Break out the hometown flag as this writer is playing the role of homer. 

It couldn't be further from the truth as the Toronto Raptors shocked the Boston Celtics Wednesday night in Beantown.  The game-winning basket was scored by the man who began the year as the second-fiddle to starting point guard T.J. Ford, who suffered a career-threatening injury when he was accidentally hit in the head by Al Hortford that triggered a neck/spinal cord injury that has plagued his young career.

What Calderon has done in place of Ford has not only been remarkable, it comes to no surprise to this writer who has watched a young man with a lot of talent find himself and his abilities to be a very effective point guard in the NBA.  In fact so effective that he should be going to the NBA All-Star game this year.

My gut feeling is he won't.

Heading into the game against Boston, Calderon was scoring just under 12 per game and roughly 8.5 assists per game to go with a shooting percentage of over 50%, free throw percentage over 91% and a 3-point shot at 42% - a significant increase from last season.  Let's also remember that his assist-to-turnover ratio is over 5.5 to 1 - best in the NBA.

But you must remember that he was the backup at the beginning of the season which will naturally keep his averages low for an All-Star calibre player.  That said, Calderon has averaged 14 per game, 9.5 assists per game, 50% shooting with over 96% at the free throw line and a 41% 3-point shot over the last month.  His assist-to-turnover ratio?  It dropped to 4.7 to 1 - still incredible.  It's also incredible to watch a guy adjust to the significant increase in playing time and having to be the man in crunch time which he has done gracefully.

Despite having a much better year than Jason Kidd, Kidd will represent the East at the point guard position.  That comes to no surprise as Calderon was not on the ballot and even if he was the All-Star selection process is a popularity vote and the best player does not always get voted in.  The next spot (or two) will be filled by Chauncey Billups who is having another solid season.  If a 3rd point guard is selected it gets tricky; Joe Johnson could be asked to slide to the point guard position if he is picked to go (as could Dwyane Wade), and the other true point guard candidate that could take that last spot is Mo Williams of Milwaukee, who's having a very good year in his own right.  Jamaal Tinsley would have gotten consideration before the new year but he has begun to fade.  Honourable mention to another guy who is having a solid year is Andre Miller.  However, I don't know if he would be producing like this with a team that was going somewhere.

If there were no ballots and they stuck the vote in my hands, Billups and Calderon would be the two point guards going out of the East.  Then again, I'd probably ask to move one of the stud guards from the West into the East.  I want to run down the loaded guns they have: Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Baron Davis, Tony Parker, Jason Terry and Steve Nash.  Not too shabby.  Nash, Paul and Williams would be my first 3 picks out of the bunch.

Perhaps the late opportunity to start and the lack of publicity for Jose Calderon will be the reason he sits at home during this year's All-Star festivities.  Make no mistake about this young man because he has come a long way since his rookie year with the Toronto Raptors.  If his improvement in his game continues he will be an All-Star next year - unless we witness an incredible comeback from T.J. Ford that would spark discussion as one of the best feel-good comeback stories of 2008.

 

Its tough being a Toronto Raptors fan these days. The franchise is not going in a direction that they had hoped, and many are looking at GM Rob Babcock as the reason for the downhill spiral. And deservingly so; He did trade what was thought to be a marquee player in Vince Carter for basically nothing. Ofcourse, it is tough to get something of value in return when the player you trade is not giving maximum effort (Or in sports terms, Vince Carter was playing like a ####. Charles Barkley would agree.)

If anyone needs the number 1 draft pick, it's the Raptors. I firmly believe the Atlanta Hawks are a better team in terms of talent. They are loaded with young guys like Josh Smith, Josh Childress and Marvin Williams who have the ability to turn the corner. In Toronto, who knows how far guys like Jose Calderon and Charlie Villanueva will blossom. I think it's safe to say the Hawks young talent have upside. Who know's about the Raps, except for maybe Babcock, who's point of view may not be that credible right now.

But this offseason is redemption time for Babcock as we know Toronto will have a high draft pick, whether its number 1 or 3. This is the time Babcock needs to step up and turn the franchise around. Otherwise, they need to fire him.

Babcock will need to do something with the money they will save from Alvin Williams, who's contract will be up after this season. Draft an impact player and pick up another, the Raps take off in a positive direction and Babcock saves his job for the time being. And, perhaps a positive swing will allow Chris Bosh to contemplate re-signing with Toronto, which will be highly unlikely after 2007.

If that becomes the case then get ready for a possible Raptors move to another city, although only few would notice. The fanbase for basketball in Toronto is very good, that is not the issue. The issue will be that an overwhelming majority of people will say 'oh well, when does hockey season start?'. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.