In Defense of Defense

Posted on | May 3, 2010 | 1 Comment

Spurs Mavericks BasketballAlthough the Raptors’ season ended without a taste of the playoffs, I’ve been enjoying the basketball I’ve been watching since the second season started. My favourite series so far? The Spurs-Mavs. That was an intense rivalry by two veterans teams with nothing but respect and contempt for one another. Is there anything better than that?

On the surface, it appeared that Dallas would have the upper hand. They had the better record, home court advantage and far more firepower than San Antonio could put out onto the court. The trade for Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, at mid season, looked like it might put them over the top. This team had four players who had recently consistently scored close to 20 ppg, and two of the better shot blockers and lane intimidators in the game.

So why did the Spurs end up winning in 6 games?

The answer? Defense.

Now, at the beginning of the year, I made a bold prediction that the Spurs would win the Championships. I did it not only because I felt the acquisitions of Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess and Dujuan Blair were enough to propel them back to the top, but because of all the teams in the NBA, when healthy, no team plays better defense than the Spurs. Yes, they are extremely efficient on the offensive end, sharing the basketball like no other, but in the last ten years, no team has been harder to score on than the Spurs. At their best, they play some of the best team defense in the league, and it starts with their front line.

Whenever the Spurs have won a Championship, Duncan has been paired with an above average post and team defender on the front line. David Robinson, Rasho Nesterovic and Francisco Elson and  Fabricio Oberto were all, at the very least, above average defenders and rebounders.

In fact, in nearly all the first round series, the team with the bigger and better defensive front line, won. The only real exception were the Suns, who faced an injury depleted Portland team who played, for the most part, without their best player and best defender. And it might surprise you that Phoenix was actually a better defensive team, this past season, than Portland was.

Defense is obviously important, but just how important?

In terms of opponents field goal percentage, 16 of the top 17 teams in that category made the playoffs.

This brings us to the Raptors.

Now, anyone who watched the Raptors knows defense was not an area of strength. Surprisingly, they were not at the bottom of the league in opponents field goal percentage (19th), but improvement is definitely needed if the Raptors hope to return to the playoffs.

As with the best defensive teams, where the Raptors have to start is their front line. I’ve railed against Bargnani quite a bit, but he’s not the only culprit. Turkoglu has only really been effective on defense when he’s had the Defensive Player of the Year playing behind him. He does not in Toronto. And while Bosh is an above average defender, he’s not a defensive anchor.

Now, you may say that it was Toronto’s perimeter defense that really hurt the team, starting with Calderon. While his defense was, at times, horrible, one of the reasons it looked so bad was because the Raptors team defense was awful. And team defense starts with your front line.

The highest percentage shots in basketball are taken in the paint and without a good defensive front line, even a team with good perimeter defenders are not going to stop a team from getting easy baskets. And good defense also means good rebounding. If you can’t keep a team off the offensive boards, you’re not going to win many games. That’s part of playing defense.  And it’s mostly your front line that is going to control the boards.

This past season, Colangelo knew that the Raptors would struggle defensively and on the boards, but he was hoping that their offense would  compensate. And for nearly half the games, it did. But to win 50 games, and to do any damage in the playoffs, even Colangelo knows that a team needs to be able to play solid defense. I defended the team all year not because I thought they had the makings of a contender, but because, after winning 33 games the previous season, I thought winning 45 games (which was what my prediction was) was a good improvement. Now it’s time to take the next step.

Apart from re-signing Bosh this summer, Colangelo’s number one priority needs to be to improve the defense of the team. Any player that Colangelo signs or trades for HAS to be, at the very least, above average defensively.

Category: Mavericks, NBA, Raptors, Spurs

Looking Into The Mind Of Chris Bosh

Posted on | April 27, 2010 | 10 Comments

As I detailed in my last post, I think there’s still a chance Bosh will re-sign with Toronto. If he does decide to go, nearly a third of the league will be under the salary cap this summer. That’s astounding. I don’t think that’s ever happened before. Of course, just because you’re under the cap, doesn’t mean you’re going to have a shot at Bosh. I don’t see a team like Minnesota high on Bosh’s list. I also can’t see Washington being a likely destination. And then there are teams that have cap room, but simply don’t need a power forward like Bosh (Clippers). A team doesn’t necessarily have to have cap room to compete for Bosh, though. If someone like Houston has the right pieces, they could put together a sign-and-trade deal that could bring Bosh. All in all, I see 8 teams, other than Toronto, as having a shot at having Bosh on their roster next season.

