A throwback night to the good old days and an important story

Man, this whole idea of getting five hours sleep on nights after games plays havoc with getting this done by 7 a.m. or so but it does feel good. So I’m not real sorry for being tardy.

Anyway …

Well, that was some night. It really reminded me of the olden days: Big crowd, big game, close game, dramatic finish and everyone went home happy.

Might have been, all things considered, the best game in building this season.

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THREE POINTERS

An impressive quarter

Remember when it was terrifying for fans to think of the start of the second half with these guys?

They’d come out the locker room a tad sleepy, either fall so far behind a comeback wasn’t possible or they’d give up a comfortable lead and have to scratch and claw rather than coast.

Not so much last night.

They blitzed the Knicks in the third – Rudy Gay had seven field goals in the quarter and the Knicks had four – and it all started with them getting stops.

After letting the Knicks shoot 50 per cent from the floor in the first half, New York shot 4-for-13 (30.8 per cent) in the third quarter and Toronto got a boatload of transition baskets. And against a team that can lock in defensively when it wants to, that’s huge.

Dwane knew it:

“Against this team, they’re so smart with defensive savvy, if you get in the halfcourt and have to grind it out game, you’ve got Tyson (Chandler) back there looking at you, you’ve got (Jason) Kidd,, who has great defensive hands and Carmelo who can get up into you. It helped fuel our running game and our flow game.”

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Making them pay

They might not have done it enough to satisfy some – including me – but the Raptors did take advantage of New York switching most screen and rolls on enough occasions.

In the second quarter they ran a side screen-roll with Lucas and Gay, got a switch that put Prigioni on Gay and when Lucas got him the ball JR Smith immediately went to double him, Gay kicked the ball back out and a wide open Lucas hit a three-pointer.

Just like you’d draw it up.

Of course, a couple of times they got the switch and Luke couldn’t get the ball to Gay – going into one timeout, Rudy let him know about it – but taking advantages of mismatches and forcing the defence to double is going to make the offence run even more effectively if they keep doing it.

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Got to finish

I don’t know how many times I saw the Raptors get out in transition, have numbers to start the break and end up pulling the ball out and trying to run some set.

I’d suggest that the wings – and Gay and DeRozan are the primary targets – need to run to the rim more often; it seems to me they get to about three point line and either slow down or flare out to the sidelines, they need to keep going all the way to get even more easy looks.

That probably comes with familiarity, they have to know the guard will be looking for them but they have to do it.

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More?

Sure.

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Three-legged dog walks into the saloon and hops up on a stool.

“What can I do for you,” bartender asks.

“I’m looking for the man who done shot my pa.”

(Admit it, you giggled a bit)

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In case you’re in some Oscar pool – for recreational and entertainment reasons only because gambling is bad for you – it is my considered opinion (reached after speaking to the First Lady Of The Beat) that Django Unchained upsets Lincoln in the best picture race at the Oscars tomorrow night.

But the question is: Where do the Oscars rank in the awards show race?

I’ve got them behind the SAG awards because the Oscars have always struck me as stuffy and a bit full of themselves. The SAG show seems more real and relaxed and I’m all about real and relaxed.

I’d put the Emmys next because I watch an awful lot of TV and the Grammys a distant fourth because I haven’t heard of most of the acts.

If you’re in Canada, it’s the Junos way over the Geminis, right?

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Speaking of …

I have no clue about the music category and what’s good but if this ditty doesn’t win, I’m sad.

I hear Les Miserable turned from a great stage production in a good movie and the song’s pretty dang good.

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Got an awful lot of the mail already done but there’s room for more and I’ll have a few hours this afternoon to work on it.

Help a fella out?

It’s askdoug@thestar.ca.

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So, I’m trolling the tweeter and I see someone’s linked up this story and, as I mentioned yesterday afternoon, you’ve got to read it.

This young dude is a cousin of mine, it’s a helluva tale about a young man not giving in to a disability and it’s actually kind of inspirational in some way. Parents need to read it, kids need to read it; I’m glad it got written.

Way to go, Matt.

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What about those Knicks?

Well, they are definitely on the geriatric side but they do play smart and sneaky, if slow.

But can they beat Miami and win the East?

I don’t think so.

Their offence is far too dominated by one guy, even if Carmelo Anthony is prolific scorer, and defensively they’re great when Tyson Chandler gets to alter every shot but the backcourt’s really inadequate and the bench is terribly thin.

