Tip In, Raptors' Post Game: Unstoppable Force

by RaptorsHQ - Archives on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST

At least we have an energy guy up front again...

The propensity for the Raptors to fold in big games has almost become the norm rather than the exception. We at the HQ have talked enough about "must win" situations for about the past month now that we have to look at last night's 108-102 loss as not all that surprising. For example, I didn't expect the Raptors would be able to slow down Dwyane Wade after he's been on his roll for the past week. Last night's game makes it the fourth game in a row that Wade has scored at least 35 points in a game. I'm also sure that few are surprised that the Miami roll players managed contribute against the Raptors.

However, there were at least a few storylines to follow for this game. There's of course the Canadian factor on the Miami Heat and the overall playoff race picture. Toss in the big trade that happened a few weeks ago that was supposed to to change the playing style of both teams, and the Raptors had plenty to get excited about in this game.

But should we be surprised that the game started out slow and that the Raptors looked to be mired in quicksand for most of the game?

Not really.

After an extremely poor start, the Raptors got a long talk from Jay Triano to pick up the intensity. The Raptors, lucky to only be down by six considering how many shots they missed within the first five minutes of the game, came back to take the lead after the first quarter. Toronto primarily had to thank Andrea Bargnani for his continued abuse of Michael Beasley's porous defense in the first quarter.

It's nice that the Raptors made a game of it and didn't just capitulate in the first quarter, but last night was far from ideal. For one thing, Dwyane Wade started off in the game hitting just about every shot imaginable in his arsenal. For another, the Raptors just seemed to be locked in a half court offense with very few fast break points throughout the game. Other than Bosh and Bargnani, the only other two elements fans could get excited for were the play of Anthony Parker and Pops Mensah-Bonsu.

It might have only been one game, but Pops first play was a hustle play that saw him chase down a rebound in traffic. He also attacked the rim (unsuccessfully) on his first play on the offensive end, and in the second half, Pops' put-back on a Bosh miss and dunk in transition were plays that simply energized the Raptors. It's plays like these that the Raptors have been missing since Kris Humphries broke his leg. At the very least, if Pops can be a cheap replacement for Hump, the Raptors have to be glad the Spurs let him go. If Pops can string together a series of good games, the Raptors may have found a good third/fourth big for the remainder of the season.

Anthony Parker, on the other hand, gave the Raptors some much needed steadiness. Yes, he was clearly outmatched by Dwyane Wade, but he still managed to be a factor in the game with four steals and his ability to run the point. Coming down the stretch, the Raptors will have to seriously consider what exactly their goals should be. I can't blame the Raptors for putting Parker in the game at crunch time as it gave the Raptors their best opportunity to take the game. Calderon, especially, was off his game today as his hamstring just seemed to be bothering him the entire game. Toss in some pretty ineffective minutes from Ukic and Banks, and the Raptors had little choice but to once again run Anthony Parker ragged at two positions. The Raptors will have to continue to use Parker until it's clear that they have given up on the season.

And Bosh and Bargnani? Well, Bosh attempted to at least keep himself in the range of Dwyane Wade's unbelievable night. Andrea Bargnani on the other hand, poured in 23 points of his own to compliment Bosh's 34.

But that's only telling half the story.

The other prevailing story has to be the play of Marion, Moon, and O'Neal. Three guys that were essentially traded for one another, and three guys who had little impact on the game. Sure, O'Neal and Moon made some plays in the game, which is more than could be said about a very lackadasial Shawn Marion, but they certainly were not game changers. Perhaps that was the tipping scale. The Raptors needed Marion to step up his game and be that extra punch, but the Raptors simply couldn't get anything out of the small forward position for most of the night. The Heat, on the other hand, at least got some blocked shots out of Jermaine O'Neal despite his poor shooting night.

Oh and Dwyane Wade was unstoppable.

