How much change is coming?

I had a very quiet night and spent some quality couch time and I must have dropped off and had a nightmare because I swore I saw Johan Petro and Kyrylo Fesenko as the starting centres in an NBA playoff game.

Couldn’t be, could it?

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I think for most of the season the Oklahoma Thunder was everybody’s second-favourite team and I’m pretty sure that’s even more a fact today.

Wasn’t that game and series something?

Close Game 6, huge crowd, all kinds of emotion and a last-second bucket to end it.

Probably the best of all the series, right?

Okay, now comes the hard part for the Thunder.

At some point, they’re going to have to pony up big bucks to keep a promising young team – mostly on relatively small rookie-scale contracts – together and that’s going to test the mettle of both ownership and the players.

We saw it a bit in Chicago and a bit in Portland, at some time it becomes financially unfeasible to keep a big group of young kids together and I wonder what they’ll eventually do in Oklahoma City.

But for now, I guess, they just ride it out and worry about the future when the future gets here.

I know that they’ll be remembering this series for a long, long time down there; I just hope it’s not the high-water point of the next few years.

There’s always a danger of a big bounce-back for a young team like that, no one takes them for granted any more, the tendency is to relax a bit after achieving a level of success and it’s going to be interesting to see how they handle next season.

Until then, though, they can remember this ride pretty fondly.

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Not quite the same in Denver though, is it?

There have to be some serious questions raised about the Nuggets, who were, in my opinion, legitimate championship contenders in early February.

Now? Now they’re a bit old, a bit slow, a bit disjointed and I wonder who will be moved this summer.

They’re locked into some longish contracts for guys giving diminishing returns – they’ve got about $73 million committed for next season already – and I can’t imagine ownership, or the front office, is going to take this first-round loss to well.

The absence of George Karl, who seemed to be the only guy who could keep a group that had some knucklehead in it together, was a huge blow and since no one knows for sure if he’ll be back next season due to his health issues, I can see them trying to make big moves to get younger and with different chemistry over the summer.

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Quick digression:

Hey, remember when Derby Day used to be a big deal?

I can recall everyone heading to some local and running some kind of pool to randomly pick horses and having a jolly old time because it was one of THE events you looked for on the sports calendar.

I know I’m old and all that but, still, it’s lost its allure a bit, no?

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Joey Graham plays 25 minutes of Game 6 for Denver, scores 21 points and has a huge impact on the game, albeit in a losing effort.

And it makes a guy wonder, what if he could bring that every night?

Oh, wait, a guy’s been wondering that for five years now.

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Mail? Last chance to send it here ‘cause there’s a good chance I’ll be on some stool somewhere tonight watching Cavs-Celts and then the fight so I’ll have to get it out of the way this afternoon.

Or, I’ll be lying on a couch watching Cavs-Celts and I may not want to type.

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I take back everything bad I said about the Atlanta Hawks and their proclivity to play like dogs on the road.

Well, maybe not everything since a lot of what transpired last night was on the Bucks and their inability to score, a problem I’ve figured would pop up sometime during the series.

Too bad it had to happen at such a crucial point because I think it’s going to be next to impossible for Milwaukee to win a Game 7 on the road.

The Hawks, for all their foibles and tendencies to play selfish basketball, are a very good home team and that’s probably the thing that cements the series for them.

Too bad, the Bucks were, and are, a pretty good story.

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Anyway, now I have to go off and figure out what to write about Lakers-Jazz for a setup piece for tonight here and tomorrow’s newspaper and, luckily, I don’t have to figure out Suns-Spurs until tomorrow because I still can’t get my head around that series totally.

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Comments

[MC_Brad]

I'm curious your thoughts on why Bosh takes to Twitter to ask the question he did on Friday.

Blogger's note: Young kid with too much time on his hands?

[chris]

Graham was playing most of his minutes at PF last night.

We drafted an undersized PF and tried to turn him into a wing player.

That's why.

[N]

Whats the latest status on Bosh? Seems like he is asking fans to vote on what he should do? Is he not man enough to make his own decisions, or does he just want some attention? If I was Colangelo, I would be very angry at this guy right now. Bosh did not seem like a business man on Twitter last night

[Mr. Cook]

Why would you be angry at Bosh? I'm precisely 4 months older than Bosh and I can understand exactly the mind-set that would lead you asking something like that. A combination of boredom of the moment, watching other teams play play-off basketball and most of all the existential malaise that comes over every 25 year old who realizes that they have every option in the world--something that effectively encumbers the brain into thinking it has no options at all, because all of them 'could be' wrong.