I was talking to Marcus Camby before the game and he said he’d be back in about a week and Rasheed Wallace will help but I just don’t see them being good enough to survive through a playoff grind.

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The Goods On The Game, Knicks at Raptors

Welcome back, folks.

Knicks vs. Raptors game-day Dino-bytes

The usual game-day update for tonight’s big Knicks-Raptors tilt

 

NEW YORK (32-19) at TORONTO (22-33)

Air Canada Center

TIPOFF: 7 p.m.

TV: TSN2; RADIO: FAN590

WEB: Yes, the usual in-game blog kicks off just before 7 p.m., feel free to join in on the fun.

 

Probable starters

New York: Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler; Toronto: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Landry Fields, Jonas Valanciunas.

A proviso: This is how it worked the last time these teams met; if the Knicks go to Amar’e Stoudemire over Shumpert, as they did in the second half the other night in Indiana, the Raptors will counter with Amir Johnson. Just giving fair warning that we might not know until 7 p.m.

 

Key backups tonight

New York: JR Smith (prolific shooter and sometimes a prolific scorer), Steve Novak (look for him in the corner, about to launch a three-pointer); Toronto: John Lucas (he’s shooting about 50 per cent from the floor in the last 10 days or so), Andrea Bargnani (energetic? Nervous? A factor? You never know).

 

Season series

Raptors lead, 1-0

It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination but Toronto came away with a 92-88 win at Madison Square Garden the night before the all-star break.

It made the all-time series 34-32 in New York’s favour and the Raptors are 19-13 all-time at home against the Knicks.

 

What happened this morning?

Some refuting going on

Reports of Linas Kleiza’s retirement are greatly exaggerated.

Responding to media reports in his native Lithuania that said the knee woes that have plagued him off and on for more than two years would cause his retirement, Kleiza told us not only are they not true but that he’s about a week away from returning.

“They translate rumours into fact,” Kleiza said.

The veteran forward said he’s needed time to strengthen his quad muscles to make his knee more stable. He said a near constant schedule of NBA games and commitments to his national team have not allowed him nearly enough time to get to 100 per cent.

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Where’s Telfair fit?

When the newly-acquired guard gets here – he won’t arrive until tonight and will not play against the Knicks – he’s third in the point guard pecking order right off the bat.

“He’s an insurance policy,” said coach Dwane Casey. “Nothing is going to change for our team.”

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Inconsequential number, but you seem to like them

Tonight’s game is expected to be a sellout, which would be the eighth of the season. That will be the most in a season since the Raptors had 13 sellouts in 2008-09.

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Men in charge

Because we always bring it up, tonight’s officials are Bill Kennedy, Leon Wood and Haywoode Workman. That’s a pretty veteran crew.

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What’s up in New York?

Too many media outlets to pick just one but the news is the same: They are going to sign veteran unemployed Kenyon Martin to a 10-day contract.

“If he’s got something left in the tank, he can help us,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said this morning.

If is the big thing. Martin, 35, played 42 games last season with the L.A. Clippers.

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One last number

Sebastian Telfair will eventually wear No. 13 for the Raptors.

The long list of predecessors in that jersey includes: Mark Jackson, Mike James, Doug Christie, Jerome Williams, Patrick O’Bryant, David Andersen and Linton Johnson.

An august group, indeed.

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Filling a hole at no cost on an uneventful deadline day

Yawn.

Yeah that’s the reaction to the trade deadline, right?

Remember this next year, would you? And if someone’s got the time (too much time, actually) go back and check the breathless reaction to things that weren’t going to happen.

Anyway …

These guys at least did a little thing, as we all know, and it’s just what Bryan said he’d do the night of the Gay trade, shore up a hole in the roster and fill a need for a third guard.

To do it at no discernible cost and with no financial obligations past this year is a very good thing; they’ll rent Sebastian Telfair for 29 games, give him a good look to see if he might be worth keeping around next year and it’s done nothing to hamper them in the summer.

In fact, getting out of the small guarantee there was on Hamed Haddadi’s contract (he went to Phoenix with a second round pick for Telfair) is good because it takes them a bit farther away from the tax level.

But what’s it mean on the court?

Not an awful lot, I don’t imagine. Telfair’s more of a pure point guard than John Lucas but I’m not sure he shoots it as well. The big thing is he’s a better ball-handler and a facilitator and could end up getting the backup minutes behind Lowry.

And it’s good insurance to have a third guard to protect against injury, foul trouble or ejections and I’m sure Dwane feels more comfortable knowing there is someone in that role.

