Raptors Lose More Than Just Another Game.

The Toronto Raptors did not exactly come out like gangbusters after what most would consider an embarrassing performance in Washington. Both teams looked pretty awful to start this game. In fact the whole first half was borderline unwatchable but fair close. Andrea Bargnani was rebounding but wasn't scoring. Which considering how the rest of this roster was scoring was a big issue. Leandro Barbosa off the bench was picking up some of that scoring slack, while Demar DeRozan was still continuing to struggle. He would end the night just 5-9 with 13 points and 3 turnovers in just under 30 minutes. Barbosa on the other hand would lead the Raptors in scoring with 24 points off the bench shooting 11-18 from the field.

The Raptors were not playing exceptionally well but would manage to head to the 4th quarter tied at 63. But the Raptors would also be without Andrea Bargnani who had been ruled out for the rest of this game with a calf injury. They would miss him in that forth quarter as Demarcus Cousins would take over this game late and be a huge factor down the stretch. He had a 21 points and 19 rebound on the night, and despite some typical Cousins stuff like getting teched up for taunting after a dunk, when the game was still in the balance. it did not take away from his performance. Kings would win the 4th quarter 35-28 and the game overall 98-91.

While the Raptors watch Bargnani go out they also got to watch Linas Kleiza come in and look pretty good almost a year after his injury that led to micro-fracture surgery. Given the fact Rasaul Butler and James Johnson have pretty much no offence individually or combined it was a welcomed site. In 14 plus minutes Kleiza was able to go 3-6 and got to the line 5 times making 4 which totalled for a 10 point night. Johnson and Butler combined for 1-9 performance with just 3 points (Butler had 3, Johnson 0).

That being said Kleiza being back is not going to make up for no Bargnani if he is unable to play. The thought of this team being without Bargnani against the Pacers and or Bulls is a scary one. His status for those games on Friday and Saturday is not known as of now. If you needed any proof of how much a change there has been in how much the Raptors rely on him, it was evident in that 4th quarter with out him on both ends of the floor.

Later today the Starting 5 returns to the DNB and our guest is the one and only Jack Armstrong. So be sure to come back and have a listen to that later tonight or tomorrow.

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

Today, as promised, we will be discussing the hunt for "Rookie of the Year" and who makes the cut. But first, let's talk a little NCAA and rapper Jay-Z's visit to Kentucky's locker room after just making it to the Final Four. As the madness of March continues, NCAA fans watched the Kentucky Wildcats claim a berth in the Final Four by a win over North Carolina, 76-69. So naturally, if a well-known entertainer wants in on the locker room celebrations to give his kudos, there would be no objections, right? In Jay-Z's case? Wrong. Sure, these young kids just accomplished something wonderful and a visit from THE Jay-Z would be the coolest thing in the world if he wasn't part owner of an NBA franchise. The New Jersey Nets lists Jay-Z as part-owner of the team and NBA rules state team personnel are not allowed to associate with players who are not yet draft eligible. This may just be a case of Jay-Z or his handlers saying 'let's give these kids an extra thrill by a visit from a music legend'. But on the flip side, Jay-Z is no slouch. He is an intelligent and successful business man who has to know these rules. Put yourself in David Stern's shoes. If you were a young kid, playing NCAA ball, thinking about going pro and in walks a music icon you look up to and he happens to have personal connections to an NBA franchise, wouldn't you look at the Nets differently? Hence, the reason for these rules so no one is playing the 'unfair advantage' game. NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirms the league is investigating the incident. So we will have to wait and see about Jay-Z.

2011 Rookie of the Year Watch

This is a hard one to pick since most players in their rookie year are drafted to a team in transition or a rebuilding stage. So since these teams are often in need of serious help, putting all their hopes and dreams into a talented, yet unproven player in the NBA. This can be a lot of pressure for someone fresh out of college. How does this player handle the pressure? Does this player work well with others on the team and coaching staff? Does this player make the team relevant again? Most importantly, how does this player deal with adversity and do they raise the bar and make those around him better? These are all questions I need answered when choosing my picks for Rookie of the Year - here they are (in no particular order):

DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings: If we look at his on-the-court performance and stats only, DeMarcus Cousins is very impressive, especially in transition. He leads the league in winning turnovers per 48 minutes which puts him in the same class as Steve Nash (ranked #3), Dwight Howard (ranked #7) and Derrick Rose (ranked #10). He is approaching the top ten in both offensive and defensive rebounds and is really the player who contributes to the team's stability - on the court. Unfortunately, he still has to work on his character and work ethic which is why he did not make my choice for top rookie.

