Jack Armstrong Is Here For The Starting 5

If we were to have a #TeamDNB for guests, this man would be our first round pick without question. Jack Armstrong stops by to chat about the Raptors season and the off-season that lies ahead. We don't touch on the draft to much as the ping pong balls have yet to give us the answer as to where the Raptors will ultimately select. That said Jack has agreed to come back and get us all set for the draft. What we do talk about is a number of topics of interest. Does there need to be a change to the lottery system to improve it and try to prevent the whole concept of tanking from impacting on the game. Reflecting on the first season for Dwane Casey as Raptors head coach. Can Andrea Bargnani be the guy that opened eyes at the beginning of the season. What do Demar DeRozan and Ed Davis need to do in the coming off-season? Will James Johnson ultimately fit in a role as a back up for the Raptors should they likely upgrade at his position. How Bryan Colangelo will approach this upcoming off-season with his future in Toronto on the line. Also get Jack's thoughts on the Nets move to Brooklyn as he is a native of that area. In addition something I never knew about what NBA Team tried to steal Jack from us in Toronto. It is a lengthy but enjoyable conversation with Jack as it always tends to be when he takes time to join us.




As I mentioned Jack will be back to talk about the draft once the Lottery Balls have fallen. He obviously gave you a hint on his feelings on Anthony Davis but safe to say almost everyone shares that opinion that he is the consensus number one pick heading into the draft. We will be reaching out to others getting their thoughts on the season and off-season to come in the next few weeks. So stay tuned and be on the look out for more guests as we get prepared for the off-season. Jack is an honorary member of #TeamDNB for me. He has become our most popular guest over the years and it is mainly because of two things. The first is Jack and his no nonsense approach mixed with good humour that Raptor fans have come to love. Second his willingness to be a guest on a regular basis and show faith in me to do a good interview. Those two things are what has made him are most frequent and most popular guest in The Starting 5 and we are thrilled as always to have him on with us.

James Johnson in The Starting 5.

I have started to come around in terms of James Johnson. When you go back to his draft year, the Raptors had been said to be considering him for their pick that year. They did not end up drafting him and he was eventually selected by the Bulls. Last season the Bulls decided to trade him to the Raptors in a deal near the deadline. I was not really excited about it. It to me was a sign that things did not look good for Sonny Weems who I like as a player and personally. Bit by bit I have started to change my opinion on Johnson as a player. He has been very impressive with his play on defence. He is now slowly starting to show signs on the offensive end of the floor. I don't think he has done enough to say he solves the Raptors problems at the small forward position as a starter. But he has shown that he can be a part of the puzzle. If I was on the fence talking with him last night prior to the Raptors game vs the Hawks got me off it.

It was an interesting chat. We began talking about how his training in martial arts and how it converts to the basketball floor. MMA training has become popular with athletes in many sports and I have seen many good features about how that training translates to football. There has been a lot of talk in broadcasts about the work he has been investing in his jump shot so we talk about that as well. In addition the difficulties that both this season and the odd lockout off-season had on him being able to improve his game. I really found this a honest and interesting interview hope you will feel the same.



One of the things that has been widely talked about is the struggles of Demar DeRozan and Ed Davis this season. I think through what James had to say it gives you a window into how not just for him, but for all the Raptors, it was a tough off-season to improve lacking the support and direction they would normally have. This combined with the tough grind of this NBA schedule makes improvement a larger challenge. I had talked about this topic with Jack Armstrong in a previous edition of the Starting 5. In this interview you get the player prospective on the issues this off-season had for players.

It makes you think that maybe we should factor that in before we judge any of these young players to harshly. In many ways this was an off-season for them in which no matter the amount of work they put in, without the direction that they would normally have, it made it harder, if not impossible to gain the maximum results you would see in a normal off-season. It is a big factor even if you don't want to accept it as an excuse. It was at the very least a challenge for every player to have to overcome.

James Johnson like everyone else continues to work hard despite a situation for a young team that is far from ideal. Which is something Dwane Casey made reference to in reflecting on the team through the first month of this NBA Season. The lack of practice time and the most busy January in Raptors history made things challenging. Not to mention the many injuries the Raptors have had to deal with, the most significant to Andrea Bargnani. But as Johnson said, it is just a case of you really have no days off if you hope to improve in a season such as this. That will test you both mentally and physically which lends itself well to Johnson's background in martial arts.

Starting 5 With Matt Devlin From Denver

Today in the Starting 5 we catch up with Matt Devlin on the road with the Raptors in Denver, after some extra work last night in calling a double OT win for the Dinos in Utah. We start with conversation on that game and the unfortunate injury to Andrea Bargnani. Also look back a bit at the win in Phoenix. We also talk about the major step up Bargnani has made on the floor and Matt says who he thinks deserves the credit for it. In addition thoughts on the struggles of Ed Davis, Amir Johnson and Demar DeRozan. We also get into some discussion as well about James Johnson. Matt shares his thoughts on how Johnson reminds him of a player he covered prior to coming to Toronto still playing in the league today. All this and some talk of Jack Armstrong and Tebowing in Denver. It is a informative and hopefully fun conversation for your listening pleasure. We also make reference to Matt's road segment that appears on Raptors.com "Life on the 2nd Bus". Matt references the latest episode so I wanted to give you folks a link to it. Someone apparently Tebow's in it given the fact the Raptors are in Denver. As for the picture that comes from the Raptor press room from a game I covered last season. You might remember it as with Matt's blessing I posted it on Twitter. So with out further adieu here is the latest episode of The Starting 5.




Thanks to Matt for making time for us. Matt has been kind enough to be a guest with us since his arrival in Toronto and we always enjoy having him as a guest. This maybe a back to back for us in The Starting 5 as well as we are attempting to get another guest lined up for tomorrow. So keep you ears and eyes ready. I will try and make mention of it on Twitter if it comes together. We look forward to talking with Matt again and appreciate him taking the time after a long night of work to be on with us today.

Season Debut of The Starting 5 With Jack Armstrong

One of the things at the Dino Nation Blog I am most proud of is The Starting 5. It has been the driving force that has made this blog as well known as it is. Given how the NBA Season was sprung on all of us, I did not want to impose on guests during the holiday season as they tried to prepare for an NBA Season, that none of us were sure would happen and when. So, it has been awhile now and we are back at it with the Starting 5. There have been many guests we have had the thrill of having over the years. But this man is by far our favourite he is the colour analyst for the Raptors since the last time we had a lockout prior to this one on Radio at first and now for many years on T.V. Hello Jack Armstrong and welcome back to The Starting 5 for another season. In this episode we talk about the NBA and it's crazy schedule. Jack shares his thoughts on everything from Pounding The Rock to the age old question of if he will ever be joining the rest of the world on Twitter. An in depth look at the struggles of Demar DeRozan. Thoughts on Dwane Casey and the new coaching staff. As well as his thoughts on the new and improved Andrea Bargnani and why he can succeed potentially where Chris Bosh could not. It is all in there in a in depth 30 minute chat with our good friend Jack Armstrong.



