Just In Time For The Season- Dino Blogger Makes Picks

A Super Season Is Almost Here

Alright much like when I was in school I have put this off till the last possible minute. But it is time to make some choices for the upcoming season. Let’s Start with who will win the awards for Individuals. I will tell you who I think will win all the awards in the NBA. Let’s start with an easy one. Well at least I think it will be an easy one.

ROY- Rookie of the Year

Dino Blogger says your winner will be: Greg Oden

When we talk about all these awards, part of it is performance and part of it is the politics of how they are selected. Greg Oden would have been locked in a tough battle last year to win the award with Kevin Durant. This season he is just better than any of the guys drafted this past June. Also he is going to be on an improving and rising Portland squad. It doesn’t hurt that the media already thinks Oden is the second coming. So sorry to all you guys drafted in June, Greg Oden is going to steal your glory.

6th Man

Dino Blogger says your winner will be: Rodney Stuckey

Yeah I am going out and taking a major risk. I mean why not play safe and take say Lamar Odom, who will be coming off the bench for the Lakers. That would be a safe pick. But I just see more of a role for Stuckey in Detroit and the guys on that team are not getting any younger. He is no doubt a fantasy sleeper but in reality he is a sleeper to win this award and I think he can.

Most Improved Player

Dino Blogger says your winner will be: Thaddeus Young

I admit I am not really sure exactly what makes you the MIP. But to me, it is the guy that takes the biggest jump from last year to this year. Thaddeus Young on a team on the rise in the Sixers fits the bill for me. His team will be better and he will be much better. Did you see him versus the Raptors this pre-season? He made a pretty strong case as to why he just might be one of the rising stars in this league. He could also be in the mix for 6th man award as well.

Defensive Player Of The Year

Dino Blogger says your winner will be: Tyson Chandler

I really wanted to pick Ron Artest. But come on he could go crazy at the drop of a hat. I see a big season for my former favourite team. Tyson Chandler gets to focus on defensive end in New Orleans and I think he has as good a shot as anyone to win this award. He may not be the first person that comes to mind when you think of this award but if the Hornets can have a good year his play on the defensive end will be a big part of it. Adding another good defender in James Posey will not hurt.

Coach of the Year

Dino Blogger says your winner will be: Stan Van Gundy

He got the screwed out of his Job and a Championship in Miami. Pat Riley thanks a lot. He wasn’t even suppose to have the job he has now. But he showed last year to the fans of the Orlando Magic that he was the best man for the Job. When you have Superman playing for you it sure makes you look like a even better coach as well. I think that he will ride the cape of Superman all the way to Coach of the Year. But part of why Dwight Howard and everyone in Orlando is getting better is Stan Van Gundy. This may not make up for what Pat Riley did to him but it sure is a step in the right direction.

M.V.P

The Dino Blogger says your winner will be: Dwight Howard

Lots of folks will be in the mix for this award. Even Raptors own Chris Bosh has declared his desire to win this award. Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett and a number of others can all make strong cases for being the leagues best player. I just think that when you look at the award and who is the of most value to their team it builds a strong case for Dwight Howard. He also may be a tad bit motivated at the fact that Chris Bosh was widely considered better than him on team U.S.A. That will only serve as motivation to Howard to step it up to a new level. The rest of the NBA should all fear Superman. I know that one day this pick will be correct. Dwight Howard will win an M.V.P in his career.  I just think it might be this year.

So that is the awards for the individuals. But this is a game about the teams right?  So let’s take a look at Who I think is making the playoffs. We will start in the West. I am not going to do records as I have no desire to work out the math to see if it is possible for team to reach win totals. I will just give you 1 through 8 in order.

1. L.A Lakers

2.New Orleans

3 San Antonio

4. Portland

5. Utah

6. Houston

7. Phoenix

8. Denver

Left on outside looking in: Dallas, Golden State

I will venture to say the one thing that jumps out about this, is the fact I have Portland winning the Division and having home court advantage. Some may say this is crazy but I just think the Blazers are a team full of talent. Greg Oden should only add to what was a team on the rise. As for my teams on the outside of Playoffs. Mark Cuban made a mistake bringing in Jason Kidd and it was a wrong move. The effects of that continue this season. Golden State has serious issues at point guard and by the time they get fixed it will be far to late in the Western Conference.

So on to the Playoffs:

Round 1

Lakers over Denver

Hornets over Suns

Spurs over Rockets ( The Curse For T-Mac Continues)

Utah over Portland

Conference Semi-Finals

Lakers over Jazz

Hornets over Spurs

Conference Finals

Lakers over Hornets

Now what you came here for the Eastern Conference:

1. Boston

2. Orlando

3. Detroit

4. Toronto

5.Cleveland

6. Philadelphia

7.  Atlanta

8. Miami

On Outside Looking In: Wizards, Knicks

This was much harder than the West to figure out. EA Sports picked the Heat to go to the NBA Finals. I am not that crazy but I could see D-Wade having a bounce back season and getting the Heat in the Playoffs again. I have the Raptors with home court advantage against Cleveland. I am really concerned about this pick but it is what I was thinking before the season and a bad pre-season is not going to change my mind. I also feel Bryan Colangelo is not done. There is another move out there that Colangelo will find that makes this team better.

