Raptor Regression

Win number 4 will not be as easy with no Jose Calderon who did not take the trip and Andrea Bargnani a no go with his bad ankle. Jack and Rasho the two former Pacers enter the line-up. The task becomes a little tougher in terms of depth. However I actually like both match-ups better on the defensive end for the Raptors. Jack should be able to stay in front of Jennings and Rasho can bang with Bogut. Bucks have an impressive home record of 7-3. Should be fun.

Or...maybe not. That is unless you were tuning in to check out Brendon Jennings who was just fantastic. He would catch fire at the end of the first quarter and really that would be it. We could go through the entire blow by blow of things but the short answer is the Raptors regressed back to the team they were prior to that meeting in Washington. Chris Bosh had his league leading 20th double double but he was about the only Raptor on his game at all offensively. The defense was back to being offensive. Ex-Raptor Roko Ukic would end up out scoring everyone not named Bosh on the Raps roster. He had 17 points in the game and that was his season high for the Bucks this year. The Bucks rolled and it was never in doubt after that end of the first quarter surge by Jennings as he had 22 points before leaving the game late with an injury at the end of the 3rd. The Bucks who struggle to reach 90 most nights would pour in 117 and that was more than enough for the 117-95 win.

It was a clear regression on behalf of the Raptors. True they did play without Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani. However not to many people have been praising Jose or Andrea for their defense of late have they? That being said anytime Marcus Banks hits the floor should be a red alert that things are not good. Banks was slightly improved with 2 points or 3 assists. But that is no where close to the production that you need from your back up point guard. He was 0-3 from the field and took 2 three pointers in his 3 shots missing both.

Even Demar DeRozan who started this game looking like he would be off to another good night he fizzled out early scoring just 8 points snapping a streak of games with double digit points. Jack was decent on offense but is D was lacking. They now keep +/- in the NBA and Jack was a minus 19 which topped the team. Not suggesting it was all his fault but he sure wasn't part of the solution. In fact on the defensive end there was not anyone that jumps off the page as part of that solution.

Cue the impending doom like music...Next up for the Raptors....The Atlanta Hawks. That team that put up 146 points not so long ago. At least it is not in Atlanta that may help slightly. If you think the Hawks have cooled off any...not so much. They played last night as well and kicked around the Bulls 118-83. So the question will become was this like having a slip on a diet for the Raptors? Eating a Ice Cream Sundae and then getting back on the straight and narrow in terms of playing defense. The game against the Hawks should give us a strong indication win or lose.

The only other point I want to make is once again Hedo Turkoglu was no where close to playing at the level his contract suggests. I was reading yesterday that according to Forbes the Bucks as a franchise are the cheapest in terms of value in the NBA. The empty seats last night showed you why. The number for the Bucks was like 252 Million I think and we are going to pay Hedo 53 million which is roughly a 5th of what it would cost to buy the Bucks. At this point the Bucks seem like the investment with upside. Hedo has been a shadow of himself and really has been one of the bigger disappointments of this season.

Matt Devlin is in The Starting 5

At this time last year Matt Devlin was in China covering the Olympics. It has been just over a year since Matt became the play by play voice of the Toronto Raptors. The team that he first signed on to cover has had quite the make over. Just 3 of the players who's names he called on opening night in Philly last year remain on this Raptors basketball team. He has in that year been a guest in the Dino Nation Blog on many occasions. I had Matt come on after he called his first ever game in the pre-season and many other times. He is always willing to come on and share his thoughts and have some fun with me. Today was no exception as we talk about many different subjects. Including Jay Triano and what all these changes mean for him. The job Bryan Colangelo has done in this off season. He gives his take on where this Raptors team fits into the mix in the Eastern Conference. Along with thoughts on the most recent trade. At least, the most recent one at the time of the interview. The way Bryan Colangelo is going you can never be sure. We even talk Twitter. Matt was on a cell so there is a bit of audio issues with that. But hopefully it does not take away from your enjoyment of the interview. But cellular technology is not perfect.



Thanks to Matt as always for making time for us here at the Dino Nation Blog. I do not keep stats on this sort of thing but Matt has been one of our most frequent visitors to the Dino Nation Blog and it is greatly appreciated by me. It has been a pleasure to get to know him in some small way over the past year. He is always very easy going and willing to take the time out for me.

So hope you enjoyed it, and don't forget DNB Radio is on the air over the internet on Blog Talk Radio at it's new and improved time of 10pm EDT. Hope you tune into to listen as I will have some thoughts on this interview and a couple others I have done recently. That along with thoughts on the Raptors and NBA along with maybe even some calls from you folks as well. I have another interview scheduled for today and if all goes well that you can look for tomorrow here on the Dino Nation Blog. I may have time to get a clip of it and give you a sneak preview of it tonight on DNB Radio.

Don't Cry For Me Roko Ukic ..You Were Suppose To Be Much Better

If you have never seen the movie Evita with Madonna the humour of the the title may be lost on you. But none the less it seems Bryan Colangelo despises summer vacation of any kind. Still hard at work attempting to make his Raptors better. The deal that is being reported

To The Bucks:

- Rights to SG/SF Carlos Delfino
- PG Roko Ukic

To Toronto

- Forward Amir Johnson
- Guard/Forward Sonny Weems






When you consider the Raptors are doing basically a sign and trade for Carlos Delfino, was not like he was ever on the roster. This basically becomes a trade about Roko Ukic.It seems pretty clear that the Raptors felt much like myself that Roko had not developed at a rate they were happy with. That is why they went out and signed Jarrett Jack and it is why they considered drafting Jonny Flynn. So it makes sense to see Roko on the move. I was asked on the first DNB Radio if I saw any trade possibilities for Roko or Marcus Banks. My response was that I saw it as unlikely. However Bryan Colangelo was smart enough to package Roko with an asset he had, but had no intention of using in Delfino. Coming back the other way is Amir Johnson who was on of those young players on that Pistons bench that was suppose to be the the future. He is someone who perhaps could bring something to the table. Weems I will admit I am not all that familiar with but he is 6 foot 6 and will be a depth player at both shooting guard and more importantly small forward. He comes from a solid college program in Arkansas. Basically these are 2 guys that may be something or may not. This is not a trade that is going to shake the foundation of what has already been constructed by Bryan Colangelo. The deal speaks to me more about where Roko was at than anything else.

This also would put an end to any speculation of a return of Pops Mensah-Bonsu or Joey Graham until further notice. There is an outside chance that Marcus Banks could be bought out to open up a roster spot but that would seem unlikely at least not to just bring back Joey or Pops.

I heard someone on the Fan 590 today just in a full rage about the fact the Raptors would trade Roko and give up on him so soon? He used the example of Calderon. See that is your problem right there. What Jose Calderon did from year 1 to year 2 is the exception and not the rule. I watched Roko play in all 5 summer league games and he really had not shown any huge signs of growth or development. It was basically the same Roko. He also brought up his numbers with Croatia being improved. What people do in FIBA Basketball does not translate over to the NBA necessarily. Steve Nash did take his time with team Canada and used it as a spring board to his NBA Career but again that is rare and not the rule.

What both Nash and Calderon did was special and truly Roko beyond the odd flash of brilliance has never been that "special". This was a guy drafted by Rob Babcock. He was a projected first round pick that fell into the 40's. These things do not happen by accident. Rob Babcock does not have the best draft record in the world in his brief and destructive term as Raptors GM. Charlie V I would class as his only true solid draft choice. The rest have been variations of the word "bust". Could light come on one day and Roko will become a good point guard in this league? You can never say no for certain but the odds are highly in favour of the house on this one. Doug Smith on the same fan 590 said he doubts Roko is better than a 3rd string point guard for the Bucks. Who have according to Raptorblog's Scott Carefoot (and I don't disagree) the worst starting point guard in the league in Luke Ridnour. How can you really question Colangelo shifting things around and adding some depth at small forward and perhaps power forward in the case of Johnson.

So please don't shed any tears for Roko Ukic, or for Pops or Joey for that matter. This off season was about erasing all that went wrong last season and the addition of now (if this deal does get finalized) 9 new faces that mission has been more than accomplished. It also gives Jay Triano a fresh canvas to paint on in his first year as head coach full time. This was something that had to be done for Jay to have a good chance at being successful in my view. The only question I have is for Bryan Colangelo...are we done now? I doubt he will have time to answer as he is likely on the phones trying to trade Marcus Banks for someone. If Bryan can do that he truly will have nothing left to do but sit and wait for the season to begin.

Raptors Gamble For The Short Term

I think no one can make the case that the Hedo signing, that is now said to be 53 million dollars in the latest reports, can be good in the long term. However it seems the Raptors are taking a gamble on the short term and with good reason. That reason is to of course keep Chris Bosh in the fold. But can this work in the short term. The Raptors have constructed what would be an exciting and competitive starting 5.

Pg- Jose Calderon
Sg- Demar DeRozan
Sf- Hedo Turkoglu
Pf- Chris Bosh
C- Andrea Bargnani

The issue becomes the bench or lack of one. First concern on that list is one we had last year. Back up point guard. What the Raptors should have learned is that Jose Calderon can be a starter but not for extended minutes. There over use of Calderon at least did not help his injury issues. Roko Ukic did not make anyone feel confident enough that he is ready to be a back up. So you would think that B.C still needs to be hunting for a legit option to back up Jose. Not just be hopeful that Ukic improves to a level he can handle the back up roll on a consistent basis. The Raptors do have Marcus Banks but no one expects anything from him and if the Raps can't pawn him off on a team you have to figure they will buy him out.

