Some Game 2 thoughts

That was a helluva game. Tough, physical, close, intense. It may not be up the overall calibre of some of the other series going on but that was as good a playoff game as you might see for a while.

Anyway, let’s see what happened and why:

Action: Small ball works
Reaction: More change coming.

Sam, totally unsolicited, offered up the fact he’s going to change the starting lineup tomorrow and then never told us who. Caught up to a couple of guys on the way to the bus and even the ones who might have told me, wouldn’t. “I’ll tell you tomorrow,” joked one.

So, let’s guess
It’s a given that the three bigs don’t start but does he just do Rasho and leave Bargnani in? I think he could very well because as bad (and I mean BAD) as Bargnani was in the first quarter, he made some big shots in the third and the Magic have to guard him. So, if it’s me, I do Kapono for Nesterovic and Calderon for Ford.

But not knowing at least makes getting the 7 a.m. flight home to go get the car and get downtown to practice worthwhile.

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Action: T.J.
Reaction: Jose

Not saying Ford was the reason they lost but this team, in this series, looks better with Calderon out there. And here’s why I think that change could, and should, be happening:

Third quarter, Raps closing and all of a sudden Jameer Nelson finds himself practically unguarded and he makes two straight threes for a 77-68 Orlando lead with about 4 1-2 minutes left. The second one hadn’t even cleared the net before Sam had Jose up and headed towards the table. Never saw Ford again.

The big question is going to be, if Sam does make that change, how is T.J. going to play? We all know how he handled coming off the bench a couple of months ago.

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Here’s what they were saying in Orlando, by the way. Oh, and while the Raptors are working today trying to figure out new starters, I’m told the Magic will take the day off. Sweet.

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Action: Magic’s coming to Toronto
Reaction: Oh, oh.

Orlando went 27-14 on the road this season, tied for second-best in the NBA with the Lakers behind Boston.

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Action: Jamario get shots

Reaction: Magic yawn.

This is why I don’t see them putting Moon in the starting lineup. Orlando really doesn’t guard him. They simply slough off him out behind the arc, daring him to shoot threes because, like anyone with access to Raptor season stats, they know he’s a brutal three-point shooter.

If they do Kapono for Rasho, or even Carlos for Rasho, at least the Magic will have to pay attention to them. They won't be able to leave them virtually unguarded like they did Moon.

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Action: Rasho doesn’t start
Reaction: It’s not his fault.

All the guy’s done for the last two months is play out of his mind and for this he probably loses his job? Yeah, for the time being. The old saying is horses for courses and if they want to get Howard on Bosh, they have to leave Rasho on the bench. I can see him getting a few minutes to give Bosh a blow tomorrow but nothing substantial.

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An aside

Down here in the United States, the sports networks actually put NBA highlights on and do substantial stories on them. Saw a clip of Houston coach Rick Adelman after Game 2 of the Rocket-Jazz series where he’s complaining about a crazy Andrei Kirilenko flop on a crucial play in the final minutes.

Of course, Adelman’s all ticked about flops and then I remember, this is the dude who coach Vlade Divac in Sacramento for all those years when Vlade was making flopping almost his signature move.

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Action: If it ain’t broke, don’t break it (to paraphrase Oak)
Reaction: Get to know this play

There’s about three minutes left in the third quarter and the Raptors are charging.

Sam looks over at Jose during a stoppage, after they’d run some other play, and screams: “Run ‘angle’, they can’t guard it.”

Angle, at its basic, is a side screen and roll with Bosh and the point guard and got them all kinds of good looks last night. Watch for it tomorrow.

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Action: AP goes scoreless
Reaction: What?

That can’t happen, can it? Well, it did. For just the second time in 82 regular season and one playoff game. And he only got four shots, which isn’t enough. But he’s got to be more aggressive.

And Sam knows it:

"We kept getting on our guys about looking to shoot the basketball, being aggressive,” Mitchell said after the game. “For whatever reason to start the first quarter, we’ve got guys turning down shots. We’ve got Anthony Parker coming off screens that we’re setting, running plays for him, and he’s thinking pass.”

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Anyway, just a couple hours now ‘til the cars head to the airport, check back here later this morning for some Game 2 mail.

Comments

[gabriel]

Man Doug...thanks for this...

