Former University of Texas basketball player Kevin Durant and Dallas native Chris Bosh have been named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the week for January 25-31.  Durant averaged a league high 34.3 ppg for the week, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 2-1 record.  Bosh ended the week leading the league in rebounds with 16.0 rpg and a scoring average of 25.7 ppg while helping the Toronto Raptors to a 3-0 record on the week.

Kevin Durant has been quite a force this year.  He is averaging 29.6 ppg for the 2009-2010 season trailing only Carmelo Anthony for the league lead and helping the Thunder fight for the 8th spot in the Western Conference.

       The Raps have hit the mid-season mark with a disappointing 21-34 record. Expectations are at an all time low among Toronto fans, a far cry from the hype and excitement surrounding the team on opening day. They have sustained four losing streaks consisting of five or more games, and been without the services of Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon and Jermaine O’Neal for extended periods of time. The team has been bombarded by negative energy for most of the season, including trade rumors and speculation that certain players want out of Toronto.

 It is no secret that Chris Bosh is the cornerstone of the Raptors organization. He is a perennial All Star and can explode for twenty and ten on any given night. Last week a report surfaced from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that Bosh was unhappy in Toronto and privately requested to be traded. Bryan Colangelo and Bosh adamantly denied the report and questioned Smith’s creditability. Smith wouldn’t site his sources but firmly stood by his initial report. Chris Bosh has a player option to become a free agent in 2010, and join fellow franchise players LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Tracy McGrady and Amare Stoudemire on the open market. Many teams, including the Detroit Pistons and New York Nicks, have positioned themselves to clear up a significant amount of  cap space in anticipation for the summer of 2010, or what has been labeled the ‘summer of LeBron’. Chris Bosh will undoubtedly be one of the marquee names on the block. NBA insiders and critics believe that regardless of what Toronto does Bosh will be gone come 2010. The fact that the Raps will most likely miss the playoffs this year will more than likely seal Bosh’s exit from Toronto. Colangelo is left with a very difficult decision. Either deal Bosh before the trade deadline and get something in return, or roll the dice and hope he can resign him before he becomes a free agent. With the on-going difficulty of luring big names north of the border, losing Chris Bosh could have a catastrophic long term effect on the Raptors organization. Bosh is currently out of the line up with a knee injury and didn’t participate in the All Star game.

 With all the controversy and stress surrounding the Raps, it’s difficult for Coach Jay Triano to get his players to keep their focus. A glimmer of hope was ignited last Wednesday night following an impressive home win verses the San Antonio Spurs. The short-handed Raptors were huge underdogs against the red hot Spurs, who brought a 17-8 away record into the ACC. The Raps played a well executed first half and went into the locker room with a six point lead; however, the typical script began to play out and the Raps relinquished the lead heading down the stretch. Then the unpredictable happened; the Raps clamped down, played solid defense and made big shots in a pressure situation against a superior team. The win was even more impressive considering the fact that both Bosh and Calderon where out of the line up.

 The Raps made headlines this pass week by trading Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon to the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The trade is significant for both teams. Pat Riley is hoping to regain a dominant presence inside which has been absent since the departure of Shaq. The resurgence of Dwyane Wade and arrival of J.O. will hopefully be reminiscent of the Heat’s 05-06 championship team. Bryan Colangelo looked at the trade from a financial point of view. Although Marion is an elite talent, Colangelo was more interested in his expiring 17 million dollar contract. The Raps owed J.O. over 20 million dollars next season, and would have left the team with very little cap space to work with. There is little to no chance that Marion will resign with the Raps in the off-season, giving Colangelo a boat load of money to lure free agents and hopefully re-sign Chris Bosh. Many insiders look at this trade as Colangelo waving the white flag and essentially giving up on the season. It could also be a team altering move, transforming the Raps into the contenders they were supposed to be.

        The Raptors have won two straight games after dropping a season high seven in a row. Both Jose Calderon and Jermaine O’Neal returned from prolonged injuries to give the Raps a much needed boost. The last two games exemplified how important Jose is to this team. The Raps missed his energy and playmaking abilities and are extremely vulnerable when he is out of the line-up. The back-ups have been a sore spot for the Raps all season long. Brain Colangelo was unable to make any significant additions to his bench in the off season due to inheriting J.O.’s massive, 21 million a year contract.

The recent losing streak and emergence of Andrea Bargnani has prompted a number of trade rumors involving oft-injured power forward Jermaine O’Neal. During O’Neal’s absence, Bargnani proved his worth and averaged over 20 points per game. He has taken over J.O.’s position in the starting line-up and has not disappointed. At the fore-front of the trade speculation is Shawn Marion of the Miami Heat. The Raps desperately need a true wing man to maximize their offense. Anthony Parker is in the twilight of his career and wildly inconsistent. Marion’s athletic abilities are outstanding and he would make an immediate impact to the lineup. His presence on the court would help alleviate the defensive pressure put on Bosh and Andrea. The Heat recently lost Alonzo Morning to retirement and Pat Riley is motivated to make a deal. Riley has voice his concern regarding J.O.’s health and will proceed with caution. Although it seems like a logical trade, don’t be surprised if it falls through.

The Raps currently sit 10 games below .500 and are third last in the Eastern Conference. They have a steep hill to climb and their playoff hopes are dwindling with each loss. They must put together a solid win streak to get themselves back into contention. After a string of costly injuries the team is finally getting healthy. They have won their last two games against the Bulls and Kings in convincing fashion and have gained some much needed momentum. The key to their success is staying healthy. The Raps can ill afford any significant injuries during their push to the playoffs. They have already shown us how susceptible they are without their star players.

