Tonight is the first Raptors home game of the season! Tip-off is at 7:00 PM as the Raps take on the Baron Davis-less Golden State Warriors. Those of you hoping to see lighting-quick combo guard Monta Eliis are out of luck, as he is serving game two of his 30-game suspension for injuring himself while riding a moped this summer. The game is on The Score as well as The Fan 590 (every game this season will be broadcast on The Fan). You can listen live with League Pass, or, if you're lucky, you can go to the ACC! You can also check out NBA.com's preview.
Be sure to watch for:
- The Sea of Red!
- Jermaine O'Neal is excited for his first-ever Raps home opener.
- The Warriors will likely start undrafted rookie point guard DeMarcus Nelson. When he started on opening night, he was the first undrafted player to start on opening night in Warriors history. He had 6 points, 2 rebounds, one steal and one assist in his first NBA game.
- The Raps will need to contain Golden State's quickness on the perimeter. Coach Don Nelson is legendary for his ability to coach outside players, and the Warriors have a talented core of players including Stephen Jackson (who averaged over 20 points last year), newly acquired Corey Maggette, Al Harrington, and highly touted youngsters Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph.
- The Raptors will win this game if they can control the inside. The Warriors will probably put Harrington on Bosh to match quickness, but if that's the case, they will have no one to stop JO. As well, the Warriors will have difficulty defending Calderon and the Raps' three-point gunners. As long as the Raptors stick to their game plan, this one should go in our favour.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Very Funny Moment from Spurs-Suns
This has nothing to do with the Raptors (possibly the first such post on this blog) but I couldn't resist posting this video. Frequently this summer Shaquille O'Neal complained about the Suns using the Hack-A-Shaq strategy in their playoff series. Watch as Gregg Popovich calls for the Spurs to foul Shaq about five seconds into the game - professional basketball needs more moments like this! It's just a game, remember?
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Raptors Undefeated - 95-84 Raptors
The Raptors won their first game of the regular season on the strength of 44 points, 19 rebounds and 8 assists combined from Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal. The Raptors started sluggishly, not making a field goal for the first five minutes of the game, but hung around long enough for "Hot Cocoa" Roko Ukic (sorry) to come in and prove why he is the backup point guard. He brought energy and leadership off the bench, including a beautiful play in which he coralled a loose ball followed by a pretty behind-the-back dribble to give him the open lane for an easy layup.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 27 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists. In the first of likely dozens of spectacular performances, Bosh started the season with a bang. He shot 9-16 from the floor and 9-10 for the line. If Bosh brings this every night (which he's capable of) he'll give the Raps a chance to win every night out.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists. Silenced his critics, for a day at least. Played very well and was active on defense. Did pick up five fouls, but at least one was very questionable, a blocking foul that in this blogger's humble opinion was an obvious charge.
Jose Calderon - 13 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds. A very solid, efficient game from Jose, as we're used to seeing, recording just one turnover, and shooting 5-9 from the field (3-5 from three). Also answered the trivia question, "Who made the first field goal for the Toronto Raptors in the 2008-09 season?"
Jason Kapono - 15 points (10 in the 4th quarter), 2 rebounds. Was blisteringly hot this game, shooting 3-4 from three and 6-8 overall. If he does what he was brought here to do - shoot, shoot, and shoot some more - the Raptors will be very happy with his complement to Jamario Moon's athleticism.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
Looking at the game stats, it's shocking that the Raptors won this game, let alone by such a wide margin. They were absolutely annihilated on the boards, losing that battle 56-33, committed seven more fouls (23-14) and were minus-eight in free throw points. However, the Raps shot 62.5% (10-16) from three-point land, turned the ball over just ten times (to Philly's 18) and held the Sixers to 34.5% shooting from the floor. While it's common knowledge that Philly is a poor outside shooting team (5-20 from three), every team has their weaknesses, and tonight it looked like the Raptors capitalized.
Next game: Friday 7:00 PM vs. Golden State Warriors
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 27 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists. In the first of likely dozens of spectacular performances, Bosh started the season with a bang. He shot 9-16 from the floor and 9-10 for the line. If Bosh brings this every night (which he's capable of) he'll give the Raps a chance to win every night out.
Notables:
Jermaine O'Neal - 17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists. Silenced his critics, for a day at least. Played very well and was active on defense. Did pick up five fouls, but at least one was very questionable, a blocking foul that in this blogger's humble opinion was an obvious charge.
Jose Calderon - 13 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds. A very solid, efficient game from Jose, as we're used to seeing, recording just one turnover, and shooting 5-9 from the field (3-5 from three). Also answered the trivia question, "Who made the first field goal for the Toronto Raptors in the 2008-09 season?"
Jason Kapono - 15 points (10 in the 4th quarter), 2 rebounds. Was blisteringly hot this game, shooting 3-4 from three and 6-8 overall. If he does what he was brought here to do - shoot, shoot, and shoot some more - the Raptors will be very happy with his complement to Jamario Moon's athleticism.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
Looking at the game stats, it's shocking that the Raptors won this game, let alone by such a wide margin. They were absolutely annihilated on the boards, losing that battle 56-33, committed seven more fouls (23-14) and were minus-eight in free throw points. However, the Raps shot 62.5% (10-16) from three-point land, turned the ball over just ten times (to Philly's 18) and held the Sixers to 34.5% shooting from the floor. While it's common knowledge that Philly is a poor outside shooting team (5-20 from three), every team has their weaknesses, and tonight it looked like the Raptors capitalized.
Next game: Friday 7:00 PM vs. Golden State Warriors
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Raptors Season Opener Start Time Changed
The Raptors at 76ers season opener tomorrow has been moved from a 7:00 PM tipoff to 6:00 PM, presumably to avoid conflict with the World Series. You can download the 2008-09 schedule with game coverage information.
Perfect! One fewer hour to wait!
Perfect! One fewer hour to wait!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Raptors Pick Up Fourth Year Option on Bargnani
Today it was announced that the Raptors exercised the fourth year option on Andrea Bargnani's contract. We now have Andrea in a Raptor uniform through the 2009 - 10 season.
Why keep Andrea?
- Being our first overall draft pick in 2006, we should not give up on Andrea simply because his growth into a superstar has not been at lightning speed. It is easy to draw parallels to Dirk Nowitzki, another talented seven-foot forward who can shoot. But even Dirk took time to mature. His breakout season came in his third year when he was getting 38 minutes a game. Andrea is now entering his third season and now has less pressure on his shoulders coming off the bench.
- It is sometimes easy to forget that Andrea is just 23 years old and is still learning the game. He has a strong work ethic and over the summer has put on some much needed muscle. The added strength should help him defend (and hopefully stay out of foul trouble) as well as finishing in traffic, and with any luck, Andrea can now move to the 4 or 5-spot to provide some help on the boards should any of the bigs get into foul trouble.
This year the Raptors will rely on Andrea to give them scoring, rebounding and play significant (hopefully foul-free) minutes off of the bench. He must be able to relieve Chris and Jermaine and be able to produce while doing so.
Why keep Andrea?
- Being our first overall draft pick in 2006, we should not give up on Andrea simply because his growth into a superstar has not been at lightning speed. It is easy to draw parallels to Dirk Nowitzki, another talented seven-foot forward who can shoot. But even Dirk took time to mature. His breakout season came in his third year when he was getting 38 minutes a game. Andrea is now entering his third season and now has less pressure on his shoulders coming off the bench.
- It is sometimes easy to forget that Andrea is just 23 years old and is still learning the game. He has a strong work ethic and over the summer has put on some much needed muscle. The added strength should help him defend (and hopefully stay out of foul trouble) as well as finishing in traffic, and with any luck, Andrea can now move to the 4 or 5-spot to provide some help on the boards should any of the bigs get into foul trouble.
This year the Raptors will rely on Andrea to give them scoring, rebounding and play significant (hopefully foul-free) minutes off of the bench. He must be able to relieve Chris and Jermaine and be able to produce while doing so.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Oct. 29 Season Opener @ Philly, 7:00
Oh yes Raptor fans, it's that time again. Just when we all thought preseason basketball would never end, the real season begins.
The Raptors will start off the season in Philadelphia on Wednesday. It will be available on television on The Score, and through radio by the Fan590.
What to watch for:
- The Raptors met the 76ers in the preseason, which resulted in a loss for the men in red. The Raptors were out-rebounded and played a notably poor game (even by preseason standards). Look for them to avenge their preseason loss and start this season off on the right foot.
- A newly bulked-up Andrea Bargnani had a solid preseason, averaging 14.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Hopefully Andrea will flourish in his less stressful role coming off the bench. His fouls and turnovers may be a continuing problem, however, it is easy to forget that Andrea is still just 23 years old and has a bright and long future ahead of him.
- In the Raptors' final preseason game, Jermaine O'Neal did not play the second half due to a leg injury. Will he be 100% by Wednesday?
- The battle for the back up point guard slot: who will get the nod? With Will Solomon's untimely hamstring injury towards the end of the preseason, it seems like Roko Ukic is now the frontrunner to back up Jose.
- Who will start at small forward? With former starter Jamario Moon's less than impressive preseason, combined with Jason Kapono's and Joey Graham's adequate play, who will start the season for the Raptors at small forward?