[Steph]

The derby has, in the last few years had some very ugly incidences. Nobody wants to see an animal have to be put down on the track. It makes the nice hat's seem a little out of place for a wake / funeral.

[JR Jake]

It is hard to repeat for any championship team even with additions. To want something of substance on a 'wish and a promise' is hope in its fullest. When no additions are created to the structure of a team, house or family than the status quo needs to be affirmed and strengthed through self instruction, introspection and constant practice. The final product is the composite of all the parts and when there are weaknesses, other teams WILL exploit. Toronto has weaknesses and they need to fill those spots they have ignored. If you want the best of the best, you either have to produce it, acquire it or learn it.

[Rob.V]

You know, this time of year always really makes me feel GREAAAAT!

The reason you ask? Because after all the angst, all the drama, all the ridiculous comments, trade speculations, suggestions to fire our coach etc… supposed "powerhouse" contending teams like Denver, Dallas... and even some a tier below like OKC are at the end of the day.... are only 5 to 6 games better than the Raptors.

That's it!!!

Today has got to feel pretty good for Raptor fans.

We still have a top 13 pick that we can dangle in a trade (or draft) and I trust Colangelo will do his best to right the ship.

Yes, it's only a small consolation however knowing that the fans in Dallas and Denver have got to be feeling MUCH worse than us today somehow makes me feel better about our horrid season. I guess it's true what they say (whoever they is?) that misery does indeed LOVE company.

[Rob.V]

Oh, and one more - - - from yesterday @ doug.

Dude, I couldn’t disagree more regarding LBJ's "ego". In his defence he has come into the league with the expectation of "you will be the greatest player ever".

I mean, come on! That's what people have put on this kid. And to his credit (albeit without championships at this point) he has answered that call... which is incredible really.

There is no doubt in my mind that LBJ was light years ahead of both Kobe and Jordan at the same age. Both Kobe and MJ were very selfish players until later in their careers (can't really speak to some of the earlier greats like Robertson).

Lebron has been the ultimate example of "team" from his first game in the league. This tells me that he is anything but a ME first type of character... and for that he should be commended.

No, he's not graceful... he's a MONSTER!!! Which is why he is a true phenomenon, similar to Shaq when he first broke into the league.

People like to compare Howard to a young Shaq however I think if you were to go back and see the Diesel in his early years it wouldn’t take long to realize there is truly no comparison between the two. Lebron is of that ilk... he's a freak!!! Like a Shaq, or Garnett when he came into the league. They're a special breed.

I cannot argue with your point about Lebron having to somewhat validate his career with championships but I think when we all look back on his career we will realize what a joy it was to watch him play.

He’s every bit as good (and better) than his “perceived” ego.

Give him a chance.

[graham]

well with all deference to the poster who can understand what Bosh was doing on Twitter, know that there's a whole slew of fans who do not have a clue what the heck he was doing, think much worse of him today for pulling that stunt and are now much more accepting of him leaving -- has to be his worse move ever and coming on top of the implication that many of the team issues post all star break and into the "not wanting to face LeBron" fiasco stemmed from CB4 it might be enough to seal the deal -- just a question of where and if what the Raptors can get back in a sign and trade.

Watch for some others to leave also: Wright and Jack most notably.
Calderon plays well with Amir and Bargnani and Weems and DeRozan round out a starting 5. Turk becomes the 6th man, doesn't compete with Calderon for the ball and the Jack replacement is a young combo guard who can create, either from the draft or as part of the Bosh/Jack sign and trade with....whoever can cough up a young PG/SG and a defensive rebounding big man.

Leadership has been an issue: sad to say its been an issue because the team's best player has not been able to develop as a real leader: first Vince and now CB4 -- hopefully the Raptors will learn something and stop pressing their best player to be that, the face of the franchise and the on court leader and bring in a savvy but capable guy to take at least that one aspect away -- think a Grant Hill, Shane Battier type -- let DeRozan grow as a player and as franchise face, but bring in someone to lead the team on court.

