"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

I love this time of year. The smell of spring, 'madness' and playoffs in the air. It's beautiful, really. A player hoping to enjoy the playoffs and this time of year is LeBron James. He is making his top bracket picks known but trying not to rustle any feathers at the same time. LeBron James says he still wants longtime favourite school Ohio State to win the 2011 NCAA title. He has a vested interest in declaring this publicly since this team wears the LeBron line of shoes and clothing. But if you go on his website, you'll see he picks Duke to win the final crown. Fan or not, this could also be considered another vested interest pick since Duke Head Coach Mike Kryzewski is also heading up USA Basketball's Men's National Team through to 2012. If LeBron James is looking to have an integral role on Team USA, this may be at least in the back of his mind inching forward. I do agree with LeBron when he says, "It's all fun. I love March Madness". So Happy St. Patrick's / March Madness Day to you and let the fun begin.

Last Thursday, I told you we would be continuing our playoff discussion the following Tuesday. It got bumped to today since there is just so much going on in the NBA right now and I am endeavouring to bring you the best of everything. In addition to our playoff discussion, we'll talk about Grant Hill taking on Jalen Rose and the Sacramento Kings moving in on Clippers and Laker territory.

"It's sad and pathetic"

Here we go. As we discussed Tuesday in "NBAz in 7 Dayz", there are many NBA players with special attachments to NCAA clubs. Grant Hill and Jalen Rose are no exception. So when an NBA colleague makes disparaging comments about your Alma mater, of course you are going to feel the need to respond. Grant Hill (former Duke Blue Devil) is criticizing Jalen Rose (former Michigan star) for saying Hill's old college team "only recruited black players that were 'Uncle Toms". Now, this is a pretty strong statement to make. In a recent documentary about Michigan's Fab Five, Jalen Rose made these comments saying he hated Duke back then and said the ACC program would never recruit someone like him. Grant Hill collects his thoughts and warns his colleagues and Michigan alumni in a New York Times column Wednesday: "fabulous five friends [should] avoid stereotyping me and others they do not know in much the same way so many people stereotyped them back then for their appearance and swagger". A little tension among the ranks, perhaps? Maybe Jalen Rose is hanging on to the 1992 national title game when Duke beat Michigan? In any case, when you make emotionally-charged statements like that, you better be prepared to stand against the fire. I might not have used the words "sad" or "pathetic" to describe what Rose said but I can see why Grant Hill used them.

'We are but we aren't. Oh and no comment'

The Sacramento Kings are packing their bags and moving to Southern California - maybe. With the Kings contemplating a move to Anaheim, an attorney representing the team's owners filed for at least four federal trademark registrations this month. The names are not very eye- popping either: Anaheim Royals, Anaheim Royals of Southern California, Orange County Royals and Los Angeles Royals. This filing was made on March 3rd and attorney Scott Hervey (representing the owners of the Sacramento Kings) has not yet made any comments as of Thursday morning. This is where things go south for me. Not just because we already have a Clippers and a Lakers in Los Angeles but because the deadline has already passed for move applications. NBA Teams have until March 1st to apply to move their club the following season. The Kings now have an extension until April 18th to make their formal move application as per the NBA. So what is the league trying to say? For years, Sacramento has been against a publicly financed facility but the Sacramento Kings' owners, Joe and Gavin Maloof, think public funding crucial. Even Sacramento Mayor and former NBA player Kevin Johnson, thinks they are on their way out after having met with them last month, but says it is not yet a done deal. Although Major Johnson seems to be supporting the move, he also said the City of Sacramento will work to build a new arena for an NBA franchise "with or without the Kings". (Hmm. Representing the interests of his constituency or his personal connection to professional basketball?)

So if Sacramento has long said no to aiding in the construction of a new arena and now Major Johnson is open to the idea and that is what the Kings' owners wanted in the first place, why move now? It's the voting public in Sacramento. In 2006, voters turned down the idea to increase a sales tax to fund a new arena. The NBA stepped in and tried to help the city and the team find another solution to stay. But come the 2011 NBA All-Star weekend, David Stern said enough is enough and the league would no longer being investing any more time or energy on the matter - the Sacramento Kings were free to go. This is where it gets interesting. The city of Anaheim has been shopping around for an NBA club to share the Honda Center with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks since 1993. The Clippers almost considered teaming up with the Ducks but instead chose the Staples Center in 1999. So why are the Sacramento Kings and the NBA humming and hawing over this? I know there are board approvals, possible relocation fees and legalities to think about but if the city of Anaheim can embrace hockey, surely they can make room for the NBA.