Thanks to Jack and now that the Starting 5 is back you can expect all of the guests we have had in the past like Paul Jones, Matt Devlin and our ever growing list of regular guests to be popping by. In addition to any new ones we come across along the way. So hope you enjoyed this one and thanks for your support of the Starting 5 and please make sure to visit us daily for all our work covering the Toronto Raptors. It has been a 4 year plus ride of a lifetime for me. I am so thrilled to have the chance to bring you quality guests like Jack and hopefully some quality info and opinion on a daily basis.

Jack Armstrong Checks Into Starting 5 From Indy

Not snow, ice, wind or freezing rain can keep Jack Armstrong out of the Starting 5. Our interview scheduled for today was suppose to take place with Jack in Atlanta where the Raptors will play tomorrow. But the Raptors got stuck in Indy and are trying to make their way to Atlanta. But through all the delays we were still able to hook up with Jack. That photo is from when Jack met up with our MGD Contest winners earlier in the season. Those were happier times but clearly with the Raptors now losers of a dozen straight these are not. So we have a good conversation with Jack about some of the issues facing the Raptors as well as the few positives we could find. Talk about Andrea Bargnani and his lack of defence, Demar DeRozan and his continued development despite the losing, the warrior like effort of Amir Johnson and a lot more. It is always a pleasure talking with Jack and for the first time we did it on Jack's blackberry phone. Yes it is true our Jack Armstrong is jumping into the 21st century just like I have. Some fun about that at the end of the interview.





These are tough times in Raptorland. But in good times or bad times Jack always makes time for us in the Dino Nation Blog and it is much appreciated. Also because our interviews with Jack always draw us some attention wanted to take advantage of that to promote our (Un) Welcome Back Bosh Event on Feb 16th at St.Louis Wings. Obviously Jack Armstrong won't be there as he will be down the street at the ACC. But if you can't snag tickets come up the street and join us for a party at 595 Bay St. Details on this can be found here in Dino Nation Blog and we also have a facebook event page set up where you can RSVP and invite your friends to come. Jack likes a good party and so do we at the Dino Nation Blog. So come join us and hopefully by that time the Raptors are playing a lot better than they are currently. Once again thanks to Jack for always being a good friend to us at the Dino Nation Blog and he may never get on Twitter, but it will not stop us from having a ton of respect and love for him.

Jack Armstrong Makes His First Visit This Season To The DNB

This will probably be our last guest in our 3rd year of doing the Dino Nation Blog. We enter year 4 a week from today. Jack Armstrong I am proud to say has been a regular guest here and I enjoy each and every time we have the honour to have him with us. It is also pretty cool that Raptors happen to make some news today, so we have Jack's thoughts on the potential trade between New Orleans and Toronto. Jack was kind enough to give us a bit more time then usual to fit that in, as well as get his thoughts on the start to this Raptor season. Thoughts on Jay Triano, Sonny Weems, Demar DeRozan and his take on something I wrote about the chance to finally have a Canadian Raptor. A lot of good info with the odd laugh along the way. So sit back and enjoy hearing from one of the most knowledgeable and honest people I know in terms of basketball. Jack always gives us his prospective in an open and direct way and it is why so many people both respect him and love him.




He may never be on Twitter but that will not matter a bit. People will always want to hear from Jack Armstrong where ever he is on. We are always grateful that one of those places is here. Still no confirmation on the trade. So we are having a De Ja Vu moment from the summer. Let's hope this one happens because Jack, as well as myself think this would be a good move for the future of the Raptor Organization's future going forward.

"Jiggly Bits"

The first day of school. A time for jubilation for some and chaos for others. It made me wonder seeing all the floating and rolling backpacks this morning how our NBA freshman will fare when school's in for them. Learning the ins and outs of a new league and playing with new teammates are nerve racking on their own, never mind living up to the hype and the contracts. This is not to say 'let's feel sorry for the potential multi-millionaires'. I am just trying to see the forest through the trees and look at things from a human perspective. There will be a lot of kids struggling to make it in the NBA aside from the LeBrons, Wades, Boshs or Shaqs. I stress the word kids since some of these guys have not been responsible for their own well-being and now are being thrust into the sometimes very scary but very real world of big money and limelight. Some handle it with maturity and poise and others? Not so much. So to all the John Walls, Evan Turners and Ed Davis': good luck this year. We will all be watching. Let's touch more on some new faces, a 'Raptors for Sale' website and Hedo Turkoglu making it big in Turkey.

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

If I told you a current member of the Phoenix Suns roster scored 20 points at the Worlds, in front of a near capacity crowd of 15, 000, who comes to mind first? Well, if you said Hedo Turkoglu you must either be a fan of Turkey or a dream weaver. After all he has said about and done to the Raptors, the fact that Hedo is putting up some great numbers for Turkey make sme wonder if the NBA is just not the place for him to shine. Sure, you'll tell me to flash back to his time in Orlando and his flashes of brilliance with the Raptors. But who would have thought we would see this kind of play from him as we've seen from the Worlds so far. "Turkoglu drives around the defense.." Drive? Having some drive period is a real accomplishment for him. Think to your own workplace. Is there someone who is cranky and constantly complaining? Chances are they are not happy in there surroundings. So with this being said, we should take whatever they say with a grain of salt. In Hedo's case, he's experiencing some success so maybe this taste of winning some basketball games will cool the jets a little. He and his teammates play next on Wednesday when Turkey takes on Slovenia in the Quarter Finals.

Another game to keep an eye on is Russia versus U.S.A. on Thursday. Just giving you some options considering Team Canada's fate. They had five chances to win a game - a single game - and still came up short leaving the tournament with a 0-5 record. Some feel with Leo Rautins as Head Coach, they won't have a chance of making the cut at the next World Championships let alone another win. Just looking at the stats alone, some players who didn't really produce much were given a good chunk of playing time but I think there was more than really meets the eye in this department. In the week leading up to the tournament, Team Canada wasn't even at full strength yet dealing with illnesses and injuries. So Head Coach Leo Rautins was playing the players he had who were healthy and hoped for the best. So really, the fact that Canada was not successful at the 2010 World Basketball Championships cannot rest soley upon the shoulders of Coach Rautins. Incidentally, I have even heard some calls for Jack Armstrong to coach our national basketball squad. Very interesting.

