I would take Nike's over Manolo's any day! Some may think of it as an obsession, I think of it as simply; for the love of the game...

Raptor Report Card – Vegas Summer League

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Anytime I can watch some basketball during the long offseason I get excited. Last week I set off for Vegas to catch NBA Summer League, otherwise known as glorified pickup ball. It’s a great opportunity to catch the rookies in action and get a feel of what the youth is going add to a team. In the past, there have been players who have made a name at summer league — some go on to success in the NBA and others remain summer league legends. For me, this was a chance to catch the Young Gunz in action and begin to evaluate the Raptors in the post-Bosh era.

Paired with Sonny Weems, the Raptors had a full highwire act going with DeRozan. DeRozan looked like he was primed for a signicant jump in productivity this season, especially with Chris Bosh you-know-where. He has such great length and his explosion was in the elite class. Averaging 21 points and 4.5 rebounds during Summer League, he and Weems had a plethora of highlight reels and looked like possibly the most impressive sophomore of the bunch. — Matt Moore (CBS)

There was a lot expected of DeMar last summer as he was drafted 9th overall by the Raptors and he had a fairly solid showing. This summer was different as he looked to be a man amongst boys. Right away you could see a change in his body — bulked up his upper half. His focus was there out the gates and it wasn’t long before he had heads turning. His mid-range game seems to have become more consistent, he was more committed to getting to the basket and the rebounding numbers were more in line with what the team needs after losing Bosh this summer. It is no secret that he is more of a quiet guy on the floor and that is something he needs to work on. With CB4 gone, there is a need for guys to step up and even though it may be a lot to ask from a young guy he will be better for it in the long run. Right now he has a comfort zone with Weems, Johnson and Jack but he has a chance to grow into a leader on this team.

Davis turned out to be one of the biggest surprises for me at summer league. Not just from the Raptors but almost all the guys I watched over the span of 5 days. Considering that he had not played organized basketball since about February, he was able to make his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He definitely is raw offensively but he already has a couple of go to moves and seems to be a great position player. His basketball IQ is there which helps him be johnny on the spot grabbing boards and swatting the ball into the stands. I didn’t know what to expect going in to watch him play but he really got me excited for the upcoming season. He comes from a good program and its evident that he has focused on the fundamentals. He also has a good frame that will fill out with access to a training staff. His lower body is bigger than the departed star which will help him in the block holding his ground. Again, he doesn’t have that alpha personality but if the other Young Gunz take him in there is a great opportunity for the team to have some serious chemistry that can will a few wins through the course of the season.

Weems surprised Raptor fans over the past season and took his act to summer league. Everyone I talked to wanted to talk about him and how he has found a perfect situation for himself. The jumper was there last season and it complements his high flying act. He had some of the best dunks seen in Vegas but still committed himself to defense. Two things stood out to me — Firstly, DeMar looks bigger than Sonny now and Secondly, he really needs to pass the ball a little more. Maybe it was summer league and he was having fun with it but it sure seemed like he jacked up a lot of shots. I imagine this was his final trip to Vegas in the summer (along with DeMar) and seeing what he brings to the table I see him as a core component to the Toronto Raptors in the future.

One word — RAW. Alabi is a project, straight and simple. He didn’t start playing organized basketball until a later age compared to most and has a lot to learn on a more basic level. I expect to see him in the D League or street clothes but if he focuses, he can learn a lot from observing the other players at his position. He has the length to be a premier shot blocker and rebounder but right now he needs to figure out how to play positionally. He has a butter fingers effect going for him right now which doesn’t allow finishing at the hoop with confidence. His face up game is more developed than the other aspects of his game. Right now the best thing for him is to watch, learn and practice hard. He has a bunch of guys ahead of him at the position so he will not have any pressure, rather just have a chance to develop at a steady pace with good coaching and some cooperation on his end.

Dwight-lite as @stackmack puts it. This guy is massive. Built like a tank with the cantaloupe shoulders, the only thing he lacks is height. With a non-guaranteed contract, Dorsey had to try and impress the Raptors coaching staff. He can rebound with the best of them but it stops there. Coaches were constantly harping at him for not running plays they called or when he was in a position to score he just couldn’t finish. I think if a team is committed to try and develop him as a Ben Wallace type it may work for him. I can’t see him cracking the Raptors roster when the team is already deep at his position making it hard to find minutes for him to develop. There is only room for 1 project at a time and the team has already handed Alabi that pass.

