Raptors Rapid Recap - Boston Celtics 122 - Toronto Raptors 102

by Adam Francis on Jan 7, 2011 10:05 PM EST in Raptors Rapid Recap - 2010/11

-No KG, no problem. The Boston Celtics raced out to a big lead and never looked back in a 122 to 102 thrashing of the Toronto Raptors. The Dinos were outplayed in every way possible for the second time in their last three matches, and allowed Boston to shoot nearly 60 per cent from the field. It wasn't close, and despite a few runs to get within 13 or 14 points, you never got the feeling TO had a chance.

-Further proof that Boston dominated Toronto? Luke Harangody joined the "Stub" team; scrubs who play like studs against the Raptors' defence. He had a career-high 17 points along with 11 boards and 2 blocks in the win. Boston barely needed guys like Rondo (9 points, 7 assists) and Shaq (12 points and 6 assists.)

-On the Raptors side of things, the team was led offensively by DeMar DeRozan with 20 points, while Linas Kleiza and Andrea Bargnani both had 17 in the loss. Unfortunately none of the 3 played a lick of D and while the points totals look nice, the trio combined for a solid -48 mark on the evening.

-It's back to the drawing board now for TO. They face a Sacto team that's starting to get it together a bit on Sunday, and could use the break between now and then to at least get back to playing some semblance of defence. Jay Triano has to be concerned as well considering his troops were out-rebounded, out-assisted, and simply out-efforted in every way.

-However Triano has to share in the blame here as well. After playing a huge part in Toronto's win over Cleveland on Wednesday night, Julian Wright was nailed to the bench yet again, for all but garbage time, and Joey Dorsey played 9 minutes himself despite looking like the only option to move Shaq and Big Baby out of the paint. Until Triano gets the right rotation of players going, I'm expecting a lot more nights like this.

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Luke Haran-WHO?!

Is there a worse coach in the NBA than Triano?

by benjibopper on Jan 7, 2011 10:20 PM EST reply actions

Re-post: Stupid, stubborn, or both

Someone HAS to get to the bottom of this No Minutes for Wright mess. Franchise, if the only thing you do with your media access for the rest of the season is ask Triano the same question every single time – Why isn’t Julian Wright getting more minutes? – I will be a fan for life.

Here’s my thinking on the issue and I don’t mind being called out if it doesn’t make sense but allow me to go with it for a bit.

Jay Triano fears this will be his only NBA head coaching job, so consciously or subconsciously he makes an effort to get along with other better head coaches, or at least those who have a way of finding themselves head coaching jobs regularly. Enter Byron Scott, current head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and sworn enemy of Julian Wright. Scott tells Triano – Julian Wright is bad news, he’s lazy or he sleeps with coaches daughters and doesn’t call back the next day, or something ridiculous that forwards a personal agenda/animosity. I suspect this conversation happened during the early part of the season or in pre-season during one of those coaches’ retreats because the travesty has been going on the WHOLE SEASON.

Having had the seeds of prejudice planted in his "let me please a potential future employer" mind, he notices Wright’s mistakes in practice more than he does the other players. He’s actually looking for Wright to mess up at every turn so as to confirm the story told by Scott.

Triano wants the Cleveland assistant coaching job as some sort of offensive coordinator. Cleveland’s offense is really bad, any improvement realized next year will put the guy responsible for the offense in a favourable position.

Now, if Triano has designs on another head coaching job, Cleveland is not a bad spot. Scott will eventually wear out his welcome and he might be viewed as a good replacement if he works to position himself as an opposite personality – the Sam playbook all over again. If things really work out, he can realize a Scott Brooks type moment of taking over a rebuilt Cavs roster just as they are preparing to mature into playoff contenders – thus guaranteeing him a look see for every subsequent opening for the rest of his career.

End of Story

Happiness is that which gets lost in the details of its pursuit.

by HQ Interloper on Jan 7, 2011 10:42 PM EST reply actions

I think there are much simpler factors at work:

1. Colangelo and Triano are attempting to justify the money given to Kleiza in the offseason by handing him a starting spot and minutes regardless of how he plays defensively. Colangelo whispers suggestions in Triano’s ear, and Triano – who is so paralyzed by fear of the guy who has given him a head coaching job, opportunities with Team USA, etc – just mindlessly plays the guys the GM wants to see on the floor.

2. Or they are just paying zero attention to how Kleiza fits with Bargnani and the rest of the team because they’re trying to inflate Kleiza’s value and deal him by the deadline (to undo another Colangelo mistake).

3. Scoring once again rules the day. It determines the amount and length of contracts in the NBA, All-Star selections, etc. And its determining who starts and plays the most minutes for this Raptors squad. Bargnani can get destroyed by opposing frontcourt players, but as long as he’s getting his 20 points on 20 shots, then it’s all good in the hood. Same goes for DeRozan.

4. Mostly likely the answer: The team employs no one in the front office who analyzes advanced metrics. Or if they do employ these people, they do not have Colangelo’s ear or confidence. And they definitely don’t have Triano’s. So you have two guys whose advanced plus/minus over the past two seasons are tops on the team (Amir Johnson and Julian Wright). One gets a starting spot only after Reggie Evans is injured, and the other gets spot minutes.

Any way you slice it, it’s extraordinarily frustrating to watch. And as RapthoseLeafs mentioned below, perhaps management and the coaching staff will take on an entirely different viewpoint after the 25th. But I’m not holding my breath.

by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Jan 7, 2011 11:12 PM EST up reply actions

the worst part

you don’t need any advanced metrics to see how badly some of these guys are fitting together.

