I don’t even know where to start. I lost my voice watching the game. That usually only happens during the playoffs, but wow, what a game. Easily the most entertaining game the Raptors ever played, ever! Before I get into it, hats off to the Blazers who have provided us two great games this season. What a team they have over there, going to be solid for YEARS to come. Wow…
The Raptors showed us something we haven’t seen for as long as I can remember; heart. Let me say that again:
The Raptors showed heart. Lots of it. Incredible.
The facts:
- Were out rebounded 52-44 (16-7 on the offensive end)
- Had 14 less possessions
- Enjoyed great coaching for a change
- Made an in game adjustment on strategy, turning the tables, and the Blazers fortunes
- Maintaining through a devastating 4 point play that tied the game with 2 seconds left
- Survived one overtime
- Took over in the second one and maintained for a win
Throughout all this pandemonium, they survived another phenomenal game by Roy, who is an incredible basketball player. I wouldn’t have taken him # 1 overall (I would have taken Aldridge, I’ll be honest) but how do you miss that sort of talent and ability enough for him to drop to 7th, when your job is to just pick talent? There must have been more than we realize going on over in Italy than we know.
Just want to devote some space to the officiating…I’ve seen better officiated wet t-shirt contests. I counted/recall 5 missed/incorrect calls, which probably means it was closer to 8. I understand the Raptors aren’t a big ticket team, but neither are the Blazers. At least we have a two time all-star on this team…who gets less calls than a second year ROY. Freaking bullshit.
I have about 8 pages of game notes that I had to clean up for my review, but I decided to just cover from the 4th onwards. Here is the quick and dirty for the first 3 quarters:
Quarters 1 to 3:
- Blazers take a 6 point lead into the 4th on some back and forth/cat and dog play.
4th Quarter:
- Smitch starts the 4th with Bosh and Calderon on the floor, incredible!
- Delfino penetrates and finds an open Humphries who converts 1 of 2 free throws.
- Delfino follows the dish up by nailing an open trey of a nice Calderon dish.
- Raps take the lead off a Calderon FT as a result of Blazers illegal defense tech.
- Parkers gets mugged by Roy in the corner, no foul call. Raptors really getting raped by the refs, horrible officiating.
- Bosh hits jumper to give the Raptors a 72-71 lead.
- Outlaw answers with one of his own, Blazers up 73-72.
- Humphries forces tough bank shot, Raps back up 1.
- Frye hits another big shot…Blazers up 1.
- Cat goes up one, mouse goes up one…booya!
- Delfino gets molested on the perimeter, no call, surprising…
- Bosh gets double, but draws a double…take that biyatch!
- Delfino hits a layup in traffic, Raps take the lead back, 76-75.
- Portland battling on the boards, successfully, they own that shit.
- Bosh extends the Raptors lead to 3 converting both FT’s.
- Roy penetrates, rather easily (seemingly all game…gotta work on that), draws foul, kid is butter from the line, Raps up 1.
- Delfino sinks a sweet tear drop in the lane late in the shot clock, Raps back up 3.
- Roy really gets every call, absolutely ridiculous…Bosh doesn’t half the calls he should…can you say conspiracy? I know I just did…
- Parker nails open three to extend the Raptors lead to 6 -> 83-77.
- Bosh extends the lead to 7, converting 1 of 2 FT’s off a Frye foul (FOFF).
- Calderon gets called for a bullshit charge…not only are the Raptors not getting any calls, they get crap ones levied against them.
- Webster nails a ridiculous trey to lead the lead to 4, Raps up 84-80.
- Calderon draws a foul on Frye , and converts both (FOFCB), rapes up 6, 86-80.
- Roy finds Outlaw for short hook over Bosh, back to 4.
- Calderon burries a big 3 off of some fantastic ball movement around the perimeter, Raps up 7.
- Ray answers with a 3 point play. He gets to the basket so easily. Raps up 89-85.
- Bosh draws a foul from Outlaw, converting both, Raps up 6.
- Blazers pounding the Raptors on the offensive boards. Raptors suck on the boards, I bet Mitchell could get in there and rebound better than this team.