"Canada Raptors for Sale"

Before you get all excited, the Toronto Raptors are not being relocated. In an attempt to jump on a few sites to see whose face is the franchise stamp for the upcoming season, I came across this website selling Raptors - as in the bird. Look at this description from one owner: "Flies free but hasn't killed...Feather Perfect. I don't need him anymore. $1,000 within Canada, 1200 to US. Includes shipping". Think about it. The Toronto Raptors are flying free without Bosh - free to make a fresh start. They haven't"killed" as a club yet...I know, I know. It's a stretch but it made me laugh thinking about shipping the club for $1200 US - in a really bad Looney Tunes episode, maybe.

I checked out the websites of the top four teams I'll be keeping an eye on this season: The Toronto Raptors, The Boston Celtics, The Miami Heat and of course, The Los Angeles Lakers. This is not to say I am ignoring all the others but in the interest of time and space and our current discussion, I'm sticking to these four.

For the Toronto Raptors, their slogan is: "Raptors + You = The perfect equation with DeMar DeRozan at the end of it. Maybe a play on the whole back to school thing but he's buried under a story on what the Raptors Dance Pak have been up to. DeMar and the Dance Pak are cool but the only thing this says is there's not much going on..yet.

For the Boston Celtics, they have Rajon Rondo tagged on the end of "The Boston Celtics - The official site of the 17-time World Champions". Good choice for the face of a franchise. Shaquille O'Neil is more recognizable but he's only going to be there for 2 years, if that and then it's retiresville for Mr. Shaq vs. I think it's funny how they are bragging about the 17 Championships and the Lakers are on number 16. As far as success, the Boston Celtics have accomplished more than any other club in the NBA and in professional sports for that matter. It will be a while before the Lakers or any other NBA team rack up 8 consecutive Championship titles.

For the Miami Heat, they have no real slogan but a photo of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh with their backs turned to the website viewer. You can only see #6 and James on one jersey and the other two are clearly Wade and Bosh. So all the Heat have to do is show these three and they're done promoting? Not even having them facing forward and only acknowledging LeBron name and number. Not too cool in my books.

For the Los Angeles Lakers, they have a simply stated "The Official site of the Los Angeles Lakers" and a scrolling through of photos from various members of their roster, not just Kobe Bryant. It's not until you click on one of their articles do they brag about winning the 2010 NBA Championship in a title banner. The Celtics site is more up to date because they had the signing of Delonte West to talk about but the Los Angeles Lakers take the prize for having the best site in my books. Course, this may change as I visit every site. I just wanted to know how some clubs are putting they best face forward this season.

Basketball Beyond the Floor

I am very excited about this Thursday's edition of "Basketball Beyond the Floor". You need to be in on this one. Red and Me is clearly the best book of the season, for me anyway. See you Thursday and until then, happy reading.

Jack is Back in The Starting 5

It is still always a thrill to talk with Jack Armstrong here in the Dino Nation Blog. He has been a guest here now on many occasions, but it never gets old talking ball with him. Today we talk about Canada Basketball and the program and it's future. Obviously it has been disappointing in terms of results in Turkey, as Canada lost today late in the 4th quarter coming unglued in a loss to France. Andy Rautins was not able to go for Canada in that one. We also dive head first into the Raptors off-season, and what is to come for the Raptors in this upcoming NBA season. Thoughts on some of the new faces and some of the old ones as the season draws near. All of that and some thoughts on what this summer will mean for the NBA as a whole. Has this summer helped or hurt the NBA? Jack says it will come down to one thing. To find out what that thing is and a lot more have a listen to our conversation.

Powered by Podbean.com

It is always a pleasure to talk with Jack and he is always great to add some insight and opinion on all things basketball. He may never end up on Twitter, but some how I don't think it matters much. I am grateful to have got to know Jack through the Dino Nation Blog and he has always been supportive to me and helpful. What lies ahead for this season still remains to be seen. The one constant we have with the Raptors is great people covering the team like Jack. We are very fortunate in that regard as fans. You only need to listen to broadcasts from other NBA markets to know that. If you are missing Jack you can catch him covering Canada's final 2 games at the worlds on TSN 2 if you are able to get that network. He does just as great a job breaking down Canada B-Ball as he does with the Raps. Hope you enjoyed his latest visit to the DNB and look forward to him being back in the future as I do.

"Jiggly Bits"

It has been 16 years since the United States have won a World Championship in Basketball. Kevin Durant, Chancey Billups and Derrick Rose, members of this year's US squad, are being compared to the 2008 US Olympic team which brought home a gold medal. Durant and Rose are no Kobe and LeBron but they are much better for this team and selling the sport at the this level. Don't get me wrong, I respect Bryant and James but I don't think Kevin Durant is given enough credit for his leadership skills. During this tournament, Durant has been given a chance to play aggressively and put points up on the scoreboard- in some very close games, I might add. I think it is good the US are not dealing Brazil and other clubs blow-outs. It shows there is more talent out there beyond the NBA which will only help the game grow. Right now, Durant and company have 4 days off before meeting the number 4 seed from Group A on September 6th. As for Canada, they sit at number 5 in Group D and are taking on France later today at 6:30pm. I would have expected Canada to at least squeak out a win in their first game against Lebanon - not loose by 10 (final score 81-71 Lebanon). I had my reservations considering the injuries and illnesses Team Canada had been suffering leading up to this tournament. However, the fan in me hopes they turn things around. I am really looking forward to Jack Armstrong's take on the Worlds so far. He'll be visiting the DNB tomorrow chatting with James about everything basketball. Jack is one of a handful of broadcasters out there who is honest and credible and keeps things real. I am really looking forward to tomorrow's interview. As a coach, I would love to ask him his take on charging students to play basketball at the gradeschool and high school level. That's a proposal on the table in Charlotte, believe it or not. Let's chat about this, a restructured NBA this year and Patrick Ewing back with the Knicks.

Paying to Play

Hmmmm. Use my allowance or part-time job earnings to have fun this summer and enjoy my youth or save it to play basketball? What to do, what to do. This is what gradeschoolers and high schoolers in Charlotte, North Carolina are being forced to think about right now. Charlotte schools cut $125 million from athletic programs this year. So now school officials have announced a plan to actually charge elementary school students $50 to play basketball while their friends in high school may have to pay $100. This is crazy. One of the attractions of playing for your school is not having a fee to pay like in Rep or House League outside of school. This is supposed to be a chance for students to be active and participate in sports without the monetary obstacle. Getting an education doesn't only mean going to school, listening to your teacher and coming home to tackle homework. It means broadening your horizons and getting involved in your school. The option to play basketball or any other sport for that matter should be there without question. Putting a fee on it may mean the difference of a student becoming active or involved. Lucky for Charlotte area students, Michael Jordan and the Bobcats are in town. According to the Charlotte Observer, Michael Jordan and the Bobcats organization will donate $250, 000 to Charlotte area schools to help boost their athletic programs. This is a part of the commitment MJ made when he took over the Bobcats earlier this year - to be involved in the Charlotte community. Wonder how MJ would look in a Santa suit? What a gift to give.

