2
Apologies for not getting this up sooner, and apologies in advance that it’s not going to be the usual volume. And, as I like to say, quality is a subjective thing, no?
Anyway, short day as I have to hop a flight etc., etc., but enough excuses.
One game, some things, v1.26
1. Is there enough lipstick to put on this pig? Mr. Millson covered the game but I watched it via my PVR with great interest – and horror, frankly – as the Raptors came way closer than they should have to allowing the 76ers to steal one. I mean, you knew and I knew and the Raptors knew that it wasn’t going to happen, even as they allowed Philly to keep it under 10 way deep into the fourth. The 76ers schedule – there are in the middle of a brutal stretch of 13 road games in 17 starts, having just completed a six-game west-coast road trip – pretty much dictated that this was a Raptors win before the ball went up.
2. The Raptors, however, didn’t seem interested in pressing their advantage and while Philly tried to hand it to them by failing to contest shots – or at least Anthony Parker's – Toronto kindly allowed Philly to get any rebound they wanted. Andrea Bargnani got only two rebounds – entirely on merit – and that’s twice as many as Bosh had. This is no exaggeration. More on this another time.
3. One play sort of exemplifies the Raptors entire, caught in mental quicksand vibe: After Andre Iguodala missed would have been a pretty amazing dunk the 76ers were inbounding under the Raptors basket. Typically teams go zone in that situation to off-set whatever inbounds plays are going to be run. At the very least you switch all screens. I can’t say for sure what the Raptors were trying to do, but Iguodala went to set a screen on Willie Green, who was being covered by Jamario Moon. AP appeared to be ready to switch, but Moon didn’t get the message and stayed with his man, even though Parker had already begun to shade onto him. By this time Iguodala finds himself wide-open on the left wing and catches the ball just as Parker realizes what’s going on and sprints to close out which, of course, makes it easy for AI to drive right by him. At this point Andrea Bargnani sort of tries to step up, but doesn’t quite go for the block; doesn’t quite try to draw a charge and certainly doesn’t try to lay down a hard foul. As a result he picks up the foul anyway and Iguodala gets the and-one. By my count that’s three screw-ups on one in-bounds play: a lack of communication/understanding between Moon and Parker; an over-aggressive close-out by Parker (a bit of a nit-pick, granted) and neither-here-nor-there help from Bargnani.
4. The game was absolutely full of moments like that. And I mean full.
5. I kind of gave it to Mitchell the other day when he chose to give his club a hug after LeBron ruined what was otherwise a pretty solid effort on Sunday. I do subscribe to the theory that a coach only has so many bullets in his gun. But he’s going to need some if they continue to deliver efforts like they did last night, win or no win.
6. Paper-and-ink to do, plane to catch. Catch you from NYC.
