Howard’s second foul was key in the Raptors’ great first quarter.Sorry for the lateness of this post-game, but after the Raptors notched their second quality win of the season (second of 2009, both without JO…), Realizar, Arsenalist, Dinosty and me went to Philthy’s to celebrate, a drink led to a few pitchers, a big plate of nacho’s, and some trash talking at the pool table. I lost my wallet and witnessed a freak tragedy on the subway ride home…but my future nightmares are of no concern…
The Raptors win a statement-game, get back-to-back quality wins, come within a game and a half of the playoffs and move to 2-0 in 2009. Good start to the second half of the season. What makes this win sweet is who it came against – the Magic. You remember them right? The team that we dominated last year in the regular season and who handily dispatched us in the playoffs? The same team who signed Pietrus, someone I thought who would really help shore up our wing position. Thankfully he wasn’t playing. Unlike the Houston game where the Rockets failed to complete and settled for jumper and jumper en route to 34% shooting, this game came down to the wire and tested the Raptors ability to execute their offense in the clutch. Sometimes a narrow win can tell you a lot more than a blowout and today Roko Ukic, Andrea Bargnani and even the often maligned (and rightfully so) Anthony Parker displayed excellent composure in the fourth quarter.
With Calderon and O’Neal out, things looked grim. Hell, even with them in the lineup things still would have looked grim. But after the Houston win there was hope and our very own AltRaps picked the Raptors by 8, they won by 6 but he’ll take it! True to form, the Raptors jumped out to a 34-22 lead as Dwight Howard picked up two early fouls, the second one coming at the hands of an aggressive Will Solomon drive which sent him to the bench. I breathed a sigh of relief because Howard had already torched us for 9 points in the first 2:19 of the game. The Raptors took advantage and outscored the Magic 23-13 for the remainder of the quarter as Parker, Solomon, Bosh and Ukic all scored at least 4 points in this stretch. The Magic weren’t getting dribble-penetration at the point-of-attack and Rashard Lewis was the only early drive ‘n kick threat with Hedo not being aggressive and Nelson being checked nicely by Rokoman.
The second quarter saw Howard return and the Orlando wings heat up as Nelson hit for 8 including two threes to cut the lead down to 3. At this point I thought we blew it again. I’m jaded, I admit it, but games like this go a long way in healing the wounds I have suffered at the hands of this franchise (I know I’m not alone here). Andrea Bargnani’s 6 points in this stretch and timely hoops from Parker and Solomon to end the half saw the Raptors stretch the lead back to 7. Despite struggling earlier in the quarter we finished it strong and had something to be happy about going into the locker room. Bargnani’s jumper was working, Bosh was being mildly aggressive, Howard was being kept off the offensive glass, Rokoman were doing great and Parker was hitting everything.
It turned out that the meltdown wasn’t avoided, it was merely delayed. For most of the third quarter we matched the Magic score-for-score thanks to Parker’s 10 points in the frame but the Magic wings heated up late in the quarter as Courtney Lee and Rashard Lewis drained threes. This was one of our weakest defensive stretches in the game, the rotations were late, we were biting on every head-fake and were giving the Magic wide open looks, Moon being guilty of falling for the head-fake and Parker for helping when help wasn’t needed. This all resulted in a 10-2 run to end the quarter which gave the Magic their first lead since 15-14 midway through the first. The stage was set: do the Raptors fold yet again or do they show some cahones and compete against an elite team in a tense and turbulent affair. Turns out for once, we didn’t back down and came through.
Roko Ukic gets the game-ball for running this team like a 10-year veteran in the fourth quarter. Triano gets the credit for sticking with Roko despite Will not exaclyt having a bad game, great recognition by Triano of a player being hot and sticking with him. He easily had his best game of the year. He ran the offense for most of the second half and made us forget for 24 minutes that Jose was sitting on the bench looking like a scrub (where the hell was JO btw?). He ran the break, attacked the defense off the bounce, distributed the ball, played some great defense and hit a couple off-balance layups – something he does better than shooting long jumpers. Stat of the game for Roko: he out-rebounded the teachers-pet Voshkul. Three plays stand out for me that Roko executed perfectly:
- Finding Bargnani for a dunk on the break with a crazy behind the back jump pass
- Finding Parker for a dunk with a sick back-door bounce pass
- Finding Kapono for a lay-up with a sick back-door bounce pass
When was the last time the Raptors ran a back-door play that worked (I was looking for the video from last season when TJ got robbed on that sick back-doory alley-oop to win the game, but nothing)?
