khandor’s sports blog

FINAL SCORE: Raptors 107, Nets 106
Game Info

As was indicated in this space yesterday …

* This game had the makings of a hum-dinger
* If the Raptors were going to win, Jermaine O’Neal would need to substantially out-perform Josh Boone

… both of which happened last night.

PLAYER		MP	FGM-A	3M-A	FTM-A	+/-	OR	DR	TR	AS	PF	ST	TO	BS	BA	PTS
j.boone		13:15	0-1	0-0	0-2	-9	1	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0
j.o’neal		21:06	4-7	0-0	0-0	+8	1	3	4	2	5	0	1	0	0	8
			√		√	√		√	√	√	−		−			√

Specific aspects of this game which produced a much needed victory for the Raptors, included:

* The production at the Point Guard position from the tandem of Jose Calderon + Anthony Parker, in comparison with Devin Harris & Keyon Dooling [see the Box Score], which allowed the Raptors to keep pace with the Nets throughout the game

* Jay Triano’s sound decision to remove Bargnani from the game, in favour of Jermaine O’Neal, at the 7:38 mark of the 3rd quarter … AND, then, to not re-insert Bargnani back into the game until the 2:49 mark of the 4th Quarter … which improved the Raptors’ Pick & Roll/Pop Defense immeasurably for that stretch of 16:49 … AND, then, to remove Bargnani from the game, permanently, in favour of Jamario Moon, at the 2:19 mark of the 4th Quarter … which effectively eliminated the Nets ability to easily off-set Bargnani’s skill set with another serviceable BIG, like Ryan Anderson [i.e. an under-sized PF], for the bulk of the 2nd half 

* Devin Harris’ WIDE OPEN, flat out, miss from just 15 feet away, on the final possession of the game

* Harris’ inability to SEE the mis-match which was presented to him on the Nets’ final possession with Wince Carter isolated at the TOTK vs Chris Bosh

———-

In the NBA, when a game is decided on the outcome of the final possession, it is most often the case that:

* One team’s good fortune combines with the other’s bad … as these respective teams more-or-less played each other to an effective stand-off, in that specific contest

* Both teams do a solid job of responding effectively to the other’s mis-match opportunities which are created by the circumstances in this specific game and the use of each team’s personnel by their coaching staff

* The actual margin of victory hinges on just one good or bad decision by the player with the ball in his hands, at the time, and/or his ability to make the shot which is presented to him by the defense … using whichever scheme it sees fit … with the game on the line.

The Raptors and the Nets, as constructed, are two Middle-of-the-Pack teams, in the Eastern Conference, each of which is capable of playing .500 basketball this season and with very little separation between them.

Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Brook Lopez, Chris Bosh, Devin Harris, Jay Triano, Jermaine O'Neal, Jose Calderon, Josh Boone, Keyon Dooling, Ryan Anderson, Vince Carter

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 29th, 2009 at 12:07 pm and is filed under Basketball, NBA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.