Tonight's game features the Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks - 7:00 PM tipoff, available on TSN, Fan590 and www.channelsurfing.net. The Raps have won three straight for the first time since the beginning of the season and look to win four in a row for the first time since December of 2007! Meanwhile, after Michael Redd sh-Redd-ed his knee, the Bucks are struggling mightily to hold on to their playoff berth without their sweet-shooting star guard. They've lost both games since Redd has gone down.
NBA.com preview
W2W4:
- The Bucks have had to rely greatly on youngsters Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Ramon Sessions with The Redd Baron's continued injury troubles. Mbah a Moute has been outperforming expectations this year, providing an athletic, defensive presence off the bench.
- Andrea Bargnani had his first "Old Bargs" game in recent memory against the Nets. He struggled mightily against a fairly weak Nets frontcourt, finishing with just 8 points and 1 rebound. It was the first time in 16 games that Bargnani had finished with fewer than 15 points. He will certainly look to prove that Wednesday was the exception - not the hot streak.
- For the fourth time in Chris Bosh's six NBA seasons, he has been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Bosh is averaging a career-high in points with 23.2 per game, and adding 9.7 rebound, 2.5 assists and 0.9 blocks while shooting 49.8% from the field and 80.3% from the line. As always, remarkably consistent and outstanding numbers from the franchise, CB4.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Raps Squeak Out a W - 107-106 Raptors
Yay! Three-game winning streak! For the first time since the opening stretch of the season, the Toronto Raptors have won three straight games. After Devin Harris missed an open elbow jumper that could have won the game for New Jersey, the Raptors look to extend their winning streak to four games when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Jose Calderon, Joey Graham and Anthony Parker combined to form a very effective trio, together going for 53 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds. Harris and Vince Carter led New Jersey in scoring with 25 and 27, respectively.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game
Anthony Parker has been spectacular playing back-up point guard recently, and last night was no exception. Parker finished with 21 points, 6 assists and 7 rebounds in assuming the role of primary wing scorer. While it's not reasonable to expect AP to keep it up for the remainder of the season, it's great to ride his hot streak.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 17 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals. Jose was again magnificent, orchestrating the Raptors offense and even playing some pretty solid defense. When Jose is at the point, this Raptor attack just rolls along.
Joey Graham - 15 points, 5 rebounds. Joey did not have eye-popping numbers, but his contribution didn't show up in the box score. He used his athleticism and provided energy to a sometimes lethargic Raptors squad, and was instrumental in the win.
Chris Bosh - 18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal. Bosh, Andrea Bargnani (8 points, 1 rebound, 5 fouls) and Jermaine O'Neal (8 points, 4 rebounds, 5 fouls) were all held in check well by the Nets' Brook Lopez and double-teams by Harris and Keyon Dooling. Bosh showed why he's a three-time All-Star, however, by fighting through and finishing with impressive numbers. It would be nice to see him get on the boards a little harder though.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were on fire last night, knocking down eleven three-pointers and going for 55.7% (39-70) overall and 11-22 (50%) from the Land Beyond the Arc. This helped offset a 11-14 New Jersey advantage in turnovers and the Nets' 15 made threes.
Next Game: Friday, January 30th, 7:00 PM at Milwaukee Bucks
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game
Anthony Parker has been spectacular playing back-up point guard recently, and last night was no exception. Parker finished with 21 points, 6 assists and 7 rebounds in assuming the role of primary wing scorer. While it's not reasonable to expect AP to keep it up for the remainder of the season, it's great to ride his hot streak.
Notables:
Jose Calderon - 17 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals. Jose was again magnificent, orchestrating the Raptors offense and even playing some pretty solid defense. When Jose is at the point, this Raptor attack just rolls along.
Joey Graham - 15 points, 5 rebounds. Joey did not have eye-popping numbers, but his contribution didn't show up in the box score. He used his athleticism and provided energy to a sometimes lethargic Raptors squad, and was instrumental in the win.
