Okay, Puff, I'm back. This is a good post (incidentally, Dwight Howard is incorrectly included up in the second paragraph -- Kapono's never played on a team with him).
However, the Raps are about a lot more than 3 point bombing. A couple of guys shooting the 3 well doesn't cause a team's fortunes to rise and fall -- it certainly doesn't impact a team the way, say, a dominating center can. It's got to be part of an overall system, including:
1. A point guard with the vision and ability to execute tight sets. Fish has pointed out several times that Juan Dixon is an exceptional spot-up shooter, but mediocre in just about everything else. Moreover, spacing the floor frees up Bosh inside but but doesn't make it any easier to move the ball and get it there. The guy with the ball in his hands for 14 seconds out of every possession matters a lot with a jump-shooting team.
2. Defense: Parker's chief value, far more than anything he brings on offense. I've yet to notice that Ford and Parker are a compatible backcourt tandem. Jason Kidd eats small, quick point guards like a roid-ragin' Austrian. The same is true of Billups -- both of them are able to abuse small, quick (and light) point guards both offensively and (though Kidd's vastly underrated) defensively -- and both have a backcourt partner that will do the same if Parker and Ford essentially swap positions on the other side of the ball. And the third problem: both (and guards like them) are far too smart to be simply outschemed for more than 1 game before figuring it out.
So that'd be on my Raps wishlist for February: a defender that can come off the bench for 10 to 15 minutes or so to pick up those tough assignments in unique matchups like that.
3. I don't really have a #3, but I would like to note, for the record, that Spudz will once again not be receiving a Christmas card from me after he made a pass at my wife. You just can't forgive some things.
Thanks for pointing out the error. Don't know what I was thinking when I put Dwight Howards name down except both he and Dwayne share the first two letters of their first name.
I don't disagree that the Raps are about more than 3 pt shooting so let's look at your points.
1. Point Guard - I am expecting m,ore from TJ this year, and I'm guessing so is Mitchell. To some extent, last year for TJ was about proving he belonged, I think. This year he needs to prove he can pass as required on this team or Jose will be starting.
2. Sometimes you have to go with your strengths and work to improve them as opposed to down grading them while you shore up a weakness. I think Bryan has chosen to go that route. Having said that, clearly BC has stockpiled some versatile players at the 2/3/4 positions that would be useful in February for any team looking for a trade. You may wind up getting your wish. I wonder if Parker has ever handled the PG position?
3. Can't do anything about that. You and Spudz can sort it out.
Just for the record, I'm not averse to anybody making passes at me. I take all of them as compliments. I am sorry for any pain I may have caused by not following up, but I am blissfully happy with my wife.
After watching the Boston game, both teams would be great to see in the playoffs. Garnett was a monster, and the quick passing was good to see on both sides.
Surprisingly, though, I felt that both TJ and Jose were non-factors. Seemed to be a game full of offguards and forwards on the Raptors end of things.
If the ball is moved this much all year, I can't see either guard averaging 10assts a game.
..and I won't comment on the horrendous 3pt shooting, but Bargs looked like he was free flowing all game long.
Scott.
Good point about the PG's being non-factors. I guess the positive would be that they were not negatives.
TJ did not show any indication to "take the game into his own hands" and Jose had a decent shooting night and managed to hit a couple of long shots that frequently you would prefer him not to take.
I was also impressed by the passing on both sides. Raptors I expected, Boston not so much. The other thing that was a little surprising was how much of a non-factor Ray Allen was. Boston for sure will be one of the most facinating stories all year.
The Raptors backcourt matches up exceptionally well against the Celtics. Jesus Shuttleworth has always been easy to throw off -- pick your method, either small and pesky or big and bruising. One of my favorite memories is Ray Allen throwing a towel to the ground in disgust and looking like he was going to cry -- really, like that moment of silent scream when a baby's just about to begin screaming -- when Ron Artest used to batter him.
Granville,
First of all, I don't know how I ended up wearing her shirt (I blame it on the 151 rum)...but I must say that with the breasts I have, I should have been a woman.
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