(C)RAPTORS - Should I finish it?

[chinoy316]

Lol I love those new basketball words... "Mario" "Voskuhl"

it's from basketbawful.blogspot.com

[Lamrock]

Raptors Overcome Rondo's Career High 30 to Upset Champs

March 16, 2009 | Raptors [14-9] @ Celtics [13-10]

Boston, MA - Just when it looked like the Boston Celtics were hitting their stride and getting their act together, they lost a game of immense proportions and all but destroying their chances of winning the Atlantic Division. Despite no Raptors scoring over 20, Jason Kapono being out due to a strained quad (happened during a practice) and Chris Bosh pulling down a season-low 3 rebounds, the Raptors played an exceptional game and outplayed the Celtics in nearly every aspect.

The first quarter was high-scoring, with both teams shooting percentages in the sixties. Anthony Parker was dropping threes and Chris Bosh was scoring at will. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo was unstoppable, getting to the foul line at will. Things were going well for the Raptors, until Bosh picked up his second foul. They kept him out of part of the second quarter, and a small ball lineup with Jarrett Jack in for Jose Calderon and Parker, and Darius Miles and Jeff Foster coming in for the Raptors front court.

The Raptors did reasonably well with this lineup, but were losing on the rebounds. Bosh came in, and left quickly with 2 more fouls. The Raptors locked down on defense and took a 50-45 halftime lead. Ray Allen amazing sunk a two-thirds shot, but did it after the buzzer, much to the Celtics' fans' dismay. Toronto took control in the third quarter. Despite Bosh being on the bench and Kapono not playing, they played spectacular defense on the big 4, and took an eight point lead going into the fourth and final period.



Though Rondo had a brilliant offensive output, the Celtics could not buy a stop. Chris Bosh came back into the game and scored ten of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, but only had three rebounds. An Anthony Parker three put the Raptors up twelve and put the game out of reach for the Celtics. The Celtics starters could not pull off a comeback in the last two minutes against the Raptors reserves and the Raptors win it 98-89.

Jarrett Jack had a good game off the bench with 14 points and 4 assists, and Miles had 6 points and 4 rebounds off the bench. The original big three combined for a disappointing 41 points. The Celtics have been struggling all season, but after gaining some ground in the Atlantic with the Raptors opening up the month 1-2, this loss costs them the tiebreaker and puts them a game and a half behind Toronto. Adrian Griffin replaced Nathan Jawai on the active roster, and posted a Mario in his debut as a Raptor. On the bright side, his Mario prevented a him getting a Trillion. The win puts the Raptors back into a tie for second in the East with the Heat. The Celtics meanwhile fall to 8th.

TOR 32 18 21 27 98
BOS 29 16 18 26 89

Player of the game: Jose Calderon (TOR): 11 Points, 11 Assists, 4 Steals, 3 Rebounds

Noteworthy Performances:

Raptors:

Anthony Parker: 16 Points, 7 Assists, 2 Steals
Chris Bosh: 19 Points, 3 Rebounds, 3 Blocks, 2 Assists
Andrea Bargnani: 12 Points, 8 Rebounds, 2 Blocks
Jarrett Jack: 14 Points, 4 Assists

Celtics:

Rajon Rondo: 30 Points, 7 Assists, 4 Rebounds, 2 Steals
Kevin Garnett: 11 Points, 14 Rebounds, 3 Assists
Ray Allen: 17 Points, 3 Assists, 2 Rebounds
Paul Pierce: 13 Points, 6 Rebounds
Kendrick Perkins: 10 Points, 7 Rebounds

[mvanchev]

hey mates,im back now,i had too much exams and hometown team games..i'll post again here from now on !

Lamrock,Nice won mate..Rondo is a beast on the game but i've never seen Paul Pierce scoring more than 25

[kibaxx7]

The win puts the Raptors back into a tie for second in the West with the Heat

There's a little typo Great win Lamrock, but bad game by Bosh in the rebs.

[Lamrock]

Raptors Make Playoffs with stunning Blowout Win Over Magic
Anthony Parker records career high 31 points

March 30, 2009 | Raptors [16-10] @ Magic [15-9]

Orlando, FL - With a six game winning streak, the Orlando Magic had overtaken the Toronto Raptors for the second seed in the East. At home, with the Raptors coming off an embarassing 31 point loss at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, it looked like this would be their chance to solidify themselves as the two seed in the playoffs. How wrong they were.

The Raptors came out strong from the start, with their offense firing on all cylinders, and their defense stopping the Magic from any sort of run. Anthony Parker sunk three three-pointers, and had 15 points on perfect shooting to end the first period. The home team entered the second period down 13, lucky that Jason Kapono's halfcourt buzzer-beater was short. This continued into the second quarter, as the Raptors built up a 45-30 lead. Stan Van Gundy had had enough.

Taking a timeout and subbing in shooters Courtney Lee, Mickael Pietrus and Hedo Turkoglu, the Magic reversed the momentum and used a 14-2 run to come within three points of the lead. Chris Bosh came back out and made a couple of shots to stop the bleeding, but Orlando had done serious damage, making the Raptor lead just 5 at the half. During the halftime interview, Anthony Parker said he was disappointed in his team's defense (or lack thereof) in the second quarter, and said his Raptors would turn things around in the second half. He delivered on that promise.



