Andrea Bargnani: A-

Jose Calderon: A
This is the Jose Calderon that earned the fat contract a few years back. The swagger is back and he has abandoned the clap defense for the most part. Sure he still gets burned by his opposing counterparts but he has been trying harder than ever on D. The offense was always there but Jose has been a coaches dream so far. He brings so much stability to the team and with them being young, he is the perfect PG to make sure they are getting the ball in the right spots and he bails them out with his shot when needed. Right now Jose is playing like an elite PG on a rebuilding team and might just be a victim of the upcoming trade deadline.

DeMar DeRozan: B-
It’s safe to say DeMar hasn’t made the jump most expected him to. Seems that in the process of extending his shooting range this past offseason, DeMar lost some of that athletic ability fans had become accustomed to. I don’t want to start throwing out Vince Carters name and the whole love for the jump shot but things were a little shaky to start the season. He remains an enigma but this last home stretch showed the aggressive DeRozan the team needs. He is still one of the younger guys on the roster with a boat load of talent, give him another 33 games to bring that out.

James Johnson: B+
Probably the biggest surprise so far this season considering how much of a question mark he was coming in. James Johnson has brought a defensive mentality that fans have not seen here since the days of Oakley and Christie. He has yet to figure out the offensive side of his game but that can be worked on. The natural instincts he has shown has ensured him a spot in the starting rotation and if he continues on the path he is on, he becomes one of those un-tradeables at the end of the year.

Amir Johnson: C+
There was the off-season surgery and the in-season personal issues but Amir has yet to put together a stretch of games where he is consistently producing for the team. For the first time in his career, foul trouble is not at the forefront, but with inconsistant production comes inconsistant playing time. Andrea’s injury left an opening for Amir to establish himself as an essential part of the team but he failed to take full advantage of that. His energy is still a big asset but it’s a matter of how long it will take for him to figure out how to use it more effectively.

Jerryd Bayless: C
Unfortunately, Bayless has spent more time having a fashion face off with Bargnani than pounding the rock so far this season. He is still Barbosa 2.0 and the ankle injuries haven’t helped his stock with the team or his trade value. Bayless is still young but unless he finds a way to show his skills I can’t imagine he remains in the long term plans for this team.

Linas Kleiza: B
This is the Kleiza fans were expecting to see last season but it is nice to see he finally arrived. With that knee healed up for the most part, Kleiza has become the Raptors best post up guy. Unfortunately it seems everyone on this team above 6’6″ plays better at the 4 spot and there are only so many minutes to go around. Expect Kleiza to stick around and keep doing his thing as he awaits the arrival of the other Lithuanian next season.

Leandro Barbosa: B-
Barbosa has bailed the Raptors out on a few occasions this season and though his shot took some time to get on track early on, his boost of the bench is sorely needed on most nights. Don’t hold your breadth for him to suddenly become generous with the ball — that was never his MO. Barbosa could help a lot of teams in the playoffs and I imagine Bryan Colangelo will be working the phones in the next couple of weeks to find him a new home.

Ed Davis: C
One night you think he has turned the corner and then he throws up back to back duds. That lefty hook is pretty but I have not seen a guy blow so many layups within 2 feet of the basket since Milt Palacio was doing so on a nightly basis in a Raptors uniform. Let’s put it out there that he is still young and raw, and we know it takes longer for big men to make the adjustment, it just would be nice to see more hunger from this kid through the second half of the season.

Aaron Gray: B
Aaron Gray and his masterful hair have been a pleasant surprise so far and when all is said and done, it may well be the best move Bryan Colangelo made in the offseason. If anything while Andrea was out, it was Gray who has stepped up and earned more playing time. He still doesn’t have a post up game but his rebounding instincts and sheer size in the lane are a reason enough to keep the project in the fold possibly beyond this season.

Gary Forbes: C
Being totally honest, I was expecting more from Forbes. He has not managed to crack the rotation on a 10 win team and during his sporadic playing time he has not really shown a reason for that to change. His numbers are down for the most part from his rookie season and it seems that he still has some proving to do on the practice courts before he sees more time under the big lights.

Anthony Carter: C
Pushing 37, Carter has probably played more minutes than most expected, largely due to injuries. He hasn’t done much to hurt the team but he isn’t helping much either, well aside from the surprising 4 blocks. He is playing the player coach role this season and if Bayless stays healthy through the rest of the way, expect Carter to make himself comfortable on the bench.

Rasual Butler: C-
Where to start with this one? Butler is a vet and that was the role he was expected to play. He got minutes early in the season and did nothing with them expect prove he is on the wrong side of the hill with his career. A 3 point shooter who can’t shoot and with time it seems he lost some of his confidence doing other things too. Coach really likes his leadership in the locker room but fans would probably prefer he stays in there during the game too. Not going to knock what he has accomplished in his career but on a young team it would be a shame if he takes away any more minutes from guys who are still looking to grow.

