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Golf-gate?

Michael Grange, today at 1:01 PM = EDT

Sam Mitchell's pet phrase in situations like this is =93Nunyo,=94 as = in =93None of=20 your business.=94

Did he play golf late Sunday afternoon the day before the = Raptors lost=20 their elimination game against the Orlando Magic?

=93Nunyo.=94

Did he make a late decision to change the Raptors travel plans to = accommodate=20 said golf game?

=93Nunyo.=94

Does he think it strange that in the past week two influential = U.S.-based=20 basketball writers have published unflattering and =96 in at least one = case=20 blatantly untrue =96 portraits of him and his coaching ability and his = dedication=20 to his craft or to his team?:

=93This is BS,=94 Mitchell said yesterday morning as he was getting = ready to head=20 home to Atlanta for a few days off.

That's the short answer.

The longer version runs like a spring river flowing downhill, running = over=20 the banks, touching on Pat Riley, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Barak Obama, = Martin=20 Luther King jr. and even the late Charles Kuralt, the former CBS news = reporter.=20

But the bottom line is the same: =93This is BS=94

His teams play hard, are well-prepared and don't quit, says Mitchell. = And the=20 rest is just talk. Cheap talk.

And, by the way, Raptors president Bryan Colangelo, the person who=20 theoretically might be influenced or informed by the stories and their = timing =96=20 what with the off-season coaching carousel already spinning madly =96 = agrees with=20 him.

He just says it a little differently.

=93I met Sam [on Wednesday] and it was a normal, end of season = meeting,=94 said=20 Colangelo. =93We discussed a lot of things; the season, the off-season; = the state=20 of the team; our relationship, everything. It was a good meeting and we = both=20 walked out of the room on the basis that he was coaching the team moving = forward. I thought I put this to rest the other day, but let me say = this: We=20 have no intention of making a coaching change =96 period.

=93It's not an issue. He has three years left on his deal and what = happened in=20 the playoffs does not affect his status here. We lost to a very good = basketball=20 team.=94

For those who missed it, last Sunday New York Post columnist Peter = Vecsey=20 quoted unnamed sources in the Raptors dressing room saying that Mitchell = was=20 introducing a game plan for countering Los Angeles Lakers centre Andrew = Bynum=20 only to be told by Chris Bosh that Bynum was injured, and hadn't played = for=20 weeks.

How embarrassing, yet entirely fabricated, at least according to = Vecsey, who=20 recanted the entire thing on Tuesday =96 =93I'll take the Rap for the = Sam Slam=94 the=20 headline read -- in one of the most thorough apologies you'll ever read = outside=20 of a court-ordered settlement.

On Wednesday Adrian Wojnarowski, the respected NBA columnist for = Yahoo Sports=20 delivered another shot across Mitchell's bow, referring to an=20 =93ever-deteriorating=94 relationship between Mitchell and Colangelo = marked by=20 =93constant confrontations=94 over Mitchell's treatment of Andrea = Bargnani.

As well, Wojnarowski wrote, Colangelo =93flipped out=94 upon learning = Mitchell=20 went golfing Sunday afternoon.

Colangelo disagreed at the characterization.

=93I'm not going to talk about something that happened [on = Sunday], but=20 did I flip out? No I did not flip out.=94

And as for conflicts over Bargnani, Colangelo allowed that the lack = of=20 development by the 2006 No.1 pick was the source of considerable = discussion over=20 the course of the season, but not conflict.

=93A lot of people like to say a lot of things, but it's not like = people want=20 to make it out to be, it's like were almost came to blows,=94 said = Colangelo.=20 =93It's a bit much.=94

Says Mitchell about Bargnani: =93We all have to take a bit out of = that=20 apple.=94

And as for golf-gate?

We're going to go out on a limb here: There's a very real chance that = Mitchell played golf on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Orlando, and there's = distinct possibility that Darrick Martin was with him. And might = Colangelo have=20 been less than thrilled at the optics, if not the fact of said golf = game? Again,=20 just speculating, but yes.

And were some players less than thrilled at having to get up early on = Sunday=20 morning =96 remember, NBA players work nights =96 for an 8 a.m. flight = instead of=20 practicing at the Air Canada Centre and flying out that afternoon, as = had been=20 originally scheduled? That's a safe bet. Like the rest of the general=20 population, NBA players prefer to sleep in.

Like all NBA coaches Mitchell has the final say on his team's travel = plans.=20 His explanation was that he wanted his team to practice at Amway Arena = to have=20 another day of shooting on the Magic's home court. The Raptors tried to = arrange=20 a flight out on Saturday night, but couldn't on short notice, so the = decision=20 was made to leave Sunday morning.

"We were walking off the practice floor at 1:30 in Orlando,=94 said = Mitchell.=20 =93That's the same time we would have been just getting to the airport = if we=20 practiced at home. Now guys had the rest of the day to do what they = wanted.=94

And did Mitchell use the time to stratch his low-handicap golf itch? =

Nunyo.

"What difference does it make what a coach or a player does with his = down=20 time?=94 says Mitchell. =93If I took some hiking boots and went to a = park for a hike=20 to clear my head, is that okay? If I took a nap for the afternoon, is = that okay?=20 Some people like to lie by the pool and read a book, we guess what? I = don't need=20 a tan.=94

You want to know what Mitchell thinks is =93someyo?=94

The fact that his team was down two points midway through the fourth = quarter=20 on the road in a playoff game against a 52-win team and the consensus = favourite=20 to win the series.

=93We were right where we wanted to be,=94 says Mitchell. =93Do = you know how=20 many defenses we put in? How much film work we did? We didn't get = tricked, we=20 didn't get fooled. We knew what they were running. We knew their calls. = My team=20 was prepared and we didn't fold up and quit.

=93This stuff has nothing to do with anything. We got beat by a = better=20 basketball team.=94

The ultimate proof of course, is that Colangelo, who has never been = slow on=20 the trigger based on his history in Phoenix, signed Mitchell to a = four-year deal=20 just a year ago, and has no plans to release him of the obligation = now.

Which isn't to say there's not an ember somewhere in all the smoke. =

The NBA is a strange place to do business, full of intrigue and = double-deals.=20 And this off-season only promises to be one of the most unsettled in = years. The=20 Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Miami = Heat,=20 Chicago Bulls head the list of a long line of teams that have had failed = to meet=20 expectations.

Some of have made coaching changes, some might yet. There's a load of = potential roster juggling that comes with that. A lot of innuendo too. = But=20 Colangelo wants none of it.

=93People play all these games trying to poison the well,=94 he said. = =93I'm not=20 going to participate.=94

What kind of games? If you're a coaching agent trying to create an=20 opportunity for your client a well-placed rumour just might help speed = things=20 along. That breeds speculation about the Suns Mike D'Antoni making = possibly=20 re-connecting with his friend and former employer in Toronto, = far-fetched as it=20 might be. The latest is that newly installed New York Knicks president = Donnie=20 Walsh might reach out to Mitchell, who played for Walsh in Indiana, to = help him=20 turnaround the Knicks.

