Tip-In: What Monkey?

Re: Calderon. I think it's been more than just the Laker and Bulls games. I seem to recall Jose came out at the wrong point in the Jazz game as well.

But the problem may be more in the timing of the subs. I don't think it's fair to keep a distributing PG out for long stretches, and then re-insert them in crunch time. It takes time to get back into the flow of the game. TJ's immediate TO last night after coming back may be evidence of that. Why can't Jose play his 12 second half minutes earlier, so that TJ comes back with 8-10 minutes to go?

The Point Guard Debate: It's sure to find fertile ground here today, but before we get started a few points. 1. While Calderon did spark the run that led to the Raps' lead, he was ineffective getting CB the ball in the low post later in the game. 2. When TJ was inserted in the 4th he hounded the Bulls' guards and forced them to give the ball to Tyrus Thomas and we know how that turned out. TJ gets his offensive game off when being guarded by larger slower guards, but struggles defensively against such players. Calderon is the opposite. I really think Sam should have played both guards together at the end of this game. TJ for the D and Calderon for the O. Just my thoughts. Now I'll leave it to the rest of you to start stoking the flames of discontent.

Too close last night. Way too bloody close. It's apparent the Raps have some pages to turn in adapting to opposing teams' defensive switches and playing interior defence when it comes to the wire. A win is win, however like Franchise said, come play-offs, the mindset will have to change in order to control the outcomes of games.
I'll be at the game tonight. And yes, I'm bringing my Boo game - big time. FUVC. I know, I know. I use the hate for motivation.

Riddle me this...
In the 4th quarter, we started up by 5 points. Jose on the floor hit 9 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and
2 missed shots; he did that in 7 minutes and we were up by 12 points, with 5 minutes left. Enter TJ Ford. 1 turn over,
some good D, and 2 missed shots including the last shot were it not for a Chris Bosh rebound we'd never have won the game.
I know Chicago went on a run at the finish and a couple of other mistakes were made by the Raps. But why take Calderon off when playing
so well! Well noted Howland.
Riddle me that...

Great post, great blog!

I share your concern about taking Jose out in clutch time and the offensive wheels falling off in two clutch games. I also agree that the Raptors need to find an answer to the zone D.

I heard a counterpoint on 590 about TJ who is better than Jose on D (ie covering Gordon on the last shot). Also, TJ needs these minutes as they are a crucible for him for later in the year. Remember, he carried the team when Bosh was injured and should get props for that....

Also, do you think that TJs speed could be the key to solving the zone? I think his penetrate and pull up shot is his bread and butter, but you can kind of see from section 321 that he is set on that play before it begins... TJ needs some craftiness to be a complete PG.

Although at this time I favour Jose, I believe TJ Ford can/will make the difference between first round and Eastern Conference Finals and maybe a Finals berth...

Luckily the cost of his learning curve is only the nervous keystrokes of rabid fans and hoops pundits alike! More fuel to the fire... 3 times lucky?

GO raps GO!

YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!
The raps beat the bulls, finally!!! Now my life is complete. What a game. I kept expecting the bulls to make their usual run, but it was "too little too late" for them for once.

On the PG issue, I'm not convinced at all calderon would have made some big difference. We've seen both these guys make huge, game winning shots. TJ's the slightly better defender because of his speed and so I can see why mitchell went with him. Not to mention when jose carries that much of the load early, tj can come in with full energy, whereas calderon would have to be fading by then.

Great energy management by sam.

Before we get too worked up over the possible emerging "trend" of TJ's 4th-quarter performances, it's important to take a step back and remember where this team is...

Last year we were "learning how to stay close against tough teams". Two months ago the team was "learning how to play together with so many new faces".

Now we're "learning how to not blow leads against very good opponents" - and have twice in the last week managed to come back to win after blowing leads at home against a good western team, and on the road at a good eastern team we've had lots of trouble with.

I'd say that's pretty damned awesome progress for a little over half a season. Remember where our collective expectations were at the start of this season, keep enjoying the ride, and recognize that while the last week has been a bit nerve-wracking, our team is still trending WAY upwards and is 15-6 (.714) in 2007!

