The usual Raptors fare and debating Barry Larkin a bit

The game as far too choppy thanks to whistle-happy referees and their ticky-tack fouls but the result makes up for it for those who really care, right?

THREE POINTERS

That didn’t take long

First possession of the game, the HOTH run a play that gets DeMar DeRozan going to the basket – he missed a layup before Amir Johnson got a put-back – and, yes, it was entirely by design.

Dwane Casey knows, DeRozan knows and you know and I know that DeRozan’s far more effective attacking the basket than shooting 3s and it was a not-at-all-subtle message, according to the coach.

“He’s capable of making the threes but he’s smart enough to know when to take them and when not to take them. I don’t think he’s fallen in love with them but he can’t forget attacking the basket, attacking the basket. It’s one of the reasons why I ran the first play the way I did, so he could attack the rim and try to get to the free throw line.”

DeRozan ended up just 3-for-11 from the field, he missed all three three-pointers he took and he only shot three free throws – half as many as Amir Johnson, a third as many as Andrea Bargnani – but it’s at least a step in the right direction.

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Gotta like the way he thinks

Andrea Bargnani logs 45 minutes – and he had to since no one else was really scoring besides him and Amir – and, sure, it’s a toll, especially with three games in three nights but you know what?

Who cares?

Not him, as he told his personal chronicler, the Lovely and Talented Adriana, after the game:

“I’m not worried. If I can’t do it now that I’m still young, when can I do it.”

Fine attitude, actually. Yes, it’s going to be tough to get back up to full speed tonight and maybe it’ll be harder on Wednesday but the kid’s only 26 and it’s not like he had to fly commercial coach and stay in some fleabag motel overnight without the massage therapists, trainers and nutrionists to help him out.

And if you’re Dwane Casey – or any coach worth his pricey Windowpane suit and per diem – you coach every game to win and how cares about tomorrow? Would it have been better and cut Bargnani to, say, 38 minutes and lose and still have to lay Tuesday and Wednesday? I say go for it every night and see what happens; maybe someone else steps up Tuesday and Bargnani only has to play 36 minutes.

Take your shot when you get your shot. That’s the way to do things.

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Switch it up?

I know it might only be for a couple of games, maybe three, but it might be time to consider letting Leandro Barbosa run the team as the backup point guard for 10 or 12 minutes a night until Jerryd comes back.

They really aren’t getting much of anything from Anthony Carter and Barbosa’s ability to at least present some coverage issues running high screen and roll might allow the second unit to do a bit more damage.

And if you can eke out six or seven minutes a night for Gary Forbes at the two – taking the time Carter would be on the floor – maybe it gives that guy a boost of confidence.

Of course, this is only until Bayless gets back – and I’m guessing Friday or Saturday – but maybe it’s something that should be looked at.

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And …

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Okay, I’m far from an expert – as one or two of you have reminded me since about the middle of the summer – but I gotta say …

Barry Larkin was a fine baseball player, solid numbers, on good teams, won titles, lots of individual accolades and if the learned colleagues in the BBWAA have deemed him a Hall of Famer who am I to argue.

Look at it this way, though: I’m not sure many of us, or many of you, watched Larkin during his career and thought “I’m watching a Hall of Famer.”

Maybe some did, maybe he was that good and I just wasn’t paying close enough attention.

But look at this, this way:

Every time I saw Jack Morris pitch a big game, he was other-worldly. And I thought almost every time, “man, that’s a Hall of Famer.”

Just sayin’

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Stevie Boy Russell isn’t the only brilliant guy we’ve got on staff with a camera in his hands.

Richard Lautens does outstanding work as well – you can see a lot of it here – and I don’t think there’s any question that basketball lends itself to photographic excellence far more than any other professional sport.

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No, I haven’t forgotten about the IGBT chatter on TV commercials; just need a day or two to do some research and find a morning where 800 of the planned 1,000 or 1,100 words are taken up with game minutia.

But just in case you'd forgotten this thespian effort.

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I don’t know Dwane Casey’s political bent, or if he’s at interested in the shenanigans that go on involving elected leaders but I bet he would have liked to have been at the White House yesterday with the Mavs to meet Obama.

Maybe not as much as he liked coaching a win but, just the same, when you get to meet a fellow of that stature, it’s got to be pretty good.

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The verdict on Ricky Rubio?

