Tag Archives: Cleveland Cavaliers

by | April 7, 2012 · 8:03 am

Cavs Beat Raptors in Tank Bowl 2012

That wasn’t the prettiest game in the world last night, in fact, let us never speak of it again.

The Raptors sported a starting lineup the Bakersfield Jam would likely not be concerned about.  Ben Uzoh?  Alan Anderson? and Justin Dentmon serving as the primary backup one shootaround into his Raptor career?

If this is what “Tank Nation” is all about then I want no part of it.

That was ugly.  That was ugly before the disgraceful 4th quarter where the Raptors were outscored 33-17.  I mean the game was tied at 68 in the 3rd Quarter.  Is that “pounding the rock” or just straight stinking out the joint?

To be fair, the Raptors were without Calderon, who was relegated to the bench with “hockey face” after Elton Brand elbowed him in the face on Wednesday.  They were also without James Johnson, who is usually a spark plug for the Raptors.  He was out with what can only be described as “upsetting the coach”.

Not a great effort for our team, not at all.

Still Derozan had another strong game, Sonny Weems returned and Tristan Thompson got a nice ovation from the crowd.  Not all bad, I guess.

Zan For Three

Driving the Tank

I get it. I really do.  I understand Tank Nation.  I understand the idea of cheering when your team loses.

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t get Kevin Durant by winning lots of games.  Lebron wasn’t delivered on Cleveland’s doorstep for shows of good effort.

Losing brings Toronto a valuable asset. Losing lots, at least theoretically, increases the value of that asset.

But if we are going to tank this season, I’d at least like to go down with some dignity.  Dwane Casey has shown this past week that he has absolutely no intention of leaving this season with a whimper.  He has this team playing hard and aggressive.

Just not last night.

If we are working towards next year, it would be nice to see a little more Ed Davis and a little more Solomon Alabi.  Last night, Justin Dentmon, fresh off of getting to the city, played 20 minutes. Alabi, a two-year Raptor, drank Gatorade.

Ben Uzoh and Alan Anderson are living out their NBA dreams of starting in a game, while some of our younger players are wasting away on the bench.

Tank or no Tank, let’s play the players that have a possible future here.

Rumour Mill

So James Johnson sat against the Cavaliers on the very same night Sonny Weems made a public appearance in Toronto.  2+2=4

I’m not going to suggest that the Raptors are looking to replace Johnson with Weems.  That would be a bad idea, a very bad idea.  But Weems is a solid offensive player and one who has really shown some promise in Lithuania this year.  His arrival at the very same time his replacement was being benched is sure to conjure up all kinds of baseless rumours and armchair GM-ing.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that he returns, though.

He’s good friends with Demar Derozan who is seemingly part of our future. He can score in bunches, which would be a nice asset to have on our bench, especially since Leandro Barbosa’s output has been replaced by Alan Anderson’s thus far.  And he seems to want to be here.  If we are to believe his words. 

Sonny is a pretty one-dimensional player, but like Barbosa, he scores a lot.  If used properly off the bench he could become a semi-valuable asset.

That being said I don’t think the plan moving forward is to have Johnson start at the 3 next season (he would likely come in off the bench) and the Raptors don’t need to carry the extra wing if one will be acquired in the summer.

The Weems debate will continue and Colangelo is going to have to make a decision.

At the very least, there will be plenty of chatter about Mr. Weems over the last couple of weeks of the season.

The Dog House

Of all the players that I could imagine being in Dwane Casey’s “dog house”, James Johnson wouldn’t be one of them.  This season he has been Mr. Everything playing with energy, doing the little things and playing strong defense.

He has been a fan favourite because of the energy he plays with on the court.

It is therefore very intriguing why he has been benched in favour of Alan Anderson.

In typical Dwane Casey fashion, this matter is being dealt with internally (as it should be), but one has to wonder what Johnson did to earn his mini vacation.

Hopefully it was a minor incident that both parties are now .  The Raptors need James Johnson; tank or no tank.  He’s a fun player to watch and would have come in handy last night against the Cavs.

Zan of the Night

Demar Derozan

The kid is getting his confidence back.  Unfortunately he’s getting it back just in time for the season to end.  Once again Raptor fans went from being done with Derozan to thinking he might be part of the core.  Is he the player from the first half? or the one playing well to end the season?

Seems like Derozan has got a bit of “Reimer-itis”, hopefully his solid play continues into next season and he doesn’t revert back to his old ways.  On Friday night he shot the ball well, got to the line and was one of the only players that gave his team a chance to win.

Not Zan of the Night

Alan Anderson

He is not an NBA starter, but there he was as the Raptors starting small forward.  He won’t be there much longer, one can only assume.  He finished with 30 minutes of play and zero points.  He missed the four shots he took and was an overall -13 on the night.

But I guess he deserves more time that Alabi.

#freealabi

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

–

Follow us:

@zantabakherald
@kpedlar

***

1 Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 5, 2012 · 1:55 am

Bargnani and Derozan Spoil Thompson’s Homecoming

So it wasn’t the prettiest basketball game in the world, but it in the end a win is a win, right? The Raptors did not have their A game on Wednesday night, but luckily they were playing a Cavaliers squad that didn’t have their J game.  It was ugly to say the least with the Cavs shooting an unreal 30%.  Part of that is improved Raptor defense, part of that is Cav-itis.