The Raptors will start off the season in Philadelphia on Wednesday. It will be available on television on The Score, and through radio by the Fan590.
What to watch for:
- The Raptors met the 76ers in the preseason, which resulted in a loss for the men in red. The Raptors were out-rebounded and played a notably poor game (even by preseason standards). Look for them to avenge their preseason loss and start this season off on the right foot.
- A newly bulked-up Andrea Bargnani had a solid preseason, averaging 14.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Hopefully Andrea will flourish in his less stressful role coming off the bench. His fouls and turnovers may be a continuing problem, however, it is easy to forget that Andrea is still just 23 years old and has a bright and long future ahead of him.
- In the Raptors' final preseason game, Jermaine O'Neal did not play the second half due to a leg injury. Will he be 100% by Wednesday?
- The battle for the back up point guard slot: who will get the nod? With Will Solomon's untimely hamstring injury towards the end of the preseason, it seems like Roko Ukic is now the frontrunner to back up Jose.
- Who will start at small forward? With former starter Jamario Moon's less than impressive preseason, combined with Jason Kapono's and Joey Graham's adequate play, who will start the season for the Raptors at small forward?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Raptors Release Jamal Sampson
On Wednesday, the Raptors waived F/C Jamal Sampson. He played in one preseason game, scoring two points and gathering three rebounds in ten minutes. He didn't figure to play much this season at all, so this decision largely doesn't affect the club except in money matters. He was a warm body to practice, and since training camp is nearly over, he wasn't necessary anymore. The Raptors currently have 13 players on their roster.
It was fun, Jamal!
Read the press release
It was fun, Jamal!
Read the press release
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
2008-09 Fantasy Preview: Raptors Edition
For all our readers who love fantasy basketball as much as we do, here is a fantasy preview of the most fantasy-significant Toronto Raptors.
Christopher Wesson Bosh - last year our franchise player averaged 22.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game, added with his average of .9 steals and 1 block per game makes him a great fantasy pick. He's also great for above 80% free throw shooting with plenty of attempts and 48+ FG%.
That being said, taking Bosh could have some downsides.
He doesn't grab as many rebounds as one would hope from a first or second round pick, and doesn't really produce much statistically beyond points and boards. He might hit a three from time to time but not often enough to be significant.
Jose Calderon - last year Jose broke out with a borderline All-Star performance, and his game may be even better in fantasy. He's incredibly consistent and reliable - last year his numbers were 11.2 ppg, 8.3 apg, and 2.9 rpg. Pretty decent numbers for a starting point until you factor in the rest of his production: 52 FG%, 91 FT%, 1.5 TOpg, 1 spg, 1 3pg. He played all 82 games last year. And finally, barring something huge, his numbers will only get better - he's improved every year in the league, and he only played 28 minutes a game last year splitting time with T.J. Ford. Jose should be an All-Star this year - he's a very good pick.
Jamario Moon - a player who is better on paper than in-game. He is spectacular at filling in holes, and he'll provide you with some difficult to acquire stats. Last year's stats: 8.5 ppg, 49 FG%, 74 FT%, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.3 bpg and 0.7 spg. Before you say, "But he was a rookie, he'll be even better this year," keep in mind that Jamario is 28 years old. While NBA experience is important, NBA teams will now have a full year's worth of scouting reports on him. Nonetheless, Jamario worked on his ball skills and shooting this summer and figures to improve his 0.5 3pg numbers, his scoring, and his free throw percentage as well. Expect his numbers to be roughly similar to last year's. Moon is a good pickup in the later rounds.
Jermaine O'Neal - the "wild card" of this Raptors team. If you draft him in the top-5 rounds, you're gambling - but high-risk, high-return. If he pans out and returns to his All-Star form, he'll average 21 ppg, 10 rpg and 2 bpg, and will shoot a good percentage from the floor and the line, and could play over 75 games. If he's not actually healthy, however, his numbers will look more like 10 ppg, 6 rpg, 1 bpg, 43 FG%, and most importantly, 50 GP. If Jermaine falls to later than the 5th round in a deep draft, grab him (fairly likely since his numbers last year were so poor) but don't bet your team on him.
Anthony Parker - a pretty average fantasy player. Averaged 12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1 spg, 1.6 3pg, and shot 48 FG% and 83 FT%. He's a good pickup in late rounds, but will probably never carry your team.
Jason Kapono - this year, he could be anywhere from bad to a solid contributor, and he'll likely be everywhere in between at some point. Last year he produced 7.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.7 3pg, 0.8 rpg, 0.4 spg but shot very well: 49 FG%, 86 FT%, 48 3FG%. However, in the playoffs Kapono turned into Ka-pwn-o (sorry) and started playing like a $6 million man. If Smitch is telling the truth about playing Kapono at the 2 with Moon or Graham providing needed athleticism at the 3, it should mean more minutes for him and he may look more like playoff Jason.
Andrea Bargnani - this is important: if you are playing in a league that counts fouls (especially) and turnovers, DO NOT GO NEAR ANDREA BARGNANI. If you're not, Andrea could be a solid contributor. He really doesn't have much choice but to step up this year if he'd like to play in the NBA. Last year he regressed from his rookie campaign, but still posted a serviceable line of 10.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.1 bpg and 1.1 3pg. On the downside, he shot a brutal 39 FG%. In deep drafts, Bargnani could help your team, and he's also bound to churn out a big game every so often. Grab him in the last few rounds.
Christopher Wesson Bosh - last year our franchise player averaged 22.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game, added with his average of .9 steals and 1 block per game makes him a great fantasy pick. He's also great for above 80% free throw shooting with plenty of attempts and 48+ FG%.
That being said, taking Bosh could have some downsides.
He doesn't grab as many rebounds as one would hope from a first or second round pick, and doesn't really produce much statistically beyond points and boards. He might hit a three from time to time but not often enough to be significant.
Jose Calderon - last year Jose broke out with a borderline All-Star performance, and his game may be even better in fantasy. He's incredibly consistent and reliable - last year his numbers were 11.2 ppg, 8.3 apg, and 2.9 rpg. Pretty decent numbers for a starting point until you factor in the rest of his production: 52 FG%, 91 FT%, 1.5 TOpg, 1 spg, 1 3pg. He played all 82 games last year. And finally, barring something huge, his numbers will only get better - he's improved every year in the league, and he only played 28 minutes a game last year splitting time with T.J. Ford. Jose should be an All-Star this year - he's a very good pick.
Jamario Moon - a player who is better on paper than in-game. He is spectacular at filling in holes, and he'll provide you with some difficult to acquire stats. Last year's stats: 8.5 ppg, 49 FG%, 74 FT%, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.3 bpg and 0.7 spg. Before you say, "But he was a rookie, he'll be even better this year," keep in mind that Jamario is 28 years old. While NBA experience is important, NBA teams will now have a full year's worth of scouting reports on him. Nonetheless, Jamario worked on his ball skills and shooting this summer and figures to improve his 0.5 3pg numbers, his scoring, and his free throw percentage as well. Expect his numbers to be roughly similar to last year's. Moon is a good pickup in the later rounds.
Jermaine O'Neal - the "wild card" of this Raptors team. If you draft him in the top-5 rounds, you're gambling - but high-risk, high-return. If he pans out and returns to his All-Star form, he'll average 21 ppg, 10 rpg and 2 bpg, and will shoot a good percentage from the floor and the line, and could play over 75 games. If he's not actually healthy, however, his numbers will look more like 10 ppg, 6 rpg, 1 bpg, 43 FG%, and most importantly, 50 GP. If Jermaine falls to later than the 5th round in a deep draft, grab him (fairly likely since his numbers last year were so poor) but don't bet your team on him.
Anthony Parker - a pretty average fantasy player. Averaged 12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1 spg, 1.6 3pg, and shot 48 FG% and 83 FT%. He's a good pickup in late rounds, but will probably never carry your team.
Jason Kapono - this year, he could be anywhere from bad to a solid contributor, and he'll likely be everywhere in between at some point. Last year he produced 7.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.7 3pg, 0.8 rpg, 0.4 spg but shot very well: 49 FG%, 86 FT%, 48 3FG%. However, in the playoffs Kapono turned into Ka-pwn-o (sorry) and started playing like a $6 million man. If Smitch is telling the truth about playing Kapono at the 2 with Moon or Graham providing needed athleticism at the 3, it should mean more minutes for him and he may look more like playoff Jason.
Andrea Bargnani - this is important: if you are playing in a league that counts fouls (especially) and turnovers, DO NOT GO NEAR ANDREA BARGNANI. If you're not, Andrea could be a solid contributor. He really doesn't have much choice but to step up this year if he'd like to play in the NBA. Last year he regressed from his rookie campaign, but still posted a serviceable line of 10.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.1 bpg and 1.1 3pg. On the downside, he shot a brutal 39 FG%. In deep drafts, Bargnani could help your team, and he's also bound to churn out a big game every so often. Grab him in the last few rounds.
A Dissapointing End to the Preseason - 105-94 Denver
Denver 105 - Toronto 94
NBA.com Recap
The Raptors were not able to take advantage of an injured Denver team, most notably missing Allen Iverson and Kenyon Martin. However the Raptors too were missing some role players, as Will Solomon sat out with a hamstring injury and Jermaine O'Neal did not play in the second half due to a leg soreness.