Shooting guard you have your under 20 year old draft pick in Demar DeRozan and he as of now looks to be your starter at shooting guard. Now Bryan Colangelo did say the Quincy Douby had been doing very well in workouts in Vegas since the season ended. We will get to see how he does in Vegas Summer League and get our first look at DeRozan as well. In what I have got to know of Demar DeRozan he is a confident young man and he may just surprise us and be able to handle all of this. But to have a rookie be responsible for the majority of minutes at any position is a high risk scenario. It could also be high reward. But point being in Quincy Douby enough to back him up? likely not. Brent Petway, Carl English and Smush Parker could all be guys on the Raptors summer league roster that could see this lack of depth at shooting guard as opportunity. English and Parker more a pg/sg option and Petway more a sg/sf.

By the way case you were wondering here is the Raptors Summer League Schedule:

Friday, July 10	L.A. Lakers	8:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 11	Detroit	4:00 p.m.
Monday, July 13	Portland	8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15	Milwaukee	4:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 16	Phoenix	4:00 p.m.

Where the Raptors have the most depth is in big people. Not that many are proven talents beyond the first 3 in Evans, Bargnani and Bosh. Humphries has had many chances and really never taken them and run with them. O'Bryant is loved more about his measurables than his actual production. Nathan Jawai had a disappointing rookie season. There is some hope in regards to him with some of the performances he has had with the Aussie National team. However as a group they all have a ton to prove.

I keep hearing how Bryan Colangelo is not done in this make over process. However I think at the end of the day he has shuffled the deck but may have some of the same problems in terms of lack of depth. He will be counting on a lot of people to come through for him. At the top of that list is Demar DeRozan followed by Roko Ukic if he can not find a legit option as a back up point guard.

The Raptor feel that a number of players could fall through the cracks and they can sign them to cheap contracts to address the depth questions. It is risky to play that game. But Bryan Colangelo is a risk taker and that will never change. I have always liked that about him but maybe as I get older I don't have the stomach for it as much as I use too.

It is hard to judge a picture that is only half painted as to if you like it or not. The one thing I can say is the Raptors have clearly lost sight of the long term picture in order to save this team in the short term. It is a big change from the Rob Babcock days. You could argue, he had no clue in the short or long term. But the point is Babcock always seemed to hesitate to make a move and be aggressive. Bryan Colangelo is the exact opposite. If this was a poker game Colangelo would be going all in and he does it with no hesitation at all. The question I have is he going in with a good enough hand to win? It is clear that some teams in the East fell they have added some Aces to their deck. Shaq, V.C and others all making the top teams better according to most.

I want to make it clear, in the short term I am not saying this was a bad move at all. In fact it is likely enough to get this team to the playoffs again. But when Bryan Colangelo came, I believe the goal was to win Championships? On that front when you look at the long term, have the Raptors taken steps in the right direction for that? I am very skeptical on that front. If the Raptors stick to the party line of staying under the tax threshold over the next several years it seems very hard to figure how it all would work money wise.

The way things have been lately it is not just sports teams that will need a capologist people writing and talking about the team might need one as well. That is my thoughts for the weekend. See you Monday.

Jack Armstrong Coaching Us On NBA Draft 101

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






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

Colangelo State Of Raptors Address

Bryan Colangelo had his year end session with the media. It was interesting but not sure if it provided any answers but it did give lots of lines to read between. A couple things that seem a little more clear than most were these:

Jay Triano is going to have every chance in the world to remain as the head coach of the Raptors. Colangelo would say that he has talked to no one about the coaching position and he did confirm that people have inquired. However he stated that he will sit down with Jay and talk about everything. He also suggested that he would like the coaching issue to be dealt with quickly. He said that he feels it is important to have a coach in place to be part of the process in moving forward and looking at the draft and trade options. It all seemed to point that unless Jay Triano were to show up with a lamp shade on his head in his underwear the job is likely his. The one thing Bryan would say is that the coaching staff is going to change regardless of if Jay is hired as head coach or not. That would make what everyone has been saying about Mark Ivaroni as the lead assistant to Triano seem likely as well. It could also mean the end of the line for Alex English and Mike Evans. We will have to see.

The other thing that you can almost guarantee is that Carlos Delfino will be bringing sexy back to Toronto next season. Colangelo almost talked about Carlos as a part of the existing member of the Raptor roster. Which technically he is as the Raptors still hold his restricted free agent rights. It seemed very clear that he will be returning. He even made reference to a conversation he had with Jose Calderon about what was missing without Delfino this season. He suggested that Delfino was part of the grit that he admitted was lacking in this roster.

In fact he said flat out that he felt this team as a whole was to nice. He said that he will address that in some way. Perhaps if Shawn Marion does not return Ron Artest would add that tough attitude that Colangelo is said to be searching for. I am saying that of course Bryan could not say anything close to that cause that would be tampering. He said of Marion that he would like for him to return but it will be a case of the market determining if that will be possible. However he suggested there is always the option of a sign and trade that can be explored with Shawn Marion and his agent.

As for the draft. Colangelo suggested that not only the Raptors will more than likely keep their pick he is in the market shopping for perhaps another first round pick. That is something that should make people happy who are looking for the Raptors to get some help. It seems Colangelo would not be opposed to looking at a point guard and a swing man on his draft wish list. He clearly stated that there is really only one sure thing in this draft which would mean Blake Griffin. However he pointed out that even if the Raptors remain at where they sit you can find some good players. He mentioned his own picks of Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudamire as well as the selection of Paul Pierce at 10 for the Celtics.

He kept saying a few things. That he feels the core of this team is solid with Bargnani Bosh and Calderon. However he would not go as far as to say the core will remain. But he said it was likely it would. He said that he could not publicly say that he opposed to Jose Calderon playing for Spain. However he did about everything but saying that it would not be is Jose's best interest to do so for him and his career. He also talked about Roko Ukic and how they were hopeful about his development but suggested that team may look to address the issue in the off-season. He compare the Raptors situation to that of Boston at the point guard position. Rajon Rondo if he went down they did not have many options. He failed to even mention Stephon Marbury in talking about it. That may speak to his feelings on Marbury or the lack of performance by him. But it seemed clear he would not be opposed to adding to the depth at the point guard position. He also failed to mention Marcus Banks at all. So that may suggest that a buy out of that contract could be in the mix for the Raps? It may be the case. It seems unlikely the Raptors would carry 4 point guards.

Steve Nash was also mentioned with out being mentioned. Colangelo would not rule out the option of a Nash. He of course did not refer to him by name but did say that a veteran to mentor Ukic was one way the Raptors could go. They were talking in 2010 in this conversation however I am convinced that the conversation about Nash may happen sooner than that. I have said it for along time. When you consider all the things in play it points to Nash. Triano set to return as the head coach, Shawn Marion an option the Raptors want to explore. It all points to Steve Nash. You also have the whole Bosh drama to deal with. Yes there was talk of that as well.

Chris Bosh is still the cornerstone of this franchise. That is what Colangelo said. He said that he is not looking to move Bosh. He said that Bosh and him had a good conversation but did not talk about the future. He seemed that he was not concerned in having to move Bosh. He flat out said that he was not going to be pressured into moving Bosh for the sake of moving him. He said the only way Bosh would move is if it was a deal that would make the team better. In referencing him as a top 10 player in the league it would seem that would have to be a heck of a deal. He pointed out the fact that Raptors have the advantages of being able to sign him to a max deal and even could do that as part of a sign and trade should Bosh decide to play out his current contract. There is a window in which Bosh could sign a 3 year extension but that seems very unlikely. The bottom line of it all is Colangelo did not seem in any hurry to be moving Chris Bosh. So while Stephen A Smith is looking to get back on T.V can someone please let him know that.

It was a Colangelo that was clearly frustrated by the team and it's performance. However he feels that the team is not as far away as everyone in the media and the fan base may think. He was as confident as ever. He was asked if it upset him that people were being very hard on his job performance. He said that it did and it fuels him to prove people wrong. I like to hear that. I have some issues with some of the things that he has done. However I still have faith in him and know that he is a guy that hates to lose and there is no way he will sit still. The Raptors will look different next year and Bryan Colangelo seems to think that the road back to the playoffs is going to be a challenge but it is not as far off as some may feel. I think if you like Bryan or you do not you hope that he is right. There is no doubt this will be the most important off-season of his time in Toronto.

Excuses, Spin and Ping Pong Balls...Oh My

This might be a wet blanket on what was a great win for the Raptors against the Magic. However the Cavs lost to the Wizards last night. Is anyone saying that the Wizards have finally got it? Is there talk that their interim coach will return next year? That being said the Wizards actually have Gilbert Arenas back and he had 11 points and 10 assists. You have to wonder why the heck Arenas is playing in these games down the stretch for the Wizards. But the point is the Cavs should crush Wizards with or without Gilbert. So the Raptors win over the Magic could be considered a bump in the road and the fact the Raps actually split with the Magic on the season a strange thing. Not unlike how the Bobcats always seem to have the Lakers number. The Raptors winning 5 in a row is nothing to get that excited about though. It has just allowed people to try to put a positive spin on an ugly season but I am not buying in. Raptors are already starting drop in the lottery standings. They passed the Knicks who have been in a free fall of late. A few weeks ago the Knicks still have a outside shot at the playoffs. Those days are long gone. But if the Raptors keep winning there are other teams like the Pacers, Bucks and others they could pass and decrease their odds in the lottery. I am not a big fan of cheering for a team to lose. However when you consider that this team is more than likely going to get a huge overhaul in the off-season, it is not like the Raptors can build off this heading into next season really.

