A Quick Wrap-up before tonight’s tilt with the Jazz

Game thoughts: Toronto at Philadelphia 

They eeked out the win and led most of the way, but colour me very unimpressed with the play of the Raps. They got over the hump and improved from the way they’d been playing the last few games, but I still had a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Snapping a streak is good, and a road win is a road win, but:

 

-         I did not like the usage of Bargnani, Moon, and Delfino all in the front court at once. I don’t care how small the other team is playing, it leaves our interior much too weak. Not to mention the defensive breakdowns that occurred when these guys were on together(Though Dixon was involved as well)

-         Without Anthony Parker regaining some form and getting key buckets, this probably would have been a loss.

-         The point-guards were effective at getting to the rim, and need to do so more often.

  Game Thoughts: Toronto at Chicago 

Another road win, and a big one at that. But still, I was very unimpressed, especially with the first half. The Raptors were simply sloppy, sloppy, sloppy, and it’s hard to imagine a team playing worse than the Bulls did that night. The Raptors have been applauded for their defense, and for not giving up open shots, but from the game I was watching, I saw plenty of missed jumpers from Chicago when they were wide open, as well as a few made ones.

    

Quick player wrap-ups:

 

Jamario, Jamario, Jamario: Sam Mitchell is unhappy with how much praise Moon has been getting, and I completely agree. This kid has still done nothing, and to me, he did not look nearly as good as the stats indicated. Did he have an impact? Certainly. Was it necessarily even a positive one? I’m not too sure.

 

He gives us a ton of energy and athleticism, but you can’t hide the fact that he makes mistakes, both offensively and defensively. Let’s not go overboard here. He hasn’t done anything more than earn a spot on the active roster at this point.

    

Chris Bosh: He has stepped it up, and looks very comfortable physically. He should be back to putting up consistent double doubles on most nights.

 

Rasho Nesterovic: He flat-out proved why he should be the starting center for this team. He just does so many things well, and his work on the offensive glass is very stellar.

 

Andrea Bargnani: Has this guy completely fallen apart the last couple games or what? It’s just a slump, but man, he needs to get back into things. He was such a huge factor in their first two wins.

     

Big game tonight for the Raps. Hopefully they can regain the form they had in the first 2 games of the year, get movement, make jumpers, and show tenacity on defense. They’re going to need to in order to contain a very powerful Jazz offense. Don’t know how much faith in them I have, seeing as I have no clue how they’re going to stop Boozer.

Telling test ahead for the Dino’s

The Raptors have a big test this week. 4 games in 5 nights, 5 in 7 if you count Sundays matchup with the Celtics. Three of those 4 games come on the road, with the home game being sandwiched in between two road ones, so it’ll be a week with a lot of traveling for Sam Mitchell and his club.

 

It may seem tough that the Raptors have to play a stretch like this so early in the season, but I view it as a blessing. This is a great test, and a fitting one. On the whole, the opponents are decent, though far from overwhelming.(@Milwaukee, vs Orlando, @ Philadelphia, @ Chicago). Stretches like this are there to push teams to their edge and expose their weaknesses. For the Raptors, this stretch will hopefully expose their strength. The depth about this team has been talked about over and over again, and here’s the chance to prove it. Sam: Use all your guys. Don’t wear out Bosh, because you don’t have to. We can beat Milwaukee, Orlando, and Philadelphia with our second unit on the floor half the night if all goes well, so give them a chance. And then it’s all set-up for the ultimate showdown in Chicago on Saturday night. That’ll be the great finale. After 3 games in 4 nights and flying in from Philadelphia the night before, can they push themselves to the edge and prove their strength, their will, and their might. If Bosh and Parker and Bargnani aren’t too drained during the week, there’s no reason they can’t come out and play strong against the Bulls. If the Raptors come out gassed and get smacked down, well, maybe were not quite as deep as we thought we were. Or maybe depth isn’t quire as important as we thought it was. But hopefully, us Toronto fans have the right idea and there is basis behind our optimism. We’ll find out this week.

 

The ultimate litmus test for the Raps. Here’s hoping we get the result we’re looking for. 

 

My personal view of the teams goals: Take at least 2 of 3 against the Bucks, Magic, and Sixers, and win in Chicago for a 3-1 week. If we take the first 3 but don’t play well on Saturday night against the (supposedly) best team of the group, I will be disappointed. Obviously, a 4-0 week would work too.

