SB Nation - Marcus Banks

Tip-In: Toronto Raptors Post Game Report - A "Beastley" Performance

RaptorsHQ - Franchise — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:00:46 -0000

by Alan Diaz - AP

The Raptors had no answer for the intensity from Michael Beasley or the rest of the Miami Heat last night...

The most agonizing and maddening season in Raptors' history only 27 games in? After yet another lackluster performance by the Dinos last night, Franchise ponders this question and compares the club to the hapless 2005-06 edition of the team...

Yesterday in his preview of Toronto's match with Miami, Howland compared watching this Raptor team to a bad relationship; games like the one against Houston on Sunday are enough of a tease to keep you hanging around even though the majority of the time, there aren't enough other reasons to justify your continued involvement.

Well, last night's 115 to 95 loss to the Miami Heat sure provided yet another "Exhibit A" to this argument.

Toronto was completely outworked again as Miami snapped a four-game home-slide and sent the Raps off to Orlando with their scaly tails between their legs.

Frankly, I'm running out of words to discuss this team's apathy.

Last night there wasn't a single Toronto player who looked locked-in aside from maybe Sonny Weems as even Chris Bosh, who again carried the team's scoring load with 28 points, had but two rebounds.

And it wasn't as if the team didn't need any more rebounds on the evening; the Raps were clocked on the glass and in the paint, and again, a Raptor opponent was essentially allowed to do whatever they wanted offensively.

Michael Beasley was particularly impressive, torching Andrea Bargnani for most of his 28 points using an array of jump shots, up-and-unders, drives and post-moves. And while Dwyane Wade, usually a Raptor-killer, was somewhat quiet with a measly 19 points on 8 of 19 shooting, he was nursing a sore right wrist and yet you'd never have known it.

And that's really all that needs to be said about last night's game folks as it's the same old story. I mean, I could write the script for tonight's game right now;

"Talented offensive team relies on hot shooting to keep things close for a while, even though defense allows opponent to do whatever they want. Opponent tightens things up defensively, said talented offensive team goes cold, then gets blown out."

Michael Bay, step right up, we've got one for you!

And I'm not even exaggerating here unfortunately. After last Friday's loss to the Hawks, I noted that Toronto had lost by 13 or more points this year on nine occasions already.

Last night made it number 10.

This got me curious as to the team's ineptitude in this capacity so I reached out to the great site, basketball-reference.com to compare this season to date, with Toronto's last great flop; the 2005-2006 season.

You remember that season right?

The one ironically where the Raps' lone win in the first 17 games came over last night's opponent, the Miami Heat?

Well here's a scary fact for you:

In the entire 2005-06 season, the Raps got blown out by 13 or more points 13 times. After 27 games, this current version of the Dinos is already at 10.

At this rate, the 2009-10 edition of the Raptors is going to smash that mark.

And considering how poor the 2005-06 team was, and the "talent" it contained, that previous statement should make you want to either puke, or start burning effigies of Hedo Turkoglu.

Or both.

And it gets worse.

That 2005-06 team lost games by an average of 3 points on the season. The 2009-10 Raptors are losing games by an average of 5 points already this year.

Nope, this is not what you'd call a good trend.

Am I saying for a fact that this current version of the Raptors is worse than the 2005-06 version?

Not exactly - but I think those numbers speak volumes as to the effort, grit, and fight that's lacking from a group that I would argue is massively more talented.

And this is the single-most infuriating thing for me about the team this season.

I expected them to struggle and have chemistry issues etc, etc. But to keep getting blown out in this fashion is ridiculous, and it's extremely hard as a fan to be passionate about a team that rarely displays any themselves!

I mean forget 13 point losses, the Raps have already been beaten by 20 points or more six times!! I love Sonny Weems, Amir Johnson and perhaps even have a bit of a soft spot for Marcus Banks strangely enough, but if we're seeing these guys this much it's not a good thing. I'm not naive. While most readers know I love second round picks and the "undiscovered upside types," these guys for the most part aren't the ones winning you games. These guys should be getting specific role duties or garbage time minutes.

And unfortunately the latter has been far too common so far this season.

So I'm not going to get into "3 keys" for tonight's game against Orlando.

Frankly, there's only one key on the night and for the rest of the season, and that's to show some pride, fight, grit...and other manifestations of testicular fortitude.

Some of this is indeed on the coaching staff, but in my books, the majority still falls on the players. They're the ones out there heaving ill-placed jump shots (ahem Hedo), missing box-outs (ahem Andrea), "protecting" the paint (ahem Bosh)...etc, etc.

It's got to be a team effort and if it doesn't start tonight, this season may end up much like the 2005-06 edition of the Toronto Raptors.

With a trip back to the NBA draft lottery.

Why You Should Watch, Part 1: A Suns Fan's Cheat Sheet to the Rest of the League

Mike Lisboa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:00:40 -0000

Coach Gentry cheers on the Suns at every game. You should, too! (Photo by Max Simbron)

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The Phoenix Suns are 11-3 and heading into a December full of must-watch games against top flight NBA teams. No Suns fan worth their salt is going to miss a match-up against the Lakers or Spurs or Mavericks. Those teams have been lifelong (or at least decade-long) nemeses to our beloved Suns and each of those games is like a basketball rite of passage.

But what about the rest of the League? Why should you watch the Suns beat up on the Timberwolves or Bobcats? And what about those random teams that never get any pub way out west like the Bucks or the Nets? Below is part one of list of things to look for and reasons to watch our Suns play every team in the NBA. Feel free to print it out and keep it on the fridge next to your official Phoenix Suns schedule or next to the remote so you can crib from it on gameday. Also included is each team's SBNation site if you'd like to learn more about them.

But mostly you should watch because it's the Suns!

Atlanta Hawks, Peach Tree Hoops: Another early season surprise, just like The Suns. The obvious angle here is former Sun, Joe Johnson, aka Daisy Buchanan aka The One That Got Away. While in past seasons, one could have argued that perhaps he was the only reason to watch the Hawks, this year Atlanta done went and put together a ball club. Josh Smith will put you on a poster after rebounding your miss that he nearly blocked on the other end and Jamal Crawford will go from 0-15 points in the blink of an eye. This is a fun team that, like the Suns, seems poised to make an unexpected run at an assumedly superior division rival (the Orlando Magic).

