Sam Mitchell triggers Ford-led 4th quarter meltdown as Raptors end miserable swing
Posted by Arsenalist on March 17, 2008
The Raptors led by Jose Calderon had just finished a third quarter which had rescued this game from getting out of hand. The Raptors had slowed the tempo and the scoreboard down in the third quarter winning it 27-18 by playing gritty paint defense and by riding Jose Calderon’s hot shooting. A 9 point halftime deficit had been entirely erased and with the fourth quarter set to go, the Raptors were smelling a San Antonio like upset. That’s when Sam Mitchell tried to get too smart for his own good. He inserted the volatile and struggling TJ Ford who went 1-4, turned the ball over twice, got himself into a one-on-one contest with Ronnie Price and the official, picked up two technicals and was sent packing. Add it all up and a 65-65 game had turned into an 81-69 ball game with 6:58 to go and Utah had the momentum with the crowd fully in to it. Game over. The crazy part might be that if it hadn’t been for the technicals, Ford would have continued to play the PG while Calderon and his hot hand cooled off on the bench. Mind boggling stuff, how many times has this happened already?
Utah was off today, they were back from an Eastern swing and their malaise allowed the Raptors to stick around at the end of the first quarter. Sloan went to the bench in the second and as is a Raptors custom, an relative no-name player (Price) scored 4 times his season average to pull the Jazz ahead at the half. In the third quarter our defense picked up and Rasho/Moon/Parker came up with blocks and strips near the rim to contain Utah which was excellent as usual moving without the ball. The third quarter belonged to Calderon who had 9, more than canceling out the brilliant Deron Williams’ 8 to bring us back in the game. Only two other Jazz scored field goals in the period and the Raptors had the momentum and the right defensive attitude going into the deciding quarter. Then TJ Ford happened and this game got out of hand making the final score very unreflective of the actual proceedings. Seriously, take the fourth quarter stats out of it and things are pretty even across the board. If we had just buckled down and played the fourth like we did the rest of the game, this one was going to stay close and would’ve been there for the taking late on.
According to Sekeres, Calderon and Ford were complaining all night to Sam Mitchell about the officials, it just so happened that TJ was fragile enough to explode:
Mitchell said that both Ford and Jose Calderon were complaining that the Jazz guards were riding them with their bodies throughout the game, cutting off penetration with physical contact. Mitchell and the point guards talked to the officials several times during the game about the tactic, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. When Ford was called for an offensive foul on a play where he felt body-riding was taking place, it was more combustible than gasoline near a bonfire.
We were without our best player on this swing but even then there is plenty of reason to be disappointed in our play. It doesn’t say much about the defensive depth of this squad when opponents have no issue shooting 50% against us simply because one player is missing. Is our offense so broken that if Chris Bosh isn’t there, we can’t put three consecutive decent possessions together? Can the severely stagnant nature of our offense be blamed on Bosh not playing? If PGs are meeting with zero resistance on both options of the pick ‘n roll, is not having a Bosh a good excuse? Sure, I can understand if rebounding is suffering and we’re not getting points in the paint with the same ease, but to continually point to Bosh not being there as the source/excuse of our poor play is a fallacy. It’s scary to watch this team without Bosh because you realize just how easy we are to defend and how horribly coached we are on offense.
I’m sure Bryan Colangelo is watching this team and seeing the limitations of our players, the pedantic nature of our coach and the inner turmoil that is on the verge of exploding. He’d be not doing his job if he weren’t to shuffle at least 3 players out of the current lineup: one of TJ/Jose, upgrade Moon/Graham, upgrade Hump and do something with Bargnani because he’s playing flat out awful. Bargnani went 2-11 which immediately reminded me of jeff’s comment from last night. I’m not sure what needs to happen for him to get back to becoming an average NBA player but I would think not relying solely on the perimeter shot is something that’s topping the list. Number 2 would be fighting for an advantageous position and establishing your 7-foot frame in a way where the PG is forced to pass you the ball. Just watching Rasho do his thing tonight should be motivation enough for him but who knows. Bargnani’s game is constricted, rusty and forced, there is nothing fluid or confident about his play over the last month and he’s basically taking the same bad shots over and over again just hoping they go in.
This nightmare is over and we need to get back home and start winning some meaningful games. Miami is a win and I’ll gladly take it but after that we have three massive games coming up which if we win, will give this team a huge boost of confidence which it so desperately needs. This trip has undoubtedly given every Raptor player and coach a first hand look at just how vulnerable we are and how fine the line between us being a good team and a lottery team really is. After Miami, we get Cleveland away and then Denver and Detroit at home. If we manage to win two of those three games, it’ll do a lot towards grabbing some momentum for the final stretch. I’m not worried about Washington catching us, I almost want them to, it’s Philadelphia that is of concern. Philly is a game back and playing well, if they catch us it’ll pit us against Detroit in the playoffs which will be no fun.
If you’re looking for something positive to take out of this roadtrip, we played better defense against Sacramento and Utah. They still shot 48% and 55% respectively but there were stretches where we played well and contained them by collapsing in the paint, contesting mid-range jumpers and fighting for rebounds. It’s not much but at this point the Raptors need to take whatever positive there is and build on it. The negativity of this roadtrip and the losing can kill the will of this team if they’re not too careful and that’s why the upcoming 4 games are so crucial, even more so than the roadtrip.
Go Raptors Go.
