khandor’s sports blog

16 Responses to “Raptors open season with a roller-coaster victory”

1. Brain Colangelo Says:
   October 29th, 2009 at 7:22 pm

   Thank you. Not as effusive re. Bargs as I would have hoped, but still appreciated.

   Re. rebounding, do you think there’s merit in tracking contested boards as a truer measure of rebounding skill or is there a better metric (understanding that rebounding has both a team and an individual component)?

2. Scott G Says:
   October 29th, 2009 at 7:57 pm

   See what I wrote earlier in the previous thread… Mike Brown is NOT making Popovich proud right now.

   Still, a great effort. Liked what I saw from DD, Wright, and Belli, in that order. Jack was okay, although he seemed to force it… he really needs to play PG to be effective.

   In general, I think this team was a lot more “active” on O and D than last year’s Raps. Wright’s defensive effort in particular was a bright spot.

   On the other hand, there were some moments where our guys were just plain out-hustled for loose balls/rebs. Which, I suppose, is why we need a big who’s willing to do that, and not named Reggie Evans.

   Bottom line - a W is a W, and I really can’t complain after what I watched all of last year.

3. Tinman Says:
   October 29th, 2009 at 8:21 pm

   Didn’t you call a Cavs victory? Oh-for -one,, Khandor. Will be watching the Grizzles, think you called for a Rap loss on that as well.
   Cleveland sure looked bad last night. Actually against the C’s as well. Don’t see them doing as well this year. Think you wrote they have improved as a team. Might be wrong on that as well.

4. MC Says:
   October 29th, 2009 at 10:21 pm

   Khandor,
   You don’t seem to be eating any crow for some reason. You have stated that the combination of Bargs and Bosh WILL NOT WORK, yet it worked splendidly against the Cavs. You even pointed out that they were +20 when paired together as the bigs. In fact, you barely even mention Bargs at all in your post game analysis. What gives? I even saw in your comments from a few days ago that you said the Raps were (or should be) legitimately thinking about having Bargs on the bench behind Bosh at C. I know it’s just 1 game, but do you actually think the Raps management is considering this now?

5. khandor Says:
   October 30th, 2009 at 9:02 am

   Brain,

   Thanks?

   Appreciation?

   Not really necessary.

   The fact is …

   1. What I do is most concerned with simply getting it right; that’s all.

   2. When the team succeeds, it’s a good thing.

   3. When the team fails, it’s a bad thing.

   I just calls ‘em as I sees ‘em.

   ——————————————————–

   re: tracking “contested” rebounds

   A rose by any other name …

   IMO, the best way to assess someone’e rebounding prowess is to:

   1. Watch “how” they play the game, relative to others at the same position;

   and,

   2. Consider their individual rebounding numbers, in a variety of different metrics [e.g. totals, differentials, percentages, etc.].

   In a very simplistic sense, the best rebounders are the individuals who get the most crucial rebounds for their team with the game on the line.

   Look no further than incomparable men like Misters Russell, Rodman, Malone, and Silas, etc., when attempting to assess the very best at this specific craft, in the history of the NBA.

6. khandor Says:
   October 30th, 2009 at 9:09 am

   Scott G.,

   Ditto … for the most part.

   Recall, however, that there was very good “energy” from last year’s team at different times, as well.

   ——————————————————–

   Of immediate concern …

   Riding Chris Bosh’s back for 39 MPG is a long term recipe for disaster.

7. khandor Says:
   October 30th, 2009 at 9:28 am

   Tinman,

   ——————————————————–
   re: Didn’t you call a Cavs victory? Oh-for -one,, Khandor.
   ——————————————————–

   No, I did not “call a Cavs victory” for the Raptors’ opening night.

   What I did was say that an astute NBA observer should be “expecting” the Cavs to win Wednesday’s [Oct 28] game vs the Raptors, when looking at it in advance, for a number of specific reasons, involved with the individual match-up dis/advantages.

   The only NBA game I actually made a call on, for Wed Oct 28 2009, was:

   Golden State -7/-107

   which failed to get the cover, losing out-right vs Houston.

   [In fact, I sent out emails prior to tip-off ensuring that others in my circle knew that I was "on" neither "side" in this specific Cavs/Raptors match-up, given where the "number" was, i.e. Cle -5.5/+100.]

   ——————————————————–

   re: Toronto vs Memphis [Fri Oct 30]

   When I wrote my “Raptors Season Preview: Game 2″ … what I said was that:

   An astute NBA observer should be expecting the Raptors to lose this evening’s game, if The Answer is healthy and in the line-up for the Grizzlies.

   ——————————————————–

   re: Cleveland’s prospects this season

   The Cavs won 66 regular season games last season … then lost to Orlando.

   How many wins Cleveland gets this year is immaterial.

