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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Comments

[Dennis]

There's no way the pizza promotion is going to stop, nor should it. The fans at the game seem to love it. What's so bad about making your customers happy? MORE FREE PIZZA!!

[Peter]

Hey Doug, great blog, keep it up!

You gotta love a blowout, and I hope people aren't too quick to say "Oh, it's only the Clippers," because I seem to remember the Raptors losing to the Thunder this year. You gotta play ahrd every night, and I hope the Raps can bring a few more wins before they head to the lottery.

That being said, my favourite part of the game was Jose's dunk!

[John C]

Re: Bringing back Camby.

It would be ironic if the Raps traded for Camby to act as a veteran "Grown up" on this team, since they originally traded him to get another "grown up" presence in Oakley.

Great idea...would love to see it.

[Steve]

I couldn't help but chuckle when they showed the Punjabi broadcast on the board during the game. Why? Because we can put the Raps game on whatever network they were on and send it around the world but we still can't get TSN2 around the corner. What a joke.

[Paul]

re: Pizza, I think they have a box you can drop your ticket in to give the slice to a shelter / feed the homeless, so they aren't all bad, you know.

It's better than during the K. O'Neill era, when they had to do random draws of a point level to grant you pizza (they were never going to get over 100 back then...)

[fg]

how can you idiots say they are better without bargs. Its pathetic and classless, geez the clippers... the raps beat san antonio without calderon and bosh, why dont you say that they are more happy and comfortable without those too .. and there building around them.. incredible, geez some fans are riduculous. in an 82 game and playoff series you need everyone. its so annoying how people are willing to call shots after one game, oh hey pops played good, so lets sign him for 5 million right.... that was a joke, just like banks getting 5 million at one point... ive never been more annoying by my fellow raps fans like this season. and the whole bargs out talk is becoming the final straw for my patience. these people come out with stupid remarks and conclusions. teams always win without there star player at times. takes a team to win.

[Richard Wertheim]

It's been suggested before, I believe, but if you are going to do the pizza promo thing, then better to base it on defensive excellence. Award the pizza if the Raps hold an opponent to under...say 85 points or perhaps less than 40% from shooting. And, either way, how about limiting the pizza to only when the Raps win? It is totally awful to have fans cheering for the pizza when the team is getting blown out.

[Mat S.]

come on Doug, you look like you've had your share of pizza, what else is there to get excited about watching the raps and clips on a Sunday afternoon?

[Michael]

Hey Doug,

You won't able to see any game from Harden anymore because I believe his team lost over the weekend. So his team is eliminated? And yes G Henderson did play well. I thought Harden will be the player to pick if the raps have a chance but it seems Henderson's stock is going up now.

Did you mention that the raps scouting or manager went to see the NCAA basketball games? Do you know any specific games or player they were trying to watch?

Blogger's note: They had someone in every region

[SY]

Doug,

According to HoopsHype, Camby's salary for next year is only 7.65 million so that's just 1.5 million more than Kapono's. As you said, I think B.C. should definitely ask for him...it's the Clippers so anything could happen.

-SY

Blogger's note: Hoopshype is wrong

[Anne MacKay]

Has anyone considered that the fans are cheering for the century mark rather than the pizza?
I have always felt this way especially when I lived closer to Toronto and used to go to the games regularly.
My sons would get elated whwn the Raps reached the century mark and it had absolutely nothing to do with the pizza.
It irritates me Doug that you make such a big deal over such a small thing. Like, don't sweat the small stuff!

[Ryan]

How about the fans get pizza if the raps score 50 or more by half time?

[James C.]

Be careful of players like Camby who tells us now that he loves Toronto. He plays for the Clippers - a mishmash of malcontents and forever promising draftees who become tainted by the personal agendas and the jealousies (of the cross-town Lakers). If you were him, anywhere else is better but do we remember how he left town in the first place - too soft, questionable attitude, bad shooting mechanics ... has anything really changed in the past 11 yrs? As much as he can be a stopgap player for us in the paint, there are better choices for his $9.6MM price tag .. but then again our con-man made us believe that JO at over double the price was the answer...

Blogger's note: I'll just correct your revisionist history there. Camby left because they could get Charles Oakley for him.

[Naveen Fletcher]

I was just wondering if anyone knew when Brian Colangelo's contract expires. Is there any way to fire this man? I don't know who's more of a Raptor killer, Kobe, Vince Carter or Colangelo?