 

NBA Projected Standings

Well, I wouldn’t be an NBA blogger without releasing my league wide view on the standings. No analysis for today, but hopefully I’ll get in to some thoughts on the other teams later this week.

East

 

1. Chicago Bulls, 55-27
2. Detroit Pistons, 54-28
3. Boston Celtics, 52-30
4. Miami Heat, 44-38
5. Toronto Raptors, 48-34
6. Cleveland Cavaliers, 45-37
7. New Jersey Nets, 43-39
8. Orland Magic, 43-39
9. Washington Wizards, 41-41
10. New York Knicks, 39-43
11. Atlanta Hawks, 37-45
12. Charlotte Bobcats, 34-48
13. Milwaukee Bucks, 34-48
14. Indiana Pacers, 29-53
15. Philadelphia 76’ers, 25-57

 

West

 

1. Dallas, 59-22
2. Phoenix Suns, 56-25
3. San Antonio Spurs, 56-26
4. Denver Nuggets, 51-31
5. Houston Rockets, 55-27
6. Utah Jazz, 49-33
7. New Orleans Hornets, 42-40
8. Los Angeles Lakers, 39-43
9. Golden State, 37-45
10. Portland Trailblazers, 36-46
11. Memphies Grizzlies 34-48
12. Sacramento Kings, 33-49
13. Minnesota Wolves, 31-51
14. Los Angeles Clippers, 29-53
15. Seattle Supersonics, 23-59

Goals, Outsights, and Projections for this Season

What are the consensus goals for this season?

 

The goals from around the fanbase and the organization are fairly simple; win a playoff series. We’d all love to see them as top-flight contenders, but those thoughts may be slightly premature. As long as a team is improving each season, it’s tough for anyone to complain, and winning a playoff series would be a definitive improvement no matter how you look at it. Whether they struggle during the year, or excel themselves to a top seed in the East, judgement time will come in April.

 

Missing the playoffs entirely would be a downright disaster, and a huge step-back for the franchise as a whole. If we make the playoffs and lose in the first round… then there could still be some debate as to the success of the season. If they play well all year and show improvement by beating some of the top teams(such as Chicago or Detroit) then draw a tough first round opponent and wind up on the losing end, they’ll still have their critics, but it would still be some form of progress. If they continue to struggle against the top teams, don’t show any signs of closing the gap, and THEN lose in the first round? Once again, it would be tough to swallow.

 

So what do I expect from the Raptors this season? What are the keys to the season?

    

We’d all love to be able to coach an NBA team. We follow our team and think we know every right move to make. We scoff when Mitchell or whoever else does things we disagree with, and we gloat in self-congratulations when he does what we’re thinking. And on that note, you’re all wrong! Clearly Mitchell and every one of the fans is nowhere near as enlightened as me, so I’m going to offer up my infallible words of wisdom.

 

The Raptors season hinges on so many different things. Chris Bosh’s knees, Mitchell’s ability to designate the playing time, and each individual player showing up ready to go and playing well, along with a slew of others.

 

Some of those things are outside of anyone’s control, such as the health of the team. But many of them aren’t.

 

Here are my keys to this season:

 How Sam Mitchell does at managing the rotation: 

Sam Mitchell proved last year that in most cases, he is a good motivator of players. So as far as we know, everyone will come in opening night and be ready to go hard. He also proved that he could effectively manage a very deep team and distribute the minutes with some success. However, with two new faces who are going to be looking for consistent minutes, and the developing or regressing play of players from last year, the job should prove to be an even bigger challenge. There are innumerable combinations of players that can be on the court at one time, and seemingly a million little battles at each position, so breaking it down and seeing what works is going to be tough.

 

What I would do:

 

• Well Sam and I already see differently on the starting rotation. As I’ve mentioned, I would prefer Nesterovic in there to Bargnani. Although when it comes down to it, as Mitchell loves to point out, it’s not the starters that matter, it’s the minutes.
• Keep giving Calderon his share of minutes. I’m going to give my Ford/Calderon thoughts later, but the bottom line is that Calderon is an extraordinary talent and the Raps excel when he’s on the court. He needs to be on the court.
• Don’t be afraid to make substitutions early and often if a wing player is not shooting well.  We have so many talented wing players who can shoot the ball, and riding the hot-hand is never a bad idea. Too often in the Morris Peterson era he was left in there. I realize that this may hurt a players confidence, but with this many options, it may help instill the idea of “team” that is so important to our success.
• Give the Calderon/Ford on-at-the-same-time-experiment one more shot. It’s hard to give these guys the minutes they deserve, and so Mitchell sometimes experimented putting them both on at once last year. It didn’t work very well, but early in the season against some weaker teams, I think it’s worth trying again and hoping they find a way to gel.
• Find the combinations that work. Certain players did not work well together last year, and there’s really different styles that don’t mesh. The Raptors have such an odd game because Bosh is option number one, and his style is really quite different then the build of the rest of the team. He works much better with Ford than Calderon, while Calderon works well getting open shots for guys like Bargnani and Parker. Make sure this is running smoothly.

