Toronto Raptors 2007-2008 edition

[velik_m]

Silly Sho.
What colors were raptors anyway- animal not team?

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2003-03/1048289498.Cs.r.html

The Heat are just terrible right now.

[angel_luv]

hvala Velik! :)

[ploto]

Rasho with yet another nice game off the bench, but the Raptors lose to Cleveland 90-83.

8-13
16 points
7 rebounds
2 assists
1 steal

Bargnani
0-5
0 points
1 rebound

[angel_luv]

I saw that.

Great work by Sho. Stinks that the Raps lost. They need to win out the rest of the season and get some momentum for the play offs.

[resistanze]

They've fallen to the 6th seed, probably the ideal seed for them. The challenge now is not falling down to the 7th and 8th seeds, where they'd be swept in the 1st round :lol.

[velik_m]

Kapono really sucks defensively.

[velik_m]

When Bargnani goes cold he goes ice cold.

[angel_luv]

Come on Raps.

Get it together.

I refuse to accept that we are a below .500 team. Work it out!

And please, avoid Orlando in the first round.

[Kobayagi]

Andrea had 16 points in the 1st and 16 in a game. Damn! After the 1st I thought he was going for 50 tonight. :lol

[ata]

Come on Raps.

Get it together.

I refuse to accept that we are a below .500 team. Work it out!

And please, avoid Orlando in the first round.

Out of Boston, Detroit, Orlando and Cleveland (East Top4), Toronto plays the best against Orlando.

[velik_m]

Out of Boston, Detroit, Orlando and Cleveland (East Top4), Toronto plays the best against Orlando.

What that really means is: out of those four teams, Orlando is the least likely to sweep them in the first round.

The Raptors D is horrible, how they are even in the playoff hunt is beyond me.

[himat]

Rap fans who is better? Ford or Calderon?

[lefty]

Rap fans who is better? Ford or Calderon?

Hard to say; I really like both.

I would say Calderon is a better 3 pt shooter, while TJ is quiker.

Both have leadership and run the systems very well.

This is one of the best PG duos in the league

[angel_luv]

I met Sho for the first time four years ago today. :)

[Texas_Ranger]

Rap fans who is better? Ford or Calderon?

I'm not a big Raptors fan, but I like them because Rasho plays there.

In my opinion Calderon's a better shooter(you can just look at the FG, FT & 3PT %). Then as a rebounder they are both on the same way. Even though I think that T.J. is a little better rebounder. I could say that Jose is a better passer, but I think there is no big difference. Ford's averaging 5,7 AST, while Calderon is at 8,4 AST. But Jose is playing about 10 minutes more than T.J. Better ball controller is Calderon, you can see that just if you look at TO per game.

So..., I'd pick Jose Calderon.
:fro

[ploto]

Change is coming to the Raptors starting lineup tonight.


Rasho Nesterovic and T.J. Ford are in and Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon are out for the struggling squad as it faces the Detroit Pistons at the Air Canada Centre.

The switch of Nesterovic for Bargnani is not a huge surprise given their play of late but changing point guards with only a dozen games left in the regular season is a big gamble and comes at the suggestion of the player being demoted.

After watching Ford struggle to find his way in a backup role, Calderon suggested – and coach Sam Mitchell agreed – that the move be made to kick-start Ford and, hopefully, the team as a whole.

Ford hasn't started a game since Dec. 12, a night when he suffered serious back and neck injuries after being clubbed to the floor by Atlanta's Al Horford.

The 25-year-old missed Toronto's next 24 games and also missed a couple of games with a strained abdominal muscle.

His play of late has been spotty, as he's found it difficult to adapt to a backup role. He's been dominating the ball on offence, trying to force himself on the game instead of simply running the offence.

Calderon, a restricted free agent at the end of the season, met with Mitchell and president Bryan Colangelo on Tuesday to discuss the switch. He sees the same things the coaches, teammates and fans do – that Ford is uncomfortable with the second unit and the team's play in deteriorating.

Toronto has won just three times in its last 14 games.

Nesterovic has proven over the last dozen games that he's worthy of being in the starting lineup. Inserted after Chris Bosh went out with a sore knee, the 31-year-old veteran averaged 13.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 10 games. Overall as a starter this season, he's averaging eight points and six rebounds; he averaged four points and three rebounds coming off the bench.

Aside Bargnani's a 16-point first quarter against Denver on Sunday – the only points he scored in the game – the second-year centre has been wildly inconsistent this season.

With just 12 games left in the regular season, the Raptors are battling Washington and Philadelphia for fifth, sixth and seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto takes a 35-35 record into tonight's home game.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/350985


The Toronto Raptors are going back to a familiar formula.


Coach Sam Mitchell is inserting T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic into the startling lineup against Detroit Wednesday night. Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani will come off the bench.

The Ford move is the most interesting of the two swaps. Calderon asked Mitchell to replace him in the lineup with Ford, saying that both players excelled in the opposite roles.

Ford has certainly struggled as a backup. He has either played too fast or too slow for his teammates since coming back from a neck injury, among other ailments, on Feb. 22. But the Raptors had their greatest success last year with Ford and Nesterovic in the starting lineup. That lineup led the Raptors to an Atlantic Division title, with Jorge Garbajosa operating in the small-forward role Jamario Moon now occupies.

Nesterovic's promotion was more predictable. He started 10 games when Chris Bosh was sidelined earlier this month with a right-knee injury, and averaged 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Bargnani, meanwhile, has struggled all year, and has shot just 31% from the floor over his last six games.

Bargnani began the year as a starter, but was replaced by Nesterovic five games into the season. Mitchell gave Bargnani the spot back in December, with an eye toward developing the labouring centre. But he has not found consistency, and is being demoted.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/archive/2008/03/26/nba-ford-nesterovic-to-start-wednesday-night-for-raptors.aspx

[Kobayagi]

Wow, a player suggesting someone should take his starting spot, you don't see that often. In any league.

Props to Jose. I've seen a decline in his APG lately, maybe it really is time for a change.

[Pero]

Yeah but I think his minutes went down too. It seems to me that he played much better before Ford came back.

[ploto]

Raptors win! 89-82

Rasho with 15 points; 9 rebounds; 4 blocks; and 2 assists. Raps +11 with Rasho in the game (best on the team) and he played 46 minutes and 27 seconds. Some nice play with TJ and Jose playing together in the fourth quarter.

[JamStone]

Pistons played their very best game. Came out with passion and energy and intensity. They shot well and played amazing defense. Raptors just too good.

[himat]

I think it will be Detroit vs Toronto in the first round. Philly is so hot that they won't drop. Atlanta, NJ, and Chicago are just fighting for the 8th spot.

It will either be Detroit vs Washington or Detroit vs Toronto in the first round.

[Pero]

Pistons played their very best game. Came out with passion and energy and intensity. They shot well and played amazing defense. Raptors just too good.

:lol

[angel_luv]

Sho had a great game - 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 :wow blocked shots.

:clap

edit: Ploto beat me, per usual. :)

Oh well, stats like those bear repeating. :)

[ploto]

I wish they would show defensive highlights:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6166815764974056017

[ploto]

It's not as significant as the moves made yesterday, but the Raptors are making roster noises again.

One day after shaking up the starting lineup, team sources say Toronto will sign free agent Linton Johnson to a 10-day contract today, bringing in the 6-foot-8 forward to add more athleticism and depth to the wing positions.

To make room for the addition of Johnson, the Raptors are going to waive veteran guard Darrick Martin but keep him in the organization in some capacity.

Johnson is a 27-year old who spent part of this season with the Phoenix Suns after bouncing around a handful of other NBA organizations. Finances, or roster "fit" have always precluded him from sticking long-term with any of the organizations he's been with.

In six games with the Suns this season, Johnson averaged 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds.

Undrafted after spending four years at Tulane, Johnson's also been with Chicago, San Antonio, New Jersey and New Orleans in the last five seasons.

How he fits into Toronto's long-term plans is unclear. But he will be given a chance to compete with Jamario Moon, Carlos Delfino and Jason Kapono for playing time at small forward and, perhaps, address some defensive deficiencies at that position.

Yesterday, the Raptors moved regulars Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani out of the starting five, inserting T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic. Toronto beat Detroit 89-82 last night with the revamped lineup.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/377416

[angel_luv]

Linton Johnson? Cool.

