1) Pritchard, for reasons unknown, comes calling with a straight up trade of Oden for Bargnani. Do you make it?
2) What do you think this big announcement Chris Bosh has been advertising for June 1st will be? How disappointed do you think we will be?
3) Who’s got the Magic tonight? Who’s got the Magic to win it all?
Even though the Raptors aren’t playing, it’s no reason to neglect you of the cheerleader tradition we started this year:
Thanks for pointing us in the right direction :)
(sorry @Nat77 @RapsGurl @Raps_fan @_Chaun @the_tigercub, but most of our readers only came for the chearleader pick-of-the-day. I’ll find you guys a picture of Howard with his shirt off or something, AltRaps has a stash of uhh…those types of pictures/videos/used pieces of clothing/underwear….).
25 Raps
Haha! Great Post! Loving the shout outs at the end.
1. I don’t make the trade because if you’re BC you live and die w/ Bargnani as your guy and let’s face it, right now, he’s turned out to be a much better #1 than Oden. Oden plays the way he looks –old.
2. Won’t be disappointed at all in regards to his announcement because I’m sure it’s going to have nothing to do with the Raptors. Maybe it’ll be about his alter ego or maybe it’ll be about his web site. Either way, it’ll be about HIM HIM HIM and not the TEAM TEAM TEAM.
3. Not sure I got the Magic tonight, but I’m rooting for them in this series. They’ll lose to the Lakers in the finals, but seeing LeBron not make the finals would give me a nice, tingly feeling inside. lol
I hope it’s not a gay podcast.
Did you catch this article: http://nbaroundtable.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/starting-centers-rebounding-numbers/
Don’t know about a much better #1 then Oden.
Ouch!
you dumb fucking idiots. hes a nerdy italian kid playing in a different country with ballers from a different culture. hes not wanting to step on toes and instead of being aggressive full out hes trying to not look greedy and hog balls, hes being nice,way too nice. but, he’s boxing out extremely well,led our team in blocks,played really good d and making sure his man doesnt beat him to the ball, for a fucking teamate to grab the board.if you dont see this you havent watched a raptor game.stats do lie.he isnt that bad a rebounder.once he gets greedy,comfortable and confident around his peers,his aggressiveness will come out and his rebounding numbers will skyrocket as will his offensive numbers.
Nice article, but at the same time you can’t rely on stats alone. Bargnani’s development over the last 50 games was quite interesting to watch. His man-to-man defense has also improved over the past few seasons, so much so that I think he’s become a better defender than Bosh.
It’s remarkable how a player plays when he has some confidence.
Totally agree on the stats alone thing. I always felt that his post defense was good, and he got a block or so a game, but his lack of rebounding hurts a lot. His help defense is also really poor, considering he lives in the paint on defense for the most part.
Compare Bargs to Rashard Lewis. Both are terrible rebounders and that is something you have to address with other players on the team but their are ways a big like that can still contribute.
I probably wouldn’t make the Oden trade but I’d sneak him into a doctor I trusted to kick the tires. And if that doctor said he’s ok, I’d make the deal. Might still trade Bosh even if I got Oden though.
I don’t quite get Raps Fans’ podcast comment but shit folks this is Toronto, I’m fine with a gay podcast or any other gay content. Just make sure to get the ESPN logo in with the Pride Day Raptors photos. I guess I’d also better be fine with the gay jokes that last comment might inspire. Fire away pussies.
gay podcast comment? wtf?
agreed about the gay podcast comment. Unnecessary.
1) Bargs looks like he’ll be 10PPG better than Oden will in his career.
2) Bosh WILL be announcing that he’ll be theFinals Correspondent (again) for the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brian.
3) I’ve got the Cavs tonight. And the Cavs in 7.
I also gotta give a plug to ESPN resident voice of reason, Bill Simmons, for his article today on the state of NBA officiating!
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090528&sportCat=nba
You got the inside Scoop dude?
Word on the street. (Streets be talkin’)
1. Of course you trade for Oden. The only reason not to would be paranoia over health issues. I can’t believe people are declaring that Bargs would be better to keep given projected career PPG numbers – you put Bosh and Oden together, pick up a #1 option on the wing and build around them and you’ve got the standard template for a contender.
2. Unless he’s announcing that he’s taking a 5 year deal at 14 mil per season, I don’t care.
3. Cavs to win tonight. LeBron has at least one insane game left in him before his team fnially lets him down once too often in game 6.
1. Oden? Hell no. He looks prehistoric.
2. Bosh is becoming a weatherman. Honestly, I have no clue, but I’m with RapsFan: I hope it’s not a gay podcast.
3. Lebron wins it tonight, to start one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history. WITNESS!!!1
1. No way in hell. Oden will miss 20 games a season for the rest of his career and Bargs is as sturdy as a northern italian female.
2. I seriously hope it is Raptors-related. Someone needs to have words with that boy.
3. Cavs win game 5 and 6 and Orlando wins game 7. Incidentally, the Nuggets also beat the Lakers in 7. This outcome will be purposefully engineered by David Stern in order to finally shut up all the conspiracy theorists.
