So it is almost show time for the 08/09 Toronto Raptors. Everyone is back in town more or less. The unofficial camp is already underway. The Raptors just don’t have to hear Sam Mitchell officially yell at them at this point. But the players are getting together and having their own work-outs.
Some of the guys had already worked out at the Impact gym in Las Vegas together right after summer league. Both Nathan Jawai and Andrea Bargnani got to learn a thing or two from Jermaine O’Neal. The Vegas native promised yesterday that he will be out in the community here in Toronto. I posted a video of J.O’s appearance on The Score from their street party on Saturday.
The Raptors New Trio Of Leaders
One of the keys to all of this pre-camp and training camp is to establish some things. In the past this was a team was lead by one man and that man was Chris Bosh. He still will be the leader and face of this franchise. He has a gold medal as evidence that he knows what it is like to play with the very best of the NBA. But this year the role of leadership will have some help in the forms of Jermaine O’Neal a six time all star in his own right. Also expect Jose Calderon to take a more active role in leadership too.
One of the first things Toronto Fans and Media heard from Jermaine O’Neal was that this was Chris Bosh’s team. He was here to help Chris Bosh and the Raptors get to a new level. I tend to believe J.O means what he says in this case. After the many things he had to deal with as the leader of the Pacers I think a role as Robin to Chris Bosh’s Batman will be just fine with him. The message of better defense will be one that you can expect to hear from Bosh and having someone who will no doubt be the foundation of that defense backing him up will drive that message home.
Meanwhile Jose Calderon is a guy with more cash in his pocket. But along with that comes some added pressure and responsibilty. The first job for Jose will be to mentor the Raptors new back-up at his position. Roko Ukic will need to learn all he can from Calderon so he can make a quick transition to the NBA game and way of life. Jose can pass on his experience as it was not long ago he was in the exact same shoes as Roko Ukic.
But in addition to that Jose will have to get this team to apply the vision that Sam Mitchell has for his team on offense. Mitchell has expressed he has looked back to the days of Ducan and Robinson for some ideas on how to use his two all star big men. It will be Jose’s job to make what Mitchell has come up with work on the floor. He will need to keep this offense clicking and keep the other teams guessing as to where the Raptors are going to attack from next. Jose will need to find away to keep everyone happy and make sure others beyond O’Neal and Bosh are getting touches and staying engaged in the attack.
Big 3 is Earned Not Given…Or It Should Be.
I am not really ready to declare these 3 guys a “big 3″ just yet. But it is clear they will be the 3 biggest factors for the Raptors on and off the floor. Does that make them a ” Big 3″ ? I think success makes you that. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had to go out and prove it. So do the guys the Raptors are counting on in Bosh, O’Neal and Calderon. What may look great on paper still needs to translate into the real world.
Chris Bosh wants to take his game and his team to a new level. J.O wants to re-establish that he is an all-star level player in this league. While Jose Calderon needs to prove that he was indeed the better point guard of the Ford vs Calderon debate. These things all need to happen for the Raptors to have the kind of success that G.M Bryan Colangelo expects. Bryan has created a team that he feels can reach that next level and it is now up to the players and coaches to help prove him right.
Dino Blogger’s NBA Notebook:
Salim Stoudamire the cousin of Ex-Raptor Damon Stoudamire may be heading to where Damon finsihed last season. Stoudamire was a selection out of Arizona and drafted by the Atlanta Hawks. He has been lost in the suffle of young talent in Atlanta. The Spurs hardly ever make mistakes so it could offer a good chance to the younger Stoudamire. For details link below:
Spurs Target Another Stoudamire?
Shaun Livingston had one of the most ugly injuries I can recall in the many years I have watched the sport of basketball. Screw being bias and all of that I flat out am pulling for this kid to make a successful return to the Clippers this year. It is no surprise that Shaun himself is excited about a return. Check out the detail in this article and hear what he has to say by way of Slam Magazine interview from their website.
