The Goods On The Game, Vol. 29, a visit with the Kings

A fine good evening to you all, however many of you are out there in the great world of the interweb.

Love to tell you there's great big news here are Arco but that'd be a fib and no fibbing allowed. It's the usual suspects for the Raptors against the regulars of the Kings, who are without their best player in Kevin Martin.

About the only thing of note before the game is that we got to see Nathan Jawai go through his pre-game workout. Lets's say he's a ways away from helping. But it was nice to see him out there working.

Same roster for Toronto, Jake Voskuhl remains active, Hassan Adams remains on the shelft. Talking to Jay this morning made it apparent that's going to be a pretty permanent situation.

Anyway, some pre-game fresh air is in order, settle back in your seats and we'll talk in a while.

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And away we go
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Arco's a pretty dumpy arena, certainly in the bottom of five in the league and it's gone down a notch in my estimation tonight. Sitting through the national anthems (I couldn't escape), couldn't help but notice there's not a Canadian flag anywhere in the joint. There's one in every other arena in the league that I can think of and there should be one here.
Rant over.
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Watch John Salmons tonight. Was told before the game that he's a ball-stopper on offence, likes to pound it before he gets his shot. I haven't seen enough of him to know one way or the other but it's something that's worth watching.
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Fashion sense prevails. Jamario dumped the head band.
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Each of Toronto's first five possessions - outside of a Moon steal and dunk -- have gone inside. Guess they did learn from the other night in L.A.
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One of the good things about this arena in the past has been the atmosphere, loud, crazy, fans right on top of you. So far tonight? Dead. Maybe 5,000 empty seats and no energy.
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O'Neal just had one of the plays they'd like to see more of. Backed his guy down in the paint but instead of taking a little fadeaway, saw a double-team coming, kicked it Kapono for a wide open three.
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Good early post-ups. Just what Jay wanted.
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Raptors 16, Kings 11 with 5 1-2 left.
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First sub tonight is Parker for Moon, that's a bit of a switch. It has been Bargnani for O'Neal.
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Mikki Moore's in the game. Remember him from his Jersey days? I bet Bosh does. Good guy, Mikki, Make sure to come down the court before the opening tip to shake hands with the Raptors coaching stafff.
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Here comes Bargnani, wonder how his shot's going to look tonight. One never knows, does one?
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Great media seats here, right on the court, just down from the bench. Bet Zic and I get some TV time, glad I've got the good shirt and tie combo going.
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I believe the assessment that Salmons enjoys shooting the ball with frequency is bang on.
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That was a rather emphatic dunk by Bargnani, after he was fouled and took the contact.
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Big thing on Jay's to-do list this morning was to get into the Kings' bench and try to exploit their lack of depth. So far, it really hasn't happened.
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Okay, so Bargnani's got seven points and some good defence. Not a bad start.
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Toronto 30, Kings 26 after one.
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Jermaine O'Neal just had a left-handed, reverse dunk off a nice pass from Anthony Parker.
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Kings have scouted Toronto enough to know that when Solomon's in the game, it's best to put full court pressure on him, which they are doing.
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Bobby Jackson, before he had about eleventy million injuries, used to be one of the best backcourt guys off the bench in the league. Now he's a veteran at the end of a career.
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When Solomon somehow dribbled the ball out of his control and out of bounds, it was Toronto's eighth turnover of the half. And that has everything to do with why the game is tied.
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Let's just say the officiating crew of MIke Callahan, Violet Palmer and Tommy Nunez Jr. isn't going to be inducted into the refereeing Hall of Fame as a crew.
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This is quite an interesting game we're watching. Actually, it's the Boston-Golden State game I'm talking about, we get it on the courtside monitors.
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Kings 42, Raptors 39 with 5:56 'til halftime.
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The Kings are 27th in the league in three-point shooting. Tonight they look like a bunch of Dell Currys and Reggie Millers.
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Jermaine O'Neal is schooling Spencer Hawes. And he's eating Brad Miller's lunch, too.
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O'Neal just jammed a finger on his left hand. That had to hurt.
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O'Neal and Bosh have both committed turnovers trying to pass to each other under the basket. There's not a whole lot of space there for them to operate.
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That's 13 turnovers for Toronto in the first 21 minutes. Most costly.
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Alex English, a second ago: "Jamario, get in the game."
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Jake Voskuhl's the best cheerleader they've had on the bench in a long, long time. Always offereing encouragement.
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Bosh is going to get the rest of the half off after getting his third foul with 90 seconds to go.
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O'Neal's having an excellent first half. lf he wasn't, this one might be over.
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Sacramento 56, Toronto 51 at halftime.
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A nice little 7-0 Toronto run right after a Hawes three-pointer to open the half was just the kind of run they need. An O'Neal three-point play and a Calderon offensive rebound of missed Bosh bunny were the hustle plays they have to make.
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It's like I'm listening to the game on the radio sitting right next to Smith and Jones. They do a good job.
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Raptors will be shooting bonus free throws for the final 7:29 of the half. The ball pretty much has to go inside on every possession, doesn't it?
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Raps go up 65-61 and Jay stands up and says: "That's the kind of energy we need." If only he could get it all night every night.
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Wow. Jose is schooling Beno Udrih. Wonder how many times he's done that internationally?
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Bosh's jumper looks off tonight, short on every shot.
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Toronto 67, Sacramento 66 with six minutes left.
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Jermaine O'Neal has 23, his season high is 24 and Marty McNeal of the Sacramento Bee, one of the most entertaining writers on the beat, just turned to us and said: "I tell everyone, I guarantee whatever team comes in here, someone gets a season high." There were some colourful adjectives, too.
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No subs so far this quarter (eight minutes) for Toronto.
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O'Neal gets his season high. Marty crows.
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Bosh just got his fourth foul and with Bargnani at the table, he comes in for Bosh instead of O'Neal, who he was sent to get.
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None of the Kings is going to lead the NBA, or even the Pacific Division, in assists.
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There's some foul trouble coming for Toronto. Bosh has four, O'Neal has four and they've got Joey Graham at the four and Bargnani at the five.
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I do see Hump has some kind of bandage or heat pack on his back. Maybe that's why we aren't seeing him.
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Speaking of Hump, here he comes. Guess he's healthy after all.
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Two big plays in a row by Bargnani, who's keeping up a running conversation, or at least a series of tough looks, with Mikki Moore.
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Raptors 85, Kings 82 after three.
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The more observant of you will notice Mike Evans isn't on the bench. He's had a death in the family and will be away for a few days.
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Not only is Hump back, so is his hair. Looks like he's going for the Wally Dow look again.
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Eric Smith: "Maybe Big Sexy is back." Then he suggests maybe Raptor fans across the land will grow Hump Hair. I somehow doubt it.
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Toronto is buying a lot of time with O'Neal, Bosh and Calderon on the bench. This is a pretty crucial portion of the game, too.
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AP sure picked a good time to make his first shot. Putting Toronto up seven with about nine minutes left.
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Getting Jose and O'Neal back with just under eight minutes to go is a good idea. And Bosh has to follow them very quickly.
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Man. Joey just has a baseline dunk that's as good as any by any Raptor ever who wasn't named Carter. For real.
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Bosh just got his fifth with 6:16 left. And now he's got to sit down. Took a bad foul on an Udrih pump fake.
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Raptors 94, Kings 91 with 6 1-2 left.
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Hassan Adams has the white towel draped around his neck over the sports coat. Or, as Jonesy just said, the Bundini Brown look.
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The Raptors are out-rebounding the Kings.
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Joey gets to finish this game because they like the way he's defending. What they don't like is him missing an easy layup up four with 90 seconds left.
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This has turned into a good game with some intensity. And shows that O'Neal has something left 'cause this might be the best game by a true Toronto centre since ... well, since a very, very long time ago.
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Imagine that, an O'Neal defensive play ices the game with less than 24 seconds to go. Big night for him.
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Toronto 107, Kings 101
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Are the stockings hung by the chimney with care?