John Wall, Washington Wizards: I remember covering the NBA Draft with James, live blogging for the DNB and giddy at the prospect John Wall might be in a Raptors uniform this season. Alas, we were not so lucky and the Washington Wizards enjoyed the fruits of his labour this year. John Wall is another player working the floor and making a name for himself. The Wizards may sit at second from last in the East but not for a lack of production from Wall. He can score in transition and is second in the league for turnovers per game (behind Russell Westbrook) and is sixth in assists per game.

Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons: I really enjoy watching Greg Monroe play. He's not a flashy player but he seems to be doing all the little things which contribute to his team's success. He ranked #8 in Offensive Rebounds and #8 in Steals per Turnover which is indicative of his dominance as an inside player, one who can read the play and seize opportunities.

Landry Fields, New York Knicks: Landry Fields is one of those players you miss when they are not in the line-up. He started the first 72 games of the season for the Knicks and after riding the bench for a short while, has regained his starting position. He is one of only two rookies to be included in the top 50 in the league for minutes played (2, 369 minutes played) ahead of Lamar Odom and Deron Williams. He may not be making the top ten of any stats list but he knows how to deal with adversity, knows his role within the Knicks' system and is a real team player in my eyes.

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers: I know some are going to argue he should not even be eligible based on sitting out last season due to injury but for that very reason makes him my top choice for Rookie of the year. In the eyes of the NBA, Blake Griffin is considered a rookie since his injury occurred during the pre-season and he sat out the 2009-2010 regular season. But "sit around" he did not. For a rookie to sustain that type of injury (stress fracture in his left knee) before he's even had a chance to prove himself, would have been the kiss of death for any other player. But he battled back, working all of 2009-2010 with a trainer to be in top shape for when he returned to the NBA for this season. He is well-known for his dunks but he is not the one-dimensional player some argue he is. Stats don't count for everything but they do speak volumes: #4 in Rebounds per Game; #5 in Minutes Played, #5 in Offensive Rebounds, #3 in Defensive Rebounds and Total Rebounds, #3 in Double-doubles and the list goes on. On top of all this, he has made the Los Angeles Clippers relevant again. Although I think there are one or two others who are deserving of the title (minus Griffin), Blake Griffin is my Rookie of the Year. Hands down.

Thanks joining me again this week. Next Thursday, let's talk about picks for NBA Coach of the Year - so take the time to think about that over the weekend. I love reading your comments and suggestions - keep them coming by following me on Twitter (@ddegraauw) and on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw). Have a great weekend and see you on Tuesday for more NBA coverage in "NBAz in 7 Dayz".

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

DeMarcus, DeMarcus, DeMarcus. When will you ever learn. DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings has had many discipline issues this season including being fined by the team and missing a game in February after fighting with a teammate. There has also been a list of incidents involving DeMarcus, his coaches and his teammates and some verbal jousting. It doesn't end there. The latest involves DeMarcus being ejected from a game against Minnesota on Sunday after shoving the Timberwolves' Martell Webster. In the third quarter, DeMarcus attempts to set a screen and gets 'involved' with Minnesota's Luke Ridnour. Feeling no love from DeMarcus, Ridnour shoved Cousins, who then shoved Ridnour back. Then one of Ridnour's teammates Nikola Pekovic jumps into the fray to push DeMarcus out of the way and when Webster returns with his two cents, DeMarcus shoved him too. DeMarcus gets tossed from the game and Ridnour gets a technical foul. There are two problems with this scenario. One, DeMarcus already has a target on his back from his propensity for 'getting into it' with everyone around him. This leaves the referees with no grey area in which to judge his actions. Two, this is DeMarcus' rookie year and he is not making the best first impression. If he wants longevity in this league, he needs to go cold turkey and box his temper before it gets out of hand. As a player, you can have all the talent in the world but if you act as if you know everything and can't learn or be coached, your professional basketball career will be short lived. Andrew Bynum feels his pain. Let's talk about his suspension and a looming NBA lockout.

