Raptors Rewind- J.O Return From The Bench Edition

So J.O is a go and coming from off the bench. In my conversation today with D.J Bennett from Court Surfing we both are not believers that this can last. However for now J.O is saying and doing all the right things to this point. He really does not have much choice as Bargnani has been on fire. So for now it is a happy fuzzy feel good story. But the Raptors need wins much more then positive public relations. Jose Calderon is in Indiana but will only be an on looker as he watches the guy who's job he now holds in T.J Ford. It has been a similar story for T.J with injuries just as J.O has faced in Toronto. In fact in recent games Jarrett Jack has started with Ford coming off the bench. Not sure if they will have a Jack vs Ford feud with the Pacers. It doesn't seem as likely as Jack has been used a shooting guard as well. So it should be an interesting night in Indiana as the 14th place Pacers take on the 12th place Raptors.

1st Quarter

So both principles in the big trade would indeed start looking on. The Pacers would get off to a decent start with the first 4 points of the contest. The Raptors meanwhile were not getting it done on the offensive end. Will Solomon would final bust the lid off the basket. He scored on a drive on a second chance opportunity courtesy of a CB4 offensive board. Moon would score and we were all tied at 4 almost three and half minutes in. For the Pacers this was unusual as they normal have no problem scoring they are one of the best in the NBA. They are also one of the worst defensively. Andrea Bargnani would get a basket in the post to take their first lead of the night. Solomon would score again and Raptors were on a long and drawn out 8-0 run. But it was more like a crawl. Jeff Foster was sent to the line and he split a pair to break the run. But Chris Bosh would blow by Murphy to get a Jam. Raptors had a 10-5 lead. Jim O'Brien did not like what he was seeing and called for a T.O.

Danny Granger who is getting a lot of All Star talk despite the Pacers bad record. He scored and Jarrett Jack would follow it up with another score. The Pacers would score again and on strength of 6-0 run to take an 11-10 lead. Chris Bosh would get fouled and sent to the line he would split a pair and we were even steven at 11. A Murphy three pointer would fall and change that even score. Bosh would answer with a score on the offensive glass as Jermaine O'Neal was waiting to check in for Bosh. The Pacer would respond and they had a 17-13 lead with T.J Ford in the game as he had checked in prior to J.O had. Jermaine took his first shoot and missed it he had received a real mixed reaction from the Pacers fans. Roko Ukic who had been playing well lately would drive and score to pull the Raptors back to within 2 points. Raptors would get a steal by Moon but Raptors just took it back and Ford advanced it to Jack for the score. Andrea Bargnani would make his way to the line driving and drawing a foul. Here would make both from the line. Ford would get himself to the line but miss his first and make the second. The Pacers hold a 20-17 lead late in the first. Andrea Bargnani would do what he has been doing nailing a big 3 pointer. He had a chance to give the Raptors the lead but that one would not fall. So it was all even at 20 after one quarter on play.

2nd Quarter

Not a classic first quarter for sure but at a pace that would favour the Raptors you might think. T.J Ford would open the quarter with a jumper for the Pacers. Jason Kapono would answer for the Raptors with a 2 point effort. Granger scores for the Pacers and Joey Graham had a highlight reel dunk showing off for his twin brother Stephen who plays for the Pacers. Joey would pick up two quick fouls after the impressive dunk. That is your typical Joey G performance. Danny Granger would head to the line and make a pair as the Pacers lead 29-24. Joey Graham now had his 3rd foul and that was it for him. Roy Hibbert technically the Raptors first pick checked in he was part of that trade along with Nathan Jawai who has yet to play for the Raptors. The Pacers would build the lead up to 7 points with another basket and their offense was showing signs of getting back on track.

