Raptors Searching for Winning Formula

Zan in the Key

Fans Get it Right

The fan voting for All-Star games in sports has a tendency to go terribly wrong. Players get in who have name value and often the most deserving players do not make it.

Well, the fans got it right this year (at least in the East) where Kyle Lowry was voted in over Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat.

Kyle Lowry was voted into the All-Star game by the fans and found out with his teammates in Philly.

Nothing against Wade, he is actually having a decent year, but Lowry has been phenomenal. He is the heart and soul of the Raptors and has led them to top spot in the Atlantic Division and top three in the East.

He deserves to be there.

It was great timing to see the team receive this news while in Lowry’s hometown of Philadelphia. The team got together and watched the announcement live together at Lowry’s offseason home.

Kudos as well to Raptor Nation who came together at the 11th hour and helped Lowry overcome a huge deficit in votes to reach the spot as starter. If Bieber actually understood how twitter works Lowry would have won by a much larger margin.

Raptor fans are the best! We The North!

Finding the Right Formula

The Raptors had a rough home stand and got off to rough starts against both the Sixers and Pistons

Until Sunday night, DeMar DeRozan was not the same player that started this NBA season. In the first month of the season he looked like a sure-fire All Star before injuring his adductor longus tendon.

Before the injury DeRozan was hitting shots, driving the lane, getting to the foul line and making life incredibly difficult for opposing defences.

DeRozan has struggled since coming back, but is slowly beginning to find his form. He is a key for the raps going forward.

Since returning he hasn’t looked the same. He wasn’t able to get buckets in the lane, he was settling for jump shots and he wasn’t getting to the charity stripe (a huge part of his game).

The last two games have seen DeRozan play more like he did in the early part of the year. In the last two games he has scored 49 points and more importantly has taken 23 free throw attempts during those two wins. In the previous 7 games, since his return, he had only managed 22 free throw attempts. The difference has been huge.

Raptor fans are clearly going to have to be patient with DeRozan, but the signs are there that he is returning to form.

Not coincidently, the games that DeRozan has played at his best have ended in Raptor wins.

Shake it Up

The starting lineup has gone through a few incarnations this year with DeRozan hurt, but it may be time to shake it up on a more consistent basis. Terrence Ross has been far from his best the last few weeks in the starting five and may be better coming off the bench.

Amir Johnson might need a move as well.

This isn’t to say they are not useful players or that they don’t have a purpose late in games, but the raptors have been getting off to terrible starts (as they did on Friday and again last night) and cannot keep doing that. The Raps might be able to get away with a sloppy start against the Pistons or the Pacers, but there is no way they can do that down the stretch against teams they are fighting for position with.

Terrence Ross has been dreadful of late. There have been countless blogs out there bashing Ross and it’s hard to argue with many of them. He just hasn’t been effective. In fact, the last two games he played important valuable minutes coming off the bench. He still had opportunities to hit open threes and his defense looked sound against the second unit. He seems better suited to playing without the pressure.

Greivis Vasquez has been great when called upon to spot start for Terrence Ross. His three-point shooting opens the floor and he is able to allow Kyle Lowry more shot opportunities by playing the point. This might be the way to go moving forward.

Patrick Patterson, likewise, may have earned himself a starting spot as the “go-to” big for the Raptors. He is consistently closing out games for the team and might be a better choice to start them as well. He is defensively sound, makes smart plays and has the ability to really stretch the floor.

Despite his excellent play against the Pistons and again last night against the Pacers, Amir looks wounded to me. He could use a stint on the bench to get himself healthy and playing fewer minutes every game will keep him fresh come playoff time.

And1

Casey called out his team this week for a perceived lack of effort. Ross and Valanciunas have been the biggest targets of that anger, but as a whole the team seems to be waiting for the problems to fix themselves and they’ve consistently played down to the level of their opponent.

Casey was right to call them out. Since DeMar has come back this team seems to be on auto-pilot. They are going through the motions and possibly assumed that DeMar’s return would immediately rectify any issues they were having. It has not.

The Raptors responded against the Pistons and held on for a big victory, They looked much better last night on the road in Indiana but in the words of Chris Rock “that’s what you’re supposed to do”. The Raps are supposed to beat these teams, they shouldn’t be overly confident because of wins they are supposed to get. Now comes another stretch of games against inferior opponents. The team must take advantage of the schedule or risk falling in the East.

Flagrant 2

I want to start off by saying I think Dwane Casey has done a great job as coach of the raptors this season. He’s got the team working hard, he preaches defense and trusts his best players to make the winning plays at the end of the game.

But what the hell is doing with Jonas Valanciunas?

Jonas has been a consistently solid post presence for the Raptors and has been begging for more playing time, but his minutes have been consistently inconsistent. Even in a game where he is shooting over 50% he is pulled out for large stretches of the game, especially in the fourth quarter. This was the case again on Sunday where Casey yanked Jonas in the fourth quarter in favour of a smaller lineup, even though the “Big Lithuanian” was dominating the paint for the Raptors.

Yes, the matchup against a smaller Detroit team didn’t make sense during the fourth quarter, but Jonas earned those minutes. Casey should have put Jonas back in the game during the fourth quarter when Amir was struggling. Of course Amir hit the big free throws at the end of the game, but it should have been Jonas in the game.

This is a player the team is likely going to build with going forward. He is very hard to guard inside for most opponents and his defensive game is getting better.