Jamal Magloire: C
Most fans are going to remember the missed free throws and inability to grab key rebounds late in the game but Magloire has proved to be quite a vocal leader on this team. Several times this season he has come off the bench and changed the complexion of a game, and boy does this guy know how to set screens. Expect more of the same as the season goes on and he continues to be a mentor to the younger guys, while setting the tone by making sure guys are communication on the floor and on the bench.

Solomon Alabi: NG
Not much of a surprise with this one as Alabi has played less than 10 minutes this season. Not expecting that to change much before the year is up either.

With a large Asian contingent present at the ACC to watch Lin, there was a strong buzz going before things tipped off. A few minutes in though, I along with most on media row were left confused. Fans were booing Lin at the line but as soon as he made the shot the place would erupt. Were these Raptors fans, Knicks fans or Jeremy Lin fans? By the end of the evening when he had hit the game winning shot, I decided they were a mix of both. There were those who were rooting for him to fail but then couldn’t help applaud as he kept proving the doubters wrong. There were others who were rooting for a great story and even more who were there to check out the hype.

Lin struggled early and Jose Calderon managed to run circles around him. The Raptors played out the first half perfectly, giving up just 36 points and looked to be in control. Things changed quickly in the second half, as they often do in the NBA. The Raptors coughed up the ball 12 times and allowed the Knicks to gain momentum. Chandler was in foul trouble but the Raps were unable to take advantage of that playing smaller, though they did outscore the Knicks 50-46 in the paint. The inability to convert at the line, coupled with the turnovers set the stage for Lin and what a heck of a performance he turned in. 27 points to go along with 11 helpers and he hit a game winning three.

The Raptors didn’t seem to buy into the hype to start, but when it came down to crunch time, they became spectators. A chance to shine in front of a huge audience, they became the secondary story. For one more day… Linsanity continues, For the Raptors — tonight is another game.

The Night in Numbers

19 Turnovers on the night but the glaring number is 9 of them came in the final frame. You are not going to win many games averaging a turnover a minute.

-9 at the free throw line. The Raptors didn’t get to the line much but even when they did, they managed to convert on only 60% of them.

25 Points for Calderon to go along with 9 assists and 7 rebounds but he was held scoreless in the final frame when D’Antoni made the switch and put Shumpert on him. Jose played a stellar game but at the end, it was him on Lin and Lin won.

16 Fast break points. The Raptors managed to control the pace of the game and scored 24 points off the Knicks’ 16 turnovers. Earlier in the season, still figuring out the new system, one wondered if they were ever going to get out and run.

11 Blocks for the Raptors, 5 of them courtesy of Amir Johnson as he threw a little block party for Amare Stoudemire. A trend emerging under Dwane Casey’s system is the Raps are winning the hustle categories on most nights.

30 Points given up by the Raptors in the 3rd quarter after holding the Knicks to just 36 for the first half. Lapses like these are what Dwane Casey keeps talking about when he says they need to learn how to play 48 minutes.

12 Points for Jeremy Lin, 6 of those came in the final minute including the game winning 3, ensuring LINsanity would go on for another day.

The Raptors are 1-3 so far on this home stand but the 3 losses have been by a combined 11 points. “Losing pretty” one might call it but there is a quick turn around and it’s on to the next one leaving little time to dwell on the past…

Up Next: Spurs @ Raptors. Wednesday, 15th February 2012. 7PM

As always, this cartoon is all in good fun. We hope you enjoy it just as much as we did making it!

Blake Kennedy, wrote a great post on RaptorBlog pointing out the offensive struggles we have seen this season but unlike him, I saw it coming. A new coach who preaches defense first, the minimal practice time to implement a new offense and above all, the lack of guys who can create for themselves.

Andrea Bargnani was playing at an All-Star level before he was sidelined with the calf injury and this team just doesn’t have the personnel to make up for the 20+ PPG they lose with him out. Jose Calderon has been playing like the guy who was rewarded with that fat contract but he rather stay in his comfort zone of being the distributer, a bit of a problem when he is one of the better spot up shooters on this team. The Rasual Butler experiment seems to have finally come to an end as he continues to struggle with the one thing he was brought in to do but his replacement James Johnson is not someone the team can rely on offensively.

Probably the biggest disappointment so far has been the inconsistency from DeMar DeRozan. James Herbert wrote in his defense, but no matter how you slice it, DeRozan has regressed. After the most recent loss to the Blazers, DeMar admitted he is aware of the issues — “The last couple of games I have not gotten to the line. I have to be aggressive. Just going to the contact and not trying to avoid it, that’s my main issue.” He is taking more jumpers and they each look too strong and too flat. Maybe it is the adjustment he made in order to hit the long range shot but it has hindered his mid-range game a lot. Last season DeMar developed a spin move in the lane as his go to move, he has gone away from that and his resistance to contact has led to his numbers going down in almost every offensive category.

You know that phrase, basketball is a game of runs? Well the Raptors have yet to find  a way to avoid 5 minute offensive dry spells to make their runs count. Until they can get consistant production from guys not named Andrea Bargnani, they are going to be a tough team to watch. Hellloooo (Jack Armstrong voice) Kevin O’Neill era revisited!

