Raptors game day - Pistons/Raps

Detroit at Toronto 7pm ET.

First of all I want to thank Detroit Bad Boys for the photo above. I was checking out google images and that shot pretty much sums up what I think of Toronto playing Detroit.

Tonight the Raptors will try to scrape their sorry asses off the court and steal a home win against the Pistons. Considering the Sixers are hotter than Jessica Alba in the shower, Toronto needs to pull a rabbit out of a hat tonight just to keep pace in the East. Sadly there are a few factors going against the Dinos and one of them is a man simply known as Sheed.

The Pistons are a better team than Toronto, they have active bigs that Toronto can’t stop and the Pistons have already lost twice in the last week. Throw in they beat the Suns the other night without Rip Hamilton and it all adds up to a sad night at the ACC and another nail hammered into the likelihood of a Raps/Pistons first round series.

The kicker in all of this is I still feel Toronto can win this game. If they can play for a full 48 minutes like they did in the first quarter on Sunday, anything is possible. Detroit already knows they are locked in at the 2 spot in the East and they have been known to take a night off here and there. But it will be up to all of the other Raptors because as history shows, CB4 does not do well against the Pistons.

I have always said there are two players in the NBA that own Chris Bosh. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace. CB4 had a great game last time against KG and in a small way did away with the notion of Garnett owning him.

Sheed is another story.

Wallace is one of the best post defenders there is and his outside game keeps Bosh away from the hoop. Sheed is one of those guys that when he wants to, he will kill you. I expect it to happen tonight. The Raps can try to use someone else on Sheed but it will be the same outcome. The best thing for Bosh is to go hard at Sheed early and maybe get a few fouls on him.

If Rip does not play it will help out a little because the Raptors cannot handle both of the Pistons backcourt together. Chauncey tends to have good games against the Raps and Calderon or Ford certainly can’t guard him. Maybe AP can take him on for parts of the game and Moon can stay on Prince.

It will be the Raptors bench that will need to stand their ground. The Pistons young bench has done damage against the Raps this season. Maxiell and Stuckey have no fear and go at the hoop hard.

Toronto is trying to avoid falling below .500 for the first time since November. The slumping Raptors have dropped back-to-back games and seven of their last eight. Bad time of year to go in the tank.

Bosh was not very happy after their game on Sunday. He had to celebrate his 24th birthday with a loss. Not cool.

“The thing that bothers me is at the end of games we’re just too hesitant,” Bosh said. “We hesitate too much and we think about it too much. I know it gets harder down the stretch but we should step our game up instead of taking steps back.”

The Raptors have lost both games against Detroit this season by an average of 15 points, and have dropped 10 of the last 12 meetings.

Happy birthiday T.J. Ford, your present is the Detroit Pistons.

Oh and T.J. everyone chipped in and got you a birthday cake. Don’t blow out your candles before making a wish.

Here are some suggestions:

• No turnovers.
• 28 points and 10 assists.
• Lock down D on Billips.
• For the fans to like you again.

I like to watch the Pistons and they are most likely my second favourite team in the NBA but tonight I will be hoping they fall flat on their face.

As hard as it will be the Raptors need this one bad. Ch-Eo is nervous and Chuck has many dramatic cliches set for tonight.

Pistons win 95-85……..yep let us all pretend this is the playoffs.

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