Boston Celtics, CelticsBlog: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce. For me those are reasons enough to watch them. For Suns fans, KG represents an alternative dimension where the Suns won the trade lottery a few years back and miraculously transformed into a defensive championship-winning machine. Ray Allen was a Suns assassin with the Sonics seemingly ending every contest against the Suns with a 3 as time expired. And Paul Pierce is the The Truth. Probably a little underrated around these parts, Pierce is a ferocious competitor and maybe the 3rd most important Celtic in history behind Bill Russell and Larry Bird. However, time is catching up to the Big 3 and this may be the last chance to catch them before they retire/go their separate ways. Oh, and for added Suns angles, former Sun/Sun Devil Eddie House is always conscienceless good times firing 3s off the bench and Rajon Rondo causes some current fans to look at Goran Dragic coming off the bench and cut themselves since he was in fact a Phoenix draft pick that the Sarver and company sold on eBay back in the day.

Charlotte Bobcats, Rufus On Fire: True story: I nearly canceled League Pass after coming across a Bobcats/Nets game a couple weeks ago. It was eye murder. That said, there's some fun to be had here. First, you can boo/cheer Boris Diaw as you see fit. Watching him play waffle croissant frustrate another team is much more liberating without worrying about how his 9 milli a year is affecting the Suns' cap situation. Raja Bell is gone, but in his place is former Suns division rival Stephen Jackson who should up the excitement quotient in the Queen City. And if you though Mike D'Antoni had a thing against young players, you can practically see the Charlotte faithful's collective head getting ready to explode as rookie lottery pick Gerald Henderson continues to ride pine even in garbage time.

Continued after the jump...

Chicago Bulls, Blog-A-Bull: Joakim Noah will make you eat your words. Derrick Rose is going to be a very good point guard for a very long time. Vinnie Del Negro has one of the best tans I've ever seen. He's the NBA's answer to George Hamilton. If you want something of a Suns angle, John Salmons shunned the Suns leading them to eventually sign Marcus Banks to one of the worst contracts in Suns history AND Luol Deng was also a one time Suns draft pick. Alternately frustrating and fantastic, there's a lot to watch any time these Bulls take the floor.

Cleveland Cavaliers, Fear The Sword: Little known fact about these Cavs... just kidding. If ever an NBA team suffered from overexposure, it's this year's Cavs. Whether or not, Shaquille O'Neal puts Cleveland over the top or drags them under, LeBron James' presence makes Cleveland must-watch basketball every time he takes the court... at least for another few months.

Dallas Mavericks, Mavs Moneyball: Well, well, well, if it isn't a rejuvenated Shawn Marion back in the Western Conference! With Jason Kidd and Tim Thomas on the roster, that's 3 former Suns who could make life miserable for their ex-team. Then there's notable Suns killer and former Wildcat Jason Terry who gets all Bill the Butcher on the Suns every time they play. And of course, Dirk Nowitzki is a straight up animal. New to the mix this year is rookie Frenchman Rodrigue Beaubois, who might be the only 6'0" player in the NBA with a go-to alley oop play drawn up especially for him. So, yeah, watch these guys.

Denver Nuggets, Denver Stiffs: This is quite simply an electric basketball team. Defensively suspect perhaps, this Nuggets team is simply terrifying on the offensive end. Carmelo Anthony's most dangerous spot on the floor is, well, the floor. From the baseline to the top of the arc, he is making opponents lives miserable this season. Off the bench, rookie PG Ty Lawson is quickly making a name for himself as a capable and dangerous back-up to Chauncey Billups' unwaveringly steady hand. These cats are slick and worth watching any time they take the floor.

Detroit Pistons, Motown String Music: The most exciting development in the world of Dee-troit Basketball is Will Bynum's transmogrification into the explosive substance, Bynumite. And he's a former Wildcat, too! Also, the Suns whupped them handily so they're good for the occasional Alando Tucker sighting. And I <3 a healthy Rip Hamilton.

Golden State Warriors, Golden State of Mind: There's a lot to like here: Steph Curry, Anthony Randolph, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrens and hey -- it's Raja Bell! I was a big Anthony Morrow fan at Summer League and after one game, even D-League call-up Chris Hunter is making some noise. The problem is with Don Nelson running the show mailing it in, you never know what version of this team you're going to get. As a Suns fan though, with 14 games worth of hindsight, try and figure out how that rumored Amare trade would have worked out this season (my 2 cents: not well).

Houston Rockets, The Dream Shake: No T-Mac? No Yao? No problem. Sort of. After a hot start, the Rockets have cooled off to the .500 level in their last 10 games. What they lack in star power, the team is attempting to compensate for in effort and ingenuity. While that combination may make for a middling season, it also makes for smart, hard-fought basketball games that the Suns will have to earn.

Indiana Pacers, Indy Cornrows: Because Danny Granger is the brightest star you've never heard of. While off to a bit of a rough start in 2009, Granger is capable of taking over games and should not be slept on. Also, Tyler Hansbrough will help you find your dog.

Los Angeles Clippers, Clips Nation: This is a team on the verge of... something. They've got a solid if unspectacular commingling of veteran and youth presence in the starting line-up and on the bench and it will only get better once Blake Griffin joins the mix. Boom Dizzle and Eric Gordon make for an above average (and occasionally dynamic) backcourt. Chris Kaman is playing as if he is actually from another planet this year. Marcus Camby is ol' reliable and Craig Smith and Sebastian Telfair are providing serviceable minutes off the bench. In short, these Clippers are ready to break out of the cellar and into the NBA middle class, but they won't because Mike Dunleavy is a terrible, terrible coach. So why should you watch? For the novelty of seeing a team whose locker room cancer is actually roaming the sidelines in a suit.

Los Angeles Lakers, Silver Screen and Roll: "Hate Leads to Suffering; Or, How I Learned to Stop Suffering and Appreciate the Los Angeles Lakers." I'm not sure when I stopped hating the Lake Show, but it's a relatively recent phenomenon. There's just too much good basketball happening when they're on the court. Kobe Bryant is the pre-eminent basketball technician in the league right now. Pau Gasol might be the most sophisticated power forward in the NBA. Andrew Bynum is morphing from man-child to man with each passing minute on the court. Lamar Odom is the Ghost of Earl Clark Future and Ron Artest has gone from dangerously crazy to lovably eccentric with a change in area code. Oh, and that guy on the sidelines has 12 rings (2 as a player... haters) to legitimize any complaints of "Fakerism." For weaknesses, Derek Fisher is showing his age and then some and that bench is the basketball equivalent of Russian Roulette (there's about a 1 in 6 chance they will cost the Lakers the game). But you know, watch for the hate. It feels good, doesn't it, young Skywalker?

Memphis Grizzlies, Straight Outta Vancouver: Because Allen Iverson is must-watch basketball! Watch these guys so that 2 years from now you can say you were there when... Rudy Gay announced his presence with authority, O.J. Mayo came into his own, Zach Randolph quietly resucitated his career, Marc Gasol began working his way out of Pau's shadow, Jamaal Tinsley was brought into stabilize (!) a team's roster, and Hasheem Thabeet began fading into obscurity. It's kinda like watching the X-Files before the X-Files was cool (and that also started in Canada!).

