By: David Alter

After a decent start to the season, its been anything but easy for Jermaine O’Neal.  In the past 3 games, O’Neal has shot just 33 percent while averaging just 8 points a game, and frustration set in for J.O. as he admitted to the media after the raps first loss that his transition in Toronto is taking longer than he expected.  But as for why the shots aren’t going in..?  “I really do not know, I am just not making the shots” says a frustrated O’Neal. “When I look at the film, I am doing everything I am supposed to do as far as getting into the position I want.  I am catching the D, I am clearing space when I turn into the basket, I am just not making any shots.” while O’Neal is providing that big body presence down low, more is expected of him, and he expects to get out of this recent funk sooner rather than later.

While it is easy to point the finger at the new guy and look for the scapegoat after a loss, Head Coach Sam Mitchell says don’t put the blame on Jermaine O’Neal for the reason the raps came up short against Detroit.  “I don’t think it is anything he didn’t do. We didn’t do what we were supposed to do collectively as a team” says Mitchell. “It had nothing to do with how Jermaine played as an individual why we lost the basketball game.  I can go back and show you the tape and we didn’t do over half the things we were supposed to do defensively.”

The Raptors embark on a 3-game road trip, andneed to tighten up that defense first against undefeated Atlanta, and rounding it out with the defending champion Boston Celtics on Monday…

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