It’s not going to change the balance of power in the conference, nor is it going to make it any easier to make a move on Milwaukee to close that five-game gap. It’s a minor deal that needed to be done and it was done without any disruption to the future.

Not good, not bad, not big but necessary.

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I have no idea why Super Son had this blaring out some electronic music making thing upstairs this morning but now I cannot get it out of my head. And you should feel the same.

This is a pretty good cover version, no?

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Mail?

Please.

But I’m entirely full up on the Andrea Bargnani questions so we can let that subject go, right?

You can get them sent by clicking on the link over to the right but it’s askdoug@thestar.ca if that’s easier for you.

Talk soon.

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Right, Benoit Benjamin.

His name came up the other night as the first guy who played for both the Vancouver Grizzlies and the HOTH and there’s a story. A couple, actually. I’ll clean up some of the language because, well, because it’s among the most vulgar things you imagine.

Big Ben was actually one of the lesser, um, motivated players and the tale of his departure from Toronto is legendary.

They’re practicing at Glendon College and Ben’s not quite putting out the effort that then-coach Darrell Walker wanted.

Darrell gets on him a little bit, gets on him a little bit more, gets on him a little bit more as the team’s running sprints, the story goes.

Ben looks over says:

“Bleep you, you bleep-face, bleep-bleep.”

Ten minutes later, he’s waived and the Benoit Benjamin era comes to a close.

Oh, and I didn’t see this in person so it’s second-hand but there was also the night they were out in Calgary for a pre-season game and it’s mentioned to the players that they might want to keep a bit of a low profile.

Not sure this is what they had in mind about low profile when Benoit, a 7-foot bald man, walks into an establishment where women remove their clothes for a living and he’s clad in a full-length white fur coat.

That’s inconspicuous for sure.

Yes, there have been some interesting characters run through town.

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I’d say I’d have way more interest in the Oscars if I’d seen even one of the movies nominated in any category.

So, who wins?

And we have a rare Sunday off so instead of reading IGBT comments on who’s wearing what, I can watch and mock on my own from the comfort of the couch.

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So, who won trade day?

How about no one?

I’d say the one team that filled a need and improved itself in the short-term was Milwaukee; getting JJ Redick gives them another offensive option and might be the thing that keeps Toronto from closing that gap for eighth place all the way.

Houston did okay with the Thomas Robinson acquisition I guess, but other than that? It was a bunch of deals that were financially driven or backup for backup or bit piece for bit piece. It is forever thus and, sure, maybe there’s some fun in the three weeks leading up to the deadline to imagine blockbusters or hear reports about this GM talking to that GM but more often than not, it’s just chatter it the wind and nothing comes to fruition.

Yes, much ado about nothing, indeed.

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IGBT tonight. Just before 7 p.m., be there or be square.

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With the Knicks in town, it means an overflow crowd on media row because there is not a single team that attracts a crowd of writers like New York does.

Last I heard, there were eight people coming – and that’s outside the team broadcasters for TV and radio – and aside from the Lakers, there is no team that operates with as many scribblers.

And considering with us, it’s usually two for the road, I can’t imagine how anyone gets any work done on their own.

One of the good things about travelling in a small group on the road is that it gives you a better chance to talk to people privately, develop relationships and perhaps get information that you can eventually use in some news story.

Sometimes the travel can be a grind, but professionally, it’s when we get a fair amount of groundwork done peacefully; not sure it’s that way with my fellas who cover the Knicks.

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Solid game, too many mistakes and some special cartoon fun

Yeah, sorry I’m late; the 5 1-2 hours of straight sleep on a game night is big.

Anyway …

Did you notice that the Raptors gave up 88 points? That’s three straight games where opponents have scored 88 and my math abilities tells me that’s an average of 88 points a game.

Which, as I mentioned yesterday, is the numbers of keys on a piano but it’s also …

And no scrolling but if you don’t get that, I’ll let you know about him later.

On with the show.

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THREE POINTERS

So, what’s up today?

Speaking with a couple of people around the league late, late last night, there was little going trade-wise but, as was pointed out to me, Bryan once got a deal done at 2:55 p.m., beating the deadline by five minutes.

So …

But there has been talk and who knows what happens this morning.

I would say the most realistic guy to be moved would be Alan Anderson; he’s got a cheap contract that’s expiring, he’s shown some ability to hit shots and play defence this year and if he’s the guy that’s got to go out to get a point guard back, well, so be it.

