VC & The Nets Visit Toronto - Game Preview

There have been so many games this year that were considered “statement games” that the term lost its importance realtively early. When you have to make so many statements, you either aren’t speaking the language properly or your talking has required you to do more talking. The Raptors didn’t look like anything special against the Bucks the other night and I wouldn’t consider that a game that speaks to the team being ready to head into the playoffs. Would a win against the Nets make any more of a statement? Well, it all depends on what kind of a win we are talking about.

Remember, we have seen a few different Nets teams this season. We have seen a Nets team that has had its ass handed to it, but we have also seen a Nets team that has just outhustled the Raptors. When you have Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson outhustling you on any given night, you have to take a serious look in the mirror. You have to wonder if there is a worse pair of quitters in the NBA, two other guys who simply disappear in games where they are either bumped around a bit at the start or miss their first few opportunities. The Raptors and their fans can keep talking about statement games and showing everybody that they are a good team, but they will need to convince themselves that they are able to get a lot tougher; that they are able to take care of teams like the Nets.

That isn’t to say that the Nets are a bad team, they’re not. Let’s be honest here, they’re not that far behind the Raptors. As much as they are able to completely disappear during games, RJ and VC have been playing well lately, actually looking like they care about playing for something. I haven’t seen either one of them put on their ass lately, so that may account for something. Throw out Primo in the first few minutes to send a few messages their way and maybe we could see RJ and VC crawl back into their oh so familiar holes. The guy I always dread is Nachbar. For some reason, he just seems like he gets a lot of good looks. This could be because he isn’t as deadly of a threat from 3 as people seem to think he is (35%), so there isn’t a real need to play right up on him, but I think he also does a good job of moving without the ball and creating space. You have to lose some respect for a guy who is supposed to be a shooter, yet shoots under 80% from the line. That says, “headcase” to me. Guy has a sore back right now, so he might see a lot of bench time anyway.

Seriously, Stromile Swift is still in the NBA? I guess…he had 10 and 6 against the Raps last time around, but he just seems like a guy who just can’t put it all together. Sometimes it is strange how a guy just has an image like that.

Well, enjoy the game.