Not much in the way of news but ...

Kind of a slow day around the lads Tuesday as we get ready for the impending arrival of Trey Johnson, which should coincide with the return of flu-ridden Jose Calderon.

And that, folks, is what passes for news these days.

Luckily, there’s this kind of stuff:

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Let’s say you’re an NBA coach and there’s less than a second left and you’re down two and you’ve got to call a play.

What’s the one thing you want more than anything?

Options.

A chance to draw up something the other team might not expect, or at least a chance to have two or three different things in mind that you’re confident will get you even a passable look.

See where I’m going with this?

So did Jay.

“I don’t find that difficult (drawing up a play); I find it difficult to disguise who we’re going to go to because our options are a little bit more restricted with the guys being out of the lineup.”

And that’s a part of why things are tough. With a group on the floor with the game on the line that was Jerryd Bayless, Sundiata Gaines, DeMar DeRozan, Andrea Bargnani and Amir Johnson, everyone in the Air Canada Centre knew that it was going to be Bargnani who was option No. 1, 2, 3, and probably four and that’s why the Grizzlies had like three guys paying attention to him.

How much easier would it have been to have, say, Calderon, Barbosa and Kleiza instead of Bayless, Gaines and Johnson?

It will be forever thus with such a depleted roster.

And, no, Alexis Ajinca won’t be one of them.

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Out of the mouths of babes, or at least teenage saxophonists who have a passing interest in what Dad does for a living.

It’s breakfast the Day After The Streak Ended and Super Son is reading the paper along with Super Wife – because they know where their bread is buttered – and they spy a story that says something about the Raptors’ slump continuing and much hilarity ensues.

“How can it be a slump if they’ve never been good, dear old dad?”

“Hey, my darling husband, is it a ‘slump’ if it’s what they’ve been doing all year?”

Tough crowd at Casa Doug, no?

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So the New Orleans Hornets hit an attendance benchmark that means they’ll be staying the city until at least 2014.

The good: I’ve found Fritzel’s and Frenchman Street for the next couple of visits.

The bad: It takes Seattle out of the mix for a while.

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We – still – mourn the streak.

Not really, but Jay did talk about it, quite facetiously, after practice Tuesday.

Couple of good one-liners and the expected “It doesn’t mean anything, it wasn’t something we were going to change game plans for” stuff.

Like this:

“It’s one less thing we can put in our media notes. That’s about the extent of that streak being broken.”

Before that, he’d been asked when he first heard the tragic news:

“I found out as we were walking off the floor. Somebody yelled at me that I should be fired because we didn’t make a three.”

Cold crowd.

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While on the topic of Alexis Ajinca, who looks like a strong wind may blow him over, I think I need to point this out to anyone thinking he’s going to come in and have an impact:

In his career, he’s played for Larry Brown and Rick Carlisle, who I think we can all agree are not bad coaches, and they haven’t been able to find a way to use him with any regularity.

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This seems strange, getting a link for you from the Philly papers and knowing I can’t see my late friend’s name.

Anyway, here’s what they had to say there today.

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Hey, it’s already Wednesday and the mail slot over there is virtually empty and you people need to get going, thank you very much. You know the drill.

It’s taking a long time to search out what’s there, too. Apparently some hockey dude is having a birthday or something like that and there’s like 60 pages of memories.

Anyway, did find this one:

Q: Hey Doug! As the Raptors' season has been a bit more disappointing of late for fans and franchise alike, you should know that your work is never in vain. It is the kick start to my day!

My question is this: having heard your dulcet voice for the first time on the Fan590, I was shocked at how off I was in my assumption on how you sounded in real life. For some reason I was picturing something akin to Jon Lovitz (I'm sorry). Since I know you love to add as much extra, unpaid work to your schedule as possible, do you think we will ever hear you a la podcast like Cousin Sekou (who I should add, dropped your name on the latest Hangtime Podcast).

Wow, I made a mess of this comment.

 

 

Andrew P, Toronto

A: I got a mention from Cousin Sekou? Outstanding. I hear he’s coming to London in March, too. Maybe I can do a guest spot.

In all seriousness, we haven’t talked much about podcasts at our place in a few months. Seems the video component of what we do has been put on the backburner for some reason but I think we need to get it back.

Trouble is, do we do it once week? Once every two weeks? Whenever the mood strikes? I promise to talk to my bosses this week and see how they feel.

And I’m okay with Jon Lovitz, actually.

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You all had your haggis last night, right?

And you all know why you did, right?

Thought so.

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Ajinca? He’ll be No. 42.

Guess the Donyell Marshall jersey retirement plans are dead.

