The Morning After The Night Before, LVXI

Look at it this way, it’s almost over. The trip, not the season!

And for that we can all be thankful.

Here a look at the latest carnage, and I want to thank some of you usual ranters, the inbox wasn’t full to over-flowing last night. Some, but not as many.

Three Things I Learned

Time for a change?

The coaches spent about 20-25 minutes behind closed doors after the game and I can imagine they were talking about one thing: Is it time to change the starting lineup? Giving up 35, 44 and 32 points in each of the last three first quarters is inexcusable.

But here’s the question: Do you do one tonight (Moon) or do two on Wednesday (Bargnani and Moon)?

Me? I just do Moon but I wonder just who takes his place.

If you replace him with Kapono, what’s that do for the second unit scoring on nights when Delfino’s not making shots? And while Kapono’s defending better (“he’s trying to box out now,” one person told me on the weekend), can he guard starters?

The thing with Moon is all the stuff he’s supposed to bring: Defence, rebounding, energy, are lacking most nights. And teams have pretty much stopped guarding him.

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Looking good

Not sure if there’s a better matchup in coaching clothing and fashion than Sam Mitchell against Reggie Theus.

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How he got them

Yes, that was Jason Kapono out there scoring 26 points, the most he’s had in a game in the last 42. Every half a season, I guess, he goes off for more than 20.

But the interesting thing is how he got them. Most of them came in transition, when he’d either trail the break and get open looks, or get out in front and hit pull-up jumpers.

If they can get him those shots, and if he’s got the energy to play like he played Sunday night (he was quicker and more engaged than he usually is), he’ll play a big role in the final 15 games.

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A quick grab into the mailbag:

Q: I just finished watching that disgusting display of basketball against Denver. I am embarrassed to be a fan right now. Can you make a list of the most embarrassing Raptor moments ever? I'm sure 81 is #1 but today has got to be in there somewhere right?

K W, North York

Ever? Wow. There are lots

Here’s some that come quickly to mind:

81, ‘nuff said.

Chris Childs and math.

Giving up 152 to the Clippers in ‘98

Rafer wondering if he should ‘retire’ after Sam and he argue on the bench in Boston

The night in Year 1 when they handed out balloons after half to fans sitting under the basket to distract free-throw shooters. And gave them to fans at the wrong end, the end the Raptors were shooting at.

Late in Year 1, Brendan Malone plays four two-guards at the same time and at halftime, a seething Isiah Thomas rips him in an in-game scrum.

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The Fashion Police were out last night. No, not critiquing Sam’s and Reggie’s looks.

First Sacramento’s Francisco Garcia and then Toronto’s Moon get hit with delay-of-game warnings for getting ready to go in the game with their shirts out of their pants.

It’s a silly rule but it’s on the books. I’d hated to be the guy who cost his team a technical foul of his ‘shirt-out’ penalty was the second delay of game call of the night.

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They aren’t dancing in the streets of Sacramento over the win (at least not in the early-morning darkness of this hotel parking lot) but here's what they're writing.

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Speaking of Salt Lake, we’re there for St. Patrick’s Day and, as one guy joked on press row last night, he’s been told that means they’ll leave the bars open until 6 p.m. for the revelry.

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Here’s one more from the mail

Q: During the second quarter of the Kings game, the stars aligned for one of the most unprecedented plays in Raptors history. Jason Kapono attempted a rare three-pointer (missed) and Rasho threw down a ferocious put back slam. My question is why does a player of Rasho's size dunk the ball so rarely? It seems like he prefers flip up baby hooks when he could easily dunk the ball, but why?

Nick H-C, Vancouver

A: Why not? Still counts two points, right?

Why the fascination with dunks over layups or jump hooks? Who cares?

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You never know who you’ll meet where.

We’re pulling into the parking lot at the Arco Arena on Sunday, showing the nice lady directing us our passes so we know where to go.

"I know you,” she says. “I’m Andre Miller’s aunt, he was on fire last night.”

