3 In the Key - Toronto Raptors Game Day Preview vs. Grizzlies

Tonite's game may seem like an easy W, but no matter how "off the charts" Bosh & Bargnani are, it's crucial that Solomon/Ukic & AP deliver the goods.

Kap and Papa Moon (Paper Moon? .. are we being conned?) need to be at least average -- not a tall order.

Well, maybe.

I have this theory about toronto media. Everytime they focus on one storyline, the players or topic fails the game thereafter.

Right now: Andrea Bargnani is playing well. Trade O'Neal etc.

I see the Raptors playing crappy, and Bargs specifically stinking it up.

Everyone keeps expecting Bargs to fall down again because he has had his blips before...but something is different this time; he's finally having fun just playing the game. I have never had the impression that he was enjoying himself out there, ever. He is far, far more fluid than I've ever seen him (finally relaxed outside of the Sam shadow?) and he is communicating and even encouraging other players. Totally out of character from what we had seen of him before.

I always had a sense he was trying so hard to do everything at once (I could see the voices in his head) that it amounted to next to nothing (anyone who has played knows what that's like...you end up being complete garbage). The light has definitely turned on, let’s just hope it stays lit, he could be really special (like, deserving of the number one pick in the draft, special).

i know its off topic but what do you guys think about blazers trying to prevent and threathning they will sue teams if they sign darius miles? because it will ruin their cap flexibility

Statement said: Franchise, raptorsrepublic is such a better site, and the comments do not require a "Catpha-test" or whatever it is, I suggest you emulate them.

Please feel free to head back there and stop by RealGM on your way. This is not to say Raptors Republic is not a good site; quite to the contrary, I have it bookmarked. However, I have no doubt that this site has the highest level of discourse on the Raps of any on the net, and your pleas to do away with the captcha test would do nothing but lower this high standard.

Jomar - I think it was Doug Smith who brought up the point that the Blazers may come to rue the day that they sent out that letter. I have little doubt that Miles would have a winnable lawsuit on his hands. What the Blazer's did was essentially ruin/interfere with his chances of gaining future employment, and they did so without just cause. Say, for instance, I'm a lawyer in Fredericton, working at a firm. The firm and I come to a mutual agreement that we should terminate our relationship, for no particular or specific reason (ie. not incompetence or negligence,etc.). If the firm were to then send around letters saying something to the effect of "don't dare hire RaptorsAddict" it would likely significantly reduce my chances of gaining employment elsewhere. Now, I probably got a C in Employment Law, but from what I remember an employer has an obligation to give a letter of reference if there is no suitable reason said letter should be denied the former employee. In essence, you can't screw over a former employee without a damn good reason, or he has the right to sue your ass for lost opportunity, or some such legal term of art that I can't recall. Anyways, if Miles ends up rotting away and never gets another sniff from an NBA team, I think he would have a pretty strong case to say that the Blazer's contributed mightily to said unemployment, and thus he should be entitled to the money he would have made had the Blazers not "poisoned the waters". But, from the Blazer's perspective, I'm sure they'd much rather pay lawyers fees and any salary Miles might have earned (which in all likelihood would be the league minimum) than have his contract count against their cap.

So what do I think will happen? I think another team will sign him just for spite to screw over the Blazers, and there will be nothing they can do about.

Hey Statement,

The only comments you have made here recently is reminding people
how to spell "lose vs. loose" and "f*** this site". If you are not going to
add any real value around here, why don’t you make like a new born baby and HEAD OUT!

That goes to you too "Grammar Police"… find something else to do and let us
basketball fans talk about basketball. Get a life.

OK looks like the HQ boyz already erased Statment's comments... Good.

I think the Raptors are still learning what Triano wants them to do on offense. They'll run through a play and then you can see them stop and pull back because they're thinking about what's the next option instead of a nice continual flow like a well drilled team such as Utah. I think as it becomes ingrained we'll see more consistency from the contributions of Parker, Kopono etc. Right now we see too many quarters when a Bosh or Bargnani or Parker don't even touch the ball on offense. When the cuts and picks become ingrained, everybody will be involved and nobody becomes the forgotten man.

What's the word on JC will he be starting tonight..I look forward to seeing solomon blow by the griz tonight, I know everyone gets nervous when he jack up shots but Solomon is going to be a very good backup pg for the Raps, seems he is the only other player outside of bosh and jose who can go to the basket. If he concentrate more on going to the hoop he will be very good in a couple of years. We have to cut him some slack because like Sam use to say he is still learning to play in the nba just like Roko so we have to be patient with will the same way we are patient with Roko.Should be a good game to night. What I hate is the way whenever the Raps are going to play a game, everyone always say how the other teams have this player and that player that can light it up, well you know what we have a few players that can light it up too and we need to concentrate more on our guys and @#$% those other teams players...Raps by 20 tonight.....Raps4Life.

call me crazy, but I would love to see the cavs beat up on the celts. (which is happening right now.)

I wanna know what the raps come out against a top team literally spitting fire.

BB Davis should sit the Big 3 lol down and chew them out tonight lol Love it when they lose!!!(spelled right lol)

Was courtside for this one. it was very pleasant.

Nice to see Bargs working the inside as well at the outside. Solid D as well.

As an aside, I think Hakim Warwick might be a good depth player with the Raps bench.

Watched the last quarter of the Cavs Vs. Celts game and must admit I'm a bit concerned. With the Celts losing 7 of 9 and getting their lunch money taken in Cleveland, I'm sure they're looking at a home-at-home against the Raps as a chance to right the ship. Rpas better bring their A game Sunday!

Also have to admit, the Bargs/Bosh (Killer B's!!) combo up front is looking pretty good right now!

Finally, has anyone seen JO in the past couple weeks? Jose was on bench "Suited and Booted" cheering on the team, but didn't see JO. Maybe I just missed him, did anyone else see O'Niel?

re Bargs.
Very happy to see the lad having fun -his little smile that kept sneaking out was such a welcome sight.
Does his resurgence coincide with JO's ill-health? Or rather might it have to do with JV's arrival? Can't help but notice that Jake's one of the first off the bench to give due props. Has Jakey taken li'l Andrea under his wing and taught him how to bare his teeth and sharpen those elbows? Perhaps we'll see in the back to back. Hey!
Love this blog guys!!!

Suggestion for a Bargnani nickname, don't know if anyone has touched on this lately but The Big Difference seems appropriate. Hopefully when Calderon comes back he'll actually look to pass him the ball more. Question for the readers out there...on a championship level team, how would you rank the positions in order of importance. My list would go (in order of most important to least important) 1. Sooting Guard 2. Center/Power Forward (tie)
4. Small Forward and 5. Point Guard. Thoughts?