Raptors Rapid Recap - New Orleans Hornets 85 - Toronto Raptors 81
by Adam Francis on Jan 17, 2011 6:18 PM EST
in Raptors Rapid Recap - 2010/11
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-Another game, another tough loss to swallow for the Toronto Raptors. After leading this one for over three quarters, the under-manned Raps allowed the New Orleans Hornets to wear them down in the end, and with a little help from the refs, lost 85 to 81 in the game's final seconds.
-The refs will take a ton of heat for this one as they blew a couple calls down the stretch, however the Dinos didn't do themselves any favours in terms of effort and execution in key moments either. Toronto shot only 45% on the afternoon, managing only 16 fourth quarter points, and at the other end, missed some key rebounds that gave New Orleans much-needed second chance opportunities.
-In fact rebounds, perhaps to no one's surprise, were the story of the game. If you look at the final box score, the teams were pretty even in all categories, however the Hornets pulled in 19 offensive rebounds to only 12 for the Raps. That difference of 7 may not sound like a lot, but in a game decided essentially by two possessions, it's huge. Emeka Okafor grabbed an incredible 12 of these offensive boards himself, and many-a-time Toronto's bigs were caught standing around watching.
-Number one on the "watching list?" Yep, Mr. Bargnani. Besides an atrocious 4 of 17 shooting performance, he was also the victim of Okafor all afternoon. After one particularly lax rebounding effort resulting in an easy Okafor 2, Triano even tore into his star player, hoping to coax some more grit in the paint from the Italian. However by that time the Hornets had already drawn even, and the Raps execution offensively down the stretch did the rest of the damage along with the refs.
-DeMar DeRozan led the way with 23 points for the Raps, and put in a very solid effort. Ed Davis was the team's MVP early on and finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Jose Calderon, coming off a near triple-double, had a game-high 13 assists, but failed to score a single basket, going 0 for 5. With no Linas Kleiza (knee), Jerryd Bayless (ankle) and Leandro Barbosa (leg), that just wasn't going to get it done in an MLK Day match that saw Bargs struggle as much as he did.
-New Orleans was led offensively by David West with 23 and 10 double-double, but Okafor as mentioned was the real story. He chipped in 17 points too, was a game-high plus 18, and got solid help offensively from former Raptor Jarrett Jack (17 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds.)
-The bad news is the Raps now have to take their four-game losing streak to San Antonio, then onto Orlando and Miami before they can return home. The worse news is that this game was an all-too familiar case of "poor execution down the stretch meets terrible paint protection." The defense with Julian Wright starting in place of Linas Kleiza was much better today, but if these other two elements don't get addressed asap, the club might as well send their D League team to the final three road trip destinations.
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Inconsistency
What a wildly inconsistent team. Never mind game to game, quarter to quarter. They were doing no wrong in the third then stunk in the fourth. I think the Hornets got their 7 ORB lead in one possession that never seemed to end until Davis put us out of our misery with a foul.
Andrea was OFF, don’t know why we kept going to him and not DD.
Is it time for everyone to start jumping on the Ed Davis bandwagon yet? Kid looks good.
No points, but I still like Jose’s game, he doesn’t quit or back down, even against CP!
The refs were brutal today, lately it really seems like the Raps have the deck stacked against them. Flipping over to the Lakers game and watching the touch fouls on Kobe, just makes you feel stupid for actually cheering for a team not respected by the refs.
Fun enough game to watch, a step closer to a top 5 pick, JT’s boys are still playing hard for him.
Remember when there was great debate over whether or not the Raps should try for Okafor? I doubt there would be as much debate now.
Is Juju as good as I want him to be, or do I just want him to be that good?
Walker McKenna
by Robert Archibald on Jan 17, 2011 6:42 PM EST reply actions
I’m on the Ed Davis bandwagon. Davis looks like a great pick and the possible steal of the lottery. Time to take the training wheels off and treat this kid the same way they’re treating DeRozan and Bargnani (unlimited minutes regardless of production). I bet you’d get a lot more ROI on Davis that you will with DeRozan. Let the kid develop.
Totally on board with your Calderon comment as well: You can excuse a poor shooting night from your point guard when he limits himself to five shots while dishing 13 assists. The seven turnovers were high for Calderon, but that’s still close to a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.
by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Jan 17, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
I have been on the Ed Davis bandwagon since the draft and especially since summer league. Who knows if he will become a big star. The thing I like about him is that he brings effort every game, he has a really down-to-earth attitude and best of all he doesn’t over-complicate things. In a way he is the opposite of Bargnani in that he does the little things well(block out, rebound, convert around the hoop) while Bargnani does the flashy stuff.
Given the current roster, after the trade deadline, I would start Bargs-Davis-Wright with Amir getting lots of minutes off the bench as the third big(and a second unit scorer). When Bargnani’s shot isn’t falling then you bring Amir in straight away and when the other team has a big running roughshot over the Raps front court you bring in Dorsey to push back. Dorsey might give up some height, but he would have pushed Okafor out of his comfort zone and slowed down his OReb stat padding.
Johnson
17 and 8 and led the Raptors in +/-.
It must really gall you when he plays well
I feel sorry for you.
gall me?
Not at all, i think he is becoming a leader of this team.
Walker McKenna
by Robert Archibald on Jan 17, 2011 8:03 PM EST up reply actions
Refs
It just seems almost too obvious. Just be fair please.