Roko was awesome but we shouldn’t forget Will, he got the call to start the game and hit the ground running. He played in control, distributed the ball, found open shooters, didn’t jump to pass and forced very little on the offensive end. The jumpers he took weren’t that bad either, he was open (I just don’t like him getting taking shots when there are other shooters on the floor). He even finished a play where he ripped by Nelson and finished a layup in traffic that prompted Arse to say: Calderon can’t do that…
What’s the Raptors record when Parker scores 20+ points this season? 2-0. Parker could do no wrong, and showed us what the Raptors REALLY need – a second scoring option who operates on the perimeter. Looking like the Parker of two seasons ago, he ran the lanes, curled off screens and popped jumpers, cut back-door, hit a couple layups and even had 3 dunks under the basket after hard cuts through the paint. His defense wasn’t bad, but he got caught a few times drifting (his check scored more than enough). A caveat on Parker’s performance: he didn’t do anything differently then what he normally does. He hit tough shots that he’s been missing, he ran the same lanes, he got the same looks, it’s just that he hit 13-16. Nothing close to this percentage will be sustained but hopefully he has regained some of his mojo, if not that then maybe it’ll up his trade value. I was thinking that Jamario Moon needs to learn to not worry about blocking every shot on the perimeter because 8 out of 10 times it results in his man blowing by him after a fake. I mean, how often does one block a three? Just as I was thinking this to myself in the fourth quarter, he ends up getting a crucial block on Lewis and ruining Stan Van Gundy’s out-of-timeout play.
You wouldn’t know it since Howard dropped 39 but I thought Bargnani did a commendable defensive job. I mean, Howard is a freak but Bargnani did a good job of banging with him in the paint and making him work on his dribble to get into position instead of simply conceding it. Offensively, he extended the defense with some good shooting int he 1st quarter, ran the lanes, grabbed a couple boards, and didn’t piss me off once the whole time. The best part: solid showings two games in a row that resulted in quality Raptor wins. ALSO, he was a big part in holding Howard to 8 rebounds. Vegetable Lasagna was not on the menu tonight. We win the battle of the boards 39-31 and only commit 9 turnovers which is a testament to how disciplined we were in those areas. Our wings outrebounded theirs 23-15 which means that even though we were paying extra attention to Howard, providing help from the perimeter for the driving Lewis and Hedo, we didn’t neglect our rebounding duties. That’s a great sign.
Most of Chris Bosh’s 23 points and 11 rebounds came in the final frame, certainly the most important one. He was an anchor on offense and defense, and I don’t have very much to say other then the guy is good great elite damn good, and every measure must be taken to keep him in the TDot. He grabbed a couple key defensive rebounds over Howard with under two minutes left which iced the game. Sure, Howard went off for 39 but we kept others in check just long enough to eek one out against a damn good team.
The Bad
Wasn’t all roses:
- The Raptors surrendered 102 points. With the defense only existing on the few key possessions that won them the game down the stretch.
- Gave up 34 three point shots. Most of them were solid looks that the Magic just missed. I’ll take it, but you can’t count on misses from the other team for a win.
- Voshkul? Seriously? His line: 11min, 0-1 FT and 3 PF’s. The guy posts donuts across the board and gets 11 of Humphries minutes. WTF man?
- Jamario Moon runs the court fairly well, but he doesn’t run passing lanes on the break well at all. He needs to make himself available as an offensive option when the Raptors run the break.
- He may have been in the building, but I didn’t see him on the bench. Where the hell is O’Neal? Why isn’t he supporting the Raptors by being on the bench with Jawai and Calderon?
- Speaking of O’Neal, is it me or is this team better without him?
- and finally…queue music…dribble penetration. Every game. Set up most of the Magic’s 34 three point attempts, and opened up space for them to do whatever they wanted. Fortunately the DP just hurt and didn’t kill the Raps.
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Keep Roko Free!!
22 Raps
I don’t mind Voskuhl and Humphries both getting minutes, and even though Voskuhl did nothing statically I don’t think Triano was wrong to play him. I think why Triano plays Voskuhl over Humphries is because Voskuhl doesn’t look to shoot while Humphries forces them.
Jameer Nelson for once didn’t look like an all-star against us.
