A Very Familiar Experience For The Raptors In Charlotte.

Raptors for whatever reason struggle with the Charlotte Bobcats. They have not won in Charlotte since 2010. I am not exactly sure what the reason for the Raptors struggle with this team that for 9 years and been an NBA bottom feeder for most of their existence. 

The Raptors would do little to think a change in their luck would happen as the Bobcats looked better than the Miami Heat the night before. The Raptors defensively were taking a cat nap to start this game. Bobcats were shooting a scorching 8-10 to start the game as the Raptors struggled at just 4-12 in the early going. Gerald Henderson was lighting it up at the hands of DeMar DeRozan as he was 5-7 in the first 7 minutes of this one. It would only get worse as the quarter dragged on the Raptors were getting completely torched. In the end Cats shot 75% for the quarter and had a 32-18 lead. Just completely unacceptable and awful are the only ways to describe this first quarter.

Raptors would get their heads out of their butts in the second but not really improving things if that makes any sense. They would get rolling on offense which allowed them to tie the game at 51 late in the quarter on back to back DeRozan threes. It almost makes up for DeRozan’s brutal D of the first quarter but not really. The Raptors were not exactly doing things that you could see lasting in the long run.  The Bobcats went away from things that were working for them more than the Raptors D was playing significantly better. Whatever the case maybe the Raptors found themselves tied at the half at 53 which coming into this game would be labelled a disappointment still. 

Raptors were playing like individuals in trying to will themselves in front. To start the third that worked for awhile but a 5 point lead quickly became a Bobcats 6 point lead thanks to an 11-0 run with some fantastic ball movement by the Cats. Bobcats built the lead back to 73-66 and were looking good again. Rudy Gay would air-ball a three point attempt to end the third that summed up my thoughts on this game and his play in it. Cats took a 76-70 lead to the fourth.

Amir Johnson continues his bid to make the NBA three point shoot out as he drains a wide open three to get the Raptors back to within two. Sure that is nice and all but more a statement of how the Raptors were getting very few easy looks in this game. In the end the Bobcats would get things back under control and not allow the Raptors to sniff a lead at least at that point of the night. Raptors would again creep close to 4 points down in the final 3 minutes. Raptors would have a chance to tie but Rudy Gay got tied up as he tried to force it up in the lane leading to a jump ball. Raptors had another chance to tie it up and DeRozan was blocked in the lane. It was just one of those nights for the Raptors. Raptors would not get a third chance as Bobcats would hang on to beat their favorite team in the NBA the Toronto Raptors 92-90.

Looking at the schedule ahead things could get very bad very fast for the Raptors. If that happens expect the watch to begin for the Raptors to hit the self-destruction button on this season. In order to earn a lottery ticket and a shot at a saviour for a franchise that is in bad need of one.