Actions, reactions and, sadly, no Hoffa

Well, there goes that winning streak. Of all the inconsequential stats one could come up with, the fact the Raptors had rattled off 11 straight pre-season wins at the Air Canada Centre before the loss to the Sixers might be the most meaningless. But on an otherwise drab afternoon of foul-filled affair, it was something to think about, I guess.

Really, wasn’t that a sort of crappy game? All the flow of lava.

Anyway, on to the fun and games:

Oh, yeah, Happy Thanksgiving.

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Action: Bench blows.

Reaction: It’s all about the combinations.

Struck some of us in the fourth quarter that they really oughtta limit the minutes they have Bargnani and Humprhies on the court together. I know Sam’s said he would mix and match his bigs all the time and wasn’t worried about which two were on the court, Bargnani and Hump are the weakest pair in both rebounding and scoring. Not to mention defence.

I’m pretty sure when things get going for real, you won’t see them together for any extended minutes except in the case of dire foul trouble.

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Thursday just got a whole lot duller. This just landed in the in-box from a buddy in Minneapolis

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

For Immediate Release

Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008

Timberwolves Waive Center Rafael Araujo

Minneapolis/St. Paul - The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has released center Rafael Araujo. The Timberwolves' roster now stands at 18 players.

Araujo, a 6-11 center from BYU, played five minutes (one point, two rebounds) in two preseason games for the Wolves. A former first-round pick of the Toronto Raptors, he signed with the Timberwolves on Sept. 29.

Of all the rotten timing, they couldn’t have waited until Friday?

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So I settle in after the game on Sunday with the TV on and, lo and behold, I notice He Who Shall Not Be Named once again cheating death -- and a tweaked hamstring -- to bring his own brand of basketball joy to fans in London. Lucky, lucky blokes and blokettes over there.

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Speaking of London:

Q: What are the chances of the Raptors coming to London to play at the O2 arena?

Chaz E, London

A: If there’s a Supreme Being looking out for us all, we will be there soon. Actually, I haven’t heard London being bandied about as a European destination for these guys but we’re pressing for it.

I know Bryan wants to go somewhere exotic every other year or so, London would have to be on that list.

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I'd love to tell you what they were writing in the Philly papers today but not one single, solitary beat grunt made the trip to the game. Something about the baseball playoffs and Eagles taking all the space in the paper.

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Action: Sixer guards penetrate at will.

Reaction: More work in practice.

Not sure how many times we saw Sixer guards split the trap on the high or side screen and roll but everyone on the coaching staff noticed and I’m pretty sure that’s going to be topic No. 1 at practice today.

The starters – Bosh in particular – have been doing a fine job in a defensive scheme that seems much more aggressive than last season (probably the result of having O’Neal to anchor under the basket) but the rest of ‘em looked terrible at times Sunday afternoon.

That’s got to get fixed.

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Action: No Roko.

Reaction: Maybe tomorrow?

Asked a member of the staff if the young point guard was available Sunday (Ukic had been bothered by some bruised ribs, I’d been told) and, yes, it was just a DNP-CD.

Think that might have had as much to do with Sam letting Solomon work through some tough times in the fourth quarter than anything. Sam didn’t mention any specific names in his little post-game chat but did say he left the group on the floor in the fourth as a learning experience.

Oh, and for those who asked about the possibility of Solomon and Ukic playing together in real games? Nope. Here’s Sam on that very situation:

"That means we’ve got a lot of injuries if I’m playing Will and Roko on the court together; I’m hoping that’s not the case.”

And here was Sam on Sunday about that fourth quarter:

"My message to those guys is, as a player you have a tendency, if you’re having a bad night, to let that affect other things you do on defence. You can’t do that. You still have to communicate, you still have to talk, you still have to carry out your assignments because it can never be about you and how you’re playing. Some nights, you’re going to be on the floor having a bad game and I’m going to need to leave you on the court and you’re going to have to play through it and still figure out a way to win. You do that by carrying out your assignments on defence, carrying out your assignments on offence. It’s a learning experience, and that’s what the pre-season’s for."

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Having nothing really to do with anything, I will point out the Leaves thing on Saturday night with the anthem - introducing the Beijing athletes and then letting the crowd sing O Canada to them might have been the best anthem treatment I've ever seen
I like to mock the pucks - and it's not too hard to do - but credit is due where credit is due
Nice job, pucks.

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Mail time.

Q: Well they had to lose at some point. Just wondering if there has any news on the Aussie. Hopefully everything is okay. So would they consider sending him to the D League ??

And what Raptor's have played in the D league?

John P, Chicago

A: Still no word on Jawai, actually. Asked about it yesterday and they are still looking at recent test results. Am told by someone in the organization that part of the most recent tests included wearing a monitor for a couple days, I presume they’re looking at what those numbers showed.

And I don’t think they would send him to the D League for a couple of reasons. I think they’d rather have him practice against guys like Bosh and O’Neal and Hump and Bargnani and, quite frankly, the D League is better known as a development league for swingmen and guards, who dominate there, than it is for big guys.

Raptor D Leaguers? Pape Sow spent some time there, so did P.J. Tucker. Neither seemed to benefit from it at all, as a matter of fact.

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Talk about taking the easy way out. If the Golden State Warriors had any stones, they’ve have waited ‘til Monta Ellis rehabbed and then suspended him. They could have taken his money and made him sit and watch games he could have played in.

Of course, that wasn’t going to happen because it’s easy to look tough without hurting the team, but it would have been nice.

Comments

[Stephen]

So is there any particular reason why the Raps didn't go out and sign Brand?

Blogger's note: Um, yeah. Money.

[ns]

Happy thanksgiving Doug.
I am sure that i am echoing the sentiments of all the daily readers of this blog when i say that youre doing a terrific job. I wish i had the dedication and discipline (not to mention patience) that you have shown while writing this blog day in and day out.
Dear Doug's Bosses: Give him a raise(or a bonus or something). The man deserves it.

[JJR3]

Doug don't think GS-Warriors are letting Ellis off easy....those 30 games lighten Monta's pocket by about 3 million...stones or not Monta's feeling it

[David]

Seeing Moon take 3 or 4 off the dribble fade away jumpers almost made my head explode. (granted he played well in other parts of the game) But why can't Mitchell tell him NOT to EVER shoot off balanced? Why is Mitchell unwilling to send him a message for a few games by cutting his minutes?

[Appel]

i've seen Nets-Heats (in London)
And then Toronto-Sixers
Well, Nets are playing good, Heat too, Sixers not so well.
And Raptors? Terrible, worst than last year
I think this year Toronto will be 4th in Atlantic
And no PO

To Doug.
This team need a backup of Jose (maybe Solomon+Ukic it's enough)
And a backup in spot #2 (sorry, not Kapono)
And a real #3

Why BC don't exchange TJ with Gerald Wallace?
This was perfect, we can take a 2-3 in the draft (Douglas-Roberts was available)
And we can hold Rasho for another year or exchange