I agree with the notion that Mitchell should have played both Calderon and Ford together last night, with Jose operating as the SG. This threat of dual dribble drive penetration could have solved Chicago's zone defense that had Toronto flustered in the last 10 mins.

Also Jose and Ford almost played identical minutes. I think Sam is deliberately trying to give both guards equal time which should not be the case. GO WITH THE HOT HAND! Last night, Calderon deserved to finish the game off. There will be days when Ford will be complete command and Calderon has to watch from the bench.

That victory was both disappointing and rewarding at the same time...Hopefully the Raps can learn from their mistakes.

Point Guard Situation - I almost wish that TJ was still injured...Calderon is simply a better decision maker, period. Calderon should be starting and ending games, and TJ should fill in the rest. They should get equal minutes (24 a piece) but Calderon should be in for crunch time. I don't think the Raps would have come up empty on the offensive end in the last 3 minutes if Calderon was running the show.

Interesting Read:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6472008?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=73

That Charlie Rosen really doesn't hold anything back!

Charley Rosen is retarded, watching one Raps game doesn’t make you a qualified analyst. The first step for him should be to learn how to spell our players names...Andreas Bargnani....come on you hack. This article just proves how little attention the Raps get from the American media. Rosen should just stick to writing crappy Lakers books that people could really care less about

I have to agree with the Calderon theory. He should have stayed in.

I like this win though. Raps got let off the hook - but they DID pull it out - and on the road!!!. You know that had to give Bosh and co. some serious confidence - and I'll take that anyway the Raps can get it.

Get the ball to Bosh!!!!!

Guys: I wrote Charley this AM and said the following:

Hey Charley,

Nice to see the Raps get some props. I write for www.raptorshq.com which provides all Raptors content for one of Canada's biggest basketball websites. We have been featured in Dime and Hoopsaddict magazine along with cnnsi.com.

Have to say, although some of the things you have to say about the team are bang-on others could not be further from the truth.

i.e. Bosh's game is all about finesse.

If you have been following this team Bosh, although slight of frame is far from being about finesse. Maybe last year, but this year he has been going hard and straight at other big-men. See his 41 point performance against the man-child Dwight Howard.

2. This guy's an incredible long-range bomber with seemingly unlimited range.

Re:Garbo. Couldn't be farther from the truth. This guy has had a never difficult time adjusting to the NBA three and just now is he starting to extend the range past the international distance. His defence has actually been quite good and he has given the Raps a boost defensively on a number of occassions.

3. Bargnani is nearly a carbon-copy of Garbajosa, minus the vision necessary to complete even the simplest passes.

True he had a tough time passing the rock last night, but he had made some sweet plays this year passing the ball. It was obvious he is extremely agile for a big and his defence is respectable in that he does not leave his feet to early and plays with his feet. He and Garbo are quite different.

Anyway the rest of the article was a good read. The thing is about the Raps so few people have watched them regularly that now that they are lookin solid people are going to make assumptions based on one or two games. Hopefully that will not be the case.

You must have received an email or 2 about the possibility of bringing Gasol to Toronto. Obviously it is completely unrealistic, but I think the 3 amigos (Calderon, Garbs, and Gasol) would become known as the conquistadores if given the opportunity to play together in the NBA, especially with Il Mago in the mix! What would the Raps have to do give up in order to get him? Outside of Bosh and those already mentioned, why not?

Just read the Rosen article. You're right, one game doesn't give a clear picture, especially when you read his Garbo analysis.
But he picked up on the zone problems Toronto has. My question for you guys: what do you think should be the Raps' answer for that? They're going to see them lots more after the break.

I was thinking of the Calderon & TJ combo a few days ago as well, but I don’t think it works. Calderon is undersized at the 2 and if you think he has trouble defending the opposing PGs, how do you think he will do defending taller 2s? Also, having Calderon and TJ out there together means you have to sit down 4th quarter Mo.

Maybe I wasn’t seeing straight due to my anger, but as mad as I was at the offensive execution down the stretch last night, I didn’t think it was Ford who was the cause. Yes, there was too much dribbling the clock down on a few positions, but collectively, the team was not cutting and penetrating. Don’t think I can pin it all on Ford. In addition, I think Calderon was out of gas when he came out.

