Raptors vs Bobcats. January 23rd 2007

This was a must win game for the Raptors and they managed to come through with a very convincing performance. They were the better team from start to finish including a season high 37 points in the first quarter. It was a great start for a team that has really struggled early in games and let clubs stay around a lot longer than they should (ie. recent games against the injury ravaged Bucks and Celtics). They went into the half leading by 6 and game out firing in the third taking it to the Bobcats and out scoring them 21-8 in the quarter. This is what really made me happy.

I remember years of watching the Raptors keeping it close in the first half and coming out in the second looking like they were just waking up from an afternoon nap. They seem to be growing together and developing into a team that can keep games competitive right to the end. They need people coming into the ACC knowing that the game won’t be an automatic W. Their home losses to Dallas and Phoenix reflect this new found competitiveness. I was at the Suns game and the Raps were in it right until the best player in the world decided to take over and seal the victory. Now, the Raptors aren’t that good yet and they have no one close to the caliber of Nash, but they are on the right track. The only players they are going to have under contract in 2009 will be Bosh, Ford and Bargnani. Add swing man and some solid role players and you have the makings of a great team.

It has been hard to be a Raptor fan over the years, but all the screaming at pointless threes and half efforts look like they are finally going to pay off in the years to come. Now all they have to do is convince NBA players that living in Toronto doesn’t mean living in an igloo and getting sweet rims for your dog sled, but that is a different topic.