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Rasho's highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDYD4BuNiog
I love Brezec's heart and will but I gotta feeling something's not right in that head of his. His latest comments remind me of Beno's statements when he was a spur. I wonder if sitting on the bench for too long does that to you.
Rasho's highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDYD4BuNiog
Bargnani hits head on court after collision with Heat F Johnson
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3278942Toronto forward Andrea Bargnani was shaken up early in the third quarter of the Raptors' game against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, after a nasty collision under the basket.
Bargnani, the first overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft, was driving the right baseline with 9:57 left in the period when he went airborne near the basket. He collided with Miami forward Alexander Johnson, who was called for a flagrant foul on the play.
The back of Bargnani's head slammed on the court. He remained down for about three minutes, before walking to the Raptors' bench assisted by medical personnel from both teams.
Even after the hit, Bargnani returned to the court to make the two free throws, doing so even while Heat team neurologist Dr. Allan Herskowitz was being summoned to the Raptors' locker room, where Bargnani met him after the second foul shot.
Heat team dentist Dr. Larry Brown was also brought in to examine Bargnani, who entered the game averaging 10.3 points.
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/t...spx?id=4136207However, Bargnani left the game in the third quarter after a collision with Miami's Alexander Johnson. X-rays taken were negative and there were no signs of a concussion, although Bargnani's front left tooth was shifted. He will be examined on Thursday.
Feel better AB!
Good work Sho!
Here is a suggestion from Sam Mitc that is sure to be met with unanimous approval from Torontonians: Crank up that heat back home.
After the Raptors pounded the Miami Heat here for the second time in a month Wednesday night, Mitc said he needs some of that South Beach humidity back home.
"It's like this warm weather gave us a little bounce. We got to tell them to turn the heat up in the ACC [Air Canada Centre]," Mitc said after Toronto's 108-83 win. "Rasho [Nesterovic], I told him, if he can shoot like that in the warm weather, we got to re-create this atmosphere."
Nesterovic was indeed impressive. Starting in place for the injured Chris Bosh for the third straight game, Nesterovic scored 16 points on 8-for-12 shooting. He added 10 rebounds.http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=355116For a brief stint in the third quarter, however, it looked like the win would be overshadowed by an injury to another big man.
With 9:57 remaining in the quarter, Raptors centre Andrea Bargnani drove hard to the basket, only to collide in the air with Miami's Alexander Johnson. Johnson's elbow made contact with the left side of Bargnani's face. Bargnani fell hard to the floor, and at the end of his fall, his head hit the hardwood. It was reminiscent of the way T.J. Ford's head hit the floor when he suffered his neck injury in Atlanta on Dec. 11.
Like Ford, Bargnani remained sprawled out on the floor. But Bargnani did get up after a few moments, and even managed to hit the two ensuing free throws.
He was bleeding from the mouth, and left the court to have X-rays taken on his left cheekbone. The X-rays were negative and the Raptors said he had no signs of a concussion. However, two of Bargnani's front teeth shifted. He will be re-examined today.
"Any time a guy leaves his feet and takes a hit and a fall like that, you're concerned. It seems like he's going to be OK. He's a little dazed," Mitc said. "He'll get tomorrow off, and hopefully he'll come back [Friday] and be ready to play." For his part, Bargnani said he did not have a clear recollection of the play, but he remained conscious through the whole incident. He did say, however, that his vision was fuzzy for about 30 seconds after taking the hit.
He was wearing a mouthguard. Bargnani guessed that he might have lost a few teeth if not for the protection.
Wow, they were talking about the Spurs during the Raps - Wiz game !!!
Raptors lose to the Wizards in Overtime. Rasho played another good game.
With Bosh out and Rasho starting, for four games-- 26 MPG; 10.25 PPG; 51 % FG; 8.5 RPG
It was a fun game to watch
On a side note, I can't believe Chuck is endorsing a salami brand; kind of lame
Onions, baby!
Sorry to hear the Raps lost. Wish I could see more of their games.
i can't stand chuck he makes me hate the raptors just because he over hypes everything and thinks he knows basketball by yelling out stupid phrases
Yeah even when they beat a crappy team, he's like : "Raptors win, Raptors win, Raptors win "
raptors get blown out, chuck acts like they've won the championship - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36TPV0izF0U
Rasho with another big game:
7/10
3/3 FT
17 points
6 rebounds
6 assists
Raptors finally beat Seattle. As soon as the game got over, Rasho went immediately to find PJ. PJ was one of the coaches in SA who would say that the Spurs simply did not make the most of Rasho's abilities.
