Jose tops our little world today

As has been said before,

Well, well, well. What have we here?

Not the greatest of weekend games – shoddy in Denver, thuggish in Orlando – but, to some minds at least, very, very compelling post-season basketball and enough great storylines that we’d like to see both of these series go to seven games.

Not sure that’s going to happen but if they continue to give us this kind of entertainment, this could be a heckuva week.

And a heckuva time to be doing something crazy like in-game blogs, which will have in this very corner of the interweb tonight some around 9. As the wise man once said, dontcha dare miss it!

CARLOS OSARIO/TORONTO STAR

With Jose taking a rest maybe emailers will do the same.

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But first

Not sure how many of you will have seen this but here’s Jose’s definitive word on his summer plans, news sure to warm the cockles of many a heart.

It goes with what we’ve been writing and what I’ve been expecting since I conversation I had with him in early March. It also goes with what Bryan said after the season ended and what Jose said at the same time.

The decision makes entire sense – he needs the rest, he knows it, EuroBasket in Poland is hardly the Olympics – but one of the more significant aspects is that it leaves open the chance to return.

And with Spain being awarded the 2014 world championships on the weekend, I can see Jose back in the red and gold for the 2012 London Games and an international swansong in front of adoring home fans a couple of years later.

But for now? Now he did the logical thing but, before anyone goes all nuts on me, I would have been fine had he decided to play.

There has been all sorts of Jose reputation besmirching going on in the comments section here and the e-mails you don’t see. Can you all please give it a rest for a while? Thanks.

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Now …

About last night

Help!!!

I don’t want to say we’re seeing a fatal flaw in the Cleveland Cavaliers because they remain just one good game from making the Eastern Conference final even more compelling but there is no question weaknesses have become apparent.

Look at LeBron’s numbers – 41 last night, 35 in Game 2, 49 in Game 1 – and then look at the most important numbers: Orlando 2, Cleveland 1.

That’s an average of  40.7 41.7 points per game according to my abacus (and I apparently need a new abacus) and still, there is a case to be made that this series is now Orlando’s to lose.

Mo Williams has been an afterthought, Zydrunas Ilguaskas can’t draw Dwight Howard away from the basket to create space and hasn’t been knocking down open shots when he gets them and the point guard play has been abysmal.

The Cavs rolled through the regular season on momentum and the singular talents of James; the Magic seem quite content to let him get his and take everything else away, a strategy that’s working almost perfectly.

I wonder how he’s going to like playing with the same cast of questionable talent – or a cast of even more questionable talent – in New York in 2010?

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Red Hot Rafer

About 10 minutes into last night, when Skip was four-for-for from the floor, I turned to Super Dog (she and I seemed the only ones interested in the game at Casa Doug) and said: “If he’s making shots, no way Orlando loses.”

Super Dog scratched her ear, turned away and, I believe, said, “you, my Human, are very, very smart.”

But seriously, folks, Alston has comported himself almost perfectly so far in this series; getting the right guy the ball at the right time, staying out of the way and knocking down timely shots.

He remains a rather emotional sort – the slap Eddie House’s head made a lot of us go, ‘hey, there’s Rafer!” – but you have to give him credit. He’s making the right plays at the right time almost all the time.

And he’s treating Delonte West like he’s some CBAer.

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How do the stories play out in the papers.

Well, Brian puts some historical spin on it in Cleveland.

And Brian plays the supporting cast card in Orlando.

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Let’s do one from the mail because it’s timely:

Q: Would you say that the Magic's experiences in the first two round have allowed them to grow into contenders right in front of us? It seems like all the blown leads, and players calling out coaches, and all the big games against the Celts, have helped mature and prepare the Magic for the playoffs where as the Cav's had no adversity. It's like they have developed a new mental toughness through their pervious games.

Jeffrey M, Beijing

A: When Orlando blew that 18 point lead, I think it was, in the very first game out of the box, a lot of people – including me – saw that as what might have been their ultimate flaw, the inability to stand prosperity.

