Raptors get First win in Season; London Knights & other News

Two days after being shocked by New York in the home/season opener, Toronto hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the past, this would have been a nightmare for the Raptors because of one man: LeBron James. However, LeBron is playing now for the Miami Heat because of his betrayal of the Cavs. These Raptors came out to play last night and pummelled them 101-81. This game was a close matchup for most of the way, with Toronto leading up until the 3rd quarter when the Raps found their offensive game and starting blowing the opposition out. When the score was 56-48 in favour of the Raptors, the team went on a 21-7 run for the rest of the quarter (7 minutes) to boost their lead to 20 points. After that, the game was Toronto's the rest of the way. Heroes for the Raptors were newcomer Lithuanian starting small forward Linas Kleiza and starting power forward Reggie Evans. Kleiza was most notable in the 3rd quarter Raptors run, where he scored 13 of his 19 points. He repeatedly posted up former Raptor forward Jamario Moon and showed his strength and size advantage. Reggie meanwhile didn't put up great offensive numbers, but he did pull down 14 rebounds for the team, giving him 30 overall through the two games. These numbers are encouraging for a team weaker in the forward spot as a result of Chris Bosh bolting for Miami. Time for some key statistics from the game:
- Andrea Bargnani's points-per-game average so far: 21.0
- double-digit rebounding games in a row for Reggie Evans: 2
- Raptors 26-16 in fast break points
- Raptors 46-33 in rebounds
- 19 turnovers for both teams
Here is the recap for the first victory: The Dinos Feast on the Cavs in Win

Toronto is now 1-1 on the season and will wait until Monday to play against the Sacramento Kings on the road as they begin a 4-game Western Conference swing. The game starts at 10 PM and if you have the new Rogers Sportsnet One channel, you can watch it on there. Otherwise just listen to the game on the radio (AM 590) or wait until the scores and recaps are officially posted on media outlets.

In other news...I'm sorry that I haven't been blogging about the Knights lately; I've been following the Raptors and how LeBron has been treated around the league whenever Miami's played on the road. The team did win last night vs the Guelph Storm 3-1. Daniel Erlich lead the way with 2 goals with teammate Steven Sanza chipping in with one of his own. Peter Holland scored for Guelph's only goal .Shots on goal favoured the Knights 47-42, indicating a high-flying goaltender-testing contest. London now plays tonight at home vs the Saginaw Spirit. Game time is 7:30 PM. Catch you all later.

P.S.: Chris Bosh did an interview yesterday to clarify his "being on TV" statement. He stated that his reason for this is the perception of players brought on by fans and the media in sports: if you're not on the big TV highlight reels, people don't know about you and they think that you are not good. While I understand and respect Chris's reason for the statement and him for wanting to talk to Toronto directly about the matter, this was still an unwise move to make. You shouldn't even think about TV, just think about your game. This should also slap fans and media gurus in the face because we have helped to create this mess. Shame on all of us! The fact that he had to defend this shows the character of Bosh (bothered by popular opinion) and the poor sportsmanship of the Raptors fans. I should apologize to Chris here because I MYSELF have been involved in this awful behaviour. We should leave his life alone and wish him all the best even though the manner in which he left Toronto was immature. Also in the interview, Bosh talked about being distracted by the free agency talk because of the media questioning. The media should just cool it and leave Chris alone. Sure he acted immaturely and treated the Raptors as a secondary option, but he doesn't need you to make it worse. A word of advice to Chris is in order however: don't focus on distractions, even if it's extremely difficult. I'm sure you know, Chris but I just wanted to remind you of this as it helped lead to your exit from our wonderful team. Anyways, I hope you do well in your career; I just don't want a Heat championship. I'm sorry, but I dislike your teammate (LeBron James) for what he did to Cleveland via his ESPN special. If you ever want to play for the Raptors again, you know where we are. I would love it if you ever decide to come back to us. For now though, you take care!

For the rest of us: here's the link to the Bosh interview: Bosh Clarifies his "TV" Statement  Later!

