Wasn't that quite the display?

Well, well, well.

MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.

Wasn’t that something?

Lots of you stay up ‘til the end? Didn’t think so. I figure 90 seconds into the second half you were clicking over to see how the Leaves were gonna do. Or off to watching something silly like The Best Of Dancing With The Stars.

Although I do know more than a few of you were at a computer because, man, you filled up the comments and the in-box off that one.

Can’t blame you, really. It was despicable with a capital D.

Anyway, not sure how much there is to digest, the game was one thing, the manner in which it played out was far, far more troubling.

But, we will digest it. Like this:

(Oh, and please don't get used to these being posted at 3 a.m. eastern time; it's a one, maybe two-time thing brought about by time zones, just a quick visit to a lobby bar post-game and sundry other travel- and off-day related circumstances. We'll be back to the usual 7 a.m.-8 a.m. time frame once we get home).

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Action: Players miffed.

Reaction: They’ll try to figure it out

The plan all along was for the Raptors to practice here in Denver today but got word while you were sleeping that the plan was changed in the aftermath of that garbage.

In what you can only hope turns into some kind of soul-searching, finger-pointing, cleansing meeting of the minds, the players have decided to have a private weightlifting session (sans coaches, although that’s not unusual) so they can get together privately as a group.

You only have to read Jermaine O’Neal’s comments and have seen the sheepish look on their faces in the morgue-like atmosphere of the locker room last night to know that they know they screwed up and it’s up to them to fix it.

No idea if they will but it’s nice to know they’re taking some ownership of the issue.

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Action: Looking for blame.

Reaction: Look all around

Anyone who thinks that was simply a coaching issue really doesn’t get it. There is no way any sane thinking person – and I offer the players up as prime examples – can put that one all on the head coach.

Yes, Sam has his issues, as were pointed out here a week or so ago, but he cannot provide heart and effort and desire, all the things that were lacking last night.

At some point, the guys in the uniforms have to take responsibility for things like hustle and competiveness.

This one was more on them than anyone else.

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This sort of speaks to a recurring theme in the mail during, and after, the game:

Q: Hey Doug. I love your blog. It gives me something to read before I show up late for work in the morning. That game was brutal, no? At least it can't get any worse (thank goodness we have Utah in Utah next). That might have been the ugliest game I've ever seen, but of course my basketball memory banks are shallow compared to your vast pools of knowledge. So Doug, what are the worst NBA games you've ever had the displeasure of seeing, and how does this one compare? I'm just curious as to whether I've seen history, and if not, what kind of efforts would qualify.

Kevin Z, Ottawa

A: Worst ever? Nah, not even close.

In fact, it might not even be the worst one in Denver. Remember last year? 137-105? That was at least as bad, maybe worse.

Now, I can also remember a 156 point cave in against the Clippers in L.A. in the stinky L.A. Sports Arena that was a 48-minute layup line. I remember a 40-point loss to Orlando at the SkyDome when Isiah and Brendan Malone got in a pissing match during the game and a night in Charlotte against the now-defunct Hornets where Rafer wouldn’t pass the ball to Jalen and vice-versa.

This one was bad, but it might not even crack my own personal bottom five.

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Action: Good idea

Reaction: Horrible execution

It’s hardly worth pointing out one particular play but this one was pretty indicative.

About 17 seconds left in the first half, they’re down 16, playing like crap but I guess there’s a glimmer of hope. They call the 20-second timeout, sub Kapono in for Hump and run a play that gets Jason the ball at the three-point line. He’s maybe got a chance to get off a shot but doesn’t take it, dribbles in, passes – for some inexplicable reason – to Joey, who travels with 2.7 seconds left.

Nuggets inbound the ball, make one pass, Chauncey gets an open three and makes it.

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You know, I would perhaps be mildly impressed and entertained by JR Smith’s preening and prancing and “look at me” crap after he makes a shot if he’d done anything of any consequence at all in his career.

Really, you’ve got to earn the right to look like an ass; he hasn’t.

The story this week that he and George Karl aren’t talking makes me feel a bit better about George.

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Okay, here we go:

Q: Hi Doug, just wanted to get your opinion. I wrote you when the Raps were 4-4, and asked for your opinion on changing Sam with JVG or Avery if the Raps don't go 12-8 after the first 20 games. Do you think it's time to bring in someone who knows how to go deep in the post season and win the big games? Patrick C, Mississauga

A: No, it’s not time to fire the coach. As I’ve made pretty obvious a few times. But let me go over this whole issue one more time.

