Tag Archives: Marcus Banks

by | July 22, 2011 · 4:48 pm

NBA needs to follow NFL’s Lead

Okay NBA let’s get this thing going.

The NFL is nearing a deal.  Yes I hear that the NFLPA has formally agreed to the deal and will likely make some changes to the agreement, but the thing is obviously close.  A framework, at the very least, is getting put into place.

But Derek Fisher came out and publicly said he doesn’t want to follow in the NFL’s footsteps.  If he keeps talking like that there is no way the NBA will follow the NFL’s lead which means no basketball this year.

Derek Fisher says he doesn't like the NFL agreement, but they will be the ones playing next year, while the NBA sits.

Do you wanna be the only sports league that can’t get a deal done? The last bastion where players hold out for their wildest dreams, while fans of the game sit and stew and try to make alternative arrangements for the Winter. Is that really what you would prefer?

C’mon Derek Fisher!  C’mon Mark Cuban! C’mon Teachers Pension Plan!

You’ve cancelled summer league.  Not a problem, summer league kind of sucks anyway.  It’s almost not even an issue.  Unless you happen to be one of the many young players or older veterans that need a chance to show they’ve got what it takes to compete in the league.

But that’s okay.  Fans will forgive that.  Owners won’t blink an eye.  It only hurts the players.  You know, the ones that don’t make spit in this league.  If not for summer league guys like Jamario Moon wouldn’t have a job in the league. But those guys aren’t really the ones that are being fought for are they?

There isn’t any free agency, but that’s okay too.  I mean the Leafs signing of Tim Connelly would have upstaged the NBA free agency anyway. Has there been a bigger power play move this summer? I mean c’mon.  Better to have a free agency period all to yourself.  One where owners and player agents are running around like chickens with their heads cut off getting deals done for their players. You’re forgiven for that one too.

But make no mistake, the time is now.

The fans want it and the owners and players should want it too.  Let’s not wait until the time when training camp is supposed to start.  Let’s not wait for public opinion to wither into hatred or, even worse, indifference.

Remember the year baseball lost the World Series?  Go ask fans in Montreal how they feel about baseball.  Or fans in Florida.  The game is clinging to life support in many cities because of that strike. Indifference took over and the sport still has a long road back in many cities throughout the MLB.

There will be repercussions for losing the season.  Maybe not for Lebron James and his entourage or for players that are best buddies with Kobe (right Fisher?)

The NBA needs a deal now.  Look to the NFL for some ideas at least.

The NFL deal works on many levels. The cap is a hard one that should continue to help small and large market team compete in the league.  The NFL is the only sports league where the idea that any team can win on any given day is truly accurate.  The Arizona Cardinals anyone? New Orleans Saints?  These teams don’t have a history of dominance, but they have remained competitive over the last few years.  The only team this doesn’t apply to is maybe the Buffalo Bills (but that’s an entirely different story all together).

If the NBA doesn't learn from the NFL situation it will be a long time before we see a champonship celebration in the NBA.

The system will be a little bit more performance based, which come to think of it, is kind of how every other job in the world works.  It allows the hard workers to keep their jobs and the ones that don’t produce don’t get their money.  It also helps players like Marcus Banks not become a token in every deal and never get a chance to play or fight for a job because he signed one bad deal. He loses his job for a year and then can fight to get it back. Works for me.  Beats being a professional  DNP-CD every game.

The pre-season is also  reduced as are player practices during the year.  This is a benefit that could limit the amount of injuries and serious incidents that have plagued the league over the years.   Not only this major point, but the tentative NFL agreement also addresses the issues surrounding player health both during and after their playing days come to an end. Not as much of an issue in the NBA, but certainly something to look into.  Former players often face heart conditions and knee troubles after their playing days.

And the cous de gras? It’s a ten-year deal. Absolutely freaking genius.  The fans won’t have to go through this again in two or three years.  It will be a while.

Let’s use this framework by the NFL to help get the NBA owners and players, at least, talking.  This is a good deal for both the wealthy owners and the wealthy players.  It addresses major issues and both sides made compromises.  What is not to like here?

Let’s get this thing going NBA! Let’s get a deal done so we can get this party started! Stop the players from heading over to Europe before it’s too late and get a deal in place.

