Time to Get Excited Raptor Fans

If you watched the Raptors defeat the Pacers last night, and if you’ve been paying at least some attention to the team of late, you could be forgiven for thinking this team has a chance to make some noise in the Eastern Conference this year.

The Raptors have been playing exciting basketball. They’re sharing the ball, playing with intensity on the defensive end and as a result have surprised some pretty strong teams. Games that look like losses on paper have turned into wins and slowly the Raptors have creeped up the standings of the Eastern Conference and now sit in 4th but poised to go higher.

This wasn’t how the season was supposed to go. The plan before the season (in the eyes of the fans anyway) was to lose as many games as possible and increase the odds of drafting a high pick. This is the year home town hero Andrew Wiggins is pegged as a top three pick and adding him would almost surely lead to a brighter future and increased ad revenue. Tank Nation has been a constant and loud presence for most of the season, but are now growing quiet.

The ACC is alive again thanks to the Raptors recent play. Fans should embrace this raptor resurgence.

The Rudy Gay trade was supposed to be the first domino. The dumping of a big name with a big salary and the acquisition of expiring contracts and younger players. Losing Rudy was supposed to start the downward spiral that would hopefully end with a top three pick in the 2014 draft.

But something has happened since then. The Raptors have found themselves, individually and collectively, and are playing their best basketball in years.

Without Rudy dominating the offensive sets others have stepped up to contribute. We are finally seeing Jonas Valancunas getting consistent touches in the paint. Terrence Ross has been given the opportunity to play regular minutes and DeMar DeRozan is being asked to carry this team on his back in the late stages of close games.

All have answered the challenge.

The team is responding. The depth acquired in the Rudy Gay deal means everyone in the rotation has a very defined role on either side of the ball.

Most importantly Kyle Lowry has risen to the occasion. A player, often criticized for his quick trigger and inability to get others involved in the offense, has transformed into a team leader. He is sharing the ball, getting his teammates involved and is setting the tone on the defensive end.

You could be forgiven for writing this year off. Many of us did. But now it is time to embrace this team. They are playing exciting basketball and have a chance to do something no Raptor team has been able to do since 2001; win a playoff series.

Get down to the ACC, wear your jersey and cheer this team on. For the first time in way too long fans in Toronto have a team that seems more than capable of making the postseason and maybe going farther than that.

Whether or not you believe the current direction of the Raptors is the right one for the franchise in the long-term, you should let yourself enjoy the ride the team is currently on.

The city is buzzing about the Raptors for the first time in I don’t know how long. The team is fun to watch again and the ACC (if Wednesday’s game against Indiana is any indication) is back to being one of the best places to watch a game live.

Get on the bandwagon! There’s plenty of room.

***
Kristoffer Pedlar
Zan Tabak Herald

Where Do We Go From Here?

These are dark days for the Raptors and their fans.  Things have gone from bad, to worse, to downright awful really fast.  The Raptors now find themselves way out of contention and without many positives to rest their hat on.  Losses are piling up and the patience of the fan base is at an all-time low.  It’s getting Babcock bad.

Another loss in Portland, in what is fast becoming one of the worst road trips in recent memory, did nothing to instill any confidence in this team.

Raptor fans are openly wondering whether the team should “blow it up” and trade everyone with any ounce of value for whatever exchange they can get on the dollar and start fresh.  Or do they keep a select few of the young stars and try to retool for next season?

For the first time in his tenure as Raptor President and GM, Bryan Colangelo is facing the real possibility of being let go.

Fire the GM, fire the coach, trade all the players.  All of these bold suggestions have been made.

Many believe Bargnani is at the root of the problem and that he should be moved.  It is hard to argue with that logic as he has been disappointing at the best of times.  A change of scenery might be exactly what the doctor ordered for everyone involved.  There is still a good player in that seven-foot frame, but he will not become that player here.

But what becomes of everyone else? This isn’t the situation a lot of them signed up for.

Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have shown themselves to be solid, dependable NBA players.  Players that would be welcome on any team, but also players that are still very young and could fit into the plans of a rebuilding club.

To make matters worse, this team doesn’t have a first round pick unless they finish with one of the top three selections.  So the draft isn’t even a guaranteed option.

So what to do?

The GM, the one that makes the decisions, is not signed to a contract past this summer and is unlikely to earn a renewal if this debauchery keeps up. What do you do with him? Fire him now? give him the rest of the year?

And what becomes of Dwane Casey? He was brought in only a year ago to fix the Raptors defense and to turn this team into a defensively sound unit.  Is it his fault he couldn’t turn Bargnani into Dirk Nowitzki? Is it his fault he had to build a defensive system around Jose Calderon? Shouldn’t he get the benefit of the doubt here?

The Raptors have a lot of questions and there are not easy answers.

They could look for trades where they bring back older veteran players with expiring contracts. Try to make a run at a game changer like Pau Gasol and attempt to turn this ship around.  They could bust out their “tank Nation” flags and try to muster up enough luck to bring in Shabazz Muhammad.

No matter which route they choose, the fans are gonna rebel.  Even without the NHL attendance will likely drop if the Raptors “blow it up”.

It says here that there is a lot of basketball to be played yet and the Raptors should consider holding on to Lowry, DeRozan and Jonas long-term.  Trade any and all others for picks, young players and expiring contracts and hope the season turns around.  Try to sneak into the playoffs or get close enough that the lost draft pick doesn’t hurt so much.

Trade Bargnani.  Or maybe better put: Free Bargnani.  let him go somewhere where there isn’t so much pressure.  Where he can just blend in, come off the bench and be a small part of a bigger puzzle. The fans are done with him and he doesn’t deserve to be berated in his home arena.  A change of scenery to anywhere else will do him and this team a world of good.

