Chris Bosh throws Jamario Moon under the bus
Chris Bosh, Dime #33Jamario Moon is a world-class athlete and a true NBA success story: small-town country kid, community-college resume, minor-league veteran turned NBA starter. But midway through his second season in the League, Moon is starting to build up a case that he shouldn’t be on the court during crunch-time of a close game.
In a memorable Raptors/Blazers game last season, Moon committed a huge mistake when he fouled Travis Outlaw on a three-pointer that allowed Portland to force overtime. (Toronto would eventually win in double-OT.) Then, in yesterday’s loss to the Hawks, Moon was doing all he could to hand Atlanta the W, blowing defensive assignments and taking an ill-advised triple in the final minute. For a team that’s already in a tailspin, it didn’t go over well. From the Toronto Star:
The finish couldn’t have been any worse, and it laid bare for all to see a conflict between (Chris) Bosh and Moon that may have just been a heat-of-the-moment thing or a signal that things are irreparably damaged.
After Moon blew a defensive assignment with about 90 seconds left that ultimately ended with a Joe Johnson free throw that got Atlanta within one, Bosh went off on his teammate in front of the bench. And he didn’t back off when asked about it after the game.
“Watch the film. He gives him a straight line to the basket,” said Bosh. “Joe Johnson. All-Star. Whatever you want to call him, one of the best players or two-guards in the League and you give him a straight line? You can’t.
“That’s the mental thing we are talking about. We’re up by two. If he hits the jump shot and you contest it as good as you can, what are we going to say?
“But don’t give him a straight-line drive. He’s too talented for that. He’s too good for that and that’s what made me upset.”
The mistake was made worse on Atlanta’s next possession when Moon bit on a pump fake by Mike Bibby and fouled him, allowing Bibby to make two free throws and put Atlanta ahead 85-84 with 55.4 seconds left.
And to complete the trifecta, after Bosh committed a turnover before Toronto got a timely defensive stop, Moon, a 31 per cent three-point shooter starting the day, hoisted a quick, and bad, jumper with 35.9 seconds left that Atlanta rebounded and turned into a Johnson bucket for a three-point lead with 13 seconds left.
“It felt like it was a good shot,” said Moon. “I had just made one before that and (Anthony Parker) came down and gave it to me in rhythm, I thought it was good. So I took the shot.
“I guess everybody’s upset, but it was an open shot. Anybody could have missed an open shot. You have to live with it.”
Bosh (22 pts, 14 rebs) didn’t just single out Moon; he had criticism for all of the Raptors, who going into Wednesday’s game at Detroit are last-place in the Atlantic Division at 16-27 and have lost six games in a row. With Jose Calderon out injured and Jermaine O’Neal dealing with injuries and constant trade rumors, it may only get worse.
“We’re not in the right positions. We don’t make the right pass. We don’t get back on defence the right way,” said Bosh, rattling off three huge problems.
“We don’t do the correct coverages when it really counts at the end of the game and that’s all mental. We shoot ourselves in the foot every game.”
On one hand, you have to appreciate that Bosh is stepping up to be a vocal leader (and critic) of his team and is holding guys accountable. At the same time, was it inappropriate for him to publicly throw a teammate under the bus like that?
Source: Toronto Star
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January 20th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Ian says:
yeah its fuckin inappropriate
January 20th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Eddy K says:
kinda…
when ur losing much, u will be badly pissed…
and tht will eventually happen sooner or later…
January 20th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Notorious says:
I would guess that Bosh has been trying to do this all off the radar for a while now with no results. So he said F-it, if Moon won’t listen to me in private then I will toss his dumb arse under the bus. Terrible decision making by Moon, is he trying to play his way out of the League?
January 20th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
The Hedghehog (NOT SONIC, god!) says:
I believe his direction to be good, but his approach not so much. I can’t say if he was totally wrong for singling him out like that, or losing his temper on the bench, because we don’t know if they had talked about this in private beforehand. If they have and nothing has changed over a reasonable amount of time, then he is right to take this action. If there was no attempt made to fix this (these) problems in private, then Bosh is totally in the wrong.
Regardless, he is certainly correct in vocalizing his concerns and thus taking a strong leadership position.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
The Hedghehog (NOT SONIC, god!) says:
@Notorious, sorry I didn’t catch your post before I posted (jerk, I know), but your position is pretty much what I had tried to communicate in the first section of my comment. I agree with you, dude.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Mikey B says:
Bosh needs to check his ego and look in the mirror at his own game.
