Thursday, June 23, 2011

Toeing Doug's mail bag

You remember how this works. Cribbing from DJF, I take a peek at Doug's mail bag, scan for the 20% or so questions that relate to the NBA, and offer our own answers. I also avoid reading Smithereen's responses as my doctor is imploring me to keep my blood pressure down.

Q: Hey Doug  BRF. Thanks for the work all year.




Look forward to your take on what should be an interesting off season ahead.


Two comments (with hopes you share your thoughts)


Interesting what Bosh said in his post game interview - about how he should have seen the ball more - been more of an option - because he was feeling good and shooting a good average. Didn't he give that up when he left Toronto? Didn't he know what he was getting into? I wonder if he misses "being the man?"


What do you think?




I would think it is quite obvious that Dwane Casey is the next coach: He is defensive minded, tough on his players, and was able to hide the seven-foot jump shooter in the defense (just what the Raps need, isn't it?) Would you go so far as to think that Casey is the candidate to get if they want to keep Bargnani?


Ren R, Swastika


First off, thanks for the question, Adolf. I understand you're originally from Assrape, Ontario so please get in touch and let me know how you're enjoying your new town.

Chris Bosh most assuredly touched the ball less this year. His decreased production was proportional to taking less shots than he did in Toronto. And his passing has dropped off a cliff, handcuffing one of his best skills -- an indication of either a touch deficit or a quicker trigger. That said, his playoffs mirrored his season with the Heat pretty well in terms of FGA/36, Usage%, Assist%, etc.

If the question is should Bosh touch the ball more in comparison to Eddie House and Juwan Howard, the answer is resoundingly "mmm hmm." But in relation to LeBron and Wade? "Nuh uhh."

About Dwayne Casey (who's been announced at this time as the next Raptors coach) I remember reports out of Minnesota calling him unprepared, unable to control players and employer of bizarre substitution patterns. Let's hope everyone in Minnesota is perma-drunk. Heil, Ren.



Q: Hi Doug BRF A little while back when it appeared that Enes Kanter had turned down a session with the HOTHC, you had suggested that "maybe a promise was made". I'm assuming you meant that a team above the Raptors might have promised to draft him. Having said that, are there any rules that teams must follow with draft eligible players? Can they promise to draft someone, or even if drafted to pay a certain bonus structure to the salary etc before they actually draft them? Thanks as always for your insight.


Sohail G, Collingwood


My understanding is yes to promises, though I don't think a team would admit it and I don't know what would stand up to any verbal contract law. But no, they would not be able to negotiate. This answer was boring. Diarrhea!!!



Q: Hi Doug BRF  Since the Finals ended, many people have said or written that experience counts in the NBA. That "you have to lose before you can win it all". Nowitzki had to "learn" how to win and that maybe LeBron still has to learn that trait or skill-set (not sure what to call it).

My question: without being able to look back on a player's career, can we predict, or have a hunch, as to whether a player will "learn" or "get it" in order to win in the future? That is, are there present traits that may increase future chances of "learning how to win"?



Thanks,


Diego S, Toronto



No, Diego, we can't because that's backwards rationalizing, results-oriented bull crappy. Five years ago, a team with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry lost a finals series to a team with Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. This year, the reverse happened. No mythical maturity journeys were involved in the outcome of a best-of-seven.

Generally, I'd want my players to train, practice, sleep, not contract diseases, and lay off the pipe. But if Chris Anderssen can be effective using the same brain that thought it a good idea to get tattooed up to his cheekbones and snort so much powder he had to buy a lift ticket, then maybe nothing really matters. (any way the wind blooooowwwwsss)

I was so tempted to read Doug's response here. I bet it's a 31 on the folksiness scale (17-34 with 26 being somewhere in the middle).


Q: Hi Doug BRF, I read an article by Eddie Johnson which said that LeBron is more like Magic Johnson rather then Michael Jordan. Explaining that he much prefers assisting than scoring and they Miami need players who will lessen the scoring load on LeBron. I felt inclined to agree. What are your thoughts on this?


Chaz E, London



From a physical point of view,  LeBron sizes up closer to Magic than Mike (but James still has 40 pounds on either of them). But I don't think this is what the reference implies. In the hallowed pantheon of basketball giants, Jordan is generally considered the best while Magic is referred to as #2 of all time (with apologies to Kareem and Primoz "The Gangster" Brevec). The implication being, if you emulate Magic Johnson, you can only ever be as good as Magic Johsnon, therefore you like Silver Medals therefore you're a soft baby loser.

Let's look closer at the numbers. If being like Mike involves taking making field goals instead of passing, then let's note MJ per/36 (starter's minutes) FG made: 10.7 career. LeBron: 8.9. That pansy Magic? 6.7. So there you go. I guess. You win the "LeBron couldn't carry Mike's testicles" alpha dog pissing contest, if you're into that sort of thing. The comparison is obviously a dig. People with gonad brains comprehend emulation to equal dominance. So if Kobe flails shots and grimaces like Jordan flailed shots and grimaced, then Kobe must be as good as Jordan.

That was a long, drawn out way to say "passing's for pussies."


Q: Hey  Doug BRF, Admittedly I only watched the finals on and off (a lot of off actually) but what did you make of Spoelstra's use of Joel Anthony in the finals? His minutes were down, and he rarely saw the court in the 4th quarter, even though the Heat seemed to have a lot of defensive lapses late in each game (game 2 for example). And Joel only played about 11 minutes in game 6. Sure, he doesn't score, but he's not there to score. There's supposed to be 3 other guys doing that. They needed stops late in games, and they didn't get them. Any thoughts?

Love the blog.

Cheers,

Duke L, Toronto

Thanks for the love, Duke L. I hope the "L" stands for "Love." Duke Love loves. 

I sincerely hope Joel Anthony plays for Team Canada and recruits his teammate, the 46 year old Jamaaaaaaal Magloire plus Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph, Samuel Dalembert, Matt Bonner and Steve Nash. I could take or leave Andy Rautins. 

But he's a extremely limited player who lacks offensive skills so glaringly, the Mavs wouldn't even put a defender on him. He fouls too much and never seems to be in good positions to get defensive rebounds. But he's a terrific shot blocker and athletic enough to crash the offensive boards and I guess that's why he still has an NBA job. What was the question, Duke of Love? Oh, game six. Yeah, it looked like Spoelstra was trying desperation line-ups trying to stave off defeat hence the Eddie House presence. The other three centres seemed to have fossilized by the end which was good news for Joel fans but the return of Haslem meant the Heat could play two skill players in the (small) front court. I'd do the same thing, wouldn't you?

There's another question about a Hofstra point guard who I've never heard about. I'd be my third testicle neither has Doug.


This was fun and only took me three days to write.

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