A lot of little things right now

Oh, oh,

We’re almost going to have to start dealing with the “what do you think of this guy”: remarks if they keep having these dang off-days. Seems that’s just about all there is in the mail and on your minds.

Of course, this afternoon might be a bit different given the events but I have a sneaking suspicion no one’s going to say anything at all.

And that’ll leave us to our own devices. Great.

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Hey, here’s one:

Remember Bryan’s day-after-the-end-of-the-playoff-series chat last April? One of the points he made was that he had to find, over the course of the summer, a 20-point-a-game guy to augment Bosh.

DARREN CALABRESE/CANADIAN PRESS

Remember after last season, the Raptors wanted to find someone to augment Chris Bosh? Turns out they already had him: Bargnani.

Well, in a roundabout way, he has.

Had him all along.

Dude named Bargnani.

It’ll take some rounding up of figures but since he’s been a starting centre – which was his best position since, oh, I dunno, the day he came to his first training camp – the kid’s averaged 20 a game.

I know it’s a different 20 a game than the GM or anyone had envisioned that day after the Orlando spanking was administered – it was a wing player everyone was thinking about at that time – but it’s still a solid second scorer to go along with the team’s most effective offensive producer.

So I’m thinking when they start looking around this summer, if Bosh is back, the priority has to be someone who can defend, first and foremost. Offence isn’t the issue with this team, depth and the inability to stop anyone is what has to be solved right off the bat.

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After Dave’s thorough news story today on Chris Bosh there are only two things I can say for at the moment:

Dads need to take responsibility for their children above all else, and;

There are three sides to every story – yours, mine and the truth – and we don’t have them all yet.

But the story does lend some semblance ot explanation to a few things that went awry early in the season.

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You know what was really refreshing yesterday?

Hearing Nate slag the D League.

How many guys would have come back and junk like “yeah, I worked on my game, it was great, good experience, just what I needed, an opportunity I took advantage of?”

Well, Nate gave us some of that but he also told it like it is:

It’s a league with more than its share of selfish players looking to get their numbers and teammates be damned, they want to get called up.

“It’s different. It’s more of guys trying to get their own.”

Oh, and Boise?

“Boring, nothing to do.”

Welcome back, big fella.

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This is off topic but I could watch Ichiro play baseball every day for a season. Have said that for years and last night’s game only cemented it. The dude is incredible.

I only saw the last six innings of that Japan-South Korea game but I don’t imagine I’ll see a better one for a long, long, long time.

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Oh yeah, this is the last time I’m going to mention pizza. And I’ll only mention it in the context that not since Jose-TJ have we had such a kerfuffle around here. You people are crazy passionate about a lot of things, it seems; defence, Jay, Sam, Bosh, Calderon and a free slice.

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Speaking of T.J.

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

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Okay, list time and parents might want to put a filter on the next few lines to keep ‘em away from the eyes of the kiddies because this is obscene:

Jimmy King

Tyson Wheeler

DeAndree Hulett

Remon Van de Hare

Albert Miralles

Roko Ukic

Uros Slokar

P.J. Tucker

Edin Bavcic

Those, ladies and germs, represent every second round draft choice made by the Raptors since their inception and it’s a litany of mainly never-would-be, never-was, never-heard-of detritus that should the shame of any professional basketball organization. I'm not entirely sure it's possible to come up with a "most obscure" or "worst" of that list; it'd be about a five-way tie in those competitions but even I had forgotten all about Edin Bavcic.

Now, you know I think Roko's going to be good, and I know they got Nate Jawai (a might-be at best right now) as a second-rounder and traded for one or two who played but, really, that list is shockingly bad. And before anyone asks, there is no reason to ever expect Giorgos Printezis to play a meaningful minute in the NBA.

Of course, this may mean nothing for this year because they don’t have a second-round pick at the moment but if Bryan does get one, surely to goodness they can’t blow another one, can they?

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Just in case you checked out the Heat boxscore from last night to see how Jermaine and Jamario did, this will clear up any confusion about why O’Neal didn’t play.

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An answer, and a question.

Q: The offensive goaltending rule was instituted after Wilt Chamberlain's first season - like you guessed, in an effort to curb his ability to score so effortlessly in comparison to everyone else. As you know, it didn't work; his scoring average went UP for his sophomore season.

Anyways, my question is one that I've been pondering for a while. Who out there can ever replace Oak on this team? I don't mean the punching-Tyrone-Hill-during-warm-ups-Oak or "I-bring-my-lunch-pail-and-eat-ham-sandwiches"-Oak, but the veteran presence who challenged Carter to be a better player. I don't know of a single player in the NBA like that right now. He doesn't even have to be talented, just a grumpy old veteran.

Keenan W, Edmonton

A: Oak was a singular talent and personality, there is no other and there will be no other.

But it’s the problem across the league. There are very few “old heads” out there acting as mentors. I guess you could put Dikembe Mutombo in that group and here’s one that might have gone unnoticed by many:

In talking with coaches, scouts and people who know the Charlotte Bobcats best, of all the new players they’ve added this year, this improbable season of a legitimate playoff hunt, you can make the case the most important has been Juwan Howard.

