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The Rick Report: Game #13
Milwaukee Bucks 82 Toronto Raptors 62
Toronto 6 - 7
November 23th, 2003
One can only hope that this is the last game we'll have to watch with the current line up. With their next game mercifully not until Wednesday, there is an extended opportunity to drop a bomb on this team and bring in some different bodies in time to at least compete in Atlanta against the Hawks. You know, I never thought I would actually say that. Glen Grunwald wisely took a break from working the phones to watch this game so that he could remind himself of just how shaky things look right now. For both the team, and his job.
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| This was the second straight home game where the fans clearly showed their disapproval, and even the cheerleaders were booing some of the individual standout performances: the Junk Yard Dog tore a page out of the Greg Ostertag book of missed layups; Antonio Davis was getting techs, sulking, and hanging off the rim after getting stuffed; and Morris Peterson followed up one of his best games this year with a perfect night of missed shots.
Even Carter doesn't escape blame on this one. Tony Kukoc of all people gave Vince a lesson in what effort and aggressiveness is all about, going to the hole effectively all night. Vince, meanwhile, was standing on the perimeter waiting for the zone defence to set up, and then proceeding to commit charging fouls. And you can't blame a ZERO assist night entirely on your bad shooting teammates, as tempting as that might be.
Chris Bosh was one of the few bright spots for the Raptors, continuing his consistent play by demonstrating his soft touch on offense and athletic blocks on defense. And there was a glimmer that perhaps Alvin Williams is starting to get healthier, which is a good thing since we all now know that he is utterly, absolutely, ending his career here, untradeable. The revelation this weekend that his contract is uninsured for injury puts another championship banner in the rafters of the Raptors Stupid Contracts Hall Of Shame.
Also performing well was NBA journeyman Rick Brunson, who put the disappointment of breaking another string of DNP-CDs behind him and contributed a workmanlike 2 points and 1 assist in 4 minutes. We here at Rick Brunson .com continue to back the right horse.
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