The Morning After The Night Before, XLV

Cold enough for you? (For you out-of-towners it’s like minus-a kabillion here).

Super Dog couldn’t even handle it, very short walk this morning, meaning she’s a bit smarter than I generally give her credit for. Oh, and Super Son’s got the radio on wondering if it’s a Cold Day at school. And no shootaround for either team so I can chill on the couch and eat bon-bons.

Which also means I’ve got some time to putz around this morning on this little daily diatribe.

And here you have it:

Three Things I Learned

Two good little guys

Twenty-three assists, three turnovers. Yeah, the point guards are back. Funny, it’s only been three games but I haven’t been inundated with “Trade Jose, Trade T.J.” e-mails. Guess you folks have gone soft.

But, seriously, we all knew the second unit would be vastly improved once a real point guard got hold of it (and I meant that with no disrespect to Juan Dixon, who was trying to learn a difficult position on fly). Seeing how seamlessly that group operates makes me think they’ve got the PG combination just right the way it is.

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Too bad for one of the little fellas

Action: League adds Rasheed Wallace to Eastern Conference all-star team.

Reaction: Bad for Jose ‘cause now if Caron Butler has to bow out, they’ll likely take Ray Allen or Hedo Turkoglu ahead of Calderon.

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What was that?

Jack Armstrong and Chuck Swirsky are a lot of things. Curlers they are not.

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A trip to the mailbag and a journey down memory lane

Q: Everyone seems to have a top 5 question these days so here is mine:  Do you have a list of top 5 Oakley (Oakleyisms??) quotes from his time here?  You may have to do a little digging for this one.

Colin B, Bogota, Colombia

A: So many to choose from. Was going to dredge some of these up last week in the run-up to Game 1,000 but ran out of days. Here we go (and some of these may not be verbatim because it took us a while to develop a true Oak-to-English dictionary.

"It’s like bringing eggs to a barbecue.”

"Just because there’s glass on the highway doesn’t mean there was an accident.”

"No use crying over spilled milk, go to the store and get some more.”

"Glen Grunwald isn’t the GM, Vince’s mom is.”

"It ain’t going to be no Charles Barkley fake book, it’s gonna be a real book, a Charles Oakley book.” (On his yet-unpublished memoirs).

And, of course, that’s without the greatest of ‘em all

"Pimpin’ ain’t easy, pimpin’ ain’t dead, the ho’s are just scared.”

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Here’s how they saw Sunday’s games in Minneapolis and Boston, just to give you a look at the past and present opponents.

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Speaking of the Spurs, do you think this is Matt Bonner’s greatest NBA back-to-back? Got to see his family in New England and still got to Toronto in time to have a night out Sunday night and all day today to ride the TTC and eat subs.

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Josip of Oakville adds this to the list of top five picks as teammates

Another one for the two top 5 draft picks in the same year playing together. Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. I'm surprised you guys missed that one

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There was a dude or dudette who sent a mailbag question in about five biggest bonehead plays I can recall. Well, here are two more:

PETER POWER/TORONTO STAR

High energy player.

Chris Childs, 85-82, Detroit, Game 5, playoffs. ‘Nuf said.

Oh, and seeing Jerome Williams on Friday brought one back to mind. They trade for him from Detroit, he jumps in his truck and drives all night in a snowstorm to get to Toronto and dresses for a Friday night game against Sacramento. Probably isn’t going to play much because he doesn’t know the plays or the defensive schemes or much of anything about his new teammates but there he is on court in the final seconds of a triple-overtime thriller against the Kings.

And right there, right in front of the Raptor bench, he gets a little over-exuberant on defence, leaves his man, gets screened out of the play and his man – Peja Stojakovic – drills game-winning three.

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Emily over in the comments section points this out, too. But here’s Jawad R of Unionville helping out.

Maybe I can help expand on an answer you gave earlier.

John W from Hamilton inquired as to why Bosh sometimes grabs at the left side of his chest after a scoring play

If you look closely, you`ll see that his thumb is curled in and that his fingers are splayed out to indicate 4.

You`ll also notice that he usually does this after scoring at home on the basket nearest the Raps bench; I sit in the courtside seats facing the Raptors bench and I`m told that its also an homage to his girlfriend who sits in the front row.

It would seem to be a bit of a marketing or signature style move and a bit of a shout out to his girl.

Thanks, a grateful nation sleeps easier.

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A final mailbag submission.

Hey Doug, why can't you admit this team is not as good as it was billed? No, people "don't get better at their job every day" (please see your recent blog as evidence of your work), but from year to year we should trend upwards. BC tried to add depth to the bench but the bench scoring is down. The run and gun system he was supposed to implement is pure myth as we are consistently out-scored in transition (even in the Raps vs. Celt win 28-0 Boston - hardly high octane). BC gambled that our growth would stem from the development of our youth (see Bargnani's woeful numbers, I'll give Ford a pass but....). This team WITHOUT A TRADE will: have less wins, finish lower in the standings, and lose in less than 6 games in the playoffs. And no the East is no better than last year, at least in part due to the Raptor stagnation. Please don't tell me you are turning into a company man like Swirsky, who wouldn't criticize Bargnani if he was taking liberties with his own wife. Admit it, this team isn't and won't be as good as last year. I agree with one blogger that BC is getting a free pass this year thanks to the miserable performance of the Blueshirts.

Keep up the good work. Hope this blog hasn't peaked and gets better next year.

Ted S, Windsor, N.S.

A: Wow. What a cranky-puss you are.

You don’t think they’re better today than they were a year ago? Okay, we can disagree on that. I happen to think that Bargnani is improving, Moon’s giving them more athleticism, Delfino and Kapono are improvements over Mo and Joey (who played those roles last year) and the point guards, now healthy, are as good as they’ve ever been. But what do I know?

The Bargnani “woeful” numbers. As perhaps you can recall, I’ve ripped the guy for being soft, unable to get his footwork right on his jumper and unwilling to bang like he has to and he was awful for six weeks. Today, he’s averaging a point per game fewer than he did last year and his rebounding numbers are virtually the same. If you had him “woeful” last year, then he’s “woeful” again now.

Not sure if you missed the memo but the “run-and-gun” stuff you talk about died about 10 games into last season. And the 28-0 “in transition” thing you talk about in Boston I presume refers to fast-break points? Yeah, that was absolutely horrific. Terrible. They must have got drilled that game, right? Oh, wait. They won. Yeah, it was hugely costly.

I’m virtually sure you will not agree with anything I’ve just written but, truth be told, I don’t care.

Oh, their record today is one game better than it was at this time last year, they’re fully healthy for the first time in months and winning 48 isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

And thanks for ruining the post-season for everyone. But if they’re going to lose in fewer than six games, that’ll mean more days off for me. For that, I thank you.

This mailbag is HEAVY!!

Imagine that, too many questions! A few familiar names in here, a few regulars missing and whole lot of different themes.

Have at it:

Q: Hey Doug, remember that great Laphonso Ellis block back in the day where he blocked a dunk attempt and came down with the ball. When that happens in a game is it scored as a block or a steal? How about when a defensive player intercepts a shot in midair, block or steal or both?
Tamer B, Webequie, Ont.

A: It’s subjective, I’d say it’s a block in the first case and a steal – and a very, very bad shot attempt – in the second.

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Q: We often hear that the Raps are at or near the bottom in free throw attempts. My questions are: Where do they sit in actual points made from free throws? Who leads the league in points from free throws?

Ron R, Appin

A: Before Saturday play, Toronto was second in the NBA in team free throw percentage, shooting 81.3, but they were 26^th in points from free throws, with 787. The Denver Nuggets, 13^th in percentage at 75.9, were first in points with 1,135.

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Q: I have been pondering the Raptors trade situation, and reading the continual questions you receive about trading around the small forward position. I started thinking about the NBA and is this league just over-saturated with 6 foot 5 guys playing the small forward position?

Sean P, Toronto

A: Not sure if it’s over-saturated, but what you’re seeing now is more 6-7, 6-8, 6-9 guys playing that spot, guys like Lamar Odom in Los Angeles. That’s what GMs are looking for now, big and bigger at what used to be a “small” position.

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Q: I asked this question last week but I guess it was too much of a rant. Do you think we give BC too much credit considering he didn't bring in the pieces that (I can't believe I'm saying this) Babcock brought in. i.e. - Calderon, Bosh, Mitchell vs. BC's - TJ and Bargs. I guess we will have to wait on Bargs but Babcock got us our two all-stars.

Why is there so much trade talk on Miller I admit I don't really know his game too well but will he solve our rebounding woes and does he get to the basket more than Jamario?

What if any trades do you think the Raptors will make before the trade deadline? Ones you see could happen and should? (Gimme something Doug, long winter days are boring)

What will happen when Garbo gets back? I'm talking long term but in the summer I'm guessing we sign Moon and Delfino. Who’s the odd man out?

Robert P, Toronto

A: Wasn’t too much of a rant, probably just fell out of a very full mailbox.

But do allow me, with all snark, to correct a few, um, errors. Babcock didn’t bring in Bosh, Glen Grunwald did. You also forgot to mention that Colangelo did Garbo and AP and Delfino and Hump and Dixon.

Miller doesn’t solve rebounding, no; but he does solve a suddenly very, very ordinary starting small forward spot.

I don’t know if they’ll make a trade and, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not throwing out names nilly-willy unless Someone Who Knows lets me know there’s an interest. Sorry.

This is going to be an interesting summer with Garbo, AP, Moon and Delfino. I know there’s not room for all four of them on the roster next year, I don’t think. Oh, and Moon’s under contract for next year, a team option, so he won’t have to be re-signed.

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Q: Hey Doug, for whatever reason there's always been something about Boston teams that have really made me despise them. That's why I was very happy when the Giants knocked off the Patriots. How spoiled would the Boston fans be if they won titles in three major sports in one year? Toronto could only be that lucky!

That being said, with the Boston Celtics being favoured to come out of the east, who in the west represents their most difficult match up?

Rich M, Mississauga

A: Well, being a Red Sox fan and all, I couldn’t give a rat’s behind what happens to other Boston sports teams.

That being said, I think right now, the Celtics would lose a playoff series to the Lakers in, oh, let’s say five games and I would think the Spurs would take ‘em out, too.

And, depending on how Shaq does, Phoenix probably beats them right now as well.

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Q: Hey Doug, a couple questions and a comment:

1) Is-was Shawn Marion the only player in the league to be unhappy playing with Steve Nash?

2) If you're Dwyane Wade, and you hear about the me-first attitude of Marion, how do you go about welcoming him to your team?! Especially after coming from a team whose PG is probably the best in the league at getting you points without you having to create your own shot (apologies, JKidd)

3) I feel sorry for Nash - wish they were able to get Garnett before the season for the same deal (with draft picks, etc) ... now that would have been a TEAM.

Felix T, Loughborough, UK

A: I don’t think it was specifically Steve Nash who Marion was upset with, he just wanted out of a situation where he was a distinct third fiddle. I’m not entirely sure how he’s going to like being a distant second to Dwayne Wade, either.

Wade’s going to be fine; Pat Riley made it glaringly apparent that it’s his team and moves will be made to fit around him in the future.

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Q: Since you went over the top in sarcasm with your answer to me in your Friday mail bag: “You’re over-estimating both the importance of your question (not very) and your knowledge of the salary cap (apparently quite limited). I’ll do this very slowly for you.”

I deserve a second chance. I guess that’s what I get for asking a question that costs nothing to get answered.

Here’s my follow-up since I know sooo little:

What is the Raps penalty for MATCHING ANY JOSE OFFER, meaning do they have to cut X amount of $ to stay within the cap. Is Jose getting the “Bird” rights.

Please explain. I have seen you touch on this before but I need more. There must be something I am missing. I know they just can’t match any offer and that’s it. It must come at the cost of something???

MB, London

PS – my friends unanimously agreed that my question WAS the MOST IMPORTANT of the week. Not sure how you can object?

A: You’ve got to get smarter friends (I keed, I keed).

It’s this simple: There is no penalty outside the dollar-for-dollar tax if they go above the tax threshold, but that’s not going to happen on a Calderon deal, now matter what it is, because the very few teams with room to offer him more than the full mid-level can’t make an offer that would put Toronto over the tax if, as expected, it comes in somewhere north of $70 million.

They can match any offer and that’s it. There’s no secret to it, he’s a Bird Rights guy and a restricted free agent. Seriously. Ask someone else if you don’t believe me. I hear From Deep’s doing something akin to a Mailbag ™ that isn’t a mailbag.

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Q: The guy who asked you about resigning Calderon was clearly referring to the possibility that Jose would be offered more money than the Raptors would feel comfortable matching and adding to their overall cap figure.  He wasn't asking about the conditions of restricted free agency.  DON'T FORGET TO PUT YOUR REVISED ANSWER (AND APOLOGY) IN CAPS.

Dave B, Toronto

A: READ ABOVE, I HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR.

THANKS

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Q: For the question's sake, let's say that Shaq made the eastern all-star team. He is now traded to the west, how would this be handled? Would it be handled differently if he was voted in by fans or selected by the coaches?

Ian S, Oakville

A: For the umpteenth time, the NBA told me that they would deal with that kind of issue when, or if, it arrives. It hasn’t yet, mainly because Jason Kidd hasn’t been traded, so who knows what they might do.

