NBA FanHouse

Jose Calderon Sticks With Toronto

Tom Ziller — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:57:00 EST

TrueHoop passes on word from Jose Calderon's official website that the Spanish point guard will stick with the Raptors after reaching a contract agreement last night. No numbers yet, though given the quick resolution $50 million for six years would be the baseline.

Calderon could have been -- should have been -- an All-Star last season. He isn't Steve Nash or even Baron Davis. He's almost an elite roleplayer at the point; he helps his teammates get better looks and he makes absolutely no mistakes. There's no starting point guard in the league better at protecting the ball, a fact bolstered by how many darn assists Calderon deals. Limiting turnovers is a hugely underrated skill among point guards, which serves to dampen Calderon's notoriety.

He's also a good shooter -- 50% on the career -- who has learned when to take the three instead of driving the lane. He's said to be a good locker-room guy, he fits the style Sam Mitchell runs as well as the personnel, and he's popular with the fans. Win, win, win for Toronto and Calderon.

Jose Calderon Sticks With Toronto originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet the Parkers: The Best of Both Worlds, NBA and WNBA

Elie Seckbach — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Videos, Chicago, Los Angeles, Women's Sports, Toronto, The Word, FanHouse TV, WNBA

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video we catch up with WNBA star Candace Parker who tells us about her dunking ability. You might be surprised to hear what she has to say about it. We also interview her brother, Anthony Parker, the star of the Toronto Raptors. Around 2:15 into the video find out from Candace which sibling is more popular.

AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Meet the Parkers: The Best of Both Worlds, NBA and WNBA originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, Well, Well. Jermaine O'Neal Is Alive and Headed to Toronto

Matt Moore — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Pacers, Eastern, Indianapolis, Toronto

The rumors had been fluttering for the past 24 hours, and it's apparently a done deal.

Jermaine O'Neal is headed to Toronto, in exchange for TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, and the #17 pick.

For O'Neal, this is the fresh start he's been waiting years for. He's still a capable big man, and working in tandem with Chris Bosh means he doesn't have to shoulder the load under a body riddled with injuries.

For Ford, this settles the question of whether the Raptors wanted him or Jose Calderon. Ford has still proven he can be capable, and he goes to a team rebuilding, again, but with a lot of talent, again. The Pacers are very quietly building a considerably deep backcourt. Now they just have to do something with it. There's a lot of talk about how this is a win-win situation, but that's only if O'Neal stays healthy. If he does, though, the Raptors will have a frontcourt that could destroy small worlds. Likewise, TJ Ford has to prove his neck is up to go full speed. So many questions, and we're not even to draft night yet. Hang on to your hats, folks. This one's about to get rocky.

Well, Well, Well. Jermaine O'Neal Is Alive and Headed to Toronto originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Toronto Raptors

Tom Ziller — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Draft, Toronto

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

The Toronto Raptors, the only team where sniveling prospects can blame their lack of desire to attend another low-first workout on passport issues!

Picks: #17.

Needs: Bryan Colangelo and/or Sam Mitchell never seem(s) to be satisfied with the swing positions, though the qualifying offer extended to Carlos Delfino last week was a bit of a surprise. ~~Center~~ Centre should get a strong look, too. Rasho Nesterovic's contract with Satan is just about up for renegotiation, and I hear Mr. Nesterovic had the ol' snip-snip. (Mrs. Nesterovic couldn't take his chronic urination all over the house. Bad Rasho!)*

Best case scenario: At #17, there's a sincere possibility a great little prospect could remain on the board. Darrell Arthur's bangerball or Kosta Koufos' pick-and-pop machismo could fit in Smitch's offense just fine. Brandon Rush would also be a victory.

More likely scenario: Robin Lopez might be atop Jay Bilas' "Best Player Remaining" board when the Raptors pick. D. Arthur's twin J.J. Hickson wouldn't be a shocking reach.

