Game 58 – Phoenix (L 110-92 / 16-43 / streak L1) Friday February 25, 2011
Watched live at ACC
Easily the worst game I have ever been to. The Raptors were exposed on all of their offensive and defensive weaknesses and the Suns pressed them. Steve Nash ran the pick and roll to perfection all game (11 assists, 1 turnover) and we could seemingly do nothing to stop it. The Raptors never once got the clue that Steve Nash is the pick-and-roll god and will use screens like no other guard in the history of the NBA. Did you think the coaching staff could get a clue though? Triano and the coaches called two coaches-only timeouts and never adjusted to take away the pick-and-roll. Bargnani proved that he is an offensive weapon with 24 points, but his defense was sorely lacking with four rebounds. Sonny Weems looked lost and a fragment of the talent and promise he showed earlier this season. Calderon shares the ball and facilitates well, but can’t find the basket on his shot. In the first play of the game Steve Nash catches the Raps napping and tosses an alley-oop to Vince Carter cutting in from the right baseline for a reverse jam. At least things couldn’t get any worse, right? They got worse throughout the game, the Suns led by 21 after the first quarter, it was ugly, DeMar and Triano both picked up technical fouls and the Raps put up a stinker on Canada night at the ACC. Awful, but a trial of fandom.
Game 59 – Dallas (L 114-96 / 16-44 / streak L2) Sunday February 27, 2011
Watched about 50%
I can live and die by the Raptors. On Wednesday, the Raps used the adrenaline of new player James Jones to counter the Bulls and surprise a much better team. Games like that one are the reason that Toronto can be so fun to watch. They are so unpredictable and inconsistent that some games they’ll hold their own with the best teams in the league and the next minute they’ll look totally lost and out of their league. In this game the Raps gave us the best of both worlds. Triumph and heartbreak. After Dirk starts the game with a field goal, the Raptors go on an energetic, dominating 18-0 run. The Raptors look like a championship team and lead 22-3 at one point against one of the best teams in the league, but they let it slip away. Amir Johnson had a team-high 21 points to go along with 7 rebounds. James Johnson had a great double-clutch dunk, while DeMar put on perhaps his highlight of the year with a block on Shawn Marion on the defensive end and a two-handed cram through the lane on the ensuing offensive possession. DeMar had 19 points, but Shawn Marion had 20 in a return to Toronto where he spent nearly one entire NBA season. Jason Terry always seems to kill the Raptors and he had 19 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, while Dirk grabbed 31 points, 13 rebounds. The Raptors were outscored 64 – 39 in the second half and lose a game they probably could have won.
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