Tip-In: Too Close for Comfort

by RaptorsHQ - Archives on Jan 7, 2007 12:00 AM EST

Everything looked to be in place.

The Raps offence was looking like a well-oiled machine and the score with 8 minutes left in the game was 97-76. The Raptors had just managed to hold a killer offensive team in the Washington Wizards to 19 points in the third Q, and fans at the ACC for Italian Day looked like they would be going home happy.

In fact the Raps were playing so well Chuck Swirsky decided that it was time to send some random dude to the fridge to make a lackluster sandwich made of salami and cheese because apparently the ball game was over. Seems like a good lead, so makes sense right? It was just this past Friday against the Hawks when the game was apparently wrapped up at the 7:37 mark, so why not raise the bar?

Here’s why.

The Wizards can score, and can score in a hurry.

Anytime there is a superstar like Arenas, Lebron James, or as we all know too well Kobe Bryant on the floor, a game is NEVER over with 8 minutes left. Sunday’s game was a perfect example as the Wizards scored 41 points in the fourth Q making it a game right until the end by hitting some tough three’s and getting to the line 41 times. That seems like a lot of charity but considering the Wiz average 30 free-throws a game, not completely ridiculous. What is crazy is that Arenas went 21 times and the Raps as a team only went 22.

All those free-throws and a slimming lead made the fourth quarter of this game tough to watch. It was not so much that the Raps lead started to disappear, it was how it disappeared. Turn-overs, many caused by the teams inability to deal with the full-court press, allowed Washington to claw its way back. The Raps were very fortunate not to have blown a good home win and one has to think that much of the confidence they could have garnered from this W may have been taken away.

There were many positives in the game but most are overshadowed by the poor finish. In what feels like eons, the Raptors managed to have all of their regulars suited up. Both TJ Ford and Garbajosa returned to action and both were reasonably effective. Speaking of Ford, Leo Rautins is bang on when he discusses Ford shooting. If you watched yesterday's game, anytime Ford was set and jumped straight-up before releasing the J, the ball found the bottom of the mesh. Every time he was unbalanced, or fading away, the ball would clank off the iron.

The other major positive to be taken from the game is Chris Bosh. He is showing no ill effects from the time off. In the past five days the Raps have played three games and he looks like a spring chicken out there. If there was something wrong with the knee before it looks like a thing of the past. That crazy put-back slam is all the evidence I needed to know that he really is healthy. Bosh put up some great numbers today (although his shooting percentage was not the best) and today I caught myself thinking about the huge strides this guy has made since Vince Carter’s departure. Would Bosh be the player he is today if Vince was still around? I am skeptical. People will always question the trade of Vince Carter, but one aspect that people forget about is it allowed CB4 to make this team his own.

This game was also another perfect example of good wing-play for the Raps. The trend seems to be that when two of either Peterson, Parker or Graham have good games, the Raps are more likely than not going to secure the win. Friday it was Peterson and Graham. During the Sunday matinee it was Graham and Parker. That’s right, back-to-back solid performances by Joey Graham following up his 19 point performance Friday night with 15 points on 7-10 shooting, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals yesterday. Although Parker was much more active in the first half then second, he had another steady game. Parker is a guy that gets very little pub these days which is odd considered how much better he has been playing as of late. I remember wondering what he was going to bring to the team after watching the pre-season and the first few games of the regular season. Looks like it just took him a while to start feeling comfortable and figure out his role. He has definitely been a pleasant surprise.

Also a pleasant surprise lately has been the attendance at the ACC. You can tell the city is really starting to warm-up to this squad and is ready to get back on the bandwagon. (How else to do you explain over 18,000 for the Hawks?) Home games are becoming fun like there were five years ago. One of the reasons it is more fun to attend a home game is that there is a good chance the Raps will win. The Dinos are now a solid 10-5 at home which gives them the fourth best home record in the East right now. This only bodes well for the rest of the month as after the three road games this week the Raps are in for a long stretch of home games.

Of course it would be great to get two of three on the road...and actually now that I see who the opponents are (New Jersey, Milwaukee and Boston) it would be great to get all three.