   How the Raptors deal with the press clippings:  

Motivation is a huge component of any team’s success when you’re talking about a grueling 82 game schedule. The negative predictions around the league should help to deal with the motivation factor on the Raps. Teams that play the disrespect card come with a chip on their shoulder, and the Raps can unite around the idea of proving the doubters wrong.

 

At the same time, if they do come out strong the public opinion can swing very fast. Not that I see this happening to this group, but history has shown that teams who start buying into themselves a little too much get hurt in the long run.(2003 Lakers, every Pistons team of the last 3 years..)

 Can key players take the extra step: 

If Andrea Bargnani takes the leap most feel he will, that’s yet another deadly weapon that they didn’t have last year. Bargnani was good last year and he put up his share of points, but if he can do it while earning 30 minutes a night on the defensive end, that’s an extra 10 minutes of production from a talented, talented man.

 

Calderon took such a huge step from his first year to his second, and that kind of improvement for a second year in a row would be almost impossible. But I do believe that there’s a chance he hasn’t FULLY adjusted to the NBA game and that his play might continue to slope upwards. Imagine if the point-guard play actually IMPROVED this year.

 

Chris Bosh is Chris Bosh, and he’s already established himself as one of the best in the league. Personally, I think his offensive game is maxed out, but you never know. Maybe a little extra veteran savvy could have him boosting his numbers yet again. And, as mentioned in his player preview, if he improves defensively, it could add something the Raptors desperately need and help them compete against the bigger inside teams.

 

Humphries, Graham, and Delfino: The three others who I think have a small chance at taking a step this year. Humphries and Graham improving is almost a given, but it could be to an almost negligible extent. If either proved he’s worthy of 20 minutes a night, it’d be yet another boost. And, Delfino, though being hailed as a ready-to-go commodity, really hasn’t proven anything thus far in his career. Any consistent play from him would have to be viewed as an “improvement” of his former self, even if it’s just a reflection of opportunity.

  Overall Projections: 

I love this team. I think they’re going to be very difficult for most teams to handle. The depth is sick, and working the other team’s bench into submission should be a nightly occurrence. The camaraderie this team has and the fun youthfulness they display on the court is a joy to watch. I see things going very well, though I still think they’ll have their rough nights. The longer a team is together, the better they gel, especially defensively. They need to work hard on the defensive end to keep in games with some of the tougher teams, and I don’t think they’re quite there yet. If Colangelo can get them some help on the interior, they should be a wrecking crew next year in what will primarily be this groups 3^rd season as a whole. 

 

Projection: 48-34, setting another franchise record for wins.

The 2007-2008 Toronto Raptors – Player Breakdowns

Chris Bosh:  

He is the undisputed leader of this team, and needs to show it once again this year. Last year during his first trip to the playoffs, things didn’t exactly go his way. He struggled to adjust to the Net’s swarming defense, and played by far the worst stretch of basketball I’ve seen him play in the last 2 years. He got frustrated and tried to force a lot of things on the court. Not exactly what you want out of your “leader” in a crucial playoff series. That being said, he has shown to be a strong, smart, and dependable basketball player, and one bad series isn’t going to compromise his role on this team. He will be the one getting guys in early, and staying in late, when it comes to practice. He is a role model and the other players on this team should follow by example.

 

Offensively, he’s got a great diverse game. He is the first option for the weapons, and he makes other teams cater their defensive game plans around him. In the post, he must continue getting better at identifying double teams and passing the ball out before he gets himself into trouble.

 

Teams are starting to put smaller, quicker defenders on Bosh so that in isolation he has trouble getting around them. They will normally give him space and allow him to take some mid-range jumpers early on. This is easily the best strategy to use against him. If Chris isn’t hitting his jumper early, he is sometimes taken out of the game much more than the Raptors would like. If he is hitting the jumpers, it forces the defender up into his face, and his quickness will normally get him to the basket on some nice drives. He needs to work on finding ways to get to the basket even when the defender is giving plenty of cushion on the times his shot is not falling. I think his best option in cases like these is to try and do some post-ups before he gets run in isolation again, in order to get some confidence back and perhaps get his stroke going from the free throw line.

