Today starts a new era for the Dino Nation Blog. I am excited to get Team DNB rolling. I hope you will enjoy the contributions of the team I have put together. The hope is at the end of the day we end up with more content and better content for you the readers, listeners and viewers of the Dino Nation Blog. Having people that I can count on will allow me to focus on doing more audio and video content moving forward. It will also give me a chance to work on other things like attempting to get more guests for the Starting 5, planning some events to involve you more in the Dino Nation Blog and focus on building a big and better Dino Nation Blog in general. That in a nutshell explains why #Team DNB was created. I am still looking for more people to potentially be part of our team. The goal is to have a strong well oiled machine by the time the Raptors get ready to start next season in the fall. So I hope you will enjoy this and will enjoy the new people and content and fun this will hopefully create for you as a DNB reader. That all said, I still will be writing here and haven't done that in about a week, as I took some time off to take a break and get these new folks all set up to be part of DNB. So in the famous words of Reggie Evans LET'S GET IT!!
While I was away if you had told me we would be talking about Vince Carter on the first day I was back that probably would have made me chuckle. He did an interview with the guys from Raptorblog on The Score. While the interview was well done and interesting, it in the end was typical Vince Carter. The one thing that seemed to get everyone talking was the fact that Vince said he would be willing to consider returning to Toronto. This seemed to shock people and it was almost like the Raptors were actually considering that. I don't think an older version of Vinsanity is what the Raptors have in mind for solving their issues at small forward. Carter has never been the greatest defender in the world either. I am all for Vince having his day in the sun returning to Toronto to have his number retired some day. I just don't care to see him back for a second run with the Raptors. Antonio Davis did that once for a little while and it only showed that he was a shadow of his former self. Ultimately Vince Carter has reached the point in his NBA career that if he wants to keep playing can he really rule out any team to play for at this point? It is not like people were knocking down his door last year before he eventually signed in Dallas. It is not like how he performed with the Mavs has made his value increase at all. So while it would be interesting for writing and create lots of interest, both positive and negative, the idea of Vince Carter coming back to the Raptors is kind of far fetched and doesn't make any sense.
Speaking of not making sense that brings us to Jeremy Lin and the Raptors supposed interest in him. Keep in mind I was the guy and this was the blog that suggested the Raptors get Jeremy Lin last off-season before there was a Linsanity and a ton of hype attached to him. This was as an economically friendly flyer on a kid that might have some talent. The truth is the Raptors getting into a game of chicken with the New York Knicks for Jeremy Lin only benefits them if they lose. Jeremy Lin is going to get paid too much money by some team based on two things. Potential and buzz, will drive the price for Lin beyond what he truly deserves to make. If the Raptors are in this just to force up the price on Lin and make their division rivals the Knicks spend more money than they want too, that is a smart move on their part. If not and they bring him in to be the starter that would be a big mistake and a massive change from Jose Calderon. While Calderon has never been liked by me, I am happy to admit he is very efficient and rarely turns over the ball. Even at the height of Linsanity people who questioned if it would last, brought up his high turnover numbers. On a young and developing team looking to take the next step, I am not convinced that you want a starting point guard that is turnover prone. Ideally you would love the idea of Lin as a back up, playing behind a Jose Calderon or perhaps a Steve Nash. That said he is going to demand to many dollars for that to be a realistic situation. At the end of the day the Knicks will likely have the bird rights to Lin and will no doubt use them to keep him. So if you have dreams of Linasinty invading the ACC on a nightly basis they are best left as dreams. I like Lin and still think he could be a player at some point but not willing to gamble on it with a big money contract. This is why it made sense to grab him last season when the cost was next to nothing.
The Raptors getting Steve Nash makes more sense in the short team for them. If they can do that and find a developing young point guard to play behind him, that is the ultimate best case scenario for the Raptors. The Knicks are also interested in him. If you can only have one of two guys between Lin and Nash, the answer should be obvious. The danger for the Raptors is that the Knicks could have a way to have both if Nash is willing to take less money to play in New York. Nash will have many options depending on what his price tag will be and what his intentions are in terms of wanting to win a championship. It is a longer and much more unclear journey here in Toronto. That said when Nash was in this position before it fair to say that the Suns were not exactly a contender in for anyone after a horrible season missing the playoffs. Steve Nash was younger than though and had a long future to look forward too. Now his future is not nearly as long and his window to win a ring is small. The fact he is coming to the end of his career could be a benefit to the Raptors or a curse depending on what Nash is truly thinking.In the past Nash has expressed a desire to end his career playing in Canada and the Raptors are the only game in town to make that happen. However to convince Steve Nash that Raptors can reach an NBA Finals in the East before his time in the NBA is done is a tough job to sell. Bryan Colangelo sold Steve Nash once before but this time around will be much tougher. If it is a case of Nash or Lin the buzz created by Nash will play much better in Canada for Nash while bringing in Lin would open eyes south of the border. The risks with Steve Nash are all about health and age. No one will question his talent as two time MVP and a future hall of famer.
The one thing not being talked about in all of this is what becomes of Jose Calderon. If the Raptors truly are targeting both Lin and Nash this makes you wonder what that means for Calderon. It would seem unlikely the Raptors keep him especially if Nash ends up being the guy. So what would the Raptors be getting if they tried to move Calderon. That is a part of this whole equation that might be interesting. Could the Raptors deal Jose and add some more pieces to make this a better more attractive landing spot for Steve Nash? They just might be able too. One thing is clear based on the off-season buzz that has already started before the playoffs have even ended, it is suggesting the Raptors are going to be active and be a part of a lot of stories. Most of which are based in speculation and not fact. At the end of the day Bryan Colangelo's reality whatever it ends up being needs to be very good. His job could ultimately depend on it.
Showing posts with label Jose Caldeon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jose Caldeon. Show all posts
3/20/12
Raptors Sluggish At The Mecca
Jose Calderon returns to the Raptors line-up as mentioned in our preview Jose actually did a solid job the last time he matched up with Jeremy Lin. What will become of the improvement we have seen out of Jerryd Bayless is another issue altogether. The Knicks are trying to hang on to a playoff spot and the Raptors despite what anyone trying to spin positivity might say are playing out the string. So a game like tonight offers the Raptors a chance to play spoiler and build on what they have been doing. A loss to Bobcats was not exactly a building moment.
Demar DeRozan with the cut to the lane and score to get this one under way. Demar sometimes steps up to a big stage will see if that was a start to something big for him. After his first bucket both teams had two empty possessions. Tyson Chandler would get a slam and drop a foul on a nice pass from Stoudemire. He missed the free throw though. DeRozan's second shot would fall of the rim but get put back in by Aaron Gray on the glass. It was just 5-4 Knicks with 3 minutes gone by in this one. A steal by Melo and then the return pass from Lin to Melo for the break away lay-up. Calderon would hit a 3 pointer to make it a 10-9 Knicks lead. But more Jose this time hooking up with his buddy Amir, the lead would not last as Knicks got a dunk at the other end. Lead was ping ponging back and forth between the Knicks and Raptors at the mid point of the first quarter. Andrea Bargnani with a drive down the middle of the lane with a slam. Chandler answers with two at the other end and it was 16-15 Knicks. Raptors got called for an offensive foul and were down 3 with 4:04 to play. Carmelo Anthony would double that lead with a 3 in rhythm. Knicks were starting to get on a bit of a role and playing some defense something that was unheard of with Mike D'Antoni in charge. Demar DeRozan was not shy taking shots tonight and he was making his fair share to cut lead to 4. Bayless made a basket but then on the next possession ran over J.R Smith for a charge. Smith got on the offensive glass for a tab back to extend the Knicks lead to 6. Linas Kleiza nailed a buzzer three from very deep it would be reviewed but looked good to me.