I’m still convinved this is about selling product and marketing the brand to a world market. Which is a sound financial plan… and in general not a bad idea (given the market, attracting players etc). But its not necessarily going to lead to success with this current group/combination. If the Raps are going to go non-NA players I’m fine with that… but give me the Paus, Parkers, Varejos and even Joses of the league. Or at the very least don’t start, give the most minutes to, and play together the guys that have the same issues.

I like Kleiza, the guy plays hard and may be one of the better rebounding sf in the league. Like that he took it hard at Shaq, and even after the body check was still not gonna back down from him. But his defense has been horrible, tonight was no exception, and you just can’t back that up with perhaps the worst help defender in the league.

by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 7, 2011 11:23 PM EST up reply actions

BC Mistake

they’re trying to inflate Kleiza’s value and deal him by the deadline (to undo another Colangelo mistake).

When Raptors acquired Kleiza I thought it was a good move, because this team lacked veterans, and a little stability couldn’t hurt. As it turned out, he has become redundant. The Offense and Defense lack balance.

That being said, I disagree in this being a mistake – more an adjustment to how this team is forming. Wright illustrates a more balanced alternative. It may not remain his to have, but hopefully Julian’s style of play will identify a need to mix the Starters up better.
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Whether a trade happens or not, Linus would welcome a play-off team. And such a Play-off team would hope LK can make their Bench stronger. As for BC, he may have a checkered past, but his counter-moves have surprise quite a few (including me).
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by RapthoseLeafs on Jan 7, 2011 11:41 PM EST up reply actions

If Colangelo can turn Kleiza into a young talent or draft pick it will end up bieng a very good signing. A pick or a prospect would be great for a rebuild, and I will actually appreciate that playing a guy this year that was not a great fit improves are chances/position in the draft.

As much as I have been helping lead the charge for Julian Wright over the last couple of months, I will not be too angry with guys like Barbosa, Kleiza, Reggie Evans/Peja Stojakovic (if they are healthy in time) getting minutes until the trade deadline. BC and the Raptors should be trying to pump their trade value. Plus losing games right now, while it is frustrating could be seen as beneficial…

I see Julian Wright as a potential bench player on this team for years to come, but if sititing him for a few more weeks allows BC to improve the team in the long run, I can support it.

I just pray every day that BC actually has visions of the same rebuild that I do…well minus that there are many players in the league that would be worth trading Bargnani for. I assume he does not agree with me there, and have resigned myself to imagining a rebuild with Andrea…

Talkinf fantasy bball on twitter http://twitter.com/FinalsFantasy#

by JumpShootersRUS on Jan 8, 2011 11:34 AM EST up reply actions

I only heard the first q on the radio but....

Let me guess who was defending Harangody? Kleiza, the foul and turnover machine? I can’t believe he’s so bad… are refs picking on him? What’s going on…

by axl t on Jan 7, 2011 11:42 PM EST up reply actions

Here's the thing

Once the contract is signed, the money is paid regardless of whether the player plays or suffers some injury that keeps him out for two years. Needing to justify the contract at the expense of actual on-court performance is ridiculous and a sign of a poorly run organization. Kleiza doesn’t work with Bargs. This has been evident the WHOLE YEAR. I’m dumbfounded at the unwillingness to try something until it’s forced by injury. If Reggie had not gotten injured would Amir have gotten the steady minutes he is receiving now?

Happiness is that which gets lost in the details of its pursuit.

by HQ Interloper on Jan 7, 2011 11:48 PM EST up reply actions

It's All about the Big Picture

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Wright cannot usurp, what might be the immediate goal – value for Linus. Not a hard contract to absorb, especially for teams not afraid to spend – them being Play-off serious teams. Kleiza is quality Bench strength, which apparently we have lots of …. quality that is.
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The more I think about it, the more I see this as a team being displayed . And until the 25th comes along, we will remain in that mode. Development will – for this period – be superseded by asset enhancement. With a few exceptions … Cleveland being one.

by RapthoseLeafs on Jan 7, 2011 11:07 PM EST reply actions

The more I think about it, the more I see this as a team being displayed . And until the 25th comes along, we will remain in that mode.

Like a festering carcass…. lol ….we hope to lure and trick a wandering vulture or hyena out of something of theirs….

I hate watching a carcass…

by Jenge on Jan 8, 2011 2:20 AM EST up reply actions

poorly structured team

It seems like such a poorly structured team. They have a half dozen power forwards and no true center. Two starting wing players who should be bench players and the two wings who look any good – Wright and Barbosa – coming off the bench, one for five minutes a game. Derozan and Weems are redundant. Barbosa and Bayless play similar games. Can’t Colangelo trade some of the redundancies to fill the obvious holes?

by David Wayne on Jan 7, 2011 11:22 PM EST reply actions

If only it was that easy

I’m sure if it was as simple as trading away redundant players for useful 1s it would have been done already. Us fans forget or don’t realize how difficult it is to put a teram together. GMs basically have to take what’s available to them.

by Member29 on Jan 8, 2011 8:39 AM EST up reply actions

NY Times Article on Derozan...

http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/torontos-derozan-develops-his-one-dimension/

KDFREATPED

by Mikthaniel on Jan 8, 2011 12:06 AM EST reply actions

Unbalanced Team

I am probably guilty of over simplifying here, but from where I sit the Raps would be a far better team with the addition of 1) A great three point shooter (where are you Peja?) to open up the inside game and to allow the team to go on some nice scoring runs even when they are in a set offense 2) A tough PF/C (where are you Reggie) who will clog the lanes and intimidate. In other words we have two key players on the bench who would really help. The poor shooting also hurts are D as so many of those missed shots seem to end up as dunks against us about three seconds later.

by MMBL10 on Jan 8, 2011 10:08 AM EST reply actions