In every clutch situation this season he has been shut down , missed a defensive rebounding assignment or a produced careless turnover.
As bad as Moon’s plays were the leader of the team Chris Bosh had the opportunity to pick up his teamate and dribbled it off his foot out of bounds.
Against Indi Bosh missed a box out in the last minute, letting Indi get the board and recycle for an open Dunleavy 3.
Against Chicago he was blocked by Joakim Noah, come on Chris you let Noah beat you and then have the nerve to call out your own boys.
Someone in Toronto needs to call you out.
Your better than that , you need to get your game in check, I have never heard Lebron or Wade throw a teamate under the bus.
As the leader of this team its Bosh’s job to get everyone in order. Maybe he just isn’t the TRUE leader Toronto fans think he is.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
The Hedghehog (NOT SONIC, god!) says:
Mikey B, if that’s true, then…
file him under the Almost-Superstar folder, as he would be joining McGrady, Carter, Starbury, … in that category. Guys that are awesome, and appear SUPER awesome early in their careers until they get to year 5, 6, or 7 or like, 8, and everyone realizes they are never going to be what you thought they already were.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
K Dizzle says:
CB4 is right to crap on Moon’s head. His role ain’t that hard. I expect this from a team losin games without their startin point and startin center. Moon’s makin fatal errors and actually directly helpin cause losses. Better keep Bosh happy or 2010 gonna be bad in TO…
January 20th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Soda says:
If Moon was on my team he wouldn’t get shit for minutes. He is soft and really has no biz being a starter in the L.
Shows you how badly the Raps need a wing that can score and defend.
Moon has the ability to jump over people but no sense on how to be fierce and play hard. Complimented by his weak jumper makes him a bench player at best. Makes me cringe when i see him firing.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Ian says:
hedgehog
comon carter is better than all those dudes you mention and he does come thru
btw what wrong with sonic i mean hes not as awesome as mario but still good
January 20th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
mbar says:
Fully agree with Mikey B! Bosh has done nothing for us in the end of games and he plays some of the worst D on the team! I see Bosh give away countless buckets all the time. Somebody definitely needs to call him out.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Mikey B says:
Hedghehog, I am ezggerating a bit he is not quite in a league with TMac and Starbury, but he needs to be held accountable.
He is at best a Pippen to someone elses Jordan and that will never happen in Toronto because we think to highly of him.
Now would be the perfect time to trade Chris Bosh.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
F.L.A.S.H. says:
moon is finished when marion comes for o’neal, he was just sam mitchell’s pet that jay triano could’nt simply kick out of the rotation, bosh is trying just like kevin garnett was trying, the raptors just plain suck
January 20th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
The Hedgehog (NOT SONIC, god!) says:
Eh, I guess Carter is pretty good, but I still feel some disappointment at how his career has played out considering how AWESOME I thought he was early on.
SONIC, to me, is SO MUCH COOLER THAN ANY VIDEO GAME CHARACTER, because he is so FAST and FUN! But I put that in my name because I am tired of being mistaken for him. There are other hedgehogs in this world.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Kudabeen says:
He has a right. Moon is a good athlete, but he has to be accountable for his lapses and not just feel lucky to be out there. The described mistakes are the difference between a D-League guy/12th man and a guy that gets 4th quarter PT when it counts. Know your role, play your position, or get ridicule.
My thing is What did the coach have to say?? Not to say Sam Mitchell was a great coach, but he was scorned for trying to hole these players accountable on both ends. Moon is in a position that there is a lot of talent at around the L and the world. He needs to own up and improve or be replaced. He hasn’t cemented his position yet.
Tough game, but it sounds like Bosh is upset about all of it, practice habits and in game lapses…
And for the people saying he needs to look in the mirror…If he does that he will find the only reason the Raptors are a relevant franchise…
January 20th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Kudabeen says:
Trade Bosh for who??
Dirk?
Camby + Al Thorton?
David West + Wright+pick?
Can’t see it this year, but Jermaine O’Neal may be gone…
January 20th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
control says:
Moon always drops that one nasty dunk per game that keeps him in. People just want to see him do that every time. The guy can jump from outside the key and put a rebound back…with his head still at the rim. I’d put a zap collar on his neck and every time he thinks of jacking a 3 pointer, zap some sense into his ass. He’s more of a liability than Ben Wallace with 2 or less minutes in the game though.
