Who do we have on the schedule tonight? Ah, we’ve got the good ol’ Milwaukee Bucks back in town ready to throw down in another showdown.
Does anyone remember the last time the Bucks came to town? I do. It was a Friday night back in January. I was at Philthy’s with a group of friends ready to enjoy a very rowdy Raptor Fan Friday game party. The place was packed! Everyone was hyped because the Raps were playing at home; they were riding a 3-game winning streak and were only 1 game out of the 8th seed held down by the Bucks. This was the game every Raptors fanaddict expected the team win. Plus Milwaukee had just lost Michael Redd for the season. This was a supposed to be a no-brainer win for the Raps. Inside the bar, we were chanting “BEAT THE BUCKS” early and often. Than the game started. (Let’s get it on!) And what transpired over the course of the next two and a half hours epitomized the season. Two months later, we’ve got the Bucks are back in town. (Oh joy). This Bucks team has performed like a typical “fighting for a playoff berth down the stretch, but just don’t seem to have the necessary tools to make it this year”. Although they currently sit a mere two games out of the 8th seed, they are coming off a season-long 6 game home stand in which they went 2-4. They have also lost 11 of their last 15 games. Their current slump is due to the fact they’ve shot .417% over the past 10 games. Even though they’ve slumped in March, they still have a chance. The Bucks still have a chance. After losing their two best players mid-season, they still have a chance. That’s nice. As for our once-beloved Raptors, I find it funny how the players (Bosh) and coaches (Triano) were talking about making a playoff run after beating the Clippers, which happened to be only their second win in their past 11 games. Kids, playoffs and futility don’t mix. Even NBATV have dismissed the Raptors chances by not including them when discussing the race for the 8th seed in the East. “Now that’s real to a brother like me baby”. Here’s a poignant fact. Both the Bucks and the Raps share the same road record 11-24, but at home, the Raps are 14-20 while the Bucks are 20-16. “If you don’t win at home, you don’t deserve to make the playoffs”. Before we get into our match-ups, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Quincy Douby’s 10-day contract. If you don’t know much about his game, just think “fluid jump shooter”. But if you want to know more about the man behind the game, check out this 2-part documentary of him after being drafted from Rutgers. I’d be guilty of even more remission if I forgot to add that Bango is out with a torn ACL. The injury report is thin but substantial for the Bucks: Redd and Bogut are out. On our end Banks and Humphries. Matchup time:
Calderon vs Sessions Parker vs Mbah a Moute Marion vs Jefferson CB4 vs CV31 Bargnani vs Elson The Edge: Bargnani – Bargs is the team’s future franchise player and it’s players like Elson he has to beat on offence. Elson doesn’t have the tools or the talent on offence to have much on an impact. Look for Bargs to continue his strong play with another 20-6 game. The line has the Raptors laying 3.5 I’m picking the Bucks by 5 – Sessions and CV31 take it to us again. Grab the Feed Follow us on Twitter
The Edge: Calderon – Even though Sessions lit it up the last time we played and scored 40+ in a game about a month ago, I expect Calderon to continue his effective play making his lateral passes to our jump shooters and scoring assists from baskets made outside the painted area. That’s how it is.
The Edge: Parker – Parker’s playing for a contract now, so it’s time to the league that your off-balance 360 fade-away baseline jumper is money in the bank against even lesser competition! I don’t know much about MBah a Moute’s game, but I’m sure the fact he’s starting is a reason the Bucks are shooting less than 42% in their past 10 games.
The Edge: Jefferson – Every time Marion has matched-up against an equally skilled opponent, he’s fizzled out. I’m looking for Jefferson to repeat Gerald Wallace’s performance. Sure he’s got a high standard to live up to, but I don’t expect Marion will be in formidable headspace to outplay RJ.
