Finally, it's here

Miss me?

Lots of time in Logan Airport so lots of stuff in here. Some of it interesting, I bet. Also had time with Mr. Grange ™ to scour the boxscore closely, we’re still trying to figure out how a team that gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter and trailed by seven in the same period managed to win. Oh yeah, making every shot you look at helps.

Anywho …

Three things I learned

A breakthrough? Or a tease?

You don’t think the Raptors know what the biggest problem with Andrea Bargnani has been. The kid was really, really good in Boston (the zero rebounds in the second half’s a tad troubling) and now the question is: When will he be good again?

ADAM HUNGER/REUTERS

Shots were falling (and plenty of them). Jose Calderon and Carlos Delfino made 8 of 9 threes.

Here’s Chris Bosh on that very subject:

"I just want him to keep going. If he can get two good ones in a row, he can really start to build on it and get his confidence back.”

No doubt the kid played his best game in months against the Celtics, let’s see what he brings against the Bucks.

Do you think it’s coincidental that Bargnani’s best games this season have come against some of the East’s better teams?

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A talkative lad

If James Posey chats as much when he’s playing as he does when he’s watching, I can’t imagine he’s got time to score points or make plays. The injured Celtic kept up a running - and quite colourful - commentary Wednesday in Boston, busting on anyone in a red jersey. Funnily enough, every time a Raptor made a wide open three in front of the Boston bench (and that was pretty often), he got a tad quiet.

And I’m not sure it’s good form to wear a gaudy Miami championship ring on a Celtic bench.

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It’s your number. Know it

A spy sitting down by the Raptor bench last night swears that on at least two occasions, Sam had to rather forcefully remind Jamario Moon of what play the Raptors were running. Now, half the guys in the league forget plays on a regular basis (I swear Kevin Willis spent 2 1/2 seasons in Toronto and never knew a play) but Moon’s forgetfulness stood out for one big fact: Every time Sam had to remind him of the play, it was a play for him.

And, with apologies to Paul Harvey, here’s the rest of the story:

You know, sometimes you just gotta let Sam be Sam.

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A classic from Mike D. in Toronto:

Just a thought. Now that Jamario Moon is officially in the dunk contest, wouldn't it be great if he put in a little twist and jumped over a cow? Then again all the animal rights activists would be up in arms. At least there is no pressure for him.

(You get it, Moon jumps over the cow?)

I asked Jamario about this last night. He’s heard it before and figures if he can find a company with a cow as a symbol or logo, he could make some cake off it, too.

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A couple of links for you to keep up to day with what’s going on. Here’s how Boston saw Wednesday night’s thriller and here’s what’s going on in Milwaukee, where the Bucks host the Pacers tonight before heading our way.

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They have yet to erect a plaque in the visitor’s locker room to commemorate one of the great moments in Raptor history.

It’s four years ago now, Sam’s first year and he tries to chase Rafer Alston and Loren Woods off the bench he’s so mad at them. After the game, Rafer tells me and Stumpy he doesn’t think he’s cut out for the NBA and might retire.

Enterprising journalists that we are, we write that down, march over to the most quotable dude in the room and tell Jalen Rose what Rafer said.

Jalen doesn't blink an eye, just says, "that’s strong" and wanders off.

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This may mean nothing, but Grant Hill returned this week after missing seven games after having an appendectomy.

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Once more into the mail:

I know Sam says Jimmy's and Joe's are more important than X's and O's. But what if a team has two Joes? Is Bargnani a true centre? Hardly.

He's clearly more a Nowitzki-like 4. If we did not have Bosh he would be our PF. So what to do?
In the standard locked-in NBA patterns, there is NOTHING to do that would help: Bargnani is a guy with no good place on a team with Bosh.

So...how about some out-of-the-box thinking? Why not make other teams adjust to our having TWO 4's? Yes, we would experience problems with defensive match-ups; Yes, rebounding would be an issue, but IMAGINE OTHER TEAMS HAVING TO ADJUST TO US!

Your thoughts?

Are there precedents in NBA, as there are in college/university, for teams being very creative so as to capitalize on the players they actually have, rather than forcing guys into molds that are "given" in the dominant NBA schemes?

Charles N, Mexico-Toronto

A: Well, I recall two seven footers named Duncan and Robinson playing beside each other rather successfully. One was a power forward, one was a centre and you could argue both had the skill sets of centres.

And there were the twin towers in Houston of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson in Houston that worked out all right.

How ‘bout we do this: We call Bosh and Bargnani both “bigs” or “posts” instead of centre and/or power forward. After all, last night the Celtics used a power forward (Kevin Garnett) to guard a centre (Bargnani) most of the night and a centre (Kendrick Perkins) to guard a power forward (Bosh). A lot of times, this whole centre-power forward thing is semantics and people get too caught up in it.

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We’re standing courtside before the game and there’s this little fellow who looks vaguely familiar chatting with Alex English. No, it wasn’t the athletic director from South Carolina, it was the one and only Ernie DiGregorio, who I grew up watching in Buffalo. Ernie (No) D now works for a casino near Boston as a host and does one of those goofy timeout gigs during games.

