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Clutch Play, All-Stars, Dogfights and Snubs
Posted on | January 28, 2010 | No Comments
I’m not sure which of the recent wins was more satisfying. Turkoglu coming up big with two free throws to win it against the best team in the league (causing them to drop below Cleveland in the standings) was nice. But as well as the Raptors played, the Lakers missed several chances to take the game away from the Raptors before those free throws.
The win against Miami, though, was a comeback win that meant more in the standings than the one against the Lakers. It was nice to see them take control of a game against a team on the same level, talent-wise.
And how about that bench. I don’t remember the last time they were outplayed by the opposing bench. Belinelli, Calderon and Johnson as well as Wright and Weems, are as strong a bench as the Raptors have ever had. It says something that both Belinelli and Calderon were on the floor at the end.
Speaking of being on the floor at the end, a stat that might surprise you is that, since December 4th, when the turned the season around (going 17-9), they are 6-1 in games decided by 5 points or less. That’s a compliment to both the coaching staff and the players.
ALL-STARS
So Bosh made it to the All-Star again. Okay, no one is surprised. Is anyone surprised that Bargnani didn’t make it? They shouldn’t be. Bargnani is having a career year, but his averages over the season (17.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg) are not overwhelming, and while it may seem like he’s been playing better lately, his averages, month to month, have remained fairly consistent. Ironic considering that consistency has been a problem with him this season.
Horford was an iffy call, but he’s on one of the top teams, so his stats are overlooked a little. Quite frankly, if Brook Lopez was on even a half decent team, he should have been an All-Star since he’s probably the second best center in the East. I also would have looked at Joakim Noah at center or even Andrew Bogut, both of whom have much better rebounding and defensive stats than Bargnani. Of course, a team’s record has a huge impact and Chicago certainly is not going to send two All-Stars to Dallas, which is the case with Toronto, too. Only top teams send more than one player to the All-Star game, and the Raptors are not in that category. Not yet.
I am glad to see Deron Williams finally get an All-Star nod, since he’s been one of the best PG’s in the league since his second season and would be a perennial All-Star if he were in the East.
A month ago, I would have been surprised by the inclusion of Derrick Rose. He never looked completely healthy for the first couple of months of the season, but has improved every month where, for the month of January, he’s averaging 23 ppg and 6.5 apg and is one of the main reasons the Bulls are now fighting with Charlotte, Miami and Toronto for the fifth seed.
DOGFIGHT
Speaking of this, one game separates those four teams right now. It’s going to be a dogfight the rest of the year (no, I didn’t mean the other kind). Any slippage from any of those four teams could be disastrous. Thankfully, the Raptors have 8 or their next 9 games (including tonight against the Knicks) are against sub-.500 teams and and 3 of the 9 games are at home. However difficult their schedule was early, it’s now paying off with easier opponents, more home games and fewer back to backs. Of course, it gets a little mre difficult after that…
SNUBS
If DeMar DeRozan is upset about not making it onto the Rookie-Sophomore game roster, he should remember than Kevin Love was also strangely omitted from that game. He’s now, arguably, the second or third best player from his draft class (and it’s a pretty good draft class).
ONE MORE THING
In honour of Apple releasing the iPad, which is actually a lot cooler and going to make a bigger impact that some critics seem to realize, I’ve decided to add one more thing (Apple people will understand). If Phoenix wasn’t tumbling so badly in the standings (3-7 in their last ten and are currently in the 9th spot in the West), do you think there’d be so much chatter about trading Stoudemire? It’s a LONG WAY from the first month of the season when they were the top team in the West. It’s looking more and more like Phoenix might not even make the playoffs again, and suddenly Steve Kerr is a bad GM again. Funny how those things work, isn’t it?
Soooooooo Close!
Posted on | November 16, 2009 | 2 Comments
Who’d have thought it would end up being a defensive battle, and not the ultra high scoring game most of us expected. In the end, it all came down to one shot, and the guy who the Raptors signed for more than $50 million this summer to take that shot, was the guy who took it. And missed.
Okay, so 101-100 doesn’t sound like a defensive battle, but when the two teams average 111 and 108 points, and like to run the way these two teams do, 201 combined points is about 50 points less than I was expecting.
