Your Kids Laker vs Celtics

The NBA Finals start tonight and like in 2009 I was able to predict The Finals match up. In 2009 it was Lakers vs the Magic, picking a winner in that series was fairly simple to predict. The Lakers were a clear favourite. No one expected the Magic to make it to the NBA Finals let alone win it. Perhaps at the start some doubted if OKC could win an NBA Title. After going through a list of former Champions in the Spurs, Lakers and last year's Champions the Dallas Mavericks it has changed some minds. In meantime the Heat who were formed to win not just a title but many titles enter the Finals as an unlikely underdog. It was a much tougher road to the Finals for Miami this year as they had to play both the Conference Semis and most of the Conference Final without Chris Bosh. The Heat struggled to get by a Boston team trying to make one last stand with their older version of what Miami has. This is the NBA Final that most NBA fans wanted at the end of the day and now you have it.

If you grew up in the 80's every NBA Season it was expected that the Celtics and Lakers would face each other in June. It was a massive surprise if any other team would make it to the NBA Finals. We may be on the verge of a similar situation with the Thunder and Heat. If you think about it, the Thunder are still young and are likely only to get better. If they can find a way to keep James Harden and Serge Ibaka they are pretty much set for a long run as the kings of the Western Conference. Kevin Durant is making a case to be considered in the debate as the best player in the game. He was the runner up to Lebron James for MVP and these two might just play the roles of Bird and Magic in this rivalry for the ages. Not that you can compare the players games to those Hall of Famers. However, in their own right both should one day also be a part of the Hall of Fame when their careers are over. Just like the Lakers and Celtics swapped turns with the NBA Title so did Bird and Magic with the MVP Award.

The Heat have a tremendous amount of pressure to win not just a title but many titles. The biggest road block to that might well be the Thunder. It calls to mind another era of the Celtics and Lakers rivalry. In the 60's it was Bill Russell and the Celtics that dominated the Lakers with Chamberlian and Jerry West. This was a one sided rivalry that saw Russell and the Celtics find a way to win every year and leave the Lakers as The Finals runner-up. The Celtics set a record that likely will never be broken running off 8 straight championships. Four of those Championships came at the hands of the Lakers. The Celtics and Lakers would hook up two more times and both times the Celtics won making the Lakers 6 time losers. It would not be until till 71-72 when they would finally get their title. Could the Heat end up like that Laker squad that was never able to truly find a way to beat Boston.

Nothing would please Heat haters more than to see them become the Buffalo Bills of the NBA making the finals each year only to have it end in epic failure and Chris Bosh tears. This could be the start of an epic rivalry for the ages and a true changing of the guard for the NBA. Will kids today talk about the glory days of the Thunder and Heat rivalry. Tell stories of Lebron James, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and that often misunderstood Chris Bosh. Only time will tell, but the ingredients for a long rivalry that we rarely see in modern pro sports is all there. Fans of 28 other NBA Teams would prefer this not be the case. However for those who are fans of not just a team but the NBA this could be the first chapter of a magical story.

Thunder and Heat could be your children's Lakers vs Celtics. 

Playoffs Give You Hope As A Raptor Fan?

As we sit on the verge of the start of the Eastern Conference Finals do you feel a little more optimistic about the Raptors future? We end up with a final that was not an expected one as Boston slogged their way to the Eastern Conference Final. Facing the Miami Heat who would not be stopped by Chris Bosh injury or Indiana Pacers. The team everyone expected to face the Heat was the Bulls who had a injury of their own to deal with. Derrick Rose the former M.V.P might not even be back in time for next season. In fact he likely won't be. The Bulls without him were not able to handle the Sixers who are not exactly a juggernaut in terms of an opponent. Boston limped there way through a seven game series to finally finish them off. Honestly though the Sixers are offensively challenged at best. The Hawks did their typical chocking in the first round. The New York Knicks had nothing for the Miami Heat and are in need of a good off-season to scare anyone. Problem in that is Amare and Carmello are making most of the money and have still yet to find a way to be good together. Orlando fired a good coach and lousy G.M and Superman still likely wants out of town.

The point of all of this is beyond the Miami Heat is there any team in the Eastern Conference that really scares you. The Bulls if Rose is back and playing at the same level would. After that it really is wide open for the most part. The Pacers are a good team but they are far from world beaters as the Heat at less than 100% proved. Boston will be a year older and not that much better. Although they will get Jeff Green back potentially who they acquired in the Kendrick Perkins trade last season. He say out the entire season with heart condition. If you are a non playoff team in the East you should feel like you have some hope unless you are the Charlotte Bobcats.

If you are the Raptors, with a lottery pick to come and your first round pick from last season making his debut in Jonas Valancuinas, also some cap space to play with to add some more pieces you have to feel even better right? While this past season was only marginally better in terms of record for the Raptors it was a success in terms of culture change. The Raptors actually can play some defense. Casey even refers to it as playoff style defense in terms of it's effort and intensity. That might be a stretch but it still does prepare the Raptors nicely for the grind it out painful to watch at times Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Bryan Colangelo still has to make the right moves and some luck of any kind in the draft lottery on Wednesday would be welcomed. Which by the way we encourage you to join us for our Lottery Chat on Wednesday Night here on the website. If Colangelo can make a few skillful trades and make a splash in free agency who is to say the Raptors can't be a playoff team. While the Raptors are a long way from ever getting out of the Eastern Conference to the NBA Finals. A quick rise to playoffs and even the second round which currently is the franchise best is not out of the question.

Nothing you have seen in the Eastern Conference Playoffs makes you think that the Raptors can not over take most of these teams given the assets they have to play with. It is just a matter of pressing the right buttons. The Division the Raptors call home can be classed as competitive, but the Atlantic is not exactly filled with a dominant contender anymore. Boston despite their appearance in Conference Finals isn't. The Knicks have issues and are on verge of hiring a coach that is good in the regular season and horrible in the playoffs in Mike Woodson. The Sixers do not have any truly scary weapons on offense and Nets be they in New Jersey or Brooklyn remain pretty much a joke and most likely will be losing Deron Williams to Dallas or someone else. It won't be easy but the opportunity is there for the Raptors to rise again as they did when Colangelo first arrived on the team.

It has been a dark couple years since Chris Bosh took his talents to South Beach. However the future or light at the end of the tunnel could be in sight.

All Signs Point To Celtics Blowout Win

The Boston Celtics are getting a ton of media love from all the same folks that declared them dead at the start of this NBA season. Yeah it is like that in this world. For myself the Celtics are still about the simple fact of how in Rajon Rondo playing? If the answer is good than so are the Celtics. If the answer is bad so are the Celtics. Rondo is now what drives the big three and so goes the circle of life. For anyone that thinks the Celtics are going anywhere beyond the 2nd round of the playoffs you are dreaming.

The Raptors would just like to remember what the playoffs are like? It has been a long time after all. But for now it is just another all expense paid trip to New Jersey for the NBA lottery. That is a fitting place to hold the NBA Lottery. Raptors are a banged up group with Calderon getting a second gash above his eye, Bargnani is out with his calf again, Kleiza has a sore knee and so does Amir Johnson or is it his back? Bayless gone for the season and you might have a guy on a 10 day contract trying to guard Rondo? Yeah this has every indication that it will be a complete blowout.

Against the NHL Playoffs and the Blue Jays playing down the street this could be a pretty small crowd of on lookers both in person and on T.V. The Raptors season is coming to a familiar ending and it lacks any reason to be interested. Safe to say the Raptors will be hard pressed to find a win in their next 3 games they play. After tonight with Boston it is a Sunday/Monday back to back with the Hawks.

Ed Davis will have lots of minutes to showcase himself to 29 other teams. A lot was made of his comment post game against the Sixers. I really didn't take much from it considering that Ed Davis had a father that played for several teams in the NBA and even as kid Ed was introduced to the business of basketball with his father having to change addresses. Should Ed be concerned about what the 29 other NBA teams think of him? Sure he should because if the ping pong balls come up with the name Anthony Davis that means someone is going to be voted off the island.

Tommy Points For Raptors In Win Over Boston.

If I told you the Raptors would never trail in this game and never looked close to losing the entire night what would you say? This is of course if you never saw the game with your own eyes. Pretty much everything you would imagine happening in this game went the opposite of what logic would have suggested. Raptors will get off to a slow start and fall behind early. Nope it didn't happen. They came out and kicked the Celtics tail. At the point the score reached 20-7 Raptors, Doc Rivers called a time out and I really thought his head might explode. If you have seen the video of how excited he was when his son hit the winner for Duke, take that joy and turn it into rage and you have an idea. James Johnson was a one man defensive army at times and was getting his own offence too. Rivers raging time out only had a minor impact as the Raptors still had a 26-14 lead after one. The largest Raptor lead after one in like forever.

