3 In the Key – Toronto Raptors Game Day Preview vs. Wizards

Just for interest: Gilbert Arenas was slagging Jamario Moon's inclusion in the dunk contest on his blog.

Wow Howland! You don't seem to have a very high opinion of that Wizards team. I hope you turn out to be right, but it doesn't seem logical to me.

I think you need to take a second look at them, particularly at the teams they have beaten (Boston twice, Detroit, Dallas, for starters). While they have been up and down, and hopefully we catch them when they are down, they've certainly shown that they are not to be taken lightly. I think it's pretty smug and "homerist" (or whatever the word may be) to say that our Raps, who are currently a mere half game better than them in the standings this season after having trailed them for the majority of the season, are "simply the better team" and that it's "hard not to think the Raps should take both games".

While I also believe the Raps are slightly better making it a scosh more likely that the Raps pull the sweep than the Wizards, the two of them are close enough that by far the most likely scenario is for the two games to be split.

Time to put money where mouth is. I've heard CB and Coach Mitchell saying how this team is ready to go on a roll - a sweep of Washington would be a good start. I expect two close games as Washington has been playing well.
As per Jersey - they should just blow that team up and look to have a good product on the floor for 2010. Don't see them getting anywhere nearmarket value for Kidd and doubt a serious contender would want Carter.

Given how rare home and home series are, games against Washington will probably be one of the few intriguing events between now and the playoffs. What better way to see how each team responds to each other tomorrow after one losses to the other in tonight’s game. Coaches on both sides will definitely have their pencils sharp for this series.
Since the Raps will be probably be battling Washington down to the wire, how they compete will be more important than the points on the table.

Just a passing thought. It was stated that Antawn Jamison based on the last couple has proven to a better player than Vince Carter. My question is how long is most GM willing to wait to be proven right for selecting a big over all others? If you could do it over again would you still select Vince Carter over Jamison keeping in mind the excitement Carter generated nationally?

Observer - Good ol' Agent Zero. He's just bitter that his boy Nick Young isn't in it. He makes an interesting point though so Moon will have to show and prove. For those who haven't read the entry, here it is:

… And the Dunk Contest
You know what’s funny? You know that dunk that J.R. Smith did in the dunk contest in Denver? When he wrapped the ball behind his back? Nick did that dunk in college. You see the abilities he got. He can jump. They didn’t give it to him this year, he’ll just have to fight for it next year.

Who else is in this dunk contest? Moon? What kind of dunk contest are they trying to have? He’s good at dunking, but he ain’t no acrobatic dunker. He might be a high-jump dunker, but do you remember Eddie Robinson who played for Chicago? He was a high-flyer but all you saw from him was the one-hand dunk. Some people can jump high, some people are more acrobatic and know how to use their body.

Dwight Howard is in it again? Howard’s not going to get the recognition because for somebody like me, I’m like, "Man, you’re supposed to do that." Same thing with Shawn Kemp back in the day. I was like, "You’re supposed to do that, Shawn." You’re not used to seeing a big man dunk like that, but you’re not impressed. If you see him hit his head on the rim from dunking, you’re like, "Uhh, come on, you’re four inches away from the rim when you’re just standing." But then you see a 6-6 guard go up there and hit his head on the rim and you’re like, "Oh, wow! 50!" That’s why guards win the majority of the time, because what they do looks harder. The average person is like 5-9, 5-10, so if you see a 6-2, 6-3 guard doing all these dunks you’re going to root for him.

I want to see a dunk contest where they put James White in it. They should just go ahead and put him in there. Why wouldn’t you want to see a kid jump from the free throw line, between his legs. I mean, come on. If he shows up at the dunk contest, it would be exciting again. He can do things that no one can do. He has the strongest one leg anybody’s ever seen. How are you going to dunk from the free throw line between your legs? Come on people, Jordan and Dr. J jumped from the free throw line and dunked one hand. This kid is jumping from the free throw line and throwing it between his legs.

Rudy Gay should be interesting though, he’s mid-sized. He should have something in the tank. But him over Gerald Green? Doubt it. I take Gerald. Dunk contests aren’t about how high you get, it’s about how you move and how you make that dunk look. That’s why Jordan won. I don’t think he jumped higher than Dominique Wilkins, he just made it look pretty.

My favourite line from Gilbert's blog entry though (http://my.nba.com/forum.jspa?forumID=400032200) has to be this one:

"His raw talent is very polished."

Don't quit your day-job and rehabbing just yet Gilbert.

And speaking of Agent Zero, I think they're actually better without Gilbert. Gilbert dominates the ball too much as did AI in Philly and without him, the entire team gets a lot more involved on offense. That's why you have guys like Roger Mason Jr., the aforementioned Young and Blatche going off from game to game. The whole team can score and I worry about their style vs. the Raps in these two games.

