The Return Of Ray

Ray Allen Can Finally Smile

It can be confirmed that Ray Allen still is a member of the Boston Celtics. Last night Allen was big for his Celtics in taking a 3-2 series lead over Detroit. Rajon Rondo on the other hand was almost big in handing the game away to the Pistons. Rondo has been up and down in these playoffs and last night was a big low. In the final minutes of this game he made key errors on both ends of the floor. The young player that was impressive even if it was in a losing effort was Rodney Stucky. He was the complete opposite of Rondo and except for making a shot he was suppose to miss and vice versa he was fantastic. In what had to be the biggest game of this young man’s career he stepped up large. Going to a small school as he did the bright lights of the NBA Playoffs are not stopping him from being a key part of the Pistons success in these playoffs.

He may need to be as well, as late it this game Rip Hamilton was injured and is questionable for game 6. In a play late in the 4th quarter he injured his arm. A sprained right elbow is what is being reported and that is a big blow to the Pistons if he is not able to play or not be at 100%. He has been a key player as he was last night till he got injured late in the game.

Bulls Have A New Coach?

 

Doug Collins could be stepping out of the broadcast booth and back behind the bench in Chicago. This is an interesting move if it is on the money. Collins does a great job in his role as an NBA Analyst. His coaching record has had it’s ups and downs. He has worked with some great players over the years like Michael Jordan, Scott Pippen and Grant Hill. Can he get out of the Bulls what could not be done by Scott Skiles. He will at least not have to deal with Kobe Bryant trade rumours and be it Beasley or Rose will have a great young player to work with. Something he is not a stranger too. My only question is will he be able to deal with Chuck Swirsky? Just joking of course.

Lakers Can Wrap Up The West 

The Lakers will be looking to clinch a ticket to the NBA Finals. Shockingly the NBA has not reversed that call at the end of game 5 and agreed to replay the last 3 seconds. But seriously this issue has got WAY TOO MUCH attention. Lost in all of this was the fact the Lakers lead this game and at times dominated the Spurs. I do not think much will change in that regard as the Lakers can see a huge chance at getting an upper hand on the winner of the East before the tip of game 1 of the Finals.

Garbajosa  Future???

 

I had someone in the comments yesterday mention Jorge Garbajosa. It seems the slow and steady approach is being taking with his rehab. The lawsuit that MLSE has filed against the Spanish Basketball Federation is looking like it will be settled out of court. Which if the Raptors plan on keeping Calderon is good news. However Garbajosa is another matter. It has been my thinking that it would be highly unlikely to seem him be a part of the Raptors future. I always felt that athletically he was just good enough to handle the NBA. After this long battle to get back I have no confidence he will be athletic enough to do the same things he did prior to his injury. I like Garbo and admire his no nonsense style of play but I do not feel that his body is going to be able to be at the same level. Colangelo has always been upbeat about it but you got to think he is concerned about this as well. A buy out of the last year of his contract could be a realistic and unfortunate end to Garbajosa and his time with the Raptors. I don’t know anything or have any inside info on this just saying based on what I see it could be a reality. Unfortunately he would have zero trade value being out for as long as he has been and people having no idea of how truly healthy and the type of player he can be going forward. He did get a bobblehead though not bad for a guy that played basically one season with the team.

 

Today In Jose And T.J News

Just to clear up some misconceptions about this whole Jose Calderon is untouchable stuff. Bryan Colangelo has never said this. All this was is a rehash of what Colangelo has been on the record as saying as far back as Feb /08. Which is that Colangelo will match any offer placed on Jose Calderon. This does not mean Calderon could not be part of a sign and trade deal. I don’t think that is likely to happen but Bryan Colangelo is not going to hang up the phone if someone calls and wants to talk about Jose. There is only one person I have heard Colangelo deem as untouchable on the Toronto Raptors and that is Chris Bosh not Jose Calderon. Meanwhile that talk continues about T.J Ford being traded continues, there is so much of it hard to know if any of it has any merit at all. I know not all will agree with me but I feel bad for the guy he must feel like Paris Hilton at this point. T.J is talked about more these days than any famous star you can think of in the tabloids and that ISN’T HOT for Ford or his Fans.

Chris Bosh Talked To Mike Ulmer On Raps.Com

Not much to this interview a lot of background stuff on Chris Bosh. If you are expecting something hard hitting you will be disappointed. But if you are just a Bosh fan you might want to give it a read:

Bosh Interview On Raps.Com

Raps Start Draft Shopping

Offseason Plan Starts To Get Put Into Action

The Toronto Raptors are all quiet about the draft. But they will be in Orlando with the rest of the NBA to check out some of the top prospects. But Bryan Colangelo says it is also a chance to explore the trade market. So if you haven’t heard enough T.J Ford and Jose Calderon trade rumours you can expect to hear a lot more over the next little while. The draft itself Colangelo was playing things close to the vest. That is a wise move seeing as Raptors are in the middle of the draft. After the pre-draft workouts in Orlando teams are allowed to start workouts for their own individual teams. Colangelo suggested that up to 40 players could be making their way to Toronto to audition for the Raptors. So if that is the case it will not be easy to figure out where the Raptors plan on going. Still it will be interesting to hear the comments on a few of the front runners in eyes of the experts. Doug Smith had a good short list on this topic in the star today. There is also some quotes from Bryan Colangelo on these issues of draft and trade talks. But he is not showing his hand about anything.