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 18 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. Rebounding nicely from his 2 point performance against the Lakers with an 18 point game tonight. However, Jose was the best of the worst today, as it seemed like even he was a tad off his game. He shot 5-11 from the floor and 2-7 from three point territory, an off-game from the usual deadly accurate shot from Jose. To add, he had 3 turnovers and 0 steals.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots in 25 minutes. Solid production from Andrea, and as a bonus he was able to limit his fouls to 4. However. he had 5 turnovers, thus winning the Will Solomon award. His 0 assists may also be cause for concern.
Chris Bosh - 17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 29 minutes. Chris had a solid day shooting (5-8) and got to the line for 10 free throw attempts, however the only category he led in tonight was minutes played. We need more from Bosh.
Roko Ukic - 9 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals in 21 minutes. Roko got a taste of what its like to be Jose's backup today as Will Solomon sat out with Hamstring issues. Roko rose to the challenge and played well, with his 5 helpers. I think the greatest part of his game today was not recorded on the stat sheet; he finally looked fluid and relaxed.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
Today the Raptors were outbodied and outpaced. Toronto gave up 50 points in the paint, compared to Denver only surrendering 20. In addition, Toronto was -6 on the glass. Toronto's 21 turnovers were just shameful and a point to be worried about. With the season opener just a week away, it is clear that they will have to play more disciplined basketball, and learn how to stop penetration.
Let us all pray that Jermaine's leg injury is not serious.
NBA.com Recap
The Raptors were not able to take advantage of an injured Denver team, most notably missing Allen Iverson and Kenyon Martin. However the Raptors too were missing some role players, as Will Solomon sat out with a hamstring injury and Jermaine O'Neal did not play in the second half due to a leg soreness.
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 18 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. Rebounding nicely from his 2 point performance against the Lakers with an 18 point game tonight. However, Jose was the best of the worst today, as it seemed like even he was a tad off his game. He shot 5-11 from the floor and 2-7 from three point territory, an off-game from the usual deadly accurate shot from Jose. To add, he had 3 turnovers and 0 steals.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots in 25 minutes. Solid production from Andrea, and as a bonus he was able to limit his fouls to 4. However. he had 5 turnovers, thus winning the Will Solomon award. His 0 assists may also be cause for concern.
Chris Bosh - 17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 29 minutes. Chris had a solid day shooting (5-8) and got to the line for 10 free throw attempts, however the only category he led in tonight was minutes played. We need more from Bosh.
Roko Ukic - 9 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals in 21 minutes. Roko got a taste of what its like to be Jose's backup today as Will Solomon sat out with Hamstring issues. Roko rose to the challenge and played well, with his 5 helpers. I think the greatest part of his game today was not recorded on the stat sheet; he finally looked fluid and relaxed.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
Today the Raptors were outbodied and outpaced. Toronto gave up 50 points in the paint, compared to Denver only surrendering 20. In addition, Toronto was -6 on the glass. Toronto's 21 turnovers were just shameful and a point to be worried about. With the season opener just a week away, it is clear that they will have to play more disciplined basketball, and learn how to stop penetration.
Let us all pray that Jermaine's leg injury is not serious.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Preseason Game Eight - vs. Denver
So tonight is Raptors vs. Nuggets, 9:00PM tipoff. Why the unusual start time, you ask? Well tonight's game is actually being played in Edmonton, AB. The game is available on Raptors NBA TV as it's techinically a home game, and you can listen live here. NBA.com's preview is available here.
What to watch for:
- Rexall Place as a basketball arena!
- Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson, this year is pretty much the last chance for these two to learn to feed off each other and play good team basketball. Despite their talents, they've never been as successful as everyone imagined when Iverson left the 76ers via trade.
- This game might confirm Oko Roko as the backup point guard if he plays significant minutes. Last game Solomon only played two minutes to Roko's 20, and if this keeps up it will be clear that Smitch is leaning towards Roko as the primary backup.
What to watch for:
- Rexall Place as a basketball arena!
- Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson, this year is pretty much the last chance for these two to learn to feed off each other and play good team basketball. Despite their talents, they've never been as successful as everyone imagined when Iverson left the 76ers via trade.
- This game might confirm Oko Roko as the backup point guard if he plays significant minutes. Last game Solomon only played two minutes to Roko's 20, and if this keeps up it will be clear that Smitch is leaning towards Roko as the primary backup.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Lakers Crush Raptors - 112-89 Lakers
The Lakers and Raptors were tight through three quarters, but the Lakers outscored Toronto 32-13 in the fourth to blow the Raptors out.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Hassan Adams - 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals. Shot a great percentage (7-9 FG) and did not turn the ball over. Accomplished all this in only 24 minutes, too. And yes, you read this correctly, Hassan Adams was the best Raptor last night.
Notables:
- Jose Calderon - 2 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds. Efficient as always, but he's certainly a good enough scorer that he can take more than four shots per game.
- Chris Bosh - 11 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists. Shot well (3-4 FG, 5-7 FT) but needs to take on more scoring responsibility for the Raptors to keep pace with high-scoring teams like the Lakers.
- Roko Ukic - 5 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals. A nice, efficient game from the guy who is looking like the steady backup point guard. He played almost 20 minutes tonight to Solomon's 2.
Full box score
Stats of the game:
Where to start? The Raptors shot 66.7% from the free throw line (20-30). They were outrebounded by 15 (50-35). They allowed the Lakers to shoot 51.8% from the field while shooting just 42.1% themselves. They committed 18 turnovers. And possibly the most bizarre stat of the game: The Raptors' starters took only 28 shots of the game total of 76. Bosh, Calderon and O'Neal especially need to take more shots and be more selfish for the Raptors to match a team like the Lakers shot-for-shot. Let's just hope they can put this game behind them and get ready for the regular season which is now only 9 days away.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Hassan Adams - 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals. Shot a great percentage (7-9 FG) and did not turn the ball over. Accomplished all this in only 24 minutes, too. And yes, you read this correctly, Hassan Adams was the best Raptor last night.
Notables:
- Jose Calderon - 2 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds. Efficient as always, but he's certainly a good enough scorer that he can take more than four shots per game.
- Chris Bosh - 11 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists. Shot well (3-4 FG, 5-7 FT) but needs to take on more scoring responsibility for the Raptors to keep pace with high-scoring teams like the Lakers.
- Roko Ukic - 5 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals. A nice, efficient game from the guy who is looking like the steady backup point guard. He played almost 20 minutes tonight to Solomon's 2.
Full box score
Stats of the game:
Where to start? The Raptors shot 66.7% from the free throw line (20-30). They were outrebounded by 15 (50-35). They allowed the Lakers to shoot 51.8% from the field while shooting just 42.1% themselves. They committed 18 turnovers. And possibly the most bizarre stat of the game: The Raptors' starters took only 28 shots of the game total of 76. Bosh, Calderon and O'Neal especially need to take more shots and be more selfish for the Raptors to match a team like the Lakers shot-for-shot. Let's just hope they can put this game behind them and get ready for the regular season which is now only 9 days away.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Preseason Game Seven vs. Lakers
Tonight at 10:30 the Raptors remain in Los Angeles to face the Lakers. This game will not be available on television, but you can listen live with NBA League Pass.
What to watch for:
- Andrew Bynum is back from injury and ready to dominate. It will be interesting to see how he and Pau Gasol will be able to share the ball in the frontcourt. These two, combined with Kobe make a scary big three.
- After Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal went off for 26 and 20, respectively, how will they respond to facing two premiere NBA big men? How will they fare on the glass when put up aganst two 7 footers?
- The battle for minutes continues between Roko and Will. Last night Roko got more minutes and responded by doubling up Solomon in points.
- Sam Mitchell's got a fever, Joey Graham fever that is (I am sorry for that poor attempt at a joke). Joey has started the past 2 games since he came back from his hamstring injury. Will he get the nod tonight?
What to watch for:
- Andrew Bynum is back from injury and ready to dominate. It will be interesting to see how he and Pau Gasol will be able to share the ball in the frontcourt. These two, combined with Kobe make a scary big three.
- After Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal went off for 26 and 20, respectively, how will they respond to facing two premiere NBA big men? How will they fare on the glass when put up aganst two 7 footers?
- The battle for minutes continues between Roko and Will. Last night Roko got more minutes and responded by doubling up Solomon in points.
- Sam Mitchell's got a fever, Joey Graham fever that is (I am sorry for that poor attempt at a joke). Joey has started the past 2 games since he came back from his hamstring injury. Will he get the nod tonight?
Big Men Dominate - 93-89 Raps
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jermaine O'Neal - 20 points (7-15, 6-6), 9 rebounds, 5 blocks. This is exactly the reason we traded for a player like him, and he certainly showed what he can do. While it'll be difficult for him to keep up stats like this for the whole season (mostly in terms of blocks) if he can keep his scoring around 18 and rebounds at eight or nine, the Raptors will be happy, and we'll get a lot of results like last night's.
Notables:
- Chris Bosh - 26 points, 11 rebounds, 9-9 from the free throw line. Bosh had a game we're used to seeing from him. Excellent numbers at a great percentage.
