Imposing Front Line Should Stick...

November 17, 2:57 p.m. It may not have been a "gamble" on Sam Mitchell's part but it was certainly a "calculated risk" and it definitely paid off. By inserting Andrea Bargnani into the starting line up (in place of Jamario Moon) the Raptors threw out one of the most imposing front lines in the league against the Miami Heat ... And it's a threesome that should stick for the next few games as well - if not longer. While a stiffer test may be coming against Orlando, and the league's best big man, Dwight Howard, Toronto dominated the undersized Heat on the glass and took advantage of mismatches on both ends of the floor. As Jack Armstrong said on the Raptors radio pre-game show on the FAN590 yesterday, the Raptors could invoke images or thoughts of the Boston Celtics "big three" in the 80's. Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale caused havoc around the NBA as clubs scrambled to match up against three near-seven-footers. Whether it was "The Chief" down low, McHale stretching out the D with his mid-range jumper, or Bird scorching the opposition inside and out, the Celts were dangerous. Nobody - including me (or Jack) - is comparing Chris Bosh, Jermaine O'Neal, and Bargnani to these players... Yet. As good as they are, they're not Hall of Famers at this point and none of the three have a championship ring either. We are simply talking about the size and versatility and the difficulty other teams should have in trying to keep the Raptors in check. The keys will be Bosh and Bargnani. O'Neal will almost always draw the assignment of guarding the biggest player on the other team, but Bargs and CB4 will have to figure out who guards the three... And that's a battle opposing coaches could look to expose if Toronto's bigs aren't up to the challenge - especially on the perimeter - on any given night. But for now, I like the move. Give me the five best players... Put 'em out on the floor and let's play ball. Don't worry about positions and size, just give me five guys who can ball and we will figure out the rest from there. Time will tell how it all unfolds. E. Smith ericsmithfan590@yahoo.com