Doug Smith May 27th -The Toronto Star

The point to all of it is we are starting to get closer to answers rather than rumours. After all if rumours counted for anything Kobe Bryant may not be a Laker and instead a Bull.  Eric Smith does not like talking fantasy trades much and I agree with that. Their will be lots of time to evaluate the actual moves this team will make. But for those who like the rumours and speculation you are going to be able to find a lot of it. The draft is a target point for movement to happen as team look to move up and down and in some cases out of the draft altogether. Draft work outs for the all the teams will also add to that. Prospects will get narrowed down and teams will start to shape their draft boards. Should a prospect impress a team enough it might be worth moving up the draft to get him. If not it could mean a chance to move back in draft and save some money against the cap. Some teams will even try to get out of first round to avoid having to give a guaranteed contract.

Four teams have the NBA Championship still in focus for this season. The Detroit Pistons kept their dreams of a title with a big win in game 4 last night. The Celtics have stuggled to get consistant play out of the point guard spot. Rajon Rondo has had some bright moments in these playoffs but last night was not one of them. Sam Cassell has not added much to the mix as well. Chancey Billups has struggled to stay healthy and it seems clear he is not at 100%. But in true ” Mr. Big Shot” fashion he nailed a key 3 point shot in a game where both teams were ice cold from long range. But Billups came through when it counted and this series as become a best of 3. If you are a fan of defence this series has provided you a lot of that.

In an interesting twist of fate the NHL and NBA have been having a turf war in Detroit. In Canada the Red Wings vs Penguins Stanley Cup Final is winning that war in the media. No shock in that in Canada. But in Hockeytown of Detroit the Pistons are not impacted by it to much. Where the real impact is felt is in NHL ratings south of the border. You have the NBA on ESPN that is easy to find in any market and you have the NHL on the VS. Network. There was a story in around 1994 that the NHL was closing the Gap on the NBA. But today in 2008 this is a Slam Dunk for the NBA in the United States. Here in Canada the NBA will always play second to the NHL but it is growing the numbers of fans for basketball. The Raptors can be successful in improving that.

They plan on trying to build that national brand this year. Their are plans in place to have the Raptors training camp on east coast and a plan to have a pre-season match-up in Vancouver feature Steve Nash and the Suns vs. the Toronto Raptors. Bryan Colangelo I think is a smart enough guy to understand the unique opportunity that the Raptors have by being Canada’s only NBA Franchise. It has always been a goal of the Raptors to build that cross country fan base since the Grizzles were moved to Memphis. They have never really taken much advantage of it. Colangelo will of course be first and foremost trying to build a winner. Which ultimately is the best advertising campaign you can have is winning. However, Colangelo is also going to try and reach out to the rest of this country and slowly build in roads from east to west in Canada. Another hope would be some day their could be a Canadian grown player that is good enough to be considered by the Toronto Raptors. To have a real home grown talent has always been a hope of mine but that hope has yet to be realized.

Meanwhile in the Western Conference, the Spurs are in the Same Spot they faced in the last round. But the huge difference is Kobe Bryant is on the other team this time. If the Lakers can steal game 4 this series could end in a short 5 games. When you look at the Eastern Conference Final it is going at least 6 and no one would be shocked to see it go 7. If the Lakers could manage to finish the Spurs in 5 games that would be a great advantage. Detroit or Boston would start the finals with a disadvantage. But as many people say in sports it is always a great challenge to knock off the defending champions and the Spurs will be no different. Much Like the Pistons it is a must win for the Spurs though defending Champions or not.

So it was nice to have a day off to recharge my batteries. It has also been nice to see more comments coming in as of late. I enjoy reading your thoughts and it is great to hear what you the readers think. So keep the comments coming. I also want to mention if you really want to have a say and keep in the loop on what is going on with the Blog you are welcome to join the Dino Nation Blog Facebook Group.  You can see what things are in the works for coming blogs and info on our Live Blog Events. You can even make your own suggestions and opinions on stuff you would like to see and read.

Game Blog 2

 

Betting Away His Future?  

Talk on Barkley in the Half-Time part of today’s blog

 

PRE-GAME

Celtics can now no longer ignore their lack of road success in these playoffs. The will have to win in the Motor City if they hope to advance to the NBA Finals. I picked the Pistons in 6 games and think this series is setting up to perhaps go that way. If you can’t beat Atlanta and Cleveland why should I have any faith the Celtics can win in Detroit on of the tougher places to play in this league. The answer is I don’t and that is why I picked Pistons in this series cause I had more belief in them as a road team. Boston was lights out on Road in regular season but this is not the regular season anymore.

In the other series I am not sure what can be made of the 20 point comeback of the Lakers. I personally thought they would walk over the Spurs in Game 1. But the way they did win might be more damaging as opposed to a blow out win of any margin. Spurs are the champions but not the favourites and have never been able to repeat as champions. I am going to be interested to see what kind of a game we get in the second one of this series. Spurs did do good things to build a twenty point advantage but it seemed when Kobe flipped the switch to on position the Spurs were in trouble. My guess is Spurs will do what they do in the nasty department to inquire about Bryant’s back and it’s condition. That is risky though do you really want to make Kobe mad at you? Raptor fans know all to well what Bryant can do and he did that when he said he was not at 100%. Scary stuff.