Defensively this was the best effort put forth by the team so far in this young season. The Raptors are making it hard for their opponents to get the easy buckets they were knowing for giving up. They held the Cavs to under 30% from the floor and it is starting to become a pattern. Casey has made these guys, essentially the same core from last season, do a 180. The bad habits show up from time to time but its hard to miss all the talking going on, the improved defensive rotations and the shot contests. While the Cavs are hardly a benchmark to judge against, the Raps have been showing this new look for 6 games now. It suits them. Offensively they still have a ways to go because DeMar isn’t going to give them 5 three’s a night and Andrea is going to start facing a double team soon. If there was a weakness in this one it has to be the lack of production from the small forward spot once again. Butler is just a black hole right now, and James Johnson needs to find a jumper.

Once the team starts putting things together on both ends of the floor, which I believe they will, expect there to be lots of empty room on the “TankNation” bandwagon.

The Night in Numbers

29.6% from the field were the Cavs who were stifled by the Raptors D all night. The Raptors are currently the only team holding opponents to an average of under 40% from the floor. Impressive for anyone, more so for a team never mentioned when talking defence.

3 double-doubles for Jose Calderon after he put up 13 and 11 against the Cavs last night. Jose is playing some of the best ball of his career right now and has built a chemistry with both Andrea and Amir on that pick ‘n roll or pick ‘n pop.

“He is much better than people give him credit for as far as his solid play, running the team, shooting the basketball.” – Dwane Casey on Calderon’s play early in the season.

31 points from Andrea Bargnani and they all came within the flow of the offense. He is averaging 24 points on the season (7th best in the league) and doing it efficiently. Even more surprising, he is fully committed on the defensive end of the floor and it hasn’t taken away from what everyone knew he could do, which is score.

“He is playing at an all-star level. I am totally impressed with his approach, defensively and offensively.” — Dwane Casey on Andrea

5 made 3′s for DeRozan. He made 5 all of last season. DeMar put in a lot of work on that jumper this offseason, he was in the gym making 300 three pointers a day. Against the Cavs he picked his spots but that hard work is already paying off. The percentages are off the charts right now compared to last year but even if they come down to earth, its nice that he has this as an arsenal to use.

“He opens up the floor for everybody else. Now you have to honour him. It’s going to help us a lot offensively, especially on the pick and roll” — Dwane Casey on DeMar’s extended range

11 Turnovers, a category the team is still a little up and down with. They were much better handling the ball against the Cavs and sit around the middle of the pack in terms of coughing the ball up. Having the leader in AST-TO ratio in Jose, the Raptors should be fine over the course of the season. On the other end of the spectrum, the Raps are last in opponent turnovers per game. (source)

-13 in the FT category. The Raptors are near the bottom of the league when it comes to getting to the line. Most of that has to do with the fact that Andrea, and for the most part this season, DeMar have been playing outside the paint. The positive from last night, the Raptors gave nothing easy. Opponents are made to earn it at the line in coach Casey’s new system.

4 fast break points. Though coach Casey has stated he wants the team to get out and run it’s not happening. The Raptors are very much half court team right now, a lot has to do with the style of play from Calderon and Bargnani. As @Liston pointed out in his stats breakdown on Raptors Republic – Toronto has the fifth slowest pace factor in the league at 88.8.

Up Next: Nets @ Raptors. 7PM on Friday, 6th Jan. 2012.

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 kicked off their season on a high note getting the 104-96 W over the Cavaliers. Sure, beating a squad of lesser talent isn’t something to write home about but there were so many good things happening on the floor for the Raptors it’s hard not to feel optimistic.

Leading up to the game, all we have heard about is how new head coach Dwane Casey is trying to change the culture and instill a defensive mentality into a team that has always struggled with the concept. Last night fans finally got to see the plan being put into action. 9 blocks, out-rebounding the opponent, shooting a better percentage than the opponent, and communicating on the floor (Bargnani got caught doing that on camera! BOOM). I was so focused looking out for the changes on the defensive end I didn’t get to fully appreciate the offensive efficiency and ball movement from the Raptors. Jose played the role of distributor perfectly, DeMar made an impact in the 4th quarter, Bargnani stayed focused on both ends of the floor, Johnson & Johnson were the perfect blend of energy and execution, and Ed Davis earned himself some more playing time.

This was one of the winnable games and though this season is not going to be measured by wins and losses, it is sure nice for a young team to get off on the right foot.