Casey has not had a successful second season as the head man for the Raptors, but despite the terrible year, he deserves another shot.

Keep Casey.  When he was brought here, he was asked to turn water into wine.  He was asked to bring his defensive system that worked wonders for the World Champion Mavericks and build it around Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon.  It just didn’t work.  He didn’t have a Tyson Chandler to back up Bargnani, he didn’t have a Shawn Marion to take on the best offensive players on opposing teams.  He could not turn Jose Calderon into Jason Kidd, he couldn’t turn Bargnani in Dirk. He was asked to do too much.  He needs to be given a chance to work with better players.  It was only one short year ago that fans were calling for Casey to be among the COY candidates.

It takes longer than a year to implement a systematic change, especially when the players you have don’t fit the mould of that system.

Give him another year.

Let Colangelo go.  He needs to fall on his sword for this team.  He put them together, he hasn’t gotten results. I know he will not be out of work long and there may not be a significantly better replacement out there, but he needs to take the fall for the team.  In the end, he is responsible for the shortcomings of this team.

Acquire draft picks.  There is no guarantee, no matter where we end up in the standings, that our pick won’t land  in OKC, so get a few more, stock up and get as many good young players as you can.

Don’t lose hope.  It’s hard not to in these dark days, but at the end of the dark tunnel is light, however slight it might be.  Jonas Valanciunas is going to be a good NBA talent. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are solid NBA talents.  Enjoy watching them for however long they remain Raptors. Draft picks are on the horizon and capspace is likely in the forseeable future.

Things will get better, they have to.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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***

Raptors Season a Step in the Right Direction

I’ve taken my time in writing a year-end review for the Raptors.  There are things that have already been said much better than I and at the end of the day I’m not really sure how I even feel about the way this season transpired.

The Raptors were not a great team.  They lost a lot of games.  Hell, they lost twice to the lowly Charlotte Bobcats (quite possibly the worst team in history).  They missed the playoffs again and did not secure a great chance at a top three pick.

Still, I’m a “glass is half full” kind of guy and I still feel the team had enough positive this season to be hopeful for the future.

While we saw problems with the club like the lack of a bona fide star, poor wing play for most of the season and a rash of injuries, we also saw marked improvement in a number of areas.  Our defense was much improved, some unexpected players stepped up to show they belong here and our coaching staff showed that they can strategize with the best in the league.

Overall it was a tough year, but one that has given the fan base reason to beleive next year is going to be better.

Zan for Three

My Captain, My Captain

It was clear early in the year that Dwane Casey was going to be the voice of this team.  He addressed the media at every turn and preached the same philosophies over and over.  He talked about “building a culture”, improving the team defence and to keep working hard.  His mantra “pound the rock” was adopted by each of his players and became a rallying cry throughout the year in the locker room, interviews and on twitter.  In wins and difficult losses his players continued to stick to the plan.

The turnaround in this team is most notable on the defensive side of the ball.  Last year the Raptors ranked near the bottom in all defensive statistics.  This year they finished 9th in points allowed, 8th in Opponents field goal percentage, and 5th in opponents three-point field goal percentage.  They were also significantly improved in their rebounding numbers, soemthing that has plagued them since Charles Oakley left town. 

A nice improvement in a number of defensive areas.  What is also a credit to the coaching staff is that these improvements materialized all with a back court that many thought was too weak on the defensive end.

Who then should be credited with the turnaround?  Look no further than the coach and his staff.

Dwane Casey had a successful first year in charge of the Raptors. His message was simple and consistent and it stuck with his players. He has successfully changed the culture in Toronto.

Casey was able to mask the defensive shortcomings of Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani (two players that everyone thought were hopeless on the defensive end) in his zone defense and turned the Raptors into a tough team to score against.

The effort Casey put forth helped make Bargnani a top-tier player during the first half of the season and helped rejuvenate the career of Jose Calderon.

Casey, for his efforts, has already had his contract extended and bigger and better things should be expected from the team with improvements to the roster.

Had Casey been on a higher profile team he might even be a candidate for coach of the year. His extended contract was a no-brainer and a bigger pay day may be coming if the team keeps heading in the direction it is currently pointed.

In this shortened Raptor season Casey has given Raptor fans a reason to be hopeful for the future.

Jekyll and Hyde

So no one knows on any given night which Andrea Bargnani or which Demar Derozan will show up.  Both had polarizing years, to say the least, and neither player could put it all together for an extended stretch of games.

Early on it looked as though Andrea Bargnani was going to bust loose on the NBA.  He was shooting the ball with confidence, driving the lane, hitting shots and playing with confidence on both ends of the floor.

For the first month and a half of the season all of the Dirk Nowitzki comparisons were beginning to finally make sense.

Then he got injured.

Andrea wasn’t the same player when he returned.  He was hesitant, lost his confidence and could not find his rhythm.  Either the injury was not fully healed or opposing defenses made adjustments.  Either way he wasn’t a dominant player in the second half.

Raptor fans are now left wondering which player was the real Andrea Bargnani and which player is going to show up next year.

While Andrea was having a great start and rough finish, Demar Derozan’s season was almost the complete and utter opposite.

Demar started the season terribly.  By the all-star break he was averaging 40% shooting and averaged 15 points a game.  He was getting to the foul line 5 times a game.  He was sputtering and everyone in the city seemed to be noticing.  Journalists, bloggers, pundits, everyone was questioning whether Demar was going to be a significant part of this teams future.

He looked like a player destined for a career off the bench.

In the second half, he spent a lot less time trying to shoot three-pointers and started focusing on getting to the foul line.  He was able to draw contact and get to the stripe a lot more. In December Derozan averaged little over 2 free throw attempts per game.  Later in the year he averaged as high as 6 attempts per game. A small but significant improvement.