22.07.2010 Raptor Report 3 Comments

Raptor Report – Ed Davis… If you don’t know, now you know

Monday, July 5th, 2010

The Toronto Raptors used the 13th pick in the NBA draft to select Ed Davis who will be introduced to media and the city later today. This pick came as a surprise to me and I quickly scrambled to try to learn as much as I could about the kid. He comes from a storied college program that had a rough year (which in turn probably led to his stock falling), and has been coached by one of the best. In the process of trying to learn more about Davis, I reached out to a blogger who devotes his site to UNC sports. AEM from The5thcorner.com agreed to answer some questions for me and I thought I would share his responses to help the rabid Raptors fanbase get to know him a little better.

HoH: It’s well documented that Davis is raw offensively. From your time following him as a college pro, what has he shown in terms of Basketball IQ and willingness to learn?

AEM: Having had a dad, Terry Davis, that played the game for a decade will help teach anyone about the game, add to that having a Hall of Fame head coach like Roy Williams, and I would say that as far as basketball IQ, Ed Davis has plenty of it. I am also of the opinion that the sophomore out of Richmond, VA. has all the willingness in the world to learn, since the National Basketball Association is where he was meant to be and now he is going to do anything and everything in order to stay in it. Having said all of that the 6’9″ power forward might be facing a battle he can never win: replacing someone like Chris Bosh.

The pressure of being the one coming in for an exiting All-Star is not going to be easy. The fan base needs to realize that Ed Davis is not Chris Bosh and is not going to be anywhere close to it. I see Davis as a good role-player for a team that has a true leader/star, which might be something that Toronto is lacking right now.

HoH: Its always easier to find about a player on the court but how was his reputation and demeanor off it?

AEM: In his second year some rumors came up about the young man not being a perfect team mate. Mostly circling around him always talking about his father playing in the NBA and how he was going to go there when the season was done. I talked to a couple of people close to the program and all agreed that this would not have been the big deal it was if not for the fact that the Tar Heels had a below average season.

In his first year, the one where North Carolina won it all, nothing like this came out. I have to assume a lot of this is a mixture of a young man choosing to stay an extra year and then seeing that if he had left a year earlier it would have been best. I am not defending this in any way, I am just thinking that if the Heels had the year they should of had this would be a non-issue.

Having watched the whole season I can say that the first couple of games after Ed broke his wrist the forward was not standing up when team mates were coming on/off the bench, he was slow to get up when the team huddled in time outs, everytime a camera was on him he definitely didn’t look like he was into the situation. That changed after a few games, and the reason for this could be one of two: either he got over the fact he was hurt and began to live past it and get back into the team mode or he was told to get with the program. Once again I do give him the benefit of the doubt having saw how he handled himself during the NIT run, looking like a true team mate with the rest of the guys.

HoH: Which NBA player do you think his game is most comparable to?

AEM: If I had to make the comparison right now, based on how good Davis can be, I would see him as an Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks). Cutting to the chase of it, I would not be one bit stunned if Davis was to be a double double player for the Raptors in his second or third year in the league. What will get him playing time in the mean time is the fact that he can play some good defense having good fundamentals on that side of the ball and being able to shot block as good as anyone in this class.

HoH: Now that you broke down who he compares to most in the NBA, what do you think his potential is?
AEM: A great role player. Someone that you might not see as the player that will change your franchise but will give you a double double each night while giving SportsCenter high light reel material thanks to his blocks. Under a good head coach Ed Davis can only improve, as I have said many times over in my posts the fan base at UNC never got to see the best of this young man. I am not sure if this makes sense but what I see in Ed Davis is someone that can be able to help the Raptors as long as not too much is put on his shoulders.

HoH: There have been rumblings that he is soft at times. What do you think he needs to work on the most?

