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Orlando at Toronto 7:30pm ET (Magic lead series 2-0)

Sam, Sam, Sam what is the deal? Are you trying to reinvent the wheel at the worst time of the season? Is there meaning in your madness? If the goal was to confuse the fans, the media and even your players, job well done. Stan Van must look down the floor at least five times a game and just think to himself, “WTF?” What surprises are in store tonight? We already know that there will be a change in the starting lineup and I am pretty sure the guy sitting down is the tall Italian dude with the dopey face. Maybe Sam has a crazy scheme up his well tailored sleeve that will actually work? If he does not this series could be at 3-0 and pretty much over.

Looking back at the series so far there have been numerous questions surrounding the coaching job SMitch has done. The lack of run stopping timeouts, poor decisions on substitution patterns and of course that very lame play drawn up to end Game 2. Sure if the shot went in we would all be overlooking all of these points but it did not so let the second guessing begin.

I like Sam, I like listening to him and I like the way he treats the media and players. He is a breath of fresh air in interviews and is well thought of around the NBA. That being said I would hide that Coach of the Year award under the bed because the league may come back to take it. His actual coaching ability is being questioned by the media, the bloggers and I would have to guess his players. I am sure there is a lot behind the scenes we don’t know but from our perspective how can it not look like crazy time in Raptor land? To change everything once the playoffs start is just a bad idea. Dallas did that last season after being the best team in the NBA and we all know what happened.

Stop worrying about matchups and how you rank against the other team. Just go out and play with what got you there and screw what the other team does. I don’t see any other team in the playoffs changing how they got there. It is insane.

It rarely works and in the end all if does is creates confusion and strips the team of any confidence. Jamario Moon must wonder what the hell is going on. Starts all year and now he is behind Bargnani who sucks.

Tonight is Sam’s last chance to show us what he has in his play book (sheet). Other than the play he drew up to win the game in Atlanta, I don’t remember a lot of moves that worked. I know that is unfair because there are probably thousands of plays and moves that he did that worked. But you all know where I am coming from.

Now it is not all on Mitchell. Players like T.J. Ford and Andrea Bargnani are stinking up the joint and look lost. If just one of them comes out of their funk, the Raps have a real shot at coming back. Problem is that one will start to play better but to equal out the Raptors play, one of the other guys will start to suck.

AP had a big zero in Game 2 so you know that will change. So if we can add a more productive Parker and keep Kapono hot it could be a good thing.

Bosh needs help, he was gassed by the end of the game on Tuesday and he left it all on the floor. Sure he missed the big shot but he got them to that point.

Calderon will probably (hoping) start at the ACC and T.J. can run the second unit. Other than that brutal face pass to Kapono, the two seem to have a chemistry that should be exploited.

Personally I want more Rasho. The Raptors would not even be in the playoffs if it was not for his play in the last two months. The guy gets the job done and is a body to slow Howard.

I know the playoffs is all about shortening the bench but the Raps have some big boys sitting there with fouls to burn. Hump, Graham and Primoz can all take their shots at Howard and hack and bruise and irritate the guy. That smile can’t last forever can it? Joey is small in height but I am sure he has the brute power to box D-12 out.

So that is what the Raps have to do.

Of course if they don’t rebound and have a third straight slow start it does not matter. I think we all know that Orlando is a good team and they smell blood.

The Sea of Red will be rocking so there is no reason the Raps can’t come out jacked and for once be the team that runs away in the first.

A win and everything changes. The series will be where it is supposed to be and the Raptors nation can once again trust that the players and coaching staff know what they are doing.

If it ends up being another loss and the series goes to 3-0, please let it be a sweep and just get it over.

Based on the way the Raps ended the game they could of won. A rebound here, a free throw there it could be 1-1.

For that reason I am going to pick the Raps to win tonight and get back in the series. They were a lot more physical in Game 2 and it seems they are finally here to fight.

Will Sam put on his coaching shoes and manage a perfect game? Doubtful but we can hope that he does the little things that you know Stan Van will do for his team.

Raptors win 107-103 and the ACC will get to enjoy some playoff pizza and hope will be alive again.

I just considered changing my pick but no I am going to stick with my guys damnit.

Who you got?

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