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Q: Hey Doug, on the slam dunk contest voting thing, do you know if we can vote by SMS thru Canadian carriers (Rogers, Bell, etc), or is SMS just going to be supported south of the border only?

Daniel H, North York

A: You’re talking to an 8-track guy in a DVD world but I’m told by “experts” that, yes, you’ll be able to vote up here. But don’t hold me to it because I don’t know exactly what SMS is.

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Q: I have two quick questions: Why are most fans so keen to pick up a "rebounder". I don't know if people have checked the line up lately, but Bosh and Bargnani will be starting all year, and Moon pulls down more boards at the three than most. Off the bench you have Rasho and Hump. Isn't this more an issue of execution than it is the lack of resources?

Secondly, non-related to the Raptors, but what ever happened to Darius Miles? I remember he used to do wonders for me in the Basketball pool, but I haven't seen him for a couple seasons. Is he still property of Portland? I know he hasn't had the best of attitudes at times, but he could really be another piece to the already promising team in Portland that may make them a contender in a couple years time!

Caleb H, Ottawa

A: Issue of execution rather than lack of resources is well put. The thing is, Hump’s not been great lately and I think that’s the area in the frontcourt they could be looking to upgrade. That said though, if Rasho’s around in the post-season, he’s going to get the bulk of those backup minutes.

Darius Miles is still around, but he’s hurt, missed all season after knee surgery. Not sure where he fits when he’s healthy, either, on what is considered the most promising young team in the league.

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Q: Played around with ESPN's Trade Machine... managed to get a 3-way working with Seattle and Memphis, both miserable teams with eyes on the bottom line rather than the lineup.

Raptors get Mike Miller and Ridnour, Grizzlies get Rasho and Kurt Thomas, Sonics get Kwame, Dixon and Good/Bad Joey (and they don't even have to use their trade exception). I didn't even think about draft picks which may or may not make things better.

Grizz get two expiring deals for one, coming out about $7mil better, plus getting rid of a big contract.  Seattle also gets two expiring deals for one, but only manages about $3.5mil better.  They also have to take the enigma that is Joey Graham, but he's still young enough to be a project, right?

Raptors take on 2 big contracts, but they take on a sweet shooter with size and get a decent backup PG in case Ford takes yet another hit.

What say you?  Does this work out for everyone or have I just wasted an hour?

Steve W, London UK

A: Sorry, dude. That’s an hour you’ll never get back. Kwame Brown can’t be added to a multi-player deal for three months, I don’t believe.

And trade checkers, while fun, are silly machines.

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Q: Doug Collins mentioned last night on TNT that the Suns could still use an athletic swingman for defensive insurance now that Marion was gone. Since Shaq diminishes his importance, could you see a Brian Skinner (and the James Jones trade exception) for Joey Graham deal? Not likely to change the balance of power in the NBA, but a subtle move that provides a little more veteran frontcourt insurance for playoff time, plus the Raps shed a little salary in the process.

Sean S, Toronto

A: I can’t see Phoenix giving up Skinner, although I do think they need someone on the perimeter ‘cause I don’t imagine they want to run Grant Hill into the ground.

Skinner would look good here in the Hump role, though. Oh, wait, they had him once in that role and let him go.

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Q: I'll throw 2 names at you, and tell me if BC would be interested.

1. Wally Szczerbiak

2. Devean George

I know Wally is making $12 million this year and $13 next year. He shoots, scores and drives to the basket. Devean, is a solid player with lots of experience and is seating at the end of the bench in Dallas.

Jacques L, Toronto

A: To quote an NBA coach: “Wally Szczerbiak couldn’t guard you.” So, he’s out.

And Devean George, while experienced, isn’t going to put any team over the top. Or, in my opinion, any further up the hill. So I doubt he’s on BC’s radar either.

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Q: I keep hearing about how the tempo of the games will slow down come playoff time. Why is that?

Luka M, Toronto

A: Teams tend to slow down in the post-season because every possession is valuable, you don’t see them take nearly as many chances that could become turnovers that could lead to big runs and momentum shifts. Teams like to run their plays rather than run fast-breaks.

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Q: Hey Doug, my wife and I are avid fans of the Raps, and we live for your blog. Reading it every morning gives us the assurance that all is well in our world, despite any new challenges that may come from the economy, geo-political change, the market or the environment.

On to the Raps. Another frustrating loss to the Clippers last night due to poor execution -- kind of like the losses to the 76ers, the Wizards and the Sonics to name a few examples (no ball movement, settling for the J's when they're not falling, poor shot selection at critical times, inconsistent rebounding and porous defense).

Last night was touted as a major milestone for the Raptors, their 1000th game as an organization. Now, at the midpoint of the second season of this particular edition of the Raptors, what is your assessment of their development, and what they need to do to continue to move forward this year?

My view is that the biggest lesson from last night is for Colangelo, confirming that this team, as it is currently constituted, is not yet built to get past the first round of the playoffs. We would not be able to match up favourably against the Cavs or the Magic, much less the Pistons or the Celtics. In order to take another step forward this year (after admittedly overachieving last year) and have a shot at getting into the second round, Colangelo needs to make another move, before the trade deadline, to bring a decent slasher/rebounder into the three position, someone who can also inject some toughness to the entire team. Otherwise, I'm concerned that we will have squandered the great baseline that was created from last year, and be left falling behind an increasingly competitive conference.

Your thoughts please?

Harley W, Toronto

A: All good points, the only one I take exception with is that they would have trouble with Orlando. For some reason, Rasho defends Dwight Howard quite well and unless Orlando addresses a horrible deficiency at point guard, TJ and Jose would kill whoever they played against and the Magic have no one who can guard Bosh.

That said, a tough three would be first on my list right now, I’m seeing a deterioration in Moon’s play and who knows how he’d react in the playoffs.

What I can see happening, if nothing changes, is Cleveland getting past Orlando and finishing third, Toronto staying fifth and taking out the Magic in the first round. Of course, that could all change before the trade deadline arrives.

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Q: Simple one for you:

a) When does Toronto host the all-star game? Only four cities remaining, right? Us included?

b) Do fans ever get a chance to see the festivities game included, the NBA and its marketing and associate partners take a big chunk of tickets

Sunny P, Mississauga

A: Simple two, you mean.

Teams need to bid for an all-star game and some cities don’t. Toronto, I would bet, is looking at hosting the 2011 affair. And regular fans don’t get regular seats, no. Not even close. You might get one to the Friday night stuff, or maybe Saturday and I’d hazard a guess that if there are 11,000 season ticket holders in Toronto, 3,000 might be able to buy a seat to the game. Maybe.

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Q: Hi Doug, you've recently let us know who your favourite players in the NBA are. I'm wondering who your least favourite are. I personally can't stand Rasheed Wallace because of his attention-seeking antics, Ben Wallace because of his one-dimensionality, DeShawn Stevenson because of his unjustifiable arrogance, Stephen Jackson cause he's a knucklehead and Darko Milicic cause he tried to blame every one of his lacklustre efforts on poor officiating.

Geoff A, Toronto

A: Steve Francis, for his petulance and inability to, you know, win would top my list of current day players. Eddy Curry for sloth and wasting ability (I see more of Oliver Miller every time I look at him) would probably be second.

But your group would fit right in.

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Q: Doug, just curious, but do the Raptors have any big rivalries? I know New York was at one point (back when they played them twice in the playoffs) but it doesn't seem like they have any anymore. I was wondering if the players perceive anyone as their rival?

David B, Toronto

A: Just for sheer hype, I’d say New Jersey, although that’s died off considerably this season since the Nets are no good. Other than that, I don’t think there’s any one team. I think you have to have some post-season battles (like they did with the Knicks) before any true rivalry exists.

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Q: Doug, after Bosh does a dunk, don't you notice that he usually grabs his left part of his chest. Is there something wrong there?

John W, Hamilton

A: An affectation. A bit out of character and not something he does every single time, thankfully.

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Q: I've always been a fan of Glen Grunwald; a class act with a smart basketball IQ. Where does he go if/when Isiah Thomas finally quits or gets fired? Could he be a possible successor or would he follow Isiah out the door?

And in the spirit of Jamario Moon’s last minute foul a while back; what are your top five bonehead plays involving the Raptors?

Fritz M, Dingwall, N.S.

A: I don’t imagine the Knicks are going to do anything with Thomas during the season but if they did, I could see Glen being the interim GM until the end of year. But once the summer hits and they clean house, I’m not sure what his future will be. Too bad, though, he is as you say, a smart, thoughtful, good executive.

Top five bonehead plays? Wow, there are too many to recall.

Let’s go through some from just the last few years (my memory of those first nine or 10 seasons is quite foggy). I’ll give you three right now and try to come up with some others for the blog during the week.

There was the night Mike James forgot to guard Damon Jones, who hit a three right in front of the Raptor bench to win a game.

Penny Hardaway won a game with a last-second shot when he was in Phoenix when they forgot to guard him after he inbounded the ball.

Dallas won a game when they didn’t switch on a screen and the Mavs got an easy basket.

See a trend there?

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Q: What do you make of this repeated excuse that it is a learning experience? Either we are extremely slow learners or we just don’t have the right pieces of the puzzle. These guys are professional basketball players, it’s their job to win and correct things that aren’t working like all of us are expected to do at work but yet we seem to be getting worse. Last year we would have won that game. Sure we can blow out Miami (yippie) but when you have all week to prepare for a middle of the table team at home in a big game in franchise history and that is the effort, something needs to be done.

Chris C, Halifax

A: You get better at your job every single day? Never, ever take a step back, or remain the same? Sometimes people don’t perform to the best of their abilities every day, writers, basketball players, bakers, bankers, whatever your profession is. Worse? That’s subjective but I don’t think they are worse in any facet of the game than they were a year ago, or even a month ago.

Something needs to be done? What do you propose? Trade ‘em all? Bench ‘em all? Fire someone? Yes, in most facets of the game Friday they weren’t good, in most facets of that game in Boston a while back, they were very, very good. Sometimes crap just happens.

But don’t forget, be better at your job tomorrow than you were today or someone might wanna get rid of you.

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Q: Crystal ball time.
So it’s May, and the Raps just lost in game 7 against the Cavs in the second round when a last second three by Anthony Parker rims out. All and all, a pretty successful season. About where we expected. At least as good as any in Raps history. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in a 7-gamer for the ages. Now it’s the off-season.

Jose is a free agent at the end of the year. He can make big money, quarterbacking about 20 other teams in the league. (New York, Miami, New Jersey soon enough, to name a few) I understand the Raps are fortunate to have the best 1-2 point punch in the league, but Jose could be making 10-11 million a year. (Kirk Hinrich) BC has stated his priority is locking up Jose long term. If this happens, does that make T.J. tradable on, let’s say, draft day? Is there still room for them both? Does T.J.'s health affect his trade value?

P.S. I wish the Leafs were half-decent so all the Andrea haters could go back to watching hockey. This basketball thing is a bit out of their realm.

Chad N, Toronto

A: Good rant.

Here’s the thing you forgot on Jose, only teams with room under the cap can make him an offer worth more than the mid-level exception and, as it stands now, that’s about four teams, none of whom you would say are in as good shape as Toronto. And, because of the timing, nothing will be done with Jose by draft day (he can’t sign until mid-July) so a draft-day deal is unlikely. And, of course, I will point out that it’s worked very well so far with Ford and Calderon on the same team and I don’t see why it couldn’t in the future. The money? You know what? I don’t see paying Jose as having a detrimental effect on paying anyone else. No matter what they give him, or what they’re forced to give him by another offer, they will still have the full mid-level exception to spend without worrying about hitting the tax level. So, to me, the money doesn’t matter at all.

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Q: Just a quick question which I couldn't find any answer on Google or Yahoo. What is the meaning of unanswered points at the nba.com stats sheet? I saw in a blow-out game, one team's unanswered points is 0 and the other is 2. I thought unanswered points refer to when one team scored and the other didn't? Can you help me out here? Thanks.

Jon L, Markham

A: Without knowing specifically what game you're talking about, as far as I know, it’s the run of unanswered points at that specific time. Like if the Clippers scored with 19 seconds left in a game and Toronto scored with eight seconds left, the final unanswered points would be 2 for the Raptors.

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Q: Hey Doug, caught the game Friday night in the cheap seats and was proud to see my fellow Torontonians finally learning the art of the "out-of-towner heckle". It made section 324 in the ACC resemble section 204 at the Palace. (I keed)! On to a pressing question: Was MoPete the aggressive, foot shuffling, hand raising defender that helped contain explosive players from going off? Heck, Maggette had time to have a latte at highway 10 and QEW, stop at Oak's car wash and then shoot the three!

Almir D, Mississauga

A: Um, no he wasn’t. Mo was a good defender but to suggest he was “aggressive” is a stretch. Maggette got off on Friday partially on Moon and Delfino breakdowns but also because the Raptors team defence was pretty crappy, too.

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Q: I'm really enjoying the Shaq trade story and the arm-chair GM time, so I was just wondering if anyone has picked Jason Kapono's brain for his thoughts on the deal? I'm thinking that he might have some insight into Shaq's passing and fitness and how his presence shapes the defence...might also have some thoughts on Marion in Miami (although I'm more interested in Shaq really...)

If no one's asked him, do you think you could?  (If I've just missed it, then I offer my apologies.)