They still don’t do it well – and that’s why this series may still have some legs – but the way they responded after the crushing loss in Game 5 against Boston showed me something, the way they went into Boston and won Game 7 with relative ease and the way they hung in there in Cleveland to open this series has diminished those thoughts.

I don’t know what it is, exactly, that turns men’s minds from mush to tough but it’s happened with the Magic. Maybe it’s simply experience and momentum – you win a tough game and the next time it’s easier – but they simply do not get rattled any more.

I suppose that should give hope to fans of other teams, that sometimes something just clicks at the most important moment.

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Hey, Raptor fans:

My fearless prediction, based on nothing more than a gut feeling and a few very quick conversations I’ve had with a few people over the last week or so, is that Marc Iavaroni will be on staff by the end of the week.

And I also think the rest of the staff will be in place; all I have to do now is figure out who that’ll be. Guess I know what today’s job is.

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About tonight

I’m not sure the Nuggets can play much worse than they did in Game 3 (and neither is George Karl according to Benjamin’s story) with below average performances from Chauncey and Carmelo and a reliance on three-point shooting that bordered on the ridiculous.

But I also wonder how they’ll respond. For all the veterans they have, the Nuggets have never been in a situation like this – heck, they hadn’t even won a playoff series for about a billion years before this year – and the Lakers still have that Bryant fellow.

It is not a stretch to say this is the most important game Carmelo Anthony has ever played in his NBA career, wonder what he’s got in his heart?

I’m sticking with my Noogies (and can you imagine the angst the NBA and it’s television “partners” are feeling at the prospects of a Denver-Orlando final?) so Carmelo better do something.

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The Goods On The Game, NBA playoffs May 24

A so-so game but still a lot of drama, and blown plays

Even when the games are bad, they’re good.

Game 3 of Lakers-Nuggets was hardly played at fever pitch or with great aplomb but you have to admit, it still had some drama down the stretch.

Put it with the first two in the East and the other two in the West and we’ve got some major league compelling conference finals going on. And I have a suspicion we’re in for more as they progress and a couple of long, close, entertaining series.

Which is about all you can ask for.

Don’t forget, we’ll be back around these parts tonight sometime around 8 to chronicle the latest installment of Cavs-Magic and to see what kind of stuff LeBron can conjure up this time.

Until then …

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About last night

Get some work done

If George Karl and his staff aren’t sitting in some room right now devising ways to GET THE FREAKING BALL INBOUNDS, I’d be amazed.

Two losses, both turning on blown inbounds plays in the dying seconds, the first because they had 5-1 Anthony Carter trying to make the pass and the second because Kenyon Martin lollygagged a pass about a yard out of the reach of its intended target.

This, after minutes earlier, Denver had to blow a timeout because the five-second clock was running out.

Incredible.

The troubling part – and I’m sure a whole lot of coaches out there might be able to explain it but I can’t figure out – is why all the Nugget guards and small forwards (the guys you’d like to actually catch the ball) are headed to the backcourt rather than to the sideline or the basket.

Heading to midcourt, if the pass is stolen, like it has been twice, leads to a clear path to the basket; at least if you’re going to blow the play and the guards are coming to the ball or moving towards the basket you’re trying to score on, committing a foul becomes a little bit easier.

But what do I know.

All I know is if you cannot get the ball in during crucial moments, you cannot win.

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Strange non-calls

This whole “what’s a flagrant foul and what isn’t?” seems to have confused me, you, players, coaches and, apparently, every official tooting a whistle these days.

And nothing was worse than the punk – and dangerous – move Dahntay Jones laid on Kobe Bryant last night.

A two-hand shove in the middle of the back when Bryant was already in the air?

Tell me – please, tell me – that isn’t a flagrant foul, which is defined by the league as “flagrant foul-penalty (1) is unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.”

You think it was necessary that Jones, badly beaten on a play, reach up and push an airborne guy in the middle of the back?