Talk about Pressure

Forget about the big three in Miami trying to win a championship this year or the Lakers and a three-peat. This is nothing compared to the pressure Patrick Ewing Jr. will be playing under this season. This is because he will be playing for the New York Knicks as a free agent - the same team his father played 15 seasons for and 11 All-star games with. Talk about playing under someone's shadow. Patrick Ewing Jr. was the 43rd pick of the 2008 NBA Draft by Sacramento and ended up with the Knicks after some shuffling. In 2008-2009, he spent some time honing his skills in the NBA Development League and missed last season because of a series of injuries. My goodness. I hope for his son's sake, Patrick Ewing Sr. stays away from Madison Square Garden for the first few games - Junior will have enough on his plate.

This is going to be an interesting year. Not just for the Knicks, but for the entire league. It seems like the NBA is getting nipped and tucked across the board. There are new coaches in Cleveland, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, New Jersey and with the L.A. Clippers. New General Managers are in the mix as well and we don't need to discuss the amount of player movement (or the drama involved) to prove change is on the horizon. All in all, I am really looking forward to this season and I hope you are, too. The DNB will be the place to be to get your Raptors-and-everything-basketball fix.

Basketball Beyond the Floor

Remember to join me here on the DNB this Thursday when we will be discussing Can I Keep My Jersey? Until then, happy reading.

Jack Armstrong In Starting 5

Jack Armstrong would have preferred to be flying to Cleveland and preparing for the Raptors first playoff game with the Cavs. Instead, he would have to settle for doing his radio show the Game Plan on the Fan 590 and talking with me after it. I think we all share in that. But that being said whatever the circumstances I love to talk with Jack for the Starting 5 and it is a great treat. It never gets old for me in talking with Jack. I admired and respected him before I met him and talked with him. Since those feelings have only grown. Today we talk about the future of the Raptors and Chris Bosh. In addition Jack still supports Jay Triano as the coach of this team going forward. In the interview he calls him " One of the best X and O guys in the NBA". Jack is not one to not say anything he doesn't believe. That is part of why we love him. He is a straight shooter and tells it like it is. Lots of that no non-sense stuff today. But at the same time Jack knows how to have fun as that picture from back on St. Patrick's Day shows. I was told that those glasses Jack is wearing were picked up at a dollar store or something like that. When I first saw them I laughed out loud. I am proud, lucky and fortunate to have got to know him. You are lucky to get to hear him talk with us as often as he does. I really appreciate it so much. So have a listen to in my humble opinion one of our better conversations for the Starting 5.

JacK Armstrong in Starting 5

DNB Productions

Some interesting thoughts from Jack at the start of what is guaranteed to be an interesting off-season for the Raptors. Jack being a former NCAA coach is a great resource for the draft for us. The Raptors do now have a lottery pick so we will have Jack back to talk all things draft sometime closer to the draft in June. It is always a pleasure to talk with Jack and I look forward to doing it again then. For now just my thanks for this latest conversation. I always learn a lot in talking with Jack about basketball and to be professional and stick to what I believe. This is going to be a challenging and interesting summer for Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors.

Thunderclapped Raptors Recap

If you were anywhere near a television screen that happened to be playing the Toronto Raptors host the Oklahoma City Thunder, chances are you're not going to be reading this. I'll break it down below for those who didn't watch it, but to some it up in one word: STINKER.

Coming into the game, the Thunder had swept six Eastern Conference teams and were looking to make the Raptors their seventh victim. The last time these two teams squared off, the Raptors were without Chris Bosh, and they lost by 20 points. By comparison, that game was a thing of beauty. The Raptors were demolished in this one by a score of 115-89.

What started out as relatively close first six minutes of the first quarter, ended with the Thunder leading 39-25 after one. By the time half-time rolled around the Raptors had given up a hideous 71 points. What's worse is that OKC didn't shoot a great percentage from the field (41.5%). They did most of their damage from the free-throw line (+15) and with second chance points (+17). The Raptors gave up 15 more rebounds at the half including 10 more offensive rebounds. Basically, the Raptors once again lost in those categories that are usually used to measure heart and hustle.

Jay Triano was given a technical foul in the dying seconds of the first half but, if you were watching the game, you just knew that it wasn't going to make a difference. The Raptors interior defense was its usual, laugable self. On one play, Serge Ibaka delivered what might end up being the putback slam of the year. Off a rare Kevin Durant brick, he went up to throw it down right on Amir Johnson's head. It was the perfect example of what Raptors fans have come to expect from their team. A line off of 50 Cent's "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" album comes to mind, "You'se a poptart sweetheart, you soft in the middle." I know, I know, the Raptors are soft on the outside too, but they don't make poptarts like that.

The Raptors poptart-like defense coupled with the Thunder's youthful energy made this game one of the most boo-worthy performances of the year. However, if you were watching it strictly from the perspective of an NBA fan, you couldn't help but appreciate the team spirit exhibited by the Thunder. They were showing a sense of togetherness and genuine excitement that winning teams often have. Every off-season it seems that we comment on the improvement of the Eastern Conference. Yet, every season it seems that the West is more dominant than the last. Just as Jack and Matt mentioned during the broadcast, if the Thunder were in the Eastern Conference, they'd most likely be sitting pretty in the second spot.

My good friend Dave Vuckovac was a huge fan of the Seattle Supersonics, and I know on nights like these he has to be hurting. Watching this Thunder team do so well after years of the Sonics sucking can't be good for the heart. Could you imagine if the Raps were to pack up and head to Buffalo and then become one of the most exciting teams in the league? It would get ugly and that's putting it very lightly.

Just to add a few more Raptor-related notes: Hedo continued to suck- picking up quick fouls in the first quarter. The Thunder are the EXACT kind of team he'll never be able to play against. If you could name me any swingman in the league that Hedo has an athletic advantage over, I'll give you a poptart. And keep in mind I'm one of his bigger supporters...but that's not saying much. Also, the second most disappointing player this year has to be Marco Belinelli. Yes, he dropped 12 points in this laugher but when's the last time he's strung together two or three good games? You'll have to go as far back as January 22-27 for the last three games where he scored in double figures in three straight. The ONLY thing he has going for him is that he resembles Rocky Balboa. Aside from that, there's NO reason why he should be taking ANY minutes away from Sonny Weems or DeMar DeRozan. He should just sit on the bench and yell, "Adriaaaann!" every time Andrea scores.