Bosh has to step his shit up as well. If there is a defense rebound off a foul shot in the last 2 minutes of the game, there is a 90% chance Bosh will not get it. OT and end of games are where superstars step up…just hasn’t happened this year. During Boston game, in OT, Roko fucking Uric was carrying the team, wtf?
January 20th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Kobeef says:
@Mikey B
I second or third your opinion on Bosh. Who the “F” is he to call people out when he is supposedly the team leader and gets outplayed by O’Neal and Bargnani in crunch time on the regular. Bosh is overrated and the worst part about it is that he is his own biggest fan.
@Kubadeen
I was wondering the same thing: Is Bosh really trying to say that the Coach is the problem? Some of his concerns are about Moon but you could also put this on Triano. The Raps haven’t been any better since Mitchell was fired so you can’t say it was his fault.
Moon does take too many jumpers and make too many dumb decisions but really what do you expect. The only reason he is in the League is because he can jump and run, otherwise he would have been drafted long ago.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Ian says:
its true someone said it bosh will be a pippen but i dont see him being traded for something than another pippen unless its dirk
sonic
nah mario is the best
January 20th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Brown says:
I agree with a lot that’s been said already. Moon’s contract is up at the end of the season and I doubt he’ll be re-signed.
Why didn’t Bosh call himself out when he got blocked by Noah? Or the countless other times this year where the Raps have needed a bucket late in the game and his flailing ass turns the ball over? He just shrugs and says, “put it behind us.” It’s not his place to call out Moon for a bad shot. That’s just the pot calling the kettle black. Even so, I have no problem with Bosh doing what he did. The rest of the Raps should get pissed for blowing defensive assignments too, but they have no pride in playing defense. To me, it looks like they’re just rolling over and playing dead. I’ve never seen one team give up so many open jump shots in my life. They may be the worst defensive team in the league. Nobody on the entire roster can play defense. If Colangelo thinks this is how to build a winner, he’s lost his mind.
It’s time to rebuild, because tinkering with this lineup isn’t going to get them into contention. I think this incident is just another nail in the coffin on Bosh’s career in Toronto. If they don’t strike it rich in this year’s lottery and draft an imediate impact player at the 1, 2 or 3, Bosh is gone. Trading him may be the only way to improve the team long-term, which is sad given how long he’s been around. It’s just like AI in Philly and KG in Minnesota. Star player, inept GM who can’t build around him (although Bosh isn’t on par with either of those players).
January 20th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Mikey B says:
Send him to the knicks now for a package of David Lee, Nate Robinson, an unprotected Lottery pick this year or next and a throw in to match salaries.
Assuming JO gets traded for Marion the line up would look like
Bargs
Lee
Matrix
Parker
Calderon
w/ Nate coming off the bench and
2 possible lottery picks in this draft.
Just a thought any other scenarios you guys can think of.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
control says:
Mikey B
I wouldn’t want Nate Rob in Toronto. That guy is bat shit crazy. Toronto also has a long history of getting tiny pgs, I’d love for them to not revive it.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
Mikey B
That’s not enough for Bosh. I agree with all the sentiments about Bosh being overrated and not at the “elite” level but come on Nate Robinson? He’s garbage. Lee is a nice player but limited.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
one66soul says:
Bosh is forgetting that this is not the Hawks of old. We are 2-1 against the Raptors this year. Joe is Beast.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Brown says:
Send him to Portland for Aldridge, Outlaw, Webster and another player to make the salaries match, and maybe a draft pick or two. The Raps would get a young PF and two immediate upgrades at the wing position. The Blazers have good depth on the wings and could easily trade 3-4 players for one. The only detractor is that Portland may not want to mess up team chemistry since they’re pretty damn good as it is. Bosh could push them over the top though. An Oden-Bosh-Roy foundation would be a force to be reckoned with.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
northern lights says:
The other night in Pheonix it was bosh who blew his defensive assignment in crunch time. He let Steve Nash blow by him, and instead of following him to the basket to at least try for the block, Bosh anticipated a kick out to the corner. He looked like a complete idiot when he stepped out to help on a shooter who didn’t even have the ball.