Demar has begun to learn what he does well.  Casey had him attacking the rim consistently in the second half. Although he didn’t always get the call, he kept attacking, kept “pounding the rock”.

By the end of the second half Demar began to look a lot more like the player Raptor fans were expecting when he was drafted out of USC. He was more in control, wasn’t afraid of contact and eased into his role as a number one option.

Now Raptor fans have to hope that ‘First half Andrea’ and ‘Second half Derozan’ are actually who these players really are.

Many question marks may remain, but one thing is certain; the success of this team next year depends on how Andrea and Derozan play. 

Supporting Players

The Raptors may not have a bona fide superstar at the moment.  They may have to steal that star from the draft or in free agency, but what the team does have a plethora of are character players.  Guys that come to the court and leave it all on the floor.  A squad of fighters that any coach would love to have coming off the bench.

Jerryd Bayless showed himself to be a very capable point guard and 2 guard this season and is perfectly suited to a bench role next season, if he stays in town. He can shoot, drive and dish and can potentially cause matchup nightmares for opposing teams.

James Johnson can play many positions as well and does a little bit of everything.  He can block, rebound, defend and occasionally score.  He plays the 3, 4 and occasionally the 5 and has a high basketball IQ when he’s on the floor.  If he has not burned bridges with coach Casey he will be a valuable part of the team next year.

Jose Calderon had one of his best seasons as a professional basketball player in 2011/12.  He distributed the ball with ease averaging 8.6 assists good enough for 4th in the league behind only Rondo, Nash and Chris Paul.  He established himself as a team leader going forward and one that Dwane Casey is not afraid to put full trust in.  He also became a much better defensive player under Casey.  Calderon may just retire here in Toronto and the fans, who have cheered and jeered him over the years, likely have no issue with him staying after the year he has had.

Plus the foul…

The Colangelo Factor

Raptors fans were subtlety reminded of the fact that they have one heck of a GM in Bryan Colangelo. Though his star is not nearly as bright as it once was in Toronto, Colangelo has positioned his team to be a player once again in 2012/13.  The steady GM has cleared capspace for his team and has drafted a number of strong young players to build around.  He’s also got all of his players signed to team friendly contracts meaning that they are very tradeable.

This kind of flexibility has given the Raptor faithful some hope for next year especially with the arrival of highly touted 2011 first round pick Jonas Valanciunas.  Jonas made Colangelo look even better this year by having a stellar year overseas and raising eyebrows with his strong play on both ends of the court in Lithuania.

Colangelo should also be credited with his very clever scouting of the D-league.  He brought over three players (Anderson, Uzoh, Dentmon) and  in the final two months of the season all three played valuable minutes and showed they belong in the league.  That kind of success in finding D-League players is a rarity in this league. Uzoh and Anderson may actually have a shot of sticking with the club next year while Dentmon will garner an invite to someone’s training camp. 

No Raptor player, outside of maybe Bargnani, has been as often criticiszed as Jose Calderon. This season may have helped to prove all the negative voices wrong once and for all.

If that doesn’t prove to people that Colangelo has got some skill as an executive, then hopefully his off-season moves will.

Zan of the Year

Jose Calderon

A tough call, but Calderon was the Raptors most consistent player.  He learned to minimize his weaknesses on the court and played to his strengths.  There isn’t a better veteran point guard than Calderon to be handing the ball out to young players like Ed Davis, Demar Derozan and Amir Johnson.  He protects the ball,  puts it where it needs to go and genuinely seems to care about his teammates.

He is, far and away, my favourite All-time Raptor, but this year he proved his worth on the court too.  Going forward Dwane Casey knows he has a great leader in Calderon.  Someone who will lead when asked and who also isn’t afraid to step aside for a teammate.

A great comeback year for Jose.

Not Zan of the Year

Tank Nation

Yeah, so that philosophy didn’t quite work out did it? The Raptors were playing Solomon Alabi and 3 D-League-ers at the end of the year, but even they couldn’t lose.  The Raptors were a team that over achieved in many ways.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but on draft night when Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Andre Drummund will likely be heading to the Bobcats, Wizards and Cavs the Raptors will be looking on wishing they had lost a couple more games (or played the Bobcats an extra game or two).

Still, a solid season that ended on a high note.  The team has Jonas,  a first round pick , tradeable assets and host of capspace.  This is definitely a team headed in the right direction.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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***

Raptors Tease Tank Nation in Loss to Bucks

For almost four complete quarters the Toronto Raptors threatened to take control of the game and hand the Milwaukee Bucks insult to injury.  The same night that the Bucks were officially eliminated from the playoffs, they almost let this game slip away against the near bottom-feeding Raptors.

Toronto played without Demar Derozan for most of the game as he was ejected in the 2nd quarter for throwing a ball in protest of a travelling call.  Not the smartest move by Demar and it gave his teammates an added challenge without their best player.

They hung with the Bucks for the entire game until giving it away in the last three minutes.

Still, despite the loss, there were some very positive signs for the team.  The Raptors got strong, strong efforts from James Johnson who had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Gary Forbes who chipped in with 15 points and 5 assists in extended minutes and Ed Davis added 11 rebounds.

Dwane Casey has to be happy with the effort in this game from essentially his bench.

It all ends on Thursday in Toronto against the, soon to be Brooklyn, Nets.

Can’t wait for the playoffs to start, the offseason to begin and the Raptors to begin their retooling for next year.

Zan for Three

Bad News Bears

So, once again, Dwane Casey had this mixed band of misfits competing against a superior talent.  James Johnson, in his return to the starting lineup, chipped in with 22 points and 13 rebounds.  Forbes tossed in 15 points and 5 assists, Davis had 11 rebounds and Uzoh even chipped in with 8 points and 5 assists.