The three would stand and that made score after 1 Knicks leading 27-24. After a good play by Kleiza to close the 1st, a bad play near start of 2nd with a bailout foul with little left on shot clock. Ed Davis showing signs of life with a score and a rebound leading to Bayless bucket to tie the game at 29. Knicks went on a 7-0 run after that and Dwane Casey was forced into calling a time out. Raptors after a Bargs airball out of the time out would get rolling with 5 point push of their own. Knicks would respond and re-establish their advantage and make it even a little more now with a 42-34 lead. Make that a 10 point lead and Andrea Bargnani was getting taking to school on defensive end. Some regression perhaps? Who said that? Jeremy Lin meantime you may have hear of had 6 assists and added a corner three to his stat line to give the Knicks an 11 point lead. Bargnani showing his point guard skills with a nice pass to Amir Johnson for the slam dunk cutting the lead down to 7. But another Lin three...actually make it a 2 and the Knicks would take a 9 point advantage to locker room if they could hold on for 8.5 seconds. Fields would play good D on Calderon and do just that. Knicks take a 53-44 lead to the locker room.
Teams were trading buckets earlier and the Raptors interior defense was lacking. Knicks would star to pull away sparked by Lin with a jumper, than a nice Alley Oop play with Fields and it was 61-50. Then for some reason Aaron Gray blew a gasket and got tossed from the game after the techs and all the Knicks lead was up to 15 points. The Raptors were helping restore Linsainty as he helped his team restore a 15 point lead with a deep 3. Raptor had been having a 3rd quarter to forget much like they did in Charlotte but against a better team. But the Knicks did not exactly take advantage and put them away. Raptors had a chance to cut the lead to single digits. That would happen if a banged up Bayless could make a couple free throws after colliding with A'mare which he did. However, on other end A'mare got an easy put back to push lead back to 11 with the score 79-68 for Knicks. The Raptors based on how they played should feel fortunate to be only down two more points from halftime.
Calderon was in for the 4th and Bayless might be done for night will see. Knicks were doing enough to stay on top and not much more than that. If the Raptors could get a little run together they might be able to get in this game. Still the Raptors looked pretty disinterested and both teams seemed frustrated with the refs at times. Bayless is a tough minded guy and was back in there playing along side Calderon for now. Ed Davis had a nice slam and had a quiet 7 points and 7 rebounds. However when Ed does well more often than not it seldom leads to a Raptor win. Novak hitting a open three after the Davis slam was looking to keep that trend continuing with Knicks up 87-76. Barring something spectacular the Knicks would give Spike Lee a win on his birthday up 89-77 with under 6 to go in the 4th. Bayless tried to give it go but would be done for the night with a left hip pointer. Jermey Lin with a break away dunk...Good Night and tip your waitress. The Knicks would get another dunk on a sloppy Raptor turnover and Chuck Swirsky watching in Toronto has got out the salami and cheese on the Raptors chances in this one. This was getting into a major embarrassment fast. Really fast as the Knicks lead was on steroids now up 101-79 and the Knicks would pull the starters with 3:20 to play. How bad was it? We had a Solomon Alabi sighting. Knicks would take this one 106-87.
I got nothing more to say on this one. Actually Happy Birthday Spike Lee. That is all.
Demar DeRozan with the cut to the lane and score to get this one under way. Demar sometimes steps up to a big stage will see if that was a start to something big for him. After his first bucket both teams had two empty possessions. Tyson Chandler would get a slam and drop a foul on a nice pass from Stoudemire. He missed the free throw though. DeRozan's second shot would fall of the rim but get put back in by Aaron Gray on the glass. It was just 5-4 Knicks with 3 minutes gone by in this one. A steal by Melo and then the return pass from Lin to Melo for the break away lay-up. Calderon would hit a 3 pointer to make it a 10-9 Knicks lead. But more Jose this time hooking up with his buddy Amir, the lead would not last as Knicks got a dunk at the other end. Lead was ping ponging back and forth between the Knicks and Raptors at the mid point of the first quarter. Andrea Bargnani with a drive down the middle of the lane with a slam. Chandler answers with two at the other end and it was 16-15 Knicks. Raptors got called for an offensive foul and were down 3 with 4:04 to play. Carmelo Anthony would double that lead with a 3 in rhythm. Knicks were starting to get on a bit of a role and playing some defense something that was unheard of with Mike D'Antoni in charge. Demar DeRozan was not shy taking shots tonight and he was making his fair share to cut lead to 4. Bayless made a basket but then on the next possession ran over J.R Smith for a charge. Smith got on the offensive glass for a tab back to extend the Knicks lead to 6. Linas Kleiza nailed a buzzer three from very deep it would be reviewed but looked good to me.
The three would stand and that made score after 1 Knicks leading 27-24. After a good play by Kleiza to close the 1st, a bad play near start of 2nd with a bailout foul with little left on shot clock. Ed Davis showing signs of life with a score and a rebound leading to Bayless bucket to tie the game at 29. Knicks went on a 7-0 run after that and Dwane Casey was forced into calling a time out. Raptors after a Bargs airball out of the time out would get rolling with 5 point push of their own. Knicks would respond and re-establish their advantage and make it even a little more now with a 42-34 lead. Make that a 10 point lead and Andrea Bargnani was getting taking to school on defensive end. Some regression perhaps? Who said that? Jeremy Lin meantime you may have hear of had 6 assists and added a corner three to his stat line to give the Knicks an 11 point lead. Bargnani showing his point guard skills with a nice pass to Amir Johnson for the slam dunk cutting the lead down to 7. But another Lin three...actually make it a 2 and the Knicks would take a 9 point advantage to locker room if they could hold on for 8.5 seconds. Fields would play good D on Calderon and do just that. Knicks take a 53-44 lead to the locker room.
Teams were trading buckets earlier and the Raptors interior defense was lacking. Knicks would star to pull away sparked by Lin with a jumper, than a nice Alley Oop play with Fields and it was 61-50. Then for some reason Aaron Gray blew a gasket and got tossed from the game after the techs and all the Knicks lead was up to 15 points. The Raptors were helping restore Linsainty as he helped his team restore a 15 point lead with a deep 3. Raptor had been having a 3rd quarter to forget much like they did in Charlotte but against a better team. But the Knicks did not exactly take advantage and put them away. Raptors had a chance to cut the lead to single digits. That would happen if a banged up Bayless could make a couple free throws after colliding with A'mare which he did. However, on other end A'mare got an easy put back to push lead back to 11 with the score 79-68 for Knicks. The Raptors based on how they played should feel fortunate to be only down two more points from halftime.
Calderon was in for the 4th and Bayless might be done for night will see. Knicks were doing enough to stay on top and not much more than that. If the Raptors could get a little run together they might be able to get in this game. Still the Raptors looked pretty disinterested and both teams seemed frustrated with the refs at times. Bayless is a tough minded guy and was back in there playing along side Calderon for now. Ed Davis had a nice slam and had a quiet 7 points and 7 rebounds. However when Ed does well more often than not it seldom leads to a Raptor win. Novak hitting a open three after the Davis slam was looking to keep that trend continuing with Knicks up 87-76. Barring something spectacular the Knicks would give Spike Lee a win on his birthday up 89-77 with under 6 to go in the 4th. Bayless tried to give it go but would be done for the night with a left hip pointer. Jermey Lin with a break away dunk...Good Night and tip your waitress. The Knicks would get another dunk on a sloppy Raptor turnover and Chuck Swirsky watching in Toronto has got out the salami and cheese on the Raptors chances in this one. This was getting into a major embarrassment fast. Really fast as the Knicks lead was on steroids now up 101-79 and the Knicks would pull the starters with 3:20 to play. How bad was it? We had a Solomon Alabi sighting. Knicks would take this one 106-87.