Miami Heat, Peninsula is Mightier: Because if you don't watch, Dwyane Wade will throw himself at you and you WILL be called for a foul. While it's easy to mock Wade's penchant for reckless drives and refs tendencies to bail him out, it's impossible to argue that he's not a hardwood hurricane when this team needs him to be. Without Wade, this team's win total is somewhere in the 30s, but with him, they're a dangerous playoff foe... which isn't to say there isn't some talent around him. Udonis Haslem defines "unsung hero" outside of Miami-Dade County. Jermaine O'Neal and Quentin "P90X" Richardson are both having mini-renaissances this season and youngsters Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley provide inconsistent if effective support to their leading man. But mostly, it's all about Wade being a force of nature that you can watch from the comfort of your home without worrying about losing your home in the process.

To be continued....

Tip-In: Toronto Raptors Post Game Report - 75% of the Way There?

RaptorsHQ - Franchise — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:06:27 -0000

More photos » by Colin Braley - AP

Deron Williams and the Jazz have felt plenty of pain of late...

Browse more photos »

After a loss to a more-talented Denver team last night, the Raptors prepare to take on the Utah Jazz tonight in a back-to-back. The HQ looks at last night's loss and discusses the keys to rebounding tonight with a W...

With the Raptors facing another tough test tonight against the Utah Jazz, I thought it would be apt to post a recap/preview combo a bit later today than usual.

After all, there's not a lot to discuss regarding last night's loss.

The Raptors hung tight with Denver for three quarters, even leading the game for most of the first half. Then in Part II of the affair, Toronto started to run out of gas on offence, and us fans all know that when that happens, the defense usually isn't good enough to keep things close.

This is especially the case when playing against a team as talented as the Denver Nuggets, a squad I described in my preview yesterday as being maybe the most balanced in the league.

You could see that balance last night too. If Melo wasn't attacking from inside and out, Denver was pounding the ball down low to Nene, or getting half-court heaves from JR Smith. Throw in some clutch 3's by Arron Afflalo, D in the post by Kenyon Martin, shot blocking by The Birdman, and of course, heady play at the point by Chauncey Billups, and they're a pretty intimidating group.

Toronto was simply out-classed talent-wise in the end, especially with Hedo Turkoglu sitting this one out, and kudos to Jay Triano for realizing this with lots of time left in the fourth quarter; with about six minutes left Raptors' fans were treated to the Patrick O'Bryant show.

Even the newest old Raptor got some minutes. (Although strangely, Marcus Banks did not - how much does Triano have to hate Banks for O'Bryant to play and not Banks???)

Yes, Pops Mensah-Bonsu is back with the Dinos as he was snatched off of waivers yesterday, and even in limited time late in the game, showed the same qualities that made him a desperately needed commodity last season. The kid simply brings it every night, and is a tenacious rebounder and defender. I mean, how many players get signed into the season, then in garbage time take a painful charge in a blowout?

That's Pops.

However as much as I like Pops, I've been pulling for Toronto to take a flyer on him since he left George Washington, I'm not quite sure I like the fit this time around. When Reggie Evans returns it gives the team seven big men for two positions; meanwhile, the wing positions, the 3 in particular, looks quite shallow. I love Sonny Weems but he's not quite big enough to guard the Carmelos and Kobes of the league. Outside of Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright is the only player with the size for the 3.

Can Mensah-Bonsu play the 3?

Perhaps defensively, and maybe that's what BC and co envision with this signing.

However last season I remember him being much more effective at the 4 and if that's the case, I think he's going to have a tough time finding minutes unless Evans ends up being out for a very long time.

Is there anything else to break down from last night's loss?

Not really in my book, although I do want to touch on Toronto's play in the first half. Even minus Hedo, that was the best the team looked in my eyes (especially the first quarter) all season at both ends of the court. The club seemed very prepared and while they had no answer for Anthony, they didn't come unglued at the seams when he was putting on a clinic. Toronto played to its strengths and did a nice job keeping the rest of Denver in check.

Well, except for JR Smith.

But how exactly do you guard a player like that when he's taking shots from five feet behind the 3-point line and has the athleticism to get to the rim at will?

It's very difficult; he's like Ben Gordon on Red Bull and HGH.

Overall though, I've seen some nice stretches from the Dinos over the past week, even in losses and I'd actually say that last night's game was an analogy for how this team looks to me at present; three quarters of the way there.

When the defense is at least somewhat locked-in and the gang-rebounding is in effect, TO's offence is powerful enough to beat most teams in this league. The chemistry is coming (Jose looks like his old self again) and outside of Jarrett Jack, the players seem to be settling into their roles; DeMar DeRozan, Amir Johnson and Marco Belinelli in particular.

The light seemed to come on for DeMar in particular last night, and I'm hoping to see a continuation of this tonight against the Jazz.

Incidentally he helps lead off our first key:

1) Supporting Cast Play.

The Jazz are banged up. They're already short on the bench minus CJ Miles and Kyle Korver, and while Deron Williams appears to be playing tonight, he's missed the past few games to take care of some personal issues. Add these to the fact that Utah comes in with a disappointing 4 and 6 record and this is a great chance for Toronto to grab a win in a notoriously tough arena.

However to do it, they're going to need more than just the usual suspects.

As previously mentioned, players like Johnson, Belinelli, DeRozan, and even Sonny Weems have been providing solid minutes lately and I'm expecting that to continue tonight. Utah doesn't take a night off under Jerry Sloan and on the second night of a back-to-back, it's even more imperative that these types bring their respective fortes.

If they can do that I believe it seriously tips the scales in the Raptors' favour.

2) Bosh and Bargnani.

While the referees were hardly doing these two any favours last night, both weren't nearly aggressive enough offensively last night, something that they'll have to remedy this evening. The two have tough match-ups (Bargs looking at himself in the mirror in a sense if he's guarding Okur) but Toronto will need to lean a bit more on their scoring if they want to achieve victory and keep pace with what's become a high-scoring Utah team.

3) Pride.

One thing that irritated me last night, even in garbage time, was JR Smith's showboating. Toronto was already down big, and Smith bowing to the crowd and performing other theatrics was hardly endearing to me, and probably many others. In fact I was hoping that Pops would catch him with a good clothesline the next time down the court.

Point being, this team has had a rep of being "soft" for years now. Some of Toronto's additions this past off-season are trying to change that, but there's still a lot of work to be done. Contrast that with the Jazz who for decades under Sloan have held a "non-crème-puff" status and who generally fight and claw on each possession.