It is becoming increasing likely that Jay Triano will remain and that is shocking for most fans. When you listen lately though a lot of folks are drinking the Kool Aid about Triano. I am not among them. This win streak at the end of the year should not impact on how you feel about Jay. He took over a team that was 1 game below .500 and that would be likely good enough to make the playoffs. No need to list all the excuses as to why Triano has been let off the hook by most of the media and Bryan Colangelo. Injuries, a major trade and a new system. I get all of that. However despite all of that Jay Triano is part of the organization and has been part of the culture of this team. I think that is not a good thing. Raptors need someone that will have a new prospective and push this team to perform when it matters. I just think this team needs a new prospective from someone who is an outsider. Someone who is not committed to pushing that Jose Calderon is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Someone that has not watched Chris Bosh grow to the point he is at. Someone that can come in and shake up this team. Triano through no fault of his own can not offer any of that. If he had been successful I would not feel this is required. However he has not been. I am a huge supporter of anything Canadian and that includes Jay. However I am not willing to ignore his record and because he is Canadian just look the other way. I just can't do it as much as part of me would really like to do it. I hope if Jay remains he can prove me wrong. However I am not feeling optimistic that he can.

I would thing that part of the sell job in keeping Triano will be a re-tooling of the coaching staff. That could see both Alex English and Mike Evans shown the door. That would leave a spot open to bring in Mark Ivaroni as the lead assistant and perhaps coach in waiting if Triano fails. It has long been rumoured that Colangelo is a big supporter of Ivaroni and if Ivaroni is not able to find a head coaching job this would be the next best thing. Given what he did in Memphis I am guessing the people will not be pounding on his door to offer him a head coaching job. He was in town already under the guides of being a consultant. Ironically the Raptors started winning. I am not sure if that means anything at all other than it is ironic.

On of the things I admired about Sam Mitchell was he would never allow anyone on his clubs to use injuries as an excuse. Yet since his departure it has been excuses of injuries and lots of other ones that have been made to justify a horrible season. There is no excuses that I will accept. Jose Calderon has been playing through injury through out the season and people say now he is healthy and that is the real Jose we see now. Here is also the real Jose that he played through an injury that he should not have. It was a bad choice by him and this team. It made his injury worse and it cost this team. I can hear people screaming at me for that. However I am not blaming Jose totally for this in fact he is not the major person I blame on this issue. Bryan Colangelo is the one I blame. He failed to address the back-up point guard position and that leads to all the issues at least in part. Calderon was over used and coming off an Olympics that he was injured in as well. To enter this season expecting Will Solomon and Roko Ukic to be the back-up for a guy in his first year as a starter coming off an injury was a major blunder. In fact main will point to the Jermaine O'Neal trade as the biggest mistake Colangelo made this season. No doubt it was a bust of a move. However the lack of a true legit back-up point guard was just as big a mistake for this team. Jose Calderon despite how some view him is not immortal and not able to leap buildings in a single bound. He can dunk a basketball though...who knew? Colangelo gambled far to much on Calderon and it cost him greatly. People will pump up Jose as this all-star in waiting heading into next season and I remain unconvinced of that. He is a good to great point guard that has skills. That being said he is not a stand alone play 35-40 minutes guy. So is Roko ready next season to fill that role as back up? If not Colangelo needs to find a legit point guard to play behind Jose. That is assuming that Calderon is back which is likely a safe bet as well. That being said the Suns not making the playoffs could present an option to have Steve Nash be moved. Colangelo no doubt will have some interest in that. You would think. Jose Calderon is not as good as Steve Nash and likely never will be. But Nash only has a few years left in the tank. It would be an interesting choice if it ends up on Colangelo's desk.

You also have the future of Bosh that will be determined. If he is traded this team clearly will be totally different and likely not for the better in the short term. The fact Bosh made a comment on the future of Jay Triano is a bit of a sign that Bosh expects to be back next year perhaps. However if he is not in it for the long haul it would seem highly unlikely that he will remain. Colangelo without a long term agreement with Bosh at least in principal if not in writing it would not seem likely that Colangelo would not move him. In fact it would be insane for him to do that.

You also have lots of other questions on this roster. Shawn Marion at the top of that list. Do the Raptors want to keep him? But more importantly does he even want to stay at all. The pay cut for Marion is going to be large and you would think that if he is going to take that hit he would rather do that on a contender. However the Raptors will have money to spend. At the very least a sign and trade for Marion is a likely outcome that could happen. Joey Graham and Pops Mensah-Bonsu as well as a returning Carlos Delfino(??) would all be restricted free agents as well. Pops seems a lock to be back if the Raptors can get him on a reasonable deal. Colangelo said he would be interested in bringing back Delfino as well. Joey Graham of the 3 is likely the odd man out. That will disappoint the Joey Graham fan base but it likely makes the best sense. Anthony Parker has expressed he is willing to stay in Toronto. However do the Raptors want him to remain? Should they? Great guy that A.P is the answer seems likely no. He is a free agent and could go where ever he likes. Unlike Marion he would not command the dollars that would make a sign and trade an option with him.

The worst case scenario for the Raptors is that they take to much from this late season push and think it means something. This team needs change. Colangelo is smart enough to know that and I hope will be at his best this off season. It is clear he will need to be. The returning of Jay Triano is far less of a concern the more new faces he would see at his first training camp. If he returns it could be a sign that major change to the roster is on the way. Even if the Raps roll off 6,7 and dare I say 8 wins in a row it will not change anything. It will just give fuel for supporters of a Triano return and offer excuses for the people that choose to make excuses for this team. There is not excuse that can explain this season away. There just isn't.

Raps Beat The Spurs? Seriously?

I was off advanced scouting/working as I was doing the UConn vs Syracuse game on The Score live blogging. Leo Rautins was sad to learn the Orange lost to the Huskies. That was expected with Huskies having the #1 ranking in the NCAA. However Raptors beating the Spurs? That sure was not. I caught the end of the game on the Radio with Paul and Eric as I was off getting some food. To say the least I was pretty stunned by the result. Roko Ukic had an amazing night. Having not seen the game I was just think my whole blog I wrote about a Nash for Calderon trade sounds less crazy now doesn't it? I know that would make me a lot more happy than an Amare Stoudamire deal.

So I have just seen the first quarter and game in hour moves fast. But from what it looked like the Raptors were doing a good job. All of this with no Jose, CB4 and Joey G for most part. Spurs had a slim 2 point lead. Roger Mason Jr. and Jason Kapono exchanging baskets and they will be doing that on All Star Saturday night. Manu Ginobli who is the favorite play of one of the guys I am on the radio with on CJLO makes a 3. Gerry will be happy about that I am sure. Manu had pretty behind the back pass as well nice. A Moon 3 make or miss is yuck to me. Kapono has been doing well in the last two games. Triano and the staff have told him to fire it up and he is. Roko off to the good start going 3-3. Make that 4-4 he is looking good. Bonner a miss and the Red Rocket had been on fire heading into this one but has been a non factor in what I have seen to this point. Good news for Leo Rautins though even though Syracuse lost is that Matt Bonner is looking to play for Team Canada. That will be a welcome site. It is no Steve Nash but hey after last summer Canada will take it. That along with an improving Joel Anthony is a good start. Meanwhile the Raptors are up a half dozen. It makes me think if Raps could play like this when this is all done and we look back on this season you will ask where was this against teams like Oklahoma City, Memphis and others. That is why despite the result of this game which is great I am still not sold on the Raptors. Colangelo had said he felt this team was not that far away and when you see them have night like tonight you can understand why. One thing you always notice if Raps are good is ball movement. Actually make that 2 things the drive the ball as well. Roko in his brief times on the floor has done that more consistently than Calderon. Not saying he is better but at that aspect he has been to me. Calderon and his injury is obviously part of that whole equation.

This has not been a recap or game notes I am not sure what we call this. Watch along with Dino Blogger? anyway I feel a bit guilty in missing this one live. But let's be honest did anyone out there expect the Raptors to win this game? If you did, you lie or you are the most faithful fan in the world. I think it should be pointed out for the record the Spurs were on the tail end of their famous "Rodeo" road trip. It is an annual thing where the Spurs are kicked out of their building for the Rodeo each year. In Toronto Raptors have to deal with Hockey and the Leafs. In San Antonio,Texas the Spurs have to deal with cowboys and Bull...s. But not the ones from Chicago. All that being said you can bet the Spurs will not make excuses. Having seen the post game prior to the actual game they did not. The one thing that has stuck out for me and maybe is the best reason you can make for trading J.O is this coming up next. O'Neal with out Bosh seems to be much more effective and with Bosh it has not worked well. That behind said this was not one of those nights. Now some of you out there have turned in you CB4 fan club cards to avoid the rush. I am be crazy or believe in people to much but I have faith CB4 can still be a Raptor when all is said and done. So if you are in that camp with me J.O is the guy that must go. The way he has been playing makes that process a much easier one. This has been a entertaining basketball game and in the end that is all you can ask for. There have been many times including very recently it has not been. So Raps are down just 2 points after 3 quarters as I have been typing away and watching.

