Not much to see out of that one

Well, that was a rather ho-hum night, wasn’t it?

One of those feelings of inevitability washed over the game about the middle of the third quarter; there was one team that was tougher and stronger and more determined and more dominant near the basket.

And then there were the Raptors, who – and we’ve said this a kazillion times – simply have to get tougher. Or else.

Anyway …

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THREE POINTERS

A little too little

I, and I thought the coaches, were a bit intrigued by seeing how much they could get out of a backcourt of Jose Calderon and Jerryd Bayless.

I have a feeling it’s a bit too small but it should allow either of them – both good shooters – to play off the ball in the corner or on the wing and that should create some space for guys like DeRozan and Bargnani.

Well, after one night, who knows?

There was a stretch in the first half that was very much a feeling out process with nothing significant to report and then Jerryd got whacked by Amar’e Stoudemire in the second half and the experiment was aborted.

No clue how bad the hip pointer is – and since there’s no shootaround this morning we won’t know until tonight – but it is something we need to see more of.

And I’d like to see some Calderon-Bayless-Forbes, if only for a minute or two because I think that can be a bit powerful offensively if they ever figure it out.

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Give him credit

We seem to be ragging on DeRozan every now and then for not getting to the free throw line, or not seeking out contact often enough, and one of the goals the coaching staff set for him this year was to take more free throws.

Well, he only three last night but he did have a dozen the other night in Charlotte and it looks like he’s starting to get it more consistently as the season drones on.

Like just about everything to do with the young ‘uns on this team, this season is all about developing consistency while we haven’t seen it often enough on too many fronts – see Ed Davis, DeRozan, Amir Johnson – it’s something to over the final 20 or so games of the regular season.

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Handling the pressure

Or, rather, not handling it well enough.

Was a bit surprised to see the aggressive defence the Knicks played almost all over the court last night – it runs counter to what we’ve seen from them for years – and was a bit surprised the Raptors didn’t attack it more forcefully.

Yes, it’s a solid tactic to pick guys up right at halfcourt, or even in the backcourt, because it slows offences down, makes attacking teams start their sets much further from the basket than they’d like but there’s a reason most teams don’t do it more often:

It doesn’t always work.

What you have to do is go by it quickly, either with passes or the dribble, and the Raptors were far too passive for far too long and it bogged down the offence considerably.

I’m not sure that’s a defensive tactic that will work consistently but if wings aren’t going to come back and get the ball and if point guards can’t get by their man quickly, it’s enough to mess up a team for a night, or a quarter, or a handful of possessions, and that’s just what happened to Toronto last night.

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Wee bit more?

We’ve got some.

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Alex Smith signs new deal with the San Francisco 49ers?

Hmm.

Hope he cuts his agent’s fee a wee bit.

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When we come to talk about the greatest athletes of our era, we usually come up with a list of usual suspects we see or hear about almost every week. Or at least have in the recent past.

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Wayne Gretzky, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt.

Each has been spectacular over time, dominating their sports like few others and the names roll easily off the tongue.

Here’s one that gets short shrift, at least in this little corner of the world and when you’re talking about the best now and the best ever, it’s a name that can’t be ignored.

Lionel Messi.

Yeah, the soccer dude, from Barcelona; we rarely see him but the dude may go down eventually as the greatest ever.

I first heard about him at the Beijing Olympics when he was little more than pup in the grand scheme of things.

But what he’s accomplished now is, simply, incredible and he’s pretty much the biggest reason that I watch Barcelona-Madrid every time I can.

Kid had three goals the other night in a La Liga game and the roll he’s on is pretty much incomparable in all of sports.

He’s got 154 goals in 153 La Liga games over three seasons, has 49 more in Champions League play and 19 more in the Copa del Rey.

I’m not sure there’s a comparison that can be made, actually. Probably doesn’t have to be because it’s blatantly unfair to talk about one athlete in one sport and try to explain what he’s doing in the context of others.

Suffice it to say, though, that he will go down as one of the greatest footballers of all time and if you appreciate athletic greatness on the biggest of stages, maybe it’s time to broaden the horizons a little bit and catch a Barca game if you can.

Never mind whether you like soccer or not or even understand the nuances of the game – I enjoy watching but can’t dissect the strategy to save my soul – this is sporting excellence and further investigation might lead you to appreciate it more.

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So Super Dog goes the doctor yesterday to get checked for periodic limp and now we’re facing some kind of surgery (not ACL but something to do with the kneecap) and if anyone’s got any good freelance work available, I’m all ears.

