The Morning After The Night Before, LXXVII

Weird feeling last night, wasn’t it? They win but they were supposed to win and I know that when the Buck got within 10 in the fourth, there were some Nervous Nellies (and I don’t mean Don) in the seats.

Call me a cynic but until they string together two or three good games, I still don’t see a turnaround.

But I do see …

Three Things I Learned

Still Do It

Yes, Charlie scored 38. Yes, TJ was anchored to the bench in the fourth quarter. But, yes, I still make that trade. Today, tomorrow and yesterday.

Chuck V was on fire in the first half – relatively invisible in the second half, mind you – but he still defends as if he can’t wait to get up his next shot.

The Raps ran nearly every play at him, including post-ups for Rasho which are few and far between, and it worked nearly every time.

I like Charlie as a guy but, and I’ve said this before, I suspect he will be traded three or four times in his career and be a guy with, as My Man Jack Armstrong says, Permanent Potential.

Oh, and TJ played pretty well, got in Scoring Mode a bit much in the third, but still a solid game. You guys and gals happy now?

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Why You Want Him

This is why Anthony Parker is good for your team.

Early in the third quarter, he’s got three fouls and a lesser player would have hidden on the defensive end.

But, no. Parker strips Michael Redd trying to make a shot under the basket – a surefire way to pick up Personal No. 4 and a seat on the bench – and about a minute later he takes a charge on Redd 25 feet from the basket.

That’s playing for the team ‘cause a handful of guys would have shied away from either play trying not to pick up another foul.

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Matching Up?

This is for all the folks out there who wonder why the Raptors react, rather than act, on specific matchups. In days of yore, they probably would have gone to someone like Joey, or even Hump, to try to cool off Charlie in that first half.

But Sam stuck with his 21 feet of big man – Bosh, Rasho, Bargnani – because he knew how much of an advantage he had at the other end.

Maybe he doesn’t do that kind of thing often enough to satisfy a lot of you but it was a pretty good – and successful – idea last night because the matchup dictated it. I’d suspect you’d see more of it if they had that kind of advantage at the offensive end other nights.

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Quickly into the mail

Q: First-time writer, long-time fan.
In your list of playoff lows, I note you have left out the destruction of Brew's, on East 34th St.
Can you explain yourself, please?
J Q, London

A: Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

I am shamed.

You can have your Times Square and Empire State Building and World’s Greatest (Smelly, Small) Arena but Brew’s (a fine pub right next to a good hotel in Murray Hill) was a landmark that surpassed all landmarks.

A top three moments in Brew’s history:

An April meeting of hoops, pucks, baseball and boxing writers from the far north that turned the joint into Canada South for a night, like a party at the embassy. Revelry abounds.

Hoops writers seconded to cover Gretzky’s last game (a rather big deal, as it turns out) preparing for the momentous occasion by tipping a few jars and learning all about this 99 fellow from various hockey scribes. A day game the next day was a blur.

Trying to talk to the statue of the artist in front of the hotel next door after one of a zillion nights of adult beverage consumption.

They don’t make the road trips like they used to.

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Let’s see.

Knicks suck. Fans disgruntled. Beer still on sale.

Think this idea turns into a recipe for brawls on the concourse?

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More mail

Q: Would you say Detroit would prefer facing Toronto in the first round of the playoffs than Philadelphia or Washington?

Nash N, Pickering

A: I’d presume any team’s chomping at the bit to get a piece of team that’s lost 15 of its last 22.

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Do you get the feeling these guys have to run the table, hope Washington knocks off Philly on Saturday so they finish in a tie with the Sixers and get sixth on the tiebreaker? You could almost see Washington beating Boston coming off a back-to-back but the Philly win over Detroit really came out of nowhere and if the Sixers are gonna act like that, why don’t wouldn’t you think they could win every game they’ve got left.

And how do you think the Raptors will appreciate finishing seventh by a game given what went on in Atlanta? If the NBA had a sense of humour, they’d send Erik Lewis to ref every game Philly’s got left.