- Moon swats the ball out of Roy’s hands.
- Delfino misses trey with the Raps up 6. Can’t seem to put the nail in the coffin…getting nervous.
- Frye cleans up a Roy missed shot, lead down to 4.
- Parker misses open trey from the foul line extended…not good.
- Roy misses a three of his own. James Jones grabs the board, with Frye finishing with an open dunk, Raps up 2 -> 91-89.
- Bosh converts two free throws, extending lead to 4, Blazers time out.
- OUTLAW FOR THREE…..and 1. Moon fouls Outlaw, and Outlaw converts the free throw. Score tied with 2 seconds left on the clock.
- Bosh misses layup as time expires. Smitch draws up a one-on-one play for the last possession? Are you kidding me? Bosh? No Parker, Calderon, a shooter maybe? Didn’t like that strategy. I find this funny, because I saw Smitch diagram a ton of shit on the clip board. Didn’t see nearly the same amount of anything by the Raps…not good man, not good. OT, here we come.
1st Overtime:
- Raptors body language not terribly insipiring.
- Delfino misses fade in the lane.
- Outlaw hits a fade, Blazers up 2…I’m really nervous!
- Parker misses jumper, but Bosh grabs the offensive board.
- Moon hits an open jumper off Parker penetration, score is tied.
- Jarret Jack hits open layup off a defensive lapse. People seem surprised Bargnani didn’t cover the basket on the weak side. I was surprised Bosh let Jack get by him without even a bump.
- Delfino ties the score back up with a sweet finger roll.
- Aldridge drains a deep jumper as the shot clock expires, Blazers up 2.
- Bosh answers…g*d damn this a wicked game.
- Moon rejects Roy, Raps possession…
- Moon misses jumper, Bosh grabs the board, then misses a forced shot…
- Roy finishes another easy/non-contested layup, 101-99 Blazer lead.
- Bosh ties the score..got robbed on continuation aka no foul called…101 a piece.
- Roy misses layup on the other end, Delfino grabs the board, Raptors timeout.
- CALDERON NAILS A HUGE F*CKING TREY WITH THE SHOT CLOCK WINDING DOWN. I OFFICIALLY LOST MY VOICE!
- If it were me, I would burn the foul to give, then foul again. Put the Blazers at the line, they make me nervous on the perimeter.
- WOW, Roy ties with the game with an absolute cluch shot, with Calderon up in his grill…wow…
- Bosh decides to pump fake (with no one around him), and jacks up a shot that had no hope, and obviously misses.
2nd Overtime:
- Bosh hits a turn around jumper over Aldridge, 106-104 Raps.
- Roy misses jumper over Bosh, Parker rebound.
- Bosh hits another jumper from the same spot, over Roy, 108-104 Raps, Blazer timeout.
- Moon plays great defense on Outlaw, who jacks an airball.
- Bosh loses the handle in the paint, Blazer possession.
- Roy takes it to the rack, rather easily, but gets swatted to the 3rd row by Bosh…booya!
- Jack misses jumper, Aldridge mises layup, out of bounds on Raps. Blazers possession.
- Jack hits an absolutely open three, Calderon forgot to play defense.
- Bosh up 3 off of Bosh dunk -> 110-107 Raps.
- Blazers offensive rebounding leads to Aldridge dunk, surprisingly, Raps up 110-109.
- Parker crowns Outlaw on baseline dunk, 112-109 Raps.
- Moon blocks Jack in the lane, Raps ball.
- Bosh puts up an fugly (f*cking ugly) shot.
- Blazer grab another offensive board from a missed Roy jumper. Calderon steps up and steals the ball to start the break.
- Break ends with Calderon converting both free throws, 114-109 Raps.
- Parker finally puts the nail in the coffin, Raps win 116-109. I can finally go to the bathroom. What a win.
None of my posts would be complete without some bitching. I figured out why the Raptors suck at rebounding. They don’t know how to box out. There is no commitment to bang in the blocks and grab a board. If you notice, no one blocks out, not even Bosh. They hope to rely on athletic ability, and out jump the opposition. We all know that doesn’t work. Rebounding is all about position and timing. Raptors suck at that. Mitchell should dawn some shorts, and show these cats how it’s done. He used to be a bad ass.
