The Raptors fast paced 2 and 0 start filled Raptor Land with excitement and optimism. The ensuing poor shooting three game losing streak caused some anger and pessimism. But after watching the Raptors tough out their 2nd victory of the season over the 76ers, I think the truth is the Raptors are right where they should be, and are on the way up.
The onset of every season brings ups and downs, and young teams generally play harder out of the gate than veterans trying to find their legs. And team strategies/game speeds tend to even out around the 10th to 15th game. So there is no real concern about dropping a few and going hot/cold in the early goings. And in spite of the Raptors up and down performances, game six showcased an extra intangible most criticize the raps for lacking…tough defense down the stretch.
The mysterious Jamario Moon showed tremendous athleticism in pestering Igoudala down the stretch, showcasing another depth the Raptor bench can reach. And Star Chris Bosh gave his first pumped up fist pump of the season after a big time block on Andre Miller. The incredible part of this block was Bosh fell for the pump fake, then landed, and got right back up in time to swat the ball away. Then, after the struggling Delfino missed two from the charity stripe, Bosh managed to grab the offensive board, and seal the game with a free throw of his own.
The Raptors then carried the momentum from this tough win with a solid balanced performance tonight against the bulls, improving their record to 4 -3.
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