Showing a dizzying array of moves, Wade eclipsed our own Chris Bosh as far as points were concerned, but what won't show up as much on the stats is just how much Wade's dribble penetration hurt the Raptors psychologically. It was Wade's work that allowed Daequan Cook and Mario Chalmers to launch from the outside. It was also Wade's penetration that caused the Raptors to pull their bigs away from Beasley and Haslem in the final stretch which allowed the Heat to score in the Raptors' interior.

However, all this is moot as in the end, the Raptors were undone by themselves. Costly errors within the final two minutes of the game destroyed the Raptors' chances at a come back. A turnover by Kapono, and another by Shawn Marion were indicative of the Raptors' inability to close out games over the course of the season. The Raptors simply keep shooting themselves in the foot when the game was on the line.

If you want to look at the positives, the Raptors are at least playing with some heart. They came back and made a game of it even when down by 15 in the final quarter. But good effort without a win just doesn't help the Raptors at this point. At this point of the season, we shouldn't be asking questions so much as implementing strategy and exerting our will on opponents, but that's just how shot the season has become. Teams like Utah don't ask those questions even when they lose Carlos Boozer for an extended time, which is why I'm not sure there's much hope in winning against the Jazz on Sunday. Coming off their 10th consecutive win, the Jazz will be licking their chops at the thought of a disorganized Raptors team. If the Raptors have any hope of winning, they'll have to:

1) Shut Down Calderon.

Look, I love Calderon. As the only guy whose jersey is residing in my closet, Calderon has been a champ just for trying to go out and fight for his team everyday. He has that "Jorge Garbajosa" mentality of having to play and fight for his team to win. But at some point, you have to think about the future. Heck, even for the immediate future, it's probably a better idea to start Anthony Parker and have him backed up by Ukic and Banks. Let's face it. Calderon would have his hands full with Deron Williams even on his good days. But with a strained hamstring? The task is near impossible.

2) Marion, Bosh, and Bargnani vs Kirlenko, Boozer, and Okur

Want to know Boozer's totals for the last two games? How about 9 and 16 last night. Not impressed? How about 20 and 17 the game before? The Raptors have to find a way to shut down Carlos Boozer. My money is to put Bosh on the guy as they worked together during the Olympics. Okur? Well, Bargnani is going to have to do his thing and think like Okur; guard the three point line and force Okur out of the paint. I realize that Bargnani has traditionally struggled against Utah's bigs, but that just can't happen if the Raptors hope to win. Marion, on the other hand, is going to have to give his teammates a little help. I'd love it if Pops Mensah-Bonsu repeats his performance from the other night, but I'm still in a wait-and-see approach. Therefore, Marion has to do better and at least show some defensive intensity to help Bosh and Bargnani on the glass and with protecting the paint.

3) Foul Trouble

As in "Stay out of--" and "Put the other team in--". Okur and Boozer are both prone to foul trouble, so the Raptors should not be afraid of stepping their game up to draw fouls on the Jazz bigs. The Raptors missed a golden opportunity to take the Heat completely out of the game by continually pounding the Heat interior. However, the only way the Raptors can open up some space is to put both Okur and Boozer in some foul trouble so that the Jazz have to use their bench against the Raptors. On the other end, Bargnani cannot pick up fouls or the Raptors will have to rely on both Mensah-Bonsu and Voskuhl to take care of the interior. If that's the case, then Deron Williams will have a field day against the Raptors.

Sunday's game won't be an easy one for sure. Me? I've got tickets with my buddies so I'll be watching it live. Here's hoping that the Raptors make a game of it. And if they don't, here's hoping that they at least get us free pizza.

Vicious D

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Comments

Didn't get an opportunity to watch the game, although I saw bit and parts of Raps in and Hour and I gotta say I did like what Pops brought to the game (for what little I saw).

by SwirskysSoldier on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

It speaks volumes that a guy that was signed less than 48hrs before game time to a 10 day contract is our first player off the bench and arguably the fourth best player on the court for the Raptors last night... Ladies and Gentlement, your 2008-2009 Toronto Raptors!

