Pistons and Raptors in a Basketball Game Rated "ONE STAR"

Justin loves Kelly is by far the worst movie I can ever recall watching. It was a Saturday afternoon and nothing was on so I figured why not. It was so bad it was almost entertaining on some level. Unfortunately the Raptors and Pistons was not the same way. In the end if basketball games were rated like movies this had one star written all over it. If there was a game that I have watched, where I cared so little and honestly believed the teams that were involved felt the same way this was it. After all the Pistons and Raptors had little motivation to win this basketball game and both of their front offices would quietly be rooting for them not to win if were being completely honest about it. If this was a preview of what is to come on Thursday with the Nets and Raptors it will be ugly. Here is hoping you win a prize for Fanapolooza that might be the only motivation I can give you to attend. All I know is I can't win with my media pass but I will be there.

When you are praying a game does not go to overtime based on how truly pathetic it was that sums up this game. The scary thing is it almost did as Linas Kleiza who was suppose to sit this game out with a bad knee ended up playing and missed a wide open three that would have sent this game to overtime tied at 76. You think that is a typo if you didn't watch this game but it is not as the Pistons win 76-73 and the Raptors knock off one team on their quest to gather as many ping pong balls as they can in spite of themselves. The tank....I mean team rolls into Milwaukee who still clings to playoff life but could be eliminated with a Sixers win as they tip a half an hour before the Raptors and Bucks. So safe to say the Bucks will be motivated to win unless news leaks that the Sixers win that game.

Today's loss vaulted the Raptors ahead of Golden State who beat Minnesota today and are just percentage points behind the Cavs who are one better in the loss column but one fewer in the win column. The Kings hammered the Bobcats giving them their 20th straight loss and as we mentioned this morning the Bobcats have long ago locked up the most ping pong balls for May and the draft lottery. That Kings win makes it still realistic that the Raptors could in theory catch them. Even New Orleans is still possible at the third worst record but one Hornets loss or Raptor win and that is done. Currently the Raptors are 6th worst (Tied with New Jersey who they play on Thursday) and at best could end up at 3rd worst. If thinks went totally wrong the Raptors could do no worse than 9th worst heading into the lottery. This would take the Raptors winning their final two games and everyone else losing out. Which may not even be possible I am not going to check the schedule to confirm this. If you are that obsessed with this tanking stuff I am sure you already know or will find out.

In the end this was an unwatchable game that thanks to the lack of attendance in Detroit few people were actually subjected too. To take anything from this game of any true value would be a mistake. I mean Solomon Alabi is throwing down dunks and seldom seeing the floor Charlie V the former Raptors his making a three. It is hard to believe he holds the Raptor rookie scoring mark with 47 points. In the end the mood to end this season is a predictable on of can we just get this over already. The Raptors will have a very interesting off-season ahead in which Bryan Colangelo has put a lot of pressure on himself. Almost as much as he has allowed the organization to put on his draft pick from this season Jonas Valanciunas who has replaced any form of a halftime show for games.

In the end if the lottery does not fall the Raptors way I am really not all that concerned if they pick 4th or 9th. This is a draft that while it lacks any true game changers it makes up for in depth of talent. If the Raptors don't walk away with Anthony Davis or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist it is not the end of the world as we know it. Especially if Jonas lives up to the hype that he is being given. Ultimately you will be getting two top 10 talents being added to this roster no matter what happens and that is pretty good news. Colangelo will also be very active on the trade front as I suspect he feels this is the best way for him to take advantage of the cap room he has been able to a mass. In free agency there will be a number of other teams with big money to spend at the top of that list being the Dallas Mavericks. They have their eyes set on Deron Williams but they are not the only team with money to burn.

Still nothing about today's game made me feel like I am going to miss the Raptors after this Thursday. This has been a season to forget in almost every respect except for the fact the Raptors seem to have found their coach for the future in Dwane Casey. If he can do what he has done with this group imagine what he might be able to do with more talent provided by Colangelo this off-season. He might not need a number one pick or any huge moves to get this team going in right direction. Casey has shown he can coach up almost anyone to play acceptable defense in his system this year. If you can hide Calderon and Bargnani you are indeed a defensive guru. So do yourself a favour and get ahead start on things and start trying to forget this season already. Start with this game if you had the misfortune of watching it.

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.

Reverse Standings Battle In Motown

Raptors and Pistons hook up in a battle in Detroit where the loser may in fact be the winner in the end. If you subscribe to the whole tank philosophy this is a huge game tonight in Detroit. Vital to who might win or loss regardless could be determined by if Andrea Bargnani returns for the Raptors tonight. Raptors have been hinting at his impending return and with a game tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday it is expected that we will see Andrea back in one of those games. Looks like tomorrow could be the day. So nice of Andrea to make his comeback for the game I am covering. His return could have a major impact on the Raptors lottery odds. The Raptors were 6-7 with him in the line up and have no less than 4 teams with in a half game of each other in the reverse standings. Have a look at how it shakes out.

