The usual fare for an off-day, and a clariifcation on a past draft query

A few lists, a couple points, a comment or two and then it’s off to the final 10 days of the regular season. Bet you all can’t wait for the playoffs to begin, right?

Had a whole lot of “chemistry” questions over the weekend, and not periodic table of elements crap, either.

You know what helps chemistry?

Winning helps chemistry.

In his little post-game rant Saturday night – which was vintage Cranky Stressed Sam – he did bring up a point that a couple of wins, or even one good performance, can turn around a team’s mental approach.

He’s dead right, of course.

I’ve seen teams go from horrible to good almost overnight, which is as inexplicable as going from good to horrible as quickly as they have right now.

Now, it’s a big ‘if’ but if they can simply play well and get on a roll – and with the five games left against generally weak opponents that’s not asking a lot – the momentum they take into the post-season will do them wonders.

Remember this: They have the same guys running the same plays and playing the same defence as they did when they were eight games over .500 on Feb. 27.

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A list:

Julian of Burlington wonders:

If you had to select one player from each of the last five drafts to fill all five positions, what would your line up be?  Let's assume that the players are playing at their current skill level.

Five drafts? Five players?

Easy, peasy

PG: Chris Paul.

SG: Brandon Roy.

SF: That James fellow from Cleveland.

PF: The only tough one, LaMarcus Aldridge over Al Horford? Or vice-versa. And I explain Chris Bosh below.

C: Dwight Howard.

Not a bad club, is it?

And since it was brought to my attention in a comment that I didn't have Bosh listed, let me explain.

One, I wasn't sure if the question meant players on other teams.

Two, I still see Bosh very much as a centre, since that's where he spent much of his first three years playing and, right now, he still does things centres do, like operate in the low post, initiate offences out of double teams. It's like Tim Duncan? What is he? A centre or a power forward.

If it's strictly by today and what they call him, Bosh is obvioulsy the top power forward of the last five drafts.

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Lots of suggestions – none from anyone who’s actually talked to anybody, of course – that Sam has somehow “lost” the team.

What’s “lost?”

They’re not trying? Ridiculous.

That they somehow tune his voice out? Hasn’t happened.

It’s really quite simple: Right now, they’re in a collective slump. And, I believe it was Yogi Berra, or Yogi Bear, who once said: “A slump’s like a common cold, everyone’s got a cure but it still takes two weeks for it to go away.”

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Here’s an early mid-week mail submission:

Q: Doug, there are two legitimate NBA starters on this team, and only one of them is starting: Bosh. The other being José. Rasho's playing out of his skull, but he's a backup on any team with legitimate playoff aspirations. Ditto Moon and Parker. In fact, we are full of good-to-excellent backups. And while it's possible that Bargs will one day be a good player in this league (big men take longer to develop, yada yada yada), let's face it: this guy is a sullen, soft sub with no drive to get better and a personality as flat as the arc on his jumper. I think BC is going to have to blow this team up in the off-season or by the trading deadline next year. To my way of thinking, there are only two untouchables on this team: Bosh and José. Do you agree?

Lee Z, Ottawa

A: I think you’re assessment is bang-on but I do think Moon and Parker and certainly capable backups, as is Rasho and I’m not ready to give up on Bargnani yet.

So, with Bosh and Calderon, that’s six guys of what I think should be an eight- or maybe nine-man rotation so “blow this team” up may be an overstatement. A couple new starters – or three if you don’t start Rasho or Bargnani – and one backup are needed. That’s more a tweak than a reconstruction.

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Lots of questions about the playoff schedule and I wish I could answer them. All we know for sure is the playoffs will start April 19 or 20 and these guys will be away.

But here are a couple of tips and guesses:

If it’s Orlando, they cannot start until the Sunday because there’s a Bruce Springsteen concert in the arena down there on the Saturday, perhaps giving some of us something to do.

The games on the Saturday and Sunday (four each) start at 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. I’m guessing unless these guys get Orlando or Detroit, they’ll be the 8 p.m. game, if it’s Cleveland, they might get one of the 3 p.m. starts to showcase LeBron. If it's Boston, they'll get prime time network coverage 'cause they love the Celtics.

And – this is important – there’s a skating show in the Air Canada Centre on the 25^th and a Rock game on the 26^th so those nights are out.

