The aftermath of another bad one

Okay, this’ll be the second-to-last stupidly early post-game post, I hope because once we get back to the East, I’ll get back on the usual schedule.

Not much to say about that one last night, was there? Better team won and, look at the bright side, they didn’t get drilled by 39 and no one’s getting fired today.

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THREE THINGS I LEARNED

Not tough enough

They are not going to consistently beat big, physically tough teams in a million years and we saw why last night.

The Nuggets took it to them in the paint, they battered them with aggressive defence and it should have come to the surprise of no one that the Raptors wore down as the game went on.

It’s not a fatal flaw but, in the parlance of the day, it is what it is.

Chris Bosh is stronger this year, no doubt about it, and he’s rebounding more aggressively more consistently than he ever has. But he’s alone.

Andrea is what Andrea is, a good shooting big who every now and then goes to the rim. He can’t successfully guard Nene any more than you can so they had to try to junk up the defence to lessen the hit they would take.

Antoine Wright’s a lot of things. Strong enough and big enough to guard Carmelo Anthony are not two of them. So they had to junk up the defence on Anthony, too.

Chauncey? Stronger than Jose.

Kenyon Martin? Maybe the most under-rated post defender in the game and a veteran who knows all the tricks.

Those old saws: “Horses for courses” and “styles make fights” held true; it’s simply the way it is and to have expected the Raptors to slug it out with the Nuggets and win was wishful thinking.

There will be games where those shortcomings aren’t an issue – they weren’t in Phoenix, they probably won’t be tonight in Utah, they won’t be Friday at home against Miami.

Luckily for them, they only play the Nuggets twice.

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One step slow

I guess at its core, the decision to send a second defender at Carmelo Anthony wasn’t a bad idea. He’s that good and probably could have had a career night operating in a vacuum last night.

But to watch the Raptors be slow to rotate on the diving big time after time after time after time was too much.

Maybe it’s because they haven’t doubled a three on the wing all year and weren’t used to the rotation – although Jay downplayed that suggestion when I asked him about it post-game – but if they ever have to do it again, they have to do it better.

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One good sign?

I think we’re starting to see the Marco Belinelli that they hoped to see from the very first game of the season.

Three three-pointers in the second quarter, 16 points on 11 shots, a couple of drives, four rebounds, a couple of assists and a couple of steals.

Not bad numbers but, as you know, I never think numbers tell the whole tale so I will say this: Just watching him play with some energy – at both ends – was even more impressive than his shooting, which is going to come and go.

I thought he’d morph into a solid contributor a bit earlier than 10 games into the season (and that’s an issue I’ll get into more in tomorrow’s newspaper) but now he’s giving them what they want.

And what it’s also going to do is allow Jay to abort, for the most part, the Jose-Jarrett backcourt. I can see Jack getting all his minutes, barring foul trouble or injury, as the backup point guard, a role I think he’s best suited for.

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And in other news:

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The things you see on the road:

About 2 1-2 hours to game time, step out of the cab and see this woman standing at the side of the road by the players entrance with a bundle of signs.

One on display says:

Nuggets: We believe in you.

A very nice sentiment.

Walk around her and see one she’s going to display later:

We still love Sonny Weems.

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All right, Pops.

Here’s the deal. In the summer, they only wanted him back if he’d play on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract and that made me think they weren’t really interested. Which they weren’t, according the people I talk to in the organization.

And, no, they did not waive Douby last week so they could go get him; in fact, they made the decision on Douby before Houston made its on Pops.

Yes, they made a waiver claim and got him on a non-guaranteed deal to be the fifth or sixth big on the team.

He’s a likable guy and all but, really, his popularity is not commensurate with his talent.

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In Denver, this is how that one played out in the paper.

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The schedule is what the schedule is and all the teams will have a chance to complain at some point.

But there are murmurs around the Raptors about the stretch they are currently in that actually has some merit.

Denver played last Friday and was off, sitting at home waiting, before getting Toronto last night.

Utah hasn’t played since Saturday and has been off, sitting at home waiting ever since, for Toronto to arrive to finish off its back-to-back.

It doesn’t excuse lack of effort or shoddy preparation but it is something people with the team have noticed.

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Speaking of other stories in other cities, here’s what they read in Salt Lake today as the Jazz went through another off-day.

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When the Raptors finish in Utah tonight they will have played one-fifth of their road schedule and the season is just three weeks old.

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What I’m wondering is if the citizenry of Salt Lake will still be celebrating the DWTS finals appearance by favourite son Donny Osmond when we get there today.

Me? I’m now firmly in the Osbourne camp.

