A long, long season comes to an end

Finally, it ends.

I don’t know how many days it’s been but it feels like about two hundred years since we landed in Treviso way back when. Lots of stuff went on, some of it even good.

A schedule update: The NBA tells us it’ll be overnight before they get the official schedule for the first round out, given that it seems almost every single game out west means something about playoff seedings. So watch here, we’ll get it up as soon as we can.

But we do know it’s a Sunday start (5:30 p.m. or 8 p.m.).

Not sure how late it’ll be before we get it but if I’m up when it comes in, it’ll get poster here quickly.

Let’s get to some stuff.

Lots of questions about who plays how long tonight in Chicago. And, I believe, some misperception out there about what “rest” means.

No one’s suggesting anyone get the entire night off, they need to play a little bit to stay sharp. But to run anyone out there for 40 minutes is silly and irresponsible.

We asked Bosh yesterday how much he’d play him if he was in charge and he said 20 minutes. Sam wouldn’t give us a number for anyone but I think between 20-24 for all the regular sounds about right. If anyone out there thinks these guys will somehow lose their edge playing 20 minutes instead of 40 in the 82^nd game of the season, there’s really nothing I can say to that.

One thing they have to do? Let Carlos get some time playing point guard.

Why? Game 6 last year in Jersey.

I know it’s a long shot, but what if both point guards get hurt? There’s no Darrick as an emergency and someone has to at least be able to dribble the ball up the court.

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Oh yeah, here’s one to remember: The Gangster’s season high is 26 minutes. Happened in Boston back in December.

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Let’s go quickly into the mail:

Q: With Rasho playing around or above what he is getting paid, what are the chances the Raptors resign him?  It seems that every "championship" team needs players like these as either glue or role players and at worst, injury replacements. Sadly, I see the Raptors dumping him, but I guess I can live with it if it gets us that fabled three.
What's the future hold for our stoic mute?

Dan P, Toronto

A: It’s not a matter of re-signing him. He’s under contract for next season; the question is, do they try to trade him in the summer? One way to look at it would be to suggest his value will never be higher and that’s when you want to make a deal.

Personally, I say don’t move him unless they absolutely have to for one “special” player, and I don’t know who that is. If he plays like this next season in Toronto, his value will be high at the trade deadline and maybe you can entertain a deal then; if he play drops off and there’s no deal to be made next, let him become a free agent and either save the cap money or re-sign him then at a lower salary.

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List time

It’s a special day, isn’t it? Last day of the regular season, time to look back. Let’s look way back, to other final games. I know there have only been 12 and many of you probably remember them all but here’s a personal top four that I may not have mentioned before:

2003

A certain First Lady Of The Beat and I were involved in what’s known in some circles as Looting Night In Cleveland. There to chronicle the ultimate demise of Lenny Wilkens’s coaching career on the same night the Cavs unveiled their new logo and colours, we saw boxes and boxes of t-shirts on the way out. Seems there were some who simply helped themselves to one, or two in some cases, and the next season on their next giveaway night, the Cavs went to great lengths to warn everyone against simply taking things.

1998

I’m not sure what this means but one of the biggest stories of the last game ever at Maple Leaf Gardens was not Glen Grunwald’s apology or Marcus Camby’s triple double, it was the sighting a big, stinking rat in the family room. Lovely building, that Gardens.

1996

Philadelphia 109, Toronto 105 (OT)

Sixers record: 18-64; Raptor record: 21-61.

Anyone forced to watch those two teams play overtime in the last game of the regular season deserves a medal.

"We just set basketball back 100 years,” said then-Philly coach John Lucas.

2007

I can go to my grave content in knowing I’ve seen Luke Jackson score 30 points in an NBA game.

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You’re going to get to know my guy Brian Schmitz in Orlando pretty well over the next few days. Let’s see what he’s writing about today.

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A last one in the mail, for now:

Q: I don't think that participants in a sporting event should be mic'd. They should be concentrating on their essential tasks. And rest periods should be for rest. What is your opinion? I always read your columns because of your enthusiasm and knowledge of the game.

Jack M, Toronto

A: I really don’t have a problem with it. It’s part of the evolution of the coverage of a game and the coaches and players I know who have been mic’d don’t let it effect anything they do. It does probably add a level to the broadcast that keeps some viewers around.

One of the women who works for the league co-ordinating with coaches who are mic’d goes to great lengths to explain to them that there is no permanent record, that every tape is destroyed immediately after the game.

One good story, though.
I believe it was in Madrid at the pre-season game this year and they had Jose Calderon mic’d during the game. Well, seems one of the wires was slipping or something and where most players would have just ripped it off and thrown it to the ground or something, Jose grabbed it, starting talking into it to tell whoever was listening that he was having problems.