Kobe seems to take multiple shots in 1 short game, dropping 81 on Toronto like it's routine. Carter always seems to hit those key clutch buckets on us near the end of the game, and Colangelo has been hurting us all season long from the inside. I'm from Ontario, but it's hard to support the Raptors, with this backstabbing man on their team.

[Doug]

people can complain all they want about the Pizza thing, but think about this, next year in the NBA there will be a tsunami of teams that are going to be in grave financial straits the Raps won't be one of them..so if promotions grate on you then remember its keeping the team financially healthy..

also as far as Harden goes I said last week the NCAA tourney would expose him and it has he was a total bust, Thabeet, Blair, are making a market for themselves, and no one mentions Hill PF for Arizona a hell of a player and will or could go as high as 2nd,3rd....

saw T.J. Ford was up to his old tricks he an Jack had a in-game on floor argument had to be separated, T.J. just being T.J.....

anyone want to read a good column read this by Bill Simmons on Espn a few weeks ago but appropriate since the Clips and Dunleavy were in town yesterday, its funny, insightful, dripping with sarcasm, just a fun, good read...called "The Dumbleavy era"

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090311&sportCat=nba

[Eden]

With respect too the pizza being given if the raps hold the other team to a certain score: How would it look if the raps lost but held the other team to a certain score. Cheering at the end of the game? Would kind of defeat the purpose of the pizza in the first place, which to me is 2-fold. 1) Fan appreciation/giveway 2) Getting the crowd involved. I think when this giveaway occurred, it was under the assumption that if the raps get too 100 points, it would be a close game and the fans would get even more involved.

@ Eric
I have heard some dumb statements made in the comments section, but never have I seen someone state something as inane as you wrote. You may very well be the winner for the dumbest thing I will ever read in this comments section.

[WA]

Doug, how about the fans get pizza if the Raps score 100 in 3 quarters? Wouldn't that gauarantee that it would at least require 100 SHATS per game?

[Tom]

I'd give up pretty much anything for Griffin and a rotation player, he looks like a great prospect indeed. It's been years since I've seen someone played so physically at the college level. He's continually battered and bruised, but still delivers.

As for Nate Jawai going back to Idaho from Toronto? Chipper Jones would be so lucky....at least there is an International House of Pancakes there somewhere, I'm sure.

[Chris]

how about if fans get pizza if they go to a pizza joint and buy it?

[Jack]

So it has come to this. The only exciting thing to talk about the Raptors is the free pizza promotion. That's how pathetic they became.

[Justin]

What is your problem if the fans are happy about getting pizza? The tickets are expensive, the games are not always good, but at least sometimes we get a little something extra. If you don't like it, plug your ears when the Raps get to 100. Don't fault a sponsor for wanting to support the Raptors.

[Jason]

I can't believe there is people out there who support this pizza thing.
Cheering loudly for a slice of cardboard that maybe 5% of the crowd actually cashes in is absurd. Its disrespecting the players and the game when you boo a missed shot that would have made 100 points.
I was at a game when the game was out of hand and everyone is screaming to jack up a shot for free pizza rather than respect the opponent and dribble out the clock. This kind of action is disrepectful every the game.
Its similar to what Don Cherry says and that is you don't show up the other team, the game, or your teammates. By cheering or booing for pizza is showing up the game.

[Moe]

Hey Doug.

Love the blog. What do you think of Shaq becoming the 5th leading scorer in NBA history the other night? How will he be viewed (strictly as a player) when he retires? How could have he been viewed if he wasn't injured or didn't miss 5,000 free throws in his career?

Thanks

Blogger's note: Surefire Hall of Famer, one the best five centres to ever play

[jimmie]

Pizza = stupid. But really not worth fretting over. I did enjoy the sarcastic/ironic cheerleading by the guys on the bench when that last shot went through, though. It's pretty obvious the players think it's bush-league, too.

Bargnani as outcast? Come on. I love how people can watch a bunch of people they don't know on a TV set that shows their facial expressions once in a 48-minute game and can deduce from that his teammates don't like Bargnani. And blaming the team's production on him as some kind of lockerroom cancer? Cripes, some fans will sink to any depth. He's having his best consistent production as a pro since JO left, has become the legit 2nd scoring option many have been waiting for, has gotten eons better on defense, and people want to cut him up for that???

I've said it before on this forum, but it's really no wonder good players leave Toronto when the fan support they get is what's been shown to Bosh, Bargnani, and Calderon this year...

[chili]

Hey Doug,
What's the date when the underclassmen can declare their intentions of joining the NBA draft?

Blogger's note: April 26 to get in, June 15 to get out