Raptors HQ

3 In the Key: Toronto Raptors Game Day Preview vs. Golden State

2010-03-13T13:00:27Z

Have not see a smile like this in a while. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Chris Young)

Do the Raps want to avoid going 0-4 on this West Coast road trip and risk falling out the top 8 in the Eastern Conference?

If so this is a game they absolutely must get.

So it has not been easy as a Raptors fan this year.

Early on there were lots of bumps in the road and the Raps looked to be the worst defensive team in the history of basketball (slight exaggeration).

Around the mid-point of the season the team seemed to get their act together and started their ascent in the Eastern Conference standings. Things were looking so rosy that people were wondering if catching the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division standings was a real possibility.

Now? Sorta feels like we have got back in time...back to the beginning of the season where watching this team get blown out on a night to night basis is a distinct possibility. John Hollinger discusses the Raps terrible defense here (Insider).

I mean I love college ball, but I really didn't think that us covering first round prospects, like Franchise did yesterday, was going to be all that relevant given the Raps were not going to have a pick.

Wrong I was.

Take a close look at the standings and you will quickly realize what a precarious position the Raps are in when it comes to making the playoffs. The latest losing streak has allowed Milwaukee to jump up in the standings and, prior to last night's games, the Raps are essentially in a three way tie for eighth place with Charlotte and Miami.

At this moment, the only team in contention playing worse than the Raps is the Bulls. Chicago is in the ninth spot having lost six games in a row. Over the next few weeks there is going to be 9 teams battling for 8 spots and I have do doubt it is going to come down to the wire. The question is, when the music stops, will the Raps be sitting in one of those seats or pouring over scouting reports more than anticipated.

It's not going to be easy for the Raptors to get back on track in the next couple of games. Tonight they face a Warriors team that is much better at home than on the road and then in the second half of the back to back face a dangerous Portland team that has battled through its fair share of adversity this season.

I don't give the Raps much of a chance to win the second game, so unless they intend on laying a goose egg on this road trip they must win tonight.

Frankly I don't have high hopes. For a team that is once again searching for a defensive identity, facing the Warriors in their building is not exactly what the doctor ordered. The Warriors are the second highest scoring team in the league at 107.2 points per game and are likely eager to face a team that both provides little resistance and seems to have a plethora of off the court issues to deal with.

Antoine Wright has once again come out and called into question the make-up of this team (rightfully so) while the rumour vultures are swirling with talk that Bosh is headed to New York for David Lee to team up with Joe Johnson. It can't be an easy situation in the Raps locker-room right now.

Nevertheless the show must go on.

Here's the keys to tonight's game.

1. PG Defense: Jarrett Jack and Jose Calderon have to be much better against Steph Curry and Monta Ellis defensively, then they were against Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans. It's going to be a real challenge. Curry and Ellis are a lethal combination on the offensive end and the Raps made Udrih look like Larry Bird. Someone has to right this ship defensively and Jack and Calderon are the head of the beast. If they can't get after it I am calling for a Marcus Banks sighting at this moment. Triano has to stop playing Mr. Nice Guy and play the guys that get after it and do what they are asked. Won't play D? Won't play at all.

2. Paging Hedo Turkoglu: As bad as the PG defense has been the output from the wing position has been worse. The Warriors have Corey Maggette back and he has been very solid for the Warriors consistently getting to the line and filling it up (although not always pretty). If the Raps can't get some production from Hedo teams are simply going to sag back, crowd Bosh and Bargnani and get easy W's. Hedo needs to at least do what he was doing during Bosh's absence. "Ball" or no "Ball".

3. Start Wright: I think the point has come where there is very good reason for Triano to mix-up the starting line-up so why not start Wright and see if he can put his money where his mouth is? A message has to be sent at some point that things cannot continue in this vein. Where's the incentive for players to get after it if they know that no matter how well they play certain guys are automatically going to get a prescribed number of minutes? Triano has to become captain of this ship and start sending messages before the inmates run the asylum.

NC-Double-Eh Schedule - March 13

2010-03-13T15:30:22Z

Today, we have two big games featuring some good Canadian ballers: Maurice Joseph and Vermont play for the America East Championship and automatic bid to the NCAAS at noon and Devoe Joseph and Minnesota will look to continue their gaint killng ways later taking on Purdue. Find out who else is playing right here ...

We have highlighted the games that you need to watch today as always and remember to check in with the Can Ball Report for any game links we can find for you.

March 13

12:00pm Boston University vs. Vermont – the Catamounts have a legit shot at punching their ticket to the NCAAs and sending MoJo back the Tournament for the first time in three seasons. He didn’t need to do much on the offensive side in the easy win for Vermont over New Hampshire to a few days ago instead letting his defense do the talking but this game is for all the marbles now and he will want to come out smokin’ in this one. He only had four points on six shots and for a gunner like Joseph that is a little paltry. He will need to show the full arsenal of tricks for this one since the Terriers will look to avenge two in season losses and steal the Dance ticket.

3:30pm Richmond vs. Xavier

4:00pm Minnesota vs. Purdue – after a great beginning to the Big Ten Tournament against Penn State, the Gophers toppled the 11th ranked Michigan State Spartans in OT last night 72-67. A great win for Minnesota that only helps their bubble case. Today’s they face Purdue for a chance to add another quality win to the resume and advance to the semis. The Boilermakers will be a tough win here and if the Gophers have enough gas left in the tank, they could have a legit chance at winning, particularly since Robbie Hummel is out of the lineup. Pickering, ON’s Devoe Joseph had a team high 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 43 minutes last night and could be the X-factor in this game for Coach Tubby. Check in with our SN Nation colleagues at The Daily Gopher for the game break down here.

10:00pm New Mexico State vs. Utah State

RaptorsHQ Prospect Watch - Who To Watch During the Madness

2010-03-12T17:39:53Z

More photos » Paul Vernon - AP

Franchise knows the Raps don't have a shot at Turner in the upcoming draft, but he's still one of 10 players Raptors' fans should watch during the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Browse more photos »

Most years the HQ starts previewing various draft prospects as early as January. This year, with the Raptors' pick seemingly headed to Miami, we held off, however with Toronto's recent play and the Dance around the corner, we figure now is as good a time as any to kick things off...