Paul W, Parkdale

A: Not to blow my own horn or anything – well, that’s exactly what it is – but if you look on this website for other stories I’ve done, specifically the day the trade was made, you’ll see Kapono’s reaction and his comments.

I am soooooo nice to you readers

What’s a grunt-slash-blogger-answer man to do? I have here about 2,600 words of answers from earlier in the week; I’ve got another 2,000 words of questions still to be answered.

So, because I’m in quite the charitable mood (and I’m standing around a freezing cold arena waiting for practice to end) here’s Another Instalment Of The Mailbag. Don’t get used to it though, I presume this is a one-time gig.

Oh, and Happy Hockey Day!

Q: I'm shooting for my third published question. Do you keep logs to track whose questions you have posted. Would be a nice addition to the blog.
Anyways, tell me; now that the trading frenzy has started why has Colangelo gone quiet? Pau would have been a great fit, and you can't tell me the Raps couldn't have put a better package together than the Lakers. Otherwise, is Miller really the answer? There's got to be a better fit out there; what they need is rebounding. What about Josh Smith in Atlanta or Josh Boone out of NJ.

Ian A, Vancouver

A: I will say again, to you and everyone else who wondered that, no, the Raptors could not have put together a collection of picks, expiring contracts and young players on rookie scale deals that would have satisfied Memphis.

And if you think Josh Smith is available or that Josh Boone would be any better than Kris Humphries, you’re dead wrong.

No, I don’t keep logs but I do remember the odd name that pops up weekly. Or more often than that. (And you know who you are)

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Q: Living in Ottawa, I only get to see the Leafs and Raps from afar. Watching the Toronto media constantly criticize JFJ got me wondering: Why does Colangelo seem to get a free-ride in Toronto? Three observations. First, the Raps have not improved over last year. Second, TJ Ford is probably one more flagrant foul away from retirement, so the trade for him looks questionable. And finally, Bargnani still looks to be a long-term project (would he be picked #1 again?). Yet, I get the impression that Colangelo "can do no wrong."

Your thoughts?

Garry S, Ottawa

A: Okay, you’re from out of town and the Senators suck and that Emery dude seems to be the wackiest pro athlete in town so I’ll go easy.

First: They are better than last year.

Second: T.J. Ford is the same number of flagrant fouls away from retirement than any player in the NBA, truth be told, and if he quits at the end of this year, it’s still a winning trade for the Raptors. A slam dunk.

And, finally, Bargnani is fine. Just fine. Yes, if the Raptors had a do-over, he’d go No. 1 again.

Sure, Bryan Colangelo may not be Red Auerbach yet but he really hasn’t blown anything of substance so far. And when he does, we’ll kill him like they killed that Ferguson fellow to whom you refer.

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Q: Hey Doug, explain this makeup game between the Heat and Hawks, no better yet explain how this game gets made up yet there was no penalty to the Hawks for those missed points against the Raptors last year. Apparently I've read these kinds of mix-ups in Atlanta are common?

Matthew F, Toronto

A: It’s pretty simple, actually. The error in the Miami game had a direct impact on who could play and who could not. Which is far more egregious, in my opinion, than the basket missed in the Raptor game.

And I’m not sure common is the right words, there’ve been two in the last two years but that’s two more than there should be and the Hawks have been fined for the mistakes.

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Q: If Kidd gets traded to the West does that mean Billups will start? And if that happens won't another person be needed to fill his spot? Do you think Calderon will get that spot if all this occurs?

Jason W, Brampton

A: Dude, I answered this. But in case you missed it, NBA headquarters said, in words to this effect, that they’ll deal with that situation if it arises.

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Q: Delfino and Kapono they both have been a big impact on the Raptors so far this year. Did you expect more or less from them? Delfino had mentioned that he was not happy with the playing time with Detroit when he was there, how about now?

Sanjay G, Markham

A: I, like so many people, probably expected more from Kapono and less from Delfino. But I think, as a twosome of backup wings, they’re giving the Raptors pretty much what they need from that spot and it’s all balanced out.

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Q: Thanks for the double-dose of the Jalen Rose "that's strong" story, Doug, but I'd prefer some Isiah Thomas yarns. (This is now my second request.) I'm sure many of your fans are yearning to read about how the man at the helm of the NBA's Titanic fared in his tenure with the Raps.

Sean S, Toronto

A: Okay, I know it’s your second request, I got the first one, too. Tried to find some Isiah tales in the back of my mind and am still looking. But, not to worry, we’re gonna keep doing the Tribute To 1,000 stuff for the rest of the season, maybe one or two a week, and I’m sure a Zeke story will present itself.

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Q: Hi Doug, List time, with all these trades happening, how about listing the Raptors in order of trade value. Mine would go like this: Bosh, Calderon, Bargnani, Delfino, Humphries, Parker, Kapono, Moon, Ford, Rasho, Garbajosa, Dixon, Graham, Baston and Martin.

Marc B, Kitchener

A: Silly list, but what the heck. You mean what teams would want from here in order?

Bosh, Calderon, Ford, Bargnani, Parker, Kapono, Moon, Delfino, Dixon, Humphries, Rasho, Graham, Baston, Martin, Garbo. I guess.

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Q: Any word on the whereabouts of JYD? I thought the Raps hired him last year for PR. Yet, I haven's seen any sign of him all season.

Rob B, Scarborough

A: JYD’s deal as a sort of eminence grise wound up at the end of last season. But, funny you should ask, he showed up in the arena on Friday 'cause he's doing some weekend gig in Toronto. He's still uber-friendly and a good guy.

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Q: Now that Marion's loosed from Phoenix, and since Miami is rebuilding, what are the chances that the Raptors make a play? Say Colangelo offers Rasho, Joey, and (because you've gotta give to get) Andrea for the Matrix. Does this not make sense for both teams?

Reggie L, Vancouver

A: No chance. And it makes no sense to me anyway. I know there’s a lot of love for Shawn Marion out there, it doesn’t come from this corner. Next shot he creates on his own might be his first. Besides, he can't be traded for three months. As a free agent? If he opts out? He'll be too expensive for this team.

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Q: You mentioned the Raptors interest in the Mike Miller from the Grizzlies. To fit MM's salary in Toronto would have to give up Parker, Kapono or Nesterovic. Without another centre Rasho's going nowhere. Is it worth giving up AP for Miller since AP would otherwise have to split minutes at SG? Would AP with a second round pick for MM be a fair deal? Maybe if the Raptors took Cardinal's salary in the deal, then waived his rights. Raptors could give up Kapono but they'd need another SF unless AP can play the SF position. Joey's too unreliable and Moon needs to show he'll go to the hoop more often.

CJ L, London

A: Actually, Miller makes $9 million a year, you need more than AP and Kapono and I think that’s too high a price to pay. And, actually, I mentioned there some in the Raptor organization who like him, not that they’ve got their sights set on him.

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Q: Forget about shopping for a big man; wouldn't Udonis Haslem look good in a Raptor's uniform? I know that it is most unlikely, despite rumors that Miami is shopping him, but this is the kind of hustling, rebounding, "glue" (whatever that means) guy that the Raptors need.  What do you think, oh guru of the hardwood court? Indulge me.

Ray N, Etobicoke

A: Sure he would look good. So would about 50 unattainable players. And if Miami’s shopping him, which I doubt, there will be suitors with far more to offer than the Raptors.

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Q: Caught Mike Evans speaking at halftime of the recent Celtics and Spurs games, which incidentally ended up as wins for the Raptors, and wondered how much stock Sam and BC put into the Win/Loss records as they relate to gameday scouting by their coaching staff. Any insight?

Do you (or your crack research team) know the current season's W-L record for the assistant coaches? Thanks.

Marc M, Mississauga

A: Not much stock, actually. I’m sure joking around the assistants like to bust on each other but it’s a staff thing, even if one guy has responsibility for doing up that night’s scouting report. And, no, we don’t have a W-L record.

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Q: Watched the Heat/Raptors game on Monday night on Raptors TV. Game broadcast actually started around 8:00 p.m. and I thought it was supposed to start at 7:30 p.m. Every time there was a commercial break, I started to suspect this game was on tape delay because there were too many commercials. When Toronto had scored 49 points, I checked the score on another channel and discovered Raptors were up to 59 points. Taped the rest of the game to avoid all those commercials. I hope this isn't going to be the usual or I will start recording everything and watching it later sans commercials. Any comments?

Lynda P, Scarborough

A: Um, you need to check (a) your clocks or (b) your cable company. I was on my couch at 7:30 p.m. watching Raptors TV and saw the game unfold quite live. In fact, I was having e-mail chats with people who were in Miami and, believe me, we were seeing things as they unfolded.

So, I’m not sure what’s what out that way, but it wasn’t a problem here in Hazelville.

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Q: I’m just wondering, instead of letting Baston, Graham, Dixon rot in the bench, why don’t the Raps send them off to D-League and have them play and get conditioned? If you’re going to say they are being put on the sidelines in case somebody gets injured, second stringers can fill in first and then the third stringers can get called up in a day or two to fill in for the injured.

I guess it just doesn’t go for the Raps for the other teams as well, why don’t team just send their third stringers to the D-League, get them all conditioned and in-sync, then just call them up when they need them instead of letting them rot on the bench??

Tobi B, Toronto

A: They can’t send any of them down. The D League demotions are only for players in their first or second years in the league, none of them qualify.

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Q: Would there be any logic to playing Bargnani, Bosh and Nesterovic playing together?  Such as Bosh and Nesterovic playing the 4 and 5 positions and Bargs playing the 3? Or does this already happen and my radio only access has not allowed me to notice this arrangement?

Michael S, Toronto

A: Asked and answered, your honour.

But we’ll do it once again, for fun. Bargnani can’t guard threes in transition, or on the wing, really, so it’s not something Sam’s considering even a little bit.

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Q: Long time listener, first time caller. Reason is one Jason Kapono, or more aptly the Raptors' inability to slash and get to the free throw line.

Nothing against Kap-one personally (and I was optimistic about the signing at first), but all those theories that since he played defense for Riley he must be pretty good defensively fell flat, and more to the point, he is a one-dimensional three-point shooter on a team of chuckers.

What I'm getting to is does he have any trade value? Colangelo seems big enough to admit his own mistakes (eg. Fred Jones). And I tried sending him back to SoCal on a trade checker and it seems it checks out... sending him to the Clips with Graham for Maggette.

That make any sense in the real world?

Liam C, San Francisco

A: I’m sure he has trade value, he does lead the NBA in three-point shooting. And I’m equally sure these guys don’t want to trade him, for that very reason. As well, they’ve got to re-sign Carlos Delfino in the summer and if they think there’s a chance they’ll lose him, they better have Kapono still on roster.

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Q: With the amount of trash-talking that takes place between teams during a game, who are the biggest trash-talkers on the Raptors?  To me, it seems like the Raptors are a professional bunch who don't stoop to that level of immaturity, so it would surprise me if there are big-time trash-talkers on the team. I've heard stories of how Darrick Martin trashed Jordan in one game when he was in Vancouver, and he dominated the game the rest of the way to single-handedly give the Grizzlies a loss. I hope he's learned his lesson. I can't imagine he's still doing it, because a guy who's on the bench and constantly in street clothes should be the last guy to trash-talk. But does he still do it?

Will K, Scarborough

A: They really don’t woof an awful lot; in fact, I can’t think of one of them who’d be very good at it. Besides, none of them except Rasho have ever done anything in their NBA careers and that makes it tough to, um, chat.

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Q: I was wondering how NBA players get paid? Do they get a check every week or do they get all the money for the season all at once?

John G, Hamilton

A: They’re paid twice a month, just like a lot of working stiffs but some negotiate other payment plans.

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Q: “We get up the next morning to pick up the NY Post (required reading for all the latest zany NBA rumours).” Was that a shot at Pete Vescey?  Y'gotta love The Viper! There have been very few big trades over the last few years that he didn't call ahead of time. Though, admittedly, there are far more that he talks about that NEVER happen.

Paul M, Toronto

A: Why do you think I was referring to Pete Vescey? There are other Post reporters who have a tendency to, um, be creative in their reportage.

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Q: I heard that the all-star game is going to be shown exclusively on TNT this year. I can't believe that the NBA is going to leave its Canadian viewership out in the cold. I know The Score will air the game itself, but I don't want to miss the extra stuff. What's the scoop?

Zack R, Etobicoke

A: The “extra” stuff will be on up here, not to worry. Check one of the billion stations that carry basketball because one of ‘em will have the Friday and the Saturday stuff.

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Q: This may be more of a question for Jonesy, however, can someone tell me why the coaching staff is not teaching Andrea to front his man in the post as opposed to the awful NBA low post technique of backing a player in? Perhaps they are, I just haven’t seen it in game play. I am confident that if Andrea catches the ball in the post, fronts his defender (squares up to the basket), gives one up fake, he should be gone for a dunk or at least draw some fouls. Once he learns how to play in the post, this kid could be a consistent all-star in the league. Would you agree?

Garry K, Toronto

A: You’ve got a big old mixed basketball metaphor going there, my man. You “front” the post on defence, you “square up” on your man on offence. And yes, they are working with Bargnani on that, he’s got some moves but lots more to learn. It’s the evolution of his game.

The Morning After The Night Before, XLIV

All that and we didn’t get to see the zany antics of Sam Cassell? Disappointing, wasn’t it? The 1,000^th game looked like about 600 of the earlier ones.