AJ, I agree with you. Sam has been inserting key players back into the game too late in the 4th quarter. I noticed it with CB4 in the Dallas game (or was it Utah?) where he came back in with 4 minutes left and had a key turnover and a couple of poor shots. The guys need to warm up before making key plays. You need to sub in your key guys with at least 8 minutes to go in the quarter. The good news is Sam learned from that and has been subbing CB4 better. Hopefully, TJ will be coming back earlier in key games going forward.

Did anyone else notice that ESPN has the Raps ranked as the 7th best team in the league, 2nd in the East behind the Pistons? Kinda hard to argue with that the way they’ve been playing.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerranking

I agree 100% that Calderon should have played the clutch minutes last night. I've been saying this for a while now, but T.J. just can't run the offence like Calderon. The team becomes stagnant and the players just sand around and wait for T.J to do something. There is no fluidity and motion that is there when Calderon plays. If WE can see that then Mitchell and B.C. definitely see it also. Why then do they insists T.J. plays the clutch minutes??

Also, it frustrates me that Leo Rautins (whom I like as an analyst) doesn't say something this. I'm sure he's noticed the problem with T.J. so why not say anything??

It is uncanny how TJ can come into a game and for one reason or another blow a lead. Last night it wasn't turnovers it was poor decisions with the ball late in the clock.

With that said however, he was doing the right thing by taking the posessions deep into the shot clock. When you are up by 12 late in a game it is important to take as much time off the clock as possible. However what was disappointing to me was that there seemed to be no game plan aside from 'kill time'. So that when the clock ran down the ball wasn't where it needed to be, either in the hands of Bosh or on the move around the perimiter looking for an open shot.

Finally, Howland, I would have included in your letter to Rosen, Bosh's increased propensity to get to the charity stripe as evidence that he's playing with less finess this season. Quite simply, outside of Dwight Howard, what star power forward in this league is more aggressive (less finess-y) than Bosh. Garnett? Bosh has more Free throw attempts and more offensive rebounds than KG. Elton Brand? Bosh has more PPG, more RPG and more FTA's than Brand. Jermaine O'Neal? Bosh has more PPG, more RPG, more ORPG and more FTAs than O'Neal. Quite simply, the only thing that Bosh doesn't do as well as these above mentioned gentlemen is block shots. finess? That term is meaningless. Rosen is an ass and any hack that watched the Raps game last night could write about how they struggled with the 3-2 zone. How about some real insight, like maybe who's fault it was that we didn't make the adjustments necessary. Or any kind of insight other than, "Boy, can they shoot!"

Sorry for the long post, bored at work on this snowy day.

close game. it shouldn't have been so. but a win is a win is a win. especially against the bulls!

you touched on it a little howland, but bargs play last night literally had me in fits. I'm really starting to love this kid...and it's hard not to. the dunk, the sweet extended finger roll he brought from seemingly behind himself to lay it in, that laser quick release...he's just going to be a monster. no doubt about it.

I think we can now safely start talking about BC repeating his exec. of the year award.

Basketball is a game of adjustments. With solid play from Calderon throughout the game, I didn’t see the sense of Ford closing out the game. Clearly Mitchell needed to clue in on what gave him the lead, and that combination included Calderon. Although most often solid, TJ should have allowed Calderon a breather and re-entered the game to close it out. The word is OUT… the killer bees (Bosh & Barg’s) are the REAL DEAL. It’s on tonight at the ACC… VC is in for a whooping.

So Mitchell likes TJ Ford's defensive prowess? Let's get real.

Calderone in the game: Raps up by 10, the game is in hand.

Ford in the game: Bulls go on a 10-0 run.

Well I read all the comments on TJ and Calderone, it is so funny last year everyone was on Calderone, you guys critisized him so much, but I will say Tj is the starting point guard, if Brian wanted Calderone to start he would have not made the trade. You have to understand fans it seems like you are never satisfied, the Raps are winning you are complaining, if they were loosing you would be complaining, Toronto fans are never satisfied, we are very lucky to have 2 of the best point guard in the leauge just cheer for the Toronto Raptors and enjoy both point guard because Sam will not changed his point guard from how they are playing. I am just happy the Raps beat the Bulls after 15 games and they are in a position to get into the playoffs even if they don't go on to the next round. Go Raps and Go TJ and Calderone.