Yeah, right.

I’ll tell you what, and Jeff Van Gundy made this point immediately on the broadcast and he’s dead-on right, if Bryant had fallen hard into the stanchion or to the floor, that would have been a flagrant foul.

And the refs would have gotten it right.

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Where’d they go?

The most shocking thing about last night’s game? The non-factors that Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups were.

Now, I don’t think this is going to be a regular thing, both of them are too good to be bad for too long, but for the biggest game of the year, they should have been better.

No field goals in the second half for Anthony after a blistering first quarter? More turnovers in the first quarter than he’d had combined in the first two games by Billups?

What'd the Lakers do to Carmelo? Let's let them tell you.

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On the other hand …

There is no one – and it’s not even remotely close – that I’d rather have with the ball and the game on the line than Kobe Bryant.

Forget LeBron James, never mind Anthony or Billups or Nash or Dirk or any of them.

No one makes plays bigger plays more often than Bryant

And, judging by his comments here, he loves it.

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Quick digression for a worthy cause one last time.

Me, 100 holes of golf, one day, one loooooooooong day on the links.

As I said earlier, it could set the cause of recreational golf back a decade or two but me and my mashie and my niblick and a couple of boxes of balls are off to take part in the Spina Bifida and Hyrdocephalus Association’s major fund-raiser.

Raising money for something close to my heart. And my family.

This is the last time I’ll bother you with this but if you can find a way to slide a donation in, a whole lot of people will appreciate, most of all me.

You can donate by credit credit card at 1-800-387-1575 or 416-214-1056 or go here and follow the icon you see at the left.

All tax deductible.

Me? Well, I’ve hit balls a couple of times and the old gentle fade is in mid-season form. I figure if I get 100 holes in and break 500, I’ve done well. If you give money, you’ll have done well, too.

Thanks.

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About two nights ago

This is old but so am I so stick with me here.

I want the next guy who tells me how the league fixes games to ensure the most marketable matchup to remember this: The refs called LeBron James for – of all things – travelling, at home, in a tie game, with 30.9 seconds left in the most significant game of the season for the Cavs. Traveling! At home! Tie game! Half a minute left!

That’s was a gutsy – and correct – call. But not one you’d think would be made.

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NBA playoffs, May 23

The weekly mail for whenever you like (rant alert near the top!)

It’s going to get pretty busy around here in the next little while, what with the in-game blog in half an hour or so and the insightful commentary that’ll come in the morning and then another game last night (not to mention a baseball practice I have to coach mid-day Sunday). This can sit if you like, to give you something to work through tomorrow or it’ll get you all pumped up for the next few hours.

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Q: Gotta ask- Whose idea was it to start the daily blog to begin with? Yours or the Star's? It's certainly worked out well for both you and your employer, I'm just curious as to its origin.

Dave G, Toronto

A: I’m not entirely sure who the genius was, but I want to meet him and give him a piece of my mind! (I joke).

This actually started as a once-a-week thing known as Nothin’ But (Inter)Net to replace what used to be a notes page item in the newspaper. Then it somehow evolved into a Monday notebook and a Friday mailbag; some wisenheimer decided to make it five days a week with some notes and Raptor practice stuff added and, -- Presto! Changeo! – here we are. Six, often seven days a week with in-game stuff thrown in for good measure.

But I believe, ultimately, I’m responsible. I guess it’s good that we “engage” the readers like this but, and I’ve got to be honest here, I’d like some of those “engagements” to be estrangements.

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Q: Doug, I read your blog, NBA.com and realgm every day. (I live in Beijing, China so I also check out CNN and CBC every day to stay connected). I suspect I spend an hour to 2 hours a day reading various articles. I have renewed interest in my Jays, and I have started reading Richard Griffin's blog as well. My question is, what websites, do you check on a regular/daily basis to say connected? Do you read up on all sports or just focus on bball? Are there certain writers you check out on a regular basis? To check out the competition? Also, with respect to the draft are there any mock draft websites that you give more credence/ creditability to? or are they all just wild guesses

Jeffrey M, Beijing

A: I might have gone through this a couple of times in the past but why not once more?

