CHICAGO — Well that was – not good. Just when you think Toronto’s skid against Chicago is about to come to an end, the wheels fall off. It was a putrid performance for three quarters of the game (the first frame was one of Toronto’s best of the entire season, go figure). The defence rested, much to Dwane Casey’s chagrin, there was no communication, no help, no quick reactions. Free-falling Chicago was desperate, but there’s still no excuse for that performance.
All DeMar DeRozan could do after was let out a frustrated laugh after one of his poorest all-around games in ages.
Patrick Patterson and Cory Joseph were fantastic, Kyle Lowry was good, but not defensively, same with Jonas Valanciunas. Otherwise, there was a lot of blame to go around. DeRozan had a dreadful effort, Terrence Ross one of his worst-ever performances. Luis Scola continues to prove why he should be coming off of the bench.
Still, despite what Twitter will tell you, the season isn’t over, they shouldn’t just pack it in now because Masai didn’t make a deal at the deadline. A move would have been a big help, even if it was the P.J. Tucker-caliber variety, but they can get by without it as long as DeMarre Carroll comes back and works his way into top form.
“They feel like we have the pieces at hand in order to make a solid push these last 30 games and have a solid playoff run,” Patterson said of, well, standing pat.
“You can take it that way that they have enough confidence in us to keep all of us together because they believe.”
JV EATS
Valanciunas throttled Pau Gasol early on, absolutely crushing him inside and rebounding like prime Dwight Howard. But it didn’t last. Valanciunas couldn’t get out on Gasol quick enough and the all-star punished him by hitting long jump shot after long jump shot. Gasol’s one of the best 7-foot passers ever and showed it, handing out nine assists past the confused Raptors. His high-low feeds were a major problem.
“Early we were playing defence. We were helping each other. That thing got away from us in the second half,” Valanciunas said.
“One blow up, one penetration, one not helping situation, that was tough. We were one step late a couple positions. They got away, they got it going and that was pretty hard.”
So was containing a reborn Derrick Rose. It was nice for the NBA to see Rose looking a fair bit like his old self. He might not have that top gear he once did, but 80% of MVP Rose is a player any team would take.
TALK THE TALK
What do the Raptors need to do to get better defensively? Lowry thinks it’s simple.
“I think communication is the big thing,” he said.
“We talk. We have to open our mouths and speak to each other and not be afraid to yell and scream. With defensive focus, I think we can win a lot of games. Just call it out. You have to be willing to be vocal. We have to have guys all on the floor talking, being loud and together. The best teams, they do that.”
EAST GOT BETTER
Patterson and Lowry were impressed with what some teams in the conference did at the deadline.
“I think Detroit got better,” Lowry said. “They did a good job of getting a longer-term core once they sign Andre (Drummond) back next summer.
“Other than that, Channing Frye gives Cleveland another shooter on the floor. But I’m not really worried about any other team. As long as we do what we need to do, that’s all that matters.”
Patterson said the East is now stronger, particularly pointing to Markieff Morris to Washington and Orlando’s upgrades.
“I thought those were great moves on behalf of those teams and I was happy for those guys,” he said.
“Put themselves in solid situations and it just means better competition in the East, more hard-fought games.”
THE LAST WORD
“It’s up to every man in that room to make up their minds they’re going to play defence,” Casey said.
“It’s one game, one game after the all-star break but it’s a bad precedent to start setting.”
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Concerns, we have a few, but don’t break your ankle jumping off Raptors bandwagon
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