The Morning After The Night Before, XXIX

So continues the roller-coaster ride and we’re getting some Fire Sam, Trade Bargnani, sky-is-falling e-mails in the wake of that dog of a game on Saturday night.

Yes, a day after all was grand in the world following a win in San Antonio, a dark cloud has moved in over the Raptors, apparently.

It’s all part and parcel of covering a team with perhaps the zaniest fans in the entire NBA. You guys, and gals, are great.

It was a pooch of a game, though. Horrible offence on both sides, sluggish and slow and boring for long stretches.

But still, they played so …

Three Things I Learned

How to fix it?

Jeez, I dunno, either, to tell you the truth. The offence has been broken for weeks now, masked by a defence that can be excellent at times.

Here’s the thing: They do have plays to get them to the rim, that little curl with AP around the elbow could end up with drives and fouls and layups; watching Jamario Moon take 17-footers instead of driving the ball makes coaches cringe. We hear Sam yell at them, we see them make comments to each other in timeouts. It’s there, they just have to do it.

So what do they do? Keep working, hammer it home, maybe it’ll sink in.

Maybe in an effort to get more free throws from the twos and threes, a huge problem with this team, they might put those guys in the post every now and then, maybe use Delfino more often slashing from the wing.

I do know they were working on Sunday morning, as much as they could coming off back-to-backs, and Sam and his staff were going to meet and talk about tweaking the sets. They’ll have two days of practice this week before they get the Pistons on Friday, the pressure’s on for them to come up with something.

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Sign of the times

I offer this for nothing more than comic value:

In the press room of the Toyota Center, this sign adorns one wall, it trumpets the:

Roger Clemens Institute For Sports Medicine and Human Performance.

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Texas two-step?

Yes, that was Clyde Drexler doing TV on the Rocket broadcast.

No, he wasn’t pestered by a visiting writer for inside info on Dancing With The Stars.

I wanted to, though.

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Three Things You Wondered

Q: Well Doug I'm have been teased by my Chinese friends with the dreadful Raptors in Houston tonight. One of the few Raptor games I get to watch because of Yao Man.

My question is When will they terminate D-Mart. Jose is great but can't play the minutes that are expected. Juan Dixon is not the answer and with T.J. out a dependable back-up is required. It is time for (Colangelo) to go get the best point guard from the D League give Jose a break.

Cam M, Shenzhen, China

A: I’m not sure they’re going to do anything with Martin, not do I think it’s really necessary, but Jan. 5 is the first day they can sign guys to 10-day deals and Jan. 10 is the day Martin’s contract becomes fully guaranteed so we may see some action soon.

Dixon has done a passable job and I don’t think some minor leaguer is going to be able to come in, run the offence and do a better job. And I do think T.J. will be back some time.

And here’s the thing about Jose’s minutes: They aren’t that bad. Starters around the league mostly play 34-36, which is what he’s getting.

So, while I'm not sure what Colangelo’s thinking is, we should find out soon.

And hope your folks over there don’t tease you too much.

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Q: I read TJ appeared on the practice. But I read on NBA game review against Rockets that TJ reportedly is considering retiring. Is that true that he is really considering it?

John P, Belleville

A: We’ll go over it one more time.

At no time in the 20-minute conversation we had with T.J. in San Antonio, nor in the 25-minute conversation we had with him back in Toronto, nor in any of the quick chats we’ve had when he’s been around has he ever mentioned that retirement is a possibility.

In fact, here’s a quote from the other day:

"The key now is longevity. It’s still early in the season we still have a lot more games left. Next time I come back I want to be able to finish the whole season and not have to break it down into pieces like I’ve been doing so far. I think that’s the mentality now."

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Q: Now that The Star has bumped your salary into the SERIOUS six figures to prevent you from being poached by ESPN And Yahoo Sports (see the article in the Dec. 24 NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/24/business/media/24sportswriters.html?ex=1199422800&en=f3851412df3cd1e2&ei=5070&emc=eta1), I have two questions: 1) Have you ever interviewed an NBA'er who makes less than you do (now that you earn the big bucks); and 2) When it comes to your adult beverages, have you switched from your proletarian fare (suds) to something more befitting a man of wealth (single malt)? And if Rick Reilly deserves more than $3 million a year to work for ESPN, then SURELY you deserve at least a mill, no?

Lee Z, Ottawa

A: You, sir, can be my agent any time. Six figures? Yeah, if you count the two on the right side of the decimal point, I’m at six figures. We need ESPN or Yahoo Canada, I guess.

