Toronto Raptors Season Preview: Game 9
Thursday, October 1st, 2009re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year
Game 9– @ LA Clippers [Fri Nov 13]
|
RAPTORS |
ADV |
CLIPPERS |
||
|
PG |
Calderon |
= |
PG |
Davis-B |
|
OG |
DeRozan * |
= |
OG |
Gordon |
|
SF |
Turkoglu $^ |
ß |
SF |
Thornton |
|
PF |
Bosh |
ß |
PF |
Griffin * |
|
C |
Bargnani |
= |
C |
Camby |
|
|
|
|
||
|
PG |
Jack # |
ß |
PG |
Telfair ^ |
|
OG |
Belinelli ^ |
= |
OG |
Butler ^ |
|
SF |
Wright ^ |
= |
SF |
Davis-R |
|
PF |
Evans ^ |
= |
PF |
Jordan |
|
C |
Nesterovic $ |
= |
C |
Kaman |
|
|
|
|
||
|
G/F |
Douby |
= |
G |
Collins |
|
PF |
Johnson ^ |
= |
C |
Smith ^ |
|
|
|
|
||
|
HC |
Triano |
à |
HC |
Dunleavy |
|
|
|
|
||
|
+3 |
OUTCOME |
+1 |
||
|
Legend: ADV – Individual match-up advantage; * - 2009 NBA Draftee; ^ - Acquired via trade; # - Restricted free agent; #M – Restricted free agent, matched offer; $ - Unrestricted free agent; $R – Unrestricted free agent, re-signed; $^ - Acquired via Sign & Trade; Italics – Returning player. |
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This is where the schedule begins to get considerably tougher for the Raptors this year, as they embark on their 2nd road trip to the WC, for the first of 4 games in a span of just 6 days, ending with a back-2-back in Utah.
Toronto actually matches-up quite well with the Clippers and has a solid shot at securing the W in what will be a critical “swing” game against a beatable opponent on the road. Unfortunately, when the Clips will be playing their last of 4 games during a homestand, on a day’s rest, with a refurbished Baron Davis at the helm, this is unlikely to be a cakewalk for the Dinos. That said … the Raptors do have enough weaponry to emerge with the W in this spot, provided that Jay Triano can actually hold his own vs Mike D. in the final minutes of the 4th quarter.
Raptors expected W-L Record: W, 4-5