Reunion :)

[ploto]

Nesterovic earning his keep at both ends of the floor


Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell might be giving Rasho Nesterovic a lot to think about this summer by giving him heavy minutes.

Nesterovic can opt out of the final year of a contract that will pay him US$8.4-million next season. And the way he is performing this month, the affable Slovenian might be able to squeeze another multi-year deal out of another general manager.

"Oh, no. No," Nesterovic said with a smile Thursday, killing any notion the veteran centre might leave via free agency.

That is probably a wise move on Nesterovic's part -- free agency could also be risky for a slow centre with limited athleticism -- and good news for the Raptors.

Since Chris Bosh went down with a knee injury on Feb. 29, Nesterovic has become a force for Toronto. He has averaged 13.2 points and 7.9 rebounds over the last 14 games, a span that culminated with a marathon 46-minute outing Wednesday against Detroit. He had 15 points and nine rebounds in that game, a stat line that has become routine. While Bosh has returned, Nesterovic is now replacing the slumping Andrea Bargnani in Toronto's starting rotation.

"It feels much better. When you play that time, 40 or 45 minutes, you're not pressed or under pressure to do something really quick," Nesterovic said. "When you come off the bench for five or six minutes, you try to do a couple of good things. Usually trying to do those good things, you do a couple bad (things), and you look bad. Over the course of a game, 40 or 45 minutes, you're more relaxed. You don't push the things. They come by their self."

That is something Mitchell pointed to after just the fifth regular-season game this year, when he pulled Bargnani from the starting unit in favour of Nesterovic for the first time. Mitchell said it was harder for older players -- Nesterovic is 31 -- to produce with inconsistent minutes.

That did not stop Mitchell from going back to Bargnani in December, all in the name of development. Now it is Nesterovic's turn again. And while his offensive production may be surprising, his defensive acumen is earning the praise of his teammates.

"I think (Nesterovic) changes the defensive approach of the whole team," Bosh said. "We know that he's going to talk on defence. He's going to have a lot of fire when he's playing. He's going to let you know when things aren't going well. I think those are all positives for the whole team."

That was evident Wednesday, when the Raptors held Detroit to 82 points. Mitchell suggested it was as good as the Raptors could play defensively for 48 minutes, and deflected much of the credit to Nesterovic, who limited the Pistons' Rasheed Wallace to 15 points and two rebounds.

"We were afraid of Rasheed taking Rasho out on the floor, but we also didn't want to have to (double-team him) and open up three-point shots for Jarvis Hayes and Chauncey Billups," Mitchell said. "Rasho allowed us to not have to go and double-team."

The question is whether Nesterovic can continue to handle the heavy doses of minutes. After playing at least 30 minutes in just two games in the season's first four months, he has reached that threshold seven times in March.

"Nobody asks you if you're tired or not. You're professionals," Nesterovic said. "You get paid for what you do."

And next year, he will be paid $8.4-million US for his professionalism. There will be no questioning that.

http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=404255

[ploto]

The raves keep rolling in for Rasho Nesterovic, the newly inserted starting centre who had 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in Wednesday's win over the Pistons. "Rasho was just unbelievable," said Sam Mitchell.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/404839

[ploto]

Raps' changes pay off quickly


Mired in a potential season-tarnishing funk, the Raptors needed a change. And it was only fitting that a pair of team-first guys on a squad rich with that type of player, helped provide it.

Jose Calderon got plenty of well-deserved credit after he offered up the starting point guard position he had wrested from T.J. Ford when the latter was on the disabled list.

But lost in the Ford-Calderon saga which, sadly, always seems to wind up pitting one against the other in the fans' minds, was the return to starting prominence of the ever-dependable Rasho Nesterovic.

The double switch -- Ford starting in place of Calderon and Nesterovic in for Andrea Bargnani -- was an immediate success Wednesday night as the Raps won their first game over a plus-.500 team in almost five weeks, defeating the Detroit Pistons 89-82 at the Air Canada Centre.

Such radical changes, this late in the season, aren't always the cure-all they set out to be. And while it was just one game, the combination of the opponent they took down and the way they went about it had everyone on the Raptors feeling as good as they have in more than a month...

When the Raptors determined it was in their best long-term interests to live and die with Andrea Bargnani's sophomore swings, Nesterovic accepted the role in the same professional manner he always conducts himself and did so without complaint. He was a starter again for 10 games in Bosh's absence and then back to the bench...

http://torontosun.com/Sports/Basketball/2008/03/28/5128201-sun.html

[angel_luv]

"I think (Nesterovic) changes the defensive approach of the whole team," Bosh said. "We know that he's going to talk on defence. He's going to have a lot of fire when he's playing. He's going to let you know when things aren't going well. I think those are all positives for the whole team."


Yep, sounds like Sho to me. :)

I hope the entire Raps organization realizes what a keeper Sho is and treats him accordingly.

[Texas_Ranger]

Raptors win, and again great game by Rasho!
27 min., 18 pts., 8 reb. & 1 blk.

[ploto]

The Raptors have played 15 games in March. Ten without Bosh that Rasho started; 3 where he came off the bench with Bosh back; and 2 now starting alongside Bosh. Tonight was Rasho's eighth straight game in double-digits scoring.

Stats for Rasho for March:

30.9 mpg
57.5% FG
73.3 % FT
15.5 ppg
6.93 rpg
1.87 apg
1.0 bpg

As Anthony Parker said tonight- "Rasho is playing out of his mind."

[ploto]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5FmusH456RQ

[ploto]

These guys are good
Raptors new frontcourt of Bosh and Nesterovic helping to turn team around


It evokes memories of Charles Oakley and Antonio Davis.

And it takes Raptors fans back in time when two front-court players knew their role, embraced it and played well off of each other.

While there's no one on the basketball planet quite like the inimitable Oak, the Raptors frontline of Chris Bosh and Rasho Nesterovic has turned heads, helping to turn around the team's recent fortunes.

Against the undermanned New York Knicks last night, the Raptors used a nice high-low sequence on their first offensive set with Bosh making a perfect entry pass to Nesterovic on the right block.

Showing his deft touch around the basket and excellent foot work, Nesterovic used his size advantage over David Lee to score the game's first bucket, a sign of good things to follow as the Raptors beat the Knicks 103-95.

The Bosh-Rasho tandem combined for 47 points on 18-for-28 shooting and 18 rebounds, numbers that bode well for a team that seems intent on dumping the ball into the post.

The only negative was Bosh's reaction to New York's constant trapping and double-teaming.

While he has improved to pass out of double teams, Bosh did turn the ball over a game-high five times as New York scored 21 points off of Toronto's miscues.

"Any time I get double-teamed, I have to kick it out and depend on my teammates,'' Bosh said on a night when he poured in a game-high 29 points.

For the eighth game in a row, Nesterovic was able to reach double digits in scoring, netting 18.

There's nothing flashy about Nesterovic, but his professionalism and understanding prompted the Raptors to re-insert him into the starting unit ahead of Andrea Bargnani.

Even when Nesterovic isn't getting touches, he'll put a body on an opponent and could be heard yelling out instructions on the defensive end.

On a team that is almost too quiet and at times, Nesterovic's voice provides a calming presence, reassurance when moments get tense.

"For the past month and a half, Rasho has been playing well,'' head coach Sam Mitchell said. "We have to somehow keep him going."

As T.J. Ford continues to reintroduce himself to the team's starting rotation, the Bosh-Rasho combo looms as a key component with the regular season down to its final 10 games.

Bosh can take bigger defenders away from the basket and has shown an ability to knock down that occasional three-pointer.

Much like they did in Wednesday's momentum-needed win over the Detroit Pistons, the Raptors tried to capitalize on a mismatch.

Against the Pistons, who were missing shooting guard Richard Hamilton, the Raptors were able to play Ford and Jose Calderon for extended stretches.

Against the undersized Knicks, Bosh and Nesterovic were able to flourish.

And unlike the times when Bargnani was starting, the Raptors don't have to run plays for Nesterovic to be effective.

"More minutes,'' Nesterovic neatly summed up when asked to explain his recent surge.

http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Basketball/2008/03/29/5136541-sun.html

[ploto]

Bosh and Nesterovic key win over plucky New York club


...Anytime Toronto really needed a basket, the ball would go to one of the bigs and usually good things happened. It took Bosh only 17 field goals to get his 29 points while Nesterovic was 8-for-11 from the floor.