Candace Parker's brother opened up the second half with a pair of three pointers, setting the tone for the rest of the period. Then Chris Bosh did the rest. Shawn Marion forced a pair of crucial turnovers (he finished with a season high 5 steals) and a Jason Kapono long-range shot gave Toronto an insurmountable 18 point lead. Orlando was limited to a measly 13 points in the third quarter (two less than Anthony Parker's first quarter output) and couldn't recover from the 79-59 deficit at the end of the third. In garbage time, the Raptors held off their potential second round rivals with a 105-85 triumph.

Anthony Parker was absolutely brilliant in his career night. Scoring 31 points on 15 shots, and making teammate Jason Kapono jealous with his 7-9 three point shooting performance. Chris Bosh was also spectacular, nearly netting a triple double with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Jose Calderon was the sole letdown for the Raptors with 5 points and 6 assists on 1-7 shooting. For the Raptors, Dwight Howard had a standard game with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while former Raptor Rafer Alston had 12 points and 5 assists. Toronto improves to 17-10, a win away from clinching their second Atlantic Division title in three years, over the 16-11 Sixers. The 15-10 Magic meanwhile, keep their division lead, but fall to third in the East with Toronto now holding the tiebreaker between them.

TOR 30 21 28 26 105
ORL 17 29 13 26 85

Player of the game: Anthony Parker (TOR): 31 Points, 4 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 12-15 FG, 7-9 3PT

Noteworthy Performances:

Raptors:

Chris Bosh: 20 Points, 14 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 3 Blocks, 9-14 FG
Andrea Bargnani: 15 Points, 4 Rebounds
Shawn Marion: 9 Points, 6 Rebounds, 5 Steals
Jason Kapono: 7 Points, 4 Rebounds, 4 Assists

Magic:

Dwight Howard: 22 Points, 11 Rebounds, 4 Blocks
Jameer Nelson: 17 Points, 6 Assists, 4 Rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 16 Points, 5 Rebounds
Rafer Alston: 12 Points, 5 Assists
Hedo Turkoglu: 10 Points, 3 Rebounds

[Lamrock]

Raptors Monthly Recap: March 2009

Toronto, ON - March was a very difficult month for the Raptors. With 6 games on the road, 5 of which against playoff teams, their schedule could have been their undoing. Though they posted a pedestrian 4-3 record for the month, they proved they could beat good teams on the road, as evidenced by their victories in Boston and Orlando. Their hold on the second seed in the Eastern Conference also survived through the month.

The month didn't start off so hot, with the resurgent San Antonio Spurs blowing them out. Fortunately, they played Memphis next. However, the Grizzlies proved to be tougher than expected and Toronto escaped with just a six point win. This was followed by a tough loss in Dallas, in which Jason Terry was unstoppable. Canada's team finished their road trip with an upset win in Boston, who have since spiraled into seventh place, and are not yet a guarantee to make the playoffs.

The Raptors returned home, but for only one game. They easily defeated potential first round opponent Chicago led by Chris Bosh's huge game. After that, it was back on the road, and they were promptly humiliated by the Hawks, led by Joe Johnson's LeBron-esque night. Fortunately, they were able to finish the month on a high note, destroying the Magic in Orlando. They are a win/Sixers loss away from winning the Atlantic Division, and are two wins/Magic losses away from getting the second seed.

Raptors 74, Spurs 92 | Duncan: 22/7/3; Bargnani: 16/7/3 [RECORD: 13-8]
Raptors 100, Grizzlies 94 | Calderon: 17/3/11; Mayo: 23/7/5 [RECORD: 14-8]
Raptors 93, Mavericks 101 | Terry: 27/6/4; Bosh: 26/9/2 [RECORD: 14-9]
Raptors 98, Celtics 89 | Calderon: 11/3/11; Rondo: 30/4/7 [RECORD: 15-9]
Bulls 93, Raptors 105 | Bosh: 34/12/3; Gordon: 29/2/2 [RECORD: 16-9]
Raptors 83, Hawks 114 | Johnson: 30/8/7; Bosh: 25/9/2 [RECORD: 16-10]
Raptors 105, Magic 85 | Parker: 31/4/4; Howard: 20/11/1 [RECORD: 17-10]

Home: 9-3 (1-0); Away: 8-7 (3-3); Overall: 17-10 (4-3)

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference Standings:

Atlantic----------------------Central---------------------Southeast
x-TOR 17-10-----------------xyz-CLE 22-1---------------ORL 15-10
PHI 16-11-----------------------IND 15-12--------------------MIA 16-12
BOS 14-13-----------------------CHI 13-13--------------------ATL 12-12
NJN 13-15-----------------------DET 12-14--------------------CHA 9-14
o-NYK 6-22-----------------------MIL 10-16-------------------o-WAS 10-18

Western Conference Standings:

Pacific---------------------Northwest-----------------Southwest
x-LAL 18-8--------------------DEN 15-12---------------------x-HOU 18-7
SAC 15-11---------------------POR 15-13---------------------x-DAL 17-9
PHX 13-12---------------------UTA 14-13---------------------SAS 15-12
o-GSW 9-16---------------------OKC 11-15---------------------o-NOH 11-16
o-LAC 4-22---------------------MIN 11-15----------------------o-MEM 7-19