I’m told his leadership, his ability to teach younger players and his willingness to accept a role has been a huge factor in the Bobcats’ relevant resurgence.

Trouble is, there are very, very few of him around and I’m not sure Bryan’s going to be able to find one.

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There were 5s, 3s and 4s?

I don’t know if the performers sucked or Carrie Ann, Bruno and The Other Guy were just cranky but that was like DWTS Grunt Edition last night.

Some of them looked like they were doing the Hokey Pokey. Or the Frug.

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What a strange day that was

Hey! They won! Easily! For the second Sunday in a row they rolled.

A juggernaut if ever I’ve seen one.

Just think, 12 more in a row and they might finish ninth in the East!

Seriously, the result Sunday was far better than the alternative and the fact they came out and played hard and smart is to their credit, it hasn’t happened in every game in the last little while.

As I mentioned in Sunday’s paper, that one had all the earmarks of a dog of a game and while it was one-sided and had moments of head-shaking ineptitude, at least one team gave a full effort.

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There were times in his rookie season and last year when we would privately mock Andrea’s toughness; in fact, there was a bit of public mocking, too.

But when it was pointed out that before yesterday he had played 130 straight games, it was time to re-think that position.

Maybe it was the natural maturation process, maybe he got in better shape, maybe something just clicked but he played through stuff in that season and a half that he wouldn’t have in his first year and a bit in the league.

So we’ll give credit where it’s due.

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Action: Jake starts

Reaction: How come?

Well, we’ll let Jay explain it:

“The other option is to go Pops but I like what he is bringing off the bench. We could have gone with Joey and gone smaller but I think you like to start big and go small. We wanted to make sure Camby and Randolph saw bodies inside. Jake is a veteran guy and knows defensive coverages. He did a real good job, he communicates back there and did a nice job to start both halves.”

Makes sense, since Pops still got his 20 minutes, Joey got his 24 and since the opposition was so wretched, it probably wouldn’t have mattered if you started.

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Speaking of sheer Bracket Brilliance, Super Son and I rebounded from a somewhat disheartening Friday to go 14-2 on the weekend. We’ve got out Elite Eight still intact and when North Carolina beats Connecticut 78-75 in the final and the total points is 153, are we ever gonna crow about it.

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THE CANADIAN PRESS

They've definitely improved the unis since he left.

Marcus Camby turned 35 years old yesterday – a belated Happy Birthday, kid – and he’s been in the league for 13 seasons now. He’s a grown up, one of the really good guys I’ve got to know a little bit over the years and still has plenty of skill. An excellent rebounder, good shot-blocker, some shooting range and knows his limitations.

He’s willing to come off the bench – he’s not starting every night for the Clippers for goodness sake – and loves Toronto.

Would he make a good grown up to add to this team?

Yeah, he sure would.

Trouble is, he’s got that $9.6 million salary next year and unless they can move, say, Kapono and Joey Graham for him, I don’t see how they can do it.

But they should ask.

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Again, I’d love to show you what they said about the unspeakably bad Clippers in the local Los Angeles dispatches but none of them sent a writer to cover them.

It was the second game in a row with no visiting reporters.

Toss in the fact there hasn’t been a single advance scout at either of the last two games either – and there’s usually at least one guy around checking out a visiting team that’s on a trip someone from a team Toronto’s about to play – and it’s been quiet on press row.

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Speaking the Clippers, anyone notice that Fred Jones has turned back into that slashing, driving, dunk contest-winning guy the Raptors thought they were getting three years ago?

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In just about every visiting team locker room in the league, there’s a big whiteboard somewhere on a wall that teams use to diagram plays and leave inspirational notes (Play Hard! Rebound! Bus to airport leaves at 10:40).

But the one here stands out as unique.

Not only is not affixed to a wall (it’s a sliding panel that blocks the entryway into the locker room when it’s out), it’s got very little room for any visiting coach to draws up assignments and plays.

Why? Because about a quarter of it is taken up by a diagram of a hockey rink.

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Just so I can do cynical:

Q: I just thought that your readers, (and the team) should be aware that John Hollinger's playoff odds are now predicting that the chance of the Raptors making the playoffs is now at 0.0 percent. My girlfriend is now happy, she gets me back a few games earlier this summer.

Peter L, Toronto

A: I know John, I like John, I appreciate John’s nuanced look at the game. I wonder what took John so long to come to that conclusion. Dead batteries in the calculator? A broken abacus?

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Speaking of Andrea Ironman, the fact that he missed yesterday’s game means Toronto won’t have a single player who appears in all 82.

And that’s odd for this franchise.

Only twice – in 2006-07 and 1996-97 – have they not at least one guy who dressed for an entire regular season.

Arcane stats? We’ve got ‘em.

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Action: Nate’s in town!

Reaction: Not for long, maybe.

Yes, there was a Nate Jawai sighting yesterday, the big fella was on the bench late in the game.

He’s in Toronto only for some previously-scheduled, routine medical tests, he wasn’t summoned to bail out the roster that was down a big man yesterday.