Not to mention Walt Williams, Kevin Willis, Art Long and The Legendary Mengke Bateer.

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Comments

[+1]

+1 on a podcast. However, if you are going to do it, go all in. Make sure the sound quality is there, and go for analysis and discussion that adds a layer of depth to what is in the blog.

I would also like to hear your chats with reporters in other cities, that would be interesting too.

[TLI]

Seems appropriate that Donyell's jersey number moves on right ater the streak is broken!

[Johnn19]

Ajinca is a no cost look for the rest of the year, at someone who may be able to play a few minutes someday, but can the Raptors of next year afford 2 roster spots for him and Alabi to learn the game, even if at 7' plus ?

[Andrew Potter]

By London I hope you mean London, Ontario. But I know you don't.

Seriously, autograph session sometime?

[sam]

Jay Seems to be a pretty good quote, with a fairly good sense of humour.

As the season progresses and the losses pile up do you get a sense that his mood and attitude has changed?
Reading how the loss total affect some of your readers - I wonder how someone knee deep in the process feels.

[Craig]

Robbie Burns day

Blogger's note: Indeed

[RaptorMike]

At least the 2 pointer streak has been alive since 1995....

1243 games and counting...you think that one will get broken by this motley crew too? :)

[Mike D.]

In fairness to Ajinca, he may have played for some good NBA coaches but he has also played behind Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood for his entire career. This is a classic Colangelo bargain basement acquisition: grab a guy with a lot of potential at a discount after he's been hidden behind quality starters for 2-3 years. For the most recent previous example see "Bayless, Jerryd".

[Jeff]

Boring Day Doug? Good. I thought i would send something that us geeks love -- but im sure you dont: Trades!

Another writer was talking about the limited places Steve Nash could actually be traded. This is the deal they should be looking at: Toronto.

Why?

Because he is more valuable to Toronto than any other franchise.

Toronto would give up their TPE of $12.5mm, two 1st Round picks (one of which is currently be Top 5), Bayless (played at Arizona), Weems, and one of Derozan and/or Ed Davis. Toronto could also take on the salary of Childress, but would likely ask for Grant Hill as well (Toronto could still make the Playoffs with a trade like this).

What else?

Such a trade would have to be broken into multiple deals, because of the TPE, and i can see a way something like this could be done in 4 separate transactions. What does that mean? It could mean up to $12mm in cash from Toronto to PHX ($3mm in each transaction).

The TPE and Cash, along with draft picks, a young PG and one of Toronto's best young players (DD or Davis) would be a steal and kick start the rebuilding with a solid base.

For Toronto?

They will sell a zillion tickets and jersey's and continue to be a middling team in the EAST. But they will make lots of money.

[sportsbabel]

I dunno.....Rudy Gay was option 1, 2, 3 and probably 4, but he still got the shot he wanted, and made it. You were right yesterday to say that Amir shouldn't have come up to help, but what DeMar was doing standing flush out in the corner when it was obvious Gay wasn't passing (and would've ran out of time had he done so), instead of pinching in and crowding Gay's shot, I just don't know. Hoping it is the continual maturation of a young player rather than an oversight on the coach's part.

[Robert Bertuzzi]

Everyone in the building and on TV knows that Kobe is going to get the ball and that does not stop him.

If one were to chart last second plays over the course of a season it would be a statistically small percentage of the time that a team's 'best player' does not take the last shot.

In fact this dominant logic almost serves as a built in excuse for coaches, rather than run counters or use their 'best player' as a decoy the ball is almost always forced into their hands in impossible situations displaying a lack of play calling imagination--not something Coach Triano can be accused of.

Then when the shot misses, coach can say, 'well, we got it into so-and-so's hands and he just missed a tough shot.'

[Michel G]

Hi Doug. Since Ajinca was drafted in 2008, he should be on the 3rd year of his 4 year rookie contract. But I've read on couple of occasions that he's a free agent after this year. Did Dallas not pick up the option on his 4th year? Thanks.

Blogger's note: No one has yet, I don't believe

[doug]

Robbie Burns said with a Scotttish brogue ...and the biggger question should be do people know what haggis is??....illegal to import in the states by the way, ...watched some of the Clips-Mavs game last night and i say some as it was one of the worse officiated games I have seen in awhile even the announcers were going come on this could be a good game but their is no flow, these refs are blowing their whistles every 3 seconds...Stu Jackson was a bust as a G.M. i don't know how or why he managed to scoop this job with the NBA but he apparently hasn't found his niche yet...

[JHK]

I don't understand why we bank on guys that other teams (multiple teams) pass on. Ajinca is just a latest addition from the Wright, Kleiza, Weems, Dorsey, Bayless etc..
We can't fill up the roster with left overs and expect them to be good like the guys in Gene Hackman flick The Replacement. That's just a movie.