The Night in Numbers

53% The Raptors were hot from all over. For a team that was at the bottom shooting 3′s last season, they hit 43% of those. On the other end of the floor they held the Cavs to shooting just 41%
10 players saw the floor and each of them recorded at least 1 assist.
+8 on the boards. 9 of the 10 guys who played last night grabbed at least 1 rebound.
35 assists on 42 made FG’s. Not only were the Raptors moving the ball, they ended up finding the right guy to finish each time.
7 of the 10 guys who saw playing time scored in double figures, led by Jose and DeMar who had 15 a piece.
7-7 from the floor for Ed Davis. Should earn him some additional playing time in game 2.
2 Players (Jose, Amir) recorded double double’s. The 13-13 from Amir is not as surprising as the 15-11 from Jose considering who he is passing the ball to…

The Starting 5

Jose Calderon – It’s been a while since fans saw this Jose who was completely in control of the offense all night. He didn’t hesitate to shoot when he had to and even put in effort on the defensive end. This is the Jose Calderon that got the big contract some four seasons ago. For the first three quarters he directed the guys and hit the open man, but when it came to closing out the game, he knew the ball had to go to DeMar or Andrea. Calderon played like he was trying to secure his starting spot for the near future — mission accomplished.

Amir Johnson – Coming off ankle surgery in the offseason, Amir looked to have all the bounce back in his legs. He got the starting nod at C and logged 32 minutes without fouling out. Entering his 7th year in the NBA, this is the perfect opportunity for him to take things to the next level. Amir had a tough task guarding Varejao, who might have the edge when it comes to energy levels, but for the most part held his own. As good as he was defensively (13 rebounds, 2 blocks), Amir showed promise to be the primary pick and roll guy. Jose was able to hit him rolling to the rack on multiple occasions through the game and more often than not the play ended in points.

Pick and Roll – The Raptors executed the play to perfection and the Cavs never found a way to stop it. Calderon has always been good on the PnR but that was seen more in the Bosh days. Last night he showed the chemistry he has developed with Amir and they went to it almost every other time down the floor. As the season goes along, teams will have that leading off the scouting report but until someone can stop it, this will be the bread and butter move on offense for the Raps.

Ball Movement – As pointed out in the numbers, the Raptors had 35 assists on 42 made FG’s. That’s pretty ridiculous no matter who your opponent is or who is doing the scoring for you. In the 2nd preseason game, the offense looked like it had a long way to go but against the Cavs the Raptors focused on getting the ball to the right guy rather than “Player X”. They displayed a trust in each other rarely seen this early in the season and is a great position to build from.

Block Party – Way too often last season, the Raptors laid out the red carpet for opponents to form a layup line to the hoop. This was not the case last night as the Raptors had a man there each time to contest the shot. Johnson & Johnson combined for 6 of the Raptors’ 9 blocks but as a team there was a clear commitment to protecting the basket.

Up Next: Pacers @ Raptors. Wednesday, 28th Dec 2011 at 6PM.

Jay Triano shuffled the starting lineup for the 4th time in as many games but this one seemed more probable than the one in Chicago. With both teams playing the back end of a back to back, a sluggish start was expected. The Raptors came out with some energy but started to fall behind 15 minutes into the game. The Sixers went into the locker room with a 50-48 lead. It wasn’t much but there were times it felt like the Raptors were setting up for a repeat of the night before — a embarrassing loss to the Bulls. The 2nd half was more of the same, back n forth where neither team seemed to be able to find that next gear to put it away. After what felt like the longest game ever, the Raptors held on to get the win in double overtime. Final score: 119-116

Observations

• The team was actually talking on defense. Andrea calling screens, Jack directing from the sidelines and Barbosa spreading the love. From my vantage point, last season the Raptors were probably the quietest team in the league. The more they talk the better the help defense gets… and boy do they need to get better. This was probably the best thing I saw all game.
• Andrea Bargnani has the fans worried. Rightfully so. Even though these games don’t matter, fans want to see if he can be the man to lead this team. Realistically, it is going to take a while for him to get used to the double teams and even then, his rebounding woes and lack of alertness away from the ball will hinder him. There were flashes today where I can see him take it to the next level but they were playing a smaller team and his height was a clear advantage. I am still not buying into this but seems he has the golden ticket on the team so we shall sit through 82 games for him to figure it all out.
• Rebounding has always been the achilles heel of this team. Losing Chris Bosh just made it worse. Amir can rebound but can’t stay on the floor due to foul trouble. Reggie can rebound but is a liability on offense. Andrea… well, he’s Andrea. It is going to be the guards that will have to pick up the slack on the boards. This team wants to run so they need to rebound by committee and leak out. Barbosa, Jack and DeRozan did well in the area tonight and will need to continue that if the team wants to give themselves a chance each night.
• Another year, another question mark about who is the #1 PG on this team. Jose and Jarrett are actually a good tandem but I am still not a fan of them on the floor together. Adding Barbosa in the mix has helped. He plays well alongside both of them. He is ready to hit the jumper when Jack is driving and has the ability to penetrate and kick out when Jose is spotted up. Seeing them play today, I definitely think we are going to see a lot of small ball. DeMar at the 3 spot and hopefully the quickness of these guys can make up for the lack of height.
• Finally, this team looked like they were having fun out there tonight. They may not win too many games but it won’t be for the lack of trying. I want to go on record and say they have the ability to be a 32 win team. Anything less would be disappointing, anything more is just gravy.

