The Goods On The Game, Vol. 31, a Warrior night

Hey everybody? All in your places with bright, shiny faces? Thought so.

Wish there was some news or something to report from here but except for a delayed arrival of one of the team's buses thanks to Bay Bridge traffic (think 401 gridlock only suspended in the sky over the water and you'll have it nailed) there's nothing going on.

Warriors will have Jamal Crawford and Stephen Jackson in the lineup but no Corey Maggette. And the usual suspects for Your Raptors.

So, that's about it for now. I'll be back. (It's Arnold's state, I gotta throw that in, I guess.)
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And away we go
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I'm told by a person who'd know this kind of thing that the Raptors are a point and a half favourites tonight., That strikes me as odd. Luckily, gambling's illegal and I'm sure no one has wagered a bob or two on either of these teams. Right
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Touching moment at midcourt as the teams warmed up. Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli having a word and a nice hug.
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Maybe in honour of his countryman, Marco Belinelli committed a foul 10 seconds into the game.
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Bosh is being guarded by the rookie Brandan Wright, they've really got to attack him. And avoid the Biedrins-O'Neal matchup because Biedrins is a bit too quick for O'Neal to go at him.
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Here's the thing about the Warriors. They are going to make you look very bad at times; but they are also going to make you look very good. The frenetic pace they like to play at lends itself to easy baskets at both ends.
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Very odd crowd. It's big but very quiet. Polite applause more than anything.
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Welcome to the NBA. Brandan Wright just had his shot blocked by Bosh and O'Neal on the same possession.
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Warriors 13, Raptors 9 with 6:11 left.
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The Raptors just scored a textbook basket. Bosh rebounded a Warrior miss, outlet to Jose at about the hash mark, dribbles to the other elbow, Kapono trails, one pass, one three-pointer.
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O'Neal's just left the game to head to the locker room. Seemed to be favouring his back. Didn't look like he did anything to get hurt. We'll wait for Media Guru J. LaBumbard to fill us in.
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Joey's in a bit earlier than usual and he's got Stephen Jackson, who immediately posts up and misses about a seven footer.
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Told you we'd tell you: Seems JO has "flu-like symptoms" and his return is questionable. Bad chowder in a bread bowl?
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No O'Neal means only one thing: More Jake. Here's Voskuhl to replace Bosh in the first quarter. Jake seems to have usurped Hump as the fourth big.
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Jose's quietly having an excellent offensive night. Nine points on only five shots. The Warriors are giving him open looks, like the give everybody, actually.
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Very good foul there by Joey on a Jackson break. Wrapped him up early and emphatically, not allowing Jackson to dunk or even get off a layup. Sure, Jackson made both free throws but it didn't get the crowd in the game or get him pumped up.
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Raptors 29, Warriors 28 after one.
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Perhaps in homage to his teammate, Will Solomon checks in to star the quarter and commits a foul 10 seconds into his stint.
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I'm not entirely sure about the Jake Voskuhl headband thing.
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And I'm sure not entirely sure about the Jake-throwing-a-lob-to-Parker play I just saw.
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Yes, that really was an Andrea Bargnani offensive rebound and putback jam. Saw it with my own eyes.
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Jake: Four fouls in five minutes.
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Oh oh. Bosh makes a three-pointer. Does that mean he'll shoot more of them?
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Bosh dribbling the ball up the court is never going to end well. And seeing him stripped when he tried to go behind his back proves that point.
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Some dude just proposed to his intended, whose name is Samie apparently, and the lovely lady said yes. Just thought you should know.
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This is a unique Toronto lineup: Jose, Kapono, Parker, Moon and Bosh. Lets them switch everything on defence 'cause the Warriors are equally small.
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O'Neal's back and about to check back in the game.
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Toronto 43, Warriors 41 with 6:12 'til halftime.
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JO's back for about 30 seconds, takes a tumble at midcourt trying to corral a loose ball and banged himself up. He's out of the game again.
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Jason and Joey have already scored. Won't be another night of shutouts like it was up in Portland on Saturday.
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Media row here is up at the top of the lower bow and it's a pretty good vantage point. Plus, there's a concession stand right behind us and Zic and I are sampling some good popcorn at the moment. If they've got nachos at halftime, this might be a very good seat.