Chris Bosh - 18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal. Bosh, Andrea Bargnani (8 points, 1 rebound, 5 fouls) and Jermaine O'Neal (8 points, 4 rebounds, 5 fouls) were all held in check well by the Nets' Brook Lopez and double-teams by Harris and Keyon Dooling. Bosh showed why he's a three-time All-Star, however, by fighting through and finishing with impressive numbers. It would be nice to see him get on the boards a little harder though.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were on fire last night, knocking down eleven three-pointers and going for 55.7% (39-70) overall and 11-22 (50%) from the Land Beyond the Arc. This helped offset a 11-14 New Jersey advantage in turnovers and the Nets' 15 made threes.
Next Game: Friday, January 30th, 7:00 PM at Milwaukee Bucks
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Raptors Set to Visit Nets
Tonight at 7:30 we have the Raptors paying the New Jersey Nets a visit. The game is on TSN2 (booo), the Fan590 and www.channelsurfing.net. The Raptors have won two straight and look forward to their third straight game against a sub-.500 team. A game against (shudder) former Raptor Vince Carter is always important, and hopefully the Dinos will bring their A-game to continue along their road to .500.
NBA.com preview
W2W4:
- Eric Smith points out that over Andrea Bargnani's last 15 games, he has put up 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 37 minutes per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and an even 50% from three. He's been dominant in 2009, and it's getting to be a given that he'll have 15+ and more than three boards - it seems the days of 4 points, 0 boards, 5 fouls and 3 turnovers are gone.
- Anthony Parker, as well, has put up some impressive numbers recently. In his last five games, he's averaged almost 15 points, over 7 assists and 6 rebounds, while shooting 50% from the floor. Jay Triano's plan to have him play point guard with Jose Calderon playing limited minutes has been ingenious.
- Against the Thunder in the Nets' last game, VC15 and Devin Harris combined for just 18 points on 6-of-29 shooting. Hopefully AP and Jose can keep them both in check and off balance.
NBA.com preview
W2W4:
- Eric Smith points out that over Andrea Bargnani's last 15 games, he has put up 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 37 minutes per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and an even 50% from three. He's been dominant in 2009, and it's getting to be a given that he'll have 15+ and more than three boards - it seems the days of 4 points, 0 boards, 5 fouls and 3 turnovers are gone.
- Anthony Parker, as well, has put up some impressive numbers recently. In his last five games, he's averaged almost 15 points, over 7 assists and 6 rebounds, while shooting 50% from the floor. Jay Triano's plan to have him play point guard with Jose Calderon playing limited minutes has been ingenious.
- Against the Thunder in the Nets' last game, VC15 and Devin Harris combined for just 18 points on 6-of-29 shooting. Hopefully AP and Jose can keep them both in check and off balance.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Raps Slam Kings - 113-97 Raptors
Last night was another triumphant night for the Dinos, albeit over a very poor Kings team. Each of the Raptors big men put up impressive games, and the backcourt of Jose Calderon and Anthony Parker was brilliant. Nathan Jawai even made his debut for the home crowd. With the Raps on a little two-game winning streak, hopefully we can take some confidence into a tough stretch of games.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Last night it was the franchise, Chris Bosh. He tore apart the Kings frontcourt, giving Jason Thompson and Brad Miller fits, both of whom ended the game with 5 fouls. Christopher put up 31 points on 12-22 from the field and 7-8 from the line and added 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Whenever CB4 asserts his dominance in a game, he's nearly impossible to stop.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 24 (7-14 FG, 2-4 3FG, 8-10 FT), 7 rebounds. He can hardly go a day without at least a Notables entry, as he's been on fire lately. Another excellent performance from Il Mago.
Jose Calderon - 16 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 3FG, 3-3 FT), 8 assists. In just his second game back, Jose was spectacular once again, putting up great numbers in just 27 minutes. Along with Anthony Parker in the backcourt (11 points, 7 assists) the Raps guards were very effective.