If there was any downside to this game it came in the 2nd quarter. The Raptors struggled more than Boston to get points on the board. But both teams looked all kinds of horrific at times in the second quarter. The Celtics would slowly chip the 11 point lead down to 7 by halftime. In was not a festival for the eyes in any way shape or form. Both teams were more than happy to throw the ball away and invent all kinds of exciting ways to commit turnovers. The less that is said about the 2nd quarter the better it is for all parties involved in this game. In the end for the record 35 points were scored in quarter, 20 by the Knicks and only 15 by the Raptors. Which left us with a 41-34 lead for the Raptors at the half.

Something strange was going on this night. Rajon Rondo was nearly invisible and Jose Calderon was having a rare game where he was totally out playing Rondo. That more than anything might have been a clear sign that this was going to be the Raptors night. Numbers don't lie. Well not often anyway.

Rondo: 5 points 7 assists and 5 rebounds
Calderon 17 points, 14 assists and 4 rebounds

Just part of the amazing magic carpet ride that the Raptors were on tonight. How crazy was it? There was a legit conversation about the merits of Aaron Gray as a player. Who was good on the glass with 11 rebounds but still offensively challenged with just 2 points. Should we call him the white Reggie Evans? No beard and I think Reggie might kill me so let's not do this. Anyway if you had a Raptor uniform on you had a good night. Ok not if you are named Carter or Butler but that would have made this story to unbelievable.

Raptors got back the 5 points they lost in the 2nd and they played the 4th quarter to a draw making your winner by TKO the Toronto Raptors 86-74 on all judges scorecards. We mentioned the numbers for Gray and Calderon but the Starting 5 came to play tonight as a unit. Demar DeRozan scored 21 with Dad on hand to catch another game and watch his son lead his team in scoring. The Ninja had the dunk of the night early in this one and was flying around the floor. James Johnson had 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 dimes, 3 steals and a couple of blocks. He does it all. Amir Johnson has a nice 12 points and 12 rebounds and the Raptors starting 5 did something they rarely have done in the Boston Big 3 Era as they out played the Boston starting 5.

The Celtics looked gassed and by the end were trying to bully their way back into this game but the Raptors would have none of it. Rondo was talking smack at Kleiza who had injured him in the first meeting between these two teams causing him to miss significant time. Kleiza responded by soon after draining an open 3. It wasn't a perfect performance from the Raptors. But it was a hard fought, effort filled, with hustle and pride. Which was exactly what Dwane Casey was looking for. He said after the 100-64 loss to Boston to start the month that the Raptors let the city, the fans and themselves down with their performance. Tonight in front of one of the largest crowds of the season they showed up and the fans were happy to see it. The fact no one went home with a free piece of pizza was the furthest thing from people's mind.

Will The Celtics Cause Another Raptor Embarrassment At ACC?

The Raptors have had a tough season obviously. Nothing illustrates how tough more than their performances against Boston which have been horrible. First there was a 96-73 loss on January 18th and if you thought that was bad there was the 100-64 embarrassment on February 1st. Both of those games took place in Boston. However, I don't think the venue is the problem as the Raptors have not exactly looked much different at home compared to how they perform on the road. You at least have the fact that this is a second half of a back to back for Boston. The Celtics had to go to overtime at home and lost to the Lakers 88-87. The Lakers are next up on Sunday at the ACC by the way. But one impossible challenge at a time. Rajon Rondo played in that first game and was injured by Linas Kleiza. The second game neither of those guys played. I would suspect with both back it will be a chippy battle at the ACC. Boston is a team that thrives on anything they can find to motivate them. Here are a couple things they will be hot about heading into this one. First will be that injury to Rondo and with him now back in the mix it should be a big night for him. Also the Raptors will have to play Jose Calderon a lot on this night with no Jerryd Bayless it would appear. If Rondo gets matched up on Calderon at any time it is game over. Also for the first time in a long time the Celtics are only sending one player to the All-Star Game in Orlando. That one Celtic is Paul Pierce who has been playing some great basketball of late. But for the players that will not be joining him like Rondo, Ray Allen and K.G expect all of them to perform well.

Obviously with any team coming off a back to back it is vital to get off to a strong start. This is something the Raptors have struggled with. The Raptors in both prior meetings got down early to Boston and the game was essentially over by halftime in both cases. So it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out if the Raptors fail to get the jump on Boston it is going to be a long night. As much as the Raptors have struggled to score, especially against Boston, it is the defence and it's regression that has Dwane Casey concerned. There seems to be a sense that the losing is starting to weigh on this team. Andrea Bargnani not being part of the mix has made the Raptors hard pressed to beat anyone let alone a good team. After a slow start you can consider Boston a good team. They are 8-2 in the last 10 games.

Normally this is where I would give the 3 keys to game. But instead I am going to pass the ball to the guys at the Round Ball Review to do that.



Thanks to the guys for doing the 3 keys to the game. If you have not checked the Round Ball Review out, that is a taste of what you can expect from them when you see them here in the blog. If a game vs the Celtics is not a need for some comic relief I am not sure what is.

Boston Beatdown 2: Bigger, Badder, Worse

I really don't know what you say after last night. Which is not good when you write a blog and are suppose to say something. You can not use the old expression if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all or this would be a pretty blanks entry. That being said when you looked at this situation heading into the game you could almost have seen this coming. Boston the last time these two teams hooked up were struggling and since they have been streaking in the other direction. Which is surprising as they have done it without Rajon Rondo. He of course was injured by Linas Kleiza on a hard foul the last time. Kleiza sat this one out for some alleged nagging injures and needed rest on the back to back. It might have been for his own personal safety. But the point is the Celtics sure seemed motivated to take it to the Raptors.

The first quarter woes of the Raptors were back in a big way. This game was over almost from the beginning. After building a 29-16 lead the Celtics just kept it rolling from there winning every quarter on the night. The Raptors offence was awful. Dwane Casey went back to a tradition bigger line-up and it didn't help. The staring 5 had a grand total of 34 points. It was ugly with a capital U. When the Raptor offence is going through Aaron Gray something isn't working right. It was not one Celtic that was doing all the damage it was all of them. Paul Pierce was the game's high scorer with only 17. But Boston had 5 players in double figures and the Raptors just 2.

When the final score is 100-64 really that says more than any amount of words I could type. The Raptors lick their wounds and get ready to play the Wizards. Which after a beating like this most teams would welcome that. But let's not forget the Wizards who have very few wins got one of them beating the Raptors in Washington. If they were to lose a second one to the Wizards would make people quickly forget (if they haven't already) the plucky 3-2 road trip put in by the Raptors.

If you saw the faces in the locker room after this one, it was a lot of dejected faces and perhaps tired ones as well. The Raptors have had a tough first month of the season or so of the season. They are just not the same team without Andrea Bargnani and that fact gets exposed more by the better/more experienced teams in this league.

Forget this one and move on if that is possible. It was just brutal.

From One Problem To Another.

Well I saw it live and in person and it was not pretty. The Raptors did at least get off to a decent start which has plagued them most of the season. But in the second quarter this game would slip away and like a snow ball heading down hill the Hawks lead would grow bigger and bigger. Josh Smith was the guy that did all the damage last time, this time it was Joe Johnson. He racked up 30 in 3 quarters including 8 points in 51 seconds to close out the 1st half. The Raptors stuck to the small starting line-up to begin this game and it was not productive. Just 40 points in all for the starters led by Bayless with 14 points. Demar DeRozan after a season high 27 had just 9. DeRozan has now not reached double figures in scoring in 3 of the last 5 games. Hawks won it big 100-77.

A few other thoughts on the night. Prior to the game had a chance to catch up with James Johnson, it was a interesting chat look for it in the DNB tomorrow. In a game of few positive Ed Davis finally got some minutes and took advantage of them going for a double double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. Last but not least Toronto still hates T-Mac or at least boos him. I personally get a kick out of it. However so does T-Mac who more than any player that has level gets is roll as the "Bad Guy" and embraces it. T-Mac fuelled by boos got 15 off the bench for the Hawks. While many will be critical of fans for still booing him. I am not one of them. I think it is fans right to do as they choose. It might not be the wisest idea against McGrady but I understand why some would never want to forgive him and always boo him.