27th Raptors 13-26
26th Nets 14-27
T-25th Kings 14-26
T-25th Pistons 14-26

Ultimately for me it does not hold a ton of importance. If were not talking top 3 don't really think it matters to much ultimately. Here are some stats on why I really don't care that much about tanking or see the merits in it. The NBA Lottery began in 1985 since that time here are some stats to chew on.

• Team with Worst Record has won a grand total of 4 times (Only twice since 2000)
• Team with 5th worst Record has won more times with 5. (Including the Raptors in 2006)
• To be the 2nd or 3rd worst is the lucky place to be both winning 6 times
• Orlando Magic won back to back lotteries the 2nd time with just 1.52% Chance.
• Where the Raptors sit currently 4th Worst has only ever won the lottery once in 1997 for Spurs

For the record the difference between 27th and 24th is 11.9% to 4.3% or a difference of 7.6%. So it is significant but want to break down the NBA Lottery and look for patterns of trends nothing is a lock. Other than the suspect luck that seems to fall for certain teams at just the right time. Derrick Rose winding up in his home-town with Chicago with just a 1.7% chance of happening. The odds for Lebron James to go to Cleveland were much higher with 22.5% chance. In the first lottery the odds were even and Knicks walked away with Patrick Ewing with 14.29% chance.

As much as the fans and media to an extent love to focus on the topic of the lottery and tanking it really is just something to talk about more times than not. The NBA created the Lottery to try and dissuade teams from tanking. It has not dissuaded people from talking about it. One thing I will guarantee you is that not one player on Pistons or Raptors would rather lose than win tonight. Players always want to win at the end of the day. It is easy to sit back and say a team should just try and lose as much as possible. You don't have to live through it the same as players do. If you decide to watch it is no big deal. They have to show up for every game 82 normally but 66 this year. So cheer for Raptors to win or lose but one way or the other this game will have an impact for the people that are tanking their way through this season.

Raptors Reach Double Figures.

The Raptors came out all business on this night. Demar DeRozan leading that charge. He would have about as perfect a first quarter as you could going 4-4 from the field and 4-4 at the line to lead all scorers with 12 points in the opening stanza. He was also doing a better job on defense as well, something that was missing against the Bobcats. Raptors as a team were bringing it on the defensive side of ball holding the Pistons to just 36% shooting from the field. The Raptors were shooting a blazing 57.9%. Yet despite all of this it was just a 28-24 lead after one. Part of the reason for that was the Pistons getting on the offensive glass as they had 5 offensive boards 3 of which came from Jason Maxiell.

Raptor would keep things rolling on the right path in the second. They had some nice ball movement in this game with with 19 assists in the first half and 9 of those coming from Jose Calderon. Raptors had 19 bench points to go with those 19 assists as everyone that came off the bench to this point has points lead by Barbosa with 8. Raptors had the lead into double figures and looked dominate at times or like the only team not already on All-Star break. However the Pistons would show signs of life before the end of the half cutting the lead to 8 with a halftime score of 53-45. They had also slightly improved their shooting percentage to 40.5% while the Raptors were still hot at a 57.5% clip.

Raptors came out in the second half and picked up their effort on defense which had been pretty good to begin with. They would hold the Pistons to just 15 points in the 3rd. They had won every quarter in this game and had a 74-60 lead to show for their efforts. The fact they were the rested team and had many days to prepare for this one was showing through on the floor.

Raptors had done a fair job keeping Greg Monroe in check with 13 points and 8 rebounds for him through 3 quarters. He would have a strong final quarter scoring 17 points and having 6 rebounds. Still, the Raptors would find a way to hang on in this one. It was a real team effort in the end. Perhaps the best symbol of that team win was Aaron Gray, having 12 points and 12 rebounds. His efforts did not go unnoticed by the 17,125 that were in attendance. Late in the game the ACC rang out with MVP chants for Aaron Gray. It was a moment for sure and one that you likely never expected to see this season. The Raptors in the locker room after 103-93 win were in good spirits. While Gray was talking with the media post game James Johnson on the other side of the locker room was chanting MVP. Demar DeRozan later in talking with the media also approved of the fans showing Gray some love. DeRozan led the Raptors in scoring with 23 points and 7 rebounds.

Jose Calderon had just 5 points in this game but 15 assists of the Raptors 30 on the night. Casey had praised Jose pre-game and acknowledged the fact the phone has been ringing with many teams inquiring about Jose Calderon. That said Casey seems fine with Jose staying right where he is and after his performance last night likely nothing changes in that regard. Jerryd Bayless was back at full strength backing him up with 7 points and 4 assists off the bench in 20 minutes.