Yes, indeed he was. And his aunt’s a very nice lady.

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Okay, couple of people wondered what in the world Linas Kleiza would possibly jawing about at the Raptor bench in the final seconds of a 30-point Denver win the other night.

Well, seems he was pointing out to Kris Humphries that he didn’t feel Humphries was worthy of being a lottery pick back in the day.

And Jay Triano took exception to Kleiza’s chirping, which got Kleiza all worked up and ended up with him picking up a ‘T.’

Comments

[Ellie]

Here's a link to a great summary of terrible Raptor moments. The guy has his own biases, but he makes some excellent points:
http://theflagrancy.typepad.com/the_flagrancy/2006/11/dubious_raptor__2.html

[David Harrison]

Waits for people to still blame TJ.

[Tree]

I'm tired of seeing Moon as a starter - the guy brings very little to the starting 5. But last night, in the final moments of the game and down by 4, Moon's on the court! What is Sam thinking here? He's not defending well, and the guy constantly hoists up ill-advised jump shots that he other doesn't even bother guarding against (why leave a double team of a good player when you know Moon will take a terrible shot that will most likely miss?). My patience with Mitchell is running out when I see stuff like this. Why, Doug, does Sam not realize that Moon just isn't the type of guy that should be starting / on the court for the final moments of a close game??? And I could be wrong, but wasn't Moon the guy that swatted a Defensive rebound out-of-bounds in the final seconds while still down only 4, giving the ball back to the Kings? And Sam, with a chance to drag him out for that play, again left him in. If I have to watch Moon's "Oh man, I shouldn't have done that" expression one more time a key moments, I will personally start the firesammitchell.com site!

[D]

Embarrassing moments? You forgot the most recent one - whipping the entire stadium into a frenzy to wear playoff t-shirts the same colour as the opposition's uniforms.

[Omar]

"Why not? Still counts two points, right?

Why the fascination with dunks over layups or jump hooks? Who cares?"

Because dunks have a FAR higher probability of going in, esp in Rasho's case.

[Dagomar Degroot]

A dunk is (usually) an automatic two points, while a layup or jumphook is not - at least around half of the time (for a big guy). I can't count the number of times that Rasho has had his shot blocked or missed an easy scoring opportunity because he didn't go up and dunk it with two hands. I understand he isn't that athletic, but he showed last night that he can, at least, get a dunk.

Depressing times to be a Raptor fan right now. Here's hoping Bosh comes back on Wednesday!

[AK]

Hey Doug, What are your thoughts on the Nuggets running up the scores in recent games? One guy just releases and sprints the other way when a shot goes up...rebound, outlet, layup/dunk. Thing is they'll continue this even when up by 30+! I don't get it.

Isn't this why they got in a brawl with the knicks last year? Funny, you never see classy teams like the Spurs or even the Suns for that matter runnin' up the scores. Maybe they think they get more points for a win if they score over 150? Or ..Hey we're not going to make the playoffs might as well pad stats! My guess if they continue to try this with a not so soft team (like the Sonics/Raps) someone is going to get piledrived into the gym floor....rightfully so in my opinion.

[jk]

There's precious little to root for with this team..Bosh included.
He's looking to become the next Abdur-Rahim or J O'Neal....do people really think his "injury" situation is going to get better over the years???
The coaching is pathetic....no adjustments...no plan to deal with the loss of Bosh....
The lack of athleticism and talent is ridiculous....add the lack of passion and heart, which was what got them over the hump last year, and you're back to the "Craptors".

[robin]

We should change the starting lineup moving Moon, Bargnani and Calderon to the second unit. Meanwhile AB should better pack everything and be ready to move from Toronto at the end of the season. Or be ready to become another bench warmer.

[ET]

Doug, I know you are not a fan of Andre Miller’s game (got that from your older mail bag answers). Are you surprised by his really good season so far this year?

