Raptor Fans Are Like Elephants

People have a hard time figuring out Raptor fans. Like why on earth were they still booing Tracy McGrady after all these years. I saw a tweet from someone with the Hawks that stated that Raptor Fans are like elephants they never forget. I think that is kind of true and it is kind of what I dig about writing about this team and for Raptor Fans. To often in this modern world, so much gets forgotten and swept aside. A guy can honestly go to jail and comeback and be a hero in this world. Scandal is only temporary and it steals all the headlines. For whatever you personally think about how Raptor fans act towards guys like Vince Carter, T-Mac and Chris Bosh, it to me will always be cool. It is a collective way of people calling someone out for in their opinion doing them wrong. If it was just a one sided thing I might not be as supportive. Thing is that it isn't. If a guy like Jerome Williams, Morris Peterson or Alvin Williams show up at the ACC they are met with cheers. This is because fans believe that these players and a few others showed them respect. They did it through how they played on the court and how they treated folks off the court. Basically people in Toronto are pretty good at figuring out who is genuine and who isn't.

That leads to what Amir Johnson did last night for Raptor fans and his own fans with his Roll with Amir Event. I can't imagine the likes of Carter, Bosh or McGrady reaching into their pocket and with little fanfare taking out 50 fans for the night on their dime. But not just to give them tickets to a game, but to go out with them after the game and interact with all of them and give them stuff. All just to say thanks for their support and love throughout the season. That is what Amir Johnson has done his last two seasons here in Toronto. While on the floor he models the effort and energy and attitude of Raptor fan favourites of the past. He has taken it to a whole new level off the floor with this event. I have the good fortune to talk with anyone on the Raptors I care to with covering games. That is not the case for fans. It is something I always keep in my heart when I cover games. The average fan getting a chance to talk with an Amir Johnson or a Demar DeRozan is a rare and in some cases once in a lifetime experience.

When Chris Bosh decided to check out for South Beach it created the birth of something new. It was the Young Gunz, better known as the more politically correct Young Onez these days. Amir along with Demar and Sonny Weems took Bosh's exit as an opportunity to embrace Toronto fans. It was what they needed badly after watching yet another star player get what he could out of Toronto and then leave them behind saying thanks for the memories. Toronto needed some players to step up and say they were loved and appreciated and that is what Amir along with Sonny and Demar did. While it has been tough times for the Raptors on the floor in the past few years since Bosh has left, it never stopped these guys from being out front and still there doing their part to embrace fans. It is easy to show love for people when everything is going great and your riding high. It takes some true character and genuine love to do it even when things are not so good.

While the Young Onez may still be miles away from bringing a championship to Toronto they have had an impact on Toronto. Sonny Weems still keeps in touch with all the people that supported him here on Twitter even when he was half a world away playing ball in Europe this past season. Amir Johnson had some personal issues that never were made public other than that. Still, he keeps a smile on his face and goes out of his way to embrace the support he gets from his fans. It is something that even in a season like this Raptor fans appreciate.

The Raptors future on the floor finally seems to be turning in a positive direction. Which is great news for everyone. However, don't forget all that was done by guys like Amir Johnson in the days that were darkest after Chris Bosh left. It should be remembered and cheered as loudly as the boos that rain down on the likes of Bosh, Carter and McGrady. But like that Atlanta person tweeted " Raptor Fans are like Elephants they never forget." Make sure you remember that in terms of Amir Johnson because he more than deserves it.

From One Problem To Another.

Well I saw it live and in person and it was not pretty. The Raptors did at least get off to a decent start which has plagued them most of the season. But in the second quarter this game would slip away and like a snow ball heading down hill the Hawks lead would grow bigger and bigger. Josh Smith was the guy that did all the damage last time, this time it was Joe Johnson. He racked up 30 in 3 quarters including 8 points in 51 seconds to close out the 1st half. The Raptors stuck to the small starting line-up to begin this game and it was not productive. Just 40 points in all for the starters led by Bayless with 14 points. Demar DeRozan after a season high 27 had just 9. DeRozan has now not reached double figures in scoring in 3 of the last 5 games. Hawks won it big 100-77.

A few other thoughts on the night. Prior to the game had a chance to catch up with James Johnson, it was a interesting chat look for it in the DNB tomorrow. In a game of few positive Ed Davis finally got some minutes and took advantage of them going for a double double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. Last but not least Toronto still hates T-Mac or at least boos him. I personally get a kick out of it. However so does T-Mac who more than any player that has level gets is roll as the "Bad Guy" and embraces it. T-Mac fuelled by boos got 15 off the bench for the Hawks. While many will be critical of fans for still booing him. I am not one of them. I think it is fans right to do as they choose. It might not be the wisest idea against McGrady but I understand why some would never want to forgive him and always boo him.

Raptor spent about 36 hours back in Toronto and they are back on the road off to Boston to take on the Celtics. Another team that has never been a kind opposition to Raptors. The Celtics have been much improved since snapping a 5 game losing streak against the Raptors in Boston the last time the Raptors paid a visit. Boston played last night as well in Cleveland and had to hold off a furious Cavs run in the 4th to hang on for a 93-90 win and are back to .500 on the season at 10-10. Boston is 5-2 since crushing the Raptors by 23 back on January 18th.

Rajon Rondo played outstanding in that game before getting injured by Linas Kleiza with a hard foul late in the 3rd. He has not played since for the Celtics. So could we see a really chippy game tonight between the Raptors and Celtics? It would not surprise anyone if we did. Avery Bradley the Texas product has been playing in his spot but is no Rondo.

Still despite not having Rondo the Celtics have taken advantage of a soft portion of their schedule and been able to fight back from an awful start to the season. Paul Pierce has been playing well of late. Since that game vs the Raptors in which he only scored 8 points he has averaged 22.1 points per game including a season high 34 vs the Wizards.

So let's get the 3 keys for this one:

Be Aggressive: The Celtics are not a team that forgets much. The fact Linas Kleiza took out Rajon Rondo will not be something that they will. Expect a lot of chatter and a lot of heavy blows in this one. If there was one positive in the blow out loss to Celtics for the first time in a long time the Raptors were pushing back in physical stuff with the Celtics.

Pierce and Allen: Both have had big shooting games vs the Raptors in the past. Be aware of where they are and do not allow them open looks at 3's or it could be a long night for the Raptors. There is no reason to believe Pierce or Allen are not capable of doing the same thing Joe Johnson did last night if the Raptors do not do a much better job defending them.