That's why I have to disagree a bit with my compatriot as while I think Toronto has more overall talent, I think the Wiz are a tough match-up for Toronto because of the way they play. Toronto can't get caught running up and down on offence and jacking up bad shots trying to keep up with Washington's break-neck speed. They have to get Bosh lots of touches and force Washington's D to react.

Also, the Raptors REALLY have to guard on D at all times. Washington's offence is constant motion and they love to run those backdoor cuts and slip screens etc.

As for Jamison vs. VC, interesting debate. I'd stil have to say that VC's exploits ala dunking have made his career stand-out more than Jamison but Antawn has been like a fine wine, improving with age, while Vince is like a bottle of coke left out without a cap - no more fizz.

A couple of wins here would be a great start to the raptors absolutely owning february. A couple of losses, well we won't be unrevising those expectations we revised a month ago.

But unless there's some other personnel drama, the most important thing from here to the playoffs is health. With bosh and caldy healthy and the roles players stepping up, the raps right now should be the team we thought they would be all last summer.

"Antawn has been like a fine wine, improving with age, while Vince is like a bottle of coke left out without a cap - no more fizz"

Well said

Arenas on Moon: "Some people can jump high, some people are more acrobatic and know how to use their body." Uh, I guess he hasn't seen too many of Jamario's Dr. J-esque scoop-and-lay-ins.

I understand why people like 0 as he provides (more-or-less) unfiltered thoughts from an NBA star, but let's face it, he's a Wizards homer (Nick Young over Moon and D'Black? O-kay) and it will only be interesting to see how his perspective shifts if he is traded to the Clips and his Southern Cal hometown. Until then, I won't bookmark his blog.

You missed Howland in the ESPN piece (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3219495) that BC actually tried to TRADE FOR Mighty Mouse: "In fact, ESPN.com has learned, the Raptors put together a trade package earlier this season that would have landed Stoudamire, but later withdrew it." I'm sure BC offered Brixton and crap, but it seems weird that he would pull his own offer. Who knows.

JJ - We put the link in the text about the trade. I'm wondering if BC didn't offer someone like Humphries in the package and then when Hump started playing really well, he thought twice about it.

Speaking of Hump, Kris gets some love from Hollinger as a sleeper:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Sleepers-080129

I totally agree with Holand on the Wiz..I too believe that man for man the Raps is a way better team than the Wiz. I myself is a bit surprized by there success without Agent O but Butler is having a phenomenal year. But the last time the Raps played them in Washington we throw away the game at the end of the 4th quarter. This home and home series I think the team that starts on the road has the advantage. If you win on the Road it makes it so much easier with the help from the home crowd to play in a back to back, especially if the games are close. If the Raps win tonight they will sweep the Wiz. If they lose tonight then it will be a split...I expect the Raps to sweep the Wiz and get some distance between them and also pass Cleveland in the standings for 4th....go raps go....raps4life

I let Zero know how I felt about their chances after reading his drivel....guy has a shot at Mya and passes? (Insert gay slur here)....

Hope he tunes in early because it could be over by half.

Its 7:10 and the announcer from TSN was discussing the starting lineups.....somebody please fire that guy...

and did i just hear caron butler isn't playing....whoop whoop!!

wow. No Caron, and they are just scraping by forst half? AP and Bargs going cold. CB owning them as I suspected.

Better get some help on the offense or the Wiz might pull an upset.

2 of 15 in 2nd half???

Holy cow. No penetration, despite having the height advantage, Bargs on the bench. He just wants to float again?

and this is why the game against the celts was a good win, but came with a serious caution.

now the raps are trying to throw up 3's against a depleted wiz team, (whom are killing them in the paint,) and they're failing.

live on the perimeter, die on the perimeter.

it hurts. (but feels so good when they're going down!)

you know, the way to break a shooting funk is to drive, or get a high percentage shot in the lane. Why, why is AP still shooting blanks from the 3-point line? DRIVE!

Kris is hot. Give it to him.

Kris and JC are the only ones to show up to play in the 2nd half. CB cold in the 2nd. Everyone else stinks.

So much for a winning streak.

one minute to go, but TO does not deserve to win this game.

messed up with a turnover at the end. That sumes up the game right there.

WHAT? PARKER WAY TO WAKE UP DUDE!

still no penetration. They got lucky, and they should be USING it.

Bosh 3-pointer? That is the play?? Long jumpers NO needs to swing around for the assist, and penetrate!

They still can't rebound!

The Wiz made the shots they had to. TO got lucky once. Again, they did not desrve to win this.

One shot in OT. Garbage.

dude, 9 of the last 10 posts does not an insightful one make.

the commentary is heard loud and clear...mostly in our own heads.