Time for the First half of my weekly co-production with Mark or the Raptors Core. It is are weekly game of Q&A. I call it one on one, he calls it 24 second Rapid Fire, Hopefully you call it good reading. Just a reminder if you would like to throw in your questions from the crowd for a future edition of this feature you can send your question to either of us. We want you input. That is why we have started doing the Live Blog Events together. To get to know our readers and hear what you have to say. This is another way you can do that.

1st Half

1. MR: Should the Chicago Bulls draft Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley with the first overall pick on June 26?

JB: I would almost think Chicago could use this pick to do something like Boston did last year. It gives them a lot more options beyond Beasley and Rose. Based on what the Bulls have on the current roster, if you are keeping the pick, I think Rose is the guy for them based on the performance of Kirk last year.

2. JB: Are the Detroit Pistons running out of time as far as adding another title to this successful era?

MR: I think they’ve reached that point now. It’s not like their stars are extremely old but they are aging andpeople need to keep in perspective just how long these guys havebeen together. With Rasheed, it’s been almost five seasons and it’s actually six when you consider the Pistons were good the year before he got there too. I like Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo but I think the Pistons are good enough to be that old team that gets back to the Final Four every year but are only good enough to lose. My opinion is their streak of consecutive Conference Finals will end next season.

3. MR: Of the teams in the top five picks, who do you think is the most likely to trade out of the draft altogether?

JB: The Bulls, based on the fact they have a stockpile of youth and are in need of a veteran leader to pull it all together. It is always a risky move to trade away the number one pick but it is something the Bulls could look at realistically. The Bulls cannot get a player that can solve the major problem of this team, which is leadership. They tried to find it in Ben Wallace and failed but that doesn’t mean the idea of a veteran leader was a bad one.

4. JB: Who is the most over hyped player in this draft pool from what we know at this point?

MR: It’s hard for me to answer this since I don’t know about every player projected in the first round. I would’ve answered this with O.J. Mayo from USC very early in the college season but now I’m not so sure. I don’t think anyone’s praise is off the wall or undeserved based on what I know about them.

5. MR: Will the Toronto Raptors move up or down in the draft, or possibly out altogether?

JB: I can’t see Toronto going out of the draft altogether. I am concerned at the cost of moving up. I think if they stay where they are, they can find a player that can address the needs of the team. Beyond the first couple players in this draft there are no sure things. Even a guy like O.J. Mayo is a bit of a question mark in how good he will be. This is a deep draft of non-superstars but quality role players.

6. JB: Is Bargnani in play in trade talks from Raptors point of view?

MR: I’m sure Bryan Colangelo will listen to calls about Bargnani because there have to be a few scouts and general managers out there that see the exact same things in him that BC does. However, this is the same reason why I think Bargnani won’t be actively shopped. His rookie season earned him the benefit of the doubt to get another chance in his third season after a horrible sophomore campaign.

7. MR: Aside from Roy Hibbert, who would you like to see the Raptors take a look at with their 17th overall selection?

JB: Any guy that is a big that has the building blocks of a post game, some defensive ability and rebounding. This is the type of player the Raptors lack. I would also like to see them stay away from Europe and get a guy that is an NCAA talent. I understand it should not matter but I think at this point, a guy that is used to North America can step in right away without any social changes to deal with.

8. JB: Is there a number that is too much for Jose Calderon as far as his contract goes?

MR: I’ve said before I think I’d max out around $10 million as the highest-paying year of the deal – that doesn’t mean he’d average that much over the entire term of the contract. I think something like four years, $35 million would be good deal. T.J. Ford got a four year extension worth $33 million before the 2006-2007 season and I don’t see why Jose should get a lot more than that other than the fact Calderon’s a restricted free agent and may get higher offers to match.

9. MR: How have you enjoyed the first couple games of the Conference Finals?

JB: Not so much. I mean it kind of went as I would havethought it might as far as winners. The Lakers’ comeback was impressive but the result was, in the end, the one you expected. Still, there is lots of basketball to be played and you have three very experienced teams anda favourite with the MVP trophy looking for a championship. It is likely because of my age but I am not looking forward to an L.A. vs. Boston Final but given the other choices, it may be the best series from an entertainment standpoint.

10. JB: How important is Rondo to what the Celtics have done this season? Does he get enough credit playing alongside those other three guys?

MR: I think Rajon Rondo is very important to the Celtics and he’s surprised people. He’s very quick, slashes well and has provenhe can defendpoint guards in this league with his decent size. He deserves credit for stepping up to the plate when so many people said the point guard spot was Boston’s glaring weak link but in the end, it’s the Big Three that opened things up and made the game easier for Rondo. It’s a two-way street.

11. MR: How good is Kobe Bryant and can his Lakers win the Championship in June no matter who they end up playing if they beat the Spurs?

JB: I would have said yes and not given it a second thought until Kobe had his back isssues. The thing with a back injury – as anyone that has experienced back trouble will tell you – is it is not something you can predict when and if it will come back. If Kobe is at 100%, I feel it is the Lakers’ title to lose but Gasol andOdom with a lesser version of Kobe Bryant cannot win. So be it Boston or Detroit, it still will be about Kobe’s health.

