Another night, another celebrity

Good morning, all.

Not a whole lot to report from here in Indy, except that it’s colder here than it is in Toronto (got down to about minus-35 with the wind chill overnight) and this whole winter thing can be over any time if anyone who controls such things is reading this.

Oh, and the JAMFest Cheer Super Nationals begin here today, which is why hotel rooms were at such a premium I guess. Not to mention the fact it’s probably going to get very noisy around these parts.

One other thing: I want the dude who was flying that USAir jet that crashed yesterday flying every single plane I’m on the rest of my career. It was pretty odd, and a tad disconcerting, to be sitting in the Pearson lounge waiting to fly here and watching the aftermath of a plane crashing into the Hudson River.

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The decision to leave Andrea Bargnani in the starting lineup for now, proposed by Jermaine O’Neal but I’m sure fully endorsed and hinted at by Jay Triano, is the only thing that makes sense.

If O’Neal goes tonight against the Pacers – and that’s no sure thing until he sees how the knee feels later today – he’ll be the first big off the bench. But for how long? Even yesterday when he was talking to us, O’Neal said he wasn’t about to press for, or deserve, a start right now. But at no time did he suggest this whole backup thing would be something he’d like permanently.

And eventually, it’s going to come to a head unless Bryan Colangelo finds a way to move O’Neal.

Speaking of, here’s how Jermaine described his injury to us yesterday:

“The guy Azubuike in Golden State ran into my knee and most of the time when you get a contusion the last thing you want to do is get on an airplane for four hours. The problem was when we landed back in Toronto – after the air and the altitude – the knee swelled up on me.

“That was one of the toughest things to get going again, to get the swelling out of it and it just took quite a while to get out. We just finally got to a point where we tried a couple of different things and finally got a medication that was actually working.

“It was kind of sitting there waiting for the knee to calm down.

“There was so much swelling, I couldn’t bend the knee or move. It was quite a process but I feel like I’m better.”

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The other big starting question for many of you is point guard, where Will Solomon will be back there again tonight, I presume.

It’s another tough one, leaving him starting and bringing Roko Ukic off the bench because Ukic seems to run the offence more smoothly and he has a much brighter future, especially with Toronto. But coaching is as much about massaging egos and handling personalities and the thought coursing through the minds of the coaching staff is that if they’re going to get the most out of Solomon, it has to be as a starter because they’re not sure how he’d react to backing up a rookie.

It’s probably wrong and speaks volumes to the wacky, out-of-order world that pro sports is sometimes but it’s also a fact and one staffs everywhere have to deal with.

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Things you see in a restaurant bar, Vol. I’m not sure

So I’m sitting there Thursday night enjoying the greatest and hottest shrimp cocktail known to man at the world-famous St. Elmo’s steakhouse and there’s a bit of stir at table behind me.

I turn around and who do I see?

Donny Osmond.

For real. He’s a wee little fella in real life but seems a likable sort. Didn’t mind stopping to have a cellphone picture taken with the woman sitting a couple stools down from me before blasting off into the night.

I tell ya, Julianne Hough one night and Donny Osmond the next? This has been a big week.

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Keeping with our Bargnani stuff:

Q: Hi Doug, were you just in the "moment", when you said that Bargnani is the Raps’ second best defender behind JO, or you really mean it? If so, where do you think he stands as an offensive player and what is the sum of it all? My take is that he can't be ahead of CB and JO, because unlike those two, as he is learning to attack the basket in traffic, he is missing too many finishes at the rim.

Tino A, Waterloo

A: No, I meant it. I think you can make the argument for blocking shots on the ball and off, defending his own guy without help and being in the right place, Bargnani’s defensive improvement has been shocking. And the most impressive part of his evolution.

Offensively? Yes, he could finish better and be smoother on his drives but his mid-range game, the fact he’s shooting something stupid like 60 per cent from three-point range in his last eight games would put him, probably, right behind the other two bigs as Toronto’s best offensive weapons. You can certainly say he’s been more consistent than anyone but Bosh since he became a starter.

There is lots of room for improvement, no question, but considering where he was in November and where he is now, you can sure make the argument he’s the second best player on the team. Now, he’s got to do it for the final 43 games but I’m starting to think he can.

