Snowy and cold and a dangerous game is lurking

Hmm.

It’s not exactly a raging blizzard here but the wind is way up, the snow is falling, the streets are greasy and it’s cold.

I’m thinking this is a day when I’m glad to have a boatload of work to do and a comfortable hotel room to do it in.

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Remember in the middle of the week, before the Charlotte game, when it was suggested it was as much about how the Raptors played as it was about revenge?

Pretty much the same thing tonight.

The Raptors have tended to cower from the Celtics in the past, to back down from the yapping and the physical defence. It was seldom pretty to watch and everyone connected with the team knew it.

So the thing to watch for tonight is whether they stand up and fight – not literally, of course – or regress. It doesn’t mean running their mouths like the Celtics do, it doesn’t mean knocking everyone on their butts every time down the court.

But it means standing their ground and not backing up and it is perhaps the single biggest thing to watch for when the game unfolds.

If they do that and lose? Well, they’ve done that and lost. It’s not the end of the world but it’d be a good statement.

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Oh oh.

Garnett’s out, Pierce is out and the story today is that Rajon Rondo won’t play for Boston and that leads me to think one thing and one thing only:

Spurs by 12.

(Regulars will get it)

The fact is that this is now an officially dangerous game for the Raptors and their fans. Expectations will be huge given the injury-ravaged Boston lineup and I can feel some angst building already.

But here’s why it’s dangerous:

Doc Rivers is going to have to run out some combinations that the Raptors have never seen before and can’t have prepared for.

And just like that night in San Antonio, when the Duncan- and Parker-free Spurs used a small, odd lineup out of necessity that gave the Raptors fits, we know adapting to sudden change is difficult for a team to do.

If I know Jay and his staff, there was lot of time spent last night and this morning trying to guess what the Celtics might run or look like but that’s all it can be, a guess.

The real adapting will come when the game’s going on and it’ll be interesting to see what the Raptors come up with.

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We’re dining and hanging with a couple of pucks dudes last night; they were in town for the big game down at Fenway.

And Young Tim Wharnsby, one of the greats who know plies his trade at The People’s Network Dot Ca, comes up with the line of the night, even if he didn’t write it.

Knowing I have a bit of a fondness for the team that usually plays at the ball year, he looks over as we’re having a postprandial cocktail and says:

“Marco Sturm scored wearing a bloody sock.”

Maybe you had to be there but that had ‘em rolling on the bar laughing.

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In Boston, this is what they were reading about the depleted Celtics lineup in the Globe, after they got past all the pucks stuff.

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Okay, maybe time to get a wee bit serious. What about those Washington Wizards?

In case you missed it, a report yesterday, which you can read here, says Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittendon drew guns in a locker room dispute over an unpaid gambling debt.

Now, we don’t know what actually happened and I would imagine it’s somewhere in between the titillating details of the story yesterday and the totally expected denials.

But I will say this: If this is true, it’s worse than the Detroit brawl and the NBA is going to have to hammer any offending player very, very hard.

Guns are one of the great scourges of society, in my opinion, and if the NBA really cares about making social statements it cannot abide even unloaded firearms stashed in a team facility.

Maybe it’s the Canadian in me, or the middle-age thing, but I can’t fathom owning guns, let alone bringing them to my place of work, let alone taking one out and pointing it a co-worker.

It’s perhaps the single most stupid thing I’ve ever heard of connected with the NBA.

Believe me, I’ve never seen or heard of a firearm around the Raptors, although I’ve equally certain some of the players who’ve come through have owned them. And that’s proved true by knowing that Lonny Baxter spent time in jail for shooting off a round or two outside the White House (now, there’s the single most stupid thing I’ve heard connecting Raptors and guns).

Anyway, once this investigation runs its course and we find out what actually happened, if it’s determined there were guns in the Wizards locker room and players had them out, those players need to be suspended.

And I’m talking 15, 20 games.

One last point: Abe Pollin, the late owner of the team, a guy who got the team nicknamed changed to Wizards from Bullets because of the connotation, a guy who helped revitalize the urban arena area to take it back from gun-toting thieves and punks, must be rolling over in his grave at this news.

Unreal.

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We know return you to high comedy.

Or relatively inconsequential basketball.

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So I’m working up this piece on Chris Bosh for tomorrow’s newspaper hung on the hook that he’s about to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

Lots of solid stuff, it could be a good read but here’s one snippet. I asked him about being the longest-serving “best” athlete of any Toronto sports team:

“It’s cool. It just happened with Halladay leaving and everything; I guess in the next couple of months it might start to show the difference. I think it’s cool.

“Some people are like, ‘you’re the most recognizable athlete in Canada’ and that’s pretty funny to me.

“It’s a good feeling, I never really thought it would come to all of this when I was rookie, I just wanted to do my part and be a good player.”