Playoff Picture

(1) Cavaliers [22-1] Vs. (8) Hawks [12-12]
(4) 76ers [16-11] Vs. (5) Heat [16-12]
(3) Magic [15-10] Vs. (6) Pacers [15-12]
(2) Raptors [17-10] Vs. (7) Celtics [14-13]

(1) Rockets [18-7] Vs. (8) Suns [13-12]
(4) Nuggets [15-12] Vs. (5) Kings [15-11]
(3) Mavericks [17-9] Vs. (6) Spurs [15-12]
(2) Lakers [18-8] Vs. (7) Blazers [15-13]

League Leaders

Points Per Game:
1. James (CLE): 29.8
2. Bryant (LAL): 28.9
3. Nowitzki (DAL): 27.5
4. Wade (MIA): 26.5
5. Martin (SAC): 26.4
12. Bosh (TOR): 21.2

Rebounds Per Game:
1. Howard (ORL): 12.0
2. Jefferson (MIN): 11.2
4. Stoudemire (PHX): 10.5
4. Chandler (NOH): 10.1
5. Bosh (TOR): 10.0[/i]

Assists Per Game:
1. Williams (UTA): 10.4
2. Nash (PHX): 9.4
3. Calderon (TOR): 9.0
4. Paul (NOH): 8.9
5. Billups (DEN): 8.5

Steals Per Game:
1. Paul (NOH): 3.0
2. James (CLE): 2.5
3. Bryant (LAL): 2.0
4. Terry (DAL): 1.8
5. Westbrook (OKC): 1.7
20. Marion (TOR): 1.5

Blocks Per Game:
1. Duncan (SAS): 3.0
2. Howard (ORL): 2.5
3. Kirilenko (UTA): 2.4
4. Krstic (OKC): 2.3
5. Yao (HOU): 2.2
31. Bargnani (TOR): 1.5

Field Goal Percentage:
1. Nene (DEN): .562
2. Boozer (UTA): .559
3. D. Howard (ORL): .548
4. Kapono (TOR): .527
5. C. Bosh (TOR): .526


Three-Point Percentage:
1. Kapono (TOR): .566
2. Gibson (CLE): .558
3. Webster (POR): .542
4. House (BOS): .537
5. Martin (SAC): .516

Free Throw Percentage:

1. Calderon (TOR): .966
2. Fernandez (POR): .952
3. Nowitzki (DAL): .948
4. Billups (DEN): .943
5. Nash (PHX): .941

Race To The MVP

1. LeBron James (CLE): 29.8/7.2/7.5 (Cavaliers: 18-1)
2. Kobe Bryant (LAL): 28.9/4.3/5.0 (Lakers: 18-8)
3. Dirk Nowitzki (DAL): 27.5/8.2/3.7 (Mavericks: 17-9)
4. Dwyane Wade (MIA): 26.5/4.8/6.9 (Heat: 16-12)
5. Chris Bosh (TOR): 21.2/10.0/3.3 (Raptors: 17-10)
6. Chauncey Billups (DEN): 19.2/4.8/8.5 (Nuggets: 15-12)
7. Dwight Howard (ORL): 19.2/12.0/2.5 (Magic: 15-10)
8. Kevin Martin (SAC): 26.5/4.0/2.0 (Kings: 15-11)
9. Joe Johnson (ATL): 23.5/5.4/6.3 (Hawks: 12-12)
10. Danny Granger (IND): 25.4/7.0/2.4 (Pacers: 15-12)

Outside Looking In: Durant (OKC); Nash (PHX); Yao (HOU); Roy (POR); McGrady (HOU)

2009 NBA Mock Draft Version 1.0
As of March 31, 2009

1. LAC: Blake Griffin | Oklahoma
2. NYK: Ricky Rubio | Spain
3. MEM: Hasheem Thabeet | Connecticut
4. WAS: James Harden | Arizona State
5. GSW: Jordan Hill | Arizona
6. MIL: Demar DeRozan | South Carolina
7. CHA: Brandon Jennings | Italy
8. NOH: Ty Lawson | North Carolina
9. MIN: Stephen Curry | Davidson
10. OKC: Jrue Holiday | UCLA
11. NJN: Gerald Henderson | Duke
12. DET: Earl Clark | Louisville
13. CHI: Chase Budinger | Arizona
14. UTA: Tyreke Evans | Memphis
--------------------
15. ATL: James Johnson | Wake Forest
16. BOS: BJ Mullens | Ohio State
17. PHX: Wayne Ellington | North Carolina
18. POR: Sam Young | Pittsburgh
19. IND: Eric Maynor | VCU
20. SAS: DaJuan Summers | Georgetown
21. DEN: Terrence Williams | Louisville
22. MIA: Jonny Flynn | Syracuse
23. SAC: Omri Casspi | Israel
24. PHI: Derrick Brown | Wake Forest
25. ORL: Gani Lawai | Georgia Tech
26. TOR: Austin Daye | Gonzaga
27. DAL: Patrick Mills | St. Mary's
28. LAL: Marcus Thornton | Virginia
29. HOU: Dejuan Blair | Pittsburgh
30. CLE: Tyler Hansbrough | North Carolina

[H00PL0VE]

Nice update. I'm surprised to see Boston struggling though. But other than that, good luck the rest of the way

[Lamrock]

Yeah. Their team has a 98 overall and is pretty stacked, but they started the season cold, and just when you think they are finally starting to bring their A game, they drop three straight. That said, if I draw them in the first round, I wouldn't be surprised to see an early exit. We're the two seed, but while our pro-rated record is 51-31, we've overachieving with me winning nearly every game I play.

