The mental part of the game is as big as any part

Well, these guys sure give us entertainment, don’t they?

Gut-wrenching for many, I presume, but fun games to watch at least. And I’ll take that every day.

-

THREE POINTERS

Too much space

Of course Alan Anderson played too far off Kyrie Irving on that last possession, I think everyone connected with the team would think that, regardless of the fact it was about a 28-footer that Irving hit.

I can see waiting at the three-point line for a couple of seconds, maybe, to take away the drive but once the clock got down to five or six seconds – and it was in plain sight of everyone on the floor – it was to get up in him and force the issue.

But no, they let the only thing that could beat them, beat them and that’s one of those Basketball IQ things or “winning play moments” that they’ve been harping on all season.

It’s a crushing blow to lose a game that way, when it could have gone the other way.

Sure, maybe Irving drives and makes a runner in the lane or kicks it to someone for an open shot; they needed to take that gamble, perhaps get into overtime, rather than let him take the one shot that could lose them the game.

A Learning Opportunity, for sure. A harsh loss, no doubt.

-

Gamble time

Think it’s easy coaching?

So Amir Johnson picks up his fifth foul with about 5 1-2 minutes left and they’re up one and everyone wonders what Dwane’s going to do.

Either way is a gamble.

If he sticks with him and Johnson gets a silly foul in 30 seconds – and the way they were calling illegal screens it certainly could have happened – you lose him for the rest of the night and, possibly, overtime.

But if you sit him, you’re too small up front and the 10 offensive rebounds the Cavs got showed just how active they could be on the glass. Maybe the game gets away from you then.

He gave Johnson a rest, sits him for about three minutes and the game goes from up one to down two. Not critical, it was escaping more than anything.

But you know what Dwane needed to do?

He needed to look down the bench and see a legitimate big man he could use. What he had to do was look down the bench and see two 7-footers in suits.

-

Speaking of …

Dwane told us before the game that both Bargnani and Valanciunas as ramping up their work on the court and a return is much closer.

There was no timeline but he did say he thought Bargnani was closer to getting back and 10 days was the only phrase he used. Both need to get some further examination but with practiced days today, Tuesday and Thursday, there’ll be a much clearer picture mid-week.

-

More? Sure. There’s always more.

-

This comes on the shuffle this morning as I’m typing and it’s a wonderful tune for a lazy Sunday, no?

And who among us didn’t have a wee crush on Margo Timmins?

-

Garbo!!!

Yep, the big fella was in town, I’m sure you saw him on the broadcast and it took some hunting – and thankfully Dwane was a couple of minutes delayed for his post-game chat – but I did run into him.

Garbo, as you may recall from the Olympic visits with him, is working with the Spanish federation getting ready for the 2014 world championships.

The conversation, parsed a little bit:

“What’s up, big man? Why are you here?

“I don’t know. Guess I’m lost.”

“No, seriously.”

“Federation visits, see all the guys. Two nights in all the other cities; four nights here.”

Nice. Dude always did like a night or two on the town.

Bit later, after he kind of shakes his head at the plight of the team (“can’t finish games”) it’s almost time to go.

“So, things are good for you in Spain?”

“Of course. Always. How is your family?”

“They’re doing great, thanks. My son’s grown up, taller than I am now.”

“So what, that’s not too hard.”

I miss that guy to liven up the locker room conversation.

-

There was no way I was getting up – or staying up – to watch the Australian Open men’s tennis final; my interest in that sport peeks at the Grand Slams but I do have my limits.

But is it wrong of me to have the level of interest drop considerably if Federer’s not in the final?

I was pretty glued to one of several TVs I could see from my stool on Friday afternoon to see some of Federer-Muray but once the big Swiss dude lost, I kind of lost some interest because Djokvoic (who does look a bit like Jason Kapono, doesn’t he?) against Federer is about the only thing I want to see these days.

-

I wish I didn’t have to say this – and perhaps some day I won’t – but the fact the delegates to the Liberal leadership convention in Ontario chose an openly gay woman to lead them makes me very proud to be an Ontarian.

Almost makes a guy want to sing.

Proud of Super Wife for working hard to make it happen in some small way and proud at the level of tolerance many have shown.