Raptor spent about 36 hours back in Toronto and they are back on the road off to Boston to take on the Celtics. Another team that has never been a kind opposition to Raptors. The Celtics have been much improved since snapping a 5 game losing streak against the Raptors in Boston the last time the Raptors paid a visit. Boston played last night as well in Cleveland and had to hold off a furious Cavs run in the 4th to hang on for a 93-90 win and are back to .500 on the season at 10-10. Boston is 5-2 since crushing the Raptors by 23 back on January 18th.

Rajon Rondo played outstanding in that game before getting injured by Linas Kleiza with a hard foul late in the 3rd. He has not played since for the Celtics. So could we see a really chippy game tonight between the Raptors and Celtics? It would not surprise anyone if we did. Avery Bradley the Texas product has been playing in his spot but is no Rondo.

Still despite not having Rondo the Celtics have taken advantage of a soft portion of their schedule and been able to fight back from an awful start to the season. Paul Pierce has been playing well of late. Since that game vs the Raptors in which he only scored 8 points he has averaged 22.1 points per game including a season high 34 vs the Wizards.

So let's get the 3 keys for this one:

Be Aggressive: The Celtics are not a team that forgets much. The fact Linas Kleiza took out Rajon Rondo will not be something that they will. Expect a lot of chatter and a lot of heavy blows in this one. If there was one positive in the blow out loss to Celtics for the first time in a long time the Raptors were pushing back in physical stuff with the Celtics.

Pierce and Allen: Both have had big shooting games vs the Raptors in the past. Be aware of where they are and do not allow them open looks at 3's or it could be a long night for the Raptors. There is no reason to believe Pierce or Allen are not capable of doing the same thing Joe Johnson did last night if the Raptors do not do a much better job defending them.

Attack Attack Attack: Take advantage of the Celtics perhaps wanting to be the bully by attacking the basket. Demar DeRozan would be the man you would look to in leading this charge. If the Raptors can get to the line and get easy points, it will help them stay competitive on the scoreboard. It is not a secret the Celtics have the potential to produce a lot more offence compared to the Raptors. No offence to Gary Forbes, but if he is your leading scorer again tonight, as he was in the last game vs Boston with a season high 19 points for him, the Raptors have some problems.

Desperate Celtics Crush Raptors

On Twitter before this game ever tipped I said it was a case of need vs want. The Raptors no doubt wanted to win and snap their 5 game losing streak. The Celtics needed to win to snap their same 5 game losing streak. The Raptors entered this season with no expectations of success other than the ones the team had for itself. While in Boston the expectations are always high and have been that way pretty much forever. Certainly since the Big 3 arrived in Boston. When someone needs something as opposed to wants something always bet on the guy that needs it. That was the case early in this game and it was clearly the case in the third quarter of this game.

The Celtics came out and set the tone in this basketball game. The Raptors tried to battle them off but just couldn't. It was a new starting line-up for Toronto as James Johnson finally replaced Rasaul Butler in the starting line-up but Johnson struggled in the new role. He on the game was 1-7 with just 4 points and had 3 turnovers. Raptors other Johnson in Amir continued to revert back to old habits and found himself on the bench early with 2 fouls. The second foul was of the questionable variety but they count all the same. On that second foul it cost Demar DeRozan a bucket who early on was doing the right things. Driving to the basket and attacking. Made a three pointer but went right back to the attack. But as the calls did not come he reverted to shooting jumpers and forcing shots. There was one play where his lack of ball skills got exposed by Ray Allen quite nicely. This all with a story we have seen many times before as Rajon Rondo owned Jose Calderon for 3 quarters. Rondo would leave the game after taking a hard foul by Linas Kleiza that was changed from a flagrant two to a flagrant one.

This game was pretty much decided after the first quarter. In that quarter the Raptors shot just 30% and did not get to the line once. It gave Boston a 29-14 advantage that they would never give up. The Raptors did show some fight and cut the lead to 6 at halftime. But the Celtics would quickly turn that back to a 12 point advantage to start the 3rd quarter. Rajon Rondo who as mention left during this quarter with a wrist injury had a great line for a full game let along just 2/3rds of one. He had 21 points shooting 7-8 with 2 assists and 3 rebounds. The Raptors starting 5 did not have a good night. Just 37 points total shooting 13-40 (32.5%) as a group. Only two Raptors would make it to double figures in this game. Demar DeRozan had just 11 points shooting 4-16 and continuing to struggle to get things on the right track. The second Raptor lead the team in scoring and would not be someone you would guess if you had 3 tries and had not seen the game. Gary Forbes the new proud uncle as he reported on twitter had 18 points going 5-6 from the field and 7-8 at the line. He might be the only Raptor that could take anything positive away from this one.

The score when the beating ended was Boston taking it 96-73 as they end there 5 game losing streak. Raptors losing skid climbs to 6 the longest active streak in the league at the moment with no clear end in sight. Portland is a team that is playing good basketball and they will be taking on the returning home Raptors at the ACC on Friday. This road trip was always going to be a tough one but it proved to be even more ugly than many could have imaged. The Raptors are 2-7 on the road for the season and 4-11 overall.

Raptors Face The Struggling Celtics

The Raptors only division championship came in the last season the Celtics were struggling like this. Boston at the time was a lot like the Raptors are now. They like many Raptor fans are this year were hoping to hit the lottery. The big prize in that lottery was suppose to be a dominant big man out of Ohio State named Greg Oden. The Celtics would fail to win that lottery and in the end that was the genius for the creation of the "Big 3". The Celtics stripped away their young core to bring in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. It was enough to convince Paul Pierce to stay. The fact they lost the lottery had a dynamic impact on them and the entire Atlantic Division including the Ratpors. We can only guess how both teams futures would have been if the Celtics got their man in Oden. Something to think about for the people cheering for Raptor losses this season.

But at the time I had said the Celtics would have a 3-5 year window to win NBA Championships. The window is closing. That creation of the Big 3 in Boston is also credited for the creation of what we see in Miami today. Lebron James, Chris Bosh and D-Wade said one of the factors in them coming together was the fact as individuals they could not get passed the Celtics. Another thing that came out of those moves was the emergence of Rajon Rondo. At the time many people did not think Rondo was good enough to play with these 3 superstars. He has emerged as a superstar himself and now likely the most important piece of the Celtics puzzle. Despite that it was rumoured the Celtics were shopping him hard prior to the season. How the potential end of big three era may have started is with a trade with OKC. Kendrick Perkins who would be the other starter on that original cast was moved to OKC at the deadline last season. It seemed to cut the soul out of the Celtics and they have yet to be the same since. Health concerns have sidelined the big piece the Celtics got in that trade in Jeff Green.

All of that is the history behind how we got to where we see the 4-10 Raptors taking on the 4-8 Celtics both losers of 5 straight basketball games. When you look a little closer though the level of competition in the Celtics losses has been far greater. Losses to Dallas, Chicago, OKC and twice to the improved Pacers. Part of the Celtics decline has been the lack of presence in the middle. J.O who Raptors fans will remember is their starting Center. He is no spring chicken himself. Shaq who Boston brought in last year is now trade jokes with Barkley, Kenny and Ernie on TNT. A nice move the Celtics did make though is flipping "Big Baby" Glen Davis to Orlando for a more consistent Brandon Bass.

3 Keys:

It Is All About Rondo: Now the Raptors against a superior point guard in Derrick Rose were able to bust out a zone and use it effectively. Against Rajon Rondo that might not work as well. Not because Rondo is better than Rose but because of the weapons Rondo has on the floor with him. Ray Allen at the top of that list. While the Celtics don't have the depth of outside shooters they have had in the past they do have quality. Rondo in a 1 on 1 match-up with Jose Calderon is a complete mismatch.

Who We Got?: No Bargnani is the word for this one. But the Raptors could have Bayless, Johnson and Gray who all have practised with the team. That is right I did say practice. In a season that has had few of those Raptors were able to have one. This was a season made for Allen Iverson there will be so few practices it will not be funny. Raptors unlike A.I could sure use a few.

Demar DeRozan needs to be Demar DeRozan: Things have been tough on Demar. Even threw out a tweet about how in tough times you find out who your real fans are. Some of those people that may seem like haters might just be concerned fans. They also could just be fickle haters. But that is not the issue. What is the issue is, that Demar needs to get back to playing more like he has in the past. Stick to what you do well and don't go beyond it. Ray Allen has always been a tough match-up for Demar and maybe that will bring out the best in him. We can only hope. If not DeRozan could find nothing but haters and tough love until he finds the answer.