My sister (@nidserz) and her awesome camera were at the game today. A budding photographer, she managed to get some amazing action shots. I took some shots as well so check the Flickr album and if you plan to use the photos please credit her and/or this blog. Flickr Album

Before looking at the end of the game though it is important to see how the team got there in the first place. The Raptors had a week off between games and they came out playing like they were still on vacation. The Grizzlies having played the night before got in late but that did not stop them from exploding out of the gates. A 12-0 run to open the game prompted a time out called by the Raptors but it didn’t help much. The momentum started to shift when Coach Triano made some substitutions late in the 1st and having Calderon and Weems come in to replace Jack and Turkoglu. The ball started moving and Jose was finding guys for easy scores. Weems being more athletic was able to stay with some of the younger guys on the Grizz. By halftime the Raptors had clawed back to cut what was once a 16 point deficit down to 2.

With the Grizzlies having played the night before, there were thoughts that they would be sluggish in the 2nd half with fatigue catching up. That wasn’t the case as they kept the 2 point lead going into the final frame. The Raptors brought out their “closer” Antoine Wright for the 4th quarter and things started clicking. Bosh scored 10 straight points and the team seemed to be ready to close things out. An inadvertent elbow from Rudy Gay sent Wright to the lockerroom to get stitches and while unfortunate, marked the turning point in the game. Coach brought in a struggling Hedo and left him in by subbing out Weems for the final minutes. Hedo was going through the motions all night with nothing going his way and instead of being a help on the floor he became a hindrance. The ball stopped moving when it got to him and on the other end he was a half second slow on all his rotations. The Grizzlies managed to score 5 points in the last 35 seconds to send it to overtime. The Raptors couldn’t recover from that and overtime was a whole lot of switching gone wrong.

The Raptors had control of this one and questionable coaching decisions may have cost them. It was Triano who decided to mess with what was working. Sure you don’t want your 53 million dollar man warming the bench but Sonny Weems was getting the job done. Hedo admitted to not having his head in the game (dealing with personal issues in Turkey) but it is the coach’s responsibility to recognize that. Triano has been good with making adjustments and as of late was getting a lot of praise regarding the job he has done. This night sent him back a bit. Sitting Jarrett Jack was the right decision but he should have done the same with Hedo. If it ain’t broke… don’t try to fix it!

Injury Update: Chris Bosh injured his ankle late in the game yesterday. It happened when he came down after a monster block and from my vantage point it looks like he may have rolled it slightly by landing on Bargnani’s foot. Reports are that it is a mild sprain and he did not travel with the team to New Jersey. Bosh has played in every game this season and this team can hardly afford to have him sidelined for a long period of time. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.

Trade Deadline Update: As expected, there was no movement from the Raptors as the trade deadline came and went. For Raptor fans they can breathe easy as the Bosh speculation goes away if only for a few days and then people can start talking about the summer. There were talks about a possible trade with the Lakers to bring Vujacic and Powell over to Toronto but thats all it was. Talk. The team that suited up last night will be the one the Raptors will have going forward and it is now up to them how far they want to go.

50 games in the books. Crazy.

The Toronto Raptors held fan appreciation night this past Wednesday, though logistically, it would make more sense to do this at the end of the season. I am pretty sure they planned this after the Vince Carter trade but the game they chose was v/s the New Jersey Nets. Yes, the 4-43 Nets. Rather than the game being the story, it became all about the halftime show — featuring none other than Vanilla Ice.

There really isn’t much to say about the game itself (see: opponent). The Raptors came out with a win even though they were shorthanded and the halftime show surpassed my expectations (Video 1, Video 2). After all was said and done, the Raptors sat with a 27-23 record, coincidentally the same record they had at this mark in both their 47 win seasons.

Now that the team has shown its appreciation (albeit in a strange way), I figured why not return the favor and show my appreciation for each player…

Chris Bosh: Give him Max money now! Ok, that may be a little bold, but his level of professionalism and commitment is something I really appreciate. He is having a career year statistically and has left it on the floor each night. He is never going to be a lock down defender– I can live with that. He is not flashy player and never will be, but the proof is in the results. The positives in his game and what he brings to a team far outweigh the negatives.

Jose Calderon: I may get some hate for this but I do not want to see him leave. When Jose is in the game, I have a sense of calm that he will make the right play and it will end in something positive. On the defensive end, not so much… but the team can live with some of his shortcomings knowing they can make up for them with Jarrett Jack. Having moved to a bench role, Jose has become a scoring threat while making life easy for the 2nd unit. He may be the most valuable trade chip this team holds but I believe it would be a mistake to move him before the season is up.

Jarrett Jack: It was meant to be. See, when Rob Babcock draft Joey Graham, I wanted him to draft Jack. 5 years later, all is right in the world. Jack has lived up to the billing. He plays tough, is a great complement to Jose and has slowly become the leader this team was sorely lacking. Early in the season I noticed he was the most talkative guy on the floor and that has rubbed off on his teammates. Like he did in Indiana, Jack has taken over as the starter (not by choice) and has played his way into keeping that spot.