Despite a gritty effort from some of their second tier players, the Raptors couldn't hang on against the Milwuakee Bucks on Monday night.

Not bad from a group of players, most of which, were not expected to be significant contributors this year.

Whatever his magical potion or secret code that has got this team fighting every night, Dwane Casey deserves some kudos.

It’ll be exciting to see what he can do next year with more depth on the roster.

Get out of Here!

Demar Derozan was ejected from the game in the second quarter for arguing with an official over a travelling call and then throwing the basketball the length of the court.  It was a pretty dumb play on Derozan’s part to get that upset over the call.  Though he’s gotta be tired of never getting the benefit of the doubt with the officials.

He gets to the line consistently one game and then hardly at all the next. Seems to have the respect of the officials during one play and then is treated like a rookie on others. Demar is showing he has the ability to draw contact with the best of them, but yet hasn’t earned the respect of the officials. I call it Canadian bias. 

The referees don’t know him well enough.  He hasn’t estblished himself with them enough and thus doesn’t get consistent calls.  Not sure what else he has to do, maybe just give it time.

Sometimes you have to choose your battles, but I have a feeling Derozan was venting his frustrations with the lack of consistency of the officiating this year. The lack of calls has been quite apparent when looking at Derozan’s boxscores this year.

Still, cooler heads should have prevailed and Derozan should have stayed in the game. His presence could have turned the tide for the raptors.

Tank Nation

So it would appear that with Cleveland’s loss tonight the Raptors are still looking at the 5th or 6th most ping-pong balls in the upcoming draft lottery.  That means they could be drafting 5th or 6th or have a chance to move up and draft higher.

Tonight I’m not sure if fans were more happy or upset that the team allowed their double-digit lead to evaporate in the fourth Quarter.  There seems to be a growing desire to lose as many as possible and collect a higher chance to get ping-pong balls. With only one game remaining after this one I guess every loss helps.

In the end, it will still all come down to luck.  I mean remember when Orlando won the lottery twice in a row?

Losing isn’t fun, but when you add an opportunity to get a higher draft pick you can accept the late game collapse.  If your name isn’t Casey, that is.

Plus the Foul

Free Alabi

I’m liking the fact that Dwane Casey is allowing Alabi to get some burn, but it is allowing us all to see that he really isn’t ready for the NBA.  He’s a great guy, he’s got a big body, but has too much that he needs to fix to be a player that is brought back next year.  His time on the court has given us clear evidence that he should not be in the plans for the team next year.

A great guy, but he just isn’t NBA ready.  He may never be.

Zan of the Night

James Johnson

It is nice to see Johnson finishing the year much the way he started it.  He has been one of the most exciting and inspired Raptor players for most of the season.  He gets to the rim, grabs loose balls and plays tough defense.  He will be a very welcome addition to next years team, if of course the rift between he and Casey isn’t too deep to salvage.  Johnson has shown he is a very versatile player and could be very valuable coming off the bench next year to back up a number of different positions.  Tonight he scored, rebounded and got his team involved and was a pest all night for the Bucks on both ends of the floor.

Not Zan of the Night

The Bucks

Despite the win, Milwaukee fell short of their goal of reaching the playoffs.  It was a valiant effort, but in the end they came up just short.  Still with a team that sports Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings as well as Ilyasova they could be dangerous next year.  Still to miss the playoffs on the second last night of the season because you lost control of your own destiny, has gotta sting a little.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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***

Who are These Guys?

So the Toronto Raptors are all of a sudden playing like a team that could put a scare into a higher seeded team in the playoffs.  What has happened? Or more to the point, what took so long?

No Bargnani, no Calderon, no Bayless, no Problem.

Dwane Casey started a lineup that would have been considered a joke at the beginning of the year and came away with an impressive and decisive victory over a very good Atlanta Hawks team.

The last time the Raptors won in Atlanta, it was 2007 and Peyton Manning was winning his only Super Bowl championship with the Indianapolis Colts.  Yep, it was that long ago.

I don’t know what Dwane Casey has told this team or what he has done to make them so much better than they should be, but he has really turned the fortunes of this team around.  He is winning with a roster that shouldn’t be.

On Sunday night his defensive system held the high-octane, playoff bound Atlanta Hawks to 86 points on 40% shooting.

Much will be made of the effect this game will have on the Raptors eventual first round draft pick and on the “Tank Nation” movement, but how can you not like the way Dwane Casey has this team playing?

Break up the Raptors!!

Zan for Three

Kudos to the Coach

While many will thumb their nose at another victory and chalk it up to hurting our chances at a top pick in the NBA draft, much needs to be made about the way Dwane Casey has turned this team around.  While (arguably) three of his best players were out with injury, Casey willed his band of castaways to consecutive victories over Boston and Atlanta; both teams heading to the playoffs in two weeks.  His defensive system and preparedness has got this team playing the best ball they have played all season regardless of the names on the back of the jerseys.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

With a roster that sports 3 D-League players and a host of others that would be hard pressed to crack the Bobcats lineup this year, Casey has gotten a lot out of this team.

Alan Anderson is playing his way into the hearts of the Raptor faithful and Justin Dentmon and Ben Uzoh are showing that they belong in the NBA.  Most importantly, for the Raptors moving forward, Demar Derozan is looking every bit a top flight player.

All of the success goes to the coach.

You may not know a lot them, but this Raptor team is playing some very inspired ball over the last few weeks. Dwane Casey deserves all of the credit for the turnaround.

Casey has his team playing hard and giving their all.  They’ve bought in to the “pound the rock” mantra and the results are becoming more and more consistent.

