Raptors are Worth Getting Excited About

It’s not easy being a Toronto sports fan.  Most of the time it actually feels like a condition, a sickness, an inescapable purgatory.  For years the fans in this city listen to the hype about their local teams and never see the results on the court, ice or field.  The Maple Leafs haven’t been relevant since the 1990’s and may not even play this year (I’ll let you decide whether that’s a good or bad thing), the Jays were decimated by injuries this season and despite the hope of an extra playoff spot in the AL have fallen miserably short of their goal.  The Raptors haven’t been exciting since Colangelo’s first year on the job and have struggled ever since winning the Atlantic division in 2006-07. Don’t even get me started on TFC and the Argos are a Doug Flutie and Rocket Ismail short of peaking anyone’s interest.  The city hasn’t had anything to truly celebrate since Joe Carter took a Mitch Williams offering into the left field bullpen.

But this year might be different.

Don’t go expecting a parade down Yonge street just yet, but there is certainly reason for optimism as the Toronto Raptors get set to start training camp.

The team has been relatively quiet the last couple of years but seemed to turn a corner last year under new head coach Dwane Casey.

The team is preaching something it has never preached before: defence; and for the first time in years, the Raptors are seeing improvement.

Dwane Casey has the Raptors realistically hoping for something that hasn’t been seen in Toronto for a long time: playoff basketball.

Under Casey last year the Raptors ranked 12th in defensive efficiency, improved to 9th in defensive rebounding and more importantly stressed these aspects of the game when talking to the media and each other in practice.

The “culture change” resulted in overall better play.  The Raptors were no longer a push over on the schedule, they quickly became a team you didn’t really wanna play.  They lost many close games last year, a staggering 14 games by 5 points or less.  Fans began to wonder if Dwane Casey was able to get as much production out of the roster he had, what could he do with an improved roster?

This summer Bryan Colangelo went out and changed the team’s look.  This is not exactly an uncommon occurrence when you’re talking about Colangelo and the Raptors.  It seems he does this sort of facelift every off-season, trying to find a perfect balance of players that are able to compete in the weaker Eastern Conference.

This summer was different though.  He didn’t make a splash for the sake of making a splash.  He didn’t try to build a team around a Power forward.  There were no Jermaine O’neals or Hedo Turkoglu’s, he didn’t waste money on unproven players like Jason Kapono and he didn’t go overseas looking for the next Jorge Garbajosa.

Colangelo looked to his coach and signed, drafted and traded for players that fit the system and philosophy that Casey is preaching in Toronto.  Casey wants to push the ball on offense and defend the ball well to take away opponents chances to score.

Enter Kyle Lowry, Landry Fields, John Lucas III, Terrence Ross and Quincy Acy.  Even smaller transactions to fill out the roster focused on the defensive side of the ball with the recent acquisition on Dominic McGuire and the re-signing of veteran Alan Anderson.

Colangelo is giving his coach pieces he needs to continue building a new culture in Toronto.  In Kyle Lowry the Raptors now possess one of the better defensive point guards in the league and one that is going to push the ball up the floor on the offensive side of the court.  In Landry Fields the Raptors have added a “glue guy”, a player that is happy to do whatever little things need to get done in order to help the team win.  He is a lockdown defender and happy to play without the ball in his hands.  Given the roster around him, he is likely to have every opportunity to improve his woeful shooting stats with open looks at the basket.

The drafting of Terrence Ross (a defensive specialist and solid 3pt shooter) and Quincy Acy (Reggie-lite) show further commitment to the defensive side of the ball.

With these strong new pieces in place, Dwane Casey can now build a much stronger system for this team to compete with.  Add to the fact that the additions will take a lot of pressure off of DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani.  They will now have others on the team to share the ball and offensive workload with and teammates who can cover for some of the weaker defenders.  DeMar can focus on slashing to the rim and Bargnani can rest assured that he will have open looks with opposing defenses collapsing onto a driving Lowry. Andrea will also not have players cruising to the rim on the defensive side of the ball.  Two of the best defenders on this team will be situated on the perimeter and have a knack for staying with their man.  This will mean Andrea won’t always need to be helping on the defensive end (something he just isn’t good at).

