Raps End Season of Falling Short Of Expectations
Win or Go Home it is the slogan for TNT PLAYOFFS and the Raptors reality on this night. Only 8 teams in NBA history have rallied to win from 3-1 down to win a series. Golf legend Tiger Woods would be watching this one from the crowd. Raps could use some of that Red Magic of Tiger in the Red Jerseys. Andrea Bargnani had 2 fouls in 20 seconds that was not a good start for him. Raptors were off to an ugly start and Magic were off to a 10-2 start causing Sam Mitchell to call time out early in the first. Raptors could not afford to play from behind their success in that scenario is about as good as Tiger Woods coming from behind in a Major. Woods has never done it and not team in this series after losing the first quarter has ether. Raps made a quick response with an 8-2 run to get back to with in just 1 point after the time out. Bargnani was kept in the game despite his 2 fouls. Jose Calderon checked in and hit a 3 and Raps had first lead of the night. Calderon would hit another 3 at the buzzer of first quarter to take a 4 point lead and if you believe in stats the win. 26-22 with 3 quarters to play.
Raptors extended the lead to 7 worth both Bosh and Howard on the bench to start the second quarter. Carlos Delfino who fouled out in last game was playing well on this night he already had 8 but picked up 2 quick fouls. Both coaches were working the officials hard to get calls. Magic would trail the majority of the quarter but would finally take a lead with under 2 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Ford would score on the other end of the floor and then would get sent to the line the next time down of an Orlando turnover. Ford scored again and had the last 5 points for the Raptors. It would be good enough for the Raptors to have a slim 50-49 lead after the half.
T.J would start half way he ended first scoring. Magic would respond would respond with a three pointer. They would get a steal and a score and gain a slim 2 point lead over Raptors. Magic were scoring off the transition and getting a few easy baskets. Chris Bosh was struggling shooting 4 for 13 in the game and struggling to score. He was battling hard on the glass though with 4 offensive rebounds. A tight ball game was developing much like the last one played in Orlando in Game 2. Keith Bogans hit a key three point shot to give Magic a 3 point lead. Bogans has been an underrated player that has had some key baskets in this series for Orlando. Carlos Delfino was able to draw 2 fouls on Dwight Howard giving him 3 on the game. Raptors went cold near end the end of the quarter and Chris Bosh would get a technical foul for arguing a call. Magic were up by 6 points and now 7 thanks to tech. Raps would end up trailing by 5 after 3 quarters in Game # 5.
Raptors had 1 quarter left in the season if they could not find a way to rally and get a win in this game. Bosh finally reached double digits in scoring early in the 4th getting to 10 with a dunk. Jason Kapono if this series should end tonight would be the hands down MVP for the Raps. Chris Bosh made his first trip to the line with 7:16 to play in the game and only split the two shots. Raps were down 5 points and really need to make a push. Bosh next trip to line would take less then a minute and Howard had his 4 foul but again Bosh would go 1 for 2. Costly misses in a close game. Raptors were down just 2 points ironically If Bosh made his free throws they would be tied. Keith Bogans again was taking and making a key 3 point shot to give Magic a 5 point lead. Magic would quickly extend it to 7 points. Raptors were on the ropes. Dwight Howard picked up his 5 th foul and that could be a huge thing for Toronto. But it may have been to little to late for Toronto. Another Magic 3 point shot by Jameer Nelson could be lights out for the Raptors in this game and the season. It would take a real reversal of fortune to avoid losing this basketball game. Bogans again would score another 3 pointer an Magic were up 11 and this game was done and so was the Raptors season. Raptors were just falling apart down the stretch again. Dwight Howard hard his 3 rd game of 20 and 20. This was a coming out party for Howard and the Raptors were the just guests at his party.
Was it the last game for a lot of folks with Raptors. That is for Bryan Colangelo to decide over the coming months. But on this night it was not as much about that as the sick feeling of a lost season. Changes will be made no doubt. But there was lots of time to address that. For now it was second straight year of one and done for the Raptors.
No Podcast Tonight look for one tomorrow on the entire season.
Tags: Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Keith Bogans, Orlando Magic vs Toronto Raptors Game 5, Sam Mitchell
