It's early days, a point well worth remembering

Oh, what the heck.

Want to do this again?

(And I’m open to suggestions)

 

THREE POINTERS

A fitting finish

As Dwane said after, and we all saw during, the game got away from them in the second quarter and nothing exemplified that more than the final minute or so.

With a lead and a chance to finish strong, the Raptors coughed the ball up for the eighth time that quarter, they committed a foul that cost them a possession and then a little gamble on defence led to a good transition opportunity for the Nets that ended with an open corner three-pointer.

It was one of the key stretches of the game, the kind of momentary lapse of concentration they simply cannot life with.

-

A bit of perspective, though

Lots of grumbling going on among The People. Got a few notes of condolence from readers for the long season ahead, a few comments suggesting this has been a horrid start the season and more than a few telling me it’s “same old, same old.”

About the only thing missing was a suggesting they start tanking the season.

Man, some of you need some patience.

Let’s recap:

They play perhaps the third best team in the conference to a buzzer beater.

They go on the road and play perhaps the fourth best team in the conference to a two-point game with about 90 seconds to go.

Sure, the rookie centre struggled Saturday a bit (if you thought he’d be good every game, you haven’t been paying attention at all) and, yes, they need more production out of their starting small forward (that’s a more troubling situation, for sure) but thing really aren’t in the toilet, people.

It’s been two games. Two freaking games.

Sometimes this rush to immediate gratification irks me no end.

-

Oh, what could be

Andrea Bargnani looked slightly disengaged for most of the night – maybe that flu bug isn’t entirely gone, maybe it’s just the way he is -- except for one moment.

There was an outstanding pass early in the game to Valanciunas for an easy basket and it’s got to be a bit maddening to know that kind of skill is there but only obvious on few occasions.

But the thing is, they might actually get something out of what should be an imposing big man duo because Bargnani’s passing skills are under-rated and Valaciunas is always going to be on the move.

Maybe it takes 10 or 20 games but that possibility is there and you know Dwane will be trying to exploit it. Hopefully the guy with the ball gets more energetic.

-

Some more?

Sure.

-

They trotted out Ralph Branca to take part in the pre-game ceremonies, and they were so under-stated they verged on boring and all I was hoping for was Bobby Thompson to show up and spoil the show.

In case you don’t get that reference, this stroll down memory lane might help.

-

So, what was it like here?

We really didn’t see a lot of remnants of Sandy; there was so obvious flooding noticeable on the descent into LaGuardia on Friday but Brooklyn, at least the part I was in, went unscathed.

I do have friends in Yonkers who didn’t have power or heat as of Saturday night and my man Kerber only got his lights back on over in Jersey at about halftime of the game.

Other than that, there wasn’t a lot of impact where I was; I just hope the folks in Jersey and Staten Island get the help the need.

There are still five- or six-hour lineups for gas, there are thousands of disgruntled marathoners in the area because the Mayor and whoever didn’t have the common sense to cancel the race five days ago like they should have. Things aren’t normal for a huge number of people, and it might not be raining or windy but there would seem to be lots and lots of work still to be done.

-

The Barclay’s Center?

It’s okay; nothing spectacular but it’s nice and new with a huge scoreboard but a muffled PA system and, frankly, it was underwhelming.

I guess $1 billon doesn’t get you what it used to.

The outside is pretty cool, it should help revitalize the area (although the people whose homes they took to build it might not care an awful lot) and that was part of the plan.

The game experience was no different than any other place and the people didn’t really seem overly-enthusiastic.

All in all, very good but I still have others in the league – Indiana, Houston (vastly under-rated) and even the new Orlando one – that I prefer.

But it’s about a hundred zillion kabillion better than either the Meadowlands or Newark.

-

Okay, we’re two games in and I have to talk to Scribble Live and the Tall Foreheads about the font on the questions/comments because you can’t read it easily enough and an iPad issue, right?

Anything else?

-

The hotel we’re at is housing what seems like a couple hundred FEMA workers who are out and about dealing with the Sandy fallout.