I am not sure what all of this will mean for the Raptors. They should be able to be healthy with a week between games. The next game the play will be on the eve of trade deadline against the Cavs. So who knows healthy or not will be playing in that game. Andrea Bargnani who some have felt has turned the corner has started to fade back to the old Andrea a bit. He has shown the ability to make big shots. When you consider all the if Bosh goes talk. I say this with great confidence. Andrea Bargnani is not the Chris Bosh to replace the star like Chris was to Vince. Bargnani is not going to be a face of this franchise or a leader of this team. Anyone that thinks that is wrong. If you want a look to a future with Bargnani as your leader check out Dirk in Dallas and think of him to a lesser level. It does not make you feel all that confident does it? Not me. But Roko is doing solid work as I ponder the future of a Bargnani lead Raptors. Thanks to Roko for snapping me out of that. Bargnani is at best a Robin to a Batman. At worst well we have seen that and it is not pretty. Colangelo I doubt will deal him but I would still entertain the idea. I mean some people that say don't trade Joey and Andrea. I ask you why? I guess you figure there is much more growing and they will become better. However I see it more as why not sell an asset that has more proof of the opposite. I admit that I have been impressed by Bargnani and would not be unhappy if Raptors kept him. I will say this about Andrea that he has shown a fight and an ability to make clutch shots. I just don't automatically think that Andrea can be as good as others might. Point is I guess not willing to slap an untradeable tag on him that is all I am saying. however as the fourth quarter marches on maybe I should just quit while I am behind. 23 points behind at last count.

However one player I am definitely moving if I can find a sucker to take him is Jason Kapono. Maybe someone after all star weekend will lose their senses after watching him in the 3 point shoot-out. But Roko Ukic is just off the charts. Ukic vs Calderon coming to a Raptors Blog, Forum or Sports bar near you. on that happy thought the Raptors have an impressive win over the Spurs.

Will it mean anything in the grand scheme of life? I really want to say that it will. However I just remain unconvinced. This was a huge effort and a major win for this team. I am not saying it was not. However there have been few nights like this in the first half of season. I always laugh how if a team losses they say the All Star break will give them time to forget about it and go forward. However if they win they can build from it. Honestly a week between games how much momentum can you take from that negative or positive. Hype and media speak to be honest. But will the Raptors head into the break a happier bunch? For sure. That being said I think given what Bryan Colangelo is thinking it is not going to matter because the team you see today will not be the team you see next Friday. If it is Bryan Colangelo will be disappointed and so will Raptor fans. Most of all so will Chris Bosh. A boxscore and recap are needed for you to believe this happened. I know it is for me even though I now have watched it.

Recap
Boxscore

So, the DNB will roll along over the next week. I am going to try and find some guests. Have some fun maybe. But we will take it at a much more relaxed pace than the normal nuts pace I work at. Dino Bloggers need rest too. I can't remember the last time I have taken a day off. I know I have not since the Blog hooked up with the Score. So if I book a day off I will let you know. But I think I have earned one. Will see how it goes. If a bunch of stuff come through I may not get my day off. But will see what happens. This sure is not where anyone expected this team to be at the All Star Break. An unexpected win does not take away from that. It may help take the sting off a little, but 21 wins is 21 wins.

Raptor Rewind- Game Notes On Bulls And Raps

Raptors Rewind in it's normal format is written as the game is going on. That is why sometimes the title does not always jive with how the game went. It is more about the story heading into the game. But tonight I was working for The Score live blogging some NCAA ball. Duke who is number 2 in the country(U.S.A that is) was able to find a way to beat CB4's former school Georgia Tech 70-56. Andy Rautins son of Leo and the Syracuse Orange got crushed by rival Georgetown Why am I talking about the NCAA so much? Well based on the result of tonight's game it might be a good idea to start scouting for the draft. Given that the game was on TSN 2 I decided instead of bothering to hunt down a feed. I just listen to Eric Smith and Paul Jones on the radio. So in knowing the result I thought I would watch just make some notes as I watch the game in an hour. So with that being said here goes my notes on the Raptors and Bulls.

1st Quarter.

• Raps get burned for a very easy dunk defense fast asleep on the play.
• 2 nice back to back buckets for A.P
• Terrible effort on the board Bulls had 3 chances to score and should have
• Wide open look and a three for the Bulls, how many times have we said that this year?
• Impressed with speed of Bulls and ball movement was helping them get easy hoops
• Andrea keeping Raps in it off to a good start, While Bosh and his jump shot need some time apart
• Bulls more aggressive and get rewarded with easier scoring chances
• Only thing stopping the Bulls was there own odd missed shot or occasional turnover
• Jose is on Bench watching on. Where is J.O? More on that tomorrow
• Roko is making impact more and more each game

Score after 1 was Bulls 27 Raptors 18

2nd Quarter

• Nocioni makes a nice shot he is one of the guys in those rumours out there
• J Moon with Nice Basket and foul
• Nice looking display by Andres he makes another shot
• Bosh scores in paint and draws a foul
• Derrick Rose is fast and drives to hoop with ease for a lay up
• Bosh gets hacked with no call but makes it anyway. Not an excuse but can Bosh get some calls
• Bulls all over the offensive glass it is called boxing out Toronto
• Nice Block by Moon he doesn't do that enough this year
• Bosh making good effort despite his early fouls, leading Raps Back a Bit
• Bargnani takes Bosh feed and gets an open look from 3 that he nails
• Terrible miss by Roko costs Raps as Bosh got his 3rd foul
• Bargnani is Hot....Another 3 ball
• Will Solomon make a bucket and steal and assist in that order
• Bargnani when he is on is truly deadly

Raps on Strength of Bosh and Bargnani have a 48-47 halftime lead.

3rd Quarter

• Bargnani in post still a work in progress
• Nice idea on look for Bosh but stolen away next time Andrea
• Better defense to start the 3rd
• Chris Bosh is not the problem as he has 17, make that 19 as he schools Noah but foreshadows something later that I did hear.
  
• Andrea learns from mistake earlier with a solid basic post move
• Follow that up with a nice jumper and Bargnani was really on a roll
• Jamario Moon cherry picks a lot for a guy that is suppose to be out there for D and Rebounding
• Defense for both teams leaking badly
• Remember when you were excited about Joey Graham, Well remember who told you so
• Bargnani is just a different guy it is flat out that simple, showing all his tools
• Even a few new ones getting on the glass with a put back?
  
• Close game remember that improved defense? Forget about it
• Roko is going to great a new PG debate sooner than later. Ukic vs Calderon and I think I am picking Roko, This kid gets a shot of any kind and look out he will be amazing

4th Quarter

• Signs of 4th quarter free fall were evident early
• Bulls getting easy looks like they had in the first quarter
• Rose is heating up and knowing the ending this will continue
• Bulls had excellent ball movement and spacing
• AP shows flashes of his former self but not enough
• Big 3 ball for Will Solomon
• Rose making it look all to easy.
• Bargnani solid drive and score, already had a double double
• Raps get bailed out by rebound on ugly miss by Will Solomon
• Parker stepping up in the 4th
• To much helping not enough guarding- result open look for Ben Gordon
• Rose is abusing Solomon
• Rose was having it easy where is Jake Voskhul to knock him on his ass
• Parker was great in the 4th
• Foreshadowing explained- Bosh had a chance to beat Noah again but Noah remember first time and didn't bite on pump fake and blocked Bosh game over

Bulls Win and Raptors season is on the rocks and if it was an election it would be time to consider conceding. 8 games below .500 and off to face the Pacers who had T.J Ford back and beat Detroit in OT. Raptors lose 102-98

Boxscore- Raps and Bulls

The Winds Of Change Are Awful Slow

Maybe it is just me, but I grow tired of the daily rumour mill that circles the Toronto Raptors. I am on the record saying this team needs to make changes it is not like I have changed my mind or anything. However it is just reaching the point of I just can't wait for the trade deadline to come and go. It gets to the point you are not sure if you should go out for the nigh,t or turn off the computer, out of fear you might miss the trade that is likely to happen. It is like living on high alert. When I was live blogging for The Score someone said that ESPN was reporting that J.O was getting moved to Miami for Shawn Marion. Turned out they were just someone having fun. Well it was not all that funny. I mean heck could you imagine missing out on something that big. It is my biggest fear. Well not really but it ranks up there. What was true about ESPN was that the article I had linked up by Holly Mackenzie of Slam and Court Surfing Blog on The Score was linked up on ESPN. Congrats to Holly she is someone that works really hard and I am happy for her. I have had some moments like that and they are really exciting. Have not been on ESPN or anything but big moments for this blog. So please Bryan Colangelo end my pain and do something for my own personal sanity if nothing else.

Here Come The Bulls

As shocking as it was that Chuck Swirsky left to take a job on Bulls radio. If anyone had said the Bulls, upon the his return to Toronto, would be in front of the Raptors in the standing you would have thought they were nuts. But that is the case as the Bulls sit a half game in front of the Raptors in the standings in the Eastern Conference. Derrick Rose is the first overall pick from last year's draft and thus far he is up to the hype that goes along with that. Andrea Bargnani can relate to the pressure that goes along with that moment that David Stern calls out your name first. Chuck Swirsky is a big fan of Rose as you could hear in his interview yesterday. He is a talented young man there is no question about that. But just like Brandon Roy is the best player out of his draft class. I think O.J Mayo will be the same for his. However the gap between Mayo and Rose at this point is small. In case of Roy and Bargnani until the last 8 games it was as wide as the Grand Canyon. However Bargnani is on fire and showing confidence that we have just not seen from him. Making big shots and being as clutch as it gets. The shot to close out regulation in Boston I would argue, despite the final result, was the biggest shot of his NBA career. Any plans to trade Bargnani may have been put on ice if there were any at all. Bryan Colangelo has made every suggestion in his interviews that it was not in the plan.

Some recent rumours suggest that the Bulls might be though. Andres Nocioni is the name that seems to be a part of that talk. A tough minded player that would in theory address the Raptors issues at the wing spot. But didn't we already have a guy like this? Carlos Delfino...who is still an option should he return to the NBA. Colangelo is on the record saying that the Raptors would likely match any offer that he were to get should he return to the NBA. But despite what many have suggested Colangelo seems to feel that won't happen till next year. I think Nocioni is an upgrade in comparison to Delfino but enough to give up what is being suggested when you could likely get Delfino for cheaper? I am not sold on that personally. Tyrus Thomas name has been floated as part of a package as well. But he has been a big disappointment like Bargnani had been until recently.

