On Chris Bosh ...

From AltRaps over at uber Toronto Raptors blog Raptors Republic:

[Chris Bosh] finishes the season averaging 20/10, in the company of only two other players in the league, yet the idiots in the peanut gallery want to dump his ass for whatever we can get and make out that he doesn't play with heart. Idiots. 21pts and 19boards against a team that was playing for something. Just smile, Chris...big up yaself.

After perusing the stats, there's only one player in the NBA, other than Toronto's CB4, who definitively averages 20/10: Dwight Howard (20.6/13.8). You might know him as Superman.

Two other guys who just about pull it off: The Big Fundamental himself, Tim Duncan (19.3/10.7). And the pride of the People's Republic of China, Yao Ming (19.7/9.9).

I know what you're thinking. And I agree. Tim Duncan does have the best nickname. Ever.

Anyway, that's some pretty impressive company for Bosh to be in, no?

The season's over. It's decision making time for Bryan Colangelo. He's under the bright spotlights now. Does he get Bosh's autograph on a long-term contract before his deal expires in 2010? Does he bring back Anthony Parker? Shawn Marion? Joey Graham? Pops Mensah-Bonsu? The legendary Jake Voskuhl? What about head coach Jay Triano? Oh, the questions.

If it were up to me, I'd re-sign Marion. The Raptors desperately need his eight rebounds per game. He can't create his own offence, but that's what Jose Calderon is for. You know how I feel about Pops. I'd re-sign AP, too, only because I'm an emotional suck, and only to come off the bench. Joey Graham, good luck and Godspeed. Voskhul's a no brainer; bring him back. What a cheerleader. And I've no idea what to do with Triano. I'll trust Colangelo on that one. 

And you're damned right I'd re-sign Christopher Wesson Bosh to an extension. Or at least try to. If he refuses, then the trade route must be explored. We wouldn't get fair value, no way, but Vince Carter taught me a couple of valuable lessons: one, he's a douchebag; two, this franchise cannot afford to make a trade like his again.

Look, I'm not a fan of Bosh's online habits either, but he brings it on the court, and that's why option number one must be to lock him up. At the end of the day, 20/10 speaks for itself.

What would you do?

Imagine The Iguodala

A part of me understands that the NBA draft is a crapshoot. There's a certain element of luck involved. Sometimes a guy just doesn't work out. I get that. 

Another part of me wants to absolutely pummel former Raptors GM Rob Babcock for drafting Rafael Araujo over Andre Iguodala back in 2004.

Araujo. Over Iguodala. Oh, the humanity. All these years later, after I've bitched about it and bitched about it some more, I'm still bitching. It still smarts.

Iguodala was in town last night, along with his Philadelphia 76ers teammates, to remind us once more of what could have been. The 76ers were 2-5 coming into the game, and winless on the road, but they left the ACC victorious, of course.

The ghosts of Araujo, that useless lug, were in the air. Iguodala put on a clinic. He didn't have his best shooting game, going 5-for-13 from the floor, but finished with 18 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. Andre Iguodala is one athletic mother sucker.

He is, to a mother fucking tee, what the Raptors lack: a presence on the wing, who can play either the two or three, that can take the ball to the rack. And defend. It kills me, absolutely kills me, to know that we could have had him. 

I don't think any of Anthony Parker, Jason Kapono, and Jamario Moon are starters in the NBA. Not that there's anything wrong with that. All three would be more effective in a defined role off the bench. AP was 4-16 from the floor last night, Kapono was invisible in 30 minutes of action, and if Moon settles for another jump shot, I will kill him myself.

I think Bryan Colangelo knows that the honeymoon is over, and that he's got to fix the team's glaring weakness at the wing. We're not getting points, or defence, from the position. I just don't know what the hell BC can do about it. 

To add to mine and the Raptors' woes, it looks like Jose Calderon might be in civilian garbs on Sunday after he tweaked his hamstring yesterday. I was impressed by Will Soloman during last Sunday's snoozefest in Charlotte, but any injury to Jose has to be considered the Raptors' worst nightmare. It's typical, I guess. 

Seriously, though. It's one thing to err on a draft pick. It happens (see: Adams, Russ and Cereda, Luca). It's another to draft Rafael "Hoffa" Araujo over Andre Iguodala.