- Kris Humphries - 12 points, 4 rebounds, one steal, one block. Stepped up with a solid game off the bench. Most importantly, he shot 5-9 from the field and 2-2 from the line, and we all know Humphries can take some really "ill-advised" shots, so it's important for him to make easy buckets.
- Roko Ukic - 8 points, 3 assists, one steal. Played a very nice game in 15 minutes, as well as playing 5 more minutes than Solomon. Shot very well (2-3 from the field, 4-5 free throws) and a game like this will really help him in trying to claim the backup point guard job.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors got to the free-throw line 33 times to the Clippers' 17. As well, the Raptors made 27 (81.8%) while the Clippers made 9 (64.3%). With a perimeter-oriented team like the Raptors, it's important to pound the ball inside to Bosh (9 FTA) and O'Neal (6 FTA) as well as the guards penetrating (Graham 6 FTA, Ukic 5 FTA, Solomon 3 FTA).
Player of the game:
Jermaine O'Neal - 20 points (7-15, 6-6), 9 rebounds, 5 blocks. This is exactly the reason we traded for a player like him, and he certainly showed what he can do. While it'll be difficult for him to keep up stats like this for the whole season (mostly in terms of blocks) if he can keep his scoring around 18 and rebounds at eight or nine, the Raptors will be happy, and we'll get a lot of results like last night's.
Notables:
- Chris Bosh - 26 points, 11 rebounds, 9-9 from the free throw line. Bosh had a game we're used to seeing from him. Excellent numbers at a great percentage.
- Kris Humphries - 12 points, 4 rebounds, one steal, one block. Stepped up with a solid game off the bench. Most importantly, he shot 5-9 from the field and 2-2 from the line, and we all know Humphries can take some really "ill-advised" shots, so it's important for him to make easy buckets.
- Roko Ukic - 8 points, 3 assists, one steal. Played a very nice game in 15 minutes, as well as playing 5 more minutes than Solomon. Shot very well (2-3 from the field, 4-5 free throws) and a game like this will really help him in trying to claim the backup point guard job.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors got to the free-throw line 33 times to the Clippers' 17. As well, the Raptors made 27 (81.8%) while the Clippers made 9 (64.3%). With a perimeter-oriented team like the Raptors, it's important to pound the ball inside to Bosh (9 FTA) and O'Neal (6 FTA) as well as the guards penetrating (Graham 6 FTA, Ukic 5 FTA, Solomon 3 FTA).
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Preseason Game Six vs. Clippers
Tonight is a 7:30 tip off against the new look Los Angeles Clippers. This begins the Raptors 3 game preseason road trip to the West. Unfortunately, as this is not a home game, the game will not be available on Raptors NBA TV. However, it is still available on NBA League Pass.
What to watch for:
- The new look Clippers said bye bye to Elton Brand and hello to, most notably, Marcus Camby and Baron Davis. It will be interesting to see how Camby and Kaman work together in the post, along with Baron feeding them the ball.
- The battle over the Raptor's back up point guard continues tonight. Last game, Will Solomon got three times as many minutes as Roko. Despite Solomons rocky game with 5 turnovers and shooting a miserable 3 - 15 last game, and Roko's less than impressive play, Sam Mitchell assured his guards that "they're doing fine", and all they need to do is keep practicing and working hard.
- Joey Graham came back from his hamstring injury with a bang. Starting last game, in 27 minutes he was able to put up 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Will Joey start tonight? Or if he doesn't, will he be able to keep his production up coming off the bench?
- The Raptors get their first look at Clippers' first round draft choice, Eric Gordon. In his Freshman and only season playing for Indiana University, he averaged 20.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, making 33.7% of his three-point shots and leading the Big Ten in scoring. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and to the First Team of the Big Ten Conference.
What to watch for:
- The new look Clippers said bye bye to Elton Brand and hello to, most notably, Marcus Camby and Baron Davis. It will be interesting to see how Camby and Kaman work together in the post, along with Baron feeding them the ball.
- The battle over the Raptor's back up point guard continues tonight. Last game, Will Solomon got three times as many minutes as Roko. Despite Solomons rocky game with 5 turnovers and shooting a miserable 3 - 15 last game, and Roko's less than impressive play, Sam Mitchell assured his guards that "they're doing fine", and all they need to do is keep practicing and working hard.
- Joey Graham came back from his hamstring injury with a bang. Starting last game, in 27 minutes he was able to put up 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Will Joey start tonight? Or if he doesn't, will he be able to keep his production up coming off the bench?
- The Raptors get their first look at Clippers' first round draft choice, Eric Gordon. In his Freshman and only season playing for Indiana University, he averaged 20.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, making 33.7% of his three-point shots and leading the Big Ten in scoring. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and to the First Team of the Big Ten Conference.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Raps Fall Again
Player of the game:
Andrea Bargnani - 22 points, 4 rebounds (2 offensive), 2-2 three-point field goals in 27 minutes. On a night where no raptor had a standout game, Bargs came the closest to having one. 22 points and 2-2 three-point shooting shows that Bargnani is ready to contribute off the bench, and not just by standing at the three point line. However, his classic trend of having more fouls than rebounds continued in the game, where his 5 fouls were not matched by his rebound total of 4. Despite his lack of rebounds, he was able to grab 2 offensive boards. Way to hit the offensive glass!
Notables:
JOEY JOEY JOEY! Joey Graham - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal in 27 minutes. A suprise starter tonight, Joey kicked off his preseason flying! He looked energetic as ever, running fast breaks whenever possible, getting in the paint and going to the rim fearlessly. Welcome back from your sore hamstring Joey, hope you can keep it up this year.
Chris Bosh - 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists in 21 minutes. A solid game from Bosh, which we are used to seeing from him. Having played the majority of the minutes against CSKA Moscow the other day, Mitchell looked to the bench for the majority of the minutes today.
Will Solomon - 8 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals in 24 minutes. A well rounded day from Will. He showed off his passing abilities today with his 7 assists and seems to consistently grab a couple steals a game.
Stat of the game:
At the end of the day, its all about putting the ball in the net. Today this was not an easy feat for the Raptors, as they went 31-79 (39%) from the field and 6-16 (37.5%) from thee point land.
The Doghouse:
Will Solomon - although he had a well rounded day, he committed 5 turnovers, went 3-11 from the field, and 0-4 from behind the three point line. Mitchell couldn't be impressed with these stats. Will usually can hit from the field, however turnovers have been a nagging problem for him throughout the preseason.
Andrea Bargnani - 22 points, 4 rebounds (2 offensive), 2-2 three-point field goals in 27 minutes. On a night where no raptor had a standout game, Bargs came the closest to having one. 22 points and 2-2 three-point shooting shows that Bargnani is ready to contribute off the bench, and not just by standing at the three point line. However, his classic trend of having more fouls than rebounds continued in the game, where his 5 fouls were not matched by his rebound total of 4. Despite his lack of rebounds, he was able to grab 2 offensive boards. Way to hit the offensive glass!
Notables:
JOEY JOEY JOEY! Joey Graham - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal in 27 minutes. A suprise starter tonight, Joey kicked off his preseason flying! He looked energetic as ever, running fast breaks whenever possible, getting in the paint and going to the rim fearlessly. Welcome back from your sore hamstring Joey, hope you can keep it up this year.
Chris Bosh - 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists in 21 minutes. A solid game from Bosh, which we are used to seeing from him. Having played the majority of the minutes against CSKA Moscow the other day, Mitchell looked to the bench for the majority of the minutes today.
Will Solomon - 8 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals in 24 minutes. A well rounded day from Will. He showed off his passing abilities today with his 7 assists and seems to consistently grab a couple steals a game.
Stat of the game:
At the end of the day, its all about putting the ball in the net. Today this was not an easy feat for the Raptors, as they went 31-79 (39%) from the field and 6-16 (37.5%) from thee point land.
The Doghouse:
Will Solomon - although he had a well rounded day, he committed 5 turnovers, went 3-11 from the field, and 0-4 from behind the three point line. Mitchell couldn't be impressed with these stats. Will usually can hit from the field, however turnovers have been a nagging problem for him throughout the preseason.
Preseason Game Five - vs. Timberwolves
Tonight is Raptors vs. Timberwolves, 7:00PM tipoff. You can listen to the game live on NBA League Pass here. Check out the NBA.com preview.
What to watch for:
- Kevin Love is a legitimate Rookie of the Year contender. He and Al Jefferson could form a devastating one-two punch in the frontcourt as long as they can mesh.
- Roko Ukic continues to be in a stage where he has to play well every time out if he still wants to take the backup guard position away from Will Solomon. The Toronto Star had an article about him. Maybe Smitch will finally make reader Mintz... happy tonight by giving Oko Roko (it's a palindrome!) some minutes.
- Smitch benched some of his second-unit players for not applying lessons learned in practice to game situations. If this is the case, Bosh and Calderon, among others, could play more than 30 minutes each again tonight.
What to watch for:
- Kevin Love is a legitimate Rookie of the Year contender. He and Al Jefferson could form a devastating one-two punch in the frontcourt as long as they can mesh.
- Roko Ukic continues to be in a stage where he has to play well every time out if he still wants to take the backup guard position away from Will Solomon. The Toronto Star had an article about him. Maybe Smitch will finally make reader Mintz... happy tonight by giving Oko Roko (it's a palindrome!) some minutes.
