Raptors press from the start

There were 27 wins last year, 33 in each of the two years before that, and 24 the year before that. Excellent numbers for, say, UCLA or Gonzaga. But looking at those numbers, it's not a real leap of faith to think this might be the best Toronto Raptors team in the last five years.

There is a slew of new players, led by impressive Euro-rookie Andrea Bargnani. There's a new point guard (T.J. Ford), a new center (Rasho Nesterovic), and even a new approach from coach Sam Mitchell, now in his third season.

He started with Toronto's exhibition opener Oct. 9 against the Wizards and plans to keep it going right into the -- gulp -- postseason.

"When we came to camp, we said it was going to be a 90-game regular season, and then hopefully the playoffs after that," said Mitchell.

Something worked. The Raptors won their first seven exhibition games before seeing their dreams of 90-0 go up in smoke in Chicago against the Bulls. The games the NBA counts start Wednesday.

Mitchell didn't go for the 90-game-season approach in his first two years, mainly because he knew the veterans in the locker room would think he needed to be institutionalized. You think that approach would work with Eric Williams? Or Jalen Rose?

"I can tell Jalen Rose it's going to be 90 games, but in Jalen's mind it's preseason, because he's been through it for so many years," Mitchell said. "But none of these guys in the locker room have been through it except Mo [Peterson]. Everybody else has got what, three years or less?"

Mitchell forgot about Nesterovic, Darrick Martin, and Freddie Jones, but, well, you get the drift. It is a young team and a different team. And after last season's inauspicious start (0-9 and 1-15), Mitchell needed to do something.

The remaking of the team by president Bryan Colangelo "gives me an opportunity to use some new stuff," Mitchell said. And he figures that winning can get contagious and the Raptors might actually win more than they lose this season, provided, of course, they worship at the Mitchell altar of playing hard, running, setting screens, executing at both ends, and making shots.

"There are some very special players who can turn it on and off," Mitchell said. "Most of the guys I know can't do that. All it is is confidence. Once you believe that you can win and do something, you have no fear, no hesitation. We're trying to build that confidence.

"When Nov. 1 rolls around, they're going to believe they can win because they've done it before. It's no trick or secret. Once they have confidence as individuals and as a group, they're going to be tough."

Chris Bosh is a believer. Toronto's best player re-upped for max money in part because of what he saw unfolding. Said Bosh, "I'm real optimistic. Bryan did a pretty good job of restructuring the team as fast as possible. Things are definitely looking up. It may take a while to jell, but the good thing is that these guys know how to play. When we get cohesive as a unit, we're going to be scary."

Bargnani is one of three rotation regulars who played in Europe last season. The others are Anthony Parker (better known in some parts as Candace Parker's older brother), who played in Israel, and Jorge Garbajosa, who played in Spain. Bargnani's team, Benetton, won the Italian championship last year. Garbajosa and Jose Calderon both played on Spain's title team at last fall's World Championships in Japan.

"I saw a different side of Jose," said Bosh, who was on the US team in Japan but saw limited duty. "He was more aggressive, he was more of a leader type, and I expect him to be like that this year. He raised the bar for us."

These guys will get tested early, with long Western swings in each of the first two months. If they can stay above water in 2006, they will do so knowing they have only three Western Conference roadies in 2007. And then there's the Atlantic Division, in which one team made the playoffs last year and everyone else stunk. In other words, second place is wide open.

A tough pill to swallow

Former University of Texas big man Brad Buckman is back in the United States after receiving a two-year suspension from Greek hoop officials for testing positive for amphetamines. Buckman has a prescription for Adderall to combat attention deficit disorder. He has been on the medication for years.

After signing with Olimpia Larissa, he told doctors that he was on the medication, but the amount detected in the test, conducted by the same doping group that tested the athletes at the 2004 Olympics, was still too much for the Greeks. And Buckman neglected to tell his team that he was on the medication.

"I think the NCAA must have opened a branch office in Athens," growled Buckman's agent, Keith Glass. "These tests are supposed to be for things like steroids, human growth hormones, and banned recreational drugs. This was prescription medication. We had the doctors in Texas send over the medical information and it still didn't help. We are furious over this. This kid didn't do anything wrong."

Buckman has the right to appeal, and, for now, the suspension applies only to Greece, according to an Athens-based official. Glass said he has several options for the 6-foot-8-inch Buckman and has been told that the NBA's development league will allow the kid to play. One of the NBDL teams is in Austin -- Buckman's hometown -- which, for now, might be his best option.

Nelson's golden touch at work

Only four teams -- Miami, San Antonio, Portland, and Memphis -- had a worse free throw shooting percentage last season than the Golden State Warriors' 71.8 percent. Improving that unseemly stat was a key part of Don Nelson's mission statement when he succeeded Mike Montgomery.

In the Warriors' first six exhibition games, the team shot 72.8 percent from the line, a modest upgrade. But the number that sticks out is 88 percent -- the success rate for Baron Davis, who drained 22 of 25 freebies in four games. That's a Beamonesque leap for Davis, who is a career 66.8 percent free throw shooter. Davis also averaged 23.3 points, 7.8 assists, and 3 steals in 32-plus minutes a game.

