When the NBA scheduled the Nets and Raptors to play two regular season games in London, England, they weren’t expecting either team to have a superstar among their ranks. Not anymore, the Nets scooped up Deron Williams, the biggest coup since the Lakers landed Gasol. Even though they are 0-3 in the D-Will era, the Nets are relevant again.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but since the All-Star break, the Raptors are 2-3; well above their season winning percentage. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but it made me take another look at things:

• The Raptors have a half place lead over the Nets for more ping-pong balls in the lottery
• With Johnson in lineup, the Raptors are playing a totally better brand of basketball that wont help them get more ping-pong balls
• I’m really liking James Johnson, the kid has a lot of the tools and toughness I look for in guys who would play for my team. I’m very interested to see how he does after a couple weeks of big minutes and reduced excitement of a fresh start
• Still not a fan of Weems, and he’s playing a lot better, but he didn’t do enough with the opportunity he had and it cost him a couple million on his next contract; he can thank Johnson for that

I had a chance to have a chat with Mark Ginocchio of Nets are Scorching about Deron and the Nets:

First of all, I hate you and your team. There couldn’t have been a better result for the Nets than landing a top 3 point guard in the league. Do you have any background on how this deal came about?
Let me start by thanking you for the hatred. It’s been a long time since anyone hated Nets fans for anything other than wearing bags on our heads to games. With that said, the Deron Williams trade came out of left field for everyone, media, bloggers, fans, everyone. I don’t think it was any coincidence that Al Iannazzone, the beat writer for the Bergen Record who was doing a super job during the Carmelo Anthony nonsense, got the leak first and not any of the national guys like Wojnarowski, Broussard, Spears, etc. who have been just beating the Nets to a pulp for the past two months in their attempts to attract a start to the organization. If you believe Nets GM Billy King, he called up Kevin O’Connor, Utah’s GM, first to talk about some peripheral deals, most likely involving Devin Harris and maybe Mikahil Prokhorov favorite Andrei Kirilenko. King mentioned, half-joking about DWill’s availability and a deal was hammered out in 24 hours. It’s funny what can happen when team’s don’t have to deal with a bunch of
juvenile children like ‘Melo and Masai Ujiri, Denver’s GM, who had been holding the Nets hostage knowing ‘Melo only wanted the Knicks, this whole time.

I’ve read that the organization is going to do a great deal to cater to him (who to trade for, what amenities the practice court should feature, etc); do you guys run the same risk that Cleveland ran with catering to LeBron’s every whim, or is Deron a different beast?
In a recent write-up, Woj made a great point about Deron. He’s not ‘Melo, he’s not LeBron – he’s not looking to be the center of some marketing campaign. He just wants to win, period. And I think the only way the Nets will keep him here is if they demonstrate a commitment to put pieces around him. The thing is, Prokhorov has proven very early that money is no object, so I believe that this will happen. Plus, Deron will be owed a sizable amount (more than $17M) on his option year headed into Brooklyn in 2012 and with the new CBA likely lowering the cap, it may not be fiscally prudent for him to opt-out in 18 months as many are reporting he might do.

I was very interested to see how Deron and Avery would mesh together, but so far on the surface they seem to compliment each other. What are your thoughts on this pairing?
I was nervous too, but Avery apparently “threw out half the playbook” when Deron came on board, which is a good thing because the Nets offensive playbook stunk. I know AJ is a micromanager with his point guards, but this his first “star” PG he’s dealt with, someone who tends to focus on all aspects of his game unlike Devin Harris, who was a professional, but seemed to suffer from tunnel vision where he would only look to score some games, pass in others, and defend, every once in a while.

So Dwight is next? …I hate you…
That’s the rumor, but who knows. My guess is it would have to be a sign and trade, and the Nets would have to blow Orlando away with an offer, because otherwise Howard would probably go to the Lakers. The Nets have Brook Lopez and a nice complimentary piece in Anthony Morrow, but they gave away their lottery picks to Utah and given Lopez’s rebounding and defensive issues, I wonder if Orlando would be more interested in Bynum as the centerpiece of a LA deal.

What are you thoughts on the games this weekend in London? How do the Nets match-up with the Raptors? Is Deron going to be playing (injuries and all)?
Oh yeah, this season. Well, the Nets are 0-3 in the Deron Williams era, so there are obviously some kinks, especially on the defensive end, which bodes well for the Raptors. Williams says he’s going to play, and Jordan Farmar is supposedly back to back him up, but I’m hoping for a split here.

Injury Report

Toronto
Reggie Evans – Out
Linas Kleiza – Out

New Jersey
Deron Williams – Day to day, should play
Jordan Farmar – Day to day, should play
Quinton Ross – Day to day

Player Report

Jose Calderon
If Jose can recreate the game he had against Paul, even a healthy Deron wont be able to do much. As it stands now, Deron is supposed to play, but he’s hurting. This is a great opportunity for Jose to attack the hell out of him since he doesn’t have a great deal of support behind him defensively. I’ve been calling for it for a while now, but when Jose is going off efficiently from the field, he is such a deadly point of attack for the offense. Defenses can’t cheat, and have to consider him. As always, defense is a concern, but if you’re matching output, then it gives DeMar/Bargnani the chance to take matters into their hands.
Box: 13pts 11ast 3rebs

DeMar DeRozan
16 trips to the line over the last five games (four if you consider he didn’t get to the line at all against the Bobcats); sure he’s hit all 16, but it’s not enough. Not enough when you consider he’s contributing 1.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds over the same five-game stretch. If he gets to the line more, it means he’s attacking off he dribble more, which means his defender is back-pedalling more, which means a help defender is rotating, which means the defensive is that much more vulnerable. That said, the British are gonna love this high-flyer, hopefully he gives them a couple things to cheer about. Against Morrow, he will have to deal with an outside-in player, who can stroke the three at a high percentage; 44% on the year. Morrow has been a nice pickup for this team with his efficient scoring, but his defense is brutal, and is exactly where DeRozan can put his mark on the game.
Box: 21pts 3rebs 1ast