Now the other thing you are wondering Playoffs:

Round 1

Celtics over Heat

Magic over Hawks

Sixers over Pistons

Raptors over Cavs

Conference Semi Finals

Celtics over Raptors

Magic over Sixers

Conference Finals

Magic UPSET Celtics

Yeah that is right if Mickey Mouse can be a registered voter in the United States, why can’t Dwight Howard follow the path of Shaq and lead them back to the NBA Finals. If this happens the Magic would be making a huge leap as a franchise. But I think the time has come for the Magic in year 3 as a playoff team with this group I think they know enough to win and are young enough to not think they can’t win. Besides all of that everyone and their brother is saying Celtics and Lakers again but even back in the glory days of Bird vs Magic (Johnson) the odd time a Houston Rockets or Detroit Pistons would pull an upset and mess up the Laker vs Celtic rivalry. So I see the Magic as those spoilers this year.

The Finals:

Lakers over Magic

The Lakers have just to much for even Superman to stop. I mean you have to think Andrew Bynum added to the mix makes the Lakers that much scary. So Kobe will get his ring without Shaq and all will be right with the world. That is at least how I see it in theory. But to quote Chris Berman from football….That is why they play the games. That starts tomorrow.  I know I had promised to share some thoughts from Eric Smith on the Lakers from our recent Interview. Well Lakers are playing tomorrow so I will save that for then. Those are my picks what do you think? I will give you polls for NBA Champion and M.V.P. if you want to add thoughts on any thing else your thoughts on anything else feel free to leave a comment.

Polls

And You M.V.P Is Who?

So with that I am now on the record for the 2008/09 season. Will any of my picks be right? I have no idea. I do my best to use what I know to come up with picks that make sense. I don’t claim to be a basketball expert but I do work very hard and pay attention to what is going on just like you. So take these picks for what they are worth. You can feel free to make cases for you own picks in the comments. I like to hear what you think hopefully as much as you like to hear what I think. So tomorrow it all begins a brand new season that will over a lot of excitement for all fans of the NBA.

2 Weeks And Counting

Want to start today and address something I read in Doug Smith’s Blog that went against what I found out in my interview with Matt Devlin. The question was asked of Doug about the coverage of Raptor Pre-Season Games. Here was his answer:

As far as I know right now, none of the games are to be televised but I would expect the two out in L.A. as part of that four-team  pre-season tournament might turn up on one of the American networks because in the past, they have.

Will let you know more when I find out.-Doug Smith Toronto Star

What Dino Nation Blog said:

The first thing I wanted to ask Matt was something I have been hearing Raptor Fans asking about. That is about the pre-season and coverage of games. Matt said that the details are not all set but you can expect to see Raptor Pre-Season Games on television(Raps T.V likely). You may even to get to see games live as opposed to the game in an hour format. He suggested that all the exact details should be made public at a later point so make sure to keep an eye out for that info.-Dino Nation Blog…Sept 12th

Did the Dino Nation Blog get a scoop? I guess we will have to wait and see but based on the conversation I had with Matt Devlin I would say we did. Also it is the Dino Nation Blog Policy to send a copy of all interviews to the person I talk with to confirm all info is correct. This was done in this case and I got an e-mail from Matt confirming he looked over the interview. Whatever the case will see what happens and Matt did say to wait for the details so that is what we will do. But since the start of Raptors TV, I can not recall a season in which they did not have some form of preseason coverage even if it was in the “Game in an Hour” format.

In the same blog by Doug Smith he mentioned that several Raptors are in Toronto already getting set for the season. Anthony Parker, Hassan Adams and Aussie Nathan Jawai were among the names he menntioned. Andera Bargnani is also expected to be in town very soon. These are all signs that it will not be long until this new version of the Toronto Raptors is hard at work preparing for the season. It has been a long summer and it is nice to see the signs of the season coming to start appearing.

How You Can Help Dino Nation Blog

This will be the second season of the Dino Nation Blog and the first training camp and pre-season. I am excitied about it and look forward to providing info and opinion for another season of Raptors basketball. I wanted to reach out to folks in the Ottawa and Edmonton areas that will be going to events in those cities. Dino Nation Blog is interested in any photos or news reguarding the Raptors that you may be able to get or have knowledge of in your local market. That way the Dino Nation Blog can share it with everyone. This also is a good time to mention that we have a new contact e-mail. So for this and any other reason you may have to get in contact with the Dino Nation Blog you can use this address going forward:

dinonationblog@sourcecable.net

The reason for the change is that I have changed to a high speed internet connection. It has been a eye opening experience to have the full power of the internet and not to have to wait for long peroids of time to watch videos and what not. It may mean in future I will add more video based content as it is far less trouble for me personally to access it. But whatever it means it will make it easier for me to access more infomation so I can do a better job for you the readers of the Dino Nation Blog.

Coming Soon….Dino Nation Blog Chat

Speaking of which I am thinking of holding one of our Chat Events soon. It seems like a good time to have one with Fantasy Basketball Drafts almost ready to start and training camps about to begin. If you have a suggestion for a good time for this to happen your free to leave a comment. I will do my best to pick a time that allows folks to have a chance to be a part of it. I enjoy the chance to interact with the readers of this blog and I feel that some of the loyal longtime readers have become friends to me. I love the passion that you all share for the Toronto Raptors and for this blog. It is great to have the support of such great fans of the Toronto Raptors.

Team Dino Nation Blog -CB4 Fantasy Football

On The weekend I had a good run in the CB4 fantasy football league on Rotohog. So go team Dino Nation Blog. I have three Dallas Cowboys still to play and hopefully they come through for me. If you are signed up for the league as well would love to know you team name. If you want to still sign up read the blog ” Can You Beat CB4 ” or go to Chris Bosh’s website listed as part of the website list on the blog.