I read the websites of the local papers to see if they’ve got something Raptor-related I don’t and I read TrueHoop on ESPN.com without fail every day. I read ESPN.com and SI.com daily, for all sports, actually; and during the regular season I like to check the sites of the teams the Raptors are playing in the next couple of nights. I usually take a run through HoopsHype because it seems to be the best clearing house of stuff from the around the league.

General sports news? A fair amount, I guess; besides the online and NBA columnists around the league, I’ll try to see what my favourites – guys like Mike Wilbon in the Washington Post and George Vescey in the New York Times are writing and the NBA guys I admire most from newspaper sites are Bob Ryan in Boston and Mark Heisler in L.A.

But I do not, practically ever, look at the websites of the broadcast outlets in Toronto because if you can find a basketball story on their sites, I can practically guarantee is either some lame follow to a story one of us broke or something regurgitated from somewhere else or something written by someone with an opinion based on no research.

This is not to denigrate Paul Jones or Jack Armstrong or Eric Smith; but to let their bosses know they are missing out on a great opportunity because they are myopic followers rather than media leaders. I always thought part of the responsibility we have is to lead and to educate, rather than simply regurgitate what’s already been on highlight shows and the internet.

I would think the pucks-centric men – and they are almost all middle-aged men – who run the broadcast outlets here would realize the hockey people are still going to watch and listen but if you want to expand your listener base or viewership, giving something to people they can’t get anywhere else might be a good idea.

End of rant.

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Q: A "Where are they now?" Draft related question: Remon Van de Hare. Drafted 52nd in 2003 from Spain. Seeing as Bryan Colangelo is no stranger to looking to fill holes from the international pool of talent, I was wondering whatever happen to this guy. Not that I'm suggesting that he be brought in next season. Just curious. Also, I had no idea that the Raptors picked up a guy named Doug Smith in the expansion draft for their inaugural 1995 season. Drafted 6th overall by Dallas in the 1991 draft. He was then released shortly there after never even playing a game for the Dinos.

Anthony R, Mississauga

A: Without knowing much about Remon Van de Hare, I will say with great conviction that he was a non-entity the day they drafted him and is even more of a non-entity today. I have no idea where he is and an not going to expend any energy finding gout and I would suggest you not, either.

He will go to an NBA game when he buys a ticket, like so many of the obscure-bordering-on-ridiculous other second-round draft picks this franchise has made or acquired.

And, yes, Doug Smith. A former sixth overall pick out of Missouri by the Mavs, played almost 300 regular season games in four seasons in Dallas and one in Boston. Was an expansion draft pick in Toronto for cap purposes only and was waived before ever setting foot in Toronto. Have his basketball card, though.

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Q: This is regards to the question asked about when NBA players reach their prime. Specifically, do you believe Bosh has reached his? I'm hopeful that he can become a much better defender, and maybe raise his assists. Is it to much to expect or is this a natural progression for a young power forward to develop defense later in his career?

Jim D, Toronto

A: I don’t think he’s reached his prime at all, the kid’s only 25 years old, for goodness sake. So, yes, there is a natural growth, mentally and physically, that has years and years to go.

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Q: In regards to talks about the possible sign and trade scenario with Shawn Marion. What I don't understand is why would another team want to trade for him when they can simply sign him as a free agent? Is it simply the fact of the other team getting rid of some cap space? If so, who would be the front runners

Serge A, Richmond Hill

A: There are no “front-runners,” you’re about six weeks early; let’s let teams draft before they worry about July’s free agency. And teams would obtain players in sign-and-trades so they can either move players and/or salary out.

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Q: Hi Doug, I'm not sure if you can put a number on this, but what the heck. When grading potential draftees, what percentage of that grade will be based on scouting reports collected over the course of that player's college career, and what percentage will be based on what that player shows during the private workout with the team? 80 and 20?

