Face Of Frustration

The morning after a complete meltdown for T.J Ford and Sam Mitchell. When you ask both will tell you that they never read the papers or the Internet.  It could be true but when you see the frustration that exploded last night you have to wonder. That is no excuse for what happened. Ford took his frustration with himself and turned it on the referees and took his team out of a game they were in and in desperate need of winning it.  Sam Mitchell needed to pull Ford out of this game long before the volcano that was building in T.J exploded. I have supported both Mitchell and Ford but it was clear that both screwed up and I will say it. How did it ever get to this point. It is a whole lot of things that involve a whole lot of people. Starting with of course Sam Mitchell and T.J Ford.

I have heard for as long as I can remember that Sam Mitchell is not a great Tactical Coach. I never debate that point at all. I do say that because of the way his team plays hard for him I am willing to forgive a lack of knowledge as a play caller. The thought being that motivation is not as easily learned as play calling in my opinion. However the whispers about Sam Mitchell having lost his teams attention are concerning. The key is though has he lost his superstar in Chris Bosh. If he has then all could be lost for Mitchell. If not though the return of Bosh should help Mitchell get the team back on his side. Listening to what he is preaching. If Sam has lost his ability to motivate this ball club he is truly a lesser coach and not effective.  This is truly a watershed moment for Sam Mitchell as a head coach. If you like Sam you hope he can break through. If you don't you have already said I told you so many times this year.

Ford has had a season that would frustrated almost anyone. He started it playing some of the best basketball he has ever played in the NBA. However his team did not match that level of play. He would then try to make a good play by drawing a charge and he would get another stinger like the one that he suffered in  the playoffs. He would work his way back to health. He would fully look recovered in Atlanta only to be sent crashing to the floor and injured again. While he was out Jose Calderon would take over and play to a level even higher to where Ford was. A long and frustrating recovery would bring Ford back to Toronto after some thought even Ford himself that his career may be over and he would retire. He would comeback and be forced to accept a back-up role. He has battled to make up for the loss of Bosh which would happen not long after his return. That lead to more problems and it exploded last night in T.J's rage last night. T.J Ford is a very interesting guy when you think how quiet and well mannered he is off the floor. When he steps on the floor there is a person that is full of fire and rage. That rage and frustration can come out in many ways. The key to Ford in all aspects is to balance that fire with the intellect he has to play basketball. Ford is a highly intelligent player if you think he is not you are wrong. But he is also a highly emotional player and emotion is nothing to do with logic. The return of Chris Bosh may be that calming influence that Ford is in desperate need of. If anyone can get through to T.J it could be Bosh. It is one of the many things that Bosh will have on his plate when he returns. Getting his friend in T.J back on track may not even be number one on that list.

Defense would be I would think. Bosh alone can not fix the defense of the Raptors.  However he can be a big part of the road back to respectable. The Raptors will settle for respectable and they were at that point earlier in the year. The lesson learned from last year's playoffs vs. Nets should have been that defense in the playoffs matters. So in these last 15 games finding it will be most important. No matter who the Raptors will face in the playoffs without a better defensive effort it will not matter cause Raptors will have no chance.  Bosh clearly adds a solid part to the mix but defense is really about 5 parts working as 1. Trust needs to be re-established and people need to come together as a unit. Bosh will need to get his team to all buy in to what Sam Mitchell has been selling since day 1 of training camp DEFENSE. 

Andrea Bargnani may actually be the root to Sam Mitchell losing his team. I said at the time I was against Andrea being put into the starting line-up. It went against the core values of what Sam Mitchell has always been about. He has always said that if players work than they will earn what they get as far as playing time and starts. Well Andrea had earned nothing and Sam Mitchell's credibility has taken a blow with his team I think. That could explain a lot of what has been going on. It was not a good idea to force feed Bargnani into the starting line-up. He is an emotionally fragile player and that isn't going to be fixed by giving him things he has not earned. Bargnani lacks confidence and it really is becoming a growing issue in his development. The fact Chris Bosh and Bargnani have both had injury issues at different times has not helped build chemistry between the two players. Bargnani needs to step up and show he has some toughness in him. The shot he took in Miami I thought would spark that. But I was wrong he is back to being the same Andrea that lacks confidence and rebounding. 

This only scratches the surface of what has been going wrong. Moon is starting to lose his luster and needs to start to get it as I talked about yesterday in this blog. He too may be part of the Sam Mitchell problem. A guy that Sam wants to succeed because he sees some of himself in Jamario Moon. But he can not be blinded by that and needs to honestly address if Moon deserves to start any longer. Kapono is finally starting to be a factor. But Delfino is a better defender and would likely be the choice to replace Moon. 

The little flicker of hope in this time of trouble. Anthony Parker and Rasho Nesterovic. They have played like the old pros that they are. Both have raised the level of their play with Bosh out and they now need to maintain it as Bosh returns. Things are bad for the Raptors but as bad as it is the truth is they have lost nothing yet and if they can turn it around can save this season from becoming a huge disappointment for most Raptor Fans. But the room for error is now gone. No more mistakes can be hidden the time has come to look in the mirror and decide what you are going to do to make this team better. That is the challenge for ever Raptor Player and Coach. Bosh will no doubt make sure everyone answers that challenge.

NEW POD CAST ON BOSH RETURN 

( This will be included in tomorrow's blog due to late hour )

Podcast Link:http://dinoblogger.podbean.com/2008/03/18/cb4-return/