A welcome break

So the break is officially upon us after all the three games last night; the world is descending on Phoenix (at least most of the world, I’m firmly ensconced in Hazelville with a foray as far as Toronto the extent of my travel) and most of us can sit back and take a deep breath.

Where are we?

For most of the league, about where we expected to be, with the Lakers, Boston and Cleveland the cream of the crop and the rest of the pretenders trying to figure what they have to do in the so-called second half of the season.

I’ve got today and tomorrow to figure that out, you’ll want to be here in the morning to see what my little mind came up with, but for now, some dribs and drabs:

(Oh, first a schedule note: A first-half recap tomorrow with some fun stuff; a special post-Saturday night all-star weekend thingy on Sunday and the usual mail and, if you think it’s a good idea, I was thinking of turning on the live blog Sunday night to watch the game with you. Can’t do it Saturday, have plans afoot. Sound good?)

See ya

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Okay, let’s say Bryan doesn’t get anything done before next Thursday at 3 p.m. and exactly the same team post-deadline goes to New York to play the Knicks on Friday.

Is that a bad thing?

I’m not sure.

I honestly think there are only two things he should be contemplating doing (at least things that will have a legitimate impact, nothing like an absolute nothing-for-nothing deal like The Gangster for Fred Jones Juan Dixon -- I have my inconsequential Raptors mixed up --last year):

1. Move Jermaine for Marion because it gives him more financial flexibility sooner. I’m not sure it makes Toronto a much better team, although it does move Bargnani back to the five and that’s not a horrible thing. And it does give them more rebounding at the three and Marion, some think, is more a four than a three so he can move into that spot some times.

But what it does, as we’ve said a kabillion times, is open up more possibilities for improvement in the summer.

2. If – and this is a big “if” – he can get someone for Kapono who has a year less left on his deal he probably should do it. Jason’s been good for two games, and Lord knows us grunts would miss him in the locker room, but if there’s a way to lessen the financial load and get someone more athletic, the GM should do it.

Other than that?

AP FILE PHOTO

All weekend in the blog: Great Moments In Doug’s All-Star Memory Banks.

I think the overall value of Parker and Graham – what they bring on the court and with their contracts – makes them too valuable unless he can deal them for exactly the same money and skill and why do that? Moon, with his $711,000 deal is unmovable for anything of equal value and Hump’s hurt and no one’s taking him right now. The rest? Either virtually untouchable or untradeable.

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Ah, the all-star memories.

Atlanta, 2003: The great Will-You-Know-Who-Give-Up-His-Starting-Spot-To-Michael-Jordan non-story.

One of the great “who cares” moments I can remember, breathlessly waiting for a day or two to find out if He Who Shall … would cede his starting spot to a washed-up great playing out the string.

Yawn.

It was only eclipsed by the fawning, Marilyn Monroe “Happy Birthday Mr. President-esque” halftime tribute to Jordan.

And the traffic gridlock in Atlanta that forced me, The First Lady Of The Beat and a handful of others to abandon a bus in the middle of the city and walk to the arena. Gotta love Atlanta.

We’ll parcel out more Great Moments In Doug’s All-Star Memory Banks as the weekend progresses.

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I liked it way better when it was The Phenoms vs. The Sensations instead of Rookies vs. Sophomores in the single-greatest waste of time at all-star weekend.

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I’ve got Kapono in the three-point shootout (gotta stick with the proven winner), San Antonio to repeat in the girl-guy-old dude shooting contest (mostly because the thought of seeing Bill Laimbeer in a tight sweat suit burns my retinas) Derrick Rose in the punt-pass-kick thing and I’m going with Howard in the dunk contest ‘cause the judges love him.

I’m taking the rookies to beat the sophomores and I’m looking for Luke Jackson to lead The Red Team to a glorious victory over The Blue Team in the D League all-star game.

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A question about the future:

Q: Everyone keeps bringing up the fact that the Raptors have a favorable schedule in the second half of the season, can you justify it? I heard the other day how 70% of the games after the all star break are at home. Apart from that is there anything else that makes their schedule 'favorable' or is it just to create optimism so that we don’t stop watching the Raptor games?