In past years, they’ve really strung out the first round but I notice this schedule has the first round finished by May 4. That might mean we don’t get anything stupid like a Sunday-Thursday-Sunday; or maybe Saturday-Wednesday-Sunday start.

Could they go: Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday for the first four? That’d be outstanding.

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Some dude from Amsterdam using an assumed name – and possibly an assumed location – writes:

I liked the blog, now I love the blog. My question is how has blogging changed your approach to writing about the Raptors -- because it has changed how I follow the team.

It really hasn’t changed the approach much, I still have to come up with topical, interesting off-day stories and cover games much the same way.

What it’s done is created a fair amount of extra work (mornings begin about 7:15 these days) what with all the mail and the daily obligations here. A year ago, I did one Nothing But (Inter)Net notebook a week, then we added the Friday mailbag, now it’s a daily blog and mail at least three times a week, often four in addition to the other stuff.

I guess it’s called “engaging the readers” and making a connection that never existed before. They tell me that’s good but, let me tell you, being ripped in comments and overwhelmed by mail can sometimes get to a guy. You know what also takes a fair amount of time? Posting the comments.

But we are, at our very heart, a service-based industry as well as an educational one (give the readers what they want, try to teach them something or inform them about something) and if this is what we have to do, this is what we have to do.

Just my luck to get a beat that’s got so many passionate (sometimes zany, every now and then downright rude) readers. Luckily for me, there are far more good ones than bad ones out there among the masses.

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Now, I’m going to post some comments and get ready for a day of work.

Comments

[Chucky C]

Hi Doug,

Didn't Rasho start for a championship Spurs team? Why would you consider him a capable backup?

Blogger's note: Because that was four years ago and a lot of things have changed since then.

[Naz I.]

Jose Calderon and Bosh are the only legitimate starters on this team? No. Any surprise Doug posts that comment? No.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Calderon is only as good as the guy he does the pick-and-roll with. That's a clear difference from Nash, CP3, Deron Williams and yes, TJ Ford, who have the ability to impact the game in many other ways.

I really can't wait for the Raptors to offer Calderon $9m per year or something, trade Ford and Nesterovic for a Harrington or Magette and subsequently implode next year. Bosh will probably opt-out in 2010 (or whenever) and join his friend LBJ in Brooklyn. This is a team that has consistently gotten it wrong when it comes to identifying talent or planning for the future. Oh well...can't say these fickle fans deserve better. Maybe by then the Leafs will be good and they can go back to watching hockey.

[LY]

Are you kidding me?
Forget the starter debate - TJ doesn't even qualify as a capable backup anymore? Has it really come to that?

There is a certain point where bias gets so ridiculous you lose credibility. I thought you'd reached that point last week but I think you've managed a new low today.

Blogger's note: It was the premise of a trade being made and who should be offered and who would be here next year.

[ET]

About the 5 best players from the past 5 drafts:
You would take Aldridge and Horford over Bosh at 4? Wow!

Blogger's note: See, that's the big question. He spent most of his first few years playing centre. And given what he does for this team -- low block, initiates offence out of the double team -- he's probably still a centre. I'll go in the blog and explain that.

[Ellie]

Interesting points about the schedule -- what are the odds they might play a game six (assuming there is a game six) at home in May?

Blogger's note: The Games 6 and 7 in the first round of the playoffs -- according to the schedule I have -- are set for May 1, 2, 3, 4 so, yes, a Game 6 here could be in May.

[Sean]

"Could they go: Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday for the first four? That’d be outstanding."

Yes it would be, especially if its the Pistons. No point in dragging out our pain.

[Doug]

Hi Doug - who is this Chris Zelkovich guy? Never seen him write before and am surprised (if he's new) that his first column was written to rip Leo. I would assume that most Raptors fans love to hear the commentary and banter that Chuck, Leo and Jack bring and that they add in their personal opinions such as why Devin Harris is better/worse/different than J-Kidd. What do they want him to be talking about during another lackluster game? Funny that he's writing about uninteresting/useless commentary in what turned out to be an completely uninteresting/useless article.

Blogger's note: Never seen him write before? He's been in our paper doing TV on Fridays and Sundays for about a decade.

[Chris M]

If the question was one from each of the last 5 drafts, you might not be able to pick Bosh anyways, since you already picked James. Also, since you picked Roy, looks like Al Horford is the choice at PF.