Bynum is suspended for two games

This call makes no sense. Compared to DeMarcus Cousins, Andrew Bynum who has little prior history of committing hard fouls, is not the type of player who is deserving of a two game suspension for fouling Minnesota's Michael Beasley. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson agrees with the flagrant foul and game ejection but like myself, does not understand how the further penalties were calculated. Even Timberwolves Coach Kurt Rambis thought Bynum wasn't up to anything malicious and thought he was just trying to protect the basket. But then Coach Rambis flips on this answer two days later after watching replays and supports the suspension. Andrew Bynum missed Sunday's game against Portland and will sit out Tuesday's game against Phoenix. In addition, Bynum will loose $250, 000 during this suspension for lost pay. This all seems a little suspicious and excessive to me. Is it a coincidence the DeMarcus and Bynum incidents came against the Timberwolves? Are the referees coming down on certain players and letting others go to appease Coaches like Kurt Rambis? Think back to our discussion last week : reporting inconsistencies in refereeing and 'making up' for mistakes or bad calls. It just makes me shake my head.

"It doesn't look good right now" - Dirk Nowitzki

Lockout or no lockout, some NBA players are preparing for the worst. Even if a possible lockout just cuts into next season, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki repeated his desire to rejoin the German national team as it tries to qualify this summer for the 2012 Olympics in London. I was thinking about this over the weekend - the last time the NBA had a lockout which cut into the regular season was 1998-1999. Back then, Dirk Nowitzki was just a wee pup by NBA standards, was drafted in June of '98 but stayed in Germany to play with his pro team. His desire to play with his German teammates again depends on how well his Dallas Mavericks do in the post season. Nowitzki says if the Mavericks go far he may just stay put. But knowing Nowitzki turns 33 in June and considers the 2012 Olympics as possibly his last shot at competing for Germany, I wouldn't count on him crying if the Mavericks fall in the first round.

The crux of the issue is money. The NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) believes only a small number of NBA teams are loosing money. The League thinks otherwise and wants a hard salary cap because they say more than half of NBA teams are loosing money to the tune of more than $300 million a year. According NBPA Chief Billy Hunter the hard salary cap would put an end to guaranteed contracts which he calls the "lifeblood" of professional basketball. He has a point. The hard cap gives the owners a guaranteed profit - so the security of income just switches sides and no one wants to budge. But Hunter's claim the league's money problems can be magically fixed by revenue sharing among the so-called small number of cash-strapped NBA teams is a little off base. I think part of the problem comes from decision-making. Letting buyers pick up NBA teams for the short-term gain of making their primary businesses look good without the focus being on the club itself. Both sides are contending to one version of the story. But think about it. If the NBA is threatening to lock out it's players because they say they are losing money, are they really? Wouldn't locking out your players/assets put you farther in the red if that was the case? I think the league has made ill-advised decisions and created a situation they don't like and now the players have some bargaining power, hence the hard stance against the NBPA. Something to think about.

Thanks once again for joining me this week. I have been enjoying all of your comments and suggestions - I have been really touched by the number of you who have taken the time to send me personal messages and providing me with feedback. I will endeaver to return all of them in a timely manner - I appreciate your support. Keep the feedback coming by following me on Twitter (@ddegraauw) and on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw). See you on Thursday for our continued discussion on the playoffs - remember we will be chatting MVPs on Thursday so be sure to drop in on the discussion. Have a great week.

Raptors Dethrone Kings in Sunday Showdown

Toronto would once again be without Sonny Weems, who has missed the last 11 games, and Tyreke Evans would also be a no-go for Sacramento. This further adds to the epidemic that is opposing teams star players being unable to play in games against Raptors, joining Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony just to name a few. Jermaine Taylor got the start in his absence. The Raptors also made a slight lineup change as Joey Dorsey got the start in place of Amir Johnson for match-up purposes. Sacramento came into this game losing 6 straight to the Raptors at the ACC and were looking to end that streak.

