Some pap, some drivel and some wildly entertaining nuggets.

All right, four in a row. Everyone feeling somewhat better about the Heroes Of The Hardcourt?

I know, it’s not like they beat the Lakers, Magic, Celtics and Cavs but the schedule is what the schedule is and beating bad teams counts as much as beating good ones. And we all know that just because an opponent is allegedly weaker doesn’t mean a thing where these guys are concerned.

Anyway ….

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THREE THINGS I LEARNED

One big play

The dagger came with just about a minute left on the Weems dunk but it was set up by one of the most under-stated plays of a big game from Chris Bosh.

It was simply effort – and I know it should be commonplace but we all know it isn’t – but when he reached around or over a defender to tip a missed shot back out to Andrea Bargnani, it was the kind of little play that decides close games.

It set into action a chain of events where Bargnani didn’t force anything and held the ball to make the right pass, Turkoglu did what he was supposed to do and drive the ball rather than shoot it and they got a huge basket out of it.

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Here’s why

There were all kinds of questions, and all kinds of angst, about why there was such a limited role for Sonny Weems early yesterday.

I had people wondering if he was sick, if Jay had lost his marbles, if he was hurt.

So, intrepid scribe that I am, I went to a pretty good source the first chance I got to find out why.

And I was told by someone who’d know that the coaching staff was upset that Weems was “hugging” his man on the weak side while defending, putting him out of position to box out on the defensive boards, allowing the Pistons free passage to the glass.

And it goes to prove a point oft-made that when teams are hammering the Raptors on the offensive glass, it’s not always the bigs who are missing assignments.

-

Back to Bosh

Yes, he had a monster first half, 19 points and nine rebounds and it looked like a huge game was coming.

No, he didn’t score much in the second half but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

It was because the Pistons showed something defensively that few teams have tried this season.

On a handful of possessions, they had a small guy – Tayshaun Prince a lot of the times I was watching away from the ball closely –- wrestling with Bosh on the block while a big was behind him or cheating over on him not more than a yard or two away.

Made it all but impossible to quickly and efficiently enter the ball to him and that’s why he didn’t get many shots or touches in that stretch.

It’s also part of the reason the offence got so stagnant at times but, again, offence is not going to be an issue with this team and they eventually figured it out.

The swung the ball side-to-side and got good looks and even with their main offensive weapon somewhat neutralized, they got enough scoring.

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And now, more.

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Yes, it took 2:49 to play that marathon yesterday, TWO HOURS AND FORTY-NINE FREAKING MINUTES.

Longest non-overtime game they’ve ever played, beating by four minutes the very first regular season game in franchise history way back in 1995.

(Talk about your long-standing records? They don’t get any more long-standing that that, do they).

Anyway, as I’m sitting there two seats down from Paul Jones, I’m thinking, you know, there probably aren’t too many people who worked both of those games.

Lucky us.

-

This is a little bit old but it’s also the first time we’ve been here in a few days so tardiness is allowed.

Stan Van Gundy was saying the other day in this story that the NBA should do entirely away with Christmas Day games, a radical proposal indeed and one with which I agree one kabillion per cent.

I didn’t watch a lot of games on Friday for two simple facts:

I’d rather hang with my family eating and drinking and having fun, and, just as important I guess, the games generally suck.

I understand completely that the TV networks call the scheduling show for almost the entire season and they like the live programming they can offer. Nothing is likely to change simply because Stan and I – and lots of others, I imagine – wish it to change.

If the NBA Cares, as it says it does, wouldn’t it be good to send a message to its players, coaches, fans and employees that there should be some time to spend with ones family around the holidays?

I do recall the one and only time the Raptors played on Christmas Day, back in 2001 against the Knicks.

Lots of anticipation, lots of logistical nightmares for a Grunt with a five-year-old and others connected to the team with young children and lots of bad, bad basketball.

Toronto got drilled, it was one of the most poorly played games of that year and only because a Benevolent Boss went an extra mile to make things easy on me and my family did I not hate it with red-hot intensity.

This idea of Stan’s will run counter to the thoughts of many who like to sit in front of a TV and watch endless holiday games for various reasons.

But if there were no games, don’t you think they could find something else do to?

-

I’ve adapted this from a wisecrack I hear in the media room after the game but in the time it’s taken you to read this far, Bennie Adams, bob Delaney and Derek Richardson have called three personal fouls, two cheapies on Andrea Bargnani.

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This is how that game Sunday was chronicled down in Detroit.

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Let me get this straight:

Guy somehow manages to get explosives through security and on to an airplane. Tragedy is averted only by luck, it would seem.

And now the U.S. Transportation Administration and its Canadian counterpart have decided the thing to do is give more power and responsibility to same collective group of hourly-wage employees that let this happen?

