Dec 7 vs Toronto Raptors Game Preview

The Blazers wrap up their five game trip with a Sunday morning game against the Raptors in Toronto.  

Gametime 10 am Pacific Time

Since this is our first look at the Raptors this season here is a video preview of their team. Video link to this seasons Toronto Raptors

After a day off and a dissapointing loss to Boston the Blazers will be facing a Toronto team with a new coach who is looking for his first victory after losing Friday night in Utah.  Jay Triano will be the first Canadian head coach in NBA history.  Triano, formerly an assistant coach, will run the team through the end of the season according to Brian Colangelo.  Colangelo was upset about the teams 39 point loss in Denver and slow start ( 8-9 ) after making the playoffs the last two seasons.  The Toronto coach has been on the hot seat since last year when the team finished the season poorly.  Just 13-20 out of its last 33 games.  Mitchell, who was hired before Colangelo came in from Phoenix, never really saw eye to eye with Colangelo.  The GM wanted the team who is currently last in the NBA in fast break points, to run more.  And he put in place a coach who will do his bidding.

Friday nights loss was a tough one for our team, but if they keep their heads together they should find Toronto a much more inviting place than Boston.  Toronto has two players that match up well against Portland.  AllStar Chris Bosh, and Jose Calderon.  Beyond that the Raptors roster hasn't been very effective this season.  ExBlazer Jermaine O'Neal isn't the player he once was.  He was brought in to be a defensive stopper for the Raptors, but it hasn't really worked out that way.  Andrea Bargnani hasn't been playing very well either.  He looks like one of those guys management has ordered a coach to play so that their learning curve will hasten and they will reach their potential sooner rather than later.  Trouble is, it hasn't worked out that way and Bargnani hasn't been able to successfuly play NBA defense.  Pundits around the league have been calling for Toronto to replace him in the starting lineup with Jamario Moon. 

Brandon Roy shot just 3-12 against Boston.  Does anyone really think he is going to play that way again, especially with Anthony Parker trying to stop him?  WIll Solomon or Roko Ukic off the bench aren't going to be able to stop him or Rudy either.  If we can keep Bosh under control and be patient offensively our guards can torch this team and we should come home from this road trip with our heads held high and a 4-1 record.


Projected starters
Portland Trailblazers

Steve Blake -PG
Brandon Roy-SG
Nic Batum-SF
LaMarcus Aldridge-PF
Greg Oden-Center

Projected starters
Toronto Raptors

Jose Calderon-PG
Anthony Parker-SG
Andrea Bargnani-PF
Chris Bosh-PF
Jermaine O'Neal-Center

As always there will be pregame, gametime, and postgame discussion of the game in the gameday forum.

Be sure to catch the video recap and hdtv highlights of the game by clicking here.