Finally...Chris Bosh Comes Back To Dallas

Given the season it has been for Chris Bosh and the Raptors a trip back to Texas should be a welcome thing for Bosh personally. Professionally it offers a great challenge with the Mavericks and Rockets both in the mix of the playoff race. It was not a great night for the Raptors against the Suns. Bosh was unhappy after the game and suggested that Shaq basically camped out in the lane and was never called for a 3 second violation. He has a point, but when you become a superstar the level of Shaq let's just say you catch breaks. Just like Jordan was given an extra step and the odd push off. Shaq is allowed some extra time in the lane. Ultimately Bosh may have been right, but he knows the way the league is and I think had the Raptors won the game he never mentions this fact. However I can understand his frustration it is hard to stop Shaq when he is motivated. He clearly was in that game.

The Raptors will see no such force in the middle today. Eric Dampier is nothing like Shaq and that is a major understatement. The Mavs have guys that can shoot the basketball and have a team that in the past has been a challenge for the Raptors. Andrea Bargnani will see the guy that everyone compares him too. Jose Calderon will see the guy that out played both him and T.J Ford in the playoffs a few years ago. Chris Bosh will see a lot of friends and family. It will be interesting if anyone asks the obvious question to Bosh. Chris have you ever considered coming home to play for the Mavericks? The answer to the question would get taken in many ways and even if Bosh said the perfect answer it would only add fuel to the fire about his future in Toronto.

Even though the Raptor remain mathematically in it after this next stretch of games they could likely be done math or no math. In fact have a look for yourself:

@ Dallas
@ Houston
vs Miami
vs Utah
@ Philadelphia

If the Raptors can not find a way to have a winning record maybe everyone will turn their attention to next season which should be the focus for this team. In fact the way the Marion deal was structured I believe that Bryan Colangelo was already thinking that way. There is no way he would trade his first round pick in the draft away. That is what he would be doing if the Raptors made the playoffs.

I am live blogging some college ball today. I am excited for March Madness. I am going to set up a March Madness pool here on the blog. I will just be for pride and fun. Well the winner would get a mention in the blog. If that is worth anything I am not sure. I will set something up and let you folks know. If you want to come hang out and be part of the live blog for Marquette and Louisville you are welcome.Tip time is Noon Eastern Time Zone.

Seeing as I am live Blogging college today anyway I am going to keep on that hat and live blog the Raptors and Mavs here on the Dino Nation Blog. So watch along on The Score and come online and join the fun here at Dino Nation Blog. I will be getting thing rolling at 8:45. All you have to do is come back to the blog at 8:45 and enter the Live Blog Below:



So hope you come back and join me for Raptors and Mavericks tonight. Obviously the Live Blog will take the place of Raptors Rewind. If things go well we might do these more often as games become less important and the focus changes to next year. So be it here or on The Score I will be live blogging away. Hope to see you there.

Raptor Rewind- Mark Cuban In Canada Edition

I think Mark Cuban deserves a shout out if you have been able to find feeds of Raptor Broadcasts on TSN 2 this is the guy that started the idea of broadcasting on the Internet. Nathan Jawai meanwhile has been activated and in his pre-game presser Jay Triano said not to expect Jawai to play right away. He suggested a guess of a month before he would be ready for game action but still great news for the big Aussie and all his fans. So away we go ready or not.

1st Quarter

Raptors got the opening basket of the ball game and Josh Howard had a fast start for the Mavs. The Mavs had a early 7-6 lead. Jose Calderon would respond with a jumper and the Raps were now up by one. Josh Howard had all 9 Maverick points, with another basket for him, and it was Howard 9 and Raptors 8. Chris Bosh would score for the home side and put them back in front. Raptors would get on a roll as J.O made a jumper and Raptors had early 15-9 lead. Joey Graham would then get in on the action with a couple of dunks. The Raptors were off to a surprising lead 18-11.

Jose Calderon would score with a jumper after a couple of missed trips for both teams. Joey Graham would add to the lead with a score in transition for the Raptors. It was 22-11 Raptors and the Mavs burned a 20 second time-out. The Mavs would score out of the time out but Raptors would get a CB4 score off a turnover. Joey Graham would continue his great night off the bench with another basket after that. The Raptors were keeping hold of a nice early lead 26-17. Anthony Parker would score off a pick set with a jumper. Roko Ukic show signs again in relief of Jose Calderon. He drove to the basket and scored for Toronto. Brandon Bass would get in the paint and score. But Roko Ukic would drive and score and get fouled as well he would make it. The Raptors with a really surprising 33-21 lead after 1 quarter.

2nd Quarter

Kris Humphries checked in late in the first for his first action in a long while. Brandon Bass would be the one who would score to start the second though. Jason Terry would get a basket for Dallas as well. He would score again and the Raptor lead had been cut in half to start the second quarter. Roko Ukic was doing well and he scored out of the Raptor time out and had an early 7 points. Anthony Parker would follow up with another Raptor score. Raptors were rebounding better and defending better to this point. Raptors would get a block by Bargnani would get a J.O dunk on the other end. Jose Juan Berea who had the shot blocked would remain back on the floor in some pain. Raptors would enjoy a 10 point lead as the Mavs called a time out to have a look at Berea.

