Very cool restraint by you Raptors fans

I was stunned that all through yesterday and into last night that whenever I wandered to the comments section here there was no outrage, no clamouring for explanations, none of the angst that I’m used to.

After all, the NBA released its annual GMs pre-season poll – the one about who’ll win and why, who’s good now and will be good in the future and who the stars of the game truly are – and the HOTH were, well, basically snubbed.

Shock.

Horror.

Outrage.

Okay, maybe not.

But you’d have to look far and wide to find even a mention of anything Raptors and that kind of snub generally sets some of the masses aflame. It’s anti-Canadian! It’s a fraud perpetrated by the evil-doers in the American media! It’s David Stern telling everyone to ignore all things Canada! If Bryan hadn’t drafted all those Euros, they’d be loved everywhere!

(I mock because I love; honest)

The funny thing is, I’m kind of surprised there was any mention of anything to do with the Raptors.

And the fact most of them had to do with guys who’d never played a single NBA game – Kyle Lowry as the most under-rated acquisition of the summer was the only one to do with a “veteran” – isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

The GMs, or at least a few of them, think Jonas Valanciunas would be the European player most likely to have a breakout season, they like the athleticism of Terry Ross and Quincy Acy and Ross got a vote for rookie who might be a sleeper this year.

Not bad, I guess, when the future is being taken into consideration and, really, not that big an indictment of the holdover players. After all, four straight years of missing the playoffs – and not really being in the race late in any of those seasons – will knock down a team’s profile a peg or two.

But, in reality, it’s all guesswork, although I suppose the poll does give a glimpse into the thinking of rival GMs if, in fact, they actually did the voting and didn’t pass off the chore to minions.

And in that vein, one thing really caught my eye:

The majority of voters would rather now have Kevin Durant rather than Kobe Bryant take the shot with the game on the line. That caught me totally off guard.

Other than that, not sure there’s much to argue about any of the picks but you know what I want to see next year?

A poll of the worsts. Worst defensive player, high draft pick who’ll have no discernible impact, player you’d least like to see with the ball in their hands and the game’s on the line.

They keep the results of this one anonymous, why not go that way and we’ll really see what GMs think.

How much fun would that be?

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Oh well, we’re here, they played this the other night at the game and I cannot get it out of my freaking head.

Someone help me, I’m not a big Randy Newman fan.

Please!

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Hang on a second.

It’s Fashion Week back there?

And they’ve conveniently found a way for me to be away until Saturday afternoon?

Hmm.

I smell a rat.

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So, how’d the lads look last night?

The report I got from various spies, insiders and know-it-alls was that Lowry was solid down the stretch, Valanciunas was a factor even if the stats didn’t show it and it was a rather tidy win.

And I would strongly suggest that since we’ve seen Lowry, DeRozan Fields, Bargnani and Valanciunas on such a regular basis, there’s no reason to think that’s not going to be the starting lineup on opening night.

But the one thing I did hear that continues to be troubling is that they committed 19 turnovers and if that kind of shoddy ball-handling continues, two things are going to happen:

Dwane is going to explode into little bits and nobody wants that.

And

They are going to get absolutely drilled some nights.

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Remind me the next time someone asks about locker room opulence in the NBA that the Lakers – as big, successful, rich and powerful as they are – are far down the list in the space their players get at the Staples Center.

Now, the back parts, where the prying eyes from the media are gouged out of heads should they inadvertently see them, might be gorgeous and well appointed and as you’d think a Laker thing would be.

The locker room where we get to work?

Relatively tiny, not as big as the Raptors digs and decidedly pedestrian.

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Do you think it’s a good thing when the menu says “Cajun blackened fish” and you ask the server what kind of fish it might be and he says:

“I’m not sure. But it’s good.”

No, not a good thing at all.

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Yeah, okay, so the Lakers have a smallish locker room. What makes it worse is the crazy amount of media around this team.

I get that the 50 or 60 folks in the locker room Sunday might have been there primarily because it was Dwight Howard’s first game (he looks pretty good, the Lakers are going to be phenomenal, by the way) but 40 or so folks at practice on Monday was a bit much.

I thought there were, and are, too many folks around the HOTH on a usual day; if this is the norm out here, I have no idea how anyone gets any legit work done.

The biggest flaw in our industry is that we all play follow the leader too much, we have too many people wasting time going over what happened last night instead of what’s going to happen tomorrow and the bigger the crowd, the harder it is to get something interesting.

Good luck to ‘em out here.

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For real, do not get used to this stuff being up at this time, the second night out west is always the worst for me, sleep-wise. And, besides, things will get back to normal with me having to work at night very soon.

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Oh yeah, my man Dan did a bang-up job; and I'm sorry I've seen the end of the Jerel McNeal-Chris Wright eras.

 

Comments

[Tim H.]

"Someone help me, I’m not a big Randy Newman fan.

Please!"

Play "Call Me, Maybe" - that will never leave your head!

[Tim H.]

Hey Doug:
Your link to "my man Dan's" story takes me to a Canadian Press story.

Blogger's note: Think it's fixed

[Alan C.]

I did like their grit down the stretch, but it was the kind of game where whoever was on a run near the end was going to win it, and I guess Lowry made sure they were. What was more troubling was the ease with which Ellis and Dunleavy could get, and make, open shots.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Morning Doug,
The farther off the radar these Raps can stay, the better. They are going to spoil a few parties this year, I believe. And if you saw any of the Jerel McNeal-Chris Wright eras, you saw way more than the rest of us.
John Lucas III is one terrific shooter! Our new Dell Curry. But the guy I've been most impressed with this pre-season has been DeRoz. He's aggressive. He's efficient. He's looking locked in and really, really good.
Cheers. Go Raps!