The team keeps fighting and keeping the games close…we just need to get healthy to know what we truly have. Ed Davis is as exciting as anyone we have right now, and DD is starting to show he can get 20pts a night every night. There is light at the end of this tunnel…I can see light…
progress
first round draft pick coming
by raptors_run_the_show on Jan 17, 2011 7:32 PM EST reply actions
Tough Loss
That was definitely a hard loss to swallow – in spite of how losses help the cause. 37 points (for NO) after 2 quarters, impressed me. And Julian was there adding one more game stat to his cause. But it was a great team effort that kept the Hornets from scoring. Maybe not so much for Bargnani.
Andrea’s shooting woes tonight basically put this defensive team effort to waste. He also played too many minutes. For what it`s worth (and besides those frustrating few no-effort moments), I thought he blocked out his man well (at least in the 1st half), and he did stop an embarrassing short stretch late in the 3rd Quarter, that this next statement doesn`t take into account.
……. . the teams were pretty even in all categories, however the Hornets pulled in 19 offensive rebounds to only 12 for the Raps. That difference of 7 may not sound like a lot, but in a game decided essentially by two possessions, it’s huge.
- 1:46 Okafor Jump shot missed
- 1:43 Paul rebound
- 1:39 Paul 3pt shot missed
- 1:38 Okafor rebound
- 1:35 Jack 3pt shot missed
- 1:34 Okafor rebound
- 1:17 West jump shot missed
- 1:16 Okafor rebound
- 1:12 Green 3 pt shot missed
- 1:11 West Rebound – Davis loose ball foul
- 0.59 Jack jump shot missed
- 0.54 Davis rebound
That’s 5 offensive rebounds by the Hornets, and no points scored. No damage, but the stats get juiced. Just another reason why I think stats can fool you, if you let them.
.
The Consolation prize from this game, was definitely Ed Davis. And a bit of Gaines. Davis is starting to spread those wings, which is a good thing to see. Depleted as we are with injuries – and the inevitable string of losses that it will bring – it`s nice to see such an effort from a rookie with great potential. Sundiata looked like he was having fun at one point – I hope we keep him for the balance of the season.
.
Not that I’m a fan of the +/- stat, but Demar going -15 concerns me – even though he did get 23 points.
.
While you have a point about the number of offensive rebounds being higher because they kept missing shots, the point is they shouldn’t have had that many shots in the first place. If they had hit just one of those shots they would have had less off rebounds but they would have had 2 or 3 additional points. You cannot allow most teams that many kicks at the can and just wash it off as “oh well, they didn’t score anyway so it doesn’t matter”. If the Raptors continue to allow teams to rebound like that they will start getting blown out of games.
Odd perspective
Didn’t see the game, but looking at the score seems to be exactly what we want.
Tough fought battle, young kids impressing, and lost a tight game to a better unit.
This road trip. if we lose them all, should have us in the bottom five and that’s where we should want to be.
well the game almost looked like it was
won at one point. They were playing good D, efficient on offense, grabbing boards…. and then it all went to shit. No boards, D was atleast ok, but they matched that with a complete inability to score. No desire. Fatigue… maybe. But it simply was not a pretty end to the game.
The refs were simply off their game after the 6 minute mark of the 4th (either that or they bet the spread)
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 17, 2011 8:47 PM EST up reply actions
signs of a young team
letting one slip away at the end. Against a better opponent and on the road. Shorthanded. Learn from the bitter pill of defeat.
You’ll be thanking the refs come June lottery.
NO can't shoot
The Raps played a pretty good defensive game, certainly better than anything that I have seen lately. Just want to add that New Orleans missed a good number of makeable shots. Perhaps they rushed them due to the Raptors defensive pressure, but I think it is more likely that they just are not great shooters.
Anyway, the Raptors need to play that kind of defense a lot more often.
point of view
i hope everyone agrees with because the raptors stink right now, they hopefully will start winning games.
i did’t watch the game but i know for a fact that the raps gave up almost at the end because they work hard all the other quarters but the fourth haunts!!
jack kicked hose but because jack got 17 points and hose 0 embarassing
judes 2 cool for u
Quagmire?
I have followed this team from day 1, became a fan of the game as the Raptors joined the league. Attend enough games, and have booed the home team more than once, well deservedly, but never wished them to lose.
I want them to lose as many games as possible this season. I have already seen enough of Johnson, Davis and DeRozan to know I want them next season. Add the lowest lottery pick we can get. Ideal situation would be for Jose to transition in the new stud PG obtained in the draft, but he might be our best bargaining chip. Barbosa should be kept as well. Of the young guys, Wright and Dorsey deserve further looks and Alabi might get a chance next season.
Thats all I really want back. Still many holes to fill.
This rebuilding is a bitch.
What do you think a seven foot Italian would fetch on the going market?
7 foot italians who produce a lot of points would fetch a decent player. Ignoring BC, there are other gms out there that only think points matter on the stat sheet. Who might they be?..
by untouchable_21 on Jan 18, 2011 12:15 AM EST up reply actions
Jose Calderon...
…this game showed what he is. He isn’t the guy who almost got a triple-double. He is the guy who doesn’t score enough or play defence well enough to be a starting PG.
Always has been this guy. Always will be this guy.
He's not a triple double guy
no doubt.
But he did an excellent job on Chris Paul… and dished out 13 assists. I really don’t think it had anything to do with him. 0 points, but only took 5 shots.
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 17, 2011 10:56 PM EST up reply actions
Point guard is not this team’s problem. Calderon is a productive point guard.
by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Jan 17, 2011 11:11 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed.
In many ways, he’s been one of the more pleasant surprises for me this season. Yep, still a sieve defensively, but the effort is always there and he compensates in other ways.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
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