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MickyEyez · 04-21-2008, 01:34 PM

@

Toronto Raptors (0-1) vs. Orlando Magic (1-0)

7:30 PM EST, Amway Arena

Toronto Raptors

Ford/Parker/Bargnani/Bosh/Nesterovic

Orlando Magic

Nelson/Evans/Turkoglu/Lewis/Howard

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Quote:

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The Toronto Raptors tinkered with their starting lineup and tried a few new plays early in their first-round playoff opener against the Orlando Magic.

The result? After 12 minutes and a barrage of Magic 3-pointers, they were down 43-23, and all but out of it with three quarters left. But Raptors coach Sam Mitchell doesn't think their 114-100 loss Sunday had anything to do with the changes.

"The problem was we didn't play defense in the first quarter," Mitchell said.

He's convinced they can do better. As evidence, he mentioned the last six minutes of the first half, when the Magic scored only three points.

"I think any coach in the history of all sports would take that," Mitchell said. "So we understand that we can play a lot better defense."

Mitchell said he intends to stay with Andrea Bargnani at small forward in Game 2 on Tuesday night instead of rookie Jamario Moon, who had started 75 games.

The Raptors wanted the 7-foot Bargnani's size to keep Orlando's Hedo Turkoglu out of the post, but it's out-of-position for the former No. 1 overall pick. Moon saw his 28-minute-per-game average shrunk to just 4:48 on Sunday.

"We're asking a lot of (Bargnani) to go out there, step outside and be involved in pick and rolls - something he's not used to," Raptors forward Chris Bosh said. "We know its tough on him but we're trying to take away their post-ups."

Bosh, too, will be making adjustments. Blanketed by Rashard Lewis, he was 4-of-11 from the field but a perfect 13-of-13 from the free throw line for 21 points in Game 1. He said Toronto was trying too hard to adjust to the Magic, the playoff opponent it has known for weeks it would draw.

"I think the players got caught up in it, especially on defense," Bosh said. "We'd start giving them lanes, trying to cut off their right or left hand instead of playing them straight up, and that's how they got a lot of 3s. Tomorrow we just need to play straight up, play a classic style of basketball."

The question for Orlando is whether it can sustain that level of offense. The Magic tied a playoff record by going 9-of-11 on 3-point shooting in the first quarter, but went 4-for-18 the rest of the way. Orlando averaged just under 10 3s per game this season.

"The 3 is sort of a streaky thing, and you hope on most nights it's something that evens out over the course of the game, and it did last night," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "You're not going to keep up what we did in the first quarter."

It didn't help that Lewis, who led the team in 3-pointers made and hit 2-of-3 in the Magic's 43-point first quarter, tired himself out chasing Bosh.

"I had to pick my spots where I could take it on the offensive end, because he kind of wore me out trying to front him and fight him in the post," Lewis said.

Bosh said Lewis' strong-arming surprised him, but he thinks he knows how to play it now.

"He sat on my left hand - took me awhile to figure that out," said Bosh, a lefty. "I've seen that before and I've had success against it. Now I know the scheme and I can break it down and I know what I can get out of it. I'm going to definitely use everything early to set myself up for later in the game."

Though Toronto helped cool Orlando's 3-point shots later in the game, they couldn't solve Dwight Howard inside. The All-Star center had 18 points and 13 rebounds in the second half alone. Perhaps as important, the 59 percent free throw shooter made 9-of-11 from the line.

"Now we have to think twice about fouling him," Bosh said. "But we still have to see if that was only one game."

GO MAGIC!

MickyEyez · 04-21-2008, 01:36 PM

sorry about yesterday... i was celebrating a very special day and couldn't get near a computer to make the GT, but i did watch the game at a bar. ORLANDO dominated that game and can hopefully repeat all the way to a sweep... it's great to see the MAGIC get a postseason win with hopes of actually advancing to the next round(it's been way too long).

Babir · 04-21-2008, 02:17 PM

It is very important to keep our home court advantage.
GO MAGIC!!!

9diamonds · 04-21-2008, 02:53 PM

yeah Im kinda worried about this one...hopefully we wont let our guard down cuz I believe that we will be able to steal a game in Toronto

**bigbabyjesus** · 04-21-2008, 08:42 PM

This is game Toronto has to come out and play the type of basketball we're capable of playing, or.. we'll lose the series.

Let's hope that moron Sam Mitchell changed his game plan (probably too much to ask)..

because packing it in the paint and leaving shooters sure worked on one of the best shooting teams in the league..

NikesNextDynasty · 04-22-2008, 08:29 AM

I'm gunna be at that game tonight. I cant wait.
Magic gotta keep it up!

Blue Magic · 04-22-2008, 10:54 AM

man Im jealous. I got an exam that starts @ 7pm so im prolly at least gonna miss the first half.......so much bull****

Babir · 04-22-2008, 02:00 PM

can anyone give me streaming link for the game?

NikesNextDynasty · 04-22-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babir

can anyone give me streaming link for the game?

Get NBA tv.
Or it'll be on SUN sports, I think.

Babir · 04-22-2008, 02:55 PM

I have NBA TV at home, but during the game I ll have access only to my pc

Babir · 04-22-2008, 05:49 PM

Magic 59 Raptors 57 Halftime

deanwoof · 04-22-2008, 06:13 PM

you can steam it via audio on espn/nba.com

Babir · 04-22-2008, 07:16 PM

We survived a wild game, it was hard to finish off these european floppers but we did that.
But what concerns me is that how we are giving up big leads and Hedo's and Rashard's 3 point shooting...

southeasy · 04-22-2008, 07:21 PM

Magic win by 1 on a missed Bosh jumper at the buzzer.

respect to the magic fans at the arena, it was bumpin for once, aswell as the team, playing pretty well.

expect a war up north for the next two, if toronto has any hope they'll take them with a full 48minutes of hard play, instead of 36.

Blue Magic · 04-22-2008, 07:26 PM

I thought i was watchin a damn soccer match tonight with all of those damn flops. Grow a pair Toronto and play like men on thursday if you guys our want respect. Great win tonight tho.

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