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Geregistreerd op: 10 Jul 2019
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 Geplaatst: 25-07-2019 03:13:06 Onderwerp: ion worse and referring to it as a poor judgement call would |
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BROOKLYN - There are more than a few self-inflicted ways to explain the Raptors Game 3 loss, a contest they deserved to lose, but when it was all said and done the conversation surrounded a familiar quandary. How much did a series of questionable late-game calls derail Torontos comeback bid? "I mean, is that something new," Patrick Patterson asked rhetorically on the heels of Fridays 102-98 loss to Brooklyn, giving the Nets a 2-1 series advantage. Its not the first time hes made this point. Its not the first time hes had to. "In regards to calls not going our way or us feeling a certain way about referees, it has been taking place all year long," he continued. "For us to think it is going to change in the playoffs, we are fooling ourselves." The Raptors were making one final push, flirting with what would have been another unlikely comeback - which has become something of a specialty - when a couple of poor calls shifted the attention from their wretched play to the men in grey. They were down by as many as 15 points midway through the fourth quarter as they began to chip away at their well-earned deficit. Patterson hit a triple, his first of two during the run, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry both converted three-point plays. A disappointing Barclays Center crowd went from apathetic to pathetic in a hurry and before long, the Nets lead was down to four. Surprised by the comeback? "No," Patterson exclaimed. "We have done that all year long." That they have. Unfortunately, procrastination is a dangerous thing, especially in this league, especially at this time of the year. More often than not it renders you vulnerable to the elements. With 47 seconds remaining, Greivis Vasquez was whistled for a foul, one he and his team vehemently disagreed with. Moments later he was slapped with a subsequent technical foul, a rare late-game penalty - especially in the playoffs - for the fairly pedestrian protest that took place. "I wasnt really cursing or anything like that," Vasquez told reporters after the game. "I was just saying he pushed me off a little bit and they called a tech. Thats just the way it is." "I cant remember one [being called at that point of game]," DeRozan added. "Its tough, especially during that time." From that point on five fouls were called, three on the Nets, two on Toronto, one of which was intentional. The officials had put their stamp on the game. "Lets let the game be dictated by [the players]," urged Dwane Casey, who is frequently tight-lipped after his team gets jobbed by the officials, a disturbingly consistent occurrence. This night was no different. Casey began his post-game address by using whatever voice he had left to apologize for his warn out vocal cords. "Again, I like my money but Ive got to go back and look at the tape," he said, pleading the fifth. "I had a different view of [those calls] than [the officials] did." The Raptors coach was barely audible but his face said it all. This is a topic hes grown tired of dodging. "I dont want to talk about the referees," said Vasquez, another Raptor who would rather not write a cheque to the league office Saturday morning. "The referees are going to go to sleep fine, Im not going to go to sleep because we lost." "That wasnt really dictating the game or anything like that. Cant blame it on the referees. Were not going to make excuses. It was just a play and I got a tech. Its part of the game." Therein lies the unfortunate reality. The officials didnt do them any favours, they rarely do, but the Raptors can and should only look inwards. Following a hot start, carrying over from Tuesdays spirited fourth-quarter run, they were outplayed, outmuscled and outworked for the bulk of the evening. The Nets outscored Toronto 58-43 in the second and third quarters, shooting 58 per cent and holding a 20-point advantage in the paint during that stretch. Brooklyn was the aggressor on both ends of the floor and naturally that physical style of play favoured the home team. "They picked up their defence, they were a lot more aggressive," said DeRozan, who led the Raptors with his second straight 30-point outing. "Weve just got to continue to play through the hits, be more aggressive in games. Weve just got to be more conscious of doing that." Thats playoff basketball for you and no one does it better than a veteran, battle-tested team like the Nets. Want proof? See Lowry, as he hobbles out of the visitors dressing room, taking most of the boroughs ice along with him. "Hes been in a 15-round bout," Casey said of Lowry, who tweaked his right knee injury late in the first quarter, limiting him throughout the game, and needed one stitch to close up a cut - still bleeding after the game - on his lower lip. "Its part of the playoffs, man," he said. "Im happy, Im excited to be icing up at this time [of year]." Any doubt hell be in the lineup when the Nets host Game 4 on Sunday? "Is that a trick question," Lowry asked. Hell be ready to go and his team will need him. Theyll need Amir Johnson - seven points in 28 minutes Friday - to be better. Theyll need something, anything from Terrence Ross, who