Decisions, decisions, decisions

Heckuva game, no?

You want value for your entertainment dollar or time spent in front of the TV? Well, you got it with that one.

Close all the way, entertaining, lots of points, lots of big shots.

Sure, the home side didn't win but you can't have everything, can you?

No, but you can have this stuff:

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THREE POINTERS

Not good, at all

It wasn’t so much the shot that Hedo missed at the end of regulation time that was the big problem. After all, he’d drilled one from almost exactly the same spot to tie it with about 70 seconds left in regulation and I’ve yet to see any hue and cry about that decision.

No, the issue from this vantage point is that there didn’t seem to be any screens set anywhere to make the Cavs switch or jump or hedge or do anything.

Jarrett kind ambled past Turk from the far sideline as Turk dribbled right but didn’t hit anyone. The off-the-ball action seemed far too spectator-ish than proactive.

Giving the ball to Turk in that situation and telling him to make a play is fine with me. It’s worked before – a pass-off to Bosh to win that game at Philly comes immediately to mind – and without the security blanket of Bosh, Turk shooting would certainly be a good second option.

Yeah, he probably should have turned the corner a bit more aggressively but he didn’t; he was ticked about it, and so was Jay. But he took a shot that didn’t go in. Stuff happens.

But the other stuff is the worry; they can’t be satisfied standing around waiting for something to happen.

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Those days are gone

Saw this coming in the Portland game when it became apparent that trotting out a frontcourt of Amir Johnson and Reggie Evans gave Toronto’s offence all the flow of sludge and, sure enough, about five minutes into the game, the change was made. That’s when Jay took Rasho out for Amir – a few minutes earlier than he normally would – so he could start a four-bigs rotation that wouldn’t put Johnson and Evans on the court together for even a minute.

Now, he got nothing from Johnson when he made the move – I think Amir lasted all of two minutes – but it did allow for something a break-out game from Evans.

What you saw last night was what they expected from him all season, a lot of activity on the glass, an opponent flying through the air on a tough box-out at time and general mayhem being created.

Now, maybe making post moves every time he touches the ball might not always be the best decision ever made – I think he should probably work on kicking the ball back out so they can swing around for an open three – but there’s no doubting Evans’s effort.

And if he keeps going like that, there is no way Jay can’t play a four-man bigs rotation every game.

I know it’s not something he wants to do with regularity but you can’t deny Evans time if he keeps playing like that and Johnson, last night’s rather pedestrian effort aside, needs to be out there for his length and ability to finish in transition.

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Better get to work

Didn’t see it an awful lot from the Cavs but did see it enough times to think that teams are going to start doing it more often to the Raps if they’ve got the personnel.

And that’s post-up Toronto’s point guards.

Delonte West did it to Jose twice that I can recall; they had Jarrett down in there at least once, too; and it came on the heels of Portland having some success with Andre Miller on the block, too.

Neither Jack nor Calderon have a lot of experience holding guys off on the block, or with moving them out of there by five or six feet. I would expect them to get some more work on it in practice now that two teams in a row have tried to exploit things down there.

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Just a wee bit more, if you don’t mind.

And some of it has to do with basketball.

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This doesn’t, though.

I hadn’t given much real thought to the Canadian Olympic women’s pucksters, to tell the truth.

But now I love ‘em.

Every one of ‘em.

What’s better than dragging out a bottle of champagne and a couple of beers and a cigar or two and showing some unadulterated joy at winning a gold medal at home over your arch rival and capping off four years of hard work.

You’re supposed to celebrate stuff like that, aren’t you?

And if those stick-in-the-mud IOC types – who have been known to have a few glasses of complimentary champagne every now and then if they want – have a problem with that? Tough noogies.

Yeesh.

Here’s a newsflash: Athletes let loose when they win. Egads!

And, yes, believe it or not, sometimes letting loose involves intoxicants and cigars. Shocker!

Way to go, ladies.

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Oh, right, basketball.

This isn’t official as I type this in the pre-dawn hours but the whispers I was hearing around the arena last night that it’s questionable whether or not Chris Bosh travels with the team to Oklahoma City and Houston.

Sitting out those two makes a bit of sense, no?

It gives him another week to get entirely healthy before they face the Knicks and Sixers here next week just before they head out west.

As I said, it’s not official and there could be one of those miracles but if you tune in here later on tonight or tomorrow and see a story that says he’s not going, don’t be surprised.

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It was pork schnitzel on the menu in the media room last night -- $12 gets you a pretty good meal game-days – and it must have been good because we had a rather imposing visitor dining with us.

Shaq.

Yeah, guess the food in the locker room wasn’t up to snuff or something because he was sitting there among the peons choking back some grub a couple of hours or so before tip-off.

No, I don’t imagine he had to cough up the twelve bucks.

Usually we get scouts, and maybe an assistant coach or GM or two, and Jerry Sloan’s a regular but this is the first time I can remember a player of Shaq’s stature sitting down to sup in the room.

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Right. The Cleveland report. Well, here it is.

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And as an added bonus since tomorrow morning is going to be mailbag time, here’s what’s up in Oklahoma City.