NEW YORK:

Pluses: They play at the Mecca of basketball in one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan cities in the world. They have more cap room than anyone else and could sign two max players. They have some nice young talent in Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Toney Douglas and a player friendly coach with a proven track record and the desire have his players run.

Minuses: They only won 29 games last year and might have been lucky to win that many. While they do have a few nice young players, they have very little talent signed for next season, and only Gallinari looks like he has star potential. They don’t play defense and have a coach that has never shown a desire to focus on it. While they can sign two max players, it’s unlikely that any of the top players would want to go there alone, because there’s simply not enough talent, which means it might be all or nothing. They have no center and no defensive oriented big man on the roster.

Summary: I don’t see it happening. Bosh has repeatedly stated he doesn’t want to be anyone’s second banana, so either he goes to New York alone, and they sign a couple of lesser players, or he signs elsewhere. After struggling for so long in Toronto, the thought of going to a team without a lot of proven talent, I think, would be unappealing. Quite frankly, I don’t see New York in Bosh’s future, nor should it be.

NEW JERSEY:

Pluses: New Jersey has lots of cap room, one of the best young centers in the NBA, and a former All-Star at PG who’s still in his prime. And they’ll have a top four pick in the draft, with a chance at getting one of the best PG prospects to come out in a long time. They have a new owner with deep pockets, a highly respected GM who knows how to build a winning team, and they will be moving to Brooklyn and into a brand new arena in two years.

Minuses: Outside of Harris and Lopez, they are weak in the talent department, and won a league low 12 games. They have no coach and they still have two years as a lame duck team in New Jersey where no one goes to see them, no matter how they are doing.

Summary: New Jersey would be a bit of a gamble, but might end up paying off big. Bosh has never played with a center as good as Lopez, and would benefit greatly from it. If the Nets get John Wall, their future will be very, very bright, and Bosh would be the leader on this team. It’s not mentioned as a likely destination, and probably isn’t, but, in my opinion, it should be.

MIAMI:

Pluses: Dwayne Wade, cap room, Pat Riley and a excellent young coach in Erik Spoelstra. Oh, and it’s warm all year round and there are no state taxes.

Minuses: While the Heat did make the playoffs and win 47 games, the talent outside of Wade is shockingly mediocre. To make matters worse, if they add Bosh, they won’t have any more money to spend on getting more talent. If Wade were to go down (again), the Heat would be a lottery team, even with Bosh. On top of that, Bosh would be overshadowed by Wade.

Summary: On the surface, the Heat have a lot in their corner, but there are far too many unappealing aspects of this choice. It’s not a choice I would choose for him, and not one I think he’d make for himself.

CHICAGO:

Pluses: They have one of the best young PGs in the league, an excellent defensive and rebounding young center, a very good small forward and enough cap room that they can sign him outright, but enough pieces they can do a sign and trade and not lose much. Chicago is also the third biggest city in the NBA. Adding Bosh would immediately make them a contender and he’d be the top player there, even with Rose.

Minuses: The coach is likely gone and the front office has had problems, including making some poor deals. They’re a poor three point shooting team, which might make it more difficult for Bosh to score than he has been used to.

Summary: Possibly one of the best fits for Bosh. They lack a post presence and number one scoring option, which is what Bosh brings. Having Noah will ease Bosh’s load on defense and on the boards, and he’ll love playing with Rose. They could even do a sign and trade with Bosh and sign Joe Johnson, which would make them devastatingly good.

OKLAHOMA CITY:

Pluses: The best young team in the NBA. They’re a 50 win team right now (in the West), with good players on and off the court, and one of the best GMs in the league. The one thing they lack the most, inside scoring, is what Bosh brings. Durant is poised to be one of the top players in the league.

Minuses: With Durant, he won’t be the number one option or the best player on the team, which is what he says he wants. Oklahoma City is not the type of city Bosh apparently likes.

