Between the 10 mainstream media outlets and countless blogs, there are a ton of good Raptor reads each week. Every Friday I will pick my favorites and link them for those who may have missed out. If I miss any you liked, be sure to put them in the comments.

The Basketball Jones with another instant classic! If this doesn’t get you to vote for Bargnani, nothing will.

Prior to their first 3 game road trip, I had outlined a few goals the Raptors should try to meet. They fell short for the most part but made up in other ways. In each of the first two games the Raptors did a lot of things well but it took a third game to put it together for a full 48 minutes.

Raptors @ Mavericks: Facing the defending champs is a tall task in itself, add in the fact that they were 0-3 after losing a heartbreaker to the Thunder and the Raptors looked like they may see an extended period of garbage time. Not the case. The Raptors managed to hold the Mavs to 44% from the field while Bargnani had an offensive explosion, tallying 30 points. After hanging in for most of the night, the Raps managed to take a lead in this one but a rough night from DeMar coupled with little productivity from the bench did not allow them to sustain it. The Mavs eventually showed why they are champions by taking the reins in the 4th and closing it out.

Raptors @ Magic: For the second game in a row, Bargnani was the best player in a Raptors uniform. This time the guys came out on fire and built a 16 point lead mid-way through the game. Once again inexperience came to the forefront as the Raps started coughing the ball up and gave Orlando a chance to think they were still in it. Once you give a veteran team like that an opening, they are going to take it. Take it they did as the Magic capitalized on the few errors from the Raptors and came storming all the way back to get the win.

Raptors @ Knicks: Without Amare, the Knicks front line looks a lot less intimidating and Bargnani was up for the task once again. This time aided by a 21 point night from DeRozan, the Raptors put the pedal to the metal and never took their foot off. Sure there were lapses and Melo went off but the key was they found a way to close out.

Road Trip — 3 Stars
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Defense

Up Next: Cavs @ Raptors. Wednesday, Jan. 4th 2012. 7PM

The lottery bound Raptors train looked like it was about to take a detour last night in Orlando but managed to stay on track with the help of a 4th quarter collapse.

The Raptors have always seemed to match up well with this Magic team, winning two of three games last season, and last night was no different. Andrea Bargnani brought his hot shooting to Florida and with some great point guard play from Calderon, they found themselves with a 5 point lead at the half. Bargnani did finish the night with 28 points and 7 rebounds (still can’t seem to hit that 8rb mark.), but the late turnovers and inability to execute as a team down the stretch did them in.

Hanging on to a 3 point lead with 5 minutes to go in the game, the Raptors allowed Anderson and Turkoglu to catch fire which fueled a 16-0 run Magic run. Shorthanded at the PG spot, Barbosa and Carter got extended minutes and the two vets provided some horrible decision making late in the game. DeMar had another tough night offensively but on the positive side, he never took his mind away from the game and contributed on the boards. The Magic shot near 50% on the night and the new defensive minded Raptors team can’t allow that.

With a short turnaround and these games suddenly coming early and often, the team will not have too much time to ponder over losses. There is little practice time and we may just see the first ugly basketball from the Raps tonight as they get set to face the Knicks.

The Night in Numbers

11 turnovers as a team. The Raptors took care of the rock and in turn only gave up 9 fast break points to the Magic.
40 minutes for Andrea Bargnani who for a second game in a row was the best player in a Raptors uniform. Well, Jose was close.
13 assists for Calderon to go along with his very efficient 18 points. He also became the first Raptor player to reach 3,000 assists for his career.
28 of the Raptors’ 52 first half points came in the paint. The Magic are a big team and the Raptors didn’t back down and settle for jumpers.
+11  at the free throw line. One of the early complaints this season has been the lack of FT’s from the Raptors so this was a pleasant surprise.
16 points was the largest lead of the game for the Raptors which came in the 3rd quarter.
5 minute FG scoring drought for the Raptors in the 4th quarter. The Magic clamped down on D and the inexperienced Raps choked up.
5-8 from deep was Ryan Anderson who got to play the role of Raptor killer last night.

Up Next: Raptors vs. Knicks. Monday, 2nd Jan 2012 @ 7:30 PM

The Raptors rode the hot hand all night but struggled to crash the boards in the first half. Once the turnovers started piling up it just made things tougher. A 12-0 Raps run in the second kept it close, and a 17-2 run in the third gave them their largest lead at 68-61. The Mavericks went into Championship mode to end the third which essentially closed the book on this one. They had the edge in pretty much every statistical category (most of which are broken down below) and needed just 31 minutes from Dirk to take care of business.

The Raptors did accomplish one of the 3 goals I had outlined for this road trip in my post yesterday — holding the team to under 45% from the field. DeMar tried to get going early but it clearly wasn’t his night. Andrea fell short in the rebounding category but if it wasn’t for him the final score would have been embarrassing. The team has a day off to watch tape and regroup for another tough team in Orlando over the weekend.

The Night In Numbers

50 of the Raptors’ 86 points came from 2 guys — Bargnani (30) & Barbosa (20). The Mavs meanwhile had a much more balanced attack, 5 guys in double figures.
44% was the magic number tonight as the Raptors held an opponent to under 45% from the field for the third game in a row.
2 monster dunks. DeMar with flies in for the slam and Amir with the put back.
7 assists from Jose Calderon who is now just 7 shy of hitting the 3,000 assist mark.
4-12 from the floor was DeMar DeRozan. He had 7 points at the half but ended with just 11. Never got in a rhythm to play hero in the 4th.
-30 The Raptors bench. Mavs bench outscored them 56-26, most of that coming from Carter and Kidd.
38 Free throws for the Mavs and the Raptors got there just 18 times. In the 3rd quarter alone, the Mavs went there 15 times, the Raptors 0.
7 Turnovers by the Raptors in the 2nd quarter after having just 1 in the 1st Q. They ended the night with 17, Dallas had just 10.

The Starting 5

Andrea Bargnani – The jumper was falling tonight and he went to it early and often. Sure the 11-18 shooting is nice but against Dirk he could have gone inside a little more (10 of his made shots were outside the paint). I don’t wanna rain on Andrea’s parade too much since he was the best player in a Raptors uniform tonight but he did fall short of the rebounding goal. If he is going to see 40 minutes of playing time each game, he needs to be effective on both ends of the floor or the Raptors are essentially playing 5 on 4 on the defensive end.