Ironically, the Raptors are right on pace with what I predicted here in the DNB as they sit 10-23 heading into the All-Star break with half of their 66 game sked in front of them. If they get a healthy Andrea Bargnani back after the All-Star break they should have no problem surpassing the modest 20-46 prediction we made at the start of the season. This was just the 4th win of the season without him as the Raptors are 4-16 minus the Primo pasta spokesman. You could make a case this team would have a decent chance at the playoffs had they had a healthy Bargnani for the full season. Even though the playoffs are still a mathematical possibility they are likely not a logical reality. The Raptor longest home stand of the season is in the books and they only manage to go 2-5 and 5-11 at home on the season. But you can feel confident that in the 2nd half the Raptors should improve on that home record and overall record if they can be healthy in the second half of the season and have the same Andrea Bargnani we saw in the 13 games he did play in during the first half of the season. That won't improve their draft stock but it will improve the individuals that will be part of this team moving forward.

Raptors also were in talks with Wilson Chandler, who is looking to return to the NBA after signing in China during the lockout. He is a restricted free agent of the Denver Nuggets. He paid a visit to Toronto to meet with the Raptors. But before people get carried away with excitement this very well could be a leverage move on the part of Chandler to get a longer term deal with his former team Denver. They would have 4.6 Million to bring him back if they so choose to do so. The Raptors could not go beyond that number with out making some sort of roster moves to do so. Chandler has till Match 1st to sign an offer sheet with another team. If not he could only re-sign with the Nuggets or sit out the rest of this season and be a RFA again in the upcoming off-season. Aside from the Nuggets and Raptors his agent says there are 3-5 other teams that his client is considering.

Rested Raptors Take On Detroit Basketball

The Raptors will not be able to say they didn't have time to prepare for this one. They have not played since Friday with that ugly loss at the hands of the Bobcats. We saw Kemba Walker in that one, a guy some Raptors fans wanted in the draft. Tonight we see another in Brandon Knight. We also get to see one of the candidates for the Raptors coaching position in Lawrence Frank. He ended up going from being an assistant coach in Boston to the head man in Detroit. It has been a long season for him, but has his team playing well of late winners of 7 of the last 10. The Pistons have played two games since the Raptors last played. They like Toronto had earlier in this home stand upset Boston 96-81 on Sunday. Last night they blew a sizable lead in the 4th and lost to the Cavs 101-100.

Detroit looks nothing like the Pistons teams that were contenders and won a title with Larry Brown over the Lakers. Since Rip Hamilton left for the Bulls really the last remaining piece from those days is Tashaun Prince. Ben Wallace is back for a second and likely final run in Detroit as well. They also have former Raptor Charlie V who has only played in just two games this season and has been plagued with an ankle injury. He along with Ben Gordon signed massive deals with the Pistons and it has been a massive failure by all accounts. Joe Dumars the former Piston legend player was at one time considered one of the best G.M's in the league. His selection of Darko, the trade to acquire Allen Iverson and these signings are just three of many reasons not many think that anymore.

Still despite all that the Pistons do have then own core of young talent starting with former Georgetown center Greg Monroe who is leading the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game and is close to averaging a double double on the season with 9.7 rebounds. We already mentioned Brandon Knight who started slow but has been showing signs of improvement after that slow start. These two combined with a number of younger players like Austin Daye, Jonas Jerebko and even Rodney Stuckey make up that core. These in short, are not your father's Pistons. Also is gone is the normal sellout crowds that were common place for Pistons. The decline in the economy in Detroit has been mirrored the decline of the Pistons. That makes for a bad combination in trying to sell tickets.

3 Keys:

Full 48: Raptors have no excuses to go flat out in this game. Having not played since Friday and this being the last game before the All-Star Break. So nothing short of a 48 minute effort will be acceptable.

Run Run Run: Take advantage of the fact you are the fresher team and push the pace of this game. Get out and run in transition. Try and wear the Pistons out and make them give in. They are also wrapping up the schedule prior to All-Star Weekend so give them a reason to punch out early.

Best D Wins: Frank was being considered for the Raptors job for the same reason Casey got the job and that is defense. Both are considered to be known for that and you can expect both with be matching wits with there limited talent to try and stop the other from having success.

I am down at the ACC for this one once again so no re-cap tonight. Also no Radio tonight as the station is doing some sort of charity try and the show has been given the week off. But I will be down at the ACC looking for some stuff to keep you entertained over the All-Star Break.

No Motown Miracle 2

I have to be honest. It is the eve of March Madness and we have two teams out of the playoff on a Wednesday in March is not really exciting me. That is what the season has become. Would be nice to see the Raptors win but it kinda doesn't help them at this point. But we do all 82 so let's get another one in the books shall we? This was where one of the more exciting moments of this season happened. It was where the Raptors made their largest comeback in Franchise History. So here we go with the Green Machine. I hate these Green jerseys I have tweeted it, said it in the preview just makes us look like Celtics not playing like them though. Rajon Rondo as a Raptor that would be nice.