Chris Bosh would get to the line and split a pair. Roy Hibbert would respond with a basket for the Pacers. Bosh would get sent to the line driving past the slower Hibbert. He would make a pair from the line. But the Pacers were rolling on offense as they would score again. However Moon would have a rare drive and score plus the foul that he would make. Raptors had got back to down just 5 with the score 35-30. But an easy dunk for Murphy off a screen and roll. It would set off a 6-0 run as the Raptors made some silly turnovers. It was 41-30 Pacers with a time out called by Jay Triano.

Out of the time out Bosh feed it to Bargnani in the paint with the one handed hook shot that falls. But the Pacers were getting whatever they wanted on offense. The Pacers would keep on rolling and they had their largest lead of the night off a Granger score in the paint. It was a 14 point lead with the score 46-32 for Pacers. Jay Triano was desperate to make something happen and decided to go with the 3 big line-up as J.O checked in. The team would shift on defense to zone with the big line up. Raptors would cut the lead back down to 10 points. They had a chance to cut it to single digits but instead they would commit their 11 turnover of the night and we were just in the first half. Troy Murphy had an open look from the 3 point line that he would make. Indiana was up 51-38. But it was not done there they would make another 3 pointer to build the lead by even more. This was an ugly and pathetic effort on defense from the men in the red jerseys. The big three experiment was over and had little impact as Indiana was at the line and extended the lead to 14. The Raptors were getting beat down by a Pacer team that was second last in the East. Pacers would have a chance to extend the lead going in to the half but the would not be able to make it happen. Still after being tied after one the Pacers would be happy with a 56-42 lead. That is 36 points in the 2nd quarter for all of you math majors out their in Raptorland.

3rd Quarter

The 3rd quarter begins with a Jamario Moon air ball and that was not a good sign. A turnover after a rare missed Pacer trip. The Pacers would score the next time down. Andrea Bargnani would come down and make a 3 pointer that was historic. It was the 10 game in a row he had made multi-three pointers an NBA record for a center. Jarrett Jack would get a long pass after yet another Raptor turnover and it lead to the easy lay-up. It would get worse with a three pointer from Danny Granger and his team had it's largest lead of 19 points.

Raptors would get 3 straight points and pull back to down 66-49. I am going to be straight up honest this team was playing with no pride or heart what so ever. However The Pacers must have just been tired for a sec cause they were pack to scoring and build the lead back to it's highest point up 71-51. The lead was growing at an alarming rate with the score 75-51. Will Solomon would hit a 3 pointer just to prove the Raptors actually could get a basket. I mean when you work at this everyday and you really run out of words that speaks to how bad this is. Matt Devlin and Jack Armstrong on T.V and Paul and Eric on the Radio were earning their money on this night. Josh McRoberts would loose it and get a technical foul. Raptors were not getting much closer though as it was 81-59. Raptors offense was pathetic and the only thing worse was their defense. This game was starting to look like something you could see at your YMCA with guys jacking up shoots on both sides. I really feel for Jay Triano this had the same feeling as the game that cost Sam Mitchell his job in Denver. The main difference was the Nuggets just had more talent to run up the score. Danny Granger just may be an All Star this year and as much as it sucks to say it Chris Bosh may not be. Stephen Graham was out performing Joey Graham and man for man the Pacers were out playing the Raptors. T.J Ford would make a shot and it was 87-63 Pacers. The 3rd Quarter was finally over with the score Pacers 89 and Raptors 65. If you stopped reading and skipped to the end at this point I would understand. If I didn't have to write about the 4th quarter I would not. But hey, this is what makes you hardcore right? Or maybe it is insane, none the less it is only one more quarter to endure.

4th Quarter

Raptors were shooting a pathetic 36% from the field and deserved that beating they were getting. Chris Bosh never stops trying I will give him that. He got the first basket of the quarter for the Raptors. The Raptors actually started the quarter with the best effort of the night so far. But it was far to little and far to late. Despite the fact that the Raptors had pulled back to down 89-72. There was a lot of smack talking and why I am not sure. Pacers would get sucked into another stupid technical foul. Raptors had rolled off an 11-0 run and that was the good news. Here was the bad news. They were still down 13 points and most of the fans had long turned off their T.V sets if they had any good sense.

