There is a Klingon on proverb that ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’. You can be sure the Toronto Raptors have some revenge in mind as they take on the Washington Wizards in the nation’s capital south of the border. Three nights ago the Wizards were in TO and they edged the Raptors 106-102. The very following night Toronto was in Hot-lanta and they were pummeled 146-115, their worst lost this season and fifth worst in franchise history. The Raptors porous D has given up a hundred points in 11 straight games and have sunk to the very bottom of the league in points allowed (111). Chris Bosh was held to only two points in the loss. Following the slaying, reports began to surface that the players (Jarrett Jack and Antoine Wright) were unhappy with coach Jay Triano and how the lack of criticism he has for select players (maybe Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderone and Hedo Turkoglu?), especially on the defence side of things. On the other hand Washington played Milwaukee the next night and they squeezed out another close one, beating the Bucks 104-102. Gilbert Arenas lead the team with 22 points and 9 assists, but it was 5-5′ Earl Boykins who was the star. The game was tied and was one second away from going to overtime. Boykins was fouled and he drained both free throws to ice the game. Tonight will be a true test to see what the Raptors are made of and if they can bounce back from adversity.
In the things that make you go huh category, former Raptors coach Sam Mitchell watched the Atlanta game from the second row. Mitchell resides in the ATL so it’s not that odd, right? Well one year ago the day of the game with Atlanta, the Raptors were blown out in Denver 132-93 and Mitchell was fired the very next day, December 3, 2008.
I was a Cleveland Cavaliers fan last night, and not just because I hate the Celtics.
It also had a lot to do with tonight’s season opener, when the new-look Raptors will try to knock off LeBron James and the Cavs. The Raps have always been powerless to stop superstars, let alone angry superstars. And you can bet LeBron and Shaq will come out swinging after a tough 95-89 loss at home. I figured we might see a somewhat complacent opponent if Cleveland had won, but it’ll be just the opposite. Now, nothing will surprise me… LeBron scoring 50? Shaq going 30 and 15? Honestly, both could happen and I wouldn’t bat an eye.
Like I said, I really wish the Cavs had won.
They didn’t, though, and the Raptors still have a chance. Maybe opening night provides an extra boost of adrenaline, and perhaps this team gels for the first time. It’s difficult to predict the kind of game we’ll see from Toronto, considering any solid effort would be radically different from the performance we saw in Minnesota last week. If the team plays anything like they did during the preseason, it’ll be a long night. I think we’ll find out very early whether the Raps can compete – Yes, tonight the first quarter will be telling.
Let’s break down the matchup:
Point Guard
If the Raptors hope to make any noise this season, they need Jose Calderon to play well on a nightly basis. He looked terrible early in the preseason, but rounded into form towards the end. Ideally, Calderon will look to turn the corner on the high screen-and-roll, and spot up for 3’s when Hedo runs the point. On the other side, Mo Williams is probably too quick for Jose to contain, but he played 35 minutes against the Celtics. Hopefully, a healthy Calderon can take advantage and make Williams work on the defensive end. Two years ago, it’s advantage Jose. Last year, advantage Mo. Who plays better tonight will go a long way towards determining the outcome.
Shooting Guard
This will be a lot of fun, as we’ll get to see rookie DeMar DeRozan up against former Raptor and fan-favourite Anthony Parker. It’s actually a great first matchup for Toronto’s rookie, sparing him the task of guarding say, Ray Allen. Parker played a surprising 40 minutes last night, meaning the onus is on DeRozan to make him work. We saw plenty of this in the preseason – It’s clear that his strength is running the floor and getting to the line. On the defensive side, DeRozan has to be aware of Parker’s preference to shoot corner 3’s, while staying focused on chasing him around screens. AP wasn’t particularly effective against Boston and DeRozan certainly has the tools to make it tough on him tonight. Once Parker gets in a rhythm, he’s tough, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see that against Toronto’s perimeter D.