Fuck you, Rob Babcock.

A Beat Up Ford

If you were watching the tilt between the Toronto Raptors and the Atlanta Hawks on the tube last night you saw T.J. Ford hit the deck. If you were in Atlanta at the Philips Arena, you heard T.J. Ford hit the deck.

The Toronto point guard was enjoying a fine evening - 26 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the floor, eight assists, two rebounds and only two turnovers in an efficient 29 minutes - before his night was cut short by Hawks rookie Al Horford.

While going to the bucket for what I thought was going to be an easy basket, Ford was tomahawk-slapped by Horford on the face. Ford lost control, landed hard on his back, and his head bounced off the court with some serious authority. It wasn't pretty. Neither was the replay, which the good folks at The Score gave me the privilege of viewing about nine times.

He's definitely got a concussion. If that's all he's got, he's a very, very lucky man today. Ford lay on the ground motionless for 10 minutes before he was taken off in a neck brace on a stretcher. The Raptors won the ball game, 100-88, but the outcome became secondary after the flagrant-2 foul by Horford, who was ejected.

Now I know the Toronto Raptors are a team chalk full of "nice guys," but where was the outrage? Why didn't anyone get up in Horford's grill? No one even verbally abused the Atlanta rookie after the foul. Sam Mitchell, the Raptors coach, was the most disturbed by the incident. It seemed to bring the former NBA player in him back to life, and he ran all the way from the Raptors bench to the scene of the crime, visibly upset, and shouting obscenities at Atlanta coach Mike Woodson. Mitchell had to be physically restrained by the referees. I think I saw steam physically spewing out of his ears. It was another example of why I love Sam Mitchell. He's ready to go to war with, and more importantly, for his players.

My beef is that it shouldn't be Sam Mitchell running on the court and being restrained by the referees. It should be one of Ford's teammates. If the Raptors are such a close knit team why weren't they upset that their talented point guard was lying on the ground in obvious trauma? The Raptors were up 92-84 at the time of the foul, with only 90 seconds left on the clock. The game was over. Horford didn't need to commit a hard foul. Regardless of the intentions, it was completely uncalled for. Yet no teammate came to T.J.'s defense. It was almost pathetic.

Don't get me wrong, I know Horford didn't mean to hurt T.J. Ford. The look on his face after he saw Ford hit the floor made that clear. He was visibly concerned, and remorseful after the game, but there's a code in sports. If you mess with one member of a team, you mess with everyone else wearing the same uniform. I'm not saying someone should have clocked Horford upside his head like he did to Ford, but someone should have at least got in his face and given him a tongue-lashing.

If the Raptors want to be an elite team and want to contend in this league they need to get tougher. They need to get meaner. They need to channel the spirit of one Charles Oakley. Oak will diss your mother if he has to. Just ask Vince Carter. The Raptors need to develop a swagger. A demeanor. One that translates into: "do not fuck with us." Antics like Horford's should not, and cannot, be tolerated under any circumstances. Toronto must rid themselves of this "nice guy" label. Until that happens the Raptors will not be able to take the next step.

T.J. Ford, only 24 years old, already has a history with devastating injuries. His health is, of course, the number one priority to the organization, his teammates and even to fans like me. Doug Smith at The Star reported at 11:30 pm last night that Ford had feeling and movement in his arms and legs, but would be kept in an Atlanta hospital overnight. He'll obviously not be in the lineup when the Dallas Mavericks visit the ACC tonight.

The Raptors welcomed back Chris Bosh on Sunday, and Andrea Bargnani last night, but the injuries continue to mount. Ford wasn't the only casualty last night. Jason Kapono was lost in the second quarter with a sprained left wrist, and he's day-to-day. Garbo also had his second surgery on his leg and ankle, and he's gone, likely for the year. The Raptors do have a deep bench, but the injuries are getting ridiculous. The well can only run so deep.

The truth is, I'm disappointed in the Raptors today. Ford's health is of utmost concern to me, as it is I'm sure to all the Raptors, but someone should have stepped up in the Little Engine's defense last night. After the game, Anthony Parker asked why Horford had to swipe so hard at Ford's head on a play with the game pretty much decided. That's a mighty good question, AP, so why the hell didn't you ask Horford yourself?