Attack Attack Attack: Take advantage of the Celtics perhaps wanting to be the bully by attacking the basket. Demar DeRozan would be the man you would look to in leading this charge. If the Raptors can get to the line and get easy points, it will help them stay competitive on the scoreboard. It is not a secret the Celtics have the potential to produce a lot more offence compared to the Raptors. No offence to Gary Forbes, but if he is your leading scorer again tonight, as he was in the last game vs Boston with a season high 19 points for him, the Raptors have some problems.

Season Debut of The Starting 5 With Jack Armstrong

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



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

Some Toronto Love From Returning Raptors.

Basketball is back and so are the Raptors. It has been a longtime away from the city for a lot of the returning players and what they missed the most was you. When asked what he missed about Toronto that was Demar DeRozan's answer. "Just the interaction with fans and the support system that they give us. There is nothing like it." Demar continued his thoughts on being back in the city, "It just feels good being in the city and fans seeing you out and getting to play in front of them."

Demar says once this season is done he wants to spend more time in Toronto this upcoming summer. He had talked about having a charity game for fans in Toronto during the lockout that he and Amir were trying to put together. It was a tradition that Vince Carter had started in Toronto and it was briefly continued by Steve Nash for a season. But according to Demar it is coming back, "I am going do it in the summer. Try give back to the city a bit. Bring in some NBA guys and have a game for the fans to watch."

Jerryd Bayless would likely be able to get an invite for that game. He has been pretty vocal about his love for the city and his happiness about being here. What did he miss about being away from Toronto? "Everything, I love the city there is a lot of things to do in the city. It is a place that I want to make my home for a long time and hopeful it is." In terms of his personal goals for the season " Just to win and if we win everything else will take care of itself. I just want to win and be a part of this franchise for a long time and that is my main focus."

The Raptors are happy to be back and happy to have the fans back as well. It was a pretty decent turnout for a pre-season game on Sunday. Part of that was the team they were playing, and the fact this was the lone pre-season home game. But still, the numbers compared to other NBA markets in the pre-season looked a lot bigger than games I saw in other markets via T.V. As an example the pre-season game in Detroit, once one of the strongest NBA markets, but is not as much anymore, it looked like a high school game was being played, not an NBA contest with Detroit and Cleveland.

Will have more on Demar DeRozan in another post. But will share this little bit now. When I asked him how he would pitch Toronto to other NBA Players if asked, he again brought up you folks that cheer on the Raptors. "It is a great city and a very diverse city and the support system from the fans is great." There is no doubt Raptor fans are some of the most passionate and supportive you can find. This is as long as they respect you and like you. When you lose that respect it can be hard to ever get it back. Jermaine O'Neal likely doesn't have the same fuzzy feelings about Toronto as Demar. Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and even Chris Bosh have all still claimed to love Toronto, but the love for them is more in the form of boos than cheers. But for now Demar DeRozan sits in a spot that they all have before him, on the rise and becoming the "People's Choice" as the "Face of the Franchise". The hope is that the next chapter that Demar will write in the coming years has a different result. There has never been a star on the Raptors that has truly embraced fans the way he has. When he and Sonny Weems just showed up to play some ball at a basketball court it was surprising. It is hard to imagine Vince, Tracy or Chris doing that. Raptor fans have to have two hopes in terms of DeRozan. One that he continues to improve and develop into a superstar. After that and maybe more importantly he will remain in Toronto once he does. It will always be a fear in the back of Raptor fans head until someone actually does stay for the long haul.

What Is An Acceptable Outcome To Wednesday?

What is an acceptable outcome to the circus that will be Chris Bosh and the Heat coming to town. The obvious answer is the Raptors come up with a highly unlikely win over the Heat. This game means far more to the fan base then it does the players. I am not saying the Raptors would not like to stick it to their former teammate in Bosh. But for them it is not personal it is just playing against a former teammate. They look at it as part of the business that is the NBA. But for this fan base who were here for all 7 years of the Bosh era it is not business for them. It is personal for them. Heck it is personal to me. I know it shouldn't be but it is. Yesterday in the blog in talking about the silly debate on if fans will boo or not, I laid out some of my personal feelings about all this. I am disappointed in Chris not in the choice he made to leave, but in the aftermath of how he handled it. Something he still refuses to admit that he did anything wrong. I heard the first of what will be many interviews with Chris Bosh this morning on the Fan 590. He also claims he has no idea what to expect when he returns. Really he doesn't know? He sure as hell does know. We all know. But the point of if Chris will be booed and heckled beyond belief is not the point of what were talking about today. What is an acceptable outcome to this game for people?

Is it enough that fans just let him have it for two and half hours and they get there chance to respond to all the stupid tweets and comments regardless of the outcome of the game itself? The natural comparisons for this will be the returns of Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. On April Fools Day 2001 was the return of T-Mac with the Orlando Magic his new team got a 104-101 win and McGrady was 8 for 21 with 24 points and 7 rebounds with 5 turnovers. T-Mac infamously embraced the booing claiming it was proof that Raptors fans still loved him. Vince Carter did not exactly embrace his role as a villain as quickly as his long lost cousin. But he would perform better on April 15th 2005 in his first return to Toronto. He had 39 points, 9 rebounds ,4 assists and 3 steals in a 101-90 win for the Nets. So both played well and their teams won. So should we expect the same for Chris Bosh? Well Bosh obviously is not the main guy on his new team like Carter and McGrady were. However the Heat may decide to try and make sure Chris gets his. Lebron James certainly got his, on his return to Cleveland. It was a 118-90 thrashing that got the Heat heading in the right direction and the Cavs into the tailspin season they have had. James had 38 points and heard it from Cleveland at the start and it faded in and out throughout the night.

So if we shutdown Chris Bosh and lost would that be enough? Not for me at least. The most disappointing thing about the return to Cleveland for the Cavs fans had to be the fact their team for the most part rolled over and played dead. The Raptors despite their horrible record have had very few nights where you can say they have done that. It was also an issue how some of the Cavs treated Lebron. They didn't have any hate for him and some of them made that glaringly obvious. How will we feel if some of the Raptors were to do that? Hopefully they are smart enough to know better. But is it enough if the Raptors put up a hard fight and in the end lose, because they just don't have the talent ultimately to come out on top.

Is it a case of you just want to see Chris Bosh get beat up with in the context of the game. If he gets knocked on his butt a few times and has a hard night at the office is that enough? I am not talking hurt the guy and if you are wanting that, I really don't have much time for that. There is nothing that makes it acceptable to want a guy hurt. It just isn't the right thing to do under any circumstances. But to have some Charles Oakley style justice is fine with me.

