For those that missed it, Eric Smith, Jack Armstrong and I had a special in-studio guest Thursday on our regular edition of Hoops on the FAN 590. Toronto Raptor swingman, Anthony Parker joined us and there were a number of topics discussed. You can listen to it here. Parker gave his take on happenings from the Derek Fisher and Rafer Alston suspensions and on getting "geeked up" to guard Kobe Bryant as well as answering questions from callers.
While many fans called in to the post-game show this season to constantly lament Parker's production or lack thereof, in these eyes, he could still be a key part of the team going forward. He may, and I stress may, not be able to produce the way he did during his first two seasons in Toronto but not all of that is due to merely his age and Father Time robbing him of his skills. The way the team played this season in constantly trying to find its way had an impact on Parker's output.
A true team player, Parker's stats suffered because the ball did not always find him the way it has in year's past. He made a number of three-point shots and finished amongst the leaders in his first two seasons in total threes made and percentage because of the team’s ability to share the ball. My broadcast partner Eric Smith and I have dubbed Parker's spot in the pocket, the corner where the three-point arc is closest to the hoop, "The Office" because that's where he does his work. But this season, the recession and the economy on the court took its toll as "The Office" was not always open. With other players putting up bigger numbers, in the zero sum game of scoring, Parker's numbers went down.
However, Parker could still be a valuable member of the second unit and a spot starter and if you listen to the audio, it seems that he would adapt to that role and has already contemplated what it would be like to come off the bench. The classy veteran has maintained that he would like to be in Toronto, but certainly understands the business end of the game and as he told us, considers himself an "international" free agent. With his success overseas, it sounds like he would think about going back to play in Europe but with a family and being well-established in a city he enjoys, he has made it known that the Raptors would be his first choice. But don't think that there aren't other contenders that might take a look at Parker as a valuable part in the drive to a title. He is one of the quiet leaders on the Toronto squad and if things work out, I would not be surprised to see Parker back in a Raptor uniform.
OK, here's my take on the action from games that saw Rafer Alston and Derek Fisher suspended. First off, Alston deserved his one-game hiatus. You just can't hit people in the head. It’s not like the Mo Peterson ejection in Vince Carter's return to the Air Canada Centre after being traded to the New Jersey Nets from Toronto; that was a totally different situation where referee Steve Javie just made a mistake. In the case of Fisher, he looked like a guy who was fed up taking extra elbows and knees on screens set by the Rockets big men. Add to that Luis Scola and his penchant for flopping -- he's the perfect example of a guy who wants it all one way by playing rough and tough on the offensive end when he's fighting for position in the post or driving to the hoop but goes down like he's been shot, flopping, when he takes a hit on the defensive end or wanting an offensive foul on the opposition when a player does exactly what he does at the other end.
Fisher was making a statement. What was Fisher saying with his aggressive foul? The bubble over Fisher's head said, "I'm not taking any more stuff from you on these screens and there will be no need to flop when I hit you because I'm just going to knock you on your wallet. No need to embellish the contact, I'll give you something where no extra acting is needed."
Game 3 Friday is Boston's best chance to steal home-court back from Orlando and ditto for the Lakers although, I think the Celtics have a better chance of turning the trick than their counterparts and rivals from last season's NBA finals do in Houston.