Small Foward
LeBron is a beast who can’t be stopped, just contained – force him to take outside jumpers and hope for the best. Hedo Turkoglu can’t be expected to defend James by himself, and it’s a situation that needs to be a total team effort. Expect a few blown assignments leading to huge dunks, but hopefully they’ll make James work hard. It’s the only way to guard him, and it’s never pretty. On the offensive end, look for Turkoglu to drive the lane and get teammates involved, allowing Calderon to spot up and shoot more often. If the atrocious preseason shooting numbers improve, so will Hedo’s effectiveness.
Power Forward
Alright, Chris Bosh, show us what you got. Against Anderson Varejao, Bosh is clearly the superior player, but probably can’t match the hustle. We’ve seen this too many times – Bosh struggles against energy players and eventually settles for too many jumpers. Will that change tonight? Let’s hope so. Numbers-wise, this matchup won’t be close, but their play will dictate how the Raptors run the offense. It’s also Game 1 of Bosh’s contract year, so let’s hope that translates to even better play. He’s the leader of this team and it’s time to show it.
Center
Andrea Bargnani vs Shaq is a battle of complete opposites. Neither can guard the other, as Bargnani likes to go outside, while Shaq clogs the lane. There will be pressure on Andrea to box out and grab rebounds, while there’s no question that Shaq will find it difficult to guard Bargnani away from the basket. O’Neal looked gassed in the second half last night and Bargs should have the advantage, but it’s easier said than done. Expect open 3’s for our big man, that he absolutely has to knock down.
Bench
I have to admit, I giggled watching Jamario Moon launch a three-pointer in transition last night. Get used to that, Cleveland. Overall, I was shocked by the lack of talent on the Cavs bench, but I suppose much of that is due to Delonte West’s issues. Still, Boobie Gibson, Big Z and Jamario don’t scare me, and I certainly prefer Jarrett Jack, Amir Johnson, Rasho Nesterovic and Antoine Wright. If Toronto’s starters get the job done, the bench won’t let them down.
Final Thoughts
The Cavs will be pissed, and THAT scares me. Really, though, LeBron is the story. The Raps need to somehow contain him and play better team defense than we’ve seen in the preseason. On offense, Toronto needs to shoot much better and spread the floor. Finally, rebounding is key, and they need everyone active against a powerful Cleveland frontcourt. I’m more confident than I was last night, but I also never count out an angry LeBron. It’s great to have basketball back, and this should be fun.
There’s a lot going on right now – Hockey season’s in full swing, with basketball just around the corner. Meanwhile, we’re starting to get a clearer look at the NFL picture, while just two teams remain in Major League Baseball. Locally, things aren’t pretty, but there’s plenty to talk about.
Are the Toronto Maple Leafs awful, unlucky, or both? It’s a little confusing when you watch them play, but that third period on Saturday night summed up their season nicely. Even when the effort is there, and it was, there simply aren’t enough finishers up front. Sure, Ron Wilson, blame Luongo’s stellar play… Have you noticed that most goalies seem to be on their “A” game against Toronto? Reminds me of Raptors fans justifying the outside shooting of an opponent – “Come on, Shane Battier will never go 7/8 from three-point land again”… If something happens enough, it’s time to look in the mirror.
That being said, Phil Kessel will help. The cynic will say there’s nobody to get him the puck, but the guy can score. Toronto had plenty of chances to even the score on Saturday, but lack a sniper to get the job done. Speaking of Kessel, let’s talk about the No. 1 pick fiasco. The trade looks horrible right now, but is it? Yes, the Leafs may end up with the first pick in next year’s draft, but it’s still quite possible to move up. In any case, there’s absolutely no guarantee Burke lands a young player with as much potential as Kessel. And really, that’s all the draft is. That first round pick is an imaginary player – If Burke still had the pick and used it on this year’s Phil Kessel, what’s the difference? He’s young, great, and locked up. The GM was certainly banking on a better season from his team, but it’s still possible to view the trade with the glass half full.
Who wins first – The Leafs or the Raptors? I’ll say the Raps win on Friday in Memphis, so it’ll be tight.
