So here we go, on the night before the trade deadline. All is quiet for the Raptors and it is likely to stay that way given the goals of this franchise at the moment. So, we can focus on if this team can actually win two games in a row. Deron Williams is out for the Nets and so is Calderon for the Raptors. I would consider that advantage Toronto. Is that enough to get them a win? Time to find out.
Sloppy start by both sides as the teams trade turnovers. Raptors got the first two baskets of this game to get the jump on the Nets. Kris Humphries was all over the place in both good and bad ways. He made a jumper and that was followed by a Raptor turnover leading to easy two in transition and this puppy was tied at 6. More Hump with the two handed jam and Nets had their first lead on the night at 12-10. Hump had a career high 31 point and 18 rebounds on Monday, so far in this one he has 8 points and 3 rebounds. Raptors went on a 8-3 run capped with a DeRozan slam in transition on the nice hook up from Bayless. Barbosa would make that 10-3 as he was playing and showing why he might be the most attractive trade piece in a Raptor uniform. In what was a very sloppy quarter for both the Raptors and Nets the Dinos had a 22-19 lead.
Anthony Morrow opens the scoring and makes it a one point lacking excitement contest. Nets get the lead back for first time since 12-10 with back to back hoops to open the 2nd. Barbosa audition continues with steal followed by a drive and behind the back pass to Linas for the easy 2. For a game tied at 25 this had all the excitement of watching paint dry for the most part. Gaines the Raptor for a couple 10 day contracts last year gave the Nets the lead 27-25. A quiet night for Bargnani so far as he makes his 2nd shot on the night to tie the game at 27. The Barbosa audition was the only true excitement as he adds a jumper made as he is fouled. Missed the and one but the Raptors had a 32-29 lead. Bragnani makes up for a turnover with a nice drive and finish and the Raptors lead was 5 with a time out on the floor. James Johnson kept the Raptors roll going on a 9-0 run now but the Nets finally had an answer and it was back to a 5 point game at 36-31. But the Raptors keep rolling make it a 13-2 run for Toronto and a 40-31 lead. Raptors get a bucket from Bayless he had 8 dimes doing his best Jose Calderon impression only he was playing defense too. Raptors had slippage near the end of the half and were trying to hang on to the lead. But they did manage to hold on with a 46-41 halftime lead.
Raptors continue to build your expectation levels for Jonas coming. I think it is pretty irresponsible to hype this kid to the moon all to serve as a distraction to the fact this season has been terrible. If he is not as good as advertised I urge you not to blame the kid and blame the people responsible for building your expectations to high. Anyway, back to the guys actually playing here that are up 5 on the Nets. New Jersey opens the half with a 3 pointer to cut the lead to just two. The one thing Bargnani has stuggled with since his return ironically is hit 3 point shot. he had a wide open transition three that he missed. Nets would tie the game up on the next possession at 46. Nets would eventually nose ahead with a 52-50 lead. Kris Humphries takes an ill advised jumper, gets his own rebound and kicks the ball out and possession ends with a Hump dunk. That sums up the good and bad of Kris Humphries in one possession. Bottom line it worked out and the Nets had a 4 point lead. Nets had a chance to make that an eight point lead but Hump threw the ball away. Demar Derozan took a knock to his face. He made the basket and the free throw than took a seat to get checked out. Nets were starting to pull away with this one. Jerryd Bayless after a solid first half with 8 assist had 0 in this 3rd quarter and was making some turnovers. Raptors limped to the end of the 3rd and the Nets had a 12 point turnaround in that quarter to lead 66-59 after 3.
Ed Davis angry he gets no halftime features makes a basket to start the 4th. Raptors were making just some awful and unforced turnovers and the Nets were happy to take the gifts being thrown their way. Nets had methodically built an eleven point lead. Bayless scored on a transition layup and Avery Johnson was quick to call a time out. There was roughly 7:40 left to play and out of time out Hump knocks down a jumper to restore the double digit lead. DeRozan than tries to put Hump on a poster but has to settle for two free throws. He missed both and the Raptors trialled 80-69. Nets would push that lead to as high as 14. Raptors would roll off 6 straight points and get it to an eight point advantage with 4:30ish left to go. Gerald Green who is most famous for blowing out a candle on a cupcake was blowing out the Raptors with 21 points. His latest two made the lead climb back to 10. After a dump tech by Anthony Morrow and the Raps hitting that Green again with an insane jumper to make the lead 10. Raptors needed a huge change in momentum as James Johnson scored to cut the lead to 8 points but their was just 2:20 left to play. Raptors go zone after the time out and Gaines makes them pay with a three point dagger giving the Nets an 11 point lead. Nets would take this one 98-84 and clobber the Raptors in the 2nd half.
Gerald Green had 26 points and former Raptor Kris Humphries had 16 points and 21 rebounds. It was yet another case of the Raptors not playing a full 48 minutes and paying for it in the end. They only shot 38.3% on the night. It was ugly even when the Raptors were winning. It got uglier when they started losing. Trade Deadline tomorrow if the Raptors do anything will be on top of it. That said if you plan on holding your breath for that...Don't.
Showing posts with label New Jersey Nets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Jersey Nets. Show all posts
3/14/12
Eve Of Trade Deadline: Raps vs Nets
A lot of eyes will be on this game and it may have nothing to do with the Raptors and Nets playing a basketball game. It will have everything to do with the fact that speculation is that Dwight Howard will be the first free agent signing of the Brooklyn Nets if you believe the news. So that might force the Magic to make a move with the Nets or someone else to get something now for Dwight Howard. So people maybe watching this game to see who is not playing more than who is. Deron Williams and Jose Calderon both won't be but that is due to injuries. In terms of the Raptors and the trade deadline the key player to watch would be Barbosa. If he is not playing tonight you can almost guarantee he will be on the move.
In terms of the game itself the Raptors will have a decent shot at winning two in a row with no Deron Williams to deal with. If the Nets are truly looking to make the big splash for Howard who knows who else may not be playing. It could be a very easy win for the Raptors depending on who actually shows up for the Nets.
The Raptors with the win last night exceeded their win total on the road for an entire season last year with only 6 wins. It seems the Raptors are on pace to win the 20 games we predicted in the Dino Nation Blog if not a few more. Andrea Bargnani has looked better and better with each game in his return to the line up which is a positive sign both short and long term.
Raptors will be off tomorrow and in Memphis on Friday. If you expect to see them look much different I would suggest not to hold your breath. Colangelo has shown some out of character patience in sticking to the plan. So it is unlikely he loses his senses at this point.
In terms of the game itself the Raptors will have a decent shot at winning two in a row with no Deron Williams to deal with. If the Nets are truly looking to make the big splash for Howard who knows who else may not be playing. It could be a very easy win for the Raptors depending on who actually shows up for the Nets.
The Raptors with the win last night exceeded their win total on the road for an entire season last year with only 6 wins. It seems the Raptors are on pace to win the 20 games we predicted in the Dino Nation Blog if not a few more. Andrea Bargnani has looked better and better with each game in his return to the line up which is a positive sign both short and long term.
Raptors will be off tomorrow and in Memphis on Friday. If you expect to see them look much different I would suggest not to hold your breath. Colangelo has shown some out of character patience in sticking to the plan. So it is unlikely he loses his senses at this point.
3/10/12
Reverse Standings Battle In Motown
Raptors and Pistons hook up in a battle in Detroit where the loser may in fact be the winner in the end. If you subscribe to the whole tank philosophy this is a huge game tonight in Detroit. Vital to who might win or loss regardless could be determined by if Andrea Bargnani returns for the Raptors tonight. Raptors have been hinting at his impending return and with a game tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday it is expected that we will see Andrea back in one of those games. Looks like tomorrow could be the day. So nice of Andrea to make his comeback for the game I am covering. His return could have a major impact on the Raptors lottery odds. The Raptors were 6-7 with him in the line up and have no less than 4 teams with in a half game of each other in the reverse standings. Have a look at how it shakes out.