The Week Ahead

I am always hard at work looking for people to talk to about the Raptors and other basketball related things. I have one interview I will be working on. The focus of that is going to be about sports collectables. I am not big into this sort of thing personally but I do own a Vince Carter and Damon Stoudamire rookie cards. Will they ever be worth anything? I guess we will find out among other things. If you ever have a suggestion for things you want to read about in the blog you can always send an e-mail or join the blog’s group on Facebook if you like like. There is a link to on the main page of the blog among our listed sites. You the readers of the Dino Nation Blog can always have a voice in what you would like to read about. I can’t promise you that I will always be able to make it happen but I think it has been established that I work hard to provide as much info as possible and if I can make something happen I will.

So thanks for reading and being a part of the Dino Nation Blog. The response to the most recent interviews with Matt Devlin, Paul Jones and Eric Smith have been outstanding. Seems each time I do an interview the more people find out about the Dino Nation Blog. That is part of why I do them but the main reason is to get you folks more info. So if you have recently discovered the Dino Nation Blog I want to welcome you and encourage you to share this blog with your friends and family that have a love for Raptors and basketball. It says in the Dino Nation Blog History page that I value the readers of this blog and I do.

CB4 and Superman

Thought I’d close today with some wacky fun from Youtube as Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard were very excited about being guests on Oprah. Check It out:

24 Things On Dino Blogger’s Mind

Today I don’t have a topic in mind. So I just thought I would fire out some questions and comments that have crossed my mind lately. Feel free to add some of you own or respond to the ones I have provided. So I got a 24 things on the shot clock before the buzzer sounds so let’s go:

1. In general is there any loyality left in the sports world be it fans, management or players? I want to think so but it gets harder everyday.

2. Can you be a fan and a journalist at the same time? I know I have heard from a lot of media folks that you can’t but I try. I love what I do but I don’t love it enough to stop being a fan as well

3. What is the Raptor Offense going to look like come next season?

4. Can Nathan Jawai be as good as I honestly think he can?

5. Why are we in such a rush to talk about guys leaving and contracts ending?

6. Why can’t Canada win a medal in the Olympics already? On a side note how is Leo Rautins still coach of Men’s Team?

7. Vince Carter is cool with rebuilding team in Jersey? How am I suppose to buy that?

8. What will be the end game of all this Europe vs NBA stuff. Will I need to start learning names of Euro League Teams?

9. Who will be the first ever Raptor to get his number Retired?

10. Could I hold my own in an interview with Sam Mitchell? No I don’t have one lined up but just wondering if I could?

11. Is the Eastern Conference finally good?

12. Where will I and this Blog be in 5 years?

13. Will my hometown of Hamilton some day have the Raptors D-League Franchise?

14. What would Mark Cuban do if he was NBA Commisioner?

15. How will T.J Ford do as a Pacer?

16. Is this Raptor Team a Legit Contender in the East?

17. How is it going to be that first game without Chuck Swirsky? I don’t think it will hit me till it happens.

18. Will the Raptors make a trade this season? For who?

19. Will a day come when bloggers like me are considered part of the real media? Is that day already here and I just don’t know it?

20. When will Toronto host an All-Star Weekend?

21. Who is going to be the Raptors Starting small forward? Moon? Kapono? NOT Joey Graham can that even be possible at this point?

22. Is Kris Humphries the odd man out based on all the Raptor player moves?

23. Will Steve Nash ever win an NBA title and is that going to happen with the Suns?

24. Could Dwight Howard end up being an M.V.P someday?

BUZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!! That is it now it is your turn if you want to add a comment or ask some questions of your own. Tomorrow we go back on the Olympic Trail as United States plays Greece as part of Day 3 of Men’s Basketball.

Overtime: 3 way Trade:

Cavs make a 3-way deal with Bucks and Oaklahoma City. Mo Williams is heading to Cleveland as the headline of this deal. For the rest of the info check out a link to the deal with all the details of this trade:

Cavs Trade For Point Guard

Game Over, Season Over And Questions Begin

Raps End Season of Falling Short Of Expectations

 

Win or Go Home it is the slogan for TNT PLAYOFFS and the Raptors reality on this night. Only 8 teams in NBA history have rallied to win from 3-1 down to win a series. Golf legend Tiger Woods would be watching this one from the crowd. Raps could use some of that Red Magic of Tiger in the Red Jerseys. Andrea Bargnani had 2 fouls in 20 seconds that was not a good start for him. Raptors were off to an ugly start and Magic were off to a 10-2 start causing Sam Mitchell to call time out early in the first. Raptors could not afford to play from behind their success in that scenario is about as good as Tiger Woods coming from behind in a Major. Woods has never done it and not team in this series after losing the first quarter has ether. Raps made a quick response with an 8-2 run to get back to with in just 1 point after the time out. Bargnani was kept in the game despite his 2 fouls. Jose Calderon checked in and hit a 3 and Raps had first lead of the night. Calderon would hit another 3 at the buzzer of first quarter to take a 4 point lead and if you believe in stats the win. 26-22 with 3 quarters to play.

 

Raptors extended the lead to 7 worth both Bosh and Howard on the bench to start the second quarter. Carlos Delfino who fouled out in last game was playing well on this night he already had 8 but picked up 2 quick fouls. Both coaches were working the officials hard to get calls. Magic would trail the majority of the quarter but would finally take a lead with under 2 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Ford would score on the other end of the floor and then would get sent to the line the next time down of an Orlando turnover. Ford scored again and had the last 5 points for the Raptors. It would be good enough for the Raptors to have a slim 50-49 lead after the half.

