Game 32 (TOR v. POR) Jan 2: Raps Look to Snap 5 year skid Against Blazers

[Mile High Champ]

(16-14)..............(11-20)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS v. TORONTO RAPTORS

NBA Game Overview
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Date: January 2nd 2013
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
TV: Sportsnet

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS:


PG...........SG..........SF..........PF...........C

LILLARD----BATUM----CLAVER----ALDRIDGE----HICKSON



PG...........SG..........SF..........PF...........C

CALDERON----DEROZAN----PIETRUS----DAVIS----GRAY


STATS:

...............

Key Match UP


Ed Davis v. LaMarcus Aldridge

MHC TAKE:

Happy New Year Raptors fans. I trust you all had a pleasent and safe new years celebration. Today marks the Raptors first game of 2013 when they host a very challenging foe in the Portland Trail Blazers. Toronto has not beaten the Blazers in almost 5 years so the Raptors will be looking to finally snap that streak tonight. The Blazers are coming off an impressive victory over the Knicks. Nicolas Batum continues to make big improvements to his game while Damian Lillard is taking the league by storm. The Blazers have quickly formed a formidable three headed beast with Batum, Lillard and Aldridge. Toronto will need to be aware at all times where each of these players are on the floor at all times. Each player is more than capable of going off for 30 any given game. The Raptors must be prepared to get out on the Blazers shooters as they have proven they can be deadly from beyond the arch.

Lets go Raptors!

[SA5195]

Not too sure about this one. We need to contain Batum IMO, he plays good against us. Hoping for a win ray:

[jmoney23]

I voted for Batum, and I think our defense on the wing is what's going to affect this game. Lillard will present problems for Jose, but Lillard is still a rookie and has some borderline Bargs-esque shooting nights. Aldridge and Hickson will be tough down low, but I don't think we will be extremely overmatched in the paint. Batum is the best all-around player they have, as evident by his recent 5x5 night within the last few weeks. Portland's bench isn't anything great and I think we actually have a big advantage/opportunity there. It's the start of the 6 game homestead, the first game of 2013, and recent success coupled with the 76ers and Celtics underperforming and struggling right now, I think the Raps win a very tight game.

[bucketss]

can calderon shut down another rookie star pg?

[Bob_at_york]

I voted Aldridge. Batum jacks up a lot of 3s. If he kills us it is probably because we are doubling Aldridge and leaving Batum wide-open. If we can get one defender to slow down Aldridge then I think we will be alright.

[WoodsyRaps]

I voted lma. Dude is a beast. He'll score inside and outside and grab boards. Batum is dangerous but with lma taking higher percentage shots most likely I went with him. Not to mention he killed us last game.

Hopefully we win tonight. Continued efforts from our pgs and our bench is the key to success tonight more than shutting any one player down IMO.

[C_Mund]

I voted that we need to shut down Lillard. Batum and LMA are both savvy players, and Aldridge especially always finds a way to play good against us.... although usually he's being guarded by Bargs. I think if we "let" those two get theirs and focus on the rest (keeping Hickson off the o-boards, force Lillard into take long shots, run off of t.o's because we have more depth at every position than the Blazers) we could put ourselves in position to win a close one.

[MrSoFreshSoClea]

Alan Anderson is like our Bruce Bowen but actually a little better in my opinion and he's gonna do just fine guarding Batum. In my opinion Raptors will win this one by 8. Raptors are playing motivated and hungry.

[BALLER R]

Calderon and Lowry are the key to this game.

[BALLER R]

Besides all that whose waiting for Ross to pull off another great dunk. That last one pissed me off. Amir with the careless foul. That would of easily been one of the dunks of the year.

[Raps08-09 Champ]

Please start Amir over Gray this time.

[Nick O]

Please start Amir over Gray this time.

meh gray doesnt play long anyway.. casey just wants to keep his rotations the same..

[DeRaptor95]

I hope ross gets some minutes tonight!

[I Rock Shaqs]

Ross gets minutes every night. Also that is a sick T Ross picture, although I don't understand why there are moons behind him.

[Slade123]

Alan Anderson is like our Bruce Bowen but actually a little better in my opinion and he's gonna do just fine guarding Batum. In my opinion Raptors will win this one by 8. Raptors are playing motivated and hungry.

AA is nowhere near prime Bruce Bowen defensively. Offensively he has a shot.