It's the time of doom and gloom

Well, well, well. Wasn’t that something? Not sure what, but it was something.

Despicable? Passionless? Disappointing? Yeah, those words fit.

But here’s one to think about, and some may yell at me for pointing it out, but it is best not to get too high after big wins nor too low after bad losses.

I’m sure there were people singing praises on Thursday who were booing on Friday and the mood swings will unquestionable continue for the next 34 games. It’s what makes it so much fun to read comments and questions.

Here we go:

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Action: Team chemistry

Reaction: Is it good enough?

Now, I’m not suggesting these guys don’t like each other and there’s never been an issue of tempers flaring or fingers pointed (except for the night Chris Bosh killed Jamario Moon in Atlanta) but there just seems something amiss.

Try to remember the last time this team played with joy, with some obvious love for the game, looking like they were truly having fun out there.

There may be a minute or two during each game but consistently? Nope. And until they get that kind of all-for-one, one-for-all passion on a regular basis, there will be more nights like last night.

And that was no fun for anybody.

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So Super Son’s checking out the paper this morning and he’s looking at the NBA standings and he says:

 “The Raptors looking really sad down there second from the bottom.”

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Action: The refereeing

Reaction: Bad, but so what?

Yes, the crew of Monte McCutchen, Courtney Kirkland and Leroy Richardson did not distinguish themselves – inconsistency, odd calls, missed calls – but to suggest they had much to do with the outcome is to diminish the sadsack performance of the locals.

And while the call on Jermaine O’Neal for driving his knee into a Buck while trying to make a layup was particularly confusing, it really had no bearing on the outcome of the game. The Raptors were down 17 at time and unless they made the right call and made it a 14-shot foul, I don’t think a rally was in the cards.

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It was kind of refreshing to hear Jay after the game say he’d made a mistake by leaving Bargnani on the bench so long in the first half. Of course, it would have been far more refreshing if Jay had been talking about a career night by Bargnani, which he might have got had he played a few more first-half minutes.

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They weren’t exactly dancing in the streets in Milwaukee, but they were feeling pretty good, as this story indicates.

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Action: O’Neal’s ejection

Reaction: First time since …

Can you remember the last time a Raptor was tossed from a game?

I barely could. It was March of last year, in Utah, when T.J. Ford went berserk during a game in Salt Lake City.

Ah, the good old days.

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When good Chickens go bad

Check this out if you haven’t already seen it.

Best leprechaun story: M. Grange ™ ducks his head into an establishment in New Orleans during all-star weekend festivities a year ago and what’s he see? The leprechaun doing back flips off the stage into the crowd while the band belts out a Journey tune.

No, he was not in uniform.

The Chicken, I mean; not Mike.

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A point well made:

Q: This is probably an impossible question for you to answer, but has there ever been another case where a player got ejected on his own bobblehead night? I think the fans in attendance may have witnessed history.

Alex H, Toronto

A: Yes, it is impossible to check and I can’t remember one anecdotally but it is pretty cool to think the fans might have seen history. That’s about the only good thing they saw Friday night.

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Action: Two free throws

Reaction: A typical failing

With 7:37 left in the third quarter, Francisco Elson committed a foul that was Milwaukee’s fourth of the quarter.

Perfect time for the Raptors, down seven at the time, to pound the ball inside, get into the penalty and start living at the free throw line, right?

Wrong, Bonus Breath (A little Johnny Carson for the oldsters).

They shot precisely two foul shots the rest of the quarter, by Anthony Parker after he fouled on a fast break with 46.8 seconds left.

In that time, the play-by-play shows 22-foot jumper, 16-foot jumper, 13-foot pull up, a 16-foot jumper, a 21-foot jumper and three missed Bargnani layups.

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Action: Jose’s streak

Reaction: You knew it had to end

With all the stories and videos and chatter these past couple of weeks about Jose’s string of consecutive free throws, I’m surprised the streak lasted as long as it did.

Figures

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From the department of Beating A Dead Horse:

Q: Please tell us dedicated Raptor/NBA fans that there is SOMETHING we can do to speed up these so-called 'negotiations' regarding Rogers and TSN2. If you come across any unified front (petitions, protests, mass sign making project) please inform your readers. This has gone on long enough. If you're unaware of anything, please let me know and I am going to look into starting something. If Rogers is banking on the fact that most subscribers won't go out of their way to cancel their subscription, then maybe that's just what we'll need to do. To some people this is "just" basketball, but to a loyal fan this is like telling someone they can't order their favourite meal even though it's clearly available on the menu.

Stan C, Toronto

A: There’s nothing you can do except stop giving Rogers or Maple Leaf Sports your money (you don’t give it directly to TSN so I can’t include them in an economic boycott).

You, and tens of thousands of others, are being screwed by three giant companies that exist primarily to make money for themselves and any garbage they give you about customer service is just that: Garbage ‘cause when it counts, they disappear and go count their money.

The Goods On The Game, Vol. 48, Charlie V's back in town

Hey all. This from our people who know about such things.

BlackBerry users: To get the live blog of tonight's game, you need to open this page on your BlackBerry, then click on the name of the event, e.g. "Toronto at New Jersey". This is a small link that should appear just below this message. The mobile version of the live blog is very similar to what you see on the website. You can turn the auto-scroll off if you're trying to get caught up, then turn it back on for automatic updates.