- Smitch benched some of his second-unit players for not applying lessons learned in practice to game situations. If this is the case, Bosh and Calderon, among others, could play more than 30 minutes each again tonight.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Comeback Win vs. CSKA Moscow
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 24 points (7-16FG, 10-11FT), 10 rebounds, 2 steals. The Raptors were playing pretty poorly as a whole (anyone noticing a trend when it comes to the Raptors and Euroleague teams?) and we needed CB4 to step up and carry us for the game. As usual, he responded in a big way.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 fouls(!). Well, a step in the right direction. Three blocks and six rebounds are good numbers, and he kept his fouls down again while actually being productive - too often he worries about fouls and forgets to hit the boards, or hits the boards and forgets to worry about fouls.
Jose Calderon - 14 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds. Despite an uncharacteristic 4 turnovers, Jose turned in a solid game at point. He's pretty much a lock for at least 6 dimes a game, and 14 points is average production for him. Despite an average game by his standards, he was one of the best for the Raptors tonight.
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks. Decent statline, but certainly the Raptors need him to hit the boards much harder to take some of the load off Bosh (after all, that's what he was brought in to do). 11 points isn't too bad providing he can help out in other areas, however.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
CSKA Moscow committed 34 fouls to the Raptors' 22, letting the Raptors shoot 34 free throws (making just 24, which may be cause for concern) to CSKA's 17 (making 14). In a game like this, made free throws could have made this one much less of a nail-biter for the Raps.
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 24 points (7-16FG, 10-11FT), 10 rebounds, 2 steals. The Raptors were playing pretty poorly as a whole (anyone noticing a trend when it comes to the Raptors and Euroleague teams?) and we needed CB4 to step up and carry us for the game. As usual, he responded in a big way.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 fouls(!). Well, a step in the right direction. Three blocks and six rebounds are good numbers, and he kept his fouls down again while actually being productive - too often he worries about fouls and forgets to hit the boards, or hits the boards and forgets to worry about fouls.
Jose Calderon - 14 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds. Despite an uncharacteristic 4 turnovers, Jose turned in a solid game at point. He's pretty much a lock for at least 6 dimes a game, and 14 points is average production for him. Despite an average game by his standards, he was one of the best for the Raptors tonight.
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks. Decent statline, but certainly the Raptors need him to hit the boards much harder to take some of the load off Bosh (after all, that's what he was brought in to do). 11 points isn't too bad providing he can help out in other areas, however.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
CSKA Moscow committed 34 fouls to the Raptors' 22, letting the Raptors shoot 34 free throws (making just 24, which may be cause for concern) to CSKA's 17 (making 14). In a game like this, made free throws could have made this one much less of a nail-biter for the Raps.
Preseason Game Four - vs. CSKA Moscow
Tonight is Raptors vs. PBC CSKA Moscow, 7:00PM tipoff. You can listen to the game live on NBA League Pass here. No NBA.com preview is available at posting time.
What to watch for:
- CSKA Moscow has several former NCAA and NBA players, notably:
Trajan Langdon, former Duke star. Played 3 seasons with the Cavs before moving to Benetton Treviso of the Italian League, then to Turkish powerhouse Efes Pilsen, then Russia's Dynamo Moscow, and finally to CSKA Moscow.
Trivia: Langdon is the first Alaskan to play in the NBA, and was also drafted by the San Deigo Padres of Major League Baseball in the 6th round of the amateur draft in 1994.
Alexey Shved, 19 year old 6-6 point guard. Projected as a late lottery pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by NBADraft.net, and is one of DraftExpress NBA's top European prospects.
Sasha Kaun, former Kansas Jayhawks centre. Won an NCAA championship last year as a senior. Drafted 54th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics before being signed by CSKA Moscow.
Victor Khryapa, former Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls forward. Drafted in 2004 (22nd overall) by the Nets, then traded to Portland. Played three seasons in Portland before being traded with Tyrus Thomas for LaMarcus Aldridge. Was bought out last year by the Bulls and moved back to Russia to play with CSKA.
Zoran Planinic, former New Jersey Nets guard. Played three seasons from 2003-2006 before moving back to the Euroleague with TAU Ceramica. Joined CSKA in the off-season.
Terence Morris, former Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic forward. Played for the Hawks from 2001-2003 before playing with the Columbus Riverdragons (precursors to the Austin Toros of the NBDL) and Appollon Patras BC in Greece and returning for one season with the Magic in 2005-2006. Played in Israel for two seasons (Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv) before joining CSKA. Was a very highly touted NBA prospect before making the decision to finish college and having sub-par junior and senior years at Maryland.
- Joey Graham should get some playing time, especially if the Raptors take an early lead. Hassan Adams looked terrible in 17 minutes on Sunday, and this could be Graham's chance.
- Kapono to play with Bosh, O'Neal, and Calderon, possibly with Moon at the 3-spot. He was impressive on Sunday.
- It appears Mitchell prefers to give Solomon time at the point over Ukic. Ukic did not play on Sunday despite Solomon recording 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, shooting 2-7 from three and playing 24 minutes (although he did score 12 (5-12 overall) and had 6 assists). If Ukic doesn't play tonight, there may be something else going on with him (minor injury, character issues) that haven't been made public yet.
What to watch for:
- CSKA Moscow has several former NCAA and NBA players, notably:
Trajan Langdon, former Duke star. Played 3 seasons with the Cavs before moving to Benetton Treviso of the Italian League, then to Turkish powerhouse Efes Pilsen, then Russia's Dynamo Moscow, and finally to CSKA Moscow.
Trivia: Langdon is the first Alaskan to play in the NBA, and was also drafted by the San Deigo Padres of Major League Baseball in the 6th round of the amateur draft in 1994.
Alexey Shved, 19 year old 6-6 point guard. Projected as a late lottery pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by NBADraft.net, and is one of DraftExpress NBA's top European prospects.
Sasha Kaun, former Kansas Jayhawks centre. Won an NCAA championship last year as a senior. Drafted 54th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics before being signed by CSKA Moscow.
Victor Khryapa, former Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls forward. Drafted in 2004 (22nd overall) by the Nets, then traded to Portland. Played three seasons in Portland before being traded with Tyrus Thomas for LaMarcus Aldridge. Was bought out last year by the Bulls and moved back to Russia to play with CSKA.
Zoran Planinic, former New Jersey Nets guard. Played three seasons from 2003-2006 before moving back to the Euroleague with TAU Ceramica. Joined CSKA in the off-season.
Terence Morris, former Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic forward. Played for the Hawks from 2001-2003 before playing with the Columbus Riverdragons (precursors to the Austin Toros of the NBDL) and Appollon Patras BC in Greece and returning for one season with the Magic in 2005-2006. Played in Israel for two seasons (Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv) before joining CSKA. Was a very highly touted NBA prospect before making the decision to finish college and having sub-par junior and senior years at Maryland.
- Joey Graham should get some playing time, especially if the Raptors take an early lead. Hassan Adams looked terrible in 17 minutes on Sunday, and this could be Graham's chance.
- Kapono to play with Bosh, O'Neal, and Calderon, possibly with Moon at the 3-spot. He was impressive on Sunday.
- It appears Mitchell prefers to give Solomon time at the point over Ukic. Ukic did not play on Sunday despite Solomon recording 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, shooting 2-7 from three and playing 24 minutes (although he did score 12 (5-12 overall) and had 6 assists). If Ukic doesn't play tonight, there may be something else going on with him (minor injury, character issues) that haven't been made public yet.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
First Preseason Loss
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jason Kapono - 14 points (on 6-10 from the field, 2-3 from three-point), 2 assists, 2 rebounds. Kapono was really the only bright spot tonight, showing some ability to create off the dribble and was not hesistant shooting the ball. Certainly if he can play like this every night he will give Mitchell a tough decision of which two of him, Parker and Moon to start at 2-guard and small forward.
Notables):
Will Solomon - 12 points, 6 assists. Had three bad turnovers, still needs to get to know his teammates better, but seems able to score at a fairly decent clip, and Mitchell appears to like him as a backup guard.
Anthony Parker - 10 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds. Solid performance, was impressive on defence.
Hassan Adams - 0 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds. Adams looked really bad today. Quite honestly appeared to have no idea of how the Raptors' offense flowed. Joey Graham should be happy with Adams' performance, expect him to get a chance to play against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors were outrebounded 50-37 by Philly, including giving up 12 offensive boards while managing just 6 of their own. This needs to improve before the regular season begins. While 9 for Elton Brand and 5 for Andre Iguodala are unsurprising, 9 for Reggie Evans (5 offensive) and 5 each for Andre Miller and Willie Green is going to give the Raptors the same trouble they've been having for years if they can't turn it around. In the Raps' defense, they did leave a lineup of Adams, Solomon, Bargnani, Humphries and Kapono on for the entire 4th quarter - far from the Raptors' most aggressive rebounders.
Player of the game:
Jason Kapono - 14 points (on 6-10 from the field, 2-3 from three-point), 2 assists, 2 rebounds. Kapono was really the only bright spot tonight, showing some ability to create off the dribble and was not hesistant shooting the ball. Certainly if he can play like this every night he will give Mitchell a tough decision of which two of him, Parker and Moon to start at 2-guard and small forward.
