speedythief

Ten games into February the Toronto Raptors have solidified their lead in the Atlantic Division and continue to be one of the best overall teams in the NBA. Toronto is 8-2 on the month with two games left to play. Week four sees the Raps heading out on the road for a rare Monday night game in San Antonio and a Wednesday night game in Houston. San Antonio and Houston allow the fewest points (1st & 2nd) in the NBA.

The Raps are 31-25 right now.

Week 4: @ Spurs, @ Rockets

The San Antonio Spurs, perennial contenders thanks to NBA Hall-of-Famer to be Tim Duncan, are third overall in the NBA this season behind the showy Mavs and Suns. With 38 wins in 56 games they look poised to make another deep playoff run. The Spurs have won five in a row since dropping consecutive road losses to the Heat and Magic. Their latest win was a 102-71 smackdown on the Seattle Sonics. Tim Duncan only had six points in the game but added 15 rebounds and five blocked shots. All-Star Tony Parker paced the Spurs with 21 points on 10-15 shooting. The Spurs' 18-8 home record leaves a little to be desired--Toronto is 20-8 at the ACC this season--but as the season matures the Spurs always tend to improve. The Spurs allow a staggering 90.55 points per game, best in the NBA, and have an average points differential of +7.85, best in the NBA. When their opponents score 100 points they are 8-6. In years past this would've been an automatic loss for the Raps, but you can't count out our boys anymore.

If you want to watch ugly basketball you need look no further than teams run by members of the coaching camp led by veteran "tempo dictator" Jeff Van Gundy. The Rockets, Pacers, and Nets are three of the worst teams in the NBA to watch for fun. All three are in the bottom half of the NBA in scoring and field goal percentage. If there was a statistic for "number of time-outs called after opposing team scores two consecutive baskets", all three would be tied for first. The coaches wish a game could be played like baseball, where each possession can be carefully deconstructed and planned without regard to the loathed "entertainment factor".

Houston trails Dallas by 11.5 games but are fifth in the Western Conference and boast a 20-7 home record--this all without their top player, Yao Ming, who is out for the season with an injury. The Rockets of today are slightly deeper than in the last few seasons, with good glue-players like Shane Battier and Dikembe Mutombo lending a hand. All things considered they have overachieved this season and if Toronto goes into Houston with focus and determination, the Raps can walk away with a win to cap-off another successful month.

Timbaland

I don't think Yao is out for the season, I believe he's due back mid-to-late March. Anyhow this is a big week for the Raptors, I'd be happy with a split in these games, but the way that the Raptors have been playing, I feel like they could actually win both of these.

Sanjan

if we could steal one of these games thats a big momentum builder, i don't like our chances in S.A. thou suprs can plain dismantle teams.

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Mr_B

if they can win one that would be nice but realistically I think there going 0-2 this week

speedythief

My mistake. Even if he does get back you have to wonder what kind of shape he is going to be in for the post-season.

Ka-Bosh

The next two games will be very hard to win, because we play two great teams from the West, and the main two players we have to stop are McGrady and Duncan, which is harder said then done. If we get one out of two, I consider it a successful two games. We need all our players to bring there best of the offensive side, and especially on the defensive side. Go Raptors Go.

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SkywalkerAC

Tough week but I see us taking at least one of the two. Probably Houston but let's see what we can do against San Antonio today.

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Crossword

We have a good shot at both games. It just comes down to 4th quarter execution.

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speedythief

Raps look lost in San Antonio, hopefully they can find their way for the Houston game.

Houston is playing Boston tonight--McGrady NOT in action.

speedythief

Last night, without McGrady, Houston had arguably the worst game of any team in any game this season.

Houston had 72 points in the game (22/13/18/19) on 32% shooting, 5% from three; 15 assists, 17 turnovers; Bonzi Wells shot 50%, the rest of the team shot a combined 27%; Rafer Alston and Shane Battier combined for 2-of-23 shooting; and they lost to the then 13-win Boston Celtics at home.

So as bad as things were for Toronto, at least we lost to San Antonio on the road.

speedythief

We came out of the Texas Triangle damaged but alive. Better than most.

Benis007

^^

If only we could close out a game against the Mavs.

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