Is it nothing more than an improbable win will do? No matter what happens it is not going to make up for what has been an awful season. As much as it might be painful to admit it the reasons Chris Bosh left were actually sound. Bryan Colangelo had several chances to get it right with Chris and failed to find a formula to build a team around him. While Bosh detractors will claim that it is because Bosh is not a main guy to carry a team. His going to Miami in the situation he has might be the ultimate admission of that. But as I pointed out in that same article above Chris Bosh could make the argument this franchise never spent the money to truly compete. The Raptors never were a tax team in his time here and truly invested in becoming a winner which is what they have always claimed to want to be. Chris Bosh whatever you might think of him personally is a heck of a basketball talent and he may not be on the same level as his two running buddies with the Heat. He is a very good basketball player and the coaches in this league recognized that by sending him to his 6th straight All-Star Game.

This game regardless of the result will not make up for the huge void that has been left by Bosh leaving. The still to be used trade exception and Miami first round pick along with the Raptors own pick will not likely either. But this is a chance for one night to have a game that means something to everyone that considers themselves a Raptor fan. It is a chance to make fun things like videos which we did in doing a re-mix of the TBJ video that everyone saw earlier this year "Like A Bosh".

But what the ultimate best outcome might be is we get to see how these players on this young Raptors team respond to a big game environment, with the closest thing to a playoff atmosphere Toronto will experience as a sports town this year. How will Demar DeRozan, Andrea Bargnani and others respond to that environment? If they step up and perform well that is part of that growth process that everyone has been talking about all year. But once this is all done, the Raptors reality will not have changed. This has been a terrible season and the Raptors miss Chris Bosh in the sense of having a true star player far more than he misses Toronto and being the main man.

But to parphrase The Rock tomorrow- Finally Chris Bosh Has Come Back To Toronto!!! It may feel a lot like this:

Maybe not because let's face it Dwayne Johnson and Dwyane Wade will both be bigger stars than Chris Bosh will ever be. But it is going to be the biggest thing to hit Toronto in a long time. Along with being the biggest Raptor game since they were last in the playoffs vs the Magic.

T-Mac has the Last Laugh

Call it the bottom-feeder bowl or just a game amongst bad teams, but if there was even a game for the Raps to get it together and claim a much needed victory this game was it. After this game they would head out on a 5 game roadtrip against several of the elite team and they could use some momentum heading into those games. So how would they do on a Friday night game against T-Mac and the Detroit Pistons.

This game started off with both teams pretty much going back and forth and trading buckets. The Raptors were first to get on the scoreboard first off a Jose feed leading to an Amir flush. Jose then gets a steal and DeMar scores in transition, and the Raps had a quick 4-0lead and it looked like it may just be one of those nights. Prince quickly answers to give Detroit their first points. The back and forth effect would kick into 6th gear from here. T-Mac, who has really stepped his game up as off late, was hearing it from the ACC crowd, but he didn't seem to let that phase him as he went to work and finished with 9 points to go along with 3 assists in the quarter. Seems like he may not be washed up yet and is out to prove it. He's also looking a lot more comfortable in that play-maker role. On the Raptors side of things, they seemed to be in a sharing mood as they had 9 assists on their 12 made FG's, highlighted by a DeMar dunk and a few jumpers by Bargnani. When the buzzer sounded to signal the end of the quarter the Raps trailed 31-26, Bargnani was their lead scorer with 10.

Toronto was first to score again in the 2nd quarter and continued to share the love with the assists, but the Pistons will then take control of the game led by Charlie V and Ben Gordon and would claim an 44-33 lead at the 8:30 mark. This was mostly due to the Raptors playing sloppy basketball and turning the ball over several times. That lead would peak at 14 before things got interesting and the Raptors started to make their run and it all started with a guy by the name of Ed Davis. After getting a put-back dunk at the 4:41 mark, Davis would block a Stuckey layup attempt, which lead to a DeMar score in transition and just like that it was a 10 point game. DeMar would then pick up a tech about two minutes later after arguing a call, then Triano would pick one up not too long after. From there it seemed like the Raps had all the momentum as they would go on a run to go into the break trailing by on 7 points, with the Pistons up 61-54. On the not so bright side, Leandro Barbosa left the game with 8 seconds left with what seemed like a hamstring injury and had to be carried to the locker room. Hopefully it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

So will that momentum continue into the third or would the Raps let the Pistons regain control of this game and rebuild that lead?

It didn't seem that way as the Pistons would draw blood first in the second half and would regain that double digit lead they once had, despite some made baskets from Bargnani and Calderon. I'm not sure what Triano said at halftime, but it didn't seem like he stressed boxing out as the Pistons were grabbing a ton of offensive boards, especially Chris Wilcox. DeMar on the other hand had his hands fulls with T-Mac and would ultimately pick up his 4th foul and head to the bench for a while. The Pistons would once again start increasing that lead, but it would peak at 15. The Raps made several attempts at putting a string of makes together but Detroit always had an answer. Their final run would be initiated by an Amir dunk, as they would finish the quarter on a 11-5 run to pull themselves within 6, but T-Mac would have the final say as he hits a three to silence the crowd to bring the lead back to 9. He also had a pretty sweet driving dunk in that stretch. Linas Kleiza who was silent for much of the game came alive dunking that run and scored 6 on the 11 points.

Trailing 83-74 heading into the forth, will the Raptors be able to make one final push to get the victory or will Detroit get yet another victory at the ACC. For much of the first few minutes in the quarter neither team couldn't seem to get an offensive flow going, but eventually they would and this game would have a pretty exciting ending. After getting the lead to 7 and 8 several times it seemed like Detroit just wasn't going to let Toronto have any chance of completing the comeback, as they did a month again in Detroit. They were even hitting nearly impossible shots, evident by Tayshaun Prince's high arcing desperation shot just as the shot clock expired. But then Andrea Bargnani decided to take over and try to lead his team to victory. After hitting two consecutive shots to pull his team within 5, one of which can off an offensive put-back, it seemed like maybe the Pistons would once again collapse to the Raptors team, but T-Mac quickly answered with a reverse layup. DeMar then joined in on the action and made a shot with 55 seconds left to pull the Raps within 5 once more. McGrady would miss his next shot giving the Raps another opportunity to chip away at the lead, but Calderon threw a pass to Amir that he wasn't prepared for and just like that this game was over. Detroit would hit a few FT's and jose would hit one last shot, but in the end the Raptors fell 101-95.