Okay, it's official, I'm a dope. Did this Christmas Eve morning and for some reason I can't fathom, I only did it in draft mode and forgot to post it. So, better late than never, I guess, so it's up here now.

Going to try to keep this short and sweet today, I presume everyone’s got a lot of stuff to do what with tomorrow being Christmas and all. (I’m off to shop in a bit. I’m told the malls are likely to be empty).

Besides, it’s deathly slow around the Raptors, there really isn’t a lot going on around the league and, frankly, everyone here could use a day to take a deep breath and do some reflecting.

And looking under the tree, of course, to see what presents are there.

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May Bryan Colangelo find under his tree some trade offer that he can accept, one that makes his team better at no substantial cost so we can put to rest those wacky rumours (until the trade deadline that is).

May Chris Bosh find the resolve to play more like November than the first part of December, and cascading cheers every time he’s at the Air Canada Centre. Oh, and some more of those 30-point games.

May Jermaine O’Neal find youth, springs for his legs, a spate of good health and a knee brace that has straps that work.

Jamario Moon? His wife’s due to have a baby any day, please let the child bring him great joy and contentment and tire him out so much he cannot bite on pump fakes.

Jay Triano? A southern accent, a zany personality and the ability to entertain the masses in a variety of ways. Oh, wait. Been there, done that, dude got fired. Scratch that.

Jason Kapono? Space, wide open space. So he can work on a gentle draw with a 4-iron, of course. What? You thought it was for shots? Nah. All he needs basketball-wise are some Kareem highlight videos so he can work on his sky hook, or whatever that abomination is.

Andrea Bargnani? Where to start? Santa doesn’t have time to read a list that long.

The rest of them? And you?

Peace, prosperity and, perchance, a jump shot.

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If this isn’t the most ridiculous television programming decision since A Very Brady Christmas, I don’t know what is

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A topical query

Q: On Tuesday blog entry, in regards to the reported Eddy Curry/Stephon Marbury trade, you wrote, "I’ve been assured that the report yesterday was, frankly, as incorrect as you can possibly imagine." Never mind the absurdity of the trade. I'm wondering, as a beat writer, who do you contact to follow up on rumors like this? What's their incentive to sharing inside information to nosy grunts like you (don't mean to be personal - it is the nature of the job)? How do you decide when a rumor is worth looking a little further into?

Mike P, Winnipeg

A: You contact sources, people who know what’s going on. Here, there and everywhere. You talk to people you trust, people with whom you’ve developed relationships and people who won’t steer you wrong.

That’s what you do with almost every story or rumor, no matter how fanciful or crazy they may sound. If you get a suggestion or hint there’s something to it, you pursue it more aggressively with a wider range of contacts.

And why do people tell you things? Sometimes to serve a personal agenda, sometimes to float an idea that’s being talked about in secret by organizations, sometimes to put the heat on people to get something done.

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All right, we can all agree that 24 Hours Of LeBron is a stretch, right? Well, I’ve come across some secret programming in store over at RaptorsTV. Psst, don’t tell anyone about ‘em, it’ll ruin the surprise.

20:10: Just after 8 p.m. each night, the network breaks away from regular programming to show all-time Knicks, Pistons, Heat, Cavs and Mavs highlights, hosted by LeBron James. It’s blacked out everywhere except Chris Bosh’s condo.

Post-up: In a change from the regular show, it’s nothing but highlights of Andrea Bargnani, Jamario Moon and Joey Graham taking jump shots while Jermaine O’Neal and Chris Bosh seal their men off with good position under the basket.

Raptor Classics: The very best games in franchise history, the Game 5 win over the Knicks in the playoffs, Vince’s various highlight games, the first game ever, a Chris Bosh highlight tribute, every win of the 47-win season. Blacked out in Toronto, where it’s only shown on TSN2. Working title: If They Miss A Season Of Games It’s Not The End Of The World.

Riches To Rags: A two-hour retrospective of Sam Mitchell, starting with the coach of the year season and ending with him hitch-hiking to the Denver airport.

Riches to Rags to Riches: A three-hour retrospective of Sam Mitchell, starting with the coach of the year season, carrying on with him hitch-hiking to the Denver airport and ending with him on the fifth tee of a different golf course every day, chuckling and lighting his cigars with hundred dollar bills.

Raptors Heartbeat: No great charitable works by the Ladies Of The Foundation; it’s a continuous loop of an ex-Raptor coach, when apprised that one of his more, um, corpulent centres was complaining of chest paints: “If they find a bleeping heart, take it out.”

Eighty-one: An hour and 21 minutes of Kobe Bryant scoring at will against the Raptors.

Double Dribble: A close up look at backup point guards.

I’m sure there’s more, I just can’t get anyone to tell me what they are quite yet. Be sure to keep checking back.

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Oh, us beat grunts? We want easy games with relaxed deadlines, unlimited expense accounts, fine steaks and better wine. Easy travel on empty planes with no lineups. And, perchance, the interweb to crash for six hours a day so we get some sleep.

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A final word:

When you’re done reading this, go and find your family or your loved ones or your pet or whatever you’ve got. Hug them, her, him, it. Sit back and enjoy the next day or so as well as you can. It’s Christmas, it’s nice, have fun.

Me? I’ll be back here from Sacramento probably Friday morning, maybe late Thursday night. But tomorrow morning? Tomorrow morning’s for Super Son and Super Wife and, I guess, Dopey Dog, and not typing or anything like that.

Merry Christmas to all.

Hey, hey, the gang's all here

Ho. Ho. Ho. And all that junk.

Everybody had a nice day? Hanukkah celebrations are going well? Kwanzaa starts today, right? Well, go and celebrate your little brains out. Me? I’m going to look out the hotel window at the state capitol here in Sacramento and see if I can see Arnie and the kids playing with the Christmas loot.

And figuring out time zones and shootarounds and stupidly early flights (6 a.m. outta here tomorrow to Portland) while trying to keep you all entertained and informed.. Fun? Wow!

Anyway …

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Yes, they all got back from various locales, had a good little practice Thursday night and then a tasty team dinner, I’m told.

The fact everyone got back is a bit surprising, seems there’s always one who is a bit tardy or gets hit by bad weather or whatever. Historically, it was Mo Pete but since he’s left, everyone seems to be on time after Christmas and all-star weekend breaks.

Best sight I didn’t see?

Seems Jason Kapono got back before everyone, or after everyone, or whatever it was, and he didn’t meet the team at the hotel for the 20-minute bus ride to Arco.

A couple of people were worried that he was pulling a Mo until they got there and were greeted by Jason on the court, in cords, a Santa hat and bare feet, getting up some shots.

PHELAN M. EBENHACK/AP

Things we saw on Christmas Day: Dwight Howard's new shoes.

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Did you watch all those games on Christmas?