You can even send me a comment from your BB, but you may need to enable javascript first. If you're using a BB Curve, open your browser, click the menu button, click on Options and then on Browser Configuration. Tick the box "Support JavaScript" and you're ready to comment. Other BlackBerry models may require a slightly different procedure.

Of moods and minds and all-star snubs

All’s right in the world when your 19-28 and winners of three in a row. At least that’s the prevailing mood around these guys these days and, actually, you can’t blame them.

There’s been some slippage – defensively they’ve been so-so and the energy level has been a bit below acceptable at times – but confidence and momentum are huge and they truly do feel they are at least approaching a corner, if not already in it.

We’ll see, of course, we know they have the capability of throwing up on themselves without any notice but there’s no reason they shouldn’t come out tonight and roll.

There. Feel jinxed?

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As some may recall, I was a bit dubious about the need for, or value of, a sports psychologist for a team sport. And then you all saw today’s story about Dana Sinclair and the Raptors have obviously not paid one lick of attention to my opinion. (not an odd occurrence, by the way).

Anyway, now I’m figuring what the heck, if they think it works, go ahead and do it. I’m not paying the freight, another resource can’t be a bad thing and, here’s the funny thing, I now recall having met. Dr. Sinclair at the Sydney Olympics way back in 2000 when she did some work for the Canadian Olympic Committee. I also recall her working with a couple of members of the women’s basketball team back then and them being highly complimentary so now I’m okay with this (as if that mattered).

And Bryan C? Well, he had this to say about a sports psychologist working with a team rather than an individual

“It’s about individual performance and how it relates to teams in this regard but clearly …each player in the NBA has a different psychological profile and whether or not they’re getting the most out of their ability i9s something you want to try to determine.

“With respect to the players, this is not so much about curing a problem, it’s about helping people achieve best results.”

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I’d like this story an awful lot more if someone from Rogers or Maple Leaf Sports or TSN actually said they’d do something about this fiasco.

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My man Tom Enlund isn’t making the trip up here tonight (I believe that’s allowed at least one extra Harbour Sports Grille server to get a night off) but he does provide this in our look at what’s up with the other team.

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Just in case he misses, let’s get this one out there:

Q: With Jose's recent brilliance at the free throw line (perfect for the season), I was wondering if you could tell me if Dave Hopla, shooting coach extraordinaire, should be given a ton of credit for helping Jose develop such a stellar shot? I assume Hopla spent time with Jose working on his shooting mechanics when he was an assistant a couple years back.

Miles V, Kitchener

A: No. He shouldn’t. The credit should go to Jose, who went home between his rookie and sophomore seasons and worked like crazy on his new shooting form. He was given tips (tips that even a dope like me could see were necessary, like keeping his right elbow in closer to his body) and exercises as much by Jay Triano as Hopla but it was he who did the work.

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Hey, six out of seven all-star backups in each conference? Can a guy get some love?

Seriously, putting Rashard Lewis on the East team instead of Mo Williams is fine with me (makes the East bigger, gives them another shooter) but David West over Al Jefferson in the West is, to me, a bit perplexing.

West’s team is okay, sure, and Jefferson’s isn’t, except for the fact the Timberwolves are like the hottest team in the league in the last two weeks or something.

I think the Western Conference coaches blew that one.

But, since I’m not going to be in Phoenix, I really don’t care all that much.

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A question of styles:

Q: Short and sweet - who is the better defender right now, Bosh or Bargnani? And who do you project will be the better defender when it's all said and done? There have been stretches when Andrea has played exceptional team and individual defense, and I would argue he is more physically equipped (length and relative strength) to guard opposing bigs.

Jack C, Ajax

A: Short and sweet? Not so much.

Bosh is a better help defender, Bargnani’s a better post defender. Together, they’re all right.

But, really, all this chatter about who’s a “good” defender and who “sucks” as a defender is, in a lot of cases, ridiculous.

NBA defence is always team defence. No one can stop anyone one-on-one in the league, it’s more about schemes (turning your man to help) and scouting (forcing him to his weak hand, or a spot on the court he can’t shoot from) that one guy stopping one other guy.

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So they announced the all-star subs around 7 p.m. in these parts, the Magic get two and the Cavaliers get none and then Orlando goes out and whacks Cleveland with Jameer Nelson wildly out-playing Mo Williams and Rashard Lewis getting 19 or something like that.

And all of us who originally thought the East was just a two-team race were, apparently, dead wrong.

Now the premium for finishing first in the East is even greater. Not only is it homecourt through the conference finals, it’s avoiding the third team in the second round.

I believe we are in for a great, great finish.

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You know how stinky this winter’s been in the parts? You walk outside about 7:20 in the morning so Super Dog can have it’s morning constitutional, it’s about minus-9 and you go, “hmm, nice day.”

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The last word:

Q: Hey Doug. I hope you answer this one as I've written before and I'd love to get your take on it. Is there anyway on God's green earth that we ever...ever...ever see Vince back in a Raptors jersey? Ever? If not, would you like to see it? Thanks for your great work Doug.

Paul G, Aurora

A: A wise man once suggested I never say never but I will say, unequivocally, that you will never see Vince Carter in a Raptor jersey again. Ever. Never.

They won’t trade for him, they won’t sign him as a 34-year-ol free agent when this contract’s up. That ship has sailed.

Would I like to see it? No. It would be far, far, far too much work for me.

