Raptors Show Some Fight But Lose On Points.

The Toronto Raptors had about as much chance of winning this game as Tim Tebow has in beating Tom Brady. But while Tebow is currently on the way to being crushed by Brady. The Raptors in Chicago had a lot more fight than one might have expected coming in. But in the end the Bulls would come out on top of things but it was an interesting ride to get there.

Demar DeRozan got off to a good start with 6 of the Raptors first 8 points. Amir Johnson did not as he was sitting on the bench just over 3 minutes into this one. He had a foul on the opening possession than picked up his second with 8:49 to go in the 1st. Bulls had a 12-8 lead after DeRozan's third score but would then go on a run and push the lead to 21-8. This prompted Dwane Casey to call a time out and change his approach on defence. The Raptors went zone and it worked really well. Derrick Rose could no longer pick apart Jose Calderon. The Bulls struggled to find any offence at all. James Johnson was having a solid two way performance against his former team. He along with Leandro Barbosa were leading a wave of scoring from the bench. The Bulls 24-13 lead after one, was being chipped away as they had empty possession after empty possession. In fact the Raptors were able to get the lead 35-33 with about 1:30 to play in the half. That was the first time they had led in the game since it was 4-2 Raps in the early moments. Toronto would reverse the 24-13 advantage in the 2nd as they outscored the Bulls by the exact same margin for a offensively challenged 37-37 halftime score.

Raptors came out in the 3rd and continued on with zone defence with a more traditional looking 2-3 zone. Bulls would nose out ahead by 5 points but a DeRozan 3 pointer would bring the Raptors back to level at 44 a piece. It was a scrappy 3rd quarter as both teams had their issues getting the ball in the basket. The Bulls would again push out to a five point bulge and would end up with just a 4 point lead after 3 with score just 56-52. Some more bad news on the injury front for Toronto as James Johnson was out with a twisted ankle and after reports he may return, as it ended up he would not. The Bulls came out of the blocks in the 4th and quickly built their advantage to 11 points. The Raptors made one finally push back but the Bulls responded and re-established the 11 point advantage and push it further with a Rose bucket to make it 71-58 Chicago. The Raptors were challenged to score, they had one possession where they had 3 or 4 attempts only to finally have Kleiza end up at the line. Which was a rare event. Raptors making a foul shot was even more rare. They went 1-7 from the line. Demar DeRozan did not get to the line even once in this game. Barbosa was the only Raptor to make a free throw in this game. The Bulls would close this game out and earn a hard fought 77-64 win moving to 5-0 at the United Center on the season and 12-2 overall.

Raptors fall 4-9 and have lost 4 straight. They next hit the floor at 4pm on Monday as it is the MLK Holiday in the U.S and they will take on the Hawks. DeRozan and Barbosa shared the team high in scoring with just 15 points. Raptors were able to hold Rose to just 18 points but he had 11 dimes to go along with it. The fact the Raptors were able to hang with one of the NBA's Elite teams was encouraging but in the end another loss and they lose a player as well with Johnson going out. Despite all of that you had to at least be a little impressed with how Dwane Casey schemed on defence to give the Raptors a fighting chance through 3 quarters. It was noted that Casey was even more active than usual on the sidelines in the broadcast.

So that is about all for the game. However I want to make mention of an interview conducted by Eric Smith that was part of the pre-game radio broadcast with former Raptor broadcaster Chuck Swirsky. Believe it or not this is the 4th season since Chuck left for Chicago. Time real does seem to fly by. Chuck since leaving Toronto has never explained why he left other than for "Family Reasons". He has been in this blog many times and out of respect to Chuck we have never pressed to have him explain. Eric Smith in this interview with Chuck, it finally is explained in depth what those reasons in fact were. So I encourage you to go have a listen.

I honestly never knew the reasons Chuck had left till today. I had heard bits and pieces of this story but never knew what was fact or fiction. I have always loved Chuck as person and I am sorry to hear of the reasons he had to leave a place that he did and still does love. Chuck and Eric both will always have a special place in my heart. I was just doing a college radio show locally here in Hamilton and emailed Chuck and later Eric about being guests on the show. Chuck would do that small radio show several times as would Eric. Chuck would also help me get to know a few people in an attempt to advance myself. He is a great human being and truly cares for people. I may have issues with his style of broadcasting at times. But never the man. The man is one of the best people I have had the chance to know. I have appreciated his wiliness to be a guest here in the DNB since leaving for Chicago. Now knowing what was going on for him personally I appreciate even more. Whatever you may think about Chuck, he gave a heck of a lot to helping sell this Raptor franchise in his time here. He should always be respected for all that he did to try and grow the Raptors and game here.

Raptors Start Road Trip In Chicago

The odds of hitting a bullseye according to some site I found on the internet is 1/50. The Odds the Raptors beat the 11-2 Bulls is probably greater than that. In fact this entire road trip offers no easy games with stops in Atlanta and Boston after this. But at least the schedule slows down a little for the Raptors after this. A day off between games in this season is gold as the Raptors will play on Monday in Atlanta and Wednesday in Boston. Chicago returns home after beating Boston last night. The Bulls have been on the road a lot with only 4 of their first 13 games at the United Center. But when they have been home they haven't lost.

Raptors coach Dwane Casey took all the blame for the loss vs the Pacers last night. No doubt he deserves some of it. But not all of it. If his team had just made it's free throws it never would have come down to one of their worst free throw shooters in Jamaal Magloire having to make free throws to keep the game alive. The Raptors would be happy if this game was close enough to be within free throws. But the Bulls are rolling and even a turf toe injury to last year's MVP Derrick Rose has not slowed them down. Beyond him the Bulls have the depth of talent most teams would dream to have. That depth got even better with the addition of Rip Hamilton. Bulls are on a 4 game winning streak in which they are destroying people. They have won by an average of 14.5 points during this winning streak. That includes a 24 point margin in which they clobbered the Pistons.

3 Keys to Game

Bombs Away Bulls- Bulls have a few 3 point specialist and you need to be aware when they are on the floor. Derrick Rose will be you can count on that. Brewer, Korver and Watson are the 3 most likely shooters from behind the arc. If Bulls get driving to the paint and kick out to any of these guys it will be a long night at the office for the Raptors.

Rose Owns Jose- Derrick Rose injured or not will have no problem handling Jose Calderon. He has had little problems with him in the past and tonight should be no different. Raptors may look to go zone a lot and try to keep Rose out of the paint that way. The odds seem a lot better. Problem will be the first point we made. The Bulls do have a few capable three point shooters.

Glass Wars- The Bulls have a number of guys that are more than capable rebounders. Noah, Boozer, Gibson even Asik. Raptors will be hard pressed to even stay close in the rebounding battle. But the most important thing is keeping the Bulls off the offensive glass and giving them 2nd chances. They are good enough you really don't need give Derrick Rose another 24 seconds to kill you.

After a tough loss and travelling to Chicago I find it hard to believe the Raptors will stand a chance in this one. That being said last night with no Bargnani (Which should be same tonight) I thought they had zero chance to be competitive but they were. Doing the same tonight will be a much bigger challenge.

DNB 2011-12 Season Predictions

So it has reached that time of the year where I must become a educated guesser on what will happen in this NBA Season. So if you are ready we will begin with the guess work.

Your Playoff Teams in the East:

1. Miami

2.Chicago

3. New York

4. Atlanta

5.Boston

6. Indiana

7. Philadelphia

8. New Jersey

Obviously a Dwight Howard move to New Jersey could mess up the order of this quite a bit. But think these are the 8 teams you see in the playoffs the order I could see changing based on moves and injuries could make it tough on teams the biggest of those could be Boston.

As for the Raptors they will not be in the Playoffs yet again but no one is expecting them to be. The big question for most is will they be the 15th team in the East and likely 30th in the NBA. That answer is no. Detroit will be worse than the Raptors. Think the Wizards will be as well. Also the Bobcats will not be up to snuff. So that would leave the Raptors finishing 12th with more wins than expected at 20-46. I think the Raptors will hang around in enough games to steal a few here and there. They also have the advantage of some young players that will be able to handle the grind of this crushing schedule.

Now on to the West:

1. OKC

2. Dallas

3. Portland

4. L.A Clippers

5.L.A Lakers

6. Denver

7. San Antonio

8. Memphis

The West is a lot tougher to figure out. I am convinced that OKC is the class of this conference now. Dallas got worse, Lakers got worse and the Thunder stayed the same for the most part but have a Kendrick Perkins that looks in fantastic shape and a year of experience at playing as an elite team. The Clippers are the real wild card with Chris Paul. Think 4th is a conservative approach as to where they will end up.

