DeRozan Gets Short End Of Stick Again.

I use to defend NBA All-Star Weekend and the gold standard in pro sports. But I think that is over for me. Last night's All-Star Saturday Night was the last straw for me. The Dunk Contest has turned into more side show. We had little kids with bad hair cuts (Ask Barkley), Cars from NBA sponsors and judging that was brutal. Blake Griffin the heavy favourite to with the contest was given a free pass to the Slam Dunk Final. The overall first round was perhaps the best in years for the dunk contest. Griffin in my view was 4th out of 4. But he winds up 2nd (By 1 point over DeRozan) and proceeds to jump over an NBA Sponsor KIA car over the edge of the hood and the shame was complete. I almost forgot the choir singing "I believe I can fly" and Kenny Smith flapping his mouth like a hype man for some 80's Rap Group. It all left a sour taste in my mouth. It probably doesn't help that this whole weekend has been over shadowed "The MeloDrama" and I am sick of it. Carmelo Anthony at this point should be traded to the Cavs for their entire team. Why not!!! Knicks or Nets, I am to the point I honestly don't care. There is also the impending doom of the NBA Lockout. If there is a lockout do me a favour and never air another NBA Cares Ad again. You only care when it is convenient.

Seems like until Toronto gets an All-Star Game that is the last will see of Demar DeRozan in the Dunk Contest. Here is a couple Tweets from Demar after last nights contest.

• @Demar_DeRozan - Much love to everybody who supported me in the dunk contest. It is what it is....I'm going HAM the second half of the season Believe that!

• @Demar_DeRozan-No more dunk contests for me unless it's in Toronto!

That is a shame because will miss out on stuff like this:

And This:

I Think I may join Demar and not watch the Dunk Contest again until Toronto gets an All-Star Game. The Contest could have been put back on the map but the judging screwed it up. We saw some things we have never seen before and it had the potential to be great. But the winner was a joke and it took away from how great this was. Never saw M.J bit and given the side show it was Demar likely should have busted out the M.J bit "if " he had it in his bag of tricks.

Demar Is Confident and Excited For All Star Weekend In L.A

Demar DeRozan has grown a lot this year on the floor. He points to knowing what to expect and confidence as the reasons why. He also takes that confidence with him home to L.A for All-Star Weekend. Before you go handing the Slam Dunk Crown to Blake Griffin, it may not be the a "slam dunk" he wins. While Demar is tight lipped about what to expect he does seem to be confident in how things are going. No clue on if either will be able to give a bit of a preview this Sunday as the Clippers are in town to face the Raptors. But listen to the interview and see if you walk away as I did, feeling that DeRozan seems like a guy that might just have some big things planned this time around. In his own backyard, having been there and done that in competing in the contest last year. If anyone is going to stop Blake Griffin it just might be him. Nate Robinson called this year's dunk contest rigged for Griffin to win. But that was before DeRozan was added to replace ironically his good friend Brandon Jennings. Listen to what Demar says about all of it and how he feels things have changed for him as a player since last year at this time.



Not that I needed Demar to tell me to watch it but now I am even more excited to watch it. In a season that has been rough for the Raptors it may go a long way if DeRozan could take home MVP Honours in the Rookie/Sophomore and or a dunk championship as well. The kid the blazed in the doors saying the Air Canada was back just might be starting laying his own foundation to truly be Heir Canada. For now he is one of the Young Onez and as he had told me before Amir Johnson is expected to be riding shot gun with him for the Dunk Contest. Not sure if Amir's Ankle injury will change that. But one thing is for sure expect a show come a week from today.

Raptor Relief

Let's face it the 13 game losing streak was like a giant gorilla that was hanging on to everyone's back connected with the Raptors. While beating a team that going into last night was 2-22 on the road, and sits last in Western Conference is not reason to have a party or anything. But just to finally put an end to this losing streak was a giant relief and it could been seen on the faces in the locker room post game. Amir Johnson maybe most of all you can feel happy for as he has played through injuries and pain and performed well despite the losing skid. So I asked him the obvious question of how it felt to remove this giant weight off the team's back and his own.