So someone has to win and to be honest the pressure to be that team is more on the Celtics than the Raptors. There were no Celtics fans cheering for their team to make the lottery this season. I just want to say the Celtics do have some great fans as well. I remember watching a game and Boston was down like 20 and the fans were cheering trying to fire them up to make a comeback. When is the last time that happened at the ACC? I have never once heard a Boston fan boo because they didn't get pizza. Something to think about. However should Boston some how lose to the Raptors tonight you may just hear some boos even from those faithful fans. Game starts at 7:30 and can be found on Sportsnet.

There is No O in Ugly

What can you say about last night in Boston and still have Santa bring you presents? The answer is not a lot. The Raptors could not register a basket in the first four and half minutes of the game. It would only slightly improve from there. At times you wondered if the Raptors indeed had any offence in place at all. Other times they seemed to be in such a hurry to play defence they would just chuck it up in a hurry. I mean glad they have bought into playing defence but that is a bit extreme. That new and improved Bargnani....Forget about it! Back to the Bargnani we all have become accustom to. Only 4 rebounds for him. That improved defence had a lot of leaks in it and did not travel well. Bargnani did have 20 points and was 7-17 from the field. Aaron Gray continues to depress with 0 points and 5 rebounds. DeRozan and Bayless struggled as well with Double D going 4-13 from the field and having 16 points he did have 10 rebounds to lead the team. While Bayless was 4-16 and had just 12 points with only 2 assists. Calderon wasn't any better with 6 points and just 2 assists.

You can look up and down the boxscore and be hard pressed to find anyone that you could consider had a good night. The Raptors once again looked much like a Raptor squad in the Kevin O'Neil Era. In fact maybe worse as they shot as a team 24-74 for 32.4%. It is pretty ugly and it sure isn't entertaining. The Raptors may make all those people that want them to lose happy. But the NBA Lottery has no guarantees and the damage a season like this could do to individual players could be significant. For those waiting on Jonas Valanciunas to arrive the kid no matter what you think of him is not a Savior. Raptors will have an opener on Boxing Day that you have to consider a winnable game for them. An effort like we saw in Boston and no game for this team will be considered winnable.

Dwane Casey has 5 days to convince us he really has an offence to install because to this point there is no evidence that he does. Coming out of this mini pre-season it is hard to feel encouraged about anyone at this point really. Boston is not going to be the world beaters they have been in past season and Paul Pierce didn't even play in either game for them.

The long season that everyone has been warning you about is on the verge of beginning. My suggestion is go enjoy the holidays and hang on to those good memories because you will need them to get through this season. No matter what uniforms the Raptors plan on wearing the guys in them are going to be challenged to remain competitive at best. The entertainment value on most nights will be non-existent. If you want entertainment catch a lot of Clipper games after the Raptors have probably lost.

For the record the Final Score read 81-73 Boston but it was not really that close. It is an allusion like the Raptors funky 3-D logo.

We here at the Dino Nation Blog will be taking the next few days off for the holidays and will be back on Monday for the Season Opener in Cleveland. Enjoy the time with friends and family and I wish all of you that support the Dino Nation Blog a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays which ever applies to you.

I will be showing up for our DNB Fantasy Draft tonight though. So best of luck to all that have signed up to take part in that. If you want to sneak in and join the draft you will need to find a buddy to join you. When you have a pair of people that want to join contact me @Dinonationblog and I will send you both the info to sign up. Reason for the buddy system is so we maintain an even number of teams and it does not mess up our draft from happening.

Flashbacks Of K.O Era In 1 Point Loss

Dwane Casey was brought in to fix the Raptors awful defence. One Game in he seems to have made some significant progress in that. He also seems to have made some progress in making Andrea Bargnani pay attention on defence and on the glass. It all brings back memories of Kevin O'Neil and his one season with the Raptors. In which yes their defence was very good allowing the 6th fewest points in the league at 88.5 points per game. But the problem for that squad was the offence in which they averaged an NBA worst 85.4 points per game. Now Casey admits that there is still a lot of work yet to be done on the offence. Raptors did get stops yesterday but they also were in the Christmas spirit of giving with 21 turnovers. Celtics were without Paul Pierce and played their starters reduced minutes. All that being said based on the focus of training camp you have to say aside from not getting the win it was a success.

The Raptors got little to no production from Andrea Bargnani's old position at the 5 spot. Jamaal Magloire had zero points and played less than 10 minutes. Aaron Gray has only 2 points and 4 rebounds and Amir Johnson just 4 points, 5 rebounds and a block. This is a short term concern but in the long term people will point to the fact that Jonas Valanciunas is coming to fill that void next year.

Rasual Butler is still waiting to score his first basket as a Raptor. He was 0-4 and missed all three that he attempted from beyond the arc. Making a better first impression was Gary Forbes with 5 points, 4 assists, 2 boards and a steal in just under 15 minutes of floor time. Anthony Carter did not suit up in this game for the Raptors.

Raptors last two draft choices both had good starts to this shortened NBA Season with Demar DeRozan showing off his new found range he worked on in the off-season going a perfect 2 for 2 from three point range. He was 5-10 overall with 14 points and 3 rebounds. Ed Davis had a solid performance 10 points and 10 rebounds in 20 minutes of floor time.

While Bargnani was getting all kinds of praise for his new found commitment to rebounding nad defence it did come at a cost as he only shot 4-14 for 16 points but was 2-3 from the arc and got to the line 7 times making 6 of them for a team high 16 points. But the big bold number in the stat line was the 9 rebounds. Dwane Casey said the goal was to try and get Bargnani to average 2 rebounds a quarter. He manged to meet that goal in this one.

As for the point guard controversy that we are not going to have. Hard to pick a winner out of this one but if forced to make the call the edge would go to Calderon despite shooting just 2-8 he did have 6 assists and just 1 turnover with 7 points. Bayless was 4 for 10 netting him 10 points with 3 assists but 4 turnovers. If Bayless is ever going to take the job as starter he will have to do a better job taking care of the ball.

Back to the whole K.O Comparison. In that season the Raptors as a team shot 41.8% which was 28th in the league. Raptors shot just 38.4% yesterday. You can make the argument that team K.O had has more offensive punch than this Raptor team has. Vince Carter, Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall, Morris Peterson and Alvin Williams. Even Vince struggled to get points that season with just 22.5 points per game. The question for the modern version of the Raptors is beyond Bargnani and DeRozan where are the points going to come from consistently. You also wonder if this new found Andrea Bargnani can still score to the level of the old one that thought defence and rebounding was for someone else to do.

This is all just a first impression though. Dwane Casey still has more offence to bring into the mix and there is going to be a period of adjustment. Not that anyone will admit it but some players are using up more energy on defence than they have in the past. It is going to take time for their bodies to adjust to this added work load. You have a lot more energy on offence if you are not going at full speed on defence. So let's see if the Raptors can improve the offence back to a level were use too without sacrificing the defence that we are not use too.

If that doesn't happen you could see a lot of nights like what we saw on Sunday afternoon where the Raptors can keep it close but ultimately not close the deal. Which for some is exactly what they would like to see. After all there is a good portion of Raptor fans that are already thinking about the NBA Lottery. Wins lose ping pong balls theory of life. But at least in the locker room that is not the goal. But to get more wins they not only have to pound the rock they need to shoot it a lot better.

Still if you did not think it was possible for Dwane Casey to get this team to play and buy into defence he at least one game in proved that he can make it happen. Keeping that going through what will be the grind of a unprecedented NBA Season will be the challenge.

So the Raptors fall 76-75 to Boston coming close but falling just short as DeRozan missed on a runner in the lane and Bargnani who actually got the rebound could not get it to fall on the putback.

Had a chance to catch up with Demar DeRozan and Jerryd Bayless prior to this game and you can catch the results of that in the next couple days in the DNB as the Raptors will take on this same Celtics team on Wednesday in Boston.

Raptors Tough Talk Will Be Put To The Test

The Toronto Raptors have been talking tough in this training camp. Much talk of a change in mentality and a focus on defence. Well all that talk gets put to the test nicely against the Boston Celtics. Ever since the Big 3 appeared in Boston they have been the Raptors school yard bully. Kevin Garnett has been at the forefront of that. We all remember some of the events that have happened when these teams have hooked up. From Garnett yapping at Jose Calderon to a well placed knee by Paul Pierce to Chris Bosh's southern region.

