I am currently watching the Boozerless Jazz absolutely destroy the Raptors and it is apparent that this team is lost, plays no defense, is poorly coached and is soft as butter. Its a shame Triano got thrown prematurely into the fire after Colangelo mercilessly let Mitchell go after they laid an egg against the Nuggets. Someone send an S.O.S. to Parliament Hill the Raps need a BAILOUT!
So far the Raptors have been a .500 ball club held up by the strength of Chris Bosh. He has truly emerged this season as one of the NBA’s elite but I think it may be premature to start the MVP chatter. The Raptors need to prove that they are a 50 win team for Bosh to even be considered. It says here that most of the NBA would snicker if they heard that those crazy Canadians were putting Bosh in the same category as the Kobes and Lebrons of the world. Don’t get me wrong, Bosh is third in the league in scoring and is single handedly willing the Raptors to victories but we must wait to see if he can keep up this torrid pace for 82 games.
I have gone out on a limb around the office saying that the Raps will end up with 48 wins. Let’s see if someone steps up and becomes the true number 2 option. It’s been a different guy every night, but therein lies the inconsistency of this team. O’Neal and Calderon have got to bring it every night, and if they do this years Raptors may be able to win north of 50.
Anyone heard the rumours going around that Colangelo is making a pitch for Shawn Marion? I wouldn’t hold my breath, but these days in the NBA and especially with slick BC, you just never know.
So the Raptors are out of the gate 2-0 with wins over the 76ers and the Warriors. In both games Chris Bosh proved to the NBA world that he is indeed a bonafide all star. But here in Toronto we all knew that already. There seems to be a little more of a swagger in this years edition of the Toronto Raptors and I think we have to credit Jermain Oneal with that. The Raptors have always been considered a soft jump shooting team, but now with Bosh and J.O. on the block and a streamlined roster, it’s looking like this years Raptors may actually have bite. After hearing reports of O’Neal having it out with a few fans in Philly, and then coming up with a big block and chatting to the Golden State bench, it says here that O’Neal could just be that missing piece that propels the Raptors into a feared opponent. Let’s see how we feel after 82 games!
After taking a little bit of a hiatus, the Ballers Blog is back! With still over a month and a half left until the season, slowly but surely all the basketball writers from ESPN to SI to FOX SPORTS are all giving their predictions and opinions on the summer that was. While some seem to think that the Jermaine O’Neal trade was one of the most underrated moves of the summer, others are saying that Colangelo is taking a big $44 million risk. I agree with both statements so to speak, but I think the real question mark is whether or not Roko Ukic can step into the lineup and contribute. The Raptors will surely miss T.J. Ford this year, though it’s a shame that he and Calderon just couldn’t co-exist. But think back to Calderon’s rookie year and you will remember a lot of missteps and turnovers along the way. Ukic will definitely have a steep learning curve, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Raptors were in contention at trade deadline, if B.C. made a move for a more reliable back up. Calderon will play heavy minutes, so it’s imperative for the Raptors that Ukic learns the NBA game quickly. It says here that he will probably struggle just like Jose did in his first year, and that could severly hurt the Raptors playoff seeding. Nonetheless I wish Ukic all the best, as all eyes will be on the rookie from Croatia, of course after the initial breaking in period of Jermaine O’Neal…
Here’s Ukic doing his thing versus the Raptors last season in the pre-season
So the matchup everyone was hoping for will go down in the 2008 Summer Olympics Men’s Basketball Final. USA vs. Spain features two Toronto Raptors stars Chris Bosh & Jose Calderon. In all honesty it says here that this games means a lot more for Calderon’s career and confidence than to Bosh. Last year some, including myself, questioned Calderon’s decision to relinquish his starting duties to get his teammate TJ Ford going. Others applauded the move calling him unselfish and the consummate team player. This year Calderon’s got no one behind him, and that could affect his game either way. We hope that Calderon steps it up and makes his first All-Star game as we all recognize that he has incredible potential.
Good luck to both Bosh & Calderon in their Gold Medal matchup!
So it looks like Carlos Delfino won’t be back, and the Raptors will definitely miss his shot, and defense, but with the emergence of Jamario Moon, the Raps just have too many wing men. We hope Moon builds on last year and goes on to be a solid NBA player and not just another Carlos Rogers. Regardless, we love Moon… who doesn’t?
Here are Moon’s TOP 10 Dunks from last year!
So the Jermaine O’Neal saga for the Raptors has begun, and there is definitely a lot of uncertainty that comes with it. Is he healthy? Will he be happy in T.O.? It says here, yes. At the age of 29, O’Neal has still got enough years in him to really contribute. Look no further than the Celtics big three who are all over 30. The problem really is what happens in 2 years? O’Neal is a big time baller pullin’ in 22 mil per year! In the off season of 2010, Bosh becomes a free agent, at the same time as Wade and LeBron. It looks like O’Neal is just a rent a player but let’s hope he can really make a difference in the next 2 seasons.
Without further ado… we present to you… Mr. Jermaine O’Neal!
So J.O. in T.O…I’m thinking at best Raptors are a MUCH better team this year. At worst, J.O.’s a rent a player and they have a 22 mil expiring contract to dangle next off season.The good thing is he sounds really happy to be in T.O. which is not always the case when high profile players get traded here.