These are my Toronto Raptors Linkage links for January 28th from 07:16 to 23:57:
- Bell-weather game for the Raptors – If the Raptors are going to make a belated run for the 8th playoff spot in the EC, they will need to get games like this one, on the road versus one of the five teams ahead of them in the standings, i.e. Milwaukee, New Jersey, New York, Charlotte and Chicago.
- So Long V.C For Another Year Edition – But at least I know Vince Carter will be smiling win or lose for his Nets. If you could have wrote a worse script for this season for the Raptors I could not imagine how you could top the reality. Nets lead this season series 2-1 winning both games in Toronto. So if you still have playoff hopes for this team this is a big game. A win by the Nets would give them a important tie breaker over the Raptors.
- Raps Squeeze By Nets – Stats that stood out:
- Anthony Parker: 21 points, 6 assists and 7 rebounds in 35:25 minutes
- Toronto turnovers: 14 total, but only 4 in the 2ND half
- Vince Carter had 16 points in the 1ST quarter but then scored only 11 the rest of the game - Raptors beat Nets at buzzer – And sparked by an excellent outing from Joey Graham, who played most of the second half at power forward in a small Toronto lineup that included only one of Bosh, Andrea Bargnani or Jermaine O'Neal at any time, the Raptors led by as many as 12 points in an entertaining, and frantic, fourth quarter.
- Toronto Raptors beat New Jersey Nets, 107-106, as Devin Harris misses last-second jumper – "That's my go-to move," Harris said. "I couldn't ask for anything (more). I just missed it. I'm upset with myself, because we deserved to win. We fought back hard in that fourth quarter. I wish I could have hit it for 'em. I don't know if I'll have better looks than that. … It's one of those things. It didn't go in for us."
- Calderon helps Raptors squeak by Nets – For the third straight game since Calderon's return, the Raptors shot better than 50% from the floor. And last night, that meant another victory.
The Raptors won in New Jersey 107-106 over the Nets, giving the club three straight wins for the first time since the season's first three games.
- Calderon has 17 points, 11 assists to lead Raptors – Jose Calderon had 17 points and 11 assists and the Toronto Raptors beat the New Jersey Nets 107-106 on Wednesday night for their first three-game winning streak since the start of the season.
- Raptors hold off Carter, Nets – "This is a momentum booster and a confidence booster," Graham said.
Graham put Toronto ahead by 12 points with 4:47 left, spinning in a finger roll and nailing the free throw to complete a three-point play and make it 102-90.
- <b>Raptors vs Nets Stream #1</b> –
- <b>Raptors vs Nets Stream #2</b> –
- ESPN: Chat with Chad Ford – I don't see it happening. Raptors don't really want Stojakovic's and Peterson's contract. It would cost them an extra $20 million in 2010. I don't think acquiring Julian Wright is worth it. If their contracts were a year shorter, I could see it. As for the Hornets … why mess with a good thing?
- Trade Triangle – Miami's other option is Jermaine O'Neal. O'Neal was supposed to be the big man that would take some heat off Chris Bosh in the Toronto frontcourt, but injuries – and Andrea Bargnani's solid play – have led Raptors management to reconsider that plan.
- Playoff chase – Raptors fans are hoping with four wins under their belt the team will possess enough confidence for a tough stretch coming up: Orlando, a back-to-back with Cleveland and LA Lakers followed by another back-to-back on the road against New Orleans and Memphis.
- VLOG 25.0 – New Jersey – Vloggin’ from New York City …
The Raptors play the NJ Nets tonight, but the team stays in NYC instead of Jersey (smart choice).
- How excited can you get? – Two wins against teams that were a combined 35 games below .500… you excited yet? Two teams both in the lower half of defensive efficiency (with one being dead last)… you excited yet?
Well frankly, I am, a little bit.. and here's three reasons why:
- Nets Blog – Raptors are thinking in terms of tie-breaker, so they've labeled tonight as a pretty important game. Nets have season series lead, 2-1. So Raptors coach Jay Triano told Toronto media this was Canadiens-Maple Leafs big.
- Heat should stand Pat right now – How good are the Miami Heat at the moment?