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Yes Bargnani is playing well tonight.
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Rony Turiaf just flat-out blocked a Bosh jumper that led to a Warrior three in transition, Turiaf had a steal on Jose that led to a Warrior three in transition. Momentum? Gone all to Golden State right now.
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Belinelli drills a three and takes a charge on Bargnani at the other end.
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You'd think this one's almost getting out of hand but I think the Warriors are always going to let teams get back in games.
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Warriors 60, Raptors 52 at halftime.
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Jermaine's done for the night 'cause of the flu. Survived the fall okay but the bug got him.
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A start for Bargnani, wonder how he'll react.
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Bosh has two quick fouls, three for the game and if he's got to sit down, these guys have no chance whatsoever. And I'm not sure they've got a chance anyway.
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Raptors are trying a little zone defence. Given that their man-to-man play has been rather suspect, it's probably worth a shot.
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The Warriors are playing small and they've got Stephen Jackson guarding Bosh. An immediate double-team comes every time he catches the ball.
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This Belinelli kid is very impressive. Not sure how much that has to do with the opposition but he looks really good.
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Warriors 77, Raptors 67 with 5 1-2 left.
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Hump's going to get some burn. Guess Jay doesn't want Jake to foul out quite yet.
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Had dinner with old friend Larry Riley, who's now Golden State's general manager after years of coaching alongside Nellie. He said Belinelli has come on strong simply because he got a chance to play; he'd been buried on the bench early in the year. Riley's been a friend since he worked for the Grizzlies in Vancouver years ago.
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Hump's giving them something, like a jump shot he just made.
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Don't look now, but somehow the Raptors have got themselves back in the game, down seven with more than two minutes left in the quarter. One thing about the Warriors, they don't seem to be able to handle prosperity.
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The Raptors are trying to junk up the game with some full court pressure and a zone defence. Gotta give 'em credit for trying something.
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This is one scrambling quarter we're watching. All kinds of loose balls and crazy passes. I love it.
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Golden State 86, Toronto 79 after three.
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Any of you still up?
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I'm telling ya, Hump with hair is way better than Hump without. As a player, that is.
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I don't think they can afford to give Jose a break this quarter until the game is decided. That may be with a couple of minutes left.
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Jose's now made two free throws in the game, both on Golden State technicals. That gives Calderon 71 in a row, 68 straight this season.
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So, they have this group of kids who bring out the tramp and dunk during the timeout they just had. And guess what song's playing? Yup. None other than Flo-Rida. How do I know this? 'Cause I pay attention at home games. It's far more effective in the dunk show than as a pre-game thing.
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The five threes that Belinelli's got? Most he's had in a game in his career. Or so the Warrior PR people tell us.
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Stephen Jackson is thisclose to getting a second technical and thrown out of hte game.
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Warriors 100, Raptors 90 with seven minutes to go.
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Well, this one certainly turned interesting, didn't it?
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Bosh's second three-pointer was a big shot. Not a particularly good one, but a big one.
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I'm pretty sure there haven't been too many instances with Parker, Kapono and Calderon have all missed wide open three-pointers one after the other after the other. Any of them would have put Toronto up and that's just tough shooting luck.
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Toronto's just 2-for-9 from beyond the arc in this quarter by my calculation.
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I've seen more offence-defence substitutions in the last 11 games than I have in the last four seasons.
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Well, it turned into an entertaining one but still a loss nonetheless and I imagine Bryan Colangelo will be on the phone more than ever on Tuesday seeing if he can get something going on a trade that seems inevitable.
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Warriors 117, Raptors 111.
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Talk to you from back home on Tuesday. Thanks for hanging around.

Comments

[CARLoS M.]

We’re all in our places, with bright shiny faces. And this is the way, we start off our day.

Hopefully it ends with a W, shiny or not.