No, I didn’t seen Brownie and if I had, I wouldn’t have told him he was “doing a heckuva job.”

-

No, I don’t know where the missing ones went (tee-hee) but if the folks at the Air Canada Centre are reading this, something along these lines would be nice at dinner tonight.

-

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Justin]

>>Man, some of you need some patience.

Maybe the fans are impatient because they are constantly being told to be patient for a future that never arrives. It is analogous to waiting for Godot.

[Lorie]

Hi Doug,
And from me, a little more Sunday morning baseball stuff on "The Shot Heard 'Round The World" via a story from the Wall Street Journal entitled: "Was the '51 Giants Comeback a Miracle, Or Did They Simply Steal the Pennant?"...very cool piece. And the answer to the question? Well according to this story "The answer begins with a small leather case on a boy's desk in Westford, Mass..."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB980896446829227925.html
And I love that there was apparently never any bitterness from Ralph towards Bobby and that these men became - and remain - good friends. Cheers!

[sportschic]

If you want to get all technical on the Tall Foreheads you could mention the accessibility standard on colour contrast http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-WCAG20-TECHS/G18 I haven't checked it, but looking at it, the text isn't dark compared to the background, so I'd guess it won't pass, especially if you've had complaints about it.

I don't know which is more disappointing - starting out with a lead that the Raps lost, or fighting to get back and losing. Either way, I'm not worrying yet, and I don't think this roadtrip bodes well, but it's only two games in, and there were some promising signs along with some worrisome ones.

[Arlene Erven]

I'm not in a panic....figure the Raps are a work in progress with new guys to work into the system. I really like Lowry but he is a shoot first, pass second guard which in some cases can be detrimental. During last nights game, there were at least 3 occasions where he drove to the basket only to be met by tall towers, when other guys were open to pass to. Lowry was careless with the ball last night - costly turnovers. Think Bargs wasn't engaged because he didn't get the ball much at the start...but he also has to do a better job of working to get open. Raps certainly can't match the physicality of other teams bigs...as shown in first 2 games but Gray does a good job of trying.

[Dave B.]

I thought the play where Andre aggressively grabbed a rebound and went back up for a bucket was even better than the one you mentioned. It would be great to see more of it. Right now Lowry is handling the ball too much (not passing) and looking for his own shot. He is not involving Andrea in the game. I saw Andre post up several times and block out his defender only to watch Lowry jack up a shot or drive into trees. hopefully it is something that gets corrected soon.

Also, Anderson was shooting extremely well in preseason but hasn't played well since the real games started. I thought he might become the starting three. However, with the money they are paying Fields they will give him a good run before they remove him from the starting line-up.

Hopefully better results tonight. They need a win for their psyche.

[doug]

those are some nice looking cupcakes .....it is early and there are some troubling signs as well as positive one's...to me one of the troubling one's is that Casey doesn't seem to have a feel for what players to have play together, surely by now he knows this...Barg's,Amir,Jose play well together and DD,Lowry,Davis do...his sub patterns have been all over the place and yes Gray was effective in the 4th but he rode him for about 2 minutes too long...he has to be more reactive as a coach with this team as in 2nd quarter last night second unit was terrible but yet Casey rode them too long...last year he was much better at in game coaching, this year he is off to a slow start....is it just me or should I be concerned about AA and the Jays?, he hasn't named a manager nor even have we heard anything at all in regards to rumours or impending signing, FA period has started without a manager I don't know how your going to sign FA's, and he just keeps dealing with peripheral players and moves....to me that is cause to be truly alarmed...Raps as you say early but early is no excuse in my books....cheers...

[Scott]

Doug

Re: only thing missing was the suggestion to start tanking

Uhhhh that won't be coming this year without our 1st round pick. There's no way they could tank all the way to bottom 3 with a decent team like this, so no.

[Kevin Murray]

Hi Doug,

I'm using an Android phone and it is very difficult to scroll through the IGBT. Maybe a bigger scroll box would help.

