Joe Johnson didn’t find things quite as easy this time around.We needed to win these last two games and we did so credit to the team for getting the job done before hitting the tough schedule ahead. We split the four game homestand and show some defensive improvement from the NJ and Boston games. Bosh was excellent as he usually is and finally got some help from his mates - Jason Kapono dusting off the shooting hand for 16 points and Joey Graham chipping in with 11. In a five point affair where neither team cracked 95 points its always going to be the defense that wins you the game and its no different here. We won because we didn’t allow Atlanta’s guards to walk all over us and showed some pride by making a concerned effort in checking our man on the perimeter. We played well enough to win but that doesn’t mean the game wasn’t peppered with defensive mistakes and stretches of stagnant offense which nobody on the Raptors TV post-game seems to mention. If you didn’t know the score and were watching their coverage you’d think that we won this game by 25 points when the reality is that if a couple shots had gone the other way, things would’ve been different.
Chris Bosh is the well that we all drink from and if it ever went dry we’d starve to death and have our carcasses eaten by vultures. A day after Sam Mitchell says that he’s watching Bosh’s minutes, he plays 44 and every single one of them was needed. Fact is that our offense is entirely dependent on Bosh and unable to generate a clean shot with him on the bench. Every time we needed a hoop we went to Bosh and he gave us 30/10 points on 50% shooting (13-26). This is after he started 3-9 in the first half because of missing a shootaround due to a bad elevator in his building. He’s not just a cog in the Raptors wheel, he’s the rim, the tires, the bolts and the hub cap. Give him the ball in relatively good position and he’s going to get you points one way or another. With Josh Smith out it was left upto Zaza Pachulia to deal with Bosh and to his credit he stayed with CB4 for the first half but the second was an entirely different story as Bosh found both the mid-range and drive game which easily negotiated Zaza, Horford and Solomon Jones’ defense. He did most of his damange in the third quarter where he went 7-10 and turned a four point deficit into a four point lead heading into the fourth where we played just enough defense to come through.
One of the reasons we’ve had to rely on Bosh so much is because Jose Calderon has been a total flop for the past few games. I’ve never seen a PG have an 11:1 AST/TO ratio and still be accused of not creating for his teammates but that is the case. 90% of the time the first pass after the high pick’ n roll goes to Bosh who then decides what to do with the possession. Either he decides to take a jumper (AST Calderon), drive, or pass off to the perimeter for a bunch of “fake drives” which if they create space for Moon, Parker or Calderon result in a jumper and if they don’t, the ball goes back to Bosh who now has no other option but to take the shot. Fortunately for us Jason Kapono and Joey Graham gave us enough bench production to avoid a repeat of the Orlando game.
Down the stretch the Hawks had a couple very good looks which would’ve made it a one point game and put pressure on the Raptors offense to score. They missed and we never got tested. Calderon gave us a 6-pt cushion with 1:11 left after he drove for the first time all game. He’s trying to shoot himself out of a slump but everything’s rattling in and out. His game looks to be entirely perimeter oriented and the Calderon of the last two years that used to look to turn the corner for layups and drive ‘n kicks seems to have disappeared. Maybe it’s the hammy, I don’t know, but on the court he’s not the same player we expect him to be.
Defense won us the game and Parker, Hump, Graham and Bargnani deserve credit - in that order. Parker forced Joe Johnson to shoot 7-22 (1-9 3FG) by keeping him in front of him. JJ’s a great player and no doubt he blew past Parker once or twice a quarter but it wasn’t nearly the matador defense he had played earlier against him. Parker’s footwork was supreme and his hands were always ready to contest. Since Parker checked JJ, it meant that Calderon checked Bibby and the expected happened: Bibby lit him up for 24 on 9-14. Lucky for us Bibby missed a couple big late (open) jumpers which would’ve put an entirely different complexion on this game. Good Joey made another appearance and did what he does best - slash to the rim, play hard on defense and try to get some easy points. Nothing complicated or spectacular, just good use of his athleticism and hustle. Looking at him in the past two games you wonder why this guy gets into Sam’s doghouse so often. As bad as he can be at times there’s definitely enough ability in there to make sure he doesn’t get more than 1 DNPCD at a time. We’ll see.
Andrea Bargnani got a couple blocks and Kris Humphries brought the “Hump hustle” with 7 rebounds in 19 minutes and stayed true to the fact that he’s always in the top two in per 48 rebounding on the team. The turning point in the game was the start of the fourth quarter when Atlanta had Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby on the bench and the Raptors scored twice. By the time they returned the lead had gone from 4 to 10 and 6 of the points in that 8-2 run came from Graham and Hump. The Hawks never recovered.
