Of listening and watching and seeing an old familiar face

Join Doug Smith for a live Q&A at noon Friday, as the Raptors prepare to take on the Milwaukee Bucks.

Angst? Oh, there’s angst among the masses, that’s for sure.

That Dallas win seems about an eon ago, doesn’t it?

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THREE POINTERS

Good seats to hear

Never mind seeing the game, the baseline seats we’ve got in Milwaukee are excellent for hearing the game, especially the byplay between subs and players on the court.

(The more alert among you will remember that last we were here, it was interesting to hear Bargnani, who sat out the game, being a relative chatterbox on the bench, calling out instruction and being more engaged than I had recalled).

Anyway, last night it was all about screaming defensive encouragement and a lot of angst over offensive rebounds being allowed.

“Get on the boards.”

“Grab a rebound.”

“Box out.”

And I’m sure some less nice words in there, too.

And the chief talker?

Marcus Banks, who was up repeatedly yelling encouragement and pointing things out.

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Game-deciding sequence

It doesn’t get much worse than this.

By the play-by-play I see, there were 15 seconds left on the 24-second clock and the Raptors were down three and there was more than a minute left in the game when Antoine Wright, a 32 per cent three-point shooter this season, hoisted a terrible miss from the corner.

Chris Bosh at that time had scored 42 of his 44 points, Andrew Bogut was on the bench having fouled out and I wonder if that wasn’t the time to, you know, drive the ball and be aggressive or get it to the guy with the hot hand.

Just sayin’.

Oh, and after the Wright miss, the Bucks come down, Brandon Jennings misses a layup (just one of the 16 misses he had on 21 shots) and the Raptors still have life, right?

Wrong.

Ersan Ilyasova shrugs off Hedo, tips in the miss, gets fouled, makes the free throw, it’s a six-point game with 1:28 left and it’s over.

That’s two horrific plays at precisely the right time.

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Speaking of …

Marco Belinelli, he played a grand total of three minutes, all in the first half and the only category in the boxscore he notched anything in was turnovers.

No shots. No rebounds. No assists. No fouls. No nothing except one turnover.

And when I asked someone who was privy to the decision not to at least give Marco a bit of time in the second half, this is pretty much the verbatim response:

“When he was out there, Jerry Stackhouse got five offensive rebounds in three minutes, that’s why.”

Actually, I think the 72-year-old Stack only had three but you get the drift.

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In other news …

(And by news I mean little items I couldn’t figure out what to do with)

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As good as it gets

That, folks, was as good an offensive performance as I’ve ever seen Chris Bosh put on.

Got to the free throw line 15 times, making 14, got Andrew Bogut fouled out, hit jump shots from every conceivable spot on the court.

He had 12 rebounds, four assists, played 43 minutes after going 42 the night before in Cleveland and was as good in the fourth quarter as he was in the first.

When it came time to decide the game, he watched Hedo Turkoglu dribble the ball out of bounds and Antoine Wright, a 32 per cent three-point shooter, take that corner three with 15 seconds left on the shot clock.

And when we got to talk to him after the game, it was the most disappointed and down I’d seen him this season.

Go figure.

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From the department of Celebrities In The Crowd, we had one in Milwaukee.

Seriously.

Saw the guy signing autographs after the game and he sure looked familiar. Not quite being up on my pop culture but vaguely recognizing the dude, it wasn’t until we were in the locker room waiting to talk to Raptors that someone let me know who it was:

“Did you see Master P here?”

Yes, erstwhile Raptor, and father of DeMar DeRozan’s college roommate, took in the game and the memories started flooding back.

I don’t know what was more fun to recall:

The night we were in Dallas for a pre-season game and the fans were chanting “We Want P, We Want P” until Butch finally put him in.

Or a night or two later in Edmonton when I watched with great delight Master P running the fast break on the wing while 7-3 Alex Radojevic handled the ball racing up the court.

Both of them are forever etched in my mind.

And no matter how hard I try, I can’t get the recollection out of my head.

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Finally got to talk to Jay at length before Wednesday’s game and a bit of the conversation was about what happened n Tuesday in Cleveland, mostly the reason for Belinelli and not DeRozan down the stretch.

(Wasn’t that much of a surprise to me, actually, since that’s what he’s done all year but there were a few questions from readers).

He brought up a point I, frankly, hadn’t thought of or noticed.

When DeRozan was on the court, LeBron James was covering him and by covering him, Jay meant not covering him. James was playing defensive rover and causing all kinds of issues for the Raptors.

Since DeRozan hadn’t really asserted himself going to the basket after the first quarter the Raptors wanted someone on the floor who would try to get to the rim, who could stretch the defence and who James would actually have to pay attention to.