   What matters, at least, from their perspective, is that:

   1. They go further in the playoffs this season.

   2. They retain the services of LeBron next summer.

   In the Cavs’ situation, #1 and #2 are most definitely linked.

   I have serious reservations that Mike Brown does not have the skill-set to take this Cleveland team back to the NBA Finals with their current roster.

   He is on the hot seat this season for the Cavs.

   PS. Shaq is worth $21.0 M of salary … that comes off their cap next summer … which gives them enough coin to re-shape their team, provided they can hold onto LeBron.

8. khandor Says:
   October 30th, 2009 at 9:56 am

   MC,

   Welcome aboard!

   ——————————————————–
   re: Khandor,
   You don’t seem to be eating any crow for some reason. You have stated that the combination of Bargs and Bosh WILL NOT WORK, yet it worked splendidly against the Cavs.
   ——————————————————–

   1. There’s no crow for me to eat.

   2. Playing well offensively, and defensively on the block, vs Shaq and Ilgauskas … at the stage of their careers … does not qualify as “working”, in a more general sense.

   ——————————————————–
   re: You even pointed out that they were +20 when paired together as the bigs.
   ——————————————————–

   No, not exactly.

   What I pointed out was that the combo of Bosh and Bargnani was +12 vs Cleveland.

   Hopefully, later today, I’ll be putting up a graphic that shows:

   Bosh/Bargnani were +9 vs Varejoa/O’Neal
   Bosh/Bargnani were +16 vs Ilgauskas/O’Neal

   Bosh/Bargnani were -1 vs James/Ilgauskas
   Bosh/Bargnani were -4 vs James/O’Neal
   Bosh/Bargnani were -6 vs James/Varejoa

   Do the math on those numbers and then project how their performance might yet play out this season vs the rest of the NBA.

   ——————————————————–
   re: In fact, you barely even mention Bargs at all in your post game analysis. What gives?
   ——————————————————–

   If you’ve read what Dave had to say at nbaroundtable and what Scott G. has observed on this blog, then, you should be able to see that nothing Bargnani did vs Cleveland should have as a surprise to any astute observer of the NBA game.

   ——————————————————–
   re: I even saw in your comments from a few days ago that you said the Raps were (or should be) legitimately thinking about having Bargs on the bench behind Bosh at C. I know it’s just 1 game, but do you actually think the Raps management is considering this now?
   ——————————————————–

   Do the math from those number above.

   The answer is self-explanatory.

9. Scott G Says:
   October 30th, 2009 at 11:52 am

   Khan — agreed 100% re Bosh. His knee brace worries me a LOT, as does the fact that he seemed to be favoring that knee at least a little bit. I watched about 5 mins of preseason — was he wearing that thing the entire time? Although Johnson didn’t play a ton, I liked his length and activity at the 4, and I think he needs to be worked into the rotation in a greater role. Or maybe adding Reggie back into the mix can have the same effect (provided Reggie comes off the bench).

   I just hope Triano realizes that the starting 5 is NOT necessarily your 5 most talented players, and can resist the urge to keep starting both Bosh and Bargs. For those folks that are incredulous at the thought of someone scoring 28 pts coming off the bench, please look at guys like Ginobili, Odom, Batum, heck, even Sheed (clearly a better player than Perk)… It’s about the right MIX of players to start, and then you can finish games with your best 5 or the starters as you see fit.

10. rob Says:
    October 30th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    u dont have to eat crow khan, your backtracking is tatamount to my 10 yr old telling me they didnt eat the candy with the cherry ring of sugar is around their lips. u r anti rapti. Raptor Republic was filled with post day comments about your negative view of the team. hope u enjoyed the game because i did from my season seats and while i cringed in the 3rd quarter, this team is both deep and is already developing a new character. cb4, in the huddle , told the guys that they are winning this game. he shouted at them and demanded effort as they went on the floor for the 4th quarter. our b-ball players have earned respect. one game makes not a season, but this is a great start….

11. khandor Says:
    October 30th, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    rob,

    1. Back-tracking?

    LOL,

    Please go right ahead and point out where exactly you think you see evidence of that.

    2. Just because you and your 10 yr old might have a problem distinguishing between something that is actually accurate from something else which is not, in contradiction with the evidence at-hand … please refrain from placing me, or what I happen to do here, in that same context.

    3. Those who think that someone like me … who does what I do … is “anti Raptor”, unfortunately, are the ones with perceptual difficulties.

    4. CB4 is a high end player who the Raptors’ fanbase should respect, rather than denigrate, based on what he’s achieved in the game to-date.

    5. You don’t earn respect in the NBA by playing and winning your home opener against a team like Cleveland, on the heels of their opening night loss at home to the Celtics.

