Big 4th Quarter Squashes Bugs

The one thing the Raptors have failed to be in many ways in consistent. This game has a good example of that in one night. If the Raptors have been consistent at anything, it is getting off to slow starts and that was the case on this night with the Hornets getting off to a 10-2 start. But the Raptors would storm back and make this a game in short order. The Raptors after the slow start caught fire shooting the basketball. Toronto after missing 4 of their first 5 shots many of which were in the paint the Raptors would get hot from long range. Jose Calderon made a couple of three pointers which would be his only two makes from long range on the night. The Raptors would eventually take the lead 22-21, their first lead since 2-0 on a Calderon jumper for 2. The quarter would end with Barbosa hitting a buzzer beater 2 giving the Raptors a 29-25 lead after one and they were shooting above 60% from the field.

The second quarter would be the most even the two teams would play all night. The Raptors would get the lead to lead to 10 on a couple James Johnson free throws to make it 36-26. But the Raptors would let that advantage slip away. The Hornets on a couple of Jarrett Jack free throws had cut the lead to 40-38 with 4:18 to play in the half. The Raptors would re-establish an advantage leading 51-42 with 44 second to play in the half. Some sloppy stuff to close the quarter. Casey would sub in Anthony Carter to guard Jarrett Jack with 10 seconds to play and he would get blown by for an easy layup and to add to an earlier buck and those 4 points made a 9 point lead just a 5 point lead at the half with the score 51-46.

That sloppy ending would lead to a terrible 3rd quarter for the Raptors. How bad was it? Well remember how the Raptors were shooting above 60% after the first? They would be below 40% after the third quarter was done. Raptors only made 4 field goals in the entire quarter 3 of which were made by Demar DeRozan. In total the Raptors managed just 11 points in the 3rd Quarter. So given that information, it was not a case of if the Hornets would take the lead, just when did they take the lead? Surprisingly, it took longer than you think, as with 3:59 left in the 3rd Trevor Ariza would make a 2 point shot to give the Hornets a 60-58 lead. There were points where both teams were just jacking up threes and missing them. There is a reason these teams are not all that good and it was on full display in the 3rd. Unlike the Raptors did down the stretch in the 2nd, the Hornets would do what you are suppose to do with a lead by adding to it. They held the Raptors to just 4 points in the final four minutes and had a 69-62 lead to take to the 4th quarter.

It only took the Raptors 1 minute and 17 seconds to tie the game at 69. Linas Kleiza who had a strong night hit a three as part of that 7-0 run to start the 4th. After a Hornet bucket to get back ahead by two it would be Kleiza again with 3 to give the Raptors a 72-71 still less than 2 minutes into the 4th. The Raptors had a 10-2 run to answer the one the Hornets had to start the game. Former Raptor Marco Belinelli would hit a three to answer to give the Hornets a 74-72 lead. It is the last time the Hornets would lead in this game as it turned out. The game would be tied at 77 and Bayless would make two at the line to give the Raptors the lead back. After that a Barbosa three pointer and the Raptors would not look back from there. The Raptors would pull away in the final seven minutes and change to end up with an eleven point win for their 11th win of season with a final score of 95-84.

DeRozan was big in this game after not being happy about being benched for the 4th quarter in Houston he had 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists on the night. He tied for the scoring lead in this game with Linas Kleiza who was hot from long range going 5-7 from the 3 point line accounting for15 of his 21 points. Barbosa had 15 points as well off the bench with only one made three as part of that total. Those 3 guys were the main reason the Raptors got a win on this night. It was not how you would want to script it. The Raptors did have their ugly moments in this game. However when you come out and score 33 points in the 4th quarter and only allow your opponent to score 15 a lot can be forgiven. When you only have 11 wins on the season you are not going to be picky in how you get a win at the end of the day.

G-Tech Star Returns To Toronto

I can honestly say I was pretty stunned on the Monday after the All-Star Weekend the new came out that former Raptor Jarrett Jack had been arrested for DUI in his home of Atlanta. Jarrett was one of the more stand-up people I have come across in covering basketball in terms of dealing with the media. People genuinely liked him and respected the fact he was always willing to talk win or lose. He was regarded as a leader in the Raptor locker room in his short time with the club. So it was very sad to see this story and you hope that it is a one time thing and he can get on the right path. You are thankful that he did not kill himself or worse someone else. This is something that we all deal with in our lives NBA Star or not. Hopefully it teaches people not do this or gives someone a second thought before they step behind the wheel of a car. If you can stop one from doing it, then do it. Think why we come down on pro athletes more for this type of transgression is because they can easily afford to pay for a driver, take a limo even take a cab. Yet month after month and year after year we hear story after story of athletes getting in trouble for DUI at some point they need to learn the lesson and let's hope it doesn't take someone getting killed to learn it for others.

That may have nothing to do with tonight's game between the Hornets and Raptors but it is important to speak up and bring light to the subject. Far to many people have lost lives due to impaired driving and it is a serious matter that effects us all as people. In our little fantasy world that is pro sports it is not going good for the Raptors. Bargnani missed the last game with the flu. His status for tonight last reports I saw was still up in the air. While rumours swirl about Chris Paul eventually moving to New York, the future of the Hornets franchise in doubt with league stepping in and buying the team, it has not stopped the Hornets from being one of the bigger surprises in the NBA this season.They sit 5th in the Western Conference and as it stands now would have a first round playoff date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The one thing you can take heart is despite the Raptors struggles, the team existence is never in question under the ownership of MLSE. That being said after 16 years Raptors fans seem fed up. MLSE even announced lowering prices on tickets next season. A response to the drop in attendance and fan interest this season. A surprising move still from a company that has not always responded in this way. Leaf fans are very jealous. But there is always that whole question of if there will be a season to deal with.

The Basics: Hornets 35-26 ( 3-7 in Last 10) Raptors 16-44 (11-20 at ACC)

When Last We Saw Them: The Raptors started the game as if they were shot cannon a 22-3 start only to fade and burnout like a comet. The Mavericks by the end of it had laid a pretty serious butt kicking on the Raptors. As mentioned the Raptors were without Andrea Bargnani and While DeRozan was good he could not take his game up a level to make up for the loss. Nor could the rest of the Raptors.

Key Match-ups: Raise your hand if you are worried about Chris Paul being matched-up with Jose Calderon. For all those that raised your hand....me too. Calderon has had some successful nights vs Paul though. One of more successful you have to go back to New Year's Eve 2007. Calderon had 17 points and 12 assists while Paul bettered his numbers with 23 points 16 assists and 7 rebounds it was the Raptors getting the 97-92 win in New Orleans. But Calderon is not the same guy now as he was then. You can argue Paul isn't as well. But an injury free season is getting Paul back in the conversation as on the best point guards in the league. In that game back in 2007 David West had 33 points to lead all scorers. He has done well in his career against the Raptors. Shutting him down will also be a big factor. Bayless, Jack, Belinelli all will be playing against former team and could have some added pep in their step. Another problem for the Raptors will be Emeka Okafor who has adjusted nicely since coming from the Bobcats to join the Hornets.

Other Things of Note: Hornets have dominated the all-time serious between these 2 with a 30-18 advantage all-time. Hornets back in January came up with a 85-81 win and will look to return the favour from last season and sweep the Raptors and surprisingly the Raptors swept them in 2009-10 season. How good is Chris Paul? Here is how he compares to 2 hall of famers in Magic and Isiah through 400 games :

• Magic Johnson Steals: 944 Points: 7248 Assists: 4097
• Chris Paul Steals:960 Points: 7576 Assists: 3982
• Isiah Thomas Steals: 934 Points: 8307 Points:4109

You can see why the Knicks might have some interest in him. This is the last game for the Raptors before they make the long trip to London for back to back games with the Nets. Who also have a really good point guard in Williams. Paul and Williams in the same division with Rondo and Holiday as well. Raptors need to upgrade at the point guard spot if they hope to compete in the new Atlantic Division. Myck Kabongo potentially could be a guy that could do that. But he has yet to even play a college game yet. Raptors would like to head to England on a positive but that is going to be difficult.