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A little bit of theft in the swamp

Hola from a rather dreary waiting lounge at Newark International; the Virgin Atlantic flight to Heathrow just left and it looks like it’s me and one other guy waiting for the Porter plane back to Toronto. And no Starbucks, just a yucky little cart over there selling coffee that I presume was brewed sometime around noon yesterday.

Nice.

BILL KOSTROUN/AP

Vince's record vs. Raptors? Take a guess and scroll down for the answer.

Anywho, that was a bullet dodged, no? They played terribly for three quarters and someone stole one when the Nets botched a last possession in quite uncharacteristic fashion.

But it’s three in a row and judging from the feeling around the locker room last night, these fellas are the best 19-28 team ever.

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Action: Nets’ last play

Reaction: Good or bad?

Okay, I know, from various e-mails and comments over the years (things like “Wow, that Lawrence Frank is a great coach, wish we had him” and stuff like “Wow, doesn’t Lawrence Frank remind of you a cross between Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan and Gregg Popovich) that there are some Lawrence Frank fans among you.

So why haven’t I heard from any today?

No timeout down one with the ball and 20 seconds to go? That’s usually when he shines because he always seems to get his team a good shot. And not to put the ball in Vince Carter’s hands? Hasn’t he done enough against Toronto over years to warrant a shot at winning the game?

Yeah, Frank’s good. There were legit questions last night.

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Action: Raptors’ last play

Reaction: Good or bad?

Bosh iso’d because, as well all know, there’s no one else on the team who can break his man down off the dribble, up one with less than 30 seconds to go.

And for all the, um, suggestions I get weekly (not weakly, but sort of) that Bosh lacks the, um, moxy to handle those situations, he went right at Lopez and while I initially didn’t think there was a foul on the play, viewing the replay makes me think otherwise.

Said Jay:

“I thought Chris made a great play on the drive and thought he got fouled. That’s exactly the play we wanted in that situation, up one. We didn’t get the call but things worked out.”

He’s right.

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From the mail:

Q: Hey, Doug, with Kapono returning to the All Star weekend to defend his 3 point title, I remember that last year, he and the coaches began setting up a mock 3 point competition with racks and balls set up as they would be on the day of the competition. Do you know if Kapono is practicing specifically for this competition again?

Peter L, Toronto

A: I asked my man K. DiPietro, travel co-ordinator, equipment manager, ball-rack construction guru and general all-around good guy, this very question last night.

Yes, construction has been completed and the shooting practice should begin in earnest any day.

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So they’ve got this huge, gaudy development going on around the arena in Jersey, a retail, entertainment complex that includes an indoor ski run because when I think North Jersey, I think skiing.

They call it Xanadu and as we’re driving in last night and seeing swamp and thruway and on ramps and construction and a race track, a stadium or two and an arena, I’m thinking, yeah, that’s a beautiful idyllic place.

Travelogue over.

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From the world of fanciful numbers, they announced the crowd at 10,136. Yes, that’s ridiculously small and I guarantee you it was inflated by a couple grand at least.

And while it was only jokingly that I said you could have met everyone in the audience if you’d taken the time to walk around, it was nice of Sol, taking a break from solving the economic crisis over in New York City, to stop by and say hello.

Funny thing about games in Jersey, there always seems to be a large contingent of Raptor fans. Didn’t seem to be the same last night but there were still enough to make themselves heard.

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Oh, this is going to get me in big trouble:

Q: Hey Doug! You probably get this all the time, but I love your blog! Quick hypothetical situation I wanted to get your opinion on. Some years down the line when it's known that it's Vince's last year in the league, and he plays his last game in Toronto, what sort of reception do you think he'll get/what reception do you think he'd deserve?

David S, Toronto

A: Never got this one before.

He should be cheered but he’ll be booed, trust me on that one. People won’t remember how he put the Raptors on the map, how much he electrified the city – and to some extent the country – and they certainly won’t remember all the spectacular plays. They will, however, remember the last 24 games of a 403-game career.

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Speaking of that guy, did you know New Jersey and Toronto have played 18 times since that fateful trade and each has won nine games? I didn’t until someone pointed it out last night.

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My Man Dave got the night off – lucky dog but coming off a four-game road trip and facing back-to-back road games this weekend it’s entirely understandable – so we’ll substitute the inimitable F. Kerber for our usual look athow the game played in the other papers.

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Oh yeah, one more thing on the Harris jumper.

Why in the world he waited so long to go is beyond me, and most sane-thinking people. Down one, you have to take shot with enough time to give your teammates a chance at an offensive rebound or a putback or something.

That goes double when you’re playing the Raptors, who’ve been known to give up an offensive rebound or two.

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You probably know I’m not a huge fan of numbers as a barometer of a players’ worth but this is something

15.7 points per game, 50 per cent shooting from the field, 6.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists.

That, folks, is Anthony Parker’s stats in the last six games, or when Jay shifted him to starting point guard and now the primary backup.

Now, I’m not suggesting he can do that permanently and an average of 3.0 turnovers a game is a tad troubling but tell me right now why Toronto shouldn’t hang on to him, sign him in the off-season and go into next year with exactly the same point guard rotation it’s got now: Calderon, with a pinch of Parker and Ukic?

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Action: End of quarter play

Reaction: They got one right

Did you see what happened at the end of the third quarter last night? Raps were tied with two minutes to go and finished on a 10-3 run. That never happens.