Jay B, Toronto

A: Yeah, you’re right, putting a number on it is impossible. But we try to do the impossible here so I’ll say 85-15 in favour of the knowledge already gleaned through repeated scouting trips.

Great game ends a quiet day

Not much going on; was quite the slow Thursday and today’s going to be pretty much the same, I fear. And with some shenanigans to get up to this afternoon and tonight, I have a feeling tomorrow might be a wee bit sluggish as well.

But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do – there’s always at least a little bit to write about – and if you get bored, don’t forget to come up with a question for the mailbag, which could use some filling up.

And so …

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About last night

Should be 2-0?

That was pretty darn good execution at both ends by the Nuggets down the stretch and that horrific pass by Anthony Carter notwithstanding, this thing could be 2-0 Denver.

The one biggest surprise in the final few frantic possessions was what a great job Denver did on Kobe, who remains the most dangerous closer in the game.

With the outcome on the line, the Lakers had to settle for a bad Fisher miss, a costly Bryant turnover and a last-gasp Fisher airball.

No shots for Kobe? No chance.

And the Nuggets – who used to be mocked for their defence – put that one away with stops. Go figure.

Don’t think they haven’t noticed in L.A., either. Check out Mr. Heisler’s take on it right here.

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Jumping for joy (or not)

Find it kind of interesting that the first two games in the conference final have had at their pivotal moments jump balls, one of the most contentious and difficult plays to conduct fairly in the game.

Not only is tossing the ball one of the things referees do worst in the league – it’s never close to the same, some of them have a hard time throwing it up straight – the jostling for position makes it look like a rugby scrum or – egads! – a hockey faceoff.

And watching last night when JR Smith blatantly cut across the circle to try to steal the tip – while to two other refs were, perhaps, napping – was quite something.

I still hate the alternate possession rule that the NCAA uses because it denies one team even a chance at getting possession but NBA officials really have to work on conducting jump balls.

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Best thing about the two games so far?

Every team’s bee in the 100s. Still lots of good defence but some great offence; I’m going to take a 107-106 game over an 85-84 game every day of the week and I think the offensive skills on display have made these games even better.

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I was wondering how long it would take either Denver or Orlando to play the “league doesn’t want us in the final because it’s not Kobe and LeBron” card.

Kenyon Martin trotted it out last night it seems in this piece.

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If there’s any word of enhanced relationships between the United States and Korea these days, two words to explain: Jason Kapono.

Am told JK’s over in Korea doing some clinics as part of his gig with a shoe company and I’m pretty sure he can reach people at a level far, far above anything any politician could do.

And I’m also pretty sure there are some nifty golf courses over there and I’d expect he’s taken a chance to check some of them out.

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Other Raptors news? Um, none.

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Bush league move of the conference finals so far? Read somewhere that at the practice between Games 1 and 2 of the Western final, Denver’s Anthony Carter showed up, blew off the media and wouldn’t talk about Game 1.

Seeing how he’d made the one big mistake that perhaps cost his team the game, standing up and explaining what happened was something he should have done.

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I think it should be hugely interesting to see how the Cavaliers respond tonight.

First time they’ve been behind in a series, of course; first time they’ve even been remotely challenged in the playoffs; will they respond with a great game or try to press?

There’s an inordinate amount of pressure on the Cavs to win – because everyone thinks they should, because of having the best record in the league, because they were 43-2 at home before Wednesday, because if they don’t win the whole LeBron-is-leaving-in-2010 becomes an issue.

Are they mature enough to react the right way?

And from the“duh!” school of headlines, check out this story in the local rag.

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Anyway, rather short and sweet today; have things to go do, including stopping by a Canada Basketball bun toss this morning where they’ll lay out the plans for the summer.

Most of the plans are rather ambitious, which is a good thing, and hopefully we can introduce you to a group of under-19 gals and girls who’ll be at the world championships later this summer.

