Magic Outcoach Raps for 3-1 Lead
April 26, 2008
Chris Bosh had a monster game. TJ Ford penetrated at will. Jason Kapono continued his hot shooting. The Toronto Raptors had half the turnovers of their opponent… and they still lost to the Orlando Magic. Here is why:
Dwight Howard Cannot be Stopped:Superman will not have one bad game. Not one. That’s the difference between having an unguardable power game vs. a finesse game. It wasn’t just his 19 points and 16 boards, but his 8 blocks. Howard was an equal opportunity rejecter as Bosh (2), Rasho (2), Ford, Kapono, Anthony Parker, and Jamario Moon all got their balls “returned to sender”.
Good Jameer, Bad Jameer:Jameer Nelson had back spasms at the end of last game. It seemed to show as he could not shoot for three quarters and in a reversal of Games 1 and 2 he could not stop any of Ford’s drives. At one point in the third quarter Ford blew by him during three consecutive plays. At this point, it was hard to understand while he was still in the game. When he re-entered the game around the 8 minute marker of the 4th quarter, it was hard to understand why. A little more than 3 minutes later Nelson rattled off the Magic’s next 10 points on two 3-pointers and two 17 footers.
3-Point Shooting:After Jameer’s 4th quarter spurt Rashard Lewis (27 points) and Hedo Turkoglu (18) nailed Orlando’s next 14 points including a 3-pointer from each. Orlando hit 11 of 29 threes while Toronto hit only 2 of 15. Inexplicably. Kapono, had only had two attempts from beyond the arc while Andrea Bargnani who has been ice cold all series had three attempts.
Raptor Substitution Patterns: After Chris Bosh missed the game winner in Game 2, Toronto coach received some unfair criticism and Stan Van Gundy came to Mitchell’s aid against media criticism. Mitchell’s play-calling has been just fine. His substitution patterns are another story.
Considering Andrea Bargnani’s abysmal shooting (31%; 11-35 for series) and Kapono’s red hot hand (65% for series), it is hard to understand why Sam Mitchell continues to give Bargnagni 20 minutes a game. Secondly, Toronto has two excellent point guards in Ford and Calderon either which can get hot in any game. Today Ford’s penetration was absolutely unguardable as he had 13 assists in only 30 minutes. But why only 30 minutes when no one can stop him? Can’t Calderon take some of Anthony Parkers minutes in a double point guard set? Or even just sit while Ford is controlling the whole game?
…For game three of the Mavs-Hornets series, Dallas coach Avery Johnson needed only two games to bench Stackhouse and stick Jason Terry on Chris Paul. Four games have now gone by, and the Raptors have made no significant adjustments besides benching Rasho Nesterovic after Game 1. Playoff coaching is about match-ups and playing the hot hand. Chris Bosh might not get you 39 points and 16 boards tomorrow, TJ Ford just might return to Games 1 & 2 form (2-17), and the Raps might even exceed nine turnovers in their next game. The series is now 3-1 for Orlando, and from here on in no matter how well Sam Mitchell coaches, the series is “a Rap”.
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18 Responses to “Magic Outcoach Raps for 3-1 Lead”
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MODI, rarely do I get a Saturday evening off, so I rushed home early to see this shit? I was a big fan of Mitchell, but I think he is one more game from being let go.
Stevie Wonder could have seen what you just mentioned. I think in game coaching is more important than x’s and o’s and Mitchell has failed to put the Raptors in a position to win. Not that the players have been with out blame.
sankofa, I think that he will let go because he was never Colangelo’s guy, but coached his ass off last season, so he couldn’t be denied…
…if he is let go, don’t count out the Knicks as he used to be a mentor to Marbury while Stephon used to play in Minnesota…
…there is a reason that Donnie Wash is taking his time with the interview process (also see Avery Johnson)
If Mitchell puts in both PGs doesn’t that make them awfully small? Which one guards Maurice Evans? Or Keith Bogans?