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And in Indy, the folks reading the paper read this when they got up to turn on the heat this morning.

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This stat came courtesy of the folks at TNT last night so if it’s wrong, put it on them (although I presume they check these things):

They said LeBron James, after missing a game-winner at the buzzer in Chicago, is 3-22 over his career on shots win or tie in the final five seconds of a game.

Wonder if the people in Cleveland are dogging for that under-performance? Somehow I doubt it.

Which brings us to …

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This fits in quite well:

Q: Hi Doug. LeBron vs. Bird. A few nights ago, Jack and I can remember, mentioned that Jeff Van Gundy said that LeBron is a better small forward than Bird, which Jack responded with something like "being on TV has made JVG stupid". At first I thought LeBron hands down. Hey, if he's being called the next "Mike", and also is compared to Magic, he's got to be a better player than Bird. However, looking over the stats, they are very comparable. LeBron beats Bird in PPG, while Bird beats LeBron in RPG. Steals, Blocks and Turnovers are similar. LeBron has had only one season (his first) where he shot less than 30% from behind the arc, while Bird shot under 30% in four of his first eight seasons. Yes, Bird won Championships. LeBron still has quite a few years left in him to do it, which I'm sure that he'll win at least 1. What do you think? Is LeBron a better Forward than Bird? If he isn't right now, do you think that chances are that he will be at the end of his career.

Carl L, Barrie

A: Until LeBron wins one, he’s not in Bird’s class. He’s more explosive, an exponentially better athlete but he’s not as crafty, nor as good a clutch jump shooter (no matter what the stats say).

But LeBron can play more positions and probably defends better. When their careers are over and LeBron joins Bird in the Hall of Fame, you can debate their relative merits.

Right now? I like Bird better. For the rings.

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Comments

[Thomas]

Jermaine really has been nothing but class since he arrived in Toronto. Even if trading him makes the most sense from a basketball standpoint, I'll be sad to see him go.

Hopefully we send him somewhere where they win.

[bored]

this is all old news and old quotes from yeserday! Do you just read everyon elses stuff then come out with this crap the next day?

Blogger's note: You've got to admit the Donny Osmond stuff and the mail was new!

[Alex]

I echo Thomas' point re Jermaine. He's been great since coming here, and can't be faulted for effort and trying to play through pain either.

What's the update on Jose? Is he coming back tonight (sorry if I missed an update somewhere in the blog). And, is his hammy going to be 100% this time?

Blogger's note: He's on the trip but the last we heard, he wasn't going to play. May find out more after shootaround in a couple of hours but I think he'll sit out

[Andrew P]

I don't know how you do it Doug. Some people just don't appreciate the job you do.
I'd like to see a stat on how many people argue just for the sake of arguing on these blogs.
Either way, keep up the good work. I'm sure there's more of us that love the job that you do, but unfortunately the knuckleheads seem to outweigh the submissions.

[RC]

Doug, on Bargnani, his play over the last little while has been stunning compared to how he had stalled before that. Sure, you begin to get it after a while but it seems that mentally he's more comfortable where he is now. Kudos to the coaching staff but you have to wonder what it was about Mitchell (if anything) that made Bargnani vulnerable mentally. Thoughts?

Blogger's note: I think Bargnani might have been a little more skittish under Sam, wondering if he'd get consistent minutes or have a consistent role.

[GP]

Wow......got to love the people who come on here only to insult the writer. Perhaps you should be greatful that your NBA team has a writer committed to a daily blog.

Doug...isn't Solomon a rookie? I find it a little surprising that he would take issue with backing up Roko (I realize there is an age difference). It's not like he has established himself as a solid NBA point guard.....

Blogger's note: Solomon's had a year in the NBA, a long time ago, so technically he's not a rookie. And it's also a demotion and that might factor into it, too.

[Sigg]

JO has been class all the way. With his mentality, and the way he leaves it all out on the floor every night (you want to know why he's injury prone?), he could definitely be an important piece for a winning team.

to the above post: if the blog is released first thing in the morning, and Smith can't use stuff from yesterday, what exactly do you expect him to post? All of the middle of the night basketball news? Come on.