This Raptors team will never blow anyone out. Their best hope is to play good collective team defense, count on Bosh’s scoring and hope at least two other players step up their scoring to give them a chance in the fourth quarter. Once you get there, grind it out. Here’s an interesting stat: The Raptors are 4-1 when a bench player scores at least 15 points. Bottom line seems to be that Bosh can’t do it alone and since Calderon and Parker are struggling to find their offense, we have to look for the bench to compensate. Jason Kapono stepped up and even took a couple jumpers which you don’t usually dare see him take. We’re used to seeing him protect his percentages and this is what Jack Armstrong thinks about that:
“I wish Jason Kapono never knew what his three point shooting percentage was…its not about your percentage, they need him aggressive and shooting and even if you miss some, its OK”
Good to see its not just us fans that are thinking in the same vein. Sherman Hamilton’s response to that statement was to say that in the days of contracts and numbers a player has to know what he’s shooting. Good points both ways although Jack’s is far more idealistic.
I love how Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson responded to the Toronto media asking questions about Chris Bosh’s performance and whether this was one of the best games Bosh has played. These questions are designed to incite positive responses from opposing players about the your team but they were having none of it and responded in short blurts, “I don’t worry about Chris Bosh” or “I follow the Atlanta Hawks”. Love the attitude.
Another reporter asked Joe Johnson an angled question about what the Raptors did to disrupt the Hawks tonight. After asking him to repeat the question and thinking about it for a while he says:
“Ummm….there’s really nothing special that happened during the game, they just gave a better effort than us down the stretch”.
That could be used as a succinct summary. We’ll know much more about the team over the next three games when they face quality opponents in the Lakers, Nuggets and Jazz, games for which Jermaine O’Neal should be ready to go. Beating the Bobcats and Hawks is nice but let’s get a quality win now.
Hassan Adams is the official bench cheerleader…Crowd chanting Joey Joey was nice…Solomon got in the game in the fourth (!) and didn’t ruin things…Moon went 3-6 on his jumpers…Bargnani’s block on Horford was nice…We were +10 in PINP, even on fast-breakpoints and only -3 on the rebounds…You can check out all the post-game interviews in the video section. I probably shouldn’t be doing the post-game recaps after watching a game at Philthy’s, my judgment is very Budy, Milllery and Heineky so if I missed any stuff, forgive me.
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Simon, that is some simplistic thinking. That’s like saying Derek Fisher makes the right play 100% of the time by passing it to Kobe on the wing. No doubt a PG should facilitate things and control the pace but that doesn’t mean he has to be conservative in his approach and pass-up scoring opportunities because the command from above is to run a half-court play. There’s as much improvisation involved in playing PG than there is following directions from the coach.
If all we needed was a PG who could pass Bosh the ball and control the pace we would’ve signed a 3rd-tier PG who doesn’t turn the ball over much. Calderon as advertised (to me at least) is supposed to score for us, run the pick ‘n roll with Bosh and when need be, create for Parker/Kapono/Bargnani on the wings through dribble penetration (optionally using the high screen).
Here are a few examples of great PGs that create consistently for their mates: Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash. Here is a second tier of PGs that do the same: Devin Harris, Andre Miller, Raymond Felton… I’m not saying this second-tier is better than Calderon (except Harris), I’m saying Calderon needs to take a component from their games and add it to his, if he has the talent/ability to do it.
I don’t get the strained hamstring bit. If you’re hurt, sit down. Don’t play with an excuse.
Simon,
What you wrote there about playing the PG position … especially at the highest levels of the game … is 100% crrect. Kudos to you!
re: “we would’ve signed a 3rd-tier PG who doesn’t turn the ball over much.”
There’s no such thing.
Point guard is a hell of a lot harder of a position than it looks. Just being a point guard who can efficiently run an offense without having a high turnover rate is a very rare skill. That kind of “floor general” is an invaluable commodity that most NBA teams would kill to have. I can only think of a scant few in the past 15 years or so: Calderon, Avery Johnson, Stockton, Billups, and Andre Miller. Brevin Knight in a good year might fit into that category. None of those guys are known for shot creation, none of them would ever be the central superstar of a championship team, but they all do good things for the teams they’ve played for. Miller in Philly turned them around, and Denver declined drastically when they swapped him for Iverson. Exact same story with Billups for Iverson. Johnson was a big part of the reason the Twin Towers were so brutally efficient. Stockton, well, I don’t need to say much about Stockton, but if he had played with the Clippers his whole career we’d be talking about him in the same sentence as Brevin Knight rather than Bob Cousy.
