Ping Pong Ball Playoffs Start Today

This is the time of year when lots of questions are asked. Like can I honestly endure seeing that Andrea Bargnani Primo Pasta ad anymore? I mean honestly can I? What also is up in the air is how many ping pong balls the Raptors will have. After that the all important question on who will go to the lottery and represent the Raptors? But before we answer all of those "important" questions, there is the matter of having 3 games left to play. All 3 games could have an impact on the playoffs or lottery standings. Detroit currently is a game behind the Raptors in the reverse lottery standings. If you are the type to root for ping pong balls nothing but a Raptor loss will do today. If the Raptors were to lose it would virtually clinch finishing in front of Detroit in terms of lottery balls.

The scariest thing for Tank Nation is the Raptors win today, Monday and Thursday. There are still a number of teams bunched together and the ping pong ball race might be more exciting than the Playoff Race at this point. After all who cares if the Jazz, Suns or Rockets get in only to lose to the Spurs or OKC. Does it really matter if it is the Bucks, Kincks or the Sixers facing the Bulls at the end of the day? Charlotte long ago wrapped up the most ping pong balls and will have the best shot at Anthony Davis with 25% chance of landing the expected number one pick. Bobcat fans will not be thrilled to learn that position has only grabbed the number one spot four times since 1985. Which is one of the many reasons why I question all of this tank nation business to begin with. Washington has almost locked up the number 2 position in the ping pong ball standings.

After that it gets interesting. My favourite to win the NBA Lottery, the no longer league owned, and soon to no longer be Hornets. My favourite mascot next to the Raptor is going to be no more. Hugo the Hornet will be missed. Still he was had lots to cheer about lately as Hornets have won 7 of their last 10 games and put the 3rd worst record up for grabs. They are tied with the soon to be Vancouver Kings? They know how to tank, going 1-9 in the last 10 down the stretch. What they don't know how to do in Sacramento is how to build a stadium or win basketball games. Cleveland is next on the list of losers with the 5th worst record. The Cavs are back to the mess they were before they won the lottery and drafted Lebron James who showed Cleveland what winning was like, but never could end the curse that lives in the city of Cleveland and he moved on the South Beach. They won last year ironically with the pick they acquired from the Clippers and not based on their worst record in the league. They look to do the unthinkable double like the Orlando Magic were able to pull off. The Nets sit in the 6th position as they look to say good bye to New Jersey and likely Deron Williams this off-season and hello to Brooklyn with no real stars to speak of. The Raptors check in next tied with the Golden State Warriors just a half game behind the Nets, with the big TANKAPOLOOZA game on Thursday on the horizon. The Pistons round out the list of teams in this mess all with in 3 games of each other. Any win for them is a death blow at this point.

So that makes today's game with the Raptors and Pistons significant, but also likely painful to watch. All of that said it might look highly entertaining in comparison to what lies ahead with the Nets and Raptors on Thursday. If you took a nap till Friday and just woke up to see where the Raptors did end up finishing that might not be a bad plan. Seeing as that is likely not a realistic option for me, I will watch and be confused on what exactly I should be rooting for in these last three games. I honestly don't know at this point. So, I will watch and see what happens. Next year at this time if the Raptors are in this same awkward position it will have been a disaster of a season. Expectations for the coming off-season and next season in my view have already become too high. The Raptors have done a horrible job in managing expectations. The reason they have, is because if they didn't, who would want to watch this team next season and people might actually be talking about how bad this season has been even though it is an improvement over last season. The Raptors are heading in the right direction, but the speed they will be expected to go in that direction may not match the reality. Bryan Colangelo has an entire off-season to change my mind. He likely is not going to waste anytime either. When the Raptors and Nets game is done, I expect Bryan Colangelo will be on his cellphone or blackberry with in 5 minutes looking to make some moves. The trick will be finding some partners that are in as big a hurry as he is to get to work on building his roster for next season. One thing that likely will not be on the table is the Raptors draft pick even if they do the unthinkable and actually win the last 3 games of the season.