Other than that, I’m hearing there’s precious little interest in Bargnani, the other piece Bryan would probably like to move.

The rest of ‘em?

It’s the core and I cannot see him parting with anyone of them.

But, like we point out every year, things can happen fast which means a lot of sitting around and waiting today.

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Costly mistakes

They call them empty trips or empty possessions and when you hear Dwane talking about “winning basketball plays” this precisely want he doesn’t mean.

The HOTH claw back to tie thanks to other-worldly shooting for about a four minute stretch and you can feel momentum swinging.

But they go through six possessions and get just one free throw out of it, going Gay miss, Gay turnover, Gay miss, Lowry free throw and Lowry turnover, Gray miss and the game’s effectively over.

Now, I didn’t have a problem with a lot of the possessions, you want the ball in Gay’s hands because he’s proven he can make the plays; he just didn’t.

So you move on to the Knicks tomorrow.

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Playing afraid

That’s what I saw in Andrea Bargnani last night after he came in and missed his first three shots.

He looked nervous, tentative, unsure, you name it and it’s the first time I’ve seen that look from him in a very long time.

He passed up shots, drifted even more on offence and it looked like the last thing he wanted was the ball.

As we know, confidence is the one trait every player has to have, especially a shooter -- you’re either hot or you’re due, shoot ‘til you make, shoot ‘til you miss – and he definitely didn’t have any of that last night.

And since it looks right now that he’s going to be around – and he should be, they need to find out if this is permanent and the rest of the season will give them time to see how he fits as a bench player – he needs to find that confidence. And quickly.

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More?

There’s always more!

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Seriously, when someone gets around to writing the book on this Oscar Pistorious case, they’ll have to sell it as fiction, won’t they?

It’s incredible and compelling in a sad, tragic way because a woman lost her life but I can’t stop reading about it.

The detective faces attempted murder charges?

The “witness” who heard the screams was 300 metres – at least – away from the house.

You can’t make this stuff up, can you?

I don’t know how it’s going to turn out but I’m going to read about it every day.

Can’t remember a crime that’s turned into such a weird, sad story in a long, long time.

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Mail. Please.

I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of time spent loafing around Case Doug before 3 p.m. and I could get a head start on non-trade, non-game specific chatter if you’ll help a fellow out.

Click over there to the right or askdoug@thestar.ca to say hello.

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How about that Steve Nash?

Remember the scrawny kid from the small school who wasn’t all that highly regarded?

Well, he now is fourth on the all-time assists list; he’s got MORE CAREER ASSISTS THAN MAGIC JOHNSON after getting seven last night. He’s got 10,144, behind John Stockton (15,806), Jason Kidd (12,004 right now) and Mark Jackson (10,334 and the guy Nash will end up passing in his career). That’s nuts.

I know it’s got a lot to do with longevity (Nash is at 1,182 games, Magic got his in 906) but isn’t longevity a mark of greatness by itself?

You don’t play 17 seasons without being special and I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the future but when they come to write the history of basketball in Canada, Nash will go down as the country’s greatest player.

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Okay, suspense killing you?

That’s 88 Fingers Louie!

From the Flintstones. You remember him, right?

And it start the debate in this cluttered mind, and need some help.

Was the Flintstones the greatest cartoon of that era?

I’d say yes, barely beating out the Jetsons with Rocky and Bullwinkle a close third and Tom and Jerry chasing the medallists.

Agree?

And how many of you are now singing this

or this?

Tee-hee.

Gotcha

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Stevie Boy was at the game, as the IGBT Irregulars will know.

Here’s some of his always good stuff.

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The Goods On The Game, Grizzlies at Raptors

What's up everyone?

Having a good day?

Grizzlies at Raptors game-day Dino-bytes

The usual game-day update for tonight’s Raptors-Grizzlies game.

 

MEMPHIS (34-18) at TORONTO (22-32)

Air Canada Centre

TIPOFF: 7 p.m.

TV: Sportsnet; RADIO: FAN590

WEB: The usual frivolity of an in-game blog kicks off shortly before 7 p.m. Join in, it’s fun.

 

Probable starters

Memphis: Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Tayshaun Prince, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol; Toronto: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Amir Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas.

 

Key backups tonight

Memphis: Ed Davis (barely plays but he’s coming “home”), Jerryd Bayless (another ex-Raptor comes back to say hello); Toronto: Andrea Bargnani (what does he have in store tonight), Alan Anderson (had tough shooting night in Washington)

 

Season series

Memphis leads, 1-0

Rudy Gay – yes, him – had a quiet night with just 14 points but Memphis rolled to a 103-82 win on the strength of a 33-14 third quarter blitz.

