Linkage - Feb 7
Let’s face it this is a blatant cash grab all the way around, by Wilson and by Rogers and his pals Phil Lind and Larry Tanenbaum.
And I don’t think any of them, quite frankly, give a fig about the impact on the CFL.
Do I think these games will be a commercial success? I do. Just look at the Toronto idiots who spend exhorbitant sums to support the Raptors.
"Me getting back in the flow, and guys getting back to [being] used to my style has definitely been a challenge, and it’s going to continue to be one," Ford said.
Kapono, a spot-up shooter who does not excel at creating his own shot, should benefit from Ford’s presence. With the out-of-position Juan Dixon and the past-his-prime Darrick Martin spelling Jose Calderon in previous weeks, Kapono struggled for games at a time.
"Playing with a guy who can penetrate always helps, because the defence has to suck in to that," Kapono said.
Assuming Ford can start to do that on a regular basis, the team’s followers are likely to resume talking about an issue that defined the Raptors last year and early this season -whether Ford or Calderon should be starting.
In the end, forward Chris Bosh pointed out, it might not matter.
"Yes, Jose is playing well," Bosh said. "But imagine if we could have two guys playing at the same rate and splitting time."
Kapono will attempt to become the first back-to-back winner of the event since Peja Stojakovic won the 2002 and 2003 titles. Stojakovic will return to the competition representing the hometown New Orleans Hornets for the first time since finishing as runner-up in the 2004 competition.
Stojakovic and Kapono will be joined by Western Conference starter and 10-time All-Star Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Daniel Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Richard Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons and two-time MVP Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns.
Sam Mitchell understands you, Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr.
"What they’re probably looking at is they’re winning 60-some games a year, and can’t get over the hump," the Raptors coach said at practice on Wednesday. "And in the playoffs, the game slows down a little bit. And [Phoenix big man] Amare [Stoudemire] takes a beating during the playoffs.
"Shaq doesn’t have to be the old Shaq," Mitchell added. "If he goes out and gets 14 [points] and eight [rebounds], and clogs up the middle, and now he takes that big guy, that takes some pressure off Amare and the rest of the guys."
However, not every Raptor was singing that tune.
Raptors all-star Chris Bosh was wondering the same thing everybody is wondering about this deal: Can the aging O’Neal keep up with his teammates?
"I don’t see how he fits in Phoenix," Bosh said. "But I’m sure they’ll make a way for him."
Swingman Jason Kapono, who was a teammate of O’Neal’s in Miami as recently as last year, this O’Neal will adjust just fine.
"He probably has something to prove," Kapono said. "People are saying he’s on the downward side of his career, and the last time they said that, he came out to Miami and won a championship."
Back-to-back 20-point games, including a career-best 28-point night against the Los Angeles Lakers, has many believing that Bargnani’s sophomore woes are behind.
But keep in mind that the Lakers went with a small lineup in the wake of their trade for Memphis Grizzlies’ Pau Gasol and that the Heat basically was reduced to a D-league team.
In a nutshell, neither team had anyone capable of defending the paint, making drives to the basket a little easier for someone like Bargnani, who has yet to establish a consistent pattern of attacking the rim.
Bosh, though, likes what he has seen.
"Right now, he’s picking his play back up,” Bosh said of Bargnani. "He needs that confidence. I know a lot of people are in his ear, but I just tell him to play well."
What makes Bosh hopeful of future gains is Bargnani’s willingness to attack early in games, rather than just settle for jumpers.
Moreover, by taking his defender off the dribble, Bargnani can score easier when he gets to the basket. At worse, his dribble-drive forces defences to collapse and Bargnani has shown a flair for making the right pass.
You know how Andrea Bargnani drives and makes those little drop-off passes through the paint to Chris Bosh, which have been known to result in turnovers every now and then?
Well, Bosh is ready for ‘em now.
"I’m used to it now. I’ve got my hands ready … it takes some getting used to, most definitely, because he passes it hard.”
And here, unsolicited, is a Top Five Worst In-Game Experiences:
Fat guys dancing. Thank God they don’t do it here.
In-game screaming “hosts.” Hey, go yell on the street.
Thunderstix. They should find the guy who invented them and club him to death with them.
Intrusive PA announcers. No ‘dimes,’ no ‘stand up and scream,’ no goofy expressions. Announce what happened and be quiet.
Explosions. I want to find the guys who stole $75,000 work of pyrotechnics from the Detroit game-ops people and offer ‘em clemency and a reward.
Of the five other contestants named Wednesday to the field, only defending champion Jason Kapono is even close to Hamilton in attempts, taking 98 triples so far this season to Hamilton’s 92 before the Pistons took on Miami. But Hamilton has played 590 more minutes than Kapono - the equivalent of 12-plus games more than the Raptors’ gunner.
Raptors forward Jason Kapono made his first visit to Miami since he departed July 1 as a free agent. He said he was essentially left with no choice when the Raptors made him a reported four-year, $24 million offer seconds after the 12:01 a.m. opening of the free agency period.
”[Miami] was trying to be more patient,” said Kapono, who leads the league in three-point shooting percentage (.510). “I had to make a decision quickly, and Miami wasn’t in a position to make an offer.”
This has all gotten me thinking*: Where’s our Pau? Where’s our Shaq? Do we need a disgruntled All-Star to contend? I mean, REALLY contend, not in the Chuck Swirsky magical-land of Make Believe.
*and that’s never a good thing.
There aren’t that many unhappy millionaires left in the NBA, but I’ve hunted them down. The following is a list of soured superstars, pissed at either their coach, playing time, or management, and are dying for a new home to make them relevant again. Do they fit with the Raps?
But why Daniel Gibson? Is it simply because he was in the NBA Finals last year? Is Daniel Gibson really a bigger “name” than Anthony Parker?
Granted, Gibson is 4TH in the league in 3PT shooting (tied with Nash) … so it’s not like he’s some kind of chump. The dude can shoot! But both Parker and Portland’s James Jones (3RD overall) are ahead of Gibson.
Today’s topic: The best All-Time Toronto Raptors lineup. One note: the determing factor was how well they played while with the Raptors, not for other teams.
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