James Johnson
Yea…I’m really liking him a lot. I tried tempering any enthusiasm for him the last pre-game, but as long as he remembers the things that make him successful on the court, and doesn’t forget what it’s like to log 30 minutes for the whole season, I think he’ll do fine. We could see a dip in his energy as the excitement of getting a second chance begins to fade, but as long as he’s still hustling, things will work themselves out. Truth be told, his inclusion in the starting lineup has this team playing a better brand of basketball that could really hurt their draft position come July. That’s probably the best compliment I’ve given any Raptor this season: that they make the team better. So I know very little about Damion Jones, who’s been getting the start since the trade went down. The guy is a big, active player who rebounds well and is starting to develop a perimeter game. Seems like the two of Johnson and Jones are somewhat similar in what they bring to the game.
Box: 8pts 9rebs 3ast 2blk

Amir Johnson
I did a double-take after glancing at Amir’s line after the Hornets game: 8pts 10rebs 2ast 7blk

It really should come as no surprise given how involved he was in every aspect of the game, not too mention he had to deal with West and Okafor all night. What has the smile on my face is the six swats he had. Given how close the score was, with the Hornets cutting the lead to 4 with time ticking down, Amir’s defense was huge in maintaining the Raptor lead, and eventually pulling out the win. Recreating that production will be tough, but the Nets front court consists of Humphries and Lopez and..yea, Amir/Ed/Andrea should take this.

Humphries will shoot the ball enough to remind us that even though he’s close to averaging a double-double on the season, his scoring aspirations disrupt the offense too much for him to be a starter. He does hustle, and give it his all, so he can’t be overlooked.
Box: 14pts 9rebs 3blk

Andrea Bargnani
Im just going to put this out there, but I think I’d rather have Bargnani than Lopez. Over the course of this season, both teams have equally stunk, but Andrea has done more with his playing time than Brook. It wasn’t always the case, and Lopez is a nice player,but he’s definitely had a disappointing season. Check the comparison:

Lopez: 34.6m 19.5pts 5.9rebs 1.5ast 1.5blk
Bargnani: 35.9m 21.8pts 5.5rebs 1.7ast 0.6blk

While Bargnani isn’t blowing Lopez away, and Brook has a higher PER (18.43 to 16.41), Bargnani is a better defender in the low post, and his rebounding is about the same. Lopez can step out and hit a jumper, but his range is stretched to the limit at 18 feet, and his post game isn’t as refined.
Box: 26pts 7rebs 1blk

The Line

The gamblers have the Nets as 3 point favourites with an over/under of 202.5. I’m expecting a nice pace to this game, and it should be close. I’m hoping the Nets win both these games weekend (to solidify the Raptors draft position), but I’m guessing the teams will split the games. Raptors pull out a tough win tonight, Nets storm back and win tomorrow.

Today’s game is at 3pm EST; if you’re stuck at the office, then come check out our live blog by Arsenalist.

Alabi: one day when you get a little bit older, you could play in a game like this, kid.

Andersen: the poor mans Pau Gasol. Okay, more like the panhandlers Pau Gasol. Tonight was indicative of why the Aussie will never be a consistent go-to guy in the NBA. When up against quality, the untalented will turtle.

Banks: his stroll along the Walk of Fame is about as close as he’ll get to walking amongst allstars in the craft on this road trip.

Barbosa: have to be honest…if I’m Triano, I’m not sure I leave Barbosa on the bench for as long as he did. Leandro had a heck of a first half, playing like Leandro of old on both sides of the ball. His reward? Playing with the creases in his warmups for most of the second half. Inexcusable.

Bargnani: nice(ish) early but the last 5-6 minutes of the game was just atrocious for a guy you want to rely on as your horse offensively. His shot seemed like it was being heaved by a 14year old kid playing as Andrea on his XBox as he’s reaching for the cheesies mid-release. Erratic and ill-advised.

Calderon: 14pts and 8 assists and a return to the Jose of old for at least one night. Regretfully, I have to admit that this performance will be a flash in the pan this season, but under the Hollywood lights and against a veteran pointguard and a guy he knows pretty well, Jose delivered.

Davis: just gotta hope that the kid is soaking in what he is witnessing from the sidelines. Being a Tar Hell makes you think he is.

DeRozan: I have to admit, I’m happy for him. You obviously know I’m not a starry-eyed fan of his, but after a pisspoor effort last season, it was great to see him come out and perform well in front of his hometown family. By his standards, his play tonight was stellar. No fear of Kobe and company, he attacked, he defended well, he made people sit up and take notice….all things you’d expect from a player hoping to one day be elite. Tonight DeMar showed he might be that guy.

Dorsey: he has about as much of a chance of making a name for himself in the NBA as the average resident of East L.A. does of cracking 6 figures.

Evans: 14 rebounds and the return of the mack. Know what I liked? He was up and cheering his guys on and talking smack to the Lakers for the whole game. Again, I know some of you see that all the time, but most of the time I see him just playing a role. Tonight, though, to these eyes he seemed genuinely jacked up and, after all was said and done, genuinely disappointed with the outcome. Not happy with the result, but I’m impressed by him tonight.

Jack: welcome to his first rut of the 2010/11 season. Sit and chew your nails all you want because that is exactly where you should be if you continue giving this team about as much effort as a turtle in a windstorm.

Johnson: the third guy of the night that is the maitre d’ at the crow restaurant that has just opened up around the corner. By leaps and bounds, his best game of the season and one that will have Liston dry humping his cats scratching post. Kudos Amir….what you gave this team tonight is something that had them on the cusp of beating the world champions. Hopefully the final score doesn’t make you want to revert back to how you’ve played all season.

Kleiza: he played like that wind-up toy you had as a kid: started off gangbusters and, right before your eyes, seemed to quickly run down until he seemed like he was motionless. What the hell he was doing on the floor in crunch time is beyond me. He didn’t deserve it in this game or any of the last few.

