The AltRaps Blog

"I think we learned a lesson from the last game (Monday) against the (San Antonio) Spurs," said Jose Calderon, recalling a horrific start that cost the Raptors any chance to beat the defending champs earlier this week. "We just came out and played hard from the first minute. That’s what we have to do every game and we did it today and that’s why we got a kind of easy win."

And much to the delight of the sellout crowd, Vince Carter was front and centre in a turning point in the game. There’s nothing quite like misery for Carter to create glee among Raptor fans who still cherish any misfortune that comes his way.

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….Belichick is a bitch.

What about that Gasol trade, huh? Good? Bad? An amazing breakdown of it here brings up a comparison to the Vince Carter trade and also talks of the cap room it gives the Grizz…..and the scary notion they may hold on to it and load for bear in the next off-season. Seems he was really close to becoming a Chicago Bull too. The Stromile Swift for Jason Collins & Cash deal went through today as well. Time to re-shoot the Grizzlies intro.

The inclusion of Aaron McKie obviously surprised most. Even more surprising is the list of players still on the books and could be used in a trade. Try this on for size: Rik Smits, Latrell Sprewell, Victor Alexander, Zan Tabak, Ron Harper, Karl Malone, Rodney Rogers, Detlef Schrempf, Anthony Peeler, Walt Williams, Kevin Willis, Wesley Person, Mitch Richmond, John Salley, John Wallace, Oliver Miller, Sherman Douglas, Hubert Davis, Gheorghe Muresan, Rick Mahorn, Chris Dudley, Nick Van Exel…..and Sam Mitchell.

Speaking of oldies, Glen Rice has had the battery charges against him dropped. Guess the victim didn’t mind getting bitch slapped after hiding in a closet.

Bob Knight has resigned and handed the reigns to his son. He’ll be back, I’m sure. I’d love to hear him doing colour on TV though. Imagine him next to Marv Albert. Holy Mary.

You guys know how much I think pyro is a waste of time (although, admittedly, it just scares the shit out of me), I can’t fathom that the trailer stolen in Detroit yesterday contained $75,000 worth of the stuff. If they blow that per game on pyro, they need a new schtick. That’s insane.

Hey, Dwayne Wade plays on a pathetic team, but, hell, at least he is doing something great during AllStar weekend:  playing video games with Chris Paul, Jason Kidd and Deron Williams. Isn’t Kidd like 82? I bet he still has a Sega Saturn.

A great look at Euroleague stars that are draft eligible. I’ve seen Batum play twice on video and he is insane. However, as is stated in the article, I can’t see him driving against the real bigs of the NBA and not going soft.

A real Chinese bad-ass: Yao Ming.

I linked to this in the Linkage this morning, but in case you were too lazy, here is Joey Graham being productive for the Raptors:

TorontoSun.com - Basketball - Bargnani bounces back
Chris Bosh didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Bosh seemed genuinely surprised when he was asked if the Raptors should have responded or come to Jamario Moon’s defence when he got hammered going to the basket Wednesday night by Stromile Swift. “No, that’s when you get in trouble,” he said. “You can’t really retaliate. I don’t think it was a dirty play in that case. Moon just has to learn that in those cases he has to protect himself. You have to know the foul is coming and make sure you get free throws. You live and you learn, but as far as retaliation? That’s when things get ugly.”

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/278926

If you wanted to accuse the Raptors of playing like a bunch of softies last night, you could have cited Stromile Swift’s first-quarter flagrant foul on Jamario Moon as strong evidence.

Swift, the Grizzlies centre, clobbered Moon, the Raptors rookie, as Moon attempted a soaring dunk. And though Moon hit the floor with a violent slap, the back of his head slamming hardwood – and though the referee whistled the flagrant foul – Swift walked back to the home team’s bench without anybody in a red uniform flashing him so much as a dirty look. It wasn’t the only instance of Toronto gutlessness. Moon, for instance, was the only starter to get to the free-throw line in the first three quarters, when Memphis shot 23 free throws to Toronto’s four. And the Raptors were outrebounded and outscored in the paint all night.