Some words, maybe even a little shove. Anything. Here's hoping the Toronto Raptors grow some balls and go to bat for their teammates the next time a rookie, or anyone for that matter, takes a run at one of their own.

Thank You, Raptors

What a tough way to go out, eh?

All I wanted out of game six was for it to be just that, a game. The last two games in the swamp were a joke, and I just didn't want the Raptors to go out like, for lack of a better word, bitches. I wanted them to fight and leave it all on the floor.

They did that. They went out fighting. They did not back down. There was no quitting. I'm really proud of these guys. Proud to be a Raptors fan. Especially proud of Calderon, Ford and Bosh. I know Jose messed up on that pass to finish the game, but Calderon, you're still my boy. There's no way he or TJ were 100% yet they came out and played tremendous. Ford was huge off the bench, and I still don't understand why Mitchell took him out early in the fourth.

Bosh by no means had his best shooting game, but he was aggressive and hungry. He wanted it tonight. He was going to do whatever it took. He passed the ball beautifully, picking up nine dimes and still scoring 23 on putrid shooting. The nine assists are what's key. He's got to learn to find the open man when all the focus is on him, and he did that tonight.

On a sad note, it looks like the Toronto Raptors have downloaded their last MP3. In what was probably Mo Pete's last game in a Raptors uniform, he went out playing hard and with a lot of class. He was huge on the boards. Thank you Morris Peterson, for all your years of service. Peterson's been through the good and bad with this franchise, and we all know how bad the bad was, but he's always played hard and been a professional. There's not a lot of his ilk in the NBA. Stay classy, Mo.

I also got to shout out AP. Anthony Parker was such a huge part of this team this year, and no one really expected that. This guy's got a sweet stroke and his jumpers when he comes off screens are beautiful to watch. I think the Raptors have got to make it a point to get Parker more touches next year. This guy can play.

The future is bright for the Toronto Raptors. Bosh, Ford, Calderon, and Bargnani are all so young, and already so talented. I'm not really sure what I expected of these guys in the playoffs, because they already exceeded all my expectations when it came to the regular season.

The playoffs were a bonus, and as much as I wanted them to win, getting New Jersey was a tough, tough match up. Jersey ain't no sixth seed. That's a damn good team over there. Jason Kidd, at his age, man, you've just got to respect what he does on the court. How the hell does a point guard lead his team in rebounding? It blows my mind. He's a tremendous passer and playmaker. Whenever the Raptors made a turnover, it seemed like Kidd made them pay. If Wayne Gretzky had a special vision for the game of hockey, Kidd's got the basketball version of it. It's tough to hate on Jason Kidd.

As for Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson, it's easy to hate on those guys. I rather enjoy it. Carter's an embarrassment, mainly to himself. I can take some solace in the fact that Carter did not beat the Raptors in this series. Kidd and Jefferson beat the Raptors. Carter shot less than 44% from the field throughout the series, and was only good when he wanted to be. And the booing definitely gets to him in Toronto. He just doesn't have the mental strength to play through it. A lot of the media was saying that the Vince-booing was getting old, and no longer needed, because the Raptors are a new team, with a new identity, and have turned the page on Carter's tenure in Toronto.

But forget that! Boo him. Incessantly. Every time he's in Toronto and on the floor, boo him with pride and passion. If you're sitting courtside when the Nets are in town, talk smack to him. Tell him he's a bitch. Make fun of his annoying mother. Tell him you slept with his wife. Get in the man's head. It is your moral and civic duty as a Raptors fan.

The "Lets go Raptors, VC SUCKS!" chant is the best in the business. Sheer genius!

As for Jefferson, I hate him too, but he did have a strong series. He's aggressive and doesn't shy away from the rim, unlike his pal VC. I'd still like to slap him, though. Just once. And Mikey Moore too. The only Nets player I respect is Kidd.

Enough about the Nets.