Where Is On? Sportsnet 1 ( Hockey Trade Deadline Coverage apparently is not done yet.)

Hornets On A Monday Afternoon

The Raptors travel to New Orleans for the MLK Holiday in the United States. It is first match-up between the two since the trade that saw Jarrett Jack moved to Hornets with Banks and Andersen for Bayless and Peja. They come in on a 3 game losing streak with their next 3 games after today against 3 of the best teams in the NBA. The Hornets are also a solid team with a winning record in the very tough Western Conference. This road trip looks to be a tipping point for any of you out there that were holding out hope for a playoff spot. Raptors are a banged up bunch that makes the chances of an upset even tougher. No Barbosa, Weems, Evans, Peja and will see in terms of Bayless.

The Basics: New Orleans 25-16 (15-5 at home) Toronto 13-27 (5-15 on the road)

When Last We Saw Them: The Raptors were in the game with the Wizards. But they got poor performances from DeRozan and Bargnani. The Raptors had a chance to win the game despite that. But they sputtered down the stretch and it was the Wizards taking the win on their home floor.

The Match Ups: Trevor Ariza and Linas Kleiza are 2 very different kinds of small forwards. Ariza the more athletic of the the two and Klezia the size and strength advantage. Klezia has been up and down of late and inconsistent. Former Raptor vs current Raptor as Demar DeRozan hooks up with Marco Belinelli. Marco was traded for Julian Wright and has found a starting roll with Hornets averaging 11 points per game. DeRozan needs a bounce back and has a major advantage in terms of his athleticism and we need to see it today. Obviously Chris Paul should have an advantage over Jose Calderon despite the play of Calderon of late. Bargnani also needs to dominate his match-up with Okafor and to do that he needs to start making shots. His shooting vs the Wizards has as bad as when I use him in NBA 2K11 and trust me that is VERY BAD.

Other Things Of Note: This game is a 2pm local start (3pm Toronto time) for the MLK Holiday in the U.S. Raptors are on a 2 game winning streak vs Hornets despite a terrible all time record vs Hornets of 18-29 and 8-15 on the road in Charlotte/New Orleans. Raptors are 4-9 vs the West this season and just 1-6 on the road vs the West. We are almost to the half way point of the season and the Raptors have yet to play a game that has went to overtime. Not that I expect it to happen today. Hornets have won 7 of their last 9 games and 4 straight heading into today.

Where Is It On? Sportsnet 1 (3pm tip) Replay on NBATV-CANADA at 7pm (For those of you that have to work)

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

It is my fault Jarrett Jack was traded. It is also my fault LeBron James left Cleveland. Oh and if the rumours are true about Steve Nash, you can blame that on me, too. I know it is a major coincidence but I feel as if I need to fess up and absorb some of the fall out. Starting with LeBron James. Earlier this year, I bought a LeBron James jersey for my nephew's 4th birthday. I was debating between LeBron and Chris Bosh but I had a stronger suspicion Bosh was on his way out and opted for the Cleveland jersey. LeBron bolts and my nephew will likely never wear that jersey since his father carries much disdain for Mr. James. So now, with Christmas fast approaching, I was going to redeem myself and purchase a Jarrett Jack jersey for my nephew. I'm thinking this is a safe choice, right? No dice. Good thing I waited. At least Steve Nash has been safe so far (that's the jersey I bought my other nephew this summer). All of the above is obviously my attempt at finding the humour in player trades because really, at the end of the day, it is all business. Something had to change with the Raptors and the move happened to fall on Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks and David Anderson. Do we trust Brian Colangelo's decision to make this trade? We are going to have to whether the answer to this question is yes or no. I think Raptors fans have a special attachment to their team since they have personally invested their allegiance to the red and white through scoring slumps and lack of championships. You throw your support behind a team who lost their biggest star and made the decision cheer this team on and they lose another rising star. I am sure Jarrett Jack will be well received in the New Orleans Arena, along with Marcus Banks and David Anderson. I am also sure adding Peja Stojakovic and Jerryd Bayless to the Raptors' line-up will do more than add to this team's 'young core and increase this team's financial flexibility' as Brian Colangelo said on the viability of this trade. You have to believe it or else you will live with the unsettled feeling this team is rebuilding in what could be the last season until 2011-2012. Yes, an NBA lockout seems imminent. Let's talk about this, the Miami Heat and the safety of toddlers at professional basketball games.

A Looming Lockout

"I think it's highly probable that there will be a lockout and that's what I am preparing for because I don't see anything else right now" - NBA Player's Association Executive Director Billy Hunter on the probability of a lockout next year. What is he instructing his players to do? Save their money. I don't think with the salaries they earn they will end up on the streets or starve. Let's be realistic. The production staff, arena staff, those running concession stands are the ones who should be saving their money. These are the behind-the-scenes men and women who help put on the NBA show and this is their bread and butter. But Billy Hunter's job is to look out for NBA players' best interests and rightfully so. The league is asking for players to take a collective pay cut of $700-$800 million and wants a hard salary cap to replace the current one which allows for exceptions. However, the players are saying the current system works, evident in record revenue and ticket sales and strong TV ratings. The players also claim the total of negotiated salaries has dropped for three straight seasons. Both sides are claiming they want what is best for the game. Realistically though, if no movement is seen by either side come the playoffs, a lock-out is pretty much a done deal. Both Hunter and NBA Commissioner David Stern say they need to see something in the works by the All-Star break. However, at the rate they're going, they'll be swapping BBQ recipes instead of ideas.

More Heat in Miami

I feel very concerned for Miami Heat President Pat Riley. The coals on his coaching fire must be burning watching the drama unfold in front of him. On the other hand, talk about pressure for Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. Think about it. You have the NBA coaching experience of Pat Riley looking over your shoulder and the 'three kings' trying to rally the troops in front of you. But his is where my sympathy ends. With 1:16 left in Monday night's game against Indiana, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James leaped for a defensive rebound. They missed and the ball went to Indiana. Not the kind of play you are looking for from a couple of guys who came out yelling and pumping their fists amidst fire works before the season started. This is how Coach Spoelstra explains it "Sometimes you have four or five games where nothing seems to go right". This is true. However, when the 'three kings' came out with guns blazing and in our face about being the best without even scoring a point yet, a 'things just aren't going right' explanation doesn't cut it. They got themselves into this mess and they need to dig their own way out.

A Toddler dies after falling at a Lakers game

This is truly a sad story and raises many questions. On Sunday night, the family of a two-year old boy was posing for pictures in a luxury suite at a Lakers home game. The parents allegedly paused to look at the photos snapped and two-year old Lucas Anthony Tang managed to climb over a clear safety barrier and fell about 30 feet to his death. I have been in a few luxury boxes in my time and most of them have a room for socializing and seats for watching the game - both of which are separated by a glass door which can be locked. So I am wondering how a two year-old manages to break free unnoticed and scales a safety barrier which is clearly bigger than he is. According to Michael Roth, owner of the Staples Center (home to both Lakers' and Clippers' games), the luxury boxes have tiers of seats. These seats are fronted by concrete walls and on top of these walls are glass barriers. He says the barriers vary in height but its lowest point sits about the the height of an adult's waist. Should there be an age or height requirement for these luxury boxes? Maybe. Should the parents have kept a closer eye on their child or even left them at home with a caregiver? Sure. Whatever mistakes were made though, it should not have been punctuated by a loss of life. Both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Staples Center are conducting their own investigation. Let's hope the Tang family can find some peace soon.

On this note, hug your niece, nephew, grandchildren or children a little tighter tonight - you just never know when tragedy will strike. See you on Thursday for "Behind Enemy Lines".

Is Calderon The Man or Auditioning?