Please don't take: JaVale McGee (passport issues) and Nicolas Batum (heart concerns [literate sense, not metaphorical]) previously occupied this designation. The Raps won't be risking it on either, though, so let us refuse Alexis Ajinca here. Ajinca is a great prospect, actually; it's just that everyone knows Smitch secretly resents to Euro-osity of this roster. We don't want Sam punching Andrea Bargnani in frustration when Ajinca misses a defensive read in practice.

Trade possibilities: Dueling reports have had Toronto trading up, trading out, or trading with themselves. (Colangelo's had his eyes on Smitch's Charizard.)

* I apologize to any/everyone who read this section.

NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Toronto Raptors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why T.J. Ford is Perfect For Indiana

Tom Ziller — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:12:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Pacers, NBA Rumors, Indianapolis, Toronto

While Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski says the deal is off, two local reporters closer to the situation -- the Toronto Star's Doug Smith and the Indianapolis Star's Mike Wells -- indicate talks remain alive in a swap which would send T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to the Pacers in exchange for Jermaine O'Neal. Two beats one, so let's assume this could happen.

Dwyer at Ball Don't Lie explains why this is such a good deal for Toronto, which needs some defense badly. So let me explain my thoughts on why this works beautifully for Indiana, with an assist from Indy Cornrows, who writes:

Forget all the numbers, cap space, draft picks and expiring contracts for a moment. A deal like this has an aesthetic impact on the Pacers that is hard to quantify. When the two strongest personalities in the organization don't get along, it's a drag on everyone, fans included. I love Jermaine O'Neal and I love Larry Bird, but when it's apparent they don't get along you're almost forced to pick a side. It becomes an unmentionable black cloud hanging over the team and has to have at least a subtle impact on the team.

Sometimes, these clean breaks cause ephemeral periods of holy enlightenment for Earthbound teams weighed down by an old general. Remember Philadelphia? The post-Iverson burst had little to do with reality; in retrospect, I'd venture the mere removal of the long franchise shadow allowed the rest of the team to see the sun for the first time. While the terminal glow can't support itself, it can support future growth, as it has in Philly.

Also: Indiana really needs a point guard. The Pacers already play at a high tempo; Ford's one of the most efficient high-tempo lead guards in the league. And if you're worried about injury risk, um, you're trading Jermaine O'Neal, who played 42 games for the low, low price of $19.7 million last year. Considering Rasho has an expiring contract, and Ford's deal is not too long, this baby needs no more thought.

Why T.J. Ford is Perfect For Indiana originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is T.J. Ford the Heir of Nash?

Tom Ziller — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:03:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, Raptors, Suns, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors, Phoenix, Toronto

Rumors are a dime twelve dozen this time of year, but the Arizona Republic has published this morning a dazzling little slice of speculation: the Suns have considered sending Boris Diaw to Toronto in exchange for T.J. Ford and the #17 pick.

Diaw and Leandro Barbosa are the Suns on the block, and talk out of Steve Kerr's breath has indicated Phoenix wants another first-rounder or a higher pick than their current 15th selection. Most rumors to date have Barbosa being given away -- a problematic endeavor considering Leandrinho's the closest thing to a back-up point the Suns have got. And, as we've repeated in each of the past five summers: Steve Nash isn't getting any younger.

That's what makes the rumored Ford deal so entrancing: T.J. won't bristle behind Nash the way he did backing up Jose Calderon, and he's so young (25) that he's a budding heir who can learn from (one of) the best. Meanwhile, Diaw could be a major upgrade from the Jamario Moon-Jason Kapono-Joey Graham gauntlet which manned the small forward slot last season.

Armed with #15, #17 and Barbosa, Phoenix would still be well-poised to slide up into the top 10. New York needs bodies galore -- wouldn't the #6 pick for a Sixth Man of the Year and two solid mid-first choices do wonders?

Is T.J. Ford the Heir of Nash? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jorge Garbajosa, Raptors Break Up

Tom Ziller — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:09:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Injuries, Toronto, FIBA, Euroleague

Typically, player contract buy-outs in the NBA come solely for financial considerations. The heaviest spate of buy-out action came in 2006, when the league instituted its limited amnesty program, allowing teams like Dallas to save some luxury tax cash by cutting overpaid men like Michael Finley loose. Rarely -- Steve Francis in Portland is the only one who comes to mind -- do teams buy out a contract because of a broken relationship or bad attitudes. It's always money.

