Given the season it has been for Chris Bosh and the Raptors a trip back to Texas should be a welcome thing for Bosh personally. Professionally it offers a great challenge with the Mavericks and Rockets both in the mix of the playoff race. It was not a great night for the Raptors against the Suns. Bosh was unhappy after the game and suggested that Shaq basically camped out in the lane and was never called for a 3 second violation. He has a point, but when you become a superstar the level of Shaq let's just say you catch breaks. Just like Jordan was given an extra step and the odd push off. Shaq is allowed some extra time in the lane. Ultimately Bosh may have been right, but he knows the way the league is and I think had the Raptors won the game he never mentions this fact. However I can understand his frustration it is hard to stop Shaq when he is motivated. He clearly was in that game.
The Raptors will see no such force in the middle today. Eric Dampier is nothing like Shaq and that is a major understatement. The Mavs have guys that can shoot the basketball and have a team that in the past has been a challenge for the Raptors. Andrea Bargnani will see the guy that everyone compares him too. Jose Calderon will see the guy that out played both him and T.J Ford in the playoffs a few years ago. Chris Bosh will see a lot of friends and family. It will be interesting if anyone asks the obvious question to Bosh. Chris have you ever considered coming home to play for the Mavericks? The answer to the question would get taken in many ways and even if Bosh said the perfect answer it would only add fuel to the fire about his future in Toronto.
Even though the Raptor remain mathematically in it after this next stretch of games they could likely be done math or no math. In fact have a look for yourself:
@ Dallas
@ Houston
vs Miami
vs Utah
@ Philadelphia
If the Raptors can not find a way to have a winning record maybe everyone will turn their attention to next season which should be the focus for this team. In fact the way the Marion deal was structured I believe that Bryan Colangelo was already thinking that way. There is no way he would trade his first round pick in the draft away. That is what he would be doing if the Raptors made the playoffs.
I am live blogging some college ball today. I am excited for March Madness. I am going to set up a March Madness pool here on the blog. I will just be for pride and fun. Well the winner would get a mention in the blog. If that is worth anything I am not sure. I will set something up and let you folks know. If you want to come hang out and be part of the live blog for Marquette and Louisville you are welcome.Tip time is Noon Eastern Time Zone.
Seeing as I am live Blogging college today anyway I am going to keep on that hat and live blog the Raptors and Mavs here on the Dino Nation Blog. So watch along on The Score and come online and join the fun here at Dino Nation Blog. I will be getting thing rolling at 8:45. All you have to do is come back to the blog at 8:45 and enter the Live Blog Below:
So hope you come back and join me for Raptors and Mavericks tonight. Obviously the Live Blog will take the place of Raptors Rewind. If things go well we might do these more often as games become less important and the focus changes to next year. So be it here or on The Score I will be live blogging away. Hope to see you there.
3/1/09
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I respect your loyalty to Bosh and all, but what went down in the desert was beyond the pale. This is officially the worst season in team history and I think we could safely say that we are the most disappointing, under achieving team in all professional basketball. I'm interested to know - who is to blame for this? Is it all on Mitchell and Triano? Is it all on BC? Which players are at fault and to what degree? Who is being paid like a superstar? Who is being paid to win us games?
ReplyDeleteI don't think we need CB4 to lead us to 30 wins a season - I remember we hit that mark a couple of times in the Damon Stoudemire years, yet this is what he's offering us. We've tried to build around him time and time again, and each time we've failed to produce a roster capable of going beyond the first round. We tried with Bosh and Charlie V. and that didn't work. We tried with Bosh and Ford and eventually that blew up in our faces. Then we tried with O'Neal - BC's "best Raptor team ever". Now we're getting blown out with the Bosh-Marion combo. In my estimation - an estimation borne out by the standings - we are one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. I think we could accomplish this feat without the presence of CB4. Its not like the team has been plagued by injury or hasn't been willing to spend money. As I'm sure you know, we're right against the cap. I don't know what more evidence would be needed to determine that Bosh has not become the player we all hoped he could become.