Also, with the exception of H00PL0VE, where have all my followers gone? I'm 5/6 done with the season and only on page 3! I intend to go 3-4 seasons with this, but this is kinda disappointing. Maybe I need to make a prediction game for next season...

[kibaxx7]

Always forget to post here Lamrock, sorry A prediction game would be a nice addition. Can't wait until the playoffs.

[Lamrock]

Raptors Oust Pacers In Season Finale To Clinch Atlantic Division
Raptors Victory Could Be A First Round Preview

April 11, 2009 | Pacers [15-12] @ Raptors [17-11]

Toronto, ON - Toronto fans were heartbroken to see their team blow a perfect chance to clinch the Atlantic Division crown in a 77-74 home loss to the Chicago Bulls. Determined to not allow the (also 17-11) Sixers to steal it from under their noses, the Raptors defeated a resilient Pacers team to close their most successful season in franchise history.

The game started with both teams playing tough defense, and neither team taking control. Marquis Daniels hit a last season three-pointer to put his team up by a point going into the second period. The second quarter was when Toronto came alive. A pair of threes by Anthony Parker and Andrea Bargnani, followed by a Chris Bosh dunk gave the Raps a seven point lead. Toronto, having all the momentum and the home crowd on their side, got the lead as high as 14, before entering the half up 53-43.

The Raptors opened the third quarter strong, with an 8-2 run, but Indiana answered back. Mike Dunleavy Jr. scored all 11 of his points in the third, and Danny Granger continued to do a little of everything, as the Pacers fought back, and the Toronto lead all but evaporated. A strategic Raptors timeout stopped the bleeding, but it took a Jose Calderon buzzer beater at the end of the third to allow the Raptors to cling to a six point lead going into the decisive fourth period.



Luckily for Canada's team, the Pacers went cold. Unfortunately, so did the Raptors. The first half of the fourth quarter saw each team scoring just 6 points, before Raptors reserve Jason Kapono suck a three to give the Raptors a nine point lead. From there, the Raptors could not gain an edge, with the Raptors answering all their scoring. Toronto used a mini-run to give them a 13 point lead with two minutes remaining. Granger and Daniels gave a spirited comeback effort towards the end, but it fell short, with the Raptors escaping with a 98-91 win.

Dunleavy was the only reserve to score in double figures, as the game was dominated by starters. The Raptor victory makes their final record 17-12, pro-rated to a 50 win season in a regular year. They clinch their second division title in three years and in franchise history, as well as the second seed in the East. Indiana meanwhile falls to 15-13, with a final game against the Celtics, who they are currently tied with for sixth place. The Raptors are in position to face the loser of that game, but with Orlando, Atlanta and Chicago all capable of falling/moving up to the seventh seed, who Toronto's first round opponent is far from certain.

IND 21 22 26 22 91
TOR 20 33 22 23 98

Player of the game: Chris Bosh (TOR): 17 Points, 11 Rebounds, 4 Assists

Noteworthy Performances:

Raptors:

Jose Calderon: 19 Points, 6 Assists
Andrea Bargnani: 19 Points, 5 Rebounds
Anthony Parker: 15 Points
Shawn Marion: 8 Points, 7 Rebounds

Pacers:

Danny Granger: 17 Points, 6 Assists, 5 Rebounds
Troy Murphy: 12 Points, 10 Rebounds
Marquis Daniels: 17 Points, 4 Rebounds
Roy Hibbert: 8 Points, 5 Rebounds, 2 Blocks
Mike Dunleavy Jr.: 11 Points

Playoff Picture (As of April 11, 2009)

Western Conference:

(1) Rockets [20-8] Vs. (8) Suns [15-13]
(4) Blazers [16-13] Vs. (5) Spurs [16-13]
(2) Lakers [19-9] Vs. (7) Kings [15-13]
(3) Mavericks [19-9] vs. (6) Nuggets [15-13]
--------------------
9. Jazz 14-13

Eastern Conference:

(1)Cavaliers [24-3] Vs. (8) Bulls [14-13]
(4) Heat [17-12] Vs. (5) Magic [15-12]
(3) 76ers [17-11] Vs. (6) Celtics [15-13]
(2) Raptors [18-11] Vs. (7) Pacers [15-13]
--------------------
9. Hawks 14-14
10. Pistons 13-14
11. Nets 13-15

[kibaxx7]

That April 11 playoff picture isn't the final picture, right? A few days left to sim... great win.

[Lamrock]

Raptors To Face Orlando In First Round Of Playoffs As Playoff Seeding Is Finalized

April 15, 2009 | Sports | Basketball | NBA | Toronto Raptors | NBA Playoffs

Toronto, ON - It took until the last day of the regular season for a third of the league's playoff fate to be revealed. With the Phoenix Suns handing the Kings their third straight loss and end of their surprising Cinderella season, and the Celtics beating the Pacers for the fifth seed in the East, several seeds shifted. Now, the Raptors have their hands full. Despite being the #2 seed, they face Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in the first round.