27th Raptors 13-26
26th Nets 14-27
T-25th Kings 14-26
T-25th Pistons 14-26
Ultimately for me it does not hold a ton of importance. If were not talking top 3 don't really think it matters to much ultimately. Here are some stats on why I really don't care that much about tanking or see the merits in it. The NBA Lottery began in 1985 since that time here are some stats to chew on.
For the record the difference between 27th and 24th is 11.9% to 4.3% or a difference of 7.6%. So it is significant but want to break down the NBA Lottery and look for patterns of trends nothing is a lock. Other than the suspect luck that seems to fall for certain teams at just the right time. Derrick Rose winding up in his home-town with Chicago with just a 1.7% chance of happening. The odds for Lebron James to go to Cleveland were much higher with 22.5% chance. In the first lottery the odds were even and Knicks walked away with Patrick Ewing with 14.29% chance.
As much as the fans and media to an extent love to focus on the topic of the lottery and tanking it really is just something to talk about more times than not. The NBA created the Lottery to try and dissuade teams from tanking. It has not dissuaded people from talking about it. One thing I will guarantee you is that not one player on Pistons or Raptors would rather lose than win tonight. Players always want to win at the end of the day. It is easy to sit back and say a team should just try and lose as much as possible. You don't have to live through it the same as players do. If you decide to watch it is no big deal. They have to show up for every game 82 normally but 66 this year. So cheer for Raptors to win or lose but one way or the other this game will have an impact for the people that are tanking their way through this season.
27th Raptors 13-26
26th Nets 14-27
T-25th Kings 14-26
T-25th Pistons 14-26
Ultimately for me it does not hold a ton of importance. If were not talking top 3 don't really think it matters to much ultimately. Here are some stats on why I really don't care that much about tanking or see the merits in it. The NBA Lottery began in 1985 since that time here are some stats to chew on.
- Team with Worst Record has won a grand total of 4 times (Only twice since 2000)
- Team with 5th worst Record has won more times with 5. (Including the Raptors in 2006)
- To be the 2nd or 3rd worst is the lucky place to be both winning 6 times
- Orlando Magic won back to back lotteries the 2nd time with just 1.52% Chance.
- Where the Raptors sit currently 4th Worst has only ever won the lottery once in 1997 for Spurs
For the record the difference between 27th and 24th is 11.9% to 4.3% or a difference of 7.6%. So it is significant but want to break down the NBA Lottery and look for patterns of trends nothing is a lock. Other than the suspect luck that seems to fall for certain teams at just the right time. Derrick Rose winding up in his home-town with Chicago with just a 1.7% chance of happening. The odds for Lebron James to go to Cleveland were much higher with 22.5% chance. In the first lottery the odds were even and Knicks walked away with Patrick Ewing with 14.29% chance.
As much as the fans and media to an extent love to focus on the topic of the lottery and tanking it really is just something to talk about more times than not. The NBA created the Lottery to try and dissuade teams from tanking. It has not dissuaded people from talking about it. One thing I will guarantee you is that not one player on Pistons or Raptors would rather lose than win tonight. Players always want to win at the end of the day. It is easy to sit back and say a team should just try and lose as much as possible. You don't have to live through it the same as players do. If you decide to watch it is no big deal. They have to show up for every game 82 normally but 66 this year. So cheer for Raptors to win or lose but one way or the other this game will have an impact for the people that are tanking their way through this season.
1/30/12
DNB Game In Pictures IV
For the first time doing game in pictures we have a win to talk about. So let's get at it and call your momma cause it is time to ROLL'EM!!!
If you like this video head over to You Tube and give us some love. I am off to cover the Raptors and Hawks live from the ACC tomorrow so will see what we get from that.
If you like this video head over to You Tube and give us some love. I am off to cover the Raptors and Hawks live from the ACC tomorrow so will see what we get from that.
Road Warriors
No one would have predicted the Raptors would be returning home from this road trip with a 3-2 record. But after a dominate win in New Jersey the Raptors do end up with that record. It was far from an ideal trip. Along the way they saw Andrea Bargnani return only to be sidelined again with the same injury. The Raptors heading into yesterday were 0-7 this season with out Bargnani in the line up. They even had lost to the Nets with Bargnani in the line-up. The Raptors had also never beat Deron Williams he was 14-0 vs the Raptors with both the Nets and Jazz.
The Raptors even despite a couple wins on this trip, they have failed to get off to solid starts. The first quarter has been the Raptors own personal hell. But they would get off to a decent start in this one. This despite not only being without Bargnani but also without Barbosa who was a late scratch with a bad ankle. Barbosa had been the most consistent scorer off the bench for the Raptors this season. The Raptors would come out and take a 7-2 lead before letting the Nets make a couple threes in the corner and getting the game back to even at 13. Despite the better start the Nets were doing the two things they had done to beat the Raptors the last time. Making threes and getting on the offensive glass. But the Nets were not taking advantage of those second chances as they did in Toronto. Raptors were also not allowing the Nets anything easy as they held them down in terms of fast break points. Raptors would re-establish a lead only to see the Nets get it back to even at 24 after one. But that was a significant improvement for a team that had been terrible in first quarters of late.
Dwane Casey would try something new in this game playing Jose Calderon and Jerryd Bayless together on the floor at times. The duo started shifting DeRozan to the 3 spot. Amir Johnson would also return to the starting line-up in place of Aaron Gray. It is something we have seen in the past with Raptors with Ford and Calderon. Bayless was excellent in the times he matched up against Deron Williams. The offence was tight as well with Calderon hooking up Bayless with an alley oop dunk. This might have been the best performance for this team defensively under Casey. The Raptors held the Nets to 15 points in the 2nd and 14 points in the 3rd. Raptors would have a five point advantage at the halftime break with the score 44-39.
Demar DeRozan has been struggling badly during this road trip. But he had a decent first half but that was nothing compared to his 3rd quarter. DeRozan went into full attack mode and he played his best quarter of basketball in the 3rd. This was the Demar DeRozan that his fans had been waiting for. Relentlessly attacking the basket and getting out on the break getting his fair share of points based on that. He would be rewarded for his effort with a career high 16 trips to the foul line on night making 11. By the time things were done in the 3rd the Raptors had put this game on ice. They pounded the Nets 26-14 in the 3rd and had a 19 point advantage heading to the 4th quarter.
Not even the Raptors were going to blow a 19 point lead in the 4th. If you watched this game and did not feel confident heading into that 4th quarter not sure when you would be. It was the first time in a long time I personally can remember feeling confident entering a 4th quarter. It would not be long before this game would enter into garbage time. So much so that little used Solomon Alabi even saw the floor late in this one for just the second time this season. Raptors would cruise to the winners circle with a 94-73 win over the Nets.
Demar DeRozan had a season high and game high 27 points going 8-12 from the field and 11-16 from the line as previously mentioned. He also played 40 plus minutes in this one. It was back to back good games for Jerryd Bayless with 17 points on 7-15. Jose Calderon had a quiet 10 points and 9 assists. It was a team effort on defence and an offence that was led by DeRozan. Raptors return home to face a tough Hawks team on Tuesday and then end up right back on the road again. I will be making the trip down to Toronto to cover this one. Looking forward to it as always.
The Raptors even despite a couple wins on this trip, they have failed to get off to solid starts. The first quarter has been the Raptors own personal hell. But they would get off to a decent start in this one. This despite not only being without Bargnani but also without Barbosa who was a late scratch with a bad ankle. Barbosa had been the most consistent scorer off the bench for the Raptors this season. The Raptors would come out and take a 7-2 lead before letting the Nets make a couple threes in the corner and getting the game back to even at 13. Despite the better start the Nets were doing the two things they had done to beat the Raptors the last time. Making threes and getting on the offensive glass. But the Nets were not taking advantage of those second chances as they did in Toronto. Raptors were also not allowing the Nets anything easy as they held them down in terms of fast break points. Raptors would re-establish a lead only to see the Nets get it back to even at 24 after one. But that was a significant improvement for a team that had been terrible in first quarters of late.