The addition of Kyle Lowry improves both the Raptors perimeter defence and their offensive capabilities. Both will be needed if the team intends to make a playoff run.

With the additions of Lowry and Fields it has made the Toronto bench that much more talented by moving Calderon and Kleiza to the second unit.  Both players are good enough to be starters on many teams in the league.  There are some who may even argue that Kleiza should open the season as the starting SF, but either way the Toronto bench now sports a lot more talent than it did before.  Amir Johnson, Ed Davis, Jose Calderon, Jonas Valanciunas, Linas Kleiza, John Lucas are a solid list of reserves for any roster.

Colangelo finally has a deep roster where everyone can focus on the things they do well and a coach on the sidelines who can keep it all organized in a system every player has bought into.

This roster still does not contain a superstar player though.  There isn’t that one guy out there who can take control of a game all by himself.  There is no Lebron, Durant or Kobe.  This is an undeniable fact.  Good thing the Raptors play in the Eastern Conference. With their level of talent they should be in the conversation come playoff time.

The Raptors will need to focus on the bottom half of the Eastern conference as the top half seems all but locked up.  There are a number of teams who are pretty much guaranteed a playoff berth.  Miami, Boston and Indiana are almost sure shots to make the playoffs.  You have to think that Atlanta and Brooklyn will be there as well.  Chicago is a big question mark without Rose and with a decimated bench. If Tom Thibodeau’s team is able to keep it together without Rose, that leaves 2 spots for  NY, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Washington or Toronto.

Now if you’re the optimistic side of the Mini-wheat you will say that the Knicks are weaker without Lin and Fields, Philadelphia is likely to have injury issues with Bynum and Cleveland and Washington simply isn’t ready for the next step. This leaves Toronto in a pretty good position.

If you’re the pessimistic side of the mini-wheat then you’re looking at NY thinking they are a lock with stars like Amare, Carmelo and Tyson Chandler and the other three teams, with improved young rosters, are also very dangerous threats. This leaves the Raps hoping for a collapse by one or more teams or some serious injury issues somewhere.

No matter what happens the bottom tier teams in the East are not setting the world on fire and could potentially leave the door just open enough for the Raptors to sneak into the playoffs.  This might not seem all that exciting when you consider they become likely first round fodder for the Miami’s and Boston’s of the Conference, but it would signify another step forward for this young team.  Another move in the right direction for the franchise and a feather in the cap for a coach who seems to be getting better as time goes by.

This team has a plan in place.  They have a system that works well, a deep roster with a lot of talent, a coach with vision and GM that is quick to fix problems.

No matter which way you look at it, the Raptors have a good chance of being a part of the postseason discussion this year.  There is a good chance they will be playing meaningful games in the Spring.  That’s reason to get excited.  It’s more than Raptors fans have had the last few years.

If that doesn’t increase attendance and TV numbers, the fact that the NHL is likely to face a long work stoppage could all add up to a year where the Raptors are the centre of attention in Toronto.  Something that hasn’t happened since the days of Vince Carter.

With an improved up-tempo roster, a group of players that fit very well into the system and style of play that the coach is preaching, some tradable assets (Calderon, Ed Davis) to potentially use down the road and a coaching staff with a clear vision and philosophy.  This might finally be the year the Toronto Sports fan gets to experience something that has been absent for a long time.

Playoff basketball.

Lord knows, this city has endured enough to deserve it.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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@kpedlar

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4th Quarter Blues Continue

There is something about the 4th quarter for the Toronto Raptors lately.  A close game against the Knicks turned into a blowout in the final frame a night ago and on Wednesday against the Rose-less Bulls the Raptors once again fell apart.

Toronto hung in for three quarters and actually felt at many points during the game like they would take control and upset the conference leading Bulls. Then the Raps were outscored in the 4th 32-13.  The team went from fight to retreat  in a matter of a quarter and missed an opportunity to send the troops at the ACC home happy on Armed Forces Night.

A tough loss. Late game decision making and efficiency needs to improve.  The last 12 minutes were uglier than the Camoflauge jerseys the Raptors were wearing.