Yeesh.

Great dog, cute as a button but, wow.

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Yes, we’ll be back with the usual IGBT tonight (please stop by, it’s a lot of fun most of the time) and we’d better get the mail stuff started since I’ve got games Friday and Saturday and the Olympics coverage meeting Thursday afternoon that could take a few hours.

Thanks. Go here and do it.

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Comments

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Mike Woodson was the right call for the Knicks.
And Linsanity is no accident. Can’t think of another ‘newish’ guard that’s impressed me any more than Jeremy Lin. He’s an excellent ball handler; an excellent passer; an excellent facilitator; an excellent shooter. He can hit from range, and he knows how to use the glass. His footwork is great. His defence is perfectly adequate too. He may not end up being the biggest story in the NBA this year, but he’s definitely the best – the guy got, and used, his chance to show he can flat-out play. Good for him!
ED had a pretty decent game. Good for him, too. The rest? Saw some nice stuff now and then from Bargs; and DeRoz, well, in the first half (no D, though). Otherwise, pretty lame all around. Especially Kleiza. What is going on with this guy right now?
Cheers. Go Raps!

[alex]

Agreed, the raptors do need some toughness. In the grand scheme of things though, it's in our best interest to tank (I'm sure you already know this and I'm stating the obvious). We're on the treatmill right now of being one of those teams that always place somewhere between 14th-25th in the league and never break out.

I don't think there are many special characteristics about our current group of players, although that might be jaded by not having a legit superstar that makes the wheels turn.

[Penny]

After watching the last few games, I was wondering why Andrea is taking so many 3 point shots. He wasn't doing this as much before he was injured. Is he still favoring his sore leg?

[Ed]

Too bad about Super Dog (and Super Wallet ...) My kid's pet rat (yes rat) was sick, so off to the vet we went. I came home $100.00 poorer and the wee beastie died a week later. Kid was happy so it was worth it.

[sam]

It seems the HOTH had another rough one last night. Jose comes in, Bayless goes out. When you think you're seeing some positive signs the boys drop a sluggish performance on you. The knicks werea a tough team last night. The Raps had too many turnovers and at times a little sloppy protecting the ball. It doesn't get any easier tonight against the Bulls.

[Steve]

Oh dear, I am impressed that you found anywhere to start with today's write up. Probably the worst performance we have seen since before the all star break.

[David in Oakville]

I can't say I am surprised by the Knicks defensive strategy last night. My memory of the Valentines tilt in TO was that the Raps and Calderone dominated the first half and managed to force Lin turnovers. In the 2nd half the Knicks (and Shumpert especially) started pestering the ball carrier (and Calderone particularly) in the back court slowing the Raps down and forcing them to work more. It was effective then and apparently last night as well. Not surprised the Knicks tried it but I am surprised the Casey did not have a response for it.

As for SuperDog, we have a small dog as well (a 20 lb Schnoodle). He also has a mysterious back leg limp that shows up every now and then. It is not a limp so much as a funny hop where he seems reluctant to put his left back leg down. He has had this since he was a puppy (he is four now). It freaked me out at first until I mentioned it to my vet. She said it is not uncommon in smaller dogs because their kneecap on their back leg floats. While walking it can get into a weird position causing the dog to think something is wrong with their leg and then to hop. She said it causes the dog no pain or discomfort and usually works itself back into position after a few strides. Surgery was never recommended. But if you want to talk about crazy vet bills, ask me about my kitten who loves the taste of plastic and has a propensity to swallow small rubber objects. I did get some really cool x-rays as momentos though (and I still have the cat).

[LeeZ]

Doug, if you insist on pulling a Romney (strapping the dog to the roof of the car while taking the family on Canadian vacations), you can't expect sympathy when he develops a limp!
;-)

[Bill]

Having dog problems is just like having car problems; all you can do is take it to the vet/mechanic and trust that he is honest with you with the problem and his suggested cure/fix. And there is no telling if he's charging you extra or if the work he suggested is proper for the problem or if he's even actually doing the work that he suggested.

Good luck with it and let's hope Super Dog have a speedy recovery.

[Matthieu]

"Here’s one that gets short shrift, at least in this little corner of the world"
Well, I can tell you that, at least in Europe, Messi is HUGE.
I really think he's great but wonder if he can truly be considered as the best ever before he wins anything with his national team.