T-Mac led the Pistons with 22 points and added 5 assists, while Bargnani led the Raps with 31 points and pulled down 9 rebounds( if only he could do that more often). DeRozan chipped in with 15 points. In a game that they really needed to win before heading out on the road, the Raps once again let the efforts of Andrea and DeMar go to waste down the stretch and end their 3-game home stand with a 1-2 record. Up next they head to Washington for a Saturday night showdown with the Wizards tomorrow.

Additional Game Notes:

• Richard Hamilton did not play in this game
• Leandro Barbosa's injury's has been diagnosed as a right hamstring strain, not sure he'll be able to go tomorrow
• the Raptors 5-game streak of shooting 50% or above from the field came to an end tonight
• Greg Monroe's streak of 4 straight double doubles ended tonight, he finished with 11 points and 7 boards
• 2 of Detroit's 4 road wins this season have come in Toronto

Heir Canada Era Is Coming?

Before we get to our main focus today a reminder that tonight is the Raptors annual Red Party tonight. It takes place at Muzik and the money raised at the event goes towards the MLSE Team Up Foundation. If you are going to the event and have some photos from it you would like to share with us and the rest of the Dino Nation we would love to see them. Send them to us at Dinoblogger@Gmail.com and will share them with all our readers. The Raptors head into that event with a much needed win yesterday versus the Kings. I was only able to see the second half but Ryan did a great job recapping the game for all of you. It was nice to see both Andrea Bargnani and Demar Derozan both producing in a major way in the same game. DeRozan seems to be turning the corner and is figuring out what it takes to be a consistent scorer in this league.

That is the first major step of many that DeRozan will need to take if he hopes to become one of the elite players in this league. It is a big one as well because not to many guys can score 20 a night in this league and make it look easy. When and if DeRozan starts getting the calls that he deserves, it is going to become even easier from him to score points in this league. If he consistently makes his free throws he is capable of having huge scoring nights.

I also admire his determination to continue to drive hoop and take abuse despite not getting rewarded with the calls. If Demar is going to grow into the Anti-Vince Carter of sorts this is one of the first signs of it. Carter would shy away from contact and he was far from an ironman. DeRozan has started and played in every game this season. He has been pretty durable in his short NBA career so far. Given where he comes from in Compton,California his toughness is likely not much of a surprise.

However Jack Armstrong made some excellent points about Demar during the game yesterday. We always hear a ton about Andrea Bargnani and his lack of rebounding. Part of that is the nature of the position he plays and we think of that position as a traditional position for grabbing rebounds. We don't think that way about guards and wingmen though. But when you consider the great athletic ability that Demar has, there is no reason that can not be used on the glass at both ends of the floor. He could create extra possessions on offence and help out on the defensive glass. Just 2.9 rebounds in his rookie season and just a minor improvement to 3.4 rebounds so far this year. If he could get to a level of 6 a game that would be amazing. It would just take a little more focus on getting on the glass from Demar. We are not talking a major jump just becoming more aware and active on the glass.

The two players in Raptors history that Demar is compared to are Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, and they both were around that level in terms of rebounds. For Carter he averaged 5.7 and 5.8 rebounds in his first 2 seasons. While McGrady was able to average 4.2 and 5.7 boards in his first two seasons in the league. McGrady's best season on the glass was in 2001-02 with Orlando where he averaged 7.9 rebounds per game. While Vince Carter averaged 6 boards a game in 2 seasons with New Jersey back to back in 06-07 and 07-08 was the best he has done in his career.

Demar also needs to become a better passer and improve in that area. Just 1.8 assists and averaging just over 1.5 turnovers thus far this season. While assist to turnover ratio is something we generally use to measure point guards it can be important for Demar as well. He can draw a lot of attention driving to the basket, and he can make others better if he can make the simple pass when the defence shifts to him. What would be nice to see is about a 5 to 2 assist to turnover ratio from Demar. There will be times where he can get those hockey assists as well. Sticking with the comparisons to McGrady and Carter they managed 2.3(T-Mac) and 3.9(V.C) assists in their sophomore seasons. In terms of the best in their careers, Carter maxed out with 5.1 assists in 07/08 with the Nets. While McGrady had 6.5 assists in the 06/07 season with Rockets.

Also the major issue that people have Demar is his defence. It is a little harder to measure that through stats. While steals and blocks are measurable they do not tell a full story. Demar has a slight improvement in those areas. But in general terms all the athleticism that DeRozan has should be able to be used to make him a solid defender. Even the greatest players in this game have always had questions about their defence in the beginning of their NBA Careers. Jordan, Kobe, Lebron, there is not a superstar that I can think of that has been praised for their D early in career over their offence. Maybe the closet example might be Dwight Howard but that is a totally different position. When you are a swingman in the NBA you are matched up night in and night out with some of the most talented stars in this league. Let's take an example from the upcoming road trip for the Raptors. Demar could see Manu, Gilbert Arenas and D-Wade as potential match-ups. That is not a lot of fun for anyone.

It is a process to greatness and it doesn't happen over night. I think that Demar is turning the corner to taking his first major step on that path. But clearly there are more steps to take, but given his work ethic you know, or should know that he is going to continue to try to make them. Will he ever get to the point where we can have a conversation and compare him to Carter or McGrady? It is still to be determined but you see flashes of greatness and some skills that both Carter and McGrady lacked. In terms of work ethic, toughness and durability you can argue that DeRozan is ahead of Carter and McGrady. But there are no stats to really measure those things.

Yesterday's game was the first time that we saw Demar and Andrea both come through with big nights. If this can happen more consistently the Raptors might have a very different 1-2 punch than what they had with a McGrady and Carter. Many people that follow the Raptors have lamented over what might have happened if T-Mac and V.C stayed together in Toronto. Kobe Bryant believes that had they stuck together his Lakers would have been battling the Toronto Raptors for NBA titles.I think both DeRozan and Bargnani have a long way to go to be compared to Carter and McGrady as a tandem. No one will be comparing them to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol anytime soon. But how these two players develop will ultimately determine a lot of what happens with the Raptors future in both the short and long term.

But a Heir Canada Era may be a step closer to reality. Raptors are not going to be a playoff team it would seem. The rumoured trade that would bring Carmelo Anthony to the New Jersey Nets would make the Raptors division the Atlantic a lot tougher in the short and long term. So the Raptors need to hope that their young core led by these 2 players comes through, because if they do not the future looks mighty bleak.