That would require a phone call to Colangelo to ask for permission, = which=20 hasn't happened, he said yesterday, before emphasizing again that = Mitchell will=20 remain his coach.

As for Mitchell? =93I've got a job and I'm trying to keep it,=94 he = said before=20 beginning a brief vacation.

Plans to play some golf?

Nunyo.

D'Antoni?

Michael Grange, 30/04/08 at 11:08 = AM=20 EDT

And now the off-season.

Thanks to everyone who has been contributing their thoughts, = suggestions,=20 questions and observations on the season just past and the immediate = future. I'm=20 still open for business at mgrange@globeandmail.com or = in the=20 comments section. As always I'm impressed at the passion and the quality = of=20 thought that goes into almost all of the responses. The Raptors are = lucky to=20 have fans of that calibre. I will be sorting through them, likely = dividing them=20 by theme =96 and yes, there do seem to be some recurring themes =96 and = responding=20 over the coming days. What else is there to do? For now however I'll = start with=20 some bullet points, in no particular order.

=B7 This may not have a direct impact on the average Raptors = fan, at least=20 on the surface, but follow and you see how that it really, really does. = Jim=20 Labumbard has run the Raptors media relations operation for about a = decade I'm=20 guessing, and I have never heard a reporter or any other media = member say=20 anything other than =93Jim's the best.=94 Finally the rest of the league = figured it=20 out and Jim was voted media relations executive of the year by the = Basketball=20 Writers Association, an announcement that came down yesterday. Writing = about pro=20 sports is a dream job but not always dreamy, and =96 surprise, surprise = =96 those=20 who do it are on various occasions grumpy, sleepy, dopey (sometimes = really,=20 really dopey), wrong, and who knows what else. As the person who manages = the=20 relationship between the team and the people who bring news of the team = out to=20 the fans (see, this is relevant) Jim walks the perfect line between the = team's=20 interests and our interests, which don't always coincide. He's hired a = great=20 staff that follow his lead and generally makes what can be a stressful = situation=20 a lot of fun. His recognition was well-deserved and long over due.

=B7 So Bryan Colangelo makes clear that there is no coaching = change in the=20 works and especially =96 especially! =96 makes the point that all that = rumour and=20 speculation about any possibility that Mike D'Antoni would ever end up = here is=20 just that, rumour and speculation. =93Story-telling,=94 he called it. = And then, you=20 know, Jack=20 McCallum reports that D'Antoni will not be back with the Suns, = citing a=20 rift between him and the Suns hierarchy.

=B7 So is it relevant to push the D'Antoni to Toronto idea now? = Hmmm.=20 McCallum, who wrote the=20 book on the Suns, cites Chicago (really?) and New York as = possible=20 landing spots and downplays Toronto as a soft landing, writing: "There = has also=20 been whispers of D'Antoni's taking over in Toronto, where Sam Mitchell's = coaching future is an ongoing discussion and where Bryan Colangelo, = D'Antoni's=20 former boss in Phoenix and still a close friend, is calling the shots. = But=20 Toronto doesn't seem as comfortable a fit for D'Antoni as Chicago or = even New=20 York. Don't look for that to happen."

=B7 I accept McCallum's take, because give his relationship with = a lot of=20 principles involved here, he would be in a good position to know, but = his logic=20 is flawed. I can't see any way how Chicago or New York are suited to his = style=20 more or less than the Raptors would. Can you?

=B7 I made a point of staying up to watch the end of the = Suns era,=20 as it turned out. When the Shaq trade went down I wasn't overly = optimistic about=20 how it would play out. But overall I just felt like here was this bold=20 basketball experiment that was being trashed just a bit too early. Or at = least=20 the idea that the way they played couldn't =91win' =96 if winning is = defined as=20 being an NBA champion =96 was just not true. There are lots of ways to = play that=20 don't end up delivering an NBA title =96 29 of them every year as a = matter of=20 fact. The Suns way =96 or the D'Antoni way or the Colangelo way =96 came = closer than=20 almost all of them in recent years but never quite got there more = because of=20 extenuating post-season circumstances (Joe Johnson getting hurt in 2005; = Amare=20 missing the 2006 season; the suspensions in 2007) than the process, I'm=20 convinced. But whether it was the owner or Steve Kerr or D'Antoni = or=20 Marion's neediness or Nash's frustration they caved and made the Shaq = deal, and=20 then in the stretch, with the game, season and the whole damn franchise = on the=20 line, they kept going to Boris Diaw in the post. Perfect.

Feedback=20 please

Michael Grange, 29/04/08 at 1:02 PM = EDT

One series, some things, v1.5

Well, how was that for = you? Not=20 that satisfying I bet. I haven't got any things up because I worked late = and was=20 up before dawn and had some loose ends to tie up upon landing and am now = at the=20 ACC waiting for the Raptors to come out for their post-mortems, which = will take=20 up the rest of the day. After that my schedule opens up=20 considerably.

In the interim, why not -- via email (mgrange@globeandmail.com) = or the=20 comments section -- give me your two cents: Do you have questions? Trade = suggestions? Prescriptions for the future, antitdotes for the present?=20

Send along some good stuff and I'l respond to the most = interesting=20 and most enlightened. And try and be more original that trade T.J. and = fire Sam,=20 though I understand that sentiment might creep in there, I'm just=20 guessing.

In the meantime, I will direct you to one of the = most=20 boot-licky apologies I've ever read, made even more delicious in that = it's=20 delivered by Peter=20 Vescey, whose noted for putting his own boots in less savour places. =

Enjoy.

Gameday=20 update

Michael Grange, 28/04/08 at 2:02 PM = EDT

A few gameday updates:

* Moon is planning to play. He said this morning that he worked out = in the=20 hotel pool with the Raptors trainers on Sunday and said his sore groin = felt fine=20 today, so he's good to go barring any setback in the warm-up.

* The Raptors have to win the point guard battle. In the Magic's = three wins=20 Jameer Nelson's numbers tell the story as Nelson is averaging 20.3 = points on=20 57.6 per cent shooting =96 including nine-of-15 from deep =96 in the = three Magic=20 wins. In the Magic's lone loss, Nelson scored six points and missed by = his=20 triples while shooting two-of-eight.