DeMar DeRozan opens the scoring with a jumper, but the Kings quickly responded with a score of their own off a Cousins lob pass to Taylor. This would be the trend for most of the quarter as both team couldn't seem to miss. The Raptors were continuously attacking the paint and thus getting a lot of baskets for close range, but the Kings made their presence felt early on the boards and rewarded themselves with second chance points. As mention earlier both teams were shooting like the rim was the size of Texas, especially the Raptors who started 10-10 from the field before Kleiza missed a turnaround jumper at the 4:21 mark. After some missed FT's by Carl Landry, Jose would find DeMar cutting to the basket and feed him the perfect lob pass for the alley-oop finish to put the Raps up 24-19. The team would continue to trade baskets for the remainder of the quarter, capped off by a Bargnani dunk, quickly responded to, by Samuel Dalembert, with a dunk off his own after Bargnani failed to get back in transition. That was the final bucket of the quarter as the Raptors lead 34-31.

If there was ever a quarter with all offense and no defense the 1st was exactly that as the Raptors shot an amazing 75% from the field, while the Kings weren't too far behind at 65%. But would either team be able to maintain that hot shooting for the rest of the game? The second starts off with 5 straight points by Carl Landry to give the Kings a 2 point lead, before Jerryd Bayless, who missed the last game in Boston, answered with a 3 to regain the lead. The Kings would then turn the ball over and the Raptors capitalized resulting in a DeMar jumper. It seemed like the players became very fatigued after that 1st quarter as there were a couple of airballs, short jumpers and turnovers on both sides. After Ed Davis blocked a Cousins shot attempt, the Raps quickly got out in transition and scored via a Barbosa layup to go up 43-36. There was then yet another series of misses by both sides that was ended by a DeMar runner. Kleiza who was pretty much silent for much of the game would wake up the crowd with a vicious dunk that totally came out on nowhere. Barbosa would end the quarter with a layup at the buzzer to give the Raps a 57-50 lead going in the break.

Bargnani led all scorers with 16 at the half, while DeMar was close behind with 13. Udrih was the Kings leading scorer with 11. Julian Wright who has been playing great as off late did not see any playing time in that first half. The Raptors who are 5th in the league in offensive rebounding did not get one until the 2:48 mark in the 2nd quarter. With the Raps currently holding the lead all they had to do was come out strong in the third, play some defense and they could be walking away with the win or would they somehow let the Kings battle back and get their first win at the ACC in almost 7 years.

The 3rd was pretty much the same as the first two quarters as both teams continued to trade buckets for the most part, but the Kings advantage on the offensive glass would eventually pay-off as they would claim a one point lead halfway into the quarter. Triano would wisely call a timeout, but the play out of that timeout wasn't nearly as wise as Bargnani attempted a questionable three which he missed. After a Kings turnover, DeMar would get a no-call driving to the hoop, in which three players surrounded him, and that would lead to a Udrih 3 in transition to give Sacramento a 4-point lead. The Raps would then tie the game up on a Barbosa three, but they would fail to box out on the opposite end as the Kings scored off another offensive rebound. DeMar would start his dominance in the game from that point as he was getting required touches and when he wasn't scoring he was making plays for his teammates. He would scored 11 in this quarter and the game was tied at 85 when the buzzer sounded.

So would the Raptors be able to hold off the Kings or will they have another letdown this season. Julian Wright who hadn't played in the first three quarters would start the 4th and immediately make an impact as he would get a quick steal which would lead to a Barbosa score. Bargnani will then score again to put the Raps up 4. This game once again entered a period with both teams trading buckets, but Barbosa would hit two huge threes and DeMar would hit another jumper to put the Raps up 108-100 with about 4 minutes left. The Raps would then go on a mini collapse and DeMarcus Cousins (yea you heard that right) would take over and just like that it was a 1-point game with just over a minute remaining. Bargnani would then hit a huge 3 to put the Raps up 4, and after a 3-point miss by Garcia, Amir would hit 2 FT's to ultimately ice the game. In the end the Raps walked away with a 118-112 victory and continued their home dominance of the Kings.