The one thing I will say about Jose Calderon is he is at least a survivor. Some how, some way, he has been able to do that here in Toronto. After his rookie season it was pretty clear the Raptors did not have faith in him to be the man. How else could you explain the trade for T.J Ford that sent Charlie V packing to the Bucks. Ford was brought in to be that guy. Which he was for the most part until he was injured in Atlanta. That opened up the door to Jose Calderon. To his credit he performed well in the absence of Ford and took his game to another level. Perhaps the best play of Calderon's career came in that stretch. It also came in a contract year for him. So one way or the other Jose Calderon was going to get paid. When Ford would return he would feel he deserved his job back. Based on his play prior to his injury he felt justified. In the game he was injured Ford himself had perhaps one of the best nights in his NBA career.

It created a dynamic in which right or wrong Ford was painted as the bad guy. T.J was not shy about saying that he felt he deserved to be the starter and eventually he was put back in the starting role. Some would say at the suggestion of Jose Calderon. Jose has always been labelled as a team first guy and this was the ultimate action in him earning that label. T.J would not regain the form he had prior to his injury. In fact to this day T.J Ford has never really got back to being that guy. So while Ford would continue to profess that although he liked Jose and they got along that Ford saw himself as the starter. Jose kept tight lipped on the issue and would just go back to his role as the back-up.

The seed to all of this was planted before Ford's injury though. In Game 6, a must win for the Raptors, it was Ford sitting on the bench watching just like us see Calderon throw away the Raptors chance to extend the series to 7 games vs Nets. That was how the season would end with the supposed starter sitting on the bench watching his back-up cost the Raptors the series. Injuries played a role there as well. Not only Ford but Calderon both were injured in that series. The only other playoff series these 2 were a part of was the series vs Orlando. Heading into the series most experts were saying, the Raptors had the best two point guards in this series and that Nelson the Magic's point guard was a distant 3rd. By the end of that series with the exception of the lone game that the Raptors won in Toronto it was Nelson that had out played both.

All of these events took place under Sam Mitchell. It was Mitchell that made the choices on minutes and who was the starter and who wasn't. It seemed clear by the end that T.J and Sam's relationship had gone south. The Raptors would not have Mitchell in place when Ford would return in his first game after he was no longer a Raptor. Mitchell was fired just days prior to Ford's first meeting with his former team in Toronto. T.J would claim that his motivation was not the same coming back because things were different with the Raptors. In other words without saying it, his goal was not as much to stick it to Jose, as it was to stick to Mitchell. Why such hard feelings? No one really knows the exact answer to that. But when Mitchell once stated that Jose Calderon was the type of guy he would want his own daughter to date, that spoke volumes to his opinion and perhaps bias on the issue.

So what type of guy is Jose though? While Ford was direct and maybe all to honest about his desire to start Jose would stick to the do what is best for the team mantra. Calderon would leave Toronto after the season with his contract set to expire with that being his party line. However, in the first interview he did upon returning to Spain he would be singing a much different tune. That he felt that he deserved to be the starter. That he wanted to be the starter and this left the Raptors in a tough position. Ford was already being paid like a starter as the Raptors had extended his contract not long after acquiring him. If Jose thought he was a starter he would want to be paid like one as well. The Raptors needed to make a choice and they picked Jose. Signing him to his deal for slightly more then what Ford was earning. They then flipped Ford to the Pacers with Rasho and a pick that turned out to be Roy Hibbert. For Jermaine O'Neal and a pick that turned out to be Nathan Jawai. While Ford and Hibbert remain Pacers, Jawai is out of the league and J.O did not even last a season with the Raptors.

Jose since the trade has had numerous injuries and his play has never reached the level of where it was when Ford was out. It became so much of an issue it led to the Raptors signing Jarrett Jack who not only could challenge Jose but happened to be good friends with the star player in Bosh and his college team mate. Just like Jack had done in Indy to Ford, he would do the same to Calderon in Toronto. Jack had out played Ford to earn the starting role with the Pacers and then came to Toronto and did the same to Jose Calderon.

It seemed very clear that Jack was the guy the Raptors wanted to keep. Jack showed leadership and became a mentor to some of the Raptors young players. Something that Calderon, despite his team first attitude, has failed to do as Raptor in his entire career in my view. The Raptors tried unsuccessfully to trade Calderon to Charlotte. The Bobcats at the last minute backed out and it would appear that the Raptors could not find another place to move Jose. He didn't help matters with a terrible pre-season and a less then thrilling beginning to the season . The worm started to turn in the past few games and the dreaded point guard controversy was back in vogue. But before the blogs and talk radio could get the debate rolling Jack was packaged up and sent to New Orleans with Banks and Andersen. Jose once again survives and becomes the USPG. What does that mean? Undisputed Starting Point Guard. Some fans are already wondering how long before Bayless, acquired in the trade with New Orleans, will change that status for Jose. If he is any kind of Raptor, it will be sooner as opposed to later.

So what ultimately does this mean? Is Jose now the guy or is this just an audition for him to play his way out of Toronto? The Raptors have 2 draft picks and a boat load of cap space and with all of that you would think they could use some of it to get a quality point guard. I remember when Kenny Smith on TNT few years back referred to Calderon as nothing more than a good back-up in this league. Now I am not saying Kenny Smith is right about a lot of things. But on this one he may have hit the nail on the head.

Jose Calderon for whatever you may think of him good or bad this next point is fact. Since Calderon's arrival in the league the position he plays has evolved and not in his favour. The speed of point guards in this league has increased. Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Tyreke Evans Derrick Rose and a few other names you could add are all blessed with speed. Calderon's lack of defensive quickness, and is lack of ability to fight through screens makes him easy to expose for these guys. Just like the center position has evolved and the Shaq and D-12's of the world have become rare exceptions to the rule, the point guard position is changing too. A point guard with Jose's skill set on the defensive end of the floor is doomed to failure. He has never been a good defender and at his peak his offensive skill set allowed that to be over looked. But on a Raptor team that is trying to change it's image and become at least more of a two way team that can play on both ends it would appear Jose Calderon does not fit in that.

So the off-season and perhaps the play of Jerryd Bayless may determine what becomes of Jose Calderon. For the moment he is the Undisputed Starting Point Guard. It is a title he has earned perhaps by default. The fact that he himself was untradeable. In addition Jarrett Jack was not playing to the level, that could allow Bryan Colangelo to not follow through on his ultimate plan, of getting the Raptors a ton of cap space for the New CBA have made it so. So if your thoughts on Calderon are similar to that of mine, you need to see that this might just be short term pain for a long term gain. Jose Calderon is just not the long term answer at his position and the fact he is here and Jarrett Jack is not does not mean Jose is. It speaks more to the fact he has a contract that far exceeds his talent level and that the Raptors based on that could not move him. So as crazy as it sounds Calderon fans and his haters may want the same thing for different reasons. Jose Calderon to perform well. The haters because it can be an audition to get rid of him once and for all. For the fans of him a chance for him to establish himself and become the starting point guard going forward. But for those people I would not hold my breath waiting for that to happen. Jose at this point is what he is.

DNB Scavenger Hunt Clue 3- He is the only person responsible for the Video "Like A Bosh" to appear in the DNB.

We have had 3 clues for 3 different guests so far. You have till Tuesday at Midnight to send us one clue with one correct link to an interview with that person in that clue. Email them to Dinonationblog@Gmail.com for your chance to win a pair of tickets to sit in the MGD Best Seats in the House Box with me for the Nuggets and Raptors on December 10th. You can't win if you don't enter so make sure you do. Good Luck to all. All successful entries will be added to the mix and a random winner will be drawn.

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.

Raptors/New Orleans Trade??? White Flag for 2010/11 and Green Beyond

After the Summer in Raptor land, a trade is never a trade until I get an e-mail from the Raptors saying they have made it. But this one is being widely reported and may in-fact have legs to it but has some issues as well. Bryan Colangelo just can't make a simple trade...EVER!!! Only kidding but a nice simple trade would be nice. So here is the deal as it is being reported according to several sources .

