Here's the latest on T.J.

Okay, just got done filing for the paper -- that's the No. 1 priority, as my bosses like to point out -- but now it's time for a T.J. update for you web readers.

Talked to ace Media Relations guy Jim LaBumbard a few minutes ago and T.J. has feeling and movement in his arms and legs but will stay in Piedmont Hospital here at least overnight to be assessed again in the morning.

AP, first Raptor on the scene, said he thought Ford was as much scared as anything, although the presumption is he was knocked unconscious for at least a little while.

Consensus in the Raptor locker room was that Al Horford wasn't trying to do any intentional harm but as AP put it, why did he have to swipe so hard at Ford's head on a play with the game pretty much decided. That's a good point.

That's about all we've got here right now, will update tomorrow when, or if, we hear anythign new.

As we expected

Another game, another return.

Andrea Bargnani is indeed going to play tonight against Atlanta, Sam told us at shootaround an hour or so ago. He follows on the heels of Chris Bosh, who returned from injury on Sunday.

How much will Bargnani play? No one's sure.

"Some guys miss a little while come back and play good; some guys miss a little while and they come back and struggle,” said Sam.

"If he’s playing well, you can play him more minutes. I’m sure he’s not going to have the conditioning but I have to play him and start getting him back. He’s one of our best players."

If case you've been sleeping, Bagnani's missed four games with a hyper-extended knee.

The trouble for Sam, and Bargnani, is that there's precious little practice time. They play back-to-back tonight and tomorrow so Thursday will be a light work day, game Friday, light day Saturday going into a Sunday afternoon game and then a flight to L.A.

They'll have a full practice in Los Angeles on Monday but then it's four games in five days out west that takes them right up to the Christmas break

Busy time, indeed.

Dribs, drabs and what's going on in Israel

Wow, take a little shot at Bargnani and the web world goes berserk and the e-mails flood in. You’d think I’d weighed in on T.J.-Jose or something.

Anyway, just wanna clarify one thing: I don’t think he’s malingering about this hyper-extended knee, I’m sure it was sore and swollen and everything. I’m sure he’s coming back when he should, after consultation with the medical staff.

What I do think is that he has to be tougher when he gets back, he has to practice harder and play harder and do more. He has to practice hard every day, play every possession.

As I said, and perhaps the dozen or so e-mailers missed it, "Bargnani still has a chance to be a great -- not good, great -- but he's also got some learning to do." Which would strike me as undeniable.

If these guys are going to win 50 games, he’s got to do more than 12 and 5.

And, trust me, you mention The Old Iron Horse around the gym and more than one set of eyes start rolling.

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A list, for a change

Victor G, all the way from Pittsburgh (taking a break from the incessant coverage of Sidney Crosby’s Lewis and Clark expedition to western Canada) wonders:

I was watching the boxscore for the Rockets-Raps game and saw that (Carlos) Delfino was +30 during the game. Wow! The Delfino trade by (Bryan Colangelo) has to be one of the best moves in the NBA this year (although not as good as getting KG for Al Jefferson and Sebastian Telfair). Could you rank the top GM moves in the NBA this year?

I say: We’ll take Garnett to Boston out of the mix because it’s been so stupendously better than any other one it stands alone. But here are three others:

Orlando’s Otis Smith gets it right and hires Stan Van Gundy as the team’s head coach. Smith loses point for his dalliance with Billy Donovan but the end result was a master stroke.

Phoenix adds Grant Hill for the veteran minimum of just over $1 million a season. Hill hasn’t lost any steps and he’s a grown up who will help in a somewhat fractious locker room.

Detroit picking up Jarvis Hayes. It was one that went under the radar but the Pistons, third-best in the East, are getting eight points and three boards a game from the under-rated Hayes.

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Well, look who's back!

Check out that Miami Heat roster?

Yes, that’s Luke Jackson, fresh from the Idaho Stampede of the D League.

Sort of odd, isn’t it, that Miami loses Kapono to Toronto, the Heat decide ultimately to take Jackson? I don’t even want to get into their connection through Cleveland and Charlotte, it’s far too convoluted.

Good for Luke, though, he’s probably got enough game to be in the league. And look what playing with Dwyane Wade and Shaq did for Kapono? Not to mention Damon Jones.

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A bit of a departure.

Regulars know I’m a bit anal when it comes to the national anthem, a song of respect that shouldn’t be trifled with, or treated as a demo song, or used in something of an audition.

The other night, while waiting for Floyd Mayweather to destroy Ricky Hatton, watched the pucks, where they show the anthems on TV.