12. JB: Do you miss the high school players in the Draft?

MR: I can’t say I do. For every high school phenom like LeBron James, there are about ten high school failures that were tempted into entering the draft before they had discovered their game, learned enough and honed their craft. Even Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant needed time. David Stern did the right thing by implementing the rule but I think his push to raise the limit another year is ludicrous. It’d just be stopping young men from making one extra year of professional living and that shouldn’t be Stern’s choice to make. It’s no longer about protecting them.

Half-Time
 

Charles Barkley is one of my favourite on air people that covers basketball. The fact he owes gambling debts or gambles at all does not matter to me one bit. But I am certain that David Stern does not share my view on this subject. Technically speaking Stern has no control over Barkley’s job status. However Stern if he wants to make something happen he usually finds a way of doing it. I am hopefully this is not the case but I am fearful for Barkley’s long term future in broadcasting in the NBA. Truthfully if he wasn’t so good at what he does he would have long been given his pink slip. When you have lost 11 million in gambling debts I don’t think you can afford to lose your job, even if you were an NBA legend making millions for years and years. We have seen people go down this path in sports from being wealthy to poor in what seems like overnight. I hope that is not in the cards for “Sir” Charles.
2nd Half

13. MR: Do you think Anthony Parker’s unwillingness to shoot the ball at times this past season was a direct result of the hand injury he had surgery on Wednesday in Toronto?

JB: He will say no, but it would seem obvious that if he is not 100% healthy, it would have to have an impact on his play and choices he would make during a game.

14. JB: David Stern wants teams to tone down intros. What do you think about this?

MR: I think this is just Stern turning his attention to something new to pick on. Honestly, how often are intros a problem in a game and who is hurt by them in any way? I can see what he’s talking about but it’s not worth the time.

15. MR: If you were Pat Riley, what position would you be trying hardest to fill before the season starts – point guard or center?

JB: Well, first, I do not have the hair to pull off Pat Riley. It really comes down to what the plan is in Miami. If you are keeping Shawn Marion and Dwyane Wade, you would likely want a point guard to take advantage of those players’ strengths. But if not, you want to get a big man and build the new team through him. Based on depthin the draft, they could get a nice big man in round two that will not be a star but could fill the role. I know Riley was high on Beasley, though, and may want to flip picks with the Bulls to make sure he gets him.

16. JB: Have rumours about trades got to an insane level in your mind?

MR: Not yet, that will probably start in about two to three weeks when the Finals are winding down and the Draft is the only thing people are talking about, as well as pending free agency. I love the rumours because most of the time, you can tell which ones are total crap but it’s still good to have something to talk about when only four teams are left playing.

17. MR: Will T.J. Ford still be a Raptor as of June 27, the day after the draft?

JB: Why not? I have stuck to my guns this far. The thing some Raptor fans may not want to hear is that Calderon could be the one moved. I am not in favour of that even though I am a Ford fan. I just don’t see the interest in Ford that would gain the Raptors more than what they would lose. The other issue is that every time Colangelo picks up a phone, the name he will hear back is Calderon and not Ford. T.J. is an amazing talent but far too great a risk given his contract and injury concerns. Ford, at the deadline, after a healthy season and productive one becomes a more attractive asset. Colangelo may end up forced into a move but if it is his choice, I think he wants the best value he can get. Is there anyone that Colangelo feels is more valuable than Calderon? That is the real question. But the movement of Ford or Calderon will not happen as soon as people expect.

18. JB: What are the odds of LeBron James signing a new contract in Cleveland if they do not reach another Final by time his current deal expires?

MR: I think even if the Cavaliers reach another Final, LeBron James could be out the door in the summer of 2010 when so many teams are clearing cap space to take a run at him, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and others. I’d put the odds at something like 40% right now because it’d probably take a Championship and additional star-worthy personnel to keep him out of a huge market like New York.

19. MR: With all the Carmelo Anthony rumours floating around, do you really think he’ll be moved before next season begins?

JB: It all depends on how much of a headache he is to the Nuggets. I think his off-court issues have become a big issue for Denver. It creates an even more toxic situation if you move him based on the fact Allen Iverson will not exactly be thrilled unless he can be convinced it improves the team. Hard to imagine a trade that sends Melo out of Denver that makes that happen. Allen Iverson wants to win now because the clock is ticking on his career.

20. JB: What team is most in need of trading up in the draft now that the order has been set?

MR: This is an interesting question because there are a few teams but I’ll give it to the Indiana Pacers. Jamal Tinsley has too many off-court issues to be the long-term point guard there, despite his skill. You have to believe the clock is ticking on Jermaine O’Neal if anyone else is interested in him. That leaves Danny Granger on his own to fend for himself so they need more young talent down there.

21. MR: When you look around the league, what three teams seem most likely to pull off a blockbuster or semi-blockbuster trade between now and October?

JB: 1. Chicago: They have a lot of parts and now the #1 pick so they seem likely to do something.
2. L.A. Clippers: Elton Brand will be back and they need to build a team around him.
3. Portland: They havelots of parts with Oden andRoy. They could use a vet to depend on and guide them.

22. JB: Do you think draft prospects in general are picked apart too much or overhyped?

MR: Yeah, I think the prospects in every major North American sport are put under a microscope from an earlier age every few years. These guys are being ridiculed before they even go pro and it’s hard to deal with but I guess it helps them in the long run.

23. MR: Call it now in May 2008 – what team will have the best overall record next season and what team will have the worst overall record?

JB: Best: The Lakers – look at how good they are without Andrew Bynum.