Toronto wins Seattle. Once again great game by Rasho!!
There were nights early in the season when Rasho Nesterovic didn't play at all. But rather than sulk about his situation in the post-game locker-room, the veteran Toronto Raptors centre would head upstairs to the practice gym and run.
Now, with all-star forward Chris Bosh sidelined with a knee injury, and Nesterovic manning the frontcourt, those nights are paying off.
Nesterovic scored 17 points in another solid performance Sunday to lead Toronto to a 114-106 win over the Seattle SuperSonics, the Raptors' fifth consecutive game without Bosh.
"Rasho is a pro," said Raptors coach Sam Mitc . "He never complains and is always ready to play. That's something our young players need to learn from."
The game marked the third time in the last five that Nesterovic has scored 16-plus points. But perhaps more remarkable, he topped the team in assists with six, which may be a first for the big Slovenian.
"I can't remember (the last time he led his team in assists)," Nesterovic said laughing. "They don't let big guys pass, because they don't trust them. I finally found a team that trusts big guys...
But Seattle wasn't giving up, and when Luke Ridnour drained two free throws with just under four minutes left, after a hard hit by Delfino sent him crashing face-first to the court, Seattle was within five.
But Nesterovic scored on a running dunk on Toronto's next possession, and it was all Raptors the rest of the way.
The strong performance by Nesterovic is good news for the Raptors, who traditionally struggle without Bosh. They're 4-6 without their leading scorer and rebounder this season, and 2-3 during this current injury, a sore right knee that could keep Bosh out of some, if not all, of the upcoming West Coast trip.
"Rasho's great, he just knows how to play the game, he can step out and shoot, he can pass," Parker said. "He's a great asset for us on defence as well, and we finally got him in some sets that really you could see some different things that he's able to do."
Nesterovic said he was never too worried about his lack of playing time early in the season, and putting in the extra work in the gym is part of his job.
"You get paid for that, you know," said the seven-foot centre. "It's not a bad job, to get so much money for what you like to do. I don't want to think about whether I play two or 30 minutes every night, I just want to be always in shape because you never know what's going to happen, who's going to get injured and when they're going to need you."...
http://canadianpress.google.com/arti...isMX21dlCgF29g
The big joke after the game was Rasho Nesterovic and his career-high six assists. While most of the players, Nesterovic included, joked about this Sam Mitc told the media, "We put in a little set for him tonight, not necessarily for him to score, but to create some things and Rasho (Nesterovic) is smart enough to pick and choose when to score."
Nesterovic, on the other hand, smiled when asked about his six assists and when asked about the last time he had that many he joked with the reporter, "Probably never, they don't let big guys pass because they don't trust them."
Jamario Moon also got into the act and joked that Nesterovic is, "A point guard trapped in a big man's body. If he leads us in assists the next game and we win it's all good."
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Blogs/Cour...?GAME_ID=22078
Nesterovic leads Raptors to much-need win before tough five-game trip
http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Bas...58176-sun.htmlRasho Nesterovic is a throw-back hoopster, an old-school player who is content to take up space in the paint, set screens and knock down the occasional open jumper.
A man of few words who, in many ways, is the an hesis of his Slovenian teammate Primoz Brezec, Nesterovic never complains about minutes or the amount of touches he gets.
Yet, it was the Raptors' big man who stepped up huge in yesterday's matinee against the inexperienced Seattle SuperSonics, elevating his game at a time when the team suddenly was staring at disaster.
With Nesterovic cast in the most unlikeliest roles as a facilitator, the Raptors were able to ride his inspired play en route to a much-needed 114-106 win as Toronto gets set to play a gruelling five-game western trip beginning tomorrow night in L.A. against the Lakers.
"We put in a little set for him,'' head coach Sam Mitc said of Nesterovic. "It wasn't necessarily for him to score, but to create some things and Rasho is smart enough to pick and choose when to try to score."
When the Raptors took control of the game in a fateful third quarter, it was Nesterovic who had the ball in his hands, surveying the floor and making the right decisions.
In 12 minutes, Nesterovic posted five assists in a period that saw the Raptors outscore Seattle 35-21.
For the game, Nesterovic tied his career high by recording a team-high six assists. He added a season-high 17 points in a game that the Raptors simply had to have given the daunting task that awaits.
"This is one of the hardest trips of the season,'' Nesterovic, who was inserted into the starting lineup following Chris Bosh's knee injury. "We play against teams that are on top in the West.
"The first thing is to stay healthy. If we play focused and stay aggressive, things will go well."
Things weren't going so well for the Raptors for most of the opening half against Seattle, who seemingly made shots from every spot on the floor.