Comments

[AK]

Doug,

The one thing that is really going to suck about Primoz not being with the Raps next season is that we will not get to read you referring to him as "The Gangster". Please promise that you'll slip in the reference every month or so. That's got to be the best nickname in Raps history.

As for Rasho, I agree. His value is at the highest it will ever be. But we only trade him if it gets us the Magette-type player we need. If MJ/Rasho nets us Magette, I don't hesitate (it's odd how I feel that we need to package Rasho with TJ in order for us to entice someone to take him off our hands).

And please don't entertain anymore Chris Kaman suggestions. It's clear that this guy won't have NBA longevity and has far too many flaws in his game to be an impact player on a Championship contending team.

Thanks as always.

[JoseLuva]

That's ma boi, Jose. The kind of dude who puts his coat down over a puddle so his lady's feet won't get wet.

[d mitrovic]

Doug,

that story about Jose and the mic was priceless. tells you all you need to know about the guy. (TJ would have ripped it off)

[Rob]

Doug, a couple of comments:

1. Rasho has played extremely well and while I think that there will be teams interested in his services this summer, I think that his highest value will be at next year's trade deadline. His value will be high to a team like for example, San Antonio, Dallas, Lakers, Phoenix, etc. - looking to add 1 final piece to their playoff run.

2. I don't think its a question of playing the starters for long minutes to keep them sharp. Rather, the team has been playing so poorly that it important for them to get this win for their confidence and to perhaps start to play the game the right way. Unless they start to play well, there is no reason to believe they can just turn on a switch and play better in the playoffs. Also, as Jack Armstrong had mentioned, there is a subtle difference between having a record of 41-41 and 42-40 -the latter being a winning record.

[Ryan]

Check this out: not one ESPN "analyst" picked Jose Calderon for the Most Improved Player award. Not one! I can understand him not winning it in favour of Turkoglu, but how is he not even considered? Do you wonder why so many Raptor fans believe in the anti-Canadian bias? It's little things like these that add up.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=MIP-0708

[LEAFS RULE]

I cant believe you diss the Gardens like that man. That place was the bombs. What do you now anyway your a basketball writer.

[Aaron Campbell]

I met someone who went to school with Chris Kaman, and said he is unbelievably hyperactive, bouncing off the walls all the time.

[voislav]

I'll be very sad to see Nesterovic go, but he's a veteran player on a young emerging team. It's obvious that it's going to take a few more years before this team can be a contender and in that situation you have to be ruthless. Anyone who is not part of the future is expendable, which IMHO includes everyone, even Chris Bosh, who still hasn't shown that he can be the leader of this team. The key here is getting value in return and Colangelo has shown in the past that he is a shrewd customer. Interesting times ahead, no doubt.

[Milette]

What are the chances we deal for Shaq next year? He's exactly what we need.

Blogger's note: I believe there is a far better chance of you playing in the NBA than of Shaq ever playing in Toronto

[Milette]

P.S. Imagine him coming in and making it all about "The Andrea Bargnani Project"

The Big Aristotle is also very quotable. ;)

[Jam]

AK, if you think we need to package TJ and Rasho to get Magette-type player, then thanks god you're only an arm-chair GM! You can underestimate TJ as much as you can, but to suggest that we have to include Rasho just to get us a Magette-type player is ridiculous.
Doug, I have a q for you. If Utah wins against San Antonio tonight, then Utah, San Antonio, Phx and Houston will all have the same record. Is the tie breaker will be the record amongst those teams?

Blogger's note: Yes, best record among tied teams and then record against teams in the West.

[CARLoS M.]

HA! Gotta love that Jose! I'm a big fan of the player/coach microphones. When done with restraint it adds a level of closeness to the game that the vast majority of fans will never get to experience. Have you ever sat close enough to hear the players jabber with each other?

[Adam Glatt]

AK: "It's clear that this guy won't have NBA longevity and has far too many flaws in his game to be an impact player on a Championship contending team."

You know one big I can think of that doesn't have big flaws, and can be an impact player on a championship contending team? Rasho. This guy has proven all year that he can guard the best bigs out there, and he's an efficient offensive threat. That's exactly what a team of shaky and inconsistent jump shooters needs. Why are we trying to trade him, again?

BC should be trading guys who _won't_ be an impact player on a championship contending team, not they already have.

[Jean-Sebastien]

Congrats Doug...you've made it on the advertising banner of the Toronto Star. I guess you have made it big-time!

[robcap]

Leafs Rule: Doug know a lot more than you. I saw MANY rats in the gardens. What do you think happens in an old building with lots of garbage and food after every game???

Not surprised at all by Jose and how he handled his mic problems.