Derek Fisher and David Stern need to use the NFL’s deal to help bridge the gap between them not drive a larger wedge.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

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by | November 21, 2010 · 1:17 am

Colangelo Gives Jose the Keys to the Franchise

In a surprising move Bryan Colangelo traded starting point guard Jarrett Jack, Forward David Anderson and Guard Marcus Banks to the New Orleans Hornets for Peja Stojakovic and Jarryd Bayless.

 

Jarrett Jack was a big part of the current Raptors team and will now provide leadership and fight for the New Orleans Hornets.

On the surface it appears that Bryan Colangelo is preparing his team for next season.  Stojakovic has a huge expiring deal and Jarryd Bayless gives the club a young point guard to try to develop for future success.  The players traded are also key parts of the current fabric of the team (minus Banks who has been a bench warmer for some time).  This signals that the team has, perhaps, given up on competing this season and is focused on building towards the future.

 

On first glance, this isn’t a bad move for the franchise as it gives them huge cap flexibility immediately as Peja’s contract is one of the bigger ones expiring over the next year.  It also gives Jose Calderon the keys to the franchise.  I love Jose but that’s like choosing to drive a Ford Focus because it is the safest car around.  He isn’t the most efficient and he isn’t going to make the highlight reel, hell he isn’t going to win games either, but he protects the ball and distributes efficiently.  He just can’t defend against other teams.

The team is clearly playing for next season.  This may make some fans happy and others will abandon the team.  Many already have.  Attendance figures are down and watching opposing point guards blow past Jose Calderon is not going to put butts in the seats, nor will watching an over the hill Peja play well below his former capabilities.

The deal does one thing, and one thing only : buy Bryan Colangelo some time.  He has a huge trade exception from the Chris Bosh fiasco, likely a high level draft pick and now a 15 million dollar expiring contract to work magic with over the summer.  There are also a number of expiring contracts and young players to give fans hope for the future.  Colangelo has likely bought himself another few seasons to build this team into something resembling a playoff team.

Jarrett Jack was never going to be a long-term solution at the point guard position.  Many believed he was a stop-gap, acquired to appease the impending free agency of Chris Bosh.  Is he occasionally good? Yes.  Is he a good locker room presence? appears to be.  Is he a significant part of the future of this franchise?  Not a chance.  Still, Jack was well liked by many of the young players on the team and regularly brought a fighting spirit to the Raptor team.

David Anderson will be missed.  He was a nice big off the bench and provided toughness and range.  He was a solid pickup and played significant minutes for Toronto. Hopefully he finds a place in the Hornets rotation.  He is too good to be sitting on the bench for long stretches of time.  And I love Australians.

The Raptors bring over Bayless, who will likely work with Alvin Williams to develop further skill at the point.  We know he is young and is a relatively capable defender (something the Raptors sorely lack).  Will he amount to anything? or will he just be one of those players raptor fans wait years for to develop only to realize he won’t?   Time will tell, but he has a better chance of being a future part of this franchise than Jack did.  In the end his short-term contract is worth the risk.

This is one of those trades that is probably going to be fully evaluated after the season or at the trade deadline.  If the Raptors can salvage something long-term out of this deal will depend on what Colangelo can get for the TPE, Stojakovic and maybe another expirings.  If they can get a big name like an Andre Igoudala or a young player the likes of a Josh Smith from Atlanta this franchise might be able to do a proper rebuild.

If that happens, the Raptors will surely look back on this trade as a key part of their success.

For now Colangelo is handing over the teams present to Jose Calderon.  A Curious move, no doubt, but one that could help the Raptors franchise moving forward.

 

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
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by | November 8, 2010 · 11:11 pm

Not Enough Home Cooking for the Raptors

After a rough Western Road trip, where the Raptors found every which way to lose, they returned home to once again come up just short.  I am encouraged by the fight in this team.  Most young teams give up down the stretch allowing their opponent to finish off with a flurry, but the Raptors kept fighting.  There is something to be said for a team that goes down swinging.  If you’re gonna lose, don’t make it easy.  Then again this is something Raptor fans will probably be saying a lot this year.

The Raptors fell behind early to Golden State and just couldn’t claw their way back.  The Raptors are going to have to stop allowing their opponents explosive starts.  Toronto has found themselves down early a lot recently and cannot seem to get themselves back into it.  This is not a good habit to get into.