Summary: There are real questions whether the Thunder would even want to spend all that money on Bosh, when they still will have to re-sign all their good young talent, including Durant. They’re a good team without him and adding such a big piece might upset the balance. What they need more is a defensive oriented center, which Bosh is not. Although it’s probably Bosh’s best chance at success, and long term success, the fact that he wouldn’t be the main man and that it’s not a bustling cosmopolitan city probably kills any chance of him heading there.

HOUSTON:

Pluses: They’re already a pretty talented, gritty, defensive oriented team, some nice talent, a well respected coach and a new age GM. Texas is his home state and Houston is a major city.

Minuses: While Houston did surprisingly better than most anticipated with injuries to the two best players, the team has a lot of question marks. Are there going to be any shots available with a backcourt of Brooks and Martin (who sound like a comedy duo) taking 30 shots a game between them? What’s going to happen when Yao Ming returns, and is he ever going to return at full strength? And though Daryl Morey has been the GM of the moment, with his new way of looking at stats, he’s made some perplexing deals. Signing Trevor Ariza when they already had Shane Battier, who plays the same position and does basically the same thing, was strange. As was trading McGrady’s expiring contract for Kevin Martin, a man who’s known as a great scorer, but has been called one of the worst defenders in the league numerous times. And he’s constantly injured.

Summary: Houston has been mentioned a fair bit, especially by Raptor fans, and it’s certainly a possibility. Trevor Ariza was convinced to take less money to play there, so nothing’s out of the question, but I really don’t see it being a good fit for Bosh. The rather eclectic roster, murky future and questionable personnel moves should turn Bosh off in the end, I think. Plus, they have no cap room and would have to do a sign-and-trade. Looking at their roster, there’s really not all that much to offer that would match salaries.

LAKERS:

Pluses: It’s L.A., baby! One of the most storied franchises in NBA history and in a city made for someone like Bosh. It’s Bosh’s best way to win a Championship and he’d have one of the best coaches in the history of the game. While it may seem like a minus having Kobe, since Bosh wants to be the top dog, Kobe is 32 and is looking older and older. He’s played more than 40,000 minutes in the NBA, which has taken its toll. Bosh could represent the Laker’s future and be seen as a saviour.

Minuses: While Kobe is getting older, he’s still going to be the best player on the team for the next couple of years. The core certainly isn’t young and there is a danger of Bosh playing his best years while the Lakers are rebuilding. And his stats are sure to suffer with fewer shots to go around before that happens.

Summary: The Lakers seem like a perfect destination, especially if they were willing to trade Bynum and Vujacic, for the media loving Bosh, especially with his friendship with Kobe, but by the time the Lakers are his team, they very well might not be a contender. He might not be seen as earning a Championship if he won it with the Lakers, but rather riding their coattails. It will certainly be an attractive destination, but in the end, probably not the one that is best for him.

SAN ANTONIO:

Pluses: Very similar to the Laker’s situation, except it’s not L.A. The situation, however, might seem a little more attractive because of the Spur’s sterling reputation as a franchise. R.C. Buford might simply be the best GM in the league. He rarely makes mistakes, is unparalleled at spotting talent and has a symbiotic relationship with Popovich. Duncan might be ready to take the same position David Robinson did when he came into the league. It’s in Texas.

Minuses: San Antonio, while in Texas, is no bustling metropolis. Like L.A, the Spurs best players are getting older and people have been predicting their drop off for years. Buford is a great franchise builder, but if Duncan and Ginobili start showing their age quickly, it might take a while for the Spurs to recover.

Summary: San Antonio may not want Bosh as a replacement for Duncan, since Bosh doesn’t bring the defense Duncan does. If they do, they have the pieces to do a sign and trade for him. Jefferson and McDyess might get it done, but if the Spurs want to replace Parker with George Hill, he might be available if something else was thrown in. In the end, though, I think Bosh is better off going to a younger team where his future is a little clearer.

TORONTO:

Pluses: It’s the city he knows and likes, he can earn the most money here and he knows that Colangelo is willing to build around him.

Minuses: Uh, have you watched the last couple of seasons?

