With only three practices and a shootaround left, the crew at the RR home office in Athabasca, Alberta are desperately trying to figure out how to prepare the Raptors for opening night and they’ve come up with ten recommendations. Without further ado I present the Top Ten things to do before opening night.
- Have Marco Belinelli come off a screen and take an off-balance three within a second of catching the ball. Do this 500 times a day. It’s not a good shot but maybe if he practices, it could turn into one.
- DeMar DeRozan can spot-up but can’t pull-up? No problem, put Wright on him and force him to pull-up and shoot a 20-footer. Do this 500 times a day.
- Clear the gym except for Bosh, Johnson and Bargnani. Play 2-on-1 with Bosh playing offense for four hours, have a restriction that he can’t take a shot from outside 7 feet.
- Have a scrimmage where every time you miss a defensive assignment, the game is stopped and the culprit does 20 dribbling suicides while everybody else does chinups.
- Intra-squad game with Calderon-Bosh on one side and Turkoglu-Bargnani on the other. Every offensive play on either team should start with a pick ‘n roll. That’ll get them used to it.
- Have Johnson and Bargnani view a 20-minute instructional video on the concept of staying between your man and the rim when rebounding. Test them individually as Belinelli’s hoisting his jumpers and Reggie Evans is trying to get the offensive rebound.
- Scrimmage where every play on Jose’s team starts with a high screen and ends with him either taking a jumper if his man goes under, or driving if he tries to fight through or switch.
- 4 on 3 fastbreak drills, Jose, Bosh and DeRozan vs. Jack, Bargnani and Wright with Belinelli as the designated offense guy. Simulate the rebound and run – no jumpers allowed, if you can’t get a layup, you have to pass. Let’s see if we’re really serious about run ‘n gun.
- Practice the hard close-out. When your defense is all about help and recovery, a strong close-out is everything.
…and the #1 thing to do before opening night…drum roll….
- Have Triano read about the triangle, then have him look at Bargnani, then have him check out the European composition of this team. Then have him wonder why he isn’t even using at least portions of that system.
29 Raps
What does Bargnani have to do with the triangle? He plays the 5… that system is way more dependent on versatile wings with good size. If anything you need your pivot to be a solid post-presence to run the triangle.
Who else but Raptors Republic at 4am… good list bud.
I think the 2-on-1 with Bosh inside 7 feet maybe one of the more rewarding drills for this team. And how about adding toughness drills on the list like Reggie-Wright 21game against the likes of Bosh-Jose or against Bargs-Belinelli… where anything goes.
I like #5 :) LOL
Lame…
Boy I sure am glad you’re not coach. Our players would be dying of fatigue on opening night! lol
On a more serious note, Triano can’t use the Triangle because he’d need to dedicate an entire training camp just to teach the system. I agree it would probably work well, but Jay opted for defense being the mainstay this training camp, not offense.
Do you suspect that the Rap players have given up on this team, or will they try to earn their money with a max effort regardless of their lack of talent ….???
Yes, They gave up before the season start !!!!!What are you talking about !!!!
Triano said you can’t fool these guys .. they know the score … watch the 1 hour interview done with Triano on RaptorTV with him talking about his life and work in bball … enlightening … particularly his comment that the players know what is happening and what is going to happen.
It’s only the t.h. fans who desperately cling to their delusions and hero worship to make their fantasies real and unassailable … faith and love … love and faith … in their beloved Raptors ….!!!!
I’ve always wondered, are you even a fan of this team or just a hater???
I think FAQ is just a sadist. By the way, he does have some truths. Toronto as a sport city really sucks(Maple Leafs winless, Jays not going to the playoffs again, last minute salvage for the playoffs for Toronto F.C. and a bad start for the raptors), how much worse can it get?(Even Cleveland has some success despite their 40 year title drought, infact Toronto teams are not in title talks).
Triangle? Don’t we need a big man to have his back to the basket to run the triangle? None of our big men play that way.
I acutally like the ideas that have been presented above. There are some drills that I believe would help the Raptors get better. Maybe Triano or some of the Raptor staff read your site and incorporate some of the ideas.
