Good game, good plays and the ticket contest is back again

Sure, everyone saw that one coming, right?

Nice night, though and with more than 18,000 in the joint it was a rather good atmosphere. Maybe everyone’s getting geared up for Friday and Phoenix?

Anyway, as we await the trades, we offer …

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THREE POINTERS

Good calls, good execution

Want to know what the Raptors got out of two crucial timeouts late Wednesday? Good plays, good execution, and points.

The first comes with about 1:47 left, tie game, Bulls had just gone on a 7-0 run and the Raptors are reeling. They call a timeout, run a high-screen with Jose and Bargnani except the play’s got another option (“single away action” Jay called it) and Bargnani hits a curling DeRozan, who finishes at the rim.

Bulls tie it, Raps are in a tough offensive set when DeRozan’s trapped in the corner and wisely calls timeout with eight seconds on the shot clock.

Out of the timeout, they run a simple but effective play, DeRozan curls off a straight line set, gets a screen, gets on the baseline to the rim where he’s fouled and makes two free throws.

See? They can do it. And against a good team with time to set its defence.

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Go at him

Raptors as bullies?

Hardly.

But as we’re chatting with Jose after the game, he lets slip that Toronto knew precisely where to attack the Bulls.

“Korver was sometime on LB, sometime on DeMar. I was trying to find the guy being guarded by Korver and play the pick and roll with them.”

That’s going at the vulnerable and a good idea.

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Helluva move

The up and under move that Amir Johnson put on Carlos Boozer to put Toronto up four with about 17 seconds left might have been the best post move he’s made all season. Clutch play, he was in control and didn’t rush and did just what he should have – go right at a guy with five fouls.

Not bad at all.

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More?

Let’s start big.

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Hey, you got three friends?

How’d you like to take ‘em to Sunday’s game against Dallas, sit in some really good seats, say high to the Miller Genuine Draft people and eat and drink as you see fit? Sound good? Yeah, we’re back again with the MGD Best Seats In The House contest, this time it’s three sets of four tickets for Sunday.

I know we’re a bit rushed on this but entering in easy. Click here and fill in the form and be warned entries close at noon Friday so we can notify the winners Friday afternoon so make sure you provide an easily-accessible e-mail or phone number.

Good luck, see some of you there.

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Now, back to our regularly-scheduled Festival of Crankiness.

And it’s just before 8 a.m. and I’m wondering what channel the all-day telethon of Trade Deadline Day news is on? Anyone help a guy out?

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Oh, yes.

Trust me (or not, I really don’t care) but, yes, the Raptors did place a call to Utah to see if Deron Williams was available in the aftermath of the Jerry Sloan departure. Just like about 24 other teams would have.

But nothing came of it, there was no suggestion that the Jazz were even serious about moving Williams (I believe they wanted to see how he’d work with new coach Ty Corbin a bit) and the Nets thing came together quickly.

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You know how some of us thought Dan Gilbert was a bit off his rocker when he wrote that love letter to LeBron after The Decision?

Well, not sure what’s happened in that zany mind of his, but he’s signed off on a deal that brings Baron Davis to Cleveland? Is the guy bonkers?

Sure, the Cavs get a good first pick out of it and they lose Mo Williams and Jamario but, wow. Baron’s unmotivated at the best of times, taking an L.A. kid out of L.A. and dropping in Cleveland in February with the worst team in the league?

Oh, yeah. That’s going to work out really well.

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Hey, let’s check what K.C. had to say about that game last night, shall we?

Without peeking, I have a sneaky suspicion the story will centre on Chicago’s lame defence.

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Know what last night would have been, right?

Well, I know some of you know but it would have been Game No. 1,000 in the three-point streak.

How conflicted would you have been had they gone 0-5 from three but still beat the Bulls in one of their best all-around games of the year?

At least you could have sat around tomorrow and talked about it over a piece of pizza.

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You know a dude’s in deep when he’s on the next stool and you hear him say:

“The Clippers just covered the over.”

That’s kind of sad, isn’t it?

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This is what all-star weekend does.

You hear Lenny Kravitz and you smile.

Dude’s good.

Very good.

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I imagine some of the Irregulars would know how much my eyes rolled when I got this quote from James Johnson, who seems a likeable sort after a day.

“My plus-minus is outrageous so I’m going to play hard every time I strap up.”

That’s so wrong at so many levels; the cliché, the odd phrasing, the thought that individual plus-minus means anything.

But, I’ll give him the Day 1 benefit of the doubt because he also said this, about his uniform number.

"I want to start from zero and work my way up."

Around the Raptors, that’s Banya-esue gold, folks. Gold.

Now, I’m off to try the soup.

