An enduring story and the loss of a giant

We’re all about snippets and digressions today since Saturday was deadly slow around practice and Sunday was a travel day that was looooong but uneventful, thanks for asking.

And since my whole time zone thing is entirely messed up, you get this at pretty much the normal time but I can’t guarantee when things get done the rest of the week:

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Seems one of the enduring early-season themes is going to be the parceling out of minutes, primarily at the two wing positions, because Jay keeps alluding to it when we start talking about where they are in the natural growth process.

It came up again on the weekend when we were discussing this road trip:

“I think everybody’s going to have to get used to the rotations and I don’t think that we’re comfortable with that yet and I don’t blame the players because they’re not playing like extended minutes. They’re playing in short spurts sometimes.”

If you look back to the year when Sam had AP, Jamario, Delfino and Joey and no two of them really stood out, or even three and you can see some similarities.

Now, I know it’s crazy early days and nothing should be seen as a long-term fix but, right now, I honestly can’t see who should drop out of a rotation of DeRozan, Kleiza, Weems and Barbosa. Each brings something they need and I do think the players are going to have to get used to it, especially if Jay is intent on riding hot hands, like he did with Weems early on Friday at the expense of Kleiza.

I do wonder, as I have, about the feeling of redundancy when I look at DeRozan and Weems and I wonder if one of them – perhaps the guy they aren’t locked to long-term – might see his minutes cut back eventually.

But maybe Jay does keep trotting out 10 guys every night and the players need to be the ones who adapt to shorter stretches of playing.

Maybe they can and have to because, if that’s the way the coach goes, anyone who doesn’t may in fact make the decision for Triano.

It seems to be the one thing that bears watching with regard to who plays because the other spots – point guard and bigs – seem set.

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We all know that predictions are mug’s game so I’m not going to throw one out there but a fair guess would be if they head home next weekend with one win out of these four games (at Kings, Jazz, Lakers, Blazers).

That’s just how these trips seem to workout, they might lose the first and steal one of the “unwinnable” games that lie ahead.

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This is a sad, sad day.

Maurice Lucas, who might have been the toughest guy to ever play professional basketball is dead from cancer at 58 years old.

Here's the link to the Associated Press story courtesy of ESPN.com.

I didn’t know him all that well, we’d chatted a couple of times when he was working as an assistant in Portland, but as fan growing up he was right among my favourite players.

I now want to go back and re-read David Halberstam’s excellent The Breaks Of The Game to read more about Luke, as he was known, and that Portland organization.

This is a sad, sad day.

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Yeah, we’ll be here at 10 p.m. to do the usual in-game blog thingy but shootaround times and the need to write early precludes a Question and Answer session today. Sorry.

We’ll see if we can hook one up for Wednesday from Salt Lake City.

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Dang.

I totally forgot to do my D League mock draft.

It’s tonight – although I’m sure you all knew that – and it presents one of the oddest things I can possibly imagine.

Got an e-mail from the Erie Bayhawks telling me all about their season ticket-holder Draft Party at some bar and it sounds like a pretty good deal, bunch of fans sitting around watching the selections and all that.

Then I find out that, no, the D League draft isn’t actually televised, it’s only live-streamed so I can just see a bunch of Erie-ites sitting around looking at silent laptops and discussing each pick among themselves.

I don’t know why, but that strikes me as kind of odd.

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Speaking of the D League, I keep hearing that Solomon Alabi is going to spend at least a little bit of time there once its season gets going.

Guess they want him to get some minutes in real game action and I suppose that’s cool but I really wonder how much better he’ll be when he inevitably gets back to the Raptors.

The D League is primarily guard- and wing-oriented, the speed and power of the bigs can’t compare to what Alabi would get even in practice against the likes of Evans, Dorsey, Bargnani, Andersen and, eventually, Davis.

But I’m not paid to make those decisions.

And one thing I’ve never, ever heard, is any suggestion that Davis might spend some time in the minors.

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I’m listening the ball game while working away last night and I hear McCarver say that in the entire history of the major leagues – and that’s a lot of history – there’ve only been 57 guys who bat right and throw left.

So that’s why I didn’t make it.

Who knew?

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Here’s this morning’s missive from the Sacramento Bee, for those who are interested.

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Comments

[Eddy]

Doug there is a story circulating that the Miami Heat are looking to trade for Jarret Jack. Do you know if there is any substance to this rumor? If there is why would BC trade with a guy who humiliated him this year, probably tampered with his only star player and represents a team universally hated outside of Miami?

Blogger's note: Let's just say I don't envision that happening.