Hedo Turkoglu: It never felt like the right fit. While there have been glimpses of a borderline secondary star, the thought that he was signed for 5 years makes me ill. The idea of a point forward is great but hardly made sense on a team financially committed to two solid point guards. The Raptors needed a pure shooter/scorer and right now he is neither. He probably will never be, but having him in the game forces opponents to game plan for him which in turn takes some pressure off Bosh. $53 million sure is a lot money for a diversion though.

Andrea Bargnani: It took long enough. Andrea Bargnani carried the weight of being a #1 pick and only this season are we seeing validation for the draft spot. The biggest change I noticed is his confidence level. It felt like he was never comfortable with Sam Mitchell and we saw glimpses of what could be towards the end of last season under Jay Triano. He came in ready this year. He has developed his game to a point where he is mixing things up on offense while keeping his head in the game on defense. He has become a legitimate secondary scoring threat on this team and looks like he is enjoying every minute of it. That makes me happy.

Antoine Wright: Finally backing up his talk, Antoine has quietly become a solid rotation player. He was injured to start the season and soon after was buried deep in coach’s doghouse. Not playing didn’t stop him from trying to be heard and he was talking to anyone who would listen. I guess someone had to say it and while it seemed out of place then its obvious he has the ears of his peers. Bosh has a good relationship with him and that always helps. Now that he is making shots it would be a shame if the team traded him away come mid Feb.

DeMar DeRozan: Similar to how Bosh was thrown into the fire just one year removed from high school, DeMar has stepped into an NBA starting lineup and held his own. He has had to guard some of the best players in the league and he has accepted the challenge. He is usually the 5th option on offense which is why he doesn’t boast flashy numbers, but his work ethic and demeanor have shown me enough to know he will be just fine. I would like to see more plays run for him but maybe that will come in time. For now, I can just see he is loving every minute of his new job.

Sonny Weems: Talk about coming out of nowhere! A spare part in the Amir Johnson trade, Sonny has been the most pleasant surprise for me this season. He brings a little of everything onto the floor each night. A decent mid-range game, he can rebound well at his position and has dished out some memorable assists already this season. All this for a guy who probably spent the early part of the season planning his dance moves (video)

Amir Johnson: Energy – Hustle – Athleticism. Amir Johnson possesses all these qualities in abundance. He has been in the league long enough to know what works for him and the Raptors got him here at the perfect time. He is not as raw as I had expected and I love what he brings to this floor each night. You can see it in his eyes, he is loving it. He had a rough start to his career but is blossoming here in Toronto. This city embraces guys like him and its no surprise he has become a fan favorite. #freeamir

Marco Belinelli: I present you Mo Pete version 2.0 and this one makes no excuses. You give him the ball and he shoots. There is no such thing as bad shots in his mind. I think the team knew what they were getting when they traded for him and he has done nothing more, nothing less. He has been a big part of the winning and for that I am thankful, because I sure as hell know Devean George could not help this team.

Marcus Banks: For a guy who doesn’t do much he sure gets a fair share of hate from the fans. That is until he stepped in when Jose was out and showed us a little somethin’ something. Marcus Clanks may be what I call him but he has been a pro when it comes to his role on this team. He has kept himself game ready and has carried himself like a vet. Can’t ask for more from a 3rd stringer.

Rasho Nesterovic: He has spent more time laughing at the in-game entertainment than actually playing basketball, but that is fine by me. He is a winner. Now “Let’s NBA”

Patrick O’Bryant: While he hasn’t done anything but keep the bench warm during games, off the court is a different story. Twitter was made for guys like him. He has embraced the social media site and created a fan base solely off that. I never gave him a second thought until he opened up to the fans and with that he bought himself a ton of leeway in my books when it comes to actually, you know… contributing to the team.

Reggie Evans: He currently holds the role of cheerleader and I for one can’t wait for him to get back on the floor. Not so much to see how he can help but rather so I no longer have to see him wear crystallized jeans. Gotta give it to him though, being sidelined for so long he is always into the game. The first guy up to cheer his teammates and has a word or two for each of them. You can feel his energy and love for the game, someone with that much passion can only make this team better.

“He’s way more athletic than I ever was in my career,” said Nowitzki. “He’s got a quick first step. What you have to do as a young player is improve year over year and I think he did that. He’s always a tough matchup. … The sky’s the limit.”

Big words coming from a former MVP, as Dirk acknowledged what fans in Toronto have begun to see over the past month. Bargnani’s out of control drives have become more methodical, the jumper is falling, he is growing into a better help defender and has finally found his voice on the court. It took a while, but even the skeptics have to stop and look at this guy for the player he has become. Bargnani is playing relaxed. His confidence is building as he sees his value on this team and with that, truly, the sky IS the limit.