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A couple of guys reached Jerry Sloan yesterday afternoon to get his reaction to the Deron Williams trade and one thought came to mind:

Jerry Sloan has a cell phone?

I don’t know what I thought but a vision of a modern day Oliver Douglas up pole talking on some old fashioned phone came to mind.

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This might be among the more disturbing, and telling, things out there in the last day or so.

According to a report – and I cannot vouch for its veracity – the agent for Raymond Felton is going to meet with Denver general manager Masai Ujiri about whether or not his client is going to start for the Nuggets.

Now, I’m not naïve enough to think that it’s out of the ordinary for that to happen but you know what? That’s idiotic and if I’m Masai, I tell the agent to go find some endorsements or something for his client and let George Karl figure out what he wants to do with his point guard.

Yes, the inmates run the asylum but at some point, enough is enough.

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Okay, almost time to go sit in the office and see what transpires on the trade front to determine what, if anything, I have to write today. But it’ll also give me some down time to do mail so …

You know what to do. Write. Keep me company.

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Comments

[Peter]

Great blog again today. A lot of subtle humour, a lot of interesting stuff. Just the way we like it. :)

[yertu damkule]

'sources' indicate that the nets contacted the jazz about dwill a some time ago to get the ball rolling on a deal in case their attempts to land melo didn't work out. the deal with the nets didn't necessarily come together quickly, it was just kept quiet. i'm assuming that if the raps did indeed put in a call, KO'C took a quick look up/down the roster, chortled to himself, and said dwill wasn't available.

[AT]

Doug,
So what do you think about the Clippers/Cavs trade? They just got better very quickly and I am sure the dunk contests after a clippers practice will be pretty good too. Also I heard you on Fan590 yesterday.... my 11 year old daughter asked me if you said a bad word on the radio, and I said... I think he did!!!!

Blogger's note: I think the people in Cleveland have lost their minds. Did I? If I did, it was inadvertent and I apologize

[Mike D.]

I'm really looking forward to seeing Baron Davis in Cleveland.....at the Clippers game my companion and I were having a great time heckling him about his big booty, and now he'll come to town more often.

How long do you give it before Deron Williams realizes that playing in NJ, with Brook Lopez as his only real weapon, is a lot worse that playing for Jerry Sloan in an established system with teammates like Kirilenko, Millsap, Jefferson and Okur?

[L Graham Smith]

nice debut by Johnson, gave the team some perimeter size and kept Deng from killing the them as he usually does: good omen. Only one game but auspicious nevertheless.
Could be a lively trade day. Davis to Cleveland officially confirms that any player is trade-able, even over-paid, unengaged, past their prime guys. Hope someone rescues Parker and gives him a place to contend.
Hope the Raptors finish the year with the same energy they played with last night.

[Shawn]

Doug, I think the people in LA have lost their minds... why would the clippers give up a top 10 pick for MO WILLIAMS and jamario?... Mo's got a player option for 8+ million a year the next two years... only about 5 million less than BD's "toxic" contract.

I think Cleveland got the better end of the deal here. The more draft picks they can stock pile the better... it wasn't like Mo was taking them anywhere.

[brent]

For all the BC critcs who are upset that he hasn't used most of the Bosh trade exception, please go out immediately and buy a brand new Baron Davis Cavs uniform. I'd rather have BC not spend the money and have it wind up in the teacher's pension fund than bring in a guy like Baron Davis just to say "Look at me - I used all of the TPE!"
Even though the Raps have a long way to go, they are soooo far ahead of the Cavs in returning to respectability it's not even funny.
My sympathies to those in Cleveland Best outcome for them? They rename the team the "Ohio Cavaliers". Unfortunately, I'll think they'll be stuck with "The New Clippers".

[LeeZ]

"The Bobcats are beginning to get cold feet about trading Gerald Wallace. The Cavaliers have also been interested in Wallace. One source suggests Michael Jordan is growing reluctant about trading him away." I have no idea if this report is true, but just for the hell of it, let's assume it is. The Bobcasts have had Wallace on the market for weeks now, and at the 11th hour, just before a trade can be finalized, MJ is having cold feet? What the hell is with this guy, anyway? And who in their right mind will talk trade with the Bobcats anymore?

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/211347/Bobcats_Growing_Reluctant_To_Trade_Wallace#ixzz1Esy3gwW3

[WAP]

I like all these trades while winning in the east got harder the basketball will be better also enjoyed the defensive effort last night it's the main reason they won. Lenny Kravitz is excellent( check him out if you never seen him live) intro doesn't seem long when you have a polished act like that playing in the background great band, let's give James Johnson a break for focusing on defense..should have said team defense. I think his size can help us really hope that the dude gets a chance to play last night was a good start...great blog today.