Weems: seems to be Jays instrument of example this season. Get out there and perform adequately, but if you mess up and blow an assignment or coverage, you best be chatting up a Laker girl because you aren’t moving from where you are sitting the rest of the night.

Wright: didn’t do much stats-wise but the hustle was back tonight. Might be just due to the opposition, but it was nice to see some spark. Still not convinced there is much fluid left in the Zippo, though.

Driving The Bus: DeMar DeRozan

Under The Bus: Linas Kleiza

Game Theme :

The Game Thread in the RR Forums

Every year, this team has some sort of built in excuse that stirs debate among us about what to really expect/feel about this team. Taking care of business has been a big problem for the Raptors over the last couple seasons. Had they beaten the Knicks and Kings heading into to this rough stretch of games, they might have been able to come out on the other side much more intact. Instead, they are 1-3 heading into a 6 game stretch where the only winnable games are the Warriors (on the road) and the Bobcats; 2-8 seems about right to me.

Last year, the Raptors were able to stun the Lakers and steal the rug right out from under them; this year, not so much. If you thought the Jazz were badass, the Lakers are the most offensively efficient, as well as being the second best rebounding team in the league; all without Andrew Bynum. They’re also winning games with by an average margin of 13. Needless to say, the goal tonight will be to compete, work hard, build some momentum for when the schedule lightens up a bit…and not lose by 20.

I had a chance to speak with Phillip Barnett of Forum Blue & Gold about the Lakers:

The Lakers added Steve Blake and Matt Barnes (who was almost a raptor) over the summer. Can you talk about the impact that both these players are having on this team? I’m especially interested in Barnes, who I think was a perfect addition on the wing (in the mold of Ariza, but better defensively).
I think the addition of Steve Blake (to shore up the back up point guard spot) and Matt Barnes (adding even depth to the small forward spot) were two very good pick-ups for the Lakers this off-season. Steve Blake came in and picked up the Triangle Offense right away and has already developed some very good on-court chemistry with Lamar Odom. While I didn’t hate Jordan Farmar, I do love that his often push-the-pace, frantic style of basketball was replaced by the steady handed, better-shooting Steve Blake. He’s already knocked down a huge three pointer with 18 seconds left on the road against Phoenix and has helped to keep the bench’s turnover rate down.

As for Matt Barnes, I think his signing was about as underrated a signing there was this off-season. The Lakers spent a lot of last season trying to figure out how to back up the small forward position. Lamar Odom and Kobe got a lot of run at the three spot, increasing their respective minutes. Although he isn’t the full reason, Matt Barnes coming off the bench has reduced the number of Kobe’s minutes, and has made the minutes that he’s played a lot less effortless than what he was accustomed to last season. One of the things about Barnes that often goes unnoticed is the fact that he is a fantastic passer. Playing with so many run-and-gun teams throughout his journeyman career, he’s developed a “make the extra pass” mentality — something that has stood out to me more than anything else in his game. Then, of course, there is his ability to play tough perimeter defense — adding to what the Lakers already had in Ron Artest and Kobe. I think he’s still finding his way on the offensive side of the floor, but you can definitely see the upside of having a guy like Barnes on your side.

How do you see this team matching up against the Thunder come playoff time? I look at the West, and while the teams are still strong, OKC seems to be the only crew who can give the Lakers a real test come the post-season.
It’s hard for me to say at this point because this is a different Lakers team from what we saw last season. I know that we’re only 4-5 games into the season, but the Lakers do look like they’re heads and heels above what the Thunder are going to have to offer. OKC is in the middle of the pack of a lot of statistical categories, most notably offensive and defensive efficiency, hence their .500 record. But then again, we’re looking at such a small sample and completely ignoring all of the things that gave the Lakers problems last season. The Thunder are young, athletic and long. Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison gave the Lakers problems defensively and on the boards, Russell Westbrook is by far the fastest species either team has to offer and Kevin Durant is, well, Kevin Durant. The Lakers no longer have that glaring problem with their bench and now have one more defender they can throw at Durant in Matt Barnes. It’s a tough one to call with the season being so early, but as of right now, I think the Lakers don’t struggle as much this time around. If the playoff started with every team in the West healthy, I think the Lakers would have the most problems with Portland, Dallas and Houston because of their comparable size and veteran presences.

What happens with Bynum? Is it time to trade him before his injury problems totally ruin his value? Let me qualify: the kid has talent, moves well and is a beast; but at what point do you make the decision to not bet the future of the franchise on a guy who’s only played 82 games once in five seasons?
Ahh, the ubiquitous Andrew Bynum question. Here is what I believe the Lakers’ brain trust is thinking on this one: They have been to three straight NBA Finals, won the last two and are the favorites for this current season, even with Bynum’s injury. They’re going to take their time with him simply because they don’t need him right now. He’ll come back late in this calendar year, have some time to play himself back into shape through the second trimester of the season and will be healthy for the last stretch into the playoffs. Last year, they beat the Celtics with ‘Drew AND Kobe limping around on one leg. If they can have both of them healthy for this year’s postseason, it’s hard to imagine any team in the league beating them in a best of seven.

However, that is a huge if. Keeping Bynum is a huge franchise risk, simply because we don’t know what is to happen to his knees — or anything else for that matter — in the future. I think it’s a risk they’re willing to take because this is still a team that will contend with or without Bynum. Having him on the floor only helps their cause, and there aren’t too many other centers in the league capable of putting up the kind of numbers a healthy Andrew Bynum can on a night-to-night basis. Also, he gained a lot of trust from the organization when he went out there and battled through his injury. He didn’t always have the best of nights, but he finally, after five years, showed signs of being a warrior. Everyone had battled through some injury during last season, and seeing Andrew Bynum risk the future of his knee by banging bodies with the likes of Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett really left a lasting impression on the Lakers.