Therefore I'm wondering if tonight's game may end up being decided by simply "who wants this more."

Toronto and Utah believe it or not are actually quite similar statistically (great in terms of offensive efficiency, bad to terrible in terms of defensive ability) so this isn't a game where the Raps can just rely on streaky shooting. The Dinos need to come out hungry from the tip in order to grab an important W and I'll be looking for this all night.

No weak "second night playing in a row, Western conference road trip, blah, blah, blah" excuses.

If the Raptors want to be considered one of the better clubs in the league this season, they need to start winning these "gut it out" type of games.

Daily Links 10/20

FLCeltsFan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:44:46 -0000

Herald Allen settles civil case
Kevin Love scheduled for surgery
Other Two assume a greater role
Celtics feel benefits of Kinesio wrapping
Globe Gabe Pruitt sighting
Now that you bring it up, Daniels should help Celtics’ 2d unit
Ex-UMass star Gaffney catches the Lakers’ eye

CelticsBlog   Product Review: Converse Weapon Evo
That's Just Quisy Being Quisy
Pick Your Poison
Loy's Place   Celtics Going for their Sixth Straight Preseason Win
Red's Army    NBA Scouts like LA... barely
Ray's a pretty good golfer
The Tale of the Kinesio Tape
Green Street   Celtics to Host Annual Shamrock Gala
Fun With Numbers
Celtics Hub     A Half-Dozen Anonymous Scouts Think the Celtics are Good
Parsing the "Second Unit"
Examiner    NBA pre-season power rankings
Which Eastern Conference teams may turn it around in 2009?
North Station Sports    'When the Game was Ours' Tells Bird/Magic Stories Never Before Revealed
Lex Nihil Novi     Squisy, Scottie Pippen, and Joe Johnson
How Good are We?
Delayed Gratification
Doc: I Don't Care about 72 Wins
Baby Adding to his Skill Set in POWErful way
Artest Sees Shrink
Understanding Purple v. Green
Who Plays Enforcer Now that Robey is Gone? (83-84)
Great Moments in Lakers' History
Celtics Life     The Most Overrated Hall of Famer in Recent Memory
Today's Video: 1991 Dunk Contest
Raptors don't want Marcus Banks to contaminate their team (too)
Banner 18    KG at his peak...
Gino's Jungle    Silence Pays off for Pierce
Tony Allen Needs To Find a New Home
USA Today   Celtics, Knicks seize the day, drop morning shoot-arounds
Celtics' Big Three not letting age diminish their title hopes
Orlando Sentinel    Knicks Coach Mike D'Antoni continues to do things his way
Morning Journal    CAVS NOTES: Brown still uncertain about West
Chronicle    Mo expecting more: Cavaliers guard Williams says last season’s playoff struggles can only help him next time
Cleveland.com   Cavs players say they're ready, but coach says . . . -
Toronto Sun    Raps look to get tougher
Wicked Local    Perkins School for the Blind receives $10M gift from Celtics CEO
NY Daily News     Al Harrington makes case to be in New York Knicks' starting lineup
Dimemag    Orlando shares the wealth; How good are the OKC Thunder?
NBA’s Sophomore Slumps and Surprises
Celtics Stuff Live    Note to Chad Ford: You Don't Know What You're Talking About
MetroWest Daily    Celtics close out preseason slate
MLive    Is Tayshaun Prince slipping defensively?
Ohio.com    Cavaliers fine tune in last 2 warmups
Hooped Up Online    Boston Celtics ‘09-10 Season Preview
CBS Sports    Atlantic preview: Celtics possibly more dangerous than '08 version
Slam online Game Notes: Celtics at Raptors
True Professionals
Report: Cavs Want Stephen Jackson
Sports of Boston    The Case for Shopping Rajon Rondo
Bleacher Report    The Detroit Pistons Have Issues: What to Watch For This Season
Kansas City.com 2009-10 Boston Celtics Preview
NY Times    The Robots Are Coming! Oh, They’re Here.
Oregon Live    Muzzle this, NBA: Your replacement refs are terrible
CT News    Celtics Take Down Raptors Again: 101-82
FanHouse    Tip-Off Timer: Most Incredible Run of NBA Titles

Game Day Preview vs. Celtics

RaptorsHQ - Howland — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:40 -0000

Another preseason game and another opportunity for the Raps to continue to work and improve on their team game. Taking a peak at what to look for tonight in match number 5.

The Raps continue to work things out as the preseason rolls along and as mentioned over the course of the past few days there is much to work on.

The next opponent for the Raps? How about America's Most Hated Team, your 2009-2010 Boston Celtics. I am sure Jose Calderon would agree.

There will be a few of things to keep your eye on Weds evening as the Raps face a team that has really had their number in the recent past.

1. When will the starters catch the feeling? Right now it seems readily apparent that the Raps bench have their act together while the starters are working things out. Maybe this is a direct reflection of the fact that the bench guys are all playing for PT while the starters know their minutes are coming and are easing into the season. Frankly whether or not the starters manage to play better this game or the next is pretty irrelevant. It's more important right now that the bench is playing well.

I won't be making any judgments about Jose/Bosh/Bargs until the home opener against the Cavs and beyond. Obviously things are not going that well and we are yet to see any true chemistry between the guys who actually wore a Raps jersey last season but there shouldn't be any alarms going off. That being said it would be nice to see the starters put things together sooner rather than later...might this be the night?

2. Who is getting less burn? It is at about this point where Triano will start trimming some minutes and will start shortening the bench even just a little. Who will see less time? I think it's fair to say that Quincy Douby, Patrick O'Bryant and Marcus Banks, despite having shown some improvement are all destined for the end of the bench and we will see whether Triano agrees. Perhaps the more interesting question is who out of Belinelli, DeRozan and Weems starts seeing less time and how does everything change with Antoine Wright is ready to see the floor. Are any of these guys sure bets for PT when the season starts? Outside of DeRozan it seems like a toss-up to me.

3. How rusty with Hedo be? Looks like the off-seasons big acquisition will be in the line-up tonight. This is the beginning of a beautiful thing or the start of a nightmare? It will simply be nice to see Turk on the floor. His minutes will likely be very limited and spent solely with the other starters. How he performs tonight is secondary to the fact that he is actually suited-up. Finally we will see Triano playing with close to a full deck.

Last, I wanted to get on my soap box for the first time this year and it's in response to the whole "it's going to take time argument". I think this is a totally acceptable argument when defending the Raps preseason play. These guys are all learning each others strengths and weaknesses and learning a new system. It is taking time and they are in the process.