Here is the bottom line on all of this trade stuff. I am not sold that we have heard the real deal that will end up being made yet. Bryan Colangelo has done very little to put out trade speculation. He is on the record saying only one thing for certain. That he has no plan to move Chris Bosh in any deal. He has strongly suggested Bargnani would likely not be moved if it were up to him. Most have figured that Jose Calderon is also safe to stay on Raptor Island. But Colangelo has never real made a strong statement to that point on the record that I have heard. The fact Jose is a BYC player based on signing his new contract makes it seem unlikely. What BYC means in simple terms is that only half the amount of the contract can be counted in calculating a trade. That is why we needed to wait so long for the T.J Ford and O'Neal trade to be made final. Ford had a BYC on his contract that needed to come off and that was the reason for the hold up. The CBA is a complicated thing. They need a book CBA for idiots. This is not that, but if you ever have CBA questions that you need answers to. Here is a link that can help you.

FAQ ON CBA

Calderon and J.O Returns Help Or Hurt?

It has been like the other shoe that is waiting to drop. The Raptors have been playing some of their best basketball of the season with out 2 of what was being billed as the Raptors Big 3 prior to the season. Which I said at the time I was not buying into as I felt nothing had been proven. Well I think that is still the case as I sit on a cold January morning. I am not a Celtic Fan by any stretch of the imagination. However they have the best big 3 and in my mind that was proven in spades over the last 2 games. Based on injuries and just a overall lack of chemistry. I had hoped that Jermaine O'Neal would have an impact like K.G did in Boston and make the Raptors a better defensive team. But at this point I am not convinced even K.G could make a solid defender out of some of the people on this roster with Calderon and Kapono at the top of that list.

Most believe and I tend to agree that the best thing for the Raptors would be to leave Andrea Bargnani in the starting line-up at the Center spot. He was shown a fragile confidence over his Raptor career and to send him back to the bench after his play of late runs the risk of shattering that confidence that he has displayed in the last while. This all is logical and makes a lot of sense but the problem is will Jermaine O'Neal agree and accept that logic. That is a question that only Jermaine knows the answer to that. If he does not it also makes Bryan Colangelo's job harder and likely would force his hand to move O'Neal sooner rather than later. I have suggested in this blog that I believe that it is in Colangelo's best interest to hold on to the O'Neal contract for as long as possible. The closer 2010 gets the more likely teams will over more that have dreams of getting a player like a Wade, James, Bosh or a number of other big name free agents. The pressure from all sides will grow. So trading J.O at this point to me would not get you the same as it could down the line. But if he has a negative impact on Bargnani and the team as a whole what else can Bryan Colangelo do? Jermaine may surprise everyone and be a total team player and accept a roll as the Raptors 6th man. Given his history I am not sure if I want to bet a lot on that happening.

When it comes to Calderon he has to get better as a defender and that is just the bottom line. To earn all that candy (as it says in the funny Raptor kids ads) he needs to start doing things to improve his effort on defense. It really has a negative impact on how the Raptors play defense with Calderon playing the way he does. The point guard is key to any defense and is for lack of a better term the first line of defense. If Jose breaks down and gets beat by his man it sets off a chain reaction that leads to open shots like we saw Ray Allen making at the ACC on Sunday. Help defense is all based on a chain of moves and the quicker that chain is forced to act the more likely it will break. Also we have seen Roko Ukic show some ability to get into the paint on offense and make some of the things happen that we did when T.J Ford was here. People compare Ukic to Calderon but there is more Ford in Ukic then there is Calderon. The only thing Roko and Calderon share is common experience in coming from Europe to the NBA. But from a game standpoint the are very different players.

Kobe and Cabbie Coming To The Score.

I would like to close today by saying how much I look forward to the next chapter of the Kobe Bryant and Cabbie story coming to The Score. Sure the blog is part of The Score Sports Federation but if this was any network I would feel the same. Cabbie and Kobe have done some truly funny stuff over the years. I hope some day to have him (Cabbie Not Kobe) visit us here. Not that Kobe would not be welcome but I am being realistic. So I give you a look back on the touching moments between Cabbie AKA Cabrel Richards and The Black Mamba AKA Kobe Bryant:




Coming to The Score in February is the next chapter of the saga of Kobe and Cabbie. When will the Dino Blogger go 1 on 1 with Cabbie? I do not know but I am throwing out an invite to Cabbie. I think it would be a lot of fun. Cabbie has talked to a ton of guys in the NBA and really and truly has a gift of bringing out the lighter side in them. I enjoy his work a lot and he has brought me many laughs as a viewer over the years.

Just a reminder that I am not going to be doing a Raptors Rewind tonight. I am doing some Live Blog Work for the Score. So I will get some form of recap up late tonight or early tomorrow. But I will be pulling for the Raptors in spirit. I will be working on the Duke vs Georgia Tech game and hoping for CB4's old school to pull of what would be a major upset over Duke.

Raptors Turning The Corner?

Chris Bosh felt on top of the World last night. At least that is what he was telling the folks on Twitter and Face book. In fact here is what was posted exactly.

Bosh From Twitter

"I'm on top of the world right now. I've seen the new light!"

That sure sounds encouraging doesn't it. I mean he has reason to think that way as well. The Raptors have won 3 out of 4 games and are starting to figure out how to hold leads and get wins. Sure the Wizards are a bad team but they did the same against the Magic and Rockets. At this point it really isn't as much about who the Raptors are playing as much as it is about if they are winning or losing. A brilliant football coach once said " You Play To Win The Game" now Herm Edwards may not have been able to get his Chiefs to do that very often but he is right. It is what it is all about when you cut through all the stuff that is written and said. It is about getting wins. When the season is over they don't ask you who you beat or how you beat them. They just ask how many times did you win. But it does seem clear the Raptors are starting to see the path back to the playoffs.

Andrea Has Figured It Out?

One of the biggest changes has been with Andrea Bargnani. I really was in the camp of the folks that wanted to trade him and move on. But he has shown some things that we have not scene from him in his two plus years in the NBA. The guy we have seen in the last 5 games is much more the one Bryan Colangelo had in mind when he drafted Bargnani with the first overall pick. A confident shooter that has ice water in his veins and makes and takes big shots at key points in games. When Andrea displays these kind of skills it makes the Raptors a much different team. The Wizards last night did all they could to make sure that Chris Bosh did not beat them last night. They succeed for the most part. What they did not count on was that Andrea Bargnani would.

The fear and concern is what happens when Jermaine O'Neal becomes healthy? Jay Triano when asked about if O'Neal would start when he returned ducked the question altogether. He said he had not even thought about it. I am not sure if that is true but eventually he will have to think about it. Bargnani when asked about if it matters if he started or not claims it does not. He seemed to suggest that it was more about the amount of time he gets on the floor and not if his name got called in the starting line-up. The biggest test of Triano as a coach will be when all three (Bosh, Bargnani and O'Neal) are healthy and able to play. The Raptors tried unsuccessfully for the most part to play all three together. Bargnani as an over sized small forward was a failure. So can Triano come up with a rotation that allows Andrea to get his floor time that he thinks he needs and based on his play of late as earned. It may be possible to make it work as you can try to keep O'Neal healthy by reducing his minutes and same for Bosh. You can use Andrea to fill the bulk of those minutes. It will take Triano to be able to convince all 3 players that it will be the best thing for the group as a whole. Based on the recent developments he can make a strong argument for it. The one problem will be when it comes to those last 6 minutes of games. I think it is clear that all 3 players want to be on the floor for those. Bosh as the franchise player is going to be 99.9% of the time. So it becomes a choice between O'Neal and Bargnani for those minutes. O'Neal is the better defender but not by as great a gap as you would have thought heading into the season. Bargnani is the better offensive weapon when he is on his game and going well. Just with the range he has he becomes a match-up problem for any team. I have no doubt Jay Triano wants to be the coach of this team going forward. No one likes to be interim anything. How he handles this issue will define him as a coaching candidate and will impact on what Bryan Colangelo might do in terms of moves for this roster. If Triano can show a way that Bosh, O'Neal and Bargnani can all play together and be productive it may allow Colangelo to feel he must hang on to all 3 players. Despite all of that this team still badly needs a slashing and scoring wing player. I am not convinced that player on a night to night basis is on this roster. So it will be interesting to see what happens. But some new questions have started to become part of figuring this all out.

Jose When He Returns Will That Help Or Hurt

Seems a bit silly of a question on the surface. But if you have been playing close attention some things have improved with no Jose. Those improvements are mostly on the defensive end of the floor. Jose Calderon when he returns must answer the challenge and work as hard on defense as he does on offense. It has to happen or this house of cards of improvement will all come crashing down. I am not saying he needs to be an all world defender. He needs to take a man blowing by him as personally as he takes it when he makes a rare turnover.

That will be what Jose will help with and improve on what has been happening of late. He is very good at protecting the ball and getting his team to play with less mistakes on the offensive end. He will need to take the odd chance as well to not break the momentum that has been built in his time away that was being established. But he was starting to show signs of starting to make those king of plays and choices. Jay Triano is slowly getting Jose to understand the benefits of taking chances and making it work at times in a game. I will give you an example from last night's game made by Will Solomon. He looked way up the floor and hit Anthony Parker( I think ) with a long pass and it lead to an easy score as Parker was ahead of the play. In the past if Jose was in the game he likely sees that same pass to make but views it as to much of a risk and just sets the team up in the half court. Transition points and easier chances can make life much more easy for any basketball team.

