Raptors game day - Raps/Cavs

Toronto at Cleveland 7:30 ET

“They’re the defending champions of the Eastern Conference. But they don’t scare me,” Bosh said. Even you-know-who?”

I beg to differ after seeing this Billboard on the Gardner Expressway.

Tonight the Raptors travel to Cleveland to take on the LeBron’s in what has to be considered a huge game if you are a Raptors fan.

The team has been on a downward spiral (not counting wins against the Heat) for the last few weeks and this game will go a long way to show if they are going to end up in the 7 spot in the East or fight to keep their 5 spot.

I can’t speak for Raptors Nation but Cleveland scares me. Yes Drew Gooden is gone (his beard literally scared me) but they stocked up on rebounders and bigs and if there was one team in the NBA that does not like played active rebounders…….well you know where I am going with this.

The good news of course is Bosh is back and in Bosh we trust.

He’s averaging 28.3 points over his previous four games against Cleveland, but Toronto has lost each of those contests.

LBJ, who leads the NBA with 30.9 points per game, has averaged 37.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists in his last three games against the Raptors. He scored a career-high 56 points in Toronto on March 20, 2005.

Scary numbers I have to say. Considering the game is in Cleveland and the Raps D has been MIA for weeks, tonight could be painful for Raptors fans to watch.

I will concede King James getting his triple-double before the game starts, that is not what is going to win the game for the Cavs.

What I don’ want to see is wide open jumpers from the corners for every three point gunner on the team. I don’t want to see Damon Jones dancing around and having a good time. I don’t want to see some bench guy have a career game like it so often does against the Raps.

I want to see the Raps take care of the ball on every possession and box out like their life depended on it.

I think the Raps can take this game. Granted Bosh is not 100% yet but I don’t think any of the Cavs bigs can stop him one on one.

Ben Wallace is not what he used to be, Joe Smith is my age and Side Show Bob will only try to draw flops.

Big games are needed from Jose, Bargnani and AP.

The X-factor like it always is against the Cavs is the Big Z in the middle. He always has great games against Toronto and it will be up to Rasho and the Hump to try and slow him down.

I have not mentioned the biggest factor that will hurt the Raps.

It is Friday night. I feel like a broken record saying it but they suck on Friday nights. I don’t think they have one a Friday night game in 2008. The effort is always terrible and they can’t hit a bucket from anywhere.

I am really hoping they bring energy like that Celtics game I like to reflect on when I need to feel good about my Raps. Not the energy they had against the likes of the Pacers or Clippers and of course that shit show last Friday against Denver.

The good news is that if the Raptors game tonight goes foul there is always March Madness on two other channels.

Sweet.

Cleveland has won nine of its last 11 overall against Toronto in case anyone was wondering.

Cleveland will win 97-87 and hopefully the Sixers and Wiz don’t win.

Popularity: 1% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!