I got nothing more to say on this one. Actually Happy Birthday Spike Lee. That is all.
11/28/11
So now what?
Before we get to today's blog we have started our own store here at the Dino Nation Blog. It is away for you to support the DNB and show your loyalty. After being around for now 4 years and having to survive a NBA Lockout it was time to do this. So check out the store and see if anything tickles your fancy. More items will be made as we roll along.
Now on to what we do. The one thing that this new CBA provides that will be very interesting for all teams is an amnesty on one contract. It allows a team to buyout one of their existing contracts without penalty to the salary cap. So the Raptors could use this on anyone under contract currently which is a pool of 10 players. Obviously you can rule out a number of folks. The two names at the top of the list for this to be cashed in on would be Jose Calderon with 2 years left on his deal and Linas Kleiza who still is not ready to come back and play ball after a torn ACL from last season. He still has 3 years remaining. Most will feel this is a no brainer it should be Calderon. But there is no guarantee the Raptors have to use it on anyone. In a season where Colangelo has already downgraded expectations of what he might do with the Raptors cap space which will be significant. I could easily see the Raptors not using this clause and saving it for next season and adding to what again will be a year in which the Raptors could have even more room to play with as Barbosa and his 7.5 million will come off the cap after this year. It also would at least open the option of using it on Andrea Bargnani if he were to struggle for another season and the Raptors could not trade him. But it will not be used on Andrea now. I would think this season will be make or break in terms of Bargnani's future with the Raptors.
In terms of Free Agents the Raptors may only have really one decision to make on their own free agents. Sonny Weems is under contract for the season in Europe along with the Andrea Bargnani of France Alexis Ajinca who is likely to stay in France by choice. Julian Wright after his refusal to play under Jay Triano really should not be considered coming back although with no Weems and Kleiza not ready to go it is not the 100% slam dunk he is gone that it might have been. But the really choice the Raptors will face is what to do about Reggie Evans. He has shown great leadership in his couple years in Toronto but also has been injured for significant chunks of time. It will be interesting to see if the Raptors want him back and then if they can keep him should they. Evans is a nice role player for any team and when healthy he has still proven to be one of the top rebounders in this league.
Dwane Casey is going to have a tough task turning this team into even a decent defending team. That challenge will be even greater with a shortened training camp and the fact as training camp is going on so will NBA free agency and new players brought in will be thrown into the mix on the fly. Many said in the NFL that teams with new coaches would struggle but that has not been the case for all. Ask any fans of the 49ers about that. But teams that added a significant number of new faces did not fair as well. Ask any Eagles fan about that. So you may not like the Colangelo proclamation that the Raptors are likely not to shake up the world this year in free agency it might be a wise idea. Also if the Raptors were to shock the world and actually be better than expected the rules in terms of trades have become less restrictive and that cap room could be used in terms of trades just as easily without having to convince anyone on the greatness of Canada. Just because you sign someone and make a big splash is not guarantee of success. Joe Dumars would like to have his choices on Charlie V and Ben Gordon back I am sure. The Raptors clearly were not impressed with Hedo and had to move him along.
But if you listen to most it seems the Raptors are doomed to another season of development. Which likely means the Raptors are more in line to be competing for lottery position rather than playoff position. Whoever the Raptors end up getting will be a bargain as rookie contracts have been reduced by 18% in the new deal. They will also be coming in with the Raptors pick this season playing in Europe in Jonas Valanciunas. That also may be a reason to hold on to Bargnani as once Jonas does arrive it would give Bargnani the move to his natural position according to him of power forward. In a draft class that is expected to be packed with talent as many players took the option of another year of school rather than gambling on if the NBA would play or not this year. That combined with one of the more dynamic freshman classes in years in college basketball should lead to quite the pool of talent for this year's draft.
That is at least a quick overview of what lies ahead. For us in the Dino Nation Blog will start getting things back rolling again with interviews and all of that stuff eventually. It is hard to go from a dead stop to rolling back at 100% for everyone and that includes blogs. But will get everything up and running as your use too. It is just nice to be back and have something to talk about that does not involve Labour Negotiations.
Now on to what we do. The one thing that this new CBA provides that will be very interesting for all teams is an amnesty on one contract. It allows a team to buyout one of their existing contracts without penalty to the salary cap. So the Raptors could use this on anyone under contract currently which is a pool of 10 players. Obviously you can rule out a number of folks. The two names at the top of the list for this to be cashed in on would be Jose Calderon with 2 years left on his deal and Linas Kleiza who still is not ready to come back and play ball after a torn ACL from last season. He still has 3 years remaining. Most will feel this is a no brainer it should be Calderon. But there is no guarantee the Raptors have to use it on anyone. In a season where Colangelo has already downgraded expectations of what he might do with the Raptors cap space which will be significant. I could easily see the Raptors not using this clause and saving it for next season and adding to what again will be a year in which the Raptors could have even more room to play with as Barbosa and his 7.5 million will come off the cap after this year. It also would at least open the option of using it on Andrea Bargnani if he were to struggle for another season and the Raptors could not trade him. But it will not be used on Andrea now. I would think this season will be make or break in terms of Bargnani's future with the Raptors.
In terms of Free Agents the Raptors may only have really one decision to make on their own free agents. Sonny Weems is under contract for the season in Europe along with the Andrea Bargnani of France Alexis Ajinca who is likely to stay in France by choice. Julian Wright after his refusal to play under Jay Triano really should not be considered coming back although with no Weems and Kleiza not ready to go it is not the 100% slam dunk he is gone that it might have been. But the really choice the Raptors will face is what to do about Reggie Evans. He has shown great leadership in his couple years in Toronto but also has been injured for significant chunks of time. It will be interesting to see if the Raptors want him back and then if they can keep him should they. Evans is a nice role player for any team and when healthy he has still proven to be one of the top rebounders in this league.
Dwane Casey is going to have a tough task turning this team into even a decent defending team. That challenge will be even greater with a shortened training camp and the fact as training camp is going on so will NBA free agency and new players brought in will be thrown into the mix on the fly. Many said in the NFL that teams with new coaches would struggle but that has not been the case for all. Ask any fans of the 49ers about that. But teams that added a significant number of new faces did not fair as well. Ask any Eagles fan about that. So you may not like the Colangelo proclamation that the Raptors are likely not to shake up the world this year in free agency it might be a wise idea. Also if the Raptors were to shock the world and actually be better than expected the rules in terms of trades have become less restrictive and that cap room could be used in terms of trades just as easily without having to convince anyone on the greatness of Canada. Just because you sign someone and make a big splash is not guarantee of success. Joe Dumars would like to have his choices on Charlie V and Ben Gordon back I am sure. The Raptors clearly were not impressed with Hedo and had to move him along.
But if you listen to most it seems the Raptors are doomed to another season of development. Which likely means the Raptors are more in line to be competing for lottery position rather than playoff position. Whoever the Raptors end up getting will be a bargain as rookie contracts have been reduced by 18% in the new deal. They will also be coming in with the Raptors pick this season playing in Europe in Jonas Valanciunas. That also may be a reason to hold on to Bargnani as once Jonas does arrive it would give Bargnani the move to his natural position according to him of power forward. In a draft class that is expected to be packed with talent as many players took the option of another year of school rather than gambling on if the NBA would play or not this year. That combined with one of the more dynamic freshman classes in years in college basketball should lead to quite the pool of talent for this year's draft.