 

Defensively, he comes up with some highlight reel rejections every now and then, but he still has a long way to go to becoming a complete player. He needs to be a little quicker in help, but most of all he needs to continue to do his best to be physical. He shows a lot of physicality in rebounding, and you can tell he’s trying, but he still struggles with his technique and commits too many fouls. Whenever he tries to be physical in one-on-one defense, he ends up committing a foul and then becomes more and more timid. He and the coaching staff need to figure out a way to use his size appropriately, get him playing with his hands straight up, and when possible bumping his man to get him out of rhythm. If they feel to do that, they need to get him more help in the paint in the form of double teams – obviously not the ideal solution, but against certain teams you’d rather take your shot with them shooting jumpers than pounding inside for layups and easy floaters.

     

Andrea Bargnani – He undoubtedly has the skills and ATTITUDE to be a prime-time scorer in this league. His three point shot is nasty and he continues to improve at getting to the basket and showing his creativity around the rim. He’ll benefit from a lot of Bosh double teams and get some open shots, either behind the arc or hopefully closer to the basket. It is imperative that he not fall too much in love with the three pointer, because the closer he is to the basket, the more he can do to help the team get high percentage shots. You can never have too many shooters on the floor, but playing with Kapono and Parker, he may be slightly better served in working in-tight, allowing him to create with his unique passing skills. The shots fall easier when the defense collapses and there’s a kick out involved, so Bargnani kicking it out to an open Kapono for the 3 pointer should be more effective than Kapono, Ford, and Parker kicking it around to Bargnani for an outside shot.

 

The biggest problem for Andrea, and it has been well publicized, is his rebounding and toughness around the basket. He has the potential, and I love the attitude I see from him on the court. He definitely has it in him. He also has the body size as he’s put on some muscle over the summer. However, it takes more than just strength and toughness to make a good rebounder and interior defender. Bosh will most likely always be taking the tougher assignment on the defensive end, whether that means him playing against a center or power forward, but Bargnani will still have some tough assignment against some teams. Him being in his second year, I really doubt his ability to learn this quickly about the proper techniques. It takes time to learn the craft, and normally the most skilled rebounders and defenders are guys who have been around the league for 5-10 years. There’s no doubting he has the potential to get there, and the coaching staff seems very optimistic and are showing a lot of confidence in him by giving him the starter’s role. In this case, I think that confidence may be slightly misplaced.

 

Jason Kapono – When it comes down to Kapono and Delfino, most Raptors fans are going by what we’ve heard, not what we’ve seen. Though I’m sure most of us have caught glimpses of these guys in certain games during the year and during the playoffs, to try and predict how these guys will fare or what kind of players they’ll be is a difficult task. You can throw around terms such as “sharp-shooter” and “slasher” all you want, but when it comes down to it, we have no idea how these guys will fit into this system. Basketball is such a team sport, and the Raptors play it so much as one, that we may see a very different Jason Kapono than we did in Miami. Obviously you want to fit your game-plan around the skills of your players. It would be silly to bring in a team of plodders and then try and run an up-tempo game. But at the same time, sometimes when entering new environments, certain skills that players have can find a way to pop up, even though you didn’t see those skills in his previous work. The Raptors may decide that they see something in Kapono that’ll work, that Miami either failed to see or didn’t need.

 

In the end, chances are Jason will be a nice perimeter player who uses the skills of the other guys to get open shots and knock down three’s. That’s mostly what we saw in the preseason. But the preseason is about finding something that works, that gels, and the product we see during the year may be very different from what we saw in most of the pre-season.  Until I actually see him on the court with this set of guys in a regular season game, I don’t feel informed enough to comment about his exact contributions.

 

Carlos Delfino – The same story applies here as it did to Kapono. I don’t think we’ll know exactly how he’s going to do and what he’s going to contribute until we have a good chunk of regular season completed. He seems as a good fit as aplayer who won’t try and do too much, but still isn’t afraid to take his shot or make his move when he’s confident with it. And that’s exactly the key to fitting in on this team. There is no room for players who try to over-extend themselves, but at the same time, players need to have some confidence and some ability to do their thing when the opportunity presents itself. Whether it’s making that long jumper, or driving through an open lane that pops up, I do have a fair bit of confidence that Delfino will fit in nicely and be a good asset to this team.