And it certainly never happens because Jason Kapono makes two free throws and a three, Joey Graham makes four free throws and Anthony Parker makes one. Oh, and toss in a Jake Voskuhl offensive rebound to set up that Kapono three that was Jake's big contrbution in a whole 41 seconds of playing time.

Yes, a weird night all around.

The Goods On The Game, Vol. 47, night of Nets

Of AP and distant Sam memories and more TV troubles

It’s a crappy, snowy, sleety, slushy, yucky day here in Jersey. (Yes, that’s a tad out of the norm). How’s everyone back home?

STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

Parker takes charge in so many ways that help the Raptors.

Good? Cool.

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So, how valuable has Anthony Parker become? Is he now virtually untradeable?

I’d say that’s probably true.

Bryan Colangelo was dead set against trading the veteran six weeks ago – he loves is leadership, his role in the locker room, he likes the fact Parker’s contract expires at the end of this season – and AP’s emergence as the team’s backup point guard and starting shooting guard just adds more reasons why they can’t let him go.

If these guys harbour any hopes of making the playoffs – and I think that’s a legitimate hope for the rest of this season – I think you have to put AP on the list with Jose, Bosh and Bargnani of guys they can’t deal.

And that, of course, diminishes the chances of any trade significantly since I don’t think teams are lining up to make serious offers of good players for guys like Jamario, Joey and Jason.

What’s that leave? JO as the only one who could be moved for someone, or a package, that could help.

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I could almost hear Sam talking when we were standing around after practice yesterday.

The chat turned to this week and the importance of the games with New Jersey and Milwaukee and while no one said the words “must win” you know they were on people’s minds.

And in the distant echoes of my mind (there’s lots of space in there for echoes, by the way), I could hear that drawl:

“Must win? What if you don’t win? Is the next game a ‘must, must, must win?’”

Sam did have a point. Yes, games like these are big but, no, the season isn’t over if they don’t win them. It makes things harder, yes; ruin the year? Not so much.

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Checking into the Newark airport Marriott yesterday (it’s one of the staples on the circuit ‘cause there’s not a lot of options around these parts) brought back trade memories that bear repeating here given what’s going on with JO and Marion and the Raptors and Heat.

I checked the handy, dandy media guide and on the evening of Nov. 21, 2003 I checked in (could be the same room) and began tracking down the veracity of a story that broke earlier that day that said Antonio Davis would be traded to the Chicago Bulls.

It sounded like a deal was imminent but a couple of GMs and agents told me it wasn’t going to happen that night. But, as one said, “be patient, if it got as far as getting out, it’s 99 per cent going to happen.”

It took until Dec. 1 for the deal to get finalized but the initial reports were bang on.

Sometimes these things take time to be finalized and as I was told by someone in the upper echelons of Raptorland the other day “be patient.”

That’s advice I’ll pass on.

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A quick question that apparently I must answer:

Q: Hey Doug - you gotta answer this one! When Jose is shooting free throws in practice, does he ever miss? Any idea what his record is for consecutive free throw makes is when he is just in the gym working on his shot? You should ask him next time you get a chance.

Steve J, Toronto

A: I have seen Jose miss a free throw after practice. Not many, mind you, but some have bounced out. And I haven’t specifically asked him about how many in a row he’s made but I’d be shocked if he actually counted.

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This has nothing to do with basketball but I’m doing you a favour.

John Updike died yesterday, a tremendous loss for literature. Go now, or sometime today, and read his story, “Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu” from the archives of The New Yorker.

It’s generally considered one of the greatest sports stories ever written and you should read it if you haven’t.

I know, I know, it’s not some Raptors-Bobcats gamer from November but it’s pretty darn good.

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What’d Dave write today? Check it out here.

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Oh yeah, this is a TSN2 game tonight, remember? Just sayin’.

And since they are dawdling like no one can believe over there – I wonder when they last had serious discussions on this fiasco – someone might want to bring this up.

If there are playoffs, they’ll be held at the same time as the NHL playoffs, as we all know, and if there’s a conflict between TSN carrying a Stanley Cup game or an NBA playoff game, which one do you think gets relegated to TSN2?

I have no idea if that’ll happen – it’s impossible to see those schedules this far out – but I’m putting in your minds now so you can start hammering both sides a wee bit more.

(Not that that works, of course, because fans and viewers apparently count for nothing to Rogers, TSN or Maple Leaf Sports in this despicable exercise)

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Finally, from the mail:

Q: Dougie-boy. I absolutely love the blog. I read it regularly and you are converting my 16-year-old to read it too, especially with your "chicken" mascot wisecracks. Anyhoo, on to my question. Will Solomon? what happened beyond the obvious(that he is really not a NBA-ready back up point guard)? I have not read anything regarding his being lost to the end of the bench, I am just curious. Believe me I am more then fine him staying there, as Roko has so much more potential and AP is doing yeoman’s work as back up. Just looking for Triano's explanation. Thanks and keep up the great work on this.

Bill M, St. Catharines

A: Finally, someone appreciates the Chicken stuff. And I will say that anything that encourages teens to read more is a good thing (Got that, teens?)

Anyhoo …

What happened with Will is this: He’s a 1 1-2 guard, not a true point, not a big enough threat to be a steady two and Jay just likes the way the team’s offence runs in the 10, 14 minutes he’s got AP out there directing traffic. It’s not a huge slight against Will (some of us figured from Day 1 that he’d struggle running an NBA offence with regularity), it’s just a simple fact.

