Official Game Thread: Raptors @ Pistons

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<font color="Navy"><font color="Navy"> Toronto Raptors (27-36) @ Detroit Pistons (40-23)

TV: Toronto (Rogers Sportsnet Ontario), Detroit (FSN)
Venue: Palace Of Auborn Hills
Date: Friday, March 18th.
TipOff time: 8:10 PM est</font></font>


<font color="Red">- Starting LineUps</font>

The Raptors:


<font size="1"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Rafer Alston-Morris Peterson-Jalen Rose-Chris Bosh-Rafael Araujo</font></font>

6th Man:


<font size="1"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Donyell Marshall</font></font>

Coach:


<font size="1"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Sam Mitchell</font></font>

Team Leaders:

<font face="Comic Sans MS">Scoring:J.Rose-17.0
Rebounds:C.Bosh-8.6
Assists:R.Alston-6.8
FG%:M.Bonner-55.7%
FT%:J.Rose-85.3%
3PT%:M.Bonner-47.5%
Blk:C.Bosh-1.3
Steals:R.Alston-1.5</font>


<font color="Red"><font size="1">Injuries:
Chris Bosh- Back (Game-Time Decision)
Eric Williams- Calf (IL)</font></font>

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The Pistons:


<font size="1"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Chauncey Billups-Rip Hailton-Tayshaun Prince-Rasheed Wallace-Ben Wallace</font></font>


6th Man:


<font size="1"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Antonio McDyess</font></font>

Coach:


<font size="1"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Garfield Heard</font></font>


Team Leaders:

<font face="Comic Sans MS">Scoring:R.Hamilton-19.5
Rebounds:B.Wallace-12.1
Assists:C.Billups-6.0
FG%:A.McDyess-52.7%
FT%:C.Billups-89.9%
3PT%:R.Dupree-50.0%
Blk:B.Wallace-2.4
Steals:B.Wallace-1.4
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<font color="Red"><font size="1">Injuries:
None</font></font>



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<font color="Red">Keys To The Game:</font>


- No Second Chance Must prevent Ben and Rasheed from going to the offensive glass and getting their team second chance opportunities. We can't out jump them, so just put a body on them. Fundemental basketball.

- Quality Shots: Against a team like Detroit, you're not going to have multiple opportunities in one position. Must take quality shots and establish our offence inside through Bosh and Rose.

- Hustle Points: Pistons are known for they husling and toughness type of defence. While the Raptors have proven many times that they could score, we must beat Detroit in the huslte plays and loose balls to get a chance at the victory.

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<font color="Red">Game Matchup:</font>

vs
Tayshaun Prince vs Jalen Rose

Unlike most matchups he has faced, Rose could find it difficult to score on Prince insdie. He's tall and athletic. Jalen still has to go inside and use his strenght against Prince. Make the Pistons go for the double team which would open up jump shots for teammates.
Defencively, avoid getting caught on the back screens and don't try to cheat, because Prince will end up with a wide open shot on the baseline.
Expect a good game from Jalen in his home coming.

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<font color="Green">The X-Factor:</font>


Matt Bonner
If Bosh isn't in the lineup, Matt Bonner must contribute in his place. He'd get several shots off our guards penetrations and he ahs to cash in. Also, he will eventually guard Ben or Rasheed, don't try to outjump them, just play fundemental D and prevent them from going to the offensive glass.


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<font color="Red">Say What?! (Prediction)</font>

Raps lsot a heartbreaker at Boston on Wednesday. Bosh may not be available this game, but we gotta come and play hard regardless. Detroit are just too good at both ends for us, so I'd be very surprised if we pull off the win. I oviously hope I'm wrong.



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Milt hits the game winning lay-up this game.

Raptors 90-89

 

No Bosh nd Raptors lost

 

Wow, is our defence really that bad? We gave up 100+ to the Pistons? Sad.

 

The Raptors cut it down to about 7 for a while, and we weren't doing too bad, but the Pistons are obviously a much better team. The Pistons seemed to have been taking us for granted though, they had stretches of sluggish play.

Donyell Marshall has another big game, he's really trying to get his stock up as an FA.

 

i have no faith in the raptors anymore, they broke my heart too many times for me to trust them so i'm less and less interested in the games.