Notables):
Will Solomon - 12 points, 6 assists. Had three bad turnovers, still needs to get to know his teammates better, but seems able to score at a fairly decent clip, and Mitchell appears to like him as a backup guard.
Anthony Parker - 10 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds. Solid performance, was impressive on defence.
Hassan Adams - 0 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds. Adams looked really bad today. Quite honestly appeared to have no idea of how the Raptors' offense flowed. Joey Graham should be happy with Adams' performance, expect him to get a chance to play against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors were outrebounded 50-37 by Philly, including giving up 12 offensive boards while managing just 6 of their own. This needs to improve before the regular season begins. While 9 for Elton Brand and 5 for Andre Iguodala are unsurprising, 9 for Reggie Evans (5 offensive) and 5 each for Andre Miller and Willie Green is going to give the Raptors the same trouble they've been having for years if they can't turn it around. In the Raps' defense, they did leave a lineup of Adams, Solomon, Bargnani, Humphries and Kapono on for the entire 4th quarter - far from the Raptors' most aggressive rebounders.
Preseason Game Three - vs. 76ers
Today is Raptors vs. 76ers, 1:00PM tipoff. The game is available on Raptors NBA TV, and you can listen live here. NBA.com's preview is available here.
What to watch for:
- Elton Brand in a Sixer uniform.
- Joey Graham (hamstring) and Jamal Sampson (wrist) both might be inactive tonight, as well as Jawai (heart) so Sam Mitchell might keep a small rotation.
- Mitchell has said he'll bring O'Neal's minutes up from around 18 to the 25-minute range. We should get a better look at him today to see what he can really do.
What to watch for:
- Elton Brand in a Sixer uniform.
- Joey Graham (hamstring) and Jamal Sampson (wrist) both might be inactive tonight, as well as Jawai (heart) so Sam Mitchell might keep a small rotation.
- Mitchell has said he'll bring O'Neal's minutes up from around 18 to the 25-minute range. We should get a better look at him today to see what he can really do.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Steve Nash Comments
Those of you who frequent RealGM.com may have noticed a jaw-dropping headline concerning our very own Toronto Raptors.
Steve Nash has been reported as saying, "I've enjoyed my success in Phoenix and would love to stay here. But if not Phoenix, playing in Toronto would be a dream come true in many ways." The arrival of Nash, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, would instantly make him one of the two best players, career-wise, to ever play for the Raptors. Despite the failure of the Hakeem Olajuwon Experiment in 2001-2002, Nash's signing could completely alter the Toronto sports landscape - assuming he's not just trying to make media noise.
Read the full article
Let's try to look at this possibility with a level head.
Current Situation:
- The Phoenix Suns have Nash in the fifth year of a six-year, $63 million contract. Assuming his value is slightly higher than it was when he signed it (two MVPs and four All-Star appearances already, but 36 years old at the end of the contract) he will likely receive a two-three year deal worth around $25 to $30 million. He stated in the same interview that he would like to play for at least four more seasons.
The Good:
- Steve Nash is only the second point guard in NBA history (after Magic Johnson) to win the MVP multiple times, the third guard to win back-to-back MVPs (Johnson and Michael Jordan) and was in 2006 ranked the 9th best point guard of all time by the league's general managers.
- His statistics have actually risen significantly as he has aged. When he joined the Phoenix Suns in 2004 his points, rebounds, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, steals, and assists (most substantially, from 8.8 to 11.5) per game all rose.
- The point guard to whom he's most compared, John Stockton, presents a good argument for Nash continuing to be effective - he played until he was 40, played every game of the regular season every year in his last four seasons, averaged 8.3 assists per game in those seasons, and retired with the most steals and assists in NBA history.
- Nash's most prolific attack, the pick-and-roll (mostly with Amare Stoudamire), could easily be transferred to Toronto. Chris Bosh is athletic, quick, and smart enough to adapt to a new point guard, and Toronto already has the three-point threats in Parker and Kapono who, like Raja Bell and Marcus Banks in Phoenix, spread the floor for Nash to operate.
- The Raptors will have around $25 million to spend on the free-agent market in the summer of 2010. Most notably, Jermaine O'Neal's $22 million contract will come off the books, and no matter his performance or whether the Raptors re-sign him, his next contract will be no larger than around $13 million per year.
The Bad:
- The 2008-2009 season will be Nash's 13th NBA campaign, he has logged almost 1000 games played in hs career(including playoffs) and will turn 35 on February 7th. The general rule for NBA players (and most other professional athletes) is that one's body begins to deteriorate quickly in the mid-30s.
- Nash would have to take a large pay hit to play for the Raptors. Despite the amount of salary-cap room the Raptors will have to spend, Chris Bosh's contract expires the same year, as well as Kapono's, Bargnani's and Ukic's. Parker's, Moon's, Solomon's and and Graham's contracts expire in 2009, leaving the Raptors with a pencil-thin bench should they choose to sign Nash.
Overall, a very tantalizing proposition should Colangelo choose to pursue Nash. He's one of the most talented guards to ever play the game and would be a worthwhile addition to any NBA team. While he does sound like he would love to retire a Raptor, he will have to put his money where his mouth is in the 2010 off-season to make it a reality.
Steve Nash's career statistics
Steve Nash has been reported as saying, "I've enjoyed my success in Phoenix and would love to stay here. But if not Phoenix, playing in Toronto would be a dream come true in many ways." The arrival of Nash, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, would instantly make him one of the two best players, career-wise, to ever play for the Raptors. Despite the failure of the Hakeem Olajuwon Experiment in 2001-2002, Nash's signing could completely alter the Toronto sports landscape - assuming he's not just trying to make media noise.
Read the full article
Let's try to look at this possibility with a level head.
Current Situation:
- The Phoenix Suns have Nash in the fifth year of a six-year, $63 million contract. Assuming his value is slightly higher than it was when he signed it (two MVPs and four All-Star appearances already, but 36 years old at the end of the contract) he will likely receive a two-three year deal worth around $25 to $30 million. He stated in the same interview that he would like to play for at least four more seasons.
The Good:
- Steve Nash is only the second point guard in NBA history (after Magic Johnson) to win the MVP multiple times, the third guard to win back-to-back MVPs (Johnson and Michael Jordan) and was in 2006 ranked the 9th best point guard of all time by the league's general managers.
- His statistics have actually risen significantly as he has aged. When he joined the Phoenix Suns in 2004 his points, rebounds, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, steals, and assists (most substantially, from 8.8 to 11.5) per game all rose.
- The point guard to whom he's most compared, John Stockton, presents a good argument for Nash continuing to be effective - he played until he was 40, played every game of the regular season every year in his last four seasons, averaged 8.3 assists per game in those seasons, and retired with the most steals and assists in NBA history.
- Nash's most prolific attack, the pick-and-roll (mostly with Amare Stoudamire), could easily be transferred to Toronto. Chris Bosh is athletic, quick, and smart enough to adapt to a new point guard, and Toronto already has the three-point threats in Parker and Kapono who, like Raja Bell and Marcus Banks in Phoenix, spread the floor for Nash to operate.
- The Raptors will have around $25 million to spend on the free-agent market in the summer of 2010. Most notably, Jermaine O'Neal's $22 million contract will come off the books, and no matter his performance or whether the Raptors re-sign him, his next contract will be no larger than around $13 million per year.
The Bad:
- The 2008-2009 season will be Nash's 13th NBA campaign, he has logged almost 1000 games played in hs career(including playoffs) and will turn 35 on February 7th. The general rule for NBA players (and most other professional athletes) is that one's body begins to deteriorate quickly in the mid-30s.
- Nash would have to take a large pay hit to play for the Raptors. Despite the amount of salary-cap room the Raptors will have to spend, Chris Bosh's contract expires the same year, as well as Kapono's, Bargnani's and Ukic's. Parker's, Moon's, Solomon's and and Graham's contracts expire in 2009, leaving the Raptors with a pencil-thin bench should they choose to sign Nash.
Overall, a very tantalizing proposition should Colangelo choose to pursue Nash. He's one of the most talented guards to ever play the game and would be a worthwhile addition to any NBA team. While he does sound like he would love to retire a Raptor, he will have to put his money where his mouth is in the 2010 off-season to make it a reality.
Steve Nash's career statistics
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Preseason Game Two, Preseason Win Two
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 20 points (on 9-16 from the field and 2-3 from the line), 7 rebounds, 3 steals in 25 minutes. It's fair to say the Raptors need production like this from Bosh most games, and he looks ready as ever to deliver.
Notables:
- Andrea Bargnani - 15 points, 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. I said yesterday that he needs to heep his fouls under control, and he went ahead and fouled out tonight. Six fouls in 27 minutes is unacceptable for an impact player, especially one as hot-cold as him. After two full seasons, he needs to find a way to stay in the game.
- Jamario Moon - 10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists in 27 minutes. Nice all-around game, if he can bring that every night he'll be a nice complement to Bosh and O'Neal.
- Will Solomon - 12 points, 5 assists, 2 assists in 21 minutes. Has shown decent scoring ability, but has 9 turnovers in two preseason games.