[AK]

Count me in for the Chris Zelkovich fan club. I couldn't agree more with his article. You know that Leo started atleast four of his "analysis" comments with the sentence..."i've said this before and I'll say it again...." I'd rather listen to dead air action than Leo. Save Jack!

And gotta love fans who can't wait for Raptors to "implode". He's right though...TJ Ford does have the ability to impact a game, just don't agree that it's always in a positive way. It's laughable to put him in the same category as Nash, Paul, Deron etc.

[Dermot]

On your draft list you have Brandon Roy over D Wade at SG. Has D Wade fallen off of your list because of injuries or do you think Roy is better than Wade? That was a crazy draft, LBJ, CB4, and D Wade, and of course the amazing Darko... Somehow he didn't make your list either...

[Brook]

I must immediately raise my hand as someone who does NOT love the Chuck/Leo banter. It is okay, but it would be better if it was pulled back about 20% -- which is what Big Z. was suggesting. Armstrong is much funnier than Leo and seems to get into the game more -- thus leaving some pauses while Leo uses 10 words to instead of two. L.R. OK, but dialling it back a bit would be great.

[Chris B.]

Hilarious that the mighty Doug Smith has deemed T.J. Ford no longer a part of the team's plans. Wow, do you ever have an agenda.

[Dagomar Degroot]

"I guess it’s called 'engaging the readers' and making a connection that never existed before. They tell me that’s good but, let me tell you, being ripped in comments and overwhelmed by mail can sometimes get to a guy. You know what also takes a fair amount of time? Posting the comments."

Hey Doug, just letting you know you're much appreciated. Don't let the wackos get to you; they always abound on the internet, but doubtless most just crave attention they can't get in everyday life. Your blog is a staple of my mornings and, along with a nice coffee, gives me a pleasant interlude before work starts.

Great questions this time as well. I think "Lee Z" pretty much hit it on the head regarding the team's current structure. We need a starting calibre 2 and 3, but where to get them? If the team keeps the players you mentioned - which I agree would seem wise - then it will probably lack the assets needed to snare a sufficiently talented SG or SF. Ultimately, the Raptors will have to give up something nice to get something (hopefully) better.

Personally, I'm hoping the Raptors make a run at Gerald Wallace, but that probably isn't realistic.

[Manny]

Hmmm...so the other day after a loss Bosh pretty much says the team needs to play with more intensity, while TJ says that the team actually really is trying hard. You then took a backhanded shot at TJ's response by saying:

"Guess they have different opinions of what's an acceptable level of effort and intensity"

Yet today you write:

"They’re not trying? Ridiculous."

Doug, I'm sorry to say, but your inconsistency is showing. I understand that you clearly have a personal agenda to label TJ Ford as 'all that's wrong with this world', but the least you could do is try to get your story straight.

[Mark S]

There is a simple solution for the people who believe that Doug has an anti-TJ bias: Check the archive. You are wrong.

[Calvin]

I totally agree with you and Lee Z from Ottawa. I think we have a lot of good players on a team, but not stater quality besides Bosh, Calderon and TJ. Yes TJ, I think he's going to be a good PG someday once he matures. He doesn't need to play at warp speed 100% of the time. If I were him I would be watching film on Chris Paul.

[FSM2008]

Hi Doug,

I find it tough to accept that losing 10 of the last 15 games is just a blanket 'collective slump'.

The start of games have been remarkably shocking (see: ill-prepared, and unmotivated as potential reasons), despite what is widely recognized as one of the easiest cakewalk schedule downs the stretch. Closing them out has also been horrid.

I think 'not trying' while harsh, is definitely not far off when it comes to labelling their defensive effort in March/April.

[Jamie]

A thought on seeding to follow up on the scheduling discussion. 2-way ties with Washington (the Wiz have the tiebreaker) or Philly (Raptors get the nod) are pretty straight forward. You can however at this point also project out a 3-way tie based on records to date and the remaining schedule.

If the Wizards beat the 76ers in their remaining meeting and the three teams finished tied - they will be seeded (5) Washington, (6) Toronto, and (7) Philadelphia based on their mutual head to head records.

It gets foggier and deeper into tiebreakers if the 76ers beat the Wizards this Saturday and all three teams tie. In this scenario the Raptors go to (5) based on superior (projected) conference record, followed by (6) the Wizards and (7) 76ers.

