Game #62: Toronto Raptors 94 - Charlotte Hornets 103

[The Great One]

Raptors

C - Jonas Valanciunas
PF - Amir Johnson
SF - James Johnson
SG - DeMar DeRozan
PG - Greivis Vasquez?

Hornets

C - Al Jefferson
PF - Marvin Williams
SF - MKG
SG - Gerald Henderson
PG - Mo Williams

Mo Williams has been on a roll since the trade. He's the guy the Raptors need to keep an eye on come friday night along with Gerald Henderson who always plays like an All-Star vs the Raptors.

Also, I don't know what it is about the Hornets but they always gives the Raps a lot of trouble. Enough is enough. Raptors are the better team. This is a game they NEED to win.

[MACK11]

If Lowry is still out in this game, MO Williams will go off for at least 60pts

[007]

I hope Lowry can play.

And we need to stop Henderson for once.

[MixxAOR]

If Lowry is still out in this game, MO Williams will go off for at least 60pts

Even if Lowry plays Mo Williams will go off to 60 pts

[MACK11]

Even if Lowry plays Mo Williams will go off to 60 pts

Nah he'll only go for 45

[godkingleonidas]

I have an ominous feeling that this match will go down the same way as the matches vs. the Pelicans.

[Zainab]

As much as I want Lowry to play, I think it would be in our best interest to wait till he's healthy because nagging injuries would result in poor play and that actually helps no one.

When he's on fire, we are a force to be reckoned with. I suppose take 2-3 weeks off and come back as close to 100% as possible. We want to get out of the first round.

[Nilanka]

Once we're done congratulating each other over the Cleveland loss, we need to remember that we've lost 6 of the last 7 games.

That has gotta be an automatic win. If not, we're in trouble.

[Jclaw]

Big game because it's a realistic target. Yeah, getting a win over atlanta or hoping for a win against golden state or cleveland is nice. The knicks are so bad it was probably to hard to actually try. The bobcats are the type of midlevel team that we could easily face in the first round. Need to find some stability here.

[consmap]

The team needs to play the same way it did against Cleveland. No excuses!

[Scraptor]

I hope Lowry can play.

And we need to stop Henderson for once.

Bond, you're off the hook. It was a joke bet really; fairer odds would have been closer to 10 to 1 lol.

Once we're done congratulating each other over the Cleveland loss, we need to remember that we've lost 6 of the last 7 games.

That has gotta be an automatic win. If not, we're in trouble.

Unfortunately unless Lowry plays there are no automatic wins for us anymore, and even then a road win against a team that always gives us fits will be tough. Fortunately we have a better road record than their home record so at least it'll be a fair fight.

And as for being in trouble, trouble is already upon us, whether we like it or not. /lotr

[007]

Bond, you're off the hook. It was a joke bet really; fairer odds would have been closer to 10 to 1 lol.

Hahaha, I'm glad you had mercy on me. Glad to be back to normal, well except for the sig.

Anytime you want to bet on a game, I'll be here haha

[hotfuzz]

Time to face Gerald "MJ" Henderson.

[rightsideup]

Yes with out a doubt the coaching staff needs to figure out how to cool Henderson off. Need a great effort

[Joey]

Game #62: Toronto Raptors (38-23) vs. Charlotte Hornets (26-33) Fri Mar 6th on SN1 @ 7PM

@

Probable Starters:

Raptors	Hornets
PG Kyle Lowry	PG Mo Williams
SG Demar Derozan	SG Michael Jordan ... er... Gerald Henderson
SF James Johnson	SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF Amir Johnson	PF Marvin Williams
C Jonas Valanciunas	C Al Jefferson

Last Time we Met:
JANUARY 8, 2015
CHARLOTTE 103, TORONTO 95
TORONTO - The Raptors dropped a 103-95 decision to the Charlotte Hornets, spoiling the team's homecoming after a six-game road trip … Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 24 points … Lou Williams finished with 15 points for Toronto, while Greivis Vasquez had 11 points and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 10 … Charlotte's starters outscored Toronto's 89-46 … Gerald Henderson scored 31 points to top the Hornets in their fourth straight victory … Kemba Walker added 29 for Charlotte, which led by as much as 15 points before taking a 75-66 advantage into the fourth quarter …The Raptors opened the fourth with a 7-0 run to pull within two points … But that was as close as they would come, as Charlotte answered virtually every Toronto basket the rest of the way … A Patterson basket with 42 seconds to play pulled the Raptors to within four points, breathing some life into Toronto's hopes for a victory … But Walker snuffed that out with a long jumper that put Charlotte back up by six with 19 seconds to play, and sealed Toronto's fate … The Hornets shot 48 per cent on the night to Toronto's 40 per cent, and outrebounded the Raptors 46-42.

