There are many stories about players and their superstitions, although it probably has more to do with a consistent routine if you were to ask the athlete. So it was no surprise to see head coach Jay Triano out on the floor in the pre-game warm-up working with Chris Bosh. It had been the regular routine for both Triano and Bosh for a couple of seasons, so it was in a sense back to routine for Triano as he worked out with his prized pupil before Wednesday night's game against Indiana. Following a few subpar performances, at least when measured against his early-season success, Bosh went through his pre-game paces with Triano and it proved to be the tonic, for at least one night, as he bounced back recording his 12th double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds in the victory over the Pacers.
There have been numerous changes for Triano in his new role as head coach. He has to deal with the media on game night and on the road he is no longer in his regular seat on the early bus to the arena for player workouts. It is a rare sight to see a head coach out on the floor working with players in the pre-game warm-up as that task is normally left to the assistants. Kevin O'Neill used to venture out on to the floor to work with his players when he was Toronto's head man but currently, the only NBA head coach that I have seen conduct a pre-game workout is Scott Skiles of the Milwaukee Bucks. On one occasion, in Toronto, Larry Brown sat on the Charlotte bench and watched his young big men struggle with the technique of a jump hook. It was then wearing dress slacks and a mock turtle neck sweater, Brown, the teacher, took the floor to help out before returning to his seat on the bench. Will the routine continue for Bosh and Triano? We'll have to wait and see.
Triano, a terrific shooter in his days as a player, was a driving force behind the improved shooting stroke of Jose Calderon. The reconstruction of Calderon's shot started with Triano working with Calderon, one on one, shooting one-handed shots about six feet from the basket. It's a common teaching drill where a player takes the ball and shoots with only his shooting hand touching the ball. The player doesn't contact the ball at all with the other hand. Eventually the player masters the proper technique and adds the "guide" -- or "balance" hand as it referred to by shooting guru Dave Hoopla -- without it having an impact on the rotation of the ball on the shot. Triano worked with Bosh on his shooting a couple of seasons ago tweaking his stroke to make it more efficient. Currently, assistant coach Gord Herbert is working with Roko Ukic on his shooting technique and has even resorted to using a ball with the panels having an alternate brown and white colour scheme to track the rotation of the ball on the shot.
The old "run, shoot and substitute" Phoenix Suns are officially dead. Raja Bell and Boris Diaw were traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley. There were rumblings as far back as training camp that some players, Bell being one of them, were unhappy with the system being implemented by new head coach Terry Porter. He says he is focused on this season but you wonder what Steve Nash is thinking with the team being taken apart. Bell sent Nash a text message to say so long when he was traded because he didn't want to interrupt the former two-time MVP's regular game-day afternoon nap.
Don't tell the Los Angeles Lakers that the regular season doesn't mean anything. According to Kobe Bryant, the defending champion Boston Celtics are the standard by which every other team is measured. We are going back to the future the way it was during the '80s as the Lakers and the Celtics are eyeing one another across the country looking forward to a potential showdown for the NBA title in June.