One point. That was the difference. Raptor ball, 8.3 seconds left, our destiny in our own hands. The Raptors, tonight, looked like the Raptors of 2006/2007. It seemed like they were finally figuring out how to play playoff basketball. They looked like the confident squad that wasn't going to get blown out of the water. I thought they were going to grind out a win, because that's the only way it was going to get done. There was no way the Raptors were going to go in and spank New Jersey, we all knew that. It just wasn't meant to be. Game seven in Toronto would have been a hoot. I think deep down, the Nets knew that they had to close out the Raptors in six. I think the Raptors would have won this series had they been able to bring it back to Toronto. The ACC's just too tough a place to play.

A tough and disappointing way to end the season. It was a one posession game, but the Raps didn't even get a shot off. It was another astonishing way to end a playoff run for this franchise, something that's becoming a habit (think back to VC's rim-job against Philly in game seven at the buzzer, and Chris Childs math skills, or lack there of, the last time the Raptors were in the playoffs).

Overall, it was a fantastic season. Forty seven wins. Home advantage in the playoffs. A division title. Thank you, Toronto Raptors. Credibility has been restored to this once pathetic franchise. Basketball has been bleak in these parts the past few years, but the Raptors have officially turned the corner.

Almost to a man, this was the first real taste of the playoffs for most of the squad. It was definitely a learning experience and the Raps will most certainly benefit from this six game loss to the Nets. You can't win in the playoffs until you learn how to lose. Chris Bosh, surely, learned what the playoffs are all about. It's a lot different than the regular season. And just think about how good Bargnani is going to be. It's almost frightening. Almost not fair. He started rounding back into form in games five and six, after his appendectomy, and once he develops a post game, it's over, the Raptors will be impossible to stop. Gotta love Il Mago.

Jorge Garbajosa, you were missed, my man. What a huge loss Garbo's season ending ankle injury turned out to be. The Raps season ended only a couple of hours ago, but I'm already looking forward to Garbo's return and next year.

I hope Bryan Colangelo can keep Sam Mitchell in the mix. I know Mitchell realizes that the Raptors are building something special here, and I hope he wants to stick around and see it through, and see the fruits of his labour. This is his team. I think the boys enjoy playing for Mitchell, a coach just a few seasons removed from being a player, and a guy who knows what the NBA life and grind is all about. Mitchell is also a great character and a refreshing guy in the media. He keeps it real. Stick around Sam, because we're going places.

When the Leafs make the playoffs, and inevitably lose, I'm absolutely crushed by their defeat. That's always because I know the likelihood of them winning is always so small. The window is open only so much, and for only so long. When it comes to the Raptors, yeah, I'm upset that they lost, but I'm optimistic, because I can see what the future holds for this team. This is just the beginning, my friends. The window is just opening.

This team's going to win 50 ball games next year, and the Air Canada Centre is going to be rocking once again come next April. If there's one thing the playoffs proved, it's that the ACC is an electric place to be during the playoffs. The crowd is fantastic, and New Jersey should be ashamed of itself for not being able to sellout their games.

Hold your heads high, Toronto Raptors. You've saved basketball in this city.

Appreciation is there.

Oh, and FU, VC.

Goodnight, Toronto...

Huge Dubyas

Big win for the Raptors tonight at home against the Heat. They went with a small lineup and simply dominated Miami, who just aren't the same without D-Wade in the backcourt.

Anthony Parker was huge, but it was a total team effort with six guys scoring in double figures, including all five starters. Everyone contributed, just like Mitchell said they would have to.

Shoutout to the The Hump. He pulled down 10 boards in 27 minutes, and seven of them were offensive rebounds. Still can't believe we got this guy for Hoffa. It will amaze me till the day I die.

With every passing game, I grow fonder of Rasho Nesterovic. He is the centre I have always dreamed about playing for the Toronto Raptors. Nothing flashy, but he just gets the job done. He's played guys like Shaq and Dwight Howard amazingly well this year. He knows what is expected of him at the offensive end, and he's the leader on the defensive end. Rasho's a rudey.

As of tonight, the Raptors are in third place in the East. That means home-advantage in the first round, and the Raptors are dynamite at the ACC.

Huge win by the Leafs over the Hurricanes. A solid beating, one that was well-earned and due. The Canes lost to the Flyers tonight. These guys don't look like they're going to be in the race much longer.

Chad Kilger has finally found a permanent home with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Love the guy.

