The Morning After The Night Before, LVXII

I have no idea where to start. So let’s just dive right in, shall we? And I hope you all appreciate the time of this post, it’s the middle of the night there, it’s two hours earlier here and I’m still not entirely certain what time we get home. But it’ll be nice to be there for a day or so.

Three Things I Learned

I Don’t Know What To Say

That might have been the ugliest five minutes of point guard play of the season, maybe since Rafer was here. But what do you do? Can’t trade him. Can’t play Jose 48 minutes a night. Can’t use Darrick Martin every game. Carlos Delfino can’t make a shot.

DOUGLAS C. PIZAC/ASSOCIATED PRESS

T.J. Ford, wearing St. Paddy's Day green, is restrained by teammates during the fourth quarter of Toronto's 96-79 loss to the Utah Jazz March 17. Ford was teched up and ejected.

Talked to a couple of guys on the way out, coaches and players, and the feeling was they’ve got to get T.J. right, somehow. Quickly.

My opinion? He’s not handling being a backup well and I think he knows he’s a second stringer for as long as he remains in Toronto. He’s hurt, his emotional state isn’t good and he doesn’t know how to handle it. The explosion at the ref had as much to do with the last two weeks as it did the preceding five minutes.

This is going to be the biggest challenge of Sam Mitchell’s coaching career, he’s got to get to T.J. and make him understand they need him to be steady, not spectacular, not a one-man show. Who knows if Sam’s up to it.

Maybe last night was indeed rock bottom, I know listening to T.J. right after the game he knew what he’d done, felt bad and I’m sure he’s hurting today.

But this is what it is: he has to play some, he has to play better or this season’s gonna degenerate into a mess of biblical proportions.

It’s not too late to salvage something (one scout I talked to on the trip figures these guys come home, win a bunch of games in April, finish sixth, beat Orlando in the first round) but time is running out.

It’s on the coach and T.J.’s teammates to get to him.

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A strange crowd reaction

Here’s the difference between Salt Lake and Toronto. The visitors are making a run, cutting the halftime lead to 52-51 and you know what would have happened in Toronto, right. Boos. Probably lots of them. What happened in Utah? The fans started cheering louder. Same thing at the end of quarter, after Raptors tie it.

I guarantee you that never happens in the Air Canada Centre.

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Out of consideration

All right, I know he got hurt a couple of weeks ago against Dallas and is likely still banged up but after watching Andrei Kirilenko last night, I’m putting him far down the list of guys the Raptors should pursue this summer. In fact, he might drop all the way off it.

-

As I’m sure you can imagine, the mailbag was littered with T.J. rants last night (I’d say there’s 25 in there now and it’s about 11:30 out here). All good opinions, many well put but really no questions that I can answer better than I did before.

So, let’s check out some other mail:

Q: So I remember Bosh said that he was trying to improve his three point shooting, so basically he'll be a big that can shoot...like Bargnani. So why don't the Raps do the opposite for AB7 (doesn't quite work) and make him adapt Bosh's style play. I know the team IS working on his post game, but all I see is Andrea trying to run around his defender and occasionally shoot over them. Whereas Bosh's game is more like dribbling left and right, left and right then spinning around the defender to the cup or he does a fade-away jumper. I think it's easier to teach Bargnani this slower style rather than him picking up offensive fouls or travelling all the time. What are your thoughts?

Veronica S, Winnipeg

A: I think they should take more advantage of Bargnani on the low block, actually. He’s not fluid enough right now to catch the ball mid-block and square his man up but when he gets a small guarding him, they have to put him down on the block and let him operate.

He’s done it a couple of times, he seems to be a good enough passer to handle a double-team.

Bargnani’s got a lot to learn and post play isn’t something that’s easy but they have to start exploiting mismatches more often.

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Casey out in Burlington, along with a handful of others, wonders:

Doug, would like to hear who you like as your final 4 in the NCAA tournament. Do you enter a bracket anywhere online? I like Yahoo's bracket manager, but their $5M cannot be won by Canadians. Any input where we can go online to win big?

I don’t have much input on where to go on-line to win; I’d start with The Score’s homepage since they’ve got the tournament and maybe they can link you up.

