Game Thread: Raptors @ Spurs - Dec. 26 @ 7:30 PM CST

The Spurs will be facing their biggest challenge yet of the entire season:



http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_r...=1356145759877



The new and improved Bargnani-less Raptors.

Remember how much better the Spurs got after getting rid of Richard Jefferson? Well multiply that by a 1000 and you are barely halfway to what this current Raptor squad is capable of. The Raps have won 5 straight (not a typo) and Calderon looks to take over the reigns of this team with some of the local in the great white north referring to him as the greatest PG since Magic Johnson (and some would say even better if going by FT percentage).

A short handed Raptors team pushed the Spurs to double overtime and now they're hungry for revenge.

Championships aren't won in December, but the road that leads to them can start now.


Gear up for the biggest game of the season folks, should be a good one.

:flag::flag::flag:

Bustnani's just the latest example of the Ewing Theory.

Top 5 game thread intro of all time

I hope you guys get the Spurs announcers

Mat Devlin is annoying

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lefty

I hope you guys get the Spurs announcers

Mat Devlin is annoying

---

I find Rautins pretty annoying as well. Armstrong's the only Raptors commentator I can live with tbh.

Don't think Lowry's playing tonight so Parker should have a great offensive game against Calderon. He'll have to play defense though. KL should be on Pietrus to start but I wish there was some way Pop could put Leonard on DD. Green will have to try and get him to put the ball on the floor.

Otherwise there's no reason why the Spurs can't take this game but I think that it's going to be a close one. Our perimeter players need to show up and our bigs will have to outscore theirs. With Gray guarding either TD or Splitter to start the frontcourt should be fine if everyone shows up. Can't remember who was starting against the Raptors last time...

Quote:

---

As the Spurs were the Heat a few weeks back, pushing the defending champions to the brink of defeat without four of their best players, so are the Raptors to the Spurs.

That’s the message being pushed by Gregg Popovich in the hopes his squad won’t overlook an under-manned opponent that has won five straight despite the absences of Andrea Bargnani and Kyle Lowry.

“Their top guys are out, and they’re going to come to play just like we came to play in Miami,” Popovich said. “It’s the NBA. Everybody wants to play and do well. You can’t take anybody for granted. We’ll see if we do.”

---

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...tors-at-spurs/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheSkeptic

I find Rautins pretty annoying as well. Armstrong's the only Raptors commentator I can live with tbh.

Don't think Lowry's playing tonight so Parker should have a great offensive game against Calderon. He'll have to play defense though. KL should be on Pietrus to start but I wish there was some way Pop could put Leonard on DD. Green will have to try and get him to put the ball on the floor.

Otherwise there's no reason why the Spurs can't take this game but I think that it's going to be a close one. Our perimeter players need to show up and our bigs will have to outscore theirs. With Gray guarding either TD or Splitter to start the frontcourt should be fine if everyone shows up. Can't remember who was starting against the Raptors last time...

---

Yeah Armstrong is ok

Amused, your sig is hilarious.

Jeff McDonald ‏@JMcDonald_SAEN
Parker Green Leonard Splitter Duncan for Spurs.
Calderon, DeRozan, Pietrus, Ed Davis, Amir Johnson for Raps.

where the chat be at timvp?

as always, Raptors call on ILP. These guys are the worst in the business, by far

Should be a good game for NDC to prove himself some more to pop tonight.

Raptors guys said Gray will start at C

Tony to start us off.

Derozan! :lmao

Picking up where we left off!

Great start. Danny Green still hot.

Splitter's gotta up his physicality to avoid getting pushed around by Gray.

WTF? Why isn't the game on my league pass?

Leonardddddddddddddddddd

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dr. Robert Ley

WTF? Why isn't the game on my league pass?

---

Nevermind, it's on now. I had to refresh.

i like aaron gray, he was a FA i thought the spurs should have pursued. would have been a very good back up center.

TP with a slick pass on the fast break :wow

I guess Kawhi's knee is okay.

Defense llooking good

Kawhi!!

Kawhi!

LOL late feed, late posting :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by timvp

TP with a slick pass on the fast break :wow

I guess Kawhi's knee is okay.

---

Better be, he sat out for like three years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dex

Better be, he sat out for like three years.

---

:lol

This is the kind of game where Hero Ball might shine: when it doesn't really matter.

PATHETIC TONY.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brunodf

Jeff McDonald ‏@JMcDonald_SAEN
Parker Green Leonard Splitter Duncan for Spurs.
Calderon, DeRozan, Pietrus, Ed Davis, Amir Johnson for Raps.