Any unemployed experienced coach, and by that I mean the likes of Eddie Jordan, Avery Johnson, Flip Saunders, Jeff Van Gundy (the guys everyone wants to come riding in on a white horse) are not going to take a job midway through the season. There’s two over-riding reasons:

They are not going to get the four- or five-year deals they want in the middle of a year because no general manager worth his salt wouldn’t wait and see just who was available at the end of a season to keep his options open.

And why would one of those guys rush to take a job in December or January when they could wait until June and have a chance at five or six openings that are likely to be there.

So, please, please, please, pass this on to all your friends. There is about a one-millionth of one per cent chance anyone with a profile will take this job right now.

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Wonder what they were saying in Denver? Well, here it is.

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And, finally:

Q: I know you always seem to stay level-headed in your outlook, but watching this game must make you either angry, sick to you stomach or completely indifferent (which means you consider what you do as just a job with no personal bias or interest). Do you care? Should anybody care about this team?

Doug H, Toronto

A: Care. Well, I care in this respect: There are people on the team and connected with the team that I care about as men and people. And to see them hurting – and believe me, everyone connected with the team was hurting last night – so in that respect, I care.

Should you? I guess it depends on your level of fan-dom, or whatever the appropriate word is.

But, remember this, it was one of 82. No more important than the last one or the next one in the big scheme of things. Sure, it was horrid and wretched and blech, and all those kinds of words but the good thing? The good thing is there’s another one on Friday and that’ll provide all kinds of more grist for the mill.

Comments

[Mauro]

Regardless of the loss, I was really surprise to see Andrea guarding Carmelo.
I was thinking that, when the 3 towers experiment started, it was supposed not to show up against very effective "3".

Do you think SM, after the loss have now change his mind or that we will see AB guarding Lebron ?

Blogger's note: Guess we'll have to wait until Tuesday to see. I haven't asked yet and aren't sure what the matchups might be.

[Greg]

Doug, when you state it's not time to fire the coach because: 1)GM's want to wait until the offseason to see what's available and 2)Coaches want their pick of the litter; I have to question both assertions.

First, Colangelo can't afford to wait and hand another 1st round exit to Bosh due to inferior coaching. I have to believe that he would do everything in his power to give Bosh the most reasons to stay. Prominent coaches have been hired mid-season (e.g. Scott Skiles, Don Nelson, George Karl, Mike Fratello, Paul Silas). It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

Second, on the coach's point of view, if they find a job they like at a salary they like, I have to figure they would take it. JVG has often stated how highly he has though of the Raptors including saying that he thought that the Raptors were a better team than his brother led Magic last playoffs.

[Jason]

Good thing the leafs also played late last night or this stinker would have been the top sports section story.
I see someone is happy Utah is up next. Be careful what you wish for as thats a team that should be top 5 in the West and the Raps just got it handed to them by maybe an 8-10 western team.
We'll see what the Raps can do to get Utahs season on track if they play this way again.

[Uncle Zeke]

Sam has definitely lost this team for obvious reasons stated by many over the past year and a half. Good to see Doug finally start to see the light on this... That this guy won COY is bewildering and a true commentary on the joke status of that award. There are plenty of young coaches looking for a shot that would jump at the chance to coach on an interim basis. Might as well give someone a trial run now- maybe they can turn this thing around. Sticking with Mitchell at this point ensures only continued inconsistency and dissapointment.

[John]

Glad I did not stay up to watch. The current NBA is at least a 2 tier league. If they play the worst 3 teams in the west they may go 2/1. If they play the best they go 0/3.

The NBA is smart enough not to consistently blow out the lower level teams in front of their home fans. Maybe when the Lakers/Nuggets/Jazz visit Toronto they will only win by 10 or so. In the second half of the season the schedule seems to focus on the East and the Raptors will probably win enough games to make the playoffs. So why get excited about the yearly West coast trip.

[peter]

Hey Doug, the players spoke of being ashamed of the lsck of effort that they made duing the game. My question is, if they knew they weren;t putting in effort, why dont they just give more? Effort is placed solely on the player, so how hard is it to bring consistent effort? Also, I notice theres more venom in this post than usual (much stronger vocabulary), and I think I know where it came from.

Blogger's note: Million dollar questions, all.