Now, I’ve probably watched 100 minutes of college basketball all year, and about 85 of those minutes came this weekend. And Super Son, who is the defending Kids Champion of this little pool run by a young bookie we know, hasn’t filled out his sheet yet.

But if the little fella asks me tonight, I’m thinking of steering him to North Carolina, Georgetown, Pittsburgh and UCLA.

I’m pretty sure as they each get eliminated some of you will remind me how dopey I am.

-

I’m going to ask this question of a couple of readers/writers out there: Is “objective reporting” only actually reporting the point of view you happen to agree with? It’s funny that people hold up examples of game stories and blog posts and mail answers as not being objective and then supply as examples of what they mean stories, posts and questions that are simply differing opinions?

It’s a fun part of the gig, I guess. And sure can make for entertaining ranting on a pre-game afternoon in a hotel room.

-

At the arena in Salt Lake, we sit elevated in the tunnel right by where the Raptors enter the court. At the end of the first quarter, I looked down and Rasho had his red shooting shirt on with his green shorts and he looked like a tired Christmas tree.

But you know what? The green uniforms didn’t look stupid. In fact, they looked all right. Not as a steady diet, I prefer red personally (generally matches my eyes), but they were a good shade of green.

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One more in the mail and have to get this one in today ‘cause of time.

Q: Reading about Rafer's 31 3-pointers and all, the following question popped into my head: how many 3s will he try hoisting in the 1st quarter alone against Boston Tuesday? And on what Rockets possession will the first one come? If you were Vegas, what would your line be?  I say he puts up 4 3s in the 1st (more if he makes) with the first coming in the first 2 possessions.

I know he has been effective this year but I don't miss him at all.
Colin B, Bogota, Colombia

A: Gambling, I remind you, is the devil’s work and book-making is very illegal. I put the over and under at 3 1-2 in the first quarter and the first by two minutes.

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And I present this as a proud, very proud, former resident of the Niagara peninsula.

While this is not Raptors related, I wanted to make a point of writing in about the quality of the CIS Final 8 tournament held this past weekend. The Carleton-Acadia double-OT game was one of the best games I’ve ever seen and to see the Badgers as National Champions as a seven seed was a thing of beauty. At Brock $6 can get you courtside to see some great Canadian ball. I hope you’ll publish this not so much as a question, but as a public service announcement of sorts to your readers. Thanks Doug.

Kelly A, Hamilton

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Finally, here’s how the Salt Lake Tribune summed up the big game.

Comments

[Jake Tuominen]

To Casey wondering about the March Madness...there are two options I have found that are open to Canadians; CBS Sportsline (chance for $10,000 if you finish in the top 10%) or SI.com ($15,000 to the top finish, prizes for the top 15).

Now, I'm running these both through facebook, the social utility, which I think is a clever move on their parts because it gets more youth involved and interested in what their websites have to offer if they haven't already, but if you don't have facebook, I'm sure there's a way to play without it.

[John P]

I really hope last night game was rock bottom, so they can climb up from now on, not falling down deep.

By the way, can we call it(TJ's recent play and rejection) "TJ virus"?

[Gerald]

"I think he knows he’s a second stringer for as long as he remains in Toronto"

Talk about burying the lead!!

Doug, it sounds like (as i have long suspected) that you have been holding out on us a little and in fact have known a little bit more about the Ford/Calderon situation than you have been letting on.

I suspect that many readers, whether supporters of Ford, Calderon or (like me) Forderon have been working from the assumption that, somewhere down the road, perhaps not until next season, Ford would resume the starter's role. What you are saying now is that, not only will that not happen this year (as you HAVE stated), but it will not happen at all.

This is news. Big news. Please elaborate.

Blogger's note: There's nothing sinister going on here; I believe that's what Ford thinks, whether it comes to fruition or not we won't learn until the summer.

[DanH]

Well, I think everything gets better from here (can't get much worse can it?).

TJ might wake up because of his temporary insanity there, and CB's almost back. Calderon finally had a decent game, and Kapono hit a few shots the last couple games.

So I'm going to be optimistic. Hey, the Raps are playing the Heat next - let the optimism abound!

[Rob]

Chris, Barganani did play poorly but the story and turning point in yesterday's game was TJ's play not Bargnani. In fact, TJ has beeen the story over the last several weeks. Its only appropriate that Doug would cover this in his blog.