That is at least a quick overview of what lies ahead. For us in the Dino Nation Blog will start getting things back rolling again with interviews and all of that stuff eventually. It is hard to go from a dead stop to rolling back at 100% for everyone and that includes blogs. But will get everything up and running as your use too. It is just nice to be back and have something to talk about that does not involve Labour Negotiations.
2/4/11
Raptors Out-claw T-Wolves to End Streak
In thw words of The Rock, "Finally the Raptors have come back to Toronto." After playing the last three games on the road, the Raptors return home desperately needing a win to put an end to this 13 game losing streak, the teams longest since 2002. It would be no easy task, as the rebounder machine Kevin Love and his pack of Wolves are the opponents. So what would give tonight, would the Raptors get thier 14 win on the season or would Love and his wolf pack push their streak to 14 straight losses?
Before the quarter started we received word that Kevin Love was selected by David Stern to be Yao's replacement for the All-Star team, so congrats to Mr. Love for making the team, also congrats to David Stern for making the right decision. Hopefully Love hasn't heard about this yet or else it may inspire him to tear it up on the court.
The Wolves come out firing in the second with five quick points and it seemed like this game way turn out like it did in the previous meeting. The great defense that the Raptors had played a quarter ago was not non-existent and they were giving up open looks from the perimeter and the Wolves embark on a run to take the lead. The Raps would charge back though and tie the game on a Trey Johnson jumper. The T-Wolves were still feeling a bit of that Christmas spirit (credited to James, since i took this from his tweet) and kept turning the ball over thus giving Toronto various chances to get out and score in transition. Michael Beasley who was pretty much quiet in this made, made his presence felt, but it wasn't in a beneficial way for his team as he would turn his ankle, call a timeout during the play and quickly hop on one leg all the way to the locker room. If you had blinked you would have missed him since he moved so quickly doing this. The one thing keeping the Wolves in this game was their 3-point shooting as they were 6-13 at the half, but trailed 59-55. Bargnani had 13 points for the Raps, Jose who was dropping dimes like crazy had 10 and Love had 14 point and 6 boards for the T-Wolves.
Unlike the second when the T-Wolves come out and scored five straight points the Raptors were the ones scoring the five points, but the Wolves would answer with a three and both teams would go on the trade buckets for much of this quarter. The Raptors interior defense was once again an issue as Darko and Love were getting easy buckets in the paint, but where the Raptors excelled was by continuing to get out in transition. Amir Johnson would make his presence know in this quarter as hoe was doing all the little things and recorded a double-double during the quarter. The Raptors had maintained their lead for the entire quarter though Minnesota made several runs to try and reclaim that lead, but when the buzzer sounded to signal the quarters end that Raptors had a six point lead. Thismay not have been the greatest of leads, but you had to get the feeling that they would come through and give the fans at the ACC a win.
Trey Johnson would open the quarter in the fourth and Toronto would soon capture a 10 point lead, but the Wolves always seemed to have an answer and didn't want to go away. The one area in which they kept getting their chances was on the offensive boards as the Raptors weren't doing a great job boxing out. Minny was also continuing the stellar shooting from behind the arc to keep themselves within striking distance. Amir and Bargnani would once again take over with come assistance from DeMar, while Jose was dropping dimes at an incredible rate. With their lead at three, Bargnani would hit a huge three to put the Raps up 6 and there was no looking back from there. Though the Wolves would cut this lead to 4, a DeMar jumper followed by an Amir slam off the Jose feed would put the Raptors up 8 and there was no looking back for the Raps. In front of a loud and deserving crowd the Raptors would walk away with a 111-100 victory and put an end to their 13 game losing skid. Andrea Bargnani was huge as he finished with 30 points and 6 boards, Amir was equally as huge as he added 19 points, 12 boards and 6 assists. The master of the assist, Jose Calderon tied a franchise record with 19 assists and DeMar chipped in with 20 points. The newest all-star member Kevin Love paced the T-Wolves with 19 points and 15 boards.
So on a night when they absolutely needed to get a win, the Raptors were able to pull together, withstand the runs of their opponent and walk away with th win. As mentioned before something had to give, and instead of losing 14 straight the Raptors got their 14th win of the season. Though it's far from a good record, this win gives the fans some relief, pleasure, comfort and a whole lot more knowing that the streak ending today and didn't continue any longer. so be happy, and merry Toronto, and enjoy this win, show the team your support and have a great Superbowl weekend.
1/30/11
What Exactly Is The Raptors Future?
My feeling was and has always been that the Raptors plan was to set themselves up to be competitive next season under the new CBA. That being said not sure they could have imagined how bad this season of limbo was going to be. You can not anticipate the fact this team was going to be ravaged with injures. The Raptors with a completely healthy roster were going to struggle to be competitive. It makes it very easy to make excuses for the Raptors but that does not explain a few things away.
One of the first things it does not explain away is the lack of development in Andrea Bargnani on defence. On offence he has at times shown he is capable of getting the job done. Although even of late on that side of the ball he has had issues. He was 5-24 and 0-5 from 3 point range in the Raptors latest loss. But the thing that draws the greatest amount of concern is total lack of effort/ability on the defensive end of the floor. When he and Calderon get isolated in a pick and roll situation defence it is as close to a lock for 2 points as a slam dunk. Something has got to give eventually. If Andrea Bargnani is to be part of the long term plan he must improve on defence it is that simple. During an 11 game losing streak it is easy to point this out when a guy is not busting his butt. People have suggested Bargnani might be hurt during all of this. Fine maybe he is, but if you put on a uniform you bust your butt and give all you have, and he only needs to look at Amir Johnson for proof. He was played banged up and still is giving all that he has every night. If Andrea is not healthy enough to play then don't play. It is not like people are going to accuse him of being Vince Carter if he doesn't. It is not like he is going to cost the Raptors a playoff spot if he doesn't. But if you say you are healthy enough to put on a uniform then you need to play like it. Standing around on defence and watching other people score and rebound is not impressing anyone. Most of all his team mates I would imagine.
All of these injuries and the lack of talent he has had to work with seem to have given Jay Triano a get out of being fired card. But honestly at some point some of these things have to fall at his feet. Injured or not this team has not played defence well as we outlined specifically with Andrea Bargnani. Right or wrong fans have made the point that Sam Mitchell was fired for far less. Should the lack of expectations give Jay Triano a free pass? I respect all that Jay Triano has done as basketball person and even more so as a Canadian doing it. But I have not seen any evidence to suggest I should feel confident in Jay Triano as an NBA Head Coach. He could be a lead assistant on other teams in this league on this level. However does anyone see Jay Triano getting a head coaching job on any other team in the NBA? I honestly don't see it. Does anyone see him as the coach for this team in the long term when hopefully they are competitive. If Bryan Colangelo were not the G.M of this franchise does anyone not think his successor would not make one of his first moves to find a new head coach? I find it hard to believe the answer is yes to any of these. After an 11 game losing streak and a total lack of effort and pride from most of this team at times, when is enough truly enough? This team under Triano on defence has been dreadful. The development of players in terms of defence has been dreadful as well.
Perhaps the one good thing is during all this losing we have seen positive signs in the development of the Raptors two latest first round draft picks. Demar DeRozan and to a lesser extent Ed Davis have shown growth despite all the losing. DeRozan is learning what it takes to be a consistent scorer in this league. Even Triano admitted of late Demar has become the number one option for this team on offence. While he is still very much a work in progress, DeRozan has been smart enough to stick to what he does best. To drive the ball to the basket and if he doesn't get calls, he is still going to keep driving until he does. Mixed in with that, he is improving his jump shot and developing some moves he can count on. It is likely not to the pace that some people would like but he is making progress. The recent game I was at vs the Bucks he did not have a great offensive night. But he kept fighting and was able to do other things to be a factor. Like having 4 steals on defence. He was scrappy to and got himself into foul trouble but found a way to play through that and stay in the game. Andrea Bargnani should take note. If your game is going south on offence you don't just pack it in. You find other ways to contribute.
