The Morning After The Night Before, X

I’m all for the theory that you can’t put too much emphasis on one win, just like you can’t put too much emphasis on one loss (that’s for all you Sky Is Falling folks out there and the They’re Winning The NBA Title fanatics. You know who you are. And where you post.).

But here’s an interesting parallel. Maybe.

A year ago, they were 2-8, coming home from the west to play Cleveland and if I had been a betting man, would have ventured a Euro or two on the Cavs. Lo and behold, they win and Sam’s always pointed to that game as a turning point.

Well, who woulda thunk they’d beat Memphis last night – in their 12^th game. Perhaps they’ll look back in the summer and see the way they won, gutting out a close yet dreadful game in which they shot horribly, trailed late and rallied to win.

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Oh yeah, Mitchell 1, Iavaroni 0

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On to our regularly-scheduled stuff. No pap. No drivel. We're going for insight today.

Three Things I Learned

Take Bosh at his word

Okay, how many of you were ready to write him off after Sunday? Hands up. All of you.

Well, how’s 31 points on Tuesday and then that 22-19 gem in Memphis?

JIM WEBER/REUTERS

'I told you I was going to be better, now I'm screaming it to everyone'

What most impressed me was the way he finished last night. After 45 minutes in Dallas, he had enough legs to make that huge jumper – and that’s the first thing to go on his shot – and enough brains to drive and get that big late three-point play.

I’m not saying he’s all the way back, I’ll reserve judgement on that until after the weekend and two more games but his play the last two nights may end up being the most significant part of the trip.

Hey, stats freaks

Okay all you number crunchers out there, you know who you are. The dudes who think I’m a dinosaur ‘cause I haven’t bought into the plus-minus nonsense that’s all the rave.

Jose Calderon was a zero in Memphis, Darrick Martin was plus-6. That mean DMart wins the game for them.

Didn’t think so.

Birds of a feather

This is an actual e-mail exchange I had with a guy last night during the brief, and rather shot-filled, appearance by Kris Humphries:

Me: Hump is a taller, younger, less-smart version of DMart.

Him: Darrick: Pass. Hump: Rebound. Both: Don't shoot.

I once asked one of the coaches about Martin, who remains a favourite because he’s a good guy, a grown up and if he takes four shots in five minutes of a game they win, why do you care? Coach said, ‘yeah, he shoots a lot, but check him out. He’s smart enough to get open shots at least.’

Be nice if he made some but you can’t have everything, I guess.

Three Things You Wondered

Q: Doug, why do we see NBA coaches drawing up plays on the sideline before each half? At least that's what they appear to be doing. Why isn't that done in the room before they come out?

Joe N. Halifax

A: A refresher course, pure and simple. And it’s been my experience that NBA players can be a tad, um, forgetful so even if they did give ‘em the play in the locker room, something might get lost in their minds in the eight minutes or so of warmup and a TV timeout.

Q: My friend and I had a heated debate. Which former Raptor was the better player, Nate Huffman or Rafael Araujo.

Mike Yung, Hong Kong

A: That’s easy. Nate Huffman was better for the Raptors. All he cost them was money. Haffa cost them Andre Iguodala.

Q: Two Questions for the price of one.

Now I am not going to be silly and suggest the Chicken's costume for Kobe Bryant, but if Kobe is traded to the Eastern conference; Is the West still stronger or is there a change in the balance of power? For the making the list, who are top 5 referees that are fully respected throughout the league and media?

A. Lysets, Calgary

A: There’s no way they deal the Chicken costume, that’s got magical powers!

If Kobe comes East, it’s going to be to a team that’s already okay so he won’t actually add to the depth down the standings. Sure, the Lakers will be weaker, but I think they’re seventh or eighth in the West anyway. All in all, I still say the West, with the Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Nuggets, Rockets and Jazz is far deeper in good teams.

The ref question is hilarious. I asked a coach the other day for his top five and he said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “there aren’t five good ones. Seriously, they’re all weak.”

I don’t hold that to be true and I think if you took a poll, you’d come up with, in no particular order, Joey Crawford, Dan Crawford, Steve Javie. Bill Spooner and Eddie Rush would probably fill out the five in an unscientific sample.

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Oh, and a couple more things:

You check out Scott Skiles rant against Tyrus Thomas the other day? Well, yesterday, the Bulls coach breaks off his daily ramblings to apologize. Wild. Check out K.C. Johnson in the Chicago Tribune.

The Bulls are as dysfunctional as any team not called the Knicks these days.

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Can I just say one thing, a day late: Marie Osmond dances and the 90210 lady doesn’t? Life is terribly unfair.

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Everyone’s off today, the entire league, for Thanksgiving down there. (Why they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving like normal people do in October, I’ll never understand). Not a bad idea, though. Even if it means a dark night of TV. Wonder what zany reality show I can catch up on.

Seriously, think the league made a wise move not scheduling games. You can’t imagine how big a holiday it is in the States, giving as many teams as possible a day off at home with family is a fine thing.

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Remember, tomorrow's a mailbag day and I've come to realize many of you love to send missives. Just click here to get in touch.

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Off to scrape the care. I (Heart) Winter. (Sarcasm noted, I hope).

A bonus on a rainy day

It’s raining, it’s pouring and the old man would love to be snoring but a few other matters are pressing. Like a full mail bag.

So, because I like you, here’s a few in advance of Friday and before tonight’s game fills the old mailbag up again.

Remember, click here to send along your greetings.

Q: I mean this in the most non-sarcastic way possible.  At what point in the season does the 'it's too early to draw conclusions' mindset stop being valid? When can statistics be used practically to infer larger trends? I ask not to justify my own belief, but because I'd like to better understand the decision making of Sam and Bryan.

Dave Benner, Toronto

A: I’d say pretty soon. Sure, there are 71 left before tonight and the East is a cesspool of mediocrity at the moment but bad habits developed early – like losing and inconsistency – are harder to break the longer the season goes on.

I’d say 20 games, a quarter of the season, is a pretty good benchmark to find out exactly what’s what. That gives ‘em nine more to find that missing consistency, passion and effort.

I know Bryan Colangelo isn’t going to sit back and let them get too buried before trying his hardest to shake things up and hopefully improve things.

Q: For a change of pace: Q's about assistant coaches.

a) What salary range do they earn generally (and why do they coach after making millions as a player...must be love of the game)

b) What specific responsibilities/assignments do the Raps coaches have

c) What real authority (if any) do any have relative to their responsibility during a game (or does Sam make all game decisions including during time-outs, halftime)

d) What do YOU think of the Raps assistants (vs. the team's needs)

e) How much of the assistants' focus is on players (implementing coach's plans, mentoring individuals, etc) vs. Sam (be his listening board/supporter/kicker-in-the-pants when needed).

Doug, if you want a change-of-pace, come to North Bay on a Wednesday night and play hoops with the boys (40-60's) and then go for a beer to talk about how good we were...