Travel requirements took the first three out of the loop for us and the Suns-Spurs and Lakers-Celtics games sure looked good. Not so much the Magic and Hawks, though. I can only imagine the lethargy that would accompany a noon start on Christmas Day.

The night games? Well, I noticed that Mike James didn’t lose any of the confidence he’s got in his shot and it was worth watching Dallas-Portland just to see holiday-themed green and red uniforms.

Speaking of Christmas Day lethargy, I recall with little fondness the only Dec. 25 game in Raptors history, the 102-94 loss in New York in 2001. I remember everyone being all excited about being on American national television and playing in the Garden on Christmas and they came and laid a big, old stinky egg. No energy, no buzz, no fun.

Just remember that if they’re ever scheduled again for a big-time holiday afternoon game.

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Who doesn’t like a Chicken question?

Q: OK, I need you settle a $100.00 bet, I have with a co-worker! What teams in the league DO NOT have a stuffed animal working supporting their team? I said the Blazers, Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Pistons

CH P, Toronto

A: There’s not much better than a chicken question. Except for you, that is.

Sorry to cost someone money but I guess you’ve missed xxx Cat out in Portland or Hooper down in Detroit. Now, they are hardly among the top five or 10 stuffed animals in all of Chickendom, but they do exist.

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I’m sure you all saw, or heard about the deal where the NBA is letting fans pick the fourth guy in the dunk contest? Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson and Rudy Gay are already in and fans can choose between Rudy Fernandez, Russell Westbrook or Joe Alexander as the fourth.

Entirely underwhelming, no? I mean, really. Rudy Fernandez, Russell Westbrook or Joe Alexander?

Yes, the dunk contest has lost a lot of its allure and I’m quite all right with that. Of all the stupid things about all-star weekend, it’d be right behind the ridiculous rookie-sophomore challenge in stuff I’d be glad to miss.

(I will tell you this: I saw Rudy Fernandez dunk on Dwight Howard, I believe it was, in Beijing and that was as impressive a play as I saw at the Games)

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Here’s what they’re saying in Sacramento today, where the big story in sports pages is which provides a better brand of basketball, all things considered: The NBA, colleges or high schools.

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Okay, let’s say the Raptors win tonight and out-score the Warriors on Monday. That makes ‘em 3-3 on this trip and does it take some of the sting out of the Oklahoma game? And would you have taken 3-3 when they left town? Methinks a lot of you would have and it’s still a very attainable record for the journey.

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Another dip into the mail:

Q: Hey Doug. List time. Right now - who are the top 5 point guards in the East? Excluding Wade and Iverson because they essentially play the two, I have Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Mo Williams, Rajon Rondo, and Jose Calderon.

Jim K, Newmarket

A: If I had to rank ‘em?

I’d have the same five as you but I’d do Harris, Rondo, Calderon, Nelson, Williams.

I know Nelson’s going really well right now but, taking everything into consideration, that’s how I’d rank them. Of course, when their careers -- heck, even when their seasons are over -- it might change but that’s today’s list.

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So, told you it’d be short and sweet today. Now that we’ve got these infernal holidays almost past us, we can get back to some kind of normal schedule around these parts.

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Happy shopping.

Will that make the turkey taste better?

DANNY MOLOSHOK/REUTERS

Yeah, that feels a little better.

Feel better? Just a little? Yes, those were the Clippers, who looked as bad as they did in the darkest days of Clipperworld at times, so there’s that grain of salt to take but, still, given the alternative, not a bad outcome.

And if you’re tempted to downplay the win – as many are, I’m sure – remember this: There are no good wins and bad wins. Only wins. It’s what they play for and no matter how they accomplish it, a win’s a win’s a win.

Yes, it might have been more impressive had Marcus Camby played or if Zach Randolph hadn’t been hurt but you face what you face and the Raptors looked good at times.

And now, two days to digest it before the Sacramento Kings, and whoever coaches them now, await on Boxing Day.

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Action: Jake Voskuhl’s tough.

Reaction: Providing something they need.

I remember the day they signed Jake and a guy who knows him a little bit had this to say, or words to the effect:

“Jake’s a real good guy. Yeah, he’ll smack someone in the face if he has to, or hammer someone. But then he’ll say ‘sorry’ and he’s a nice guy.”

Well, watching him last night and I’m not sure if there’s an apology but going hard after a rebound without a care in the world who was in his way –- it turned out to be Zach Randolph – was something you don’t see from the Raptors often enough.

Not a dirty play, just a good, aggressive one.

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So the First Lady Of The Beat is the (justifiably) proud parent of a two-sport star of a daughter who’s just finished up four excellent years of track and soccer at Rice University.

And, it seems, providing guys like me with snippets of news you’ll likely find interesting.

Seems Damon Stoudamire, who is not coming back to play in Toronto despite the wishes of so many of you, is ready to get on with the next phase of his life, even as fans clamour for him to play again.

He’s taken on the job as director of player development for the Owls.

That’s pretty much the same job Shawn Respert, another ex-Raptor had.

Damon, as you’ll recall from earlier this year, expressed interest in the Arizona coaching job (they had KO, how bad would it be to get a guy with no experience?) and it seems he knows what he wants to do in the future.

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Action: Eddy Curry or Stephon Marbury?

Reaction: Someone’s on crack.

If the Raptors trade or obtain either of those team-killing stiffs, please call an ambulance because Bryan Colangelo will have suffered some serious seizure and will need immediate medical assistance.

I’ve been assured that the report yesterday was, frankly, as incorrect as you can possibly imagine.

No more questions about it, it’s not remotely possible.

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A TV question, sort of:

Q: Since we (Raps fans with Rogers) have been screwed out of watching our team, What are your thoughts of watching it on Sites i.e: Justin.tv something we can use for leverage with the big Red Empire and the little engine that tries??

Lanny E, Whitby

A: I’ve never seen a single second on any of those streaming sights so I have no idea whether they’re any good or not. But no, they are not leverage by any stretch of the imagination. It’s pretty obvious that no matter what they say, they don’t care a lick about you or any other Raptor fan with Rogers.

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Action: One bad shot

Reaction: Bad clock realization?

How many of you almost spat out whatever you were drinking with Jamario took a three-pointer in the dying seconds of the first quarter, a shot he missed with 22 seconds left in the period and 14 still to go on the shot clock?

The only explanation, and this is giving a big benefit of the doubt, is that maybe he just misread the clock and was trying to get his team a 2-for-1 opportunity. It’s the only logical point, isn’t it? Raps get the ball with 32 seconds left by the play-by-play I’m reading and maybe Jamario figures if he rushes a bad shot, it’s a good thing. Trouble was, he didn’t rush enough.

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They don’t give the Clippers nearly as much ink out in L.A. as they do the other team from the Staples Center but here’s what they said today.

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Let’s put this issuse to bed:

Q: Hey Doug, happy holidays! I asked this one before but it didn't get answered and I was so impressed with it I'd thought I'd try again. Do you think Bosh is upset about Mitchell's firing? If so, is it (unconsciously) affecting his game?

Geoff R, Thunder Bay

A: No. Not at all. Not a bit. Bosh’s went into a slump. It happens. Coincidence pure and simple. Had nothing to do with an abiding love for his ex-coach.

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Action: They win.