[LakeSimcoe]

The game was over when NYK forced two turnover in a row in 4Q. This shows how vulnerable DC's theory--give the ball to the best player--is.
So forget JV, we still need one more high draft pick this season so that Raps can have more options, particularly at crunch time (what? you mean DD?).
-------------------------------------------
Wow, Friday's game will be in Mandarin! What a hype! This wasn't happen even in Ming's dynasty. So this question come to my mind, what are the 5 most hyped players thus far? (If not limited to NBA, David Beckham surely top my list).

[Nasko]

I think Messi is the best soccer player of the last 30 years, for sure. The game has changed, is a lot faster now, to see him dominate it the way he has with Barca is absolutely amazing. Pep Guardiola, Barca's coach, compared him to Jordan and I think this is pretty fair comparison. It is a pleasure to watch him.

[james]

That game really causes one to wonder whether the Knicks had quit on D'Antoni, at least one of them.
Checking in with the boys at "Court Surfing" there was one startling revelation, that the Atlanta Hawks have yet to get beyond the second round of the playoffs in 44 years! So neither Mike Woodson nor Dominique ever made the second round; back when the NBA first penetrated my consciousness, the St. Louis Hawks were the second best team in the league and often made the finals. Clearly Raptor fans need patience with Colangelo's five-year plan.
Thanks for the Messi mention. His only peer is Pele. And it never occurs to him to dive.

[Peter]

Thanks to your blog today, I just watched some YouTube of Messi. That dude can PLAY!! Thanks!

[Mark]

Messi makes it look so easy it's sickening. Not bad for a 24 year old.

[Lorie]

Hey Doug,
Poor Super Dog. Poor Super Bank Account. But you know you've gotta do everything possible to care for them. These damn pets of ours: all they need to do is look at us with those big sad eyes and don't they just melt away any hesitation one might have to get them anything but the very best treatment money can buy? And they really, really appreciate it! At least that's what I tell myself everytime I fork over a chunk of change to the vet for all kinds of "preventative" care and by prescription only all-natural food; or to the dog groomer for buffing, grooming and massaging I can only dream of; or to the chi-chi holistic centre for relaxed and reassuring care when I have to go out of town. Oh, and I know it's thanks in those feline eyes every time I carry LizLemon, our 30-lb wonder cat who all of a sudden won't "do" stairs, down all those flights to the litter box. She couldn't possibly be thinking: "Got you again, Sucker."
Now, isn't this a day? Got me thinking summer time. This kind of Summertime. Cheers! Go Raps! But first, let's all head to the nearest patio bar. :)
http://youtu.be/iCaPno7QChY

[Moshigh]

I think the steam is running out of this Raptors ship. Expect a couple losses in a row at least. Bargnani still doesnt have his legs + Im sure he lost some motivation not that Raptors are virutally eliminated.

The only thing I like about Dogs is when the stay off my lawn. Nothing angers me more then you dog owners allow your dog to do its business and leave it or even pick it up. I have children and use my hands in my grass. Please bring your dog to your own house and make it do it there. Thats my vent session. Keep your dog mess at your own house!!!

Blogger's note: Wow, three of the next four are against Chicago and Orlando. Bold prediction on the losses. And do you stop birds from flying over your lawn, too?

[D-Mac Ottawa]