Yes he gets into foul trouble (as he did last night), and yes he can become a little too “complainy” with the officials, but this is a 7″2′ monster inside the paint. He scorched the Pistons inside on Sunday night and then sat out the 4th quarter. He did the same against the Pistons on Jan. 12th and has the potential to do it to any team on any given night. The Raptors should be looking for Jonas early, as they did on Sunday night, and cannot forget about him in the second half.

Jonas deserves more time.

Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

The Big Picture

Sunday afternoon’s game 7 loss to the Nets is going to take some time to recover from. The franchise and its fans were so close to their second appearance in the NBA’s second round only to have it slip away in the final seconds of game 7. Over the next few days, weeks and months fans will look back and think about how one call, a couple free throws, a bounce here or there could have made the difference in deciding this series.

When the anger and sadness subside fans should focus on the positives that developed and on the road ahead. This team has a lot to look forward too and the next few months will be important ones in deciding where the team goes next.

While the outcome of this first round series wasn’t what anybody was hoping for, the young Raptors seem more ready and more determined than ever to get back to playoff basketball. Next time they’ll be ready too.

The 2014 playoffs and the ups and downs experienced by the Raptors young core will go a long way toward shaping the future of this franchise. Many positives presented themselves in this series.

DeMar DeRozan, arguably the team’s biggest star had his playoff coming out party. After years of missing the playoffs with the raps he finally made it to the postseason and did not disappoint. The All-Star got to the line, scored in bunches and put the team on his back numerous times. He was a fairly consistent threat and learned to adjust to the tight defensive style of basketball most teams use in the playoffs. He looked confident, he looked comfortable. Coming into this series there was serious concern about how DeRozan would adjust to playoff style basketball, but he looked right at home. The young star is now likely licking his chops for another chance. That’s exactly what the team wants.

Kyle Lowry solidified himself as the heart and soul of the Toronto Raptors. Going into the offseason it was already very likely that the organization would try to convince Lowry to stay long-term, but after his playoff performance it is now a certainty that Lowry will be asked to come back. Tim Leiweke, Masai Ujiri and MLSE are going to break the bank to keep him in town. Fans want him back, the players want him back and the organization now has little choice. The choice will be his.

For young players like Terrence Ross, Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson this experience was critical for their development going forward. All three players are set to be large parts of the Raptors future and all three got big minutes in this series. Amir and Jonas had occasional moments of brilliance and at times were the best players on the court. Jonas struggled in game 7, but overall he had a good series and gained the experience of matching up against the leagues elite. It is important for fans to focus on his game 1 success rather than his game 7 issues. He will need to learn to stay on the floor early on. He needs to control those fouls.

Terrence Ross had a rough series. His shot wasn’t falling, he was having trouble all series guarding Johnson and Pierce. He looked lost. Game 7 was his best performance. He looked more confident and his defensive play at the end of the fourth quarter gave the Raptors a chance to tie the game. He will get better. This series was a great learning experience for this team and his struggles will likely serve as a chip on his shoulder next year. He is going to want to get back into the playoffs to redeem himself.

The young Raptors were not supposed to make the playoffs this year. The original plan in the minds of most was to tank the season in hopes of landing Canadian college superstar Andrew Wiggins. Kyle Lowry was supposed to be a Knick. Yet after all that the team was able to hold on for the Atlantic Division title and take the veteran Nets to the limit.

It must also be said that the Raptors would have likely been quick fodder for the Miami Heat, as Brooklyn now looks to be. The Raptors season ended on a last second drive that fell just short, it could have ended in a second round sweep. The optics of losing a close series in round one are better than getting pummeled in round 2. The loss, in a weird way, may have ensured a more positive outlook to the season for the team and its fans. A crushing loss to the Heat in round two could have killed the confidence and momentum this team built during the regular season and first round. Instead fighting their way back from certain defeat in game 7 and giving themselves a chance to win the series on the last play of the game left the team and its fans feeling very positive about the future and how close they are to contention.

This season was a great success. The team learned to play together, Dwane Casey emerged as a strong reliable coach and young players stepped up. The young core of the Raptors is now in place and the team has this shared experience to draw on in the future. One they can all look back on together and spend the next year working to improve on.

Much like Vince Carter and the Raptors of 2001 were after their first playoff loss, the Raptors of 2014 are a team on the rise. With the right moves this off-season and hopefully the re-signing of a few key free agents this version of the raptors can surpass the success of their predecessors.

The young Raptors and “Jurassic Park” showed the NBA that Toronto is an NBA city to be reckoned with. The team certainly seems to be headed in the right direction.

While it’s easy to think of what could have been, the overall experience of being in the playoffs can only have positive results. These young players now know what it takes to win playoff games and they will all be better prepared next time they get there. The fans are now more hungry than ever for playoff basketball. “Jurasic Park” was the place to be during the first round. It was the talk of the NBA, mentioned on many broadcasts on both sides of the border and provided the Raptors with a definitive home court advantage.

Management now knows that it is time to take advantage of this new-found basketball frenzy and strike while the iron is hot. With a core consisting of DeRozan, Lowry and Valanciunas that has yet to hit its ceiling the organization can now afford to take its time to build the right way. Though it is likely that there will be some change in the roster, the plan has to be to keep these three together.

Fans in Toronto have legitimate reason to look forward. This team is young, talented and ready to strike in an Eastern Conference that is right for the taking.

The hurt we all felt on Sunday was real and it was deep, but there is every reason to believe there will be brighter days ahead. This is a team on the rise, now everyone knows it.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

Raptors Role Players Ready for Important Role

The Raptors may have been on the losing side of Saturday’s playoff opener, but definite positives emerged. While it was clear the “playoff jitters” got the best of the young Raptors, it was also clear that this game was still theirs for the taking and the series remains very much as well.

