RaptorsHQ Rapid Recap: Washington 93 - Toronto 78

by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Jan 10, 2012 9:34 PM EST in Raptors Rapid Recap

- As the Toronto Raptors learned last week against the New Jersey Nets, there are no guaranteed wins for this team. Facing a Washington Wizards squad that had tuned out its coach and scored above 90 just twice this season, the Raptors dropped a 93-78 decision to the team formerly known as the Bullets and failed once again to climb to the .500 mark.

- The Wizards got to the rim at will in the first half, scoring 38 of their 46 points in the paint. They scored 54 points in the paint overall.

- Twenty-two turnovers leading to 19 Wizards points also didn't help the cause.

- Andrea Bargnani continued to lead the way on offence with 22 points on an efficient 9-for-16 from the field, as he builds a case to play in his first All-Star game. But if this team is going to enjoy any type of sustained success, Il Mago needs to bring it on both ends of the floor every game and not allow opposing teams to form a layup line to the bucket.

- Of course, as soon as the Raptors switched to a zone defence in the 3^rd quarter and tried to pack it in, Chris Singleton hit a triple. It was that kind of night.

- Want to know how bad it got for the Raptors? The corpse of Rashard Lewis – the same Lewis who refused to play the other night after arguing with Sam "Big Balls Dance" Cassell – led the Wizards in scoring with 15 points.

- The Raptors shot an anemic 40% from the field and 4-20 from beyond the arc. And those numbers actually improved significantly in garbage time!

- Rasual Butler continues to be one of the worst starters in the NBA. Why this guy plays let alone starts remains the biggest mystery of the season. Unfortunately, James Johnson and Gary Forbes aren’t doing much to warrant a change in the starting lineup.

- The Raptors finish up their only back-to-back-to-back set tomorrow night in Toronto against the Sacramento Kings… the same Kings who got blown out 112-85 in Philadelphia tonight.

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James Johnson needs the Linas Kleiza rule. Only 2 dribbles allowed.

by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 10, 2012 9:42 PM EST reply actions

and NO 3 pointers!

well…perhaps somebody wants him to take these, but I do not.
And somebody needs to stop DeRozan. The opposition refuses to because he is their teammate!
But somebody needs to say stop, already with the shooting!

In my opinion…the game was lost because the Raptors refused to punish inside drives.
That and they themselves refused to drive inside, thus not getting calls.

Seems simple enough.

My question is this: Did Casey lose the team tonight?
If we saw what was going on…he surely did.
IF he did…then he must have addressed it.
If he did, and they just went out and did as they pleased…that means bad stuff.

I mean, if a coach says drive the middle and you don’t, that is pretty rotten. You shoulds at least TRY to drive in.
Once at least before chucking up an outside shot?

Did anybody foul out?
Well, normally this ain’t a goal.
But when you are down by 15, then 20… and they continue up the middle, I am sorry…but I insist somebody get hit.
I insist somebody go to the bench with 6 fouls.

I am pissed this doesn’t happen.
Ii shows a sorry side to a team.

by ppellico on Jan 10, 2012 10:02 PM EST up reply actions

Even more fundamental

the game was lost because the Raptors refused to punish inside drives.

That’s only part of the answer. The full answer is that the better Raptor players were completely gassed. They managed to hang in there for the first 6 minutes and then they were done.

The evidence was that their jump shots were all over the place, they didn’t attack the basket on offense, and, as you mention, they were a bit flatfooted on several Wizard drives.

I guess I’m a little more forgiving than you. I’m thinking that this game was more of the spirit was willing but the body wasn’t.

by siggian on Jan 11, 2012 9:38 AM EST up reply actions

A real stinker

I’ll put a part of this on fatigue.

On a night like this it seems that our only salvation is that coveted low lottery pick. Boy did we look bad.

by Tinmann on Jan 10, 2012 9:55 PM EST reply actions

Ping pong balls

If we agree there is not enough talent on this team, then we need to get it through the draft. I hate losing, but…….I love the sound of ping pong balls favouring the Raptors.

Awful game on both sides of the floor. Still only one team in ten games has scored more than 100 points in a game.

Rasual Butler’s play could help get Harrison Barnes ? Is that why he is getting so much starting time? No other reason for him to be on the court. A soft outside shooter who can’t shoot?