Yeah i def agree Calderon should start..T.J hasn't been the same since he came back from the injury..his shot has an arc as it looks like he doesnt want to get in a collision, he drives and is open for a layup but choses to pass for the same reason too.

We have some warriors on this team...Calderon,Bosh,Kapono - first rate and Delfino,Parker and Bargnani second rate...i still think we can win if we get in a zone...D12 is good but will get tired and the other players minus turkoglu are inconsistent...

let us pray

[MK]

Give Game 3 is actually a must-win, Mitchell has to take the gamble on Bargnani. If he can get some shots early, the least is he is a threat and Magic have to guard him. Or if he gets a couple of early fouls and looks lost on defence, then Raptors will probably be in an early hole again.

Don't think it matters who they put on Dwight, he's going to get 20-30/20 game anyways. No way they can stop him, they need to outscore the Magic and close out on their shooters.

[Roger]

Doug, I suspect starting Jose instead TJ will be even worse for Raptors. Can you imagine what will happen if you let TJ Ford play heavy minues in 4th Quarter? Is he going to jack all possible shots? Is MeJ trying to beat Orlando by himself? The game could be totally reversed: good start becomes a bad loss. I think the only way Raptors could have a chance is to play TJ the same way they played Dixon. what is your opinion?

[Dave]

Doug.
Why wasn't Calderon shooting free throws on that last foul on the inbounds play.
If a team has 0 fouls to give and they foul the opposition, shouldn't they be going to the line?

Blogger's note: It was an offensive foul.

[Ian]

One more thing about the game last night.

I don't know where to find all those crazy statistics, but my impression is that for some reason Kapono just doesn't get touches while Jose is on the floor. Is this accurate? Kapono seemed to get a lot less touches in the 3rd and 4th after Jose came in.

[Joe T.]

I like your starting lineup choices, Doug, but at the same time I worry that switching out 3 guys will be another recipe for a bad start. My gut tells me that TJ will still start but be on a VERY short leash. And the reason is the one you mentioned -- his previous reaction to coming off the bench. I see him starting and getting the hook early if Nelson gets an open 3 or TJ turns the ball over a couple of times. Or continues to throw up a bunch of shots in order to finish the game with one made basket. And if Jose comes off the bench and changes the game again, I say let him finish it. It's the Playoffs and there's time to rest coming -- too soon if Game 3 starts out with another double-digit Magic lead..

[Brian S]

Doug,

On the Fan this morning Mitchell insisted that Ford will start again, but the substitution of Jose will be much earlier. He also said that Rasho will not start and that Bargnani will.

That leaves Moon or Kapono as the "new" starter.

[Aaron Campbell]

I almost threw up watching the 4th quarter last night. If this series ever reaches game 7 I'm in trouble.

I know Bosh was the logical selection for the final shot last night, but the way Calderon wanted the ball down the stretch was impressive.

Has Calderon ever been given the opportunity to make the final shot in a game? I know he's such a team first guy that he might not say I want the ball in the huddle, but I think he should.

Blogger's note: He did take a final shot to win a big game, at Boston, by running exactly the same play they ran last night.

[Nick M]

Action: Jamario Gets Shots (and keeps taking them)
Reaction at my house: Don't shoot and then frustration.

The Magic didn't only leave him open at the 3 point line they left him open almost everywhere.

As for Rasho, you can't argue with the addition by subtraction, but you can't help but feel for the guy.

Another slow start and this series is as good as over. I know they came back early last night but the uphill climb looks like its taking its toll in the fourth. What does it look like live?

Go Raps! We're ready to get behind you in T.O.

[John Park]

I'm glad you suggested Jose replace TJ. And, of course, Kapono. I think Jose will be the key player in the rest of this series no matter they win or lose. With guarded by big men around the paint, TJ was neither effective nor productive.

[jk]

another reason why we should, read the articlehttp://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-whitley2308apr23,0,3421951.column

[TMF]

I don't want this to sound like an over-the-top rant... but... I can't help it.... how come more has not been made of the no-call when Bosh took it to the hoop against Howard in the final minute???

Howard fouled Bosh. Plain and simple. This was not the case of the defensive player getting his hand on the ball, and in the process rubbing up against the shooter's arm or body a little bit... in this situation, Howard never even touched the ball! He just whacked Bosh's shooting arm! And as happens way too often in this league, the cowardly referees gave the benefit of the doubt to the superstar playing on his home court.