"Behind Enemy Lines"

I know the Raptors' 84-76 win over Dallas was huge for morale but I wouldn't get too excited. They beat a Dallas Mavericks team missing their star player in Dirk Nowitzski and two others in Dominique Jones and Rodrique Beaubois. Now I know some wouldn't be able to pick Jones and Beaubois out of a line up but when you are missing your pivotal player plus two young guns, this means the bulk of the playing time and work falls to the rest of your team who may not be used to their roles changing or need to adjust to the added responsibility. In any case, the Raptors need to build on this and attack this week's games with gusto.




Friday, December 31st - Toronto Raptors @ Houston Rockets

• The Raptors have played the Houston Rockets one other time this season on November 19th. The score was 106-96 for the Raptors.


• The Raptors lead the first two quarters of this game and came up with 9 more than Houston did in the fourth to take the win.


• During this game DeMar DeRozen played 42 minutes and produced 15 points. This is way too long in my opinion and will prove to be detrimental in Friday's game considering the Raptors' current injuries.


• Raptors' Injuries: out and day -to- day are Andrea Bargnani (strained left calf), Peja Stojakovic (swollen left knee), Sonny Weems (back spasms), Jose Calderon (sore ankle), Jerryd Bayless (ankle injury). Amir Johnson is back in the line-up but also playing through back spasms.


• Houston's injuries: out with no real timeline for returning - Jared Jefferies, Yao Ming, Ismael Smith.


• Raptors' key to this game: No more injuries and come out blazing in the first two quarters.

Sunday, January 2nd - Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors

• These two teams have played twice this season and split the wins. November 21 - 102-101 for the Raptors and November 26 - 110-101 Boston.


• In the Raptors win, all of the Raptors' starting line-up averaged 32-39 minutes, all contributing. DeMar DeRozen had only 6 points.


• In the Raptors loss, Andrea Bargnani and Hose Calderon averaged 35 minutes each and combined for 23 points. For Boston, uncharacteristically, Rajon Rondo produced only 4 points while playing 35 minutes. However, Boston came out hard and were up by 11 going into the second quarter and the Raptors played catch-up after that.


• Boston currently sits at the top of the East at 24-6 as of Thursday.


• Boston's Inactive list: Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Delonte West.


• Key for Raptors: Forget you are playing the top team in your division and come out hard in the first half.

Tuesday, January 4rth - Toronto Raptors @ Chicago Bulls

• These two teams have played once this season so far - December 15 - Bulls took it 110-93.


• During this game, Carlos Boozer was the key for the Bulls. His production value was high by playing 25 minutes and putting up 34 points.


• For the Raptors during this game, Jarryd Bayless was highest in production with 32 minutes, 20 points.


• On the Bulls Inactive list: Johnlll Lucas, Joakim Noah.


• Key for Raptors: Believe in your conditioning and ability to go the distance with this team and no silly mistakes like turnovers during transition.

Wednesday, January 5th - Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers

• The Raptors and Cavs met once this year so far: October 29 - 101-81 for the Raptors.
• During this game, the Raptors lead the first three quarters in points. The bulk of the points scored for the Cavs came from the bench: Antawn Jamison with 13 and Daniel Gibson with 9; their top two.
• DeMar DeRozen had a better night versus the Cavs than the last time he met the other opponents he will meet this week: 14 points for DeRozen, 19 for Kleiza and 20 for Bargnani.
• The last time they met, both teams shared the same record: 1-1. As of Thursday, the Cavs are 8-24 and bottom of the East.
• Cavaliers' Injuries: Mo Williams (left hip flexor strain), Daniel Gibson (left thigh contusion) - both will be reassessed Friday. Joey Graham (right quad strain) is out indefinitely.
• Key for the Raptors: Don't get over confident. As of Thursday the Cavs are on a 5 game loosing streak and looking to snap it with help from their bench.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you have all have a great New Year, be safe and I will see you Tuesday for more "NBAz in 7 Dayz".

