Best teams often win and how the pucks folks should grovel

Guess the corollary to “that’s why the play the games” would be “often, the best team wins” and, yeah, that’s what happened.

Not sure who it was but as we’re walking out of Dwane’s post-game thing, it’s said:

“You could get the all best ex-Raptors together and they couldn’t beat that team.”

Yep.

Anyway, 1-2 so far on the homestand, 4-2 was the worst I thought they could go and a big week approaches.

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THREE POINTERS

So much for that idea

Don’t look for any change of the starting small forward, Dwane made pretty clear.

“I have all the confidence in the world in Pietrus. He’s doing a good job defensively, we try to mix it up. We have to have something coming off the bench, which we do.

“You win a couple of games and you don’t say anything about it but I like what he brings to the floor defensively. He has to be aggressive offensively and give us to it that way.”

So there you have it. Still not sure they’re getting enough but Dwane does make sense in that the way the rotations are working seems to be doing all right most nights, no sense messing it up.

Still, maybe a bit quicker hook would be a good idea some nights?

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An interesting point

Dwane hit on it almost right off the bat post-game, affirming something we noticed pretty much all game.

When the Thunder defence got intense and they pressured every player in a halfcourt set, the HOTH pretty much froze. Not sure how many times we saw it – I’m guessing more than 20 – but instead of moving the ball, everyone waited for the stifling defence to get on them and then were dead.

Hardly the same style they used in all those wins and one of the more troubling aspects of the afternoon.

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Everyone’s safe

Today’s a big day for a handful of players on bubbles around the league; if they’re not waived, contracts become fully guaranteed and that’s why you’ll see a whole bunch of marginal players with non-guaranteed deals cut loose.

Here?

No one’s going anywhere. And with a full roster that includes three injured guys (Valanciunas, Bargnani and Kleiza; we won’t know anything about Ross until tomorrow since today’s a day off for them) there’s no real room to do anything anyway.

So we sit and wait until the next pressure point, February’s trade deadline.

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A bit more?

Of course, including the big news!

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How good am I?

Dismantled the Christmas tree and only broke three inconsequential ornaments doing it! None of the good stuff got busted.

A successful end to the holiday season, I’d say.

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You know me and American college football, right? I have little interest all season – the bowl season bores me because there are so many – but I will admit to having a passing interest in the Notre Dame-Alabama game tonight.

Maybe the fact it’s for a championship – a fake championship but a title nonetheless, I guess – has something to do with it but it probably has as much to do with it being Notre Dame.

Maybe it was because we were inundated with Irish games when I was a kid – I remember a snowstorm Cotton Bowl with Joe Montana that was pretty good – and those kinds of things stick with you, don’t they?

 

I’m not saying tonight will be destination viewing but I do imagine a lot of people will stop and take a glance at least.

Besides, Notre Dame has a pretty good fight song, no?

 

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So, the pucks are back.

Whoopee.

I’m going to say this and then that’ll be about it for the whole sordid affair and I think I was close to this last year when the basketball settled.

Here are three things that need to happen:

Cut ‘em some slack

Every NHL team should, today, announce that the cost of every ticket to every game for this season will be cut by 15 per cent. That’s every single-game ticket, every season ticket, every mini-pack ticket and if people were silly enough to leave their money on account with any team during this mess, they need to get a rebate today.

And every team needs to pledge that there will be no increase in ticket prices for the 2013-14 season, too.

Help the people out

I don’t care where they find the money – licensing fees, TV money, take out a freaking loan or spend Gary Bettman’s or Don Fehr’s salary – but every part-time arena employee who was screwed over for money they needed through the fall and, especially at Christmas should be given a $5,000 bonus the first night they work this season.

They needed the money the league and union screwed them out of at a traditionally tough time of year and since everyone connected with the league is rich beyond the wildest imagination of mere mortals, it’s the least they can do.

And I’m talking about all arena people, ushers, ticket takers, concession workers, security people; all of ‘em.

Get out there

I don’t know the specifics of the standard players contract but if it calls for 10 public appearances for each player each season, each guy has to do 20 this year.

And for every one they blow off for whatever reason, they should pay a $20,000 fine.

You’re welcome.

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Hey, I remembered!

Here’s how my friend Darnell chronicled that game for the Oklahoman.

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So my man Coop The Photog snaps this on Friday night and since I’m one of the few who can communicate in Chicken, you should know we’re probably mocking something good-naturedly.