was held to five points, struggling in his third straight playoff contest. Theyll need to move the ball, protect it and engineer a more efficient and cohesive offence. Most of all theyll need their defence, theyll need to match Brooklyns physicality. "Its 2-1," Vasquez pointed out. "[Theres] no need to panic at all. This Sunday is going to be a must-win for us. We cant go home [down] 3-1." Aaron Gordon Jersey . Anderson is scheduled to have neck surgery April 8 to repair the injury, which occurred when he collided with the Celtics Gerald Wallace during a game in Boston on Jan. 3. The 6-foot-10 Pelicans forward, who had been averaging 19. Tracy Mcgrady Magic Jersey .com) - Patrick Reed poured in a 19-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole Monday to defeat Jimmy Walker and win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-grant-hill-magic-jersey/ . Authorities in Medina, Minn., released the details one day after Cunningham was jailed for another alleged incident with the woman he had been living with for the previous eight months. Cunningham had already been charged with felony domestic assault for allegedly choking the woman last week. Aaron Gordon Magic Jersey . 17.A string of English Premier League teams, most in the lower end of the standings, has been linked to the 32-year-old forward but most have seemingly balked at the cost given his wages and transfer fee. Nikola Vucevic Magic Jersey . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil.The FIBA World Cup gold and bronze medal matches are set. As expected, the USA plays in the championship game against unexpected upstarts Serbia. Will Strickland and Duane Watson of TSN 1050s 1 On 1 With Will & Duane share the ball this week with Postmedia news editor/writer, Hasan Alanam, also a statistics consultant for the Womens program at Canada Basketball. TSNs Three-Man-Weave assesses the World Cup as it winds down and weighs in on the unfolding situation with the Atlanta Hawks. After spoiling the anticipated FIBA World Cup Final by shocking Spain 65-52, did France become the Cinderella of the tournament? Strickland: Hard to call one of the top teams in the world and current Eurobasket champs Cinderella, even without Tony Parker and Joakim Noah, but the good money was on a final match-up between hoops superpowers Spain and the USA. Despite the heroics of Nic Batum and Boris Diaw, France was edged by the real Cinderella, Serbia, in the semi-final. Lead by Milos Teodosic (look for him possibly on an NBA roster near you someday) and the irrepressible Bogdan Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbias underdog status versus the US will have the Palacio de Los Desportes in Madrid at full tilt for what could be a thrilling final. Alanam: France stunned everyone after eliminating the only team that had a chance of beating USA and they did it without Tony Parker and several key rotational guys that helped France win the 2013 Eurobasket. Credit the French for recognizing the Diaw-Gasol mismatch and Rudy Gobert for shutting down the Spanish frontcourt. That said, France was only a big underdog in their match against Spain. Serbia, on the other hand, had a tougher path to the final after beating favourites Greece and Brazil. Theyre the Cinderella team of the tournament. Watson: France cant be a Cinderella if they are the reigning Eurobasket champions. They overachieved, but no team has surprised more than Serbia. Ranked 11th in the world, every country they defeated was ranked higher than them (Greece #5, Brazil #10 and France # and they were all beat convincingly. With little NBA-calibre talent on the roster, they have shown how a balanced team effort can pull through, compete and win. Best chance for Serbia to knock off the USA in the Finals? Strickland: Hope that the USA doesnt show to the arena? Really, if Serbia can implement a plan to keep the USAs offensive rebounds relatively even with their own to quell second and third shot opportunities, limit dribble penetration, force live ball turnovers, stay home on the shooters and make bigs like Anthony Davis, Kenneth Faried, DeMarcus Cousins and Mason Plumlee decision-makers late in the shot clock, they have a real chance. Then again, looking at that laundry list of requirements against the USA, it should be posted under Serbias Easier Said Than Done file, as well. Alanam: Serbia has an outside shot of beating the USA if they can control the pace, limit their transition game and execute efficiently. They space the floor well, have three-point shooters outside (second in the tourney in 3PT%) and have multiple ball-handlers that can run their staple high pick-and-roll play. It will be interesting to see how Milos Teodosic, arguably the best point guard in Europe, stacks up against the elite USA point guards. Watson: Im going to throw the playbook out the window here. If Serbia continues to play with confidence and never-say-die-attitude that got them to this point, they will be ok. They surely will compete and not be scared of the fact theyre playing the US. They havent backed down to anyone and wont now. They just have to be able to come up with answers defensively. Who is the MVP of FIBA World Cup 2014? Strickland: Fans vote so, itll be Pau Gasol. The tourneys in Spain. Politically correct or even accurate? No, but the FIBA World Cup is being held in Spain! Being a firm believer in the idea that the team who wins normally has the