I don’t know enough about the specifics of the politics of Kathleen Wynne to have a serious discussion on those matters but her becoming Premier is a step forward. A big step.

And to those who wonder how we got a Premier without them voting for her, I’ll mention this:

It’s freaking Canada. It’s our freaking system. It works. And if want to whine about it, you better be first in line at the polling booths at the next election.

-

So we’re off to the big Red Party Remix tonight thanks to a generous invitation from the Team Up Foundation people and because they seem to have lost their minds and think I’m somebody, they asked whether I’d take part in some of the games that’ll be going on, either ping pong, bowling or pool.

And I immediately say I’ll shoot pool for sure.

Why, they ask? Are you any good?

“No, but I know my way around a table. After all, you think I wasted seven years of high school going to class?”

-

 

 

Comments

[PT]

You mean the pool hall by Thorboun's (?) Drug store?

Blogger's note: I may have spent a day or two in there, yes.

[Hope Caper]

Hey Doug while I respect your take on politics I don't' agree with your opinions. Last time I checked this is a free country so power to you. I just wish that people on the other side of the fence (your side) could respect other opinions instead of calling them homophobic, red-necked, racist, religious nuts, or just downright unfair. Are there people like that out there? Sure. Some homosexuals don't participate in pride days does that make them less homosexual? Absolutely not. It is a free country for all not just the politically correct! So celebrate your victory and don't fret about differing opinions.

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that Lowry has had a lead handed to him more than a few times this year and he can't seem to hold or improve on it. Is this going back to how he runs the offence or is this a team break down? Casey so far has not been curious enough to give Jose more minutes to find out.

[Marcus Rush]

Two comments, one on the game and one on social issues....

-the last play was not good for either team although the Cav's got lucky and won. Irving is a 40% three point shooter and he was well beyond the line which takes that percentage even lower. Thus there was better than a 60% chance he misses. I will take those odds every day of the week and make a lot of money on betting the outcome.
-as for politicans I do not care about their color, race, sexual preference, appearance or whatever. All I care about is their ability to run a business which this province is...does she have business experience...we will soon find out. Lets not play the game of the race card or the sexual preference card but instead play the game of being fiscally responsible to all of us otherwise her term will be short lived.

[coachd]

Hi Doug,
Great blog today. A little sport, a little politics and a little Garbo.

As a coach I can handle the physical mistakes that a player makes, because usually they're trying to do the right thing, but the mental mistakes drive me crazy.

As for the Wynne win, I think it bodes well for the ongoing labour issues with teachers in this province. When she was minister of education at least she treated teachers with respect, unlike the current one.

[doug]

11 times this year we have had leads late in the 4th quarter and lost....it's everyones fault from coaches to players....last night I was saying foul,foul,foul...not because I was drunk but if thats how your going to defend their best player then you might as well foul as to give him that easy a look was inexcusable...I would much rather have a guy have to make 3 foul shots then to give a shooter like Irving that look.....and the Cavs did exactly what Jack said to do the other night go for the win in regulation, Cavs did....part of Raps problem down stretch is the coaching staff plays to not lose not to win...no killer instinct hence 11 blown leads.....oh well it is what it is...good song choice heard this song yesterday on shuffle, its a classic old one as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihUIPlLw2ZE

[Michel G]

For the people complaining about Lowry, he's averaging as many assists per game as backup in 10 less minutes and he's shooting 45% from beyond the 3-point line. Looking for individuals to blame is myopic. The biggest question with the Raptors this year is what the hell has happened to the defense? Team defense for the whole fourth quarter is what lost us this game.

On the plus side. Terrence Ross had good game last night.

[JHP]

I agree this edition of the Raptors is way too fragile to hold or extend leads. Can not really blame the coach given the current physical state of the team or the players.

JV/AB - out
Linas/Pitreus - bad knees
Anderson/Lowry - playing hurt
Fields - Flu (?)

And of course these are just a guess, more may be banged up and playing through.

As always thanks for the blog.

