To Live and Die in LA... in 1.9 secs

Ok off topic first...
Forest:
I GOTTA FIND BUBBA!! 
Bubba:
Forest, why did this happen?
Forest:
You got shot...






YOU GOTTA QUADRUPLE TEAM KOBE!!
Bynum:
Bosh, why did this happen?
Bosh: Kobe's got a fade away jump shot...
Bargnani:
Say... me fell like me want some shrimp on me penne



It was a good effort by most of the Toronto Raptors against one of the top teams in the world but in the end, the desired outcome slipped by the wayside by a silky smooth fadeaway jumper by Kobe. I didn't get a lot of time to write this one as it was a late game and I hit the sack as soon as it was over and I had work the next day so here I am writing this with a few hours till tipoff in Sackless-town.

Basically we lost this game due to a variety of reason which have been touched on by most people online and most people with eyes. These reasons are very obvious to everyone but like so many things in sports, seems to be invisible to the team's and the other people involved in the game.

The Refs should be SHOT or HUNG or STABBED but they should not be let go without consequence.
Now before you go and call me a psycho I don't mean that literally of course but these refs lastnight were a good example of a major issue in this game. That being, giving the superstars preferential treatment. Kobe was given every chance to get to the line on a variety of phantom calls where he would fall on his own ass and not be in the vicinity of a Raptor but yet the Refs who must've had something of LA's in their pants would call everything against the Raps and basically changed the outcome. This is not acceptable. This is not what fair play is about. This is disgusting.

What's also disgusting is the pig of a player we have on the Raps. The oinker in question of course is Hedo "The Turnover" Turkoglu who was without a doubt a detriment to this basketball team. Not only is he not living up to his guaranteed contract. A contract that spits in the face of every hardworking, blue collared... or white collared for that matter, citizen of the world. But he is costing us games with his sloppy play. He's slow, sloppy, careless, lazy and now you can add sorry to that list. This pig is gobbling up money, taking away playing time from players who could contribute and all the while, he's laughing and smirking on the court and on the bench. A horrible attitude, coupled with a horrible season is a good formula for failure.

Triano... I hope this is a situation where you learn from your mistakes, but since you've made these mistakes countless times I am guessing you are blind. Why on earth would you take Jack out at the end of the 3rd, and hold him out of the game till about the 8 min mark of the 4th when your team has given up the lead or is on a serious cold streak? Jack was on a rampage lastnight and the idiot coaching staff decides to rest him way too long. This is the NBA, it's the 4th quarter against a top team you are within reach of beating. I am sure Jarrett can spare some tiredness to push towards a win. Compounded with leaving Bosh and Bargs on the bench way too long as well, this was another formula for failure and Jay Triano is every bit as culpable as anyone. Jay has a bad habit of taking hot players out of the game. And by this I mean players who are on a scoring streak or are effective at a certain moment in a game. Then he totally ignores the person the rest of the game. Key examples are where Bargs gets hot. Suddenly Bargs couldn't touch the ball other than to swing it to the other side of the court on top of the key. Jack is another example of course, as is Demar. When Demar gets hot in the first half, it doesn't matter. He's coming out of the game in the 4th or even as soon as the 3rd. Demar had a very good first quarter but was completely forgotten about after. I'd still rather have him on the court playing defense than Turk who would more likely tear a groin than play good man to man defense. It's like asking a giraffe to run down a gazelle.

In this end, a double teamed Kobe hit his trademark game winner. He's what a real game winner is. Turk is a joke, he's not a 4th quarter player, he's not a 1st, 2nd or 3rd one for that matter and I wish I could say otherwise. I am a Raptor fan. He is a Raptor... i don't want to see him fail but that's all he seems to be able to do. Wait, the only other thing he is capable of doing is inducing Raptor fans to slap themselves in the forehead with the palms of their hands after watching him play. Vomit, wipe, repeat.

Kobe Bryant and his phoney LA fans can KMA

The Raptors knock off the top team in the league and knock them into second place behind the Cavs. I am as proud as fan can be!!! The boys stuck in there the whole game and turn it on in the fourth. All the phoney baloney Lakers fans who I am sure are also probably Raptors fans until their girlfriend Kobe is town, had to go home and cry... boo frickin' hoo. The Lake Show is good don't get me wrong but it really rubs me the wrong way when a team lacks sportsmanship, respect, and are just plain cocky. L.A. fits the bill, as does Boston, and recently the Cavaliers have become like this. So yes, this win is very very satisfying. Turk hit 2 very very high pressure free throws. The same type of free throws that the cry baby Gasol missed on two very recent occasions. So Kudos to him and I hope this helps him develop some confidence and bring his shot back and decent, passable effort.

This game really hinged on the efforts of Bargnani, Jack and a somewhat subdued Bosh. But who could blame him, he's going up against two 7 foot towers who happened to be skilled and athlethic and very capable. Bargnani came alive in the fourth however he was defensively sound throughout most of the game. His one on one defense on Bynum, and Gasol were stellar. He made it hard on them to shoot over his outstretched hands and rarely gave up and inch when they tried to push him around.

Jack was a sparkplug the entire game. Driving the ball in every chance he got and really pushed the envelop and challenged his teammates to match his focus and intensity. He scored 18 points, 4 assist and zero turnovers. He defended well from what I could tell. However it's hard to defend against this team as everyone knows. He looked like a rottweiler on a porkchop and when he looks like this on certain nights, the team has a very good chance against anyone.

Now the Raps have to risk another big let up after a big win against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The Heat is a few points ahead of the Raps and beating would not only put them in very very good playoff position but also sends a conference rival a very strong message. This game is very winnable even with the madman that is Wade on the opposition. I say this because of the way Bargs, Double J, and CB4 have been turning it up a notch lately. Here's hoping they don't skunk out one like they do on so many previous occasions. It's like a Toronto sports tradition. Get up and beat down a big opponent, then lay down arms for the lackeys that roll in the game after.