Toronto won't be saving much cash at all in buying out Jorge Garbajosa, as the Toronto Globe & Mail reports has just happened. After last summer's saga with the Spanish national team, this break-up is solely based on hurt feelings and an incompatible relationship. For his part, team boss Bryan Colangelo pulls the old "it was mutual" bit.

"It's bittersweet," Colangelo said. "Because no matter what the financial benefits of the deal we don't have the player. We missed him last season and now we won't get him back and have to find what he brought to our lineup and that's not easy."

We're sure Garbo needs a hug, too. The G&M's Michael Grange's first guess has Jorge returning to a top Spanish club after the Olympics; dude's 31 years old, coming off a second knee surgery -- yeah, nary an NBA team's offering enough to keep Garbo stateside.

I remain wary of the dichotomy present in Toronto: the team is built on the backs of a Euro style and myriad international players, but Colangelo seems uneasy with allowing his players to be farmed out during the summer international season. (San Antonio shows the same paradox, asking Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto to forgo FIBA play last year.) The stance makes practical sense in dollars and cents, but it comes off incredibly shrewish.

Jorge Garbajosa, Raptors Break Up originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jose Calderon Will Take Less Money in Toronto, but Only if He Starts

Will Brinson — Fri, 09 May 2008 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Eastern, NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch, Toronto

It's fairly disappointing to look back at the 2007-08 season and realize I didn't make a single post relating to Jose Calderon's blog. It's been mentioned before, of course, in the relevance of cultural importance, but it doesn't necessarily get a lot of media attention. Or at least not enough media attention. But I bet that will change with Jose's most recent and a little picante entry, posted May 7 and relating to his contract status.

As of today, the Raptors would like me to continue, however until the 1st of July we will not know anything about the possible renewal or other offers from teams interested in me for next season. What is clear is the fact that if I have to choose between a sports offer versus an economic offer, I will opt for the first. I want to be a starter and to be in a team that aspires for everything. Of course I will not be on a team in which I cannot be an important contributor nor if there is not a solid structure or if there are not options to be in the "Playoffs".

Okay, first of all, the fact that the is willing to give up money in order to start for a contender is just superb. It's something that you obviously don't hear much anymore. You do hear people frequently say that they would like to start though, but I feel like JMC's case is a bit of an exception. Clearly, Bryan Colangelo prefers him to T.J. Ford.

He does so with good reason; Calderon is a better point guard. Calderon probably should have been an All Star this season, and he is also clearly the future at the point for Toronto. And if he gets his wish, he'll be the only future. Honestly, too, that doesn't seem like something Jose would fire out publicly if he didn't believe the team was ready to move Ford either.

Jose Calderon Will Take Less Money in Toronto, but Only if He Starts originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 03:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Go, Canada: D'Antoni Denied Permission to Speak to Raptors

Matt Moore — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:14:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Suns, NBA Gossip, Phoenix, Toronto

In news that can either be described as an anti-collusion effort or simple petty bitterness, the Globe and Mail reports that when the Suns granted Mike D'Antoni permission to speak to other teams about their head coaching positions, they had one condition. He is not allowed to speak with the Toronto Raptors.

Now, if the two teams were division rivals, this would be pretty self-explanatory. If they were conference rivals, even, I could see the inherent value. But as they play in different conferences, there are really only two options. The first is that Suns owner Robert Sarver wanted to make sure D'Antoni's buddy and Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo didn't benefit if he was in any way involved in D'Antoni's decision to ride out of the desert. This is not beyond reason, considering the personal and professional relationship between the two. Likewise, it prevents D'Antoni from hooking back up with Colangelo and re-instituting the "run and gun" which the Suns have decided to abandon, and succeeding with it where the Suns failed, however unlikely that may be. Better to just nip the possibility in the bud than to risk further embarrassment and attention to how quickly the Suns disintegrated when Sarver hired Steve Kerr.

But there's a more likely reason, after the jump.

