Fire Sam Mitchell.

From Doug Smith’s mailbag today:

Q: Is this team, as currently constructed a better fit for Sam Mitchell’s coaching style/abilities?

Steph R, Glencoe

A: I believe it is, yes.

a) Steph, you meant INabilities. INabilities.

b) No shit, Doug.

c) So with less decisions to make, we’ve helped shore up one of Smitch’s major deficiencies: decisions.  In retrospect, this is all Colangelo’s fault for providing too many options: take away square peg, leave round peg = no choice but to fit in round hole = Shatts.   [Shudders]

d) Yep, now TWO players we can run ‘horns up’ for. Tantalizing.

1. The “Hot like fire, cool like…” Raptors ‘reading is fun’ commercial that they play to fucking death on Raptors TV is ‘pull out my toenails with white-hot barbecue tongs instead’ annoying. A 1986 Sony handicam films the Raptor doing cartwheels through a dusty elementary school gym. Then, Pullitzer-aspiring Chris Bosh, offers this deadpan reason for reading:

“Its very important…in life…and um, it’s a good hobby”

Um, Chris, ehhhhhhhhhhhhcccch (family feud buzzer)

Hobby? Likely not amongst the official top 3 reasons for reading. (Probably education, knowledge and ultimately, dollars).

2. Jose masterminding a genius backcourt inbound play (probably, I’ll pass it to you, you pass it back) to Joey Graham who, seemingly by Jose’s growing impatience, is standing facing the crowd, picking his ass.

But also, calm down Jose - how important could the game situation be if Joey was on the court?

3. Sherman Hamilton in HD. (His scientist looking co-host isn’t taking home any ‘least annoying’ awards either.)

Love or hate him, he was inexorably woven into the Raptor fabric, and will be missed by many.

(Whoever’s in charge - Please no Rod Black. At any time. Please! Even Suneel Joshi, but not Rod f@cking Black.)

Stan Van Gundy had a remarkably insightful (and somewhat sympathetic: Wall you better freshen up, because like Ron Burgundy, Writing wants to be on you) quotable defending Sam Mitchell and that last play in Game 2: Read the rest of this entry »

(with pictures from renowned paparazzi scum-bag and gravedigger, Brent Addison)

Intense warmup, everyone focused on the task at hand.

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I disagree with Doug Smith’s assertion that the last game of the season against Chicago didn’t mean anything.

In consequence, yes, sure it didn’t.

More telling was the demeanor of the overall Raptor attitude towards the game. Regardless of who was playing, striving for a 42-40 record versus the .500 mark of mediocrity, should’ve been instilled by a sense of pride.

Instead, having a laughfest on the bench (after a paltry finish to the season with a cakewalk schedule) is telling of the mentality on this team. Sam didn’t call a timeout in 4th quarter - most notably even with the Raptors clawing back to a 9 point deficit.

Contrast: KG ripping into his benchmates, earlier in the season…when they were up by 40. There’s a reason they have 66 wins, beyond the talent level on that team.

Desire to win, like Viagra, has no on/off switch.

Bryan Colangelo, GM, touched upon the ‘under-utilization’ of several players on the Raptors.

These stats (courtesy 82games.com) cement that statement: the NBA’s best 5-man units over the season.

The Raptors’ best lineup comes in at 25, one at 34th (with TJ) and then all other combos far lower…

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Interestingly, the two ex-Raptors went with the Magic. Judases.

The ABC analysts have pegged the Raptors’ strengths and weaknesses remarkably well (pointed criticism not often found by the home networks) in this ongoing game with the Pistons. Hubie Brown, whether you’re a fan of his style or not, is a veritable pundit of roundball; correctly, he has been harping on the Raptors lack of physicality.

Two perplexing, almost hilarious, in-game exchanges with Sam:

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As the clock wound down, the embattled Sam Mitchell did his best not to smile.

Just two days ago, the red and black juggernaut known as the Toronto Raptors seemed to be on the verge of collapse. Greatly talented and expected to contend for a National Basketball Association championship, the Raptors had a 6-15 record in their last 21 games and were in danger of losing more than a playoff spot; their heroic coach Sam Mitchell was in the hot seat. Read the rest of this entry »