" You mean the loses...It feels good but we need to continuing winning. This is only one game, I guess it is a stepping stone for us. We just need to continue playing hard and keep fighting." Johnson said. He has been playing through so much and it reminds me of the way Alvin Williams use to be in which you would need an army to keep him out of a game. Amir was interested by the comparison, and truthfully for those that can remember how Alvin was, it is one of the highest compliments you could pay someone on this team in my opinion. But Johnson is very matter a fact about the whole thing saying " It is just my personality and my attitude." Johnson continued on to say " I know we had a bunch of injuries. I know we are short. I didn't want to be a player that went down. I wanted to help my team get a win."

While many may question the contract that Johnson got from the Raptors in terms of dollars maybe even the term of that contract. No one can question that he is giving all he has in terms of trying to earn every cent of it. When asked by Holly Mackenzie on why he unlike some other players that have signed big deals, to paraphrase Holly, kind of took their foot off the gas pedal that in that first year of a new contract. She asked why it was different for him and his response was just simply that's me. While you can debate the logic in terms of cap space and what not. You can not really measure what it means to have a guy that plays with such heart and desire every single night. Johnson has done that and along with Sonny and Demar reached out to Raptor fans and tried to embrace them and the city. Something that is needed in what is a tough time for this franchise. But Amir would appear to be a part of it's future and you have to respect all he has done even in these tough times for this basketball team.

Speaking of Demar DeRozan I asked if Sonny Weems was coming along for the ride again for the dunk contest. Last year the dunk he did working with Weems went off the side of the backboard to be finished by DeRozan which earned him a 50. The only perfect score of last year's Dunk Contest. Need a reminder?




But Demar informs me that it will be the other Young One this time, and also from L.A in Amir Johnson that will be coming along with him to All-Star Saturday Night in L.A. What will those two cook up is to be seen. But we had talked to Demar about it, at the time not getting into the Dunk Contest in the DNB, and he said that if he were to get in some how he could come up with a couple ideas. So seemed reasonable to ask how that was going, as his "Coach" for the event Darryl Dawkins was just in Toronto the other day. "It is coming along, I got some good ideas yesterday.I worked on a few dunks." said DeRozan. The Raptors have today off and if you are looking for Demar he is likely hard at work on his plans of beating Blake Griffin. "Since we have the day off I will probably come in and work on a few dunks."

As for the Raptors DeRozan's take on losing streak being over was this "It definitely felt good. Now we are trying to get a win streak going and feed off of that." That might be easier said than done. After a road game with the Bucks on Tuesday the Raptors face the Spurs, Clippers and Heat at the ACC prior to the All Star Break. But if there are going to do it, they will need they the type of play they got from the starting 5 they had last night. DeRozan was encouraged by how the starting unit played having this to say. "We needed that. We definitely were fighting for it. I think that is how we got to play from on because it is fun when we can go out and play like that." There is no question winning is more fun. But for the winning to continue it will take more performances like that to achieve it. The one thing that is clear about this Raptor team is that no one guy is going to be able to do it on his own. Not even Bargnani or DeRozan with out help from the other or the rest of this squad is to the point they can carry a team.

Sonny Weems has been back in the mix. For the first time last night it really looked like the old Sonny Weems we saw near the start of this season. DeRozan is obviously the closest to him on the Raptors so I asked how it felt to see Sonny looking more like himself on the floor. " I still don't think he is to 100% yet. But he is definitely looking good. Once he gets back to playing how I know he can play it is going be great to see." It is also going to be important to see as well S Weems is the one member of the Young Onez that is not under contract for next season. How he plays down the stretch of this year will impact on his future as a Raptor. Obviously DeRozan and Johnson will be leading the rooting section for him to play well and hopefully remain a part of the roster.

Sonny was singing in the locker room after the game that is a clear indication more than anything that the mood has changed for the Raptors. It has been a very tough year for everyone with this team but to their credit they keep fighting hard and were rewarded for it finally with a win. There is a lot of work to be done to improve this team but the group that is the Young Onez have a good attitude about it, and keep fighting an uphill battle with every thing they have. For their sake and everyone else you hope they can improve and help comes along to make this team stronger overall. Calderon and Bargnani both played well and were able to play with the group and give the Raptors a solid effort from their starting 5. While ultimately this is not likely your starting 5 going into the future. All of these guys will need to continue to play well and improve. Calderon and Weems futures might be in some doubt. Weems with his contract and a choice to be made by the Raptors and himself, and Calderon still likely could be moved you could speculate, if the right deal came along or the Raptors were able to find a point guard either in Bayless as a starter or through the draft or trade.

