It’s December 12th and Scott’s Saying…
Good quality game by the boys tonight. Amazing what a little crisp ball movement, some flashes to the bucket, and talking on the defensive end will do. I was ecstatic to see the Raptors actually talk to each other, call out screens and, most importantly, keep verbal tabs on Dirk all night. That is how you play basketball. Nice to see the Moon make a little appearance doing what he hasn’t been doing the last few games. Then it got cloudy and he disappeared again. Don’t get it.
I’ve been Hump-loving since the trade that brought him here. Many of you mocked me. How you like me now? Compare the numbers and hustle of my man with the #1 overall pick a year ago or our other stump of a centre…..I win. This guy will erase the memories of JYD when given the chance. Added bonus: he speaks, doesn’t bark.
How you liking the TJ dramatics? Come out for a fan appreciation photo op and then pop back into nowhere. What the hell was that? Maybe he was crying last night because his ego got hurt. I can only imagine how Cluck the Company Chicken played it up on the telecast. Last night it was like he was preparing a eulogy. Get over it. It was a hard foul, nothing more.
While on the subject, I can’t believe Mitchell wasn’t T’d up or even fined. He was out of control and did nothing to help TJ’s problem. If he is an all-for-one coach, how come he barely moved when Darrick was hit tonight? Playing favourites? Not to mention that is two games in a row where one of our guys has been hit hard and nobody…NOBODY…wearing a Raptor jersey showed pride for the name on the front of their jersey or respect for their teammate. This is supposedly a tight family-like team. Well, if somebody knocked my brother down, I’d sure as hell stick up for him. I really do find it disgusting, and so do other NBA players like LeBron who thinks the fact that nobody stepped up is just "crazy".
Another thing I doubt any current Raptor would do is be a man like LeBron. Knowing that Anderson Varejao was probably going to get booed, LeBron demanded that he, Varejao and Hughes come off the bench together, knowing that LeBron would receive applause for the return and sparing his teammates from the raspberries. It worked. Class act by a class guy.
As posted earlier this week, you have to respect Pat Riley’s win number. It’s amazing. Of course, his Heat are treading water right now. So much so that his wife had to talk him out of jumping on to the freeway and, with one victory, making Wade likening it to his first dip of the wick. A couple of other coaches making themselves known: Nellie thinks that his Warriors win over the Spurs is in need of an asterisk since they beat them without Tim Duncan. In the same state, Phil Jackson just signed a two-year extension…worth $24mil. Yes. That much. For that much he doesn’t even get to tie up underage girls in his basement for fun. Maybe he should get that added in as an incentive bonus.
Our old saviour Luke Jackson has finally signed with the Heat, pushing Penny to the couch to look for loose change the rest of the season. This as the foibles of the Rockets continue on. T-Mac think that most teams have figured out how to beat them and it has the team trying to come up with new angles. Here’s an idea: at the end of the season, sign Elton Brand and watch the team tear up the west. Says here that Elton will be a hot commodity willing to listen to offers.
Finally, of course, I can’t go without an entry about stat-heads and my undying love of same. So, for you guys, read this. There will be a quiz.
w00t.
Dec 13th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
So in one sentence TJ’s was “just a hard foul” but in the next you wonder why the team didn’t storm the court?
Dec 13th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Sure. I’d say the same for any hard foul, including Martin’s last night. After watching the game in an hour (how is THAT for boredom) today, I hear Leo said what I thought: yesterdays foul on Martin was dirtier than the one on TJ. What happened? No rushing coach, no team prayer, NO TEAM.
I think it is sick that nobody even spoke to either offender. Even Sam went after the refs and the coach, not the player. Sure, Horford looked upset, but in the heat of the moment if your friend is crying on the floor, you should sure as hell have his back.
Dec 13th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
I dunno, do you really think the team’s reaction (or lack therof) was particularly unusual for today’s NBA? I don’t. I think Mitchell’s reaction was an emotional response to the outcome of the foul (TJ’s head hitting the ground like a watermelon), whereas the result of Martin’s was pretty innocuous - the kind that happens a few times a game. As for the team’s reaction - I don’t think it’s fair to characterize them as a timid in the face of a couple of fouls, one of which was clearly unintended, the other blown out of proportion (IMO).
Dec 13th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Yup, I do. Especially for a bunch of guys that care about each other AND especially considering the supposed possible near-paralyzing maybe even near death (according to Cluck) hit on TJ.
Don’t know where you reference “todays NBA”. Guess you missed the Bulls/Pacers highlights and the fact that Murphy getting tossed was possibly a basis for the Pacers to pick up the win, according to Jermaine O’Neal.
It’s a shame the NBA found cause to suspend Horford a game, but our guys found no reason to stand up for their own.
Dec 14th, 2007 at 9:44 am
We’ll agree to disagree. Just like on Carmelo