s / Raptors The Toronto Raptors defeated the New York Knicks 118-108 at the Air Canada Centre.
By: Doug Smith Sports Reporter, Published on Sun Dec 21 2014
The voice was quiet, the usual enthusiasm muted: no smiles, no laughs, nothing.
The consistent losing is beating Jose Calderon down.
“Nobody can be happy or feel comfortable in this situation,” Calderon said after his New York Knicks lost another one on Sunday, 118-108 to the Raptors.
“It is very frustrating.”
The Knicks are among the very worst teams in the NBA today, a dreadful 5-25 (the most losses of any team in the league), and there seems to be no brightness in the future.
Their best player, Carmelo Anthony, is playing through constant knee discomfort and who knows if he’ll have to shut himself down at some point.
Knicks guard Jose Calderon looks to pass during Sunday's loss to the Raptors at the ACC.
Rick Madonik / Toronto Star Order this photo
Knicks guard Jose Calderon looks to pass during Sunday's loss to the Raptors at the ACC.
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J.R. Smith and Amar’e Stoudemire are both hurt, Andrea Bargnani hasn’t played a second this season, and the rest of the roster is dotted with marginal talent.
A rookie head coach and a rookie general manager are trying to install an offence that relies on high basketball IQs and reading and reacting; it’s as if the Knicks, in that regard, are a bit illiterate and under sedation.
And watching Calderon — a master at running a high screen-and-roll offence — have to work with the likes of Cole Aldrich, Jason Smith, Sam Dalembert and Quincy Acy is to see a shell of the point guard who’s won world championships and Olympic medals. It’s eating at him. Hard.
Now in his 10th NBA season, he knows one of his roles has to be as a leader to a team that needs it, but he can’t do it alone.
“I can help, but at the end of the day we’ve got to help each other out there,” he said. “It’s not about just talking. It’s not about doing the stuff. It’s finishing games. It’s playing 48 (minutes).
“Yeah, we are playing against really good teams and we’re missing maybe four or five really important guys. but it’s no excuse. Other teams have got guys out, too.
“There is not a lot I can say. It’s out there.”
Sunday’s loss dampened any kind of enthusiasm Calderon may have had for a return to the scene of some of his top NBA moments. The Raptors decided as an organization not to pay any video tribute to him as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations — as they have with a handful of other ex-players — preferring to wait at least until the Knicks come back to Toronto in late March. Calderon was afforded a rousing ovation when he was introduced with the New York starters, but that was the highlight of his day.
He did finish with 15 points and 10 assists, but it was hardly an impactful performance. He left the game after committing a foul to stop the clock with about 90 seconds to go, to no discernible reaction.
12/22/2014 12:43 AM