Game Notes:



• The Toronto Raptors begin a three-game road trip (Mar. 6-10) Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Raptors play an NBA-high 18 road games following the All-Star break, including nine of their first 11 games (Feb. 20 - Mar. 10). Toronto has dropped five in a row versus the Hornets and seven straight at Charlotte. The Raptors’ last victory in Charlotte was March 29, 2010.
• Toronto is three victories away from securing a .500 record for a second consecutive season. The Raptors won a franchise-best 48 games last year and have not posted back-to-back winning seasons since finishing with a .500 record in three straight seasons from 1999-2002.
• With 12 road games remaining the Raptors need five wins to tie the franchise record of 22 road victories set in 2013 -14. Last season marked the first time in franchise history the team finished with a .500 record on the road. Toronto ranks second in the NBA averaging 106.3 points on the road this season, trailing only Golden State (106.5).
• Lou Williams is the third player in franchise history to score 20 or more points as a reserve in three straight games (Feb. 28 - Mar. 4), joining Tracy Murray (Nov. 8-11, 1995) and Jalen Rose (Jan. 19-23, 2005). Williams is averaging 23.0 points over the last three contests.
• Toronto has scored 100+ points in consecutive games (Mar. 2-4) for the first time since reaching 100 points in five straight games Jan. 25-31. The Raptors are averaging 113.0 points in the last two games, while shooting .528 (84-for-159) from the field, .438 (21-for-48) from three-point range and .902 (37-for-41) at the free throw line. In the first six games following the All-Star break (Feb. 20-28) Toronto averaged 92.8 points.
• Lou Williams set a franchise record Wednesday vs. Cleveland with 21 points in the fourth quarter. It was the most points in any quarter by a Raptor player, passing the previous record of 20 points. Alan Anderson was the last Raptor to score 20 points Mar. 22, 2013 vs. New York in the third quarter. Mike James was the last Raptor to score 20 points in a fourth quarter April 16, 2006 vs. Detroit. Williams shot 6-for-7 in the quarter; and was a perfect 3-for-3 beyond the arc and 6-for-6 at the free throw line.
• Lou Williams became the second player in team history to shoot a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range and 8-for-8 at the free throw line in the same game. Former Hornet Muggsy Bogues also accomplished this for the Raptors on Mar. 3, 2000 vs. Boston. Six players in the NBA have shot perfect from beyond the arc with four or more attempts and at the free throw line with eight or more attempts in the last 10 seasons. Stephen Curry was the last player to accomplish this Feb. 12, 2014 vs. Miami.
• The Raptors shot 10-for-21 (.476) from three-point range Mar. 4 vs. Cleveland. It was the 23rd time this season Toronto has made 10 or more three-pointers in a game. Last year’s squad set a team-record making 10+ threepointers in 32 games. The Raptors are 41-14 over the last two seasons when making 10+ three-pointers.
• James Johnson has shot .500 or better in a career-best 11 consecutive games (Feb. 6 - Mar. 4). He leads the team with a .683 (56-for-82) field goal percentage during this stretch and is averaging 11.8 points. Johnson’s previous high for consecutive games shooting .500 was seven, which he accomplished once earlier this season (Nov. 26 - Dec. 8) and Feb. 27 - Mar. 12, 2010 during his rookie season with Chicago.

Keys to the Game:

+ Lock Gerald Henderson out of the Arena
+ Ball movement. So much Ball movement.
+ Another big game from JV needed on Big Al.


Key Match-Ups

vs.


Lets Go Raptors!!

*Cannot confirm Lowry is Starting ...