Cheers

[Derek S]

Morning Doug,
I was at the game last night and it was definitely an entertaining one (with a happy ending for a change). If my eyes didn't deceive me, I believe you were "front row" yesterday - guess you got the short straw?
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Two thoughts from last night. First, J. Johnson impressed me with his defensive intensity. Not just the 3 blocks, but he played aggressive perimeter defense whenever he was on the floor. Hopefully it wasn't just a case of him "getting up for his former team", and he can continue to play with that intensity most nights. If so, that would be a big boost for the Raps.
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Second - not sure how many people noticed it, but Bargnani played a GREAT game last night. Up until the last 5 minutes of the game (when the refs seemed to blow the whistle anytime D. Rose got within 5 feet of the basket), the refs were letting ALOT of physical play go for most of the game without calling any fouls. I was watching with much interest that on pretty much every offensive possession, Bargs was battling furiously with Noah for position. It was great to see - especially in a number of cases, Bargs would fight for position, and the ball wouldn't come to him (DeRozan or someone else would take a shot instead) and the next time down the court, he was still fighting just as aggressively again. Alot of times I've seen where if he fights like that and doesn't get the ball, he sort of "gives up' the next time down the court.

Now I don't know if this was just a "great game" for Bargs, or if maybe in part, its because Noah was playing so physical with him. When someone's pushing and shoving you all night long, its hard NOT to react and start pushing back. I think sometimes guys play defense a little more passively against Andrea, and his aggressiveness plays down to the level of their defense. In any case, it was a great sight to see last night, and hopefully something he can do more often.

[Blake Kennedy]

Jerry Sloan actually doesn't have a cell phone: he just has an amateur radio and the people who wanted to reach out to him had to find some ham who could reach him on the 20m band.

As for the Cleveland-LA trade, Cleveland doesn't really take on much more of a salary commitment going forward but they get somebody who will be much more tradeable than Mo Williams in Baron Davis. And Mo Williams has been hardly sparkling this year, so why not?

[John]

A player's plus minus should be the one stat that they actually focus on. What could be more important than hoping to outscore the other team every time you take the court?

[LeeZ]

TERRIBLE blog today, Doug. Why terrible? Because I HATE IT when you make all the good points that I would make. It robs me of any ability to feel superior and to increase my standing in Raptor Nation. Specifically, your comments about Jay's play calling out of timeouts and AJ's incredible post-up move against that weakling Boozer were bang on. As for Cleveland being crazy by taking Baron Davis, crazy like a fox, me thinks. You're absolutely right about taking an L.A. kid and plunking him down in the frozen wasteland of Ohio and his lack of motivation and all of that. And that's where the crazy like a fox thing comes in. Cleveland gets a guy that is NOT going to help them for the remainder of this year, nor next year. So by not getting better, they will get what is likeley to be a mid-range lottery pick from the Clippers to go along with their own potentially number one pick. Plus they can buy him out after next season. As for AJ, he has to make that move more often and become more of a focal point in the offence, to go along with Bargs and DD. Since they're not going to get much, if any, offence from JJ, AJ really needs to step it up. And he has proven over and over again that he can. Final point: since Jay is so good at calling excellent plays out of timeouts, it raises the following question: why doesn't he call more plays? For instance, when José is bringing the ball up the court in a non-break situation, why doesn't Jay bark out a play?

[LeeZ]

Some insight, courtesy of ESPN, as to why the Cavs-Clippers trade went down: The Cavs are willing to take back Davis, who probably hates the trade, because the Clippers draft pick is unprotected. That pick would currently land in the eighth spot, but it could move into the top three during the NBA lottery show in May.
"We know we're going to have to build this team through the lottery," a Cavaliers source told ESPN.com Wednesday night. "We hope Baron works out, but our primary focus was the pick. We really wanted two top-10 picks to infuse the team with young talent."
"That just shows you how much we hate this draft," one Clippers source told ESPN.com.

[sam]

Thanks for Contest -
Cleveland Cavs - Odd move I think - Never REally liked Baron Davis - I Think it's the beard....

It would appear this weeks moves by the Knicks and The Nets has shifted the perception of both teams among the great unwashed - The trades will make both teams marginally better, but not enough I think to make much of a difference this season -

JJohnson had a pretty good debut with the HOTHC - Good call by the coaches to start him agianst guys he was familiar with - The more I See DeMar play the more I appreciate his talents and value.
A good win last night. If the Raptors played with type of intensity on a consistent basis who knows how good they can be.
Shout out to Green Acres - Farm Living is the life for me -

[LeeZ]

At one point during the game last night, with José on the floor, Bargnani took the defensive-three technical free throw instead of José. Doug, have you ever seen José not take the technical while on the floor? To my mind, that's a first

Blogger's note: I don't recall that ever happening, no.