Speaking of the Toronto Raptors, their first month could be pretty miserable. Games against Cleveland, Orlando, Detroit, New Orleans, San Antonio, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Denver and Utah would be tough for anybody, and especially a team that still hasn’t gelled whatsoever. I’m not saying it’s time to panic – Quite the contrary, actually… But reasonable fans should expect to get killed in at least a few of the early contests. Toronto showed very few signs of improvement throughout the preseason, and going 5-10 out of the gate shouldn’t surprise anyone. The playoffs are still attainable, but the start will be rough. If the team improves, there will be plenty of time to right the ship.
Despite Frank Zicarelli’s objection, it’s the right call to start DeMar DeRozan. I really think Frank has it completely wrong on this one – He talks about hiding rookies, but the second unit is no place for this. The Raptors backups are having enough trouble scoring and it makes no sense to give DeRozan that responsibility. Instead, let the kid do what he’s been doing – filling the lane, cutting to the hoop, and getting to the line. The starting unit is filled with scoring, meaning DeRozan will get his without having plays run for him. It’s the perfect spot to get him minutes, and it’s not like anybody else has earned them. Antoine Wright? Please, you don’t earn minutes by sitting on the bench, especially when you’ve accomplished next to nothing in this league.
More important than the starting lineup is the finishing lineup. Right now, I’d say the Raps end games with a lineup of Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. Obviously, it’s somewhat dependant on the situation.
Vince Carter is going to have a huge year for the Orlando Magic. Huge.
What happened to the Miami Dolphins yesterday? As well as New Orleans played in the second half, it was perplexing to watch Miami abandon their game plan. This team is built on running, but insisted on throwing with a huge lead. It made absolutely no sense, and ended in disaster. On the other side of the ball, the Saints continued to prove they are among football’s elite.
On the other hand, the New York Giants had every opportunity to beat Arizona, but insisted on handing the game to the Cardinals. Last week, it was the defense. This week, it was the offense. Tom Coughlin has to get them ready for a tough Eagles squad before the wheels completely fall off.
I hate the Dallas Cowboys, but Tony Romo is a very good quarterback. It’s ridiculous what people say about him, despite the way he carries that offense. Nobody is a “winner” until they win. Peyton couldn’t win in the playoffs, until he did. Same goes for Eli. One of these years, a whole lot of people will be eating crow with regards to Romo.
Troy Polamalu completely changes the Steelers defense. They were average in his absence, and beastly in his return.
How depressing is this world series matchup for Cleveland Indians fans? The starting pitchers for Game 1 – CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee – both played for the Indians last season. At least they still have LeBron James… for now.
As for Philadelphia vs New York, it’s too close to call. Two powerful lineups, two good pitching staffs. The series goes six or seven.
My “wows” for the week go to Anze Kopitar, Vernon Davis, Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Howard.
For Raptors fans, the second pre-season game was undoubtedly better than the first. That’s not saying much, based on Toronto’s pathetic performance on Tuesday, but there were certainly encouraging signs. One night after giving up 65 first-half points, the Raps played impressive defense and held Philly to 35% shooting in the rematch. The energy level was higher, despite using a depleted roster on the second night of a back-to-back.
Some specific thoughts on the game:
While he showed flashes of potential, DeMar DeRozan has a long way to go. Expectations for this kid had gone way up since the draft, but fans should remember that he was never supposed to make a huge impact in year-one. It’s pretty obvious why, after seeing the rookie in person. He needs to develop his left-handed dribble if he wants to be an effective slasher, and it’s something Jay Triano is trying to enforce. DeRozan was yanked for the second straight game after settling for jumpers, and had some trouble getting involved in the flow of the offense. Still, there were positives – He filled the lane and finished with a power dunk off a pass from Quincy Douby, and he scored on a finger-roll after stealing the ball. DeRozan also knocked down a three-pointer for the second straight game, but I wouldn’t expect that to be a trend just yet. Defensively, he struggled against Andre Igoudala and is still adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the NBA. On one play, Igoudala grabbed an offensive rebound right over DeRozan – How often do you think that happened at USC?