While Ed Davis has surprised me how quickly he has fit in, given his injuries and missed time he had to start the year. Stephen Brotherston a fellow Hamilton guy wrote a nice feature on Davis for Hoopsworld worth checking out. You hope that Davis can continue to develop those skills of defence, shoot blocking and rebounding. All of which are in short supply on this Raptor roster. Davis in terms of offence can get a lot of it trough crashing the glass and getting out and running on the break when opportunities present themselves. What Ed Davis becomes as a defender will be far more important for the Raptors in terms of his future, then what he becomes on the offensive end. One of the best things that can help a team that lacks true skill on defence is shot blocking. Hedo Turkoglu is not any better a defender since returning to the Orlando Magic. But what he does have is what he had before in Orlando. The Defensive Player of the Year in Dwight Howard backing him up. Comparisons of Davis to Chris Bosh are not that valid. Ultimately Bosh will always be the more talented offensive player. But Davis already has shown signs that he can become a much better defender than Bosh will ever be if he stays on this path.
Jose Calderon has put up numbers on offence but numbers don't equal wins. Kevin Love can tell you that. But what is old is new again in terms of Jose ultimately he has becoming a player that looks like his best days are behind him. His defence is never going to improve to any degree. What you have to wonder is can Jerryd Bayless develop into the future point guard for this team on the other side. Bayless has had his share of struggles with some bright moments at time. He has had his minutes go up and down like a yo-yo based on Calderon's health or lack of it. As things become crystal clear as to the outlook for this season, you would hope that we see more of Bayless down the stretch. The Raptors could very well have 40 losses by the All-Star Break and if the shift for this team turns to development it would not be surprising. That is what should happen even now, you could make the case it should become the focus. It might already be when you consider that Gaines and Johnson have come in from D-League. But that was as much for injuries than trying to find a diamond in the rough.
Prior to the latest loss for the Raptors a debate broke out on Twitter upon hearing the news that Sonny Weems would be reclaiming his starting role that he lost due to his back injury. It seems a no brainer to me that this would happen. Kleiza is injured and not part of the conversation. So that leaves you with Julian Wright. While we can all respect the hustle and effort of Julian Wright he is not going to be the answer for the Raptors at the wing spot. It is unlikely that Sonny Weems will be as well I realize. But the Raptors have an important choice to make in terms of Weems after this season. His current deal comes to an end and the Raptors need to decide if he is part of their future. Weems is one of the Trio known as the Young Onez and his relationship with this teams rising star in DeRozan is well documented. This is not to suggest that Weems should not have to earn a new contract. He should have to do that, but by starting Julian Wright in front of him is only going to serve to demoralize a guy that has had to deal with an injury for an extended period. It use to be in sports you could never lose your spot to injury. But those days are long gone, but if you look at Raptors history they have had issues with this before. Anyone remember T.J Ford and Jose Calderon? Bottom line of all of this is if you are going to decide not to keep Sonny Weems, you need to be 100% sure about it. Obviously you know at least 2 guys in that locker room that want to see him back. So Raptors need to be 100% certain they are willing to do something that would not exactly be popular with those players in Johnson and DeRozan. Yes you need to do what is best for this franchise, and yes sports is a business and ultimately these two guys will accept it. However, what is lost in this modern world is the game is still about people and relationships and if you are going to destroy some of those relationships you better be certain about it.
Finally back to where we started this story. Colangelo has clearly positioned this franchise for next season. If you are expecting some move that will blow off your socks at the deadline, don't hold your breath. If Colangelo can build on the equity/cap space he will do so. But in terms of this season it will not even be on his radar. What is interesting though is Colangelo has still yet to sign on the bottom line to remain in control of this franchsie. It has been said to be a formality by all sides involved. But if that is the case why is it not done already? Rumours have been out there that Knicks may want Bryan or Bryan's dad Jerry to come in and run the Knicks. But be it Colangelo running the Raptors next year or someone else. Bryan has positioned the team well to be competitive under a new CBA, assuming the owners get some of the things they are after.
I am not sure if Colangelo shares in my dream for the Raptors future. But after the Raptors loss I took in 2 of "Canada's Big 3" playing at Texas. Cory Joesph and Tristan Thompson unlike the Raptors got a win over the Missouri Tigers in a Big 12 battle. Myck Kabongo is doing his thing at Finley Prep heading to Texas next fall. Kevin Durant thinks these 3 kids are good enough to make the NBA which is good enough for me. They also have enough pride in where they come from to want to be Raptors. One of the things that has been lacking of late with the Raptors of late is pride. Maybe it takes a Canadian or group of Canadians to understand what it means to be a Raptor. We always hear about Celtic Pride. If you add some Canadians in this franchise maybe they can spark some Raptor Pride for everyone. You can feel a lot more confident that once they get here, if they do, they are not going to want to leave. The Choices the Raptors make in terms of these 3 kids, I think might be some of the most important in the history of this franchise. A lot of pressure to put on kids who have never set foot on an NBA floor. But they are Canadians that have become basketball stars on the College and High School levels. Let's face it not many Americans at first glance were going to believe a Canadian Kid not named Nash could ball. But they have started to change minds with a ton of others in the NCAA these days.
You might think I am crazy and that is fine. But I would rather be optimistic about this idea of having Canadian Stars for the Raptors some day. It sure beats trying to figure out how the Raptors are ever going to win a game again this year. It beats worrying about if DeMar DeRozan will be the next one to become great in Toronto and get out as fast as he did. I don't want to believe that it will happen, but given the history of this franchise I find it very hard to fully invest in anyone. That is sad but that is reality. The Raptors reality of late has been very very sad.
One of the first things it does not explain away is the lack of development in Andrea Bargnani on defence. On offence he has at times shown he is capable of getting the job done. Although even of late on that side of the ball he has had issues. He was 5-24 and 0-5 from 3 point range in the Raptors latest loss. But the thing that draws the greatest amount of concern is total lack of effort/ability on the defensive end of the floor. When he and Calderon get isolated in a pick and roll situation defence it is as close to a lock for 2 points as a slam dunk. Something has got to give eventually. If Andrea Bargnani is to be part of the long term plan he must improve on defence it is that simple. During an 11 game losing streak it is easy to point this out when a guy is not busting his butt. People have suggested Bargnani might be hurt during all of this. Fine maybe he is, but if you put on a uniform you bust your butt and give all you have, and he only needs to look at Amir Johnson for proof. He was played banged up and still is giving all that he has every night. If Andrea is not healthy enough to play then don't play. It is not like people are going to accuse him of being Vince Carter if he doesn't. It is not like he is going to cost the Raptors a playoff spot if he doesn't. But if you say you are healthy enough to put on a uniform then you need to play like it. Standing around on defence and watching other people score and rebound is not impressing anyone. Most of all his team mates I would imagine.
All of these injuries and the lack of talent he has had to work with seem to have given Jay Triano a get out of being fired card. But honestly at some point some of these things have to fall at his feet. Injured or not this team has not played defence well as we outlined specifically with Andrea Bargnani. Right or wrong fans have made the point that Sam Mitchell was fired for far less. Should the lack of expectations give Jay Triano a free pass? I respect all that Jay Triano has done as basketball person and even more so as a Canadian doing it. But I have not seen any evidence to suggest I should feel confident in Jay Triano as an NBA Head Coach. He could be a lead assistant on other teams in this league on this level. However does anyone see Jay Triano getting a head coaching job on any other team in the NBA? I honestly don't see it. Does anyone see him as the coach for this team in the long term when hopefully they are competitive. If Bryan Colangelo were not the G.M of this franchise does anyone not think his successor would not make one of his first moves to find a new head coach? I find it hard to believe the answer is yes to any of these. After an 11 game losing streak and a total lack of effort and pride from most of this team at times, when is enough truly enough? This team under Triano on defence has been dreadful. The development of players in terms of defence has been dreadful as well.
