Toronto at Chicago

Okay, sure, the season isn’t officially over yet but what the heck, let’s see how these guys did. (Besides, I don’t have a lot of witty things today on the last day of the regular season). The bright ones among...

Yes, the game meant nothing. But try telling that to the players who were almost giddy after the win in Washington. Joking, goofing around, laughing. I know they’ve had a horrible year and Lord knows there’ll be time to dissect...

Toronto at Washington

VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR Home sked at least ended on a happy note. What’d that all mean? A big home finish with a nice win over a stumbling team sure left a good taste in everyone’s mouth (I get the feeling...

A four-game winning streak is better than the alternative, I guess. And looking ahead, the Raptors could continue to [amp]#8216;surge' given how cushy their schedule is to close: A tough one tonight against Orlando tomorrow night, albeit coming after two days off and a five-game home stand with lots - Follow link to read full post

So the week before was March Break, and given the chance to do some family stuff, I took it. Then last week was babymamadrama week (I know that's one of those overused [amp]#8216;new' expressions, but I like it), and every time I sat down to try and post something, there would be a new twist or turn - Follow link to read full post

Okay, a rare weekend post as I'm going to be taking some holidays this week. Had a few minutes to chat with Pops Mensah-Bonsu Friday night, who is getting more expensive by the game, his agent must be figuring. He worked out with the Raptors before he signed his 10-day contract with the San Antonio - Follow link to read full post

Fairly uneventful morning here at the ACC where the Raptors and Pistons are getting set to rekindle an Eastern Conference rivalrly for the ages...er, check that. They're getting ready to play and Detroit wants to get back on the mini-roll they got on when they put Richard Hamilton back in the starting - Follow link to read full post

I'll be honest. I've kind of hit the wall here. If I could have thought of one compelling thing to make note of or write about, I would have done it my now. Anytime you shoot 52.4 per cent and lose, you've got some major defensive issues. What's wrong with the Raptors is a question I get asked all the - Follow link to read full post

Wednesday April 15 2009 - 9:35pm Central (Chicago, IL) Raptors @ Bulls Final Score: 109-98, Raptors “Alice Fazoolis” Player of the Game: SHAWN MARION 34 points 11 rebounds 3 assists 15/18 FG “Smith and Jones” Player of the Game: - CHRIS BOSH 21 points 19 rebounds 2 assists 8/23 FG 4/6 FT Shout-out to the Bulls: - DERRICK ROSE 20 points 6 rebounds 11 assists 2 blocks 7/14 FG 6/8 FT Stats and Notes that stood out: - Toronto led by as many as 20 points [...]

Wednesday April 15 2009 - 6:05pm Central (Chicago, IL) Andrea Bargnani will sit out his 2nd straight game with a left heel injury. Despite wanting to suit up in the final game of the regular season - the trainers felt it was better for the big man to rest the heel. Patrick O’Bryant will start in Bargnani’s place. E. [...]

Wednesday April 15 2009 - 2:45pm Central (Chicago, IL) This is it folks - the final VLOG of the season. We give our shout-outs (and much more) within the VLOG itself … but let me say it again right here:  Thanks for the feedback and interaction all year.  You - the fans, readers, viewers, listeners - are [...]

Tuesday April 14 2009 - 1:09pm Central (Chicago, IL) I have to submit my ballots before 9:00am on Thursday. This year the league has me voting on: - MVP - Most Improved - Defensive Player of the Year - All NBA Team(s) I will let ya know later today or tomorrow morning what I ultimately decided and submitted. E. Smith

Monday April 13 2009 - 9:38pm Eastern (Washington, DC) Raptors @ Wizards Final Score: 97-96, Raptors “Alice Fazoolis” Player of the Game: SHAWN MARION 25 points 15 rebounds 2 assists 2 blocks 12/23 FG “Smith and Jones” Player of the Game: - CHRIS BOSH 25 points 15 rebounds 5 assists 2 blocks 2 steals 7/15 FG 10/12 FT Shout-out to the Wizards: - CARON BUTLER 28 points 9 rebounds 2 assists 3 steals 9/17 FG 8/11 FT Stats and Notes that stood out: - Toronto’s FG shooting was brutal after a sol...

Well the Dino Nation Blog is on the move again. It has been a good run here at WordPress. But we are excited to move to the new home of Dino Nation Blog. If you have a site link to us, if it is for www.dinonationblog.com, no need to change it. But if it is [...]

So no one expected the Raptors to go 82-0 did you? So the fact they lost last night is not the point they were going to lose at some point. But the fact they are getting a beatdown from Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey is not exactly a good thing. It would appear it was [...]

