12:05am Eastern
I just finished watching the Cavs and Wizards (BIG win by Washington) and the Celtics and Hawks (DOMINANT win for Boston) … and I realized I didn’t check-in on the blog today. I just put it on cruise control during my first full day off in nearly 9 months.
But, as the clock strikes 12:00am … I figured I’d quickly look back at the Magic-Raptors series … and mention some things that struck me during the last week or so.
Questions … comments … observations … came to mind in my ‘10 Random Thoughts’:
1. I was wrong about the Raptors. I thought they could give the Magic a run for their money and even upset Orlando in the 1ST round.
2. For the second-straight year, it was Jose Calderon that was on the floor during crunch-time for the Raptors … in the most important game of the season.
3. Anybody that thinks Dwight Howard isn’t a great player - just because he “can’t shoot” - is out to lunch.
4. Carlos Delfino is a great ‘2ND Unit’ guy … but his inconsistency is frustrating to figure out … and it may have personally cost him millions of dollars as well.
5. How is it that Jamario Moon took so long to make it to the NBA?
6. The negativity (even “hate”) in this city towards TJ Ford is absolutely ridiculous.
7. No, Sam Mitchell should not be blamed for every miscue the Raptors had this year. The coach, his staff, the players, and management all share in the disappointment of a 41-41 season and another 1ST round exit.
8. Keyon Dooling may be the perfect back-up: energy; defense; attitude; decent jumper; and most important … he ‘knows his role’.
9. Gangsta Brezec is the strangest dude I’ve come across in Toronto (including Charles Oakley, Gary Trent, and others).
10. Though they still lost the series to Orlando 4-1 … how bad would it have been for Toronto if not for the contributions of Jason Kapono? He may have been AWOL for much of the season, but he sure made up for it in the playoffs.
E. Smith
Love and Hate are close
TJ made choices that would make any fan hate him. At any time all he had to do was prioritize the team and he would have been loved. He had to know if he hogged the ball and missed he would be hated. His ego accepted that risk.
- MilesMy thought would be: How great would Moon be if he had Kapono’s shooting skills?
- nicole1. Kapono should have been utilized better. He and Moon should have shared duties 50/50 at SG. Perhaps JK should have been starting all year.
2. Toronto fans are knowledgeable, TJ deserves to have this negativity against him. He is not about team first. You look down the line and BC has brought in only “team first” people and players. TJ isn’t here because of BC, he’s here because of Bosh.
3. Rahso should have been starting since day one and Bargs should have been shown tough love until he’s proven he’s good enough CONSISTENTLY.
4. Mitchell is a good coach, and might be a great coach for the a young raptors team. I am very skeptical if he can move forward. I believe he has plateaued. Raptors should be looking at other available and better coaches (better in the sense of more play off experence) JVGundy and D’Antoni
- Aaron McMillanIt is clear that philosophy on a basketball team starts at the top. The GM of a team brings in a cast of players that fits his philosophy, the coaches coaching style must be in line with that philosophy. In Phoenix it was reported that GM Steve Kerr was not on the same page as D’antoni. This is not Surprising , Steve Kerr Played Under Phil Jackson and Greg Popovich two defensive minded coaches, therfore it would make sense that he would impose a defensive philosophy on the Suns, Creating a conflict with Dantoni and his coaching style
- alexanderA coaching style that failed in this years one of many phoenix suns first round exits in ten years.
.Dantoni and this years phoenix suns team is a product of the Colangelo era. An Era that focused Solely on offense. Colangelo has now brought that Philosophy over to Toronto, and we see this with the aquisition of all the Europeans that don’t play defense. This has created a conflict with Sam’s philosophy(As reported by Yahoo Sports) Which I would imagine is defense first Philosophy. Sam throughout his career was a defense first player along with teamates Dale Davis and Antonio Davis which was the defesive core of a very good indiana pacer team. Therfore it makes all the sense in the world for him to impose that coaching style on the Toronto Raptors.However it is hard to impose that style when you don’t have a defensive core. This team has been constructed with guys that love the three point line, there are redundancies at the 2 spot. Not Sams fault. In Dallas Avery Johnson was let go. Again Avery was a victem of a Gm that makes moves to build the offense however does nothing to help the other side of the ball. The end Result the coach loses his Job because all his team ever tries to do is outscore their opponent. I can see avery Johnson in Phoenix because of the San Antonio. However I don’t want to see D’antoni here because the thing that we need to adress first is our Defense.Colangelo was in phoenix for ten or more years,his philosophy was always to try to outscore the opponent, which led to years of losing to the Defensive and offensive minded San Antonio Spurs. Toronto needs balance.
