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The Toronto Raptors won 33 games and lost 39 in the 2004-05 NBA season. They did not make the playoffs and have begun a youth movement, building around young forward Chris Bosh. Head coach Sam Mitchell recently met with local Toronto media to discuss the upcoming season. Here's what was said:

Sam Mitchell: We're just watching guys play pickup ball. I got all these ideas in my head right now, but I'm going to try to hold back as far as my thinking of where I'm going to put guys, where I'm going to play guys. We're going to watch them play together first. Because I don't want to have preconceived notions of how I'm going to use guys, and then they don't fit. I like our young guys. I like what I've seen from guys coming back, Chris (Bosh), Mo (Peterson), haven't seen Jalen (Rose) yet. Talked to him, haven't seen him. But Jalen will be here. I'm excited about this year.

Question: What changes will you make in yourself this season?

Sam Mitchell: I just think, being able to handle certain situations different. Being more patient. I have to be more patient, because we have some younger guys. How to deal with each guy. I know each guy a little bit better now, a lot better. Which guys you need to pat on the back more, which guys need a hug, which guys you push a little bit more, so I just know how to deal with the players different now. You just have to learn as a coach, especially the first year with new players, which buttons to push, how to push them, when to push them.

Question: Did you struggle a bit with that last season?

Sam Mitchell: I think, yeah. I woudl say, that's fair. I struggled with certain guys. And I had to learn. My personality is such that, I say things to people and it takes them a while to understand that. I admit it, the way I say it. So what I've learned is, not be so confusing in communicating with them. Say what you mean and mean what you say. You learn, and if you're not capable of learning from year to year you don't last long.

Question: How much will you rely on your veterans this year?

Sam Mitchell: A lot. I'm going to empower my guys to help teach, to help motivate, to help encouraging, to help these guys when they have a bad stretch, to keep their confidence up. All of this stuff is about confidence. Once you gain your confidence, you kind of take off from there. The hardest thing is getting that confidence, having that confidence. I'm going to rely heavily on Jalen, Chris and Mo.

Question: With all those new guys, and then guys like Jalen and Mo, is it going to be a tough balancing act?

Sam Mitchell: No, because they play different positions. Jalen Rose has earned the right to play. Morris Peterson has earned the right to play. And I think Jalen will argue with you; Jalen considers himself a young guy. And I hope he plays young like he did last year. We're going to need that. But no, I'm not concerned about it. I'm just looking forward to it. And with the new energy that these guys bring, I think it's going to energize Jalen, and I think our guys are going to be motivated to try to prove people wrong.

Question: Talking to your players over the last few weeks, were they concerned with what Rob Babcock said about the team possibly not winning many games?

Sam Mitchell: No. That's something in the past, something that we can't concern ourselves with. You ask me how many games we're going to win, I'll tell you at the end of the season. I'll tell you in April. We'll all know in April. Until then, we just want our guys to play hard, play together and get better every day they're on the court. And if they do that, you never know what can happen. That's why you play the game. I always laugh when people... right now everybody's going to predict different teams, and they should. San Antonio, Miami, those teams on paper have gotten stronger. But injuries are going to play a huge factor, and that's for everybody. The teams that gell the best, that play the best together, and work the hardest and pull for one other, those are the teams that's going to have a chance to be more successful night in and night out.

Question: What would you consider a successful season?

Sam Mitchell: Our team getting better. Improving. I think if we can maintain where we are offensively and improve our rebounding and defense, if we do that then the wins and losses will take care of themselves.

Question: Do you think you have a playoff team?

Sam Mitchell: I think right now, my thought process is to make sure we improve every day we're on the floor. That's so far away to even start thinking about. We haven't even started training camp yet. That's something that hasn't even crossed my mind.