Toronto Raptors Season Preview: Game 8
re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year
Game 8– vs Chicago [Wed Nov 11]
|
RAPTORS |
ADV |
BULLS |
||
|
PG |
Calderon |
à |
PG |
Rose |
|
OG |
DeRozan * |
à |
OG |
Hinrich |
|
SF |
Turkoglu $^ |
= |
SF |
Deng |
|
PF |
Bosh |
ß |
PF |
Thomas |
|
C |
Bargnani |
= |
C |
Noah |
|
|
|
|
||
|
PG |
Jack # |
ß |
PG |
Pargo $ |
|
OG |
Belinelli ^ |
= |
OG |
Salmons |
|
SF |
Wright ^ |
= |
SF |
Johnson * |
|
PF |
Evans ^ |
ß |
PF |
Gibson * |
|
C |
Nesterovic $ |
= |
C |
Miller |
|
|
|
|
||
|
G/F |
Douby |
= |
G |
Hunter |
|
PF |
Johnson ^ |
= |
C |
Gray |
|
|
|
|
||
|
HC |
Triano |
à |
HC |
Del Negro |
|
|
|
|
||
|
+3 |
OUTCOME |
+3 |
||
|
Legend: ADV – Individual match-up advantage; * - 2009 NBA Draftee; ^ - Acquired via trade; # – Restricted free agent; #M – Restricted free agent, matched offer; $ – Unrestricted free agent; $R – Unrestricted free agent, re-signed; $^ – Acquired via Sign & Trade; Italics – Returning player. |
||||
The Bulls will be a significantly bigger team than they were for much of last season, substituting Luol Deng at the #3/SF position in place of John Salmons, shifting Salmons to the #2/OG position in place of Ben Gordon, and then introducing 2 athletic 1st Round Draft Picks … each with good size at their position … into their rotation at the back-up #3/SF-#4/PF and #4/PF positions, i.e. James Johnson [No. 16, overall] and Taj Gibson [No. 26, overall], respectively. Last year’s arrival of Derrick Rose [PG, 2008 No. 1, overall, Draft Pick], in conjunction with Joakim Noah [C, 2007 No. 9, overall Draft Pick] and Tyrus Thomas [PF, 2006 No. 4, overall Draft Pick], means that Chicago now has a collection of talented young players that can rival the other up-and-coming teams across the NBA. Given the invaluable experience the Bulls gained from their epic 1st Round playoff loss to the Celtics, this team is going to be a dangerous squad this year … but, one which is still going to suffer periods of inconsistency considering the youth on the roster. Playing their 3rd game in 5 days and the 2nd half of a back-2-back, Chicago should be in a vulnerable position for this game … with the Raptors in desperate need of a home-court victory to get back on the right track after their disappointing road trip.
Raptors expected W-L Record: W, 3-5
Tags: Aaron Gray, Amir Johnson, Andrea Bargnani, Antoine Wright, Brad Miller, Chicago Bulls, Chris Bosh, Derrick Rose, Hedo Turkoglu, James Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jarrett Jack, Jay Triano, Joakim Noah, John Salmons, Jose Calderon, Kirk Hinrich, Lindsey Hunter, Luol Deng, Marco Belinelli, Quincy Douby, Rasho Nesterovic, Reggie Evans, Taj Gibson, Toronto Raptors, Tyrus Thomas, Vinnie Del Negro