no really…TRADE BOSH NOW! Continue Reading

Dear Chuck,

What a year. Seriously, I haven’t been through so many ups and downs in a single season following the Raptors. Every year, for the most part, you knew what kind of team we had heading into the season. You set your expectations, and away you go. Continue Reading

I have to admit, the last few days I haven’t been following the Raptors in the media, so when I saw that Bargnani was starting over Moon, it blew me away, I didn’t see that shit coming I’ll be honest. It is shocking Smitch would make a move a move like that for the first game of the playoff series with the Magic. Continue Reading

The game was really secondary to the news that Kidd was traded to the Mavs. With Mr. Triple-Double sent back to where it all began for him, the deflated Nets were ripe for the picking, in fact, the Raptors to ran a train on the Nets ass. This was a classic win for the Raptors over an inferior/deflated/incapable team. They shot the shit out of the ball in the face of no defensive pressure. The outcome of the game was decided in the first with the Raptors surging to an early lead, and never letting up. They put the game out of reach by halftime (I stopped taking notes partway through the 3rd. I apologize, but it is hard to keep up the notes when the Raptors are pounding or getting pounded by a ridiculous margin). Continue Reading

The Boo birds will be out in full force tonight at the ACC when the Toronto Raptors (27-23) host the New Jersey Nets (23-29) in the last game before the NBA All-star break. As every Raptor fan knows, there is a strong rivalry between these two clubs. The Nets knocked off the Raptors in the first round of the playoffs last year and it’s never pretty when “Toronto’s Public Enemy #1″ Vince Carter comes to town. Continue Reading

In the off-season the Atlantic Division was the busiest Division in the NBA for free agents signings and trades. Boston added all-stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen; New York adds Zack Randolph; Philadelphia started the season without Allen Iverson for the first time in eleven years; New Jersey added Canadian Jamaal Magloire to play alongside the Kidd, Carter and Jefferson; Toronto said goodbye to fan favorite Morris Peterson and said hello to Jason Kapono, Carlos Delfino and Jamario Moon. Here is a quick report card on the Atlantic Division teams. Continue Reading

I don’t even know where to even begin. I started to take some notes, but I soon realized that it was in vein. I am not sure what the Raptors were doing today, but it wasn’t playing basketball. Kidd had another triple double (he would have had it, but he sat out the entire 4th quarter), Carter was half man-half amazing and Jefferson did the rest.

The lone entertaining parts of the night for me were:

1. When Swirsky said that “Leo likes dick” during the the Dick Bavetta reminiscing. That was the funniest shit Swirsky ever said. I don’t think he meant it maliciously, but I have to find a clip of that, and post it, cause it was awesome (UPDATE: found the clip!).

2. The Bruce Willis interview, in what can only be described as drunken rambling. He so graciously capped it off with “Yippy kai ayy mother fucker.” LOL

Ok, now down to business…

Why the f*ck is Bargnani getting so many f*cking minutes? He put up 16pts on 5 for 8 shooting, but it was in garbage time, when the game was decided. This kid is going to be good, not sure how good, but he will be good…I am not questioning that notion, but to give him so many minutes when others can produce tangible results is ridiculous. Why is Humphries in the doghouse all of a sudden? Is it even a doghouse, or just that Mitchell forgot that the kid has done nothing but play hard all season, and when he finally is putting together a good stretch of games, he gets to sit, and watch someone take his place, who isn’t providing the team what it needs to win games?

Hopefully Bosh learns from these first 4 games, and develops some low post moves (back to the basket, Kevin McHale type shit). He obviously doesn’t want to go to his jumper, and he can’t take it to the rack, so that leaves the low post. I can’t say I am too surprised at his play, as I am sure we all remember how Carter played that first playoffs against the Knicks. At least Carter was shooting and missing, Bosh isn’t taking the same shots he was taking in the regular season.

I have a lot more to say, but I am sick of saying the same things over and over. To me, anyways, it seems as though Mitchell has lost his chance at coming back to the Raptors next season. He might have been able to swindle the Raptors into resigning him to a $10.5mill/3 year contract, if they had a better showing, but not after this. I made a bet (actually I put my balls on the line) in February with my buddy that Mitchell wouldn’t be the Raptors head coach next year, and all signs point to me holding onto my balls for a bit longer.

