The Return of The Tweet Cap- Hawks vs Raps

We did this once before so here we go again. TweetCap is the tweets of those that follow the Dinonationblog or folks we follow all combined together to help us re-cap the game. Those are the rules. So if you are ready...IT IS TIME TO PLAY THE GAME...Well to be more correct...PRE-Game let's Roll.

Twitter should we bring back the DNB TWEET CAP?

@_Lenito @dinonationblog hell yea "Borbath 3:16" says you just got #Tweetcapped

dinonationblog @_Lenito If Lanny wants the #TweetCap we do it!!! GAME ON!!! TWEET CAP ON!!!

@RapsFanatic @dinonationblog omg, #tweetcap

I know it is cool no?

@stackmack #Raptors rookie says,"We can't be worried about what Chicago does, we gotta make our own destiny". C'mon, Raps. (And, uh, Nets. get that W).

That is right as this one is on going in Atlanta the Bulls are taking on the Nets...Really has it come down to cheering for the friggin New Jersey Nets? I Guess it has

@gagangandhi Call me crazy, but I think the Raptors might be able to "steal" a win tonight against Atlanta. Thoughts?

Do Atlanta have the same score keepers....ah memories of the ATL...I HATE THEM SO...THAT IS RIGHT AL HORFORD I STILL HATE YOU. Oh....and YOUR CRAZY....HE SAID TOO!!!

@raptorsrepublic Will Amir handle the spotlight?

Amir Johnson is starting where is @Liston he must me jumping up and down.

@Ronny006 Good to see Jay making the wise choice and starting Amir instead or Reggie

Did he have a choice?

@Raps_fan gametime. #raptors #nervous

Me too...Gametime in ATL....LET'S GO!!!

1st Quarter

@Raps_fan Im glad Hedo is okay. and he's lucky he's wearing the mask. #justsaying

He will need that mask next year injured or not if he doesn't play well down the stretch....Hawks make 2 at line and lead 2-0.

@stackmack Amir, appreciate you not allowing that layup, but you CANNOT get into foul trouble tonight. Think first.

I nicknamed him foul magnet for a reason....Buy holly is 100% correct.

@RapsFanatic As my coach always said: "No layups!" Nice one, Amir! #Raptors @dinonationblog

@Raps_fan I am still SHOCKED at the attendance in Atlanta...it's a shame. #Hawks

Shouldn't be Atlanta suck as a sports town. But Fans in ATL REALLY WOW?

@raptorsrepublic 2 quick fouls on Weems

Sucks He is our new ALL STAR!!!

@Ronny006 Let Hedo take a shot...we need to see if the mask is making a difference or not

He didn't but Andrea did and shockingly he made it and now a rebound....wow.....Raps lead 7-6

@Ronny006 Wow...Bargnani had time to order pizza an still missed a wide open three

MA MA MIA....Crawford jumper and it is 8-7....Bargnani say pasta fazu to you Ronny...makes a jumper....Raps another score 11-7 Raps.

@Eric__Smith 11-8 ... Raptors lead with 4:25 to go in the 1st QRT. ATL shooting just 2/14 FG (14.3%)

Thank you Hawks...are Raps playing good D? Nah can't be.

@Ronny006 See if Bargnani attacks the basket he can be successful...doesn't have to rely on the three all the time

you love him now don't you....15-8 Raptors...it ain't pretty but doesn't have to be.

@RapsFanatic "Defense has been effective." #wtf Jack Armstrong?!? #Hawks just dead cold, have #Raptors really contributed? @dinonationblog

Jack is our favourite guest in the Dino Nation Blog if he says it I am willing to believe him. He did coach in NCAA so he knows what he is talking about.

@ swirsk054 Just min. before tipoff--you can feel the intensity in the building...NOT Boy do I miss the United Center!

See you Sunday Chuck...meanwhile back at our game which has a similar crowd buzz it is 16-10 Raps under 3 to play in Quarter.

@dinonationblog HeDO for 3....Raps on a 7-0 run....YEAH BABY!!!

easy fan boy....23-14 Raptors and he um I mean I am right...wait 9-0 run...Raps 25-14.

@AndrewVC15 LOL its not the mask, it's THE OTHER MASK

Back in my day it was all about the shoes...ask Spike Lee....Raps take that 25-14 lead to the 1st quarter break.

@TheAudman The Raps hold the high scoring Hawks to 14 pts after 1st quarter in a must win game. 36 minutes of game time to go.

Who else is shocked? BE HONEST!!!

2nd Quarter

@NicolasGheysens @dinonationblog best defensive qt of the season without bosh is it a sign ?

He broke his face give the dude a break...bad choice of words...Get well soon @ChrisBosh. Joe Johnson 3 and that D gone bye bye early in 2nd 27-22 Raptors.

@outsidethenba "Money Weems?"

Ok..I love Matt...but yeah not feeling that my M.J of Arkansas is even better than that....29-23 Raptors.

@ Raps_fan wow...nice pass Rasho. #raptors

Injures = Rasho PT.....Raps up 8....make it 5...damn zone defense....33-28 Raptors.

@TheRounder Crawford best not light it up again!!! #Raptors

I remember when he dropped 50 on us it ranks slightly behind Lebron's 50+ and miles behind Kobes's 81. D has done gone to sleep like @Kid_Raptor on a school night

@RapsFanatic Not even I'm THAT pessimistic! RT @Ptrishalyn @RapsFanatic Just wait, Hedo eventually does something to screw it up #Raptors @dinonationblog

@raptorsrepublic Wow. Not often do you see a player throw a shot clear OVER the backboard from 5 feet out. Reggie Evans is the best.

Damn Dance Pak rehearsal where is @Raptorspacekat I need some positive tweeters...LOL...Hawks down 4...37-33.

@RaptorspaceKat What's the word in Raptorland? The ladies and I are wondering .. #Raptors

Raptors up 3...first quarter was better than second....Bulls up 3 as well. By the way I didn't plan that just dumb luck.

@stackmack Reggie Evans free throws are like snowfakes. Every single one looks different. Love his hustle, though.

Hustle is great and so is Reggie at the moment Raptors are not. Holly is great though that was a kick but analogy. Good Job Mrs Mackenzie. 38-38 with 5:33 to go in half.

@Nat77 The offensive rebounds are killing the #raptors. Clean that up and we have a ballgame!

I hope it is that simple. Nat is holding it down on The Score live blog not doubt.

@thejockocracy Having a beer, watchin the Raptors game after a long week of work. Feels good, man.

Raptors D may cause you to drink more watch at your own risk....Carwford 3!!! DAMN PASS ME AN MGD!!! 45-42 Hawks.

@StephonDixonDC @dinonationblog aiight this 2nd quarter n 3rd quarter is the real test for the raps bro if we can withstand they fire i think we can do it

Got to find their D.....down 45-43. Hey I mentioned Spike Lee and he is actually at this game? What the hell is he doing in ATL?

@dinonationblog Jack Armstrong and Spike Lee talking that would be CLASSIC!!!

This game not so much.....Hawks lead 49-45.

@ swirsk054 Hinrich and T. Williams exchange crazy baskets near the end of the half..Williams a runner for 3 to end the quarter 29-24 Bulls 1st

SWIRSKY!!!! nah I can't hate chuck even if I try. Back here in ATL not good Hawks up 8 and get a clear path foul? What the heck kinda call was that?

@gagangandhi Memo to the Raptors: Reggie Evans is the team's 5th option.

Reggie never got memo and I am not telling him.

@StephonDixonDC @dinonationblog too many shots on offense too many 1 and done and our transition defense n def rebounding is horrible man its killin us

Fine breakdown...I agree. Crawford 3 and 1...OH NO!!! That makes it a 59-47 halftime ATL lead.

@stackmack Been waiting for JCreezy to get a 4-point play. Did it have to come when Raps were down eight? Crushing finish to 1st half. 45-point 2nd Q.

You kids and your crazy nicknames...Holly liked Matt's Money Weems line too....Keep in mind she also liked Will Solomon when I met here...Remember Him..LOL

@ Rounder JAMAL CRAWFORD! Somebody check him!!! #Raptors #Tweetcap

Please forward this tweet to Jay Triano ASAP.

@ kevhooker ...for the folks at home, the #Raptors gave up 3.75 points per minute in the 2nd quarter.

Oh you mathlete you...stay in school kids and you can be like Kevin. I inspired him to start a blog on Raps....I feel like I should apologize. Now I feel like Tiger Woods....That feels both cool and icky....but boy can golf in 3rd at Masters. Raptors don't start balling they will be golfing.

@thisisanas Rod Black reminds me of a Rogers TV sportscaster in the 90s. Problem is it's 2010 and this is national television.

Rod Black did golf...in fact what sport hasn't he tried and failed at?

@wwe WWE.com NEWS: Live SmackDown results - Refresh your browser to see the latest results:

Ah there you go he never did Pro Wresting...Rod Black is no Billy Red Lyons....If you are old like me you know who that is.