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Comments

[Matt M]

It was pretty obvious throughout the game that the Raptors are two players short of competing with elite teams in this league. I like the core of the Raptors team and think that if they could add two superstar players they would be better than a lot of the elite teams in this league. This is true for every other team in the league I'm sure. Hopefully, JV can develop into a player the level of Durant and Westbrook. It would be nice if the Raps could luck into that second player as well, kind of like the Lakers did with Kobe.

[JHK]

A team of:

Damon Stoudemire / Alvin Williams / Mark Jackson
HWSNBN / Doug Christie / Dell Curry
T-Mac / Mo Pete
Bosh / Oakley
Antonia Davis / Marcus Camby / JV

will certainly whoop that OKC team... Casey is wrong.

[Moshigh]

@ JHK Its nice to dream, but OKC is elite. Which one of those Raptors guards could slow down Westbrook or handle his size? Yes Vince was one of the best players at his prime, but a 6'10,6'11 Durant is nearly unstoppable, no I to dont believe any of the best Raptor teams would be OKC.

To me its fine if Casey puts Pietrus out there to start but he cant stay in so long if he isnt making much of a difference and only launching 3pt shots.

Raptors just ran into a machine, hopefully they get it back together against philly as they arent playing well either.

@ Matt M...again dreaming is good, but we dont want put unrealistic expectations on JV. If it happens it would be excellent, but I dont see it.

Im happy for the Hockey Fans, but Im disappointed as now the sports stations will be overkill with hockey. The only sportshow highlight show I will watch is on the score they do the best. The other 2 big ones are useless to me.

[cc]

hi doug, would the "arena people, ushers, ticket takers, concession workers, security people; all of ‘em." in the ACC be different in a NHL games from NBA ones?

Blogger's note: Not entirely sure since I haven't been to a pucks game in years; imagine they are the same part-timers who were robbed of almost half a season of pay by NHL owners and players

[Arlene]

I know there were issues with James Johnson, but he was better at small forward than Pietrus. Provided good defense, blocked shots, and scored. Maybe more importantly he was "big" - provided some attitude against other bigs which Davis, Amir, Bargs, and JV don't - too soft.
Raptors tend to give up on players too soon, thinking of Humphries who developed into a solid player.
Perhaps Fields should start.....

[DaveB]

The problem with Casey's decision with the starters is that there isn't any scoring on the starting line up. Amir and Davis will have sporadic good games, Jose is hesitant to shoot especially if he misses a couple so teams just have to stop DeRozen and they shut the team down. They really need Anderson to start and live with Pietrus in the second unit where they have Ross and Lowry.

I think Casey is making a mistake and I think (hope) it will change in the near future.

Pucks - I don't really care they are back. I won a pair of tickets to a Senators game last year and gave them away.

[Rob]

Raps were gonna lose either way, but this clear cut example of marquee teams and star players getting special treatment from the refs. Raptors were called extremely tight all game, yet other way durant can bodycheck demar on breakaway sending him flying midair, and no call. Lowry gets called for charge when collison in the cylinder, and other way westbrook clear charge into lowry other way on pass off and no call (thats when DC got the tech). Refs have been good lately, but yesterday was pretty bad.

They only seemed to let up a bit once the game was safely out of reach for the raptors.

[sam]

It's hard not to like the way the Thunder play....A good solid team and deserving of being called elite.
The Raps kept it close in the first half, and if there were rewards for moral victories that surely would be one.
The weekend showed that a couple of the players ran into a wall and played with little energy.

The sports pages are filled with celebration and hearsay now the NHL lockout has been lifted...It's all too much for me.

[Willy Wonka]

Does the chicken enjoy a nice cold brew after a game? What's it like to enjoy one with him?

Blogger's note: Not after games, he/she/it is exhausted, but we have had one at times. The Chicken's cool

[Rob.V]

