# Raptors rising...



## Ras (Jul 25, 2005)

After starting 1-15, the Raps are now 8-7 in their last 15 games......

.......thoughts?


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

Still a long wayz to go but Calderon is awesome


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## JayRedd (Jan 2, 2006)

Ras said:


> After starting 1-15, the Raps are now 8-7 in their last 15 games......
> 
> .......thoughts?


I think Raptors Rising is a humorous thread title.

Seriously though, 8-7 isn't bad. Bosh is a beast, James/Calderon are playing well, Villanueva is doing better than most expected, and I like Joey Graham. I Toronto can get someone to take Jalen Rose off it's hands, then it will be in really good financial shape for next year. In fact, Toronto might be the most flexibly financial team in the league, with only Alvin Williams contract currently counting against the cap for '07-'08, according to hoopshype.com. Plus they have cheap team options on Villaneuva, Graham and Araujo.

First order of business next year though needs to be getting an extention for Chris Bosh, if he agrees to stick around Canada.


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## flushingflash (Jan 4, 2006)

still a long ways to go but they are playing better(7-10 on the road), the funny thing is that there only like four and half out of a playoff spot. certainly not the worst team in the leagus that belongs to atlanta.


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## VC_15 (Jun 17, 2005)

I give a lot of credits to the Raptors's players... they're buting their a'''es off to get a win and they starting too... however... hope they don't get carried away... the've beaten the hawks twice and a struggling indiana team.. in the 8-7 record...but props to them anyways... :clap:


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## shookem (Nov 1, 2005)

More important then the record is the way the team is playing.

-Better play calling / execution out of the timeouts.
-More chemistry between players.
-players are developing at a greater then expected rate.
-they've finally started to play D, at least in the fourth.

All in all, it's still a young, rebuilding team, but it's nice to see them play together and care enough not to be the laughing stock of the league.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Good stuff. That's progress. I'm rooting for them and the Hawks to keep winning so the Knicks can be the worst team in the league, and the Bulls get the #1 pick. :biggrin:


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## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

They werent playing that bad early they just couldnt close games out and got very close to beating alot of teams, it was only a little time till they were going to start winning some of them.


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## P-Dub34 (May 19, 2005)

The Raps have been playing some good basketball lately (for them.)


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

..

Why do they even play Araujo? Is it only because they don't want to prove they drafted a bust? Why not give a guy like Aaron Williams those minutes? Araujo is just flat out terrible.


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## shookem (Nov 1, 2005)

Hoffa has his moments and is the hardest worker in practice, whatever that means.

Aaron Williams hasn't been that much better though, plus he's a FA at the end of the year so from a developmental standpoint it makes more sense to play Hoff.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

shookem said:


> Hoffa has his moments and is the hardest worker in practice, whatever that means.
> 
> Aaron Williams hasn't been that much better though, plus he's a FA at the end of the year so from a developmental standpoint it makes more sense to play Hoff.



:laugh: ... If he has his moments, they must be very few and far between. They might as well bring up some young big from the NBDL and see what they can make of him. It seems fairly obvious that Araujo isn't ever going to be a good NBA player. It would be tough to find a player anywhere that they could bring in and would contribute less.


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## shookem (Nov 1, 2005)

JNice said:


> :laugh: ... If he has his moments, they must be very few and far between. They might as well bring up some young big from the NBDL and see what they can make of him. It seems fairly obvious that Araujo isn't ever going to be a good NBA player. It would be tough to find a player anywhere that they could bring in and would contribute less.


Having watched nearly every professional game Hoffa has played, I feel like I'm in a good position to tell you honestly that he has improved. Subtle small improvements and by no means is he a good player, but to say you could call any big up from the NBDL and expect them to do the same is wrong (otherwise Pape Sow would be getting his minutes).

Hoff still can't score near the basket, he still fouls too much, although that's the role the Raps have asked him to preform, he still looks lost sometimes and he still has little confidence.
But here in Toronto we've seen him improve on his defensive rotations and become a very good passer from inside the paint. 

