As Must Win As It Gets

Tonight I am going to try something a little different with the Raptors vs T-Wolves. Often if I am not working a Raptor game for The Score I can be found on Twitter during games sharing my thoughts. I often find at times between the people that I follow and those that follow me sometimes Twitter can be a pretty entertaining game companion. So I have decided to try the DNB's first ever TweetCap. It will be a re-cap that incorporates all off the stuff that is flying around on Twitter during a Raptors game. So if you have thoughts during tonight's game fire a tweet at me @dinonationblog and you may end up part of the TweetCap of the game. This is something new I am trying so will see how it turns out but it should be fun. The Raptors take on the T-Wolves who have lost 12 straight and the Raptors have won 11 straight vs T-Wolves. All signs point to a Raptors win but given the way things have been lately nothing is guarantee but what is always a guarantee is that Twitter will have entertaining things said by myself and others.

Also will be back at Brooklyn's this week for Raptors and Jazz (Wednesday), 291 Queenston Road here in Hamilton. Will have another set of tickets courtesy of Raptorman.ca and some other prizes to give away. So if you are in the Hamilton area make sure you come out and have some fun and cheer on the Raptors. It will be not easy to get a win over the Jazz but it is very easy to win something if you come out and be part of the fun. In playing the Jazz and Denver in the next 2 games that is what makes a win tonight almost a requirement. The T-Wolves have just 14 wins on the season and just 9 at home. Raptors enter tonight 4 games back of the Bucks for 5th, a game behind Miami for 6th and a half game behind the Bucks for 7th. They are still 2 and half games in front of Chuck Swirsky's Chicago Bulls.

Three of those four are in action tonight as well. Miami has guaranteed win night in New Jersey, The Bucks host the Hawks in what right now would be a first round playoff preview. While the Bulls host the Houston Rockets in Chicago. So that is your scoreboard watching menu along with the Raptors and T-Wolves.

Raptors had a 94-88 win over the T-Wolves in early December. In reading my recap of that it appears the Raptors did not exactly bring their A game on that night. In terms of tonight they better bring it. The Raptors are running out of time to not just secure a playoff spot but build any kind of hope in this fan base that they can win once they get there. T-Wolves are a young team that on a given night can be dangerous. Those nights are few and far between. Jonny Flynn should be jacked up though after watching his Orange roll through Gonzaga yesterday not to far from his hometown in Buffalo. Flynn was one of the stars of last year's March Madness and he now has the grim reality of what life in the NBA is like. When you are 14-56 and just playing out the schedule that is a little different from trying to make an exciting run to a national championship in college.

Keep in Madness mode Chris Bosh and Jarrett Jack watched their former College Paul Hewitt coach and the Yellow Jackets go down to defeat to Ohio State. G-Tech's star Derrick Favors had a very rough day and was invisible for most of the game. Chris Bosh can not have that happen for him in any of these games down the stretch for the season. I also have to say that once he got rolling Evan Turner is pretty fun to watch. He will be one of the guys you hear a lot about heading up to the draft in June if you do not follow college basketball to any degree. If you are even a casual fan you have no doubt heard of... if not seen Evan Turner do his thing. He along with John Wall from Kentucky (My Pick to win the Tournament) are considered the top 2 talents for the NCAA in the NBA Draft assuming both decide to enter it.

The great thing about March Madness is it is one and done. There are no second chances. It can lead to massive upsets like the Cornell Big Red the Ivy League Champs knocking off 2 higher seeds or Northern Iowa knocking off the Kansas Jayhawks the number 1 seed in this tournament. The Raptors need to catch a bit of that college spirit and play like they have no tomorrow. If they take the mentality into every game they hopefully can win more then they lose. Tonight losing is simply not an option.

Go Huskies Go

No we have not become a blog on the UConn Huskies. The Raptors bust out the retro Toronto Huskies uniforms. The Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers on November 1st 1946 for the first game in NBA history. The Huskies would only last that first season and finish with a record of 22-38. Former Raptor and Celtic Dee Brown will be in the house tonight for this one. He was most famous for winning a Slam Dunk Title as a Celtic with his dunk hiding his eyes as he jammed it home. He played in the later stages of his career with the Raptors and was one of the players on those early Raptor teams pushing to make the playoffs. The current Raptors turned Huskies for the night are looking for their 3rd straight win. The Raps have won 10 straight games vs the T-Wolves in the recent history of this match-up. No idea if the Huskies every played the Minneapolis Lakers. I do joke about being old, but I am no where close to that old.

The Raptors look to keep the ball rolling as this is the first half of yet another back to back. The Raps will be off to Milwaukee after this one to take on the surprising Bucks and Brandon Jennings. First thing first though as the T-Wolves have a new direction under Kurt Rambis but to this point the same old results they have had in the post K.G era. They have there own stud rookie as well in Jonny Flynn. I am a huge fan of Flynn and around the draft he was my choice for the Raptors but he never made it to the Raptors pick.at #9. Who the Raptors did pick in Demar DeRozan is starting to show signs as he has scored in double figures in his last 3 games.

Kevin Love will be in the line-up for the T-Wolves. I personally have never been high on Love. The player of course. He may have his most notable things happening off the court and on Twitter as he leaked the firing of Kevin McCale and for blasting his team during the draft via twitter. He returns from injury and will be a force on the glass that the Raptors(Oops Huskies) must account for.

I wonder if this means in 55 years they will bring back the purple dino uniforms. There is something to live the next 55 years to find out. Wonder what the kids in 2065 will think of those?