I can’t remember the dude’s name from the We Will Rock You cast who sang O Canada but seeing him standing there singing WEARING HIS TOQUE made me want to throw something at the set.

And assured me that I’d never give that production a dime.

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Question of the day

From Ryan Jameson of Mississauga:

T.J. vs. Jose: Who wins Dancing With The Stars?

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

I'm taking Calderon. To finish second to Mel B, of course.

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And from another land

Remember my man Eran Soroka, who was such a great help with the firecracker incident in the Israeli league game a month or so ago? Heard from him again yesterday with another P.J. Tucker update.

He says:

PJ Tucker had 13 points, 10 rebounds and some great minutes in the 4th quarter - which helped him to be named the game MVP - when Hapoel Holon shocked eternal Israeli champs Maccabi Tel Aviv 83-71, Maccabi's second straight league defeat. Last week, they fell 68-83 to Bney Hasharon with Ndudi Ebi and Ousmanne Cisse controlling the boards.

Ousmanne Cisse? Erstwhile Raptor! Ndudi Ebi? Former Minnesota draft pick!

Wonder if AP and Maceo are feeling the pain for their former franchise. Eran says coach Oded Kattache is on the hot seat with Maccabi.

And few knew of P.J.’s big game. Holon played without its home crowd ... the Israeli Basketball association punished Holon with eight fan-free home games following that incident in Jerusalem.

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And don't forget ...

We've got the Friday mailbag and the overnight three things you wondered to deal with so just click here to get in touch.

The Morning After The Night Before, XIX

Big win over a pretty good team. Not bad.

Hump’s out of this world, Bosh looked liked he’d never been away and there’s Jose running the show in the fourth quarter. Wild day.

What’s it all mean? With this group, who knows? Lot of people thought the unexpected win in Memphis was a turning point and they stumbled and bumbled after that.

With the rest of this month looking tortuous – long trips, good opponents – it’s too early to say they’ve turned a corner but the mood around there yesterday was better than it’s been in a long, long time.

And here we go:

Three Things I Learned

What a sourpuss

Is Steve Francis the most dour, pouty, unlikeable player you’ve ever seen? He always looks like someone just ran over his dog.

And I swear he tried to kick Jason Kapono on the groin when he was being helped up by a teammate after Kapono knocked him down on the fourth quarter. That was just before the flagrant foul on Carlos Delfino. Punk.

Never thought I’d see a day when a team would need Rafer Alston. Oh, and has Mike James lost his ability to shoot?

The streak ends

With 1:02 left in the third quarter, Jamario Moon shot free throws, ending a stretch of 178 minutes over four games when he didn’t get to the line. I know it’s only been a couple of games and he’s still got some breathtaking hops but he’s struggling, like a rookie will.

Don’t imagine they hook him out of the starting lineup yet but I’m betting his minutes diminish over the next little while. Which is fine because right now he’s probably better in short spurts.

This is probably nothing ...

But Andrea Bargnani's agent is over from Italy for a couple of days; he generally stops by one or twice a season.

Timing is cool, though, because Bargnani's supposed to practice today and -- lo and behold -- may play this week.

Was talking to a guy about him late last week and it was suggested he's like a fine sports car, a Ferrari maybe, that doesn't run nearly as well and is kept in the garage if just one little piece isn't functioning. Thing is, he's not a Ferrari, he's an NBA player and sometimes NBA players suck it up and tough it out. And play.

Not to say this hyper-extended knee isn't swollen or a legitmate concern. But everyone connected with the team will admit Bargnani's recuperative powers are, um, not the greatest.

Bargnani still has a chance to be a great -- not good, great -- but he's also got some learning to do.

Three Things You Wondered

Q: First of all did you ever make it to Campo Fiori in Rome? Now on to the less fun questions.

Please don't dismiss this right away as your 10,000th TJ/Jose email of the day. It must get very annoying but hear me out.

TJ right now is looking like Rookie TJ. He's leaving his feet to pass the ball, driving wildly and out of control, forcing bad passes and shots, and just generally looking like a PG who is new to the league. I know he's just getting back into his rhythm, but don't you think it was too soon for Sam to start him again?

Ben Detsky, Toronto

A: There has been nothing – ever – that creates such furor among fans than Jose-T.J. It really is incredible.

You’re bang-on, right now, T.J. is struggling mightily. Not sure if it’s confidence he lost when he was hurt, or time, or cohesion with his teammates but there are moments – like the first four against Houston – when they’ve been terrible offensively. Maybe they did start him again too soon, maybe he did need another couple of days of practice. But maybe they don’t beat Phoenix or Boston even if Jose does start.