The Raptors if they had played anything close to the effort we had seen in the first 3 minutes of this quarter they may have had some chance to win this game. Greg Foster would end the 11-0 Toronto run with a easy drive to the basket and score. The Raptors have no hope so guess who has his game pick up? You know the answer it is Joey Graham with 8 points and 7 rebounds. Make it 8 and 8 for Joey. Bosh would get a couple baskets and he was having a solid 4th quarter as well. I still don't believe the Raptors can come back in this game. However they were not playing with the lack of pride and energy they had in the middle two quarters. To be fair the Raptors did a average job in the first quarter. Raptors had a 17-5 run going but still were down big with under 6 minutes to play down 94-82. Bargnani would make a 3 pointer and the Raptors got it to a single digit lead. But just when you may have started to believe Mike Dunleavy would hit a 3 pointer in response. Raptors still kept coming though. Parker would get a basket and Andrea Bargnani would make his way to the line. He could only split a pair. Raptors were down 98-89 with 4:11 to play. Parker would make a pair from the line and it was 98-91. T.J Ford checked back in got a steal and a score and the Indiana lead was back to 9. Jason Kapono hits a 3 pointer and the Raptor amazingly were down 100-94. They had taken a 24 point Pacer lead to start the quarter and chopped it down to 6 points. I feel bad now saying people should not have read the 4th quarter summary.

Andrea Bargnani would get fouled and would get a chance to get the Raptors even closer with 2:36 to play. He could only split a pair. Indiana had gone ice cold and a Jack miss gave Raps a chance to cut lead even more. But a turnover the 19th on the night would not be what was required. But the Pacers kept missing. Bosh would get to the line with 1:37 to play. He made both and if you can believe it this was a single possession basketball game. A Pacer turnover and the Raptors could tie it with a 3 pointer. I can not remember a more wacky basketball game in my life. One of the things Triano had done was put Parker in to play at the point guard and it was having success. Parker would make a jumper to cut the lead to 1 point with the score 100-99.

If the Raptors could pull this out it would be the biggest comeback in team history. Pacers had the ball with 57 seconds to play. A costly foul on Chris Bosh that would send Mike Dunleavy to the line for 3 free throws. It was a pump fake that Bosh bit on and he would pay the price. All 3 were made and the Raptors would get called for a travel by Jason Kapono and the dreams of a comeback were dying fast. Danny Granger making a shot would likely seal it as the Pacers now lead 105-99. It was a fitting game to mark the half way point of the season in a lot of ways. It was totally frustrating on so many levels. Much like the season to this point. Jason Kapono would hit a 3 pointer and the Raptors just would not go away. Forced to foul now the Raptors sent Jack to the line and he would make a pair with 19 seconds left. Kapono would miss another 3 pointer out of the time out and now I think we can safely say this game was done. It is just to strange for words what went on here. I mean the Raptors had a really brilliant 4th quarter. But that would be lost by the way the played in the first 3 quarters and most notable the second quarter that may have been on of the worst of the season that has seen a lot of them. Jarrett Jack would put this game on ice at the line. The Pacers get a big scare but hang on for the win. The final score was 111-104 for the Indiana Pacers and the Raptors fall 9 games below .500 on the year. Here is one of the more screwy boxscores you may every see in the NBA.

Pacers/Raps Boxscore

Things do not get any easier for Toronto as Steve Nash and Shaq who is looking a bit reborn of late come into Toronto for an Afternoon visit to the ACC. That is not going to be easy in any way shape or form. I am emotionally spent so that is it for me. I will try to get a blog up tomorrow as I am busy doing a Radio appearance for the guys on CJLO and Live Blogging to NCAA games on the Score. Duke and Georgetown and UNC vs Miami. You are welcome to pop by and say hello and start your scouting for the Raptors and your NCAA pool as well. Go to The Score website and click on LIVEBLOGS and you will see the games listed.