You have to hope the Raptors keep the foot on the gas pedal tonight and do not let up thinking that the T-wolves are an easy win. If the Raptors have learned anything from their struggles early on in this season, it should be that they can not afford to take anyone lightly. The Raps have a realistic shot at winning 4 games in a row if they can take this back to back set they will have done it. After that they will return to the place where they bottomed out as they will host the Hawks on Friday. Only makes sense the Raptors will be motivated to perform better in that one. Hard to imagine they could play much worse.

So for tonight Go Huskies Go.

All Hands On Deck In Minny? Not Quite

I just heard on the Fan 590 that Chris Bosh will be in the line-up tonight vs Minnesota. This game is not being broadcast here, but for those of you that learned last season thanks to TSN 2 there are ways to find the game. Check my Twitter account @dinonationblog as I posted a link that should (Cross your Fingers) get you a link to the game on the web. It has been difficult to evaluate this team without it's two biggest parts being on the sidelines. Hedo Turkoglu did not travel with the team but did practice with the squad before they took off for Minny. Perhaps we see Hedo in the game vs the Wizards on Sunday? It has been a mystery as to when we will see Hedo but let's hope it is sooner rather than later.

The T-Wolves have a new coach and lots of young players and are looking to turn the page from the McCale years and move forward. Should be interesting to see what the T-Wolves look like. Chris Bosh even if he is going to play it would likely not be to much you would have to figure. Jonny Flynn will be playing for the T-Wolves no doubt. He was considered by the Raptors in the draft but never made it to the Raps. The Raptors would have had an interesting choice if both Flynn and DeRozan were on the board. But it never happened so why worry about and it seems the Raptors are very happy with Demar. Kurt Rambis is the new guy running the show in Minnesota. The former Laker returns to the Lakers former home. However that was a long time ago when the Lakers called Minny home. This game is the pre-season home opener for the Timerwolves who have a win over the Bucks under their belt. The defeated the Bucks 117-103. Kevin Love had 17 points and I am not sure if he tweeted about it. He was one of 6 T-Wolves in double figures.

In case you missed it...DNB Radio was back last night. It was a last minute choice to bring the show back. There have been some schedule conflicts that had not allowed me to do the show last last few weeks. As a special treat and some motivation to listen to it I included the raw audio of my interviews with Demar Derozan and Reggie Evans, as well as a couple questions I had for Jay Triano. That along with some thoughts on the Raps from me on their first couple pre-season games. Check in out over on the right under DNB Radio.

I will be doing my weekly Radio appearance on Off The Bench on late night radio on CJLO in Montreal. I am usually on at 12:15am so you can listen to it on the internet on their website. So you can hear my thoughts on the Raps and T-Wolves if I can track down a way to see the game via the internet with Chris Bosh making his pre-season debut it is worth the effort trying to find it.

B.C Speaks, We Listen And Trades Happen

Why wait for tomorrow when you can do it tonight? Right? So 1,2 and 3 trades go down. But first this is the Dino Nation Blog and Bryan Colangelo was front and center for the media today. Colangelo has always been a pretty straight shooter and today was no exception. So what did we learn? From the mouth of B.C barring something totally unforeseen the next Raptor will be one of 5 guys.

Jrue Holiday (UCLA) - Expected back for a second look prior to Thursday. Just my take they are trying to convince themselves he is better than Jonny Flynn. But I am here to say no way. Size may matter but heart matters more. That being said Eric Smith in his chat today was high on him and thinks Raps are as well.

Demar DeRozan (USC)- Let's call him the people's choice. I remember another people's choice. Ed O'Bannon. Not saying Demar DeRozan is going to have that awful a career. Let's all hope so if the Raps to take him. But I am not digging this private workout against no one. I am just not digging when people say Vince Carter and this guy in the same sentence. They mean in potential talent not in attitude. I have been told and read he is a tremendous kid and I have no doubt of that. But 19 with upside is not making me get as excited as everyone else. But he could indeed be the top guy on the board for the Raps at 9.

Gearld Henderson (Duke)- Love the player hate the school. I have seen him play and I like what he can do. If I am endorsing anyone that played for Duke they have to be good. Henderson just seems to me a guy that I can trust is going to be good. I am more confident in what I am getting in him than I am convinced in what exactly I get in DeRozan. Here is something to chew on. Henderson is more ready now to play in NBA. Where have I heard that before? Brandon Roy was the most draft ready and some guy named Bargnani was drafted for his upside. Just something to think about when you compare DeRozan and Henderson. The gap in Mock drafts may make it look like these players are not close at all. But reality is that I think they are.

James Johnson (Wake Forest)- B .C likes this guy. At least he keeps saying his name. But I am not sold on this guy. He does have a black belt so please don't hurt me. He does seem like a guy that would help on defensive side of the ball. But I just don't see it even though draft express has replaced him as the Raptors pick instead of DeRozan. Seems I am not the only one not as high on DeRozan as he has be on a steady decline and now sits at #11 on their draft board going to play with the Nets and if he is V.C like he would get to see the real V.C or what is left of him.

Jonny Flynn (Syracuse)- I am putting my one year streak of being right on the Raptors draft choice on the line with Jonny Flynn. If you read this blog on a regular basis you know how much I think of the point guard position and it's importance. I also like small scrappy guys like T.J Ford, Rajon Rondo, D.J Augustine and my new fav Aaron Brooks. Jonny Flynn is an athletic freak of nature despite his lack of size. The only thing bigger might be this kid's heart. To but that type of player in a gym with Alvin Williams...OH I LIKE IT AND I LIKE IT A LOT. Jonny Flynn is going to be not just good but great. In a point guard heavy draft I am convinced that he will be in the debate for the best in this class at the point. I am more willing to bet on Jonny than Roko and after last season I am not willing to go into another season without a legit back-up. Jonny Flynn is more than legit and if Roko does turn out ok...can you say trade Jose? It could happen. But regardless of that Flynn is a guy I trust if Calderon goes down like last year. The kid flat out wants to win and he showed you that in the NCAA post season at the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. There was a tiny point guard named Damon Stoudamire that Raptors fans booed. He turned out to be rookie of the year. Don't make the mistake of booing Jonny Flynn. He will make you sorry for doing it. Trust me.