No one’s sure how long he’ll stick around but there’s a good chance he’ll be headed back to Idaho in the middle of the week, the lucky guy.

And while he’s not killing the D League, I’m told by people who’ve seem him play that he’s looking comfortable and good. He’s averaging 12.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 25 minutes a night in his first 10 games with the Stampede.

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Well, I got through this whole thing without once mentioning how utterly ridiculous it was to hear fans going berserk for a stinky piece of pizza starting with about two minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

Seriously, it’s embarrassing.

Stop it. And I’m talking to the chain that sponsors it and the Raptors who promote it.

It’s unseemly.

Glad I got through this without going on a rant. That’s unseemly.

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The Goods On The Game, Vol. 70, a lovely Sunday afternoon

The best, a list and a whole whack of other interesting stuff

A little extra time for you today for you to digest all the goodies in here. Don’t forget, we’ve got a rare 3:30 start; and don’t forget the in-game blog.

Until then, have at this:

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Q: Hey Doug, as of today, who do you think is the best all-time Raptor: Vince or Bosh, and why? If it's Vince, what does Bosh need to do to pass him?

Geoff A, Toronto

A: Vince Carter is hands-down the best player to have ever worn a Raptors uniform. So far. And no one is going to supplant him until they play on a team that wins a playoff series or two.

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Q: Just an idea for another list - top 2nd round draft picks of all time?

Ryan M, Ottawa

A: That’s a tough one because there are so many.

If I had to pick five, and only of the current players, I guess it’d be:

Manu Ginobili

Rashard Lewis

Carlos Boozer

Michael Redd

Gilbert Arenas.

And that’s leaving out Stephen Jackson, Mo Williams, Mehmet Okur, Paul Millsap and Monta Ellis.

And, luckily, you didn’t ask me for all-timers because where would I put guys like Mark Price, Toni Kukoc, Antonio Davis, Anthony Mason and P.J. Brown?

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Q: Bit of a random question but maybe a new one? I was wondering if there are specifications for how thick and bouncy the floors of NBA courts have to be? Also since various courts use different types of wood, does that lead to any differences in their responsiveness to player's weight etc? Finally, are there any specifications for how visible the out of bounds lines have to be? That seems to vary quite a bit depending on the arena.

David S, Toronto

A: There are no specific specifications as to under-padding or resiliency or “bounce” and floors differ from each other more than you’d think. Players appreciate “soft” floors to lessen the toll on knees and, here’s an interesting thing: When the Raptors are deciding where to hold training camp each year, they dispatch staff members to check out the suitability of the court even more than they worry about hotels and other amenities.

The lines? All have to be at least two inches wide, according to the rule book.

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Q: Hey Doug, a lot has been mentioned about the Raps not being able to keep their mentality focused on what they need to do defensively/offensively, and I've heard the term "mental breakdown" used many times in the past couple weeks. With that being said, what is the role of the sports psychologist that BC hired a while back? Or to put it bluntly, has she even been of use to the team? Thanks again!

Sam C, Kingston

A: Her role is to be around as a resource for players who want to avail themselves of her considerable talents. I’m not if any have, it would appear they haven’t, but that’s an individual decision and not something management can force on anyone.

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Q: Assuming we don't resign Marion, do you think BC should target a primary wing (first or second scoring option) or depth? I would think the wing as you can add depth in future years with the MLE but once we're over the cap, the only way we get the wing is through draft or trade (and we're not trading or core and who would want the rest). If we target a primary wing option and can't make it happen this summer, do we hold on to cap space (sign one year deals) and try again at the trade deadline and/or next summer?

Ron F, Toronto

A: See, this is the flaw in most of the arguments I see, or proposals or fantasies I read.

Things are not linear.

You make your calls, see who’s available and if the first guy you like is a three, you make that deal and then try to find a two. If the first guy out there is a two, you do that and then get a three. And you make your moves for the short-term rather than horde assets because you never, ever know how the landscape may change.

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Sixty-nine down and only 13 to go

Just think, 13 games left!

Lucky, lucky us.

Seriously, the mood around that team is as dark as I can remember it in years. Dejection is the order of the day, resignation in some cases and the one thing I don’t see a lot of? Anger.

The only raw anger I see is from the fans, which is entirely understandable.

But just think, the last 13 are sure to be doozies. There’s two with Washington, one with the Clips, a couple with the Knicks and one with the Thunder. We are setting up for some dreadful days and nights.

Me? I'm off to practice to figure out what you people might want to read about in the morning and then it'll be a few hours of mail (keep those cards and letters coming) while the family watches its new copy of Twilight and I try to remain sane.

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Action: Some guys gotta rest

Reaction: Sometimes a game gets away

End of the third, down four, players are worn out and Jay’s gotta give some of ‘em a rest.

He sits down Bosh, Parker and Marion and tries to steal a few minutes with Calderon, Kapono, Graham, Mensah-Bonsu and Bargnani.

Let’s just say it was Pops’ finest minutes.

He commits two turnovers, a couple of fouls and is in the wrong position on one play that results in another turnover.

Presto! Change-o! Down a dozen after three and it’s over.