Rajon Rondo will also be a nice test for this defence. Can you actually hide a Jose Calderon in this system? It is a safe bet will find out fast. Rondo has flat out owned Calderon in the past and blows by him really at will. The Celtics issues might lie at the center position. Shaq has retired and J.O is really the only true center they have left on the roster. While the Raptors may not have added quality but they do have depth at the five spot. Jamaal Magloire , Arron Gray and a bigger Amir Johnson all will see time at the five spot this year. Ed Davis might even see some minute and you have the raw Solomon Alabi as well.

Doc Rivers seemed less than impressed with his team's conditioning coming out of this lockout. The Raptors should give them a good test in that regard with their run and gun style offence. Raptors did few things well last year but one of them was fast break points. Boston will get a good run if nothing else playing against the Raptors for two games in the pre-season.

At the end of this two game pre-season we should have a good idea if all this talk has any merit to it. Andrea Bargnani has been catching praise for his new found effort on defence and on the boards. Will see what happens when the likes of K.G is on the other side of the equation.

The time for talking is almost over. Raptors will be having a practice for the fans at Variety Village in Scarborough. it gets rolling at 6:30pm but you need passes to get in that were available at the ACC Box Office so safe bet they might all be gone at this point.

I won't be there but I will be there Sunday for Raptors and Celtics. Today is my mom's Birthday so that will be the main focus of my day. If you can't make it down to ACC for Pre-Season game it will be available on Sportsnet with a 1pm tip time. See you folks Monday with lots of good stuff from my trip to the ACC.

DNB Top 10- Lockout Edition

Hello all. The DNB Top 10 will make a lockout appearance. James Borbath your Dino Blogger at the controls. So if there wasn't a lockout what would we be talking about? That is the focus of this DNB Top 10.

10. Mama can that man Coach? Yes Mark Jackson finally will be a coach in the NBA. It seems almost fitting the lockout is preventing him from getting his chance. But can he actually be a good coach in the NBA? How can he help or hurt the development of Steph Curry. Can he actually make the Warriors more than lottery regulars?

9. I thought we had a G.M Already? The Raptors are searching for Bryan Colangelo's replacement as G.M. The team leading up the search is Bryan Colangelo. What all this will mean for the Raptors and how this will impact on newly hired coach Dwane Casey. Don't you hire the coach first and then a G.M?

8. Hang Up Your Spurs. Have we seen the end of an era in San Antonio? After a first round exit to the Grizzlies who had never won a playoff game let alone a series prior to that. Is this the end for Timmy and the rest in San Antonio?

7. What will Mark Cuban Do For An Encore? Mavs are champs and Mark Cuban said the might not even get rings? Championship Belts? Who knows but could you see the Commissioner David Stern being happy about this? More important then all of that was this a flash in the pan or are the Mavs legit contenders to repeat in the West?

6. OKC now legit contenders for an NBA Title? Step one make the playoffs....check. Step 2 make it all the way to the Conference Finals...check. Step 3 Go to the NBA Finals ??? It sure seems that Kevin Durant has a team on the verge of greatness in one of the NBA's smaller markets. Can the Thunder be considered the best in the West and the guys to challenge the folks in Miami for years to come in the NBA Finals? Can Russell Westbrook be part of that winning formula?

5. Got Mello Now What? Oh yes the Knicks have Carmelo Anthony and Amare too. They finally returned to the playoffs. But the have no G.M in place after Donnie Walsh was forced out. Rumours that Isiah Thomas could be back. Oh it is a mess in New York City. If and when this lockout ends will the Knicks have the power to build on what they have? A new CBA might just high jack there plans of building there own super team to compete with the Heat.

4. Boston Is to old to win? We talked about the Spurs might be done. How about the original Big 3 in Boston. Has the window shut on their chance to call themselves contenders in the East? Sure they still are likely the best team in the Atlantic Division but that is not saying a lot when you look at the Sixers, Nets, Raptors. Aside from the aforementioned Knicks there is not a lot in the division. But in the East with Bulls and Heat looking far better than Boston is this the end for them. Rajon Rondo would have to be super human for it not to be.

3. Coming Soon...Superman Has Left Orlando Again. Oh yes we all remember when the original Superman Shaq took his cape and flew off to La La Land. Now Dwight Howard is already making noise he will do the same. Well if Orlando does not contend for a title. Which is a pretty safe bet they won't. So will Otis Smith get the drop on Dwight and trade him like The Nuggets and Jazz did? Or will he ride it out and face the possibility of getting screwed over like the Cavs and Raptors. But cheer up Magic fans you still have 4 more years of Gilbert Arenas the former agent 0 to look forward too.

2. Miami Heat How Do They Improve? They still have there 3 mega stars. But they lack some serious depth in South Beach. If the new CBA is not a friendly one how will the Heat get better to start winning all those rings Lebron James promised? If they can't add depth beyond the 3 big names how long before we start hearing Chris Bosh trade rumours? The newlyweds would not like to be relocated to some awful place like Milwaukee or worse Sacramento. While some Raptor fans would take pure joy in even the possibility.

1. Lakeshow Drama In Full Effect. We have heard very little from Kobe Bryant. He was not in the loop on the hiring of Phil Jackson's replacement. He might have to call Lebron James and get the low down on why Mike Brown is a terrible coach. Oh and we have Ron Artest who has changed his name like Chad Johnson did in the NFL. Lamar still married to a Kardashian. Mike Brown's over under on being Laker Coach is perhaps 2 years at best. It is never easy to replace a coaching legend in sports. Jimmy Johnson did a good job replacing Tom Landry with the Cowboys. But those things are rare. How long before Phil Jackson gets a call from Pat Riley to ask to take his talents to South Beach? Will it take longer than it will for Kobe to get Brown fired or demand a trade out of L.A? Things are not looking up for the Lakers. It is scary to think the Clippers might have a brighter future than the Lakers. Well it might not be that bad but things sure are set up for a Lakers implosion.

So those are things we should be talking about. Instead we are talking about the lack of progress in labour talks. Here is a story from Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo Sports on where things stand with the Lockout after unsuccessful talks on Monday. But it is summer time and he weather is hot so enjoy it. The NBA Lockout will be still there waiting for you in the fall.

NBAZ In 7 DayZ - Playoff Edition

The least debated of the post season awards was handed out, and no surprise Dwight Howard wins the Defensive MVP for a 3rd straight year. No one has ever accomplished that feat. But the harder feat for Dwight will be to take his Magic anywhere in the playoffs. The group around him is anything but defensive minded. The Hawks who took game 1 of their opening round series against the Magic. They last season took the worst beating in the history of the NBA Playoffs. That humiliation might have just motivated the Hawks to show up this year. It motivated them to send Mike Woodson packing. He was the coach in Atlanta for 6 years and improved his win total every season. But his team and their lack of performance in the playoffs was the reason he was let go. Stan Van Gundy has to worry about his future if the Magic go out in first round. Not that he will lose his job, but he very well could lose Dwight and that would make his job a lot tougher to keep in the future.

I had told you that the Boston and Knicks series would be closer than people thought. That Amare Stoudamire if he plays big in this series could help the Knicks upset Boston. In Game 1 both of those were true. It was a pretty exciting game and if the Knicks can come up with a similar effort they might just be able to head back to New York tied at 1. Boston just has not been the same since Kendrick Perkins was dealt at the deadline. Despite Jermaine O'Neal being able to turn back the clock in game 1, he is no Kendrick Perkins. Rajon Rondo has not exactly played to his All-Star level of late. Maybe he should watch Russell Westbrook for some inspiration. Boston also might have noticed that the Miami Heat trashed the Sixers last night and that Chris Bosh guy is looking pretty good. But Boston has to get there in the first place to face the Heat and that will not be an easy task.

Speaking of turning back the clock how about Jason Kidd? He was pretty amazing in game one for the Mavs. He hit six shots from beyond the arc and had one of the best playoff performances of his long career. Dirk also got a bit dirty getting in the paint and taking the ball to the hoop. The Blazers on the other hand could say they didn't get the full bang for their buck. Gerald Wallace who I said would be key in the Blazers upsetting the Mavs was not exactly the factor he needs to be in game 1. Also the Blazers have a huge advantage with Lamarcus Aldridge and the need to take advantage of it. Tyson Chandler is a good to great defender in the post. But Aldridge is quicker and can make jumpers from the mid-range. You wish that the old Brandon Roy was still around. But injuries have taken away the brilliance that once was Brandon Roy. I still don't trust the Mavs and will see how they respond once they face some adversity in this series. If they can get out of Dallas up 2-0 that would be well advised. The Rose Garden is one of the better environments in the NBA.