[papa]

late night show, but this is how we do. unfortunately for the raps, with the way they've been playing, it's literally impossible to tell what's going to happen tonight. could go either way.

let's hope for the best.

[Andrew Noble]

kapono just played terrible defence for the warriors first bucket

[CARLoS M.]

I am so sick of these Sub sandwich commercials. Who wants criminals as the face of their brand?

Andrea is always warming up his hands. Maybe he should wear some gloves.

Jose is playing well tonight.

Woo hoo Voskuhl!!

[Kevin Allison]

Hey Doug...

Here's something curious: I'm a Cogeco customer, and the game is currently playing on TSN and TSNHD, not TSN2. I wonder if it's playing for Rogers customers? Wasn't this supposed to be on TSN2?

Blogger's note: No, was always a regular TSN game. Next TSN2 is Friday against Houston.

[Kevin Allison]

Ah, thanks...

Its amazing that TSN and Sportsnet can get together for the Olympics, yet this is an impasse, isn't it?

Wouldn't have anything to do with competition for Sportsnet now would it?

[Kendal]

Jack just mentioned your lovely evening of Irish Coffees, he said San Fran's an expensive city. Must have been a good night.

[Andrew Noble]

Two things.
1. Get Jake out of there.
2. Give Roko another chance. Soloman is playing like a sole man.

[brad]

What was the reason Triano was playing Solomon over Roko lately? Doug I think you had said something about it earlier. Solomon is a better shooter, but Roko is better at all other facets of the game, doesn't make sense? But maybe there is a reason.

[aditya]

brandon wright is not a rookie.....(anthony randolph is a rookie)

Blogger's note: You're right, I'm wrong, looked at wrong line on the stats sheet; Wright's in his second year. Sorry

[Mr, T]

Is it just me Doug, or is Golden State a fun team to watch because they don't have a playbook? Also isn't Biedriens such an underrated player?

[KB]

not including the 3's it seems like Moon has been playing how he used to lately ... defense, rebounds ... I hope he keeps it up.

[aditya]

bosh gets a turnover and commits a foul on the other end.....wow

[LS]

Who did Kris Humphries murder? How has he seemingly fallen behind Voskuhl in the depth chart?

Also, solid audition for Bargnani. I hope GS coaching/management is impressed so far. If there is another person on this Earth other than Bryan Colangelo who sees something in him, it might be Don Nelson.

[Geeky Kewl]

Hi Doug, Quick question about the Bosh 3 pointer. Solomon passed it back and Parker tipped it to Bosh who hit the three. Who gets the assist? :o)

Things are looking good.. we at least didn't give up a double digit first half lead!

Blogger's note: Just checked the official play-by-play we get, no assist on the basket.

[Sam]

Jay should put the second team in because this first team really suck.

[Rich]

These uncontested 3s are getting out of hand! I understand the need to protect the paint, but when the game plan is working against you, it's time to make adjustments.

[Mary]

Hey Doug! Is the crowd really loud out there? Or is that a mic issue? It seems like I can hear everything...

Blogger's note: Crowd just got loud, it was rather sedate for the first three quarters.

[Rich]

ACTION: Raptors 40 rebounds (16 offensive), GS 27 rebounds (4 offensive)

REACTION: Are you kidding me?!! Against the #2 team in the NBA in offensive rebounds?!!

[KB]

can we trade our italian for theirs?

[Rich]

Correction...Golden State is ranked #8 in the league in offensive rebounds. I'm sure I heard Leo Rautins mention pre-game that they were ranked #2.

[Rich]

Go figure...Bosh nails a huge 3-pointer to bring them within two, but Parker, Kapono and Calderon (in that order) can't nail it to give them the lead. So not only do we count on Bosh to rebound, defend and and pound the paint...but we need him to nail 3s as well?!!!

[Jon Mac]

How bad are our wings..honestly!

[Rich]

WOW! Calderon with 4 turnovers, the worst one coming on an inbounds with 25 seconds left?!!

[GM]

Can someone please tell Armstrong not to say "stuck x" for any deficit. It's really annoying.