The Morning After The Night Before, LVXIII

Sorry I’m a bit late, seems the road caught up to me and some extra sleep was necessary. But considering the calm that's awash over Raptorland today, I figure it was a good morning to catch an extra 90 minutes of shuteye.

So here we go

Three Things I Learned

It’s not just me

Sitting in the room waiting for Sam to come entertain us, the conversation got around – as it usually does – to what we’d just seen.

And after we’d carved the Heat, we started carving fans, all of us did.

That booing over the pizza? That’s entirely bush league. Embarrassing. I know it’s a drum I like to beat but, really, just cheer or sit on your hands or walk out of the building to go get a beer. Booing in the final minute of a 42-point win cheapens everything.

-

Scoreboard watching?

The lounge just off the main section of the Raptor locker room is generally reserved for eating and avoiding us. Last night, though, there were more than a few extra bodies in there watching the end of the Philly-Denver game and, judging by the groans coming out of another area when Turkoglu missed a potential game-winner, there was some attention being paid to Washington-Orlando, too.

No one’s saying who they’d rather meet in the first round but, trust me, they are paying close attention to what the Wizards and Sixers are doing.

-

How about Bosh?

What’d you think? I saw the predictable rust but also a whole lot of intensity and emotion from his teammates that had been lacking. Sam talked at shootaround about how just seeing Bosh in uniform would make a difference in the attitude and swagger of the other guys and he was right. No one can say for certain how they’re going to play from here on in but there were a lot of people around the locker room last night thinking some corner had been turned.

I believe they were right.

-

My man Ira was wandering around the press-room last night with guides and records books and lists of all time unspeakably bad performances, trying to put some context to what the Heat had done. Here’s how he finally put it all together.

-

Quickly the mailbag:

Q: Hi, a couple of unrelated questions have occurred to me, hope you don't mind...

So, I didn't see Wednesday's 'game' and ended up checking the box score, and noticed that there were 8 Miamis who got the DNP, and only 7 who played. Isn't the rule that 8 players have to dress, and if so, which uniformed player got spared being fed to the lions on that one?

And the other question is, how much non-Raptor NBA do you get a chance to see? It's one thing to get the gist of Kobe or LeBron from the highlight reels, but how often do you get to refresh your opinion on Walter Herrmann?

Just sorta randomly curious, thanks for your time.

Michael R, Toronto

A: You would have seen Udonis Haslem and Shawn Marion in uniform on the bench, although neither could play.

How much do other basketball do I see? I’d estimate it’s a game a night when these guys aren’t playing, a lot of clicking around the dial to see which is the best game. And I’m generally on a couch or in a press room somewhere on Sunday afternoon to watch the ABC game.

And, of course, the good folks at the Harbour Sports Grille will put on whatever game we want to see on whatever TV we’re sitting closest to every night after home games. Toss in the friendly folks who work there and it’s another reason to stop by.

-

Hey, did you get a load of Daequan Cook’s Andrea Bargnani imitation? Two fouls in 16 seconds. That’s doing something.

-

A whole different take on restricted free agency:

Q: I just wanted to know the rules about restricted free agents being signed. Is it like the NHL where the team that loses the player gets draft picks?

Amir K, Waterloo

A: We’ve got to stop these comparisons to the pucks, okay?

No, if a restricted free agent signs an offer sheet with another team and his present team doesn’t match, he’s gone. No picks, no money, no nothing.

-

Last week when we were out in Denver, old friend Marcus Camby was suggesting the five-game trip the Nuggets are on would make or break their season.

Well, they’re 0-2 and now 2 1-2 games behind Golden State for eighth in the West and they’ve got Jersey Friday before they get here on Sunday. My bet is if they lose to the Nets, they know the season’s over and they mail in Sunday afternoon’s game.

Comments

[Arun]

No comment on Andrea's newfound aggressiveness? I saw him do some things last night that we've been waiting on for ages.

Blogger's note: He was good, but let's see it two games in a row; or even two out of three. Oh, and against legitimate competition, too.

[Ellie]

If the mask makes Bargnani play that tough, I want it grafted to his face. ;)

Seriously, though, they still did some defensive things that would have burned them against a better team. The socks are coming up, but not high enough yet . . .

[Terry]

Fans were booing because of the pizza thing? What a disgrace...

[Jason Ohashi]

If Andrea could do what he did against every team, then we would have something to be happy about. But when he usually blows by someone, they funnel him into another defender, not to an open lane.

I agree, it was nice to see a win but there were still defensive problems. They did play better and with more energy but Miami looked like a college team. I feel bad for Pat Riley

[AK]

The booing over the pizza comment....well said and good of u to put it first in your blog. Couldn't agree more!

[Zack]

I imagine that booing was from fans in the upper decks of the ACC where it seems the loudest and rudest fans generally sit. I don't think I've ever witnessed Laker's fans booing their team after a blowout win because the team didn't go over 100 and give their fans free tacos. You hit the nail on the head Doug, just embarrassing.

[Mikey]

To the other commenters, you think Bargnani really played well last night??? 14 points and 3 boards?? Come on ppl, has this kid gotten so bad that this is considered a breakout game now?

[Ryan]

The fans are just having some fun with the booing about the pizza. I wouldn't take it too seriously, especially considering that they've probably had a few beers.

[Ellie]

I'd take the energy of the upper bowl over the lass-ass suits in the lower any day, Zack.

No one near me was booing.

[Dan]

I have been to 8 games in the past two years and maybe three times got the free pizza. If they are close to 100 and they lose it's a bit disapointing, but I would never boo. If they win I couldn't care less about the free pizza. I paid to watch a basketball game. People booing a team that's just won is stupid. If you can come away disapointed over a win because you don't get pizza stay home and buy pizza instead.

