It’s All About the North
I cannot help but dedicate this entire blog to my Dinos. As of this morning, they are near the top of the league and passed a huge test by defeating Memphis on Wednesday night.
Vince Carter Tribute
It was very touching and a lot of people feel it finally gives closure to the VC situation. I like that the crowd still booed him when he caught the ball after the tribute but for a couple of minutes, all was forgiven and Vince was given his proper due. There are a lot of Canadians who are playing in the league right now and a lot of them were inspired by Carter. Of course in a tight game down the stretch, I was dreading he was going to torch us once again.
Stein’s Power Rankings
Our loss to Chicago dropped us four spots to 8th; quite the huge fall considering we were 8-2 at the time. I know we have not beaten a lot of quality opponents but that is not our fault. Let’s see what happens now that we took one from his number two ranked team.
James Johnson Out
The commentators were discussing Johnson’s injury at length last night. He is certainly a valuable piece to this team and thus far has played like a stronger version of Matt Barnes. He is a lock down defender who can stop a lot of the bigger threes and even some fours. He poses some matchup problems for other teams as well. Add to that some serious above the rim ability and Raptor Nation is hoping for a speedy recovery; especially with Cleveland and some tougher games just around the corner.
The Expendables
With Lou Williams playing well and our depth at the four, several players might find themselves the subject of some trade rumors. I love his heart but I can see the Raptors packaging Greivis and a post for some type of upgrade. Trades are a part of this business and if it helps, I am all for it; let’s just avoid the trades involving salary dumps and the like.
The Genius of Casey
Last night we were being pounded by Gasol and Randolph. Then Casey turned to the lesser used Chuck Hayes and Hayes looked great. He bodied up the two wide bodies and played solid minutes in the forth. Chuck played a key role in helping us win and Casey demonstrated a good knowledge of his roster. That move does not work against every team, but he found a solution for the Griz bigs and it made all the difference. A guy who looks for the unthought-of solution is invaluable. Also, congrats coach on reaching number two on the Raptors All Time wins list!
We the Forth
I love being the comeback kids but it does turn my hair grey. Can we agree to become the We the 48 minutes? Part of their strength is their conditioning. You have to have some left in the tank to compete every night like this. They are also very deep. Presently, their combination of compelling games and late game heroics makes them deserve the title #WetheNerveRacking.
It’s all good up here in the North. I am hating the early snow but it makes it easier to stay inside and watch ball. As the city becomes more popular and more people discover its greatness, look for more players to want to call it home. #wethenorth