Stay tuned for more.

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Put Harpoon on the list of good local delicacies one can find covering NBA teams on the road.

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Oh yeah. The airport. Security.

Well, except for the second layer of checks – the full body pat-down and repeat searching of the carry-on in the hallway by the gate – it wasn’t horribly intrusive.

Might have had to do with the fact it was New Year’s Day and there were hardly any travellers but it wasn’t as bad as I’d feared.

Which means that the next time I go anywhere, it’ll take hours and hours for the process to unfold.

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Comments

[Alex F]

Doug, safe and responsible gun owners would beg to differ there's nothing wrong with firearms, I am 32 years old and own 5 handguns and countless shotguns and rifles, I belong to many shooting orginzations and that's why I have mine, these players are just punks who don't know any better, the first thing they teach you is obviously don't point your firearm
in the direction of anybody & safe handling, love your blog Im a huge raps fan keep up the great work, but don't talk about guns like you are Toronto mayor David the idiot miller, who has disliked gun owners since he has been in power
Go Raptors

[Aditya]

now that i think about it, since u mentioned it in your blog, i think now how serious it is what arenas and crittenton did....but i wasnt surprised one bit when i first read the news...

[jimt]

Arenas also posted a few comments related to this incident on his twit account.Its kinda Crazy to think the NBA would have crumbled had this event took a step for the worse especially in the nations capital with a pro basketball president in office.Wowsers 15-20games does not cut it in my eyes. as a fan depending on the investigation the suspension should last the remainder of the season with criminal charges brought on as well.
Doug really also note that its -17 in tdot compared to your sunbathing weather of -3 even the wind chills dont compare lol
I also have a smart ass solution to your airport delays,just wear a mask and cough a bit in those lineups and see the vip treatment begin.ive shaved many of minutes using this but be warned dont try this in times of pandemics :)

[Jerry]

20 games is not enough. The rest of the season playoffs included minimum. That is just for having the guns there. If the drawing of guns is proved it should be for life.

Friends who are Hockey fans are always presenting the NBA as a bunch of thugs. A few idiot players keep validating this perception. The NBA needs to protect the name of the league by being very harsh on this one.

[Matt M]

Looking forward to the Bosh article tomorrow. It will be a sad, sad day when Bosh joins Wade and Lebron in Miami or moves on the much superior team in Chicago this offseason. Don't want to screw up ESPNs plans for the league after all. Hopefully Bosh let you know which of those two options he is leaning towards.

[Will G]

Thanks Doug. On the Arenas Gun Arena story, your evaluation is the perspective I was hoping to see. *If* it turns out to be true, for the NBA and professional sport to really send a messsage though, a 15-20 game suspension methinks isn't enough. How is that anything than just a nice vacation for the out-of-the-playoffs Arenas? He who insists in his blogging on wanting 25 of 30 days a month to be "fun days"? Ban him and Crittendon for the year, at least.

Celtics today! Yes

[Akash]

Doug, just read your article on the upcoming Celts-Raps game...FYI, it's the TD Garden now...no more Banknorth.

[Mike kovacs]

Having to check an overnight bag must be a bother? What if it gets lost? I hate checking bags!

[Jacques LeBlanc]

I think 15-20 is too low. I think it's even worse then the bird man getting 2yrs for his drug use as well as what happened in Detroit. I think they should be both suspended from the league for 1-2yrs, plus being charged by the State. These guys need more then a slap on the wrist. Stern needs to be harsh on this one. If not, it's time for a new Commish.

[Harut S.]

Hey Doug, much respect gained on your thoughts on the Wizard and guns situation, I couldn't agree more. Sadly that story really doesn't help in getting rid of the preconceived notion of "thuggery" (lets pretend that's a word) in the NBA. Anyway, good blog, looking forward to tonight then

[jc]

Robinson last night for the Knicks.....only in New York?

[doug]

why do gun owners continually advocate the owning of firearms??...if you want to own them fine but as a gun owner take responsibility for the fact that yes their are irresponsible gun owners who whether you want to face facts or not use guns for crime, gun activity and intimidation ...so that whole first bloggers statement is just tiring and ludicrous...and what does Miller have to do with it??, why don't we just blame him for everything.....today would be a trap game and a dangerous game but I feel the raptors will prevail as there further along then they were against the Spurs, plus the Celts are just so short-handed...the raps will prevail...

[jc]

Hey Doug,
Not to be an apologist but do you think the boston paper is saying the raps are ripe for defeat as they're also missing 2 starters. It's not exactly our best against their bench. Then again, after seeing the boston starting lineup, i think i will be looking to the programme to follow the game. In either case I agree...this game has an ominous feel to it.

[chili]

When are the Celtics playing here? For once I'd like to see someone from the Raptors deck Pierce good. Just one solid hit. Is there anyone from the Raptors side who could do that? Maybe Marcus Banks. Or do they have to borrow from the Maple Leafs' roster?