[pain777pas]

Morning Doug,

The Lucas story is sad. Read the link and had no idea who he was. It's good to hear he had so much success so a legacy is left behind in the minds and hearts of those who he cared for and those who cared for him. Interesting to see Jay's interest in disclosing his current wing dillema. I think that Kleiza has that all around game. I really like his game and seriously he needs the minutes. I really like Weems explosiveness but within a half court offense or on the break I like Kleiza. He can post, shoot and is not a complete liability on defense either. He is all business on the court. As you can see I've become a quick Kleiza appologist. Now, Demar is tough because Barbosa is so explosif and I don't know if he really has an off switch. Once he gets in the flow he is just great. I like Demar starting and all that but Barbosa should ALWAYS for the time being get more overall minutes. Jack and Jose assist wise combined are doing a great job. I don't like how their stroking the basketball right now but I do like the that every assist means points. Andrea is angering me though. I know its early but please people no more comparisons to Disco Dirk. Disco is flat out in the top 3 PF in the game today and one of the best of all time. Andrea please rebound it is frustrating seeing his #s. Offense is easy. Where are the rebounds? It almost seems like favoritism sometimes. Andrea even if he scores the most is not the leader of this team. He has to play both ends. I like Kleiza, Barbosa and Jack. They will be the constants. What do you think Doug? I know Jay is doing the RIGHT thing in a sense but Andrea does not deserve to be herald as the next big thing.

Blogger's note: I don't think anyone's heralding as "the next big thing" but he's okay.

[dribbles]

You alluded to the bigs rotation being set. So what do you think happens when Davis is healthy?

Blogger's note: In a month or so when than happens, it's basic logic that, if he plays, he takes time from Andersen

[Derek S]

Morning Doug,
I think the thing I'll be looking for most on this west coast swing is how Bargnani plays in this stretch. In the last couple of years (if I remember correctly), Bargnani has always played much better at home than he has on the road. With Bosh now gone, its more important than ever that Bargnani find a way to stay involved and productive, so if he can continue to produce the way he did against the Cavaliers (or better) on the road, then regardless of whether the Raps win or lose, I think that would be a very good sign for his development as a player. Can you put your finger on any specific reason(s) why he's struggled on the road, and what the coaching staff can do, if anything, to try and help?

Blogger's note: No idea why

[CC]

pain777pas.. your are definitely spot on when when you said that people should stop comparing Andrea to Dirk for Dirk is way way better than him.. BUT please... everybody should also stop complaining about Andrea's rebound #s for he will never be Rodmanisk... He is what he is. a jump shooting 7 ftr.. who operates away from the basket... i thought everybody knows that by now......

[Jacques]

Doug, it was nice to meet you on Friday night. I was the bald guy sitting behind you to the right at the game. My question is..how do you keep up with the game while your typing away.

Blogger's note: Multi-tasking

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Cheers Doug,
Stealing any kind of a win at all on the Left Coast would be more than welcome, and something of a minor miracle. Too bad all this good stuff happens well past most geezers' bedtime, though. World Series included. Never mind geezers: How many kids will be following baseball – ever – when they've grown up never having a chance to see a playoff game – ever – because they're staged in the dead of night.
The premise of Morgan Campbell's promoting-the-Raps story was excellent. The conclusions were disappointing to predictable: MLSE seems to be consistently clueless in terms of anything 'promotional' whatsoever. Damn shame. (And a P.S.: The Raps were not "10 games below .500", as reported.)
So Doug, will GruntTV resurface this season? And will your Q&A's have a catchy new name soon? Cheers. Enjoy Sacto! (Is that do-able?)

Blogger's note: It will somehow soon, I hope; and the name is being worked on.

[Johnn19]

Raptors out West:

1. Continue to play hard, aggresive, consistent TEAM defense.
2. Shoot a consistent good TEAM FG%-FT% and be aggressive to the rim.
3. Reggie to continue his rebounding game with TEAM help.

The wins will look after themselves.

[John S]

@ Eddy

It's ESPN being ESPN. Mario Chalmers and cash for Jack.... really?
With the relationship between ESPN and Lebron James, I question the objectivity regarding any piece they do on the Heat.

@ Doug:

Any insight as to why Barbosa is delaying his inevitable wrist surgery? Obviously he can still play but everytime I see him zip drive to the basket, I think that he's one fall away from a Patrick Ewing-esque wrist injury.

Blogger's note: Everyone's one fall away from a wrist injury; why get cut if you don't need it? This is not an issue

[kelsey]

Triano has a tough job with rotation. But I guess whoever is playing well. This team doesnt have clear # choice really at any position.

Reggie is the Raptors MVP at this point. They amount of offensive Rebounds makes up for his non scoring ability. Its has given the Raptors so many extra shot attempts and he has helped limit the other teams rebounds on the defensive side..

