The Goods On The Game, Vol. 17

Hi. Me again.
Disaster averted just before the game. Had to wait in a hallway while the Nuggets did their yada-yada-sis-boom-bah thing before taking the court and while I'm standing there, I get jostled from behind and the computer almost goes crashing to the floor. Dang Renaldo Balkman was late for the group hug and almost drilled me. With his shoulder, not his hair.
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This game might have more life if there was a crowd here. I'm looking at one upper deck section and I can count the nine people in it and one over there's a section with seven.
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With the black uniforms obviously responsible for Sunday's loss in L.A., the Raps are clad in the usual red road jerseys tonight.
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Do you do a double-take every time you look at Carmelo Anthony sans cornrows? I do.
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Welcome back, first Raptor possession is an O'Neal jumper.
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Carmelo's also an awful tough matchup for Bargnani.
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One good sign. O'Neal just tumbled to the ground and go up quickly.
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This is a rather drab start, both teams are a tad listless.
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Remember that Bargnani's in tough against Anthony? Well, we're four minutes in and Andrea's got two fouls. But Sam's sticking with him.
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A distinct lack of Raptor post-ups so far. Far too much reliance on jumpers.
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Here's a switch that I think is good. First sub is Joey for Bargnani.
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Raptors 12, Nuggets 11 with 6 1-2 to go.
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Bosh just got his second foul and it was a foolish one. Got it about 90 feet from the basket trying to pick off a pass he should have just let go.
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There is one section down the other end with absolutely no one in it.
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Denver's shooting bonus free throws with 5:49 left. Being a good team, I presume they'll try to go inside a lot.
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It's pretty obvious than Anthony's elbow or whatever it is is bothering him. He's missed both shots he's taken and two of four free throws.
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Billups has a couple of three-pointers and the Nuggets are finally showing some signs of life. Toronto? Not so much.
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Bosh just took a three-pointer with about 19 seconds left on the shot clock. Gotta think the coaches aren't going to be too pleased with that.
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Hump's in for O'Neal, Sam's staying with Bosh and his two fouls 'cause, really, he doesn't have many options and Bosh is smart enough, I think, not to get a third.
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As I type this, the Nuggets have shot 13 free throws and Toronto two.
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Nice gesture. Bosh just stripped Kenyon Martin on an iso and when the ball went out of bounds, Martin went up and fist bumped Bosh in congratulations.
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Denver 33, Raptors 19 at one.
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It's Ukic as the backup PG tonight.
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Bargnani's back for Bosh with a rather odd collection of teammates -- Ukic, Hump, Kapono and Moon. Not a fivesome you're liable to see too often.
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Raptors are a step, at least, slow on defensive rotations and they're shooting 30 per cent from the field. In a shocking development, they're getting drilled.
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Wow, Do these guys stink tonight or what? Gives us some time to craft stories, I guess, because I believe this one is over.
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Fan behind us just says: "Can anybody on their team shoot?" Not tonight, my man, not tonight.
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Roko's 0-for-3 night from the floor makes me think the reconstruction of his shooting stroke still very much a work in progress.
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Can you say boring? That's what this game is.
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Denver 47, Toronto  31 with six minutes 'til half.
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I know it was really unavoidable but it was still pretty funny to see the tickets for tonight's game with Allen Iverson all over them.
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Raptors are within 10 with 4:30 to go, Chauncey's at the table to come back in the game and I have a feelings things will be different once he returns.
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Did you know all the seats in the Pepsi Center are brown, like the colour of, um, Pepsi. Really not an attractive look, actually Unless you like a nice dull brown.
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Billups finally gets in with 3:05 left and Denver up 10, Toronto ball.
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Eleven first half minutes, two field goal attempts, one a little floater on the baseline, for Kapono.
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Joey's going to finish off the half for O'Neal, who has two fouls. Both Bosh and Bargnani remain in the game.
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Bosh just got his third and it was a bad one. Lets Nene beat him baseline and commits a soft foul as th Nugget centre goes in for a dunk. Lazy.
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Denver 64, Toronto 45 at the half
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First Toronto basket of the half comes from O'Neal at the rim. Guess there's a first time for everything tonight.
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If the Rpators have ever looked more disheartened -- on the bench or on the court -- at another time this season, I sure don't remember it.
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Bargnani's picked up two fouls in the first 3:40 of the half, sometimes the mathcups just aren't good.
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We sit on a podium in the tunnel leading to the court here in Denver right among the fans. There are a handful of urchins about six feet away trying to start the wave. I truly wish they would stop.
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Raps are apparently going smallish now. Hump and Kapono for O'Neal and Bargnani after about four minutes. It's a gamble but it's not like anything else is working.
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Ace PR dude J. LaBumbard points out the 64 points were the most Toronto's allowed in a first half this season. For some reason, that might be a record that's broken sooner rather than later.
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AP spending a lot of time bringing the ball up the court tonight, to very mixed reviews.
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This one's waaaaaaay over.
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Nuggets 84, Raptors 53 with five minutes left.
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Seriously, what in the world am I going to type about here for a quarter and a bit? The weather?
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It was nice in Denver today, in the 60s. But there's snow coming tomorrow.
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Raps, down a mere 33, call timeout with 3:21 left and unless they have like a 60-point quarter up their sleeve, I'm not sure why they're doing it.
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I have no idea why Jose and Bosh are still playing. This one is over, there's another one Friday and they should have the rest of the night off.
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There's a dude selling beer right over my right shoulder and it's all I can to do to avoid ordering one. Or six.
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Will Solomon just air-balled a three-pointer. That's something worthy of pointing out, isn't it?
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Nuggets 100, Raptors 68 after three. Wow.
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I remember sitting in exactly this same spot last season when Toronto was here writing pretty much the exact same story.
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Yes, GM Bryan Colangelo is here.
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No, I cannot see the steam rising from his head from where I'm sitting.
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I cannot imagine seeing Bosh, Calderon or O'Neal the rest of the way.
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Okay, we are watching Roko Ukic, Will Solomon, Hassan Adams, Joey Graham and Kris Humphries., And it's not even a summer league game.
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Of course, Denver responds with Chucky Atkins, JR Smith, Linus Klieza, Chris Andersen and Renaldo Balkman. It's that kind of night.
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I can consider my life complete: I am watching Chiekh Samb play in the NBA. Really.
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Nuggets 115, Raptors 80 with 7 1-2 to go.
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I believe somebody might have just done something but, frankly, I'm not paying the least bit of attention to the game. Hope you're not, either.
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Chiekh Samb just scored a basket. A lengthy jumper I'm told. Whadda guy!
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Oh, that noise was apparently the stuffed animal making a shot from halfcourt. Even he gets easy open looks against the Raptors.
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Seriously, if anything happens, someone tell me. I'm writing.
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Largest margin of defeat ever? 46. To New York 125-79 back in '99
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I have never been happier to hear a PA announcer intone: "Two minutes remaining."
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Denver an awful lot, Toronto very little.
(I've got to go write)