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I’m hearing on the news this morning that LeBron was going on and on about Mo Williams’s 43-point game Tuesday night being some kind of “statement” game for Williams and his all-star hopes.

Too bad coaches votes had to be in by 3 p.m., about four hours before tip-off.

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Speaking of TSN2, remember that if you can’t watch, the next best thing (even if you can watch, you should do this anyway) is to check out our in-game blog. And I’m told that the good folks at Coveritlive have worked out, or are working out, a Blackberry friendly version of the thing that could very well be up and running before the 7:30 p.m. start.

See you then.

A little help for our friends the coaches

Slow day yesterday, optional practice with no media so we had a day of rest and recuperation, too. A day that was very welcome, as a matter of fact.

So with not much going on with the heroes of the hardcourt, let’s turn our attention to something important, like who will be in Phoenix next month when I’m not:

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Big day for NBA coaches.

They’ve got until 3 p.m. to submit their votes for the all-star reserves, a group that’ll be announced Thursday night. It’s been my experience that the majority of the coaches take the job quite seriously, consulting with assistants and the like; some do it quickly and right off the cuff.

I’d hope those ones are reading this because here’s all the help they need. Remember, they have to take two guards, two forwards, a centre and two others and they don’t have to pay any attention to what position a player was listed at on the ballot. The can slide anyone to any spot he’s ever played if it’ll help create a team that can win:

The East?

If you take Devin Harris, can you take Vince Carter?

If you take Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, is there room for Mo Williams? And is Williams an all-star or just a product of being a teammate of LeBron’s?

Can you have all of Boston’s Big Three when they’ve only got the second-best record in the conference?

How about Hedo Turkoglu, does he get there this year?

Does Joe Johnson go again?

Where does David Lee fit, or does he?

Well, after careful consideration, almost minutes, here’s what I’ve come up with:

Guards Jameer Nelson and Joe Johnson

Forwards Danny Granger and Paul Pierce

Centre Chris Bosh

The Other Two: Devin Harris and Mo Williams.

That snubs the likes of Hedo and Vince and Lee but someone’s going to get snubbed.

The West?

Interesting dilemmas and almost as many questions. Like:

Does Steve Nash still have enough juice, or game, to be an all-star in that guard-laden conference?

How about them Jazz? Boozers’ hurt, Williams was, is Milsap an all-star? Has Al Jefferson done enough in Minnesota?

Can Shaq be a second hometown Sun?

What about Portland? They should get someone, right? Houston, too, besides Yao?

Again, I don’t pretend to know exactly how the coaches might think, but this is how I think:

Guards Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker.

Forwards Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki.

Centre Shaquille O’Neal.

The Other Two: Brandon Roy and Al Jefferson.

Sure, Carmelo gets snubbed, I’m certain Nash wouldn’t mind having the day off and there’s no Utah representation.

TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

You can almost hear the birthday boos right now.

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Do we bring cake? Balloons? A card?

Seems You Know Who turned 32 on Monday – 32?!?!? – and there were hijinks and hilarity all around the Nets.

Keyon Dooling probably got off the best line, courtesy of the legendary Mr. D’Alesandro:

“He started his career with the Raptors, now he’s technically a dinosaur.”

Seriously, 32? Kid grew up right before our eyes.

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Speaking of the Nets, they lost in Oklahoma City last night – wonder if the fans in Jersey were as crazed as the ones in Toronto were in the same circumstances – and here’s the reportage on that one.

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A dip into the mail:

Q: A couple of comments and questions. I was at the game (Sunday) and you missed the shot of the day as you went for some "fresh air" during the half. They had a bunch of "urchins" playing, and with the clock running down, one of the players who couldn't have been more then 4 feet tall, grabbed the ball, stepped back beyond the NBA 3 point line, and drained a buzzer beater! WOW! Ask Herbie, he was as impressed as the rest of us!

A game related question. I noticed that Calderon was doing an excessive amount of stretching and non traditional warm up exercises during free throws, time outs, and any other stoppage in play. Is he doing preventative work, or is there still concern because he may not be 100% yet?

Finally, Jawai's home debut may not have been statistically memorable, but the crowd did a nice job appreciating him, and Ukic did the right thing feeding him the ball in the post to attempt a basket. The crowd really wanted to see him get a basket, and that was good to see.

Peter L, Toronto

A: I heard about the kid’s step-back jumper, apparently quite impressive.

The Jose stuff? It’s preventative maintenance, making sure the hamstring stays loose and stretched out. He’s doing things like slide drills along the baseline during timeouts just to make sure nothing tightens up.

And the fans do love Jawai and why not? Good kid, works hard, been through a tough time and is a good story.

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Have been relatively over-run by Jamario Moon mail since last Monday in Atlanta and it’s continued unabated.

But here’s the thing: Obviously, they’re not taking my advice and giving Joey a 20-game run as a starter (but Joey’s 22-4-0 run as a starter was hardly confidence-inducing) so why not use Jamario just as they have.

Five or six minutes at the start of the game, another couple in the second quarter and five or six to start the second half and, generally, a seat behind Joey or Kapono down the stretch.

Jay’s obviously of the school of thought that “it’s not who starts, it’s who finishes” and since it’s clear that no one is going to jump up and make that spot theirs for 35 minutes a night, balancing as he has been seems to be working.