On a day when Andrea Bargnani (30 points) and DeMar Derozan (28 points) combined for 58 points, the Raps were able to defeat the Kings and get the victory. Beno Udrih led the Kings with 25. Though it looked like the Raps were probably going to let this one slip away at the end, they were able to hold on and get a much needed victory. If DeMar and Andrea can continue having games like these in which they both score 25+ points, this team can start winning some game and may even be able to sneak into that 8th playoff spot. Up next for the Raptors would be the Hawks on Wednesday which would be a very tough challenge for them, especially for DeMar who would be going up against Joe Johnson.

The Boys are Back in Town to Host the Kings

Finally, the Raps have come back to the ACC. After embarking on a three game road trip in which they went 1-2, the boys return home for a Sunday afternoon against the Sacramento Kings, which would be the first of a three game home-stand, before the team once again heads out on the road for a five game trip. The Kings on the other hand are coming off a huge victory against the Nuggets and will be playing the first game of a six game road trip. Last time these teams met the Kings walked away with a 111-108 victory in Sacramento. The Raptors have had the Kings number at the ACC though as they currently have a six-game home winning streak against the Kings, with Sacramento’s last victory being almost six years ago on February 22, 2004. Both teams are amongst the league leaders in offensive rebounding, Kings ranked 3rd with 13.2 per game, and the Raps at 5th with 12.3, so the battle on the boards should be one of epic proportion. The Raps may once again be shorthanded though as Jerryd Bayless who missed the last game in Boston, is listed as day-to-day, and Sonny Weems, who has missed the last ten, is listed as doubtful, not to mention the injuries of Reggie Evans and Peja Stojakovic.

The Basics: Toronto 12-24 ( 11-18 all-time against the Kings, 9-5 at home), Sacramento 8-25 ( 4-8 against the East)

When Last We Saw Them: When the Raptors last played against Boston on Friday, the Celtics were putting on a clinic, Luke Harangody was having the best game of his career and Boston won their 3000th game in franchise history, joining the Lakers as the only teams to accomplish that feat. DeMar DeRozan led the Raps with 20 points, as he continues to show that he'll be a force in this league and Andrea Bargnani added 17.

Key Match-ups: The Kings front-court made up of Samuel Dalembert, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and DeMarcus Cousins will be doing battle on the glass against Amir Johnson, Andrea Bargnani, Ed Davis and Joey Dorsey. Though the Amir-Cousins matchup will be great to watch, the battle of the rookies should be more entertaining. Cousins comes into this game averaging 21.8 points and 9 boards in his last five games and has really started to show his potential after being a bit immature to start the season. Davis on the other hand hasn't been much of an impact offensively, but he's been solid on the boards and on defense averaging 5.7 boards and 1 block in only 20 minutes of play. The battle of the benches is also a key match-up to look forward too. With players like Omri Casspi, who can provide a spark off the Kings bench, players like Barbosa and Wright will have to also produce as the team with the better bench may eventually win this game. Sophomore guards Tyreke Evans and DeMar DeRozan going up against each other is yet another intriguing match-up to keep an eye on.

Other Things of Note:

• Raptors come into this game averaging 100.56 points at home; Sacramento averages 101.27 on the road
• Toronto is 7-3 when leading at the half and 10-1 when they have a better FG% than their opponent
• Sacramento is 4-3 in games decided by 3 points or less

Where is it on?: TSN (yea that's right, another Raptors game will be aired on the main channel)

Raptors Start Fast But Fade Away.

So as I mentioned this morning the Raptors record in Sac-Town sucks. Only 2 wins in 14 tries for the Raptors at Arco. A tough task with Tyreke Evans the Rookie of the Year and in any other year a leading candidate to be Rookie of the Year DeMarcus Cousins. Also as mentioned this morning this is the Kings home opener. Not as much the cowbell crazy place it once was but still a tough building to play in given the circumstances. Raptors have been in Cali since Saturday so no excuses. Raptors had a great win Friday and should be well rested to start this trip.