Still there was plenty for the crowd to go home happy about.  Tristan Thompson returned home to Canada and received some solid hometown love in his first appearance at the ACC as an NBA player.  He didn’t have a great game, scoring only a single point, but he’ll remember this game for the rest of his life.

The fans were also treated to a solid effort from the team’s current number 1 and number two.  Bargnani and Demar gave the crowd a reason to get those all-star ballots filled out.  They, once again, shot with confidence and embraced their star role.  Demareven found his touch from beyond the arc.

It wasn't the homecoming that Tristan Thompson had in mind as fellow Canuck, Jamal Magloire and the Raptors held the Cavs to a dismal 30% shooting en route to big win.

If the Raptors keep playing with this energy and enthusiasm it’s going to get harder and harder to hope for the tanking of the season.

Zan for Three

Derozan for Three

Quietly this year Demar Derozan has been developing his game from beyond the arc.  If he is to take the next step in his development he is going to have to become more consistent from three-point land.  So far this year he has been.  He was 5 of 8 on the night and has been 62% on the season thus far.  Don’t expect that kind of percentage all year-long, but the fact that he is becoming more confident taking those shots is a great sign if you’re a Raptor fan.  So far this year he has looked every bit a part of this teams future.

The best part of that improvement is that Demar, with the coaching staff,  has clearly targeted a weakness and is working on it.  Being a star NBA player means work.  The work never stops if you wanna raise the level of your game.  Demar, right now, is putting in the work and is seeing the fruits of his labour.

All Stars

It is way too early to be making any sort of predictions about the All-Star game outside of Lebron most definitely being there.  For the Raptors it was announced on Wednesday that Jose, Demar and Andrea were all on the ballot and if the game were to be held tomorrow Andrea would be on that roster.

He has been doing everything right. Driving the lane, making his defender guard him from all parts of the court and taking shots with confidence.  His 31 points tonight were great, but what is more astonishing is that he isn’t taking that many shots.  Tonight he was 11 for 16.  Last night it took Carmelo Anthony 31 shots to get that many points.

On the season Andrea has been very efficient shooting 52% and he isn’t passing up the shots either.

A great start to the season for Andrea.  With continued effort he’ll be hanging with Lebron at the All-Star game.

Mr. Dependable

Jose Calderon continues to fill the stat sheet adding another double-double to his resume tonight.  He runs the offense with confidence, but what has been less noted is his defensive improvement.

Calderon is never going to be a candidate for defensive player of the year, but he has shown improvement in Dwane Casey’s system.  He is learning to take charges, blocked a shot this year and is clearly working on that aspect of his game.

This guy is a lot better than anyone gives him credit for and is showing himself to be a solid point guard to lead this young team.

Zan of the Night

Andrea Bargnani

You know that feeling when a player gets the ball and everybody in the building knows it is going in? Well that’s the feeling I have every time Andrea touches the ball.  This is the feeling of a star player, a guy that is a game changer and a difference maker.  Right now, Andrea is that guy.

I noticed that the decision was made as a team to have Andrea announced as the last player on our starting lineup, a spot usually reserved for the star player on a team.  Andrea is clearly earning that role.  Tonight and pretty much every night this season he played to his strengths, took advantage of defensive mismatches and played with the confidence of an All-star.  He scored in a number of different ways taking the ball inside and outside and he did it very efficiently.  He continues to look like a star player.  Derozan deserves some mention here as well as, he too, has demonstrated great work ethic this year.  His improvement in his shooting touch is something to be excited about as a Raptor fan. At this point, they are clearly number 1 and number 2.

Not Zan of the Night

Tristan Thompson

This is probably a game that he will not remember fondly.  Returning home to play in front of family and friends, Tristan just couldn’t get it going and spent much of the game on the bench.  It was probably nerves, and it is completely understandable, but he didn’t look very confident.

That being said, Tristan has shown great promise this year in his first year and will definitely have other opportunities to make up for his lacklustre performance tonight.

Chalk this one up to a learning experience.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar

The Zan Tabak Herald

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Zantabakherald

1 Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | October 30, 2010 · 11:05 am

Cavs Get Kleiza-nated!

It was a statement game for the Raptors.  One in which they needed to win after a tough opening night defeat at the hands of the Knicks.  The Raptors came out with a balanced attack and meticulously dismantled their opponents.  The Raps were active on the glass, especially Reggie Evans (who is beginning to become a major fan favourite with his gritty play) their defense forced 19 turnovers and the team defense held the ineffective Cavs starters to just 11 for 37 from the field.

Toronto scored many of its points off turnovers and the team’s attack was balanced with 5 players in double figures.  Bargnani and Kleiza led the way scoring 20 and 19 each respectively.

Now, this was the Cavs right?  This is a team we are supposed to beat and a team that is reeling with the loss of Lebron this summer.  So we shouldn’t be that impressed, right?

I think this effort showed that Toronto has some fire power this year and their talk of changing the defensive presence on this team wasn’t just lip-service.  Everyone played well, bought into the system and as a result the game was a cake walk after the first five minutes of the third quarter.

This season will, no doubt, have its rough patches but this team is going to come to each game and play hard.  They are going to be entertaining and they are going to fight.

The Zan For Three

Reggie! Reggie!

So I think I have a man-crush on Reggie Evans.  The guy plays the game of basketball exactly the way a hockey-loving town would want a player to.  He fights for the ball, he doesn’t let you get ny easy baskets and he seems to always be in the right place at the right time.  He also has no ego to speak of and plays within the flow of the game.  Reggie is one of those intangibles type players where he does so many things that never get on the score sheet.  Although 14 boards last night was a figure that really stuck out on the score sheet.

