Game 35: Raps vs. Bucks - Post-game
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the classic letdown after a big win (or in this case, a couple of big wins). A timeless script, one that has been used across the ages, one that transcends generations, the hero slaying the beast, only to walk into his next quest and well…disappoint. January 5, 2009 version? Raptors vs. Bucks.
It’s not that the Raptors went out and stunk up the joint, because they didn’t. They actually led for most of the game and were showing some impressive fast break points, pushing the ball up the court when the opportunity presented itself. They also used some long passes upcourt to catch the Bucks not getting back on D. Andrea came out with another solid performance and Bosh was attacking the basket and getting to the line. It all looked like a perfect recipe to keep the New Year perfect. But alas, sometimes, you just run into some bad luck.
Yes, bad luck. It wasn’t the only thing that factored into the Raptors loss last night, but really, when you have Lucky Luke Ridnour jacking 3’s and suddenly making them when he hasn’t hit anything all night and shoots 3’s at a percentage below the “Moon Line”, that’s not a shot a shot you’re going to mind him taking. There were also some questionable calls down the stretch that added to the poor luck.
But let’s be real. While there was definitely some bad luck last night, you can’t let a guy like Charlie V suddenly come to life and start outrebounding you. Also, while Michael Redd is their best player and kicks the legs out when taking shots, that still doesn’t mean that you can’t get up on him and get a hand in his face. Too many times, he had uncontested shots. Make him put it on the floor and then get tough inside if you have to. If a star is going to beat you, at least make him show you all the parts of his game.
From the point guard side, while Wil Solomon had a nice night distributing the ball, one has to wonder why the dude just kept shooting when he CLEARLY didn’t have it last night. 2-13? The Raptors come down the stretch needing a bucket and Wil Solomon jacks up another shot? This is what I was talking about in the pre-game where I said that Wil had to keep playing within himself. The funny thing is, you have Solomon, who isn’t afraid to shoot the ball at any time, but then on the other hand, you have Roko, who looks a little tentative in taking shots. There were a few times where Roko had some open looks, but decided to pull it back down and dish. Not necessarily a bad attribute for a PG, but he is going to have to gain a little bit more confidence in his game. That will come with time, he’s young.
Now off to Washington…where the Raptors should be able to put things back in the W column…
The AltRaps Blog » Blog Archive » Toronto Raptors Linkage for January 6th from 12:19 to 14:15 on January 6th, 2009
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