Raptors-Wizards: Casey says he’s sitting James Johnson for ‘strategic’ reasons
There will come a time when James Johnson will likely play for the Raptors in their NBA first-round playoff series, but it will be because coach Dwane Casey knows it gives his team a strategic advantage and not because people are clamouring for the little-used forward to get on the court.
“It’s a strategic decision,” Casey said Tuesday.
Johnson has become something of a cause célèbre with the Raptors these days; fans see a powerful forward who doesn’t play an awful lot and wonder why. Coaches see someone with significant flaws in his game — overhelping on defence, freelancing and creating spacing issues on offence — and want to pick their spots to use him.
“Not trying to be stubborn, say ‘Hey, we’re not going to play James Johnson,’ ” said Casey.
“No. This is strategic decision, we understand what we’re doing, it’s nothing against James, it’s nothing against anybody else that’s in that situation.”
Johnson said he’s less comfortable playing power forward — where many presumably see him guarding Washington’s Paul Pierce — than at his usual small forward position.
“I’m here for matchup problems,” he said, insisting there are no issues between him and Casey. “I’m here for the long season, when Kyle got hurt or DeMar got hurt. Those were when I had opportunities to play a lot. I’m the fill-in. “And I’m OK with that.” FINDING THEIR GROOVE: As much as the Raptors don’t expect as poor a shooting game from their key players in Game 2 of their NBA playoff series with Washington as they got in Game 1, the Wizards have to be feeling the same way.
John Wall and Bradley Beal, the engines of the Washington offence, were a combined 11-for-41 from the floor and 1-for-9 from three-point range.
Beal, 6-for-23 on his own, has taken to extra shooting work between games.
“Have to,” he told reporters in Washington. “Can’t shoot 6-for-23; just wanting to get a rhythm.
“I’ve got to make sure everything’s feeling good still.” WAITING GAME: The extended nature of the first-round schedule in the NBA playoffs — driven solely by television — creates an awful lot of down time for coaches and players.
Coaches don’t mind it because it provides more time for practice, players are a bit more anxious for games.
“I don’t like the anxiety that kicks in with waiting so long,” Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan said Tuesday. “But, at the same time, it’s a good thing to be able to rest and really get that energy you need back. But the anticipation and anxiety definitely kicks in.” The coach? “I love the extra day off,” Casey said. “It helps us so we can prepare yesterday, today, do some things on the court, work out. Just for preparation, you always want to have that. And also the recovery, I think that’s huge for having quality production, the energy that you’re going to have instead of coming back and having one day between games. That’s difficult on guys’ bodies.”