Jose Calderon rebounded (somewhat) from a brutal first game, finishing with six assists and zero turnovers. That was the good news, but Calderon still looked passive on the offensive end. Remember when Jose would turn the corner on the pick-and-roll, going all the way to the basket for lay-ups? We need that guy back. There’s no doubt that Calderon is more effective when he’s surrounded by talent, and I expect improvement once Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu are in the lineup.
I really like Marco Belinelli. He was out of control at times, but the kid is skilled. Belinelli scored 12 points, while struggling from the three-point line. I’m not worried about his shooting – Instead, I was impressed with his ballhandling and passing ability. With more playing time and an elevated comfort level, Belinelli should be a valuable part of Triano’s ball-movement offense. I also think his shot selection improves when Bosh and Hedo are on the court.
Andrea Bargnani was quiet, but continues to prove he’s the guy we saw in the final third of last season. He still can’t rebound, but has developed into a very good offensive player. Bargnani’s baseline drive for a dunk was beautiful, but it hardly seemed like he was trying for most of the night. Again, I’m excited to see what he can do with Bosh and Hedo attracting attention from opposing defenses.
The real bright spots for Toronto were Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson. Acquired together in the Carlos Delfino trade, both players brought a ton of athleticism and hustle to the building on Wednesday night. Both were all over the court, forcing Philly into tough shots, while running the floor and showing a nose for the rim. Johnson might have the agility to play a little bit of small forward, while Weems treated the crowd to three huge dunks. After leading the team in minutes (and deservedly so), he’s making a case for playing time when the real games begin.
I really can’t talk about the defensive end without mentioning Reggie Evans. Like JYD, the fans have fallen in love fast. Evans was a beast, grabbing nine rebounds to go along with four steals. On the other hand, he forced tough shots in traffic and TWICE dribbled up the court. While his work ethic and determination are much appreciated, this needs to stop. There is no way Reggie Evans should be leading the break, and grabbing an offensive rebound shouldn’t entitle him to shoot immediately after. If he can control his game, Evans will be a fan-favourite all year long.
Jarrett Jack was fine. He made a few nice plays in the second half, including a sweet behind-the-back pass to Weems on a fast break. Jack didn’t really stand out, but he was solid. He stole the ball twice and played good defense.
Once again, Marcus Banks played better than expected. It’s hard to imagine him seeing much of the court this season, but I expected absolutely NOTHING from him. I guess it’s a case of lowered expectations, but I was impressed with his overall game on Wednesday. Put it this way – Calderon and Jack were no better, while Quincy Douby was worse. I still think Douby can be an effective scorer in limited minutes, but he didn’t show it last night. Meanwhile, maybe (it’s a long shot) Colangelo can find a way to trade Banks if he plays decent for any extended stretch. Don’t count on it.
Up front, Patrick O’Bryant and Rasho Nesterovic both played like…well, themselves. O’Bryant still hasn’t figured out how to use his 7-foot frame, but did block three shots. Still, he has a long, long way to go. Rasho was solid in very limited minutes, reminding us that yes, he only shoots from the baseline.
Overall, the Raps were much, much better on Wednesday, but it’s tough to say much without Bosh and Hedo in the lineup. Without say, Igoudala and Elton Brand, the 76ers would have plenty of problems. Defensively, though, Toronto challenged Philly to make difficult shots, improving drastically from Tuesday’s weak effort. At the shooting guard spot, both DeRozan and Belinelli have room to improve, while Antoine Wright has yet to play. Hopefully, the Raps are healthy in the near future, so we can see what this team will really look like on the court.
Leadership is crucial to success in any team sport.
Take a look at past championship squads and you’ll likely find “heart and soul of the team” players on each one. Kobe Bryant, for all his supposed flaws, brings intensity and passion to the Lakers every night, while Derek Fisher is undoubtedly a huge locker room presence for the defending champions.