Some decent play from the bench, minus Jose Calderon, inspired the team with new life in the second half, but once again, it wasn’t enough to overcome their early deficit.  Jay Triano has got to find a way to get all cylinders firing.  This team could win games if everyone gets on the same page at the same time.

Zan For Three

Dynamic Duo

The NBA has made a really big deal about the Big Three is Miami and the Big Three in Boston.  People talk about the young stars on the Thunder and Hawks.  Why is nobody talking about the talent on the Golden State Warriors? Curry and Ellis are as dynamic a duo as you’ll find in the NBA.  If this team can use the talents of Biedrins and Dorell Wright to their fullest extent, I think this team might be playoff contenders and a tough match up for any playoff opponent.  The talent is there, no doubt, they, like the Raptors, just have to find a way to deliver the goods.

Monta Ellis wasnt letting Leandro Barbosa or anyone, for that matter, get to the rim.

Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry are absolute beasts.  They both have the potential to win games all by themselves.  The fact they play on the same team is down right scary.  Coach Smart has got to get more use out of the rest of his team to maximize the potential power the Warriors have.

This team is a solid inside presence away from contending in the Western Conference.   Playing Monta and Curry is a tough assignment for any defender in the league and tonight the Raptors couldn’t either of them.

Good Sonny, Bad Sonny

Dave Feschuk suggested today in the Star that Sonny Weems was shooting a bit too much.  He is welcome to take shots, especially mid range ones, but only within the flow of the offense.  Weems has been a bit of a “chucker” early on in the season. Tonight he showed restraint at times and at others he took his chances.   Five of Nine from the field isn’t a bad night t the office.

Weems was a strong presence last season and if the Raptors are to have any kind of success this year they need him to be solid and efficient on both ends of the floor.  That doesn’t mean throwing up bricks in the hopes of padding your stats.  Weems needs to be much more confident and smart out there on the offensive end.  If he doesn’t fix his issues out there, he will wind up being more Joey Graham than Morris Peterson.

I like Sonny, but he needs to find his role within the flow of the game.

Resigning Thyself

Look, I’m a Raptor fan.  I’m almost 100% sure that if you cut me open I would bleed red, white and black and occasionally purple for nostalgia sake.  I love this team and will watch no matter the outcome, but let’s get serious here, we are going to lose a lot of games.  The Raptors had a rough road trip, the kind a playoff team doesn’t have and cannot have, if it wants to be taken seriously.  Hell, the Raptors found ways of losing out West that I didn’t even know were possible.

Do they fight it out?  Absolutely.  Is there some talent on this roster that Toronto fans can get excited about? For sure.  But are we going to lose a hell of a lot of games?  Damn Straight.  In the long run that might be the best thing for us.  The again, Golden State have been losing for a long time and they haven’t got much better over the years. So losing doesn’t always lead to winning down the road.

The Raptors are going to lose a lot of games.  Heartbreakers, overtime losses, hard-fought losses, blow outs, games they should have one, games they had no right to win.  This team is going to be a roller coaster of disappointment this season.  I no longer feel like this is in question.  The first step in admittance.

What Raptor fans have to learn to do is see the positive.  Today Kleiza and Weems showed some life.  Jack was a leader in the truest sense of the word tonight and Amir looks like he can blossom into something more. More importantly, with every loss the Raptors get closer to something they are going to need very badly:  a top flight draft pick.  Golden State has sucked for years and with Ellis and Curry they look to be potentially changing their fortunes.

Our turn is next.

Zan of the Night

Monta Ellis

Easily could have been Stephen Curry.  Lord knows I love that kid’s game, but Monta had the heart of a warrior tonight.  he played smart, took smart shots and was able to walk away from his nasty spill late in the game.  This is the kind of player a team and coach can look to for leadership and guidance.  Monta Ellis is a great player and showed all facets fo his game tonight.

Not Zan of the Night

Jose Calderon

Every Raptor out there showed guts and heart even in the face of defeat.  Jose looked lost and was rendered completely useless.  Jack played most of the game and was responsible for the Raps late run in the game.  If the Raptors are going to have any success this guy needs to step up.  The Marcus Banks bandwagon is getting revved up. 

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
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by | October 17, 2010 · 6:31 pm

The Zan Talks Point Guard

The Players

Jack and Calderon will have to work together in order to give the Raptors any chance of playing in the postseason.