[David T (Ottawa)]

I also don't know anything about our new premier -- that's not necessarily a bad thing, I've been keeping myself in a pretty deep bubble for a little too long now -- so I can't really comment objectively on her politics and suitability. I do think, and stop me if I'm wrong, that the reason Doug (and you, and me) should be proud is: assuming a gay woman is the best fit for the job of premier, the fact that she is a gay woman should neither increase nor decrease her suitability for the job.

Do I think it's really that simplistic? No. But I also don't believe that she would be chosen if she wasn't a reasonable candidate for the position.

[Ken]

@Hope Caper...

Can you supply us with an example (besides last night's game with Lowry having a tight back) of when these blown leads because of Lowry happened? Last time I remembered it was a team game and effort.
But, as I recall the past few games, the Raptors were up 15 against Philly going into half time only to see that lead disappear early in the third quarter when Calderon was playing (I'm not blaming Jose, I'm just stating a fact against your comment). Then against Orlando, the Raptors were down 8 late in the 1st quarter when Lowry entered the game giving the Raptors a lead going into half time.
Just wondering when these events happened and why you are blaming Lowry solely if they did?

[DaveB]

"as for politicans I do not care about their color, race, sexual preference, appearance or whatever. All I care about is their ability to run a business which this province is...does she have business experience...we will soon find out. Lets not play the game of the race card or the sexual preference card but instead play the game of being fiscally responsible to all of us otherwise her term will be short lived."

Very well stated. She is replacing one of the worst Premiers this Province ever had. A 16 Billion dollar deficit for a Province is unforgivable.

"As for the Wynne win, I think it bodes well for the ongoing labour issues with teachers in this province. When she was minister of education at least she treated teachers with respect, unlike the current one."

Dalton gave them a 25 percent raise in his first years. The teachers Union campaigned on his behalf.as long as he handed out money. As soon as the financial situation (partially caused by the Teachers) prevented him from doing it, the teachers revolted. The Teachers are a bunch of whiners who will never be happy. They went from school to University to school. They have never experienced the real working environment. Their fight is very personal and has nothing to do with what's best for the children. I went through this when my daughters were in High School and Harris was Premier. As parent you can't say anything because it will be taken out on your children. The most difficult part of raising children is dealing with the school system. That being said, we did encounter many good teachers along the way who had the children's best interest at heart. Unfortunately, they were the minority. If the teachers had to deal with the situation the health workers had to deal with during Dalton's reign, they would be very thankful for what they have enjoyed. The health workers are overworked and have received minimum raises and have had salaries frozen for a couple of years. Yet they continue to do their jobs without much public outcry. I had worked for the Federal Government in the past and had my wages frozen (0% increase) from 1990 to 1996. We all continued to do our jobs without working to rule. I never did support Dalton, but I do agree with what he is doing in this case because of the 16 Billion dollar deficit, Otherwise we will become the next Greece and we can't keep depending on Alberta to bail us out.

[Les]

Your last comment reminds me of my days growing up in Toronto. My friends and I would gather and someone would ask "big ball or small ball" to determine if we were playing basketball or snooker that day. Occasionally school would happen, too.
Now that I live in the States, it's virtually impossible to find a decent snooker table.

[james]

Tristan Thompson is one impressive young player. Each time I see him he has improved some aspect of his game.
Oh yes, a Province is not a business. It's a much more serious institution than that.

[nasko]

@poster Doug, sorry mate, but you absolutely cannot foul being 2 up (unless you have a foul to give). This is a definite NO, if you interview anyone with as little as one organized basketball game experience every one will tell you that. AA did not defend it well, that is true, but sending KI to the line intentionally would have been atrocious. Cheers

[D-Mac Ottawa]

If you have 20 minutes to spare to listen to one of the really good guys talking about another one of the really good guys, take that time to have a listen to Bob Costas eulogizing Stan Musial: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/26/watch-bob-costas-eulogy-of-stan-musial/ Rest in peace, Stan. Well done as usual, Bob.
Games like we've seen this past week just go to show how small the gap is between the not-so-hot teams and the true contenders. It's not looking like this year's Raps are quite ready to figure out how to play hard and smart with a lead. They're good enough to bang with the big boys, but they're not ready to successfully play anyone (other than Orlando, and probably Charlotte) in a series.
Cheers. Go Raps! Hope you prove me wrong!

