Ok, so the Raptors bucking their struggles and getting things rolling over the last 12 games against bad teams heading into the playoffs storyline didn’t exactly get off to the start that any of us had hoped for last night. Instead we saw a team continue to collectively check out on a defensive scheme that everyone but the coaching staff seems to acknowledge is completely broken. I don’t know how you implement a brand new defense with only 1/6 of the season left, but I do know that you can’t simply ride out what you’ve got when your entire roster quits on the scheme you’re playing because they know it’s going to fail before they even start. That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that the Raptors had absolutely no problem executing last night against the Pistons. On that theme, let’s go all-in with the bandwagon criticism of Casey, steal a gimmick from a better writer and go over all of last night’s ‘Thank you for not coaching’ highlights.
- Anthony Tolliver was punishing the Raptors in the first half by draining wide-open 3 after wide open 3. Amir Johnson has struggled all season long to guard the perimeter and his injury restrictions just don’t allow him the mobility to stay with a stretch 4. He can’t play any help defensive down low when his man is on the perimeter, taking away from his biggest defensive positive, and every time he tries or gets involved in a nearby pick and roll, his man is left wide open for an unchallenged 3. After 4 first half instances of this exact breakdown, you’d think it might be time to change the approach? Not so much. You’d think that maybe this is an opportunity to get James Johnson into the game at the 4 spot? Tolliver isn’t a concern down low, so James Johnson seems like an ideal candidate to be able to better follow him around the perimeter. No, really? No minutes for James Johnson when you’re getting stretched out and hurt for it but Hansbrough is going to get some run and we’re willing to experiment with a Lou Williams-Grievis Vasquez-Terrence Ross backcourt (you’re never going to believe this, but that trio was not spectacular defensively)? Ok, then.
- Seriously though, James Johnson got a DNP coach’s decision. I’m not advocating for 36 minutes a game from JJ, but I don’t see how he isn’t an option, and a valuable one at that. Casey needs to explain why Johnson can’t even get a look in these games.
- WHY IS VASQUEZ PLAYING LATE GAME DEFENSIVE POSSESSIONS? THIS IS NOT A NEW QUESTION/PROBLEM. HE’S BEING SPECIFICALLY SUBBED IN FOR DEFENCE! I FEEL LIKE I’M TAKING CRAZY PILLS!
- What’s that? Vasquez fouled off ball immediately after being substituted in for Terrence Ross with a minute and a half left because he couldn’t keep up athletically with Reggie Jackson? But who could have possibly foreseen this? Are you insinuating that putting a slow footed guard known for bad defensive decision making on the court specifically to guard the most athletic guy on the floor whose been attacking all game isn’t the best laid course of action? Well, the good news is that at least the results turned out just as poorly as you’d imagine, much the way they usually do in this scenario.
- There are some of you out there who might advocate for running an actual play when you have possession of the ball down 2 points with 18 seconds left on the clock. It’s an outside the box kind of idea, I know. But let me ask you this, why bother running an intelligent play for 2 points when you have a guard whose perfectly willing to put up a 28-foot contested 3 because you didn’t call a play or a timeout and nothing was materializing so I guess he had to do something? Didn’t think about it like that, did you? I mean, sure, the play is unlikely to work out, and it’ didn’t. Sure, you had the opportunity to use a timeout when you saw that things were not developing well, but people don’t appreciate just how good it feels to be able to finish a game and know that you’ve still got timeouts in hand! And yes, fine, I’ll admit it, it’s incredibly awkward and uncomfortable when you say in your post game press conference that you drew up a pick and roll to get an open shot but it didn’t really work out because a) that still doesn’t explain why you didn’t call a timeout to reset and, even more so, because b) both Lou Williams and Amir Johnson contradicted you in their interviews saying that there wasn’t a play drawn up at all and that’s why Lou figured that he may as well shoot before time expired. Does anybody else know I feel?
- While we’re on the theme of being driven insane by bad decision-making, let’s take a minute to look at just how heavily the announcing crew mailed it in last night. Their keys to the game last night were: Road Offence, Road Defence, and Rebounding. You think? Great call boys, you’re right! Offense, defence and rebounding will almost definitely play a roll in this game! Also playing a factor, bouncing the basketball and making sure that they’re able to put the ball through the hoop at least one more time than the other team does. Offense, defense and rebounding? Don’t just list the three main aspects of the game of basketball; try at least a little. Tune in to tonight’s game in Chicago, where the three keys to the game will be filling out the lineup card in a neat and timely fashion, making sure everyone is wearing sneakers and the appropriate basketball attire, and emphasizing scoring more points than the other team.