What is not acceptable is when it's used in discussing the regular season. On more than one occasion I have overheard people discussing the season ahead and already they are defending a slow start by the Raps with this idea. Sorry folks but in my opinion once the preseason ends this argument is just a huge excuse with little substance. When people say it is going to take time for this team to gel it implicitly means that it's o.k. if this team struggles and loses games early in the season. That's BS. It's not ok and there shouldn't be any excuses. Every team in the NBA at this point of the year is working things out and could use the "time" argument to defend their play.

New coach? Need time.

New Players? Need time.

New System? Need time.

There are very few teams out there, in particular after a particularly busy offseason, who are not working out the kinks and trying to get everyone on the same page before the regular season kicks off. It's the teams that gel first that will be successful when the games count. By saying this team needs time to gel we are setting the bar awfully low and I, for one, am not onside. Forecasting losses early and already excusing them is just not acceptable in my books. Why not raise the standard? Isn't the month long preseason the time to gel? There are only a handful of teams out there who look very similar to last season. Ironically the Raps opponent tonight is one of them.

I hope, when the regular season kicks-off, that the Raps play doesn't need to be defended.

Tip-In, Toronto Raptors’ Post-Game: Second Fiddle

Raptors HQ - Vicious D — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:48:23 -0000

More photos » by CHRIS YOUNG - AP

Amir Johnson stuffs it home off a Reggie Evans miss. That's right, a hustle play off the free throw line. And no, there was no blue moon to be spotted. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)

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Vicious D takes a look at a game that really shows the contrasting styles of the Raptors, and what it may mean for the upcoming season.

Four games into the preseason, and there are still a lot of question marks about this Raptors team.

Fans might open their paper tomorrow on Thanksgiving morning and remark that the Raptors won their second preseason game. They'd see that they beat the Wizards 100-93 and did so while only shooting 39% from the floor.

They'd only see part of the story.

The fact is, the Raptors did a lot of good with half of their team, while have struggled with the other parts of their team. On the one hand, you have players such as Sonny Weems who left the game with a toe injury, who simply out hustled many of his peers to make spectacular plays. Guys like Amir Johnson went out on to the court with the intention of making a point that they will be valuable assets to the team if they need an energetic presence.

However, some of those questions just won't be easily answered until we finally see some time with our decided starting unit. Pacing-wise, Jose Calderon has always been more comfortable with running an offense from a half court set. We talked about it some yesterday, and it was a great point by Howland that the second unit seems to be further along with things than the starting unit.

There's multiple reasons for this of course. For one thing, the mantra of the second unit seems to be pretty simple: "Play hard. Be aggressive." From Reggie Evans straight down to Marcus Banks, the Raptors bench has played a lot of time together and has had a certain hunger in the way they play. Everyone seems to be out to prove something. Whether it's to themselves, their former teams, or their fans, the second unit is quickly becoming the most exciting part of Toronto's game.

In fact, it was in the second quarter that the Raptors went on their run and managed to get some momentum. Amir Johnson contributed with a couple stick backs that brought the crowd to their feet and Jarrett Jack pushed the ball with wreckless abandon the likes of which we haven't seen since Charles Oakley wore the pinstripes. The mantra seems to be to look up the court and to go for the long bomb, which allowed players such as Marco Belinelli to leak out ahead of the pack for some nice layups. In the final quarter, it was largely the second unit who tightened up the defense and brought the hammer down on the Wizards. With the final tally of 49-41 rebounds for the night, the Raptors received more than 50% of their rebounds from the bench. The bench also produced more than 50% of the steals and blocks for the game.

However, the game wasn't all good as the Raptors starters had a lot of difficulties containing their man. Antawn Jamison and Andray Blatche both took Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani to task. Whereas the Wizards duo seemed to score from all over the floor the Raptors starters struggled for the night, shooting a horrible 4-15 combined. What was more concerning was how difficult it was for both Bosh and Bargnani to get what they needed to from the paint. The hope is that once again, the Raptors will be able to spread out the floor with shooters like Turkoglu once he returns, but I'd prefer to see the Raptors empty out the bigs once in a while and allow DeRozan to slash to the paint. It's nice to see both bigs working on getting on the inside of teams, but it's obviously still a work in progress, especially since Bosh has been largely unavailable for pre-season play.

Nevertheless, this game was won by the hustle players of the Raptors. Granted, they played against many of the Wizards' secondaries, but it doesn't change the fact that we have a tempo changing unit that can do more than just fill minutes. For the first time in many years, Raptors fans can feel excited that their bench can come into the game and jump start the team. You'll hope that Marco Belinelli will be able to hit a few shots and cut off passing lanes. You'll want Amir Johnson to be a presence in the paint who can block shots and get on the glass. You'll cheer as Reggie Evans looks to knock down heads for the sake of getting one rebound. It's a unit that's rapidly shaping up to become the Raptors strongest suit.

Now let's hope the starting unit doesn't get left behind.

Preseason Rolls On - The Raps lose another to the 76ers

RaptorsHQ - Howland — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:20 -0000

More photos » by Darren Calabrese - AP

Johnson and O'Bryant did a solid job contesting shots and protecting the paint in last night's action. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese)

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Although the end result was the same (a loss to the 76ers), the second game in the back-to-back was much more entertaining and left Howland wondering just what the Raptors have in Sonny Weems....

Well the second preseason game was nothing like the first...except in terms of the results.

After a turnover filled game in London which featured some terrible defense and some sloppy play, the Raps tied their laces a little tighter and gave the small crowd at the ACC a pretty good show.

On a whole the second game of the preseason was much more satisfying. The Raptors defense was better, albeit far from where it needs to be come the regular season, and the offense was much better as everyone was looking to attack the rim when the opportunity presented itself.

Now if you were a fairweather fan attending last night's affair I am sure on more than one occasion you had to check the program to see who exactly was getting all the minutes for the Raps. Coach Triano limited the minutes of his regular season starters and really gave the young guys an opportunity to play.

Play they did....in particular Sonny Weems.

Although early in the process and shy two more established small forwards in Turkoglu and Wright, if Weems keeps up this level of play Triano will have to find some opportunities for this guy to see the floor even if those opportunities are limited. As Triano said in the post game, Weems brings a dimension this teams doesn't have...raw athleticism. Weems was all over the court last night. Although he looked a little out of control at times if he continues his relentless attack of the rim and his active defense he could play himself into a limited but important role. His play the last two games reminds me a lot of "Good Joey". Hopefully Weems doesn't have the frustrating alter ego that accompanied that name for some many years.