The point is, these are guys that take a team over the hump. They can get a good team over the hump to being a great team, but they’re not going to turn an okay team into championship material. We’re not quite there yet, so Jose might be a little underappreciated, but I genuinely believe he can be the lynchpin of a championship team. He’s just not going to carry us there.
(btw, watch out for Denver this year. With the resurgence of Nené and the Birdman and Billups at the helm, they just vaulted into the top 3 in the West.)
Oh, throw Dumars after Isaiah left into that “floor general” category.
tkfu,
It sounds to me as though both you and Simon may have played the PG position at a high level over the course of your basketball career [or are still playing at that spot today].
Joe D. definitely fit into that category, as well.
HMMMMMMMM….not that I necessarely disagree with this PG discussion, but I am more with Arse on this. Billups and Miller can post PGs up.. Calderon? He doesn’t have the creative passes of Nash…Brevin is probably a better defender and is quicker. Also, Billups hits big shots and makes things happen with the clock running down (in the playoffs) and many other things. Jose is not Billups by any stretch of the imagination. Not even close.
I don’t think anyone is arguing that Jose is not a good (tennis ball machine like) distributor.. just need to see more then that, more often, more consistently.
I don’t think he’s up there with these guys yet, he may look like he could be, I just don’t see him there.
“There’s as much improvisation involved in playing PG than there is following directions from the coach.” This is what bothers me about the NJ playoff series or when people blame Sam for plays that he draws up.
No doubt, don’t play with an excuse.
Khandor, how does Avery play into the diminutive PG never win chips argument?
On the subject of PG, was there a reason (perhaps outside of cap criteria) for Detroit to make that deal?
I think it was mostly about cap. Dumars has the sense to know he probably wasn’t going to make his team better this season with AI, but he saw a team that’s maybe the 6th-best in the league and, not wanting to settle for that, grabbed a chance at keeping them flexible and contending for a number of years in the future. I’d guess he thinks there’s a (small) chance AI will actually be good for them, but really, this trade is all about taking one step back to take 2 steps forward.
@FLUXLAND: I’m not saying Calderon’s up there with those guys necessarily (i’d put him below Billups and Stockton, but above Miller, Knight, and Johnson), I’m saying the way he impacts a game is similar. Why? Because with all of those guys, the opposing team doesn’t come into the game saying “Alright, we’ve got to shut down [stockton/miller/billups] if we’re going to win.” They’re all guys who make their offense run smoother when they’re on the court. Sure, Billups has a better post-up game and D, Miller’s a better slasher, and Stockton’s a ball hawk. Calderon’s a better jump shooter than any of those guys, but none of that has any bearing on my point, which is that (this type of) good point guards are able to stay calm, direct traffic, and take care of the ball.
Sorry to spam, but regarding Nash, look at how average he’s looking now that the Suns are running a standard half-court offense–pretty much exactly how he looked in Dallas. In that type of system, I genuinely believe Jose would be better than Nash.
Tkfu, agree with that last point. All I am saying is, that is not all that there is to it. Your description fits into the tennis ball machine analogy perfectly. (IMO, he needs more then that when playing against better teams or in the playoffs. Then again, maybe I am wrong.)
And, if that’s all we need from a PG.. we didn’t need to sign Jose.
He doesn’t penetrate and dish (ala TJ).
He doesn’t do anything in the open court or transition. (ala TJ)
His half court game.. blah, I dunno.
He can’t create his own shot. (ala TJ)
He doesn’t play good D. (TJ was better,IMO)
Flux,
IMO, there were two distinctions, re: the title-winning efforts of AJ.
1. Despite being only 5-11, which is short by PG standards in the NBA, Avery weighed-in at a fairly sturdy 185 lbs., ala Isiah Thomas [180] & Chris Paul [175], respectively; neither of whom would I put into the “small” category. It’s more a combination of height, weight, strength and explosive power that determines if a quality PG fits into the “smallish” category or not [ala TJ Ford, at 5-11/6-0, 165], in the NBA.