Liners:
- What can one say about TJ Ford? (PG Interview) He needs a shrink to help him cope with the complexities of taking a back seat. Mitchell obviously hasn’t done a good enough job of harnessing his competitive spirit, emotion or style of play. He has all the attributes of being a fiery, energetic guard that can be a positive catalyst for this team but the channeling of his emotion and fury has all been incorrect. Doug Smith tends to think that way also.
- This is the lowest point of the season and we need to show up with energy, emotion and a plan over the next week to get back into playoff mode.
- Sam Mitchell has a COY award while Jerry Sloan doesn’t. Something doesn’t feel right. The players come and go but the Jazz continue to play solid and sound basketball. There’s a reason Kris Humphries isn’t on that team, you think Sloan would tolerate missed defensive assignments and going into Jordan-mode?
- I don’t remember Utah doubling a single Raptor at any time in the game. This has to be a first.
- Rasho Nesterovic (13/12) has been instrumental in preventing us from getting dominated on the boards. We played the right way on defense today, at least the interior kind. We won the rebounding battle 38-36 and didn’t let Kirilenko or Boozer get off. The perimeter D was leaky as ever, Calderon was slow to fight through screens and Ford was brutal and impatient.
- Jason Kapono is showing some signs of life and willing to force his shot. That’s much better than him preserving his FG percentage and only looking for wide open shots. I’d rather him hoist up 11 shots than Bargnani any day, at least his have a shot of going in.
- I like the St. Patricks day uniforms, check Dinosty, he’ll probably have some nice pics.
This entry was posted on March 17, 2008 at 11:27 pm and is filed under Raptors, Sports. Tagged: andrea bargnani, jose calderon, Rasho Nesterovic, sam mitchell, tj ford, toronto raptors, utah jazz. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
March 17, 2008 at 11:38 pm
If only Bargs can produce Rasho’s numbers and do the things he does… then I would be satisfied.
Rasho is truly one of the most underrated players on our team. I wouldn’t mind keeping him after his contract expires, for cheaper than he is now of course. He’s smart and he’s a true center. Brings grit, experience, defense and vet leadership.
Now we need to look for a SF in the draft that can slash.
Didn’t watch the game, was out. Surprised to see at the end of 3rd that we were tied.
March 17, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Had posted this on the forums you provided, so i thought i might as well do it here:
I too having been waiting for an explosion, not particularly from TJ, but rather from anyone in the locker room. The Bosh excuse has been played out for too long. Good coaches find way to win regards, especially against inferior opponents(ex. Washington). Primarily talking about the losses to NY, Indiana, and Bobcats. If wasn’t clear to others, I hope it is clear now, that Sam Mitchell has lost complete control of the team. He has lost the players,as was evident before this west coast road trip. The team has been coming out flat for the last month or so, and it seems as though he is afraid to approach Tj. It was apparent after ford blow out Mitchell was completely lost and not control of the situation. Any one watching the game knew Tj ford was about to explode, and with a close game Sam Mitchell should have called a timeout and settled the team down primarily tj ford. I can’t blame tj ford for what he did because he is an emotional guy and it happened in the heat of the game, but Sam could have avoid the entire problem from the beginning by simply calling a timeout and taking tj to the side and calming him down (Sloan did this in the first half with Williams and as many other do).
In short, it has become evident that Sam Mitchell has lost control of the team, his random substitutions have confused the players, because many don’t understand what there role is and the lack of coaching knowledge has put more stress on the players than there should be. If anyone has been listening to the broadcasting will realized they too have taken there jabs at Mitchell indirectly. In todays game Jack stated that guys need to be put in spots to be successful, like they have done for Korver, this was followed by a pan shot of Kapono then Sam. All i know is this will be an interesting offseason to say the least.
One last thing Barg. struggles as the number 1 pick is not helping this team. The expectations are way to high, and i am having a hard time seeing this pan out the way is supposed too. Usually it only takes 2 years or so to see how successful a player will be and it doesn’t look good so far, but this is not fact so take it with a grain of salt. Good Night!!… It is only going to get more interesting from here…
IMO
March 17, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I lurk and rarely post but this line of the post is gold:
————
What can one say about TJ Ford? He needs a shrink to help him cope with the complexities of taking a back seat. Mitchell obviously hasn’t done a good enough job of harnessing his competitive spirit, emotion or style of play. He has all the attributes of being a fiery, energetic guard that can be a positive catalyst for this team but the channeling of his emotion and fury has all been incorrect.
————
I feel sorry for Ford, he wants to win and knows he has the talent to do so. He didn’t play like this last year or earlier in the year, he’s not taken the bench too kindly and Sam is too dense to recognize that he needs to start. I wonder what lines of communication Sam uses with TJ because his fourth quarter play has been so detrimental to the team throughout the last couple weeks and shows no sign of improvement. Sam’s got to take a lot of the blame for what’s going on here. I’m not excusing TJ but the fault is 50-50.
March 17, 2008 at 11:49 pm
That was so embarrassing.
I get that it’s frustrating. I get that losing sucks. I get that they got some bad calls. That surly inbound Delfino passed to Ford a minute or so before the blow up said volumes about the feeling on the court.
I don’t have any sympathy for a grown man having a tantrum in the middle of the game. Jason Kapono practically had to carry Ford kicking and screaming off the court.
Lame.
March 18, 2008 at 12:11 am
This is about as rare as an eclipse, but I actually disagree with one of your statements.
