Wednesday, November 14, 2007
One giant leap for Moonkind
Jamario Moon led the Raps in minutes played tonight and was second in scoring. I have no further comments (because Turk has no further comments).
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Crisis in Raptorland
After a promising 2-0 start, the wheels have fallen off the Raptors' season. Just two days after shellacking the Nets in New Jersey, questions began to arise about this team. In their OT loss to the Celtics, the Raps rode three quarters of offensive ineptitude to a nearly insurmountable lead, only to have TJ Ford rescue them with some timely threes. However, OT showed that when the Raptors need a stop, they're more dependent on the other team missing than anything they do. CB4 was manhandled in the post by KG, who happened to lead the NBA in adjusted plus/minus last year (see 82games.com). Ray Allen was also a beneficiary of Garnett, and the Raps' porous D, knocking down open shots when KG was doubled and using a monstrous screen from the big man to free himself for the game winning shot.
Tonight came more questions in a blowout loss at Milwaukee. The Raps were never in this one. Over the course of an 82 game season, these games will happen from time to time; but there were many troubling signs for Toronto in this one. Here are the most worrisome:
1. Reliance on the jump shot: This team seems to know they can shoot the ball. And, much like Vince Carter when he vastly improved his jumper, they have fallen in love with shooting. The Raps seem to have only two options on offence. Take quick jump shots and take quick fadeaway jump shots. No one attacks the rim with any consistency. If the Raps are going to be a good shooting team, percentage-wise, they're going to have to work the ball inside outside. Post and re-post. Drive and kick. Their current approach will lead to quick, bad shots, and blowout losses.
2. CB4: Plain and simple, he doesn't look like a starter in the league right now, let alone a 2 time all-star. Maybe it's his injury, his lack of conditioning. Whatever it is, he looks brutal. 1 point in 16 minutes? Getting outplayed, badly, by Andrew Bogut? Bring back Garth Joseph.
3. Sam's Rotation: I'm the biggest (only?) Jamario Moon supporter out there, but bringing the kid in midway through the second quarter in a still winnable game, before Jorge Garbajosa took off his warmups, was extremely premature. Mitchell has also been unable to find any combinations that have gelled yet and seems to have no idea how to utilize 18 Parkerville court, Bargnani, or Jason Kaponovich. You got three big, athletic shooters -- do we really prefer Juan Dixon, Kris Humprhies, and Jose Calderon jacking up all of our shots?
Sadly, there are more issues with this team, but I've exceeded my (self-imposed) word limit. Remember, though, that the Raps started last year 2-8. So as long as they win one of their next 6, they're ahead of last year's Atlantic Division winning pace.
Oh, and a big Happy Birthday to my most loyal, and only, reader, Shalom. May your birthday never again be host to such a pathetic Toronto sports performance (don't even get me started on the Leafs...)
Tonight came more questions in a blowout loss at Milwaukee. The Raps were never in this one. Over the course of an 82 game season, these games will happen from time to time; but there were many troubling signs for Toronto in this one. Here are the most worrisome:
1. Reliance on the jump shot: This team seems to know they can shoot the ball. And, much like Vince Carter when he vastly improved his jumper, they have fallen in love with shooting. The Raps seem to have only two options on offence. Take quick jump shots and take quick fadeaway jump shots. No one attacks the rim with any consistency. If the Raps are going to be a good shooting team, percentage-wise, they're going to have to work the ball inside outside. Post and re-post. Drive and kick. Their current approach will lead to quick, bad shots, and blowout losses.
2. CB4: Plain and simple, he doesn't look like a starter in the league right now, let alone a 2 time all-star. Maybe it's his injury, his lack of conditioning. Whatever it is, he looks brutal. 1 point in 16 minutes? Getting outplayed, badly, by Andrew Bogut? Bring back Garth Joseph.
3. Sam's Rotation: I'm the biggest (only?) Jamario Moon supporter out there, but bringing the kid in midway through the second quarter in a still winnable game, before Jorge Garbajosa took off his warmups, was extremely premature. Mitchell has also been unable to find any combinations that have gelled yet and seems to have no idea how to utilize 18 Parkerville court, Bargnani, or Jason Kaponovich. You got three big, athletic shooters -- do we really prefer Juan Dixon, Kris Humprhies, and Jose Calderon jacking up all of our shots?
Sadly, there are more issues with this team, but I've exceeded my (self-imposed) word limit. Remember, though, that the Raps started last year 2-8. So as long as they win one of their next 6, they're ahead of last year's Atlantic Division winning pace.
Oh, and a big Happy Birthday to my most loyal, and only, reader, Shalom. May your birthday never again be host to such a pathetic Toronto sports performance (don't even get me started on the Leafs...)
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