They have played three good games in a row, please start getting this right. Or there is no point in any of this if you only call a win a good game.
Calderon is exposed now on a couple levels at least, defense the obvious one.
re. JO – who cares where he is during the games? i seem to remember others ‘getting treatment’ in the locker room last year when they was injured & not sitting on the bench. i’ve got no issue whatsoever with criticising the guy for his play, it’s been warranted, but it just seems kinda ridiculous the lengths to which some of ‘us’ seem to push it with him.
oh, and if D12 had put up 39 on JO instead of VL (& only provided the same 18/5 that VL did), he’d be getting ripped…right?
Not if they win, no.
I’m a bit worried that our two best wins have essentially come without two of our best players. Are we predictable? Are our guys overrated? Are we last years Rockets?
1. When Kapono only plays a few minutes, Parker is able to find his rhthym easier.
2. When O’Neal doesn’t play … things are never a grim with this team.
3. Solomon is a solid match-up vs a smallish thick PG like Jameer Nelson.
4. The Raptors give up penetration primarily in Pick situations, not in 1-on-1 situations, regardless who the PG is. When they’re Pick situations the primary responsibility for giving up that penetration lies with the Pick Defender, unless the Raptors are specifically using a “Jam-the-Picker” defensive scheme, in which case it falls on the initial Ball-defender, which is something that they almost never do strategically.
5. When D12 is out of the game, the Pick & Roll/Pop Series is not a major part of what Orlando prefers to focus on offensively.
6. When Orlando is hitting their 3’s they’re one of the best teams in the league; when they’re not, then they’re not. They will live and die with Turkoglu’s performance, not D12’s. They need Turk to play well, in order to be considered an elite level team in the NBA.
7. Bargnani still has a lot to learn about playing defense vs a player like Dwight Howard but he did took a credible first step yesterday. Once he does a better job of [i] “bumping him” and then [ii] “releasing” his forearm from Howard’s back until D12 dribbles again and [iii] using his “inside” forearm instead of his outside one, etc., he is going to be a solid defensive match-up on Dwight for years to come … while his individual strengths, as a Perimeter Big, really hurt Superman’s game on the defensive end of the floor for the Magic as a team.
8. Giving up 39 pts to D12 is nothing of significance … if the other Magic players are not allowed to go off.
9. Why is having size at the PG spot such an important thing? Exhibit A = Jameer Nelson vs Roko Ukic. Passing OVER smaller PG’s; Shooting OVER smaller PG’s; and Rebounding OVER smaller PG’s is a major weapon for a NBA team. When your team is in this situation … i.e. with a 6-5 PG going against a 6-0 PG [SVG really SHOULD have played Anthony Johnson coming down the stretch yesterday vs Roko Ukic] … it NEEDS to exploit this match-up first and foremost [i.e. before any other], at the point of attack [for example, see the stellar career of Jason Kidd].
10. re: back-door scoring plays, etc. If you listened to Triano’s post-game interview you should know that the Raptors dusted off some of their old “set plays” for their Off Guard yesterday … since they were playing without O’Neal and Calderon. THIS is the reason those specific “plays” were in use yesterday and Parker was looking like his “old” self. He has not deteriorated so much that he cannot still be an effective Wing scorer in the league. What he NEEDS though is [i] playing time [instead of Kapono] and [ii] the team’s “old set plays” run for him speciafically.
11. SVG practically gave the Raptors the game yesterday, coming down-the-stretch, by going with a back-court tandem of Jameer Nelson & JJ Redick, neither of whom is particularly quick or a top notch defender/rebounder.
12. Moon & Graham are the Raptors’ best rebounders/defenders, in conjunction with Chris Bosh. When the Raptors close games with these three players on the court together their team has a solid shot at winning that specific match-up.
The DIFFERENCE is almost always in the DETAILS.
three – Denver was not a good game. It was another choke-job.
westender is right three, denver was not a good game. just because the score was close doesn’t mean anything. denver did whatever they wanted, and the raptors didn’t stop one thing. unlike orlando where the raptors were able to make the plays they wanted at key times.
Yesterday’s game was a ‘Great Success’!! But I’m sorry to hear you lost your wallet, RapsFan. :(
Honestly…. if… the Raps don’t beat the Bucks tonigh than this win against the Magic will feel lessened.
LET’S GO RAPTORS
(MAGICS SUCK!!)
LET’S GO RAPTORS
(BEAT THE BUCKS!!!)