Raptors got the open basket but the Pistons would get the better of the early play and take a 10-4 lead. Things would only get worse and a turnover turned into an easy lay-up for Monroe with no GREEN jersey in a mile of him. Pistons had a 14-6 lead and Triano needed a time out and finally took one. A nice cut to the hoop and lay in for DeRozan but Pistons get a 3 on the other end and another 2 points and is was 21-12 just past midway point of the first. As I said in preview beware of T-Mac and he was doing it again some Raptors fans from Windsor must booing him Whatever it was he was kicking tail and Pistons led 33-18. The Raptors looked terrible it was 35-22 and clearly their defence did not make it through customs. Pistons would light up the Raptors for 38. It was 38-24 for Pistons shooting 60.9%.

Raptors scored the first 4 points of the second but Pistons got a easy put back to get on the board and the lead was 10. Piston would go to work on the Raptors and quickly build the lead to 45-30 and another wasted effort time out from Triano. What is the point honestly this team can't defend and he knows it, they know it and we know it. Pistons just continued the beat down as Ben Gordon nails a 3 ball to make it a 20 point Pistons lead 51-31. Raptors did show a pulse with a little 6-0 burst but it was hardly time to get excited. Raptors had made things a little more respectable score wise 59-44. Raptors did get back in it thanks mostly due to Evans and Barbosa. It was 63-52 and given the train wreck that first half was Raptors should feel very luck to be in this game at all.

Bargnani started 2nd half with a bucket could the Pistons blow another big lead to the Raptors again? Prince and Rip combine to say no. But Andrea was saying yes nailing a 3 and it was 65-57. Hamilton well rested make the answer three ball. This was looking bad for the Pistons as the Raptors were now just 6 down and as close as they had been in a very long time. Pistons were starting to get rolling again and had lead back to 10 and a Raptor time out at 78-68. Raptors were growing frustrated with whistle not blowing in their favour and were down 83-74. Nice no look pass by James Johnson the only Johnson standing on this night to DeRozan for the easy flush and Raps were down a touchdown to the Lions. Wait they are locked out make that the Pistons. Detroit would get lead to 11 and were still shooting 60.3%. 87-76 After 3.

Raps would start another charge to begin the 4th and got this game to a 5 point game with Barbosa drive and score. But that is as close as the Raptors would get there was no Motown Miracle the sequel. in the end Pistons build back there lead and were adding to it late up 107-91 with under 2 to play. In the end it is a Pistons 107-93 win.

I mentioned Davis and Monroe match-up in preview and that was BIG!!!

Raps Roll Into Motor City

Raptors will be busting out those ugly green uniforms tonight. I have never been a fan of those. Makes them look like the Celtics. If it made them play like Celtics I would be in favour of them. The Raptors and the Pistons are both going through hard times. Earlier this season Detroit had a revolt against it's coach and he only played 6 players in a game in response. Can we hope for another revolt tonight? Probably not. Amir Johnson the former Piston has remained back in Toronto. He tweaked his other ankle in practice according to reports. He is doing a nice thing for you fans that have supported him this season though. He has organized a pretty cool contest for 50 fans to hang with him. Check out the details here. He has really embraced Toronto at a tough time to do it. He deserves a lot of credit for that as much as he does for being a warrior for this team this season. When Amir Johnson isn't playing in a game, people because of knowing type of guy he is, never question it for a second.

The Basics: Raptors 18-48 (Lost 13 in A Row on Road) Pistons 23-44 (16-17 at Home)

When Last We Saw Them: Raptors battled with the Bobcats but off nights from Andrea Bargnani and Demar DeRozan was just to much for the Raptors to over come. Reggie Evans tried to will the team to a victory but they fell short and Bobcats got an important win for their playoff chances.

Key Match Ups: Good rookie battle with Greg Monroe the former Hoya taking on Ed Davis the former Tar Heel getting the start for the injured Amir Johnson. Monroe is having a good rookie year averaging 8.5 points and 7 boards a game. Davis in less games has averaged 7 points and 6.8 boards per game. This will be a good test for Davis with someone at the same level as him in Monroe. Whenever Tracy McGrady sees those old Raptor uniforms it tends to fire him up. Maybe the green jerseys will throw him off. He makes up the back court with Richard Hamilton who has been living in the Dog House in Detroit. He was rumoured to be heading to the Nets in the Mello deal that never was. He has been benched for many games this season racking up more DNP-CD's than points at times. It makes for an odd match-up for the Raptors. I am not sure I want Jose Calderon guarding T-Mac. So perhaps we see DeRozan on him. Some people (I being on of them) see a lot of McGrady's game in DeRozan.

Other Things of Note: We are having fun with March Madness on Yahoo and on The Score.com with Bracket Buster. Once you have signed up on The Score join our group DNB Madness the password is dnb4life. As for Yahoo, if you have a Yahoo account already just click on the link and join are group. If not make a Yahoo account and then just click on it. I love March Madness. I will share a couple personal stories with you as to why. When I was little back in the old days the only games we would get in Canada were the late games on Thursday and Friday. They started at 11:35pm well past my bedtime. But every March Break, I would go spend time with my Grandmother, and bless her heart she would make all my favourite snacks and go to bed and let me stay up and watch. March Madness always reminds me of her as a result. In modern times it has become a family tradition for my mom (Who knows nothing about College Basketball) to fill out brackets and try and beat me, who does know some things about College Basketball. She did win one year based on an incredible run by the LSU Tigers led at the time by current Celtic Glen "Big Baby" Davis. We don't have any prizes it is all for fun. So join in the fun and sign up.