We saw how sad it was for Jordan during the second comeback, and Kobe has that same manic drive. How many more years of elite play does Kobe Bryant have left in him?
Yes, Kobe does have a manic drive, but no, it isn’t the same as Jordan’s during his second comeback. Jordan’s was the manic-est of drives of all time. Not only did he come back, but he came back from running the team in the front office to running the team on the floor. He felt that Wizards team was so pathetic that only his presence could save them. Kobe’s is of the “I want to win, win every time, and win convincingly” variety — and he’s decided that he’s going to win by any means necessary. He’s trusting his teammates, hitting the glass, taking better shots and teaching the younger players. The Lakers are winning, and he seems to be enjoying these victories that what he had in the past. As for your actual question, I still think he has at least two more elite years left in him. I noted earlier that he’s playing fewer minutes, and in those minutes, he isn’t working as hard. This season, he’s using fewer dribbles, making quicker decisions and letting the bigs establish themselves. Considering the core of this team will be intact for the next few years, I think this is a trend we’ll likely see as long as they’re together. Kobe can still go out and get his 25-30 a game, but it’s going to be a relatively easy 25-30 points compared to the effort he had to put into scoring in the past. I’m not saying every night is going to be as easy as the first five games have been for him, but when was the last time he’s had a five game stretch where he averaged fewer than 35 minutes per game? You’d have to go back a long ways for that.

By all accounts, this is Phil Jackson’s last year on the bench; who takes over, Brian Shaw, or do they bring in an outsider?
I’m a firm believer in keeping the system intact. This Lakers team is a tight knit group with an offense that suits this collection of talent really well. With that said, I’d like to see them give Brian Shaw his first head coaching opportunity. He played for Phil Jackson during the early millennium three-peat team and has been on Phil’s bench for quite a while now. He’s as respected by the Lakers players as much as any assistant coach in the NBA. I think Jerry Buss would like to see more of a Showtime Era style of basketball, but I think he has to take into consideration that the Lakers, during Kobe’s regime, have not won a title running any other system.

Regardless of what happens, you just cannot replace a Phil Jackson. Whoever comes succeeds him as the Lakers head coach will have some Shaq-sized shoes to fill. Guys who we felt might have had a shot at this job in the past (Kurt Rambis now in Minnesota, Byron Scott who is now in Cleveland) are now head coaching for other NBA teams, making the coaching candidates narrowed down to Brian Shaw and everyone else. Shaw definitely has a leg up on the competition, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that anything is set in stone. It’ll be interesting to watch how this plays out, but if I had a vote, it would be Shaw.

Injury Report

Toronto
Niente

Los Angeles
Andrew Bynum – Knee
Luke Walton – Hamstring

Match-ups

PG – Jack vs Fisher
This is the only match-up where the Raptors have a legitimate shot at winning. You think Jack and Calderon play bad defense? Fisher just turned 36 and was being blown by off the dribble two years ago. Sadly, the guy is able to think the game, and will make some quality decisions throughout to account for his terrible defense. He doesn’t get into the lane much, so Jack should know that he will be camped out on the 3-point line waiting for the triangle to get him the ball (Hint: don’t leave him to double on someone, it wont help and you will get burned). Needs to be mentioned Blake will get some nice run at point, and he is a guy who’s young, in shape and has killed the Raptors in the past. Jack picked it up against the Jazz, posting 14pts 5ast, but he was doodoo against the Cavs and Kings.

Edge: Jack

SG – DeRozan vs Kobe
DeMar is on his way to being a legit 15-point a night scorer. However, to get to the 20 point plateau, he’ll need to get to the line more, and hit from beyond the arc once or twice a game. That’s how I see it, and I stand by it. Kobe is going to do whatever he feels like, from whatever point on the floor he wants too, and there is nothing DeRozan can do about it, sadly. I’m of the opinion that these sorts of games are good for DeMar since he can learn from Kobe via osmosis, at least I hope he does. Playing in front of a ‘home’ crowd with friends and family in the stands might prove to be distracting.

Edge: Kobe

SF – Kleiza vs Artest
Kleiza had some trouble getting off against Kirilenko; Artest is the bigger stronger version. It will be tough taking it to him head on, so it will be best to keep Ron-Ron on his toes and mix it up some. I really have nothing to say other than Artest is more of a perimeter player on offense; he likes to pop long jumpers. Those are easy to defend, just stay up on him and get him to put it on the floor. I don’t know, I got nothing on this match-up, I think Kleiza will score some, grab a couple boards and dish a few dimes, and I think Artest will do the same.

Edge: Even

PF – Evans vs Odom
Full Disclosure: I have Odom and Evans in my fantasy pool.

While he was grabbing a ridiculous amount of rebounds, the lingering question in my head was always “did something change, or was it a benefit of the match-ups that Evans was able to average 16.3 rebounds during the first 3 games of the year. Not trying to hate, but that rate was ridiculous for a guy who’s never averaged more than 9.3 (which came 7 years ago) a night. Last game against the Jazz, the first game against a real front line, we saw him fall back down to earth with the rebounding. Battling alongside Bargnani against Millsap and Jefferson is daunting for anyone in the league, and the two put in a pretty decent effort all things considered. Tonight it doesn’t get any easier as he gets to check Khloe Odom who is bigger, stronger, faster, longer and more gifted overall. I’e got Evans on the bench tonight, lets just put that way.

Edge: Odom

C – Bargnani vs Gasol
Bargnani’s offensive improvement has been more than incremental this season; figure about a 41% jump early in the season – nothing to shake a stick at. We saw that he stepped up to Jefferson and really delivered a solid performance against a quality opponent; even grabbed a couple rebounds. There was also some improvement on his boxing out, which is all I really want from the guy. Gasol is the best big man in the league, period. The only positive here is that when Gasol gets a breather, Bargnani wont have to contend with Bynum in the low block.