The more likely option, though, sadly, is good ol' fashioned, plain bitterness. It's no secret that Colangelo's departure from Phoenix wasn't under the best terms, and that Sarver and Colangelo never really got along. Colangelo is the Sun of longtime Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, and the team was long considered a family business. After Colangelo's departure to Toronto, it seems that this move has probably been made just to keep Colangelo from reuniting with D'Antoni in an effort to deny both parties an agreeable ending to this whole fiasco.

It's more than a little startling how fast things can erode in the NBA. Just two and a half years ago the Suns were the toast of the NBA, a title favorite, and the most exciting team in the NBA. They had young players with talent, the Hawks' draft pick as long as it wasn't lottery protected and a future that surely included titles. Now they feature a staggering amount of cap space devoured by aging players who were unable to overcome the Spurs, and their wunderkind GM is in Toronto figuring out how much he can get for TJ Ford. And the Suns are putting restrictions on the coach that got them to this point to limit his ability to join that GM. Funny how things work out.

No Go, Canada: D'Antoni Denied Permission to Speak to Raptors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 07 May 2008 01:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blane Harrington > The LeBrons

Matt Watson — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:50:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Eastern, NBA Videos, Toronto

If Gilbert Arenas is the undisputed king of athlete bloggers, Chris Bosh is similarly the sporting world's master of the YouTubes. After making his debut with an awesomely awkward plea for All-Star votes, he followed up by revealing his alter ego, Blane Harrington. And now, Harrington returns:

My favorite character? Bosh as the chef (45 seconds in), though the cable guy (1:27) gets bonus points for the wig and fake stomach. Sure, it may look like a low budget version of The LeBrons, but before you accuse Bosh of copying LBJ realize they're both clearly inspired by every other Eddie Murphy movie. Besides, I think the lack of polish (and commercialism) actually makes it better.

Blane Harrington > The LeBrons originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 05 May 2008 14:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Look at the Losers: Toronto Raptors

Matt Watson — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:21:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Eastern, NBA Playoffs, Toronto

A look at the losers as they get bounced from the playoffs.

After winning 47 games in 2006-07, the Raptors regressed to an even .500 record this year, in part because of injuries to Jorge Garbajosa, Chris Bosh and T.J. Ford. That said, no matter how well they played, there was no catching the Boston Celtics, who won the division by 25 games.

How They Got to the Dance: By being in the Eastern Conference. A 41-41 record would have left the Raps on the outside looking in were they in the West, but it was good enough to result in a No. 6 seed in the East. That said, there's no doubt that there's enough talent on this team to make the playoffs every year, but they need their key guys to stay durable, and it wouldn't hurt if Andrea Bargnani would finally live up to his No. 1 pick status.

How They Got Bounced: Dwight Howard is without a doubt the most dominant center in the NBA today. There aren't a lot of teams who can slow him down, let alone the Raptors, who are used to playing a more of a finesse game. Howard put up three 20-20 games in the series, helping the Magic dominate the boards while a crew of sharpshooters fired away from three-point land.

Can't Blame This Guy: For the third year in a row, Chris Bosh failed to play in more than 70 regular season games. While he needs to address durability concerns to take the next step into full-fledged NBA superstardom, there's no doubting his worth in a short series. His number went up virtually across the board as he averaged 24 points, nine boards and almost four assists a game. But he needs help: he averaged more than twice as many points as any other starter.

Summer Vacation Plans: First and foremost, Bryan Colangelo needs to figure out who's going to coach his team. My guess is that Sam Mitchell keeps his job unless Colangelo can convince his old friend Mike D'Antoni to take over. Next up is deciding what to do with Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford. I don't think there's any question that Calderon is the best long-term solution, but Ford struggles when he comes off the bench, which means a trade may be the only solution.