Far From Hall Of Fame

This has been a week full of next no Raptor News. Jay Triano is going to be an assistant for team U.S.A. Nice honour for Jay and some will use it to justify why he should be the coach of the Raptors. I won't be one of those. However that is not the topic today. This weekend Emitt Smith is going in the Football Hall of Fame. He follows Troy Akiman and Michael Irvin into the hall of fame. I am a Cowboys fan as I have mentioned a few times in the blog before. I remember the 3 Super Bowls that these 3 won together with great fondness. Most times championships are a big measuring stick for people making the hall of fame. A long with Smith one of the other inductees is Ricky Jackson a linebacker and long time Saint who won a Super Bowl at the end of his career with 49ers. Really the first every long-time Saint to be inducted. It got me thinking if we will ever see a Raptor Hall of Famer.

I don't think T-Mac, Vince Carter or Chris Bosh will make the Hall of Fame. Those would be the 3 players that stick out as possibilities. None of the 3 have won championships to this point. Bosh likely wins a few with Miami before all is said and done. Vince still hangs on to the hope of winning one in Orlando. While T-Mac is just holding out hope for a job at this point. Although if you believe the Bulls the only thing preventing him is his attitude. The Raptors will make the hall of fame when Kobe Bryant goes in. They will because you will see clips of that 81 point performance in every career highlight reel for Kobe.

There is even debate of if The Raptors would acknowledge Vince Carter and I guess now Bosh with having their numbers retired. If we took a poll pretty sure the results of it would not be positive for Bosh or Carter. As a Raptor fan we are left with not a lot of memories. When I look back as a Cowboy fan I have a ton of memories from that era. I went down to Detroit and Silverdome to see the Cowboys destroy the Lions, on the way to the first Super Bowl. For Raptor fans their are no memories of championships or even getting close to any. A lone series win and a few scattered memories a long the way.

I hope some day I can have the pride that I feel heading into this weekend in terms of the Raptors some day. Emitt Smith, Michael Irvin and Troy Akiman all worked together and worked hard to be great together. They all said that you can't tell any of their stories without mentioning the other 2. Maybe the Raptors are starting a story like that with the Young Guns. Basketball tends to be a Big 3 world but long before Boston's Big 3 there were Triplets in Dallas.

Championships and Hall a fame inductees seem so far off the radar for the Raptors it isn't even funny. I really hope thier is a day that their are Raptors that can bring a smile to my face like Akiman, Irvin and Smith. Be you watching the NFL Hall of Fame inductions or something else this weekend, enjoy it and see you back here Monday.

T-Mac Still Sucks

O.K seems I have more to say today. Remember how everyone use to hate T-Mac in Toronto. Long before Vince Carter was Toronto's whipping boy there was T-Mac. Unlike Vince he loved the attention after all that is in part why he left. Everyone loved Vince and he did not get enough love. It was too cold and snowy here in Canada. Funny how when his career has hit the skids he doesn't mind the weather in New York. I have never stopped hating McGrady and here is why. As much as you may hate Vince Carter he never lied about his feelings about this franchise. T-Mac lied his way all the way to Orlando. In the season his Free Agency kicked in he signed with the Magic at 12:01 am. The earliest opportunity possible. It would have been sooner but the Magic brass were so excited they were fumbling to hand him the pen. This after the entire season he had said he would strongly consider remaining with the Raptors. I wonder when in those 60 seconds that happened?

So what is the reason for this walk down memory lane? T-Mac was shooting his mouth off in New York Post about Chris Bosh and his free agency and why guys leave Canada. He mentions the standard stuff we have heard from many players. Taxes and the other Anti-Canadian trash we hear.

T-Mac how has that post Raptors career worked out for you? 0 Playoff Series wins. The one last season with you sitting on the bench in a suit doesn't count. T-Mac is just as big a jerk as Vince Carter is if not more. the fake they are related shines through. If there have been 2 more diva athletes in the NBA, I would not be shocked. But clearly both make the top 10.

I grow tired of all this nonsense with 2010. Tracy McGrady should just shut up and play basketball. After all given the state of him he may not have many years left to do so. Worry about is own career and please don't share your ignorant opinions with us. T-Mac didn't leave Canada because of taxes and he didn't even leave because of snow. Not that he liked it much.

The real reason T-Mac left is because he was not mature enough to handle the fact that Vince Carter was a bigger star then him. That is the real reason and that is why he left. Apparently he didn't feel loved enough by fans and was greener than that stupid costume Nate Robinson wore in the dunk contest with Howard.

T-Mac in an interview said that he loved that people booed him in Toronto. He said it was proof to him that people missed him. I never booed Tracy for that reason. I booed him because he was a lying, jealous jacka$$. In my opinion. To which he continues to be to this day. This is just another example of it.

So If Reggie Evans who was deemed the dirtiest player in the NBA or as I like to put it the Baddest man in the NBA, took T-Mac to the floor and I never had to listen to him again, I would be fine with that. Is all of this over the top on my part? Yup it likely is but I do it only to make the point that T-Mac is not someone that people should give a damn about. He clearly never game a damn about Toronto or Raptors fans. He is a jerk and always will be. I think it is fitting that he has never got out of the first round of the playoffs. It is like some version of a basketball purgatory. It seems a fitting punishment for him, kind of like having to play for the Knicks.

So in closing- TMAC STILL SUCKS and always will.

Raptors Hope To Have All Hands On Deck

Everyone practiced yesterday and Bosh claims to be 110%. My dad use to hate that expression. You can obviously only be 100% and it was a pet peeve of his. No such claims from Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani or Hedo Turkoglu. Everyone to a man seemed ecstatic to have Bosh back. Andrea Bargnani and Jarrett Jack seemed to be at the front of that list. New York Knick fans might even be excited to see him. They seem to think that they are not only signing Lebron James by Bosh and Wade because everyone obviously wants to play in New York. The fact they will have a D-League team around them makes no difference does it? I mean Knick fans don't have much else to cheer about these days do they. Sitting in 12th spot in the East with just a 21-39 record in March is not a good place to be. They are 2-8 in their last 10 and they are 8-19 on the road this season. The Raptors look to snap a 4 game losing streak tonight. If they are going to do it the defense must improve.

The Knicks of course look a lot different since the trade deadline. The added former Raptor Tracy McGrady to the fold. He had 21 points and was one of 4 Knicks that had 20+ in a 128-104 win over Detroit on Wednesday. This game could be a simple case of the first team to play play defense wins. The Knicks also added Eddie House who when playing with the Celtics has always been a pain for the Raptors. The way the Raps have defended the 3 point line of late House can be an X-factor.