Okay, I know this may be a little nasty and definitely insensitive however I found this somewhat funny:
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Can't wait for my son to tell me stories about how his high school janitor was the 16th pick. (a tweet to Royce White).
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Seriously though, there is nothing wrong with being a janitor. But this kid doesn't seem to have any clue as to how true this statement is (and that's unfortunate).
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Is it just me or does anyone else want this kid (and this story) to simply go away! Enough already. Pay the kid his $1.7 million for the next couple of seasons and cut him loose. This way he gets paid, and can relax with no anxiety issues whatsoever, and I will never have to hear from him again... because frankly, he is aggravating ME and MY anxiety disorder just having to stumble onto to his unimaginative tweets on a hourly basis.
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If I'm Darryl Morey my stance is enough already. How do I "legally" take care of this situation, because that's what I'm doing.
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Wish you well kid, but it's not going to be with the Rockets.
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Look, I don't know who Jobe was however both he and Daryl have a hell of a lot more patience than I that's for sure.
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If I'm running the Rockets today - He's out!. Done!. Finito!!
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Yes, I'm insensitive to mental health (when it affects business), and yes, you're done kid.
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Life isn't fair. Now take my money... and go away!!!.
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I cannot listen to this kid anymore, I just cant.
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I'd rather go through another 18 years of the decision and 15 more of Dwightmare. But this? Listening to this kid slowly squandering away (one tweet at a time) what many would pay dearly to have, it's just too painful to watch.
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Apparently the Rockets, the NBA, and the rest of us on planet earth should bend to his every wish and demand.
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Who are his handlers? Why does he still have access to a live functioning Twitter account?. Has no one (without) a mental health issue got his ear?
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Is there no one there to break the bad news to him. You know, the one person to tell him that unfortunately the rest of the world doesn't really care about his problems... and this would include Daryl Morey and the Houston Rockets.
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For the love of all that's good in the world let's stop pretending... cut him loose already!.

[doug]

@Rob V, always respected your opinions and insight but that rant of yours is like wow, its not even worth getting upset about as I have a brother that has fought mental illness his whole life and get Royce White, your whole rant is just pure uneducated ignorance....now onto the matter of yesterdays game, not only are the Thunder a talented team but a team that knows how to play the game the right way, I love how they play defense and pressure the ball constantly never a easy possession against them, ..I didn't like how our offense was intimidated by them at all, far too tentative.....as for the starters and changing it up , it isn't necessary as it is a temporary measure at this stage and to do so would to me do far more harm then good......our rotations and sub patterns right now are fine (yes Casey tends to stick with script to often and not change on the fly in terms of guys minutes) but Bargs and JV will come back soon and you just change the pieces and little damage done to the team and players roles....let them be, is my thought...ok cheers...

[GM]

Casey says, "We have to have something coming off the bench." What does this say about Pietrus? It implies that he's less than something. And I know that isn't the case. If he supplies good defence as a starter, that's what he'd supply coming off the bench. i.e. something. He'd hit the occasional three. I agree with a poster above that the starting unit just has too little offence the way it is now. It's great to have scoring coming in off the bench, but it's also nice to have it in the starting unit. I think Casey is too hung up on his rotations for a guy with his coaching record.

I mentioned this in the IGBT yesterday but it didn't make it in (probably because I was yapping too much about the officials!): Sharing the ball is such a delicate balance. On the one hand, we want players to keep the ball moving and pass to a teammate with a better shot. But on the other hand, they need to know when to shoot. Last night I could sense they were thinking too much about sharing, rather than just doing it. Numerous times players would pass up perfectly reasonable and open shots in order to pass to someone with a worse shot. I hope they go back and watch film of how they were playing during that ten game stretch of great basketball.

[john]

@Rob V, I am gettting a bit tired of the whole thing as well. What really bugs me is that we are really only hearing Whites side of the dispute because the Rockets have to tread very carefully so as to not disclose any medical information. What stinks is for the Rockets to pick him they must have done their homework and met the kid so obviously something changed somewhere. White thinks he is changing culture but what he is really doing is re-doubling every teams efforts to make sure they don't make the same mistake the Rockets made by drafting someone with admitted mental health issues.
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Poster @doug, I thought you completely gave up on this team? Never to watch another game? HA!

[Rob.V]