Rebounding – The Raptors finished just -2 (thanks to garbage time) on the boards but the disparity early in the game was downright ugly. Haywood had 4 offensive rebounds 6 minutes into the game and the Mavs held a 17-6 rebounding edge after just one quarter. Amir Johnson who had recorded double-digit rebounds in the first two games managed to grab just 4 in this one. Maybe coach can go over the tape, but the slow rotations and switching were the culprits early, leaving guys out of position to grab the board. The Raptors don’t have a bona fide C to clear out room and haul them in so they are going to have to help each other out and crash the boards as a team.

Free Throw Line - The graphic on the left can tell you where I am going with this. The Raptors are averaging just under 15 free throws through three games. Tonight the Mavs were +14 from the FT line and if you look at the final score, thats huge. Bargnani went to the line 8 times and the rest of the team just got there 10 times. Look at the shot chart (pictured) and note that of the 72 FG’s the Raptors took, just 15 were in the lane and within 5 feet of the basket — typically where most fouls occur. The Raptors can’t afford to be a jump shot happy team, they need to start attacking the basket more and get to the line for those easy points. Those points become even more valuable when their offense goes MIA as it has for segments of each game this season.

Second Unit – Quoting @timpchisholm again as he tweeted what I was thinking during the game — “I don’t love Bargnani and DeRozan on the bench at the same time. Puts too much pressure on non-scores to carry the offense.” The Raptors second unit is full of energy and hustle, problem is, you still have to score points to win the game. Aside from Barbosa, none of the guys can create a shot which makes it pretty easy to defend them. Bayless still can’t be trusted to run the team, not ’til he actually figures out how to pass the ball. James Johnson is great when he has to focus on D but gets in over his head when he has the ball on the offensive end. Coach is going to have to tweak the way he rests the starters or 5 minute scoring droughts are going to become standard. It may just be that these guys are still learning to play with each other but with a young team it would just make sense to have one of your weapons on the floor at all times.

Youth & Inexperience – Getting a lead in the NBA is easy, holding on to it takes experience. The Raptors are not there yet. They went on a 17-2 run middle of the 3rd quarter only to have it erased by the Mavs who ended the quarter on a 16-2 run and never looked back. This is part of the learning process and Dwane Casey acknowledged the youth factor post game. Mental lapses are going to happen but they need to be limited to shorter spurts. 6 turnovers in a 6 minute span of the second was another instance. The second unit came on and tried to do too much, at a speed even they couldn’t keep up with. Guys are still trying to find their roles on the team but they are going to need to grow up quick to compete in this league on a nightly basis.

Up Next: Raptors @ Magic. Sunday, 1st Jan 2012 at 6PM

The Raptors opened up their season with a win against the Cavs but are faced with a much bigger test tonight against the Pacers. Coach Casey has elected to stay with the same starting lineup from opening night (Calderon, DeRozan, Butler, Bargnani and A. Johnson). Butler remains a surprise in the starting lineup but coach stressed that he has become a quiet leader in the locker room and provides some good fundamentals on D creating space for Andrea and Demar on the floor. Expect to see him remain there but James Johnson should still get the bulk of minutes at the SF spot. The Raptors did not record a single fast break point in game 1, but Casey insists that getting out and running is still very much part of the game plan. Pregame when asked what he hopes his team brings to the floor tonight, coach said ”We owe it to our fans to come out and scrap.”

The Pacers have dropped 5 straight in Toronto but the team that comes in today is much more experienced, athletic, and have been doing some great things under coach Vogel. The Raptors are going to have to hit the boards as a team, continue to talk on D and focus on making sure that every basket the Pacers get is earned. The Pacers have a size advantage at every spot aside from PG, but Collison can give Calderon fits all night. Amir is going to have to battle down low with Hibbert while Andrea needs to make David West work on both ends. The matchup to look out for is DeMar going at Paul George. Two athletic freaks who have so much potential. Get your camera’s ready!

I am coming at you from the game tonight on Twitter (@Nat77) so give me a follow for all the in-game tweets and pics you can handle.

Preseason Notes

Coach Casey isn’t about to sugar coat it. This rebuild is a long process and he clearly understands the challenge on hand.

The Raptors headed into the 2 game preseason against the Boston Celtics with five new faces and got fed their first dose of reality.

The Celtics were without Paul Pierce for Game 1 at the ACC and the Raptors put themselves in a position to win but came up short thanks to a game winner from Stiemsma. Andrea Bargnani showed signs that he is finally starting to understand the effort he will need to put in on the defensive end. He even hit the rebounding quota set by coach (9 RB). DeMar DeRozan tried to make his way to the hoop each time he had the ball but also got to show off the work he had put in on that long range jumper. Ed Davis recorded a double-double and James Johnson had a block party. Amir Johnson got a chance to put his surgically repaired ankle to work. The 21 turnovers were indicative of a preseason game but the surprising stat was the Raptors holding Boston to 76 points. Dwane Casey’s plan may take a while to execute but that surely was the first glimpse.

Most of the positives went out the window in Game 2 at the Garden. DeRozan recorded a double-double and the Raptors were +10 on the boards but their inability to execute on offense was stifling. Bargnani and DeRozan combined for 36 points on a night when the team managed to shoot just 32% from the floor. The Raptors were playing catchup all game and lost sight of the positives they had shown in the first game.

Preseason never means much but with a new coach, new system, new faces and little time to put it together before the games start to matter, the Raptors displayed what most fans are prepared for — a whole lot of growing pains.

Primer: Game #1 – Raptors @ Cavaliers

The Raptors kick off their 17th year in the NBA against the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. Both teams found themselves watching the lottery balls drop at the end of last season and head into this one as a work in progress.

With 13 guys ready to go, the Raptors starting lineup remains a mystery as coach Casey elected not to divulge that information post shoot around. There are a couple of locks (DeRozan & Bargnani) but the starting spots at PG, SF and C are wide open. Expect to see Calderon, J. Johnson and A. Johnson to get the nods tonight as they face a Cavs starting lineup of the Irving, Jamison, Parker, Casspi and Varejao.