Then? Some R and R and another night off; I’ll be back for Game 3 of Denver-LA tomorrow night though; hopefully we’ll see some of you around then.

An entirely predictable result, wasn't it? (I joke)

Well, well, well.

What do we have here?

Orlando 107, Cleveland 106?

Hmm.

Not that it really means anything because there still is a lot of life left in the series but still …

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About last night

One for the son

Remember how we pointed out the Malone vs. Malone coaching situation in this series? You have to give Round1 to Mike (and by extension Mike Brown) even if they didn’t win the game.

Having LeBron guard Rafer – or not guard him is probably the more appropriate term given how James simply floated in the paint most of the night – gave the Cavs what amounted to an extra defender so they could double Howard and still get to the shooters.

There was no way Rafer, if he got past James as he did a few times, was going to get very much at the rim with 7-foot-a-billion Zydrunas Ilgauskas back there, either.

Helluva move.

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One for the dad

Remember who we pointed out that Malone vs. Malone coaching situation in this series?

You have to give Round 1A to Brendan (and by extension Stan Van Gundy) because they made a counter move that might have won them the game.

Going with a No Point Guard lineup for a few minutes late in the fourth quarter made the Cavs guard everyone on the floor seriously and created space for Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu to operate.

Helluva move.

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Another big gig

So, how about that news on Jay, eh?

That’s a pretty good gig with USAB for the summer, even if it is just for a four-day camp with no serious competition. Just being in that atmosphere, working with the up-and-coming stars who’ll be at that camp has to help (a) his profile, (b) the profile of the Raptors organization and (c) Jay’s coaching abilities.

You may not know what you learn at things like this but you learn something.

The interesting thing will be what comes next.

Does USAB, which has now seen fit to have Jay work with the select team that played against the 2008 Olympians and now lead the coaching staff of the group that could make up the bulk of the 2010 worlds and 2012 London Games team, think enough of him to give him a job as an assistant with those future teams? I don’t think it’d be politically acceptable for a Canadian to be the head coach but I do think they could put him on the staff. And wouldn’t that be interesting, if he got a medal at an Olympics or a worlds in which Canada didn’t even compete?

Interesting, indeed.

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Happy

Check out Brian’s piece in the Orlando fishwrap today; the Magic seem quite impressed with themselves.

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Sad

And then read this and wonder if the flags will be at half-staff throughout the city.

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Okay, let’s dispel a myth, or at least bust the chops of some fans out there.

Let’s say the Raptors decide they have a guy they like best and we’ll call him Mr. Mid-First.

It comes time to make the No. 9 selection on June 25 and, lo and behold, Mr. Mid-First is there but so are Mr. Highly Touted and Mr. Amazing Athleticism, both of whom are touted by people at, oh, let’s say, web sites, as top 10 selections.

If you’re the Raptors, you take Mr. Mid-First because he’s your guy right? And if he’s your guy, who cares what the people say, right? So, if you’re filling my in-box with notes that say, they need trade back to get Mr. Mid-First, why not just take him at No. 9 if he’s the guy they want?

After all, if it’s the guy they think fits best, who gives a rat’s bum what the “experts” say?

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Okay folks, digression time.

For some reason – mostly personal and also because Velvet Toned Eric Smith asked me – I’m going to try something entirely silly next Tuesday.

Play 100 holes of golf in a day.

Yeah, I know. It could set the cause of recreational golf back a decade or two but me and my mashie and my niblick and a couple of boxes of balls are off to take part in the Spina Bifida and Hyrdocephalus Association’s major fund-raiser. God save Streetsville Glen.

The point?

The point is, and I’ve never done this here but what the hell, is that it’s a fund-raiser. And given Super Son had a mild case of spina bifida at birth (a tethered cord miraculously fixed by the absolute brilliance of the doctors at Sick Kids), I’m all for fund-raising for these folks.

Now, and I mean this honestly, I know times are tough and no one’s got much cash so don’t donate if you can’t. But if you can, here are a couple of ways to do it:

(a) by credit card, 1-800-387-1575 or 416-214-1056

(b) or go here to the website; there's on online doation icon on the left; feel free to donate all you can

Thanks. A lot

Of course, it’s tax deductible and it will be really, really appreciated.

Now, pardon the intrusion by Serious Life Crap Doug; we’ll return you to Dopey Basketball Doug.

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So, you wondering what the Raptor folks are doing now to get ready for the draft and that No. 9 selection.

Well, they’re actually spread out all over the continent. Bryan took off after the lottery to go see workouts in California or somewhere, Jay met up with Jim Kelly in Vegas and he may head to L.A. as well; Masai Ujuri and Marc Eversely are traversing the United States seeing workouts conducted by agents and teams.

Nothing much ever comes out of these sessions in the form of, you know, news or anything but if there are snippets, we’ll try to get ‘em to you.

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And, finally, we’re going to go in-game blog free for the next couple of nights, I’m afraid. (Well, actually, I’m not afraid, I presume some of you will greet that news with screams of delight). Got a couple of things on the books that’ll keep out nights. But we will be back Saturday for Game 3 of the L.A.-Denver series.

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The Goods On The Game, NBA playoffs, May 20

Of games of skill and games of chance

Not a bad night, eh? No big Raptors news but the lottery was marginally entertaining with all the movement up and down and then a corker of a game to start what could be an excellent, long series.

The news for the locals was entirely blah but at least it leaves open room for rampant speculation before the June 25 draft and you know how much we love rampant speculation in these parts.

But that’s for tomorrow and the next few weeks. For now, there’s this and a reminder that we’ll be here just before the 8:30 start of Cleveland-Orlando tonight to check out Game 1 of the Eastern Final.

See you then.

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About last night

Welcome back

The most significant thing for the Lakers in that narrow win must have been the reappearance of Derek Fisher, or at least the reappearance of Derek Fisher’s jump shot.

I don’t think he had lost it – more like it had gone on vacation – but for him to hit three of six three-pointers was a sign that whatever funk he was in against Houston may have be lifting.

And since the Lakers are getting nothing from Andrew Bynum and practically less than nothing from the bench, guys like Fisher and Trevor Ariza are going to have to provide some offence to backup Kobe Bryant.

Fisher may not continue to shoot as he did last night – you can be sure the Nuggets will pay closer attention as he drifts into that corner for a three than they did last night – but if he’s even a threat, it’s a boost.

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Oh yeah …

That’s why the overwhelming majority of NBA people say Kobe Bryant is the best closer in the game today.

Eighteen of his 40 in the final quarter, six straight free throws to seal the deal in a nailbiter, defended Carmelo Anthony better in the fourth than any other Laker could on a night when Anthony was virtually unstoppable

You can argue LeBron vs. Kobe until the cows come home; I want Bryant when the game’s on the line. Always have. Expect I always will.

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About the Nuggets

They get 39 from Carmelo, their bigs dominate, the bench runs amok and they still blow a five-point lead in the last few minutes? Yeah, that one’s got to hurt.

And while I can sort of understand why George Karl would have Anthony Carter in the game in crucial situation, there is no way I’d have him inbounding the ball when he did to set up the crucial Ariza steal.

I think in that situation, you want guys capable of handling the ball out on the court, not standing out of bounds trying to make a pass.

Big mistake at a critical moment; the kind that costs teams games.

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Right. The lottery (did you think I forgot?) 

Big deal, eh?

Go in No. 9, come out No. 9.

But a few random thoughts:

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Get a grip

Love the e-mails overnight that suggest if Bryan doesn’t get this guy or that guy, he’s somehow failed at this year’s draft.

Memo to sillyheads: It’s not up to him. The worst part about being No. 9 is you react, rather than act. Doesn’t matter if you love Joe Blow if the team taking him No. 7 loves him, too. You’re screwed.

