Key early season games for the Raptors: Part II

On Oct 03, this corner of the blogosphere identified for you two key stretches of games this season for the Toronto Raptors:

1. The first 6 on the schedule;
2. The set of 15 from Nov 30 to Dec 27; and,

said the very real possibility exists that this team, with its roster as is, might in serious jeopardy of missing the playoffs entirely, despite the fact others [i.e. NBA observers and the team's general fanbase] were considering it to be a “legit contender” for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals this spring … based, primarily, on their off-season acquisition of a former 6-time League All-Star, Jermaine O’Neal [C].

In addition, a variety of different W-L scenarios were developed that explained just how this possibility might come to fruition this season for the Raptors, a team most NBA observers had put into the up-and-coming category, based on their Atlantic Division Title, 2 seasons ago, and their 2nd consecutive appearance in the EC Playoffs last year.

Key early season games for the Raptors

Should the Raptors happen to lose this evening, to the Cavaliers, in Cleveland, a likely scenario … considering they are +11.5 point underdogs … this would then give the Dinos a rather inauspicious 8-12 [.400] W-L record at the 20-game mark of the regular season schedule [i.e. approximately at the 1/4 pole of the NBA's Playoff Race].

While the Raptors were able to get out to a quick start, winning their first 3 match-ups, they eventually finished that initial stretch of key games with a 4-2 mark. 

October	Opponent	Result
Wed 29 [#1]	@ Philadelphia	W 95-84, 1-0
Fri 31 [#2]	vs Golden State	W 112-108, 2-0
November	Opponent	Result
Sat 01 [#3]	@ Milwaukee	W 91-87, 3-0
Wed 05 [#4]	vs Detroit *	L 93-100, 3-1
Fri 07 [#5]	@ Atlanta *	L 92-110, 3-2
Sun 09 [#6]	@ Charlotte	W 89-79, 4-2
Mon 10	@ Boston *	L 87-94, 4-3
Wed 12	vs Philadelphia	L 96-106, 4-4
Sun 16	vs Miami	W 107-96, 5-4
Tue 18	@ Orlando *	L 90-103, 5-5
Wed 19	@ Miami	W 101-95, 6-5
Fri 21	vs New Jersey *	L 127-129, 6-6
Sun 23	vs Boston *	L 103-118, 6-7
Wed 26	vs Charlotte	W 93-86, 7-7
Fri 28	vs Atlanta *	W 93-88, 8-7

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* Indicates game against a plus .500 Opponent
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That said …

it’s the 2nd stretch of key games … several of which fit into the winnable category [i.e. against less-than-stellar opponents] … that might prove to be the Raptors undoing this season:

November	Opponent	Result
Sun 30 [#1]	@ LA Lakers *	L 99-112, 8-8
December	Opponent	Result
Tue 02 [#2]	@ Denver *	L 93-132, 8-9
Fri 05 [#3]	@ Utah *	L 87-114, 8-10
Sun 07 [#4]	vs Portland *	L 97-98, 8-11
Tue 09 [#5]	@ Cleveland *	? [L-?]
Wed 10 [#6]	vs Indiana	?
Fri 12 [#7]	@ New Jersey *	? [L-?]
Sun 14 [#8]	vs New Orleans *	?
Mon 15 [#9]	vs New Jersey *	?
Wed 17 [#10]	vs Dallas *	?
Fri 19 [#11]	@ Oklahoma City	?
Sat 20 [#12]	@ San Antonio *	? [L-?]
Mon 22 [#13]	@ LA Clippers	?
Fri 26 [#14]	@ Sacramento	?
Sat 27 [#15]	@ Portland *	? [L-?]

Survive this 2nd set of 15 games … under the direction of their new head coach, Jay Triano … for example, with a humble 6-9 W-L record … and the 2008-2009 season remains salvagable for Toronto.

Fail to capitalize on the winnable games in this set, though, and the Raptors might just be better off … from a long term development standpoint … focusing their efforts [under Bryan Colangelo, President/GM] on, How exactly to get into the NBA’s Draft Lottery Again, without really trying to, as they did during the 2005-2006 season, under the direction of their vilified former GM, Rob Babcock.

Bryan Colangelo, unplugged [Dec 08]

“The answer to the riddle is found in the original source material.”
- khandor

As a Raptors fan, you need to Listen to the whole thing.

Of Scorpions, frogs, GM’s and coaches [April 30, 2008]

Nothing more and nothing less than THAT.

Wait a second … what’s really going on here

What to make of the Raptors’ decision yesterday to relieve Sam Mitchell of his coaching duties?

———-

Well …

First.

This whole business that …

Sam Mitchell was somehow never Bryan Colangelo’s CHOICE to run the Raptors’ team …

* Smitch is Out, Bring Back the Cursing

… is completely false.

The simple FACTS are these:

1. Sam Mitchell was the Raptors’ head coach when Bryan Colangelo was hired as the Team’s GM [Feb 2006].
2. At the conclusion of the 2006-2007 season Sam Mitchell was voted the NBA COTY Award.
3. During the summer of 2007, Bryan Colangelo CHOSE to re-sign Sam Mitchell [to a multi-year contract worth millions of dollars] as HIS coach for the Toronto Raptors.
4. Approximately 18 months later, on Wednesday, Dec 03 2008, Bryan Colangelo relieved Sam Mitchell of his coaching duties with the Raptors.