 

T.J would start half way he ended first scoring. Magic would respond would respond with a three pointer. They would get a steal and a score and gain a slim 2 point lead over Raptors. Magic were scoring off the transition and getting a few easy baskets. Chris Bosh was struggling shooting 4 for 13 in the game and struggling to score. He was battling hard on the glass though with 4 offensive rebounds. A tight ball game was developing much like the last one played in Orlando in Game 2. Keith Bogans hit a key three point shot to give Magic a 3 point lead. Bogans has been an underrated player that has had some key baskets in this series for Orlando. Carlos Delfino was able to draw 2 fouls on Dwight Howard giving him 3 on the game. Raptors went cold near end the end of the quarter and Chris Bosh would get a technical foul for arguing a call. Magic were up by 6 points and now 7 thanks to tech. Raps would end up trailing by 5 after 3 quarters in Game # 5.

 

Raptors had 1 quarter left in the season if they could not find a way to rally and get a win in this game. Bosh finally reached double digits in scoring early in the 4th getting to 10 with a dunk. Jason Kapono if this series should end tonight would be the hands down MVP for the Raps. Chris Bosh made his first trip to the line with 7:16 to play in the game and only split the two shots. Raps were down 5 points and really need to make a push. Bosh next trip to line would take less then a minute and Howard had his 4 foul but again Bosh would go 1 for 2. Costly misses in a close game. Raptors were down just 2 points ironically If Bosh made his free throws they would be tied. Keith Bogans again was taking and making a key 3 point shot to give Magic a 5 point lead. Magic would quickly extend it to 7 points. Raptors were on the ropes. Dwight Howard picked up his 5 th foul and that could be a huge thing for Toronto. But it may have been to little to late for Toronto. Another Magic 3 point shot by Jameer Nelson could be lights out for the Raptors in this game and the season. It would take a real reversal of fortune to avoid losing this basketball game. Bogans again would score another 3 pointer an Magic were up 11 and this game was done and so was the Raptors season. Raptors were just falling apart down the stretch again. Dwight Howard hard his 3 rd game of 20 and 20. This was a coming out party for Howard and the Raptors were the just guests at his party.

Was it the last game for a lot of folks with Raptors. That is for Bryan Colangelo to decide over the coming months. But on this night it was not as much about that as the sick feeling of a lost season. Changes will be made no doubt. But there was lots of time to address that. For now it was second straight year of one and done for the Raptors.

Boxscore of Game 5

No Podcast Tonight look for one tomorrow on the entire season.

 

Raptors Can’t Letdown In Game 4

Raps And Dino Nation Blog Need To Stay Grounded

There have been points in writing this blog were there have been some direct parallels between this blog and the Toronto Raptors. It would be easy to have gotten a big head for me after getting mention on Raptors.com. thousands of folks have now visited the Dino Nation Blog. Before yesterday they never even knew we here. The Raptors in game 3 had a very dominant and impressive win. It would be easy for them to think they have now found the answer and can beat the Magic. But both the Dino Blogger and the Raptors need to keep grounded and do what we do. I can only speak for myself and say that I have my feet back on the ground today. That does not mean yesterday was not fun and exciting for me. It was and I got many messages of kind words from people. It was great I said to one person It was like I won the some kind of award. But you must move forward and take the positive feeling with you. The Toronto Raptors need to take all those good things they did in game number 3 into this afternoon.

 

The biggest reason the Raptors won game 3 was the play of the point guards. Why many people including me picked the Toronto Raptors to win this series was based on the huge advantage at the point guard position. Jameer Nelson in game 1 and 2 was better then Forderon. After game 3 he was done in a heap due to back pain. Well Nelson is back on his 2 feet and will play today. But he must play better then he did in game 3 which might be a tough task if he is not back to 100%. Just because he is playing is no reason to think he is a 100% and at playoff time it is not like anyone is going to tell us. The Raptors on other hand have a healthy T.J Ford and Jose Calderon and they need a repeat performance of game 3.

 

Chris Bosh numbers wise was not that impressive in game 3. But done get fooled by the boxscore into thinking Chris didn’t have a good game 3. He was passing out of the double teams and traps and that allowed his team to move the ball and get many open looks which they cashed in on. Bosh is an unselfish superstar and understands that as long as his team wins it doesn’t matter if he scores 4 or 40 he will take it. He has grown to have trust and faith in his team. He also is not afraid to put demands on them to their own various jobs. He can do that because he is not just the franchise player but he is this teams hardest worker and that is a combination that makes his coach Sam Mitchell smile. It makes his job much easier to do. Sam just has to come up with a game plan and deal with the media. No doubt the pressure is off a little bit on Sam who has been feeling heat in media over his job security. He says he never reads it and he is just focused on winning basketball games. But honestly you know he may not read it or watch it but he is well aware what people have been saying. It may just be the motivation Sam Mitchell needs after all he was declared dead last season and instead of being fired he got a brand new contract and a huge raise. Sam as an ex-player knows what it is like to feel the pressure and come through and he does it as a coach. I can say Sam has the Dino Nation Blogger pulling for him to prove people wrong.

 

Stan Van Gundy has no such worries in Orlando no matter the result of this series. He is no Billy Donovan and that likely is a good thing because Orlando may not be where they are without Stan. After the terrible way he was forced out of Miami I admit I am happy to see all Stan’s success heading north in Florida. The Gators can keep Donovan because the Magic Organization and their fan base have to be thrilled with what their new coach has done this season. Stan is good friend of Jack Armstrong the Raptor announcer and when I talked with Jack awhile back in our interview for the blog, he had nothing but great things to say about Stan Van Gundy. I also think his comments about game 2’s last shot were a classy move on his part. He basically came to the aid of Sam Mitchell in a way by what he had said. Seems a strange thing to do during a playoff series. But it was just proof of the respect that most coaches have for one another. So I give him a ton of credit.

