No Love No Love!!!

After watching Andrew Bogut tear through the Raptors now they face Kevin Love. Minnesota has their own losing streak to worry about losing 6 straight including their own heartbreaking OT loss to OKC on Wednesday and a loss to the Jazz last night. I am sure more than one person will mention the fact the Raptors could have had Michael Beasley as part of a Bosh sign and trade with Miami. He is coming off a career high 7 assists vs OKC on Wednesday. he had 16 points and 11 rebounds in that loss to the Jazz and has really had a nice season with Minnesota the only team that wanted him it appeared. Beasley the former 2nd overall pick is averaging a career high 20.6 points and career high 2.1 assists. Retrospect is a beautiful thing but given his off the court track record the Raptors along with 27 other NBA teams were not willing to take the risk. There was also probably some thought in not wanting to help out Miami. They were desperate to unload him in order to construct their Big 3 and friends roster. Speaking of career highs Kevin Love has those in both points and rebounds. He leads the league averaging 15.7 rebounds and is averaging 21.6 points that is a heck of a double double. he is on a streak of 32 straight double doubles. They also have Darko so a lot of big bodies to deal with for Toronto and despite 10-36 record this could be tough match up.

The Basics: Raptors 13-34 (Last Win On Road Jan 5th) T-Wolves 10-36 (6-3 vs East at Home)

When Last We Saw Them: I was there live and in person to watch the Raptors fight hard to get to OT for first time this season. But the problem that was Andrew Bogut continued into overtime. The Big Aussie was far to much for Italy's finest and the Raptors went down to defeat for the 10th straight time first time since a streak from Mar-Apr of 2006. Amir Johnson had a warrior like performance worth noting with season high 24 points.

Key Match-Ups: Simple as this... the boards. Kevin Love is a beast on the glass and the Raptors minus Reggie Evans struggle to complete on the glass. If the Raptors can't rebound they are likely dead. If you don't get rebounds it is hard to get out in transition and run. Unless you create a lot of turnovers which is possible vs T-Wolves. Amir Johnson will likely draw the assignment of Love. They wouldn't put Andrea on him would they? No they can't do that. They just can't. Andrea might have enough issues with Drako who himself was a 2nd pick, one that Detroit still regrets to this day. The other concern will be Beasley who will see a combination of Sonny Weems and Julian Wright tonight.

Other Things of Note: Nothing to do with this game but I have been talking about the Raptors future being in Texas. Well read about your future as Ryan Wolstat from the Sun has a great feature on Cory Joesph and Tristan Thompson. Also of note the two latest members of team blackberry will be in the blog this week. That would be myself and Jack Armstrong. Going to catch up with Jack when the Raptors are in Atlanta. I just wanted to also say that in having access and getting to go in the locker rooms it really changes your prospective. You see how hard these guys are trying to shake this losing streak. It gives you a sense of empathy for them. That being said they know just as much as anyone that they have to break through and get a win some how some way.

Where is it on? TSN (What no post ALL-Star Draft Breakdown show? Shocking)

CB4 To Miami Could Make Some Raps History

Normally at the Dino Nation Blog it has been my unoffical policy to avoid to much talk of rumours. But I am going to make and exception for this one. Dan LeBatard a well know Miami media type has tweeted he is hearing that Bosh to Miami is a done deal. Here is the Quote from Twitter.

"I hear bosh-miami is done ..bosh-wade shared agent avoids tampering...its why beasley, chalmers, anthony still here...raptors get them"

It will in fact be a sign and trade. Here is the rumoured deal:

To Toronto:

Michael Beasley (F)

Mario Chalmers (G)

Joel Anthony (C)

To Miami:

Chris Bosh

Now to say that I am jumping up and down about this would not be true. Beasley is the 2nd pick version of Andrea Bargnani. He has had flashes of being good, but overall has been a disappointment. Chalmers is nothing special but has his moments. While Joel Anthony has played behind people in Miami and never really had a chance to play heavy minutes consistently. However what he is thought is a Canadian. A member of Canada's National Team and would be the first ever Canadian to wear a Raptor jersey assuming he remains. That would at least make me smile a bit. Prior to Miami offering him a qualifying offer, he was someone I felt the Raptors should consider. This could mean a move of Andrea Bargnani to the power forward spot if Bosh departs. Will see on all of it. But if this deal goes through it will make Raptor History on a couple fronts. The end of the Chris Bosh Era and a historic moment for the Raptors franchise with having a Canadian suit up for Canada's only NBA Franchise for the first time. Many will not think this is enough for Bosh. However I have always believed that you would never get as much as some assumed in a sign and trade for Bosh.