The toughest defensive assignments for the Raptors tonight will be Irving and Jamison. If Calderon is unable to keep the rookie PG in front of him, Bayless may get some extra minutes to take on the assignment. Jamison has always been a Raptor killer. His ability to stretch the floor messes with defensive positioning and rotations.

This is one of the few winnable games on the schedule and the Raptors have the edge with their bench and scoring weapons. It all comes down to how they react on defense when trying to guard Jamison on the outside, Varejao on the inside all while stopping Irving from setting up a lay-up line down the lane.

Predictions

“I want to win,” Casey told the Toronto Sun. “I want to compete, I want to build. We have so many fundamentals that are lacking — screening, physical style of play.”

Let’s not kid ourselves, this 66 game season is about to feel like the longest one ever. The Raptors are going to play hard each night as they did last year but my glass half full prediction is not far off from the glass half empty one.

Glass half full: 23 wins
Glass half empty: 19 wins

Expect coach to be doing a whole lot of this during the season.

A log jam at the PG spot, the Raptors still elected to bring veteran Anthony Carter into the mix. With just a year left on his contract, he may just be roster filler but this could also mean Bayless and Barbosa spend some time playing the two guard where DeMar DeRozan is slotted to start. The Raptors have enough guards but the big mystery is at SF. With Sonny Weems gone, James Johnson has a chance to display his defensive abilities to Coach Casey and secure the starting spot. Right on his heels are new additions Rasual Butler and Gary Forbes who should have plenty of opportunity to get playing time at the 3.

It may be a whole lot of ugly when the games start to matter but there are still the small victories to look forward to. Andrea’s relationship with rebounding, DeRozan’s jumper, Amir Johnson’s foul rate, and maybe Jose finally finds an alternative to the clap defence!

In the end, this may be a shortened NBA season but for most Raptors fans, it may feel like the longest one ever.

(Note: I will be updating the look and feel of the site over the next few weeks but hope to be producing content regularly in the meantime, so please ignore the mess!)

The game started off with the Raptors playing cool and collected ball, but DeMar DeRozan got into some quick foul trouble and was benched. DeMar earned a lot of my respect last night, you can tell how much he wants to play and he was visibly upset at getting benched, kicking at the towels and swearing. Linas Klezia had a big first quarter, getting hot for a few trips down the court and Bargnani surprised me by having a fairly decent game (23 points, 9 rebounds). I’d like to go on record and say that Reggie Evans may be, pound for pound, the worst basketball player I have ever seen. He looks huge up-close, but he lacks the interior presence that it takes to get the ball in the hoop. Jose Calderon is clearly this teams leader and is Triano’s go-to guy on the floor. I don’t think Jarret Jack sat down the entire game; even when he was on the bench he had a towel in his hand cheering the team and the fans along. Our boom sticks were deafening and I’d like to believe they were the cause of a turnover or two for the ‘Cats and contributed to Toronto’s 36 fast-break points and a few sick jams. There were some occasions where Toronto was simply caught sleeping, and the Raptors paid for it by giving up 21 points off 17 turnovers. We kept it close throughout the game, but a few late threes from Stephen Jackson, four clutch free throws by Tyrus Thomas and a boneheaded turnover by Il Mago in the last 5 seconds caused the Raptors to give this one away 101-96. Barbosa looked morose all game and you could tell that he wants to go out there and play, he was still in all the huddles and the odd time I looked over I saw him talking to P.J. Carlesimo. On an unrelated note, Jay Triano gives the most awkward ass-taps I’ve ever seen; he winds up for it like he’s Kenny Powers and then gently puts his whole palm on the backside so that it looks like more of a push than a tap.

The energy was unreal, the fans hung in there until the very end. The Young Guns section was crazy with most of them sporting Bosh jerseys with a duct-taped X across them. I was going to wear my Vince Carter jersey but I would’ve looked like a hipster because apparently it’s not cool to hate Vince anymore.  My favourite part of the game was at the end, when the players go to the change rooms through the tunnel. I managed to get a prime piece of real estate and got daps from all the players and coaches, including one from a very surprised Matt Carroll who seemed shocked that somebody knew who he was. I wish I got a chance to talk with Matt because I just traded for him on my 2K11 team and he’s tearing it up right now, so I’d like to know what he has to say about that.

Many thanks to Heels On The Hardwood for this, and I hope it’s the first of many instances.

The Toronto Raptors are embracing the city… will the city embrace them back?
Photo via @raptorspacekat

]]> http://heelsonhardwood.com/2010/10/the-toronto-raptors-want-you-to-come-along-for-the-ride/feed/ 1 http://heelsonhardwood.com/2010/07/raptor-report-card-vegas-summer-league/ http://heelsonhardwood.com/2010/07/raptor-report-card-vegas-summer-league/#comments Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:02:17 +0000 Nat http://heelsonhardwood.com/?p=3824 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.

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 .

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…

***********************************************************************************************

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)

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.

****************************************************************************************************

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)

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.

***************************************************************************************************

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)

Zach Harper (@talkhoops) has given up on sleep and therefore can be found on Talkhoops.net, CowbellKingdom.com, and HardwoodParoxysm.com as he wallows in the misery of his Timberwolves.

Long gone are the days of the Minnesota Timberwolves being a playoff team but at least, the Wolves seem to finally have a direction.

Now, where that direction appears to be headed is hard to figure out. The franchise hired David Kahn to take the tattered reigns from Kevin McHale and he decided to light the world on fire. He used David Stern’s form of nepotism to secure the Wolves decision-making position and turned it into a point guard, power forward orgy. The Wolves have comprised their roster of primarily 1’s and 4’s with the occasional Corey Brewer and Ryan Hollins mixed in.

They tried their hardest to woo Ricky Rubio away from the cold, dead hands of Spain. But to no avail, the half-baked plan of pairing Rubio and Jonny Flynn together in the backcourt fell completely apart, almost immediately on draft night. Minnesota traded away Randy Foye and Mike Miller for the fifth pick (Rubio) and a smattering of failed Washington Wizards big men. They then complemented those “acquisitions” by trading Sebastian Telfair, Mark Madsen, and Craig Smith for Quentin Richardson before trading him in order to re-acquire Mark Blount (arguably the least productive center in franchise history – a franchise that boasts centers like Felton Spencer, Dean Garrett, and Michael Olowokandi).