Off to the playoffs

Here's a recap of my playoff picture as stated last week:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Celtics over Indiana Pacers
Orlando Magic over Atlanta Hawks
New York Knicks over Miami Heat
Chicago Bulls over Philadephia 76ers

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Antonio Spurs over Memphis Grizzlies
Oklahoma City Thunder over Denver Nuggets
Los Angeles Lakers over Portland Trail Blazers
Dallas Mavericks over New Orleans Hornets

I am confident in my picks except for two points: Miami and San Antonio. While I don't think based on their track record the inconsistent Heat can go the distance against teams in their playoff division, the inconsistent teams are sometimes the hardest to predict. Ask any defender and most will tell you it is easier to guard a stronger team or player because you almost always know what they are going to do next. The problem with this is making sure your conditioning and skill level can meet the standards needed to defeat said team. The Miami Heat have shown they can be strong but have also shown serious deficiencies, including metal toughness. While I chose the Lakers to be the NBA's Western Conference Champions this year, I hate to say it but the Spurs are ruffling the feathers a little. They are quietly doing all the little things to win games, not the most exciting (which is why they have remained under the radar) but all the right things. If the Lakers fall apart somehow (as they have shown this season - against the Cavaliers - case in point), the San Antonio Spurs are the only team in the West with the experience (and season record to back it up) to go the distance. This is as far as I go - you can debate the rest.

Thanks for joining me this week. As always, keep your comments and suggestions coming by following me on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw) and Twitter (@ddegraauw). Next Thursday, why don't we discuss MVP, Rookie of the year and all such accolades? Think about it over the weekend and in the meantime, I will see you on Tuesday for more NBA news coverage in "NBAz in 7 Dayz".

Boshless Raptors Take On Nets

So some folks thing the Raptors can be o.k should Chris Bosh leave in 2010. Well let this be your preview of the future without him... kind of. Paul Jones (@Paul__Jones on Twitter) tweeted this stat for us all, with No Bosh the Raptors are 17-36 with a .321 winning percentage. Jonesy gives credit to John Rusin who fans may know better as " Jumping Johnny Rusin " back in the Swirsky era of Raptors basketball. Normally you would not sweat the 5-49 Nets even if it is a road game. But when you consider that stat it does make you a bit concerned.

What the Raptors will need to address most of all is how you replace the Bosh and his 24.5 points on offense. Up to this point Bosh had played and started every game this season. He had said that it was the most energy and he had never felt better this deep into an NBA season. Jay Triano said he is hopeful that Bosh will be ready to go vs Washington on Saturday. It will be a rare Saturday night contest on the CBC with Hockey taking a break for the Olympics. Obviously it is not just Triano hoping for Bosh to be ready to roll for that game. Bosh was a huge factor in keeping the Raptors in a game vs Memphis where the Raptors came out flat as a pancake.

Hedo Turkoglu had 1 point and 1 ball in that game vs Memphis. The Raptors will need a heck of a lot more than that if they hope to avoid what would be an embarrassing loss to the Nets. Jarret Jack also had a night to forget and he needs to bounce back strong as well. Some others the Raps need to step up to make up for no Bosh would include Demar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani. But beyond those starters the combination of Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson will have the bulk of the responsibility for making up for the 11.4 rebounds that Chris Bosh also provides.

A Word On Deadline

The Raptors as I was telling you did not make a move. There was a rumour of a deal with the Lakers that would have saw Powell and Vujacic coming to the Raptors for Banks and O'Bryant. However no miracle for Bryan Colangelo on that one. It would have been one too when you consider Banks and O'Bryant when this team is healthy are always a lock to be on the in-active list. The Celtics did make a move and while some praise the addition of Nate Robinson to the Celtics I think it was an epic failure for Danny Angie. The Celtics needed a major shake up and adding the Mascot of the Slam Dunk Contest was not what most had in mind. Raptor fans should know the value of a guy like Eddie House for that team and unless Ray Allen "Finds his Game" the Celtics will miss House and his 3 point shooting ability. House in that Knick system should have a lot of fun and Raps should take note of him when they play the Knicks 2 more times in March and April. The Cavs adding Jamison make them the massive favourite in the East as far as I am concerned. The Magic Hawks and Heat like the Raptors all stood pat. The only other team in the current playoff mix that made moves was the Chicago Bulls. Actually my surprise playoff pick the Bobcats also made a move so my bad Bobcats.