What Raptor Fans really care about is your Lottery Top 5

1. Detroit

2. Washington

3. Charlotte

4.Utah

5. Toronto

Now on we go to the Awards:

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Paul

Dwight Howard has owned this award for years but with the issues of getting out of Orlando and how long that takes think it will be a Destraction and a less focused Howard. Chris Paul will rack up a ton of steals and get the Clippers running. I thought about going with Dwayne Wade or Lebron James but decided to go with Chris Paul and I am sure David Stern will be on hand to give him his award. Tyson Chandler in New York would have been a more conventional pick to make.

Rookie of the Year: Kyrie Irving

I wanted to say Tristan Thompson but that would be my Canadian Pride talking. You may say that picking Irving is going the easy route but it is not a lock the number one pick always gets the award. Irving has the opportunity and the ability to cash in and win the award. He is starting from day one and has little challenge for minutes in Cleveland.

Coach of the Year: Scott Brooks

The first time I picked him people thought I was nuts. He ended up winning the award. This time my pick will be viewed in a lot different light. Eric Spoelstra will not get the credit for the Heat dominating. While same will be true for Vinny Del Negro with the Clippers. Want a long shot? Frank Vogel will have a nice group with Pacers and they should be much improved.

6th Man of the Year- Taj Gibson

Boozer has been losing favour in Chicago and in a season that has injury issues at the forefront given the schedule it is not looking good for Boozer given his history. All this says to be big things for Taj Gibson. Think that is a good a guess as any. Want a total shot in the dark. Norris Cole the rookie in Miami. They love him and getting to play with the Big 3 in Miami can only help him wrack up some impressive numbers off the pine backing up Chalmers.

M.V.P- Lebron James

People have started to hate him a little less and he has had a extended off-season to get upset how we were all mean to him and his friends. So Game On. Kevin Durant, Rose the defending M.V.P will be in the conversation. Chris Paul could also get a serious look if he is able to make the Clippers the better team in L.A

So what is left to do? Oh right who is going to win it all? Last year I picked this and it almost happened so this year I will pick it again with the same two teams and a different winner.

The OKC Thunder will defeat the Miami Heat in 6 games.

Your Finals MVP : Kevin Durant.

You can bet that I will brag about everything I get right and hope that you all forget everything I get wrong but those are my educated guesses for this season. If you want to share yours feel free to leave them in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Dinonationblog.

Holly MacKenzie In The DNB's Starting 5

Holly MacKenzie has been mentioned in this blog on many occasions. I consider her not just a talented writer and very knowledgeable about basketball but also a friend. It has always been a goal to get Holly to come be in The Starting 5. It has almost happened a bunch of times. But something always would come along and it would never happen. So FINALLY it has happened and it was well worth the wait. We talk about a variety of topics from how she got to where she is now, to the Raptors future, and a number of NBA Topics including her thoughts on the upcoming off-season with a lockout looming. Holly truly loves basketball more than almost anyone I have ever met, and I am including myself in that. Her passion and love for sport shines through in her writing and it does in this interview as well. We also came to discover something that we both did not know until this interview. It was one of the more fun interviews I have done in the Starting 5 and I think you will enjoy it. Her picks for MVP, Coach of the Year and a whole lot more Stackmack has invaded the DNB.

Holly is just a super person and knowing her these past few years has been a real joy for me personally. If you ever met Holly and do not walk away from that encounter with a smile on your face, and love of basketball in your heart... something is wrong with you. She really is just as talented as she is as a good human being. I think the world of her and always am as thrilled for all the success she has had and will have. I am fortunate to know her and am very happy I was finally able to have her come be a part of our world here in the Dino Nation Blog. She knows her stuff and combines that with a love and passion for the sport of basketball that is near impossible to match. I respect her so much and am not ever surprised by anything she achieves. She works hard and has done more in a few years than some people have done in a career. I won't get into what I was doing at her age. But needless to say I was nowhere close to what she has accomplished. I am sure you like me already follow her on Twitter but for the record is it @stackmack and it is well worth the follow.

Raptors Show Rare Clutchness At The ACC.

James Johnson will not only play tonight he will start. This is a terrible sign for Sonny Weems who lead the Raptors in scoring last night and tonight is on the bench. I grow more frustrated with this franchise by the day. Johnson will wear 0 and Raptors better hope he plays better than a 0 or they will hear it from more than just me. At least he should know what to do to defend Deng. Anyway here we go this promises not to be pretty.

Raptors were off to a nice start with a 9-4 lead and Johnson was playing some defence a foreign concept on Raptors but not the Bulls. But Chicago would fight there way back to tied at 11 midway through the first quarter. Weems checks in and shooting and scoring right away to give the Raps a lead but Bulls would get on a roll and lead 17-13. Noah was rebounding everything in sight by the way in his return. Had 10 rebounds before taking a seat in the first quarter with three plus minutes to play. Derrick Rose as expected abusing the Raptors as well an easy drive and score draws a time out with Bulls leading 23-17. Weems and Barbosa both hit jumpers to make it respectable after one with the score 29-25.

Weems got Raptors started and Raptors briefly had a lead 30-29 but turnovers and miscues sparked a 9-0 Bulls run and Bulls led 38-30 and a time out to ask the Raptors what the hell they were doing out there? Ed Davis would end a 3 minute 3o second stretch of no scoring and horrible offence. Raptors clawed back to down 39-37 with DeRozan and Bargnani leading the charge. DeRozan then had a dunk and off a steal hooked up the newest Raptor James Johnson with a dunk tied at 43. The Raps make little sense they show nothing vs Bobcats 24 hours ago and yet tonight are scrapping with the Bulls but on short end of stick 50-46. James Johnson showing some hustle and defence with a block on Boozer. Hustle and D will get you love in T.O not from me but in general. I am not has quick to hope on the new guy fan club train but some are getting aboard no doubt. Bulls still in front thought and had a 5 point late. DeRozan finished an Alley Opp and it was 58-55 Bulls at the half.

Demar had tweeted he was going Ham for the rest of this season on Twitter? Going ham defined for me. It must mean to go nuts and slam the ball like crazy and make jumpers like your Ray Allen. Whatever it means Demar was doing it and he exploded out of gates in 2nd half and the Raptors had a 65-63 lead with 8:32 to play. Bulls called for a time out and Thibodeau was less than thrilled with his teams defence. Deng a 3 out of the time out and Bulls were back on top. Calderon made a bucket a rare event for him these days. He does have 14 assists though which is outstanding even I will admit. Caldeon was doing a good job running the offence and Raptors had build a bit of a lead at 73-68 with under 5 to play in 3rd. Raptors were continuing to shock the realistic view with a 83-75 lead and Bulls playing first game after the break could not match the Raps intensity to this point. Bulls closed quarter well and cut lead in half it was 85-81 Raptors heading to the 4th.

Rose got Bulls going with 5 straight Rose points and led 86-85. Bayless continued to struggle tonight with a turnover that just was sloppy and can not even understand how it happened. He has been just awful of late. But that being said the Raptors would get back on track despite that, as Bargnani would start the ball rolling with a basket and 1. He was fouled again and headed to the line giving the Raptors the lead back 90-88. Weems would get a bucket to make it a 4 point lead. Boozer would score and looked to have fouled Amir Johnson in the time out not that long after Triano was have a discussions with the refs about that one. Raptors after the time out had Calderon back in and started to build a lead 98-91 with just over 6 to play in 4th. Barbosa was giving a burst of the bench Bargnani hit him cutting to the net and it was 102-94. More Barbosa with a long two after a Bulls score to make it 104-96.

The Bulls would get on a run and tie the game up at 107 thanks to Derrick Rose who was on fire in the 4th quarter after a fairly quiet night by his standards. A time out with 1:59 to play and the Raptors 8 point lead was gone. But Demar DeRozan was having a nice game and 4th quarter and he hit and Rose answered and we were tied at 109 with 1:30 to play. DeRozan got fouled with 1:14 to play and made both at the line. Rose was playing monkey see and monkey do with Demar as he got fouled and made both tied at 111. DeRozan went back to the line fouled by Boozer and Demar much in the clutch makes both. Raptors got a key stop and DeRozan showed some vet smarts pulling the ball out on the break and Raps would eat some clock and get the score. James Johnson would end up at the line to put the icing on the upset cake against his former team for the 118-113 unlikely victory from the Raptors.