I will say this, and no one can deny it, this team won’t be as good as it can be unless both point guards are on their games.

Jose did finish strong on Sunday, with T.J. watching, that’s twice now that’s happened so far this season (the other was early and I can’t remember the specific game).

But T.J. is more creative offensively on his own (recall back-to-back games in L.A. and Portland a year ago right about now) and they need him to improve to provide those kinds of plays in the dying seconds of close games. He can simply do more to create – for himself and his teammates – the Jose can right now.

And, unfortunately, we never did get to Campo Fiori. Thanks for the tip, though. Love it when we get road info from people who’ve been there.
Accepting all Beijing recommendations now.

Q: Mr. Smith, I've always been an admirer of your column/mailbag/blog for quite sometime now (got to give you some love) and none of your highly passionate (not to be confused with crazed) participants have ever inquired this query I'm about to pose to you, dear sir- and you may put it under your Basketball 101: In the official NBA website, the game summary tracks down 'unanswered points' by each team - what is it?

How do they track it and what's the point of it all? As a Raptor fan who hails in the northeastern lands of what was Agincourt, I would be highly appreciative if you could please enlighten me and my fellow basketball freaks, er, I mean, fans of the game and of course, fans of your highly entertaining column/mailbag/blog.

D.B., Agincourt.

A: Unanswered points is just the longest run of consecutive baskets in a game and it's generated by the computer that the scoring table uses to track the game. What's the point? Not sure exactly; but it does give you something to talk about.

Q: Obviously, Suns and Celts are different teams from Bobcats. Without a big man, somebody must step up, let's say, like the previous season. I would like to know your thoughts on Joey, Hump, and Dixon for the last 5 games without CB4? Dixon played one game, but I would like to hear from you about these three players, who must step up for the team.

John Park, Belleville

A: I'm going to leave Dixon out of this, for the moment.

I think it's been fairly obvious that both Graham and Humphries are good -- not great, good -- backups who are overmatched playing extended minutes against starters on good team. As you put it, it's easy to play against a team like Charlotte, which will battle Minnesota all year for the team with the best chance to win the lottery; teams like Phoenix and Boston expose guys for what they are.

Not to say they can't be good backups, and have been. Hump was great Sunday, Joey was invisible. They made trade roles this week.

Dixon? Jury's still out. I'd like him a whole lot better two inches taller and 20 pounds heavier. But if he works at it, I can see him having a good career as a backup point guard. He's gotta work at it, though.

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Mailbag’s getting a little light, don’t forget to click here to send along your many interesting submissions. If we can tone down the T.J.-Jose rhetoric, it’d be nice.

He's baaaaaack. Bosh, that is

Chris Bosh has been thinking about returning to the Raptor lineup for a couple of days.

Sunday, his thoughts should turn into reality.

Just got done a typical Saturday practice -- not much going on, very, very few media types around -- and Bosh says he's good to go against Houston on Sunday afternoon.

"I wanted to play Wednesday and I knew I couldn’t," he said. "Scott (McCullough, the team's trainer), Ray (Chow, the message therapist who stay behind Friday to work with Bosh), the whole training staff was on me, saying, ‘you know, it might not work today’ and I kind of figured that. I think it’s better that I was patient and it hasn’t turned into anything that could be a long-term injury.

I’m glad."

He said he got some good treatment staying back Friday instead of venturing to Boston -- smart man, not going to that one -- and feels close to 100 per cent.

The trickle down impact is huge. Joey doesn't have to start, Hump doesn't have to play 30 minutes and maybe someone can get an open shot out of posting the ball and letting Bosh kick it out to someone not guarded. Watching Boston simply stay at home on everyone on the perimeter showed just how much the Raptors miss a post presence -- any kind of post presence.

Oh, and the old Iron Horse Bargnani? Won't play tomorrow, may practice Monday which could mean playing Tuesday in Atlanta. Or he could need a couple of practices, which would put his return at Friday in Indy.

The Morning After The Night Before, XVIII

Of all the trips they decided to send my colleague on, guess I should be thankful that last night was one. Ugly? Reprehensible. Although a trip to The 4s is always nice.

Not much to say except they sucked, no life, no hope. Was listening on the radio early and when it was 12-11 figured they might hang around. By the time I got parked and into a Christmas party for my wife’s work, they were down about 20 and it was time to socialize, not work.

Best line: Called home about 9:15, Super Son Jacob says, “Daddy, it’s 72-42, Toronto stinks.” Bright kid I got there.