I have always said that Jose Calderon was a very good point guard. But he is not a great point guard. However if Jay Triano get work with Jose and tweak his game in some ways along with a true commitment to defensive improvement by Jose he could grow into being a great point guard. Jay Triano worked with Steve Nash on team Canada and Nash credits Triano with helping him a lot. It is not that Jose will become a Steve Nash like point guard. They are very different in a lot of ways. But can Triano give Jose the direction to make improvements in his game as he did for Steve Nash with his game. I was hopeful that he could and was starting to see signs that he was. Calderon is a great guy and people rush to his defense at times based on that. I like Jose but I just expect and want more from him. That is what signing that contract in the summer meant. To be the starting point guard in the city has always been a focus from day one with Damon Stoudamire and it continues to be to this day with Jose.

Matt Devlin last night suggested we may see a Jose return as soon as tomorrow against the Grizzlies. So it will be really interesting to see what the impact will be on the Raptors on both ends of the floor when he does. No one is saying Will Solomon and or Roko Ukic is going to steal his job. But maybe they could see more minutes if Calderon is not as effective in some aspects. Ultimately maybe it should happen any way as Calderon is really showing signs of wear this season. Sam Mitchell had no confidence it Solomon or Ukic and really over played Jose through the early part of the season much like he did with Chris Bosh.

Live Blogging on Monday

Just a note for all of you and an invitation. I am going to be working doing live blogs for The Score from time to time. Most of the time it will be for Raptor games. On these nights I will not being doing Raptor Rewinds as you have become use too. But I will provide you links and access to the live blog instead. The first of these is going to be on Monday for the Raptors and Celtics and as soon as I have the details of how you can take part I will provide you a link. These live blogs are great for those of you who are on the go and have the tech toys like Iphones or Blackberrys. If you want to keep up with what is going on with the game. If you are out on a date or visiting family and have to miss a game. Now you won't have to on these nights. Even if your watching the game it is a cool way to have interaction with your fellow fans. I will when I live blog try to show up a bit early and have a bit or an open pre game chat like portion and same for halftime and post game. You are all welcome to be a part.

So that is about it for today unless we have any breaking news to pass a long. I will be doing my usual Thursday thing in taking in the "Hoops" show on Fan 590 and Raps TV. Show has been gone last bit for holidays. I am not sure if Eric, Paul and Jack will be hosting but I will tune in regardless and likely call and have my view. So have a great day and take care. Tomorrow the O.J Mayo show hits Canada that should be fun.

Raptors Rewind- The Buck Doesn't Stop Here Edition?

So the last time Raptors won 3 games in a row it was a win over these Milwaukee Bucks to start the season as 3-0. Things since that time it has been tough times for Raptors. But a couple of big wins and a whole lot of new questions have started. None of which involve the Raptors being in the NBA Lottery. So the Bucks will be taking on the Raptors and may be with out a very big man in there line-up. Andrew Bogut has a bad back and is listed as day to day. Should he be out it will be a much tougher challenge for the Bucks to deal with Bosh and Bargnani. Andrea has taken off since Jermaine O'Neal went down and he was inserted into the starting line-up. The trade talks have died down and Bryan Colangelo in an interview on the Fan 590 today said that he has not been looking to move Andrea. He said they get many calls that come in about his availability but that they have not made any calls looking to move him. So I guess the folks like me will not be happy about that. However if Andrea could continue to play like this no one myself included would want to trade him. The fear now becomes is what will happen once J.O is healthy. But the first issue will be prior to that if Bargnani can continue at this pace for the next few games. The same applies for the combo of what I have called Soloic. That would be Will Solomon and Roko Ukic for those who did not read yesterday. They need to do there thing as well. Both Jose Calderon and Jermaine O'Neal did not make the trip with the Raptors.

1st Quarter

The Raptors win the opening tip and went to Bosh would would draw a foul. But the Raptors would misfire on the inbound play. The Bucks would take down the floor and score with a dunk in transition. Jamario Moon would answer on the other end with a basket. Chris Bosh was able to hit a jumper to give the Raps their first lead of the night. Some sloppy play by both teams and it was ugly looking. But a steal and Will Solomon hooking up Jamario Moon for an alley opp would end the ugly for a bit. The Bucks would respond with a bucket that was answered quickly by Chris Bosh. Another Buck basket and quick Bosh answer and it was 10-6 Raptors early on still in the 1st.

Chris Bosh continued his hot start with a basket plus a foul that he would make. Raptors lead was 13-6 with just over 7 minutes to play. Andrea Bargnani had a block and was doing nice on defense despite he had yet to get going on the offensive end. Will Solomon would make a long lead pass to Anthony Parker who would draw a foul and get to the line. He would split a pair as he was coming off his best performance of the season yesterday against the Magic. Andrea Bargnani would get the offense going as Bosh kicked it out to Andrea that would nail a 3 pointer. Bucks would finally get a response with a basket that looked like it went in off a Raptor. A.P would score in response and it was 19-8 Raptors. The Bucks were shooting 1-10 for their last 10 attempts. That is 10% for all you math majors out there. Andrea made his way to the line and drained a pair of free throws. Michael Redd would get a drive and score but it was the Raptors leading big time early 21-10. Redd was fouled on the drive and added the free throw so make the Raptor lead 10. Michael Redd would get to the line again fouled by Jake Voskhul who had checked in and already had 2 fouls. Redd would make both. Roko Ukic was also in and he would find Andrea Bargnani would would make another 3 pointer and the Raptors lead was 24-13. Redd was driving and scoring at will as he had another drive and score and had brought life to a lifeless Milwaukee offense. Jake Voskhul would get hooked up by Andrea Bargnani for a score. Milwaukee would get an answer and cut the lead down to 8 despite shooting 36% for the quarter. Raptors lead after one 27-19.

2nd Quarter

The Bucks continued to struggle with a miss on their first trip of the second Quarter. Kris Humphries was in and he would get a dunk. Roko Ukic would follow that with a nice reverse lay up. Charlie V would have an answer for that with a jumper from the top of the key. Ramon Sessions would get a score. The Charlie V would hit a 3 pointer and the Bucks had a 7-0 run going. Time out was called with 8:49 left in the quarter. Jason Kapono would score out of the time out. Bucks continue to fight and got back to down 6 points. Kris Humphries answered the call with a big hump slam. Joey G would show is dunking skills which were a bit different from Hump and Raptors lead was back to 10. The Bucks continued to try to get back in the game and cut the lead down to just 4. The Raptors were able to keep the lead and build the advantage back to 10 with a 48-38 lead.

But once again the Bucks would start to push back and Micheal Redd hit a 3 pointer and the Bucks had a 5-0 run to get the game back to within 5 points with the score 48-43. Redd had 14 correction make that 16 as the Bucks run continued and the Raptors lead that was once 13 points had been shaved down to 3 points. The Team U.S.A Team Members Michael Redd and Chris Bosh were leading the way for their teams. Redd with his 16 points and Bosh was 7-8 from the field with 15 points. It was the Raptors hanging on to a 48-45 lead at the half.

3rd Quarter

Raptor hung tough and were able to hand on to the lead but just barely. Raptors were shoot 12% better than the Bucks but 7 turnovers and some costly offensive boards and it was just a 3 point lead. But Chris Bosh was having a big night and it continued to start the second half. He would score and get fouled but miss the free throw. Michael Redd was just as good for the Bucks and he scored and Bosh answered. Another Buck basket by rookie Mbah a Moute and a Michael Redd 3 ball and the Bucks had taken the lead. But Andrea Bargnani would answer with a 3 pointer and it was the Raptors with a 55-53 lead. A.P would extend that lead with a 2 ball from the corner. Another difference from the Orlando game was Will Solomon who had 9 assists but was 1-8 from the field. His 9th assist was a feed to Bosh who was looking to be on the verge of a big night. Andrea Bargnani was having a good effort as well as he made a 2 pointer and followed that up with another 3- ball and The Raptors had once again built the lead back to 9 points with the score 63-54. Jake Vokhul was excited on the bench about that one. Holly Mackenzie in her game notes from the home stand made not of Voskhul's cheering ability on the bench. A cheerleader on the bench and a tough as nails guy when he is on the floor. Reminds me a little of the J.Y.D. I don't think Voskhul has a dog pound but he is growing a fan base.

Charlie Bell would score for the Bucks out of the time out. Chris Bosh would miss only his second shot of the night. He would get tagged with his third foul on the other end of the floor sending Elson to the line for a pair that he would make. Raptors would lead by 6 points with score 64-58 there was just under 5 minutes remaining in the quarter. Charlie V would get a bucket with the mid range jump shot. He would have another chance to cut the lead to just 2 but would miss badly. Anthony Parker would score on the other end. Michael Redd would come down and knock down another 3-ball and it was a tight 66-63 lead with just 2:59 to play in the quarter. Bosh out of a time out would get the ball from Ukic and drive on Elson and draw the foul. He would make both. Bosh on the other end would get a defensive board and it would lead to Joey Graham getting fouled by former team mate Charlie V. Joey would split a pair. The Bucks would get a score on the next trip down and the the would score again all thanks to Ramon Sessions and it was a 69-67 lead for Toronto. Roko Ukic would get a basket and it would extend the lead briefly till Michael Redd answered. Raptors had been making turnovers as well. Charlie V would drive at Bosh and get the score and the foul which he would make and the Bucks lead 72-71. Another turnover late almost cost the Raptors and in fact it would as Jason Kapono got called for a foul after the Raptors had thought the quarter was over. So Michael Redd would be heading to the line with .5 second on the clock for a pair of free throws. He would make both and the lead for the Bucks would be 3 with the score 74-71.