Orlando dropped three of their last four games to be one of eight teams (!) this season to post a 16-13 record. Losing matches to both Boston and Chicago, they do not have a tiebreaker. One more win, and they would have been the 3 seed rather than the 7. The Bulls finished the season on fire, going 3-0 in a month that saw them upset the #2 seed Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. The Celtics meanwhile, have sleepwalked through their season, and were lucky to sneak into the fifth seed, where they will face their division rival Philadelphia in what should a great series.

The 4-8 seeds in the Western Conference all posted the same record of 16-13. Portland, who spent most of the season on the outside looking into the playoff picture, managed to steal the fourth seed and Northwest Division crown, and will face #5 Denver in the first round. Utah finished the season on fire, and turned around what looked to be a lottery year by sneaking into 6th place, and will take on Dallas. San Antonio falls to 7th and a match with their rivals the Lakers. Finally, the Phoenix Suns, who defeated the Kings on the final day of the season to earn a playoff berth, will have their hands full against the top seeded Houston Rockets.

With team records so close together, the 29 game season has come under fire, as teams like the 13-16 Hornets, missed the playoffs despite playing excellent ball after the all-star break, and the five 16-13 teams being unfairly seeded due to ridiculous five-team tiebreakers. Also, the 15-14 Atlanta Hawks will miss the playoffs because Indiana won their regular season meeting. This year's playoffs will also be 5-5-5-5, making it even more likely for some serious upsets. In such an evenly matched playoff year with only one really outstanding team, expect the unexpected.

The 2009 NBA Playoffs first round matchups are as follows:

Eastern Conference:

(1) Cavaliers [26-3] Vs. (8) Pacers [15-14]
(4) 76ers [17-12] Vs. (5) Celtics [16-13]
(3) Heat [17-12] Vs. (6) Bulls [16-13]
(2) Raptors [18-11] Vs. (7) Magic [16-13]

Western Conference:

(1) Rockets [21-8] Vs. (8) Suns [16-13]
(4) Blazers [16-13] Vs. (5) Nuggets [16-13]
(3) Mavericks [19-10] Vs. (6) Jazz [16-13]
(2) Lakers [20-9] Vs. (7) Spurs [16-13]

[Valor]

good job securing 2nd seed Lamrock, hope you won't have too much difficulty getting past DH12...

[Lamrock]

Thanks. I'm screwed if they play as well as the real Magic. April wrap-up with stats, final standings, etc. coming soon, along with playoff previews and of course, a playoff prediction game. Stay tuned.

RED ARMY versus Blue & White: Ignite Volume 2

[Lamrock]

Raptors Monthly Recap: April 2009

Toronto, ON - The Raptors entered the final month of the regular season with one thing on their mind: division title. They needed just one win (or Sixers loss) to clinch the #2 seed and Atlantic Division. Unfortunately, they got off to a bad start. Tayshaun Prince had his finest performance of the season, as the Detroit Pistons stunned the Raptors 77-74, in what was likely the highlight of their pathetic season. With one chance left, the Heat holding their tiebreaker, and the Sixers continuing to win, Canada's team came through with a 98-91 victory on fan appreciation night to secure their seeding.

Led by the continuing excellent play of the big three (Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon) and their role player sidekicks, the Raptors enter the NBA playoffs with the fifth best record in the NBA, and as a fringe title contender. They open the playoffs against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic who, despite losing their last 3 of 4, including a blowout loss to Toronto, poses a legitimate threat.

The playoffs are still to come, but this season has proven to be the most successful in franchise history. Whether they can make it official by making a deep playoff run remains to be seen. Lets go Raptors!

Pistons 77, Raptors 74 - Prince: 19/9/8; Bargnani: 19/4/3
Pacers 91, Raptors 98 - Bosh: 17/11/4; Granger: 17/6/5

Home: 10-4 (1-1); Away: 8-7 (3-3); Overall: 18-11 (1-1)

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference Standings:

zyx-1. Cleveland 26-3
yx-2. Toronto 18-11
yx-3. Miami 17-12
x-4. Philadelphia 17-12
x-5. Boston 16-13
x-6. Chicago 16-13
x-7. Orlando 16-13
x-8. Indiana 15-14
--------------------
9. Atlanta 15-14
10. New Jersey 14-15
11. Detroit 13-16
12. Milwaukee 13-16
13. Charlotte 11-18
14. Washington 10-19
15. New York 6-23

Western Conference Standings:

zyx-1. Houston 21-8
yx-2. Los Angeles Lakers 20-9
x-3. Dallas 19-10
yx-4 Portland 16-13
x-5. Denver 16-13
x-6. Utah 16-13
x-7. San Antonio 16-13
x-8. Phoenix 16-13
--------------------
9. Sacramento 15-14
10. New Orleans 13-16
11. Minnesota 12-17
12. Oklahoma City 11-18
13. Golden State 9-20
14. Memphis 8-21
15. Los Angeles Clippers 5-24