Considering the lack of shot creators, I would want to put my best shot creators out there. The two point guards maybe defensive liabilities, but provide better option on offense. And about we do have enough bigs to give fouls.
Valid point dwil, two point-guards would make them small and whether Calderon should take minutes from Parker is a legitimate coaching decision.
Having stated that, what seemed obvious is that if TJ Ford is simply dominating Nelson off of the dribble and controlling the whole game, then you give him at least 40 minutes. Whether Calderon sits or not is a secondary question, but Ford should not be taken out the way he was playing… This is the playoffs…
The trouble with the Magic is that they’re a little too unpredictable. Beyond Howard, who is always, always, always the beast, the rest of the team can run hot to cold from game to game and from quarter to quarter. It makes it very difficult to get the right personnel out there because at any time any one of em can go off (see Dooling, game one — whuuut?!, or Nelson hitting 3, 4 in a row? HUH?!) or go ice cold. It’s like they are throwing the basketball equivalent of knuckleballs.
I didn’t really get smitch’s set up at the end with both guards on the floor at the same time (and I like reliable Parker on the floor over iffy Delfino at any time) but i also suppose they were hurt by not having Moon available (the master help defender). But I don’t think they lost by being outcoached so much as some poor shot selection by the Raps and being hit by a timely gust of magic lucky-shot wind.
I still believe the Raps are a better team>/i> than the Magic but they lack mobile frontcourt beef. They have a bunch of good pieces; they’re one strong trade away…
p.s. i love Ford’s offensive game, but he IS soft on defense. he’s gotta work harder getting through/around screens.
“I still believe the Raps are a better team…”
Charles, you’re kidding, right?
“It makes it very difficult to get the right personnel out there…”
That’s the point. In a playoff series, a championship coach not only makes adjustments game to game but has to make them in game also. A championship coach is worth maybe 5 wins during the season and maybe 1 game in a seven game series (which is all it takes). That’s why the Piston won with Larry Brown and why Flip saunders will be gone. I love the look on Joe D’d face during cut aways.
Speaking of Larry Brown, where’s he going? Denver (Karl’s gone), Dallas (Avery is probably gone), Phoenix (maybe, Kerr is no dummy and someone has to teach the Suns defense), Toronto (unlikely, not strong enough), Detroit (hasn’t done second time arounds). Forget about the Bobcats, too far from being a contender. Atlanta?
I know it might sound counterintuitive, dee, but I mean a better team in the sense that the Raps are a deeper team and more consistent.
In order to beat the Raptors, the Magic need Dwight Howard to produce FREAK monster games. Any how Howard has less than that, say a merely “excellent” 20-10 and 2blks, they’ll lose. They need a couple other guys to catch fire at the right time. I’m telling you, Van Gundy throws out Howard and four knuckleballs on game night and hopes for the best.
But you’re right, dee, the supposed better team is losing the best of 7, currently down three games to one.
On Mitchell, he doesn’t need to be a “championship” coach just yet. He’s only been a head coach for a minute. He’s still learning nuances but it’s not like Toronto has a championship-caliber roster just yet. Team and coach seem to be growing together nicely.
“I know it might sound counterintuitive, dee, but I mean a better team in the sense that the Raps are a deeper team and more consistent.”
Folly, I can go along with this statement. This make it all the more shocking that they don’t have at least one frontline muscle guy on their roster… you know a Reggie Evans type or something just for these special occasions you might run into Superman in the playoffs.
As far as Toronto, any championship contending future will rest on: 1) Chris Bosh’s knee; 2) Bargnani becoming a real player and not a bust; and 3) That one trade you mention to beef up the frontline…
Folly, can you explain to me why Bargnani is still getting 20 minutes this series while Kapono has been “lights out”?
“Folly, can you explain to me why Bargnani is still getting 20 minutes this series while Kapono has been ‘lights out’?”