While Lebron and Chris Bosh might have quit on Cleveland and Toronto. The Cavs may have quit on Cleveland altogether. Here in Toronto the Raptors have not quit and remain fighting in a battle that this season is likely not one they can win. But you hope that in doing so it helps grow a mentality that can see them through in future years. I am not going to say that the Raptors can win on February 16th as the Bosh return looms closer. But here is what I can say. Toronto fans will bring it way more in comparison to what the people in Cleveland did, and this team will not lay down and die in playing the Heat. They will fight and give all they have. Which at the end of the day probably isn't enough but that won't stop them from trying. There are no wins based on effort alone, but it is a part of how you get there. Last night the effort was rewarded with a W. Which was a huge relief for everyone from in that locker room to all of you reading this.

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

Some people just don't get it. A migraine is different from your average headache. I've heard people equate it to going into labour- when the pain starts, everything else stops. This is why it amazes me Dwayne Wade worked out with the Heat Monday and sat out wearing tinted glasses for the rest of practice. Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra said Wade "looked fine" in the workout. 'Looked Fine'? I have had some migraines so bad, someone called 911 because they thought I was having a stroke. During the winter, I even have to wear sunglasses to answer the front door due to the glare off the snow. Well, lucky for Dwayne he works in sun-filled Miami. He still has to deal with the glare of the spotlight on him, his team and from the general public. Speaking of spotlights, there will be one on Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka, JaVale McGee and now DeMar DeRozan since these are the guys competing in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest on February 19th. Let's talk about this, some All-Star coaches and the Hornets hanging on for dear life.

A New Take on the NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Some people get the February blahs. Me? I love February - NBA All-Star Weekend. Last year it was on Valentine's Day - the most overrated so-called holiday in North America. But nothing is going to be overrated about the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Originally, it was going to play out like this: Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin, Oklahoma City Thunder's Serge Ibaka, Washington Wizards' JaVale McGee and the Milwaukee Bucks' Brandon Jennings. However, since Jennings has missed 14 games with a broken foot, DeMar DeRozan gets the invite. Both seem cool with the switch since they were all over twitter patting each other on the back. Quite honestly, I thought DeRozan should have been invited to the contest in the first place. He refers to himself as a "finesse dunker" and thinks he has what it takes to take on Griffin, the odds-on favourite. Last year, DeRozan lost the Slam Dunk contest to Nate Robinson. And although DeRozan thinks he should have one that one, it was all Nate. I was a little disappointed though when DeRozan was interviewed about getting the nod. DeRozan mentioned how he was going to possibly use teammate Amir Johnson in his dunk presentation to represent "home" - not Toronto and the Raptors but L.A. where he and Amir are from. Still, he is representing the Toronto Raptors and that says a lot.

This year is going to be interesting. Each of the participants in the Slam Dunk Contest will be paired up with a dunk coach who will work with each respective player and practice leading up to the big day. Blake Griffin is working with TNT analyst and two-time Slam Dunk participant ('90, 91') Kenny Smith, JaVale McGee will work with 5-time NBA All-Star and TNT/NBA TV analyst Chris Webber, Serge Ibaka will prepare with Thunder teammate and '09-'10 NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant and DeMar DeRozan will be with the self-proclaimed "Chocolate Thunder" Darryl Dawkins. DeRozan has the best coach in my opinion. Darryl Dawkins, the former Philadelphia 76ers centre, set the standard in powerful NBA dunks. In 1979, he became the first man to shatter two glass backboards in a month. Best name he gave a dunk? "The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-am Jam". Wonder what he and DeRozan will come up with - a finesse dunker paired with a power dunker? Can't Wait. We will also get to see a series of videos documenting the dunk preparations each participant leading up to the event. Should be good.


Who is the best Coach from Coast to Coast?

