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Good for Sho.
Nice to hear his momentum from the E.C. has carried over to this season. I knew it would though.
Intra-squad scrimmage today-- White beat Black (105-96) but considering the make-up of the teams it was closer than one would think.
White: Bosh, Ford, Parker, Kapono, Bargnani, Garbajosa, Moon, Martin
Black: Rasho, Calderon, Delfino, Graham, Humphries, Jackson, Baston
From the DeepFirst quarter: 26-23 White
It looks like Nesterovic isn’t taking losing his starting job without a fight: He starts four-of-four by my count while being guarded by Bargnani.
Good for Sho.
Nice to hear his momentum from the E.C. has carried over to this season. I knew it would though.
Raptors in Rome- reception at the home of the Canadian Ambassador.
awwwwwwwww.
A friend and I are organizing a free dial-in conference call to talk about the raptors summer and the upcoming season.
when: sunday october 7th at 6PM eatsern
The buzz is growing up-here in Canada about the raptors and they should be so EXCITING to watch this year!!!
I know a few of you are interested now that rasho is there so do not hesitate to join the fun. I hope to not be the only spurs/raptors fan so we can talk about the champion a bit too ;-)
We used facebook to organize the call so you can go join from there if you have a facebook account
http://apps.facebook.com/freeconference/conf/show/335
If you don't have a facebook account you can call-in too. Just PM me your email address and i will get you the info.
Go raptors!
Obviously no surprise.
http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/bargnani_100507.htmlIn his hometown of Rome the Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have exercised the third year team option on the Rookie Scale Contract of forward Andrea Bargnani.
The announcement was made during a press conference held at the office of Walter Veltroni, the Mayor of Rome. The Raptors are in Rome to face the Boston Celtics and Virtus Lottomatica Roma as part of NBA Europe Live. 2007.
"Andrea has more than lived up to the enormous expectations thrust on him last season as the top pick of the draft," said Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo.
Exercising the option while in Andrea's hometown of Rome could not be more fitting."
The Rome native is now guaranteed through the 2008-09 season. The team retains a fourth year option for the 2009-10 season. In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, the Raptors had until October 31 to exercise their option on Bargnani. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal was not disclosed.
Congrats AB
Game day. Let's get this new season under way...
Nesterovic not rocking the boat
Slovenian giant knows he could get bumped to bench but is still helping young rival Bargnani
Nesterovic not rocking the boatROME–Hidden behind a façade of calm burns an ego that tells Rasho Nesterovic not to go gently, to fight for what he believes he still is and what he has been.
The veteran Raptors centre knows he'll eventually cede his starting role to the emerging Andrea Bargnani, as early as the first game of this season. As an unselfish player he realizes that inevitability and what it will do to improve the team.
Publicly, he says he's accepting of that role – "whatever Sam (Mitc ) thinks I can help the team with, I'm happy with," he said – as a compe or he knows he has more to offer. It's not his style to make waves or be disappointed.
"Every player has his ego and pride and tries to prove to everybody else that he can still play or that he can play," the 31-year-old Nesterovic said. "I definitely want to prove that I'm still capable of playing at a high level."
But where another player might show that desire with public ministrations, Nesterovic calmly gets himself going.
"Everybody shows it in a different way, it's personal," he said of the ego most athletes have to have. "Not everybody shows it by screaming, yelling, getting frustrated.
"Me? I don't know how (it manifests itself). Probably just keeping to myself, concentrating on getting better, prove it quietly, not by words, but by actions."
The role for the 7-footer this season will be as much teacher as teammate. Bargnani is a 21-year-old kid who doesn't have the experience or the savvy to play centre in the NBA immediately and successfully, and everyone knows it.
But every day in practice, and in big-man sessions that follow the daily workouts, Nesterovic is showing his understudy the tricks of the trade. And over the course of his nine-year career that spans more than 600 regular season games, Nesterovic has learned a few.
"They push each other in practice," said Chris Bosh, who gets a close look at the instructional session each day. "Most of the time Andrea wants to guard him, he learns a lot of moves in the low post from him. As far as footwork and ball-handling are concerned, he can learn a lot from Rasho.
"Rasho's an old, crafty vet."
One who's in pretty good shape, too. Nesterovic arrived in camp in far better shape than a year ago. He's shed about 10 pounds and checks in at about 268.
"I'm trying to keep the weight down," he said. "I'm not that young any more, so it's tougher and tougher every day now."
He'll be able to stay in top form if he continues to play against Bargnani every day in practice. Last year's rookie is learning the tricks of post play. He already has displayed a solid outside game, so Nesterovic will be faced with a difficult scrimmage assignment. And an assignment he thinks other teams will find too much. Eventually.
"Playing here, he was mostly outside, shooting threes, playing more like a perimeter guy," Nesterovic said of the European-trained Bargnani. "He just needs time to adjust, it's not just in one year, or two; it's three years or four. Once he gets adjusted he's going to be an unbelievable player, tough to guard.
"They are going to have to double-team him; think about double teaming him and Chris?"
Bargnani is proving to be a dutiful student. By the time the prying eyes of the media are allowed to view Raptors practices, much of the work is done, but the big-man sessions go on for about half an hour afterwards with Bargnani, Nesterovic, Bosh, Kris Humphries and Maceo Baston wrestling in the post.
"Rasho knows everything," said Bargnani. "On defence, he never does mistakes, he can help me a lot on the court. He knows where to go on the court always."
Great photo
Love the photo.
That is awesome! True too.Rasho knows everything," said Bargnani. "On defence, he never does mistakes, he can help me a lot on the court. He knows where to go on the court always."
No game blog?
Defense is pretty awful for both teams -- even for a preseason game.
Raptors are not rotating at all.
Celts are playing off the Raptors' shooters like they were a bunch of Anthony Carters.
Rasho with long 2pt jumper.
I didn't even know it was on now, crap.
Where are you watching?
SopCast
Which channel?
channel?
Channel - 23459
And that Andrea Bargnani dude was a no.1 pick!
I'm not sure if he's even a first round pick.
But than again, it's not my money he's milking.
I can`t find this one. What`s the name?
gracias
You Found it?
I can't believe that Doc is playing like his non-superstar rotation is set in stone.
Jamario Moon is making a good impression.
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