<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#0D588D"><span style="font-family:Impact">Minnesota</span> </span></span><span style="color:#0D588D">(18-37)</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">(22-36)</span> </div> <div align="center"> When: Tuesday February 24th, 2008 @ 7:00 PM EST Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON 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> We'd all like to feel inspired in this team's most recent victory over the Knicks. It was a true team effort with several spectacular individual performances. And the team showed a renewed commitment to running the ball and punishing teams for their turnovers. However, this season's Raptors have disappointed us time and time again. Its been a one-step-forward, two-steps-back routine all season long, where the team will follow encouraging performances with lengthy losing streaks. That's why all bets are off tonight against the T-Wolves. We can and should beat Minnesota, but even without Jefferson, they have the potential to defeat us (they almost did in our last matchup). The Raptors can't let up their intensity for this game. All that talk about running the ball and buckling down on defense can't just be empty rhetoric. They have to back it up for the next few months (starting now). <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:#0D588D">Sebastian Telfair - Randy Foye - Mike Miller - Ryan Gomes - Kevin Love</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:#0D588D">Ryan Gomes</span> vs. <span style="color:#c8362d">Chris Bosh</span></div> With Al Jefferson still injured, the power forward spot presents the clearest mismatch in favour of Toronto. Well that should be corrected: this matchup should be a mismatch. Unfortunately, Chris Bosh's performance took a dramatic dive that coincided with his sudden realization that his surrounding cast was fundamentally flawed. It's been difficult to watch. The explosive offensive weapon that started the season with MVP talk has regressed into a tentative, awkward, fadeaway jump-shooter. And coming back from his recent knee injury, Bosh has been even worse. The man has always been talented enough to struggle his way to a double-double (as he did on Sunday), but that does not mean he's playing well. Tonight, Bosh needs to take advantage of lackluster opposition and inspire some confidence in his play. He has to prove that he can mesh with a team that's becoming more and more committed to the fast-break. And he needs to remind everyone why he's making max money.
That first quarter was brutal, but they've done a good job at picking up their D since then. They got to close out on Randy Foye faster.
Solid win. The offense was good, but we couldn't have won without stepping up our D. A win against Phoenix would be huge. But it means we can't have any lapses like we did in the 1st quarter today.
Thankfully I turned the game on RIGHT when Toronto made their run. What I saw was good. Bargnani played great, and I just want to say once again that our offense looks so much better with Marion rebounding and making quick/smart passes.
Calderon was making a more concerted effort to push the ball up and take risks. Quite a few of them didn't work out, but I chalk that up to rust more than anything. Hopefully he keeps up this play.
Bargnani played awesomely. He's really benefiting from the faster tempo. Bosh played pretty well after struggling the past two games. He made moves quicker after getting a pass, and actually showed some intensity, getting into it with Bryan Cardinal. All of our players were hitting their shots, which usually means a win for us. Marion wasn't doing much on offense, but he was on the boards and playing good D as usual.
i cant believe u idiots are celebrating after we beat the twolves without their star player in unconvincing fashion. heck the twolves almost blew us out in the first half.