Kaberle is back and Kaberle is healthy. He's a genuis with the puck out on the ice. Simply adore the guy.

Jeff O'Neill, get comfortable in the press box my man. The Leafs are a much better team when O'Neill is out of the lineup. I'm tired of the guy.

Boyd Devereaux has earned a spot on the Leafs for next season. Great signing by JFJ. Everyone has got to love this guy because he's been just a pleasant surprise.

Another big game Thursday night against the Thrashers. The Leafs have six more games, they can afford to lose only one. They need to play just like they did Tuesday night - aggressive, assertive and hard. Leave it all out on the ice, boys.

On a side note, I can't believe baseball's regular season kicks off Monday afternoon. Where the hell did the off-season go? Time flies.

I'm worried about the Jays. Especially the bullpen.

But I'm excited about the Leafs making the post-season, hopefully, and the Raptors. Tonight's win over the Heat was for Garbo. Get well soon, amigo.

Goodnight Toronto...

Statement Game

Take a good look at that picture - Chris Bosh actually looks like a dinosaur! He is a true Raptor. And he was dynamite last night against the Orlando Magic, thoroughly outplaying his all-star counterpart Dwight Howard.

It was a match up of two all-star big men - with nicknames that I love. CB4 against The Great Dwight Hope. When it comes to nicknames, I've got to go with Howard's, but when it comes to game, I'm with Bosh everyday of the week.

I'm not too sure where The Great Dwight Hope ranks on my favourite nicknames list, but it's up there. I do, however, know what comes in first on my least favourite nicknames list - The Big Fundamental. That's Tim Duncan's nickname. Amazingly, the nickname actually works - he really is The Big Fundamental. It's just so boring. Just like Duncan's game, I guess. But it's still the worst nickname ever.

Although the Raptors were facing an Orlando team with disappointing 31-37 record, this was, in fact, a statement game. My friends, I have bad news. The Raptors have been contaminated. The injury bug the Maple Leafs have suffered from all hockey season has been contracted by the Toronto Raptors. I can't even call this a bug anymore. It's a plague. The MLSE Injury Plague. It's wreaked havoc on the Raptors and Leafs all year long, and it struck mercilessly Tuesday night.

Word dropped Wednesday afternoon that Andrea Bargnani had emergency appendectomy surgery late Tuesday night. Out two to four weeks, at least. Big Rook, as he is so affectionately called by his teammates, will be sorely missed.

That left the Raptors without the services of Il Mago, Anthony Parker, and Jose Calderon for last night's game against Orlando. That's one starter (AP), and the top two guys off the bench. Oh, and Bargnani is a candidate for Rookie Of The Year, and should deservedly win it. This isn't good news. Not now, a month before the playoffs and at a time the Raptors need all hands on deck to secure their first division title in franchise history.

Wasn't it just yesterday the Raptors played their first game at the Skydome? They grow up so fast, these sports teams...

Back to reality - the Raps haven't exactly been tearing it up since the All-Star break. They've been inconsistent in all areas of the game and have just been blown out of the water in the rebounding department as of late. After getting beaten soundly by the Rockets and Knicks on the weekend, questions have arisen as to whether CB4 is running out of gas and whether the Raptors will be able to close out the division. Are they looking through their rear view at the Nets and Knicks? Or will they be able to show killer instinct and run away with a division they should win?

Chris Bosh answered those questions tonight with a dominating performance. And he was helped along the way by TJ Ford. Guys are going to have to step up in the absence of Calderon, Parker and now Bargnani, but it's going to come down to the team's best players, Bosh and Ford, to lead the way, and they certainly did last night.

Kris Humphries, Mo Pete, Juan Dixon and Joey Graham are all going to see increased minutes due to all the injuries. Humphries has been good off the bench this year and I think he deserves some more playing time. He can run the floor, something Hoffa could never really do. TJ Ford loves to make late passes when nobody is expecting it, and I've seen Humphries catch the ball and take it to the rim. If that were Hoffa, Ford's pass would probably hit him in the head. I still can't believe the Utah Jazz traded Kris Humphries for Rafael Araujo. Idiots.