Summary: While most US media pundits would bet everything against it, probably because they don’t understand why an American would choose live in Canada, Toronto still has a shot. They can offer the most money, he knows the city and the organization and the home team usually has the best chance of re-signing. Bosh has had 7 years in Toronto and has never made it to the second round. That could either be a challenge or reason to leave. Personally, I don’t know which it will be.

VERDICT:

Bosh will have a lot of options, but the best one, quite frankly, is Chicago. He gets to go to an already talented team, so won’t have the danger of having to suffer through more rebuilding, it’s a big city, which he likes, and he’d be the man, which is also important to him. Rose is a great player, but at this point, wouldn’t be overshadowed by Bosh. The idea of turning a team into a contender should be extremely appealing to him. While Paxson and company has not proven to be great at building a contender, the talent is already there. A core of Bosh, Rose and Noah is scary. It’s young and extremely talented, and they compliment each other well. In the end, I think it will come down to Toronto and Chicago. Who wins, is anyone’s guess.
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On a side note, someone on Raptors Republic suggested a sign-and-trade for Bosh to San Antonio. Bosh and Calderon for Parker, Jefferson and Blair. The trade is not as noteworthy as some of the reaction. Some people actually had the gall to complain about a trade that would pretty much give the Raptors the best team in the history of the franchise. This trade would improve their defense, rebounding, scoring and playoff experience, as well as give them a former Finals MVP who’s still in his prime. I can see that team possibly making it to the second round of the playoffs. And people were complaining about it. I get the feeling that if Bosh does leave in a sign and trade, some people are going to be awfully disappointed with what the Raptors get back.

Category: Bulls, Free Agency, Heat, Knicks, Lakers, NBA, Nets, Raptors, Rockets, Spurs, Thunder

A Look Back

Posted on | April 21, 2010 | 4 Comments

Well, it’s over. Sorry for not writing anything before this, but I’ve been busy with more important things. If I don’t sound heartbroken over the way the season ended, it’s because there are far more important things than basketball. Don’t get me wrong, I love it or I wouldn’t be doing this, but in the end, it’s not really all that important.

There are always questions when the season ends. I’m going to attempt to answer some of them here.

Was the season a failure?

Well, I’m not even sure what that means. It certainly wasn’t a success, so if you want to measure it that way, then you can probably say it was a failure. The Raptors failure to make the playoffs is not the only measuring stick, though…

The Last of Bosh?Will Bosh leave the Raptors?

Not even Bosh knows, I don’t think. Missing the playoffs and finishing the season like they did certainly isn’t going to help, that’s for sure. I certainly wouldn’t begrudge him leaving, that’s for sure. He’s given seven years of his life to the Raptors, and they have not been able to surround him with enough talent to be able to get out of the first round, and it’s certainly not a good sign that they haven’t made the playoffs the last two. If he’s lost confidence in the organization, it’s understandable.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he did end up re-signing, though. While there are a lot of choices for him, there is a question of how many are willing to pay the max for him, and there is also a question of whether other situations are better than Toronto.

Bosh is adamant that he doesn’t want to be anyone’s second banana, and with his experience with the Raptors, is he going to want to go to a new team that is rebuilding? I don’t think so. In my next post, I’m going to layout who I think has the best shot at getting Bosh, who Bosh should choose and who would benefit the most from him.

Should the Raptors pay him the max to stay?

This question has been bouncing around the Raptor boards a lot lately. Is Bosh a max player? It’s a good question and it’s a silly question. I mean, is any basketball player worth $20 million a season? There IS a reason it costs an arm and a leg to watch a game in person, and it’s not the cost of the person tearing your ticket. But in reality, NBA stars make what they do, so there’s no point in arguing the point.

Now, the biggest complaint about Bosh is that he can’t carry a team, so shouldn’t make max money. Dwayne Wade carried a less talented team to 47 wins and the 5th seed. Of course, the Raptors were more talented OFFENSIVELY, but on defense, I’d much rather have a frontcourt of Jermaine O’Neal and Adonis Haslem protecting the paint. And Mario Chalmers is better defensively than of the of the Raptor PGs.