V.C. left and so did T-Mac. Stoudemire left too. Did they really deliver for their new teams? Would anyone look back and say - "Wow, those guys were great signings?" Whatever the answer, what I do know is that they fleeced their new teams for some serious cash. I do know there were no finals appearances for any of them - a lot of first round exits (Vince and Tracy) and underachieving disappointments (2000 Trailblazers) though.
Now we are at the point where Raptor fans have begun to turn on Bosh and look at Bargnani as the potential savior. Total ridiculousness, but understandable given the past two seasons. My question to you - How bad does it have to get before the franchise should consider altering its assumptions about its cornerstone?
Let's talk about the choice at PG how is he doing. Calderon has been just as bad. Bosh at least played like an All-Star in the first few months. Bosh was still an All Star as voted by the coaches in this league. They obviously think Bosh is good. I just don't think Bosh has been the major reason this team fails. Bargnani is not your answer. I just wonder what do people think is going to happen. Who will we get better than Bosh. I just don't see anyone that would be better that this team can sign. Bosh has been loyal to this franchise and I think it is pretty sad how so many have bailed on him so fast. From MVP chants less than a year ago till now. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteAgain Calderon? I thank God for the numbers, Calderon stats: 07-08 11.2 ppg 8.3 ast 08-09 13.0 ppg 8.5 ast playing 4 more minutes per game, why do you say he's been bad?? The team's been bad. Plus where is the solid backup PG? Ukic?? Ukic couldn't even make it to the bench of a team from the Spanish league. They told him bye bye.
ReplyDeleteSo I have two thoughts: a.- The new signings didn't gel or weren't let to gel by firing Mitchell. Hint: BC...BC...
And Bosh (again) is not a super star (Kobe, Lebron etc) but he's a top PF in the league, although a little bit unidimensional in my opinion. His basketball's IQ is not that great.
Geez, you sure have a way of finding a silver lining when things are going up in flames all around you. You and my Mutual Fund manager should get together.
ReplyDeleteGiven our latest whipping in Dallas had yet to take place when I asked you the first time, I'll put the question to you again - How bad does it have to get before the franchise should consider altering its assumptions about its cornerstone? (I'm not saying we have to get rid of the guy, I'm just saying we may have to get used to the notion that he's a complementary piece - not the guy to build a team around. And please don't give me any more talk about how bad Calderon is. You have been quite eloquent on the subject elsewhere in this blog and I am already in complete agreement with you. Lets talk Bosh)
So basically at issue is your asking is has Batman turned into Robin or could Batman accept becoming Robin. I think Bosh wants to win and that is first and foremost. He played in a role where he was way down the food chain on Team U.S.A and was very successful.
ReplyDeleteIf we agree about Jose the answer seems clear for me. Steve Nash. He solves a lot of things for a lot of people.
MLSE- They make $$$ MLSE likes to make money
Jay Triano- Stays employed.
Bryan Colangelo- Can re-sign Marion and Bosh
Bosh and Marion- Get to play with Nash
Bargnani- will improve just because Steve Nash makes everyone better and has made 3 point shooter a nice living in this league.
Nash- gets to finish his career playing for a guy he respects a ton and have a chance to be the ultimate hero and bring a championship to Canada.
There would be no doubt who the leader was as Nash being the home coming Canadian hero would have the fans from the moment his plane entered Canadian air space.
So I hope that answers your question. Bosh is a highly skilled player and can lead a team in some ways but he can be even more effective if he has some of the focus shifted elsewhere. Nash could offer that in his remaining years and it may help Bosh learn the things he is missing as far as leading the team. He does the best he can in trying to do it now but it is not an easy job to do. He has come a long way since the role was dumped in his lap after the Carter trade.