Worst: I will go with the Milwaukee Bucks based on the fact they seem to be in quicksand and have made a lot of bad choices. A new GM will help but it may take some time.

24. JB: Beyond Hoffa who was the worst Raptor First round pick all time?

MR: Aleksander Radojevic in 1999 probably. Jonathan Bender was in the same year but immediately traded to the Indiana Pacers for Antonio Davis.

Post Game Show- Raptors
 

Is there any team that has not had T.J Ford or Jose Calderon traded to them yet? I mean this thing is just getting stupid. You may say where there is smoke their is fire. I would counter that with who is creating the smoke? I think it is clear that Jose Calderon no matter where he plays next year will be getting paid very well. But I am not sure if he will be worth the number that the team he plays on pays him. If that team is the Toronto Raptors I am very concerned. Bryan Colangelo has worked hard to maintain his flexibility and paying to much for Jose could make that all go away. Calderon is a very good player but he is not a guy that would be worth putting the franchise into a Cap hell. Ford again may end up the ultimate winner in all of this and once again not for the right reasons but all the wrong reasons. However this all plays itself out it is going to be an uncomfortable situation for fans of the Toronto Raptors.

Another concern is Andrea Bargnani. I do not want to jinx this kid, but if he doesn’t work-out next season and the Raptors stay to the plan to hold on to him, what value will he have left? I think if there is a market for Andrea Bargnani it needs to be explored. Toronto may just not be a good fit for him based on where he is forced to play. The only other option would be trading Chris Bosh and letting him play his natural spot at the 4. I am not seeing that happen anytime soon. Bosh is a proven player in this league and Bargnani is basically at this stage just a prospect. The hope would be Bargnani gets it and starts to show signs of improvement but playing out of his element as a center makes that seem less likely. I am much more concerned about this issue over the on going Ford and Calderon issues. After all however that plays out raptors still have a very talented point guard either way. But should Bargnani and his stock as an NBA player bottom out you are left with nothing but a 7 ft draw to sell some jerseys to people in Italy and Canadians of Italian background.

NBA Final 4

Conference Finals…Kobe and Lakers The Favorites

Well the Hornets gave it a game effort but in the end the experienced Spurs ended the New Orleans season. So now we are down to the final 4. In the East despite everything we end up with the match-up people have been banking on since early in the season. The Celtics have not taken the easy road to get there. The Pistons had to endure an injury to their point guard but still were to much to handle for the Superman and the Magic. The Pistons should provide the greatest challenge to the Celtics so far. They have a better advantage off the bench and an experienced and battle tested starting 5.

The west sees the experienced Spurs taking on Kobe and his improving supporting cast. Bryant has been a huge factor for the Lakers all season and this series vs the Spurs should be no different. Spurs meanwhile will have to face a quick turn around to face the Lakers in Game 1. They also face that fact of not having been able to repeat as NBA champions. Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol will be key factors needed to show up for the Lakers and help Kobe. The issue of Kobe’s health will also be put to the test as it seems clear the Spurs have no issue with testing people’s injuries. Some will say the Spurs are dirty and others say they just play tough. Which ever it is Kobe will need to be careful to not aggravate his injury.

Dino Blogger Picks: (9-3 So Far in Playoffs) (On Money Last Round: Lakers in 6, Spurs in 7)

Boston vs Detroit

I think the Pistons experience as a group will win the day. That is why I say it will be Pistons in 6

San Antonio vs L.A Lakers

Lakers are going to take advantage of the fact it has taken a tough road for Spurs to get this far. Kobe has his eyes on a title and I think it will be hard for anyone to stop him. Lakers are very capable of knocking out the champions. They will not play scared like the Hornets did in game 7 last night. So Lakers in 6 again.

I have been getting ready for the Live Blog Event so I just had time to do picks and a few thoughts. If you would like some more in depth preview of the Conference Finals check out Mark over at Raptors Core here is link to his Conference Finals Preview as well as Review of Round 2. Click Here To Check it Out

So tonight I am trying something new. A live blog event. I invite all readers to come join me and find out together who will be picking first in 2008 NBA DRAFT. Here is the link for you to join in the live blog event:

NBA DRAFT LOTTERY LIVE BLOG

Hope To See You There!!!

Down With The King

King On Clock In Cleveland

The King is dead for another season but not without on last great performance. Paul Pierce was exceptional as well as the only member of last year’s Celtics it seemed fitting. For the Celtics it is on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2002. The Cavs are left to wonder what went wrong. After a trip to the Finals on the back of King James they now fall painfully short. Lebron James has to wonder if he has a long term future in Cleveland. The clock is ticking on Cavs management to find some help for Lebron James. They attempted to do that this season but it is clear they have failed. The Toronto Raptors need to learn this lesson as well. Both James and Bosh signed 3 year deals that have a player option for a fourth. Should the Cavs and the Raptors not find the answers to their respective Franchise Players satisfaction both could take their skills on the road. The reality is both players have very little help on their respective teams. James more so than Bosh, but few would argue that fact that both are basically a one man show in a world of “Big Threes”. Bosh does at least have some quality point guards to play with but that is starting to look like that will get cut in half. If it brings him another star type player to play with it is acceptable. Lebron on the other hand is really a man on an island. Ben Wallace is a shadow of his former Piston dominance, Daniel Gibson is a nice role player but that is about all and Delonte West is not a point guard that can help either. The truth is you can poke holes in the entire Cleveland roster. They are better than the Raptors for the simple fact that Lebron James is better than Chris Bosh. No Newsflash in that statement. But what would be is if James ends up leaving the Cavs for the Big Apple that would be front page stuff. Bosh leaving the Raptors would be a crushing blow as well. So you have 2 years to get it right Cleveland and Toronto and the clock is ticking.

