to PMS over this. I really couldn't see that it was a joke, because you were indicating that Marshall was gonna play, when he placed on the IR. I just thought you got names mixed up.
</div>
Seems like you were the one PMSing, anytime someone refers to Chris Bosh and Donyell Marshall as scrubs is OBVIOUSLY being sarcastic.