Short Note about Miami's Win in Philly

The team won 97-87 and during the game LeBron drew loud and vicious boos from the crowd during player introductions. Two Philly signs especially taunted LeBron. One read "LeBum the lyin' king." The other sign read "I witnessed no championship." LeBron James, upon being asked about the booing said, "I've been booed my whole NBA career. They boo you because they love the way you play basketball." No, not quite LeBron. Have you forgotten the whole ESPN "Decision" debacle already and the way that you betrayed your former team? Get off your high horse, kid. No wonder Bosh said what he did in Boston!
Here's the recap for Miami's win: LeBron Victorious in Philly, but still Hated

Anyways, just thought I'd fill you all in on what's been going on in the league. Remember that the Raptors are playing tonight at 7 PM vs the Cleveland Cavaliers in Toronto. The game can be seen on TSN2. Also too, the London Knights are back in action vs the Guelph Storm at the John Labatt Centre. Game time is at 7:30 PM. I'll be back with more later.

Toronto Stunned by Knicks in Season Opener

The excitement was in the air. Every report I heard from the official team website indicated that change for the better was coming and that the players just wanted to play ball. They supposedly had good chemistry and for the first time since their expansion years (1996-1998) they are without a legitimate All-Star to carry them through. In between these periods they had the luxuries of Vince Carter (now with the Orlando Magic) and Chris Bosh (now with the Miami Heat; more on him later). So you can imagine my surprise while watching the game to find out that the team had LOST to the New York Knicks in the season opener, 98-93. New York, one of the worst teams in the league, defeats the Raptors. Toronto had managed to slice an 8-point Knicks lead to 96-93 with just over a minute left in the contest. However, Linus Kleiza and newcomer Leandro Barbosa (from the Phoenix Suns) missed back-to-back 3-point shots and Raymond Felton (formerly of the Charlotte Bobcats) nailed two free throws to finish everything off for the Knicks win. Believe it or not, but new Knicks star Amare Stoudamire turned out to be the hero of the day. Early in the 4th quarter, Toronto was threatening to take the lead and the game for good. Toronto eventually did take the lead at one point in the quarter, up 77-76 after being down as many as 16 points in the 2nd frame, but New York kept their cool and finished off the Raps. Amare blocked an Andrea Bargnani layup, split a pair of free throws, and knocked down 3 straight shots to build the Knicks lead back up to 8. This lead ultimately to the victory for New York. One promising bright spot for Toronto was starting centre Andrea Bargnani who scored 18 of his team-high 22 points in the 1st half of the game. However, he shot only 1-8 in the 2nd half and was almost invisible in that time. Still, the energy he provided off the start has to be good for Toronto. Now, if he can just be consistent...  Now, for some numbers:
- attendance for the game: 18,722
- 3-pointers Bargnani needs to pass Doug Christie for 3rd-all-time Raptor total makes: 1
- rebounds for starting power forward Reggie Evans: 16 (ties a season-opener Raptor record)
- points in the paint: New York Knicks 52, Toronto Raptors 40
- overall shooting % for the Raps: 38.3
Here is the recap for the game which I got my information from: Raptors season opener: New York 98, Toronto 93

That about wraps it up. Remember, their next game is Friday at the Air Canada Centre vs the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game starts at 7 PM. I'll catch you then, and God bless!

P.S.: All right, back to Chris Bosh (said I'd get back to him later). Former Raptor Chris Bosh, "their attention-seeking former star told reporters in Boston his decision to bolt for the Miami Heat was 'all about being on TV, at the end of the day.''' Link for Unbelievably Selfish Chris Bosh Comment  *shakes head* I knew there was something fishy going on with CB4 during the offseason and it makes my rebuttal of his comments (which I posted in a previous entry) to be at least somewhat correct. Now maybe Chris was just joking around, but even that is troubling if it's true. You do not joke around after being traded and ESPECIALLY NOT after a season-opening loss in Boston against the Celtics. This is not the heart of a champion; this is the heart of someone who simply wants an easy winning season and some easy goodies along the way. What a goofball. *laughs* One more thing to post about before I sign off...during Miami's glorious loss to Boston in their season-opener, the Boston crowd chanted "Overrated" during the game due to the surprisingly lifeless-looking Heat squad that was built for a championship dynasty. It was great, just absolutely priceless. Miami has earned their first victory however, with a win against the Philadelphia 76ers to improve to 1-1. See if the Raptors can get there against the Cavs on Friday. Later!
Here's the link for the Boston-Miami opener: Celtics Top Heat in Season Opener  


Anyways, I'll post later. Have a good day.         

