You never, ever, under any circumstances want to be on Charles Oakley’s bad side. True story: I have an Oakley’s Car Wash t-shirt that’s now old and ratty, but I’m terrified to throw it out because somehow he’d find out and hold me accountable, and I don’t want to be held accountable before Charles Oakley.
The Toronto Raptors’ star backcourt duo is on Charles Oakley’s bad side.
Speaking with Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star on Friday, Oakley was very critical of Toronto’s offense through two games and implored Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to move away from their heavy shooting loads. Here’s Oakley:
They’re taking too many shots. My thing is, if you’re off, do something else. They can’t do nothing else. Play some defence. Pass the ball. Come on, man. What’s going on with (DeRozan) and Lowry?
…
Man, they’re bad. Can’t beat nobody off the dribble. Can’t make a shot … Do something else.
…
It’s ugly. I’m glad they won (Thursday) night, but I don’t know about (Games 3 and 4) in Miami. (DeRozan and Lowry) don’t have it. It’s a different basketball. These guys are just shooting to be shooting.
He sounds like a Raptors fan, that’s for sure.
The Raptors are going to continue to “ride or die” with their stars, and those stars really have to start scoring more efficiently to take control of the series. The Raptors can win ugly, win with defense, win thanks to contributions from the rest of their rotation, but the margin for error is painfully slim with Lowry and DeRozan shooting as they are. Maybe Saturday will bring a change in approach or, at least, a change in results.