@johnschuhmann-The Hawks average 60.1 points per half against the Raptors (3 1/2 games).

It almost makes me not want to watch second half....Yikes...Crawford has 19.

3rd Quarter.

@AndrewVC15 in honor of #bulls vs #nets , GO YI !!!!!!!!!!!!


In honour of the Miz for WWE....Really Andrew Really? Hawks up 15...66-51....I asked this on Twitter did we win last time I did this? Hope so. I don't want to be accused of a #TweetCapCurse.

@swirsk054 Nets have scored 30 pts in the paint and trail Bulls 51-50

Go Nets Go? That feels SO WRONG!!!

@thisisanas How do you say "Hello Clarice" in Turkish? He should say it to whoever he's checking.

HeDON't do Defense....not that he is alone Raps down 2 TD's....Mike Vick not at this one.

@AndreHoops "To hell with them fellas, buzzards gotta eat---same as worms." Josey Wales, June 1865 [How the Raptors and Bulls feel about each other.]

Andre Aldridge classing up the #Tweetcap.

@Ronny006 @dinonationblog yea, but they played the twolves

Good...so we are 1-0 in #Tweetcaps...that is good news...bad is it is 74-62....5:28 to go in 3rd.

@StephonDixonDC @dinonationblog Al horford with drifting jumpers omg raptors come onnnnnnnnnnn!!!

HORFORD!!!! FORD4LIFE!!! NUFF SAID....WEEMS ON FIRE like T.J was in ATL once....4 straight for Weems and lead is 10.

@RapsFanatic I'm getting too tired to even care that #Raptors suck! Good night, see you sometime soon, maybe @dinonationblog

Wait Raps on a 12-3 run time out Hawks maybe some HOPE? Obama did well with that. Selling Hope WORKS!!

@Ronny006 Can Bargnani get his 7 foot Italian self to the FT line once in this game plz...lay off the jumpers

That is your Future Franchise Player....OH GOD...PLEASE CHRIS BOSH STAY...I MEAN SERIOUSLY....CAN WE GIVE YOU YOUR OWN PROVINCE? PEI is small but
really NICE!!!

@TheAudman Quick really shots have a way of killing a run especially when they rim out.

and loose lips sink ships....Raps ship in danger of sinking like the Titanic....Jay Triano is the captain of this ship.

@ StephonDixonDC @dinonationblog LETS GOO RAPTORSS !!!! please

Cut lead to 79-73 only cause you said please...manners are good.

@outsidethenba Antoine Wright on the ground, slapping the floor in pain. S^#T!

Another injury or in this case....re-injury....I loved the show M*A*S*H but not while watching basketball.

@StephonDixonDC @dinonationblog NOOO NOW ANTOINE !!!!!!!!!! NOOOO !!! - yo this is horrible n its really bad man

dropping like flies. Quarter ends 81-73 Hawks.

@raptorsrepublic Put a uniform on Alvin and see if they notice. Stat.

I am game for that BOOGIE WILLIAMS!!!

4th Quarter

@Swirsk054 Bulls just not crisp....trail 63-61---552 left 3rd--energy just not there

Least Nets are trying and so is Sonny Weems...needs some help.

@Eric__Smith Sprained left ankle for A. Wright. He will not return. I guess the 'good' news ... it's not the knee (which it looked like was possible)

Asta la wago Mr. Wright....Raps go on a run and lead 89-75...GO NETS GO I GUESS.

@TheRounder Keep ur heads up #Raptors!!! Show some heart!!! Pick up the intensity!!! Ur looking mentality beat! Confidence! Come on now!!!


Yes Coach....I sound like that damn HeDON'T ad!!! 91-76 Hawks....Joe Johnson 3 make it 94....I need an MGD...no...Zamboka ----Think that is how you spell it.

@CornerSniper I am looking to cut back on my drinking. Therefore, I will only take a shot every time Andrea gets to the line. /via @raptorsrepublic

ZING!!!Raps down 20....Shots all around...Who is buying....@Liston?

@RaptorspaceKat I will try! We closed the gap earlier .. RT: @dinonationblog Kat Good by all means provide some positivity for my #Tweetcap

To late I think...But Kat brings it night in night out. 98-81 Hawks. Dance Pak > Raptors Defense

@RaptorspaceKat Jack Armstrong just said your true habits come out the deeper you go into the half ..#Raptors down by 18

See she is using Jack Armstrong quotes smart girl....Raps just got tank on E!!! and not talking E Smith.

@gagangandhi I want the Raptors to lay someone out next time Atlanta drives the lane. Just TKO them.

This is the NBA not the UFC!!! But yeah I feel ya!!!

@chicagobulls End of the 3rd quarter, Nets lead the Bulls 75-69.

Go Nets, Raps down 102-91 it is time to cheer for someone else to help us yet again.

@stackmack Someone might wanna show the Bulls how to make free throws before the playoffs start. Or, you know, the Cavs can rest LeBron for round one.

Raps or Bulls might be able..to...Jack Armstrong said Just Tie Baby We Want Lebron...Some how I don't think he is sweating Bulls or Raps. Under 2 to play Raps closed to with in a touchdown. Paging Doug Flutie!!!

_Lenito

@dinonationblog BTW - cheap suit don't bend this easily do they??

That sums up Raps D nicely...Raps still down 5 with under 20 seconds to play....GOOD NIGHT NURSE!!! GO NETS GO...MAKES ME ILL TO SAY THAT. 107-101 the final YIKES. Raps fall short.

THANK YOU NEW JERSEY IN DOUBLE OT WIN!!!! Raps may not have won but neither do the BULLS!!!

Down The Stretch They Come

Honestly it does not feel that long ago that I was up in Ottawa excited about covering my first Raptors training camp. In some ways this season has flown by. In others it seems to have been long and painful especially lately. As much as I still feel the recent line-up chances were born of desperation it has has an impact. The Raptors have had better effort overall but still have had some of the same problems. Just 8 games remain for the Raptors with a 2 game lead over the Chicago Bulls. Let's take a look and see what is left for this team

@Sixers and vs Golden State

The Raptors will not over look ether of these teams or they shouldn't. Raptors dropped a contest to the Sixers that I was there for at the ACC. They also lost to Warriors on the road. These were two games that the Raptors should have won. In fact when you look back at standings it is safe to say Raptors will regret more than a few games from this season. It is why they are still not secured in the playoffs, and it seems a long shot to finish any higher than 7th. Both teams offer different challenges. The Sixers can be an athletic team like the Hawks that cause the Raptors fits. While Golden State is a team that can exploit the Raptors terrible 3 point defense and they did just that in Oakland on that west coast trip from hell.

@Cleveland, vs Boston @Atlanta

3 playoff teams here and the likely first round match-up in the Cavs. Clearly if the Raptors want to make believers out of folks it will need to happen here. The Raptors actually beat the Cavs to open this season. They had a luck of the Irish win over the Hawks and they have had no luck against Boston not just this year but for several years. These 3 games fall before a huge match-up with Bulls at the ACC. Any game the Raptors could steal of these 3 games would be helpful in turning the corner from worrying about the Bulls and focusing on trying to move up and catch the Bobcats. All 3 teams will be tough. Cleveland now has Jamison to go along with James. Boston for whatever reason just has the Raptors number. Rajon Rondo is a big reason why as he has owned Calderon for his entire career. Then all you need to say is 146 points and that says it all about the Hawks. Also keep in mind Joe Johnson did not play in that loss to the Raptors.

vs Chicago

This will likely be a huge game unless the Raptors could some how eliminate the Bulls prior to it. Derrick Rose has boldly predicted that Bull will make the playoffs. That is going to be tough to do considering the Raptors own the tiebreaker. While both teams will have pressure on them make no mistake the pressure should be more on the Bulls to get the road win. Raptors will need to have a plan to stop Rose and account for the Bulls on the glass. Even if the Raptors stub their toe in this one they have 2 games left vs non playoff teams to close out the season. But depending on how things shake out Raptors may need this game regardless to make a run at 7th.

@ Detroit vs New York

The Pistons have has a train wreck season and the Knicks are waiting for the hit summer movie that is sure to be a smash in NYC- "Waiting For Lebron". Assuming these games will still have meaning for the Raptors there is no way on earth they should lose ether of these games. If they have any ideas of stealing a playoff series both these games need to be impressive wins and feature great defensive effort. Even if they don't mean anything Raptors still need to polish things in terms of their defense and I am not sure they can afford to rest players and not show up for these games.

Expectations Killed

When you look at this sked the Raptors should expect to be 5-3 and that would give them a 42-40 record which would end up being about 3 or 4 wins below the expectations most had for the Raptors this season. That being said have the Raptors done anything according to script this season? It has been a long season that there just as been a feeling that Raptors have not lived up to the expectations placed upon them. Still if they do make it back to the playoffs that would be a step in the right direction. If not for the free agency of Chris Bosh looming large it might leave people feeling differently about things. Because playoffs or not the goal of this season is all about keeping Chris Bosh a part of this team moving forward. In terms of that many feel the Raptors have fallen short in that regard.