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

LeBron James is right. He is right to believe the Cleveland Cavaliers can learn a lesson from the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. Here's why. Before Thursday night's game in Cleveland, the Miami Heat were preparing for LeBron's homecoming unlike anything they've seen before. Extra plain clothed and uniformed officers everywhere. The level of intensity surrounding this game was comparable to a game seven NBA final, yet we were only 20 games into the regular season. All this over him leaving Cleveland for Miami. Have whatever opinion you want about him leaving in the matter in which he did but at the end of the day, he did just that - he left. And to put it bluntly, jilted Cleveland fans need to get over it and move on. The anger and bravado towards LeBron is doing nothing for the cause. Go ahead and pursue legal action against him for leaving if you think it is warranted. But he is over it and the 38 points he put up Thursday night shows that. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the potential to be something great. If they don't get on the right path soon, the dream of winning an NBA championship before LeBron James does, won't even be on the radar. Many things on my radar today: the NBA making a historical purchase, Allen Iverson putting on a happy face and George Karl going for win number one thousand.

Shopping for a Bargain

Let's start with the facts. NBA Commissioner David Stern has officially announced the NBA is going through with the purchase of the New Orleans Hornets. The sale has to be approved by the NBA's Board of Governors by a vote which will likely take place next week. Minority Hornets owner Gary Chouest decided not to buy out majority Hornets owner George Shinn and in the absence of any viable purchaser, here we are. I have a real problem with this. While I feel for the City of New Orleans and Hornets fans, I don't understand how it has gotten this far. The outgoing owners are singing the praises of the organization and the Hornet's management team but it must not be all sunshine and roses if they are saying this on their way out the door. Realistically, how can the league afford to do this when they asking players to take a pay cut so the league can remain viable, as they put it. We are on the verge of a lockout and the source evidence of why is already being seen. There are many questions which need to be answered: How long will the NBA own controlling interest of the New Orleans Hornets? Will they remain owners once a buyer is found? What will happen the next time an NBA club dips into financial ruin? What does this say about the league and the amount of say or control of how NBA clubs are run? I really hope the NBA Board of Governors discuss these questions when making their decision next week.

All Smiles and Giggles for Allen Iverson

According to Allen Iverson, he is happy with his new career in Turkey. Knowing how much he wanted to be playing in the NBA just a few months ago, this is just as much about convincing himself as it is about convincing us just how happy he really is. He told his followers on Twitter: "I am very happy here in Istanbul. My family and I are making this our home". But let's pretend an NBA club comes knocking at his door. Don't think for one second he will ignore the doorbell. He is trying to make the best of a challenging situation. He is a talented player in a tough spot. His two year, 4 million-dollar contract with Besiktas came after no NBA team offered him a contract. That has got to hurt. To make matters even more challenging, Iverson's start in Turkey hasn't been all that impressive. After five games so far, He has averaged 9.6 points and 3.6 assists per game. In 2001, he was the NBA's Most Valuable Player. I hope he is really happy over there and is successful in whatever he defines as success. Let's pretend again there IS an NBA lockout and there is no basketball next season. Allen Iverson has one year left on his contract with Besiktas and is playing basketball when his competition isn't. Sound like a good time to start positioning for a spot on an NBA roster? Time will only tell.

George Karl Looking for Win Number 1, 000

The Toronto Raptors will be cheering for the Denver Nuggets tonight. I am sure they will be since they don't want to host a team this Friday whose Head Coach is on the verge of 1,000 career wins. The Denver Nuggets will be in Charlotte tonight taking on the Bobcats and chasing a dream for their Head Coach, George Karl. This is an important win on so many levels. The 'one thousand career wins' club is exclusive and has only a half a dozen members like Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson and Charlotte Bobcats' Head Coach Larry Brown (a good friend of Karl's). George Karl has coached over 22 seasons in the NBA and wants this win for practical reasons so he can get out of the spotlight and back to the business of building his Denver Nuggets team. On a personal level, this win is important since just after a few years of battling prostate cancer, he underwent treatment for throat and neck cancer. He's been given a clean bill of health but continues to monitor his recovery. "He is a terrific coach. He's overcome a lot. I think we're all proud of what he's accomplished, and I think he is going to win a lot more before he hangs it up" (Charlotte Bobcats Head coach, Larry Brown). Before joining the Denver Nuggets in 2005, George Karl coached the Cavs (1984-86), Warriors (1986-88), Sonics (1991-98) and the Bucks (1998-03). In 1996, his Seattle Super Sonics won the Western Conference title but lost to Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the NBA final. So imagine what a win tonight will mean with his good friend and rivals in opposition.