4th Quarter

Raptors had only their second 4th quarter comeback of the season yesterday against the Magic. The lead was just a one point advantage. The Bucks only had a single possession lead as well with a 3 point lead. Raptors were shooting 54% but had 12 turnovers and those were the reason the Raptors trailed. Raptors would not get a basket on their first chance of the 4th. Charlie V was becoming a factor on the glass and in the game. He would get on the glass for an offensive rebound and score for the Bucks. Michael Redd would score as well and the Bucks lead was 78-71. Andrea Bargnani would score a 2 point effort. But Charlie V would nail a 3 pointer and he had 17 off the bench for the Bucks. Andrea would match the 3 ball with one of his own. Roko Ukic had a basket and the Raptors trailed 83-78. Roko Ukic was coming up big in a 4th quarter again. He would get another score plus a foul shot to come.

Roko would hit the free throw and he would make it and the score was 83-81. Ramon Sessions would score and Chris Bosh who was back in answered that with a basket and he had 25 points. Charlie Villianueva was hustling and got another bucket working the glass. Anthony Parker would score in response. A steal right after his score and he would hook up Roko Ukic who would get credit for the basket on a goaltending call. The score was tied at 87. But the Bucks would score to take back the lead. Mbah a Moute would get called for a foul on Bosh and he would step to the line looking to tie the score. He would only make 1-2 and it was 89-88 with 6 minutes left to go in regulation. Bosh would have a pass stolen but the Bucks could not add to the lead. Roko Ukic would also turn it over but again the Bucks miss a chance to extend the lead. Chris Bosh would make them pay.Raptors now had taken the lead 90-89. But Charlie V answered for his Bucks with a basket. Roko would get the ball to the franchise player always wise. Bosh would get fouled and was back to the line. He would again only split a pair. The game was tied at 91. Bosh would grasp a key defensive board and the would turn into 2 points for Jamario Moon with a jumper. A Bucks turnover and Will Solomon who had checked in for Ukic made a big basket with his foot on the line so it would only count for 2 points. But it would extend the Raptor lead to 4 points with the score 95-91 with 2:39 to play in the 4th.

Bosh and Bargnani had combined for 50 points to this point. They would likely need a few more to win. Luke Ridnour who had not scored all night picked a key time to make a 3 pointer. Chris Bosh would end up back on the line looking to get 2 back for the Raptors. He would make both this time Raptors lead 97-94 with 2 minutes left to play. Charlie Bell would hit from the corner for 3 points and we were tied at 97. Will Solomon would miss a jumper and the Bucks would catch a break as Elson had dribbled the ball off his foot. But the Referee said it went out of Will Solomon. The replay would show the Ref was wrong. But that is not something we use replay for in NBA. Charlie V would make good on the gift and score. Solomon again would shoot and miss and you have to wonder why he would take that shot with Bosh and Bargnani having big nights. Luke Ridnour would make another clutch 3 pointer. The Bucks had a 5 point lead not with just 34.1 seconds to play. Raps would get it to Bargnani who had a look for 3 but he had his foot on the line and missed anyway. Ramon Sessions would make a pair from the line and the Raptors chances seemed lost. Bucks had some good luck and great performances from Redd and Villianuea as well as two key 3-balls from lucky Luke. The Raptors continued to misfire and foul. The final score would not reflect how close a game this was as the Bucks would win 107-97. Milwaukee who sits in 8th spot in the East now had a 2.5 game lead over the Raptors for that final playoff spot. Bosh had 31 and Bargnani 21 but Redd had 35 and Charlie V had 25 and they were the winners. For the rest of the stats check out the boxscore brought to you via The Score.com

Bucks/ Raptors Boxscore

So at least Canada won a gold in hockey so not many will notice that the Raptors lost a game in the closing moments. But the diehard Raptor fans will notice and they will be very disappointed. Raptors will try to regroup to take on the Wizards on Wednesday.

Raptors Rewind- Superman In The House Edition

The Raptors face a Magic team as I said in the set-up to this game is on a roll. I was impressed by the Magic heading into this season. I think people in Raptorland under estimated this team last season and did not give them credit for being a good basketball team. I personally learned my lesson and was one of the few that were giving the Magic some much deserved love in the pre-season leading into this 08/09 season. I called for Stan Van Gundy to win coach of the year and Dwight Howard to be M.V.P. The Magic had a very slow start to the season and it was looking like I was nuts. But look at them now winners of 9 of their last 10 basketball games. In the Eastern Conference all the talk is about the Cavs and Celtics and on a national stage the Magic are being over looked just like they were locally here in Toronto last year. Don't sleep on the Orlando Magic because they have talent and are a solid basketball team built around an amazing talent in Dwight Howard. Chris Bosh no doubt feels happy for his friend and his success. However given the state of things in Toronto he must be more disappointed with his situation. He will have to carry the load today with no Jermaine O'Neal and Jose Calderon. Bosh in his career has had 7 career 40 points or more games and 3 of them have been against the Magic. If Bosh is going to get any help it will have to come from Andrea Bargnani. He has done well in replacing O'Neal in the starting line-up. Despite the fact that some including me have thought he may just not be in the long term future for the Raptors he has played some of his best basketball of the season in these last few games. The Raptors will need that to continue to have any chance at success. They will also need Will Solomon to play at a high level and not fall apart as he did earlier in the year against Orlando. The odds are long for the Raptors today to get a win. That is the reality of things but if they did manage to win it would be impressive to say the least. The Magic road record is impressive to say the least. So let's see what happens and if Raptors can find a way to ground Superman. But even if they can Magic have many options from 3 point range to many to mention.

1st Quarter

Magic win the opening tap and Rashard Lewis misses a 3 pointer but Dwight Howard gets the offensive rebound and put back score. Andrea Bargnani would miss but follow his shot and score off the rebound. Bargnani would nail a 3 pointer in response to a Magic score. But quickly back the other way Dwight Howard would get a dunk. Chris Bosh would look to get in on the party making his first jumper of the day. Jameer Nelson would miss an attempt and Anthony Parker back in the starting line-up would make his first attempt of the day. Dwight Howard would get fouled but score anyway and make the free throw. The score was tied at 9. Will Solomon would drive at Howard and score and draw the second foul on Howard. So the Raptors had a 12-9 lead but more importantly Howard was taking an early seat after a hot start.

Rashard Lewis would score from long range and the game was back to even at 12-12. Anthony Parker would dunk it home on a feed from Bosh and the Raptors looked solid early with a 14-12 lead and Howard a spectator. Magic had made a few uncharacteristic turnovers early on. This latest one the Raptors could not cash is on it as Bargnani missed a 3 pointer. Hedo Turkoglu would make a 3 pointer and the Magic were in front 15-14. Jameer Nelso would get fouled and head to the line looking to extend the lead with he would making both. Anthony Parker was off to a nice start as he drove to the basket and scored in response. Will Solomon on the next trip would stop and pop for 2 points and he would do the same the next time down the floor and the Raptors were taking advantage of Magic miscues and lead 20-17. Chris Bosh would take it at Rashard Lewis and draw the foul on him and make a pair from the line. Raptors lead 22-17 and looked good. Maybe they were better than I thought against the Rockets. The Rockets were bad no doubt but it seems the Raptors were just as good based on this early performance. Bosh was back at the line adding to the lead. Jamario Moon would make a very tough jumper and the Raptors lead had grown to 26-17. This was not what I was expecting to see but am happy to be seeing it. Still this was being done with Dwight Howard looking on.

Chris Bosh continued the Raptor run with another basket and the Raptor lead was 28-17. Tony Battie would finally end the run with a basket for the Magic.But the Raptors kept rolling as AP would score a 2 point shot. Roko Ukic who had checked in for Solomon did the same as he did with back to back baskets. The Raptor lead had grown to 15 points. Kieth Bogans would hit a 3 pointer to draw the Magic slightly closer. Shockingly you score after one quarter of play it was the Raptors leading 34-22.

2nd Quarter

Jake Voskhul, Joey Graham and Jason Kapono had checked in to start the 2nd quarter. Dwight Howard was back in the game for the Magic as well and he would get to know Jake Voskhul right awat as he would get fouled. Howard would go 1-2 from the line for the first point of the quarter. Rashard Lewis would hit a 3-ball and the Magic had started the quarter on a bit of a roll. But Roko Ukic would find Bargnani for a dunk of a Magic turnover in transition. Bargnani would hit another basket with a mid-range jumper to restore the Raptor 12 point lead. Roko Ukic would drive and score and the Raptors were putting the boots to the Magic much like they had Houston. Can some one tell me what is going on here because I am at a loss. The Raptors were playing good to great defense and creating turnovers. It was hard to believe what you were watching to be honest.

Joey Graham was being aggressive on defense and he got rewarded with a basket on offense. Graham was not done as he would answer a Howard bucket with a mid range jumper. Courtney Lee would get a 3 pointer for the Magic and they badly needed it. Raptors had a 44-31 lead. Jake Voskhul would once again lay the wood on Superman and send him to the line. Howard would have a rare 2-2 effort from the line. Will Solomon was back in game and he scored. Soloic? doesn't sound like Forderon but it was sure looking like it today. Bosh was back on the floor now as well. Dwight Howard had a dunk and he had 16 points despite being limited in minutes by fouls. Howard was getting his but the rest of the Magic looked flat and not bringing much to the party.