[Jonathan]

Sigg, you crack me up... "middle of the night basketball news"... hehe...

Anyway, that stat on LBJ is rather interesting. I was just about to comment on how Rose the rookie pretty much torched the Cavaliers last night. Had a slow start but he made big shots when it mattered in both the 4th quarter and in overtime. Maybe people should stop saying "wow, the Raptors suck... they got torched by a rookie!" and just admit the kid's got game.

[Peter R]

I agree with some of the comments here about JO: he is a class act. He plays hard, he plays well, and he's genuine and not caught up in his ego. It's going to be tough to deal with that situation once he's 100%, especially if Bargs keeps producing.

I think comparing Bird to Lebron is a moot exercise. They might have played similar positions, but they're styles are so different. Doug, you alluded to this, as Lebron is much more of an athletic force who can drive the basketball, and Bird just didn't miss a shot when he needed to make it.

[Doug]

Dear Doug:

We've corresponded in this comment section before: I'm the fellow who triggered the Greek grammar orgy of Fall '08, and I'm a great booster of your blog in general and especially your career-advancing post-game video blogs.

Lately, I've noticed that your video blogs are less animated. I'm sure that you're mired in the mid-season blahs. While it's been exciting to see Bargnani's emergence (and Graham's, whose discovery that he has a tough body has improved his play markedly - and deserves some coverage), this season is not exactly inspiring; usually, I leave the games bedraggled, and I'm impressed that you can, er, get excited for your post game performances at all.

Still, your TV persona is becoming a little listless. Raise your voice more, show us some colour, and say interesting or even crazy things about the Raps - while newspaper writing should be short on adjectives and include just the facts, TV can tolerate some more pizazz. The grumpiness of your early broadcasts combined with your up-beat Raps-perspective angle was a winning combination. The earnest grump format worked real well. Show us some bite, and keep up the good work, because I want to see you doing in-game and post-game commentary on TSN6.

Yours,
Dov

[Dou]

Doug,

True or False statement - Even if Jay Triano doesn't guide the Raptors to the playoffs, his coaching tenure was a success for bringing the best out of Andrea Bargnani?

I'd have to go with True, but I'm curious as to your thoughts.

Blogger's note: If Bargnani plays as well in the last 42 games as he's played in the last 10, true. But we won't know 'til then

[Mikey G]

Hey Doug, I just read that Minnesota's Rashad McCants could be traded. Wh\at do you think about McCants? He can light it up and plays the 2, would he be that young, inexpensive, under-the-radar wing player that we need?

[Pharaoh]

Doug, everyone is talking about Bargnani's improvement at the offensive end, but as you rightly point out, his defence has also improved immensely. He moves his feet well, gets between his man and the basket, and either makes himself as big as possible or blocks the shot. I might even go so far as to say he could be the league's most improved defensive player. Thoughts?

Blogger's note: I haven't seen enough of everyone else to really have a thought on that, I'm afraid.

[Pat]

I think any player will most the majority of game-deciding shots. I remember a Michael Jordan commercial where he was listing all his failures in a monologue. At one point, he says he's missed 125 (or some number) game winners.

[Paul]

LOL. Good one Sig. I say BOO to the naysaying nitwits, and once again tender my full DS support. (I'm not even related).

The article that proposes Marion for O'Neal has some merit, but it just puts the Raptors in the same situation as the Heat would be this offseason - players in an unattractive Free Agent market - unless you think Marion is a good long term addition...

[camilo]

Doug:Great job with blog. Although I respect that Jo plays hard and has been a good guy with the Raptors for the most part I think the JO trade has been bad for the following reasons:
1)First of all, JO has missed a lot of games and we re only half way through the season. His Injury prone status did not change.
2)Second, it has meant that Bargniani has been jerked around a bit and about to be jerked around some more which has made the young man unconfortable. I think most people would agree the problem with Bargniani consistency is all mental.
3)Finally, JO trade put the Raptors in a very inflexible position when it come down to the roster due to his huge contract. It did not allow at least the resigning of Delfino, and it does not allow now for flexibility in trades. Now it's going to be really hard to find a team to trade him to.