Guys I read the Charley Rosen write up, at the begin of the season he had nothing good to say about the Toronto Raptors, 98% of what he said in his article is incorrect, he sounds to me like a man that is so disapointed that the Raptors are winning that he feels he has got to say something negitive to try and see if he could try and let the team think negitive, but the Toronto Raptors has been at the bottom too long and now that they are coming out of that hole they really don't care what anyone think of them all they care about is that they win and get to the playoffs, we are going forwards and not backwords and we are not asking anyone to believe in us we no longer want to be the scape goat for people like Charley Rosen let him find some other scape goat to write about.

People, why all the complaining about TJ vs Calderon? The bottom line of this business is getting wins and the Raptors did that.

Was it disappointing to see them squander a lead in the 4th. Sure. However last year's team would have coughed up the lead and never got it back. The Raps beat a top tier Eastern conference team on the Bulls' home court. Be happy.

Does the last quarter collapse mean TJ should be on the bench? Time will tell. Remember when CB4 was injured and TJ carried the team? How soon we forget.

The Raptors are still learning how to win. There are bound to be some bumpy patches along the way but the glass is half full. The core of this team is on the youg side of 23. Look out.

BC is not finished with this team. They are still a piece or two away from being a top tier team. I predict that they make the playoffs and might even squeak into the second round but that's it. Pretty good for a team that finished 27-55 last year.

Some people think just because we are Raptors' fans that we have gotten used to diminished expectations but I say it takes time to blend a young team with 8 new faces. Take the time to do things right or we'll end up like the Celtics and Bobcats.

the problem I have with people defending tj with his play while bosh was out is that 1) it's the very same reason he's not doing well now, and 2) there is no 2. he took the open looks. he took the not so open looks. he took the game winners. (which he made.) but basically, he played some selfish ball. and it got us a few wins, no doubt, but this team doesn't need that style of play day in, day out. and he hasn't proven to me yet that he can play the team ball that calderon is working like a champ right now.

the difference is this: calderon takes his shots within the flow of the offence, 99% of the time. tj? not so much.

again, I like the guy, I want him to succeed. hopefully all of this is just a learning curve.

You were too charitable to Charley Rosen... I just sent some comments myself:

"Too bad you only watched one game before passing judgment on the Raptors and drawing largely incorrect conclusions about the games of several of our players.

I guess it's not just the folks at Fox News who go through life with their heads up their asses! Come up for some air every now and then!"

That Rosen article was hilarious. It was pretty evident that he has never before seen a Raptors game. He fits in well at Fox lol.

VC! What a F'N Suck!

Marcia, people ripped on Jose last year because he wasn't playing like he is now. The world championships changed that for him, and he's been playing infinitely better since that experience.

Don't believe me? Check out his stats:
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jose_calderon/career_stats.html
He's down almost 2 minutes per game this year, and is scoring an average of 3PPG more, and is shooting phenomenally well compared to last year -- 52.6% vs 43.2%, his 3 point percentage is almost double what it was then -- 27.3% vs 16.3%, and he's up almost a half an assist per game.

How about the rankings?
He's #29 for APG, #29 for overall assists, #34 in FT%, #4 for Assists per 48, and #1 overall in Assist:Turnover.

Consider also, he has played 400 less minutes so far this year than last, and has scored 93 more points.

Shep - this is a team sport, players does not make playoffs, teams do Calderone is a good player and TJ is a good player, it does not matter who starts and who does not, this is an NBA team not a world team, it is not important at this moment what Calderone did for his country, all we are interested in at this moment is the Raptors team play together win ball games, make the playoffs and hopefully make it to the finals. Individual player scores does not make playoffs. Calderone and TJ are not complaining so why are the fans complaining, but just like Toronto fans they have got to find something to complain about.

E dubs,

You spelled his name wrong too your just as much of a hack as he is. Its Andrea Bargnani.