Raptors Need To Pick Up The Pace

Tonight's game against the Indiana Pacers will mark the half way point of the season. Some help in the form of Jermaine O'Neal.He is expected as he is going to make his return in the Raptors first visit to Indiana since the big off-season trade. It is safe to say both teams had a bit higher goals for the trade they made in the off-season. Both T.J Ford and Jermaine O'Neal have had to deal with injuries throughout the year. This latest injury for O'Neal has lead to the emergence of Andrea Bargnani. O'Neal stated yesterday that he will come of the bench as he makes his return. Jose Calderon is also making the trip but not expected to play. So for now everything is calm in Raptorland. Well except for the fact they sit in 12th place with the Bobcats and Pacers close behind. You hear a lot about how the Raptors schedule will turn for the better later in the year. That is the truth it is not an urban legend or myth. In fact a March 15th another match-up with The Pacers marks the last chance stand for the Raptors. In the last month of the season the Raptors have a legit chance to go 12-3. They have 10 of the last 15 games at home. It could set up a run to the playoffs like the Raptors put together behind the amazing play of Antonio Davis lead crew down the stretch in 2002. If memory serves me right that team won 16 of their last 17 games and did not clinch a play-off spot until the last day of the season.

So why mention this point now? It is January after all and if you need proof just step aside your front door if you live anywhere in Canada. Well if the Raptors were to lose tonight that would put the Raptors 9 games below .500. So basically consider that 9 games under .500 mark as like the Mendoza line. It is a baseball reference to Manny Mendoza was a baseball player that was an above average fielder who was a terrible hitter. In order to stay in the majors he was told he would have to hit at least a batting average of .200. So for the rest of this season 9 games under .500 is the Raptors Mendoza line. If the Raptors are not above or at that mark at March 15th it is pretty much all over. This only gets the Raptors to the .500 mark which hopefully would be good enough to make it in the East. Some will say that you can get in the playoffs with a under .500 mark but I am not willing to bank on that.

Don't Tell CB4 The Season Is Lost

Chris Bosh was asked yesterday something along the lines of most people thinking this was a lost season. He replied that he was glad none of those people play on this team. So I guess my 10-day contract with Raptors is not going to happen. But to be serious Bosh is right for whatever we as fans or the media may think it really only matters what the people inside that locker room think. If they thought like that the season truly would be over. If the Raptors are to get out of this hole they have created they will have to come together and dig out. They may need some help to do that in the form of a trade. However the Raptors can't sit back and wait for Bryan Colangelo to make something happen. While some have taken the Raptors struggles to point out the flaws of Chris Bosh. I will contend this is showing you what is best about Chris Bosh. He refuses to give in no matter the situation that is in front of him. The amount of respect I have for him as a player and a person can not be summed up in just written words.

People continue to speculate about the future for Bosh and what might happen in 2010. I think that people looking to that is unfortunate but understandable given this team and it's history. Chris Bosh is not like the people that have come before him. I think Chris Bosh has worked harder and done more to earn the respect of Raptor fans and the media. I don't think to many people were expecting when he was drafted that he one day would turn into the best player ever to wear a Raptor Jersey. Vince Carter had this honour and it seemed that he would hold that title for a long time to come. Bosh is not as flash or athletic as Carter. However Carter is not the hard worker and mentally tough competitor that Chris Bosh it. I have no doubt that a number 4 will one day hang in the ACC rafters and be the first number to hang there. It will represent how far the kid from just outside as Dallas as come. Maybe I am idealistic in thinking the Chris Bosh will not stop writing his Raptor story in 2010. But I have faith in Chris Bosh and believe that he is different from the others. Faith in anyone is hard to have and it is the ultimate form of trust you can put in someone. People wonder why people still boo Vince Carter. I never do because it is pretty simple when it comes right down to it. He shattered the faith that people put in him. That is something that you do not get over quickly if at all.