@jalenrose Meet @dinonationblog

The Knicks cleared a ton of cap space and look to be making a push to get to stars in the 2010 lotto. They will end up with just 4 players under contract. You will remember Jalen Rose once guaranteed that James and Bosh going to New York would happen in 2010. I mention this cause I had a little twitter exchange with the former Raptor who for the record I am a big fan of. I love the Michigan Wolverines and was a big fan of Jalen from his days at Michigan. Here is what the exchange was.

@jalenrose- "I majored in broadcasting because I was annoyed by so many "shock media reporters"..who throw stones in glass houses! Judge but cant play?!"

@dinonationblog- "So that is why you Guaranteed Bosh and James would be Knicks cause you don't like shock reporting? Just saying Jalen #GoBlue"

@jalenrose- "that day...that was the case...I KNOW BOTH situations & camps VERY well..minds change daily...it still may happen...right?"

@dinonationblog- "May yes but Guarantee no. You played here you know how T-Dot is and the fragile nature of Raps fans about guys leaving."

So that was the exchange and I thought it was interesting. I am proud of all Jalen has accomplished in broadcasting. To his credit even in his playing days he was working towards a career in sports broadcasting. He has made a very easy transition to it. I have no doubt he knows the situation better than me. He knows far more people and has far more contacts than me. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that. He should have known as a former Raptor what that comment would mean in terms of Toronto. He himself said things change daily so if that is the case why make the guarantee? I like Jalen, and someday would love to interview him and talk about not just this but many things. He is a guy that knows the game well and has done a great job in his post NBA career in broadcasting. Will It happen that I ever interview him? No idea but I have learned in doing this blog this long never to say never about anything. Jalen Rose has an open invitation to be in the DNB's Starting 5 anytime. So someone let him know OK? But seriously check out Jalen's website and hear his takes on the NBA. Majority of them I enjoy just that one about the Knicks was not among them. Hope I haven't ticked off one of the Fab 5 at me.

So enough about Tweeting and Twitter. Raptors if they were to lose Bosh in the short term to injury as they have, it could not have happened at better time with Nets and Wizards as the next 2 games and a very like February schedule overall. I am live blogging the next 2 games for The Score so be you Jalen Rose or just your average Raptors fan I will have a link for you later in the day to come experience all the action with me of the Raptors game tonight with the Nets.

Update 5:10pm

As promised you link to Raptors vs Nets on @The Score.com and Score Mobile. I will kick things off around 7:50pm

Bad Day, Bad Data , Season Looks Doomed

I guess this is no shock. Jalen Rose was shooting off his mouth it only goes to figure that Stephen A Smith felt the need to up the ante on the whole Chris Bosh story about 2010. Stephen A Smith who you will recall insulted Bosh last year and made some rather less than kind comments about him. In other words I am sure he is super tight with Bosh. Hell I may be tighter with Bosh and we have never spoke a word to each other or have met one another in life. We are facebook friends and follow each others twitters. Something tells me Stephen A Smith would get rejected by Bosh. So having said all of this the ESPN so called Insider, or whatever they are calling him this week, claims that Bosh has told Colangelo he is gone in 2010. The real shame is there is not a story about Stephen A going somewhere in 2010. Like to cover basketball in Iceland. But as Smith reports if you can call it that. He says that both Miami and Dallas have interest in Bosh. Heck Stephen A why not make up 5 other teams that want Bosh as well. I mean Phil Jackson was fined for saying he liked Bosh so add the Lakers. Orlando I am sure would love a front court of Bosh and Howard. Houston is not that far from Dallas why not say that a Bosh for T-Mac trade is being talked about? Go all the way. That will teach Jalen Rose for stealing your bit of being a no nothing idiot, in my opinion and I would venture to say I am not alone. Smith did say he did not see Colangelo moving Bosh at the deadline. Which makes total sense because why would he say that he would. Smith could be made to look like a jacka$$ when the trade didn't happen so way to cover that butt Stephen A Smith another great job. The guys at Raptors Republic have the full story and the video of Smith saying his words of wisdom.

As For The Game Today....