DeRozan and Bargnani both had 24 and both played well, a rare 8 rebound performance from Bargnani. DeRozan meanwhile was a perfect 8-8 at the line including some big ones down the stretch. James Johnson has a decent debut against his former team of just yesterday. He had 9 points 5 boards and 3 blocks. While Calderon didn't score much with just 6 but had 3 steals and 17 assists and did a great job running the offence. Solid effort from Amir Johnson and good performances from Barbosa, Weems and Davis off the bench. Raptors played there best 2nd half of the season and shocked the Bulls who were playing their first game since the All-Star Break.

The Bulls Come Running Into Toronto

Joakim Noah returns tonight for the Chicago Bulls the last game he played in the NBA this season was in Toronto. On December 15th he had a double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds with the full knowledge that he was going to be out for surgery on his injured thumb after that game. The Bulls won on that night going away with the score 110-93. This will be the 3rd of 4 meetings between that Raptors and Bulls this season and the Bulls hold a 2-0 lead in the season series. Neither contest so far this season with the Bulls has been close. The Raptors season was pretty much put on ice with a terrible loss to the Bulls that ended their playoff chances last season. Earlier in the week in talking with Chuck Swirsky. I mentioned the Bulls are a dark horse for a lot of folks in the East. Most would give the Eastern Conference to either the Celtics or the Heat, but the Bulls have been right there. Many have been looking at Derrick Rose as a legit M.V.P candidate. I would also suggest Tom Thibodeau deserves a look as coach of the year. He has been great in his first year replacing Vinny Del Negro that fell out of favour with the organization clashing with management. Thibodeau was given credit as the lead assistant to Doc Rivers for the Celtics great defence. He has brought that defensive mentality with him to Chicago and the improvement in the Bulls record as a result has been noticeable. This game comes a day after the Raptors and Bulls swung a deal for James Johnson the Bulls 1st round pick (16th overall) in Demar DeRozan's draft year. The Raptors gave their Miami first round pick acquired in the Chris Bosh sign and trade in the Summer. Johnson may suit up against his former team if all the paper work clears prior to game time. He never was able to crack the Bulls rotation under Del Negro or Thibodeau.

The Basics: Bulls 38-16 (13-12 on Road) Raptors 15-42 ( 9-27 vs East)

When Last We Saw Them: Raptors had a good first 9 minutes and then it all pretty much went down hill from there. Raptors got pounded from that point on. When the dust settled the Raptors had another loss on the ledger and officially will finish the season below .500 matching the loss total from last season.

Key Match Ups: Raptors point guard play has not been good and now they face Derrick Rose. This does not look good for the dinosaurs does it. Rose in his relatively short NBA Career so far has had some great success against the Raptors. It begins with that for the Raptors to stop Rose. But you now also have to face a duo of Noah and Boozer? Which of those two is Andrea Bargnani gonna shutdown? Neither? That may in fact be the correct answer. If the Raptors have any advantage in this one it might be Demar DeRozan with the advantage over Bogans. But Demar needs to be careful not leave Bogans on D or he has ability to get hot and light it up from three point range. Bulls also have Kyle Korver coming off the bench while were talking about 3's.

Other Things Of Note: James Johnson in 78 career NBA games has only averaged 3.8 points per game and his numbers in his sophomore season are down across the board in only 13 games this season. Your odd stat of the night is this....When Keith Bogans scores 6 or more points the Bulls are 16-1. Bulls hold teams to 92.4 points per game and average 44 rebounds a night. Which if the Bulls meet that average of 92.4 points the Raptors are in trouble as Raptors record scoring less than 100 points is 4-25. It is not going to be easy for the Raptors anyway you cut it. Add in the fact the Bulls were in Toronto last night while the Raptors while the Raptors were playing the Bobcats. Raptors are 4-8 in the second half of a back to back this season.

Where is it on? Sportsnet 1 ( It is Hockey Trade Line time are you surprised? )

DNB Top Ten: Big Threes

Last week we took a look at the top ten point guards in the league and in this weeks installment, we'll be looking at the top Big Three's in the league. So here's the top ten 3 player combo's in the league.

1. Pierce, Garnett, Allen and Rondo, Celtics ( 62.6 PPG, 23 RPG, 22 APG)

Kind of had to cheat on this one because the Boston Big 3 just won't be the same without Rondo. When these guys are on the court together good things always happen on the defensive end, which usually results in great plays on the offensive end. With players like Shaq, Big Baby and Nate Robinson surrounding them and with the return of Kendrick Perkins in a few weeks, this trio is poised to lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals once again. That's if they can stay healthy.

2. Wade, Bosh and Lebron, Heat (69.3 PPG, 21.8 RPG, 13.3 APG)

After getting off to a very mediocre start in which many questioned whether they can co-exist and many trade rumors involving Bosh started, the South Beach trio has responded and shown just how good they can be, by going 15-1 in the month of December and winning 21 of 22 games. It looked like they were going to continue that trend into January. Not to mention that this trio currently has the highest +/- amongst 3-man combos with +290. Though they may lack the bench production and depth as the original Big 3 in Boston, each of these guys can take over a game at any point and led their team to victory, unless Lebron tweets about "karma" again.

3. Kobe, Gasol and Odom, Lakers (59.1 PPG, 25.3 RPG, 11.5 APG)

These guys have helped the Lakers win two consecutive NBA titles and it's been mostly due to these guys. With probably the best closer in the league in Kobe, a threat in the middle in Gasol, and an all-around big man who can handle the ball and spread the defense in Odom the Lakers, are gearing up for another shot at the NBA Finals and a chance to complete the 3-peat and the franchise's 17th title.

4. Parker, Manu and Ginobli, Spurs (50.1 PPG, 16.8 RPG, 14.6 APG)

The most experienced of the Big 3.s on this list. These guys have won three NBA titles together and currently looking for their 5th title in franchise history all of which have come after the 1999 season. With the best record in the league right now at, 35-6, the Spurs are looking in great shape to complete that goal and bring the championship parade back to San Antonio for the 4th time since 2003.

5. Rose, Boozer and Noah, Bulls (58.8 PPG, 26.5 RPG, 12.9 APG)

With the acquisition of Boozer last offseason, the Bulls have propelled themselves to title contenders status. With Rose running the offense and Boozer and Noah patrolling the paint, the Bulls will be a force to be reckoned with come playoffs time. Though the trio has only played 9 games together this season due to injuries to both Boozer and Noah, we haven't gotten a full glimpse of what they can do yet, but when that happens opposing teams should beware.

6. Durant, Westbrook and Green, Thunder (65.9 PPG, 16.8 RPG, 13.4 APG)

One of the best up and coming trios currently in the league. Coming off a great season last year, in which they put up quite a fight against the Lakers in the first round, these three are looking to lead the Thunder to a top 4 seed and get them past the first round. These guys may only be together for a few more months though, as the Thunder have yet to offer Jeff Green a contract extension, and may let him go as a free agent. Either way this is a trio worth watching even if it is for a few more months.

7. Kidd, Dirk and Terry, Mavericks (47 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 15.4 APG)

These three have been apart of many successful seasons with the Mavs, but have yet to win and NBA championship. The Mavs had a shot in 2006, without Kidd, but ended up losing to D-Wade and the Miami Heat in the Finals. With all three in their 30's and entering the final seasons of their careers, the window for them to win that title is slowly closing. If there was ever three players who can lead the Mavs to their first franchise title, it's the two Jason's and the German, but with that window closing will they be able to accomplish that or once again see another team walking away with the prize.

8. Williams, Millsap, Jefferson, Jazz (56.4 PPG, 20.4, 13.4 APG)

With Jerry Sloan's coaching the Jazz are once again poised for another 50 win season and a deep post-season run. After acquiring Jefferson, they now have a presence in the post alongside Millsap, who can scored, defend and grab rebounds. Add that to D-Will's ability to make plays and shoot the ball and you have a great inside-out game. Toss in Millsap's hustle, rebounding and clutch shooting and you have a dangerous trio. Not sure if they'll be able to win the title this season, but with these no still in their mid-20's and entering the prime of their careers, the Jazz may just win a title within the next 5 years.

9. Turkoglu, Howard, and Nelson, Magic (46.4 PPG, 20.8 RPG, 14.1 APG)

After about a season and a half apart, the Orlando trio has been reassembled once more and looking to make some noise in the Eastern conference. The last time these three were together they made in the the NBA Finals, though Jameer wasn't 100%, where they would ultimately lose to the Lakers. Now with a healthy Jameer, and a not so crappy Hedo along with the insode force that is Dwight Howard, the Magic are poised for a deep playoff run, but would the Celtics or Heat put an end to that run.