*Raptors fans who watched Turkoglu take over the fourth quarter on = Saturday=20 can at least be satisfied that it was a best effort by the NBA's most = improved=20 player, an award Turkoglu officially won = today.=20

Some interested Raptors-related elements include the fact that Jose = Calderon=20 finished seventh in the voting, which seems a bit low. I'd have him no = worse=20 than second or third, for the simple fact that the players ahead of him = are=20 primarily second or third-year pros. Rudy Gay =96 who finished second = =96 improved?=20 Well, what else is he supposed to do? Calderon is 26 and has advanced = his game=20 in measurable ways =96 particularly his ability to shoot from range =96 = and he was=20 able to maintain those improvements as he started for a big part of the = season.=20 To me this award should really be for guys who have been in the league = for a=20 while or =96 in Calderon's case, been professionals for a while =96 so = you can=20 measure guys who have actually improved their skills instead of players = who are=20 making natural progressions. The other guy who fits this category is = Mike=20 Dunleavy.

Oh, and speaking of natural progressions: No. 2 on the most improved = list was=20 Rudy Gay; No. 3 was LaMarcus Aldridge; No. 5 was Rajon Rondo. The common = denominator here was that all three were taken after Bargnani, who = somehow=20 failed to get a vote. Interestingly fellow 2006 draftee Brandon Roy got = only two=20 third place votes. I can only presume because his excellence is already = clearly=20 established.

And one more: While the NBA doesn't offer statistics like = fourth-quarter=20 scoring (why not?), the number are tracked and as Raptors fans learned = first=20 hand on Saturday, Turkoglu ranks behind only LeBron and Kobe in the = category,=20 according to John Denton who covers the Magic for Florida Today, but who = offered=20 this item for ESPN.com:

=93All you need to know to quantify just how much improvement = Orlando Magic=20 small forward Hedo Turkoglu made this season is this very telling=20 statistic:

The NBA's top three fourth-quarter scorers this season were = Cleveland's=20 LeBron James (645), Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant (538) and Turkoglu (487). =

=85.For years, Turkoglu had been thought of as a player with = enormous=20 potential and talent, but not nearly enough production. All of that = changed this=20 season when new Magic coach Stan Van Gundy put the ball in his hands and = the=20 confidence in him that he could blossom into an elite player.

And needless to say, Turkoglu responded. He averaged career highs = in=20 points (19.5), rebounds (5.7), assists (5.0), field goal percentage = (45.6) and=20 minutes (36.9) and he played in all 82 games for the first time in his=20 eight-year NBA career. He also set new career highs for points in a game = (39=20 against Washington in March), rebounds (15 versus Toronto in November) = and=20 assists (13 against Atlanta in March) this season.

But where Turkoglu was most dangerous was in fourth quarters. = Even with=20 Dwight Howard's stardom exploding in Orlando and Rashard Lewis added to = the mix=20 after signing a $118 million contract, Turkoglu was the Magic's choice = in the=20 tense moments of games. And he delivered with two game-winning shots and = winning=20 a third with two clutch free throws in the closing seconds. The faith = the Magic=20 showed in Turkoglu helped fortify a confidence level that was sometimes = shaky in=20 the past.

"Knowing that my coach and my teammates believed in me and = trusted me,=20 meant everything to me," said Turkoglu, who had two triple-doubles this = season.=20 "I didn't want to let them down. I've just tried to stay aggressive and = help my=20 team.=94

One=20 series, some things, V1.4 - LIVE(ish)

Michael Grange, 26/04/08 at 5:44 PM = EDT

It's been a while since I've tried a liveish blog, Raptors v. Real = Madrid, to=20 be specific. Raptors didn't handle the pressure too well that night, = let's see=20 how they do this time around. Stakes are higher. Here we go:

Pre-game: Herbie is rocking an AP jersey. I've not noticed this = before. Does=20 it make other guys jealous? AP's not the only guy he goes to pre-game = chapel=20 with you know. Look for Moon to be bitter.

Pretty good energy in the building, I have to say, TTC strike = or no.=20 Spontaneous =91Let's Go Raptors' and everything. Let's face it, this is = big: Lose=20 this and Thursday night was kind of a mirage. Win and you're serious = about=20 winning this series.

First Quarter:

8:37: Wow, what a start. It has to be fun to play in this = environment. How=20 many people have, in the whole world, ever? 10,000? 100,000 thousand? = It's=20 pretty rare, that's for sure.

=B7 Bargnani drills his = first three =96=20 the first basket of the game -- then misses his next two shots: Even = when he's=20 hot, he's cold.

=B7 Howard and Bosh are = matched up=20 and locked in =96 Bosh has two steals already; Howard has a couple of = dunks and=20 blocks. I'm predicting some serious numbers from these guys

=B7 What is Howard's = ceiling? In the=20 last minute he just found a cutting Maurice Evans for a dunk while being = triple-teamed and then hit a left-handed jump hook while being fouled. = Add a=20 solid face-up 15 footer and 70-per-cent foul shooting and he will have a = chance=20 to be on the very, very, short list of best centres ever. Anyone care to = argue?

2:40:

=B7 Home court works much = better when=20 you're making shots as the crowd really gets to cheer.

=B7 On this not, the = Raptors shot=20 selection is pretty week. Bargnani has taken three questionable ones and = missed=20 them all; Parker tries a fadeaway off a curl and that was about a 9 on = the no=20 chance scale. Meanwhile Bosh, who can get what he wants against Howard, = has had=20 only five attempts, Raps down five on merit

=B7 Kapono subs in crowd = cheers, as=20 they should. He then scores on his first touch and gets smacked in the = mug=20 again, for like the fifth time this series, including the time T.J. hit = him in=20 the face with the ball in Orlando.

=B7 Living and dying with = Moon: Keith=20 Bogans drills a three because Moon forgot to rotate to him; Sam goes = crazy; Moon=20 tries to dunk over Howard, no luck and is kind of slow to get up. But he = runs=20 back down court in time to nearly block Rashard Lewis. Lewis pumps and = goes, but=20 then Moon picks of his pass and finishes the =91And-one' at the other = end and then=20 makes a steal to start another break.

=B7 Raptors have a foul to = give at=20 the end of the quarter, don't use it and Dooling scores a layup. If they = lose by=20 two, this could be why.

=B7 Magic lead 31-26

Second quarter:

=B7 Weird sub: Bosh starts = the=20 quarter and is being covered by Martin Gortat. On his first touch Bosh = settles=20 for a jumper and misses, and Sam subs for Rasho. My guess is he saw = Chris take=20 the =91easy' way and figured he needed a blow.

=B7 Rashard Lewis doesn't = look that=20 strong, but he just over-powered Moon in the post; it wasn't even close. = Next=20 trip the Raptors had to double, get mixed up on a rotation and Lewis = ends up=20 with a wide-open jumper, which he misses. If this guy ever gets Kapono = (new word=20 for hot), the series is done.

=B7 Kapono is = =85.ridiculous. He's like=20 the Greg Maddox of the NBA: he actually appears quick sometimes because = people=20 have to react to his fakes because there's a good chance he'll take it = and make=20 it if you don't. Imagine if he had a dose of explosive ability? Or if = Bargnani=20 had a little of his savvy?