---

ROFL

McDonald fail

Wow what a bs call on leaonrd.

It would be cool if we didn't get ripped off by the refs in our own building.

MAKE UP HAHAHAHA.

Getting killed on the boards so far, but Raps have gotten some lucky bounces.

MANUUUUU!

What's the use of big starting line up if we're still getting killed on the boards ? And the opponent isn't exactly a monster on the glass either ??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dex

MANUUUUU!

---

Huh? Oh he's checking in. :lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dex

Getting killed on the boards so far, but Raps have gotten some lucky bounces.

---

Excuses excuses. :wakeup

The Raptors are SO bad. It's like watching a bad college team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cry Havoc

Huh? Oh he's checking in. :lol

---

:lol I guess I'm excitable tonight.

Duncan is soooooo smooth. Like Cherry Dr. Pepper.

Jack and TD with the reverse high-low

Way to try to catch that pass, Jack. ONE HAND A'INT GONNA CUT IT, BRO.

Spurs passing a bit off

Diaw just facepalmed. :lol

Parker looks like he has a hangover tbh.

Our "point guard" throws it into the stands again.

:cry Pop's not happy :cry

Jack taking hero ball shots again. SMGDH.

Stupid turnovers and offensive boards

De Colo time pop

TD with a strong start. Offense boards and turnovers are problems

This white thug artist commercial makes me want to kill myself, tbh.

:lol

Splitter got what, one shot, before Manu got in... Basically it's like he's still coming off the bench.

MAAAAAAANUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU 3333333333333333333333333

alright NDC, haircut, hopefully means good game

nando looks like a skinhead now

Patty Mills coming in!

11-2 FTA advantage in the first quarter. I'll take it :tu

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSpursFan

nando looks like a skinhead now

---

A trade to the Wolves in the work maybe?

Spurs getting some favorable calls

Duncan with 15 points at the end of the quarter!!! :hat

Not very good in the 1st. Too many turnovers

Anyone have a game link with the Spurs announcers? I only have the Toronto broadcast.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dr. Robert Ley

Duncan with 15 points at the end of the quarter!!! :hat

---

All-ignored in 3 ... 2 ...

Raptors on pace to hold the Spurs under 100 like their 7 previous opponents.

what a alley oop to SJAX, lol

looks like a post Christmas party/hangover game. everyone looks sloppy except Timmy

Not sure what I think about this...

Green!!!

Streaky Green still astreakin'

Lmao why is this game so close? Rofl

Ginobili thought he got called for the foul and then played it off :lmao

Diaw should have gone for the reverse...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shadowflames

Lmao why is this game so close? Rofl

---

The amount of spoil these days is amazing.

:bangThis lineup

spurs need to wake up in the second half and take over this game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brunodf

:bangThis lineup

---

Pop still throwing shit at the wall.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by timvp

The amount of spoil these days is amazing.

---

Got a reputation to maintain. Leave me alone! :lol

Ugh. Our guys are slacking. Big win and they think they can just mail it in on defense.

This game is like Minority Report. If you think about fouling they call it before it even happens. Everything is getting called.

Feels like Sjax has taken too many contested shots already...

Offense flow is bad. And I hate small ball with Diaw at C. It must be Tiago or TD

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paranoid Pop

Feels like Sjax has taken too many contested shots already...

---

1/4.

Raptors defense is pretty good. De Colo need a real big man to play the PnR.

mickey mouse basketball

wtf is this lineup?

Diaw with nice move on baseline

This lineup should cost Pop in Timvp's grades after the game

Why isn't splitter in, tbh?

Kleiza looks like he's gained about 25 pounds.

Alright it was cute earlier but this shit its retarded now.

Why are the raptors leading this game???????

Tp with no sloution, to be expected since he's the only playmker...

Pop and his dam lineup experments just figure it out we need splitter not bonner.

Weird lineups on the floor.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shadowflames

Alright it was cute earlier but this shit its retarded now.

Why are the raptors leading this game???????

---

they're so hopelessly shitty, they play like they ain't got nothing to lose. we probably don't feel like expending too much energy on a team this shitty, but they take that as a slight.

good d at least lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Darkwaters

This game is like Minority Report. If you think about fouling they call it before it even happens. Everything is getting called.

---

Good one :)

The defense is doing good. Problem is mostly turnovers on offense. Plus, the Spurs should be doing something on the offensive glass considering Toronto is playing a lot of small lineups.

But give the Raptors props, they are really aggressive out on the perimeter on D.