Update 12:50

Hence why the DNB hates rumours. According to Micheal Grange of the Globe and Mail this rumour is false. As for something factual Chris Bosh unfollowed me on Twitter and I never even realized. But you can make up for it if you don't follow me already @Dinonationblog. I want to remain classy and respect all that Chris has done for the Raptors. However his actions since the end of the season make that harder and harder to do. But I will remain acting like a grown up. I am not going to let a lousy end to 7 years erase what Bosh accomplished. On the floor unlike that other guy that demanded a trade, Chris always came to play.

LBJ Says Bye To Bulls and Punks Raps

So Lebron James took care of the Bulls in 5 games as I predicted. Nailed it....Yeah me. Mixed in with much talk of Lebron mysterious elbow injury. He also had this to say about the Raptors.

Lebron James "You could tell Toronto really didn't want to make the playoffs". Well if this is how Lebron truly felt, can someone explain to me why he decided to play against the Raptors and not the Bulls down the stretch in the regular season? If the Raptors were a team that as James claims didn't want to make the post season isn't that more of a reason to make sure they do. This would only make sense right? if you honestly believe that, take on the Raptors and get the easy sweep and sit back and chill.

But really why even say this at all. I mean this whole King thing and all, I guess he feels it is his duty to comment on all his subjects in the NBA? However maybe there is a slightly more intelligent reason to make this claim. We have all heard for months how could James, Bosh or Wade some how end up playing together. Which by the way Wade was sent packing last night in 5 games but most believe he remains in Miami. If the Raptors had lost to Cavs in 5 games how many in media would suggest the same about Chris Bosh? The answer is likely none in U.S. Getting back to this James comment and what it actually might have been designed to do. Was this James by degrading the Raptors franchise in a very public and unprofessional way, his way of sending a message to Chris Bosh to come join him in Cleveland. It would seem that comment was aimed at CB4 as it really makes little sense beyond that.

Now at the time where James sat vs Bulls and played vs the Raptors, I said it was on the Raptors not to be in a position for that to matter. Which is still how I feel. However for James to suggest the Raptors were not trying to make the playoffs insulting and attacks the integrity of the organization as whole. The Raptors were dealing with a ton of injuries including one to Bosh. The suggestion that they flat out didn't want to make the playoffs is wrong. You only needed to watch Jarrett Jack after each game down the stretch to know that.

I guess it is safe to say King James is not coming to Toronto this off-season. I think we already knew that thought. I have felt all through this 2010 mess that the NBA has handled it badly. This is just another example of it in a very subtle way. I also find it a joke how everyone just assumes Wade comes back to Miami while waving the American Flag in saying Bosh will leave Canada and the Raptors. How exactly did the Heat perform beyond Wade? Was their team 2-12 any better than the Raptors? Sure didn't look like it. Oh and let me get this out here right now. If the Raptors have Michael Beasley coming back to Raptors in a sign and trade, I will lose it. So, consider yourself warned. He was BRUTAL in this series and as I was joking on Twitter appears to spend more time on his hair then his game.

So forgive me if I am not bowing saying thanks to the King for the mention. Some may say this is an over reaction on my part. I will even agree it is a bit of one. However that does not make it anymore acceptable what he said. That kind of breaks an unwritten code of respecting other franchises and teams. How many times did you hear teams praise the Raptors up and down when they really sucked back in the day. Players just don't talk down the opposition unless it is part of some heated rivalry. Even then, they try to avoid it to not give the other team bulletin board material .

I picked Cleveland to win the title in the pre-season and still think that it will happen. However, Lebron James has made it a little easier to accept if I am wrong and he fails to get a ring again. So thanks LBJ. Also thanks to Sean Francois of the Hoops Head North who made me aware of the comment as I was working another game when LBJ was speaking.

Here is the Video of Lebron's post game presser (courtesy of NBA.Com) the comment on Raptors is at the 15:00 mark if you just want to skip to that.




After watching it in full context James claims that Cavs wanted to play the Bulls to be pushed and be forced to play hard. However does anyone honestly buy that? All teams will gladly take the rest in the playoffs if they can find it. They would also rather have something left in the tank for the series that matter. That is a cool sweater though with his initials and all in case you didn't know that was Lebron James.