Arse’s pick – Bishara
The Edge: CB4 – Nicknames, Twitter and baby-momma-drama issues aside, this is the match-up of the night! CV31 loves playing in Toronto. He always comes out hard in the first half of games, but back in January he played a complete game. Because I’m counting down the remaining days I expect to see CB4 in a Raptors uniform, I’m giving him my nod for the rest of the year.
16 Raps
I remember that game in January where we all thought it was going to be our first 4 game win streak. Heck, I even bet my co-worker(raps hater) 20 bucks. This was a bet made to earn back my 10 dollars i lost in that OKC game earlier this year to him and to make a profit. Both times, i made these bets because we had an edge and i thought it was money in the bank. But of course, he got the last laugh.
Quincy Douby, scores 10-20 tonight…Raptors are going to win with the added production. Bosh, will be playing his balls off and leaving it all on the floor. Bucks will make a run but i predict us winning this one.
@CV31. he is definitely worth following. i have a bad feeling about tonight…
i disagree with you on calderon over sessions, and bosh over charlie v.
in the previous meetings this season, these 2 guys completely outplayed our 2 guys. charlie v just killed us, and plays exceptionally well against us.
calderon may be rated higher than sessions because calderon was tagged as our franchise point guard, when we traded tj. calderon is also rated higher in nba live or 2k9 because calderon has the name. calderon is only good when his jumpshot is on. he may average 12 and 8+, but stats lie because as seen in games, those assists he makes come when we are down by 20 and usually pre-garbage time. plus his high assist to turnover ratio is due to his preference of pulling up for a jumper on a 3 on 1 fastbreak rather than driving then dishing.
i won’t bash bosh at the moment coz he currently has a family problem, i hope things work out for him.
Expect the unexpectd.
Sessions and CV may have outplayed our guys last game, so it’s natural to expect the same. But this season that kind of logic is wrong!
Jose and CB4 will have good games. This game will be lost in the final minutes. Sure they can “burp thunder” and “fart lightning”, but they don’t have anything at all resembling the “Eye of the Tiger”. lol
Funny preview…you give the Raps the “edge” at 4 outta 5 spots then pick the Bucks. Is that the difference between what “should” happen and what “will” happen?
Exactly. This has been “the season of opposite expected results”.
Even though the Raps are favored to win by 3 points, I expect them to lose by approximately that same margin.
Our bench is the killer.
Realizar,
IMO, it may well be the case that Bucks align their defensive checks in the following way, given the starting line-ups you’ve suggested here:
Sessions vs Calderon
RJ/Charlie V vs Parker
Charlie V/RJ vs Marion
Mbah A Moute vs Bosh
Elson vs Bargnani
Something to keep an eye on from the opening tip.
Mbah a Moute vs. Bosh? Doubtful.
Scott.
Scottbaird,
re: Mbah A Moute vs Bosh
Time will tell.
T minus 2.5 hrs, and counting. : )
Milwaukee opens with the following defensive checks:
Sessions vs Calderon
Mbah A Moute vs Parker
Jefferson vs Marion
Villanueva vs Bargnani
Elson vs Bosh
Will be interesting to how the Bucks do on the scoreboard in the 1st quarter while holding to these specific match-ups.
Mbah A Moute’s individual defensive ability is outstanding in that he can effectively check #2’s, #3’s and #4’s in the NBA.
The way he just cut Parker off on that drive attempt along the right baseline was a thing of beauty.
As long as Milwaukee sticks with the Villanueva vs Bargnani match-up it helps the Raptors’ offensive productivity immensely.
It took Scott Skiles a long time to adjust his defensive match-ups in a way that is better for the Bucks:
Mbah A Moute vs Bosh
Elson vs Bargnani
Alexander vs Marion
which is what they’ve now gone to during the 4th quarter.
Too little, too little for Milwaukee to catch up.
Choosing the correct individual player match-ups are a fundamental component of winning and losing NBA games.
sorry … should read as:
is a fundamental component …
http://www.mystore.com/images/37980_images/prod_id_53229.JPG