Raptor fans far and wide: the four terrible losses that you saw on display this past week is just a glimpse of things to come.
The Raptors managed to shoot down any notion I had of them being a good team in this past week, "Judgement Week" as I so nicely put it in last week's report. Four playoff calibur winning opponents, all of those games being played without Chris Bosh. So, what's the verdict?
Truth be told, the verdict is that this team plain sucks without him. How do I know this? Let's use a well known 1930's fantasy movie as an example:
At shooting guard you have a young rookie, most know him by DeMar DeRozan or the slam dunk contest runner-up. I know him as the scarecrow. DeRozan committs too many turnovers and also has the worst shot selection this side of the Atlantic. Maybe he's just a rookie, or maybe DeRozan just plain isn't that good.
Oh if he only had a brain.
At center/power forward, you have a former #1 overall pick, most know him by Andrea Bargnani, I know him as the tin man. Bargnani has all the tools and talent to be a gmae changing forward for this team, yet his inconsistency and lack of desire is very apparent, especially with his big buddy Bosh not standing beside him. An All-Star type talent gone to waste due to intangibles.
Oh if he only had a heart.
At small forward, you have the Raptors big offseason aquisition, most know him by Hedo Turkaglu, I know him as the cowardly lion. Turkaglu so much as gets bumped by a big man and he goes down in pain, last night he left ANOTHER game with an injury, this time it being his ankle. Some guys are injury prone, other are just plain pansies. Turkaglu falls under the latter in my mind.
Of if he only had courage.
Unfortuantly, unlike the Wizard of Oz, these three players can not solve their problems so easily. This is a team that has bigger holes then I or anyone realized until their biggest piece was gone. Now, the Raptors are staring at a 2010-11 season that will be likely without Bosh and likely without hope. But on the bright side, our Wizard of Oz friends may give us a good laugh or two as the losses pile on.
Thumbs Up This Week
1. Three Days Off- You know it's bad when I'm happy the Raptors don't play again until Friday, but the rest is much needed. The last two nights were that much of a joke.
2. Houston Rockets- They went from getting killed by Toronto in January to killing them last night. Houston looks rejuvenated and ready for the postseason all of a sudden and now, it's just a matter of getting there.
3. Oklahoma City Turnaround- Remember last year when playing the Thunder was simply an automatic win? I miss those days, but it's truly remarkable how much of a turnaround this team has had this year, hopefully the fans in the Midwest will be treated to postseason basketball for the first time come April.
Thumbs Down This Week
1. Toronto Raptors Entire Team- They not only lost four straight this week, they lost all of them in an absolute embarrassing and disgraceful manner. They effectively turned me off the team for 2009-10 and sent me looking towards hockey and baseball for relief. What a joke.
2. DeMar DeRozan- I was thrilled when DeRozan was criticized by coach Jay Triano for his poor shot selection and decision making. It's crunch time for the rookie, the grace period has long passes and it's time to see some results.
3. Perimeter Defense- Three-point defense lost them the game at Cleveland and killed them contantly against the Thunder and Rockets. There is such a lack of agressiveness on the defensive end they are giving the opponent free shots from three point land. That's a formula for disaster.
My Raptors Picks This Week
Thank goodness for only two games this week, both of which should be relatively easy victories with Bosh in the lineup. However, Bosh isn't a given factor and the way the Dinos are playing lately, I'm not holding my breathe. That being said, look for a loss against New York on Friday before finally grabbing a win against the Sixers on Sunday.
Last Week 2-2
Season 25-16
Fri. vs New York LOSS
Sun. vs Philadelphia WIN
It's Happy Time!!! (Because Raptor Fans Sure Need This)
Happy 24th Birthday Jason Smith!!!- The former first round pick forward for the Philadelphia 76ers is in his second season with the team. He has been injury prone for much of his short career and has spent much of itplaying off the bench. He is averaging 3.3 points per game in 36 games this year.
Happy 48th Anniversary Wilt Chamberlain!!!- On this day in 1962 in the Hershey, PA, Wilt Chamberlain went nuts and set an NBA record with 100 points scored in a single game. In my mind one of the greatest records in sports history, it still stands today as no other player has been able to score triple digits in 48 minutes.
Happy Trails Zydrunas Ilgauskas!!!- The Washington Wizards waived Ilgauskas on Thursday and with Shaq out until the playoffs, Ilgauskas could be returning soon to a place he knows well, the city of Cleveland.
Around the NBA
Atlantic- Well it looks like we may have FINALLY seen the last of Allen IVerson. The 76er guard will not return this season and I won't be surprised if he's done for good this time. I don't see any team signing him and to him all I have to say is simply this: good bye and good riddens.
Central- Bad news in Cleveland as I noted above, Shaquille O'Neal is out for the rest of the regular season after undergoing thumb surgery. Really, I don't think he's as big of a difference maker as everyone sees him as in Cleveland and as long as he's back for the playoff run, the Cavs should live.
Southeast- Well, it's basically a done deal that Michael Jordan will be the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. It'll be interesting to see if this changes the fortunes of what is now and up and coming team, I could see Jordan turning Charlotte into a legitimate pro basketball city.
Southwest- A familian face of the San Antonio Spurs, Michael Finley has been waived by the team this past week. The 37-year old guard has struggled with injuries this year and lost his starting job. Rumors have the Celtics possibly looking to sign Finley as an extra piece, it certainly wouldn't be a first for Boston to sign an extra body and Finley could provide some solid locker room leadership.
Northwest- Looking beyond the ineptitude play of Toronto on Sunday, I saw a shockingly great team in Oklahoma City. It was my first real look at this surprise team and though they are young and led by a young gun in KEvin Durant, I can smell an upstart team that can provide some excitement a possibly an upset in round one. I put two Thunder games on What to Watch This Week so check them out!
Pacific- Monta Ellis has been hampered with a sore back this week and his absence will continue as the Warriors head to Florida to visit the Magic and Heat. I know Golden State is long out of the playoff race, but this is the equivalent of the Raptors losing Bosh. In other words: it's bad news.
What to Watch This Week
Tuesday- Sacramento at Oklahoma City 8:00 FS Oklahoma
Wednesday- Oklahoma City at Denver 9:00 Altitude2
Thursday- Utah at Phoenix 10:30 TNT
Friday- New Orleans at San Antonio 9:30 ESPN
Saturday- Dallas at Chicago 8:00 CSN Chicago
Sunday- LA Lakers at Orlando 2:30 ABC
Monday- San Antonio at Cleveland 7:00 NBA TV
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