Thursday December 11 2008 – 12:05pm Eastern
I’ll be heading to the airport in about an hour … ready to fly to LOVELY Newark, New Jersey. Ahhh, the Swamplands.
There’s a nice Italian joint near the hotel though – I’ll probably grab dinner there tonight (and compare it to my good friends at Alice Fazoolis!) and then head back to the hotel to check out some of the TNT action.
LAST NIGHT
Nice win for the Raptors. Don’t look at Indiana’s record; they’re a solid ball club. Ask the Lakers. Ask the Celtics. Jim O’Brien has that team playing hard right now. But Toronto got the best of Indy last night with some solid D and an injection of energy into the offence that we haven’t seen for a couple of weeks now.
Granted, the win over the Pacers is another win against a sub .500 team, but you’ve got to get these games as well. Before you start worrying about the ‘big boys’ and being world-beaters, you’ve got to take care of those ‘games you SHOULD win’. Last night was one of those games.
Without getting TOO far ahead of myself, I think the win over Indiana was vital. If you lose that game … the heads and shoulders slump a little more. You’ve now lost 6 in a row. You’re heading to Jersey to face Vince, AGAIN. You think back to that heartbreaking loss at the ACC a couple of weeks ago. You look at how well the Nets have been playing … and then you start worrying about the mighty Hornets on Sunday as well …
Before you know it … it’s Tuesday morning … you’ve now (hypothetically) lost NINE in a row … and you’re hoping to avoid a 10-game skid against Dallas (next Wednesday)!
Buuut … by getting that win over Indy … you can breathe again. You feel like all is not lost in the world. Maybe you start thinking ‘Jersey isn’t supposed to be THIS good. They were supposed to struggle this year – with a young, rebuilding team. WE are better than them. We have to win this one.’
The confidence starts building … the swagger returns … and before you know it … you start believing you have a shot at taking two of the next 3 at the very least.
Chris Bosh had that confidence/swagger going again (finally) last night. So did Jose Calderon. And we may have seen it for the first time this season from Jamario Moon as well.
Plus, was that a blip on the radar, or a breakout performance from Jason Kapono? He sure seemed jacked-up and he was pulling a ton of tricks out of his bag (tear-drops in the lane, baby hooks, cross-over dribbles)
It was a solid team effort and a win that was just as important for the psyche, not just the team’s record itself.
And it was great to see Jermaine O’Neal grab the game ball for Triano after the final buzzer last night as well. Class move by the vet.
PROPS
For those of you that were in attendance last night: Congrats.
Congrats for showing some class and not booing TJ Ford.
I’m sure some of you did shower him with some jeers, but the cheers for Ford drowned out most of the cat-calls. If I had to guess, I’d say it was about 90-10 in favour of Ford.
PREDICTION TIME
Based on all I just said … I’m going to go out on a limb here (well, not really) …
Looking at the sked … I don’t think the Raptors will be any worse by Xmas – or the New Year – than they are right now. If the games play out the way I think they should, Toronto will be 2 games below .500 at Xmas and still two games below .500 heading into 2009.
Of course, if the Indy win was just a mirage, things could get ugly really fast. This month has been – and will continue to be – BRUTAL.
A minor miracle will be needed for the Raps to get ABOVE .500 before 2009. But 3 of the first 5 in January feature games against beatable teams like Milwaukee, Washington, and Memphis.
TIE OR NO TIE?
I will preface this by saying … I KNOW I have absolutely NOTHING to do with the production on the floor and/or the outcome of the game …
But during the 47-win season a couple of years ago … I started a “tie or no tie” policy.
If the Raptors won, I would wear a tie to the next game. If the Raptors lost, I wouldn’t wear a tie to the next game. That’s it. Pretty simple.
There were many long stretches of tie-less nights … but just as many stretches where I did don the neck-wear as well!
Well, starting last week in Utah, I brought my superstition back.
After the loss to the Jazz on Friday, I declared “No tie on Sunday!”
It almost worked (note the sarcasm) as the Raps came within about :8.4 seconds of getting the win … before Steve Blake buried Toronto and forced me to go sans-tie in Cleveland.
LeBron didn’t care about my ‘game’ – blitzing the Raps, and sending me to 0-2 as well.
But just like Jay Triano, I got my first win last night, and I’ll be looking to move to 2-2 tomorrow night – WITH A TIE ON – in New Jersey
E. Smith
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Eric, I posted this on the bottom of the prior blog but thought you might answer it here:
I was really hoping that 3 starting 7-footers would be magic for the Raps this year.
Bosh not having a heavy big leaning on him all game, JO showing them both how to rebound with intensity (it’s more than just yelling on the way up..) and Bargnani just learning with confidence.
Eric, why does Bargnani look so disinterested most of the time, almost sleepy. I don’t see where he’s fast ‘for a 7 footer’
Someone needs to remind him that he’s Italian and to get passionate and a bit nasty. What will it take to make him emotional and get a touch more attitude like “I can take you off the dribble or on the floor”…….
PS
- Garytrading this guy would be a huge mistake. Bigs take time and he will be a good one imo
Gerald Wallace we need him as soon as possibly possible. We need to keep our big boy Bosh pleased for 2010. Colangelo should throw a few chips to charlotte for Wallace. Gerald Wallace would provide the much needed defense that this team desperately needs. Wallace is the missing chip that will transform this team to be a potential contender in the league.