Jose Calderon

Jarrett Jack

Marcus Banks

Leandro Barbosa

The Story

The Raptors made no secret about the fact they were shopping their point guards over the off-season.  In fact a Jose Calderon deal to Charlotte was 99% done until Michael Jordan backed out at the last-minute.  Jarrett Jack seemed poised to take over the starting duties but will now, once again, have to share time at the point with Calderon.  As we enter the final week of training camp, the biggest question remains who will start at the point.  The decision probably won’t be made official until closer to opening night.

Jack and Calderon shared time last year, but who started and finished games alway seemed to be an issue.  This year the coaching staff and players will have to work harder at minimizing the distraction starting minutes can sometimes bring.  Jack and Calderon will have to learn to get along and share time on the court as another point guard distraction is exactly what this team doesn’t need.

Leandro Barbosa was acquired in the Hedo Turkoglu deal and figures to get some time here as well although he will be used at both guard positions.  His acquisition almost guarantees that Marcus Banks will not see the floor this season unless there is a trade or injury.

The Best Case Scenario

The point guards have said all the right things coming into the pre-season and hopefully things continue that way.  If things are going to go well this season, both players will have to share the duties based on performance and opposing lineup.  Jarrett Jack plays slightly better defense and runs the ball well and drives to the net.  Calderon is a better floor general and protects the ball well.  He also has a higher field goal percentage.

Jack should play when the team on the floor needs a drive and kick type player and Calderon should play when the Raps need to protect the ball and need another high percentage shooter on the floor.

If both play very well, you are likely to see one of them moved for a big sometime during the season.

In the end it doesn’t matter who starts, hopefully it won’t matter to them.

Worst Case Scenario

The two players fight for the starting job and neither exemplify their strengths.  If Calderon continues to be a complete sieve on defense and Jack forces shots on the offensive end, you might end up seeing a lot of Barbosa handling the point.  You may also see Marcus Banks.

If neither play well the team is almost certainly headed to the bottom of the Eastern Conference and the possibility of a mid-season trade significantly decrease.

Calderon didn’t shoot the ball as well as he is capable last year and that cannot continue next season if the Raptors are to have any hope of contending for a playoff spot.

Prediction

I think the starting role will be an issue at times this season, especially when the team struggles under one or the other.  With a largely inexperienced lineup, both of these players are going to be called upon to lead the team.  Both players have proven to be team players and I think their leadership will go a long way this season.  As long as the starting role doesn’t become an issue I think this will be a position of strength for the Raptors.

I think the player that doesn’t start will benefit the most as both players are far too good to be playing against other teams second units.  The starter will have a much tougher role this year.  Likely Calderon will start to limit turnovers, but the best player that night will finish games.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
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by | February 3, 2010 · 10:45 pm

Raptors Wax Chumps like a Candle

Playing the Nets is like  fighting against Glass Joe in Mike Tyson’s Punchout.  You know you should win…but every once in a while Glass Joe gets his.  It certainly wasn’t pretty tonight but the Raptors were able to find production from a number of sources in order to hold off the  Nets.  It was a lot tougher than it should have been as the Raptors had to claw back in the second half and hold off what appeared to be an inspired Nets team.  Did I just write that?  Jarrett Jack, Sonny Weems and Antoine Wright were particularly effective for the Raptors but it was really a full team effort as the Raptors battled without three key components of their offence:  Turkoglu, Calderon and Derozan.  In the end the better team won and continued their success at home in front of  Vanilla Ice and Brian Mulroney. Also  Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf were on hand to see what it’s like to be a part of a winning team.

Antoine Wright was the key to victory for the Raptors against the lowly but fiesty Nets.

The Zan for Three

X-Factor(s)

We here at the Zan have already discussed the importance of the X-factor in winning games (here) but tonight it was paramount that anyone and everyone step up for the Raptors.  Down three rotation players and on the second night of a back to back the Raptors had to dig deep and find production from other sources.  Enter Antoine Wright, Sonny Weems and Marcus Banks.  These three provided key minutes for the Raptors and were productive on both ends of the floor.  Without these three the Raptors do not win the game.  The deep bench of Toronto is a key component in the recent turnaround of the team and continued tonight.