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Okay, so I didn’t see any NBA basketball, practice or otherwise yesterday, but it wasn’t an entirely hoops-free day.

Super Son’s Hawthorn Hawks opened their season with a nail-biter of a 32-31 home win over the dastardly Tecumsehs.

Since they’ve got a four-game regular season, I believe they’ve clinched a playoff berth already.

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And, finally, a moody question:

Q: How much would you say a players personal life affects his game play I.E. Argument with the wife, Superdog gets sick etc. etc. ?

Mary L, Ajax

A: Ah, probably less than you’d think. Pro athletes are wired a bit differently that you and I and once a game gets going, those competitive juices tend to block out a lot of distractions.

Practices might be a different story. If they’re simply cranky or something’s going on outside of basketball, it has an impact.

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What's it all mean? We don't know quite yet

LUCAS OLENIUK/TORONTO STAR

Enjoy it while you can because you never know when the Raptors are going to fall down again.

So they batter the Bulls and crush the Kings and all’s well in the world, right?

Maybe. Maybe not.

This is a pretty telling week coming up, the Nets on the road, Bucks and Magic at home and check back here during the Super Bowl to find out whether this thing is turned around or if beating two weak opponents was nothing special.

I have a feeling that it's more turned around than anything but, as we’ve seen a lot this year, sometimes this group doesn’t handle success as well as it should. But today’s a good day in Raptor land and enjoy it while you can.

On to the stuff:

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Action: JO’s double-double.

Reaction: They were watching in Miami.

Make no mistake about it, if Pat Riley calls today and says the O’Neal-Marion-bit parts deal’s a go, Bryan signs off immediately.

Yes, the injury to Hump clouds the front-court issue in Toronto if Jermaine ends up with the Heat but the GM here can’t be all that worried about the next month when it comes to getting the financial flexibility – not to mention a 30-something game upgrade at the small forward spot – afforded by the proposed trade, which is very, very much still on the front burner.

If Toronto had to go a month or so with a frontcourt rotation of Bosh, Bargnani, Voskuhl with Marion sliding to the four for a few minutes a night, I’m pretty sure they could live with it given what they’d be able to do with player acquisitions in the summer.

And I will reiterate one more time: Having substantial cap room this summer is not only about signing free agents so if you look at the list and are underwhelmed, don’t worry.

It’s more about having the chance to obtain guys in trades as anything which opens up a whole raft of other possibilities.

O’Neal looked exponentially more comfortable yesterday than he did on Friday in Chicago or Wednesday in Detroit and you can be sure there’s a tape of the game floating around the Heat offices.

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How much of a grind has it been lately? Not having games today or tomorrow is the first time the Raptors have had more than one day between games since they were off Dec. 23, 24, 25.

I know us grunts are glad to be not getting on a plane or going to a game for 48 hours, I can just imagine how welcome a break this is for the guys who actually have to take the pounding on the court night in and night out.

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Action: Bargnani’s rebounding

Reaction: Everybody chill

Much has been made about the kid’s rebounding prowess but, really, there’s much more to it than just his numbers.

In the 15 games he’s started since Dec. 31, when Jermaine O’Neal first missed a game with the knee injury, not only has he averaged about seven boards a game (not bad for a third year centre who does his best work about 20 feet from the basket), Toronto’s out-rebounding the opponent in nine of those games.

A couple of times yesterday, and a couple I remember clearly in Chicago, he’s held his man off by effecting boxing out while someone else got the board, which is just want you’d want him to do.

No, he’s not an Italian Rodman or anything but he’s certainly not a huge liability on the boards.

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A question of time:

Q: Nice back to back wins.. Now that Jose is back and AP is handling the majority of the backup PG minutes, do you think that coach Triano will think about deactivating Solomon or Ukic (probably Solomon at this point)? Seems like a waste to have 2 backup PGs on the bench that aren't playing that much.

Tommy P, Edmonton

A: No reason to de-activate anyone, they can dress 12 and someone’s got to play the final 90 seconds of a rout. Besides, deactivate them for who? With Hump hurt, they’ve only got 12 guys.

And I think Roko’s going to keep getting four or five first-half minutes a night as they balance the Calderon-Parker minutes.

But from now on, with so much in the balance over the final 36 games, AP’s going to be the primary backup.

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I know the Oklahoma Thunder have one less victory but to these eyes the Sacramento Kings are the worst team in the NBA by a wide margin. A very wide margin.

And I have no idea how they’re going to get better. Sure, Kevin Martin’s okay (he’s a pure scorer and having one of them always helps) but beyond that? Marginal talent, at best.

Once John Salmons puts his head down and starts dribbling he never, ever passes (maybe God did everybody a favour by, as he puts it, telling him to renege on the Raptors); point guard play is spotty at best, Brad Miller’s at the end of a pretty good career and the bench is brutal.

That team’s a long, long, long, long way from even sniffing the post-season.

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Oh, and here’s how they wrote up yesterday’s affair.

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Back to the mail:

Q: Hey Doug, is Jeff Van Gundy losing his mind, or does he just try to be funny? Aside from his preference for Varejao over Bosh for the All-Star Gme he always seems to have odd suggestions and opinions about the game. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but with some of the things he suggests, I don't know if he is nuts or some sort of visionary.