Lastly, I've said it before but I'll say it again: Amir Johnson needs to be starting for this team. The change at the point guard spot has no effect on their success. Actually, scratch that, starting Jose makes the starting unit worse. The change needs to come up front. Amir and Andrea both grabbed the same number of rebounds against OKC but Johnson did it in six fewer minutes. And please don't use the excuse of Andrea's point production because the bench needs an infusion of offense courtesy of Bargs more than the starters do. Make the change, Triano. There's no reason why Amir should only be averaging 17 minutes per game on this team.

Aside from Ibaka's puke-worthy putback slam, the highlight of the night came in the fourth. It didn't happen on the court, let's face it, anything that happened at the end of this one didn't matter to anyone not named Marcus Banks. It was when Jack and Matt were discussing Drake. The conversation between these two is always much more enjoyable than the dialogue between Leo and Matt. Jack should call every Raptors game and Leo should focus on Team Canada. Jack's a solid broadcaster through and through. The ONLY reason Leo is employed is he just happens to be one of the few retired Canadian NBA players this side of the border.

That's all from me, here's hoping tomorrow the Raptors take care of business in the future home of John Wall/Evan Turner.

Starting 5 With Jack Armstrong

It is always a pleasure to welcome Jack Armstrong to the Starting 5. He is always good for some solid insight into the Toronto Raptors and some fun along the way. We talk about the now famous "Ball" interview and get Jack's thoughts on the whole thing. We move on from there and talk about the upcoming trade deadline in terms of the Raptors. Jack gives his thoughts on Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson and how you play them both together. Along with the point guard situation going forward if Jose Calderon remains a Raptor after Thursday. In addition we talk about the future of Chris Bosh with the Raptors. Also his thoughts on the development of Demar DeRozan and the shooting guard position as a whole. This and a whole lot more in the Starting 5 with our guest Jack Armstrong.

JacK Armstrong in Starting 5

DNB Production

It is always a great joy for me to talk with Jack. I feel he is one of the best people at what he does. He is straight forward and direct and gives you his honest feelings on the issues that surround the Toronto Raptors. It is always a great thrill for me to have Jack as a guest and it always produces some quality info and usually some fun as well. Jack does a great job with the Raptors and on his Radio show "The Game Plan" on the Fan 590 2-4pm on Monday to Friday. You can become a fan of the show on Facebook. Not that Jack is on the Facebook or Twitter but we love him all the same. At least I do and I know many Raptor fans share that love.

Just A Reminder:

If you have still yet to vote in the Pros vs Joes Contest on Whotheman.com. Voting closes on Thursday at around 6pm. So get out there and support the Dino Nation Blog if you would like to support me and hopefully agree with me in the question we are battling about.

Jack Armstrong Makes A Holiday Visit To The DNB

Well tonight was not pretty in Orlando. I live blogged the game for The Score so if you want to get the blow by blow of another though loss for the Raptors you can check it out on The Score.com. Jack Armstrong just returned from Florida as he called the first half of this back to back in Miami which was also a disappointing, to say the least, defeat to Miami. One of the things I have always admired and respected about Jack is his honesty in his thoughts and opinions about this team over the years. He was no different today, when I had a chance to talk with him prior to the Orlando Magic game tonight. Unfortunately the audio is not the greatest. However the conversation that we had was. So I hope that it will not impact to greatly on your listening enjoyment. I did the best I could to make the problems less of a distraction. Sometimes in dealing with cell phones it can be hit or miss. We get into a conversation about the general frustration that has been the Toronto Raptors. I ask some questions that call on Jack and his experience as a coach. He was at one time the youngest coach in Division 1 College basketball in the NCAA. We talk about a number of the issues for Jay Triano. Also we talk about this team and it's lack of defense and inconsistency. In addition 2 players that Jack had said he has been personally disappointed with in Hedo and Marco. Along with some thoughts on the Raptors point guard situation once Jose Calderon returns. Which is still very much up in the air. This along with what I reference as the Elephant in the room in Chris Bosh's contract status in the midst of this down period for the basketball team. We do have a little fun at the end of all of this. Jack is kind enough to do a little something for me as a bit of a birthday gift for the Dino Nation Blog's biggest fan....My mom. It is her birthday today and she is a big fan of snow. Not something we share. So hopefully you all enjoy this Christmas time visit with Jack Armstrong. I personally think that to have Jack working for the Raptors is a great gift for anyone that is a fan of the sport and the Raptors all year long.

JacK Armstrong in Starting 5

DNB's Starting 5 Podcast

I want to wish Jack and his family all the best this Christmas and to all of you that ready the Dino Nation Blog may you and your families enjoy this holiday season as well. It may not be the greatest time for the Raptors right now, but in this holiday season do not let it turn you into a scrooge and make sure you still enjoy what life has to offer. Basketball is a great distraction and is great entertainment but it is far from life and death. If you get to the point you have had enough holiday family time the NBA has 5 games on Christmas Day. I remember the old days when it was just one.

All that being said is it to much to ask to hold a team under 60 points in a half? I mean come on....Oh well Happy Holidays from the DNB to all of you.

The Starting 5 With Jack Armstrong

Today is the birthday of legendary coach John Wooden who coach UCLA to many championships. He is 99 years old today. So happy birthday to coach Wooden. Jack Armstrong is a long way from 99 but is a coach that Raptor fans love and learn from. Jack points out there is a big difference in the wins and losses between the two. However both are loved by fans of basketball and we love to have Jack visit. We talk about a number of topics. Jack gives his thoughts on Chris Bosh entering a huge season for him. We talk about Jose Calderon and if he has to look over his shoulder if his defense does not improve? The star of the pre-season Sonny Weems and what he means to this basketball team. Also talk about Demar Derozan, Jarrett Jack, Reggie Evans, Hedo Turkoglu and a number of others. It is as always a great conversation that you hopeful can learn a lot from. I personally always enjoy listening to Jack's opinions and knowledge of the game of basketball. He is always a very humble individual. But the truth is he has done a lot to help a lot of fans know more about this great game of basketball in his coverage of the Toronto Raptors over the years. It is always true pleasure to have a chance to talk with him and it never gets old for me.

Hope you enjoyed that, working on getting some other interviews set up as well so stay tuned. Also make sure you check Jack and Eric Smith out on The Game Plan on the Fan 590 2-4 Monday to Friday as I do as often as possible. Which for me is 95% of the time. You can shout at the Game Plan on Twitter between those hours at Eric Smith's Twitter account with is @Eric__Smith and maybe you can join the list that started with me and be the 2:25 Tweet of the Day. Thanks to Jack as always and I am already looking forward to the next time we have him back on the Dino Nation Blog's Starting 5.

Good Enough For Team USA and Raptors ..But Not Team Canada?

