A Test of Hoops Allegiance

There I was, with a fresh sheet of paper in my typewriter, ready to bash out the second part of my "Building the Raptors" series when I decided to watch The Game. It's since ended, and after a vigorous tooth and body scrub and several wretches over the sink I've decided to abandon part two of my "Building the Raptors" series (until the next win).

The point of this blog has never been about game recaps (check The Dinosty for that, he does it better than some guys who get paid for it) but occasionally a game is so disheartening and painfully honest in its depiction of the Raptors that shock alone inspires me to make little point form notes of hate:

• Our franchise rests on the tender, geriatric knees of Chris Bosh. Did you see the play that he was injured on? I played ball today, set a few picks, but oddly my knee held up. Every time I watch Bosh's two spandex-braced legs stagger up court I worry about him turning into Shareef Abdur-Rahim.


• Sam Mitchell's understanding of a sensible rotation has evaporated with Bosh hurt. Nesterovic was killing the 'Cats with 13 points in the first. What does Mitchell do for the rest of the game? Go small and let Charlotte beat the Raps 50-37 on the glass.


• Is it that hard to get Jason Kapono a shot? I realize that he's a defensive liability, but he was 3-3 in 17.5 minutes. He has also won the NBA's three-point contest two years running.


• With each reminder that Toronto beat Charlotte without Bosh earlier this year, Chuck Swirsky illustrates that, yes, he is an employee of MLSE.


• Calderon and Ford don't share the court well. Stop the experiment, Sam. The pair allied on the floor with 4:30 left in the fourth and the Raps down 98-89. The game ended 110-98.


• Before the Raptors play LeBron or Kobe there's a feeling that most fans get, punctuated by a turn to whoever's sitting next to you and the words, "He's gonna get 40+ tonight, guaranteed." I had a similar feeling, only this time it was that Bargnani was going to have a decent game with Bosh out of the line-up. Instead, he did nothing to warrant any playing time - scoring six points on 2-8 shooting (0-3 from three) in 18.5 minutes. One could be excused for thinking that Barney didn't start playing RECREATIONAL basketball until last year. I checked, and he seriously has two left feet, both sets of toes jutting awkwardly to the right. It must be tough for him. Explains a lot, though.


• Mr. Colangelo, if you catch wind of this, please turn Bargnani into something. Listen to the tear-infused pleas of your coach and trade him for a man who can rebound. He's not Dirk Nowitzki and he never will be; he doesn't have the drive or the work ethic. He must have been too popular as a child, or something, he seems genuinely content with the way things are.


• Before Travis Diener and his mighty Indiana Pacers beat the Raptors there was talk that, if they went 16-10 the rest of the season, the Raptors would win 50 games. I actually thought it was reasonable. That figure now sits at 16-8 after losing to two of the least-watched franchises in the league (Indiana really does have the lowest home attendance, averaging 12,203 fans per game). Not happening. Part of me believed that Toronto's trying to meet Orlando in the playoffs for match-up purposes but then I remembered that this is professional sports.