Game #45: Toronto Raptors 109 - Minnesota Timberwolves 115

[rocwell]

[Mitch P]

Would be seriously impressed with a W here. Bracing for a loss

Absolutely. The line at the moment has us 4.5 point underdogs which seems harsh...but the Vegas guys are of course unbiased and ruthlessly honest. I've been watching Minny a lot this year and more than even the Raptors they can look unbeatable at times and horrible at others. Possibly the most talented group in the NBA but they can be bone lazy on defence and stagnant on offence for long stretches. But as others have written Butler and Wiggins seems to have big games against TO and they have also lost two in a row and Thibs is likely furious. If it is a loss though I hope the Raptors do things the right way and that the young guys do some learning. As was also said previously the 3 point shooting "slumps" of OG, DD and Serge have hurt. Delon Wright seems to have consistently been shooting better. Somehow it seems real and I think he needs to take more 3s when he has the open shot.

[Zainab]

This game is taking too long! FAAAM

[GLF]

Well the good news is that the Spurs game was a 7PM start, that the raps can pre clear customs in YYZ and that they get an extra #fakehour going west. They should have been into the hotel by midnight local time. The tip is late as well .. 9PM EST.

We should see Freddy back tonight to with fresh legs ....and there are no matchups that the 11 to 12 man deep Raps can't easily counter.

The less than stellar news is that Minny is waiting and had the night off.....and Karl Anthony and Andrew and Jimmy are pretty fair ball players...

This can be rightly looked at as schedule loss.. but the Raps are a resilient crew. More than half the team are 25 and under. They are in shape.... While maturing if I could have a big mac and a strawberry shake from McDo's to take the edge off the previous nights bender for jesus.. so can these guys....

Its close.. It'll take everything they got.... Raps W.

They don't play well on back to backs though. Especially against a good team. I'm not sure of their actual record on back to backs but I would be shocked if it's good

[Hotshot]

Would be seriously impressed with a W here. Bracing for a loss

same, too many variables are against the Raptors at moment to have much confidence against The Wolves.

[The Great One]

I'm watchin this Cavs/Thunder game right now. The Cavs seriously needs to make a trade - and you know they're going to make a trade. And that is not good if you're a Raps or Celts fan.

[Hotshot]

They don't play well on back to backs though. Especially against a good team. I'm not sure of their actual record on back to backs but I would be shocked if it's good

From what I recall back to back away against a good team usually ends up in a loss with the Raptors shooting close to 40% FG overall and 25%-30% 3 pointer. Lets just say if the Raptors want to stay in the game they've got to play really good defence and get those aggressive rebounds ( ala what the Spurs attempted yesterday).

[Maury]

I'm watchin this Cavs/Thunder game right now. The Cavs seriously needs to make a trade - and you know they're going to make a trade. And that is not good if you're a Raps or Celts fan.

They’ve got nothing to deal with though. They can’t get Lou will or kemba or even George Hill unless the other team is willing to give them away. MAYBE hill but it’s a stretch because they don’t have anything to offer unless they over pay with the nets pick (which they don’t want to). They really need to be starting Tristan at the 5 because they have no interior presence on either end of the floor.

[Rudy Bargnani]

Cleveland down 20 in the first quarter. I love it.

[007]

Cavs sliding down past 3rd is definitely looking like a possibility

[rocwell]

Raptors 905 defense > Cavs defense

[G__Deane]

I'm watchin this Cavs/Thunder game right now. The Cavs seriously needs to make a trade - and you know they're going to make a trade. And that is not good if you're a Raps or Celts fan.

Rumors are they are trying to land a big name centre

[The Great One]

Russell Westbrook is probably going to average triple double again this year. How is he not the frontrunner for MVP?

Westbrook is currently averaging 24/9/9.

[rocwell]

Russell Westbrook is probably going to average triple double again this year. How is he not the frontrunner for MVP?

Westbrook is currently averaging 24/9/9.

NBA decided that rebound thieves can't win MVP awards

[Ebonhawke]

ESPN announcers continuing to fellate the Cavs players - saying that Derrick Rose was a blur today - as the Cavs het demolished by the Thunder