- Roko Ukic - 7 points, 2 assists in 13 minutes. Despite his unremarkable stats, he showed impressive passing ability and the ability to drive through the lane. Is looking more and more like a slightly flashier, younger Calderon - which is definitely a good thing.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors shot 50% from 3-point land: Solomon 3-3, Parker 2-2, Kapono and Moon 2-4, Bargnani 1-2, Bosh 0-1 and Calderon 0-4(!). With Bosh and O'Neal working down low, it will be especially important for different (not just Kapono and Parker) perimeter players to make their outside shots.
Chris Bosh - 20 points (on 9-16 from the field and 2-3 from the line), 7 rebounds, 3 steals in 25 minutes. It's fair to say the Raptors need production like this from Bosh most games, and he looks ready as ever to deliver.
Notables:
- Andrea Bargnani - 15 points, 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. I said yesterday that he needs to heep his fouls under control, and he went ahead and fouled out tonight. Six fouls in 27 minutes is unacceptable for an impact player, especially one as hot-cold as him. After two full seasons, he needs to find a way to stay in the game.
- Jamario Moon - 10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists in 27 minutes. Nice all-around game, if he can bring that every night he'll be a nice complement to Bosh and O'Neal.
- Will Solomon - 12 points, 5 assists, 2 assists in 21 minutes. Has shown decent scoring ability, but has 9 turnovers in two preseason games.
- Roko Ukic - 7 points, 2 assists in 13 minutes. Despite his unremarkable stats, he showed impressive passing ability and the ability to drive through the lane. Is looking more and more like a slightly flashier, younger Calderon - which is definitely a good thing.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors shot 50% from 3-point land: Solomon 3-3, Parker 2-2, Kapono and Moon 2-4, Bargnani 1-2, Bosh 0-1 and Calderon 0-4(!). With Bosh and O'Neal working down low, it will be especially important for different (not just Kapono and Parker) perimeter players to make their outside shots.
Preseason Game Two - vs. Knicks
Tonight is Raptors vs. Knicks, 7:00PM tipoff. The game is available on Raptors NBA TV (all five preseason home games will be), but at posting time, League Pass was not covering tonight's game (neither from Toronto nor New York radio). NBA.com's preview is available here.
What to watch for:
- Mike D'Antoni's Knicks to be (or attempting to be, at least) running and gunning. D'Antoni came over from Phoenix in the off-season to be New York's head coach, and it'll be interesting how his offense works without a Hall of Fame point guard (Steve Nash) running the show.
- Solomon, Humphries, and Bargnani to continue to play substantial minutes.
- Ukic to play more than yesterday (only 7 minutes) and Mitchell to experiment with him and Solomon on the court at the same time. Solomon figures to play the point with this setup (as Roko has a four-inch height advantage), but Ukic will likely be given a chance as well.
What to watch for:
- Mike D'Antoni's Knicks to be (or attempting to be, at least) running and gunning. D'Antoni came over from Phoenix in the off-season to be New York's head coach, and it'll be interesting how his offense works without a Hall of Fame point guard (Steve Nash) running the show.
- Solomon, Humphries, and Bargnani to continue to play substantial minutes.
- Ukic to play more than yesterday (only 7 minutes) and Mitchell to experiment with him and Solomon on the court at the same time. Solomon figures to play the point with this setup (as Roko has a four-inch height advantage), but Ukic will likely be given a chance as well.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
First (Sort of) Win!
The Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight 104-84. Despite some in-game weirdness with NBA.com, you can see the recap here. The recap is very Cleveland/LeBron heavy, so here are some Raptors highlights:
Player of the game:
Andrea Bargnani - 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and a block in 25 minutes. If Il Mago can keep that production up through the regular season (as well as keeping his fouls under control - he had three) he'll be a dangerous weapon off the bench, and can provide a very different look from Kapono, Moon, Bosh, or O'Neal.
Notables (minutes played):
Will Solomon (32) - 17 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
Kris Humphries (21) - 14 points (on 5-7 from the field and 4-5 from the line), 5 rebounds
Chris Bosh (19) - 11 points, 7 rebounds
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors outrebounded Cleveland 41-32, and every Raptor except Ukic and Parker recorded at least two rebounds.
So we're (sort of) 1-0 and we're (sort of) in first place in the East.
Preseason or not, a win's a win! (Sort of.)
Player of the game:
Andrea Bargnani - 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and a block in 25 minutes. If Il Mago can keep that production up through the regular season (as well as keeping his fouls under control - he had three) he'll be a dangerous weapon off the bench, and can provide a very different look from Kapono, Moon, Bosh, or O'Neal.
Notables (minutes played):
Will Solomon (32) - 17 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
Kris Humphries (21) - 14 points (on 5-7 from the field and 4-5 from the line), 5 rebounds
Chris Bosh (19) - 11 points, 7 rebounds
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Raptors outrebounded Cleveland 41-32, and every Raptor except Ukic and Parker recorded at least two rebounds.
So we're (sort of) 1-0 and we're (sort of) in first place in the East.
Preseason or not, a win's a win! (Sort of.)
Preseason Game One - @ Cavaliers
The day you've (sort of) all been waiting for!
The Raptors' season (sort of) begins tonight!
Tonight is Raptors at Cavaliers, 7:00 PM tipoff. The game is not on the radio or TV (including Raptors NBA TV), but you can listen live here. NBA.com's game preview is very threadbare (as they have no stats for this season) but you can find that here.
Tonight's game should be more of a test of rotations and seeing how different guys play together. Don't expect LeBron, Bosh, or O'Neal to play any more than 25 minutes, although Bosh and O'Neal will likely play together while they're on.
What to watch (listen) for:
- LeBron James, obviously.
- Mo Williams in a Cavaliers jersey.
- O'Neal, Bosh and Calderon to familiarize themselves with each other on the court.
- Sam Mitchell to experiment with several different on-court rotations.
- Projected scrubs (Sampson, Solomon for the Raptors, Jackson, Hickson for the Cavs) to see extended minutes.
The Raptors' season (sort of) begins tonight!
Tonight is Raptors at Cavaliers, 7:00 PM tipoff. The game is not on the radio or TV (including Raptors NBA TV), but you can listen live here. NBA.com's game preview is very threadbare (as they have no stats for this season) but you can find that here.
Tonight's game should be more of a test of rotations and seeing how different guys play together. Don't expect LeBron, Bosh, or O'Neal to play any more than 25 minutes, although Bosh and O'Neal will likely play together while they're on.
What to watch (listen) for:
- LeBron James, obviously.
- Mo Williams in a Cavaliers jersey.
- O'Neal, Bosh and Calderon to familiarize themselves with each other on the court.
- Sam Mitchell to experiment with several different on-court rotations.
- Projected scrubs (Sampson, Solomon for the Raptors, Jackson, Hickson for the Cavs) to see extended minutes.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Season Preview
As we all know, the coming season is one of many changes and expectations. With new faces and some addition-by-subtraction, the Raptors are looking to rebound from a somewhat disappointing season.
I thought I would open with some outside previews from various sites.
NBADraft.net: State of the Cap: Toronto Raptors
RealGM.com: Raptorland's New Carnivore
ESPN.com: Hollinger's Team Forecast
And our own little preview:
Additions:
Jamal Sampson
Big, strong forward/centre. Signed in light of Jawai missing some length of time for training camp. Owns career averages of 2.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 5 NBA seasons. Projects to be on the Inactive List more often than not, barring injuries to the Raptors' frontcourt (knock on wood).
Worst-case scenario: Racks up DNP-CDs, waived.
Best-case scenario: Uses his big frame to control opposing centres and hits the glass hard in eight to ten minutes per game.
Hassan Adams
Undersized two-guard noted for athleticism, lack of a jump shot, and inability to "put it all together." Still fairly young and will be given another shot as the Raptors' starters at the 2-guard and small forward are still up in the air.
Worst-case scenario: Keeps the bench nice and warm for Anthony Parker.
Best-case scenario: Uses his athleticism to defend opposing combo guards and make them work a little on the other end; challenges Jamario Moon for best dunker on the team.
Will Solomon
Backup guard brought over after playing in Turkey and Israel last year. Was a scrub before leaving the NBA for Europe. A veteran of international play; likely won't amaze anyone but probably won't make a fool of himself either.
Worst-case scenario: Is another Darrick Martin, a savvy veteran with limited skills.
Best-case scenario: Another example of the Raptors' excellent overseas scouting, comes in as a smart leader and gets his minutes, a la Parker two years ago.
Nathan Jawai
Bruising young big man from Australia; the Pacers' 2008 second-round pick. Arrived via trade, alongside Jermaine O'Neal. Was a predicted first-rounder who fell on draft day to the 41st overall pick. Has a recently discovered heart condition and may miss all of training camp.
Worst-case scenario: The heart condition leads to Jawai missing much of the season.
Best-case scenario: His heart is okay, and he becomes another bench hustle and strength big man, similar to Kris Humphries.
Roko Leni Ukić
Relatively young, big (6' 5") point guard from Croatia. Comes over after spending playing professionally in Europe for eight years, and was drafted by the Raptors in 2005. Played for TAU Ceramica Vitoria two years ago, Jose Calderon's former team, followed by FC Barcelona last season. He's a very talented, highly touted prospect who will likely be one of our first guards off the bench.