I am probably just as angry about that. I mean if you read this morning it is not like I expected the Raptors to win or anything. However the effort of this team was truly brutal in the second half. I mean were that worried they might be late for their Super Bowl party and wanted to make sure this game would not go to overtime? I think the 20+ point Magic win we were certain that was not going to happen after less than a minute into the second half. Here is a link to my live blog for The Score and you can read my thoughts on the game and a number of issues.

I have no doubt Chris Bosh is angry and he should be. First and foremost his own play was not to the level that he expects from himself. His team around him was pretty awful as well. News that Jose Calderon is still not right with his hamstring it just has all the makings of what Bosh did not want to hear a few weeks ago. A lost season. I can not really come up with anything to say to dispute that it is not.

It was a very angry crowd at the ACC today as well. They booed and did it loudly and with just cause. I understand that Bosh and others have suggested that fans should not boo and it serves no purpose. However I share in common a love of the Dallas Cowboys with Chris Bosh. In the last game ever at Texas Stadium the Cowboys were booed off the field for a terrible performance against the Baltimore Ravens. I don't hear anyone in the NFL saying Dallas Cowboy fans are bad. They like Raptor fans just expected and demanded more effort from the team they love. So here is an idea don't complain about the people booing just do what you can to change it. I admit that I have no idea what it feels like to be booed by 19,000 people. I am sure it feels awful. If it happened to me though I would bust my butt to make sure it never happened again.

The focus of Bryan Colangelo and this fan base is rapidly going to shift to next season. It is time for the people on this roster to show if they want to be part of the future in Toronto or not. I am not just talking about Bosh and 2010. I am talking about every player on this roster. I really don't anyone on this roster should be untouchable at this point beyond Bosh and that is based on thinking Stephen A Smith is wrong which I am confident he is. I would want to know what each and ever player is worth. It is not to say I would trade a Bargnani or Calderon but I would at least want a idea what they are worth.

The only thing I am clear about as this is the start of February. It is going to be a long 3 months in Raptorland. This was far from what was advertised at the start of the season.

4 Wins? 4 Time All Star? Here In 4 Years?

Well I have always said it, no one asks how you win games at end of year just if you did. That being said, give Devin Harris that shot I think he makes it 9 out of 10 times. The Raptors were due some good karma in a season where they have had a lot of things not go their way. Thanks to the struggles of others like the Nets the Raptors at 9 games below .500 they still are very much alive for the playoffs. I had kind of written off their chances. But it seems they remain alive. That is the advantage of playing in the East. I heard a stat on Toronto radio last night that surprised me but likely should not have. In 7 of the last 8 years the 8th seed in the East has had a sub .500 record. One year the Celtics got in with just 36 wins. That was prior to the Big 3 obviously. I am highly conflicted if this is a good or bad thing. If the Raptors get in at an 8th seed what does it really do for the franchise long term? I can't come up with to many things. It would be different if this team had not been in the playoffs the 2 year prior to this. There is no question getting in as the 8th helped the Atlanta Hawks last year to this year. They also performed well once they got there. Some will say that well maybe the Raptors could do the same. But I have been watching the Celtics this year and if they finish on top I think the Hawks taught them a lesson last year that whoever they play this year will pay for. Kevin Garnett did say anything is possible and it is. But for the 8th seed in the East be it the Raptors or not, I am not liking their chances. Just as a pure fan you always want your team to get into the playoffs. It sucks to watch 16 teams play after April 15th with out your team. But when you look long term I can not find a benefit of the Raptors making it in as an 8th seed. Even if they were able to sneak up to 7th seed the challenge is almost as great. However despite all my thinking about all this I do agree with Chris Bosh in saying he is glad people thinking like me our not on his team. Players and coaches should always be focused on winning basketball games. It is for management to figure out the long term stuff. People that are covering the team tend to fall somewhere in the middle leaning to the long term and not the short.

So Will He Be An All Star?

