Inane ramblings in the morning

Action: Jamario Moon starts

Reaction: Juan Dixon doesn't play much.

If two games are any indication -- and that's all they've played so I guess they are -- Juan Dixon is the guy who's going to have his minutes cut most nights to give the rookie room to roam.

Even though when I asked Sam before the Chicago game who might be impacted most he said it would depend on his nightly roster machinations, it makes entire sense that Dixon would be the odd man out. Trouble is, for his size issues, Dixon was, and is, the most aggressive swingman the Raptors have and he would get up into guys on defence.

There are going to be nights when he has to play; presume the coach will recognize when those are. And on those nights, I'm guess Jason Kapono loses out.

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Action: Whistle blows, someone takes a lazy shot

Reaction: Defender leaps to knock ball away at the rim

Of all the new-fangled things in the game, watching defenders do all they can to make sure those after-the-whistle field goal attempts don't go in the basket irks me for some reason. I'm just as irked at the guys who try them -- what? they don't get enough shots up in a day? -- so I guess it's a two-way street.

I can't wait for the time some guy goes up to block a non-shot, lands awkwardly and rolls an ankle, that'll be a hoot. For the first guy who misses any length of time, we'll give out the Tony Allen award because watching him last year try an after-the-whistle, look-at-me-I-can-jump-high dunk and blow out a knee should serve as a cautionary tale to every player in the league.

And I also can't wait for the time some offensive player is trying to complete a layup, somebody blocks it and he gets all huffy and puffy and a quasi-altercation starts. I'm putting my money on that offensive player being Nate Robinson, by the way. With Denver's J.R. Smith second in the morning line.

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Time to trade?

No, not these guys, other guys.

We're a couple of weeks in, things are starting to shake out and it's time to wonder which struggling team will make a move first.

I think it's got to be Washington but that's broken, big time. Not only aren't they defending (mostly because they never have) but they aren't scoring. I can't see them moving Gilbert for Kobe ('cause I can't see Kobe in D.C.) and Antawn Jamison's contract makes him difficult to deal but there's a sense something has to give.

Maybe Eddie Jordan gets it? Shoulda put him at the top of the First Coach To Get Fired pre-season list.

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Best in the East?
Don't sleep on Detroit. Caught a lot of their Seattle game last night (we are very well served in out-of-market TV games here in Toronto, I must say) and they look good.

Depth was always an issue, but I like Jason Maxiell more than I thought I would and for so early in the season, Rasheed Wallace looks engaged.

Of course, there are going to be issues, eventually, with Flip Saunders 'cause there always are but they've got the talent to win the East for sure and are going really well right now.

Think that's it for now, remember, keep those cards and letters coming for The Day After The Night Before and the Friday mailbag. Just click here to get me. Or close enough to me that someone will ship the good queries on.

Comments

[Lose to the bucks]

Things I've learned about the Raptors in Seven Games

Raptors are a Team with Shooters + Bosh.

You will see many games this Season in which Raptors will completely blow-out their Opponents eg: Nets, Bulls, because everyone was shooting great in those games.

Then some games like the one against Bucks and even Celtics. The Celtic games displayed Ford at his best carrying the team... the rest of the team were slow to get going early on. If it werent for FORD no OT. Bucks showed Raptors shooters in total struggle + Jim Todd had the inside scoop on Raptors Game plan.

My point... when shooters are shooting well they will do amazing/great. When shooting is okay or BAD - Bosh will need to carry the load or some other aggressor. This team will be depending on great shooting this season to win games.

[simon]

You shoot after the whistle just to get a shot off. any shot you take is one that can help you find a rhythm, it's not uncommon at all.
It happens in pick-up all the time. You could take 1,000 shots in a day, but if you aren't shooting well, "the next shot" could always be the one where you find your stroke. so why not take a free shot?
Blocking it is for the same reason. players don't want other players developing that shooting rhythm, so they don't give them the satisfaction of seeing the ball go in the net.

[luu]

I think this team has more than shooting and bosh; it has ford+calderon. Calderon did not take a single shot during that (Chicago) game, he made everyone participate and I think is no coincidence that the Raptors play better (as a team) when he is in.
When TJ is in the team has a different way of paying, and he is proven to be a scorer.

[Matthew Carter]

I wouldn't say that the Raps play BETTER when Calderon is in the game. They definitely play DIFFERENTLY, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they play BETTER.
Ford and Calderon are two excellent point gaurds, and it goes without saying that we in Toronto are very, very lucky to have them both, because if one style of play isn't working, we can just subsitute PGs and approach the game from a totally different angle.