To Toronto:

G Jerryd Bayless
F Peja Stojakovic

To New Orleans:

G Marcus Banks
C David Andersen
G Jarrett Jack

Ok on to the problems. Bayless may not be able to be traded. He was acquired in the off-season and was with Portland last year. The only loop hole to this is if he is dealt in a straight 1 for 1 trade. Doesn't that apply to Andersen as well? Not sure he was never traded for actual players so might not. In fact my research says it doesn't.

It may work if you trade Bayless for Andersen straight up.......DING DING WINNER WINNER.

So that problem is solved. Thanks to Real G.M Trade Checker. Now does the rest of it work? Nope it doesn't. Ok so something involving cash or exceptions will need to happen. Raptors do not have to use ALL of the Bosh trade exception so could use a portion of it, to get the big fat expiring contract of Peja, to add to the remainder of the Bosh exception. That would work but only if Bayless was traded in the package. Which he can't be until sometime in December. I believe the date is the 10th but don't quote me on that. Do Bloggers need to start getting capologists? maybe.

But assuming the Hornets and Raptors have them I am sure this stuff will get sorted out. So for the sake of argument we will say this can happen even though how it would is a little foggy to understand.

So if the Raptors do this deal they have basically raised the white flag on the 2010/11 season. But they have set themselves up to be a giagantic player in the NEW CBA free agent period which depending on if there is or isn't a lockout will happen eventually. It would also be a safe bet that this new CBA will be far more cap restrictive and make cap space even more valuable. Talk of the elimination of the MLE and Hard Cap have been thrown around.

So in theory the Raptors become an attractive landing spot for free agents. All except for that whole Canada thing. Raptors would really only have one of their own players that they likely would want to re-sign in Sonny Weems. This is just a rough estimate but the Raptors should have somewhere between 25-30 Million to spend. Let's assume Sonny really kills it this year he still likely gets no more then 5-6 Million? That is if he seriously steps up. Any thing less then a complete blow the doors off season the number goes down. Actually that amount of money to spend might be a little more because Reggie Evans would also be expiring as well. Bottom line the Raps will be loaded with cap space.

So based on Bryan's moves this off-season this trade should be no surprise to anyone. His plan has clearly been to reset the Raptors for being a player under the new CBA. That is what was so attractive about the Charlotte deal for Evans and Calderon that never happened. It also in the short term might have helped the Raps be slightly more competitive.

The down side is this is clear proof that Jose Calderon as of this moment is just untradeable. That is the only conclusion you can draw. He also for the short term is your starting point guard with 2 combo guards backing him up in Barbosa and Bayless. Jose has played well in recent days but in the past when he has moved from back-up to starter the results have not been positive. The lone exception to that in his contract year when Ford was hurt and that set up a number of dominoes that led to Calderon's over priced contract and Ford being shipped to Indy in what turned out to be a brutal trade. Anyone seen Roy Hibbert lately he is pretty good. Nathan Jawai was last seen in Summer League. J.O is now sucking in Boston.

Andersen would give New Orleans a back-up center that can do a number of things they do not have at the moment. Jarrett Jack is a great back-up to Paul and if things go south and you need to move Paul eventually he can be a stop gap starting point guard. Banks is expiring and at least gives them part of what they gave up in Peja's fat contract. As for Peja he has past his prime like 3 years ago at least and really does not offer the Raps a lot other then a guy that use to be able to light it up from 3 point range.

The Bottom line to all of this is that if you had hope for this season and Raptors trying to be a playoff team....FORGET ABOUT IT. But if you were accepting the Raptors reality and looking towards the future this gives you reason to be optimistic. It also may just be the thing to give Bryan Colangelo and Jay Triano a free pass on this season. Not sure if I like that. But as we all learned in the Summer...A Deal is not a deal until a team is announcing that is. So far on that front the Raptors and Hornets have not said anything. What we do know is Brown or Jordan will not screw this trade up. So will wait and see if this thing gets done. Sooner or perhaps later if they can't figure out a way to move Bayless.

Bobcats Basement Battle Preview

The Bobcats were flying high last season making the playoffs for the first time in Franchise history. In the off-season they saw Raymond Felton take his talents north, not south, to New York. That leaves Larry Brown with D.J Augustin as his point guard. It could have been Jose Calderon but M.J or Brown pulled the plug on Bryan Colangelo.

The Basics: Bobcats 1-6 (Only Win Nov 3rd @ N.J) Raptors 1-6 (Lost 5 straight)

When We Last Saw Them: I was at the ACC and was witness to the Raptors taking a 1-2 punch from Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. The Raptors would dig to big a hole, and despite out scoring the Warriors in the 2nd half, it was not enough and the Raptors lost their 5th in a row 109-102. Barbosa left this game with a shoulder injury and his status for tonight is not known. Jarrett Jack was also banged up but he vows he will play.

Random Bobcat Facts: A murder suspect was arrested at a Bobcats game this year. Today is Bobcats starting point guard D.J Augustin's Birthday.

Key Match-Ups: Jarrett Jack is not at 100% and D.J Augustin is trying to establish himself as the starting point guard in Charlotte. Should be a good match up at the point guard. Also Jose Calderon may be forced into action based on how Jack is. Will Jose be motivated to play against a team that rejected him? The other match-up to keep an eye on is Demar DeRozan going against Stephen Jackson who is the guy that can lead the scoring charge for Charlotte.

X-Factors- Gerald Wallace and Reggie Evans will battle, bang and hustle and it should be a good fight.

Other Things of Note: We will be liveblogging this one on The Score.com and Score Mobile. The Raptors have a 14-7 record vs Bobcats all time and are 7-3 vs Charlotte at the ACC. Want a key to victory? How about the team that doesn't turnover the ball wins. Bobcats turn it over on average 18 times a game and the Raptors 16.7. Raptors average 10 more points a game scoring the basketball 99.9 to 89.9 per game.

In Case You Missed It: We talked with Reggie Evans in the DNB and we had a big announcement for all of you DNB readers. Speaking of that it is trivia time

DNB Trivia Question #2- What is the name of our interview segments here on the Dino Nation Blog?

Update: Couple things Barbosa is out and was sighted at practice with a sling. Also off the floor story started kicking around today that Richard Peddie is stepping down from his position in MLSE.

ACC Is Curry's House

As a kid his day was make shots for the Raptors while he was drop shots on the Raptors practice floor. Now it is the younger Curry on the big floor and looking just as good as Dad every did. In late April as the Raptors were trying to hang on to a playoff spot on of the key losses was to these same Golden State Warriors. Curry was a big reason why the Raptors were not successful in that one. He had 29 points 12 assists and 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a dominate performance. Speed ahead to last night and his second game as a pro at the ACC. Another impressive line for him with 34 points 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. He combined with Monta Elllis who left the game late with an injury that looked pretty bad. But before his crash landing he has good too, with 28 points 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Ellis injured his back and is going to be checked out tomorrow spending the night in Toronto and getting an MRI on his back. He was motionless on the court and it was a pretty scary moment. I was live blogging football on the weekend and watched Austin Collie of the Colts get knocked out. He would need to be stretchered off. At least Ellis was able to get to his feet.

It all started so well for the Raptors with an 8-0 run to start the game. Warriors would call a time out and after that the game changed. The Warriors who were coming in off to a loss to Detroit did not want to drop their 3rd straight on the road this season. It was a 15 point turn around by the end of the quarter that saw the Warriors lead 26-19. They would never trail the rest of the night.