Bargnani was just a part of the big picture when it comes to talking about this game. There was a whole lot of good from the Raptors perspective and the complete opposite from the Mavericks. While it is easy to use the early start and the refs as an excuse for the type of game the Mav’s had, they looked nothing like a powerhouse in the West. Horrible on the defensive end playing right into the hands of their opponent while looking out of sync offensively. Josh Howard made only his 6th start of the season and it showed. His shot was off and he played tentative throughout the game. Terry, Marion and Nowitzki came ready to play but as the game progressed they were using so much energy on the offensive end that they never had a chance to D up.

Looking at the Raptors, this was probably the best game they have played as a team to date. The one broken link was Hedo but even his horrible game couldn’t put a damper on the way the team was rolling. Jose Calderon couldn’t do anything wrong. Made the right pass, got everyone involved while mixing up his own game by driving and draining daggers. I like him coming off the bench because he has that ability to make even the bench guys feel comfortable on the offensive end. He becomes a legit scoring threat on the 2nd unit. Having him on the floor towards the end of the game, gives me a sense of security that he will make the right play.

Right now the one thing that stands out is, win or lose, these guys are loving playing together. Sure getting the W is the end game, but if the team is not on the same page those would be few and far between. A 10-3 record over the last 13 with players like Amir Johnson, Sonny Weems, Antoine Wright and even Marcus Banks contributing has taken pressure of Bosh. When your role players can come in and be effective immediately like they were against the Mav’s, you can’t help but get excited about the team as a whole.

The win gave the Raptors a winning record at the mid-way point of the season for only the 5th time in 15 seasons. I said it before and will do again, it took longer than expected for them to come together but there was no doubt in my mind they would make it work. Pre-season I broke down how the team would match up with the other 29 and the Raptors are on the right track. I put the team 45 wins and after the next 41 games are played, I fully expect that to be the mark they finish at — If not better.

Coming into the season, the expectations were high. When the team sputtered out of the gates, fingers were being pointed in every direction. As the new year rolled around, the team came in on a 5 game win streak and the same fans that wanted an upheaval started to believe again. I have to admit I wasn’t sold but these past two wins have made me a believer. I’m not talking blind faith here… there is real change going on and it starts with team chemistry.

“Team Chemistry” was a phrase used a lot this summer as Bryan Colangelo pulled off a major overhaul of the Raptors. With 9 new faces, it wasn’t a matter of “if”, rather a matter of “when” this team would come together. Most were hoping for 20 games, but with injuries and a tough schedule that didn’t really happen. Game #36 was played last night and it was probably the first time all season that I could say this team had it. Chemistry that is. Knowing where your teammates like the ball. Talking on defense so your teammate is not left to out to dry. Moving the ball with purpose (31 assists v/s Orlando). These are all things teams that are on the same page do. Over the last couple of games the Toronto Raptors have looks like that kind of team.

This team has proven it is offensively potent. The next step is on the defensive end. The last 8 games have shown the team is capable and with the team chemistry improving so has the team D. At the start of the season, sitting by the Raptor bench, all I could hear was Micah Nori (Asst. coach) screaming out the defensive assignments. Slowly I began to hear Jack on D and now its become almost all the guys. Andrea is still too quiet for my liking, being the last line of D at the center position, but as his confidence grows so should his ability to do the little things like call out picks and such. Over the last couple of games the team has won on the heels of holding teams to a low shooting percentage. They are going into games with a defensive plan and sticking to it. Still not seeing much zone defense from the Raptors, which helps when you need to give teams different looks, but with more practice days in the next couple of months it should be on Jay Triano’s to-do list. This team is not going to be breaking any defensive records anytime soon but if they can pull themselves up to a middle of the road defensive team they will give themselves a chance to be in a good position for the post season.

Jose Calderon returned from injury at the perfect time. No one ever wishes a player to go down but it seemed to have helped the team that he was out. It gave the new players enough time to get used to playing with Bosh and as well as a chance to find their roles on this team. Jarrett Jack was trying to do too much at the start of the season but when he was relied on as the primary PG, he was able to settle down and bring a new dimension to the team. Hedo Turkoglu seemed lost at the start of the season. Under utilized and a non-factor in games, but with Jose sidelined got a chance to show his play making abilities and build a pick ‘n roll game with Bosh. With Jose the coaches know what they have. It took him being out for the coaches to figure out what they had in all these other players. Last night v/s Orlando, Jose came in off the bench and within minutes fans were reminded of what this guy can do. It was like he didn’t miss a beat. There is a sense of security with him on the floor and everything just seems to run smooth.

The defense is coming around and the offense is flowing. For all this to come together, the players have to accept their roles and embrace them. If you told me that Sonny Weems would be subbed in at the end of games for defensive purposes, I would have questioned your sanity. If you told me that Bargnani would be trusted to defend Dwight Howard without a double team, I would have questioned Jay Triano’s sanity. Thing is, slowly these guys are being put in positions to succeed which in turn helps confidence. Chris Bosh is the pillar but over the last few he hasn’t had to be the man. The supporting cast, the so called role players have found their role. Now it’s all about momentum. If this team has truly found an identity, they need to band together to build momentum and start making their push now rather than waiting for seasons end when all the other teams are thinking the same.