10. Stoudemire, Felton and Gallinari, Knicks (59.5 PPG, 17.3 RPG, 13.4 APG)

At this point last season the Knicks were already looking at who they'll select in the draft, but it's a totally different story this year. With the additions of Amare and Felton the Knicks have made themselves a playoff team once more. With Amare's relentlessly attacking the rim, Gallo hitting threes and Felton making plays the Knicks have become and exciting team to watch. Though they are a long shot away form being a title contender, mostly due to their lack of defense, they would remain a force in the East for years to come with their Big 3 and it's supporting cast.

Up and Coming:

Griffin, Gordon, and Davis, Clippers (57.2 PPG, 18.5 RPG, 15 APG)

After year's of being viewed as "That Other LA team" the Clippers are out to make themselves known with their trio of Baron Davis, Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon. With wins against the Heat, Spurs, Thunder, Bulls and Lakers ( all of which have Big 3's that appeared on this list) this season the Clippers have shown that they have a really bright future ahead of them and maybe their days of being an automatic lottery team may be over in the near future. Not sure how long Baron will remain there, but he can provide that veteran experience needed in clutch game situations.

That concludes another edition of the DNB Top Ten, if you feel like anyone was left out of shouldn't have been included, feel free to leave a comment below or in the DNB chat. Stay tuned for next weeks installment.

Bulldozed

So Bargnani is back...Jerryd Bayless is too but no Jose and Weems as well. A banged up group of Raptors would be in tough against a very good Bulls team.

Welcome back Bargs as he gets the opening bucket. The team traded points to 5-5 and then Raptors got a roll with 6 straight to take an 11-5 lead and were 5/7 from the field. Bulls would claw back into it and made it 13-10 with about 7 to play in the 1st. A much better effort from the Raptors then the first time these two teams hooked up. Raptors were hanging tough up 22-21. Bargnani was looking really good 10 first quarter point after a basket plus a foul and Raptors led 25-23. Raptors did not close the quarter well though and as a result trailed 29-27 after 1.

Bulls were getting the better of the early going with a 10-4 advantage to start the 2nd. Raptors were down 8 and Triano called a time out to re-group. The time out did not help much as Bulls had extended out the lead 43-33. Also Bargnani had gone cold and DeRozan who had been red hot in his absence only had two shots so far. Raptors really looked sluggish. They only scored 14 points in the 2nd and at one point were shooting 5/20 that is 25% for those of you that find math a challenge. They were not stopping the Bulls as well who had 59 first half points.

It would get worse in the second half be for it would get better. Raptors would go down by as much as 23 and were in danger of just getting wiped out. But a 14-3 run would make it closer but not really close if you catch my drift.The Raptors clawed back to being down a dozen to make the 4th quarter at least interesting. Maybe they could pull off a Windy City Miracle to go along with the Mo-Town Miracle. But the Bulls were not the Pistons and it would show in the 4th quarter. They put up 30 points again and when the dust cleared they had a 20 point win 111-91.

Bargnani after a hot start was slowed down and ended up with 23 points shooting 7 for 17. He was 8 for 8 at the line and just 1-4 from 3 point land. His defence was lacking but overall it was a decent return and a pretty typical Andrea Night. Demar DeRozan was cooled off some by the return of Bargnani with just 18 points and he shot well going 7-14 and had a couple steals and blocks. The one big problem for the Raptors was rebounding. Bargnani actually led the Raps with just 6 rebounds. The Bulls won the battle on the glass 44-33. How will the Raptors bounce back playing a team they can beat tonight in the Cleveland Cavs? Will see but the Raptors lack of ability to get wins on the road is catching up with them. The schedule has turned and the Raptors have been playing a lot of road games. They have only 4 wins on the road and it is a problem.

Boozer And Bulls Waiting For Raptors

Carlos Boozer was the Bulls fall back plan in 2010 Free Agency. A broken hand prior to the season was likely not what they had in mind. Carlos is 8 games into his Bulls Career he is below all his career averages with 15.5 points (17.2 career) 8.0 rebounds (10.1 career) FG % 49.5% (54% career) among them . That being said he is coming in off a impressive 22 points and 18 rebounds vs the Pacers. He is now starting to gel a bit with his new team and Derrick Rose and him can make a lethal 1-2 punch. While Boozer's numbers are down, Rose is on the rise with increased points, rebounds and assists this season. He has never had to many issues with the Raptors as well in his short career. If Jose Calderon comes back tonight he may be in for a very long evening. The Raptors had a poor effort and now on a back to back face a better Bulls team that was sitting in Toronto waiting for them. Even with a great effort Raptors are in tough tonight.

The Basics: Chicago 15-8 (5-6 on the road) Toronto 9-16 (3-7 in Last 10)

When Last We Saw Them: The Raptors showed little effort energy and hustle and went down far to easily to the Bobcats last night. Turnovers were again an issue and so was the defence. Andrea Bargnani was MIA for the most part and were not talking Miami. Very few positives in a game that the Raptors should have won. Much like their first encounter with the Bobcats at the ACC.

Key Match Ups: If it is Calderon or Bayless it really doesn't matter because Rose is a handful for anyone. How the Raptors handle this match-up will ultimately decide their fate in this one. If they over help on Rose it could lead to lots of open looks and cause issues. Amir Johnson and Carlos Boozer will be one to watch as well. If Boozer can get Amir in foul trouble it could mean a real education for Ed Davis in this one. Noah and Bargnani will be an interesting one to watch as well. Can Bargnani bounce back, and get any rebounds going against a beast on the glass in Noah.

Other Things Of Note: Keith Bogans, Kyle Korver and a few others have the skill to drain 3's and perimeter defence has not exactly been a strength for the Raptors recently. The Raptors start a 4 game Pre-Christmas homestand with games against the Nets, Lakers and Pistons after this one tonight. Also Eric Smith and Jack Armstrong are going to be doing a Christmas Album so if you can track down Eric at one of those games the cost is 5 bucks and proceeds are going to charity. I am getting mine Friday. According to Chuck Swirsky (Remember Him??) via Twitter he says Rose is a game time decision and Noah has a banged up hand.

Where is it on: TSN 2 for this one, Always on Radio on Fan 590.

Update 11:20am- Looks like Rose and Noah will play tonight according to The Chicago Tribune

Good Signs In A Loss To Bulls

Post game Jay Triano took some of the blame for his team not being able to close the deal vs Chicago. He brought up the fact that they have been working hard in practice (Yes Allen Iverson Practice) including earlier in the day. Still he had to be pleased at the improvement on the boards for his basketball team. Which was led by Reggie Evans. Just 2 points and 16 rebounds from the big fella. It was noticed by his team.

Jarrett Jack-" Reggie was unbelievable on the boards tonight, doing a great job giving us some type of presence down low. "

Jack himself was pretty good for a guy that was a game time decision, getting 12 points and 6 assists with a bad elbow and bit of a banged up knee. Jose Calderon was 0-6 with just 3 assists and 0 points. The point guard battle in the pre-season has been one sided and not close. If Jay Triano decides to start Jose Calderon it is not going to be based on performance, because it is clear to almost everyone that Jack has been the best point guard in a Raptor jersey.

But perhaps the most encouraging sign for the Raptors was both Bargnani and DeRozan had very good nights for the team on offence. DeRozan was 6-9 shooting with 15 points and 7 rebounds and Bargnani was 7-14 and had 19 points but only 3 rebounds. You can't have everything. But to get these guys starting to get on track, with the season a week away as of last night is a good thing.

Barbosa has been better than advertised. Tied with Deng for top scorer in the game with 22 points and he had 3 steals on the night to go with the points. People speculate on who might lead this team in scoring. Klezia, Bargnani? I think Barbosa might just be the answer when all is said and done. He seems to have fit in well and quickly with this team. He is one of the stronger defenders on a team that does not have that many. He didn't get the nickname the Brazilian Blur by accident. Speed kills someone once said.

In the end the Raptors dropped this one 110-103 but can walk away feeling they had a chance to win. The last time they faced the Bulls they could not say that. It has been nice to see the Raptors face some common opponents in the pre-season to compare how the Raptors have improved or not improved to a point. The 2 games vs the Suns were pretty much similar results. Against Boston you could argue the Raptors even regressed a bit, given the lack of players that played for Boston in the 2nd match-up at the ACC. It should be noted the Bulls had no Noah in this one last night. But that being said the Raptors were crushed on the boards in Chicago and bounced back to win that battle on last night 45-36.

