It's Time To Push The Easy Button .
The Raptors are in mini panic mode with their 3rd successive defeats the last one at the hands of their favorite whipping boys last season , the Orlando Magic (96-105). What's is wrong Sam ? I know. Remember Sam . I am your unofficial (and unpaid) Assistant coach whether you like it or not .
1. The Eastern Conference teams this season are tougherer. What
are automatic wins before are not anymore. The Celts , the Bucks and the Magic are exponentially betterrer this season .While the Raps remained stagnant . Yes , stagnant and repugnant at B.C.'s ineptitude. Take for instance the Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino additions. One guy used to do the defense and offense at the same time before. That man - Mo Pete . Nice move B.C.. No Pete = KapoNo + DelfiNo ! Look at Mo Pete ( right photo) teach a boy how to attack B.C. when the Raps visit New Orleans !
2. Toronto is very predictable . Notice how the Raptors are running the same plays familiar to the opposing teams and not only to ex Raptors Asst. coach Jim Todd who is now back in Milwaukee. Todd said after the mauling the Bucks gave the Raptors ' he had a very good handle of what the Raptors do '. Everyone has. Watching the Raptors run their plays is like seeing Raptors Rewind except that they are at the short end of the score. BTW, why do you think Todd left the Raps' bench to return to the Bucks for the same position ? Is it the reported pension ? How about spreading the wealth , Sam . Now that your top Assistant has left , show your real stuff , COY awardee .
3. Ball movement does'nt mean moving the ball up and down. Last season , opposing coaches raved about how the Raps play unselfish ball. They pass the ball like it's a hot potato never letting it rest more than a few secs in one man's hands. Not this season so far. Be it TJ , Jose , Delfino and even Bosh. They all want to driible and/or shoot. Let me guess why . TJ wants to increase his minutes ( how can TJ be the assist leader in the NBA - TJ's aim this
year- if Jose takes 1/2 of his playing time). Jose on the other hand, is in his contract year . Say what you want about teamwork, Jose is ready to be the primero guardia in the NBA and he is going to push the envelope not only the ball . What about Delfino ? Contract year . Kapono ? He must justify his giant $24 mil contract or he will a shortlived Raptor like Jones before him. Bosh ? He must live up to his NBA 1st Team All Star billing or else KG , Z Bo and some other newcomers in the Eastern Conference will get his slot . Should I continue ....
So go ahead Sam . Make Raptors basketball easy to the eyes once again. Push the Easy button ..... or you will be push out of coaching the Raptors soon !
are automatic wins before are not anymore. The Celts , the Bucks and the Magic are exponentially betterrer this season .While the Raps remained stagnant . Yes , stagnant and repugnant at B.C.'s ineptitude. Take for instance the Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino additions. One guy used to do the defense and offense at the same time before. That man - Mo Pete . Nice move B.C.. No Pete = KapoNo + DelfiNo ! Look at Mo Pete ( right photo) teach a boy how to attack B.C. when the Raps visit New Orleans !2. Toronto is very predictable . Notice how the Raptors are running the same plays familiar to the opposing teams and not only to ex Raptors Asst. coach Jim Todd who is now back in Milwaukee. Todd said after the mauling the Bucks gave the Raptors ' he had a very good handle of what the Raptors do '. Everyone has. Watching the Raptors run their plays is like seeing Raptors Rewind except that they are at the short end of the score. BTW, why do you think Todd left the Raps' bench to return to the Bucks for the same position ? Is it the reported pension ? How about spreading the wealth , Sam . Now that your top Assistant has left , show your real stuff , COY awardee .
3. Ball movement does'nt mean moving the ball up and down. Last season , opposing coaches raved about how the Raps play unselfish ball. They pass the ball like it's a hot potato never letting it rest more than a few secs in one man's hands. Not this season so far. Be it TJ , Jose , Delfino and even Bosh. They all want to driible and/or shoot. Let me guess why . TJ wants to increase his minutes ( how can TJ be the assist leader in the NBA - TJ's aim this
year- if Jose takes 1/2 of his playing time). Jose on the other hand, is in his contract year . Say what you want about teamwork, Jose is ready to be the primero guardia in the NBA and he is going to push the envelope not only the ball . What about Delfino ? Contract year . Kapono ? He must justify his giant $24 mil contract or he will a shortlived Raptor like Jones before him. Bosh ? He must live up to his NBA 1st Team All Star billing or else KG , Z Bo and some other newcomers in the Eastern Conference will get his slot . Should I continue ....So go ahead Sam . Make Raptors basketball easy to the eyes once again. Push the Easy button ..... or you will be push out of coaching the Raptors soon !
posted by coach at
Thursday, November 08, 2007
6 Comments:
You are correct .The Eastern Conference especially the Atlantic Division is a lot better than last year.My New York team is tough this season.I can't wait for the Raptors-Knicks game.
The Raptors will rebound if only their defense are OK.Kapono is a decent defender and Delfino can contribute offensively.The season is early.It's still a long way to go.
Yeah, the eastern conference is tougherer but I don't think that's the answer/cause... the Raps could've won each game (save Milwaukee).
And MoPete never gave offense and defense in the same game - it was always one or the other. I'd been anticipating MoPete's departure for years since he was completely incapable of stepping up his play when it was required (see injuries to VC and Bosh), and that drove me crazy. I tried to listen to friends who said "Buddy, you're expecting too much from a role player" but his inconsistencies drove me up the wall. It was just sad to get zilch in return.
And while the Raptors' offensive plays are predictable ("high screen and roll" - repeat ad infinitum), thats not quite enough to bring the team down. After all, every team knew the 90s (and 00s) Jazz were bringing pick-and-rolls on every offensive posession, but they still chalked up a whole lotta wins.
The strongest point you make is the (lack of) ball movement. With 12 guys all capable of receiving consistent minutes on any other NBA team (okay, sit down Humphries), they are indeed competing against each other on the court in a bad way. And that means lower team chemistry, which might explain why they have looked so utterly *lost* on so many offensive possessions this year.
What this team needs (among other things) is a slasher/cutter. My wife can't understand why the Raptors rely so much on the jumper, regardless of coach/year. She's been saying the same thing since 2002. They haven't had a cutter since T-mac left!
A team that lives and dies with the jumper tends to die more often than live. Until the Raptors get a hard-nosed player who can put the ball on the floor, there will be many nights of frustration.
ps: your punctuation follows a SPACE instead of the word , it is incredibly annoying to read . If you know what I mean .
ps: their perimeter D has been shameful.
kid lunch: i can't believe you compared the raptors pic and roll to the jazz. the jazz had two of the greatest players of all time. if the raptors had stockton and malone equivalents, then we would be good.
The scouts have caught up with the Raptors offense, it's time for Mitchell to counter-attack. Will he? No, he doesn't have the X's and O's knowledge to do it.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home