3 in the Key – Toronto Raptors Game-Day Preview vs. Pacers

Ran into Kevin O'Neill at a bar a few years back, when he was still coaching the Raps.

Knowing that he used to coach Marquette, I asked him whether the Raps would be targetting Diener in the second round.

He said "Son, Travis Diener will never play a minute in the NBA"

And Franchise, I'd be more tempted to ruin your HDTV if Moon kept SHOOTING 3s as opposed to falling for up fakes at the 3-point line...

Ahh…it’s going to be tough catching Orlando for 3rd place and I don’t think Cleveland have the horses either. So what can the Raps do it they don’t?
Well, conduct themselves like current Atlantic division champs and kick butt for the balance of season. Games like tonight’s is only for stats padding.
Raptors need to look at the March schedule as opportunity to send a message to eastern rivals and fans that they are serious and must be feared.

Go Raptors!

Lately i've been feeling some of that toughness and aggressiveness we all were calling for early in the season is starting to come around. Can't wait for some tough games to put that to the test.

I still can't get over losing to New york and washington recently but I'm feeling anyway that this team is really coming together. If we stay healthy, we're going to be the team nobody wants to see in the playoffs.

A little off topic from tonights game - but if anyone gets a chance - check out what John Hollinger wrote about the Raps in his "10 Stories to watch" column on ESPN.com...finally someone in the US Media is giving our Raps some attention and praise!

Here's the link. Get to it before they block off the article as its an "Insider" article, but is a "Free Preview" right now:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Storylines-080228a&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dhollinger_john%26page%3dStorylines-080228a

So that makes it now, what, nineteen times that that article has been linked by a commenter on this blog? =P

Just kidding around GMan, no one expects you to have full knowledge of everything that's been written on every article in this site. ^_^

A couple of points… Absolutely right Franchise, the Raptors want no part of LBJ and the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs. Think what you want about the deadline deals they made (I think a lateral move more than anything), but Lebron can beat the Raps by himself. Hell, he beat the Pistons pretty much by himself in last year’s playoffs. As we’ve seen all year, we can’t guard elite swing players (2’s and 3’s)… LeBron could average 40, 10 and 10 against the Raps in a 7 game series. Plus, Wallace and Verajou would be nightmare match-ups for Chris Bosh. No, our hope of getting out of the first round is overtaking the Magic and getting third place. Or some scenario where we play the Magic, who I think the Raps would have a good chance of beating.

Regarding Garbo’s comeback, its great to hear he’s back on two feet. I hope he gets back to where he was before, I have a lot of respect for his grit and overall game. However…. And I’m not trying to start a controversy here. But it doesn’t look like he’s going to be able to get back this season, but my guess is that he would be ready by the time the Olympics start. Hmmmm. If you are BC what would you do? Do you let him play for Spain. Do you have a choice. Curious what everyone thinks of this.

- Unfortunately, MAS (considering that I have a post-Wince customized Garbo #15 jersey) I'm not sure if BC cares that much anymore, since Garbo's $4.35 million contract will be part of the Great Colangelo Salary Dump of Trade Deadline 2009. And I'm not saying this tongue and cheek, he's outta here this time next season.

- HQ Associate, has O'Neill done or said anything right in his career other than forcing hotel rooms to upgrade their lighting? I'm surprised it's taking him this long to ruin Arizona.

- I agree that the Raps need either the #3 seed or have Orlando fall to #4 (behind Cleveland); Orlando's swingmen are great shooters (Hedo, Shard, Bogans) but are soft and the LeBrons are the antithesis of this. Dwight also apparently can't guard Bosh or any other quick Big. And it would be funny to watch The Hedgehog running around fulminating over the course of a 7 day series. Any of the 6/7/8 seeds are simply toast against the Top 5 of the East, I don't think Arenas and Caron can make it back in time to put the Wiz over the hump.

I don't like the Magic as a match-up for the Raps either. I'd favor the Magic about 55-45 in that matchup. Nonetheless, they are the lesser of two evils with respect to the Cavs.

Certainly, the optimal scenario would be hopping over both of them and taking 3rd place and Wizards or 76ers, but I don't see that as very likely, what with the Raps being 3 games back and having more road games than home games in the remainder of their sched, while Magic have the most home-heavy schedule of the league from here to the end.

Regarding Garbajosa, I imagine Colangelo would let him play if he so wished, not so much out of the goodness of his heart, but because with Jamario Moon and Carlos Delfino having stepped in this year, Garbo's essentially become pretty expendable (this of course assumes he'd be able to retain Delfino at year's end, which is no guarantee).

Lol MAS, that should rile some folks up! Heck, with Garbs being off for a year, the raps would probably want him to play in the olympics just to get some game back.

HQ associate, why am I not surprised you ran into KO at a bar! I guess you were both skipping your bible studies group that night!