So this might be old news but based on Canada's performance over the weekend it got me thinking about Jay Triano. I had my reservations and still do about Jay but they are rapidly fading away. When I consider Team Canada let this guy go and that was a move I totally disagreed with at the time. In fact still do disagree with. The Score had a feature on Jay and his work with Team USA. I heard from players like Kevin Durant, David Lee and other players singing his praises. But not just them but people like Jerry Colangelo, Coach K from Duke also commenting on how good Jay was. It is a bit of an apples and oranges situation given that we are talking about international ball. But at the end of the day, if you are a good coach that should translate on all levels.

To watch the lack of discipline yesterday from Canada was to say the least disturbing. Canada also had a pier 6 brawl with Italy. Although in defense of Canada that was something not started by them. However yesterday in front of a packed house of Peurto Rico supporters Canada just lost it's cool. Jessie Young flipped off a ref according to the announcers and Leo Rautins got a technical foul as well. It was just the cherry on the Sunday, of what was not a great game. Canada has just one lone NBA player in Joel Anthony from the Miami Heat. Leo of course had his famous blow up with Sam Dalembert that has resulted in him no longer being part of the national program. Steve Nash has remained out of the mix for the entire Rautins era as well. Leo when he took on the role had little to no coaching experience.

So why on earth did Canada Basketball let a guy go, that since has went from Raptors assistant coach to head coach and works now for Team USA as part of their developmental staff. Even in my concerns I have had about Jay they have always been those of circumstance and nothing to do with his ability. There was an interesting story Jay shared on that piece on The Score. He said that back when Sam Mitchell had won Coach of the Year and could leave the Raptors because his contract was up. That he had said to Bryan Colangelo that he was thinking if Sam left and went elsewhere he may in fact go with him. The reason Jay gave was that he wanted to get out of the situation of him being the Canadian coach on Canada's NBA team. In other words to lose the tag of some thinking he was the "token" Canadian. Colangelo was upset and responded to Jay that if you were not good enough, Canadian or not he would have been gone a long ago.

Sam ending up staying as did Jay, and at least for Jay that has been a great thing. Mitchell gets fired and if Jay had any doubt in what Bryan had said to him, the fact he was named the head coach spoke volumes. Yet Canada Basketball let's this guy go? Now there are some positives in the program and if you look at the younger levels talent is coming for this program. However the fact that Canada has not qualified on the Men's side of things for a World Championship or Olympics since Jay left. It is more then likely if Canada fails to make the World Championships this time around, it will mean the end for Leo Rautins as head coach of the senior men's team. It may be a pipe dream but I would love to see his replacement be the same one he has on T.V. Jack Armstrong splits T.V duties with Leo, and just like in the broadcast booth, I think Jack would do a far better job than Leo. It is just my opinion, but I have some basis to think it. Jack was the youngest head coach in NCAA history when he started coaching in college. He ran a program in the Niagara Purple Eagles that were a small fish in a very big pond. He has great passion for the sport and is very knowledgeable as anyone that has watched him work the last 11 years with Raptors can see.

I have no idea if he would consider it or if Canada Basketball would consider him. The type of person that Jack is you will never hear him express an opinion about it as long as Leo has the job. That is just the type of stand-up person Jack is. The only thing I can say is that in interviews here on the Dino Nation Blog Jack has shared that you never lose the desire to coach. At least he never has. Despite the fact that he has done his role in the media for over a decade. I can tell you one thing for certain that you would not have seen the mess that I saw on Saturday and Sunday with Jack on the bench.

Turning attention back to Jay Triano, we are all going to get to see just what this guy can do this season. He has a roster full of new faces to work with. I think as Canadians we all want to see Jay succeed. If he does it will be a great story not just for the Raptors but for all of Canada. Maybe if he can have some success it can help build the national identity for the Raptors Organization. It is something I have always felt the Raptors could do a better job of. Sure they do a few thing in having the NBA 3 on 3 tour that goes across the country. They have played the odd exhibition game in various venues across the country. But it takes more than being like the circus coming to town to build that relationship with the rest of this country. Success and winning are the obvious answers for Canada to get Raptorized. However there are other small things that can be done to help establish them. Get people in the Organization on Radio and T.V across this country. Don't wait for them to come to you. Take the lead and go seek them out. Chris Bosh if he sticks around beyond this year, should be a national brand in this country not unlike Steve Nash is. Bosh will never be a Canadian but he is the star of Canada's team. There are hardcore basketball fans all across this country this country. I see it in the people that read the Dino Nation Blog. But it is about getting all of those casual sports fans to buy in. Which can be tough when Hockey is the first, second, third and forth story on most sportscasts across this country. Step by step be it the Raptors, Media or fans of the game we all need to do our part to grow the sport. If you truly love basketball it is your duty to do so. We are all responsible to share our love of Dr Naismith's great game.

Jack Armstrong In DNB..But On Twitter?

It is always great to have Jack Armstrong come visit us here at the Dino Nation Blog. Who better to follow up having T.J Ford than one of my favourite guests in Jack. The last time Jack joined us I believe was prior to the NBA Draft. A lot has changed since that time and we go through a lot of the changes. As well we talk about Chris Bosh and his future this season and long term. Demar Derozan, Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack and others are all talked about. We also address something that a lot of people on Twitter want to know. When will Jack Armstrong be on Twitter? I talk with Jack and give some creative ideas on how we might be able to get Jack Armstrong to join the Twitter Universe. I would not have even tried if I did not feel it was something the people wanted. I also would not have tried if I had not known Jack would have some fun with it. But regardless of if he makes it on to Twitter or not I am always happy to say hello to him and talk basketball. Which is the majority of what we talked about. But I gave it the old college try at the end of the interview to give some ways for Jack to consider joining Twitter. I should have mentioned to him the Jeff Van Gundy is on there. Anyway it is always great chatting with him so hope you enjoy this latest visit from Jack Armstrong.









Hope you enjoyed that interview. Jack is truly a great guy and I consider it a privilege to have him as a guest. He may never get on Twitter but regardless of if he does or does not people will always love Jack. I think that is why so many would like to see him on there in the first place. But he will hopefully always be a guest here on the Dino Nation Blog cause I love having him.

Jack Armstrong Coaching Us On NBA Draft 101

It has been a busy day. After talking with Chuck Swirsky, I talked with Jack Armstrong after he did is show on the Fan 590. Jack and I talk mostly about the upcoming NBA draft from a Raptor perspective. But along the way Jack comments on a number of the current Raptors and how it relates to the draft. Jack still does cover the NCAA along with his Raptor duties. I remember on a Saturday during the Raptors season Jack had mentioned he was doing a broadcast of Louisville and Cincy. In my job live blogging I have an extended sports package and was excited to learn I could see that game. Living here in Canada and not getting ESPN, unless it is picked up by one of our major networks, I had never seen Jack call an NCAA game. I had always wanted to because he use to do such a great job at covering the NCAA Tournament on T.V here in Canada in Studio for Sportsnet. Jack did the same solid job he does on Raptor broadcasts in covering that game. Jack of course is a former coach in the NCAA. So as much as most now after 11 years people think of Jack in terms of the Raptors. He still is very much on top of the NCAA game. In talking with Jack I can't tell you how many times he refers to the many coaches he has known over the years. So who better to get us up to speed on the NBA Draft.