 

So What are the keys to Game 4? I will take a shot at it. I don’t have terms like Mr. Hamilton. In fact I don’t even have a name for it. But here they are none the less.

 

3 Keys For Both Teams:

 

Raps:

 

• Ball Movement: The Raptors are most effective when they move the ball and make good looks into great looks. It is the key of any good Raptor win you want to look at in this modern version of the Raptors.
•  Defending the Arc: Close out and contest and contain. That is a big key to keeping the Magic quiet. A Dwight Howard dunk no matter how jaw dropping still only counts for 2 points. A Rashard Lewis Open look from deep counts for 3. It adds up.
•  Strong Start: Playing with the lead I said was a key for the Raptors in this series. In game 3 they did just that and they won the game. The crowd at the ACC was a huge help in getting ors out of the gate fast.

 

Magic:

 

• More Superman: Why does this guy not get more touches. He needs them and he deserves them. Superman is getting turned into Mighty Mouse if he doesn’t get more touches. Not that Dwight Howard looks a thing like Damon Stoudamire.
•  Just Play: Fans are crazy and Refs are screwing us. So what shut up and play. I mean Hedo Turkoglu has been big for Magic in this series but Hedo can’t lose it and get technical fouls. Superman Sucks is fine but about the only way that is true is at the line. Howard needs to make free throws on the road. If Orlando advances It will get no easier for him moving forward.
•  Find Shooters: Jason Kapono has killed the Magic. They need to be aware of the shooter on the floor starting with him. Problem is Raptors have a lot of them and should someone like a Andrea Bargnani or Anthony Parker get got based on people flocking to Kapono they would look bad. So quickly realize who is hot and who is not.

 

The crowd at the ACC is doing a great job. They also need to bring their game today as well. I have no doubt they will be up for the challenge of bringing the noise. Chris Bosh has a big smile these days because his Raptor fans listened to his words and have stepped up there game as he requested. The game 3 win will mean nothing if they do not follow it up with a win today. So go out there and get it. Raptor Rewind Win or Lose but we always hope it is win here at the Dino Nation Blog.  

Fans and Raptors Get It Done In Game 3

Red Hot Crowd

I have had my issues with the fans that fill the ACC over this season. I am always willing to give praise just as easy as I give blame. The crowd last night was amazing and truly were the sixth man for their basketball team. Even a chant for T.J Ford. I admit it almost brought a tear to my eye. You all know what a supporter of Ford I have always been. It was a proud night for myself and any Ford fan. Jose Calderon fans can be happy this morning as well. Both point guards were great and did a tremendous job and were the number 1 reason the Raptors had a win last night. It was a proud moment for anyone that has stuck by this basketball team. The talk had all been so negative and to remain a supporter of this team was not an easy thing in this past few days. So for all of you out there that have done that yourself a pat on the back you have earned it.

 

Jameer Nelson did not make it out of the ACC on his own two feet last night. The Magic point guard collapsed on his way to the locker room for back pain. It was said that Nelson was fine later but what exactly fine will mean is unclear. Being an ex-football player (back in high school) I have had my back issues as I have gotten older. The problem with any back issues is they are very hard to judge. Sometimes you can have pain for an hour and be fine. Other times it can last for days. The one thing I can say for sure is that the Orlando Magic need Jameer Nelson. He was a major reason his team sits today with a 2-1 lead in this series. I am sure everyone will keep on top of the status of Nelson heading into game 4.

 

Another thing that was interesting and perhaps scary if you are a Magic fan. Chris Bosh was really a minor player in the Raptor win. I say that in the sense of scoring and stats. What happens if he starts getting his as well. It could have been an even more impressive win for Toronto. But looking closer it was the things the Magic did in defending Bosh that allowed the rest of the Raptors to shine. Bosh has took a lot of heat from fans and media. This whole idea of him being soft which can be traced back in recent time to the comments of Stephen A Smith. But it as always been a question for Bosh since he was drafted. He is never going to beat Dwight Howard in a gym on the bench press or any other work out exercise. But he has heard the comments of bulk on his 6 foot 10 frame since he was drafted from Georgia Tech. Bosh seems far less concerned with it then everyone else. He has developed his game using the tremendous speed advantage he has. Over the years it has lead to coaches trying to defend him with smaller players. Even sometimes throwing a small forward on Bosh. Bosh understand he is not going to win if Dwight Howard and CB4 meet on WWE Raw. But this is basketball and he and his friend are able to bring their different skill sets to the floor and both be effective.

 

On the other side of this battle. The crowd in Toronto chanted Superman Sucks. Ironically which was created by a Canadian. But the modern version of Superman in an Orlando Magic jersey was not getting any love at all. The crowd really made a weak point of Dwight’s game an even more difficult task. Foul shooting is a major strength for Bosh and he has never given those tips to his friend Howard on how to make them. Howard still had a fantastic night with 19 points and 12 rebounds. But the difference of changing arenas makes some things more of a challenge for Howard. I will say that Dwight Howard is a fine human being and a great basketball talent. The fans last year were all over Vince Carter because they honestly hate him. The thing with Howard is not about that. I don’t think to many honest basketball fans will say that Howard sucks. If you do you honestly have no idea. But the amount of noise is the same towards Howard and Vince is the same. It is just the content directed towards Howard is far more civil in nature. The things people yell at Vince Carter are not fit for printing.