In the wake of the Rubio failure, the Wolves moved quickly to pry Ramon Sessions away from the Milwaukee Bucks. They signed him to a four-year, $16 million deal that will give the franchise their best starting/back-up point guard combination in team history. Sessions gives the Wolves and their fans a bridge to the next stage when Ricky Rubio will either come over in a game of international Red Rover (Link ; just in case this isn’t an internationally known children’s game) or be traded for less than equal value. Ideally, they’ll be able to find a way to use Rubio, Flynn, a newly healthy Al Jefferson, and the rebounding/tweeting machine Kevin Love.
Unfortunately, this is still the Timberwolves. The direction of the franchise is rarely headed up and we’ll most likely be back to square one in June as we try to figure out how David Kahn will screw up the next draft.

***************************************************************************

Last Season Record: 2-0
Both meetings between these teams turned out to be high scoring affairs. Al Jefferson was injured but the Minnesota guard play kept them in the games. The Raptors managed to out rebound the Wolves on both occasions while shooting 50% from the field. The games were closer than most would have liked considering the star player of the opposing team did not dress. Having players like Joey Graham and Andrea Bargnani step up were some positive things that came out of the series for the Raptors.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: Al Jefferson is coming off an injury but if he is back to where he left off, I would say his game is on par with Bosh. Jefferson, who has quietly developed into a 20/10 guy, lost 30 pounds over the summer. This physical change may alter his ability to make room for himself in the paint. Bargnani is no defensive stalwart but he seems to have a better hold on man to man defense. Putting him against Jefferson would be the best option for the Raptors. The Timberwolves won’t make it easy though. They can create switches with Jefferson and Love to force the Toronto bigs into exerting a lot of energy on the defensive end. Offensively, Bosh will be double teamed and that should give Bargnani and other guys on the perimeter some open shots. Spacing is a big key when passing out of the double team not giving the other guy time to rotate. The Raptors need to work out those things to stay effective but will remain hard pressed to dominate the strong Timberwolves front court.
Edge: Even

The Wings: Ryan Gomes is not your typical SF and with the departure of Mike Miller he is probably the best option offensively for the wolves at this spot. Corey Brewer will get his chances to develop as well but he is hardly a game changer. Without Foye and Miller, the Wolves don’t have any 3 point threats, meaning the biggest weakness for the Raptors defensively will remain hidden. Conversely, Hedo will be able to use his height along with some veteran smarts to expose the younger core defensively on the other side of the floor. With Hedo playing a point forward role, run outs from the guards against this team should translate to some easy transition buckets.
Edge: Raptors

The Guards: The Wolves used both their top 10 picks in this years NBA draft on PG’s. Ricky Rubio will remain in Europe putting the spotlight solely on Jonny Flynn. While Flynn has a chance to be a great player in the league, its not going to happen overnight. The big key for the Wolves will be Ramon Sessions who they pried away from the Bucks. Sessions is a play maker who is willing to take the big shots. Calderon has an experience advantage and Jack has the toughness factor going for him. Both these guys should be able to make plays and get themselves some open shots coming off screens or driving right into the paint. From the SG spot, DeMar or Belinelli should have a quickness advantage over their counterparts on the Wolves team.
Edge: Raptors

Predicted Record: 2-0 (1 of 3 Western Conference team the Raptors should sweep)

The Suns have a case of the runs
By: Greg Esposito @the_real_espo , Lead Writer at Fanster.com/Suns

The headline isn’t necessarily “pretty” and the same can be said for the Suns return to their “run and fun” style. They have the pieces to be an entertaining fast paced club with Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, Grant Hill and Leandro Barbosa but, as usual for the Suns in recent years, the defense is suspect at best.

With Alvin Gentry as the coach, the Suns will return to the “Seven Seconds or Less” style that made them popular with fans and an easy target for defensive juggernauts like the Spurs come playoff time. Steve Nash is extremely happy to be returning to the style he thrived in under then head coach Mike D’Antoni. He even went as far as to describe himself as “joyous” about the change at the team’s media day. Although he is happy to play at a faster pace and his numbers, in both points and assists, will increase this season don’t expect him to magically return to the MVP form of years past.

Stoudemire is returning from an eye injury that required him to lay face down for 22 hours a day for 10 straight days during the offseason. He missed all but a handful of games in the second half of last season and has been tentative at best during training camp. Along with battling back from the eye injury he’s going to be battling for a contract extension. Expect big statistics and some drama from STAT this season.

Grant Hill will attempt to do his best Benjamin Button impersonation for a second straight year, while Leandro Barbosa and Jason Richardson will fill up the stat sheet from the two guard spot. Without Shaq, Lou Amundson, Channing Frye and Robin Lopez will be expected to step up. Unfortunately that short list got even shorter with the broken foot Lopez suffered this week which will keep him on the shelf for two months. As for the other two, Amundson will continue to be the high energy guy he was last year and a main source of rebounding, and Frye will spread defenses thin with his outside jumper. The Suns are so enamored with him that he’ll start along side Nash, Richardson, Hill and Stoudemire.

The surprise player of the season will most be Jared Dudley. He came on late last season as a major contributor for the team and will pick up where he left off. If Hill misses any time Dudley will step in as a starter. As for rookie Earl Clark, he’ll see limited minutes and the Suns won’t look to rush him into a poor situation.

Championship hopes seem all but dead in Phoenix but oddly enough players and fans seem more excited than they have been in recent memory. A 50+ win season and a second round exit is probably the best case scenario.