Barry Pond, North Bay

A: Wow, a fine series of questions that don’t have to do with T.J., Jose, what’s wrong or what’s right.

Salaries range anywhere from about $150,000 to $750,000, depending on experience, the largesse of the organization and sometimes the whim of the head coach, who can go to bat with his bosses for more money for his assistants. I don’t know for sure where the Raptor assistants fall but it’s neither at the lowest nor highest ends. And they do it ‘cause it can be fun, it’s a pretty good lifestyle and the game gets in your blood.

Each Raptor assistant has a specific number of “teams” they are responsible for in advance planning. That means helping Sam devise the game plan, scouting, making sure all the players know what the opponents want to do. At practice, they worked interchangeably with all the players, but it’s mainly Mike Evans with the point guards, Jay Triano with the wing players and Alex English with the bigs.

Real authority? Well, Sam’s got the final say but he does listen and welcome input. That’s why you’ll see the assistant coach responsible for a specific team talk during timeouts, then there might be a quick general discussion of what they need to do and what they might change and then Mitchell makes the final call.

I think this team is very well served by its assistants. They are all calm to Sam’s excitable, each has a great knowledge of the game and the ability to get their points across calmly and coolly to the players. They get along well, which is hugely important, and there is no ego or currying of favour from any of them. I can imagine Sam wouldn’t be the easiest guy to work for some days and that’s why their rather calm personalities are important.

The split? That’s impossible to say. It’s a balance they struck but from what I’ve seen at every practice I’ve been to and every game I’ve seen, they are able to devote as much time as necessary to teaching and as much time as necessary making sure Sam doesn’t kill someone. Like me or Stumpy.

North Bay? I’d go to North Bay, for sure. Play? Not so much. Even if I fit about the middle of your demographic. I hung ‘em up after an ACL playing pickup ball in Woodstock about a zillion years ago. Funny thing, though, I can sit and have an adult beverage and talk about how good we were any time you like.

Q: This is my first email to you. Love the Raptors and your column. Big problem as I see it with Toronto is that we have tremendous depth on the team. Doesn't really sound like a problem but it certainly is! In the NBA a good team uses maybe an eight- or nine-man rotation. When our depth puts us in a spot where we use only eight guys in a game and five pretty good players can't get in where does that leave us? Watching this team and still seeing the lack of leadership makes me wonder why Colangelo has not packaged off even a three for one deal for a great small forward or maybe the star centre we need?

Until we bring in a veteran star player I just don't see this team continuing the upswing most predicted.

Some combination of Garbajosa, Parker, Graham, Nesterovic and Dixon plus a first round pick or two have got to be able to bring us what we need.

I don't like to say it but even Ron Artest might bring this team to life! Brad Miller and Artest would do the trick!! The right piece or two and we are top contenders for THIS year. Mr. Colangelo can do it!

Cory Macdonald

A: This is your first, so I’ll cut you some slack.

But, really, do you think they can just snap fingers and do three-for-one or even two-for-one, or even one-for-one deals for a veteran star player? If teams have “veteran star players” they tend to hang on to them.

And if you’re thinking of packaging three-for-one, the other guy is either going to have to have two empty roster spots or be willing to pay people not to play. Doesn’t happen too often.

I’m sure Bryan Colangelo, in the normal course of his business, makes cursory calls every day, I think he’ll get much more serious in trying to make a deal if this inconsistency continues but three-for-one? Don’t bet the house on that happening. It might. It probably won’t.

Q: Thanks for answering my question last season regarding the Phoenix Gorilla.  I have another rather obscure question for you.

I was wondering what's up with the Raptors dinosaur logo, I remember hearing that they were trying to phase that out and go with the basketball/claw logo.  However, I still see the dinosaur logo around quite a bit (on the NBA and team websites). I was wondering if they were attempting to phase out the dinosaur logo and others have not caught on, or if they are content with the presence of both?

Neil Acharya, Toronto

A: It’s on its way out, but not gone entirely. After all, you want The Chicken to dress up as a claw?

As long as the purple pinstripes don’t come back, they can phase it out as slowly as they like.

Q: I read an article by one of your co-workers (Dave Feschuk) that suggested Toronto needs to throw in more wrinkles to the offence because the high pick and roll is being defended really well. The question I had for you is, the Jazz are known as a team that will pick and roll you to death, especially when Stockton and Malone were on the team, do-did they have a lot of variation to the pick and roll offence? Is the Raptors’ real problem variation, or execution?

Anthony De Silva, Toronto

A: This is the easy way out but it’s a bit of both execution and variation.

There are enough ‘reads’ off the bread-and-butter, high-screen-and-roll that should make it more difficult to defend and those are the variables we aren’t seeing. They sort of go hand-in-hand.

The execution, at times, has been lacking. One of the ‘lifted’ guys, out above the three-point line, is supposed to dive through the paint if the ball goes to the big after the screen and sometimes that doesn’t happen.

It’d be nice, every now and then, to see the guy in the other corner cut along the baseline, maybe for a back-door pass, but that hardly occurs.

And the Jazz offence, which really hasn’t changed in about two decades under Jerry Sloan, is about the simplest in the NBA, and one of the most effective. Stockton and Malone knew the variables and the reads and ran ‘em to perfection time and time again. Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are getting them down pat now and that’s why no team in the West is going to want to play Utah in the post-season.

Q: 'Bosh in one unfathomable funk' ... is it so unfathomable? If you were a scout or coach how would you defend Bosh? Now I am no Doug Smith, but my answer would be to put a slightly smaller, quicker defender on him. A quicker defender can get right up on him and put pressure on his outside shot, then stay in front of him if he drives.

Clog the middle once he shows he is going to drive and hit him as much as you can get away with. Whaddya think, Doug? Does that help you out?

Jim James, Kingston

A: No, you’re not Doug Smith ‘cause you don’t seem old, cynical and a tad bitter. But I digress.

How would I defend Chris Bosh? I’d double him quickly with a small when he catches the ball on the block and if I decided to not double at all, I’d tell my guy to get right up in his chest, make him put the ball on the floor. I’d push him as far away from the basket on the catch as I could and when, or if, he got by the guy in his chest, I’d make sure there was a second defender sliding over to try and draw a charge.

Now, I haven’t had a lot of NBA coaches, or scouts, call and ask for advice, but if they ever do, I’ve got some.

Q: I didn't realize the apparent impact Granger is having on the lowly Pacers.

I went back and looked at the '05 draft results as I recall hearing back then from the TV analysts that Granger was a highly touted athlete and that they were somewhat surprised to see him drop so far.

Given that the Raps took Graham one pick ahead of Granger, what are your thoughts in retrospect. Does the fact that the Pacers suck contribute to Granger's success or opportunity to succeed? In hindsight, would it have been a better choice by the Raps to pick Granger (I remember being disappointed that they didn't with that pick)? Is that choice going to end up being another on the list of Babcock's bonehead moves?