=B7 Nice sub: after Lewis = has his way=20 on a couple of post-ups, Sam comes back with Bosh.

5:31

=B7 Bosh is now on the line = for his=20 second-straight =91and-one'. I swear he's not even warmed up. I think = he's going=20 to have a big afternoon.

=B7 This =91Howard, = Howard' stuff=20 is working: He's now missed three straight free throws.

=B7 Howard just got called = for three=20 seconds, in part because Kapono got a hand on the entry pass. = Deflections and=20 the number of loose balls that get chased down are stats that some teams = (probably all) keep internally and are likely highly correlative to a = winning=20 effort. In my mind's eye, the Raptors are winning this category. It also = explains why Toronto has nine fast break point to nada by Orlando.

2:40, 47-40 Raptors

=B7 That four-and-a-basket = in=20 transition by Ford was big as the Raptors had taken and missed some very = tough=20 shots to that point, creating a bit of a drought.

=B7 That said: the Raptors = had missed=20 five free throws in three games and after Ford's miss have now missed = four in=20 one half. That combined with 1-of-6 three-point shooting does not bode=20 positively

=B7 How good was that = rebound and=20 finish by Bosh to end the half? He's got Howard 21-12 for the first two=20 quarters.

Third Quarter: Okay, up five at the half in your own building with a = chance=20 to tie the series. If this doesn't happen this is officially peeing on = your=20 shoes.

=B7 Big shot: Bosh hits a = jumper over=20 Howard after two misses. He's been fighting his shot a little and he = needs it if=20 he's really going to take advantage of Superman.

=B7 Moon just slipped on a = fast break=20 and has been holding his groin ever since =85at least until he grabs a = rebound at=20 the square and starts a fastbreak that leads to a Bosh dunk to push the = Raptors=20 lead to seven. If they sit him now he's done for the game though, once = something=20 like that gets tight you're finished; might be done for the series too. = The Raps=20 p.r. guys are saying the official word is he's available to return. I = say it's=20 not their groin.

6:59, 63-56 Raptors:

=B7 Either the Dance Pak = has=20 tightened their rotation for the post-season or some of the regulars = couldn't=20 get in because of the TTC strike. You'd think they could get a = ride=85.

=B7 As of now the Raptors = have got=20 nine points total from their starting two guard and starting small = forward.

=B7 Howard gets called for = his second=20 three-second violation of the game. I guessing the Raptors have been on = the refs=20 about this.

2:59, 71-67

=B7 Van Gundy's rotation is = pretty=20 tight right now. He's got six guys who have played 20 minutes so far. = Only eight=20 players have seen the floor, with the bottom two in for seven and six = minutes.=20 Sam has nine players with at least 10 minutes of floor time so far.

=B7 Howard just clobbered = Bosh going=20 for an offensive rebound and got the foul. He looked so disappointed. In = this=20 sense he's like that Big Red Dog http://pbskids.= org/clifford/index-brd-flash.html,=20 Clifford. You're that big, sometimes things are just going to get in the = way.

=B7 The Raptors have been = doing a=20 good job of making Howard turn to his right shoulder and fouling him = hard enough=20 that he can't finish. That's about all you can do.

=B7 Howard is now 1-of-6 = from the=20 line; the crowd deserves some serious props for this.

Fourth Quarter, 74-73

=B7 Always good to start = the fourth=20 quarter by forcing a 30-footer as the shot-clock expires.

=B7 When Howard isn't on = the floor,=20 the Magic don't look like a team that could have lost 52 games this = year; no=20 offence to Martin Gortat.

=B7 Calderon gets his first = bucket at=20 the nine minute mark after over-dribbling but finally making the lay-up = sort of=20 like=85never mind.

8:19, 78-78

=B7 Turkoglu looks like he = wants to=20 take over, maybe.

=B7 Is there a bad Kapono, = good=20 Kapono? Bad Kapono: catches the ball, is kind of open, but pump fakes = and tries=20 to finish at the rim over (under?) Howard. Yes, that ended up in a = blocked shot.=20 I mean, you don't get points for trying in this league, okay? The play = continues=20 and the ball finds Kapono again and he drills his 12th three in his last = 19=20 attempts.

5:32, 85-83 Magic

=B7 Sam comes back with T.J = and I=20 agree. He's been pretty good today and Raptors need some easy baskets. = Just as I=20 type this he chases down a loose ball, goes the length of the floor and = gets=20 Parker an easy hoop in transition for his 12th assist, Raps down by = one.

=B7 We haven't seen this = much in this=20 series: Calderon comes in for Delfino after Carlos fouls out. Chris = Black is so=20 excited right now.

=B7 Don't look now, but = Nelson is=20 hitting three and Turkoglu is breaking guys down of the dribble, and the = Magic=20 are in bonus now (3:11 to play). This is not good, considering the = Raptors are=20 stuck five.

=B7 Great play by Ford: = dribble=20 penetration and lay-up for Bosh; 92-90 Magic, 258

=B7 The Magic are basically = going at=20 Kapono every chance they get.

=B7 Turkogly pushes off. A = lot. But=20 he just made a three and the Raptors are stuck five again.

=B7 Lewis drains a = wide-open three=20 after Nelson makes the paint on a high-screen and roll. the Raptors are = down=20 eight with 1:31 to play and Orlando's thinking that $118-million wasn't = such a=20 bad spend in the end.

1:24, 102-92 Magic

=B7 The Magic's formula all = year has=20 been to let Howard get them to the fourth quarter and let everyone else = take=20 them home. He hasn't scored in the quarter yet, but Lewis has 10; Nelson = had 10=20 and Turkoglu has 10. Oh, and the Magic lead by 10.

Well. That's about it. Raptors waste a huge effort by Bosh -- = 39 and 15=20 won't taste very good in defeat. Someone forgot to tell Calderon, = Bargnani and=20 Delfino to show up, and the Magic realized that no matter how well = Kapono=20 shoots, if you attack him enough on the other end the worst you should = do is=20 break even. The Raptors are now 0-2 in From Deep Live(ish) blog games, = and trail=20 this series 3-1 with Game 5 on Monday night. I'm not feeling their = chances for=20 sweeping the last three, including two games on the road. Orlando in = Five?

A few post-game notes:

=B7 Three-point shooting is = such a=20 game changing factor. You don't win games likes this shooting 2-of-15 as = the=20 Raptors did.

=B7 Fourth quarter only = stats:=20 Turkoglu, Lewis and Nelson combine for 32 of the Magic's 33 points on = 9-of-12=20 shooting including five-of-six from three and nine-of-13 from the = line.