The Celtics are proof that you can change over night. They have created a window to win and they are two steps away from doing that. But two very hard steps indeed and the fact it has taken 14 games to get to that point will not serve them well. The Pistons earned some rest that their most important part needed. Chancey Billups has declared himself 100% and ready for action. If you are talking about a window that is almost shut that is the Detroit Pistons. If Rasheed wants to be buying more title belts for his team they will need to stop the Celtics who have been the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde act. Unbeaten at home 8-0 and winless on the Road at 0-6. Can the Pistons break through and win in Boston? If they can based on first two rounds you would have to think it is likely. But the Celtics have found ways to win despite all of it and seem to be able to answer the bell when pressed to do so. The big three has not been really working at full capacity and Ray Allen has yet to do much to be considered a huge factor. Pierce has been up and down and Garnett has been solid but not as dominant as many might have imagined. In the end the winner of this series may end up being the runner-up in the end. I would give the Lakers, Spurs and even the surprising Hornets that advantage in a series vs. Boston or Detroit.

The Lakers seem to be the favourites in my opinion and many others. They have had a fairly easy road to the Western Conference Final. The Spurs or Hornets will face a quick turnaround to have to face the Lakers in Game 1. It has been a hard fought series between the Spurs and Hornet and both teams have taken lumps along the way. The Hornets have had David West not going at 100% and the Spurs are a veteran team that has had to deal with a young challenger that has given them all they can handle. Both seem right to be taken apart but I rested and more healthy Kobe Bryant. After that the team that advances in the East should be not trouble. Kobe Bryant has been the force driving the Lakers to higher heights than one could have imagined. It is a long way from demanding a trade to the NBA Finals.

Toronto Raptors maybe can take a lesson from all of this. In this civil war of the point guards all seems lost and things seem completely hopeless. Just like things looked like in L.A this summer. Sometimes things do not always go the way they seem to be heading. It may be rambling in search of some positive answer out of all of this. But the Lakers were going to trade their best player and it was only a question of when and not if. But things change and circumstances can improve. So maybe we all need to think of that when the latest Jose and T.J story comes along. Just a thought. Dino Blogger is taking tomorrow off to prepare for our live BLOG event. I hope you folks will enjoy it and take part in it.

What’s Up Doc??? Eastern Excitement

Doc Rivers Feeling The Hotlanta Heat

Pistons and Celtics Eastern Conference Final may not be the lock that many people felt at the start of the playoffs. I personally said that the Celtics would win in 4 and Pistons to take 76ers in 5. I don’t feel bad about it after all many had same conclusion. So what did everyone miss when looking at these series. Nothing really, sometimes in sports the underdog just step up and answer a challenge. The most famous upset in recent memory was the Denver Nuggets over the Seattle Sonics. That was back in the days of 5 game first round series.

If the Hawks knock out the Celtics in a seven game series it would be a more impressive thing. But the odds of that happening is very long indeed. You can bet that people in Cleveland will be cheering for Atlanta. The Celtics were suppose to be built for the playoffs. They had a great regular season that was even better compared to what even the most optimistic expert would have imagined. Doc Rivers was the runner-up for the NBA coach of the year. Now you have to wonder what good that will do him if the Celtics fall short of the Finals. If they lost to the Hawks you may even wonder how safe his job would be it this kind of environment. Avery Johnson was fired in Dallas with a over .700 winning percentage. Mike D’Antoni is said to be in trouble in Phoenix. The pressure to get it done in the playoffs from owner and general managers can be great. Raptor fans are saying if these guys can be fired, why is Sam Mitchell safe in Toronto. Expectations is the answer, no one saw the Raptors as a legit title contender this season. The thought was they may take a step forward towards that, but instead took a step back or sideways depending on your point of view. The answer of how good or bad a job Sam Mitchell did will be determined a little more clearly when we see what the Magic do against Detroit. That will say a lot about how good the Magic are going against the Pistons. If the Magic defeat the Pistons you may want to rethink how good or bad a job Sam Mitchell did. Should the Pistons easily toss the Magic aside that will say something too.

There is no question the Philadelphia 76ers opened many eyes wide with their effort against the Pistons. It also makes you wonder if the Pistons days as a contender are coming to a close. A young Dwight Howard who is riding high coming off his first ever series win over the Raptors will be a huge test for Detroit. The Pistons had no trouble last year sending the Magic packing. But this is clearly a very different group that stands in front of them this season. How many people had a Cavs vs. Magic Eastern Conference Final. I can tell you not this blogger. It would seem that the Cavs were the team that got it right at the trade deadline. The Suns getting Shaq sees them out, Dallas and Jason Kidd out as well. But Cavs added some pieces and took a big chance by the number of players coming and going. The trade in the regular season did not seem to have been a great move. But the way things are shaking out it may look pretty good as far as the playoffs are concerned. Washington made the huge mistake of motivating Lebron James by saying he was over rated. King James may be very hyped and much talked about but he always seems to rise to a challenge. Most of the season his team’s run to the Finals earned little respect. Boston got all the headlines and they were the favourite from the day Kevin Garnett put on that green and white Celtic jersey. But the Celtics are life and death to beat the Hawks. They let Joe Johnson eat them up in a 4th quarter. If Joe Johnson can do that, what will Lebron James do in a 4th quarter to this team. You have to wonder just how the Celtics will be able to defend Lebron. That is of course if they actually are going to at all. The Hawks and the Cavs is not something most would ever even paid much thought too. Well Josh Smith and the rest of the Hawks will not care how to deal with King James they will be just happy to be playing on his court. They will have to many questions on how happy they are to be there to be calling out Lebron or calling him over rated.