There’s also the point that the Raptors fell apart without Bosh in the starting lineup. The record with and without Bosh in the lineup isn’t much different (35-35 with, 5-7 without) but they also struggled mightily after he came back from his ankle injury and wasn’t at full strength. When Bosh was playing like he did most of the season, the Raptors were simply one of the better teams in the league. No, he didn’t carry them to the playoffs, but if Bosh doesn’t get hurt (twice), it’s a pretty safe bet that the Raptors would still be playing. His value to the team should not be questioned. If he leaves, they will be a lottery team, and a poor one at that. If they win 30 games next season without Bosh, I’d be surprised. With him they could try for 45 again. Not many players are worth 15 games.

If you’re looking to only pay guys that can literally carry their teams to success, you’re looking at 3 guys. LeBron, Kobe and Wade. If you’re only going to pay those three guys the max, then you’re going to have a heck of time building a contender. You’ve got to pay to play, and players like those come to a team very rarely. If you’re worried about overpaying, every single contender is vastly overpaying at least one player on their team. You think Rashard Lewis is worth $18 million? Or Ray Allen nearly $20 million?

There’s the argument that the Raptors could get someone like David Lee at half the price. Great, but he’s not going to help you win. New York won 29 games with him as their best player and are so happy, it’s unlikely he’ll be back with them. In the NBA, the teams with the best players win. Bosh isn’t a top 5 player, but top 5 players are a little difficult to get. The Raptors have never, in their history, had one. Bosh is certainly a top 10 player, and if you don’t pay him the max, you’re setting yourself up for a future of losing.

Is Colangelo to blame?

Yes and no. I’ve read a lot of criticism of what he said in the press conference. Quite frankly, I don’t give a crap. What a person says means absolutely nothing to me. Especially in public. It’s the same reason I don’t pay attention to post game press conferences. I mean, who cares what a coach or player says? What matters is what they do. Colangelo, for all his weaknesses, is willing to correct his mistakes and learn from them. Colangelo isn’t an idiot. He knows that a team needs to be good defensively and rebound the basketball to win. This isn’t a secret recipe to success.

If Bosh doesn’t go down to injury, and people don’t come back from the All-Star break with “personal agendas”, then the Raptors end up winning around 45 games and make the playoffs. Fantastic? No. But pretty much what I expected of them. And there’d certainly be a lot fewer angry Raptor fans.

Colangelo did some things well and some things poorly. The team won 7 fewer games from his first year with the Raptors to now. That’s not exactly a good sign. Colangelo failed to capitalize on the number one pick and cap room he inherited when he took over. Some of that had to do with luck, some had to do with some poor decisions. The initial team he built that won 47 games simply did not have a very high ceiling. And injuries to key players derailed any success they did have.

Last summer, he made some great moves, and one not so great move, but it’s what he didn’t do that should haunt him. A team’s defense is anchored by it’s front line, and Colangelo failed to get the right players around Bosh. Bargnani is a nice offensive talent, but he is woefully miscast as a pairing with Bosh. For all of Bosh’s strengths, he’s not a stopper on defense, and more than anything, he needs a center who can bear the brunt of the defensive load and anchor the defense. Bargnani is not that person. Ironically, someone like Jermaine O’Neal is. I’ve argued in the past that Jermaine O’Neal was not a failure with Toronto. What was a failure was the rest of the team.

Was it a mistake to sign Turkoglu?

Well, I don’t think you need me to answer that question. Obviously it was. Turkoglu is simply not a good match for a team that lacks defense and rebounding. His playmaking was great when he used it, but any criticism of his disappointing season should be aimed solely at him. Sure, the coaches didn’t use him like he was used in Orlando, but this is a different roster. A new player needs to adjust to his new teammates, and Turkoglu not playing in preseason was the first indication that there was going to be a problem. He came to Toronto with not exactly a sterling reputation as a hard worker. Rick Adelman and Greg Popovich both struggled to get the most out of Turkgolu, and I’m sure most Raptor fans would take those coaches in a heartbeat.

My one consolation is that Turkoglu was not Colangelo’s first choice. He was not even his second. Call this one buyer’s remorse. Colangelo went to an auction, got outbid on everything he wanted, but didn’t want to come home empty handed. In the end, he got home and realized that the painting he bought didn’t go with any of his furniture and was painted by a guy who had just been charged with child molestation, meaning it’s going to be next to impossible to unload that painting now.

What’s next for Bargnani?