The one thing that has to be frustrating for fans and I would imagine the coaching staff and players as well, is the lack of consistency of the various players on this roster. Calderon was on the comeback trail and maybe becoming the starter? Nope, it was Jack that bounced back tonight and Jose barely saw the floor. Jack had 24 points 8 assists and 3 steals going all out to try and match his opposition on the other side. I wish you could have seen Jarrett Jack in the locker room prior to the cameras going on post game. He looked like a guy that had fought 15 rounds and had nothing left. If you could feel frustration in the air it was oozing out of the Raptors locker room.

The Raptors did try to fight back after digging a hole that was far to large for them to fight out of. The Raptors won the second half of this game 61-54. It would have been very easy to roll over and accept defeat. Like the Dallas Cowboys did on Sunday Night Football. It would cost their coach Wade Phillips his job today. A 1-6 start is far from a great one for Jay Triano, but at least for the moment his team is still fighting hard for him. The Raptors unlike the Cowboys are not a team blessed with a lot of star talent. The Cowboys have been massive under achievers this season. The Raptors are more like a team like the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are winless despite having 2 loses in overtime and a narrow loss in Toronto this past weekend. I guess the point to all this is that, effort is great but without the validation of wins, it is hard to keep coming back game after game. For now, the Raptors locker room is determined to find answers and make it work. But to remain focused and not let losses start to get to you is just not realistic.

The problem in a post Bosh world is that you need a number of players all to play well on a given night. Think of it like a Proline ticket. You can pick 5 winners but if the 6th doesn't win you don't get anything. In the Raptors case they need a number of guys to come through on a given night to stand a fighting chance. I can not honestly think of 1 player on this roster through 7 games that you can say has been consistent in terms of performance. That is really hard for a coaching staff and for a team to be successful.

Add in the fact that Barbosa left the game with a shoulder injury. Jack has a banged up knee but he did say that he will live. Weems was back in the line-up after some knee soreness. Judging by his aerial attack tonight he looks healthy. The Raptors talent is thin as it is, add on some injuries to the mix and you could have a really mess. The Raptors face dare I say a must win vs the Bobcats? After that they hit the road for Orlando and Miami and the Raptors will have little chance at finding a win in those. As the losses mount up, the harder it becomes to remain positive and find a way to win.

For those who were ready to declare Bargnani the new leader and ready to make that big jump. It looks like he has regressed and is now having trouble getting his offence going. Although in this one he only had 10 attempts from the field and made 5. His defence and rebounding remain major concerns and when he does not get the points that becomes even more glaring. But he does need more touches for a guy that "should be" the Raptors top scorer.

The Raptors despite the scrappy comeback attempt fall short 109-102 in what is becoming a far to familiar script for this team. I have always been saying, being entertaining and scrappy is not enough. That losing is not fun. A look around the Raptor locker room tells you that story very well. It is not a question of guys not caring or not trying. It is a case of guys maybe trying to do too much. That was Jay Triano's thought in the pre-game and it is a valid one. It is a tired, banged up and frustrated group of Raptors that desperately need a win, if for nothing more then team moral.

All That Jazz On Raps And Utah

Toronto Raptors continue their 4 game road trip tonight in Utah. The Raptors will face the new look Jazz who come into this one riding high.

The Basics : Utah 1-2 (Coming off double digit win over Thunder) Raptors 1-2 (9th in Points Allowed- 96.6 PPG)

Last Time We Saw Them: The Raptors stormed out of the gate at Arco vs Kings only to let their large first quarter lead slip away. Reggie Evans continued to impress on the glass with 19 rebounds. Demar DeRozan tied his career high in points with 24. Andrea Bargnani had 28 points in the loss. The Kings took the lead midway through the 4th Quarter and held on for the 111-108 win.

Key Match ups: The Raptors did not get great point guard play from Jarrett Jack and he will need to be better facing one of the NBA's best in Deron Williams. He was great in Utah's first win of the season over the Thunder with 16 points with 15 Assists. How the Raps play the pick and roll will determine their fate. It won't be Carlos Boozer on those pick and rolls anymore. Al Jefferson the former Celtic and Minnesota player fills his shoes. 3 games into his Jazz career he is averaging 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds. Those rebounds will be hard to come by as he will be matched up with Reggie Evans. Thanks in large part to Evans the Raptors are actually in the top third of the league in rebounding. Evans also has been given credit for the Raptors improvement defensively as well according to Demar DeRozan in his post game comments after the Kings game.

Other Things To Note: Amir Johnson has struggled so far this season with just 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds largely in part because he can not stay on the floor. He is averaging 4 fouls and as a result just 14.3 minutes of floor time. It has been a long time since the Raptors got a win in Salt Lake City. November 10th, 2004 was last time the Raptors won there. Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 20 and Vince Carter had 16. Yeah that was A LONG TIME AGO. In fact that pre-dates Deron Williams who has never lost to Toronto on his home floor. The Raptors next two opponents the Lakers and Blazers both won last night beating the Grizzlies and Bucks.

Where You Can Find The Dino Blogger: I will be live blogging this game for The Score.com and Score Mobile and after the game you can hear me(listen on line) on the Sports Grind talking about the Raptors and the NBA. Sometime after the game around midnight EST.

The Overtime Extra Point: If the expected happens in the next 2 games this will be an early test to this Raptor team's moral. A tough loss to the Kings now 2 games that are almost certainly losses will test this new found locker room chemistry. There are going to be losing streaks for this Raptors team and this will be an early test in how they deal with them.

Good Signs In A Loss To Bulls

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Starting 5 with Zack Cooper from Fan 590

Last season, he was one of a number of people that made me feel welcome in my 1st season covering Raptor games down at the ACC. He does a little bit of everything on the Fan 590 from updates to hosting and everything in between. Zack Cooper is our guest and we talk in depth about the Toronto Raptors heading into this new season, that is not that far away. Among the topics that come up are Jay Triano's new attitude, a lot of love for Jarrett Jack and a breakdown of all the key parts of this Raptor Squad. While many don't put a lot of stock in the pre-season Zack does and feels it is even more so for this Raptor team. It was a great conversation and we manage to get in some educated guesses on where the Raps will end up, The NBA Finals and the MVP from Mr. Cooper.





Zack will be back, as it says at the end, to talk some NBA 2K11 look for that on the weekend. Thanks to Zack for making time for me and being one of the friendly faces I get to see at the ACC. Which is where I will be tomorrow for Raptors and Bulls. The Raptors last pre-season date at the ACC, before they head up to Montreal to close out the pre-season vs New York.

Raps Hang Tough With Celtics- Up Next Bulls

First before we look back, tonight I will liveblog the Raptors and Bulls here on the DNB Website. So make sure you tune in and join us for that. Now a quick look back to the weekend. I was able to watch 3 quarters of the game between the Raptors and Celtics. That was long enough to watch Andersen layout Big Baby and bloody his nose. The Celtics who traditionally have bullied the Raptors were a bit taken back by this much more scrappy in your face Raptors team. Andrea Bargnani for the second straight game looked anything like the best player on the roster. Yes it is just the pre-season but that does not mean there is not reason to be concerned. Through 2 pre-season games Andrea has averaged 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 57 minutes of game action. Shooting just 2-17 combined in those two games. David Andersen has better numbers and he was not the 1st pick in the draft by a long shot.

As for the battle at point guard the needle still points to advantage Jack. Jarrett had 18 points (team high) and 6 boards only 1 assist vs Boston. While Calderon did have 6 assists but no rebounds and went 0-4 from the field and had just 2 points. Calderon has never had much success vs Boston in his career as Rajon Rondo takes him to school on a regular basis. The Raptors did use Barbosa to guard Rondo when he was on the floor with Calderon. Barbosa was good in this game with 16 points himself and was 2-4 from 3 point range.

Sonny Weems was your top Young Gun on the day with 13 points and the "Play of the Day" turning a turnover into instant offence and a heck a dunk. DeRozan had 11 points 3 steals and got to the line 8 times, the bad news he only made 5 of those 8. While Amir Johnson in limited minutes(15) had just 5 points and 3 rebounds.

