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 Geplaatst: 11-10-2019 06:52:47 Onderwerp: h into that," laughed Carlyle |
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| "We, The People, In Order To Form A More Perfect Union..." Disregard the fact that the phrase is from an American political document or that there can be nothing "more perfect". Instead, review how the Toronto Raptors began their perfectly imperfect quest and whats next for the squad. October 31, 2013: Start of the 2013-14 NBA season. Fresh off a solid training camp with a full complement of players and outwardly optimistic, questions about the future of the franchise under president and general manager Masai Ujiri remained. With a highly publicized and strongly projected 2014 Draft Class, uncertainty about roster stability, quality and identity of the team and what appeared to be a lame duck head coach in Dwane Casey, RaptorNation and TankNation seemed to be in accord. Not having sniffed playoff pay dirt since a 2008 first round ouster at the hands of the then-Dwight Howard-led Orlando Magic, an uneasy relationship with multiple monikers on what lay ahead for Canadas Team abounded: Mishandle For Randle, Concede For Embiid, Be Sorry For Jabari, Stop Caring For Aaron and of course Riggin For Wiggins. A shrewd and savvy front office executive, Ujiri has proven to be in just a few short months north of the border, jettisoning the personages and albatross-like contracts of Andrea Bargnani and Rudy Gay for more than just flotsam and salary cap relief. The deft moves brought in team players and quality, unselfish veterans in Steve Novak, Greveis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and the gritty, gutty Chuck Hayes, all fully aware of their roles and willing to lend to an ever-developing chemistry under head coach Dwane Casey. Now leading the Atlantic Division at 24-21 and in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Raps begin a week-long West Coast swing on Friday and a short homestand before the All-Star break. The energy around this team, despite recent injuries to Amir Johnson and the newly-minted All-Star DeMar DeRozan, has been at a fever pitch. Despite bucking for home court advantage in the playoffs, there is an overwhelming consensus that Ujiri will move Kyle Lowry by the NBAs trade deadline instead of losing the unrestricted free agent in the offseason. But dont be so sure. Any day between now and February 20 may well be The Tomorrow You Should Have Feared Yesterday as the Toronto Raptors and Masai Ujiri in particular, face a dilemma of potentially franchise-changing dimension. At the crossroad to this predicament, the twisted fates of Lowry and Casey stand. The Question is: Are they all headed in the same direction? "Where our team is, I dont know if, as a team, were where we can get two guys (on the All-Star team). Thats the truth, but were getting there," Ujiri said. "Well see how we continue to grow as a team." Is Masai Ujiri willing to roll the dice on Lowry, not move him and hope that he can make a cap friendly and competitively respectful offer in July for his starting point guard to stay in Toronto? All-Star snub aside, Lowry is averaging career highs in points and assists at 16.8 and 7.6 respectively. Arguably one of the Top 10 point guards in The Association, his real growth may be in areas that dont show in the box score, however. "Im going to keep grinding no matter what, All-Star or not," said Lowry. "Im always going to work hard and continue to be the best player I can be to help my team win. So for me, hey I didnt make it, it didnt happen, youve got a game, youve got to worry about the rest of the season and you go on." Does Ujiri have confidence that Casey is the right man for the job to lead the Raptors to heights unseen by the franchise? "My wish, my hope and my desire is to not let this be a one year flash in the pan," said Casey. "We want to develop something and thats why I keep talking about the process." With the Raptors at well beyond tanking level, the delicate ballet of managing expectation, fruitful return on any trade and current chemistry on this team falls in the apt hands of Masai Ujiri. As the exhaustive hype over the strength of the 2014 Draft Class continues to dissipate, Raptor fans might wish to envision the success of Ujiris "No Superstar" team in Denver of 2013. Or look to the steady build of a solidly great team in Oklahoma City by their GM, Sam Presti, who has effectively retained his very best players while building through the Draft, key veteran acquisitions and stability on the bench. Then again, RaptorNation might rest well on the notion of Ujiri standing pat with Casey, Lowry and the rest of the team for this season by thinking about the 2004 Detroit Pistons. It was that unit, led by a highly motivated and well-travelled point guard in former Raptor Chauncey "Mr. Big Shot" Billups, a tough, veteran guard, an athletic young wing, two workhorses down low doing the dirty work, a solid bench and a very good coach, who defeated the seemingly invincible Los Angeles Lakers, fronted by Phil Jackson, Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant, 4-1 in the NBA Finals. Reaching? Perhaps... But dreams have to start somewhere... What "more perfect" place than Toronto with these perfectly imperfected Raptors? Brian Dozier Nationals Jersey . Although head coach Randy Carlyle jokingly wondered how much actual training Bolland got done while in London. "I dont know how much training goes on when you go back to the junior team that you played for so I wouldnt read too much into that," laughed Carlyle after the Maple Leafs were put through an up-tempo practice that concluded with a 10-minute bag skate on Thursday. Brian Dozier Jersey . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better. https://www.cheapnationals.com/387r-jayson-werth-jersey-nationals.html . "Youre next." Hardly. Iguodala tormented his former team with a game better than any he ever played in eight seasons with the 76ers. Fernando Rodney Jersey .com) - Ryan Miller made 28 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and second in as many nights as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Friday. Jeremy Hellickson Nationals Jersey . Hes even holding a bat on one of his 2014 baseball cards. So far, hes playing like his picture.The post-round handshakes after a practice round at the PGA Championship were replaced by fist bumps and someone suggested that those in the scrum with Canadas best golfer should don surgical masks before chatting. Clearly, whatever Graham DeLaet had, nobody wants to catch. On Saturday night, after struggling through a difficult round at the World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational, he went home and started to get sick. "It was pretty bad," said DeLaet, recounting the past 60 hours. "On Sunday, I literally didnt get out of bed all day. . . except to go to the bathroom." For the first time in his professional career he was forced to withdraw mid-tournament. But clearly he wasnt in any shape to tee it up. He was so dehydrated that he needed two IV bags to replenish the fluids. He figures he lost 10 pounds as there was plenty more going out than going in. While he was well enough to play nine holes at Valhalla on Tuesday – and that might be debatable considering the rumpled, fatigued figure that was trudging over the fairways -- he was considering more IVs after he played. "Im a little tired, a little weak," DeLaet said. "Im feeling better physically but its just kind of taken its toll on me a little bit. But I should be ready to go physically, especially with a late tee time Thursday." The illness that felled DeLaet came at an awkward tiime.dddddddddddd After a mid-season slow patch in his play, he seemed to find his game at the RBC Canadian Open, tying the course record at Royal Montreal on Friday. He also played well through the first two rounds in Akron. Now hell be playing Valhalla and a major championship with very little groundwork "The preparation will be a little bit different," he said. "Nine holes [Tuesday] and nine holes [Wednesday]. The main thing is just to try and be as physically ready as I can. Theres no real expectations and that might be a good thing." Indeed it could. At the start of this season, DeLaet admitted that last year he built up the majors too much, putting some roadblocks in his own way. That wont be the case here. He will rely heavily on the work of caddie Julien Trudeau who has been on several scouting missions around the course to pick out lines for tee shots and try to grab the nuances of the greens. Going in almost blind wont be entirely new for DeLaet. Hes zipped around courses sight unseen and had some success in the past. "I remember when Ive gone and played Monday qualifiers, playing a course almost blind and end up shooting six or seven under so hopefully thats the case. Were going to do all we can to be ready but the main thing is to try and be healthy by Thursday." Exactly because its unlikely theyll allow him to play with the IV in his arm. ' ' ' |
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