Being vocal is one thing, but this guy is the leader of the team – rightfully so – and leader’s don’t throw teammates to the wolves like that, regardless of how frustrated you are. Hell, if I was moon i’d just as soon have bosh knock me my in the fucking face then go off and whine to reporters like a bitch.
This team is in a bad state right now, especially without Calderon… guy might not be an all-star, but his presence on the court is invalauable to the team (though his defence is a liability) Bosh is visibly frustrated, but these are things that need to get sorted out in-house
January 20th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Taj says:
Of course its right for him to do it. He’s the franchise player and the best player on the team. Many times in the past he’s held his tongue either waiting for someone else like the coaches or GM to say something when really the team wont respond to anyone but him. Lets see how this plays out next game and if the guys 1 through 12 step up to the challenge. Maybe they cant, I’ve watched enough games to see that other than 2 guys, the team lack guys with enough Basketball IQ to make the rgiht place at the right time of the game especially in crunch time. Then the Front Office needs to step up and make some moves casuse clearly their franchise guy isnt happy.
January 20th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
bigJack says:
Bosh is the last one to be calling guys out. He played J-Smoove tight all night and let him coast right by. the amount of o-rebs we give up because of failed box-outs are insane. His penchant to shoot jumpers when he can take his man off the dribble, is frustrating
Don’t get me wrong. Moon is a borderline NBA player getting a lot of burn. He just doesn’t get it. “I was open”. Bibby was guarding him from the 2nd Qtr on and he couldn’t do Anything. he caught the ball in the post and had no clue what do to with a guy 6 inches shorter – who can’t jump!
Moon deserved it, but CB4 needs to look in the mirror.
January 20th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Diego says:
Man, Bosh did more than rip Moon in front of the bench on that missed assignment after the play. They were both fully on court with Bosh between about the hoop and the foul line and Moon then out beyond the top of the key. Bosh was ripping Moon for an extended period of time across court, with another Raptor player joining in. Moon was clearly not real happy about getting dressed down in such fashion. This continued when Toronto called a time (I believe) before the foul shots.
Hey, Bosh. Stopping JJ on the drive is easier said than done. Bosh handled it poorly.
January 20th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
PWeezy says:
THIS BELONGS HERE TOO:
January 20th, 2009 at 10:37 am
PWeezy says:
Moon and Kapono suck they should be bench on crunch time. this is like the 4th game in two weeks that they lost in the end it all started on NOV 21st when Vince carter beat them in overtime raptors haven’t bounce back after that tough loss
weeze
I am tired of watching craptors lose in crunch time trade the whole lot Bosh, Parker, Moon, Kapono, Calderon and whoever i curse at my tv when i am watching them play. The times i think Raptors could have had Dwayne Wade in the draft instead of Bosh still gives me nightmares FREAK!!!!
weEZe
January 20th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Taj says:
Posts 28 & 29….
Sometime thats what a team needs. If Moon is a man and has the cohones, he should take it constructively and try to show Bosh that that he belongs in the game and can be counted on to make plays when it matters. With that being said, Bosh does make some weak plays as well during games, but he has a little bit of a greater margin for error.
January 20th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
PWeezy says:
2004 DRAFT pisses me off too Araujo instead of Kevin Martin, Josh Smith, IGGY, Al Jefferson freak any body except him FIRE RAPTOR SCOUTS you should do a post on how bad the raptors made draft picks.
WEEZY
January 20th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Melo2TDot says:
completely agree with Mike B.
In the games biggest moments Bosh is either getting shut down or hiding. he hasnt come thru in the clutch once in the past 2 or three seasons and thats why u always see us lose by 5. the raptors need a crunch time scorer. Anthony Parker can do it some times and Mo pete and Tj could aswell but they need a consistent go-to scorer…. Jamal Crawford anyone??
January 20th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
mr.sonic says:
Araujo just needed some more seasoning. He would have earned the starting spot by now if the raps coached him a bit.
January 20th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
He reminds me of KG in the way he disappears when needed, just KG when he played in Minny. He’s gonna need superstars for him to get a ring. We could trade LO and a pick for him
January 20th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
PWEEZY says:
“Araujo just needed some more seasoning. He would have earned the starting spot by now if the raps coached him a bit.”
HA!!! starting spot for a Ritzy Night Club as a Head Bouncer thats IT!!!!