Nellie said his system should make Davis an All-Star, if Davis is in shape and committed. So far, the marriage appears to be on solid ground.

Another feel-good story for the Warriors is Dajuan Wagner, back in the bigs after missing most of the last two years because of illness and injury. He is averaging 12.7 points while shooting 50 percent.

Etc.

Jeff McInnis appeared in 28 games for the Nets last season -- which apparently is 28 more than he's going to play for the Nets this season. McInnis is under contract for $3.6 million but has not been in camp because he's in the team's doghouse. There have been buyout discussions with McInnis's agent, Steve Kauffman, but nothing has happened. McInnis signed with New Jersey last year, and it looked like a terrific move because the Nets needed someone capable to back up Jason Kidd. But things have gone irretrievably bad. McInnis is working out in Las Vegas, and Kauffman says his client is in excellent shape and wants to play. But where? One NBA official mentioned that Miami might be interested, assuming Jersey could effectuate a buyout. (There was a McInnis-Mike Doleac deal discussed a few months back, but the Nets don't want to be luxury-tax payers; they might anyway if they do nothing and pay McInnis to stay away.) The Heat are without Jason Williams (offseason surgery), and the grizzled Gary Payton is the only other point guard. McInnis has a history of, shall we say, being difficult. But the veteran situation in Miami, along with Pat Riley, might work if he's willing to take the kind of role that did not work for him in New Jersey.

Commissioner David Stern told reporters last week in a conference call that he could have a decision in the Larry Brown arbitration case in the next couple of weeks. The Knicks fired Brown and contend they do not owe him the remainder of his contract, around $40 million. Brown contends he is owed it all and then some. "The evidentiary record is closed," Stern said. "The post-trial briefs have been submitted. And if I didn't have to spend my time going to exhibition games and having conference calls, I could get to work on a decision." Ah, the demands of the job. Whatever Stern decides, Brown is not coaching for the first time since 1972, when he finished his playing career in the old American Basketball Association. Since then, he has coached nine professional teams and two college teams.

The Timberwolves in the 2007 NBA Finals? The Magic in the 2007 NBA Finals? As Rip Hamilton of the Pistons noted when presented with those two possibilities, "Wow." Indeed. But in the league-sponsored survey of general managers, those were two of the predictions. Then again, at least one GM (or someone acting in his behalf) also picked the Timberwolves to make the Finals last season while no one picked the eventual Western Conference champion Mavericks. The Spurs were the popular choice to win the 2007 NBA title while the Heat were the overwhelming pick to win the Eastern Conference. The Celtics were pretty much ignored except for one category: Which rookie is most likely to be a sleeper success? The leader was Rajon Rondo, who had 25 percent of the vote. Fourteen other rookies got mentions, including ex-BC Eagle Craig Smith.

With the season opening in a couple of days, here are just a few of the veteran free agents still looking for gainful employment: Jimmy Jackson, Calbert Cheaney, Reece Gaines, Greg Ostertag, Nick Van Exel, Voshon Lenard, John Thomas, and Qyntel Woods. Old friend Walter McCarty is out there as well. The Celtics made an inquiry as to the potential availability of Keith Van Horn but were told by Van Horn's agent, David Falk, that Van Horn was going to take a year off and spend it with his family. Van Horn finished up last season with the Mavericks, appearing in 53 regular-season games and 14 of the team's 23 playoff games. He also has played for the Nets, Knicks, Sixers, and Bucks since being the No. 2 overall pick in 1997.

Gerald Green is writing a diary for Sports Illustrated, and in this week's issue, he revealed that he wants no more of the D League. "I can't tell you how much I don't want to go back," he wrote. "I feel like I'm an NBA player right now." Green played in Fayetteville, N.C., last season for a team (the Patriots) that no longer exists. If the Celtics are inclined to send him back to the D League this season, he would likely end up in Austin, Texas. Green also said he spent a week in Paris last summer with his girlfriend. "France is a cool country," he said. "I always said that if I could ever afford it, I'd go to Paris. We went sightseeing, and the Eiffel Tower is something else."

The Oklahoma City-based owners of the Sonics passed muster before the NBA Board of Governors, and leading man Clay Bennett is saying wonderful things about Seattle. "We view the Seattle marketplace as a remarkable opportunity -- very dynamic, expanding economy, beautiful place to be," Bennett said. He'd like it a lot more if there were a new NBA arena on the drawing board; if there isn't within the next 12 months, he may well pull up stakes and move to Oklahoma City, for which he needs only a majority of votes from the board. "I'm focused on getting the building and working hard on getting the building, and we'll evaluate our business and our prospects as we go through the process." Stern had all but given up on Seattle last year, and acknowledged, "I think it's far from a slam dunk. But at least the parties all know what options are on the table."

Peter May can be reached at P_May@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.