Trying to discipline myself to wait one more year. My ideal situation is we keep playing well and hard but losing close games so we get a top 6 pick.

by defensive rap on Jan 10, 2012 10:19 PM EST reply actions

I really do

expect Butler’s shot to come around. But I am getting sick of waiting.

I don’t want to get too down for this game. Hey we have looked good in about half our games so far. And coming into the season my expectations were really low.

by Tinmann on Jan 10, 2012 10:30 PM EST up reply actions

When Butler’s shot comes around – IF it comes around – we’re still talking about a guy who has shot under 40% for his career and who is clearly on the decline.

by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Jan 10, 2012 11:03 PM EST up reply actions

Sounds like a GM I know.

by McGateway on Jan 11, 2012 5:25 AM EST up reply actions

DeRozan's body language

looks horrible out there. He has got to show he can start in this league, and so far he hasn’t.

by Tinmann on Jan 10, 2012 10:32 PM EST reply actions

Derozan

needs to take his skirt off. The few times he manned up and attacked the bucket (as in went for a dunk or went into the body of the opposition) he scored or got to the line.

by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 10, 2012 10:34 PM EST up reply actions

DD and Ed

They both have bad body language right now. To me, they both need a fire lit under them but Casey has to realize they are both still very young. They are both about the age of a senior in college, so they may need more time to bloom and we have to be careful with how we handle those two young guys.

by defensive rap on Jan 10, 2012 11:21 PM EST reply actions

completely off topic but a must share...

Quote of the year goes to Kwame Brown

“That was my young fella,” Brown bragged of Bynum. “I taught him everything he knows. … I’m one of the better defenders in the league and we played against each other every day in practice. I told him if you can score against me, you can score on anyone.”

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201201/nba-stiff-takes-credit-lakers-stars-success

by Shalax23 on Jan 10, 2012 11:23 PM EST reply actions

Kwame Brown

True coaches always give the players the credit. Kwame is not a true coach and if sparing partners started to take credit for Mayweather’s success I would laugh about the same.

One of the best defender’s in the league, ha. He’s fat, lazy and slow. But one on one in practice I could see him trying harder than he does in the games and taking it more personally. That’s how silly I think he is. Silly is the nice way to say stupid.

I am sure it helped Bynum to practice with Kwame. I am sure he did not have near the impact he suggests.

by defensive rap on Jan 10, 2012 11:45 PM EST up reply actions

We are so close to a solid roster

PG // Jose, ?
SG // DD and Bayless
SF // Barnes, or Gilchrist (fingers crossed), plus Linas and/ or JJ
PF // Andrea
PF/C // Amir, Ed
C // JV, Gray

Those eleven players could be very good going forward. We can also hope to add a solid PG vet or a good prospect with our FA acquisition. Maybe trading for a late first round or early second round pick we can find a sleeper in the draft to backup Jose. Bayless should be given a bit more time to see if he can grow into the role but I still see his ceiling as a Jason Terry type player with better D and hopefully as good a shooter but unlikely.

Next year’s draft is a key moment in this clubs history and it would be a great time to grab a player like Vince Carter again, albeit a player with a better attitude. We need an all star player who can play the wing. We also need an all star Centre. Both could be coming to training camp in 8 months time. Both are needed to win a ring.

1.Then you need an experienced PG, Jose.
2.A true scorer and matchup problem, AB
3. A solid Centre, JV (we hope)
4. one all star and one good player at the 3 and 2, Barnes and DD
5. muscle off the bench, Amir, Bayless, JJ, Ed, Gray, Linas
6. A solid coach that can get his team to play tough D

The formula to a ring is not that far off.

by defensive rap on Jan 10, 2012 11:42 PM EST reply actions

Hopefully number 4 can also be number 2, a true scorer and you can add a #2 option in there and AB can fill that role.

by Shalax23 on Jan 11, 2012 12:15 AM EST up reply actions

Who is surprised by this result?

We talked about this after the Minnesota game. Jose, Andrea and Amir all played 40 minutes or more against the T-Wolves. Was the result of the following game ever really in doubt?

For those hoping for a good draft pick this is an ideal game to lose as it brings the Wizards closer to the Raptors in the standings.

by DW19 on Jan 11, 2012 10:16 AM EST reply actions