Even though it was a heart breaker, and the Raptors could have easily won, I’ve gotta say that I think I was more impressed tonight with the Raptors than in any game so far this season. They played hard for 48 minutes, played consistently solid defense and actually looked like a team that can play with anyone. They just happen to score a couple of points less than they needed to.
They held a 8-2 team that scores 111 points on 49% shooting to 101 on 45% shooting and came up just short.
KUDOS
THE WHOLE TEAM
I think everyone deserves kudos here, right down to the coaches, who drew up good plays and gave the team a good strategy to follow. I think it was their best defensive effort this season, and although there were a few miscues (like Nash getting a couple of open threes near the end), they never let the Suns go off. Even Bargnani played solid defense most of the game. Nash made some circus shots despite being defended well. Yes, Channing Frye went 6-8 from the three point line, but that was the shot the Raptors were giving the Suns, and he just happen to hit most of them. And most of the time, he had someone in his face, a far cry from when the Raptors were playing the Spurs or Memphis.
RUNNING LAPS
Although I’d like to point out Bargnani’s continued aversion to rebounding and how he should have gone into the paint a lot more instead of settling for jumpers, I won’t. Okay, I guess I just did, didn’t I. Still he impressed me more in this game than most others, despite having an off night from the field. I’d rather he play like he did tonight every night, and score a few less points.
NOTES:
First Boston, and now the Lakers. Both teams, favourites for the Finals, are on a two game losing streak. Right now, the two best teams in the league look like Phoenix and Atlanta.
Prediction #6
Posted on | October 20, 2009 | No Comments
After reading all the articles, blogs and comments about pre-season, I’m anxious to publish my season preview for the Raptors, but I said I would finish the predictions, first. This will be my last prediction for the Raptors, and then I’ll discuss the rest of the league.
THE RAPTORS WILL NOT MAKE IT TO THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS
My first five predictions have been pretty optimistic, but those of you who think that I’m an eternal optimist, in regards to the Raptors, should know that is not true. Not in the least. In fact, my criticism in the past has lead to me being called a `hater’ by some. I was not a fan of Rob Babcock. I have not been a fan of any draft pick between Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan. I hated giving Kapono the full MLE. I wanted Vince traded a full two years before he was because I knew the team was going nowhere anytime soon and the Raptors needed to trade him while he was still valuable. Even when they were successful with Vince, I wasn’t all that optomistic about their longterm chances because of the age of the roster as well as other reasons.
And from my prediction, it would appear that I am not optimistic about the current Raptor’s future, either. That’s not entirely true, however.
It’s pretty safe to say that, barring injury, Orlando, Cleveland and Boston are locks for the three top positions in the East. If any of them win fewer than 55 games it would be a shock. Atlanta has slowly built themselves up into a good team. They have improved their record every year and even made it to the second round of the playoffs last spring. They now have experience and the chemistry that comes from the core being together for some time. After winning 47 games last season, and adding Joe Smith and Jamal Crawford, while bringing back every other important player on the roster, winning more than 50 games is very likely.
So, four teams will probably win at least 50 games. And no one is predicting the Raptors to do so. That means, at best, a 5th seed. The only possible competition for the 5th seed would be Washington (who possibly play worse defense than the Raptors, and won 19 games last season), Chicago (whose top returning scorer will be John Salmons), Philadelphia (who don’t have a true PG on the roster), and Miami (whose success depends on Jermaine O’Neal’s physical health and Michael Beasley’s mental health). Those teams won 41, 41 and 43 games, so it’s my guess that 45 wins may very well give you the 5th seed.
I think everyone can agree that the only chance the Raptors have of getting to the second round is by playing Atlanta in the first round. There’s little chance of beating the veteran and talent laden squads, Cleveland, Orlando and Boston. The problem is, I think they’ll have a tough time beating Atlanta four times out of seven. Atlanta has been together longer, have more experience, especially in the postseason (only two Raptors have any significant post season experience, Turkoglu and Nesterovic (who may not even play 10 mpg this season). Joe Smith and Mike Bibby have both been to the Conference Finals, at least once, and the entire starting five went to the second round last spring.
Plus, the Raptors have history working against them, too. Very rarely does a team with so many new players make any noise in their first playoffs together. Winning, especially in the post season, requires continuity, and the Raptors simply don’t have that.
Now, before you think I’m being too pessimistic about the Raptors, bear in mind that this does not mean their future is bleak. Of course, you’ll have to read my Raptors preview edition to find out why…
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