=B7 Talked to Moon after = the game. He=20 said he figured his slipped on a wet spot and pulled his groin, or so = they tell=20 him: =93I didn't hear a =91pop',=94 he said. =93I just strained it, it's = sore. I wish I=20 could tell you what the doctors said, but it was doctor talk. [but] I'm = not=20 sitting out [Game 5].=94

=B7 Sam: =93The focus is to = go into=20 Orlando and win a basketball game and try to get back home. I mean, it's = just=20 that simple. There is nothing brilliant I can tell you, other than we = have got=20 to focus and remember that we came within a shot of winning down there = in Game=20 Two, so we know we're capable of playing down there. We have got to = fight like=20 dickens. We've got to go out kicking and screaming, so everything we've = go we=20 got to put into it.

=B7 Trade Jose.

=B7 Kidding.

Coaching=20 is crazy

Michael Grange, 25/04/08 at 10:54 = AM=20 EDT

As I hope came across in my=20 column, coaching is crazy. Sam and his staff huddle and ponder and = think and=20 decide to change the starting lineup in Game 1 and get =96 arguably =96 = burned by it=20 in Game 1 and 2. In Game 3 he makes another change, though really just a = return=20 to the lineup they used most this season (Bosh, Bargnani, Moon, Parker = and Ford=20 was in place 36 times this season and the Raptors were .583) but not = regularly=20 for a while, given injuries to Ford, then Bosh and then Bargnani's = performance=20 compared with Nesterovic later in the season.

And while it made = sense on=20 one level, the risks of playing two struggling shooters =96 Ford and = Moon =96 at the=20 same time when it seemed to play directly into the Magic's game plan, = basically=20 allowing them to ignore two guys and let Howard and Nelson crowd Bosh. = But what=20 do you know?

Moon gives an energy boost that helped feed the = crowd and=20 Ford answered a lot of critics =96 myself included =96 by giving the = Raptors just=20 what they needed and making the Magic pay by hitting those mid-range = jumpers.=20 Bargnani was even good =96 battling Howard, hitting some key shots and = generally=20 being active. I'm tempted to point out that he still shot 4-of-11, was = 1-of-5=20 from three and somehow avoided getting a rebound in 23 minutes, but the = reality=20 is he was effective and he deserves credit for competing as hard as he = did.=20 Similarly, Sam made some moves, didn't make others and they all worked. = The=20 number one measuring stick for a coach =96 and it's grossly imperfect = =96 is did his=20 team respond to his words and deeds? In this case the answer is yes. The = coaching business no easier to figure out as a result.

One Series, some things, v1.3

1. Obviously T.J. Ford is a Globe reader. There it was in black-and-white yester= day=20 morning and on the Internet too, my personal challenge to T.J.: time = to show=20 up! Okay, that was lame, but Ford was not. That was a solid as he's = looked all=20 season with his mid-range jumper. He stepped into in it with confidence = and=20 knocked them down and when he does that he is very tough to contain, = especially=20 if your name is Carlos Arroyo. But the most important part of his game = might=20 have been the energy he took the floor with. He had a steal before the = game was=20 10 seconds old and got the Raptors into some early transition with a = couple of=20 defensive rebounds.

2. Here's kind of a cool stat. The Raptors = had 31=20 assists on 42 field goals. Of the 11 unassisted field goals Ford had = five of=20 them, four of them coming when he started undressing Arroyo late in the = second=20 quarter, for which he clearly didn't need much assistance.

3. = Interesting=20 story line to follow this morning. Apparently Magic guard Jameer Nelson=20 collapsed in the hallway outside the Magic dressing room in the game = after being=20 hit with a sudden back spasm. According to Magic coach Stan Van Gundy he = took a=20 hit defending a screen-and-roll and then the back spasms kicked in. If = he can't=20 go Saturday that could be a major problem for Orlando. I think Keyon = Dooling has=20 been pretty good in stretches for them but my guess is he's not quite = the floor=20 leader Nelson is, and Arroyo is pretty suspect defensively.

4. I = don't=20 think I've ever seen Chris Bosh quite so animated than after the game = last=20 night. It wasn't that he was acting all crazy, it's just that when he = was=20 talking at the press conference he was all engaged and almost bubbly. = You could=20 tell he was just so happy to win that game. There wasn't a hint of = concern that=20 it wasn't a great all-round night for him. He was praising his = teammates, the=20 crowd, the coaching staff. There is a big, big difference being down 3-0 = and=20 down 2-1 and Bosh was obviously demonstrating just that.

5. I = was=20 sitting in the lower bowl in temporary press seating as opposed to down = on the=20 sidelines as is normally the case. It was kind of cool to be =91in' the = crowd.=20 People were really into it, everyone wearing their red shirts and = drinking=20 beers. One thing about this job is you forget about how much fun people = have at=20 games, and obviously even more so at a playoff game and even more when = the=20 Raptors are winning. Lots of smiles on lots of faces.

6. On that = note=20 there is no doubt that the crowd got into Howard's head a little bit = when he was=20 at the free throw line, where he was just 3-of-8 on the night and had to = back=20 off a few times.

A=20 rational but not entirely sound decision

Michael Grange, 24/04/08 at 1:14 PM = EDT

Only time for a few bullet points here, so I'll get right to = them:

1. As you may well know by now, T.J. will again get the start = tonight,=20 for reasons that are rational though not entirely sound. As=20 I wrote this morning, the issue seems to be that even if makes sense = to=20 start Calderon because he's played better and is shooting the ball well, = which=20 would foil the Magic's attempts to put Jameer Nelson in Chris Bosh's = pocket all=20 day, the concern is that if Ford comes of the bench he'll take himself = out of=20 things entirely, mentally. So Calderon does deserve to start, but won't. = Perfect.

2. Who is going to be starting in placed of Nesterovic is still a = mystery.=20 Hot-shooting Jason Kapono seems the obvious candidate as a shot-maker = and=20 floor-spacer to make it harder for the Magic pay for doubling Bosh and = then=20 cheating with another defender when they really load up. But just = chatting with=20 Sam he was making the case for getting Moon some additional playing = time,=20 pointing out the things he does well =96 making plays on the ball in the = form of=20 blocks, deflections or steals are the kind of things that can really get = a crowd=20 going. As well if he runs directly to the rim in transition good things = happen =96=20 either a dunk or the defense sucking to the middle of the floor opening = up the=20 perimeter that can

2. I didn't mean to be as definitive regarding Bosh not calling = timeout when=20 he was chasing down Rashard Lewis' miss in the final minute of Game Two. = I=20 should have raised the issue as a question =96 should Bosh have called = timeout? =96=20 rather than state that he should have. I still haven't seen a replay so = I don't=20 know if he could have made the call before falling out of bounds. I = asked him=20 about it today and he said he had already ruled out the possibility = before he=20 got the ball because he didn't think he could get the ball and keep his = momentum=20 from taking him out of bounds. He thought he had a pass to AP, but = couldn't get enough on it. As well, if he runs directly to the rim in = transition=20 good things happen =96 either a dunk or the defense sucking to the = middle of the=20 floor, opening up the perimeter.

