Submitted by Ben Fisher for Hoops Talk Nation

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Something about last night just left a bad taste in my mouth. It wasn’t just what was once an 18-point deficit for the Raptors (8-18), it wasn’t just Toronto’s 0-8 shooting performance in overtime, it wasn’t even just the almost non-existent Verizon Center crowd (laughably announced at 14,687).

There was just something that felt wrong about the whole game – as though it was not only a minor inconvenience for the tired Raptors (until they woke up in the fourth quarter, anyway), but also for the indifferent, frustrated fans in Washington. Perhaps no one expressed this better than Dwane Casey, who said of the game, “That was a bad exhibition of basketball.”

I’d like to laud the Raptors for a fourth quarter comeback, replete with some clutch shooting down the stretch, that helped extend the game before ultimately succumbing to a 111-108 OT defeat. On this day, however, I just don’t have it in me.

The Good:

The 30-Point Men
It could be argued that Jerryd Bayless’ and Linas Kleiza’s 30-point nights in Washington began the previous night in Miami. Bayless and Kleiza combined for 21 of the team’s 27 points in their fourth quarter comeback effort against the Heat on Sunday and then kept that momentum rolling into their combined 60-point, 20-39 shooting night (most impressively: 10-18 three-point shooting) in Washington. Not sure I particularly like that Bayess and Kleiza have suddenly become Toronto’s go-to crunch time scorers (the duo took nine of the team’s final 10 shots in regulation, with Amir Johnson getting the lone remainder on a game-tying putback dunk), but 30-point outings are 30-point outings.

Consistency From Deep
You normally hear the phrase “live by the three, die by the three” in a negative context that warns against becoming overly reliant on the long distance shot. The advice is well-made, but there still happen to be nights where you live by the three. That was Monday night for Toronto, as they shot 13-26 (50%) from beyond the arc, including 6-9 in the fourth quarter. If the Raptors don’t make those six fourth quarter treys, they don’t surge back and pull even to force overtime.

The Bad:

A Sloppy Mess
Any NBA game will produce specific highlights and standout performances, as this one did (the Raps’ 30-point scorers, Kleiza’s off-balanced bank shot, John Wall’s late three-point play, the Wizards’ backcourt). Still, none of these things could compensate for what was a bowling shoe-ugly basketball game (not that any observers should have been surprised). The ugly in stats: 35 combined turnovers, 62 combined personal fouls, 75 combined free throw attempts and 1-14 combined shooting in the overtime frame.

Leandro Barbosa
In four of his last five outings (putting aside his 19 points in Toronto’s home win against Washington last week), Barbosa has 12 total points on just 5-29 shooting.

Amir Johnson
The Raptors’ big man has been dogged by questions about his lack of bulk and inability to get physical in the post pretty much since he entered the league. I don’t want to pile on any more than I have in the past (particularly since his biggest problem this season seems to be too much bulk – that is, he’s out of shape), but is there any bigger indication of “not strong enough” than getting blocked three times in 16 seconds in overtime, including twice by John Wall? And yes, I acknowledge how patently unfair my criticism of Johnson is in regards to the same game that he pulled down nine – nine! – offensive rebounds.

The Random:

-          The signs of fatigue are growing clearer: after allowing 100 points just once over their first 16 games, the Raps have let their opponent surpass triple digits five times in the past 10 games (two came in overtime, but still).

What’s Next:

Not only are the Raptors home, but they can even settle in for a while. A stretch of seven home tilts – followed immediately by the All-Star Break – kicks off Wednesday against Milwaukee (7:00pm, SNET).

Keep an Eye on:

1) … Brandon Jennings. He’s exactly the type of player – someone you have to contain both on and off the ball – that tired defenders don’t want to have to bother dealing with. However, the Bucks don’t boast many other scoring options, so look for Jennings to get doubled.

2) … guarding the perimeter. Milwaukee has no shortage of guys who like to light it up from long range. Jennings, Stephen Jackson, Carlos Delfino, Mike Dunleavy and rookie Jon Leuer are just some of the players likely to find 15-footers to their liking on Wednesday.

The Pick: Buck 95, Raptors 92 (14-4 this season)