What should he have done? I guess he could have ridden Bosh for the last 2:40 of the quarter; that might have kept the game manageable. Or it might not have.

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Let’s go over this again.

Five starters and now it’s time for Jay to go to his bench.

He’s got a rookie point guard he doesn’t trust entirely.

He’s got Joey, who might be good and could very well be not good.

He’s got Jason, a shooter who doesn’t, you know, shoot.

He’s got Pops, a D League call up trying to find his way.

Tell me again how this is a good team?

Over to you, Mr. Colangelo.

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I’m sure you all spent most of yesterday trying to come up with the Raptors who’ve won NCAA championships and then figuring out which was the most obscure.

Well, here’s the list: Lonny Baxter (Maryland, 2002), Juan Dixon (Maryland, 2002), Antonio Lang (Duke, 1991 and 1992), Eric Montross (North Carolina, 1993), Ed Pinckney (Villanova, 1985), Charlie Villanueva (Connecticut, 2004), Jake Voskuhl (Connecticut, 1999), Corliss Williamson (Arkansas, 1994) and Morris Peterson (Michigan State, 2000).

Now, that’s a rather impressive list of guys who did something in Toronto and guys who just stopped by. Me? I’d say the one who doesn’t belong would be Lang, who was a training camp cut and then brought back on a 10-deal in January, 2000.

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Action: Shawn’s slow start

Reaction: Not the defensive stopper

Am sure the few of you who watched last night caught the rather quick hook for Shawn Marion, who was on the bench in favour of Joey less than four minutes into the first quarter.

Well, according to people who chart these things, he had about eight blown defensive assignments in the first nine or 10 possessions. That’ll get you a seat no matter who you are.

We asked Jay about the slow start – a series of increasingly emphatic uncontested dunks – and, as expected, he took the high road.

“We had three days to get ready and we were pretty sound on what we thought we should do.”

Guess everyone wasn’t thinking the same way.

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I’d love to show you now what they wrote in Charlotte but the paper didn’t send its own reporter and used the wire service. A troubling sign of the times given that the Bobcats are right in the thick of a playoff race.

And how important is that race? Here was Larry Brown before the game:

“I was telling our guys, when I was a college coach, you never really understand the value of going to the tournament until the next year. Then you realize you’re playing so many big games, you’re practicing when practices rally mean a lot. When you can go to the Final Four, it’s just an extra month of unbelievably important games that prepares your team.

“It’s the same thing now, we’ve been talking about how important games are forever because we’re trying to change the culture. And now, I don’t look at the standings, I just want us to get better every practice, every game, every possession but they do. And since they’ve been really paying attention to that, I think we’ve given ourselves a chance to win almost every game.”

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Oh, and I’d love to link you to what the Los Angeles papers wrote about the Clipper game last night, just to let you see what’s going on there but there’s not a single paper travelling a writer to cover that team, either.

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Speaking of March Madness, Super Son and I got drilled yesterday. A rather pedestrian 8-8 but the Sweet 16 remains intact and maybe there’s a late rally to be had.

Or not.

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Andrew, a regular over in the comments section, sent this along yesterday:

I've got an idea for a new "top five" list: The tip five naughtiest Raptors. Off the top of my head, I would include Alvin Robertson and Keon Clark. I would suggest the criteria be that they had to have been charged with something or caught with their pants down. It can't be based on road rumours or general, relatively harmless misbehaviour.

And I’m saying those are the two Hall of Famers but Lonny Baxter, NCAA champion and all, would have to be on the list after doing time in the hoosegow for shooting off a gun a block or two from the White House. If that’s not the stupidest thing an ex-Raptor has done since leaving the team, I don’t know what is.

For sheer news value and chutzpah, you’d have to go with Dee Brown, who got busted for drunk driving and then beat charge on a defence of racial profiling.

And, as much as it pains me to say it, Oak got a DUI charge in Atlanta so I’m putting him on the list.

The Brown one is unique in another way, too. It happened when he was driving from a birthday party for Antonio Davis on the way to, legend has it, an establishment where women disrobe for a living.

The Goods On The Game, Vol. 69, the homestand begins

It's Madness all right

Work with me, people; it’s slow these days.

Taking Super Son to the orthodontist and then to Playdium with one of his baseball buddies was a great way to spend a day off, far greater that slogging through another off-day story so we’re a little light again today.

Which means just being a wee bit more creative.

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See enough games yesterday? College, that is?

It was probably the longest I’ve watched a series of college games all year (the pesky NBA kept getting in my way) and it reaffirmed something I’ve thought all along: I much prefer the pros.

Better players, more skilled, more flow. I swear most college offences are three-man weaves before someone shoots a three-pointer that little more than a layup.

I know, there’s lots of passion and lots of emotion and lots of missed shots and plays that don’t truly develop which lends itself to drama and I know there are lots of people who prefer college ball to the NBA.

I’m just not one of them.

And, seriously, how many timeouts do they have? Seems like about a hundred a half. There are too many in an NBA game, there are waaaaaaaaay too many in a college game.