It is always great to talk with Jack and I have really been honoured to have him as a regular guest in the Dino Nation Blog. Whenever Jack has the time to share with me for the Dino Nation Blog I am happy to have him.

Hello Again To Jack Armstrong

On his radio show the Game Plan the topic of who is your favourite analyst in sports. Many Raptors fans would answer that question with the name Jack Armstrong. I would be one of them. Jack has been a guest many times on the Dino Nation Blog. Even with the addition of his radio show, his own blog and all the stuff he already did with Raptors and now TSN he has continued to come talk with us. It is a special treat to have him pay us a visit. I had planned to talk a bit about Jeff and Stan Van Gundy. A bit on the Orlando Magic as the spoiler to the final that everyone seems to have selected of Cavs vs Lakers. Along with some Raptor related topics. We did get through all of that. We never got around to the draft but Jack said he will return to talk about the draft at some point between the lottery and the draft. Jack still covers college basketball as he is a former college coach which most are well aware. So he is a good person to talk with about that. But this conversation is a good one as well as Jack talks about his take on the future of CB4, Why he never lost faith in Andrea and Jay Triano and his future with Raps.




So Jack will be back in early June to talk about the draft and more on the Raps off-season. Perhaps some thoughts on the playoffs as well. If you have not checked out his radio show in the afternoon with Doug Maclean. They talk sports every afternoon from 2-4pm on Game Plan on Fan 590. You even hear me call in once in awhile. I am happy for all the success their show has had and wish Jack and Doug both nothing but the best going forward with it. So just because the Raptors are done does not mean Jack is and that is a great thing for all sports fans. After all this is going to be a very interesting off-season for the Raptors. I would venture to say the most important in the history of this franchise. Jack will be on the air giving his take on the Raps and all the other things happening in sports and that is good news. I use to miss Jack in the off-season but no longer have too.

Raps Close The ACC For The Season

The Raptors are just to hard to figure out at this point. The lose to the Wizards a team that is worse than them. They will play them again tonight by the way. They play the Sixers on Easter Sunday and the Sixers still have something to play for as they could improve there playoff position. However the Raptors come out and blow the doors off the Sixers down the stretch. It makes little sense. Quincy Douby was on fire. I mentioned he might actually have a shot of sticking with this team. He did nothing but improve his chances of that yesterday. Be in here or somewhere else it seems the NBA with have a Douby next year. Charles Oakley will tell you that 75% of the league has had several for years. So the Raptors close out there home sked with an under .500 record on the ACC floor of 18-23. Maybe the first thing they need to do is stop changing the floor ever season. The never change the floor for the Celtics every year. The only thing they do is paint those logos for the Playoffs, Eastern Conference Finals and Finals. When the Raptors won the lone division title they had in their history they won 30 games on the ACC floor I believe. This team did not play well on their home floor. The fans let them know about it as well at times. Let's make a deal with the Raptors. We will not boo at games if you agree to win more games at home. Sound good. Oh yeah and you need to fix that T.V mess as well. Raps are actually on the main TSN network so EVERYONE can see the classic tilt with the Wizards and Raps.

The Raptors are a half game ahead of the New York Knicks in the draft lottery standings. If they lose out they might be able to pass the Knicks. That being said can anyone figure out what they will do? I mean these games have resembled summer league games that is in part why I have not been doing recaps. I may do the last game of the season with the Bulls if I am not working. But there really is no point to it. The Raptors story for this season has been written a long time ago. An off-season with lots of questions is about to get going. Perhaps the most important one will be what will be the NBA Cap number? There is a general expectation that the number will go down. There was a lot of debate this season on if the folks at MLSE would allow Bryan Colangelo would be allowed to go over the Tax threshold number. They said that it was an option if Bryan wanted to do it. However that was never tested. Heading into this season with a lower cap it may be put to the test. Colangelo no doubt wants to make a lot of changes. So will he be given the green light to go over the tax? I think that if Chris Bosh comes back the answer to that will be yes. After all if Bosh is back Colangelo will be sending a signal that he plans on keeping him and resigning him. To do that this Raptor team needs to improve a lot and fast. We also have the Lottery and this may seem odd for folks but I am cheering for the Raptors to be the runner-up in the Blake Griffin lotto. I think the Raps would be wise and happy to select Haseem Thabeet. No he is not a shooting guard or small forward. At 7 foot 3 there is nothing small about Haseem Thabeet. He is a great defender and is exactly what the Raptors could use. If Colangelo is going to spend cash he can bring in a shooting guard of small forward via a signing or trade. Thabeet will be the best player in this draft class. I may sound crazy now but you will see. I also said that Durant would be the better of him and Oden. So far so good on that one.

I am excited that I will be talking with Jack Armstrong late this week. Likely have that together for you next weekend. I am always interested in what Jack has to say on the Raps. I think he is the most honest and direct about this team and his opinions on it. He does not candy coat what he thinks about things. If the Raps are bad he will tell you that. It is why I love talking with Jack. He has become a pretty busy guy with doing his own Radio show on Monday through Friday as well as all his Raptor responsibilities. He even covers college games in the states as well. Thanks to my job with the Score, I am required to have an extended sports package. So I got to see Jack do a game between Louisville and Cincy earlier this year. So I am sure Jack will have some thoughts on the draft as well.

That is about it for an Easter Monday. If you celebrated Easter this past weekend I hope the Easter Bunny was good to you. Also just a reminder that the Dino Nation Blog goes the whole year around. Just because Wednesday is the end of the season for the Raptors does not mean I go on holidays. I will keep at it and still look to bring in guests to talk Raptors and NBA. So keep that in mind over the spring and summer months. In fact some of the best stuff I have done in the blog has happened in the summer as people have more time and sometime you can pull of some good stuff. Last season we did a great feature on Roy Hibbert as well as Nathan Jawai. So always know someone is here working hard. That someone is me.

So that is a Rap as far as games at the ACC see you in late October or early November. If you are looking for tickets next year remember Raptorman.ca. I got to meet Steve(Raptorman) this year and he is a great guy and a true fan of the Raptors. He will look after you I have no doubt. So remember him next season when you are searching for your Raps Tickets.