The Zan for Three

The Italian Dud

I am a big Bargnani fan, but he has not been the same player since he returned from his calf injury.  He’s been a couple steps slower, he hasn’t looked as aggressive and he isn’t driving the lane with the same punch as he did before the inury.  I’m sure it’s just part of the recovery process, but Bargnani doesn’t look like the teams star right now.  He looks slow, sluggish and ineffective.

Hopeully Bargs can turn it around before the end of the year and show fans more of what made him so successful during the first part of the season. Over the last few games he has looked like a completely different player.

The Team to Beat

With all do respect to Miami and the “Whore of Akron”, Chicago is the team to beat in the East this year.  This team is as deep as any in the league.  Derrick Rose is the reigning MVP and right now the Bulls are 11-4 without him in the lineup.  That is absolutely unreal.

This team can score from any part of the court, plays tough defense and is incredibly efficient on both ends of the floor.  To absorb the loss of the league MVP without missing a beat is truly remarkable.

Tom Thibodeau deserves another coach of the year award for this unreal run the Bulls are on.

Their depth and ability to spread the floor makes them the fvourite to win it all.  It helps that they are, quite possibly, one of the more likeable teams in the NBA.

Salami and Cheese

The best part of any home game against the Bulls is the return of Chuck Swirsky to Toronto.  When he was here, I feel Raptor fans didn’t appreciate him as much as they should have.  His voice is what made Raptor games fun, even when we were losing.  Matt Deviln, Chuck’s replacement, is an excellent colour commentary guy, but lacks the unusual fanboy feel that Chuck had when he called games.  It is always a pleasure to welcome him home to Toronto, even if it is only for one night.

The Raptors once again hung around for three quarters with their opponents. Unfortunately they failed to take control in the fourth and were blownout by the end.

Zan of the Night

Camoflauge Uniforms

I admit that when I saw the pictures of these jerseys online I was a little disturbed.  They looked hideous and laughable.  When the Raptors came out of the locker room tonight, however, the uniforms looked good.  They were not nearly as ugly as they looked initally.  I admit I was wrong.

Not only that, but the purpose of the night was to honour this country’s brave men and women who risk their lives so that we can be free.  Having the Raptors walk out in their intros with a member of the armed forces was a great touch.  A promotional night that ended up being very sentimental.

Well done.

Zan of the Night

Tom Thibodeau

This coach is phenomenal.  He’s got no Rose and he conintues to win games.  He is a great X’s and O’s coach and he, like our own coach Casey, preaches defense.  Despite the rough start, he turned whatever switch he needed to and brought his team back from the clutches of defeat.  That is what coaches who win are able to do.  If the Bulls and Thibodeau are going to have playoff success against teams like the Heat, they are going to need to find ways to win ball games.  This is a coach that has his team going in the right direction.  When Rose gets back; watch out.

Not Zan of the Night

Andrea Bargnani

Another night of on court struggles for Andrea.  He hasn’t regained his form following his injury and the questions about his ability and toughness are starting to rear their ugly head again.   Bargs shot the ball poorly tonight and hasn’t looked good in a while. He was thoroughly outplayed on both ends of the floor by Boozer and Noah.  He’s going to have to dig deep to finish the season the way he started it.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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The End is the Beginning

The playoffs began yesterday and once again the Raptors were notably absent from the top eight seeds in the Eastern Conference.  This seems to be a recurring theme in Raptorland and there is no reason to believe it will change next season, if there is even a season to play.

It was a strange season for the Dinos.  No Chris Bosh, no playoff push, meaningless games being played as early as December and most nights they were an after thought in the minds of Toronto Sports Fans.  This week they finished off their season against the Heat and most sports fans were thinking hockey playoffs, Blue Jays baseball and David Beckham at BMO Field.  The Raps ended their season as after thoughts in the mids of their fans.  Is this what the future holds for a below average team in an Eastern Conference that seems to be getting more and more talented?

Once again there will be no playoff basketball played at the ACC this spring but it is what happens over the next few months that will be the most interesting  for this franchise.

Who is the leader?

Bryan Colangelo and Jay Triano both have no idea what the future holds as decisions on their future remain up in the air.  Will Colangelo be back?  One can hope.  Triano? That might be a tougher sell. And it is all left in the hands of an ownership that may not even be aroun when the season begins.