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Speaking of the NCAA tournament, which we all are these days, Super Son and I went 12-4 yesterday and still have our entire Sweet 16 still intact.

Missed, as many of you did I presume, on Western Kentucky along with Michigan, Texas and LSU. Guess having watched Hoosiers a week or so ago and falling in love with Butler again wasn’t a good idea.

The Final Four:

Villanova (the Alvin, Ed Pinckney influence), North Carolina, Kansas and Connecticut with the Tar Heels beating the Huskies in the championship game.

Remember you read it here first.

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A question of the roster:

Q: Hi Doug, given that the Raptors biggest need is a quick defensive minded shot creator, a good shooting guard, is it realistic that they could sign someone who fits this need and retain Anthony Parker? I think Parker would be great of the bench and help us create some depth in the second unit. Will he be too expensive to keep as a bench player?

Aaron C, Mississauga

STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

Probably don't want Parker to jump ship next year.

A: I think, as perhaps I’ve mentioned, that it’s not only entirely realistic but I think it’s quite important that they bring back Parker in some role as a backup at both guard spots.

He’s respected in the locker room, a multi-position player who can help on the court and the kind of veteran presence that I think helps.

I have no idea what the money situation will be like but I’m pretty sure they should make it happen.

As a matter of fact, of all the free agents – restricted or otherwise the Raptors will have to deal with from this group – I’d say he’s one of two I’d try to bring back.

Maybe they can do a deal with Carlos Delfino, but of the ones currently on the roster and I’d say you try to keep Parker and Pops but let Joey Graham go, try to sign-and-trade Marion and bid adieu to Patrick O’Bryant and Jake Voskuhl.

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Back to the tourney for a minute.

There’ve been a bunch of Raptors who’ve won an NCAA title before heading to the NBA and I’m throwing this out there: Which guy with an NCAA championship had the most obscure or unimpressive time with Toronto?

Answer tomorrow, along with the list. Wonder how many of you will get them all.

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I’m not sure which part of “Marc Iavaroni is seen, by the major power brokers of the Raptors organization as a great assistant coach but not head coaching material” many of you have failed to comprehend but I’ll perhaps mention it again.

If Marc Iavaroni works here next season – and that’s certainly not cast in stone – it will be as an assistant head coach. Not as the head coach.

So his being here has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on Jay Triano’s future.

I know that won’t satisfy the conspiracy theorists among you, but it’s true.

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In Charlotte, they’re all about Gerald Wallace falling down.

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And since Wallace is the flavour of the month again it seems (check out the comments lately), let’s go through this again.

The trade proposal involving him and T.J. Ford last June broke down at Charlotte’s insistence.

But, with a contract that still has three years and $29.5 million to run past this season, his addition would have taken away any financial flexibility for years, he’s a good player who’s often hurt and whose position – most coaches think – is a four.

And, besides, it’s a 10-month old story that didn’t happen. We need to let it go.

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On Bryan’s future:

Q: Don't you think Brian Colangelo should be held accountable for the Raptors poor season? Should MLSE be looking for somebody else to build this team. I think so.

Philip S, Dresden

A: I think he should absolutely be held accountable and he is, from his bosses, the fans and the media.

Do I think they should panic like so many of you and replace him? Not in a kabillion years and even thinking about it suggests an impatience that’s shocking and quite ridiculous.

Yes, this has been a bad season with a team that’s much less than the sum of its parts. But it is the first season in three with Bryan at the helm that they won’t make the playoffs, I think there are some excellent pieces to build around and it’s not entirely unlike the first summer he was on the job, when he turned a 27-win team in to a 47-win team with some excellent moves.

Change the GM? Not a chance.

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You know I’m all about fashion, right? Well, this whole ‘t-shirt-under-the-jersey’ thing that seems to still be sweeping the college ranks is not a look of which I’m a big fan.

Like you care, right?

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This will be an interesting thing to watch:

Q:A question for you regarding playoff broadcast schedules....From the past, TSN has been airing some of the playoff games and the championship series exclusively. With its TSN2 debacle, would it be TSN dealing directly with the NBA for the airing of games or TSN would go through MLSE who owns the NBA TV rights? If it is the latter, I just do hope that MLSE has learned its lesson and tell TSN that the only way they would be allowed to broadcast the playoff games is if they air it on TSN, not TSN2.

Vener C, Markham

A: Let’s see, during the time of the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs, the Stanley Cup playoffs will be going on as will the major league baseball season.

I can absolutely see games being put on TSN2 over TSN (although no schedules have been set) so get ready for some disappointment.

I am under the impression the finals will be shown on the main network and there’s always The Score to help bail out viewers in the early rounds.

But some on TSN2? I guarantee you that will happen early in the post-season.

Better late than never. Or so they say

Okay, we’ve hit that day.

I’ve got nothing. Or at least very little.

Took a day off, no game, no real news.

In fact, I only stopped by practice to get some stuff for someone else and to make sure no one had bolted.

So this is as dry as it gets and, thanks to some machine and wireless issues, it’s late to boot. Great, eh? Lucky you.

