(TORONTO) -- These are the salad days for Sam Mitc .
After the Raptors struggled to a 2-8 start and showed few early signs of improvement, Mitc , 43, was on top of everybody’s most-like to get fired list. A decline in wins to 27 from 33 in his first two seasons seemed to make the decision easy.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the execution.
The Raptors have won 43 of their last 67 games to grab first place in the Atlantic Division. They are 12 games over .500 and boast candidates for executive of the year in GM Bryan Colangelo, most valuable player in Chris Bosh, rookie of the year in Andrea Bargnani and yes, coach of the year, in the very same Sam Mitc .
“I’d be disappointed if he didn’t get it,” Colangelo told local media this week.
“I appreciate that, it’s very nice,” said Mitc . “It’s always nice when your boss thinks highly of you and thinks you’re doing a good job.”
Colangelo is not alone. Under Mitc , Bosh has grown from a kid with one year of college ball to a game-shaping big man and NBA all-star. The benefits of Mitc ’s often stern apprenticeship are on display nightly.
Mitc unleashed T.J. Ford, who is enjoying by far his best NBA season and shrewdly deployed imports Anthony Parker, Jorge Garbajosa, Jose Calderon and Bargnani.
Most of all, Mitc infused the Raptors with the court sense and toughness he garnered over 13 NBA seasons as a blue-collar favorite in Minnesota and Indiana.
“You learn,” he said. “The tough things about these jobs are you don’t get the opportunity to learn. I’m glad with all I’ve been through I’ve had the chance to learn from my mistakes and get better.”
Mitc said there isn’t one single thing that has made him a better coach. Instead, a broad combination of experiences make him different.
“You learn how to communicate better. You learn when to back off, when to push, when to give them a day off, what to say to them. Even sometimes when we play bad, you just learn that sometimes you don’t need to talk about it. Just let it go.”
Rasho Nesterovic, the Raptors impish seven-footer, said Mitc thrives on an attention to detail.
“He likes to control everything,” he said and “he really knows what the deal is on the court.”
Those who would count the club out after a slow start, Mitc said, hadn’t considered the cir stances closely enough.
“I understood we were going to get better every month. The schedule was tough because of a West coast trip. I also understood that we had nine new players and we were getting better every day. Out of those nine new players, seven had never played significant (NBA) minutes before.”
The Raptors, Mitc insisted, just needed time and points to the breakthrough sop re season put together by guard Jose Calderon as proof.
“All the difference between Jose from this year and last year is that he has confidence and he believes that he belongs.”
Friday, the Raptors host Detroit, the number one seed in the East and the conference’s dominant power.
The Pistons represent a lofty challenge for the Raptors. Toronto is looking for its fifth consecutive win and there is something to be said for making out one’s territory, even though the Pistons have clinched and might be resting some regulars.
“This is one of the potential matchups later in the playoffs,” said Nesterovic. “We definitely have to play good against them to prove we are on the same level that they are.”
The Raptors don’t look to return Bargnani to the lineup for the Pistons game.
Bargnani has missed 11 games after emergency surgery for an appendectomy but has contracted a case of the flu and has been in and out of practice.
“The chances of him playing are doubtful,” Mitc said. “He practiced yesterday, didn’t practice today. Unless something happens between now and tomorrow, I don’t expect him (to play).”
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