Court Surfing In The Dino Nation Blog - D.J Bennett

Part of why the Dino Nation Blog signed up to be part of The Score.com Sports Federation was to hopefully have some more guests from The Score to call on to be guests here. I felt it could add to what is an already impressive line up of guests we have the fortune to talk with on a regular basis. We had Sherman Hamilton visit just before the time the Sports Fed got rolling. Now I am adding some more folks to the roster. D.J Bennett is part of Court Surfing on The Score. He along with Randy Urban host the live blog that goes along with the show. They also do some video hits on The Score.com on the Raptors and The NBA. I have referenced them a couple of times in the past. I often try to pop in and take part in the live blogs and get in on the conversation. So I decided to offer him and Randy an invite to visit my world. Today I talked with D.J about the Raptors and the first half of the season in the Starting 5. Given the topic it is far longer then 5 minutes but hopefully it is worth the extra time. Besides the Starting 5 has never hit 5 minutes yet with any guest. But it is a cool title and why change it. So have a listen as we look back and forward on a Raptor season that has not gone as it was advertised.

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There was more to our conversation that you will be able to read about on Sunday or Monday. The focus of that Conversation looks at the NBA as a whole. D.J gives some of his picks for NBA awards at the half way mark. So you can look for that then. Randy his partner in crime will be visiting sometime next week. The plan is to have them pop in and visit from time to time. It is always great to have more guests and a variety of opinions. I think it is part of what makes the Dino Nation Blog what it is. Everyone has different takes on this great game of basketball and it is cool to hear as many as we can.

So that is all for today. Later tonight you can see the Raptor Rewind back in it's normal format. Pacers and Raptors from Indiana. Should be fun.

Round Ball Review In Search Of B.C

In this episode of the Round Ball Review the Guys are in search of Bryan Colangelo for an interview. You will see it does not work out so well for the guys. But as always they provide some much needed entertainment.



The Guys if they did get out of there in time will be back again soon.

If This Was An Election... The Raptors Season Would Be Declared Over

If you have every watched election coverage you will understand the title of this blog. When you watch the coverage they will look at the returns from an election and when they have seen enough they will call the election for a candidate. The Raptors at this point would and should be declared out of the race. Eight games below .500 mark and losing touch with the rest of the field in the East. There just have been to many missed opportunities this season. Raptors could have won 5 straight heading into that back to back with Boston. They could have won at least one of those. They should have won last night against Chicago. That is a lot of could of, should of and not enough did. There are many more of these you can pull out from through out the season. It all establishes a trend that makes it hard to imagine the Raptors turning it around to the point they could even make the playoffs. Some will point to the injuries and use them as a reason for why. This team had stretches with out Chris Bosh in the last two seasons and still found ways to win. Sam Mitchell, to his credit never would allow injuries to be used as an excuse. He use to always bust out the line that everyone gets a pay check on the 1st and 15th. Besides if you want to use injuries as the answer that is fine, but let's make it clear if this team had better depth they could endure injuries. That falls at the feet of the general manager. Bryan Colangelo gambled and lost and that is just the simple answer to it. I have a bunch of things going on in my brain that I want to talk about so let's get started.

Where is J.O

When I first heard about the trade for Jermaine O'Neal I was not into it at all. But for a variety of reasons I was convinced that I might be wrong and regardless I owed him the chance to prove me wrong. I take Jose Calderon to task on some issues with him as a point guard. Some may not like that but hey it is what I see and how I feel. However the one thing I could never say or would say is that he is not a team player. Even injured unless he is not with the team he is out on the bench cheering and offering advice for his team. Well where in J.O? Why isn't he out there doing the same? I mean he is the highest paid employee of this team last I checked. We are told he has been in the back getting treatment for his injured right knee. I saw Jorge Garbajosa make it out to the bench with his horrible injury to his leg. So what is the deal?