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds. Not an overwhelming game for JO, but he was effective on the glass, didn't force shots on offense and for the first time in a while, looked confident out there. A step in the right direction.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were ahead in almost every statistical category last night, but one thing stands out. The Raps were plus-11 (25-29 for 86.2%, versus 14-17 for 82.4% for the Kings) at the line. This really shows that the Raps are making a concerted effort to get the ball inside. It's certainly a testament to coaching and Bargnani's confidence that he made 10 trips to the line, actually finishing with more attempts than Bosh.
Next Game: Wednesday, January 28th, 7:30 PM at New Jersey Nets
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Last night it was the franchise, Chris Bosh. He tore apart the Kings frontcourt, giving Jason Thompson and Brad Miller fits, both of whom ended the game with 5 fouls. Christopher put up 31 points on 12-22 from the field and 7-8 from the line and added 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Whenever CB4 asserts his dominance in a game, he's nearly impossible to stop.
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 24 (7-14 FG, 2-4 3FG, 8-10 FT), 7 rebounds. He can hardly go a day without at least a Notables entry, as he's been on fire lately. Another excellent performance from Il Mago.
Jose Calderon - 16 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 3FG, 3-3 FT), 8 assists. In just his second game back, Jose was spectacular once again, putting up great numbers in just 27 minutes. Along with Anthony Parker in the backcourt (11 points, 7 assists) the Raps guards were very effective.
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds. Not an overwhelming game for JO, but he was effective on the glass, didn't force shots on offense and for the first time in a while, looked confident out there. A step in the right direction.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors were ahead in almost every statistical category last night, but one thing stands out. The Raps were plus-11 (25-29 for 86.2%, versus 14-17 for 82.4% for the Kings) at the line. This really shows that the Raps are making a concerted effort to get the ball inside. It's certainly a testament to coaching and Bargnani's confidence that he made 10 trips to the line, actually finishing with more attempts than Bosh.
Next Game: Wednesday, January 28th, 7:30 PM at New Jersey Nets
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Raptors Host the Dethroned Kings
Today the struggling 10-34 Sacramento Kings fly in to Toronto to face our beloved Raptors. This will be the Raptors first time coming off of a win since January 9. More importantly, the Kings are an astounding 0-17 against Eastern Conference teams. On the whole, the Kings are sitting last in the Pacific Division and have lost their last 4 straight. The game goes at 6 o clock and will be available on TSN, the Fan 590, and on channelsurfing.net
W2W4:
- For the first time since December 31, Jose Calderon was able to play the full game. He finished with 23 points, 10 assists, and 0 turnovers, completely changing the Raptors game for the better. Even Jay Triano agrees that "it’s completely different with him on the floor".
- Amidst lingering trade rumors and the outstanding recent play of Andrea Bargnani, Jermaine O'Neal, centrepiece of Brian Coleangelo's offseason, has been cast to the bench and finding himself to be much less influence in a game. Hopefully he will adjust to his new, not-so-flattering role.
- Sacramento has dropped 14 of its last 15 on the road, and bring the leagues worst road record to Toronto at 3-19. The Raptors simply need to capitalize.
W2W4:
- For the first time since December 31, Jose Calderon was able to play the full game. He finished with 23 points, 10 assists, and 0 turnovers, completely changing the Raptors game for the better. Even Jay Triano agrees that "it’s completely different with him on the floor".
- Amidst lingering trade rumors and the outstanding recent play of Andrea Bargnani, Jermaine O'Neal, centrepiece of Brian Coleangelo's offseason, has been cast to the bench and finding himself to be much less influence in a game. Hopefully he will adjust to his new, not-so-flattering role.