Old School, I agree Cleveland is a matchup nightmare for Toronto. Not just LBL either, if he can torch Tayshaun he can torch anything the raps have. Ilgauskas, is bigger than anyone and has range, they have a ton of rebounding, defensive bigs. Even Delonte gives them a pretty defensive match up on our PG's. Oh well, we gotta use the rest of the season to keep building the Raps identity and play our game. Let other teams adjust to us (hear that Smitch, we don't have to always match up to our opponents).

I am out.

PS - Hollinger has written a great article for raps fans - but we get one of those at the RapsHQ almost every day!

Are these webpages extra wide for anyone else? I am having to scroll from side to side to read the last 2 entries.

Me too and it's driving me bonkers!!!

Thanks for the props Archibald, and the insight on the web issues. I'm wondering if both you and Assistant GM are using firefox as a browser? Things look ok to me in Explorer but there are definitely issues depending on what you use to surf the net. On All-Star weekend Howland and I noted while live blogging that for some reason, our blogs appear in all caps when viewing with Firefox. We'll try and fix this to keep a more consistent format regardless of what you use.

Anyone else keep thinking Toronto is playing the Knicks tonight for some reason? I don't know, maybe it's a Friday thing...

I have the same page width problem in Firefox (seriously, people still use Explorer? =P). It started in the middle of the day yesterday. The same articles that looked fine beforehand all got messed up.

So much for worrying about Granger raining 3's on us again tonight. Just saw on Indy Cornrows that he's been suspended for the game tonight.

http://www.indycornrows.com/

Matchup wise I wouldn't be as scared as most of you are.

The Raptors have proven able to beat any Eastern team. We're supposed to be scared of Cleveland, Orlando or the Wiz now? Look at our roster and give a little respect.

Great link to Hollinger thanks. He's been polishing our silver all year but he knows what I know:

TJ back = goin on a run

Good O'Neill story, love that oaf.

PS
For all the doubters that think we were better last year, this is where you can get off the bandwagon I'm riding on.

Yeah, once you go Firefox you never go back.

No team in the East wants LBJ in the playoffs.
Whoever does his pregame Bargnani ritual - best you begin now.

DayOner, I don't think any one of us is implying that "we were better last year". It's just that the big 3 in the East have gotten BIGGER, ostensibly to battle the beasts in the West when they make it out. But that makes it worse for the Raps as currently constituted (unless Optimus-Primoz-Gangtsa-Beaker becomes the second coming of Bill Laimbeer):

Celtics -> PJ Brown (with KG already the best defensive big in the East and up there in the L with Duncan and Camby)

Pistons -> Theo Ratliff (not that their front line wasn't already imposing)

Cavs -> Big Ben & Joe Smith (to go along with Z and Varejao, and a certain SF who is built like a linebacker and plays like Michael Jordan)

Until these big guys all get too old (and note that all of the ones listed save SideShow Bob are on the far-side of 30) the Raps will simply be in tough. Especially in the playoffs.

Each time I've performed my ritual we are 32-24.

I'd say the Cavs would be the ones more concerned about facing Toronto this year, honestly.

The page width issue in Firefox has to do with the extremely long Hollinger link, which is displayed on a single line. Just go back and erase all comments that reference it, or if you can modify the comments, drop the link in an anchor tag.

yes I am a firefox user.

lets blame hollinger!

Phony wanna be Canuck!

comparing late 'big' pick ups, who really looks like the bottom of the barrel? Wallace? Brown? Smith? Ratliff? or Beaker?

I dunno if I just buy into names, but all this wait until 2010 stuff is great until is is actually is 2010.

If We really want to be patient, we should be consistent. In the past, we should never have traded Jalen Rose. We could have continued to suck and kept a fist rounder (I think Balkman).

Patience is a great virtue, but BC has convinced me that you don't necessarily have to wait to be better. Waiting isn't a guarantee, the Bulls were poised to be the benchmark, but have failed after this year. BC thought outside the box (and the continent) and passed the bulls in the standings. We have a bright future, but a hard look suggests we could have a bright present too with a few minor tweaks - PJ is exactly what we need so get him! $$ don't matter (especially at a vet's minimum).

I dunno know, but I am thinking that we might be able to compete for today without really giving up too much of tomorrow to do so. Damn I wish MLG would dig into their pockets (and i'm a teacher!)>

I will have the in game ritual to ensure Andrea's success personal success.

I'm expecting a blowout win again. We played terribly against them on the road and still won. We should play better tonight and we're at home.

Also worth noting...something happened and some dude who was friends with Shawan William's house is being charged with murder or something like that. Didn't really pay much attention because theres always something stupid going on with this team.