In 2007-08, Kevin Garnett completely changed the culture of the Boston Celtics, heightening the level of intensity and getting his teammates to play suffocating defense on a nightly basis.
One doesn’t need to be the best player on a team to be the leader – It can (and should) be argued that Paul Pierce was actually Boston’s best player – But every great team needs somebody, or a collection of guys, to step up and keep the others in check.
When Vince Carter played here, Charles Oakley was the guy who held him accountable. This was the CBC story during the 2001 playoffs:
“Vince Carter has to stand up and be counted on, teammate Charles Oakley said Tuesday, pointing the finger at the Toronto Raptors star for deflecting criticism over his lacklustre playoff performance.
“You can’t shy away from it now,” Oakley told reporters Tuesday following the Raptors’ practice.
“This is the time you have to step up and be a man about it. When they made the Dream Team, he went, all 12 of us didn’t go.”
Ahh, gotta love Oak. And the fact is, it worked, if only for a short time.
So, who will take control of the locker room this season?
It has been assumed for the past few years that Chris Bosh is the leader of the Toronto Raptors. He’s the best player on a team that has been mostly devoid of veteran talent. Fans certainly expect a lot from Bosh, both at the end of games, and off the court. He’s been slowly growing into the role, though it’s a lot to ask from a 25-year-old, who is also asked to shoulder the bulk of scoring and rebounding. It’s also semi-unrealistic to give your power forward the ball with the game on the line – Garnett had the same problems before life with Pierce.
But now, as Arsenalist of Raptors Republic writes, things might be changing:
“The question of leadership often comes up and this year’s team appears to be very mature as Ryan pointed out in the interview. Jarrett Jack, Reggie Evans, Antoine Wright, Jose Calderon and Rasho Nesterovic are no-nonsense players that can keep this group in check when things start going south. We don’t have to look towards Bosh to be the leader anymore; if one of the above players can take charge of this team, maybe it’ll lift the pressure off of Bosh and he can perform in his contract year.”
I think he’s right, but with that said, it’s time to ask…Who will step up as the leader (or leaders) of this year’s team?
Who should step up?
And, if he’s really worth a max contract, should that guy be Chris Bosh? Or does Bosh need someone, like Oakley, to light a fire under him?
With so many new faces in town (and a few of the same), here is one wish for each Toronto Raptors’ player:
For Jose Calderon to turn the corner on the high screen. Instead of pulling up for the jumper, I’d like to see Jose go all the way to the basket, like he did consistently two years ago. The hamstring excuse was only good for one season.
For Andrea Bargnani to play hard, all the time. I could have said anything to do with rebounding, but that’s too easy. Yes, I want the Italian to crash the boards, but more importantly, he needs to stay focused, even after starting slow on any given night. Too many times, Bargnani seemed to shrink away after bad starts, and the Raps need him to continue progressing.
For Hedo Turkoglu to make big shots. So often, NBA games come down to the last second, and too often, Toronto had nobody to take the final shot. Yes, Chris Bosh was forced into that role, but how many power forwards (with the exception of Dirk Nowitzki) have the ball in their hands with the game on the line? Now, the Raps have somebody with playoff experience, who has made his share of game-winning buckets. Let’s hope it continues.
For Demar DeRozan to play within his game. The best part about the rookie’s summer league performance was his patience and recognition of each situation. The highlight reel dunks will be great, but DeRozan will need to remember what he does well during his early days as a Raptor. That means no forcing 3’s, Jamario-style.
For Antoine Wright to be Toronto’s Dahntay Jones. Sub in any defensive-oriented player here. In any case, the Raps have more than enough scoring and will desperately need ANYBODY to lock down opposing stars. One day, DeRozan might be the guy, but Wright will need to handle the task early on. And while DeRozan appears to have a great opportunity at the starting job, Wright will get his chance to play the part if the rookie struggles against elite talent.