For some like myself, next Thursday around noon, Christmas begins.

It's essentially 72 hours of basketball heaven, and in that span all manner of heroics and crazyness will be on display.

Yes, March Madness is nearly here.

In fact, the various conference tournaments are well underway and already fans have been privvy to some great matches. Many favourites like Syracuse were ousted early, while various Cinderellas came heart-breakingly close to punching their ticket to the Big Dance, when they perhaps had no business going in the first place (Cincinnati.)

At the HQ, besides the sheer volume of basketball that will be consumed during this time period, it's also an important scouting phase for us, as we focus in on various players who may or may not be on the Toronto Raptors' draft radar. Originally, these prospects seemed to be of the second-round variety thanks to Toronto dealing its first round pick to the Miami Heat last year in the trade that secured the temporary services of Shawn Marion.

However that pick is lottery protected, and with the Raptors' recent slide, suddenly it's quite possible that the team could very well find itself back in Seacacus come May, watching the bouncing lottery balls.

To that end we've put together a list of 10 players Raptors' fans should watch in the coming weeks, both from a prospect prospective, and also simply for entertainment's sake.

1) Evan Turner - G/F Ohio State: This NCAA season, John Wall and his Kentucky crew have received the lion's share of the basketball media's attention. However it's Turner that could very well be the top pick come next June. Long-time HQ readers will know that I've been a huge Turner fan for the past 3 seasons, to the point in fact that I hoped he'd stay at Ohio State after his freshman season (since the Raptors didn't have a pick), hoped he'd come out last season (since he probably would have fell into Toronto's range) and now this year hope he returns again since it's unlikely the Raps will have a shot at him.

Of course this looks extremely unlikely but the point is, I can't think of a more perfect player to man the 2-3 for Toronto into the future.

To me he's a mix between Danny Granger and Brandon Roy. Turner can do it all, as his 20 point, 9 rebound and 6 assist statistics indicate, and like Granger can play inside and out, yet has that Brandon Roy smoothness to his game. Also like Roy, he's got an immaculate handle and some disgusting crossover dribble moves.

An option for the Raptors this summer?

Highly doubtful.

But with some solid teammates around him in the form of David Lighty, William Buford and Jon Diebler, Turner and Ohio State are one of the sleeper teams to watch in terms of Final Four contention.

2) Xavier Henry - G - Kansas: Henry was touted prior to the season as a high lottery pick. He's a 6-6 swingman who already has an NBA ready body, and like Turner, a certain smoothness to the way he plays. Adding to that "smoothness" is his shooting touch, one of the best in college. However he's struggled a bit of late and no longer seems like a lock to be drafted in the lottery. He doesn't have upper tier athleticism, but is a ball-hawk and rock solid defender thanks to his frame. Could the Raptors use a player of his ilk? Definitely as in many ways, he's the inverse of their pick last year, DeMar DeRozan.

3) Devin Ebanks - G/F - West Virginia: The Mountaineers survived a scare from Lance Stephenson and the Bearcats last night thanks to a Desean Butler jumper at the buzzer. Ebanks played a big part in the win with his defence, something he's been doing all season, and when you get a look at his frame you'll know why. Ebanks is extremely long and athletic and excels at playing the passing lanes. He's a legit 6-7 as well and therefore with his length, can defend a number of positions. Similar to Trevor Ariza (he even looks like Ariza) his offensive game is quite raw, however his upside is one of the highest in the upcoming draft class, and he's got a great chance to help West Virginia to a Final Four birth.

4) James Anderson - G/F - Oklahoma State: Bring on the Joey Graham comparisons. Andreson, like Graham, has been a standout the past few seasons at OK State, and is a tough and gritty 6-6 guard/forward. However the comparisons should stop there. Anderson is not the undersized power forward that Graham was in the OK system, nor does he have Graham's build and low-post game. Anderson is much more of a shooter, and a volume one at that who can fill it up in a hurry. He's a wiry player too and while extremely tough as mentioned, doesn't do a lot of his damage on drives to the hoop. The Cowboys reside in perhaps the toughest conference in the land this year and it will be up to Anderson to try and drive them to tournament success.

5) Damion James - G/F - Texas: Notice a swingman theme here? Most of the prospects I chose to look at take on the 2 or 3 spots on the floor at the next level. Why? Well aside from it being probably the most talented position in the upcoming draft, it's also an area that continues to be a struggle for the Dinos. Should they wind up with a lottery selection when all is said and done, I'm betting they look in this direction. James in fact has a history with the Raptors and the draft process as he worked out for Colangelo and co. last year, a workout I attended. He wisely decided to return to Texas for his Senior season and has been dominating opponents all year, proving to have added new dimensions to his game to the point that he's miles away from the player I saw up close last spring.

James in fact is a much better compare to Joey Graham than anyone else. Like Graham, he's extremely physical and can play up to 4 positions on the court at the college level. He's an excellent defender, a great athlete (37 inch vertical leap) and isn't afraid to mix it up on D. He lacks a defined position at the next level, and many question his ball handling skills (sound familiar?), but it's hard not to believe he'd be a nice fit at the 2-3 for Toronto, even as an option off the bench.

6) Quincy Pondexter - G/F - Washington: Pondexter is another Franchise favourite. He doesn't have the talent of Turner or the sheer upside of a player like Aminu, however this is a player I believe will excel in the NBA as a solid rotation type. He's got NBA size at 6-7 and 220 lbs, can score from inside and out, and while not a great shooter, has the work ethic and demeanor to hone his craft at the next level. Washington is a big question mark right now for tournament unfortunately but should they get in, Pondexter is a player to keep an eye on, especially at the defensive end. He's a lock-down type and brings back memories of a certain young James Posey.

7) Patrick Patterson - F - Kentucky: For me, Patterson will be an interesting player to keep an eye on this tourney. Kentucky is already one of the favourites to cut down the nets, but Patterson is sometimes the forgotten man on a stacked club with freshman sensations Wall, Cousins and Eric Bledsoe. Nevertheless, we're talking about a 20 and 10 threat every night and while undersized, a player with NBA skill sets at the next level. However Patterson might experience some of the Jameer Nelson syndrome come draft time as a player scouts and GM's have seen for so long in college, they've picked him apart and become overly critical of what he "can't do." This could mean he's in for a slide on draft day and pick or no pick, I'm hoping the Raptors look to take advantage. A more offensively talented Carl Landry? Yes please.

8) Trevor Booker - F - Clemson: As we've seen recently, the Raps are still not a tough team. Meet Trevor Booker - toughness exemplified. Yes he's an undersized power forward without a clear-cut position at the next level, but he's also extremely strong and explosive, think Brandon Bass. He also has great length despite his diminutive size at the 4, and is an excellent defender. He brings an intensity to each game on a near KG level and as a Duke fan, I always dread match-ups with Clemson because of the impact Booker has. Right now it looks like Clemson's a lock to get into the tourney and led by Booker, the Tigers could do some serious upsetting early on.

9) Jon Scheyer - G - Duke: You know I had to get ONE Blue Devil on this list. The reality is that at some point the Raptors are going to realize they can't pay over $14M a year for the point guard position (more than that right now counting Marcus Banks), and will need to start grooming someone in a back-up role. The draft therefore is a good spot to start looking, and I think a player of Scheyer's ilk would be a steal in the second round. He's got great size at the 1 (6-5) , rarely turns the ball over, can orchestrate an offense, and is a dead-eye shooter to boot. Yes, there are concerns about his athleticism and defensive abilities at the next level, but he's one of these gritty, leader types who just seems to make things happen so I believe Toronto could do a lot worse in terms of grabbing a 3rd stringer to groom for the future.

10) Matt Bouldin - G - Gonzaga: In a similar vein we have Matt Bouldin. Bouldin is actually a more highly touted prospect than Scheyer but displays similar grit and leadership characteristics. He's not as good of a shooter, but is a more pure point guard and again, has great size at 6-5. The Zags have a history though of tournament flops so Bouldin's draft stock could very well be determined (right now he looks to be a mid second-round option) by how far he leads his club in the Big Dance.

NC-Double-Eh Schedule - March 12

2010-03-12T15:30:21Z

This is a big weekend for tournaments and we are looking at crowing a champion in one conference today. We are featuring a midday matinee with Andrew Nicholson and the Bonnies taking on #17 Temple at noon for you lucky enough not to be at work. Then Jared Mintz and Lafayette have a chance to win the Patriot League at about 4:30pm followed by Minnesota and Devoe Joseph taking on #11 Michigan State and Louisiana Tech and Olu Ashaolu taking on Utah State. Four big games plus more right here ...

As always, we have the games you need to watch highlighted below. Check in with the Can Ball Report on Twitter for any game links we can find for you.

March 12

12:00pm St Bonaventure vs. (17) Temple – the Bonnies will have a tough one against the newly resurgent Temple Owls. In the last meeting between the two teams, Temple beat St Bonaventure by 18. Andrew Nicholson was kept in check that game but he didn’t have a surging Michael Hall to back him up. Hall has been playing well in the last month and a half so he should free up Nicholson more in the low block. Nicholson is and should be able to operate against the Temple defense and for the Bonnies to have a chance to win he will need to have a huge game.

4:45pm Lafayette vs. Lehigh – now you really can’t write a better story than this: Lafayette and Lehigh, two teams that share a long and time honored rivalry, will be battling for the Patriot League Championship and a chance to dance in March. They split the season series with Lafayette winning the last one comfortably at home. Lehigh will want payback but look for their star in the middle, Jared Mintz, to put an exclamation mark on an incredible junior season. He had held the team together and the Leopards will need him to come up big in this one and if he does they may have an invite to Tournament.

7:00pm (22) Georgetown vs. Marquette

8:00pm South Carolina State vs. Delaware State

8:55pm Minnesota vs. (11) Michigan State – a big win over Penn State to start the Bit Ten Tournament was a good way to get the momentum going. They will not have the same time with Michigan State as they did with Penn State, that’s for sure. The Gophers have played the Spartans tough all season losing first by seven points in East Lansing and then losing by one in Minneapolis. A win here would get the Gophers one step closer to an at-large bid for the Tournament for sure. Devoe Joseph was great in the game against the Nittany Lions going for 15 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

9:00pm Massachusetts vs. Richmond

9:00pm Louisiana Tech vs. Utah State – Louisiana Tech has a realistic chance to make the NCAA Tournament but to do it they need to get by Utah State. The Aggies had the best record in the WAC Conference as well as the best overall record in the conference. They will be in the Tournament win or lose here. The Bulldogs need to beat the Aggies to keep their hopes alive of winning the WAC and if not, help in a chance at an at-large bid. Toronto’s Olu Ashaolu had a great game in the win over Fresno State going off for 11 points, 8 boards and 4 assists. He will need to help with the scoring and hit the glass hard for them to have a chance to win this game.

The Can Ball Report's NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week

2010-03-11T22:00:28Z

Al Behrman - AP

After a big week and being named to the A-10 Second Team, Andrew Nicholson is the NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

View full size photo »

As solid and dependable as your parent's station wagon, Mississauga, ON's Andrew Nicholson had some big games this season helping the steadily improving St Bonaventure Bonnies back to respectability in the Atlantic-10 Conference. For his big efforts this week, Nicholson has been choosen as the Can Ball Report's NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.

Player of the Week

Andrew Nicholson (Mississauga, ON) – Soph., St Bonaventure

Andrew Nicholson is probably one of a handful of true post players in college basketball today that no one really knows about. Even though he’s been steady manning the middle for the Bonnies all season long in relative obscurity, he has been putting up solid numbers. This past week as he was being named to the All A-10 Conference Second Team, he averaged 21 points, five rebounds, two blocks and an assist while going 16-of-25 from the floor and 10-of-14 from the line to earn this week’s Can Ball Report Player of the Week honors.

In the Bonnies 92-80 win over perennial cell dwelling Duquesne Dukes on March 3, Nicholson posted 21 points with 14 coming in the second half. He added seven rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 30 minutes in the win. He went 7-of-10 from the floor and mirrored that going 7-of-10 from the line. That game marked the seventh time this season, the third time in four games against the Dukes, that he’s hit for 20 or more points.

In the Bonnies 93-72 loss against an always tough 25^th ranked Xavier squad three days later, Nicholson posted a team high 21 points, to go with three boards, two blocks and an assist in 36 minutes of game action. He would go 9-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the line in this one.

For the season, Nicholson is averaging 16.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. He is shooting 58% from the floor while shooting 76% from the free throw line. Nicholson is in the top ten in the Atlantic 10 Conference in several statistical categories including scoring (6^th), rebounding (10^th), field goal pct (1^st), free throw pct (10^th), blocked shots (6^th) and defensive rebounds (7^th). He is also ranked 11^th in the NCAA in FG%.

Honorable Mention: Harouna Mutombo, Western Carolina: 16 pts, 4 rbs, 1.5 asts, 1 stl, 12-of-24 FG, 4-of-7 3PT FG, 4-of-9 FTs, 32 mins, two games.

Line of the Week

Max Boudreau (Montreal) – Sr., Buffalo

As had been the case with Montreal senior Max Boudreau last year, his best games seem to come in big moments namely the conference tournament. Last year, he had a great run in the Mid-American Conference Tournament that showed how good he really was as a player. And this year, to start of the conference tourney off right, he had one of his big games. In the 72-54 opening round thumping Toledo, he had a season high 18 points, 14 in the second half, on 8-of-10 shooting including 2-of-2 from the charity stripe all off the bench. He also included six rebounds and a block for good measure. It’s too bad that this is his final year of eligibility. With what seems to be Boudreau coming into his own, he may have been a better player next season.

Honorable Mention: Devoe Joseph, Minnesota: 17 pts, 2 rbs, 2 asts, 2 stls, 6-of-7 FGs, 3-of-4 3PT FGs, 2-of-2 FTs, 28 mins vs. Iowa March 7.

Honorable Mention2.0: Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga: 1 min, 2 rbs, 1 blk, 2 TOs. I just had to mention this stat line since he would be the best per 48 guy ever if he kept this up. Reminds me of Thijin Moses at DePaul a few years back. Moses took more threes than he had minutes some games.

Lunchbox Links

2010-03-11T18:12:34Z

For more on last night's game, check out Kings blogs Sactown Royalty and Cowbell Kingdom, Raptors Republic, Ball Don't Lie, and the Sacramento Bee.

Rookie of the Year favourite Tyreke Evans put up a triple double, including this over-the-backboard and-one.

The Wall Street Journal on why pro athletes love Toronto.

T.Jose Caldeford's Chris Black begins his latest post by highlighting DeMar DeRozan's game-worst -27 against the Kings.

Sneakerhead Amir Johnson dips into his personal collection to rock the Air Jordan VI (6) Retro Black/Varsity Red on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

SB Nation's Andrew Feinstein goes to several NBA stadiums over the course of the year and wants the in-game fan experience to be about the actual game, not about all the other hubris.

NC-Double-Eh Schedule - March 11

2010-03-11T15:30:18Z

Today we have the start of lots of conference tournaments and for that reason we have two great games for you to watch. In the afternoon we have a great match up between two ranked teams in Georgetown takes on Syracuse and then in the evening we have Minnesota taking on Penn State. Find out who else is playing right here ...

As always, check out the games we have highlighted for you today as the big games to watch. And remember to check in with the Can Ball Report on Twitter for any game links we can find for you.

March 11

12:00pm (22) Georgetown vs. (3) Syracuse – after and disappointing loss to Louisville to end the regular season, the Orange will be looking to come out hard in this one against the Hoyas, who are coming off a 20 point thrashing of South Florida. Syracuse are going to need to come out fast and exact against Georgetown and everyone will have to get in into the action. An off day from Johnson, Rautins or the bigs and this could be a tough night. And if the bench of Joseph and Jardine don’t come out firing also, the game will end early and there goes the number one seed. Look for the Orange to make a statement that they are the best team in the best conference and put last week’s game to rest.

12:00pm Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan

2:30pm Marquette vs. (10) Villanova

5:30pm Fresno State vs. Louisiana Tech

7:00pm Texas A&M-CC vs. Stephen F Austin

7:30pm Penn State vs. Minnesota – the Gophers are still sitting on the bubble, but they are really holding the key to advancing. The win over Iowa was a step in the right direction and another win would definitely keep hope alive. In that win against the Hawkeyes, Devoe Joseph had 17 points, two boards, two assists and two steals so look for more of that in this game against a less than threatening Lions team.

9:00pm Buffalo vs. Miami (OH)

11:30pm San Jose State vs. New Mexico State

Tip-In: Toronto Raptors' Post-Game Report - Free Falling

2010-03-11T12:15:42Z

More photos » Steve Yeater - AP

The Raptors needed a lot more low-post work from Bosh and co. last night.

Browse more photos »

Remember the Tom Petty song by this same title? After one of the Toronto Raptors' worst losses of the season, Franchise expresses concerns over the club's mental make-up, and worries that if the ship isn't righted asap, this track could very well be the team's theme song for 2009-2010 when all is said and done...

After the loss to Philly, things looked a bit shaky.

After last night's loss to Sacramento, it's hard not to think that the wheels might have come right off.

The Raptors let a five point half-time lead completely evaporate a few minutes into the third quarter, and suddenly found themselves down by 10 and on the ropes. The Kings never looked back, and were up by nearly 30 points before settling on a 23 point blowout of the Dinos.

So what gives?

I noted after the loss to Philly that things were going to be ok. Do I still feel like that?

In a word, no. The reason why? Chris Bosh.

I'm not sure what's going on with Chris right now, but this is not the same Bosh as the one who dominated his match-up nearly each and every night prior to the All-Star break. No, his play in fact has been something reminiscent of the 2005 version of CB4. Last night was a perfect example of this as he had 14 points and 5 rebounds, almost half of his season averages. I've said it before and I'll say it again, minus a dominant CB4, this club is not even mediocre by an Eastern Conference standpoint. With Bosh middling along, the club doesn't have much of a chance, even against poor foes like the Kings.

Most telling however for me regarding his performance? His free-throw attempts. CB4 was averaging nearly 9 trips to the line per game on the season but since his return from injury that number has dropped to a pettty 3 an outing.