January 20th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Mikey B says:
Bosh to the Lakers for
Odom,Farmar,(Vujacic or Ariza) a pick and make them take back a bad contract or pathetic player like Kapono.
Although I have no doubt Kapono would refind his stroke and lead the league in 3′s again with the Lakers.
January 20th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Big V says:
What qualifies this as “throwing Moon under the bus”? Bosh simply pointed out exactly what Moon did incorrectly, and he didn’t say anything more or less.
I don’t see what the big deal is. I think people would view it a lot differently if these exact same words came out of the coach’s mouth rather than Bosh’s.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
D.H. says:
I’m with him, Moon stright threw that game away. Three big errors in that last 90 seconds. And Moon was still walking around with a big silly grin on his face like it was no big deal. Moon’s gotta realize that his little fantasy life that has seen him rise to a starter can end just as quickly as it started.
As for Bosh, I think he is just trying to do a few too many things to compensate for his teams deficiencies. He’s got guys around him making multiple mistakes, Bosh gets flustered, tries to push it himself, and ultimately looses focus.
I think Bosh can be a super star, but Colangelo needs to surround him with better complementary role players for that to happen.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Chainfire says:
Bosh is a PF, there aren’t many power forwards in the game who are relied on to make big shots in clutch situations! That’s a sf or sg’s job a la Lebron James, Kobe, or Wade! He’s the raptor’s best player, but he aint perfect!
January 20th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
DickVitaleCanSuckIt says:
Bosh is a bitch… nuff said and Moon is incompetent.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
northern lights says:
Mr sonic is nuts with that arujao comment
January 20th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Diego says:
Moon actually did not have that bad a game. (I was there.) Check out the box score too.
Bosh had some nice stats, but he actually did not kill the Hawks like he usually does. (And Horford was out; and Zaza hardly played.) Hawks used only 1 decent forward or center: Josh Smith. Bosh was a prick on the play at issue. In any event, Moon leaves JJ alone, JJ nails a jumper.
Raptors must have some sweet locker room chemistry going.
Bosh seems soft, and seems to get a ton of his points on free throws. I would bet he must perenially be near the top of the league on ratio of free throw points per game to total points per game.
Where Toronto really screwed up was on their last posession of the game–that was pathetic.
January 20th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Marvin says:
I think that bosh should have discussed this with moon and the team in private. It just shows that something is brewing in there.
January 21st, 2009 at 9:22 am
Murakami says:
Bosh to NY 2010
January 21st, 2009 at 9:41 am
BROGDEN says:
if bosh would’ve simply added at the end, “i had blown assignments,” or “i could do my part better,” or “we all are at error, trying to get on the same page,” … ya know, something that shows a lil’ humility so that we don’t READ too much into his criticism about jamario aka mr. f up (according to bosh)
January 21st, 2009 at 10:10 am
Fully says:
I am surprised Bosh has kept it together for this long.
Moon is a complete space cadet on the floor. I’ve watched every single Raptors game this season and he’s absolutely clueless when it comes to a lot of the intricacies of the game.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Soda says:
The O’Neal for Marion deal would work out great for both teams.
O’Neal has got to go. Bargs has proved this year that holding on to him was the right move. Now that the Raps have finally figured out that he has to play the 5 and not 3 (what were they thinking?!!), time to move J.O.
Not an easy task seeing as he’ll make 23mill next year and is always hurt.
Throw Jamario under the bus, and while your at it get Graham, Parker and Kapono under there too.
Id take Anthony’s sister Candice over him anyday.
Graham is taking forever to develop and maybe needs a change of scenery to find his game.
J Kap does one thing good and thats shoot 3s. He can’t play D, nor is he a threat to drive. Time to send him to a team like that needs a 3 ball threat for a deep run in the playoffs. Cavs? Celts? Whoever. Time to move him and his 5 million dollar 3 point shot.
As for Jamario. He flat out sucks. Sorry Moon, but with that much spring in your legs you should be driving and jumping at people whenever you can. Your jumper is wack and inconsistent. God gave you the ability to jump over people, so DO IT! Oh ya… play some D for once in your life too!!
Colangelo needs to get this ship back on course or Bosh will be bye, bye in 2010. Would be a damn shame really, as this team not only has Toronto behind them, but all of Canada too.
-s