Raptors Make Short Work Of Bobcats
Posted January 22, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There was a time where the notion of a game the Raptors should win was foolish, if it existed at all.
But those days appear to be gone, and it seems like now when Toronto takes on a lesser opponent, they take care of business.
That was certainly the case Monday night, as the Raptors easily disposed of the visiting Charlotte Bobcats 105-84.
Chris Bosh had 20 points to lead the Dinos, while Jose Calderon filled in for the injured T.J. Ford admirably, scoring 19 points to go with 11 assists.
Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton each had 19 points for Charlotte, but the woeful Bobcats simply lacked the firepower to keep up when Toronto surged in the second half.
The Raps led by 28 points with just over three minutes left to play, and coach Sam Mitchell subbed in forward Pape Sow (pictured, right), whose first appearance of the season brought the Air Canada Centre crowd to its feet in a standing ovation.
Sow hadn’t played since a scary incident in summer league action when he fractured a vertebrae in his neck. When the Cal-State Fullerton product hit a jumper with a minute left, the Raptors bench and the ACC crowd again cheered wildly.
Toronto’s now won seven of its last 10 games, and improved to 2-1 on the season-long five-game homestand. With wins in the remaining games against the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and the Boston Celtics, Toronto would pull to .500.
To be sure it’s a time of great optimism within the Raptors organization, and general manager Bryan Colangelo had to be pleased watching his first overall pick Andrea Bargnani easily win the rookie matchup scoring 14 points, while third-overall pick Adam Morrison mustered just three.
The Hornets come into town Wednesday, and Boston visits Friday.
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