I remember my friend Bubs bringing home a cat in the 70s and the first thing out of his mouth was, “This is a $200 cat. That’s my limit. He gets $200 worth of vets and that’s it; anything over that, he stays with the vet.” The next week that cat had a $300 broken leg… and it went through one $200 incident after the next for the next 22 years. That cat got way more than its nine lives’ worth, and Bubs could have probably bought it a nice university education on the vet bills alone.
Can we play Moneyball here for a minute? I’m looking at next year – the Raps have a nice stable of bigs and will finally have a true inside scoring presence with JV coming onboard. They need a scoring slasher, badly. They need another point guard. And they need a three-point shooter. The Moneyball part is this: I think they should go for a player and a pick for DeRoz. And I call it a Moneyball thing because I think they already have a DeRoz on the roster who’s providing more for less – and his name is James Johnson. Hear me out for a minute.
Both DD and JJ will be unrestricted free agents in 2014. DD will make $3.4 mil next year and $4.5 mil the next. JJ will make $2.8 mil next year and $3.9 million the next.
Right now, DD is averaging 16.1 points per game; JJ is averaging 8.4. But JJ plays 10 fewer minutes per game. Meanwhile, JJ is shooting a higher percentage from 2 (44.6% compared with DD’s 41.4%) and from 3 (29.7% vs. 27%). JJ does lag from the line: 69.6% vs. 79.9%. Meanwhile, JJ is out-rebounding DeRoz 4.7 vs. 3.4 per game (yes, positioning is definitely a factor; given). They’re dead even on assists (1.9 per game each). JJ gets 1.31 steals per game; DD 0.87. JJ also takes care of the ball a bit better: 1.5 turnovers per game versus 2.0.
DeRoz can jump over billboards – but he rarely uses that ability as a shot blocker. DeRoz has had 14 swats all season (0.3 per game), JJ has had 65 (1.44 per game). Why such a difference? It’s sure not athleticism. It’s the defensive priority and attitude, and you have to give JJ his full props there. If DC wants to stress defensive importance, JJ fills that bill far better than DeRoz.
The question is, can you give up DeRoz’s scoring potential for what JJ provides when playing 10 or more additional minutes per game? I kind of think so. Especially if/when you’ve got that scoring slasher on the roster (which DeRoz doesn’t look to be morphing into – people always talk about Jose playing too “safe”; DeRoz plays it way more “safe” than Jose, by not taking it hard to the hoop when he’s already within two feet of said hoop, and by taking it easy too often on D; he can’t use a lack of quicks as an excuse, while Jose actually can) – plus another scoring point guard, plus a 3-point shooting threat (Kleiza’s not exactly that; supposed to be, but not reliable enough). JJ has also shown a willingness to drive hard to the lane, and he’s developing a good inside/out shooting range and game in general. Discuss?
One other question: Why do NBA teams have guys like Solo on their rosters? Sure, it’s great for Solo (and his agent) to be collecting that kind of pay cheque – but how is a guy like Solo ever going to have a chance to actually develop his game while sitting on a bench during two of the most prime years of his potential playing life? How can he possibly get a contract extension under these circumstances? And what is it that he’s actually bringing to the team? Especially this year, there’s no time for practice; and last year, when they did have time, he had so little experience and savvy that he was actually a danger to his teammates whenever he was on the floor. So, no knock on Solo at all (hey, good for him for being there!), but how does a guy like that find his way onto an NBA bench in the first place, and where is it he’s expected to go from there? Just curious.
Cheers. Go Raps!

[sportschick]

Nice to see Messi getting some love in this little corner. I wonder how Jose feels about him, since he plays for the arch enemy? I assume he respects his skills even if he plays for Barca.

I didn't get around to commenting yesterday, but I must say that you do a good job of covering a lot of issues and bringing out some interesting comments well worth reading. Being late to the issue, I'll comment only on the aesthetic side of things with respect to the uniforms, and say that I'm not looking forward to seeing five of those on the floor at one time!

[doug]

well I have golfed in March before much to my chagrin as I am not a early springtime golfer but some of my pals are...but this year, this is not early spring time golf or late spring time golf it's summer golf, just no grass growing or leaves but still unreal....@D-Mac I see your point, and I am of the school of thought that the Raps need to do something to upgrade the talent on this team and if it involves moving whatever piece of the roster it has to be considered...this summer will be a interesting one and I am anxious as well as dubious in seeing this "plan" come to fruition....all will be forgiven if we get the A.D ping pong ball.....I sometimes wonder if younger people understand when sport wasn't a business as much as it is now?/....as this week you discussed agents and in your mail maybe last weekend??, (my mind isn't a steel trap it use to be) a question was asked and answered by you, (in my opinion quite well) about a stipend for NCAA players...well Andy Staples who writes for S.I. on the NCAA and is usually a fine writer...had this piece today, which I find wrong on so many levels, he is a young guy so to him he doesn't see a issue with what he proposes as to him business has always been a part of sport...to me their are so many potential problems to me in the article it perplexes me as to how he can even think for a second it is a viable alternative..an overview, it involves agents "loaning money" to NCAA players and they pay it back upon signing their first contract, to him it solves the problem of conflict of interest witrh agents and players getting paid .. I am not kidding, I can't make this stuff up....anyways happy patioing, and by the way, I feel for you and your dog, but that's why I have a aquarium and my vet is my toilet....cheers...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/03/20/josh.luchs.book/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a3

[james]

D-Mac: Very persuasive. I hope management has taken note.

[doug]

oh and also just a thought on the Knicks...I don't believe in coincidences so no Baron Davis for a couple games and again the Knicks are gelling as is Lin, as they were previous to his arrival...what's the old saying "too many cooks in the kitchen"...