Bosh has talked about wanting to be a core piece on a winning team. The Raptors need a strong finish to this season and a strong playoff performance to at least give Raptors a shot to keep their star. Everyone seems to feel that Bosh's decision will be based on how this team performs in the post season assuming they get there. Which how this season has gone post All-Star break is a big assumption. It may not be just about that. However the Raptors putting their best foot forward as a team to close this season and in the playoffs is a step in the right direction. You only hope they have not taken to many steps backwards since the All-Star Break for it to matter.

There is just an odd feeling through Raptorland. Some not feeling making the playoffs matters. They think Bosh is going to go and this team will be forced to re-build. Others feeling that Raptors are heading for yet another first round disappointment. Everyone craves the same thing at the end of the day. Bosh and the fan base both want to see this team advance and take the steps to become a part of that elite group in the East. Clearly they have not got there and the difference between Atlanta, Orlando, Cleveland and even Boston is noticeable.

However things shake out it is going to be the most challenging summer of Bryan Colangelo's career as a G.M. If he can convince Bosh to stay he likely goes back to being the super genius that he was billed as when he arrived. If not he will be under an extreme amount of pressure to hide his mistakes and find a way to make this team successful in a post Bosh Era. That might just be mission impossible in my view. It get's said time and time again that Raptors can move Bosh in a sign and trade. I am convinced that is how it happens if he doesn't stay. Bosh is not leaving 30 million on the table no matter how much he may truly want to win. But can the Raptors realistically land a 1a option in a sign and trade? Seems highly unlikely when some do not even consider Bosh that 1a option himself. I think he is, but without some help around him it becomes far to easy to gang up on him and limit his impact.

We need some kind of spirit of optimism badly. It is up to the Raptors to provide some fuel for that optimism for both the playoffs and the hope to keep this franchises best player.

Raptors March Madness Like Win

March Madness is starting today but for Raptors fans it got rolling last night. The Raptors took fans on a roller coaster ride all night. It start off badly as the Hawks came out and went on a 7-0 run causing Jay Triano to burn an early time out. The Raptors would battle back and build a lead only to see the Hawks go on another run and make it close. When the music stopped after the first quarter the Raptors had a 30-25 lead. But some of the same issues from this 5 game losing streak would still be there through out the night. Jose Calderon looked decent overall in his return to the starting line-up. Chris Bosh on the other hand was having a rough night at the office. After a strong start to the 2nd quarter the Raptors would close the quarter in trouble. The reason things were getting out of hand late was lack of defense guarding the 3 point line. The Hawks were shooting 75% from behind the 3 point line after a half of play. The Raptors were fortunate to have a 59-56 lead at the half.

Demar DeRozan was great in that first half in terms of offense as he had 14 point and was slamming and making his way to the free throw line on a regular basis. But as good as the rookie might have been for Raptors, Jamal Crawford was killing it for the Hawks. Crawford once scored 50 points vs the Raptors as a Bull. He had 22 points in the first half and the Raptors seemed to have no answer to stopping him. Along with him Bibby and Evans were hitting from distance as well. When you fast forward to the 3rd quarter the Raptors lead was short lived. Once again this team failed to answer the bell in the 3rd quarter. The absolute rock bottom moment for Raptors fans like was when the Hawks hit 3 straight 3 pointers in 3 possessions. In doing the live blog for The Score the mood was an ugly one. All signs were pointing to a 6th straight loss and people were more then happy to share how they felt about that. The mood would change by the end of this one. By the time the music stopped in the 3rd quarter the Hawks had outscored the Raptors 30-16 and had an 11 point lead entering the 4th. Hope seemed lost for Toronto.

But the Raptors would come out in the 4th and cause the Hawks to become a turnover machine. The Raptors actually were playing defense all of the sudden and had found their groove an offense again. But down 11 you still felt it might have been to little to late. But Andrea Bargnani who at times got abused by Al Horford did end up with 22 points and more importantly 11 rebounds. But in the end this game would come down to a bizarre set of circumstances involving both Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Bosh.

The Hawks once 11 point lead had bee chopped to just 2 points. Raptors call a time out and they inbound the ball to HeDO or HeDON'T that was the question. He would be fouled with 15 seconds left and have a chance to tie game at the line. HeDO on the first shot and HeDidn't on the second and the Hawks rebounded the miss and it seemed over. However Al Horford stepped out of bounds. Raptors would now have a chance to win the game. The ball would go to Chris Bosh who was (5-18) at the time. Bosh would take a jumper instead of drive and he would make it when it mattered most. Earlier in the night Chris passed 10,000 points in his career but the 2 points he got at the end of this one might have been 2 of the most important of his time with the Raptors. Hawks would have 2.1 seconds left thought. They would get a shot off from Crawford I believe it was and he missed it. Relief, Joy and Excitement were all emotions for both fans and the Raptors. They escape with a 106-105 win snapping a 5 game losing streak.

On the out of town scoreboard the Bobcats win and the Bulls lose. The Raps are now 2 and half games clear of the Bulls for that final playoff spot. They gain a half game on Miami who will play tonight vs Orlando. It was not pretty and the Raptors for a lot of reasons likely deserved to lose this game but when the chips were down they played defense and got it done. Bosh after a brutal night found a way to make the big shot like the franchise play is suppose to do. Still I am not convinced Jay Triano slept much better last night. There is still a lot of issues with this team and they are some of the same ones. Raptors did get a win though and that was badly needed if for nothing else, the overall moral of this franchise from the fans to the front office. A similar challenge lies ahead in the Thunder on Friday. If the Raptors do not play better than they did in this one they will lose. While I am as happy as anyone the Raptors finally won. I am not so happy that I am blind to what went on in the 47 minutes and 38 seconds prior to the wacky conclusion. Raptors may not care nor may fans but Raptors got lucky last night. Maybe even though they are ugly, those green Raptor Jerseys have some luck in them. I will admit this team for it's own mental state needed this win badly and it could be something they can build from.

Like the title indicates this had a real March Madness feel to it. Heck of a game from an entertainment standpoint. Still lot of work to do. In terms of the line up change Jose was o.k at the end of the day. He out played Jack both need to pick it up for this team. The Raptors need better point guard play down the stretch. Simple as that. I am to the point, I honestly do not care who it comes from. 33-33 with 16 to play will see if it is a SWEET or SOUR 16 games for the Raptors.

Raptors Self Help Required

Everything that could go right for the Raptors last night in the NBA...DID. The Heat, Bobcats and Bulls all lost last night which leaves the Raptors a game and half out of 6th and the same game and half in the playoffs ahead of the Bulls. A change to the starting line-up for tonight has some people saying about time. I see it as a desperate attempt to shake this team up. That being said Jose Calderon who will replace Jarrett Jack in the starting line-up has been arguable the best Raptor of late. Jack on the other hand has been near the bottom of the pile in recent games. If this move was being made earlier on in the season I would see it in a different light. However desperate move or not the Raptors were in need of doing something. The Raps will catch a break in Joe Johnson is not on this trip for the Hawks and will not play. The Raptors will likely be without the services of Antonie Wright for this game as he got injured in the last game of the road trip from hell.

The Hawks the last time they played the Raptors was December 11th and not long before that beat down of the Raptors on December 2nd where they gave up 146 points in Atlanta. That was the highest anyone had scored in the league this year until last night where the Suns score 152 points vs Minnesota last night. For your scoreboard watching consideration tonight the Bobcats face the Thunder (Who visit Toronto Friday) , Chicago plays the Mavericks, and Bucks vs Clippers all will be in action tonight. Miami has the night off and will face in state rivals Orlando tomorrow night.

These next 2 games feature teams that are at the best of times tough match-ups for the Raptors in highly athletic teams that can get up and down the floor. The Raptors will need to correct at the very least 4 things to have any shot to win tonight or Friday.

1. Perimeter Defense- It has been brutal and it must get better. simple as that. The Raptors have been killed consistently by giving up open looks from 3. Here is a simple concept that I have always bought into. 3>2 and always will be. Meaning if you have the ability to make the 3 point shot it is a valuable weapon but the same is true in reverse if you can't defend it. Raptors make a lot of the streak they have where they have made at least one 3 pointer. I am more curious and interested in the last time they denied a team making one.

2. Rebounding- The Raptors are always excused of being a brutal defensive team and with good reason. However sometimes they have played excellent defense only to not finish the job and allow teams to get an offensive rebound. Basically if it were me I would say it is everyone's job to get on the glass. Guard, Forward, Center from Italy....I don't care. The Raptors have said they want to run and push the pace. Well this is not exactly inventing the wheel here but you can't do that without the ball. Get after it on the glass. There is no magic formula to rebounding. It is 99% about effort.