Grrrrrr!!!!!! ;D
According to Doug Smith, JO is not on the bench because during the game is when the trainers can afford to spend one-on-one time with him. Before and after the game is spent with the players that play. Sounds reasonable enough.
KD – That might be the story coming out of the camp but I don’t buy it. You’re telling me that we’re paying 21M for a guy who is only available during game time? We play an average of three games a week, the trainers can’t be busy all the time we’re not playing.
If that is the case then we must be the only club that has trainers and injured players with such a busy schedule that they’re only able to meet during the game.
Arsenalist, simply put, the trainers work with the players who are playing, before and after the games, and can concentrate on injurys to non playing players during games.
There is no other reason for O’Neal not to be in a suit, on the bench, as much as people like to invent. This is not the first time this has happend to different players.
O’Neal was sorley missed in guarding Superman vs the Magic,(as he went off for 39 points), as in the first game when matched up, Superman had 18 points 9rbs, and JO had 16pts and 10 rebounds.
O’Neals value to the Raptors is on defense, and there is no way they are a better team without someone like him, and his defensive presence and experience in the post. Bargnani may with more experience become that person, but he does not compare now.
Raptors lost the game in Orlando, due to Solomons meltdown, and the poor play by everyone else but Bosh, not Supermans play.
Raptors won yesterday because of their offense not defense (102 pts by Orlando is not defense) and by Triano’s game plan to have Bargnani bring Howard out of the paint and allow Parker/etc. to get to the basket.
They did win because of their offense but out-rebounding the Magic was huge, Bosh’s defense down the stretch and Moon’s key block were big. We’re not the Celtics and will never have 48 minutes of solid defense, I’ll settle for keeping it close till the fourth and having the balls to execute your offense and dig-in for defensive stands.
Johnn19,
A team’s Offense, Defense & Rebounding are all intertwined.
The Raptors do not miss Jermaine O’Neal … and do not NEED him to succeed this season.
i agree with arse and khan…the defense that won the raptors the game was those key stops mentioned above, not a 48 minute defensive effort that we haven’t seen since the kevin o’neil years (and even then it wasn’t a full 48).
had jo been available, the complexion of this game would have been dramatically different.
as for him not being on the bench because that was the only time the trainers could attend to him….LOL
if anyone believes that, i have a great piece of property (a bridge in fact) for sale, cheap!
Arse/Raps Fan,
Fair enough. Fact is, right now we know very little. Smith was speaking as if he actually knew where he was, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. But there does seem to be some smoke rising around Jermaine – not playing ‘hurt’, problems in personal life with the ass grab, lots of trade rumours, recent negative commnents.
So if that’s the case, what fire do you think is causing the smoke? Do you think: a trade is imminent; he’s pouting; he’s been asked to stay away; something else? What’s your best guess as to what might really be going on.
Awesome site BTW. This is now my primary source for Raps analysis.
that’s an interesting question kd, and you are right we know very little. i don’t know the answer, but i suspect it is a combination of trade rumours we aren’t hearing about, and possibly his own way of asking for a trade. i am uber interested to see how this plays out.
Johnn19 – you hit on why Bargs helps our team more than JO right here:
“Raptors won yesterday because of their offense not defense (102 pts by Orlando is not defense) and by Triano’s game plan to have Bargnani bring Howard out of the paint and allow Parker/etc. to get to the basket.”
JO may make some good individual plays, and, as a one-on-one defender, is probably better than Bargs against D12. But, when JO:
- clashes with, rather than complements, Bosh’s game,
- takes minutes away from Bargs and Hump (although the latter hasn’t seen any time recently for some unknown reason), and
- generally causes our team’s offense to stagnate by being a ball-holding low-percentage shooter from the post, making all those around him far less effective,
he completely negates any good individual plays he might make.
I used to be a JO supporter myself, but the reality is that this team is far better off with him playing a very minor role.
The caveat to that point is, of course, PROVIDING that Bargs continues to play at a reasonable level. A regression to last years Bargs would be deadly.
team has had enough of this bullshit experiment
team plays with lack of interest
he disappears
team responds with three good games
Why are there no meltdowns when he doesn’t play?
It is what it is. 2W.
what a freakin coincidence, Ukic has his best raptors game and I didnt see it..so ahd to look it up on the net,
Found this little summary video on na croatian site tho: http://www.index.hr/video/film.aspx?id=5486
check it out