Solution to Raptors' weak defence? Start Jack
So what are the Raptors to do? Junking it up might be an option. Jack Armstrong, the high-energy broadcaster, was on the radio show he co-hosts with Eric Smith on The Fan 590 on Monday making an argument for Toronto's occasional playing of multi-look zone defence. If you've got a glaring weakness, it makes some sense to be at least a little bit deceptive about where it is. But don't expect changes. The Raptors coaching staff, particularly Jay Triano and lead assistant Marc Iavaroni, has invested a lot of time and effort into developing its current system.
"I don't want to abandon what we're doing," said Triano. "In years past we've had a defensive philosophy and we'd go, `Oh, this is hurting us. Let's abandon it and do something different.' We're not going to do that."
Inconsistent Raptors desperate for consistency
It was part lack of effort, which was particularly galling to many because effort should be constant. But it was also, according to coach Jay Triano, a mental timidity that doesn't allow them to play freely.
"I think at the start of the game, we're so concerned about trying to do the right thing," he said. "We're not reacting, we're thinking our way through it. It's paralysis by analysis. We just thinking about everything. Finally when we started to play and we started to attack the basket, we became much better basketball team."
Globe & Mail
Defensive breakdowns already costly for Raptors
Jack said the Raptors are slowly adopting a defensive mind-set in practice – no mean feat considering the team is largely comprised of offensive-minded players. Much of yesterday’s practice was spent fine-tuning the adjustments needed to be made when the ball handler does gain an advantage at the point of attack.
“You have an individual responsibility, but your team has a collective responsibility, so even if you don’t do your individual part to some degree, then that’s where the guys on the court with you have to pick you up where it’s needed,” Jack said. “It’s tough for anyone to do anything perfect all the time. You might not get beat for a basket, but you might get beat for a dribble so that someone may need to step up so we can force [the ball] to the weak side so we can force a contested jump shot.”
Toronto Sun
Baffling Bargs
Head coach Jay Triano says Andrea Bargnani's inconsistent shooting is letting it affect other parts of his game.
"Like everyone, when your shot is not going, the key is do the other things -- get rebounds, defend and make sure you're coverages are complete," Triano said.
Status quo suits Triano
Wright spent a good deal of last year matched up defensively with opposing point guards because Jason Kidd wasn't quick enough to keep them in front of him.
Triano was asked if he might consider the change just to add that defensive quality to his starting five.
Again, the answer was a definitive no.
"Antoine is going to get his minutes," Triano said. "I would rather have Antoine playing at the end of the game and getting stops then than at the beginning of the game."
National Post
It's time to embrace team defence
Indeed, Calderon is a popular whipping boy when it comes to defence, not undeservingly, either. But it might not be quite that simple.
"It's different guys in different spots," forward Chris Bosh said. "It's not any one person's fault. It's the whole team's fault. Guys are going to get blown by sometimes. We have to have a solid defence behind him. It can't just be as easy as a blow-by layup or a blow-by, one pass and a shot. We have to make them work for it."