3. Turnovers- Can't have them. From the top guy on squad all the way down the line. Turnovers against Atlanta and OKC will lead to highlight dunks in transition. Raptors must value possession. In the playoffs where the Raptors hope to be come April 14th, every possession is vital in the post season. Well newsflash for the Raptors. If you haven't figured it out yet the Playoffs for you have already started. So start playing like it and take care of the basketball.

4. No I in Team- This team was called by it's coach selfish. They all seem to be trying to do to much as individuals and it is costing them on both ends of the floor. This is by far not a new expression here. But ball movement on offense and communication and help on defense are aspects of playing good team basketball. Kobe Bryant and Lebron James have even learned this lesson that as good as an individual can be. Eventually you can only get so far. Chris Bosh in calling out his team has been criticized by some. But I think it is a combination of him being frustrated and knowing this fact. He won a gold medal on Team U.S.A on a team full of stars. Part of why that was possible is because everyone bought into playing as a team. Basketball has been called the greatest team sport ever invented by some. It can be that and when a team fully buys into a team concept it can be beautiful to watch.

That about does it for me. I am going to be doing some running around today getting ready for the launch of RAPTORS RUN THIS BAR WEDNESDAYS....WHICH STARTS TONIGHT HERE IN HAMILTON. 291 QUEENSTON ROAD....@BROOKLYN'S. If you show up you will have you chance to win 2 tickets to Raptors vs Warriors on April 4th. So happy St. Patrick's Day and come on down if you are in the Hamilton area and watch the game with me. I won't lie the Raptors have not exactly been helpful in the build up to this event but they need a win badly and if they play poorly to be in a place that serves drinks might not be a bad idea. Also great food for you to enjoy as well.

Hawks Invade Toronto.

Will start with injury report for the Raps and Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani are both game time decisions and did take part in morning shot around according to Matt Devlin. The Raptors will take all the help they can get in this re-match with the Hawks. This is the Hawks that scored 146 points on them not that long ago in Atlanta in front of friends, family and Sam Mitchell. The Hawks enter this game coming off a demolition of the Bulls and have won 3 of their last 4. The Raps also have won 3 of the last 4 also with a big win over the Bulls. Safe to say Sam Mitchell will not be at the ACC for the re-match. Jay Triano will be and you have to wonder what he can do to get this team to be able to hang with Atlanta. The Raptors had a disappointing effort vs the Bucks. They were actually given the day off yesterday after that sub-par performance. Not that I am capable of coaching an NBA team, far from it. But I am pretty sure I would not have given the team a day off after the way they played. I am old school in believing you earn a day off. Even if it was a film work and no physical stuff I think it would send a message. The major question I have is can Jay Triano push this team. I think from what we have seen on the floor it seems this team needs a coach that will ride them hard. Not unlike a Sam Mitchell would or even if you want an upgrade from him how about Jeff Van Gundy.

Hedo has struggled this season and you can bet under his old coach in Stan Van Gundy there is no way he could get away with it. Now no one knows how Jay Triano is with this team behind closed doors. However in public he is very careful not to call out players. Maybe he shouldn't be. I liked the refreshing honesty that we saw from Jarrett Jack after the debacle that was the last game vs the Hawks. Jessie Ventura in old school 80's wrestling use to bill himself as the man who told it like it is. Well Jack did that in spades in Atlanta. It had a short term impact along with the team meeting that would follow. I think this team has to take things seriously and honestly evaluate itself and figure out how and what they need to do to get wins.

After all there are a lot of these teams in the East that are labouring to stay around the .500 mark. There has been a clear divide between the top 4 teams and everyone else. The Hawks have clearly placed themselves in the top group with the other 3 big hitters in Orlando,Boston and Cleveland. I have never given the Hawks much credit in the past but they have really turned the corner and raised the bar.

Tonight is not just about win or lose for the Raptors. To be honest about thing winning will be very difficult task for them. The Hawks based on who they are playing and where they sit our just better than Toronto. However win or lose how will the Raptors respond in terms of effort and energy. If the Hawks build a 10 point lead will the Raps fight back or roll over and play dead. This team when they are not playing well do not fight through adversity. Brandon Jennings got hot at the end of the first on Wednesday and the Raptors were cooked. If the Raptors fight hard and do not come out on top vs a team like the Hawks I think the majority of fans could live with that. However if they show no fight and accept defeat no one including them can be happy with that.

So cross your fingers and hope we see a scrappy and fighting Raptors team tonight cause they will need to be to have any chance at winning. If they are going to beat the Hawks they have a better chance doing it at the ACC as the Hawks are just 6-4 on the road so far this season.

No Pizza For You

In a season that seems to be here we go again, this is yet another example of something from the past coming back again. Everyone is familiar with the pizza promotion the Raptors do for scoring 100 points. In fact along with booing Vince Carter there is also a reference to it in NBA live 10. The Raptors last night failed to show the urgency that was required to win a basketball game when you have lost 3 in a row. While the fans at the end when it was CLEAR the Raptors had lost 4 in a row they cheer Hedo Turkoglu's 3 pointer that gave them free pizza. Let's not even go into the fact that Hedo has under performed and been a major disappointment and may not be worthy of cheers under any circumstances. He had a turnover that was pretty much the last straw in hope for winning that game. At least he gave the fans a 3 dollar slice of Pizza? Ridiculous and stupid.

We all like to think that Toronto has come a long way as a basketball city. There are many more knowledgeable people in the fan base and here on the internet. Yet all of those people have to endure the fact that we have moronic fans that are more concerned about if they get a free slice of pizza then a much needed win? How on earth can we expect people to take this city seriously as a basketball fan base? I have no idea what the players think about it. However if it were me I would be embarrassed by it.

I posted my displeasure on Twitter and got some responses. The best one I got suggested that the Raps should make the give away for when the Raptors hold the other team under a 100 points. They also suggested it should be for free Chinese food. That part was humorous but the first part I agree with. If you are going to keep this promotion with Pizza Pizza make it about something positive. This team has had it's challenges on D and average well above giving up 100 points so make it about stopping teams. If 100 is to high a number make it 90.

When it comes to all those people that cheered for the Pizza I hope it was worth it. When this team misses the playoffs in April, if they do, make sure you do not complain because you got your Pizza. It is insulting to the true fans of this team and this sport when this happens. It is one thing when fans boo Vince Carter but it is another when fans cheer for a slice of Pizza. It is safe to assume that everyone that was at the game paid at the least 10 times the value of that pizza to go. It is likely more than that but I am not going to take the time to do the math. Point is if you can afford to go to a game there is a pretty good chance you can afford a slice of pizza. While true fans are concerned about Playoffs and Wins...some are more into Cheese and Pepperoni. How pathetic is that? About has pathetic as the effort the Raptors put in last night in a loss to the Wizards.

The Raps now hit the road to Atlanta were they have to beg to get fans. I will gladly take those hardcore Hawk fans to be Raps fans over those fans that would like to cheer for Pizza. Maybe we can deport those fans to Atlanta they will have you because they are desperate for any fans. Where as in my mind we can do with out you. There are enough "Real" fans that you are not required. So instead of wasting your money on a Raptors ticket go by 10 slices of pizza and save us all the bother of having to deal with your stupidity.

I have even let it impact on me by wasting space having to make an issue of this. We should be talking about how on earth does the team get better. Should Amir Johnson be a starter and have Andrea take a seat? Will Jose Calderon ever be good again? Should Jay Triano be worried about his job? But were not talking about the game that I work my butt off to cover each day. No were talking about Pizza...not a game...Pizza.

By the way that reminds me....Welcome back to the NBA AI...Be thankful people are talking about Practice and not PIZZA!!!

Oh and I will be live blogging the Hawks and Raps for The Score...safe to say it will not be a Pizza Party but hopefully it will be fun. Raps are in very tough to get a win tonight. But at least it will not be a loss in front of a full house in the ATL.

Playoffs In July?

First off today there was an issue that occurred in early morning hours that rendered the Jack Armstrong Interview unplayable. I have fixed the problem and apologize to anyone that was not able to listen to it. You can hear it now here is a link to it.Thanks to a number of readers that made me aware of this problem. It has been a big couple days for the blog and thanks to all of you that have made that happen.

I have no guest today it is just me. Maybe I should interview myself? That would be odd wouldn't it? Something you might see in say the WWE? I admit that I totally forgot about Shaq hosting Raw on Monday night. But I was able to see the highlights yesterday. It was classic Shaq and I got some chuckles but WWE is not what it use to be. But the line of the night was not said by Shaq. It was said by Chris Jericho.

Jericho- " When I heard we were having the most dominant player in the NBA(As guest host of Raw) I naturally assumed it was Kobe Bryant "

Shaq could only respond by calling Jericho... Christina. That was pretty old and dated. WWE writers have gotten old and predictable. Same might be said for Shaq himself. No doubt the big man will be in the spotlight playing Robin to Lebron James as Batman. Will it work? That is one of the bigger questions heading into this NBA season.