Yes, the Raptors need all the help they can get in the free-throw department but I think more importantly, that stat underscores the fact that he's simply not been aggressive enough since his return. Is he still hurt? Perhaps. But then he shoudn't be playing a team-high 38 minutes, like he did last night if that's the case, because he's only hurting his club. Last time Toronto met Sacramento Bosh had 36 points and 11 rebounds, simply dominating an undersized King's interior. It should have been no different last night, even with Sacto's recent addition of Carl Landry. However CB4 settled for jumper after jumper, an incredibly frustrating thing to watch considering Toronto's success early in the game when they attacked the rim. The Kings' series of undersized "bigs" just didn't have the size or mobilarity to keep players like Bosh and Bargnani at bay, and yet on the night, Toronto was pummeld in terms of "points in the paint," being outscored 62 to 42 on the night.

This therefore extended to Andrea Bargnani as well, who did post a team-high 20 points on the night off of 8 of 12 shooting, but who didn't get nearly enough touches. I'm usually quite hard on Bargs for his lack of aggression or consistent production, but last night I did indeed notice that there were far too many times when Toronto's point guards looked him off down low, settling for perimeter shots themselves. Jack for instance took as many shots as Andrea, something that should be making Jay Triano scratch his head this morning considering his assistant coach at halftime stressed the need to get the ball down low to the Raps' "bigs."

Of course it doesn't help that at times when Andrea did get the ball, he made some horrific decisions passing out of double-teams...

...but the same could be said I suppose about the entire team last night.

The point guards (Jose in particular) did a terrible job running the show, the Raptors' wings were essentially invisible, and the club folded like cheap suit once Sacto got up by 13 points late in the game.

And as one reader put it, you gotta question Jay Triano's decisions in this one too. Can you see a Sam Mitchell-led team allowing this sort of effort once again to start a second half? Toronto has been outscored in each third quarter of the past 11 games and last night's record-complacency (the Dinos allowed Sacto to post 43 points on them in the Q) took things to another level. (As an aside, if your team is getting pounded to start every second half, doesn't that maybe speak volumes as to the combination of players you keep trotting out there??)

For me this loss is up there with two others on the season; the November 25th blowout in Charlotte, and the January 11th debacle in Indiana, a game the Raps should have had wrapped up but let slip away. Both along with a few poundings at the hands of the Hawks, were ugly views of how fragile this team's psyche can be, and from an outsiders perspective, ones that probably make you wonder if this is indeed a playoff team.

Last night you'd be hard-pressed to look at the 2009-10 version of the Dinos as a playoff club, even in the East. The talent is there, but much like previous incarnations of this club, what really concerned me is that not a single player looked to step up to rally the troops when the going got tough. Not Bosh, not Bargs, not the Ottoman...not even Reggie Evans. You can't be paying X millions of dollars to your supposed top players, and not get that element of leadership from at least one of them. This wasn't the Raptors vs the Mavs or Jazz...this was Toronto taking on one of the least effecient offensive clubs in the league, they should have been able to stop the bleeding.

But for some reason the club got miles away from their game-plan earlier in the match, and could never get back on track.

This has to be a huge concern for fans.

As part of what I assumed would be a 42ish win team this year, I figured that the much like the 47 win Raptors of a couple seasons ago, this current iteration of the club would excel at beating the league's bottom-feeders, and struggle against the cream of the crop. That was indeed the case until recently, but if the Dinos start to struggle against the Sacramento's and Phildelphia's, then what?

Perhaps I'm answering my own question by noting that our first NCAA prospect look is going to be up on the site tomorrow...

...because if Toronto keeps playing like this, suddenly the 2010 NBA Draft takes on a whole new level of importance for Raptors' fans...

Raptors Rapid Recap - Sacramento 113 - Toronto 90

2010-03-11T05:59:40Z

-The loss to the Los Angeles Lakers was tough to swallow, but tonight's drubbing at the hands of the Sacramento Kings was simply inexcusable. The Toronto Raptors got blown out in the second half en route to a 113 to 90 loss in a game that should have been wrapped up early as win number 33 on the season. Instead, it's loss number 31, the team's seventh in its last eight games.

-Lots of blame to be spread around in this one but let's start with Chris Bosh. Yes, he's probably not 100 per cent. But if you're that ineffective, either don't play, or do other things to try and get the team going. 14 points on six of 20 shooting and 5 rebounds ain't gonna cut it, and neither is 3 measly free-throw attempts.

-As mentioned though, this was an entire team failure tonight as Hedo Turkoglu was essentially invisible (six points on 2 of 8 shooting), Bargs was again only good in spurts (he had a team-high 20 points) and Toronto's point guards on the night were abysmal, both in terms of leading the team and in terms of setting the tone. Jose in particular got lit up all night by Beno Udrih.

-Yes, Beno Udrih. The same Beno who finished with 24 points and 8 assists, many of his points coming off of open drives to the basket. He got a ton of help in the back-court however as Tyreke Evans simply did whatever he wanted en route to his first career triple-double (19-10-10.) These two got a nice boost from other Kings like Carl Landry, Donte Greene and Jason Thompson and once Sacto got rolling to start the third quarter, they never looked back. How rolling? Well considering the Raptors gave up 43 points in the 3rd Q...

-From here, things could get pretty messy fast for Toronto. They still have two tough games left on the road trip out West, then have to face the Hawks and Thunder upon their return. Already they've tumbled in the Eastern Conference standings from 5th to 7th and another few losses could easily knock them out of a playoff spot altogether. Dare we say it but is it time for another closed-door meeting?

Game Day Thread: Toronto vs. Sacramento

2010-03-11T02:45:09Z

Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings

March 9, 2010

TV: the Score - 10:00 PM EST

After a devastating loss in LA the Raps head to Sacramento to face the Kings. Will the Raps be able to get up for this game after what happened last night or will they continue their solid play and beat the lesser Sacramento squad?

Go RAPS!

Canadian Content

2010-03-10T23:30:25Z

Today we have some great stuff for you. A great look at the CIS scholarship debate, some Andy Rautins and Courtnay Pilypaitis, lots of high school news, the CIS Women's Championships and more right here in Canadian Content ...

First off here is a great story by a colleague Andrew Bucholtz at Sporting Madness. He takes a look at the CIS scholarship debate that has been going on for a little while. A great read for you Canadian hoops fans ...

Sporting Madness: How scholarships and national recruiting have changed the CIS

And another look at the issue from another side ... TheSpec.com - Sports - West best since 1991 Ontario drought blamed on too many schools, scholarships

Here is some news about some National Team members making noise in Europe ...