In the end, hopefully he'll be a really good backup 5....hopefully.


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## sjfinest5 (Mar 27, 2003)

its a very young team that has started to trust and play with each other as of late and its good that they have been playing well and that they didnt pack it in and stop playing hard. alot of good things on that team if they can keep bosh after next year and with all that young talent plus a few free agent additions a solid center and some wing player then they could have a pretty good team in the future


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

shookem said:


> Having watched nearly every professional game Hoffa has played, I feel like I'm in a good position to tell you honestly that he has improved. Subtle small improvements and by no means is he a good player, but to say you could call any big up from the NBDL and expect them to do the same is wrong (otherwise Pape Sow would be getting his minutes).
> 
> Hoff still can't score near the basket, he still fouls too much, although that's the role the Raps have asked him to preform, he still looks lost sometimes and he still has little confidence.
> But here in Toronto we've seen him improve on his defensive rotations and become a very good passer from inside the paint.
> ...



I understand the optimism, but I wouldn't hold your breathe on that one. I had optimism for Reece Gaines becoming a player as well after he performed at about the same pitiful level statistically as Hoffa and Reece still stinks. And yes, I think you could call up a large number of bigs from the NBDL and get 3 pts, 3 rebs at 40% shooting out of them... and they might even block a shot. And with as well as Sow is playing in the NBDL, it would seem the only reason Araujo is getting any PT is for Babcock to save some face.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

..

Here I am talking smack and Araujo has 4 pts and 5 rebs in 7 mins vs Orlando. :laugh:

MMMMmmm, crow tastes good.


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## cambyblockingyou (Nov 26, 2005)

yeah hoffa looks good tonight. he's one of those players, i think like jerome james, who will always show you flashes and you wonder if he has put it together finally but then will later go back to being an uberscrub.


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## JT (Mar 1, 2004)

nugzhomer said:


> yeah hoffa looks good tonight. he's one of those players, i think like jerome james, who will always show you flashes and you wonder if he has put it together finally but then will later go back to being an uberscrub.


Honestly I think Jerome James is just critically lazy compared to Rafael, who just can't play on this level. He awoke from his slumber to put 20/10 on the Kings in 5 playoff games last season, now he went back to sleep. Never seen anybody do that, act like a big *** bear.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

sherako said:


> Honestly I think Jerome James is just critically lazy compared to Rafael, who just can't play on this level. He awoke from his slumber to put 20/10 on the Kings in 5 playoff games last season, now he went back to sleep. Never seen anybody do that, act like a big *** bear.



Yeah, big difference between James and Araujo. James could probably be in the top 3-4 centers in the league if he actually gave a damn. Araujo on the other hand, not.


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## L (Sep 20, 2005)

it seems like that new assistant is earning his pay as well


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## Vinsane (Feb 27, 2005)

It's not like they have beaten anybody


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## L (Sep 20, 2005)

Vinsane said:


> It's not like they have beaten anybody


give them credit for winning a few in the past 15 gms. i think they doin great but they wont make playoffs.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

..

Toronto put the smackdown on Orlando without Grant Hill. Orlando looks like a completely different team without Hill on the floor and Steve Francis has been playing like crap lately. The last game against Detroit was the first game in his professional career that he didn't grab a rebound.


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## Hairy Midget (Nov 28, 2005)

Orlando without Grant Hill is like a YMCA team. I never realized how much he means to this team.


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## speedythief (Jul 16, 2003)

Raps have won six of eight heading into a softly scheduled month. Things aren't good but they are better than they have been. Remember this team started 1-15.


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## CrookedJ (May 8, 2003)

JNice said:


> Yeah, big difference between James and Araujo. James could probably be in the top 3-4 centers in the league if he actually gave a damn. Araujo on the other hand, not.