While it was clearly a step down from their amazing start the Raptors were in the game with the Celtics throughout. Boston did play all their regulars in this one including former Raptor J.O and Shaq. In the end Boston pulled it out 91-87.

So now it is bring on the Bulls, as the Raptors pay a visit to Chuck Swirsky and the Bulls minus Carlos Boozer their big off-season prize. But even with no additions this is a Bulls team that beat down the Raptors, on route to the playoffs before getting tossed aside by the Cavs and Lebron James. They did add some other pieces like Ronnie Brewer to the mix. Raptors will face the Bulls both tonight and 8 days from now. I am very curious to see how the Raptors will do in the re-match games with both the Suns and Bulls. See if teams can learn from what they saw the first time. Even though it is only the pre-season. But still it is not like they are going to ignore the tape of the games altogether.

So see you all at 7:45 for Raptors and Bulls liveblog here on the DNB website.

One Thing Solved For Raptors

Still a few days left on the clock, but Denver will not match on Linas Kleiza. Why? The news today that Al Harrington has signed a 34 million dollar deal. Which means the Nuggets in a sense tap out and Klezia is gone. So the Raptors deal of somewhere between 18.8 and 20 million dollars for 4 years is a green light. So start the parade we got Klezia!!! I was never that excited about this signing to start with. Klezia was playing in Europe last season not the NBA. I guess if you want to be hopefully than you can look at Carlos Delfino, and his performance with the Bucks after a year out of the league in Russia. That being said, as good as he was, the Raptors did not miss him with acquiring Weems and Johnson.

It is really nice to see that Weems and DeRozan are turning heads in Las Vegas. Summer League is often a snooze for most, except for the hardest of hardcore fans. But watching Weems and DeRozan has been fun as they both clearly seem energized to fill the void left by Chris Bosh leaving. It makes it worth fighting to watch the games if you can. It does not make it worth paying to watch them though. But if you can't see them live they eventually will pop up on Raptors T.V. There are also other methods that during the TSN 2 mess Raptors fans became aware of. The Summer League Raps will be back at today playing the Knicks at 6pm. If there is a team that does Summer League right, it is the New York Knicks. Every year they send their whole crew down to broadcast the games. Walt Frazier busting out words that I have to rush to the dictionary to find the meaning of. The Knicks treat summer league like it is 5 more games on the schedule. Hopefully at some point other teams will follow their lead including the Raptors. As for on the floor the Knicks are 1-1 getting set to face the Raptors a perfect 2-0.

What is the future of Jose Calderon now? It will be very strange to see him back after all of this. The lack of professionalism shown by the Bobcats in letting this trade that never was, get to the point of players being told is pretty bad. The deal the Bobcats took instead has many experts scratching their head and Mark Cuban all smiles. I will look at the bright side in that Reggie Evans is still around as well. I like Reggie personally and think he is a good guy. Will he remain now? That seems unlikely to given his expiring contract and the fact he pretty much had been traded once already. Raptors had once traded Alvin Williams to the Celtics and he failed a medical and returned to the Raptors. Williams held no ill will obviously and now is an assistant coach with the club. Will the Raptors and Jose Calderon be able to do the same? If I was Bryan Colangelo I wouldn't bank on it. Also it really seems like Jack is more in tune with the young core of this team. He deserves this chance to start a season as the number 1 guy for a team. For my money Jarrett Jack showed more leadership in his 1 year than Calderon in his Raptor career.

Here is hoping for a quiet day in Raptorland. It seems to have been one thing after another and my fingers are getting tired. However, if stuff happens never fear I am here. I may not be Mighty Mouse and save the day, but I give it my 100% each day. That is all we can do until they actually invent a 110%.

The B.C State Of The Raptors Address

Well you have to hand it to Bryan Colangelo in terms of he is never at a loss for words. He had lots to say, that being said Raptor fans may not have like some of it. The fact Jay Triano's job is safe would be at the top of the list for many. According to Holly Mackenzie there were 7500 words in all. She would know as she posted a full transcript of what B.C said on the Nothing Easy blog on The Score. Here is the quote the that makes Jay Triano breath easy. B.C said, " I look around the league and I count as few as six and as many as nine possible coaching vacancies this summer. I have no intention to make this one of those nine." So that answers that question. If you think Jay is the problem clearly Bryan does not agree with you. He would go on to say Jay is a young coach in terms of his position as an NBA Head Coach and is learning. He claims that the coach and Hedo left things being on the same page. So, some how Jay Triano has managed to survive this post All-Star collapse with his job.

Colangelo said of his own performance, "I’m not proud of averaging 40 wins and only making the playoffs twice. I’m just not". He is not alone in that, if you listen to talk radio or scan the internet you will find many people the same, and some even wanting Bryan to be gone. However Bryan thinks that picture that media and blogs paint, is one that is far more doom and gloom than the reality. Forgive me if I am not that optimistic, when it would appear the team's best player is on his way out. Colangelo did little other than put out a token effort that the Raptors would like to re-sign Chris. Here is what he said on Bosh's Future," It’s the biggest unknown right now, but I would tell you that I fully embrace the notion and fully intend to talk about him staying a Raptor and talk about the things that might happen, should he stay and talk about the success we might have should he stay and why Toronto is the right place for Chris Bosh ". Colangelo would later go on to confirm what Chris Bosh had said, that regardless of stay or go, he and Bosh have a deal to work together. Which makes it seem more likely the Bosh Era will end via "Sign and Trade" in the summer.

This of course leads to Andrea Bargnani as the face of the franchise and most likely the most talented player on the roster. What would B.C say the impact would be on Bargnani should Bosh go. Colangelo said the following on this topic " I don’t know if he’ll ever be ready to replace Chris fully, but he’ll have the opportunity to assume a much bigger scoring load, he’ll have the opportunity to emerge as a more a dominant scorer within this team. There’s times when he gets a little lost in the offense and he gets a little anxious when he does touch the ball. But you’re talking about a seven-footer who is 24-25, he’s got better – with the exception of staying flat the second year – he’s gotten better every step of the way. Despite the constant, constant criticism of the contract, it’s a very good contract. There are a lot of people out there in the league seem to agree with us. That it’s a very good contract for a kid with that kind of production and that kind of potential. For another $15m more you can get 1.2 rebounds from LaMarcus Aldridge..it’s a very good contract. There’s a lot of value there and there’s a lot of interest in him. He’s going to have a chance to emerge if Chris leaves and if Chris stays then we’ll find way for him to get better at things he needs to get better at. Rebounding he’s got a little bit better, but it’s not good enough." Seems a bit defensive doesn't he? Unlike the team he constructed.

So time out, I have some rebuttal if you do not mind. The contract is bad if Bargnani never lives up to it in terms of his potential. The fact we still have to talk about Bargnani still in those terms is reason enough for me to call that a bad contract.Then the comparison between Andrea and Aldridge is smoke and mirrors. Come on now seriously, who would not trade for Aldridge straight up for Bargnani and not blink. Colangelo refuses to admit that he made a mistake on Bargnani and he never will. Also when his biggest supporter tells you he will never fully replace Chris that is cause for concern.

From Bargnani to Raptors version of the movie "Groundhog Day". Once again we have 2 point guards and only one starting spot. Playing the role of T.J Ford is Jarrett Jack and Jose Calderon returns as Jose Calderon. Tell me if this B.C quote sounds familiar at all. Bryan on his point guard situation-" They both want to be here. They both have professed to not care about starting. Clearly there was some sort of disconnect there. We need more consistency at that position. It’s just that simple. That’s probably an indictment of both of them. At the same time, it’s an acknowledgment that we’ve got two very talented players that are capable of playing and starting and leading the team. Jose did it during stretches and Jarrett did it during stretches. We need to truly ascertain whether they can play together and co-exist. If we come to that determination that something needs to be done, we’ll make a move. That’ll be something that we heavily scrutinize this summer, this off-season." Let me just say this. Somewhere out there in Houston Texas, T.J Ford is laughing and saying I told you so. Hey here is an idea, trade Jose for T.J and we can do this all again next season with Jack and Ford. If Jack is the one that ends up voted off the island, Bosh leaves and Triano stays that is a "trinity of terror" for most Raptor fans. Colangelo wants to say that it is a small but vocal minority that is painting all of this doom and gloom. However I interact with Raptor fans every single day and trust me it is not a minority. From the casual fan to the die hard Raptor fans everyone is concerned. The root of that concern is how this team defends, and to bring back the coach responsible, and the point guard with no defense in his game, while the star player walks is truly a "trinity of terror". That is not doom and gloom talk, that is just reality for most Raptor fans.