Dwane Casey would try something new in this game playing Jose Calderon and Jerryd Bayless together on the floor at times. The duo started shifting DeRozan to the 3 spot. Amir Johnson would also return to the starting line-up in place of Aaron Gray. It is something we have seen in the past with Raptors with Ford and Calderon. Bayless was excellent in the times he matched up against Deron Williams. The offence was tight as well with Calderon hooking up Bayless with an alley oop dunk. This might have been the best performance for this team defensively under Casey. The Raptors held the Nets to 15 points in the 2nd and 14 points in the 3rd. Raptors would have a five point advantage at the halftime break with the score 44-39.
Demar DeRozan has been struggling badly during this road trip. But he had a decent first half but that was nothing compared to his 3rd quarter. DeRozan went into full attack mode and he played his best quarter of basketball in the 3rd. This was the Demar DeRozan that his fans had been waiting for. Relentlessly attacking the basket and getting out on the break getting his fair share of points based on that. He would be rewarded for his effort with a career high 16 trips to the foul line on night making 11. By the time things were done in the 3rd the Raptors had put this game on ice. They pounded the Nets 26-14 in the 3rd and had a 19 point advantage heading to the 4th quarter.
Not even the Raptors were going to blow a 19 point lead in the 4th. If you watched this game and did not feel confident heading into that 4th quarter not sure when you would be. It was the first time in a long time I personally can remember feeling confident entering a 4th quarter. It would not be long before this game would enter into garbage time. So much so that little used Solomon Alabi even saw the floor late in this one for just the second time this season. Raptors would cruise to the winners circle with a 94-73 win over the Nets.
Demar DeRozan had a season high and game high 27 points going 8-12 from the field and 11-16 from the line as previously mentioned. He also played 40 plus minutes in this one. It was back to back good games for Jerryd Bayless with 17 points on 7-15. Jose Calderon had a quiet 10 points and 9 assists. It was a team effort on defence and an offence that was led by DeRozan. Raptors return home to face a tough Hawks team on Tuesday and then end up right back on the road again. I will be making the trip down to Toronto to cover this one. Looking forward to it as always.
1/29/12
The Newark Layover.
If it is hard for me to get excited for this game wonder if it is the same for the Raptors. How about you folks are you pumped up for Nets and Raptors? The Raptors do have something to play for in that they could return home with a winning record from a road trip that few expected them to do much in. It saw the return of Bargnani only to be short lived as it would last almost 2 games. The Raptors last game in Denver was typical of the other games without Bargnani this season. The Raptors did have Bargnani the last time they faced the Nets but still lost 97-85. Two things stick out from that game. The Raptors got dominated on the glass, they also got killed from long range as Nets shot 15-31 (48.4%) from beyond the 3 point line.
Rumours have been flying around the Jose Calderon may want out of Toronto. Those rumours be they true or false can serve as some motivation for Jerryd Bayless. He comes in off his best game of the season in which he had 18 points and was 7-10 from the field and 4-5 from the 3 point line. He was not part of the match-up the first time these two teams hooked up. But it may be his ability to stop Deron Williams that will determine his playing time. Jose Calderon has never had much if any success trying to stop him. Williams and Calderon have meet 14 times here are the numbers:
Deron Williams: 18.9 PPG, 8.9 Assists, 1.6 Steals, Shooting % 43.8 with 2.9 turnovers
Jose Calderon: 9.9 PPG, 5.6 Assists, 0.9 Steals, Shooting % 41.5 with 1.6 turnovers.
But the most glaring stat is this one, Deron Williams is 14-0 in games vs Calderon. He has never lost against him in his NBA Career. In a road trip in which the Raptors have beat a couple losing streaks this is another one they look to change today. But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.
3 Keys:
Defend The Arc: We mentioned how well the Nets did the last time from behind the arc. If you let them getting going again it could be a long night. Be alert for kick outs as Williams attacks the paint.
The Broken Record: We keep saying it but the Raptors have to find a way to get off to better starts. If they don't figure this out they will not be winning many games regardless of who is in or out of the line-up.
Limit 2nd Chance Points: Kris Humphries heard boos in Toronto the last time and really didn't care. He got on the offensive glass early and often and was a big key to the Nets winning the battle on the glass.
Whatever happens I have a request it happens quickly. I would like to watch the Royal Rumble so the quicker the better. Please no triple overtime like last year in England. Not that it is basketball but my pick to win the Royal Rumble is Chris Jericho.
Rumours have been flying around the Jose Calderon may want out of Toronto. Those rumours be they true or false can serve as some motivation for Jerryd Bayless. He comes in off his best game of the season in which he had 18 points and was 7-10 from the field and 4-5 from the 3 point line. He was not part of the match-up the first time these two teams hooked up. But it may be his ability to stop Deron Williams that will determine his playing time. Jose Calderon has never had much if any success trying to stop him. Williams and Calderon have meet 14 times here are the numbers:
Deron Williams: 18.9 PPG, 8.9 Assists, 1.6 Steals, Shooting % 43.8 with 2.9 turnovers
Jose Calderon: 9.9 PPG, 5.6 Assists, 0.9 Steals, Shooting % 41.5 with 1.6 turnovers.
But the most glaring stat is this one, Deron Williams is 14-0 in games vs Calderon. He has never lost against him in his NBA Career. In a road trip in which the Raptors have beat a couple losing streaks this is another one they look to change today. But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.
3 Keys:
Defend The Arc: We mentioned how well the Nets did the last time from behind the arc. If you let them getting going again it could be a long night. Be alert for kick outs as Williams attacks the paint.
The Broken Record: We keep saying it but the Raptors have to find a way to get off to better starts. If they don't figure this out they will not be winning many games regardless of who is in or out of the line-up.
Limit 2nd Chance Points: Kris Humphries heard boos in Toronto the last time and really didn't care. He got on the offensive glass early and often and was a big key to the Nets winning the battle on the glass.
Whatever happens I have a request it happens quickly. I would like to watch the Royal Rumble so the quicker the better. Please no triple overtime like last year in England. Not that it is basketball but my pick to win the Royal Rumble is Chris Jericho.
1/6/12
Just When You Think The Raptors Are Better....
Honestly being a Raptor fan is a tough existence. They have a way of playing with your mind. Most Raptor fans came into this season expecting the worst. But after 6 games they had been pleasantly surprised. Confident...maybe even a little cocky. The Nets were not going to be a problem. O.K... Deron Williams and Kris Humphries were back for Nets but we got this. Not so fast. The Nets came into the ACC and the crowd was going after Hump and he in the end would get the last laugh.
It didn't start off like it was going be a bad night. But if you looked closer the signs were there. New Jersey had just a one point lead after 1 quarter 23-22. But the Raptors were getting killed on the boards. Also the Nets were not shooting well but were from beyond that 3 point line. That with second chance points and Deron Williams looking to be 100% would be the theme for the rest of the night. Williams had 24 points 9 assists and 5 rebounds with a couple of steals in his return to the Nets line-up.
The Nets would have their best quarter of the game in the 2nd outscoring Toronto 26-19 and taking a 8 point lead to the break. While Raptor fans would boo Kris Humphries, which is honestly pointless and stupid. He would do what he does and had a huge night on the glass with 9 offensive rebounds and 16 rebounds overall. He only had 6 points on 2-8 shooting but the Nets had more than enough offence on this night.
Anthony Morrow was the biggest contributor for the Nets from behind the arc going 6-10 and ending up with 24 points to match Williams scoring effort. That would be Deron Williams. The Nets actually made some obscure NBA History with at one point having 4 Williams on the floor at the same time. This was not the excuse for the Raptors troubles though as the Nets shot 48.4% behind the arc despite shooting 38.8% overall. If the Raptors could have just shown up on the glass this win was there for the taking. Amir Johnson had 10 boards and Ed Davis had 8. but they needed some help. Davis had a nice night with 11 points as well and that will get lost in the fact the Raptors did not play well as a group.