Update: Had a chat with our Friends at St Louis Wings they are coming up with something for the winner of our Yahoo Bracket Pool. I did it for that one because The Score one does have prizes from The Score available. I will share details on what you can win in blog tomorrow or if you can't wait that long when I find out will tweet it as well.

Where Is It On? TSN 2 (I screwed up on this one and that is no joke)

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

Restricted or unrestricted? That is our next obsession. What was arguably one of the busiest and craziest NBA trade deadlines in recent history, has now passed. Now, we shift our focus toward the playoffs and further, to another season of free agency, provided we are not dealing with a lockout - we will cross THAT bridge when we come to it. Fodder for debate quickly changes in the NBA. LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh were once on the tips of our tongues, however; before they even played their first game, discussions turned to Carmelo Anthony. Now with that "will he stay or will he go" debate laid to rest, new ones are emerging. The first one which comes to mind is Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets with Chris Paul and Dwight Howard a close second. Their time to fuel the fire won't really come until 2012 when they actually become free agents but don't kid your self. These players and their potential General Managers are already looking into their crystal ball. According to player's from last year's free agency, 'don't keep talking about it' would be their advice. Dwayne Wade even said if he were to do it all over again, he would have taken a page from LeBron James' approach to pending free agency: answer 'no' to questions during the season. We all know questions will be unavoidable. For now, we'll put this debate on simmer and turn our attention to three things making my radar screen: Baron Davis, Kendrick Perkins and the unravelling in Detroit.

Just Smile and Nod

If you had a choice to work near the sandy beaches and warmer climate of Los Angeles or for the worst team in the NBA and all the snow you could handle, which would you choose? If it weren't for the Cavs being a part of the deal, it would be a toss up for me (I am one of those crazy people who like the snow). This is the position Baron Davis was in last week and the only difference is, he didn't have a choice. Mind you, the Clippers aren't exactly a powerhouse but they have become very entertaining as of late and Davis did get a chance to help former teammate Blake Griffin with his high-flying final dunk over NBA All-Star weekend. Being traded from the L.A. Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers isn't the biggest challenge for him to get over, either. It's the reunion with Cavs' Coach Byron Scott which raises some flags for me. Think back to their time in Charlotte. When Byron Scott was coaching Davis then, they weren't exactly best friends. Don't forget it was Byron Scott who was the driving force behind Davis being traded from the Hornets to Golden State. But apparently they made up two years ago as a result of Davis' apology to Scott for the way he behaved under Scott's leadership. Still, I am not jumping on the Scott-Davis BFF bandwagon just yet. According to Coach Scott, Baron Davis is questionable for Wednesday night's game against San Antonio due to a sore left knee. He will be wearing the number 85 as a tribute to his grandparents who got him into basketball and who lived on 85th Street in Los Angeles. Ironically enough, he is using LeBron James' old locker which was occupied by Jamario Moon before the trade. Let's hope the 'owner heckling player' stigma doesn't follow him to Cleveland.

Lowest of the Low

What do a Canadian alternative rock band and the Celtics have in common? Both are talented and both relate to the moniker "Lowest of the Low". I watched last year's NBA final very closely and when the Boston Celtics had to soldier on without Kendrick Perkins, I thought this is has to be a major blow to their momentum and overall team morale. This feeling has to be comparable to the mood in the Celtics' locker room presently. Neither Kendrick Perkins nor his now ex-teammates were happy with the deal seeing Perkins go to Oklahoma. Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers put on a good face but he also showed signs of "we'll just have to wait and see" mode - not exactly a ringing endorsement of the trade. This much we do know. But this is where it goes downhill for me and raises some major questions. Why would Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge trade their starting center for a backup forward in Jeff Green? Does this really make the Celtics a better team? If the Celtics really thought Kendrick Perkins was a tradeable commodity, why not wait and issue a sign-and-trade and get his replacement later. This really seems like a panic trade to me since Perkins wouldn't sign a contract extension before the trade deadline. This is hard because you would think most agree Perkins was worth keeping in a Celtics' uniform for another run at the playoffs regardless of whether or not he signed a piece of paper. But on the bright side, at least the Celtics didn't do to Perkins what they did to Baron Davis. Perkins is going to a strong team and will be called on to defend and rebound - two of his strongest attributes. Let's hope both sides are able to take a deep breath and move on.