    6. In the world of pro sports, winning is almost always better than losing.

12. khandor Says:
    October 30th, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    Scott G.,

    1. Yes, Bosh wore the brace throughout the pre-season and the report I read said that he was planning to wear it the entire season as a pre-cautionary measure.

    2. Amir Johnson brings a number of positive attributes to the dance, in terms of D & R.

    3. Jay Triano is a very capable basketball coach. Hopefully he is able to figure out the puzzle properly this season.

    The first 20 games of the season will be a real test of his mettle.

13. Tinman Says:
    October 30th, 2009 at 3:02 pm

    Khandor, you do not catagorize yourself as an astute NBA observer? You have come a long way, baby. Looks like I have helped you grow

    Guess I should find a more “an astute NBA observer”

    Khandor - you were wrong. You will be wrong tonite as well. Talk to you in the morning.

14. khandor Says:
    October 30th, 2009 at 5:42 pm

    Tinman,

    ——————————————————–
    re: Khandor, you do not catagorize yourself as an astute NBA observer?
    ——————————————————–

    That’s a nice try, on your part.

    ——————————————————–
    re: You have come a long way, baby. Looks like I have helped you grow
    ——————————————————–

    LOL,

    ——————————————————–
    re: Guess I should find a more “an astute NBA observer”
    ——————————————————–

    Who you choose to listen to is up to you.

    ——————————————————–
    re: Khandor - you were wrong. You will be wrong tonite as well. Talk to you in the morning.
    ——————————————————–

    The fact is …

    I made “no call” on the Cleveland/Toronto game [Wed Oct 28], except in in terms of providing a “Seasonal Preview”, 1 month, in advance, regarding what an astute observer of the NBA game should expect to see happen in that specific match-up of teams, once the regular season tips off.

    Nor have I made “a call” on this evening’s Toronto/Memphis game, except in the context of that same “Season Preview” format.

    If you’d like to verify this information which I’m giving you here, all you need to do is click on where it says KSS GOTD Selections on this blog, or visit the Free Sports Monitor web site tomorrow and reference my NBA selection for this evening. The choice is up to you.

15. Ragu Says:
    November 2nd, 2009 at 10:43 am

    You called right the last 2 games. 2-3 is pretty good. Any chance for a positive (for the Raps) prediction?

16. khandor Says:
    November 2nd, 2009 at 10:34 pm

    Ragu,

    Actually …

    G1 - Win vs Cle, 1-0 … Season Preview said to anticipate a L, 0-1
    G2 - Loss at MEM, 1-1 … Season Preview said to anticipate a L, 0-2
    G3 - Loss vs Orl, 1-2 … Season Preview said to anticipate a W, 1-2

    Since the Season Previews themselves were posted approximately 1 month in advance of these games actually taking place, the “suggested outcomes” listed there should not be viewed as “predictions” for these specific games.

    A great many things can change within the NBA in a given week and the best that anyone should hope to glean from brief snipets like those is some sense of where the individual match-up advantages might be expected to occur if these opponents were to meet in real life, all things being equal, over a series of games.

    The real “predictions” which I make can be found in the announcement at the top of this blog in the thread titled, “Khandor’s Sports Service, Games Of The Day,” and/or the different day-to-day entries here when I say/write such things as,

    e.g.

    * Brandon Roy or Rudy Gay is who the Raptors should trade down to draft.
    * Andrea Bargnani is a one-dimensional Big who can shoot from the perimeter but will struggle with his Defense and Rebounding in the NBA.
    * Jose Calderon is capable of being a better starting PG than TJ Ford.
    * The Celtics are going to beat the Lakers in the 2007-2008 NBA Finals … but, the Lakers are going to win the 2008-2009 NBA Championship.
    * Anthony Parker is capable of being an effective Back-up PG in the NBA.
    * Chris Humphries is a highly serviceable Big who can function as a starter in the NBA, in the right situation.
    * Jamario Moon actually shoots the ball well enough to be used as a OG.
    * Joey Graham is a highly serviceable SF who can contribute to a top notch team in the NBA, if he’s used and coached properly.
    * Adding Jermaine O’Neal is NOT going to fix the Raptors’ Rebounding Differential problem.
    * Anyone who thinks the 2008-2009 Toronto Raptors have more talent on their team than previous versions of the team is simply wrong.
    * Orlando and Dallas are the two teams that will make out the best from the recent 4-team trade between the Raptors, Grizzlies, Mavs and Magic.
    * The Raptors are going to struggle to make the playoffs during the coming because of the improved depth of “good” [but not great] teams in the EC, specifically, and throughout the NBA, in general.
    * etc., etc., etc.

    ——————————————————–

    re: a positive prediction for the Raptors

    I just calls ‘em as I sees ‘em.

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