The Toronto Sun (Mike Ganter) reports: At one point midway through the second quarter after the Raptors had taken the lead and the Bucks took a timeout, Chris Bosh angrily gestured at the fans to get off their hands and show a little support. “I was just saying it was quiet,” Bosh said. “I’m just saying: ‘I’m excited’. I don’t know if anyone else is excited but I’m excited. I’m not waiting for next week. I’m trying to do it right now and that’s the mentality we have to take as an organization.” And as for the fans. “If the crowd just reacts, it’s a tough place to play,” Bosh said. “We go to places like Dallas and Utah, Cleveland and Detroit and it’s loud. It really makes a difference and really gives them an advantage.”
Category: Toronto Raptors Blog
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Apr. 9: Raptors 111, Bucks 93
The AP reports: Chris Bosh did his part to end Toronto’s slump. He would like the fans to do theirs. Bosh had 32 points and 11 rebounds and the Raptors ended a three-game losing streak with a 111-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Anthony Parker added 18 points for the Raptors, who have struggled despite clinching a playoff spot last week. Toronto lost 15 of its previous 21 games. Fans booed the Raptors after their last home loss and didn’t make much noise Wednesday night. “It was quiet. Could you hear yourself talk?” Bosh asked reporters… Former Raptor Charlie Villanueva had a season-high 38 points and a career-high seven 3-pointers. He scored 25 of Milwaukee’s first 29 points.
Sam Mitchell reminds players to bend knees
The Toronto Star (Dave Feschuk) reports: Yesterday, coach Sam Mitchell mentioned that video viewing of an ongoing three-game losing streak has revealed too many instances where Raptors who should know better have caught the ball on the perimeter with straight legs. This is a grade-school no-no, of course. In a game of bang-bang reaction, it’s a posture that says: “I’m no threat.” A straight-legged offensive player doesn’t have time to be a threat. By the time he bends his knees and assumes the proper offensive stance – the so-called triple-threat position – he has lost whatever edge he once had. Mitchell demonstrated. “If I catch it like this” – and here the coach got into the classic triple-threat position, his knees bent to drive, his wrist cocked to shoot or pass – “you don’t know if I’m going to shoot, pass or dribble. You’ve got to catch the ball in triple threat.”
Apr. 5: Nets 99, Raptors 90
The AP reports: A day after the ankle prevented him from playing against Detroit, Vince Carter returned to the lineup and scored 32 points to lead the Nets to a 99-90 victory over the struggling Toronto Raptors on Saturday night… Richard Jefferson added 28 points and Devin Harris had 12 points and seven assists as the Nets won for only the fourth time in 11 games… Rasho Nesterovic had 22 points and 14 rebounds to lead the playoff-bound Raptors, who lost their third straight and 11th in 15 games. Chris Bosh added 18 points for Toronto, which had all five starters score in double figures. The bench contributed 13 points on 6-of-22 shooting… Carter, who also added seven rebounds and five assists, then took over.
Apr. 4: Bobcats 105, Raptors 100
The AP reports: Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Earl Boykins converted a three-point play after stealing the ball from T.J. Ford in the final minute of the Charlotte Bobcats’ 105-100 victory over the Raptors on Friday night. Chris Bosh had 23 points for the Raptors, who clinched a playoff berth Friday night because Washington beat Miami… The Raptors (38-38) are hardly playing like a team poised to make a strong playoff run. Fans booed the home team at the final buzzer… Rasho Nesterovic added a season-high 23 points for Toronto, but All-Star Bosh didn’t get many touches in the final minutes. Raymond Felton had 21 points for Charlotte.
Apr. 2: Hawks 127, Raptors 120
The AP reports: Mike Bibby hit a tying 3-pointer in regulation, Smith made two in overtime, and the Hawks beat the Toronto Raptors 127-120 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory… Chris Bosh had 24 points for Toronto, and T.J. Ford finished with 23 points and 13 assists. Rasho Nesterovic scored 21 points and reserve guard Jose Calderon handed out 10 assists for the Raptors. Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 28 points. Bibby had 26 and Josh Smith finished with 24. Bibby and Johnson combined for 23 assists. Al Horford pulled down 11 rebounds.
Mar. 31: Raptors 104, Bobcats 100
The AP reports: Chris Bosh scored 32 points and the Toronto Raptors remained alone in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 104-100 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday night. Bosh hit 13 of 16 free throws and added eight rebounds and five assists for the Raptors, who won for the third time in four games to pull a game ahead of idle Philadelphia in the playoff race… Anthony Parker added 20 points and T.J. Ford added 15, including the clinching free throw with 1.9 seconds left for the Raptors, who bounced back from a home loss to New Orleans on Sunday. Jason Richardson scored 18 of his 26 points in the first half, Gerald Wallace scored 20 points and Emeka Okafor had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Bobcats, whose faint playoff hopes took a hit.
Mar. 30: Hornets 118, Raptors 111
The AP reports: David West scored 32 points and Chris Paul had 20 points and 16 assists to lead the New Orleans Hornets to a 118-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. Peja Stojakovic scored 25 and Tyson Chandler had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Hornets bounced back from a 20-point loss in Boston on Friday night to win for the sixth time in seven games. The Hornets reached 50 wins for the first time since the 1997-98 season. Chris Bosh scored 21 points and Carlos Delfino added 18 as Toronto’s modest two-game winning streak came to an end. Rasho Nesterovic had 14 and Jamario Moon added 13 for the Raptors, who have lost seven of 10.
Mar. 28: Raptors 103, Knicks 95
The AP reports: After months of inevitability, the New York Knicks made it official, dropping out of playoff contention Friday night by losing to the Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Rasho Nesterovic added 18 points, and the Raptors beat the Knicks 103-95… Anthony Parker scored 15 for the Raptors, who won their second in a row after losing 11 of their previous 14… Starting for the second straight game, Toronto guard T.J. Ford finished with 10 points and nine assists… Jamal Crawford scored 26 and Jared Jeffries had a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have won just two of 15. Quentin Richardson added 20 points and 10 rebounds while David Lee had 15 and 12 for New York.
Mar. 26: Raptors 89, Pistons 82
The AP reports: A new-look starting five did the job for the struggling Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh scored 21 points and T.J. Ford had 13 points and nine assists in his return to the starting lineup as the Raptors beat the Detroit Pistons 89-82 on Wednesday night… Rasho Nesterovic had 15 points and Jose Calderon 13 as Toronto won for just the fourth time in 15 games. The Raptors avoided falling below .500 for the first time since a loss at Cleveland on Nov. 24 dropped them to 6-7… Chauncey Billups scored 24 points, and Rodney Stuckey tied a career high with 16, including 14 in the fourth… The Pistons were without leading scorer Richard Hamilton (sore left hip) for the second consecutive game.