Weems was only one of the young bucks who brought the energy last night...or what I call Reggie-itis. Marcus Banks, Patrick O'Bryant and Amir Johnson were also impressive. It's hard to believe that Banks and O'Bryant were impressive at all, let alone in the same game. Their energy was never more apparent then it was in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. Although the line-up on the floor looked like it was better suited for a D-League All-Star Game the Raps young guys really got after it and it was clear they wanted to get a W no matter its worth. O'Bryant and Johnson were doing a great job protecting the basket on the defensive end and Banks and Weems were hustling down the court and creating easy hoops on the offensive end. The competitive spirit each of them displayed was a joy to watch.

As much as Reggie Evans provides the grit and rebounding that this team so desperately missed last year the new bench players also bring an energy and hustle that this team was also missing. I think it is very possible that by the end of the season Bucks fans are wondering just how Colangelo managed to get Johnson and Weems for so little.

On a whole the team played a lot better and showed improvement just 24 hours removed from the game on Tuesday night. There are many positives to take from the game.

What cannot get lost in the shuffle however, is the fact that three guys who are going to play a huge role in how this team fares this season are still MIA and look to be out for the next game in Minnesota. Although dressed last night, CB4 didn't see the floor and all indications are that Wright and Hedo won't be travelling with the team on Friday. As more time passes the significance of their absence grows.

Until we see CB4 and Turkoglu on the floor it is impossible to tell what this team is really all about. The more time that passes without these guys on the floor the harder it is going to be for this team to be successful when the games actually count. It’s key that these guys get some time together against some real competition, yet at the same time it is absolutely imparitive that everyone start the season healthy. It's actually a no-win situation.

What bothers me is that the excuses for Hedo's absence are already starting to surface and they are fairly weak. Everyone knows he played heavy minutes as the Magic went to the Finals but is this really an excuse? Absolutely not. Further, it was his decision to play for the Turkish National team over the summer despite the fact that he had just signed a huge contract. Being worn out is a rather lame excuse and frankly falls on deaf ears. If I were Colangelo I would be a little concerned that the return on my major investment this past summer may not be what I expected. As a fan it is nice to see Sonny Weems excel but it's Turk who bares the weight of my expectations. I am not sure how comfortable I am with that at this point.

Nevertheless with players missing in action, opportunities to shine are available. As Triano tightens minutes it will be interesting to see who takes advantage and who ends up in street clothes come game 1.

Game-Day Preview vs. 76ers - The Pre-Season Begins

RaptorsHQ - Howland — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:00:33 -0000

More photos » by Sean Kilpatrick - AP

Looks like things have started off on the right foot. Will this season end in smiles? (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)

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Believe it or not you can see live Raptors basketball beginning tonight as the Dinos face the 76ers in the first pre-season game of 2009.

It's been a long time coming.

It feels like we hardly had a summer here in Toronto and the leaves are already turning. The specter of winter lingers in the background.

What’s the one positive of it being early October?

The pre-season starts tonight and we as a fan base can now officially forget all that was and wasn’t from last season. It really is out with the old and in with the new.

It also means introducing how we will be covering games here at the HQ for the upcoming season. In addition to our pre- and post-game routine we will also be opening live game threads for each game where everyone will be able to comment and discuss as things transpire on a live basis. I am sure it will take time for people to get accustomed to the open thread but hopefully over the course of the season it can become what it has become for many other SB Nation blogs....a home-base for fans watching the game from the comfort of their own home. If you are able, log-on to the site tonight and join the conversation.

To kick of the pre-season the Raps will be facing an Atlantic Division foe in the Philadelphia 76ers in a head-to-head back-to-back affair. It has not taken long for Reggie Evans and Jason Kapono to match-up against their former team-mates.

Speaking of Philadelphia the folks over at Liberty Ballers are forecasting a very successful season and predicting 48 wins. Could the 76ers end up ahead of the Raps when all is said and done this season?

In case you missed it yesterday, we are asking readers to give their prediction on how the Raps will finish in the win/loss column in the FanPost titled "Predicting the Outcome". Will the Raps really need more than 48 wins to secure a high-seed in the Atlantic Division, let alone the Eastern Conference?

It’s important not to put too much stock into pre-season games. By way of example, my St. Louis Rams looked more than competent this pre-season and yet now, when the games count, they can't even compete. They may finish much like the Lions did last year.

Whether the Raps win or lose in the pre-season is really secondary to the team’s ability to use the time to work on their offensive and defensive schemes and develop chemistry. Don’t forget that this will really be Triano’s first chance to implement his style of basketball without having to worry about a game every other night. It will also be Coach Triano’s first chance to try out all the new toys that Colangelo has provided him and work-out his rotation.

There are lots of questions to be answered this pre-season but right off the bat I will be looking at three things in particular:

1. Who starts at the SG/SF position? My thoughts on this have been clearly expressed over the course of the summer. In my opinion Antoine Wright should be the starting two-guard when the season kicks off. Unfortunately it looks like we won't get a true sense of whether Coach Triano agrees this evening as it is being reported that Wright won't be suiting up. Neither Turkoglu or Bosh look to be playing either so fans will be forced to watch a make-shift starting line-up which is disappointing. It has to be somewhat disappointing for the team as well as they try and get accustomed to one another on the court.

Over the course of the pre-season Triano may try out a few players in the starting line-up whether because of injury (Hedo/CB4) or simply to see what works and what doesn’t. Heading into the pre-season I wondered whether one of DeRozan, Wright, Belinelli or Jack would break away from the others to earn the starting nod at the two-guard, but if injuries are coming into play then it might not be such a contest after all.

Injuries playing a role early on isn't a good sign.

2. Will anyone (healthy) not play? It will be interesting to note when the game wraps up, whether any player who is suited up doesn’t get any PT. With up to four guys possibly wearing jeans and a blazer there are lots of minutes to be shared. Unless Triano needs to send a message early (hello Patrick O’Bryant and Marcus Banks) I would expect to see everyone on the court for at least a short period of time. Intra-squad games are all fine and good but in order to start determining who has really done what over the course of the summer there is no better test then having to match-up against a true "opponent". If you are a big Marcus Banks fan I would be tuning in...it may be one of just a few opportunities to see him play.

3. Big, Bigger, Biggest: As many questions as there are surrounding the shooting guard position, there are an equal number of questions relating to the big-man rotation after Bosh and Bargnani. Who out of Rasho, Evans, Johnson and O’Bryant will be the first big off the bench, or in tonight's match-up who will get the start? Many are hoping that Amir shines this pre-season and establishes a niche, but will this play out prior to the beginning of the regular season? The big man who brings the most in terms of defense, rebounding and tenacity should find himself a solid role on this team. Don’t count out the veteran, Rasho, early on.

Raptors ball is back.

Media Day Part III - Johnson, Wright and Banks.

