November 15, 2006

AM I CRAZY?  SHOULD RAPTORS LOOK TO HIRE LARRY BROWN?

       Okay, before you start thinking that I have a screw loose--or perhaps something worse, let me begin by stating…I’m just kidding.  There is no way that the controlling, slow moving, and ancient Brown would be a fit for the new, very young, and very fast-paced Raptors.  However, after watching this club for the first seven games it has become apparent that we are in for another season like last season unless something drastic is done.  With most of the roster already signed, sealed and delivered for the next few years it is obvious that if a change is made it’s with the coaching staff.  Is it time to make a change?  That time is getting precariously close.

       For simplicity sake I am going to use the recent game against the Golden State Warriors as my marking point.  That game was a microcosm of recent Raptor results—a solid effort throughout the middle part of the game, but a slow start (the result of poor game planning?) and a porous finish (the result of poor game strategy?) are the earmarks of Raptor games for the past couple of seasons.  Do we start to get to the point where we believe some of it might have to do with the coaching?

       I remember watching the Raptors during the Darrell Walker days and cursing the television set for the absolute atrocities I was subjected to—and it didn’t take a basketball genius to see that coaching was the issue.  Even during the Lenny Wilkens days it seemed that superior talent won most of the games, and that when that talent lessened in the later stages of his coaching tenure the poor coaching became more apparent.   Maybe Sam Mitchell would do better with a more talented, and more experienced club (the way Wilkens did) but with this current crop of youngsters it appears as if Mitchell’s often caustic mannerisms, his aggressive and abrasive manner is not sticking.  How long does it take before the basic fundamentals of the sport begin to become second nature to the players? 

       So, let’s analyze the Warrior game.  It became obvious from the onset that the game plan for the home side was to double and sometimes triple team Chris Bosh, forcing the Raptors to beat them from the perimeter.  The Warriors surrounded Bosh each time he got the ball, frustrating him and forcing the Toronto big man into a slew of early game turnovers.   It took Toronto half of the first quarter to recognize this, and to react, and by that time they hadn’t scored a single basket and were behind by a substantial amount.  Slow starts are becoming routine for this club and switching starting line-ups (Fred Jones for Morris Peterson) did little to change that fact. 

       Finally, the Raptors started to get things going… they started hitting those perimeter shots, and their furious up and down pace forced Golden State into quick shots and poor passes.  The Warrior interior defenders ran into foul trouble and, reduced to running with a smaller line-up, the Warriors were crushed on the boards by Bosh, Bargnani and others.  The result—the Raptors put up a franchise record 41 points in the second quarter and began to take control of the game.  However, for all the good that they did in the second quarter they seemed to completely forget those points once the second half began, and only some good outside shooting and the continued strong play of Bosh on the boards kept the Raptors in the lead.  It was sometime around the midway mark of the fourth quarter when things fell apart for Toronto.  Panic set in, confusion reigned, and another loss was in the offing.

       The biggest issue was the failure of the Raptors to recognize that the key player in the contest was Warrior center Andres Biedrins.  When Biedrins was in foul trouble in the first half, and forced to sit and watch from the bench, Toronto was able to rebound the ball, utilize its running game to its fullest effect and push the ball through the interior of the small Warrior defense.  Golden State has a string of decent perimeter shooters, much like Toronto, and when running hot will stay in any game but also, like Toronto, when suddenly frigid will find itself running uphill.  The Raptors pushed right by the Warriors in the second quarter and looked like they would finally put a road win in their column.  Something happened, however, in the second half to change things.  That thing was Biedrins. 

      Failure to recognize Biedrins’ importance, and not running play after play at him until he committed another foul that would send him to the bench, doomed the Raptors to the inevitable conclusion.  They had no answer for the Warrior big man at either end of the floor and were suddenly dominated in the paint and on the glass.  When the game started to get away from them did the Raptors call a time-out, run inside plays to move Biedrins out, which would allow them to return to their dominating running style?  NOPE.  Suddenly every foray down the court resulted in failed three point attempts.  A close game fell away from Toronto in the final minutes and another loss was marked in their column.

       This Raptor club also seems to have the same difficulties on defense that they had in previous seasons.  Perimeter attackers are allowed to drive the lane, and drive the basket, and when faced with collapsing defenders they are able to find the open shooters lurking in the corner.  The Raptors lack cohesion and communication on defense; they are unsure of when to leave their man and take away the lane.  They fear a kick-out will ensue and an open three point shot will result.  In the final moments of the Warrior contest both Baron Davis and Monta Ellis were allowed to drive the lane and either finish at the basket or find an open shooter in the corner.  As long as confusion reigns on defense the Raptors are going to need to be solid with their game plan on offense if they want to win.  Running down the floor and jacking up three-pointers at the first opportunity is not the way to win. 

            After the game Mitchell blamed the usual for the loss…they didn’t make shots.  At what time does the realization set in that shots from the perimeter are not the way to win in this league?  A team can’t expect to be successful if it shoots around the 40% mark game in and game out, and that will always be the result when most of the shots are coming from 18-24 feet away from the basket.  Even Phoenix, the team the Raptors are trying to copy, are successful only when Steve Nash can either get into the paint or find teammates close the basket.  If the Suns are kept to the perimeter they, like most teams, lose. 

       Ask yourself, or even better look it up…when was the last time the Raptors won the ‘points in the paint’ battle?  There certainly haven’t been a lot of those in the past three seasons.  And then look at the Raptors won-loss record during that span.  Do we see a connection?  At some point offensive plays have to move the shooter close to the basket, and perimeter shots should be the second and possibly third option of these plays.  As long as plays are created to free up a shooter from that 18-24 foot distance losing will be the result.

       Young teams need to have things drawn out for them.  They need consistent coaching and constant play calling.  They can’t be left to their own devices.  If they are when under pressure they will make the quickest decision possible so they can escape from the stress.  The quickest decision is rarely the best decision.  There needs to be more direction and more coaching. Running up and down the court may sound nice, but fast is not always best.  Until they gain some experience these young players need to slow down in crucial times and run effective plays.  At this point in the season there doesn’t seem to be many strong plays at hand.  If the team doesn’t improve in the next month then the organization will look at the coaching staff and likely make a change.

Preview my new fictional novel A Walking Parody at www.michaelghobson.com