Interior Defense

Another night where both Bosh and Bargnani showed inconsistencies on defense.  I, for one, am looking forward to the return of Reggie Evans.  When a team goes on a big run, like the Nets did in the second quarter, Reggie will be there to absolutely hammer someone to make them think twice about driving the net.  The defense inside needs to be stronger and more intimidating.  As the game went on both Bosh and Bargnani picked up the slack but against a more challenging opponent the Raptors will not be as fortunate to come away with the victory.

Sonny Weems fights for the ball that would end up in a dunk on the other end.

No Guts, No Glory

The Raptors dug down deep tonight and willed themselves to victory.  They were tired.  That was clear from the onset.  Bosh and Bargnani did not have the same jump in their step as they did one night ago.  The Raptors were down big in the second quarter and went through a shooting drought that seemed like it would never end.  They pulled up their socks and fought through their deficiences to win the game.  Jarrett Jack was sick, but refused to let that stop him from playing like a man inspired.  If the Raptors are going to be successful this season and into the playoffs they will need this type of effort in order to stay competative with the “Beasts of the East”.

Zan of the Night

Antoine Wright.  This was a tough one tonight because Jarrett Jack and Sonny Weems also played so well, but in the end Wright was the key factor that kept us in the game and propelled us forward.  He played excellent defense throughout the game and drove the ball to the hoop and made smart shots finishing with 18pts.  He has been playing at another level during this Raptor run and his defense inspires thoughts of playoff basketball.  He is finally looking like the player that Colangelo stole in the Hedo Turkoglu mega deal during the summer.

Not Zan of the Game

Kris Humphries. I’m sorry but I cannot not help but hate this guy.  He fires up way too many shots for a role playing Power Forward.  He played well in spurts tonight but ultimately became a black hole on the offense during the game and helped give the Raptors the ball back in the second half..  I hate him with or without hair.  Did anyone else find it funny that Humphries returned the same night that Vanilla Ice played at the ACC?  or am I alone at that one?

By the Way:  Doesn’t Hedo look totally badass with his black eye?  Watch out Eastern Conference it is about to get ugly.

Thank God for the Nets.  A cure for any problem a team might have.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | January 15, 2010 · 11:08 am

The curious case of two point guards, with the left.

You’re Bryan Colangelo.  You have two solid point guards that are capable of starting games.  You also have a surprise in Marcus Banks that has played fairly well in added minutes.  Your star acquisition has openly asked for more ball handling duties.  The trade deadline is fast approaching.

What do you do?

Do you trade one of your potential starting point guards for something else you need?  Or do you keep the team intact and try to work through the current issues?

The answer is obvious. You trade Calderon.

Jose Calderon could land a valuable piece for the team

If one thing became clear over the 10 games that Calderon was injured it’s that Jack and Banks are not only perfectly capable of handling the point guard duties, they excel at it. The team played exceptionally well and fought it’s way back to .500.

When you look at the makeup of this team as a hole it becomes clear we have an abundance of talent and 1 spot and we’re short stacked at the 2. If Bryan Collangelo is able to swing a deal for an explosive shooting guard, who can fill the basket, he should make the move.

Not only does that free up more playing time for Hedo with the ball (a move I support full heartedly) but it also sends a signal to Chris Bosh that this team is one step closer to taking the next step, so to speak.

Adding a guy like Kevin Martin to the team could be the final piece to the puzzle. The move that makes the Raptors one of the top teams in the east. It might also make Chris Bosh raise his eyebrows and think, maybe this is the place a should stay for the next 5 years.

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Jeremiah McNama
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | · 9:40 am

The curious case of two point guards, with the right

You’re Bryan Colangelo.  You have two solid point guards that are capable of starting games.  You also have a surprise in Marcus Banks that has played fairly well in added minutes.  Your star acquisiton has openly asked for more ball handling duties.  The trade deadline is fast approaching.

Jose has been effecient but not spectacular this season.

What do you do?

Do you trade one of your potential starting point guards for something else you need?  Or do you keep the team intact and try to work through the current issues?

A tough call.

Jose Calderon and Jarrett Jack have both played well at times and have also played pretty awful at times as well.  The perimeter defence has been an issue all season and when the point guards are not effecient on offense the team does not win.  All the more reason to keep both guards in uniform, I say.

The Raptors have a luxury in the palm of their hands with two quality guards.

Want to drive the net and get your team to the line?  Put in Jack.  Want to protect the ball and make careful choices on offense.  Put in Calderon.  Want to run?  Go back to Jack. Want another shooter on the floor?  Give the ball to Hedo and put Jose out there.

