On the back of Chris Bosh’s 34 points, 11 boards, and 3 blocked shots; the Toronto Raptors blew out the 27-48 Los Angeles Clippers by a score of 114-92.
Normally, one doesn’t get excited by the expected demolishment of the hapless Clippers on your own team’s home floor. But tonight’s victory has moved the Toronto Raptors one step closer the NBA playoffs.
After tonight, the Raptors are two full games ahead of the Chicago Bulls for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. And the Toronto Raptors magic number for clinching a playoff spot has dropped to SIX.
Let the scoreboard watching continue.
The only bad news on this night was Charlotte ran over Philadelphia 103-84 so the Raptors remain two games back of the Bobcats for the coveted seventh spot.
This is the fourth game in a row that Jay Triano has featured his revised starting line-up of: Calderon; Weems; Wright; Bosh; and, Bargnani.
And on this night, that revised starting line-up out-scored the entire Clippers team 94-92.
Not that recent starters DeMar DeRozan and Hedo Turkoglu didn’t contribute. Both the former starters were very effective off the bench.
But more important, this line-up has proven to give the Raptors a defensive presence virtually unheard of for a Raptors team in recent years. Over the past four games, the Raptors have given up 96.8 points per game on 45.9 percent shooting.
Of note tonight:
- Sonny Weems went 8-8 for 17 points to go with five boards, four assists, and a block.
- Chris Bosh had just his second 30-point night since his injury just after the All-Star break.
- Andrea Bargnani was good for 21 points, eight boards, and three blocks. Bargnani was a big part of Chris Kaman being blocked four times in the game.
- Hedo Turkoglu had six points and six assists and made a positive impact on the game. Hedo has been good to his word. He is doing what his coaches ask of him.
