14
Well, you can’t fault the Raptors for their effort on the first two games of this trip. Against lesser teams they could easily be 2-0. But they’re playing 50+ win teams with elite talent, and it’s shown late in games. I though Matthew Sekeres got to the essence of the matter in his game story when he talked to Anthony Parker, who was made to disappear in the fourth quarter as T.J. Ford dominated the ball for better and worse:
"We just have to find the balance between T.J. being able to do what he does,” Parker said. “ He did some good things. He did a lot of good things. He got to the basket and got to the free-throw line, but I think we can make it a little bit easier for him."
Anyway, One game, some things, V1. 44
1. Okay. Other teams don’t read scouting reports. I think that’s four straight games or something that the Raptors first play has been where Parker cuts from the left corner across the key off a screen by Nesterovic. He’s shooting 100 per cent in this situation.
2. This has blowout written all over it. If the Raps fall behind 20 I’m going to bed at half time. It’s 12-4 right now. The guys who looked good against LA – Rasho and Parker – look a step slow tonight. I don’t see Bargnani getting off against Jackson. The Warriors have been off since Saturday and look crisp and rested. It’s no 16-4 and Rasho can’t get a shot to the rim yet. Just as well, I need some sleep.
3. Wow. Pietrus just crowned Jamario Moon. He looks p****d off that Colangelo didn’t sign him when he had the chance this summer
4. Rasho is crafty and playing well of late, but this game is just too fast for him. He’s been blocked twice and committed three turnovers in eight minutes and Sam just sat him down. Parker has obviously been reading From Deep and is determined to shut my yap: He’s four-of-five in the quarter.
5. Remember when Rafer Alston used to get burned on defence and then come back and try to burn his guy on offence? You can’t run a basketball team that way. This is T.J.’s thing: when he does something boneheaded --- like dribbling the length of the floor and trapping himself under the basket, spinning around and throwing a wild pass off the back of the backboard. His thing is to come back and try and make up for it right away. You can’t run a team that way.
6. The Raps are now trailing by 20, 11 minutes to go in the half, but the Raptors are getting some traction by going small, helped considerably by Ford, who shakes off his dubious start and was his driving and dishing best in the second quarter as the Raptors go into the half inside 10 points, which is pretty good, considering, but I have to get some ZZZzzzz.
7. Okay, like an idiot I erase the game rather than select play. My PVR is idiot proof, but not ‘me’ proof. I’m now watching the game-in-an-hour version on Raptors TV. You can actually get a decent feel for the game this way sometimes, but not so much in this case because there are so many made shots it looks like a hilight show. One third quarter sequence stands out though: Bargnani drives left and dishes to Rasho, who misses the lay-up. I agree with Leo on the broadcast – nice pass but Bargnani has to go up strong with the left-hand and finish for the and-one. That said Rasho has to make that lay-up. On the other end Pietrus hustles to save a loose ball and Ellis – who is awesome, by the way – makes the little baseline jumper for at the shot-clock. Then Ford sets up Rasho again and he misses again, though this one was a little tougher chance. Raptors start the fourth down nine, easily could have/should have been a three-point game.
8. I have a lot of time for Kris Humphries, but this is a good example of why his playing time can be so erratic: Early in the fourth he hustles and draws a foul on a loose ball situation; hustles again and forces Golden State to lose the ball out of bounds after an offensive rebound on the same trip. So far so good. Then he takes a fading 18-footer with 20 seconds on the shot clock, which would be a bad shot for Bosh, and is unthinkable for the Hump, but he’s not always thinking.
10. Bargnani backs down Pietrus in the post and scores an easy turn-around. Did you see that? Bargnani taking advantage of a smaller defender by scoring with his back to the basket. There is hope …until he tries the same thing against Baron Davis, gets the ball poked away, recovers and then throws the ball directly to Monte Ellis who takes it the other way.
11. 2004 NBA draft: Rafael Araujo, Toronto Raptors No.8; Andris Biedrins, Golden State Warriors No.11.
12. Chuck: “How did Biedrins gets so open?” The answer is Ellis – Ford’s man, set a back screen on Bargnani to free up Biedrins for a lay-up before Bargnani or Ford – and especially Ford – had a clue what was happening. A mistake like that along with some really questionable shots in the last few minutes means that the guy (Ford) who basically brought you back and gave you a fourth quarter lead is the same guy who blows the lead for you.
13. Is there much difference between Kobe Bryant and Baron Davis as offensive threats? Very little, I’d say.