[kj]

15 - 20 games fro bringing a gun to work. That's laughable. I bring a gun to work and I get more than a 2 month unpaid vacation. If they point that weapon, life ban. I point a weapon at a co-worker, I don't work there agian and I have to change professions because I would receive a life long ban. These players need to be held to the same standard as the rest of society. Absolute nonsense.

[Rob.V]

Doug, great point on Abe.

I'm sure Stern will take care of this in time however knowing Abe's thoughts on guns and violence the team shouldn't wait one more minute (than they have to) and send both of them packing immediately!.

I'm sure the "incident" was far less that what is being portrayed in the media however after signing a $120 million (or so) fortune from the Wizards you think Arenas could at least be respectful of teams late owner (and league policy) and not bring a “gun” of all things to the stadium!!.

If I owned that team he would be on his way to Houston for T.Mac's expiry deal YESTERDAY!!!

Dude Btw - I was totally serious about my $500 charity offer if the Raps could win tonight (against a fully stacked Boston squad) however I am requesting a reprieve for a later game because as much as I am chomping at the bit to see the Raps beat the C's tonight I was unaware that Pierce and Rondo would also be out with Garnett.
Given this information, I fully expect the Raps to win tonight anyway.

Also, I thought we might be able to get some other bloggers involved to raise more funds (which obviously didn’t happen either) so I was thinking we could save the thought for a future game with MORE on the line if that's ok?

Blogger's note: Absolutely okay. We'll figure something out in the future

[Lavi]

I don't think that 15 to 20 games is hard enough of a message. If the investigation finds that they indeed drew guns on each other, they should be suspended for at least the rest of the season, if not more.

[David Taylor]

Bit of a random question - isn't there a league rule that states that start times on back-to-back games have to be a minimum of 24 hours apart? Just saw that tonight's contest tips off at 7:30pm, tomorrow's date with the Spurs starts at 6:00pm.

[Mike]

I hope Bosh wasn't serious when he said he is the most recognizable athelete in Canada. Most of our population would recognize a hockey player with no vowels in his name who has only played 5 minutes for some far off NHL franchise in
Piskehagen Alabama than Bosh. When all we see in any 1 hour sports cast is 10 seconds of Raptor hi-lites, 59 minutes of hockey and 50 seconds of all other sports how can he be serious?

[Tiger]

They're eating fishing spears in Beantown, now? The economy down there must be worse than we can imagine! Or is that all your per diem allows?
About Doc Rivers throwing never-before-seen combos at the Raps, it's up to Coach Jay & staff to figure out counter-tactics and combos. It was opportune that they ran into the Bobcats this week, Larry Brown he threw a couple of weird combos at the Raps, and while it took more than a quarter to figure out, eventually the Raps coaches made the effective adjustments and the players executed with very good effort. The same has to happen tonite.
No comment on the wiz, except on the only recognized fact so far: I'll bet Arenas undoubtedly thought he was being a "safe and responsible gun owner" by removing his guns from his house. If you thought of all the people you know who you'd never trust with owning a gun and then all the people you know who might own a gun, you'd scare yourself to death.

[Phil A]

Didn't Keon Clark get charged with illegal gun possession or something like that? I never understood why guns were needed in the US. That's why they have a police force and an army...to protect the people. There isn't a need for people to own guns.

[Agridome]

Owning a gun? The Canadian in me? In rural Canada guns are looked at totally different than in Trona. Gilbert and Javaris, yes that's stupid, but lets be real about Canada and guns

[Peter]

What's worse? Throwing a punch at a fan? or drawing a gun on your co-worker?
Try going to a school and throwing a punch, now try drawing a gun. Try going to a bank and throwing a punch, now try drawing a gun?

If the situation truly is that these men drew guns on each other, I would hope that the league uses this to send a message to, not only other NBA related personnel, but also to the many fans of the game. I'm not a gun advocate but I can't see how drawing a gun in this situation was even close to appropriate. Fine them, suspend them for a good length of time, and allow them to spend time understanding what goes on in the hearts of the families of victims of gun related incidents.

[Lola]

I agree with Lavi, they should be suspended for the rest of the season, with hefty fines as well.

[plkaye]

I think you're absolutely right about the league having to come down very hard on the offending Wizards/Bullets. But I'm also wondering if you think the NBA is now going to be forced into doing something about gambling between players.

To me, the circumstances surrounding this bout of sheer stupidity (if proved true, of course) sound suspiciously like those that led to the fight between Charles Oakley and Tyrone Hill in 2001. And there must be several more examples lurking in the dark of unpaid gambling debts between players leading to some sort of physical confrontation.

Any thoughts?

Blogger's note: I'm sure there are, we just haven't heard about them