AEM: More than soft, which he can sometimes be, I think that Ed Davis needs to still discover what he can truly do on the offensive side of the ball. Davis needs to develop some good moves around the post, but in order to do that his footwork and post moves have to improve. Even worst the defenders know that outside of the paint the young man has nearly no game. His mid-range game is almost nonexistent, his jump shot is a long way away from being NBA ready, and all of this makes it harder for him to be as good as he could be in the low post.

HoH: Lastly, what is your favorite memory of him during his time at UNC?

AEM: Of course him in the title game in his freshman year comes to mind. Watching him get six blocks against Duke (in a game where he didn’t play the whole game as he broke his wrist in it) was also a great memory, but if I have to say it would have to be the 2009 ACC Tourney, where he played well (averaging over 21 minutes per game), having his first double figure scoring game since the pre-ACC part of the schedule and did great on the boards, including seven offensives ones (in 2 games).

Again, I want to thank AEM from The5thcorner for agreeing to give us a little insight on the newest addition to the Toronto Raptors. Make sure you check out his site and you can also follow him on twitter @A_E_M .

05.07.2010 Raptor Report 3 Comments

Match Ups – Toronto Raptors v/s Indiana Pacers

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Switching back to the East, the Pacers are up. They didn’t make any significant moves over the off-season but remain on the bubble as a playoff team. The guest preview today was done by Jared Wade of many a blog fame.

Jared Wade runs the NBA blog Both Teams Played Hard and the Pacers TrueHoop blog Eight Points, Nine Seconds. He also writes about the Association at Hardwood Paroxysm.

Given the lack of impact talent on their roster, the Pacers have very little chance to make any real noise in the Eastern Conference. But if the injury woes that have derailed the past few seasons prove less damaging this year, the team certainly has a chance to sneak into the playoffs and may even surprise a few of the experts expecting the Pacers to slide below 30 wins this season.

A lot of the hopes for moderate success in Indianapolis hinge on the health of Mike Dunleavy, Jr. The offseason loss of Jarrett Jack means that TJ Ford, Danny Granger and the recently acquired Earl Watson are really the team’s only capable perimeter ball-handlers other than MDJ, who was essentially the Pacers de facto “point forward” much of the time he was on the floor the last time he was, you know, actually on the floor. So if he can’t suit up and be 100% for more than, say, 60 games, that doesn’t bode well at all for Indiana.

In all, Dunleavy missed 64 games last year and may as well have missed them all given his poor shooting and overall awkward play during his “comeback.” But the season prior, he posted career-high stats pretty much across the board and showed a nuanced ability to facilitate an offense that I doubt anyone in the NBA who isn’t the current coach of the Clippers believed he had in him.

Unfortunately for Pacers fans, MDJ is now doubtful to be ready for the season opener, which means Granger will once again be overworked, and TJ Ford and Earl Watson will be exposed as middling talents. So for the Pacers to remain competitive without Dunleavy, the team will need a lot of progress from sophomores Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert, both of whom showed nice flashes at the end of last season, and some significant offensive contributions from offseason acquisitions Dahntay Jones and Watson, something that few outsiders will believe possible until they actually see it.

No matter who is on the floor, however, Coach Jim O’Brien’s offense will play fast, score a lot and feature the three-ball prominently. The Pacers were the third “fastest” team in the league (with approximately two possessions per minute), shot the fourth most threes (21 three-point attempts per game) and scored the fifth most points (105.1 per game). Since, however, the roster is essentially Granger and, with apologies to Troy Murphy, a cast of flawed role players, this style creates giant peaks and valleys of success throughout the game, which essentially means that no lead is safe — for either team. The offense is seemingly as likely to score 19 points in a quarter as it is to score 40. For stretches when the team is hitting its threes, getting out in transition and forcing turnovers, it looks like a poor man’s version of the 2006 Suns. When it is missing on all cylinders, something that happens for at least one 6-minute stretch out of every 48, it looks like an unathletic version of the 2009 Warriors.