HOWLAND

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Comments

Great article as always, but you can't criticize swirsky for pulling out the salami and cheese too early and then be upset that washington made a big run in the fourth. That's what they do. And we actually held them off with some great team play. Joey graham nailed a key couple of "too easy" jumpers that he usually misses, beating that nasty swarming wiz trap defense. Some missed free throws were the only things that really bothered me. Was a tense last five minutes, but a HUGE win.

by axl on Jan 7, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Do you think that Sam did the right thing by yanking Joey off the court with 6 seconds left? Sure, he just gave a stupid foul that could have let Washington back in the game. But, you have to set them straight and show some confidence in them? We'll see how Joey bounces back. Maybe he can learn with tough love a little better.
Anyway, I like that the Raptors started to fold, but never did. Joey hit the easy buckets like axl points out, and they hit most of the late free throws. I'm wondering how they could manage to be pressed so effectively. Don't they practice this stuff? My kids team does.

by EaseMyPain on Jan 7, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Parker is quickly becoming a very important player. He is easily their best perimeter defender. Mo Pete used to have that distinction but Parker is much better. He is also much less likely to take the wild shot then MoPete. If Graham could become more consistent they would be a great 2-3 combo.

Or perhaps the Clips would move Maggette for MoPete and Graham. He would be great with TJ.

by dan on Jan 7, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

A win is a win. Things looked shaky at the end but beating the press is something that I am sure they will work on in practice. Plus you knew that the Wizrds were gonna make a run after they got over their hangovers.

Why would trading Mo Pete and someone else for Maggette work? He doesn't like coming off the bench and I think would throw off the team chemistry. Who woudl he replace in the starting lineup? Yes, he can score but his defense is suspect and would he really want to move from LA to Toronto? Remember Antonio Davis and Alonzo Mourning?

If the Raps cannot get consistency from the swings they have then BC an MLSE will have to open the purse strings to get a proven vet who can score from outside AND take it to the rack. In case people didn't know the Raps have one of the lowest team payrolls going.

by Todd on Jan 8, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Great win! But it was ugly to watch the last few minutes. The Raptors were in complete disarray. They'd better learn to deal with pressure, or else other teams will learn from this and beat them. Bosh, TJ and Joey Graham looked good though.

by Tfan on Jan 8, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Nothing more to really add about last nights game, but still have money on my mind, and my mind on my money.

Good Luck to PJ Tucker, I'm not sure if it's been pointed out here (or anywhere), but he's been assigned to the D-League. He remains on the Raps roster and can be brought back at any time. Hopefully the D does for him what it did for Pappy. PJ seems like another great kid, and getting him minutes should do him wonders. Hopefully the send Slokar down soon too.

Anyone notice Fred Jones got a DNPCD. I like Freddy, but boy what if we had Salmons?!?! This would have been a legit playoff team. Who knows, maybe Salmons would have ruined the chemistry on this team. Freddy needs to be a better cutter and drive to the lane... ummm.. like Jose. With his FT ability, he needs to get to the line.

A.P. is just a pro. Hopefully Joey can really learn from this guy.

So, watching the International Bowl on TV the other day, made me remember (yet again) how much the Raps miss John Saunders! John Saunders and Leo Rautins were the first TV commentators for the Raps, until he was let got, and to this day for unknown reasons to the public. John went back to ABC/ESPN family and has had a great career. John did the team a favour by leaving the US giant broadcaster and taking a pay cut so he could be in his home town. It's like him choosing to be in the minors so that he could raise his kids in the T-dot, but still gets fired. Anyways, watching him and Doug Flutie call the game from Rogers Centre was a blast, and the only reason I watched it. John Saunders is just a pro!

by Ustation on Jan 8, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

a few comments:

As soon as chuck said salami and cheese I knew the would come back. I kinda wanted garbo to crash into them and spill their popcorn.

41 points in the 4th quarter is unacceptable by any means. Breaking a press with TJ and Jose out there should be child's play.

BC should start looking at packaging two of Mo Pete / Fred Jones / Joey G for some help.

How come Leo and Jack rotate?

I'm still confused how we got Rasho for Bonner and Williams!!! What a steal.

by utes on Jan 8, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I was at the game, and it was really painful to watch the last 5 minutes...not because the Raps were blowing the lead, but because there were SO MANY play stoppages. It went time-out...foul...foul...time-out...foul, foul, foul, foul...time-out. See its even annoying when I write it out. I think if David Stern wanted more people to watch NBA games, that he should find some way of getting rid of this end-of-game foul nonsense.

by GregV on Jan 8, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

USTATION: I still miss John Saunders too! That guy was amazing back in the day.

by Andrew on Jan 8, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions

When the Rap's got up 20/22 they let up on defense and started missing jump shots on offense, not going to the basket.

That let the W1z put a small good 3 shooting group in to press the Rap's into TO's and get back in the game with 3's & FT's.
Graham & Bosh were able to score enough to hold them off though.
The Wiz are a good team (13&3 in last 16) so you had to expect they would make a run when the Rap's let up.

No way I would trade Graham. His upside is too high, the most athletic Raptor, @ a very reasonable 1.5 mil this year & next, with a 2.4 mil team option.

by Johnn19 on Jan 8, 2007 12:00 AM EST reply actions