The gamesmanship began yesterday with some psychological warfare. Despite his stamina deficit, Bosh issued a physical challenge to James ahead of tonight’s game in Cleveland.

"Me and Andrea (Bargnani) are quicker than their bigs," Bosh said, summing up the Raptors’ game plan. "We’re going to make Big Z (Cavaliers centre Zydrunas Ilgauskas) step outside. … We’re gonna make LeBron go out, run him off some screens, put him in some pick-and-rolls, kind of wear him down. We’re gonna see if he can do it the whole game."

After a strong showing Wednesday, Bargnani is component No.2 in Toronto’s anti-James attack.

The big Italian was sent for a CT scan yesterday morning because of persistent soreness in his face. He picked up a knock against Utah on Monday after getting an inadvertent hand to the face. Despite being encumbered by a crude-looking mask on Wednesday, Bargnani’s team-high 14-point effort impressed his coach.

"If he’s going to play like that, I hope he wears the mask from now on. I told (trainer) Scott (McCullough), `Order a few more. I may coach in one,’" the sartorially splendid Mitchell said.

He also had words of praise and a challenge for Jamario Moon. The high-flying rookie brought the ACC crowd to its feet with two spectacular forays to the rim onWednesday. Mitchell needs to see more.

"That guy who drove to the basket with Jamario’s jersey on? I don’t know who that was," Mitchell joked. "But if that guy shows up again he’s gotta drive the ball, not necessarily to score, but to make passes and give other people opportunities."

- Toronto Star

"It’s him. I mean, he just dominates," Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell said of the 6-foot-8, 260-pound do-everything forward. "He can put you into bonus by himself. He’s just so big and so fast."

The Raptors’ struggles against big, athletic wings have been well documented. Their struggles against James are near biblical, as the player to which Nike would have us bear witness is averaging 38 points, 10 rebounds and 7.5 assists a game against the Raptors this season.

But that’s not the only reason there are those in the organization who dread a first-round matchup against Cleveland almost as much as they might dread a series against the Boston Celtics or Detroit Pistons.

The main reason is Cleveland is the third-ranked rebounding team in the NBA — the likes of Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas creating extra possessions for James. Last month’s massive 11-player trade netted Cleveland two more rebounding big men, Ben Wallace and Joe Smith, and additional floor-spacing shooters, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West.

"A confident team can be completely different team than a team that isn’t quite sure," said Anthony Parker, who will likely be guarding James tonight. "It’s that split-second of hesitation that decides ball games, in a lot of cases."

- Globe and Mail

Talk to people in the NBA and they will tell you, off the record, of course, that the Raptors can’t afford to have both Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford on the same roster come next season.

The bottom line is the bottom line with Calderon becoming a restricted free agent on July 1.

The Raptors have already stated they will match whatever offer is presented to Calderon, who is enjoying a break-out season, even at a time when his game has suffered in recent weeks.

Ford will make $8.3 million US next season. Calderon earns $2.5 million this year, but many believe he’s line for a raise that could quadruple his salary next year.

Besides the money, insiders insist Ford will not accept a long-term role as a backup.

- Toronto Sun

The game tonight against the Raptors might look like just another slog on the 82-game schedule, but that’s not the case. Should the Cavs win tonight, they take the season series — important in playoff seeding. The Cavs are now fourth; the Raptors are fifth.

”For us, we play well at home. We’re not going to worry about how we play at home. It’s on the road that we have to continue to get better,” James said. ”As for the tiebreaker, we’re going to play well and try to hold down the fourth spot and have homecourt (advantage) throughout the first round.”

Brown looks at the game from a different perspective.

”We don’t have enough practices. We got guys banged up, so (Thursday) I couldn’t have contact, so we have to use each game to get better literally, as almost practice, too,” he said. ”But because of the spot we’re in we have to try to win every single game, so every single game is important. So, if we go out and beat Toronto and we lose our next 10, the tiebreaker (won’t) matter.”

- Ohio.com

Here is your inaugural NBA All-Unknown First Team.
Guard: Jose Calderon. Honorably mentioned in my column earlier this year about the league’s top point guards, Calderon has done nothing but back up that spot on the list. Acting as chief-and-commander for the playoff-bound Toronto Raptors, Calderon has become Chris Bosh’s best friend. Calderon is not only leading the Canadian-based squad in assists averaging 8.5 per, but he is third on the team in scoring at 12.1 points per game. The Spaniard is averaging 10 more minutes this year than last (31-plus compared to 21 minutes), 3.5 more assists per game, and less than one half a turnover more (1.8 compared to 1.4 per game). In just his third season, Calderon has improved his shot tremendously, which lets him hold up three fingers signaling the made 3-ball much more often. He has improved his court vision as well. Calderon can either take the rock to the basket himself, or, with help from Bosh and Jamario Moon, has no problem letting them catch the ball near the hoop for an alley-oop.

- The Daily Campus

This is all sparked by the fact the Raptors are off to Cleveland. It will be a real indicator as to where the Raptors might stand in a series against them. I have flip flopped on if this series would be a good or bad thing for the Raptors in the long term. I mean you have to think that Lebron James is always going be a factor for as long as he decides to call the Eastern Conference home. Would it not be a good idea to see how you handle that if you are the Raptors win or lose. I think playing the Nets was a much better thing for this team. If they had played the Wizards and won advancing forward would they have learned as much as they did by playing the Nets. I say no way. I also think no offense to Mr. James but even he a MEGA STAR could not create the hype that the return of Vince Carter did in last year’s playoffs. Raptors got to experience that and learn from it. Sure Lebron basketball wise is a far greater challenge then Vince Carter. In Toronto, Ontario Canada though Vince Carter is still the biggest story compared to any other NBA STAR you care to choose. Fans HATE Vince and always will. They may dislike Lebron or Kobe on occasion and they still do not enjoy Tracy McGrady.  But it is Vince and everyone else as far as hype and energy in the ACC. Vince Carter once was said to declare that the ACC was the house that he built. I agree with him it is. Chris Bosh owns it now but Vince Always takes control of it when he drops in for a visit. Hate is a stronger emotion then love at least in the world of sports. Vince is to Raptor fans the Girl that left them behind and rejected them. They never forgive him and refuse to forget him.

- Dino Nation

Ironic. No one really knows or wants to know where Kuwait is and no one really knows or wants to know where Toronto is. ..yet! Toronto can definitely make some noise this year in the playoffs. They like Washington and Orlando have very decent guard play coming off the bench with TJ Ford (22 mpg- 11.9 ppg), Carlos Delfino (24 mpg- 9.4 ppg), and Jason “Al” Kapono (19 mpg- 7.9 ppg). So what’s the problem with Toronto? No toughness. No blue collar. Toronto I think sneaks “big men” Kris Humphries and Rasho Neserovich into games hoping opposing big men don’t know their on the court to be taken advantage of. When they come in some comes the zone defense.

- Bleacher Report

Q: What do you consider the Raptor’s biggest weakness and how would you address it?

A: The Raps need more of a post presence. The only ones they really have are Chris Bosh and Rasho Nesterovic — that’s it. Andrea Bargnani might become a true low-post threat in two or three more years, but in the meantime they need to acquire players who can attack and defend inside.

- Cleveland.com