Reaction: Rousing applause

It's almost 1 a.m. in the local, the post-hockey, post-football crowd has thinned -- it's like these two dudes Darrel and Jas and about 40 others in various stages of having fun -- and when the Raptors win, the crowd erupts in cheers. Really. For beating the Clippers.

Yes, you are a passionate lot.

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Anyone else glad we won’t have to see Penny Marshall hanging with Jack and Matt anymore? She got more air time than some players last night and her stopping by the say hello to the broadcasters was played in an endless loop it seems.

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Action: Bosh, 31 and 7.

Reaction: If they don’t trade his sorry under-achieving, over-paid, non-franchise-guy-being behind by this time tomorrow, Bryan should lose his job.

‘Nuff said?

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Another question:

Q: The Guru's at TNT (Charles Barkly et al) made a comment a few days ago about the fact that the firing of coaches in the NBA recently is a result of GM's trying to cover up their mistakes, what do you think? The fact that Colangelo keeps going to Europe to get his players seems to me like trying to build a team on the cheap. You cannot win a lot of NBA games with FIBA players period.

David B, Barrie

A: Yes, I think there are times when coaches get fired because GMs construct odd rosters. A perfect case in point right now is Philly. Mo Cheeks had them playing an entertaining, and successful style, without a big man to bog things down. What’s his GM do? Get him a big man to bog things down.

And yes, you are 1,000 per cent correct. What team could possibly win a lot of games with FIBA players? I was asking that question just the other day of a friend of mine in San Antonio, where that Euro-trained team is so bad it’s scary.

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The Goods On The Game, Vol. 28, Merry Christmas

Good (late) evening. Anyone here? You know how hard it is to find a local with TSN2, fight off hordes of Leaves fans planning the parade route and then trying to fight off waves of Packer fans to get a basketball game on TV?

No, it' s not easy at all.

But I seem to have accomplished it, a lovely waitress came to my rescue; the wirless works, the soft drinks are poured (DD not available this late at night) and it looks like the feed is on. No sound, though, but that's okay.

One bit of news out of L.A., Marcus Camby's had a death in the family and he won't play. Probably good for Toronto, definitely bad for Marcus, who's one of the good guys I've come across.

Anyway, a breath of fresh air and we'll get ready to start. I'll be back in this file some time in the middle of the first quarter.

Quick question: Wings or fries? And don't say salad, my body will rebel.
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LET'S GET STARTED
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First touch is a Bosh post-up, I'd like to see that every night.
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Wonder if there are celebs there? Biggest they get these days is Penny Marshall. Guess she's still a celeb.
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Two offensive rebounds on one possession for the Raptors? I may not type those words again this season.
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Al Thornton is going to be a very tough cover for Jamario Moon.
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Remember when the Raptors couldn't figure out how to use Brian Skinner? Lots of other teams seem to know what to do with him.
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I liked Baron Davis a whole lot better in Golden State when he could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. Mike Dunleavy's a great coach but I don't see Baron and he being a good fit.
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Jose doesn't have a quickness advantage over too many point guards but he's got one tonight on Davis and that has to be something they exploit.
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Hmm, rumblings here at Cooper's that they might dump the NFL game off the big screen and go with the Raptors and the sound. That'd be very cool. And welcome.
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Raptors 15, Clips 6 with about six minutes left.
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I see three Leafs jerseys, a well worn Favre Packers jersey (wonder if the guy knows about the Jets?) and not a single piece of Raptor paraphenalia around here.
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Yes, that is a double-digit Raptor lead in the first quarter of the game. I point that out for no reason that to make some of you feel nervous.
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Good Jamario's here. An alert reader stuck in an airport reports he's got five rebounds already and I'd chalk it up to hometown scoring except I can't.
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Man, they look good tonight, don't they? The bigs are dominating, they're defending and how many of you are waiting for the other shoe to drop?
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Just showed Bryan on TV and it didn't look like he wanted to kill someone. Or fire them. Or trade them.
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These guys are like a gaggle of Rodmans tonight. That probably says as much about the Clips as it does Toronto,  though.
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This is a pretty good officiating crew. Bill Spooner and Bill Kennedy are two of my faves.
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The game's way too scrambling for the Raptors in the last couple of minutes. They have to play to their inside strength. The Clips love to junk it up and get into a track meet. Toronto can't.
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As I mentioned above, that's how you get a 6-0 Clipper run.
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Toronto 25, Clips 18 after one.
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Say this about Joey, he doesn't waste a lot of time or energy, you know, passing the ball. And maybe that's what's keeping him out of the starting lineup.
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WIll Solomon instead of Roko? I wonder about that.
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I guarantee when the Clippers did their scouting report, when they got to Solomon they said, we'll be okay if he shoots threes. And him just making one may give him ideas to take more. Bad ideas.
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People in here just applauded when Parker hit that three-pointer to put 'em up 11. Maybe they love is coming back? Nah. Maybe the cocktails have been flowing.
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O'Neal's back and he has to get the ball. These guys have gone away from everything that worked so well in the first six minutes. Not that that hasn't happened a dozen or so times already this season.
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I get irked every now and then at point guards who try to do too much. Sort of like how Will just played five minutes.
-
Raptors 35, Clips 24 with just over six 'til halftime.
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Not sure what's going on with the faithful tonight but the comment section's loaded up.
-
Only about five minutes left in the football game, maybe then we'll get some sound.
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That was a good, hard foul Jason Hart just put on Bosh, knocking him down. I wonder if the tables were turned, how many Raptors would hip check a big to take a wide open dunk away?
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Another offensive rebound by O'Neal for an easy put-back. Who are these guys?
-
Remember when Al Thornton sort of killed Bosh in Toronto last year? I bet Bosh does, too. Not the same story tonight, is it?
-
Watch Kapono? He never really stops moving on offence. Just runs in circles but eventually he's going to be open.
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This might be as well as they've played for a full half in the last 10 games. Good ball movement for the most part, solid defence, recognizing mismatches. No idea if it'll last but still ...
-
This is the first time I've seen them for any length of time but, man, the Clippers are certainly not good.
-
Raptors 51, Clippers 32 (maybe it changes after replay but I doubt it) at the half.
-
Do not adjust your boxscores. The Raptors did indeed have nine more rebounds in the first half than the Clippers did. I know, I rubbed my eyes, too.
-
Great. OT in the football game. Still no sound.
-
So if you're a grunt at the Staples Center, it's better to cover the Lakers than the Clips. For the Lakers, we have baseline seating in the corner; for the Clips, we're more than halfway up the lower bowl in the stands.
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I don't think Jermaine O'Neal gets nearly enough credit for being one of the top shot-blockers in the league. When I was talking to Rick Carlisle about him last week, he said that's the one thing that made him stand out for his entire career.
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JO's got it going tonight. This is the best he's looked, I think, since before the ankle injury. And he's not forcing the issue very much.
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You know how happy they must be that the Clips are shooting about 35 per cent? And the good thing about it is that a lot of the shots are contested. Not many open looks on the perimeter. Which proves that the Clippers don't move the ball nearly as well as, say, the Spurs. How's that for an understatement?
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Yay! Football game's over, someone won apparently. I can hear the dulcet tones of Matt Devlin. And the crackling verbiage of My Man Jack.
-
Raptors 61, Clips 44 with 6:15 left in the third.
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I'm not sure there's an empty table in this place. On a Monday? Late? Raptors-Clippers? I'll never figure out people. And GM? Not a famous person in the joint, unless you count me and no one does.
-
Okay, it's a 17-point Toronto lead with 5:39 left in the third. I wonder how many fans would feel secure enough to call it a night? I'm thinking about none.
-
As soon as Bargnani catches the ball, I know whether he's going to drive or shoot. And that would lead me to believe that highly trained professional opponents would know that, too. And guard him accordingly.
-
They don't have anything now until a Christmas night practice in Sacramento. I think the starters have to play nearly every minute the rest of the way and Jay should use his timeouts to get them rest.
-
Maybe they could use a jolt of Jake Voskuhl's instant offence.
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Or Bosh back in the game.
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Screaming at your TVs yet?
-
O'Neal is absolutely abusing whoever's guarding him. But if Zach Randolph steps out and makes threes, it's a wash.
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See what I meant about Voskuhl?
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Raptors 69, Clippers 60 after three.
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Voskuhl lays out Randolph going for a rebound. That's something you haven't seen from a Raptor in a while.
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The WIll Solomon minutes HAVE to be short.
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Know what I think? They outta trade that Bosh fellow.
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The fries are a bit cold. Quite disappointing.
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Will Solomon making big threes? They can't lose when that happens, can they? I still say it's time for Jose to finish. Like right now.
-
There's that play where AP curls off a double screen and takes a fadeaway from about 15 feet. We haven't seen it very often since Sam got fired but it's one of the most effective plays they've got.
-
Al Thornton is currently 1-for-10 from the field and has had three of his shots blocked. That's payback.
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I guarantee you Baron Davis will try to take over this game in the final eight minutes. I'm not sure he's going to be able to.
-
These are not the most important six minutes of the season, but they're close. They absolutely have to win this game.
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Toronto 86, L.A. 71 with six minutes to go.
-
I think that tape of Penny Marshall stopping to say hi to Jack and Matt will be on the RaptorsTV highlight reel of great moments for the rest of time.
-
Notice who's not in the game for Toronto?
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Hey!!!! Did you just see Nate Jawai behind the bench? A tan jacket! Not his blue one.
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Put a fork in 'em, the Clippers are done?
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Okay, the Bosh three was cool; the Bosh air-balled three just make about six tables in his joint break out into uproarious laughter.
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Wow, a laugher. This is unusual. But all around, the best game they've played in weeks. What's it mean? Probably nothing because they have to do it again on Boxing Day but a win's better than a loss. And the chance to go 3-3 on this trip still exists and if you had told them coming out they go 3-3, they probably take it.
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Toronto 97, Clippers 75.
-