More on what Bryan had to say tomorrow. But on to the deals....

On To the Trades

To The Spurs- Richard Jefferson

Can't stand the guy and trust me this is not the answer to save the Spurs. Jefferson has done NOTHING since Jason Kidd left Jersey. I admit that I have never liked R.J even before he insulted Toronto fans in the playoff series with the Nets. I think he has been an under achiever for the majority of his career. Over hyped and not as good as everyone says he is.

To The Bucks- Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto (For a few hours)

Said to be a cap move for the Bucks. But they add some toughness and I actually like this deal for the Bucks. At least I did when they were keeping Oberto. But as you will see he was not a Buck for long.

To The Pistons- Fabricio Oberto

Minor move but I like it for Pistons.

To The Bucks- Amir Johnson

saving money seems to be a theme for the Bucks.

To The Wizards- Randy Foye and Mike Miller

Interesting not sure what to make of it but Miller could be a nice fit and add some 3 point shooting pop. Foye will never be Roy and a fresh start can only do him good.

To The T-Wolves- Etan Thomas, Oleksiy Pecherov and Darius Songaila and the fifth overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft

Why main question is why did the T-Wolves feel the need to move up. What does this mean for their other picks in the draft? All solid questions. On the players they take back minus the draft choice I don't like the trade but add the pick and we will see.

So it is almost Midnight do you know where your favourite NBA Star is? He might not be there in the morning. The moves and trades are starting to heat up getting ready for Thursday. So hope you enjoyed this special late edition of the blog.

3 More Sleeps To Draft Night.

So much talk and speculation in the air. The NBA draft goes down this Thursday and all those Mock Drafts can be thrown out and the REAL DRAFT BOARD takes center stage. Shockingly last night no one on the MMVA's asked Bosh about his thoughts on the draft. O.K maybe it isn't so shocking. If George Stroumboulopoulos still worked for Much he would have asked. I could go on and on about how much that the MMVA's left me feeling old and less than entertained. I liked Kelly Clarkson and they should have cancelled the show American Idol once she won the first show. But this is a basketball blog not some gossip rag like Perez Hilton does. How does a guy like that get popular and tell others what is cool? If that is what determines if you are cool the Dino Blogger will pass on being cool. Although the NBA Draft process is not full of rumours and gossip. But if people expect Chris Bosh to have his name mentioned on draft night as part of a trade you will be sad and disappointed much like a little girl who did not get to touch her favourite Jonas Brother. Bosh is not getting traded on draft night. I will gladly but my streak of predicting things correct on the line.

Also, when you consider all the promotional work Bosh has being doing lately in Toronto. Can anyone seriously say that Bosh hates the city? He could stay home in Texas and not come back to Toronto until training camp for the most part. In fact lots of NBA players really do like the city. Playing for the Raptors and how folks feel about the city are not as connected as people like to believe. Demar DeRozan has been the latest who had been tagged with this anti Toronto and anti Canada label. DeRozan when he did finally workout for the Raptors said he loved the city. What concerns me far more from his thoughts on Toronto is the fact he worked out solo. I would much rather have seen him do a traditional workout against others. Unfortunately that did not happen. That likely has more to do with DeRozan's agent and not the kid himself. Agents have a lot to gain or lose on draft night just as much as the players they represent. In the way that NBA is set up the lower the player goes the less money they make. So some agents go out of their way to protect their clients from being exposed. But just in trying to avoid that sometimes that costs them just the same.

Jonny Flynn on the other hand is on the rise with most people as DeRozan and his stock for some is dropping. It is hard to find anything bad to say about Jonny Flynn. He is a small point guard that can jump out of a gym. He is a much better defender than he is given credit for. You can blame the school he played college ball for that. Syracuse using the zone as the primary defense has left many an NBA scout wonder what kind of defenders players from Syracuse can be on the next level. Joey Graham was thought to be a good defender coming out of college but playing in mostly zone at Oklahoma State perhaps helped that reputation live. The obvious issue for Flynn would be his size. However there have been a number of smaller guards to hit the league that have made that risk seem a lot less.

There has also been talk that Flynn could end up replacing what the Raptors traded away last year in T.J Ford. In terms of defense Jack Armstrong said Flynn in his opinion will be better defender than Ford. I think it is pretty common knowledge that I am a T.J Ford fan. However I agree that T.J could be a much better defender than he shows. I would also agree that Flynn is going to be more Rajon Rondo like in terms on defense. If both Flynn and DeRozan are on the board I am taking Jonny Flynn. But would Bryan Colangelo is the real question.

The worst case for the Raptors would be if both Flynn and DeRozan were gone. What happens if that is the case? Well if it is that may mean that a couple of guys have fallen down the draft board. Who are they? Could be Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry. Long before a lot of Raptor fans knew who Demar DeRozan was, Curry was the people's choice. His dad Dell a former Raptor and it seemed like a logical fit. To the best of my knowledge Curry has not worked out for the Raptors and I would expect at this late hour is not going to be. I think the major concern for Curry is defense. The two most likely teams that could hide that weakness would be the Warriors and the Knicks. Now take it for what it is worth because believe it or not people tend to lie as the draft gets closer. I know that is shocking isn't it. However the talk is the Knicks have not been in love with Curry as much as they once were. Evans has been the name I would hear tied to Derozan. Some were for Evans and others were for DeRozan. Evans is a combo guard out of Memphis and if the Raptors drafted him he most likely plays the 2. This may not be fair but when you consider all the questions the surround the Memphis program you might have some concerns about Evans. Draft Express also lists in terms of weak points his decision making and 3 point shooting.

