The Toronto Raptors Basketball team has returned to the playoffs for the first time in 5 years and the one person in the world I know is cursing and throwing a tantrum somewhere in the New Jersey swampland is Vince Carter. Thanks alot Vince for everything! Since you bailed out on Toronto a couple years ago...we have gotten one of the best GMs in Basketball in Bryan Colangelo and all he did was bring his good luck and charm to get us the number one pick overall last summer. Now although we should have picked Andre Iguodala 3 years ago...I'm sure most people will say that Andrea Barnagni...AKA Il Mago will do just fine. We got rid of Rafael Araujo and got a serviceable big man in Khris Humprhies who dropped 13 points and 8 rebounds last night...and has averaged 8 rebounds a game over his last three...It would take Hoffa atleast 5 games to get 8 rebounds in total. Gone are perrenial whiner Eric Williams and Matt Bonner...a crowd and fan favorite but in their places is our legit big man...Rasho Nesterovic! Damn...sounds like a steal to me. Rasho is no Shaquille O'Neal but his 7' 0'' 270 lb body will be a blessing come playoff time when the game slows down and maximizing possessions becomes paramount.
Tony Parker...great signing...Jorge Garbajosa another great signing...despite being lost for the year. The lessons that Garbo has taught his teammates about professionalism, positional defence and hustle in his time before the injury is incalculable. We can' see it with the naked eye, but Garbo's influence will rub off come the first best of 7 series. Terrence Jerod Ford is coming around...passing out dimes(assists) like he's handing out turkeys at Thanksgiving! Over the last 10 he's averaged 9.6 dimes per game...that's close to Steve Nash territory...and that's damn good! Although I still feel that Jose Calderon runs the offence smoother and gets all the players on the floor involved in the game faster and more consistently.
Tony Parker...great signing...Jorge Garbajosa another great signing...despite being lost for the year. The lessons that Garbo has taught his teammates about professionalism, positional defence and hustle in his time before the injury is incalculable. We can' see it with the naked eye, but Garbo's influence will rub off come the first best of 7 series. Terrence Jerod Ford is coming around...passing out dimes(assists) like he's handing out turkeys at Thanksgiving! Over the last 10 he's averaged 9.6 dimes per game...that's close to Steve Nash territory...and that's damn good! Although I still feel that Jose Calderon runs the offence smoother and gets all the players on the floor involved in the game faster and more consistently.
Juan Dixon has been a blessing in disguise. Personally I love his game from Maryland onward...but I didn't think he would mesh this fast and this well with his new teammates...but his professionalism is apparent.Not sure if you saw the game last evening...but Dixon showed me that he is a real team baller. There was a time in the 2nd qtr I believe where he had a chance to put up 2 consecutive shots and he passed them both off to Mo Pete for a couple long jumpers...he missed the first and buried the 2nd...My point is that most players would have taken the shot but Juanny recognized that Mo's not been getting his fair shake at PT(Playing time) since he's come over from the Blazers...and it was a great gesture by him to get Mo Going in the ballgame. Kudos to Mr. Dixon who has always played the right way.
Now if Vince was here he wouldn't have wanted to pick Bargnani...he would have suggested some other asinine master plan...like wanting the inexperienced Dr. J to be our GM...
and remember that when we had the 4th pick overall that would turn out to be a 2 time All-Star and one of the best young players in the game...VC wanted to trade the pick for a veteran player. One thing we can give Rob Babcock credit for...is despite being an awful GM...he had the common sense and intelligence not to listen to the worst player/GM wannabe in Raptor history.
What must the Nets fans be saying now?...We feel your pain Jerseyites but we can't say we didn't warn you that Vince was not a leader...but a follower. Soon you Jersey/Brooklyn supporters will be booing the crap out of Carter when he leaves for Orlando or Charlotte or wherever he is rumoured to be going!
As for the Raptors...2nd overall in the East is just 2 1/2 games away...and with that we would easily be guaranteed home court in the 1st round...but this team can reach that goal...in fact if they win say 7 or 8 of their last 9 and Cleveland and Detroit start to fumble away their lead we could be first overall...wow...that would be something. Probably not going to happen but this 2007 Raptor squad has made believers out of many...and come playoff time I wonder if Mr. Carter will be watching from under his blanket...peeking out every few seconds...wishing he was still here. All he had to do was play ball hard and play to win every single night. Too bad that was just too hard for Carter to do.
Go Raptors Go
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Drew
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I would agree that the raptor's actually look like a somewhat decent team now, lol, although to be honest with you, i'll never be a fan. But they have made some good moves to build a more competitive team, and i have to admit that it has the city intrigued for the first-time in years. As for the high-light real with no heart named Vince Carter , im sure your right, he's gonna be wrapped up under his blanket somewhere with a baby bottle, drinking similac formula. Cursing the day he ever pulled the biggest punk move in sport's history, while he was here in the t-dot.
Jus-vent...it's interesting you say you will never be a fan...why so? They play team ball right now...play the right way. What's not to like?
If Raps can get back Bargnani...they will be a tough out in the playoffs don't you think?
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