Ultimately, the very fact that the loss of Jarrect Jack is going to be hard for this roster to overcome does not bode well for the Pacers chances this season. But they have a system coach that runs a system offense and a bench full of capable, if unspectacular, role players. It’s a team that is very difficult to get excited about, sure, but its also a team that can be very hard to keep out of a game. Unless, of course, Mike Dunleavy is out of the game. Then, well…

***********************************************************************************************
pacers-raptors

Last Season Record: 2-2
The teams split the series and for the most part, the winning team each time was enjoying a blowout. Danny Granger and Chris Bosh both did their thing to give their teams a chance to win but it came down to the role players who were able to give some extra scoring punch. There was little to no defense played in the series but it was surprising to see the Raptors average 48 rebounds per game as a team. The Pacers have always been known to kill Toronto on the glass but were out rebounded significantly even in a game they ended up winning.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: The Pacer front court is raw. That’s the only word I could come up with when I looked at their roster. There is no player who demands a double team on the offensive end but with so many unknowns, the Raptors can’t ignore the potential of Josh McRoberts, Hibber and Hansbrough. Each of these guys had great college careers but Bosh and Bargnani should be able to use their veteran smarts and get these guys in foul trouble early. The one X factor here is Jeff Foster. While he may not be a guy you plan for, year in and year out he has schooled the Raptors on the glass. If Bosh and Andrea do not box out its going to be a long night of 2nd chance points and FT shooting from the Pacers.
Edge: Raptors

The Wings: Danny Granger has to be the least talked about potential all-star in the NBA. He can put the ball on the floor, hit jumpers and more importantly has found his range over the past season or so. Hedo Turkoglu can do all three as well, just not nearly as efficiently as Granger. If the Pacers have a healthy Mike Dunleavy Jr. they should be able to make some noise in the East. Both their wings are injury risks but when they are on they can burn their opponents in a hurry. Defensively, once again this will be a challenge for Hedo and will need a team effort to contain the two. Closing out on shooters is key in this series with other guys like Brandon Rush and Luther Head on the team. Hedo, and for the most part, all the Raptors guard and wings have the height advantage they need to exploit on the offensive end.
Edge: Even

The Guards: As most Raptor fans know, TJ Ford is a warrior. He had his best season scoring wise last year in Indiana while playing with his usual reckless abandon. If there were ever a PG who was the exact opposite of Calderon, Ford’s name would be the first to pop in my head. The addition of Jarrett Jack, who coincidentally managed to take over as the primary point guard for the Pacers, gives the Raptors a good balance. With both guards at his disposal, Jay Triano has the option to put in one guy over the other for a different pace. The SG spot on both teams is occupied by young players who have yet to reach their potential but the athleticism and height on the Raptor side should give them a chance to flourish against a very small Pacer back court.
Edge: Raptors

Predicted Record: 3-1 (Pacers will take their first home game of the series)

22.10.2009 Raptor Report 2 Comments

Match Ups – Toronto Raptors v/s New Orleans Hornets

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Running a little behind on these previews but the plan is to have them done before the season gets started. Today the focus is on the New Orleans Hornets. What’s not to love about this team led by Chris Paul. For the guest preview I recruited one of the best Hornets blogger, Sarah.

Sarah owns and writes for Hornets Hype. She loves small market teams, David West’s jumper, Twitter – @Ticktock6, and being That Girl.

What do I know about the Raptors vs. the Hornets? I know that the Raps are one of my fave teams out East. I know they will be improved this year. And I know our game there will be at an absurdly early hour of the day. (Let it be said that I wrote that without checking. And sure enough, I just looked, and it is at 11:30 AM CST. The reason I knew is that for some reason the Hornets at Raptors game is always at an absurd hour of the day.)

On the Hornets side, this is a season of questions. After making a slew of offseason moves, we are looking at potentially 3/5 of the starting lineup being new. The Hornets lost Tyson Chandler, Rasual Butler, and Antonio Daniels, but added C Emeka Okafor, F Ike Diogu, F Darius Songaila, G Bobby Brown, and rookies G Marcus Thornton and PG Darren Collison. Will the Hornets be able to swallow a disappointing year and move forward? How will superlong and athletic multi-tasker Julian Wright play after being moved to the starting lineup? How will Peja play off the bench? Can Okafor add a little more post scoring that Tyson Chandler didn’t have? Can he equal the positional excellence of Chandler on defense? Will Ike Diogu finally live up to his talent in New Orleans? Can the rookies keep up? (If we’re going by the preseason, Thornton can more than keep up.) Does the team have enough depth to give Chris Paul and David West some rest this year? Who will start at the 2? (We don’t know yet. Former Toronto fan favorite Morris Peterson? — had the job two years ago and went into camp as the favorite. Bobby Brown? — too short. Devin Brown? — shudder. Marcus Thornton? — he’s been impressive in preseason and he just seems to get better every game.)