While much of the narrative coming out of Game 1 has been about DeMar DeRozan and his poor shooting and Amir Johnson and his inability to get going, the young Raptors did enjoy some strong playoff performances from their supporting cast.

Jonas Valanciunas looked right at home in his playoff debut. He played strong on the offensive end and tore down a record number of rebounds. He wasn’t intimidated by the older, more experienced Garnett. He fed off of his team, took advantage of his opportunities and may become a more significant player in this series. Not one of the Nets bigs could do much to contain Jonas.

We also saw Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson play significant minutes. While DeRozan was cold from the field, Vasquez was red-hot. He shot the ball extremely well, got to the line and looked really confident out there. Patterson shot 50% from the field and was given the unenviable task of guarding Paul Pierce in the second half.

The Raptor bench picked up the slack.

On Saturday Greivis Vasquez was a huge lift off the bench for the Raptors. On Tuesday Toronto will need a similar effort from their role players to even this series. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NBAE via Getty Images)

If Toronto is to get back into this series and ultimately win it, they will need a continued effort from their bench.

In the playoffs some stars play like stars and some don’t, but often the playoffs are when you need to rely on your depth, on your role players. The Raptors will need Vasquez and Patterson to continue their strong play. They will also need others to step forward. Tyler Hansbrough may be called upon for an energetic boost off the bench, Landry Fields may be asked to defend Paul Pierce or Joe Johnson and Steve Novak may need to hit some timely three pointers.

The most important player for the Raptors may very well be Terrence Ross. When the Raptors are winning games the ball is moving and it often ends up in the hands of a wide open Terrence Ross. With the Nets focused on stopping Kyle Lowry and making life difficult for DeMar DeRozan, they leave Ross open. On Saturday it was Vasquez that benefitted from the open looks (and he will continue to get them on the second unit), but Ross needs to get more looks early on.

Foul trouble shut down Ross early and he was never able to get it going. On Tuesday, he will be a key to a bounce back effort. He is a finisher for this Raptors team. While the defense focuses on DeRozan, Ross can emerge and take open shots or drive the net. When the Nets adjust, DeRozan will get his looks. Ross will be a key factor in any Raptor resurgence.

Every team, whether it was the Championship Bulls, Celtics, or Heat have relied on their role players. The Steve Kerr’s, the Eddie House’s and the Shane Battier’s have made names for themselves because of their ability to rise to the occasion when it mattered most.

Terrence Ross can be that player for Toronto.

Don’t get me wrong the Raptors still need DeMar to be better. They need Kyle Lowry to facilitate the offense and they need to keep feeding Jonas inside. Without their big stars doing their job, the Raptors are likely sunk, but in the playoffs solid performances from your stars aren’t enough. You need your role players.

On Twitter fans are frequently using the hashtag #15deep to describe this team. All season long they have needed their entire bench to win big games. They’ve needed different players to step up when another falters. The playoffs are not going to be different. The Raptors, to win this series, will need big performances from their role players. Rebounds, blocks, timely buckets and defensive stops. All can and will mean the difference between victory and defeat.

The Raptors possess a far stronger bench then their counterparts. While Vasquez and Patterson looked solid for the Raptors, Mason Plumlee, Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche were almost non-factors. Even Kevin Garnett was rendered ineffective by this Raptors squad. This needs to be used to their advantage.

So while many were lamenting the struggles of DeRozan and Amir (and the Raptors do need them to be better), there were some significant reasons to be optimistic.

Game 2 and beyond depend not on DeMar’s ability to rebound. He will be better, there is little doubt. The Raptors need to take greater advantage of their biggest asset: their secondary scoring in order to turn this series in their favour.

The Raptors bench is going to play a big part in this series. Vasquez and Patterson have already shown their worth in Game 1. Whether they continue to be the difference in game 2 or others step up, the Raptors will be leaning on their supporting cast.

This team got to where it is now by being a team of 15 deep. On Tuesday that’s exactly what they need to be.

Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

Raptors Ready for Big Test

No matter what has been said by anyone, this was not the first round matchup the Raptors were hoping for. Even if you choose to ignore the playoff history between these two teams (The Nets, behind Jason Kidd and Vince Carter, beating the Raptors in six games in 2007) or the massive difference in playoff experience (the Nets with a combined 459 playoff games played to the Raptors 94) the Nets are going to be a tough matchup. 

Brooklyn is a tough test for any team. They shoot well from the perimeter, something the Raptors have not had great success gaurding, and their team is full of older guys who understand the playoff atmosphere.

This the narrative you’re going to hear over and over again, especially if the Nets draw first blood on Saturday. Young vs. Old, Rookies vs. Veterans, Experience vs Inexperience. I’m sure the Raptors are sick of hearing about it. But still, that divide exists.

Brooklyn was built for the playoffs. Pierce, Garnett, Joe Johnson; this is what they live for and where they have had great success in the past. Even coach Jason Kidd, a rookie behind the bench, has a wealth of playoff experience to draw on. The Raptors don’t

This is not to suggest the Raptors should be counted out. They absolutely should not. Yes, many of the players will be making their playoff debuts on Saturday, but there is more here than meets the eye.

When looking at this current Raptors team it is easy to recall the ghosts of the past and beleive the trend of young Raptors teams losing in the playoffs will continue. Vince Carter and the Raptors couldn’t beat a veteran Knicks team they had dominated in the regular season. A young Chris Bosh couldn’t turn an Atlantic division title and 47 wins into a playoff victory against the veteran Nets in 2007. Every young team the Raptors have seen debut in the playoffs, have fallen short. Only one team in the franchise’s history has even made it out of the first round.

