Game #20: Toronto Raptors 126 - Charlotte Hornets 113

[consmap]

STARTING LINEUPS:




Toronto Raptors


Kyle Lowry

DeMar DeRozan

OG Anunoby

Serge Ibaka

Jonas Valanciunas




Charlotte Hornets


Kemba Walker

Nicolas Batum

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Marvin Williams

Dwight Howard





KEY MATCHUP:

• The Raptors face another team on the lower rungs of the Eastern Conference ladder. Charlotte sits at 11th, but the Raptors must play with focus; especially since Charlotte and specifically Kemba Walker have given them fits in the past.
• In the last game against the Hawks the Raptors delivered a heavy dose of punishment to their opponents with outstanding play from the bench mob. They can potentially play at an even higher level when the likes of Delon Wright and CJ Miles return to the lineup.
• Ball movement and energy on defense is key to the Raptors having a successful game. Games are tough when everyone tries to do everything by themselves!

[3inthekeon]

JV should get some run. Howard has been playing almost 30 minutes a game for the Hornets.

[Abbas]

I will be attending this game, any tips?

[Scraptor]

I will be attending this game, any tips?

Tell Dwight Howard you're one of his illegitimate children and you want $5,000 for your silence.

Then buy 20 tickets to the next home game for your Raptors Republic compatriots.

[G__Deane]

I will be attending this game, any tips?

Yes. Drink before you go and get a sausage off a cart on the way in. Don't pay $12 for a $3-at-the-LCBO tall boy.....

[G__Deane]

Some of the younger fans can't even remember when Dwight Howard was the biggest baddest can't-be-stopped force in the league. He seemed so much bigger than almost everybody and was a pure physical force.

Never seems to be a j/e/r/k on or off the court like someone like LeBron for instance,

[Scraptor]

Never seems to be a j/e/r/k on or off the court like someone like LeBron for instance,

He's literally been fined twice this season for making offensive sexual gestures at opposing fans. And the way he backstabbed Stan Van Gundy, how he refused to run the pick and roll with Steve Nash, the hypocrisy about his religious proclamations while he's fathering multiple children out of wedlock....

Howard is an immature manbaby who wasted much of his potential. Not quite as big a jerk as LeBron but a jerk in his own special way imo.

[rocwell]

Raptors held DeRozan out of practice today, a precaution after he bumped his knee late in Saturday's game. Doesn't sound like a serious thing

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) November 27, 2017

[Abbas]

Raptors held DeRozan out of practice today, a precaution after he bumped his knee late in Saturday's game. Doesn't sound like a serious thing

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) November 27, 2017

HE better FCUKING PLAY.... the ONLY reason I'm going to the GAME is to see his beautiful ass

[G__Deane]

He's literally been fined twice this season for making offensive sexual gestures at opposing fans. And the way he backstabbed Stan Van Gundy, how he refused to run the pick and roll with Steve Nash, the hypocrisy about his religious proclamations while he's fathering multiple children out of wedlock....

Howard is an immature manbaby who wasted much of his potential. Not quite as big a jerk as LeBron but a jerk in his own special way imo.

I wasn't even aware of that story, haven't really followed him for yeasr. Looks like he never grew up....too bad

"According to Spotrac, the fine marked Howard's sixth of the season. He was most recently fined Nov. 7 for directing an obscene gesture toward a fan while playing against the Timberwolves two days earlier. The other fines were the result of technical fouls.


Howard, 31, is averaging 15.5 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 18 games this season."

[The Great One]

Automatic win.

[G__Deane]

Automatic win.

I bet someone has "a bad feeling" about it though

[MixxAOR]

I bet someone has "a bad feeling" about it though

It's Charlotte Hornets though. Damn right I have a bad feeling about this. They are our original fathers.

[Deems]

It's game 20. The proverbial measuring stick for advanced data enthusiasts. I wonder how much a blowout win/loss will affect their assumptions of the team.

[DanH]

It's game 20. The proverbial measuring stick for advanced data enthusiasts. I wonder how much a blowout win/loss will affect their assumptions of the team.

A lot less than it would have at game 5, that's the point!

Although I've been pegging a few games from now (I think game 22, or 23?) as a good spot to draw a line because the schedule balances out at that point (ie they'll have played enough easy and/or home games to make up for the tough schedule they've had to this point).

That said, I'm dropping a big stats based post tomorrow before game 20, so clearly I'm not living as I preach.