If these Hornets gel and the younger guys play to their potential, this team could ride favorable matchups through the second round. If there are injuries or the chemistry falls through or the older swingmen have a drop off in playing level… it could get ugly. It’s hard to predict because there are so many factors that could come into play. This team is a playoff team– Chris Paul and David West alone should guarantee that. I think it could be a high playoff team.

As far as the matchup with the Raps goes, last year the Hornets won both games. David West and Chris Bosh usually both play well and cancel each other out. Also the Hornets usually shoot the three very well against Toronto for whatever reason. (Funny aside, earlier tonight I was trying to remember which game it was that Peja hit 7-11 from three, five of the threes occurring on almost consecutive possessions from the exact same spot on the floor. Thanks to having to look up the Hornets/Raptors boxscores from 2008-09 for this preview, now I know. It was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen in person.) Toronto’s new additions (Hedo!) should make these fun to watch.

****************************************************************************************************
hornets-raps

Last Season Record: 0-2
The Hornets made quick work of the Raptors last season. They didn’t even need the services of Chris Paul in the 2nd meeting. The 37 three pointers made by the Hornets tells the story of the Raptors defensive woes. No matter how many points were scored by the Raptors front court, they were always playing catch up. The Raptors were out rebounded on both occasions (no surprise) but even missing CP3 the Hornets managed to dish out more assists in the 2nd win.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: The Hornets traded away Tyson Chandler this off-season and replaced him with Emeka Okafor. While Okafor is a great player, it is still to be seen how he settles in with Chris Paul who had great chemistry with Chandler on the court. Bosh and Bargnani are a handful for most teams and on the offensive end both should have ample opportunties to get to the rim in this series. Emeka is a shot blocker but he is not as athletic. The rest of the Hornets front court seems to be a makeshift group and the Raptors should have the advantage on both ends of the floor.
Edge: Raptors

The Wings: Hedo Turkoglu may not be a defensive stopper but in this one he should be fine matching up against Peja Stojakovic. While Peja is still a big threat from beyond the arc, he does a lot less moving without the ball making it easier for Hedo to stay with him. When Posey is on the floor at the wing spot, the Raptors may want to try to put a more athletic guy on him because he will put the ball on the floor if needed. I have been saying this for a lot of the previews but the key is to be able to close out on the shooters. Offensively, the Raptors should be fine getting points where they can but the scoring load will probably go on the bigs while the wings will need to impose their will on the defensive end.
Edge: Even

The Guards: Chris Paul is the best PG in the league right now. That said, it’s his basketball IQ and ability to make quick decisions that make him a tough cover. Jose has a tough task laid out in trying to stay in front of CP3 and the Raptors will need to soften that blow by sending out a double team early to force the ball out of his hands. Paul is also an underrated defender who is able to use his strength and quickness to keep his counterpart from blowing past him. The Hornets SG spot leaves much to be desired but playing alongside a guy like CP3 elevates all the players around him. He has the ability to make the average guy look good and the Raptors need to make sure not to ignore those players as offensive threats.
Edge: Hornets

Predicted Record: 1-1 (Home court advantage in full effect)

21.10.2009 Raptor Report 3 Comments

Match Ups – Toronto Raptors v/s Houston Rockets

Monday, October 19th, 2009

With 10 teams to go in the Match Up series, this felt like the perfect time to do this Raptors-Rockets preview. The teams went head to head a few days ago in a pre-season game where the Rockets came out victorious. Many thanks go out to Mark for the guest preview.

Mookie (@ASternWarning) writes for A Stern Warning, a site devoted to all things basketball worldwide. He enjoys long walks on the beach and singing the praises of Greg Oden.

Injury Central is once again the story of the Rockets’ season.

The Houston Rockets’ Big Three from a season ago, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest will all be elsewhere when the team suits up for their October 27 matchup against Portland. Artest flew the coop for the Los Angeles Lakers, whilst Yao will be sitting in mothballs once again for the majority of the season, as will McGrady who is scheduled to miss at least November.