Many have raved about what a great weekend of basketball it was. This is true it was some of the best first round basketball we have seen in the playoffs in quite some time. Both number one seeds were pushed to the brink. The Bulls survived and won a similar type game last night coming out on top in a tight affair. The Spurs were not as lucky going in the history books as the first team to lose a playoff game to the Grizzlies Franchise. I can't help but still feel sad as no matter how good these playoffs can or will be it is not going to change one fact. That fact is that when it all is over and a champion is crowned that might be it for a very long time. The Lockout is looming and it is like a dark cloud that has hung over my head all season. Part of me says just enjoy the moment and not think about it. But that is very hard to do for me seeing as I try to eek out a living covering this sport. But I will try my best. No question the product on court right now has been pretty fantastic.

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

Amar'e Stoudemire may get his wish. Maybe. The NBA trade deadline is 16 days away and still there is no deal for Carmelo Anthony. There is some buzz about a possible 3-way deal between the Knicks, T-Wolves and Denver but nothing is set in stone. Let's face it. The Denver Nuggets are desperate and do not want to end up like the Raptors or Cavs with their stars jumping ship and their former 'ship' having nothing to show for it. As much as he tries to shake it off, Carmelo Anthony is starting to feel the pressure. He had a career high 50 points on Monday night and the Nuggets still lose to the Rockets 108-103. Not good. The closer we get to the trade deadline, the mercury in the Nugget's thermometer continues to rise. Let's hope for their sake it doesn't burst before the 24th. Let's talk about a team on the verge of bursting in the Cleveland Cavaliers, a scary moment for Marquis Daniels and why Stan Lee is 'Marveling' at the NBA.

A Very Scary Moment

Since this year's Super Bowl ranked as the highest watched Super Bowl in this country's history, most may have missed the Celtics-Magic game on Sunday. I didn't and boy was I in shock. Boston Celtics guard Marquis Daniels left the game on a stretcher Sunday after colliding with Gilbert Arenas of the Orlando Magic. With 11:01 left in the second quarter, Marquis drove to the basket from the right side of the lane and hit his head on Arena's left shoulder. He fell to the ground and lay there not moving for a few minutes. You could almost feel the chill fall over the crowd even if you were just watching from your living room. The Celtics were reporting he hurt his neck and was taken to hospital for examination. However, it ended up being a bruised spinal cord. Marquis was released from hospital Monday and is walking around now. Danny Ainge, Celtics' President of Basketball Operations, spent time with Marquis in the hospital and said he was scared lying there on the floor not moving, "But he has had some issues with this before and some tingling in his body--his arms and things before". Marquis Daniels is expected to be out for at least a month.

Instances like these have been seen in hockey but not always in professional basketball. When the league was in its infancy, the NBA considered implementing penalty boxes and giving players 2 minute timeouts because court play had become too violent. In the case of Marquis Daniels, his injury was not as a result of violence but from the aggressive nature of the sport. This same debate is on in the NHL where star players like Marc Savard are considering early retirement after multiple concussions or injuries. Is driving to the basket like racing to the puck to prevent an icing call? Is there a way for the league to better protect its players from injuries like Marquis Daniels'? Given he has existing health issues which may have exasperated the few motionless minutes on the floor in Sunday's game, should the league be offering some kind of protective gear? Look at Dwight Howard. He looks like a gladiator with those arm sleeves which protect his arms from the constant motion of shooting. In the games you watch this week, look at how many players are wearing some kind of protective gear. You would be surprised. I am not saying professional basketball players need to suit up to match their NHL counterparts but measures need to be taken since no sport wants to see one of its own taken out on a stretcher.

The Cleveland Cavaliers - Can it Get Any Worse?

As of Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers have lost their way into the NBA record books with 25 in the 'L' column. The saddest part? The league also keeps stats on an overall losing streak records which take into account losing skids over 2 seasons. This new record for the Cavs topped that one, too. The previous mark was also set by the Cavs at the end of the 1981-82 season and the start of the 1982-83 season. Their last win was on December 18th more than 7 weeks ago. I have been searching for some silver lining in all this misery and finally found it in Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Here's what he had to say in a recent article about the funk the Cavs are in right now: "The season is over in what, 60 days? So in 60 days you go from being a suffering franchise to the best from getting the first pick and a ton of salary cap room and you are a hero all summer". The problem with this theory is how do they make it to summer's promised land? Hope and pray.

NBA Gets Short end of the Stick

Apparently, NBA fans are too old and can't read. This is what I am taking away from the latest news of Marvel Entertainment LLC. and the NBA launching a new line of clothing to be unveiled at the All-Star game later this month. The NHL was also in talks with Stan Lee, creator of Marvel comics but their deal was different. The NHL's deal included a comic book line loosely based around hockey and local teams, where each superhero would have special powers representative of each NHL team and city. The NBA's deal includes no reading material. Instead, famous Marvel superheroes will be paired with NBA teams and displayed on caps, t-shirts and sweatshirts. Some examples being thrown around are the Incredible Hulk with the Boston Celtics (obvious choice) and Spiderman with the New York Knicks (again, obvious choice). Both deals are each league's attempt to attract a younger audience to their respective sport. Its a shame the NBA got shafted in the comic department. I would be first in line for some Blake "Superman" Griffin reading material.

Thanks for joining me again this week. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Keep them coming by following me on Twitter (@ddegraauw) or on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw, red microphone). Have a great week and see you on Thursday for more Raptors' opponent analysis in "Behind Enemy Lines".

No More Celtics Hip Hip Hooray

Yes this is the last time the Raptors will likely see the Boston Celtics this season. Seems odd to say on January 7th but such is the NBA Schedule. They have already improved on their performance from last year against them with a win in three tries so far. Last season the Raptors with Chris Bosh were swept by the Celtics 4 to 0. All that being said the Raptors chances tonight in Boston look pretty bleak despite a come from behind blow out of the Cavs. Jerryd Bayless and Sonny Weems remain out. Bargnani and Johnson will go tonight for Toronto. Jose Calderon is going to play as well with Bayless on the shelf. The suggestion seems to be if Bayless was healthy Calderon would not be playing. Meanwhile in Boston they remain with out K.G, while Kendrick Perkins is still about a month away from playing. The Raptors should feel fortunate they will not seen Perkins, and to a large degree have not seen Boston at full capacity even minus him in all 4 games. Be it Rondo or K.G being out the Raptors have never faced the Celtics full blast this year.

The Basics: Toronto 12-23 ( 4-5 vs Atlantic Division) Boston 27-7 ( 21-4 vs East )

When Last We Saw Them: We saw the Raptors start slow allowing the Cavs to shoot 66.7% in 1st and take a 15 point lead. Only to see Julian Wright spark the charge back and the Raptors would eventually win by 15. Jose Calderon was excellent with 20 points and 17 assists and Bargnani looked good as well scoring 20+ points and leading the team in scoring on the night. Were the Cavs just that bad or did the Raptors play that good in final 3 quarters? It is one of those questions where the answer might be both.

Key Match-Ups: As good as Jose was vs the Cavs, Rondo is even better than that coming into this one off a triple double with 12 points 22 assists and 10 rebounds, vs the best team in league record wise in the Spurs. That is a little different from tearing apart the hopeless and Lebronless Cavs. Not to mention traditionally Rondo has always got the better of Calderon. Big Baby and Amir Johnson should be good to watch. Make Glen Davis a jump shooter and you should be ok. Davis has really come a long way but much like a Kris Humphries did in his Raptor days, Big Baby tends to forget he is not the 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd option on offence. Last but not least is Paul Pierce, who in the last meeting with the Raptors less than 7 days ago was pretty spectacular. Linas Klezia has his hands full or whoever they end up sticking on him. After saying all of this watch Ray Allen light up Demar DeRozan with about 6 makes from 3 point range. Allen has always been a tough match up for Dematr. The only advantage the Raptors have is Bargnani on Shaq or J.O it is no contest if Bargnani takes them away from the basket.