Elite teams keep their foot on the gas… the Toronto Raptors need to show they can keep up.

Animation by Ian Cartoons

1. Bosh re-signs in Toronto
Raptor fans are used to their stars leaving, let’s hope things turn out differently this time. Chris Bosh is playing out of his mind and with each passing day the fans are growing ulcers from the stress of his departure. There are always the haters who don’t think he is worth it, but if there is one wish I have for the New Year it would be to lock Bosh up for the next 5 years. While he is at it, he may wanna contemplate a haircut.

2. Raptors win a playoff round
2001 was way too long ago. The fans need to let go of Vince Carter and it will only happen once this team gets to the 2nd round. The Bryan Colangelo era has been full of ups and downs but this is the best roster he has put together… its time they prove it.

3. Andrea Bargnani crashes the boards
Andrea is never going to average double digits in rebounds and I have come to terms with that. He has been known to play better in the 2nd half of the year and I would like to see his current average of 6.1 to be upped to 8 by season’s end.

4. Let DeMar Dunk
Not since Vince Carter have the Raptors had a bonafide dunker. Sure there was Jamario but he didn’t have the flair. This kid throws ‘em down with swagger and needs to be dunking on the rims at Jerry’s world in Dallas at the All-Star game. If you want to help him get there, visit the website Let DeMar Dunk and sign the petition.

5. Reggie Evans the player
For the first part of the season, we have gotten to know Reggie Evans the cheerleader. He has been a great presence on the sidelines but it is time he gets himself right and starts earning that paycheck. Amir Johnson has stepped in nicely to do what fans hoped to see from Reggie… but its time. It’s time we stop talking about his attire (crystals on jeans are still a no go for men!) and see him rocking some warmups.

6. Team D
It started off ugly, its gotten better, but they have a long way to go. If this team can come together on the defensive end they will be fighting for home court in the playoffs. Obviously the “protect our house” mantra hasn’t really worked. The house has been robbed clean! Time to switch it up, maybe they should just watch this video over and over and something will seep in.

7. Young Guns
My favorite part of this Raptors team has been the camaraderie between the young guys– Sonny Weems, DeMar DeRozan and Amir Johnson. I have to go way back in memory to remember seeing Raptor players showing pure joy on their faces and loving life the way these guys do. They have anointed Jarrett Jack the grandpa (even though he is 26) and have become a family along the way. Check this video and #freeamir

8. PG Rivalry
With Jose injured and Jack playing well, cue the PG controversy. Raptor fans have been through this before with the whole TJ/Jose thing and it didn’t end well. From my point of view, some healthy competition is a good thing. These two play a very different style and should be able to complement each other rather than make it a negative thing. I hope when Jose returns he is able to slide back into his role. Jack has had enough time to get to know the players which added together will only keep things running smooth for all 48 minutes.

9. Health
The Raptors have gone all season without Reggie Evans, a month with Jose sidelined and Wright is still not RIGHT. They have been lucky compared to what some other teams are going through, but these players are a big part of the plan. With Jose in the game, the offense seems to run smoother. Reggie would bring some much needed help for Bosh on the boards. Antoine is known for the one thing the Raptors lack – defense. Add these three back into the mix and it can only get better!

10. The 6th man in the Stands
Raptor fans had little to cheer for in 2009. The team missed the playoffs last season and played a lackluster style of basketball. The ACC wakes up in the playoffs but fans need to show it in the regular season. Toronto needs to become a tough place to play again and it starts with the fans in the stands… TDOT – STAND UP!

Anything I missed? If you have anything to add, throw it in the comments.

Talking about leadership, not sure how much it comes across on television but Reggie Evans coaches this team through every play. He has words of advice for every player when they check out of the game. He is what you want a bench player to be. He observes the game and as a player you are best equipped to point out what your teammates can do to improve. This is the first time in a while the Raptors have had a player who just speaks up be it to Bosh or to Amir. Some deem it him being a “cheerleader” but to me he has been one of the best things that happened to this team this offseason and we have yet to see him play a minute in a game that matters.

You can follow Ian on Twitter @Vulcanoboy and check his website www.iancartoons.com
Thanks to @TasMelas and @Stackmack for some great feedback along the way.

- Jose Calderon Cartoon
- DeMar DeRozan Cartoon

A little background…

During the so called “off-season”, I relied on Twitter to get my basketball fix. Along the way I came across @Vulcanoboy who had won a contest run by Charlie Villanueva. We get to talking and he informs me that he is a cartoonist in his down time. With that said, I came up with the idea to run a series introducing the Toronto Raptors and here is the start of what I hope becomes something epic. The plan is to have the Raptors staring 5 introduced and if all goes well we will try to bring you once each month recapping how the team does on the court.

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.

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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.

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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)