so Orrsys getting close

TORONTO - For over a month Nando De Colo was Torontos forgotten man, an afterthought at the bottom of a playoff-bound roster, a masked phantom lurking on the end of the Raptors bench. Who was he and why was he brought here? As the visitors locker room cleared out after Saturdays win in Milwaukee, a reporter approached De Colo, who was suddenly making an impact in an expanded role for his new, undermanned club. Curious about the origins of his first name, which isnt a traditional French moniker, said reporter asked the Raptors guard where it came from. "It came from my parents," he replied, straight-faced, flaunting a quick wit we didnt know he had. Up until last week we didnt know much about him at all. The acquisition of De Colo, trickling in minutes after the trade deadline passed, went under the radar. A player from the end of one bench exchanged for a player on the end of another. Masai Ujiri opted to hold onto Kyle Lowry and keep the band together, that was the headline. Austin Daye for De Colo was a footnote. Now, six weeks later, the move is owed some belated acknowledgement. Ujiri was familiar with De Colo having seen him play overseas and with the Spurs. He knew what he was getting. Dwane Casey was less acquainted with the second-year combo guard but was equally as intrigued by his intangibles and has been looking for a way to find him more playing time. With Lowry resting a sore knee, Casey has been provided that opportunity and De Colo, to his credit, is taking advantage of it. "Its what I was expecting and what we needed and wanted, as far as another ball handler," Casey told TSN.ca. "That was the main thing we saw. We needed another guy that can handle the ball, to create, to be a passer, a facilitator, a transporter of the ball, to get it across the court. "Hes done that." In extended minutes, backing up and playing alongside temporary starter Greivis Vasquez, De Colo has been a sparkplug coming in off the bench to begin the month of April. Over the last two games hes tallied 11 assists to just three turnovers in 42 minutes of action. After easing into his new surroundings, De Colo no longer appears reluctant to let it fly. Hes shooting and scoring with confidence, something he lacked upon arriving in Toronto, playing sporadically last month. "Hes still learning our system," said Casey, "still getting comfortable and the more he gets comfortable the more hes going to knock down shots. I think were seeing that now." The easy explanation for his confidence boost is the increased playing time that has come as a result of Lowrys injury. "Im finding a rhythm," said De Colo, who has attempted 16 shots over the last three games, the same number he hoisted in his first 14 contests with the Raptors. "Im in shape after adjusting to find a rhythm of the game with a new team. Now I just try to play my game, try to be aggressive like everybody wants on the team and since then Ive been good." Since arriving from the Spurs, De Colo has been touted for his basketball intellect and decision-making ability. Teammates and coaches have cited his time playing for the venerable Gregg Popovich with a world-class organization in San Antonio, as well as his experience overseas - where he competed professionally from the age of 19 - and with the French national team. In a year and a half with the Spurs he was sent back and forth from the NBA Development League an astonishing total of nine times, a product of the close proximity between San Antonio and its D-League affiliate in Austin. More so than the path hes traveled to get here, De Colo credits his approach. "I think its something Ive always had in my game," he said. "I try to see what happens and make good decisions. I know I can pass the ball. I must be aggressive on this kind of team and I have to take the open shot." Casey has entrusted De Colo to run his offence, immediately vaulting him over the young Julyan Stone and Dwight Buycks in Torontos backcourt rotation. When Lowry makes his return - hes expected to be cleared this week - the Raptors head coach has a decision to make. Can he afford to juggle minutes for three point guards going into the playoffs or does De Colo go back to the end of the bench? Although Casey has been most impressed with him as the primary ball handler, its conceivable that the Raptors could feature more two point guard lineups in the postseason, when the defence is likely to apply more pressure on Lowry. Of equal importance, the Raptors need to find out what they have in De Colo, a free agent at the end of the season. If Lowry is retained this summer and Vasquez - a restricted free agent - proves too expensive, De Colo may make more sense as an affordable backup, assuming he continues to impress. All of a sudden, De Colo has become more than late-season bench fodder. 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But a terrible giveaway by Union goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi handed Earnshaw the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time, keeping the Union two points back of fifth-place Red Bull New York for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Cheap Jordan 1 Banned .Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday it is inevitable that the league will one day take after European sports and have sponsor names on team jerseys.TORONTO -- In coach Randy Carlyles estimation, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had to make last-minute lineup decisions much more this season than usual, and the health of David Clarkson forced them into another one. With Clarkson deemed "questionable" by Carlyle to play Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Leafs recalled tough guy Frazer McLaren from the AHLs Toronto Marlies. McLaren, who cleared waivers before the trade deadline, would be playing in his fifth post-Olympic break game if he takes Clarksons spot in the lineup. That Clarkson was still bothered by a pulled muscle in his leg which seemed to start during Fridays practice came as a surprise to Carlyle. Following the morning skate at Air Canada Centre, the veteran coach left open the possibility the Leafs could dress 11 forwards and seven defencemen or make a recall, as they did with McLaren. "Its always tough when youre missing quality players, and nobody wants to do that, but in the situation if the player is not deemed healthy by our medical staff and himself, then we have no other choice other than to make decisions," Carlyle said. Clarkson has four goals and six assists in 43 games for Toronto after starting the season with a 10-game suspension. Those 10 points are good for 14th on the team and tied with Dave Bolland, who hasnt played since November. Captain Dion Phaneuf will play against Philadelphia as Carlyle said Friday. Phaneuf took part in the morning skate, his first time on the ice this week witth teammates outside of game action.dddddddddddd "I feel good," Phaneuf said. "Obviously when youre not on the ice for a couple days, you want to get back, feel the puck a bit before you go right into a game." Phaneuf, who leads the Leafs in average ice time at 24:19 a game, has played in every game this season except the two he was suspended for boarding Kevan Miller of the Boston Bruins. That included games this week against the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. Taking some time off between games is a matter of preservation for Phaneuf. "Sometimes when you have the opportunity to rest certain things, you want to take the time to do that," he said. "You weigh how much hockeys going to be played. "For me, it was good to be able to get those couple days to recharge and to rest a couple bumps and bruises." More than bumps and bruises have kept Bolland and tough guy Colton Orr out. Bolland hasnt played since having a tendon on the back of his ankle sliced Nov. 2 while Orr has been out the past six games. The Leafs open a five-game road trip Monday in Anaheim, and Carlyle hopes Bolland and Orr will be available by the end of it, March 17 at Detroit. "Orrsy skated again today, so Orrsys getting close," he said. "And with Bolland, its a situation as weve talked about before where were just waiting and biding our time and hopefully rebuilding that ankle, that area. "Hell give us the green light when he says hes ready." ' ' '