Following a prolonged, physically punishing and gluttonous Christmas break that would make even Oliver Miller blush, we are back and feeling 100 per cent.
Wish we could say the same for our wounded Raptors.
The men in red are in Houston Friday (Watch it live on Sportsnet ONE beginning at 7 p.m. ET) for a New Year’s eve tilt with the rapidly improving Rockets.
Following Tuesday’s gloriously shocking win over the Mavs in Dallas, this one has all the makings of an ugly letdown.
Five players, including three starters, sat out Tuesday and it’s anyone guess who will be suiting up Friday in Houston.
According to the Globe and Mail, Sonny Weems did not practice Thursday with back spasms. Point guards Jose Calderon (plantar fasciitis) and Jerryd Bayless (sprained ankle), also skipped rehearsal.
Amir Johnson practised Thursday, but with a sore back. Leandro Barbosa (bruised knee) is expected to be a game-time decision.
Anyone know if Alvin Williams is available?
Jay Triano did say however both Calderon and Bayless are "expected" to play, but with both nursing foot injuries Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin could be running circles around them all night. Might be an excuse to dip into the bubbly a little earlier than planned…
We’ll be watching closely Friday to see how super rookie Ed Davis follows up his monster 17 point, 12 rebound effort against the Mavs on Tuesday. The kid is still raw, but we love his fearlessness.
He’ll have his hands full Friday under the glass battling the hair, sweat and toughness soon-to-be all-star Luis Scola provides.
Cause for panic concern
- Houston gunning for its fourth straight home win
- Rockets have held four of their previous five opponents below 95 points
- Houston has averaged 108.3 points over its last nine games
- The Raptors have lost three straight in Houston, all by double digits
Here’s…………….Jonny?
A couple of days ago, Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld gossiped reported that the Raptors are one of seven teams interested in Minnesota Timberwolves second-year point guard Jonny Flynn.
If/when Ricky Rubio ever suits up the T-Wolves, Flynn—the sixth overall pick in the 2009 draft, one spot after Ricky Rubio, one ahead of Stephen Curry—becomes expendable, so it’s no surprise to see his name pop up in trade rumours.
In his rookie season, Flynn averaged 13.5 points and 4.4 assists in 28 minutes per game. Pretty good numbers for a rookie playing on a bad team. This year however, Flynn has lost his starting job to veteran Luke Ridnour and is averaging just over five points in 17 minutes per night.
The question is, should the Raptors be interested and what should we be willing to give up to land him?
With Bayless’ future as a point or shooting guard still to be determined, Flynn is an eyebrow-raising option as an understudy to the increasingly fragile Calderon. There is still plenty of upside with Flynn and he’d fit in perfectly with the Raptors youth movement, if the price is right.
And what might that price be? If the T-Wolves are looking for young players, expiring contracts, and/or high draft picks, we have a fine assortment of all of the above.
The T-Wolves probably won’t move him before the trade deadline, but he’s definitely a guy whose progress is worth tracking over the next few weeks.
We also dream wonder whether young Rubio could be lured north to play alongside Spanish national teammate Calderon.
We trust BC has at least inquired about Rubio’s availability, but if he hasn’t, he could do worse than beginning the conversation by stealing a line from Ron Burgundy: “I wanna say something. I'm gonna put it out there; if you like it, you can take it, if you don't, send it right back…”
