LIVEBLOG: NETS-RAPTORS, GAME 2

PRE-GAME

Should direct you to a good column Chris Zelkovich wrote in The Star the other day about the hometown production of the games in this series, something the Blue Jays never had back before the baseball playoffs became a closed shop for AL East teams that don't play in Boston or New York: "Our stories should be told by Canadians, which was illustrated perfectly by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment's production of the Toronto Raptors playoff opener Saturday. MLSE could have taken the easy route and picked up the ESPN broadcast, saving itself about $50,000 in production costs.

"But it did the right thing and Canadian basketball fans were the better for it."

Not that we're always note-perfect or above the odd silly question. Our old pal Adnan Virk is hosting on the pregame for The Score. On the one hand, great for him. On the other, it was hard not to notice when he actually asked Sherman Hamilton, "It's a crucial game, right?" With all due respect to The Baller, did we really need any reminder? Then again, that would hardly be out of the ordinary on any network.

We're here, so keep hitting CTRL-R.

FIRST QUARTER

9:18, tied 2-2: The crew on the International Space Station saw that Joey Graham charge coming.

8:31, Nets lead 5-2: The officials have pretty much put the rulebook away. Chris Bosh was ripped after trying to drive into the teeth of the Nets' collapsing zone and didn't get a call. Vince Carter just hit a three.

6:00ish, 8-4: Not a happy time for a Toronto fan. The Raptors have been static against the zone and are fortunate that New Jersey is just cold shooting the ball. Let's see what adjustments they can make with their zone offence -- or if someone can hit a three to draw those defenders out.

3:31, 12-7: Someone in the Raptors hierarchy apparently believes Bosh is the new Tom Chambers, except left-handed and, you know, black. He's shooting 17-foot spot-ups, and worse for the Raptors, has missed five of six.

3:09, 12-9: Yes, that's actually the score with almost nine minutes gone (Rasho Nestorovic just got a tough offensive rebound and drew the foul, making both charity shots). This isn't going to be easy, but at least Toronto's kept Jason Kidd from taking over. Anthony Parker has five of the seven points -- he's in the game after being a non-factor early last Saturday.

1:31, 12-11: Bosh finally gets to the rim and split Josh Boone and the Big Red Dogs for a lay-in. It's OK to stop breathing into the paper bag now.

:43.8: Hidden play by T.J. Ford, who seems to be making the kind of little plays Oz Jeanty was so notorious for with the Carleton Ravens. Earlier, he had a steal in the backcourt; now he draws an offensive foul. The second line -- Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Mo Peterson -- are all in the game now.

End of quarter, Raptors lead 14-12: There's the crowd factor! Antoine Wright flubs a pass -- looks like he takes his eyes off the ball. Parker tears off downcourt and decides to take the open three. He cans it AT THE HORN, and the Raptors have their first lead since 2-0.

SECOND QUARTER

9:50, 18-18: Talking before the series started, co-blogger Neil Acharya thought Calderon would give Toronto an edge when both teams have their seconds on the floor. He just took New Jersey's backup point guard Marcus Williams to the hole for a left-handed layin.

9:20, 20-18: Andrea Bargnani's having more impact than he did Saturday -- he just had a hustle play, knocking the ball away from Carter, who got away with a forearm shiver as they chased the ball. That led to Il Mago getting a chance to make a couple free throws on the ensuing possession.

8ish, 22-18: Calderon's second basket forces the Nets to burn a timeout with the Raptors on an 8-0 run.

7:05, 25-18: There's a possibly seminal moment. Kidd just pulled a Chevy Chase/Michael Irwin as in, "I'm Jason Kidd... and you're not," taking an extra swipe at Jose Calderon after the foul had already been called. The Ocho got right in his face -- second-year NBA player or not, he wasn't going to let the veteran do that. To make it sweeter, Bargnani drew a foul on Vince seconds later. Too bad he only went 1/2 from the line.

5:54, 25-22: It's getting rough down there -- Kris Humphries just got a foul for throwing Mikki Moore to the floor.

4:03, Nets lead 27-25: Yes, Moore is really hateable right now -- he just got an offensive rebound that set up a go-ahead three from Kidd.

3:10, 27-25: If we had known it was a Tribute Night to the bricklaying 1994 Knicks, we'd have bought a John Starks jersey. Neither team can make anything, and that includes Vin Weasel at the free throw line -- he's 2-for-4. No one of his teammates have made it to the line, though.

2-minute mark, 30-28 Nets: Sending out a SOS... for Richard Jefferson.

1:22, Raptors lead 31-30: Bosh has that glint in his eye -- he just got inside for a dunk plus the harm and completed the three-point play. First thought: There's been these little glimpses

1:04, Nets lead 32-31: Give Wince credit -- that was a nice alley-opp he threw

Halftime, 36-33 Nets: We might be seeing the difference in the coaches' approaches tonight. It's only a three-point game and the Raptors have a had number of good looks where the ball was about halfway down the chute before it rattled out (and into a Nets rebounder's hands), but Lawrence Frank's approach is winning the day over Sam Mitchell. That might not matter tonight, but it's part of a larger fear for a Raptors follower.