Turnovers, though, kept Seattle from fully taking control.
When the second half began, the Raptors would emerge as the superior side with Nesterovic serving as the catalyst.
"Rasho is a pro,'' said Mitc , who embodied professionalism during his playing career.
"There were nights early in the season when he did not play, but he would go upstairs after the game to get his workout in and he never complains.
"He is always ready to play and that is something young players need to learn from."
Nesterovic's teammates took notice, taking their cue from a seasoned veteran whose deadpan humour is hard to match.
"He played well,'' Jose Calderon said. "He has been doing a great job since Bosh has been out and even the whole season.
"He does the little things for us. He's really important and he knows how to play basketball. It's easy with him -- just give him the ball in the post and he can make assists."
Naturally, Nesterovic deflected all the accolades.
The key, he felt, was the way the Raptors reacted once the third quarter began.
"We were really not aggressive at the beginning of the game,'' Nesterovic said. "They were much more aggressive and much more focused than we were.
"We talked about it at halftime and we just came out and said if we want to win, we have to do what we normally do. We have to be aggressive and focused."
Rasho rocks Sonics
There have always been point guards, and for a while around the NBA, point forward was a position that was in vogue. The Raptors have taken things a step further.
Say o to Rasho Nesterovic, point centre.
The 7-footer, more accustomed to receiving passes rather than dishing them out, turned into something, well, not quite like Magic Johnson but effective nonetheless as the Raptors got a much-needed win to set them off on an arduous five-game western road trip.
Nesterovic has been solid since replacing the still-injured Chris Bosh in the Raptor starting lineup and never more than yesterday in front of a sellout crowd at the Air Canada Centre as Toronto dumped the Seattle SuperSonics 114-106. It was just the team's second win in its last six games.
Dishing out six assists – equalling his career high and being the unlikely team leader on the day – Nesterovic once again proved that his experience and intelligence will make him a valuable part of the rotation in the 20-game run-up to the playoffs.
"We put in a little set for him, not necessarily for him to score from that position, but to create some things," coach Sam Mitc said of Nesterovic, who also contributed a season-high 17 points to the triumph.
"Rasho's smart enough to pick and choose when to score."
The new sets are designed to get the defence scrambling and initiate more motion in the Raptors' offence. They will go back to relying on Bosh whenever he gets back but in the interim, having someone able to pick and choose who to pass to – and when – out of the post is a luxury the Raptors haven't exploited all season.
"They don't let big guys pass, they don't trust them," Nesterovic joked. "It's hard to find a team to trust a big guy."
The Raptors are certainly learning how to trust Nesterovic, who has scored 16 or more points in three of his last five games.
"He does the little things for us, he's a great player for us," Jose Calderon said of Nesterovic. "He knows how to play basketball. It's easy with him; just give him the ball in the post and he can make assists."
The victory couldn't have come at a better time for the Raptors, who were reeling from four losses in their last five games and the absence of Bosh, who is unlikely to play in at least the first two games of the road trip.
They had played well in an overtime loss to Washington and had blown out a horrible Miami team, but there were lingering questions about their cohesion and determination in defeats at the hands of Indiana, Charlotte and Orlando.
And while beating the 16-27 Sonics hardly means all is right, a loss would have been a huge blow to Toronto's psyche. Now, the trip to face the Lakers, Warriors, Nuggets, Kings and Jazz at least begins with Toronto knowing it can play well enough to win.
"Any time you win, you have confidence," said Mitc . "You've got to go out and play with confidence ... if you don't have that, then you don't have a chance."
The confidence boost will be greater if Toronto can match its unselfish offensive style of yesterday afternoon. Led by 23 points from Anthony Parker, the Raptors had six players in double figures, everyone who played more than five minutes had at least one assist and outside of the 21 shots hoisted by Andrea Bargnani, no one had more than 14 field goal attempts.
"We got some unbelievable production from our bench," said Mitc , pointing to 15 points from Carlos Delfino, 12 from Kris Humphries and 10 from Jason Kapono.
With Parker scoring 10 of his 23 points in the third quarter, Toronto outscored Seattle 35-21 to take a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter.
And even with the requisite Seattle run – the Sonics got within five with under four minutes left – the Raptors were able to hang on.
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/326767
I like that quote. Something that we should hear more often from pro players.
"point centre" is also quite good
That is why I get upset when people try to lump Rasho and Beno in together. Rasho works hard all the time and as he said, that is part of doing his job right. He also realizes and appreciates how nice it is to get paid alot of money to play basketball for a living. It has to do with being thankful for the opportunity and using your abilities to the best that you can. I look at all the players that have come and gone in the ten years Rasho has been in the NBA. Fans and media harrass him and give him a hard time, but he is still here. There have surely been those who are more naturally gifted and almost all have been more athletic, but Rasho works hard and understands his role.