Much needed win though. Huge character game for the Raptors. They scratched/clawed and played damn well to win a game, against a better team, that required balls and heart. Brings a tear to my eye.
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January 13th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Awesome! That makes you, me, and Ron, who have seen the BS officiating. Must be covering the Vegas spread. Must be a good line on the game going into double overtime. The only time I see worse officiating is in MMA fights in Japan or Japanese K-1 fights.
I like what I see with Portland! That is going to be one heck of a team! I am also glad that the Raps, as you said, showed heart. There was every reason for them to pack it in and fold, but they didn’t.
BTW, I am still surprised that there are a lot of Calderon haters/doubters out there. From Raptors fans! If not him, then who?
January 13th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
i am a tj fan myself, but calderon has been playing next level. dude is really making a case to start when/if tj comes back healthy. very interested to see how that works out.
u can really see officiating in the nba go down the drain game by game. not just a raptors centric issue. lots of bad officiating to go around. i can understand missing calls that can go either way, but not ones that are blatant. i dont know, they were blatant to me…
January 13th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
this game nearly gave me a heart attack..
worst thing about today was having to listen to swirsky for an extra 30 minutes. seriously, we need to unite the people and have him fired (or assassinated - but then he’d be martyred… how about we drug him and frame him as a pedophile and post videos on youtube?)
i feel bad for kapono, dude can do so much for this team under the right circumstances.
January 13th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Great win but also eqaully great contribution from DELFINO
http://mundoalbiceleste.blogspot.com/2008/01/nba-news-delfinos-power-nyc-shocker.html
January 14th, 2008 at 5:46 am
Raps Fan> I miss TJ myself. I do see him though, as an energy guy, who should be complemented BY energy guys who like to run and gun, or, catch and shoot– guys who don’t need the ball in their hands. If that means off the bench, or starting, then maybe SmitcH will adjust.
Jose is more of a 1/2 court, control the clock kind of PG (w/c is a mentality that hampers his driving to the basket, AND most importantly, fast-breaks).
cheungri> Kapono needs a set up guy, with JC moving to the starting line-up, and no solid distributor on team 2, it’s hard for him to get hot. Jeez, if anyone deserves to shoot OUT of a funk it’s Jason.
BC stuck with Starbury for 2 1/2 years, so I expect Bargs will @ least get that.
2 things we need:
1) A starting center that can rebound/defend, and–if need be–go to the basket/shoot short shots (do we have any of those? Oh wait! I believe we have TWO players that are adequate [not great, but adequate enough]) to split time in the middle. Could we trade for a rebounding center-stud? Not likely, seeing as how the Chicago Bulls### messed that one up by signing Big “I’ll cry and pout and play like a b### if I can’t wear my headband” Wallace to a hefty contract. Any coincidence that they started to play GREAT (sarcasm), ever since he got signed?
2} A PG. JC won’t last playing 40-50 min. a game.
January 14th, 2008 at 9:20 am
the thing with tj is that he isn’t really a half court guy. the second unit requires that in their point guard, which is why calderon is a better fit for the raptors second unit. i’m not saying he should be there, just that he fits better.
my fear is tj will come back a shell of himself, and will be a bench player, which would be sad, because we all know his ability.
as for kapono, i think the funk is not getting him the ball in the right situation. he has been averaging like 4-5 shots a game lately. hard to get into a rhythm with so few shots.
bargnani is going to be here until his rookie contract expires. bc will stick with him for at least 3-4 years. we can only hope this season is just a blip on the map. i really have no read.
who would we trade for a center stud? not many pieces, especially with tj out (can’t trade the guy while he’s injured, and trading calderon at this point would be suicide). signing webber seems to be a good option. he would come cheap, all he would want is a starting/contributing role, which he will get. he passess great for a big man, can score in the post, as well as step out and hit a few shots. natural fit i think…
i think jose should be able to log 38-40 minutes, anything more, and we burn him out before the playoffs.