The New York Times' John Eligon wrote on Monday that Smitch has a "distaste for endless film study" while Frank, who at first blush doesn't look much different from the Star Wars geeks all bloggers are supposed to be, "has built his reputation on a tireless work ethic in the office and the film room." No, that's not a full portrait of either man, but it seems like the Nets have done a much better job of scouting the Raptors. On defence, they have packed it in tight and haven't been sucked in by anything -- Anthony Parker's trademark threes from the corner have been rarely seen, for instance. The drive-and-kick, the extra pass that leads to open baskets, just hasn't been there, and the coaches have been unable to make the adjustments. That's why the players are rushing shots.

Anyway, not to rain on the coach of the year, but in future seasons, the Raptors will likely need coaching staff helmed by someone who is a bit of film geek, and can figure out the adjustments. They snuck up on a few teams and beat up on some screwed-up ones this season, which was nice, but ultimately it's unclear if the Raptors can get beyond advanced beginner band status with Smitch on the sidelines.

Anyway, in the here and now, there's the second half. Hey, to be fair, all that video study has only got the Nets a three-point lead.

THIRD QUARTER

9:07, Raptors lead 42-40: Now that we've bagged on Smitch and the coaching staff, credit them for yanking Joey Graham after only 83 seconds. Mo Peterson came on and drew an offensive foul on Richard Jefferson (whom the Nets are trying to establish after he went scoreless in the first two quarters). Seconds later, Anthony Parker hit a three for a 5-point swing.

6:10, 49-44: So long as T.J. Ford doesn't turn into Me-Jay, it might be OK. Rasho Nestorovic has come up big so far in this half.

5ish, 52-49: MoPete answers Kidd's tying three with one of his own. It's a nervous time.

3:26, Nets lead 57-54: MoPete just picked up two fouls in 30 seconds, which means someone else has to take Jefferson -- who just made two foul shots. That 13-5 run the Nets have made since the last timeout speaks to Frank's preparation, wouldn't you say?

1:50, 57-56 Nets: What's it take for the referees to call a shooting foul in this game, except for the blatantly obvious hacks?

1:00ish, 61-58 Nets: Jefferson makes a go-ahead three.

End of third quarter, 63-58: That last-second shot by Bargnani's been waved off. It's still just a five-point game, but it pretty much slipped away with that 13-5 run. Thing is, games can turn in a second.

FOURTH QUARTER

10:31, Raptors lead 65-63: Shades of the second quarter -- Calderon's come in to run the offence and delivered a prompt 7-0 run while Kidd rests. Bosh made a game-tying 3-point play and a go-ahead deuce.

10:03, 68-63: Did you notice what certain former Raptor didn't run downcourt to pick up Parker, leading to that 3? Nice block by Bosh.

9:00, 68-65: To quote from Talladega Nights -- "Everything cool that Susan just said, that was the exact opposite." To wit, Bargnani misses a three, and Mikki Moore finishes at the other end. There's another swing.

5:08, Nets lead 73-72: The announcers pointed out how Mitchell got on one of the players for not making a switch after Nachbar cans a three from the left wing. Hey, maybe that should have been in the scouting report.

3:37, Nets lead 78-74: It's still winnable, but that run back in the third quarter is looming large after a Kidd three stretches the New Jersey lead.

2:58, 78-76: Carter just missed after curling out from the baseline -- a near carbon-copy of the last-second shot he missed in Game 7 against Philly in 2001. Just sayin'. Raptors down 2 with the ball.

2:44, Raptors up 79-78: Ford with a three from the left corner. Haven't seen much of that all year.

1:44, 82-80: After a Jefferson layin, Bosh answers. Damn.

1:02, 83-82 Nets: Are you kidding? A 24-second violation in the final two minutes, at home? And just like that, another three (from Jefferson, who's got 13, all in the second half) puts the Nets ahead in the final minute.

:39.5, 84-83 Raptors: That's why you want -- take it inside and get to the line. Ford restores the one-point Raptors lead.

:15.2, 86-83 Raptors: Smart move not to use that extra team foul and give New Jersey a chance to run the inbounds play. Jefferson's going up, but Bosh has a hand up, and it's long. Off the rebound, Ford gets the ball, and he sinks the free throws after being fouled intentionally.

:8.1, 87-83: Parker, for the second time, goes 1/2 at the line. The Nets had a good look to tie it with a three, but Bostjan Nachbar was due to miss after making 4-of-6 before that shot.

FINAL, Raptors win, Raptors win, Raptors win -- 89-83... Parker and Bosh shepherded them through, and the shots started to fall eventually. This was a pure guts win, and the hope for Toronto fans is everything will start flow a lot smoother and cleaner once they get away from home for a few days. More in a bit.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.