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Mitchell obviously hasn’t done a good enough job of harnessing his competitive spirit, emotion or style of play.
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Mitchell’s job is to run practice, call plays (smirk), and get the best out of his team on the floor. If a player is having emotional issues that could or are proving detrimental to the club, then the GM should step in. Colangelo’s solution was to hire a babysitter in Lucas. That right there should show us that Ford’s problems are bigger than his coach. Sad thing is, we aren’t just paying this nut a huge contract, but we have added to our “coaching” staff just for him.
Was I sitting here yelling at Sam to get him off the floor? Sure.
Are you right in saying that Ford probably would have been in there for another 3-5min without those techs? Probably.
Those are coaching decisions and Sam deserves heat for those. How TJ has carried himself lately should not be levied against the coach, but on the person who brought the player here OR the special assistant that has been brought in to handle the volatile player.
The team played well tonight. I’m not sure that TJ can be solely blamed for the fourth quarter, but he does indeed deserve a lot of the blame.
March 18, 2008 at 12:25 am
AltRaps, when will Mitchell realize that TJ needs to start and that’s the only thing that’ll set his mind right. TJ can’t handle being the backup while Jose can, I don’t know if this is a long-term solution but for the remainder of this season at least, TJ needs to start so that we avoid situations like these (I think this is the 5th time already this has happened).
Unless starting Calderon is an order from BC, Sam’s got to take the blame for not recognizing that TJ needs to start and is equally responsible for his destructive play because he put him in that situation. I don’t remember this happening last year or even earlier in the year before he got injured, Sam’s got to realize this and apply a solution.
TJ Ford was jawing at the officials well before he got ejected and anybody watching the game knew that he wasn’t doing anything good. So why keep him there even longer and risk him boiling over and killing the game for us? I know it sounds harsh but these are all coaching calls which need to be made. TJ’s a 23 year hot-headed guy who needs direction and BC’s not on the bench during the game so the person next in line is either Sam or the team leader/captain which we don’t have.
March 18, 2008 at 12:48 am
As I said, I agree that I was as frustrated as you that he was still in there. Jose needed a rest, so he had to put TJ in or go with Darrick Martin.
Your theory on what is wrong with TJ quite frankly scares the shit out of me. If you and Sam are right and he is having trouble dealing with being a backup, then he has some serious mental issues. I can’t imagine letting the inmates run the asylum. What signal does that send both to your players and any future acquisitions? You don’t like your role, then act like a child and you’ll get your way. That flies in the face of everybody else on this team that has accepted their role.
As old as I am, I firmly believe in team first. We played much better as a team when TJ was hurt and Jose was running the show than we have this last little bit with TJ in the lineup (even with Bosh). So we should placate him by giving him his starting role back? If this is done just to keep the peace for the rest of the season, then again I say that the long term damage might not be worth the risk.
March 18, 2008 at 1:10 am
TJ Ford at PG seems to disconnect with all the players on the floor once he attempts to dribble-drive to the basket. Nobody, not even TJ, knows what he will do next .. he’s unpredictable. The guys just stand and watch him risk his life going to the basket. It can’t be pleasant playing with somebody who could become a quadraplegic every time he lands badly.
I feel that TJ would probably do better as a backup to Steve Nash on the Suns, and eventually take over there because Steve’s back will soon stop him and TJs game could fit the Sun’s style of play.
Bargnani is going through a huge conversion in his basketball play .. from hanging outside the 3-point circle and jacking up three’s .. to charging to the hoop and doing things he has never done before on a basketball court. Please understand that his elegant 3-point shooting only requires a gentle leg lift and then he lets go of the ball off his fingers. The guy has no inner range in his jump shot.
Bargnani cannot modulate his jump shot inside of 20 feet and he just throws a flat shot at the basket and hopes. His wrists have evolved for 3-point shooting!! Playing under the basket requires strong vertical leg drive which Bargnani has not developed shooting those easy three’s. He’s going through a major rebuild of his game, and it’s being done on the job. Dirk Nowitzki also went through a long transformation before he got to his current level of performance.
Don’t expect Bargnani to develop into an effective centre for several years. He still has to pay the price of building his body up over the summer, and if that means HGH injections, he had better decide if he wants to play in the NBA, or go back to Italy on the pasta train.
March 18, 2008 at 1:20 am
Here are my directions from on high if I am Colangelo:
1.)Either TJ gets suspended, as of today, without pay and is sent home for the year or he agrees to come off the bench without incident in writing (if not, he is subsequently sent home). In fact, he is used as the third point behind delfino. Martin retires to the front office.
I hate to say it, but it’s true. I want TJ to start, and that will definitely solve the problem tehdcnically, but it isn’t going to happen. Management is too scared he’ll get hurt and don’t want to piss off Calderon (who, by all accounts, is pissed or annoyed anyway).
It’s time to send TJ home to let him think about what he wants to do.
Then, he and Calderon are told the starter’s position is up for grabs next year with a clean slate. If he is healthy and motivated, he wins the spot and Calderon gets traded for a swing. (All this with a new coach, however.)
2)If TJ doesn’t show any signs of improvement, or plays selfishly or is unhealthy, he is held on to to see if the new coach (see below, can get anything out of him). If not, he is dealt for a servicable backup big. Or a better traditional center along with Bargs for sweetener.