3. A point of clarification on my take on the Ford situation. My = expectation of a pro athlete is that they find ways in the = business-first=20 environment of pro sports to put the team first and do it with a bare = minimum of=20 excuses. I'm not suggesting this is easy. Thinking team-first in a = contract year=20 when there are millions of dollars on the line is way harder than most = people=20 realize, I can only guess. And if you don't have the kind of ego that = makes you=20 believe you deserve the most playing time, respect and opportunities you = can=20 get, then your career in pro sports will likely be short and not all = that=20 notable. But that doesn't mean you don't have to earn those = opportunities. Ford=20 is talented, no doubt. If he played 35 minutes a game his numbers would = be=20 noteworthy, no question. When he's at his best his creativity and = ability to=20 make plays at the end of the shot clock off-set the bonehead moments = he's often=20 associated with. But the main problem is that Ford has made clear that = his=20 vision of himself as a starter on this team won't be compromised. That = puts=20 handcuffs on coaches and is unfair to teammates. That he's doing it = without the=20 performance to back it up only makes it worse. That's the problem.

4. A few thoughts from Stan Van Gundy, who spent part of his time = after=20 shoot-around crediting Pat Ewing for the development of Dwight = Howard and=20 pumping him as a candidate for the Knicks job: =93To be honest it's sort = of amused=20 me, the whole thing in New York. All these names come up for the head=20 coaching job there and they're not talking about him? This is guy = who's paid=20 his dues and been an assistant in the league and gone out on the court = and=20 learned to coach every day. He doesn't just do big man stuff. That's = what every=20 one talks about, but he does what everyone on our staff does: When it's = his=20 turn, once out of every four teams he does the scouting report and takes = the=20 team through the film, he does all of that. I've been bewildered by the = fact=20 that here's one of the absolute greats in New York Knicks history and = they're=20 not talking about him at all. I know Mark Jackson has some history with = Donnie=20 Walsh, plus having played with the Knicks, and I have great respect for = Mark,=20 but Mark has never coached a day, anywhere, and Pat has put his time in=20 Washington and Houston and here. And he has put time in away from the = Van Gundy=20 family, so he had to learn something in that year, anyway. So you have = to give=20 him some credit. I don't know why his name wouldn't come up and be a guy = you=20 wouldn't sit down and talk to. He's good, he's really, really good.

5. And more Van Gundy, on why, basically, reporters are idiots. = That=20 anyone would think this way kind of shocks me, but anyway: =93Here's the = funny=20 thing, I sort of laugh at the coverage =96 nothing personal guys =96 but = when Chris=20 Bosh raises up to shoot that shot at the end of the game and the ball is = in the=20 air stop write there and write your stories. Did Sam do a good job or = not do a=20 good job? Write your stories, right then, without seeing the ball bounce = out.=20 Because if it goes in you're writing about resilience, how Sam kept them = in the=20 game, how he made great adjustments and the whole thing. And it bounces = out and=20 all of Sam's adjustments are screwing them up, they're confused. That's = the=20 game, and that's coaching. The ball is in there air and you guys are = going to=20 write your stories based on whether it bounces out or goes in, bottom = line. No=20 one is writing what that they wrote if the ball went in. Then it's me. = My team=20 fell apart, I didn't keep them in it=85that's the game. =85

6. More Stan: =93We lost in Miami on that Allan = Houston shot,=20 you know, that bounced in. And the conventional thinking then was that = if New=20 York lost that series, Jeff was getting fired. The shot went in and New = York=20 went to the Finals. Allan Houston's shot hit the back rim and bounced up = in the=20 air and my brother said =96 that's where I got that line =96 =93stop it = right there,=20 when the ball is in the air: Can he coach or can he not coach?=94 That's = what you=20 guys write it on, whether you want to admit it or not, is if Chris = Bosh's shot=20 bounced in or bounced out, if Sam did a good job or I did a good = job.=94

Much=20 more intense and physical

Michael Grange, 23/04/08 at 1:46 PM = EDT

Late night, early flight, so apologies for being a little slower than = I would=20 like getting this up.

One series, some things, v1.2

1.Lot's of lineup talk and speculation after Sam said he was going to = make=20 changes but didn't say who was in or out. He did invite us to use our = common=20 sense, and common sense would suggest Ford is out in favour of Calderon. = Ford's=20 numbers so far: 2-of-17 from the floor with 12 assists and four = turnovers.=20 Calderon: 10-of-22, including 4-of-8 from deep and 13 assists against = one=20 turnover. Just as important is Jameer Nelson's numbers. The Magic's = starting=20 point guard is averaging 21 points and five assists a game. Most = significantly=20 he's been the architect of both of the Magic's dominant first quarters. = We'll=20 offer the usual disclaimer about the risk of relying on plus-minus = figures, but=20 Nelson is +15 in the series; Ford is -14. That said my impression is = that Ford=20 will get the start in Game 3. I'm heading into practice now and will try = and=20 find out.

And a note about Calderon: former FDFA front office staffer Daniel = Dale=20 alerted me to a note on Jose = Calderon's=20 blog saying that his neck was in spasm throughout Game 1, which = explains his=20 3-of-11 shooting. I asked about it before the game and he said he hurt = it=20 walking off the bus, but was much better yesterday

2. Pretty cool game. Much more intense and physical than Game 1. I = should=20 have, but didn't, count how many times Bosh ended up on the floor, = either being=20 sent their by the Magic or because of drawing charges or simply because = he was=20 playing at maximum effort the entire game and when that happens = sometimes you=20 end up on you're a**. In fact, that's a pretty good barometer of how = good a game=20 is, in my eyes. Pro athletes just don't fall down very much, for obvious = reasons. And as long as they're playing within themselves they keep = their feet=20 and remain in control. But that changes a lot when things really get = amped up.=20 They play harder; they get tired; their opponents play harder. You sell = out a=20 little more to get that ball to the glass on a layup and end up on the = deck; you=20 don't concede rebounding position even though realistically the battle = has been=20 lost and you end up on the deck. You get sent to the deck. It would be a = good=20 stat to keep: trips to the deck per minute played. Someone should get on = that.

3. That said, I'm trying to remember any examples of Dwight Howard on = the=20 floor. I can think of a few examples of various Raptors hitting or = grabbing=20 Howard in such a way that you might expect him to hit the deck, only for = him to=20 kind of shed them and muscle his way up for a lay-up or dunk. He is a = Dad=20 playing with a bunch of kids in the pool: they keep climbing on him and = he keeps=20 flinging them away =96 except he's flinging away 250-pound men. This guy = has=20 really opened my eyes, and not just because he's so physically = overwhelming.=20 It's obvious that his basketball skills have made big jumps this season. = Defensively he guards both sides of the lane and is hedging and = recovering on=20 pick-and-rolls better that he has in the past. And even though Bosh was = looking=20 for the foul when he drove it at Howard on the second-last play, I = though Howard=20 did a great job sliding with him and got a legitimate block. There might = have=20 been contact after the block, but presumably the refs attributed that to = Bosh's=20 momentum carrying him into Howard. I thought they made the right (no) = call, and=20 Howard really showed something as a defender. And tellingly it was Bosh = on the=20 floor, not Howard.