I know it is way too early to say this, but the way he plays the game really reminds me of when Jorge Garbajosa came to town.  Jorge was a quiet, team oriented player, who went out and did things that nobody else could or wanted to do.  His contributions rarely stuck out on a stat sheet.  Reggie seems to be playing that role now.

The Toronto team was never the same after Garbo got hurt, which goes to show you, that players of that mould are paramount to winning games.   Reggie Evans has been a key player for the Raptors this season and his play will continue to be important as the season continues.

Defensive Intensity

There is a saying in sports that coaches and players love to recite every year:  Defense Wins Championships.  I think most players understand that, but with the money and fame that exists in scoring buckets of points, the philosophy doesn’t always resonate with players.

Jack and the Raptors used strong defensive intensity to fuel their offense against the Cavs last night at the ACC.

Jay Triano is trying to instill a defensive presence on this team this year.  The egos of last year are gone and this team is buying into the team concept.  Colangelo has carefully crafted this team with a focus on team.  Triano has been pushing that concept on the offensive end, but even more so on the defensive end.

There are no defensive specialists on this team.  No Doug Christie. No Bruce Bowen.  No Ron Artest.  This team is made up of players that have to work together to get stops.

Last night this team executed their team approach perfectly.  If Calderon let his man by him, Reggie Evans or Linas Kleiza were there to help out.  Barbosa and Jarrett Jack smothered drives together and forced a number of turnovers at the top of the key.  Amir Johnson was active without fouling his opponents.  Bargnani was blocking shots and Reggie was bringing down offensive boards in traffic.  As a result, the Cavs had a hard time getting anything to the basket and had to settle for contested jump shots.  Not the best way to win.

Perhaps Defense does win games.

Showtime

So much has been said of Andrea Bargnani over the years.  Fans love to rip the guy every time he has a bad game.  Such is the life of a former first overall pick, I suppose.  This year he was criticized for having a poor pre-season.  Yup, people were even on the guy in the pre-season.  With Chris Bosh off to Miami to appear on television every chance he can get, Bargnani was anointed as the go-to guy.  This was a role many thought he would fail miserably at.  He had never been the go-to guy and had never needed to fight his way out of double teams or have defenses focusing on him.

Over the last two games Bargnani has looked confident and comfortable in his role.  He is such a good passer that when he is covered, he defers to his teammates and doesn’t force the issue.  Yes, his first two games have been against the Knicks and Cavs, but I don’t see a player that is ready to drift into the background.  I see a player who understands his role and will likely have a breakout offensive year for the Raptors.  Maybe you should have taken him in your fantasy draft.

Zan of the Night

Linas Kleiza

There was lots of strong play last night, but Kleiza delivered the knock-out blow for the Raptors in the third quarter.  He scorched the Cavs from the outside, in the post and with a geat mid-range shot. It didn’t matter where he was on the court, he was lethal.  I have a feeling Kleiza is going to be a go-to guy this year.  He may end up as one of the more underrated pickups of the past offseason.

Not Zan of the Night

Byron Scott

Look, the fans wanted pizza, okay?  I know there are codes for good behaviour in sports, and the pizza thing is a bit silly, but the game was over and the last basket was scored in transition.  As a coach for a team that is likely to lose a lot of games this season, you have to understand how important it is to keep the fans happy in a city tht isn’t expecting a whole heck of a lot.  An extra bucket didn’t “humiliate” your team, Byron.  Don’t take out your Lebron anger on us.  Let the fans enjoy a free slice of pizza, the game is, after all, really about the fans.

***
Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
***
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Zantabakherald

Leave a Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 16, 2010 · 12:09 pm

What Lebrons Decision Means for the Raptors

With the creation of the Miami “Super Heat”, there will be a resounding domino effect felt throughout the league and, in particular, the Eastern Conference.  Cleveland and Toronto will probably be the most affected by the signings in Miami, but make no mistake about it, there will be shockwaves all over the NBA.  Teams will change their views of how to build a winner and teams that were close to contending before, may find themselves on the outside looking in.

Toronto will feel the effects first hand next season.

The Raptors came to within one game of making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference this year and one would have to assume that their chances have taken a big hit with the loss of their best player, and leader, Chris Bosh.

Bosh was the centrepiece of the offense in Toronto and the main go-getter of rebounds. He was a leader on and off the court and was the sole reason the Raps were able to keep pace with many teams night after night.  Without that kind of contribution, one would have to assume,  the Raptors will be hard pressed to see any kind of success next year or playoff basketball.

With Lebron joining Chris and Dwayne Wade in Miami, the entire balance of power shifts in the Eastern Conference.  Cleveland will likely no longer be factors in playoff discussions and Miami will likely be at the top of everyone’s prediction charts.

Playoff spots are almost certain, barring injury, to teams like Miami, Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, and Chicago.  All of those teams kept major players or made strong upgrades through free agency.  That only leaves three more spots for the playoffs next season.  Those spots are likely to be teams that are thrashed in the first round by the teams mentioned.  Teams like Milwaukee, New York, Charlotte, Detroit and Cleveland will all be vying for those last three spots.

Colangelo is moving forward following the departure of Chris Bosh and his efforts could finally land the Raptors in the playoffs.

Will Toronto be one of those teams?

My feeling is that the Raptors will be more competitive than anyone gives them credit for.  They will not be predicted as one of the top eight teams in the East, but they have as good a shot as anyone.