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Super Son and I are about to fill in the bracket – the winning bracket in the D. Sagat Invites His Buddies To Show How Smart They Are pool – and we’re thinking about this whole NCAA tournament thingy and what it might mean to the Raptors.

AP PHOTO

Tar Heels guard Ty Lawson is already familiar to the scouts.

The short answer: Not much.

Scouts have been scouring the college ranks since late last year and the body of work on the kids who might be draft picks has really already well established. Whatever happens over the next couple of weeks will be interesting but it can’t cloud opinions that have been formed over months.

It’ll be fun to watch guys like Griffin, Derozan, Henderson and Harden play and to see if they can last through the grind of three weeks of high intensity games but there’s really not a lot that will happen that will change the minds of too many scouts right now.

It’ll be things like private workouts and having dinner with prospects to get a feel for what they’re really like that might change things. What happens on various courts this week is not the most important thing.

Unless, of course, you’ve got a chance to win your pool.

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Speaking of scouting, here’s a typical week for one of the big shot Raptor brainiacs.

They flew this morning to one city like Philly to see a couple of games today, are off to somewhere like Miami tomorrow to see another couple of games and then off to a couple of other cities on the weekend to see more games.

It’s all commercial travel – no charters, no five-star hotels – and I’ll be interested in hearing how they fared living like the common man when it’s all over.

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A quick mail thing on one night, one line, no change

Q: Check out Gerald Wallace's linescore from last night vs. Sacramento: 25pts (on 13 shots!), 12reb (7 off rebs!), 2 blocks, 2 steals, 11 for 11 FTs. Is it safe to say now, in hindsight, that if the TJ-for-Wallace deal was really on the table, then the Raps should have gone for that instead of Jermaine? Or would you rather have Marion? To me, Shawn Marion is great as a complementary player, on a team where others can create. But, on this Raps team, he is not utilized to his full potential because no one can create opportunities for him. Gerald Wallace just gets the ball and goes.....

Don H, Lima, Peru

A: That’s an impressive line, indeed. For a whole game.

The only thing I’ve ever said about Wallace is that his contract – three years after this and almost $30 million – is an albatross so I’d rather have Marion and the financial flexibility his contract presents. I’m not entirely sure Wallace has a long-term position in the NBA and his deal is too constricting.

I’d love to go through his full season of boxscore lines and find one that’s not nearly that good but I don’t have the time. Or the inclination.-

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One place you might want to look for the future is actually the NIT tournament, which is now the very poor cousin to the big dance.

Maybe it’s because we were in Charlotte earlier this week but there’s all kinds of interest in Stephen Curry and his NBA future.

A guy who’s opinion I respect thinks Dell’s kid might be one of the big sleepers in the draft.

He’s not overly quick, not overly big, but he simply knows how to play the game. He’s one of those high basketball IQ guys who overcome some physical limitations to just get the job done.

I’m not sure he fits exactly what the Raptors need – quick, defensive-minded shot creators – but there’s no doubt he’ll be on the board whenever it comes time for Toronto to draft.

And they’ll have to make a decision on him.

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What’s the limit for Our Man Roko?

Q: Hey Doug, if I'm not mistaken, not too long ago you envisioned Roko Ukic as a backup even in his prime. But more recently you have said: "the kid, who I really think is going to be good one day". Have you changed your mind on him? or do you simply mean that you "really think" he will be a good NBA backup guard? Thank

Andrew R, Halifax

A: I’m not sure I ever said he’d be a lifelong backup, actually. And this is all guesswork because no one knows how he’s going to develop with any certainty but with his work ethic, skill level and desire to improve, there’s no reason he can’t be an NBA starter.

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Yes, Marc Iavaroni was indeed at practice yesterday as an interested observer and that’s pretty much what he did.

He was acting as you’d think any “consultant” would, chatting privately with coaches and players and sitting back and getting the lay of the land. Not imposing himself on the work, or the people, just gathering information and forming opinions he’ll share with Bryan later on.

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This is old but maybe someone missed it and I’ll catch them up right now.

In a shocking development, ESPN2 has dropped the Toronto-Washington game next week from its broadcast schedule.

Can you imagine if they hadn’t? Can you imagine someone tuning in looking for a really good Friday night basketball game and getting Raptors-Wizards in what could be one of the most insignificant games in the history of the league?

Yeah, that’d go a long way to enhance Toronto’s reputation around the league, wouldn’t it?

The bad news? They’re sticking with the silly 8 p.m. start time for the game ‘cause they don’t want to screw around with the fans any more than they already have.

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Okay, Super Son’s got the brackets all printed out and we’re ready to roll.

I’m thinking North Carolina, aren’t you?

And I’m thinking it’s a nice day to spend on the couch watching a hoops marathon.

Will report back tomorrow on how we did.

Of coaching decisions and Charlie V's halftime antics

These are relatively boring times, no?

Three days without games – but given the way games have been going I’m not entirely sure that’s a bad thing – but three days to drum up marginally interesting fodder for here.

A quandary, to be sure.

But, because I work hard for the mediocre bucks, it’s a quandary that has to be resolved. And so it shall be:

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This is sort of a list, sort of a rant, sort of an answer to a lot of questions I get

Five factors to figuring out the next coach

Getting along

TONY BOCK/TORONTO STAR

Jay's been working hard in the interim, no doubt.