Demar DeRozan after a magical performance on Wednesday had one of his worst nights of his NBA career to this point. Just 3 points on 1-6 shooting with a couple rebounds and a couple assists. Andrea Bargnani finally came down to earth tonight. His improved defence was MIA and his numbers across the board were down. He had just 17 points shooting 6-12 with just 4 rebounds on the night. Jose Calderon had a nice stat line but his lack of ability to guard Deron Williams was on full display. Even when the Raptors put him on someone else he was getting exposed. If he is on your fantasy team you will be happy with the 19 points and 8 assists. But in reality he was not that good.
Nets outscored the Raptors in every quarter and I have consulted with math experts and they assure me that means the Raptors will lose 100% of time in this situation. Dwane Casey will no doubt have lots to say to a captive audience on a plane to Philadelphia. The Final Score was flattering to the Raptors as this game was over in the early 4th quarter. Nets get just there 2nd win of the year 97-85 at the ACC.
While tonight was no doubt disappointing. I will wait to see how the Raptors respond tomorrow night in Philly before I get to upset with anything. Raptors can ill afford to go on a bad skid now as the games will be flying at them fast and furious. After Saturday in Philly they have the dreaded back to back to back to deal with. Which includes a trip to Washington and back right in the middle. The Raptors will not have time to improve relations and meet with Obama. Tonight started a murderous 7 games in 9 days a daunting task for the Dinos or any NBA team.
It didn't start off like it was going be a bad night. But if you looked closer the signs were there. New Jersey had just a one point lead after 1 quarter 23-22. But the Raptors were getting killed on the boards. Also the Nets were not shooting well but were from beyond that 3 point line. That with second chance points and Deron Williams looking to be 100% would be the theme for the rest of the night. Williams had 24 points 9 assists and 5 rebounds with a couple of steals in his return to the Nets line-up.
The Nets would have their best quarter of the game in the 2nd outscoring Toronto 26-19 and taking a 8 point lead to the break. While Raptor fans would boo Kris Humphries, which is honestly pointless and stupid. He would do what he does and had a huge night on the glass with 9 offensive rebounds and 16 rebounds overall. He only had 6 points on 2-8 shooting but the Nets had more than enough offence on this night.
Anthony Morrow was the biggest contributor for the Nets from behind the arc going 6-10 and ending up with 24 points to match Williams scoring effort. That would be Deron Williams. The Nets actually made some obscure NBA History with at one point having 4 Williams on the floor at the same time. This was not the excuse for the Raptors troubles though as the Nets shot 48.4% behind the arc despite shooting 38.8% overall. If the Raptors could have just shown up on the glass this win was there for the taking. Amir Johnson had 10 boards and Ed Davis had 8. but they needed some help. Davis had a nice night with 11 points as well and that will get lost in the fact the Raptors did not play well as a group.
Demar DeRozan after a magical performance on Wednesday had one of his worst nights of his NBA career to this point. Just 3 points on 1-6 shooting with a couple rebounds and a couple assists. Andrea Bargnani finally came down to earth tonight. His improved defence was MIA and his numbers across the board were down. He had just 17 points shooting 6-12 with just 4 rebounds on the night. Jose Calderon had a nice stat line but his lack of ability to guard Deron Williams was on full display. Even when the Raptors put him on someone else he was getting exposed. If he is on your fantasy team you will be happy with the 19 points and 8 assists. But in reality he was not that good.
Nets outscored the Raptors in every quarter and I have consulted with math experts and they assure me that means the Raptors will lose 100% of time in this situation. Dwane Casey will no doubt have lots to say to a captive audience on a plane to Philadelphia. The Final Score was flattering to the Raptors as this game was over in the early 4th quarter. Nets get just there 2nd win of the year 97-85 at the ACC.
While tonight was no doubt disappointing. I will wait to see how the Raptors respond tomorrow night in Philly before I get to upset with anything. Raptors can ill afford to go on a bad skid now as the games will be flying at them fast and furious. After Saturday in Philly they have the dreaded back to back to back to deal with. Which includes a trip to Washington and back right in the middle. The Raptors will not have time to improve relations and meet with Obama. Tonight started a murderous 7 games in 9 days a daunting task for the Dinos or any NBA team.
Raps Face Atlantic Division Back to Back
Toronto Raptors are going to be some busy damn Dinos in the next little while. The NBA Sked offers them 5 games in just 6 days. It starts tonight at the ACC vs Nets. That means the most hated player in the NBA comes to town. What a joke that is. Kris Humphries is far from that. He is a good dude and I have been saying on Twitter Toronto Fans should cheer hump because we know better. He has become a much better player since his days in Toronto. All that being said with Williams banged up and Brook Lopez out it has been a struggle for the Nets. Even Hump himself has been banged up and missed the Nets last game on Wednesday. Deron Williams also practised with the Nets yesterday and will play.
In terms of the Raptors Jerryd Bayless did practice a little but I think is likely doubtful. Raptors might be wise to save him till Monday if he is ready. Given the way Jose Calderon has played of late it is not like he would get a lot of minutes anyway. After this one the Raptors travel to face believe it or not the Atlantic Division leading 76ers. But first thing is first let's give you three keys to tonight's Nets vs Raps Game.
1. Make It Tough On Deron- I have actually had cracked and bruised ribs. It is a terrible amount of pain. But the pain is not the really problem it is the fact it makes ever breath you take hard. So the Raptors should make sure to bump and bang Deron Williams as often as possible within the rules and hey maybe even outside of them a little. If he is not back to 100% (Which is likely) he will feel it.
2. Battle of the Boards- Humphries is a fantastic rebounder now. It is why he will survive this whole marriage gone wrong. But I meant on the basketball court. The Raptors despite the win vs the Cavs did lose the battle of the boards. It has been a team effort on the glass this year under Casey. So they have to do that tonight to have a chance at winning their 3rd in a row.
3. Lots of Bargnani- The Nets really don't have anyone that can match-up with Bargnani so feed him early and often and let him do his thing. Bargnani is like a player in NBA Jam on fire right now and the Nets have no fireman to put him out. So make sure you take advantage of that. It should be simple for Andrea to get 30 but against the needs be greedy and get him 40.
So that is all. If your heading down to the ACC #CheerHump because the idea of him being the most hated player in the NBA is a joke. Raptors are on a nice roll and if they could sweep this back to back might even go somewhere they haven't been in a long time. Sitting on top of the Atlantic Division. In a short season these games in the division take on more significance.
In terms of the Raptors Jerryd Bayless did practice a little but I think is likely doubtful. Raptors might be wise to save him till Monday if he is ready. Given the way Jose Calderon has played of late it is not like he would get a lot of minutes anyway. After this one the Raptors travel to face believe it or not the Atlantic Division leading 76ers. But first thing is first let's give you three keys to tonight's Nets vs Raps Game.
1. Make It Tough On Deron- I have actually had cracked and bruised ribs. It is a terrible amount of pain. But the pain is not the really problem it is the fact it makes ever breath you take hard. So the Raptors should make sure to bump and bang Deron Williams as often as possible within the rules and hey maybe even outside of them a little. If he is not back to 100% (Which is likely) he will feel it.
2. Battle of the Boards- Humphries is a fantastic rebounder now. It is why he will survive this whole marriage gone wrong. But I meant on the basketball court. The Raptors despite the win vs the Cavs did lose the battle of the boards. It has been a team effort on the glass this year under Casey. So they have to do that tonight to have a chance at winning their 3rd in a row.
3. Lots of Bargnani- The Nets really don't have anyone that can match-up with Bargnani so feed him early and often and let him do his thing. Bargnani is like a player in NBA Jam on fire right now and the Nets have no fireman to put him out. So make sure you take advantage of that. It should be simple for Andrea to get 30 but against the needs be greedy and get him 40.
So that is all. If your heading down to the ACC #CheerHump because the idea of him being the most hated player in the NBA is a joke. Raptors are on a nice roll and if they could sweep this back to back might even go somewhere they haven't been in a long time. Sitting on top of the Atlantic Division. In a short season these games in the division take on more significance.