But this team isn’t like those other Raptor teams.

This team is deep. This team is built like a team and they have numerous weapons in their attack. In 2001 the Raptors relied heavily on Vince Carter and the veteran Knicks made life difficult for him. In 2007 the Nets knew Chris Bosh was the key to the Raptors’ team and they shut him down for their series. This year there are too many concerns for the Nets. Shut down DeMar DeRozan and you have to worry about Kyle Lowry. Shut down Lowry and you have to concern yourself with Terrence Ross, Jonas Valanciunas or Greivis Vasquez. After that you have to legitimatley worry about Amir Johnson, Tyler Hansborough and Patrick Patterson all of whom could play huge roles in this series.

This Raptor squad has a lot of different weapons to use and their strength is in their unselfish play. In every Raptor win this season ball movement and defensive play has been key. This Raptor squad likes sharing the ball. It is their unselfishness that makes them so dangerous to opposing teams. It’s not something they’re going to have to figure out how to do the way Carter did in 2001 and the way Bosh did in 2007. This team is already a well-oiled machine.

On paper the Raptors lead the Nets in a number of key statistics cheif among them Rebounding (Raps are 17th in the league while the Nets are 29th), defensive efficiency (10th) and field goal percentage. Of course, the games are not won or lost on paper, but this Raptors squad has something the teams of Raptor past did not.

They have the will to win.

At the beginning of the year this team wasn’t expected to do much more than fight for the first overall pick in the upcoming entry draft. When Rudy Gay was traded half way through the season it seemed clear that this team wasn’t going to be a contender. Following that deal the Raptors played some of the best basketball in the association. They found the right recipie to win.

Kyle Lowry was cemented as the leader of the franchise. He was no longer looking over his shoulder and the franchise put their faith in his talent and ability to lead. DeMar DeRozan, after the Rudy Gay trade, was finally free. He was the focal point on the offensive end and didn’t have to share touches with anyone else. Jonas Valanciunas was given more and more court time and responsibility and his game began to develop especially in the last month of the season. Amir Johnson got some help up front and was no longer being asked to carry the load for an entire 48 minutes. The team added a bench. A motley crew of characters that could, in the end, be the difference between winning and losing this series.

The Raptors are ready. This Atlantic division title wasn’t a fluke. It was the product of hard work, of playing together and of focusing on the big picture.

Come Saturday, the Raptors will look across the court and see a team that is more experienced than them, a team that has won championships, one that they are not supposed to beat. But the Raptors have heard that all season.

They weren’t supposed to make the playoffs, they weren’t supposed to win the division and they definitely were not expected to be one of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference, but here they are.

The Raptors are faster, tougher, they shoot better, defend better and rebound better and, most importantly, they play together.

On Saturday, the Nets will look across the court and see a team beyond its years. A team hungry for playoff victory and one that is very capable of bringing home a win.

While this likely wasn’t the matchup the Raptors were hoping for it is certainly one they are up for.

Get ready for one hell of a series!

Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

Raptors Return Home for Important Stretch

It seems like every season the Raptors hobble back from their Western road trip a tired and beaten team. Last season the early Western road trip was, arguably the nail in the coffin for the Raptors playoff hopes. This season they return home after a tough western road trip tired, but not beaten.

Even the most optimistic fan would have been happy with a 3-2 record on this trip, so 2-3 isn’t bad considering the quality of their opponents. But this trip came at such a crucial time in the Raptors schedule. The next 10 to 15 games could decide the playoff fate of this team.

The Raptors will play at home for the last two games before the All-star break and play 8 out of their next 10 at the ACC. Of those next ten games, six of them are against conference rivals that they will be battling for position in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

It is important for the Raps to be healthy and ready for those games.

For the first time this season the team is looking a little worse for wear. Amir Johnson and DeMar DeRozan are fighting nagging injuries. Kyle Lowry has been bothered by a knee issue lately and the team is coming off a long road trip.

Late nights, time zone changes and lots of flying can take its toll on a team at this stage in the season, especially a young one, but the Raptors need to fight through this rough patch. The next 10 games will go a long way toward deciding if they are a playoff contenders or pretenders.

The asset the Raptors have going for them right now is depth. They are a far deeper team than they were a year ago and have used this asset to their advantage since the ‘Rudy Gay trade’. Dwane Casey has used a tight 9 man rotation most nights and seems very confident with this group. As the season continues he may have to dig deeper than was originally thought. We may see a lot more of Landry Fields and Steve Novak. Julyan Stone and Chuck Hayes may be needed to take some minutes away from overworked starters.

The coaching staff may have to make moves in the starting lineup, trading Amir for Patterson or Hansborough on a given night to help keep the legs on this team fresh and ready for battle. Young players like Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross have only gone through a complete NBA season once and certainly not playing the amount of minutes they are currently playing. Rest may be needed. Players that haven’t been logging very many minutes may be called into duty.

On this road trip we saw a lot more of Steve Novak than we have in a long while. I would expect this to be something we see more of as the season wears on. He came in ready to play and played valuable minutes during the trip. Having a strong veteran presence at the end of the bench (Novak, Fields, Hayes) may become an unexpected benefit.

The Raptors have given it everything they could over the first two chapters of this season and they are in a great position because of it, but they are going to have to use every weapon available to them to finish out the stretch.

On paper, the hardest part of the season may seem to be over, but the reality is, it only gets harder from here.