[Rob.V]

Never heard that Ontario song before either. Again, good stuff!
-
The Raptors are not a playoff team, their record says so. Too bad, because had they simply been able to close out the Cavs, Bulls,Sixers and Bucks over the past couple of weeks they would be right there with the C's.
-
Anyone catch that Jazz/Pacers game last night. About 3 minutes left with the game in the balance. Jeffereson comes back in. Post up - score, post up-score, post up-score! I thought the game was done, then this: Hayward - turnover, Hayward - turnover, Hayward - Turnover... on to OT.
-
Anyway, it got me thinking once again that the "playoff" Jazz desperately need a PG. It will be interesting to see if anything materializes with the Jazz and Raptors as the deadline approaches because there seems to be a fit for a trade with these two teams. I have no clue if the Raptors have any interest in big Al (given the salary he is going to expect next season) however if you're a team looking for a presence in the post... he's pretty damn good at it.

[Lorie]

And another nice tribute to Stan Musial - heard it this morning on Michael Enright's 'Sunday Edition' program on CBC Radio 1. If you have a moment, it's worth a read. http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/essays/2013/01/27/michaels-essay-1/

[doug]

@nasko I played tons of b-ball and one thing I can tell you okay 2 things is first off how a player in any league plays that atrocious defense on their best player and gives them that kind of space is beyond ridiculous....and 2nd we always played to win and never to lose, thats why i am strongly opposed to prevent defenses in the NFL all they do is prevent you from winning...my point which you missed entirely is not literally to foul, but if your going to play defense that allows that kind of open look then yes you might as well do it as that was absurd a defensive coverage i have seen in many years of watching b-ball....at least make them go for the tie.....in a week or so we have had 2 complete utter meltdowns against Phillie with 9 seconds left and last night not only on that last play but the Cavs were on what a 14-2 run.....were poorly coached down stretches of games and the facts are there for all to see.....ok cheers...

[martine7xy]

"But is it wrong of me to have the level of interest drop considerably if Federer's not in the final?"

In case your ever wondering , that there is the difference between a fanboy and a fan.

Blogger's note: And in case "you're" ever wondering, I don't care. But thanks for reading.

[james]

Many thanks for those Musial references from Ottawa and London. He really was the National League version of Williams but an altogether more admirable character. To review his stats is to be transported to the world of the young numbers nerd I once was. It's interesting how his numbers hold up to a sabremetrical analysis too: A .417 on-base percentage . . . lifetime!?! And without steroids; imagine that.

[nasko]

@doug, the poster. Sorry mate, I guess I misunderstood what you wrote, or you did not express what you meant. Either way, I totally agree with you that AA should not have allowed a clean attempt at a 3, that was bad D, by arguably their best perimeter defender. Not sure that you can blame Casey for that one though. I missed the game, watched the end on replay, so cannot comment on the collapse, but I do agree that Casey's in game coaching is sometimes questionable. That being said, he has a young team and I think he is learning as well. You cannot argue the point that it is entertaining. Cheers

[D-Mac Ottawa]

@james, you're welcome, and yes indeed, Annie is definitely on my bucket list, along with the two Pauls, Simon and Sir. Oh, I wouldn't mind seeing Neil Young again either, just for this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh44QPT1mPE
Cheers. Go Jays!

[Webskeet]

Good article today. There's no excuse for allowing any sort of threes in that situation. Doesn't matter how far out it is. Glad you didn't turn a blind eye to it

[doug]

@Nasko it was probably the latter as it was a in game reaction on my part....as I didn't express what I meant as i was watching that play unfold...I as anyone watching could see what was going to transpire and I knew that shot was going in...so my foul.foul.foul comment would be what I would yelling as a coach instantaneously as it was terrible defense,...and to let it go to less then a second made it all the more egregious...there is b-ball I.Q. on this team use it...all i can say is Casey is a excellent assistant coach he better hope BC gets extended as we had a better assistant coach sitting on our bench last year then he is proving to be...he is no Tom Thibodeau thats for sure...ok cheers...

[john]

Hey Doug! NFC 24 - AFC 14. Riveting TV....