A.K., Richmond Hill

A: In retrospect, Granger probably was a better pick, but you’re right about him being an impact player on a bad team that’ll be lucky to win 35 games.

Here’s why they didn’t take him, though. There were concerns within the Raptor hierarchy about his knee, a fact that scared some other teams off, too. And if you recall, the Pacers shut Granger down for his first summer to deal with it.

I remember sitting with Rick Carlisle one night, when he was still coaching the Pacers and I asked him about Granger and the knee. He told me Indy’s doctors had said the kid needed a summer off from playing for treatment and conditioning and that, if Indiana did that, he would be fine. Seems they were right.

Q: For a reasonably informed beat writer, I'm surprised by your off-handed remarks about the Warriors (in the Biedrins section). The 0-6 is explained mostly by the suspension of the Warriors captain, Stephen Jackson. Unless all those six losses were to Eastern Conference teams, they will have plenty of time to make up the ground.

Jerry, Toronto

A: It was actually someone on Nellie’s staff who suggested it’d be January, maybe February before the Warriors dug themselves out of the 0-6 hole. I happen to agree with him.

And Jackson being out was a factor but a team with Al Harrington, Baron Davis and the Biedrins kid shouldn’t lose six in a row to start the season.

I really think the Warriors are life and death to make the playoffs out West, if they miss by a game or two, that 0-6 start will haunt them.

The Morning After The Night Before, IX

Dreary day here. Can imagine the mood with the lads is pretty much the same.

So, Remy writes:

Love the blog, but when I first heard about it I thought you'd be updating it more often with whatever news you have from practice, shoot-around, interviews, etc. What's the deal with only daily updates?

Also, the pieces I find most interesting are the behind the scenes stuff you're fortunate to see, that us Toronto Raptor fans can't. We rely on you man. That sounds like I'm asking you to work more, however, it's just a plea since I enjoy your blog and articles so much. Believe me, as much as you can give - the fans will enjoy.

And Zach wonders:

Hey Mr. Smith, do you get to choose when you want to go with the team on a road trip? Why wouldn't you be in Dallas tonight for such a big game?

I guess I got some ‘splaining to do.

The blog’s very much a work in progress, figure morning’s best so you can enjoy it over coffee or when you’re easing into your day at work, which is why I try to get something up by 8 or 9 a.m.

The plan is to update it with news off shootarounds or practices or whatever but some days there isn’t anything worth doing, really. There was the day they decided to do Baston for Nesterovic but if it’s just the general run-of-the-mill, Sam was cranky, or he wasn’t; Stumpy said something funny, or he didn’t; or you should have seen Sam beat Moon in a shooting contest after practice, not sure there’s a need for it.

It is more work, and while I'm not adverse to more work, life does make its demands. But I’ll try to be better.

And, Zach, deciding who goes where is a collaborative effort, between the bosses, Mr. Feschuk and myself. I can’t see ‘em all (at least that’s what my family tells me) so …

Here’s another tip: There is no such thing as a Big Game in November.

Anyway, on with our regularly scheduled pap and drivel:

Three Things I Learned

It’s called loafing

On a night of major defensive breakdowns, few were more glaring than Toronto’s utter disinterest in getting back in transition in the second half. Devin Harris and Jason Terry are quick, sure; but someone has to stop the ball until the rest of ‘em hustle back to defend.

In

TONY GUTIERREZ/AP

This look familiar? Defence? They don't play no stinking defence!

one glaring moment, Andrea Bargnani had an entry pass knocked away at the offensive end, spent a few seconds being downcast and ticked and then let DeSagana Diop beat him to the other rim by about 15 feet for a dunk. Diop runs like an almost-50-year-old sportswriter. Him beating other bigs down the court by that much is inexcusable.

We asked, they (apparently) listened

Nice job on the scoreboard bug on The Score’s broadcast last night. Even these failing eyes could see it, and read it, clear across the living room. Very cool.

When these guys blow a lead, it’s a doozy

Twice, the Mavericks have rallied from 24-point deficits to win at home, the greatest homecourt comebacks in franchise history. One in overtime and one in regulation. Both against Toronto. That’s a feather in the Raptor cap.

Funny, too, was trading e-mails with a guy at the game and when they went up 20 or so, I asked, "Who are these guys in red?" The reply: "Remember two years ago." How prescient. Check out the view from Dallas courtesy of my man Eddie Sefko of the Morning News.

Three Things You Wondered

Q: I think it's pretty clear that starting Bargnani and Parker at the same time limits the offensive effectiveness of at least one of those guys, since they both seem to hover around the perimeter waiting for kick-outs from Ford.

That said, do you think the Raps should consider keeping Bargnani, but switching Parker for Delfino in the starting line up?

Victor Chen, Toronto

A: If they’re going to make another move with the starting lineup -- and seeing how they make one about every four hours, they probably will – that’s the one that makes the most sense to me.

I really like Delfino’s game, no one on the team better anticipates where rebounds are going to go; and Parker has been very mediocre when playing alongside Bosh and Bargnani in the starting five.

Q: What's with some of these shots that I am seeing? Are they really missing their shooting coach from last year? Should we be making more of Dave Hopla's absence?

Paul Leuverink, Woodstock, Ont.

A: No, I don’t think anyone should be making more of Hop’s absence, except that he was a funny guy to have around.
Sure, last year, Toronto shot 46.3 per cent from the field and this year it’s 44.2 right now but they also shot 36.3 from three last season and are shooting 42.9 per cent so, statistically, it’s a wash.

Anecdotally, it’s not as if Hopla spent eight hours a day working on specific techniques with everyone on the team; he’d rebound the ball in shooting drills, rebound the ball and just be around. No magic wand to wave.

Q: Hope you had a good day at the yardwork, but it's SNOWING here in Newfoundland. Good ol' tropical climate of Newfoundland never lets us down. Anyway, do you still agree with Mitchell's choice to start Moon? I mean, I know he brings a lot of energy and hustle to the starting 5, but doesn't that better suit the title 'spark-plug-off-the-bench?' I like the idea until he starts poppin' threes. If he's going to go out and get to the rim I'm all for it. Thoughts?

Steve Gosse, St. John’s

A: Dude, I lived in St. John’s, I believe it snowed the day I arrived in May and snowed the day I left year later in September. Can remember sitting at the airport waiting out weekend-long fog delays, I believe.

Anyway, on to Moon. I did agree when he did it because they needed a dose of athleticism. And watching him get a dozen rebounds against Dallas affirms that.
He shot too many early-in-the-clock threes for my tastes but the other things he brings takes some of that sting away.

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Okay, that’s it for now, if it keeps raining and stays cold, the leaves can wait and maybe I can get back here later on. Don’t forget, Friday morning’s a mailbag day and there’s always room for a few post-game queries to handle so just click here to add your two cents worth.

No easy answers

The lads are on the road, I’m chilling at home (leaves, yardwork, paperwork, mundane, mundane, mundane) but at least that gives me a chance to try and decipher that unreadable bug on the TV games to get the time and score.