In fact all top 4 teams in the East have made moves that they hope will upgrade their talent. Orlando has Ex-Raptor Vince Carter. Who I was reading the new NBA Live 10 when it comes out will get booed by Toronto fans in video game as well. Truly EA tries to live up to there motto of "If It's in the Game, It's in the Game". Rasheed Wallace is going to be a Celtic. Boston has had a number of trade rumours still buzzing so it is clear Danny Angie is not done. The Atlanta Hawks also have added Jamal Crawford to the mix. I think it is safe to say all 4 of these teams make the playoffs again unless something goes drastically wrong.

So that leaves 4 spots that last season were held by Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit. All of which have done very little in terms of getting better this off-season with exception of Detroit. Philadelphia has a new coach in Eddie Jordon. But they have lost there point guard Andre Miller. Miami has not exactly been loading up to keep D-Wade happy have they? Chicago lost Ben Gordon to the Pistons and he was a big part of what they did in the playoffs. Gordon along with Charlie Villianeuva are now Pistons. But really will this help the Pistons be better? The are former teammates at UConn.

Bottom line of all of it is for Raptors to make playoffs it takes one of these teams to fall back for them to get in. Truth be told you could make a case that all 4 of these teams could miss the playoffs. If I was going to rank who is most likely going to miss out it would go like this. With most likely team at top and least likely at the bottom.

Philadelphia (Sorry Jason Kapono and Eddie Jordan)
Chicago (Sorry Chuck Swirsky)
Detroit ( Joe Dumars prays I am wrong)
Miami ( D-Wade on his own can save the Heat )

I could see easily that 3 of the 4 may not make the playoffs. If that is true who the heck moves into those spots? Well here are my 3 picks to fill out the playoff field.

Toronto Raptors ( Seriously with all the moves if they don't it is a disaster of an epic nature)
Charlotte Bobcats ( Young and up coming Bobcats. Tyson Chandler might push them over top)
Washington Wizards ( Subject to Gilbert Arenas making it to opening night )

So what will it look like (Subject To Change)

1. Cleveland
2. Boston
3. Orlando
4. Atlanta
5. Toronto
6. Washington
7. Charlotte
8. Miami

Remember when people laughed about the the Southeast Division? 4 teams in the playoffs can that be right? It could be. Washington and Charlotte have a very small margin of error for me. Detroit and the Bulls should be teams right there if they should slip. This is just a snapshot thought and things can change. As for the Raptors being 5th? It seems the right place for them. They are not better than any of the top 4. Atlanta maybe is the closest with the other 3 miles ahead.

If I change my mind on this over the summer I will let you know. If you want to doubt this hey by all means. Predictions are subjective. I will point out though that I did predict the NBA Finals last year prior to the season. Not to many folks had the Orlando Magic playing the L.A Lakers did they? I got to brag about it now because really can I successfully call it 2 years in a row? That would have some long odds I am thinking.

Dirty Birds Still In Flight

If you have read this blog for a longtime you know that the Dino Blogger is not a fan of the Atlanta Hawks. I have referred to they as the dirty birds. Well last night they gave an example of why I do not like this basketball team. Josh Smith in what had been a rough and heated(No Pun Intended) decided to try to practice for the dunk contest in the playoffs. He tried to do the dunk that Vince Carter did putting it through his legs. He missed the dunk and it only will add more fuel to the fire of what is becoming a nasty series. Every time you looked away someone was going down. Al Horford was taken out and you will hear no sympathy from me for him. I think he is reason the Raptors have gone totally off course. He was the guy that sent T.J Ford crashing to the ground and the Raptors have never been the same since. But back to the series, Dwyane Wade took a hard fall and from that point this game changed and the Heat got taken out of their game.

You had Toronto's own Jamal Maglorie trying to be tough guy and causing a lot of pushing and shoving. To be honest for those of you that are hockey fans out there, Heat and Hawks is the series for you. Lots of that non-sense that you see in hockey with push and shoving and general nasty stuff. If the Heat want to win this series they need to focus on playing basketball and forget about the nonsense. The Hawks are a team that lacks discipline and leadership. However if all this nonsense leads to the Hawks winning a series will anyone care how they did it? One last thing on the Hawks. If you have ever watched a regular season game from the ATL you have to be like me and shocked at where all these people came from. They must have had to have someone go through the area to dust off all those seats that are now filled for the playoffs.

Meanwhile the Hornets fell hard again. There have been a lot of bad loses to reflect back on in this Raptors season. One of them was against the Denver Nuggets. It cost Sam Mitchell his job. Did a over 50 point lose in the playoffs do the same for Bryon Scott? I don't think so. But it is clear that the Hornets have some major re-tooling to do. Denver beat them again in what was not as bad a blowout. But after being tied at the half the Nuggets rolled in the second half. Add another player to the list of people not named T-Mac that have advanced to the 2nd round. Carmelo Anthony was 0-5 in round 1. But he now can say he to is one up on T-Mac. That is unless you count the fact the Rockets may advance without T-Mac. But I don't think that counts does it. Besides if the Rockets lose in game 6 in Houston they may not advance anyway. Game 7 at the Rose Garden I am all over the Blazers. That is a big reason why I picked the Blazers in 7. That being said I picked the Hornets in 7 for an upset. Well not so much on that one.

Which D-12 elbow will hurt the Magic more. There was the one that landed on Sam Dalembert that got him suspended for Game 6 in Philly. There was the other one the injured Courtney Lee who was having a good series for the Magic. I think if the Sixers can not win this series they really have no one to blame. The Magic have given them chance after to chance to win this series. The biggest of those is this game 6 to extend the series to 7 games. Gortat as much as he may have a growing fan base. Not since Ivan" Polish Power" Putski was in the WWF has there been a more famous Polish person. Wait a second, there was Pope John Paul II, ok so make that most famous Polish person in sports. But there is no one in Poland and perhaps on the planet earth like Dwight Howard. After all he is Superman. If Stan Van Gundy can some how get the Magic a win we should demand they re-open the coach of the year voting. No Howard and No Lee is odds that seem very long for the Magic indeed. Blue and White Ignite cause Game 7 is coming soon to Orlando.

As far as the Raptors go not much to talk about for now. Bryan Colangelo is over in Europe on a scouting mission. The MLSE Board will met sometime in early May he will likely recommend that Jay Triano is kept on as head coach and they will ponder and agree with Bryan. So you can expect an announcement probably prior to the NBA Lottery happens. Colangelo has a lot of work to do this off-season. You talk to the casual fan and they have concluded that the Raptors Suck. It is hard to give people a logical explanation to say that they do not. Bosh or no Bosh and all the rest of it. Perhaps the most interesting thing will be the draft as Colangelo has made it known that he will be shopping for another pick in round one. Raptors also may be bringing in an old draft pick next year in Giorgos Printezis. He was traded for by Colangelo in the second round a couple years ago. It was a trade with the Spurs as I recall. He was on the Greek Roster for last season in the Olympic Qualifier and the Olympics. He did not see much time and is still just 23 years old. So he is not going to fix the Raptors. However he could be a small part in adding to the toughness that Bryan Colangelo made clear needs to be added.

Raptors Rewind- Rare Monday Afternoon Edition

These are exciting times that we live in. Obama becomes President tomorrow and it is Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in the United States today. Even some excitement in Raptor world with talk of a trade of Jermaine O'Neal. The Raptors will play the Hawks in the city that was home to Dr.King. I would like to think we will have a classic to talk about. But I am not sure of that happening. The Raptors on the second half of a back to back after playing the Suns. But here is something to get excited about the debut Nathan Jawai. He has been pressed into action because Jermaine O'Neal is a no go again. Raptors had said he would try to go today but not happening. You can draw your own conclusions as to why that is. Chris Bosh will play after turning an ankle late in the loss to the Suns. Jason Kapono is out of sick bay, as he sat yesterday with the flu. No Jose Calderon in this one still out with a bad hamstring. Kris Humphries is also a no go as he picked up some injury in the game yesterday.I mean that was a long list. Well who ever the Raptors have to throw out there will have a tough task. The Hawks are not flying as high as earlier in the year but are still 4th in the east. In fact they have lost 6 of 8 heading into this one. But the Raptors have lost 5 straight with lots of close calls for the injury filled Raptor roster. After yesterday no surprise that Parker and Graham will start at the point and shooting guard spots. So here we go ready or not.