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Oh, My Man Tom was Sammy Sidebar last night for the folks who run the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, here’s what his sidekick Charles came up with.

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This has nothing to do with anything. Or maybe it does

I was reading Vanity Fair the other morning at the shed at Pearson (how they can build a new billion dollar terminal and not make it. Big enough is a mystery only solve by the dolts at the airport) and there's a story on tweeting and those that do it far more than they probably should.

And there's a quote there from this woman, who as far as I can tell is quoted only because she tweets a lot, like that's some sort of accomplishment.

It says:

"Sometimes, when you're Twittering all the time, you even start to *think* in 140 characters."

That, dear readers, may be what's wrong with a lot of the world these days.

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Let’s see, seven of their next nine at home. Against the Bucks, Lakers, Heat, Pacers, Nets, Kings and Sixers, before the all-star break hits.

Yeah, 5-2 is the absolute worst they can go if they’re serious about being in the race for fifth, I think; 6-1 would be far better.

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Oh yeah, if you’ve got a minute and a puzzling question that needs to be answered, send it along to give me something to do before Sunday morning.

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Okay, having had a relatively easy day at Pearson (they’ve dumped the second pat-down of passengers for some reason), it’s time to head to the airport here and see what delights await.

See ya.

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Comments

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Hi Doug,
For all the minutes CB4 logged in Cleveland and then again last night, I fully expected to see him run out of juice sometime early in the 4th quarter. He barely looked winded after his 43 minutes! Who still dares call this guy "soft"?! Hope he gets good and vocal with his guys now (especially Hedo and Antoine).
I also hope Jay pays the full admission price for every Rap to sign on for the CB4 Summer Boot Camp this year (yep, I still think Bosh is wearing Raptor red in September). On back-to-backs, the knees go first, followed closely by the decision-making. That explains plenty of the inexplicable in those closing minutes, and also points to the need for these guys to suck it up and pay close heed to their franchise leader's championship-calibre example (much like the Jays' pitchers latched onto Doc's top-drawer training regimen). CB4 is playoff ready today, and he has been since October.
In the Hedo department, if everyone recognizes that the guy requires constant prodding to produce, and if everyone agrees he's not producing at a $50-kazillion rate whether he's in the game or not these days, why not give him the Antoine Wright treatment – and sit his sleepy butt down at the end of the bench for a full game or two until he decides to wake up and get serious?
Final note: All that said, nothing surprising at all about losing in Milwaukee on a back-to-back after a grinding night in Cleveland. The schedule now turns entirely in T.O.'s favour, and, barring trade shake-ups or injuries, I can see a huge whack of W's coming right up, starting with a dismantling of these same Bucks tomorrow, and cruising right into March (sure, interrupted here and there by, say, a couple of tilts with the Lakers). Go Raps!
End of rant (thanks!). Cheers.

[Jack]

So where was Bargnani last night? After putting up monster numbers against smaller opponents, he was absent during the last 2 games, especially last night's. And you wonder how a smaller Mbah a Moute was able to stiffle him? Because Bargnani is too one-dimensional.

[Lyn]

Doug>> ""Sometimes, when you're Twittering all the time, you even start to *think* in 140 characters.""
yep... have you heard high schoolers lately trying to express anything that doesn't fit a phone text?
--
re: Manu Ginobli next year... if money is the issue, I'd be willing to chip in. Maybe we could take up a collection?

[Chris]

Trying to stay positive and hoping they can go 5-2 or even 6-1 over the next few games. If they lose to the Nets though... BC might as well call Bosh's agent and beg for a sign-and-trade to get something back, no?

While watching the game last night my wife made a comment about Hedo that I thought was quite true. She said "He reminds me of Vlade Divac. Only a bored, lethargic, disinterested Vlade." Ouch.

I've tried to keep an open mind about Hedo, but that pizza commercial isn't helping. He comes across with an attitude of "Yeah, yeah, whatever Coach. I don't give a d@mn what you have to say. I just want to eat this lousy pizza and get fat." I mean, seriously, didn't his agent read the script and think about it for a minute? Or was it just a quick cash grab and that's why he comes across as uncaring? Hhmmm... does that explain his contract and current performance? Rhetorical questions, obviously. :)

One serious question: Do you think the Raps would be better starting somebody else and bringing Hedo off the bench? If for no other reason than to kick him in his butt to try and motivate him.

Blogger's note: It's getting close to that point probably

[Geoff Read]

Hi Doug,

Great blog today. Couldn't agree more with your analysis of the game.

