(did someone say something about free pizza?)
Toronto rewards their long-suffering hoops fans with free slices from Pizza Pizza whenever the Raptors top 100 points, which might occur a little less often without the services of Chris Bosh going forward. A Marcus Banks steal led to a Leonardo Barbosa layup in the closing moments of last night’s rout of Cleveland, and while the aforementioned play meant free pizza for the paying customers, Cleveland coach Byron Scott took considerable umbrage, and Hoops Addict considers it something less than an outrage ;
The reality of is this is going to be a long season in Toronto where the home fans don™t have a lot to cheer about so it™s great the players are doing everything they can to get the fans excited “ even if it™s extending their lead in the final seconds of a blowout.
It™s not what makes sense for a lot of basketball purists, but it did result in arguably the loudest cheer of the night.
Granted, there was a game last season at the Air Canada Centre where Charlotte Bobcats head coach Larry Brown instructed his team to dribble the ball until they were called for a 24 second violation, but that was a road game for the Bobcats. They weren™t playing in front of their own fans and scoring another bucket wouldn™t result in anything of substance.
œWe weren™t trying to disrespect them, we weren™t trying to humiliate them or nothing, Sonny Weems told the media after the game. œWe did that for our fans. If we get 100 points the fans get pizza.
Jay Triano, however, was a little less political about what transfolded.
œHow many years did we watch them dance down there with all the hoot and hollering and everything? Triano vented. œIt™s a different team so it probably wasn™t the right thing to do to score, but our fans come to these games and they™re going to be here to support us for 41 games and we play this team three more times.
Personal and the Pizzas!! BRASS KNUCKLES!