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.

Comments

[Tim]

Re: Tobi's question, What will happen to Moon and Baston once Graham and Rasho are good to go?

Let's be honest... how injured is Graham, really...

[Andrew R]

Doug, the raps are bitten by the "Unhappy Garbo Vibe". Jose, Bosh and Bargnani especially.
Watching this team try to gel and become a cohesive unit is almost as painful as last year when we had something like 9 new guys.
Granted, we are 5-5, but we are falling back to the same things that killed us in games that we should have learned from by now (that's right I said 'we').
Bosh is taking too long to make his moves, he's not getting deep enough in the post, stagnant offence and ill-advised shot selection.
On a positive note, our defence is a little better (except Bargnani's) and TJ has improved.
Basically what I'm trying to say is, I'm confused about the direction this team is going. We need Rasho back, fast.

[Jim]

Watching Golden State run layup drills yesterday against us was pretty discouraging.

[bob]

Maceo Baston over Bargnani on Italian Day. Genius!

[GM]

I always hate it when TJ scores so well early in the game because I know what's coming. And sure enough, there he was in the 4th quarter over-dribbling.
He may have taken only a few shots but think how many times he held onto the ball, drove looking for a shot, was met with a wall, then threw a horrible pass out to someone who had to adjust and hoist up a fast shot to beat the shot clock?
And even though he's among the league leaders in assists, he's a horrid passer. Rarely does an alley-oop go well (although one did yesterday), his fast-breaks often end up as turnovers (unless he takes the shot himself). Yet there he was inbounding at the end of the game. No surprise the pass was miles over Bosh's head.
I think a good analogy is Stephon Marbury. No one denies Marbury's abilities, but he simply doesn't make a team better. Thankfully the Raps have someone better than Mardy Collins behind him.

[Zack]

To Gm, how can you say Ford is a horrid passer?
This guy rarely dishes out less than 5 dimes in a game and just because he hasn't perfected the alley-oop pass doesn't have me too worried.
I've seen a whole bunch of sweet Daniel Gibson alley-oops to LeBron this season but that doesn't mean that Gibson is the best guard in the league! TJ was the only bright spot of the game yesterday and all anyone can do is blame him for th L.
Why can't the rest of this city understand that Ford is better than Calderon, hands down, but Calderon is one helluva back-up. Ford is also only approx. 24 so give the kid some room to grow will you?
If we didn't have Ford, everyone would be complaining that Jose isn't strong enough to lead this team. I mean, seriously, who thinks he could play 40 minutes and do well if needed for 82 games?
C'mon! It seems you fans would be complaining if Steve Nash himself ran the point.

[DougG]

I can't decide if this is a good team, or a mediocre team, because of the inconsistency.
We are told it is a deep team because it has such a wide supporting cast. However, we are getting beat by teams who have 2 or 3 really good players.
That seems to be the model, 3 stars in the lineup. With Bosh not in all-star mode, Bargnani still in learning mode, we only have one star in the lineup, our point gaurds, to compete with the other side.
If TJ is forced to make all the points it weakens the rest of his game. But who can blame him for being greedy when shooters keep blowing their chances?
We continue to be beat for rebounds and generally don't seem to have much of an inside game. That seems to be one of the main things we are missing, that strong, close to the paint, inside game, where we can go for a regular supply of points when the shots are not dropping.
I don't quite understand why Garbajosa didn't play last night and can the experts explain why they don't adjust their game plan on those nights when no one can make a basket. I like the idea of a big supporting cast but it may be getting to the time when some of that excess can be turned into a single great player who addresses our main weaknesses.
A big supporting cast with one star doesn't seem to be enough to beat 2 or 3 stars, and a smaller supporting cast. In fact the big supporting cast seems to be giving the coach head aches more than anything.

[GM]

I say Ford is a horrid passer because I watch the game, not the stats.
Yes, he gets assists, but they're all of the same kind. He's best when he penetrates and kicks out to a shooter on the wings. I wasn't just talking about alley-oops, but they reflect his poor vision.
He doesn't anticipate well where players will be; only where they are (if that makes sense). I ask you to watch him on the break in the next couple of games.
Decent point guards should get the ball to players for easy layups. Ford makes it look hard.
There was a play in the last game that's indicative of his style. There was a fastbreak. I think it was 3-on-1. Two Raptors were in the key. Ford had the ball. He ended up driving baseline and scoring on a reverse layup. So he scored and all's good, but man, it could have been so much easier. And should have been.
Anyway, just watch for that. They could score probably six to 10 more points a game with better decisions, vision and passing out of him.