So Allen Iverson is not in the line-up. He is stuck in trade limbo. Chancey Billups has yet to have been cleared by the Nuggets by having his physical. So sorry Toronto it will not be the big debut for you. But given the history of Allen Iverson vs. the Raptors that is likely a [...]

I did not notice this till after I had my interview up for the day. But Chris Bosh had election fever just like the Dino Blogger did last night. Bosh gives his congrats to the next President of the United States. History was made last night and everyone in the world is talking about it. [...]

Before I get started with today’s blog. I have to make note of a truly historic moment.  If the Toronto Raptors are to ever reach the goal of winning a NBA Championship in the next 4 years. They will be heading to the White House at some point to be the guest of the 44th [...]

Bosh had something to play for Raptors 109, Bulls 98 It ends the way it began: with an unlikely win on the road. This time it was against the Bulls who had everything to play for as a win would’ve avoided the Celtics in favor of the Magic. The gunning Raptors jumped on them early [...]

The “don’t shed a tear” edition Banks – call the toe truck. Bargnani – meh, no reason to play since you have 4-5 months off. Why stress yourself? Bosh – started off hot, then went as cold as Joan Rivers’ vajayjay. Then the light went off and he put his middle finger up for all his misguided haters [...]

Even a half-french-half-nelson can’t stop CB4. It’s been a minute, but I’m back. Sadly, not a whole lot changed while I was gone.. The fortunes of this team have remained the same. Regardless of how we got here, the fact of the matter is that this team is worse off right now then when BryCo took [...]

Linkage for Apr 13 8am through Apr 15 8am:3 In the Key – Toronto Raptors Game Day Preview vs. Bulls - RaptorsHQ.com Triano has earned coaching job | Toronto Sun Terry Fox inspired Raptors coach | Toronto Sun Then there was one | Toronto Sun TheStar.com | Free agent Marion seeks a winner Raptors Hope [...]

Speak… 1) If Alex English were to leave this offseason, do you think this loss is a sizable one for the team? 2) BC and CB sit down this summer. Bosh says he still has no answer and doesn’t think he will until the end of next season. What do you do with him? 3) Favourite Raptors play [...]

Just a quick note to let everyone know that RaptorsTalk.com wont be updated at all going forward. You can find us all over at RaptorsRepublic.comonline casino, which is part of the ESPN TrueHoop Blog Network. Lots of goings on - going on over there. Respect.

Technorati Tags: Raptors Video, Toronto Raptors, Jay Triano

Roy/Aldridge show us what could have been, again. Raps lose, again.

Happy Holidays from RaptorsTalk.com. We are happy to report another Raptor win, on the road!!!

Note to Rogers: Get me TSN2, PLEASE!!!!

One of the valid questions to come out of the commentary from my previous post was the question of whether the strong correlation between swingmen PER and winning was all that surprising.DR wrote, "Is that a shock? What would a list look like for PF-C? PG-SG?"Well, I looked at the Frontcourt numbers (PF+C) and the Backcourt numbers (PG+SG), as well as PG+PF and PG+C.Here's what I found:The Raptors were strongest in the Frontcourt rating, which showed the weakest correlation to winning (5 playoff...

He's only played about 100 minutes (about two full games). He was an NBDL player at one point this season.And yet, he might be the one bright spot from this season for the Toronto Raptors.Pops Mensah-Bonsu... my man.Check out Toronto's 82games.com page. Granted, being on the court for just 3% of a team's season is a small sample size, but his performance is still quite striking.The best way I can describe PMB is to say he's everything I've ever wanted from Kris Humphries, on speed. His motor nev...

"Another day breaks and the last one's gone You dig deep just to carry on Your debt's paid off but it don't feel gone So you slip out the back and you're moving on"- Sam Roberts, "Bridge to Nowhere"I was listening to this song on the highway this morning, and it perfectly captured how I've felt as a Raptor fan over the last little while.I probably should have let everyone know on the site, but I took a sabbatical from this team about three weeks ago. From this season, this failed roster, this ne...

This is one of the main reasons for looking at numbers when it comes to sports.From reading articles, listening to the Leo Rautinses and Mark Jacksons of the world, and just from your own observations, you develop an impression on players. So-and-so is a good passer, so-and-so can't defend, etc... However, the premise of Bill James' work in baseball (perfectly illustrated in Moneyball) was that it's very easy for those observations to be wrong or off. The example commonly used is that the differ...

Quick note: I am extremely thankful for Mr. Grange's links to Caldeford on his blog... but we need to remove that superfluous "r" that he adds to Caldeford ("CaldeRford"). It's always there!I forgot how I wanted to finish my post yesterday (this happens more often than you think... I start out with a plan, and it just kind of unravels from there... this happens more often IN MY LIFE than you think too).Anyways, I wanted to compare my conclusions with those of Mr. Hollinger's Playoff Odds.So, as ...