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to talk extension.

10 Day Factor

There are some out there who believe you have to be wary of players that are on 10 day contracts as they tend to play very hard until they get a full contract.  I say it’s time to test that theory.

All three of Toronto’s 10-day club have earned the right to be a part of the team this year and possibly beyond.  Alan Anderson has been an absolute revelation and deserves a guaranteed contract with the big club for next year.  His 16 points on 6 of 9 shooting has been a regular kind of statline and he is often the hardest working player on the court every night he plays.

If you’re a believer in rewarding hard work then you almost have to give this guy a guaranteed deal.  A great find by Colangelo and great faith shown by Casey.

Where do you buy the Anderson Jerseys?

Breaking out of the Dog House

James Johnson hasn’t been the same player since he was benched by Dwane Casey for unspecified reasons a few weeks ago.  He’s looked lost and he hasn’t seen anywhere near the minutes he was seeing before being benched.  He lost his starting spot to Aaron Gray and never got it back.  It’s been a bad month for JJ.

Tonight he got his groove back.  He played hard and made the most of his 23 minutes scoring 15 on 6 of 8 shooting and chipped in with 4 rebounds and a steal.  He was all over the defensive end and did a great job containing Atlanta’s high scoring forwards.

Hopefully, he’s back. 

Zan of the Night

Demar Derozan

Not enough is being made of the complete turnaround in Derozans game over the last month.  He has shed his rough first half and is looking every bit the player the Raptors brass envisions him to be going forward.  Dwane Casey has cracked the code with Demar and has him playing the best ball, possibly of his career.

This all bodes very well for next year as the Raptors will be gunning for the playoffs.  With a confident, effective Derozan that goal becomes a lot more realistic.

Not Zan of the Night

Joe Johnson

A rough night at the office for Johnson.  One of the better veteran shooters around, he had a simply dreadful game shooting 2 for 12 with only 7 points.  He was held completely in check by the Raptors defense and could not get his team going at all.  A lopsided loss to the Raptors says a lot about Atlanta’s playoff chances.  If the Hawks have any hope in the Eastern conference playoffs it will be Joe Johnson that must lead them.  Tonight he was a non-factor.

…finally

An Alabi Sighting!  0 points in 2 minutes of play, but he did get a shot off! More to come, I’m sure.  Free Alabi!

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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***

Colangelo’s Dilema

So getting a better chance at the top pick this year is proving to be a difficult task for Bryan Colangelo and his Toronto Raptors.  No matter what they seem to do, no mater the obstacle in their way, the Raptors keep winning.

I’m not suggesting that Colangelo is trying to “tank”, but he has shut down Jarryd Bayless (in the midst of a hot streak), Andrea Bargnani and has filled the teams holes with D-League players and borderline NBA talent.  He seems to be forcing Dwane Casey’s hands a little bit and attempting to get this team closer to a high pick.

It doesn’t seem to matter what ingredients Colangelo gives Dwane Casey, because Casey he keeps making five-star meals.  Alan Anderson? No problem, Casey’s got Anderson playing like he belongs in this league for years to come.  Justin Dentmon? Well Casey’s got this kid playing better than anyone ever could have imagined.  Ben Uzoh? Well he posted a near triple-double against Celtics All-star Rajon Rondo.  Suddenly Raptor fans are including some of these unfamiliar names on their depth charts for next year.

It all starts with the coach, in my opinion. 

After one season together, it is clear that Bryan Colangelo hired the right guy to coach the Raptors. Now he needs to go out and get him some talent.

No matter what Colangelo gives him, Casey keeps winning.

The Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks were the latest victims of seemingly unimaginable play from a team full of D-League castaways.  Next is another chance at the Hawks and then a matchup with the Heat. 

 This team shouldn’t be winning games.  They should be losing a lot and yet they are playing great basketball and winning games they have no business being a part of.  Most of the success is due to the defensive system Casey has put into place.

Credit Dwane Casey for this surprise turnaround.

The Raptor organization needs to sit up and take notice of the fact that Casey is getting results with D-League players.  His system is working and whatever it is that he is using to motivate his team is getting through to the players.

Perhaps it is time to talk “extension” with our coach.

Colangelo is not likely getting the player he covets (a Kidd-Gilchrist or Harrison Barnes) but maybe that doesn’t matter.  Maybe he just needs to upgrade the talent on the team so that his coach has something more to work with.

If Casey can make magic with this lesser group of talent, imagine what he could do if he was given even a minor upgrade in personnel.

Colangelo can keep shutting players down and bringing in more D-league players to try to finish up the season with as many losses as possible, but I have a feeling it’s not going to matter.

Casey is going to keep fighting and he’s going to keep getting his players working hard no matter where they may have started the season.  He’s also likely to keep winning.

So what is Colangelo to do?

Maybe enjoy the ride and know that you hired the right guy to guide this team going forward.  And in the last year of your contract try to go out and give him a roster he can do some damage with next year.

Perhaps all this talk of a “tank” has actually revealed where this team’s true strength is going to come from going forward: Behind the bench.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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***

Cavs Beat Raptors in Tank Bowl 2012

That wasn’t the prettiest game in the world last night, in fact, let us never speak of it again.

The Raptors sported a starting lineup the Bakersfield Jam would likely not be concerned about.  Ben Uzoh?  Alan Anderson? and Justin Dentmon serving as the primary backup one shootaround into his Raptor career?

If this is what “Tank Nation” is all about then I want no part of it.

That was ugly.  That was ugly before the disgraceful 4th quarter where the Raptors were outscored 33-17.  I mean the game was tied at 68 in the 3rd Quarter.  Is that “pounding the rock” or just straight stinking out the joint?

