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Coach's decisions work out, for whatever reason

MICHAEL GRANGE

From Friday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 12:21 PM EST 26/04/08

Raptors were on fire, and so was Mitchell ...Read the full article

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  1. jesperated jbl from toronto, Canada writes: good game by tj ford. but i'm still not impressed. still thinking of trading him. but let's worry about the playoffs first. oh btw, i'm first!
  2. albert strauss from Toronto,Ontario, Canada writes: It would be nice if we could keep the 2 PG s. They sure made the team fly last nite
  3. Rich Chan from Vancouver, Canada writes: Great post. I'm also not impressed with TJ, but he was the lead scorer tonight. It also helps that his teammates fueled his ego today after he shot 4 consecutive shots in a row. See, that's what I'm also annoyed with TJ. The fact that everything is about him, while you don't have to see the same thing from Calderon. Calderon is all about team, and TJ is all about himself. In any case, I'm glad he was on fire today, because he probably would've still hit those shots if he was missing them and we would have lost. I hate to encourage him, but hopefully he continues playing with a high percentage of shots made. Good win by the Raptors :)
  4. uber athlete from Canada writes: lol, Sam shouldn't have started Bargs at SF at the very least in game 2 in the first place. I can't really give any credit to Sam for starting Jamario, cuz that's exactly what he should've done since game 2.
  5. Chris Yang from Canada writes: See Mr. Grange, this is why Sam Mitchell is the coach while we're here arguing about stupid things
  6. Yertu Damkule from Canada writes: rich - really? for months, we've listened to you & rog chastise (to put it kindly) TJ, his play, his attitude, whatever, to the point some of us were asking, 'what would TJ have to do to get some props.' now, i'm saying that the criticism is undeserved, but when you can only find fault, or can't bring yourself to say anything better than 'i'm not impressed,' it just makes those criticisms seem empty, or personal. i hate how everything always seems to boil down to what TJ did or did not do. what would impress you? i guess you look at the fact that he took it upon himself to look for his own shots against a clearly inferior defender as a sign that he's a me-first player. but isn't that what's supposed to happen when there's a clear advantage? i'm not saying that i expect you or rog or anyone else to all of a sudden be in his corner, but at least have the cajones to step to the plate & admit that he was a significant key to that win...just as many are more than willing to blame him for both losses. he11, we may be cursing him again tomorrow, but let's at least give him some credit for showing up huge in as close to a must-win game as there is. and again, those of us who have refused to give up on TJ have always (ALWAYS) maintained that it's not an either/or situation, but a combination of both PGs playing at their best that is key, and the only thing that gives the raps an advantage at that position over the magic. combined, 48 min, 39 pts, 16 asts, 12 rbs, 4 to's - i can live with that kind of production. it's pretty much as good as the per-48 avg of CP3 for the 1st two games of his playoff career: 40.2 pts (66% FG), 16.2 asts, 4.8 reb, 2.4 to's.
  7. Larry Boutilier from sydney forks, Canada writes: Hi....
    Great win. Proves Orlando can play just as bad as Raps did in first 2 games if given the chance.
    I was impressed by Kapono's dagger in the heart shooting, however the ball only gets to him by chance, not by design and thats scary.
    Bosh has fallen in love with the long jumper which is not his game
    and cost the team a win in game 2.If he doesnt want to drive to the net
    he should pass to Kapono or Calderon.
    Can't anyone stop Turkalo?
  8. MJ M from Canada writes: I think Jose's stats of 18 points and 13 assists are superior to Ford's 21 and 3 yet Ford gets all the attention and press today. Why is this? Also even though I am not a Sam basher why didn't Moon start in the first 2 games when his athletic style would have been sorely needed in the first quarter?
  9. Yertu Damkule from Canada writes: b/c jose had actually been playing well in the series, and ford had not. TJ's much (much) improved play in the 1st Q led the raps to a very strong start. his spurt late in the 2nd Q turned a relatively close game into a 20-plus pt lead at the half. jose played awesome...which is something we've come to expect, and is perhaps why he's not getting as much pub. ford had been shooting so poorly, that last night's game was such a contrast, to not think it was a factor in the win is somewhat delusional.

