Since it’s Raptors-Nets tonight, that’s prompted the usual “Vince really likes to kick Raptor ass!” statements around the Web. The one that’s got me riled up right now is on Yahoo Sports. It features such gems as:

“There are few players who treat the Raptors as poorly as the one who led them further than they’ve ever gone,” and “Carter has been a thorn in the side of the Raptors ever since he was traded away from Toronto in 2004.”

Just for kicks, since I looked at Vince’s numbers against the Raps in Toronto last month, decided to take a look at the Raptors-Nets box scores in Jersey over the past four seasons. Game results are at the end of the post, and here’s the tally.

Now, if you’ll recall his stats as Net:
45% FG, 37% 3PT, 81% from the line, 5.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 24.4 points per game.

And his stats in Toronto against the Raptors (11 games):
45% FG, 36% 3PT, 68% FT, 7.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 24.5 points per game - almost identical.

So, here’s his stats in New Jersey against the Raptors (9 games):
50% FG, 36% 3PT, 66.7% FT, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 25.6 points per game.

In other words… WAIT FOR IT…. ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME.

Here’s the overall stats in 20 games against the Raps:

47.4% FG, 35.6% 3PT, 65.6% FT, 6.5R, 4.7A, 25 points.

So, field goal percentage up slightly, 3-point and free throw down slightly, rebounds and points up slightly, assists the same. Really, is a half-point more against us than against everyone else “sticking it” to us?

And really, it’s just downright lazy on your part. I did this research in about an hour this afternoon. It’s all out there on the Web, and if I can do it, so can you. Especially the reporters - you know who you are, the ones who look down on us mere bloggers. This is your job, for God’s sake, to get the facts right. So do the research.

Of course, now you don’t have to since I’ve done it for you! In return, I am asking, if not outright begging: people, please stop saying Vince Carter brings his A game against Toronto every time they play. The stats clearly indicate he brings the same game he brings against every other team - which, as you know, is inconsistent but pretty darn good overall - and there’s no evidence to suggest he goes out of his way to play better against us or stick it to us or whatever.

I mean, look at it this way. In 20 games, he’s averaging 25 points per. He’s had:

Six games within five points of the average (between 20-30 points).
Seven games of more than five above the average (31 or more).
Seven games of more than five below the average (19 or less).

In other words, a little up and down, but, well, that’s Vince’s entire career, right?

Yes, he’s had some great performances against us, and of course, those are memorable. The talking heads remember them because they make the highlight reels, of course, as fans, those are incredibly painful losses. But you can’t forget that he’s had great performances against a lot of teams; sure, it doesn’t break their hearts the same way it does ours, but they’re no less impressive.

Not only that, but he’s had some outright bad performances against us! If you’re going to recall the great ones (the 42 point game, the 37-point game and the two 39-point games, all victories), please, don’t forget about the bad ones (the two 15-point games, the 12 point game, and the 7-point game, all losses).

So, newsmen, talking heads and bloggers, stop sayingthat Vince is gonna stick it to us “again.” Write that Vince is going to be Vince - maybe good, maybe great, maybe average - just like every other damn time he’s played us.

(And hey - doesn’t it look like he’s about due to drop an egg against us? Say maybe a 6-17, 16 point, 3 free throw night? I think it’s time.)

As for those game-by-game results:

February 22, 2005: Toronto 100, NJ 82
Carter: 8-25 FG, 0-3 3PT, 6-10 FT, 7R, 4A, 22PTS

December 3, 2005: Toronto 95, NJ 82
Carter: 4-11 FG, 2-6 3PT, 5-7 FT, 1R, 3A, 15PTS

March 4, 2006: NJ 105, Toronto 100 (OT)
Carter: 12-26 FG, 0-3 3PT, 7-13 FT, 7R, 4A, 31PTS

November 1, 2006: NJ 102, Toronto 92
Carter: 10-16 FG, 1-4 3PT, 4-4 FT, 11R, 6A, 25PTS

January 9, 2007: NJ 101, Toronto 86
Carter: 12-23 FG, 2-4 3PT, 6-8 FT, 5R, 7A, 32PTS

April 27, 2007: NJ 102, Toronto 89 (Playoffs Game 3)
Carter: 15-23 FG, 2-4 3PT, 5-6 FT, 2R, 5A, 37PTS

April 29, 2007: NJ 102, Toronto 81 (Playoffs Game 4)
Carter: 9-15 FG, 5-8 3PT, 4-9 FT, 7R, 7A, 27PTS

November 2, 2007: Toronto 106, NJ 69
Carter: 2-6 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-4 FT, 5R, 3A, 7PTS

April 5, 2008: NJ 99-90
Carter: 12-21 FG, 1-5 3PT, 7-8 FT, 7R, 5A, 32PTS

This entry was posted on Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 2:30 pm and is filed under General Nonsense, Toronto Raptors.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.