Yep - thats a not on both accounts - not potential top four, and definitley cares. Sam Mitchell was quoted as somehting like this a few weeks ago: 

"Hoffa is the hardest worker on the team. He will do whatever we ask of him to improve. If I brought a chicken to practise and told him that chasing it would make him better, he'd chase the damn chicken."

He played pretty good tonight though 9 rebs and muscled Howard around pretty good. Thats the reason he's still on the team. He's just so freakin strong that his box out / rebound potential is phenominal, and his slowly becoming a pretty good man defender - help D is terrible, but he's usually pretty good on his own man.


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## Turkish Delight (Mar 17, 2004)

Raptors are now 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. That's quite remarkable considering how poorly they started.


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## NugzFan (Jul 26, 2002)

aint no stoppin them now...they should be the favs to win it all now.


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## kg_mvp03-04 (Jul 24, 2003)

The Raptors are still a team that is pretty bad, but they have shown that they can compete in games against tough competition. The Raptors are maye a year or two away from competing if they can get bosh to sign an extension. They are winning now because they have a soft sched. Hoffa was pretty good toight, had mitchell played him more he might have got his first double double and against Dwight Howard. I just hope the raptors can get a good draft pick this year and get rid of roses albatross of a contract and somehow get rid of Alvins contract we should be good.


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## MemphisX (Sep 11, 2002)

LOL at people saying they are winning because of the schedule. It has helped definitely but that hasn't changed the fact that the Raps are not more talented then the teams they are beating. They are just out hustling teams now. Raw talent + playing hard = wins. It is good for them just to change the culture of that organization. I remember when Hubie did it for the Grizzlies. The NBA is so mental. Just them thinking they can win is a big step. The key is to play hard enough and win just enough to get Bosh to extend this summer (seemed impossible just 2 weeks ago) , settle on a core to build around, and have some stability in the coaching staff and front office.

There are no ez wins in the NBA this season...Toronto was the last hope of that. I don't care what team you are, if you don't come to play every night you can chalk up an L.


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## ChrisWoj (May 17, 2005)

MemphisX said:


> There are no ez wins in the NBA this season...Toronto was the last hope of that. I don't care what team you are, if you don't come to play every night you can chalk up an L.


I don't know... Detroit's doing a pretty good job showing up only one out of every four quarters without chalking up many Ls.


-Chris.


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## BigMac (Jan 14, 2005)

Bosh has become a superstar!!!!!!!


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## open mike (Jan 3, 2003)

Bosh had a season low in points, field goals, rebounds, and minutes and the raptors won by 20+ points.

Theyve won 4 in a row and the next 12 - 15 games are against teams with losing records so they should go on a huge run.

Next up, Houston.


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## jibikao (Nov 14, 2004)

Glad the only Canadian team is finally doing a bit better!!!


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## NugzFan (Jul 26, 2002)

open mike said:


> Bosh had a season low in points, field goals, rebounds, and minutes and the raptors won by 20+ points.
> 
> Theyve won 4 in a row and the next 12 - 15 games are against teams with losing records so they should go on a huge run.
> 
> Next up, Houston.


give me a break - no raptor games are gimmes. winning 4 in a row against average teams doesnt make them a good team. they just arent historically bad.


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## open mike (Jan 3, 2003)

I pointed out the fact that most of their games in Jan. are against under 500 teams, implying that they will have the oppurtunity to get easier victories, and settle into a groove.

But
A bad record vs. an average record means the team with the bad record is playing good to be victorious over the team with the average record does it not? 

So give em a break, theyre playin like a good team.

Nov. 1 - 15
Dec. 7 - 7
Jan. 2 - 0

Its a new year, lets see how it pans out.


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## Turkish Delight (Mar 17, 2004)

They are starting to remind me of last year's Chicago Bulls.


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## Air Fly (Apr 19, 2005)

Don't jinx them, keep on hating!


