The AltRaps Blog

We all, each and every one of us, do a great job of second guessing Sam’s play calling, substitution patterns, and the like. I think it is fair to say that he is an average X’s and O’s guy, that some guys on this team have a tough time executing or remembering plays, and this makes one wonder how deep this team can go into the playoffs…a place where you need to make adjustments from game to game and you can steal a game just by inserting a new play. Tough to do that given the current make-up. As I stated elsewhere, I was interested to see how the Raptors would come out this past Sunday. Would they adjust to cover their mistakes? Would they bounce back with a few new looks to throw off the Knicks? After being at the game and the re-watching it on tape, I’m not sure they did. I again question doubling Zach, but that said, the team is horrific at doubling on the perimeter, so they took the lesser of two evils. Dare Crawford to burn you again.

While many writers are salivating at the next few games with the thought of gaining ground on those ahead of us and leaving those behind us with only a dream of catching us, I think we need to use these games as an opportunity to reign in your core guys and get everybody moving together as a unit. We have weaknesses that cannot be addressed (unless we find a gem via a 10-day), so the club should be focused on masking them or improving other areas exponentially to offset them.

The most obvious is settling on a rotation. Throwing Maceo in for a few minutes, having Kris wondering if he should even bother showing up and now presumably having Primoz on a yo-yo is not the way to go. Some of you will say it’s early, but with that west coast swing coming up, it would be great to use these upcoming games as a test run on what you, as the coach, think needs fine tuning. Then, head out west against teams that have guys that will feed off those weaknesses and see how (if?) you can slow them down or shut them down completely. This late in the season, we shouldn’t have to sit and watch Jamario Moon dish off to Maceo Baston, giving up a layup to try and get Maceo a stat. You obviously have no faith in Baston, so say it, get it done, and move on.

The one common element in most Raptors related blogs on their postgame followups is the Kris Humphries watch. He is definitely a mid-level player, but you have to question that if rebounding and hustle are an issue almost every night with this team, why have a guy sitting that typically brings both those elements? Of course, the lack of playing time query can be raised for Kapono as well. For a shoot-happy team, the question continues on as to why he is where he is..right next to the Gatorade container.

While I appreciate Moon’s athleticism, I can also add my voice to the growing throngs of those wondering if he knows what he is doing and what he is capable of. Play to your strengths. You aren’t good enough that teams will play off you expecting you to drive, so you toss up a jumper to burn them. Make them respect you by continually driving and then work it back out. I called for his head a few weeks ago, stating he should be taken out of the starting lineup and I’m back to thinking it. If TJ remains on the second unit, I think he helps both Moon and Kapono get shots.

So, I hereby submit for your ridicule (and I’m sure some shock to loyal Scott readers), what I think would suit us well moving forward in terms of units on an average night. It’s not great, but neither is this team. The small forward position is something that needs to be addressed, and badly.

Starters:

Rasho Nesterovic, Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Jose Calderon

Bench:

TJ Ford, Jason Kapono, Jamario Moon, Carlos Delfino

and I think you use a platoon of Brezec and Humphries, depending on the opposition and their second unit.

I think re-inserting Rasho in the starting lineup gives Bosh another body down low to have his opponent worry about. After 8-10min, he goes out, slip Bosh over and bring in Jamario for a different look against a (probable) slower second unit guy on the other side and presumably a sub on the centre on the other team. Do we get burned with the above starting line up? We sure do. Just as we have with what we are using now. As Sam says, he can only play the cards he’s dealt.

My suggestion of a lineup doesn’t really matter at the end of the day, but I truly believe that for this team, as assembled, to have any hope of making playoff noise, they need to start gelling. Having buddies is great, but to be successful on the hardwood, you need to know your teammates on the floor, where they like to be, and, for the love of God, know what play is being run and execute it. Getting it down to a solid 8-9 man rotation with the added centre as a chippy is imperative and it needs to get done sooner rather than later.