Some people hold no stock in the pre-season and others think it means a lot. I fall somewhere in the middle on this debate. I think the wins and loses are far from life and death. However what you really want to see is progression and improvement. Last night at the ACC you saw a little of that from the Raptors.

Bulls vs Raptors-The Pre-Season Sequel.

In this pre-season the Raptors have had 2 teams they have faced twice. The result in both cases was the same each time. The Raptors opened the pre-season with a win over the Suns and then beat those same Suns at the ACC. The Raptors lost against Boston on the road and then lost to them again at the ACC. Tonight the Raptors take on the Bulls for a second time. In the first meeting in Chicago the Raptors got beaten badly and were crushed on the boards. The next night they would bounce back with a much better effort and a double OT win over the Sixers.

Tonight will be in some ways like the last game of the pre-season even though it is not. Raptors will head up to Montreal to take on the Knicks who they will face 5 days later to open the regular season. So much like when 2 teams meet in the NFL the week before the playoffs knowing they will face each other, it promises to be a very vanilla contest. Do not expect a lot of plays to be run and maybe not even the actual starting line-up the Raptors will sport. So that makes tonight against Chicago a bit more important then your average 2nd last game of the pre-season.

The one question that needs an answer is, who is the starting point guard? Jarrett Jack has clearly won the job if we base this on performance in the pre-season. However, it at least looks like we may see Jose Calderon end up the starter. But as most basketball coaches will say it is not who starts it is who finishes and that has been Jack. The relationship between Triano and his two point guards will be something to watch this season. The Raptors heading into last off-season were not sure if the 2 point guards could make it work together for another season. The Raptors attempt to trade Calderon to Charlotte is proof of that to an extent.

What does seem clear is no matter what Bargnani is going to be your starter at Center. It also seems likely that Kleiza will start at the 3. Still up for debate is who will be the starting 2 and 4 in this roster. If we base it on the pre-season alone that would mean Barbosa would be the starting 2. At the 4 you could probably flip a coin between Amir Johnson and Reggie Evans. Ultimately based on the investment they have made you would expect the Raptors would want to see Amir take that spot. The same would be said about Demar DeRozan at the 2 spot. You have to hope that even if they don't start the season as starters that they will be by the end of it. Not based on their contracts but based on their play.

One thing that has been decided is the roster as a whole. Ronald Dupree was released yesterday and honestly that is not a shock. He played well in Summer League and that was enough to invite to camp but not enough to make the team. The odds were long for Dupree and it was the obvious choice. Wright, Dorsey and anyone else that thought they were on the bubble can breath easy. The Raptors are 15 and now look to focus on what to do with that 15, as the season starts a week from today.

I will be on the hunt looking for folks to talk to tonight at the ACC. It should be fun. The game may not be though as the Bulls should still be able to have an advantage on the glass. But win or lose the Raptors need a much better effort then they had in Chicago.

Starting 5 with The Swirsk

His Bears lost to the Seahawks, My Cowboys lost to the Vikings, so both of us were happy to talk some basketball. He spent 10 years as the voice of your Toronto Raptors and needs no introduction, the one and only Chuck Swirsky. We talk a great deal of Raptors including a couple things he tweeted about the Raptors recently. He talks about his outlook for the Raptors, Andrea Bargnani and his future, as well as how the Raptors moving forward in a post Bosh era. In addition we spend some time talking about the Bulls and their outlook for the upcoming season. In addition thoughts on the Miami Heat and who might end up being the MVP of the NBA. No Chuck did not say Rose, but he likes him a lot and why shouldn't he. So get a "Salami and Cheese" sandwich with "Onions Baby Onions" on the side and have a listen to me talk with Mr "Sick Wicked and Nasty" himself Chuck Swirsky.







As he often said in his time here it is always a pleasure talking Raptors Basketball and it is always my pleasure to talk with him. I wish him all the best this coming season and tell you from my experiences you will be hard pressed to find a nicer guy then Chuck. While I do not always agree with him on everything basketball wise he is still one of the best people I have come across. If you are on Twitter (Is anyone not) you can find Chuck @Swirsk054 tweeting about Bulls, NBA and much more.

Off To The ACC For Another Season

The Raptors come home for the first time this season to play a basketball game. They limp in after their worst performance of the pre-season. The Raptors are heading in the wrong direction after storming out and blitzing the Suns, hanging with the Celtics blow for blow, they get demolished by the Bulls. They will get a chance to redeem themselves a week from today. I will be in the house for that one too. But tonight it is the Philadelphia 76ers who looked to the broadcast booth and Doug Collins to be their new coach. A season under Eddie Jordan ending up being a disaster for the franchise. Collins has been out of the league for quite some time as his last coaching stop was coaching Jordan and the Wizards. The Sixers have a slimmed down Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala and the second pick Evan Turner to name but 3. Turner struggled in summer league and is already being labelled a bust by some.

Speaking of busts, Andrea Bragnani has done nothing to dissuade his detractors. He has been just awful through 3 games for the Raptors. So much so that the visiting broadcasters for both the Celtics and the Bulls made a point of ripping him for his performance. Bargnani actually had his best performance numbers wise last night going 3-9 with 11 points and 3 rebounds. To a lesser extent Demar DeRozan has been struggling as well and he was pretty invisible last night with 6 points 2 assists and 2 rebounds. If the Raptors were to have a face of the franchise emerge the safe money would be on one of these two guys. Perhaps that pressure is getting to them? In the case of Bargnani unfortunately I saw this coming. His performances with Chris Bosh out of the line-up did not instill confidence. In general in his career under pressure Bargnani has melted. I do not find it surprising that his largest scoring output, was in a game that the Raptors were never in it. You would be hard pressed to find a point in last night's 109-90 loss where the Raptors were in it.

Sonny Weems has looked good through 3 games and you could make the argument that the Young Gun making the least money is providing the most bang. Weems had 12 points and was 6-9 last night. But he was also a product of a terrible night on defence and the glass. He had no rebounds no steals or blocks. The Raptors were crushed on the glass 44-22. When you look at what the Raptors will miss in terms of Bosh his rebounding is likely at the top of that list. Finding those 10-12 rebounds for this group is going to be extremely difficult.

I am excited to start a second season of having some access with the Toronto Raptors. Last season was a tremendous learning experience for me. It gives you a different prospective when you are around these players. It is easy for us as fans to take shots and at guys. Knowing that it is highly unlikely you would ever meet that player face to face. Even less likely that most people would say those things to their face. But when you do get the chance to talk with these guys even on a infrequent basis you start to get to know them beyond just stats on a page. You get to know them as people and get a small idea of what they are like. Granted most athletes these days are aware when the media is around so it is not a perfect picture but it is a little peek into who they are as people. So it makes total sense that this group believes they can surprise people this season. If they didn't you would question them as people beyond basketball players.

I consider it a privilege to be in the looker rooms and get the chance to talk with these players both for the Raptors and the various teams that roll through. It is under the premise of a working environment. Not like you are getting autographs or anything like that. Still I know that there are many people that would be happy to just be in my shoes. Both fans and other people that are covering the team in various ways that don't have access.

I go into the 2nd year of doing this feeling a lot more confident in myself. Looking forward to the opportunity to do more and be able to bring you folks inside the locker room with me. Here is hoping it is a successful night and successful season of me doing that for all of you. During the game itself feel free to go on the DNB Chat as I will be checking in from the ACC. I also will be tweeting updates on how things are going down there. This game is being broadcast on Raptors T.V if you are looking for it on the tube.

Rap vs Bulls- DNB Live Blog

Come Join us for Raptors and Bulls...Pre-season Live Blog Style:

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.

"Jiggly Bits"

Right about this time of the year, my head spins. Hockey playoffs vs. NBA playoffs. Since I have only pledged allegiance to my ballers in the yellow and gold, the NBA comes out on top (NHL playoffs relegated to highlights depending on who's playing). With this being said, we look to the first round of the NBA playoffs and fans are certainly getting their fill. There is so much to say about the 2010 NBA Playoffs, but if I had to choose, here are my top four match-ups: Bulls/ Cavs, Lakers/ Thunder, Portland/ Phoenix and Charlotte/ Orlando. These are the games I have a vested interest in and will provide for some lively debate throughout the playoffs. Ok ladies and gentleman, let's kick it.



Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers (Cavs lead the series, 2-0)



Lebron James. So he gets 40 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds Tuesday night, including a spectacular line drive and jam. This is just Lebron being Lebron. But if any of you were watching with a close eye, you may have seen his elbow being slightly higher than the rim on that jam. Absolutely fantastic. Conversely, this is also what frustrates me about the Cavs. I wanted to see more from them in this series instead of the Bron Bron show. You rarely see Jamario Moon in the highlights as the guy who made the difference or provided a turning point for the Cavs in any win, but he did Tuesday night. Every time the Bulls tried to challenge the Cavs, Jamario was "Moon"ing them with receiving passes and knocking them down four out of five tries. And I think this is where the Bulls got caught. Chicago has being playing like they were going to steal a game with playing good defense and getting good playoff mileage from Joakim Noah who had a career play-off high 25 points, 13 rebounds. The Bulls weren't expecting Jamario to be the play maker and that is what will be the key for Cleveland. The Bulls are challenging and stepping up their game but it may not be enough if they don't keep their eyes open.



Portland Trail Blazers vs. Phoenix Suns (Portland leads 1-0)



This series has been interesting so far. I would have liked to see a lower seeded team beat a higher seeded team in game one of the series between the Cavs and Bulls but I'll take it here. Just no more, ok? Surprisingly, Portland won the first game of this series and this is huge considering the Suns had gone 23-6 since the All-Star break. If you look at the Suns scoring stats for the regular season, they have had some trouble when playing Portland. The Suns have averaged a league-leading 110 points per game overall compared to the 98 points they have averaged against the Trail Blazers. So what is it about Portland that makes Phoenix nervous? For this series, maybe it's because Portland has found a way to guard Amar'e Stoudemire. Or just doing a better job defensively and controlling the game through Andre Miller. He had 31 points, including being 10 for 10 on free throws. Or with Marcus Camby - he was solid on defense but also pulled down 17 rebounds and three blocks for Portland. I know history seems to be on their side, too - game one winners have gone on to win best-of-seven series 79% of the time since 1947. When the ball is with Steve Nash, the Suns and the stars are aligned since that's when they perform best and win games - when they are in control. The Phoenix Suns are on notice.

Charlotte Bobcats vs. Orlando Magic (Magic leads 1-0)

It was the nerves. If you don't keep them at bay in any playoff series in any sport, the opposition will eat you for dinner. That's what happened to Charlotte in the first half of their opener against Orlando. The Bobcats were trailing by 22 points early in the second half before the tag team of Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton took over. Felton hit 2 free throws and got the Bobcats as close as four with less than four minutes left. Scoring pretty good on the excitement meter for the first time the Bobcats have ever played in the post season. Think back to what your coach told you in grade school: when you see your opponent is playing nervous apply pressure and watch the fireworks. Especially in the playoffs. And it didn't help when Stephen Jackson was pushing through the first three quarters with the pain of a knee injury. He finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds and played less than three minutes of the fourth quarter with a hyper extended left knee. Yikes. Another key to this game? Jameer Nelson. He had 14 points in the first half and dropped a buzzer-beating 35-foot bomb giving a 59-43 lead to the Magic. I think this made Orlando fans forget Vince Carter's shooting woes - 4 for 19 - even if just for a minute. Charlotte needs to just worry about their defense first and re-group if they are going to steal a game or two in this series.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma Thunder (Lakers lead 1-0)

I saved the best for last. You know from being with me for the season, the Lakers have been my team since the beginning of my time on this earth. This is not the reason I picked them to win this year but the fact they have more depth and experience than the Cavs. Sure, I have been told by many they would love to see Lebron win one. I love Lebron, don't get me wrong but I have said it before and I will say it again. I don't believe championships should be won for one player or by one player - it's no fun that way. The best TEAM deserves to win. And the Lakers have all the ingredients. We were talking history when discussing the Blazers and Suns, so I will throw out another little bit out there for you. When Phil Jackson's team wins Game 1 of any length of series, he is 44-0 (Chicago 24-0 and Lakers 20-0). Nice right? But also look at their defensive intensity and how Bynum comes off a 13 game absence with a strained Achilles' tendon and finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks while on the floor for a collective 30 minutes. They have to watch their rhythm, though. The Lakers should have put up more points on the board to take the first game by more than a score of 87-79. Kobe can't be happy with his performance - he was 7 for 12 from the free throw line and 6 for 19 on shooting. Not good. The Lakers will need to watch their turnovers in transition and keep up their intensity through 4 quarters or else the Thunder may squeak out a game or two.

Win and Wait

I have always been honest in this blog. The chances for the Raptors extending their season took a major blow last night with the Bulls win over the Celtics. I will give you an advance look at the DNB's Playoff preview, don't think I am picking Boston to get out of round 1. No it is not out of bitter feelings for them losing last night. They just have been awful down the stretch of this season. The Bulls were able to out play them and beat them. The Celtics were trying hard and playing to win. They badly wanted to move up to 3rd if possible. That loss officially locks them into 4th spot in the East.

I feel that the Raptors will win tonight vs the Knicks. The problem is I don't feel the Bobcats will win over the Bulls. The simple fact of it all is, it should never have come down to this. However you care to paint it, the way this team has played post All-Star Break has been brutal. It has been so awful and a bunch of other adjectives. It should cause two things to happen. Chris Bosh to leave town and Jay Triano to be fired. The scary thing is the one that seems more likely is Bosh leaving town. We won't get an answer on that one officially till July 1st, unless someone breaks their silence on the issue. The other one should not take as long to know the answer. If injuries are used as an excuse to save Triano's job that is just not right. Injuries down the stretch of this season cost the Raptors 8th place, but does not explain away why we were battling for 8th in the first place. Sam Mitchell will no longer be on the books after this season and there is no excuse to keep Triano that for me that would be acceptable. At the end of the day when you are a coach your record should define you. The win/loss record of Jay Triano is not good enough. This team's lack of effort and lack of defense is concerning and disturbing. It is nothing personal at all. I like Jay and feel he has done a lot for basketball in this country as a player, broadcaster and coach. That being said, I never felt this job was a good fit for Jay and it has never worked out from day 1.

In terms of Bosh I hope that he is in house tonight to take a final bow if that is where we are going. He was not there on Sunday and given his injury I don't blame him at all. However if it is possible for him to be there tonight he should be. If he isn't that I will find personally disappointing. Chris has been a stand up guy in his 7 years here and I don't wish my last memory of him to be in a pool of blood in Cleveland. I also hope fans acknowledge him and cheer him too. He has earned it. There are a lot of debates about him and where he fits in the landscape of the NBA. However I think we can all agree on a couple things. The first that he is clearly the best player this Raptor team has and has had for a longtime. Also that he is a very good to great NBA Talent. Stay or go he will be a part of Raptors history for years to come with all the records he has accomplished. I still believe that when all is said and done #4 will hang in the rafters at the ACC someday, and it will be earned despite the fact this team has not been able to enjoy any great success in his era.

If the Raptors were to some how come out and lay an egg tonight vs the Knicks it could get very ugly very fast at the ACC. No amount of prizes they give away for Fanapolooza will stop the fans from booing. Raptor fans have been frustrated and humbled to the point of cheering for the Celtics last night. It has not been a pretty season for the fans. They have had to hear the endless speculation about Bosh leaving. Dealt with embarrassing efforts on defense far below what they deserve. Then to have Jose Calderon complain as to why they boo? I mean seriously what doesn't he get. Fans boo because they have seen what your doing and are not happy with it. If you bust your hump and play hard on both ends, I promise you they will cheer. Sonny Weems might be one of the most popular guys on this team right now. That is a big part of why he is. He brings effort on both ends, and people feel they are getting 100% from him. It also doesn't help when your back up clearly looks like he would do anything humanly possible to will his team to the post season. If one of the changes in this off-season is moving Calderon I would endorse it without even looking at the trade. I have grown tired of his song and dance. It has got old for me. He is no doubt a good guy. But he also is no doubt a horrible defender and he is not a leader in any sense of the word.

If this is the end for this season I want to thank all of you that have supported the Dino Nation Blog over this season. We keep things rolling 12 months of the year. So just because the games stop tonight, perhaps, does not mean we do. I am going to work on things to do over the summer to keep you entertained and informed so keep coming back during the off-season. It promises to be an important one for the future of this franchise. That may not be in a good way ether. I will get more into this when the Raptors fate is clearly defined. But make no mistake the work still marches on here at the Dino Nation Blog. I didn't even take a vacation last summer. If the Raptors had the work, hustle and effort of the people that cover them and the fans that cheer them they might be better for it.

