“We make a great job.” – Carlos Delfino
Yes, you certainly did make a great job Carlos, though without you and TJ we’d be counting this an L. Instead, this too-close-for-comfort game pushed us to 7 games over .500 for the first time this season. I guess this should be celebrated.
While I pick the confetti from my hair, answer me this: Why is the first possession of every Raptors game a Bargnani 3 from the top of the arc?
When you make the Indiana Pacers look like the Phoenix Suns and still come out with a win, you gotta feel like you dodged a bullet (Finally! Something in common with Jamal Tinsley!).
Can you imagine growing up a kid in Indiana and unwrapping a fucking Mike Dunleavy Jr. jersey on Christmas morning? Talk about your all-time letdowns. Those poor farmkids get to choose between Dunleavy and Peyton Manning as role models…aka Dull and Duller, the headliners of the “Golly Gee” tour.
7 turnovers in the first quarter brought a ‘here we go again’ feeling into my living room. And after that quarter I was ready to add Kareem Rush to the list of 2-guards we can’t defend. I think my exact note was “Rush is going to kill us”, but he slowed down in the 2nd half…right on cue for Marquis Daniels to step in and embarass our D. How many scrubs do we allow to have career nights against us? You know the contract negotiation videos of every third tier 2/3 in the NBA consists solely of highlights against the Raptors.
He knocked the white off Dunleavy on this play.
About halfway through yesterday’s game, Jamario FINALLY got the memo and took it to the rack. He even got to the free-throw line. Standing at that stripe must have felt more foreign to him than stepping out of the bayou and onto Bay St. Whether he remains aggressive or retreats back into his shell will be told in time. I’m not ready to ease up on the boy after one game, but it’s a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, he still doesn’t realize he can step out on a shooter without giving up a step on penetration.
Bargnani had another game with as many fouls as points, which happens every time he ACTS instead of reacts. Like a bull in a china shop, he lowers his head and drives to the rim, which allows even the slowest of players (i.e. Jeff Foster) to collect the easy charge. I don’t get it. He’s quicker and better with the ball than almost everyone who guards him…what’s the rush? He’s gotta slow the game down, because right now he’s a guaranteed two charge and one travel per game. Not exactly the type of stats you want him to rack up.
TJ got back into rhythm last night, doing a great job of punching in and out of the paint. On a night when Jose struggles (it was bound to happen, you can’t play perfect forever) it was Ford’s aggressiveness that gave us our swagger.
Before we get to some game notes, I’ve come to learn that it’s up to the blogger to find something interesting to write about in even the most mundane game. This is also the broadcaster’s M.O.
So, following perhaps the most ridiculous Chuck and Leo performance of the season, here are some of the lowlights of yesterday’s broadcast:
– Please guys, shut up about the 3pt streak. Really, no one cares. Just let us know when it’s over.
– Feb. 4th is the date of Kapono’s last three. According to Leo, that’s both “good and bad”. Ummm, not sure I see the “good” in the league’s most accurate gunner not taking any longballs.
– Chuck was trying SO hard to put a positive spin on Kapono’s struggles, to say he’s stretching for compliments is an understatement. “Jason Kapono’s sideburns sure are squared, Leo. Just look at those clean lines.”
– Leo did NOT realize that Argentina wasn’t in Europe, no matter how he tried to backpedal out of that oopsy. “Well Chuck, I did play in Italy, so of course I know where Argentina is.” Uh, great corollary.
– “That’s why there’s chocolate and vanilla.” This comment led to ten seconds of absolute silence. Not even Chuck knew what Chuck meant.
Every team has fundamental weaknesses, things that won’t get better on their own. Ours is in the perimeter. Chuck and Leo’s is their filler banter.
A round of applause for the Raptors broadcast team!!! And no, Eric Smith and Paul Jones would NOT be better. Cabbie, however…
GAME NOTES:
- Jim O’Brien looks like the sketchy guy that your thrice-divorced black sheep Aunt Jeanette randomly shows up with to a holiday dinner. “This is Jim, we met at Sandals Cuba. He’s from Chicago, and sells wholesale upholstery. We’re getting married, and I know you’ll grow to love him as much as I… ” Meanwhile, ol’ Jim’s staring at your cousin Cassie’s low v-neck.*
* This has NOTHING to do with basketball, and everything to do with Aunt Jeanette. Jim broke her heart, and I had to sleep on the pullout for three weeks while she ‘recovered’.
- Travis Deiner is better than Darrick Martin, Jeff McInnis and Erics Snow and Piatkowski. That is all.
- Kapono almost passed out during his halftime interview. Not exactly what you want to see out of a guy who’s a) only played 15 minutes and b) spends most of his time on the perimeter.
- I love seeing another idiot Graham brother sitting on a bench in a different uniform. Mr. and Mrs. Graham must be so proud. BTW, Chuck basically said that Joey and Stephen fucked each other’s girlfriends in high school. Anyone else thing that’s really gross?
- How’d the game get so close? No Gangster, that’s why. But seeing as how Humph made the most of his minutes, this battle for the 4th big man rotation spot could get interesting.
The T-Wolves game should be a gimme, seeing as how they’re 2-450 on the road this season. Which is why this game makes me so nervous.
