Linkage - April 4
There were so many other things to fix – things they could actually control – the matter of when the clock started on what turned out to be a disallowed T.J. Ford buzzer-beating basket seemed relatively inconsequential.
There were blown defensive assignments, lost rebounds and the all-too familiar passive offence down the stretch that kept them busy for most of yesterday’s practice.
"We just didn’t rotate like we were supposed to. We were in the help position (but) we were a step slow getting there to stop the basketball," said coach Sam Mitchell. "There’s a lot things we didn’t do (Wednesday) night that we have to clean up."
Allowing 20 points in a defence-free overtime period, most in an overtime period against Toronto in its history.
The failure to grab two crucial rebounds that allowed the Hawks two extra shots in the final minute, the last one Mike Bibby’s tying three-pointer with less than a second remaining.
An offence that had the Hawks over the team foul limit with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter that suddenly got so passive Toronto didn’t get to the free-throw line until the game was in overtime.
"It’s always like that, you always want to say it never comes down to one play. It really doesn’t. It hurts to say that in this case, but we had our chances," said Chris Bosh.
"Even before they had that shot, we had the rebound in our hands and we fumbled it out of bounds. You can pinpoint a whole bunch of stuff we didn’t do."
Sam Mitchell says that he is one American who knows the words to O Canada.
And the Raptors head coach is willing to prove just that by singing the Canadian anthem prior to a game at the Air Canada Centre.
"I’ll tell you what I’ll do. You get the newspaper to pay me $25,000 and I’ll donate the money to charity," he said. "And I’ll sing the national anthem before the game … but the money has to go to charity."
Mitchell said that he loves the words, as well as the tune, to O Canada.
"I actually think it’s a nice anthem," he said. "It’s actually singable. The Star Spangled Banner is tough."
And while general manager Bryan Colangelo is contemplating filing a protest with the NBA (the Raptors have 48 hours from the time of the incident to do so), star forward Chris Bosh said yesterday that, as a player, he can only look ahead — toward the last seven games of the regular season and on to the playoffs.
"You have to move on," Bosh said, "and leave the past in the past. It is what it is. Nobody’s going to change it."
"We don’t prefer anybody, we just want to make the playoffs," Bosh said. "Whoever we play is going to be a tough series because we’re going on the road to start it out. So I don’t think it really matters."
After the game, one official said that Atlanta’s Al Horford had tipped the inbound pass, starting the clock before Ford caught it. But Raps coach Sam Mitchell scoffed at that.
"I don’t even want to comment," he said, aware that questioning the officials could result in a fine by the NBA. "I don’t mind paying my taxes, and I don’t mind donating money to charity. But the NBA don’t need my money, so I’m going to keep my mouth shut.
"Common sense tells me that (when) there’s 0.5 on the clock, that’s more than enough time to catch and lay it in the basket."
Raptors forward Chris Bosh has been selected as the Atlantic Division winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award, joining Detroit’s Antonio McDyess (Central), Houston’s Shane Battier (Southwest), Phoenix’s Grant Hill (Pacific), Portland’s Brandon Roy (Northwest) and Washington’s Antawn Jamison (Southeast).
Raptors assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini said no one has approached him about a GM’s job in the NBA. There have been reports out of Milwaukee that Gherardini will be considered for the GM’s job with the Bucks, taking over for the recently deposed Larry Harris.
On the three-pointer by Bibby, Ford lost sight of the Hawks guard on the inbounds play, allowing Bibby to drift in behind him for a wide-open three-point look.
Ford recovered but too late and could only hope Bibby missed rather than risk putting him on the foul line with a chance to tie the game.
"I just lost him for a second," Ford said. "The game plan was to foul and not let him get the three-point shot up. But when you’re behind [the play] and trying to play catch-up and knowing you’re playing against a veteran guy, he gave me a pump fake to throw me off and I wasn’t quite sure to pick the time to grab him."
But to me the most disturbing possibility in this whole scenario is that the referees got together after the game and came up with the “tipped ball theory”.
Because if that was truly the call at the time there is no way – none, zero, nada – that the official who made it doesn’t yell it loud and clear on the floor at the time to shut everyone up.
If that didn’t happen and the tipped ball theory really did emerge only after the referees had a chance to huddle about it after the game, then the league has a much bigger problem on its hands than the outcome of a single game.
The Raptors have the easiest schedule, facing only one playoff-bound team (Pistons). The 76ers have three games left against winning teams.
"We’re watching, because you know we’re going to play one of those teams in two weeks," coach Flip Saunders said. "You’d like to have an idea of maybe who you’re going to play so you can start working on some things. The one fortunate thing is, we play all three of those teams. That’s a good opportunity to see how they play and try some different things against them."
That’s how coaches think; players think differently.
"It doesn’t really matter (playing those three teams before the playoffs)," Billups said. "Nothing’s going to change that much, except for Washington with Gilbert coming back. Other than that, they are who they are."
The Raptors, as of late, look like a much better team on paper than they do on the floor.
The Magic have had matchup problems with them at point guard (T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon), and all-star Chris Bosh can match Howard any given night. They obviously struggled when Bosh was out with a knee injury, then rebounded — but are back to floundering.
Still, Bosh and their point guards could easily take the Magic to seven games. Arenas gives the Wiz more punch. The Sixers don’t know they’re supposed to lose.
Before Magic fans have their eyes on the second round — and a possible and unenviable rematch with the bad, old Pistons — they better hope the club escapes the opener. No. 3 vs. No. 6 suddenly looks like a tough bracket in the office pool.
If I was Jose Calderon, I’d leave the Raptors unless I was at the minimum guaranteed a starting spot. From his perspective the Lakers are a perfect fit. He would get to play with Pau Gasol, become the unquestionable starter and have a chance to win an NBA title. Unless Ford is cast out, all he’s going to get here is split playing time, constant controversy and a .500 team. From the Raptors perspective it’s a bummer but from his angle, he’d be a fool not to explore free agency in detail.
Apr 4th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
———————————————————————-
re: “I just lost him for a second,” Ford said. “The game plan was to foul and not let him get the three-point shot up. But when you’re behind [the play] and trying to play catch-up and knowing you’re playing against a veteran guy, he gave me a pump fake to throw me off and I wasn’t quite sure to pick the time to grab him.”
———————————————————————-
Players Win or Lose basketball games … not coaches and definitely not officials.
khandor’s last blog post..Trap game for the Raptors