It will also make it easier for me to cheer for the Raptors on Friday when they host the Denver Nuggets. The DNB will be hosting some lucky fans of the blog to boxed seats at Friday's game - I am really looking forward to it.

Thanks for joining me today. See you on Thursday for more "Behind Enemy Lines".

"Jiggly Bits"

Life is too short. It really is. I was going through some of my old newspaper clippings and articles thinking, "What ever happened to Maurice Lucas?" I was barely walking when he helped the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title. He was a power forward known as "The Enforcer" and this always made me laugh considering the NHL players we normally give this name to. But those of you who know your NBA history will know, the early days of the NBA were almost set up like the NHL just minus the skates and equipment and insert basketball nets - penalty boxes and two minute time outs, too. Well, after a long fight with bladder cancer, Maurice Lucas died at age 58 over the weekend. He joined the Portland Trail Blazers in the '76 ABA dispersal draft and averaged about 20 points per game and about 11 rebounds in their championship year (1976-1977). That was a team high back then. Lucas was also an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers for 6 seasons but after surgery last year he left the team and did not return to coach this year. He played in the NBA for 12 seasons with Portland, New Jersey, New York, Phoenix, the L.A. Lakers and Seattle and two ABA seasons with St. Louis and Kentucky. You know Luke Walton? Currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, son of Bill Walton? He was named after Maurice Lucas since he and Bill Walton were teammates in Portland. It's a shame he never got around to writing his memoirs. I would have loved to hear what he thought of the league now having survived the ABA and making a name for himself in the NBA. In case you are interested, there are two books which touch on the life of Maurice Lucas: The Breaks of the Game by David Halberstam and Loose Balls by Terry Pluto. He is survived by wife Pamela and children David, Maurice and Kristin. He will surely be missed and remembered by friends, family and fans of the game.

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone..."

Here's a tune LeBron James may be humming at the moment. He is now saying if he had a chance to do things differently, he would change how he made the jump from Cleveland to Miami. He is not saying what those changes would be but he said he would definitely have changed it. However, he is still happy in Miami. Why now? You are bonding with your new team and slowly emerging from the booing to loud cheers for some powerful dunks. Why admit to your detractors you may have been wrong? The last tactic to help fans over the "get over it" hump? Maybe. Whatever the reason, I hope this is the last of it. I even watched some television broadcasters go on about Chris Bosh and if the Raptors are happy without him. If you ask Sonny Weems, Jarret Jack and DeMar DeRozen, I 'd say the answer would be yes since now they are getting to show off what they can do. C'mon people, let's get over it already.

Chris Bosh for President?

I don't know if we will ever see this headline but never say never, right? Former Knick, Nets and Trail Blazer Chris Dudley is fighting to represent Oregon as a Republican Governor. Remember, he isn't the only former NBA player turned politician. Former Cavs and Suns All-Star Kevin Johnson is the Mayor of Sacramento and the first African-American to hold this post. Also, NBA Hall of Famer Dave Bing is the Mayor of Detroit. Now, if you know anything about politics, half the battle is name recognition - the other half is money. So clearly the fact that these guys played professional basketball helped them in both. Being in the public eye helped them raise money and support for their campaign but is this necessarily a good thing? What political experience do they have? I believe if you care about your city and want to be a part of the solution to see it grow and flourish, for sure, take a stab at running for Major. It is not as easy and as glamorous as it looks. But are we setting a trend for the Gilbert Arenas' of the NBA who think this is an option for them? Let's just hope voters continue to educate themselves.