Edge: Gasol

Lakers are 13.5 point favourites…it’s not going to be a pretty outcome, but we should see a nice pace to the game; I’m going with the gamblers, bet the kids trust fund.

For those in the Toronto area, we have our first Raptor Fan Fridays at Sports Center Cafe. For those who aren’t, Live Chat will be bumping.

The next team on Bosh’s wish-list is the Los Angeles Lakers, who have the curse of needing to always field a contending team. Their current crop looks to be on path to get to the finals for the third straight year, having won the championship last season.

With their core aging, they need to bring in players who can help compete for championships now, while building a solid core for the future. I checked in with Phillip Barnett of the ESPN TrueHoop Lakers blog Forum Blue and Gold to get his thoughts on the Lakers championship aspirations, Bosh rumours and Phil Jackson. Heeerreeeeeee we gooooooo! (sorry Steve, couldn’t resist):

Sam Holako: Chris Bosh was linked to the Lakers around the trade deadline with Bynums name coming up as possibly coming back to the Raptors. Given that Bosh just gave his wishlist of 5 destinations. the Lakers being one of them, how interested would Kupchak/Buss be in making a deal work?

Phillip Barnett: It would be impossible for the Kupchak/Buss contingent to not take a look at possibly making a move for Bosh, but at this time, I don’t think any deal would happen. I think a lot of it will hinder on how effective Andrew Bynum is against the Celtics in the Finals (this is, of course, assuming that both Conference Finals play out the way they’ve began), but in the end, I see ‘Drew in a Lakers jersey next year. There are just too many factors that lead me to believe that the Lakers are, and will remain, content with their Gasol/Bynum front court, no matter how versatile they’ll look on paper with Bosh on the floor.

SH: Even though they are championship contenders for the next 3-4 years, you have to start looking to the future. Chris Bosh represents the type of player who fills both short and long term needs of a team that needs to be relevant at all times.

PB: It would be impossible for the Kupchak/Buss contingent to not take a look at possibly making a move for Bosh, but at this time, I don’t think any deal would happen. I think a lot of it will hinder on how effective Andrew Bynum is against the Celtics in the Finals (this is, of course, assuming that both Conference Finals play out the way they’ve began), but in the end, I see ‘Drew in a Lakers jersey next year. There are just too many factors that lead me to believe that the Lakers are, and will remain, content with their Gasol/Bynum front court, no matter how versatile they’ll look on paper with Bosh on the floor. Andrew Bynum has shown flashes of becoming a better center than Dwight Howard, he just hasn’t really had a chance to prove that he can be consistent because of injuries. If a deal is done that sends Bosh to Los Angeles, Bynum’s propensity to be injured for long stretches of the year.

Chris Bosh would open up the Lakers offense tremendously as he is a better face up player than Pau Gasol is. I think he could fit in great in the triangle offense playing at the pinch post and with Gasol on the low block. He wouldn’t have to shoulder so much of a scoring load with Gasol and Kobe on the floor with him and would immediately give the Lakers the most athletic front court in basketball. The Odom/Gasol/Bynum lineup hasn’t worked out as well as some thought it would, but I think it could work a whole lot better if Bynum is substituted for Bosh. But then again, with the economy not as solid as it once was, having three of the top 20 contracts on your payroll wouldn’t be such a great idea (Kobe, Gasol and Bosh). Also, ‘Drew has been a great anchor for the Lakers defense when he’s been able to stay on the floor. Although Bosh isn’t terrible defensively, I don’t think he can replicate what Bynum has been able to do for the Lakers this season.

Lastly, Jim Buss, Jerry Buss’ son, does not want to give up Bynum. ‘Drew was his personal project, his first draft pick and has been very stubborn when talks of moving him have come up. Jim is the future of the Lakers organization, or better or for worse, and when it comes down to it, I have a tough time seeing him giving up Bynum right now. Not when he’s seen flashes of Bynum’s potential.

Do you think Bosh showing up at the Lakers/Jazz playoff game has anything to do with him adding the Lakers to his list of teams?

SH: I don’t know how much of being at the game has to do with it as opposed to everyone wanting to play with Kobe for a first rate organization. If a trade was in the works, how much interest would there be in taking Calderon as well? With Fisher on his last legs, Jose’s ability to hit threes, and his connection with Gasol, there could be a great fit.

PB: I’m actually a big fan of Jose Calderon. I think he has great vision and is a much better shooter than Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown. Calderon didn’t have his greatest season last year and I think he could get back on track with a simple change in scenery. It wouldn’t take too long for him to fit in playing with the likes of Bosh and Gasol, both of whom he’s played with for years. Derek Fisher is, as he’s done in the previous two years, showing his worth in the post season. Just a month and a half ago, it was hard to imagine Fish coming back in a Lakers jersey next season, but if the Lakers put up another banner in the rafters, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lakers brought him back for one more year. If he’s gone, there will be a definite need for a point guard. Both Farmar and Brown’s contracts are up, with Brown having a player option and the Lakers able to offer Farmar a qualifying offer, it is very realistic that all three of the Lakers point guards could be gone next season. So to answer your question, if the Lakers make a move for Bosh, I do think they’ll have to find a way to work Calderon in the deal.

SH: So what are your thoughts on the playoffs? This years playoffs have been very interesting to me, sweep after sweep, with both the Lakers and Celtics being able to turn “it” on when people said it’s not possible. How do you like your chances against the Celtics in the finals?

PB: I know it’s been discussed around the blogosphere ad nausium, but I really think the Lakers needed to be waken up and that’s exactly what the Thunder did. Now the Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season, finding their opposition’s weaknesses and taking advantage of them. Pau Gasol has raised his game, Kobe has found his shooting touch and the bench is contributing. During the Lakers previous seven games, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown have shot over 50 percent from three point range. What were Lakers’ weaknesses during the regular season have been strengths after their first four post season games.