Memphis leads the all-time series 20-14 and has won the last three games at the Air Canada Centre.

 

What happened this morning?

Not much

With both teams on a back-to-back, and beat guys travelling back from Washington, there were no shootarounds and no news.

Dwane Casey was probably sitting around trying to devise ways around the Memphis defence, which is rock solid, physical and tough.

“They play playoff basketball all the time,” the Raptors coach said.

The game could look a lot like the street fight the Raptors got into with Indiana a week ago, except the Grizzlies have more talent.

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Welcome back, Boss

Ed Davis has had little impact on Memphis after being traded there; he barely plays thanks to the presence of Gasol, Randolph and Darrell Arthur.

However, he did have his biggest game with the Grizzlies Tuesday in Detroit, with 14 points and four blocked shots in almost 22 minutes.

Ten of those points came in the final quarter when the game was well out of hand.

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Probably unimportant stat, No. 1

Toronto is 7-5 in the second game of a back-to-back.

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Whistle blowers

Scott Wall, Zach Zarba and Marat Kogut will try not to become the story tonight as they toot whistles.

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What’s up in Memphis?

Here is the game story from last night’s win in Detroit.

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A magic number

Did you see that the Raptors have allowed 88 points in each of the last two games. By my math, that’s an average of 88 points per game.

And there are 88 keys on a piano.

Hmm.

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Probably unimportant stat, No. 2

Toronto is 12-0 when holding opponents below 90 points.

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They keep taking steps in the right direction

You think these guys aren’t aware of what’s going on?

I sidle up to DeMar after the game while someone else is doing a scrum and about the first thing he says is:

“How’s Milwaukee doing?”

And, no, he was not checking up on his buddy Brandon Jennings.

Yeah, they know what’s happening just above them in the Eastern Conference standings and at least a little bit of scoreboard watching is going on.

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THREE POINTERS

Getting in the way

I lost count sometime in the second half – at one point I was gouging out my eyes for having to watch parts of the game and that could be why – but one of the more impressive things the Raptors did last was take charges.

I believe there were three in the first quarter alone and that’s a small signal that the defence is starting to improve.

At least a couple of them were weak side help defenders sliding over into the paint to take charges, exactly the kind of help they’ve been lacking at times.

Now, the Wizards in no way, shape or form should be considered a good basketball team, especially last night, but the way the Raptors played defence had to please Dwane Casey.

He knows the team will score enough to win most games (I think the way Kyle put it was: “We can score a boatload of points”) but the success or failure of this stretch run will be determined by how they defend.

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The early closer

Yes, we all know that Rudy Gay is going to have the ball in his hands in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter, of that there can be no doubt.

But there will be nights when he’s got a second defender or something like that and the job’s going back to DeMar DeRozan.

He practiced – kind of, in a non-serious way – last night.

It doesn’t mean anything except it was fun to watch but DeRozan hit mid-from about 15 feet with less than a second left in the first quarter, a 20-foot turnaround with less than two seconds to go in the second quarter and then made one of two free throws with a second left in the third quarter.

Mean anything?

No.

But you have to admit it’s a trend worth mentioning on a night when the game was so crappy.

Or not.

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How bush league was that?

I understand technical difficulties come up and that there’s nothing you can do about it most of the time. But I also understand that this is the NBA and the Verizon Center is a big-league establishment and the fact they couldn’t get the scoreboard or basket stanchion clocks working all night is shameful.

I don’t have the technical knowledge but they knew at least 90 minutes before the game – and probably three or four hours before the game – that the clocks weren’t working. How could they not fix it? The floor-level shotclocks looked like something out of the ’70s, no clock anywhere for any player or coach to see was troubling, and a bit confusing to DeMar DeRozan at times.

“I felt like I was in high school, it certainly was a challenge. At some point in the game, I think we got a shot clock violation and I couldn’t even find the shot clock.”

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More? There’s always room for more.

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So I heard this songster, Wale, a friend of Rudy Gay, was up to some zaniness with the Raptors TV broadcasters during the game, trying to get at them after they made some crack that Wale’s no Drake?

(I cannot believe I just named Wale and Drake in one sentence; am I the coolest guy ever or what? And I bet I could pick Drake out of a lineup and I’ve heard some of his stuff and it’s not bad)

Anyway, while this is going on, all I’m thinking is Matt should have turned the tables on Mr. Wale and sung him a wee ditty.