For Reggie Evans to knock somebody down, early. The Raptors have long been called soft, and Evans can go a long way towards erasing that label. How many times have fans in Toronto watched an opposing player embarrass the Raps (see Bryant, Kobe), with absolutely no resistance. You can bet that Evans won’t hesitate to make a statement.
That Jarrett Jack will run the team efficiently when Calderon leaves the game. No more of Roko’s over-dribbling please. Instead, with Ukic out of town and Jack backing up the point, the Raptors should remind fans of the Forderon days. The former Pacer will be one of the league’s top backup point guards, and should provide toughness, defence and scoring when he enters the game. Most of all, he needs to involve the entire second unit, unlike anything Raps fans saw last season.
That Marco Belinelli will be instant offence off the bench. Jack is the team’s best backup, but Belinelli can flat out score. Let’s hope to see him shoot without hesitation (making him the anti-Jason Kapono) and give the Raps a boost when the stars are out of the game. Nobody really knows what the Raptors have with Belinelli, but he’ll earn his paycheck by scoring in bunches when he gets his chance. The same goes for Quincy Douby, to a lesser extent.
That Rasho Nesterovic will continue to be awesome. Sorry, but I have nothing bad to say about this guy. Let’s hope the big man resigns at the same dollar value next season.
That Amir Johnson improves as the season goes on. At only 22, Johnson should give the frontcourt a boost of energy off the bench, and has a chance to move up in the rotation. He needs to stay with his man on defence and maintain his focus throughout each game, something that has been a problem in the past. This guy has potential, but he needs to harness it.
For Sonny Weems, Marcus Banks and Patrick O’Bryant to play hard in practice. Fans are already sick of “money in the Banks” and POB, but hopefully they will keep a positive attitude and play hard against the starters in the practice gym. As for Weems, who knows. My wish is that he plays like “Good Joey” if he ever gets into a game.
For Chris Bosh to be a leader. As the so-called “franchise player,” it’s time for Bosh to prove his worth. Heading into a contract year, CB4 has every reason to be motivated, and he will have the chance to show that he belongs in the discussion with other elite players. If this team can’t succeed, a lot of critics will look at Bosh. If the Raps win, he’ll get tons of the credit.
And finally, for Jay Triano to put the pieces together. Triano has a tough job. Even with all of the great acquisitions, it’s never easy for a coach to work with this many new players. Triano will have to allocate minutes properly and find the right on-court combinations. There are a lot of guys who could deserve minutes with strong play, and the coach will have plenty of options throughout the season. Like Bosh, much of the praise or blame will fall on Triano.
There is no doubt that Toronto Raptors fans are passionate about their team. Even in bad years (most years), attendance is high at the ACC, while their online presence rivals and surpasses almost every other NBA community.
These fans are also quick to defend the Raps against criticism, usually from American news outlets (ESPN picking a 9th place finish, for example). The talk all summer has been mostly optimistic, with great expectations for the coming season.
But, this is nothing new.
Last year, Jermaine O’Neal was supposed to turn the Raptors into a legitimate contender, until the project blew up during another disappointing season. There have been plenty of other reasons for optimism in the past, most ending in failure.
In no way, shape or form and I saying this team will end up like last year’s edition. What I am saying, is that fans have their breaking point. And at that point, enough becomes enough.
That brings us to the 2009-2010 Toronto Raptors.
Outside of the Bosh-Andrea Bargnani-Jose Calderon core, it’s an entirely new team. And with the squad welcoming Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack, Demar DeRozan, Rasho Nesterovic, Marco Belinelli, Antoine Wright, Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson, the renewed enthusiasm is certainly justified.
My question to fans of the Toronto Raptors is this: How patient will you be with this team?
With so many new bodies, Jay Triano has the tough task of making it all work. How patient will you be with him?
Demar DeRozan is skilled but raw – Will you be frustrated if he struggles for 50 games?
Hedo Turkoglu will face the pressure of his high-profile signing – Will you worry if he struggles out of the gate?
Jose Calderon has yet to prove he can shoulder the starting point guard duties for an entire season – Will you (especially the old T.J. supporters) pine for Jack to start if Jose doesn’t cut it for the first 20 games?