 

Anthony Parker – In a lot of senses, Parker was the glue that held this thing together last year. He was 2^nd in minutes, 3^rd in points, and 4^th in assists. Though he did miss ten games, we was normally durable and was a rock during times of the year when things weren’t exactly going right(ie: When Bosh was out). He could shoot, he could pass, and he even drove to the basket on occasion. He is the prototypical Raptor and obviously replaced a lot of what Mo-Pete brought to the table, only he added an extra bit. Peterson, when Bosh and others were healthy, was pretty much a stand-up jump shooter. Parker’s “intangibles” however are through the roof, and he has a very high “basketball IQ”. (Normally, I avoid such clichéd and useless terms because normally, they mean nothing and the observation is more based on race or appearance than it is on actual fact. With basketball, I feel these terms are more useable and more meaningful, and I do believe they work in the case of Parker, as well as Garbajosa(But only because he’s Spanish of course!)).  Anyways, he sets screens, moves without the ball, and knows when to rebound and when to get back(Though the vast majority of the time his role is to simply get back).

 

Defensively, he has a grit and natural ability, and is always the man taking on the star players of the league. Whether it’s LeBron, Wade, or Pierce, Parker finds a way to hold them in check despite quite often defending someone of an entirely different build. He’s also quick on his rotations and knows what spot to be on the floor. Easily our best defensive player.

 

Jose Garbajosa – Much of what was said about Parker can be said about Garbajosa, despite their obvious differences in physique and game. He’s smart, and in the words of the Swirsk, his basketball IQ is indeed “through the roof”. Offensively, he can knock down mid-range jumpers all day long, and he’s even shown some flashes of improving his range in the pre-season. He also seems to be a strong offensive rebounder, though the number’s don’t show it. Either way, he’s always around the loose ball and knows where to be on the court.

 

Defensively, he again knows where to be, but his limited physical ability leads to him being at best an average defender. He cannot guard many quick players straight-up, though he does a good job on slower, or lankier players(Tayshaun Prince is an excellent example of someone he defends well).

 

Rasho Nesterovic – I love Rasho. I think he brings an enormous amount to the table. Though I think the thought of needing to have “guys who’ve been there” come post-season is a little overrated, he’s still a good solid veteran presence who’s got some game left. He’s still our best interior defender(Which may say more about the team than Rasho himself), and he’s got the ability to put the body on some of the bigger guys in the league. I believe that for this season we’d be better off with him in the starters role once again, but he seems happy to take whatever role is needed of him. Offensively, he still brings a few things as well. He’s got a very nice touch, especially on his hook and his floaters. He’s a good offensive rebounder, and he stays in there battling the other team for possession as well as anyone else on the team.

 

Last year in the playoffs there were times when the Raptors hit a wall and seemingly had nothing in the tank. Rasho was always the exception. He made countless crucial offensive rebounds and baskets for them when nothing else was going right. If he brings that relentlessness and timing again this season, he’ll prove once again to be a very key and underrated component of this team.

 

Kris Humphries – What to say about Kris Hump? He’s a solid guy, works hard, and plays tough. A very unique individual on this team because of his build. At 6-9, 235, few can measure up pound for pound. Statistically, he’s the best offensive rebounder on the team, but many of those came in garbage time and against other teams second or even third front-court unit. Nonetheless, he showed tremendous strides towards the end of last year and figures to have a somewhat more prominent role on the team this time around. He fights, he battles, he bruises, and Mitchell has rewarded him.

 

My only problem with Hump is that he sometimes tries to do too much on the offensive end and takes away shots from more skilled players. Here’s my advice: Kris, if you get an offensive rebound that’s great and all, but instead of trying to force it up between three defenders, kick it out and have Calderon reset the offense.

 

Joey Graham: Known simply as Joey G, this first rounder has been a fun, frustrating, unnerving, and utterly endless debate. From about halfway through his first year, everyone started to see a big problem: consistency. The word has been thrown around so much I’m pretty sure it’s lost all meaning.

 

Here’s my take on this endless debate(Although admittedly, it will end at some point… (God be willing). Joey Graham is a good, solid player. I like seeing him on the court. Does he always produce and fill up the stat sheet? No. Does he always look like he’s playing hard and using his athleticism to it’s full potential? No. But I do believe he fits on this team, and I believe he fits on the court. I think because he’s so physically gifted people don’t see what he’s doing on the court, they see what they WANT him to be doing. Watching him over the past 2 years, I think his play, inconsistent or not, is an asset to this team. I think he’s a solid 2^nd-line small forward who can come in and contribute every night. And just because we feel he has the potential to do more does not mean we have to turn a blind eye to what he does already bring.