Both have been nothing short of professional during their tenure with the Raptors, but kindness and professionalism do not win championships.  Nor have these character traits gotten the Raptors into the postseason the last three seasons.  This decision will be a tough one and one that ultimately changes the course of the franchise for the next few years. Who makes the decision also remains to be seen.

I hope Bryan Colangelo stays in Toronto as he is a professional GM with an ability to evaluate talent.  He has fixed his mistakes over the years and has built competitive teams in Phoenix.  Plus, who out there is going to do a better job?  Is there another GM available that can bring in talent like Colangelo? Is there a GM out there who is going to be a better ambassador for the city in the NBA’s elite circles?

I think not.

Jay Triano, love him or hate him, is a great teacher.  When one of the best point guards in NBA history in Steve Nash, credit Triano with helping to build his career, you know you have someone who can be something special to this young Raptor team.  Is he going to win the NBA championship? No, he’s not that kind of coach.  Will the Raptors see a Tom Thibodeau-like turnaround next season?  Highly unlikely.  But this franchise is at a point where the development of their younger players is the most important thing to focus on.  Who better to lead these young players than a guy used to teaching young players. The team is comfortable with him and unnecessary change is not good for the psyche of young players.  Ed Davis, Demar Derozan and Jarryd Bayless need some consistency.  Triano provides that.

The other question the Raps will need to ask themselves is who exactly is part of the core?  Based on this past season it would appear that Demar and Ed Davis are the only players cemented in Toronto.  Amir Johnson had a tremendous season where he started to look like  good investment, so you might keep him around too, but after that?

Bayless and James Johnson are certainly worth a second look and my hope is that the team will bring back Reggie Evans.  Barbosa is likely a returnee as well, but might be a good piece of trade bait over the summer.

The Winds of change are blowing in Toronto and it could signal the end of the Bargnani era in Toronto. Who else will be back?

It is becoming more and more clear that Demar Derozan and his ability to get to the line look like the player the team should focus on at the offensive end of the floor.  That might mean the end of the Bargnani era in Toronto.

To Bargnani? or not to Bargnani? That is the question.

Fans want him gone.  Colangelo, I’m sure, wants him to stay.  But there might not be a better time to trade him than now.  He had a semi-good season offensively, but the deficiencies are there on the defensive end.  His contract is not a bad one, for the offensive output he delivers, so there could still be value recouped.

The main issue with Bargnani is that his entire career in Toronto has been played at a position he never should have played.  He is a power forward not a center.  He should not be posting up or guarding the biggest players in the league.   He can drive to the net and he shoots the ball well from the outside.

However, Toronto has Ed Davis at PF for the forseeable future and Bargnani is now looking like he will be in the wrong position for as long as he stays in this city.  Trade him now, get something for him. For his sake and ours.

The Raps have capspace, tradeable assets and roster spots to fill.  This team will likely look very different next year.  Again, if there is a next year.

The winds of change are blowing in Toronto.  The offseason will be one of the most interesting for the Raptors franchise.  New owners, possible change at the top of the organization and possibly  a lot of new young faces on the court next season.

If there ends up being any basketball played next year at all, make sure you grab a programme when you’re at the ACC; you’re gonna need it.

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Kristoffer Pedlar

The Zan Tabak Herald

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Bulls Teach Young Raptors a Lesson

So that was ugly, wasn’t it?

Once it was confirmed that Andrea Bargnani wasn’t going to play because of a sore left knee, the Raptors were pretty much destined for an ass whooping.  This one got ugly by the half, but credit where credit is due, the young Raptors showed some fight and there is reason for hope for the future.

Chicago is arguably one of the top four or five teams in the East and, with Carlos Boozer back in the lineup, they are a hard team to beat each and every night.  The Bulls have a tough as nails coach, in Tom Thibodeau, who preaches defense and a young core that seems to be growing well together.

The Raptors should take notice.  This is a team they should try to build themselves in the mould of.

Zan For Three

2010 Free Agency Redux

So looking back at the circus that was the 2010 free agency period Lebron and Wade remain the biggest pick ups and are starting to make a tremendous difference with the Miami Heat.  They are beginning to be everything they were advertised to be but how about the pick up of Amare Stoudamire and Carlos Boozer?