For the record Doug I have a schizophrenic aunt. As a kid she would tell me that the people in "the garage" were telling her to do things.
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I grew up with: "Robbie they are telling me things"... "Robbie, the people in the garage are making me do things". I'm not as out to lunch as you have insinuated however that is my take and my opinion on the Royce White situation as it is unfolding. I wasn't looking to validate my opinion today but thanks for reading my post.
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I'm a business person first, and I could pretend that I was sensitive. I could put on a smoke and mirrors act too however the truth is that this guy would not work with my organization. With all of the other challenges this is just too much to deal with, this guy would be gone!. Yesterday!!!
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Now, don't get me wrong. It's not because I don't care, but rather because I don't have the time... or money... AND I don't care!
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Having said this, my opinion is just that. Mine.
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I think @John is much more poignant here than I was with: White thinks he is changing culture but what he is really doing is re-doubling every teams efforts to make sure they don't make the same mistake the Rockets made by drafting someone with admitted mental health issues.
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This is such an important point.
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Is he a basketball player or is he on a mission to change culture? Does he even recognize where he is in his career and what an opportunity he has been given by being drafted by the Rockets, or are there other more important agendas?. What has Royce done to further his career since being drafted?
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When a team invests that kind of money and time it's just disappointing.
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To my point earlier, GM's, owners, franchises will "pretend" they care because they have no choice being in the public eye however the reality is john is bang on in his assessment.
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Is it mental health first and business second... or the mental health of my business. The mental health of my business will always win out on that one, regardless of the label (lable?) you would like to give me today.
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Maybe Royce should Tweet the imaginary people in my aunts garage to see what they would suggest he do to solve his problems with the Houston Rockets and the NBA!.

[Don M-NB]

What a waste of a good inside player who has talent both defensively and offensively. Think outside the box for a minute. If Royce were in Toronto you could create a contract to match his situation. Detroit, Chicago, NY, Brooklyn, Boston and maybe a few other cities are close enough to drive by bus or car.
41 games are at home in the NBA, so he can make those. Pay him 1/2 salary that is required and the rest on per game basis that he plays. Yes he will miss the Western games and those in the lower states of the Eastern Conference.
Maybe 20 to 25 games without looking at the schedule. Over time we may be ablel to correct his medical situation. In the meantime what a good player off the bench when you need the toughness and around the rim play.

[Marius]

Hi Doug,
Do you think Casspi would be a good fit here in Toronto?
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/07/report-omri-casspi-requests-trade-from-cavaliers/

Blogger's note: What do the kids say? Meh? Plus, don't believe everything you read

[james]

Rob.V: "Yes, I'm insensitive to mental health (when it affects business), and yes, you're done kid."
Dear me. One hardly knows where to begin. Clearly no one close to Rob has mental health issues and I hope for his sake (and theirs) no one ever does. Poster doug is spot on in this regard. The details of Royce White's situation are unknown to me but I can assure Rob that he is not doing what he is doing to piss you off.
Now, to business: The Raptors may have no bigger game this year than against Philly. Any delusions of a playoff berth depend on playing much better against this team than they have in previous meetings.

[Steve]

The reason Morey hasn't kicked Royce to the curb yet (though it must be getting close - you would think suspension for refusing to provide services has to be the start of the breach of contract process), and that he picked the kid in the first place, is that on talent alone he is better than the draft position he was available at as his draft stock fell because of his issues, the pick had nothing to do with being sympathetic to his issues though obviously there would have been recognition that they would need to be to make it work.

GMs were *already* skeptical of his ability to play through his issues, that is why he was still available in the first place. I don't think they will be any more skeptical of people with such issues the future, the same way as they won't be more skeptical of the next guy with talent that turns up who has a few knee issues.

Time and time again they will take a flier because that's what's required to get good talent in the draft and sometimes it will pan out and sometimes it wont. Morey *probably* lost out on this one, but it won't stop him swinging for the fences the next time opportunity comes knocking (much like our local hero ;)).

[David in Oakville]

@ Rob V. I feel sorry for your Aunt if everyone around her was as understanding of her condition as you. 0-2 for today and your second post reveals how uninformed you are about mental health issues.

As a business person if you have time to follow the tweets of Royce White, you have far too much idle time and not enough business time. Following Seth Godin might be more productive.

In a complex world there is more than one right answer and it is possible for both people to be right. Houston has done what Houston had to do. Drafting a person with a diagnosed or admitted mental illness will be less likely in the future (in any sport) and will cause any interested team to double or triple their due diligence (or more likely just pass). Royce White is doing what is right for him as he sees it right now. No amount of "talking to him" by his agent is going to make him see it your way.

It's quite possible (and most likely) Royce White's condition will keep him from having an NBA career.. that doesn't make it wrong for him to try or to try to bend Houston to accommodate him. It is not wrong of Houston to say NO to him either.