There’s no question that Bryan Colangelo likes to be involved and that’s not a bad thing, given he’s the boss and all. So whoever sits in that chair is going to have to be willing to listen to advice, discuss suggestions on a daily basis and take time to hear out the guy who hired him.

Does that leave out stubborn veteran coaches who might say: “Just give me players and et out of the way?” Absolutely.

Get a style and stick to it

Whoever gets the gig has to come to camp, having studied the roster and the relative skills of the players and decide right away what kind of team it’s going to be. Defence? Halfcourt? Fast-breaking? Crazy early shots? A team that plays zone a bit or not at all? A team that goes nine or 10 deep?

And then they cannot deviate from it.

Finances

Let’s, for argument’s sake (although I don’t believe it will happen) say that Sam Mitchell doesn’t take a job next year and the Raptors remain on the hook for his whole salary (there will be a reduction in what they owe him commensurate with what he earns from an NBA job).

Does that mean they have to hire on the relative cheap? I’m sure it’ll be a factor in who they might like to look at.

Putting together a staff

If the boss comes to you and says, ‘hey, I really, really think this guy can help you in your job’ and you get along with that guy well, why in the world wouldn’t you do the prudent thing and work with him?

In a perfect world, you’ve got a great teacher, an old hand and a former player on any staff and the head man’s going to have to keep that in mind when picking his assistants.

Get going right away

This maybe more on Bryan than guy coming in but I think it’s absolutely imperative that whoever the coach is, he’s on the job by the first week of June. That may eliminate assistants from the final two or four teams but so be it. The coach, and his assistants, have to be deeply involved in the working out of possible draft picks, the recruitment and selection of free agents, discussions of sign and trade possibilities and whatnot.

He has to hit the ground running.

Now, whether that guy is Jay Triano or Dominic Triano, Flip Saunders or Flip Wilson, Avery Johnson or Avery Brundage, I don’t know at the moment. And I’m quite sure neither does Bryan Colangelo.

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Look, a coaching question:

Q: Another missive bound to be ignored, but in light of your daily and much appreciated contribution to my blogosphere I persist. I read your conjecture on Mark Ivaroni (sic) as lead assistant and recalled Jim Todd's departure, after the club refused to bestow that designation upon him. Does this constitute a shift in the structure of the Raptors coaching staff or just a way to compensate for Jay's relative inexperience and lack of clout?

Matthew H, Kingston

A: I don’t think titles mean a hill of beans and it was only a small – very small –- part of JT’s decision to leave. He’d worked with Sam for about seven years (and trust me, that’s a long time), there were family considerations and it was just time to go.

And if I know people, being called a “lead assistant” is much less important than the annual stipend.

So, no, it doesn’t constitute a huge change in the structure of the staff.

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Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.

This is among the most ridiculous – and telling – things I’ve ever heard.

The Bucks are, what? half a game out of the playoffs, playing one of the best teams in the East at home and at halftime the guy’s goofing on his wireless thing in the locker room?

Unreal.

But it’s not just Charlie. I’m sure hundreds of other guys go check their texts or take their messages every halftime of every game.

They should be all required to leave all their little communications devices in the coach’s office until the game’s over.

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Some big basketball tournament start tomorrow or something? Getting lots of questions on it.

Here’s the deal:

I’ve seen maybe 15 college games this year, what with doing this job and, you know, living a life.

I know about the Griffin kid, likely No. 1 selection, needs shooting range; the guard from Duke and the kid Harden, who when I saw a bit of the Pac-10 final was an absolute non-factor in the offence in the first half, so that’s troubling.

You know I love Dell Curry and think his son Stephen is going to be a Top 10 pick and maybe a big surprise but the kid just knows how to play. But he’s not even in the tournament.

So, to ask who watch is to ask someone who isn’t sure. And since we have no idea where the Raptors will draft, trying to pick and choose the guys to watch is ridiculous.

Enjoy the games, that’s what you should do.

Oh, and when Super Son and I get done our brackets later tonight, we’ll let you know who to cheer most loudly for.

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A list and a question all rolled into one:

Q: Long time reader, not a first time writer, but haven't written in a long long time.

Even though the Raptors had the "best" roster at the beginning of this season it's obvious to see that they are one of the NBA's most underachieved team this season. Name 3 teams that have underachieved and name 3 teams that are overachieving this season whom we probably won't be seeing in the playoffs next season.

Andy C, Toronto

A: I’d say, with a quick glance at the standings, that the underachievers – right now – are Toronto, the Pistons and Phoenix, all of whom expected to be much better than they are at the moment.

Overachievers? I think you can make a case that Charlotte, Milwaukee and Houston are the big surprises given all that they’ve had to go through this year with injuries and trades.

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Some big day for the Irish?

How come everything looks so green today? Is everyone reacting to the new Raptors jerseys? Did I miss a memo or something? Ah, the world’s great mysteries.