Aside from those two player you have Jrue Holiday out of UCLA. Another combo guard that the Raptors would likely be looking to play at the 2. I personally watched a few UCLA games this year and to be honest was not blown away by him. He is said to have good defensive skills. However when I read not ready to contribute right away and limited upside that scares the heck out of me. The Pac-10 had a pretty down year overall. Which is something to consider not just with Holiday but DeRozan as well.

If you want to throw a complete wild card into the mix how about DeJaun Blair from Pitt. He much like Glen "Big Baby" Davis has lost a ton of weight since we last saw him on the floor. Davis when I first saw him in summer league for the Celtics I was truly shocked. Same reaction will be when some people see Blair. However being so undersized in terms of height I do not know if he can be effective on the next level. I can not see him ever playing at 3 and he is to small to play 4. In today's NBA I think you would need to be the second coming of Charles Barkley to be effective at the size. I don't see Blair as that. He does have a good sense of humour like Barkley though.

There is also the whole idea of teams trading up and down. That will make some Mock drafts not worth the page they are printed on. Oh the fun of it all. Bottom line is no matter how much you read or study you still will have to show up on Thursday night to know what truly is going to happen. That is what makes the draft so great. About the only thing we think he know is that Blake Griffin will be picked first by the Clippers. But maybe that is not even a lock. So as the title says 3 more sleeps to answers.

Change Is Not Easy

First off Happy Father's Day. To be honest, I lost my father and for folks in my position, this day has mixed emotions. I have mentioned my father a few times in this blog. He was not much of a basketball fan. But he did have a passion and love for sports. If he was alive today he would be glued to his T.V watching Mike Wier try to win a U.S Open. The lesson that I have always taken with me from my father is to be grateful for all that comes my way. I get to interview people and have had a chance to take my love of sports and try to make a career out of it. So it has always made me grateful for anything that comes from that. He living in Hamilton and working at Dafasco was a big Ti-Cat fan. I had the chance to cover some Cat games and go in the press box. Covering the CFL may for some not seem like a huge deal. But being in that press box at Ivor Wynne was a place I am sure my dad would have loved to have been. So I consider all that I do a privilege. It takes a lot of ego to work in the media on any level. But the lesson in that story I just told is what will always keeps me humble and grounded. So for anyone that is in my spot on this day, I hope you can have memories and remembrances that you can keep with you like that. Also, if you still are lucky enough to have your father be grateful for that everyday and not just today. Trust me in saying there are lots of folks that would trade to be in your shoes and have a father to talk with and enjoy. I am not sure what my dad would think about what I do. I would hope, that he would be proud and happy about all that I have done. I know this much the Dino Nation Blog would have a few more hits each day because my dad would likely tell everyone he knew to come on the site.

You always hear the expression that these are not you father's (Insert Team Name). Like everything in life sports teams change. Sometimes for the better and sometimes not so much. Raptors made a major change last year that would rank in the not so much category. So here we sit on the verge of change again. Some has already happened in moving Jason Kapono for Reggie Evans. Change is something that is easy to sell in hard times. Obama became President on a message of change and hope. Those two words just go naturally together. The reasons you make change is to provide a new and better outlook on things.

But not all change is good change. Chris Bosh being traded would rank in that for me. Some people may think so but it has been said in this blog many times how much I disagree with that. In fact if Bosh is traded I think it will be a loss of hope for the near future for a great deal of Raptor fans. Trading Bosh is never going to result in a deal that will match the level of player he is. People are always so quick to focus on what is wrong with Chris Bosh and they forget far to fast all the things that are right. If you are expecting to Bosh to be a Kobe, Lebron or D-Wade you will never be happy with the guy. However he has shown that at his own position on the floor he can be ranked up with the very best at his position. He is a 4 time all star and you could even make the argument that early in his career he deserved another. The constant number of Bosh rumours will continue and it does not mean much of anything. Lots of times these rumours that pop up are nothing more than test balloons to see what the reaction might be. Like say Golden State has interest in Bosh as that was the latest rumour I can remember off the top of my head. Why not put a story out that suggests a trade and see what happens. Have the Raptors and Warriors talked? I am sure they have but just as sure as I am that Raptors have talked to many teams. There is no way to truly know what gets talked about unless someone tells us. That does not happen much if NBA G.M's want to have a solid relationship with other teams. So you get these stories leaked from sources with in the organization. Every once in awhile one of these stories will be proven to be true. But just because you read something on the internet, in a newspaper or even on T.V or Radio you hear it. That does not mean anything beyond speculation 95% of the time. So as this summer rolls along keep that in mind. My speculation is that Chris Bosh will remain a Raptor and be in training camp this year. I have no sources to confirm this, it is just a general sense that I get.

Change in life can be a painful process. Wayne and Garth in Wayne's World said that they fear change. I am with them on that. Change is always a scary thing. That is why you need to have that hope to go along with it. Because without hope and faith that the change will make things better you have nothing. However to just state you want change is not enough. It takes a ton of work to make that change happen. Be it changing a country like Obama or just changing ourselves it is never easy. It takes intelligence, dedication, drive and the odd lucky break never hurts. Bryan Colangelo I think has all of those qualities to do the job. What he will turn this Raptor team into over the summer is going to be very interesting. The next part of putting that puzzle together happens this Thursday with the draft. I fully expect and yes hope that the Raptors are going to walk away from the draft with 2 first round picks.