[D]

I was at the game, in the upper bowl. It's not just that fans are booing for the pizza - the Raps basically stopped trying during the final 4 minutes. Even if you're up 40 points, the fans still want to see the team finish the game out properly. I don't think the fans would have booed if the Raps kept playing hard but just didn't get there; but if the Raps had closed out with even a modicum of professionality, we'd all be full of pepperoni and cheese by now.

[Pat]

Hey Doug, I love your blog. Keep up the good work.

I go to as many Raptor games as I can (I sit way up in the back rows - the nose bleed sections) and you're right, it is not very classy for fans to boo when they don't get their pizza. However, I have to defend the crowd a bit. When the fans boo, they are not doing with hostility. They are booing with a smile on their faces because as much as the fans love watching Basketball, they are there to have a good time.

Also, I remember you commenting on the fact that the fans cheered after they got pizza during a loss. C'mon Doug, let us have some fun...those Raptor tickets are expensive!

[Marco]

Pizza is like 3 bucks a slice people. Get a life.

[Mark]

For anyone pining for rafer Alston to be in a raptor uniform because he was 'on fire', Chris Paul and Co. shut him up after he made comments about david west not being a 'star'..Hornets hammered the Rockets and Paul toyed with Rafer, and putting him in his place too by saying that 'Rafer like to run his mouth' and 'rides the coattails of T-Mac' and 'He's not as good as he thinks he is'..ouch!

[Taylor]

How can you say Bargnani didn't play well? He led the team in points and they cleaned up on the boards, it's not like he was getting beat for rebounds by the Heat. When Bosh snags 8 and Moon 14 it's unrealistic to think Bargnani would have 7+ in 28 minutes.

As for the booing, I think it's to be expected. I may be out to lunch here but my guess is the Raps have a reasonably young fan base compared to most teams, therefor more likely to boo. Doesn't make it right, just makes it happen.

[Jake Tuominen]

A modicum of energy? In the final four minutes? Have you ever seen a basketball game, let alone played it? What were they supposed to do, find Kapono in the corner for some threes?

To me, that what would be completely and utterly gutless. If this was a tournament where point difference mattered, this would be a different conversation. And hey, I'm not even opposed to "not taking the foot of the gas pedal". But you would've had a legitimate concern if it was the 3rd quarter. At any level of basketball, whether it's high school, college or pro, you play to win. You don't play to humiliate. You don't jack a three with 3 minutes to go in a 40-point game.

Brotherhood on three baby, 1-2-3 brotherhood!

[David]

All the crying over spilled pizza is so out of proportion. Many teams give out a free slice, or free taco, or free burger for hitting some milestone, and it won't be the last time the fans boo somewhere. I bet the players understood and were quite blaze about it even if the media wasn't. The pizza thing is a little bit of internal competition - the team against the scoreboard - and on a night when the Raptors basically played a scrimmage against a D-League team, this was about the only suspense in the entire evening for people who had paid good money earlier on to see Shaquille O'Neal and D-Wade and didn't even get Shawn Marion.

It was all in fun, and some of you - Doug Smith included - have to lighten up. My advice to Doug is the same he gave the fans: Lighten up and go for a beer.

[Ryan]

And free pizza is free, Marco. Let's all take this a little bit less seriously. It's a basketball game, not a [insert more serious thing here].

[Amanda]

Interesting to see Joel Anthony out there last night. I thought he would have received more applause when he checked into the game? Maybe people just didn't know who he was. I liked what I saw as far as hustle and defense. Hopefully he can play for Team Canada this year and really benefit from it a la Dalembert. Oh, and the pizza/booing thing... really embarassing.

[nicole t]

Pizza seems to get the loudest cheers so naturally those same people would boo too.

Please, Pizza Pizza isn't even good. Domino's is the way to go.

[Jason Ohashi]

The whole booing about pizza thing has been talked to about for a while. Just the fans at the stadium haven't been able to do it for a while. Like I've said before, I think it's disgusting, and interestingly enough, no one is arguing against it this time...

[Naz I.]

For us to comment on Bargnani being aggresive with 14 points and 3 boards(!) shows that he is a bust. Even Michael Olowokandi was a heck of a better rebounder. Frankly, compared to his draft class (Foye, Roy, Aldridge), we could have done a lot better.
The Raptors need him to rebound and play defense more than they need his points, as clearly demonstrated by their woeful road trip.

[jk]

Giving Bosh any credit at all for that win is as pathetic as the morons booing for pizza in the arena...
Let's see how the "franchise" player does when it really matters on Friday before we get all stupid and complacent again...
Bosh has never shown yet that he's capable of carrying a team in CRUNCH time against Big competition so let's not get all fat and happy about a win over a team that I'm pretty sure those cute little kids who break dance at the half could have beaten.
I am actually sick with dread whenever TJ Ford takes to the court now and that counteracts a lot of the positive that the return of Bosh might bring.

[GM]

I think Pat and Ryan have it right. Even from the comfort of my sofa I could tell the booing was more ironic than serious. Geez, and they say Americans don't get irony...

[Joe]

Can't disagree more on the pizza thing. It's fun, it's harmless and I have to believe the players know what's what. And for kids and teenagers at the game, it may be a big deal. Sometimes that's what they hang around until the end.

I know I used to kick my ticket to a young 'un on pizza nights. And I booed when they laid down with pizza a jumper away.

Personally, I think it's bush that you're cracking on them. They bought their ticket, let 'em yell whatever they feel like. Within reason.