Check out how Phil in Philadelphia wrote that one up.

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Really. “We Want Pizza” with 39 seconds left IN THE THIRD QUARTER! You people are nuts.

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I’m wondering which is the worst free-agent signing. Bobby Simmons? Jared Jefferies? Jerome James? Marc Jackson?

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Here’s how T. Enlund, Esq., summed up the Bucks-Raptors affair.

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More mail

Q: Loved the link to the greatest Knicks article ever. However, which organization do you think was the bigger joke? Knicks under Isiah or Leaves under Ballard?

Sohail G, Collingwood

A: Equally despicable. But I’m saying the Leaves ‘cause they got rid of guys people loved, they didn’t bring in players people grew to hate.

Comments

[Amanda]

Hey Doug, just regarding the "We Want Pizza" chant in the 3rd... I was at the game last night and it was a group of 100 or so 10-year olds sitting right across from me with really high-pitched voices. No one was more annoyed than I.

[Terry]

It's actually "champing at the bit"... ;-)

[Dave]

The only reason Charlie was traded because bargnani was picked,, as soon as bargnani was announced everyone knew Charlie was going to pack his bags and be traded. The funny thing is Charlie is better than bargnani, there about the same height and weight, Charlie can create his own shot, rebound, post up, shoot the 3, put the ball on the floor, and Charlie is only one year older than andrea. And before anyone says Charlie was a bust last year he was injured for the majority of the year, and plays on a team where the guards take all the shots, plus he had to play backup this year to yi even though he’s a better player.

[Zack]

Hey Doug, could you see Sam playing Bosh, Rasho, and Bargnani at the same time in a best-of-seven series against Orlando? The Magic's frontcourt is very tall, without even mentioning D Howard, I believe Rashard Lewis and Hedo share almost 14 feet between them.

Blogger's note: Asked and answered a dozen times. No. Never say never but I can't see it and every time we ask Sam about it, the point's made that Andrea can't guard threes.

[Dallas]

Hi Doug,

From your experience does the Sam Mitchell blame game exist only on the fan message boards, your mail bag and fan blog sites, and (I guess occasionally TSN blog sites) or is it a point of conversation among local scribes and the scribes and scouts from other team that you may talk to. I'm not asking you to validate them, I'm just wondering if when you reference Sam's detractors, like you did today, whether you encounter them in other avenues besides sites like realgm and your mailbag. You've been clear in your take, but I just want to get a feeling of how wide ranging the blame Smitch ideas exists or if it's just a phenomenon of the cyber fandom.

Thanks,
Dallas

Blogger's note: I talk to scouts at almost every game, few, if any, suggest problems with this team are coaching. Of course, there are some criticisms, understandable and deserved most times, but no one's telling me they think a change should be made.

[Julie]

I just wanted you to know, I was at the game last night - way up in the nosebleeds, and the people chanting 'we want pizza' in the third quarter (with 20 points left to go, mind you) were 50 kids - all around 13 years of age. And you know what, they were having a great time at the game. So maybe you needn't judge them for it.

[Andy]

Bosh called out the fans at halftime. I understand why Bosh is frustrating, but the effort they put out the first half was ridiculous. You can't expect your fans to expend the energy when the team is barely keeping pace with a crappy crappy Bucks team.

I don't blame Bosh, but he should spend that energy calling out this teammates and screaming at them in the lockerroom. Someone needs to wake this team up and tell them that the playoffs are only a week away.

[Dave]

Really have to get rid of the pizza promotion for 100pts...
Make it pizza if they win.

Horrible to hear such a huge cheer over a 2$ piece of pizza.
Considering the fans probably spent well over 100$ on tickets/beer/food.

Is it going to take pizza pizza to offer free pizza for every good defensive play, to get fans excited about defense?

[TMF]

Before everyone starts using last night's game as evidence for the argument that the Charlie/TJ trade never should have happened, and that Charlie is the superior player, let's keep in mind that TJ actually scores more points than Charlie, in fewer minutes, while shooting a higher %.