So... who do you blame for the fact that Bosh doesn't get the ball in the last three minutes? As you say it was inexplicable given the circumstances. Is it the players' fault? Jack, Wright, Turkoglu etc. for not getting Bosh the ball? Or is it Triano for not calling plays for the big guy? Because whoever's fault it was, it was some asinine basketball and it cost them the game.

[Aaron D]

I think if Bosh leaves at the end of the season we have to look back on this game as a heartbreaker for him. When you do all you can and not receive a helping hand from your teammates it really leaves a mark that you remember. I honestly don't think Bosh will make a decision based on one bad game, but his leadership will be tested in the stretch before the all-star game. If not I think Colangelo may question spending millions of dollars on him in the summer. This being said I am a huge Bosh fan and believe that he has the experience and skill to lead this team and I root for him every game.

[aditya]

Ladies and germs...Tell me how many pts the Bucks scored? Tell me if someone had told you that the Bucks scored 113 pts at home when the Raptors were on a back-to-back, do you think the Raptors would have outscored them? The answer is NO...(pronounced N-O)....So you ask DG Smith what the Raptors need to do to win a basketball game? I don't know what his answer would be to be honest with you, but I would make a guess that the Raptors need to play defence. I don't care if Bosh scores 50, or 44... The only thing that matters is Defence. So who plays defence on the Raptors squad? Not BOSH

And now let's talk about Basketball 101 (just like Coaching 101 involves taking Bargnani and Hedo out for Wright and someone else in a one possession game where the Raptors are trailing with 4 minutes and change to go in the 4th quarter in Cleveland) ---------

Bosh, while playing defence on Bogut on a post-move, has his arms on Bogut, no body, just arms....Bogut backs Bosh's arms down, gets to his sweet spot and makes a hook. Bosh's eyes gaze at the ball, his arms on Bogut's waist and his other hand hidden somewhere....This went on for 2 straight possessions in the critical 4th quarter.

The point is that Bosh should have bodied up Bogut with his special "new body" just like KG, and 'Sheed body up Bosh. Simple. If someone can reach Bosh, please let him know, because the coaching staff is definitely scared to pinpoint Bosh's deficiencies on the defensive end to him (I now remember vividly that Bosh let Carlos Delfino shoot 2 3pters with no contest whatsoever).....

Blogger's note: Now I have to waste my time editing out porn references? Be warned, next time it's auto-delete; I'm not putting up with that crap any more

[Saransh Bhatt]

42 games into the season and Turkoglu is still using the "I need to be more aggressive" line. Somebody should tap him on the shoulder and let him know why he was signed here. This guy needs to take some responsibility already.

[Phil A]

Tough lost last night. I was getting so mad when no one would give bosh a touch down the stretch. The guy that irritated me the most last night was turkoglu. On the play where Jennings drove and missed and Ilyasova grabbed the offensive board, turkoglu didn't even bother boxing out. As a matter of fact, he was standing away from the basket with his hands on his hips. Another play was that dissapointing on his part is when he missed a layup towards the end of the game, he didn't even bother running back to play defence. At least show some heart.

[Richard]

Okay, so there's no disputing the Raptors have the talent to be a top 4 East Conference contender. They've clearly shown they know what to do to compete and win on a nightly basis. Yet they don't. And it's the same things that thwart them time and again. Not defending the glass (second-chance points), coming out flat in 3rd quarters, settling for jumpers (early in 3rd and at crunch time), not recognizing the hot hand, not going at an opponent in foul trouble, and lacking the killer instinct required to break the will of weaker opponents and take them out early when the opportunity arises. The elite NBA teams consistently do these things effectively. And teams that, I believe have less talent and maturity - OKC and Memphis - that are striving to make the same move to the next level as the Raptors, do these things with more consistency than the Raps as well. Are we strictly talking mental toughness? Are we to consider mental toughness an intangible? Either we have it or we don't.

Also, as an aside, I am really tired of hearing the media, players and coaches, recite, "It's no excuse, but this is the second game of a back-to-back".
1) Until back-to-backs are unique to the Raptors it does not deserve mention. 2) Any sentence that starts with, "It's no excuse but..." is usually followed by an excuse.

What I find most puzzling is the Raptors shortcomings have been present and consistent over the last 2 - 3 seasons in spite of major changes to the roster during that time. I genuinely like the core of the roster that is in place. And the coaching staff, for the most part, preaches the right stuff. I'm not an advocate of wholesale changes (as so many fans are) because another component of elite teams is continuity within management and the roster.

So, what then is the missing component? Or conversely, what is the common denominator that perpetuates these shortcomings? Why do teams like OKC seem to be able to apply themselves more consistently? How do our guys get better and more consistent?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not panicking. But as a fan I find it extremely frustrating and baffling.