- Sacramento has dropped 14 of its last 15 on the road, and bring the leagues worst road record to Toronto at 3-19. The Raptors simply need to capitalize.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Raptors Welcome Back Jose With A W: 114-94 Raps
Two sadly unfamiliar sights for Raptors fans tonight: a win and Jose Calderon playing. Raptor fans would love to see these two things happen more often, as Canada's team improves to 17-28 and Jose played in just his third game of 2009. On Chicago's side, Kirk Hinrich (17), Ben Gordon (19), and Luol Deng (14), led the charge. Rookie sensation Derrick Rose finished with 12 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 4 turnovers.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 23 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, 0 turnovers, 9-10 field goal shooting. Jay Triano summed it up best when he said, "It’s completely different with him on the floor, he’s in control of the ball. He’s in control of the other players on the floor. He makes shots. He makes plays."
Notables:
Anthony Parker - 14 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds. Parker's stats only went up with his return to the 2 spot and the return of Jose.
Andrea Bargnani - 22 points, 5 rebounds. Raptor fans are used to seeing streaky production from Andrea. However, this is an Andrea that we are not used to seeing; Eerily consistent, poised, and aggressive.
Joey Graham - 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals. Joey still played a significant 31 minutes despite moving back to the bench. Most importantly, he shot 6-7 from the field and his numbers did not dwindle.
Chris Bosh - 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals. Although an off shooting night from Chris (6-17 from the field), Chris found other ways to contribute. Notice his 6 (six) steals! Overall he was an impressive +25 tonight.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
With the return of Jose, the Raptors shared the ball much more, with 27 assists on 43 made field goals. However, most impressive was their defense. Tonight the Raptors caused 23 turnovers and held to Bulls to a pseudo-respectable 94 points.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Jose Calderon - 23 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, 0 turnovers, 9-10 field goal shooting. Jay Triano summed it up best when he said, "It’s completely different with him on the floor, he’s in control of the ball. He’s in control of the other players on the floor. He makes shots. He makes plays."
Notables:
Anthony Parker - 14 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds. Parker's stats only went up with his return to the 2 spot and the return of Jose.
Andrea Bargnani - 22 points, 5 rebounds. Raptor fans are used to seeing streaky production from Andrea. However, this is an Andrea that we are not used to seeing; Eerily consistent, poised, and aggressive.
Joey Graham - 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals. Joey still played a significant 31 minutes despite moving back to the bench. Most importantly, he shot 6-7 from the field and his numbers did not dwindle.
Chris Bosh - 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals. Although an off shooting night from Chris (6-17 from the field), Chris found other ways to contribute. Notice his 6 (six) steals! Overall he was an impressive +25 tonight.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
With the return of Jose, the Raptors shared the ball much more, with 27 assists on 43 made field goals. However, most impressive was their defense. Tonight the Raptors caused 23 turnovers and held to Bulls to a pseudo-respectable 94 points.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Raptors Implode In Second Half: 95-76 Pistons
At the end of the first quarter, things looked great for the Raptors; they carried a 22-17 lead, and all three big men were off to a flying start. At the end of second quarter, the Raptors fate was far from sealed, only losing by 3 going into halftime. However, the second half of the game told a different story. In the end, the Raptors fell hard to the Pistons. Tayshaun Prince led the victory with 25 points, 2 points shy of his point mark last game versus the Raps. Ex-Raptor Michael Curry now has bragging rights, his team is up 2-0 in the season series.
The Raptors are officially in a depression. They have lost their last 7 and are now a miserable 16-28. Speaking of losing, Kris Humphries is now out indefinitely with a sore leg. If the Jermaine O'Neal for Shawn Marion deal goes through, our thin front court will become much thinner.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists. Chris did not have a spectacular game, only shooting 9-17 and grabbing a technical foul. This was one of the times when it was hard to pick the player of the game for the wrong reasons.
Notables:
Anthony Parker - 10 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds. AP continues to run the point efficiently in the absence of Jose. Unfortunately, the point guards coming off the bench were not much help in the effort.