Your questions: Interview an NBAer who makes less than me? That’s hilarious. I’m chuckling over here. No, not quite. A couple of guys have asked, in private conversations, what kind of coin we make and they seem stunned when I suggest it’s, well, it’s meal money.

Single malt? Nah, that’s an acquired taste I’ve yet to acquire. There are enough micro-suds to get me through various NBA cities and if there’s a clear, odorless liquid you can mix with orange stuff or red stuff or white stuff, that’ll be fine with me.

Comments

[Aaron Campbell]

I think the reason the Raptors have stopped scoring is they have forgotten all about the three!!

They won a bunch of games solely on the three earlier in the season, and have completely abandoned it lately. I also think it's time to start someone else besides Moon in the starting line up. His energy might be useful oiff the bench?

What about a starting lineup of Calderon, Parker, Barnagni, Nesterovic and Bosh? Too slow?

Blogger's note: Yeah, probably too slow. And not sure where all the scoring would come from given the struggles of Bargnani and Parker offensively this year so far.

[lennox]

it is time to put delfino in the starting lineup, even though he is struggling offensively. i think he will become a lot more aggressive as a starter. moon needs to move to the second unit. pietrus is available on tuesday. do you think colangelo will go after him? we need a more physical and athletic presence at the 2 position. i can't think of another player on any roster that is available at a cheap price. colangelo will make a trade by jan. 15th.

Blogger's note: Glad you're so certain about that trade by the 15th, I'll be sure not to take that day off.
Pietrus? He's probably okay and maybe Colangelo makes a call. But Pietrus doesn't really get to the line and shoots about 35 per cent from three-point range. Is he that muchc of an upgrade?

[steeebo Hallman]

I have to wonder how its going to be before Delfino starts either in place of Moon or AP? AP hasn't really been scoring much of late and I think you can get the energy and defence from Moon coming off the bench...I'm not sure you need him in the starting line up. Also I think Moon would be better suited to getting to the Rim against backups.

[Dagomar Degroot]

A big problem, of course, concerns the shooting. When the shooters don't hit easy buckets, they can't space the floor for Bosh, resulting in quick double teams and very few free throw attempts from the star. At the same time, it's much easier to defend a team where everyone just stands back and jacks up long-range buckets.

There needs to be alot more ball movement, around the perimeter and from inside to outside. Bosh needs to avoid getting pushed too far from the paint, the twos and threes need to slash to the net when they can. I know Moon brings some serious athleticism and a solid defensive presence, but lately he's making horrible, horrible decisions on offense. Every time I see him launch a three pointer I feel sick, because that's just one more time his athleticism is wasted.

That said, the team will be alright. It's easy to forget the Raptors are still above .500 in spite of all the injuries and this horrendous road trip. That in itself is a fairly impressive accomplishment. Also, the most serious offensive troubles the team has experienced date from these past two games - games on the road against arguably the top two defensive teams in the NBA.

[Shrugz]

I think they need to hire a shooting coach like last year when they had Dave Hopla.
He seemed to have a great effect on the team last year

[charade]

Hey Doug. During friday's game there was a shot of Chuck and Jack and you were in the corner of everyone's TV screen. It was a bit strange but you were looking at your laptop and shaking your head. You actually shook it for quite awhile. Do you remember what was drawing your ire?

Blogger's note: I probably shouldn't say it was likely some some reader's e-mail, should I? Kidding. I was likely reading over my copy and perturbed by it. Or I was e-mailing a friend, or checking scores or doing anything but work.

[kejben]

I was wondering hat is going on with Joey Graham, right now his slashing to the basket would be a big welcome to the offensive struggles.
I just hope that AP has some great offensive game and finally unblocks himself, I wonder whether he is so unsure of his shot or whether he does not get so many chances to shot. I would opt for the second sugestion based solely on the boxscore, because sadly it's impossible to see Raptors games in Poland...
it might be worth trying to put Bosh on five and play Kapono or Delfino on 3 and Moon on 4...

[Kevin Smith]

"We hear Sam yell at them, we see them make comments to each other in timeouts. It’s there, they just have to do it.

So what do they do? Keep working, hammer it home, maybe it’ll sink in."

This information leads one to make one of the following conclusions:

1. The Raptors are really slow learners.

2. Nobody is listening to Sam Mitchell, perhaps because he is yelling all the time, or doesn't speak Italian.

3. There is no leadership on the team, the kind that would encourage the players to pay attention to what the coach is saying, once they get over their learning disability.

4. None of the above.