 

A little bonus mail time

A little bonus Monday mailbag for you, there really was nothing going on with Raptors and/or the league yesterday and, given a rare Sunday off, I figured this was a good way to get to some of these early week questions that tend to get lost.

I’ll be back with the usual stuff in the morning (can’t wait to read all the fun letters if they drop one to the Clippers) and it’ll be the usual again on Wednesday morning. Thursday, I’m going to shut it down to watch Super Son open presents before the flight to Sacramento and then, hopefully, we’ll get back into a normal routine.

Also have to figure out what I'm going to do tonight, a 10:30 p.m. start is pushing up against my usual bed time but, fatigue aside, I'll probably be somewhere to watch along with you.

Have a nice day. Gotta do some shopping today, you don’t imagine the malls will be crowded, will they?

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Q: Hey Doug, with the odd and unfortunate configuration of away games the next week what are the plans for the team? Stay in California or is there a window for some players to get back to their respective homes for family. Speaking of which hopefully some good team Samaritan invites Nathan to a family Christmas dinner...I'm sure he won't eat much! Season's Greeting to you and the Super Family, Doug.

Archie G

A: There are all sorts of plans, I’m told. At least a couple of guys are going to spend the break in L.A. with family and head up to Sacramento on Christmas afternoon (they have a practice scheduled for Christmas night there) but a lot of guys will get charters or regular red-eyes right after the Clipper game to their homes if their in the western half of the country.

But there will be a few who take the charter back to Toronto, arriving in the wee hours of the morning of the 23rd and then be back in the air mid-day on the 25th to resume the schedule.

So there isn’t one answer, it really depends on the circumstances.

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Q: Okay, second email in 2 days. Gotta be a record for me and this one is a question and not a comment. See, us fans can improve too :) Several times you mentioned how impressed you were with the basketball IQ of Kapono. This question is not intended as a critique, but as a curiosity. Can you share with us how you came to that? I have seen Kapono make some plays off the ball that impressed me and I was hoping to learn what else you see that I might be missing. Thanks as always and the very best of the holiday season to you and your family.

Dario P, Scarborough

A: Just by watching him play and talking to his coaches. One coach once said that Jason may not be the best defender on the team but if you tell him not to let his man go left, he won’t let his man go left. He may get beaten right a handful of times but he won’t be beaten left. He also has a knack of making tough passes in traffic and about the only thing he’s got a penchant for doing that’s bad is committing silly fouls late in shot clocks. Of course, if you ask him, he’s never committed a foul in his life but that just makes him typical in this man’s NBA.

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Q: If Damon Stoudamire is good enough to receive a tryout with the suns, then why can't we bring him back to give Jose some quality rest? I'm positive he still has something to offer this dreadful outfit, with his passing, scoring, and overall experience. And by the way, Colangelo, please, please trade Bargnani NOW. Happy holidays fine sir from a transplanted Torontonian

Chris E, Red Deer, AB

A: Jose’s playing, what? Less than 36 minutes a night? That’s not too much at all. In fact, it’s about two minutes less than I thought he’d play.

And I’d rather have the other 12 go to a young kid like Ukic who may have some promise for the future than an old guy who’d be around for maybe five months.

Damon may have something to offer, although he didn’t in Memphis or San Antonio last year and no one’s been beating a path to his door this year so I wonder how much.

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Q: What I feel the Raptors need now more than ever is some consistency, with Bargnani being a major factor. Why do you think he's been so inconsistent for so long? Is it confidence he's lacking? He's had some great games, but why does he always fall back down?

Mohammed J, Mississauga

A: Well, I have said that I don’t think he’s mentally tough enough to play through bad stretches well but I also think he’s been jerked around entirely since he got here.

He’s been a backup big, a starting three, a starting centre, a backup big. He’s been told to work on his post game and immediately sent back out to the perimeter to shoot and defend threes.

It’s my opinion that he will be a centre, a good one, when his career is over and as soon as someone realizes that and gets him on the block to start possessions rather than leaving him on the arc to set high screens the better off everyone will be.

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Q: Hi Doug, do you see any smaller, subtle changes occurring, or do you instead see one *big* trade happening? Would you consider something subtle like, Kapono for Battier as possible? I wouldn't have asked last season, but now with Artest in Houston, Battier's role has been reduced it seems. Your thoughts?

Kevin L, Toronto

A: I think if something happens, it’ll be more of the “substantial” style rather than subtle. I think he’s trying to trade for a starter, not a rotation guy.

And I’ll only address Houston because it seems to be a big deal among the readers. Why, I ask you in all seriousness, would the 16-8, third-in-the-west Rockets want to mess up a good thing? They finally have everyone healthy and playing (and that’s McGrady, Yao, Battier and Artest) so to think they’d move one is, frankly, ridiculous.

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Q: Why can't the Raptors sign Flip Saunders as a head coach?

Prabh S, Brampton

A: Because, as I’ve mentioned about a kabillion times since even before Sam was fired, why limit your search in December, if in fact you have a search?