The playoffs do not always go according to script. That is what makes sports worth watching. The Giants defeated the un-defeated Patriots in the Super Bowl. The upset is the most exciting thing sports as to offer. The chance of seeing something that is not expected to happen. Sometimes we tend to try to look for answers to why things happen and do not take the time to enjoy them. Does it make any kind of basketball sense that the Hawks are pushing the Celtics to the limit. Not really but that is what makes it fun to watch. Does this mean the Hawks are now better than Toronto Raptors all of the sudden? I don’t think that’s true. It is a team that had no expectations and nothing to fear and they have embraced that. Will any of that carry over into next season. Some might but ultimately the Hawks are the same team they were heading into the playoffs. A team with lots of young talent that can bite you if they are underestimated. Not much will change moving forward except for the fact that they will have a lot more confidence in what they do.

In a playoff where the west was suppose to provide the excitement and drama, it has been the east that has had the most of that in round 1. Looking at round number two I expect the same trend to remain. But the fun of it all is that who knows if I am right. Maybe the Hornets will knock off the Champs. The Jazz could stun the Lakers. You just never know what lies around the next corner. That is why you keep watching. Unless the Raptors loss to the Magic has made it impossible to watch after watching your team fall. I understand that feeling I get it as well. But we are really missing something if we don’t keep watching.

Bosh Big But Raptors Fade and Face Elimination

Bosh Does All He Can And Still Not Enough

 

  The biggest question heading into Game 4 would be good the Magic make adjustments and handle the noise. Would the Raptors be Red-Y to match the effort they put in during Game 3. How would Jameer Nelson’s back hold up. Could Forderon produce like they had in Game 3. Does Superman really suck. Is Chris Bosh Batman and why? Lots of questions some important others not so much. A transit strike in Toronto was not going to stop the red sea from coming out to the ACC on mass. They were pumped and so am I so let’s go. Andrea Bargnani hit his first shot a three pointer. Both teams were playing hard and shot blocks at both ends of the floor. A delay to fix the backboard gave both teams a chance to regroup after a crazy start. Orlando was taking advantage of the offensive glass early getting second chances of three points misses. Raptors were starting to misfire as well and the Magic were out to 7 point lead. The team that won the first quarter in all 3 games has went on to win for what is worth. Howard was of to a great start with 12 points and 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. That is a game for a lot of NBA players. We still had time on clock in the first quarter though. Howard was not done ether recording his 4th block. But that seemed to get Raps rolling as from there they cut into the Magic lead. A late Keyon Dooling bucket gave the Magic a 5 point lead after 1 with a score of 31-26.

 

Raps were struggling and Bosh was getting a rest with Rasho Nesterovic inserted into the line up. Rasho would have a block and Jason Kapono would get a bucket and a foul shot. Raps had started to get some momentum. Howard was resting as well so it was a chance for Raps to get back in the game. They had climbed back to within just two point on a Delfino jumper. Stan Van Gundy had seen enough and called for time to try to regroup his Magic. Jason Kapono was starting to do what he has done all series which is step up. Delfino was as well and Raps were all square at 35-35. Orlando was still taking advantage of the offensive glass and it was keeping them in the game. Chris Bosh answer was to drive to the basket and he was getting rewarded with calls. A good sight if you are supporting the men in red and white. Raps had the lead a slim one at 42-40 but had fought back successfully to this point. Rasho was getting more minutes and producing with the extra time. A scrappy game was developing which given what was on the line it was not surprising. Raptors defence was scrappy which was surprising. That effort would lead to a Raptor 5 point lead at the half  53 to 48 and Bosh had 21. Howard after his hot start did nothing in the second quarter.

 

Howard started the quarter with it’s first points an old school 3 point play. Magic would come out and score the first 6 points of the quarter to take the lead by 1. Bosh would break the ice for the Raptors. Magic were making turnovers that were costing them a chance to take advantage of a cold stretch for the Raptors. They would end up paying for that as the Raptors were back to their halftime lead of 5. The magic were now the ones making mistakes and Raptors had their largest lead of the day at 7. But Jamario Moon had a slip and fall and appeared to have been hurt slightly. He would remain in the game until Orlando called for time out that was badly needed. Moon would head to locker room with his status unknown. Raptors would fight on without him. Magic came out of the time out with a renewed energy and the scored on consecutive trips down the floor. Sam Mitchell had been on the referees about 3 second violations and it was paying off today as Howard had got called several times for Violations and a key one that broke the Magic’s mini run. Bosh had come to play today there were far less jumpers and it was mostly drives to the basket and drawing fouls his point total was up to 27 in the game. Moon had returned to the bench and was said to be available if needed. Magic would refocus and get back to within 2 points. But the Raptors refused to lose their grip on the lead. This game was shaping up to be close affair like game 2 back in Orlando. Magic finally got back to even based on an 11-4 run all even at 73. Dwight Howard was sent to the line with a chance to give his team the lead but would continue to struggle at the line missing both and he was 1-6 from the line in the game. Based on that Raptors lead by just 1 point after 3.