As far as the Finals, I still can’t really bring myself to look too far ahead. I’m a bit superstitious about those kind of things. But I will say this: The advantages that the Celtics had in 2008 aren’t as prevalent now as they were two years ago. I think Garnett isn’t as mobile, James Posey is one less defender they can throw at Kobe and the Lakers have home court. I am excited about the possibility of another Lakers/Celtics Finals, but I really want the Lakers to close out this Phoenix playing well. They were up 2-0 in 2006 to the Suns and ended up losing in seven. Anything can happen, I don’t think the Suns coming back is likely, but I’m not going to count them out until it’s actually over.

SH: Unless Gentry can make big adjustments, it looks good for you guys. By some accounts, this could be Phil Jacksons last season as the Lakers coach. I’ve read that Buss doesn’t wants to cut his salary to less than half the levels they are at now. I’m wondering why he wouldn’t want to keep this core together and compete for as many championships as possible while Kobe is the best player on the planet. What are your thoughts on the coaching situation, who could be lined up to take his spot if Jackson doesn’t return?

PB: This is one of the tougher questions to answer because we’ve heard about the Phil Jackson situation from so many angles. Is his salary going to be cut in half? Is he coming back for the same amount of money? Have Jackson and Buss even discussed his contract yet? Jeanie Buss said she wasn’t sure that PJax would be back with the Lakers next season. There are ridiculous rumors that Jackson is going to leave to go coach Lebron. The thing is, there hasn’t been any definite answer yet. I’ve heard that Buss would love to have Jackson back and I know that Kobe certainly would love to have him back. If I had to guess, I’d say that Jackson would be back next season with a contract paying him less, but not significantly less, than what he’s making now — especially if they go on to win another ring.

As far as his replacement, it seemed like they were grooming Kurt Rambis to take over, but he’s now in Minnesota. Knowing the Lakers history, they usually get what they want, and if they want Rambis to replace Jackson, they’ll have him. I’ve always been a fan of Brian Shaw. I don’t know if he’s ready to move into a head coaching position yet, but from what I’ve heard, the players (sans Vujacic), all respond really well to him. Fish and Kobe played with him back in the 3-peat years and both respect him. We saw what happened the last time they brought in an outsider (Rudy T in ’05). He didn’t last the full season. So with this Lakers group, I think they should stay within the organization with a guy who knows the system and can command the respect from a group of very strong personalities.

SH: Are Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw really able to coach a championship calibre team though? I don’t know enough about them to make a judgement, but it would seem that to manage personalities like Kobe, Artest, Gasol and Odom, you would need someone like Jackson if your intention is to win championships.

PB: That’s really a question that can’t really be answered until they’re given the opportunity. Kurt Rambis is in his first head coaching job in Minnesota, a team that didn’t have a particularly good record, but they also don’t have particularly good talent. He’s over there trying to run the triangle with a relatively young core who are taking a while to figure it out. With the Lakers, he’ll have a veteran core that already understands the offense, and it would just be on him to make game-to-game adjustments. With the Xs and Os aspect of the game, I have no doubt that both Rambis and Brian Shaw have very good basketball minds, but when it comes with dealing with a group of such high profile players, you need to command the respect of your top rotations guys.

I don’t think the Lakers would have been grooming Rambis to take over the job if he didn’t command that respect nor would Brian Shaw have been added to Phil Jackson’s staff after playing with some of the very guys he’d be coaching. Besides, I don’t think any of the available coaches would fit within the Lakers system. Kobe is a very detail oriented basketball player who finally started meshing with Jackson when they both realized that they have the same attention to detail for the game. I don’t think guys like Mark Jackson, Mike Brown and Byron Scott share that same attention to detail. If you’re not going to find another Phil Jackson, why not keep someone who is at least going to keep the same system in place to keep this team on the same page going into another season where they’ll be in a position to contend again?

What infuriates me about this Raptors team is that if they somehow pull out a win tonight against the Lakers, I wouldn’t be surprised, but a loss to the 76ers blows my mind. It’s not so much that they lost, well it is, but mostly how they lost. You get your franchise player back after he goes down for two weeks with an ankle injury, and you come out flat. Everyone was flat, even Jay wasn’t arguing calls with the zeal he normally does.

The Sixers are an athletic team, and the Raptors aren’t. Frankly, I would have picked them to be doing better than they are, at least be fighting for a playoff spot. As things happen, they are out of the playoff picture, and the Raptors are two games out of the lottery.

Over the last 6 games, the Raptors are a dismal 1-5. They haven’t been playing with any sense of urgency, energy, determination, heart, grit, honour, pride….they’ve been playing like the Nets, but with better players. I’m not sure what’s worse.

The Lakers are on a three game losing streak of their own; but there’s no remedy better than going home after a tough loss to the Magic on the road. A game where Kobe took 30 shots to score 34, Gasol put up 20/15 and Odom & Artest combined for 16pts 12rebs 5ast. Needless to say, the highlight of the game was Artest’s hair.

I bet the Lakers had this game circled on their calender after Turkoglu won the game at the line, with 1.2 seconds left in the game back in Toronto. Kobe had plenty of time to take the winning shot, but Antoine Wright played him perfectly defensively, only allowing an aggressively-contested shot that rimmed out.

What’s exciting is the game the Raptors played put themselves into a position where they could win the game at the line in the dying moments. Defense was solid, even though the Lakers dropped 105 points. Their tight man defense and crisp rotations in the 4th quarter forced bad shots/turnovers, then they capitalized on the other end with big shot making. Jack kept Farmar in check, Bosh and Bargnani would collapse on Gasol, even Calderon forced a couple turnovers.

The other key for the Raptors was getting to the line, and hitting their free throws. The Raptors need to replicate both of these efforts to even have a shot at a win here. Sadly, I’m hardpressed to think of this as anything but a spectacular loss to a team out for blood. Almost like Tom Liston furiously refreshing his browser until Amir Johnson’s adjusted +/- for the last three years is updated online.

Remember this?

Lightning wont be striking twice.