 

Maybe someday he’ll be a 30-minute a night guy for some team, and may be he won’t. But, does it really matter? Do we have the right to absolutely cream the guy? Do we even know for sure he’s capable of being what everyone seems to think he is? Just because a guy is capable of making an athletic rebound, drive, or dunk does not necessarily mean he’s capable of being a star NBA player. And I don’t mean because he might not have the heart, the will etc… as everyone else is suggesting. Ask Jamario Moon how far his obvious physical talent got him the first 27 years of his life. Can we really cream the guy for having poor basketball sense on the court at this stage in his life? We may as well be creaming Kris Humphries for not being able to shoot 3 pointers, or Mugsy Bogues for not being able to dunk.

 

For the most part, I do agree that he has the makings of a good NBA player, but I’m not going to sit at home and berate him if it turns out he doesn’t. He needs encouragement, not condescension. Whether he makes it or not, I fully hope the Raptors keep him and I’m glad they picked up his option for the 2008-2009 season. Two more years to see what he’s got. After that, all bets are off, but in the meantime, there’s no need for talk of trading him or cutting him. He wouldn’t fetch a lick in a trade anyways.

 

Juan Dixon:  I’m not sure how much I liked the Freddy Jones trade. I like Dixon and think he’s a solid sub, but I also think he have enough of what he brings. Jalen Rose and Mike James are gone for a reason. He can shoot and he can penetrate, but when it comes down to it he takes too many low-percentage shots instead of passing it away to guys who may create high percentage ones. All that being said, he’s got talent and if he can further buy into what the team is doing, he’ll fare very well this year.

 

I liked Freddy Jones because I think he brought something the Raptors desperately need. Though he brought it moreso in style and potential than in actual substance, he was a guy who could get to the rim. This teams perimeter players(apart from the point guards) really do not do very well at driving the lane, getting to the basket  and opening up shots, and that’s a very key part of offense in the NBA. Those type of players are very helpful when the other team is stacking the perimeter and the shots aren’t falling.

 

Jamario Moon: Everyone seems to be going head-over-heals for this guy, and it’s easy to understand why. He’s a slim but very athletic man who can get to the basket, and he’s got a decent shot on top of it all. I’d prefer leaving him inactive/on the bench for this year and letting him hone his actual NBA game through practices, but if he gets garbage time that’s fine too. I believe he’s a nice toy to have stashed away for next year, but I doubt he makes a significant contribution in 07/08.

  

Maceo Baston and Darrick Martin: A simple word sums up both of these guys: meh.(Credit my mastery of journalistic skills on that one). Both guys figure to see close to zero action this year. But, I’ll say something regardless: Darrick – You seem to be a tremendous individual, and I believe you can still play more than a lot of people do, but it is indeed time to hang it up and take an assisting coaching position. Maceo – Work hard, keep at it, and you may see some game action. If not, keep it up regardless

 

I’m thinking they both care, and really took those comments to heart. Don’t sweat it guys, that’s just how nice I am. Really, I care. But more importantly, NBA CARES. I have no idea what I’m going for here. There’s a joke in there somewhere, there really is…

  

My take on Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford will be coming in a post later on this week, as well as breakdowns of the jobs done by Sam Mitchell and Bryan Colangelo respectively.

 

Up next: My overall outlook on this season

Season Preview – The 2007-2008 Toronto Raptors

I’m going to be working off of the generic preview format used by all the bloggers participating in Jeff’s Team Preview project.(From celticsblog.com)

I’m using the first 3 questions to lay a foundation and get anyone who is unfamiliar with the team some background information. I’m going to follow this up with a couple of posts that will go into further depth on each player, and on my overall outlook for the season.

Last year’s record: 47-35 (0.573)

Players added: Jason Kapono, Carlos Delfino, Jamario Moon, Maceo Baston

Players dropped from roster: Morris Peterson, Luke Jackson, Pape Sow, Uros Slokar

1. What significant moves were made during the off-season?

Though it was far from a “busy” off-season for the Raps, they did shift around a few things and bring in a couple of new guys. Jason Kapono cashed in after a stellar season with the Heat last year. We all know he can shoot the ball, and his 51% Three-Point shooting has been well publicized, but he also brings a willingness to work at the defensive end, something I’m sure Colangelo had in mind when making the signing.