Comments

[Rahulan S]

Doug,

Not watching the game, so the quick fouls on Bargs, and Bosh. Bad fouls by the player, bad calls, or just fouls in the flow of the game?

Blogger's note: Bad matchup for Bargnani and Bosh's second was silly, 90 feet from the basket.

[DV]

It hurts me to watch this team right now. Seriously, can someone run a seminar for the Raptors on how to play defense. A seminar, instruction manual, anything.

[DV]

J'O excluded of course.

[Lavi]

The Raps look like a D-league team next to the Nuggets. This is sad.

[Mark F.]

wow, the raptors are really showing some fight tonight...

[papa]

when a guy comes out at the start of the 2nd quarter and immediately jacks up a 3 and makes it, you know there's not a lot of respect. raptor killer.
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roko is going to be good. next year. when he finds a jumper.

[Bob]

I recently moved to the states and I just bought league pass to follow the raps. This start is making me want to call the provider and get my money back.

This is painful Doug... should I switch to the SA-DET game or continue to watch the beatdown?

Blogger's note: If I could switch to SA-Det, I would. Go right ahead.

[Nicholas C]

comeback .. comeback ... comeback!!! I think we're down by 62ish right now but I have the Raps taking this one by 73.8. Book it.

[DougG]

If BC is unwilling to do something about this can we get a GM who is. This is ridiculous.