3/5/11
The Scene From London Of Raptors vs Nets
Friday Report from our Fan correspondent in London (@Euro4raps )Yes Michael did make it to London. He tells me Wifi over in London is not the greatest. Might be something to figure out for the Olympics coming don't you think? There will be a lot more people in London for that event for sure. But Michael was able to get us his thoughts on his day and the game that night which the Raptor would eventually lose to the Nets:
After spending most of my Friday shopping at Portobello Road Market and Oxford street, I met up with two British Raptors fans prior to the game at The O2: Tom Hurley and Nat Jones, both currently from Manchester. Also Natasha Alibhai also quickly came by and we chatted some Raptors.
I then bought a Raptors t-shirt from the official store and was instantly wondering why they would sell Heat Jersey not from the Raptors (The answer is this is staged as more an NBA Event). Inside the arena, where I was sitting practically under the roof bur nonetheless had a good view, I was surprised at how equally the Nets and Raptors were presented throughout The O2. (Note on T.V it didn't sound like it)
The introductions were done equally and I have to admit, the Nets video was more impressive. The game itself started out a bit boring, not because of what happened on the floor but the crowd took a while to get into it. Speaking of the crowd, I think fans for both teams were about 50-50 with maybe a slight overhang towards the Raptors. At least in my block we were, including a boy who chanted DEFENCE whenever the Raptors were back.
I followed the game and since I'm a stats guy it was bad not having any working stats on the Jumbo screen until well into the second quarter. Hopefully they fixed that from the get go for tonight's game. The ending was not the best for Raptors fans as the Nets took over in the fourth. I have to admit though, I'm not that down about it as I had a GREAT time at my first ever NBA game. I saw so many things happening in between TV breaks, like Matt Devlin's bumping fists with every player during warm-ups. Or his constant peeks at several sheets in front of him. The contests and prizes were a bit too much for me but it let time fly by quicker, I guess.
I want to end by saying how impressed I was about the Raptor! He outperformed the Nets mascot on so many levels and involved the (lower bowl) crowd constantly. During a timeout he also had his fun with a security guard, dancing with the poor guy who tried his best to do his job without laughing like the guards at Buckingham Palace.
And by the way, even if the WiFi at The O2 had worked smoother, in-game tweeting is not really for me as I took everything in and tried to see as much as I could. Still, follow me @Euro4Raps and I'll try to do a better job for the second game, working WiFi permitting.
Thanks to Michael for checking in. Funny he mentions the Raptor I have said for years he is one of the best Mascots not just in the NBA but in all sports. Micheal didn't take this picture The Raptor tweeted it. He was busy on the streets as well in London check it out.
Because there really is not to much new to say, no DNB Preview of today's game but it does tip at 3pm and can been seen on Sportsnet 1 here in Canada. Glad to hear Micheal enjoyed his first live NBA game. That is what it is all about. This is a huge deal for fans in Europe. Matt mentioned on broadcast the amount of Raptor fans from so many different places he has met. oddest one for me was Sweden. Seems like everyone for the most part has had a good time.
3/4/11
Raptors vs Nets Round 1 In London
From the home of the 2012 Olympics the O2 arena the Nets and the Raptors will make some NBA history. The first ever regular season game in Europe will go down. Raptors come in off a surprising win on Tuesday night vs the Hornets. Deron Williams recently acquired at the trade deadline is questionable for this game. He has been having an issue with his foot and also a banged up wrist. But as Williams said the Nets did not trade for him to watch him sit. He also said on the prospects of re-signing with the Nets he would play in North Dakota if the team was committed winning. Which given where he played before in Utah that makes sense and is believable. Raptors and Nets have been doing a number of events together and are even staying in the same hotel but today they get it on.
The Basics: Toronto 17-44 (5-24 on the Road) Nets 17-43 (0-9 in Atlantic Division)
When Last We Saw Them: It was a retro performance by Jose Calderon that lead the Raptors to a surprising victory. He out played Chris Paul and led the Raptors making clutch shots to seal a victory. Five Raptors were in double figures including James Johnson who had 13 and is quickly becoming the 2nd coming to some fans out there. Raptors hung on for the 96-90 win.
Key Match-Ups: If he plays Williams vs Calderon will be the key match-up in this game. Calderon has been facing some of the elite at his position in the game of late. Williams is yet another in that list and on paper is the huge favourite in this match-up. Brook Lopez and Andrea Bargnani should be a match-up that favours the Raptors. But what is going to be tough for the Raptors is winning the battle on the glass and that is in part because of former Raptor Kris Humphries. He is playing some of his best ball of his basketball career and off the floor is dating Kim Kardashian. No clue is she made trip to London. But Hump has and will be a load to deal with. James Johnson matches up with Damion James. I loved James at Texas last year and think he can be a solid pick for the Nets.
Other Things Of Note: Nets have lost 6 straight games coming into this one. Nets are 2-8 in last 10 and Raptors not much better at 3-7 in the last 10. Raptors won their first ever game against the Nets and in fact lead the all-time series 30-28. Deron Williams in first 3 games as a Net has recorded a double double and that is first time that has happened since the NBA kept track of back in 1976-77. Raptors have played games in Euro before and held a training camp in Europe but this is there first visit to London and the O2 arena.
Where is it on: Sportsnet Main Network 3pm (Yes the Raptors are more important than Poker to Sportsnet!!! WOOO!!!)
The Basics: Toronto 17-44 (5-24 on the Road) Nets 17-43 (0-9 in Atlantic Division)
When Last We Saw Them: It was a retro performance by Jose Calderon that lead the Raptors to a surprising victory. He out played Chris Paul and led the Raptors making clutch shots to seal a victory. Five Raptors were in double figures including James Johnson who had 13 and is quickly becoming the 2nd coming to some fans out there. Raptors hung on for the 96-90 win.
Key Match-Ups: If he plays Williams vs Calderon will be the key match-up in this game. Calderon has been facing some of the elite at his position in the game of late. Williams is yet another in that list and on paper is the huge favourite in this match-up. Brook Lopez and Andrea Bargnani should be a match-up that favours the Raptors. But what is going to be tough for the Raptors is winning the battle on the glass and that is in part because of former Raptor Kris Humphries. He is playing some of his best ball of his basketball career and off the floor is dating Kim Kardashian. No clue is she made trip to London. But Hump has and will be a load to deal with. James Johnson matches up with Damion James. I loved James at Texas last year and think he can be a solid pick for the Nets.
Other Things Of Note: Nets have lost 6 straight games coming into this one. Nets are 2-8 in last 10 and Raptors not much better at 3-7 in the last 10. Raptors won their first ever game against the Nets and in fact lead the all-time series 30-28. Deron Williams in first 3 games as a Net has recorded a double double and that is first time that has happened since the NBA kept track of back in 1976-77. Raptors have played games in Euro before and held a training camp in Europe but this is there first visit to London and the O2 arena.
Where is it on: Sportsnet Main Network 3pm (Yes the Raptors are more important than Poker to Sportsnet!!! WOOO!!!)
3/3/11
DNB's Fan Correspondent Checks In
About 2 months ago I had an idea to have a fan cover their experience going to London to catch the Raptors and Nets game in London. It makes sense for a few reasons. The first a trip to London is impossible for me on a number of levels starting with the expense to go. But second and more importantly someone from over in Europe is far more excited about this event than me. It is almost like the circus coming to town or in this case Europe. So I found a DNB reader and Raptor fan that was going and agreed to be our fan reporter of sorts sharing his journey to see the Raptors in London. I think this is a pretty cool idea and will be something you folks will enjoy. So here is Michael (@Euro4Raps) with his first post/report: 
How is it like being a NBA fan in Europe? For games, you can get up in the middle of the night, 1 or 2 am if you happen to be a fan of any East Coast team, 3 or 4 am for teams from the other coast. Then about half the countries don't even have it on TV and you're stuck with NBA League Pass Broadband International, something they gladly expanded a few years back. In my country, Austria, not even the NBA All Star game makes it into the newspaper and most sports anchors probably get the NBA, NHL..etc. mixed up.