So with that said off we go from the Cali Capitol. Reggie Evans gets 2 offensive boards and the bucket. Raps after giving up a bucket roll for 7 straight points and slams from Kleiza and Bargnani, who will not be in the dunk contest anytime soon but Raps lead 9-2 early. Bargnani hits a 3 and has an early 8 points and Raps lead is 14-5. Kings go on a 5-0 run but then a break for the Raps as Tyreke Evans picks up his second foul. Demar with a block and a score the other way and Raps lead 20-12 and have never trailed to this point. Is this the year the Raptors follow through on their promise to play better D? Maybe it is... 23-14 with 2:42 left in the first. Demar has 10, Bargs has 10 ...28-14 Raptors.

Jose a drive and score and 1. The Raptors can do no wrong in this first quarter. Reggie Evans has 10 rebounds in the first quarter. That is just plain insane. The Raptors have quieted the crowd to a whisper and lead 33-16 after 1.

Kings start the second on a 7-2 run and make this game a little closer. Kings get called for a charge and they get teched up for disputing the call and that broke Kings momentum. Jose pushes the ball leads to Andersen Jam and Raps lead 41-26. The beat goes on for the Raptors as the bench is keeping this lead with score 49-36 with 5:15 to go in half. At the end of it all Raps take an 11 point lead to the half shooting 58%. Andrea has 17 points and Demar 15 points along with Reggie Evans 6 points and 12 rebounds. Raptors lead at halftime 62-51.

So the Raps had a good first half. Can they finish it off here in the 2nd? A good start as Bargnani hits a long 2 to open the scoring. Klieza a 3 ball and Raps keep the hot shooting going. More good news as Tyreke Evans is not on the floor and is suffering with an upset stomach. The Raptors were taking advantage and with no Evans built up a 77-61 lead. Finally that was enough to get Evans off the bench. It would lead to instant results with a Kings score. The Kings after falling behind and getting beat up by Reggie Evans stormed back to get the lead to single digits at 83-75. Kings would close to with in 5 then a little retro Jose Calderon with a clutch 3. Raps got a steal and Barbosa missed a chip shot that would have got lead back to 10. Raptors would have to settle for a 86-78 lead after 3.

Kings come out and score the first 5 points of the 4th and suddenly this was a 3 point lead and the closest it had been since the very early going of this one. Teams trade 3 pointers and the lead remains at 3. Raptors are on the ropes and trying to hang on for dear life. The Kings would tie it with 6:42 to go at 93. a Bargnani 2 point answered with a Kings 3 and their first lead of the night at 96-95. DeRozan draws a foul missed both at the line but Reggie to the rescue with board 19 and it leads to Kleiza 3. Raps back on top 98-96 and Cousins would tie it at 98. But after that picked up fouls 4 and 5 in short order. The Kings Evans gets the drive and score plus a foul..but he missed the and 1. Kings lead it 100-98. Bargnani despite a great scoring night, late in this one was getting bullied by Cousins who was playing with 5 fouls. Kings were taking advantage and pulling away as the Raptors looked out of gas. Bargs may not be able to rebound a beach ball but he can hit a 3 and nailed a big one late to make it 109-106. Kings turnover and Raps basketball. DeRozan a big dunk with 13.3 to go Raps down 1. Raps forced to foul with 12.2 second left. Kings make the free throws and Raps can tie with a 3.

Raptors inbounded the ball to Bargs who passed to Klezia who passed on trying a 3 for the drive to the hoop and left it short and the Raps could not come up with the ball and that was that. Kings come back from a long way down to dig out a 111-108 win.

A lot of positive things in the boxscore but a W is not one of them. Bargs had 28 points but the fact Cousins out battled him down the stretch made that seem kind of pointless. Bargnani had 2 blocks which is nice and 2 rebounds which is a joke. Reggie Evans had 19 though and as I tweeted during the game, is like a mother that eats for two, Reggie rebounds for 2. While Demar DeRozan happy to be back in Cali ties his career high with 24 points. Yet with all of those good things the Raptors still lose.

When you look at this critically the Raps really only won the first quarter and the Kings won the other 3. Full marks to Evans and Cousins in this one. I said those would be the key guys in this one and what do you know they were just that. Raps now face the tough task of the Utah Jazz who took apart a much better team then Toronto, when the creamed the Thunder the other day. After that the Lakers and that Kobe guy. Raps lone realistic shot left on this trip for a win might be Portland, who earlier in the night I saw some of their game with the Bulls and they looked pretty awful. Entertainment value was there, but like I have been saying to whoever will listen, that does not make it fun. Losing is just not fun, especially on these west coast trips when you stay up late to watch them.