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## adhir1 (Dec 28, 2004)

personally i am not as "hyped" about this little streak we have going, as my raptor fan counterparts, this streak has come against a preety weak set of teams, and i hve stated this. Although i am going to say, we are playing much better of late, were playing better defence, and are playing like a mediocore team, and playing better then the bad teams, but i doubt we were ever a BAD team, we were just playing like one. Also i think my opinion will cahnge after this weekend, lets see how we play against a Houston team we blew out, and a surging New Jersey team, if we play well and win, ill be bacl on here saying we are playoff bound!!!


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## cambyblockingyou (Nov 26, 2005)

Well they should play Maccabi Tel Aviv again, that will end this winning streak real fast, lol.


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## P-Dub34 (May 19, 2005)

> I had optimism for Reece Gaines becoming a player as well


Ouch.


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## NugzFan (Jul 26, 2002)

open mike said:


> I pointed out the fact that most of their games in Jan. are against under 500 teams, implying that they will have the oppurtunity to get easier victories, and settle into a groove.
> 
> But
> A bad record vs. an average record means the team with the bad record is playing good to be victorious over the team with the average record does it not?
> ...


you said "huge run" - but for toronto that has a whole different meaning.


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## NugzFan (Jul 26, 2002)

nugzhomer said:


> Well they should play Maccabi Tel Aviv again, that will end this winning streak real fast, lol.


lol ouch.


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## shookem (Nov 1, 2005)

One game at a time kids.

The reason many are happy about this little streak is it shows that the Raps are not the worst team in the league like many had written them off at the begining of the season.

We're not the worst!


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## Auggie (Mar 7, 2004)

nice going raps.. props to them


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## naibsel (Dec 21, 2005)

nugzhomer said:


> Well they should play Maccabi Tel Aviv again, that will end this winning streak real fast, lol.


now thats just being slack....... just becoz the orlando magic destroyed maccabi with 4 magic starters out to injury doesn't mean a thing :rotf:


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## Slade (Dec 7, 2005)

naibsel said:


> now thats just being slack....... just becoz the orlando magic destroyed maccabi with 4 magic starters out to injury doesn't mean a thing :rotf:


Just because the Raps destroyed the Magic the other day doesn't mean a thing too right?


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## RapsFan (Feb 4, 2003)

So what if we lost to Maccabi in the preseason. That doesn't count against the regular season record. 

We are playing well and you have to be able to beat the weaker teams and not just play to their level in order to become a good team. It may not be the end all justification of us being a good team, but it is definitely a stepping stone.


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## KoBe & BeN GoRdOn! (Aug 4, 2005)

qrich1fan said:


> Still a long wayz to go but Calderon is awesome


most underated player in the league, in my mind


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## shookem (Nov 1, 2005)

Destoyed the Rockets, decimated them. 5 in a row. Sure is better then losing.


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## Chris Bosh #4 (Feb 18, 2005)

We beat Houston.


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## NugzFan (Jul 26, 2002)

nice win.


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## open mike (Jan 3, 2003)

juwan howard punched mike james in the face with a basketball after james scored and1 on him, n taunted him

juwan howard - 2 points - ejected

mike james - 30 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists

Raps win by 20 points...

Next up, New Jersey.. whos on a 9 game streak themselves. I think we might just lose this one... o well.


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## L (Sep 20, 2005)

open mike said:


> juwan howard punched mike james in the face with a basketball after james scored and1 on him, n taunted him
> 
> juwan howard - 2 points - ejected
> 
> ...


dont give up hope yo.
nothin is impossible.


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## FanOfAll8472 (Jun 28, 2003)

Is it the Gene Keady effect?


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## VC_15 (Jun 17, 2005)

yo T-mac was the only one playing in this game.....it's like the others weren't there,,, T-mac can't do it by himself...also one thing i didn't like about t-mac today... he barely drvied.... like from 31 shots he drove maybe 3 or 4 times...he's a lot slower... but props to him for doing his best with his back injury


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## ATLien (Jun 18, 2002)

Mike James, man.. he is playing great for them. What a trade.