Without Chris Bosh, the Raptors must alter their game plan.  Good thing the Raptors have a GM that is good at changing up his game plan.

Chris Bosh was the focus of the offense for the Raptors and as a result their offensive sets often involved giving Bosh the ball and waiting for him to shoot, drive or kick out to a shooter.  This plan got a little stale and as a result teams found the Raptors easier and easier to defend.  Jermaine O’Neal, Shawn Marion, Hedo Turkoglu were all brought in to compliment him, but in the end the Raps couldn’t find a compliment to Bosh.

With no Chris Bosh, the Raptors will be able to change-up their offensive sets.  Triano has proven in the past to be a decent X’s and O’s kind of coach and now he has a variety of players around that can do a multitude of things.  Ball handlers, shooters, guys that can drive, guys that feed on putbacks.  The “Boshless Era” may end up being an exciting time to watch the Raptors.

The franchise will not have to force everyone to mould to Bosh’s style.  Players will be allowed to be themselves, focus on their strengths and compliment each other.

The American Dream Team had a very hard time defeating the Spanish National team over the last few years.  The Dream Team had the talent, as Miami now does, but the Spanish utilized an unselfish, team oriented style of basketball.  In the end the Spanish team gave the U.S.  all they could handle and took gold away in the 2006 world championships.  Colangelo watched as the Spanish team spread the ball around the floor and defeated the highly touted American squad.

Now Colangelo has the chance to build a team oriented style with this Raptors group.

He has at his disposal a number of exciting, young players that have no problem sharing the ball.  Amir Johnson, Demar Derozan, Jarrett Jack, Sonny Weems, Ed Davis and newly acquired Linus Kleiza and Leandro Barbosa.  Plus we’ll finally get a chance to see what Andrea Bargnani looks like as a focal point on offense.

Plus, Colangelo isn’t done dealing.  He has a massive trade exception at his disposal as well as expiring contracts in Marcus Banks and Reggie Evans.  You can also be assured that one of his point guards will be dealt before the season begins.  More weapons to help build his team-oriented strategy.

Team oriented championships have happened before.  One needs to look no farther than Detroit to see that a team can win without a proven star player.

Will the Raptors win this season?  Time will only tell.

One thing is certain though.  This team will be exciting to watch.  They will play a different style of ball and new players will share the leadership role. They have enough talent to compete for one of the spots not held by the upper echelon teams in the East.

While Bosh, Lebron and Wade will have difficulties sharing the ball next season, the Raptors will be full of players that want to share the ball and will do anything asked to make the team better.

Losing Bosh may end up being the best thing that ever happened to the Raptors.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @zantabakherald

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

Leave a Comment

Filed under Editorial, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 10, 2010 · 3:53 pm

The Zan Dishes on Lebron-gate

So he made his decision.  Lebron is going to take his talents to South Beach and play with Bosh and Wade.  It stings a little if you’re a fan of competitive basketball and it will definitely sting for the fans in Cleveland more so  than anywhere else.  But, Lebron made the choice he had the right to make.

I don’t think any of the anger comes from the fact that Lebron chose Miami.  Lebron was a free agent and was entitled to choose the team he wanted to play for.  He had meetings with various teams, which was not an issue either.  In the end, the Heat looked like the start of a great team and are led by one of the great NBA coaches and minds of all time in Pat Riley.  A Wade, Bosh, James threesome makes sense on many levels.  For Wade, for Lebron and definitely for Bosh.

The NBA's new Three-headed monster was unvailed this week in Miami. Will they win anything? Will championships follow "King James" to South Beach? We will find out come November.

Where things get ugly is the way in which Lebron decided to make his decision.  A Primetime special?  For a free agency decision?  The NBA and National media were able to stretch this circus into a full hour of television.  How do you spell boring?  arrogant? absolutely ridiculous?

Lebron gave fans in New York, New Jersey, Chicago and Cleveland the collective finger when he made his very public announcement.  The fact that he considered himself so important to have a primetime special in the first place is beyond me.  The classless tact he implored to make the announcement public in front of fans that adored him for seven years was just plain sickening.

Then the three of them being introduced like a WWE tag team to the Miami Heat fans in their new jerseys was tough to watch as well.  The “three-headed monster” are celebrating as if they’ve won something more than a new jersey.  Someone needs to remind these three that they haven’t won anything yet.  Another punch in the gut for the fans in Cleveland to swallow.  Another spectacle for the self-proclaimed “king”.

Players come and players go, but few allow a city to hold its collective breath and then punch them in the stomach like Lebron did on Thursday night.

Cleveland, especially, deserved better.

Watching the jersey burnings and crying fans in Ohio, one couldn’t help but picture the fall of the Roman Empire.  Lebron has gone from hero to villain. The Cavs have gone from title contender to an afterthought.  I imagine the Miami Heat will be the most despised team in all of sports come November.  Minus the masses in Miami and a few bandwagon fans out there.

So what does this all mean?

Well, I wouldn’t fit these three for rings, just yet.  Combined they have one championship ring that a little guy named Shaq had a lot to do with.  Lebron, Wade and Bosh also need to find a few teammates…like nine of them before they can even play a game.  What little money the Heat have left will need to spent very wisely or they’ll have to call in a lot of favours or hope that some veterans don’t mind playing Lebron’s caddy for the league minimum.

