"Bargnani, looking more comfortable as a starter than he has looked as a backup, managed to score 13 points – his biggest offensive output in December – but most important was the fact he played 30 minutes.
Bargnani has been wildly ineffective over the past month. He missed four games with a hyperextended knee but failed to score in double figures in eight others and has been a defensive liability whenever he's been on the court.
He was averaging a measly 9.3 points and 3.6 rebounds heading into last night's game.
But, eventually, he has to play better because he has in the past. Or at least the Raptors hope so.
"Right now, for us to be what we want to be, Andrea needs to get out there," said Mitchell. "He needs to grow and he needs to understand, he needs to make his mistakes and he's got to learn from them.
"You only learn certain lessons sitting on the bench and you only learn certain lessons practising. It has to be game application; he has to get out there and play and it's our job as coaches to sit him down and correct him and continue to coach him and continue to get him better.
"Last year, you saw how Andrea played. We know it's in him, we know he can do it. He hasn't forgotten how to play. We just have to get him back."
Rasho Nesterovic, who started 17 games, took over from Bargnani early in the season because, Mitchell said at the time, the veteran is more suited to starting a game rather than coming off the bench.
But the long-term plan has always been for Bargnani to start and Nesterovic's diminishing contribution of late helped Mitchell make the decision.Bargnani got a baptism by fire. He was matched up against Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire.
"I think tonight was a good start for him, he played much more under control," said Mitchell. "He made some excellent passes. Our guys have to be aware now that Andrea can make plays off the dribble so that's another dimension our guys have to get back used to.""
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), non potevo mancare il match fra il Mago e la mia franchigia prediletta: malgrado la partita incolore in questo caso non posso imputare ad Andrea colpe eccessive, contro i miei Sonics che hanno problemi più che evidenti i Raptors sono apparsi loffi, molto loffi come squadra in toto, e come al solito Mitchell se le cose vanno male si riconferma cronicamente incapace di prendere le contromisure.
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