We’ll get right to it, ‘cause I can’t help but notice it’s snowing and shovelling may be in order (if I don’t watch out, I may get in some semblance of shape with all this work).

Three Things I Learned

An explanation

Remember that foul in the second quarter when Quinton Ross grabbed Jamario’s shirt before the ball was inbounded and Moon ended up shooting two free throws? That’s the right call, obviously, on the play but – and this is the part I didn’t know – if the inbounder had already made a pass and the ball was in the air when Ross grabbed Moon it’s just an ordinary loose-ball foul.

Referee Jim Clark wandered over to the broadcasters at the next stoppage in play and said it was two shots because “it was prior to the ball being released.”

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Why him?

We were wondering something on media row in the second quarter: What in the world did Dan Dickau do to get dogged like he did by a couple of fans? Of all the inconsequential players in the game – and the league – why him?

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Some ornery folks

Mail’s full of anti-Sam stuff this morning and one dude says he’s never, ever, ever going to watch another game (until Sunday, I’d bet) because the coach cost them the loss to the Clips. No, no, no, not because he was supposed to guard Corey Maggette, but because he apparently “did nothing at all” during the 18-0 Clippers run over the last two minutes of the third quarter and first four of the fourth.

Checking the play-by-play, the coach made five substitutions in that time, had the quarter break to talk to them and called a timeout three minutes into the fourth.

That’s not nothing.

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Mea culpa time:

Here’s what I did

This was the letter that led off yesterday’s mailbag for a while:

Q: I know no one in the NBA was around (and few scribes) but another washed up big guy went to a team in 71/72, all about wondered what the heck was happening, and all the Lakers went was 69-13, with the washed up guy getting about 14 ppg, 20 rpg and led the league in assists.

Shaq on the Suns is enormous.

Brian F, Toronto

I misread it, thought he was talking about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when, as a zillion of you mentioned, it was Wilt Chamberlain.

Of the kabillion people who called or wrote, the first I heard from was M. Grange ™ who caught me on the phone right in the middle of ordering at Starbucks. (Just north of the QEW on Hurontario, go there a lot, all of you, the people who work there are nice). Normally, I would have gone into the blog and admitted the boo-boo, leaving the wrong answer there but correcting myself in the usual inimitable fashion. But since it was going to be 45 minutes or so before I got this machine fired up, I just had the good web folks at Star Central delete it.

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Here’s one that popped in the mailbag overnight.

Q: I know you won't put this in your blog because you're never wrong but
remember when you said Hedo Turkoglu was only MoPete with a fancier name?

Josh S, Thornhill

A: I may never be wrong but you are! Hahahahahaha.

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Oh, remember when Rikki C asked Friday about guys drafted in the top five of the same draft playing together?

Well, some of the brighter readers among you chime in with these:

Michael Olowokandi and Raef LaFrentz (1998) played together in Boston; Kevin Garnett and Joe Smith (1995) were teammates in Minnesota, Danny Ferry and Sean Elliott (1989) were together in San Antonio, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess (1995) are still teammates in Detroit and, of course, there were Shaq and Alonzo Mourning (1992) in Miami.

Man, it’s like I’ve got my own research team (minus the notably absent Diana T, of course) working out there. Thanks.

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I’d love to show you how Friday’s game played in the L.A. papers but not a single one of them sent a beat grunt to cover the game. Some respect for the Clippers, eh?

So, instead, why not pile on the Knicks, who’ve now lost eight straight. Just for something to do.

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Had a chat with Clips coach Mike Dunleavy before the game and he’s as big an Alvin Williams fan as lots of us are. Dunleavy did draft him when he was in Portland and then tried valiantly to get Williams back as a free agent in 1999. Dunleavy said the only reason Alvin didn’t go back to Portland was that Toronto had promised him a starting spot, a job Dunleavy didn’t think Alvin was ready for at the moment. Turns out that 1999-2000 season was pretty dismal for Alvin, who fell out of favour with Butch Carter and found himself buried on the bench.

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Here are a couple from the mailbag that were going to go tomorrow but I’ve got a feeling a lot of you will click here to send more today, thus causing a mail overflow that I’ll have to deal with tonight.

Q: This is actually my first write-in, but I've been reading your Tuesday and Friday mailbags for a very long while now. I was watching Lakers at New Jersey, and what a game Pau Gasol had. The one thing that really irked me was Vince Carter. I saw the man really laughing it up with my man Kobe while his team was down big and had clearly lost the game. He was even trying to cover his smile with his jersey. Why does Vince do this???. I've never seen the great ones like Kevin Garnett crack a smile when their team is down...and too bad we (Nigeria) got booted by Ghana in the on going Nations cup. They're the host team so you know how that goes...we'll be back though.

Tokun F, Toronto

A: I’m putting this in here just so a certain segment of the population can rag on Vince some more. Have at it, kids.

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Q: It appears that every time Andrea has a good shooting night, Raptors win. But those good shooting nights don't happen too often. Any chance Bryan C. would be willing to trade Andrea before this trade deadline as part of a package?

Abishekh N, Calgary

A: No chance. None. Zip. Nada. Never. Is not going to happen.

Friday blahs? Snow angst? We've got the answer here: The Mail!

Here’s a shocker: Too much mail.

So, in what’s beginning to be something of a tradition, we’ll split it up between today and Sunday morning ‘cause I’m a helluva guy who just loves spending time at the desk watching games and answering queries.

Don’t fret if you don’t see yours here, maybe it’ll be in Sunday. But a few words of warning: A lot of “questions” are rants and, really, we don’t have a lot of space for rants.

End of rant

Q: Why is it that when a team is in the penalty situation and is fouled the announcers say x player is "shooting one, plus the penalty, for two".  I've never understood why it's one plus the penalty instead of just "shooting two". 

Michael L, Brantford

A: I guess it goes back to the olden days when there were such things as one-shot fouls. But you’re right, it’s silly. And they should stop it.

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Q: Okay, I know Raptors team chemistry is awesome and people are getting healthy again, etc, etc. BUT - don't you think that, for skills brought to the court, Ron Artest is the perfect small forward for the Raptors.

He's a power-player, rebounds, plays kick-butt defense, tough as nails. Yes I know his attitude is somewhere south of Patagonia (check your atlas), but isn't there a way to at least have him behave acceptably and fit in with this group?

Is there any other small forward that might fit in like him?

Don H, Lima, Peru

A: Ron Artest is a nut case who has ruined or been a bad influence on every single team he’s ever played for. A leopard, a wise person once said, does not change its spots.

He is a cancer and a bad influence and will do something at some time to ruin a game, or a week, or, in the case of Indy in 2004, a chance to win a conference title. The Raptors should run, not walk, run, away from any chance to obtain him.

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Q: After the Shaq trade I got to thinking about bad or at least strange deals, and the cities involved.

Strange as Shaq to Phoenix is, the fans in Arizona have nothing to complain about seeing what's happened in Minnesota this year. A city that had arguably to two most dominating players in their respective leagues, trades Kevin Garnett AND Johan Santana for what? Can you think of a sports town that has been fleeced as badly as Minneapolis has this year, in different sports? I know this isn't strictly a basketball question, but I have confidence in your wealth of knowledge.

Mike D, Waterloo

A: Wow, good question. I’m sure I’m forgetting some huge soccer, er, football move, or lacrosse or something but I can’t think of another one. I guess Atlanta losing Mike Vick and Andruw Jones would be remotely comparable, but not really.

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Q: I read your blog daily, but have never written in. Answer my question if you dare. I was wondering, in all of your years covering the Raptors. What is your most embarrassing moment?

Neil S, Oshawa

A: Oh, sooooooo many to choose from. But here’s one that stands out.

First game on American national TV, Vince goes for 51 against Phoenix. I see, in the first quarter, Dee Brown look down at the Suns bench and mouth “He’s going for 50” to someone. Great angle off an afternoon game that everyone will know the result of by the morning, right? I’m the only guy who notices it and I write a nice little lead paragraph about Dee Brown looking down the SkyDome court and warning the Phoenix Suns something special was happening. Or somesuch.

Sitting at the table the next morning, Super Wife says, and I quote: “Wow, no one noticed that horrible mistake you had in your story.”

Yeah, game was at Air Canada Centre.

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Q: Hey Doug, I really enjoy reading the candid stories from old Raptorland. I have followed the Raps ever since they started and I don't recall hearing much about the controversies/in-house grumblings when they were actually happening.

Could you do the Raptors fans a favour and maybe give us a little heads up about what we may hear 5 years down the road about problems in the locker room on the present day raps?

Nick M, Oakville

A: You know what? I don’t think there will be any. You’ll hear stories about Garbo and Bosh’s video and TJ hamming it up with his kid in the locker room but you hear a lot of them now. If there had been blogs and such back in the day, a lot of the stuff you’re hearing now you would have heard then.

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Q: Love hearing/talking ball. Specifically, I liked hearing the idea about Mike Miller. Boy would he make this team dangerous. However I was thinking more along the lines of a Kurt Thomas. Some sort of banger, a guy to help Chris down low. Have you heard any rumors of any big men on BC's radar?

Adam R, Pickering

A: Once more into the breach. BC signed Kurt Thomas once but that was a couple of years ago. Although I am a fan, I’m not sure BC will revisit it. Other than that, I haven’t heard any rumblings, which isn’t unusual given the time left until the Feb. 21 trade deadline.

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Q: I was wondering what you think about Jamario Moon's development potential? He has come in from the wild (the Harlem Globetrotters!?!) this year and given the Raps exactly what they needed (athleticism and a defensive presence) but what kind of player will he be with two to three years of NBA experience and NBA coaching?

James W, Kitchener

A: Moon’s been a revelation this year – I still think he’d be better at 20 minutes a game instead of 30 – and looking in my crystal ball, I think in two or three years he’ll be much the game guy. Maybe he grasps defensive rotations a bit better as they become more natural and maybe he remembers that driving the ball works for someone of his athleticism. In short, he’ll be a starter on a good team, only more consistent. I don’t think he’ll ever be, say, an all-star.

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Q: I agree with you and Alexander P of Toronto in regards to the "Everybody clap your hands" chant being quite annoying. I remember hearing that phrase when I was vacationing in Mexico, and it’s actually a segment from a song called "Cha Cha Slide" by DJ Casper. They got all of the tourists to dance along to this song.

Rahim A, Thornhill

A: Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper? Just checked, I don’t have it in my 8-track collection.

All I can say is if it’s used for tourists to dance to at some Mexico resort it has no place whatsoever in professional sports.

And, no, I have absolutely to interest at all in viewing the whole video. Or even snippets of it. It’s a stupid song.

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Q: Hey Doug, my man. Did I not ask enough questions last week, hence, my co-tandem Diana T simply beat me for making it on your mailbag for 3 weeks in a row? Anyway, I'll try to reiterate a few and throw back some more. You're up to the challenge, right Doug?

1) Aside from Iverson and Camby, do you know if there are other top 5 players drafted in the same year that have played or still playing together in the same NBA team?

2) Who else among the active players (except from Tim Duncan) have been drafted top 3 overall, and able to propel the team that picked them to NBA championship? What's the probability of having Bargnani's skill set in contributing to the same feat?<.p> 3) Does a Walter Herrmann-Juan Dixon swap make sense? How would the Raptors and Pistons benefit if this deal can be made?

4) Are you aware if BC is making a pitch for Maggette?

5) Other than the given a) philosophical discussion with your man Oak, and b) beer-drinking competition/session with Keon Clark, what would you consider as your top 5 moments with a Raptor player in your 13 years covering the league?  What really stand out that you would intimately share to avid fans like us?

Rikki C, Burlington

A: Haven’t heard from Diana T this week, hope I haven’t answered every question she has. A challenge? Sure, why not.

I don’t know of any twosome drafted in the Top 5 the same year that are teammates now. That’s from looking through rosters while watching a sick McGrady play Cleveland so I may have missed some one.

I don’t think there’s anyone playing with the team that drafted him in the top three who’s won a title with his original franchise. I don’t know if Bargnani gets these guys to a championship, but I do think he’ll be part of a team that plays for one.

Walter for Juan makes great sense, to me. It gives Toronto another frontcourt rebounder who’s got deeper shooting range that, say, Hump and it gives Detroit more backcourt scoring depth, which I think they can use in the even of injuries.

I don’t know that he’s made a pitch for Maggette, and I don’t think he will.

I don’t think I ever had a drink with Keon Clark. Top five moments? Wow, that’s a tough one. Here’s some right off the top of my head.

Standing in an outdoors bar in Coconut Grove in Miami having a beer with Oak when Antoine Walker wandered in (Boston was also in town) and we just stood there chatting and drinking.

Having Alek Radojevic buy dinner for a table of about eight of us – him included – in a very nice Vancouver restaurant. Cin-Cin, I believe it was called.

Sitting in a hotel bar in Madrid last summer learning what kind of Spanish beer to drink from Garbo.

Sitting in the Oak Room of the old Plaza hotel with Butch Carter, seeing Richard Belzer walk through and telling him I loved him in Elmopalooza (yes, Super Son was young at the time)

Walking to the Oklahoma City bombing memorial with Sam, Stumpy, Paul Jones and Eric Smith and listening him tell stories until we all fell dead silent when we got there. That’s gotta be the top one I can think of.

I’m sure there are others, but those come quickly to mind.

Man, you ask a lot of tough questions. My head hurts.