If you can't get up at night, for whatever reasons, you watch re-runs like I do. For me, about 3 days a week from November to April start by getting up at around 6 am, taking care of all the morning deeds (with the most important being to fetch a coffee) and getting comfortable in front of my computer to watch the most recent Raptors game. I have to resist checking the score on Twitter, most times I manage and for the following 2 hours, I'm glued to the screen, cheering and screaming at the players, coaches and, more frequently, referees. Just like every other fan at the arena or in front of his/her television would do, I assume. (On a side note, I have to thank the Raptors for those early Sunday games, they are the only one's I catch live.)
Obviously, I was all giddy jumping like a little kid opening birthday presents when the NBA announced they would have two regular season games in Europe. After all, my favourite team, the Raptors, would be coming to town. The latter not literally as London is not located in Austria but still just a 2 ½ hours flight away. I bought my tickets on the first day they went on sale and was glad that I could convince my best friend to join me.
So here I am, sitting at the airport in Vienna, waiting for my flight. I already know that the next two nights will be like my birthday and Christmas put together. Right now, I don't even care if the Raptors will win. Sure I will cheer them on, cross my fingers and hope for the best, but the sheer chance of just seeing them live, a few (hundred - LOL) meters from my seat, will be great on its own. After all, NBA fans in Europe hardly get a chance to cheer for their teams, something most of you folks over in Canada and the USA take for granted.
You can follow DNB Fan Correspondent Michael Leiblfinger on Twitter @Euro4Raps or find him at the back of The O2 on Friday in block 402, row H, Seat 490/1 and on Saturday in block 403, row R, seat 518/9! Thanks to Michael and he will be checking in with us here in the DNB thorough out his trip to London sharing his experiences in England with us for the entire weekend. He will be taking photos that will be included in some of the posts and likely put together a whole package of all this photos once his trip in done.
12/20/10
A Home For Hump With The Nets?
Kris Humpries joins a growing list of former Raptors we have talked with. I have always thought it is something important to do when the opportunities come along to do so. He came to the Raptors in a trade for the poster boy of the Rob Babcock Era in Rafael Araujo. The fact Colangelo was able to trade Araujo for anything beyond some athletic supporters was amazing. If you think that is harsh by all means check out the stats from his 3 year NBA Career. It only took Utah a year to give up on him, it took Raptors two. Humphries meanwhile, entered the draft early from Minnesota. He was the freshman of the year in the Big 10 and decided to jump into the draft and was taken 14th by the Utah Jazz. Life under Jerry Sloan clearly was not working. So he was off to to Toronto. He was a pleasant surprise and turned some heads in the pre-season in 06-07 his first year as a Raptor. He always seemed to have potential to be more than he was with the Raptors. But he often seemed to forget he was not number 1 option on offence at times. His numbers would suggest his career has taken steps forward at each stop along the way.
In his words he says, "I came into the league and nothing was really easy for me." Humphries continues on to say "Everything has just been kind of a process, and I improve along the way." Which he has and no more so than in his most recent stop in New Jersey. He has started more games this season for the Nets with 21 than he had in his entire NBA Career prior to that with just 8 starts (2 with Raptors). He has taken advantage of the struggles of Favors the 3rd overall pick of the Nets who you would have thought would be starting for Jersey. Favors has not started a game and is scoring 6.5 points per game and has averaged 5.5 rebounds. In comparison Humphries has 7.9 points per game with 9.1 rebounds and is shooting 53.8%, which are all career highs if he keeps it up, at his current pace.
It really seems like Humphries has found a basketball home with the Nets. Humphries said "It feels like it, but in the NBA you never know what happens. We just had a couple players traded off our team" in reference to the trade with the Lakers and Rockets. Sasha Vujacic would be making his debut with the Nets that night at the ACC. Joe Smith and Terrence Williams were off to L.A and Houston as part of the 3 team deal. Humphries added, " The NBA is just a constant cycle," which for a guy that has played on 4 teams in his 7th year in the NBA seems a logical way to think. But you hope for his sake he might have found a place where he can stay awhile.
Part of that cycle he refers to applies to coaches as well. His head coach in Toronto is now his assistant coach in New Jersey in the form of Sam Mitchell. Hump had these thoughts on being reunited with Mitchell, "Sam is a real good coach and he is part of what were doing here." He continues on to say " He always keeps it interesting." Has Sam actually mellowed at all from his days with the Raptors? Hump says "How People see him now versus than is a little different. But it is a different role." He continues on talking about the differences in Sam, "It's interesting, it is probably different for him going from being the head coach to an assistant but he is doing a great job with it." Still there might be some of the old Sam left and he has not changed entirely. When asked if there were flashes of "the old" Sam, Hump said the following, " Every once in awhile something will happen and I wait to see if he is going say something. Sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't, because he is an assistant now and has different responsibilities."
It sure seemed like the same Sam earlier in a scrum with the Toronto media with perhaps one large exception. Sam use to always refer to how easy the media had it in comparison to him. Some work with NBA-TV in his time away from coaching has changed his opinion. On his brief stint in the media he had this to say, " It was fun, it was different. There is a lot of work that goes into it. It is not just showing up doing it. There is a lot of research that goes into it so you actually know what you are talking about. Numbers and stuff." Mitchell continued to say "It gave me a different impression of little you guys really work." Which got a laugh from everyone. He mentioned that he liked everything except for the Friday night shifts at NBA T.V, where he would end up leaving somewhere around 3 am. See Sam Mitchell this is not so easy!!! But I truly miss Sam and I regret that I never got to cover the team in his time here. I miss my Sam Mitchell laugh of the day. Which happened almost everyday that he was coaching the Raptors.
When I asked about Kris Humphries time in Toronto and what he takes away from it? Hump looks back on it in a positive way. " We went to playoffs twice up here. Just winning games and I played with some great team mates." He continues on to say " I Really enjoyed some of the people on the staff. Obviously I think I got better as a player. It is part of my journey." It is strange to me how Toronto has such a bad wrap with folks in the U.S, but if you talk to the players that have been here it is rare they will have anything negative to say about Toronto. They can't all be lying can they? I never bothered to ask if he got NBA League Pass when he was here. I also didn't ask about the whole Kim Kardashian stuff. I don't know if I have developed any rules to doing interviews. But if there is one I try to follow, it is that I won't ask anything that I wouldn't answer myself. If someone asked me about who I am dating my answer would be none of your damn business. We are a basketball blog if you want that kind of thing go check out TMZ Sports or something. Unless it impacts on a player in a negative way, I could care less, even than I really wouldn't want to go there. But as was stated Humphries is currently having the best season of his NBA Career. If Kim Kardashain has a blessed thing to do with that I could not tell you. But if she does, good for Kris Humphries. I wanted to tell him this but chickened out. He was my mom's favourite Raptor, not for how he played, she just though he was cute and adorable. I am not sure if people banging on the glass against him would agree. Hump was part of our journey too as Raptor fans, and at least for me will stand out from the crowd.
In his words he says, "I came into the league and nothing was really easy for me." Humphries continues on to say "Everything has just been kind of a process, and I improve along the way." Which he has and no more so than in his most recent stop in New Jersey. He has started more games this season for the Nets with 21 than he had in his entire NBA Career prior to that with just 8 starts (2 with Raptors). He has taken advantage of the struggles of Favors the 3rd overall pick of the Nets who you would have thought would be starting for Jersey. Favors has not started a game and is scoring 6.5 points per game and has averaged 5.5 rebounds. In comparison Humphries has 7.9 points per game with 9.1 rebounds and is shooting 53.8%, which are all career highs if he keeps it up, at his current pace.
It really seems like Humphries has found a basketball home with the Nets. Humphries said "It feels like it, but in the NBA you never know what happens. We just had a couple players traded off our team" in reference to the trade with the Lakers and Rockets. Sasha Vujacic would be making his debut with the Nets that night at the ACC. Joe Smith and Terrence Williams were off to L.A and Houston as part of the 3 team deal. Humphries added, " The NBA is just a constant cycle," which for a guy that has played on 4 teams in his 7th year in the NBA seems a logical way to think. But you hope for his sake he might have found a place where he can stay awhile.