**********************************************************************************

Last Season Record: 0 – 2
The Raptors held their own the first time the two teams met. Playing without their lead PG Calderon, they managed to stay in it by shooting a high percentage from beyond the arc and the rebounding margin was negligible. The 2nd game in Phoenix was a blowout almost as soon as it began. The Suns didn’t even need the services of Amare. Shaq went off to score 45 points (something he hadn’t done in over 2 years) and the Raptors never found a way to contain him. He pushed Bosh around like a rag doll in the paint and post game Bosh showed his frustrations which led to RuPaul-gate.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: Amare Stoudemire is the focus of this team now that Shaq has been relocated. Coming back from a major eye surgery, it still remains to be seen how effective he is going to be and how long until he is back to his former self. The depth drops off drastically for the Sun’s beyond him. Bosh and Bargnani should be able to dominate this front court on both sides. The Sun’s are long and lean with more jump shooters than bangers which suits the Raptors style of play. Bosh and Amare may be at the same talent level but the Suns will not have any answer for Bargnani. He may see Dudley, Amundson or Frye defending him and should have the advantage over all 3. Like the Raptors, the Sun’s will use the high screen and roll to get Amare his shots. Since its the teams bread and butter, it would be tragic if they aren’t able to defend it.
Edge: Raptors

The Wings: Grant Hill is playing like he is 25. The doctors in Phoenix have done wonders, making him a viable threat on the floor on every possession. The addition of Hedo comes into play here as in past years Hill didn’t have to exert much on the defensive end. Hedo has a height advantage and should be able to use that. The Raptors also have more options available if they need stops which will in turn limit how much Turkoglu is exposed on defense. The Suns are not known to close out well against perimeter shooters and the Raptors guards and forwards will need be able to take advantage of that with good spacing. Bosh and Amare will be battling at the elbow rather than down low making some room for guys to cut to the basket. This game calls for a lot of movement. The athleticism that was missing for the past few seasons is now there for the Raptors and there will be lots of chances to make cuts to the basket and along the baseline.
Edge: Even

The Guards: The Raptors have a very solid PG in Calderon but he may just be the anti-Nash. Both players could have double digit assists but Calderon is very methodical and more comfortable in the half court. Nash is willing to make the risky pass, push the ball up and his assists seem to come easier. Adding Jason Richardson took some scoring pressure off Nash and the two could be a deadly back court – atleast on the offensive end. Jose and his counterpart will be running around a lot on defense, but there will be plenty of opportunities to be effective on the other end. Neither J Rich nor Nash are known as defensive stoppers. Jose and DeMar should be able to get to the basket, mixing it up with short jumpers from moving without the ball. Things change when Barbosa enters the game for the Sun’s and the game speed triples. Having Jose defend him could be disastrous but the Raptors may be wise to put one of their newly acquired younger/athletic to contain him.
Edge: Phoenix

Predicted Record: 1-1 (Each team takes care of home court)

When not standing with a boombox on Stan Van Gundy’s front lawn, Noelle can be found on Twitter @whatthenoelle and at whatthenoelle.tumblr.com

I’m going to be honest with you.  The strongest opinion I have regarding the Toronto Raptors is that Chris Bosh is annoying on Twitter. Luckily, Raptors fans are decidedly not annoying–in fact, they are pretty awesome. There is a good chance that by writing this preview I’m going to say something to accidentally alienate half of my followers list.  On that note, how awesome is Vince Carter?!

Just kidding.  Let’s let that elephant in the room get nice and comfortable, shall we? Here is an extremely brief overview of what’s up with the Magic this season:

Offense: The Magic have a lot of options this year.  Many teams seemed to notice that surrounding a talented big man with 3 point shooters not only helped Orlando to the Finals, it drove an MVP to work through his feelings via motivational t-shirts.  This season, Orlando has the added benefit of ridiculous flexibility and depth to try out several offensive schemes.  The addition of Vince Carter, Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, and Jason Williams creates so many possible lineups that I’d probably be just fine with Rock-Paper-Scissors determining who starts the second half most games.

Defense: Adding Matt Barnes & Brandon Bass to Mickael Pietrus, the underrated Rashard Lewis and oh yeah, the reigning DPOY Dwight Howard?  Cue the part of the preview where I maniacally cackle. Plus, there’s the direct correlation of being in Stan Van Gundy’s T-Mobile Top 25 and a player’s defensive ability ranking.  Look it up.

Okay, we’re all thinking it.  Hedo vs. Vince.  Who will take it to their old team more?
Good question.  Just off the top of my head I remember Vince heaving a 30ish-foot off balance three pointer to tie up a Nets/Raptors game last season and a triple axle somersault back flip dunk to win it.  Ok, I might be exaggerating…a little.  We all know how Vince’s time in Toronto ended and it’s time to be thankful as a Magic fan that he seems to react by playing his particular game of horse (spelled M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N) every time he revisits the Great White North.  There are those who have their doubts about Carter joining the Magic.  Those doubts should be able to take a few vacation days in Canada.

Turk left Orlando in an entirely different situation.  Still beloved by many here (myself included), his departure was for the most part amicable. It is assumed he won’t be playing with a bitterness Bunsen burner lit under his ass.   Still, Hedo will be motivated to show well and has been known to shoot a game winner or twelve himself.  Yes, there will be nights that Hedo’s passes find the guy selling ice cream sandwiches in the fifth row more often than the 6’10″ dude with the dreads.  Yes, sometimes his first 10 three point attempts clank back to half court.  But if it’s the fourth quarter and the score is tied?  I’m never betting against Hedo.  Not even for an ice cream sandwich.

Verdict? I’m not missing these games.

One last thing: You may have noticed an article or twenty on how the Magic feel disrespected.  I’m not here to complain about that.  It actually doesn’t bother me much at all.  In this case disrespect is just words.  Words that cannot affect how many games you win, or even if you make your free throws.  Orlando may have lost the ‘Glu, but the chip (and chip on the shoulder) is what really binds the team together.  Words won’t get you a ring and it’s time to see if the Magic can figure out what will.