Falling apart at the seams in Detroit

By now we have read and heard every angle there is to consider about the alleged Pistons boycott. Here's what supposedly happened in a nutshell. Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Chris Wilcox missed the Piston's shoot around on Friday morning. That night the Pistons were scheduled to play the Sixers in Philadelphia and team sources were alleging the players were staging a protest. According to the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, the supposed shoot around boycott was directed at Detroit Pistons' Coach John Kuester who has been clashing with certain members of the Pistons' roster. Will Bynum, Ben Gordon, Jason Maxiell, Greg Monroe, DaJuan Summers and Charlie Villaneuva were the only ones to show up to the full shoot around, so this is why rest were allegedley benched. If you look at the box scores from Friday's game, you will notice each starter played close to or over 40 minutes each with Ben Gordon and Will Bynum playing 45 and 48 minutes, respectively. The rest were rostered but with no points or minutes played. The only one happy with the situation seemed to be Will Bynum who was happy for the extended playing time after not seeing consistent play for a month and a half. The decision to go with a 6-man rotation was the deal breaker in this game since it was clear by the end, the Pistons got tired and the Sixers never once gave up the lead. To further fuel the fire that night, coach Kuester was ejected with a pair of technical fouls with three minutes remaining in the first half. The worst part? Several Pistons players were seen laughing as Kuester was ejected.

This is a very sad situation. There were many excuses given as to why only six Pistons players saw playing time Friday. Coach Kuester even went on record saying this before the game: "We got a number of guys that have a bug, but these guys went through the shoot around the way it was supposed to. We have some things, some excuses, not excuses, but absences because of headache and stuff like that". First he indicates the group at shoot around was to play and then he retracts saying he expected "everybody to be available". This is a coach who knows his days are numbered. If the allegations are proven to be true, that this was a boycott, this could definitely hurt NBA players during Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. The pieces don't all fit together for me. Detroit's decision to go with a 6-man rotation Friday night versus the Sixers seems like an emotional reaction to what may or may not have been a boycott. No matter how much Pistons President Joe Dumars publicly supports Coach Kuester, that may not be enough to get over the mess this event has caused. When any team is met with a clear rift, what usually happens? Do you replace an entire team or just the coach? You do the math.

Thank-you once again for joining me this week. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please keep them coming by following me on Twitter (@ddegraauw) or on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw). Be sure to join me on Thursday for another dose of "NBAz in 7 Dayz" as we further discuss NBA news makers and look forward to the playoffs. See you then.

T-Mac has the Last Laugh

Call it the bottom-feeder bowl or just a game amongst bad teams, but if there was even a game for the Raps to get it together and claim a much needed victory this game was it. After this game they would head out on a 5 game roadtrip against several of the elite team and they could use some momentum heading into those games. So how would they do on a Friday night game against T-Mac and the Detroit Pistons.

This game started off with both teams pretty much going back and forth and trading buckets. The Raptors were first to get on the scoreboard first off a Jose feed leading to an Amir flush. Jose then gets a steal and DeMar scores in transition, and the Raps had a quick 4-0lead and it looked like it may just be one of those nights. Prince quickly answers to give Detroit their first points. The back and forth effect would kick into 6th gear from here. T-Mac, who has really stepped his game up as off late, was hearing it from the ACC crowd, but he didn't seem to let that phase him as he went to work and finished with 9 points to go along with 3 assists in the quarter. Seems like he may not be washed up yet and is out to prove it. He's also looking a lot more comfortable in that play-maker role. On the Raptors side of things, they seemed to be in a sharing mood as they had 9 assists on their 12 made FG's, highlighted by a DeMar dunk and a few jumpers by Bargnani. When the buzzer sounded to signal the end of the quarter the Raps trailed 31-26, Bargnani was their lead scorer with 10.

Toronto was first to score again in the 2nd quarter and continued to share the love with the assists, but the Pistons will then take control of the game led by Charlie V and Ben Gordon and would claim an 44-33 lead at the 8:30 mark. This was mostly due to the Raptors playing sloppy basketball and turning the ball over several times. That lead would peak at 14 before things got interesting and the Raptors started to make their run and it all started with a guy by the name of Ed Davis. After getting a put-back dunk at the 4:41 mark, Davis would block a Stuckey layup attempt, which lead to a DeMar score in transition and just like that it was a 10 point game. DeMar would then pick up a tech about two minutes later after arguing a call, then Triano would pick one up not too long after. From there it seemed like the Raps had all the momentum as they would go on a run to go into the break trailing by on 7 points, with the Pistons up 61-54. On the not so bright side, Leandro Barbosa left the game with 8 seconds left with what seemed like a hamstring injury and had to be carried to the locker room. Hopefully it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

So will that momentum continue into the third or would the Raps let the Pistons regain control of this game and rebuild that lead?