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Okay, today’s schedule has to change a little bit thanks to a mid-day, Mountain-time flight. We’ll have to go back to the 4 p.m. Eastern chat since I don’t land in Salt Lake until almost 3 p.m.

So, if you want, we’ll see you then.

The Goods On The Game, Raptors at Denver

All right, everyone settled in?

You've heard the news: Pops is in, Hedo's out, now let's see a game.

And the news just keeps on coming

Just when you thought the Return Of Pops was the big news of the night, here comes more.

Just got out of the Raptors locker room and Hedo Turkoglu's sore hip is going to keep him out of this one; he took part in shootaround this morning and it looked like he'd be a go but things didn't pan out the way they expected.

Antoine Wright gets the start at small forward and a pretty tall order having to defend Carmelo Anthony.

But, and here's more news, Carmelo missed shootaround this morning with a migraine but I'm told he'll strap it on and go as long as he can tonight.

The way this day's going? Check back right at 9 p.m. because who knows what might change.

Now I'm going for dinner, see you in a bit.

Pops is back, and he'll be in uniform tonight

The fans in Toronto have an old friend to cheer for again.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who was a hit during his 19-game stint with Toronto last season, has been claimed off waivers by the Raptors and -- get this! -- he'll be dressed for Tuesday's game in Denver.

He’d been waived by the Houston Rockets last week and Toronto made the claim that was accepted late yesterday afternoon.

Where he fits is unclear. Listed at 6-9 and 225 pounds, he’ll likely be behind Amir Johnson in the front court rotation now and will move further down the ladder when Reggie Evans returns from his mid-foot sprain, which could be in the next 10 days or so.

There is no major monetary gamble because Mensah-Bonsu’s minimum value salary is not fully guaranteed for the rest of the year. Toronto had created a roster opening – and some flexibility – by waiving guard Quincy Douby last Thursday and felt compelled to fill the spot in less than five days.

Mensah-Bonsu had played 12 minutes total in four games with Houston before being waived.

GruntTV is a Mile High

Live pre-game Q&A

Check in a 3 p.m. for a live Q&A before tonight's game in Denver

And the trip rolls into Denver, where it's cold

Okay, so it’s not the middle of the night when this is going up, we’re sort of back to the regular Eastern time schedule despite being out here in the mountains.

Told you the body clock was screwed up beyond belief. Now, let me gobble some Tylenol, get ready for the day and we’ll be back for the usual game-day chat at 3 p.m. your time. See ya then.

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The Curious Case of Jarrett Jack is certainly causing some angst out there among the chattering masses.

Not sure how many – but it’s a lot – are so down on the guy that I keep waiting for the people who were demanding he start about 10 days ago to pipe up and come to defence.

Oh, wait.

Probably the same people in a few instances, now that I think of it.

Anyway, yes, it’s true. He’s struggling to find his place and not playing particularly well.

It’s a topic I hope to explore in the paper in the morning – have to write an early story ‘cause of the stinky 9 p.m. Eastern start – but Jay brought up an interesting point when we were discussing Jack’s play yesterday.

Yes, his shot is off.

But …

“He did a good job on the small things (Sunday) night. We ran (Goran) Dragic out of the gym. We said, ‘Jarrett, pick him up, get into him’ and they had to play Barbosa as the backup point.”

Indeed, it’s true. What they did to the poor Suns backup point guard bordered on abuse. And Dragic couldn’t get off the bench in the second half and Barbosa having to run the point takes away from what he does best, which is play the off-guard spot, run the floor and spot up for jumpers.

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Guy shows up in Denver, fresh from 70 F in Phoenix and it’s like 28 F, windy and there’s snow on the ground?

Who do I talk to about this?

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All practices are not created equal, it seems.

The Raptors worked out in Phoenix yesterday before flying to Denver and it was a rather low-key affair, as it usually is in the middle of road trip with one day between games and a back-to-back coming.

A scribbler walks in to wait for them to finish and sees the Walking Wounded, Mssrs. Turkoglu and Wright, headed off for treatment and healthy starters Bosh, Calderon and Bargnani off to the weight room.

While they’re lifting and doing some cadio, a rather high-spirited game of four-on-four is unfolding on the practice court involving the guys who don’t play a lot.

Then they switch, the weightlifters hit the gym and the subs hit the weight room but it’s only individual workouts with assistant coaches, nothing too strenuous.

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Wait, let’s see?

A team Steve Nash plays on has spent year after year after year trying to develop a suitable backup point guard, to marginal success?

What are the Suns?

Canada?

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Things to read in Denver when you’re alive.

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Hands up everybody who wanted Toronto to throw the ball into Chris Bosh in the final possession against Phoenix on Sunday who also whined last year about the lack of anyone on the perimeter who’d be able and willing to take a big shot with the game on the line?