Alessio G, St. Catharines

A: I heard that Jeff said he’d take Varejao over Bosh and wonder what kind of hallucinogens they’re putting in the ABC catering truck. Anderson Varejao’s a pretty good player but he can’t tie Bosh’s shoelaces.

But Jeff’s an entertaining analyst and, if he gets people talking, isn’t he just doing his job?

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There is nothing quite like garbage time in the NBA, is there? I don’t imagine too many of you saw it, but sitting in this place with lots of TVs late last night, the end of the Clipper-Golden State game was hilarious.

Only at the end of a blowout would you see 7-1 Clipper Chiekh Samb hoist a three-pointer and get up about three shots in the final minute of a game or watch Marcus Williams of the Warriors throw some goofy behind-the-back pass to someone sitting in about the second row of the seats.

Classic garbage time.

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Speaking of classic garbage time, I love Nate Jawai and hope he has a good and long career but his Toronto debut isn’t going to be memorable.

A foul, an airball and getting dunked on in less than two minutes isn’t going into the highlight Hall of Fame.

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The Goods On The Game, Vol. 46, Kings are in town

Mail's in, better late than never (or so they say)

Hey there.

Yeah, this is a couple of hours late but a confluence of a flight, a nap and an excellent surprise birthday party for a friend last night kind of got me behind.

And it’s a wee bit smaller than usual because the entire week was filled with “they suck, blow up the season, trade this guy and fire that guy” comments that go with a seven-game losing streak.

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Q: It was interesting to read your comment about Triano and Kevin O'Neil's relationship not being very good. Can you please elaborate on what their differences were? Were they mostly differences regarding the X's and O's of basketball, personality differences, or a combination of both?

Nilanka L, Oakville

A: Well, it wasn’t like they detested each other or fought openly; in fact, they had a not bad professional relationship.

But it came to light after Kevin left that he had concerns – in his own little paranoid way – about not having hired Jay in the first place and there were some misguided concerns about loyalty.

But they kept it professional in public and in their dealings with us.

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Q:: Hey Doug , I am a Raptors fan and I think that B.C made a huge mistake by letting Carlos Delfino go. Do you think Carlos would have been a big impact on the team and is there any way we can get him back or at least try.

Maria A, Toronto

A: I’ll tell you this, Carlos Deflino has gotten a whole lot better since he’s been gone, hasn’t he? People seem to forget his inconsistencies over the year he was here.

But, yes, they miss him because, even with his ability to disappear for long stretches, his contribution nightly would have been better than they’re getting from some of the guys here. And his versatility as a backup point guard would have been huge at times.

And yes, I think they’ll try hard to get him back this summer, whether or not the money works remains to be seen.

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Q: Human interest / talent show question with minimal basketball relevance: You have heard hundreds of anthem singers at the beginning of basketball games over the years. Were any of them so good that you paid attention to who it was in case they became famous or recorded something you would buy the LP of (or download from iTunes)?

Richard Y, Kincardine

A: Most anthems are a blur and, no, I can’t remember and up and coming starlette that I kept tabs on. I recall two from way back in the day in Toronto, one good, one bad and I think I’ve spoken of them before.

But, in case you missed it, the best ever at a Raptor game was the Bare Naked Ladies at the first game, a day or two after a narrow win for Canada in a Quebec referendum. The fans cheered when they sang a stanza in French and I got goosebumps.

The worst? In a shocking display of disrespect for which he should be banned from ever playing the anthem again, that fiddler guy McIsaac broke into Sweet Georgia Brown while he was playing O Canada and I wanted to throw something at him, or charge the court and slap him upside the head.

Rant over.

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Q: Hi Doug. I see that Roko is a .824 free throw shooter. What makes him such a poor shooter from the field?

Ryan G, Toronto

A: At the line, you’ve got time to think about form and follow through and keeping your elbow in; in the flow of game, players revert to past form.

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Q: Nothing like a win to fix all that ails us. If this team was a body, I think it just got its brain and heart back. A couple for the mailbag: Any idea where Hassan Adams went? Not that he's missed around here, but I'm curious whether he'd sniff around for a 10 day, D league or go grab some overseas cash. Or just go home and sit. Crystal ball time. 10 or 15 years from now, who on this Raptor squad is a coach and at what level? Is Jose is coaching in the Euroleague championships and maybe AP is an NBA head coach. And is Joey coaching a very athletic jr. high squad that leads their league in offensive fouls and continually suffers mental lapses on defence. Keep up the great work on the blog. I now watch games at home with a laptop beside me for your in-game insights.

Wilber L, Toronto

A: No idea where Hassan went, I presume home to relax; all the European teams of note have their rosters set so are no jobs there and the D League is more about kids than it is guys Adams’ age.

I don’t think there’s a coach on this roster. AP would be a good one, I bet but he’s never once suggested it’s something he wants to do. I can see a guy a few of them – Jake, AP maybe – helping out with their kids’ teams but no one that I’ve spoken to wants to be in the NBA or anything like that.

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Q: Hey Doug, any idea when Blackberry users will be able to follow your in-game blog??

Adu M, Toronto

A: I’m told it could be as early as Wednesday’s game in New Jersey and I’ll let you know as soon as it’s a done deal.

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Q: When do they announce the participants for all-star weekend's activities? And do you think Jose should get an invite to the skills challenge? (D. Will already declined).

Steve G, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

A: They usually parcel them out one a week and we got the dunk contest fan-vote winner last week. Not sure which one we’ll get this week but I don’t think Jose will, or should, get an invite. Hasn’t played enough lately and the generally put people in the skills contest who are already scheduled to be in the all-star city.