The Toronto Raptors entered the New Year on quite a skid, losing thirteen of their last seventeen games. During this period Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo attempted to shake things up and fired head coach Sam Mitchell. Jay Triano was appointed intern head coach and hopes were that the team would react positively to a new system. Since the coaching change the Raptors have a record of 7-12, and currently sit outside of a playoff spot. It is difficult to pin point what exactly is ailing the Raps. They seem to have the pieces in place to be a contender in the Eastern Conference; however, their results beg to differ. On most nights they are badly out rebounded and are unable to make key plays down the stretch. They continue to blow fourth quarter leads due to inconsistent shooting and soft defense.

 After a relatively good start to the season, Jermaine O’Neal has been bothered by a bum knee. He has been out of the line up sporadically, and struggles to gain position and cut to the basket when on the floor. Starting point guard Jose Calderon has been recently sidelined due to a hamstring injury, leaving unproven Roko Ukic and Will Solomon to fill in the void. A major concern for the Raptors is their lack of depth on the bench. Injuries can have a major impact on a team if the backups can’t perform up to par.

 There has been some upside since the passing of 2008. The Raps are 4-1 in the New Year and seem to be finally buying into Jay Triano system. Although frustratingly inconsistent, Andrea Bargnani has recently stepped up in the place of injured J.O. and is averaging 21.8 ppg over his last five games. Chris Bosh seems to be regaining his form after struggling for the better half of December. Most importantly the Raptors are closing out games. Besides a 4th quarter debacle in Milwaukee on Monday night, the Raps have been able to withstand the pressure and finish games. They put together impressive back to back home victories against the best road team in the NBA, the Orlando Magic, and Houston Rockets. These are positive signs which will create confidence and momentum heading into the second half of the season.

    Following consecutive embarrassing losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo decided to fire Head Coach Sam Mitchell. Assistant Coach Jay Triano will assume the position of interim Head Coach. So far this season the Raps have been pitiful on defense and the trend seemed to be getting worse, especially on their current west coast road-trip. Their lackluster performances and absence of improvement are most likely what prompted the move. The Raps suffered their fifth-worst loss in franchise history on Wednesday night, losing to the Nuggets by 39 points.

Colangelo had publicly stated at the start of the season that he expected the Raps to be serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. As of today, the Raps sit one game below .500 and are already 8.5 games behind the division leading Celtics. Colangelo was between a rock and a hard place and something needed to be done before it was too late. Unfortunately, well liked coach Sam Mitchell was the scapegoat for the Raps current mess. It was only two seasons ago that Mitchell was named NBA coach of the year, leading the Raptors to a franchise best 47-35 record. Colangelo rewarded Mitchell with a new contract, even though reports surfaced that he was at one time pursuing former colleague Mike D’Antoni. The Raps regressed last season and finished with a .500 record. They once again underachieved in the playoffs and were ousted in the first round.

The Raptors are a team without an identity. There seems to be little to no chemistry and the only consistent pieces are Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon. Whether or not this move will improve the teams play is questionable. The problem may be more complex than a coaching change. Expect some big player moves if GM Colangelo doesn’t see rapid improvement in the coming weeks.

It’s been almost four years since the Raptors parted ways with Vince Carter. VC’s time in Toronto is marked with greatness and betrayal. Toronto fans cannot forget his mesmerizing dunks or game winning fade away jumpers; however, it’s also difficult to forget his complete lack of effort and determination towards the end of his tenure. VC single handily took a struggling organization on the brink of utter failure and made it competitive and profitable. He brought awareness to basketball in Canada and made the Raptors a marketable force worldwide. By the 2002 season, VC was the most prized name in basketball. Vince’s impact on the floor began to influence his actions off it. Knowing his power and authority within the organization, Vince attempted to manipulate how the club was run. The team was in a period of transition and Vince wanted to be a part of the decision making process. Over the next two seasons, Vince’s demands feel on deaf ears. He didn’t agree with the direction that the club was taking and began to show his displeasure on the court. His lack of passion and drive was evident and he had become a cancer in the dressing room. Carter’s pathetic display on the court severely damaged his reputation and value. He was traded to the Nets on December 14, 2004 for Aaron and Eric Williams and a 1^st round pick. Once in New Jersey, Carter’s career was revitalized. He once again was a superstar while the Raptors were left to put together the broken pieces.

Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets entered the Air Canada Centre last Friday to face the Raptors. As expected, every time Vince touched the ball he was harshly met by a chorus of boos. The hostile crowd seemed to motivate Vince and he responded by elevating his game. His shots were precise and his legs had a little extra jump. The Raptors once again saw a comfortable lead evaporate in the 4^th quarter and with 0.8 seconds left in the game they were only up by three points. Vince got the ball and heaved up a deep three pointer that tied the game at the end of regulation. Overtime saw the two teams trade field goals until Anthony Parker nailed a 3 pointer, with 2.9 seconds remaining, to once again tie the game. Then in a dramatic and emphasized fashion, Vince Carter ended the game with a reverse dunk via an inbound pass from Bobby Simmons. Carter ended the game with 39 points, including the winning dunk.

Before the game, the Raptors commentators played down the significance of Vince Carter back in Toronto, stating that four years had pasted and it was no longer a big deal. Toronto fans find it difficult to forgive and forget when Carter consistently dominants the team he once lead. Friday night was just another scar, one of many that VC has left on the Raptors organization and its fans.