I am not sure if this is the debate in the Raptors war room but it seems in the fan base and media it is down to two guys. Demar DeRozan or Jonny Flynn. Derozan is the favourite of most. The Raptors desperate need for a wing player and DeRozan have the athletic finishing ability that Raptors have not had since flight 15 headed to New Jersey. Flynn is a tough guy that would also fill a glaring need in back up point guard. Jose Calderon has proven that even though he is a starter worthy player that playing extended is not something his body can handle. Flynn is more or less a T.J Ford like replacement. Not in terms of personality but in terms of offering a dramatic change of pace. But be it DeRozan or Flynn the Raptors have more than one need to get back on track. That is why the 3 million or so dollars they acquired in cash considerations will be vital and will allow them to buy a 2nd 1st round pick. Honestly this MUST happen in my view. So I am planning based on it happening. There are 2 combos that I like a lot for the Raptors based on picking DeRozan or Flynn.

The DeRozan Option:

Raptors select at 9- Demar DeRozan (USC)
They acquire a pick in range of 25-30 and draft Pat Mills ( St. Mary's)

This gets the Raptors the best option they can hope for at the wing staying a 9. It also gets you a point guard in Pat Mills that in other drafts would be at the top of the class in terms of point guards. This draft has depth at the point guard position and it would be a crime if the Raptors did not take advantage of that. Mills is an Aussie like Nathan Jawai. In fact they are good friends. So in addition to getting a point guard that scouts loved at the Olympics and got praise from Chris Paul in playing against him twice. They also bring in someone that may add a level of comfort for Jawai and help in his development from a mental point of view. In the past Raptors had Jose and Garbo from Spain. Why not have a couple young Aussies to team up on the roster.

The Flynn Option:

Raptors Select at 9- Jonny Flynn ( Syracuse )
They acquire a pick in the 18-23 range and select Sam Young (Pitt)

Bryan Colangelo stated this team needs to get tougher. If you thought he was joking the trade for Reggie Evans should make you a believer he was not. Flynn despite is small size is a warrior in the way a guy like an Allen Iverson is. Not to say he plays anything like Iverson in terms of game. But in terms of heart and desire. Just look to the game the eliminated Syracuse from the NCAA Tournament for your proof. Young is part of a very tough team out of Pitt and he would offer a different answer to the wing problem than Derozan. But that does not mean it would not be a good one. If Colangelo pulled off this 2 some he again makes another statement to how this Raptor team is getting tougher and meaner. The idea of an Alvin Williams working with a talent like Jonny Flynn is something to be excited about.

At the end of the day, if Raptors can pull off one or the other it will address 2 big needs for this team. I have mentioned in talking with folks about this draft what Miami was able to do last year. They added Beasley and Chalmers and they became rotation players right away. I think that if you can do the same if you are the Raptors this year you can be very happy with things.

So once again Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Also for those without a father on this day my thoughts and prayers go out to you. But be it Mother's Day, Father's Day or Flag Day. Do not just leave it to the holidays on a calender to show the people you care about that you love them and they matter to you. We never know how long any of us will be here. Do not forget to do it or you may live with regret for the rest of your days. We all share a love of basketball but as human beings we all share some other things as well. The ability to love and be loved. Love in and of itself is the biggest risk of all. So if you love someone be it your Dad, Mom, Wife, Kids or anyone else. Always let them know it every chance you get.

Make it 7 Day- Basketball Editon

Today in Hamilton they are having a huge rally about this whole hockey team mess. I was on Fan 590 this week on Game Plan and suggested I'd rather of a NBDL franchise than an NHL one. Not that I am against my home town getting a hockey team. Just that living here all of my life I have come to doubt it would ever happen. I also have grown to be sick of the media and it's attempt to make Hockey the be all and end all in sports. If there ever is a make it 2 day in Vancouver I would be more likely to hop a plane and go to Vancouver for that than to hope in a car and drive to downtown Hamilton today. Also beyond it being make it 7 day it is The Score's Cabrel Richards aka Cabbie's Birthday. No idea how old he is but he has a child like nature that makes him who he is. So Happy Birthday to him. So in honour of Make it 7 day I have a bunch of lists of 7 for your pleasure today. We had a blog earlier this week brought to you by the letter D. Well today it is lucky 7's.

NBA Draft 7

1. L.A Clippers will select Blake Griffin
2. Memphis will select James Harden
3. OKC will select Haseem Thabeet
4. Scaramento will select Ricky Rubio
5. Washington will select Jordan Hill
6. Minnesota will select Tyreke Evans
7. Golden State will select Demar DeRozan ( OH NO Raptors Fans)

and a bonus pick at 9 your Toronto Raptors select...

Jonny Flynn

It is Friday as well. People who are on Twitter know that as Follow Friday. So I will give a little Follow Friday love here at the Dino Nation Blog with my 7 favourite twitter folks. I can not include myself but if you want to follow me it is @dinonationblog. Now on to my list.

7. @chrisbosh- CB4
6. @Rapsfan- One of the crew from Raptors Republic
5. @ JustinRWalsh- Recent guest in Dino Nation Blog
4- @NBATVAndre- Andre Aldridge of NBA T.V
3- @ Eric__Smith- Raptors own Eric Smith from @fan590
2- @jeskeets & @Tasmelas- Put these two together as they are together on The Basketball Jones
1-@stackmack- The lovely and Talented Holly Mackenzie of The Score Court Surfing and Slam

Honourable Mention to- @Nat77- Heels on Hardwood, @raps_fan- girl who loves basketball, @scottcarefoot- Raptor Blog and A guy I owe a ton too, @tj_ford- My Fav PG no matter what, and lots more should be on this list. But that will have to do.