Worst-case scenario: His slender build (185 lbs.) leaves him unable to physically match up with the stronger point guards in the NBA, and he struggles in his first season.
Best-case scenario: His natural talents and size lead him to become an impact player, having a similar season to Calderon's rookie year.
Jermaine O'Neal
Unless you've been living under a rock, this is the one acquisition you should be talking about. He's a six-time All-Star who was a frequent mention in MVP discussions just a few years ago (even if it seems like ages). Injuries have derailed his game to an extent, averaging just 51.5 games played in his last four years. However, there's no doubting his talent: From 2001-2007, his lowest season averages were 19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. He will be our starting centre if he can stay healthy.
Worst-case scenario: Just like every year he says his body feels great, it falls apart. He appears in around 50 games and averages 13 points, 6 rebounds, and a block. Raptors fans look forward to the 2010 offseason, when his $22 million contract expires.
Best-case scenario: He is healthy again. He plays 75 games, averages 21 points on 50% shooting, 10 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks, while leading us, alongside Chris Bosh, deep into the playoffs.
Losses:
Maceo Baston, Primoz Brezec, Linton Johnson, Darrick Martin
All little-used players last season. Their departures will likely have a small effect on the Raptors' fortunes. Baston and Brezec have been replaced with Jawai and Sampson; Johnson with Adams, and Martin with Solomon.
Juan Dixon
Third-string combo guard who seemed to never be able to find his place last year. His spot will likely be filled by Solomon this season.
Carlos Delfino
Inconsistent swingman who could defend. Ultimately just clogged up the Raptors' rotation and is now playing with Khimki BC of the Russian League.
Jorge Garbajosa
The Raptors' former starting small forward, his injury in international play last year caused turmoil with the Raptors front office. His departure will allow Andrea Bargnani more opportunity to play at the 3-spot.
Rasho Nesterovic
Fans of teams Rasho has played for always sing his praises, but last year his stock continued to rise, as fundamentally sound, NBA-quality centres become even more difficult to come by. Last year, while shooting 55% from the field, he averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, yet for a stretch of about 15 games, Rasho was the best player on the floor, and his basketball IQ is unmistakable. Could end up being the Raptors' most important player loss.
T.J. Ford
The Raptors' starting/backup/starting point guard last year, his attitude and high stock seemed to make it inevitable that either he, or Calderon, would be saying goodbye to Toronto. In the end, his departure pencils in Calderon as the everyday starter, and suddenly the team with the best point guard duo in the league is in the same boat as pretty much every other franchise.
Overall:
Bryan Colangelo has called this team the best Raptors team ever assembled, and with this talent level, it's tough to disagree. This season, a large part of the Raptors' hopes rest on some broad shoulders, those of Jermaine O'Neal. If he can stay healthy, the Raptors could very well claim a top-4 seed and pass the first round of the playoffs.
I thought I would open with some outside previews from various sites.
NBADraft.net: State of the Cap: Toronto Raptors
RealGM.com: Raptorland's New Carnivore
ESPN.com: Hollinger's Team Forecast
And our own little preview:
Additions:
Jamal Sampson
Big, strong forward/centre. Signed in light of Jawai missing some length of time for training camp. Owns career averages of 2.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 5 NBA seasons. Projects to be on the Inactive List more often than not, barring injuries to the Raptors' frontcourt (knock on wood).
Worst-case scenario: Racks up DNP-CDs, waived.
Best-case scenario: Uses his big frame to control opposing centres and hits the glass hard in eight to ten minutes per game.
Hassan Adams
Undersized two-guard noted for athleticism, lack of a jump shot, and inability to "put it all together." Still fairly young and will be given another shot as the Raptors' starters at the 2-guard and small forward are still up in the air.
Worst-case scenario: Keeps the bench nice and warm for Anthony Parker.
Best-case scenario: Uses his athleticism to defend opposing combo guards and make them work a little on the other end; challenges Jamario Moon for best dunker on the team.
Will Solomon
Backup guard brought over after playing in Turkey and Israel last year. Was a scrub before leaving the NBA for Europe. A veteran of international play; likely won't amaze anyone but probably won't make a fool of himself either.
Worst-case scenario: Is another Darrick Martin, a savvy veteran with limited skills.
Best-case scenario: Another example of the Raptors' excellent overseas scouting, comes in as a smart leader and gets his minutes, a la Parker two years ago.
Nathan Jawai
Bruising young big man from Australia; the Pacers' 2008 second-round pick. Arrived via trade, alongside Jermaine O'Neal. Was a predicted first-rounder who fell on draft day to the 41st overall pick. Has a recently discovered heart condition and may miss all of training camp.
Worst-case scenario: The heart condition leads to Jawai missing much of the season.
Best-case scenario: His heart is okay, and he becomes another bench hustle and strength big man, similar to Kris Humphries.
Roko Leni Ukić
Relatively young, big (6' 5") point guard from Croatia. Comes over after spending playing professionally in Europe for eight years, and was drafted by the Raptors in 2005. Played for TAU Ceramica Vitoria two years ago, Jose Calderon's former team, followed by FC Barcelona last season. He's a very talented, highly touted prospect who will likely be one of our first guards off the bench.
Worst-case scenario: His slender build (185 lbs.) leaves him unable to physically match up with the stronger point guards in the NBA, and he struggles in his first season.
Best-case scenario: His natural talents and size lead him to become an impact player, having a similar season to Calderon's rookie year.
Jermaine O'Neal
Unless you've been living under a rock, this is the one acquisition you should be talking about. He's a six-time All-Star who was a frequent mention in MVP discussions just a few years ago (even if it seems like ages). Injuries have derailed his game to an extent, averaging just 51.5 games played in his last four years. However, there's no doubting his talent: From 2001-2007, his lowest season averages were 19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. He will be our starting centre if he can stay healthy.
Worst-case scenario: Just like every year he says his body feels great, it falls apart. He appears in around 50 games and averages 13 points, 6 rebounds, and a block. Raptors fans look forward to the 2010 offseason, when his $22 million contract expires.
Best-case scenario: He is healthy again. He plays 75 games, averages 21 points on 50% shooting, 10 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks, while leading us, alongside Chris Bosh, deep into the playoffs.
Losses:
Maceo Baston, Primoz Brezec, Linton Johnson, Darrick Martin
All little-used players last season. Their departures will likely have a small effect on the Raptors' fortunes. Baston and Brezec have been replaced with Jawai and Sampson; Johnson with Adams, and Martin with Solomon.
Juan Dixon
Third-string combo guard who seemed to never be able to find his place last year. His spot will likely be filled by Solomon this season.
Carlos Delfino
Inconsistent swingman who could defend. Ultimately just clogged up the Raptors' rotation and is now playing with Khimki BC of the Russian League.
Jorge Garbajosa
The Raptors' former starting small forward, his injury in international play last year caused turmoil with the Raptors front office. His departure will allow Andrea Bargnani more opportunity to play at the 3-spot.
Rasho Nesterovic
Fans of teams Rasho has played for always sing his praises, but last year his stock continued to rise, as fundamentally sound, NBA-quality centres become even more difficult to come by. Last year, while shooting 55% from the field, he averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, yet for a stretch of about 15 games, Rasho was the best player on the floor, and his basketball IQ is unmistakable. Could end up being the Raptors' most important player loss.
T.J. Ford
The Raptors' starting/backup/starting point guard last year, his attitude and high stock seemed to make it inevitable that either he, or Calderon, would be saying goodbye to Toronto. In the end, his departure pencils in Calderon as the everyday starter, and suddenly the team with the best point guard duo in the league is in the same boat as pretty much every other franchise.
Overall:
Bryan Colangelo has called this team the best Raptors team ever assembled, and with this talent level, it's tough to disagree. This season, a large part of the Raptors' hopes rest on some broad shoulders, those of Jermaine O'Neal. If he can stay healthy, the Raptors could very well claim a top-4 seed and pass the first round of the playoffs.
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Welcome!
Hello Raptor fans and basketball enthusiasts!
Welcome to our blog, Prehistoric Hoops!
We are two men from Toronto who are obsessed with basketball.
We have followed Raptor basketball from the SkyDome years and Damon "Mighty Mouse" Stoudamire, to the years of Vincent Lamar Carter and the one shot that could have brought us to the Conference Finals, to the Great Abandonment of Vince Carter, and finally to the Colangelo Era. If you are an aficionado of Canada's team, this blog is for you.
With the end of something comes the beginning of something new, and the end of the Raptors 2008 training camp comes our new Raptors-only blog!
Yours truly,
In BC We Trust and I Swear I'm A D-League All Star
Welcome to our blog, Prehistoric Hoops!
We are two men from Toronto who are obsessed with basketball.
We have followed Raptor basketball from the SkyDome years and Damon "Mighty Mouse" Stoudamire, to the years of Vincent Lamar Carter and the one shot that could have brought us to the Conference Finals, to the Great Abandonment of Vince Carter, and finally to the Colangelo Era. If you are an aficionado of Canada's team, this blog is for you.
With the end of something comes the beginning of something new, and the end of the Raptors 2008 training camp comes our new Raptors-only blog!
Yours truly,
In BC We Trust and I Swear I'm A D-League All Star
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