It also gives me a bit more time to decipher where things are at the watershed 10-game mark. They’re not nearly where they should be.

Now, 5-5 isn’t 2-8, and they’ve got a couple new guys working their way in instead of nine, so it doesn’t suck. And given the sorry state of the East, they certainly haven’t played themselves out of anything yet. Of course, if they get to the end of the week 6-8, which is entirely possible, then I'm figuring Bryan Colangelo starts ramping up the calls to other GMs to see if there's a way to tweak this roster.

But T.J. said it best the other day, in one of those interminable scrums with a couple of newspaper people talking and a whole lot of microphone-holders poaching (but I digress).

We don’t have our swagger,” was how he put it and he’s bang-on.

Maybe it’s the weight of expectations, which exist this year for the first time ever with this group; maybe it’s trying to figure out who’s going to play when which night. Something’s missing.

They’ve changed the starting lineup twice, they’ve used Garbo some nights when it’s appropriate, taken Juan Dixon out of the rotation for most of the time and still throw the ball to Chris Bosh six or seven out of every 10 times down the floor.

Still, that something isn’t there.

Not sure what to do next (oh, I know you all have your theories and some of them are even interesting). I do know that at this time last season, no one in their right mind saw 47 wins – a lot of us didn’t see 37 – and much the same group got it going. I’m thinking they’ll do the same thing now.

There is no need for panic in the streets, although reading the ‘trade-this-guy, bench-that-guy, T.J.-sucks-but-not-as-much-as-Bosh, why-don’t-they-throw-the-ball-to-Kapono-more-often and, ‘why-in-the-world-doesn’t-Garbo-play-40-minutes’ e-mails and posts often brings a slight smile to my face.

You fans are great. Entertaining. Passionate. Sometimes comical.

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From the mail box

Only one cranky e-mailer yesterday suggesting I’m the world’s biggest party-pooper for wondering why people who pay a lot of money for tickets get so crazed if they win a slice of free pizza even though the team they’re allegedly cheering for loses.

Writes Andy Wu: I can't believe your comment regarding fans cheering for pizza. As a fan, my main purpose of going to the game is for its entertainment value. After watching the Raps lose even with an eight-point lead to start the fourth quarter was extremely upsetting. The least the team could do is to get me a free slice of pizza to ease my mood. Therefore, I have all the rights to cheer for something that makes my day better. It is much better to have happy fans than disgruntle fans.  Plus the NBA is nothing without us fans, and Mr. Smith would not have had his dream job as a basketball writer if it wasn't for us emotional fans.

Yes, nothing takes upset away than the chance at a free slice of quasi-pizza.

Dream job? My dream job is, oh, I dunno, maybe being a Canadian senator. Lots of money, no real work and if you don’t show up, no one cares. Either that or ‘consultant’ at five-figures a day.

But thanks for writing.

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What? Eric Williams on the inactive list?

Plopped on the couch the other night, the box of bon-bons within reach and turned on the Chicago-Clipper game.

Must have been some pretty intense bon-bons because I’m pretty sure I saw Aaron Williams out there trying to defend Ben Wallace.

AARON WILLIAMS? He of the Vince Carter trade. Still on a team. Still in a game.

Will wonders never cease?

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Gotta dance!

Gratuitous Dancing With The Stars reference just to tick off that dude who got ticked off last week ‘cause I mentioned it.

TORONTO STAR PHOTO

Worries about Raptors 5-5 record? This is much more scary.

You check out Scary Spice last night? A perfect 60! That’s like a quadruple-double or something. But then the racecar dude Helio got 60, too! What drama.

If the world is a just and fair place, it’s Mel, Helio and Little Miss 90210 in next week’s final. Vote early, vote often.

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Smelly in the swamp

And, finally, as bad as things are here, they could be the Nets.

Check out my man Dave D’Alessandro’s two pieces – here, and then here – in the Newark Star-Ledger today.

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All right, yardwork calls and then some phone calls. Who knows what might pop up on an idle day of talking to people around the league.

The Morning After The Night Before, VIII

So off they toddle for a three-game road trip -- a really tough one in Dallas, just as tough a one in Memphis on the back-to-back before Thanksgiving off to prepare for Cleveland on Saturday afternoon.

And, yes, 5-5 isn't as bad a start as 2-8 and they are still in the middle of the Eastern Conference pack but the sense I have right now is that an opportunity has been lost. If they're 5-8 in a week, or 6-8 after they get done with Chicago at home next Sunday, it won't be time to panic but it will be time to be concerned. That doesn't mean fire this guy, trade that guy or bench that guy; it means there has to be a sense of urgency and maybe some tweaking of a rotation that's too up and down.

No one's really shooting it well, Bosh isn't playing up to his capabilities and they've got to start stringing together four or five good games that end up with wins. Losing close games and playing well isn't good enough. Never was, particularly not good enough for a team with designs on 50 wins. Or even 47.

Anyway, on with the show:

Three Things I Learned

Decisions, decisions, (bad) decisions

Okay, they are only two plays in a game but when coaches and players talk about “decision-making” this is not what they had in mind. And two plays in the middle quarters of a close game could be the difference at the end.

First one: T.J.’s leading a four-on-one break with Bosh, AP and Maceo Baston. Who gets the ball? Baston and a missed jump hook, end of possession.

Second one: Carlos Delfino’s leading the same kind of break with Moon, Dixon and Calderon. Where’s the ball go? To Moon, offensive foul, end of possession.

It’s not as if the Warriors have a lineup chalk full of great one-on-four defenders, either. Those were just two mistakes.

When to cheer, when not to

Okay, I like pizza as much as the next guy, although I do admit having been at camp in Italy, the slop some chains pass off as pizza over here barely counts. But, really, down eight with less than five seconds to go and the remnants of a sell-out audience goes nuts – and the over-exuberant PA announcer makes it sound like the greatest thing ever – when Delfino dunks to get the Raptors to 100?

Really. Come on.

I know it’s a bit of solace after a loss but doesn’t that strike anyone but me as a tad over the top? I bet the sponsors were so happy they wanted to invade the locker room after the game while we were doing our jobs and the players were changing so they could shake hands and tell ‘em how great they are.

Just piling on

Andris Biedrins was selected 11th in the 2004 NBA draft by a team needing a young big man to groom. Rafael Araujo was selected eighth in the 2004 NBA draft by a team needing a young big man to groom.

Love Biedrins game, but it's painful to watch him shoot free throws; he makes Shaq look like Rick Barry.

Love the Warriors game, too, lots of fun to watch a team that really doesn't care a lick about defence. An 0-6 start was brutal and, in the West, it'll probably be late January before they can dig themselves out of that hole.

Whether they can do it and make the playoffs remains to be seen.