The Heat look solid on paper and Boston’s “Big Three” model has proven that three superstars can lead a team to a championship.  But whereas Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett proved to be very unselfish with the basketball and Rajon Rondo emerged to make it a strong foursome, this threesome might have trouble sharing the ball.

Bosh has only been effective in Toronto because the offense runs through him.  On the “superteam” the ball will not go to him very often if at all.  He will have to bang and fight for rebounds and he has never proven to be that type of player.  He may also have to do something he has fought against for the last seven years: play centre.

Lebron will have to share the ball with Dwayne Wade.  Both players play similar style games and have controlled the ball considerably over the last seven years.  Who controls the ball now?  Who will take the bulk of the shots.

Can a guy who had a Primetime special to announce his free agent decision, share the basketball?  Share the limelight?  Share his cookies?  I don’t know.

They all can’t score 30+ every night.  Someone is going to have to pass up taking shots.  Who takes the shot in the fourth quarter?

They will need a good coach to reign in all of that testosterone and ego.  Eric Spolestra is probably not the guy to do that.  I’m not sure he has any testosterone to speak of.

So the Heat will come in as favourites to win it all and also the least liked team in the entire league.  Expect a lot of booing for this trio in Cleveland, New York, New Jersey, Toronto and Chicago especially.  This “super team” will have to find a way to co-exist.  On paper in looks great, but games are not won on paper.  If that was so, the Cavaliers would have been champions this year.

The Heat look hot right now, but lets see how hot they look come November.  A whole lot of teams are going to be licking their chops to beat these three.  The Miami Heat:  Public Enemy Number One.

We’ll have more on what this all means for the Raptors tomorrow.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @zantabakherald

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

Leave a Comment

Filed under Editorial

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 5, 2010 · 1:05 pm

Bosh Roulette: Where Will He Go?

It is becoming increasingly clear that Chris Bosh wants to play in another city next year.  He seems to be revelling in his free agency and being wined and dined by various NBA teams.  The one glitch in his plan for a 6 year max deal seems to now be the Raptors unwillingness to accommodate Bosh unless the Raptors stand to gain as well.  This could throw a wrench into the plans for a super team in Chicago or Miami and may force Chris to take less money in a city he wants to play in.  Still, many possibilities exist for the Raptors and Chris Bosh to find a deal that will appease both sides.

Let’s take a look at his potential suitors:

Chris Bosh has a lot of options when it comes to where to play next year. Many of them will depend on the co-operation of Bryan Colangelo and the Raptor organization.

Miami Heat: Before the onset of free agency and in the first few days of the frenzy, Miami looked like the sure-fire destination for CB4.  Miami had a deal on the table including Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony.  The deal would have combine Bosh with Dwayne Wade, but would have also left Miami’s bench pretty thin.  The deal fell apart and the Miami deal won’t happen unless Pat Riley ponies up some draft picks and a massive trade exception.

Odds are still high that Bosh ends up here, but he might have to take a little less money or a third team will have to be added to the deal.  Miami had hopes of combining Wade and Bosh, but those dreams are in danger of being dashed.  In fact, Wade has been visiting a number of other teams and could leave the sunshine state.

Verdict: Miami still looks like a possibility but Colangelo has made it clear that he won’t get taken to the cleaners. If Miami wants Bosh they are going to have to at least try to accommodate the Raps.

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls have dreams of building a super team with Bosh, Wade, Noah, and Rose.  Unfortunately for Chicago, they need other teams in their conference to help them do it.  A super team that looks like that would entice anybody.  Lebron is also a possibility in the windy city, so it could get crazy in Chi-town.

Bosh likes the look of the city and how could you not want to play with a starting five that consists of those players?  Again, max money will be hard to come by unless the Bulls are able to come to an agreement with the increasingly steadfast Colangelo.  Unless the Bulls are able to offer up a player like Joakim Noah, I don’t think a deal gets done.

Verdict: The Bulls are all over the free agent market right now, but seem to be unwilling to give up any sort of asset to get these players.  If Paxson doesn’t start to get serious about a sign and trade, the bulls could end up empty-handed.  I do believe a compromise can be worked out between the Raps and Bulls that is somewhere between Taj Gibson, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah.  The Raps are right to hold out for something more lucrative in order to accommodate Bosh and an Eastern Conference rival.

Houston Rockets: This would be the Raptors most preferred situation and Houston is close to Bosh’s hometown.  The Rockets were apparently the first ones on the “Bosh Scene” at midnight on July 1st.  They love the idea of pairing Bosh with Yao Ming.  That would be a pretty strong frontcourt.  The Rockets also have a sea of assets that intrigue the Raptors including multiple first round picks and skilled players such as Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza and Luis Scola.  The Raptors seem to be pushing Bosh towards Houston with their unwillingness to take the Bulls and Heat offers.  Bosh would also end up out West, away from the Raptors in the Eastern Conference, and couldn’t come back to haunt them the way Vince Carter has in previous seasons.

Verdict: This is probably the best scenario if you are a Raptor fan.  Bosh would bring back top dollar from the Rockets and we wouldn’t have to worry about “super teams” in Chicago or Miami.  Not only that but Bosh would be out west where Raptor fans wouldn’t be taunted by his potential success.  A definite possibility if Colangelo can stay strong and hold out for the best sign and trade deal.

New York Knicks:  This is the least likely scenario, but if Bosh is looking for fame and money New York could be his best option.  There is every likelihood that Wade and Lebron will return to their current teams leaving the Knicks out in the cold.  They would then put all of their energy into saving face with their fans and throw the moon at Chris Bosh.  Bosh has given every indication that he wants the moon this offseason.  So the Knicks might be a good fit.

