<font size=""4"">Break time is over</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Centre Anderson Varejao, starting for the absent Zydrunas Ilgauskas, stole the spotlight from his more famous teammate, LeBron James, by scoring 16 points while adding 15 rebounds, to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a wild 86-85 win last night. In the first game back from the all-star break, the Raptors came out flat, dropping to 29-25 on the season, and head coach Sam Mitchell was, to say the least, unimpressed -- particularly with the way his team rebounded and shared the ball. In the first half, the Raptors managed a mere four assists. </div> <font size=""4"">Colangelo a man with a plan</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"Now we've moved forward to where we have a core of players who are 21, 22, 23 years old with (Andrea) Bargnani, (Chris) Bosh and Ford -- a good core under contract for the next three years. The first step, the logical step, is to make the playoffs. "The single biggest thing we can focus on is the development of that core. Let them grow from the experience of this year, let them learn together, let them learn from a playoff run, let them learn from the experience of a potential playoff berth. And then, we'll see." </div> <font size=""4"">James claims '03 was best draft</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"We definitely have enough guys in the 2003 draft that would be better than the '84 group, or the '95 group," James said last night, prior to the Cavaliers game against the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. "We want to live (up to it). We know we have a standard to live by." </div> <font size=""4"">Swap Raptors for Bills?</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">But what's to stop a little intra-city cooperation between Buffalo and Toronto? Why couldn't Larry Tanenbaum "give" Buffalo a couple of Raptors games ? say two of the 41 for a couple of years ? and in return, Toronto could get that 2008 regular season non-U.S. NFL game for which Toronto is a frontrunner? Think about it. Tanenbaum, who rides the fastest horse in the gang known as Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, is on record with Ted Rogers, who owns the Blue Jays and the stadium formerly known as SkyDome, as wanting an NFL team for Toronto if and when possible.</div> <font size=""4"">Cavs nip Raptors in thriller</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"You have to give Anderson Varejao credit, he just kicked our butt," Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said. "We didn't put a body on him and he just beat us out."</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">But the Cavs clawed their way back, setting up Varejao's winning play off a missed Pavlovic shot. "Great shot but it all comes down to that rebound," Bosh said. "If I get that rebound, it comes down to a free throw contest, and we probably get out of here with a win. "I just got caught watching the ball."</div> <font size=""4"">Raptors flushed by Cavs</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">And so, the honeymoon ends. In a game in which hustle, grit and sandpaper trumped offence -- in other words, a game that resembled playoff basketball -- the Toronto Raptors were out-hustled, outgritted, and out-sandpapered by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Toronto had won 10 of its past 12 games, largely by playing beautiful offensive basketball. Last night, the shots didn't fall, and the Raptors did.</div> <font size=""4"">Big trades seem on back burner</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Other players who have been the subject of considerable trade talks are forward Pau Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies), point guard Mike Bibby (Sacramento Kings), center/forward P.J. Brown (Chicago Bulls), forward Morris Peterson (Toronto Raptors), </div> <font size=""4"">Varejao slams Raptors</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Varejao had 16 points and 15 rebounds for the second-place Cavaliers, who moved three games ahead of Toronto in the Eastern Conference. Indiana also beat Milwaukee night to overtake Toronto for fourth. A double-teamed James passed to an open Pavlovic, whose 3-point attempt hit the rim before Varejao emphatically dunked it before falling to the floor for the final points of the game. ?That was definitely the play of the game. I had the best dunk until Andy decided to do that,? James said with a smile. ?It was a game-winner. He timed it just right.? </div> <font size=""4"">Cavs deliver win with flair </font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Hustle plays and mo ments of great effort with games on the line will separate contenders from pretenders as the NBA regular season winds down and playoff seedings are determined. When Anderson Varejao dunked home the winning basket Wednesday night, it hammered home the difference right now between the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. </div> <div align="center"><font size=""5""><u>Sunshine Transvestite - 2/22/07</u></font> </div>
