What to Watch For - Cavs v. Raptors and Random Notes
Posted February 3rd, 2009 by Michael Curry
What to watch for tonight when the Cavaliers host the Raptors at The Q:
How will the Cavs handle the perimeter scoring of the Raptors? Just a few days ago, the Los Angeles Clippers brought their 10-36 record to the Q and stayed in the game through the first half because they made jump shots. The Cavs made a second-half adjustment and proceeded to blow the Clips out, but there was no reason for that game to be tied at the end of the first half. The same thing might happen tonight, as the Raptors, while a bad team, have a number of players who can knock down jump shots if you give them some space. Three-point specialist - and former Cavalier - Jason Kapono is still shooting 42% from beyond the arc, while Jose Calderon is shooting 45% from 3 and 7-foot center Andrea Bargnani looks like Z with his 41% 3-point percentage. If the Cavalier defense allows these guys to find space, they can keep the Raptors in the game with their shooting. But if the Cavaliers close out and make the Raptors put the ball on the floor, I don’t think the Raptors can hang with the Cavs at home.
Are the Raptors completely crumbling? Well, if you read a little into this post from Raptors Republic, you would probably go with “yes.” The Raptors are one of a growing number of teams that are really struggling cope with a season that started with promise slipping through their fingers. The Phoenix Suns and the Detroit Pistons also fall into this category, but at least those teams have winning records and the same head coach who started the season. The Raptors made one major change this offseason, trading often-injured point guard T.J. Ford for often-injured center Jermaine O’Neal. But instead of challenging for a top-four playoff seed, the Raptors currently have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 19-30. While injuries to current point guard Jose Calderon and O’Neal have sidetracked the Raptors season, there is really no excuse for the way the team is playing right now, something that cost former head coach Sam Mitchell his job. I do think that the bad teams are falling apart faster than usual, because making the Playoffs no longer comes with any expectation of winning a Championship unless you are one of the top-five teams in the league.
What about Chris Bosh? Memo to all Cavs fans bracing for LeBron’s trip to New York on Wednesday: you are not alone in your plight. On Sunday, ESPN’s Steven A. Smith reported that Bosh had told Raptors management that he would not re-sign in Toronto when he becomes a free agent in 2010. Bosh and Raptors GM Brian Colangelo spent yesterday confirming that no such conversation took place. Of course it didn’t; Bosh is in no hurry to shut out the team that could pay him the most money when he becomes a free agent. But these rumors stir up the public, and there were more than a few sports talkers yesterday talking about bringing Bosh to Cleveland. While I would love to see Chris Bosh in a Cavalier uniform, that’s not going to happen any time soon. But the next time you’re worrying about sports talkers and writers from other cities coveting LeBron James and expecting him to leave, remember that the same thing is happening to other players. And Cleveland sports talkers are just as guilty as those in New York.
NBA news, notes and thoughts:
The Cavaliers released Jawad Williams and signed guard Trey Johnson to a 10-day contract. Johnson was averaging 20 points and 5 assists per game with the Bakersfield Jam of the NBDL. I love the D-League for its absurd nicknames, terrifying mascots, and ability to find some of the most beautiful small-town girls on the planet for their dance teams. As for its players…well, don’t expect Trey Johnson to get any more minutes than Jawad Williams was getting (1.1 mpg).
George Thomas found an interesting “LeBron is going to New York” story in Orlando of all places, and gives the author a thorough lashing in his blog.
Santonio Holmes “did the LeBron” after he scored the game-winning touchdown in last night’s Super Bowl. And the Sporting News reports that LeBron told him to do it. I think we can officially put to rest any notion that LeBron needs to leave Cleveland to become a Global Icon; he’s got Super Bowl-winning football players wanting to be him.
TrueHoop wants to hear from Cavs fans and how they cope with the constant talk of LeBron’s inevitable trip to New York. CavsHQ’s response will be here tomorrow, but I full endorse every Cavs fan making their thoughts known to one of the national voices most sympathetic to the plight of the slighted mid-market.
Speaking of LeBron and New York, Kobe Bryant officially raised the bar for LeBron’s performance on Wednesday at MSG by dropping 61 points, setting a Madison Square Garden record. Tell me Cavs fans, would you really feel any better if, instead of talking about how great LeBron is and how much they want him to come to New York, the New York media spent Wednesday and Thursday talking about how LeBron will never be as good as Kobe? Personally, slights to LeBron always make me more unhappy - maybe because they come from ignorance.
To all those people complaining about Mo Williams not making the All-Star team, well, he might be headed to Phoenix anyway. All-Star reserve Jameer Nelson of the Orlando Magic suffered a dislocated shoulder last night, and will be getting an MRI today to judge the severity of the injury. If Nelson can’t go, NBA Commissioner David Stern will select his replacement, and it is likely that he would select Mo. The loss of Nelson is a major blow to the Magic, who lost at home to the Dallas Mavericks last night and are engaged with the Cavs and Celtics in that desperate race for the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
On his radio show yesterday, former Cavalier play-by-play man Michael Reghi ”reported” that he’s hearing ”rumors” from his “contacts” around the NBA that the coaches for the Knicks, the Nets, the Heat and the Raptors(?!?) did not vote for Mo Williams for the All-Star Game, because it was part of their 2010 strategy, convincing LeBron that the Cavaliers have not surrounded him with enough talent. This falls into the category of PATENTLY RIDICULOUS. There’s no way that happened, Reghi knows it, and he was just throwing stuff on the airwaves to get a reaction.
With the Wally Szczerbiak expiring contract burning a hole in our pockets, Cavs fans are quick to consider any number of trade possibilities. Some are interesting, some of them stink, but the most difficult concept in coming up with a trade is making sure it benefits both parties. For an example of a trade that makes perfect sense for both parties, check out Chris Broussard’s hypo for the Clippers.
Go Cavs.
