Feb 27, 2019
Thoughts on the Raptors, Celtics and more
Coach checks in with five things he noticed this week, including Toronto's impressive trouncing of Boston on Tuesday night.
1. TORONTO RAPTORS: That was a very impressive trouncing of the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night. The Raptors were connected defensively, played with terrific intensity and shared the ball beautifully on the offensive end. That was their last game of regular season against the Eastern Conference’s big five of Milwaukee, Indiana, Philadelphia and Boston. It was an important win to boost the belief and narrative that they can and will compete at a high level against anyone they play. A positive statement.
2. BOSTON CELTICS (14-16 on road): I’m a big believer that you truly show what you’ve got as a team on the road. How connected and together are you away from the comforts of home? With the Celtics sitting at fifth overall in the East right now, the ability to steal road games might become a major theme of their growth or demise. There’s still time to fix their problems, but the clock starts to tick a bit quicker as the calendar flips to March.
3. MARCIN GORTAT: The 15-year veteran is still sitting out there on the buyout market. He’s not the same player that he was in his prime in Phoenix or Washington, but he’d be a nice insurance policy in the front court for a contending team. He’ll get guys open with his screens, rebound the ball, play with an edge and still score a bit. I’ll be shocked if he’s not on someone’s playoff roster as a reserve.
4. MITCHELL ROBINSON (Knicks): I love this guy’s potential. He’s had a combined 32 points, 28 rebounds and 11 blocks in his last two games. He’s super athletic, quick and tough. He’s looking like a second-round steal for New York. Every time I watch him, something just jumps off the page at me in a positive way. Robinson doesn’t even know yet how good he can be but the more I watch him, I see a guy who is a real sleeper emerging.
5. PAUL MILSAP (Nuggets): He’s such a solid, fundamentally sound guy on both ends of the court. There are certain guys who simply know what they’re doing and make your team better. He’s one of them. Averages 12.5 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 49 per cent from the field. Milsap’s numbers don’t blow you away, but when he plays the Nuggets look so much more connected, mature and focused on doing the dirty work. When healthy, he’s the glue guy who makes a difference.