"Behind Enemy Lines"

I think it's hilarious how both Cleveland and Toronto started their season in the same way but dealt with it differently. Cleveland is still extremely bitter about LeBron James jumping ship and being extremely petty about it, I might add. Chris Bosh leaves Toronto, albeit in a less 'flashy' way than LeBron left the Cavs, but the Raptors basically address the loss and get down to business. This makes me respect this club more and more. By all rights, the Toronto Raptors should have beat the New York Knicks on Wednesday night since the Knicks are in more of a transition than the Raptors. The Raptors did a good job of closing in on a 16 point lead by the Knicks in the first half, going to the second quarter with only seven points to catch. The Raptors took the next two quarters on points alone with New York coming out on top in the end (98-93). It is clear they are still finding their way but have a solid fighting spirit. It's a shame Amir Johnson got into foul trouble and only played 12 minutes on Wednesday because maybe that may have been the difference. Brian Colangelo couldn't have been happy since the club just signed Amir to that 5 year, $34 million contract in the off season. So for these next few games against Cleveland, Sacramento and Utah in the coming week, the Raptors need to stay out of foul trouble, stay healthy and keep fighting.

Cleveland - What should we do? (@ Toronto Friday, Oct. 29, 7pm)

You knew this was coming. LeBron James hooks up with NIKE on a commercial poking fun at himself and the Cleveland Cavaliers were surely to respond. A little clever with a heavy dose of bitterness. The Cavaliers posted an article on their website responding to LeBron's commercial. Here's a taste: "What should we do? Should we admit we made a mistake? That we believed you? That we believed who you said you were? All the way up until the night you humiliated our city and mocked our loyalty on national television?..." The piece then goes onto brag about beating the Boston Celtics without him and how the Heat lost their first game of the season in sweet redemption. Cleveland Cavalier fans have every right to feel upset and the organization has every right to feel frustrated. But in my honest opinion, they need to take the high road and get over it already. This is reminding me too much of high school: the immature break-ups and inability to move on with your life kind-of-attitude. Sure, he hurt you but as our mothers always told us "there are other fish in the sea". Ok, celebrate the fact that you won and the Heat didn't. Carrying around all this bitterness and wasting your energy on what he's doing is no way to get over it and move on - This is what Cleveland needs to do fast before they embarrass themselves even more.

On a side note, the voice of the Cleveland Cavaliers is off preparing for heart surgery and a double bypass. Hall of Fame radio announcer Joe Tait has no specific timeline for a return but the Cavaliers want him behind the mic later this season.

Young Kings in Sacramento (vs. Toronto in Sacramento, Monday, Nov. 1st, 10pm)

When you click on most teams, their home page comes up. Not for the Sacramento Kings. The first page is a celebration, if you will, of the 117-116 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the season. When you get over the splash of DeMarcus Cousins and the "Young Kings Hang on For First Season-Opening road win since 2000!" banner, you actually need to click on 'Home Court' to get to any information on the team. I guess they have every reason to celebrate because with a score like that it could have gone either way. Minnesota Head Coach Kurt Rambis blames silly fouls for his team's loss to Sacramento. To the Kings' credit though, Carl Landry had 22 points, 11 rebounds on the night and DeMarcus Cousins put up 14 points and 8 rebounds. I am sure if Tyreke Evans was in the line-up, it would have given Sacramento that extra push. Evans was serving his one-game suspension for pleading no contest to reckless driving in the off-season. He will be available to play and start for the Sacramento Kings for the remainder of the season. Good thing because the Kings are looking to keep him through to next season by extending his contract. They couldn't ignore Evans joining the company of LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Aside from the reckless driving charges, he really is a good kid. He purchased 13 season tickets and donated them to local youth and special groups in part with the "Kings for the Community" program. With him back in the line-up, the Raptors will need to be on watch when they meet up on Monday in Sacramento.