And as he's done for weeks now, Nesterovic once again anchored a solid defence as Toronto held New York to just 39 per cent shooting from the field.

"They were trapping Chris but they weren't trapping Rasho," said Mitchell. "The third quarter, we were able to get the ball inside to him and Rasho scored. He's been rebounding, his defence has just been unbelievable, he communicates under the basket, he's been an anchor for us."

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/407113

[ploto]

Raptors roll past Knicks


Whatever is going on with Rasho Nesterovic these days, Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell would like to bottle it. Call it eau de Rasho.

After yet another excellent performance from the dependable reserve-turned-prolific starter Friday night during a 103-95 win over the New York Knicks, Mitchell was left to marvel at the 31-year-old's renaissance, once more.

"If we can just somehow keep him going the way he is going," Mitchell said, hope in his voice. "He is playing great."

That, certainly, is an understatement. Nesterovic's Toronto teammates have never hesitated to hold up the centre's defensive intangibles - the rebounding, the positioning, and the communicating - for all to appreciate. But all of the sudden, Nesterovic has morphed into a reliable offensive threat.

Although his competition from New York's frontline was not exactly reminiscent of Bill Russell, Nesterovic did score 18 points, draining eight of his 11 field-goal attempts. The game marked Nesterovic's eighth straight double-digit scoring game.

"Same old thing," Chris Bosh said in characterizing Nesterovic's performance. "Rasho, he's not going to do anything outside of his comfort zone. He's a big, wide body down there. A lot of people don't know that, but Rasho is pretty strong. We can dump it down there and get easy baskets, because we know he's not going to get double-teamed."

http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=407210

[angel_luv]

"If we can just somehow keep him going the way he is going," Mitchell said, hope in his voice. "He is playing great."


Stop benching him. Keep Sho in the game. Problem solved.

[angel_luv]

I don't like that Orlando and Raptors according to present seeding would meet in the first round.

Save it for a later round, boys!

[Kobayagi]

I think the Magic are the best option for the Raps in the playoffs. Definitely better than Celts, Pistons or Cavs. If they get Orlando they have a shot at making it to the second round, otherwise it's the early exit.

[ploto]

At least March is almost over. Raptors only have one opponent left in the season over .500 (Detroit) so they better close out the season strong.

I love Hedo but I want Orlando.

[T Park]

I see the Raptors made a big run today, WITHOUT Rasho.

Shocking.

[angel_luv]

At least March is almost over. Raptors only have one opponent left in the season over .500 (Detroit) so they better close out the season strong.

I love Hedo but I want Orlando.


I love both Hedo and Sho, equally, a whole bunch in both cases. :)

Great guys both of them.

[ploto]

I see the Raptors made a big run today, WITHOUT Rasho.

Shocking.

You might want actually to watch a game to comment.

Both teams cleared the bench in a blowout and the Raptors bench is better than the Hornets bench. The Raptors made a run without Bosh, Ford, and Anthony Parker, as well. Guess it means they all suck.

Your envy with dealing with how well Rasho is playing is pretty sad. Most people here can at least be happy for him because he was a good teammate when he played for the Spurs. Not you.

He is playing possibly the best of his NBA career. The Raptors have found a way to utilize skills he has that the Spurs never did or needed. You are just mad becasue you wanted to see him fail, but he has not. He has blossomed in Toronto and is a very important part of their team. The role he has there is nothing like his role on the Spurs- not only on the court, but off, as well. His presence is very important to his teammates. It is a wonderful thing to see.

[Kobayagi]

I hope Rasho destroys Nazr today :toast

[Kobayagi]

Raps shoting 81 % in the 1st. They hit last 17 field goals in the quarter.

[ploto]

Kind of ugly but a win.

Rasho in a little foul trouble early but ended up with 14 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes.

Nazr did the usual-- pump fake and a miss; pump fake and get it blocked by a SF; 5 fouls in 21 minutes.

[ploto]

When have Spurs fans ever seen this:

Rasho putting the ball on the floor outside the 3-point line. He lost it on the way up but tipped in his miss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yfQck_RC4g

[ploto]

Here's one thing I noticed at various points of last night's game: Rasho and Bosh chatting at length about various strategies, I can only assume. And Rasho was doing most of the chatting. This is an obvious benefit to having Rasho back in the starting lineup in favour of Bargnani. I mean, there are several, such as Rasho being a better post defender and team defender; being a better rebounder; a better shooter and a better passer than Bargnani, if we're measuring actual performance. Aside from all that Rasho takes some of the leadership responsibilities off Bosh's shoulders by talking things over with him and lending a smart, experienced voice to the process. Not that it mattered much with Chris Paul doing his magic, but it seems a subtle yet important plus.

From Deep (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080331.WBwbbasketball20080331113940/WBStory/WBwbbasketball)

[ploto]

Bosh speaks loudly


Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh is more a man of deeds than words.

His natural inclination is to make his point with his points, like the 32 he made in last night's 104-100 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, and with his rebounds, like the eight he had last night.

"I'm not a talker by nature," Bosh said. "That's how I am naturally. I know that I have to step outside myself, because I really like winning. And that really helps it out. So whatever it takes, I'm going to do it."

He has learned how much talking while playing defence can help a team win, and in this respect, centre Rasho Nesterovic has been a good influence.

The first half was a little more offensive, and during the first quarter, the Raptors made 17 consecutive shots in one stretch.

Then Bosh and Nesterovic began to work the vocal cords as well as the shooting eyes.

"I've been trying to talk all the time, but when you have somebody that talks with you, it kind of influences you," Bosh said. "You want to continue to do it because it helps us out."

On offence, Bosh says about all that can be accomplished by talking is to say "Hey, I'm open."

But defence is a different matter.

"On defence, you can instruct everybody and I think it really helps us out," he said. "Guys are more aware."

Nesterovic said the reason the talking on defence was so important was to cut down on the second-chance points.

When the Bobcats defeated the Raptors 110-98 on March 2 at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, the Bobcats outrebounded them 50-37 and hammered them 32-0 on second-chance points. The Raptors did not have Bosh for that game.

Last night, the Raptors had a 39-38 advantage in rebounds and each team scored 11 second-chance points.

The other difference Bosh made is that he forced the Bobcats to send him to the free-throw line, where he converted 13 of his 16 attempts.

Nesterovic chipped in 14 points and 11 rebounds.

"Rasho and Chris were talking in the back and helping," head coach Sam Mitchell said. "I can hear them talking on defence. Rasho is rubbing off on Chris as far as communicating in the back. Chris was good communicating.

"Rasho has been huge for us lately."

Anthony Parker scored 20 points for the Raptors, T.J. Ford had 16 and Jamario Moon had 15.

Jason Richardson scored 26 for Charlotte and Gerald Wallace had 20.

The Raptors, 38-36, were coming off a 118-111 loss to the NBA's Western Conference-leading New Orleans Hornets on Sunday at the Air Canada Centre.

The Raptors go on to Atlanta, where they will play the Hawks at the Philips Arena tomorrow.

The Bobcats, 28-46, were coming off three consecutive victories, against the Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics and Portland Trail Blazers, on a four-game Western swing.

"They beat teams we didn't beat out there," Mitchell said.

"I thought at the beginning of the third quarter when they went on that 14-2 run, that really killed us for the game," Bobcats coach Sam Vincent said. "I'm not sure if it was fatigue that finally set in at that point, but we missed some shots that we usually make."

Before the game, Mitchell had talked about how the Bobcats were improving.

Vincent said: "Our team has grown tremendously. The fact that we can come off an emotional road trip, still tired and a little jet-lagged and play a team with a player like Chris Bosh, and play them to the point where we really had a chance to win, it shows the growth in our team."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080401.RAPTORSFIN01/TPStory/Sports

[ploto]

Starting to make sense


It was a night when the Raptors basically started from scratch.

With the regular season whittled down to its final eight, the hope is that last night represents a start of something good.

As Toronto's allegedly deep bench went silent into the Charlotte night, it was up to the team's starters to step up as a potentially significant stretch to the late season began with a 104-100 win over the host Bobcats.

With another winnable game looming in Atlanta tomorrow and the Bobcats paying a visit to the Air Canada Centre on Friday, the Raptors appear poised to solidify their playoff standing and seeding.

