Raptors Recap - The "Close but no cigar" Edition

Well they almost pulled that one out last night. A hard fought battle the entire way through and honestly one of the best Raptors games I've watched all season.

The assumption that the Raptors would lose both of the games in the back to back with the celtics was a good one. However if I had to guess what game they'd have a better shot at I, along with many others, would have said the 12:30 home game on sunday.

WRONG.

My point on this is that this team is SO FRUSTRATING to try and figure out.

They are finally getting consistent production from Andrea Bargnani. Bosh and Bargnani seem to have a rhythm together on the court that they haven't had in the past.
They are getting decent contributions from guys like Joey Graham and Jamario Moon but none of it is enough.

They don't have what it takes to get to that next gear like the Celtics do so why keep the team the same?

The last second three that Bargnani made off the broken play was totally unexpected and nice to see. However, the Raptors need a guy that can take over a game in the last few minutes. A guy like Paul pierce who no matter what the opponant does WILL NOT let his team lose.

Bosh is a wonderful player and a true superstar but he is too easy to shut down at the end of games. A good hard double team that keeps him on the perimeter or just good one on one defense from a guy like Garnett is all it takes. He is NOT a go to late game scorer.

This team needs that presence in order to get to the next level.

Whenever I tell somebody that I really want to watch the entire basketball game the inevitable response is "why you only have to watch the last 5 minutes". Which is actually true (although I maintain the last five min are better when you've watched the other 43). The reason for that is because in Basketball the last five minutes is when teams lock down on defense, turn things up a notch. THAT is when Bosh can't perform. He hasn't in all his years here and he won't because he is too easy to negate without another option.

That is why they lost in overtime and that is why they lose close games. I have faith that Colangelo will make a deal to either get this team under the cap THIS summer or to bring guys in to help now.

All in all though I was thoroughly entertained last night and really that's all I can ask for at this point in the season.