Canada Basketball | SENIOR MEN ENGLISH KEPKAY ANDERSON STAR IN EUROPEAN PLAY

Here are a few NCAA stories for you ...

Andy Rautins makes the all conference team ... Sporting News' College Basketball Awards: Big East - Sporting News - College Basketball - Sporting News

Daily Orange - For Rautins, leading Syracuse was merely a matter of time

Honours pile up for Pilypaitis

Some stories on the high school front ...

GTA teens are lighting up the U.S. | Basketball | Sports | Toronto Sun

Campus Watch: Manigat gives verbal commitment to Canisius

Basketball Manitoba - Yael Kaplan Commits to Wesmen Women's Basketball Program

Hoops star draws rave reviews - The Whig Standard - Ontario, CA

Two For The Show | Crown Magazine

Some CIS news here ...

CIS:CIS Top Ten Tuesday (#28): Ravens top final men’s basketball rankings

CIS:2010 CIS Final 8 men's basketball championship update

The CIS Blog: Basketball: Player of the year: possible conference nominees (men's edition)

Don't forget that the Women's CIS Championships start tomorrow ... CIS:2010 CIS championship: No. 1 Clan, Canada West look to resume domination

Huskies seek redemption at nationals

Vikes women rewarded for stellar season

And we have a look at the CCAA Championships here ...

UBC-Okanagan Prepares for the Arrival of Women’s Basketball into BC

SAIT Prepares for the Arrival of Men’s Basketball into Alberta

And last but not least a Quebec Kebs player is named PBL Player of the Week ... Premier Basketball League

NC-Double-Eh Schedule - March 10

2010-03-10T18:01:15Z

Today begins a fun weekend of conference tournaments before the NCAA Tournament next weekend. Tonight we feature one up and coming player (Tshing Kasamba) and to departing seniors (Ryan Wright and Willie Galick). Find out who else is playing right here ...

Below we have highlighted the games we feel you should take a look at and remember to check in with teh Can Ball Report on Twitter for any game links we can find for you.

March 10

2:00pm St. John’s vs. Marquette

3:30pm Texas-San Antonio vs. Texas A&M-CC

7:00pm Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State – here we have the possible last game of a great Canadian story. Once the best high school player coming out of Canada, Ryan Wright had has a long journey and will likely finish it here tonight. He has had some good games today that flashed what type of player he could have been but for all intents and purpose, this will likely be the last time he suits up in uniform so it’s always worth watching. He’s at least leaving with a degree.

7:00pm Chicago State vs. Houston Baptist – Tshing Kasamba has been somewhat of an anomaly all season. I couldn’t figure out why he was starting for a while early in the season. It wasn’t until he came off the bench midway through the season that he put up some really big numbers and continued to do so for February. He’s back in the starting lineup and can really light it up, when he’s one, so maybe this is a game he does (or doesn’t).

9:00pm Cal Northridge vs. Cal Fullerton – Nanaimo, BC’s Willie Galick has had an up and down year. He started out in the starting lineup, and then went to the bench, then back in the starting lineup, then back to the bench. All the while he was playing seemingly inconsistent minutes due to foul trouble. He is a double-double guy for sure, it’s a matter of whether he can stay on the floor long enough to produce. Like Wright, this will likely be his last college game as well so take a minute to watch if you can.

9:30pm Iowa State vs. Texas

9:30pm Bethune-Cookman vs. Delaware State

11:00pm UC Irvine vs. Cal Poly

Blogging With The Enemy - Taking It To the HQ Community

2010-03-10T18:00:36Z

As you all know, whenever there is a Friday night game we reach out to the SBN Site related to the Raps opponent for the weekly "Blogging With The Enemy" Segment. This week we have reached out to Golden State of Mind to find out what's been happening with the Warriors. The answers to our inquiries will be posted on Sat.

GSoM has however, come back with some questions of their own. Rather than responding with my own thoughts, I though I would get some responses from you - the readers.

To mix things up I thought I would throw the GSoM questions out to the community and send some of the best responses, with my own, to GSoM for their version of "Blogging With the Enemy".

To make things easy simply answer the questions below in the comments section.

Don't forget to number your answers!

1. This past offseason the Golden State Warriors sent Marco Belinelli to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for the "free" Devean George. Over at GSoM we didn't think too much of Belinelli's game, but at the time of the trade a lot of Raptors fans and media thought he was going to be a fantastic addition. There were even plenty of Warriors fans who very upset that Belinelli had been traded. What grade would you give Belinelli for his first season on the Raptors?

GSoM Archives
http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2009/7/30/968792/warriors-trade-marco-belinelli-to
http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2009/7/30/970309/belinelli-traded-world-does-not
http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2009/8/1/970304/asking-gsom-raptors-hq-wants-the
http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2009/8/1/972137/what-does-discount-furniture-have

2. Another former Warrior and Chris Mullin draft pick on the Raptors is Patrick O'Bryant. He barely plays. What grade would you give him for his past 2 seasons on the Raptors? Look into your crystal ball and predict his future with the Raptors and in the NBA.

3. What % chance would you say Chris Bosh stays with the Toronto Raptors this offseason? Let's say he does leave. Where do you think is his most likely destination?

I have no doubt the answers to 1 and 3 will be quite different!

Lunchbox Links

2010-03-10T17:46:06Z

Kobe Bryant talks to FSN after making the game-winning shot against the Toronto Raptors. Here's a compilation of Bryant's six game-winning buckets in 2009-10. And Ball Don't Lie's Kelly Dwyer thinks there's been nothing like this run in 20 years.

So how did Bryant get such a good look? Some great execution from the Lakers and some poor execution from the Raptors, according to the NBA Playbook blog.

Who can shut down a red-hot Jarrett Jack? Jay Triano, apparently.

Prior to yesterday's game against the Lakers, Jose Calderon needed only 779 more minutes to earn fifth spot on John Hollinger's list of the best NBA shooters ever. (ESPN Insider)

Wayne Winston's projected final NBA standings have the Raptors finishing 41-41 and 8th in the Eastern Conference (two games ahead of the Chicago Bulls). The Raptors have an 80% chance of making the playoffs, according to Winston. He also thinks they should be playing Marco Belinelli and Amir Johnson more (see the comments section of this post).