All this can be done if the Raptors are able to bring the same kind of urgency they showed in stretches last night for longer periods of time.

What became painfully obvious is that the starters will be asked to play extended minutes.

Sam Mitchell went with T.J. Ford, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, Chris Bosh and Rasho Nesterovic and rode them hard, essentially eschewing a bench that gave the head coach all of seven points.

Moon was replaced by Jason Kapono in Sunday's loss to New Orleans and responded to last night's challenge by actually getting to the foul line.

Kapono, meanwhile, never got off the bench.

Despite Bosh's 32 points, including 17 in the opening 12 minutes, and each starter reaching double digits in scoring, Mitchell was impressed with his team's defence, especially in the second half when the high-flying Bobcats were held to 35% shooting.

"I always remember what Pat Riley taught me,'' Mitchell said of the legendary coach.

"When things aren't working, it's not your scheme.

"You're just not doing it (defending) with the emotion, pride and energy you need to do it."

With Bosh and Nesterovic anchoring the back end, the Raptors became less vulnerable off the dribble and began to defend Charlotte's pick and roll with better purpose and results.

Nesterovic's presence is starting to rub off on Bosh, who has become more vocal on defence.

"It's easy for me to play with him,'' Nesterovic said of the three-time all-star.

"And I'm showing him something.''

The Raptors were something to behold when the game began. They made 17 shots in succession, a stretch that turned into a clinic.

Then came the stench of poor shots, miscommunication on defence and getting exposed off the dribble.

The change was dramatic as it was shocking, but then came a half-time gathering inside the locker room, a yelling and screaming session the players took to heart.

The game turned in the third quarter as the Raptors outscored the home side 21-10.

"It's always important to stay focused when playing the second game of a back to back,'' Ford said.

"To have all five starters reach double figures, that's hard. We just have to keep it up."

Mitchell did use both Ford and Jose Calderon as Charlotte went with two point guards on the floor.

Ford and Calderon managed the game well, but it was Bosh who stepped up big.

When they visited Charlotte earlier in March, the Raptors got pounded on the boards.

http://torontosun.com/Sports/Columnists/Zicarelli_Frank/2008/04/01/5158471-sun.html

[MI21]

This thread should be renamed Rasho Nesterovic 2007-2008 edition.

:)

[ploto]

Here's a nice non-Rasho Raptor story:

Raptor's daughter wraps up a colourful March break


A young woman was sending shockwaves through the NBA arena with a daring fashion statement last night.

And no, the risqué wardrobe of the resident spandex-clad dancing troupe was not being ogled by the players, at least not any more than usual.

Rather, Anthony Parker, the Raptors forward, was remarking on the replica jersey being sported by a teammate's daughter.

Bailey Martin, Darrick's little girl, was sitting courtside wearing Jose Calderon's No. 8 overtop a frilly white blouse and blue jeans.

Upon questioning, Bailey did not appear particularly nostalgic about an era that had recently ended. Her dear old dad had been wearing Toronto's No. 2 until he was waived and reassigned to the coaching staff last week. But the world moves fast, apparently.

Said Bailey, 7, of her point guard of choice: "I've got Jose's bobblehead at home, too."

Said Parker to Martin, one father to another: "You've been replaced."

Martin smiled and laughed and shook his head. Bailey was scheduled to be heading home today to her regular life as a Grade 2 student in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she lives with her mother.

But for the past 10 days she'd been enjoying an extended March break in her dad's world, accompanying the Raptors on a couple of road trips and seeing Toronto. You could call it take-your-kid-to-work week. Martin called it "special."

The pro sports lifestyle can kill families, of course. And the NBA has had its share of deadbeat dad stories. But the not-so-often told stories don't make for stunning headlines: NBAer Enjoys Time with Daughter.

Bailey, for her part, has grown up around the alternate universe of pro sports, but she's not of the universe. It was only a few years ago, when Martin was a member of a Minnesota Timberwolves squad ensconced in the Western Conference final, that she'd get into the spirit of the post-season by falling stone asleep in the midst of the raucous Target Center.

So far, she's more inclined toward playing piano than point guard, even if she is the product of an athletically inclined gene pool

Her mother, Martin's ex-wife Marissa, is a former professional volleyball player. And though the marriage has ended, the parents, said Martin, carry on a good relationship.

"She's a wonderful woman and a wonderful mother," he said.

The highlights of Bailey's week will likely be the envy of her classmates tomorrow, when she's due back at school.

Perhaps she'll tell of the time she ate spaghetti at a fancy restaurant, Sotto Sotto, the celebrity friendly spot in Yorkville, or of her kibitzing with her favourite Raptor not named Daddy or Jose. Kris Humphries, the forward known to Bailey as Baby Huey, is said to relate well to school-age minds, even if teammates can twist that into a punchline.

Bailey Martin is, to describe her in a word, polite. Last night she offered some of her pre-game meal of chicken fingers dipped in ketchup to a bystanding reporter. And on the flight here Sunday night the story goes that she helped the flight attendants distribute the chocolate chip cookies around the team charter.

"A stewardess in training," somebody said.

But Martin, the protective father, piped up: "I don't know about that. There's a lot of things that go along with that job I'm not too crazy about."

The uniforms, for starters.

Martin fixed his eyes on his daughter's choice of jersey last night and laughed.

"If she could wear any other one, that was the one. Jose and I are very close," said Martin.

"She said, 'Daddy, can I wear Jose's jersey?' If it had been (Parker's) I would have said no."

http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/407832

[angel_luv]

Cute story. :)

[Rip-Hamilton32]

This thread should be renamed Rasho Nesterovic 2007-2008 edition.

:)
agreed, people got to get off his below average nuts :elephant

[angel_luv]

Quick break in the Rasho news to brag on Candace Parker.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/17207516.html
She was a warrior for her team tonight- the way she played through that dislocated shoulder.

I'm sure her big brother Anthony is super proud of her. :)

[sendman]

agreed, people got to get off his below average nuts :elephant
So, you've been touching them? Shame on Rasho!

[ploto]

There is no magic preparation for the final two-week push of the season, Mitchell said. "You've just got to try to be ready to play, to play well," he said. "If we're experimenting now, we're in trouble."

A while back, Andrea Bargnani was starting at centre, but not lately, as Rasho Nesterovic has been strong at the position. Bargnani watched most of the game against the Bobcats, playing 7 minutes 32 seconds and going 0-for-2, with two rebounds.

Against the Bobcats, Nesterovic logged 27:35 and scored 14 points, with 11 rebounds. Last week in the 89-82 victory over the Detroit Pistons, he played 46:27 and scored 15 points, with nine rebounds.

After the game against the Bobcats, Mitchell talked about how important Nesterovic has been to the Raptors for the past month. He said more on the subject yesterday. "He's playing with a lot of confidence and he is playing well," Mitchell said.

Nesterovic will turn 32 next month and began his NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, when Mitchell played for them, and played for the San Antonio Spurs before joining the Raptors last season.

He's had playoff experience and has played on an NBA championship team with San Antonio.

Early this season, he didn't play much, but still kept himself ready.

"He takes care of himself," Mitchell said. "He works out, and you know when he wasn't playing much early in the season, Rasho was working out after the games and he'd come here early in the morning. It would be tough right now without him."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080402.RAPTORS02/TPStory/Sports


The one player who has influenced Bosh the most in recent weeks has been veteran Rasho Nesterovic, an anchor on defence who constantly is barking out instructions from the back end.

Not known for his quick feet or explosive hops, Nesterovic knows where to be on the court and is aware of every player's responsibilities on defence.

When Bosh and Nesterovic compete at a high level, the Raptors aren't as vulnerable on the boards.

By controlling the glass, the Raptors are able to ignite their fast break.

"We just have to continue to do the things we're doing,'' the soft-spoken Slovenian said. "We just have to keep winning."

Nesterovic quietly goes about his business with very little fanfare, but he has evolved into a key piece of the team.

Against the Bobcats, Nesterovic picked up two fouls in the first quarter, but played well through them for most of the night until he picked up his third in the game's waning minutes.