Andrea Bargnani - 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists. Andrea has not had a single digit point game since before December 3, although he did have a poor shooting night, going 6-16 from the floor.
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 block. Only Jermaine's second game played in thirteen games, it was good to see him out there.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Pistons simply owned the paint, while the Raptors had arguably their worst game on the glass this season. How bad you ask? The Raps were outrebounded 40 to 28, allowing the Pistons to grab 12 offensive boards. The Raptors were furthermore outscored 38 to 20 in the paint. This should not have been the case seeing as three of the four Raptors in double figures in points tonight were big men.
We are now 3 games past the halfway point in the season. The Raptors sit last in the Atlantic Division and have lost 7 straight. Next game the Raps go to Chicago and simply must take advantage of playing an 18-25 team. Last meeting saw Chicago winning 102-98. Hopefully the Raptors will see this as a must win game.
The Raptors are officially in a depression. They have lost their last 7 and are now a miserable 16-28. Speaking of losing, Kris Humphries is now out indefinitely with a sore leg. If the Jermaine O'Neal for Shawn Marion deal goes through, our thin front court will become much thinner.
NBA.com Recap
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists. Chris did not have a spectacular game, only shooting 9-17 and grabbing a technical foul. This was one of the times when it was hard to pick the player of the game for the wrong reasons.
Notables:
Anthony Parker - 10 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds. AP continues to run the point efficiently in the absence of Jose. Unfortunately, the point guards coming off the bench were not much help in the effort.
Andrea Bargnani - 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists. Andrea has not had a single digit point game since before December 3, although he did have a poor shooting night, going 6-16 from the floor.
Jermaine O'Neal - 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 block. Only Jermaine's second game played in thirteen games, it was good to see him out there.
Full box score
Stat of the game:
The Pistons simply owned the paint, while the Raptors had arguably their worst game on the glass this season. How bad you ask? The Raps were outrebounded 40 to 28, allowing the Pistons to grab 12 offensive boards. The Raptors were furthermore outscored 38 to 20 in the paint. This should not have been the case seeing as three of the four Raptors in double figures in points tonight were big men.
We are now 3 games past the halfway point in the season. The Raptors sit last in the Atlantic Division and have lost 7 straight. Next game the Raps go to Chicago and simply must take advantage of playing an 18-25 team. Last meeting saw Chicago winning 102-98. Hopefully the Raptors will see this as a must win game.
Raps Visit Detroit
Tonight we have our Raptors visiting the Detroit Pistons, tipoff at 7:30 PM - available on TSN2 (blargh!) as well as www.channelsurfing.net and on the radio with the Fan590. The Pistons have beaten our guys ten straight times at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and the Raps have dropped six in a row and 12 of their last 20. Maybe the pressure of a hostile arena can inspire the Dinos to steal a win on the road.
NBA.com preview
W2W4:
- The Pistons have started guards Richard Hamilton, Allen Iverson and sensational sophomore Rodney Stuckey recently, but head coach Michael Curry says he will only start two of the three, bringing the third off the bench. Stuckey's play has been outstanding, but his size (just 205 pounds at listed 6-5) leaves the Pistons vulnerable on defense to big guards.
- Sorry Raptors fans, but Jose Calderon will miss yet another game with a sore hamstring. It is unclear whether Anthony Parker will continue to start at point guard or if Will Solomon or Roko Ukic will get the nod.
- Jermaine O'Neal, however, will play again after missing Monday's game against Atlanta. Jermaine's been mentioned in trade rumours as of late, primarily heading to Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, but hopefully he can ignore them and play to his potential.
NBA.com preview
W2W4:
- The Pistons have started guards Richard Hamilton, Allen Iverson and sensational sophomore Rodney Stuckey recently, but head coach Michael Curry says he will only start two of the three, bringing the third off the bench. Stuckey's play has been outstanding, but his size (just 205 pounds at listed 6-5) leaves the Pistons vulnerable on defense to big guards.
