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As I sit here in Milwaukee waiting for the Raptors last game of the first half of the season to be played tonight, I give you five quick thoughts on areas that the team needs to improve on in the second half. After a wonderful start, its been a rough recent stretch that has exposed some concerns. Nonetheless, overall its been a positive run. In order to reach their potential, here is a little food for thought. 1. DEFENSE: Its been difficult to watch of late and I must say how surprised Ive been with the deterioration from where it was early in the season. This team with much greater effort and attention to detail can be a solid club. Right now, not even close. A quick observation - Dwane Casey had great success in Dallas teaching the zone. This team struggles to guard dribble penetration and protect the paint. Why not a little zone to hide some weak perimeter defenders and change the look on certain possessions? Just a thought. This team concerns me. When their offense goes south, the D has to be able to find ways to win ugly. They havent been able to. Thats what playoff basketball is. 2. TERRENCE ROSS AND AMIR JOHNSON: Are these guys starters at this stage of their respective careers? If yes, then we need much better play. They have been inconsistent and it holds back their unit on occasion. Need greater focus and consistent effort and productivity. Cant be as patient as youd like. 3 OFFENSIVE EXECUTION: Deterioration on this end as well. We saw this during the playoffs against the Nets. When you really guard them and body them with physical force, they wilt under the pressure. This is a good offensive club thats become too nonchalant and individual of late. Player and ball movement is a must and the screening and usage can improve. You do that and the turnovers will decrease. 4. HABITS: This is my biggest issue right now. Somewhere along the path from Oct 1 to now this group has taken some shortcuts and its showing now. Seems like this club only plays at optimal level when it feels challenged. The Backs to the Wall mentality they display is terrific, I just dont see it as their daily makeup yet. I look at the best teams and they sustain sound habits and demand the optimum from themselves for long periods. This group can do it. Commitment time. 5. ATLANTIC DIVISION: Congrats! 9.5 games up with 42 to play. Unless you totally screw it up and/or experience multiple injuries, youre going to win back-to-back Division titles. Cool! Heres the question; Are you going to be satisfied with that or is the focus now going to be on being an elite Eastern Conference team? Success has a way of messing with your focus. Do you really want to play a brutal opponent at the fifth seed (Im saying it will be Cleveland - good luck winning that series) even though you have home court as a fourth seed? In the Atlantic, you have three teams in a rebuild mode (Im being kind) and the Nets up for sale and trying to figure out what to do. Great spot to be in to get a top-four seed. Some of its you being good and some of the rest is the other four teams being so lousy. Dont fool yourself. To make next step as a franchise, theyve got to grow to the point that they can compete and win a first round series. How does that happen? Not being satisfied and pushing on to a new and greater challenge. Player internal leadership, professionalism and maturity are a must. This team has good guys. They can do it. Now time to do so. Basketball Shoes Cheap China . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Cheap Basketball Shoes Online . Team officials travelled to Los Angeles on Thursday night to meet with the free agent, a person with knowledge of the plans said. http://www.basketballshoescheap.net/. After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. Wholesale Basketball Shoes China .com) - Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points with eight rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 92-80 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Wholesale Basketball Shoes Free Shipping . Next up is another showdown with Michigan. Payne scored 18 points, Branden Dawson had 14 and No. 22 Michigan State beat No. 12 Wisconsin 83-75 on Saturday to reach the Big Ten tournament championship.TORONTO - Road closures in Toronto forced Raptors coach Dwane Casey to ditch his car and ride the subway to the Air Canada Centre for Game 7. Casey said he was stuck in traffic for 30 to 40 minutes Sunday before deciding to do a U-turn and head for the subway. "Good old reliable subway," Casey said, laughing. "I dont think anyone expected us to be here today in that they had a marathon and a Game 7 in the same day." The downtown road closures were due to the Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon. Fellow TTC riders posted pictures of Casey seated on the subway, dressed in a bllack Canada Goose bomber jacket and a black Raptors T-shirt.dddddddddddd His garment bag hung on the glass partition next to his seat. "I didnt think anybody recognized who I was but I think the shirt gave it away," Casey said. Asked if Raptors fans gave him any advice during the ride to the Air Canada Centre, the coach replied: "They just said Go get em." Casey said it wasnt his first subway ride in Toronto. He most recently travelled via the TTC last summer. "Its great," Casey said. "I recommend it to everybody. Just not on Game 7." ' ' '