Anyway, on with your regularly-scheduled stuff:

Three Things I Learned

A sign of resignation

Most troubling thing – well, not the most, but close to it – was listening to Sam Mitchell post-game. No matter what’s gone on in the last season and a bit, he’s never let ‘em use injuries as an excuse. His plea for patience until everyone gets healthy was odd. But maybe getting killed by Phoenix and drilled by Boston will zap any remnants of enthusiasm out of a coach.

Fact is, they’ve been awful for two games in a row; even playing regular backups in prominent roles, you won’t more effort and intelligence. That’s what’s been lacking.

I take it all back

Remember way back in the day when it was suggested by some dolt and doofus that the Celtics would be life and death to make the playoffs? That dope is sorry.

Guess I underestimated the power of Kevin Garnett to make sure there were be no ‘chemistry’ issues and he’s a strong enough personality that the likes of Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins are no longer exposed as occasional loafers and marginal starters.

Oh, and at 16-2 in the East? I haven’t done the math but they may have already clinched a playoff spot.

Another FT-free night

Everyone loves Jamario Moon and he’s blocked at least one shot in the last 12 games and he’s an athletic revelation and great, great story.

But he’s now played 157 minutes over his last four games without attempting a single solitary free throw and that’s inexcusable and horrible.

Not sure what he doesn’t get about being told every day to attack the rim, attack the rim, but if he doesn’t catch on pretty quick, his coach is going to be more ornery than he already is. And an ornery Sam Mitchell is not a fun Sam Mitchell.

Three Things You Wondered

Q: What in the world happened to Juan Dixon? I know Sam Mitchell keeps saying "be ready when your time is called" and "it depends on the match-ups" ... etc.

But even in garbage time he's not called on. Did he do something very bad in practice or in previous games that caught the ire of I AM SAM?

Peter, Toronto

A: Once more into the breach. Nothing’s really happened to Juan Dixon except that he’s dropped out of the rotation because, as Sam tells us often “you can’t play 12 guys.” And he did get some garbage time minutes Friday in Boston.

Right now, he’s behind Anthony Parker, Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino and, quite frankly, barring injury I can’t see him taking minutes from any of those three. Does a trade help him? Maybe. Does a trade help the Raptors? Not really unless they get someone back who's better than someone in the rotation. See the next question for perhaps one possibility.

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Q: Okay, let's jump on Walter Herrmann bandwagon. Saw him few times last year and he looked very good on offence but cannot remember if he can play any defence since that is what we need. Would you know if he can? If not what, would be the point we have more than enough scorers?

Last, why is he not playing at all, on this pathetic Bobcats team. All the best.

Darko, Mississauga

A: He can defend, not like Bruce Bowen or Kevin Garnett, but he can defend. He’s an energetic rebounder in the Anderson Varejao model (not as good, mind you) and everyone I talk to about him says he’s got a bit of a mean streak in him.

I have no idea why Sam Vincent won’t play him in Charlotte but I bet Sam Mitchell would play him – likely ahead of the Hump – in Toronto. I also know Bryan Colangelo called about him last spring only to be rebuffed by Bernie Bickerstaff. The question is if Bickerstaff still has any sway in Charlotte. If he doesn’t, maybe Bryan will call again.

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Q: With all the European players, and maybe soon European coaches and management in the league, is there any talk of the NBA changing some rules to make the game more team oriented? The international game seems more free-flowing and is definitely more fun to watch, but only a handful of NBA teams try to play that style.

Willy Brown, Sarnia

A: There are two rules I really think they should change and one they probably should consider.

They should go to the trapezoid lane that FIBA uses and keep the defensive three seconds rule because it would create more room around the basket and they should absolutely got to the FIBA limit of two timeouts per half and timeouts that can only be called by coaches. I watched Cleveland's Mike Brown call a timeout in the final 10 seconds of a game Toronto led by, I believe, nine at the time and I wanted to scream.

The other one they might think about: Let defensive players take shots off the rim or at least out of the cylinder. But I'm not sure about that one.

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Remember, dump your submissions here to get ‘em in the ever-growing mailbag.

And the envelopes, please

Lots of goodies in this ‘bag. Your minds are working well in these cold times. Keep ‘em coming and if you don’t see the answer here, don’t worry, we’ve got the three things every post-game to do and I try to sprinkle a few into the daily blog.

This week’s themes: The Heartless Raptor, lots and lots of Steve Nash and What Would Mike (D’Antoni) do?

Q: You are Wayne Parrish (work with me here...) You just took over Canada Basketball and want to change the culture of a program that has been struggling especially off the court. Steve Nash is saying he's still pissed that Jay Triano got fired and that he's done playing for Canada due to that reason and physical demands.

