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Actually it's Hidayet Türkoglu.
Hi Slovenian Guy!
Actually it's Hidayet Türkoglu.
The Raptors will probably be on their way to the airport or in the airplane when the NJ-Chicago game ends. Hopefully, it will be a great flight home with an Atlantic Division le tonight.After being one of the worst teams in the league last season, the Toronto Raptors are on the verge of claiming one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference this year.
The Raptors may have a shot to clinch the first division le in franchise history when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
Coming off a season in which it went 27-55 to finish with the NBA's fifth-worst record, Toronto (42-33) already has locked up its first playoff berth since 2002.
With seven games remaining, the Raptors have a 6 1/2-game lead over second-place New Jersey in the Atlantic Division. They will win the first division crown in the team's 12-year history with a win in this game coupled with a Nets loss at Chicago on Friday.
LINK
People just did not understand-- and thought that play-off hopes were just too much to ask for this season. Rasho said early on that if the goal for this team was merely to make the play-offs that it was selling itself short. A division le is their next goal to realize and then the final push to try to hold off Miami for the #3 spot. That will be tough with the easy schedule Miami has, but that is the goal.
I am so incredibly proud of this team this season and so grateful for Rasho's ooportunity to be a part of this monumental time for this franchise. Since he couldn't be a Spur this season, I am truly thankful that he got to be a Raptor.
angel_luv, always the first to do some trash talk.
okPractice makes perfect... just stick to Mavs pics though.
Or Mike.
The Raptors will probably be on their way to the airport or in the airplane when the NJ-Chicago game ends. Hopefully, it will be a great flight home with an Atlantic Division le tonight.
Also, I agree with you about Sho being a Raptor.
Let's go Raptors!
Damn Bosh is unguardable. Hitting those jumpers from just inside 3 pt line. And when he misses those, so many of them are close close misses. Dwight Howard is jealous.
They won!!!!!!!!!!!!
They won several minutes ago... NBA.com =
But too happy to care! Whoosh!
From Raptors.com front page
On the strength of a 15-0 run midway through the third quarter, Toronto erased a halftime deficit and rolled past host Philadelphia, 94-85, on Friday. Chris Bosh racked up 23 points, 13 rebounds and four steals for the Raptors, who moved one step closer to clinching their first division le in franchise history.
What do they mean one game closer? I thought this game did it???
Nevermind... Nets have to lose, that's right.
Chicago beating Nets by a ton.
Dumb Celtics blew it. A Miami loss would have been a huge help.
See and NBA.com says the game is still in the second quarter.
Switching over to yahoo so I know what is going on.
100-68 Bull over Nets?
Raptors are Atlantic Division Champions!
In 2-3 years Raptors should be le contenders (or maybe sooner?).
Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Three cheers for the Raptors- the Atlantic Division Champs who are about to take the play offs by storm!
Raptors Clinch Division
Toronto erased a halftime deficit and rolled past host Philadelphia, 94-85, on Friday to clinch its first division le in franchise history
Chris Bosh had 23 points, 13 rebounds and four steals
http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/postup_040607.html
April 6, 2007
PHILADELPHIA(AP) -- The Toronto Raptors are taking the Atlantic Division le north of the border.
Chris Bosh had 23 points and 13 rebounds for his seventh straight double-double to help Toronto win its first division le with a 94-85 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
``It's a start,'' coach Sam Mitc said. ``You come to all of these arenas and they have division championship banners up in the rafters. If you are trying to start a culture of winning, these guys need to start seeing the fruits of their labour and those things are important.''
The Raptors, who already clinched their first post-season berth since 2002, won the Atlantic when Chicago beat New Jersey 105-74 later Friday night. It marked the first time a Canadian-based team won a division le.
Toronto also kept its slim lead over Miami for third place in the Eastern Conference, which would set the Raptors up nicely for a first-round matchup against injury-ravaged Washington.
The Raptors began the season with 2-8 start that gave little hint the playoffs were a possibility. Toronto's 43 wins this season are a 16-win improvement for last season's total of 27, the biggest turnaround in the NBA this season.
``I think it means a lot, especially with the quick turnaround that we've had this year,'' Bosh said. ``It's a great thing. This team overcame a lot of adversity early. Now we have to look ahead to clinching that third spot.''
Anthony Parker, Juan Dixon and T.J. Ford each added 12 points for the Raptors. Toronto had not won a le since its inaugural 1995-96 season, coming in with a .392 career winning percentage and three winning records.
``Nobody believed we'd be able to win our division,'' Ford said. ``Now we're setting standards of how Toronto basketball will be like.''
Andre Iguodala scored 20 points, Montreal native Samuel Dalembert had 15 points, and Andre Miller had 10 points and 11 assists for the Sixers.
The Raptors took control for good with a 15-0 run to close the third quarter that saw all the starters do a little bit of something to contribute, taking some off the load off Bosh.
Bosh has been sensational all season, but especially of late, while the Raptors make their postseason push. He averaged 25.2 points and 13.8 rebounds in his last five games, all without Andrea Bargnani (appendectomy) and Jorge Garbajosa (ankle) to help him in the frontcourt.
``I know I have to pick up my play,'' Bosh said. ``It's near playoff time. I have to step up my role, make sure I'm rebounding, make sure I'm taking good shots and doing my role as the leader on this team.''
The Raptors made 10 straight baskets late in the third quarter to build a 73-61 lead. Parker hit a three that tied the game at 61 and Bosh, who was sharp from the perimeter all game, put the Raptors ahead for good for a jumper from the top of the key.
Parker swished a three from the left side to cap the run.
``I couldn't stop it,'' Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said.
Iguodala made a free throw to open the fourth quarter and end the Sixers' scoreless drought. But the Raptors kept rolling and stretched the lead to 87-71 on a Dixon jumper with 6:29 left. That was Toronto's last field goal of the game, allowing the Sixers to pull to 88-81 on Kyle Korver's three.
Bosh made four free throws in the final two minutes to seal the win and make them find the nearest TV to see if they'd win the division.
``You have to have your defence pick you up,'' Korver said. ``That was the hole we put ourselves in and we didn't have enough to dig ourselves out.''
Notes The Raptors had no fastbreak points and no second-chance baskets. ... Ford left briefly in the third quarter with a split lip. ... The Raptors are only 16-23 on the road
Read the caption
PHILADELPHIA - APRIL 6: Darrick Martin #2 and Chris Bosh #4 of the Toronto Raptors rebound against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 6, 2007 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
hehehe
Ah... the guys have to play on Easter.
At least they're at home.
Go for the franchise record!
There you go!
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