UPDATE

Better late than never, but I had checked in with Andy Kamenetzky from Land O’ Lakers, the ESPN Los Angeles Laker blog he runs with his brother Brian (you can also catch them on Twitter) and asked him a few questions about the Lakers heading into tonights game:

Q. I thought that replacing Ariza with Artest was an upgrade for the Lakers. Was it really? How has Artest worked out? Living up to expectations? Comment about his latest hairdo?
A. All in all, I do consider Artest an upgrade. Offensively, he’s been inconsistent, but so has the team in general for reasons varying from injuries creating a lack of continuity to a pure lack of focus. The issues aren’t Ron’s alone and he’s hardly the cause. These problems would exist if Ariza were still around, so you have to ask how much would Trevor be able to help. Judging by how he’s performed in an increased offensive role in Houston, my guess is not much.

In the meantime, the Lakers defense has become, rather under the radar, among the league’s best, which I think has a lot to do with Artest. He plays EXTREMELY hard and the team often feeds off his energy. Not to mention his pure skills. While Ariza was capable of disrupting teams with his length and is certainly a solid defender, Artest often wrecks guys one-on-one. He hounds the likes of ‘Melo, Pierce, Joe Johnson, and Granger relentlessly, leans on them, pokes away balls and often prevents them from even taking shots, much less forcing a miss. The Lakers undoubtedly miss Ariza’s speed at times and the flexibility of putting him on someone like Tony Parker, but TA also can’t cover guys without help for as long of durations. I’d rather have Artest, because that ability to go solo allows everyone else to better concentrate on their man.

Ron Ron’s “Demolition Man” ‘do was both interesting and short-lived. He’s now chrome dome, although the dye remains seeped into the skin. Always something there to remind me.

Q. I recently read that Lamar Odom eats excessive amounts of chocolate, and passes out in bed. Does it concern you that a major cog for a team with championship aspirations has this problem? How is his conditioning otherwise?
A. Considering Lamar ate plenty of candy last season when they won a title, no. He’s also been eating more oranges this season (another reason Artest has been a positive addition), if that eases anybody’s concerns. But unless he quite literally overdosed from a chocolate excess (as opposed to simply falling drifting off and the treats happened to be part of the equation) I consider this a non-story.

Q. Does Cleveland adding Antawn Jamison worry you guys come the finals?
A. In theory, yes, although Cleveland now has injury issues of their own and it remains to be seen how they’ll perform once Z returns and the entire roster is available. But to the original question, yes, he does concern me. I think Jamison was a better fit for Cleveland and easier to work into their system than Amar’e Stoudemire, their other debated acquisition. Particularly on the fly, which became even more of the case than originally expected. But assuming everyone is presented and accounted for, Jamison makes the Cavs better. He’s a tough cover and, by all accounts, a very good teammate. You can never have enough of the latter during the pressure cooker that is a playoff run.

Q. What is Phil Jackson’s status going forward?
A. Nobody knows for sure, but it’s certainly been a point of local gossip and rumors. Speculation Dr. Buss will ask PJ to take a pay cut next season, particularly if the Lakers don’t win it all. Speculation the team is tempted to bring in Byron Scott and start writing the franchise’s next chapter. Speculation old family wounds and divides have resurfaced to complicate the issue. Speculation PJ’s unresolved status could somehow jeopardize Kobe staying on board. And as the team plays below expectations, even while winning, even more speculation results.

Having said that, let’s be honest, isn’t that what we do in Laker Land even when everything is peachy? The Lakers and drama go hand in hand even during the brightest of times.

Personally, I think Jackson will return next season, assuming he remains in good health. But I guess you never know until ink and paper meet.

Q. Thoughts on the cause for your 3 game losing streak?
A. It’s still odd at times for me to type this, but the Lakers have been increasingly struggling on offense, which was certainly case during the three-loss roadie. Beyond not scoring with ease, they’re not doing much of anything efficiently. The ball doesn’t move and when it does, it’s often in the process of creating a turnover. They’re missing free throws. Players (Pau Gasol in particular) are having trouble hanging onto the rock. Too much iso play around the arc. Too much iso period. Ironically, the defense has often been very good, but when you’re both unable to score and constantly giving the ball away, there’s only so long the D will hold. According to research provided by Elias, the Lakers surrender 15.2 ppg off turnovers this season. During March, it’s hit nearly 19. For obvious reasons, that can’t continue.

I actually wrote about the streak ending on the Land O’ Lakers blog. To me, it felt emblematic of issues rising throughout the season and finally catching up to them over three consecutive games. This is still obviously a very good team, but there pressing issues in need of fine-tuning and they’re running out of time to hit stride before the playoffs.

Today’s recap:

Pistons

• Signed Ben Gordon to a 5r/$55mil contract.
• Signed Charlie Villanueva to a 5yr/$35-$40mil contract.

Dumars saved face with the whole Michael Curry situation by making a massive splash on Day 1 of free agency. Did he pay too much for Gordon? Probably, but he got himself a youngin who can score in buckets, is tough as nails, and clutch. Also, he scooped up our boy CV31, and signed him to a GREAT deal. Are the Pistons championship contenders? No, but they have a nice young core of Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiel, Aaron Afflalo, Amir Johnson with the likes of Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince. Not too bad.

Grade: B+ – Retooling quick, but at a price.

Grizzlies/Clippers

• Clipps exile Zach Randolph to the Grizz for Quentin Richardson and calmer nerves.

Can’t believe they actually found someone who will take Zach and that nasty attitude/contract off their hands, but they did. Clipps get rid of a cancer, save some money, and clear space for Griffin to become the #1 guy on the right block, all in one move. Memphis on the other hand just made Thabeet’s life much tougher protecting the paint.

Clippers Grade: A – Franchise moving in the right direction…finally.
Grizzlies Grade: D – WTF????

Lakers

• Ariza wants more then mid-level, I’d give it to him.