3.)Andrea needs to get sent to big man camp. His spot in the lineup next year is not a given. He is told to shape up or he is on the bench. If improvement is noted, he is put back in the lineup. He is now sent back to the bench as a “sixth man”. He must earn his minutes back.
4.) Mitchell is fired as of today. Jeff Van Gundy is brought in to coach defence/offence and prepare the players. And no, I don’t care how they fare in the playoffs. This rebuild starts now, irregardless of the time it takes to improve. Van Gundy cracks the whip. If he can handle rafer, he can handle ford.
5.) Delfino is told be a backup point. He is told not to jack shots but rather to drive and kick. He may shoot if there are no other options.
6.) Kapono and Rasho are reinserted into the lineup and Andrea and Moon go back to the bench, to be used as much as they offer (based on matchup and how much d kap can play) To be honest, I’d bet Van Gundy could find a way to mask his deficiencies better.
If all of this happens now, we have a shot to recover our confidence and our swagger in time. If not, this team will end up like the knicks sooner than we think.
March 18, 2008 at 2:14 am
When TJ 1st returned from his most recent injury, probably the 2nd game back Leo during the broadcast said as the camera panned to Lucas, that the team should hire Lucas because he is someone TJ trusts and will listen to. At the time I thought it was an odd thing to say as I had assumed Smitch and TJ were tight and Lucas would be superfluous. It turns out that Leo has known all along that there was a problem with TJ and I would think Smitch, BC and the rest of the organization also more than suspected as they eventually hired Lucas to protect or at least try to salvage the $8 mil per PG. The big question than is how wonky is this wheel? By his uncharacteristic selfish play of late and tonight’s strange outburst I’d say the Horford induced injury has had more than a physical effect.
March 18, 2008 at 2:48 am
…what a crock of shit.empathy for tj..hell no,i feel nothing but apathy for this spoiled lil bitchass napoleon complex havin twerp….the big baby had a tantrum which cost us the game,u see anthony parkers face when me j was goin off?it was of disgust and as soon as i had praise for arsenalist,he joins the soft ass media with dr.phil crap…bollocks.
March 18, 2008 at 7:36 am
Uh. BC in Rome to buy mo $5,000 soots while MaRizzo eats his way thru NCAA tournaments. TJ not BC’s problem. Sam will be Da Fall Guy. Make YOU happy, fo sure. Mo Dr Phil excuzee pleez.
March 18, 2008 at 7:52 am
Andiamo, I hate the way TJ is playing and he shouldn’t have been on the floor in the fourth quarter. But try to think of this in rational terms, he wasn’t playing like an insane and selfish mofo earlier in the year nor was he playing like that last year. What’s happened over the last little while that has made him forget that he’s part of a team and play like a spoiled little brat?
The man has a serious inferiority complex and wants to “prove” he should be the starter. As I said in my post, him being a starter and Calderon coming off the bench might not be a long term solution but at least for this year, Sam HAS to start TJ to prevent shit like this from happening again. I’m not being Dr. Phil, I’m just looking at TJ’s game in the context of the two years he’s been with the Raptors, not a stretch of 10 games.
March 18, 2008 at 7:56 am
more green jersey pics here, including three other teams that did it.
http://macgsworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/st-patty-day-in-nba.html
I never saw the game and I was going to be a sad soul and sit and watch the live scoreboard on the net.
It got to 52-52 and I assumed the worst and went to bed.
Very happy I did not witness all the shit you are all describing.
It is funny, I was alway saying to people that the one thing I enjoy about this team is that there is no drama.
Well it is brewing to quite the soap opera in TO.
Thanks Arsenalist for once again doing a great recap for those who miss the game.
By the way the Raps Dance Pak is taking on the Celtics dancers today on NBA.Com
http://cuzoogle.com/2008/03/18/dance-war-nba-sytle-vote-today/
March 18, 2008 at 8:55 am
RapsFan: im pretty sure rasho will get traded next year, he has an expiring contract that could be used to land us something valuable in a trade at the deadline…
Pickstar: you have to blame tj ford for what he did. smitch takes some blame, but tj has been playing like a wild savage for the last few games, with this eruption coming at the worst time possible.
AltRaps: i agree with both you and arse. colangelo has to step in with some disciplinary action, and smitch needs to adjust what he is doing, because what he is doing is not working with this team, straight and simple. fyi, having “the inmates run he asylum” was gold, made my morning, so bang on, lol.
David Moro: i doub’t tj or calderon will be here next year. my vote is for tj to go. i can’t stand prima-donna’s. smitch SHOULD get fired, but he wont, he will be here for another year. bargnani SHOULD get traded, but he wont. bc needs to get some some rebounding/toughness/slashing, but he wont. i should stop watching these idiots…but i wont…i hate my life…
good debate as always here.
March 18, 2008 at 9:49 am
FAQ - great point. Bargnani will struggle to develop a midrange game because his shooting motion is designed entirely for the three. That’s why all his mid-range jumpers slam against the back rim in a line-drive fashion, he compensates for the closer distance by aiming his shot instead of adjusting his legs and shooting motion.
TauEpsilonNu, the wheel is not wonky, this is a recent problem, not something that is long stemming. I think some things need to get worse before they get better. Last night’s explosion was the low point of TJ’s season and I think he got the message. I honestly believe that from this point on he has to get the message and we’ll see a saner TJ. The hiring of Lucas was there to give TJ some support, I don’t know if it reflects that much on Sam/TJ’s relationship as much as you suggest.