 

Raptors broke 5 playoff records for the franchise and tied another. It was a great night overall. But the biggest thing the Raptors must have to do is keep focus and not lose the intensity they showed in Game 2 for 3 quarters and through the whole game in Game 3. They must have the same effort if they hope to go back to Orlando tied 2-2. Defending home court only makes us all aware there will be 6 games at least in this series. But you really feel the tide had turned in this series. The last shot Bosh missed could have had a negative impact on this team but instead it seemed to give the Toronto Raptors confidence. That would be grown through the tremendous show of support. That started far before last night’s game. Raptors surprised the players with allowing a few thousand fans into the ACC for the teams shoot around. Who ever had that idea deserves a bonus cause the result of the game was that good. But if they don’t win Game 4 it will all mean little.

Forderon LIVES and Raps Win Game 3

T.J Ford Is Reborn In Game 3

 

I said this morning lots of people had lots on the line tonight for the Raptors. A shift in the line up with Bargnani over to the 5 spot and who would start at the 3 position. No one was sure. But the smart money was on Jason Kapono.  T.J Ford has lived to start another day though and that was a surprise. Bosh saying T.J needs to shoot more also was for most Raptor fans. If anything they would prefer T.J was on the bench but Bosh does not seem to share that opinion. Jamario Moon would get the start his first playoff start. Crowd was jacked and the Raptors would not allow a big run early which they had in both games in Orlando it was a decent beginning not great but decent. In fact the Raptors would start a run lead by the much talked about T.J Ford who looked on his game and the rest of his team mates were following his lead. Andrea Bargnani also under heavy pressure was playing well too. Raps were in uncharted waters with the lead after quarter number 1 by a score of 28-20.

 

The second Quarter was all about the point guards. First Jose was in and played very well hitting a few nice looks but then T.J came back. The T.J Ford show is not always a good thing but on this night it had very high ratings. T.J was a one man army and leading the charge as the Raptor lead grew and grew. T.J even made a 3 he could do nothing wrong. The crowd even burst into a T.J chant. It had to feel very good for Ford who has been the Raptor whipping boy for quite sometime of many fans. Ford as I suggested this morning needed to prove something tonight and I doubt he reads this blog but you would think he did by his first half performance. Raps were rolling like we had not seen in a longtime. 61 first half points and a 21 point lead.

 

Lewis would start 3rd quarter nailing 2 straight 3’s and that prompted Sam Mitchell to burn early time out. Magic would fight back in this quarter but Howard would get sent to the bench with his 4th foul. both teams were clearly frustrated with the officials. Hedo Tukoglu would get technical foul and many others came close to drawing them. The Refs were not the friends of ether team. But the Raptors were in the lead heading into the 4th quarter. Raptors had an 11 point advantage to play with heading into the 4th quarter.

 

The Toronto Raptors have had their issues in 4th quarters but on this night there would be no problems. The Raptors would dominate. Jason Kapono was making shots once again. The crowd who at times in this season I have taken to task was just unreal tonight. They deserve an assist on the score sheet.  Raptors owned the glass tonight as well. Basically everything that they did wrong in Orlando they did right on this night. After all the negative talk we all the sudden had a series again. The point guards Ford and Calderon were great and after Jameer Nelson out played them in games 1 and 2. The bench had 42 points for the Raptors as well. Raptors won in impressive fashion 108-94. Magic still had the series lead at 2 games to 1 but they had to have their confidence rocked in this basketball game. Could they recover enough by Saturday to avoid going back to Orlando all tied up at 2-2. That will be determined Saturday but for now Raps had a win and confidence. Both baldy needed. 39 points(Ford 21) 16 assists(Jose 13) 12 rebounds and 2 Ford steals. So tell me again why we need to trade one of these guys. Forderon is a great thing when working correctly. Jamario Moon had 11 points and 10 rebounds for a double double in his first playoff start. Superman was more human with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu was the games high scorer with 26 points. Bosh had a quiet night with 15 point 5 rebounds and 5 assists. For the rest of the numbers check the boxscore below:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2008042428

Dino Nation Blogger Exclusive Podcast

Breaking NEWS:

It was learned after the game that Jameer Nelson starting point guard of Orlando Magic Collapsed due to Back Pain. It seems Nelson will now be O.K and able to play in Game 4 Saturday in Toronto. The source for this was Eric Smith’s Blog of the Fan 590 04/25/08

Raps Charge Back But Fall 1 Short

Howard Gets Better Of Bosh Again

 

The mood in the Toronto Raptor fan base was like a bunch of angry citizens that wanted change. To calm the restless natives it was key the Raptors got off to a better start then in game 1. But not just a start these people want a win and are in desperate need of it. To deliver that win that the fans were craving the Raptors would have to play defence at a level they had not done in quite some time. Chris Bosh would also need to answer the challenge that had been laid down by his friend Dwight Howard in Game 1. If you want to have the nickname Superman you better get the job done when it matter most. Howard did just that in game number 1 with a monster double double of 25 points and 21 rebounds.

 Well so much for the fast start fans wanted Magic had a 12-2 run and a 14-4 lead thanks in part to Raptor turnovers. T.J Ford was off to a rocky start and Raptor fans were restless early. Raps were struggling and making uncharacteristic turnovers. Orlando truly looked dominate and Raptors were struggling to get any kind of offence what so ever. Jameer Nelson was taking Calderon off the dribble with ease and Ford had been awful. The best point guard in this series to this point was Jameer Nelson by a mile. Magic were up huge again shooting 54% in the quarter and they had a 35-18 lead. Raps meanwhile were shooting 33% not good at all.