And, besides, with his hamstring, I’m sure all Jose wants to do that weekend is go somewhere warm and relax.

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Q: Doug, Jose's game was incredible Friday night in Chicago, Kudos to him for that game and we all hope he keeps shooting. But Bargnani has been so active on the court. He's all over the place, defending better then people realise and spreading the court with his offense. I know it's early to suggest this, but would he be in the running for most improved player this year?

Steph R, Glencoe

A: Maybe, possibly, perhaps, if he finishes the season playing as well as he is right now, he’ll crack the top four along with David Lee, Danny Granger and Devin Harris, who are the three overwhelming favourites at the moment.

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Q: Love the blog, who in your opinion are the top 5 Jump Shooters in Raptor history/on this team? Does Bosh come close to cracking the list?

Rahil S, Toronto

A: I’m not sure Bosh makes the top 10 when you consider Dell Curry, Walt Williams, Vince Carter, Morris Peterson, Dee Brown, Donyell Marshall, Tracy Murray and Jason Kapono.

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Q: Hey Doug, I'm a big fan of the blog, keep it up. So does/should 'Zo make it to the Hall of Fame? His numbers might not warrant it, and he got his ring as a backup, but he's a 2-time defensive player of the year, 10th all-time for blocks. His numbers would have been way better if not for his many health issues, and a huge part of his appeal are the multiple and inspiring comebacks he made. Should he get in, not on sympathy, but partially for acknowledging the hard work and perseverance to come back and play at a high level after all he played through?

Jeff S, Prince George

A: NBA champion, Olympic gold medallist, great shotblocker. Yeah, he makes it, I think. Not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he’ll get in on his basketball merits.

The other stuff? It’s part of it but even without the kidney issue, he’d be okay.

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Q: Doug, when talking about Colangelo today, you suggested that he would agree with your assessment that "his gamble on the O’Neal trade really hasn’t paid off." I'm curious to hear more of what you mean by that. Do you think the Raptors would have been in better shape this season had the TJ-JO trade not been made? Do you think there was a better deal out there to be had?

Rob E, Scarborough

A: No, I think he made the right trade under the circumstances but O’Neal’s injuries meant the trade – to this point – hasn’t worked as well as he wanted.

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Q: I'm writing as you said your mailbox is empty. Jose or Bosh? Lets say Bosh misses the last 10 games and Jose plays? Do they win more or they lose more? I said from the beginning of the season that a prolonged injury to Jose effects this time more than a long-term injury to Bosh. Your thoughs?

Aaron J, Markham

A: I remember saying in Ottawa that their most important task was making sure Jose didn’t get hurt. Now, I can’t say they would or wouldn’t have lost seven in row with Calderon and without Bosh but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say they would have won at least a couple of them. It’s been obvious they need that steady hand.

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Q: "It's getting better," he said of Ukic's jump shot, which is being reconstructed by the Raptors coaching staff.' How much is Kapono involved (if at all). I remember watching a clip of Sam teaching Ukic the mechanics. While Sam has a lot of skills, shooting wouldn't be near the top. Jay's likely much better, but you have one of the league's best in the same locker room.

Tom L, Toronto

A: Not at all. Except for maybe offering some quips when they are doing shooting drills. The reconstructive surgery is being conducted solely by the coaches. And Jason’s so good at catching and shooting without thinking, I’m not sure how much technical advice (keeping the elbow in, following through, jumping straight up) he could provide.

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Q: Thanks for your voice of sanity in the middle of the roller-coaster ride that is this Raptors season. I have a technical question and hope you can get an answer. Assuming that revenues go down in 2009-10 and the salary cap goes down as well, is there any financial advantage to Chris Bosh to sign a max contract with the Raptors this summer (instead of waiting for 2010)? In other words, is the salary fixed at the time of signing or does it vary according to league revenues? If it's a fixed number then it would make considerable sense for Bosh to re-up with Raptors this summer, wouldn't it?

Olga A, Toronto

A: The salary is indeed fixed at the time of signing and is not related to future revenue percentages so in the scenario you paint, yes, he – or anyone -- would get more money signing early.

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Q: Have you been getting many "Barg's sucks" emails lately? With his seemingly consistent and impressive play is a trade imminent? When is the trade deadline? What does adding a more effective wing player do to this team’s playoff chances?

Michel G, North Bay

A: Yes.

Absolutely not.

Feb. 19.

Enhances them.

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Q: Doug, the only game on right now involves the 76ers. I looked at the score thinking "I think I'm a mild basketball fan, but that team name doesn't make any sense. Where did it come from?"

Adam G, Saskatoon

A: Check your American history. Do a search of Philadelphia and 1776 and you’ll figure it out. The switched from the Nationals, as they were known in Syracuse, to the 76ers in 1963 when they moved, I’ll give you that much.

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Q: I finally caught a game with AP at the point. It gets him more involved. He seems more easily able to score when covered by point guards - giving his game and what is presumably the second unit better production. He takes care of the ball, if lacking the penetration skills of Ukic. And he does all of this without getting caught up in his 1-on-1 match up. Is AP as the back up cemented for the year?
Geoff H, Toronto

A: As the primary backup, yes. But I do think you’ll see Ukic for a very few minutes each night to help Jay with his PG-SG rotation.

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