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Q: Boston has had good success so far with its core of three players and a supporting cast of role players. How well that holds up remains to be seen, but most championship teams have a core of a few star players. Anyway, you're a general manager and can start a team with three core players currently playing together on any team in the NBA and you want to win a championship four years from now, so the 2011-12 season, which three players do you take? The only stipulation is that the three core players are the ones that you expect to be the best on your team at that time. So you can't choose Memphis, for example, and say that they sign Chris Paul in free agency.

Alex H, Toronto

A: I don’t know if you will accept this answer but I’m taking Portland, with Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden. I know Oden’s hurt but that’s the threesome I want.

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Q: Putting in my umpteenth unpublished query here...maybe this is the lucky one that grabs your eye.

After just checking out the highlights of last couple of games, (since I cannot get RaptorsTV on my local cable carrier), I cannot believe how much better the Raps are when Barnagni is on his game. When he gets rolling ... man, the court just seems to open up for Bosh, Parker and the other guys.

In your estimation, has the enigmatic Andrea turned a corner...and exactly how important is his play of late (and the return of TJ Ford, of course) to the team for the rest of the year and any possible playoff run?

Also, I've been checking out some mock drafts on the Web, and was wondering if they will try to grab someone with rebounding skills rather than an established "position" player?

Werner O, Thunder Bay

A: I’ll go way out on a limb (and it’ll have to be a pretty strong limb) and say, yes, he has turned the corner. I think he’s more confident and comfortable now than he’s ever been. That being said, I’m sure he’ll have a few dog games every now and then, they all do, but I can’t envision a prolonged slump like the one that engulfed him earlier this season.

Sorry, no draft questions yet, I can’t get the least bit interested until late March at the earliest. And anyone who does a mock draft now has too much time on his hands.

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Q: Can you explain to me why DMart is a good guy to have around coaching TJ and Jose? He is a chucker (Seinfeld reference:  George is described as a chucker by Keith Hernandez in the locker room after the game). All DMart does when he gets in, and thank God it ain’t often, is hoist up bad shots. Is this the kind of advice he is giving to TJ and Jose?

Jeff B, Toronto

A: Got the Seinfeld reference.

And, for the umpteenth time, Darrick Martin is invaluable in helping T.J. and Jose understand the intricacies of the game, he’s a sounding board for everyone ‘cause he’s been around so long and he’s a leader in the locker room. No one out there may understand it, but take it from someone who’s around the team a fair amount, he’s good for everyone.

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Q: Can you pass a note to Bryan Colangelo that reads: Graham, and second round pick to Seattle for Nick Collison. Thanks

Warren L, Toronto

A: And then I will pass this note to him: Are you high? Luv, Sam Presti

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Q: Who do you like more, Brian Cardinal or Brian Scalabrine? (inspired by Alex L's questions)

Here's the real question. Would you prefer a strong starting 5 and weak bench, or so-so starting 5 and strong bench? Raptors have a strong bench, but since the starting 5 isn't what you'll called "championship caliber". Their playoff success could be limited because most teams shorten their rotation, and play their "best 5" more than they typically do during the season.

Wil H, Richmond Hill

A: Do I have to like one or the other? I’ll take Scalabrine because Tommy Heinsohn might read this and come beat me up if I said Cardinal.

Can’t have both, right? I’ll take a strong starting five, actually. Not that three good backups – a point guard, a wing, a big – aren’t vital to post-season success but a fivesome working well together will always win out.

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Q: Back last year when the Grizz were looking to get rid of Gasol (trade demand), I came up with an interesting trade proposal.

I said the Raps should have traded Bosh and Graham for Gasol and Gay.  Now, let’s hypothesize that the Grizz were willing to make the deal and give up Gay in the deal, would you have done it?

I think Gasol is more of an inside presence and more of a five than both Bosh and Bargs put together. And I think this would have resulted in our bigs be more well rounded (Gasol = inside, Bargs = outside. Gasol looked great is his Lakeshow debut on Tuesday night, and his numbers were great, especially considering the minutes he played.

Disclaimer: I am not even sure that I would do this deal now, considering how Bosh has been playing of late (i.e. if Gasol was still with the Grizz). But back then, I was all for it.

Chris C, Kitchener

A: I wouldn’t do it now and I wouldn’t have done it then. Bosh is the best player of those four by far; he and Bargnani present more matchup problems than Gasol and Bargnani would; Gay’s obviously better than Graham, though.

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Q: Hey Doug, love your blog, try to read it every day, but this concept called 'work' gets in the way sometimes. Anyhow, what do you think about trading for Malik Rose? He's played for some winners before, so he knows what it takes to win and I'm sure BC would have no problem stealing him from Isiah

Den B, Toronto

A: Malik Rose is old, done and, while he’s played for winners, he’s not the guy who’s going to put this, or any, team over the top.

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Q: Question is about Josh Childress. The guy's a good rebounder, can shoot, on the cheap side (3.5 I believe), athletic and from all reports a good man and teammate. What do you think it would take to grab him from Atlanta? He only has this year on his contract and he's likely to command a significant raise in the off-season so Atlanta might be inclined to move him for a spare part or two if they don't think they can resign him at a reasonable rate. These factors might allow us to pick up one of the better 6th men in the league at a bargain price, no?

Hudson P, Windsor

A: I don’t think they’d get him this year and, frankly, I’m not sure he’s a huge upgrade on what they’ve got. He’s okay, but a star? Not in my estimation. Is he going to play ahead of Carlos Delfino? Childress averages 5.2 rebounds in 30 minutes, Delfino gets 4.4 in 24. Is Childress got as big an upside as Moon? Don’t think you can say that definitively.

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Q: Here’s the most important question of the week!
BC keeps saying that they will do whatever is needed to resign Jose. As Jose’s stock continues to soar and with numerous teams making cap room available, (Memphis, Miami, and sure to be more) what can BC really do to ensure Jose never leaves?

If say Miami offers 8+ million per year and the raps can only offer the full mid level, I am afraid that Jose is gone. With the allure of Dwyane Wade or a similar situation he would be a fool not to go for that kind of money!

So tell me and all of us the scenario that BC can employ to have the resources available to match any outside suitors. Jose is a team guy but come on the option of being 1 and 1A with TJ only lasts sooo long!

M B, Toronto

A: You’re over-estimating both the importance of your question (not very) and your knowledge of the salary cap (apparently quite limited).

I’ll do this very slowly for you

The Raptors can match ANY OFFER JOSE CALDERON GETS FOR WHATEVER VALUE IT IS. He is a “restricted” free agent.

Okay? Thanks.

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Q: This Jalen Rose fellow, where is he now?

Navin V, Toronto

A: Doing standup comedy.

I keed, I keed.

Jalen’s unique perspective on life and sports are now being offered as an analyst on ESPN and frequent panelists on ESPN2’s morning chat show.

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Q: I'm wondering if you have an all time favorite player? (or maybe a couple?) If so, who is it and why are they tops in your heart?
Is there a type of player or are there certain attributes that make you love certain players more than the rest?
My all time favorite is Larry Bird. I watched him as a kid and his ability to consistently pull off what seemed like miracles to me, despite his crazy awkwardness, always amazed.

Brian C, Toronto

A: Hmm, all-time favourite player? Any era?

When I was a kid growing up, I really enjoyed watching John Havlicek play. Since I’ve been covering this league, maybe the only guy I’d actually pay my own money to see is Kevin Garnett.

I never saw Oscar Robertson play in person, or even on TV, but what I’ve seen of him on the those throw-back shows would have him high on the list, too.

No one played with more verve than Magic Johnson so he’d be in the discussion, too. So would Michael and there was something about Hakeem Olajuwon in his prime that was poetry.

But if I could watch Bill Russell every day, I would. Determination, intelligence and all that mattered was winning because, well, that’s all that matters.

Bill Russell would be my pick.

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Q: I sense that you are censoring a lot of anti-Bargnani mail, which would indicate a certain bias on the part of Doug the Blogger. Why no love for Joey? Would he not be improving if he got a bit more court time, aka El Maggio? So the question is, does Joey not have the same basketball IQ that Bargnani has and therefore he does not deserves to play through his less than stellar stretches? I hear a lot of Good Joey, Bad Joey, but never Good Bargs, Bad Bargs!

Frank K, Orillia

A: Censoring anti-Bargnani mail? Surely you jest! And I would say, with no hesitation, that Bargnani’s Basketball IQ is far superior to Joey Graham’s.

Not a comparison you can make, sorry.

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Q: Just wondering why Jose is always licking his fingers. He does it both on defence and offence, next time you speak with him ask.

Stuart C, Caledon

A: Maybe he likes the taste of sweat? Actually, lots of point guards do it (watch Steve Nash sometime) and it’s for a better grip on the ball.

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Q: Hey Doug, with the trade deadline coming up, I wanted to get your thoughts on a potential deal.

Raptors get Anderson Varejao, Cleveland gets Jason Kapono, and the Raptors 2008 1st round pick

Reasons why the Raps do the deal: They get the hustling rebounder to back up Bargnani and replace Rasho, Garbo comes back next yr and backs up Jamario, and Delfino resigns to back up both wings. Cleveland needs outside shooting and salary cap room and assets to surround LBJ. It might not work under the Salary Cap because of Andy's BYC contract but does it not make sense for both teams?

Jordan A, Stoney Creek

A: Forget Base Year compensation, the Cavs wouldn’t do that deal in a month of Sundays. They need Varejao’s rebounding more than they need any kind of shooting.

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Q: Here are three quick ones. What's Jeff Foster's situation in Indiana? (contract value, term, availability etc...) What do you think the Raps would have to give up for him? And do you think he would be a good fit here?

I think he could be a valuable missing piece.

Richard E, Toronto

A: Jeff Foster has a player option for about $6.2 million next year he’s sure to exercise and while I think he’d be a good fit here in the role presently played by the Hump, I can’t see Indiana moving him with the doubt about when Jermaine O’Neal might play again.

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Q: How's Giorgos Printezis doing?  Think he'll ever come over and contribute even in an Uros-like capacity, or is this a name I shouldn't worry too much about remembering?
Keep it real, gangsta.

Will C, Toronto

A: Keep it real, gangsta? I have no earthly idea what you mean, but I guess I will.

He’s doing all right, hardly setting the world on fire and if he becomes Uros Slokar, a guy who never plays, I wouldn’t be surprised. If he’s got the personality of Slokey, we’ll love to have him around.

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Q: Do you have any update on Jorge Garbajosa's rehab? Is he still in Toronto, or is he back in Spain? If he could come back before the end of the season, it would definitely be a big help on rebounding!

Gil C, Richmond Hill

A: We see Garbo hobbling out of the practice facility almost every day, he’s here, doing his rehab but it’s still a very, very, very big longshot that he plays this season.

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Q: To add a little spice to the all-star game, how about instead of paying the winning team 10k each (or whatever it is) the losing team pays 10k each. Of course to a charity.

Stephen S, Cambridge

A: You want these guys to go in their own pockets? What are you? Some kind of communist?

Of Shaq and Jalen and, of course, an Oak story

At least it’s not a Peel board snow day. And it’s even snowy; that’s a daring group of administrators.

So, what’s the next domino to fall?

Pau Gasol’s first, Shaq’s second and you’ve got to figure one of Dallas or Denver are really going to make a push now for Jason Kidd.

With the Nets sucking again – they were beaten in Orlando on Wednesday night – president Rod Thorn’s going to have to re-double his efforts to move the malcontented Kidd soon to maybe get some front court help to, um, help his struggling team.

Kidd’s about the only big name player left in play, unless you count Jermaine O’Neal and the Pacers can't trade him now ‘cause he’s hurt.

The two deals already done are going to take a lot of the fun away from the next two weeks, aren’t they?

Memphis might want to do something, and there are people in the Raptor organization who look longingly at Mike Miller. He’s got two years and $18 million left on his deal, though, and the cheapskate Grizzlies aren’t going to take back anyone with even the same years left.

Does Rasho, and Juan Dixon work? Probably not but it’s worth a call.

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TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

Jalen Rose always entertained us.

And in our continuing efforts to tell stories that might (marginally) entertain you, here’s some Jalen Rose.

In Detroit, tickets are always an issue ‘cause back in Jalen’s time, there were a lot of Raptors with Motor City connections. Players usually trade tickets with teammates (each guy gets two for each game) and there’s other scrounging going on all the time. Jalen’s gotta get about 40 or so and he’s got to go into his pocket for some of them. He surveys his popularity and says:

"My entourages have entourages. That’s gotta stop.”

We’re in Boston the night Sam wants to (a) beat up, (b) kill or (c) banish from the bench both Rafer Alston and Loren Woods. The Mercurial Skip tells me and Stumpy after the game he’s thinking of leaving because maybe he and the NBA aren’t made for each other.

We race over to Jalen for comment because that’s what we did, get Jalen to comment on everything.

He looks up, hardly misses a beat, chortles “that’s strong” and walks away.

Last Jalen. Sam takes him out of the starting lineup and we’re pretty sure he’ll have something juicy to say. Walk in the locker room and there he is, all in black, including black, I believe they were pearl, ear rings.

"I’m all in black, right down to my drawers,” he says.

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An excellent mailbag submission

Q: With Shaq traded to the Suns how will it impact the 'do over' game vs. Atlanta? The reason of replaying the last part of the game was because of Shaq's foul situation. If he's not there to play is there any point in playing?