Toronto Buries Suns Again

Well, it's been awhile since the Raptors and the Phoenix Suns met. Last time they did, the game took place in Vancouver, British Columbia in the great country of Canada. In the game, Toronto had blown out Phoenix by a 51-point margin. This time around, things almost didn't go so well for T.O. The team trailed by 11 after the 1st quarter, but started cooking in the 2nd and managed to outscore Phoenix 31-22 in that frame and came to within 2 points at halftime, 55-53. In the 3rd, things just got better for the dinos as they shot 15-29 from the floor. Sophomore talent DeMar DeRozan had 8 points and starting point guard Jarret Jack had 7 and Toronto held a comfortable 92-79 lead going into the 4th quarter. Eventually, Toronto defeated the Suns 121-100 to improve their preseason record to 3-3. Some of the heroes in the game for the Raptors:

- Jarret Jack and Amir Johnson both scored 17 points
- new forward acquisition Linus Kleiza scored a game-high 23 points for Toronto
- Sonny Weems scored 16 points
- centre Andrea Bargnani scored 15 points
- DeMar DeRozan scored 14 points

Some key statistics were:
- Toronto shot 48% from the floor, Phoenix shoots 45%
- Toronto shot 76.9% on free throws, Phoenix shoots 71.4%
- Rebounding edge: Toronto 24, Phoenix 12
- Points in the paint edge: Toronto 52, Phoenix 40

We now come to a close on this post. I just want to remind you all that the next game for Toronto is tomorrow vs the Chicago Bulls at the Air Canada Centre. The game time is 7 PM. By the way, former Raptor Hedo Turkoglu was booed by the Toronto fans during the pre-game introductions and every time he touched the basketball during the game vs the Suns. Just thought I'd let you know. Anyways, take care! Here's the recap: Raps Crush Suns Once More 

Raptors, Knights, and...One Mess of a Halladay

Friday was the supposed redemption date for the Toronto Raptors. They had been blown out embarrassingly in a previous preseason match, so there was incentive for revenge. Needless to say, this didn't materialize as Toronto fell 117-112 to sink to a 2-3 preseason mark. Oh, they fought hard late in the game but Boston's comfortable lead was too much to overcome for the players as they ran out of steam and eventually lost. One of the heroes for Boston was young stud Nate Robinson formerly of the New York Knicks and a 3-time Slam Dunk Champion. Once he came into the game in the 2nd quarter, he scored 13 points before halftime and finished with 23 points shooting 6-12 in 28 minutes. "KryptoNate" also finished with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and attempted 15 free throws...all in 3 quarters of play! However, he wasn't the main player. Stars Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo were. After they made back-to-back three-point shots in the 1st quarter, the lead was double-digits and it was an uphill climb from then on for the Raptors. However, Toronto had their impressive performers as well. Reserve point guard Marcus Banks played impressively, playing the entire 4th quarter and helping Toronto outscore Boston 39-16 in that time. He scored 5 of his 10 points in the 4th, all coming from his 8 free throw attempts. However, this was not present from the team in general at the outset of the game in the 1st quarter when Boston built their lead to double-digits. Other key statistics:
- this game marks the 5th straight contest where the Raptors picked up at least 10 steals
- Toronto has now allowed their opponents to shoot 50% or better
- Boston attempted a whopping 29 free throws in the 3rd quarter
- Toronto scored 39 points in the 4th quarter which ties a preseason high set on October 15 vs Phoenix
Raptors vs Celtics: 117-112

Their next game is today at the Air Canada Centre vs Phoenix. Former Raptor Hedo Turkoglu makes his return and should expect some booing from the fans. Game time is 1 PM.

On Saturday night, the London Knights hosted the Kitchener Rangers at the John Labatt Centre. Things went well for London as they triumphed 4-2 and continue their winning ways. Goal scorers for the Knights: Stephen Sanza, Seth Griffith, Michael MacDonald and Michael D'Orazio. Kitchener's only goals came from Ryan Murphy. London also outshot Kitchener 40-33 and rise to 6-2, 3rd place in the OHL's Western Conference. Here is the recap: London 4, Kitchener 2
Their next game is Friday vs the Oshawa Generals at the JLC. The start time is 7:30 PM.