Yeah, I’m feeling far more comfortable now about my flight to Boston on Friday.

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This is kind of interesting and not something I knew about until I just glanced at the post-game notes the crack PR staff of the Raptors put together.

I did realize that Toronto will finish December with a winning record regardless of what transpires on Wednesday against Charlotte.

The Raptors are now 8-6 this month and I imagine not many figured that would be happen after the ugliness of November.

But it’s also the first time since 2003 that they’ll be over .500 for December.

That strikes me as a bit surprising for some reason.

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What do you think?

Of the dozen or so readers who wrote into say they would never watch this sorry bunch of heartless losers again about three weeks ago and to call them around the lottery or when Bryan/Jay/Me/Everyone was fired, how many are back?

Just wondering.

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Am I a dope or what?

(You don’t have to answer, it’s rhetorical).

I file the first of many stories to the website about 6 p.m. last night and somehow type Antoine Walker instead of Antoine Wright, getting my slowish bad three-point shooting Antoines mixed up.

An alert reader points it out about 7 p.m. in a private e-mail and we get it fixed on the web then.

So, what had I done?

Well, I’d cut and pasted the same mistake into the second game story I wrote (this one with a fresher angle for those who get their news either in the paper or first thing in the morning) and it stays there until just now, when I was again reminded – not so gently – that I’m an idiot.

It’s a hazard of having many stories, containing some similar elements, about the same game.

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Comments

[Omar]

Reggie Evans

What is the latest update on Reggie Evans injury? When will he return to the lineup? Do you believe it will happen in February and how will his return impact the team in the win column?

Omar(Brampton)

Blogger's note: None. Don't know. Have no idea. Can't say.

[Dave in Ottawa]

Doug,
Have you read Bill Simmons' article at ESPN? http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/091223&sportCat=nba

What's your take on the financial situation of teams like New Orleans and Charlotte? I think his Raptors section is silly, though a trade of Jose to the Lakers for Farmar and cash isn't bad, if we can convert Morrison into something more worthwhile.

Blogger's note: I haven't read it and will reserve comment now on financial situations but anyone who suggests a Jose Calderon for Jordan Farmar (journeyman) and Adam Morrison (stiff) trade is either Mitch Kupchak or a blood relative of his. That's utterly stupid and ridiculous and not worthy of more thought

[Ali Abbas Inayatullah]

I think improved rotations and more defensive intensity in terms of JJ starting have had a significant contribution to the more improved Dec. record. Less to no playing time for Antoine Wright (the last game notwithstanding)and a more atheletic and tougher second unit of Weems, Banks, Johnson with JJ and DD has also been a factor.

[Scott]

Note to people who hate flopping,
It is done because it is the only way you will ever get an offensive foul. Someone runs straight into your body and you don't move it will be a D foul or a no call. You fall to the ground you have a much better chance of getting that call. If refs make that offensive call, even if a person jumps straight up, which should still be an offensive foul, flopping would go down.
It is a tough call for the refs but in a league that markets its offensive stars, flopping is the D players best shot.

[chris]

Doug - Bargs looked super effective WHEN he went into the post last night. Why doesn't Triano stick him down there more often? He's really effective, and it sets him up better for an inside out game. Plus it seems to get him engaged mentally (nice to see him showing some emotion)

[Earl]

Hey Doug,
I was just wondering about the front page of NBA.com today.

The headline reads:

"T-Mac's popularity complicates All-Star choices–
•All those votes for Tracy McGrady could cost someone more deserving a trip to Dallas"

How is that a news item?
Isn't that headline basically saying

"NBA All-Star Voting System Extremely Flawed"

?

[James D]

I was quite close at yesterdays game and here was my observation.

The Pistons' second half defense yesterday involved fronting Bosh with the lengthy strongside swingman (Prince, often as you pointed out and sometimes Jerebko) and his primary 'big' defender shading over but also covering most of the lane.

Problem was, this defense was set up as soon as the ball moved to the strong side wing (Turkoglu often) -- PRIOR to the entry pass.

By definition, this is clearly an illegal defense call every time (since they weren't in an established zone, right?).

Question 1) How far is it acknowledged that "illegal defense" is a player by player call?. Teams dont use this defense on a Howard/Lebron/Kobe post-up because its whistled almost instantly.

Question 2) How much responsibility is it on Jay/coaching staff to demand this call? Not that I'm an advocate for MORE whistles but this was an unfair negation of an all-star - fighting for position with 2 players without the ball is near impossible.

(The natural correction is two quick swings, or a skip pass and a made 3 to punish the lopsided defense...which didn't happen too often yesterday.)

Blogger's note: There's no such thing as illegal defence. Any defender can be anywhere on the court at any time as long as they clear the paint in less than 3 seconds

[Darko]

Hi Doug, was at the game yesterday and came to say helo at
the " fresh air" spot at halftime, but missed you. Figured to be longest
no OT game ever since I "had" to come, my wife having clients
at her company's private suite.
Any reason why Derozan did not play much in the 2nd half?

