Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the voice of the Raptors on the FAN 590 and writes regularly for Sportsnet.ca.

So who were those guys in the red uniforms last night that busted from the gate to a 15-point lead?

Yes sports fans, those were the Toronto Raptors, and they almost proved what I’m sure many were thinking when they allowed the Wizards to creep slowly back into the contest and eventually take the lead.

But it was a different Toronto team coming down the stretch in the final minutes of the game.

Early in this young season this squad had shown signs of being the epitome of a front runner. When things were good, well they were good but they have yet to show some of the grittiness that it needs to win ugly.

Last night was not exactly ugly, but they did fight back after being down by seven almost halfway through the final frame. And it was Chris Bosh having the big fourth quarter, showing some leadership with 13 points and six rebounds, with some outstanding displays of hunger on the offensive glass.

How about holding Washington to 35% in the fourth quarter and to three-of-eight from the floor in the overtime session to win it and snap the five-game losing skid?

But what was more important was the way they won the game, getting key stops and guys getting on the floor after loose balls playing with a heightened sense of urgency on the defensive end.

Players finally played within roles that many thought they would fulfill when the team looked so promising on paper at the start of the campaign.

Oh yeah, and that guy they got in the off-season who made big shots in Orlando, Hedo Turkoglu, came through with one that proved to be the game-winner.

The Raptors have had their struggles on the tail end of back-to-back games as they sit 0-4 on the second night. They are in Chicago Saturday as the Bulls are also on the tail end of back-to-backs having lost to Cleveland Friday with LeBron James upsetting Bulls forward Joakim Noah as the Cavs danced their way to victory.

It’s certainly a realistic chance for Toronto to get a win and break the winless streak on the tail end of back-to-backs as the Bulls limp into the contest having lost six of their past seven.

My man, and fellow sportsnet.ca columnist, Scott Carson always said that when the manager comes out to the mound for a visit with a pitcher and then heads back to the dugout, the first offering after the meeting is almost inevitably is a strike.

Well, the Raptors had their meeting at the mound yesterday morning and have thrown a strike. What they have to do now is keep throwing strikes because if they don’t, like any pitcher who can’t find the plate, they won’t be able to stay in the ball game.

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Raptors director of media relations Jim LaBumbard has worked with Washington head coach Flip Saunders for years in both the CBA and the NBA.

So I can understand the mistake our man "Lombo" made as he was hustling around last night, dealing players and coaches out to various media outlets for interviews following the Toronto win.

A foreign sports agency was there, actually with the Raptors international contingent of players, so I’m surprised LaBumbard doesn’t own shares in Rosetta Stone, as there are always requests for international players, looking to talk to head coach Jay Triano.

They wanted to discuss Hedo Turkoglu, so just after finishing his post-game media conference, LaBumbard looked at Triano and said, "Hey Flip, you gotta talk to these guys," and walked away.

The traveling media looked at him and then at each other, smiled and just kept moving before he caught himself and said quickly, "I mean Jay" and pointed to the small mini-cam and awaiting microphone.

A light moment, that is always much lighter after a win.

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Unless you have been living under a rock, you know who Reggie Love is, and his significance is in hoop circles. The former Duke grad is President Barack Obama’s "body man," his personal valet of sorts and with Obama’s penchant for hoops, the former Duke basketball player is always on the same team as the commander in chief during pick up games ensuring, well, that the boss never loses.

So the story goes that some of the Raptors traveling party are out and about in D.C. and they run into him and end up sitting down for a few beverages.

See, you never know who you might meet.

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But not to be outdone, it seems like Spaniards all over the world come out of the woodwork when Jose Calderon is playing in their fair city.

It was magnified even moreso when Jorge Garbajosa was around, but right now Calderon gets all that attention from adoring Spanish fans.

Last night it was not just any Spanish fan either as Princess Cristina de Borbon (daughter of Spain’s King Juan Carlos) was in the house at the Verizon Centre with her husband Inaki Urdangarin.

The couple and their four children moved to D.C. from Spain last August.

Mr. Urdangarin was an accomplished Olympian who played team handball and there they were chatting with Jose after the game.