Three Things You Wondered

Q: I'm not buying your line (in thestar.com game-over story) that T.J. “needed” to score (Sunday) against the Warriors because no one else was doing in the first. The problem I have with him, and I know you like to protect him (and the whole squad for that matter) and never critically analyze their games because, hey - there are 82 in a season, so what's the point right? Anyway, my problem with the little engine is that he's a self-fulfilling prophesy. he starts the game, doesn't get his teammates involved, looks for his own shot, and then things go downhill from there quickly. He takes over and has to win the game himself.

Now it's not all his fault because Sam Mitchell is the guy letting him do it.
I'm telling you, it would be nice to see some decent constructive criticism and a real discussion about the Raps and their woes from the media, instead of always offering up the standard 'there's 82 games' or 'there just wasn't enough ball movement'.

Thanks

Louis Papa, Toronto

A: Your snark aside, and it is quite good, you should be proud, I’ll say what I have to say and then wait for the inevitable reply.

Let’s deconstruct those first few minutes, when things started on such a freefall into mediocrity that Toronto only led by eight going into the fourth quarter.

On Toronto’s first 17 possessions, covering the first eight minutes, we had: Ford miss, Parker miss, Baston miss, Ford make, Parker miss, Parker miss, Baston free throws (2), Bosh make (Ford assist), Bosh miss, Bosh turnover, Ford miss, Bosh miss, Ford make, Parker make (Ford assist) Ford make (three-point play), Parker turnover, Baston miss.

Let’s see, by my count, that’s nine missed shots (two by Ford), three Ford makes (including a three-point play) and two Ford assists on two other Toronto baskets. That’s not dominating the beginning of the game, that’s giving teammates a chance they didn’t capitalize on and watching Ford go around Baron Davis in the first half like he was you made everyone on the staff – which are really the only people who matter – quite happy.

The constructive criticism is that they have to get Chris Bosh going more consistently, a fact that Bosh freely admits, as you’ll read in today’s paper. And, believe it or not, there are 72 games left, which is plenty of time for a 5-5 team to win 50 and, believe it or not, there isn’t enough ball movement and they have to find some.

They can’t score 12 points in a fourth quarter and expect to win. Oh, in that fourth quarter, Ford attempted two shots, one fewer than Jamario Moon.

Q: Do you think we'll see Moon in the dunk contest this year?

Daniel Ho, Richmond Hill.

A: Let’s see, the dunk contest is in February, right? First, let’s see if Moon is in the rotation in February before you start worrying about dunk contest.

But there have been lots of questions like this. The NBA does the inviting, the dunk contest is for young player deemed to be ‘rising stars’ and if Moon’s still playing, he could very well get an invite.

That’d be cool.

But if he’s going to hoist three-pointers like he did Sunday, he’s going to have a hard time staying in the staff’s good graces.

Q: What will happen to Moon and Baston once Graham and Rasho are good to go? I don’t see them on the active list again, that’s just a pure waste of talent. Are the Raps doing any moves in the near future? Come on, you can tell us.

Tobi Bihis, Toronto

A: I wish I knew for ‘cause then I’d be a GM, make a lot more money than I do now and dress better, too.

What I think is going to happen is that when Rasho’s back, Baston spends more time on the inactive list and when Graham’s healthy, either he remains on the inactive list until Moon his the inevitable rookie wall and his play drops off substantially. Or maybe, for the odd game where they need bigger, more athletic threes, they activate Graham and give Juan Dixon a night in street clothes.

As for a trade, as Bryan Colangelo is watching his team play – just like you are and I am – he’s got to be wondering why it really isn’t firing on all cylinders at the moment.

I don’t think there’s a need for a major move, or even a little tweak right now but if they keep going along winning three, losing two, winning one, losing two, he’s going to be more aggressive making a move or two.

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Let's talk

Don't forget, we've got the weekly mailbag that appears here Friday, just click here to send along a query. And there's always the post-game questions that make the morning so interesting.

The Morning After The Night Before, VII

Interesting game, no?

Jose finishes a nearly flawless night with the big three, Garbo does what I expected him to do, which was comport himself like a pro and play when both Bargnani and Humphries were awful and, to all the e-mailers yesterday who thought otherwise, starting Maceo Baston didn’t bring about the downfall of civilization.

Anyway …

Three Things I Learned

Patched in

Not sure if they caught this on TV, but did you see the little quarter-sized patches a couple of Pacers – Jermaine O’Neal and Jeff Foster among them – were wearing on the side of their lower leg?

According to Indiana officials, there were energy-providing, muscle-relaxing patches.

As a guy who wears a patch every now and then – those transatlantic flights are murder on the nicotine withdrawl – I can understand the theory behind them.

But watching O’Neal have more turnovers (7) than rebounds (6) makes me wonder about the energy they actually provided.

Considering the Pacers are slow and more unathletic than any team I’ve seen this year, or much of last, they need all the energy, from whatever source, they can get.

Upon further review

I know Andrea Bargnani was invisible offensively – his one shot was rather soundly rejected (a BA in the boxscore, I’m told) – but I imagine when they looked closely at the tape, it’ll be his defensive indifference that was the reason he never got back on the court after his horrid 4 1-2 minute stretch.

His first touch ended rather badly, what with an offensive foul and all, but a time or two back down the court right after that, he took his sweet time getting back and absolutely lost Troy Murphy in transition. A quick bucket made it all the more apparent that, for some reason, Bargnani’s head didn’t seem in the game.

It was a bad night all around. He’s got to be better.

Hold off on the Hall of Fame votes

For Jamario Moon, that is.

Not sure if you noticed, but from the courtside perch I had last night, Moon incurred the wrath of Sam Mitchell on more than one occasion.

The interesting thing: Sam was hollering at him for busting offensive sets, not getting beaten on defence. It’s usually the other way around with rookies.

It seemed Moon was watching, rather than participating, in the offence, which takes away what he does best.

In one instance, when he stood in the corner, keeping the area too crowded for Chris Bosh to operate, Sam’s only command was “Moon! Move!”

The rook’s game was slightly off last night, which we may see more often as he tries to fit in seamlessly as a first-year player.

Three Things You Wondered

Q: "It was really important, just to show people he's still Jorge Garbajosa," said Chris Bosh. Doug you wrote the quote in your article but do you really believe it?

Marc Cummings, Mississauga

A: I believe Chris Bosh believes everything he tells us.

My seat is better, I’m sure, although a night on a couch isn’t a bad thing at all, and what I saw was him start a bit slowly and tentatively but get better as his minutes wore on.

It should come as no surprise that it took him a couple of minutes to get used to the speed of the game; by the fourth quarter he was the same old Jorge. After all, he was never blessed with blazing speed.

Q: What the heck is happening with the boxscores this year?

I've been scouring NBA boxscores since 1979 and it's always been the two starting forwards followed by the starting centre followed by the two starting guards.

Now all of a sudden, most of the boxscores list it guards, forwards, centre. It throws me right off, for some inexplicable reason.

In 12 games played (Friday), 10 listed them this new way. Only the Minnesota game and the Sacramento game had it the traditional way.

Have you heard if there's been a league directive to change, and if so why?