To be fair, the Raptors were without Calderon, who was relegated to the bench with “hockey face” after Elton Brand elbowed him in the face on Wednesday.  They were also without James Johnson, who is usually a spark plug for the Raptors.  He was out with what can only be described as “upsetting the coach”.

Not a great effort for our team, not at all.

Still Derozan had another strong game, Sonny Weems returned and Tristan Thompson got a nice ovation from the crowd.  Not all bad, I guess.

Zan For Three

Driving the Tank

I get it. I really do.  I understand Tank Nation.  I understand the idea of cheering when your team loses.

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t get Kevin Durant by winning lots of games.  Lebron wasn’t delivered on Cleveland’s doorstep for shows of good effort.

Losing brings Toronto a valuable asset. Losing lots, at least theoretically, increases the value of that asset.

But if we are going to tank this season, I’d at least like to go down with some dignity.  Dwane Casey has shown this past week that he has absolutely no intention of leaving this season with a whimper.  He has this team playing hard and aggressive.

Just not last night.

If we are working towards next year, it would be nice to see a little more Ed Davis and a little more Solomon Alabi.  Last night, Justin Dentmon, fresh off of getting to the city, played 20 minutes. Alabi, a two-year Raptor, drank Gatorade.

Ben Uzoh and Alan Anderson are living out their NBA dreams of starting in a game, while some of our younger players are wasting away on the bench.

Tank or no Tank, let’s play the players that have a possible future here.

Rumour Mill

So James Johnson sat against the Cavaliers on the very same night Sonny Weems made a public appearance in Toronto.  2+2=4

I’m not going to suggest that the Raptors are looking to replace Johnson with Weems.  That would be a bad idea, a very bad idea.  But Weems is a solid offensive player and one who has really shown some promise in Lithuania this year.  His arrival at the very same time his replacement was being benched is sure to conjure up all kinds of baseless rumours and armchair GM-ing.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that he returns, though.

He’s good friends with Demar Derozan who is seemingly part of our future. He can score in bunches, which would be a nice asset to have on our bench, especially since Leandro Barbosa’s output has been replaced by Alan Anderson’s thus far.  And he seems to want to be here.  If we are to believe his words. 

Sonny is a pretty one-dimensional player, but like Barbosa, he scores a lot.  If used properly off the bench he could become a semi-valuable asset.

That being said I don’t think the plan moving forward is to have Johnson start at the 3 next season (he would likely come in off the bench) and the Raptors don’t need to carry the extra wing if one will be acquired in the summer.

The Weems debate will continue and Colangelo is going to have to make a decision.

At the very least, there will be plenty of chatter about Mr. Weems over the last couple of weeks of the season.

The Dog House

Of all the players that I could imagine being in Dwane Casey’s “dog house”, James Johnson wouldn’t be one of them.  This season he has been Mr. Everything playing with energy, doing the little things and playing strong defense.

He has been a fan favourite because of the energy he plays with on the court.

It is therefore very intriguing why he has been benched in favour of Alan Anderson.

In typical Dwane Casey fashion, this matter is being dealt with internally (as it should be), but one has to wonder what Johnson did to earn his mini vacation.

Hopefully it was a minor incident that both parties are now .  The Raptors need James Johnson; tank or no tank.  He’s a fun player to watch and would have come in handy last night against the Cavs.

Zan of the Night

Demar Derozan

The kid is getting his confidence back.  Unfortunately he’s getting it back just in time for the season to end.  Once again Raptor fans went from being done with Derozan to thinking he might be part of the core.  Is he the player from the first half? or the one playing well to end the season?

Seems like Derozan has got a bit of “Reimer-itis”, hopefully his solid play continues into next season and he doesn’t revert back to his old ways.  On Friday night he shot the ball well, got to the line and was one of the only players that gave his team a chance to win.

Not Zan of the Night

Alan Anderson

He is not an NBA starter, but there he was as the Raptors starting small forward.  He won’t be there much longer, one can only assume.  He finished with 30 minutes of play and zero points.  He missed the four shots he took and was an overall -13 on the night.

But I guess he deserves more time that Alabi.

#freealabi

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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***

Evaluation over Winning

The great debate between “Team Tank” and “Team Fight”  has lit up Raptor message boards and blogs over the last little while.  It would appear that most Raptors fans and writers (at least the ones not employed by the Raptors themselves) are in favour of the Tank.  It makes sense, right?  Do your best to lose more games and hope to come away with a top three draft pick.

In theory, It’s a great plan and one that will help the Raptors moving forward.  

But tanking is such a terrible word.  It conjures up thoughts of the 1919 Black Sox who threw the World Series.  It’s being bad on purpose and that can irritate a fan base, especially one still paying top dollar to watch basketball being played at the ACC.

That being said, I do think the Raptors need to focus less on winning games and a bit more on evaluating talent, especially the younger talent, that is on this team.

This season is lost, we are not making the playoffs or fighting for a spot, this much we know.  So why not use this time to get some evaluation done?  Start training camp now. Get an early start.

Bryan Colangelo has done his part in the front office by eliminating veterans like Anthony Carter and Rasual Butler from the rotation.  Dwane Casey needs to do his part as well by allowing the front office and coaching staff to get more info on how players like Ed Davis, Gary Forbes and Solomon Alabi work and adapt during in-game situations.

I like that we are seeing a lot more of Gary Forbes.  He is responding to increased minutes by playing quite well.  Jarryd Bayless did the same before his untimely injury.  Let’s see what Ed Davis and Solomon Alabi can do.  They are theoretically going to be here in Toronto next year and this team needs to see where they fit in the rotation.  The only way to do that is by throwing them into the fire more consistently.