"Rasho is rubbing off on Chris," Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell said.

http://torontosun.com/Sports/Basketball/2008/04/02/5168101-sun.html

[ploto]

And a funny one:

Rasho Nesterovic's alien abductors: Check out his game log, and then check out his splits. Something fishy happened around the first of March, and I'm certain a Martian anal probe was involved. I mean, from 4 PPG and 3 RPG to 14 RPG and 7 RPG? We need to go kill this doppleganger before he has a chance to lay space pods.


http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2008/04/worst-of-night-march-31-2008.html

[Pero]

Rasho three at the buzzer!!! :lol
11 points in 1st

[ploto]

He even had the perfect fake and the three! Steve Smith said he wanted to go over and give Rasho a high five for playing so well-- even called Rasho the best player on the court in the first half. :)

5/6 11 points 2 rebounds

Other funny thing- Bargs with 2 baskets in the paint and 2 misses from the outside!

[Kobayagi]

Rasho three at the buzzer!!! :lol
11 points in 1st


Damnit, I missed that. :rolleyes


Forgot it was game time already. Seems like it's Raptors game every night. :spin

[Kobayagi]

I'd appreciate a youtube clip of that trey.

[Kobayagi]

That was a nba.com top10 play right there. Alley-oop by T.J. & Moon. :toast

[Pero]

I don't get it, why is Rasho on the bench the whole 4th quarter....?

[Pero]

Damn, now he's cold.

[Pero]

11.5 sec to go, Toronto up by 3. Atlanta's got the ball... Overtime? :lol

[Kobayagi]

How do they let take TWO 3 pointers?!?!?!

[Pero]

Hawks miss two threes...but 3.8 left and hawks ball

[Pero]

overtime... bibby scores the 3

[Kobayagi]

Dominique called it. :toast

Overtime it is.

[Pero]

well, unless raps score in 0.5..

[Allanon]

So much for the Raps, that was there chance to win that game. 3 chances on a game winner will kill you.

Hawks are going to win in OT

[Pero]

Omg!¨!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kobayagi]

WoW! :o

[Pero]

overtime it is... but hard call...

[Kobayagi]

This really is a great game. :fro

[Pero]

would be a great play had the raps got the call

[Pero]

Yeah. :)

[Kobayagi]

But that was some BAD D by both teams in the last minute.

[Pero]

Honestly, part of me was hoping for overtime. :lol

[Pero]

yup

[Pero]

Rasho season high 21 points.

[Kobayagi]

Did you see the clock go, before the ball reached TJ's hands? It was a wrong call, the clock was early.

[Pero]

yeah I thought so, but since no one mentioned it I thought I just saw wrong. 0.1 early

[resistanze]

I'm away from the TV, what happened?

[Allanon]

They just mentioned that early clock start on ESPN. Wonder what's going to happen with Stern if Raps lose this game. Maybe they're replay the last .5 seconds :)

[Pero]

man what are the raps doing

[Pero]

damn... it doesn't look good for the raps

[angel_luv]

Rasho three at the buzzer!!! :lol
11 points in 1st


I missed it! Oh, boo!

[Allanon]

Dagger 3 by Josh Smith.

[angel_luv]

We're losing to Atlanta????

Edit: Just checked standings. Atlanta is having a better year than I realized.

[resistanze]

Wow, Bosh you moron.

[Pero]

bosh misses an easy basket... it's over..

[Pero]

They just mentioned that early clock start on ESPN. Wonder what's going to happen with Stern if Raps lose this game. Maybe they're replay the last .5 seconds :)

Stern will deny any knowledge of the event. :lol

[Allanon]

What was that, a 1 foot shot in the final seconds of a winnable game? Very unclutch Bosh, dunk that shit.

[Kobayagi]

I'm not too disappointed with this loss, we've seen a great game.


Besides, I like Josh Smith. I'm happy for him. :toast

[Pero]

man what a crappy game :lol

[kingsfan]

Awesome job Hawks!! 5 in a row!! :elephant Bibby is still clutch.
Gotta thank Bosh for missing that easy shot :lol

[Allanon]

Stern will deny any knowledge of the event. :lol

Hahah :D Hawks involved in 2 controversial wins this year.

[Pero]

Awesome job Hawks!! 5 in a row!! :elephant Bibby is still clutch.
Gotta thank Bosh for missing that easy shot :lol

And the refs on the overtime call.

Off course raps screwed up first by not fouling.

[bdictjames]

Hawks are going to be scary after these guys get some playoff experience.

[Kobayagi]

So, let me get this straight...Fisher can get a jumper off in .4, but TJ Ford can't get an alley oop layup off in .5?

Bullshit call...but whatever.

Raps better not advance to 5th spot in the East or they face the Cavs.

[ploto]

Raps got screwed at the end of regulation. The clock clearly started early- way before TJ ever even touched the ball. Sam complained about it but to no avail.

Raps went small in fourth quarter and blew the 15 point lead.

Rasho 9-13 2-3 FT 21 points 3 assists 2 blocks

At least Milwaukee beat Washington.

[ploto]

Hahah :D Hawks involved in 2 controversial wins this year.
Last year for the Raptors, too. The Atlanta scorekeeper missed a Raptor basket. The game should have been tied right at the end but the score said Atlanta was up by 2 and so Toronto fouled when they did not need to. Nothing happened.

[angel_luv]

I am excited to see a replay of Sho making that three. :)

[Kobayagi]

At least Milwaukee beat Washington.


Of course they did, agent zero is back. :lol

[Pero]

Rasho averages 16 pts and 7 rbs in 32 minutes over last 5 games

[angel_luv]

Rasho averages 16 pts and 7 rbs in 32 minutes over last 5 games


Fear the Sho! :fro

[Allanon]

Last year for the Raptors, too. The Atlanta scorekeeper missed a Raptor basket. The game should have been tied right at the end but the score said Atlanta was up by 2 and so Toronto fouled when they did not need to. Nothing happened.

Last year too? I wonder whats up with these Hawk games....


Of course they did, agent zero is back. :lol
Agent 0 played today? What is it "AllStar Player Comeback night"?

Agent 0
Elton Brand
Pau Gasol
Dirk Nowitzki

All back tonight.

[velik_m]

Rasho's three:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kASqfmnXSJg

[angel_luv]

hvala Velik!


Hi Ozzy! :)

[ploto]

Rasho's three:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kASqfmnXSJg
At least that person labeled theirs right. All the Toronto media got it wrong and kept saying it was his first-when it was his first regular season three.

[ploto]

Angel-- Good News.

The Raptors at Pistons game on Sunday April 13 has been moved to 1:00 Eastern so it can be televised on ABC!

[lefty]

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2365684&postcount=9

[ploto]

Divisional Winners Announced for NBA Sportsmanship Award


Detroit’s Antonio McDyess, Houston’s Shane Battier, Phoenix’s Grant Hill, Portland’s Brandon Roy, Toronto’s Chris Bosh and Washington’s Antawn Jamison have been selected by a five-member panel of former players as divisional winners for the 2007-08 NBA Sportsmanship Award.

The NBA Sportsmanship Award, designed to honor a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, is voted on by NBA players. The winner will be announced after the regular season.

The 2007-08 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner will be presented with the Joe Dumars Trophy, named after the Hall of Famer and former Detroit Pistons great who played 14 seasons in the NBA and was the recipient of the inaugural NBA Sportsmanship Award in 1996. The six-time All-Star was selected in honor of his distinguished and dignified career and for symbolizing the tradition the NBA wants to recognize with this award.

Former NBA players Mike Bantom, Eddie Johnson, Tom "Satch" Sanders, Kenny Smith and Steve Smith, the 2000-2001 Sportsmanship Award recipient, selected the six divisional winners from a pool of 30 team nominees. Each team nominated one of its own players for this award.

The annual award reflects the ideals of sportsmanship -- ethical behavior, fair play and integrity -- in amateur and professional basketball, a key focus of the league’s Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA grassroots youth basketball program.

http://www.nba.com/news/sportsmanship_080403.html

[angel_luv]

Angel-- Good News.

The Raptors at Pistons game on Sunday April 13 has been moved to 1:00 Eastern so it can be televised on ABC!


Awesome! Hvala for telling me.:)

I'll be sure to tape it since I will be at church during the first half.

Yea! How exciting. I haven't seen the Raps play since they were here.

[angel_luv]

http://i27.tinypic.com/2ccuy34.jpg

Look at that! I want the Sho one!

[ploto]

Interesting stat:

At 82games.com they rank teams by position based upon the PER difference.