Verdict: Unlikely, but possible as other dominos begin to fall.  A rumored Lee for Bosh sign and trade was talked about during the season and could be a deal Colangelo considers.  Not the best news if you are a fan of defense, but a possibility nonetheless.

Los Angeles Lakers: This was a team considered quite a bit during the year.  Every Raptor fan with access to the internet has posted about a potential Bynum for Bosh deal.  The deal would strengthen the Lakers considerably and would give Bosh access to the thing he craves even more than a championship :  attention.  He would be close to his buddy Jay Leno and he wouldn’t have to become the focus of the offense with Bryant and Gasol around.  He could be a key to returning the championship to L.A. for a thrid straight year.

Verdict:  A bit of a pipe dream if you’re a Raptors fan as Bynum would be a beast in the East.  A great idea, in theory, but one that is unlikely to materialize.  Los Angeles won the championship with their current roster and they don’t really need to bulk up with another max contract.  Bynum has potential to be as good, or better than Bosh in the long-term.  A long shot at best.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Playing with Lebron would be a dream come true for Bosh.  He would benefit from being a secondary option and playoff berths would be plentiful.  But, he would be playing in Cleveland.  If Bosh wants exposure and media attention, surely Cleveland isn’t the route to go.  Rumours indicate Bosh has no desire to play in Cleveland, but would love to play with Lebron elsewhere.

Verdict: Unlikely because of Bosh’s desire to be a media mogul or some such nonsense.  Playing with Lebron?  yes.  Playing with Lebron in Cleveland?  Not so much.

Toronto Raptors: Yes, there is still a glimmer of a hope that Bosh will return to the Raptors next season.  The Raptors can offer more money than anyone else and Colangelo seems steadfast in his desire to get a decent deal for Bosh, should he move to a new team.  If Bosh can’t get his money elsewhere, he might stay and collect it in Toronto.  This becomes even more likely if Lebron and Wade stay with their current teams.  Joe Johnson was rumoured to be on the move and he ended up staying, it could be in Bosh’s and his agent’s best interest to stay where he is a focal point of the offense and where he can get the most money.

Verdict: Borders on never going to happen, but there is a possibility that Colangelo’s game of hardball brings CB4 back to the ACC.  A long shot at best, but still possible.

In the end, I believe in my heart of heart that Bosh will end up elsewhere this offseason and the next time Toronto fans see Bosh on the court, it will be in a uniform other than a Raptors one.  My hope is that Colangelo is able to orchestrate a deal that will land the Raptors young players or financial assets that will benefit the team going forward.  So far, Bryan has shown that he won’t be taken to the cleaners by the Pat Riley’s and Paxon’s of the world.  Hopefully a deal will materialize that gives Bosh the riches he so covets and the assets the Raptors will need to take a step forward.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @zantabakherald

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

1 Comment

Filed under Editorial, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 15, 2010 · 12:07 pm

Cavs Channel Raptors in Losing Series to Celtics

Is it just me or did the Cavaliers do their best Raptor impression during the last series with the Celtics?

I’m not trying to take a swipe at the hometown team, nor am I trying to take a swipe at the Cavaliers, but there were parallels that were hard to question and the parallels will continue for these two franchises moving into the big free agent summer of 2010.

The Cavaliers were favoured against the Celtics and were expected to waltz all the way to th NBA Final series.  The only bump in the road was expected to be the Magic from Orlando.

There will be a lot of soul searching for Lebron this summer as his Cavaliers were once again bounced from the playoffs.

The Cavaliers were led by their superstar de jour: Lebron James.  He did everything a superstar was supposed to do during the regular season, but was criticized heavily during this series.  He didn’t put in the effort Cleveland fans have become accustomed to.  His heart and defensive ability came into question, despite scoring a triple-double in the decisive game 6.

Does this not remind you of The Raptors superstar de jour: Chris Bosh?  Who played incredibly well during the first half of the season.  Not MVP well, but well enough to lead his team to the playoffs.  And then the second half of the season happened and he wasn’t quite the same.  He was a little tentative, not aggressive on the defensive end and his heart was called into question.  All of this, despite leading his team in scoring and averaging a double-double all season long.

Both are superstars that did not lead the way a Kobe or Jordan led.  Both put up amazing individual numbers, but neither could lead their team to the collective goal of winning.

Other elements were similar too.

There was the big acquisition of Shaquile O’neal that never really panned out for the Cavs.  He was injured for parts of the season and looked old out there on a regular basis.  He wasn’t the same player he has been in his career and was absolutely outmatched by Kevin Garnett on the defensive end in the Celtics series.  He was a bust of an acquisition that was supposed to put the Cavaliers over the edge.  There was no player that was more disappointing this season than Shaq.

Kind of reminds me of  Hedo Turkoglu.  The player that was supposed to put the Raptors over the hump.  The big playoff performer of just one year ago.  He added little in the way of leadership, looked lost on offense and his only success was his penchant for one worded interviews.

It was a disappointing season for Chris Bosh in Toronto. Will it be his last in the city?

Former Raptors were even a part of the Cavaliers failure this playoff season.  Anthony Parker played good in spurts for the Cavs but he was overmatched as a starting 2 on a team that was supposed to have championship visions.  He was overmatched much the way he was last year as a starter on a Raptor team that missed the playoffs.  A great player, one of my favourites, but not a starter in this league.