Part of that cycle he refers to applies to coaches as well. His head coach in Toronto is now his assistant coach in New Jersey in the form of Sam Mitchell. Hump had these thoughts on being reunited with Mitchell, "Sam is a real good coach and he is part of what were doing here." He continues on to say " He always keeps it interesting." Has Sam actually mellowed at all from his days with the Raptors? Hump says "How People see him now versus than is a little different. But it is a different role." He continues on talking about the differences in Sam, "It's interesting, it is probably different for him going from being the head coach to an assistant but he is doing a great job with it." Still there might be some of the old Sam left and he has not changed entirely. When asked if there were flashes of "the old" Sam, Hump said the following, " Every once in awhile something will happen and I wait to see if he is going say something. Sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't, because he is an assistant now and has different responsibilities."
It sure seemed like the same Sam earlier in a scrum with the Toronto media with perhaps one large exception. Sam use to always refer to how easy the media had it in comparison to him. Some work with NBA-TV in his time away from coaching has changed his opinion. On his brief stint in the media he had this to say, " It was fun, it was different. There is a lot of work that goes into it. It is not just showing up doing it. There is a lot of research that goes into it so you actually know what you are talking about. Numbers and stuff." Mitchell continued to say "It gave me a different impression of little you guys really work." Which got a laugh from everyone. He mentioned that he liked everything except for the Friday night shifts at NBA T.V, where he would end up leaving somewhere around 3 am. See Sam Mitchell this is not so easy!!! But I truly miss Sam and I regret that I never got to cover the team in his time here. I miss my Sam Mitchell laugh of the day. Which happened almost everyday that he was coaching the Raptors.
When I asked about Kris Humphries time in Toronto and what he takes away from it? Hump looks back on it in a positive way. " We went to playoffs twice up here. Just winning games and I played with some great team mates." He continues on to say " I Really enjoyed some of the people on the staff. Obviously I think I got better as a player. It is part of my journey." It is strange to me how Toronto has such a bad wrap with folks in the U.S, but if you talk to the players that have been here it is rare they will have anything negative to say about Toronto. They can't all be lying can they? I never bothered to ask if he got NBA League Pass when he was here. I also didn't ask about the whole Kim Kardashian stuff. I don't know if I have developed any rules to doing interviews. But if there is one I try to follow, it is that I won't ask anything that I wouldn't answer myself. If someone asked me about who I am dating my answer would be none of your damn business. We are a basketball blog if you want that kind of thing go check out TMZ Sports or something. Unless it impacts on a player in a negative way, I could care less, even than I really wouldn't want to go there. But as was stated Humphries is currently having the best season of his NBA Career. If Kim Kardashain has a blessed thing to do with that I could not tell you. But if she does, good for Kris Humphries. I wanted to tell him this but chickened out. He was my mom's favourite Raptor, not for how he played, she just though he was cute and adorable. I am not sure if people banging on the glass against him would agree. Hump was part of our journey too as Raptor fans, and at least for me will stand out from the crowd.
12/15/10
"Behind Enemy Lines"
This week will be an interesting one for the Toronto Raptors. It's getting down to crunch time - Christmas is just around the corner and whether they celebrate the holiday or not, the Raptors are praying for a few presents in the form of wins. Call me crazy but the Raptors have the potential to walk away from the upcoming week with a 3-0 record. Yes, even against the Lakers. Keep reading to find out why.
Friday, December 17th - New Jersey Nets @ Toronto Raptors
Sunday, December 19th - Los Angeles Lakers @ Toronto Raptors
Friday, December 17th - New Jersey Nets @ Toronto Raptors
- This will be the first time these two teams have met this season. The Raptors won all four contests versus the Nets last season.
- New Jersey acquired Sasha Vujacic from the Los Angeles Lakers and 2 first round draft picks in a three-way deal with the Lakers and Houston. Vujacic was with the Lakers his entire career (7 years) before the trade and has appeared in 11 Lakers games this season averaging 1.8 points in less than 5 minutes per game. Unless New Jersey gives him a different role, the Raptors don't have to be stressed about Vujacic.
- Anthony Morrow is out for New Jersey for 2-3 weeks with a strained right hamstring.
- Key for Raptors: Watch for Jordan Farmar to start alongside Devin Harris in the backcourt. Farmar has been averaging 25 minutes and 10 points in his last three games.
Sunday, December 19th - Los Angeles Lakers @ Toronto Raptors
- This will be the second time these two teams have met this season. Although the Lakers won 108-103 during their last meeting, it was only by five points and the Raptors scored 38 points to L.A.'s 22 in the second quarter.
- L.A. acquired Joe Smith in a 3-way trade with New Jersey and Houston. He brings experience to the team since he has played 15 years in the league. However, he has only played in 4 games this season for New Jersey with insignificant impact.
- Andrew Bynum and Derrick Caracter are back in the line-up for the Lakers.
- Raptors need to watch Kobe Bryant and his decoy role playing. Against Indiana Wednesday night, Kobe scored 25 of his 31 points in the second half to beat the Pacers 109-94.
- Key for the Raptors: The Lakers are winning games but they have to work for it and not all are coming easy. They have faced fourth quarter deficits in 7 of the 9 games they played before meeting the Pacers Wednesday. If they can come out strong in the first half and find a way to stop Kobe and his late-play antics, maybe just maybe this game could go in the Raptors' favour. Maybe.
Wednesday, December 22nd - Detroit Pistons @ Toronto Raptors
- This will be the second time these two teams have met this season. On Saturday, December 11th, Detroit botched a 25 point lead and handed Toronto the game (120-116 Toronto).
- Terrico White (broken right foot) and Jonas Jerebko (partially ruptured right Achilles tendon) are out for Detroit.
- Raptors need to keep an eye on rookie Greg Munroe. He has had 2 opportunities to start for Detroit and is looking to prove himself.
- The Key for the Raptors: Detroit has been showing signs of improvement but have a long way to go. They have been putting up 20 point-plus leads but then unable to close some of those games. The Raptors need to capitalize on this misfortune and rebound, rebound, rebound.
Thank-you for joining me today. More "NBAz in 7 Dayz" will continue on Tuesday. Enjoy your weekend.
12/14/10
"NBAz in 7 Dayz"
Barak Obama. Now there's a name which commands attention. Not just because he is the President of the United States but because his actions are worthy of our attention. Instead of meeting at the White House this year, the 2010 NBA Championship Los Angeles Lakers met at a local Boys and Girls Club in Washington in casual attire. It is tradition for NBA Championship teams to be welcomed at the White House to receive formal congratulations from the President. Kobe Bryant and President Obama exchanged a few quips and good-natured ribbing since the President is a Chicago Bulls fan through and through. But this is how you garner respect and are taken seriously. Something Russian billionaire and New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov needs to understand. Let's discuss this, Bynum's return, Carmelo Anthony and his coy-boy routine and the Hornets staying in New Orleans...maybe.
He just doesn't get it
Get this. Mikhail Prokhorov, billionaire and owner of the New Jersey Nets is introducing a new line of hybrid cars called - wait for it - "Yo" which he hopes to begin selling in 2012. Why is he behind the manufacturing of these new vehicles? He wants to "overcome existing stereotypes..that Russia cannot make normal cars". Really? With a name like "Yo"? Jimmy Kimmel and comedians across the land just got an early Christmas gift. Apparently, the name is written in Russian by the letter E with two dots over it but it is still reads and sounds like "Yo". In case you are interested in being in the "Yo", the cars will be sold in three models: sedan sporty and small truck and will go for about $10,000. Cheap dough for a Yo.
Hornets in New Orleans? Maybe, Maybe not.
