<div align="center"> Game: Houston Rockets @ Toronto Raptors Where: Air Canada Centre When: Sunday December 9th, 2007 @ 12:30 PM TV/Radio: CBC/Fan 590</p> </p> </div> <div align="justify"> Damn exams. Here's my minimalist game thread, just because I know you guys don't like ST thread.</p> </p> </div> <div align="center"></div> <p align="center">(If Nate Robinson can do that to Yao, just imagine what Jamario can)</p>
Im really not pleased with the basketball we have been playing, yes Moon is a fan favorite but I think its time to reduce his minutes as his production has gone down in the past couple of games and all he does now is settle for jumpers as the swingman who can penetrate which we thought we has is now gone and I would rather play Delfino and Kapono more minutes if that is the case. TJ Ford is killing me, inside I want him to do good and I know theres a consitant TJ someone in there but he just keeps forcing bad passes and turning the ball over. The more I watch Raptors basketball the more im losing faith in this team if we keep the same lineups, my solution which I know is probably not a popular one is insert Kapono into the lineup for Moon and Calderon in for TJ.</p>
That was a fun one. I'm upset that Bosh chose to come back after we played the Celtics, but at least we won.</p>
Great win, all around good offensive play. Really liked how Bosh and Delfino stepped up and carried us.</p> With regards to Jamario, I wouldn't be to worried. We all knew this drop would happen, he is a rookie. I think he had some great games, and still plays well. He offers a lot of good things on both sides of the ball, while bringing energy. Last 2-3 games, we have seen a drop in points, but I mean, how much should we really expect. I think all the articles we've read, and all the hype he has gotten has made us not really look at who he is. A guy who has played in more minor league teams then anyone I know. Came in to Raptor training camp with very little chance of making it, and now he is second in rookie rankings. I still believe he should start, and play about 20-25 minuters per, but the 37 minutes he gets sometimes, are not such a good idea. I think we can all agree, what he brings to the table is so spectacular, that we are spoiled.</p>
I still thinks Moon is good but hes getting too comfortable settling for jumpers, yes theyre falling when hes open but now instead of getting the open look from Calderon or Ford he tries creating by himself and then tosses up a bad contested shot. I would still like Mitchell to play and start him but not for 30+ minutes and just advise him to keep driving because he has the lenght and athletiscm to take anyone off his burst of speed. As Chutney said above that Moon's one on one defense is overrated, I agree to some extent. Whenever he plays against the opposing teams best he gets destroyed from the perimeter and too easily falls for the fakes but down in the post hes really good, like when he was playing T-Mac last night I really thought he gave him too much room to work with and he burned us. Anyways it was a great effort and hopefully this game was a sign of things to come for the rest of the season.</p>
I agree Mos. I forgot the exact stat, but Moon hadn't been to the free throw line in a ridiculously long time before yesterday's game. I'm glad that he's developing a shot, but his bread and butter is still around the rim and he needs to recognize that. I think part of the reason he doesn't always drive is because he doesn't have great dribbling ability. Hopefully that can improve with time. And to clarify that point about his man-to-man defense: I wasn't saying that his defense was bad. He's actually really good against the long, athletic players (eg: Luol Deng, Iguodala) that traditionally gave us fits. And he's also an excellent help-side defender. But that doesn't mean he's a particularly great defender, as a whole. I've seen him guarding the likes of McGrady and Lebron, and that's just way above his head at this point. He doesn't move his feet fast enough against those guys and has the tendency to be too aggressive and foul. Despite their lack of height/athleticism, those are still situations where you want to put out Anthony Parker or Carlos Delfino.</p>