Bargniani is the future center of this franchise. We can only hope that we dont have to wait too long to see JO go to another team.

[Anthony]

I realize that fans and GM's want instant results in pro sports but I think its too soon to trade JO (unless the right offer comes along). When on the court JO has been consistent and was showing improvement after getting a few games under his belt. JO coming off the bench and him being OK with it will give the raps a huge boost, I mean look at some of the great teams out there that have a 6th man that could also start.. this is an angle the raps need to seriously look at and I believe JO off the bench will also help get Kapono rolling.. if that happens it means our blown double digit leads will be a thing of the past!!

[Mo]

Doug - What do you think about Orlando?

I don't know why, but they don't seem as scary as their record. Maybe it's the lack of media/hype about them, but if the Raptors were to sneak into the playoffs, wouldn't their chances be exponentially better facing the Magic instead of the Cavs or Celtics?

P.S. Ignore the knuckleheads in this blog (everyone knows who they are)... it's a fact of life that those people are the most vocal, whether the rest of us like it or not.

Blogger's note: Orlando will be a tough playoff opponent but I think they need to shore up their bench a little bit

[sg60]

I'm really impressed with Jermaine O'Neal. A good interview, articulate, great team guy. I think he's been nothing but a class act since he got here in addition to playing really well when he's been healthy. It's unfortunate that he's probably going to have to be traded. It's certainly no knock on him but with the emergence of Bargnani and the glaring deficiencies in other parts of the roster it seems likely that his days as a Raptor are numbered.

[Matt]

Man I wish people would appreciate the job you do Doug instead of complaining all the time. Anyways I agree with those who said Jermaine has been nothing but professional since he got here. I will be sad to see him leave if he is dealt. We need more classy leaders on this team who leave it out on the floor every night

[mw]

Doug

With regards to Lebron and Bird. It is not fair to say until Lebron has a ring he cannot compare. Do you not think that if Lebron played with Mchale and Parish he would have several rings? Not his fault if the talent around him is not as good. He is a better talent than Bird. Nothing against Bird, he is a great player, but Lebron is better and the talent around him should not lessen his due.

[Eddy]

Doug, how do people come up with trade rumors as ridiculous as the Phoenix one? Thats a joke

[Eric]

I agree with the other posts citing JO for his class and toughness. He's brought a hard-nosed defensive presence that the Raps have needed.
What about Triano making him the offensive centerpiece of the second unit? You wouldn't disturb the offensive scheme the first unit has been going well centered around Bosh-Bargs, and you could present a whole new look with your second unit.
Make J0 the first offensive option, either Bosh or Bargnani, whichever one is manning the PF position the second and Kapono the third. Two different styles of offence with the low-post second unit headed by JO. Give whichever unit is working better that night, a few extra minutes.
????????

[Darko Dubajic]

Thanks to Doug and couple of more guys like him, people like me that love bball get to read about it , watch it pretty much all day, every day. When I came to Canada 20 yrs. ago, I was hit with a sports shock (for the lack of better word).Coming from bball crazy place all I forund here was few lines in boxscores section of newspaper, and on TV a whole of one game a week. And that one game was quite often preemptied for curling of all things. Never mind that I've never heard of, let alone seen curling before.
Point is, people (if you consider yourself Bball fans) lets appreciate Doug little more, his knowledge and effort that he puts here. Debate and criticizing is one thing, but things like why was bum Solomon playing all of 4th qtr (when in fact he did not see the floor in the 2nd half) ... are waste of everyone's time.
Doug, where I come from, there is a saying something like:
feed the dog so that he can bite you at the end.
Hope you have more patience with all of us.

[Darko Dubajic]

Watching last night Bulls, Cavs I noticed that Rose has braces on both knees. I could not see that on a lousy 3" screen, as always thank you Rogers, when they played here the night before. Asuming that is no fashion statement, having braces on both knees for a rookie whose best weapon is slashing, can not be a good thing. Do you know what is the story with his knees?

Blogger's note: I don't know, sorry. Presume it's preventative maintenance.