***
Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

Power Forward: Once a Weakness, Now a Strength

The Players

Amir Johnson

Tyler Hansbrough

Quincy Acy

Rudy Gay

The Toronto Raptors have always had issues up the middle. They’ve always seemed to be a little too soft. Not enough rebounding. Not enough scoring. And when the franchise finally got the All-Star calibre power forward it had looked for he chose to leave for greener pastures in South Beach.

The Raptors have never had luck when it has come to the power forward position. Whether drafting Rafael Araujo or the Andrea Bargnani experiment, the Raptors have always seemed to be let down by the position. A spot on the court where they were simply outplayed, outclassed and frequently beaten.

Scoring, rebounding, blocks and fouls have always (Bosh or no Bosh) been an issue at the 4.

Until last year.

Amir Johnson, he of the large contract, showed his value to the franchise. He was, arguably, the best player on this Raptors team on both sides of the ball. His defence was stellar. Maybe not a noticeable aspect of his game, but the Raptors had a defensive efficiency rating of 104.9 when Amir was on the floor last year. Not bad at all, especially when you compare it to the rating when he wasn’t on the floor.

Amir seemed to be all things for the Raptors last year. He scored at an impressive rate, was the teams best offensive rebounder and ran the pick n’ roll with great efficiency. He is also, unquestionably, the teams most popular player.

Amir Johnson hasn’t just been spectacular on the court, he’s made himself a fan favourite off the court as well with his regular appearance at Toronto’s “Zombie Walk”.

Amir wasn’t the most prolific scorer on the team, but he was the most efficient. If he can continue to keep himself on the floor, he is going to be a very dangerous player. The Raptors ranked in the top ten for offensive efficiency when he was on the floor. They were not nearly that good without him.

Once upon a time Amir was thought to be a terrible contract. A mistake. A classic overpriced, rich summer contract, but over the last year he has shown to be a bargain on both sides of the floor. He has not only played up to his contract he has surpassed it.

Amir’s contract now looks like a bargain compared to others in the league and he should continue to prove his value this season. If he stays out of foul trouble he’ll likely be able to repeat the success of this past year.

With continued efficiency, Amir might even be (GASP) an All-Star consideration.

Backing him up is the Raptors big free agent acquisition Tyler Hansbrough. His physical presence has been well documented. It remains to be seen how he fits into the Raptors rotation, but his skill set is something the Raptors have been lacking since the days of Oakley.

Hansbrough brings toughness and strength to the ball club. Players are no longer going to have an easy path to the basket. Hansbrough uses his fouls. If he fouls you, he’s gonna make it worth his while. In many ways, he is the anti-Bargnani. He can’t hot a three ball, not does he have a beautiful looking shot, but he does rebound. He blocks shots, fouls opponents hard in the paint and shows no fear (Metta World Peace aside).

He has always been a player you hate to play against, but fans may feel differently about him now that he is on our side. When he was acquired from Indiana, GM Masai Ujiri had this to say: “I’m tired of people who come here and call the team soft or pushovers and all those stupid names…Come to Canada and you come to play…That’s the identity we are trying to build. This is our team and we’re going to be tough out there.”

It is clear that Hansbrough’s addition was one that was meant to send a message to the fans, the franchise and most importantly the opposing teams.

Hansbrough brings something the Raptors haven’t had in years. He brings a work ethic that needs to find its way through the locker room. Teams that play the Tyler Hansbrough way usually win games. That is what Masai Ujiri hopes to accomplish.

Hansbrough could be the catalyst for a culture change in the city. Fans are going to love him and so will his teammates, because he is the type of player that can energize a crowd with a block, a steal, a hard foul in the paint or a loose ball being corralled.

The Raptors even have matchup opportunities at the 4. With Rudy Gay the Raptors possess the potential to really spread the floor. Rudy, who will usually find himself at the 3 spot, can slide over to the 4 when the Raptors go small. He possesses an impressive ability to change positions and force the opposition to alter their game plan.

The Raptors finally seem to have an advantage where there wasn’t one before. They can exploit matchups at the 4, go big or go small. With Tyler Hansbrough, Rudy Gay and Quincy Acy backing up Amir, the Raptors can switch up their game plan in a variety of ways.

Not since the early years of Chris Bosh have the Raptors had it so good at the 4. In fact, there is an argument to be made that they are better off now at the position than they ever have been.

Opposing teams are going to have to really do their homework when matching up against the Raptors.

The toughness Ujiri was looking for over the summer, appears to now be in place.

Watch out.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

Raptors Set to Be Tough Matchup in the Paint

In our first season preview we will look at the Center position in Toronto and how it will likely impact the Raptors 2013-14 season.

The Players

Jonas Valanciunas

Aaron Gray

Amir Johnson 

 

This is one of the first years in recent memory that Raptor fans have a reason to be optimistic when looking at the battles they will have in the paint.  For years, the Raptors have had issues rebounding the ball and blocking shots. They’ve been unable to establish any kind of dominance in the paint and teams have generally taken them to school  in that area.

With the addition of Jonas Valanciunas last year the Raptors became a better rebounding and shot blocking team.  They have a huge presence in the paint and one who is very capable on both ends of the floor.

The league has seen a decrease in the amount of large centers over the years.  The days when teams all had mammoth players occupying the defensive lane are gone.  Shaq has retired, so has Alonzo Mourning.  Those kind of centers aren’t around to battle with anymore.

In Valanciunas, the Raptors have a clear advantage over many teams in the East simply based on size.  Valanciunas is one of the biggest centers in the league and has and will continue to provide matchup issues for opposing teams.