Joe Tait Update

In last Thursday's edition of "Behind Enemy Lines", I mentioned Cavs' Hall of Fame Broadcaster Joe Tait was scheduled to undergo a heart double bypass this week but now things have changed. He remains hospitalized with a blood clot in his lung. The Cleveland Cavaliers says he passed out at home and was rushed to Medina Hospital and then transferred to the Cleveland Clinic. He had an umbrella filter procedure done on him Monday which is supposed to prevent further clots from reaching his lungs. I am following this story since I am also a play-by-play/ color broadcaster for the PWHL and I can't imagine being in my retirement and not going out on my own terms. At 73 years old, Joe Tait was set to retire this year and the Cavs organization expected him back after fully recovering from heart surgery. Something tells me they may have to throw him an early retirement party. My heart goes out to him, his family and Cavs fans.

See you on Thursday for another edition of "Behind Enemy Lines".

Raptors Need A Rival

Today, the Ti-Cats play the Argos in the CFL. It is one of the largest rivalry games in the league. I am, as I have mentioned, a Dallas Cowboys fan and they have a number of rivals the biggest being the Redskins. Michigan and Ohio State is one of the biggest rivalries in NCAA. In the NBA you have Lakers and Celtics as the major rivalry in the sport. But the Raptors have always been a team with out a real rival.

When they started in 1995 they had a rival in another conference with the Grizzlies. However, that ever really turned into much as the franchises went in different directions fast. The Raptors were always the better of the 2 teams, for basically the entire run of Grizzlies in Vancouver. There was a brief time, when the Raptors first made the playoffs, and the Knicks were actually in them, where they faced each other in back to back seasons. The Pistons seem like a logical rival but have always owned the Raptors until recently with the Pistons collapsed.

Once T-Mac left, Orlando became a rival. The two teams also met in the playoffs once and now Vince Carter is there. In fact where Vince goes has turned into the Raptors rival by default. I don't think the Miami Heat are going to be the Raptors rival in any sense. You need to have it be competitive to be a rivalry right?

It is the one thing that has never really developed for the Raptors. Some would say Boston is a rival but again over the history that has been far to one sided to be considered one. I guess part of having rivalries, if not done based on geography, you need a playoff history, or play in same division and battle for first on yearly basis. As much as the Raptors franchise is heading into it's 16th season their are still some things that you would have expected to happen by now. Having a constant rival would be one of those.

Why don't we make the Cavs are rival now. The two teams are in same situation having their stars bolt to South Beach. Both are expected to struggle and be in a rebuilding process. Cleveland kills us in the bitter department about James leaving them. The attitude here has been kind of like we have seen this movie before. I have yet to see a Bosh jersey in flames. Not that I am endorsing that you go out and be the first to do that.

So as I sit down tonight and root against Toronto in the CFL it just got me thinking, the Raptors are the only team I support that really has no rival. After all rivalries are part of what makes sports fun. Be it Ti-Cats/Argos, Leafs/Habs, Michigan/Ohio State or a hundred others you could mention. When those rivalries happen it means something beyond the records of the teams and it really doesn't matter what season it is. If you mention those two teams together their is a built in reason to watch. The closest thing you get to a playoff atmosphere in the regular season.

Sure everyone will watch when Bosh and Raps hook up, but that isn't really a rivalry it is more of a side show. We need someone to hate beyond just players that have left us. That kind of feeling that the idea of being a friend of someone that likes that other team turns your stomach a little. Sports is about passion after all and rivalries are a huge part of that.

So....Go Cats Go and enjoy your weekend....unless your an Argo Fan....just kidding.....kinda.

Mello? Heck No

Carmelo Anthony now becomes the latest disgruntled NBA star to be rumoured to want his way out from his current franchise. The thought is that the Nuggets will not go the route of Cleveland and Toronto and watch it's franchise player walk for nothing. When we look back on this summer it may well be looked at as the summer the NBA changed. Easy to say in retrospect that Cleveland and the Raptors should have traded their star players. But how realistic is that? The Raptors at the time of the deadline were firmly in a playoff position. How do you sell that to your fan base? The Cavs were a favourite to make the NBA Finals. The other argument would have been you make a trade last summer as it is being rumoured the Nuggets are considering now.