The other big acquisition was bringing in Carlos Delfino for a couple of 2^nd round draft picks. Delfino never found his place in the Detroit rotation, and seems to be happy to be in a fresh environment. He seems to be a hard working player with a knack for making plays in the mid-range area. He’s been described as a “slasher”, though I’m not sure how entirely accurate that is.

Clearly the biggest loss was Morris Peterson going to New Orleans via free agency. Despite playing good minutes last season, it was clear that his productivity within the teams system was starting to decline. His jump shot seemed streakier than ever, his trade-mark defense became not only replaced, but surpassed, by Anthony Parker’s, and the new talent slowly pushed him out of the picture. He was by all means certainly a solid asset, and ordinarily he would’ve left a decent hole, but with management turning around and spending the money on Kapono, most of the loss should be compensated for.

Sow and Slokar were sent packing in the off-season, and Raptors fans hate to see Sow go. He was clearly a fan favourite and gave it all his all every opportunity he got. The team will not feel any loss on the court, but nonetheless it’s hard to see hard working players leave. Best of luck to both players in their future endeavours.

Luke Jackson was in camp and played his share of minutes in the pre-season, but the absolute plethora of solid options at small forward left him little chance of climbing the depth chart. Though he certainly looked like he fit on the court, he justifiably did not fit the team’s plans and was on the losing end when the Raptors trimmed their roster down to fifteen. 

Moon and Baston have made the squad as fillers in hopes of improving the front-court depth. Baston will probably have an extremely tough time finding any playing time as he failed to do anything to stand-out in pre-season, and will likely spend a lot of time on the inactive list. Moon on the other hand showed flashes of brilliance in pre-season and though he’ll start the year on the inactive list, will surely find an opportunity somewhere along the line if he keeps working hard in practice and committing to fine tuning his game. Though these guys are certainly far from essential to attaining this years goals, the Raptors will more than likely be very willing to keep them around and see how they progress. Come next spring, depending on the changes made by the organization, they’ll get a fresh chance at becoming part of the plan, Moon in particular.   2.

What are the team’s biggest strengths?

Depth – A huge part of the Raptors success last season was due to their being able to vastly outscore the opponents second string when they were on the court. Their bench points were routinely well above their opponents, and the team spread the minutes a lot to keep guys fresh. This area has become even stronger with the off-season acquisitions. Jose Garbajosa(A natural 3), Jason Kapono, Carlos Delfino, Joey Graham, Anthony Parker, and Juan Dixon will all compete for playing time on the wings, and it allows a lot of flexibility. With a shooting team like Toronto, it’s always good to have a lot of guys available incase the shots aren’t falling for the starters on a certain night. The competition should also pressure the players to take that extra step towards improving their game and getting PT. Though there’s not quite as much depth up-front, Rasho Nesterovic and Kris Humphries are a pair of backups a lot of teams would take in a heart-beat.

Point-Guard play – No team in the league has a situation at point-guard quite like the Raps. Two of the best 15, arguably even top 10 point guards in the league reside North of the border in Ford and Calderon. Ford is the undisputed starter, but they split the time close to evenly, further adding to the depth already mentioned.

Pass the ball… Shoot the ball: Though a large part of the Raptors attack lies in Chris Bosh in isolation and on pick and rolls, the other large part is the teamwork and the high shooting percentages that come from it. The Raptors European players have developed great skills in their international play, and they show it even in the NBA game.  Last season the Raptors were very good at moving the basketball around and finding high percentage shots, and there’s no reason to think that will stop this year.

    3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

Inside, inside, inside – The Raptors absolutely need to get tougher inside the paint. Their interior defense last year was by and far the worst aspect of this team. With Bargnani replacing Nesterovic in the starting lineup to start the year, it’s not unthinkable to imagine them getting even worse this year. Offensive rebounding and toughness on defense need to be areas of improvement for the Raptors this season.

Chris Bosh’s feet and knees – Obviously, Bosh is a key part of this team, and he needs to be healthy for them to be at their best. Last year he had plantar fasciitis, and though it seemed to subdue later in the year, having something like that pop up again would be very bothersome. And so far this season, he’s managed to tweak the only knee that was actually in good shape. A lot are predicting an injury plagued season for Bosh, but as long as he’s still on the court all we can do is plan for him to still be there the next game. He finished out the pre-season by playing in the last 2 games and looked fairly good doing so. Everyone in the organization, including Bosh himself, is proclaiming that he feels fine, so here’s hoping.