Playoff Picture

(1) Cavaliers [26-3] Vs. (8) Pacers [15-14]
(4) 76ers [17-12] Vs. (5) Cleveland [16-13]
(3) Heat [17-12] Vs. (6) Bulls [16-13]
(2) Raptors [18-11] Vs. (7) Magic [16-13]

(1) Rockets [21-8] Vs. (8) Suns [13-12]
(4) Blazers [16-13] Vs. (5) Nuggets [16-13]
(3) Mavericks [19-10] Vs. (6) Jazz [16-13]
(2) Lakers [20-9] Vs. (7) Spurs [16-13]

League Leaders

Points Per Game:
1. James (CLE): 30.3
2. Bryant (LAL): 28.7
3. Nowitzki (DAL): 26.9
4. Wade (MIA): 26.8
5. Martin (SAC): 26.1
14. Bosh (TOR): 20.6

Rebounds Per Game:
1. Howard (ORL): 11.9
2. Jefferson (MIN): 11.3
3. Boozer (UTA): 10.2
4. Bosh (TOR): 10.1
5. Biedrins (GSW): 9.9

Assists Per Game:
1. Williams (UTA): 10.5
2. Nash (PHX): 9.5
3. Paul (NOH): 9.1
4. Calderon (TOR): 8.6
5. Billups (DEN): 8.3

Steals Per Game:
1. Paul (NOH): 3.1
2. James (CLE): 2.2
3. Bryant (LAL): 1.9
4. Artest (HOU): 1.8
5. Davis (GSW): 1.7
17. Marion (TOR): 1.5

Blocks Per Game:
1. Duncan (SAS): 2.9
2. Howard (ORL): 2.7
3. Kirilenko (UTA): 2.6
4. Smith (ATL): 2.4
5. Chandler (NOH): 2.3
24. Bargnani (TOR): 1.5

Field Goal Percentage:
1. Boozer (UTA): .562
2. Nene (DEN): .552
3. D. Howard (ORL): .540
4. S. O'Neal (PHX): .536
5. Kapono (TOR): .532

Three-Point Percentage:
1. Kapono (TOR): .560
2. Gibson (CLE): .538
3. Webster (POR): .532
4. House (BOS): .517
5. Martin (SAC): .503

Free Throw Percentage:

1. Calderon (TOR): .973
2. Fernandez (POR): .940
3. Nowitzki (DAL): .938
4. Billups (DEN): .935
5. Nash (PHX): .933

Race To The MVP

1. LeBron James (CLE): 30.3/7.5/7.5 (Cavaliers: 26-3)
2. Dwyane Wade (MIA): 26.8/5.1/6.7 (Heat: 17-12)
3. Kobe Bryant (LAL): 28.7/4.1/5.7 (Lakers: 20-9)
4. Dirk Nowitzki (DAL): 26.9/7.7/3.3 (Mavericks: 19-10)
5. Chris Bosh (TOR): 20.6/10.1/3.3 (Raptors: 18-11)
6. Chauncey Billups (DEN): 19.9/4.5/8.3 (Nuggets: 16-13)
7. Dwight Howard (ORL): 18.7/11.9/2.8 (Magic: 16-13)
8. Tracy Mcgrady (HOU): 21.9/4.3/4.7 (Rockets: 21-8)
9. Andre Iguodala (PHI): 17.7/6.2/7.7 (76ers: 17-12)
10. Danny Granger (IND): 25.6/6.7/2.7 (Pacers: 15-14)

Outside Looking In: Nash (PHX); Yao (HOU); Roy (POR); Martin (SAC), Jefferson (MIN)

2009 NBA Mock Draft Version 2.0
As of April 20, 2009

1. LAC: Blake Griffin | Oklahoma
2. NYK: Ricky Rubio | Spain
3. MEM: Jordan Hill | Arizona
4. GSW: James Harden | Arizona State
5. WAS: Hasheem Thabeet | Connecticut
6. OKC: Demar DeRozan | South Carolina
7. CHA: Tyreke Evans | Memphis
8. MIN: Brandon Jennings | Italy
9. NJN: Stephen Curry | Davidson
10. MIL: Jrue Holiday | UCLA
11. DET: Earl Clark | Louisville
12. NOH: Gerald Henderson | Duke
13. SAC: Ty Lawson | North Carolina
14. ATL: Chase Budinger | Arizona
--------------------
15. IND: Wayne Ellington | North Carolina
16. ORL: BJ Mullens | Ohio State
17. BOS: James Johnson | Wake Forest
18. PHX: Sam Young | Pittsburgh
19. SAS: Eric Maynor | VCU
20. DEN: DaJuan Summers | Georgetown
21. UTA: Terrence Williams | Louisville
22. CHI: Jonny Flynn | Syracuse
23. POR: Derrick Brown | Wake Forest
24. PHI: Omri Casspi | Israel
25. MIA: Gani Lawal | Georgia Tech
26. TOR: Austin Daye | Gonzaga
27. DAL: Patrick Mills | St. Mary's
28. LAL: Marcus Thornton | Virginia
29. HOU: Jeff Teague | Wake Forest
30. CLE: DeJuan Blair | Pittsburgh

[Fresh8]

i wanna see titties

[Lamrock]

My desperation attempts to get some hype for this dynasty going into the playoffs are already starting to pay off!