Arse, maybe you can replace Triano. Nice ideas.
Comments like this are what make me hate posts like this. There’s nothing of value in this post for an NBA coach and it obviously was written in jest to outline that this team has problems to fix.
Who’s gonna teach Triano the triangle? It’s not an easy system to learn and even tougher to implement and convince players as a collective team to run it. If a coach hasn’t “lived” in the triangle, no chance of him using it with any success.
…and Bargs is quite good at boxing out, his problem is reacting to the carom; he’s always flat footed and slow to get to the ball. Bosh is worse at letting his check slip in but great at anticipating the bounce and getting after the ball. Bosh benefits from Bargs box out’s, while Bargs losing some for the opposite reason (combined with his slow reaction time).
…all these players perfected close outs in high school and it won’t help improve help D and recovery (maybe avoid it but not in the NBA). Hard close out actually hurt this team last as players constantly over committed when trying to front their man (lack of athleticism can’t be covered up for long). Understanding rotations, spacing and the strengths and tendancies of other teams and their players will help but it will take time.
Let the real games begin…so we can discuss real basketball!
Absolutely, Raptoronto …. but let’s not ignore the fact that miracles in the NBA are far and few between, because tough competition will expose your weaknesses … and it’s those weaknesses that interest me on this rebuilt team. Fans only yearn for the thrill of “wins” and “scoring”… all without confronting the reality that the opposition teams have proven veteran athletes ready to decimate the fledgling new Raptors. Noooo mercy .. believe it..!!!
Good things take care of themselves … it’s the bad things that we must understand and confront in our fan-tastic minds …!!!
t.h. fans believe that only good must be said of the Raptors, because if anybody says something bad, that may become the reality and it’s all the fault of somebody who said something bad about their beloved Raptors. You know … childish mentalities who most likely never stepped on a court to play serious bball .. and facing a monster opposition team ….!!!!!
Your writing is as fluffy as a cumulonimbus cloud.
Why don’t you say something substantial for once?
good one. cumulonimbus… ha ha ha.
-BC
PS. This is sarcasm. Thank you.
What are you sarcastic about FAQ or the clouds?????
the humour.
as much as these drills would help them, Triano won’t be doing anything but team offensive & defensive sets.
Hmm, how about a full-time shooting coach for Wright, Evans, Johnson, DeRozan & Jack, and an effective defensive focus for Bargnani, Bosh, Turkoglu & Calderon (I don’t know what’ll work, though!).
And a big man coach for Bargnani and Amir. That is a big gaping hole in the team.
People people people … the only reason Triano got the job of head coach is because no other self-respecting NBA-experienced coach would even consider taking the job … unless you are a Lenny Wilkens and get a pisspot full of money to do nothing much.
Also, BC knew that Triano would accept the role of an interim developmental coach, until BC completes the total rebuild of the Raptors. I hope you people don’t think that this is the team that BC is hoping will eventually mature into a playoff contender … because this bunch of disparate players is only a stopgap measure to keep the team afloat as things evolve.
That’ll matter ONLY if we make the playoffs this year, win a series, & take the second series to a 7th game. Otherwise, BC’s lustre is gone … Bosh’s status as a Raptor now depends on us playing reasonably well up to the end of November, and BC’s status may depend on how we deal with reality over the ensuing months, with or without Bosh. BC will NOT be able to weather a third makeover that fails. Three strikes, and you’re out, right?!
That’s not the reason. Having an average Gm and management are the main reasons. Until these guys stop modelling us as the Suns of the East and getting players on the cheap with no passion for the game, we are going no where.Even Phil Jackson retiring from the Lakers going for a smaller team will choose Oklahoma City than us. Why? Because, these guys have a foundation that can be built upon, they have realized their potential unlike the Raptors Amir and Bargnani. All Oklahoma needs is a good coach to change their thinking and system and a management willing to pull suprise trades and waive players no matter their “star” status if they don’t buy into the system. For the Raptors now, there are more issues to be addressed.
