Minus Vinsanity, Raptors roar
With his Raptors seemingly out of the playoff picture, Vince Carter opted to go ahead and have his knee scoped, effectively ending his season. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in his absence, the Raptors have put together a winning streak and now have a good shot at a playoff berth.
By Bill Ingram Sports Central Columnist
Rod Serling has just entered the room.
Here we are in the deepest, darkest corner of the Twilight Zone, otherwise known as the NBA's Eastern Conference.
If the Raptors were in the Western Conference, they would have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention before the All-Star Break. This isn't the West, though. This is the East, where .500 teams have homecourt advantage.
Believe it or not, on Friday night, the Raptors picked up another half game on the eighth-seeded Indiana Pacers -- and they didn't even play.
It seems that fate is smiling on a franchise that has had the wrong end of the stick all season.
Is it too late to postpone Vince Carter's surgery?
Yes, it is, but it is not too late for the Raptors to sneak into the playoffs without him.
Tracy McGrady scored 29 points and Monty Williams added 19 as the Magic defeated the Pacers on Friday night and dropped them another half game in the standings.
It may seem like a long shot, but if the Raptors can beat the Sixers on Sunday and the Heat beat the Pacers, the Raptors will be just a half game out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
If you had said that would be the case two weeks ago, you would have received an expletive or a snort in response, but here they are.
The Raptors have won two of their three meetings with the Sixers, but none of those games were as big as the on Sunday.
The Sixers are playing .500 ball and seem ripe for an upset.
I would say it is improbable that the Raps will beat Philly, but probabilities are out the window this week.
If they can get by the Sixers, the schedule is favorable for the Raptors to take over the East's eighth seed.
On Wednesday and Friday, the Raptors will play a home and home series with the Chicago Bulls.
If there is one team the Raptors should be expected to beat without Carter, it would be the Bulls.
Jalen Rose is playing extremely well for Chicago, but he is playing one-on-five most nights.
With the Pacers playing Miami, Boston, Atlanta, and Phoenix this week, it seems likely that the Raptors will catch, if not pass, Indiana and find themselves in the playoff picture by next week.
The scary thing is that the Raptors could even catch the seventh-place Charlotte Hornets.
Stranger things have happened.
Are the Raptors better without Carter?
Well, are they?
Of course not, but they may make the playoffs without him.
Article courtesy of Sports Central.
Rod Serling has just entered the room.
Here we are in the deepest, darkest corner of the Twilight Zone, otherwise known as the NBA's Eastern Conference.
If the Raptors were in the Western Conference, they would have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention before the All-Star Break. This isn't the West, though. This is the East, where .500 teams have homecourt advantage.
Believe it or not, on Friday night, the Raptors picked up another half game on the eighth-seeded Indiana Pacers -- and they didn't even play.
It seems that fate is smiling on a franchise that has had the wrong end of the stick all season.
Is it too late to postpone Vince Carter's surgery?
Yes, it is, but it is not too late for the Raptors to sneak into the playoffs without him.
Tracy McGrady scored 29 points and Monty Williams added 19 as the Magic defeated the Pacers on Friday night and dropped them another half game in the standings.
It may seem like a long shot, but if the Raptors can beat the Sixers on Sunday and the Heat beat the Pacers, the Raptors will be just a half game out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
If you had said that would be the case two weeks ago, you would have received an expletive or a snort in response, but here they are.
The Raptors have won two of their three meetings with the Sixers, but none of those games were as big as the on Sunday.
The Sixers are playing .500 ball and seem ripe for an upset.
I would say it is improbable that the Raps will beat Philly, but probabilities are out the window this week.
If they can get by the Sixers, the schedule is favorable for the Raptors to take over the East's eighth seed.
On Wednesday and Friday, the Raptors will play a home and home series with the Chicago Bulls.
If there is one team the Raptors should be expected to beat without Carter, it would be the Bulls.
Jalen Rose is playing extremely well for Chicago, but he is playing one-on-five most nights.
With the Pacers playing Miami, Boston, Atlanta, and Phoenix this week, it seems likely that the Raptors will catch, if not pass, Indiana and find themselves in the playoff picture by next week.
The scary thing is that the Raptors could even catch the seventh-place Charlotte Hornets.
Stranger things have happened.
Are the Raptors better without Carter?
Well, are they?
Of course not, but they may make the playoffs without him.
Article courtesy of Sports Central.
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- Carter stays grounded, but others fly high at charity all-star game
- Too cool Carter hurting the NBA
- Preview - Toronto Raptors
- Carter and Pierce do the right thing
- VC Day
- General: Monday Morning Monologue
- NBA: Hardly thinking, hardly worthwhile
- The Greatest Basketball Player - Michael Jordan
- Michael Jordan Biography
- Lebron James Biography