And what makes you think Flip Saunders would even be remotely interested now? Why wouldn’t he wait until the summer when at least six jobs will be open, and perhaps more?

So nothing’s stopping them except logic.

Of Bosh and Bonner and all things interesting

So they lose in San Antonio, only by 10, and don’t look wretched doing it. And the tone of the comments and the e-mails becomes exponentially nicer and more calm. Figure that lasts until the next “bad” loss, which could be as early as Monday, I guess. But for at least a day, it’s nice to see rationality rather than hysteria.

-

Action: This whole “Bosh can’t take us to the promised land/next level/championship.”

Reaction: It is, quite frankly, crap.

Who can?

Kobe? Hasn’t.

LeBron? Hasn’t.

Shaq? Hasn’t.

Garnett? Didn’t. Duncan? Not without Robinson or Parker or Ginobili.

Wade? Didn’t without Shaq.

Dirk? Nope.

Pierce? Sorry.

Kidd? Nope.

Jordan? Hell, he didn’t get to the playoffs ‘til he got some help around him.’

No one player, no matter who he is, “carries” a team to a championship. Is Bosh good enough to be the leading scorer and top rebounder on a team that gets a favourable matchup and wins a playoff series or two? Given the right teammates, absolutely.

There is no doubt that right now, he’s not going as well as he has, or as well as he can. He’s not attacking the basket as often and his seems to be a tad slower reacting to balls than he was in the first week of the season. Maybe he’s got other stuff on his mind, maybe he’s a bit hurt, maybe he’s a bit worn down mentally from having his coach fired, his team playing poorly, from realizing his team isn’t quite as good as many thought.

But is he off a sudden no good? No. He’s still a 20-10 guy and will be. He’s still the best player on this team by a wide margin.

And trading a team’s best player, by a wide margin, makes so little sense it’s laughable. What they’ve got to do is get him different teammates, or get the teammates he’s got now playing better. You don’t strengthen a roster by taking its best player away. That’s silly.

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Action: They play hard for 48 minutes

Reaction: Do it again

Sure, it’s all well and good that they worked hard and, for the most part, played well for most of the 48 minutes against the Spurs.

If anyone could guarantee me, or any of you, that they’ll do the same thing on Monday, then I’d be impressed. But with this group, who knows? And that’s why a good effort against a good team should bring more yawns and skepticism than it does optimism and promise.

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Here’s a question:

Q: Is Chris Bosh and Jay Triano losing material of what to say post-game or what?

Gary J, Toronto

A: Yes, they are. Just like the grunts are running out of questions to ask and it’s taking more creativity every night to elicit usable quotes.

I remember covering every single game of a 17-game losing streak early in the dreadful 16-66 season of 1997-98 and about 10 games in, we’d walk into the locker room, look at guys like Damon or Popeye Jones and simply shrug. They had nothing to say, we had nothing to ask. I bet it’s getting to that point out there with ‘em now and I’m not exactly looking forward to meeting them in Sacramento to tell you the truth. Makes the job a wee bit harder.

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I’ve had a couple of serious e-mails (well, as serious as these things can be) suggesting the Bulls might trade Derrick Rose for Bosh in some wild package since the salaries aren’t close. And one that wonders if they could trade Bosh for Chris Paul.

And that leads me to believe that the hallucinogen industry is thriving.

-

Action: Jake Voskuhl plays.

Reaction: And out-scores both Jamario Moon and Andrea Bargnani.

I’m almost speechless.

Seriously, isn’t that ridiculous?

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What’d they say in San Antonio? Check it out here.

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“That’s the game. When you make shots, things seem to come a bit more easily.”

Sam Mitchell after every game?

Nope, Gregg Popovich last night.

Maybe all you people who killed Sam or made fun of him for bringing out that cliché a lot might want to take note.

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Action: Bonner looks good.

Reaction: Good for him.

Matt Bonner is, as you all know, a good guy, funny, doesn’t take himself too seriously, a big fan favourite. And, because more than a few of you are revisionist historians, I’m not surprised at all at the number of “what was Bryan doing getting rid of him” e-mails that have arrived in the last 10 hours or so.

All I want is proof that one single, solitary person out there thought – almost 2 1-2 years ago – that Matt Bonner was a starting NBA centre? Come on, someone show me that and I’ll apologize to that person profusely.

Sometimes, guys evolve. If you think the Raptors could have waited to find out if he did, you’re mistaken.

That said, I’m just glad Matt’s going well. The kid deserves it.

-

Quickie from the mail:

Q: Season ends today, Raptors don't make the playoffs. Do they resign Moon?

Andrew D, Toronto

A: I doubt it.

Luckily, the season ends in four months so they don’t have to decide.

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List time.

Karl Malone was tough, Kevin Garnett is intense, Dirk Nowitzki’s a find fadaway shooter, Rasheed Wallace is uniquely talented, Kevin McHale would punish people in the post, Charles Barkley was under-sized and tremendously effective. I never saw Bob Pettit play but they tell me he was scary good.

None, however, are better power forwards than Tim Duncan.

In the list of best-ever at that position, here’s how they’re ranked in this corner:

Duncan, Malone, Garnett (originally omitted 'cause I'm a dope and deleted it by mistake), Barkley, McHale, Pettit, Nowitzki, Wallace.

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Back to Bonner:

Good Matt Bonner story and if I've told it before, I'm sorry.

Remember when Matt was here and just about every time Sam would yell at him he'd lift his arms and sort of shrug with a "who? Me?" look on his face.

Stumpy, bless his little pucks soul, and I tell Sam that Matt's so popular with the masses than they're going to put up a statue of him outside the arena in that then-famous pose.

Sam's quasi-amused

It's much later in that season, Stumpy and I are sitting watching a game (I presume they were getting drilled because I don't think we were paying much attention) when Sam screams at Matt, the arms go up, the shoulders are shrugged, Matt's got that bewildered look on his face Sam turns to us, looks at us and says:

"Better get that statue ready!"

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Action: Spurs biding their time

Reaction: Do not sleep on them.

Interesting to hear the TV guys Saturday night talking about the Spurs just trying to get in shape and rhythm for the playoffs and not being overly concerned where they are in the standings now or where they’ll be in the next few months.

And considering they’re a game and a half out of second in the West despite missing Manu Ginobili and Parker with injuries for extended periods already, I can certainly make the case that we might have a Lakers-Spurs western final. And the Spurs, to my mind, are tougher, mentally and physically and might be able to win that one.

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And a final one from the mail for today:

Q: Hi I was wondering about the changes in the practice sessions that the Raptors are now having. The players seem awfully fatigued and I am thinking it might have to do with overworking the players with new plays and more running. Has it been increased? And is this a good idea when you want the players to be at top condition before the game?

Kevin S, Toronto

A: Considering they haven’t really had many practice sessions in weeks, you sure can’t pin it on that. Because of the bear of a schedule they’ve had since Sam got fired, I think they’ve had a grand total of four practices and two of them were extended video session because they came after back-to-backs. There is no way in the world they are being “over-worked.”

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Not sure what’s in store for Monday in this little nook. If there’s a good mailbag to pull together this afternoon or this evening, I think I will ‘cause they’re off in L.A. and I see shoveling and then couch time in my future. So if you’ve got questions – and questions, not rants – I’d be glad to see ‘em, it’ll give me something to do tonight because I believe Super Son is hoping to have an urchin or two over for a sleepover and I’ll go hide somewhere and work.