Dwight Howard continued to score with ease and pulled the Magic back to 9 down. Andrea Bargnani would answer on the other end with a basket. Magic were struggling from beyond the arc that was made evident as Hedo Turkoglu miss a wide open 3 pointer. Andrea Bargnani would get fouled and was at the line and made a pair. He had 13 points and was playing well again. Jameer Nelson would answer with a jump shot for the Magic and cut it to single digits again. Nelso would later hit a 3 ball and the once 15 point Raptor lead had been cut to just 6 with score 50-44. Triano had seen enough to call a time-out and try and get this team back on track. It had been a tremedous first half effort and it was going down the tubes late in the half. Out of the time out the Raptors went to Bosh who had been silent since early. Bosh would be mugged but no foul call. Instead the ball would go out of bounds and the Raptors with a short shot clock could not score. Hedo Turkoglu would score answered by Anthony Parker. However Jameer Nelson was heating up and he made antother 3 pointer and that was the lead 3. Chris Bosh would get a call the next time up the floor and cash in 2-2 form the line and Raptors lead 54-49. Will Solomon was able to score on a jumper thanks to some hustle as the Raptors got a second chance to score after an A.P missed runner in the lane. Magic missed a couple long range bombs and the Raptors had a chance to build the lead back to 9 points. However Bosh would miss a fading jumper. Still the Raptors were hanging on and had a 56-49 lead at the half.

Bryan Colangelo was talking at halftime. He was in full spin mode it would seem. He was asked if he would ever consider trading Chris Bosh but he said No to that suggestion. Colangelo down played all the trade rumours that were out there. He talked about the difficulties in making a trade. He also taked about the idea of Carlos Delfino and he suggested that he would be interested in having him back but suggested that would likely happen next year as opposed to this year. He continued to defend Andrea Bargnani and talked about him still being young and learning. When he was asked if the only players he would not move at this point were Calderon and Bosh he did a masterful job of ducking the question. But based on his comments on Bargnani it seems he is still not ready to give up on him. He did say the now standard line that he is always looking to improve the team and do what he can to make it better. Colangelo is a very smart guy in talking with the media and he never truly makes any mistakes.

Jack Armstrong followed up on the comments of Colangelo and talked about how Carlos Delfino would be a nice fit for this team and could play some time at the point guard position for the Raptors and add some needed grit. He also talked about how Andrea as he sees it will be a 5 in this league going forward. He said you can see him responding to more minutes and oppurtunity. I can not argue the point as Bargnani has been putting in consistent performances the last few games playing at the 5. But the question will be what happens when O'Neal returns and how will that be handled. I mentioned a few days ago it could end up being a very trick and toxic situation if not handled correctly. So that was a more interesting halftime than you average one. But it was on to the second half and see if the Raptors could continue to shock with a great perfomance against the Magic.

3rd Quarter

It was a good start as the Raptors went right to Bosh and he had a two handed throw down. The Magic on their first possesion would turn it over. In fact they would have back to back turnovers to start the 3rd quarter to the dismay of both Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy. Bosh meanwhile had scored the first 4 points of the quarter as he made a jump shot. Dwight Howard would score in response but quickly after that picked up his 3rd foul of the afternoon. Raptor led 60-51 early in the 3rd. Jameer Nelson who was a factor late in the first half, found his way to the line and made a pair from the line. Anthony Parker would come back with a score for the home side. Rashard Lewis would answer that with a 3 pointer and Raptors lead had been cut to just 6 points. Anthony Parker would respond with a jumper and he was 7-8 from the field on the day. In a season that he has struggled he was having one of his best performances of it on this day. He had 14 points and the Raptors lead was 64-56.

Magic made another turnover as a pass went sailing out of bounds. The Raptors could not turn that mistake into points on the other end. Rashard Lewis just keeps shooting and he made his 4th shoot from beyond the arc on the afternoon. Anthony Parker would answer that with a Parker dunk. Stan Van Gundy had seen enough of parker scoring and took Bogans who was gaurding him out of the game. Andrea Bargnani though would hit a 3 pointer and he would score diving to the basket for another 2 points. The Raptors continued to lead 71-61. Magic would make there way to the line to 4 made free throws and the lead was cut back to 6 points. Chris Bosh would get a score in response on a feed from Andrea. But Jameer Nelson had a 3 point answer for that and Raptors were fighting hard to stay in front. Anthony Parker would get another basket to push the lead back to 7 point where in began to start the quarter. Dwight Howard would score to make it 75- 70 for the Raptors. Rashard Lewis would follow up with 3 pointer number 5 for him on the day and the Raptor lead was down to just 2 points. Jay Triano would call a time out and try to get things back on track. Orlando was using the 3 point shot to stay in this game. Nelson and Lewis were the key contributors to the 11 made 3 pointers for Orlando.

Jake Voskhul had checked in and missed a jump shot badly. But the next time the Raptors would be able to hook up Parker for another dunk via the Ukic pass. Courtney Lee would answer that with another 3 pointer for the Magic. A steal and a dunk by Dwight Howard and Orlando had their first lead since 17-16 in the first quarter. So after a really solid effort from the Raptors they would find themselves down 1 point after 3 quarters. It almost did not seem fair as the Raptors had really earned a better fate to this point. The problem was the perimeter defense that had been the same issue that saw the Magic bounce Toronto from the playoffs in April.

4th Quarter

Chris Bosh would start the 4th quarter on the bench hoping to be able to lead the charge down the stretch to an unexpected win. Both teams would fail to score on their opening efforts of the quarter. It would take over two minutes in the quarter to get a score but it would be a thunderous Dwight Howard dunk that would break open the score sheet. Raptors would get to the line and make a pair of free throws. Howard would drive and score and draw a foul on Andrea Bargnani. Howard had 33 in the game and that was a season high. Jamario Moon would make a 3 pointer and J.J Redick would answer with a 3-ball of his own. Jason Kapono would make a basket and be fouled by J.J and have a chance to cut the Magic lead back to 1 after a time out on the floor.

Raptor point guards had combined for 17 points and 8 assists with just 2 turnovers. Kapono meanwhile would make his free throw and it was 86-85 Orlando. Chris Bosh was waiting to check in but before he could he would see Jason Kapono make a shot and give his team the lead. Andrea Bargnani had picked up 3 fouls in the quarter and had 4 in the game that was a concern. Reddick the former Duke star would score and Oklahoma State Cowboy alum Joey G would respond and it was Raptor leading 89-88. Dwight Howard who didn't go to college was at the line and could only make 1-2 and we were tied at 89. The Raptors would respond by Roko Ukic getting to the line and he would make both of his and the Raptors lead 91-89 with 6:48 to play. J.J Redick made a big 3 pointer to put the Magic back into the lead. Anthony Parker normally takes a lot of 3's but today he was a dunking machine as he had another exposing Redick on the defensive end. Raptors would have lead 93-92 with 5:57 left in regulation time.

Some more key free throws for Rashard Lewis that he would make to put Orlando back on top. That foul was not on Bargnani but the next time down the floor after a Raptor miss it would be. Howard would make both frome the line and he had 36 points and Andrea had 5 fouls and Jay Triano would take Bargnani out of the game. Anthony Parker would make a 3 pointer and tie the score at 95. The Superman show would continue on the other end as he would score again. Roko Ukic would make his way to the line again in response and make a few more key free throws and we were tied at 97. Dwight Howard would get back to the line and he would go 1-2. Joey Graham would miss a runner in the lane. The Magic would not be able to make the Raptors pay. Anthony Parker scored again to give the Raptors the lead he had 26 points. Rashard Lewis would answer with a 3 point bomb and the Magic were back on top 101-99 with 2:59 to go. This was a heck of an entertaining basketball game for one that a lot of folks would have though could have been a Magic blowout victory. It was anything but that though as the Raptors were fighting hard for a win.

Chris Bosh had got himself to the line with a chance to tie the score. He would make the first and the second and we were even again at 101-101. Antrhony Parker getting it done on defense as well with a steal. It would lead to a Bosh drive and what was thought to be a score. But instead it would be a fould and no basket. Bosh would make both clutch free throws and the Raptors lead 103-101 with just over 2 minutes to play. Howard would head to the line foulded by Bosh which would be his 4th. Howard could only go 1-2 again. He would be really scary if he could ever figure out how to make free throws. He had 39 points despite missing 7 free throws on the day. Roko Ukic was remaining in this game down the stretch and playing well. Parker would have a rare miss and the Magic would have a chance to take the lead. The Raptors forced the Magic to burn a time out with a trap on Hedo in the corner and 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 1:25 in the 4th. Rashard Lewis was forced into a turnover and the Raptors had another chance to extend the lead but could not. But the Magic again failed to take the lead. Roko Ukic would not allow the Raptors to miss 3 times as he would hit the biggest shot of his young NBA career. Raptors had a 105-102 lead with 38.1 seconds to play. J.J Redick would take and miss a 3 pointer and Chris Bosh would grab the rebound and be fouled and sent to the line. He would make the first that would make it a 2 possesion game. He would make the second as well. Moon would block a desprate 3-ball attempt from Turkoglu. Bosh would grab it again and be sent to the line where he would split a pair. Raptors had a 108-102 lead. There was only 9.2 seconds left and this would be a huge win for the Raptors to have heading to Milwaukee. Rashard Lewis would throw up one more 3-ball that would not fall. The Raptors win and shock their fans and the Magic. I really can not believe the effort of this basketball team playing without two of it's stars. You have to look at this boxscore to believe that this took place because it was that amazing.

Raps/Magic Boxscore

The Raptors have a remarkable homestand in which they win 2 of 3 against Houston and now Orlando. I have to say I am pretty shocked by all of this. After I go pinch myself to make sure I am awake I will have more to say about this in the blog tomorrow. But I like you am a happy camper and will just close by saying this was a great effort and a team win and I am going to enjoy it as should you.