Back in the game. Again

Vancouver is a fun place to live. There's fantastic weather. No snow. Ocean. Westside looking like you're back in Europe. Bikelines.

But there is a price to pay and I'm not talking about recycling fee. I'm talking about ball and certain patterns of watching and following the sport. Like you watch eastern conference games either on tv or in the sprite zone at the ACC. Then you put hubby to sleep and watch western conference alone or with Twitter friends.

Now there is no home team in Vancouver. And the eastern conference games start while I'm still at work. So when hubby brought private box tickets for the Raptors, it was like Christmas come early! Good advise - if you ever get married - pick somebody working for a company with a private box. Not having to get up everytime your drunken neighbour needs to visit the bathroom or buy another beer exponentially increases the experience. By the way - how can you get drunk on the watery beer they serve in ACC?

About the arena:
- I expected Raptors to be a home team, but I was wrong here. It was all Phoenix and Steve Nash. They even brought their strippers. I mean dancers. They forgot to score very much, tho.
- I never saw that many Captain Canada's jersey. There were even some from the Mavs.
- I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it. Mike Bibby's jersey. From Vancouver Grizzlies. Somewhere in the first row.
- Josh Childress' fro doesn't look that big from short distance. It actually seems pretty tame compared to Lopez's 'do.
- What a poor selection of courtside celebrities. I didn't recognize a single one. Hubby told me they're hockey players. They didn't look much athletic.

About the game:
- Anybody expected Raptors to blow out instead of being blown out? Yeah right.
- I like Amir Johnson and I don't give a fuck he's overpaid.
- I might be wrong but I think all Bargnani rebounds came in a first quarter. 1-9 shooting? You're fucking kidding, right?
- Kleiza has a sweet jumper. There were moments he looked like a star back there. I guess wasn't so difficult on such a team.
- Nice rebounding by Dorsey.
- Nobody seemed to be scoring much yet we managed 129 points somehow.
- There were moments Raptors looked kinda committed to defense. Knowing Raptors - it must have been a fluke.
- Pathetic or not, I still want to follow that team. Hope there is a Broadband Pass for BB in Canada. And they don't blackout Raptors in Vancouver.

The Heat blows my mind

I mean the temperature. It's been so hot here last few days, I burnt my arms... No more biking in a tank top without sun screen!

About the other Heat... I don't even know, where to start. Wade, Bron and Bosh together on one team? On one hand it has a potential to be fascinating, entertaining, multi-championship dynasty, on the other hand, completely uncoachable, ego-ridden trio of stats chasers trying to play all-star games all season long. One thing is for sure - the coach won't have an easy life there. Try to tell one of these three to share the ball - might be easier to convince Stern to allow three basketballs in a game. What if they lose a game or two? Is he gonna get fired after the first L? And what if unthinkable happens, and they won't win the ship? Death penalty? Public stoning of the coach?

For one hour last night the Cleveland Cavaliers were the most sad and pitiful franchise in the whole NBA. Imagine having a boyfriend for years, promising you the ring, and then he disses you publicly, on TV, with millions of people watching. Can we call him LeBitch now? Or is South Bitch more appropriate?

Here, in Canada, we knew for quite a while, that Bosh was leaving. I think we knew it as soon, as the Raptors got eliminated from the playoff run. It sucks well enough, still we cannot compare it to the pain, Cleveland feels right now.

I wonder how much money each of Miami Thrice is gonna get. And who will be the first to complain that they earn less than Joe Johnson or Amare. Good for Joe and Amare! Even better for Kevin Durant who went the quiet way and signed the extension with his team, without demanding and hour on TV and attention of all North America.

Meanwhile Raptors with their young guns are on a good way to become last year Nets. That means if the Nets don't want to repeat last year. Which, I wouldn't be so sure about.

Welcome new Raptors

Ed Davis, a 6-10, 225-pound power forward, drafted 13th by the Raptors.
Solomon Alabi, 7-0 237-pound center, acquired from Dallas.
Seems, we're getting big here. Seems Bosh isn't coming back.
Here I am looking forward to a new season.
Just because I moved to West Coast, doesn't mean I won't be watching.

Try to ask people in Vancouver about the Grizzlies. All I get is this uncomfortable silence.

The Great Atlantic Division

Yet again, the Atlantic Division shows up highly competitive for the place of the worst division in the NBA:

1. Boston Celtics: 8-3. Good for the third place in the East. Don't you just love them going on a 2-game losing streak this early in the season? In their last loss to the Pacers they also seemed to have lost some of their grit, as Danny Granger was allowed to keep all his teeth through the whole game.

2. Toronto Raptors: 5-4. Yikes! 2-games winning streak! We're the second in the division! 8th in the East! Playoffs, here we come! Just figure the last 2 games. Chicago scored 60 points in the first half, but they mercifully ran out of the juice in the second half scoring only 29. No Brad Miller heroics this time, baby! Last game, at the Staples, Clippers putting 30+ points in the first quarter, leading by 22 in the beginning of the second. Me, praying for the earth to open and swallow this team whole. But man, were these Clippers fast enough to blow the lead and lose by more then 10 points!