Now, we come to Roy Halladay. After making his postseason debut for the Philadelphia Phillies a memorable one with a no-hitter performance, he was asked to follow it up by being the starting pitcher vs the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Roy however did not have a solid outing as he gave up 4 runs including 2 home runs in Friday's game. The San Francisco homers were hit by Cody Ross in the 3rd and 5th innings. This spelled the day out for Doc as he wasn't at his best. The Phillies made it close when Jayson Werth hit a 2-run homer to make it 4-3 Giants, but ultimately the team fell short and lost 4-3. Roy Halladay gets the loss, Tim Lincecum gets the win, and it's on to Game 2 to see if the Phillies can tie the series. Rest assured, Doc will be back at some point in the playoff run, and he'll be looking for vengeance. Here's the recap: Doc Loses Tough Game for Phillies 

Well, that's all for now. You all take care!
 

The Latest Knights and Raptors Links

They are as follows:

October 13: Raptors 119-116 vs Sixers in Double Overtime

October 12: 109-90 Loss vs Bulls

October 10: 91-87 Loss vs Celtics

So the Raptors as a result of these games, are now 2-2 in the preseason with a game tonight vs the Celtics at 7 PM. The game will take place at the Raptors home court, the Air Canada Centre.

After playing on Friday, the London Knights played again on Saturday, this time in Windsor against the Spitfires. Here is the link: October 9: 5-4 Shootout Win vs. Spitfires

The Knights are now 4-2 and are currently 6th place in the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference. They play tonight against the Erie Otters at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario; Canada. The game starts at 7:30 PM. After the game, I will try and recap it for you. See you later!

Knights Bounce Back vs Belleville

Last night the London Knights played against the Belleville Bulls at the John Labatt Centre in a much-needed victory after the two losses on the previous weekend. London appeared to have kept this in mind as they thrashed Belleville 3-0. One of the Knights heroes on the night was starting goaltender Michael Houser, who slammed away 24 Bulls shots to receive his first shutout victory in the OHL. In fact, the Knights were so dominant last night that Belleville, according to Houser "didn’t get a shot for the first 10 minutes of the second period (the Knights outgunned the Bulls 21-3) and they didn’t get one for the first 15 minutes of the third."  The goal scorers for the Knights were Jared Knight, Daniel Erlich, and Chris DeSouza. Overall, the Knights outshot Belleville 47-24 and only allowed 3 Bulls shots in the 2nd period and 7 in the 3rd. All in all, it was a refreshing effort for the Knights who will try to continue this work tonight in Windsor. Be sure to catch the game tonight. That's all for now!

Here is the recap for the game: First Shutout Win for Knights Goaltender
Here also is the boxscore for the game: Statistics: Knights vs Bulls, 3-0  

Shorts from the Sports World

All right, here's your dose of sports news...

On Friday and Saturday, the London Knights lost two important games and fell to 2-2 in the standings. Their opponents were first the Owen Sound Attack and then the Erie Otters. The final scores were: Owen Sound 4, London Knights 2 and Erie Otters 5, London Knights 2. Here are the boxscores:

Loss Against Owen Sound
Loss Against Erie Otters

Let's hope the Knights can do better this weekend. Tonight they play at home in the John Labatt Centre against the Bellville Bulls. The game starts at 7:30 PM. Tomorrow they travel to Windsor to take on the Windsor Spitfires. That game starts at 7 PM. You can listen to both games on AM 1290 CJBK.

In other news...it was a hoopla in Vancouver. Yes, that's right. The Toronto Raptors played their first preseason game this year against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, with their stellar star point guard Steve Nash leading the way. Surprisingly, the game was broadcast on TSN, which is unusual since preseason games aren't usually televised. Needless to say, it was an amazing spectacle to watch as the Raptors easily handled the Suns 129-78. Folks, that's a 51-point victory! Shining stars for the Raps include Linus Kleiza who scored a game-high 20 points. Other shining performances were put in by Joey Dorsey, David Anderson, and centre Reggie Evans. Reggie, by the way, got himself ejected out of the game. What happened was that Reggie accidentally tripped Suns forward Grant Hill. Grant then patted Reggie in the back as if to say, "Be careful, big fella." Reggie then did the same to Grant Hill. As a result, both players were ejected out of the game by the referees. If you watched the game, then you could clearly see both players going off together laughing. Even the Raptors TV analyst Jack Armstrong laughed and said, "Come on, now. How can you kick these guys out?" The next game for the Raptors is Sunday in Boston against the Celtics. The game starts at 6 PM. Here's the recap for the victory against the Suns: Raptors Bring Heat Against Suns in Vancouver

Well, that about wraps it up. The only thing I have left to say comes from one of my cartoon heroes Bugs Bunny: "That's all folks!"