The first win against mediocre Raptors? - Arven's Blog

Arven's Blog

The first win against mediocre Raptors?

Posted on October 30, 2010 at 06:54 AM.

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Game #4 against the rather weakish Toronto Raptors. On top of their miserable ratings starting point guard Jose Calderon is injured, generating an exploitable match-up for Deron Williams.

Unfortunately the set-up makes me complacent (also playing late at night, not concentrating well) and I fall behind in the second quarter 56: 45.

Bargnani poses the largest threat in that and he is a huge match-up problem, because despite "Play Tight" and "Deny Ball", Jefferson proves to slow to chase him to the perimeter. I change that by putting Kirilenko on him - he has the length and quickness to stay with him and it proves successful.

Also dishing the ball inside I manage to get Bargnani into foul trouble - he actually fouls out at the 2:30 mark in the 4th.

With better tactics I manage to win the 3rd 27 : 25 and go on a defensive massacre in the 4th. 17 seconds from the end Millsap misses an equalizing jump shot from about 10 feet and for some awkward reason the "Select" button does not yield the intentional foul I need. So the Raptors run down the clock and winn the game 103 : 101. AAARRRGGGGG. This was totally avoidable.

Bargnani 25 pts, 5 rebs, 2 blk on 10-18 shooting
Barbosa 21 pts, 3 stl, 9-28 shooting (2-11 3pt)
Calderon 17 pts, 12 ast, 7-11 shooting - he was a beast in the 4th, despite his injuries and secured their win

D. Williams 32 pts, 10 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk - he was his superstar self, going 1-on-1 with a vengeance (but also getting into trouble under the basket - I haven't gotten the moves down squat yet)
A. Jefferson 24 pts, 9 reb, 2 blk, 10-15 shooting, 4-7 ft - pretty much finding his way into the team
G. Hayward 8 pts, 1 stl, 2 blk, 3-5 shooting - again a very convincing showing, with two monster blocks and huge performances in crunch time
A. Kirilenko 7 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 1st (lots of deflections which don't show) and disappointing 3-12 shooting. Defensively he was a beast, though.
M. Okur was injured going strong to the hoop (converting nonetheless). guess what he went down with? Yeah, a strained achilles tendon of all things! Out for 2-4 weeks I guess he didn't rehab enough after all (and I used him too early ;-)).
C.J. Miles was the usual disappointment: 2 pts on 1-5 shooting and being too small for much else.
Millsap didn't get involved in the offense (2 pts, but had 7 rebs, 3 stl, 2 blk)

0-4 on the season now, the championship is far, far away. Gotta win the next two against weak opponents...