Gotta love Larry Bird's quote "We've got to be clear about this - we dont' want our team hanging around murders"

Why is that something you have to clear up? Shouldn't that be something you already know....perhaps Williams has been spending too much time around Tinsley

Regarding playoffs, I say Cleavland is more scared of Toronto than Toronto is scared of Cleavland, not because Toronto stands a good chance at beating Cleavland. Cleavland just landed big Ben with his 60 million contract, that leaves them very little room to improve next year by adding new players. Beside they were in the finals last year, if they lost to Toronto in the first round this year despite spending all their capspace Lebron or the fans cann't be happy. Where for Toronto they still have a ton of young guys that can improve next year(such as Moon, Delfino, Barg, Kapono), and they have caproom (when all the contracts expire). So if Toronto loose, they can come back next year, if Cleavland loose, they may looking into blowing up the team

Two things:

1. John Lucas has been hired as a basketball consultant who will assist with player development for the rest of the season. Hopefully he gets a chance to work with Bargs and Moon especially during the offseason.

2. Apparently Kobe's scorer mentality has been transplanted into Bargs. Too bad bargs doesn't have kobe's skill....10 shots in the 1st quarter although you have to like his agressivness....just needs to get that jump shot to start falling

Pls call me when Colangelo will put a competitive coach and a competitive team on the floor.

Yes I am using Firefox as well...I cannot bring myself to comment on tonight's game, except that Sam sometimes really is a dumbbell...I can't believe I actually used that word

The way the Raptors are playing I feel the orlando game is in the bag count the W not but looks like 2 losses this weekend folks.

Mitchell post game comments about show me something when U get on the floor is a joke. Rasho Graham so little time to show. I am starting to not like His coaching. Not one player played defense tonight.

What the hell happened tonight? I thought after the All star breaks is when the serious teams start cranking it up?

Costa, I heard an interview Bryan Colangelo. He says he does NOT expect Garbo to be ready even in time for the Olympics.

I saw the game they other night. Bosh his knee with another player when he was fighting for a rebound. I thought it looked serious then.

This 5 game road trip next month will be a real test for the Raps. If they do well 3rd seed is reachable.

Since Bosh got injured tonight it's time for Bargs to step it up.Bargs has recently played much better.

His rebounding is starting to be more consistent than in the past.

He's starting to play aggressive defense.

He's taking the ball to the hoop more.

He's playing with more confidence
When Bosh went down tonight he didn't hang his head, instead he played more aggressively and asked for the ball.

Perhaps, this Bosh's injurty is not serious and this is a blessing in disguise for rapid Bargs improvement so he can play well in the playoffs.

Go Bargs Go! I'm rooting for you!

Raptors are now 0-5 in my estimation in "turn the corner games". Now that I think about it, I should have predicted this loss this morning. The Granger-less, Tinsley-less, O'Neal-less Pacers reminds me of the Arenas-less, Butler-less Wizards. The 76ers, the Clippers, the Knicks ...

I know I'll probably get ripped for this by man, but I really do not like TJ's game. He has ZERO b-ball IQ. Not blaming this loss on TJ though. Far from it. The team played pathetic D and showed no heart. Mentally soft. Really miss a guy like Garbo. And Bosh, obviously.

Sucks To See Bad TJ Again.
Jamario Moon Makes Me Cringe (his j/perimeter defense).
Mitchell always reacts to what the other team does.
Stephan Graham>Joey.
Mike DUNLEAVEY????????
AB was able to show both sides of his game. Finally got to see consistent mins to play through mistakes. Good To See.
Anthony Parker is playing so well recently.

Anthony Parker is playing so well recently

But on D it was as bad as the rest of the team

Do like how He is taking it to the basket so often

Totally agree with SonicSuper, we HAVE to win games like this if we are going to take the next step. This loss, along with New York and Washington still leave a really bad taste in my mouth. The only possible bright side is that perhaps the Raps are just a team that will lose every few games. If that is the case, it won't hurt us in the playoffs. Otherwise, we are just a team that usually wins, but is generally beatable.

I don't mind Kobe lighting us up, but Dunleavy?! Isn't the reason Moon is in the lineup his defense? Delfino is well settled into his role in the second unit, so keep him there - but Smitch has to sit Moon if only to teach him. Put in Joey, he hasn't really had a chance all year and was solid at the end of last year.

On the topic of Smitch, I am luke warm. Sure he won COY, but really wasn't that a gift from BC by upgrading the talent on the roster so much. The Raps have a lot of talent that is being under-used. His backers point to Garnett and Bosh, but are those two really stars because of Smitch? Wouldn't they be stars anyways? He hasn't done much with Bargs, Joey, Kapono, even Jose seemed to only get his chance at the last opportunity.
Smitch did a great job of turning the Raps culture around in the post VC era. But with the current personnel do we really have to worry about team character? How bad will the raps have to be this year to justify getting rid of Smitch? I know he isn't the worst, and I don't mean to complain too much - but I do think there is better out there...

If Toronto thinks they can get 3rd place 3 1/2 from Orlando and even with Cleveland I am sure Washington thinks they can catch Toronto being 3 1/2 games back. They are starting to look like a 5th place team. Constant poor 1st quarter play constant poor to no defense. Like Jack Armstrong said last night they need some pride. If a guy constantly beats them knock Him on His Azz.

Watching the Raptors is getting hard to do right now