Enjoy a nice Sunday.

The Goods On The Game, Vol. 27, The Revenge of Bonner?

Hello, kiddies. Everyone here? Doubt it, actually. Surely on the Saturday before Christmas some of you have lives. Hope you at least get this in the morning, I'd hate to think I'm doing it for nothing.
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One thing that's going to take some getting used to: Matt Bonner, Starting NBA Centre.
-
They're getting a lot of use out of those "alternate" black jerseys, aren't they?
-
If Matt Bonner's guarding Chris Bosh, as he is now, there's no reason in the world that every play -- at least every other play -- should be for Bosh in the post.
-
Kapono makes a three and I don't hear J Killa from the broadcast crew.
-
Roger Mason Jr. is a good guy and I'm very glad he's getting a good run with a good team. It was just a matter of him maturing and finding the right fit. Toronto, sadly, didn't have time to wait for him to develop.
-
Did you see how far off Moon they just played to give him that three-pointer? It was about 15 feet. He waited, faked, waited, fired and missed. And I bet the Spurs play even further off him the next time.
-
Matt Bonner commits a foul. Raises his arms in bewilderment. Only saw that about a billion times when he was here. It was his second personal and his night's going to be limited, I fear.
-
The Raptors do seem to have more energy tonight. But we've seen energetic first quarters disappear quickly, haven't we?
-
Raptors 15, Spurs 11 with six minutes left.
-
Another good defensive possession leads to a rushed Duncan shot with about two seconds left on the clock and, as you'd expect, the Spurs get an offensive rebound. Argh.
-
I remember the day Tony Parker came to Toronto for his pre-draft workout. He was with Jamaal Tinsley and someone I can't remember and Parker couldn't work out because he had a bad ankle. Too bad. Who knows what might have happened.
-
Anyone else notice the Raptors are getting hammered on the boards again? I think the Spurs have four offensive rebounds already. Oh oh. Disaster lurks.
-
Did you see Manu on that drive by Bosh a few minute ago? Didn't try to flop. Shocking.
-
Roko Ukic doesn't have a problem trying to get to the rim, does he? Trouble is, he usually goes only when the shot clock's under six.
-
Andrea just absolutely lost Kurt Thomas on a Spurs miss. Didn't turn around to find him, didn't jump to get the rebound.
-
Raptors 25, Spurs 20 after one.
-
Hmm, Raptors play well for a first quarter and lead. Wonder how this one turns out?
-
Jake  Voskuhl? And I missed the debut? Darn it. A moment in history I have to witness on TV. Interesting that he's in and Hump can't get any burn? Know what they tell me about Voskuhl? He's not afraid to hit somebody in the head. Which makes him stand out on this team, doesn't it?
-
The Voskuhl basket? Another moment in history.
-
Parker comes back and I can't believe Jose didn't follow him right to the table.
-
Joey, two shots, two airballs. There've been better nights.
-
You can put Kurt Thomas on the list of good, under-rated veterans who'd help any team they're on.
-
Extended rest for Bosh and Calderon. It's a gamble but  the game isn't getting out of control. Most 'caus the Spurs are shooting about 30 per cent.
-
Gamble's over, at least for Calderon.
-
That's an awful lot of shots, three, for Voskuhl. Not sure if that's the greatest of things.
-
Matt Bonner with an offensive rebound. Wonder if that's his career high. (I kid)
-
Go figure, Raptors trail 'cause they can't get an offensive board.
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Spurs 38, Raptors 33 with 6 1-2 until halftime.
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Bonner has his second offensive rebound, pure hustle. Finds Mason, he hits a three. This is really getting tiring, isn't it?
-
Will Solomon at this point (five left in the second quarter and the game getting out of hand) for Jose makes me wonder what's wrong with Jose. I'll see if I can find out.
-
And I can guarantee you Solomon taking a three that early in his stint will not endear him to his coaches, or his teammates.
-
Jose's got an upset stomach, I'm told. Unsure about a return.
-
Moon with the headband? Not sure about that look, to tell you the truth.
-
Of the 21 Spurs three-pointers already tonight, how many do you think could be considered uncontested? I'd say half just off the top of my head. The rotations are slow, and in the odd case non-existent.
-
Ooops.Will just sort of lost track of Tony Parker, who made 'em look foolish with a backdoor cut. I think the scouting report probably said something like, "watch out for back door cuts from Parker, we'd rather he shoot jumpers than get layups."
-
See that Ginobili three with a minute to go? That's what I'm talking about with horrible rotation. Moon was about two seconds too late, which is an eternity.
-
Toronto only had an eight-point lead in that half, it's not like they're blowing a double-digit lead or anything.
-
Spurs 56, Raptors 48 at the half.
-
You know, the world was a much worse place before they invented two-bite brownies, wasn't it?
-
How many of you out there with RaptorsTV switched over to watch some of the Jazz-Bulls and were late getting back to this gem of a game.
-
Tim Duncan's probably made a billion 15- or 20-foot jump shots in his career. I'm pretty sure the Raptors know this. Why they don't get up on him is a mystery. The one he hit early in the third as his third of the game.
-
Moon, a three. Virtually unguarded. Think the Spurs are happy he's taking them?
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Know what the best thing about tomorrow is? No game. Monday at 10:30 on TSN2, though? Bet that's a rating giant. And I i'm still trying to figure out what I'll do. Cooper's? I can see that happening.
-
If the Raptors were playing even passable defence for the last quarter and a half, this might be an entertianing game. They aren't, it isn't.
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Jermaine O'Neal's been working ref Derrick Stafford for about four minutes and just got a call on an Ducan hook for an offensive foul. Coincidence? Probably.
-
San Antonio 68, Toronto 60 with about six minutes to go in the quarter.
-
I'm a little bit surprised it's taken this long to get Joey in the game this half.
-
Oh yeah, the San Antonio Chicken is a Coyote and it's the sickest looking thing you can imagine. Looks emaciated.
-
Hmm, there was just a play where the Raptors had numbers on a break, Kapono was trailing, Jose went away from him and got the ball to Joey who dribbled right at Tim Duncan and his jumper blocked. That's just bad decision making all over the place.
-
Jose looks sick, doesn't he. Better get some Maalox or Pepto Bismol or something. Or some time off.
-
I've got to think O'Neal's done for the night with that shoulder. The grimace when he's on the bench being treated sort of gave that away.
-
You've got to give them a little credit, they are hanging around.
-
Spurs have made 12 threes at this point, the most a team has ever made in a game against Toronto is 17. You have to think that record's in jeopardy.
-
Spurs 84, Raptors 73 at three.
-
I take it back about O'Neal, he's back in the game and I'm wondering if that's wise.
-
Sick or not, Jose's still in there and with a day off tomorrow, I'd leave him until the one's either won or lost.
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Manu doesn't look all that much like Manu, does he? Not as frenetic as usual, not handling the ball as much. Guess it's taking him longer than anyone thought to get over that ankle issue.
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I believe this one is over, folks. A 14-point Spurs lead with about 10 left? No way they come back from this one.
-
Manu's got the same hair thing going on that Sam had, the little bald patch on the top. But I'm thinkng maybe Sam's is growing back now that he's living the life of leisure.
-
I'm not sure if Pop looks like a thin Santa Claus or a healthy homeless guy.
-
I don't know how many times Bosh has been in the post on Bonner but it hasn't been enough.
-
San Antonio 96, Raptors 85 with 6 minutes to go.
-
They are still playing hard, aren't they? I guess if you're looking for good signs, that's about all you get out of tonight at this moment.
-
Bosh just passed up a jumper to feed Joey in the post. That might have been one of his better offensive decisions in a while.
-
Kurt Thomas just whacked Bosh on the left hand and I can't imagine anyone not feeling pain when Thomas hits you.
-
Six point game with just over two minutes left? Didn't see this coming, did you?
-
Tim Duncan shoots banked jump shots better than anyone I've seen in 15 years watching NBA games on the beat. It is a lost art. And one that's really, really cool to watch.
-
Down eight, two minutes to go, a timeout. A Kapono hook shot? Surely that's not what they came up with, was it? Maybe that's exactly the time JK's gotta take a pull up jumper.
-
Bosh takes his obligatory three-pointer, which was a desperation shot, pure and simple. It's over.
-
Short story: They played well and hard but not well enough and not hard enough. Do you want to hear "We saw some good signs tonight" or do you want to hear "I don't give a hoot about good signs, we lost and that sucks and Monday is an absolute must-win?" Me? The latter.
-
See ya Monday from somewhere I presume.
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San Antonio 107, Toronto 97.