RaptorsHQ - Franchise — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:04:58 -0000

Amir Johnson gets ready for his close-up

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In our final series of Media Day discussions, Franchise talks with Amir Johnson, Antoine Wright and Marcus Banks...

Training camp in Ottawa of course is in full swing and fans are gearing up for the start of the pre-season which suddenly, is but days away.

Bosh and Hedo might be resting but not us at the HQ; besides prepping for what promises to be a very interesting season, we bring you our final installment of transcribed interviews from Media Day earlier this week. Up first, Amir Johnson before we proceed with Antoine Wright and finally, Marcus Banks.

Franchise: How are things going man?

Amir Johnson: Pretty good man, everything's going well, looking great.

F: Heard you've been rejecting some Sonny Weems shots in runs over the past few days.

AJ: I was doing what?

F: He's been trying to cram everything and I heard you weren't having any of that...

AJ: ...oh no (laughs) he lied to you! He was killing me!

F: So how do you feel about the new teammates, I mean, this is another new team for you...

AJ: ...yeah...

F: ...and what were your expectations coming into Toronto?

AJ: It's looking pretty good you know, we've got a whole brand new team, it's going to be an interesting season, I can't wait till training camp starts because it's going to be like, how everybody collabs together and I can't wait to see how that works out. I think everybody has big expectations and we're all on the same page you know with winning, and we're going to take it one game at a time.

(Editor's note - how many sports clichés were contained in that last answer??)

F: What ARE your expectations then, for yourself, the team...

AJ: Myself you know, just to go all out, every game, just to play hard. I'm on my contract year so I'm ready just to go hard, and help the team win of course, but just to prove myself in this NBA as one of those elite players. I'm just ready to go out there and do my best.

F: Have you talked to Bryan or the coaching staff a bit about your role etc?

AJ: I talked to coach, he just said he wants me to go out there and do my thing; "you know you've got the hustle plays, you might be able to guard a little bit of the 3's, we'll probably move you to the 3 a little bit, play a little 4..."

They've got big expectations of me too so...the standards are set high and I'm just ready to go out there and play.

F: Talk about your time in Detroit a bit, do you think that helped your development or honestly, would you say that it ended up slowing you down a bit because you didn't get a lot of playing time...

AJ: Absolutely, no, it really helped me. Not to many people can say they've played with like four All-Stars on a team you know what I mean? A lot of people don't have that experience and it helped me a lot playing with those type of guys...you know Chauncey, RIP, you've got Sheed...you're playing with All-Stars so yeah, I'm more than grateful to have gotten that opportunity to go out there and and play for those guys and I learned a lot from those guys. And now, I feel like I've gotten enough experience from them to bring that to this Toronto team.

F: What position are you most comfortable playing? What would you prefer to play if given the choice?

AJ: I played the 4 all my life but I'm actually quick enough to play and guard the 3 position so you know, they can move me either back and fourth, maybe even some 5 because I've been lifting a lot of weights this (off) season working on my strength...

F: ...I was going to say, you look bigger than last year...

AJ: ...yeah I've been getting stronger in the gym and working on my size so you know, any of those three positions I think I'll do pretty well.

F: Was that then something that was a major focus for you this off-season, you felt you needed to bulk up a bit based on what others had been saying?

AJ: Definitely, that was my main focus because you know, I read the media, they say I need to get stronger and work on my jump shot so those are the things, pretty much the main two things I've been working on; getting my strength up and my jumper right. I can always run the floor, rebound, and block shots, so I just moved on to the next things that I need to do and that's get stronger and improve the jump shot.

F: What about this off-season, did you play in any leagues?

AJ: Ah, I played, wasn't really a league, you know, you get a bunch of players coming together and having a bunch of runs...if I'm at UCLA, or anywhere like in Vegas, I played in the Summer League of course. But really I've been working out myself, I focus better when I'm facing like one-on-one with my trainer, go by myself and just focus on what I need to do.

F: Ok, and what about, just take me back a bit, before you made the jump from high school to the NBA, I know there were some colleges on your radar, what colleges were you considering?

AJ: I actually was signed and set to go to Louisville. Pitino, I was going to play for him. Reggie Theus was on the coaching staff so he recruited me pretty tough so I was ready and set to go there. I had a couple of friends that were going there, we took the visit together, it was me and Andre McGee, I was ready to go. But then I just put my name in the draft anyways to see if I would get drafted...

F: ...sure enough...

AJ: ...yep...I got drafted! It's all good.

F: So I guess that's what I was going to ask you, going back, would you have done the same thing?

AJ: I would have you know, no regrets. I made it this far and I think I'm pretty successful right now...you know, of course I would have loved to go to college - all the players tell me how fun college was and that's the one thing I missed but I'm here now, I'm doing fine, I'm still going back and taking classes online, so hopefully it all works out.

F: Good stuff man. Best of luck this season, thanks for chatting!

AJ: No problem, right on brotha.

Franchise: Welcome to Toronto, how are things going?

Antoine Wright: Things are going pretty good.

F: When did you arrive in town?

AW: I've been here about for about two weeks.

F: Ok, heard you've gotten in some runs with the rest of the guys.

AW: Yeah, it's been good.

F: And what do you think of the city so far, have you spent much time here before?

AW: I was here a couple of years ago when we played the Raptors in the playoffs and I was in New Jersey so that was the longest time I was here.

(Laughs) Those were different times, I was on a team with with Vince...

F: ...I was gonna say...things got pretty heated right?

AW: (Still laughing.) Yeah! It was crazy man! Fans are definitely enthusiastic about basketball here!

F: Yes indeed! So talk about your role this seaon with the Raptors, what you expect, what the coaches have said...

AW: The coaches have talked to me about the opportunity I have in the positions I play. You know, there's a lot of minutes there to be given and earned, so they just told me I'm in a great situation.

F: It's interesting because when you came out of college, I thought you were going to be more of the "high-flyer" and scorer type but you've sort of turned into having a rep as a real defensive stopper. Now is that something you've tried to mould yourself into or was that always there as far back as Texas A&M, just that you were the main scoring and offensive option on that team?

AW: I think how the NBA works is that you have a game when you come in, and it depends on what your team needs you to do. And I wasn't going to be the primary scorer on a team with Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. So, the way for me to get on the court and play was to defend and change my game and I think it helped me adapt.

F: The Dallas coaching staff held you in pretty high regard defensively last year - do those sort of comments help to reinforce that transition when you hear people talking about you like that?

AW: I think it seperates you when you're able to play defence.