[Jeremy]

Hi Doug, I think Nick H-C (Vancouver)'s question is more relevant than your answer suggests. Aside from a 'fascination' with flashiness, aren't dunks higher percentage shots than hooks or jumps?

Blogger's note: They are, when they are possible; I'd rather have a 53 per cent field goal shooter take a three-foot jump hook than try to power his way one more step for a dunk that might get blocked. We all know Rasho is a lot of things, a great, athletic finisher at the rim is not one of them.

[yertu damkule]

waiting...waiting...

'Why the fascination with dunks over layups or jump hooks? Who cares?'

well, isn't dunking a higher % shot than a hook...well, for most people at least? with rasho, i'm guessing he probably makes both at an equal rate (dunk attempts - baby hooks). it just seems soft, like he's avoiding contact...or the embarrassment of being 7' tall & having a dunk blocked (who doesn't remember yao getting stuffed by nate?).

[Alex]

What in the world could Kleiza possibly care where Humphries was drafted???...maybe he's just bitter he was drafted 27th...unbelievable...Triano shoulda back-handed him.

[yertu damkule]

oh man, the fragrancy...haven't checked that sight in ages.

[yertu damkule]

oops, typo...flagrancy.

[andy chung]

Hey Doug,

To Nick's point: Isn't it easier to block a layup and harder to make a jump hook? Isn't the percentage of making a dunk (especailly when you can reach) like 99.99% for making a basket?

[lulu]

About changing the line up, I had Jose at the top of the list. Why don't they put TJ and kapono back to the starting line up. Then you have Calderon and Delfino playing the back court and if they add AB to the second unit that might keep him out of foul trouble.

[Craig]

Regarding:
"Speaking of Salt Lake, we’re there for St. Patrick’s Day and, as one guy joked on press row last night, he’s been told that means they’ll leave the bars open until 6 p.m. for the revelry."

Whoa, tell that guy on press row to slow down. My eyes are watering from all the laughter. No, really, he should get himself down to the Improv for open mike night. How can one man be so funny? What a dumbass!

Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of people who get drunk and stupid in Salt Lake.

By the way, it is only drunk people who find other drunk people funny. That's why they have public watering holes, so these morons can get together. Better that than home beating on the wife and kids, eh?

Blogger's note: A tad sensitive, are we? Come on, it was a joke. Lighten up.

[GM]

Harrison, I don't think the blame-TJ'ers are naive enough to think he's the sole problem in every single game. But that doesn't mean he's the right guard to run this team. Even on those rare instances when he has a good game you can still see he's not a good fit.

[Damian]

I'm still surprised people haven't somehow insinuated yet that TJ was somehow responsible for Bosh's injury... or for all the horrible snow we've had this year. I mean, if he's responsible for Calderon's bad play (because god forbid Calderon himself should actually have to own up to his own bad game), it can't really be that far of a stretch to blame him for everything else. He turned the ball over 3 times last night... I guess that was the game! TJ loses another one for us!

[DK]

OK, last time I checked, dunks have a much higher FG% than any hook or layup. If I were as tall as some of these guys, I would be trying to rip the rim off everytime. Just like "Superman" does!

[Alex H]

Anyone remember how many back rims Hoffa used to make on dunk attempts back in bad ol' days? He makes Rasho look like Dwight Howard.

[Eric]

Doug,

I think your comment on dunks/layups is symbolic of how the Raptors do things in general. In my opinion, there's something more impactful about a dunk than a layup/hook. The Raptors tend to stay on the periphery for seemingly everything, and something tells me that opponents prey on this weakness. Why not dunk it or throw it down with power and make a statement? Or why not at least try? The Raptors too often don't even try and I feel this makes it very easy on their opponents. They never feel threatened. It's like the Raptors are always "asking for permission" to do things. I think that has an understated intangible effect throughout the course of the game. Two points is not just two points.

[Alex H]

Why not ask Chris Wilcox how much his frequent "statement" dunks help his team win?

[Rahil]

Doug,

Did you read Damian Cox's blog today? He's bashing your guy.