<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Maybe you figured it wasn't going to be the Raptors' night when the first sub to show his face at the scorers' table was named Humphries, as in Kris. But Humphries, a season-long benchwarmer who scored 12 points in a game in which the visitors were without a couple of key regulars, more than did his job in last night's blowout loss to the Cavaliers. It was another Chris – an all-star by the name of Bosh – who failed to rise to the challenge laid down by LeBron James and company.</div> http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/188049 What's everyone's take on this? The article isn't as harsh as the title suggests but it still brings out some criticism. I almost forgot that Toronto media even wrote negative articles after the virtual love fest we've had since the start of 2007. I think the real question in my head right now is: how will this team respond now that the raptors are no longer under the radar? If we look at the way the bucks played us on Friday we should expect similar strategies by teams in the future (ie. make the pg a shooter and cover the passing lanes on the wings, double Bosh as soon as he gets the ball). Last year there was a point where we had some success with Mike James running the show as a combo guard and running the pick and roll with Bosh in the high post. It was effective for a while but eventually teams knew what was coming. We didn't adjust and there were no answers to our problems. Are we going to run into something similar this year? I hope not. We definitely have a better team so that should help with part of the equation. But, I can't hlep being slightly worried when we call two timeouts last game and the play coming out of them is 1) the same both times 2) the play everyone expects us to run. That would be TJ Ford ISO in the centre of the court.
I have a hard time criticizing Bosh too much. He's facing a soft double team while he's trying to establish position. And if someone can actually get the entry pass in, its incredibly difficult for him to turn the corner because there's two men on him and a third person waiting by the rim. We've seen the same approach by every team since Anthony Parker's gone down. Basically double Bosh, clog the lane so our PG's can't penetrate, and dare us to shoot. Aside from the Houston game (when we got hot), its worked pretty well. I mean, its not like Milwaukee's a good defensive team, but these are simple adjustments. This is also the reason why we've seen Rasho and Kris Humphries play so well lately. He's been unguarded under the rim and has been able to grab boards and put back shots. I was kind of afraid that we'd be put in a situation like this: where something unforeseen happens and our coaching staff is forced to adjust. And it's no coincidence that, coming out of the All-Star break, teams have had our number a bit. They've had the oppurtunity to break us down a little more and its put the onus on our coaches. I know I've been saying this for a while, but I just think we need more motion off the ball. The key is to make defenders respect our other offensive threats again, so Bosh gets a little more room to maneuver. I'd give him the ball on the elbow, where he loves to work from, and get players setting picks, moving through the baseline, etc. He's a pretty good passer and I'm sure it'd manufacture some easy layup and make defender lay off him a bit. Something similar would work for our PG's, because right now Ford and Calderon are forced to shoot or swing it around the perimeter to no avail.
<div class="quote_poster">a13x Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I can't being slightly worried when we call two timeouts last game and the play coming out of them is 1) the same both times 2) the play everyone expects us to run. That would be TJ Ford ISO in the centre of the court.</div> This is basically the only play Mitchell knows how to draw up at the end of games.
Every team goes through a bad stretch... It was our turn. But with the kind of year we are having, i expect things to be turned around by tuesday, besides, we got 2 home games coming up. you dont appreciate wut u got til its gone... now I can see the usefulness of AP. BIG DIFFERENCE in our Offence and Defence..... HURRY BACK AP.