He had the best season of his four year career, and every year it’s become more and more apparently he is what he is: A jump shooting big man who avoids the paint, can’t rebound and is a weak link on defense. And he’s the absolutely wrong player for the Raptors. He’s not going to improve his rebounding, because it hasn’t happened in his first four years, and he’s not going to suddenly start playing inside and drawing fouls, so if Bosh goes, he’s not a replacement, no matter what he says.

He needs to be traded. Period.

I know that he has been Colangelo’s pet project but the Raptors will never be able to be a contender with him on the team, not without some drastic and complete rebuilding. Plus, I’m sick and tired of criticizing him.

I don’t know who would take him, but I’ve been assured by a number of fans that he’s got a lot of value. I hope that’s true. And now would be the time to take advantage. Another year of pretty much the same thing will only cement in other’s minds what most Raptor fans have realized. Bargnani has just about reached his potential.

Golden State is crazy enough, and Don Nelson loves guys like Bargnani. You think they’d trade Andris Biedrins for him? Maybe Chicago would like his scoring and could make up for his defensive and rebounding woes with Noah and Deng. Who would the Raptors get in return? I’d take Hinrich and a draft pick and call it a day. Sometimes the best way to improve is to subtract. Ask Phoenix.

Which point guard?

I like Jack, but surrounded by better defensive players, Calderon is going to help you win more. And Jack is eminently more tradable because of his manageable contract and all around play. It would be nice to keep both, but having two starter-quality point guards is a luxury that a 40 win team cannot really afford. if they can upgrade the roster and keep both, all the better, but chances are they are going to have to part with one to get the player(s) they need.

Who’s the shooting guard of the future?

Sonny Weems was definitely the Raptor surprise of the year, and he seemed to get better as the season wore on. Back at the beginning of January, I remarked how Weems seemed to have the whole package to become a very good NBA player. For a guy who was literally a throw in in a trade, Weems finishing the season as the Raptors starting SG was impressive. Does that mean he’s the SG of the future for the Raptors? Well, not quite. Weems has the makings of a very good player. He hits a high percentage of his shots, has a great mid range game and has all-world athleticism. He’s a good defender and rebounder, and actually is a pretty good passer. Best of all, he usually plays under control. It’s easy to get carried away and say that he might be a better prospect than the Raptors more high profile young SG, DeMar DeRozan. You’d be wrong.

Weems does have his weaknesses. His ball handling is not exactly a thing of beauty, but neither is DeRozan’s. While he has a very efficient offensive game, he rarely gets to the line. Let’s be clear here, Weems gets to the line at an absolutely horribly low rate. Less than Bargnani. In fact, his FTA/FGA ratio is the lowest on the team. For a guy with that kind athleticism and explosiveness, that’s unacceptable.

While Weems certainly hits for a higher percentage from the field and is a better defensive player, at this point, DeRozan has more offensive potential. The reason? DeRozan is excellent at getting to the line. It shows an aggressiveness that Weems seems to lack and why DeRozan, despite not shooting as high a percentage as Weems from the field, is actually a more efficient offensive player.

So while Weems seemed to have the better season, the future is still DeRozan’s. The Raptors are fortunate that both DeRozan and Weems look to have a bright future ahead of them, although at some point, one has to wonder if this is going to turn into a similar situation they the Raptors have had a PG. Two starting quality SG’s.

Of course, readers of this blog will not be surprised that I bring up Belinelli, here. He didn’t have a great season, and at one point seemed fall out of the rotation, but I’m still convinced that he also has a bright future ahead of him. He can shoot, drive, create for others, play good defense and can actually play PG and run an offense in a pinch. And he showed an aggressiveness that seemed to be lacking previously, getting to the line at a rate only a little less than DeRozan. For such a good shooter, though, he shot horribly from the field, and that’s because his shot selection often left something to be desired. It’s not that he shot at the wrong time (although he sometimes did that), but that fadeaway three is not something the coaches probably enjoyed watching. I know I didn’t.

There are some that feel that picking up Belinelli’s option was a mistake. I think, in the end, it’s going to be seen as a very good deal.

Do you still think Triano is a good coach?