 

Raps would start second a little better but already in a huge whole again. Jose Calderon would pick up his 3rd foul and be forced to leave. T.J would return and was playing better which honestly wasn’t hard. But Jason Kapono was keeping Raps in this game. From there it was Ford and CB4 getting Raptors moving the right direction. Stan Van Gundy would call a couple time outs to try to stop the Raps run. They had a 10-3 run going and were closing fast. A Kapono 3 pointer and amazingly the Raps were back to with in just 4. Hedo Turkoglu had a flagrant one foul on Chris Bosh and Raps were with in 3. There was an initial thought Hedo had been tossed but it was not the case. Chris Bosh was given all he had with 2 fouls against him he took a chance and drew a charge. Chris Bosh hit a 3 pointer as well he was on fire and Raps had drawn even on a Delfino lay up. But this quarter was all about Bosh. Raps were down just 2 at the half after a truly inspiring second quarter rally lead by CB4. The Raptors were really in danger of being totally koed in this series for good. But that quarter may have saved the Raptors and a few jobs.

 

Could Raps carry over the Momentum. Good start for Bargnani as he hit first two shots and raps had first lead of the series.Raps lead would be short lived as the Magic pushed back and capped off by a Howard power put back jam causing Sam Mitchell to burn a time out. The Magic would continue the run extending there lead to nine on a Jameer Nelson 3 point shot. But seconds later he picked up his 4th foul sending him to the bench. Magic would be looking to hold that lead while he was out as he has been huge for Magic so far in this series. Dwight Howard was picking up the slack for his Magic. But Howard picked up a tech for talking smack after a Howard dunk.  To the displeasure of the Magic crowd. Raptors battled back to with in 5. Despite CB4 being a non factor with just 4 points in the quarter after having a monster first half.

 

4th started on a sour note for Toronto with back to back turnovers on their first 2 possessions of the quarter. Magic made them pay both times scoring. But the Raptors would rally behind Jose Calderon and the would get this game close with clutch shots from Calderon and company. But the game would come down to 4 plays down the stretch. The first was Ironically a basket made by Hedo Turkoglu. That basket gave the Magic a one point lead. Chris Bosh would then have a chance to take the lead but Howard would block the shot or did he foul Bosh. Referees said it was a clean block and Magic had the ball. An offensive foul on the inbound play with 9.6 seconds left would give the Raptors on last chance to win it. The ball again in Bosh’s hands he would get an open look at a jumper but would miss and The Raptors lose 104-103 going down 2-0 in the series as they head home to Toronto for Game 3. Again the bad start could be pointed to for Toronto as reason they lost. But they did an incredible job to get back in this game and had a chance to win it. They came just one play away from a victory. Howard had 20/20 night again with 29 point and 20 rebounds. Bosh had 29 and 10 for Toronto. Kapono Calderon and Delfino were all great off the bench the 3 combined for 54 points off the bench. After leading the team in scoring in game 1 Anthony Parker at 0 points in game to. The starts beyond Bosh struggled. Sam Mitchell promised changes for game 3 and the way Ford and Bargnani played they are the likely candidates to change. Rasho may get moved to bench as well as Raptors seemed to elect to play small and Rasho was not used hardly at all on this night.

Game 2 Boxscore

Dino Nation Blogs Game 2 Post Game Podcast

Can Raptors Rebound Among Other Things

I Think I Can Stop Superman…Or Maybe Not?

The days seem to get very long between playoff games.That is especially true when you have a game like the Raptors had in game 1. There was a lot of folks talking about a lot of things that have nothing to do with this basketball team winning game 2. Talk of Sam Mitchell and if he will remain as coach of this team beyond this season. The future of T.J Ford and if he will remain part of this basketball team. Andrea Bargnani and his future development. None of these things matter as far as this playoff series. The Raptors were exposed badly and the Magic shot the lights in game number 1. Toronto can improve from game 1 and that would not be that hard. Let’s face it the start of game 1 was embarrassing but if you can look beyond that awful first quarter the Raptors actually did not do to badly. But one of the keys I had mentioned prior to this series the Raptors need to play from the lead. That means getting off to a good start and forcing the Magic to play from behind.

 

Dwight Howard was a problem in game 1, blocking shots and contesting anything that came near the paint. The Raptors should look to capitalize on that aggression and go at Howard. The thing the Raptors have done successfully in the past with Howard is getting him into foul trouble early and making him play back on his heels as a result on defence. This is the best way to stop Superman because fouls can force him into playing moral like the average person. Howard accounted for over 50% of his teams rebounds in game 1. That is a staggering stat. Much like Toronto  the Magic have trouble rebounding based on the fact they have so many outside shooters. But if Howard is allowed to run wild and grab twenty plus rebounds it takes away form that disadvantage. Winning the battle on the glass can help the Raptors a great deal but it takes effort. Something that was clearly lacking in game 1.

 

Much as been made of the Raptor defence or lack there of. I have said many times through this season it begins with the point guards and ball pressure. Jameer Nelson is not Steve Nash and the Raptors did a good job of making him look like it. T.J Ford wants to get some fans back on his side then use that speed and don’t let Nelson breath on defence. The other thing that has got a lot of play is how you  approach defending Howard. Many think Raptors doubled Howard to much and that lead to the many open looks from beyond the arc. The Raptors need to accept that Howard will get his and just foul when the can send him to the line. I will say this Howard did a good job from line in game 1 but can he hold that for an entire series. I don’t think many beyond the Magic Kingdom think he can. But if you decide to just man Howard and use few to little double teams that must mean that there are absolutely no 3’s that are open looks.