March 18, 2008 at 10:51 am
It’s always interesting when Raptors’ fan(atic)s make the statement that … “Bryan Colangelo is the best GM in the NBA” … and then cite as evidence for this claim the performance of the Phoenix Suns during his reign as their GM and the fact that he has been given the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award on 2 occasions.
What is rarely (if ever) listed, however … is the actual performance of those Suns’ teams during those 11 years, plus the finish of the team the year before he started in that specific job and the year following his departure … see below for further details:
——————————————————————–
PHOENIX SUNS
Year Record Div Finish/Playoffs NBA Executive of the Year/Team
06-07 61-21/.744 1st/(2nd Rd) Bryan Colangelo/Toronto Raptors
05-06 54-28/.659 1st/(3rd Rd)* Elgin Baylor/Los Angeles Clippers
04-05 62-20/.756 1st/(3rd Rd)* Bryan Colangelo/Phoenix Suns
03-04 29-53/.354 6th/(DNQ)** Jerry West/Memphis Grizzlies
02-03 44-38/.537 4th/(2nd Rd)* Joe Dumars/Detroit Pistons
01-02 36-46/.439 6th/(DNQ)** Rod Thorn/New Jersey Nets ***
00-01 51-31/.623 3rd/(1st Rd)* Geoff Petrie/Sacramento Kings
99-00 53-29/.646 3rd/(2nd Rd)* John Gabriel/Orlando Magic
98-99 27-23/.540 3rd/(1st Rd)* Geoff Petrie/Sacramento Kings
97-98 56-26/.683 3rd/(1st Rd)* Wayne Embry/Cleveland Cavaliers
96-97 40-42/.488 4th/(1st Rd)* Bob Bass/Charlotte Bobcats
95-96 41-41/.500 4th/(1st Rd)* Jerry Krause/Chicago Bulls ****
94-95 59-23/.720 1st/(2nd Rd) Jerry West/Los Angeles Lakers
Legend:
* Suns with GM/Bryan Colangelo, Made Playoffs;
** Suns with GM/Bryan Colangelo, Missed Playoffs
*** Team lost in the NBA Finals
**** Team won the NBA championship
Phoenix Suns’ Overall W-L Record with GM/Bryan Cloangelo = 452-336 (.574), 11 years
——————————————————————–
Do most Raptors’ fan(atic)s realize the playoff record of those 11 Phoenix Suns teams?
Or, that 2 of those 11 teams failed to qualify for the playoffs?
Or, that the cumulative W-L record of those 11 teams is 452-336/.574? (which is almost exactly the same as the Raptors’ W-L record last season, i.e. 47-35/.573)
The rampant optimism of Raptors’ fan(atic)s who believe unabashedly - i.e. ‘In Bryan We Trust’ - that the current team is (somehow?) going to get a whole lot better during the next few seasons under the direction of Mr. Colangelo … is a source of considerable wonder … to those astute observers who have actually taken a closer look at the performance of the teams he led as the GM of the Phoenix Suns.
——————————————————————–
Q1. Will the Raptors ever be able to address their Rebounding & Defensive deficiencies … under his leadership?
A1. Maybe … maybe not.
Q2. Will the Raptors ever be able to reach the NBA Finals … with their Rebounding & Defensive deficiencies … under his direction?
A2. Maybe … maybe not.
Q3. Will the Raptors ever be able to WIN the NBA championship … with their Rebounding & Defensive deficiencies … during his tenure?
A3. Maybe … but, probably not.
March 18, 2008 at 11:29 am
well, based on what AltRaps said a few weeks ago (win with scoring not rebounding - i’m paraphrasing here), i doubt bc gets rebounding help. i think everyone, raptors fan(atic)s et al realize that rebounding/defense win championships. when was the last time a team scored their way to a championship without making crucial stops? i can’t think of any.
kerr sent marion packing to get shaq to stabilize the middle, and look at amare, he just got player of the week.
the more i think about it, if bc stays with his own trend, we will have a pretty solid team that cant get win a championship…perennial good team that wont win a championship.
March 18, 2008 at 12:04 pm
[...] - Arsenalist [...]
March 18, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Yeah, it’s TJs fault that the ENTIRE EFFING TEAM does not play D.
It’s also his fault that NO ONE can make a shot when he passes the ball.
Also, how come no one is riding Jose for his inability to accept the fact TJ is back? I mean, Jose’s stats haven’t exactly been stellar lately. Everyone is on TJ for not adjusting, even though he doesn’t have to. How come no one is riding Jose? How come no one is wondering why Jose sucks all of a sudden and isn’t running to TJ in the timeouts to let him know what he sees like he used to?
Bargnani? Do you people realize this kid is only 21? He’s been in the NBA for 1.5 years. You cannot make a call on a guy with his potential until the end of year 3. Also, when he ate that elbow in the face a few weeks ago he did have some damage and pain there. Loose teeth, bruised cheekbone or something. Forgive the guy for not exactly going in there and mixing it up with the trees right now to eat another elbow to the eye socket and, you know, hopefully end his career or something.
And why is it so hard to conceive the fact that since our team is a bunch of D-Leaguers, that we suck this bad without CB4? The entire franchise revolves around this guy! Entire teams collapse on the guy when he plays .. now hes not there.. gee why do our guys suck?