- Sorry Raptors fans, but Jose Calderon will miss yet another game with a sore hamstring. It is unclear whether Anthony Parker will continue to start at point guard or if Will Solomon or Roko Ukic will get the nod.
- Jermaine O'Neal, however, will play again after missing Monday's game against Atlanta. Jermaine's been mentioned in trade rumours as of late, primarily heading to Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, but hopefully he can ignore them and play to his potential.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Is Ukic the Next Calderon?
We often hear parallels and comparisons between Toronto's two international point guards, Jose Calderon, a 4 year vet of the league, and Roko Ukic, a rookie. Today we're going to evaluate Roko Ukic's rookie stats thus far, and compare them to Jose's rookie stats to see if "Hot Cocoa" Roko is a "Jose-in-Training".
Of course, Calderon and Ukic did not receive identical playing time in their first year; so we averaged their stats out in the unit of stat per 20 minutes - solid playing time for a backup guard.
Raw Statistics:
Ukic: 4.7 points per game, 2.1 assists per game, 1.0 rebounds per game, 1.1 turnovers per game, 0.4 steals per game, 40.7 shooting percentage, 13:05 minutes per game
Calderon: 5.5 points per game, 4.5 assists per game, 2.2 rebounds per game, 1.6 turnovers per game, 0.7 steals per game, 42.3 shooting percentage, 23:11 minutes per game.
Points:
Ukic: 0.36 P/min = 7.2 points per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.24 P/min = 4.8 points per 20 minutes
Advantage: Ukic
Assists:
Ukic: 0.16 ast/min = 3.2 assists per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.2 ast/min = 4.0 assists per 20 minutes
Advantage: Calderon
Rebounds:
Ukic: 0.08 reb/min = 1.6 rebounds per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.1 reb/min = 2.0 rebounds per 20 minutes
Advantage: Calderon
Turnovers:
Ukic: 0.084 TO/min = 1.68 turnovers per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.069 TO/min = 1.38 turnovers per 20 minutes
Advantage: Calderon
Steals:
Ukic: 0.036 stl/min = 0.72 steals per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.0302 stl/min = 0.6 steals per 20 minutes
Advantage: Ukic
Field Goal Percentage:
Ukic: .406 FG%
Calderon: .423 FG%
Advantage: Calderon
Verdict:
While there are very close numbers being put up in assists, steals, and rebounds, it appears Jose was a more polished player in his rookie year. He shot the ball better than Ukic has while committing fewer turnovers. Ukic, however, does carry a substantial edge in scoring - he may be a little trigger-happy at times, but it's undeniable that he has the ability to score and create. After all, when you are a 6'5" point guard, why not drive and look to score or dish? While Calderon had the advantage in most categories, the margins were quite small.
There are definite similarities when looking at Roko and Jose's numbers. Jose had his breakout year last season, averaging over 11 points and 8 assists. Roko may need more time to develop his game (especially his long-range shot), but Raptor fans may very well be lucky enough to be watching a Jose-in-Training.
Of course, Calderon and Ukic did not receive identical playing time in their first year; so we averaged their stats out in the unit of stat per 20 minutes - solid playing time for a backup guard.
Raw Statistics:
Ukic: 4.7 points per game, 2.1 assists per game, 1.0 rebounds per game, 1.1 turnovers per game, 0.4 steals per game, 40.7 shooting percentage, 13:05 minutes per game
Calderon: 5.5 points per game, 4.5 assists per game, 2.2 rebounds per game, 1.6 turnovers per game, 0.7 steals per game, 42.3 shooting percentage, 23:11 minutes per game.