Jack has been a pleasant surprise as both a backup and starter this season.

Most teams in the NBA do not have the luxury of having three ball handlers on the team (four if you include Banks).  This three headed monster has the potential to be very dangerous.  It really comes down to execution.

Jose Calderon owns one the better FG% in the league, or at least he showed that last season.  Jack is a player who is not afraid to do the dirty work and get to the rim.  These players are a perfect mix of what you need on a team and should be a good compliment to each other.

Just not at the same time.

Game after game Triano has used Jack and Calderon together on the court.  This limits the amount of time Turkoglu has the ball in his hands and thus renders him ineffective.  Calderon wants to control the ball, Jack wants to drive and Hedo runs back and forth.  This is not efficient basketball.

Calderon could start or come off the bench.  Whatever Triano thinks is best.  He could pair Jose with Hedo and allow Turkoglu to control the ball and turn Jose into a spot up shooter and on other possessions put the ball back into Calderons’ hands for control.  A sure matchup nightmare.

Turkoglu needs the ball in his hands to be effective.

You could also have Jack starting and allowing Hedo to control the ball which has worked at times this year.  The only issue is Jack is not as efficient a shooter.  Jack could drive and kick out to Hedo instead.  Another weapon in the arsenal, if orchestrated properly.

What needs to happen is Triano must let go of the three headed monster and focus on using the various two headed monsters he has at his disposal.  Hedo-Calderon, Hedo-Jack could and should work.  When you have two different players controlling the ball it really makes the defense think and constantly adjust.  That is how you confuse defences and ultimately score easy buckets.

If I’m Bryan Colangelo I hold on to Calderon at the deadline and try to make this situation work better.  It gives the team a little more stability and it puts trust in the team you have built.  It also has the potential to build team cohesiveness when players are really asked to work together for the sake of the team.

Because sometimes two heads are better than three.

**********************

Kristoffer Pedlar

The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | January 3, 2010 · 9:31 pm

Bosh is all-time greatest Raptor In big victory over Spurs

Chris Bosh finally became the all-time leader in points as a Raptor and the Raps did something they haven’t done since the beginning of the year: beat a top team.  Bosh was his consistent self and the team got huge minutes from Demar Derozan on the offensive end, and Marco Belinelli and Antoine Wright on the defensive end.  Throw in a little Bargnani D on Duncan and Jarrett Jack’s smooth running offense and you have a recipe for success.

The Zan for Three

Chris Bosh celebrates a big win against San Antonio. Bosh also became the all-time leading scorer for the Raptors.

Finish Them!

In the game Mortal Combat when beating an opponent the game asks you to “Finish Him!” and it’s your job to then rip off your opponents head or rip out their heart . For whatever reason the Toronto Raptors haven’t been able to finish off big time opponents and the Spurs are one of the more dangerous ones out there.  The Raptors let the Spurs hang around in the fourth quarter but instead of giving up the game, the Raptors ripped off their proverbial head and finished the game strong.  Kudos to the Raps for pressing the right combo code to get it done.

Deep Bench

Hedo Turkoglu was out (A cold? What??) and the Raps were in tough against a San Antonio team that had won 5 straight, so they needed help from everywhere and anywhere.  Enter Demar Derozan, Marcus Banks, Marco Belinelli and Antoine Wright.  These guys played key minutes on both ends of the floor and steadied the ship to a big W.  Banks ran the second unit well and looks good enough to continue getting heavy minutes.  Belinelli did not shoot well but got to the line at key points in the game and his defensive intensity was integral to the victory.  Derozan played well in the first half and brought the crowd to life with a couple of thunderous dunks.  Say what you will about Antoine Wright but he played tight defense on Ginobli and Jefferson and hit the free throws to ice it.  The bench is beginning to show the gusto Brian Colangelo envisioned when he put this team together.

Greatest of All-Time

Congrats to Chris Bosh on becoming the Raptors all-time leading scorer.  He has been a true professional in his time here in Toronto and it’s fitting to see his name at the top of an impressive list.  He’s the greatest player this franchise has ever seen and let’s hope he stays around long enough to also become the most successful player in franchise history.   A nice moment for Bosh, let’s hope there is a nice ceremony at the next home game to commemorate one of the best to wear the red and white, black and red, purple and black and occasionally green.  Nice to see the fans at the ACC give Bosh a proper ovation and get up out of their seats for something other than free pizza.