Look at the Losers: Toronto Raptors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 May 2008 16:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Much Ado About Smitch's Golf Game

Tom Ziller — Fri, 02 May 2008 10:22:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Rumors, Toronto

I think the world's got D'Antoni-in-Toronto fever, because, as The Globe and Mail's Michael Grange notes, the media's pounding Raptors coach Sam Mitchell with hit pieces. We've been over L'Affair Vescey, in which New York Post scribe Peter Vescey published a vicious indictment of Smitch's preparation only to completely retract it a few days later. More recently, Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski said Smitch altered the team's weekend flight and practice schedule so he could spend Sunday afternoon on the fairways of Orlando.

After the Raptors went down 3-1 to Orlando on Saturday, sources said [Bryan] Colangelo flipped out over learning that Mitchell played a round of golf the following day.

If, as Grange indicates in his column, the players were upset with Mitchell's schedule changes ... screw 'em! He's the coach. It might not have been the best idea for Smitch (and reportedly third-string point guard Darrick Martin), especially considering he had to go a bit out of his way to get practice done Sunday morning in order to make his tee time. And judging by Orlando's dominance in Game 5 Monday, maybe some more film room study could have helped.

And sure, Mitchell should have clued Colangelo into the plan. By hiding the round of 18 Smitch shows he thinks he did something wrong. But I don't see the harm in the actual activity ... unless there was a no-fun decree from the boss.

Much Ado About Smitch's Golf Game originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 May 2008 10:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't Be Surprised When T.J. Ford's Traded

Tom Ziller — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:46:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, Raptors, Heat, Clippers, Kings, NBA Rumors, Toronto

A crush of rumors about the future of the Toronto point guard position has been months in the making, first spurred by Jose Calderon's masterful work during T.J. Ford's unfortunate injury absence, then stoked by Ford's (quiet) bristling at coming off the bench behind Calderon. Some Bryan Colangelo comments captured by the Toronto Sun's Frank Zicarelli offer the strongest evidence Ford will be on the market this summer.

Colangelo understands and applauds Ford's desire to be No. 1, but at the same time Colangelo is going to do what's best for the Raptors. "At the end of the day it's how can he and Jose co-exist,'' Colangelo said. "If, in fact, that's a possibility."

Colangelo then added some very telling words. "It's a very safe assumption that Jose will be back in a Raptor uniform."

Calderon's a restricted free agent, and (unless Shawn Marion or Elton Brand opt out) no team will head into July with both cap space and a pressing need at point guard. If that's the case, the only thing that would stop the Raptors from keeping Calderon is Calderon demanding too much money (something that, for some reason, seems unlikely).

Ford's the guy to go, and plenty of towns would invite the upgrade ... for the right price. Injury concerns related to his tricky spine will never disappear; still, he's a fantastic point guard -- one of the fastest guys in the league and an always improving shooter, distributor and passing-lane disruptor. The Knicks, Heat, Clippers (depending on Shaun Livingston), and Kings (depending on Beno Udrih) make sense, on first glance. (Whether Colangelo chases Mike D'Antoni could affect this whole scenario, as well.)

Don't Be Surprised When T.J. Ford's Traded originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Magical Reversal of Fortune: Orlando Ousts Raptors; Mitchell Next?

Matt Moore — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Magic, Eastern, NBA Playoffs, Toronto

The Orlando Magic won their first playoff series since 1996, officially ushering in a new era in Orlando, built around Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu. But it was Jameer Nelson who stepped up and score 19 to lead the Magic. With a competent bench suddenly starting to develop at the right time, Dwight Howard destroying everything in his way, and solid defense holding Chris Bosh to 16 points, the Magic look like the best team in the Eastern Conference right now. A combination of a supremely talented big man, two dynamic forwards with range and athleticism, and an emerging crew of shooters? That's a pretty good recipe for success.

Conversely, one year ago, Sam Mitchell was receiving his Coach of the Year award. To show you how fickle this league is, just 365 days later, there is a lot of talk about firing Mitchell. To be clear, there is not a dearth of talent in Toronto like there is in Denver. This team was in a vastly improved division, and still performed well. But this is how it goes in the NBA, and we'll have to have our eyes on Toronto, especially with Bryan Colangelo looking to assert himself.

Magical Reversal of Fortune: Orlando Ousts Raptors; Mitchell Next? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Makes Primoz Brezec Happy?

