shookem

Mitchell has Raps on defensive

'If you can make teams go to their third or fourth options, you've got a chance'

January 05, 2007
Doug Smith
Sports Reporter

Sam Mitchell and his staff are willing to take the heat for any defensive deficiencies the Raptors display as long as they make mistakes doing what they're told.

With the team playing solid defence more often than not lately – an unusual happenstance for a team that's generally woefully inadequate at that end of the floor – the coaching staff feels justifiably proud of what they've been doing.

After all, it's what they've laid out for them and following instructions is all Mitchell wants.

If it works, great; if it doesn't, blame coaching.

"That's the thing we're trying to drive home to our guys. If we give you something and it doesn't work, it's our fault," Mitchell said. "There's no problem with changes, but you have to give it a chance."

While their record still isn't stellar – the 13-19 Raptors take a three-game losing streak into tonight's game against the Atlanta Hawks – the anecdotal evidence points to improved defence.

They held the most explosive offence in the NBA to only 40 points in the second half of a loss to Phoenix on Wednesday by rotating correctly and swiftly to open shooters. That denied the Suns the chance to initiate their offence the way they wanted; a hybrid zone defence allowed them to stay in contact with shooters and playmakers while still taking care of the boards.

"It's communication," Mitchell said. "Trying to be in the right position and trying to take away the initial thing and the second option. If you can make teams go to their third or fourth options, then you've got a chance.

"If you let people get the ball where they want to go on the first or second option, `cause normally it's the two best players who are going to touch the ball on the first or second option. ... If we can take that away and take those guys out of it, then you're defence is going to get better."

The players have bought into the principles Mitchell and his staff are trying to instil, primarily because they are having success.
Raps D

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Benis007

is this not a bit of a "duh"?

when you play the lakers, you gotta stop Kobe, and leave it to Odom and Walton to beat you. you don't let Kobe score 81 and shut down Farmar and Smush.

duh.

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ballocks

i don't know where this is coming from. painting the raptors like a 'successful' team (even partly successful) when they're currently sitting at 13-19 is hard to explain.

what's more, this is still a team that allows its opponents to come out firing madly in the first quarter more often than not. it happened again versus phoenix on wednesday: nearly 60% in the first q. sure, they 'stepped up' near the end of the game but i'm not sure that had any more to do with their defensive prowess than it had to do with the suns simply running out of gas. it's surely a bit of both, and i'd put most of my money on the latter.

this team has now lost three games in a row and they're somehow garnering positive marks from the crowd? i don't get it. there's certainly been some improvement on the defensive end, but i mean- and you can fill in the rest here- the raps didn't exactly begin the year feared around the league as a defensive juggernaut. some improvement in this area is not necessarily a major achievement.

to me, this story smells of the "build 'em up to knock 'em down later" idea.

peace