It says here the Raptors finish a game back of the Wiz, tied with Philly and therefore nicely parked in the 6 seed. Unlike Doug I'll guess we open Sunday/Wednesday/Sunday - or alternatively Sunday/Wednesday/Saturday with the NLL agreeing to move out the lacrosse (la-what?) game to Sunday.

[Ian]

Laughs there is what 30 teams in the NBA and your telling me TJ ford is not a capable starter? wow I know you dislike TJ because maybe he didn't grant you a interview but to say he’s not a capable starter in the nba is laughable, whether you like it or not tj ford is a top 15 pg in the NBA.

[bballer]

doug, you picked brandon roy? since last year i've stated the colangelo should have drafted roy but you said he was not a number one pick. is he the best sg of the last 5 years b/c other shooting guards suck or b/c he is more talented. imagine a backcourt of roy and tj with bosh. would the drafting of bargnani lead to the same fate as babcock drafting hoffa?

what are the chances of colangelo drafting douglas-roberts, brandon rush or tyler smith or do they not take enough jump shots for him?

even though i hated bargnani since the draft, i have resolved myself to seeing him play for this team for a couple of more years. would it be wise for colangelo to draft dorsey or robin lopez in the second round? is there another big in the draft that will fall to the second round who the raps should pick up?

[Jim Baur]

Much more pleasent here today Doug. The abusive contributors seem to be taking a break. Thank goodness. I wanted to comment that I totally agree with the article by Chris Z. I watch most games and it is tiring to listen to the banter while actual game is on. I have swithched lately to picking up the radio broadcast from bba.com while watching on tv. Radio people are just much more concise and interesting in describing the game. They have to be.I will add that I find Jack Armstrong very good and do enjoy the games he does.

[Amanda]

Hey Doug, do you know if the Raps signed Linton Johnson to another 10-day?

Blogger's note: No, they didn't. Just got back from practice and he's gone. No word on if they'll sign anyone else but I'd doubt it.

[Bruno]

Naz, no offense meant...(or take offense, I don`t really care), but comparing Nash, CP3 and Deron William with Ford is a bit funny...don`t you think? Ford is a good enough point guard, but there are 2 glaring discrepancies between the 3 latter and the former. First off, they all run very good teams. Secondly, and more importantly, they are team leaders. Ford fails on both those qualifications. This is not a slight on Ford because like Jose, I think they are both excellent point guards, just different styles and suitable for different situations.

But I will give you this. Ever since Ford has come back, this team has sucked. They were 7 or 8 above 500 and since he came back they are below 500. Since they moved him to starter, they have lost 4 of 7. 3 of those four were against bottomfeeders. I think he`s played quite good in a few of those games, but can you see why most of the media and a lot of the fans are calling for blood? If I were BC, I would trade him and not because of mediocre play...its just they messed up the status quo and it all went to hell. I don`t dislike Ford...I think he`s very good, but would be better on another team.

As for Doug, let the Man speak. he probable knows more about Basketball then about 95% of the readers and if you don`t agree, just remember that you don`t have to read the blog.

[Tree]

Naz - you're absolutely right about TJ's ability to impact a game in may ways. As we've seen many time this year, that includes playing one-on-five for the first 10-15 possessions of the fourth, whining and pouting his way back to a starter's role he didn't deserve, consequently disrupting the team's chemistry, playing lax defense ... is that what you mean by impact? Calderon, in case you've missed it, is among the league leaders in assist/turnovers, and has a higher shooting % than TJ and some of the PGs you mentioned.

I think we all get it - TJ is the best, Calderon sucks and Raps fans are all idiots. When this team doesn't implode next year, I hope you stop watching and sharing you increasingly irrelevant and antagonistic opinion. Do you even realize how hypocritical it is for you to trash Doug (who defended TJ most of the year) and other re: their views n TJ when your response takes the form of trashing Calderon?

[Nolan T]

LY - Doug's right, TJ isn't a capable 'back-up' because he refuses to accept that role and played terribly (both in general and as a PG) while in the back-up role. He is a capable starter (not great, not bad, just capable until he makes better shot selections). When you pout and sulk the way TJ did as back-up - exposing himself as a selfish, me-first player - you cannot be considered a capable back-up.