What if Bargnani regresses in the early going? Will fans give up on him, again?
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I’m not saying fans should or should not do these things. Personally, I’m fairly patient with these things.
All I’m saying is that the Raptors open up with a very difficult stretch of games, with what is basically an entirely new roster.
It’s another day with no important Raptors news, so it’s time for another round of questions about the upcoming season.
Q: Who will have the first in-game confrontation with another player?
A: Reggie Evans. It just has to be Reggie Evans. And it’s what they need…badly.
Q: Who hits the most 3-pointers per game?
A: Marco Belinelli. I know, it’s an odd selection considering we said yesterday that Antoine Wright and Demar DeRozan would likely play ahead of the Italian. While Belinelli might not necessarily play as many minutes, he seems like a great candidate to fill the Eddie House-type role and put up 3’s in bunches. And I’ll concede he might be a surprise and move up the depth chart with solid performances.
Q: What song will they use for the intro music?
A: I Got A Feeling – Black Eyed Peas is the cheesy option. And we all know the ACC guys are prone to cheesiness.
Maybe Chris Bosh can hook something up – He wants into the music industry, the Raptors want him to stay…hmmmm, let’s just say they should work out a deal.
I don’t really care for most of the arena entertainment during the game, but I think the intro video is an underrated factor in pumping up the crowd.
Q: Which teams will give the Raptors the most trouble in 2008-09?
A: Boston – Garnett is a beast, they’re too quick and deep. Perkins and Rasheed Wallace can cover Bargnani, and the Raps will still struggle to guard Ray Allen and Pierce. Calderon has the potential to be great, but Rondo will give him fits.
Really, any team with a huge frontcourt will be trouble, along with teams that have great scorers… Toronto has yet to prove they can stop those guys.
Q: Will Jarrett Jack play more minutes at point guard or shooting guard in 2009-2010?
A: Point guard – He’ll probably get 16 minutes at point guard each night, with less than 5 minutes behind the deep 2-guard rotation.
Q: What would make this coming season a failure?
A: With a pretty solid roster, anything under .500 seems like a pretty huge failure. Considering the widespread rage directed towards ESPN’s preseason rankings (Raptors 9th), it would suggest the fans also expect nothing less than a playoff appearance.
Bargnani regressing would also make the 2009-2010 season a disappointment. For the Raps to truly become contenders, their former No. 1 pick has to eventually become a star. If Bargnani plays the way he did in the second half last season, that’s huge for Toronto in the long run. His $10-million deal could potentially end up as a nice bargain, despite what many of the critics seem to think.
With Bryan Colangelo finally finished for the summer (unless the meaningless Marcus Banks deal eventually gets done), we can finally look towards the season. Still, even with a full roster in place, the kind of team we’ll see in Toronto is anybody’s guess. With that in mind, I asked my friend and fellow-fan Paul a whack of questions about the 2009-2010 season. Feel free to disagree with different answers:
Q: Who is the most important player for the success of the 2009-2010 Raptors?
A: Jose Calderon
Q: Which Raptors’ deal is the best value?
A: Rasho Nesterovic
Q: Which player will be a pleasant surprise in 2009-2010?
A: Antoine Wright
Q: Which player will be the biggest disappointment in 2009-2010?
A: Can I say Patrick O’Bryant? No? *pause* Amir Johnson.
Q: Who will be the top 3 scorers in 2009-2010 (in order)?
A: 1. Chris Bosh 2. Andrea Bargnani 3. Hedo Turkoglu
Q: How many minutes and points per game will Demar DeRozan average?
A: 23 mins, 9.5 points
Q: Who will start and backup the 2-guard spot on opening night? At the end of the season?
A: Opening night: Wright starting, DeRozan backing up… End of season: DeRozan starting, Wright backing up
Q: What will the big man rotation look like off the bench on opening night? At the end of the season?
A: Opening night: Rasho first, followed by Reggie Evans, followed by Johnson… End of season: Same