Guy MacPherson, Vancouver

A: A fantasy league player, by chance? I’m not sure what publication or website you’re reading, my man, because in my edition of our paper, and in the Globe and the Sun, it’s forwards, centre, guards.

And since I’m also looking right now at the boxscore that comes right off the league’s computer system and it’s the same way – the old, right way – I’d take it up with the publisher of whatever thing you’re reading.

Q: I absolutely HATE it when they play music during Raptor offensive sets at the ACC.

Maybe it's all in my mind, but it seems like there is a causal relationship between playing music and Raptor bricks. I can't imagine that having some terrible Lil' Jon thumping in the background helps with the execution of an offensive play in any way.

Does blaring music not drive the players crazy? Why on earth does the ACC, and indeed every arena, actively make it more difficult for the audience to concentrate on the basketball game that they paid to see?

No easy answer on this one. Playing music during five offensive sets a game is unlikely to raise (or lower) the bottom line by any significant measure.

What's the REAL reason?

David Benner, Toronto

A: You hate it? How do you think we feel, subjected to the sensory overload noise 75 nights a season? Like we want to scream? Yeah, that’d be about right.

Anyway, the real reason is that someone in the NBA’s marketing department, or game operations department, believes fans have the attention span of carp and need noise almost all the time to be entertained. As opposed to asking them to sit and watch some of the world’s greatest athletes play a game of fluidity and motion.

The players? I think they are oblivious to it, because they’ve seen it and heard it all their professional lives.

I’m all for the Chicken and the Dance Pak during timeouts, I think it’s painful to hear music during the game. And I have no earthly idea who Lil’ Jon is, but if that’s the noise they play during games, I’m down on him, too.

Maceo's moment? Makes sense

As illogical at it may seem, the logical move for the Raptors to make tonight is to start Maceo Baston in place of centre Rasho Nesterovic.

And coach Sam Mitchell hinted this morning that’s just what he’s going to do.

With Nesterovic out because of a sprained ankle, the least disruptive move to the greatest number of players would be to start Baston, who has yet to play a minute this season. That would allow both Andrea Bargnani and Kris Humphries to maintain the roles they are used to, coming off the bench in the first quarter of games.

And Baston, who spent last season with the Indiana team Toronto faces tonight, could probably give the Raptors almost the same production Nesterovic did in the 12 or 14 minutes he plays most games.

Mitchell, aside from ruling Nesterovic out, wouldn’t announce his next move.

“We’re going to wait,” he said.

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Well-trained reader Scott Knowles passes this along, in reference to the quintuple-double question in this morning’s mailbag:

On Jan. 3, 2006, against the Los Angeles Lakers, (Andrei) Kirilenko posted a statline of 14 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 6 steals and 7 blocks. This was the third time in his career he racked up at least 5 in all of the other relevant categories.

Arguably, his statline is one of the closest performances to a quintuple double in NBA history.

It was also the first-ever regulation a game in which a player registers at least 6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 blocks, and 6 steals — since the NBA began recording blocks and steals in the 1973-74 season.

In 1987, Hakeem Olajuwon had 38 points, 17 rebounds, 12 blocks, 7 steals, and 6 assists for the Houston Rockets in a double-overtime win over the Seattle SuperSonics, the only other time a player has earned a 5×6.

You've kept the cards and letters coming

Well done, my reader friends. Full, full mailbox this week and some top-notch queries. This interweb thing works well.

Remember, if you've got a question, just click here and through the magic of internet, we'll see it. And probably read it.

Anyway, this week’s themes: The fantasy that is Jamario Moon, the requisite ‘What happens to Jose?’ question and Cameron’s not a wimp, he’s a nerd.

Q: I have two questions to tap into your endless knowledge.

1. Has anyone every got close to a quintuple double. Basically double digits in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. I’m going to guess someone from the Spurs is the closest.

2. Why does no one goaltend the continuation shot? Once the whistle blows, what’s to say you can’t goal tend? After all the play is dead isn’t it?

Jason Howlett, Princeton

A: For the first one, I’m guessing that either Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell, maybe even Oscar Robertson, would have had one in their careers but they didn’t keep close stats on things like blocks back then. In today’s game? I’d have my money on a guy like Andrei Kirilenko, actually.

On the second one, people don’t goaltend on continuation baskets because it’d be goaltending. The whistle may have blown but the shot is alive and goaltending is goaltending.

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Q: While watching Moon in Chicago it was easy to conjure images of Pippen, the length, quick hands, hops and stuff. Well, he sure got you a tad excited about his potential to inject some athleticism and skill into an already skilled but staid squad.

Anyway, here's my question: what are his ball-handling skills like? 'Cause wouldn't it be great if he could play point forward, a la Pippen, and save you from the incessant Ford/Calderon queries?

Matt G, Ottawa

A: Nothing is going to stop me from fielding incessant Jose-T.J. questions. Ever.

But no, Moon is nowhere near Scottie Pippen and has nowhere near the ball-handling skills to initiate the offence.

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Q: I know that José seems happy coming off the bench and is very much a team player. But what happens when a team like, oh, I dunno, let's say Memphis, comes calling in the off-season with a whole whack of cash, not to mention the opportunity to play with two of his Spanish buddies (Gasol and Navarro)? Do you think the Raps would pay starter's money for a back-up, even as talented a backup as Jose?

And what role, if any, do you think an unhappy Garbo will play in Jose's thinking? Much as I would HATE to see Jose leave, should the Raps trade him before the deadline (for, say, Maggette? The Clips will be losing Cassell at year's end, plus he's, well, OLD).

Lee Zimmerman, Ottawa

A: We have no idea who will come calling in the summer (not a lot of teams will have more than the mid-level exception and Toronto can match any offter) but I don’t think it’s Memphis. They’ve got Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley for the future and point guard is not the spot they’ll be looking to fill.

Also not sure about the Garbo issue. Jose was enough of his own man to come to the NBA on his own, can’t imagine he wouldn’t be comfortable staying on his own. They’re friends, sure, but friendship only goes so far.

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Q: Two random questions from channel surfing different games (Wednesday) night.

How do the teams determine which direction they play in to start a game (obviously it's the opposite after half). Is this chosen by the home team, visiting team, is it standardized. I thought last year the Raps played towards their bench to start the game, this year it looks to be the opposite.

And what is the deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers floor, it seems that it's raised about a foot and a half off the ground and that the team benches are actually inset in to the ground?  Would this not be a broken ankle/leg waiting to happen - guys running down balls or back-pedalling towards the sides and then all of a sudden they fall into the pit?

Chris French, Toronto

A: Good observation on the ends thing. Visiting teams get the choice. Some coaches want to defend in front of their bench in the last quarter, some teams want to shoot there. It differs from one to the other.

And, yes, the Cavs court is elevated about 12 inches, I’d say. And, thankfully, there are well-heeled, uber-rich ticket holders to break the momentum of any out-of-control player.