Aftab R, Brampton

A: I went to the highest levels of the NBA media relations kingdom and what I was told is the protest is still upheld, Shaq doesn’t have to go back and play and “as far as Banks and Marion, those type of decisions will be made at a later date.”

Which means they couldn’t find Stu Jackson to ask him last night or something like that.

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Alex over the comments section wonders what the guy means with the sign that says “Hey Tyrone at the Bank of Oak we charge 100% interest.”

Back in the Good Old Days, Oak was known to do a few zany things. Like the night he got thrown out of a pre-season game for smacking Tyrone Hill in the head before the teams had even got to the court for warmup.

Turns out Philly’s Ty Hill owed Oak a substantial amount of money (somewhere north of $50K if I recall correctly) and the debt was a storyline that went through the season.

Then on the morning of Game 7 of the Raptor-Sixers playoff series, Hill shows up at the team hotel with a bag of money to pay off Oak. All’s good, right?

We asked Oak about it and, I’m paraphrasing here but with Oak that’s about the best you could ever get, he said:

"Wasn’t no interest there, not all paid.”

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You know how Andrea Bargnani drives and makes those little drop-off passes through the paint to Chris Bosh, which have been known to result in turnovers every now and then?

Well, Bosh is ready for ‘em now.

"I’m used to it now. I’ve got my hands ready … it takes some getting used to, most definitely, because he passes it hard.”

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Here’s how my boys Paul Coro in the Arizona Republic and Ira Winderman in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrapped up Shaq Day.

Reading Ira and it sounds like they’re going to do for Wade what they did for Vince Carter here in Toronto to make sure stays when he’s a free agent. We all know how well that worked out.

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Watching Suns-Hornets (no, I didn’t last through two overtimes, was worn out from shovelling all night) and I’ve come to one conclusion.

New Orleans will not win a playoff series unless they get some help from the bench.

Backups of Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo, Hilton Armstrong and Ryan Bowen or Melvin Ely is not going to get it done.

They could sure use one of Toronto’s excess wing players but they’ve got nothing to send back this way.

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I’m pretty certain that many of you get it, but felt compelled to pull a comment over here just to make sure we’re clear. It’s from Uncle Zeke, who I’m sure is not Isiah Thomas.

Just read your article this morning on the Shaq trade. You sure changed your tune pretty fast on that one. You're known for flip-flopping but even that has to be record time for you...

Dude, I didn't change my tune at all, the news story you read represented the views of Jason Kapono and Sam Mitchell, not me. It's the craft, you don't interject your opinions into news stories, you save them for places like here.

But I'm glad you read both so thoroughly.

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Alexander P of Toronto speaks for almost all of us with this comment:

The worst thing to ever happen to the game - worse than thunderstix, worse than street-balling dopes getting too much attention - has to be that recording of fake hand-claps that comes over the arena sound system, preceded by the idiotic chant of, "EVRY-Bud-DEE CLAP YOUR HANDS"

What kind of pre-kindergarten-like drivel is that? And why have they allowed it to play not only in half-empty mausoleums like Charlotte and New Jersey, but right here in our ACC? What's next - the Raptor leading the crowd in a rousing version of I Love You, You Love Me? Somebody has to make it stop Doug.

If I could make it stop, I would tomorrow. It’d ridiculous and nauseating and adds nothing to the game or the “entertainment experience” which seems to have usurped a game as what the NBA wants fans to see.

And here, unsolicited, is a Top Five Worst In-Game Experiences:

Fat guys dancing. Thank God they don’t do it here.

In-game screaming “hosts.” Hey, go yell on the street.

Thunderstix. They should find the guy who invented them and club him to death with them.

Intrusive PA announcers. No ‘dimes,’ no ‘stand up and scream,’ no goofy expressions. Announce what happened and be quiet.

Explosions. I want to find the guys who stole $75,000 work of pyrotechnics from the Detroit game-ops people and offer ‘em clemency and a reward.

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Once more into the mail:

Q: Hey Doug, I don't know what's wrong with the NBA first Calderon gets left off the all-star team which he clearly deserved to make, then he doesn't make the skills competition, and now I see that Anthony Parker (the second best three-point shooter percentage-wise) doesn't make the three-point contest. Can you help me understand what's going on, was there something I missed?

Jason W, Brampton

A: I can try to help you understand, not sure if it’s going to work.

The coaches pretty much decided Joe Johnson deserved to be an all-star over Jose, rightly or wrongly is debatable. Wrongly, I think. And there’s no way the NBA is going to invite him and his family to New Orleans to take part in a 10-minute thing on the Saturday night. And, if you asked him honestly, I bet he’d rather not.

As for Parker, same thing, the NBA probably didn’t want to ask him for the same reason, although him turning down an invitation last year probably didn’t help.

You’ll notice that almost all the participants in the shooting contest or the skills contest, either having something else to do on the weekend or, in Peja’s case, represent the home team.

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Remember, tomorrow’s a maibag day. If you click here, the questions magically get to somewhere I can see them. The wonders of the interweb. That Al Gore sure knew what he was doing.

Shaq on the move. Will D'Antoni drink poison?

Wasn’t that a nice little blanket of white to wake up to today? Great, more shovelling. At least I’ll have some help from Super Son since the wusses who run the Peel school board have declared today a snow day, which would be cool if it was actually, you know, snowing out. Man, I wish those softies were running school boards back in the day when I had to walk six miles to school -- uphill both ways with the sun in our eyes and the wind against us -- every day. But I digress.

Not much Raptor stuff going on but a whole lot of news to digest and giggle at. Oh, and for you mailbag regulars, just click here to send one, am a bit low today and Friday’s the regular delivery day.

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Let’s say you’re Mike D’Antoni and you’ve built an offence predicated on shooting fast and shooting early, high screen and roll and fast-break basketball.

Let’s say your general manager wants to get you a 700-pound centre who’s been hurt more often that not, who can’t play offence in the high screen and roll and who couldn’t catch Steve Nash or Grant Hill or Amare Stoudemire in a foot race if you gave him a halfcourt head start.

Would you stick pins in your eyes? Protest ‘til the cows come home about how your GM is ruining in everything you’d done?

I know there was a story out a couple weeks ago about how Mike loves Steve Kerr and vice-versa and everything’s sweetness and light around the Suns.

Wrong. Very wrong. And this trade, if it happens and here’s how Ira summed it up in the Sun-Sentinel, will only make that relationship worse.

The Suns had bad chemistry in the locker room before today and something needed to be done. Shaquille O’Neal is not the answer.

End of rant.

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Not sure if this is a good thing or what. But two dudes who spent time with the Raptors will play in the D League all-star game next weekend. Andre Barrett and Jelani McCoy. Barrett’s actually a call-up for a guy who’s been called up to the NBA and I’m not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing.

Oh, it’s Red against Blue. I like Red.

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How would you feel out there in Raptorland if Bryan Colangelo didn’t make a trade before Feb. 21?

I’m sure he’s looking at the long-term financial situation pretty closely, looking two or three years out, and he knows he’s got to lock up Jose Calderon and Carlos Delfino this summer.

Not saying he won’t make a deal – I know he’s working the phones as diligently as always – but there’s a chance he gets nothing done. Is this team good enough to win the East? To play for a conference title?

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Here’s a query for a familiar name:

Q: Do you know when the participants for the 3-point shootout will be announced? Obviously Kapono's going to be there, but I'm interested to see if AP will make the list. I think he definitely deserves to be there and it would be fun to see two teammates going at it.

Amanda F, Barrie

A: I think we might hear as early as today. It will be interesting to see if Parker gets an invite, I’m not sure the league will want two guys from the same team but his stats would make him a possibility.

I do know that if they only had to shoot threes from the corner, he’d win.

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STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

Charles Oakley moment from 2001.

Friday. 1,000 games. Some success. But, truth be told, this franchise has been a better story than a team for about 10 of its 13 years. And it was never more zany than when Our Man Oak was around.

Two good ones you may have heard.

We’re in Cleveland and Oak’s returning from being suspended for one – I think he threw a ball at Jeff McInnis’s head during a shootaround – and we get to finally talk to him.
Drew Carey, er, Robbie MacLeod starts it off by asking Oak if he thought he let the team down by getting suspended. That’s when the fun starts.

Says Oak: “The NBA let the team down by putting it in Canada.”

From there, it disintegrates into another Oak rant against kids and hype and marketing and softness, yadda, yadda, yadda, all stuff we’d heard before. Until, that is, this pops out:

"Pimpin’ ain’t easy, pimpin’ ain’t dead, the ho’s are just scared.”

Looking somewhat aghast, Media Relations King Jim LaBumbard claps his hands, says, ‘thanks for coming, we’re here all week’ and we go scurrying back to the press room to find out how to spell ho’s.

And there’s the night we’re in Jersey and a bunch of us are standing around Oak and he’s going on off on kids and hype and marketing and softness, yadda, yadda, yadda, all stuff we’ve heard before so we wander away to talk to someone else.

Well, one dude stays, it seems. We get up the next morning to pick up the NY Post (required reading for all the latest zany NBA rumours) and there on the back page is Oak’s contention that 60 per cent of the players in the league smoke dope and some of ‘em play high.

We never left him alone for a minute after that.’

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I take a break from Super Tuesday (well, a two-hour break, actually) to watch Cleveland-Boston and it’s not a bad game. Then the final minutes come and if you’re a Celtic fan, here’s why you worry:

In the last three minutes of a nip-and-tuck game, Rajon Rondo has three turnovers driving into traffic and they don’t even have him on the floor for the final 16 seconds of a one-possession game.

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Pau Gasol: 24 points, 12 rebounds. I hope Michael Heisley’s getting sized for a championship ring.

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Back to the mailbag

Q: Hey Doug, can you explain to us how some bad contracts come to be signed? How does Brian Cardinal go from being waived in '03, to getting inked on a 6 year, 36M$ contract in '04?? I mean seriously, me and my bro could take on Cardinal and ANY other Grizzly 2 on 2 he's that bad!!

Raptors Related: How much better do you think the Raptors are now that Ford is back, and in what ways? Myself I think it will help bring up their tempo, increase points-in-paint, and give the second unit a big shot in the arm (by having Ford or Calderon QB them, instead of *shudder* Whistlin' Dixie.

Alex L, Sudbury

A: Bad contracts? Easy. Timing is everything. Brian Cardinal has a pretty good year in Detroit and gets a big deal; Yogi Stewart has a good season in Sacramento and, presto!, six years, $24 million. Brian Scalabrine, same thing. It’s all about timing. And, it’s also all about not giving contracts to guys who put up good numbers on bad teams.

How much better? Exponentially (which I’m told means a lot). The second unit should thrive and that was a strength of the team. I expect Jason Kapono to tithe some his salary back to whichever guard he’s playing with now.

The Morning After The Night Before, XLIII

Sitting on the comfort of the couch give one a whole different perspective on a game. Perspective I got last night was I’d always rather be there. Jack and Chuck are, um, funny, but when trying to fill 24 minutes of a blowout is tough, apparently.

And away we go (in my best Jackie Gleason imitation in honour of Miami Beach).

Three Things I Learned

Welcome back, little fella

Sometimes, I guess, the showman just comes out in you. Two notes on TJ Ford:

First, he’s on a one-man break and as he gets in the paint, he senses someone from Miami closing on him, stops, lets the guy clear and lays the ball in instead of leaving the floor and maybe getting hit. Shows me he worked on his brains when he was away.

Second: That last-minute dunk shows me he’s still got a little TJ in him. Easy thing would have been to pull the ball out or make another layup but the dunk was sort of announcing his presence with authority.

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Small thing, big impact

There are those – and you know who you are – who tend to climb all over Sam Mitchell for the way he handles timeouts. Check this out: Lead cut to 14 four minutes into the third quarter and while there’s no one remotely worried that the Raptors can blow their whole lead, Sam’s ticked. Calls timeout, reams ‘em a bit and they respond with a 14-4 run over the next four minutes that ends the game.

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Was it just me …

Or did you think John Lucas was trying to land a job as a coach with these guys during the second-quarter stint with Chuck and Jack?

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On to the other fun stuff.

Jamario’s keeping his dunk contest stuff pretty much under wraps. The one and only Cabbie (funniest guy in Canadian sports TV and someone destined for greatness) couldn’t get Moon to give up his dunks the other night and if Cabbie can’t make it happen, no one can.

But NBA-TV got at least a little video, and it’s up here on youtube.

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One from the mailbag:

Q: Okay after making some suggestions or questions that got completely shut down, which I didn’t mind when what you said generally made sense, I’ just going to ask a straight forward question:

What determines the minutes between Humphries and Rasho? I don't have Raptors TV which is very disappointing so couldn't see the game but the box score shows Rasho played garbage time and Hump was in the rotation where other games its vice versa.

Is it strictly a match up idea? Oh and feel free to be as sarcastic as ever with your answers it keeps me entertained when I read them at school.

Tyler L, Brantford

A: Dude, shouldn’t be doing, like, schoolwork when you’re at school? Oh, wait, never mind, I was a student once and I blew off a lot of studying to read stuff. It was stone tablets and not the interweb but still …

Anyway, Rasho-Hump is matchup driven. If it’s a quicker, smaller centre or if they need more offence, it’s the Hump (at least until he screws up and gets to take his seat again). If it’s a plodder, it’s Rasho.

It’s not like Sam picks one or the other on a whim.