I was pleased to hear the comments of Chris Bosh last night when the topic of the All Star Game came up. There has been a wide variety of opinion on if he will make it when the reserves are announced tonight. However the majority feel that Bosh will make the game including Paul Jones who visited us the other day. I have been quite concerned that he might not. It is not that I don't think he is worthy. I think he is more than worthy. I just was concerned that the Raptors record may hold him back. Danny Granger is in the same kind of spot as Bosh. The difference is that Bosh has made it 3 times already. I often wonder how seriously coaches who do the voting for the reserves take this task. There is no doubt it gets huge conversation with fans and in the media. I think and would hope that coaches take it just as seriously. Tonight we will find out who is in ans who is out and the debate will rage on who did not make it in the game. This process becomes almost more important in comparison to the game itself. It is a status thing as much as anything. When you can say you were an all star it is something you can take with you the rest of your life. Not unlike being a former champion in boxing. When you are old and people introduce you they can say this is Chris Bosh he was an All Star this many times. However having a ring that says you were a champion means just a bit more. That is something Vince Carter never seemed to understand. I was pleased to see that Chris did not take for granted that he would hear his name called tomorrow. It gives me some hope that I have not been wrong in my thinking about other things.

Here in 4 years?

Sounds like something for politics. A term in office of a president is four years. But this is about if Chris Bosh will be in Toronto in 4 years. If you listen to Jalen Rose he is done in 2 years. Eric Smith laid out a challenge to Paul Jones to try and get Jalen as a guest on Hoops tonight. Paul said he would try to make it happen. I would be very interested to hear from Jalen if he does get him. Rose has wanted a career in broadcasting for a long time and to boldly put his reputation on the line saying that Chris Bosh will be in New York in 2 years is a highly risky move if you are not certain. That is why Jalen sounding so confident concerns me. However at the end of the day Chris Bosh will be the one that makes that call. If you listen to Rose he already has. But I just can't see that being the case. If I was advising Bosh as an agent. Yeah I know fat chance. However the best advice would be to re-sign in Toronto. Because what happens after 2010 may be more important. The season after that the collective bargaining agreement ends. Given the state of the economy I think it is safe to say that will not benefit the players. So he should sign a contract with Toronto and get all that he can. If Toronto is not on a path to winning once the new CBA is set up or even before you can ask to be moved and walk away with a better contract. That is what Vince Carter did. It is really the best thing to do. I have mentioned all this 2010 talk could end up being much like the doomsday talk around Y2K. In the end it is still a year and a half away. You have people already saying trade Bosh based on this minor amount of speculation. What is it going to be like next year? A zoo and not one that I am looking forward too.

I will tell you this though. If I am wrong and Bosh bolts and leaves for New York or somewhere else. I am done getting behind players on this team. I am going to approach it like I would supporting a college team. I only will see the name on the front and screw the name on the back. I just can't be bothered getting emotionally invested in any of these guys if the end result will be they leave. Bosh is a lot of ways is my last hope in that not all athletes are like Vince Carter. I really have felt Chris is far different from Carter. However if he leaves and does the same thing as Vince it will be hard to make that argument and I would not bother wasting the time trying too. So I hope that Chris Bosh is here for far longer than 4 more years. I want Chris Bosh to be here for life. Well for the life of his NBA career. It maybe be unrealistic and not in the whole this is a business way of thinking. I don't care and you know what for fans it is not about a business for us. It is about emotionally investing in people and far to often having that investment get stomped on as athletes walk out the door. It is hard to be a fan in the modern sports world.

What Does #4 Have To Say?

Eric Smith tracked down Chris to find out what he had to say about Jalen Rose and his comments.

E.Smith Exclusive With CB4

Paul Jones From NYC

Paul Jones has become a regular guest for us here at Dino Nation Blog. He always offers some great opinions on what is going on with the Raptors. I asked about a couple things to do indirectly with Chris Bosh. The first about if he and Danny Granger will be all-stars. Jeff Van Gundy was pretty clear he feels they are not. Also Jalen Rose is back on the Chris Bosh heading to the Knicks tip. In case you forgot what Jalen had to say here are both clips the old one and the new one.
(There was an issue with the interview audio that has been fixed- 11am)


And The Latest



Paul's broadcast partner Eric Smith had his take on the Jalen Rose comments. Paul gives his take on what Jalen has been saying. Also thoughts on Jamario Moon and if it is as much as it pains me to say this...time for Joey to start? Along with how the team is dealing with the whole J.O trade rumours. Also why his broadcast partner could have a new look if the Cavs keep winning at home. Van Gundy beyond his thinking Bosh and Granger are not all-stars had some other off the wall ideas for All Star Weekend.