1st Quarter

Raptors need a win, any way possible that is the bottom line. Raptors lose the tip but get a steal and a score from Andrea Bargnani. The Hawks get an answer from Mike Bibby. Joey Graham has career high 22 yesterday. He gets his first two point of this day with a mid range jumper. Mike Bibby has another basket this time a 3 pointer. The Hawks lead early 5-4 just under ten minutes to play in the quarter. Both teams were shooting a little cold with the early start. But Bargnani was looking good with his second basket. But Mike Bibby again scores and he has 7 and the Raptors have 6. Jamario Moon would give the Raptors the lead with a jumper for 2. The Raptors would get a couple from Bargnani for the line. The Raptors had a 12-9 lead. Atlanta would get a 3 pointer to even up the score. Chris Bosh was looking ok despite the ankle turn and he scored on the glass. Joey Graham would score on the break off a turnover and Raptors. Joe Johnson would hit a 3 pointer to pull the Hawks back again. He was now getting his stroke from range with 2 three point shots. Jamario Moon had an answer from 3 point range. Raptors lead 18-15 with about four and half minutes to play in the opening quarter.

Raptors would extend the lead to 5 points the largest of the day. Raptors would get a chance to build on that after a Hawks turnover. But they would not get it done but an air ball from the Hawks that went out of bounds would give them another chance. However Parker would miss on that chance. A third chance to get it done but a miss and a 4th with offensive rebound. Chris Bosh would get to the line and finally give Raps a chance to extend the lead.

Bosh steps to the line after a time out and makes both. They have a 22-15 lead with under 3 minutes to play. A nice Mike Bibby pass leads to a score. A turnover and another Bibby dime drop leads to another 2 points. Raptors respond with a basket and Josh Smith responds to that with a truly wonderful throw down. Hawks would continue the run from the line making a pair. Hawks on a 6-0 run and cut the Raptor lead to just 24-23. A rookie mistake by Roko Ukic would lead to a turnover. But the Hawks failed to take advantage and grab the lead. They would get a buzzer beater half court chance as well but it did not fall. So the Raptors hang on just barely to a 24-23 first quarter lead.

2nd Quarter

Bosh and Bargnani had 8 each to lead the Raptors. Johnson had 8 and Bibby had 7 for the Hawks. Jake Voskhul had checked in and missed a jumper to start the second quarter. Roko Ukic would get to the hoop and score on the next trip to open the scoring in the 2nd. Bargnani would miss a 3 pointer for his first attempt of the second quarter. Andrea would curl into the paint and make a jumper in the paint to score on his next chance. Raptors lead by 4 points with the score 28-24 and 9:57 to play in the half. Joe Johnson would get his first score of second quarter on a jumper. Jason Kapono as mentioned was back and he made a jumper to reply.

A steal for Raptors would not turn into point as Jake Voskhul missed a turn around jumper. Jason Kapono would get his shoot to fall and Raptors lead 32-26 as the scoring pace had slowed to a slow crawl. Chris Bosh with a nifty little one handed effort in the paint. Joe Johnson would respond with his 3rd make from beyond the arc of the day. Raptors still lead 34-29 with under 6 minutes to play. But the Hawks would get a score to cut the lead a little more. Parker on the move hit a fading jumper.Mike Bibby answered with a score plus a foul but he would miss the shot. Roko Ukic showed his skill and quicks driving to the basket for a score. Flip Murry had a counter for the Hawks as he drained a basket. Raptors hanging on leading 38-35. Chris Bosh would get fouled and head to the line making both. He had 12 points and 7 boards already.

The Hawks would get a score and there was more bad news then that for the Raptors. On the play what looked like a moving screen would send Anthony Parker to the ground in pain. The Raptors already were very short handed. They could not afford another player going down. Parker would get attention during the time out and remained in the game. Perhaps a good acting job to try to sell the non-call. Let's hope so. Bosh meanwhile would get to the line. Making the first but missing the second. Roko Ukic would show some speed and skill again to get a score. Raptors lead 43-38 with just over 2 minutes to play in the half. Bargnani would get to the line and he would make both and Raptors had a 45-38 lead. Bosh had an easy chance to extend the lead miss and Josh Smith would make Raps pay on other end. Bosh would not make a mistake a second time as he scored. He would then find Moon for a score as the Raptors got a turnover and scored on the break. Raptors were showing that they could close out a quarter as they had a 10-2 run and a 51-40 lead. A late foul on Joe Johnson allowed the Hawks to get 2 points closer to make halftime score 51-42.

3rd Quarter

Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson shared game high scoring honours as they both had 15. Bosh had 8 rebounds as well with no J.O helping on the glass. No Nathan Jawai as well I am hoping we get to see the big Aussie get on the floor. I won't lie in saying I am rooting for Nathan Jawai. I have learned a lot about him and think he can still be a great story. Raptors shot the lights out going 50% from the field and 11 of 12 from the free throw line. But the Raptors would miss there first attempt of the second half. After the missed screen in the first half the refs saw one early in second half. But the Raptors could not take advantage of the extra possession. Mike Bibby would make the pay with a 3 pointer on next Hawks trip. He would follow that with a 2 point effort. Anthony Parker would finally get the Raps on the board and they now lead by just 6 with score 53-47. Chris Bosh would get to the line thanks to Zaza who had 4 fouls in the game. Bosh would split a pair. Zaza would take a seat with his 4 fouls. Parker would get the score on the break with a pretty ball fake and then take to the hoop for two. Raptors had re-established their nine point lead they had to start the half.

Hawks out of a time out would have Mike Bibby pull up and nail a jumper. Andrea Bargnani would answer with a jumper of his own. Josh Smith would get a score for the home side Hawks he had 13 on the day. Mike Bibby tried to cut the lead more with a 3 ball that would be short on the mark. Parker made a bad turnover and Mike Bibby was off to the races. But he was looking in his rear view for Jamario Moon and forgot to make the lay up. Raptors catch a break. Joe Johnson was not offering another as he made a jump shot from the baseline. Hawks had closed the gap to 58-53. Raptors had missed 6 straight attempts on the offensive end. Josh Smith did not miss in a chance to cut the lead to 3 points. Flip Murry pressured by Parker would fumble away a chance for the Hawks to close further.

Raptors struggles continued with an ugly miss by Bargnani. But he would get on the glass and rebound a Kapono miss to score and end an 0-9 or 10 effort from the Raptors. Hawks would answer with a score right away. Raptors were hanging on to a 60-57 lead thanks to creating turnovers . Kapono would get a basket and extend the lead. Josh Smith answered to keep the lead at just three points. But a Kapono miss gave Bibby a chance to cut the lead to 1 with another score for him. There was 1:16 to go and Hawks had a chance to take the lead but Joe Johnson had a rare misfire. Roko Ukic not the high end shooter Johnson is but he would find a way to get a score with a nice little fading jumper. The Raptors were not playing well but still on top. Hawks had another chance to tie but Jake Voskhul got on the glass and made a rebound which would end up keeping the Raptors on top after 3. But it was now only a 64-62 lead after 3 quarters on a Monday Afternoon.

4th Quarter

How many times have we been here this season? Raptors with a lead but looking like they could lose it at any moment. Raps shooting % had dropped from 50 to 40%. That is how bad they shot it in the 3rd quarter. Josh Smith would waste no time driving straight to the basket and getting to the line. Foul would be on Joey Graham and just like that we were tied less then 10 seconds in. Ukic would commit a ill timed turnover after that. However the Hawks would not be able to score and take the lead. But another Raptor jumper that did not fall. But Hawks again miss. Jason Kapono would make the first 3 pointer of the day for the Raptors. So fans of that 3 point streak can rest easy. More important to me was Raptors managed to take back the lead. Hawks would get a two pointer to pull back to just 1 down.

Chris Bosh would travel and turn it over. The Hawks took the lead on a Flip Murry jumper. Joe Johnson would extend that lead with a short little jumper just outside of the paint on the baseline. Hawks now had a 70-67 lead in a battle of two teams that looked like they were in bad need of a win. Not that they were playing well more like the opposite from both sides. But the Hawks were the team looking the least brutal at the moment. Raptors already had 3 turnovers in the quarter and we were just 3 minutes into it. Parker would make a baseline jumper for 2. Mike Bibby who is on that list of Raptor killers and he would make a big three pointer to answer the Parker jumper. Flip Murry would find himself as open as can be and make a three. But it was not joking matter as the Raptors were looking like they were going to blow another basketball game.

Andrea Bargnani would get a basket plus a foul which he would miss. But that was a good thing as Bosh would tap it back in for a unconventional 4 point play. It had pulled the Raptors back to down just 76-75. Joe Johnson would shoot a technical foul that was called on Bargnani. He got that for arguing a call against him on a foul. To be honest I never saw what happened. Hawks end up with a net two out three free throws. It gave the Hawks a 78-75 lead. Josh Smith would make his way to line looking to build the lead but he missed both his attempts. Jamario Moon on other end made him pay for that by nailing a 3-ball all tied at 78. Bosh after Atlanta could not answer he would make a jumper. Raptors 80-78 lead would be short lived as the Hawks were quick to tie the score. Raptors got to work on the offensive glass and Bosh would eventually cash in and score. Joe Johnson was quick to respond. That would be answered by Anthony Parker and it was Raptors on top 84-82. There was 1:50 left. Could the Raptors close it out this time? Joe Johnson would draw a foul on Jamario Moon. Bosh was upset with Moon's effort. But Johnson only could make 1-2. Raptors still lead but failed to score on offense. Moon would get tagged for another foul. It made Moon luagh but CB4 was not amused. Bibby meantime would make the shoots and give the Hawks the lead. Raptors down 85-84 with 54.4 seconds and a time out called. Raps inbounded ball to Bosh who turned it over but Hawks could not convert. But Jamario Moon took a quick 3 pointer and missed it. Joe Johnson would make Raps pay and extend the lead to 3 points with just 12.5 to play. Raps had two chances at a 3 pointer the first blocked and the second missed. Again the Raptors found a way to lose and that is 6 in a row and this is just starting to become predictable. Hawks take it 87-84. The trip gets no easier as the Raptors head to the Motor City to take on the Pistons. The boxscore of this one for you to figure out how the Raptors lost again.

