In the wake of the game, we have this

Happy Thanksgiving.

Or Happy Columbus Day, depending on which side of the border you’re on.

A bit later than usual today but, what the heck, why not grab an extra 40 minutes sleep on a holiday Monday?

Here’s something to get you through until the turkey’s done.

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THREE THINGS I LEARNED

The Mark of Marco

DAVID COOPER

What's this? A Raptors wingman in the paint?

I know a lot of the chatter about DeRozan in the wake of his game Sunday but the one guy who caught my attention was Marco Belinelli.

Sure, it took him 13 shots to get his 15 points but his ability to put the ball on the floor and get by closing-out defenders, plus his overall verve for the game, is going to be huge for this team, I think.

Yes, there are inconsistencies to his shooting that are troublesome but, you have to admit, when he’s on the court, things happen.

Usually good things.

Here’s Jay on him:

“I just think he extends the defence. You have to guard him on the three-point line and when he gets it and you run at him, I don’t know if there’s a better situation in basketball than having a defender running at you.

"He’s a smart basketball player, he knows how to get into the lane and create for others.”

By my count, and I probably lost count, I had it at seven times that he put the ball on the floor on the wing and got in the paint to make something happen.

I can say with confidence that a Toronto wing didn’t do that seven times in a game all last season.

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A Wild Warmup

I’m pretty sure not many of you caught this, but the way they run the layup line this year is a wee bit different.

I noticed the other night against Philly, while watching on TV, that they all came out together far before the usual warm up and ran some agility drills as a team. They’d start on the baseline and run slide-steps, or cross-over steps, or back-pedal to the midcourt line, a team warmup drill that’s quite European, and not anything I’ve seen in an NBA game maybe ever.

Well, that’s not going to be workable in the regular season, when there are timing issues with pre-game responsibility and things like that and Jay didn’t think it’d be feasible when I asked him about this week.

So yesterday, they changed it slightly.

During the layup line, after a guy made his shot, he ran over to the corner, where strength and conditioning coach Francesco Cuzzilin was waiting. From there, he’d run ‘em up to midcourt, doing slides and crossovers and stretches to loosen up groins and hamstrings and ankles.

It’s not revolutionary, but it is a change and while it’s non-traditional, it makes a lot of sense.

A little thing, sure; but aren’t little things what you’re supposed to learn about here?

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Troubling Numbers

I know it’s pre-season but these numbers jump off the page, don’t they?

6-17

1-13

9-19

2-15

Those are Toronto’s three-point stats from the first four pre-season games.

And they are ugly.

Jarrett Jack hasn’t made one in six tries, Quincy Douby’s missed five in a row and Belinelli’s 3-13.

Yesterday, Belinelli missed all four he took.

“I’m not happy with my shot from three-point, I didn’t score today from three-points and I just have to practice every day, take lots of shots.”

He and a couple others, too.

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We now return you to our regular drivel:

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Here’s how my friend Mike Lee chronicled the Sunday extravaganza.

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How many media days does a team need? Well, if you’re these guys, you need two.

Yes, after going through the process on the day before training camp began – chatting and having pictures taken and talking to anyone who wanted to talk – they’ll be at it again this afternoon after practice.

All to satisfy the demands of their employers.

Seems all the marketing and corporate things the players and coaches have to do, like public service announcements and scoreboard thingies and the like, amount to such a production they have to set aside a second day for it.

I presume – and I don’t know this for certain but it’s the way it’s historically been done – that today is also the day they’ll do whatever schtick they need for the pre-game video.

No, I have no idea what it’ll be, and it seems to be a closely guarded secret around the team these days, but if someone whispers in my ear, I’ll be sure to let you know.

I know how big a deal it is to you.

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Let’s see:

Browns 6, Bills 3.

I bet the ticket windows at Rogers Centre are packed this morning with anxious folks forking out money to see Buffalo here in December.

Seriously, if you want bad football in Toronto, the Argos can provide it.

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Antoine Wright, of course, hasn’t played yet.

Blame Andrea.

Finally got a chance to see Wright yesterday pre-game he said it was a knee bump with Bargnani during practice a week ago that caused the injury that’s kept him sidelined.

He said it wasn’t that big a deal but there was some swelling that now seems to be gone and he should be back full speed today, maybe tomorrow.

And Jay told us before the game yesterday that he thought Wright would travel, which means he’d play in Hartford on Wednesday.

Comments

[Nick]

Inconsistent shooting? Ability to put it on the floor? Sounds like the second coming of Carlos Delfino. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, it gives Jay options (and Carlos was sorely missed last year in that regard).

[dc]

belinelli looks like a player in the same style as manu ginobili- long, quick and aggressive.
did the raptors trade Kris Humphries for Belinelli? That will go down in history as another steal for Brian Colangelo

Blogger's note: It was Devean George for Belinelli

[NC]

In response to the question/comment I posted yesterday regarding games on the outdoor big screen the answer is (via E Smith's twitter) "if it's on TV, i'm almost positive they do. whatever is going on inside the arena (for sports - not concerts) is on the TV" and (via M Devlin's twitter) "yes RapsTV is on outside gate 5 screen". So there you have it.

Thank god the playoffs aren't in February!

[aditya]

nick (10:04 am) stole my overnight comment (which i thought about in my sleep or at night)...belinelli reminds me of delfino...

gotta tell you, sonny weems has a pretty good ball handle...this guy showed some flashes last night...