5. This falls in the hindsight is 20-20 = department,=20 but the worst play Bosh made down the stretch wasn't failing to score in = two=20 tries on Howard, but failing to single for a timeout when he chased down = the=20 rebound after Lewis' miss on the second three. If he could have made the = signal=20 instead of throwing the ball back to halfcourt the Raptors have the ball = up one=20 with 45 seconds to play. Instead Bogans gets the ball, the Magic get a = timeout=20 and Turkoglu gets a basket.

6. Bosh plays with a ton of heart.

What=20 is Bargnani thinking?

Michael Grange, 22/04/08 at 12:26 = PM=20 EDT

ORLANDO -- If a lightning rod was seven-feet tall and spoke Italian, = it would=20 look like Andrea Bargnani.

That's what came to my mind as we were talking to the second-year = Raptor=20 before shoot-around for Game 2 of the Raptors-Magic series tonight.

Fairly or unfairly (I vote fairly) he's become a target for criticism = over=20 the course of the season and now =96 more than ever since his unexpected = elevation=20 into the starting lineup =96 in this series.

Different people react differently in these kinds of situations. = Chris Bosh=20 is expert at staying cool at all times, rationally responding to tough = questions=20 and softballs alike. His batting stance never changes.

Sam Mitchell goes on the offense, challenging assumptions, probing=20 weaknesses, attacking the question and sometimes the person asking = it.

I've seen other athletes opt for the silent treatment, or just = disappear.

But like a lightening road Bargnani reacts not at all.

Even better, I have no idea what to make of it. Is he angry? Not = angry?=20 Amused?

The only adjective I have in the arsenal is inscrutable, and it's not = just a=20 language barrier, which may play some role. I've talked to Italian = speaking=20 journalists who say it's no different in his mother tongue.

The relevance here is that Bargnani continues to play a major role on = a=20 playoff team based almost entirely on the promise of his production: = when the=20 moon is right he might be the most prolific scorer on the court.

But that happens just sometimes. He's a seven-foot jump shooter who = shoots=20 just 39 per cent from the floor. A three-point threat that is shooting = just 27.6=20 per cent from deep since the All-star break.

Is he worried? Practising more? Altering his mechanics? Watching = film?

Ask him all these things and he'll respond in coach-speak and say = that his=20 main emphasis is defence and rebounding.

At this point you don't have the heart to point out that he averages = 3.7=20 rebounds and rarely blocks shots, makes steals and is prone to picking = up cheap,=20 early fouls, and falling behind in rotations.

(By the way: Mitchell told reporters that he plans to stick with the = same=20 starting lineup that got blitzed 43-23 in the first quarter on Sunday, = but will=20 likely got to more and varied combinations as the game unfolds, with = Bargnani=20 playing more minutes at the four along side Bosh at five as he tries to = create=20 better spacing for Bosh. Mitchell also said he'd use a small lineup =96 = Bosh at=20 five and even Jamario Moon at four =96 and try to force Orlando into = matchup=20 problems of their own)

Anyway. Here's a pre-game conversation with Bargnani:

When did you find out you were starting?

I was happy. It was nice to start.

Are you still confident in your jumper?

Mmm-hmm.

You've been struggling most of the season

Mmm-hmm.

Are you still comfortable with it, have you tried to fix=20 it?

Yeah, of course. I don't have to fix it. I just have to keep = shooting and=20 it will come back. It's not the first time, it happened so many times in = my=20 career.

How did you feel guarding guys on the perimeter?

It's difficult. Against this team you have to do a good job to = keep your=20 guy in front, otherwise, like last game, they dribble and make the first = pass to=20 an open guy and they score a lot of threes. That's what happened in the = first=20 quarter so we have to do a good job and keep guys in front.

Did you feel comfortable at forward?

I don't know. At the end of the season I will see what I have to = work on=20 and for what position I will have to play next season.

What is your first thought covering Turkoglu?

I have to not give him open looks from three-points, because he's = a good=20 shooter and try to keep him front knowing I have my teammates ready to = help=20 me.

Do you look at Game Six last year against New Jersey = (Bargnani had 17=20 points and seven rebounds) and hope you can repeat that?

Everyone tries to play their best game every night, so of course = I hope=20 to have a great game in the series, yeah.

Do you look at that game and hope you can do it = again?

Of course I can do it again; I'm 22 not 53.

Not all 22-year-old have had a big game at such a key moment, = I'm=20 just wondering if that's something you think about. What do you think = about to=20 make yourself confident?

I try to play good defence, try to shoot good shots. Sunday I = shoot good=20 shots, I didn't force anything; I was just missing. I have to score the=20 ball.

So you don't think about the New Jersey game=85

It was a good game, yes, but we lost the series. It was one year = ago, it=20 was the first round of the playoffs; it's not a special event.

Are you different player than last year?

I think I'm a different player compared to last year. Last year I = wasn't=20 able to play some games like I did this year, I had games were I scored = 26, 27,=20 28 points, I couldn't do that last year. This year was more up and down = and also=20 the minutes I have.

Bryan mentioned your Achilles=85is that a = problem?

Everyone has a problem. Yes my Achilles, but everyone has = something.=20 Nothing serious.

You expect more from yourself, what are you = goals?

In percentage? I don't know what my percentage is. Of course the = goal is=20 shooting around 50 per cent.

Sam mentioned you're back on your heels when you shoot, you = need to=20 be more on your toes, did that help?

I have to try and do that more. The coach is right. I have to be = more on=20 my toes.

Are you looking for answers?

I don't think about my shot when I'm shooting. I just shoot the = ball the=20 way I always do. If the ball doesn't go in, I don't worry. I'm worried = about=20 other things. If it's a good shot I don't really care. I don't worry = about my=20 offensive skills. I'm much more worried about my defense. I don't worry = if my=20 shot goes in or not.

Some players play as their shot goes?

Of course if you score 20 points you are much more comfortable in = everything. What I'm saying is after the game if I shoot 1-of-10, if = they're=20 good shots, I'm not worried.

But are you worried you've been slumping most of the=20 year?

I have good months and I have bad months. Exactly like the = minutes. I=20 have months where I play 35 minutes and some I play 14 minutes.

Do you find the more minutes, the better you = play?

Of course (laughs).

The team needs you to shoot well, but you don't care if the = ball goes=20 in?