Still fun to watch but certainly not at his highest creative level.

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Of all the ridiculous things in North American sport – and the list is long – the one thing that might be the most ridiculous is NCAA football.

I don’t watch an awful lot but bowl season used to be kind of good, one on New Year’s Eve and a handful on New Year’s Day and it was at least destination viewing.

Now? Now they play one game sometime in early January between teams that haven’t had a game for more than a month and it’s supposed to determine some kind of paper champion?

Not only did the game suck – or so I’m told by people who know these things – but the lower ranked team won and is now No. 1 despite splitting two games, neither of which was a playoff game, over the course of the season.

Aside from all the other stuff wrong with that sport – and we don’t have to get into it right at the moment – that’s downright stupid and turning the sport, for me and a lot of others, I imagine, entirely irrelevant.

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Oh yeah.

Some real life things have popped up at the last minute – and Cathal was scheduled to do the game all the time – so I’m sitting out tonight’s titanic struggle between the HOTH and the Winless Wiz.

Real life things and I’m not sure I’d be able to handle the angst and anger should the locals lose.

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Comments

[Matt M]

I'm beginning to suspect that splitting DeRozan and Bargnani might be the best way to get DeRozan going. I'd be curious, if I was the coach, how DeRozan would react to being the main guy off the bench so that the ball can be in his hands almost every possession when he comes into the game. But anyways, good game by the Raptors. Rubio was fun to watch most of the game. I'd love to see him in a Raptors uniform.
Next season, if the Raptors have to pick between Davis and Johnson they are going to have a mighty hard decision to make. I'd be leaning Johnson at this point.

[LeeZ]

Doug, what was this in reference to? the Lovely and Talented Adriana after the game

Blogger's note: The woman who got the quote

[Jeff]

Sincerely no offense, but...

Every time you saw Morris pitch a big game, huh Doug? Was that when he was racking up a 6.75 ERA in the '92 ALCS, or an 8.44 ERA in the World Series that year? Or when he was giving up 6 runs over 8 innings in his only appearance in the '87 ALCS? I know the guy pitched one of the most legendary performances of all time in game 7 of '91, but I'm just not prepared to put someone in the Hall for one (even spectacular) game. And let's face it, that single game has skewed everyone's memories. Do we put Gibson in for the '88 HR or Joe Carter in for the '93 one? Morris never won a single Cy Young, and his closest career comparables statistically include Dennis Martinez, Bob Gibson, Luis Tiant and Jamie Moyer, only one of which is a HOFer (or frankly, even close).

I think you did miss a lot of Barry Larkin's excellence. He spent a good chunk of time as the best shortstop in baseball, and in the discussion for best player in the NL if not all of baseball. In 1995 or 1996 I can't imagine there are too many players you'd have picked before him if you were building a team around someone. (Especially if you eliminate the juicers!) He had speed, power, hit for average and had excellent defense. The voters got this one right.

[sam]

Jack Morris pitched some classic games over his career in Detroit, Minnesota and Toronto. He seemed to pitch to the occasion though which may work against him getting the final nod for the Hall of fame. For ever 10 inning low scoring game he pitched there were times that his team was substantially ahead and he took advantage of his team lead. He should be in the Hall though.

At one point in the fourth quarter last night saw DeMar make a shot. To be honest - I forgot he was on the floor at the time.
Amir's best game of the season - Andrea and Jose played pretty strong at both ends. Butler had a lot of open looks that just didn't go in. If only James Johnson could score. . . . .

If they were going to schedule games back to back to back - wouldn't it make sense for all 3 games to be home games? or at least the first 2 games home and game three on the road.

[Sean]

Dave Stieb was actually a much better pitcher then Jack Morris. Morris had more terrible post season games then good ones and is very overrated. He does not deserve to go into the hall of fame. There was no point during the 80's that Morris was even one of the top 3 pitchers in baseball.

[RR]

Also have to agree with Jeff and disagree with you on Jack Morris. I think your memories of Jack are skewed by that 1991 world series.

His lowest ERA in a full season was 3.27, he hit 3.05 in the strike shortened season of 1981 over 25 games.

It's really a shame Dave Stieb didn't have the run support that Jack Morris got over those years, he was actually a much better pitcher.