Vaibhav D, Markham

A: Favourable is all relative, of course, but as I mentioned in the story in the paper today there are 16 games against teams that are below .500 now, 11 against teams that are between them and eighth in the East right now, only four back-to-backs and 16 of the 27 are at home.

Considering what they’ve just gone through – 21 games in 43 nights – that’s a holiday.

Now, far be it from me to suggest this is a virtual lock that they’ll get in a playoff race but the possibility certainly exists.

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Totally off topic but am I the only guy who’s already tired of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics?

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If Shawn Marion’s done in Miami, he left with in a blaze of glory, a game-winning dunk at the buzzer to beat Chicago and move the Heat into fifth in the East at the break.

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Wither Will?

Q: Doug when the team is so shorthanded why not use Solomon. Last night the team played tremendous but it the few blowouts against us recently Will has been on the bench. Has he had a confrontation with management or is his hurt. He quite readily played 10-12 minutes in blowouts surely to give guys a break.

Gary B, Dundas

A: Ah, Will, we hardly knew ye.

Here’s the deal: They don’t like the way he runs the team on the court (busts plays, looks for his own too much), they have no intentions of him being back next year so there’s no need for him to get playing time to “develop” and they are convinced Anthony Parker and Roko Ukic are better point guards. So am I, actually.

So unless there’s some huge emergency (and obviously there wasn’t in the San Antonio game) you won’t see Solomon unless it’s absolute garbage time in games.

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Once more into the memory banks:

All-star game somewhere -- maybe Denver? -- and TFLOTB and I are at the FanFest thing looking for souvenirs for the offspring. Music, or something that passes for music, is playing somewhere in the cavernous convention centre:

Her: “Hey, that’s Nellie!”

Me: “Don Nelson sings?”

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Comments

[Pete]

You forgot to predict the H-O-R-S-E winner!

Blogger's note: I did. Gives you reason to check back tomorrow, I guess :)

[Patrick]

Morning Doug!

Quick nitpick, but I'm pretty sure the insignificant trade you were referring to was the Gangster for Juan Dixon (and not Fred Jones). I know, it's barely worth correcting but I can't help it.

Speaking of insignificant, since you gave your picks for all of the Saturday night events, who do you have in the H.O.R.S.E. (i.e. G.E.I.C.O.) competition? Durant, Joe Johnson or Mayo?

Have a great weekend!

Blogger's note: You're right, I'll go and fix that now, thanks

[Steve Gosse]

Did TFLOTB know what you were talking about and just shake her head? haha. I can see that happening.

Doug, i'm not sure of his contract (but considering he just signed this off-season.. it's probably too long), but what about Pietrus in Orlando?

I know earlier this season he was out of the rotation when he got back from injury (although I think he's back in a bit now).

Would he be the type of player you'd want back for JK?

Blogger's note: I've liked Pietrus for a while but there's no way Orlando deals him

[Dave]

Do you think that teams such as Miami and others will wait for the Amare domino to fall before moving any further on a JO deal?

Blogger's note: Maybe not for a Stoudemire trade to be made, but I presume Miami made a call to see if there was a possible deal; I'm told there wasn't

[Nick M]

I really enjoy the stories you tell from the past, but...

Her: “Hey, that’s Nellie!”

Me: “Don Nelson sings?”

I guess you had to be there!

You probably chuckled at the joke while you were typing too! Your a great story teller, Comedian, not so much!

Blogger's note: It was the dude with the bandage on his face.

[DGW]

Do questionable 3-point attempts that missed get reviewed by referees? Or only on made 3-point shots?

Blogger's note: Only made ones

[Dan, north bay]

Doug,

Are the raps able to trade the garbajosa contract that's worth 4.3 million as an expiring contract?

Blogger's note; No, it has no value whatsoever

[Matt]

I read again yesterday that J.O. has an immovable contract, this time in a Hollinger chat room, but I also figure that Miami might be serious about acquiring someone to correct their size problem and if J.O. is the best bet then they will go for it.