Sure, Charlie will be good for one of these games every once in awhile, but they're few and far between. Let's not forget that Charlie's shocking 48-point explosion vs. Milwaukee in his rookie season was likely a big reason they made that trade. He's tantalizing, but he'll eventually disappoint.

[Eric]

I feel sorry for the team now. Chris Bosh is now frustrated with fans for being quiet? I understand what he's saying but the fans being quiet is not the cause, it is the effect. There's not a fanbase in the league that would be at all enthused about the Raptors team as it currently sits. And part of the reason can be seen by something like Chris' urgings: this team has fallen in the habit of looking for excuses to justify underachievement. It either needs a break in the schedule to come around, role players to return from injury, now fans to get out of their seats; never does the team take it upon ITSELF to improve. And until that happens, improvement never will.

The Raptors are battling Philadelphia, Washington and Atlanta for playoff positioning now- Philly, Wash and Atlanta! And this is in a year when Chicago, Miami and New Jersey unexpectedly fell off the map! If the Raptors can't look in the mirror by now, something is wrong. Heck, something is wrong anyway. For the fans to be a problem shines light on the problem- and it's not the fans.

[LY]

"Oh, and TJ played pretty well, got in Scoring Mode a bit much in the third, but still a solid game. You guys and gals happy now?"

Not bad Doug, it's a start!

Quick comments:

1) TJ was "nailed" to the bench because we were up over a dozen with 5 minutes (when he would normally come back in) to play and the group on the floor looking in no danger to cough it up. Not because he was benched for poor play as the term "nailed" would usually imply.

2) Six assists in the third quarter and you're complaining about "scoring mode". He MIGHT have hit a high percentage of his shots too.

3) Tell us that 16 points on 75% shooting, 19 assists with with 0 turnovers is a pointguard combination worth 18 million a year. Come on... a little love for 3 more years of Forderon...

[LY]

whoops. I meant "anchored" in my last post.

[Mikey]

To Dave's comment, Charlie V has shown signs of being a good player but waaaaaay to inconisitently. I have to agree with Doug on this one: Charlie V has permanent potential and even though Bargs hasn't been even close to great this year, I still would have traded Charlie for Ford.

[Geoff W.]

I think Zack's point was that matched up against Orlando, Bargnani probably could guard the 3 spot seeing as their three's are the same size as our 4's ie. Lewis and Turkoglu.

Blogger's note: I got that entirely, and no, they don't believe, and neither do I, that he could either of those guys specifically.

[Paul M.]

While I agree that Bargnani can't guard a 3 (he can barely guard the more mobile 4s), I've been wondering for a while whether Sam would consider using - at least to mix things up for stretches, and if Bargnani is actually contributing - that threesome in a zone defence. If they need to go big for whatever reason (like, for conversations sake, ahh: Detroit, who can put out three players all over 6'9), three 7 footers along the back line of a 2-3 zone sounds kind of interesting. That said, it leaves their three main front court players on the court at the same time, which leads to Hump and Brezec playing more minutes (like more than 0) than I'm comfortable with. Doug, any chance Sam would consider those three in a zone at all? And I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, so my apologies.

Blogger's note: The history here has been to use zone only to change things up for a couple of possessions. I don't think they'd play it for any length of time. But who knows what lurks in the mind of Sam and his staff as the playoffs approach.

[andre v]

The Raps traded Charlie V for TJ because they didn't know Calderon would be this good. They would still get Bargs for he is a center not a PF like Charlie.

[DS]

Uh-oh Doug, LY's got you there. Your TJ hate just got exposed.

[Saad]

Charlie can't and won't play D. His is the definition of matador defense. If his shot doesn't fall, then he is a double liability. Bargs, for all the flak we give him, tries on D and is better. Even Ford, whom I have grown to despise, is a better defender than I thought. But Charlie was Jason Kapono-esque in his one-on-one D.