[Filip T]

Hey Doug,
Whats the situation with Kleiza? Injury? Seems like he's lost his minutes to Anderson. What am I missing?

Blogger's note: Anderson's better defensively

[Peter]

So let me get this straight. You came from another country, and three time zones away to cover practice games and pre-season practices, and you're complaining about the amount of media surrounding the team? :)

Yeah, I can't figure it out either!!

[Lorie]

Hello Doug,
Man, that is a tough one. Nah, not the obviously - and so tediously predictable - biased-against-Canada NBA GM's survey. (And it's going to be so satisfying watching the HOTH prove 'em wrong this season.) I'm talking Fashion Week. I just know that for you spending time in LA with the sun and Steve Nash and The Stanley Cup doesn't come close to spending a rainy week in Toronto celebrating fashion. Well, I hear you. And I'm here for you. So, I'll get you up to speed on what you missed yesterday and it was splendid, fresh styles from Pink Tartan. And these - stunning, exquisite, absolutely gorgeous dresses from those two kids from Montreal - Pavoni. Have a look: http://youtu.be/lrALR4irqlw
And thanks for the earworm. Back at ya. A little Fashion Kryptonite. And remember the wise words of Coco (No, not Crisp, I'm talking Chanel) who famously said "I don't do fashion. I am fashion." And from legendary Bill Blass who might have been speaking to our Raptors: "When in doubt, wear red." (Or light red for you, Doug.)
http://youtu.be/UBjLn981reY

[Dan Smith]

"Valanciunas was a factor even if the stats didn’t show it and it was a rather tidy win".....What!?!! 8 rebounds, 10 points and 4 blocks in under 28 minutes - that's a great line -you would think a "basketball guy" would see this! Especially for a young rookie in only his 4th game, he committed two early t/o's adjusted and didn't turn the ball over once more the rest of the night. And speaking of "adjusting" he was in foul trouble in Montreal, adjusted that game to not commit anymore after his 4th which carried into last nights game.

[Eric-in-NS]

Not bothered by GM survey. This team has some of the pre-season feel of the team that won the Division a few years ago after bringing in several new players. Not to say I expect them to win the division, but they are better than last year and seem headed in the right direction. Garbajosa was one of the new ones on that division-winning team, Anthony Parker another. Who else was new that year? (no fair Googling).

[Ren]

Kleiza looks terrible from what I have seen this year.
Doesn't seem like he fits the NBA - it has taken too long for him to get back in.
he doesn't make shots and he can't guard a three or a four.
All he has is perhaps a post up on a three - how many times can that happen?

[LeeZ]

@DMac: Bang on, Sir. DD is playing some solid ball. The added heft and muscle is allowing him to finish strongly and not get bumped off his shot. And already in the pre-season, I've seen more post-up moves by him than I have in his entire career! I think this could truly be a breakout year for him.
As for Randy Newman: Doug, do yourself a favour. Go buy Good Ol' Boys. An absolute masterpiece. It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry, it'll make you angry and it'll make you marvel. You can thank me later. It's on my list of best albums of the 70's for sure.

[sherry]

Hiya Doug. Have you heard anything recently about the tv schedule? I just looked on the Raps site and so far, they only have 14 games listed as being televised!

Blogger's note: That's odd; I know they released the TV schedule a while ago and they're all on somewhere. NBA.com administers that part of the site; I'll make sure someone knows

[james]

D-Mac: "But the guy I've been most impressed with this pre-season has been DeRoz. He's aggressive. He's efficient. He's looking locked in and really, really good." I completely agree. The GMs may not think so but Demar looks ready for a break-out season.
Here I was thinking I had never seen the like of the Giants' achievement in these playoffs and Brendan Kennedy had to go and remind me of 1985.

[Ren]

What, nothing about last night's ugly ball game?
The red birdies were awful, and once again, as you mentioned, a game 7 did not live up to a game 7.
Hopefully we get some good stuff in the Series.
What was your take on the game?

Blogger's note: Yawn; went back to doing some work about the top the fourth; barely paid attention after

[RR]

Anyone who looks at all of the different survey questions and thinks the Raptors should appear more than they did is either the biggest homer in the universe or just plain delusional.

The raps should show improvement this year but it's probably hard to justify a prediction that all of a sudden they are a 45 win team. They are still very young so hopefully people can keep realistic expectations.

[Steve]

@sherry Did you have a look here?:

http://www.nba.com/schedules/national_tv_schedule/canada/

[Peter]

@Sherry at 10:51 AM

Here is the link to the printable schedule which shows the correct TV Schedule.http://www.nba.com/raptors/sites/raptors/files/elements/2012-13_broadcast_schedule.pdf

[Rob]

Raps are 5-1, the revamped superstar lakers are 0-6.

Does this preseason stat mean ANYTHING? Are these perhaps slight indicators that the raps just might be better than many thought, and that perhaps the lakers arent as invincible as they were touted.

Or will everything turn once the real games get underway?

[GM]

GMs, like journalists and fans, tend to be followers. You'll rarely see bold predections. Champions always get respect until they're not champs anymore. Bad teams are always thought to be bad until they aren't. These polls always reflect what's already happened rather than any actual in depth analysis.

[Sohail Jonest]

Hey Doug
No offense but the only other thing left from that report in NBA about players was who has the biggest D**ck in nba!!!
sorry for sarcasm but they just throw anything they could as list get to be to confusing.

[Penguin]

Hey Doug, if you have a problem with that Randy Newman song, try listening again to his song about short people - lol.

[Ted]

Hold On,,, The Raptors have fans?

Blogger's note: Trolls. What would we do without 'em? See ya