Sure Tyson Chandler is a strong defensive presence in NY and Al Jeffereson is a nice addition in Charlotte, Tristan Thompson is a solid player in Cleveland, but I would argue, other than Roy Hibbert, Jonas Valanciunas matches up admirably with every center in the Eastern Conference.  The fact that he is much younger than all of these players is a huge bonus for the Raptors and will likely have major impacts moving forward.

Jonas had a successful first year in the league.  Despite being overlooked for the rookie/sophomore game at the All-star beak he was named to the All-Rookie 2nd team and was named the MVP of this years summer league.

It is clear that Valanciunas is still developing his skills, but if he turns a corner this year, the Raptors could have one of the more dominant big men in the league.

Valanciunas is one of the keys to the Raptors playoff hopes this season. His ability to become one of the leagues dominant centers will be one of the major stories to follow in Raptorland.

Last season served as a learning experience, but this year Valanciunas will be given added responsibility on both ends of the floor and will likely be a top option on offense for the Raps.

He needs to become more of an option on the offensive end.  Lowry needs to look for Jonas in the post and needs to hit him off the pick and roll.  This is where Jonas was most effective last year.  According to this guest post at Raptors Republic his numbers in those areas were relatable to some of the best centers in the league. With this kind of accuracy, Jonas needs to become a first or second option on offense for Toronto.

That will be the big transition for him this season.  Last year he was a young player finding his way.  This year he needs to take the next step and establish himself as the primary or secondary option for this franchise.  This is a bold step to make, but one other young bigs (Roy Hibbert and Kevin Love) were able to make before him.

This is the year we find out how far Jonas’s star will rise.  Will he be an All-Star candidate? A member of the sophomore team at the All-Star break? Will he continue his development and become more dominant on both sides of the court? Is he in the upper echelon of Centers in this league?

This is the year we will find out exactly what kind of player Jonas is going to become.

Backing him up is the serviceable and dependable Aaron Gray.  He likely won’t see major minutes as coach Casey will likely slide Amir Johnson over to the center position when Jonas isn’t on the floor.

The other key this year will be keeping Valanciunas on the floor for as long as possible and minimizing the foul trouble. With Jonas on the court Toronto is a much better team.  The development he shows this year will likely be the difference between competing for a playoff spot and preparing for the lottery.

The key to the Raptors season likely lies in the hands of Valanciunas.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar

Colangelo’s Future a Matter of Perspective

Sometime in the coming days Raptors current GM and President Bryan Colangelo will sit down with the new man in charge at MLSE and plead his case for being allowed to continue as the man in charge of Canada’s only NBA basketball team.

No matter what side of the argument you are on it is hard to ignore Colangelo’s credentials and impossible to forget the last 5 years in Toronto without playoff basketball.

Some will argue he is the best man out there for the job and his recent moves in acquiring Rudy Gay and drafting Jonas Valanciunas have the ship pointed in the right direction, while others will point to his failures to get this team over the hump and that fresh blood is needed to take this team  to new heights.

There are two arguments when it comes to Colangelo and his future in Toronto:

The Glass is Half Full

Bryan Colangelo wasn’t able to build a winner around Chris Bosh, but since CB4’s departure for the beaches of Miami he has done an adequate job putting together a young, exciting core.  The young players on the team right now from Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, Amir Johnson and Rudy Gay seem to indicate that this team is on the cusp of playoff basketball.  In fact, the optimist would argue that if not for  losing 12 out of 13 games in Nov/Dec they would have been right in the mix for the 7th and 8th spot in this year’s playoffs.

Colangelo knows how to draft talent.  He caught hellfire for drafting Jonas Valanciunas with the 5th pick two years ago and there is not one person who would argue with that pick today.  Valanciunas is one of the better young big men in the league and the sky appears to be the limit for him.  Most GM’s wouldn’t have had the courage to take Jonas at that spot, Bryan did.  His drafting of DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross, Quincy Acy and Ed Davis have all resulted in serviceable NBA talent.  His drafting record is better than most GM’s out there.  The only major blemish on his resume is the drafting of Andrea Bargnani first overall in 2006, though that was the same year the big Italian helped the Raptors win and Atlantic division championship.

Colangelo cleans up the mess he creates and constantly looks to improve his team.  He was creative when adding talent to lineup with Chris Bosh in his tenure here and has been fairly successful in acquiring young talent and manageable contracts since Bosh departed.  The Raptors are not handcuffed by the NBA salary cap and have flexibility to add talent and make trades.  There are no “untradeable contracts” on this current roster.

With the addition of Rudy Gay the Raptors now possess a big name talent that can recruit other top-notch players here and one that can finally be depended on in crunch time.  Since Gay was added to the roster, the team has begun to find itself and gel.  The Raptors were one of the better teams in the closing weeks of the season. The team seemed to finally “click” and looked like a team that could compete in the Eastern Conference.  Given a full year of this young squad the raptors are likely playoff contenders.

If the Raptors go out there and take a look, there aren’t many who can do the job Colangelo can.  He has built an interesting young team and should be allowed to see the fruits of his labour.  The Raptors are a team that need a little bit more time to gel and build on the success they finished the 2012-13 campaign on.

Colangelo’s fate President and GM of the Raptors will be decided this week.

The team that Bryan has built is one on the rise, he deserves another year to see it reach the heights it is capable of.

The Glass is Half Empty

Colangelo has been in charge of the Raptors for seven seasons and has not seen the 2nd round of the playoffs once. Yes, he led this team to an Atlantic division championship in his first year on the job, but failed miserably to build a contender around star Chris Bosh.  He then failed to get anything of value for Bosh, whom he knew was leaving as a free agent.