[Alex]

TJ is a “me-first” player who doesn’t fit with the low-ego team BC is trying to build. Unless something miraculous happens and he learns how to be a true team player, he won’t be in a Raptors uniform next year.

[Dallas]

You say it's on the Coach and his teammates to get through to TJ. Shouldn't at least a little of it be on TJ himself? Didn't Sam and Bosh both vouch for the guy? You wouldn't think maturity and self awareness would be too much to expect from him.

[Conrad]

Yes but Bargnani's poor play is no new news, simply a continuation of the norm. TJ's ejection on the other hand was part of the storyline of the game, and is part of the storyline of the team at this point in the season. A little more relevant.

[Eric]

If anything, I think Doug Smith has been too patient with TJ Ford. There have been many fans who have been anti-TJ for awhile but I'll give credit where it's due: Doug has not been one. Yesterday's horror show deserved bad press, it has nothing to do with TJ vs Jose- or Bargnani or anyone else. I think TJ apologists only expose themselves as such when they try to defend an event like that. There is no defense. TJ came into the game in the fourth quarter with the game tied and promptly, whether through his own doing or not, watched Utah go off on a 24-4 run before getting thrown out of the game for berating an official.

Bargnani has been ordinary at best and that's a well-known fact. I don't know how much more needs to be written on that topic. Certainly nothing new on that front last night.

I think there are some leadership issues since the entire team looks out of place, Bargnani looks less comfortable now than ever, there is hardly a strength on the roster, but even leadership was not to blame for TJ Ford last night. I commend Doug for telling it like it is.

[Alex H]

Do you think Bosh's return will help straighten out T.J.? By all accounts, they're good friends and Bosh has certainly earned the respect and the ear of everyone on the team. I'd be stunned if Bosh wasn't already talking to T.J. to try to help him through these tough times, but I also think that the message might be more effective when Bosh is in the trenches next to T.J. as opposed to in a suit.

[Mark Irish]

Do you think Memphis' Mike Miller is on the Raptors' wish list this summer?

Blogger's note: I'm sure they called about him in February, I'm sure they'll call about him again in June.

[Adam K]

That was one ugly tie worn by Jerry Sloan.
Best dressed Coaches matchup: Sam Mitchelle vs Reggie Theus.
Worst dressed Coaches matchup: Greg Popv. vs Jerry Sloan.

Blogger's note: George Karl has to be in any conversation. He's at least a semifinalist.

[Amanda]

TJ is slowly starting to take away my reasons to stick up for him. Hopefully last night served as a wake-up call of sorts for him and he goes back to the old TJ soon.

[DougG]

"I’m going to ask this question of a couple of readers/writers out there: Is “objective reporting” only actually reporting the point of view you happen to agree with? It’s funny that people hold up examples of game stories and blog posts and mail answers as not being objective and then supply as examples of what they mean stories, posts and questions that are simply differing opinions?"

Doug I think you get the brunt of the Toronto sports fan frustration simply because you are accessible. We really can't write to BC or the players and get a response so we let fly on you. I hope you don't take it personally. This city is in bad need of a winning sports team in the worst way. I believe many of us thought the Raptors were it this year and are disappointed. Obviously we have our hopes up too high. I believe BC has done a decent job given where we were 2 years ago. However, there are years of pent up frustration leading up to 2 years ago, and if you are a Leaf fan, decades before that. The owners of these teams will just have to content themselves with the fact that the buildings are full every night even if the patrons are ready to explode at any moment, like John McCain.

Blogger's note: Personally? No, not at all. The interaction is fun sometimes; overwhelming at others but it's nice to have a connection with some folks. And it's good for our paper and website, too.

[Kevin]

Hi Doug,

I liked the statement about what Sam needs to do. T.J., Moon and Bargs all need to be re-directed. All three have different issues that are going to take some time. Two of the three are not going anywhere soon so the job becomes one of coaching and counseling them constantly.

Question. Could Rafer have achieved what he is currently doing under Sam? Can we look at Rafer and TJ and make a comparison?

Blogger's note: If Rafer had had Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier and, until recently, Yao Ming, yes, he could have done the same thing here. Check tomorrow's blog, I'll have some Rafer stuff in there I picked up on the road trip.