To all the Colangelo Praisers and Sam haters, lets not forget Colangelo did not get the phoenix team over the hump because of this offense first mentality, he fired six coaches in ten years, Had alot of first round exits with a high powered offense(this seasons phoexix team include.) the only reason I feel he lasted so long with all those playoff loses in one Tenure is because his father was a part of ownership, Take note that when his father sold the suns, That is when Colangelo asked for permission to speak to the raptors. Because he knew that with new ownership losing in the first and second round would no longer be tolerated. Steve Kerr now in Phoenix is going in a different direction and will focus on Defense first. This means bye bye Dantoni.
Unfortunately for him TJ, stay or go, will always be considered as MeTJ because of his refusal to accept the Coaching staff’s wishes, that for the benefit of the team, he stay as Jose’s back-up for the balance of the year.
- Johnn19It’s clear by Bosh’s comments that this was a team distraction at a crucial time,and Jose’s offer to let TJ start led to a period of re-adjustment for all that hurt team efficiency.
Kapono’s play in the playoffs has shown that there is some potential for him to improve his defensive play which should make it easier for him to earn more mins next yr.
He must also make more of an effort to put himself in a position to utilize his 3pt shot, and shoot it more, even if guarded. He will not get as many open shots as he did in Miami as Rap’s have more shooters in more of a Jump shot offence than in Miami.
- Johnn19Avery Johnson is available, if I was BC I would be all over that.
- D12I assume Avery Johnson Will be hired in Phoenix because they both played under that defensive system in SanAntonio. Steve Kerr Is looking for a defensive minded coach unlike D’antoni. Steve Kerr will also move alot of peices on this team. To bring in players that more fit his philosophy.
- alexanderBC is all about offense, So he likely will go
- Michele(Continued)
- Micheleafter D’antoni if Toronto is slow getting out of the gates next season.
TJ deserves the negativity due to his selfishness.With this guys quicks he could average a double double but he’s more worried about scoring 20 than getting his team involved.With his contract and injury problems and growing rep as a selfish player he’ll be difficult to trade considering that in the NBA you have to match contracts.So if there is a trade the Raps may have to package him with another player or two.
As for the coaching? I like SAM but i think going into next year the have to be more playoff ready and generally tougher and for that they will need to turn the page on SAM and go for a playoff tested/experienced coach like Avery Johnson or D’antoni.The main reason being,they need to win a round or two to take that next step, otherwise they’re stuck in mud.
Three years in a row of losing in the first round is not progression and is not taking that next step.So next season is the most important season for this franchise in years if not to date.
- jeffAlexander -
Four of the last ten championships were won with Tim Duncan. How important was he? How important was Michael Jordan? How important was Shaq? How important was Kareem? How important was Russel? How important was Magic? How important was Bird? It is hard not to look at could Colangelo have traded for Duncan? Would he have?
- milesi dont understand why theres all this talk about a coaching change.
personally, i believe that sam is a great coach who works his players hard and knows what hes doing. like BC said, its not fair to blame sam at all and i believe BC has a bigger “blame” if u call it compared to sam.
sam doesnt pick the players that come in, he decides who to play and who not to. the reason i think the raptors lost is not cause of bad coaching, but because orlando is just a better team.
my take is that BC better be shopping this offseason and making some big moves and get scorers that we need (thankfully he knows that too)
- BehzadBosh should be traded for a big or slasher. Barg’s will only amount to a star pf. tj gone. Delfino could be future back up pg (great shooter and ball handler). dirk 4 bosh/tj is what i would like to see. BC has started this european type team, know it must be finished. run all day and let the other team try too catch up. bye bye sam you don’t know how to run this offence.
- joe dirtehAbout Jamario Moon…
I love the guy! It’s great to see a story like his right here in Toronto. Truth be told, if Jorge Garbojosa was healthy this season, we fans and media alike wouldn’t seen or known about Jamario Moon.
I’m glad he’s here and he hopes he continues to develop.
- Richard