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As we’re sitting in a corner of the local downtown establishment (as opposed to the new local Hazelville establishment) watching the end of the pucks – high drama, indeed – they show an interview with an obviously miffed Pierre Leuders.

We couldn’t hear exactly what he said but he was quite grumbly and ticked off and kind of stormed off.

What I hoped to find out was that when the interviewer asked him what he thought of his run, he’d stared at him and said:

“Bobsled.”

And then walked away.

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Speaking of mail, here’s the absolute last call.

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From the department of much ado about nothing, are you proud of me for having written this much and not once referring to any of our brilliant elected public servants as a “doofus.”

Yeesh.

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All right, some baby plane is going to take me to Minneapolis soon, where I will sit waiting for a couple of hours waiting for another baby plane to ferry me to Oklahoma City (what a guy will endure to miss changing planes at O’Hare) so I’m not sure when I’ll get back to these parts to deal with all your insightful comments.

But, trust me, I will.

Have fun, kids.

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Comments

[Striker77]

Hey Doug,

Thanks again for your work... I was kind of disappointed with the last play of the game last night as well... I was standing in my living room, listening to coach Armstrong on tsn saying, its Raptor ball, 12 seconds left, tied game, and your at home... I remember thinking to myself, thats a lot of time to come up with a good play that would set up either a high percentage shot, or even a drive through the lane, maybe get fouled (like it happened against the Lakers)... Sweet situation!

So the inbound pass happens, and as you said, no other raps move. Hedo slowly moves over to the right, and chunks up a three ball!!! They were tied, and hes trying to win it with a three ball? Why? So that it would be harder for the Cavs to come back?

I am no expert, but that play was so lame, especially with how they played leading up to that. I know you say that stuff happens, and I understand that it does, but, gees, it would have been nicer to see a shot that made a little more sense. If there were some sort of movement to create a screen here or there, something, to get in a closer look. Its not like the raps were losing by two, and were going for a buzzer win... I know its just one play, but look at how it deflated them. They looked completely out of sorts in OT... and the cavs didnt.

All in all, they stuck it out with the best team in the league without Bosh, something to be proud of. (even though Shaq didn't play either)

Thanks Doug,

[HopeCaper]

Hey Doug, nice job on analysis of the final minutes there. Enjoy your junket and relish these times. Someday you will look back with fond memories....or not.
I thought the Raps defence was poor but you know what? So was the top team's! TO did what they had to in hopes of stealing the game and they did it with offence and the odd timely defencive play. The only way I saw the guys winning this was to be up 2 baskets at the end so Lebron couldn't tie or win it or do just what happened- steal it in the final seconds. I agree with your take on Hedo and I would also suggest that since the Cavs had shown they were vulnerable to the drive without Shaq or Verejo I was hoping either Turk or Jack might try that if it was open. It seemed to me though that never crossed their mind. Anyway, good game and no disgrace to either side. See ya on the next one.

[dave]

Did you happen to notice if Shaq's thumb slowed him down at all?

[AT]

Yes, the woman's hockey team did nothing wrong but it was the MEDIA that plastered pictures all over TV and Internet which was wrong. The girls mistake was celebrating in front of the TV cameras, that was about it. I am sure Molson't marketing department is loving every minutes of it.
It was awesome to see the Raptors compete with the best team in the NBA without their best player. Maybe there is a good chance the raptors get by the first round in the playoffs

[Doug]

Jarret Jack was a stud last night...thank goodness we got him this year. Can't say that I can ever see Jose Calderon be aggresive like that in penetrating the lane....he's too soft....I think he's a great compliment to Jack......Jose as a backup and coming off the bench gives us an advantage...he doesn't have to play against the opposing starters too much.

[ave]

Doug I watched the whole Leuders thing closely .... He was mad because the two teams ahead of them crashed & his start was delayed. That caused snow to pile up on the start ramp & likely cost him time. He was basically swearing & complaining about the "ridiculous" delay. I get why he wouldn't be happy, but he's been doing bobsled long enough to understand nobody could control the things that happened leading up to his run. anyways it kinda sucks cuz it would have been cool to see Jesse Lumsden get a medal after everything he's been thru.

[Don]

Doug, in regards to a four big man rotation, I would love to see Jay play Andrea at the SF with Chris and either Reggie or Amir in certain matchups. I think this would work well with Andrea's SF skills

[Jesse Neary]

Doug, I was watching the Leuders interview and that was not ALL he said. He didn't quite finish what he was saying but he was trying to explain his frustrations while fuming at the fact that he did not compete to the best of his abilities. They got another chance today though as the 3rd and 4th runs for the 4-man teams go today.

[Phil A]

Raptor's have to start looking in their rearview mirrors because they're only ahead of the 9th place Charlotte Bobcats by 3 games. Yes I understand there is still plenty of basketball left to play this season but that also gives those other teams a lot of time to catch up. Raptor's have to keep up their intensity and Bosh needs to come back ASAP!!

