Boston Celtics' Nate Robinson goes to the basket past Toronto Raptors' Linas Kleiza (R), Andrea Bargnani (2nd L) and Jose Calderon (L) during the first half of their NBA preseason basketball game in Toronto October 15, 2010. REUTERS/Mark BlinchMARK BLINCH/Reuters
Maybe they just wanted their money's worth. But when Toronto basketball fans are begging to see an opposing team's star, things can't be good.
"We want Shaq! We want Shaq!" shouted the crowd during the third quarter at Air Canada Center on Friday night, shortly before the Boston Celtics finished off the Toronto Raptors 117-112.
It wasn't pretty. O'Neal waved, but didn't bother stepping on the court. The Celtics mostly played their reserves. And even when the Raptors' bench made an inspired last-minute run to bring the score to within four (including two three-pointers from Sonny Weems), Toronto was humbled all the same.
"We didn't work hard until the fourth quarter and we got our asses kicked in the first three quarters," said Jay Triano after the game.
"Are they better than us? Absolutely. So we have to make it up somehow, and we have to make that up by outworking teams, and we didn't do that."
Besides intensity, the biggest problem for the Raptors was finding the basket: prior to the fourth quarter, they were shooting 37 per cent from the floor and 33 per cent from three point land (the Celtics were 56 and 66).
There were also numerous fouls on both sides, including several technicals for incredulous facial expressions, part of the NBA's renewed efforts to muzzle whining.
Triano said he would've been happier if his team fouled even more.
"Guys should not be able to drive down the lane and get the ball in without being fouled," he said. We tackled nobody," he said.
"I told them, foul out. Send a message that we're at least not going to allow layups."
Starters: Still experimenting with combinations, Jay Triano began with point guard Jose Calderon, shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, forwards Linas Kleiza and Reggie Evans, and Andrea Bargnani; a starting five he's used once before in the preseason. "We debated going small against this team to see if we could spread the bigs out," Triano said. His plan was to also try Kleiza at the power forward spot, since the big, strong Lithuanian is also comfortable in the low post.
Bench: First on the floor were Amir Johnson and David Andersen to relieve Bargnani and Evans, who received an early technical foul for questioning a referee's call. Calderon split time with Jarrett Jack. Leandro Barbosa subbed in for Kleiza. But the players of the game wer much deeper down the bench: it was Markus Banks, Solomon Alabi, Julian Wright, Sonny Weems and Joey Dorsey who almost stole the game from the Celtics in the final five minutes - the first most had seen on the floor.
The game: Bargnani and Kleiza were the Raptors' top scorers with 15 points each, while Nate Robinson led the Celtics 23 points. Although Bargnani had trouble sinking the shots he generated in the paint, (he was 5 for 16 from the floor), he looked more aggressive than he has so far in the preseason, battling more under the basket.
The opposition: They maybe old, but the Celtics have retained all the key pieces of the team that narrowly lost an NBA championship just four months ago, including Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce (who also sat out Friday). And they've added a couple more O'Neals to the roster: former Raptor Jermaine O'Neal, who will help out on post defense the team will miss with the injured center Kendrick Perkins, and Shaquille O'Neal, who arrives in Boston looking to win more titles before he retires. The team is now 5-1 in the preseason.
What's next: On Sunday, the Raptors face Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns at the Air Canada Centre, where Toronto fans will have their first chance to greet their favorite Turkish alumni: Hedo Turkoglu, who was traded to the Suns this summer. Let the booing begin.