[homicide1550]

Show me the puppies! Where is it?! hehe..

edit: Good Job on winning the Atlantic Division..

[kibaxx7]

Good job winning the Atlantic, it ain't gonna be easy against the Magic.

[Lamrock]

2008-09 Season Player Evaluations

The Good:



Chris Bosh - 20.6/10.1/3.3/0.9/1.1 - Oh my Bosh! Toronto's franchise player has been spectacular this season, and is likely to edge out Dwight Howard for the Center slot on the all-NBA first team. CB4 is likely due for a new nickname if he keeps this up. He will be tested in the first round series against Dwight and the Magic.

Jose Calderon - 12.9/2.2/8.6/1.4/0.1, .973% FT% - El Calderon has built on last year's success to put up a nearly identical season. A fringe all-star, he has performed extremely well as the starting point guard and Chris Bosh's sidekick. Led league in free throw shooting percentage.

Andrea Bargnani - 14.4/5.1/0.9/0.6/1.5 - Il Mago's stats dropped a little as the season winded down, but this has still been the best season of his career to date, and has solidified himself as one of the big 3 in Toronto.

Anthony Parker - 11.8/2.9/3.0/1.3/0.0 - Anthony Parker has seen increased minutes since the All-Star break, and has been playing his best ball of the season. A consistent threat from three-point land, and a decent defender and passer, Parker is a very valuable asset, and the 35 year old will likely finish out his career a Raptor.

Jason Kapono - 10.7/1.9/2.2/0.6/0.2, .535 FG%, .560 3PT% - Kapono hasn't minded a slight drop in minutes, and has continued to come off the bench and rain threes. Jason makes a ridiculous 56% of his three point attempts, and will contend for the sixth man of the year award.

The Decent:



Shawn Marion - 10.7/5.8/0.9/1.5/1.1 - Marion has always had one foot out the door during his tenure as a Raptor. No chance he resigns. With Darius Miles, and 15 million in cap space, Marion won't be missed to much, though he has been the Raptors best defensive player.

Jarrett Jack - 5.9/1.6/1.8/0.5/0.0 - Jarrett is an excellent backup point guard, but his 41% shooting percentage and lacking assist numbers are disappointing. Will likely ask for a contract around the MLE this offseason, but Toronto will likely only offer half or less.

Darius Miles - 3.9/1.3/0.4/0.2/0.5 - D-Miles has been a fan favorite, being a rich man's Renaldo Balkman of sorts. He doesn't play much, but when he does, he performs well. Should have a bigger role next season with Marion's likely departure.

Jeff Foster - 2.8/3.7/1.7/0.5/0.2 - Jeff doesn't play much, but when he does, he's decent. A scrappy veteran, Foster has been decent off the bench.

Adrian Griffin - 0.7/0.3/0.7/0.3/0.0, 100% FG - Has been decent in his 5 minutes this season. hitting all three of his shots so far.

The Bad:



Steve Francis - 2.9/1.2/1.3/0.3/0.1 - So much for resurrecting his career. Franchise has been terrible and continues to slide out of the rotation.

Jake Voskuhl - 0.7/1.1/0.1/0.1/0.1 - Voskuhl is as good as gone. He seldom plays and his disgruntled.

Nathan Jawai - 0.5/0.3/0.0/0.0/0.1 - Hasn't played since January.

Patrick O'Bryant has yet to play this season.

[Mandich]

I can't believed what happened to Jawai. As I typed his name on youtube, I found some preseason draft workouts, and every coach said he is athletic as hell and one of the best player in the draft

[Lamrock]

(2) Raptors Vs. (7) Magic Series Preview

April 17, 2009 | Sports | Basketball | NBA | Raptors | Playoffs

VS.

Regular Season Matchup: Raptors 105, Magic 85

The Toronto Raptors will once again meet in the first round of the NBA playoffs. This time however, the Raptors are the ones with the higher seed and home-court advantage. This series is an interesting one, as it is a 2-7 match between two teams that were just two wins apart in the regular season. With the new 29 game seasons, we could expect to see a lot more upsets this year.

Though Toronto has the better record, and destroyed Orlando in their regular season meeting, this series should be a nail-biter. The Magic are arguably a better team than Toronto on paper, and could have been a top 4 seed, if not for some bad luck and injuries. Both teams have a similar inside-out offense, based on a dominant big man and three point shooters. Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard are arguably the best Centers in the league, and this series could cede arguments for a while.

This series has some interesting storylines and matchups. Jose Calderon and Jameer Nelson are battling it out for the best pure point guard in the conference, while the aforementioned Howard and Bosh could be fighting for an All-NBA first team berth. Sam Mitchell is likely fighting for his job.

Breakdown by position:

Center: Chris Bosh Vs. Dwight Howard

Bosh: 20.6/10.1/3.3/0.9/1.1
Howard: 18.7/11.9/2.8/1.0/2.7

Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard will likely hold the Center positions on the All-NBA first and second teams. They put up somewhat similar stats, with Bosh's offensive stats being more impressive, and Howard's defensive stats standing out. Howard has played more minutes this season however, and is a liability from the foul line, where Bosh is adequate. Dwight Howard is clearly a more talented player than Bosh is, but Bosh has been better this year. Their playoff experience is also about even, so this match-up is a draw.