[LeeZ]

Time for a good rant, Doug. Today's victim? Demar. I feel this is a pivotal time in his career. At around the same time, Bosh was having a similar problem: never being rewarded for being hacked when he took it to the hoop. Did Bosh sulk and try to avoid contact? No, quite the contrary in fact. He just kept taking it to the rack and taking his lumps until, lo and behold, the refs started paying him his proper respect and the foul calls started coming his way. But instead of inviting contact the way Bosh did (and I grant you, the two have different body types and Bosh was more able to absorb contact), Demar is doing everything in his power to AVOID contact. He double clutches. He dipsy doodles. He'll resort to reverse layup attempts (on which he, yes, double clutches and dipsy doodles). ANYTHING but taking off with that explosive leap of his and going STRAIGHT TO the basket and putting the ball down at the HEIGHT of his leap (instead of double clutching). Oh, he'll start scoring his points, of course. He'll have some games in the 30's soon, almost all consisting of mid- and long-range jumpers. But if he wants to be anything more than an average player in this league, he'll heed my rant! End 'o rant.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Morning Doug,
If Toronto fans are hungry for a lunch-bucket, no-showboating, just-get-er-done player to root for, they don't get much better than Amir Johnson. He's that Antonio Davis kind of guy you can count on to play "really grimy" (his words, great quote, great theme), put four other guys on his shoulders, and win it in the trenches. The guy's just 25, strong like bull, and his best years are still ahead of him.
Wake up DeRoz, bring back Bayless and Kleiza, and this team will start making some interesting waves already this year.
Cheers. Go Raps!

[JohnnieP]

The work put in by the 2 Johnsons last night was amazing to watch. Not always pretty, but certainly gritty. I like the switch it up idea of letting Barbosa run the show for stretches in Bayless' absence. He's one of few players on the team who, at least from an energy perspective, is a constant, and Carter's seemed marginal in his impact. If that also gets Forbes some minutes, that's be great too. I would think that his shooting has to be at least as effective as Butler's, and in some games, it seems no wing's got anything resembling a decent shot...
Reading faces in last nights game, Ed Davis and DeMar both looked, at times, as if they were entirely disengaged, and thinking of some distant place in the future where their star like properties would be appreciated... is there a sense closer to the team that they're becoming dispirited by the hard work/reward approach, and that others are outperforming them and stealing the spotlight? I almost wonder if Casey's call to Andrea being the star that he should be has left them feeling second tier and unappreciated.

[JT]

Doug,

Sorry but I've been on vacation for almost 3 weeks and haven't read up on your blog but 2 questions:
1.) Who's Adriana (chronicler of Andrea)? And what paper/media outlet does she work for?
2.) What's up with Forbes? I thought he was brought in to compete for a starting role or one of the first guys to come off the bench to score yet looking at the box scores, he's barely playing.
Thanks!

Blogger's note: An Italian publication and he was brought in for roster depth and is providing it

[Lorie]

Oh, Doug!
Thank you for the fashion observation! "Windowpane suit"! Wonderful detail, but don't be afraid to stop there! Perhaps next time you could even expand the style commentary a little bit and let us know, for example, if the shirt was white, coloured, French or barrel cuffs, button-down? Oh, and you know me: shoes - Brogues, Oxfords or Loafers? Thank you! Loving the ever-widening scope of topics covered here! And those were terrific photos by Richard Lautens; and I've been meaning to ask since you started featuring his photos if he's related to the wonderful (and still very much missed) Gary Lautens? Cheers!

Blogger's note: He's a son

[Dave]

Doug, any update on Linas Kleiza's visit to his Doctor in Colorado yesterday?

Blogger's note: No

[D]

Dear Rasual Butler:

When you are 1 for 8, please stop chucking up shots and pass the ball to someone who can score more effectively. Play defense, that is what you are better at. Oh, and get in the gym and work on the shooting please, you are a vet, not a rookie, we expect better as I am sure you you yourself.

Thanks

Toronto Fans Everywhere

[Pipit]

Dear D,

I appreciate your comment but your little tirade shows that you don't know basketball at all. I'm paid to shoot. I'm license to shoot. The team run plays for someone to be open and when I'm open, I will not hesitate to shoot even if I'm 0 for 8. If you want to blame anyone on my shooting slump, blame Dwayne because he still trust me to be a starter and play 10-15 minutes per game.