Since Bosh left he hasn’t made any significant progress.  Yes he acquired Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry, but in a difficult Eastern Conference this team appears to be a treadmill team at best.  This young squad does not match up against the elite teams in the East and never will with this collection of players as its “core”.

Other than Jonas Valanciunas, Colangelo has never acquired an elite young player that could be considered a future star.  Amir Johnson is great, Rudy Gay is interesting, DeMar DeRozan is pretty okay. Name one of those players (other than Rudy) that would be a starting player on one of the top four Eastern Conference teams.

Then there is Bargnani.  Whether it is fair or not Colangelo will forever be judged by the Bargnani draft pick.  It was the franchise’s one and only first overall pick and it has been, simply put, a colossal failure.  Colangelo went against traditional logic to choose Bargnani. Though he looked like a future star after year one, other than a few months in the 2010-11 season, he hasn’t been able to become the star the Raptors need.  In recent years he’s been injured and when he is on the court he doesn’t rebound, hangs out on the three-point line and doesn’t seem to put in the necessary effort to succeed in the league.

The failures of Bargnani, fair or not, are directly tied to the future of Bryan Colangelo.

Pimply put, Colangelo should be judged on playoff performance. Any other GM who misses the playoffs for five years in a row and has a collection of players that may or may not compete for the 8th spot in the East (if their really, really good) doesn’t deserve to keep their job.

In closing, the Colangelo dilemma is a difficult one with solid arguments on both sides of the issue, but in the end it will be left in the hands of new MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke to decide whether this is a team on the rise or one that has already reached the heights of which it is capable.

Based on the success Leiweke has had in his career with the Kings, Galaxy and Lakers he is a guy Raptor fans should trust with this decision, no matter which way he goes.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

–

Follow us:

@zantabakherald
@kpedlar

Is This Recent Run Reason for Optimisim?

Raise your hand if you’ve been hopeful about a strong finish to a Raptors season in the past?

I know I have.

The Raptors, over the years, have had a knack for missing the playoffs with months of excruciating play, only to finish the year strong and make you think that next year might be different.

Call it a season ticket drive to the finish, call it finally living up to expectations, call it playing well against lesser opponents.  It creates a confusion in the fan base.

DeRozan has been a bright spot for the Raptors as they finish the season strong. Is a strong finish enough for fans to beleive?

Is this the real Toronto Raptors? or ar they the team that has been outplayed, outmuscled, and out manned all season long?

I don’t want to have to pull out the definition of insanity here, but this is beginning to become a bit of recurring theme.

The Raptors have played well this past week.  Another impressive victory on Sunday against a hungry Nets team.  It is true, the pressure has been off, the opponents have largely been weaker and the results have been better.  Is this recent run of good play an indication of what this team is truly made of? Or are they getting our hopes up again, like they do every year?

Fans could be forgiven for thinking this might be a sign of what this team will look like next year.  The fan base is looking for any sign of hope and winning a number of games over this last week of the season is certainly a way to provide that hope.  Kyle Lowry is finally looking like the player he was advertised to be, Rudy Gay is hitting big shots, DeRozan is looking like a star and the team is playing better defensive basketball than they have all season.

I know the Raptors are selling us all on the 17 reasons to renew our season seats for next year, but is this really what we are going to get? Or is this just a young team taking advantage of playoff teams resting their stars and teams playing out the schedule?

Jonas Valanciunas is, in my opinion, the big reason one should consider renewing season tickets, if you’re looking for another, the Raptors are starting to provide it with their recent play.

One needs to be wary of putting too much emphasis on success in such a small sample size.  I mean, Bargnani had that great stretch last year and  some Raptor fans (myself included) expected that level of play this year.  Of course, we know how that played out.

It’s been five years since the Raptors reached the promised land of the playoffs, is this run enough to make fans start forking over their loonies and toonies to watch again next year? Is it enough to believe that the front office can make a couple of tweaks to the roster and get this team into the playoffs?

Jonas Valanciunas is definitely one of the 17 reasons you should check out the Raptors next season. The question is are there really 16 others?

The Raptors acquired Rudy Gay ( a bona-fide star), they have some nice young pieces with reasonable contracts, but they haven’t been able to put it all together. Though I have a hard time believing that this team isn’t better than the current Milwaukee Bucks.

A full season of Jonas Valanciunas as the starting centre is going to make a difference next year as will a full season of Rudy Gay, but it remains unclear whether that is going to be enough to get this team back into the playoffs. On the surface it would appear that this young team is finally figuring each other out, that they are finally clicking.

Lowry is running the point well, Rudy Gay and DeRozan have finally found a nice balance and the rest of the team is playing their role well.  This run of games seems to indicate that the Raps have finally figured themselves out.

Kyle Lowry (the big off-season acquisition last summer) hasn’t really come as advertised this season.  He has had trouble figuring out when to drive, shoot or pass. His leadership on the court hasn’t led to great decisions and much of the year Casey deferred to Jose Calderon.  Though over the last week or so, he seems to have found a nice balance while running the team.  Which Kyle Lowry do we expect to see next year?

DeMar DeRozan has had a decent season and should be applauded for playing every single game, but is he a player to build around? The same could be said for Amir Johnson, another solid member of the team, but one that might be expendable.

Who do the Raptors keep going into next year? Where do they look for an upgrade?

Is the team, as it is right now, good enough to compete like this next season in an Eastern Conference that is sure to see upgrades?