I’ve defended Triano on many occasions here and on other sites. Mostly, because I felt the criticism was ether unjustified or simply just done out of ignorance. Claiming he was hired simply because he was Canadian is beyond stupid. In fact, it’s such a stupid statement, I’m not sure where to even begin to debate it, so I won’t.

Now, I don’t feel that Triano has done a great job. He’s a young, relatively inexperienced coach and he was bound to make his share of mistakes. I think he’s shown enough to continue to stay on, but also, I think that it’s incredibly difficult for fans to intelligently judge a coach. Most of his work is done behind closed doors, and since most of us are not privy to it, it’s impossible to know whether he simply not sending the right message, or the players aren’t capable of carrying it out.

It’s also hard to criticize Triano too much because, quite frankly, he was given a team that had almost no hope of being a good defensive or rebounding team. Blaming Triano for the inabilities of of guys like Bargnani and Turkoglu is a bit like blaming the builder of a house after it was hit by a meteorite. There are simply some things that are out of the coaches control. The team won 40 games and probably would have won at least 45 without the injuries to Bosh. Red Auerbach himself couldn’t have coaxed many more wins out of this club, and Triano will improve. Some fans seem to think that unlike players, coaches always stay the same. They don’t develop and can’t get better.

If I have one beef with Triano, however, it’s that he didn’t play Bosh enough with Amir Johnson. When they played together, the team excelled. Johnson didn’t pull his man out of the paint like Bargnani did, but Johnson’s man couldn’t double because he was a) so active so leaving him often meant him cutting for the basket for a dunk and b) his offensive rebounding ability made him incredibly dangerous to leave. And Bosh and Johnson were also the best defensive and rebounding frontcourt the team had. Which brings us to…

Do the Raptors overpay Amir Johnson to stay?

Well, first of all, I don’t see him being offered much more than $5 million per season on the open market, and that’s definitely a good price for Amir. Whether Bosh stays or goes, Johnson is incredibly important. If Bosh goes, he’s the starting PF. If Bosh stays, his rebounding, hustle and defense are great antidotes to Bargnani’s game should Colangelo fail to do the right thing, and find a new home for him.

Do you try and keep Wright?

If the Raptors didn’t have so many young shooting guards, keeping Wright would make sense. As it is, he’s simply in the way of the development of them.

What should Colangelo do in the offseason to improve the team?

That’s coming…

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How about those Spurs? Are they the last team Dallas wanted to face in the first round? They underachieved in the regular season, but now have home court advantage over the 2nd seeded Mavericks after their win. And Richard Jefferson had one of his better games all season and looked like the player the Spurs hoped he would be when they traded for him. They are all healthy and are the most experienced playoff team in the league. I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up getting to the Finals.

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Is it possible to not give out an Executive of the Year award this year? San Antonio’s R.C Buford was a preseason favourite, but they won fewer games than the previous season. Colangelo was also though to be in the running, but the Raptors didn’t even make the playoffs. Sam Presti’s Oklahoma City Thunder made the biggest improvement, but that was after Presti passed on much better players in the draft and did relatively nothing else in the offseason. Phoenix’s Steve Kerr ended up trading away his failure, in Shaq, for Ben Wallace and then paying Ben Wallace not to play for them. And he passed on four good PG’s, always an area of need for the Suns, with the aging Nash not going to last forever, to grab an enigmatic underachiever.

I’ve heard Jeff Bower’s name mentioned, which I don’t understand. Yes, he drafted and acquired to of the better rookies in the draft without a pick above 21, but he also traded away Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor, an extremely ill fit for the Hornets. And he allowed the Hornets to go from a 56 win team two years ago, to the 37 win team it is today. Yes, Chris Paul was injured, but they were still pretty bad even with Paul in the lineup.

I think if I was forced to choose, I’d go with John Hammond. He realized Charlie Villanueva was simply not worth keeping around, and renounced his rights. Maybe Joe Dumars should have talked to him before spending all that money on him. Hammond then signed a much cheaper, and probably better, Hakim Warrick. Then he traded HIM away for John Salmons, who helped lead the Bucks back to the playoffs. Plus he drafted possible Rookie of the Year, Brandon Jennings.

Category: Bucks, Hornets, NBA, Raptors, Spurs, Suns, Thunder
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