Why not fire Leo Rautins and re-hire Triano who is clearly the better coach? He's the only Canadian coach in the league and clearly knows something about international ball given his past experience and the fact that Team USA used him this summer. Maybe Nash would consider playing instead of completely dismissing the issue.

Justin L, Toronto

A: I don't think a coaching change, right now, makes any sense, and I don't think it would automatically get Steve Nash into a Canadian uniform next summer. Or ever.

If I was Wayne Parrish, and I'm quite glad I'm not, I'm sure there are other, more pressing issues with Canada Basketball, serious financial issues that have to be resolved, that need my immediate attention. The fact is, with or without Nash, Canada's got a nearly-impossible task of qualifying. If I'm in charge, I start laying the groundwork, somehow, towards getting them in the 2010 worlds and 2012 Olympics. I look at coaching at the end of next summer, not now.

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Q: Although I'm old enough that I SHOULD know better, a young'un's question did stump me. Raptors advance the ball into the offensive zone well ahead of the time-count limit of eight seconds. Then, a Raptor gets trapped, tries to pass out of the trap and the ball deflects into the backcourt, where it's retrieved by a Raptor. What effect does the time-line have now? What if the eight seconds had passed before the trap happened? By the way, we all know this is a last minute situation due to the trapping nature of the question (ahh, the good old days when rich guys would hustle all over the court).

Gary Mugford, Bramalea

A: This is like an old-fashioned Basketball 101 question.

Once the ball's deflected into the backcourt and the Raptors regain possession, they get a brand new eight seconds.

You remember when rich guys hustled all over court? How old are you, man? Or have you been watching classic games on TV?

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Q: "The subtext to that one-time diatribe was that Moiso was missing one of the vital organs. The most vital."

Onions, baby, onions??

Sean Smith, Toronto

A: Nope. The bigger one. The one that pumps the blood to the onions.

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Q: With Bosh and Andrea hurting, it sure would be nice to have Garbo. Do you think bitterness will grow towards him from head office and the fans if these injuries result in losses?

Rob S, Winnipeg

A: No, can't see any correlation at all; at least not from the front office. Fans? I can never figure the fans out so I can't answer that one.

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Q: I sent you a hoops question last week and it didn't end up in your column, I'm not really surprised about that since I'm not e-mailing from England or China or Kyrgyzstan or whatever...

My question this week may be a more important, regardless of the state of the Raptors.  After a game at the ACC, what are the best places to go for a post-game beverage? And don't include the sports grille that you always mention. After a Leafs or Raps game I usually go to the Loose Moose or Jack Astors, and after the Jays I usually walk across the street to St. Louis. Where should I be going? Come on Dougie, share your infinite wisdom.

Joe Walshe, Toronto

A: Man, you ask me a question and then tell me what I can't say. Sorry, dude.

I'm sure those other locations are fun and everything but I'm a loyal dude and the Harbour Sports Grille is my local. Great people, great food and a variety of fine adult beverages. Only other place I'd come close to recommending would be Jack Astor's in Etobicoke on the Queensway by West Mall. But that's a drive.

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Q: I know in Canada we're not to say anything negative about Steve Nash, but there are times like last night when he looks just a bit too overjoyed while he's skillfully dissecting the Raptors. The smile seems bigger than when I watch him orchestrate the destruction of other teams.

Is this just my imagination, or is it possible that Steve doesn't really like Toronto? I know Torontonians consider their fair city to be the centre of the universe; but a lot of Canadians hate Toronto just for this smugness - especially Canadians from out west. Could it be that the boy from Victoria shares this sentiment?

Joe Steward, Kingston

A: Your imagination is running wild. Too wild. Way too wild.

Trust me, Nash enjoys beating anyone about the same; in fact, he probably enjoys wins over Dallas or San Antonio far more than a win over Toronto.

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Q: After the Joey Graham coming out party I made a post of a topic that basically suggested that it was time to cut bait with Joey Graham. To my shock people we're outraged.

Seeing as I respect your view I wanted to know if you think it is time to cut Bait on Joey? Along with that what can Bryan get for him keeping in mind he was able to move Hoffa which makes me think he could move anyone.

James Borbath, Hamilton

A: Not sure what you mean by 'cut bait.' Waive or release? No way. He's an asset, an inconsistent asset, but an asset just the same. Trade him? I'm sure Bryan wouldn't hesitate to move Graham tomorrow if the right deal came along. Will he? That's going to be up to other general managers.