The Knicks thought have never had a much success at the Air Canada Centre they are 4-16 over the history of the building. Also with a win tonight for the Raptors the overall series between these two teams will tied at 28-28. The Raptors and Knicks have matched up twice already this season with the Raptors winning both. There were both in New York in January with a 112-104 win on January 15th and a close with on January 28 with 106-104 win. That was the now infamous "Ball" interview game. One of the few great performances from Hedo Turkoglu as a Raptor.

The next 2 home dates for the Raptors are vital as they hit the road for a 4 game Western road trip that will begin facing that Lakers on Tuesday. The Knicks and the Sixers are bottom feeders in the Eastern Conference and both far behind the Raptors in the Atlantic. Chris Bosh said that every game from here on in will be an important one. Given how things have tightened up in the bottom of the Eastern Conference it is hard to argue. The Bucks who once were out of the playoffs have now climbed to just a half game behind the Raptors in 6th. Bulls lost to Memphis last night and sit only a game behind Toronto.

The Raptors and Knicks will play once more on the final day of the season. Safe to say that game will not mean much for the Knicks but it could mean a lot for the Raptors. Only time will tell. For the here and now the Raptors just need to get a win and get back on track.

"Jiggly Bits" - Danielle de Graauw

Olympics...what Olympics? As if that statement would get you very far these days. It's hard to talk NBA to the average person with all this excitement going on much less read about it in the paper - other than the NBA stats on the back page. Our athletes deserve all the accolades that four years and sometimes a lifetime of training will bring. Go Canada Go! Now that I have that out of my system, let's get down to business.



NBA Rookie of the Year - And the winner is...Tyreke Evans.

So I hope you all took my advice to think outside the box after last week's NBA trade deadline. Lots more to think about right? So here's what went down in a nutshell: Tracy McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez are now Knicks; the Rockets went shopping and came back with Kevin Martin, Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, Hilton Armstrong and a first round pick; the Kings crowned Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey and Larry Huges. Oh and Tyeke Evans got Rookie of the Year. Woohoo! I know, I know - you'd think my first pick would be Derrick Rose because I have been extolling his virtues as of late but in all seriousness, Tyreke has the whole package and his move with Dejuan Blair and the Rookie All Star MVP trophy really solidified it for me - a class act all the way. I think it would be in the NBA's best interest to attach Tyreke's image to the award, too - sending a message that this is the type of young player they want to attract. Plus with the trades Sacramento has made, the ball will be in his hands more often, hence more opportunities to shine. We can't forget about BBJ (Bucks' Brandon Jennings) but the only way he'd knock Tyreke off the rookie podium is if he starts racking up the points in Milwaukee, thus moving the Bucks up in the East. So really, the NBA Rookie of the Year award is for Tyreke to loose - he really deserves it in my opinion.

Don't mess with a "Bull" in transition

So all this talk about trades, transitions and titles really boil down to this: you call have all the skill and pizazz in the world but if you don't have a good supporting cast around you, you won't be invited to the final show. Now insert the Chicago Bulls just for fun to illustrate. All I have been reading about the Bulls lately is they are in a transition year. Ok, that's fair. So then does this mean that Coach Vinny Del Negro is in transition too? If I were Bulls' management, I would be saying this with my inside voice since they have tickets and merchandise to unload. But think about it - the Bulls make some trades and free up some spending money ($20 million) and Chicago fans have every right to get excited. This doesn't mean that a playoff spot will mean anything more than a time for Rose and the rest to develop and gain experience. I think their goal now should be to work hard and build themselves up to seem more attractive to a big ticket player or at least someone than can help them get over the transition hump.

Speaking of big ticket, do you want to know what I read about Chris Bosh and why he should leave the Raptors? Take into account this journalist is writing for an american publication. So Sam Smith of the Bulls.com says a good reason for Chris Bosh to leave the Raptors is he's in Canada without ESPN. Seriously? This is the best you've got? Do we think Bosh would leave to help someone else win? He's a player who needs a team and a city behind him and that's what he has here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Mr. Smith. We stand behind our players and anytime you want to come north of the border to take in a game, you will see why.

This is why the trade deadline makes the offseason so interesting. Look at the free agency history in the NBA. Lebron James is really only approaching his prime years and can be compared to Michael Jordan. MJ was a free agent in 1996 but he wasn't expected to leave Chicago - like Lebron. In 2004, Kobe Bryant was also a free agent but quickly proved L.A. was where he needed to be. I've heard people talk about Lebron going to Chicago but he wouldn't be able to wear the number 23 so please, let's stop perpetuating that rumour.

I'm a new Denver Nuggets Fan

I think the best story coming out of all this wheeling and dealing, lies in Denver. God Bless George Karl for trying to battle the play-offs and cancer at the same time. Five years ago, he had prostate surgery and has been good ever since. Then doctors found a malignant lump in his throat six weeks ago and Karl keeps it to himself - only management knew. Imagine being in this position. You are in contract negotiations with your bosses and suddenly it doesn't matter how many millions you are making. So management supports a one-year contract extension for Karl and the rest of the Denver Nuggets family -the players- are told. I like how the NBA, friends and foes alike, have rallied around him. And how Denver Nuggets management got behind him. If I were him, I think the most difficult thing dealing with all this would be all the questions and pushes for updates on his condition in press conferences and daily dealings with the media. I don't know if I could deal with that and may have kept my mouth shut entirely. Or maybe not. I think the love and support of family and teammates will move mountains for Karl in the next few weeks. It's times like these that make you appreciate what's around you - my heart goes out to George and the rest of the Karl family - close and extended.

"Jiggly Bits" - Danielle de Graauw

Ahhhhh. Love is in the air. With Valentine's Day and the All Star Classic fast approaching, there's lots to be excited about in the NBA. Derrick Rose gets the nod to help the Eastern Conference All-Stars this weekend, "Vinsanity" surfaces again and the Lakers are still on top even without Kobe in the line -up. But we'll get to all that in a minute. First we need to address the ridiculous debate surrounding Hedo Turkoglu and his mask.

A History Behind the Mask

Aside from the fact that he is their 50-million dollar asset, wearing a faceguard is a small price to pay to protect a pre-existing injury before being allowed back on the basketball court. An injury that could possibly keep him sidelined or off the court indefinitely. Apparently he finds it too restrictive. Seriously? This is the same lame argument given for not wearing a neck guard or visor in hockey. I am surprised considering the history of these types of injuries in the NBA, there isn't some kind of document players are required to sign from their trainer or the league saying the mask is required before returning to play. He apparently did not wear one in practice on Monday and eluded to the fact he didn't need to wear it anymore. This worries me.