********************************************************************************

Last Season Record: 2 – 2
No matter how good or bad the Raptors are they seem to always be ready to play the Magic. The Dwight-Bosh battle is heavily featured in the media and it rarely disappoints. The Raptors struggled big time at the perimeter though averaging only 26% from there in the 4 games they played. The Magic lost the game they played without Nelson and the Raps got blown out when Jose was sidelined. Breaking it down, the bigs canceled each other out. What the Raptors lacked on the boards they made up by outscoring their counterparts. Hedo and Rashard were fairly successful against the weaker Raptor defenders who who were dwarfed by the Orlando wings.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: What the Raptors lose on the boards they will have to make up for on the offensive end. Dwight is arguably the best C in the game today but his offensive game is still unpolished. His hook shot is coming along but he still heavily relies on simply using his power to get his points. Chris Bosh may be the anti-Dwight. He is more of a finesse player and only goes to the basket in emergency situations. Both guys have committed to improve on their weaknesses this off-season so it will be interesting to see who has gotten there quicker. Marcin Gortat developed steadily through the playoffs and will get more burn this year. He is very raw offensively and can be caught on his heels at times. This is Andrea’s window. Bosh and Andrea should be able to outscore the Magic front court but defensively they are going to need help from new teammates Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson if they want to keep it even close on the boards. Both these guys won’t give much scoring but they bring energy and athleticism – something the Raptors have lacked due to so much focus being put on trying to score from this position.
Edge: Even

The Wings: Bosh finally has the help he has been waiting for. Past few years all the Raptor scoring came from the bigs and PG but with the addition of Hedo it should be more balanced. Going up against his old team will surely be motivation as well. Rashard will play the 3 and may switch to the 4 when Carter is at the SF spot. Hedo matches up well against Rashard and they both know each others game well. Both Lewis and Vince are quite satisfied playing outside so Hedo needs to commit to forcing them to take jumpers. Antoine Wright will probably get playing time at the 3 here and he can be put on to defend Vince (his former teammate). Offensively, with the lane clogged up there has to be lots of off the ball movement from the Raptor wings to try and find open shots for short jumpers or quick cuts to the basket. Neither of Orlando’s wings are defensive stoppers but a bad shot just makes it an easy rebound for Dwight and a quick pass up the floor.
Edge: Orlando

The Guards: PG play is very important in this series and while the Magic go with the pick and roll the Raptors need to utilize more of the pick and pop to get Dwight trying to defend outside. If there is one thing Jose can do well is run those set plays. Jameer gets a lot of his shots from the outside and Jose’s clap defense is not going to suffice. Jarrett Jack would be a good option to put on Jameer for stretches given he is a tougher guard and may not get brushed aside as easily. Vince Carter will be playing the 2 guard here, a major upgrade from Courtney Lee and JJ Redick, at least in the scoring category. DeMar or Antoine will have their hands full on D but Carters lack of focus on the defensive end is well documented and the Raptor guards will need to take advantage of that. With the paint so clogged up with Dwight both the guards will be playing mostly on the outside. The Raptors have to focus on not allowing the Magic guards to get too comfortable at the 3 point line.
Edge: Orlando

Predicted Record: 2-2 (These teams always play each other hard and the Vince factor should come into play at least once)

Anthony (@paneech1472) covers all Ohio sports over at his blog Paneech.com. For the season he has set a motto: “If Cavs stay healthy engrave the trophy”.

Expect the Cavs to be hungry all season long. The abrupt exit from last years playoffs has left a sour taste in the mouths of all Cav’s players. Bringing in Shaquille O’Neal is a great move as Cleveland will surely benefit from having a true center who can score. Ben Wallace was a force as a rebounder in his day, but nobody had to guard him when the Cavs had the ball. This was greatly exposed in the Orlando series. Mo Williams and Delonte West will be back with a salty chip on their shoulders as well, they have some proving to do from that series.

Most of the focus will again be on LeBron James and how he handles the sea of questions he will have to field all season about free agency and whether or not he will leave Cleveland at the end of the season. Expect James to put up numbers similar to last year with a few more assists and a few less points and rebounds. Having Shaq in the paint will surely take the stress of creating offense single-handedly out of James’ mind.

The only thing that can stop the Cavs this season is the Cavs. Shaq needs to stay healthy and play 75% of the games. James, West, and Williams will also have to play in a majority of the games. Zyldrunas Ilgauskas needs to realize he isn’t there to shoot threes and get his butt in the low post game more. If Cleveland can keep this starting five intact and hungry throughout the regular season, the playoffs should be a given.

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Last Season Record: 0 – 3
Blowout central was the theme of this series. In all 3 games the Raptors were held to under 100 points as a team and lost by an average of 18. Just to put things in perspective, Wally Szczerbiak averaged 14 points! Allowing the Cavaliers to get 4 guys in double digits each time showed the lack of defense that was exploited by opponents all year long. Bosh missed the final game but it would have hardly mattered as the Cavs just had too much fire power. Their best position (SF) was the Raptors weakest and Bosh continued to struggle against in your face defenders like Varejao.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: After a short stint out west, Shaq is back in the east and his mission is simple – “Get the king a ring”. Last season Bosh was pushed around like a rag doll, making Shaq look like he was 25 again which in turn fueled RuPaul-gate. This year, Shaq may not play as much but against the Raptors (who he tends to eat for dinner), it would be surprising to see him sit one out. Big Z has definitely lost a step or two but he can still make that jump shot. The way the Raptors play, it allows Z to stay on the outside and leave the rebounding to Varejao, Shaq or whoever is playing in the front court with him. The Raptors need to make Z play on both ends. Varejao can’t be overlooked either, his hustle makes up for the lack of any offensive game. Defensively he has the youngest legs for the Cavs and will keep making it hard for Bosh to score. Bargnani will be relied on for his man D and ability to bring out atleast one defender. No matter how you slice this one, the Raptors are facing a tall task.
Edge: Cavaliers

The Wings: The Raptors SF spot got an upgrade this offseason but it’s not going to change the fact that Lebron will continue to dominate. The Cavaliers may not have much depth beyond him at the wings but they don’t really need it. Hedo is going to have to make Lebron work hard on D while on the other side of the floor he needs to communicate with the help defender (you think they Raps won’t be doubling Lebron almost every time down the floor?) to try and force Lebron into taking jump shots. They gotta bank on the odds that for every 1 he makes he misses 2. No matter how well the wings play him, Lebron is still going to get to the basket. Senseless fouls from the softer Raptor front court will negate all the bad jump shots James takes throughout the game. Playing the Cavaliers doesn’t allow for the team to pick its poison rather just use all the live bodies available to not kill you before the game is over.
Edge: Cavaliers

The Guards: Mo Williams is a quality guard but I am not sold on the idea that he is an all-star. Most of the Cleveland offense will still run through Lebron and players like Williams, Gibson and West become shooters. The Cavs also added another perimeter threat this off-season in Raptor fan favorite Anthony Parker. All 4 guys are can shoot the 3 ball and defending it may still be the Achilles heel of the wings/guards on this Raptor roster. Jose’s clap defense sure isn’t going to get it done but I am hopeful that the addition of players like Jack and DeRozan will help out in that area. On offense, the guards will have to make their jump shots because once they get to the lane they are going to be looking at a wall of Shaq and Varejao not to mention Lebron who is known for a swat or 2 per game. I am going out on a limb to say that, if the perimeter is protected, the Raptors will be just fine at this spot.
Edge: Even

Predicted Record: Raptors 1 – Cavaliers 2 (Just be glad we only play them 3 times!)