[Joe]

Logan:

if people don't criticize the raptors when they play bad then what's the point? we're not looking for wins every night. we're looking for CONSISTENCY! the bucks are a team that we should have blown out of the water yet we sputtered. there's clearly problems with this team and it's play during the last few games (blew a huge lead to the pacers and almost blew one against new york) this isn't just a one game thing here. people who blindly cheer the raptors no matter what and can't see the glaring issues with the team aren't fans. they clearly aren't looking at this team hard enough to know that if they don't fix the problems, the team will be losing their playoff spot pretty quickly.

[Glue]

@ Richard, do you think the problem could be not having a "glue" guy. I think a lot of the good teams have that kind of individual. With this new Raps team, who is that guy?

[GM]

I watched most of a playoff game between the Kansas City Kings and the Houston Rockets yesterday. I loved it. For one, Rick Barry told Bill Russell he built a career on non-called goaltending. Beautiful! And for another, at one point a Kings player helped a Rocket up off the floor. Nobody talked about how horrible it was that a player would actually show sportsmanship in a heated contest.

The point being that you don't need to scowl and outwardly show displeasure when you're losing. A smile doesn't mean you're happy. I've seen smiles at funerals. Yelling and screaming these days passes for intensity, but I think it's all for show. So it's irrelevant to me whether Turkogly *looks* like he's not trying.

As for Bosh not getting the ball, I agree he should have. But I wouldn't like to have seen him force something if it wasn't there. Ball movement is key. And maybe one reason nobody else stepped up is because he was doing all the scoring. Like they used to say about Jordan, if he's doing all the scoring, everyone else stands around and watches and it's easier to beat the Bulls. A balanced attack is best.

But still, Wright's shot was brutal. He's got Kris Humphries disease. He's got to know his place on the floor, which is usually the 5th scoring option. There's a time and place for his shots. That wasn't it.

And I agree with the person who said it wasn't right to keep Belinelli out just because he gave up three offensive boards in three minutes. He's professional enough to know he screwed up and to adapt. You sit him down early and let him know why. Then you give him another chance.

Anyway, no need to fret too long. The Raps will kill the Bucks tomorrow. That's how the home-and-home goes.

[Maim]

As said by Rudy T - Never overestimate a Raptors heart.
Did he see into the future and watch these last 2 games ?

Blogger's note: You know he never actually said that, right? It was me, changing his words as a joke, right?

[Big Mike]

This is why this team is so perplexing, on one night they can blow out a Dallas or beat a Cleveland, but they can lose twice to a Milwaukee Bucks team that shouldn't even be on the same court with them. Now for individual criticisms...Bosh was great offensively, but atrocious on the defensive end, how many times did Bogut take 2 dribbles back down an arm guarding Bosh and hit that jump hook? Bosh's defense is the only thing holding hime back from getting to "elite" status in the NBA. Simple analysis on Hedo...he sucks! Point blank, and the Raps aren't feeling this now, wait until year 3, 4, and 5 of that contract when we're trying to trade a broken down, 34-35 year old version of the garbage that he is now. This is the only team that continuosly goes away from their go to guy down the stretch. Multiple posessions where Bosh doesn't even touch the ball...unacceptable. This team is truly, truly, perplexing.

[Ian]

Just a pointless observation, but the Raptors actually have a losing record everytime Bosh scores 40 or more points dating back to his first 40+ game in Feb. 07. Probably means nothing though :)

[Richard]

@ Glue,

I suppose that could be the issue, though I feel like there are several potential candidates that could fill that role (Jarrett Jack, Reggie Evans, a less media friendly version of Antoine Wright perhaps). I am less inclined to think it's an individual that needs to do things out on the floor, but rather something (or someone) to cultivate a mind-set and make it stick.

We've all seen that when this team is clicking they can pretty much compete with anybody (except Boston who live in the collective heads of the Raptors) so what I think is missing is a way to sustain the mind-set that allows them to bring it every night regardless of who they are up against. And make fundamental strategic basketball decisions. And make them automatic or second nature.

But you could be right, maybe somebody stepping into the role of "glue" guy is a start.

[Jeff]

Last year O'neal wasn't working out as hoped and Bryan traded him. If Hedo continues to struggle do you see his name being shopped around at all? Does he seem happy in Toronto? I am not sure what to think of him at this point. I was excited when the trade happened... But am not seeing him perform as expected.

Thoughts?

Jeff

Blogger's note: No one I speak to regularly has even once hinted -- and nor should they -- that they're ready to give up on someone half a season into a five-year deal. The O'Neal trade as made specifically for short-term financial flexibility, it's really apples and oranges.