There’s just no pleasing everyone, I guess.

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So Stephen Jackson’s a Bobcat.

At a very reasonable price, player-wise, since Raja Bell’s best days are far behind him and Vladimir Radmanovic is destined to be salary-cap fodder in trades for as long as he stays in the NBA.

But, really, what’s it do for Charlotte besides cost them a lot of money (how’s about $28 million for three years after this season strike you)?

Does it make the Bobcats a playoff team? Not this year, at least in my opinion. Are Jackson and Gerald Wallace really a good mix on the court? Aren’t they, in a lot of ways, pretty much the same guy?

I don’t know about this one, to tell you the truth. Charlotte shed long-term salary issues when it dealt Emeka Okafor in the summer; to take on that kind of money and that kind of risk (and I can see a Larry Brown-Stephen Jackson contretemps coming, no matter how nice they’re making today) seems a big, big gamble.

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I believe today is Pops Day around the NBA.

Not sure if the Raptors had put a waiver claim in on The Legend – I was led to believe they probably would – but even if they did, it doesn’t mean you can dust off those replica jerseys that have been sitting in the closet since last April.

Let’s say some team worse off than Toronto, perchance the Nets?, decides it needs Pops on the roster and is willing to take the gamble on the non-fully-guaranteed contract he’s carrying.

Well, Toronto’s out of luck in that case.

I remain entirely unconvinced that creating roster flexibility last week by waiving Quincy and using it up already to bring a guy who’s really Amir Johnson Lite makes a lot of sense.

But that’s what Bryan makes the big bucks for, to make those kinds of decisions.

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How cool was this.

Back to the room because it’s too cold to be out and a refreshing beverage had been had and click on the TV. Football game blows so going through the dial, what do I find? CSI Miami.

Figuring I could use some over-dramatic, over-acting from the red-headed dude, and because the woman who used to be on West Wing’s a favourite, I watch for a minute.

And there’s Pau Gasol!

Car crash victim with a solid speaking role in the first 15 minutes and then he played a dead guy like he was some kind of Spanish Gielgud.

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Allen Iverson’s out in Memphis – we knew that wasn’t going to work out from the day he signed – but now there’s a report out there (click here to see it) that says the Knicks have interest?

I guess since it’s obvious Knicks management has no interest in anything other than next summer and the team’s off to the worst start in franchise history, it makes sense to do something foolish like this.

Iverson would have to start – isn’t it just great when players call all the shots – because we’ve seen how well he handles playing the backup role he should be playing – and who cares if that stunts the development of Danilo Gallinari because he’ll hardly be the focus of the offence?

After all, isn’t all just about waiting for LeBron?

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There's this and there's that about a really good game

Great game, no?

I know there’s nothing like a moral victory in the big leagues but that one had to feel good. What they did, they did well; they were one shot away from stealing a pretty big win.

Oh, seriously, don’t get used to this stuff getting posted so early, this time zone crap is still really messing with an old guy’s body and mind.

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THREE THINGS I LEARNED

What else could you want?

I am certain – and it’s mainly because I’ve had an e-mail or two on it already – that there are those out there who take exception to the offence they ran in the final 38 seconds of that game.

Let me ask you this:

When Turkoglu took the three, and when he took the shot at the buzzer, did anyone think there was a better idea? The three was an open look on an obvious two-for-one situation that went about halfway down and back out. The two came off a switch, was a relatively uncontested 20-footers and when it left his hand, it looked good.

The only thing I might have done differently was run high screen and roll rather than some action on the side so there’d be a better chance at penetration and a drive-and-kick but if they end up with two good looks by Turkoglu in the last 30 seconds of one-point games the rest of the season, I’m sure they’d be quite happy with that.

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A little teaching time

I imagine none of you see this because the lights aren’t on and the broadcast hasn’t started but about 90 minutes before each game, assistant coach Eric Hughes and DeMar DeRozan sit down for a little tutorial that I finally got around to asking about.

It’s either on the bench or in the seats but they sit there with a laptop for about 10 or 20 minutes deep in conversation.

Because I’m an astute observer of things, I figure they’re not watching GruntTV (although who could blame them if they are) and I ask Eric about it last night.

Seems what they’re watching is video of DeMar from the previous game, going over what he did right, and what he did wrong.

With some many people offering so much advice to a 20-year-old rookie, the staff figures if he gets some quiet time before a game going over what happened the last time out and what he can correct, it’s going to do more to stay fresh in his mind when that night’s action gets under way.

It’s a good teaching tool, and a smart thing to do. Make fresh in his mind the mistakes he might have made so he doesn’t repeat them.