Toronto is ranked #2 for the center position. Now I know that Bosh has been counted at center when Andrea was starting, but when he plays alongside Rasho, Rasho is considered the center. For the Raptors- Bosh has played 43% and Rasho has played 34% of the minutes at center.

Spurs at #3 with Duncan considered to have played 63% of the minutes at center.

#1 Orlando- Howard plays 79% of minutes at center.

#4 Houston- Yao 57% of minutes at center.

My point- Bosh and Rasho in some pretty good compnay. Tells me this position has been effective overall for the Raptors.

The bad news: PF at 23rd place with Andrea playing 37% of those minutes; Humps 19%; Bosh 16%; and Moon 13%.

[Kobayagi]

RASHO time! :toast


23 points, 10 rebounds (5 offensive!)

[BgT]

Yeah, I watched the game... man, TJ Ford really screwed that game with the stupid TO with 98:97 on the scoreboard. Rasho with a big game, he was one of the guys who gave Raptors the chance in the 4th quarter. I heard there's a moderator somewhere, who said "When Rasho gets 20/10, I'll retire". It's probably over there at Spursreport...

[ploto]

Disappointing loss- late game turnover and careless play by TJ...

Rasho with an amazing game.

23 points
9/17
5/5 FT line
10 rebounds

Not only is Rasho defending and scoring, he is even getting to the FT line and knocking them down. He had 2 late game FT's tonight and 2 in OT last game. He is shooting 75% from the FT line this season- way above his best year ever. His 2 years in Toronto have interestingly been his best by far shooting FT% wise and FG% wise.

I have no clue what would be happening to the Raptors if Rasho was not playing out of his mind right now.

[ploto]

Rasho with a big game, he was one of the guys who gave Raptors the chance in the 4th quarter. I heard there's a moderator somewhere, who said "When Rasho gets 20/10, I'll retire". It's probably over there at Spursreport...
I think he is at RealGM. :lol

[Pero]

why didn't the raps file a protest for the wrong call?

[angel_luv]

Rasho's been unbelievable.

Go Sho! :D

And it is exciting that we are officially in the play offs. So yea! :)

[ploto]

Rasho Nesterovic had a huge game for Toronto as he finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. After the game he was asked if Ford's turnover cost Toronto the game and he quickly responded, "No, that's just one play. I think we should be closing out games a lot earlier if we want to win and if we want to go where we want to go in the playoffs."


"We had the opportunity to extend the lead and we didn't. I don't know what else to say, we just got beat. We didn't make enough shots, we didn't get to the free throw line, we didn't get stops when we needed them and then when we got the stops we didn't convert on the other end. We got good looks and anytime Rasho (Nesterovic) gives you 20 points and 10 rebounds you think you should win the basketball game."


Despite a rough loss tonight Toronto still secured a spot in the playoffs thanks to New Jersey losing.


http://www.hoopsworld.com/Blogs/CourtsideBlog.asp?GAME_ID=22335

[ploto]

I know they try to plan these events when the team is home for a few days and when they do not have a game the next day, but who at the Foundation had no clue that this is the night of the NCAA men's championship game!

http://www.nba.com/media/raptors/redparty_031808_200.jpg

[Kobayagi]

The Raps are playing AGAIN tonight? Wow, they really are playing every day. What kind of schedule is this? I'm not complaining though, I'm just saying... :)

Boki & Rasho. Should be fun to watch. :fro

[ploto]

Halftime
Rasho
8/9
16 points
9 rebounds
2 blocks
1 torn net

[ploto]

Another day-- the same story.

Rasho is playing amazing basketball. Tonight he was 10/12 and 2/2 from the FT line. He had 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots, but the Raptors lose to the Nets 99-90. Raptors rapidly falling.... :depressed

[ploto]

"Right now, we're struggling. It's obvious,'' veteran Rasho Nesterovic said after yet another strong performance.

"We have to get everybody on the same page. We have to refocus, especially on defence. Everybody has to know what we're doing."

http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2008/04/06/5209641-sun.html


"The players are frustrated. The coaches are frustrated. We're all frustrated," said Sam Mitchell, the Raptors coach. "This is our job. We expect more out of ourselves. But we also understand that come April 14th, there's going to be (14) teams (that don't make the playoffs). You go into their locker room and guess what? They won't be there. We'll be there."


And perhaps a lot of that had to do with the shooting woes of Toronto's alleged sharpshooters, who made just 3 for 22 from three-point range. If not for Rasho Nesterovic, the starting centre who had 22 points and 14 rebounds on 10 of 12 shooting, the visitors would have likely lost in a blowout.


Nesterovic chalked it up to "a couple of mental mistakes on defence. ... It's that point in the year when you can't make those kinds of mistakes."

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/410722

[ploto]

The Atlanta Hawks’ Joe Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 31, through Sunday, April 6.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey, New Orleans’ Chris Paul, Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala, Sacramento’s Kevin Martin, Toronto’s Rasho Nesterovic and Utah’s Deron Williams.

http://www.nba.com/news/pow_080407.html

[Texas_Ranger]

^^ That's great. I'm really happy for Rasho. I just hope that Raptors will start winning.:fro

[angel_luv]

Congrats to Anthony Parker's sister Candace- championship winner!
http://i28.tinypic.com/2djwa6s.jpg

Go Girl!
:elephant :elephant

And sign with the Silver Stars. Gosh, that would be so awesome!!!

[ata]

Bosh admits lack of trust in teammates (http://torontosun.com/Sports/Basketball/2008/04/08/5223776-sun.html)

[angel_luv]

I know they try to plan these events when the team is home for a few days and when they do not have a game the next day, but who at the Foundation had no clue that this is the night of the NCAA men's championship game!

http://www.nba.com/media/raptors/redparty_031808_200.jpg


Any pics from that?

Candace Parker was drafted by the L.A. Sparks. Hooray First Pick. :)

http://i26.tinypic.com/5d1oyd.jpg

Candace is glowing like an angel with the effects in that picture. :tu

[Kobayagi]

Wtf is going on? Villanueva scoring 27 out of Bucks' 36.

[Texas_Ranger]

Rasho once again with a great game.

[Kobayagi]

It's nice to see Brezec got some action after all those dnps.

[ploto]

Rasho
7/14
14 points
6 rebounds

He played great defense on Bogut- who had 0 points at halftime

Rasho also had two great moves late in the third quarter!

Most of all- Raptors finally win! Nice to see Kapono get going a little bit.

[ploto]

It's nice to see Brezec got some action after all those dnps.
He gets a dunk and slaps the backboard! He was lucky they did not call a technical on him. :lol

[Kobayagi]

Yeah I saw that "monstrous" dunk. :lol That was a borderline technical.


Props to Rasho for those two consecutive athletic moves. Definitely not a white stiff anymore. :toast

[ploto]

Chris Bosh's message to the fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1TXKpGeHK8

[angel_luv]

Go Raps!

I have already set up the televison to record their Sunday game. I can't wait to see it! :)

[ploto]

Slow start but a big win! 113-85

Kudos to Carlos for keeping them in the game the first half. Then the third quarter was Ford and Rasho early.

Got to rest some guys late.

Rasho
23 minutes
5/9
10 points
4 rebounds
3 assists

Extending his stretch of consecutive double digit games to 15-- and 17 of the last 18!

Since March 1, Rasho is shooting 58% FG; 81% FT; 14.6 PPG; 7 RPG; 1.5 APG.

[ploto]

The fans screamed, the home side won, Vince Carter's now officially eliminated from the NBA playoffs and, for a night at least, things were good at the Air Canada Centre.


The ease of the victory allowed the Raptors to get some rest for their key players as Bosh, Bargnani, Anthony Parker and Rasho Nesterovic spent the last five minutes on the bench. Ford got the entire fourth quarter off as Calderon finished the game.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/413836

[Kobayagi]

That was some ugly bball in the last quarter when they pulled the starters.

[ploto]

Cleveland- Philly- and Washington all lost tonight!

[angel_luv]

So now we are back to playing Orlando, right?

[ploto]

Washington beat Philly. Toronto is in 6th alone- 1/2 game up on Philadelphia. They have the tie breaker with Philly having gone 3-1 against them this season.

Raptors at Detroit on ABC

I do not know what to expect. The Raptors beat them in Toronto recently and so I think Detroit may be really focused. Raptors could sure use a win, but it could be tough.