Regards,
Rasual

[LeeZ]

@D: Spot on, my good man/woman! And Doug, you rightly complain about too many ticky tack fouls being called, but then again, the refs really let some whoppers go. One in particular: it was under the Raps' defensive basket, and Amir and Love were fighting for position underneath. On tv, the camera was on the baseline right in front of them, so it was a perfect view (from your perch, you may not have seen this). It was like an offensive lineman vs a defensive lineman, and it lasted about five seconds. The outcome? Amir just grabbed Love and threw him to the ground! I was peeing myself! Could not BELIEVE he wasn't called for a foul. Seriously, Amir should get the flu more often. He was a BEAST out there.

[Will]

@ Matt M

How do you propose that Derozan will be better on the court w/o Bargnani? There would be only 5 minutes per game when that is relevant. Even now DeRozan is on the floor a bit when Bargs is taking a blow. DeRozan just needs to be better - period. MAybe our expectations of him are too high?

[Tim H.]

Re: NCAA Bowl games. Being of a certain vintage like you, I too recall the times when you could spend an entire New Year's Day watching competitive games. Of course that was also before the games were named after big corporations.
Now, I check the internet to see how the 'local' schools have done, and that's it.
Unfortunately, I fear that March Madness may be headed down a similar road. But, it at least produces a true champion.

[james]

Jeff, Sean and RR have said it all: Jack Morris was a very durable pitcher on very good teams. On occasion he was excellent in big games. Luis Tiant, for one, was a better pitcher.
LeeZ: Demar is a kid. This should be his rookie year. If he develops at the same rate as Andrea, he will be something in three years.

[Striker 77]

@Pipit...

That was hilarious!

[Brook]

Hey Doug, hope the personal things came through all right. Care to openly speculate why Barea (who really sparkled and seemed to keep them in it almost by himself) sat for the last 6 minutes -- coincidentally when they couldn't score. I watched the game with the the T-wolves commentators. They are total homers, but they made a theme of "why does the T-wolves second unit out-perform the first." I'm sure Rubio is a big part of it, but they claimed (midway through the game) the +/- for the second unit is +149 on the season, whereas the starters were -60. I don't really follow +/-, but that is crazy.

Blogger's note: Total speculation but Berea is tiny and there are some defensive issues with him and either Ridnour or Rubio on the court; but the kid can score

[Matthew Kovacs]

Afetrnoon Doug,
It is absoulutely hilarious how Demar is turning into an old Andrea, and Andrea is turning into an old Demar. If only we had some sort of a cloning device, and I think it would solve a lot more than demar and andrea.

[joeu]

If you're going to use stats to qualify a career, at least pick some important ones. In baseball, the winning team is not decided by individual ERA.

254 Career Wins
4 World Series Rings
17 MLB Seasons

Sure he pitched for the Jays at the end of his career, but even as a 37 year old, he lead them to the world series in 1993.

[Thane]

To all of those mentioning Steib, he'll get it. It'll just take another decade until the Veteran's committee is allowed to review him. Especially now with the advanced stats, it's becoming much more obvious that Steib was a HoF quality pitcher - his disinclusion will not be permanent.

In other news, it was heartening to see McGriff get a vote increase - hopefully in four o five years he'll get the nod (especially when his 493 HRs are compared to all the steroid-era players). Borderline? For sure - but if he's not in, he'll have the highest HR total of any clean player not in the Hall.

[Penguin]

Those of you who recall Bosh early in his career fighting for the ball under the basket (LeeZ) must also share the view that Jack Morris, based on a few sterling performances, deserves to be HOF. For years, many criticized Bosh for NOT battling under the basket (his frame was slighter then since he was 1 kid when he was drafted). He developed into a somewhat stronger battler only in the past few years. DD also is still young, somewhat underdeveloped as yet. We'll see how he comes along, but I'm betting that he'll get it and drive the basket more (hey, remember how we also used to get on HWSNBN for settling for jumpers in between the odd spectacular dunk?

[doug]

Jack deserves the Hall, his vote % went up 15 % this year so he's on the right track....I am torn on Larkin, if it was a strong class i don't think he would have garnered the votes....DD will be fine, he's a young kid, trying to grow and re-define his game, so it's a big learning curve.....Barg's and Amir were beasts last night, and JJ is to me by all appearances starting to get it, maturing and very coachable.....all in all despite the amount of whistles a good game, aren't all wins?/....