I just get put off by the lack of respect he gets and think it is wrong. I mean look at these recent things with Shaq. Where are people rising up to defend Bosh? They are not. I mean what Shaq said while I am sure he meant it more to be humourus than serious was not right. Chris did complain and I said he really likely should not have bothered cause he knows how things go in the league. But that being said did it deserve the response from Shaq it got. Not in my view. However some folks will take that and say Shaq is right trade Bosh he sucks he is soft. Well Shaq was not exactly a warrior in Miami last year and he was not at the All Star Game and Bosh was. So you can sling mud in both directions. I like both guys and would rather not go their. But hey it is what it is. Hope that answered your question. I thank you for the comments with so much though and energy.
Bosh is weak...plain and simple...that's what Shaq means when he calls him "Rupaul". Everyone in the League is onto Bosh now.
ReplyDeletePeople say he's tired after three years with the Olympic team...give me a break.
Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Melo, Howard, Paul, Williams, Kidd are all leading their teams to the playoffs and most of those guys teams are in the "tough as nails" West. Bosh's team is in the terrible East and this team is at the bottom of the Conference...if not for Arenas' injury Raps would be the worst in the East.
Bosh is not a number one option. In my opinion...something is wrong with him physically. I know the knee was not right for a long time but no one questioned him on it. Look at the fact he's been wearing that huge knee brace for months now. No one called him on it till he went out recently with a bruised knee. He has no lift and no explosiveness. When's the last time he's dunked on someone? Can't remember right...I know. His defence is atrocious...and he lacks mobility and/or the ability to block shots and alter shots consistently...things he was doing in the first 5-10 games. So for the 22 points and 10 rebounds he gets...he also gives up at least the same or more to his opponent on the other end. So for all his "All-Star" ability his numbers are negated by his inability to play any kind of reasonable and productive defence.
Bosh is at best a 2nd or 3rd option on any Championship team. He doesn't elevate those around him...because as one writer said above the Raptors could be in this position in the standings without Bosh. He's a good guy and a team player...but to me it seems like he has let the fame and hype get to his head. Stop making those silly videos on Youtube Bosh and work on your strength, stamina and game.
Now the Raps season of destruction has had other lead characters...Jose Calderon has been absolutely atrocious. It's a pity TJ Ford wasn't such an a-hole...because if those two could have co-existed this team would be a contender. Jose needs to rest up this summer and the Raps should insist that he doesn't play for Spain this summer.
Lack of a quality 2 and 3 are glaring needs and the backup PG situation may be the WORST in the NBA. All this points to Colangelo as well...in my opinion he has dropped the ball and must clean house and start over. He needs to get athleticism and defence and combine it with scoring. The NBA is an athletes league. The Euro experiment should be thrown out the door and he should begin to stock pile draft picks by trading any of these Raptors that he can and retool with guys that can run and jump and know how to "box out".
I can't watch the Raptors most of the time. It's too maddening and too sad. I am going to the Miami game on Friday but after that I will not be watching any more for the rest of the season.
What I will be watching and listening for is what the GM is going to do to finally turn this atrocious season(the most disappointing in Franchise history to me) around!
Toronto fans deserve better.
One other point. In my opinion...the Raptors and Leafs will never win anything with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment at the helm. The fact that the Teacher's Pension fund is a major stakeholder and only out for profits and the bottom line...will doom these franchises forever. Get rid of the Teachers Pension fund(buy them out) and/or get a single owner or ownership group that wants to win a Chip is the only way we ever see a NBA Championship or Stanley Cup tropy in this city!
Peace out
Bosh is weak. we (T.O) will go no where with him as our leader. he puts up bad jumper after jumper(last night 11-31! from the floor) THe fact that he would mention HIS name as MVP only proves how much things have gone to his head. Bosh is no where near a superstar in this league.
ReplyDeleteIts like Pau Gasol leading a terrible memphis team, pair him with kobe and they are the best team. Untill BC relizes that bosh is not capable of carrying the team by himself, the raptors will just keep letting themselves down.
Frustrated raptors fan.
Bosh in clutch time = bloacked by Noah, contested jumper.. or wild lay up not even close.
ReplyDelete