Jamario Moon was out there tossing up inadvertant three balls, much the way he did when he was a Raptor.  In fact, he took a ridiculous three for an air ball in that decisive sixth game and that was the sign, to me, that the Cavs were done.  No team is going to win with Jamario Moon taking three balls.

The coaching of both teams has been called into question all season long.  Is Mike Brown the right coach to lead a team to a championship?  Has he lost the ears of his team?

Jay Triano has been heavily criticized as well.  He hasn’t made the playoffs as a head coach and he lost the locker room this season as Turkoglu’s antics damaged th chemistry of the team.

Will either be back?  Only time will tell.

The Cavaliers are channeling the Raptors both on and off the court as well.  Danny Ferry is a solid GM.  He brought in a number of pieces to compliment LeBron, but hasn’t found the right mix.  This past season he seemed to be playing a frantic game of chess trying to put the right pieces together.  Adding Shaq and then later Antawn Jamison were good moves for the regular season, but Shaq is old and very “foulable”, since he still can’t hit a free throw to save his life and Jamison has still not had extensive playoff experience.  Clear in hindsight, I suppose.

Very reminiscent of Colangelo’s juggling act in Raptor Land.  Jermaine O’neal?  Looked good at the time but busted completely.  Turkoglu?  I suppose one could argue the jury is still out on that one, but it looked pretty bad this year.  Belinelli, Jack, Derozan, Weems, Johnson? Lots of moves that had varying degrees of success and failure, but the mix did not equal victory.

Now both franchise’s find themselves on the verge of the biggest summer of their existence.  Both teams are in a position to lose their greatest assets.  Lebron and Bosh are the architects of their future success in the league.  Wil they stay? or Will they go?  If New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has anything to say about it, both will be Knicks next year.  But, many pundits have looked at Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Chicago as possible destinations as well.  There is also a possibility they will stay as both players like their team and city.

Lebron turned Cleveland into a team to be reckoned with during his time there.

Bosh brought the Raptors back to respectability since his arrival.

No one knows what will end up happening.  Now both teams’ fans play the agonizing waiting game.  They will put faith in their respective GM’s to make the right call.  Both teams will be anxiously waiting for news from Twitter, the papers or the stars themselves for the next two months.  It will be excruciating.

Fans in Cleveland and Toronto will be united in their agony of waiting to see where the chips fall.

Where they fall could have serious repercussions for these two franchises.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @zantabakherald

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

1 Comment

Filed under Editorial

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 16, 2010 · 7:54 pm

Raptors Still Looking for Leader of the Pack

The Raptors ship is in danger of sinking.  They are barely holding on to the eighth seed in the East and have two tough home games against the Hawks and Thunder this week.

If the Raptors intend to the have visions of playoffs dancing in their heads they need to turn a corner.  This corner has nothing to do with their shot selection or match-ups against opposing teams.  They need to find that inner dragon.  The will to win.  The belief in themselves and the unapologetic fight that winning teams have in spades.  They need to find the swagger that the Cavaliers and Lakers have.  The vocal leadership that players like Rasheed Wallace and Joe Johnson bring to the table with their respective teams.

Charles Oakley was never one to "beat around the bush". He told it as he saw it.

The Raptors have not had that in a long time.  Not since Charles Oakley.

Love him or hate him Oakley was a motivator in that locker room and was key to the initial success of the Toronto Raptors.  Yes, Vince and McGrady had a thing or two to do with the Raptors making the playoffs for the first time and winning their first series, but it was Oakley that pushed them to get there.

He was vocal, wasn’t afraid to call out his coach and teammates and he brought it on the floor.  He fought for loose balls, rebounded with the best of them and knew his role.  Not everyone liked what he had to say but he pushed his teammates to be better.  And they were.

Where is that presence now?  Where has it been the last few years?

Chris Bosh finally broke his silence and called out himself and his team but where has that been all season?  Where has that been since Chris Bosh was a member of this Raptor team? It was long overdue and hopefully not too late.   Let’s hope it wasn’t a one-off because the Raptors need that leadership in the locker room if they intend to be a playoff team.

Good Teams have vocal leaders.

Boston has Garnett and Wallace, there’s Lebron and Shaq in Cleveland.  Juwan Howard is a nice complement to the young stars in Portland and Stackhouse has been invaluable in Milwaukee.  Where is our veteran leader?  Who was that even supposed to be going into this season?

I feel that Colangelo had designs of that player being Hedo Turkoglu but we see how that has panned out.  If anything his example is catching on in a negative way, setting a poor example for young players like Derozan and Jarrett Jack who are emulating his negative attitude. Hedo hasn’t led on the court and he has been awfully quiet off of it.  Unless you count “ball” as motivational speaking.

Bosh has taken it on himself, but his comments may be too little, too late.  Team meetings and group talks aren’t working.

The time for discussion is over and tough love needs to be delivered.  The players have chosen their words carefully and decided not to rock the boat.  Chris Bosh’s words were direct, but still lacked that punch the Raptors need.  Even the moves by the coach have been reluctant and tentative.  Putting Calderon in to start the 3rd against Portland was a significant signal but not a wake up call.  Benching Hedo, calling out a player or two directly…these are the moves that drastically shake a locker room and it looks like this locker room needs some shaking.

Oakley was a player that walked the walk and talked the talk. This leadership has been missing from this years Raptor squad.