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I’m out of adjectives to describe how bad the Heat are. Despicable was one I typed in a note to a guy during the game and I’m sure there are others.

And they seem at a loss to explain things themselves, as my man Ira reports in today’s South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

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STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

Oliver Miller. He's got a big heart. What. ... He does.

The countdown to 1,000 continues.

Today, a couple of great lines.

We’re in Philly at the end of the 16-66 season, wrapping up what has be come to known as The Drinking To Forget Tour (losses in Milwaukee, Atlanta, Washington and Philly) and they’re carting Oliver Miller out of the arena on a stretcher ‘cause he says he’s got some chest pain. This is a game after he’d been suspended in Washington for goofing around with the stuffed animal in Atlanta during a timeout, leading the brother of then coach Butch Carter to want to get in the locker room to fight him (yes, they were wild times; see why we drank?).

Anyway, as Oliver’s leaving, one of the Philly writers is suggesting they’re taking him to a great hospital and if there’s anything wrong, they’ll fix in.

In a particularly cold comment, but one that drew chuckles and guffaws, one guy says:

"If they find a heart in the (bleep), take it out.”

The second’s more recent so many of you might recall it. News gets out that KO has busted up a hotel room in Phoenix when he found out Jalen Rose was done for weeks with a broken hand and we’re talking to him about that incident, and several others.

He’s not exactly contrite, saying:

"If you’d just lost Jalen Rose, you’d bust a lamp, too.”

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Item: Nets trade Jason Collins to Memphis for Stromile Swift.

Reaction: That’ll change the balance of power in two conferences. Not.

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Back to the mail, where Jason P of Mississauga wonders:

What happened to Uros Slokar?

Slokey’s making about 700,000 Euros a year playing in Russia and, I’m sure, killing them with his comic antics.

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Last one, then a day off, like the Heroes Of The Hardcourt to loaf a bit and do the scut work I’ve been putting off for days.

Q: I was at the Bucks game and noticed a new suit prominently involved on/in the Raptors bench/huddles, but haven't heard anything (even from you) about a new assistant. Chuck's blog mentioned something about assistant Eric Hughes. Is this a new assistant coach? What's the skinny on him?

Paul M, Toronto

A: Eric’s been around all year, you haven’t noticed? He’s officially the Basketball Development Consultant. He helps work guys out, works in practices, puts his two cents in during games when asked. Good guy, hard worker, sort of this year’s Hopla without the self-promotion.

TJ's back and that's a good thing, except maybe for Juan

I told you. New England 35, Giants 17. Got half of it right.

On to the good stuff

What do to with T.J.?

Looks like the little fella plays soon – maybe Friday, maybe Sunday – and that’s got to be the best news this team’s had in a long time. Sure, Juan Dixon’s had his moments but it’s been unfair to ask him to be a point guard when he hasn’t been one in years and years.

So getting Ford back is great on a couple of fronts.

It’ll ease the load on Jose Calderon, it’s sure to make the second unit run more productively and there’s one other thing: It gives Bryan Colangelo more trade options.

Until Ford future was known, it’s hard to imagine Colangelo having any conversations about Dixon, whose contract (about $3 million) expires this year. And if, as I’m told, there have been some talks but nothing productive yet, you can bet the GM gets a wee bit more aggressive now that Dixon’s in play.

Someone Who Knows hinted the other night that it’s not necessarily a big that Colangelo is after. If he can find a three with experience and grit and a bit of toughness, that’s what he’s going to get.

Nothing’s imminent but the Ford return may make things more interesting in the next little while.

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A stroll down memory lane

You may not realize this, but Friday’s game against the Clippers will be regular season game No. 1,000 in the short and not-so-storied history of the Raptors.

And since this is bound to be a light week here, you’ll notice The Columnist is in Miami, let’s try to have some fun.

Been picking at the brain over the last little while trying to come up with some of the great lines and anecdotes over 13 years watching these dolts, sometimes even closely.

Here are a couple and we’ll dispense a couple a day until Friday:

Year 1

Last game, Philly’s in town and the great beat grunt Phil Jasner wants to have a chat with old friend and Raptor coach Brendan Malone.
We wander into the locker room and Brendan’s busy drawing plays on the whiteboard.

Says Phil: “Hey, Brendan, you’re busy, we’ll catch up after the game.”

Says Brendan: “Nah, Phil, let’s talk now, I’m getting fired after the game.”

And he did.

Same game.

Sixers beat Raptors in overtime (and you’ve never seen anything as ugly as a last-game-of-the-season overtime game between those two teams) and Sixer coach John Lucas turns to no one in particular sitting on press row and says:

"We’ve just set basketball back 100 years."

He was right.

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Ian G of Toronto’s got his knickers in a knot:

Why you seem to not want to answer this question, I do not know.
Jamario Moon says he wants coin, so tell him to work a deal to wear a Jackie Moon jersey from Will Ferrell's soon to be released movie "Semi-Pro".

I don’t actually see a question in there, but thanks for the suggestion.

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We all know how bad it is in Miami,

Here’s today’s take out of the Sun-Sentinel dealing with toughness and coaching and blah, blah, blah.

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Jeff C out in Vancouver may or may not know the game so take this for what it’s worth.

Caught the Sonics and Knicks (Saturday) night at the Key (don't laugh) and noticed two things. Firstly, there were more N.Y. beat grunts and MSG lackeys in the building than fans and secondly, blow up the "Raps can't live without Kurt Thomas" The 2008 version is not your father's Kurt Thomas. He was beaten off the block time and time again, couldn't fight through screens and was beasted on the boards by those future Hall of Famers Zack Randolph and Malik Rose. In short, be afraid, be very afraid.

Be thankful that you've got a solid citizen in Rasho and run, down walk, from any KT thoughts.

Thanks, but I still think he'd fit in the post-season; and, yes, the NY beat grunts are quite the gang, arent' they?

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Didn’t see much of the Pistons-Dallas yesterday but did catch My Man Walter looking pretty darn good.

Less than three weeks ‘til the trade deadline for some enterprising GM to make a pitch for him. You won’t regret it.

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Let’s get into the mailbag for a couple:

Q: Before my question, let me say this: can you please make it easier to submit questions to the mailbag? I have to scroll through previous entries every time just to find it.

I really want your input on this: Is the Lakers' Big Three even better than the Celtics'? I know they will be in three years, but what about right now? Do you see the Lakers as legitimate contenders to come out of the West now?

Mark I, Orangeville

A: Not sure about easing the way to get questions in, I’ll pass this along to people who actually know how this thing works.

Better? I’m not sure better is the right word but they sure are different. If I was a coach, I’d rather have Kobe, Pau and Bynum than KG, Pierce and Allen.

In the playoffs especially, the game’s played inside-out and having two guys you can throw the ball to in the post is better than having one.

If they played a seven-game series today (or whenever Bynum is back, I should say), I’d take the Lakers on the strength of their Big Three and Derek Fisher over Rajon Rondo.

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And one last one since it’s a topic that hasn’t gone away yet

Q: I've heard some of the talking heads on U.S. broadcasts arguing that only players on winning teams should be eligible for the All-Star game. Now apart from logistics (.500 just when exactly), it strikes me that this idea would increase the likelihood of stars on sub-.500 teams asking to be traded to winners which might not be a good thing for the league overall. Anyway, are there any changes you would like to see made to the all-star selection process?

David R, Aurora

A: I don’t think anyone would want to get traded just to make an all-star team, it’s not that big a deal to a lot of guys.

But the whole “team record” part of the selection process is interesting. Is Joe Johnson an all-star if his team’s no good? I would haven’t have voted for him because as good as he is, he hasn’t elevated his team like, oh, I dunno, Jose Calderon has. I think team record has to play into it; I’m not sure many coaches feel it’s the determining factor, but it’s something they ought to consider.

As for changes? I think they’ve got it right. You have to have a fan element, even if they blow it sometimes, because they need to be involved and engaged.

And as for increasing the rosters, as some suggest? You’re still going to have snubs – the 16^th guy on a 15-man all-star team would be a ticked as the 13^th guy is now – so that doesn’t solve that problem. Maybe one more player, chosen by the commissioner to correct any egregious error. That’d be about it, though.

It’s a flawed process but it’s not that big a deal, it is, after all, only an all-star game.

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Jeez, I almost forgot.

Ghana’s heroic Black Stars, reduced to 10 men for a stretch yesterday, recorded Glorious Victory, 2-1, over the Nigerias and are off to the semifinals of the Nation’s Cup.

Except for those who shuttered their windows to drown out the celebration in the streets, it was a wonderful day in Accra, I’m told.

Put down the paper and grab a coffee, the mail has arrived

Well, you’ve done it again. This might be a record week here in Mailbag World.

Thanks, as always, ‘cause there are some cool ones and some wacky ones and it made watching Mike James and Rafer Alston miss shots in the Yi-Yao Bowl more bearable.

Oh, one other thing. There’s really no need to watch TV tonight, it’s gonna be New England 35, Giants 17. Same dude told me that told me Jose was going to New Orleans.

You’re welcome.

Q: I wrote once before to seek some clarification about Paul Millsap who is in his second year in the league (and would look great getting rebounds for the Raptors btw) yet you have now on at least two occasions referred to him as not being under the Rookie Salary Scale.

Please clarify, did he declare then pull out of the draft and go back to school or something?

Lindsay S, Toronto

A: Had a comment on this, too, in the comment section of the blog but we’ll do it here, too, ‘cause

The rookie salary scale applies only to players selected in the first round. Players like Millsap who are drafted in the second round are free to make deals for as much as they can get. There is a minimum, of course, which is just over $427,000 this year.

And Millsap did not enter the draft and withdraw, I don’t believe. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, but I recall he just slipped to the second round

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Q: Hi Doug, I was looking at the Memphis perspective on the Gasol trade in the link you included on Saturday's blog entry and they listed some free agents at year's end - one of the UFA's was Gerald Green. That obnoxious dunk 2 yrs back aside, could he be an attractive 2-3/G-F signing for the Raptors? I can't imagine he is going to cost a fortune and the dude can slash and drive (something I feel we need), but I have to wonder why he isn't getting minutes on the one of the leagues worst teams...

Bill L, Toronto

PS: Super Son and his band of misfits should be doing the shoveling Douglas!

A: I’m not sure Gerald Green is going to cost a fortune and I’m not sure there’s going to be much interest here. With not much to spend this summer, likely only the mid-level exception and extensions for Jose and Carlos to work out, I’d imagine they look for bigs rather than wings in free agency.

Oh, Super Son and his misfit hoodlums were out, shovels in hand, Friday, don’t you worry.

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Q: Hey Doug how’s Canada's Gotham Since the Raptors need rebounding is there any chance of bringing in Giorgos Printezis if so could you or Stumpy give the poor kid a ride (RICKSHAW OPTIONAL)?

Bob W, Winnipeg

A: Nice recall on the rickshaw, my man.

They can’t bring him over until after his season ends and he’s not good enough to be on an NBA roster right now.

Gotham? Centre of known universe, as you know.

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Q: What prevented the Raptors from going after P. Gasol? What would have been an acceptable trade?

H M, Winnipeg

A: For what Memphis wanted, expiring contracts and kids on rookie deals, there was absolutely nothing Bryan Colangelo could have done to put a package together to get Gasol.

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Q: Are the coaches’ ballots for all-star reserves made public?  Who voted for whom? Is there a way to find out if Jose received any votes at all?

Carlos M, Toronto

A: Nah, they’re kept private. Us enterprising beat grunts do try to find out who might have voted for who but, funnily enough, coaches don’t often tell us.

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Q: Who do you predict will have more points in there Raptors career when it is all said and done, Bosh or Bargnani?

Joe L, North Bay

A: Interesting question. Bargnani’s going to have way more three-pointers than Bosh ever will but not nearly as many free throws. Bosh’s first two years in the league are going to be way more productive than Bargnani’s and they are practically the same age and should have about the same length of career.

So, I put more faith in a guy who can get to the line so I’ll say Bosh. Very cool question, though.

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Q: Just wondering why you think everyone makes such a big deal over crazy stats? I am not one for these SOS or PER numbers, to be honest I think it takes the fun out of the game when you make it a math problem.
I understand these stats help die-hard fans find things to argue about but really, are they of any use in your opinion? Which ones do you consider to be of any value? And which ones are a waste of time?

Zack R, Etobicoke

A: I’m with Sam on this one, the only stat that matters is W or L.

But ones that I think show what a team’s really like are opponents’ field goal percentage and points differential per game.

The one I hate more than any is the individual plus-minus which, in my opinion, has absolutely no correlation to what goes on in a game and has been fabricated by someone with too much time on her hands.

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Q: Obviously BC is looking to get a rebounder that will improve the team but my question is when this rebounder is acquired who's minutes does he replace?  Does this person instantly become a starter?

Joseph C, Toronto

A: I think if he finds a tough, strong veteran small forward, he’d start for sure, after getting use to the team’s defensive systems and new teammates. But if it’s a four or a five, he’s not going to replace Bosh or Bargnani in the starting lineup.

Don’t discount the idea of finding a three, either; Someone Who Knows thinks that’s where Colangelo’s looking right now because there’s a dearth of available bigs with affordable contracts.

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Q: What if Bitove doesn't sign an agreement which precludes the team from getting the #1 pick overall? Important because they wind up with AI instead of Camby in that situation - and as good as Camby turned out to be, something tells me that they'd have been better served with AI.