Come on. I'm not saying I don't care if I don't score. I'm saying = I don't=20 lose confidence in my shot if it doesn't go in and it's a good shot. I'm = not=20 saying I don't care if the team loses if I don't score the ball. I know = I have=20 to score the ball.

When you are struggling do try and fix it?

I try to do my shooting movement in the way I learned, the way I = always=20 did. Shoot how you know it. I try to do the same movement, but after you = can't=20 control the ball.

Do watch film?

Yeah, sometimes I rush a little bit my shot. Sometimes I rush my=20 release.

What happens when you are playing well, what can you=20 learn?

You are in rhythm, you are more confident scoring the = ball.

Do you know why that happens?

I don't know. I just play. I don't know. You are a player who = plays=20 basketball, I don't know the reason you play well.

Still=20 a series ... I think

Michael Grange, 21/04/08 at 7:56 AM = EDT

ORLANDO -- Not the start the Raptors were hoping for, no doubt. = Couldn't have=20 been worse. I'm not entirely ready to write the series off. You figure = Bosh,=20 Ford, Calderon, Bargnani and Delfino all struggled big time offensively; = they=20 spotted the Magic a 20-point lead and yet they still made it a = five-point game=20 in the fourth. I'm still of the opinion that if the Raptors play well, = this can=20 be a series and then some. But that prospect is looking way more =91if' = than=20 =91when' right now.

Anyway, One series, Some Things v1.1:

1. Bruce Arthur broke the story. The media were assembled, = waiting=20 patiently for the game to start when Arthur =96 actually listening to = the pre-game=20 introductions =96 heard that Andrea Bargnani was starting, turned and = said:=20 =93Bargnani is starting=94. At this development I have to laugh. While = the notion=20 that Bargnani will be big in this series is a no-brainer -- Bargnani is = big in=20 every game he plays in the sense that if you're giving steady minutes to = a guy=20 who shoots 39 per cent yet but sometimes goes off and leads your = team in=20 scoring, he's either big or an anvil. So what's funny is that just the = other day=20 I made the point that while it might be easy and convenient to put the = spotlight=20 on Bargnani as perhaps the key in this series, it would be unfair to do = so. And=20 then Sam starts him. Oh well.

2. But the image that bothers me is that now that he's = starting in=20 a playoff game he's all active defensively and energized and engaged and = battling Dwight Howard for rebounding position. He played okay =96 even = though he=20 couldn't hit a jump shot. But why does it take that kind of opportunity = to see=20 him looking like a guy who's lost in the competition, instead of space? = That=20 would be my concern; that he gives of a broody kind of vibe and seems = half=20 interested most of the time, but then is promoted to the station to = which he=20 feels he deserves and then starts to grind. I'd feel more confident if = it was=20 the other way around.

3. Did Bosh throw Mitchell under the tricked-out Escalade? = It kind=20 of sounded that way. There was the Raptors all-star and captain blaming = at least=20 part of the Raptors troubles on the relatively last-minute changes they = made in=20 preparation for the series. He didn't say starting Bargnani, but I guess = he=20 could have. But he did talk about new sets and new plays and new = wrinkles of=20 plays that were added and suggested that Jose and T.J. were a bit = flummoxed by=20 the new stuff.

Bosh: =93We anticipated them try trying to [figure out] every = play we had=20 without running them. At the start of the game they hit threes, but we = could=20 have given ourselves a better chance on offence by running the plays we = always=20 run, the things that we're giving us success throughout the whole = season. If we=20 get back to doing our own offence and doing what got us here, we'll be = pretty=20 good. We have good match-ups against them.=94

Q: Did you go to the old stuff as the game went on?

Bosh: It's not really old, the season just ended last week. We = just need=20 to go back to our things. We know what we're good at and we have to = continue to=20 play the way we can play.

Q: Can you elaborate? What was new?

Bosh: Trying to add tweaks to the offence. That kind of confused = us a=20 little bit. I know T.J. and Jose, they didn't really know what to run = sometimes=20 and if we did they we were in the wrong spots. Maybe it's the jitters of = the=20 game. Maybe them making shots like that kind of shell-shocked us a = little bit=20 and kind of put us on our heels. The next game, if we're more aggressive = and do=20 the things we know how to do and play our basketball, the outcome will = be a lot=20 different.

Q: Was that the players or the game plan?

Bosh: I think it's the players. We have to know our offence. The = coach=20 can call the play, but if run something different it's a whole different = story,=20 so I think we just have to focus and pay more attention and come out = hard and=20 with a purpose.

It sort of sounded like Bosh realized how what he was saying was = coming=20 across and tried to put the cat back in the bag, but a little late. = Let's face=20 it, with his playoff record now at 2-5, it takes little to feed into the = perception that Mitchell can be out-coached. And when his star player = questions=20 the strategy and approach for Game 1 of a playoff series, it adds a = giant log on=20 the fire; and some gasoline. Fires like that are hard to put out.

4. There are risers behind the baskets at Amway with each row of = seats=20 about six inches above the next. This enables the Magic dancers to align = themselves one after another in the aisle directly behind the backboard. = As a=20 result they appear to be directly in the line of sight for opposition = free throw=20 shooters. And one of the cheerleaders in particular did this little = shaky thing=20 with her torso just when guys were shooting, which I found very = distracting,=20 typppping wise.

5. That will not go down as a great game in what will likely be = a career=20 of great games, but I was impressed by Bosh yesterday. He sprawled for = loosed=20 balls; he forced contact, he played pretty good defence on Lewis on the=20 perimeter, I thought. Was he out of sync offensively? Yes. Did he allow = that to=20 impact any other aspect of his game? Not a bit. The guy plays hard.

6. Howard should learn to blocked shots in bounds, not to get = all Bill=20 Russell and Bill Walton on him. Most guys who block shots are just = happy/lucky=20 to tip the ball, so the notion of controlling where the ball ends up is = kind of=20 moot. But Howard gets up so high and so fast that he is one of the few = players=20 in the NBA that should really think about how and where he blocks the = ball.=20 Right now it's like watching a guy play volleyball, spiking shots into = the=20 stands as if they were sets. It's crazy to expect more, but I can't help = it,=20 this guy could occasionally be tapping it to guards for outlets, I'm = sure of=20 it.

From=20 Deep

Michael Grange brings unique news, commentary and analysis for around = the=20 basketball world.

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Globe on = Hockey=20 =20: Wharnsby:=20 Gillis gets a capologist=20
Market = Blog =20: Food=20 riots spell potash risks=20
Ingram = 2.0 =20: RIAA=20 loses key music decision=20
Nobody's = Business =20: Lord=20 Black in 'healthy' spirits, friends say=20
Streetwise&n= bsp;=20: Funds=20 fuming over FNX trading gone wild=20
From Deep=20 =20: Golf-gate?=20
Blogolitics =20: In=20 Pictures: Parliament Hill=20
Adam=20 Radwanski =20: From=20 watchdogs to lapdogs?