Had Moon played like he did the previous season, Kapono played like he did in the playoffs, Calderon not gotten hurt and Parker started the season better, then I think the Raptors very well COULD have made the playoffs, especially since they didn’t end up that far out of them.

Now, once they traded for Marion and Bargnani started to play well, they played a lot better. They had a legitimate starting five (although not much else), and won some games at the end.

And what about the season where Colangelo first came on board and made all those changes? No one expected them to finish with 47 wins and win the Atlantic Division. It’s not always about how much talent you surround a player with, but what type of talent.

Bosh is scoring more than ever, and it’s all because he’s getting offensive rebound putbacks. His extra (upper body) weight is helping him bull his way in for offensive rebounds but he is also making a supreme effort to fight for offensive rebounds and not only getting uncontested defensive rebounds.

I noticed Bosh doing these things in the first game of the season and he got 16 rebounds! I only caught the 4th quarter of the Detroit game, but I was astounded when I saw Bosh getting the ball just inside the arc and facing the basket from about 20 feet … a normally expected outside shot for Bosh … but he passed it off (somewhat hesitatingly) to the wing and then ran to the basket where he got the offensive rebound and scored .. this would have never happened last season …!!!

If you look at the individual player stats, you will see Bosh way up there on scoring and rebounds both offense and defense rebound!! This guy is proving himself to be max money player and becoming an all-round player!!

What this has done for the Raptors is made the other players more effective, particularly Bargs, all because Bosh is quickly passing the ball for movement, and then crashing the offensive boards. Somebody, perhaps BC or Triano told Bosh what he would have to do to be considered a max money player … for the Raptors or some other team if he decides to leave.

Does anybody else see this as well …???!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0v3fUvZ0xg&feature=related

BC thinkers around too much, always mixing it up and I don’t think that’s a good long term plan. Short term everyone gets excited and prays.. but its not a good long term plan.

As far as Jose – at the end of the day my mind cannot comprehend what this guy has been doing the entire off season. He does not look like someone who’s been getting ready to play ball at a high level. And if he needed time to rest, then why are we forcing him onto the team when he appears to be a liability on the floor.

Take a look at Houston last year. Even without McGrady, they adjust and make due. That is one shitty roster. Even without Yao. Its just teams like ours that get dealt a bad hand and then start taking “no” for a muthafuckin’ answer.

And giving the money to Bosh doesn’t prevent the team from acquiring talent. He’s making $16 million this season, and the Raptors are one of the deeper, most talented teams in the East. This year, it’s not talent the Raptors are lacking. If they aren’t successful, it’s the lack of defense and rebounding that will be their achilles heal. You can blame Colangelo, but he could only do what he could.

I think in the absence of having a Lebron or a Duncan, you’ve got to be strategic. Just giving it to Bosh and hoping for the best has failed too many times in the past for my taste.

And it’s not as if the Raptors have ever really surrounded Bosh with enough talent to see whether he can lead a team deep into the playoffs. You can’t say that the Raptors have not been successful BECAUSE Bosh has lead the team in scoring, only that Bosh has had to score so much because they have had no other option.

Bosh’s offense has been much better this season. When the team is playing well on offense, he doesn’t hold the ball or force things. He’s moves, passes the ball and scores in the flow of the game. When Bosh does force the action, it was because the team is not scoring or playing well. Basically, he’s doing what the team’s best player needs to do.

He’s not Kobe, LeBron, Wade. Duncan or Chris Paul, but the Raptors don’t have players like that, and franchises can go a lifetime without ever getting guys like that. Barring completely gutting the team and hoping John Wall falls on their lap, the Raptors have to make due with what they have. Bosh, no matter how you look at it, is the Raptors best player and, at the very least, a top 15 player in the league (you could even say top 10, especially this season). Until the Raptors get somebody better, they’ve got Bosh, and a lot of teams don’t even have a player as good as that.

I know the ratings are subjective, but I sense a lot of angst and harsh evaluations of most players.