(Unless you don't think Thomas would've drafted AI with Damon already in the backcourt)

What if they'd actually conceded that they weren't a very good team and just let T-Mac start from day one. Sure, he was raw, but it's not like they had hope. Of course, in that scenario, who knows if they land Vince.

Stephen G, Toronto

A: The first one’s easy: They didn’t have a choice about the draft pick part of the franchise agreement. If they didn’t agree to it, there might not be a team. And we’ve asked Isiah a couple of times over the years about that pick and he said he wouldn’t have taken Iverson. I think he either would have stayed with Camby or dealt it, that’s how confident he was in Damon.

The other one's interesting but too speculative.

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Q: So, the draw for the Olympic qualifying tournament was done yesterday and it looks like Canada got somewhat of a favourable draw. I'm wondering what your unbiased opinion is rather than hearing Leo's "it'll be a tough tournament. Slovenia and Korea are both ranked lower than Canada, so in my opinion finishing at least second shouldn't be all that tough. And if they do advance to the quarter=finals it'll be most likely Croatia or Puerto Rico they play. Both beatable teams. I know I'm looking too far ahead but a berth in the Olympics, looks better now than it did Wednesday.

Nick J, Toronto

A: It wasn’t a bad draw, let’s put it that way. I’ll trust you on the rankings thing but there are currently six Slovenians in the NBA and they are no slouches. So, let’s say they finish second in their pool and get to the quarter-finals where they get Croatia. Another tough one but if they win that, they probably get Germany and that’s going to be a really tough one. Who knows who’s waiting then. Brazil? Greece? New Zealand?

There really are no easy games and while Canada has more experience this year than last, I still think it’s a huge longshot that they make the Olympics.

Great if they do, though.

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Q: Doug, night in, night out I watch the Raps get creamed on offensive boards. So that begs the question, how frequently do the Raptors beat a team on offensive boards? Have they even done it this season? Last season? Cheers.

Manpreet G, Mississauga

A: A little ciphering – an abacus is a lovely thing to own – shows something you might find very surprising.

In 46 games this year, Toronto’s had more offensive rebounds than their opponents 19 times, they’ve had the same number on three occasions and fewer offensive boards 24 times.

So I’m thinking night in, night out might be a bit of an over-statement. In fact, it’s a gross over-statement.

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Q: Basketball 101 for you Doug. Sam isn't terribly discrete when he's on the sidelines. How does he, or any coach, go about calling offensive plays without the opposing team catching on and shutting the play down?

Shawn C, Bowmanville

A: They don’t, really. With all the scouting and video and shootaround these teams do, everyone knows everyone’s play calls even before the games begin. It’s the reads and reactions to what defences do that make plays work.

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Q: I may have consumed one too many adult beverages tonight, but can you please explain to me how I'm seeing the Raps as #4 on (ESPN’s John_ Hollingers rankings, yet 14-17 on everyone else's power rankings. Isn't this just a bit of a disconnect, and where would you put them on your list?

Graham H, Toronto

A: I'm not entirely sure what this "one too many adult beverages" concept is but I’ll take your word for it.

Explain? Not a chance. I know John, like John but his stats and math and stuff like that I don’t quite get.

Where would I rank them? I’d say fifth in the East and maybe 12^th in the league overall. How’s that sound?

Of course, I put absolutely no stock in rankings, either.

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Q: I think I asked this question earlier but it’s something I can't get off my mind. How do we (more importantly, Colangelo) know that Bargnani will develop to be a Dirk-like player rather than Vladimir Radmanovic

Andy U, Richmond Hill

A: He doesn’t know. I don’t know. You don’t know. So that’s why we watch and wait and, if you’re a fan or a GM or a teammate, you hope the skills he’s shown continue to develop and he becomes an all-star rather than a backup.

But know? No one knows.

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Q: Thanks for the link to Gilberts blog the other day, he isn't too bad a blogger, I wonder if he actually puts pen to paper so to speak or phones it in.

I've got to ask though, how does that White kid he talked about NOT get an invite to the dunk contest? What a highlight reel he has, two handed from the free throw line? Between the legs from the free throw line??

What is the criteria anyway to make the dunk contest, it can't be all skill because I'm pretty sure Green spent some time in the D-League before his invite and had been known to be a bit 'immature' from what I've read. No disrespect to Moon, but if White can't muster an invite I'm not sure we are seeing the best dunkers out there.

Casey S, Burlington

A: The criteria is pretty simple. They want young guys, they want good athletes, they like a truly recognizable name in there and, most important, they want guys who are willing to do compete.

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Q: Hey Doug, I'll be to the point with these and hope you have time to answer. Have you ever been invited to any of the player's social events, maybe weddings? In the entire NBA, who are the players you enjoying interviewing the most? And lastly, aside from any current and former Raptors, are there any players that you have gotten to know and enjoy on more of a personal level? I would imagine some Wizards on this list.

Shawn M, Ottawa

A: Weddings? No, not so much. Have had dinner with a couple of guys over the course of the years and a cocktail here and there in lobby bars. Coaches are more my age and experience so that’s who I generally gravitate towards but even then, it’s not like we’re BFFs for anything (that’s Best Friends Forever in Cool Kids Speak, I’m told).

In the entire league? That’s a big group. I enjoy interviewing players who’ve been around, the grownups. Have had fine interviews with Steve Nash and Bostjan Nachbar in New Jersey is a bright, engaging guy. Ray Allen’s always good to talk to, he’s got some history in Toronto so that’s a nice ice-breaker, and a guy like Antawm Jamison’s a good interview. Not sure why you’d think there’d be some Wizards on the list though. I’ll tell you one guy I like chatting with is Marcus Camby.

Personally? Not many, really, besides the ex-Raptors throughout the league ‘cause it’s fun to catch up with guys you used to see just about every day of the season.

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Q: I always look forward to reading your blog, and ever since my question got answered last week I've been up at 6 a.m. every morning with my 6-month-old daughter reading the blog! She loves it, even though she doesn't know what I'm telling her.
I was wondering about two players from the Raptors a couple of years ago. Pape Sow and PJ Tucker. Any chance these guys could work their way back onto the roster. I liked Pape when he played because of his energy and his size. As for PJ I thought he was going to bring some much needed toughness, although the knock against him has always been his height.

Patrick C, Ottawa

A: Oh, she knows, she knows. Kids are smarter than you think.

I can’t see either Pape or PJ getting back to the league, unfortunately for them. Pape’s in Italy playing this year and P.J.’s in Israel and I believe Europe is the place they’ll play for as long as they can.

PJ was just too small and really had no NBA position and Pape was too raw to make in the league as anything more than an inactive list guy.

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Q: Hey, you never answered my question: any stories about home teams ever bugging the visitor's dressing room to steal strategy, etc.? Onto more pressing matters: the Moon Man. Maybe you could pass these tips onto Sam. 1) In practice, set up a one-on-one drill with Moon and Delfino (one of the better one-on-one defenders in the league). Both players know the rules: Moon HAS TO penetrate and end up with either a mid-range or a lay-up/dunk. Delfino should play 10 feet off him, and Moon STILL has to penetrate. Do it 50 times a day. 2) In a game, the very first time Moon has even a reasonable chance to penetrate but passes it up for a jumper (and even if he makes said jumper), sit his ass down TOOT SWEET! And none of this face-saving BS about waiting a bit before you sit him down so as not to show him up. Do this for a couple of games and I suspect he'll get the message.

Lee Z, Ottawa

A: Never heard of anyone bugging a locker room or a practice facility or sneaking video of a shootaround. Maybe that’s ‘cause Bill Belichick doesn’t coach in the NBA.

I’ll mention those drills to Sam, but I’m thinking Carlos might not be all that in favour of them.

And have you seen Moon’s minutes diminish lately? That’s not ‘cause Sam wants his company on the bench, it’s a way of getting a message across.

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Q: Who are your top five favorite players in the league and why? Here are my 5 excluding Steve Nash because he should be on everyone's list. Chris Bosh, Sam Cassell, Josh Howard, LeBron James and Jose Calderon. People that came close to making that list are Mo Pete, Baron Davis, Kevin Garnett and Jamal Crawford.

Philippe A, Ottawa

A: Top five? To watch? Easy.

Garnett’s first for his intensity; Nash is second for his brains; Kobe’s three because of the way he can dominate a game; I can watch Tim Duncan play all night long and there’s something about Brandon Roy’s game I’m really starting to appreciate.

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Q: Why do players in the NBA only get flu-like symptoms? Does no one get the regular flu anymore?

Nick H-C, Vancouver

A: Maybe the shots they get only work halfway well?

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Q: Question about fouls. What does it mean when a team has "a foul to give?" Is there a certain number of fouls a team has to make per quarter, or half, or something??

KG, Mississauga

A: Teams shoot penalty free throws on the fifth team foul of any quarter or the second team foul in the final two minutes of any quarter.

If Team A has only committed say, three team fouls in the first 11:30 of any quarter, it would have “a foul to give” before Team B would shoot free throws on anything other than a shooting foul.

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Q: Jamario recently mentioned, when getting asked about the dunk competition, that he knew how to entertain because he was a Harlem Globetrotter in the past. Are there any other past Globetrotters in the league. I believe there once a time when Globetrotters and the league overlapped - Chamberlain used it to get paid in what should have been his fourth year of college. Other than Wilt, would there be a group of former stars or near stars who did both? Would Jamario be in amongst the top 5 transfers, or was there more of this history in the past?    If more, who would be the top five former NBA and Globetrotters?

Geoff H, Toronto

A: As far as I can discern, there haven’t been five “stars” since this of good NBAers who’ve played for the Globetrotters is Wilt, Connie Hawkins and Sweetwater Clifton.

Of course, our own Oliver Miller and Clifford Rozier had stints with the ‘Trotters after their NBA careers, which tells you how far the Globetrotters have fallen.

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Q: Why couldn't any NBA team simply sign a player from abroad as a free agent (e.g Jorge Garbajosa)? What rule dictates which players go into the draft and which could be signed as free agents?

Omar A, Toronto

A: Age determines it. For American players, once their college class graduates, they are no longer able to be drafted; for foreign players, it’s after their 22nd birthday.

That’s why guys like Garbo and AP were able to come as free agents.

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Q: I am moving to London, England for work and the thought of not being able to catch Raptors games makes me panic, especially with how exciting they have been this season. I've been a fan of theirs since Day 1 and I can't stand the thought of not watching the games!
Any recommendations on how I can catch them overseas? Is there an NBA channel I can get in the UK? Any websites I can subscribe to that broadcast Raps games? I will, of course, continue to read the blog while I'm there...

Kelly A, Kitchener

A: I’d check nba.com to see if they do live streaming on the internet, or find one of several Canadian ex-pat bars over there. I hear from Londoners Who Know that there are a couple establishments where you might find a barman willing to use satellite technology to find the Raptor games.

Cheerio.

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Q: My question is that I was just reading an article in a Chicago paper saying that the Bulls would probably be willing to get rid of Ben Wallace I think his rebounding and grit would be good if we didn’t have to give up too much. How much is left on his salary, what do think the price would be and other then his lack of offence do you think he'd be a good fit off the bench.

Tyler L, Brantford

A: Ben’s got two years and $28.5 million owed him, his skills are diminishing and he would be, at that price, about the worst possible pickup the Raptors, or any team, could make.

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Q: I have a really boring job and never know if I should kill a few minutes each day reading your stuff or to let it build up and kill a few hours at the end of the week, any suggestions? On to my question, I remember during the 2002 playoffs against the Pistons when Antonio Davis dunked and hung on the rim for like two seconds and he was called for delay of game. I've noticed in recent games that players hang on for much longer than that and there isn't even a delay of game warning. Has there been changes to the delay of game rules, or was that just a bad call against Davis?

Matt T, Barrie

A: The rule says players are not allowed to hang on the rim at all unless there’s someone under them and they have to hang to avoid injury or landing on someone. Penalty is a technical foul, which is new since 2002.

And I'd read every day. Twice on Sundays. Just so you remember.

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Q: ESPN’s John Hollinger applies a little too much calculus to hoops I feel, but did you see his playoff odds? He gives Toronto a 13.7 per cent chance of making the finals and a 5.9 per cent chance of winning, better than Cleveland, Phoenix, and the Spurs.

Indulge us in a pointless math exercise and give us your odds. Please? We're getting a blizzard tonight.

Chris W, Iqaluit

A: Hope the blizzard wasn’t too bad.

I’m no oddsmaker, and I have nothing like John’s penchant for ciphering but I’d say they’d be 100-1 to win the East and 500-1 to win the title.

But don’t be using that for any betting, because betting is illegal.

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Q: First time writer, and while I don't have anything pressing to ask, I was thinking about the Raptors' rebounding (or lack there of).  Anyways, I know you have discussed trying to get someone who does the dirty work etc. so I will throw a name out there for you: Chris (Birdman) Anderson.

Yes, he may finally be reinstated from suspension. He was one of the better per minute rebounders in the league and a great shot blocker for the amount of burn that he received.  I also think he will be unrestricted, so it won't cost BC anything to get him.  Thoughts?

Matt N, Toronto

A: Nah, don’t see it happening. Character is an issue and who knows whether the guy can still play. Besides, he can petition for reinstatement, which doesn’t mean he’s going to get it.