Happy Leap Year!
Is that even what you say on February 29th? Or because this full year is a "leap year," can you say it year round?
In any event, let's get into a few links today, starting with some takes on last night's action, first from the Toronto Sun, and then on the Rockets' side, from SB Nation's Rockets' blog, the Dream Shake.
Part of the reason the game ended with Houston up 3, was due to Toronto's inability to manufacture a three-point basket out of an inbounds play, with seconds left on the clock. As always, "Basketball Things" has a great breakdown via video stills, of said play.
Another loss isn't going to help Toronto in next week's Power Rankings. As is, the club is 28th on ESPN.com's list, and slightly higher, albeit still in the league's basement, on SI.com's rank and file.
And while there's still time, it doesn't look like Wilson Chandler is on the way to provide a boost for TO.
Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, considering with a win last night over Dallas, the New Jersey Nets are putting some distance between themselves and Toronto in the bottom five of the league, and the team Toronto faces tonight, New Orleans, has only two less losses at this point as well.
So as a Raptors' fan, how do you cope with this next time period, in anticipation of the draft? Is it all aboard the Anthony Davis bandwagon?
Or maybe time to go out and get yourself a Jonas Valanciunas tattoo, like these guys?
Whatever your fancy, it's getting near March Madness time, and likely a good call to brush up on under-the-radar college studs like John Jenkins and Kim English, both featured in Draftexpress' last "Trending Prospects" update.
This might not be the year to draft anyone from UCLA though as this inside look via SI.com at the recent issues plaguing the once mighty Bruins, likely gives reason to pause about selecting anyone from that group too high this spring.
Or if you're wondering if the Raps will look to upgrade via trade, it's pretty hard to imagine them, or any other team for that matter, making a play for Andray Blatche.
Finally, we'll end this edition of the links with a must-read piece from Jonathan Abrams, who takes a look at one of the ugliest incidents in sports history, the infamous "Malice at the Palace" brawl.