Bryan was asked about if he felt the fans frustration? B.C said " I feel their frustration. I think they would be less frustrated if there wasn’t such a frenzied movement." Cool I am part of a frenzied movement. Tell us more on this new group I am part of. Colangelo would explain this movement, in this quote " But we cannot be swayed by the angst of a vocal minority that wants us to be someone we’re not. What we are is we’re a solid organization, one of the best-run organizations in the NBA and in professional sports. Top to bottom. I’m talking about hockey, basketball, soccer, real estate, everything. Television. it’s a company that will do everything in its power to answer the fans’ concerns, and that’s what we’re doing. The one thing we control is our effort and our attempt to make it happen." Allow me to respond to this.

When is MLSE going to understand a couple things? Just because you own a hockey team, soccer team, Condos, and many other things does not interest me as a Raptor fan. I am ONLY a Raptor fan and none of these other things concern me, unless they impact on the Raptors. They as an organization have said the Raptors Organization is committed to winning a championship. That is what I am concerned with. That is all I am concerned with. If your hockey team sucks or wins the Stanley Cup (insert 1967 joke here) I could careless. Colangelo in talking about Bosh and re-signing mentioned the idea of being a national franchise with opportunities for Chris to be marketed in Canada. Well do you think people in Calgary, Vancouver, St. Johns, Saskatoon, Thunder Bay or any other city care about these other things. Do they care if the Leafs or Toronto FC win? Do they care if you sell condos in Toronto or not? No, they care if the Raptors are successful. No one is disputing the fact MLSE is a successful and well run organization in terms of profitability. They also do not care about those things. They care about winning and the Raptors ultimate success on the floor.

That leads to this whole topic of the Raptors being a tax team or not. MLSE has always left it out there, that they are willing to be a team that goes over the tax threshold, but have never ventured beyond it. Once again Bryan threw out the MLSE line on this topic. He said " The commitment is there from ownership to exceed the tax if necessary. And we’ll do what we can to bring the right pieces in." Chris Bosh in his exit interview made a point, that he believes it is a requirement to being a championship team. Which I agree, as did Jack Armstrong and Alex Seixerio in recent interviews. So why has this not happened in Chris Bosh's time here? This Organization has said they want to win a championship. Ironically it would appear they may become a tax team after their best player leaves. They may have no choice given the contracts of Turkoglu, Calderon and Bragnani. In fact B.C detailed that he has several plans that would include being a tax team. Here is what he said, "the amount of flexibility we have that will determine to what extent we exceed the tax. I’ve got scenarios where I can paint a picture that we’ll be a 3-million-dollar tax team. I’ve got scenarios where we’ll be a 7-million-dollar tax team. And I’ve got scenarios where we’ll be higher than that. But they’re all scenarios because of the unknowns of free agency and the off-season that have yet to be determined. Today, those answers aren’t available.". It is an off-season full of unknowns not just for the Raptors but many NBA teams.

What was made pretty clear is that the Raptors you see now, will not be anything like the Raptors you see in October. Colangelo seems committed to changes regardless of if CB4 is on board or not. In the past, a press conference like this would have calmed Raptors fans. However not this time around. Bryan Colangelo is still the same guy. Confident and secure that he can save the day. The difference is the Raptor fans have lost the total faith in him that they once had. Colangelo is still the same guy he was when he rolled into Toronto, it is just people instead of bowing and saying thank you for coming to save us. They now see him as the reason for their pain. I will close with a Jack Armstrong line. Bryan has gone from "Peacock today" to "Feather duster tomorrow". When the dust all clears will he still be the super genius we all use to think he was? Time will tell. However let me make it clear. Nothing would please me more to write that Colangelo was right. As I mentioned in the interview with Alex Seixerio, it is no fun to cover a team that fails. It is not good for business ether. So nothing would please me more than for Bryan to be right and successful this off-season. That being said it is hard to see a path to that success given what we know. Good luck to him as I have a feeling as smart as he is, some luck is going to be required.

The Starting 5 with Alex Seixerio From Fan 590

Alex does everything on the Fan590 from updates, to hosting, to reporting, to working sidelines at TFC games. He also is the host of The Fantasy Show on the Fan as well. He was out doing great work at the Olympics in Vancouver and that is about the time things went south for the Raptors. That would only continue leading us to a premature end of the season address from Bryan Colangelo. Alex like all of us was watching and give some thoughts on what Colangelo had to say. He gives his take on CB4, Bargnanai and Triano. In addition to a lot more. It was a fun time and I was happy to have Alex back for I believe his second appearance in the Starting 5. Even at the end, I ask him who has a worse defense TFC who Alex covers or the Raptors. I know zero about soccer but given they lost 3-1, that is a lot of goals for soccer. I also never even knew Colorado had a team in the MLS so that can't be good. But this interview is.

Alex Seixerio

DNB Productions- Starting 5

Thanks to Alex for his time today. Love all of our Fan 590 regulars that include Jack, Paul, Eric and Zack. They all are fun to talk with and bring solid knowledge and opinion to the table. Which is why we are always happy when any of them pay us a visit.

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.

Raptors March Madness Like Win

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

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

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

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

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

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

He`s Back....Friday

Last night the Raptors held their annual Red Party. The proceeds of the event go to the Team Up foundation. There was reason to celebrate despite the Raptors most recent loss 116-92 to the Rockets on Monday. The 4th loss in a row and the Raptors are just 2-5 since the All-Star Break. So what is the reason for celebration? The fact that Drake performed at the event? No better than that. Chris Bosh has declared he will be back Friday vs the Knicks. The Raptors have missed him badly. Although both Hedo and Jose did not practice yesterday and Andrea as well. The pressure on Chris Bosh to bring this team back from the depths they have sunk will be large. Thankfully he can take comfort in the fact the Raptors are playing the Sixers and as mentioned the Knicks.

Chris can not single handedly bring this team back on his own. Their defense for example has been brutal and he will only be 1 piece of a chain of 5. While you can make the argument that Bosh could have been a help on the glass and add the odd block here and there. However Bosh is rarely if ever responsible for closing out on 3 point shooters. Raptors have been terrible in defending the arc. Much like they were early in the season.

Chris Bosh greatest impact will be on the other end of the floor. He demands double teams and that will make life easier for everyone else. At the top of that list of people happy to see Bosh back should be Andrea Bargnani(If he is out there). He has struggled with extra attention he received with no Bosh in the line-up. This is a clear glimpse into the future should Bosh not be back next season. Unless Colangelo is able to bring in some that can demand double teams it seems clear Bargnani will struggle. Bosh also eats up a ton of minutes once he is back up to full speed. So the impact of guys like a Reggie Evans or an Amir Johnson can have more impact in shorter stretches.

Bosh is not only this team's highest scorer he also makes scoring easier for others. In addition it seemed clear that a lot of guys were playing out of there roles. The Raptors have had players trying to be the guy to save the day without CB4. The pressure on a guy like Jarrett Jack as an example to be a scorer becomes less when Bosh is there. Jack without Bosh reminded me of T.J Ford without Bosh in how they dealt with that situation. When Jose Calderon went out of the line-up in the last game that made it even more so.