[Philippe A]

It seems that everyone is blaming TJ Ford for everything. Yes last night he did have a bad game but you have to remember that against the Lakers and the Warriors he did have stretches where he was the reason why they came back in the game. My point is that there are many problems the Raptors experienced during this road trip. Calderon cannot play defense. D Williams detroyed him on the 5 minute stretch and he wasn't even using screens. He really has to improve. Nobody on the Raptors can create their own shot except Ford and Parker. Inconsistent bench. Rasho missing simple layups. I don't understand why he doesn't go up to the basket with authority. So the point i'm getting at is that Chris Bosh is the key to everything this team does. Without Bosh, this team is definitely out of the playoffs. He's like a Lebron James and Chris Paul...without those guys, those teams are not even close to making it to the playoffs. So please stop pointing the finger at Ford. I mean if you were taken out of the starting lineup, wouldn't you be as upset as TJ is. I know I would. Also the fact that he was a starter for basically his whole life makes it even harder for him. To conclude this, Bosh needs to come back and also has to be 100% in order for this team to start winning again or else we can be in for a surprise...not making the playoffs!

[Arun]

I feel like the problems on this team are a direct result of poor coaching from Mitchell. For all the poor performances this team has put out there, he as received shockingly little attention. When the team comes out and looks surprised that Golden State is running on them, the blame goes on the coach.

Players come into games not knowing their roles, and we've got guys trying to do things they're not good at. Jamario Moon's taken as many 3-pters as Kapono. Humphries goes for Jordan-esque shots on offence. And it seems like when TJ's on the floor, he has all our guys stand outide the 3-pt line and do nothing. And then people complain when TJ takes shots. Blame the offence, and blame Sam.

And most importantly, with Mitchell coaching, we won't win a round in the playoffs at all.

I'm hoping he gets fired this offseason. It would be addition by subtraction in its purest form.

[Remy]

Doug - there are a lot of comments regarding Calderon not being a great defender lately. He definitely gets beat of the bounce a lot, but at times it looks as though he's playing decent team D (at the elbow where he makes the player take it to the hoop towards the baseline), but the rest of the team isn't shifting.

Re: the play I noted above - would defense like that suggest that a help defender will cut the opposing player off at the basket and the help isn't coming? I guess what I'm asking is when Jose does that is he doing the right thing?

Blogger's note: I think you'll see the defence improve substantially in that kind of play when Bosh gets back.

[RS]

Somebody still blindly praise TJ Ford, that really make me laughing. Raptors have many problems, but the first problem is TJ Ford. Taken TJ off the lineup Raptors had been winning more games. Since TJ returns, he basically singlehandily disrupted Raptors game flow and damaged team chemistry. He made sure Raptors would not win any winnable games, singlehandily. In a good organzation, this should never happen, unfortunately Raptors and Sam Michell tolerate what has been happening.

[Andrew R.]

Doug, you are right on point in saying that mending TJ is Sam's biggest coaching challenge. In fact, this point in the season, besides last years 2-8 is Sam's biggest coaching challenge. I think he was very smart last night in the post game, being proud of his players and only staying on the positive tip. He had a lot of reasons to go off and call people out, but he didn't. He realizes that players are fragile right now and that there are some good things being done out there. Big difference from the same of two years ago.

[Jason]

Sad that TJ's been scapegoated by fans and media alike.

Bargs, Calderon (save for last night), Moon, Delfino have all been non-existent for this road trip, yet NONE have received any real bashing at all. Neither has our "coach of the year"

Everyone assumes a guy coming off of injury, in a new role, has somehow become a "cancer" and "selfish" player. He's said all the right things to the media, and everything else is based entirely on speculation.

Are we all forgetting TJ averaged 14 points and 8 assists in 30 minutes last season? That translates to double digit assists in 36-40 minutes of play. Are these the stats of a guy that's "selfish"? Especially ridiculous when your realize he's not 100%, coming off of injury, and often playing with a bunch of guys that would be riding some serious pine on other teams.

I hate how this team's identity has become so Euro-centric that it's brainwashed some people into thinking "scoring as a PG is bad", "every play should be a jump shot and not a drive", "getting a technical and showing some emotion after a 4 game losing streak is unforgivable". Real fans would be angry at the refs, not the player.