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## martymar (Jan 5, 2006)

FanOfAll8472 said:


> Is it the Gene Keady effect?


i believe so,


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## Turkish Delight (Mar 17, 2004)

Bump!

Raptors have won 7 of their last 9, and 9 of their last 13 games, after last night's 129-103 win over the Knicks. Tomorrow they will embark on a 5 game road trip which will go a long way into showing what this team is really made of.


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## Marshall_42 (Dec 6, 2004)

9 wins out of their last 13 games? that's pretty amazing after starting like 0-15. Chris Bosh better make the All-Star game but Guys like Sir Patchwork aka Sir Hater will do everything to keep him out because they wanna see a guy like Bogut because he is a better player, idiots.


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## The Mad Viking (Jun 12, 2003)

Raps destroyed the Knicks despite Mike James in street clothes and CB4 in foul trouble.


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## Auggie (Mar 7, 2004)

ok, raptors are seriously balling :banana: respect.. did jalen just score 31 points in 23 mins  awesome


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## CrookedJ (May 8, 2003)

Indystarza said:


> ok, raptors are seriously balling :banana: respect.. did jalen just score 31 points in 23 mins  awesome



He did . . . in the second quarter he put up 17 points in 7 minutes!


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## AirJordan™ (Nov 21, 2005)

Marshall_42 said:


> 9 wins out of their last 13 games? that's pretty amazing after starting like *0-15*. Chris Bosh better make the All-Star game but Guys like Sir Patchwork aka Sir Hater will do everything to keep him out because they wanna see a guy like Bogut because he is a better player, idiots.


1-15 buddy.

Yeah the Raps have been playing good ball lately.


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## adhir1 (Dec 28, 2004)

where are the haters!!!!!!! WHERE ARE THE HATERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CALLING ALL HATERS!!!!!!!!!!! where are you....damn i wish i took down names....


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## justasking? (Oct 1, 2005)

The Raptors are playing really good basketball now. They seem to have recovered from that poor start. Its a very young team, and considering how well they are playing now, they have a very bright future ahead of them. Bosh has been consistent and their rookies Villanueva and Calderon are playing very well too. :cheers:


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## open mike (Jan 3, 2003)

adhir1 said:


> where are the haters!!!!!!! WHERE ARE THE HATERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CALLING ALL HATERS!!!!!!!!!!! where are you....damn i wish i took down names....



I don't think there was any haters man, just simply people that didnt think the raps were playoff bound and that point still stands today.


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## Air Fly (Apr 19, 2005)

Raptors are very good people, i watch every single one of their games.

They are impossible to beat at home now and it takes a superhuman effort to beat them (Carter) other than that.....forget it, you're coming out with a loss.


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## Marshall_42 (Dec 6, 2004)

adhir1 said:


> where are the haters!!!!!!! WHERE ARE THE HATERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CALLING ALL HATERS!!!!!!!!!!! where are you....damn i wish i took down names....


Sir Patchwork is the hater, the guy said that bogut would have a better season and even though bosh is averaging 23/9 he says that Bogut is a better player right now, what a loser.



Sir Patchwork said:


> *Bogut has still done everything better than Chris Bosh this season outside of scoring*


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## ATLien (Jun 18, 2002)

adhir1 said:


> where are the haters!!!!!!! WHERE ARE THE HATERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CALLING ALL HATERS!!!!!!!!!!! where are you....damn i wish i took down names....


Chill.

The extreme majority of the Raptors board didn't even expect to make a push for the playoffs, so I guess look at your own forum. But it looks like they might just make the playoffs.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Marshall_42 said:


> Sir Patchwork is the hater, the guy said that bogut would have a better season and even though bosh is averaging 23/9 he says that Bogut is a better player right now, what a loser.



LMAO who in their right mind would take Bogut over Bosh


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