BONUS COVERAGE: I tend to hit up Yahoo’s Ball Don’t Lie blog a few times each day and came across this beauty. Seriously?? Teams send out tickets to the NBA Finals at the start of the season? The jinx is on and as @jeskeets asked in his post… please tell me what other teams do this?

Eddie McCarthy (@NDEddieMac) is a law student that tries to blog from time to time. He can be found at ndeddiemac.blogspot.com or ndeddiemac.tumblr.com making bad predictions about the Spurs, Notre Dame, and sports in general.

Zombie Spurs – Legacy from the Grave?
Pundits, bloggers, writers, and fans have been bemoaning the end of the Spurs run as near for a few years now. Last year, many thought the quick ouster by the Mavs was the final nail in the coffin in the Spurs run behind Tim Duncan and Coach Pop. Even many Spurs fans, including myself, thought the “Dynasty” if you can call it that, was dead. But if there is one thing you can always count on from the Spurs, it’s that they simply refuse to go away. The end may still be near, but here are a few reasons you shouldn’t count out the Silver and Black just yet.

• Fantastic PG duo: Tony Parker is one of the top 5 PG’s in the league without a doubt. Tony is one of the fastest players in the league with the ball, knows how to find his teammates, and is one of the best finishers in the league. At only 27, Parker is coming off of career records in both points (22) and assists (6.9) per game. While he suffered a minor injury at the beginning of the summer, there should be no long term effects and served to keep him rested for next year. Tony carried the Spurs on his back during injuries suffered by Tim and Manu last year. Add in 2nd year PG George Hill who greatly evolved throughout his rookie year, and the Spurs are better than nearly every team in the league at Point (minus CP3 and maybe Deron).
• Finally Healthy?: Manu Ginobili, when healthy, can be one of the most electrifying players in the game. He has been hampered the last few years by a variety of injuries, especially his ankle. However, by all accounts, Manu has been able to take off more time and should come in to the year in better shape than he has in several seasons. Meanwhile, Tim Duncan has finally gotten over the Plantar Facitis that kept him in check over several seasons. While we are clearly seeing the sunset of the Greatest PF of all time, Tim is driven to get one more ring and is in good enough shape to help make it happen.
• Richard Freaking Jefferson: You’ve gotta hand it to the Spurs GM office, anytime you can trade a retiree, cap casualty, and a 36 year old PF who barely cracks 10 minutes a game for a 20 ppg scorer that can shoot decent from 3 and adds a dynamic scorer from the wing, you win. Bruce Bowen is a big loss, but the Bruce Bowen that was lost was lost whether or not he stayed on the Spurs or not. Sadly Bruce just got old. Now you have a quicker, younger, potent offensive threat to add to Tony, Manu, and Tim. That’s plenty of options.

The Spurs made some huge improvements in the offseason via both trade and the draft. DeJuan Blair could prove to be one of the best 2nd round picks since Ginobili himself. I’m not ready to claim the Spurs are a lock for the ring, but if you are another top Western Conf. team, be sure to aim for the head. The Zombie Spurs are coming.

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Last Season Record: 1-1
Game 1 between these two teams went in favor of the Spurs. They had 6 players who scored in double figures and pretty much dominated every category. Game 2 was a different story. The Raptors lost the battle on the boards, had fewer assists and more turnovers but managed to grab a win in San Antonio to split the series. Oh Yeah, they got the win with Chris Bosh in street clothes. The Bigs cancelled each other out in both games, but Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili torched the Raptors as they have done for years now.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: The Spurs lost Oberto and replaced him with Antonio McDyess. Tim Duncan isn’t getting any younger. And looking down the list of front court players, Matt Bonner and Ian Mahinmi are hardly guys you spend much time on when putting together the scouting report. So why am I still concerned? Duncan and McDyess both are more effective as PF’s but it looks like Duncan may be playing the 5 a lot this season. Bosh has gained some muscle and upper body strength which should help him hold position and be more effective on both ends against bigger forwards. The added depth for the Raptors (Reggie Evans and Rasho) will also be able to keep the big’s fresh. Andrea will be the x-factor in this series. The team needs him to force the Spurs to come out to defend him, and if his own man-to-man D keeps getting better it could prove to be very valuable. Similar to last season, these two front courts will be effective but not the determining factors in the outcome of the games.
Edge: Even

The Wings: When you have the luxury of bringing Manu Ginobli off the bench and you added players like Richard Jefferson to your roster, you know that this is the last position to be concerned about. I haven’t even mentioned rookie DeJuan Blair so its safe to say this is the MEAT of their lineup. The Raptors on the other hand added Hedo but beyond him, their depth at this position drops off drastically. Hedo is hardly known for his defense so a player like Antoine Wright will get a lot of burn in this series. It has been tough finding positives for the Raptors in this match up with the Spurs boasting so much fire power.
Edge: Spurs

The Guards: Note to the Raptors – Don’t sleep on George Hill. While the team spends most of its time focusing on how to contain All-Star PG Tony Parker, this second year player is developing rapidly already being touted as a defensive stopper. Calderon has always struggled to guard Tony Parker and stay in front of him due to his quickness. A healthy Jose should make it harder but Parker will continue to get his. The team can’t afford to allow players like Roger Mason Jr and Keith Bogans go off from 3 point land. Offensively, they should be able to make use of their newly added athleticism and toughness (DeRozan & Jack). The Spurs have their big 4 now but beyond that its either, a bunch of really old guys or very inexperienced players. The Raptors have to focus on taking advantage when these guys are on the floor and it may well be the 2nd unit that will have to step up with the scoring.
Edge: Spurs

Predicted Record: 0-2 (Raptors are in tough. Game 1 is on the end of a 3 game west coast swing and game 2 comes after a game in Boston the night before)

Stu Holdren (@NBAnoise) covers news across the league as the editor at NBA Noise, but as a Portlander, the Blazers have always been his passion.

