Toronto Raptors at Denver Nuggets

Last year when the Raptors played in Denver, it was a Friday night, we had company in town and somehow I had them convinced that it was worth staying up the extra hour to see the Raps play. For those who remember, the game was over in about two minutes and the Nuggets made a joke of Toronto and I actually turned it off at the half which is something I never do.

Based on how the team looked against the Lakers the other night, it could happen again. What a brutal road trip this is. The Lakers, Nuggets, Jazz and then home for a afternoon game with Portland and then back on the road to face the Cavs. Bru-Tal!

Hopefully Toronto can find it’s A game and Bosh returns to form now he is not going against a giant kid named Bynum.

JO needs to get back fast and Calderon needs to look to shoot more or this looks like another L in the books. Hopefully Melo can’t play and the Raps catch a much needed break.

Here is everything you need to know about tonight’s game.

The goods

  • Since being reacquired last month, Chauncey Billups has been the spark that’s led Denver, which will look for its fifth win in six games tonight.
  • Billups is averaging 18.6 points and 6.7 assists in 14 games with the Nuggets.
  • Carmelo Anthony, who’s averaging 24.6 points in 10 career games against Toronto, says he plans to play unless the Nuggets say he can’t. Anthony has a right elbow contusion that’s bothered him since training camp, and the pain came to a head Sunday, when he took himself out after 14 minutes.
  • Bosh shot 4-of-13 and had 12 points Sunday in a 112-99 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
  • Billups will have his hands full with Jose Calderon, one of the league’s quickest point guards. Despite seeing his shooting percentage decline from 51.9 percent to 44.5 percent so far in 2008-09, Calderon leads the East with 9.6 assists per game and he leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (5-to-1).
  • Calderon hasn’t missed a free throw (43-for-43) this season.
  • Toronto lost 137-105 in its last trip to Denver on March 14 (the game mentioned above) - a game Bosh missed - and has lost four straight at Pepsi Center.

For bettors

  • Over is 4-0 in Nuggets last 4 home games.
  • Over is 5-0 in Nuggets last 5 overall.
  • Over is 4-0 in Nuggets last 4 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
  • Over is 8-3 in Nuggets last 11 Tuesday games.
  • Over is 10-4 in Nuggets last 14 vs. Eastern Conference.
  • Over is 14-6-1 in Nuggets last 21 vs. NBA Atlantic.

Prediction

Hard to say. If Melo does not play and JO does play, I am going to be crazy and say the Raps shock us all with a 110-105 win.

If Melo plays and JO does not. The Nuggets will roll to a 110-97 win.

Other links

Raptors Republic -  Podcast preview of tonight’s game.
Raptors Talk - Raptors are going after LeBron?
Pickaxe and Roll - Reaching out to former Nuggets and more on Melo’s elbow.

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