Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the voice of the Raptors on the FAN 590 and writes regularly for Sportsnet.ca.

It was another one of those games Wednesday night where the Toronto Raptors played to their strength and played well but could not do enough to cover up their weakness.

The Raptors put up 104 points and shot nearly 48 per cent from the floor but they couldn't stop the Celtics as their defence let them down again with Boston registering 115 points while shooting 56.3 per cent from the floor.

Now, even more so than at any part in this campaign with Chris Bosh probably done for the regular season, Toronto needs to play together on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. The Raptors did play hard against the Celtics in the loss but if there are going to win they must improve their defense by playing together.

There will be opportunities for players to step forward and fill the void with extra touches and shots at the offensive end but there has to be the same commitment at the other end to replace Bosh's presence on the glass and his ability to block shots and at times, quarterback the defence.

Hedo Turkoglu has had a disappointing season but he can do wonders to win fans back if he can come up with some big performances over the final five games of the season, that's if he's able to play. Turkoglu was accidentally "head-butted" in the face in Thursday’s loss by Tony Allen in a scramble for a loose ball. He left the game retreating to the locker room and then Mount Sinai Hospital for a CT scan for what was later diagnosed as a nasal contusion. Turkoglu did not return to the game and is listed as day-to-day. He did, however, make the trip to Atlanta and is willing to wear a mask and take the court. It remains to be seen if he is healthy enough to play.

Bosh, meanwhile, returned to Toronto on Thursday following surgery the day before in Cleveland to repair a fracture to the nasal bone on the right side of his face.

So while Raptor fans are wringing their hands together at the team’s playoff prospects, the best thing they can do now when they show up to the arena is make some noise, some positive noise. There was a crowd of just under 19,000 at the old Bay Street Barn Thursday but the crowd provided little energy for the hometown team. True, some of it has to be in response to what's happening on the court but I never understand how booing as much as the home crowd does in places around the league helps the players. Don't get me wrong, I understand why it happens, and usually it's because people are not happy with what is going on out on the floor, but it just seems the boos come quicker than the raucous cheers.

I'll cite two examples: Jose Calderon misses a good look at a three-point shot and puts up an air-ball late in the first half with Toronto trailing 49-46. The shot could have tied the game but instead it misses everything but the floor and the boo-birds came out of the stands. Don't think he meant to miss everything; not a guy who entered the game as one of the league’s top 20 three-point percentage shooters. I did not agree with his reaction either, but the timing and the way fans showed their displeasure was one of a crowd tending more toward the negative.

Secondly, late in the third quarter when Boston was up six points and the Raptors were teetering, the hometown team found enough to fight back and tie the game at 76. But the reaction in house sure didn't feel like it. Not sure if the fans realize it or not but players feed off the energy in the building -- be it positive or negative -- and that stretch should have had the joint jumpin' a lot more than it did.

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At the start of the season, I said if the Celtics were healthy, they'd be a force to be reckoned with in May and June. They are about as healthy as they are going to get right now but their inspirational leader, Kevin Garnett, is just not the same guy. Oh he's healthy, but he doesn't seem to have the same physical presence he once did. Is it me or has he become really old, really quickly this season? He has not recovered from last season's knee injury and is clearly not the same player physically. He's playing a thinking man's game and contributing but it's not the same KG we're used to seeing. I guess this is the "new normal" for Garnett following the injury. Not sure this "new guy" can do the same stuff the other guy did to get the Celtics another banner. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but we'll see.

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Funny what you find out sometimes in meaningless, or seemingly meaningless conversations. Here's one that took place in the hallway deep in the bowels of the Air Canada Centre with, let’s call him Celtic No. 1, as he was walking to the bus. It sounds like the Celtics think it will be Toronto in eighth spot rather than Chicago.

After a head-nod and eye contact with Celtic No. 1 ...

Jones: OK man.

Celtic No. 1: Aiiight, good luck!

Jones: Yeah, good luck to you in the playoffs man.

Celtic No. 1: You too, man (then following a smile from this writer), no seriously, y'all are gonna make it over Chicago, seriously good luck. I think y'all are better. Y'all be alright.

Jones: Thanks man

Celtic No. 1: Don't worry man, we gonna get 'em for you. (In reference to the Chicago-Boston game next week)