Nope. Not a reasonable explanation anyway. Bargs is a bust. The general sense is that it’s mainly Colangelo who’s pushed to see him get floor time. Smitch is very decidedly not Andrea’s biggest fan.
I don’t know why they can’t throw Rasho in there for a little while to at least soak up some fouls. He’s the beefiest dude they got for the frontcourt and he can play pretty good ball at times, too.
Going forward, if Raps can pick up Carl Landry this summer (hey, the Rockets have Scola and Hayes, they don’t absolutely need him)…! Rafer or Mike James back in Toronto in a backup role behind Calderon? Hah. Nah, but if they gave up Ford and $ in exchange for Landry and Brooks? In a heartbeat, baby.
“He’s [Rasho] the beefiest dude they got for the frontcourt…”
Folly, and therein lies the problem!!! …Rasho actually had a pretty good offensive game in Game 1, but guards Howard about as well as well… Eddy Curry… but he is still 6 fouls… and it never hurts to send Howard to the line every time
That trade makes sense… do you think that the Knicks have a shot at taking Ford or Calderon off Toronto’s hands. Assuming we can’t land Derrick Rose?
“do you think that the Knicks have a shot at taking Ford or Calderon off Toronto’s hands. Assuming we can’t land Derrick Rose?”
The magic 8 ball says: what, are you high?
Iono MODI, can’t see it happening. Not unless you can see any possible trade involving Ford and DLee. Yeah, right.
Knicks are in for a long overhaul. If they can’t get Rose or Gallinari (good at least for trade bait in the future), trade down for Speights and sit tight for another year after dumping a couple fat contracts.
p.s. yeah, Rasho’s got six fouls and at least he has a better clue about how to use em over Bargs. Bargs is useful if he’s hitting his shots cuz it pulls Supes out from under the basket. But he don’t really hit his shots, do he. Grumble, grumble.
Charles, you bring up a good idea for a post or question; which teams have a surplus at which positions? The Rockets have some extra forwards, and the Raptors have two point guards. What about the Bucks? I think Charlie V, Yi, and Bogut will all be good players eventually, and all are top-10 draft picks. I would try to steal one of them while Milwaukee re-organizes.
If I were New York, I would try to grab a young, unproven guard from Portland; don’t they have a surplus? I agree that Ford and Calderon may be too expensive for the Knicks.
“The magic 8 ball says: what, are you high?”
Yes sir!!! high on the Knicks future since there is no where to go but up… now let’s not forget that Toronto likes to save money (see Jalen Rose for #1 pick). So as Josh Howard passes the joint over I was wondering if a Malik Rose expiring contract and a Nate Robinson might do the trick. Now it all depends if the Knicks decide if they can’t get under the cap before 2011 (when TJ’s runs out) or 2010 to make a exception-to-the-rule-run-at-Lebron…
MC, funny thing is that Toronto and Milwaukee created those surpluses with the Ford-Villenueva trade. Of course we didn’t really know about Calderon back then
anyway, this raptor series is a Rap… I guess these guys just kept hitting their threes
[…] make fun of Rasho’s deficiencies, and question Sam Mitchell’s substitution patterns (as I did two days ago). But what do you say when your team’s star has two monster games (Chris Bosh), but neither […]
MCB, I think Charlie V is def gonna be shown out, but the Bucks’ll hold on to Bogut like grim death. Yi could go for the right price… Portland’s got a buncha guards and I guess that’s about sorted out now. Blake’s stayin. Where’s spanish chocklit gonna go and when?
NOOBODY saw Calderon comin. He sucked pretty hard his first year. Couple years later, he’s a top guard in the league (eff Arenas, that kook). Go figure.
I’m no trademachine guy but does Jarrett Jack for Balkman work in concept?
Bulls and Timberwolves have some surpluses, too.
p.s. Portland’s got a glut of PFs, too. They could be pretty active this off-season.