[DV]

Is it just me or do the Nuggets have the most tattoos of any team. These guys are covered all over. I wonder what the total # of tattoos are if you add up all the tattoos in each player.

I'm putting up a # of 200. What do you think Doug, more or less than 200?

Blogger's note: If it's under, it isn't by much.

[Kendal]

This is frustrating to watch. Sam cannot be telling the guys to jack up threes and fall asleep on D. What's going on tonight? Someone needs to tell the guys they have fans who are staying up late to watch this.

[Stew]

Terrible. Just plain terrible. I don't know how else we could describe this. Whether it's players, coaches or both, this team just isn't good enough. Something has to be done.

[Matthew]

Hey Doug,

Why does this team never show up to play in Denver? Is it the altitude? This is deaj vu from last March - a painful loss that was also over in the 1st quarter.
Also - how many pull up threes at the top of the circle will Chauncey hit tonight. My money is on 6.

[Manpreet]

Did I just see Stan Albeck with the Nuggets or is that just a look-a-like? How's he doing now?

Blogger's note: It's Tim Grgurich you're talking about, I think. Stan's doing OK the last I heard, we usually see him every trip into San Antonio, where he lives.

[Mo]

I have this strange feeling that this game will be heavily discussed when Bryan is firing Sam.

[papa]

well, it would be such a lovely thing to watch if the raps came out at the half and had some fight in them to make a game of it.

and where did nene come from??? he just blew by bosh like he was jordan on araujo.

[Brad]

Depressing...what's wrong with the Rap's???...they either don't care, are tired, or maybe just aren't that good...every game seems like the same thing...like a record when its time to switch sides...just dead air...over and over...

Denver is a legit team though, cannot believe how Billups career has ended up after being essentially a nobody with Toronto

[Scott]

I have never, as a loyal Raptor fan, stopped watching a Raptors game at the end of the second quarter... until tonight. Just embarassing and painful stuff out there. A very frustating time for the fans! And what's the deal with the Raps apparent change in strategy on this West Coast trip. In the LA game and tonight, they've gone "jumper crazy" (even more than usual- especially Bosh). You've got a big lineup, so use it!

[Tyler L]

Doug,
Why would Mitchell not switch Parker to guard Billups instead of Calderon and why would we ever have to watch Roko on the floor with Hump, Moon and Kapono who is he suppose to give the ball too?

[Sivart]

I hate to say it Doug, but I think I have joined the fire Sam Mitchell group tonight. Its not that I think he is a bad coach per se, but rather this team needs a shakeup.

The offense has grown stale, and is way too dependent on the jump shot. I just don't see any movement in our offense, guys just stand around and watch for the most part. One guy has the ball, the rest just stand there, not an acceptable offense from an nba team.

[Nicholas C]

Doug ... I have long thought that Seasonal Affective Disorder is the reason for the Raptors many seasons of seemingly mood swingy bball. Let's get these guys some sun lamps. Thoughts?

Also ... Kapono, Moon and Graham for Walt Frazier.

[UK]

Doug pack up your computer and start driving to Utah. You are wasting your time.

How many more blowouts against good teams before you are on the fire Sam bandwagon?

[Kendal]

Wow! This is hard to watch, but seriously what do some people expect? That tomorrow morning BC is going start shopping around Bosh, JO and Jose so he can pick up a couple all-stars that will take us past the first round? It is what it is and our players have the skills they have. Let's try and keep things in perspective.

[papa]

honestly, I think the talent is there but there just doesn't seem to be any fight. that's the hardest part about watching the raps being down this game and the next already, points wise.

doug, is the altitude thing really that much of a concern, since it's already being thrown out there as an excuse?

Blogger's note: No, it's not an excuse for this at all.

[Dagomar Degroot]

Okay this isn't Bosh's best game and, in the third quarter, he's already got 22/11/5, so I hope nobody puts this loss on him.

What's troubling is how the team showed up tonight. They lost painfully in LA the other night and O'Neal came back; you'd expect them to burst out of the gates. But . . . nothing. Hate to say, but that's on the coach.

Mitchell is a good coach and he's done well in Toronto, but right now this team is just not performing and there's going to be a scapegoat. I'd be very surprised if he lasts another two weeks.