Go Rondo Go..You Are Our Only Hope?

They say politics makes strange bed fellows. Well so does sports. How else can you explain Raptor fans cheering on the Celtics to beat the Bulls? When you look at things this is the Raptors best shot to make the most season. Now Larry Brown is on the record saying the Bobcats will play their full roster vs the Bulls on Wednesday. However forgive me if I don't see them being highly motivated to win, or for Brown not to pull the plug on his starters quickly. The Bobcats have nothing to play for. They have already qualified for the playoffs. Which by the way I predicted that they would and the Thunder too. How is that for an unlikely daily double? Anyway back to the point. Bobcats have no reason to win and the only things that can happen for them are bad ones.

Like the injury to Sonny Weems last night. Which by the way both Weems and I were up far to late last night on Twitter. In the wee hours of the morning Weems tweeted thanks for fans concern. He also tweeted there was no way he was going to miss the biggest game of his NBA Career. So as much as Larry Brown is preaching all the right things in terms of doing what is right for the game of basketball. Fact is even if his players do play how honestly motivated will they be? The answer is likely not all that much. If you want a Raptor example of it. How about when the Raptors won their Division Title and raised the banner. They had zip to play for and were easily defeated by a Sixers team that was not heading to the post season.

So that is why tonight for my money (Weems Nickname Pun Unintended) the Raptors hope lies with Boston. As I outlined in the blog the Celtics still have a slim chance of catching the Hawks for 3rd in the East. The main motivation in securing that 3rd spot is you would draw Orlando in round 2 instead of Cleveland. Who regardless of who wins the final seed, Bulls or Raptors, will be a massive favourite to advance. In fact let's be honest about this they are a heavy favourite to win the NBA Title. Which was also one of my pre-season predictions. However if you think I am gloating trust me I am not. You remember who I had for 6th man of the year award winner? Rasheed Wallace was my pick and he has not exactly lit it up in Boston. But Go Sheed, right? At least tonight it will be the case. That was all the buzz on Twitter today with Raps fans. Trying to come to grips with cheering for the team that has punked the Raptors on so many occasions. That knee to Chris Bosh's groin by Paul Pierce is now water under the bridge. K.G smack talking with Jose Calderon a simple exchange of ideas. It is all very odd and bizarre.

The one person I will have no issue with cheering for on the Celtics in Rajon Rondo. I believe I have told this story in the blog before but it is worth repeating. I was out at a social gathering in the Early fall after the Big 3 was coming to Boston. I was among a group of people and the topic of the Celtics came up. Someone expressed extreme doubt that Rondo was good enough to make this all work. He suggested that the Celtics needed to get a point guard in order to make this make over a success. I at the time said " No you just wait and see, Rondo is going to be fine,trust me". Not sure if that person did or remembered this conversation, but the results have been very positive. Rondo in the Big 3 era has become a star. While the Big 3 has got old, Rondo has gotten better. In fact I am willing to say that the Celtics are now more about Rondo then they are about any of the Big 3. As Rondo goes so go the Celtics. He is the only reason they were able to hold off the Bulls from what would have been an epic upset last year. That series for some was one of the greatest of all time.

This is good news for the Raptors if you want to be optimistic. These two teams fought in a sports version of a war. That leads to bad blood and people not liking each other very much. So beyond having their own reasons to win, sticking it to the Bulls would be a cherry on top. If it helps the Raptors in the process so be it. I don't think the Celtics are fearing they would see the Raptors in the post season any way. Even if by some miracle they did they swept away the Raptors in 4 meetings this season and have traditionally owned them.

It also doesn't hurt that everyone is doubting the Celtics, and some may even favour them to lose in the first round, depending on who they draw as an opposition. This is for whatever you make think of them a group that has a lot of pride. Celtic Pride is a real thing, and even for a team that has some questionable characters that means something. Yes they talk smack, drop f-bombs and at times play like they are God's gift to the world. It is very easy not to like this team. They give you lots of ammo to hate them. But for this one night forget all that and cheer for them anyway. I feel you have no choice, because I honestly see this as the Raptors only hope to make the playoffs.

If you are one of those folks that doesn't want them to get into the playoffs you can do what is natural and cheer against them. I understand that logic may dictate missing the playoffs makes the most sense for the Raptors. After all they get to keep a first round draft pick. The chances of Chris Bosh staying seem bleak for most. I just can never get behind wanting the team that I support/cover to lose. It is just not something I can go to bed and sleep at night over. Yes, the chances of advancing are remote at best. If Chris Bosh is not healthy, which we still do not know for the playoffs, they become even less so. What is the point to getting in?

I will give you three off the top. Jack, Weems and DeRozan, none of which have made the post season. It will be a great experience for them, even if the Raptors were to be swept aside by the Cavs. To get a taste of what the playoffs are like. Many pro athletes have experienced and talked about it. There is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for the intensity of the post season. Every possession counts, the level of defense is turned up and cranked to the max. Wild crowds out of control with noise. I know it has been a few years but we all remember that right? There is nothing like it. Be it from Vince Carter and A.I doing battle to Vince Carter no longer a Raptor returning. The Playoffs is a different animal and the more experience not just those 3 can gain, but everyone the better the Raptors are for it. Getting to the post season is like a drug, once you get there you want to come back. Once you get a taste you want more. It is the biggest natural narcotic in sports and every player wants it once they have had it.

So that is my take on what will be a very odd night in Raptorland. If you happen to be a fan of the RoundBall Review that I do on here, the cartoon hosts have their own Twitter account. I know it seems a little nutty, but I asked folks on Twitter if it was a good idea and got 3 fast replies with enthusiastic responses to the positive. So if you would like to follow the antics of J.B and Joey G on Twitter they have an account DNBsRoundBall is them. If you some how do not follow the blog on Twitter please do @dinonationblog and also Anas is on Twitter to @ThisisAnas as for Danielle, I am working on it. Eventually will get the DNB's Double D on there as well. Read her NBA Column that just went up as I was working on this. She calls it Jiggly Bits. I love all our little DNB Family from my cartoon employees, to the living breathing ones, and yes all of you that read it and support it.

So Go Celtics Go. Really? Yes REALLY!!!

Red and Black Attack Funeral At The ACC

So pretty much this is what the Raptors season has come down to this season. No more excuses or anything one game and if you win it the post season is a close to a lock as possible. Seems pretty much the same at the ACC as any other game not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe it is just like a Blue Jay game and by the 3rd inning the place will be packed. Not that Jays draw crowds anymore but have you seen their start? Jays are on fire. But once upon a time so were the Raptors. But that was a longtime ago. Least it seems that way. Sonny Weems the star of the show and Chris Bosh we think still an interested spectator. Some may question that but I don't. Playoffs or bust let's Go!!!

1st Quarter

Bargnani refuses to drive and Rose scores off a pick and roll with Noah and were off and running 4-3 Bulls. heDO really? he did a big 3 hopefully start of good things. The other USC product on the floor getting work done, that would be Taj Gibson with back to back hoops. Bulls take early lead 10-5 with just over 3 minutes played. Raps would storm back and with Bargnani at the line a chance to tie it up at 10 which he would do. Rose to easy in response with the hoop. But Bargnani shows some 7 foot point guard skills even at 12. Amir Johnson as he often does was in the middle of everything points, a foul little bit of this and that. Bargnani off to his best start in like forever. Actually working a bit. Noah gets to the line and makes a pair and Bulls lead 18-16. Noah draws defense and dumps it off for Gibson as Bulls go a 6-0 run. Jose Calderon hit a jumper to break the run.

Enter Reggie and Demar to the game late, Reggie got to the line with no result. While Flip Murray the other way with the score. Jarrett Jack would drive and score and why he is not starting is beyond me. I know I am at the game ask Jay. Maybe post game if Jack does well. Bulls win Round 1 of 4 at the ACC 28-23. Jokes between quarters as fans boo Vince Carter when he came up on a list of all time leaders in steals. He was 3rd by the way if you were wondering. Mo-P and Doug Christie ahead of him.

2nd Quarter

Jack a big 3 to start the quarter, he has been the heart and soul of this team and at times, looks like the one trying the hardest to get to post season. Meanwhile note to Jose Calderon fans they are booing call on Amir, not at your guy. Amir picks up his 3rd foul. After that at least 2 Raptors in the area of a rebound and they let Noah have it who kicks out for 3. In fact let the 3's rain down as Bulls extend lead quickly via the 3 ball to build a 41-29 lead with still 8:30 to play.