Not so Jazzy in Utah (vs. Toronto in Utah, Wednesday, Nov.3rd, 9pm)

The Utah Jazz and Toronto Raptors have a lot in common. They both have never won an NBA Title, they both lost big names this summer (for the Jazz it was Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Kosta Koufos and Wesley Mathews) and they are both looking for a new identity. With the veteran additions of Raja Bell and Al Jefferson, the Utah Jazz are looking to be a Championship contender - eventually. I say 'eventually' because if you look at their stats, their road record doesn't look too hot and this needs to be strong if they are going to survive the highly competitive Western Conference. Just look at their game Wednesday night in Denver versus the Nuggets. Denver took a 9-0 lead in the first quarter and never trailed after that. But the real clincher for me was the whopping 22 turnovers which lead to 19 Denver points. Not good. Not good at all. But a light at the end of the tunnel, after a 110-88 season opener loss to the Nuggets, comes in the form of reserve forward Gordon Hayward. Utah is lucky to have him. Remember Butler's surprise dance in the NCAA Final earlier this year? Well, in case you didn't know, Gordon Hayward was a big part of that. Plus, he had 9 points and 5 rebounds in his first NBA game with Utah. Not bad for a small fry - if you consider 6-9, 207 pounds small, that is.

Thank-you for joining me. Keep today's discussion in mind when you watch the Toronto Raptors this week. I hope I have provided you some food for thought and armed you with some information to help you think outside the box. Have fun and see you on Tuesday for some more NBA discussions in "Jiggly Bits".

Hot as Vegas

Yes it is Summer League, so you have to take it with a grain of salt. This is a league that Marcus Banks scored 42 points in a game, and Marco Belinelli tore it apart. Nate Robinson has his number retired too. But that all being said it is hard not to be a little bit excited about the Raptors performance so far. Another day and another win. This time it was the New York Knicks providing the opposition. The Raptors lead by Demar DeRozan with 23 points would take care of Knicks 102-89. This was perhaps the best performance so far by DeRozan. He has clearly improved his overall game since April. Sonny Weems not to be out done by his buddy had 19 points. The Raptors fell 1 point shy of the Summer League record 103 points they scored in their last game. The offense has been great but the defense has been good as well. After allowing the Knicks to score 34 points in the first quarter, the Raptors locked it down to just 17 points in 2nd and 3rd. Keeping in mind in Summer League the quarters are only 10 minutes in length. Ed Davis after a poor second game bounced back with 13 points and 5 boards after just 4 points and 4 boards in the last game. Solomon Alabi had 9 points and 8 rebounds with a block and a steal. He continues to show steady improvement. Bobby Brown continues to impress me with his work at the point hooking up both Weems and Derozan. Allow me to provide some video evidence.






Brown had 8 points 6 dimes and 2 steals. If we see Calderon move maybe Bobby Brown is earning himself a job? Time will tell on that but if not with the Raptors people are taking notice. Raptors take on the Kings on Friday and Hornets on Saturday to close out Summer League. DeMarcus Cousins is a beast and had a big day for the Kings in other action. Ed Davis and whoever else has to check him is in for a long day. But Raptors continue to look impressive. It may only be Summer League but it always feels good to win and the Raptors are doing just that.

Starting 5 with Ray Bala from CanBallReport

The DNB is happy to welcome back Ray Bala from CanBallReport to talk about the future of basketball in this country, and the upcoming NBA Draft. Ray was at the All Canadian Classic that was recently held at the ACC. We talk about that event and why Texas is about to become Canada's favourite NCAA school, with 3 Canadians heading down to the school in the next 2 years. Everyone is World Cup crazy, but we look ahead to an event Canada is actually involved in. The World Championships in Turkey. Canada is also taking part in Women's World Championship and both teams on the junior level. It is a big summer for Canada Basketball. We also get into the Raptors and the NBA draft as well. It was a great conversation and hope you enjoy it.

Ray Bala From CanBallReport

DNB Productions

Great talking with Ray and will have him back around World Championship time, to go in depth on Canada's chances in Turkey. Ray does great work keeping on top of all the young talent this country has produced. He has even had some of his work appear online for Slam Magazine.You can also follow Ray on Twitter @CanBallReport. Thanks to Ray for his time and his dedication to keep people informed on the up and coming kids in basketball in this country.