Hawks/Raptors Boxscore

Moon and Bosh who both made key mistakes had very different looks on their faces. I am not trying to start anything by saying this. But it seemed very clear that Chris Bosh was less than thrilled with Jamario Moon. Fans will not be happy with Bosh or Moon as both made key mistakes down the stretch. This is just starting to have the look of a team that has no answers for the problems they have. Whatever trade or moves that are coming I am not sure what they will do to change that. Not exactly a happy note to end on. But it is an honest one. Even the fact Nathan Jawai never got a chance to get in there left me personally disappointed. FREE BIG NATE. I promise once you do you'll be surprised. He can't do any worse then some of the stuff we are seeing out there that is for sure.

Matrix Not Yet Loaded

Well if you have not heard about the rumoured trade between Miami and Toronto. Where have you been? But this morning Pat Riley has poured some water on to the fire that a deal may happen right away. What was true is that both Jermaine O'Neal and Shawn Marion both did not play yesterday. In a strange touch of Irony the Raptors and Heat were part of the only 2 games on Sunday in the NBA. Still this article in the Miami Herald suggests we are all putting the cart before the horse according to Riley. Here is a link for you to check it out.

Miami Herald on J.O/Marion Trade Rumours

But in that article there is no denial of the deal happening down the line. If you noticed yesterday Bryan Colangelo in his normal (little bunker as I like to call it) place was working his blackberry. That may not mean much. The fact he declined to talk on CBC about the issue may have meant just a bit more.

But the sober reality trade or not is the road to a playoff spot keeps getting longer and longer for the Raptors. As we sit here today the Raptors would need to go 25-15 just to finish with a .500 record. That is one thing the other is how many teams are in front of the Raptors. No matter what the Raptors do they will need help from a lot of teams not doing as well as they do to move up the ladder.

Atlanta Is No Joke

I was one of the people that did not believe in the Hawks this year. But it looks like taking the Celtics to 7 games in last year's playoffs has been a building point for the Hawks. No Josh Childress was not a big deal as they let him walk to earn some bigger bucks in Europe. Joe Johnson has really grown into a star in his own right since leaving the Suns. He is the major scoring force that drives this team. The Hawks have taken a lot of heat for passing on point guards like Deron Williams and Chris Paul. Those were still terrible moves but a trade to bring in Mike Bibby has proved to be a success for the Hawks.

They sit with the 4th best record in the Eastern Conference. They are 23-16 far behind the Top 3 teams in the East. They have a number of teams looking at them as the only shot they would have to get home court advantage for the Playoffs.

Raptors have split to match-ups with the Hawks back in November. The most recent was a 93-88 win on November 28th. However it was the Hawks that handed the Raptors the first of what would be many losses this year. They beat down the Raptors 110-92 in Atlanta on November 7th.

Boxscores- Nov 7 th- Hawks and Raptors
Nov 28th- Hawks and Raptors

So that is a quick set up for today's game. It is going to be a good week here at Dino Nation Blog as we have some guests scheduled to come visit. So it should be a good week. Will we have a trade to talk about? That is a good question that still does not have an answer yet.

Raptors Rewind- Hawks Invade ACC

Toronto Raptors the last time they saw the Atlanta Hawks the would get soundly beaten. They would have to try to that without Jermaine O'Neal. They almost had to do it without Chris Bosh as well. Why? Seems that even an NBA All-Star can get stuck in an elevator. So some repair man in Toronto could be the M.V.P for the Raptors tonight for getting the star player to the arena in time to make the tip. The Hawks were hoping to have Josh Smith back who has been out since he left the game vs the Raptors early in the season. But he was not going to go. So with everyone present and accounted for it was time to play some basketball at the A.C.C.

1st Quarter

So with no J.O the Raptors would go with Jamario Moon again in the starting line-up. I admit it would not have shocked me to see Joey Graham in the starting line-up. But that was not the case. The Hawks would control the tip and Mike Bibby who killed the Raptors in the last game would miss his first shot. Moon would score on the other end. Raptors never lead the last time they played Atlanta. Jose Calderon would hook up Bosh and he would get sent to the line. He would make 1-2 and Raptors were off to a 5-2 start. Both teams were looking a bit chilly. But Mike Bibby after missing his first had a two pointer and now hit a 3-ball followed by another 2 pointer. A quick 7 for Bibby and a 9-5 lead for Atlanta. Anthony Parker who had a bucket early would hit a 3 pointer to cut the lead to just 1.

Andrea Bargnani was having a slow start till the lane opened for him for a drive and jam the Raptors still were down 11-10. Chris Bosh would respond to an Atlanta score with a basket and a foul shot to come with a chance to tie it up. He would hit the shot all even at 13-13. Anthony Parker had his second steal early on and that like the first would lead to points for Andrea Bargnani to make a 3-pointer. Andrea would miss on anther long attempt but on the third time he go the ball in a short span he would drive and score. Raptors had a 18-15 lead. Atlanta would close to with in one again only to see Chris Bosh score and make the lead back to 3 points at 20-17. Chris Bosh has said he wants to be the M.V.P and tonight he was dropping dimes along with buckets. He had 4 assists early on making his team come along for the ride. Jose Calderon had a open 3-pointer that would have given Chris assist number 5 but he missed it. Jamario Moon would hit a jumper for that assist number 5 for Chris Bosh. Raptors were still in a close battle despite all of that. Jose Calderon would make a basket to make it 24-21 Toronto. Atlanta would turn it over and a last second chuck by Joey G would not fall. So the score remained 24-21 Raptors after 1 quarter.

2nd Quarter

Jose Calderon would start the second with a nice media range jumper. Jason Kapono would score and Joey Graham scored too. the Raptors had a 6-0 run to start the quarter. Raptors had a 30-21 lead on the Hawks. I don't want to say it but could it be that Joey Graham has finally got it? He scored and got fouled and made that. Chris Bosh would return to see his team up by 10 with the score 33-23. Jason Kapono is actually taking and making shots. The Raptors were getting a lot of solid efforts from a lot of folks. Chris Bosh would think a long time about taking a 3 pointer he would but would miss. Evans on the other would not wait a second to take and make his 3-point effort. The Hawks were starting to fight back and a Marvin Williams jumper cut the lead down to just 4 points. That was enough for Sam Mitchell to look to regroup with a time out.

Chris Bosh out of the time out would pass out of double and get it back from Jose and score. He would than combine with Jose for a highlight worth alley-opp. Seems that Sam Mtichell message was pass the ball to Chris. That is always a wise move. Jamario Moon maybe feeling the Joey G heat on his heels? Whatever the reason he was taking and making a couple nice jump shots. The Raptors and Hawks were having a good little battle with the Raptors up 43-39. Joe Johnson who had been quiet had a score and a steal that would lead to a score for a team mate. We were all tied at 43. While Joe was getting going Joey was cooling off. He would miss and Atlanta would come down the other end and Mike Bibby would hit a open 3 ball in transition. Bibby would get another chance to score as he was fouled on a break to the basket. His 5 points were the margin for his Hawks up 48-43. Jason Kapono would respond with a 3-pointer for the Raptors. The hawks would get one more basket before the time expired. The Raptors had seen the lead slip away down the stretch. Hawks had a 50-46 lead thanks to the late push to close the half.

3rd Quarter

Chris Bosh would get the first touch of the second half and make it count he has 12 so far. Hawks would answer and both teams were trading baskets early. Chris Bosh would score and get to the line and hit. Raptors were within 1 now early in the 3rd quarter. But a key second chance for the Hawks and Bibby would make a 3-ball of the offensive rebound. But Chris Bosh did not care he had another basket and 7 in the quarter. He was trying to keep the Raptor alive on his own again. Atlanta was getting some key second chances but this time they could not get it. However beyond Bosh nobody was making buckets. Andrea Bargnani picked up his 4th foul on the evening but would remain in the game for now. The Raptors with no J.O were very thin in the front court.