The Goods On The Game, Vol. 27, pre-game lowlights

Bet it's quiet around here tonight. Judging by the e-mails and comments that have arrived since the debacle in Oklahoma City, dozens of readers/writers are gone for the season. Just means more for you and the other diehards, right?
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Last I heard from San Antonio and Jermaine O'Neal was about 45 minutes ago and he was going to try the shoulder in a warmup and then decide. You know, sort of like he did with the knee and the ankle a few times. So, I wish I had news for you, but I don't. But I do think if he does start, instead of running the first couple of plays for him in the post, they should script stuff for Bosh to see what he's got going on tonight.
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Now, seated comfortably at Casa Smith with Super Son over on the couch watching with dad (mom's occupying the upstairs TV with Gilmore Girls DVDs and that's not a Super Son kind of thing), gotta run through the check list:
Clicker? Yep, Utah-Chicago's on, too.
Snacks? The two-bite brownies are in the cupboard just waiting..
Soft drinks? Chilled Diet Coke right there.
Low expectations? Oh yeah.
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Be back in the first quarter sometime.
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You wonder how low they can go

How’s everybody today? Not so good, right? Blow it up? Trade ‘em all? Fire someone?

Can’t really blame you.

But here’s something a wise old man once said (not even sure it was) and it might bear thinking about today: Don’t get too high after big wins or too low after bad losses.

Yes, that Thunder Thing was the low point in a season chalk full of them so far and it’s hard for anyone to see anything good to talk about or even think about at the moment but the truth is, there are still 56 games to go and there will be some highs and there will be some lows.

Is the season lost? No, it’s not. It’s at its lowest ebb, no question about it, and there are a series of troubling issues that have to be addressed. All it’s going to take is more hard work, more intelligence, more heart. Do they have that in them? I think they do. Not to the level of Boston, L.A. or Cleveland but there are 26 other teams besides Toronto in that same boat.

Maybe they do have to bottom out before things get turned around and this has to be the depths of a very hot and uncomfortable place.

But we must soldier on here and, we shall.

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Action: Collison hustles

Reaction: Raptors lose

If there was one play that not only summed up the game, it probably summed up the season, it came with about 90 seconds left in a two-point game when Nick Collison simply stole a rebound away from Bosh by getting on the floor and rolling it out to a teammate.

It was hustle and desire and strength. None of which Toronto’s had often enough this season.

That Russell Westbrook got the ball and hit a jumper to make it a four-point game only made the play worse. And more costly.

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I believe the number of e-mails was over 40 and the comments something north of 50 in the post-game period. That tells me there’s still some passion out there in fan-land but reading them tells me there’s far, far more anger.

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Action: Bryan’s livid

Reaction: What can he do?

The last time these guys laid a smelly egg like that one, the GM fired the coach. Well, we know that’s not an option at the moment so …

I don’t know specifically which GMs he’s been talking to most seriously – there were some discussions with Chicago, I’m told, and the interest in Marion is there but I’m not sure how far those talks have gone – but it’s really time for action.

Watching that relatively lifeless performance just affirms that this team needs an infusion of something like heart, hustle, consistent hard work that it’s not getting. And, as I mentioned, the season is still salvageable but sometimes a deal for a deal’s sake wakes up some people and gets things moving in the right direction.

Up until the loss to the Thunder, I thought Bryan would hold off on any trades to give Jay and these guys a chance to figure it out. But that one loss, and the way it was accomplished, should have had him on the phone in the wee hours of the morning getting serious about his discussions.

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I don’t imagine they’re planning parade routes in Oklahoma City (after all, they only beat the Raptors) but here’s how the big win played out in the papers.

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A question and answer:

Q: Doug, do you think Raptors fans are getting a bad reputation around the league. Down the stretch in the OKC game, the Oklahoma TV guys said that "if this game was in Toronto, the fans would be booing". Is that the perception around the league these days?

Andrew H, Washington DC

A: Yep. Thanks to the little “boo ‘em when they’re down three to Dallas in the fourth quarter and miss a free throw” story that’s out there, that’s exactly the perception at the moment. And I don’t know how soon it can get changed. I had a couple of friends write me from around North America in the last few days asking what was going on with the boos.

I told them it wasn’t like Vince Boos or Tracy Boos or Damon Stoudamire Boos (as much a smattering then a cacophony) but, still, that’s what people out there read and perceive to be reality.

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Action: Bosh rips Moon

Reaction: A meltdown may be coming.

Did you see Bosh killing Moon after that wacky three with, by my play-by-play sheet, 11 seconds left on the shotclock and Toronto down one with about five minutes to go? Yes, it’s nice to have passion and anger and all that. It’s bad form to publicly show up a teammate. Rip him in the huddle, get him on the bench, to do it in front of a dozen or so TV viewers (that’s about all I figure were left by then) is bad form.

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Some Okie info:

Q: Why does everyone stand in OKcity for the first few minutes?

Alex H, Toronto

A: It’s a quaint little tradition, started in American colleges, where the fans of the home team stand until the home team scores a basket. Very cute. Very college. Very tiring some nights watching the Thunder, I’d presume.

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Oh, and while we’re looking around, check out what they said in San Antonio today, where The Legendary Matt Bonner awaits.

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Action: More lack of hustle.

Reaction: Beating a dead horse? Sure

I can make the argument that the easiest thing to do in professional basketball is to rebound a missed free throw. You’ve got two guys on the block with position, the shooting team’s bigs are generally thinking of heading back up the floor and even of a modicum of effort gets the job done.

Why, then, did I see Nick Collison (there’s the name again) glide past a couple of Raptors to tip in a Jeff Green miss with just about five minutes to go that turned a two-point game into a four-point game.

Little things. Little effort things. Little effort and intelligence things that Toronto just doesn’t do. One in a vacuum you can live with; a series of them costs you games.

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And finally:

Q: High school game tonight, team A is up 26-22, other team goes on a 28-5 run. Comment, oh team A pulled a Raptor. I guess that wouldn't make the pros good to know that is what they saying about them.

Bruce M, Winnipeg.

A: Ding! Ding! Ding!