A lot of what happens going forward is going to depend on whether Bryan Colangelo and Dwane Casey keep their jobs, but a change might be in order for this club.  This young core, one that looked great on paper at the beginning of the year, hasn’t delivered the way it was supposed to. They have been better this final week, but how much can be made of this finish to the season?  The Raptors have looked much better the last 5 games.  Getting to the line, driving the ball and not settling for jump shots.  Their defensive energy has increased as well. They’ve returned to their “pound the rock” effort on defense from last season.

With no draft pick in this years entry draft and very little money to spend in free agency, the team is going to have to be creative when adding pieces to the club next year.  The team possesses many tradeable contracts and will need to make smart moves to improve the team for next year.  They re still a solid defensive player and a strong veteran reserve presence short of being competitive.

While the front office will continue to tout the 17 reasons to tune into the Raptors next year, the team is going to have to do a lot of work this off-season to legitimately prove they are a contender next season.

It has been five long years without playoff basketball in this city.  It is time to take the next step.

The Raptors of 2013-14 are going to have to channel the Raptors of this past week in order to slip into the playoff picture next year.  Let’s hope the Raptors of the past 6 games can bring it for all 82 next year.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

–

Follow us:

@zantabakherald
@kpedlar

Raptors Need to Finish Strong

It is hard at this point in a lost season to find the motivation to put it all on the floor.  There doesn’t seem to be anything important to play for, other than pride and individual stats, but the Toronto Raptors would be wise to finish the year as strong as they possibly can.

Another loss in Charlotte on Wednesday night is not the kind of effort that is going to instill any faith in this franchise going forward. Despite recent losses there are still a number of talented young players on this team that need to prove to the fan base in Toronto that there is something about this team worth holding onto going into, what could be, a very tumultuous offseason.

There are a number of reasons to finish this season as strong as possible.

Fight for your fan base. Firstly the franchise owes it to the fans to provide a glimmer of hope.  Season ticket holders are mulling over their renewal options right now and fans are trying to figure out whether this team, one that has missed the postseason for 5 straight years, is worthy of the expense.  A late season surge and impressive play from the young Raptors core could help provide the glimmer of hope the franchise is going to need to pedal tickets to buyers in the offseason.  A strong finish will also help to convince fans that this team really is a playoff team if given a full year of Rudy Gay.  If nothing else, a strong end to the year will provide the paying public with a reason to come down the ACC and get their money’s worth between now and the end of the season.

Fight for your spot. The Raptor roster for next year is not anywhere near set and the Raptor players need to establish themselves as part of the core  heading into what will very surely be an interesting off-season.  No body is a slam dunk to return next year outside of (maybe) Jonas Valanciunas.  DeRozan, Amir, Gay, Lowry all of whom seemed like integral pieces coming into the season are tradeable assets that could be moved depending on what direction the franchise decides to take moving forward.  It is imperative this group show their worth. Most do make up what Bryan Colangelo feels will shape the core of the team going forward, but all have contracts that are very moveable if the right offer presents itself.

Fight for vindication.  A strong finish, perhaps reaching as high as ninth in the conference won’t only prove this team is worthy of playoff predictions heading into next year, it will also ensure that Toronto will not lose a high first round draft pick.  The higher the Raptors finish, the less likely it is that OKC receives a high draft choice in the pick they own from Toronto as a result of the Kyle Lowry trade.  A lottery victory or mid-first round pick for OKC would provide Tyler Seguin level embarrassment for the Raptors.  They need to finish as high as possible to make sure the lost draft choice is one that doesn’t hurt the franchise or provide embarrassment for their front office.

Jonas Valanciunas represents the future of the Toronto Raptors and strong play between now and the end of the year could provide a glimmer of hope for frustrated fans.

Fight for the Future.  The word finally came down from the mouth of Dwane Casey himself, that the Raptors intend to play Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross more now that the playoff push is over.  With the youngsters getting a longer look it is important to tout the future of the franchise.  Jonas Valanciunas is a player that excites the fan base.  He is beginning to show more confidence and skill in his increased playing time.  On Wednesday in Charlotte he looked solid inside bringing down 7 rebounds and pouring in 18 points on 54% shooting.  There is legitimate hope for his future in Toronto and now is a great time to play into that.  Let the fans know this is a team on the rise and that there is a franchise player to get behind.  It worked in the early days of Vince and Bosh and it should work now.  Sell the future.

Fight for your employers.  Whether the Raptors know it or not, they are still fighting for the future employment of both Dwane Casey and Bryan Colangelo.  Colangelo doesn’t have a contract next season and has missed the playoffs for five straight years.  His job is in danger unless he can sell the fan base and the MLSE board that Rudy Gay gives this team a legit shot at the playoffs next season.  Casey has one year left in his contract, but hasn’t led the Raptors to the playoffs and his substitution pattern has been bizarre at times this season.  He’s also recently taken issues with the use of analytics by the team after a recent Grantland feature by Zach Lowe brought light to the issue.  Though, according to Michael Grange, the team denies there is any friction, but it is still very possible Casey is playing out his last days here in Toronto.  With a few more wins and strong play from the rookies, Casey could be given another shot at the end of the season depending on what happens with Colangelo.  If the players want the current coaching staff to stick around, they need to pile on some wins.

The Raptors need to show the organization, its fans and the front office exactly what is in place here for next season and prove that there is reason to believe the Raptors playoff drought is on its way to being over.

Otherwise this summer could once again be filled with change and rebuilding.  Something that will not sit well with an increasingly impatient fan base.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

–

Follow us:

@zantabakherald
@kpedlar