[Bill]

Hey Doug, I was at the game yesterday and spend about 20 minutes on a court side seat right before half time (shared that with some other dudes) and was going to walk over to say hi but then I realize that there were about 4-5 security guards between us. Do they allow us to walk from our side to yours (along the baseline during half time, that is)? Seems like we will have to walk pass the Raptors bench to do that and I was afraid they will treat me as some sort of terrorist and kick me out.

I think I got the best 20 minutes from last night's game at the court side seats because we were right by the basket that the Raptors were attacking and saw three dunks (one was an alley-op I think). I think it has re-lit the basketball fire under a guy who's gotten tired of it a little bit lately due to the 15-41 record thingy.

Blogger's note: I think it depends on the guards

[LeeZ]

Interesting factoid of the day: Wednesday marks only the second time in franchise history that the Raptors won a game in which they did not make a 3-pointer. The other instance was Nov. 4, 1997. That day, they went 0-for-7 behind the arc in a 104-86 win over the Golden State Warriors. Three players on that Raptors' team are still in the NBA: Chauncey Billups, Tracy McGrady and Marcus Camby.

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

Well, we seem to have found the recipe for success. Before noon Coangelo needs to use part of that trade exception to acquire Garret Siler from the Suns so he can start on Friday and another part to get Dominque Jones from Dallas and start him Sunday. Three game winning streak!

AG, Toronto

[Bob Wesley]

Is there a limit on how many Johnson's on one team?Is Trey still here[Raptors]?

Blogger's note: No, Trey is gone

[gdr]

Doug, anything going on with the Raps today trade-wise? I continue to love the daily blogs, always a must read in the morning! Thanks for your hard work.

Blogger's note: If there is, I'll let you know. But don't sit around waiting

[TJ]

"the jar is round, the cup is round, why not call it roundtine!"
"gold Jerry, gold"

[Rob.V]

Can't say I agree on the Cleveland trade. I agree with your assessment of Baron Davis however when he's right he's still avery good point guard (no drop off between him and Mo) and the 1st overall is likely going to be a very high pick (maybe 1st overall). Gilbert may indeed be crazy... but not a bad deal for the Cav's.
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You know, the Jazz and the Nets have become “model” organizations in my mind.
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First off, the fact that there was zero leaks on the D.Willims trade from either side is very impressive!!. ZERO leaks, in todays NBA thats remarkable!
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Secondly, I love that cat Prokhorov. I’m not sure if it was all part of Billy Kings master plan however having the owner in on the Melo ruse in an effort to deplete the Knicks roster was sheer brilliance!... and what a good rival should do.
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To pull that off, THEN backdoor the Knicks by (arguably) getting the better player in my mind (D.Will vs. Melo or Chauncy) is pretty freakin amazing.
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Having D.Will in your back pocket the whole time is like knowing you've got that royal flush just sitting there while your opponent is twisitng in the wind with his 2 pair. Very we’ll done Nets!!!
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… and you know, I love the Jazz organization this morning as well because they were not going to take any crap either. They're basically saying listen, we couldn’t win “with” you Deron. You may have the talent of a Stockton (or more), but with that attitude you will NEVER be a John Stockton. Yes you're a great player however your ego has certainly gotten the better of you... and that's just not how we do things around here!!.
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Oh, and don’t EVER publicly complain that Utah “cannot attract free agents”... I mean, what a absolute dumb comment by Williams to make about his organization. No loyalty whatsoever to the team that drafted you, gave you the team, and has coddled you throughout... but not anymore!!.
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You see, you may be relatively new around here but the Jazz... we're still old school! So this is what you get when you fawk with our organization... you can figure it out from here on out.
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Make no mistake about it, Utah kicked his ass out the door!!! (regardless of level of talent).

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Much respect for the Nets and Jazz this morning!

[kelsey]

Im listening to the Radio and I understand why some people complain about where players are going, BUT if Toronto was a team that 2 great starts we wouldnt hear this on the Radio...I got news for people..Knicks sucked for years!! Chicago was terrible and have been building!! Miami after Shaq was low for couple of years...The Nets have not been good for years!!!!

Raptors Scouting and Management have failed!!!!

Great Game last night,

Ill be the 1st to say that Bargnani played good and wasnt the key at the end ( Finally Demar got the ball on last positions of the game) Calderon dished the ball extremely well. Thats the Calderon this team needs.

Wow Amir great move, give him more touches...Bargnani 8REBOUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

James Johnson showed guys like Weems that you better pick your game up or your minutes will get eaten up.

[Dave in BG]

No soup for you , Doug!!
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As an earlier posted said, great blog today. Thanks