It’s called bottom-feeding for several years, and doing it in the right years. The Raptors have had middling picks the past while, and the one time they had a high draft pick, the draft was full of uncertain #1s (and don’t give me that crap about Roy — nobody would have picked him #1). Look at Atlanta. They drafted high year after year and finally after how many years of suckage, they’re now a decent team. Sometimes, it has everything to do with luck. That is, unless you’re the Clippers. And yes, Blake Griffin will probably suffer a major injury.
BC Rules :) and your posts are bunch of baseless garbage with no substance and nothing to back them up.
You hear that; OKC players have reached their potential, not like Amir & Bargs. Now all they need is a coach, management, and some new players! Man am I jealous
Sarcasm right. I love it. What I’m saying is that when you have a future All Star in Kevin Durant, a great point guard in Westbrook and good power forward in Green, the sky is the limit. All Oklahoma needs is change in thinking and mentality,that they are winners not bottom feeders of the conference, they are ready to do all it takes to play stifling defense(even Kevin Durant can play defense, he has long arms to cover opponents but he has not been asked to be committed to defense by their current coach).What’s to say about Raptors:-
1.A #1 pick(Bargnani) can not be taught by any coach to play defense. Bargnani believes it is his to score points like Nowitzki but look lost on the floor on defense. It is excusable to him but definitely unacceptable for an NBA center. I don’t blame Mitchell for benching him, he was not ready to change his mentality on defense.In addition, when you have got Colangelo on your side like Andrea does, you are untouchable which contributed to Mitchell’s exit(the blown leads aside which we still have under Triano, coincidence? smh). Bryan felt his #1 pick was not given decent playing time when in actual fact, Andrea was not ready to change his mentality or make an effort on the defensive end.Modelling your game like Notwizki is nice Andrea but Notwitzki averages over 7 rebounds, when you equal that Andrea and Raptor fans, we can talk.
2. A franchise player that thinks he is the best power forward in the league and he is scaring soft Raptors by demanding for a trade. Bosh, how many rings do you have? Chris, how many NBA finals have you played in(so we can say you tried like Nowitzki, by the way Dallas and Nowitzki were robbed in that finals in 2006 by the referees)?Nada, nothing and zero. When you get a ring we can talk.You are very far on the line. The Fundamental(Tim Duncan) has 4 rings and the Big Ticket(Garnett) has a ring.This guy is another guy that can not have his mentality changed too. He is also a defensive liability.
3. A big man that has played or signed for 3 teams in 2 years(Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors). He is being measured as a guy with lots of “potential” for a “3-4 year NBA player”(sarcastic intonation and ironic). Amir, ever wonder why you were sold by Detroit even with your “potential”? Johnson, ever wonder why you were benched and replaced with Kwame Brown(Kwame who?) when you were playing at Detroit?Amir, ever wonder why you were in 3 teams in 2 years? Amir, until you shed the “potential” tag and play real basketball, Amir and Raptor fans can’t discus with me. This guy too is also defensively unfocused(proof-the Garnett blow by in the first or second Celtic game in preseason).Is this the guy you want to teach defense that is still riding on a “potential that may never be realized”(smh)?.
4.And a bunch of other scrubs that have no heart or passion for the game. How can you teach guys who only care about their paychecks and not the outcome of the game, defense?
In conclusion, here is the difference between Raptors and Oklahoma City:-
1.Raptors are a bunch of soft nice guys that shake your hands, hug you and trade banters after having their ass handed out to them while Oklahoma City feels bad after a loss though they might still shake hands but no banters and hugs.And by the way, only having one rough guy(Reggie Evans) does not help, his attitude is not being picked up by other players.The other players still adopt the soft, nice and fair play team of the NBA(No wonder the team is a laughing stock and we are not even respected by bottom-feeder teams like Minnesota Timberwolves, smh)
2.Oklahoma City feels really happy after a win(especially the win against Raptors last year, all Oklahoma City players were see grinning from ear to ear). It shows that this guys value winning, their mentality and effort only needs to change. Whereas for the Raptors if we beat big teams like Orlando, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, we feel it is normal.Wins are not of value to the Raptor players, it seems only that their paychecks are only of value to them.