Basketball Prospectus' Kevin Pelton takes an alternative look at great shooters.

Chris Bosh, Tracy McGrady and Michael Redd are among the 25 highest-paid players in the NBA. They are also the only members of that group to have never won a playoff series.

TrueHoop's Henry Abbott examines ticket pricing in the NBA.

Tip-In: Toronto Raptors' Post Game - Ref'd Up

2010-03-10T13:30:12Z

More photos » Lori Shepler - AP

Jarrett Jack: Taking it to the Lakers, one step at a time.(AP Photo/Lori Shepler)

Browse more photos »

Two teams battled it out to the final possession and the Raptors just didn't get the breaks they needed to prevent the Lakers from pulling off the expected win. The Raptors never went down without a fight and it should warm the hearts of fans to know that the Raptors showed that they can bring back the beauty of Raptors basketball that has been missing in the past weeks.

There have been a few personal rules I've had since I've started writing at the HQ, and one of the primary ones has always been to try and stay away from criticizing the refs of the NBA too much. I don't find it particularly interesting to keep on harping on them, and half the time, the team can always do something to negate the refs' impact on a game.

That being said, it was a simple travesty what happened the other night at the Staples Center.

You can expect a lot of things as a fan of the NBA. You know that if the opposing team has one of the top players, they are going to get superstar calls. It's part of the life of an NBA fan. There will be inconsistencies in games thanks to players and just what the refs manage to see over the course of a game.

However, last night, it was just outrageously blatant.

From phantom fouls charged to Raptors guarding Kobe Bryant, to a series of non-calls when the Raptors tried to take the ball inside or simply drive the ball along the three point arc, the Raptors were suddenly battling the refs as well as one of the strongest teams in the NBA. Players like Antoine Wright were getting called for establishing a vertical defense against Bryant, while others such as Chris Bosh found injustices on both sides of the floor.

Heck, even a fan managed to interfere with a ball going out of bounds as Jose Calderon reached out to save it.

It was just that kind of night for our boys in red. That is not to say that they didn't put in a team effort for most of the night. In fact, this has easily been the best overall team effort that we've seen from the Raptors in quite a few weeks. Deflections and forced turnovers were turned into fast breaks and guys such as Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan finally got themselves back on track. DeMar in particular, got the Raptors off to a solid start and helped dictate the tone for the Raptors in the early minutes. And while Chris Bosh was still struggling to lead the team through his actions, he did make a large impact on the game, including notching a game-tying 3 within the final 10 seconds of the game. On top of that, Amir Johnson and Jose Calderon both had solid outings while Marco Belinelli put in some good minutes to help the team.

However, there was no bigger star for the Raptors on this night than Jarrett Jack.

Besides giving the Raptors timely offense, Jack also made several key defensive stops including drawing a foul on Kobe Bryant. A leader who scored when the Raptors needed someone to take charge, Jack played his heart out and left everything on the court. In fact, we all remarked that we just weren't sure where Jack was getting all his energy. After looking absolutely exhausted, he went on to follow up with a coast-to-coast drive which led to a couple free throws. It's not an understatement to say that Jarrett Jack almost single-handedly kept the Raptors in the game in the third.

However, no matter the team effort that the Raptors put into the game, some things were just insurmountable. From the intimidating presence of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in the middle, to the efficient game of Kobe Bryant, the Raptors played their hearts out to bring the game down to a final shot. In fact, for most of the game, the Raptors led. It was until the Raptors entered the fourth quarter that the referees started exerting their influence and turned the game.

Despite the loss, I'm pleased to say that our Raptors seem to be back.

Their defense was much more solid at times and rotations seemed to be more effective against the Lakers. While lapses still occurred, the Dinos still managed create opportunities from turnovers. It is this continued effort that will insure that the Raptors will be just as competitive in Sacramento.

Without the benefit of a day's rest, the Raptors will be going to Sacramento after putting in a full effort against the Lakers. If the Raptors can maintain even half of their energy from the Lakers, they should be ok to take on the Kings. The Kings on the other hand, have lost four of their last five games, but have also managed to defeat teams such as the Jazz and Rockets despite relying on Tyreke Evans to handle most of the offensive duties. If the Raptors are not careful, they could easily end the day with a loss.

Nevertheless, I believe the signs that we saw yesterday were encouraging and showed that the Raptors are finally pulling out of their mini slump. It's a good thing too, because unless the Raptors are able to pick up a win here and there, their losing streak may balloon up to five or six in the next week. Games like tonight's Kings game are what leads in the standings are made of and it's time that the Raptors take full advantage of a team's weakness.

Raptors Rapid Recap - LA Lakers 109 - Toronto 107

2010-03-10T06:22:38Z

- There was a lot to like from tonight's game. From Bosh's clutch three, to Bargnani's rediscovery of his offense, the Raptors matched up with the Lakers. Jarrett Jack, though, was absolutely spectacular and gave the Raptors some much needed offense and defense. There is no doubt who was the best off-season signing for the Raptors last summer.

- Kobe Bryant was magical in his final shot, fading in the corner, with a couple Raptors draped over him for good measure. The Lakers were just too strong from the inside-out thanks to guys such as Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

- I'm not one to harp on the refs much. I believe that there's usually something that the team can do to overcome the refs, but tonight, the Raptors just didn't get the breaks they needed. The Lakers got the benefit of phantom calls as some timely fan interference.

- Hedo Turkoglu was undoubtedly the dud of the game. Readers may argue about his merits, but the Raptors got a whole lot of nothing when they needed something from their tall small forward. Careless turnovers, bad decisions, and bricked shots were all a part of Hedo's repertoire tonight. His ankle may still have been bothering him, but the Raptors needed something from everyone and Turk didn't bring much of anything.

- All in all, as good of a loss as you could want. The Raptors seem to have rediscovered their fire and will now travel to Sacramento for yet another back-to-back.

Game Day Thread: Toronto vs. Los Angeles

2010-03-10T03:15:10Z

Toronto Raptors vs. LA Lakers

March 9, 2010

TV: TSN - 10:30 PM EST

The Raps hit the west coast looking to right the ship. The first opponent is the LA Lakers. With a win the Raps could actually sweep the season series. Unlikely, but it gives you reason to watch!