 

I have followed this team for to long to not think that because everyone or almost everyone has given up on them that means anything. In fact this team seems to rise up when most feel it was dead as a door nail. One thing I have learned about this team in 7 playoff games between last year and this year. Anthony Parker is a guy that steps it up when it matters most. It seems when the playoffs come around we get to see the best of AP. We also saw the reason why Bryan Colangelo wanted to get Jason Kapono. He also stepped up his game for the post season. But more have to join the party for the Raptors to get wins in this series.

 

That part must begin with the guest of honour which is of course Chris Bosh. So far we have yet to see that big playoff performance from Chris Bosh. The Magic have been a team that in the regular season Bosh has had some of his best games as a pro. We need to see a few of them in this series for the Raptors to ultimately be successful. The one time the Raptors had any kind of playoff success it was because of Vince Carter. I know that reality may hurt some folks but it is true. Vince in the Raptors only playoff run of note was key player in both the New York and Philadelphia series. Others chipped in like Alvin Williams but it was all about V.C. This series has been built around the match-up between Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh. Much like the series with Sixers and Raptors were Iverson and Carter had a battle for the ages. If Bosh and Howard can be half as good as that fans would be in for a treat. Howard did his part in game 1 and Bosh needs to do his part in game 2.

 

If not the mood for Game 3 in Toronto could turn ugly fast if the Raptors come home down 0-2 and have a slow start. Fans are not exactly thrilled with this edition of the Raptors and the cries for changes will get louder with each Magic victory in this series. The Raptors need to mute their detractors with a win and the sooner the better. The time for excuses is over and the time for getting things done is now. If not the Raptors may not have the same people around next season. There is lots of talk about how this team gets along and has a family feel. Well if that is true to save the family they need to play well in this series.  We will have the Raptor Rewind win or lose.

 

It Was Over Early, Magic Take Game 1

Superman Shines As Bosh’s Raps Fall In Game 1

 

Here we go Game 1 and the chance to advance is in front of the Raptors. The Raptors came very close to that goal of advancing last year and the regular season was not as good but the chance to move forward is very real for the Raptors. But those are just words could the play on the floor match all the words that have been said over the past four days? That is why we watch to find out. Surprise starter for raps was Andrea Bargnani in place of Moon. So we have are first surprise of the series before the opening tip. Raps needed to get off to a great start and Magic start shooting 7-7 and had an 18-8 lead early. Not the start Raps had in mind. T.J Ford was not having a good start to the playoffs. He was doing to much which is not a good thing. Jose Calderon would check in with Raps trailing 32-17. The Magic were just on fire from 3 point range. The Magic blew the doors off the Raptors in the opening quarter scoring a Magic Record 43 points in a quarter. That is also a raptor record for most points allowed in quarter in the playoffs. Magic shot 80% in the quarter that is just crazy.

 

The second quarter was more of the same. This was just an absolute nightmare start for the Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh and T.J ford were a combined 2-14 in the half. The Raptors made a late push in the quarter but were still getting hammered at the half. a little help from a reviewed basket that would get taken away but the Raptors were still down 60-47 and in bad need of a halftime lecture about defence.

 

Could the Raptors pull of some kind of comeback? Well they gave a solid effort in the third quarter of play to try but the Magic still lead by 10 going into the final quarter of play. Bosh picked up his 4th foul late which could be key. Raptors just never could climb into it. They would never hold a lead in this entire game and ultimately lost the game in the first quarter. The closest they would get is to within 5 points but Magic responded and closed out this game to take a 1-0 lead in this series with a 114-100 win. The surprise move of adding Andrea Bargnani to the starting line-up was a failure. He scored just 5 points and had 3 rebounds in 28 minutes on the floor. Dwight Howard was great in this basketball game and had a 25 point and 22 rebound effort. He was a huge difference maker for his team. Honestly Chris Bosh was not for his team. The Magic as a team shot the ball well and Raptors did not. Raptors defence on the 3 point arc was non-existent at times. Magic won the battle on the glass as well out battling Toronto 42-35 with Howard accounting for over 50% of that.

 

The Raptors really did just about everything wrong in this game as far as following the game plan they should have had for this game. Chris Bosh was able to get to the line making 13 of 13 attempts. Jameer Nelson was good for Orlando as well in a series where he was though by many to be not as good as ether Raptor point guard. He had 24 points and 7 assists while T.J Ford struggled scoring just 5 points shooting 1-9 from the field. Jose Calderon had 9 points and 8 assists. But Jameer Nelson was the best point guard on this day and that is a surprise.

 

Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker both had good efforts despite the loss. Parker had 24 to lead the Raptors and Kapono lead the bench with 18 points. As bad as it looked early in this basketball game and it did look very bad, Toronto was able to play a good competitive 3 quarters in this basketball game. Fans will likely only remember the terrible start and many might have tuned this game out. But things must improve. T.J Ford needs to do a better job if he hopes to remain in the starting line-up and the Raptors as a team must play good defence from the opening tip. These things need to happen if Raptors are to have any chance in this series at all. It did still does not take away the disappointment of how this team started this basketball game. It was very disheartening for fans and I am sure for the Raptors themselves. Raptors cannot beat this team playing from behind. It will not work and it has to change and change fast. If Raptors are to win this series they must win game two in my opinion and it is shared by many. We will all find out what this Raptor team is made of in game 2.

Game 1 Boxscore

Podcast For Game 1