Hi Eric,
Play along with me here: let's assume, for the sake of argument, that I just won the following contest: the winning Raptor fan gets to ask Jay Triano one question, via a National Post reporter (that would be you, by the way). So here's my question (feel free to change the language to personalize it, so Jay won't suspect you're "channelling" me):
Jay, you often state that offence isn't the problem on this team, that, rather, it's defence that's your overriding concern. Given that your team is at or near the bottom of every defensive category imaginable, your concern makes sense. You have also stated that your players need to be held accountable, especially on the defensive end. So why does your best defensive player (by far), in the person of Julian Wright, continue to languish on the bench? Did he sleep with your wife? Did he double-dip his tortilla chip during one of the team dinners? I mean, there HAS to be a logical explanation. Take last night's game, for example. Money Weems (oh please...) gets picked by Blair at the foul line. So instead of switching onto Blair, Weems simply turns around, and...and...well, he watches. And stands. He stands and watches. As Blair rolls to the hoop, gets the pass and lays it in like a graceful hippo or something. But here's the punch line: all this happened RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, Jay. And this was right after he had hoisted up two horrible shots from just inside the three point line, early in the shot clock, because, well, he was open, so why not shoot. So why, given all of that, given the fact that Weems was playing uninspired ball at both ends of the court, and with the Raptors up late in the second half, did you not insert Wright into the game to protect the lead? Why TALK about defence but not play your best defensive player? Oh sure, I know what you're gonna say, Jay. You DID play Wright. Point taken. But Jay, eight seconds of action just before the first half expires isn't quite enough.
Eric, please let me know what Jay says in response.
Lee.
Play along with me here: let's assume, for the sake of argument, that I just won the following contest: the winning Raptor fan gets to ask Jay Triano one question, via a National Post reporter (that would be you, by the way). So here's my question (feel free to change the language to personalize it, so Jay won't suspect you're "channelling" me):
Jay, you often state that offence isn't the problem on this team, that, rather, it's defence that's your overriding concern. Given that your team is at or near the bottom of every defensive category imaginable, your concern makes sense. You have also stated that your players need to be held accountable, especially on the defensive end. So why does your best defensive player (by far), in the person of Julian Wright, continue to languish on the bench? Did he sleep with your wife? Did he double-dip his tortilla chip during one of the team dinners? I mean, there HAS to be a logical explanation. Take last night's game, for example. Money Weems (oh please...) gets picked by Blair at the foul line. So instead of switching onto Blair, Weems simply turns around, and...and...well, he watches. And stands. He stands and watches. As Blair rolls to the hoop, gets the pass and lays it in like a graceful hippo or something. But here's the punch line: all this happened RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, Jay. And this was right after he had hoisted up two horrible shots from just inside the three point line, early in the shot clock, because, well, he was open, so why not shoot. So why, given all of that, given the fact that Weems was playing uninspired ball at both ends of the court, and with the Raptors up late in the second half, did you not insert Wright into the game to protect the lead? Why TALK about defence but not play your best defensive player? Oh sure, I know what you're gonna say, Jay. You DID play Wright. Point taken. But Jay, eight seconds of action just before the first half expires isn't quite enough.
Eric, please let me know what Jay says in response.
Lee.
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