Given what was going on back in Toronto, I’d have suggested this would have been appropriate.

Anyone go see Bon Jovi? How was it.

Here's one for you:

Remember the night Bon Jovi was sitting next to Larry Tanenbaum at the game in Toronto? Well, the last time we were in Brooklyn and there's Larry and he's sitting with a couple of people I'm not familiar with and when I ask, I'm told one of the guys is a business advisor or something to Bon Jovi and the warbler himself was supposed to be t here but bailed at last minute.

Wonder what they might be cooking up.

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Yeah, we need to start the mail, please.

And I’m thinking an Andrea-free mailbag would be nice; after all, the kid wasn’t too bad last night.

Oh, and remember that Thursday’s the trade deadline so any roster questions should probably wait.

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No, there is no trade chatter involving the HOTH going on.

(Just felt compelled to say that to sooth some minds)

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IGBT tonight?

For sure. See you then, Air Canada willing.

First trip since the long one out west where I had to check a bag; so far, so good.

Yeah, of all the things I’ve learned over the years is that I can get five days and two games into a carry-on, but with three nights of events in Houston, a game here and seven days away, checking became necessary.

And, in the way I can reverse jinx just about anything, I guarantee my flight will be on time and my bag will be the first one up the chute at Pearson.

Guarantee.

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So, baseball games Saturday?

Can’t wait to at least see one if for no other reason than to see green grass, sun and guys playing.

No, spring training really doesn’t mean anything – it’s about 10 days or two weeks too long, too – but won’t you at least pay a bit of attention to the first highlights?

I know I will.

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The Goods On The Game, Raptors at Wizards

Good evening.

Ready to go?

Raptors at Wizards, game-day Dino-bytes

We’re back with the usual post-shootaround preview of tonight’s Raptors-Wizards game.

 

TORONTO (21-32) at WASHINGTON (15-36)

Verizon Center

TIPOFF: 7 p.m.

TV: Sportsnet One; RADIO: FAN590

WEB: The usual fun of the in-game blog will begin just before 7 p.m.

 

Probable starters

Toronto: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Amir Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas; Washington: John Wall, Garrett Temple, Martell Webster, Nene, Emeka Okafor.

 

Key backups tonight

Toronto: John Lucas (can he keep up his torrid shooting), Andrea Bargnani (tough defensive matchups, has to make shots); Washington: Bradley Beal (rookie has some offensive capabilities), Trevor Ariza (another solid scorer off the bench)

 

Season series

First meeting of year

But they’ll be getting used to each other, the Raptors and Wizards will play four times between now and the first of April.

Seems to be a homecourt all-time rivalry, each team won twice at home last season, Raptors have lost four straight in Washington and have won five in a row at home.

 

What happened this morning?

Wondering about the new-look Wizards

Dwane Casey is worried a bit about how the Raptors handle facing a team with a worse record on the road.

But even though the Wizards started the season 4-28 and looked like the worst team in the NBA – by far – they’ve got John Wall back from injury, Nene is dominating in stretches and Washington’s won four of its last five.

No one’s ever sure how mentally sharp a team might be after having five days between games – Toronto last played Wednesday in New York – and that’s another troubling aspect of the game for both coaches this evening.

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What else of the Wizards?

Michael Lee of the Washington Post offers this in the paper this morning about Randy Wittman and sticking with the program.

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A first stat that may or may not mean anything

Amir Johnson has a blocked shot in 13 straight games, only seven Raptors all time have had a streak that long. The franchise record is 21 straight, set by Marcus Camby in 1998.

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Back to the usual

Dwane Casey confirmed what we all suspected, Amir Johnson will be back in the starting lineup after ceding his spot to Landry Fields for one game in a matchup-driven switch last week in New York.

And with the Wizards big men Nene and Emeka Okafor working well together, if foul trouble befalls Jonas Valanciunas or Johnson, you could see some Aaron Gray tonight.

There’s not likely to be much chance for the Raptors to go small.

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Who’s in charge?

Ed Malloy, Kevin Fehr and Courtney Kirkland have the ultimate authority this evening.

Yes, Malloy already caused one apology; he blew the last-second call in Charlotte back in the day.

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A second stat that may or may not mean anything

Rudy Gay grew up about an hour from the Verizon Center; in five games in the building in his career, he’s averaging only 14.4 points per game, and 23 is his career high here.

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