No sure what they were talking about but there were 28,610 career NBA points in the chat (of course, 25,613 were Alex’s) and the players should have been listening.

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Think back two years and two days, Jan. 22, 2006. Remember?

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You nutty readers have filled up the mailbag again, it’ll probably be another double-dose this weekend but if you’ve got a pressing question, click here to send it along.

Comments

[Jacob L]

Oh, what’s this? 20-7-7? The most significant game of the year so far? Who would’ve believed Sam Mitchell, Bryan Colangelo, Doug Smith, or anyone else who makes a living on this basketball stuff would’ve actually known what they were talking about. Some sandwich artist spouting off about sending bargnani to the d-league didn’t get it right? Just cause I tell you how to make my Assorted doesn’t mean you’re qualified to say anything about how this team is run.

[doug]

not to hard to figure out how the Raptors won that game..look at Pierce's line 8-20, 3-9 from beyond the 3 point arc an no trips to the foul line...they'll never win achampionship in Boston with him in the line-up he has no thought or clue for the feel of the game or situation....the more he misses the more he shoots...he's talented but a liability...

[AK]

wasn't it Jan 26, 2006 that the team rid itself of incompetence, not Jan 22, 2006?

Blogger's note: Close, but not the date I was talking about.

[leigh]

It was a good win by the Raptors last night but the one serious concern was that the Celtics scored 56 points in the paint. Too many times Boston simply dropped the ball in the basket without any Raptor seriously challenging them. It's ok to foul hard(fairly) and make a guy earn his points at the line, but the Raptors seemed happy to let Boston get easy points time and time again.

[tino]

Bargnani's best move last nigth was telling Leo Rautins he didn't want to talk about himself.Best Raptors's move would be founding a good defensive retired centre to sit on the bench a' la DM.It seems Bargnani is left to himself to process the game.Most credit(rigthly so) DM' s chats during the game, for TJ's and Jose's development.Anyone like him out there for Andrea?

[Mark]

With regard to Moon looking for a company with a cow logo for the dunk contest (Moon jumps over the cow).

How about the milk industry (Dairy Farmers association)???

hell, they'd probably send someone dressed as a cow who he could leap over. This would be broadcast on prime time national tv and I'm sure they'd jump (ha) at the chance to be involved.

[Normiyuki Haga]

Is there a retired centre out there that could help Barg's? Yes, I think Hakeem owes the Raptors a season or two...

[DougG]

Great game and hustle by Bargnani. Thank you Spain for Jose. The Raptors won so now I can see hope in the world again.

I wonder if that win will help Damon make up his mind. He may not want to turn down more money if he isn't absolutely sure he is going to win in Boston. Let's hope that for the moment at least the odds are in our favor.

[rozen]

January 22- the day Kobe dropped 81 on the heads of the raptors, that day burns a hole in my mind, having lived in LA for 4 years and hearing smug Laker's fans....

Blogger's note: Bingo! We have a winner.

[GM]

Let's hope Damon still goes to Boston!

Meanwhile, I didn't see anything made of Calderon's game-winner. Is it because there was still one play after it? Still, he's probably got as many game-winners as Ford does now.

[Bay Street Lawyer]

I went to bed early the night Kobe got 81. The game was getting out of hand and why would I want to watch my favorite team get dismantled? Then I see the highlights the next morning and I realized a missed a piece of NBA history. Argh!

[Jeff_R_from_Uxbridge_in_the_house]

Hey Dougie,

I'm the guy busting on ya about Delfino last week.

Well, you were right for a bit, but now I'm right again....booo-yah!

Just kidding, I know you like Delfino too.

Great insight about PF/C, who cares...Basically Bosh is the C of this team without him even knowing it.

It's more fun posting on sports sites than political sites because nobody threatens you.

Blogger's note: No, but we do edit a bit.

[Doug S]

On this Jamario/Cow thing - I'm pretty sure there is still the requirement to do a team-mate involved dunk - why not have CB4 dress up in a cow costume and Moon jump over his head?

[Kevin Murray]

Ironic that Bosh picked up Bargnani's foul early in the game. This kept Andrea on the floor. After all Bargnani, the centre (in name only) is there to keep Bosh out of foul trouble with difficult match ups. The whole 4/5 thing doesn't matter when you have mobile big men. Then it is all about the matchups.

Has Bosh played well yet this year against Garnett for the full 48 minutes? (or at least the 30 or so he usually plays/)

Blogger's note: In the three games Bosh and Garnett played against each other this season, Bosh has averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds; Garnett's averaged 21.7 points and 9.3 rebounds and his team won two of those three games.

[yertu damkule]

is one of moon's dunks going to be a missed, ill-advised 17-foot jumper? he seems to be working on those quite a bit...

Blogger's note: Ding! Ding! Ding! We have this week's winner.

[GM]

That had to be the easiest quiz in the world considering there was a hyperlink to the game report.

Blogger's note: Never suggested it required Mensa to solve.