Raptors

It's been a while folks, but I'm back and loving this season with the Toronto Raptors.

A great draft, getting Andrea Bargnani, who will be a star within 2 years, and getting Anthony Parker, Jorge Garbajosa, TJ Ford and Rasho Nesterovic have placed the Raptors in the thick of the playoff race, currently leading their division and having endured a very tough first half of the schedule. The newcomers have produced, and Sam Mitchell has done a masterful job of blending a lot of personalities (and languages) into a cohesive unit that actually plays like a "team".

They do tend to make mistakes on the defensive end, and sometimes end up relying too much on the 3 point shot, but this is a team on the way up, and if they can find a slashing wing player (not convinced Joey Graham or Morris Peterson can do it) and a bruising rebounder and defensive presence underneath, the raptors can compete with anyone in the NBA. Bryan Colangelo has turned this thing around in less than one year and will rate consideration as executive of the year once again. Mitchell should also get consideration in the coaching category.

Chicago has been a disappointment for me and I think they will make a big trade (did you say Kevin Garnett?) in the offseason to get rid of their surplus and bring in the one gem they need to take off. I don't like the rumblings for Pau Gasol, particularly if the Bulls have to give up Gordon, Deng, and the Knick's 1st pick.

Stay tuned. We still have a ways to go,