[ploto]

Slumped over a plate of ribs, his first solid food in 2 1/2 days, a flu-weakened but improving Sam Mitchell wanted nothing to do with the daily media briefing that comes with the title of NBA coach...

Asked if he could get a proper gauge of his team based on wins over one team that was out of the playoff picture and the other who had already had their playoff last rites read, Mitchell turned slowly to his questioner and asked if he had been dropped on his head as a child...

Eventually, Mitchell acquiesced and explained his team's well-being and its playoff readiness was declared by the way it went at the Bucks and Nets defensively. Mitchell, like every other coach in the NBA, knows that a team going into the playoffs with problems on the defensive end is looking at a very short stay. Against Milwaukee, the Raptors were as energetic and communicative protecting their own basket as they have been all season. Against the Nets, after a poor first quarter, the Raptors adjusted and played three successive quarters of lock-down defence.

http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Basketball/2008/04/13/5272496-sun.html

[ploto]

It hasn't been unusual in the last couple of weeks for Carlos Delfino to be the last Raptor off the practice floor, not ready to leave until he's done some extra work on his jump shot, catching and shooting from around the arc, inside, outside, one dribble, no dribbles, trying to find some consistency and accuracy.

But he's not going through the extra shooting sessions trying to correct some little flaw in his stroke. He's doing all that work for his mind, rather than his body...

Delfino has apparently eclipsed Jason Kapono as the first small forward off the bench for the Raptors, who are tightening the rotation as the post-season approaches. Delfino's other attributes – an aggressive rebounding style, solid perimeter defence – have allowed coach Sam Mitchell to overlook some of Delfino's poorer shooting nights.

"You can tell early, like his first couple of shots," Mitchell said of Delfino's offensive ups and downs. "But Carlos can do a lot of things. It really helps us when he's playing better."

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/414012

[ploto]

Rasho- 1Q- 5 minutes in-- 3/3 6 points and 1 assist :D

[ploto]

Halftime

Detroit 50
Toronto 45

Rasho with another double digit game:
5/6
10 points
3 rebounds
1 assist
1 block (I thought he had 2)

Bosh, Rasho, TJ, and Jose playing well- Bargnani pretty awful on both ends of the floor.

[Kobayagi]

this sopcast abc stream is so low quality. :cuss


Can't watch this shit. :pctoss

[ploto]

Detroit 91
Toronto 84

Bosh and Rasho combine for 48 points and 17 rebounds and they still lose. The other 3 starters went 7-25 and had 18 points total. It was nice to see Kapono get into a little bit of rhythm, but Andrea was really bad and Delfino, too.

Rasho
8/13 (2 dunks!!)
2/3 FT
18 points
7 rebounds

[ploto]

"We've been struggling for a while now -- that's no secret -- and tonight we had to go up against one of the best teams in the league," Rasho Nesterovic said after Toronto dropped to 8-16 in its past 24 games. "Whoever we play in the first round, we're going to have to change our mentality if we want to have a chance."


Bosh had his 30 and Nesterovic added 18, but T.J. Ford (10) was the only other player to reach double figures.

"C.B. was great and Rasho was solid, but we didn't get much from the rest of the team," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/story.aspx?content_id=1a1f9034-4d7d-445a-b94b-1dab576b7398

[angel_luv]

I got to the Lion and Rose early so I could see the last half of the Raps game.
I made it towards the end of the third.
Not two seconds after I walked in the door they benched Sho.
I was glad to see him back in, in the fourth.

He played a good game. Too bad we lost.
That last dunk was for me. :)

[ploto]

Rasho with another double digit game at halftime- 10 points (5/10); 4 rebounds; 2 blocks; 1 assist. He had a dunk of his own and his assist was on an alley oop to Moon!

Unfortunately, the Raptors are losing at the half to Miami. :bang :bang

They really need to clinche that 6th spot tonight so Rasho can get a game off before the play-offs. He is beat.

[Pero]

Did I just hear "She could lose something at the love handles" and "My boobs are bigger too" and something about Brezec underwear maybe? Is this supposed to go live or did they screw up? :lol

[Kobayagi]

How the hell is this game not a blowout? Playing the heat in Toronto. :pctoss

[Rip-Hamilton32]

raptors are a joke this year and imo cb4 is no franchise player

[Pero]

what is it with this crappy music? I don't know but they have better music at other arenas.

:lol

[Kobayagi]

cb4 is no franchise player


Looks like Rashard nesterovic is becoming one. :toast

[ploto]

Rasho with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Raptors win but Rasho had to play 42 minutes for it to happen. Hopefully Philly loses and then Rasho can play only a little on Wednesday.

[remingtonbo2001]

I've always like Rasho's game, but for whatever reason, he didn't fit well at the high post.

Always played fantastic team D though.

[ploto]

Crazy ending but Cleveland wins on two Devin Brown FT's with 0.2 seconds left.

Raptors guaranteed the sixth spot- at least no Detroit or Boston.

[angel_luv]

Rasho with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Raptors win but Rasho had to play 42 minutes for it to happen. Hopefully Philly loses and then Rasho can play only a little on Wednesday.


Sho was awesome.

I was bragging on him in the Spurs/ Kings game blog thread.

Beno had a nice game too. 16 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

And Brezec scored for the Raps also.

W2G Slovenija! :)

[ploto]

Yeah- but stupid Primo. He played 2 minutes and got a technical.

[10-tka]

wow Rasho!!
nice work Angel L:)

[angel_luv]

wow Rasho!!
nice work Angel L:)


Friend! :)

Where have you been?

[10-tka]

Friend! :)

Where have you been?I have always been a bench player.. somewhere in background:blah

[ploto]

Andrea Bargnani should watch Rasho video 24-7. Rasho's game goes like this: He sets some screens and then somehow, someway, slips them or rolls or does something and gets left wide-open for at least a lay-up or two a half. Then, with a couple of baskets in his pocket, he'll step out and hit a short corner jumper, or maybe one from the elbow. Then he's start mixing in some fakes and – amazingly – some dribble moves. As his confidence grows his game gets more complex, though not very. Bargnani does the opposite and never grows his confidence.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080415.WBwbbasketball20080415105938/WBStory/WBwbbasketball

[angel_luv]

I have always been a bench player.. somewhere in background:blah


But you're starter material. Get in the game, yo! :)

[lefty]

Great article from Truehoop:


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jackson/080417

We're missing the point about T.J. and J.C.

By Scoop Jackson
Page 2

TORONTO -- This -- you see -- never happens. Ballplayers who coexist in professional sports the way these two do aren't supposed to make it to this point. Experiments like this go bad at the point of concept. You see, this here wasn't supposed to be written the way it is about to be told.



You see, this is the story of a friendship that was supposed to end the minute it began. It's the story of two point guards, both gifted to the degree that they should lead their own teams. Both should be the focus of different squads making playoff runs. Both are supposed to be figurative versions of Chris Paul.




"It's one of the most unique situations I've ever seen in this league," said a media relations member of the NBA who's been with the league for more than 15 years. "I can honestly say I've never seen anything like this."


For T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon, the platooning, time-sharing, co-starring, interchanging, and until recently, dual starting point guards for the Toronto Raptors, this season has been nothing like anything either one has experienced. Ford and Calderon have been forced not to love each other but find love for each other in a way that would have made lesser players -- lesser individuals -- demand trades, sit out or happen upon a mysterious injury to avoid the saga altogether.



But that would have been too easy, too par for the course, too un-unique. Somehow Ford and Calderon saw through all the typical baggage and went atypical. They found a way to make what was supposed to tear them apart work for them. They found a way to maintain a friendship and develop an admirable amount of respect for each other while -- literally, in game situations! -- playing for the commander-in-chief position of the team. In something not yet scripted for Jerry Bruckheimer, they have made their world the best for both in ways Kelly and Carter coulda never dreamed of.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


You see, that was the story a month ago.



Since then, times have changed. The Raptors recently lost three games in a row to cap a 6-15 stretch. They are now a .500 team, more like Philly than Orlando. And at the center of all this: them. The two PGs who were making the impossible happen, making GMs think that Ford/Calderon's version of Leak/Tebow could actually work in basketball.



