GREAT, GARBO'S GONE FOR THE YEAR

The FIBA website is confirming the Raptors' Jorge Garbajosa is finished for the season after injuring his left ankle trying to block Al Jefferson's dunk in last night's loss to the last-place Celtics. The reaction of the people on the floor -- Jose Calderon rushing to his countryman's side, Jefferson covering his face in shock around the 3:45 mark of the above clip -- illustrate the severity of the injury.

Garbo went down on exactly the kind of play he was brought in to make. The Raptors were down by double digits with 4 1/2 minutes left and had shown little spark. Only Jack Armstrong would have made anything of it if the players on the floor let Jefferson throw down an uncontested dunk. Plenty of Raptors, including the mama's boy who used to wear Garbajosa's number 15, have done so over the years but Garbo wasn't having it, and now he's out for the year.

Talk about timing, too. The Heat visit T.O. tomorrow -- that's the team the Raptors are in a three-way fight with for the No. 3 playoff seed and also might face in the first round. At least Raptors fans won't have to wait long to get indication of what kind of team it will be with Joey Graham or Morris Peterson playing the 3 spot. Until then, let's not go to Negative Town.

At the risk of looking too far ahead, suppose the Raptors go out in Round 1 and Sam Mitchell is replaced as coach. Are the apologists going to play up how he didn't have Garbo and Andrea Bargnani for the stretch drive? That would gloss over that it really seems like this team peaked in February, when everyone was healthy, and that one is on the coaching staff.

There have been some stinky games lately. Last night, they were well on their way to a third loss in four games -- including two against Atlantic teams -- when Garbo was injured. The one win in that stretch was against the Nuggets, who are doing everything in their power to give away games these days.

Related:
Garbajosa to see Toronto doctors (Doug Smith, Toronto Star)

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.