2/23/11

Raptors Show Rare Clutchness At The ACC.

James Johnson will not only play tonight he will start. This is a terrible sign for Sonny Weems who lead the Raptors in scoring last night and tonight is on the bench. I grow more frustrated with this franchise by the day. Johnson will wear 0 and Raptors better hope he plays better than a 0 or they will hear it from more than just me. At least he should know what to do to defend Deng. Anyway here we go this promises not to be pretty.

Raptors were off to a nice start with a 9-4 lead and Johnson was playing some defence a foreign concept on Raptors but not the Bulls. But Chicago would fight there way back to tied at 11 midway through the first quarter. Weems checks in and shooting and scoring right away to give the Raps a lead but Bulls would get on a roll and lead 17-13. Noah was rebounding everything in sight by the way in his return. Had 10 rebounds before taking a seat in the first quarter with three plus minutes to play. Derrick Rose as expected abusing the Raptors as well an easy drive and score draws a time out with Bulls leading 23-17. Weems and Barbosa both hit jumpers to make it respectable after one with the score 29-25.

Weems got Raptors started and Raptors briefly had a lead 30-29 but turnovers and miscues sparked a 9-0 Bulls run and Bulls led 38-30 and a time out to ask the Raptors what the hell they were doing out there? Ed Davis would end a 3 minute 3o second stretch of no scoring and horrible offence. Raptors clawed back to down 39-37 with DeRozan and Bargnani leading the charge. DeRozan then had a dunk and off a steal hooked up the newest Raptor James Johnson with a dunk tied at 43. The Raps make little sense they show nothing vs Bobcats 24 hours ago and yet tonight are scrapping with the Bulls but on short end of stick 50-46. James Johnson showing some hustle and defence with a block on Boozer. Hustle and D will get you love in T.O not from me but in general. I am not has quick to hope on the new guy fan club train but some are getting aboard no doubt. Bulls still in front thought and had a 5 point late. DeRozan finished an Alley Opp and it was 58-55 Bulls at the half.

Demar had tweeted he was going Ham for the rest of this season on Twitter? Going ham defined for me. It must mean to go nuts and slam the ball like crazy and make jumpers like your Ray Allen. Whatever it means Demar was doing it and he exploded out of gates in 2nd half and the Raptors had a 65-63 lead with 8:32 to play. Bulls called for a time out and Thibodeau was less than thrilled with his teams defence. Deng a 3 out of the time out and Bulls were back on top. Calderon made a bucket a rare event for him these days. He does have 14 assists though which is outstanding even I will admit. Caldeon was doing a good job running the offence and Raptors had build a bit of a lead at 73-68 with under 5 to play in 3rd. Raptors were continuing to shock the realistic view with a 83-75 lead and Bulls playing first game after the break could not match the Raps intensity to this point. Bulls closed quarter well and cut lead in half it was 85-81 Raptors heading to the 4th.

Rose got Bulls going with 5 straight Rose points and led 86-85. Bayless continued to struggle tonight with a turnover that just was sloppy and can not even understand how it happened. He has been just awful of late. But that being said the Raptors would get back on track despite that, as Bargnani would start the ball rolling with a basket and 1. He was fouled again and headed to the line giving the Raptors the lead back 90-88. Weems would get a bucket to make it a 4 point lead. Boozer would score and looked to have fouled Amir Johnson in the time out not that long after Triano was have a discussions with the refs about that one. Raptors after the time out had Calderon back in and started to build a lead 98-91 with just over 6 to play in 4th. Barbosa was giving a burst of the bench Bargnani hit him cutting to the net and it was 102-94. More Barbosa with a long two after a Bulls score to make it 104-96.

The Bulls would get on a run and tie the game up at 107 thanks to Derrick Rose who was on fire in the 4th quarter after a fairly quiet night by his standards. A time out with 1:59 to play and the Raptors 8 point lead was gone. But Demar DeRozan was having a nice game and 4th quarter and he hit and Rose answered and we were tied at 109 with 1:30 to play. DeRozan got fouled with 1:14 to play and made both at the line. Rose was playing monkey see and monkey do with Demar as he got fouled and made both tied at 111. DeRozan went back to the line fouled by Boozer and Demar much in the clutch makes both. Raptors got a key stop and DeRozan showed some vet smarts pulling the ball out on the break and Raps would eat some clock and get the score. James Johnson would end up at the line to put the icing on the upset cake against his former team for the 118-113 unlikely victory from the Raptors.

DeRozan and Bargnani both had 24 and both played well, a rare 8 rebound performance from Bargnani. DeRozan meanwhile was a perfect 8-8 at the line including some big ones down the stretch. James Johnson has a decent debut against his former team of just yesterday. He had 9 points 5 boards and 3 blocks. While Calderon didn't score much with just 6 but had 3 steals and 17 assists and did a great job running the offence. Solid effort from Amir Johnson and good performances from Barbosa, Weems and Davis off the bench. Raptors played there best 2nd half of the season and shocked the Bulls who were playing their first game since the All-Star Break.

No comments:

Post a Comment