And, as the GM has said repeatedly, and as we’ll likely repeat repeatedly in the next month or so, there is right now not a whole lot of difference between No. 4 and No. 14 so you are going to see far fewer legitimate trade suggestions this year than there have been in the past.

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Speaking of trades

Yes, Bryan is dead serious about acquiring a second pick later in the first round if there’s someone there that he likes. But something to consider:

Teams in the middle of the first-round, say Nos. 15-22, may indeed want to keep whatever guy they get because you’ve got five years of defined salary obligations. No worrying about what the next CBA might look like, no worry about worrying about having to fill that roster spot with some who’d cost you more than a kid on a low-end rookie scale deal (no small consideration as the economy stumbles forward).

Yes, he will try; I’m not entirely sure how successful he may ultimately be.

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Okay, who’s he pick?

Well, right now, your guess is as good as anyone’s.

There’s a logical list of five or six forwards and shooting guards who’ll be attractive and possibly available – DeMar DeRozan, Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, Gerald Henderson, Earl Clark, James Johnson – but, for now, no one is leading the pack.

The Raptors haven’t as much as spoken privately to any of them – that process will begin in Chicago at the combine next week – and they haven’t conducted a workout for any of them.

So, to ask who they like is to ask an unanswerable question. As for me? I’m not sure yet what order I’d put that group in right now; let me see if I can’t get to a scout, a coach or a GM today and try to figure it out where things stand at the moment.

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List time? Someone asked during the game last night for the worst and best Raptors draft picks of all time, an exercise we’ve done before here, I believe.

And while a Top Five of each might seem appropriate, the fact is they’ve only made 14 first-round picks ever and to list 10 of ‘em seems pretty silly.

So, how about three (and we're limiting this to the first round):

Worst

Rafael Araujo, No. 8, 2004

‘Nuf said, right? Forget Andre Iguodala at No. 9, if they were bound and determined to go big, they blew it on Andris Biedrins, who went No. 11. And he was on their list.

Michael Bradley, No. 17, 2001

Good kid, led NCAA in field goal percentage, couldn’t play a lick.

Kareem Rush, No. 20, 2002

Traded immediately for Lindsey Hunter and Chris Jefferies, one guy who really wasn’t interested in being here and another who had no right being in the NBA.

Best

Morris Peterson, No. 21, 2000

They got seven seasons and 542 regular season games out of a guy who fans still love and want back. Not bad for that deep in the first round.

Antawn Jamison, No. 3, 1998

Used him as a bargaining chip to trade for the most exciting player in franchise history and the fellow who still has led the Raptors further than they’ve ever gone.

Jonathan Bender, No. 5, 1999

Another chip, got them Antonio Davis, another integral part of their rise to something just above mediocrity.

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Winners and losers last night

Again, three

Winners

Oklahoma City

Moving to the top three in a three-player draft is huge. How good does it look now that they rescinded the Tyson Chandler deal. If they get Hasheem Thabeet to go with Durant, Green and Westbrook, that team could challenge for the playoffs next year.

Lionel Hollins

Takes over horrid Memphis team with contract that makes him the worst paid head coach in the NBA and then he sits on the stage at the lottery and leaves with the No. 2 selection? That’s pretty cool. And he can use Marc Gasol as a translator and buddy for Ricky Rubio.

The rest of the East

Bryan was pretty much over the moon that six of the top seven picks are moving or staying West and that none of the East teams that could have moved up did. He was right.

Losers

Washington

In a landslide.

Drop from 2-5, biggest drop possible; now the best players on the board might not be as good as the guys they’ve got.

Chris Webber

Sits there smiling, as much because his restaurant in Sacramento is packed with Kings fans; sees Sacramento drop from No. 1 to No. 4 and knows patrons are fleeing restaurant like their hair’s on fire. Not a good night.

Washington

Just ‘cause they really, really got screwed.

Release the ping-pong balls; and start the games