I have no knowledge of this at all. But I have always wondered what the relationship is between O'Neal and this team. I have wondered about his relationship with Chris Bosh most of all. When T.J Ford was here there was clear evidence that they got along with each other. But I have yet to see much evidence of that between Bosh and O'Neal. There could be a very solid relationship for all that I know. Still when you are not out on the bench supporting your team it sends a message to the fans. That message is that you just don't care or only care about yourself. There was lots of folks that did not exactly see O'Neal as a great team leader. The people I am making reference to our folks from the Pacers. They likely had a lot of the concerns that I have now. When J.O has played I think he has been fairly effective and played at a level that I thought he would. Some fans might have expected a lot more from him but I never bought into the hype of him as this 6 time All Star. That was a long time ago in a business that is all about what have you done for me lately. The thing that I am trying to wrap my head around is his impact on this team and it's chemistry. I have talked with people that have access to the locker room and watch all the interviews. Jermaine comes off as a very respectful man and is not saying anything wrong. The one thing that no one really knows beyond the people on this team is what happens when the cameras and microphones go away. Although I guess that isn't completely true. The T.V and Radio crews to fly on the plane with the Raptors and are around them in down time a bit. Bottom line of it is though I just feel in my gut that something just has not fit right with all of this. I also know for sure that him not being on the bench sends a totally wrong message. It is what makes people like me write stuff like this because we are left to wonder. I am just saying what a lot of fans are thinking.

So What Now?

It is a good question and I am not sure if there is a good answer for it. The only way to create a major change would be to deal O'Neal. Despite all of the issues above he still has that contract number that ends at the best time possible for the team left holding it in 2010. Make no mistake about it that is a big reason why Jermaine O'Neal is here. I still believe that the longer you can hold onto the J.O contract the better the deal you will be able to find. There will be teams that are desperate to have that cap space in 2010. Not just to try and go out and get one of the many free agents that will be out there in 2010. They can also maybe want the contract for another reason that is a bit more under handed. The economy is not good and in looking around at the various NBA team sites I found evidence. On almost ever team site I would find ads before I was allowed to enter the site with ticket deals and big discounts. It is easy to see why in these tough economic times. Companies that advertise are cutting back and that impacts on everyone. So, if a team took on the J.O contract and made it appear they were in the race for 2010 it would make fans happy. But let's just say they did it for appearance sake only? Pretty effective way to cut the payroll in 2010 and claim that you were just outbid by New York and the other big market teams with money.

So that is two opposite reasons why a team may be interested in the J.O contract. If you accept this season is lost you really have no reason to be in any hurry to move Jermaine O'Neal. It really does not make any sense to do that. Besides why on earth would you not want to wait and get the best deal possible. Some people are starting to say that the Pacers won the trade and given that we are already debating what to do about J.O it is hard to argue. But truthfully the legacy of the Jermaine O'Neal trade will be what is done with that 23 million dollars. There is also what will become of Nathan Jawai. But even that part has seemed to favour the Pacers with Roy Hibbert starting to show signs of being good. Jawai has still been forced to wait as he builds his way back from the heart condition that sidelined him before he got started.

Colangelo does hate to lose and that is no secret. But he is a smart guy and understands that his next move may just be one that will define him with a lot of people. Most important of all his superstar Chris Bosh. Some think he may have reacted to early in his firing of Sam Mitchell. Most in the fan base thought it was about time. When Colangelo did that thought it focused the attention squarely on him. He said that this was the most talented roster he had since he had been here. Those are his words not mine. I tend not to agree with that statement to be honest. Had he said the most talented starting 5 he has had in his time here I could buy that. In the end of all this I think I feel the most sorry for Jay Triano. He has fought hard and worked hard. However in the end he may be the fall guy for mistakes that are Colangelo's and not his. There can also be a case made that the writing has been on the wall for awhile and Bryan needed to act sooner if the idea is to save this season. We hear on a daily basis that he is active and searching. But sports is all about results not just on the floor but off it as well. If Bryan Colangelo has made a thousand phone calls about trades the only one that matters is the one that makes the trade happen. Up to this point that call has not been made.