Am I the only one who thinks this was the deciding play of the game (and perhaps the series)?

[GM]

Some players get a bad rep for flopping while others can do it just as much and don't get the rep. I remember when Phil Jackson was constantly arguing about his flopping opponents. Meanwhile Robert Horry, Derek Fisher and Rick Fox were all floppers of the first order.

[DW]

Maybe the Raps squad could go to training camp with the Argos. Is there nobody willing to throw their body in front of Howard?

[Nemesio Porras]

Raptors to do list this summer:

1) Re-sign Calderon. Pay him what he deserves.
2) Get a high Impact SF - like Maggette or Jefferson; Use Rasho,Parker Graham and Baston expiring contracts to get him.
3) Trade "Me Jay Ford" to Denver or Miami or wherever else they re hurting badly for a PG.
4) Get a veteran big man to come off the bench to rebound, and play tough defense on the paint to play alongside Bargs or Bosh.
5) Re-sing Delfino but not for much money, dont reward inconsistency.
6)Get a good player from the Draft, in particular a Big man PF/C
This draft has a lot of potentially good big men.
7) Get Ukic and another backup PG for Calderon.
8)Keep Garbo, he has what the Raptors lack. Toughness, defensive skills. Can play both SF/PF well.
9) Get Bargs to work on Summer camp.

Doug: how many of these tasks do u think BC can realistically accomplish?

Blogger's note: Those are all doable with a little work.

[Tree]

JK - that was a great article. Sadly, it seems as though he's giving Mitchell too much credit. Bargnani and Ford will remain in the starting 5.

If I were Van Gundy, I'd be incredulous and of the belief that Mitchell is trying to hand this series to Orlando through his sheer stubborness! Anyone else feeling good knowing Sam can continue to get outcoached and cost the Raps a shot at a series they should win (as evidenced by their play in 6 of 8 quarters), yet he'll still be the coach to botch things up next year?

[Serge Papineau]

JK is right, that non-call against Howard was a joke. Another play that was totally missed was how Turkgolo clearly used his off arm to push off on Parker when he made the game winning shot, watch the replay and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. The fact that those two HUGE calls aren't made and that Delfino gets called for an inconsequential carry in the 4th quarter of a huge game is just ridiculous, they could have made that exact same call 100 times afterwards but didn't. The only reason, in my opinion that the call on Delfino was made was because the refs had just made a few close calls in favour of the Raps and given Howard a tech. That, in my opinion is one of the biggest problems with NBA refs: they are CONSTANTLY making "equalizer" calls whenever they feel they may have missed something or whenever a few close calls have gone in the favour of one team (especially if that team is the visiting team). They realize that by making a bad call to even things out after a previous blown call only compounds the mistake and amplifies the perception that this league is more Sports Entertainment than Sport.

You can stand up for the refs all you want and say they have the hardest job in pro sports etc. but the fact of the matter is, the way NBA games are officiated makes the league seem more like the WWE than a legitimate professional league. I've had conversations with many casual fans or observers that are convinced that the game is rigged, at least to a degree. While I disagree and would never go that far, you have to admit that in no other sports league do you CONSTANTLY see huge games decided by blown calls. The way the NBA officiates its games is broken and needs to be fixed, plain and simple. Anyone who denies it is as blind as the three guys with the wistles around their necks.

[Uncle Zeke]

Hah!!! and unblinking Doug continues with his hypocritical diatribe. How can there NOT be a lack of preparation on Sam Mitchells part when he throws an untested lineup out there for games 1 and 2 of the playoffs? It would be understandable if he had experimented with Bargnani at SF for a stretch of games during the REGULAR season to determine if it works. No, Mitchell would rather experiment with lineups in the playoffs!!! Even the players were surprised by the move leading one to surmise that it hasn't even been utilized in practice!! Does Mitchell's ego know no bounds?

I love how you come back that a smaller lineup works better. Well duh... I think everyone but you and Mitchell realized that the lineups they've consistently used this year (and the players at those positions) might have a better shot at working than Bargnani at SF for the first time.

Doug, show some credibility and journalistic fortitude for once this year. You're taking your Mitchell love affair a little bit too far...