According to this corner, good enough to say, “No Deal,” to all potential suitors for Shawn Marion [PF/SF] … even those prepared to take Marcus Banks‘ bad contract off the Heat’s ledger.
Why is that?
- Toronto Needs Thugs, Not Hugs, in New Jersey – Equally important to the fans hopes of landing a playoff spot in the "daunting" eastern conference has been the play of Anthony Parker. With Roko Ukic showing early signs of development (and the mistakes to go with it) and Will Solomon all too often resembling Eric Williams a lot more than Deron Williams, a solid backup comes with great relief. A lot of credit must go to Jay Triano for making the move of Parker from the two to the one.
- Don’t blame JO. Blame his money. – Even with his injury history the level of productivity he's been able to manage would make him a pretty decent value – these things being relative – at that price.
But anyway. If he's making $8-million, the Raptors would have been roughly $15-million under the luxury tax limit.
What can you get for that amount of money?
Well, what if you spent $8-million on a wing player. Who might be available?
- Game-Day Preview – Nets/NBA Blogosphere Power Rankings – I was recently asked by some other websites about our situation in Toronto, and in an interview that will be up in about a week or so, I took a long, hard look at our team and thought about the future for the first time.
Up until now, I've resisted talking about what camp I'm in as far as making a run at the playoffs, or sticking back and trying to draft high.
- Raptors-Nets preview – Toronto (18-28) opened the season 3-0, but has failed to string together three wins since. They most recently won two in a row Jan. 7 and 9, but went on to lose their next seven.
- Game 46 Preview, Nets vs Toronto – Bargnani at center? Wow, this is really surprising. I guess I am in agreement with that, since it means that O'Neal (if he plays) will be coming off the bench. This could really spell trouble for the Nets as this Raptor team is starting build some confidence themselves, winning their last two games after losing 7 straight. It could be nocoincidence that once these Raptors get healthy (O'Neal, Calderon) then they start playing a whole lot better.
- Of AP and distant Sam memories and more TV troubles – So, how valuable has Anthony Parker become? Is he now virtually untradeable?
I’d say that’s probably true.
- Raptors game day – Raps/Nets (payback in the swamp) – Are things starting to turn for the better in Raptorland? Jose is back, AP is stepping into his new role well and JO even looks like he is close to being traded 100% healthy.
- Jawai eyes first bucket – "I'm not being too hard on myself," Jawai said yesterday. "I know the opportunity will come for me to score. I just want to go out there and prove to the coach that I can rebound, and set good screens and do all the dirty stuff. That's what I'm worried about right now."
- It’s automatic for Calderon – "I just expect it to go in," Bosh said, echoing what most of the Raptors are feeling when Calderon is at the line. "I don't even think about it. It's pretty automatic right now."
- Will Williams be upset if record is broken? No way, Jose – The former guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who once was traded for former Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell and played the final two games of his NBA career as a member of the Raptors, is the president and CEO of 3i Construction, one of the fastest growing general contractors in Dallas and currently engrossed in the building of the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium Facility in Arlington, Tex.
- Two victories this week crucial to Raptors’ hopes – "Two teams that are just above us in the standings," said Anthony Parker in assessing the next few days. "Every game's important but these two, with the teams in the positions they are, we know we have to have."
- Raptors Game Day –
- Paul Jones From NYC – I asked about a couple things to do indirectly with Chris Bosh. The first about if he and Danny Granger will be all-stars. Jeff Van Gundy was pretty clear he feels they are not. Also Jalen Rose is back on the Chris Bosh heading to the Knicks tip.
- Game 47: Raps vs. Nets – Pre-game – So let’s see…this season against the Raptors, Vince has been hot, then cold, then hot, so I’m thinking maybe tonight we get him cold? I’m hoping so, because it seems Vince quits the moping and actually shows up for games against the Raptors. Why do I have a feeling the Jake “All 6″ Voskuhl will be begging for an opportunity to get into the game to um…”take care of business?”
- Bryan Colangelo, meet ROONEY – You can’t go far on the interweb these days without running into a feature about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Naturally, this made me think about the Raptors. Why wouldn’t it?
The current day-time drama surrounding the club centers on prospective salary-cap space. What a depressing sentence. Here are the nut and bolts:
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