It didn't seem that way as the Pistons would draw blood first in the second half and would regain that double digit lead they once had, despite some made baskets from Bargnani and Calderon. I'm not sure what Triano said at halftime, but it didn't seem like he stressed boxing out as the Pistons were grabbing a ton of offensive boards, especially Chris Wilcox. DeMar on the other hand had his hands fulls with T-Mac and would ultimately pick up his 4th foul and head to the bench for a while. The Pistons would once again start increasing that lead, but it would peak at 15. The Raps made several attempts at putting a string of makes together but Detroit always had an answer. Their final run would be initiated by an Amir dunk, as they would finish the quarter on a 11-5 run to pull themselves within 6, but T-Mac would have the final say as he hits a three to silence the crowd to bring the lead back to 9. He also had a pretty sweet driving dunk in that stretch. Linas Kleiza who was silent for much of the game came alive dunking that run and scored 6 on the 11 points.

Trailing 83-74 heading into the forth, will the Raptors be able to make one final push to get the victory or will Detroit get yet another victory at the ACC. For much of the first few minutes in the quarter neither team couldn't seem to get an offensive flow going, but eventually they would and this game would have a pretty exciting ending. After getting the lead to 7 and 8 several times it seemed like Detroit just wasn't going to let Toronto have any chance of completing the comeback, as they did a month again in Detroit. They were even hitting nearly impossible shots, evident by Tayshaun Prince's high arcing desperation shot just as the shot clock expired. But then Andrea Bargnani decided to take over and try to lead his team to victory. After hitting two consecutive shots to pull his team within 5, one of which can off an offensive put-back, it seemed like maybe the Pistons would once again collapse to the Raptors team, but T-Mac quickly answered with a reverse layup. DeMar then joined in on the action and made a shot with 55 seconds left to pull the Raps within 5 once more. McGrady would miss his next shot giving the Raps another opportunity to chip away at the lead, but Calderon threw a pass to Amir that he wasn't prepared for and just like that this game was over. Detroit would hit a few FT's and jose would hit one last shot, but in the end the Raptors fell 101-95.

T-Mac led the Pistons with 22 points and added 5 assists, while Bargnani led the Raps with 31 points and pulled down 9 rebounds( if only he could do that more often). DeRozan chipped in with 15 points. In a game that they really needed to win before heading out on the road, the Raps once again let the efforts of Andrea and DeMar go to waste down the stretch and end their 3-game home stand with a 1-2 record. Up next they head to Washington for a Saturday night showdown with the Wizards tomorrow.

Additional Game Notes:

• Richard Hamilton did not play in this game
• Leandro Barbosa's injury's has been diagnosed as a right hamstring strain, not sure he'll be able to go tomorrow
• the Raptors 5-game streak of shooting 50% or above from the field came to an end tonight
• Greg Monroe's streak of 4 straight double doubles ended tonight, he finished with 11 points and 7 boards
• 2 of Detroit's 4 road wins this season have come in Toronto

"Behind Enemy Lines"

The Raptors are on a 3 game road trip after hosting the Pistons at the ACC on Friday and need to consider two things about their opponents: the depth of their bench and sustaining a lead for more than 2 quarters. We are seeing some pretty good basketball from the Raptors and their starters putting up better numbers but their downfall has been playing consistently. This week they are up against Detroit, Washington, New Orleans and San Antonio. Consider the points I mention below when watching these games. I look at each game individually and analyze what the Raptors need to do to win. Yes, even against the Spurs who are first in the Western Conference because I believe the talent is there. Let's get to it.


Detroit Pistons @ Toronto Raptors - Friday, January 14

• These two teams have played twice already this season and split the wins.
• Their last meeting on December 22, saw Detroit win 115-93 over the Raptors.
• During this game, Detroit's top 4 starters averaged about 24-28 playing minutes. Toronto's top 4 averaged a significant amount more at 33-37 minutes. Not much difference in production from the top 4, the difference came from the bench.
• Detroit Pistons Inactive List: Jonas Jerebko (right Achilles tendon - partial rupture), Terrico White (broken right foot) - both have missed 37 games so far and Ben Wallace.
• The Raptors need to watch: Richard Hamilton and Tracy McGrady who had 35 and 17 points respectively coming off the bench during their last meeting with the Raptors.
• The Key for Raptors: Go hard in the first two quarters and go into the 3rd quarter with a respectable or sizable lead. During their last meeting with Detroit, the Pistons dominated the 2nd quarter producing 38 points to the Raptors' 21. The Raptors' fought to catch up after that.

Toronto Raptors @ Washington Wizards - Saturday, January 15

• These two teams played twice this season and split the wins.
• Their last meeting on November 16th saw the Wizards win 109-94.
• Washington lead the first 3 quarters of this game. Three of their 5 starters put up double digit points, including Gilbert Arenas with 20 and Andray Blatche with 22.
• The key to this game was Washington had a more consistent and productive bench: Nick Young with 20 and Hilton Armstrong with 10.
• Washington's Inactive List: Josh Howard and Hamady Ndiaye.
• Key for the Raptors: Do not let the lead change hands and if it does change, keep it to a minimum and of course, on the Raptors side. And shut down Nick Young. Young had 43 points in the Wizards' last meeting with Sacramento which saw the lead change 5 times and tie 8 times. Be consistent and solid.