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Q: The Raps shooting has been inconsistent this year. How bad do they miss shooting guru Dave Hopla. And what about former lead assistant Jim Todd? Big loss as well in retrospect?

Neil Morton, Toronto

--

A: Lots of Hopla questions. And lots about JT.

I don’t think there’s a correlation at all. Hopla did a good job working after practice on shooting technique but so do Alex English, Mike Evans and Jay Triano now. JT was a good assistant coach, the guy who followed him, Evans, is just as good and I presume Sam listens to him as much as he did JT.

Besides, it’s not like Hopla’s turned the Washington Wizards into the greatest shooting team in the league and JT’s helping Larry Krystkowiak and the Bucks become an average Eastern Conference team.

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Q: Is it too early to add Jamario Moon to my fantasy basketball team?

Jeff Dyck, St. Catharines

A: This is one for my boy Mike Grange at the Globe, whose fantasy team is doing all right (well, it’s not his, exactly, but an amalgam of many others) and The First Lady Of The Beat, who is new to fantasy basketball but apparently obsessed with it.

I’ll check with them and let you know later.

My initial reaction? It’s way too early.

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Q: I was saddened to read the reference of Cam Mathison -- pride of Thornhill, former McGill varsity basketball player, and 1990's Etobicoke Mens Basketball B League scoring sensation for the X-Kats -- as 'Wimpy.' Having played hoops with and against several Canadian hoop player/actors - Mr. Mathison; Tommy Cavanaugh - a bit of a chucker for a point guard; Jason Priestly - no game; Ryan Reynolds -another BC boy with no game but what looks like the best acting career - Cam would have been the last I would have put as Wimpy. Nerdy, maybe. Anyway, my question is, as someone who watches dancing, who's the Raptors best? And your top Dance Pak member?

Geoff H, Toronto

A: I will bow to your knowledge, retract Wimpy and go with Nerdy. But I still say Scary wins in a rout (and to clear things up, I have no abiding interest in dance, I just don’t have control of the clicker early on Monday nights early, that goes to The Lovely Missus).

And, I’ve never seen a Raptor dance, thank God, so I can’t give you an assessment on that, either.

And, while I’m pretty sure the ladies of the Dance Pak have no idea who were are, what we do or why we’re always around the arena, in case they do, I will only say they are all talented dancers and smart, lovely young women. No favourites here.

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Q: It's Mike, (the one guy you know that was actually at that John Salley Party and got his jacket stolen). Anyway, my friends and I are gonna be at the game this Friday against Indiana (I won the guys night out Raptors pack from the Fan online!). Anyway, I will also be there in a box this Sunday (which a bunch of us buy once a year and take the family), here is where you can help. I want the fans to start a new tradition at the ACC. Whenever Moon scores a basket I want everyone to 'Howl at the Moon.' Like wolves at full moon! We will do our part this Friday and Sunday, but if you can spread the word that would be great!

Thanks, man, and keep up the great work!

Mike aka No Jacket Required, Toronto

A: Only ‘cause you’re the dude who lost the jacket in the unfortunate car-in-the-lake New Year’s Eve bash am I using this.

Consider the word spread. Fans, do your part.

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Q: Does BC have input into playing time and how that plays into trade value? If I'm running the team and considering moving either a Garbo or Humphries, I'd love to see the one that I want to move play more to increase his trade value. If I'm the coach, that's not a concern since I don't care to mold a rotation with a player that might not be there long time. Would BC and Sam talk about or consider this, or do they each look at the team from their own perspective, as in long term versus short term.

John Plaudis, Toronto

A: There really is a division of responsibility between a coach and a general manager. They interact but there are no proclamations coming down from on high and Sam doesn’t have to bounce ideas off Colangelo.

They talk a lot, daily I’d presume, but that’s not out of the ordinary.

The conflicts that inevitably arise, and are inevitably solved, do often revolve around long- vs. short-term needs and desires but pros who respect each other, like Colangelo and Mitchell, work through them.

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Q: Do you have any idea how the NBA sets the schedule for each team every season?

I decided to take a look at Boston's schedule when my co-worker noted that they have had the luxury of a couple of days between most of their games to date.

Looking at the Celtics schedule, it is not difficult, to envision a conspiracy to make this team succeed this season.

I notice that they do not travel to the west coast until Dec 26 (Sacramento), and do not have to play Dallas or San Antonio (at home) until Jan. 31, or visit Phoenix 'til Feb. 22.

Granted, March's schedule is a corker, but by that time they could have locked up the east.

Have I been watching too many old Kennedy assassination documentaries, or does the Celtics schedule look suspect to you?

If so, is this a common occurence in the NBA ? Or does no one every really bother to examine and compare team schedules?

Patti Heidinger, Toronto

A: Kennedy assassination docs? Are you grown up like me? Do you know who Wally Pipp was?

But your conspiracy theories are not really applicable here. Some teams do get some stretches where their schedules may seem easier but they’ll get hard stretches later on so it does all even out in the end.

The determining factor, usually, is arena availability. Like the Raptors used to spend every Christmas on the road because some Stuffed Animals On Ice show had a five-year deal at the SkyDome, as it was called then. This year, they’re out west again before and after but last year they played two at home between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

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Q: Simple question. Kapono hits 50 per cent of his shots. Why can't the Raps get him the ball.

Sam Toman, Toronto

A: Simple answer. Defenders.

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Q: Re: Wally Pipp.

As if you had any first hand knowledge of Wally Pipp - dude was playing before the stock market crash of '29.

Dan Maguire, Montreal

A: Dude, did you not get it? It’s not that I knew Wally Pipp, it’s what he is, and it’s got nothing to do with him traded or anything.

Wally Pipp was the guy Lou Gehrig replaced at first base for the Yankees, starting Gehrig’s streak of 2,130 straight games. Joey Graham got hurt, Jamario Moon is in, Graham is Pipp. Get it?

Good story about context and writing for this audience. Couple of years ago, I made another reference to Pipp and asked an editor on the desk if he thought anyone who read it would know that he was the guy who Gehrig replaced. Editor thought not only would no one know Pipp, few would know Gehrig. Looks like he might have been right.

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Okay, we'll be back next Friday with another mailbag and there are always three questions after every game. To get us, just click here.

And the starting centre is ...

Tune in tomorrow because we don't know.

Rasho didn't practice today and as he walked out of the practice facility, he was even less, um, spry than usual so the early line would suggest he's not going to be able to go tomorrow.

So, who starts? Sam's not telling.

Does he have a contingency plan?

"Of course I do."

Would he like to share it with the world?

"Of course I wouldn't."

What a jokester.

Here's one theory, if Rasho can't go: If the only reason for the original switch was to maximize what they were getting out of Nesterovic -- and that's how everyone spun it from the start -- don't they have to go back to Bargnani? After all, he didn't lose the job, really; and there's no doubt he's not been himself in three games coming off the bench.

It could be Kris Humphries, I suppose, but he may be best suited to bringing his energy off the bench and changing the tempo.