However all of this rational thinking is nice but Raptor fans will see that number 4 back in the line-up and expect results. The Raptors have said the point to Bosh being out this long was so that he could come back and be at 100% and ready to go the rest of the season. Well now people are going to expect Chris to be at the level they have come to expect from Bosh. It was awhile ago now but the game vs Grizzlies where Bosh was injured he played like a warrior in that game. The Raptors still lost that contest and his injury was likely a factor in that. However now people will expect to see that same type of effort and energy return.

Chris alone will not be able to turn this thing around though. This team around him needs to take advantage of his return and take advantage of it. Perhaps it can help Demar DeRozan get out of the rookie funk he has fallen into. Basically this team needs to rally around Chris and his return and pull up their collective socks. The race has gotten a lot tighter for the playoffs in the East. The dream of catching the Celtics to win the Atlantic is dying fast. The sooner the Raptors can turn this around and get back to securing the fact they will be in the playoffs the better. Forget about match-ups for the playoffs right now. Raptors need to focus on just getting there right now. It would be a complete disaster if they did not. I am not saying that will happen. However I am not saying that folks should start trying to look ahead to who the Raptors might play in the playoffs.

Besides if the Raptors do not improve and do it fairly quickly it is not going to matter who they end up playing. They will be one and done. It is the Raptors job over this next 6 weeks to secure a spot in the playoffs and along the way convince people they can do something once they get there. A healthy and productive Chris Bosh will be a huge part in making that happen.

UPDATE- NOON Ok this is great....NOT. CB4 missed shoot around. Not because of his injured left ankle. Nope he has an upset stomach. Upon hearing this news....so do I. Bosh and Hedo will be gametime decisions. As for me I am ready to roll liveblogging this one for The Score.com links later today on Twitter or just head to The Score and click on blogs then liveblogs and you'll find me. 7pm tip time at the ACC.

The Elephant In The Room Is Obvious

If there was ever a game where most folks were not paying attention this is it. No Chris Bosh tonight or tomorrow as he did not travel with the team. I bet he is watching thought as most are busy partying over a Hockey win for Canada.

If he is like me he probably was not enjoying what he was seeing. In fact I wasn't ether. So if you were out partying the Canada's victory in hockey you really should feel fortunate you missed the Raptors. I watched 3 quarters and decided to watch the Closing Ceremonies from Vancouver. Canada won more gold medals than any country in the history of the Winter Olympics with 14. If the Raptors plan on winning they will need a much better effort like they had vs Cleveland. Bosh is not on this trip so he will not be there to save the day in Houston. The 119-99 win for the Oklahoma City Thunder was domination from the word go. It is a much different story from the embarrassment the Raptors suffered in this same place last season. That was on par with what the Celtics must be feeling in losing to the Nets recently. If you remember back to my season preview in the Dino Nation Blog, I picked the Thunder to make the playoffs in the West. I also picked Scott Brooks to be coach of the year. Both are looking solid and the Thunder showed why in this game. This is now one of the more talented and youngest teams in the NBA.

So rather than explain what was a total meltdown for the Raptors. Much like some of their epic losses early in the season. Instead I wanted to focus in on the fact this team without it's star is no where close to good enough. The entire Bosh 2010 thing has been done to death. However in the last few games you have got to see why. Chris Bosh is by far the best player on this team. Some have suggested this team can survive and remain competitive without him. If these games have not made it crystal clear that is myth and not reality, I honestly don't think you have been watching.

The 2 obvious people that would be expected to rise if Bosh is gone in 2010 would be Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani. Hedo has had a train wreck of a first season in Toronto. Everything that defined him in Orlando has failed to clear customs in his move north. The guy who made so many big shots for the Magic has misfired more than made shots down the stretch of games. From day 1 that the deal was signed I was not a fan of it. But my issues were about term of contract and amount of money. Never did I expect Hedo to be so awful in the first few years of his deal. However he has just never seemed to be able to get on the roll with Raptors. It seems every great moment as few as they have been have been followed by injuries and other misfortune. I think it clear that Hedo at best is a secondary piece on this club. At worst he is struggling to find his offense and it has become painfully obvious the having Dwight Howard made him look far better on defense than he actually is.

How about the Raptors only first overall pick in their history Andrea Bargnani. Bosh in a much deeper draft class that featured many of the games stars was selected 4th. However to compare Bosh to Bargnani is pretty laughable. Don't get me wrong Andrea has come a long way and shows more and more signs of greatness. However that has been done in the large shadow that is cast by the Raptors 5 time all star CB4. When Bosh is not around Andrea has been inconsistent at best over his career. Should Bosh go for good, I am not convinced Andrea is ready for that. Andrea in the past more under Sam Mitchell than Jay Triano showed a lack of confidence. I fear should Bosh leave and the spotlight shifts to Andrea he will melt in it. Andrea also has not shown any kind of ability to be a rebounder on any kind of consistent level. The double doubles that Bosh makes seem routine are an event for Andrea. I am not confident Andrea will ever be ready to be a team's Batman. I am totally certain that is not going to happen next season.

Beyond that it would be a stretch to suggest anyone else. Jarrett Jack at times has tried to carry this team with no Bosh. He, much like T.J Ford tried to do in past years, turns up his offense with no #4 in the line-up. Jack can be a leader in the locker room and already is that. However as the guy to be top dog in terms of scoring and leading this on the floor is unrealistic. Demar DeRozan is still finding his way and is not as far along as a Bosh was when the Vince Carter Era came crashing down. When Vince Carter said he wanted out all eyes turned to Bosh. Even he took time to grow into the role of franchise player. I really still believe in Demar and see a bright future ahead for him. However is he ready to be the face of a franchise like a Evans in Sacramento or a Jennings in Milwaukee. The answer is no and that is no knock on the young man. He can still be great and even some day might be able to be that A guy to carry a team. However 2010/11 season is definitely not the time for that.

I would imagine some of you are saying but wait a second, the plan has always been to move Bosh in a sign and trade. That is true and I have no doubt Bryan Colangelo if forced to trade Bosh will do a much better job than Rob Babcock in moving Vince Carter. However even Bryan is not going to be able to bring back a player that is going to be able to carry this team as Bosh does.

Which leaves the Raptors no where without Bosh. I wonder what Chris thought about all the hockey madness on the streets of Toronto. Did it give him a view of what could be for him in Toronto if he could lead the Raptors to a title, or was it the ultimate reminder that no matter what he does here in Canada it will finish with a silver medal to hockey. Only Chris knows the answer to that. However Raptors fans you should have an answer to one question. What is that question. What would the Raptors be like if Bosh leaves? The answer to that is a team with no on court leader. A team that would have to struggle and fight for ever win. A team that likely visits the lottery more than the playoffs.

If Bosh can be convinced to remain the core group that is here with a commitment by MLSE to enter into the uncharted waters of being a tax team. Something that Bryan Colangelo has claimed the board is willing to do upon his recommendation. Seeing is believing thought, not that I don't believe Bryan. I do have a hard time believing that MLSE will do it thought. But the best way to sum this up is as simple as this in terms of this team being a contender in the near future.

Boshless = Hopeless

You may see that as being a little over dramatic. However that is how I see it. My track record on these things is pretty good. I was the one that told you first that Jarrett Jack would be this team's starting point guard. I was also the guy that said the Magic would play the Lakers last year. That happened too. Oh and I also said about my predictions for The Thunder this season. The point to this pat on the back festival to myself is pretty simple.

The Raptors can not afford to not re-sign Bosh and anything less would be somewhere between a complete disaster and a team that is scrapping and clawing to make the playoffs. Those days have got old for most Raptors fans. I think just like this country has got a new attitude about itself with the games in Vancouver. Raptors fans to must have a new attitude and hopefully MLSE as well. Raptors need to keep building and not once again fail and have to rebuild. After 15 years Raptors fans not only deserve but expect more. The time to demand it has come.