1. hell no
2.i think he wants max contract extension and his getting it
3.if lebron scores 50 and/or mo scores more then 25 then cavs win
gred oden is the benjamin buttons of the nba “kenny smith”
something to do with his website
magic will beat lakers, but will lose to denver, so it depends
1) Oden….no thanks. Last year, maybe. This year, I’d pass.
2) Bosh is doing finals correspondence again for sure…should be entertaining.
3) Cavs will win tonight. I’m not calling the series yet though :-)
Am I missing something here? Oden averages 9 pts and 7 boards per in 20. On .564% shooting. Yes, he’s creaky and mechanical – but he was a freaking rookie for christ’s sake, coming off of a year’s hiatus.
The thing about Bargnani is that he and Bosh can’t work together as a frontcourt in today’s NBA. There’s too much emphasis on guard and wing penetration with the current rules, and together they are simply not effective enough at contesting shots and playing help and recovery defense. Even with strong defensive wings, all the opponent has to do is run the pick and roll on bargs over and over. Oden on the other hand, (when healthy) would give you the kind of front court you could really build around if you’re looking to go deep into the playoffs.
I understand the worries about injuries and missed time, but consider this: very soon the Raptors are going to have to make a decision about what to pay Bargs (’cause you know BC can’t wait to lock him up). Oden is on the same #1 pick salary for another couple of years.
So you’ve got a choice: if you keep Andrea, you have to give him a pay raise next summer. If you’re giving him a pay raise, it’s based on one season and a bit of good, consistent play. Out of 4. You’re taking just as big a risk on Bargnani’s potential as you are on Oden’s injuries. The difference is that Oden’s injuries come with a lower pricetag and potentially bigger reward while potentially creating a bigger free agent draw as well.
And if Oden gets hurt again, you sell Bosh off and you’re starting over, which is where you’d be anyway if Bosh decides to leave.
So me, I make the trade.
1. no way! oden is the bigger bust, than what bargs was. oden is sam bowie number 2. portland is lucky that they already have a young solid core led by brandon roy, and lamarcus aldridge. i really think oden is overrated from the start. maybe because he looks like bill russell (which is why the celts badly wanted him before they got ray and KG), or he looks like a 10/20 year-older lebron. but i think he would be more of a defensive center types, like mutombo, big ben, okafor, but not the dominant types like dwight or shaq. his health is the main factor.
i still have faith in bargs. he will improve his rebounding, now that he now has a defined role. i expect him to average at least 7 boards.
2. it has to be raptor related. but it would probably be him doing sportscasting,,, jeezzz.
3. i thought the magic could finish them off. magic in 6.
1. hell fucking no.bargs=ferrari oden=broken down buick
2. bosh announcing more dweebish self promotion where he acts like a dork.
3. magic in 7,cavs may have better player but magic have better team.
are you all fools? Of course you make that trade. Bargs is borderline terrible. He had half of a good season, averaging marvin williams numbers. Greg Oden is going to be the way better player.
Bosh wouldn’t announce anything of importance to us (I.E. contract intentions) over his website, so it is of no relevance.
magic are winning it and will get crushed in the finals by the lakers.
now, bargs is better than oden.
better scorer, brings terrible match up for opponents, oden is not that dominant in defense.
the questions are:
1) what’s the peak of this 2 players? they have already reached it?
2) bosh stays? oden helps him stay?
3) oden is a good buddy for bosh? Are we sure this is not another O’neal trade?
I don’t like bosh. I think he is a good player, but he costs too much in a team concept.
Personally I’ll make in this case a bosh for oden+X trade
I think oden is a better buddy for bargs.
Yeah I was about to say that Bargnani + Oden is a better fit than Bosh + Oden = O’Neal + Bosh v2. I can see it now, Bargnani becomes the #1 option on offense, which I like better than Bosh because Bargnani will actually move the ball. You’ll then have Oden holding down the paint. This way we don’t have 2 players on offense that need post touches since Bargnani is more of an outside-in player. What went wrong with the O’Neal thing is O’Neal had to get the ball in deep or he’d just throw up a brick fadeaway. Bargnani will actually free up the paint. Oden then might have more room to operate but more likely get more offensive rebounds since the other teams PF is too busy covering Bargs on the perimeter. On defense should help us the most tho. I see it sort of like the Mavs frontcourt with Nowitzki just doing his thing and Dampier taking the paint except Oden has waaay more potential to be greater than Dampier. Might work you never know. IDK why Trailblazers make it tho. Maybe Oden for bosh straight up. How about Rudy + Oden for Bosh + Calderon? IDK.
oh and
1) look up
2) Knowing Bosh he probably got his own TV show airing for the summer. Bosh going hollywood is sort of dissapointing considering ppl were calling him a quiet all-star before…oh well.
3) I think Cavs win 2 in a row but Orlando beats them in home in an epic battle of flagrent 2s…i swear fuck the refs