(16-17) @ (17-16)
Game Info: 1:00 pm EST Sun Jan 6, 2008
TV: FSOH
RAPTORS PROBABLE STARTERS
#4 CHRIS BOSH - Georgia Tech
Last Game: Recorded his 16th double-double Jan. 4 vs. Detroit … Scored 23 points on nine-of-21 shooting from the field … Grabbed 16 rebounds against the Pistons, including a game-high five offensive boards … Played a game-high 43 minutes … Averaged 22.1 points and 10.9 rebounds in 12 December contests ... Has connected on 55-of-62 (.887) free throw attempts over the past seven games ... Had eight double-doubles in 12 games during December (third in the East).
#33 JAMARIO MOON - Meridian Community College
Last Game: Contributed with 10 points Jan. 4 vs. Detroit … Made four-of-nine shots from the field … Has made 13-of-28 (.4764) from the field over the past three games after making seven-of-18 (.389) in the four previous games ... Averaging 8.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.08 blocks at Air Canada Centre versus 7.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks on the road ... Ranked second among rookies in rebounds and blocks and third in steals and minutes.
#18 ANTHONY PARKER - Bradley
Last Game: Played 36 minutes Jan. 4 vs. Detroit … Registered seven points and two rebounds against the Pistons … Ranked third in NBA three-point shooting (.491, 54-for-110) … One start away from tying Jerome Williams for 11th place on the franchise all-time games started list.
#7 ANDREA BARGNANI - Italy
Last Game: Scored a game-high 25 points Jan. 4 vs. Detroit … Made 10-of-16 field goals, including a trio of three pointers … Passed his rookie season scoring high of 23 points for the second time this year (last – Nov. 30 vs. Cleveland, 26 points) … Shooting 16-for-27 (.592) since being held scoreless Dec. 29 at Houston … Averaging 13.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 16 starts, compared to 5.1 points and 4.8 rebounds during 13 games coming off the bench … Averaging 11.3 points in 12 home games.
#8 JOSE CALDERON - Spain
Last Game: Recorded a game-high nine assists Jan. 4 vs. Detroit … Made seven-of-13 field goals for 15 points … Logged 40+ minutes for the sixth time this season against the Pistons … Extended his streak of 10+ point scoring games to eight … Averaging 12.8 points, 8.6 assists and 32.1 minutes per game in December ... Leads the NBA with a 6.11 (269/44) assist-to-turnover ratio ... Sixth in the NBA in assists (8.2) and second in assists per 48 minutes (13.7) .
CAVALIERS PROBABLE STARTERS
# 90 DREW GOODEN : Was nicknamed “The Truth” in college…opened the Drew gooden Reading and Learning Center at Cleveland’s East End Neighborhood House in September 2005…won the NBA Community Assist Award in October 2005…named the Al Lerner Community Service Award winner at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards in February 2006…has been named among professional athletes as “Good Guys in Sports” by The Sporting News on three occasions…his father, Andrew Gooden, played basketball in Finland…plays the piano…favorite movie is “The Goonies”…enjoys fishing and making music in the studio.
# 32 LARRY HUGHES : Nickname is “Smooth”…he and his wife, Carrie have three children: Lauryn, Landys and Larry II…promotes organ donation through speaking engagements and appearances after a heart transplant prolonged his younger brother’s (Justin) life when he was 11 years old…along with his mother, Vanessa, established “The Larry Hughes Foundation”, which is dedicated to educating the public about organ donation…was the inaugural winner of the “Austin Carr Good Guy Award” in 2006…lists Nelly – who he grew up with in St. Louis – and Jay-Z as his favorite musical artists…enjoys watching Law & Order.
# 11 ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS : Name pronounced ZHEE-drew-nus ill-GAUS-kus...married to wife, Jennifer, during the summer of 2004…admired Arvydas Sabonis growing up...besides basketball, he also enjoys soccer and fishing...favorite TV show: “Third Watch”…favorite movie: Scarface and can watch Wedding Crashers over and over...favorite food: Italian…favorite musician: U2…enjoys traveling…favorite meal is steak and mashed potatoes…would like to explore Australia.
# 23 LEBRON JAMES : Was a member of the USA Gold Medal-winning FIBA Americas Championship Team in 2007 …named the NBA’s Community Assist Award Winner for June2006… played high school football before giving it up to concentrate on basketball…during his junior season, he helped SVSM to the state semifinals in football and during his sophomore season was named First Team All-State in football as a wide receiver…considers Michael Jordan as his role model which is why he chose number 23…shares his Dec. 30 birthdate with Tiger Woods…favorite show is Martin…could not live without his blackberry.
# 3 SASHA PAVLOVIC : Was a member of of the Serbia and Montenegro 2004 Olympic Team…enjoys reading and driving cars in his spare time...Grabbed a career-best five offensive rebounds on his way to nine points and six rebounds versus Sacramento on Jan. 4.
TONIGHT’S QUICK FACTS
· The Cavaliers have won 10 of the last 13 meetings against Toronto including four of the last five.
· In his last game against the Raptors (Nov. 24, 2007 in Cleveland), LeBron James posted a triple-double with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in Cleveland’s 111-108 win.
· The Cavaliers have won four of their last five games. With a win today, Cleveland will have posted five wins in six games for the second time this season (Nov. 16-27).
· LeBron James posted 24 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and five steals on Friday night versus Sacramento. He is the last NBA player to post at least those numbers in a game since he did it exactly two years ago (Jan. 4, 2006 at MIL) when he put up 32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and five steals.
· The Cavaliers bench posted 37 points in Friday night’s win over Sacramento. Daniel Gibson (13), Devin Brown (13) and Anderson Varejao (11) became the first trio off the Cavs bench to each score in double figures since April 14, 2007 versus
Atlanta.
· Daniel Gibson scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter of Cleveland’s win over Sacramento on Friday night. He has connected on 75 three-pointers this season.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH...
• Today’s game marks the third meeting between Cleveland and Toronto this season with the home team winning on each occasion. During the first meeting November 24 at Cleveland, forwards Chris Bosh and LeBron James each posted 35+ point performances. Both players were injured for the second meeting a week later.
• Three of the league’s top-four three-point shooters will participate in today’s game. Toronto’s Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker rank second and third in NBA three-point field goal shooting percentage while Cleveland’s Daniel Gibson currently ranks third. Kapono, a former Cavalier, is the all-time NBA leader in three-point field goal percentage (min. 250 threepointers)
• Forward Andrea Bargnani posted a game-high 25 points January 4 vs. Detroit – his highest point total since hyper-extending his left knee early in December. Bargnani is shooting .592 (16-for-27) over the last two games and averaging 21.0 points.
• Guard Jose Calderon has posted back-to-back games (Dec. 31 – Jan. 4) playing 40+ minutes. In 33 games this season Calderon has played 40+ minutes six times, which is doubled the number of 40+ minute games he played during his first two seasons in the NBA. Calderon recorded 40 or more minutes three times each during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 campaigns.
CONNECTIONS
Donyell Marshall played in 131 games for Toronto…LeBron James scored a career and franchise-record 56 points at Toronto on 3/20/05…Raptors forward Chris Bosh and Cavs forward LeBron James played together on the 2006 USA Olympic Team...Raptors Special Basketball Advisor to the President Wayne Embry was the Cavaliers General Manager from 1986-1999…Raptors guard T.J. Ford and Cavs guard Daniel Gibson both played at the University of Texas…Raptors forward Jason Kapono played for the Cavaliers during the 2003-04 season.
1.00pm Tipoff Ladies & Gents