Much was made of Lebron, Bosh, Wade and Amare but Boozer was almost a forgotten bridesmaid during that time.  His off-season injury also erased him from our minds during the first part of the season.  He is back and he is kicking some serious ass.

Carlos Boozer was unstoppable tonight at the ACC. He almost single-handedly defeated he Raptors. There simply was no way to stop Boozer on Wednesday night.

Boozer is, by far, the best player on the court for his team and that is saying something with a starting five that looks the way it does in Chicago.  Miami may have built a winning culture in South Beach, but Chicago picked up a piece that really puts them over the edge.

Forget that he dominated Amir Johnson and Joey Dorsey.  These are not playoff calibre power forwards yet.  Boozer’s dominance inside makes him a very tough match up going into any playoff matchup.  Bosh vs. Boozer?  I’ll take Boozer.  Horford vs. Boozer? I’ll take Boozer .  Kevin Garnett might be the only one who can shut him down, and he’s a bit slower and maybe not as tough.

Watch out Eastern Conference.  This guy is going to make a big difference this year.

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Jay Triano and his staff should be paying close attention to what Tom Thibodeau and his staff are doing in Chicago.  This is a team that can score, but man is their defense good.  Chicago allows their offense to dictate their offense and the Raptors still haven’t figured that out yet.

The Bulls forced stops on the defensive end and turned them into points on the offensive end.  The Raptors are still trying to out-shoot their opponents.  This strategy doesn’t work very often, if ever.

It’s time Colangelo, Triano and the rest of the organization look at teams like Boston and Chicago and start imitating what they see.  The players in Boston and Chicago both bought into Thibodeau’s system and have reaped the benefits.  Why would the Raptors not want to try the same philosophy?

Obviously a change of team philosophy requires some new players, and possibly coaches, but it may be something that the “big Wigs” of MLSE should seriously consider.  That is, of course, if they’re interested in winning at all.

Silver Lining

Tonight Sucked.  Let’s just call a spade a spade and move on.  We are not in the calibre of a team like Chicago.  We are not.  Plain and simple.  However tonight provided some opportunities to be hopeful and look, positively, into the future.

Joey Dorsey (12 pts and 13 reb on 5-8 shooting in 29 minutes)

This is an impressive stat line from the young power forward out of Memphis.  Yes, some of those points were scored in garbage time, but he is resembling something the Raptors may want to take a chance on.  He is a big body and possess some post-up skills and might be worth investing in.  He showed some fight tonight and banged inside against some pretty tough interior players.

Jarryd Bayless ( 20 pts and 4 Assists in 33 minutes)

Bayless has been the engine on offense.  Although many of us would like to see a point guard pass the ball a little more, he has played well since being acquired from New Orleans.  He is resembling more of a shooting guard, but this kid is 22 years old and certainly has some upside.  He gets to the rim, can shoot and is serviceable on the defensive end of the floor.

Ed Davis (10 pts on 5/9 shooting, 10reb, in 32 minutes)

His first start as a Raptor and he played well in spurts.  He was overmatched inside by Chicago’s bigs but Davis held his own against some pretty admirable talent.  This kid is going to be a decent NBA player.  I like the look of him, I like the way he plays the game.  He doesn’t force the issue and will only get better and better.  If the team, as I suggested earlier, starts looking at the defensive side of the ball then Davis could be a key player moving forward.  Definitely something to look forward to.

Zan of the Night

Carlos Boozer

The man is an absolute beast.  I would not want to meet him in an alley or in the paint.  He scares me and even thinking of him tonight gives me shivers.  He absolutely dominated the inside tonight and basically took whatever he wanted from the Raptor bigs.  Amir Johnson was his play toy tonight and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Not Zan of the Night

Amir Johnson

Hey dude, I love you as a player.  On this current Raptor squad, you’re probably my favourite player, but tonight was not your night.  Mama told you there’d be days like this.  More fouls than points, not a lot of minutes for you out there because of the foul trouble and not much brewing on the offensive end either. Take it as a learning experience and move on.  Carlos Boozer is one of the best.  You have work to do before you are competing consistently with the likes of that bad boy.

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Kristoffer Pedlar

The Zan Tabak Herald

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