But when Ford went down with that ugly nerve injury after being hit by Al Horford on a breakaway in a December game against Atlanta, followed by a strained wrist in February that kept him out for nine days (two games) and Calderon took over, something happened. It was at that point that some began to point the finger as to when this too-good-to-be-true story began to fall apart.



"Ford was playing like a frantic moth in a trapped jar on the court and pouting off it," wrote Bruce Arthur of the National Post. "It added up to a man who could not be a backup."



At the same time, Calderon, who was the starting point guard at the time, came off like a saint when he went to coach Sam Mitchell and said he wanted Ford to have the starting job back because he felt it was in the best interest of the team.






In the eyes of many Raptors fans, Jose Calderon can do no wrong …
"The thing is, their style of play is so different from one another that together they actually make the perfect point guard," said Eric Smith of The Fan 590 AM in Toronto. "Both do what the other can't. But I do believe that the fans here fell in love with Jose's game. Therefore, I think there is a longer lease for him. It's like he can do no wrong, and T.J. can do no right."


In their coexistence, in their "Ford-Calderon divide" as it has been called, one became heaven-sent, the other hell-bent. It was the classic tale of the perception of one being good while the other inherited the role of evil. So wicked.


"I don't mind people writing whatever they want to write," Ford said in response to media coverage, of being Darth Vader in the Raptors' personal war of stars because he allegedly sulked, let his attitude hold the team hostage and stopped being the same player once his starting job was taken from him. "But [I have an issue with them] writing on my behalf. If you make your own assessment about me, make sure you state it that way. Saying that I'm unhappy or that I don't like the situation, I never said that, and I don't think I ever showcased that. Everyone in this league wants to play. I want to play. Just because I get mad for a split second does not mean that I'm unhappy about an entire situation. That's just the competitive nature when you are out there battling. But people don't see it that way."


Over the last 20 games (a stretch that included him averaging 14 points and seven assists per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor), since he returned to the lineup after missing a total of 25 games because of that injury (an arm stinger that many relate back to the neck and nerve injury he sustained as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in his second year in the league), he's been painted as the devil. That's something he's far from. But when you -- as he did recently in a game, coincidentally against the Bucks -- start the game, split time in the first half, then have 10 points and six assists in the third quarter and help build a two-point halftime lead into a 16-point cushion, then get taken out of the game with 58.7 seconds left in the third and never return, how are you supposed to act if this becomes the standard method of operation? Happy? Content? Life in the NBA is not a Bobby McFerrin record.



His feelings about Calderon are what make T.J. Ford able to deal with the hand he's been handed.



"He's played so well this season," Ford said, his face lighting up when he talks about Calderon. "It has been a big year for him, and he showed the whole NBA that he's capable of being a starter in this league. I really respect what he's been able to do this year. I think he earned everything he's received. And I think that's what people don't see, because if [respect] didn't exist, you'd see a conflict between me and him. But there is no conflict. We support one another. Now everyone gets mad or upset during the course of a game, but that's just part of it, part of wanting to be the best and not settling."



Now how does one sustain a friendship through something like this? It's not just the internal battle of leadership that they face every day, it's the outside sources of picking sides that forces them to look at themselves and maybe, just maybe, each other in a different light. Am I really good? Am I really evil? Is he? When fans in your home arena boo you for missing a 3 (as fans did to Ford recently), it becomes easy to think these things. When the media starts dubbing you "Saint Jose," it becomes easy to fall into that trap.



"I [do] not get caught up in it," Calderon said of the sainthood placed upon him, especially after he gave up his starting position to Ford on March 26 in a game against the Pistons. "[It was] no big deal, not for me. The team wasn't working very well at the time, so I just tried to do another thing, something else. I just said to Sam [Mitchell, coach], 'Let's try it. Let's try to change things.'"



And in Calderon's eyes, he just doesn't see Ford as someone in the way of him reaching his NBA potential or someone roadblocking what should be rightfully his. Even though he is fifth in the NBA in assists.






"I think we understand each other," Calderon said. "Even if we are to play for the same position or fight for the same spot, we can still be friends because of respect. That's what I'm trying to say. I don't know why sometimes some players have to have problems with one another. The thing is, it's not [about] 'me.' Understand? At the end of the day we play for [a team], not for ourselves."


Their lines over the past few games have been eerily similar. Example: Both played exactly 24 minutes in the last two wins. Ford had 11 points and four assists, while Calderon had two points and 11 dimes in one (Miami). Calderon had 11 points and 10 assists, while Ford had 14 points and eight deliveries in another (New Jersey). Their stats almost guarantee average performances of 19 points and 16.5 assists from your staring point guard every clip. Again, a figurative version of Chris Paul. It makes Sam Mitchell come off like some diabolical genius who has found a secret way to construct the perfect point guard by combining these two, instead of having one play the lead and the other play backup.



When asked how he does it, Mitchell simply said, "Communication. All guys have egos, but I believe if you communicate, talk to the guys the right way … " He talks them through his vision, makes them see the picture big and with clarity. He says he tells them, "One: Do your job as best you can. Two: Do your job as best you can within the team concept. And three: Don't read what you guys write. This is a big-boys league. If you can't handle it, don't get in it."



While we look at the Ford/Calderon situation game-to-game, Mitchell ESPed the whole season. He saw all 82 games, and he'll see the ones that begin come Sunday. Over this period of time, he has made Ford and Calderon look at basketball this way. He's been able to make them understand the uniqueness of their existence on this team at this time in their lives.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


No one expected any of this. Not this situation, not this season. The expectations were to finish way above .500. But somehow, the basketball gods had something different in mind for them. It's as if they felt the Raptors needed to be tested from the inside.



As Smith said, "Internal competition is a good thing; it stops complacency."



The T.J.-J.C. Experiment has become a small piece to a much larger puzzle that will determine either the success or underachievement of the Toronto Raptors. And just as they have turned a situation that would have destroyed a lesser team into something of a tao of ways, the Raptors realize that their way won't be considered brilliant until they win a ring or one of the two players at the center of this adventure is gone.



(Note: Calderon will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.)



When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you. -- from the Tao Te Ching



If only everyone understood.



"I just want to be the best," Ford said, still trying to explain himself while the team is winning. "That's my competitive nature. That's where I'm at."



Funny thing is, that's also where Calderon is. In much the same way, but received and perceived differently, Calderon wants the same thing Ford wants. No one -- especially in Toronto -- sees it but them, because human nature forces us to read their personalities as differently as we judge their play. It's a matter of understanding each one of them separately -- their differences as people, their similarities in beliefs, their hidden belief of each other. Their respect.



You see, it's about that respect, as we are told. Nothing more, nothing less. Once respect between two people -- especially two who are being forced to share something that rightfully is both of theirs -- is earned, nothing else really matters or can get in the way to destroy it. You see, T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon know something we don't.



Scoop Jackson is a columnist for Page 2.

[MI21]

Bump. Another 1st round loss for the Raps... Some moves certainly have to be made, they have some nice pieces and I think a few smart trades and they win a series.

[lefty]

Bump. Another 1st round loss for the Raps... Some moves certainly have to be made, they have some nice pieces and I think a few smart trades and they win a series.

I think it will just take a few adjustments :

- I like TJ, but Sam Mitchell should give more minutes to Calderon

- They missed Garbajorsa this season; he is such an important piece, he is the "glue" : he brings versatility, leadership, experience, and a quiet confidence.
(they missed him during 2007 playoffs too)

[HeyIt'sMe]

Like I said before the start of the series: how can anyone with a brain actually think that Toronto could beat Orlando? The Magic are so much better at every facet of the game that it's not even funny. Then you throw in the coaching matchup, where SVG runs circles around Smitch, and it becomes even more lopsided.

Oh, and Andrea Bustnani will go down after Larue Martin as the worst #1 pick in history. This guy is complete trash.

[Rip-Hamilton32]

trade cb4 hes not gonna lead this team any where

[ChumpDumper]

You know, ploto has been strangely absent from here since Rasho's minutes were cut. I wonder what her opinion of Sam Mitchell is now.

[Pero]

I like TJ, but Sam Mitchell should give more minutes to Calderon

I like Calderon more than Ford. Ford always seems to me like he's forcing things and takes stupid shots.

[Rip-Hamilton32]

I like Calderon more than Ford. Ford always seems to me like he's forcing things and takes stupid shots.

agreed and calderon takes care of the ball really well and shoots at a high %