Michael Grange
ORLANDO — Globe and Mail Update Published on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008 7:10PM EST Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 9:14PM EDT
The Raptors will be without point guard Jose Calderon in their first visit to Florida since losing to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last Spring.
Calderon pulled his hamstring last Wednesday against Philadelphia and will sit out for his second straight game.
Will Solomon will start in his place.
Calderon went through a high-paced workout about 45 minutes before the game under the eyes of Raptors training staff, and while he looked comfortable, he still felt he wasn't quite in game condition.
"The problem is in the game you can't control everything. Sometime you have to move when you don't expect and that's when I feel something," Calderon said.
"I'll see how I feel after this. This was my hardest workout and I'll see how I feel tomorrow."
Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell said having to rely on Solomon could work out in the long run. The former European star counted 15 points and a career-high 11 assists in a win over Miami on Sunday.
"Thing like this happen; it's part of the NBA," Mitchell said. "Instead of crying about it or wishing it didn't happen, you look at if from another standpoint: it gives Will a chance to play some key, valuable minutes. He gets thrown into the fire early and I'm sure at some point of the season that's going to come back and help us out."
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