Mike Ulmer has worked for seven news organizations including the National Post and, most recently, the Toronto Sun. Mike has written about the Toronto sports scene for more than 10 years and has penned several books on sports and culture.

May 1, 2007

(TORONTO) -- The Toronto Raptors are test driving a new lineup to break the New Jersey Nets hold on their first round playoff series tonight at Air Canada Centre (7 p.m., The Score, FAN590)

Andrea Bargnani will make his second consecutive start, only this time at centre in place of Rasho Nesterovic.

Chris Bosh and Morris Peterson will play forward with Anthony Parker at two-guard and the ailing T.J. Ford at the point.

Raptors coach Sam Mitchell philosophy is simple enough. Things can’t get much worse than they did in New Jersey, where the Raptors were twice blown out by the Nets.

“We can’t play much worse than we played in game three and four. You’ve got to try something. Games three and four were just disasters.”

“We’re just trying to open the court up a little bit, get some space,” Mitchell said. “They’re not guarding Rasho. One thing I know about Andrea. He is going to call for the basketball. If he’s open, he is going to shoot it which we want him to do. For Mo, just the threat of him sitting in that corner,” should help. “If he gets it going he can hit three or four shots in a row.”

Bargnani’s defensive play, as much as his offence, has been slow to come back after his illnesses. Nesterovic is a better rebounder but Mitchell sees little choice.

“We’re maybe sacrificing a little defence, a little rebounding, but we’ve got to get some points.”

The Raptors were reaching for a posture to take into tonight’s game. For point guard Jose Calderon, who has won gold at the World Basketball Chamiponships, the trick is the worst has pretty well befallen the Raptors and yet they can still play on with a win.

“I think today is no pressure. If the problem is the pressure, right now we can just play basketball. I don’t know why we’ve struggled but I think tonight is going to be different.”

“I think everyone will be fired up,” said Bosh. “A change of venue, a change of environment , hopefully that spark will help us out and kind of rattle them a little bit.”

The Nets, firing on all cylinders, know they only need continue to do what they are doing, said Vince Carter, good for an average of 24 points a game.

“I want to play well for my team, maintain the focus, the preparation, that’s important to me. You can still have the focus and still miss shots but you still need the aggressive mentality. That’s what I’m working on.”

“We’re a confident group,” said Nets guard Jason Kidd. “We know Toronto plays extremely hard at home. This is the hardest part of the series, to close it out. We have that opportunity tonight on the road. Hopefully we can do it.”