The Portland Trail Blazers are certainly a team on the rise in the West. After a first-round playoff exit the team was disappointed, but inspired after finally tasting the postseason again. While this Blazers team has been one that has been viewed as being young but with great potential in the last couple of years, the Blazers hope to shake the “potential” term and realize true success this season.

After failing to officially ink Hedo Turkoglu (you’re welcome, Toronto fans), the Blazers unsuccessfully went after Utah’s Paul Millsap and finally came to an agreement with ex-76er Andre Miller. Miller brings a wealth of experience, veteran savvy and talent to the Blazers, and they hope he will be a guiding force in taking them deeper into the playoffs this season. His court vision should help the Blazers push the tempo this season, and his slashing ability will be a welcome weapon for this team. Look for Greg Oden to reap the most rewards from the Miller acquisition, since the Blazers often had trouble getting him the ball in position to score last year.

While the Blazers certainly got more talented with the acquisition of Miller, it will be interesting to see how he will fit in with the team. With Brandon Roy often serving as the primary ball-handler (especially in crunch time), playing Miller off the ball could allow defenses more opportunities to double-team given his non-threatening outside shot. Steve Blake’s hot shooting from the outside was what made him so valuable last season. Although Coach Nate McMillan hasn’t officially named the starter at point guard, most fans would tell you that they expect Miller to start.

The Blazers expect big things out of their two star players, Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, who both continue to shine as some of the brightest young talents at their respective positions. However, the key to this season might be the play of Oden, whose first season was riddled with nagging injuries and foul trouble. When playing for any extended period of time, Oden usually had a significant impact on the game and was an imposing force on the court. But he averaged nearly four fouls a game in only 21.5 mpg, relegating him to the bench frequently and stunting his development and confidence. I suspect some of this foul trouble was due to the tough transition into the league, but more to a lack of proper conditioning (injuries played a role in this). Reports of Oden’s offseason progress thus far have been positive. If he can come into camp in shape and in good spirits, he could be a major boost to the Blazers this year.

The Blazers also have one of the deepest teams in the league. They have great scorers like Travis Outlaw, Rudy Fernandez and Martell Webster to turn to when they need a boost. They have solid defenders in Nicolas Batum and Joel Przybilla. And they have a diversity of talents in the backcourt with Blake and Jerryd Bayless. This ‘spoils of riches’ should allow the Blazers to take advantage of mis-matches and weaknesses of their opponents this year.

All in all, the Blazers have quietly assembled an imposing roster capable of competing for Western Conference prominence now. While the West continues to be highly competitive with heavyweights like the Lakers and Spurs, the Blazers have been on a steady ascent lately and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. The Blazers and fans alike are done waiting and are expecting a deeper run into the playoffs this year.

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Last Season Record: 0-2
The Raptors have played the Blazers tough in recent meetings between the two. Last season though, they fell both times. Once in a buzzer beater and the other was a complete blowout. The Raptor bigs carried most of the scoring load while on the other end they got a steady dose of LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. Both teams averaged over 95 ppg so it was hardly a defensive series but the Raptors never got help from their other players where the Blazers had a different guy step up to help with the scoring in each of the games.

Stacking Up

The Bigs: Chis Bosh is still the man in Toronto and he has managed to score at will against this team. Aldridge plays a very similar game and may be as good as Bosh soon. Greg Oden is the question mark here. Can he play 35+ minutes? Can he stay out of foul trouble? With Joel Pryzbilla and newly acquired Juwan Howard, it is safe to say even if Bosh and LaMarcus cancel each other out, Bargnani will be able to flourish against some of these slow footed centers. Both teams run similar plays with their power forwards but unlike Toronto, Portland’s C spot doesn’t produce much offense. Bargnani should be able to pull one of their bigs away from the basket reducing their shot blocking opportunities and Bosh should be able to push around the one PF he is actually stronger than.
Edge: Raptors

The Wings: They may have lost the Hedo sweepstakes but with a healthy Martell Webster, athletic Travis Outlaw and dynamic Rudy Fernandez – the wing position in Portland is better than fine. Similar to the issues I mentioned with Hedo going up against Gerald Wallace, Outlaw and Martell along with Batum will make it very difficult for Turkoglu to dominate offensively. While Rudy is probably the only major scoring threat for Portland, Martell and Travis can get hot fast while Batum is relied on for his sound defense. His skill set is what I am hoping the Raptors get out of players like Antoine Wright. Hit the occasional shot but focus on the primary objective – Defense. I wanted to give the edge here to the Blazers again but looking at past games, their wings have never managed to hurt Toronto by putting up points, its always been defensively. Adding Hedo helps the Raptors and a year of experience helps the Blazers. Call it a wash.
Edge: Even

The Guards: The Raptors had their chance and passed on Brandon Roy for Bargnani. Andrea, while a solid player, is no where close to the star Roy has already become. He is the heart and soul of this Blazer team. He can flat out score, loves to take the big shots and has been relied on to run the offense in the past. With the addition of Andre Miller, Roy will have more freedom to roam and play off the screens. The Blazers run a lot of pick ‘n roll and pick ‘n pop with LaMarcus and having Roy running free will make him much harder to cover. It doesn’t end there as the Blazers also have Steve Blake who can be deadly from distance and Jerryd Bayless who is bubbling with potential. Offensively, the tandem of Raptor guards on the floor at any given time will have to be able to make jumpers. Portland has some good shot blockers and their guards are pretty strong making it hard to get anything going near the basket. Jose and Jack will have to take it into the paint and come through with made free throws to keep pace.
Edge: Blazers

Predicted Record: 1-1 (Raptors will squeak out with a win at home)