[rwb]

"Yes, Sam has his issues, as were pointed out here a week or so ago, but he cannot provide heart and effort and desire, all the things that were lacking last night. At some point, the guys in the uniforms have to take responsibility for things like hustle and competiveness."
Here we go again with the "It's Not Sam's Fault". Is he paying you? If Sam can't get his players motivated and if the players have lost the their respect for the coach then it is time for change! But then again where would you get your extra beer and smokes money.

[GP]

Good assessment as to why the big names will not be coaching here this season. Assuming Mitchell is let go before the end of the season, who do you think is most likely to replace him for the rest of the year? Jay?

Blogger's note: I can't even begin to guess what Bryan might to, if anything.

[Manny Tan]

Hey Doug,

love the blog, keep up the good work, especially after stinkers like last night. My question: do you think its time for Sam Mitchell to go back to his old ways of yelling and calling out players? I know they all try and want to win but they seem to be missing or lacking much passion/fire, the attitude and pride in their play. Iam not putting the blame on Sam as you pointed out, he can't teach heart and desire but maybe he should yell at them, wake them up. I remember on Bargs rookie season when Bosh called him out during a timeout for sloppy defence... I understand the grind of an 82 game season and certainly can't expect every game to be flawless but i think the one thing they can all control throughout the course of the season is their desire, passion/fire and determination.

your thoughts.

Blogger's note: Oh, Sam still gets on them. And I don't think he'll change all that much.

[Alex]

That was a sad display of patheticality, covered in godawfulness and ensconsced in a layer of craptacularicity.

(Doug, feel free to use that as a lead for your next article)

[Diablo]

I had high expectations before the game began, but as I watched and the outcome became more and more apparent, those changed. I watched the entire game (good to see how the team handles those moments) and found myself most disappointed by not being able to see Nathan Jawai play in those very available later minutes. Will he be able to participate at all this year? I believe I've seen him on the bench (yes, in street clothes), do we have a prognosis? I saw Adams got some action, other than drawing fouls I was less than impressed. Do you think he'd draw as many fouls driving to the hoop in regular action? Limited minutes to change the pace and build the other teams fouls? Oh yeah, we might as well keep giving Graham more minutes, no?

Blogger's note: The Jawai stuff has been well chronicled; Adams is the 12th man on a 13-man roster. Neither should be a concern at all.

[Sim]

You think the thinner air up in Mile-High was the cause? I certainly was grasping for air a few times watching them last night.

[Tree]

I think I'd put more of an onus on the coaching for the last 2 losses. This team is traveling to the West, playing great teams, blah, blah, blah ... but they have not even looked remotely into the games at any point, and as I noted earlier, they come across as completely unprepared. Yes, I agree that the players have to start executing better, but executing what exactly? The NBA has caught on to Sam's one trick pony offensively, and this team has regressed defensively. You can't blame this all on coaching, but how can you light a fire under a group of guys that appear to have stopped listening to their coaches? Coaches get fired all the time for their teams' funk, and often it's debatable whether they deserved it; why wait any longer in this case? I'd ask what good the coaching has done for the team this year?

[shom]

That was terrible. It was one of the worst ever because of the high expectations associated with this team.

Doug - You're probably right about the fact that they can't get a good coach mid season, but I think anything is possible if they keep embarrassing themselves. Hubie Brown was hired by the Grizzlies in mid season, so its happened before. Whether it be a trade or a coaching change, I hope something will happen before the Raptors get too far into the season to fix it.

I'm sick of the team being so soft. Its been that way for many years.

[sams fan]

LETS GO CRAPTORS!! (MUSIC DAN DAN DAN DANDAN) oh im sorry i mean the raptors. Bosh u have a bright future ahead of u in 2010. i wont blame u for leaving. Hell if i was bosh i would leave in 2010. ok sorry i had to let that one out.

Since were on our way to Utah and yesterday "apparently" someone made the mistake of comparing bosh n calderon to malone and stockton. oh but then again people compared sam to jerry sloan. Well these same idiots would probably compare me to iverson or something who knows...but calderon to stockton? just because calderon plays like a point guard from the 80s (no fast break) walk the ball up the floor n pass to bosh or pick n roll then pass to bosh n then get rocked on the defensive end...please calderon is good but NEVER EVER EVEERRR compare him to the great JOHN STOCKTON. no im not from utah. just really frustrated with the "cute" basketball that we are known to play. lets stop the cuteness n become a lil more rugged wat say moon...