Raptors Rewind- The Mecca Massacre

So the Raptors and the Knicks finally get a chance to face off. They had not seen each other since the second game of the pre-season for the Raptors. But both teams look a lot different from the rosters on that night at ACC. Some holding out hope for the Raptors and the playoffs see this as a big home and home series.O'Bryant will be available for the Raptors and Wilcox was dressed for Knicks. Larry Hughes was there, but not available. Knicks were still in the playoff race and technically the Raptors are as well. But technically is the key word there.

1st Quarter

Raps win the tip and Jose Calderon takes a 3 pointer and misses. Knicks would score on first possession and it would set off a 9-0 run and Jay Triano is forced to burn a time out. The Raps shooting 0-4 to start the game. Bargnani missed what should have been an easy score. It took over 3:20 until Jose Calderon would finally score. The Knicks answered quickly and lead 11-2. Andrea Bargnani would hit a 3 pointer and Raps had scores on back to back possessions. Bosh miss a turnaround and David Lee got the rebound and the score on the other end. Al Harrington the easy score on the inside and Knicks were all over the Raptors up 15-5. Raptors a turnover and Toronto was shooting 2-10. All the talk of what this meant for this team and this is what they come out like? Playoffs? Give me a break.

Knicks continue to pour it on with score 19-7. Bosh checked out 0-3 in his first 6 minutes of action in quite some time. A lousy effort and a Calderon jumper bounces over the basket and out of play. Shawn Marion would get a basket next time down on offensive glass. But David Lee was having a hot start as he scored again. Calderon answered with a basket only to have Al Harrington nail a 3 pointer. It was 26-13 and Raptors were getting smoked. I mean this is just a joke, the Raptors defense is even worse than usual if that is possible. Bosh back in after a time out and he gets easy score in the paint in his second tour of duty on the floor. Joey G had a couple baskets but they were still down big 30-19. David Lee would go right at Bosh and score. Lee was not an all star and Bosh was but Lee was looking to make a statement against the returning Bosh. Wilson Chandler with a 3 pointer and Raptors were getting beat down. Bosh would get to the line. But it was already a huge climb back for the Raptors despite him making both at the line. Lee would score again the other way. Joey Graham a spin and score. Nate Robinson had his own spinning score and Graham would turn it over. This was seriously a brutal performance in a season that has seen a lot of them. A Nate Robinson 3 ball would make it 42-22 after 1 quarter of play. That is no typo. This was not funny it was a huge embarrassment.

2nd Quarter

Kapono with a 2 pointer and Chandler responds with a 3 pointer and he would score again. Seriously could we just forfeit this game it was 47-24. Raptors had back to back air balls. Ukic had the first I honestly missed the second air ball shooter. Joey Graham was 4-5 and that is par for the course to what I always say, Raptors suck and Joey good. The knicks lead was 51-26 and we are just over 2 minutes into the second quarter. Banks had checked in for Ukic and he missed a 3 ball but his caught iron. Nate Robinson won the dunk contest right? He was looking like a 3 point contest winner on this night as he hit another 3 pointer. I mean this is rare to say in any game but not even half way through the 2nd quarter this game is over. I mean it Raptors are done.

Offensive fouls and turnovers and just a general mess. Nate Robinson has another 3 pointer and I have a massive case of apathy setting in. Nate Robinson blocked CB4 and I am done. Seriously what are we going to talk about for 2 and half quarters? Knicks are up 24 with the score 58-34. Kapono makes a jumper off the Marion offensive board. David Lee is seriously good I will make that point. He scores again. I mean seriously this team is just getting a butt kicking and they have their star player returning in what they have said is a huge game for them? This is unacceptable. There has been a lot of debate about booing or cheering this team. Based on tonight if I was heading the the ACC regardless of performance I would boo this team for the first 2 minutes. The Knicks 62-36 lead at this point was lots of ammo for my point. Shawn Marion has been ok with 10 but it is hard to see anything good in this mess. Knicks were making it rain with 3 ball in the MSG. I admit checked my email, but seriously what am I going to type that I have not said already? This says it all 75-50 New York Knicks.

3rd Quarter

Raptors allowed the Knicks to shoot 58% and 10-20 from the 3 point line. Al Harrington comes right out and scores and just adds to the beating. Teams were trading baskets and at this point Raptors can ill afford to do that. A stop of any kind would be a major accomplishment. Andrea Bargnani had a couple scores but this game was way to far off the rails. Sure the system the Knicks play can allow teams to get back in games but not when your down 30 points which the Raptors were 86-56. The Knicks were making the Raptors look like a D-League franchise. Another wide open 3 for Wilson Chandler and the Knicks have a 91-58 lead. I serious could not do this in a video game. However this was reality and a very painful one. Hope is just not even in sight for anyone connected to this franchise. Jack Armstrong summed it up quite nicely. He said that this was unacceptable for everyone connected to this franchise be it a broadcaster, fan, coach, player or management. I totally agree with Jack Armstrong. I mean the Knicks are an improved basketball team. However they are not this good. They lead at this point 98-60 with still 4:20 to play in the 3rd quarter.

Knicks hit triple digits with just under 3 to play in the third quarter this is just the worst game I can recall in the history of this franchise. If you have a better answer leave it in the comments. I can not think of one. Jason Kapono hits a 3 point to pull the Raptors to down 26. The score is 101-75 after 3 quarters of play. This is the scary part. The Raptors have 1 more quarter to play and 4 more quarters on Sunday. Awful just does not seem to be good enough.

4th Quarter

Nate Robinson opens the 4th quarter with a 3 pointer and that was the 14th of the night for the Knicks. Wilson Chandler a dunk and this is just a pathetic effort on defense. 108-77 is the score. Bosh has not really been a factor in his return. Shawn Marion has a double double. That will make recent guest Randy Urban happy for his fantasy team. However beyond that I can't think of anything positive to say. Which honestly why should you based on what is going one.

Gallanari the fellow Italian makes a 3 ball and why not. Larry Hughes would have a 3 except he is not eligible to play. Least the Knick dancers would inspire a little HELLO from Jack. But it was Good Bye and really early for the Raptors. 111-84 for the Knicks. No hustle no desire and Raptors are just lumbering around on defense and it was truly awful. Mike D'Antoni had a huge smile and why would he not. His Knicks were bringing it and the Raptors were just waiting for the buzzer to go off. Patrick O'Bryant wearing number 13 checks in for the Raptors for his first action. I am not going to judge him to hard because honestly what can he be expected to do in a game like this at this point. Nathan Jawai was also out there. But Big Nate would miss a easy one in the paint. It was 121-94. Wilson Chandler has a career high 32 for the Knicks. He goes on a long list of NBA players that can make that claim. A blank star on Chris Bosh's face as this game goes final and thankfully so with the score 127-97.

The brutal boxscore below:
Raps/Knicks Boxscore

I got nothing more to say. Well I have one more thing. If you didn't think it was over before tonight, I think it is clear that it is now.