Raptors Get Heat Stroked In Miami

It was important for the Raptors to get off to a good start. Miami you had to expect would be fired up and looking to bounce back from an embarrassing lose, something the Raptors can relate to for sure. Raptors would win the opening tip and get a score in the post from Bargnani. Next would be a sign of things to come on 2 fronts. Demar DeRozan would miss a lay-up and the Heat would run in transition for the easy score from Wade. This would be a long night for Demar and the Raptors transition D would be burned many more times before the night was done. The Raptors would hang in this one early though. Jay Triano would be frustrated early on getting a early technical foul and the Heat after converting the tech would have a 4 point lead with score 16-12. Miami was sloppy in it's execution with 5 early turnover but the Raptors did not make them pay with just 2 points off them. Andrea Bargnani had a solid opening quarter with 10 points. He would give the Raptors a 22-20 lead. They would lead 26-22 and would give up an open jumper in the corner to Haslem and lead 26-24 after 1 quarter.

Haslem would score to open the second as well and even the score at 26. Bosh would pick up a foul early in the Quarter his second and he would be forced to have a seat..Raptors along with looking bad in the transition on D also were getting beat on the glass on the defensive end. The Heat would be getting second chances and Micheal Beasley on one of those would score to give the Heat a 35-30 lead. The Raptors would fight back to 39-36 as Bosh would return to the floor. This would be the point that this game would go south in a major way for the Raptors. Hedo Turkoglu would hit a 3 getting the lead down to 2 and from there it was over. Raptors would have 3 chances to score to tie it and could not and the Heat would get the easy score in transition plus a foul. It was a 5 point swing anf it would be a key moment in the game in retrospect. The Heat would but together a run fueled by Raptor mistakes the most glaring a blown alley oop play where Demar tried to hook up Pops for a slam. The Heat would build an 11 point lead. The Heat would score 36 in the quarter and have a 60-50 lead at the half. Some glaring halftime stats included Bosh with 0 rebounds, Raptors being outscored 17-2 in fast break points, bench points all Heat as well 30-12.

The Raptors would come out in the second half and get the lead trimmed to 6 points and that would be the closest they would get.Wade and Micheal Beasley were looking as good as Shaq and D-Wade ever did. It would be 81-66 before you knew it as the Raps were looking sloppy on offense and invisible on defense. This would continue for the entire quarter and the Raptors would trail 91-74. Really no point to talk much about the 4th quarter as the Raptors would basically throw out the reserves with no chance to win and a game vs Orlando tomorrow. It is worth mentioning yet another NBA player has his career high against the Raptors. Well to be fair he tied his career high as Michael Beasley had 28 points and 11 rebounds on the night. Wade has just 19 points on the night but ever point he made seemed to come at a backbreaking moment in the game. Bosh had 28 points as well but just 2 rebounds. While Bargnani who had 10 points in the first quarter would finish with just 14. Hedo after his best game as a Raptors was back to being sleep walking Hedo with just 12 points. Jack also after 4 strong games came crashing down to earth on this night.

Raptors just had little fight once they got behind and like on many other nights this season they gave up on both ends of the floor. They were having to fight to score and when they couldn't there defense that was far from good became non-existent. Jack Armstrong was there to watch it all on TSN and he is going to be my guest tomorrow in the late afternoon. Safe to say we will have a lot to talk about and sadly not much of it good. Raptors lose in uninspiring fashion 115-95. The questions are many when it comes to this team. I really start to wonder if Jay Triano and this group fit together. It seems clear he does not get the effort from the required on a consistent basis. Sam Mitchell would always demand fight from his teams and when he stopped getting that fight from his team he was shown the door. He would demand more from this team and get in people's faces be it privately or in public through the media. It just does not seem to me that Jay Triano can be the task master that this team needs to produce. It is not a question of if he is an intelligent basketball mind or not. It is just about if he can get the effort and execution that is required. Sadly his overall record both this year and last tell you that he is falling far short in that regard. It may not be right and the players are a big part of the problem. However at the end of the day you can't fire a team but you can fire a coach. That being said Triano needs to take responsibility for the team's performance or lack of it. It is his job to get these guys to perform.

If this team every does turn the corner tonight is one of the nights they will deeply regret come April when they are in the heat (no pun intended ) of a playoff race. However with every lose you start to wonder if there will be playoffs to worry about if things do not change rather quickly.