Graham and Mo Pete really need to step it up. Mo Pete has seen his minutes go down significantly since the arrival of Juan Dixon, and it's been the right decision. MP3 - another weak, weak nickname - isn't playing with a lot of confidence right now and needs to get into a rhythm down the stretch, especially in the absence of Parker. Mo Pete's in a funk right now and although he probably will leave as a free agent this summer, he needs to finish the season with some "umph" so he can sign a big money contract in the off-season.

Speaking of Anthony Parker, this guy has just been phenomenal. I think with all the injuries - especially the big one to CB4 at the start of the year - Parker has really solidified himself as a marquee player on this team. He's been starting all year and deservedly so. He's better than Mo Pete. He's a tremendous defender and great from beyond the arc. He brings it every night and it's his consistency that keeps him in the lineup. As well as Bosh, Ford, and Bargnani have played all year, when it comes time to pick a Raptors MVP, I think Anthony Parker seriously deserves some consideration.

And how about the trade that brought in Juan Dixon? Bryan Colangelo, you've truly outdone yourself this time. High Five!

What a trade. Honestly, Colangelo for Prime Minister. He fixed the mess known as the Toronto Raptors, people. In only one year! I don't think the magnitude of this accomplishment is truly being appreciated. If this guy can fix the Raptors I see no reason as to why he cannot lead our country.

Fred Jones who? Dixon has fit into this team right from the start and it's like he's been a Raptor all season. He's shooting almost 50% from the floor in his new Raptors uniform, and has hit some big shots in a number of games. When Calderon went down and Darrick Martin was in-active, Dixon even logged minutes at the point. He's versatile and a solid option off the bench. The Raptors are going to need his production even more now that Bargnani is out.

As for Joey Graham, it seems as though he is still an enigma. Doug Smith says it best - you just don't know which Joey you're going to get on any given night, Good Joey or Bad Joey. He's so athletic and everyone can see all the potential, but he just hasn't put it all together yet. Hopefully increased minutes in important games down the stretch will help him out.

The Raptors bench has been it's strongest element all year. This team is leading their division because they are able to score. They just have too many options. But, like any team, they have their weaknesses. Glaring weaknesses. Ok, really glaring weaknesses. The Toronto Raptors can't rebound. Well, they can some nights, but most of the time, they can't. I know, it's a problem...but they can shoot the ball really well!

Now that the injury plague has spread to the Raptors, guys have to step up. It's simple. Just like guys did for the Maple Leafs. It's the nature of sports. However, it will still come down to Chris Bosh and TJ Ford. These guys are going to play more minutes too, and if last night was any indication, the Raptors will be alright.

Bosh had a double-double in the first half and Ford racked up another 12 assists. After struggling for while there after his foot injury, TJ Ford has gotten an emission test or something, because he's running great right now. His dribble-drive, although erratic and out of control at times, is really breaking down defenses and Ford is finding the open man for the open shot. He plays the point like a point guard should, and when he's running like this he's fun to watch.

As for Bargnani, I'm kind of worried about him. His injury conjures up memories of Alex Rios, circa 2006. Rios was having a breakout campaign for the Jays and finally hitting for power before a freak staph infection caused him to miss a month of action. He came back in August and only hit two home runs the rest of the year. His average also plummeted around 15 to 20 points. He lost his mojo.

Andrea Bargnani, over the last two months, certainly has had his mojo going. He was just getting more and more confident with each and every game. I'm beginning to fall in love with the lanky Italian's sweet stroke - those deep three ball's are a beauty. I'm hoping the time off won't mess with his head, like it did to Alex Rios. The Raptors need Il Mago to return to the lineup in the form he's displayed in what has been a marvellous rookie season. Get well soon, Andrea.

Back to last night. After knocking the Magic out of Orlando, the Raptors have a six game lead atop the Atlantic Division. Their magic number sits at nine. Although they're banged up, and are a young team heading down the stretch run, they will get the job done. I know it's a little early, but I'm going to make like Chuck Swirsky and bring out the salami and cheese, because this division race is over mama! The Raptors will be the 2006-2007 Atlantic Division Champions.

There will be playoff basketball come April. Chris Bosh and TJ Ford will lead the way.

It's guaranteed.

Goodnight, Toronto...