[James Online]

Dallas or Denver only a few games better than the Raptors? Absolutely delusional. The Western Conference is so much better than the East. Except for Cleveland, and maybe Orlando, most any playoff team in the West would easily handle any team in the East in the playoffs.
Chris Bosh asking Twitterees if he should stay or go? Now there's a real professional for you. It sets him up perfectly for the "go" option, and I bet that's why he did it.
Hard to find a "grown up" on the Raptors, and that's a big part of the problem. Watch the playoff teams in the West. Ball moves to advantage. Everyone plays together on offense and defense. Raptors have no real cohesiveness and a coaching staff that has no idea of how to get the players to play together effectively.

[doug]

Kentucky Derby is just a victim of the times to me...and the times meaning we have 24 hour sports, we can see any game we want, no more picking and choosing...whereas years ago we could watch only one game a week in baseball, b-ball etc.. and that was whatever game was on, in all sports...so our anticipation of a Kentucky Derby was that it was a extravaganza, now it is just another sporting event on a filled sports calendar t.v. wise...

@Rob V...I agree and disagree, i agree with you in that Lebron is a rare player, in that he is hard to peg or compare to anyone else, as he is a "monster" as you say but also he has a perimeter game, which was his perceived weakness coming into the NBA....and as you say at the beginning he was moreorless shoved into the spotlight...but as time has gone on Lebron has taken that image and ran with it...from the scorers table powder cloud before the game, to his being the man in his eyes, and him making statements such as "i can win as many scoring titles as i want"...which was a absurd statement as many players thru time if their only goal was winning a scoring title they could have also have did so....he has stated I need a team around me, well he has it, so it's time for him to produce....at this stage its not our expectations that he do so, it's him and him alone that has placed it on himself...so i do give him a chance, but at the same time he has to quit the theatrics and just play and its time for him to win....to back up his words and actions

[Joel]

Wow, there's so many negative people on the Internet, it's insane. I can't believe all this Bosh bashing after he simply asks his fans, Should I Stay or Should I Go?

And that's "the last straw"?

You guys are crazy. If anything, he's showing that he cares about his fans. He's not just waiting for GM's to make their sales pitches in July. He wants to know what his fans have to say about his situation. And do you NOT have an opinion? And do you NOT want to tell him?

Some of you guys just complain about everything. Instead of taking some initiative to change a bad situation, you just complain to other people as if it's their fault. You make villains out of heroes because you can't deal with problems. Chris Bosh is an awesome guy, straight up. AND YOU KNOW IT. People calling him egomaniacal and self-serving are absolutely crazy. There's no other way to put it.

Why don't you drop him a line and tell him why he should stay, how this terrible situation around him can be made better? Why are you already on the defensive, already planning how you're going to jeer him when he comes back on his new team? Why are you already expecting the worst?

People need to turn their attention to pressuring Colangelo and the team to get better. To pony up and take on some expensive players. To re-sign Chris Bosh and start winning NOW. To stop crying and start doing.

By writing to Chris Bosh, you'll be forcing Colangelo's hand to do something- and not just sit around with excuses while the team wallows in mediocrity forever behind Bargnani and ugh. DO SOMETHING, COLANGELO! I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THE TORONTO BENETTON TREVISO's ANYMORE!

GET CHRIS BOSH BACK AND LET'S MAKE THIS WORK!

[Joe]

Doug,

Although the Laker/Thunder series was very good, I'd have to pick the Dallas/San Antonio Series as the best one in Round One. True, there were some bad games in there but game 4 in San Antonio and Game 6 in San Antonio were two magnificent matches that resembled a heavy weight title match where the opponents matched each other blow for blow before San Antonio finally delivered the knock out punch. Good, physical, emotional basketball which is something our beloved Raptors showed very little of down the stretch. Both the Spurs and Lakers will benefit greatly from having had a tough opponent in round 1. Wouldn't be surprised to see both of them in the Conference Final in a few short weeks.

[JHP]

Doug,
Hope you enjoy the evening and my calendar says any major trades / moves are probably 2 months away. Hope Chris and the fans slow down and enjoy the down time.

[sam]

Wow!
A post from James Online where he didn't mention Marco.......

[Aditya]

lebron james "humbled" by his mvp award.....humbled..... ----- he uses that word in every sentence (humbled)......" i am definitely humbled"

[GM]

Joel laments the negativism of people on the internet then screams at the top of his lungs, "I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THE TORONTO BENETTON TREVISO's ANYMORE!" Pot... meet kettle.