Chuck Checks In
12.09.05 (10:24 am) [edit]
Hey, call me crazy but after watching a spirited, enthusiastic, hungry team operate against the Hawks, Nets and Wizards I thought for sure the Raps would take care of business on their home floor Wednesday night against the Lakers. I was wrong.
I saw a team running on fumes in the first half giving up a Kobe Bryant three as time expired. The players left the floor dejected with their heads down as they took that slow walk from the court to the lockerroom. The Lakers then put the hammer down and scored 31 third-quarter points. Ballgame over. On to Charlotte.
There have been a number of positives. The play of Chris Bosh, Mo Peterson, Jose Calderon and Charlie Villanueva have created a certain "buzz", not only in Toronto, but around the league. The fact that two 21-year old players in Bosh and Villanueva play well off each other bodes well for the future.
The down side to rebuilding? Fans are impatient. I understand that. However there is no magic cure. If the Raptors had instant cap room, that would be one thing, but they don't.
The Raptors must stay the course and, while painful at times, all of us need to give these young players a chance to grow, develop and make mistakes. The team has played a quarter of its games. Now is not the time to berate the young players and place each and every loss on the rookies.
You win as a team and you lose as a team. The veterans will be the first to admit they shouldn't get a free pass on criticism. I love broadcasting winning basketball, but to tell you the truth I am having a blast following the trials and challenges of Jose, Charlie V. and Joey. To see what CB4 is doing on a nightly basis is uplifiting. No, I 'm not drinking the kool-aid. It's still 3-17, but as a fan of the game and a fan of watching young, hungry players get after it, I love it.
Incidentally after reading Lakers head coach Phil Jackson's remarks on Bosh I would hope the NBA office sends him a note reminding him that there is such a thing as tampering and with that comes a stiff fine.
Defence remains a concern and until the Raptors get that corrected they'll struggle. Don't misunderstand the following remarks, but I'd like to see the Raptors play a more physical brand of basketball .
I'm not talking about the "Bad Boys" Pistons era of the late 80s, early 90s. I'm not advocating a "rock 'em sock 'em" style of play. You never want to intentionally injure a player. That's poor sportsmanship and there's no room in the game for that.
I'm talking about a no-lay-up rule. Hard fouls are a part of the game. Too many opposing players have gone to the rim without feeling the presence of a "love tap". When I see Wayne Embry, I can only imagine what he must be thinking when he sees a guard penetrate through the heart of the lane and score at will. Embry's nickname was "The Wall." Opponents knew where the "Wall" was and avoided it every chance. I am NOT a stat person, but these stats tell the story of Toronto's 3-17 season.
They are giving up 103 points per game. That ranks next to last in the NBA. Teams are shooting an NBA high 49% against the Raptors. Numbers like that merit a discussion with the "Wall" about toughness.
Hopefully the Raptors can take care of business Saturday in North Carolina. The Bobcats fell to the Nets Wednesday night and dropped to 5-14, having lost five straight. Charlotte is going about it the right way. They're taking their expansion lumps and saving their cap room money for the right players. If you're going to shell out the big bucks you have to make sure you get it right or you're stuck with a bad roster for years to come.
I saw a team running on fumes in the first half giving up a Kobe Bryant three as time expired. The players left the floor dejected with their heads down as they took that slow walk from the court to the lockerroom. The Lakers then put the hammer down and scored 31 third-quarter points. Ballgame over. On to Charlotte.
Chuck's still lovin' the play of Jose Calderon. (Ron Turenne/NBAE/Getty Images) | ||||||||||||
The down side to rebuilding? Fans are impatient. I understand that. However there is no magic cure. If the Raptors had instant cap room, that would be one thing, but they don't.
The Raptors must stay the course and, while painful at times, all of us need to give these young players a chance to grow, develop and make mistakes. The team has played a quarter of its games. Now is not the time to berate the young players and place each and every loss on the rookies.
You win as a team and you lose as a team. The veterans will be the first to admit they shouldn't get a free pass on criticism. I love broadcasting winning basketball, but to tell you the truth I am having a blast following the trials and challenges of Jose, Charlie V. and Joey. To see what CB4 is doing on a nightly basis is uplifiting. No, I 'm not drinking the kool-aid. It's still 3-17, but as a fan of the game and a fan of watching young, hungry players get after it, I love it.
Incidentally after reading Lakers head coach Phil Jackson's remarks on Bosh I would hope the NBA office sends him a note reminding him that there is such a thing as tampering and with that comes a stiff fine.
Defence remains a concern and until the Raptors get that corrected they'll struggle. Don't misunderstand the following remarks, but I'd like to see the Raptors play a more physical brand of basketball .
I'm not talking about the "Bad Boys" Pistons era of the late 80s, early 90s. I'm not advocating a "rock 'em sock 'em" style of play. You never want to intentionally injure a player. That's poor sportsmanship and there's no room in the game for that.
I'm talking about a no-lay-up rule. Hard fouls are a part of the game. Too many opposing players have gone to the rim without feeling the presence of a "love tap". When I see Wayne Embry, I can only imagine what he must be thinking when he sees a guard penetrate through the heart of the lane and score at will. Embry's nickname was "The Wall." Opponents knew where the "Wall" was and avoided it every chance. I am NOT a stat person, but these stats tell the story of Toronto's 3-17 season.
They are giving up 103 points per game. That ranks next to last in the NBA. Teams are shooting an NBA high 49% against the Raptors. Numbers like that merit a discussion with the "Wall" about toughness.
Hopefully the Raptors can take care of business Saturday in North Carolina. The Bobcats fell to the Nets Wednesday night and dropped to 5-14, having lost five straight. Charlotte is going about it the right way. They're taking their expansion lumps and saving their cap room money for the right players. If you're going to shell out the big bucks you have to make sure you get it right or you're stuck with a bad roster for years to come.