“I like the players. I like the coaches. I like the management. I’m here to win. However they’re going to use me, I have to deal with that. And, like I said, whatever the coaches say, I have to do. But that’s not going to change my work habits. I’m a team player. It was nothing bad as far as what I said about starting. That’s just a goal. Like I say, if the coach goes in a different direction then I have to live with that and that’s my job to continue to come out and support my players.”
-- This is what Andre Miller told oregonlive.com about starting and what not...he wants to start but if coach goes in a diff. direction, he has to live with that (TJ FORD NEVER EVER EVER SAID SOMETHING LIKE THIS -- All TJ Ford said was that "I feel like a starter at this stage of my career")

[Steph]

I noticed the pre-game ritual in London. I was impressed with Jose leading the charge, Bargnani right behind him doing the drills the way they were meant to be done. I was less then impressed with all the others who simply went through the motions. If nothing else this exercise helps all the coaches out there who have their players warm before a game. Those drills are the only thing that most young players get to do before actually playing in a game. Triano's roots both as a player and a coach from years ago come full circle. I like it.

[aditya]

i know its pre-season and bosh isn't even at full strength with full mobility yada yada yada...but if you remember antawn jamison burned bosh in the first quarter draining (i think) it was 2 straight jumpers or 3 straight jumpers and bosh was a little late in the closeout....and the surprising thing is, bosh doesn't seem to be jumping up when challenging shots (probably thinking he will get pump-faked and his coach will yell at him or something)....he needs to improve (and i know this is preseason and only his second game back but the habits seem to be the same)

[Matt]

Yea...I'm not gonna lie,the three-point shooting does worry me a bit...we have a lot of guys who can shoot the three:calderon,bellineli,quincy,jack,andrea,wright,hedo,banks(if he gets any minutes) so three-point shooting shouldn't be a problem.

[marc in Burlington]

Hola Doug,

I noticed that Stumpy is back writing about the hoops after abandoning you for a season or two to cover the pucks. Is this a permanent reunion?

Blogger's note: More on than off, I'm told

[jesse]

when is Turk going to be ready?

Blogger's note: Probably later this week

[Thomas]

Hey Doug,

Feel like shooting down the Bosh to GS rumour that the Sun just posted?

Blogger's note: You mean the eight-month old rumour that has absolutely no basis in fact today; just as it hasn't for, oh, more than half a calendar year? I'll waste 30 seconds of my life shooting that down, sure.
Bogus.

[Thomas]

Thanks, much appreciated (including the snark).

[John]

Hey Doug,

Love the blog and really respect your b-ball I.Q. Yesterday one of the words you used to describe Belinelli was that he's "raw". That took me by surprise as I consider his game to be pretty polished for a player his age. What aspects of his game do you think are raw?

Blogger's note: He tends to get up in the air with the ball and nowhere or no one to pass it to; which is a young players' mistake. And, yes, he's played a lot as a pro, but not an awful lot as a pro in the NBA. Lots of polish still needed for his game.

[Aditya]

steve buffery wrote that bosh to GS rumour...wuts up with that guy

Blogger's note: Why are you slagging Beez? What if someone added to his notes; what if he read it somewhere and repeated it. We all get stuff wrong every now and then.

[jim t]

What did Raptors nation get for Thanksgiving?

a. A big turkey :)

Happy Thanksgiving Mr Colangelo and Thanks for Hedo!

[Lionel]

Doug,

Where's Rasho?!?

Thanks for doing this on a holiday.

Blogger's note: Probably having dinner with his family after practice.

[Striker77]

Hey Doug,

I was wondering if you know how many points the raps scored in the paint in Sundays game vs Washington. Is it just me, or is this team making more runs in transition to the basket? I lost count of how many dunks and lay ups I saw..It was great! Do you think this is a new sign of things to come with the athleticism of these new guys like Johnson, Derozan,and Weems?

Blogger's note: 42 and it's four pre-season games, it's not a sign of anything yet

[bill]

I know it's preseason and we have the whistle happy replacement refs but I loved the trips to the free throw line by Reggie and DeMar.

[rob]

Doug,
are you more impressed with Derozan's quick learning ability or more concerned about the frequency of his mistakes?

Happy thanksgiving

Blogger's note: The former probably; the latter is entirely expected, the kid's 20 and has never, ever seen competition like this.

[LeeZ]

Doug, What the heck are you doing answering posts from basketball junkies who CLEARLY need to get a life (present company excluded, of course) instead of getting ready to carve the bird and other manly Thanksgiving duties? I'm just sayin'...

Blogger's note: No bird, it's practice, work and quiet time around here today.

[Kevin A.]

To Thomas, Re: The Bosh to GS "rumour"

That "rumour" a pretty easy thing for a writer to just throw in there when there's no accountability, especially when he couches his own statement by saying at the end of the article by stating "if there's any substance at all to the rumour".

Think about this: as a reporter, isn't it your job (not you Doug, just in general) to figure out if there is actually any substance to the rumour before putting it to paper? I mean, I know the source, but where has journalistic integrity gone? Is it because there's really no accountability to someone putting something like this out there?

[zow]

Doug,with the new motion offence, who will it help more ,the bigs or the wings?Also ,will the raps have any clear out plays,or does this just lead to selfish basketball?

Blogger's note: Probably the wings; and yes, they'll put in some isos, I'm sure

[Aditya]

slag

–noun
1. Also called cinder. the more or less completely fused and vitrified matter separated during the reduction of a metal from its ore.
2. the scoria from a volcano.
3. waste left over after the re-sorting of coal.
–verb (used with object)
4. to convert into slag.
5. Metallurgy. to remove slag from (a steel bath).
–verb (used without object)
6. to form slag; become a slaglike mass.

Well, which one is it? (Why are you slaggin Beez?)

Blogger's note: None