It was 39-29 Raptors with just over 8 minutes to play in the half. Berea would remain in the game for the Mavs. Raptors had a block from J.O and then the next time up the floor Berea would turn it over. Raptors could not take advantage though and the Mavs on a third chance to score would do so. Jose Calderon would shoot up a 3 pointer and J.O would get the offensive rebound off the miss and get fouled and head to the line. He would make both and the Raptor advantage was back to double digits at 10. Jamario Moon would get a 3 pointer on a very disorganized set for the Raptors off a Bosh pass. Raptor lead was 44-33 and they continued to look good. Jason Terry would get a much needed 3 pointer on a second chance opportunity for the Mavs. J.O would get 2 points for the home side on the other end. Jamario Moon had his second three ball of the quarter and the Raptors had a 13 point lead late in the half. Raptors would have Bosh miss a leaning jumper and Andrea Bargnani would miss a 3 pointer off the second chance. Dirk Nowitzki would end up getting to the line on the other end. That would start a 6-0 run that was finished off with a Terry 3-ball. Jay Triano would call time out late in the half to rally the troops. But Jason Kapono would miss a jumper out of the time out. Andrea Bargnani would get called for going over the back is 3rd on the night. The Raptors suffer a run by the Mavs to cut a once 13 point lead down to 5 points at the half. 49-44 at the half for the Raptors.

3rd Quarter

Jason Terry had 13 for the Mavs, J.O had 12 for Toronto. The concern Chris Bosh only had 4 points shooting 2-8. Also the late run by the Mavs had to have you worry given this teams history this year. J.O would start the half getting to the line with the foul on Dampier. But at the other end Dampier would kick it out to Josh Howard for 3 and he would make it. The lead was just 4 for the Raptors. Chris Bosh was still cold as well as he missed his first two attempts of the half. Jason Kapono would cut to the hoop and was found for the easy lay-up. Josh Howard who started the first half hot was doing the same in the second as he had another basket on a rebound of his own miss. The Raptors 13 point lead had faded away and Dallas was at the foul line with a chance to take the lead. Josh Howard would make both from the line and it was 54-53 Mavericks. J.O would respond with a basket to take the lead back and Josh Howard has a quick answer and the Mavs were back in lead again.

Chris Bosh would get taken out for Andrea Bargnani and Jay Triano would have a conversation with his star. Bargnani would get his 4th foul right away. But he would remain in the game. Maverick had a chance to extend the lead but Jermaine O'Neal would draw a charge. But the Raptors still trailed 58-55. Bosh was back and looking to have a better performance. But Bosh would get called for a 3 second violation and he would later miss a dunk he just looked off and tired. Andrea Bargnani who was playing with 4 fouls would find his way to the line. He could only split a pair from the line. Mavs would score and Jose Calderon would answer with a jumper of his own and the Raptors were down just 2 points. But Jason Kidd had a basket and he was able to score. Jose Calderon would keep his streak from the line alive thanks to a defensive 3 second call on the Mavs. The Raptors were not playing well but were being allow to hang around for now. Dirk Nowitzki was not exactly tearing it up but he has getting on track with a 2-ball and followed that with a 3-pointer and he had 16 points in the game all of the sudden. Mavericks now lead 67-59. Anthony Parker would make a much needed jumper as the entire team was cold. Dirk had another basket. Jamario Moon would get a final basket for the Raptors but they were down 6 points heading into the final quarter with the score 69-63 Mavs.

4th Quarter

Anthony Parker would find his way to the line and try to lead the Raptors back. He would make both shots and get things off to a positive start. Chris Bosh would score with a baby hook shot in the paint. Raptors had made 3 defensive stops and scored twice and were down just 2 points with the score 69-67. Raptors almost had a steal but instead the ball would fall to Jason Terry would would hit a 2 pointer. Chris Bosh had another score and was starting to get back in the game a bit. But Barea would hit a very key 3 pointer for the Mavericks to give them a 5 point lead. Jason Terry would get another 3 pointer after a failed Raptor possession and the lead was all of the sudden back to 8 points for the Mavericks.

Brandon Bass would hit a jumper and make the lead 10 points for the Mavs. Jermaine O'Neal would get a much needed score plus a foul that he would make. J.O had a chance to cut the lead again but would miss a short range jumper in the lane. Raptors would get a second chance to cut it to 5 points and Andrea Bargnani would make the shot as he had checked in for Bosh. But Dirk Nowitzki who had picked it up in the second half had a basket to give him 21 points and the lead extended for Mavericks. Jamario Moon would make a big 3 pointer to cut lead to 6 points. But the Mavs would respond with a 5-0 mini run that had started as Jason Kidd hit a big 3 pointer and the Maverick lead was now 11 with time growing short at the ACC.

Bosh would check back in but it looked to be to late and not his night. He would still keep trying and was able to get to the line on a foul from Dirk Nowitzki. But he would go 0-2 and The Raptors were down 10 with 3:35 to play. The boos were loud at the ACC and the crowd was unhappy and with just cause. They had seen this movie far to many times this season. Jason Terry would hit a 3 pointer to end any doubt of a Maverick victory as the lead was now 13 points with under 2 minutes to play. Jason Kapono would hit a 3 pointer but it was far to late for the Raptors. Jose Calderon would drive and score on a lay up but this was still not going to matter as the Mavericks still had an 8 point lead with just over 30 seconds to play. The Mavericks would close it out to get a 96-86 win. The Raptors once again would tease you with a big lead only to have it melt away and have no answer.

Chris Bosh had a very tough night at the office and you have to wonder what is going on in his mind as his Raptors drop further below the .500 mark and look like a team rebuilding instead of a team looking to do damage in the playoffs. The boxscore of how it all went south for the Raptors is below.

Raps/Mavs Boxscore

Raptors will now head out on a 6 game road swing with the Christmas break in the middle. They will not return to the ACC until New Year's Eve against the Nuggets. Some time on the road away from some pretty upset fans may not be the worst thing in the world for this team right now. But that being said if they don't find answers on the road it could be a very ugly mood they return to in Toronto. Not a lot of holiday cheer in Raptorland these days.