Perhaps the one good thing is during all this losing we have seen positive signs in the development of the Raptors two latest first round draft picks. Demar DeRozan and to a lesser extent Ed Davis have shown growth despite all the losing. DeRozan is learning what it takes to be a consistent scorer in this league. Even Triano admitted of late Demar has become the number one option for this team on offence. While he is still very much a work in progress, DeRozan has been smart enough to stick to what he does best. To drive the ball to the basket and if he doesn't get calls, he is still going to keep driving until he does. Mixed in with that, he is improving his jump shot and developing some moves he can count on. It is likely not to the pace that some people would like but he is making progress. The recent game I was at vs the Bucks he did not have a great offensive night. But he kept fighting and was able to do other things to be a factor. Like having 4 steals on defence. He was scrappy to and got himself into foul trouble but found a way to play through that and stay in the game. Andrea Bargnani should take note. If your game is going south on offence you don't just pack it in. You find other ways to contribute.
While Ed Davis has surprised me how quickly he has fit in, given his injuries and missed time he had to start the year. Stephen Brotherston a fellow Hamilton guy wrote a nice feature on Davis for Hoopsworld worth checking out. You hope that Davis can continue to develop those skills of defence, shoot blocking and rebounding. All of which are in short supply on this Raptor roster. Davis in terms of offence can get a lot of it trough crashing the glass and getting out and running on the break when opportunities present themselves. What Ed Davis becomes as a defender will be far more important for the Raptors in terms of his future, then what he becomes on the offensive end. One of the best things that can help a team that lacks true skill on defence is shot blocking. Hedo Turkoglu is not any better a defender since returning to the Orlando Magic. But what he does have is what he had before in Orlando. The Defensive Player of the Year in Dwight Howard backing him up. Comparisons of Davis to Chris Bosh are not that valid. Ultimately Bosh will always be the more talented offensive player. But Davis already has shown signs that he can become a much better defender than Bosh will ever be if he stays on this path.
Jose Calderon has put up numbers on offence but numbers don't equal wins. Kevin Love can tell you that. But what is old is new again in terms of Jose ultimately he has becoming a player that looks like his best days are behind him. His defence is never going to improve to any degree. What you have to wonder is can Jerryd Bayless develop into the future point guard for this team on the other side. Bayless has had his share of struggles with some bright moments at time. He has had his minutes go up and down like a yo-yo based on Calderon's health or lack of it. As things become crystal clear as to the outlook for this season, you would hope that we see more of Bayless down the stretch. The Raptors could very well have 40 losses by the All-Star Break and if the shift for this team turns to development it would not be surprising. That is what should happen even now, you could make the case it should become the focus. It might already be when you consider that Gaines and Johnson have come in from D-League. But that was as much for injuries than trying to find a diamond in the rough.
Prior to the latest loss for the Raptors a debate broke out on Twitter upon hearing the news that Sonny Weems would be reclaiming his starting role that he lost due to his back injury. It seems a no brainer to me that this would happen. Kleiza is injured and not part of the conversation. So that leaves you with Julian Wright. While we can all respect the hustle and effort of Julian Wright he is not going to be the answer for the Raptors at the wing spot. It is unlikely that Sonny Weems will be as well I realize. But the Raptors have an important choice to make in terms of Weems after this season. His current deal comes to an end and the Raptors need to decide if he is part of their future. Weems is one of the Trio known as the Young Onez and his relationship with this teams rising star in DeRozan is well documented. This is not to suggest that Weems should not have to earn a new contract. He should have to do that, but by starting Julian Wright in front of him is only going to serve to demoralize a guy that has had to deal with an injury for an extended period. It use to be in sports you could never lose your spot to injury. But those days are long gone, but if you look at Raptors history they have had issues with this before. Anyone remember T.J Ford and Jose Calderon? Bottom line of all of this is if you are going to decide not to keep Sonny Weems, you need to be 100% sure about it. Obviously you know at least 2 guys in that locker room that want to see him back. So Raptors need to be 100% certain they are willing to do something that would not exactly be popular with those players in Johnson and DeRozan. Yes you need to do what is best for this franchise, and yes sports is a business and ultimately these two guys will accept it. However, what is lost in this modern world is the game is still about people and relationships and if you are going to destroy some of those relationships you better be certain about it.
Finally back to where we started this story. Colangelo has clearly positioned this franchise for next season. If you are expecting some move that will blow off your socks at the deadline, don't hold your breath. If Colangelo can build on the equity/cap space he will do so. But in terms of this season it will not even be on his radar. What is interesting though is Colangelo has still yet to sign on the bottom line to remain in control of this franchsie. It has been said to be a formality by all sides involved. But if that is the case why is it not done already? Rumours have been out there that Knicks may want Bryan or Bryan's dad Jerry to come in and run the Knicks. But be it Colangelo running the Raptors next year or someone else. Bryan has positioned the team well to be competitive under a new CBA, assuming the owners get some of the things they are after.
I am not sure if Colangelo shares in my dream for the Raptors future. But after the Raptors loss I took in 2 of "Canada's Big 3" playing at Texas. Cory Joesph and Tristan Thompson unlike the Raptors got a win over the Missouri Tigers in a Big 12 battle. Myck Kabongo is doing his thing at Finley Prep heading to Texas next fall. Kevin Durant thinks these 3 kids are good enough to make the NBA which is good enough for me. They also have enough pride in where they come from to want to be Raptors. One of the things that has been lacking of late with the Raptors of late is pride. Maybe it takes a Canadian or group of Canadians to understand what it means to be a Raptor. We always hear about Celtic Pride. If you add some Canadians in this franchise maybe they can spark some Raptor Pride for everyone. You can feel a lot more confident that once they get here, if they do, they are not going to want to leave. The Choices the Raptors make in terms of these 3 kids, I think might be some of the most important in the history of this franchise. A lot of pressure to put on kids who have never set foot on an NBA floor. But they are Canadians that have become basketball stars on the College and High School levels. Let's face it not many Americans at first glance were going to believe a Canadian Kid not named Nash could ball. But they have started to change minds with a ton of others in the NCAA these days.
You might think I am crazy and that is fine. But I would rather be optimistic about this idea of having Canadian Stars for the Raptors some day. It sure beats trying to figure out how the Raptors are ever going to win a game again this year. It beats worrying about if DeMar DeRozan will be the next one to become great in Toronto and get out as fast as he did. I don't want to believe that it will happen, but given the history of this franchise I find it very hard to fully invest in anyone. That is sad but that is reality. The Raptors reality of late has been very very sad.
4/14/10
Win and Wait
I have always been honest in this blog. The chances for the Raptors extending their season took a major blow last night with the Bulls win over the Celtics. I will give you an advance look at the DNB's Playoff preview, don't think I am picking Boston to get out of round 1. No it is not out of bitter feelings for them losing last night. They just have been awful down the stretch of this season. The Bulls were able to out play them and beat them. The Celtics were trying hard and playing to win. They badly wanted to move up to 3rd if possible. That loss officially locks them into 4th spot in the East.