Weems scores out of the time out that was badly needed. Murray and Bargs then trade buckets. Weems again the slam in transition If someone had told me start of the year Sonny Weems would be our best player, in the team's most important game, I would have assumed they were high or drunk. But full marks to Weems and for the passengers on the bus with the big contracts...um what is there left to say? Weems sparks a mini comeback....Rap in it with score 45-39 Chicago. Turkoglu was dropping dimes though...#7 to Jarrett Jack....for the ALLEY OPP? Chuck Swirsky is in the house so this is ok.....ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Bulls once 12 point lead cut to 4....45-41. Bargnani still can't rebound but scoring at least with 15. Raps would close to within 2 only to have the Bulls push back and lead 53-46 with 2:10 to go in the half. Bull would end up with a 58-48 halftime lead.

3rd Quarter (The Start)

A Deng three to open half not exactly what I had in mind. The Bulls would continue to expand the lead to 17 before Jay Triano finally was forced into a time out. Ok stop the train I want to get off. In fact I am stopping this re-cap, to spare you folks the pain. Crowd booing with the occasional sign of a pulse from the Raptors. The defense for this team was embarrassingly bad. When you consider the stakes of this game and how huge it is, it makes it all the painful. The Raptors now officially do not have their destiny in their own hands. Given all that has gone it is a miracle it has taken this long.

Aftermath

Jay Triano opened up his post game press conference by saying his team's effort was good. Well with all due respect it wasn't, and you had a crowd booing to let you know that. I am sure fans watching at home did not feel much better about it. If you watched this game and could think this team and it's effort was good, you must not have been watching the same game. When a team shoots close to 50%, in what in effect was a playoff game, that is not good effort. When a team gets a rebound with 1 of their guys, and 2 or 3 of your guys in the area, that is not good effort. When your starting point guard, in the biggest game of the season has only 7 points and 4, assists that is not a good effort. He wonders why fans boo? They boo because honestly they are tired of it. Honestly who can blame them?

Bottom line, if this epic collapse reaches it's final destination, in the Raptors not making the post season, someone is going to have to be held accountable. Not only was this a bad season, but it may in fact cost the Raptors their star player in Chris Bosh. Which becomes unfortunately more likely by the day. I have said that Jay Triano is that guy. Face facts, it is not going to be Colangelo as he had his option on his contract picked up. You can point out the 3 contracts from hell all you like, the point is it would shock me if Colangelo was gone. That being said if he was, Jay would soon follow anyway, if a new G.M was in the plan . If you want to blame the roster that is fine, but some of these guys just can't be moved, especially not in an off-season that is all about having cap space for most NBA teams. That is without even considering, how bad the contracts are, or the fact the NBA is set to have a new CBA after this next season. All indications are that it is going to be a CBA that will favour the Owners, given the state of both the U.S and NBA economy(s) . So, someone is going to have to take the fall. The only thing that leaves some gray area is the injuries down the stretch. However, if that is used to save Triano's job it is WRONG. This team has been in a free fall since the All-Star Break. Their defense minus a stretch of about 6 weeks, has been horrible to the point of record levels. In the end, someone has to pay for this and if nothing is done it will be the fans that do. Given all that Raptor fans have endured this season, and what may lie ahead in the summer, they(you) are the last ones that should pay.

None of this is personal in terms of Jay. In fact given all he has done for basketball in this country, at least for me, it hurts to have to say it. But this is clearly not working on a couple of fronts. In terms of his motivation tactics for this team and his defensive game plan. He said post game he felt that his team was ready for this game. Well clearly they were not. That is on the coach. Sam Mitchell was the polar opposite of Jay Triano. Many felt that Saam lacked the X's and O's in terms of his coaching. But until the very end, you could never question a Raptor team's effort. If you could, you wouldn't have to because Sam Mitchell would beat you to it. The most famous rant of Sam is " We are looking for some men that want to play". Sam was a fantastic motivator, and when people felt he lost that, he was done. In fact if you combined Jay and Sam's assets, you would have one hell of a basketball coach.

Jay is given credit for the development of Andrea Bargnani. How is that working out recently? Not so hot is the correct answer. The player Mitchell developed is the team's 5 time All-Star and he did a great job. Sam would never allow Chris to be satisfied. When was the last time you heard Triano, as the head coach say anything bad about Chris? Nothing jumps out at you does it? Sam would always be complimentary to Chris and all he accomplished. But if Chris say had 35 points and 12 rebounds, you could count on Sam be it humour or not, to say he should have had 40 and 15. One of my greatest concerns when Jay was given this job was how the core of this team would take to it. Meaning, Bosh, Calderon and Bargnani. I think it is safe to say the only one that has improved is Bargnani. However his improvement is hardly noticeable on some nights. Calderon has clear taken steps backwards. He is not the starting point guard he was billed to be, when the Raptors dis-guarded T.J Ford to Indiana. While Bosh has not regressed at all. In fact he has had some outbursts of pure brilliance but not always has he been able to follow it all the way through.

But at the core of my concern is how they honestly think of Triano? They all like Jay that is not an issue. In fact they may like him to much. I believe they respect Jay. But here is where the problem is, I don't think any of them fear Jay. Ask players in Utah about Jerry Sloan, they fear him and should. It is important for a coach to have the respect of his player and especially his core players. I wonder if deep down in these guys, does Jay have that? Steve Nash would run through a wall for Jay Triano. However would Bosh, Bargnani or Calderon? I don't know and that is why I have never been at ease with the idea of Jay as coach. It boils down to that for me, and I think everything else is a symptom of that core issue.

I could go on and on. I had an entire train ride to think about it. I had yet another enjoyable night at the ACC, with everything minus the game itself. I got to meet little Kid Raptor and that was fun for me, as I hope it was for him. In addition got to see so many folks including Adnan Virk, who if you have not heard is off to ESPN after just 1 season working for MLSE. I have known Adnan since meeting him at TSN where he worked in a capacity behind the camera. I told this to him as I am writing it now, I am so proud of how far he has come. He assures me he will not forget me when he is a ESPN big shot. Which is the truth I have no doubt. Both at The Score when he was there, and here with the Raptors he was very kind to introduce me to a number of folks. So best of luck to him and after this game I am almost tempted to ask him if I can go too. Maybe be his personal assistant or something. But to be serious Adnan is a great guy and always has been to me. I will miss seeing him and wish him nothing but success down in Bristol at ESPN.

I also want to take a minute to thank Jim LaBumbard, and the rest of the Raptors PR staff. It has been a great experience from going up to Ottawa, to even tonight's mess of a game. It was brought up this whole issue of bloggers and access earlier in the week . I have said my 2 cents on that. However the fact is, I have had a chance to have access thanks to Jim. It is something that I had always dreamed of for the blog. It really is a much different experience to have some access to the team, and be around even if only on a limited basis as I have. I feel it has helped me learn and grow in the work that I am doing. I hope, it also helps me form opinions with the help from these experiences. So, with this being the last game of the season that I am attending, I felt it only right to mention that. I hope to continue this on and grow and learn more, to do a better job for all of you folks that read and support the Dino Nation Blog. I go there with the thought in my head, that I am representing all of you and I hope that I have done a good job of it. I try to be your ears and eyes and mouth in this environment. Which at it's core, is what journalism is suppose to be, in a blog, or in newspaper, or Radio and T.V. That is not always what ends up happening in journalism, but as far as here goes, you are always part of the thought process.

So thanks to all of you for allowing me to represent you....It is an honour and one I take seriously. I do a lot of joking around in this blog. In my writing and with crazy cartoons. However this is something I truly mean and is part of the core of values I use to run this thing.

I also try to be as honest as I can with everything. So in keeping with that this may have been on of the toughest night's as a Raptor fan in a long time. The Raps may still be mathematically alive, but I sure feel like I went to a funeral with that game. I never want to be right about things that are bad in terms of the Raptors but sadly in this case I feel I am.

Almost forgot...Raps lose this 104- 88 . On to face Detroit now in the Raptors only road game left.

Round Ball Review- Goes Presidential

So here is the deal. Joey G has been sent on an assignment to get an interview with perhaps the world's most famous Chicago Bulls Fan. Only thing is he does not exactly know who he is or believe who he is. Yes this has all the makings of yet another classic episode of the Round Ball Review.