Blogger's note: Kind of same reason as Weems not playing much in the first. Defensive issues

[NimzRapz]

Doug,
There are numerous errors in this blog (like grammar errors). I'm not calling you an idiot or anything, in fact you are my favorite writer for the Raptors. I just wanted to let you know that there are at least 5 errors in this blog, so i recommend you re-read it and fix the errors before anyone else calls you an idiot. Love reading your blog and stories, keep it up!
Cheers

[Darko]

Thought on SVG and him feeling sorry....
Without getting into if they should or should not play on any
Holiday, what annoyed me the most was his way of going about it.
To " feel sorry ..." how insensitive and plain stupid of him to say
something like that. Seeing how all those people that he feels sorry
for are the very reason that idiots like him are able to make as much
money as he is making.
I for one, certainly had better things to do on Christmas Day than
watch his constipated face after every single call, play...
Poor NBA as a whole, funny how he did not mention many other
professions hospitals, cops and so on who also have to work that
and any other Holiday.

[doug]

I think maybe there needs to be clarification on the expectations of Barg's??....not from you but from other bloggers as Barg's played a fine game yesterday if he played like that consistently I am sure BC and Leo would be thrilled....I feel that the influence of Hedo will have/has had a big effect on him, as he has a high b-ball I.Q. he just has to utilize it more....people need to look away from the stats page if anyone grades Hedo's or Barg's performance by stats an stats alone then they are mkissing the boat.....yesterday's game has me leery, why this re-emergence of Wright, he brings vey little to the floo, I am not enamoured of his play at all...maybe they are giving him playing time so as to "showcase" him to faciltate a trade or whatnot, as he had like 7 or DNP's in a row, deservedly so, he better not be a part of the regular rotation...if so it won't work...

[WSG]

Re my post 10:41 AM, of course, I meant Friday (xmas).

[Tim from Windsor]

Not really sure that this is a comment - maybe more of a question bag thing (or, perhaps, an inspiration for a Pulitzer-prize-winning article???):

There is a lot of talk among the Raps (and others) that the recent success is the result of people figuring out their 'roles,' people getting 'used to' each other, etc.

That's all well and good, but what happens when Jose returns? Now, all of a sudden, a number of players have a significant change in their role. Now, all of a sudden, that team cohesiveness that's helped them play so well, has changed.

Now, I'm not suggesting that Jose is now behind Jack and Banks on the depth chart - he is still the starter. But, how will this 'change' affect the on-court product?

I'm not sure that an 'idiot' can answer this, but I thought I'd give it a try!

Blogger's note: I'll get to this topic, because it seems to be the major gripe of a lot of people, in the blog or mail.

[Michel G]

Playing Christmas Day is one thing, but the Lakers had a back-to-back with a game in Sacramento on Boxing Day. Now that's harsh.

[Jose]

Yeah your a dope. You dont want to trade Calderon even though this team has been winning and playing much better D with out him. Explain that pal. Stop jock riding him Doug. Face it, your wrong. Dont always think your perfect and stop trying to trash talk readers because thats how you lose them.

BENO UDRIH 2 T.O.

Blogger's note: It's "YOU'RE a dope" and "face it, YOU'RE wrong." Not to mention "YOU'RE perfect." It's hard to take such insightful commentary seriously if you keep making mistakes.

[James C.]

One reason for reading your blog is finding hyperlinks from other blog readers on Raptor items like Simmons' trade article outlining sensible Rap trades. Unfortunately, the other reason is to chuckle on yours or others' inane and homer "know-nothing" comments. Come on Doug, a Calderon trade to the Lakers would be the best thing that Colangelo can do to save his job and the franchise. Getting Jordan Farmer alone would be gravy for finding someone stupid enough who would take Senor Matador's ridiculous contract (a la Alex Rios). For those who still think Calderon has any value, read Simmons article on what Jose is worth these days ...

Blogger's note: I don't know about this Jordan Farmer guy you're talking about but Jordan Farmar is a pretty ordinary player. And, of course, Bryan needs to listen to an ESPN columnist to save his job. That just makes entire sense

[Don W.]

Doug:
I don't know how you put up with some of the comments that have come in recently but for that I am awarding you my "Patriot Of The Day" award. Just recently someone called you out for saying Jose would be playing on the Spanish national team. In that "call out" they had someone named Ricky Rubino taking his place in the last olympics because Jose had been benched. First Jose was injured and the Americans are thankful that he was. Secondly Ricky Rubino did not play for Spain in those games. Perhaps it was someone else. As for the silly Jose trade rumors why would Brian want to hand the Lakers another title?