MVP on its roster, it cant be Gasol. If Serbia upsets the USA in the final, Milos Teodosic is the MVP. The 65, 27-year-old Teodosic is one of the best players in Europe and has been beyond fantastically clutch in this tournament. When the USA wins, it should be either Klay Thompson or Kenneth Faried, two guys few were sure would make the US Mens National Team, but have been vital contributors to its success. Wonder if Duane Watson voted for Andray Blatche... #Gilas Alanam: It has to be Pau Gasol, despite Spains early exit. The 34-year-old big man looked as dominant as ever in international play and appears to be finally healthy after battling injuries the last two seasons with the Lakers. He finished the tournament aaveraging about 20 points and six rebounds with a true shooting percentage of over 68 per cent.dddddddddddd Chicago Bulls fans should be optimistic about this coming season even with Derrick Rose struggling in the tournament. Watson: Well, the fans actually vote for the MVP and since the World Cup is based in Spain, Pau Gasol will walk away with the award. Deservedly so, averaging 20 points a game, 5.9 rebounds and shooting 63 per cent from the field, while leading his team to an undefeated record in pool play. Gasol has used the World Cup as a perfect springboard for a fresh start with the Chicago Bulls this season. Derrick Rose is averaging 5.4 points per game, 2.8 assists and 2.0 rebounds on 27 per cent shooting from the field in 17 minutes a game. How would you rate his return? Strickland: Disappointingly incomplete. My issues with Derrick Martell Rose, how hes handled the injuries, his role on this team and public perception of his desire are myriad, but there is nothing Ive seen from Rose in this tournament that tells me his return to the NBA will also mark his return to elite status as a player or that hes fully shaken the mental, emotional and physical hurdles someone so athletically gifted may have to leap to find peace, progress and ultimate performance after such devastating injuries. Alanam: It would be unfair to rate Rose at this point because he is coming back from two major knee surgeries and playing under a different set of rules (and with a different ball). His jumpshot isnt falling, he isnt finishing well, has turnover issues (turnover rate over 20 per cent), but his drives to the rim have looked explosive and he has played solid defence. Rose had his best game against Slovenia when he dropped 16 points, but struggled in USAs semi-final match against Lithuania. Watson: On a scale of one to 10? FIVE. Rose has shown that his knees work and are functional, but his game and competitive spirit are somewhat lacking. I wont attribute it to the competition, as he has been training with USA Basketball all summer, but the player who dominated the league a few years ago is nowhere to be seen and this is against perceived weaker competition. He still has a few more kilometres to travel on the road to getting back to himself. If Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson or GM Danny Ferrys insensitive comments occurred as isolated incidences, would there be as much of an issue? Strickland: Wouldnt have made a difference one way or the other. In light of fresh scars from the Donald Sterling/LA Clippers drama, this situation in Atlanta reads like a modern Shakespearean tragedy. Front office power struggles between Bruce Levenson, Danny Ferry, CEO Steve Koonin and co-owner Michael Gearon, who looks to be the whistleblower here, are only the tip of the iceberg. Danny Ferry committed potential career suicide by claiming he was only reiterating words from a scouting report on then-free agent and fellow Duke alum Luol Deng, instead of speaking extemporaneously. And Bruce Levenson, in an attempt to address market pressures, but in racially insensitive tones, is relinquishing his majority ownership of the club, aware of the consequences of his judgement. It may get worse before it gets better in the ATL. Alanam: In the post-Donald Sterling era, any time when there is any sort of racially charged comments coming from a high-ranking front office member of a team, its going to be a big deal. This is a league thats predominantly African-American and has always gotten high marks for its diversity, so this goes completely against what they stand for. Luckily for the NBA, they have the Ray Rice situation unfolding at the same time. This could have been a lot worse. Watson: The coupling of the statements spells bad news for the Hawks, but individually, particularly in the light of Donald Sterlings Clippers fiasco, they would likely have had the same amount of weight. Levensons insensitive e-mail was damning and a sale of his majority share was inevitable. Ferrys mishandling of statements that werent his, made the situation worse and referring to it as a poor judgement call would be a gross understatement. He apologized, but is the only one who hasnt owned up to what he said, unlike Sterling or Levenson. The fact they both happened within a relatively short timeframe of one another speaks to the culture in the Atlanta organization, which is in desperate need of change. The Three-Man Weave contributors are co-hosts of TSN Radio 1050s 1 On 1 with Will & Duane, Will Strickland (@WallStrizzle1), Duane Watson (@DuaneWatson) and Postmedia News editor / writer Hasan Alanam (@hasanalanam). ' ' ' |
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