"A potential Louisiana-based ownership group for the New Orleans Hornets is taking shape". All this means is someone with money in Louisiana has their interest peaked in the Hornets. As we all know in the world of business and contracts, nothing is set in stone until you sign on the dotted line and hand over the cash. Governor Bobby Jondal and Mayor Mitch Landrieu have both said they are optimistic and confident Louisiana will be able to keep their NBA franchise and say they are not worried about other potential buyers who may move the team at this point. NBA Commissioner David Stern has maintained the goal is to secure a buyer who will keep the team in Louisiana but he remains open to the possibility of moving the team. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and a group of billionaire investors are rumoured to be interested in buying the Hornets and moving them to Seattle. A potential new owner Morris Bart, a locally based lawyer, says he is willing to front 10% of the asking price and claims outgoing minority owner Gary Chouest told him he is willing to throw in more than %50. So there are equally concerted efforts on both sides of the 'should I stay or should I go' debate in Louisiana. Even though I am not 100% confident the Hornets have a permanent home in New Orleans, the emotional argument for the team makes a strong case. James Carville a celebrity and political strategist based in Louisiana, discounts himself as a potential owner but says he didn't want the city's progress since Hurricane Katrina be over stepped by the loss of a major sports franchise. True. But it may not be enough.
Bynum chooses Soccer over Basketball
No matter how you slice it or how hard you try to put a positive spin on it, Andrew Bynum chose soccer over basketball this summer. Plain and simple. This summer, Andrew Bynum put off having knee surgery because he wanted to vacation first and watch some World Cup soccer. Everyone is entitled to some rest and relaxation but now his off-season decision is affecting his team. Pau Gasol, who took over for Bynum, has averaged 40 minutes in 11 of the 22 games Bynum has been out. Ron Artest has been taking on other roles on the court too, since along with Odum, they are picking up the void felt by Theo Ratliff and Derrick Caracter who are also out with injury. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson has said in the past Bynum's decision to watch soccer over playing for the Lakers as soon as possible couldn't have any real impact on the team's quest for a three-peat. Now the evidence is in plain view and we know this is not true. When the Lakers were in Washington receiving their official White House congratulations for winning the 2010 NBA Championship, Bynum said he will most definitely being playing Tuesday against the Washington Wizards and making his season debue. Pau Gasol hugged him most probably as if to say 'finally'. Let's hope Bynum is up to the task.
Sitting on the fence in 'Melo'ville
Let me spell it out for you - in my opinion. Carmelo Anthony wants out of Denver but is contractually obligated to Denver until the end of this season. Carmelo Anthony also does not want the backlash LeBron James received for leaving Cleveland if he decides to leave. Carmelo Anthony claims he is only keeping his options open but when he is not definitive in his answers to the media and openly enjoyed the attention he got in New York over the weekend (his supposed destination of choice), what are Denver fans supposed to think? As you know, Carmelo Anthony has been the subject of trade speculation since turning down a three-year, 65 million dollar extension with the Nuggets to 'keep his options open'. When asked if he wants to stay in a Denver uniform, he says "This community has embraced me like I was one of their own. So, of course. I just really want to focus on basketball right now--let the business take care of business when that time comes". Even though he hasn't ruled out staying with Denver for the long term, this does not sound like someone who wants to commit to anything. Carmelo Anthony has made it clear how important the contract extension is considering the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire next summer and the NBA wants major salary cuts in the next deal. Realistically though, he can become a free agent next summer. Then Denver would be smart to trade him before the deadline in February so they don't loose him to another team and have nothing to show for it. Denver Nugget Head Coach George Karl says he stays away from all this Internet action/reaction "Melo, as long as he's a Nugget, I am going to coach him and be happy with him". Ok. Let's go with that - for now. We might be singing a different tune come February.
Thanks for joining me today. Be sure to see me here on the DNB this Thursday for more "Behind Enemy Lines".
He just doesn't get it
Get this. Mikhail Prokhorov, billionaire and owner of the New Jersey Nets is introducing a new line of hybrid cars called - wait for it - "Yo" which he hopes to begin selling in 2012. Why is he behind the manufacturing of these new vehicles? He wants to "overcome existing stereotypes..that Russia cannot make normal cars". Really? With a name like "Yo"? Jimmy Kimmel and comedians across the land just got an early Christmas gift. Apparently, the name is written in Russian by the letter E with two dots over it but it is still reads and sounds like "Yo". In case you are interested in being in the "Yo", the cars will be sold in three models: sedan sporty and small truck and will go for about $10,000. Cheap dough for a Yo.
Hornets in New Orleans? Maybe, Maybe not.
"A potential Louisiana-based ownership group for the New Orleans Hornets is taking shape". All this means is someone with money in Louisiana has their interest peaked in the Hornets. As we all know in the world of business and contracts, nothing is set in stone until you sign on the dotted line and hand over the cash. Governor Bobby Jondal and Mayor Mitch Landrieu have both said they are optimistic and confident Louisiana will be able to keep their NBA franchise and say they are not worried about other potential buyers who may move the team at this point. NBA Commissioner David Stern has maintained the goal is to secure a buyer who will keep the team in Louisiana but he remains open to the possibility of moving the team. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and a group of billionaire investors are rumoured to be interested in buying the Hornets and moving them to Seattle. A potential new owner Morris Bart, a locally based lawyer, says he is willing to front 10% of the asking price and claims outgoing minority owner Gary Chouest told him he is willing to throw in more than %50. So there are equally concerted efforts on both sides of the 'should I stay or should I go' debate in Louisiana. Even though I am not 100% confident the Hornets have a permanent home in New Orleans, the emotional argument for the team makes a strong case. James Carville a celebrity and political strategist based in Louisiana, discounts himself as a potential owner but says he didn't want the city's progress since Hurricane Katrina be over stepped by the loss of a major sports franchise. True. But it may not be enough.
Bynum chooses Soccer over Basketball
No matter how you slice it or how hard you try to put a positive spin on it, Andrew Bynum chose soccer over basketball this summer. Plain and simple. This summer, Andrew Bynum put off having knee surgery because he wanted to vacation first and watch some World Cup soccer. Everyone is entitled to some rest and relaxation but now his off-season decision is affecting his team. Pau Gasol, who took over for Bynum, has averaged 40 minutes in 11 of the 22 games Bynum has been out. Ron Artest has been taking on other roles on the court too, since along with Odum, they are picking up the void felt by Theo Ratliff and Derrick Caracter who are also out with injury. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson has said in the past Bynum's decision to watch soccer over playing for the Lakers as soon as possible couldn't have any real impact on the team's quest for a three-peat. Now the evidence is in plain view and we know this is not true. When the Lakers were in Washington receiving their official White House congratulations for winning the 2010 NBA Championship, Bynum said he will most definitely being playing Tuesday against the Washington Wizards and making his season debue. Pau Gasol hugged him most probably as if to say 'finally'. Let's hope Bynum is up to the task.
Sitting on the fence in 'Melo'ville
Let me spell it out for you - in my opinion. Carmelo Anthony wants out of Denver but is contractually obligated to Denver until the end of this season. Carmelo Anthony also does not want the backlash LeBron James received for leaving Cleveland if he decides to leave. Carmelo Anthony claims he is only keeping his options open but when he is not definitive in his answers to the media and openly enjoyed the attention he got in New York over the weekend (his supposed destination of choice), what are Denver fans supposed to think? As you know, Carmelo Anthony has been the subject of trade speculation since turning down a three-year, 65 million dollar extension with the Nuggets to 'keep his options open'. When asked if he wants to stay in a Denver uniform, he says "This community has embraced me like I was one of their own. So, of course. I just really want to focus on basketball right now--let the business take care of business when that time comes". Even though he hasn't ruled out staying with Denver for the long term, this does not sound like someone who wants to commit to anything. Carmelo Anthony has made it clear how important the contract extension is considering the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire next summer and the NBA wants major salary cuts in the next deal. Realistically though, he can become a free agent next summer. Then Denver would be smart to trade him before the deadline in February so they don't loose him to another team and have nothing to show for it. Denver Nugget Head Coach George Karl says he stays away from all this Internet action/reaction "Melo, as long as he's a Nugget, I am going to coach him and be happy with him". Ok. Let's go with that - for now. We might be singing a different tune come February.
Thanks for joining me today. Be sure to see me here on the DNB this Thursday for more "Behind Enemy Lines".
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