The end has no end

It's 4:26 on the eve of game 2 in Orlando vs. the Magic. In game one the Raptors were made to look like an afterthought, a footnote in a rather exciting NBA season. Barney started at the 3 spot, Bosh said they were confused by new plays. Tonight is that last chance at the dance. If they don't finally make a stand they will ultimately go out in 4 (maybe 5) and what was once a rather promising season will end with one of the most pathetic finishes I have ever witnessed.

I will say this: I still believe they can win this series. In fact I think this team has the ability to give most of the teams in this league a run for their money. There is a lot of talent on this Raptor team, yet there is very little confidence. Now, I believe that, for the most part professional athletes could be considered confident rather, egomanical... and to watch a group players perform the way they have down the stretch can only in my mind speak to the coaching. I have tried to make a case for Sam time and time again over the past two years, but its seeming more and more apparent that he just does not have it in his to a) motivate this team b) develop Bargnani c) separate himself from TJ Ford. TJ has had a roller coaster of a season, but his poor play of late is undeniable, and the fact the Sam continues to reward players for poor performance (while others sit on the bench) is absolutely ridiculous. I mean what happened to Jason Kapono this year? I feel like he's barely played at all... a couple of catch and shoots here and there, but for the most part he's been invisible. I think that this is perhaps on of the most visible symptoms of the TJ vs JC controversy. Kapono relies on the players around him to get him the ball, and after spending a season playing off and on with both TJ and JC, he's never been give the chance to shoot the freakin 3-point shot he was brought here to shoot.

But I digress... all I can ask is that someone, I don't care who it is anymore gets up off their ass and calls someone out, or everybody out for that matter, to get their heads out of their collective asses and play basketball the way they used to. In watching highlights from the other playoffs games, I realized that I haven't seen the Raptors move the ball like the other "contenders" in a long long time. But, I have seen the move the ball like that this season. This is my point, the ability is there, however for whatever reason it was lost.

The saddest shame of this season, a season where my only wish was for some recognition, for Barkley and Kenny and the ESPN's of the world to finally take notice... for this team to finally be relevant, things couldn't be farther from it. All 8 teams in the west deserve more attention than the Raptors, and pretty much everyone ahead of the Raptors in the East (and some behind) deserve the spotlight as well.

But, it is not over until the fat lady sings. Tonight the Toronto Raptors have just one last chance at that statement game, the game that fans and commentators around the league finally turn to this series and see something worth watching. I know I will be.