It seems Rap fans would rather have a bunch of UN peace keepers on their team, you know… dudes your sister would bring home and your mom would love (Jose and pretty much all the European player including Parker) as opposed to straight killas,Oakman type players (TJ and Bosh sometimes) that take shit from no one and pop off when they have to. Like say, last night? Why didn’t anyone else get upset? Cuz they were scared! Look at Parker: looking at TJ last night as if: “Oh, look how unprofessional that is, I would never do something like that!” You know what? He wouldn’t! Cuz he’s soft like the entire EFFING team! Seriously, when your ONE PG is the most and only volatile guy on the team what does that tell you?
It’s just like when TJ got clobbered..who got mad? SAM!! THAT’S IT! If you were TJ do you really wanna play with a bunch of soft dudes that don’t even have you back? That was disgraceful.
Sorry for the pop off arsenalist. I just wish people would look at the big picture sometimes. I guess I’ll stop my rant now.
March 18, 2008 at 3:30 pm
parker’s look was one of disgust at the timing of the outburst. it usually isn’t prudent to get two techs in the middle of the game falling apart around you.
jose has been playing like crap, but he had a really solid game last night, would have been better if smitch got him in earlier in the 4th.
i do feel you on tj not wanting to play with guys who didn’t get mad or defend him when his career got sodomized by horford. i personally wouldn’t want to play with guys who didn’t have my back in that situation. BUT, if that is the case, he needs to make it known that is how he feels, and get bc to something about it in the offseason (or the trade deadline, when a couple teams would have loved to get their hands on tj for the stretch/playoffs).
March 18, 2008 at 3:53 pm
FLUXLAND > sure we know … u should have been here when the jose sucks and TJ rules was in effect–it’s basketball–it happens
same with Bargs, he was (is) given a long leash as well … what you see is reaction born of frustration :)
how much less people would be here if we were rolling along and winning?
March 18, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I hear ya, Raps Fan..I’m not saying TJ had a great quarter or anything. Or that he’s not to PARTIALLY blame for what’s going on, but people are treating the guy like the Antichrist while forgetting that while Jose was getting his feet wet and learning the NBA, TJ was holding it down (remember all those game winners he gave us?)and now after Jose fills in for him (really well) those same people want to throw the guy out the door. It just doesn’t make sense.
Parker could have walked over there talked to the ref (distract him from seen TJ going off) could have stood in front of TJ, could have done a million thing. For people to sit here and ride his jock about what a blessing he is, he didn’t look like a team mate last night or some other instances. You can be mad at your guy, but when you are in the middle of the battle you need to stand up for your TEAM (not even for that guy).
Who know what Sam’s plan was? Did he want TJ to build the lead and have Jose close out the game?..(ahm.. like they used to). Maybe; we’ll never know. Why ride Jose and then put TJ in when he is cold and then we get rocked anyway and again TJ look like the a*****e?
As far as TJ not wanting to play with these guys: I’m sure as long as Bosh and Sam are there he doesn’t care who he plays with. I’m sure he also realizes that these guys are soft, and even if he feels betrayed by their actions during the sodomizing, he doesn’t let that faze him. But when he then dishes them the ball and the fail to score over and over and over while he is getting spit on by the fans for being the only guy on the team with b**** or alpha male A type personality traits, I would be looking to go off eventually as well. I wonder how under appreciated he feels right now.
Hopefully everything returns to normal in RaptorLand soon.. we are lucky to have the players on our team that we do. Bosh is the glue of this team, when he comes back I hope he puts his Raptor foot down and puts everyone in their place.
March 18, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Raptors were supposed to have the ‘best’ two PGs in the league .. a one-two punch .. and then it all went sour. What happened ??
Here’s what I see watching Raptors on TV, and if any of you attend games and sit close to the floor perhaps you can tell me if I’m right or wrong.
Jose is a deliberate, pass-first guard who utilizes the clock efficiently, while TJ is a shoot-first guard because he disconnects from the other players when he dribbles all over and then tries to drive to the basket. With Jose, the players can run their plays and even compensate if the play breaks down. Jose is deliberate and predictable.
TJ is a very fast PG who handles the ball continuously and when he has to give it up he is either trying to get out of trouble, or time is running out. Has anybody noticed how weak TJs passes are, as if he is unhappy giving up the ball. Some of his passes are just plain bad as he tries to heave a pass using body speed rather than arm strength. When TJ passes the ball, he seems to take himself out of the play just standing there and trying to get the ball back so he can do his thing.
TJ is not a complete PG, and to say he needs time to build up his game is just not reasonable after all his time in the NBA. He is not only deficient he is unreliable and costs $6M per year. He is just not a floor leader like Jose .. and that’s what I see.
March 18, 2008 at 4:39 pm
@FAQ… I know very little about basketball (I’m not khandor, who apparently is trying to break into the NBA as a team video coordinator or some sort of stat analyst..jk bud!) but I am willing to tell you what I see:
Jose: you are on the money. They compensate cuz he is patient enough to efficiently drain the clock as you said.. TJ wants to run… stab you .. and run back on D.. he doesn’t want to spend an hour waiting on you to adjust to whats going on for an hour.
TJ: he wants the opposite team to feel he is a threat and he wants them to pay attention to him, in turn allowing him to pass freely. He does this also sometimes when he drives to the basket (to attract attention), but you are right he does shot it around there most of the time (primarily because the other guys are too busy watching him , standing there like pylons and make it difficult to pass). This is why you feel he passes when he is in trouble.