Tough west coast trip, have to try and get sacramento tonight. Will not be easy with T Evans and others

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

The passing of Lucas is sad. That guy was a beast for Portland. Everyone always talked about how those Trailblazers belonged to Walton, but they wouldn't have won anything without Lucas.

Also, he was pretty funny in White Men Can't Jump.

AG, Toronto

[Peter in Italy]

Dear Doug,
Regarding the name of your Q&A session, why don't you call it the "Happy Hour". If the Raptors are winning, we'll all be happy. If they're losing, we'll all need a few stiff drinks to get us through it.

[GM]

Yeah, sad indeed about Lucas. It's been a long time since I read Breaks of the Game, but I don't think Lucas was on the Blazer team Halberstam followed. That was a struggling team with Billy Ray Bates and Kermit Washington, not the good team Lucas was on.

D-Mac, if you're a real fan, you'll stay up! I'm on the west coast so it's easy for me to say, but I remember visiting the maritimes where it's an hour later than EST, and I stayed up watching west coast games. Of course, I didn't have to go into work the next day but you can always sleep at work.

[Steph]

Doug, as for renaming the Q&A, I have a few suggestions,

1) Detox Session
2) Delirious Stint
3) Dark Show
4) Decadent Saint
5) Deliberate Satire
6) Delusions & Stella
7) Designated Sergeant

Yes I do have a theme going.

[JT]

Doug,

Looking back, do you think the whole Jarret Jack signing to try and keep Bosh or the whole Jack is one of Bosh's closest friends thing overblown? From what I read, saw, and understood, they are just friends; not best friends or close friends?

Blogger's note: They're friends; I don't think it was ever "over-blown."

[Steph]

Here is one more suggestion, Dire Straight

[Leaf fan in Van]

Every year (for the past 7 at least) - the coaches/players/reporters/bloggers etc. explain how the west coast trip is going to be: "tough", "long" and how they should be happy with 1 win in (4, 5 or 6)! Why bother going? Why not email those teams: "Dear, LA Lakers - we appreciate your offer to come and play on that legendary court, on front of such superstars as Kobe, Pao and even Nicholson; however, we feel that at this time it would benefit all if we just gave you the "W" and took the "L" without having to actually play the game" Toronto Raptors.

How about we put some #$#$$# in these road trips so that the players understand they can't just come out west for 2 weeks and go through the motions?! This pathetic, defeatest attitude is getting tired...

Blogger's note: It's a week, they aren't going through the motions and some people like to take a realistic look at things. But thanks

[FPB]

The Raptors are the 3rd best defensive team in the NBA as of today. Yeah!!!

[M]

@pain..Nobody has compare Andrea to Dirk in years so why keep bringing it up?
I find it amusing that fans get all excited about Ed Davis like he's going to be a savior or something. He's played a year and a half of college ball and yet.....I'm not knocking Davis at all, he may turn out to be the second coming but who knows fo sure. Is that kind of blind faith in hype what it takes to be a fan?

[Lorie]

@Steph:
If I may, a slight variation on your theme: Doug's Damn Straight Stuff ('cause it's the "straight stuff" we come here for; and to swing that musical theme a little harder: Smith's Sultans of Swish Stuff. Love Dire Straits, not that we Raps' fans are ever in 'em! (Yeah, right.)

[doug]

I always admired Maurice Lucas...he had a skill that is hard to emulate, Rodman di9d it as well....it's to play tough, do the dirty work...but stay oput of foul trouble...it's a true art, just ask Amir...Maurice played in a era of the league when players were allowed to play...I wonder how those type of players would fare in today's NBA, the Unseld's, Malones, Lucas's of the world...Raps just need to play hard and with passion, and let the chips fall where they may...

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Dear GM,
I guess I used to be a real fan, because I used to stay up for all this stuff. Trouble is, when I do that now, I'm even more worthless the next day than I used to be. Freedom 83 can't get here a day too soon...
Cheers. Go Raps!

[Kelsey]

@M People talk highly of Ed Davis because sometimes believing in something with out evidence makes people feel good, (sounds like religon)

Lets go Raptors...Sacramento has some young Talent..

Im trying not to slag Bargnani for a week, He played Ok and truth being said Raptors need him to get at least 20 & 6 (rebs) Reggie will get the other rebounds for the team....

[Some Guy]

Doug, I never realized you and I were in such select company being left-handed ball players who bat right. Now I have the perfect conspiracy theory (systematic bias) as to why I was never drafted. I always knew it couldn't be because of my lack of home run power or my tendency to overthrow the cut-off man under pressure.

Blogger's note: Hang on! Are you me?

[511]

Lunch Rap ... or ... Rap-Chat.