I feel that the Raptors will win tonight vs the Knicks. The problem is I don't feel the Bobcats will win over the Bulls. The simple fact of it all is, it should never have come down to this. However you care to paint it, the way this team has played post All-Star Break has been brutal. It has been so awful and a bunch of other adjectives. It should cause two things to happen. Chris Bosh to leave town and Jay Triano to be fired. The scary thing is the one that seems more likely is Bosh leaving town. We won't get an answer on that one officially till July 1st, unless someone breaks their silence on the issue. The other one should not take as long to know the answer. If injuries are used as an excuse to save Triano's job that is just not right. Injuries down the stretch of this season cost the Raptors 8th place, but does not explain away why we were battling for 8th in the first place. Sam Mitchell will no longer be on the books after this season and there is no excuse to keep Triano that for me that would be acceptable. At the end of the day when you are a coach your record should define you. The win/loss record of Jay Triano is not good enough. This team's lack of effort and lack of defense is concerning and disturbing. It is nothing personal at all. I like Jay and feel he has done a lot for basketball in this country as a player, broadcaster and coach. That being said, I never felt this job was a good fit for Jay and it has never worked out from day 1.
In terms of Bosh I hope that he is in house tonight to take a final bow if that is where we are going. He was not there on Sunday and given his injury I don't blame him at all. However if it is possible for him to be there tonight he should be. If he isn't that I will find personally disappointing. Chris has been a stand up guy in his 7 years here and I don't wish my last memory of him to be in a pool of blood in Cleveland. I also hope fans acknowledge him and cheer him too. He has earned it. There are a lot of debates about him and where he fits in the landscape of the NBA. However I think we can all agree on a couple things. The first that he is clearly the best player this Raptor team has and has had for a longtime. Also that he is a very good to great NBA Talent. Stay or go he will be a part of Raptors history for years to come with all the records he has accomplished. I still believe that when all is said and done #4 will hang in the rafters at the ACC someday, and it will be earned despite the fact this team has not been able to enjoy any great success in his era.
If the Raptors were to some how come out and lay an egg tonight vs the Knicks it could get very ugly very fast at the ACC. No amount of prizes they give away for Fanapolooza will stop the fans from booing. Raptor fans have been frustrated and humbled to the point of cheering for the Celtics last night. It has not been a pretty season for the fans. They have had to hear the endless speculation about Bosh leaving. Dealt with embarrassing efforts on defense far below what they deserve. Then to have Jose Calderon complain as to why they boo? I mean seriously what doesn't he get. Fans boo because they have seen what your doing and are not happy with it. If you bust your hump and play hard on both ends, I promise you they will cheer. Sonny Weems might be one of the most popular guys on this team right now. That is a big part of why he is. He brings effort on both ends, and people feel they are getting 100% from him. It also doesn't help when your back up clearly looks like he would do anything humanly possible to will his team to the post season. If one of the changes in this off-season is moving Calderon I would endorse it without even looking at the trade. I have grown tired of his song and dance. It has got old for me. He is no doubt a good guy. But he also is no doubt a horrible defender and he is not a leader in any sense of the word.
If this is the end for this season I want to thank all of you that have supported the Dino Nation Blog over this season. We keep things rolling 12 months of the year. So just because the games stop tonight, perhaps, does not mean we do. I am going to work on things to do over the summer to keep you entertained and informed so keep coming back during the off-season. It promises to be an important one for the future of this franchise. That may not be in a good way ether. I will get more into this when the Raptors fate is clearly defined. But make no mistake the work still marches on here at the Dino Nation Blog. I didn't even take a vacation last summer. If the Raptors had the work, hustle and effort of the people that cover them and the fans that cheer them they might be better for it.
I feel that the Raptors will win tonight vs the Knicks. The problem is I don't feel the Bobcats will win over the Bulls. The simple fact of it all is, it should never have come down to this. However you care to paint it, the way this team has played post All-Star Break has been brutal. It has been so awful and a bunch of other adjectives. It should cause two things to happen. Chris Bosh to leave town and Jay Triano to be fired. The scary thing is the one that seems more likely is Bosh leaving town. We won't get an answer on that one officially till July 1st, unless someone breaks their silence on the issue. The other one should not take as long to know the answer. If injuries are used as an excuse to save Triano's job that is just not right. Injuries down the stretch of this season cost the Raptors 8th place, but does not explain away why we were battling for 8th in the first place. Sam Mitchell will no longer be on the books after this season and there is no excuse to keep Triano that for me that would be acceptable. At the end of the day when you are a coach your record should define you. The win/loss record of Jay Triano is not good enough. This team's lack of effort and lack of defense is concerning and disturbing. It is nothing personal at all. I like Jay and feel he has done a lot for basketball in this country as a player, broadcaster and coach. That being said, I never felt this job was a good fit for Jay and it has never worked out from day 1.
In terms of Bosh I hope that he is in house tonight to take a final bow if that is where we are going. He was not there on Sunday and given his injury I don't blame him at all. However if it is possible for him to be there tonight he should be. If he isn't that I will find personally disappointing. Chris has been a stand up guy in his 7 years here and I don't wish my last memory of him to be in a pool of blood in Cleveland. I also hope fans acknowledge him and cheer him too. He has earned it. There are a lot of debates about him and where he fits in the landscape of the NBA. However I think we can all agree on a couple things. The first that he is clearly the best player this Raptor team has and has had for a longtime. Also that he is a very good to great NBA Talent. Stay or go he will be a part of Raptors history for years to come with all the records he has accomplished. I still believe that when all is said and done #4 will hang in the rafters at the ACC someday, and it will be earned despite the fact this team has not been able to enjoy any great success in his era.
If the Raptors were to some how come out and lay an egg tonight vs the Knicks it could get very ugly very fast at the ACC. No amount of prizes they give away for Fanapolooza will stop the fans from booing. Raptor fans have been frustrated and humbled to the point of cheering for the Celtics last night. It has not been a pretty season for the fans. They have had to hear the endless speculation about Bosh leaving. Dealt with embarrassing efforts on defense far below what they deserve. Then to have Jose Calderon complain as to why they boo? I mean seriously what doesn't he get. Fans boo because they have seen what your doing and are not happy with it. If you bust your hump and play hard on both ends, I promise you they will cheer. Sonny Weems might be one of the most popular guys on this team right now. That is a big part of why he is. He brings effort on both ends, and people feel they are getting 100% from him. It also doesn't help when your back up clearly looks like he would do anything humanly possible to will his team to the post season. If one of the changes in this off-season is moving Calderon I would endorse it without even looking at the trade. I have grown tired of his song and dance. It has got old for me. He is no doubt a good guy. But he also is no doubt a horrible defender and he is not a leader in any sense of the word.
If this is the end for this season I want to thank all of you that have supported the Dino Nation Blog over this season. We keep things rolling 12 months of the year. So just because the games stop tonight, perhaps, does not mean we do. I am going to work on things to do over the summer to keep you entertained and informed so keep coming back during the off-season. It promises to be an important one for the future of this franchise. That may not be in a good way ether. I will get more into this when the Raptors fate is clearly defined. But make no mistake the work still marches on here at the Dino Nation Blog. I didn't even take a vacation last summer. If the Raptors had the work, hustle and effort of the people that cover them and the fans that cheer them they might be better for it.
12/7/09
Raptors Reborn?
I took the weekend to re-charge my battery. But the Dino Nation Blog is back and it appears so are the Raptors. I think be it media or fans we all become pretty skeptical of things. When the Raptors had a meeting and came out of it saying all the right things you still likely were not convinced. When they were able to fight it out and get a win over the Wizards you still might not have been sold. On Saturday the Raptors came out and blew the doors off the Bulls. So I ask you, now do you believe? Even for the most casual fan the differences have been noticeable. You see the team moving around at a much faster level on defense. Some players hitting the deck diving for balls. It was like a brand new Raptors team. The Raptors really were in fact on the verge of having the season fall apart. But 2 wins in a row and the way hey won them have to at least make you feel a little better about this basketball team.
