Jan 18 2009
Raptors Soul-Crush
This afternoon, the Raps lost in devastatingly soul-mangling fashion, 117-113. Apparently no one told ‘defense’ that the game started at 12:30. There were 70 POINTS scored in the first quarter alone, and 134 scored in the first half. Toronto hung around all game, rallying from double-digit deficits to tie the game up 102-102 in the 4th quarter and ultimately getting themselves in the following situation: down 3 points, 12.4 seconds left, inbounding the ball at half court. Now if this was any other team than the Toronto Raptors, you woud assume the following would happen: The ball would get into the hands of one of the two players on your team who are capable of making 3-pointers (and were a combined 6-9 from three), Anthony Parker or Jamario Moon and have tem jack up a 3.
That didn’t happen.
While A.P. did get the ball, he drove off a pick & roll at the top of the key and missed an open layup, then bosh missed the put-back, and there’s your ballgame. As it turns out, Traino wanted the 2, and the quick foul. ‘12 seconds is a long time and I still had 2 time outs’ was what he said at the post-game confrence. Now I’m not a head coach in the NBA, but I take my chances with a 3 at the buzzer. If you take the quick 2, more often than not, 4 seconds tick off the clock (generously) and then the ball ends up in Steve Nash’s hands, a guy who just doesn’t miss free throws, and then here’s your scenario: 8 seconds left, down by 3, inbounding from your own baseline. Those 4 seconds now wasted, you’re forced to rush down the court and settle for ANY 3. If I’m wrong, please tell me, but that play doesn’t seem to make sense to me.
All of this adds up to another horribly painful loss for the raptors and their fans. There have been an inordinate number of losses like this one for the raps to endure this year, and they never seem to get any easier.
A few points:
A.P. started at the point today, and he played pretty well. The offense certainly felt better than it does under either Solomon or Ukic. That probably has something to do with Parker and company shooting the lights out, but I liked the change.
Joey Graham had an great game. He was moving without the ball, creating shots, and pulling up with confidence.
There was a stretch of about 45 seconds in the 2nd quarter where Triano decided to rest graham, bosh & bargnani. That left: solomon, voshkul, humphries, parker, and moon on the court. They had two unbelievably stagnant offensive sets and gave up 4 quick points, making it a 9 point game for phoenix before Triano put Bosh & Bargnani back in. That potential 8 point swing ended up really hooping the raptor, and for what? an extra 2 minutes of rest going into a 20 minute halftime break? Seems a little silly to me, and it just may have cost the Raptors the game.
Nothing enrages me more than seeing people start filing out of the arena with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter of a great, close game. Why did you come if you aren’t going to stay to watch when the game gets interesting? In conclusion, if this sounds like you, instead of going to the game, give me your tickets. I like basketball and I promise to stay to the very end.
Jermaine O’Neal and Kapono weren’t on the bench. Apparently the J.O. for Marion & Banks deal is almost done , so that might have something to do with his absence, but Kapono missed the game with the ‘flu’. Sounds fishy, but I haven’t heard anything to substantiate this random rumour mongering.
Alright that’s it. NFL football is on.
