Better Effort, Same Result

Raptors had no Bargnani,Calderon, Amir Johnson or Barbosa. But showed more fight then they had in awhile. All the details in audio form with yours truly.

Here is that boxscore I mentioned with all the stat goodies for you stat junkies.

Raptors Rewind- Can We Stop The Pain Edition?

So Andrea Bargnani will play this on not feeling at 100%. I think Raptor fans can relate. However Bargnani has flu like symptoms. I have a feeling we all might be sick by the end of this one. I actually know we will cause I am doing the Rewind of the Replay. So with that being said here we go with Raptors 6th lose in a row. I was told by a friend not to watch this but as I told her being the Dino Blogger it kind of is required for me to watch. After this season I may need some serious therapy to recover from it. I wonder if that is tax deductible? It is hard to remember but this is where this season of so much promise started with a win and a 3-0 start that seems like a century ago.

1st Quarter

So off we go. Raptors win the tip. Sam D with a quick foul for Sixers. Non shooting and Bosh miss and the Sixers go to Dalembert who has caught some heat for his work ethic of late. Turnover and a Thad Young jam. Bosh answers with a throw down of his own. Bosh would miss on his next attempt a jumper. Young is showing why he is consider much improved as he scores. Bargnani not at 100% but 3 point shot looks good as he takes and makes. Willie Green makes a 2 point effort for the Sixers. An early 8-5 lead for Philly.

A Marion Turnover as he stepped out. Bargnani a miss and the Thad Young show is in high gear early with another dunk. Calderon a rare drive and score. Injured or not injured who knows but he needs to be much better. Bargnani buries a 3 pointer and the score is tied at 10. Bargnani is able to score again this time for 2. Playing sick sometimes can have amazing results. I once bowled in a bowling league. I was not feeling well and decided to bowl out so I could help my team seeing as I was not going to be making it to bowling night. I had the highest 3 scores combined in my fabled bowling career. I was sick as a dog doing it. Meanwhile from bowling to basketball as the Sixers make a pair from line to tie the score. Marion a basket he is in the books.
Green is feeling good with another basket and they tie it again at 14.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu checks in for Andrea picked up a foul. Philly Split 2 at the line. Andre Miller is fouled and looks to extend the lead. Miller makes 2 and Calderon checks out for Parker who is back to playing back up point guard and you have to wonder why. FREE ROKO. The season is done why are you not letting this guy develop in favour of a gut that likely will not be here next season. Makes no sense. Mr Young with a miss. Bargnani with a buzzer beater 3 with shot clock expiring. Tied at 17. Young another score and put his Sixers back in front. He had a chance to score again but missed it. Pops Mensah-Bonsu with a huge throw down. We are tied at 19. Bargnani called for an offensive foul his second and he argued the call and I like it.Tied at 19 after one.

2nd Quarter.

Both teams shoot awful at under 40% for both. A spin and score in the lane for the Philly rookie. Young follows that and it is a 4 point Sixer lead. Roko is free now and leads the Raptors to a score. Put a kick out to Iggy for 3. Sixers lead it 28-21. CB4 gets a basket and dedicate that one to brother Joel who is having a birthday today. Exchange of baskets than another 3 ball by Iggy again. Roko Ukic drives and scores. But Philly was getting whatever they liked. Speights had a few nice scores and so did Lou Williams of the bench. Raps had 7 turnovers and almost all of them have ended with a Sixer dunk the other way. The Sixers has build a 9 point lead from a game that was tied after 1.

Marshall is a Sixer that was at one point my ex-girlfriends favourite Raptor. She was never much of a basketball fan till she met me and why she like Donyell I have not clue. But that was better than the Rogers did you know feature. Meanwhile the beat down is in full effect with a Sammy D Flush and Sixers lead was a dozen. Raptors answers with a 2. But a Thad Young 3 ball and an Evans dunk and Raptors were down 15 and Triano calls a time out hide the clipboards cause we don't need to see another clipboard lose it's life to early before it's time. 51-36 for the Sixers. This is ugly and really you have to feel for Jay Triano is a way. Bosh picked up his 3rd foul and the lead for Philly was 55-36. For the tri-fector of ugly the Raptors committed turnover number 10 opps make that 11. The Sixers Roll to a 56-39 halftime lead. Ugly but unfortunately not unexpected.

3rd Quarter.

I watched it. 92-74 Sixers after 3. I figure how many quarters have the Raptors taken off this season? So I took one to eat instead of type. Defense is still a foreign word in Raptors land and this quarter was proof of that. On to the 4th.

4th Quarter

I am not sure If I will say much about this one as well. However Andera Bargnani had a nice jam. Give this kid credit. In a game that really means little he is out there not feeling well and play great. Full marks for Bargnani the rest of the Raptors not so much. Raptors make a bit of a push back to cut the lead to 11. But forget about that we had some broadcast history. Jack Armstrong gave the first bilingual Hello in Raptor history. A little Bonjour. Raptors were fighting hard honestly but far to little and far to late. Also of Note Calderon glued to the bench and I am thinking that the Jose Calderon era as Raptor Point guard may be a heck of a lot shorter than advertised. Is it a conscience Raptors push was with out Jose. I think not. If you want something to cheer for down this stretch run, cheer for the Suns not to make the playoffs. If that happens Steve Nash becomes a more viable possibility for the Raptors in the off season. I honestly believe he is only answer to getting this fixed in the short term. Not just him alone but the other things a Nash trade could mean.

Calderon finally returns with Raptors down 8 and about just under 6 to play. Calderon has it stolen away and a dunk. Triano furious and why not calls a time out. After the time out no more Jose. Ukic takes his spot. Seems that Calderon and Triano are to say the least not on the same page.

The Boxscore As Required By Sports Law - Raptors and Sixers

The feeling and mood after this one sucked and it just is ugly times in Raptorland and no one can honestly say anything else. Chalk up another player with his career high against the Raptors as Thaddeus Young with 29.