Charles Oakley was the type of veteran voice in the locker room that is missing in Toronto.  The Raptors need that now more than ever.  A Charles Okaley, a Derek Fisher, a Jason Kidd.  Someone who is going to come in and inspire. Who will fight on every possession even if they lose the fight.  Someone who won’t only lead by example, but be one as well.  A coach can’t do that.

This Raptors team needs to find it’s inner Oak and fight to the finish.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @zantabakherald

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

2 Comments

Filed under Editorial

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | February 27, 2010 · 12:30 pm

Raptors Hang With The Best, Without Their Best Player.

Well wasn’t that fun? The Raptors stand toe-to-toe with the best team in the league. Yeah, they eventually lost in overtime, but not bad for a team playing without their only all star. And hey, it gave the city a reason to tune in (or at least turn their heads) amid a flurry of amazing sport moments last night. And the Raptors themselves, well they were one Hedo Turkoglu shot away from adding to a magical night for Canada.

Hedo the good and the bad:

Hedo was great yesterday. And I really do think he’s turned a corner. He scored 4 huge points in the final couple minutes of the game. And if it wasn’t for a guy named Lebron James, we might very well have stolen a win against the Cavs. Here’s what I find frustrating. In his post game comments he said,

“I was going to come and look for (a drive) but I didn’t see a good path,” he said. “I felt good with the (three-pointer) I made before so I was feeling good and I wanted to take it.

You don’t have to be a basketball analyst to realize he had hard iso on the right wing. If he wanted to drive, the lane was there. And it’s not rocket science. Statistically, you have a better chance at making a two point shot than a three. Why shoot a three in a tie game, for the win?

Right back at you

So how do the Cavs respond after a timeout? Instead of attempting a drive, the ball swings to Anthony Parker, who shoots a three. Again, that completely baffles me.

Reggie the great

This guy’s rounding into form isn’t he? Getting more minutes every game and really charging up the crowd. There’s no questions he’s a fan favorite and it’s easy to see why. He plays hard. He’s mean as anyone. And he looks like a guy who if you saw him walking towards you on the street, you’d change sides of the road.  But there’s nothing to hate about him. Expect maybe the fact that he’s one of the worst offensive players in the entire league. I do wish he embraced that just a little more.

Zan of the Night

LBJ

What else do you want from the guy? 36 points 6 rebounds. 8 assists. Even though I want to not give it to him. I can’t. He’s a magician with the ball with a tremendous will to win.

Not Zan of the Night

Apollo Ono

That guy can suck it.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Post game

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | January 19, 2010 · 10:29 pm

The One That Got Away

It was a tough game to lose as the Raps played well enough to win against the very talented Lebron James and the Cavs.  The Raps battled and hung with Cleveland all night but missed opportunities, especially in the fourth, and as a result watched what could have been a big win fall through the cracks.  Free throw shooting, rebounding and a rough end to the game did them in.  A lot of positives to take away from the game but definitely a missed chance.

Lebron James draws another foul (surprise, surprise) en route to a tough win over Raptors.

The Zan for Three

4th Quarter Efficiency

Lebron and the Cavs are an elite NBA team and the Raptors hung with them all night and had many chances to steal a win, but if you’re going to be considered an elite team yourself you need to come up big in the fourth quarter.  The Raps didn’t make the right calls in the fourth opting for jumpshots instead of finding cuts and taking the ball to the rim (Which is what had them in the game all night).  Toronto played well enough to win but didn’t get the job done in the fourth.

Flu Shot for the Win!

Marco Belinelli has not played the last couple of games because of the flu but he looked well rested and healthy tonight.  Belinelli was one of the key reasons the Raps hung around so long.  He made smart cuts, drove to the basket and shot the ball really well.  He brought a lot of energy , on a night that Hedo Turkoglu couldn’t and didn’t , and was a major reason the Raptors played so well.

Lebron Factor

The man really is an amazing player to watch even if he looks like Sanford from “Sanford and Son”.  The play of the game, from my point of view, was not his dunks or nice passes, but his steal on the Calderon pass to Bosh in the fourth quarter.  Say what you will about the refs when he plays (and they were their regular star-loving selves tonight)  but he is quite an efficient player and a marvel to watch on both ends of the floor.  His shots are so confident, he drives the net with ease and his defence is nothing to sneeze at either.  There was no stopping him tonight, whether the refs would have let that happen or not.  He is a tough player to beat.

Zan of the Night

Who Else?

Lebron James.  He was the driving force behind the Cavs (as he is most nights).  Points, Assists, Defence.  You name it, he did it.   It was also rare to see Shaq actually back him up tonight with some decent play.  Shaq is looking older and older but tonight he gave Lebron some decent offensive support..

Honorable Mention to Demar Derozan.  The Kid is starting to play with confidence and is earning his minutes.  He played another great game tonight and is hopefully turning the corner this year as he heads to a very important second half for himself and the Raptors.  He could be a big part of the success of the Raptors down the stretch.

Not Zan of the Night

Hedo Turkoglu.  He picked up two quick fouls and was from that point on, a non factor.  There are, oh I don’t know, $50 million reasons why he should be a factor but continues to underwhelm and disappoint.  It has been a rough patch for him.  Let’s hope he pulls it together because if we are going to compete in the playoffs and maybe steal one from a big club like Cleveland we will need Hedo Turkoglu.  Could have used him tonight.

By the way….  I miss Anthony Parker.  Just saying.

Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

2 Comments

Filed under Post game

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,