In reality, there is no good way for this situation to work for a team losing a franchise player. It is just different levels of pain. If the Nuggets do decide to trade Carmelo does anyone think they can be better for it? Taking players back in a trade is not always the answer. Every team in the NBA is well aware that you are in a desperate situation. Has there every really been a good trade in which a superstar wanted out? I can't think of one of the top of my head.

The larger issue in all of this is that players are starting to control the game at levels we have never seen before. In the end players are individual contractors that happen to play a team game. They have only their interests at heart not the interests of franchises or the league as a whole. The whole concept of loyalty on all sides of sports is getting to the point or being rare to nonexistent.

I love the CFL and my hometown Ti-Cats. When I was a kid, it was easy for me to tell you almost every starter on the Ti-Cats Roster. Now more and more that becomes a difficult task in all sports leagues. The Raptors are a great example over the last few years with a constant turnover of the roster. It makes you go back to the whole Jerry Seinfeld comedy bit of people are actually cheering laundry. It becomes all about the logo on the jerseys and not the name on the back.

It is kind of like, the whole college sports fan experience being brought to pro sports. In the NCAA, you go into with the expectation that players will come and go. Which has only increased over the years with players leaving for the draft after even just one year in basketball. College Football is the same type of assembly line make-up. You cheer for the school be it Michigan, Florida, Texas or any other school you care to name. Sure great players roll through the program but they are only there for a short time. The pressure to win now is great in college sports in the U.S. Every season is do or die and recruiting each off-season is about getting guys to win now for that next season.

We live in a world, that is total based on instant results and instant gratification. It is said, that sports often acts as a reflection of society as a whole. Well maybe that is what is happening. No longer to many players want to stick it out and win with a team. No longer do franchises have patience with coaches if they don't win. It is always about winning now. The process of team building has been lost in terms of this instant win now mentality. The days of watching a team grow and build seem almost gone. I always use to hate people that said things were better when they were younger, but maybe it was. I remember watching the Pistons build and the Bad Boys eventually topped the Lakers. The Bulls having to get through the Knicks and Pistons, prior to their 6 championships. There was a natural progression. The Miami Heat, if they in did are successful it will not have been done that way. I don't want the NBA to have a lockout next season, that being said I don't want to watch this league be run by players, that only care about their own interests. That is only good for the them and, not necessarily for the league and definitely not for the majority of NBA fans. Will it pull in a ton of fringe fans? Yes it will, but for the hardcore fans of many franchises this has been a dark summer.

"Basketball Beyond the Floor"

Lebron James smoked marijuana. In high school. Also drank alcohol with some teammates from St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron. Big deal. They were just teenagers then and if you remember this image just a little when you are reading Shooting Stars, you will see how Lebron James was a kid with an extraordinary talent who experimented just like every other teen his age. He lived, breathed and ate basketball because not only was it his passion, it saved his life. His words on the first page of the Prologue, "I would like to say I go to St. Vincent for the fine academics, but that would not be true. I go there to play basketball with three friends who have become my brothers, Little Dru and Sian and Willie". Lebron James was an only child who really kept his life together after a troubled upbringing. His teammates were the family he never had. This book is like having a chat over video games and pizza with Lebron himself. Let's discuss some key points (Sports Illustrated Front cover and the infamous Hummer) and reveal my flick pick of the week.

A Lesson in Astronomy

A shooting star is actually a blazing path a meteoroid traces as it enters the earth's atmosphere and burns out. So by Buzz Bissinger and Lebron James collaborating on a book of the same name, are they trying to say Lebron will eventually burn out? Like a crash and burn? This is the only thing besides the Hummer incident (we'll get to that later) that made me shake my head a little. For the most part, I think Buzz Bissinger does a great job of writing Shooting Stars in Lebron James' voice. He also wrote Friday Night Lights about high school football so he knows a thing or two about young athletes. Lebron James is taken down a notch in this book to an accessible level and becomes human, like the kid next door. James is very candid about the many people who wanted his St. Vincent-St. Mary (his high school) to fail. Some members of the community were outraged by the way young athletes like James were being peddled like cattle from coast to coast by officials at St. Vincent-St. Mary Catholic High school. Too bad nothing has really changed.