BTW, Jason Kapono has solidified his place as my least favorite player in the entire NBA. Maybe its his contract, maybe its the circumstances surrounding his signing (absolute blunder by BC), maybe its the fact that he embodies everything I hate about this team (weakness, sissy-ball, jumpshooting - and nothing else). The fact that we are forced to keep trotting him out there becasue of his contract and because we have no other options makes me physically ill. Ten mil locked up in Kapono and Banks... Ten mil.

by MAS on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

You know I was always a bit intrigued by the Kapono signing. I thought he was getting paid too much, but figured we were getting the best 3pt shooter in the league. I gotta say I've been less than impressed with the result so far.

The thing that did always bother me about this signing was loosing Mo Pete. Mo might not having been an allstar but I gotta say I always loved his game. Hit clutch 3s, took it to the hole, actually played good defense against opposing 2 guards and played hard every night. Hmm... sounds like something we have been lacking for a little bit....

by SwirskysSoldier on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

didn't get to see the game either, but sounds like pops filled the undersized four, rather than the oversized three I thought he was being brought in for... I 'm with the kapono detractors - bring him for a specific play to hit a big shot, sure, but that's it...

by axl on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Reading various Raptor analysis’s out there, it seems like we’re micro-managing each single game, instead of looking at the last 20 games as a whole, and what they have to offer.

As for these "must wins", what exactly are they for? ..... Confidence?
Probably true to a certain degree.

Or are these must wins a function of the "play-off run" that is ongoing.
[" .... excuse me, while I clear my throat ... " ]

These last set of games are what I like to call free games. They cost nothing – while the payback can be great. A chance to play Pop the Magic Dragon another 15 minutes or so. I liked what he brought – kinda like experiencing the Moon effect in his first year. Maybe this time – sans Mitch – we make it more. Point is, guys like him should be playing. Even if they screw up. Actually, especially if they screw up. As long the upside hasn’t been extinguished, these games give us a chance to assess strengths we can’t quite see right now. Or figure out how to gel.

Losing games, but developing our potential, is not so much a consolation prize – kinda like a set of steak knives for "top achievement" – but more a necessary option, if we’re thinking of next season. As for the thought that these games cost nothing, that’s simply a reality of not making it into the bonus rounds this year. The revenue isn’t pertinent, when the play-offs become a mirage. In some ways, it pays off to be out. Bosh needs to rest that knee more – maybe miss games here and there. And Calderon needs to shut it down. From my understanding with hamstrings, absolute rest turns out to be the best medicine. That includes all summer ... Jose?

But if by some strange fate or miracle we make the play-offs, I’d want it to be because of these very same players we’re developing. Including Ukic. And more Joey. Less Kap, and less AP.

As for the "non-loving" that some regulars are getting during this stretch, I can only say this. Give me Jose (with no hamstring issues), Bosh with a rested knee, Bargnani (without the absurd focus on a 2 rebound night), Marion (he’s still got game), and if I have to ... Parker. With that kind of a starting line, I’d feel good if I was a coach. For next year that is. The Bench ... not so much. But if we can develop parts of that Secondary now, then next year might get off a little better. That’s what this end should be all about.

by RapthoseLeafs on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

The play-off run aside, it`s nice to see our front court remain productive. Our back court was not, but that`s no big revelation.

In looking at why we lost, I started to think about how many points Wade achieved – in keeping with the high-scoring roll he’s been on – and I realized that if I was a Las Vegas odds guru, I would’ve wished for Moon to have taken those 5 perimeter shots instead.

Statistically speaking, one would choose a 429 over a 288. And that thought may sound rationale and logical, but once you realize you`re comparing Moon to Wade, logic just doesn`t have much rationale any more.