Ex-Raptor Juan Dixon could be going back to where it all began for him. The former Maryland star may be heading back to the Wizards who are little bit thin now that Gilbert is not going to be doing much other than blogging for the start of the NBA season. This news comes to us from the Washington Post who were pretty helpful to the Dino Blogger in doing the feature on Roy Hibbert leading up to the draft this season. Check out about Dixon and some other news on the Wizards in this link
Darius Miles is back in the NBA in Boston. Well he will be after a ten game suspension for a drug related incident. But is seems at least one of Boston’s Big 3 is ready to welcome Miles with open arms. Miles has been a guy with a load of talent and a lack of production. Maybe he can drink the Celtic cool-aid and become part of a championship repeat with Celtics. Ray Allen is hoping so it would seem. For the details here is you linkage:
Allen Welcomes Miles To Celtics
To wrap up the Dino Bloggers NBA Notebook, I have some advice for someone. Mike Bibby will you PLEASE SHUT UP. Seems Bibby is still talking trash about how his Hawks almost beat the Celtics. The bottom line is Almost doesn’t count Mike, you almost beat the Lakers to when you were with the Kings. But I am sure Mr. Bibby will point out the Ref Scandal and say his Kings were screwed. Well no one screwed the Hawks chances other than Mike Bibby shooting off his mouth and getting Boston fans fired up. But in the spirit of equal time you can read what Mike Bibby has to say for himself in this link.
You Got Game?
Can you play some serious basketball? Maybe you are the next Jamario Moon? Well the Toronto Raptors new D-League affiliate the Idaho Stampede is holding open try outs. These are going to be taking place at Humber College on October 5th and 6th. So for anyone that thinks they have what it takes you can have your shot. Here is a link to full story from the Stampede Website.
Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Bryan Colangelo, Celtics, Chris Bosh, Clippers, D-League, Damon Stoudamire, Hawks, Idaho Stampede, Jermaine O'Neal, Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon, Mike Bibby, Nathan Jawai, Salim Stoudamire, Sam Mitchell, Shaun Livingston, Spurs, Wizards
September 22, 2008 at 11:46 am |
Hi Dino Nation Blog!
Do you think Bosh is a top 10 player in the league and Do you think he is better the Dwight howard?
aAnd what is you top ten players in the NBA?
September 22, 2008 at 12:20 pm |
First thing, James is cool, Dino Blogger is also cool..Dino Nation Blog is all of us.
Ok now to your questions:
I said in a fantasy Draft feature I wrote on here that I would take Chris Bosh in the late First Round of an NBA Fantasy Draft. In a standard draft there is 12 teams so that would mean that if Bosh is not in my top ten he is knocking on the door. I think this season could see him establish himself in that type of level.
Howard Or Bosh?
Both do well in the systems they play in. Howard is not as skilled a player and Chris Bosh. But Bosh is no where close to Superman as far as body type and raw atheltic ability. I think Howard is the better player of the two. However it seems in head to head match-ups Bosh seems to rise up to a higher level than Dwight. At least it had been that way until last year’s playoffs in which both played well.
The 2 are always going to be linked based on the actual friendship they share that goes back to Bosh’s days at Georgia Tech. Also the experience they have shared on the U.S Nataional team.
As for top 10 NBA Players. I reserve the right to use this one on a slow news day for the blog. But to give you a small preview of who is on that list:
Kobe Bryant
Lebron James
Chris Paul
Kevin Garnett
Dwight Howard
Vince Carter…LOL OK I AM JOKING
Yao Ming
Ok that is some but in just doing that short list it made me realize that is going to be tough to answer. But I will try to remember to include this in a blog prior to the season starting. Thanks for the idea.
September 22, 2008 at 1:37 pm |
I think you can call the Raptors trio a big three. They’re the most important to the Raps success and the drop off to the fourth player is very large (unless Bargnani can close the gap), which pushes them to the forefront.
But just because they’re the Raps Big Three doesn’t mean they’re as good as several other team’s trio’s which unfortunately is the case.
September 23, 2008 at 8:24 am |
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