[Jason Michaels]

Doug,
What's the blog schedule like during the offseason? Drafts, trades, etc must still be covered, yes?

Blogger's note: Let me get through the post-season first, okay? But don't worry, it'll be around I'm sure.

[AK]

Seems like Rasho is the new Antonio Davis, strong consistent type centre where the key may be to deal him at his highest point. I think he and his value can only go downhill from here. Is that a fair comparison Doug?

Blogger's note: As long as they don't sign him to a six-year deal worth more than $60 million, I'll give you the comparison.

[Eric]

What's the least we can do to get the minimum? How poorly are we allowed to play to achieve the lowest goal on our priority list?

The Raptors, as shown all year, appear to be a team that asks itself these questions (at least off the record). They would rather stumble into sixth by watching the seventh seed lose its games than go out and take the sixth seed THEMSELVES by winning games and not even giving seventh a chance. After all, the less work that has to be done the better, right?

It was also shown (not for the first time) before the WC swing in March, for example, when they were setting the bar at returning 2-3. I don't care if you're playing the world champions five times in a row, you don't set expectations that low. "I hope we win all our games" vs "I hope they don't embarrass us"- all things equal, which team has a better chance to win?

It's just the overall vibe. The Raptors demand less of themselves than they should, so it's no surprise that they've underachieved so badly this season. The culture has got to change, in my opinion. Could this team have won fewer games this season? It's hard to make that argument. There's a reason for this complacency, and it might have something to do with the culture. The Raptors are the last playoff team in the league that should be taking tonight off. They need to fight off this complex.

Injuries? There are a host of reasons to make the following point but I'll keep it simple: If the organization actually believes that an injury can occur tonight in the 24th to 36th minute of Bosh's/Calderon's/Parker's PT, maybe that's enough of a reason to justify blowing up the team again. These are the bodies you're building around?

Of course, no one believes that. The potential for injuries is just being used as an excuse again. An excuse for a night off. An excuse to do the least you can do. Excuses, excuses. How do we win without winning? We've seen it all before. The culture has to change.

[Milette]

Doug - take back your words about Shaq in T.O. or forever hold your peace. "Stranger things have happened." I won't let you forget it if they acquire him at some point over the next few years.

[Darko Dubajic]

Hey, never mind dissing "The Gangster" he could come in handy
vs. Dwight Howard. He can make his 12 to 15 jump shot and 6 fouls are 6 fouls especially against the guy who is 60% FT shooter.
Plus, is he not fun to have around naturally after he is properly stretched. Here is scary thought for you, see what he turned into after only few months hanging with Rasweed in Detroit. Imagine if he was there few years.
And last, how do we know that our boy Herrmann won't turn into Desperado or something after full season.

[Chi of Steel]

Ryan, as much as I admire Jose's game, I don't think he's improved too much from last year. He's played as well this year as last. Sure, Calderon's 3-point shooting% and FT% have gone up, but the other stat increases I believe are simply a result of increased minutes. The stretch where he led the Raptors, while TJ was out, is an indication of how effective he can be as a full-time starter. I certainly hope he is for Toronto next year.

I will say this though... with Jose's play, as great as it has been this season, I can't help but feel that his dislocated finger from earlier this season has hindered his performance at least a little bit. Still, bum finger and all, he's handing out the drinks at half-time. What a teammate!

[david]

That Orlando newspaper link was great. I scrolled down and saw a photo essay on the Magic dancers through the years. It was actually interesting.

Oh sure the Magic were nice and said anything can happen in the playoffs. But the Magic did beat the Raptors two out of three times this year. This series is going to come down to the SF and SG. If one team shoots badly they will team lose. I hope Chris Bosh doesn't disappear like last year's playoffs.

[RN]

LEAFS RULE wrote:
"I cant believe you diss the Gardens like that man. That place was the bombs. What do you now anyway your a basketball writer."

either he's a genius and making a clever jab at you for your misspelling of 'now' the other day, or he just can't spell. Considering his name is LEAFS RULE, and the incorrect spelling of 'you're', I'm going with the latter.

[GM]

I don't know if it meant anything, but in the Hornets-Clippers game last night, Paul, Chandler, Stojakovic and West all played more than 30 minutes (Paul and Stojakovic played almost 37 minutes). You talk about how fatigue shouldn't be a problem in the playoffs because players have usually anywhere from one to three days off between games. After tonight, they won't play again until Sunday. I just think they need to stay (i.e. get) sharp before the playoffs. Injuries can happen anytime.

[louis]

So, if Luke Jackson put out 30 last year, can we expect The Gangster to put out 50 tonight? Just kidding, but if they started awarding points for stretching technique, he might have a chance...