Calling out the Raps

I love when I am right. The Raptors did exactly what I predicted them to do and won a huge game in Houston. Although Bosh didn’t put up the offensive numbers I called for; he set the tone for the game and his team. The ball movement was fantastic and they had 26 assists on 44 field goals. Ball movement is exactly what was missing during the previous game against the Spurs. Bargnani was outstanding last night. He has been showing flashes of brilliance and every Raptor fan has got to be excited about being able to watch this kid as he grows. My final comment on last night’s game is about what Chuck Swirsky call “Onions”. These Raptors have got them and it shows. They are all playing with a swagger that can be seen and felt by the other team.



Brian Colangelo is looking like a genius by getting rid of Fred Jones for Juan Dixon. I think that Jones was a negative influence and unhappy about his limited role on the team. Dixon is going to step and take the minutes he is given and play as hard as he can. Hopefully he can do for the Raptors what Lindsey Hunter does for the Pistons; provide solid defense and keep the offense flowing while the starters rest. What I love about Colangelo is his decisiveness; he saw that the Jones experiment wasn’t working and made the necessary changes.



The Raptors are going to face a Bucks team tomorrow that is totally different than the one the met up with a couple weeks ago. Redd, Bogut, Charlie V and Mo Williams are all healthy again and Milwaukee is playing well but that isn’t going to make a difference. The Raptors are going to win this game and score 100 plus points while doing it. Bosh is going to get 25 plus points, I can feel it!



TRADE DEADLINES



The NBA needs to take some advice from the NHL on how to work trade deadlines. Basketball sports writers spent weeks writing columns about possible trade only to have nothing happen on the actual day. The NHL had 25 trades including some big names. Edmonton broke the hearts of their fans by trading the club’s most important player. The point is there was drama, real drama. Yes, it was hyped up by TSN and those hacks on Sportnet, but there was still a story. Teams are taking risks to win a championship this year. The NHL has reached a level of parity where one player can make a difference and everyone in the NBA knows it is a three team race and no trade was going to change that.

A Little Bit of Love

Looks like the American sports reporters have finally noticed what is happening here in Toronto. Have a look around the big sports websites today and you will see Bosh and the Raptors everywhere. Ian Thomsen on CNN/SI, ESPN.com, NBA.com and www.realgm.com all have articles about the recent Raptor success. These are the same haters that picked Toronto to finish 13-15th in the Conference. These are the same haters that bad mouthed Villanueva/Ford trade and now these haters are falling over themselves with praise. They all want to be the first one to recognize the Raptors and the amazing work done by the entire organization….bums.


Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment, owners of the Leafs and Raptors, is by no means a great company. They have made it impossible for the middle class to see a game and are starting to phase in both Leafs and Raptors TV to make even more money. I understand that it costs a lot of money to run a professional sports franchise but I don’t appreciate feeling like I am being taken advantage of.


The one thing Larry Tannenbaum and MLSE have done is put smart people in the power positions. John Ferguson knows hockey and he will be a good GM once he forces himself to commit to rebuilding the Leafs. Brian Colangelo’s resume speaks for itself. He is an excellent manager who has a clear blueprint for a NBA franchise and isn’t afraid to make the tough decisions. Sports commentators and pundits around the league knew that he would make the Raptors good but no one thought that it would be this year.


The team has gelled extremely quickly for a couple of reasons. Anthony Parker, Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa are seasoned professional basketball players. Most American sports writers seemed to think that because they because they haven’t played a 120 NBA games between them, that it would take a while to adjust. It is this kind of thinking that has resulted in poor performances by US National teams in recent international competitions. Calderon has won a major international championship, how many has James won? These guys know basketball and they know how to be a good teammate. They don’t buy into the superstar mentality that has plagued NBA teams. Iverson is a living legend. How many NBA championships has he won? Garnett? Pierce? A Shaqless Kobe? Colangelo believes in a team and has brought in like minded players. From All Star, Chris Bosh, down to bench warmer Darrick Martin, this is a team that plays together.


I am looking for another win for the Raptors tonight. Bosh is going up against Dwight Howard and should do well. I am looking for Bosh to score 25 with 10 boards. He will need to get to the line in this game and hopefully force Howard onto the bench with foul trouble. If the Raptors can force the Magic to turn the ball over as much as they usually do, this should be an easy W.