Of Hedo and Oak and winter upon us?

Game tonight, everyone nervous?

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One of the things everyone’s been waiting for is some dominant fourth-quarter playmaking by Hedo Turkoglu, right?

That was his bread and butter in Orlando and one of the big reasons they went after him, so he could facilitate the offence at times with the game in the balance, either by creating for others or scoring on his own.

Now, it being three whole games in an 82-game schedule there’s no reason to think he won’t do that, but I also think Jay needs to force the issue a wee bit more.

And so, it seems, does the coach.

“I thought we scored the ball well in the fourth quarter (against Orlando) but we probably should have had the ball in his hands more, as well.

“We have point guards in Jose and Jarrett who are very comfortable holding on to the basketball and making plays for themselves and a guy like Chris, who does a lot of his creating with the ball in his hands. WE haven’t really given him much of an opportunity to make plays or passes to everybody else, that will come.”

Personally, I’m not entirely sure a threesome of Hedo, Jose and Jarrett Jack works well at the moment, it’s almost like they have one too many options for running the offence.

The coaches like it, though, because they run a set that includes a lot of side-screens and perimeter movement and they like having those three guys out there to run it. And it has worked.

But getting Turk more involved in the running of the offence is the next step in the slow progression of this team from a bunch of guys who don’t know each other into a smooth-running unit.

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Stop us if you’ve heard this before but a team’s coming in to Toronto tonight missing two key players and we all know that teams missing two – or three – key players are easy pickings, right?

Tayshaun Prince (back) and Rip Hamilton (ankle) both sat out Detroit’s win over Orlando last night and neither is going to be in the lineup for tonight’s game.

Here’s the lowdown in one of the Detroit papers this morning.

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We’re standing around waiting to talk to whoever we were going to talk to after practice yesterday – I believe the lineup ended up being Bosh, Amir Johnson and Jay – and right behind us, Marco Belinelli was getting up some shots.

This was before he engaged Hedo in a rather high-spirited three-point shooting contest and Belineilli warmed up for that by making about 12 bank shots in a row from about 20 feet.

Dude’s like the Italian Tim Duncan.

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Imagine that, Oak comes back with some rather strong opinions on this, as Dave reports here.

One that that caught me was where Oak said he hoped they didn’t boo him again.

No way they do that, right? I’m thinking standing ovation would be appropriate.

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Hmm.

You’ll notice in the boxscore that Orlando’s Ryan Anderson went 2-14 (1-11 from three) and JJ Redick was 4-12 (3-6) in the game last night, right?

Must have been tired from making all those shots Sunday afternoon.

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Waking up and having to scrape the windshield before heading out for coffee bites, doesn’t it?

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Since I get asked about this something like half a dozen times a day and try to answer at least once, let’s go over the Reggie Evans situation one more time.

He’s dumped the crutches, is waling without a boot at times but is nowhere near being able to practice, let alone play.

Team’s not putting any timetable on it so this is all a guess but if you see him in uniform before, oh, the end of the month, I’ll be surprised.

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An Oak story.

You remember the one thing that stood out about Oak was his sartorial excellence.

The man could flat out dress.

And we beat guys, well, we beat guys couldn’t match him in that department ever. And Oak knew it.

So we’re standing around the locker room one night, chatting away with Oak because that was always fun and he looks up at one of us – and it wasn’t me but it could have been – and shakes his head while saying something to the effect of:

“Those are fat-man clothes.”

Just what we needed, getting ripped for our choice of jackets.

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The play’s a tad old but yesterday Jay was asked about that Bosh foul on Howard and what it might have meant.

“In the past, Dwight might have been able to break through those arms and go up and do something. This time, Chris held him down and held on to him. I don’t know if it was a statement towards Dwight, it was a guy had a layup and we’re not going to let him have a layup.”

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Here’s the think about Amir Johnson that I’ve liked over the course of the first three games.

The guy knows what he can’t do.

I think I might have remarked on this during one of the in-game blogs when Johnson caught as pass at the elbow and immediately swung the ball around the perimeter.

No thinking about a shot, no thinking about trying to back his guy down, no thought other than to treat the ball like a hot potato and move it along.

It goes to what Jay said in the days after the pre-season and before the Cleveland game: He was going to make sure guys knew their roles and their limitations.

Give Johnson credit, he seems to have picked up on it.

It’ll be interesting, then, to see how he reacts against his old team tonight. The concern is that he’ll try to show ‘em what he can do and try to do too much. Hope the kid sticks to what he does best and doesn’t try to force any issue.

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Couple of more Oak-isms.

Not sure why he said these things, or what precisely the context was, but I’ve covered a lot of pro sports and pro athletes over the years and no one’s come up with bon mots like these.

On one suspension, handed down after a shootaround transgression not witnessed by any league official:

“Just because there’s glass on the highway doesn’t mean there was an accident.”

And, on something or other:

“It’s like bringing eggs to a barbecue.”

And, advice we should all live by:

“There’s no sense crying over spilled milk. Go to the kitchen and get some more.”

He’s here all day, try the veal.

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Don’t forget, the plan is a post-shootaround video, a 4 p.m. chat for a bit and then the in-game festivities. Have yourself a nice day.

Comments

[LeeZ]

Alright, it's one thing for me to suggest that the Raps need to put a better defender in at the start of games to complement the big three, and it's one thing for Feschuk to suggest it, but for the Oakman himself to say it, well, Doug, you simply have no choice but to yield to this groundswell, this movement that's afoot. Doug, get on the right side of history: endorse it, before it slowly eats away at you. "You can't build a team with five scorers on the floor," said Oakley. "Put two on the bench and put two role players out there with 'em. Somebody's got to stop somebody." I mean, if Oak says it, it's gotta be true.