Is he worth it? Maybe. Is he going to walk? Probably. The Lakers need to keep Odom before giving Ariza the big bucks. One of the guys I would target if I were BC, a younger Marion.

Grade: D – You keep this guy, no questions.

Blazers

• Flirting with Hedu, I like the guy, but not for $60mil.

Not a good move, could just be smoke/mirrors. Khandor breaks this move down better then I could. On the bright side, this whole thing has Fernandez pissed off, giving most of us something to talk about, even though some other GM will probably pluck him out of the air if he becomes available.

Grade: D – I’d rather keep Rudy and bring in a Richard Hamilton type, that’s just me.

The Mavs are an interesting team. I wonder how Cuban wakes up every morning after pulling that trade last season for Kidd. He got a lifeline the first time around when Stackhouse opened his big stupid mouth, but he failed to see it as a sign, and mortgaged the future for no real good reason (it’s not like they are a contender anymore).

Dallas is coming off a pretty solid win over the Thunder, where Nowitzki dropped 41. They hold a 2 game lead for the 8th spot in the West (ahead of the Suns no less). Seems like they win the privilege of meeting the Lakers in the 1st round as Stoudemire has been lost for the season with a detached retina. They are 6-4 in their last 10, but sport a 21-8 home record.

I couldn’t decide between the 4 of them.

The Raptors just ended a two game winning streak with a drubbing at the hands of Shaq and Amundson. Uhm, this is the 2nd game of a possible 6-8 game losing streak for the Raptors which will all but drop their 2% chance of making the playoffs to 0% and we can look ahead to next year for yet another season of resentment, second guessing and wasted time.

On the bright side, the Mavericks cheerleaders are damn hot. The first thing we all notice is that they are all well endowed, I assume we probably have Cuban to thank for that. Thanks man. It was a hard choice, and I couldn’t commit to only one girl here, they are both high quality babies. May I introduce to you Jody and Jessica. Jody (the one on the left) is a rookie dancer who wants to one day own her own cajun restaurant and boasts Jason Terry as her favourite Mav. Jessica on the other hand is an Oasis fan, and loves her some Manicotti, interesting Stackhouse is her favourite Mav.

Injury Report

Raptors
Kris Humphries
Joey Graham – questionable

Mavericks
Jerry Stackhouse
Jason Terry
Shawne Williams

Match-ups

Calderon vs Kidd
The Edge: Kidd - Calderon sucks. Kidd is old and slow, but he is a warrior. I have been taking this match-up for a couple years now.

Parker vs Wright
The Edge: Parker - Parker was luke-warm last night, so it can swing either way, but Wright sucks and is only getting burn because Terry and Stackhouse are out of commission.

Marion vs Howard
The Edge: Marion - This is going to be a nice match-up. Both are premiere 3′s in the league, and will be trying to bring it. Marion has been a beast for us on the boards and in the paint. His perimeter defense has been solid as well, which will come in handy as Howard likes to pop J’s from 15ft out.

Bosh vs Nowitzki
The Edge: Nowitzki - The guy is a Raptor killer he put up 27pts and 10rebs the last time around, and I don’t see it going down much differently, especially with most of the offensive load being on his capable shoulders with Terry out. Bosh will have a big game, 23pts 9rebs, but Nowitzki gets the nod here.

Bargnani vs Dampier
The Edge: VL - VL had a pretty solid showing against Shaq last night, and Dampier is a super watered down version.

The Line

VegasInsider.com has the Mavs at -6.5.

Prediction

The Mavs don’t need Terry and Stackhouse to beat the Raptors, they will protect home court and win by 9.

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WINNING DOES NOT EQUAL PROFITABILITY!

Well-well-well, what do we have here? The Raptors made more money then the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs, both of which have won championships. In fact, MLSE’s profit margin is staggering compared to the two:

Raptors: 20.1%
Celtics: 13.5%
Spurs: 13.8%

Other interesting facts:

• 2 of the top 10 most profitable teams haven’t won a championship
• 6 of the top 10 haven’t had any post-season success in a decade
• The Bulls are more profitable then the Lakers and Spurs (who have accounted for 7 of the last 10 championships)
• 2 of the top 7 teams were built by Bryan Colangelo

So getting back to the Raptors, who controls this franchise? What do they do? Again, not treading any new ground here, but:

• Ontario Teachers Pension Fund – 58%
• CTVglobemedia – 15%
• TD Bank Financial Group – 14%
• Kilmer Sports Inc (Larry Tanenbaum) – 13%

The ownership face is Larry Tanenbaum, but 87% of the ownership lies with corporations and a pension fund, all of who’s sole purpose is to make money for their stakeholders. You think TD shareholders care if the Raptors wins a championship? Does the pension fund care about who plays with Bosh? Does Bell care about anything other then screwing consumers (TSN2, are you kidding me??)?

MLSE owns sports franchises (Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, Toronto Marlies), but they also are property developers & owners, TV station operators, merchandisers, marketers, capitalists (how much does it cost to get a slice of pizza at a game?)…elitists.

What was their first order of business when attendance was dropping during the post Vince Carter era? Get the guy who ran the 6th most profitable NBA franchise -> Bryan Colangelo.

So back to the question at hand, does winning mean you make more money? Lets examine the payrolls of the favourites to win this years championship vs the Raptors payroll:

• Boston Celtics – $80,781,018
• Los Angeles Lakers – $78,848,027
• Cleveland Cavaliers – $90,531,126
• San Antonio Spurs – $64,628,813

The Spurs may not be the favourites, but the road to the finals still runs through them in the west. So the average payroll of a championship contender is $78,697,246. Can we all agree this is the cost to win a championship (not including the cost for your GM, coach, assistant coaches, scouts, medical staff, etc)? The Raptors current payroll is $67,376,354. So to get to championship calibre, it will cost another $11,320,892, we subtract that from the Raptors profits, and you are left with $16,379,108. You think BCE/TD shareholders and Ontario Teachers are willing to accept $11mill less to win a championship? Seriously?