p.s if i was wondering what john stockton is upto. doug have u heard of him getting into coaching or something? im just really curious what hes upto. we havent heard of him since his utah days n when he retired. i would appreciate an answer i really want to kno. (dont worry i wont suggest raps gettin him as a coach...i dont think he would want that himself) but i really think he could be a great coach...but i could be wrong.. if u kno anything what hes upto pls let me kno thanks.

sams fan (especially after last night)

Blogger's note: Last I heard, Stockton was living a nice comfortable life with his family somewhere in Washington State and enjoying it quite a lot

[Eddy]

Why is there all this talk about getting rid of Sam Mitchel? There is no way for him to coach passion or heart. As a player, when another team is embarrasing you by dunking on you at ease, and laughing down the court after every 3 pointer, you need to react. Sam's coaching can improve, but he isnt to blame for what has happened this season. He can only tell Jamario to drive, Kapono to shoot, Joey to rebound, AP not to fade away every other shot, Hump to clean up the garbage, Solomon to stay calm, but he cant go on the floor and do it himself.

[Aaron J.]

Go Raps Go! This team has been full of underachievers this year. Kapono, not taking shots when given the opportunity. Calderon, poor defense and not being aggressive enough on the offensive end. Moon, poor defense and hasn't rebounded well on either end. Parker, strong effort, but inconsistent results. Finally, the Coaches, a huge inability to draw up offensive/defensive sets, as well as, adapt or counter the sets run by the opposition!
Doug, what's Colangelo do to shake up this ineffective roster?

Blogger's note: Don't know at the moment. It's not like he's got a lot of possibilities out there.

[George]

They are who we thought they were... A playoff bound team from the Eastern conference who will get beaten on the road by pretty much all Western conference teams. But I am still trying to determine who the biggest disappointment is... Kapono for not taking shots or Moon for not getting to the rim... Our 3 point shooting champion and slam dunk contestant not doing what they are supposed to do...

[Bryan Millwright]

Doug, you need to stop drinking the Sam Mitchell kool-aid and get a clue. Everytime you say that it's not the coach's fault, a few days later we get a performance like this.

The difference is that a decent coach get the best out of his players and doesn't let them even think about playing like the Raptors did last night. Look at D'antoni and the Knicks!

Sam needs to go ASAP. Forget about Christmas - the time is now!

[Marc M]

When you see a boxscore of 33, 31, 36, 32 points surrendered by quarter that is clearly displaying two of the Raptors greatest weaknesses: Defense and lack of heart.

Question with respect to our roster: While a whole lot is made about the need to fill the roster with decent, level-headed samaritans, at what point - if you are Colangelo - do you start taking a long, hard look at talent-for-talent's sake?

Blogger's note: Yesterday. Or maybe last month.

[aditya]

i disagree with you on the (unemployed) coaches not taking the job if it opens up. Toronto is a good city with a good organization with a good team. Someone would love to coach the Toronto Raptors...

[Derek]

What can be said of last night's game? They are what they are. A weak defensive jump shooting team. They need to get tougher.

Maybe they need more players whose bodies are covered in tattoos. Can you say all tattoo team; JR Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Anderson and Kenyon Martin. Seriously what is the point of all those tattoos? Expression? lol

[Andre]

Doug... as i sat in tears... yes tears of fustration over the defense of this team, i have to the conclusion that Toronto just can't win. I remember the boston game when sam cassel and those punks were practicing their golf swings in a time out.. Wow... What can be done? To be honest, I dont think anything can be done. (though it read corey maggette maybe shopped after dec 15) But what will that do? The players don't listen to the coach, they dont play defense, they dont give bosh any help, Leo cheeses me anytime he talks, Matt Delvin puts me to sleep, Cauldron's defense sucks, the stupid way that the big men come out and try to double team on the pick and roll then theres a man WIIDDDEE open under the basket... I think i complain to much. But its the fustration.

Doug. I have no question for you. Just this: One day.. ONE DAY...

[Manny]

I think a drubbing like the one they got last night was the best thing that could have happened to them. Hopefully it will get them out of the passive mentality they seem to have on the court. If that doesn't wake them up, nothing will.

[Alex H]

I think it's worth reminding people that every team in every sport has the occasional blowout loss and the occasional blowout win. In the case of a middle-of-the-road team like the Raptors, I'd expect the blowouts to more or less even out over the course of an 82-game season, just like their other wins and losses will. They might not win a game by 39 points, but there'll be the odd game that is over by the end of the third quarter.