His passing: how many times has he ripped a rocket or a just a regular pass and the guys either “doesn’t even see it coming and doesn’t have his hands up” or “perform their best Kwame Brown hands impersonation” (that last one drives me insane) I mean, if you can’t catch the ball…
It’s not that TJ is not a complete guard! (before CP3 and Deron where in the L.. TJ was top 5 without question, remember the “quickest guard in the L title? ) He can only look good if his guys finish the plays and play with him. Our guys seem to be playing a few gears lower then him most of the time. That, I think is an indication of our level of talent.
Ford is more of floor general then Jose, IMO, its the soldiers that suck. Jose is efficient and knows how to get the most out of his guys… he’s probably being doing that for the better part of his life,its what got him in the NBA and is the reason why he looks good most of time. TJ has more then likely always been surrounded with dudes that can ball.. making on hand things easier for him but also showing how good he is. You do have to be good to run a bunch of dudes that can ball, no?
March 18, 2008 at 6:53 pm
^^^FLUXLAND^^^ …. I appreciate your pov about TJ, Jose and their Raptor team mates. Perhaps the logical conclusion is that either:
1. The entire Raptor team be replaced with players who can adust to TJs style of play, or,
2. TJ be traded to some team who can make use of his unexpected ‘rocket’ passes at close quarters.
What do you think about trading TJ to a team like the Suns, making TJ an understudy to aging, ailing Nash? I think there are similarities to their styles of play, don’t you? Maybe for Barbosa(Brazil) or Diaw(France) maybe ..??!!!
March 18, 2008 at 7:41 pm
@FAQ:
It is just a pov and it’s free… so, no worries! ;)
1. I wouldn’t say the entire team. We need a strong wing player(ours are just inconsistent) and a strong inside presence to help Bosh. Like a Elton Brand or Kurt Thomas type. The PGs would be fine if everyone just goes back to the way things were. It was fun when Jose was like a secret weapon that we had.
2. I believe quality pgs are hard to find. And while TJ was injured, and was taking his sweet ol’ time coming back, I was demanding for his retirement. I knew we couldn’t ride Jose forever and with the trade deadline I was hoping BC was cooking something. Then TJ came back, looked OK I guess, and then the dunk attempt vs Kobe happened. I was sold. I needed to see nothing else. SWAG BABY! IT’S ON! Perhaps, I believe that swag sometimes counts a little more then always making the right play, no T.O.s… blah blah blah… and all that is great, but if you ain’t got it when it counts, what’s the point? (see: Jose game six, last play (and I don’t care what the play call was and who was cutting where… the guy looked like he threw up the ball out of his mouth. Do SOMETHING.. just not that!) Sorry for rambling, but we shouldn’t let him go. Nash can’t teach Ford anything, I think, because like you say, they are already so similar. (Although, I would love to see TJ play with those PHX players and see what happens) And sometimes those rocket passes are in traffic, wraparound the opponents, hand deliveries or simple shovel tosses.. and our guys.. aaarghh.. BAH!
March 19, 2008 at 12:25 am
lolerz…so tj is playing with rec league ballers now? this is the new line of defense for this ball hoggin bitch.lmfao…wow the extent of this tj love is disgraceful and quite queerish….bitches remember, we not me.
March 19, 2008 at 7:19 am
DUDE! Rec ballers would be an improvement over the leftover tryouts for “White Men Can’t Jump” (or do anything for that matter).
There is no TJ love.. it’s called not blaming one person and one person only…this ain’t tennis or boxing.. like you said.. WE .. right?
Btw.. that was a very persuasive argument..NOT!
March 19, 2008 at 8:22 am
FLUX,
——————————————————————–
re: … it’s called not blaming one person and one person only…this ain’t tennis or boxing.. like you said.. WE .. right?
——————————————————————–
All well and good … except … even in a ‘team’ sport (or a ship’s crew) … sometimes, one person is (in fact) a major (major) part (if not the whole source) of THE problem … and, given that there are only 15 games left in the regular season … and, the Raptors are not going to (i) change their team’s ownership structure, (ii) fire their GM, (iii) replace their head coach, or other staff members … right now … there are certain ‘constructive’ ways to handle this situation, with Ford, and other ways which would (only) be ‘incendiary’.
——————————————————————–
Least We forget, that …
Spock: The needs of the many outweigh …
Kirk: … the needs of the few.
Spock: Or the one.
——————————————————————–
Live Long and Prosper. :-)
March 19, 2008 at 8:40 am
khandor..how do you do, Sir? all of this IMHO,of course:
Fantastic take .. xcept you are missing the point (this seems to be a reoccurring theme with you).. it’s really about NOT blaming at all.. (and if so is done, it should not be directed at one person, much like with giving one all the credit)
(i) to (iii) are asinine suggestions even in the offseason as the are not the source of your perceived “situation”. Which brings me to: there is no situation with Ford, the only situation is Bosh is not playing. Oh, and the rec league cast that you didn’t mention as a “situation” or option (i) to (iii)
———-
Needs? what needs exactly is “the one” trying to fulfill?
March 19, 2008 at 8:50 am
and just for fun:
Spock: “The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.”
If you know what I mean ;-)
March 19, 2008 at 10:22 am
FAQ > imagine TJ in NJ or Miami
FLUXLAND > LOL. Can you name me your 5 favorite NBA players of all time at any postion? + Can you please tell me if you watch any basketball leagues (including amateurs) aside from the NBA?