With the regular season quickly approaching its conclusion, here are my award picks. ESPN's Marc Stein also has made his selections and I'll list those as well.MVP: My pick: LeBron James. First I'm gong to give myself credit for saying before the season that Dwyane Wade was a serious MVP candidate. As good as Wade has been and as good as Chris Paul has been (I thought Paul should have been named MVP last year and he's been even better this year), LeBron has ...

The usual good stuff from the draft experts at Draftexpress.comIt looks pretty likely that Ricky Rubio will be in this draft. That's a good thing, as without Rubio, this could be the worst draft in a decade. Rubio's a stud. Tons of potential on the offensive end (think a better Jason "White Chocolate" Williams) but already a more than competent defender.Sources close to the situation indicate that Rubio’s family is now in favor of him entering this year, and that will almost ...

Michael Jordan is in the hall of fame.Not a shocker, he's the greatest player to ever play the game, bar none. The NBA should have done what the NHL did with Wayne Gretzky, waive the waiting period and put him in by himself, since he was, like Gretzky, in a class of his own.Jordan's the sole reason why basketball became a huge part of my life. Without him, myself and about a billion other people my age probably become devotees of other ...

Was there a worse trade this year than the Allen Iverson one?AI is now out for the season. He's blaming a back injury, but really, I think the Pistons shut him down because he was becoming a sideshow/drain on the team with his constant whining about his bench role.The Pistons surrendered Chauncey Billups to Denver and all Billups has done is turn the listless Nuggets into one of the West's best teams. Meanwhile, Iverson helped convert Detroit from a perennial ...

As always, NCAA tournament play has had a big impact on how scouts look at the draft's top prospects. ESPN's Chad Ford weighs in on who helped or hurt his stock.For the record, I'm still very high on Tyreke Evans and Ty Lawson.In other news, Oklahoma City is giving Shaun Livingston another shot. This kid looked like he'd be a good one, until he blew out his knee/ankles. Just another interesting young piece for a very nice looking Thunder ...

If Chris Bosh is a Toronto Raptor next season, it probably won't be for lack of trying to move him. It's simply because the economy, the shrinking salary cap and outside perceptions of Bosh's value could all conspire to make a palatable trade unworkable.

This headline got your attention, didn't it?

The Raptors lost to the Hawks but Quincy Douby showed some promise in limited action

My plan to upgrade the Raptors' defence with one draft pick and one free agent

Guest post by my wife, Kat from ficklefeline.blogspot.com

AFPRaptors go out with a bangTheChronicleHerald.ca, CanadaBy Our Wire Services Shawn Marion scored a season-high 34 points, Chris Bosh set one with 19 rebounds while scoring 21, and the Toronto Raptors closed their season by beating the listless Bulls 109-98 Wednesday to snap Chicago's season-high five-game ...Raptors crush Bulls in season-ender CBC.caBulls get pounded; 76ers take 6th seed Boston GlobePENALTY FOR A STINKER: CELTS Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-Timesall 273 news articles

Seattle Post IntelligencerWizards Fall at Last Second to RaptorsWashingtonWizards.comLast Friday, Caron Butler nailed a game-winning buzzer beater to sink the Toronto Raptors, 100-98. Three days later in Washington DC, Chris Bosh decided to get even. With 9.7 seconds remaining on the clock, Bosh hit a three-pointer to give the Raptors ...The Other Side: Toronto Raptors Washington PostRaptors win final home game against 76ers Canada.comBosh's late 3-pointer leads Raptors over Wizards The Ass...

Raptors sign G Quincy Douby for next seasonUSA TodayTORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have signed guard Quincy Douby for the rest of this season and for 2009-2010. The Raptors signed Douby to a 10-day contract March 24, then re-signed him April 2. Toronto has two games remaining. ...Raptors sign Quincy Douby through 2009-10 season CP24, CanadaRaptors sign Douby through next season CBC.caRaptors sign Quincy Douby for rest of season Rotoworld.comToronto Sunall 106 news articles

Raptors' Bargnani sits out finaleThe Associated PressCHICAGO (AP) — Toronto Raptors forward Andrea Bargnani sat out his second straight game because of a sore left heel and missed the season finale against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. The top pick in the 2006 draft, Bargnani was the team's ...

Rogers-TSN stalemate another blow to supporters of NBA's Toronto squadCanada.com, CanadaThere weren't many good reasons for Toronto Raptors fans to get excited for a game during the NBA regular season. Before the season started, club president and general Bryan Colangelo said this was the best team he had assembled in Toronto. ...