Tom Ziller — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:46:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Bobcats, Charlotte, Toronto

Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star knows what makes Primoz Brezec happy.

Brezec, Toronto's end-of-the-bench centre, walked into the locker room the other day and pumped a fist in celebration, expressing happiness in news that one of the banes of his existence as an NBAer, a coach named Sam, had just been fired.

"Sam Vincent!" Brezec kept repeating, rather excitedly.

Brezec's disdain for Coach Vincent, whom he spent all of three months with in Charlotte this season, has been documented previously. In fact, here's what Brezec said about the guy in February.

"I was like, you know what Sam? You don't need me, you don't like me and I don't like you, so get me out of here. And see how they're doing this year?"

Players and coaches feud all the time; it's not even necessary that one moves on for it to occur. But taunting a guy who just got the axe? That's a bit harsh, yes?

But hey, Primoz is a gangsta. He can't help it.

What Makes Primoz Brezec Happy? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toronto Couldn't Shoot, Dwight Can't Be Nice

Tom Ziller — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Magic, NBA Playoffs, Toronto

Bryan Colangelo hadn't quite recreated Phoenix North over the past two seasons in Toronto, but he did borrow the European emphasis on having a ton of shooters on the roster. Drafting perimeter-based big Andrea Bargnani with the top pick, signing Jason Kapono to the full mid-level ... Colangelo's got shooters. But shooting, oddly, was the problem with Toronto's offense in its Saturday loss to the Magic.

Chris Bosh shot 16-26 for 39 points. Everyone else in white? 36% from the field, and 14% from three. Kapono did fine (12 points on 9 shots), but Bargnani ~~sucked~~ got destroyed, Jose Calderon sucked, T.J. Ford and Anthony Parker weren't remotely efficient, Jamario Moon (who yanked a groin) added little offensively.

You can attribute quite a bit Toronto's failings to a monstrous Orlando defense, with Dwight Howard blocking eight (!!) shots, including the clincher with 2-1/2 minutes left when Ford took it to the bucket. Rashard Lewis hit a three on the other end, and the Raps went into foul mode. The Magic can seal it at home Monday, and you have to think that even if Detroit comes back to vanquish the frisky Sixers, Orlando will have reason to think it can get to the conference finals.

Toronto Couldn't Shoot, Dwight Can't Be Nice originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doing Lines: The Rockets Win, and It's All Tracy McGrady's Fault

Matt Watson — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:30:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Magic, Rockets, NBA Playoffs, NBA Last Night, Houston, Toronto

Every single night of the playoffs there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the L. Doing Lines lets you know which one tops the list.

Everyone likes to blame Tracy McGrady when the Rockets. I know it, you know, he knows it. So in light of Houston's series-saving victory on Thursday (going down 0-3 isn't technically the same as being eliminated, but it's close enough), let's allow McGrady to soak in a little bit of the credit for this one: he scored 27 points with five boards, seven assists and a block, playing 43 minutes in Houston's slim 94-92 win. Yes, it took a last-second block by Carl Landry to seal the deal, but the Rockets would be lost without T-Mac.

Also Receiving Votes:
It's borderline criminal how much point guard talent the Raptors are hoarding this year. Check out the combined production of Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford on Thursday: 39 points (13-22 FG), 12 boards, 16 assists, two steals and four turnovers in 46 minutes. How'd the Magic fare?

Umm ... not as well. Jameer Neson and Keyon Dooling mustered just 14 points (5-13 FG) and seven assists in 46 minutes. Not surprisingly, the Raps won going away.

Doing Lines: The Rockets Win, and It's All Tracy McGrady's Fault originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orlando Uses Cheerleader Bosom For Evil

Tom Ziller — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Magic, Toronto

Via HoopsHype, Michael Grange of Toronto's Globe and Mail gives us a press row dispatch on Orlando's new efforts to distract opposing free throw shooters.

There are risers behind the baskets at Amway with each row of seats about six inches above the next. This enables the Magic dancers to align themselves one after another in the aisle directly behind the backboard. As a result they appear to be directly in the line of sight for opposition free throw shooters. And one of the cheerleaders in particular did this little shaky thing with her torso just when guys were shooting, which I found very distracting, typppping wise.