Thanks,
- Adam LAdam L
Gary
I don’t think he’s been disinterested. I think he’s confused. He put on weight and worked on his post moves in the summer, then started the season up front. After that, Andrea was moved to the 3.
He was on the bench, then he started, now he’s on the bench again
Give him a few games to get himself back on track. He started the season well, and has now hit a funk over a short bit. Let’s see what the next few games have in store.
- E. SmithAdam – Gerald Wallace is a solid player, but I’m not sure that he is the cure-all for the Raptors. Would he help? Sure. But, if the cost is … say … Andrea Bargnani … I don’t know that I’m doing that deal
- E. SmithI don’t know if gerald wallace is the answer. Is he a better player than bargnani. For sure he is. Is he a better player than barganani ever will be. Probably. But this is the question. How long do we wait? If we want to win this year. We have to trade him
- Jeff Carteri agree with Eric, i think Il Mago needs some time to develope, expecially for a big. The Raps have given Joey Graham alot of time, and we are seeing some of the developmnet over the past couple of games.
I think the one thing we need right now is to be more consistant! I think we have the peices to make some noise in the playoffs (maybe 2nd round), if all players can play hard and stay healthy.
And always,
- MichaelGo Raps Go!!
lets start the damon stoudamire to toronto campaign. Solid backup
- Jeff CarterI wonder if Suns contacted Colangelo before they made their trade?
- Chas CakzGerald Wallace has stated to the media that he would refuse to report if traded to the Raps.
PLEASE can we stop suggesting we trade for him people?
It’s NOT POSSIBLE.
- Dan HEric, Read where players get $114. per day meal money on road .. Do radio guys get the same?
- Chas CakzAs far as I know Gerald Wallace has stated that he is not interested in playing in Canada/Toronto (I can’t find the link right now), but that should stop all of this Wallace talk.
- DCEric, I agree that Wallace doesn’t have everything I want in a wing player, so lets say the Raps do trade Bargnani, what would be a player you would believe is Andrea trade equal?
- christianim going with Tayshaun Prince.
I would be willing to trade Andrea if we could get a solid wing player back. He’s a decent big who WILL get better but I dont think the sky is the limit for him anymore. It’s not Andrea’s skill set, it’s his intensity and decision making capability that’s holding him back and causing all his inconsistency. And I don’t know if that can change so much. Players who are intense (KG) or have
- Neilhigh bBall IQs (Chris Paul) have been that way since their 1st year in the
league.
Jersey Vlog? I need my fix. I was at the game last night it was great to see more cheers for T.J. I have been a fan of Ford from his days at Texas. I felt happy to have seen him play for the Raptors even if it was only for a short time.
- James BorbathDefense was better…Granger missed a lot of shots…game would’ve been different people could finish what TJ Ford set up for them in the first…the people in my section booed TJ Ford so we’re not all “classy”…BOS, LAL wins were cute but fact is IND is the 2nd worst team in the East…I’ll wait till declaring the return of swagger and confidence until we get a meaningful win which BTW has not happened all season. Yeah, I thought Philly was meaningful but then we find out they suck.
“Gerald Wallace is a solid player, but I’m not sure that he is the cure-all for the Raptors. Would he help? Sure. But, if the cost is … say … Andrea Bargnan”
You’re making it sound like AB is good.
- ArsenalistHere I am, just catching up on Blogs and see the rhetoric on the TJ Situation, and then read that the REAL fans showed up and showed appreciation to someone who played as well as TJ did! Thank you all in Attendance. Eric, great call on the Game. Bring on Wincey and lets move on to another game! All the Best!!
- Lanny @ RBC from WhitbyG.Wallace is not the question! and Kapono should be playing in the starting line up on Friday and A.Parker should play as back up because Kapono proved him self and if he does solid defense on Carter he should stay and Moon or even Graham should be in the starting line up and when are the NBA going to talk about Nathan Jawai coming back !! because he can help us for sure! And Damon aka mickey mouse should come back to Toronto !! this would help us in a long way! Hey Eric if Toronto finish at 8th place in the standing’s wouldn’t they get a high 1st round pick maybe 10 or 11th and who do you think will be the guy? Like a shooting Guard or Power Forward because I think Parker might be traded this season if Kapono can do what he did in the game against Indiana!!!
- RAPS FANI don’t know if the Suns called Colangelo or not Chas, but I don’t think the Raptors had anything that could match Diaw/Bell
- E. SmithAnd, no, we don’t get $114 a day!
- E. SmithChristian … I’m not a big fan of creating wild fantasy trades or theorizing about who might be equal trade, etc. Respectfully, I don’t see the point in it – unless there’s legit proof that two teams are actually talking / interested in doing a deal together
- E. SmithThe VLOG will be coming around 1pm or 2pm on Friday
- E. SmithRAPS FAN … no, if the Raptors finish 8th they won’t get a #10 or #11 pick. They’d have to MISS the post-season to get a pick that high
As for who/what they’d go after … honestly … who knows! There are 60+ games left in the season! We haven’t even hit xmas. There’s still almost 3/4 of the season to play
Let’s just chillll for now
- E. SmithSorry Eric, maybe it wasn’t clear, im not asking for you to create a wild fantasy trade, rather what is Andrea’s worth in the trade market.
- christianBC is looking for a Big to replace Jawai/Humph, not looking for a major upgrade, as he still feels the talent is there, and up to Triano to follow his instructions and use the talent available.
- Johnn19