March 19, 2008 at 10:37 am
FLUX,
Is ‘holding accountable’ the same thing to you as laying ‘blame’?
Holding individual players accountable for their performance/actions (on and off the court) is a central part of what ‘top notch GM’s’ and ‘top notch head coaches’ do everyday in the NBA.
:-)
March 19, 2008 at 10:43 am
@Sam
Shawn Kemp
Drazen Petrovic
Toni Kukoc
Kobe
Zeke
- in no particular order
Italian Seria A - Benetton Treviso
March 19, 2008 at 10:46 am
Khandor - no its not the same thing.
also, still waiting to hear about these NEEDS..many or one have?
Holding players accountable is something the coach should do/does.
March 19, 2008 at 11:46 am
FLUX,
re: the needs of the one
Despite what he is saying (verbally) … TJ Ford’s ‘actions’ are showing that, right now, HE ‘needs’ to be a Starter in order to play at what is a ‘high level’ for him.
I do not believe that Ford is being insincere when he’s talking with the media and saying all the ‘right things’ about adjusting to his ‘new’ role with this team.
Ford is (in fact) being sincere about his intentions, at this time.
HOWEVER … there’s a big difference (for each of us, in this world) between what we ‘intend to do’ AND what we can ‘actually accomplish’ … isn’t there?
This is what Ford is struggling with right now.
Should he be ‘blamed’ for not yet being able to ‘accomplish’ what he ‘intends’ to do?
Not in my book.
But, saying this … does NOT mean that this team (i.e. THE MANY), right now, SHOULD simply continue on ‘as is’.
As I’ve said before … in my judgement … this, too, would be ineffective (and the wrong thing to do).
What a top notch NBA head coach (or a GM) would do in this situation … with Ford, i.e. THE ONE … is remove him from the rotation, completely, and go ahead with Jose Calderon, as the Main-frame PG, right now … e.g. by using Anthony Parker as the back-up, with Darrick Martin in the line-up as the 12th man … in conjunction with the return of Chris Bosh, vs Miami tonight … and, then have TJ Ford work out HIS PROBLEM (exclusively) during PRACTICE.
(“Practice! … Practice! … Practice! … Man, what we’re talking about … is Practice! … - Allen Iverson)
Until this situation is fixed … in practice … TJ Ford should not be representing the Toronto Raptors during NBA games.
PS. Then, and only then … once it’s fixed … and Ford can ‘willingly’ accept his ‘new’ role on this team, i.e. as a $6 million back-up PG, in the NBA (for a team with elite level aspirations) … can/should he be allowed to return to the 12-man active roster. This is THE MOVE for the Raptors to make, right now, which is … ‘Kobayashi Maru’ style … simultaneously, in the ‘Best Interests’ of the Raptors and TJ Ford.
March 19, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I guess that would be one mans opinion.
Why exactly does TJ HAVE to adjust to this new role?
March 19, 2008 at 12:16 pm
“TJ Ford’s ‘actions’ are showing that, right now, HE ‘needs’ to be a Starter in order to play at what is a ‘high level’ for him.”
What actions?
“HOWEVER … there’s a big difference (for each of us, in this world) between what we ‘intend to do’ AND what we can ‘actually accomplish’ … isn’t there?”
Who judges what they can actually accomplish and how do you measure this?
I’m sorry, I don’t see how taking him out of the rotation is going to help anyone. Also, why does TJ have to accept his “new” role? Why can’t Jose go back to his “old” role?
Martin? Are you kidding? Is this the YMCA?
March 19, 2008 at 12:52 pm
* Check this team’s W-L record in games vs .500+ opponents where Calderon was given 30-35+ minutes per game
compared to
this team’s W-L record in games vs .500+ opponents where Calderon was NOT given 30-35+ minutes per game.
* Ford’s ‘actions’ are the things he actually did during these recent games … from the time the Raptors took the court for the pre-game warm-up(s) until they left the court, after the final whistle blew.
:-)
——————————————————————–
re: Martin? Are you kidding? Is this the YMCA?
——————————————————————–
Me … kid?
ROTFL
March 19, 2008 at 1:13 pm
* That is Jose’s problem not TJs. When you are in you are in.. do your job!
same goes for TJ and that why
* I am not interpreting his ” ‘actions’( things he actually did during these recent games) as ‘actions’ showing that, right now, HE ‘needs’ to be a Starter in order to play at what is a ‘high level’ for him” (in your terminology)
I see them as frustration from poor execution by teammates (I wish the NBA kept a “dropped passes” stat like the NFL)and himself (at times).
YOU MISSED:
“HOWEVER … there’s a big difference (for each of us, in this world) between what we ‘intend to do’ AND what we can ‘actually accomplish’ … isn’t there?”
Who judges what they can actually accomplish and how do you measure this?
I’m sorry, I don’t see how taking him out of the rotation is going to help anyone. Also, why does TJ have to accept his “new” role? Why can’t Jose go back to his “old” role?
March 19, 2008 at 2:46 pm
arsenalist,im sorry for callin u dr.phil.i want tj to succeed but to not lay blame on his wack play is the equivalent of supporting a son who has murdered…its blind foolish deranged loyalty……2 many people are making excuses for his wretched play.U ARE ALL ENABLERS….and thats that…yall do know what an enabler is right?