To close out this list of 7's, Draft Express had a ton of interviews up on there site and You Tube. I watched a ton of them yesterday and here are 7 that stood out. They are in no particular order. Most come for the combine held in Chicago in late May.

DeJaun Blair (Projected 13th pick on Draft Express)



Pat Mills ( Projected 31st pick on Draft Express )



Stephen Curry ( Projected 7th pick on Draft Express )



Gerald Henderson ( Projected 12th pick on Draft Express )



Hassem Thabeet ( Projected 3rd pick on Draft Express )



Demar Derozan ( Projected 9th pick on Draft Express )



Jonny Flynn ( Projected 10th pick on Draft Express )





So that does it for me today. If the mood hits I may write something on the weekend but if not see you all Monday and enjoy your weekend. If you want to see more of these interviews head over to Draft Express I consider it the best draft site out there.

Today's Blog Brought To You By Letter D

No this blog is not about the latest puppet ad by Nike. But if you have not checked it out here it is:






The blog is brought to you by the letter D as in Delfino. Bryan Colangelo dating back to February of this season has dropped hints that Carlos Delfino would be returning to the Raptors. He pointed out that the Raptors do indeed hold his rights as a restricted free agent. Yesterday the Raptors made a qualifying offer to make sure that they keep those rights. It is the first step to be taken in what should be the return to the Raptors if all goes well. Delfino is a big fan of Jay Triano and a joke he made back at the Olympics has become the reality. Many of you have likely heard this, but for those who have not I will repeat it. Delfino was said to have joked with Triano that he would return to the Raptors when he was the head coach. No one could have imagined at the time that (A) Sam Mitchell would be fired and (B) Triano would end up as his replacement.

I never disliked Delfino and think he was decent in his time with the Raptors as short as it was. I have thought in being away for a year people have tended to over blow exactly what he was. I will fully admit that I did not keep up with his progress playing in Russia. Delfino at least the one who left was a streaky shooter and a better than average defender. He can also play some point guard in a pinch and with all due respect to Anthony Parker do it better than him. Delfino would get to play some point when he suits up for Argentina so it is a much more regular occurrence for him. So at the end of the day if Delfino is back I have no problem with it. However I do not know how much of an impact he will have but it can't hurt.

D is also for Demar DeRozan. The day that just a few days ago some fans wondered if it would happen at all is now here or at least expected to be. Derozan is scheduled to work out for the Raptors today. There has been a firestorm of opinion about why Demar was holding out on working out for the Raptors. Some go to the old standard that he has no desire to play in Canada. Others have said that it was nothing to do with Canada and everything to do with where the Raptors we picking. DeRozan has a belief like many mock drafts that he will not be there when the Raptors select at #9.

If he does in fact workout today maybe the record can be set straight. Derozan prior to all of this had been the choice of the people when it comes to Raptor fans and who they want to select. You can vote in our new poll on the right by the way. But we will see come draft night what happens in regards to DeRozan. It is clear he has lost some juice in terms of being fan favourite to Jonny Flynn who when he rolled through and since as said he would be very happy to wind up a Raptor at the end of draft night. The Niagara Falls, New York native said he lives so close to Canada that it would be just fine with him to end up in Canada as it is familiar to him living in a town on the border. USC is a long way a long way from Toronto and bet they don't see much snow.

One of the most famous stories in Raptor history is when JYD traded from the Pistons to the Raptors jumped in his truck and drove through a snow storm to get to Toronto. It made him an instant fan favourite. Speaking of which the newest Raptor Reggie Evans who is expected to bring some "D" to the Raptors was in town. I heard his interview on the fan 590 on the Game Plan and if you follow my Twitter (@dinonationblog) you already know that I am jacked up. Reggie said all the right things and finally we have a guy to fill that long lost role of Charles Oakley. In a blog I wrote just after the trade I still believe. Toughness has returned to T-Dot. No longer will the Raptors just sit back and turn the other cheek. Al Horford, Anthony Johnson and anyone else that wants to take cheap shots at Raptors beware.

Oh and last but not least a reminder that the "D"raft is coming up fast on June 25th. So I hope you all enjoyed today's blog brought to you by the letter D. You know like "D"ino Blogger or "D"ino Nation Blog.

Update 3:25pm- Demar DeRozan work out in T.O

The very talented Holly MacKenzie was at the draft workout that feature the much talked about Demar DeRozan. It seems Demar has a much different view of Toronto than some have been suggesting. Check it out through the talented and skilled words by Holly on Court Surfing Blog

Update 2 3:58- DeRozan 1 on 1 Raps.com

Video of 1 on 1 with Demar DeRozan

Starting 5 with Justin Walsh From Slam Magazine

Today's guest has been covering basketball since the age of 17. He is now a contributing writer and on the editorial staff at Slam as well as a senior writer for Ball Is Life. I can not recall what I was doing at 17, but aside from playing high school football and partying...not much. I was not covering basketball I know that much. In his work Justin has always been doing a lot of working in scouting and evaluating talent. How I got to know him was in my work livebloging for The Score. Not knowing his background I was like who is this guy and how does he know so much? I to say the least was impressed. So much so that I found out his background and got in touch with him to come talk some ball here in the Dino Nation Blog. Given his background and the upcoming draft it seemed a logical time to have him as a guest. We talk about a number of the guys in this draft class starting at the top with Blake Griffin. Justin is not exactly on the Griffin bandwagon and He tells us why. Along with his thoughts on some of the Raptors options and give his take on why Demar Derozan may not be coming to workout with the Raps. That and a ton more of interesting stuff.