I’m sure the coaching staff and Casey do plenty of evaluation in practice, but some players raise their level of play when they get time to do it on the court.  Need I say more than “Jeremy Lin”?

It’s time to give these players opportunity.

There are tough decisions coming ahead for the Raptors front office and coaching staff.  With Jonas Valanciunas arriving next year the team is carrying too many big men.  Ed Davis and Amir Johnson cannot co-exist on this team next year.  One of them, likely, has to go. Which one? Right now the answer is clearly Ed Davis, but are you 100% sure he isn’t the more talented player? I’m not sure you can be.

Ed needs time.  Alabi needs time. Forbes needs time.  Just so we can see how they fit in or if they fit in at all for next year.  The only way to know for sure is to  let them sink or swim.

With increased minutes Gary Forbes is starting to show he could be a valuable part of this Raptors squad this year and beyond.

This is the time to throw strategy out the window.  We have nothing to lose by giving our bench players more time or by pushing our current “core” even further. What’s the worst that could happen? We lose more games? Get a better draft pick?

Casey is the coach and he makes the decisions. This is the way it should be. He has integrity and obviously a competitive spirit to the bitter end. But it is in his best interests to see what these guys can do.  Davis may be the most important of his underused bench because Ed may actually have an increased role next year if/when Amir is moved. 

On Sunday night against Washington we saw more of Davis.  That’s good. Plus he played very well.  Gary Forbes got significant minutes.  Perfect.  But what a great opportunity to give Alabi some time.  Guys on 10 day contracts are getting more burn than a 7 foot centre we’ve had on our roster for two years.  Why not give him a chance against the lightweights of the league? It’s the least we can do.

Let’s put away the clipboard a little bit more and see what is on this team worth keeping.  Let’s see who deserves to stay and who goes. Let’s give Ed, Alabi and Forbes increased minutes and see what they do with them.

Casey is starting to play along, but there is still more to be done. 

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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Hopes for the Second Half

When the Raptors started the season, or about the same time Rasual Butler’s sneakers first squeaked on the ACC court, it was clear that this team was not playoff bound.  Now that the Raptors have finished up the unofficial first half of the season with a 10-23 record, it is pretty clear that the only place this team is going is the NBA draft lottery at the end of the year.

But that doesn’t mean Raptor fans aren’t looking for a little bit of positivity in the second half.

There are certainly things this fan base want to see from the team so that they feel hope exists for next season.

Development of young players is high on the agenda. As is trading assets for picks and youth.  For some finishing as low as possible is the desired result.

So what do you wanna see from the Raps in the second half?

Here’s our list:

1) A Strong Return for Andrea Bargnani

Bargnani has been out for a while and his health has to be on the minds of fans and team officials.  Before he went out Bargnani was putting together one hell of a season.  He finally seemed to be putting his skills together to become a dominant force for the Raptors.  He was scoring outside the paint with his beautiful jumper, but for the first time he was consistently getting to the rim as well.

Andrea also seemed to be fitting in well on the defensive side of the ball as he was steady in the paint and his rebounding numbers were gradually picking up.

An injury can certainly alter the way you play.  Going inside becomes a second thought.  Taking a charge or fighting for a rebound aren’t as easy as they were before. Let us hope the injury doesn’t mess with Andrea’s head.  Let’s hope that when he comes back, he comes back with the same fight he had before he was injured.

His ascention as a superstar is key to the success of the Toronto Raptors, this year and next.

2) Demar Puts it all Together

No Raptor has been criticized nearly as much as Derozan.  He is not having the type of year that basketball fans in this city were hoping.  I’m not here to rip him anymore, but in the second half Raptor fans will be looking for him to step up his game.

Whether or not Demar Derozan can bounce back from a rough start to the season will be one of the big stories for the Raptors and their fans during the second half of the season.

This is a player Raptor fans not only wanna see play well they want to see him play like a star.  Coming into this season fans were looking to Bargnani and Derozan to form the nucleus of the young core moving forward.  So far Bargnani looks like he is part of that nucleus, Derozan does not.

He still has half a season to show us all that he is an elite player in this league.  It’s one of the stories that everyone will be following in the second half.  Let’s hope he turns on the jets and makes us all forget his first half.

Who Stays and Who Goes?

Jose Calderon, Leandro Barbosa, Rasual Butler, pretty much any veteran we have will be the subject of trade chatter and their names will be floated out there.  The Raptors have the benefit of having a lot of pieces that a playoff bound team could be looking for to solidify their run.  Not only that but all of these veterans have contracts that make them more attractive to prospective trade partners with only one or two years remaining on their deals.

Not every veteran will be traded and nor should they all, but certainly the value coming back will be of interest to the Raptors and their faithful.  It’ll be hard to turn down a nice young player or a 1st round draft pick for a contract of a player that doesn’t fit into the teams long-term.  With lots of capspace coming this summer, having a little bit more might just be what the doctor ordered to expedite this rebuilding process.

Lots of chatter will be had.

Who Steps Up? 

While Derozan and Andrea will be the focus of many, the Raptors are still going to need someone from their supporting cast to emerge as part of this teams young core in the long-term.  Amir Johnson, James Johnson Jarryd Bayless and Ed Davis need to show they belong here.  The Raptors didn’t have an player compete in the Rising Stars Challenge game this weekend, but one of these four players need to become one for us.

All have shown positive flashes this year and need to continue doing so.  Their continued development let this fan base know that next years team has a solid supporting cast.  It gives the team a stronger foundation to build around.

Keeping it interesting

This team is not going to playoffs.  That much is clear, but we don’t want to watch a team that gets killed every night.  How painful for the fan base to have to watch the team become the Washington Generals every night, especially against teams it should compete against.  The fans need to know the effort is there and that the feeling of rebirth is close.