I also read that Miami was interested in Amare and willing to give up Marion and Beasley to get him (with various contracts moving to make the deal work). It will be interesting to watch to see if the Amare sweepstakes are legitimate or smoke.

[UK]

Hey Doug,

In your esteemed opinion, when do you think TO has a shot at getting the all-star game?

Blogger's note: Maybe 2012

[Mark M]

Hey Doug

Great finish in the Miami - Chicago game.

Quick question, what was up with the usa bandaide wade was wearing?

Blogger's note: No idea. Patriotic solving a shaving-cut mistake?

[Baller]

Hey Doug,
How about some mid-season grades for the current Raptor line-up, coach and GM. Is anyone worthy of an "A"?

Blogger's note: Grades are tough, but check tomorrow

[Pharaoh]

Doug, you say that half the Raps are untouchable, but on a team that has struggled as much as they have, should ANYONE really be untouchable? I like Chris, I like Jose, I like Andrea, and I wouldn't want to see any of them go, but if the deal made sense, why not trade them? There are only a handful of players in the league that I, as a GM, would never entertain trading (Lebron and Kobe come to mind). Anyone else, at the right price, is expendable.

[Pharaoh]

Doug,

I loved JK's tip the other night on how Roko could improve his 3-pt shooting. What's your favorite all-time quote from a Raptor? Favorite quote from any NBA player?

Blogger's note: Just about anything Oak ever said. Rest of the league? Nothing comes to mind at the moment

[Anthony]

All Star memories almost laughable, but sorry there to say there is only one for Raptors and that is VC winning the Slam Dunk contest. The other night they showed the top 10 Contest Dunks and 2 of the top 5 were Carter's.... Nothing will top that.... Add to that McGrady was in the contest too. Only if Carter timed his takeoff on his last dunk a little better and the placed would have gone crazy. The contest was getting stale prior to that year, and he brought the contest back. Everyone since has paled in comparison, and many stars have opted out I think because they did not want to compare to that one. Still watch it every once in a while on Youtube....

[James]

With Phoenix's decision to start shopping Amare, he must be considered the premier player available at this trade deadline. With Colangelo's reluctance to talk about moving CB4 it got me wondering if, in the current trade environment, if Bosh were to be made available, would he supplant Amare as the premier player available?

The contract status and position for both is the same, so what value do each carry around the league presently? If you were starting a team from scratch, who would you rather start with?

[James]

Hey Doug...

Sorry to post again, but thought you might want to know about a poll going on elsewhere on the interweb...

You'd have my vote.

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/forums/showthread.php?t=327519

[MB]

Hello!

Pretty funny. Jack made the same joke/comment about Nellie a couple weeks ago during the broadcast.

[Mo]

Is the H.O.R.S.E competition going to be on TV?

It said on nba.com that it will be played outside before TNT airs all-star saturday nigt.

[Ian]

Given your etymological bent, Doug, I assume that you would want to know that the Band-aid wearing rapper is actually "Nelly".

[NaSs]

Fred Jones was traded for Juan Dixon from Portland,,, and then Juan Dixon was traded to Pistons for The Gangster...right?

Blogger's note: Yeah, I got that fixed up. Wee mind blip

[Dave H]

I beleive Juwan Howard is responsible for the cut to Wade....not shaving (unless you were joking Doug, in which case it was over my head).

[GM]

You think you're sick of the Vancouver Olympics already?! Think how we feel here in Vancouver! Actually, I can't wait for the two-man luge and biathlon and figure skating. What drama!

[Jeff Steele]

Hey Doug,

Riley has voiced his regret in letting Kapono go, so is it possible he's added to the deal? I would love to see a JO+Kapono for Marion+Dorell Wright+Joel Anthony type of deal but that is probably a bit too much for Miami to give up...What kind of package would Toronto have to offer Miami to feasibly match the salaries?

[Pete]

Doug ESPN is reporting a trade with Miami details at espn.com

Blogger's note: I see it, believe it to be true, don't have independent confirmation

[Patrick]

Deal with Miami completed? If it's true, while it might ultimately be beneficial for the Raptors, I'm still sad to see J.O. (and Moon) go. Best of luck to them!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3905146