Did it work in Game 1? No ... the Raptors shot 27-of-28 from the line, a full 15% above their regular season shooting percentage. Hell, maybe it inspired them.

In fact, there's the real potential for some backfire here. Anything that incites Chris Bosh, T.J. Ford, and Jose Calderon to get to the line more could spell doom for Orlando -- the Magic wants those fellows taking jumpers. If Andrea Bargnani reads FanHouse, he might even draw a rare foul tomorrow night!

Orlando Uses Cheerleader Bosom For Evil originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do Not Compare Chris Bosh to Manute Bol!

Tom Ziller — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Media Watch, Toronto, ESPN

Apparently, Stephen A. Smith (described by the Toronto Star's Doug Smith as "a prominent ESPN analyst known for his loud delivery and over-the-top commentary") called Raptors star Chris Bosh "soft," and to assert his point compared the NBA's 10th leading scorer (Bosh, that is) to ... Manute Bol, a gentleman to be credited for his political work of behalf of change in Darfur but otherwise existed as a basketball sideshow, a fellow who never averaged more than 3.9 points a game.

Bosh, you'll understand, bristled at the comparison.

"If you have respect for someone, you expect that same respect back," Bosh said yesterday. "If you're a classless person like that, I mean, I guess that shows how you are, what kind of person you really are. ... I don't have to prove anything to that guy, plain and simple. If that's what he wants to do, that's what he's going to do. If that's what makes him happy, to try to bring other people down, good for him."

The Toronto chapter of the Stephen A. Haters Club has expanded. President and founder Rasho Nesterovic must be overjoyed.

Do Not Compare Chris Bosh to Manute Bol! originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Round One Riot: (3) Magic vs. (6) Raptors

Matt Watson — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, Magic, Eastern, NBA Playoffs, Toronto

It's playoff time, and FanHouse has got you covered. Our previews will give you the critical points of every series, so you can talk to your friends like you've been following every team in the Association all season long. Which you probably haven't.

Biggest Reason You Should Watch: Because Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh are the league's most talented big men not yet household names. Winning the Slam Dunk Contest certainly helped raise Howard's image, but the playoffs are where reputations are really created, and for the first time ever, one of these two are guaranteed to advance to the second round.

Orlando Can Win If: Hedu Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis stay hot from long distance. With Howard dominating the paint, Turk and 'Shard have been hitting 43.5% and 45.1% of their three-point attempts, respectively, since the All-Star break. The Raptors know a thing or two about hitting the long ball, but they don't have anyone as locked as those two.

Toronto Can Win If: Bryan Colangelo puts out a hit on Howard? Okay, that's a bit extreme, but at the very least they'll need Bosh to play a near perfect series. In the Raptors' only win against the Magic this year, Bosh scored 40 points by going 14-16 from the field and 11-11 from the line. Obviously he's not going to be able to do that every night, so he'll need steady contributions from their supporting cast, not to mention cohesive play from their two-headed point guard monster, T.Jose Forderon.

Video Clip to Get You Pumped: Some prescient fan posted this mixtape on YouTube last year, as if he knew they'd someday meet in the playoffs. For that reason it lacks any highlights from this year, but it still showcases their ability to dominate the paint:

Stud of the Series: Nothing against Rasho Nesterovic, but he won't come close to containing the fury that Dwight Howard's about to unleash onto the world. Expect D-Ho to post multiple 20-20 games and a bevy of SportsCenter highlights.

Biggest Liability: Toronto's depth. Bosh is awesome, and T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon are far superior to any point guard the Magic have on their roster, but the fact of the matter is that Orlando has much more firepower with Howard, Hedo and Lewis each capable of popping off for 20 at any given time. The Raps, on the other hand, just don't have a guy you know will get them points if Bosh isn't on top of his game.

FanHouse Prediction: The Raptors will win a couple of games at home, but that's it. Magic in six.

Round One Riot: (3) Magic vs. (6) Raptors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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