Advantage: Draw

Forwards: Shawn Marion/Andrea Bargnani Vs. Rashard Lewis/Hedo Turkoglu

Marion: 10.7/5.8/0.9/1.5/0.8
Bargnani: 14.4/5.1/0.9/0.6/1.5
Lewis: 20.1/5.7/2.7/1.1/0.6
Turkoglu: 16.4/3.9/4.8/0.5/0.3

Size versus shooting. Offense versus defense. A large chunk of Orlando's scoring load comes from their forwards. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are both fringe all-stars that play like 6'10" shooting guards. Despite their size, they are mostly jump shooters. Marion and Bargnani meanwhile, are more forces on the defensive end. Bargnani with his improved strength and shot blocking ability, and Shawn Marion's overall defensive talents. Overall, this matchup comes down to whether or not the Raptors forwards can contain the Magic forwards. While Bargnani is an excellent offensive player, Marion is a role player, and Orlando's forwards should be the ones doing most of the attacking.

Advantage: Orlando

Guards: Anthony Parker/Jose Calderon Vs. Courtney Lee/Jameer Nelson

Parker: 11.8/2.9/3.0/1.3/0.0
Calderon: 12.9/2.2/8.6/1.4/0.0
Lee: 8.6/2.2/2.1/0.2/0.0
Nelson: 15.9/3.4/6.9/1.0/0.0

The shooting guard position may be the only clear cut positional advantage they have against the Magic. Parker is a savvy veteran who puts up solid all-around numbers in just 28 minutes per game. Lee is a rookie who does the exact same thing on a smaller scale. Lee likely won't play much, as the much more polished Parker will eat him alive. The point guard battle will be more interesting. Jose Calderon is a traditional pass-first point guard, while Nelson is a prototypical shoot-first point. This matchup could ultimately decide the series. Toronto's backcourt gets the edge for its experience and the mismatch at the 2.

Advantage: Toronto

Bench: Jason Kapono/Jarrett Jack/Jeff Foster/Darius Miles/Steve Francis/Adrian Griffin/Nathan Jawai Vs. Mickael Pietrus/Marcin Gortat/Rafer Alston/Tony Battie/Anthony Johnson/Jeremy Richardson/Tyrone Lue

Both teams have very solid benches. In Jeff Foster, Jarrett Jack and Jeff Foster are all starting-caliber talents for the Raptors and Mickael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat and Rafer Alston are good enough to start on the Magic. Ultimately, it comes down to the deep bench. While Toronto has a diverse mix of big men, swingmen and point guards, Orlando has three decent backup point guards, a D-Leaguer and a stiff center.

Advantage: Toronto

Coach: Sam Mitchell Vs. Stan Van Gundy

Mitchell may have won coach of the year a couple years back, but he is not a very good coach. However, the players have respected him, and the Raptors were good this season. Stan Van Gundy is an excellent coach with a brilliant offensive scheme and knows how to coach a championship defense.

Advantage: Orlando

On paper, the teams look very even. Ultimately, homecourt advantage should make the difference here. The two teams are very similar in design and equal in talent. Thats why this should go the distance.

Prediction: Toronto in 5

[Lamrock]

2009 NBA Playoffs Prediction Game

Yes, another association with a prediction game. This one works like most others, where you predict how series go for points. Scoring is based on picking the correct winner, the correct number of games, whether or not its the underdog and picking a sweep. Top 3 become 2010 rookies or something. Have fun!

First Round Matchups (Best of 5 series, favorites in bold)

(1) Cavaliers [26-3] Vs. (8) Pacers [15-14]
(4) 76ers [17-12] Vs. (5) Celtics [16-13]
(3) Heat [17-12] Vs. (6) Bulls [16-13]
(2) Raptors [18-11] Vs. (7) Magic [16-13]

(1) Rockets [21-8] Vs. (8) Suns [16-13]
(4) Blazers [16-13] Vs. (5) Nuggets [16-13]
(3) Mavericks [19-10] Vs. (6) Jazz [16-13]
(2) Lakers [20-9] Vs. (7) Spurs [16-13]

Rules:

- Best of 5 series
- Must make predictions before first round starts to get points

Scoring:

+2: pick correct series winner
+5: pick correct series winner and number of games
+1: Pick 5 game series correctly but wrong winner (e.g. you predict Toronto in 5 and Orlando wins in 5
+1: Correctly pick underdog to win series
+1: Correctly pick sweep of series

[kibaxx7]

(1) Cavaliers [26-3] Vs. (8) Pacers [15-14] = 3-0
(4) 76ers [17-12] Vs. (5) Celtics [16-13] = 1-3
(3) Heat [17-12] Vs. (6) Bulls [16-13] = 3-2
(2) Raptors [18-11] Vs. (7) Magic [16-13] = 3-1

(1) Rockets [21-8] Vs. (8) Suns [16-13] = 3-0
(4) Blazers [16-13] Vs. (5) Nuggets [16-13] = 2-3
(3) Mavericks [19-10] Vs. (6) Jazz [16-13] = 3-2
(2) Lakers [20-9] Vs. (7) Spurs [16-13] = 3-1

There.

[Lamrock]

Twice I said its a best of 5 series.