Zan of the Night

Chris Bosh

Who else?  The guy is now the top scorer in franchise history and more importantly he was the key to victory in the fourth quarter.  Big time players come up big at the right moment and with the Spurs charging back into the game late in the fourth he hit a huge shot and two huge free throws to put the game away.  This is what franchise players do.  Kudos to the rest of the Raptors team for also remembering who should get the ball down the stretch.

Not Zan of the Night

Manu Ginobli

Not a good game for the 6th man of the decade.  He went 2-9 from the field and was held in check by Wright and Belinelli.  The Spurs needed him to step up and he simply couldn’t.

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by | December 20, 2009 · 3:44 pm

Punjabi! Raptors win.

The Raptors hang on for a win against a Hornets squad that featured a limping Chris Paul. The win marks two in a row now for the Raps, with three more games to go in a key stretch for the team. All at home, all against teams who the Raptors can compete against.

Let’s shoot the three

Zan for three

You know, these kids are ok.

The kids in the lineup; Johnson, Weems, and DeRozan looked great on Sunday. They provided energy and athleticism and reminded me of a young Atlanta team that plays above the rim.

Banks is the new Paul

Let’s hear it for Banks. He contained Paul, okay an injured Paul, for most of the game. Sure Jack did his part as well but Banks was a complete surprise. I’m not saying he’s worth his 5 million contract but he’s certainly is talented and useful player.

Punjabi for three

Best part of the game? Hearing Devlin call Punjabi instead of Peja when Stojakovic hoisted a three. Couldn’t stop laughing.  It’s going to catch on.

Zan of the Night

Banks!

Is anyone else surprised how fast he is? Maybe one of the fastest players we have on this team

Not Zan of Night

Matt Devlin

How awkward it was. A good 3 or 4 seconds of dead air after he called Punjabi. And then they tried to cover it up. A classic.

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by | December 8, 2009 · 11:37 pm

Raptors Win A Mud Fight

It certainly wasn’t pretty, as the Raps and T-Wolves both shot under 40% from the field, but the Raptors pulled away in the fourth quarter to win their third straight game. They did it by doing something they’re not known for; driving the net.  And they did it without Jose Calderon.

Most importantly, of course, the 3 point streak survived. But let’s be fair, it was the presence of Derrick Martin that inspired it.

Jarrett Jack fights for Control in an ugly game against the T-Wolves

The Zan for Three (Plus the foul)

Demar Derozan

He’s been a different player since the big loss in Atlanta.  He looks confident, poised and a legitimate part of the team’s plan on offense. Another game to build on for the rookie.  Can’t wait to see him in the Slam Dunk contest.

Driving the Net

It’s about bloody time this team made smart choices late in games.  The Raptors have lived and died by the jump shot for what feels like an eternity, but tonight (in key situations) they went to the basket strong and were rewarded.  Let’s hope it’s a wake up call for the team to take it to the hoop.

Poise

The Raptors were without Jose Calderon and they shot the ball terribly.  By the end of the third quarter they were letting the T-Wolves hang around and there was a sense the game might slip away,  but they banded together and held on for a team building victory.  Many different players contributed, Antoine Wright hit a big shot and Marcus Banks actually got to wear a uniform. What’s nice to see was that the team held on for a win when they could have easily hung their heads when the T-Wolves made it close.

Jose Calderon

I hope Raptor fans appreciate how integral this guy is to our offense.  He’s careful with the ball, a good distributer, and a team leader.  Jarrett Jack played well tonight and held his own in crunch time, but Jose provides depth that this team feeds off of.  His absence was evident last night and the Raps weren’t quite the same.

Zan of the Game

Chris Bosh

Without question.  He had yet another double double, put the team on his back in the fourth quarter and led them through a tough night at the office.  He made smart choices when it counted and willed his team to victory.  Tonight he looked like a star.

Not Zan of the Game

Anyone shooting from outside 12 ft.

It was a bad night if you like shootouts.  Should have watched the Cavs lose against the Grizzlies last night if you like that kind of thing.  This was an ugly display of shooting plain and simple.  Here’s hoping it doesn’t carry over into the game against the Bucks.

And The Streak lives on…

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