Toronto Raptors @ New Orleans Hornets - Monday, January 17

• This will be the first of three meetings for these two teams this season.
• New Orleans currently sits at 6th in the Western Conference and is on a two game win streak as of Thursday morning.
• New Orleans pulled off a 92-89 win in their last game versus Orlando where they lead the 1st and 4rth quarters.
• This will the first time the Raptors will meet their former teammate Jarret Jack since he was traded to New Orleans. He has played 27 games in a Hornets jersey - none of them as a starter. (As a Raptor this season, he played 13 games all of which were starts).
• The next time they meet after Monday's game will be on March 1st in Toronto.
• Key for the Raptors: stay strong in the first half and even stronger in the 4rth quarter. The Hornets have guys like Chris Paul and Marcus Thorton who can be counted on for key shots and for putting up solid numbers.
• Hornets Inactive List: Marcus Banks and David Anderson.

Toronto Raptors @ San Antonio Spurs - Wednesday, January 19

• This will be the first of two meetings for the Spurs and Raptors.
• San Antonio currently sits at 33-6, is in 1st place in the Western Conference and is on a 4 game win streak as of Thursday morning.
• Their last game against the Bucks saw a 91-84 result in favor of the Spurs. They only lead the 3rd and 4rth quarters of this game.
• Spurs Inactive List: James Anderson.
• Key for the Raptors: Don't count out the Spurs if you are leading at the half. They are a team who has proven their ability to re-group and score points. And forget about their record and standings - they are just like any other team in the NBA - a team to beat.

Thanks for joining me today. As always, I love hearing your comments and suggestions. Please add me on Facebook and Twitter - I am the one with a purple jacket and a red microphone. Or you can leave a comment after this article and I will add you. (Go to the friend page not the "public figure page". The "public figure page" just popped up and is not authorized).

As always have a great weekend and I will see you here on Tuesday for more NBA coverage in "NBAz in 7 Dayz".

"Behind Enemy Lines"

This week will be an interesting one for the Toronto Raptors. It's getting down to crunch time - Christmas is just around the corner and whether they celebrate the holiday or not, the Raptors are praying for a few presents in the form of wins. Call me crazy but the Raptors have the potential to walk away from the upcoming week with a 3-0 record. Yes, even against the Lakers. Keep reading to find out why.

Friday, December 17th - New Jersey Nets @ Toronto Raptors

• This will be the first time these two teams have met this season. The Raptors won all four contests versus the Nets last season.
• New Jersey acquired Sasha Vujacic from the Los Angeles Lakers and 2 first round draft picks in a three-way deal with the Lakers and Houston. Vujacic was with the Lakers his entire career (7 years) before the trade and has appeared in 11 Lakers games this season averaging 1.8 points in less than 5 minutes per game. Unless New Jersey gives him a different role, the Raptors don't have to be stressed about Vujacic.
• Anthony Morrow is out for New Jersey for 2-3 weeks with a strained right hamstring.
• Key for Raptors: Watch for Jordan Farmar to start alongside Devin Harris in the backcourt. Farmar has been averaging 25 minutes and 10 points in his last three games.

Sunday, December 19th - Los Angeles Lakers @ Toronto Raptors

• This will be the second time these two teams have met this season. Although the Lakers won 108-103 during their last meeting, it was only by five points and the Raptors scored 38 points to L.A.'s 22 in the second quarter.
• L.A. acquired Joe Smith in a 3-way trade with New Jersey and Houston. He brings experience to the team since he has played 15 years in the league. However, he has only played in 4 games this season for New Jersey with insignificant impact.
• Andrew Bynum and Derrick Caracter are back in the line-up for the Lakers.
• Raptors need to watch Kobe Bryant and his decoy role playing. Against Indiana Wednesday night, Kobe scored 25 of his 31 points in the second half to beat the Pacers 109-94.
• Key for the Raptors: The Lakers are winning games but they have to work for it and not all are coming easy. They have faced fourth quarter deficits in 7 of the 9 games they played before meeting the Pacers Wednesday. If they can come out strong in the first half and find a way to stop Kobe and his late-play antics, maybe just maybe this game could go in the Raptors' favour. Maybe.

Wednesday, December 22nd - Detroit Pistons @ Toronto Raptors

• This will be the second time these two teams have met this season. On Saturday, December 11th, Detroit botched a 25 point lead and handed Toronto the game (120-116 Toronto).
• Terrico White (broken right foot) and Jonas Jerebko (partially ruptured right Achilles tendon) are out for Detroit.
• Raptors need to keep an eye on rookie Greg Munroe. He has had 2 opportunities to start for Detroit and is looking to prove himself.
• The Key for the Raptors: Detroit has been showing signs of improvement but have a long way to go. They have been putting up 20 point-plus leads but then unable to close some of those games. The Raptors need to capitalize on this misfortune and rebound, rebound, rebound.

Thank-you for joining me today. More "NBAz in 7 Dayz" will continue on Tuesday. Enjoy your weekend.