Check back here throughout the game as Raptors general manager Rob Babcock will be checking in at each quarter break with his thoughs on what he's seeing on the court and at the arena. Enjoy!

First Quarter Report
This quarter started with a new starting line-up. Jose Calderon and Joey Graham started in place of Mike James and Mo Pete. This is obviously not a demotion for Mike and Mo, just a pre-season look at some different line-ups and a chance to evaluate our rookies in a starting role.

Jose did a good job of pushing the ball and finding the open man. It was good to see Joey out there after missing three games with tendinitis in his knee. We are down 23-17 at the quarter break and this is mostly because of some careless turnovers resulting in good transition scoring from Boston.

On a special note: Matt Bonner is sitting out this game with a strained calf. He is sitting at the end of the bench with a new suit and he learned to tie a tie properly! The game is being televised in New Hampshire, so his family will be surprised by his new look. Fortunately for us he looks much better in a uniform! I'll talk to you at half-time.

Half-time Report
The second quarter was a much better quarter for us. Mo Peterson came in and gave us a big lift at both ends of the court. He ended up with 12 points and 4 steals and helped us make up a six-point deficit for a 43-43 halftime tie.

We did not shoot the ball well (40.5%), but this is not uncommon in pre-season.

Alvin Williams made his second appearance of the pre-season and had six solid minutes. It is great to see him on the court. His toughness, experience and leadership are invaluable and when he steps on the court he raises the level of your team.

A real positive note is that we only allowed one offensive rebound for the Celtics in the first half. This has been a real focus (along with improving our defence) and our coaches are really emphasizing both each day in practice. Boston has a very talented offensive team and we did a good job to limit them to 43 points. If we can improve our shooting in the second half, we have a good chance to win this game.
On a special note: Dr. Marks, our team doctor, told Sam that Alvin could play six minutes in the game tonight. Alvin just came by and told me that he needs to get back in the second half because he played only 5:59. I'll talk to you after the third quarter.

3rd Quarter Report
Alvin, knowing that he was one second short of the "Doctor approved" six minutes, talked Sam into playing him in the third quarter and he logged another four minutes picking up two more assists.

Joey Graham gave us some good time as well, showing his offensive versatility scoring outside and inside. Mo Pete again came off the bech with a strong defensive showing and overall, we had a solid quarter.

One thing we saw -- and you might see more of -- is Jose and Mike (James) on the court together. Each can play both guard spots,which gives us some extra versatility.

On a special note: I'd like to say "hi" to my mom, but the only net she knows is a basketball net, so I'll say "hi" to my boys back in Minnesota instead.

See ya after the game.

Post Game Comments
If you are giving running comments on a game like this, it is always better to win it.

Our young guys played most of the fourth quarter and they gave a solid defensive effort, holding the Celtics to just 19 points in the frame.

Joey Graham responded well coming back from his time off and finished with 20 points on 9-14 shooting. The all-around play of Charlie Villanueva and Jose Calderon helped our team to the 93-83 win. Mo Pete was good at both ends finishing with 21 points 4 rebounds and 4 steals.

Although the Celtics outrebounded us by four, we only allowed a total of six offensive rebounds. Their extra four rebounds came from the fact that we took seven more shots than they did.

This is an exciting young team and they are working hard and getting better each week. We will have our ups and downs, but you can already see the potential of these young players. They are an unselfish group that play team ball and really support each other.

I hope that you all can get out and watch this team develop. Pre-season or regular season, it is always nice to win.

On a final special note: I want to thank all our loyal fans for your support. Most of us on the basketball staff are relatively new to Toronto and you not only make us feel at home, you inspire us with your loyalty and support. We will continue to work hard to build a team that all of you can be proud of.


      Rob Babcock