Anyway, another dog of a game and I’m up at like 6 a.m. trying to figure out how to get to 1,000 words or so off that piece of poop and, believe me, it’s not easy.

But somehow, magically (maybe there was a leprechaun involved?) it got done:

Ta-da!

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NELL REDMOND/AP

Raps just don't reach down enough.

I think it was Aristotle, or Kevin O’Neill, who kept harping on the same thing night after night.

It’s hard to win any game in the NBA.

It takes dedication, preparation and hard work. Even routs aren’t easy, the mental and physical demands are significant.

The corollary, of course, is that it’s easy to lose any game.

And standing in the hallway of the arena last night it was never more evident that this team takes the easy way out.

It’s part poor preparation, it’s the mental softness that we’ve been talking about all year, it’s the unwillingness to reach down inside at crucial times in games and pull them out.

If you look at the Raptors roster, specifically the starting five, you could make the case that it’s pretty solid. Point guard, power forward, centre? All very, very good. Solid, offensively challenged small forward, veteran shooting guard who should be the conscience of the team.

But I cannot remember a time when a team was less than the sum of its parts. This team always, always takes the easy way, and the easy way is to lose.

Nothing really new there but still quite amazing to watch unfold.

Is it as easily fixed as getting two or three new guys? I think so; I remember having this same feeling at the end of the 2006-07 season and the arrival of Garbo, AP and Ford seemed to get things turned around.

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Action: There was none

Reaction: I've got none.

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You know what was sort of laughable last night? Anyone trying to pass off that lack of hustle and effort as part of back-to-back fatigue.

Let’s see: They played Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and almost all the regulars got the final quarter of a blowout off. They got to Charlotte about 8 p.m. and were in their hotel by 9 at the very latest. They didn’t have a morning shootaround on Monday (tradition for the morning after a game) and had the entire day to rest and get ready.

Tired?

They wanna know tired? Go out singing with Jack and the boys until 2 a.m. and then try to drag your sorry self through a day. That’s tired.

Getting a full night’s sleep and a day off does not lend itself to “back-to-back” fatigue.

Sorry. That’s just lame.

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Let’s start the process now.

Saw Darrick Martin at the game last night – he spends a good chunk of his time these days over in Winston-Salem – and it struck me that it’s about time he began his coaching career.

And why not with the Raptors, as an assistant.

He knows the landscape, the people, the politics of the organization and he knows the game.

I don’t know who is going to be the head coach of the team next season but if I’m Bryan Colangelo, I’d urge whoever it is to take a good, long look at D Mart as a member of his staff.

I think every staff needs a former player as an assistant – especially one recently removed from the game – because there’s a connection there that I think is necessary.

And having a former player as an assistant who’s familiar with the surroundings is another big plus.

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Speaking of a coaching staff, let’s re-visit this:

Q: Can you clarify your comments about Iavaroni and Carlisemo? Are you suggesting that next year's coaching staff could consist of Triano (Head), Iavaroni (Asst.) and Carlisemo (Asst.)? What would each man bring to the team that may not have been there this year? What would this mean for the existing staff?

Matthew S, Thornhill

A: Thought I made myself clear, but I guess not.

No, if they are going to keep Jay, and that chance does exist no matter how many of you hate it with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns, I can see them adding only Iavaroni to his staff. But, if that’s going to happen, I think they should consider P.J. and take of the two.

The existing staff?

I think it’s been obvious since last December that neither Alex English nor Mike Evans, both of whom were passed over for the interim gig, are going to be back, I can see Gord Herbert sticking around, Erik Hughes could keep his gig as a basketball development consultant and Micah Nori should return as an advance scout at the very least.

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You know what else was sort of laughable last night?

That whoever does the counting somehow came up with an attendance figure 11,349. If there were 7,500 in the joint, I’d be stunned.

Say what you will about fans in Toronto, if the Raptors were half a game out of the playoffs, even with a relatively putrid record of 10 games under .500, the joint would be packed.

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Hey, folks, the whole Shutting Down Pops thing yesterday? Facetious. A joke. A snarky remark aimed at those who would take good, healthy players and hold them out of games for no real reason.

I think my thoughts on stuff like that are pretty clear.

So, chill.

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Here’s what was happening in the paper down here today.

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This, among others I’m still goofing around on, was left over from the various “lists” questions I’ve got saved. And seeing how there’s never going to be enough to carry this thing talking solely about the Raptors, get used to stuff like this:

Q: With the season down the shoot, I’ll challenge you to 2 new lists: 5 best and worst sports cities right now. TO has to be close to the worst. The Jays stink, have a GM fans don't trust and are close to having to ship out their best player and rebuild. The Raps stink, appear destined to lose their best player and rebuild again. The Leafs are already in full rebuilding mode. And Toronto's attempt at hosting the NFL was a raging disaster. Are there North American sports fans that have it worse right now?

John U, Toronto

A: You make a pretty good point. But how’d you like to be in Seattle where the Mariners suck, the Seahawks were a disappointment and the NBA team left town? That’d have to be on a list, wouldn’t it?

We’ll do a more complete one during the week when I get a chance to really look at things but I can’t imagine any city beating Boston as the best right now.