[Boko]

I think that Jack, Calderon, Weems & Bargnani were on the floor for the Hedo Heev. If they were NOT going to set a screen or a pick for him, were they at least rolling to the bucket to get the offensive rebound?! Maybe Evans should've been out there instead?!!

[David]

Doug.

I'm increasingly frustrated with Jay's inability to give Bargnani a defined role in the offence except as a decoy to spread the court. He showed again last night, late in the fourth quarter, that you can run plays for him in crunch time - two side pick and rolls that he executed very well, once schooling Lebron James.

He's a gifted offensive player and should be our clear #2 option for set-up plays, but so much of what he does seems to be as a fallback when the primary play doesn't work. How about running him off screens, or setting a pick for him to take a step back jumper. Portland always sets up Lamarcus Aldridge in the high elbow for a 15-footer he makes with a high percentage. Well, Bargnani is a higher percentage mid-range shooter, and we don't take enough advantage of it.

And speaking of diversity, everyone in the world now believes Hedo Turkuglu will be getting the ball first in a last second crunch time situation. Happened in the Memphis game, happened again last night. Nobody would expect a play run for Bargnani here, but we'd arguably get a better look because even if he's covered, Andrea can shoot over people. I have no problem with Hedo ending up with the final shot, but he doesn't have to take the ball and go one-on-five to find an opening. That's lazy coaching. If everybody is standing around while he dribbles out the clock, it's probably because no one had a specific role other than to set a pick if it looked appropriate. Jay can really design a good play out of a timeout, but our last plays in regulation against Memphis and Cleveland were very lacking.

[James Online]

In the game at Cleveland on January 19, Marco Belinelli played 21 minutes and scored 14 points, including a three poingter and a contested slam dunk on a break--one of very few Raptors who have done both in the same game. Took a variety of shots and made half of them. Nice prevent defense too.

Cleveland at Toronto Friday night, he doesn't see the floor. What is going on? You say he "can't crack the wing rotation." DeRozan remains inept but continues to start. Must be to instill confidence in him? But what about Marco? Young players need more than a few minutes, or a benching, to get their confidence up. This is obvious in Marco's case. He starts v. Indiana and scores 17 in the first half, 21 for the game, and now he can't get in for a minute? There's got to be more to the story.

Do the Raptors plan to pick up Marco's contract for next year, or do you think they've decided to let him go and not waste time developing him? Or is Triano punishing him for something we don't know about?

Fans here in San Francisco would love to have Rocky back!

Blogger's note: They've already picked up his option.

[Sivart]

Leuders doesn't exactly have a reputation for being a nice guy, some would even use some derogatory words to express what kind of a person he is. I'm sure it is disappointing to not finish as well as you think you are capable of, but making excuses and blaming it on others is lame, he should know better.

[Cole]

The first thing I thought when I saw Turk throw up the semi-contested, fading-to-the-right three was "idiot." The second was that Doug Smith will try to find some way to defend him, and you did. But, the 3 he hit to tie it was a less contested, feet-set 3, not fading. I agree that there needed to be more off the ball, but isn't that on Jay? Regardless, Turk surely needs the killer instinct to drive to the net and win it like he did against the Lakers, or kick for an open look, or dump to Andrea to rise up and take the 15ft'er he had been stroking pretty well to that point, or let Calderon create his own 18ft'er that he had hit 4 in a row of. It was poor decision making all around, and the amount of "oh well, one game" type losses that have occurred are quickly adding up because of them.

You have 13 seconds with the ball in your hand, and the shot that goes up is the type that would occur in-bounding with 0.8s left down by two. No matter how you slice it, Doug, the shot he took is the big problem.

When you're playing the best team in the league, win it in regulation. Coming in a little tired from Boston, you know when they wake up in overtime they're going to put their thumb down.

[TC]

"This isn’t official as I type this in the pre-dawn hours but the whispers I was hearing around the arena last night that it’s questionable whether or not Chris Bosh travels with the team to Oklahoma City and Houston."

what part of sitting those 2 out make any sense at all????

[GM]

I would have liked to have seen Bargnani get the ball for the last play in regulation. I know Turkoglu seems to need the ball in his hands, but Bargnani seems to have ice-water in his veins in the 4th quarters, and he needs to develop that end-of-game stuff if he's going to further his development. Either way, though, the last thing the Raptors need is more "get the ball to X and get the hell outta there". It doesn't work with Bosh and it doesn't work with Turkoglu. Or anyone else. Run a play that has options and let the player in the best position take the shot. They're all capable.

[Ken Z]

@ Jesse Neary

Doug was making a joke in reference to Turk's infamous "Ball" interview of a month or two back.

[Aditya]

cleveland fans are a little upset because anthony parker played 41-42 minutes last game against toronto and mo williams defence is not upto the mark, and they want boobie to get some playing time (and the blogger http://www.cavstheblog.com/?p=1554) actually mentioned why boobie is not playing, here's what one fan wrote: "At this point in the year, I’m convinced Parker has some compromising photos of Mike Brown with mid-sized farm animals." LOL

[Aditya]

dick bavetta's performance as an official has definitely dropped....no wonder hes doing less games these days....NBA is probably just phasing him out