(Editor's note, at this point DeMar DeRozan saw us talking and started making jokes about Wright behind his back)

You know, everybody wants to score, everybody wants to be the next DeMar DeRozan...so what you have to do, is you have to seperate yourself from those guys and the way to do it is to really get into guys and really defend them and I think all coaches want a guy like that on their team.

F: Personally, would you rather play the 2, the 3...

AW: ...I'd rather be on the floor! (Laughs.) I don't care where I play as long as I'm out there.

F: Sounds good! What about this off-season, anything in particular you were working on or any Pro-Am leagues you got runs in with?

AW: I've just been working out at Impact Sports, down in Vegas, every summer for the past three summers with Joe Abunassar. There's about 30 to 40 NBA guys there that come in and train and work hard and play.

F: I think Patrick (O'Bryant) was there right?

AW: Yep. Quincy Douby was there, Patrick...so, I got to see those guys for a little bit.

F: Ok, and are you familiar with a lot of guys on this team?

AW: I actually played in high school against Jarrett Jack and I played with Chris Bosh, I was fortunate enough to play with Chris on a USA team that went to Venezuela. We didn't win the Gold, we lost, but we played together.

F: You guys are going to be out for revenge this year then...

AW: ...(laughs) yeah, we'll try to get back at some teams in revenge!

Franchise: How're ya doing man?

Marcus Banks: Pretty good!

F: So take us back to last year, you get traded, and then don't play much. What did you do this off-season to get ready for this year?

MB: Basically I spent a lot of the off-season rehabbing, getting back healthy. I had toe surgery at the end of last season, last month of the season so I'm getting back healthy. I did a lot of pool workouts, played a little ball, but basically worked out individually every morning.

F: And were you in Vegas doing all of this?

MB: Yeah, working out there.

F: So the question on everyone's mind, and one I'm sure you'll be asked a ton today, why didn't you play with the Raptors' Summer League entry?

MB: (Laughs). Really, I just wasn't healthy at that point. I really just rested for the first third of the summer so that I could come back healthy for training camp.

F: Have you talked to the coaches about they envision your role to be with the team with so many new players coming in?

MB: Um, we really haven't sat down yet; I just want to come and show them that I'm finally 100 per cent healthy.

F: What about last year, was it the lingering injuries you think that mainly affected your playing time?

MB: Absolutely. Basically when I came I was already hurt, and it was just a matter of time when I was going to get to surgery or whatever. So towards the end of last year I spent most of my time getting treatment and trying to rehab and things like that so I really wasn't able to go.

F: Ok. Now let's talk about you in terms of fit with this new team, take us back to UNLV. I watched you play a lot in college and the style of game you played there would probably be a good fit with this team wouldn't it? Sort of a multi-disciplinary role, some point guard, some two-guard, have you thought any about that in terms of your fit?

MB: Absolutely, that's a good point. I think my main thing though is getting back to having fun playing basketball; I sat and watched a lot of basketball the last two years and like I said, I'm hungry, I want to get out there and I'll do whatever it takes.

F: That's what I was going to say, as a pro, that competitive hunger must be eating at you inside. How frustrating have the last two years been for you personally?

MB: Very (laughs.) Just tough when you're not always healthy or you're suddenly brought into new situations but that's the way things go sometimes. I can't wait till this season starts now.

F: Well best of luck this season and I'm sure we'll be checking in with you again at some point.

For more Media Day interview exclusives with some of these players and many others check out Ryan McNeill's coverage at www.hoopsaddict.com.

FRANCHISE

RaptorsHQ Media Day Quick Hits

RaptorsHQ - Franchise — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:59:54 -0000

There was no shortage of folks looking to talk to Bosh this afternoon.

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As I blogged about earlier today, Media Day always signals the start of a new season for us here at the HQ.

It announces the kick-off of training camp, gives players, coaches, writers and all sorts of staff a chance to greet each other before another season begins, and most importantly, gives the media a chance to get to know many of a basketball team's new faces.

As fans know, there are no shortage of new faces on this year's club.

With only Andrea Bargnani, Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon back from last year's training camp, media was out in full force this afternoon trying to ascertain exactly who many of these new faces were and what made them tick.

For us at the HQ, we focussed on many of these new faces in our media work and over the next few days we'll be presenting individual chats with the likes of DeMar DeRozan, Jarrett Jack, Sonny Weems, Antoine Wright, Amir Johnson, Maurizio Gherardini, and gasp...even Marcus Banks! With the local media swarming Bosh, Calderon and the usual suspects, we decided to take the opportunity to talk to some of the lessor-known folks a bit more and bring you their thoughts on the upcoming season, something you likely won't get to hear from the Star's and Sun's of the world.

However before we get into that in the morning, I thought I'd fire out a few quick evening thoughts from today's media sessions.

-The quote I'm sure that will be on the lips of most of the media tomorrow morning courtesy of Bryan Colangelo:

"I feel better about this training camp and the start and the prepartion that's gone on then I have in a long time, and I've been doing this for 14 previous seasons."

-Even though there was a lot of talk about "getting tougher" at the end of last season, the Raptors ensured that the new players that were brought in to help fill this void are still great guys off the court. This was immediately evident when I walked past Amir Johnson and he asked if he could help me with anything! Even Reggie Evans, who will surely be counted on to knock some heads in the paint, hardly looked like the tyrant he's at time been made out to be. In fact, he reminded me of ex Jays' and A's pitcher Dave Stewart. He's got that menacing lion scowl but as soon as he starts talking, it's pure kitten.

-BC thinks that this team should be shooting for 50 wins this year. That's not to say that that's the magic number he's set for wins, but that he thinks for this team to advance to the second round, it probably means a fourth or fifth seed, and to do that, it probably means winning that many games.

-Several players look like they've bulked up from last season. Bosh of course, but also Amir Johnson, Antoine Wright and even Patrick O'Bryant. Even DeMar looks bigger then the last time I chatted with him in Vegas. All good signs.

-It's going to be very interesting to see how this whole Bosh situation plays out this year, especially now that the agents of Bosh, Lebron James and Dwyane Wade may all be under the same roof. BC sounds confident that Bosh will make the right choice and stay in Toronto, but the idea that two or more of these 2003 draft alumnists will be playing together in 2010 seems more and more possible.

-I'm expecting some spirited practices this season, much moreso than last. Doug Smith this morning mentioned Reggie Evans' work on Andrea Bargnani, something that BC reiterated today, and Colangelo also mentioned a few other pleasant nuances; repeated aerial assaults on the basket in runs last week and attempts to reject said assaults.

-Finally, no Hassan Adams issues this year. It sounds like everyone reported to camp in great shape (aside from the Bosh and Hedo tweaks) and the early returns (the shoot-arounds and scrimmages this past week) have bore this out.

More to come tomorrow.

FRANCHISE