2. If you’re going to be a “smaller PG”, in this League and hope to lead your team to a NBA Title one day, it also behooves you to play with a front-court that features two of the All-Time Best Centers in History, i.e. Tim Duncan [6-11] and David Robinson [7-1], side-by-each, as noted shot-blockers, Lane Patrols [in various "help" situations], and Defensive Rebounding Specialists.
Khandor, thanks. I still believe in TJ. : ) Yeah, I knew #2 was part of it. And it’s what makes the biggest difference.
Put TJ in that situation, I think he makes the same thing happen. No worries, I know you disagree with that.
Look, for better or worse, we are a half-court team. We play at a very slow pace and don’t fast-break much, but for the last 2 years we’ve been extremely efficient in the half court. I think where I disagree with you is on basic assumptions. My basic premise is that staying calm, directing traffic, and taking care of the ball are very difficult things to do, and your basic assumption seems to be that those are not exceptional skills. But if they’re not, why there are only a very few guys in the league who have them?
Regarding your specific points about TJ:
He does penetrate and dish. Not as much as TJ, but he also throws it away a lot less, and takes a lot less bad shots.
He runs the fast break when it’s there. TJ would run it even when it wasn’t there, 2 on 3. Sometimes good things would happen, but there were also a lot of turnovers, bad shots and, most importantly, broken, ad-hoc offensive sets.
TJ could create his own low-percentage shot. Jose tries to get the best shot for his team, every possession. The offense was always better when Jose was in the game.
Defense, no argument there. TJ was better, but wasn’t exactly a stopper either. And I think that IF O’Neal can stay healthy, Jose’s defensive liabilities can be mitigated.
tkfu,
Great/solid points you’re making here.
re: Calderon’s a better jump shooter than any of those guys, but none of that has any bearing on my point, which is that (this type of) good point guards are able to stay calm, direct traffic, and take care of the ball.
Correct me, if I’m wrong about this, in your opinion, but I think you might also be willing to say that … part of what sets Calderon above the other PG’s who just “stay calm, direct traffic, and take care of the ball” is the fact that HE CAN/DOES stick the open jumpshot with regularity when it’s presented to him as the best option for his team at that moment in time.
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re: but regarding Nash, look at how average he’s looking now that the Suns are running a standard half-court offense–pretty much exactly how he looked in Dallas. In that type of system, I genuinely believe Jose would be better than Nash.
This is outstanding recognition, on your part.
Part of Mike D’Antoni’s [and not Bryan Colangelo's] authentic genius, in Phoenix, was his realization and his COMMITMENT to allow both Steve Nash & Amare Stoudemire the freedom they each need to function at their highest levels of capacity, operating exclusively within the confines of a basic 4 out/1 in alignment which finds Stat as the Center-piece of his team’s offensive deployment of pieces, setting a relentless series of picks for his PG, without the lane being clogged up by a 2nd Big, regardless who it might be.
Steve is a very good PG, in the NBA … but it’s a simple fact that he BECOMES an All-Time Great Point Guard, in this League, if/when he’s allowed/made to function in THAT type of specific offensive environment.
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This corner of the internet just got a lot more fun to frequent with your recent arrival. : )
I realize TJ’s “qualities” where not necessarely the whole key to success, maybe I wish Jose had more of TJ in him in certain situations/areas. Good things can happen while being more aggressive, and I prefer it more to Jose’s conservative style. Both, in essence have positives and negatives, maybe it just comes down to preference.
Also, I think your TJ assessment is more towards his post injury return, then prior to (?).
“That’s like saying Derek Fisher makes the right play 100% of the time by passing it to Kobe on the wing”
I don’t know if that’s analogous. If the Lakers give the ball to Kobe all the time, that isn’t their most efficient means of scoring, whereas, like I said, running the screen and roll for Bosh is simply our most effective play, for better or for worse.
I’m not saying Calderon is as good as Nash or Billups, I just feel he’s undervalued for what he does. You say if all we needed to do was throw it in the post we could have signed any scrub, but that clearly isn’t true as you can see with Roko and Will. Throwing a simple post-feed is still a skill, and it’s these non-flashy aspects to running a team, along with timing and recognition that make Jose a great point guard.
I agree he could be penetrating more, but as I said, I’d wait until he’s completely healthy to say anything. Besides, that’s like saying Devin Harris should turn the ball over less and get his teammates more involved. They’re different types of players who will always have different strengths.
As for the hammy, I’ll take Jose at 70% on the floor over Roko/Will at 180% any day please. That’s why he doesn’t sit, and frankly I am thankful for it.
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