January 14th, 2008 at 10:15 am
It’s amazing how simple “great coaching” really is. Just have the right personnel on the floor at the right time and don’t do any dumb shit.
I thought they key switch was putting Calderon on Roy and instructing him not to play help in any case. That slowed down Roy after the first quarter, otherwise he was going to have a 50 point game.
January 14th, 2008 at 10:57 am
agreed. calderon was like white on rice (or black on a black eyed pea?? lol). smitch has shown some willingness to change over the last few games, but it really paid off, as we were playing a better team. bring on detroit, i’m feeling another game full of heart, not necessarily a win though. just give the pistons a hard time.
never thought of calderon as a defensive stopper. he has actually shown otherwise…interesting risk that clearly paid off. defensive pest is probably a better word than defensive stopper.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:25 am
i have a feeling bargs will “click” sometime this season. every time he drives and dunks i cream myself. he just needs to master a low post move or 2 and gain some confidence with his back to the basket. that and he needs to learn how to box out. the whole freakin team does.
i realize kapono needs to be setup, but he’s not really helping his cause either.. or smitch isn’t helping him cuz he mostly stands on one side of the court and just waits for a pass. i remember there were a few games where he was going nuts running around the court through screens and finding his own open shots.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Maybe we are growing our own BIG THREE, Bosh, Calderon & AP outstanding vs Portland and the last few games. They refused to lose this game.
Calderon still has upside to his game as he continues to improve his 3pt shot and driving to the basket to create, and score, as well as his leadership role. He needs to look to score more when Rap’s struggle and his shots are falling. Re-signing him is #1 priority for Colangelo.
Bargnani is a long term project at Center,acknowledged by BC when he was drafted #1. They could play him at 3/4 and get more production but that would defeat the purpose they drafted him for. Patience by all is needed.
January 14th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
i was a fan of playing bargnani at 3/4, but i advise against it now. think about bargnani trying to defend paul pierce, vince carter, rasheed wallace, kevin garnett type players on a regular basis. they would ruin him. there are very few quality centers in the league who can really abuse bargnani in the post.
calderon has upside, i think that really came out. i don’t think the priority is resigning him as much as making sure that this is a complete team. that could mean resigning calderon, trading ford for a piece, and signing a back up. or it could mean trading calderon, or something along those lines. marrying yourself to one notion could be limiting.
as far as kapono running around, there is only so much you can do that before you start to get worn down. when he does run around, and try to get free, recently, a lot of the time he hasn’t been getting the ball. that could get really frustrating for someone. i know it would for me. but i agree that he has to do more than floating on the perimeter waiting for an open shot.
January 14th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Great write-up, but I do have to say that it wasn’t the best game “ever”. Our first win over Indy at home, the year we got Antonio Davis, was huge in the growing pains years of this team. Also that overtime game against the then-on-fire Kings was THE most exciting game ever at ACC. There were just as many Sac fans there (thanks to the strong Yugo base in Toronto) as Raps fans and the back and forth of the game made for some amazing crowd interaction. Then, of course, the win over the Bulls at SkyDome.
With respect to your Kapono comment in your last response, it’s interesting to note that what you describe (floating on the perimeter) is exactly what Moon was doing during his bad stretch. It was killing me to see him just stand there. Glad to see he has started to move. Kapono needs to do the same. I think he will, just in time to give this team a late-season push.
Scott.
January 14th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
yup, those were exciting games (except i can’t remember the indiana game). i was at the bulls win, and had there been 1 tenth of a second more, jordan would have hit the game winner.
kapono doesn’t have moon’s athletic ability, but he is capabale of running around some screens and what not to try and get open. glad to see moon more active on the offense, however, he still shoots more than he should…
January 14th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Arsenalist and Raps Fan > I agree with you two solidly! I’ve been trying to point that (Jose) out for awhile. What holds back JC, is his OVER willingness to “help” ALL the time (offense/defense), w/c seems to limit his effectiveness (at least in our North American-bred eyes) in the NBA. He always seems to “cheat” on the double down low, and when a screen, pick, or drive by the opposition happens, he has no “help”.