What I Have Learned From This Season?

Now last I checked someone in the media never has won or lost any game. They have never made a trade. They are not able to control what happens in any way. Same applies for bloggers like me. I like to think that we are part of the media as well some may debate that point but that is a topic for another day. The point is as people that put what we think out there on a daily basis there is a responsibility to that. So if I say something It is a reflection on me and what I believe and think. I have no clue as to how much impact that has on other people that read it. But I think that with any media person there is a relationship with the people who read, watch or listen.

Deep in my gut I had a bad feeling about this season. If you read in the summer time you know that at first I was not at all a believer in the Jermaine O'Neal trade. I should have stuck to my gut reaction and went with it. I mean I have when it comes to Jose Calderon. I have always said that he was good not great and that there would be issues if he became the starting point guard and the fact the Raptors did not get a legit back up would prove costly. It seems on this front I have been proven right. But when it came to the O'Neal trade I allowed myself to get caught up in the excitement of expectations and the desire of people to see this team get to a new level. That was not what has happened and I feel bad that I had not stuck to my gut reaction. In my defense I talked with a lot of people that are more experienced and trusted their judgement. I still do for the record.

However I have learned to trust in myself first. If I had done that I would have been more on the money about a lot of things. However sometimes things happen. Andrea Bargnani has busted through and may now finally become that player we all were promised he could be. I give a lot of credit to Jack Armstrong and a number of the other folks in the media that trusted what they were seeing in Andrea. It is a lesson that I am learning as I go along in establishing myself. I have a strong work ethic and put in a lot of time and effort into what I am doing. Maybe I had something that is in common with Andrea. Having some doubt in being the new kid on the block. But I have learned a lot from this season. The chances that I have had to have my blog be part of The Score in their blog federation. Trying to become a team player and learn and grow in what I am doing. It is a never ending process for us all. If you can wake up each day and make an effort to say how can I make myself better? It may be something small or big. But each day grow and learn.

So at the end of all of this I think that people who talk about this team have a responsibility to tell you what we truly think. Sometimes it is not always going to be right but to do the best we can to be right. Doing it in a way that is honest and respectful to people. I try to do that. The one thing that holds true for me and always will is that at the end of the day I want the best for the Toronto Raptors. I am someone that is no matter what the future brings that will never give up being a fan. I will find a way to do that and still be honest and objective it is truly my mission everyday. I do not take lightly the privilege it is to have you read this blog and listen to interviews and be a part of it. It may not get said enough by people but THANK YOU for reading and supporting me by doing so. Not enough people do that. When times are tough we should not lose sight of that. I have been listening and reading a lot of people going after Chris Bosh and that is not right. He has busted his butt for his entire career here including this year. He hasn't left, it isn't 2010 and till he has given you reason to think he is Vince Carter give it a rest. I would be willing to bet that nobody is more disappointed with how things have gone than him. But he once said he wants to be part of the making things work here in Toronto. I have yet to here him retract that statement.

It maybe a long rest of the season and truthfully the odds of it turning around make the chances of a turn around are less and less likely. But don't lose sight of who people are. Chris Bosh is still a guy of high character and a competitor that wants to win. The DNA of CB4 does not change based on the Raptor record.

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.

Round Ball Review From Boston

Well I have been talking to people and J.B and Joey seem to be doing well. People seem to enjoy what they have been doing in the Round Ball Review. The guys have their Post Game Report done and here is what they had to say about the Raptors lose in overtime in Boston.



Where and what they will do next? I guess we will have to see in the next episode of the Round Ball Review. I hope you find them as entertaining as I do in bringing them to you.