One other thing, your first post strikes me as way over the top glib. Would you be as glib if we were talking about cancer keeping Royce White from starting his NBA career rather than a mental illness / anxiety disorder?
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I agree with James, the upcoming Philly game will tell us a lot about this team. GO RAPS

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Agreed, @james, the Raps' season is at the tipping point this week.
Whatever the subject, whoever the subject, we're all in this big dance together, but "in the end there is one dance you'll do alone." Meanwhile, we're just trying to figure out how to "do the steps that we've been shown by everyone we've ever known, until the steps become our very own." Hey, we all dance to a different drummer. Thanks for the words of wisdom, Jackson Browne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NZP7bUVdiw
Cheers. Go Raps!

[GM]

Count me among those that know very little about the Royce White situation beyond the headlines. This would be a good place to set some of us straight, other than chastisement for being insensitive. What I heard is the Rockets have suspended him for "refusing to provide services". The argument from the team's side I understand -- it seems cut and dried: he's not working so he's suspended. And he's refused assignment to the D-league. What is the argument from his side? Is it that it would be akin to an injured or sick player, who wouldn't be suspended?

Is his illness only that he is too anxious to fly? Been there. I once took a bus home from California because I couldn't get on my (free) flight home. That was the apex of a fear of flying that had been building. Shortly after that, I took a Fear of Flying course put on by Air Canada (no jokes please!) and instructed by a pilot and a therapist. It helped enough that now I just am appropriately uneasy about flying, but still do so without freaking out. So help can work. Don't know if he's tried it. Judging from the reports, it seems he's not exactly keen on trying to work things out. And if he isn't doing what he's paid to be doing, I kinda see the team's side in this.

[J]

@Don M-NB:

Therein lies the problem. Royce isn't someone who has proven himself year after year, and having gained the respect of his peers, etc., can be given special consideration like you're suggesting. His peers (e.g. Lamb, Marshall, etc.) are paying their dues while riding the pine (or in the D-League), fighting for the opportunity to prove themselves. What would be the point of bringing a player along for only half the time, unless you plan to give him minutes that would otherwise go to other players who have been putting in the time and work full-time? Imagine the morale hit. Mental illness is serious, but it's a catch-22. He needs special consideration, yet is unable to travel with the team to prove himself. I'm also pretty sure that his rookie-scale contract, being subject to CBA rules and having already been negotiated, cannot be modified the way you are suggesting.

What rubs me the wrong way is his refusal to play in the D-League. If I remember correctly from Doug's previous blogs, D-League teams don't have the luxury of traveling by plane (something about Ed Davis not enjoying all the bus travel). The assignment would have allowed him to at least work on his game, albeit against inferior talent. It appears the only reason for his refusal is a matter of principle; that is, he's refusing ANY decision until he gets his way with giving medical professionals the final say on what would normally be managerial or coaching decisions. I often do things out of principle, so I get it, but at some point he needs to ask himself, is he here to play basketball or change a system that will do just fine without him? At this point, it's very unlikely he will be able to do both.

I understand that I/we don't know all the facts, but while this would normally be a private matter that is none of anyone's business except his own and the team's, he has been subjecting himself to public judgment (right or not) and speculation via his very public tweets. He would have better helped the cause of other athletes suffering from mental illness by accepting the D-League assignment, quietly earning his rather large paycheck, and then donating/spending that money on mental illness advocacy groups. Firing his current PR guy and hiring a new one would probably also do wonders.

[Michel G]

I love hockey, and I've been a little annoyed with the speed they've dealt with the negotiations, but I don't want fake apologies or any other attempt to placate the fans. This was their business and they took care of it eventually.

I guess I've gotten boring as time has passed, but all I want is to watch the Raps on Friday and then the Leafs on Saturday. I work hard all week. I'm glad to have hockey back.

[doug]

@Rob v keep commenting all you want on the White situation but by doing so your just exposing yourself for what you are more and more....I never just had a brother that had/has mental health issues I worked in a psychiatric hospital for approx 15 years and i saw both sides of the fences, ...and to have you mock "the voices" your Aunt was hearing is just sad for her and mostly for you.....to the poster that commented on me saying I wasn't going to watch another Raps game "how old ar you"??... hopefully young as if you want to m make a point make one you don't need to back it up with a immature comment, some of the comments yesterday were mind blowing....anyways cheers

[Michel G]

doug @7:20 am: You guys don't even know each other, so why are you making this so personal. I'll comment on the Royce White situation on a purely basketball level: The Rockets were really stupid to pick him in the first round and commit 3.5 million dollars over the next years. The most any team should have spent is an early second round pick and unguaranteed money.