The Raptors might have to pull an upset victory or two and need to keep it close in as many games as they can.  This will be Dwane Casey’s biggest Challenge as the year goes on.  How to keep “pounding the rock” even when hope is lost.

Which leads me to my last point…

How Low Can They Go? 

There will be many fans calling for “Tank Nation” to ensure the highest chance at a top three pick.  Fans will be watching the standings fiercely to see if we are still in the Anthony Davis Sweepstakes.  I will not be one of them, but certainly a lower position would give us a better shot at a higher pick.

Regardless of where we finish, rest assured that Raptor fans will be watching the NCAA tournament with vested interest.  One of those stars (likely a top five or six pick) will be coming to Toronto next year.  Fans will be watching and hoping a little more losing leads to a little more talent in the NBA draft.

So there will be plenty to watch for Raptor fans in the second half.  Let’s hope what we see leads us to believe that next years version of the Raptors will be a little more involved in All Star festivities than they were this year.

***
Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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The Beatdown Goes On in Boston

So that was awful.

There’s not much to say about the game.  The Raptors were thoroughly outplayed and beaten by the Celtics.  This game wasn’t even interesting, I mean I missed Modern Family for this game(though thankfully it was a repeat).  Why?  Neither team did anything interesting and the Raptors did almost nothing at all.  No defense, no offense, no chance.

Say what you want about missing Kleiza and Bargnani, the effort was simply not there.

If you’re part of  “Tank Nation” you might have something to cheer about, but even the people who want this team to lose for a higher pick cannot be pleased with the complete lack of guts in this game. That’s not the way anyone wants to lose a game. 

Back to Back beatings for the Raptors are good for no one.  Hopefully this wakes up some of the players and they come out with a little more fire at home on Friday.

It would be hard to play with less. 

Zan for three

Gray’s Anatomy

The only slightly bright spot for the Raptors tonight was Aaron Gray.  He played with intensity and worked hard under the basket and finished with a very credible 8 points and 9 rebounds.  Gray’s play should certainly earn him some more minutes, but the fact that he has been a factor at all this season says so much more about how disappointing Amir Johnson and Ed Davis have been.

Davis made amends in the second half for a pretty mediocre first half, but he hasn’t been as advertised this season.  He shows up one night and then disappears for the next two.

Gray is not a part of the future of this franchise.  He isn’t even really a part of their present, but he is currently out playing young “core pieces” in Amir and Ed.

There is nothing bad about seeing a bench guy step up and play well, but he really shouldn’t be out there.  Ed Davis is supposed to be a consistent force under the basket and Amir is supposed to be our energy guy.

Neither have been as advertised this season.

That certainly was a beatdown. The Raptors (And Bayless in this shot) took it on the chin against the Celtics falling 100-64 in Boston.

Ed Davis finally came alive in the second half, but Amir never showed up.

In their absence, Gray is finding some minutes that shouldn’t be there for the taking.

The Demar Derozan Watch

If I know Raptor fans, like I know Raptor fans everyone is giving up on Demar Derozan.  They’re calling for him to be moved, looking to the future without him, throwing in the towel on him as part of our “core” going forward.

He’s not playing well.  He hasn’t shown the promise he did at the end of last year.  He hasn’t signalled that he should be one of our central pieces going forward.

But, then again, that’s what most of us said about Bargnani last year.

We were wrong.  Maybe Demar is just having a hard time adjusting to his expanded role. 

Without Bargnani in the lineup, Demar is really the only scoring threat the Raptors have.  He is the focus of opposing defenses and the main focus of scouting reports.  He’s not used to being targeted by opposing teams.  That adjustment takes time.

Watching him play against Ray Allen on Wednesday only highlighted the fears fans all have.  He didn’t look good on either end of the floor and was held in check and taken to school by a veteran star.  The gap between the All-Star guard and Derozan was never as apparent as it was on Wednesday night.

But maybe this game came at exactly the right time.

Maybe Ray Allen gives Demar something to think about, something to strive for.  Games like this stay with you.  They haunt you while you’re on the road to the next game.  Let’s hope this sits with Demar for a while and he plays Friday with this game in the back of his mind.  Maybe this game will be the chip he carries on his shoulder for the rest of the season, that ignites a fire under him. 

Let’s hope this was his wake up call.

Pound the Rock

I’m interested to see how this team responds on Friday against a very beatable Washington team.  Two losses in a row is one thing, but to be absolutely crushed and humiliated twice in a row is something else.  This team needs to come out like caged animals on Friday.  They need to show some fight and if they go down they need to go down swinging with everything they have.

Losses like this test the fortitude of a team.  These young players need to shrug this off, learn from their mistakes and just come out focused and determined to do better.

The “Pound the Rock” mantra isn’t just about continuing to learn and  getting better, it’s about responding to adversity.  Over the last two games this team has seen some adversity.  Friday is where we will learn what this team is made of.  Can they bounce back after embarrassing defeats?  Show more fight and hustle win or lose?

We’ll find out.

Zan of the Night

Adnan Virk

The former Score employee and current ESPN anchor tweeted early in the night that he had received free tickets to see Toronto at the Garden.  He was the big winner on the night because he didn’t pay to see this monstrosity.  I’m sure he doesn’t pay for many basketball tickets, but he definitely got what he paid for.  Plus it’s great that he still makes the effort to check out a team he once worked for and cheered for when he was here in Toronto.  He is definitely missed on Raptors broadcasts and Toronto television.

Not Zan of the Night

Take your pick.  The entire Raptors team looked lost and out of sync. No one player was more to blame than any other.  This one is on everyone.  Hopefully they can dust it off and get back at it on Friday.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar

The Zan Tabak Herald

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