Points:
Ukic: 0.36 P/min = 7.2 points per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.24 P/min = 4.8 points per 20 minutes
Advantage: Ukic
Assists:
Ukic: 0.16 ast/min = 3.2 assists per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.2 ast/min = 4.0 assists per 20 minutes
Advantage: Calderon
Rebounds:
Ukic: 0.08 reb/min = 1.6 rebounds per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.1 reb/min = 2.0 rebounds per 20 minutes
Advantage: Calderon
Turnovers:
Ukic: 0.084 TO/min = 1.68 turnovers per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.069 TO/min = 1.38 turnovers per 20 minutes
Advantage: Calderon
Steals:
Ukic: 0.036 stl/min = 0.72 steals per 20 minutes
Calderon: 0.0302 stl/min = 0.6 steals per 20 minutes
Advantage: Ukic
Field Goal Percentage:
Ukic: .406 FG%
Calderon: .423 FG%
Advantage: Calderon
Verdict:
While there are very close numbers being put up in assists, steals, and rebounds, it appears Jose was a more polished player in his rookie year. He shot the ball better than Ukic has while committing fewer turnovers. Ukic, however, does carry a substantial edge in scoring - he may be a little trigger-happy at times, but it's undeniable that he has the ability to score and create. After all, when you are a 6'5" point guard, why not drive and look to score or dish? While Calderon had the advantage in most categories, the margins were quite small.
There are definite similarities when looking at Roko and Jose's numbers. Jose had his breakout year last season, averaging over 11 points and 8 assists. Roko may need more time to develop his game (especially his long-range shot), but Raptor fans may very well be lucky enough to be watching a Jose-in-Training.
Raptors MLK Day an Unhappy One
Non-Canadians had a lot to celebrate today; Martin Luther King, and the Raptors losing their sixth straight. Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith today combined for 73 of the Hawks 87 points, the only other Hawks to score were Flip Murray (12) and Mo Evans (2). On the Raptors' side, Jermaine O'Neal and Jose Calderon were both no goes again, however J-Killa (worst nickname ever, Matt Devil-in) made his return with 9 points.
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 22 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists. *Sigh*, is Yi Jianlian really above Chris in all star voting?
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 20 points, 10 rebounds. It is looking like Andrea is gaining confidence and looking more and more consistent each game. This was Andrea's 12th straight game reaching double figs in points. Also important to note were his 10 rebounds and only 3 fouls.
Anthony Parker - 12 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists. AP flirted with a triple double today as he started at the point guard spot for the second straight game. He did manage a Will Solomon-esque 4 turnovers however.
Stat of the game:
Today the Raptors did not take advantage of every possession. They went an astonishingly horrid 2-18 from three point land, and the point guards combined for 9 turnovers. For the Raptors to be successful, the point guards must be efficient with the ball and players should be aggressive, not settling for the three ball.
Coach Jay Triano is looking forward, "There are a lot of games to play," Raptors head coach Jay Triano said. "We've still got 50 cents on the dollar, so we need to cash that and see if we can get on a roll". Whatever that quotation was supposed to mean, we are sure it was somehow optimistic...
Player of the game:
Chris Bosh - 22 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists. *Sigh*, is Yi Jianlian really above Chris in all star voting?
Notables:
Andrea Bargnani - 20 points, 10 rebounds. It is looking like Andrea is gaining confidence and looking more and more consistent each game. This was Andrea's 12th straight game reaching double figs in points. Also important to note were his 10 rebounds and only 3 fouls.
Anthony Parker - 12 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists. AP flirted with a triple double today as he started at the point guard spot for the second straight game. He did manage a Will Solomon-esque 4 turnovers however.
Stat of the game:
Today the Raptors did not take advantage of every possession. They went an astonishingly horrid 2-18 from three point land, and the point guards combined for 9 turnovers. For the Raptors to be successful, the point guards must be efficient with the ball and players should be aggressive, not settling for the three ball.
Coach Jay Triano is looking forward, "There are a lot of games to play," Raptors head coach Jay Triano said. "We've still got 50 cents on the dollar, so we need to cash that and see if we can get on a roll". Whatever that quotation was supposed to mean, we are sure it was somehow optimistic...
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