Small thing but, perhaps, with big dividends.

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Give the coach credit

The one thing that’s stood out over the last three games has been the willingness of Jay to make changes mid-stream and the willingness of the players to accept those alterations.

Chicago? They switched the coverage on Derrick Rose and won in the second half.

Clippers? They doubled Kaman and then didn’t and entirely befuddled Los Angeles in the second half.

Phoenix? They switch everything to stay in contact with shooters, leaving guys like Jose to guard Stoudemire on the block until help comes but the aggressive double-team works well most of the time.

What that means to me is twofold:

It shows Jay’s not adverse to changing things up depending on the strengths of the opponents.

But, perhaps more important, the fact that all of the moves worked to a large degree now means the players will feel comfortable the next time he says, ‘hey, we’re going to do this tonight.’

Having tangible evidence that changes in strategy will pay off is a huge boost for a coach in the minds of his players and buys him a lot of goodwill.

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And in the rest of the news:

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A guy fighting a stupid head cold wanders across the street from his luxuriously appointed hotel to find some sort of drug store or pharmacy and there’s Fry’s. Perfect.

Find the pharmacy part of the store and the Tylenol display and notice that it’s a bit odd that you’d have to take a piece of paper up to the desk to get a bottle of cold remedy but what the heck, when in Rome …

Gets weirder from there, though.

Mr. Pharmacist asks for a driver’s licence and drops off a form where you have to fill in name, address, date of birth and everything except next of kin before he’ll sell you some stinking cold medicine.

A huge pain in the derriere.

And the cold’s still there.

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Oh yeah, I held the sunny and warm crap over you in L.A. and Phoenix so I should mention it snowed in Denver on Sunday and there’s a high of 40 F expected today.

GruntTV’s outside shots are, I believe, over.

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My buddy Paul Coro sums up the game this way.

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Seeing John Shumate before the game was pretty cool, he’s one of the few Day 1ers still actively involved in the game.

And it struck me that if they are into “recognizing” people from the past 15 years, why not do him when Phoenix comes to town in a couple of weeks.

After all, he was on a pretty good staff of a team that over-achieved in a 21-win expansion season.

Can we make this happen? Dredge up a Notre Dame highlight or two; maybe an assistant coaching moment? Let’s get it done.

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By every quantifiable or anecdotal measure, there is no way in the world Channing Frye equals Shaquille O’Neal, right?

Then why is he such a good fit in Phoenix when the sure-fire Hall of Famer wasn’t?

Horses for courses, is how you explain it.

Frye’s a big who can shoot – not quite as good consistently as the 6-for-8 night he had from beyond the arc on Sunday – and on any team with Steve Nash orchestrating things, bigs who can shoot are a must.

Frye’s not necessarily a good inside presence (watching him stumble and bumble his way out of double-teams proved that) but he’s going to make the Suns far more dangerous on offence this year than Shaq did a year ago.

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Remember how, on opening night, we gave props to Marcus Banks for a 26-second stint in which he played good defence, worked hard and did what he was asked to in an instance when a lot of players would have coasted through the one possession they were going to play that night?

Well, Sonny Weems did that for 8:26 against the Suns.

And he deserves some credit.

He didn’t mess up defensively, made the only two shots he took and, just what you want from a guy who knows he’s going to be buried on the bench for almost every game, he was ready when he was called on.

That’s impressive because a lot of guys would have tried to do too much or made some kind of impression in another way. All Sonny did was his job. Sounds like an easy task, right? Well, lots of guys don’t.

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The schedule for today? Glad you asked.

After a night in Phoenix (and I can highly, highly recommend the Half Moon sports bar out by Camelback), it’s practice this morning here, a late-day flight to Denver and, hopefully, a nice quiet night of dinner and, perchance, a cocktail.

But there’s no indication of when, or if, there’ll be wireless access before so if the posting of comments is tardy, there’s not much I can do.

See ya from the Mile High City.

The Goods On The Game, Raptors at Phoenix

After a nice day of sun and warmth, some real professional men's basketball. Everyone ready?

A late change in the health of the Raptors

There’s been a change in the injured Raptors for Sunday’s game in Phoenix.

Hedo Turkoglu must have spent some time at the local chapter of Lourdes because he’s a go for the game against the Suns, but Antoine Wright’s sore ankle will keep him out of the game.

At shootaround Sunday morning, coach Jay Triano had said “I’m not optimistic right now” about Turkoglu’s availability because of his sore hip.

But after the shootaround, some afternoon work with the team’s training staff and the pre-game warmup, the starting small forward was deemed fit to go.

Wright, however, went through shooting drills about half an hour ago but couldn’t get his left ankle loose enough to let him play.