But, and there's always a butt, Sam also said when he switched Rasho and Bargnani that he liked to have one scoring big man on the court at least and if he's going to use a fourth big in Nesterovic's place -- Garbo perhaps? -- he might be leaning to starting Hump.

All this boils down to this: We're going to drag our sorry selves to shootaround tomorrow to find out.

The Morning After The Night Before, VI

That was an odd finish, wasn't it? The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight returneth but they've still got a chance to win or tie in the final few seconds until they botch the game's most important possession.

(No, I don't imagine the Kris Humphries-T.J. Ford high screen and roll is on Page 1 of the playbook).

But, still a long season to go. So ...

Three Things I Learned

Deconstruction time

Okay, there’s no timeout with 17 seconds left ‘cause Sam wants T.J. to penetrate for a quick two, a foul, and an attempt to extend the game. Arguable but that’s okay. Not sure about the suggestion he didn’t call timeout because he didn’t want Utah to set up its defence – on a made free-throw, the defence is going to be set up.

The perfect scenario is to have T.J. drive and kick to an open shooter for a game-tying three, which gives Utah one last shot to win. If second-best scenario is for a quick two, a foul and – likely – two Jazz free throws, a three-point deficit again, the need to blow the last time out to set up a game-tying three. Worst-case scenario, they don’t score, foul, give up a free-throw and lose by four.

So, to recap: At some point, Toronto is probably going to have to use its last time out to call a play designed to get a game-tying three-pointer. Do you want to call that timeout with 17 seconds left? Or with, let’s say, six? Me? I want it with 17. But I’m not an NBA coach. And I don’t even play one on TV.

And here’s another thing to think about: During the Williams free throws, they subbed Jason Kapono for Jamario Moon, giving them a better three-point shooter in the corner. Why not send Andrea Bargnani in for Humphries? First, despite being 1-for-11, he’s an exponentially more dangerous offensive player. Second, if they left Hump in because of his rebounding, that’s silly. They’re probably not going to have to rebound anyway, if the free throw is made. And if 7-foot Andrea Bargnani can’t get the rebound of a missed free throw when every Utah player would have been skedaddling back down the court, that’s unbelievable.

With Bargnani in the game, the Jazz have to cover him behind the three-point line and maybe Ford gets a better look if he insists on taking a three. Or maybe Bargnani actually hits a shot. Whatever happens, we aren’t subjected to Ford and Humphries playing some sort of goofy hot-potato game with the outcome on the line.

With 20-20 hindsight, I’d call the timeout with 17 seconds left and, if I didn’t, I’d have Bargnani in for Humphries. Oh, and I’d make sure T.J. knew he was supposed to attack the rim, not shoot a three.

Not Sam’s greatest moment. But, as my son’s report card says, a Learning Opportunity.

Jason’s woes

Tough night for Jason Kapono, although he did keep his three-point shooting percentage right at 50. He was beaten off the dribble once by Gordan Giricek, who is as quick as sludge; committed two offensive fouls in his first five minutes in the game and, in one unmemorable moment, knocked a defensive rebound away from Jose Calderon that led to a turnover and two Utah free throws.

I’m not sure if he’s still getting used to new teammates and new system or if he’s just trying to find his place on this club, but he’s been average – at best – most of the season. On both ends of the court.

On the block

Okay, so everyone’s watching Chris Bosh shoot jumpers for the first 46 minutes and, if they’re like me, thinking ‘why isn’t he driving, getting fouled and shooting free throws?’

No real good answer. The Jazz did clog the lane, Carlos Boozer is an all-star but still …

So we asked him what’s up:

“I think I’m going to have to start doing a better job of getting the ball on the block,” he said. “I think I’ll start there the next game. I’ve been catching the ball at the elbow for the last two games but I have started or finished like I wanted to.”

We will be watching.

Funny statistical anomaly last night: Toronto had more field goals (35-33), more three-pointers (7-3) and lost because Utah made 23 free throws to 11 for the Raptors. Let’s say Bosh shoots 12 foul shots rather than four. A different result?

Three Things You Wondered

Q: Disappointing loss, but it was fun to watch Jamario Moon play. He plays a very explosive style of basketball that the Raptors have not had since Vince Carter was in town. He just plays all around good basketball on both sides of the ball. He reminds me of Keon Clark and Jerome Williams, but with a jump shot. If he keeps this up can you see him making the all rookie team?

Dan West, Newmarket

A: Moon was good last night, he took only good shots in the flow of the game and while three rebounds aren’t enough, he defended Andrei Kirilenko quite well.

All-rookie team? I suppose anything’s possible but let’s let the young fella play, oh, I dunno, 20 games before we start thinking about that.

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Q: Is our depth a problem, when it leads to starters not playing enough minutes? Perusing the boxscore against Utah, I take away the following:

T.J. +9, 32 minutes; Parker +5, 30 minutes; Bosh +8, 31 minutes; Moon +4, 33 minutes; Rasho, even, 19 minutes.

I understand Rasho got banged up, but I really think Sam needs to settle on a normal 8-9 man rotation. Do you think the starters should be playing more minutes?

Brian Sherman, Toronto

A: Interesting numbers, aren’t they? Sam seems to have settled on 10 players, leaving Dixon and Garbo out and that may indeed be one too many.

But the question is, who doesn’t play? The trouble may be that there is no obvious difference in talent. Hump’s as good as Rasho some nights, Delfino, Kapono and Moon are all about the same and you can’t mess with either of the point guards or Bosh and Bargnani.

I think, eventually, you stretch out the starters five or six more minutes, cutting the time for the backups but that might lessen their effectiveness. It’s a tough balancing act. One they really haven’t figured out yet.

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Q: Well it looks like Moon is turning out to be a pleasant surprise and all those Moonies out there have got to have those "I told you so" looks on their faces. Of course it’s a long season, but it looks like we got a real gem of a player that could contribute a lot.

But my question is, what's going on with Jorge? He was so great last year, and everyone rants and raves about his basketball IQ, toughness, hustle, defense, etc. And yet from the playing time (and the actual times in the game) he is getting its obvious that he is way down the list for Sam.

Randy Gabrielson, Warsaw, Poland

A: You cannot imagine the love for Garbo in the mailbag. He’s like Mo Squared.

Here’s the reality, after talking to people around the team.

Right now, they don’t think he’s as good a power forward as Kris Humphries, who rebounds better and is more energetic; and they don’t think he’s as good a three as Moon, Delfino or Kapono.

So where’s he going to play?

Things may change if Rasho’s out and they need another big, and if one of the threes struggles Garbo might get back in the rotation, but right now, he’s out of it.

It sucks for him, it sucks for his fans but this is a tough business and everyone can’t play every night.

--b

Now, don't forget, tomorrow's a mail bag day, just click here to send in a query and if you've got some post-game comments or questions, don't be afraid to send stuff along after the game or overnight, it makes for interesting reading in the morning.