Technorati Tags: New Jersey Nets, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Chuck Swirsky, Leo Rautins, Dick Bavetta, Bruce Willis, Andrea Bargnani, Kris Humphries, Sam Mitchell, Chris Bosh, Kevin McHale, Balls

To be fair, I only caught the game from about 2 minutes into the 2nd, but I imagine it played out like the rest of the game did. Hopefully the Nets put me out of my misery quick and not let this series drag on. You know me, I give credit where it is due, and Ves picked the Nets in 5 when we all were slave to the Raptors bandwagon. I picked the Raptors in 7 for both the pools I entered. I talked myself into thinking the Raptors would continue to play the same way as the regular season, and keep the Nets on their toes. I never thought this would deteriorate into a grind of a series (although the Nets lit the Raps up tonight). So on with my game analysis: Continue Reading

In what can only be described as a bad collapse, the Bulls had everything to play for, but couldn’t deliver. In a game I would have bet a lot of money on that they would win, the Bulls didn’t even show up. They went from facing the Wizards then Toronto (at home) to get the Eastern finals, to being on road against Miami and Detroit.

I imagine it is a testament to the Nets. They have coasted for most of the season, suffering injury after injury, and when the iron was hot, they struck, and secured an easier road in the playoffs.
So the circus begins. Carter, the steward of Bosh’s throne, returns to the ACC for first round series that has everyone in T-Dot buzzing. I wonder how much those blood sucking scalpers are going to get for their tickets now? Would I rather have had faced the Wizards? Yes. Can the Raptors beat Jersey? Yes. Will they beat them? Hopefully.

The Nets have put it together down the stretch, short of Krstic, they have everyone in the line up healthy, and ready to go. Mikki Moore has been a handful for the Raptors all season, and now with Josh Boone back in the lineup, things only get a bit tougher in the front court. My key to this series is how we defend Kidd, Carter and Jefferson. My tentative matchups look as so:

PG:
Toronto – TJ Ford, Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon
Jersey – Jason Kidd

SG:
Toronto - Anthony Parker, Morris Peterson
Jersey – Vince Carter

SF:
Toronto – Joey Graham, Anderea Bargnani, Morris Peterson
Jersey – Richard Jefferson

PF:
Toronto – Chris Bosh, Kris Humphries
Jersey – Bostjan Nachbar

C:
Toronto – Rasho Nesterovic, Kris Humphries
Jersey – Mikki Moore

Bench:
Toronto – Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon, Morris Peterson, Kris Humphries
Jersey – Clifford Robinson, Jason Collins, Eddie House, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright

I don’t like how we match up at the point. Kidd will be abusing Ford, Calderon and Dixon in the low post. They are dangerous on the wings, but we can keep up. The Raptors shine in the front court, but guys like Mikki Moore (Renaldo Balkman) have been a scourge on our house all season…as Big John McCarthy would say “LET’S GET IT ON!”

Technorati Tags: Chris Bosh, TJ Ford, Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon, Anthony Parker, Morris Peterson, Joey Graham, Andrea Bargnani, Kris Humphries, Rasho Nesterovic, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Bostjan Nachbar, Mikki Moore, Clifford Robinson, Jason Collins, Eddie House, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright, New Jersey Nets

Can we squash this nickname before it is too late? Probably the worse nickname Swirsky has come up with since 18 Parkerville Court *shudders in disgust*

The Raptors took far too long dispatching the Pistons bench. Lindsay Hunter is still dangerous. He has definitely lost a step, but can still ball. That Pistons zone defense gives the Raptors mega problems. The Raptors can expect to see some more zone defense in the playoffs - Wizards anyone? - as they clearly have been struggling with it.

Humphries had a huge game last night. Never thought I would see a Raptors team out-rebound a Pistons team, but when Bosh played almost as minutes as Webber and Wallace combined, and had more production, on an off nite mind you, it is bound to happen.

I want to see Parker, Bosh and T.J. rested for the playoffs. I can understand chasing for the # 2 see, but realistically:

1. We wont catch Chicago (or cleveland)
2. We don’t a first round match against Jersey. Kidd, Carter and Jefferson just scare me.
3. The starters need to rest a bit. Parker and Bosh both logged in excess of 40minutes. That is too much playing time at this point of the season. If the Pistons can bench their star players, why can’t the Raptors when they are all but confined to the third spot?

Bargnani will get worked back into the lineup slowly. for the next three games, he will probably taking MoPetes minutes, as well as some from Dixon and Graham. It would be stupid, and Sam isn’t stupid, to start him after all this time, and expect anything really meaningful over any extended period of time. No need to rush him into the lineup, we will need him healthy and willing far more in the second round than the first, against the Wizards.

Technorati Tags: Chris Bosh, TJ Ford, Joey Graham, Anthony Parker, Kris Humphries, Morris Peterson, Juan Dixon, Andrea Bargnani, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Washington Wizards, Lindsay Hunter, Detroit Pistons, Sam Mitchell