What may have been the most encouraging was Chris Bosh was back playing like Chris Bosh again. He had really gone in the tank after the incident in Boston with Paul Pierce. However whatever did go on in that meeting Chris Bosh seems to have bought in. He just gave you the feeling against the Wizards on Friday he was going to will this team to a win if it killed him. If the Raptors lost Chris Bosh and he had mentally checked out it would have been a long and painful season. However Bosh alone is not enough, as we learned earlier in the year, when he was putting up huge numbers yet the Raps were still struggling to get wins. He has been getting help and it has come from lots of folks.
Demar DeRozan got his career high in points in that terrible loss to the Hawks. It was something that was not really of note given what happened in that game. However since that game he has really picked up his game scoreing double digits in both wins. There was talk the starting line-up was going to change and everyone figured that the first change would likely be Demar. Triano would not make any changes. After how Demar has played in the last 3, it would seem that is starting spot is safe for now.
Jarrett Jack was one of the most vocal about this team and it's lack of performance. He was one of the people front and center in this turn around as well. Things were going so well he was able to stop and tie is shoe during the beat down of the Bulls. It was one of the most bizarre plays I have seen in a lifetime of watching basketball. The Bulls may want to have a meeting like the Raptors did as they looked lifeless and that play with Jack was a glaring example. But Jack was diving for balls and really busting his tail for the Raptors. It could be a moment that Jack has stepped up and become a vocal leader for this team which they clearly need. Bosh has never been one who has been great in that role. He would prefer to lead by example on the floor.
Finally we have seen some effort and results from Hedo Turkoglu. Even Hedo hit the deck for a ball and even won a jump ball. Fans have been deeply disappointed with his performance and rightfully so. He did miss the shot at the end of regulation in Washington but made a key shot in the overtime that would help position the Raps to get the win. Both Hedo and Demar will be moonlighting as male models today. The Raptors are going to show off there Huskies throwback uniforms today at the ACC. Demar and Hedo are expected to be on hand to show them off. Raptors will be wearing those new uniforms when they take on the T-Wolves on Tuesday.
Jose Calderon has been doing better as well. He is even managing to show a little more effort on the defensive end. I have come to accept that Jose is never going to be a good defender but at least you are seeing more of an effort in that regard. One of the other knocks against Jose has been his ability or lack of ability to throw the Alley Oop pass. However he has seemed to have found a chemistry with Demar DeRozan on the other end of that pass. DeRozan joked that Jose has thought him Spanish. So the "Amigo" Alley Oop has been working pretty well for both.
Amir Johnson was a beast against Washington and Marco Belinelli was very good against the Bulls. The Raps bench as a unit has been better with different guys stepping up on different nights. That is what you need to be successful in back to back scenarios which was something this team had clearly not done up until this weekend.
If there is anyone that is still of concern it might be Andrea Bargnani. There was not the noticeable change in his game for me. He was truly brutal most of the night in Washington and still his defense is leaving a lot to be desired. It would not shock me if we eventually see him end up on the bench at some point and playing in the second unit with Belinelli. The hope would be in playing with Marco that he would not go in the tank if he got shifted to the bench.
In general the Raptors effort on defense was far better. The rotations were quicker and there was a much more noticeable effort on that end of the floor. The Raptors seemed to have been embarrassed to the point of coming together and working out there issues defensively. There was just a better energy in how they played and it was nice to see. It is a but frustrating it has taken this long but perhaps the Raptors have turned a corner and will be a better team moving forward. Only time will tell if that meeting in Washington will be pointed to as the turning point of the season. However if you judge it based on what we have seen since it seems clear whatever was said has brought this team together and got everyone fighting hard and playing better basketball. This is what fans have wanted and now we are seeing it so enjoy it as much as you were frustrated by the low points.
What may have been the most encouraging was Chris Bosh was back playing like Chris Bosh again. He had really gone in the tank after the incident in Boston with Paul Pierce. However whatever did go on in that meeting Chris Bosh seems to have bought in. He just gave you the feeling against the Wizards on Friday he was going to will this team to a win if it killed him. If the Raptors lost Chris Bosh and he had mentally checked out it would have been a long and painful season. However Bosh alone is not enough, as we learned earlier in the year, when he was putting up huge numbers yet the Raps were still struggling to get wins. He has been getting help and it has come from lots of folks.
Demar DeRozan got his career high in points in that terrible loss to the Hawks. It was something that was not really of note given what happened in that game. However since that game he has really picked up his game scoreing double digits in both wins. There was talk the starting line-up was going to change and everyone figured that the first change would likely be Demar. Triano would not make any changes. After how Demar has played in the last 3, it would seem that is starting spot is safe for now.
Jarrett Jack was one of the most vocal about this team and it's lack of performance. He was one of the people front and center in this turn around as well. Things were going so well he was able to stop and tie is shoe during the beat down of the Bulls. It was one of the most bizarre plays I have seen in a lifetime of watching basketball. The Bulls may want to have a meeting like the Raptors did as they looked lifeless and that play with Jack was a glaring example. But Jack was diving for balls and really busting his tail for the Raptors. It could be a moment that Jack has stepped up and become a vocal leader for this team which they clearly need. Bosh has never been one who has been great in that role. He would prefer to lead by example on the floor.
Finally we have seen some effort and results from Hedo Turkoglu. Even Hedo hit the deck for a ball and even won a jump ball. Fans have been deeply disappointed with his performance and rightfully so. He did miss the shot at the end of regulation in Washington but made a key shot in the overtime that would help position the Raps to get the win. Both Hedo and Demar will be moonlighting as male models today. The Raptors are going to show off there Huskies throwback uniforms today at the ACC. Demar and Hedo are expected to be on hand to show them off. Raptors will be wearing those new uniforms when they take on the T-Wolves on Tuesday.
Jose Calderon has been doing better as well. He is even managing to show a little more effort on the defensive end. I have come to accept that Jose is never going to be a good defender but at least you are seeing more of an effort in that regard. One of the other knocks against Jose has been his ability or lack of ability to throw the Alley Oop pass. However he has seemed to have found a chemistry with Demar DeRozan on the other end of that pass. DeRozan joked that Jose has thought him Spanish. So the "Amigo" Alley Oop has been working pretty well for both.
Amir Johnson was a beast against Washington and Marco Belinelli was very good against the Bulls. The Raps bench as a unit has been better with different guys stepping up on different nights. That is what you need to be successful in back to back scenarios which was something this team had clearly not done up until this weekend.
If there is anyone that is still of concern it might be Andrea Bargnani. There was not the noticeable change in his game for me. He was truly brutal most of the night in Washington and still his defense is leaving a lot to be desired. It would not shock me if we eventually see him end up on the bench at some point and playing in the second unit with Belinelli. The hope would be in playing with Marco that he would not go in the tank if he got shifted to the bench.
In general the Raptors effort on defense was far better. The rotations were quicker and there was a much more noticeable effort on that end of the floor. The Raptors seemed to have been embarrassed to the point of coming together and working out there issues defensively. There was just a better energy in how they played and it was nice to see. It is a but frustrating it has taken this long but perhaps the Raptors have turned a corner and will be a better team moving forward. Only time will tell if that meeting in Washington will be pointed to as the turning point of the season. However if you judge it based on what we have seen since it seems clear whatever was said has brought this team together and got everyone fighting hard and playing better basketball. This is what fans have wanted and now we are seeing it so enjoy it as much as you were frustrated by the low points.
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