———-

Second.

A list of sights and sounds observed, thus far, by yours truly, regarding the explanation of events provided by Bryan Colangelo:

Part A - From the individual Conference Calls of Bryan Colangelo and Jay Triano with the Toronto media on Wednesday afternoon

* Sam Mitchell was a good coach for the Raptors during his 5 seasons with the Raptors.
* Sam Mitchell is a highly intelligent basketball person, who understands the ins and the outs of the NBA game and was well-paid to coach the Toronto Raptors.
* There comes a time when a change is needed in the lead voice within a NBA team’s locker room.
* Sam Mitchell has always had a good relationship with the players he’s coached, who have always seemed to play hard for him, save for specific periods, so far, this season.
* The feeling still exists within the Raptors’ basketball brain-trust that this collection of 13 players is the “most talented” team put together yet by Bryan Colangelo.
* There’s an expectation that this team, as is, is under-performing.
* There’s an awareness that this team, as is, has a flawed roster.
* There’s a belief that this team, as is, has not been playing its best players enough.
* There’s a belief that certain players were not being put in specific situations offensively to maximize their abilities to help this team perform at a level which is consistent with its perceived talent-base.
* There’s a strong belief in the ability of Jose Calderon, as the PG for this team.
* There’s a belief that Jermaine O’Neal has shown, in a period of 5 or 6 games, so far this season, that he has what the Raptors’ basketball brain-trust was looking for when they traded for him this summer, i.e. 16 pts, 9-10 rebounds and 1-2 blocked shots per game.
* There’s a belief that this team should be “running” in offensive transition [and scoring] more consistently than it has been, to this point, this season.
* There’s a belief that the players on this team have a strong belief in one another.
* Jay Triano is the new coach for the Raptors, at least, until the end of the current season, at which time he will have an opportunity to be named the permanent head coach, along with any other candidates who might be available at that time.

Part B – From the Raptors’ Official Website

* The events of Wednesday do not coincide yet with the specifics of what this observer saw and listened to in the post-game interviews from Tuesday’s debacle vs the Nuggets:

I. re: Sam Mitchell II. re: Jermaine O’Neal III. re: Jose Calderon and IV. re: Bosh

“Cause, as you know, I played in the League. Mike Evans played in the League. Alex English played in the League. You know, at the end of the day, coach’s coach, but the players go play. You’ve got to out and compete every second you’re on the court.”
- Sam Mitchell [former Head Coach, Toronto Raptors]

… which is most intriguing.

————

Third.

John Hollinger’s take on the situation … which has considerable merit.

———-

Fourth.

The exact timing of this decision yesterday [early Wednesday afternoon] … of all days, when there was a “players only” meeting scheduled for the morning, in place of a regular practice session between games, that followed the post-game “players only” meeting  … is a key to understanding, in part, some of what is still insidiously wrong/corrupt with MLSE, and the way in which this organization chooses to conduct its pro sports related business.

Trust that this corner will be seeing and listening intently over the next little while to the words and the quotes which come directly from the different parties involved in this decision, made abruptly yesterday … to decipher accurately what it means for this franchise, short and long term, going forward from here.

—–

To wit:

Analysis: Mitchell firing not a surprise
“This team’s a lot better than an 8-9 record,” Colangelo said during a late afternoon teleconference. “Despite the criticism of this roster, this is a roster that was put together on a consensus basis…you might look back at last season, and the games, a series of games, where we underachieved. Expectations were high.”

—–

* Did that 2nd “players only” meeting happen Wednesday morning?
* Did it happen prior to this decision being made?
* Or, did that 2nd meeting not take place at all?
* If it did … Who exactly was running this team, at that moment, when Sam Mitchell was relieved of his coaching duties with the Raptors, from amongst this specific group of players?
* And, if it did … To whom is that person[s] reporting?
* What was really accomplished by making this move yesterday?

——————————–

When dealing with an entity like MLSE, and a most intelligent person, like Bryan Colangelo, know that it’s an elaborate Game of Chess … and, Every Move Must Have A Purpose.

Part of the fun, therein, lies … with trying to figure out what that purpose actually is.

What FIBA competition really comes down to

In terms of the Canada Basketball …

Triano helps groom U.S. Olympians
“Just the fact that the tournament is going to be held in Greece, the coaches down here think that this will give Greece enough to get one of the spots and I’m inclined to agree,” said Triano. “It’s going to be tough for Canada because of the location, no question. But you know it always comes down to that one game you have to win. In ’80, ’84 and ’88, it was the same. We had to beat Brazil one year, Uruguay in Uruguay the next time, and in 2000 when I was coaching, we had to beat Puerto Rico. That game will probably come again this year. The trick is to win it.”

Jay Triano has hit the nail sqaurely on the head.

A lack of money is NOT the problem with the Senior Men’s National Team … nor a lack of first-class training facilities, nor the absence of specific top tier players, nor etc., etc,. etc.

According to this corner … It takes a special coach, and staff, to be able to win THE game your team NEEDS TO WIN in order to achieve its goals at an international hoops event. FULL STOP.

Teams that do, have this. Teams that don’t, do not.

Kudos to Jay for expressing his insight so succinctly.