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Q: If Mr. Ford and Mr. Calderon were both transplanted into bodies about 6 foot 6, and were capable of playing either shooting guard or point guard, what are your guesses as to who would choose what position? My uninformed guess would be that TJ would love to be a shooting guard in the mold of a Kobe Bryant - 'The Man' while Jose would love to keep running the team. Why this hypothetical nonsense you ask? I was following the play-by-play on the internet and noticed that near the end, Mr. Calderon seemed to shadow Mr. Nash, and Mr. Ford shadowed Mr. Barbarosa (Of course it was just words on a screen - somebody who watched might know better). It got me thinking, why not unleash that potential in Mr. Ford to be 'The Man' and not "The Playmaker." Ben Gordon, Leandro Barbosa, and Jason Terry are all undersized stars who often come off the bench and absolutely thrash opposing teams in a hurry. This year, for example, Jason Terry is freed from worrying about getting teammate is involved and just wracks up points in a hurry.

Andy A, Dallas

A: Dude from Dallas writes and it's not about Chris Bosh? Odd.

First, you're bang on with the guess on who would be who if they could. But the time you saw, or sort of saw, or whatever it was, Calderon and Ford on the court is not going to be a regular occurrence. We asked Sam about it Thursday, he said it was purely matchup driven with the Suns, you might see it again when they play in Phoenix but that'll likely be it.

A couple of reasons. Neither is really a two and Mitchell would be worried about them both getting tired at the same time, or both getting into foul trouble at the same time.

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Q: My question is short but sweet -- can you list the top five players in Raptors team history at drawing charges? Because it seems to me that Carlos Delfino eats more than his fair share of elbows and knees standing in the low post, taking several for the team.

Greg Frankson, Ottawa

A: Delfino's the best on this team, by far.

All time? I'm sure I'll forget someone who should be on the list but here goes: Mo Pete, Doug Christie, Alvin Williams, Mark Jackson (for the short time he was here) and Michael Curry.

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Q: Hey grand poobah. Two questions,are the Raptors going less zone defence than last year? Do you only use your left hand when eating popcorn on national TV.

Bob Wesley, Winnipeg

A: Yes, they are playing much less zone. Although there are some matchup zone principles in their regular system, the full blown zone has been seen about once, in Washington.

And, no, I can go right or left, depending on where the soft drink is. Duh! Think of it as taking what the defence will give you, only it's snack foods.

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Q: I am sure you get this question every week, but will Steve Nash ever be a Raptor. I am not talking about any dumb trade proposals (ie. Jamario Moon for Nash straight up), I am talking about him making the decision when he is a free agent, making the choice to come here before he finishes his career. He could also play for Toronto FC in the off season.

Brian M, Barrie

A: No, I don't see Nash ever in a Toronto uniform. I think he's got one contract left in him but I bet it's another one in Phoenix. The soccer thing's a good idea, though; bet he can score a goal once every two months, which gives him a leg up on everyone else on the FC.

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Q: This is far from a 'Fire Mitchell' or 'Let Jose coach and be our point guard for all 48 minutes' but more a curiosity of mine after watching the Phoenix game.

What do you think Mike D'Antoni would do (or not do) for the Raps if he was the coach?

Richard Niman, East Lansing, Mich.

A:First thing he does is go to his general manager and tell him to trade for Steve Nash.

Seriously, I bet he'd shorten the rotation to eight guys and make it firm, and then he'd have to change his entire philosophy of coaching because he doesn't have the horses here he's got in Phoenix. The trick to coaching, they tell you, is adapting to your personnel. He'd still run pick and roll, because Ford and Calderon are good at it but you would see a much different style than the one he coaches in Phoenix, much slower.

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Q: I'm going to throw this one out there and tell me what you think.

After Dec 15: Bosh (injury prone?), Calderon (sell high), Kapono (one-dimensional), and others (to make salaries work) to the Lakers for Kobe.

Dave Sherman, Toronto

A: I think that's not enough to satisfy the Lakers. And I'm wondering now whether they'll even trade Bryant any more. I presume you'll hear more as February approaches but it's still the Bulls or no one in my mind.

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The Morning After The Night Before, XVII

You know what that was like?

That was like watching my cat with a mouse. Catch it, bat it around a little bit, let it go, smack it again, let it go again, catch it and kill it. Oh, and then leave it right outside the front door so squeamish people see it, dog goes beserk and Dad has to scoop it up. (Oops, sorry I digress).

Anyway, you can just file that Suns game under Undermanned Team That Couldn’t Win Didn’t. And move on.

Three Things I Learned

A perfect storm

Take a team that doesn’t go near the paint, put it against one that doesn’t care if you score when you get there and, presto!, you’ve got last night.

The Suns didn’t commit a single foul in the entire second quarter and didn’t commit a team foul for the first nine minutes of the fourth.