So that gives you some context for the first two things I talk about with Paul in our interview

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I mentioned to Paul that I really enjoyed his comments about the election of Barack Obama. He was a guest on the Eric Smith Show talking about Obama. I am a huge fan of the Vlogs and The Eric Smith Show. You can find the world famous vlogs which are on Fan 590 version of Eric's Blog and The Eric Smith Show can be found on Raptors.com. Maybe someday I will be a guest on the Eric Smith show. But given it is taped on the road I don't like my chances. But the point to all of this aside from giving Eric some love. Which reminds me, our guest also writes for Sportsnet. But what I have been wondering lately is what impact people thought Obama may have on the NBA now that he is the White House. I am putting together an all star break feature with some of my recent guests from The Score. But here is what Paul thought about for lack of a better term the Obama Effect on the NBA.

Paul Jones " I think it does have an impact. Look at how many NBA players have come front and center now with a visible minority becoming President. They are all paying attention to politics. It is not "the same old system anymore" that it was before. They are hoping for change. If he can use some of these guys as being vehicles to the change that he wants then I see these guys being part of it. Hopefully they are thinking for themselves and not going into things blindly. I definitely see about him being a basketball fan and a sports fan in general, he has talked about fixing the BCS in college football, he is a big White Sox fan. I mean why not, people went ga-ga over other Presidents and their love of sports. JFK had the famous photos of him play touch football. I think it helps basketball. Not that the NBA needs his help but they sure won't turn away from it."

Just as a follow up to what Paul is saying. Jimmy Carter who was from Georgia was a big fan of Nascar and it added to that sport. Bill Clinton was a huge supporter of the Arkansas basketball program in the NCAA. It has also in an age of athletes not taking stands has awakened a spirit of getting involved in the process. Lebron James and many others were active in trying to get Obama elected. Many NBA players travelled to Washington to be at the inauguration. Many teams change travel schedules to watch the event. Now I don't think the NBA will be heading to Washington for a federal bailout. However they have been impacted by these tough times. I had asked Paul in a previous interview, when the economic issues of today were just coming to light for his thoughts on it. Now that we are half way through the NBA season I thought it might be a good time to revisit the topic again.

Paul Jones- " It's going pretty well I think. It would not surprise me down the line more and more cuts. The NBA did lay off some of their staff earlier in the year. The crunch is here and it is hitting everybody. That being said they are making adjustments. There are a lot of places that have cut ticket prices to draw people back to the arenas. To have them keep coming out and supporting their local team. It is what it is. The world is down economically. So you would expect that is going to trickle down to all things. Sports and other entertainment industries are going to take a hit as well. "

In the economy of wins and losses, Jose Calderon has been a huge market surge for the Raptors in that regard. I made mention that he seems a more willing shooter and scorer since his return. I suggest this to Paul and added that I felt part of why we were seeing it was the fact Jose was able to sit and watch. Here is what Paul had to say in response to those comments.

Paul Jones- " Absolutely, because the team needs that. Sometimes your team needs you to score. As much as you want to get people involved as the point guard sometimes you just have to be a scorer. All you have to do is watch Steve Nash. People are talking and saying well he is not an all star this year. He is doing different things in a different system. He is still averaging almost a double double with 14 points and close to 10 assists. It is not that he is not playing well it is just that he is in a different system and doing different thing. He doesn't have the numbers he use to have because he doesn't have to do some of the things he did before. So that doesn't mean he is not an all star. If he was voted in as an all star that would not be a problem. He to me is the perfect example of that. What do you want? He came into to Toronto and racked up a high assist total and took less than 5 shots and they won. He is the perfect guy for reading what his team needs and he can adjust within a game. I think for Jose that is the next phase in his learning.Realizing at time my team needs me to score and that is what I am going to do. "

I give Jose credit he has been very solid. The defense is still not to where I would want it to be. However in Paul's example of Nash, he is not going to win defensive player of the year anytime soon. In the audio portion of our conversation I asked about the J.O trade rumours and how the team was dealing with that. If not for the play of Andrea Bargnani recently the trade talk for J.O may not exist at all. In fact the talk may have been about Bargnani. However it would seem that finally he is breaking through. So I asked Paul if he felt Andrea had finally made it to the point that we now know what to expect from him moving forward?