Consider this. I know many of you watched the Detroit Pistons beat the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Championship Finals. Remember Richard "Rip" Hamilton's performance? Of course you don't because most of the hype from that game came from the clear plastic protective mask he had to wear because of previous fractures to his nose. Six years later, he is still enjoying his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons. NBA bad-boy Bill Lambeer wore one and even our beloved Kobe Bryant wore a variation of one in his highschool days. Do you think for one second that if Hedo opts out of the mask even for one game he won't become a target if he isn't already? Defensive plays from Raptors oponents will look to zero in on his face. I know that is an unwritten rule but you know it will happen and has happened. Bill Lambeer, tough guy or no tough guy, supported wearing the mask and said it gave him the confidence to stick his face into any intense rebounding situation and not get hurt. Don't get me wrong, I am a big supporter of Turkoglu. But with the Raptors momentum as of late, they don't need to scratch him due to a re-injured orbital bone.

Who's in, Who's Out - NBA All-Star Weekend

Riding the injury train for a little while longer, Chris Kaman has been selected as an injury replacement to play in the All-Star game this weekend. This must be bittersweet for him after being passed over and it taking Brandon Roy to be scratched for him to relieve his itch to play (so to speak). David Stern's decision to add him makes Kaman the first Clippers all-star since Elton Brand in 2006. I sincerely hope his girlfriend is understanding since he will have to cancel on the Valentine's Day getaway weekend he planned for them.

So excited for Derrick Rose to get his chance to play among the All-Stars. He has really come into his own since overcoming injury and helping the Chicago Bulls get back to where they need to be. This means he won't get to square off against Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings in the Rookie All-Star game. Both hail from Memhpis at the guard position and it would have been great to see them play against each other. I like Tyreke's style of play - you just never know what game tool he'll pull out of his back pocket. What famous Lakers great does this description remind you of? Hmmm..a "magical" number 32? Too early to tell, but I definitely see parrallels.

Ok - so we know Brandon Roy is out and Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony are questionable for Sunday's game. But now Kobe Bryant may not be able to play in his 12th All-Star game. Honestly? This is not a big deal. He's listed as day-to-day but he missed the Lakers win over Portland on Saturday after playing in 235 straight games. This will probably mean he won't see much action in the All-Star game anyway even if he says he is good to play. I say he plays it safe - he's got his eyes on a much bigger prize at the end of the season, anyway.

Vinsanity Makes an Appearance

As a Raptors fan, you either love him or leave him. But whatever side of the fence you sit on, the fact that he scored 48 points against the Hornets the other night deserves at least a round of applause. I don't think he woke up that morning and said "I'm going to score 50 points today" but something needs to be said about being in the zone and running with it - all athletes have a story to tell about that moment. But what's sad about this accomplishment is the Orlando Magic needed almost all of them to beat the New Orleans Hornets 123-117. Where was the support from the rest of his teamates? It's amazing he drained that many (not the first time either -did it in 2005 for New Jersey against Miami with 51 points) but he shouldn't have to do that with an entire team around him. Tracey McGrady had an explosive game nearly six years ago on Orlando's roster too - except this time McGrady racked up 62 points. Don't get me wrong, as a fan of the game it is very entertaining to see a player reach new heights. But I think it says a lot about team depth and coaching when one individual player gets that much of a spotlight just for scoring. There, I've said my bit.

The Ming Dynasty On Display At The A.C.C

Things just don't get any easier for the Raptors as Yao Ming comes to town. That will be followed by a Sunday visit from Superman. It just is going to be hard to imagine a way the Raptors can stay in the hunt for those playoffs. I took some time yesterday and just looked through the schedule and tried to guess what the Raptors Record should be for January and February of 2009. Being realistic the best I got was they will go .500 and that is not good enough at this point. The Raptors schedule does shift for March and April but it would take a run of just total perfection or close to it to see the Raptors make the playoffs. That is the reality of right now. Could a trade change that reality? I am not sure it may take a couple moves to make a difference and I don't think the Raptors have a lot of assets to make that happen. The one thing they should not do is risk their first round draft pick in 2009 to make that happen. The Raptors really need to add a young player that can have an impact out of this years draft.

Making trades is not easy as well. I mean in a world of ESPN Trade Machine and Real G.M Trade checkers you can play G.M to your hearts content. Not to mention video games in which my version of the Raptors on NBA 2K9 is off the charts. Even though in today's world of video games and tech devices life may seem like a video game it is not. Bryan Colangelo has to deal with real people that have all the same concerns he does. They have fan bases and an organization to answer to for the moves they make. Colangelo has no doubt seen the desire of the fan base for change but it is not easy to make it happen. It is no different than wanting to go out with an attractive women that is great but it still takes her wanting and accepting to go with you.

Game Notes For Rockets And Raptors.

Houston has a few folks that Raptor Fans will remember. Tracy McGrady was the guy Toronto booed before they booed Vince Carter. We also saw Rafer Alston a couple of times make his way through Toronto. But the big news in the off-season in Houston was they went out and brought in Ron Artest. They have needed him even more than they realized as Shane Battier as had an injury plagued season. But Ron Artest has had some decent numbers with 16.1 points per game and 5.5 rebounds. He had a game right around that to close out 2008 with 15 points and 5 boards.

The Rockets have even called on the cookie monster for some help. Dikembe Mutombo does sound like the cookie monster. He may actually be older as he is in his 40's and just never seems to retire. He is like a throwback to Robert Parish, who stayed in the league well into his 40's and played in other places like Charlotte after his days in Boston winning championships. Also beyond basketball Mutombo is a great human being he built a hospital with his own money back in Africa. That is truly a fantastic thing and he deserves a lot of praise for that. Why and if he still can contribute on a basketball roster at this point is something I am not sure of at this point.

The Raptors meanwhile have minor injuries to both Jermaine O'Neal and Jason Kapono who both sat out against Denver. They are listed as game time decision at this point for tonight's game against Houston. Andrea Bargnani had a truly amazing performance in relief of O'Neal on New Years Eve. So if O'Neal is ready it will be interesting if Jay Triano just automatically inserts him back in the starting line-up. Maybe Andrea could have back to back performances with his name getting called? Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker have both struggled of late. But A.P did show signs late in that game. He had lost his spot in the starting line-up in part to an injury he had. So that will be another choice for Triano to make should Kapono be available tonight.