[Thane]

Burn's Night last night for the Scotch, and Australia Day (yes, it's real!) today for the hangover. The perfect 1-2 holiday punch.

[Lorie]

@doug: Sure, I know what haggis is and for that reason I prepare my own vegetarian version that substitutes legumes, lentils and nuts for the icky organ-y stuff. No substituting of the Glenfiddich, though. That's a tradition that's carved in stone. With a dirk.

[AK]

I would download all your podcasts. It's a very convenient way to hear good, thoughtful opinion. Perhaps you can start with once a week and see where it goes.

[The J]

Doug, a couple of questions about our recent 10-day'ers. Is it likely that we will see Trey Johnson in a game, or is he more likely here to sit on the bench just in case he is needed. Also, after playing fairly reasonably after being thrown into the role, do you think Sundiata Gaines gets another 10-day conctract from any other teams this year?
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Wow, taking flack at home now too. I guess there is no refuge from the angst. Let me guess after the dialogue you included in the blog, Super Son turned to you and said "Calderon and Bargs need to be traded. We can't win with this soft euro team. Triano and Colangelo need to be fired immediately.". Then Super wife turned to you and said "Don't defend them, Bargs couldn't grab a rebound if it hit him in the head. You are always defending these bums. Sometimes I think you are on the MLSE payroll. You should die.".
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What, we eat pizza if they score 100+, but have to eat haggis if they ruin a historical streak? That's mean, just plain mean.

Blogger's note: If they continue to have NO backup 2s or 3s, Johnson will play if/when he gets here; and I presume Gaines would be on top of a PG list for any team needing emergency help

[GM]

* Podcast? Yes, please. Once a week is enough. Any more than that and they get backlogged and with a timely podcast like I imagine this one would be, they become irrelevant after a couple of days. There are just so many good podcasts to listen to. As for the video, I never understood the need for it. It didn't offer anything new or different from what we get here just because it was so short. But with a podcast, you can expand on the points in the blog, talk to other reporters, maybe some players, read some emails, have a roundtable discussion, etc. Get on it!
* You've talked frequently about regression to the mean. I'm just hoping for a little progression to the mean for the Raptors. They can't continue like this the rest of the way, surely.
* I wonder if Byron Scott is having flashbacks to his long losing streaks with the Vancouver Grizzlies.

[DMcCalgary]

Since grandpa (insisted on more than a sniff) passed, my tradition is to sniff the haggis, let others indulge in closer contact, while I enjoy the excuse to get intimate with a fine single malt. Sure hope Jose does get back on the floor tonight.

[Shawn]

@ Jeff re. the trades

Thank heavens your not the GM. Lol @ giving up a top 5 pick, DD, bayless, davis and the TPE

Only the leaves are dumb enough to make trades like that and give up top picks for average players (i love nash.. but he is cleary past his prime)

As far as im concerned the Perry Jones watch is officially on. If you guys aren't familiar with Perry Jones... check out nbadraft.net Could be a franchise changer. Which is the only way the raps are going to get back to respectability

[doug]

@Lori would that be the stone of scone??...you are etching away on with your dirk??...I had haggis once, never knew until afterwards it wasn't delicious, wasn't bad, the best way to eat some foods is not knowing what you are eating until afterwards...like the time I had frog legs, they were delicious, until i was told what they were...after that never had them again (not that I know of )...Haggis is illegal in the States why??,,because of the lungs, I say what about all the other organs??..why single out the lungs...

[Kent]

"Calderon and Bargs need to be traded. We can't win with this soft euro team. Triano and Colangelo need to be fired immediately.". Then Super wife turned to you and said "Don't defend them, Bargs couldn't grab a rebound if it hit him in the head. You are always defending these bums. Sometimes I think you are on the MLSE payroll. You should die.".

with the exception of the last sentence, everything is actually 100% accurate.

[Lorie]

@doug: And there it is. The bewildering contradiction. The consumption of lung-infused haggis is not allowed, but a young man who'd been in trouble with the law, had been rejected by the Army after flunking a drug test and exhbitied sufficient mental instability so as to be banned from his college campus, can pick up a Glock Semiautomatic with noooo problem??? Gun sales aren't regulated, but you damn well better watch your organ consumption. (Sorry for the rant, Doug. This is probably one of those apples versus oranges things, but I couldn't resist.)

[pran]

kent, find it hard to disagree with you, time to get rid of the eurotrash if you ask me.

Blogger's note: How, oh, I dunno, racist of you. Well played. Anonymously, of course.