Only in Raptor/Euro land could a guy be purely hated on for drawing a foul and getting T'd up. It was a mistake, he admitted it, get over it people. Frankly, a guy showing some emotion on our team after that many losses to me was a breath of fresh air.

Try watching Sheed and the Pistons play once in a while, don't they lead the league in technicals?

Correct me if i'm wrong, isn't Rafer Alston considered a scoring pg, yet he's been a major contributor to a 22-win in a row team?

Allen Iverson is a scoring PG, and he's a perennial all-star and future hall-of-famer.

Ditto for Arenas (maybe not hall-of-fame).

Heck, Tony parker averages less assists than TJ did last year, and the same amount right now.

TJ averages way more assists than these guys, yet in other cities, fans actually APPRECIATE their pg's.

TJ averaged more assists in 30 minutes last season than Mo williams does in almost 40 right now.

My point is, NONE of these guys are receiving the type of hate that Raptor Fans/Media dish out.

As fans, let's give the guy some SUPPORT for a change. Because I think if his last name was "Fordini" or "Fordnandez", this whole issue wouldn't be an issue at all.

[D.]

Check out this video - it pretty much sums up how the raps are playing as of late. It's too bad really, but me-J Ford has to go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmTkZyvhzfg

Go Raps!

[bballer]

for people who wants smitch fired, any other coach wouldn't do much better. pat riley, 5 time champion. his team is in last place. did he get worse as a coach? phil jax, 9 time winner. he has not won a playoff round since 2004? is he a bad coach? doc rivers went from almost being fired to having the best team in the east. did he get smarter? byron scott chased out of nj, did he get wiser? so what changed with smitch? the reality is, coaching is probably 25% of the nba whereas talent accounts for the other 75. those who have watched the nba longer than 2 years or other than watching the raps would know this. this raptors team is not that talented.

the top 2 talented teams in the east surprisingly sits on top of the standings. the worst talented teams in the west are at the bottom. toronto's standings is pretty much where the talent level of the team is. smitch may have lost 5 games for the raps and probably won 5 games. talent in the nba trumps everything else. coaching is probably only less important in baseball than the nba.

but then again, toronto is the only city that booed a two time world series manager in order to get stuck with consistent ineptitude for almost 2 decades since. smitch is so bad as a coach that only at least 5 teams openly stated that they had wanted him as a coach until he resigned with the raps. oh yeah, how is that iavoroni doing in memphis?

[Honey]

What's with all the Euro-bashing? Is Don Cherry posting in disguise? I'm no expert - and maybe somebody else can help me out - but I don't think that because the team is heavy on the non-Americans that that is why the Raptors had a bad road trip.

[Mike]

Jason - No one is arguing what T.J. Ford is capable of doing. I as a critic am not even focusing on what he did this year prior to the injuries. And none of the criticism is based on speculation, it is based on watching the games and seeing that it is clear that T.J. is not right. He has some sort of mind set right now that he has to prove that he is the starting point guard.
In Sac he, on a number of occasions, looked off a wide open and red hot Jason Kapono in order to make a more difficult play, usually not resulting in a positive result.
I agree that scoring in a point guard is not a bad thing but, a point guard has a greater responsiblity to the team. That is, a point guard must try to get the rest of the players on the floor involved in the offence and in positions to succeed.
As for your hall of famers I would much rather my point guard be modeled after John Stockton than A.I. or Agent Zero. In fact a lot of time during his carrer A.I. has not played the point because it was better for the team if he didn't. Eric Snow in Philly (When the made their best run) or Anthony Carter now in Denver. Ideally, your point guard doesn't go out and score just because he can. If your point man is in the mold of Stockton he uses his ability to score when he sees an opening and to keep the defense honest or when he feels the teams needs it.
T.J.'s stats from last year are irrelevant. My criticism is of his play over the last 8 - 10 games. If he is not 100% as you say then he should be trying to ease his way back in not dominate the ball and force it at the expense of the team.
In the Utah game it was not so much the T as it was the fact that he got caught up in a one-on-one with Price that resulted in turnovers from T.J. and T.J. getting torched for 13 by a guy who averages 3 a game.