Never-the-less, it was nice to see JO and Moon again, and I`m glad they did `just okay`. The night did remind me of what I don`t miss – that Moon-style play with lots of pop, but too much fizz. The new guy was a pleasant surprise.

by RapthoseLeafs on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I'd agree that we're looking at this at a very case-by-case basis as far as the remaining 20 games are concerned. But until the squad changes their strategy, I don't believe we can address it. Do I think they should shut it down and look towards next year? For sure. But until they decide to, there's no point lamenting about the lack of development of guys like Graham, Pops, Ukic, and heck, even Banks because we just won't see it.

So for now, I'd say try the best to win, but I think all of us can agree it's pretty futile at this point.

by Vicious D on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Question:

How many games will be left until the media idiots in Toronto stop talking about playoffs?

by Statement on Mar 7, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I know this isn't the end all-be all excuse for our hapless raptors, but we now officially have had the hardest schedule in the nba so far

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/stats/rpi?season=2009&sortColumn=sos

-at least we're at the top of something...

by axl on Mar 8, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I was watching The NBDL Report yesterday on Raps TV and they spoke quite a bit about Pop's game. They were both quite surprised that he hasn't landed somewhere permanently so far in this league. They are convinced that he is more than capable of playing against NBA talent and even suggested that he would have stuck with the Mavs had there not been so much competition for that position, and that he would have been NBA ready much sooner. They even stated that he tries to tailor his game around KG's. Anyway, trying to share something positive!

by Assistant GM on Mar 8, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Wow. Vicious. I gotta say I'm impressed that someone at Raptors HQ has finally said something about Jose maybe NOT being the guy of the future for the raps. I'm with you... I LOVE the guy. His passion, his grittiness, his assists.... love it. But the reality in this league is that you need speed up top. Plain and simple. Offensively it opens up the rest of the floor and defensively it helps keep the game in a man-to-man scenario. Right now, the raps just keep getting torched by speedy points and off guards.

I hate to do the "what if" scenario, but looking at what BC was TRYING to do back when he first arrived and the RIDICULOUSLY snake bitten attempts to make this team better, how good would John Salmons have looked as a rap? So close.

Speaking of snake bitten, let's look back across BC's time here:

1. Brings in Garbo - Garbo has freakish accident
2. Almost signs Salmons - Somehow things break down at the last possible minute and Salmons goes on to be a stud of a SG/SF offensively and defensively
3. Sam wins COY - are you serious? Now BC is stuck with having to re sign him.. I highly doubt this would have happened without the COY.
4. BC trades for Ford - risky move but made the team better...until Ford smacked his head after the hard foul in Atlanta...now fans start screaming for more Calderon...hands tied BC moves Ford.

The guy has just had ridiculous problem after ridiculous problem to deal with! Way to many situations where his hands were tied. And guess what, this is gonna happen again with Bosh very soon. I think they should move him for talent and picks, but most fans are gonna scream bloody murder if he does... poor guy.

by mcclarky on Mar 8, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

New Coach, Please. Triano's 4th quarters are gross. What's Kapono out there for if he's just going to shit the bed. Don't let the door hit you on the way out Marion.

by Doug on Mar 8, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Seriously, how bad are Marion's hands and passing? I am not even touching on his shooting (has he hit a jump shot since being here though?) but this guy has the hands someone missing limbs. Missed lay-ups, missed pass receptions, missed rebounds, and ill-advised passes. I don't have words for this team anymore. At the 7 minute mark when they were still up by 4 or 6, I literally came to terms with the fact we would lose this one. I would have more faith in myself going head to head against an NHL scraper, and I am only 6ft, a buck eighty and have not skated since I was 6. This team has some skill, I can still recognize that. But seriously, anyone who ever describes any aspect of this team as tough must be neutered, because they simply do not understand the concept. Absolutely infuriating, if I am on this team, I step up in the dressing room and demand everyone with an ounce of accountability in their sould stay well into the night practcing and running plays.

by Branden on Mar 8, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions