Of Roko and Bargnani and Kapono, among others

Nothing like a seven-point win over a 4-10 team to ease the cranky old mind, is there?

Okay, okay. Sure, a win’s a win’s a win and it beats the alternative for many but those were the vertically-challenged Charlotte Bobcats the locals beat up on by a whopping seven points.

Maybe reserve judgement on the “dark days are behind us” stuff?

Anyway, there were some actions. And, of course, some reactions.

Like …

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Action: Roko’s getting it.

Reaction: The job has to be his.

The behind-the-back dish and the little floater in the lane were the highlights but it was the pace at which Roko Ukic played that has to keep him as the team’s backup point guard.

He only got seven minutes in the second quarter but they were played at a tempo the Raptors desperately needed at the time. And for a rookie who has been pretty turnover-prone at moments in his development, not giving the ball away while playing quickly was the thing that was most noticeable.

I’m thinking it’s a while before Will Solomon gets another shot

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Yes, there are still some glitches with the big scoreboard. Looked at it last night a couple of times only to see advertising logos where the boxscore should be. No, that’s not good.

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We have to talk about Joey, right?

Q: As I write this the Raps are holding on against the bobcats with a couple minutes left. We have seen Good Joey tonight and it has really been a huge boost! I know we have asked this before but is there a chance that we could have Good Joey for maybe 3 of 5 games for the rest of the season? If he can play this well for 60% of the time he really should play over Moon. Any thoughts? P.S. Thanks for all the hard work you put in each day to keep us crazed raptor fans at bay.

Blake H, Provo, Utah

A: Sam promised last night in his post-game chat session that Joey earned a chance to play on Friday off his performance on Wednesday. We’ll reserve judgment on what that means until we see how he does on Friday but, yes, if they get that kind of effort and production out of him 60 per cent of the time, I think he has to play ahead of Jamario.

After all, the thing that set Jamario apart last year was his defence and rebounding and that’s been lacking too many nights this year.

I’m certainly not about to suggest Good Joey’s going to be a regular around these parts but I can’t see the problem in giving him five or 10 games to see what he can bring.

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Yes, Bryan was back in his usual spot visiting with the coaches after game. You’ll recall he didn’t stop for a visit after Sunday’s loss to Boston.

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Fashion alert

Comical moment of the night.

Joey Graham and Jamario Moon are getting dressed, one locker apart, after the game and they’ve got on exactly the same shirt. I mean exactly. A Sean Jean thing (no, I didn’t know that, someone told me)  in green and blue.   Seems I may have been misinformed.

Much hilarity and it begged one question: How did Jamario get into Stephen’s closet?

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This is why I love Larry Brown.

In a little chat before the game, I mentioned that the first time the team’s met, he was lamenting his small frontcourt (the Bobcats were starting 6-7 Jared Dudley at power forward back then) and while it’s bigger now with 7-0 rook Alexis Ajinca in there, it’s still not an imposing lineup.

Here’s Larry’s verbatim reply:

“It’s a process. The French kid’s not ready yet, even though he’s got great size, he’s just so thin. He’s going to be fine in time, I don’t think it just happens overnight. Other than that, we do have some tall guys but … We have some tall guys.”

How can you not like a coach who offers that kind of honest assessment.

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Action: Bargnani can’t shoot.

Reaction: But he still plays.

Not that it’s a turning point or anything but Bargnani found a way to help his team despite a 4-for-15 night from the field but defending, rebounding and blocking shots.

Now, that’s not something we usually say around here, is it?

Nine boards were impressive and so were the three blocks and his effort allowed Sam to, um, rest Kris Humphries, who was in one of his “I’m Michael Jordan” moods it seems.

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Here’s how the game played in Charlotte.

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Wait! What was that byline on that Charlotte story? Who is this guy? Oh, he’s just an interloper helping out a Carolina beat grunt who wanted to spend Thanksgiving at home. We do favours for each other when we can.

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Action: Jason Kapono, 3 FGA, 15 minutes

Reaction: More time at the whiteboard

Guess it takes longer to practice and implement any new plays for Kapono, it was the same old, same old last night.

He did have a patented pump-fake-and-travel move on what I think was his first touch and then used that hair-trigger release to hit a jumper curling off a screen a minute or so later.

But other than that? The usual decoy rule, which has to be really infuriating for him, not to mention the fans.

They really ought to make him more of a focal point when he’s on the floor, no?

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Speaking of:

Q: A few years ago, one of my favourite Raptors was Dell Curry, the dude could shoot. If I recall correctly, there were quite a few similarities between he and Jason Kapono, deadly shooters with quick releases who don't do much else. It seems though that Dell Curry would always get his shots when he came into the game but Kapono seems to have a ton of difficulty doing so. In your opinion, what are the differences between these two players and their respective situations that made it (seemingly?) easy for one to get his shots whereas the other struggles so mightily?

Serge P, Ottawa

A: Dell Curry is the single greatest shooter I ever saw in purpose. His stroke was like a “How To” video on quick release and deadly accuracy.

The differences? Dell was almost a decade older when he got here than Kapono was when he arrived and there was a craftiness about Dell, an ability to get open on his own, that Jason hasn’t yet mastered.

And, yes, the coaching was better in regards to getting clean looks for Curry than it is for Kapono.

Comments

[Wilson Chung]

Doug! Just read the news about your award! Congrats! Keep up the great work

[Jason]

Congrats Doug,
You know that your readers thing highly of you and this proves your colleagues think very highly of you as well.
Well deserved!

[aditya]

hey doug, congrats on the award....

[Felix]

Congratulations on the award Doug! Your work is getting the recognition it deserves! Keep up the good work!

[Brad Miller]

Congrats on the award Doug! Very well deserved! Your blogs have become a must read and your insight is always on point. Especially cool to be the first sports writer!

[Joshua]

Congrats on the winning the Mary Deanne Shears Award, Dougie. Don't spend it all in one place. =)

[David]

congrats on the award! well deserved!

[j.carlos]

not raptors related at all...This one's for you douggy!
Congratulations on the award!!! and sir, are you really using your prize money to fund your roof repairs? come on now, you can be honest with me...

Blogger's note: Unless I wanted to risk having it rain on Super Family when I'm on the road somewhere, the roof is it.

[RapthoseLeafs]

Doug,
Wikipedia has this:

Asceticism: describes a life-style characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures (especially sexual activity and consumption of alcohol) often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals.

Tell us it ain't so.

Blogger's note: It so ain't so. If you've never trusted me on anything else, trust me on that."
That Cathal, what a kidder!

[Dinosty]

Doug,

Congrats on the award man. Well deserved.

The folks at rr.com

[Kate]

Congratulations Doug! Those of us who have been reading for a long time knew it all along, and are thrilled at the recognition you're getting!

[Joy Mannette]

Congratulations, you amazing "beat grunt" you! I think your Raptors coverage - blog and paper - is the essence of what is good journalism - inform and make people think. I also LOVED the Beijing reports. May we all raise a glass to many more "smithian" words.

[WSG]

Very happy for you Doug, on this prestigious award. Congratulations!

[WSG]

PS: Any award with dough involved has got to be 'prestigious'.

[Blake Kennedy]

Not only is the coaching lacking re: Kapono's attempts, so is the execution from the primary ballhandlers. They're setting more flare screens for Kapono which IMO are the most difficult screens to defend. Kapono is getting separation, but the guards are not dribbling to the improved passing angle to hit him and relying upon a skip pass, which is almost never going to be there.

Teaching proper execution on that just doesn't seem to be within Smitch's skill set, and consequently they're wasting time.

[Andrew Gregg]

Hey Doug:

Can you imagine the mob of angry villagers outside the ACC if Bosh pulled some of this stuff that LeBron is doing? I'm talking about debuting the new LeBron "Big Apples" in NYC just days after the Knicks cleared cap space for a run at James in 2010. True Hoop has a snippet from a Cleveland fan who is fed up:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-36-100/Cleveland-Fan--Tiring-of-LeBron-s-Act.html

Now, in LeBron's defense, he did once wear pinstriped Nikes at the Garden in honour of his favourite baseball team, the Yankeys (sp. intended). This is not a precedent. But the timing of the ruby red slippers is pretty nasty.

The most interesting thing here is that no one can be accused of any kind of tampering--as far as I know the Knicks did not pay for or in any way sanction the release of the shoes. Still, the MSG brass must be smiling--Nike is doing their work for them.

But do you agree that James is really pushing the patience of his hometown fans? And if Bosh did the same thing, would he not reserve a new spot on the Toronto sports ladder of infamy, above He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named himself?

AG, Toronto

PS: Forgive me if you covered this already this week. I've been busy...

Blogger's note: The disrespect being shown the people of Cleveland in this whole mess is utterly shocking. And disgusting.

[al]

Congrats on the award Doug!
Well-deserved =)

[UK]

Doug, congrats on the award. Truly deserved. Your unique coverage of the Raptors is very appreciated and I am sure helps many through the day.

[Shannon M]

Congratulations on the award, Mr. Smith!

[Josip Marcinko]

Doug!!!
Congratulations of the award. Very much desired :) I enjoy reading your blog pretty much everyday.

[Travis]

For those of you who, like me, don't have rapsTV or TSN2, you can get streaming games on TNT website. Thursday nights.
http://www.tnt.tv/sports/nba/overtime09_live/

[Erick Johnson]

Ummm

It's completely up to Bosh 'if' Kapono gets a shot at all

this is long term... first establish low post... then the perimeter has space for shots

On a 'rep' basis... Bosh is getting reps for the Raps

[Mur]

Hey Doug

Don't know if you saw this about Marco Belinelli in regards to Toronto and it probably doesn't mean much but interesting nonetheless.

http://www.tandemnews.com/section.php?subsection=sports&sectionno=18

[Justin]

Dell Curry obviously our best 3pt shooter but he also had Alvin Williams and/or Mugsey Bogues feeding him the ball...not to mention a player who shall not be named taking all the focus.

Blogger's note: Dell Curry was one of the best three-point shooters ever long, long, long before he got here.