Mike Bibby was killing the Raptors again as he had 20 points on 7-9 shooting. Hawks had a 59-57 lead that Bibby was a big part of. A.P would make a jumper to help the cause. Hawks were beating the Raptors on the glass and that was helping as well. A rare Bibby miss and a chance to pull even for the Raptors. But it would not happen as Raptors got tagged for a 3 second violation. A.P would draw a charge to give the Raptors and give Raps a second chance. But Bosh would get called for an offensive foul on the other end. Al Horford would extend the lead back to 4 points. Jose Calderon would miss a shot he had hit the floor earlier and was possibly a bit banged up. Well a bit more banged up is more accurate. Chris Bosh would score though and he once again was allowing the Raptors to hang around. If not for Bosh this game may be a blow out. Thank you Mr. Elevator Repair Man. Hawks, despite looking like the better team were just up 61-59.

Joe Johnson would score on the runner. But Chris Bosh was more than happy to answer with a jumper of his own. Hawks again scored and it was again Chris Bosh with the answer. It really is amazing how good Bosh has been this year. If people could just step up and help this team could be good. Will Solomon was checking in for Jose. He has been little used of late. He would jack up a shot and do nothing to lose his Mike James tag. Next time the Raptors would get the ball to bosh who found Kapono for a 3-ball. Bosh would score again and he had 15 in the quarter and the Raptors had the lead back. Will Solomon made a good defensive play leading to a turnover for the Hawks. It would end up with Kris Humphries on the line looking to extend the Raptor lead. He would make both. Just like the Raptors faded in the second the Hawks did the same in the 3rd quarter. The Toronto Raptors lead 69-65.

4th Quarter

Chris Bosh may have showed up late for work but he sure was making up for that with his performance on the floor. Sam Mitchell may just tell him to show up late every night if he kept this up. But late or early, Chris Bosh had been just out of this world all year long. The star of the show had a block to start the 4th. It would lead to Kris Humphries getting a basket on the other end. Bosh would than get a score and the Raptors had 12-0 run going and lead 73-65.

Joe Johnson would break the run out of the time out. Joey Graham back on track with a basket a steal and a dunk? Wow that is a dose of "Good Joey" in a major way. The Raptors had a 10 point lead to defend. The Hawks would get a 3 pointer and cut it back down to 7 points. The Joey Graham show was back on track he had another dunk on an offensive rebound. A historic moment at the A.C.C... a Joey chant. I admit it I really don't want to believe but I think I am starting to believe. Raptors lead was 83-74. Marvin Williams would get a basket and the Hawks had scored a couple straight buckets and lead was trimmed to 5 points.

Bosh to this point he had 27 points and 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Both teams were cold and the next basket would be key. Jason Kapono would make that basket with another 3 pointer for him. Chris Bosh would continue to answer the call with a basket plus a foul and would be heading to the line with a chance to get 30 on the night. But more important to him extend the Raptor lead to 9 points. he made it and Raptor lead 89-80 with under 4 minutes to play. Evans got a basket after a Bargnani turnover and the lead was down to 7. Another failed Raptor trip Hawks score and the lead was down to 5 points.

Hawks had a chance to get even closer with under 2 minute to play. Evans got a open look from 3 but could not connect. But Raptor miss again and Mike Bibby scored. Jose would answer with drive and score only to see Bibby do the same. Raptors would than almost have another turnover with :38 but would get 1 second added to the shot clock. A time out to figure out how they can get something to the basket quickly to avoid a turnover. Turns out it was a shot clock violation after all. Hawks had a chance to tie with a 3-ball. they would go for a two point effort and fitting that Chris Bosh would get the key rebound. Just 16 seconds to play and the Raptors would be heading to the foul line for some very important free throws. Raptors were able to inbound this time. Jason Kapono was the guy on the line. He made the critical first shot. and he made the second. A long 3 ball did not fall and this game was done as the Raptors would dribble it out for a key win before a brutal road trip. So the Raptors have won 2 in a row thanks to a 93-88 win. The chances of making it 3 in a row would be very tough as they play the Lakers. But let's enjoy this win and leave worrying about that till Sunday. Another M.V.P type night for the man in the 4 Jersey. Hang it in the rafters now because Bosh is that good. How good? check the boxscore

Raptors vs Hawks Boxscore

The Path To Christmas Is Tough For Raptors

There has been a great deal of talk about what lies ahead for the Toronto Raptors as relates to the schedule. The road to a visit from Santa is a tough one for the Toronto Raptors. They will need to keep hard at work through this holiday season. This is a key reason why a game like tonight versus the Bobcats is very important for this team to get back on track. After that they will take on the Atlanta Hawks who they have already faced this year. That was a rather one sided loss to the Hawks in Atlanta that the Raptors lost 110-92. So to say a win over the Hawks will be easy is not being honest. Also when you factor in the one of the Raptors that played well in that game will likely not be active for that game. Jermaine O'Neal was one of the few guys that could hold his head high after that game in Atlanta based on his personal performance.

This is followed by a 3 game road trip out west that the Raptors will not be the favourite in any of these games. Lakers, Nuggets and Jazz would all be favoured to get a win over the Raptors. So if the Raptors do not get at least a win tonight over the Bobcats they could be on the verge of a long and painful losing streak. You may have heard a lot of folks are not happy with Coach Sam Mitchell. People already are wanting him to be fired. A long losing streak would only add to that idea of a change at the coaching position. It would be difficult to imagine Sam Mitchell finding a way to get through that. The Thunder and Wizards have already made changes early on in this NBA season. But both of those teams were truly in rough shape. That being said if the Raptors are having a 7-game losing streak heading into a home game versus Portland. Can you just imagine the scene at the Air Canada Centre if Mitchell was still the coach? I can and do not want to imagine it. The scene would be very ugly indeed. It already is pretty ugly at the moment.

When you look even further ahead you see the following:

• King James and Cavs
• T.J Ford's Return
• 2 more with Nets (1@ NJ, 1 in Tor)
• Chris Paul and Hornets
• Tim Ducan and a Spurs team that could be fully healthy

About the only softies you will find in the Raps schedule heading towards Christmas is games against the Thunder and Clippers.

The point to all of this is the Raptors need to get their act together in a hurry or the fate of Sam Mitchell is not the only thing on the line it could be the fate of the season itself. A team that is battling through injuries and facing a lot of pressure has to some how find a way to find itself and get this season back on track. Before the season ever got started people said that as in the past the Raptors schedule was front loaded. Meaning that the games before the end of the year would be much tougher. After the start of 2009 just as in past seasons the Raptors see a schedule that sees more home dates and a bit easier level of teams to face. But to truly take advantage of that they must find a way to survive to that point.

Few Points On Tonight Vs Charlotte

Yesterday I touched on how the Bobcats put it together to beat the Sixers. The game plan they used in that game could be useful for them tonight. But the Raptors to offer more in the way of 3-point shooting than the Sixers provide. Guys like Anthony Parker and Jason Kapono could be helpful for the Raptors tonight. They will need someone to step up and help Chris Bosh. It should be no surprise to anyone if you see the Bobcats just decide to double up on Bosh at every turn. That will make it key for others to make shots.

On the flip side you have to have some major concern on how the Raptors will deal with yet another speedy point guard in D.J Augustin and he along with Raymon Felton have been being used on the floor together at times and it is something the Bobcats used very effectively against the Sixers. So much so that rumours of trades for Jason Richardson have surfaced over the last few days. After we find out check out the Raptor Rewind to look back on how it happened or if you saw it for yourself a bit of a review.

For more on tonight's game here is a link to Holly Mackenzie with her notes from down at the ACC.

Court Surfing- Game Day Notes

Coming Attractions....Lebron James

I just wanted to chime in on the Lebron James show last night in NYC. I give Lebron a ton of credit he does create an energy for things like this game. He also more times than not lives up to the moment. The Cavs crushed the Knicks and by the end of it Knick fans were almost like Cav fans as they made their voices heard that Lebron James is more than welcome to come to New York in 2010. James even debuted shows for this game which were called "Big Apple" or something along that line. I am not one of these folks that cares about shoes. It is the guys in them that concern me. But James is always as savvy from a marketing perspective as he is on the floor as a player. So every trip to N.Y.C till 2010 for James will be an event and that is why he will continue to feed the speculation to where he may go in 2010. In him saying nothing about it that speaks volumes. Cleveland fans would love to hear him but an end to all of this and say he is not going to leave. But that would make no sense to do that for Lebron James and ultimately that is who is his first concern.

Tomorrow is our Anniversary

It will mark one year tomorrow that the Dino Nation Blog first got started on Facebook. It was come a heck of a long way in that time and it has been a great year. I am going to talk about all of that and announce the details for a contest we are having to celebrate the anniversary of this blog being started. So if you are new to the blog you can learn a bit on what has gone on before you found us. If you are not you can enjoy my reflecting back on what has been a truly great year for me. I have got to know so many great folks from the guest to the readers and it has been a great thrill for me. So I encourage everyone to check in tomorrow for that. But we have a game to talk about before that. So check back later tonight for Raptor Rewind of Bobcats and Raptors.