I hope you were as impressed with that interview as I was. Justin was great to talk with and I will be having him back in the future for sure. I thank him for his time and look forward to having him back in the Dino Nation Blog in the future. I do my best to find interesting and knowledgeable people to come talk with us in the Dino Nation Blog and Justin does indeed fit that bill.

Tuesday Timbits

Happy Tuesday. The Orlando Magic hope it will be a lucky Tuesday for them. Can they bounce back on their home floor and make this a series? If they do not the Finals are pretty much done. They always say a series has never really gets started till a team loses on their home floor. However the way the Magic lost game 2 it had to feel like they let one slip away. Magic seem to be re-acting to the Lakers and that is not really going to work. I hear Sam Mitchell saying the Magic just have to make shots!!! But it seems that the addition of Jameer Nelson has been a distraction rather than a boost.

I think the Magic would have been better served to wait till this game to have brought back Nelson. If the Magic were going to be in the same spot of down 2-0 it may have been used as something to rally behind. The Fans in Orlando would no doubt be excited to see him return. It just seems like it might have made sense.

It has to be hard for Jeff Van Gundy to be calling the series that his brother is coaching in. I have never had a brother or sister but it would seem obvious that would be difficult. He is on Twitter if you want to read J.V.G tweets.... @Notorious_J_v_G. If Jeff ever decides to put down his headset and pick up a clipboard again I will be truly sad.

Holly Mackenzie had a good write up on Jonny Flynn who recently made his way through Toronto. She is really a talented writer and one of my favourite people to talk basketball with. I have been trying to get her to come be a guest in the Dino Nation Blog for a long time. Hopefully at some point we can put it together. But till that happens you can check her out writing for the Score Court Surfing and for Slam. She loves her ball and it shows in everything she writes. I also did a write up myself called View form the North . It is over on The Hoops Doctors site. It has in there a link up from Hoops Addict to Jonny Flynn talking to the Toronto media after his workout. They also have video of Jrue Holliday talking to the gathered media. Ryan McNeill from Hoops Addict will be my guest later in the week to talk about Draft and other basketball things as he has been covering the workouts in T.O. Look for that late Wednesday or Thursday.

I had mentioned that the Orlando Sentinal was letting fans blog for the finals. They actually have someone from Canada doing one. Check it out. In the first one Alicia Bell the writer of that complains about not being able to find a bar in Vancouver with the NBA Finals on. I think all of us in Canada can relate to that one. I remember when I dated someone who worked at a bar that was my in to getting the Raptors game put on one of the several T.V's in the place. But I don't think people should have to resort to those levels.

It is not a bar but the live blogs they put on a score can give you that bar type feel from your home or if you are out on the go and have an Iphone. That is likely where you will find me for Game 3 and beyond be it working or just as a fan. The NBA Draft is fast approaching and hopefully I have some exciting news on that as it gets closer. June 25th is the date and it is always a fun time to see what will go down in N.Y.C that has become the home of the Draft in the NBA just as it is in the NFL.

Aside from the obvious interest in Chris Bosh it seems that Anthony Parker may be on the Cavs Radar. If Cavs fans think they are landing Bosh they are nuts. I was reading something on a Cleveland site that suggested that Anderson Varejao, Delonte West and trade fodder. They also suggest they may need to add a first pick. Really you think? This is what my summer is going to be? Oh man. But Parker signing with the Cavs might be a more realistic option. Parker has always said he likes Toronto and is happy here with his family but to play with Lebron James? That might be to good to pass on. But it is just a rumour and one of about 10,000 we will hear over what has the makings of a very long summer.

Coaching News- Ivaroni and English Are In

It always makes me laugh how many times I just finish something and the Raptors create a little news with in minutes. The most famous example was my interview with Darren Rovell of CNBC. It was a really great interview and one of my best in my view. Never heard it? Here is why, it was on the same day the Raptors traded J.O. If that peaked your interest use the search engine on the right and look it up. But on to the news.

In perhaps one of the worst kept secrets in Raptors history. Mark Ivaroni will be an assistant for the Toronto Raptors. No details on if the Raptors had to give the Grizzlies any cash. They were trying to shake down MLSE for a few hundred grand. But according to Doug Smith in the Toronto Star it is a done deal for Ivaroni. Also Alex English will be back as well. Alex is a great man and I have to be honest when the talk was he was going to be out it made me feel bad. But no need to be as he will return. Mike Evans appears to be the guy with out a seat.

There is also the Alvin Williams addition that has still to have been hammered out. But given all of the media talk and buzz about that it would seem highly unlikely that does not get done as well. So we will see who else completes the staff in the coming days. Eric Smith of the Fan 590 had said Triano was hoping to have everything set to go in terms of his staff by next week. It seems that they are well on the way to meeting that goal.

Raptors cancelled draft workouts yesterday but they are in full effect today with Syracuse star Jonny Flynn headlining the list of Future NBAers in town. Chuck Swirsky in our interview raved about the type of person Flynn is. Not just him but Holly Mackenzie of Slam and The Score Court Surfing is a huge fan of Flynn and his game. Hard not to be after he had a gutsy run to and through the NCAA tournament. Jack Armstrong also had good things to say about both Flynn and Ty Lawson in his interview with us earlier in the week.Also Jrue Holiday (UCLA), Chase Budinger ( Arizona), Damion James (Texas), Alade Aminu (Georgia Tech), Goran Suton (Michigan State) were all scheduled to workout as well.

So before you know it the draft will be here. That is all for now. Have a great weekend folks.

Things I Need To Re-Gain Some Faith In Raptors

Well that interview for yesterday had to be re-scheduled. It happens. I have the people back on my roof banging again as well. To top it off the last Friday of the month means fire alarm testing. So I am a really happy camper today. I thought maybe I will just do a list of things that I need to get some faith back in the Raptors. Some might be serious, Some might be funny, Anyway here is the list such as it is. They are in no order.