[jk]

Not true about Mitchell..Peter Vescey said on GameNight on NBA TV that someone "ought to be looking at the coaching, just saying" vis a vis the Raptors...when the whole team is as bad as the Raptors have been...the WHOLE team, you have to look at the coaching staff.
That win against the Bucks means absolutely nothing for god's sake..the Bucks played Boston closely the night before and were missing 3 of their key players....

[Jay D]

I didn't like when they traded Charlie, but i soon realized it was the right move. I agree with the permanent potential assessment, but you may soon find yourself giving the same assessment to Bargs,if not a worse one. I hope not though.

"Oh, and TJ played pretty well, got in Scoring Mode a bit much in the third, but still a solid game. You guys and gals happy now?"

- uh Doug, he's been playin well for a while now.

I also completely agree with LY. 6 assists in the 3rd yet he's in scoring mode? I geuss those kids must have distracted you with all that pizza nonsense. And since when is it bad for a pg to score if he's shooting a good percentage?

[C. Uppercut]

Doug,

A coworker of yours referred to Charlie V. as a "talent-soaked... shooting machine" and a "one-on-one shot creator." WOW... has this man been watching basketball for only 24 hours?? We are talking about a guy who could couldn't crack the starting line-up on a 30-win team. A guy who couldn't beat out a rook for a starting job.

After reviewing TJ's stats, I don't think he was "garbage."

What's your take? I know you said you'd still make the trade... but I think it's a little more obvious than that! I'm pretty happy the Raps got rid of another inconsistant PF for a good starting PG who's the ONLY one-on-one shot creator on the Raps. Feschuck is sounding more like the ranting fans in this blog (myself included.)

[Jay]

"why don’t wouldn’t you think they could win" ??

Oh and that bit about the triple threat position the other day? It's hardly news when it's been happening all season. I dont know if I'm more upset with Smitchell for just noticing with a week left in the season, or you for thinking that it's worthy of writing about.

[Mark S]

Rasho, Bosh and Bargnani started game 4 against New Jersey. I don't remember what kind of D they were playing but it didn't work. They played together until the 4:46 mark of the first quarter when MoPete subbed in for Rasho with the Nets up 22-9. The quarter ended 32-15 Nets and The Raps went on the suffer their worst defeat of the series.

[James K]

I agree with Doug actually about Tj going a "little bit" into shooting mode in the third... for that one stretch he shot 4 or 5 shots.. on a pick and roll with Bosh I believe... that being said they were leaving him completely wide open and were basically pleading him to take it and he was making them. Only one of those times did he choose badly I believe.. 2 defender collapse on him fadeaway jumper that I was in the middle of getting pissed at but he made it so..

Was at the game so yes to the 100 or so kids.. both sides starting the pizza chant... a little annoying but let them have their fun... not as annoying as the high pitched "I Love you Bosh!" especially when he's not even on the court at the time.. but kids are kids.

Energy wise - well.. we tried... but.. other then the sweet Parker Dunk, and a couple strong moves by Bosh and Andre.. including one nice bosh block on a dunk attempt.. the best display of shooting was Charlie. We were waiting for a classic Moon Dunk or Calderon 3... didn't come.. and they did keep leaving 3 point shooters open who thankfully missed..

Shock of the game - a) seeing Gangsta AND Graham (good or bad?) on the floor.. at the same time!! And gangsta throwing it down? Who'd of thought...

[FredN]

"Bosh called out the fans at halftime. I understand why Bosh is frustrating, but the effort they put out the first half was ridiculous. You can't expect your fans to expend the energy when the team is barely keeping pace with a crappy crappy Bucks team."

I think the fans are also not into the games lately because of the 5 wins in the last 21 games thing. The fact that the Raptors never got on a consistent roll all season has them down too. Making the same mistakes over and over again is a bummer. Generally, I don't think the fans believe the Raptors have the will and the skill to go very far in the playoffs. The will, because there doesn't seem to be an extra effort, the will to win. They don't seem to have a killer instinct for some reason.

However, I don't think we can blame it all on the fans.