I am so happy for this little chance for him to shine- especially given the horrific week ahead with 5 games in 7 days all in the West against the Lakers, Golden State, Denver, Utah, and Sacramento. After that they get one easy game against Miami, and then they have at Cleveland, and games at home against Denver and Detroit.
Nesterovic excels in Bosh's absence
Big Slovene earns praise for steady performance in fill-in role
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...TPStory/SportsHe's no one's idea of a go-to guy. Rasho Nesterovic might never have made anyone say "wow" on a basketball court. But the Toronto Raptors' centre has a way about him that can make his coaches and peers nod in appreciation.
In a game often defined by chaos and spontaneity, where minimizing mistakes is the best anyone can hope for, the veteran Slovenian centre is as reliable as the snow in Southern Ontario this winter. He's always there.
Nesterovic was a presence during the Raptors' 114-106 win over the visiting Seattle SuperSonics in front of a sellout crowd at the Air Canada Centre yesterday afternoon.
It was just the second win for the Raptors in their past six games and improved their record to 34-28. The youthful 'Sonics dropped to 16-47.
Nesterovic didn't lead the Raptors in scoring, though he did support Anthony Parker's team-leading 23 points with a season-most 17 of his own. Nesterovic didn't lead Toronto in rebounding, though he was one shy of Andrea Bargnani's seven.
Significantly, Nesterovic did lead the team in assists with a career-best six, underlining his adaptability and the faith put in him by Raptors head coach Sam Mitc .
With opponents loading up to stop the Raptors' high screen-and-roll plays, the team put in some plays that start with the ball in the centre's hands and allow him to pass to open shooters on the perimeter.
It worked well enough that Nesterovic got five assists in the third quarter, a big reason the Raptors gained a 35-21 advantage and turned around the game. They trailed 31-24 after the first quarter and 58-54 at the half.
That the offence is running through Nesterovic, even for short stretches, says a lot about the Raptors' predicament with Chris Bosh injured and a lot about Nesterovic, too.
With Bosh bothered by a sore right knee and no prospect of his immediate return as Toronto sets out on a daunting five-game Western Conference trip, the Raptors have little choice but to go to a more egalitarian approach offensively.
Enter Nesterovic, whom Mitc didn't even put on the floor in 11 games this season, but who has averaged 11.6 points and 8.2 rebounds a game on 53-per-cent shooting in the five games he's started in Bosh's absence.
"Rasho's been playing well right now since Chris went down," Mitc said. "His leadership, he communicates on defence, his rebounding, he's stepped up big for us.
"Rasho is a pro," said Mitc , who was Nesterovic's teammate in Minnesota and who considers "pro" one of the highest compliments he can give. "There were nights early in the season when he did not play, but he would go upstairs after the game to get his workout in. He never complains and is always ready to play. He's a great role model for our younger players."
Nesterovic says that staying ready just makes sense.
"You get paid for that, you know," he said. "It's not a bad job to get so much money for what you like to do. I don't think about if I'm going to play two or 20 or 30 minutes. I never know what's going to happen, who's going to get injured, when they're going to need you. You just try to give something to the team and stay in shape."
Another issue is the performance of the Raptors' second unit, now under the purview of point guard T.J. Ford, who has played unevenly since returning to the team after missing eight weeks with neck problems.
Mitc praised Ford yesterday for helping spark the second unit when the Raptors were trailing 25-16 after eight minutes in the first quarter.
With Ford pushing the pace, there were some easy baskets for Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino, while Kris Humphries - 6-for-6 from the floor on the afternoon - found room for offensive rebounds after Ford broke the defence down.
Ford mixed four turnovers with four assists, but Mitc saw signs of progress.
"We're going to need T.J.," Mitc said. "His defence was excellent, and when we were down in the first quarter and second quarter, him and [the rest of the second unit] brought us back on energy and moving the ball and defence and we need that from T.J."
Cute.Jamario Moon also got into the act and joked that Nesterovic is, "A point guard trapped in a big man's body.
I guess they never heard of Vlade Divac.There have always been point guards, and for a while around the NBA, point forward was a position that was in vogue. The Raptors have taken things a step further.
Say o to Rasho Nesterovic, point centre.
Well, I am expecting nothing short of a blow out tonight-- a mad Lakers team who lost to Sacramento and a depleted Raptors team without Bosh. Kobe goes for 50.
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