    as for moon not starting in gms 1/2 - if moon starts, they (magic) can put lewis on bosh (tough matchup for bosh on both ends) & hedo on bargs (ditto), allowing howard to stay pretty much under the hoop as a help defender & rebounder. now, it didn't really work out for them, mainly because moon was hitting his shots & working hard on the glass/D. hey, the coach has to make the decisions & live with them - clearly, the starting 5 in gms 1/2 didn't produce in the 1st Q, so kudos to sam for admitting his mistake & making the adjustment.

    but as the wolf would say, 'let's not start sucking each other's d1ks just yet.' there's still a whole lot that can happen.
  10. John Nicholson from Oshawa, writes: FORDERON is the answer!!!

    TJ is the STARTER and Jose is the FINISHER.
    Raptors are a PG dependent offense.
    Raptors must have good to excellent play from both to win!!!
  11. Rich Chan from Vancouver, Canada writes: Yertu, seriously. As Wesley Snipes says in White Men Can't Jump: "The sun even shines on a dog's *** some days;" I commended TJ on his game. He was great. His shots went in. I'm not going to all of a suddenly get up and say he deserve credit for everything that he does in retrospect, especially this season with one good effort in a seven game playoff series. You're still hyped up over the win right? Good, so am I. But to buy into a player for one game when he was acting up and single-handedly caused the downfall of this team in the 2nd part of an easier schedule doesn't mean that we completely forgive him for a good game. Cmon, give me more credit than that. It's hard giving this guy praise, that's all I have to say. Not to mention that I heard some fan say that TJ deserves way more praise than Calderon for yesterday's win, but really does he? Calderon had 18 points, just one 3 pointer shy of his and he had 13 assists with TJ's 5. Honestly, how ridiculous was that statement now? Listen man, I love the raps and I don't like TJ that much. It's completely warranted though, and there are my reasons.
  12. mike cardin from Ottawa, Canada writes: Yertu, who the heck is the "wolf?" That line's too funny!
    Larry, "dagger in the heart shooting" - what an awesome description.
    Rich, Snipes should've stashed his money where the sun doesn't shine. Looks like he's off to do some hard time.
  13. MJ M from Canada writes: Rich you are right. However Ford had only 3 assists not 5. Ford had the least amount of assists of all the starters except AB-he tied with AP for 3 assists.Bosh had 5, Moon had 4, - all more than TJ. So you know how TJ got so many points.I agree with you and I am not a TJ basher-because he had a better night does not excuse the anguish he has put his team and the fans through. Calderon with 18-13 and 7 rebounds had quite a night.
  14. Yertu Damkule from Canada writes: actually, it's 'mr. wolf' - pulp fiction.

    rich - i know you have a gripe w/ TJ, and don't think he's much of a player - doesn't that make what he did last night even a little impressive? 'cause, y'know, he sucks and all.

    honestly, i can't wait for the situation to resolve itself over the summer, i don't think i could handle another year of this.
  15. Rich Chan from Vancouver, Canada writes: What's this talk of TJ having a better night than Jose. Jose was 3 rebounds shy of a triple double. That's Kidd-like boys. Anyways, Yertu, you're right, I can't take this TJ/Calderon crap anymore. Let's just hope they have a great game today and the rest of the series and even some more before we deal with this issue.
  16. Rich Chan from Vancouver, Canada writes: Yertu, to add to what you said previously before about TJ looking to find his shot against a more inferior defender. TJ does this with everybody whether they are Tyron Lue to Baron Davis to Chris Paul. Whether they are good or bad. He's like a chihuahua that doesn't know his size (they bark at everything). The same way how he plays. He doesn't care if he's better than you or not, he's going to get his shots up and if he gets defended well, he's going to look at it as a personal challenge one-on-one. "Oh, okay, it's just you versus me and I know I'm better, and I'm going to win this." In doing so if he happens to do it, he's taken the team on his back, if he doesn't he's a loser, and it's happen more times the latter than the former.
  17. MJ M from Canada writes: Rich
    I meant TJ had a better night than he had in the first 2 playoff games -not not that he had a better night than Jose. I am agreeing with you here.

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