Why are there no meltdowns when he doesn’t play?

It is what it is. 2W.

“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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?