Draft two players that can play in the rotation

Bring in a coaching staff that can help change the culture of this team

Be it Draft, Free Agent...Back-up point guard now.

Sign a guy that can impact on the wing. Ariza, Artest at the top of my wish list

Have someone explain to me how this team is better without Chris Bosh or have Bosh call and tell me he is staying.

6 no 12 no 24 beers.

Have the Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors swap rosters?

Steve Nash


The reality of things is I am getting cranky waiting for answers. Even though not a lot of people agree with me I still say that a move that brings Steve Nash to Toronto is the best one. Hardcore basketball folks can debate the merits of it works on the floor. But for the casual basketball fan this would make them take notice of the Raptors perhaps in a way like they never have before. Steve Nash I think still has a few basketball years left in him. If the Raptors drafted a Ty Lawson or a Jonny Flynn how good could they be made by a Steve Nash as a mentor? I would venture to say that the answer is very good. There is all of this talk that sports is a business and if that is true Steve Nash is a great business move for MLSE. Let's face facts if Steve Nash comes here the Raptors will sell jerseys. I don't have numbers in front of me but just in looking around you see Nash jerseys at almost any basketball event you would choose to go to in this country. Jose Calderon will never be the draw that a Steve Nash is in Canada. I just think it is a risk worth taking. I have expressed it many times and remain convinced this a move that would help the Raptors. No idea if Bryan Colangelo agrees but the one thing is clear he has a lot of people to convince this off-season.

Let's Get Two

The one thing that stood out for me in the Bryan Colangelo state of the Raptors address was the desire to acquire a 2nd first round pick. It makes a lot of sense to me. Now if you have that second pick your options become a lot more open on what you can do with you pick at 9. Just for an example let's say the Raptors take Jonny Flynn or Ty Lawson at #9. Both should be their if you scan the mock drafts. If you were able to acquire a pick in the late teens or early 20's you could select a player like a Sam Young. Young was here for a workout but was injured during testing for his vertical jump. That would make a dynamic duo for the Raptors to add to the mix. In a draft with a lot of point guards/shooting guards in the mix it makes sense for the Raptors to look at those guys. Roko Ukic has not done enough to not look at it. But the desperate need for a legit wing player makes it almost required for the Raptors to have 2 first round picks to address both.

If the Raptors won the draft lottery that would offer a different issue as it would be hard to pass on a talent like Hassem Thabeet who would make a quality option at the 5 coming off the bench behind Bosh and and Bargnani. There is also Ricky Rubio who Jose Calderon knows well. But the odds of the Raptors winning the lottery are very long and it would seem highly unlikely they get lucky. That being said the odds of the Chicago Bulls were long as well last year. Magically they won the lotto and low and behold the hometown kid Derrick Rose was there for the taking. This is good news for Thunder fans if you believe that the lottery is not on the up and up. The fact that Blake Griffin went to Oklahoma is playing in your favour. It would be good news for Griffin as well does anyone really want to have to go play for the Sacramento Kings who have fallen back to the level of The Clippers after a short run at the top of the west the Kings are back to being the joke they use to be.

So dealing in reality it is likely the Raptors will look to stay at 9 and look for a second pick later in the draft. Most years in the draft I would not be that optimistic about that strategy. But this year I like the plan. There is a lot of question marks in the draft. I would say that a guy picked from those later picks might have just as good a shot as some of the late picks in the lottery. The last time the Raptors had 2 first round picks it landed them Charlie V and Joey G. In the case of both they have had mixed result. Charlie clearly is the guy that may turn out to be a very good player when all is said and done. Joey is well frustrating and a guy that has lived on that potential word for a long time.

Bryan Colangelo said he wants to get tougher. Well that is why I mentioned the two players I did in Lawson and Flynn. Both in the NCAA Tournament showed a great deal of toughness. Sam Young has that kind of tough swagger too. Playing out of the Big East makes anyone a little tougher in the case of Flynn and Young. Lawson played the entire tournament with turf toe. How you get that playing on hardwood is another story. But the injury sounds like not a big deal but it is very painful. I played football in my high school years and can remember a few folks having this type of injury it is painful and what makes what Lawson did in the NCAA tournament that much more amazing.

A couple other names that I feel deserve mention are Brandon Jennings and Stephen Curry. Jennings is the kid that bucked the system. He took his skills to europe rather than being forced to the NCAA. He wanted to enter the draft right out of high school but the new rules that David Stern brought in just a few years ago. Jennings at one point was a legit option for the Raptors at 9. But he is climbing up the draft boards and will likely not be there for the Raptors. Curry is the pick of some including Draft Express for the Raptors at 9. There is some common sense in all of this. Curry did after all start hitting jumpers on the floor at the ACC. Not the conference but the Raptors home arena. His father Dell played for several years with the Raptors. It makes sense that Stephen would not have any issues with coming to Toronto. He is undersized and a lights out shooter. Many question if he can do that on the next level. I think he can but I am not sold he makes a solid fit for the Raptors. How can he guard his position on the next level would be my major concern. I watched him go head to head with Pat Mills in the NIT and he did light up the scoreboard but so did Mills who he was guarding most of the time. Mills is a smaller point guard that is lightning quick. But if Curry can't stop him how does he stop bigger and stronger folks on the next level. The answer to be says that he does not. He has a roll in the NBA but on a team looking to improve on the defensive end it does not seem like a good selection.

Put hey we have lots of time to talk about it all. The draft is still over a month away and we have yet to even find out where the Raptors will be selecting. To find that out come join me as I host a live Blog on NBA Lotto night that is set to start @ 7pm on May 19th.