OK, let's put the Boston game to bed. I know it's been a couple of days but just a few observations before the lights go out.
It was unanimous on the bus ride to the airport following the game amongst the media types that Bosh, in spite of all the respect he has for Kevin Garnett, has to try and go at him the next time they meet. It seems like the one time Bosh got the better of him, a few seasons ago when Garnett was still in Minnesota one night at the Air Canada Centre; he took the ball to him offensively and put KG on his heels. Since that game, it's as if Garnett has filed that in his memory bank and used it as fuel to play stifling defence against Bosh every time. I'm told our man Jack Armstrong said it on the TV broadcast, and both Eric Smith and I said it on the radio, that just like they teach you early on when you are learning the game, when a guy crowds you, go by him and if it means a sweep with the ball is needed to create some space and it gets physical, well, I guess the defender will just have to back off next time, or the time after, or the time after that. As Sherman Hamilton observed on Raptors TV, Garnett forced Bosh to not only put the ball above his head but to pivot away from the "belly up" pressure applied by Garnett.
Now Garnett does have a couple of running mates that make it easier for him to do what he is doing and that might just be one of the ways to beat Boston. Paul Pierce, as Garnett said post game is like Superman, and even Chris Bosh acknowledged that Pierce can "turn into a superhero" in the final quarter. That really started me thinking why do you not hear Pierce's name mentioned when the MVP discussion comes up? Well you'll be able to read my thoughts in the next feature column here on Sportsnet.ca. So how do you beat Boston? It is much easier said than done, but one of the ways might be to take the ball out of Pierce's hands. You may end up with Ray Allen beating you coming off screens but it won't be the way Pierce has proven he can do it time and time again, by taking the ball and making plays as the main decision maker. He can score in the paint on a back down or post up, he can beat you on the dribble, or he can step back and beat you from the outside. Heck, Pierce used to do it, albeit not always enough for his team to win, before he had Allen and Garnett with him and wasn't bad at it. As for Garnett, what was the knock against the "big ticket" in Minnesota? Remember, it was always said that he was not comfortable taking the big shot when it mattered and people questioned whether he was truly a "go to money" player. It's not an issue any longer for Garnett in Boston as Pierce handles that department in addition to doing his share of the rebounding and defending.
The bounce pass Rajon Rondo fed to Leon Powe for the dunk at the end of the game was, as our director of the games on the TV side, Troy Clara, would say, in a word "bush". Now I'm one who doesn't like to hear players and coaches cry about opponents running up the score but this was different. The game was clearly over and the classy move would have been to dribble out the clock and shake the Raptors hands for pushing them and bringing out the best in Celtics but it didn't happen that way. Following the play, Jay Triano was livid!! He was fuming when he stepped out on to the floor and had to call a timeout to cool himself down. The ensuing timeout was spent staring at Doc Rivers as the two men made eye contact from their respective bench areas, with Rivers eyes somewhat apologetic in a "hey man, sorry, you know I would never call that or advocate that type of thing" facial expression. The Triano I know from another era as a player would have been ready to fight, and who knows that's what he may have been thinking or feeling inside, but he showed great restraint and just to make sure nothing would happen, Rivers took Powe out of the game.
And finally, before the game Triano and the coaching staff placed hand written notes on index cards with positive reinforcement and reminders of some key points for each player to read in their respective cubicles in the locker room. It's a good motivational tool and as someone that has been in management in a different field, a good way to remind the people you are working with about how well they are doing, what they need to continue to improve on for the future.
The measure of Toronto's improvement will come tonight against Chicago. If they come back with a solid effort and a win, it's all good. But, if they come out emotionally drained and put up a lacklustre performance the way they did following the last heartbreaker in Boston as they dropped a 106-96 decision at home to Philadelphia November 12th, there will be questions to answer. Toronto will be without Jose Calderon and Jermaine O'Neal for tonight's match up against the Bulls.
Watched Phoenix and Atlanta last night and it's a good thing for the NBA that Shaquille O'Neal is such a good natured person. ZaZa Pachulia, Solomon Jones and Randolph Morris wrestled him to the ground, and then hung off him like he was a four year old on a jungle gym for the entire night. Not sure why the takedowns weren't called flagrant fouls, but Shaq never became upset with the treatment. I guess he's used to it. O'Neal is also converting from the line this season as he his making a career high 62.3% from the charity stripe having made 18 of his last 23.
Seems like there is some booing going on in Chicago as Bulls fans are not happy with what they are seeing from the squad. Chicago head coach Vinny Del Negro says that the cat call from the crowd should serve as motivation for his players.
The Orlando Magic now own the record for three point field goals made in one game. They knocked down 23 last night in the win over Sacramento surpassing the previous record held by Toronto set in March of 2005 against Philadelphia. Kevin Martin of the Kings is upset and says the rest of the league looks at the Kings as a joke right now.
It was a great finish last night between Denver and Dallas with the Nuggets squeaking out a 99-97 win thanks to a couple of free throw by Chauncey Billups with 2.2 seconds remaining. Denver has now beaten Dallas three times this year. After making the first foul shot Billups ran over to head coach George Karl and may have been actually trying to miss the second free throw as Dallas was out of timeouts but Billups, knocked it down, even though his reaction after making the shot suggested he was trying to intentionally miss it. But there's always a sidebar story when Mavs owner Mark Cuban is around. Cuban and the Mavs were upset at the foul call at the end of the game and the owner was also upset at a J.R. Smith elbow that missed Antoine Wright. In the Denver locker room, Karl was upset with Cuban's barking at Smith during halftime.
