April 2003 Toronto Raptors Wiretap

Record day for Lenny?

Mar 30, 2003 8:57 AM

The Associated Press reports: Today might be another record-breaking day for Toronto Raptors coach Lenny Wilkins.

If the Raptors lose today's home game against the New York Knicks, Wilkins will tie Bill Fitch for the most all-time losses as an NBA head coach with 1,106 losses.

Wilkins, who owns the record for most coaching wins with 1,290 wins, isn't worried about tying or breaking Fitch's record.

"It doesn't bother me at all," Wilkens said. "With success comes failure, too. I think that I've accomplished more good things than others."

Things have not been good for Wilkens' Toronto Raptors this season, who have lost too many games to count to injury and are only 22-49 for the season.

Still, he is not worried about his job despite being constantly blasted by local newspapers, fans of the team , and speculation that he will be let go after the season.

"I have a contract for next year," Wilkens said. "We'll see. I'm not going to worry about anything. Every game I go out there and coach and try to win and that's the way it's going to be until the end of the season. Then we'll see what happens."

waymoresports.com

Tags: New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Hunter out for season

Mar 29, 2003 8:28 AM

The Associated Press is reporting that Raptors point guard Lindsey Hunter is out for the season.

Hunter has a torn ligament in his hip that has forced him to miss 28 straight games.

He will try and rehabilitate the injury for the next 3 weeks before deciding if surgery is necessary to correct the problem.

ESPN

Tags: Toronto Raptors, NBA

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No one is safe in Toronto

Mar 29, 2003 8:06 AM

Robert MacLeod of the Globe and Mail reports: The Toronto Raptors will be looking to make some serious changes this summer to turn the fortunes around for the last standing NBA franchise in Canada.

Team President Richard Petty will only comment that everyone in the organization will be looked at. Glen Grunwald has been told he will be spared, but the same cannot be said for Lenny Wilkens. Wilkens will likely let go, meaning the first order of business for the Raptors will be finding a new leader. Despite playing with what will amount to nearly 500 games of injuries between players, Wilkens will be let go because the team has played poorly when they have been healthy.

The Raptors will likely be looking to deal guys like Morris Peterson and Lamond Murray, while players like Jelani McCoy, Voshon Lenard, and Rafer Alston likely will not return.

They will start their rebuilding with a high draft pick. Who they draft depends how they do in the lottery.

It is also mentioned that the team will give serious consideration for the head coaching post to Canadian-born assistant coach Jay Triano.

The Globe and Mail

Tags: Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Wilken says Iverson is Olympian

Mar 25, 2003 8:56 AM

The Star Tribune is reporting that Lenny Wilkens feels that Allen Iverson should be a part of the Olympic squad.

"How could he not be on that team?" Wilkens said.

Wilkens also said he felt it was unfair to make such an accomplished player wait for a spot on the team.

Stu Jackson, chairman of the USA Basketball Committee that chooses the players, has said that Iverson is being considered.

So far the only players to accept invitations are Seattle's Ray Allen, Orlando's Tracy McGrady, Scaramento's Mike Bibby, San Antonio's Tim Duncan, and New Jersey's Jason Kidd.

Laker's guard Kobe Bryant and Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett have recieved invitations, but have yet to accept.

Star Tribune

Tags: Philadelphia Sixers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA

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Time for Raptors to let Wilkens go

Mar 16, 2003 5:44 AM

Eleven games removed from the eighth and final playoff spot Peter Vescey of the New York Post believes it is time the Toronto Raptors let coach Lenny Wilkens run free.  Toronto has been disappointing this season, and much of that has fallen on the hands of the team's coach.  

While Vince Carter and company have missed a large number of games through injury and this could be used as an excuse only to an extent, Wilkens has his club on target for its worst season since 1997-98, a time when the Raptors were nothing more than an expansion team and appeared to be going no where.

After a number of seasons in the playoffs and perceptions around the East at least of a team that should be feared the Raptors are back in the cellar, a place they should certainly not be after paying premium dollars to the likes of Vince Carter, Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams and Alvyn Williams.

Vescey writes that the team's recent loss to the Nuggets, one of their current four game slide, should be sufficient grounds to let Wilkens walk.  'Sidney Lowe got a visit from the Grim Reaper shortly after the Grizzlies got wasted a mile high earlier this season, John Lucas was measured for a toe-tag following a Cavalier setback, and the Clippers nearly sent Alvin Gentry to the mortician subsequent to his mortifying asphyxiation,' writes Vescey.

"It's almost a given," concedes a Nugget official. "You lose to us, you lose your job."

Wilkens maintains that his team simply will not quit, but with a guaranteed $5 million remaining on his contract next year the only person who certainly will not quit appears to be Wilkens himself.

The all-time wins leader, Wilkens is quickly approaching the milestone which will also make him the NBA's all-time losingest coach (seven away from tying Bill Fitch at 1106).

Vescey believes that Wilkens should not even get that opportunity.

'By this time, it should be fairly evident to the Raptors' five-man executive/ownership committee he has to go . . . immediately, if not sooner; it has been a foregone conclusion for months he won't be on their sidelines next season,' writes Vecsey.  The Raptors should use the remainder of the season to see how the team responds to another voice, assumingly assistant Craig Neal.

I don't want to say the game has passed Wilkens by, but he'd have to fast forward a decade or two just to qualify as retro.

Tags: Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Lenard known for talent, work ethic

Mar 12, 2003 6:09 PM

Irv Moss writes about Voshon Lenard and his return to the Pepsi Center as a Raptor.

Also, Nene didn't seem to like how his interpretor sang the Canadian national anthem.

The Denver Post

Tags: Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Spurs' streak reaches nine

Mar 12, 2003 11:37 AM

Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News writes about Denver's team defense and the Nuggets win.

The Rocky Mountain News

Tags: Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Carter trying climb again

Mar 11, 2003 10:53 AM

Mark Spears writes about Vince Carter and his attempts to regain his stature.

The Denver Post

Tags: Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Raptors-Nuggets preview

Mar 11, 2003 10:29 AM

Toronto visits Denver tonight at the Pepsi Center.  The game starts at 7pm and is on Fox Sports and AM950.

The Rocky Mountain News

Tags: Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Murray to miss remainder of season

Mar 11, 2003 3:24 AM

He has yet to suit up in a regular season game with the Raptors, and it now looks like he wont... for this season at least.

Toronto acquired forward Lamond Murray from the Cleveland Cavaliers during the offseason, then the team lost him again weeks later through injury.  Murray tore a ligament in his foot in a pre-season game against the New Jersey Nets on Oct. 18, and his recovery has been slower than expected. He is still experiencing soreness where the screws were inserted, and the Toronto Sun writes that he will need to once again visit the ankle specialist to have the screws removed.

Tags: Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Carter sets arena mark with 43 against Hawks

Michael Lee/Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Carter, Raptors Shoot Over the Hawks

Jason Walker/RealGM

Polynice Could Be Facing Jail Time

Salt Lake Tribune

Rebracca considering quitting basketball

Raptors Davis takes exception to Walkers words