Suddenly the Rockets find Australian David Andersen coming in as a likely starting centre, a mid-range jump-shooting 6’11″ big man with a very different look to Yao. Instead of defensive bulldog Artest, Trevor Ariza will be the wingman charged with providing excitement on the break at the small forward position — almost a straight swap with the Lakers. Without McGrady, suddenly the Rockets will be forced to rely on the likes of Brent Barry at shooting guard, a huge step down from the former all-star that is T-Mac.

Who will form the identity of this Rockets team and be the newly-fledged stars to step up? That responsibility likely falls to Aaron Brooks (who exploded onto the scene in last season’s playoffs), Argentinian workhorse power forward Luis Scola and Ariza, with the dregs of Shane Battier’s talent picking up the scraps. This team has proven in recent years that they can be a scrappy team of bit-players that come together to form a team greater than the sum of its parts. Once again, that will likely be the way in which the Rockets win games. Whilst Brooks, Scola and Ariza will take on much of the scoring responsibility, players like Chuck Hayes, Carl Landry and Kyle Lowry will do the little things which push games in favour of the Rockets, as they try to playoff teams.
Will Houston find themselves in the playoffs? In the stacked Western Conference, the answer to that one is in the negative, but they will certainly claim some scalps along the way when their opponents don’t turn up ready for a fight.

***************************************************************************************************
rockets-raptors

Last Season Record: 1-1
The teams split the series with each winning at home. The Rockets came into Toronto and got blown out by a 12-20 team while playing with a full roster. Good D forced 21 turnovers and kept the Rockets shooting under 35% from the field. Good enough to get the job done. In the second meeting there was no Tracy McGrady but the Rockets were already adjusted to playing without him. 20-10 games from both Scola and Yao were too much for the Raptors to handle even though the Rockets were playing with a short bench. 16 assists from Jose Calderon was the highlight of the game for the Raptors in the loss.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: The loss of Yao Ming for the season greatly changes the look of this Rockets team. The front court is made up of athletic guys who make up for their lack of height with some good basketball IQ. Bosh and Bargnani should have the advantage here offensively. Will proper spacing on the floor the two can run the pick and roll and the pop still leaving room for the guards to cut to the basket with no real shot blocking threat on the floor. The Rockets front court doesn’t seem to be very intimidating on the offensive end. They key for the Raptors will be boxing out. If the Raptor bigs are unable to do so, the Rockets will do most of their damage with 2nd chance points and run outs from a grabbing easy rebounds.
Edge: Raptors

The Wings: The Raptors got lit up by Shane Battier in the pre-season game last week. I did a preview for that game and my only concern was the perimeter. Seems my concern had some validity as the Rockets got 39 points from beyond the arc. Hedo Turkoglu was exposed badly for his lack of commitment on the defensive end. I expect to see more of Antoine Wright who has slowly been building a reputation of a defensive minded player. The wings have to be able to run out on these shooters and force them to put the ball on the floor. Hedo will have a tougher time on the offensive end as well because Ariza and Landry make great use of their athleticism to build an advantage on the defensive end. If McGrady is back to even half strength, I forsee the Raptors struggling mightily from this spot.
Edge: Rockets

The Guards: The wing spot is solid for the Rockets but their guard rotation is pretty thin. Aaron Brooks relies mostly on his speed to get to his spots and Kyle Lowry has yet to show consistency. Jose may not be able to out run either guy but his basketball IQ should give him the edge. Its a pretty simple task for him in this one – keep feeding the ball to Bosh and Bargnani. Teams have picked up that you can’t run under the screen because Jose will torch you but with the Rockets they will have to pick their poison. When the Raptors need some toughness they can bring Jack in who can be a bit more physical against a guy like Lowry. I can’t imagine the Raptors go small ball because they would be playing right into the hands of the Rockets with that approach. Demar and Belinelli should get lots of lanes to take it to the hoop and need to make good on those.
Edge: Raptors

Predicted Record: 1-1 (Road game is the 2nd game of a B2B)

19.10.2009 Raptor Report 7 Comments

Previous Entries