A Lesson in Egos

Who could forget the infamous Sports Illustrated cover with Lebron holding a golden basketball being deemed, "The Chosen One". Who would have thought the spotlight on a kid of seventeen years could have been both the best and worst thing that could have happened to him. Sure, it got him noticed even more and helped promote him but as the book describes, it opened the floodgates of scrutiny. Take for instance the Hummer his mom bought him. Lebron describes it as a gift from a mother to her son and didn't understand the big deal made about it. However, when a car of that calibre costs way more than his mom could realistically afford considering their financial situation, I could see how school officials would suspect that maybe teams or schools looking to recruit Lebron helped out with the purchase.

Also, Lebron James concedes the arrogance which was born from his Sports Illustrated cover story contributed to the only state championship loss he ever had. He tells us in the book he and his teammates lost the state championship in 2002 as a result of the arrogance he and the rest of the team developed after the infamous SI cover story (February 18th, 2002 issue -look it up). I think this draws an interesting paradox to the 2010 NBA Playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers decide to bench Lebron James for two games before the playoffs start in order to rest him. Some might say that was pretty arrogant (including yours truly) of the Cavs coaching staff to put all their eggs in one basket. And where did it get the Cavs? No further in the playoffs, a coach getting fired and Lebron looking to get a plane ticket out of Cleveland. Nice. Maybe Cavs' management should have read this book.

Flick Pick of the Week

I am very excited to give you this week's pick: Coach Carter starring Samuel L. Jackson. I absolutely without a doubt hail this one as my favourite movie of all time. The fact it is based on such an incredible true story is one thing but it shows the power of a coach willing to look out for and really stick up for a bunch of kids who everyone was willing to cast aside. You know a movie is great when they cast someone in the lead and you can't imagine anyone else playing the role. Maybe Denzel Washington but Samuel L. Jackson brought a certain edge the film needed. One Tree Hill fans will like to note the creator of this popular series Mark Schwahn also co-wrote the screenplay for Coach Carter. Not a real fan of One Tree Hill but Mark Schwahn sold me on this one scene (without giving too much away for those of you who haven't seen it) which solidified the intense passion and mutual respect Coach Carter was able to establish in his young team. Timo Cruz (played by Rick Gonzalez) stands up and recites "Our Greatest Fear". When you watch it this weekend, think of me during that scene.

Next thursday, we will be discussing Character Driven: Life, Lessons and Basketball. It's another player-author collaboration by Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers and Gary Brozek. Before you all get excited and email me saying "of course YOU would look for a book about the Lakers", this one kind of fell into my lap. Knowing about his family and what he's been through pursuing basketball and his daughter being in and out of hospitals, I was intrigued to learn more about the Lakers' now not-so-silent warrior. Happy reading and see you on Tuesday for another serving of "Jiggly Bits".

Let's NBA With Andre Aldridge From NBA-TV

It is a great thrill for the Dino Nation Blog talk with Andre Aldridge from NBA-TV about the upcoming NBA season. We talk a little on the Raps and Demar DeRozan is a former Trojan as is Andre Aldridge so he talks about his fellow Trojan. We also talk about all of the top contenders in the NBA. We talk about former Raptor V.C teaming up with Superman in Orlando, Shaq and Lebron in Cleveland and Rasheed Wallace with the Celtics. In addition the Ron Artest joining up with the Lakers. How about OKC and Kevin Durant? They get some mention as well. If you are not already following Andre on Twitter you are missing out....@NBATVAndre is a must follow for anyone on Twitter. It was great for Andre to make time for us just prior to going to air for the first night of NBA action on NBA TV. Up here north of the border you can often catch his fine work on Raptors NBA TV. We hope to have Andre back as a guest going forward giving us some insight from the U.S point of view and his own.

Andre Aldridge From NBA TV In Starting 5

James B's Podcast

Thanks to the people at Turner Sports for helping set this up and to Andre for taking the time to talk with us here at the Dino Nation Blog. It is a great to have someone who has covered the NBA for so long as a guest here with us on the Dino Nation Blog.