This is another game on TSN 2. If you are in the Toronto area and you are still shut out. Maybe make a plan to join the guys at Raptors Republic for their Raptors Party and Philthy McNasty's. It is a way to beat the TSN 2 blues on Friday nights anyway. I am going to get down to one of these Friday Night Events in the new year. It is one of my resolutions I hope to follow through on.

Eric Smith was at shoot around and had some thoughts from Triano, Bosh and Parker on tonight's Game.

The Rap- Update From Shoot Around

So that is it for today as the Raptors will try to shock us all and break a 3-game losing streak. It will be no easy task for sure. Find out how they did in the Raptor Rewind tonight.

Hope Is Fading For Raptor Fans

In part of doing this blog, I try to read a lot of forums and see what fans our saying and thinking. That has been a pretty depressing task as of late. This latest loss for the Raptors has pushed a lot of Raptor fans to the brink. There are emotional and angry posts from fans. They are deeply upset and desperate for change and answers. When I turn on the Raptors post game coverage on Raptors T.V I see a different picture. The players are not happy or anything. But I do not see the anger or fire from anyone as well. It has been a growing concern for me and it makes me deeply concerned for the rest of this season. I have heard it suggested that instead of sending the message that the performance of this team was unacceptable. The firing of Sam Mitchell has instead given this team an excuse to use for it's lack of performance. There is a lot of talk of new systems and learning on the fly with little practice time.

But some of the things going wrong have nothing to do with systems or anything that advanced. Rebounding is basically, if you ask most basketball people a question of just simple desire. This team has not had that desire and has got beat badly on the boards, and given up many key second chances to other teams. I am sure teams keep this stat, but I am not sure where you would find it. But I am guessing that the Raptors defense on the first attempts of the teams they match-up against is pretty good. It is those second and in some cases third chances that are killing the Raptors. The other problem is the long droughts they have on offense and this team just continues to fire shots when it is clear that they need to be taking the ball to the basket and getting to the line. That is one of the things this Raptor team actually does very well. But you can't take advantage of a strength if you never use it. Jose Calderon is on a record streak to start the season for making free throws but you need to get to the line more to make that impact on the Raptors in a meaningful way.

I think at the heart of the frustration is the fact this team shows signs of being good. Last night the Raptors stormed out to a 12 point lead. We have seen this team build big leads against even the Boston Celtics. However they just can not find a way to hold these leads. Being honest who honestly thought we would beat the Mavericks last night? I am thinking not to many. But because the Raptors built up a lead it gave you reason to be hopeful. That hope gets crushed as fast as that lead fades away. Watching the Raptors can be like watching the stock market lately. When they go down at least it isn't costing you money. Well if you were not among those that bought tickets at the ACC. When is the last time you can remember Chris Bosh being booed at the ACC. Normally there are chants of M.V.P and nothing but love. However last night after he blew a dunk attempt the fans let him have it. Some fans are even saying we don't need Bosh and to let him walk in 2010.

That is how crazy it is getting. Chris Bosh even though he has struggled since the firing of Sam Mitchell is the best player the Raptors have by a wide margin. He had an unreal first month of his season. He had high expectations for this season as well. The reality of those expectations not being met could be catching up to Chris Bosh. The talk of what he will do in 2010 and comments made by Jalen Rose, Kevin Garnett and others is not helping. The million dollar question is does Chris Bosh still have faith in Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors. How is all this losing and the failure of this roster impacting on that. This is not the season that Chris Bosh had forecast for himself. It started the right way for him as an individual but the team after that 3-0 start has just gone south. Raptor fans based out of fear are worried that Bosh will go the way of Damon Stoudamire, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. I have never seen Bosh has that type of person. He wants to win though and he cares deeply about it. However he has said in the past that he wants to be part of the solution in making things work in Toronto. However he can not do it alone and can the Raptors find someone who can help him carry that load.

T.J Ford was suppose to be the guy that would help in that. The two Texas based stars were all smiles at first looking to build a long relationship that would lead the Raptors to success. Jose Calderon would end up being the reason that was not going to happen. Not that Jose did anything wrong he just got a lot better and challenged T.J for being a starter on this team. So the second try at bringing help for Bosh would be Jermaine O'Neal. However this marriage early on has not got off to a great start. J.O has battled to get back to be being healthy and play at a top level. There have been few nights when both he and Bosh have been good at the same time. Even in those brief times the rest of team as not always been there to support them. It is to early to say that this is not going to work. However the fact there is a rumour that a J.O for Shawn Marion swap has been out there makes you wonder. I am not sure how things have worked out with Bosh and O'Neal. There is no visible sign that the two do not get along. They have battled to find a way to work together on the floor. It has been a major adjustment for both.

This is the question for Bryan Colangelo. How do you help Chris Bosh now and still be able to help build a team around him and have the money to resign him in 2010? Colangelo gambled big time when he made the trade for O'Neal and the hope was he could find a way to build a bench out of the scraps he had left over after bringing in J.O's big contract and resigning Jose Calderon to a big deal. It just has not worked out and by firing Sam Mitchell he has put the spotlight on him. He needs to find a way to make this roster better and fast. This team is sinking fast and a mood for change in the fan base was not going to be met with just the firing of Sam Mitchell and hiring of Jay Triano. Colangelo is expected to make some kind of magic happen and make a trade that can fix this. It is not easy at the top and no one maybe be more disappointed at this point than Colangelo himself.

To give you some small form of hope for the future. Roko Ukic is showing signs of improvement and finally Nathan Jawai has been cleared and can start down the path to building his NBA career. The problem is that both of those things do nothing for the short term out look for this Raptor team. Triano even admitted that Jawai to his best guess may take a month to be actually ready to play a game. The Raptors will play next the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next game. That is a team that is truly in brutal shape. It is a chance for the Raptors to get a win and get that feeling back. However a loss and this season could truly go off the cliff. Even with a win the next game on the next night is against the Spurs who now have a healthy squad and are doing what the Spurs do. Quietly going about their business and winning games. They are always a tough team to play at home. The Raptors need to take advantage of a number of weak opponents on this road swing. If the Raptors can not pull off better than .500 on this trip they will be in pretty bad shape heading into the New Year.

So if you are looking for holiday cheer from the Raptors you may not find much. Beyond Jack Armstrong singing a Christmas tune you will not find much holiday cheer in Raptorland these days. The Raptors will have a lot of work to do in 2009 no matter what happens the rest of this year.