12 years of Raptors Fandom – An Outlook

 

How do you put into words what it’s been like as a Raptors fan for the past 12 seasons? Cheering for a team can mean a lot of different things and lead to a lot of different emotions. It can be enjoyable, or it can be troubling. It can be uplifting, or it can be demoralizing. It can be inspiring, or it can leave you sitting in self-pity. It can be magical, or it can be down right aggravating and frustrating.

 

So which one of these sums up what it’s been like to be a Raptors fan? Well, probably all of them. After all, it’s the mixture of feelings and emotions that makes it worthwhile. We connect with the players because the sport they play emulates the life we live, and in turn we experience many of the same emotions they do. But the word that sums it up the best for me is simple: fun. It has been fun.

 

There’s no doubt in my mind that following sports, and the Raptors in particular has been a positive experience in my life.

 

To the outside world it may seem as if rooting for a team with a 41% lifetime winning percentage and one appearance in the 2^nd round of the playoffs once in 12 seasons may be a difficult thing. To most fans of any game, of any team, the thought that it’s fun probably isn’t nearly as difficult to comprehend.

 

It’s a little like adding an extra friend into your life. Or in the case of basketball, maybe it’s 15 friends. Maybe those extra friends get into some trouble, ask for money that they don’t repay, and misguide you when you put your faith and trust in them. But hey, if the connection is real and for the most part the friendship is a two-way street, who couldn’t use a few more friends? The connection we share with our sports teams can be very, very real.

 

That being said, not every experience in sports is a good one. If ownership doesn’t care, and management doesn’t care, and the players don’t care… well that’s a pretty one-sided friendship. It sucks a lot of the fun and the realm of experience out of it. That’s why I love the Toronto Raptors. For 12 years, they’ve lost and they’ve lost, with a couple of wins sprinkled in there, but they’ve kept on trying. On the whole, despite a few small exceptions, they’ve been battling towards being a winning franchise. Towards being a great franchise. Not once over the years have I gotten the impression that ownership did not want to win, something which troublingly enough, is actually saying something in this day and age. Just ask a good old Leaf fan about that one. And sure, they probably care because they feel they have to, because they feel if they stop caring we’ll stop showing up. But hey, I’ll let that one slide and pretend I never noticed.

 

It may seem tough to call Vince Carter, the face of the franchise, a “small” exception. But that’s what he was. In the end, there were still 14 guys on those teams busting their tails. Or so I believe. And hey, no matter how good a friendship is, no matter how much there is invested in it, there’s always going to be a blemish. Carter was that blemish, but still we move on.

 

So what does this all mean? It sounds corny and it’s not very damn informative, but I digress. The point of the matter is, that it’s a great privilege to see these players night in and night out. So whether it’s Damon Stoudamire, Doug Christie, Alvin Williams, Marcus Camby, Tracy McGrady, Charles Oakley, Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams, Vince Carter, Morris Peterson, Rafer Alston, Chris Bosh, or Andrea Bargnani, I will support this franchise. And whether it’s Butch Carter, Kevin O’Neill, Lenny Wilkins,  or Sam Mitchell, I will support this franchise. And whether it’s Isiah Thomas, Rob Babcock, or Cryan Colangelo, I will support this franchise. And whether it’s Swirsky and Armstrong or…. Swirsky and Rautins, I will support this god damned franchise. Because at the end of the day, 99% of the people involved in this organization over the years have done their best, and you’ve got to take the downs with the ups. Thank God right now is an up.

 

All the sentimental crap and repetitiveness for literary’s sake aside, what it comes down to is this: Despite all the losing, the bottom line is that as far back as I can remember, we’ve always had a likeable team. Did we always have the absolute best chemistry in the NBA? Of course not. But for the most part, and even moreso since the trade of Vince Carter, this team has had good character guys who you want to root for. When the lights start flashing, the music starts pumping, and the players are being introduced before a game at the ACC, it always gave me a special feeling because the players seemed excited. Whether they were 30-21, 2-8, or 24-52, they always bumped chests and jumped around like it was the first game of the year. That, my friends, is one of the most refreshing sights in the world.

 

And considering the chemistry of this team probably surpasses every single one we’ve had in the past? Well, I’m pretty freaking excited about this upcoming season.

 

Season preview and player breakdowns coming later this afternoon…