Other Things of Note: After a pretty nice honeymoon in Boston things may be going sour for Shaq. Jermaine O'Neal has been the O'Neal getting more minutes of late. A healthy J.O provides the Celtics a better defensive option. Although this story in the Boston Herald has a lot of quotes of people all saying the right things in terms of Shaq. I said at the start of the year that once Perkins came back you were going to have at least one unhappy O'Neal. I was just figuring it would be Jermaine and not Shaq. While our DNB Intern Ryan banged out his first piece in the blog yesterday. Talking about how Demar DeRozan is not getting the love he may deserve from the NBA. He isn't getting much love from the officials as well taking a knock on the head and staying down still did not warrant him a trip to the line. But Demar remains consistent in his effort to drive and draw contact. You just hope he starts to be rewarded in the way that a guy like say Paul Pierce does eventually. Demar was left out of the dunk contest and if he does not crack the sophomore line-up for the Rookie Challenge safe to say the Raptors will have no representation at the All-Star Game at all. Been a long time since that happened, as Bosh was a given to be an All-Star by the end of his time here.

Where is it on? TSN (Sources have informed me that World Junior Hockey Tournament has ended making this possible. Those same sources confirmed the Russians have finally left Buffalo)

"Behind Enemy Lines"

I know the Raptors' 84-76 win over Dallas was huge for morale but I wouldn't get too excited. They beat a Dallas Mavericks team missing their star player in Dirk Nowitzski and two others in Dominique Jones and Rodrique Beaubois. Now I know some wouldn't be able to pick Jones and Beaubois out of a line up but when you are missing your pivotal player plus two young guns, this means the bulk of the playing time and work falls to the rest of your team who may not be used to their roles changing or need to adjust to the added responsibility. In any case, the Raptors need to build on this and attack this week's games with gusto.




Friday, December 31st - Toronto Raptors @ Houston Rockets

• The Raptors have played the Houston Rockets one other time this season on November 19th. The score was 106-96 for the Raptors.


• The Raptors lead the first two quarters of this game and came up with 9 more than Houston did in the fourth to take the win.


• During this game DeMar DeRozen played 42 minutes and produced 15 points. This is way too long in my opinion and will prove to be detrimental in Friday's game considering the Raptors' current injuries.


• Raptors' Injuries: out and day -to- day are Andrea Bargnani (strained left calf), Peja Stojakovic (swollen left knee), Sonny Weems (back spasms), Jose Calderon (sore ankle), Jerryd Bayless (ankle injury). Amir Johnson is back in the line-up but also playing through back spasms.


• Houston's injuries: out with no real timeline for returning - Jared Jefferies, Yao Ming, Ismael Smith.


• Raptors' key to this game: No more injuries and come out blazing in the first two quarters.

Sunday, January 2nd - Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors

• These two teams have played twice this season and split the wins. November 21 - 102-101 for the Raptors and November 26 - 110-101 Boston.


• In the Raptors win, all of the Raptors' starting line-up averaged 32-39 minutes, all contributing. DeMar DeRozen had only 6 points.


• In the Raptors loss, Andrea Bargnani and Hose Calderon averaged 35 minutes each and combined for 23 points. For Boston, uncharacteristically, Rajon Rondo produced only 4 points while playing 35 minutes. However, Boston came out hard and were up by 11 going into the second quarter and the Raptors played catch-up after that.


• Boston currently sits at the top of the East at 24-6 as of Thursday.


• Boston's Inactive list: Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Delonte West.


• Key for Raptors: Forget you are playing the top team in your division and come out hard in the first half.

Tuesday, January 4rth - Toronto Raptors @ Chicago Bulls

• These two teams have played once this season so far - December 15 - Bulls took it 110-93.


• During this game, Carlos Boozer was the key for the Bulls. His production value was high by playing 25 minutes and putting up 34 points.


• For the Raptors during this game, Jarryd Bayless was highest in production with 32 minutes, 20 points.


• On the Bulls Inactive list: Johnlll Lucas, Joakim Noah.


• Key for Raptors: Believe in your conditioning and ability to go the distance with this team and no silly mistakes like turnovers during transition.

Wednesday, January 5th - Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers

• The Raptors and Cavs met once this year so far: October 29 - 101-81 for the Raptors.
• During this game, the Raptors lead the first three quarters in points. The bulk of the points scored for the Cavs came from the bench: Antawn Jamison with 13 and Daniel Gibson with 9; their top two.
• DeMar DeRozen had a better night versus the Cavs than the last time he met the other opponents he will meet this week: 14 points for DeRozen, 19 for Kleiza and 20 for Bargnani.
• The last time they met, both teams shared the same record: 1-1. As of Thursday, the Cavs are 8-24 and bottom of the East.
• Cavaliers' Injuries: Mo Williams (left hip flexor strain), Daniel Gibson (left thigh contusion) - both will be reassessed Friday. Joey Graham (right quad strain) is out indefinitely.
• Key for the Raptors: Don't get over confident. As of Thursday the Cavs are on a 5 game loosing streak and looking to snap it with help from their bench.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you have all have a great New Year, be safe and I will see you Tuesday for more "NBAz in 7 Dayz".

"Behind Enemy Lines"

To measure the greatness of any coach or player for that matter, you need to look at what would happen to the team if he left. Based on the Raptors' record so far (3 and 9), I don't think the Raptors could get any worse if Head Coach Jay Triano left. Like Ron Wilson (the Head Coach of that other MLSE team), Jay Triano has a lot of talent but unless he gets his team back on track, he may have to start packing his bags. Raptors fans deserve more than what they have been given over the last 12 games, so something needs to be done before the slippery slope gets anymore slippery. The Raptors are at home this week hosting the Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. I think this week we'll see the battle of the Head Coaches. Jay Triano has a lot in common with Houston Rockets Head Coach Rick Adelman in the player drama he's had to deal with. Doc Rivers, Head Coach of the Boston Celtics, is the major key to Boston's success. If the rumours came true and he retired at the end of last season, Boston would not be the team they are now. As for the 76ers, they have a Head Coach in Doug Collins, a guy who hasn't coached in 7 years, spending time as a TV analyst. So there is a lot to consider this week. Let's get to it.



Houston Rockets @ Toronto Raptors: Friday, November 19, 7pm.

• The last time these two teams met was March 1st, 2010. Houston Rockets 116, Toronto Raptors 92.
• Going into this game, the Rockets were 30-29 on the season with the Raptor at 31-28.
• During this game, the Rockets dominated the first three quarters. Toronto exploded and put 27 points on the board in the fourth but it was enough.
• Going into this week's match-up, Houston still has their starting five from this game and have added veterans Brad Miller and Courtney Lee.
• Like Jay Triano, Houston Head Coach Rick Adelman has had to deal with his fair share of player drama (Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady). Coach Adelman knows how to push players for all they are worth, likes to stick to his systems and is able to adapt.
• Player for Raptors to watch: Aaron Brooks - for his quickness and long range shooting. He plays major minutes and averaged about 20 points per game last season. But him being out has been a big part of why the Rockets have struggled.
  

Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors: Sunday, November 21, 1pm.

• The last time these two teams met was April 7, 2010. Boston Celtics 115, Toronto Raptors 104.
• Going into this game, the Celtics were 49-29 on the season with the Raptors sitting at 38-40.
• During this game, the Celtics lead three of 4 quarters in scoring. Raptors showed up in the second quarter but lost steam in the end.
• Going into this week's match-up, the Celtics still have their starting five and have added Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal and Von Wafer. They have lost Assistant Coach Tom Thibodeaux to a head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls.
• The Celtics have won 17 NBA titles - last one in 2008. The Raptors? None.
• Player for Raptors to watch: Rajon Rondo - for drawing fouls, being quick and finding ways to penetrate any defense.

Philadelphia 76ers @ Toronto Raptors: Wednesday, November 24, 7pm.

• The last time these two teams met was April 3, 2010. Toronto Raptors 128, Philadelphia 76ers 123.
• Going into this game, Philadelphia was 26-50 on the season and Toronto was 38-37.
• During this game, the Raptors lead the first 3 quarters with Philadelphia battling back to tie the game. The Raptors put 14 points up on the board in overtime to push for the win.
• Going into this week's match-up, the Sixers have 4 of their five starters from their last Raptors' meeting. However, they are without veterans Samuel Dalembert, Rodney Carney, Francisco Elson and Allen Iverson.
• Head Coach Doug Collins hasn't coached since 2003 when he was Head Coach of the Washington Wizards. Between then and now, he has been an analyst for the NBA on TNT.
• Will be a re-match of last night's game that the Raptors won in Philadelphia this time at the ACC. Will Iguodala be back will be a BIG Factor.
  
• Player for Raptors to watch: Evan Turner - for being able to hit the mid-range and jump shots. Though he is still proving himself as a rookie on a struggling squad.