Go RAPS!

NC-Double-Eh Schedule - March 9

2010-03-09T20:30:25Z

With the NCAA Tournament only a week away, the many conferences are wrapping up the season with tournament play for automatic bids. Tonight, the Atlantic 10 starts theirs and we feature St Bonaventure and Andrew Nicholson who take on Duquesne. Nicholson is a star on the rise and should be looking to come up huge here. Find out who else is playing right here ...

As always, the game of the night is highlighted for you below and remember to check in with the Can Ball Report for game links we may find for you.

March 9

7:00pm Duquesne @ St Bonaventure – for Andrew Nicholson and the Bonnies, this first round game of the Atlantic 10 Tournament is a step in the right direction. They are an improved team over last season but the chances of them winning the tournament are pretty slim. This game will be a big one for them since they had beaten the Dukes convincingly about a week ago. If they can come one and win this game, I think it will give them a fighting shot at winning the next game. Nicholson, who was just named to the All Conference Second Team, averaged 21 points, five boards and two blocks last week including dropping 21 on Xavier. He’ll need to come up big for his team to be victorious.

7:00pm George Washington @ Dayton

3 In the Key: Toronto Raptors Game Day Preview vs. LA Lakers

2010-03-09T13:30:13Z

More photos » Chris Young - AP

Jay Triano searches for answers as the Raptors embark on a road trip that may be the turning point for their season. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Chris Young)

Browse more photos »

After falling to the 76ers, the Raptors embark on a Western road swing that will take the Raptors through the best and worst of the West. First up are the L.A. Lakers who are undoubtedly looking for revenge after their loss earlier this year.

There simply is no resting point.

For our hometown heroes, the 76ers were a team that was just too tough to handle for a Toronto offense and defense that has been out of sync for the past week and half. Losing five of the last six has completely eroded the lead the Raptors had built in January and February. Now sitting in sixth place, the Raptors are in danger of falling out of the playoff picture if they do not figure out how to string some wins together in the next week. However, it doesn't get easier at all with the Raps first facing the Lakers to start off their Western road trip.

Nevertheless, this may be a good time for the Raptors to rediscover some of that team chemistry. On the road Toronto has few distractions and will need to rely on each other. Despite Antoine Wright's comments the other day defending Andrea Bargnani's porous defense against Thaddeus Young, the Raptors have just been doing a bad job communicating with each other on both ends of the court. It's extended itself beyond defense and has started to affect the offense as well as Amir Johnson was caught for several offensive 3-second violations the other night. With Chris Bosh back, it would be expected that there would be an adjustment period, but the Raptors are running out of time and games to establish themselves in a higher position in the conference.

It's why this road trip may become the turning point of the year.

While tonight's match up against the Lakers will be extremely difficult to win, the Raptors have to show some tangible improvement on the court. There's no doubt that the Dinos are a far cry from the team that beat the Lakers on their own home court back in Jan and the Lakers will undoubtedly be looking to this game as a revenge game. Add on the fact that the Lake-show has lost 3-straight and this surely will be a test of Toronto's mettle. It's why I'd like to focus on these three points for TO, regardless if they win or lose:

1) Crisper rotations and switches
It's been bothering me for the past set of games, but today's game is one where the Raptors have to be aware of their surroundings. While I do believe that Bargnani could have done more the other night, it is still up to his teammates to bail him out of tough situations. There were preciously few situations where help defense was applied against Philly. That has to change.

2) A return to form
Specifically, players such as Andrea Bargnani and Antoine Wright. Both have seen their point production decrease, and in Andrea Bargnani's case, his rebounding has been downright terrible. Averaging around three to four rebounds in their last few losses, Bargnani's rebounding has all but disappeared. There are preciously few opportunities for mistakes you can make while you're playing the Lakers and the Raptors will need a big effort from everyone, especially Bargs, who was instrumental in making sure the Raptors came out with a win the last time these two teams played.

3) Be competitive (it starts with defense)
Another game, and the Raptors once again gave up well over 100 points. With many teams scoring above their average against the Raps, there has to be some accountability towards why that happens. Now I recognize that this may not be possible against such a highly skilled team as the Lakers, but the Raptors have to start somewhere. They cannot continue to give over 110 points to teams and still expect to win come playoff time. While players like Reggie Evans have given the Raptors some added toughness, and energy the past few games, he is not a player that we should expect to see at crunch time.

It's up to our starters, or more importantly, our game finishers to come through in the Raps' time of need. Re-establishing their rhythm has to be Jay Triano's number one priority as without it, the Raptors are not going to get anywhere, even against the likes of the Sacramento Kings whom they play on Wednesday.

Which yes...is on the second night of the dreaded back-to-back, something that the Raps have struggled with all season.

Canadian Content

2010-03-08T23:00:35Z

Today we have lots of stuff for you including several Canadians making All Conference teams, lots of stuff from Canada Basketball including schedules for the men in the up coming FIBA World Championships, a great two parter on high school ball from the Globe and Mail, the Rainmen lose and plenty of CIS and CCAA action right here ...

Here are some great looks from the National Programs ...

Canada Basketball | COALITION HAILS BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR TEAM SPORTS IN CANADA

Wheelchair Basketball Canada annouces men's team ... Mens National News : Wheelchair Basketball Canada

Canada Basketball | SCHEDULE SET FOR 1ST ROUND OF MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Canada Basketball | JUNIOR MEN TO FACE BRAZIL PUERTO RICO URUGUAY AT FIBA AMERICAS U18

Our favorite PBL team the Rainmen lost an OT game to the Kebs ...

Halifax Rainmen Basketball - KEBS UPSET RAINMEN, 100-97

Breaking Down The Boxscore - KEBS 100, RAINMEN 97 (OT) | Rainmen, Kebs, Game, Brandon, Points, Rebounds, Quebec | haligonia.ca

Here some great looks from the NCAAs including multiple post season awards ...

St. Bonaventure Official Athletic Site:Nicholson named to A-10 All-Conference Second Team

Syracuse University Athletics - Johnson, Rautins, Triche Earn All-BIG EAST Conference

Maurice Joseph earns All Conference honors this year ... Men's Basketball : University of Vermont