It’s IRRITATING, because when he is going up mano-a-mano–I like that he really fights THROUGH screens a lot (not a lot of guards are willing to take the abuse to do that)–he more than holds up his own against any PG out here. He really does. Will he get blown by? Of course. Not even Kidd or Gary Payton were completely error free as shut down defenders.
Another annoying things is his “crowding” his man on top. They seem to favor the zone defense in International play, which might explain why he would rather the opposing player drive (and be met by a collapsing defense inside), rather than giving up the lesser percentage (jump shot).
And to risk sounding like a broken record, on offense, he looks for his teams shots to the detriment of his own shot (even when he has the hot hand, although he’s improves a bit on this end). As we have witnessed, Jose CAN go to the basket. I have also noticed that he tries to feed Bosh and Bargs, even if both are cold. His decision?, or, an extension of Smitch, I do not know, but it’s hard to fault a player for doing his job.
January 14th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I thought AP singlehandedly kept us in this game with his early scoring when Roy was going off on us. His drive and drunk late in overtime was huge too, just a phenomenal game by him.
January 14th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Arsenalist > Yeah, it’s good to see AP’s confidence/game back. I do believe right now he should be option 2.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
he has done a good job of that in the last few games while bosh was starting to get into the offense flow of things.
he is really the only other offensive option we have. kapono doesn’t play good enough defense to be playing for extended minutes, and delfino has a tendency to take some bad shots, and disappear for stretches at a time.
January 14th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Who would we want as offensive options in order of rank from the starting 5?
1> Bosh
2> AP
3> Bargs/JC
4> JC/Bargs
5> Moon
From what I can see this is how it goes in-game:
1> Bosh
2> Bargs
3> AP/JC
4> JC/AP
5> Moon
January 15th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I’m here to defend Chunk Swrisky (spell??). He may not be the best play by play guy, but compared to other teams broadcasters he’s pretty damn good. he’s a little bias but nothing compared to some teams commentators. he can be very annoying, but he does have his own bobblehead and salami and cheese pack that seem to interest the fans. Maybe his sense of humour will change now that he’s a canadian citizen/
January 15th, 2008 at 8:48 am
If the raps dont make a trade for a big man this off season they should try to see about moving up in the draft and getting Roy Hibbert out of Georgetown. this kid is a monster on the boards. He’s 7″2, 278 lbs and can knock down free throws.
Hibbert is projected 11th overall as of right now, but if the Hoyas do well then he’ll move up. The Raps have the 18th pick right now, but BC has a game plan and i dont question his moves.
January 15th, 2008 at 8:54 am
no one is questioning swirsky’s play by play. he is one of the best, there is no doubt. it is his ass kissing that pisses me off, and self indulgence that pisses me off.
ok, great, hes a canadian citizen. we all know what a fan of the city and the team he is, but to make such a huge deal about it, that is ridiculous in my estimation.
January 15th, 2008 at 8:56 am
SiC, i think the second list is what they want, but what the raptors usually get is:
bosh
ap/jc
jc/ap
moon
someone from the bench and sometimes bargs
January 15th, 2008 at 11:57 am
if TJ’s season is in jeopardy then BC will need to make a move for a point guard. someone commented on how kapono does so much better when Calderon is leading the second group because of the shots he creates. here are some options i cooked up:
Earl Boykins (FA),Gary Payton (FA) Carlos Arroyo (ORL, Dan Dikau (LAC), Steve Francis(HOU), Damon Jones (CLE), Jannero Pargo(NOH), Eric Snow, Smush Parker, Luke Ridour, Brevin Knight.
the raps will need a rent a player and not some clown that had one good year and demanded a butt load of cash and now sees the floor for less than 20 minutes a game. I’m leaning toward Boykins or Snow, both are pass first and wouldnt affect the Raps locker room. what do you guys think? aslo, what do you guys think if Webber joined the Raps?
January 15th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
please don’t acquire snow…i liked him in college, but have hated him since that raptors/philly playoff series. i like webber joining the raptors a lot actually! i called it in the podcast (go to arsenalist.com for it).