February 15 - San Antonio Spurs

[Mack North]

After two heartbreakers in a row, I want a win or a fifteen point loss. Either is fine.

It's never good to lose in a smokeshow, I'd take the heart breakers any day over them. That way there's only a few minor adjustments you need to make in order to have won the ball game, rather than a whole wack. And I would hope players learn from those mistakes and in turn, make them better in the long run.

Too bad Kleiza is out for this one, we could use that intensity. Spurs played a tight one last night in the D, so being tired is no excuse tonight!

[octothorp]

After two heartbreakers in a row, I want a win or a fifteen point loss. Either is fine.

[xRevise]

After last night's demoralizing loss to the Knicks, I'll bet anything the Raptors come out flat out of the gate and ultimately lose this one by the 3rd quarter. Not liking DD's match up for this game whatsoever.

[jshchn]

Another chance for Raptors to get some press if they do break this 9 game streak. Somewhat optimistic.

[Bendit]

Wonder if DD duplicates last year's Spurs visit to TO? I am starting to feel like he cannot play under pressure...which if true is going to be a problem. If he cant handle regular season games what happens in the playoffs....lol getting ahead of myself!

[mcHAPPY]

The fine folks at ESPN are looking at it like this in their preview:

The Toronto Raptors just lost a heartbreaking game to the Eastern Conference's hottest team.

Welcoming the only team in the NBA with a longer winning streak could make it tough for the Raptors to bounce back.

The Southwest Division-leading San Antonio Spurs will try to extend their season-best winning streak to nine on Wednesday night when they continue their lengthy trip in Toronto.

Leading the New York Knicks by as many as 17 -- and 12 in the fourth quarter -- the Raptors (9-21) lost 90-87 on Tuesday night when Jeremy Lin continued his remarkable run with 27 points, including a 3-pointer in the face of Jose Calderon with half a second left.

"It should not have come to (Lin's) play," said coach Dwane Casey, whose team's last five defeats have been by a combined 20 points. "We had some many boneheaded plays to get to that play and to make that play relevant. We should have taken care of business before that."

The Raptors, losers of seven of nine, continue their season-high seven-game homestand with their only matchup against San Antonio this season.

The Spurs (20-9) arrive in Toronto after improving to 4-0 on their nine-game trip with Tuesday's 99-95 victory over Detroit. San Antonio had won just twice in 10 road games prior to this stretch.

Tim Duncan has turned back the clock on this trip, averaging 16.5 points and 12.8 rebounds. The 35-year-old posted his fifth consecutive double-double on Tuesday with 18 points and 13 boards.

Tony Parker scored eight of his 14 points in the final 2:07 and Manu Ginobili -- playing his second game after missing 22 with a broken bone in his left hand -- added seven assists off the bench.

"We've got three veteran players out there in Tim, Manu and Tony, and they made plays down the stretch when we needed them," coach Gregg Popovich said.

San Antonio last won nine in a row during a 10-0 stretch from Dec. 3-22, 2010.

The Spurs also have a chance to win six straight road games for the first time since an 8-0 run to begin 2010-11.

San Antonio avoided a third consecutive loss in Toronto and capped off its first season sweep in this series since 2006-07 with a 111-100 victory on Feb. 9, 2011.

DeMar DeRozan had 25 points in that game and led the Raptors with 53 on 54.1 percent from the field in two matchups against Spurs last season. The third-year guard, though, has totaled 22 points on 7-of-25 shooting in the last two games.

Calderon has been far more efficient in those contests, making 24 of 35 from the field and scoring 55 points.

Parker leads San Antonio with 21.0 points per game and 6.8 assists on the trip. The point guard is averaging 20.3 points and 6.0 assists in the Spurs' last three games in Toronto.

San Antonio has won 22 of 31 in this series.

Dwane Casey doesn't pull any punches and tells it like it is. I love it. In terms of his interviews with the media, he is the anti-Colangelo.