Paul Jones-" He is certainly becoming more consistent isn't he. This is what everyone was going crazy about last season. I remember writing an article "Still Time For Bargnani" last December. When people want to throw him out the window and they wanted him traded. Colangelo had failed and his first pick was a bust. But I was saying give the kid time. He starting to develop his game. He has a great level of confidence in himself right now. It is showing through in his play. It is now about developing consistency. What are people after Chris Bosh about Consistency in his play at the end of games. He is still learning at that aspect of his game and he is accessing all of that and he will get better at that. People don't cry about his numbers anymore because he is consistent. Andrea has got to do the same thing. To be able to have your team depend on you to put up the kind of numbers he is now. 20 points and 7 or 8 rebounds. If he does that the complaining will stop. I just find it funny how people are so quick to judge right away. I won't mention people by name but i know people in our business the media that saying that he is Haffa Bargnani. Well give the kid a chance. Having coached at the university level and a played at a high level, you got to give people time. There may have been things in play last year that we do not know about that were going on away from the floor. We don't know."

Perhaps the most noticeable change I saw recently with Andrea was he showed a bit of toughness when he got shoved by Garcia. In fact the entire team has shown a bit of grit that we have not seen in a long time. I asked Paul Jones for his thoughts about that.

Paul Jones-" Maybe they are getting to the point that they have had enough. Maybe they are fed up and ticked off and they are going to play like that and that is something they should be doing regularly and constantly. Establishing themselves as a team that is not going to back down. It is nice to see and they have to do more off it "

I also talked with Paul about the move of Anthony Parker to the back-up point guard and was it an admission that they maybe should have brought in a NBA experienced back-up point guard. Although we both agree that Roko is showing signs of progression. The fact that A.P is now the back-up points to the failure of Will Solomon in my opinion. I even would go as far as saying that Jose Calderon and his injury problems can be linked to the lack of a true back-up. Paul was not in agreement about that. But did concede that Anthony Parker being the back-up was a bit of an admission that the Raptors might have benefited from getting an NBA experienced point guard.

Paul Jones-" Yeah maybe it is an admission by Bryan, Jay or the team. We thought that we were better off at the point then we are. It has not worked out having Will and Roko because of the adjustments that they have had to make and they haven't made them. But at the same time when you think back to last year when you had T.J and Jose they still used Delfino at the point at times. Maybe it is a case of finding the right line-ups. I think it is partially an admission. But at the same time they are trying to find a way to get your best players out on the floor."

It is great to have Paul pay us a visit and talk about a number of issues to do with Raptors. I always enjoy talking with Paul he is a extremely bright person that I always enjoy exchanging ideas with.

The Saturday Raptor Hangover.

This has nothing to do with drinking. For that I could drink some gatorade and feel better in a hour or two. Last night's game versus New Jersey was costly on so many levels. The top of that list is J.O going down and out at the start of the 4th quarter. That was a dirty play by Sean Williams. He grabbed Jermaine's jersey and yanked him to the ground. That is my take on it, that is and was a dirty play and there is nothing I will read that will change my mind. I saw it and likely you saw it so we can all make the decision for ourselves. No matter how it happened and what you think about it, the fact remains is it happened.

On the broadcast they said it was a strained left knee. I have heard some speculation about it but until and MRI is done on that knee nobody is going to know for sure. This is the knee that has been the one talked about that has caused Jermaine all the problems over the last few years. He does wear a big brace on that knee and that could have helped a bit in this case. Let's hope it did. But it goes with out saying this is a major blow for the Raptors. It is just a case of how big a blow it will be.

As for the Game

Even if there was not the J.O injury to be upset about there was the game itself. Vince Carter showed people just why they once loved him. He was the guy making the two most important plays of the game. He can be one of the best players in the NBA when he wants to be. On this night it was very clear that he wanted to be. From his prospective it must feel good to get a win in Toronto. I mean after all the fans of the Raptors have never treated him with anything but hostility in his returns to the city when he is on that A.C.C floor. It is not to say that he has earned some if not all of that from the fans. They felt he gave up on them and some will never get past it. This was one of the more painful chapters in the long story of Vince Carter and his post Raptor career as public enemy number one in Toronto. He missed on clutch shot that could have sent the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals but on this night he made two truly great plays to beat the Raptors.