I agree with the font issue too. Small print against a shaded background is a challenge at the best of times. Simple italics might be a better way to go.

[Ben]

Doug, I know from reading your blog that you like the 2-pg lineup but I have to say, from my perspective it just doesn't work unless the other team has 2 small guards. When Joe Johnson or Marshon Brooks are playing the off-guard, you can't have Jose playing. I really don't understand what Dwayne Casey is thinking. We learned from a whole season of Jay Triano playing Jarrett jack and Jose together that it doesn't work. Why must we go through this again? We are going to lose like that. Its such a basic concept you can't have a slow, 6'3 guy guarding a big quick 6'7 SG. It will NEVER work. We might as well trot the rookie TRoss out there for those minutes - at least he will get more comfortable and maybe gain some in game confidence. Anyways, expect many of these rants from many fans to continue if Dwayne keeps playing the 2 pgs.

[doug]

@Ben I agree I am not a fan of the 2 point guard system at all, Jose and Lowry out there together negates each others strengths...maybe for brief glimpses and situations but I hope it isn't a long term thing Dwane uses....as for those dumping on Lowry, it's alright for your PG to score he was the best player on the floor for the raps last night...it is not incumbent on him to get others involved it is incumbent on those not involved to get a fire lite under there butt and show some desire/initiative...I have always been a Barg's supporter but my patience with him is wearing thin, mighty thin....cheers...

[m]

Maybe Lowry only looked like the best player because he took all the shots himself instead of involving his other options (which would make him better, oddly enough).

[doug]

@ m did you watch the game?, the Nets frontcourt was dominating our frontcourt we were outmatched physically and also Salvatore was no help.......so it was Lowry's job to score....my god people watch the games Lowry and DD were the only reason we were in that game at all, we couldn't compete up front and Lowry recognized that, unreal......cheers..

[GM]

I was a big critic of TJ being a shoot-first point guard, but I don't see Lowry as that at all. He always has his head up and is quick to get rid of the ball when someone has a better shot. I dunno, I think he plays the right way. He's still learning his teammates.

[Garry]

for some reason this year your igbt is showing 2 scroll
bars on my screen and i can't switch pages or even scroll down to the bottom of the first page. I enjoy the igbt but will not be able to watch it anymore. WHAT CAN BE DONE!

[Andrew Gregg]

Hey Doug:

I have a question about the Barclay's Center: with the muffled PA system, how do they pipe in the fake cheering?

AG, Toronto

[BLACK TUNA]

THE RAPS NEED A CENTER AND POWER FORWARDS WHO CAN BLOCK SHOTS AND GRAB REBOUNDS. watch the LAST 3 GAMES AND YOU WILL REALIZE THIS DEFICIENCY. INFACT, LOWERY N DE ROZAN HAD MORE REBOUNDS THAN JOHNSON, THE ROOKIE VAL, AND BARGNANI. WE HAVE TOO MANY SHOOTERS A DATS FINE, BUT BASKETBALL IS WON WITH YOUR DEFENSE.

Blogger's note: Do me a favour? Tap the "caps lock" key one more time, would you?

[ron morissey]

Doug,

Know it's early but Lowry/Bargnani do not seem like a good fit. On many occasions in the first three games Lowry ignored an open Bargs something that Jose controlling the ball would not have done. Andre did not get to the line against Indiana or Minnesota and last year he lived there. He has all of 7rbs. this season. Now, as Jack pointed out in the game tonight, he is pressing, taking low percentage shots and going through the motions on defence.It almost seems to me that he is pouting since he is not the offensive top dog that he has been the last two seasons.He does not look like the same player when he was healthy last year.

Although he is making big bucks, why not have him come off the bench and play more with Calderon before his confidence is completely shredded? I think he would be much more effective with Jose and probably would rebound better and not have to work so hard on defence. Also, since the first unit would appear to focus on backcourt scoring, it would be easier for him to get into the flow of the offence.

rsm