[eric]

Congrats on the milestone doug!

Are Rip and Prince supposed to be back in action tonight? Also: any chance you know the infamous Oak slapping Barkley during the lockout story? I've heard references to it for years but can't find ANYTHING about it.

Blogger's note: No chance, neither of them travelled. I'll see what I can find out about the other thing; it may be a bit of urban myth.

[Wilber]

Doug, I think I've found what Santa needs to leave under the tree for little Dougie:

Your own Oakley's Car Wash T Shirt.
http://www.motheringhut.com/charles_oakley.html

Didn't Oak live (and cook) in the Royal York while he played here?

Long live Oak!

Blogger's note: I actually have a Charles Oakley Car Wash t-shirt, among my more prized clothing possessions
Bpgg

[wally]

Doug any chance of get the Oak man on Grunt TV? As an Oakley fan for the 80's I think it would be fun to see you to seat doing for a five minute one on one. We fans never know when we'll get another chance to see the Pimp of all Pimps. this may be our last chance.

Blogger's note: I'll give it a shot, but he's pretty shy

[George]

Where do you rate the Camby for Oak Trade in the most significant events in the Raptors 15 year history? Is it higher or lower than the VC for Jamison trade?

Blogger's note: Good question. I'd say it's higher. Maybe because Carter-Jamison was just a business transaction; each team got the guy they wanted. Oak was a gamble they had to take

[Nelson]

Oh Great, Stuckey schooled Jameer Nelson last night.. the same Nelson who schooled Jose. #8 better come out playing some D tonight. Pistons beat the Magic without their 2 best players... Good luck Raps

[Darko]

10 big ones, BRAVO and thank you for " making" us come back
for more on Raps and bball.
I've Oak at the Atlantis, Bahamas that summer he signed contract
extension. Had a very pleasant chat with him, there was no
grouchness to him, well until we got to the subject of his contract,
something like : " them dissing me with this halfass offer..."
If I remember corectly it was 18 mil/ 3 yrs. But he was great.
Seeing our stellar D these days I wish he is our PF instead of the
one that we have right now all together with his 31/15.
Love his quote on the same guy, 20 mil for shooting jumpers.
If I was coming to the game tonight, I'd be standing up
and applauding Oak.

[David Sidhu]

What does "waling without a boot" mean?

Blogger's note: It means walking, without the 'k.' I thought everyone knew that?

[Jim]

Doug,
If you really want to see Oak get the standing O, how about arrangeing for them to show the tape of him cloth lining VC?
Jim

[David Sidhu]

Any Raps games on TNT this year?

Blogger's note: Nope, it's a TNT-free year. Again

[GM]

What? Detroit without two starters beat Orlando with Vince back in the line-up?? You mean short-handed teams do beat teams on occasion? But still everyone needs to panic when the Raptors lose in such a situation...

(Still, it could be argued that Anderson's and Redick's low shooting percentage against the Pistons might have something to do with the defense played against them.)

Glad Johnson seems to know his role. If only more players did. That's half the battle -- knowing your strengths and weaknesses. And knowing what the team needs from you.

[David]

These are the reasons why we're losing.
Jose and Jarrett don't work well.
Why play them together.
Also this talk about the importance of defense is
just that; all talk.
The Orlando game with 5 minutes left in the game.
Toronto is down by 4 points and he takes out Wright
and replaces him with Caldron. You got to be kidding.
This coach doesn't believe in defense.
And to put Caldron and Jack together with the game on
the line is completely dumb.
I have lost all faith in this coach. He has no clue when and
which players to play against the competition.

[kelsey]

Greetings Doug,

1st Congratulations!!!!
I have been reading your articles in the paper for a while, I didnt realize there was a online "blog". Ah the Raptors. Everyone out there Bargnani or Calderon have to be traded. Jose No D-fact (its will be a problem tonight vs Detroit)...Bargnani averaging 5 Rbs/game and he is 7ft? This will never work. Im sorry most of the European players lack the athletic ability to play good defense. Colangelo please put pride away, move Jose or Bargnani.

[T I]

To user David: I am going to respectfully disagree. Us being fans, we're entitled to our own opinions. However, to suggest that someone who simply watches games on television and isn't around the team 24/7, watching them in practice, breaking down videos (with the acumen to do it properly) thinking they have more basketball knowledge than someone like Jay Triano - is the most ludicrous thoughts I have ever seen. Like I mentioned, we as fans have the right to our own opinions, however I think it makes a little sense to respect the fact that we don't have nearly the knowledge of the game that we think we do. USA basketball thinks highly enough of Jay Triano to make them one of their coaches, and that is as high of a praise in the basketball world as you can get in my opinion. The man knows the game, and in my opinion, it is about time the naysayers respect him, whether you like him or not.

[David]

Facts speak for themselves.
Wright is one of our best defenders.
To take him out with five minutes left in a winnable game
says Triano doesn't believe in defense. Period.
Who in the starting lineup is strong on defense at Wright's
position. None.
Orlando game with 5 minutes left. Was the team having trouble
scoring. No.
No trouble scoring and your defense is working.
Substition you bring in a weak defender which means Orlando
will having a easier time scoring. Which means Triano has
decided forget defense and try to win the game with offense.
If he is breaking down video than why is he playing Cauldron and
Jack together. That combination hasn't worked yet.
If you want them to get used to each other; you don't do it with the
game on the line.
These arguments I've made you haven't counter with facts but
by name dropping. Which is trash.
It's not about liking or disliking. It's about reality.
Show me in my arguments where I'm wrong.

[Lyn]

"Waking up and having to scrape the windshield before heading out for coffee bites, doesn’t it?"
----
Yes, Doug, it does.
Your instincts remain pin sharp.

[Aditya]

no chance amir johnson tries to do too much against detroit....