Chris Bosh had another unreal night all for not. He out scored Carter by 3 points tying his career high of 42 points. Andrea Bargnani had a career high 29 points and yet despite all of that the Raptors still lost. I mean you lose a player to injury, you lose an 18 point lead and you did everything possible to get a win and it was not enough. That is the definition of frustration with no dictionary required. How the Raptors can put all of this behind them and get ready for the Boston Celtics is really hard to say. This has not been the start that they wanted and it is not the start that fans wanted. This is the type of situation that will define a team. This is exactly why I am glad Chris Bosh is the franchise player and not Vince Carter despite his heroics. Chris Bosh no matter the situation that is in front of him never gives up and never gives in. The same can not be said for Vince Carter on a night to night basis. Last night he did but over the long haul day in and day out, Chris Bosh gives all he has. That defines another word and that word is character.

Hey Jalen...Shut Up

Jalen Rose made it no secret near the end of his career that he wanted to be in the media. If there was a microphone and a camera Jalen Rose would find it. I like Jalen mainly because I was and still am a fan of the Michigan Wolverines. Just like former Raptor broadcaster Chuck Swirsky, I am happy to cheer GO BLUE. So this comes from someone that really has been a fan of Jalen and I am happy for him in getting a good living for himself after his NBA Career. But that being said he is going off shooting off his mouth and saying things that I have no confidence he knows anything about.

At several points last night on ESPN he was proclaiming that he knew for a fact that Chris Bosh and Lebron James were coming to New York in 2010. He was saying that Nate Robinson would have to give up his number for Chris Bosh. Same for Q-Rich with LBJ. Jalen does not know anything when all is said and done. To say that any player is going to another team is a lock is stupid. I took some heat for suggesting Dwyane Wade may be considering Toronto as an option for 2010. But I never said it was a lock and there was no doubt that it would happen. That would be silly to do and Jalen for a guy that has wanted a career in the media for as long as he has, you would think he would know better.

Not to mention the fact that Rose played here and spent time in Toronto and was treated very well by the media and fans here. What did we do to you Jalen? I mean why are you out there saying that our star player is a lock to go to the Knicks? Please as a Michigan fan and a Raptor fan, Please SHUT UP.

But if only it was that simple. Jalen is not the only one at ESPN that is talking about the Knicks and Bosh. All this speculation is sparked by the two trades the Knicks made on Friday. Sending Zach Randolph and Marty Collins to the Clippers and Jamal Crawford to the Warriors. It is part of the Knicks Salary dump plan for 2010. James, Bosh and Wade are all mentioned in this ESPN article. Is it just me or does ESPN talk more about 2010 than they talk about the actual season being played.

ESPN TALKING KNICKS AND 2010

Sam Mitchell Haters For Once I Agree

I don't think you will find a blog that has been more supportive of Sam Mitchell. He may not know but the Dino Nation Blog has had his back a lot. But last night there was no defense for what happened at the end of regulation play. The Raptors had two chances to inbound the basketball and were unsuccessful both times. That just can't happen. It is Sam's responsibility as he had two chances to draw up something to get the ball in play. Sure the players have to make it happen but come on. I had written despite my support of Sam that this season would define him one way or the other as relates to his future with the Raptors. At this point Sam is truly on the edge as far as keeping his job. I don't think injuries or excuses can save him. I really feel bad about this because if Sam Mitchell and his time with Raptors is coming to an end I will miss him a ton. But he really isn't giving his supporters a lot to work with. Add in the fact that with J.O getting hurt he has less to work with it may just be to much to over come. When you look across the way last night at Lawerence Frank I don't think anyone can say that he did not out coach Sam Mitchell in this basketball game. He was able to give Vince Carter the chances to kill Raptor fans hopes for a win. Vince did just that.

Some CIS and Score Love

I like to try to support other forms of basketball beyond the Raptors and the NBA. I think it is important to do so. But being honest about it during the Raptors season those chances are rare to be able to do it. Thankfully one of the sites that is part of the Score.Com Sports Federation makes their focus the CIS. So if you are looking to read about coverage of basketball on that level go check them out. They do football as well and I am sure will have a lot about the Vanier Cup which is right in my backyard here in Hamilton. The Score is broadcasting the game as well with pre-game at 1pm and kickoff set for just after 2pm. But for here we are all about basketball and they had an article with the early season rankings in the CIS in both Men's and Women's basketball. So if you want to follow the CIS basketball season check them out:

CIS Rankings in Men's And Women's Basketball


So that is about it for me. I am praying and hoping for a birthday miracle for the Raptors to get me a win tomorrow. It may take just that given the state of things for the Raptors and the task of facing Boston was not easy at full strength let alone at something less than that.