That moved the game along at a nice, brisk pace (interrupted only by the emergency timeouts called by an increasingly agitated Sam Mitchell), over in 2:06.

Dancing in the streets of Ljubljana

You probably didn’t see the glee along press row when Rasho had that put-back dunk in the third quarter.

But it meant Bea Arthur, um, I mean B. Arthur, won a bet with M. Grange. When Rasho came back from his injury, they set an over and under date when he’d have his first dunk.

It was Jan. 7 and Frick, or is Frack?, took the under.

Speaking of Rasho, one of the correspondents – after watching a hobbled Jermaine O’Neal scorch Amare Stoudemire on Tuesday night – suggested before the game that we might want to check Rasho’s career-high scoring night. When he got 10 on the first quarter, we did.

It’s 24.

Where’d that come from?

Is it possible, we were wondering, for a guy to have a ‘quiet’ night of 10 points and 18 assists? Yup.

Sick as a dog with a cold and a touch of the flu, Steve Nash was outstanding, and barely noticeable for long stretches, Wednesday night. No one thinks he’s quick but he got by Jose and T.J. almost at will, there were questions about his shooting but that three-pointer he hit in the first half was Dell Curry-esque.

Dude’s good. Really, really, really good.

Three Things You Wondered

Q: What would the Raptors have to do in your opinion to acquire a power presence like a Tim Thomas? Do we have enough trade bait and salary to match any such possibilities? Tim was a great acquisition when BC brought him to Phoenix.

This is the first time I have posted a comment I hope I've put it in the right spot. If not where do I go?

Craig Culver

A: This is the right spot. That, unfortunately, is the wrong idea. Tim Thomas is not the answer. He was all right in Phoenix, big in that playoff series with the Lakers, but that was a couple of years ago and his skills have diminished. He’s a finesse big, in many respects, not something they need here.

I want to start a Free Walter Herrmann movement! He’d look good over here.

Q: I thought that last year's referee scandal would have been a huge story this season; however, we hear nothing about it. Has Howard Stern done some PR magic and had it swept under the rug? Thanks!

Doug Nason, Parry Sound

A: Howard? Not to worry, I know you mean David; it’s easy mistake to make, many have.

The answer is no, he hasn’t done anything special at all. The Tim Donaghy thing was what Stern said it was, a ‘rogue, isolated criminal’ acting on his own. I said all along that the refs in the NBA are the best officials in all pro sports with the toughest jobs. And they, with the exception of that one, it seems, are all honourable men, and a woman.

Q: Answer me this, oh wise one: what horrible, grievous sin did Joey commit (Wednesday) to justify Sam simply forgetting about him? A defensive lapse? Hell, if that was it, then the entire team should have been benched. The Suns had no answer for that little two-man game he and Jose were running early on. Either a 12-footer or a drive to the basket and a hoop and/or foul was the result each time. And against the Suns, you need Joey's athleticism and speed.  Sam needs to ease up on the kid just a bit, or he'll lose what's remaining of his fragile confidence.

Lee Zimmerman, Ottawa

A: Not sure there is an answer for you. Joey did look good early (settled for jumpers a couple of times when the lane was open) but it was his second good stint in a row. Sam grows exasperated not so much by defensive lapses -- Lord knows there were enough of them committed by all of them -- but by a lack of desire and no willingness to compete. That's what he sees too often from Joey.

That's an excellent point you make about the confidence, though. Joey hasn't -- yet -- tuned out the constant harping and maybe he never will. There is some praise offered -- heard a couple of 'Good play, Joeys' from Sam courtside the lat two games so maybe that's what's keeping the kid going.

Best line of Wednesday

A wag, well, okay, Mike Grange of the Globe, watches Sean Marks hit that pretty little garbage-time jumper and asks: “Is the first basket he’s scored in Toronto?” A joke, of course, ‘cause we watched Marks, one of the all-time good guys in the game, light the Raps up for 16 while with the Spurs in ’06.

Keep 'em coming

Don’t forget, tomorrow’s a mailbag day, and it’s cold outside so a perfect day to sit and the computer and compose tomes to me. Through the magic of the interweb, just click here to send things along.

One returns, two to go

T.J. Ford expects to play for the Raptors tonight against the Phoenix Suns.

The real T.J. Ford, that is.

After two aborted attempts to come back from an arm and hand injuries, Ford said this morning he finally feels like himself, good enough to back up Jose Calderon against Steve Nash, who is generally considered the best point guard in the NBA.

"Cleveland and Washington was frustrating, coming back too soon, not being able to have any strengths," Ford said this morning. "The quickness wasn’t there, the first step wasn’t there and the shot wasn’t there.