The best chance the Raptors have at winning based on record and team dynamics alone, is against the 76ers. Both Toronto and Philadelphia are playing to stay relevant and both are trying to put the past behind them. Though, for that reason alone, some could say this will be their toughest game. No one expects them to win against Houston or Boston, so maybe they can go into these match-ups relaxed. Can you imagine? Raptors 98, Celtics 95. It could happen. Now James will definitely think I have lost my marbles. Remember, these are points to get you thinking outside the box for the Raptors' games this week. Have fun and see you on Tuesday for more NBAz in 7 Dayz.

Raps Hang Tough With Celtics- Up Next Bulls

First before we look back, tonight I will liveblog the Raptors and Bulls here on the DNB Website. So make sure you tune in and join us for that. Now a quick look back to the weekend. I was able to watch 3 quarters of the game between the Raptors and Celtics. That was long enough to watch Andersen layout Big Baby and bloody his nose. The Celtics who traditionally have bullied the Raptors were a bit taken back by this much more scrappy in your face Raptors team. Andrea Bargnani for the second straight game looked anything like the best player on the roster. Yes it is just the pre-season but that does not mean there is not reason to be concerned. Through 2 pre-season games Andrea has averaged 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 57 minutes of game action. Shooting just 2-17 combined in those two games. David Andersen has better numbers and he was not the 1st pick in the draft by a long shot.

As for the battle at point guard the needle still points to advantage Jack. Jarrett had 18 points (team high) and 6 boards only 1 assist vs Boston. While Calderon did have 6 assists but no rebounds and went 0-4 from the field and had just 2 points. Calderon has never had much success vs Boston in his career as Rajon Rondo takes him to school on a regular basis. The Raptors did use Barbosa to guard Rondo when he was on the floor with Calderon. Barbosa was good in this game with 16 points himself and was 2-4 from 3 point range.

Sonny Weems was your top Young Gun on the day with 13 points and the "Play of the Day" turning a turnover into instant offence and a heck a dunk. DeRozan had 11 points 3 steals and got to the line 8 times, the bad news he only made 5 of those 8. While Amir Johnson in limited minutes(15) had just 5 points and 3 rebounds.

While it was clearly a step down from their amazing start the Raptors were in the game with the Celtics throughout. Boston did play all their regulars in this one including former Raptor J.O and Shaq. In the end Boston pulled it out 91-87.

So now it is bring on the Bulls, as the Raptors pay a visit to Chuck Swirsky and the Bulls minus Carlos Boozer their big off-season prize. But even with no additions this is a Bulls team that beat down the Raptors, on route to the playoffs before getting tossed aside by the Cavs and Lebron James. They did add some other pieces like Ronnie Brewer to the mix. Raptors will face the Bulls both tonight and 8 days from now. I am very curious to see how the Raptors will do in the re-match games with both the Suns and Bulls. See if teams can learn from what they saw the first time. Even though it is only the pre-season. But still it is not like they are going to ignore the tape of the games altogether.

So see you all at 7:45 for Raptors and Bulls liveblog here on the DNB website.

"Basketball Beyond the Floor"

"I came into the league making $5, 200 and left making $15,000 - that's after 10 years. I was afraid to hold out and ask for a real raise...If I ask for too much, they might just tell me to stay home" Al Bianchi, a former guard turned NBA Scout on money and having no agent. Things were different back then. Tall Tales: the Glory Years of the NBA, in the Words of the Men Who Played, Coached and Built Pro Basketball by Terry Pluto touches on the very real and important events which have shaped the pro game we know today. I will have to admit, I was a little skeptical going into this one because the market is so saturated with basketball history books claiming the last one missed something. Plus, I bought this book in the same bargain bin as A View From Above by Wilt Chamberlain as discussed last week. Since that book was a colossal disappointment, I was a little hesitant about Tall Tales but as always, kept an open mind. It is by far the best historical account of the pro game in its infancy to the creation of the National Basketball Association. It comes from the same author as Loose Balls about the ABA (American Basketball Association). Each section begins with the background of each stage in history (including why the pro game was created - believe it or not, it came from hockey roots) and ends with commentary from the players, coaches, scouts, owners and even referees of the that time period. Let's dive in and look at the book's main highlights: where the game came from (not the James Naismith connection), the rule change which revolutionized the game and the trade which changed the course of the NBA.

We're going to shove it down their throats

The book starts off by explaining the NBA was formed for three reasons: (1) Young men were making money from hockey and owning arenas. But hockey couldn't fill every gap in the schedule, so they needed something else; (2) College ball was super popular at the time and (3) World War Two was over, the men were home and had money to spend on sports. They weren't exactly demonstrating in the streets to bring in a pro basketball league "but they were going to give it to them whether they liked it or not". So really, it was all about making some more money from the owner's standpoint. And since some of these players were former soldiers or rough-housers, fighting was huge for the game in the late 40s, early fifties until they created the 'fouling out' rules, according to the book. In 1953-1954, players were allowed only two fouls in a quarter. Anymore and they were turfed from the game. I think it was funny because of all the fighting, the league actually considered creating a penalty box like in hockey and make them play 4 on 5 or whatever the situation called for. This never happened. After reading this book, I really wish I had a basketball time machine so I could go back and see players like Jerry West, George Mikan and especially Bill Russell because before he came into the game, nobody was really blocking shots. And it's interesting to watch some of the old tape because you wouldn't see a Steve Nash bringing the ball down court and conducting the play by going in 1-on-1, trying to drive it up the middle to one of your teammates. They spread out all over the place and ran.

Canadian Roots but an Italian Influence

This part I loved. Before the invention of the 24 second clock, if a team was up, they would just hang onto the ball until their opponent fouled them in an attempt to gain possession. They actually played for 9 whole seasons without a shot clock until Danny Biasone's idea changed the game. I think this is the most important rule considering where the game started and how it changed the game: "The amazing thing about the 24 second clock is that it started at 24 seconds and is still 24 seconds today. No one has seriously considered changing it" (Play-by-Play guy Chick Hearn). It was all so simple, too. Danny Biasone had owned a semi-pro football team before World War Two and since there were not enough players after the war, he decided to get into pro basketball. He owned a pro basketball team from 1946-1947 and according to the book, became frustrated with the game and the number of fouls. So get this. Danny Biasone figured out each team took 60 shots, totalling 120 over the course of the game. He divided the length of the game which was 48 minutes at the time (2, 880 seconds) by 120 shots to get 24 seconds per shot. Before this rule was created, there was actually a score of 19-18 between Fort Wayne and the Minneapolis Lakers. Unbelievable.

Trading for draft rights..what?

"Before the start of the [1965-1966] season, I said I was quitting. I told the Lakers, The Sixers and anyone else that this was their last shot at me. I didn't want to be accused of going out while I was still ahead. They had one more chance to knock me off" (Red Auerbach in his last year of coaching the Celtics). Red Auerbach wanted to win and so did everyone else. Trades were made all over the map but the one that changed how things were done in the NBA, according to the book, was when St. Louis agreed to trade the draft rights of Bill Russell to Boston for Cliff Hagan and Ed McCauley. No one had a clue the impact Bill Russell would have on the Celtics but they took a chance. Some people in NHL circles think the Toronto Maple Leafs don't have a clue for this reason because of making trades and taking a chance on the wrong people. (Let's hope that this year is different because Toronto sports fans need to get excited about something). But the Boston Celtics had a history of making good decisions. I still can't even imagine one single team winning 8 consecutive championships - the longest championship streak in North American sports. But that is was the Celtics did under Auerbach as their coach. My god, that guy was brilliant both on and off the court. Breaking down colour barriers and the opposition with defence and fast breaks - this book made me really appreciate Red Auerbach and Bill Russell a little more and what they did for the game.

Flick Pick of the Week

I know you are going to think I am outside my mind with this pick because I know some of you have told me this before with previous picks. I guess I should be used to it. I love Whoopi Goldberg so I want you to watch 'EDDIE' starring Miss Whoopi. This flick also includes other appearances by Rick Fox, Greg Ostertag, John Salley, Mark Jackson and Marv Albert as himself. Whoopi plays the newest coach of the New York Knicks. I think it's funny and entertaining. Apparently, home games were actually filmed at the Charlotte Coliseum, home to the Charlotte Hornets at the time the movie was made.

For next week, I picked up an interesting read from my local library: Can I Keep My Jersey? 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond by Paul Shirley. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a friend who played in the NBA? This book attempts to answer this question. Unbelievable really, how he did it. I will see you on Tuesday for another serving of Jiggly Bits. So until then, happy reading.