With Slam Dunk 2011 preps underway, who is coaching the East and West teams are almost decided. San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich will coach the Western Conference All-Stars for the 2011 NBA All-Star Game which, by the way, is on February 20th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Look at Popovich's record so far this season: he leads the Spurs to the league's best record, gets Western Conference Coach of the Month honours twice and is seriously looking at another NBA Championship to add to the 4 Championship titles he already has with the Spurs. He has coached the West before - in Denver in 2005 - but lost to the East 125-115. The coach of East All-Stars will be decided by the team with the best record in the conference through games played up until February 6th.

This has got me thinking about who was and will be passed over Coach All-Star honours and who remains in the running for coach of the year. I realize any coach of the year discussions for this season has to begin with Gregg Popovich. Last year, San Antonio ended the season with 50 wins and the 2011 Spurs are 15 games away from that only half way through the season. Some might say L.A. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson should be thrown in for posterity and experience but he has more competition this year. What about Stan Van Gundy? Call me crazy, but as Head Coach of the Orlando Magic, he hasn't won an NBA Championship but the Magic play well together as a team and continuously perform at a substantially high level. How about Vinny Del Negro? The Clippers may have once been the but of everyone's jokes in the NBA but as a Head Coach this year, Del Negro has lead his squad to a respectable level of wins after a horrendous start to the season - and it does help having Griffin in the line -up putting on a show. However, given all of the above, if I had to vote for Coach of the Year right now it would be...(drum roll)...George Karl, Head Coach of the Denver Nuggets. He is the consummate example of what it means to battle back from adversity. Think of the daily "Where's Carmelo going?" updates he's had to deal with. Coach Karl has kept his team focused and ready to contend for a division title. On top of everything he's had to deal with concerning his health this year, he deserves it. I'm not saying he deserves it for that reason alone but look at what happened to Pat Burns and being passed over for the Hockey Hall of Fame - cancer took his life and now they are talking about a Hall of Fame induction the next time around? Coach Karl is doing well now, but he deserves it for what he has built within his squad and for the amount of respect he commands from the organization. Hands down.

Hornets are Hangin' On

Those who care about the NBA in New Orleans are celebrating today since attendance benchmarks were met which will prevent the Hornets from leaving New Orleans after this season. The Hornet's lease runs through 2014, but if less than an average of 14, 735 fans show up to games for a two-season period, the team has the choice of opting out of the lease. The period for calculating the average ends at the end of January, hence the early celebrations. But they have the Saints of the NFL to thank for the thread of support they are clinging to. The spike in attendance just happened to fall during the period the Saints would have been in the playoffs and since the Saints were not playing football, New Orleans turned to basketball. Plain and simple. It's a shame, really. New Orleans is third n the West and won 9 straight games from January 9 - January 24th. I wonder why some people don't know what they have until it's about to skip town.

Thank-you for joining me today. As always, keep your comments coming on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw) and on Twitter (@ddegraauw). Join me again on Thursday for more Raptors' opponent analysis in "Behind Enemy Lines" right here on the DNB.

Demar Will Dunk In L.A For All-Star Weekend

A number of media sources are confirming that Demar DeRozan will replace Brandon Jennings in the dunk contest. We recently chatted with Demar in the DNB and he talked about the dunk contest and the fact he was not going to be a part of it. In that interview with us Demar was just hoping for anyway to be a part of All-Star Weekend which will be in his hometown of L.A. Well now he will be in it as part of the Dunk Contest and should get the call to be part of the Sophomore team in the Rookie Challenge on All-Star Friday night. DeRozan was robbed of the dunk title last year losing to Nate Robinson. DeRozan recorded the only perfect score in what was a lack luster competition.

Blake Griffin was the favourite of the assembled field and Nate Robinson claimed it was set up for Blake Griffin to win. Jennings is being replaced by DeRozan due to a injury that will not allow him to compete. The other 2 guys in the contest are the Wizards Javale Mcgee and Serge Ibaka from the Thunder. Demar's inclusion has been posted on NBA.com so looks like Demar is heading home to take on Blake Griffin in his home arena.

Clearly Griffin is still going to be the favourite to win the contest but Demar DeRozan is perhaps the ultimate wild card to throw into the mix and this at least on paper has the makings of a showdown for the ages. This has to be nice news for DeRozan and Raptor fans and slightly takes away the sting of a Raptor 5 game losing streak.

So DeRozan is clear for take off in L.A!!!