 

Could Bosh and his faithful fans lead the Raptors to a win in the 4th quarter. Time to find out. Raps would strike the first blow on a Parker lay in. But there were many more to come. Both Bosh and Howard were refuelling for a final push and the game was tied on a Lewis 3 point shot. Howard and Bosh would return with game still even steven. Bosh would strike right away and score. Jason Kapono would hit a 3 only to have Magic match at the other end. Magic would take the lead on a Nelson jumper and Sam Mitchell would call for time with his team down 85-83. This was a great ball game from a neutral fan perspective. But Raptor fans and Magic fans were on edge of their collective seats. Bosh was doing everything he could. He was having a monster performance but his team still trailed by 3. T.J Ford was back and adding to his impressive assist total. But the Magic were answering every Raptor push in this basketball game. Delfino would foul out and Jose Calderon would come in to play along side Ford. Raptors had 3:13 to try and save themselves from going down 3-1 in this series. Magic lead by 5 and Raptors needed some stops and an offensive push. Bosh again on cue on a Ford dish he would score and get fouled and make the shot. Raps back to within two. But Rashard Lewis would answer and he was playing very well in his own right. Hedo Turkoglu would hit a 3 pointer and Magic had 5 point lead and another Lewis 3 and Magic were suddenly up 8 and Raptors were in serious trouble. The Raptors had trouble in 4th quarters in this season, and now was not a good time for that problem to return.

The two teams were going through the motions but this game was basically over and the Raptors were facing a hard task on of winning 3 straight and 2 of them in Orlando. It would be a remarkable feat but an unlikely one. Bosh had 39 points and 15 rebounds and yet his team was on the wrong end of the scoreboard it had to be a frustrating feeling for him. Raptors would fall 106-94. 

Dino Blogger’s Exclusive Podcast On Game 4

Game 4 Boxscore

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

Let’s Go Raps Game One Is Here

Bosh Is Ready To Rumble

Finally game day is here. It seems like it has been weeks since the Raptors have played but it actually was just 4 days ago. The big story heading into game 1 was created by the media and Stephen A Smith. He called Bosh a Manute Bol with dreadlocks that needed to hit the gym. Bosh in typical way he deals with things responded in his blog and took questions about it yesterday. Smith has back tracked in his comments and said he likes Bosh and said the comments were made in an attempt to be funny. Bosh was not laughing and still isn’t. Despite Stephen A Smith’s apology is his own blog. Some may find this an over reaction on behalf of Bosh but I think as people we are all sensitive about our appearance. Smith’s comments were about as classless as those of Rangers pest Shawn Avery calling Devils Goalie fatso. If Bosh needed any more motivation he got it. The comparison to Bol is a stupid one as Bol was never much of an NBA talent and was never an all-star and in all honesty only made the league based on his massive height. Bosh a 3 time all-star and member of Team U.S.A has earned a lot more in his short NBA career then Bol could have ever dreamed.

 

Dwight Howard was not going to say anything negative about his friend in Bosh. But the fact someone has even if it is in the media may make Howard’s job that much tougher today. In fact if you are hoping for trash talk and all of that I would suggest you check out the Cleveland and Washington series. Where Lebron James was rated high enough to make the Wizards eat their words in game 1 yesterday. It was a good first day of the playoff and I will have more thought at the end of this blog. As for today I think the start of this game is very important for both teams. The Raptors in this series need to play from the lead as much as possible. They must pressure the Magic and hopefully force them into some ill advised 3 point attempts. Both this teams need to help out their stars on the glass. Despite Howard’s sometimes huge rebound numbers his team is actually poor on the glass.

 

More then anything let just get started already. I think the media, bloggers and everyone who has any opinion has said it and repeated it by this point. I am nervous and excited to see what the Raptors bring to Game 1. Unlike last year my personal expectations are much higher based on I think the Raptors have an idea of how to approach all of this and win. Orlando on the other hand has not won a playoff game let alone series with this core group of players. So much like the UFC fight in Montreal Last Night I say Let’s Get it ON. If the Raptors effort is half as good as mixed martial artist Georges St. Pierre then they will be in good shape.

 

Day 1 of Playoffs Note Book:

 

• Suns and Spurs is going to be as good as advertised. What a basketball game yesterday an instant classic for sure.
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• Chris Paul took about one half to figure out the playoffs and how they work. After that the Hornets were buzzing and I feel much more secure in my selection of them to win this series.
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• Houston you have a problem. The curse of the Raptor lives. Utah did the one thing you were not sure if they could in this series. Win in Houston. Now the Rockets are swimming upstream and T-Mac once again looks like a first round loser.
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• Gilbert Arenas and friends must really just hate Lebron James after all he is going to put them out of playoffs 3 years in a row. It makes you question the intellect of the Wizard players calling out Lebron. A loss in this series may mean the end of Arenas in Washington. 

Playoffs are different but not the Raptor Rewind. Same great quality recap, same boxscores, and Same post game Podcast from Dino Nation blogger. So after Game 1 make sure you check out are post game coverage.