3. Philadelphia 76-ers: 4-6. 2-games losing streak, most probably facing 2-games winning streak, as they face Charlotte and Memphis. At least, Andre Iguodala's dunks are nice to watch.

4. Isiah's Knicks: 1-10. Don't they just regret not drafting Brandon Jennings? The rookie had 55 points last night. Fifty-five freaking points! Meanwhile, Mike D'Antoni's hair is getting more and more gray. Mr I Thomas must be really proud leaving such a legacy.

5. New Jersey Nets: 0-10. Dead team walking. Some of the players are sick and cannot play. Other players are sick because they have to play. Philadelphia tried to hand them one win, but they wouldn't bite. Dwyane Wade didn't think twice before sinking that trey and giving the Russian millionaire yet another sleepless night.

Yesterday, as a proud owner of the last stand of 'no digital TV available' in Toronto, I was proudly informed by my hubby about something called Hockey Night in Canada. Or maybe it was Curling Night in Canada, as the noble sport of curling took 2 channels, while hockey was only on one. To save my relationship I decided to join my hubby in watching the Maple Losers. No disappointment here - they allowed 2 goals in the first 2 minutes and initiated 2 fist fights in the next 2 minutes. Hockey is disgusting. I decided that coming back to 'Count of Monte Cristo' reading will be way more exciting.

Tonight I am forced to find a good enough feed or cheap enough bar with a TV. Raptors are facing the Suns in something that may turn into a historical match-up. Over-under Suns scoring 100 points in the first half?

Buttery fingers and bloody mouth

Gilbert Arenas is back and making history by recording double-double in a loss to the Heat - 21 points, 12 turnovers. He must have forgotten to wash his hands after these naughty chicken wings he had before the game. Or maybe it was popcorn?

Brad Miller got punched in the face again. This time the referees didn't even need Rajon Rondo to execute. He basically beat the buzzer with 0.3 seconds left. But he didn't. It ain't easy to be the awkward white guy in the NBA. Cut your fingernails before beating the buzzer next time.

J.R. 'Call Me Earl' Smith is back. 'Earl Smith for 3'? It just doesn't sound right.

We're facing Da Bulls tonight. Good news: they will be tired after last night. Bad news: they will be really really pissed off. Wildcard: the victory might hang on something as awkward as Brad Miller's fingertips. Let them be really long.

260

This is the number of points we gave up in our last 2 games. TWO games, NO overtime. Improved defense, indeed. FML.

A two-handed Matt 'Red Rocket' Bonner's slam on the Raptors. Toronto public transit raising the prices. These two things cannot be unconnected.

Bargnani grabbed only 4 rebounds. White men can't jump.

Whatever they gave Manu in this anti-rabies shot, I'll have some, please. He might be aging backwards now for all we know.

I admire the Spurs. They have all I love about NBA - winning, class, good-looking jerseys and Tim Duncan. I adore Tim Duncan.

I want the Raptors to sign Shaq. No kidding. I'd love to take the bets over/under how many games it will take to transform him into a jump-shooter. Imagine Shaq styling himself the Big Perimeter, shooting treys.

Anyways, I can only watch like 60% of Raps games on TV. No TSN2. No Raptors TV. No Fishing News, mind me. There is NO digital TV available in my building. Only analogue TV and basic channels. I believe that the plane I took from Europe must of had a time capsule I wasn't aware of. My adventure with internet feeds for games has the taste of people living during the Communism behind the Iron Curtain trying to catch news from Western Europe. 'Oh. Canada, the land of freedom', indeed.

Rumors about Mr Vick coming to Buffalo? You're kidding me, right?

I'm trying to watch Court Surfing on the Score, but my hubby rediscovered his love for hockey as soon as the Maple Leafs won 2 in a row. They'll never stop disappointing.

On the right side of blowout

If you are a Raptors team starting the road trip in the Western Conference do you suck at the first game, feeling fully justified, because you're the Raptors, because Western Conference is tough, Hornets are good and Jose cannot guard Chris Paul if his life depended on it?

Nay. What about blowing the Hornets out of their sneakers on their very own home court? What about Chris Bosh showing Emeka Okafor who has better muscles? What about Bargnani missing his second double-double in a row by only one rebound? How 'bout this Jose, who finally woke up and realized, that he can handle the ball? If I told you before the game, would you believe it? Would I believe it? Yikes.

Even in the beginning on the 4th quarter, when we were up by about 20 points, I was still afraid, we'd screw it up. But we didn't.

Ballin': Bosh's one handed slam, rebel yell afterward and Reggie Evans's cheerleading on the bench.
Suckin': The defense on Chris Paul. I mean the Red Sea of Raptors parting for Moses of Chris Paul. I mean... don't matter. We won. With a blow.

Next game, tonight at Dallas. I'm looking forward to Bargnani-Novitzky match-up.