"It was tough so my body needed to rest and I got in the gym and just tried to emulate game style against some of my teammates and now I feel a lot better."

Ford suffered what's termed a 'stinger' when he collided with Dallas' Josh Howard almost three weeks ago. The effects knocked him out of action entirely for about eight days and it's taken at least a week for him to get back into something close to game shape.

So, what's a 'stinger?'

Tough to describe, but it hurts.

"A stinger’s just like a tingling sensation," said Ford. "It’s painful to touch, it’s just sensitive to the skin.

"I don’t have the sensation any more, the sensation just lasted a few days; after I had it, I just became a little sore."

While Ford should play, neither Chris Bosh nor Andrea Bargnani will, coach Sam Mitchell said.

That leaves Joey Graham in the starting lineup again and Ford said he'll come off the bench behind Jose Calderon.

Call it The Curse Of The Canadian

Here’s a little factoid to think about tonight.

In six games between Toronto and Phoenix since Steve Nash joined the Suns, the Raptors are 0-6.

And Phoenix is coming off a tough win in Indy on Tuesday, when Nash had 18 points, 17 assists and keyed an 8-0 run that finished the game. Suns seem a tad ticked off at their performance, as Paul Coro writes here in the Arizona Republic, so they may be ornery tonight.

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Do they want Walter?b

Watching their dreadful effort the other night, there is no way the Charlotte Bobcats are good enough to not play Walter Herrmann, who is a personal fave for way back at the Athens Olympics.

Got me wondering: Do the Raptors make a play for him? Perhaps offering Joey or Juan or Hump? I know Toronto made a call about Herrmann at the end of last season only to be rebuffed by maybe it’s time to make the call again.

He’s relatively cheap ($2 million on a deal that expires this year) and the Bobcats probably need some of the excess scoring Toronto can provide.

Herrmann's an energetic rebounder, plays two positions and might be a bit more offensively skilled than Humphries.

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No Oscar for Sam

We’re standing around after practice the other day and Sam’s in a particularly giddy mood (a win over even Charlotte with an under-manned team will do that to a coach) and the colleague D. Feschuk has a good point to make.

After watching the Bobcat game on TV, Dave’s come to realize, as most do, that those TV ads Sam does for the car manufacturer are, well, awful is the word that comes to mind. To those of us who see Sam every day, it’s not him sitting in that car talking. He’s too stilted or something. Not himself. We believe the great thespians of our time need not worry about him encroaching their turf.

Sam laughs, knows we’re right and promises that some radio ads he’s got coming out are way better. Blames the TV shortcomings on his director, which seems to me to be a standard thespian ploy.

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Separated at birth, a couple times

Here’s Sam on Carlos Delfino:

"You may hear Carlos say four … words a day. He is the coolest guy I’ve ever been around … He’s one of those guys who plays hard but it doesn’t look like it. I don’t know how to explain it, his hair doesn’t really get ruffled, he doesn’t have that pissed off look on his face but inside, you can tell."

Delfino’s sparked lots of comment lately because he’s been playing out of his head. And the distaff side, judging by some comments I’ve heard, are quite, um, taken with him.

Of course, you all read My Man Perk suggest he bears a striking resemblance of Albert DeSalvo, otherwise known as The Boston Strangler and that’s not someone you want to be linked to.

There are others that have cropped up on conversation: Stoney Curtis, the all-world Flintstones actor, and Wolverine of Marvel Comics fame.

Whatever, Delfino’s been playing and thriving since Sam figured him out.

"I know him better now," said Sam. "I’m comfortable with him, I trust him and I have no problem putting him on the court at the two, three or even sometimes at the four."

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This is a great idea

At least two e-mailers – one known only as Adam and Todd from Guelph – wrote yesterday with a wonderful suggestion.

On those pizza nights when they win the pizza thing, take your ticket stub outside and give it to someone much less fortunate that you and let them get a hot meal – such that it is – the next day.

Speaking of pizza, nothing apparently inspires such vitriol and as many comments as that topic. As you can see on the comments page that goes with this blog, there are many varied opinions on whether it’s a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing that should go away.

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I'm no Posh Spice. Scary? Maybe

The other day, I referred to a ‘wag’ sitting courtside. It’s a phrase us beat grunts use when we’re talking about each other, or a team official who can’t be named because, maybe, he’s busting on his own guys.

We are not, as Michael McAlpine of London wrote yesterday to tell me, Wifes And Girlfriends.

Those WAGs, as any football fan knows, are led by the other Spice girl, the one married to that Beckham chap.