Speed bumps ahead for the Raptors?
While some might have expected Toronto to break slowly from the starting gate this season, given the extensive roster overhaul from this past summer, an astute NBA observer should have been able to see that the Dinos were most likely going to hover somewhere close to the .500 mark for the first 8 or 9 games of their schedule … i.e. Toronto Raptors Season Season Preview: Game 20.
Where things might begin to change, however, is the stretch of games that takes place from Nov 13 to Dec 05:
Toronto Raptors 2009-2010 Schedule
Game 9 at Los Angeles Clippers [QIR #18; RDR #23], Fri Nov 13
Game 10 at Phoenix [QIR #10; RDR #10], Sun Nov 15
Game 11 at Denver [QIR #19; RDR #24], Tue Nov 17
Game 12 at Utah [QIR #23; RDR #19], Wed Nov 18
Game 13 vs Miami [QIR #3; RDR #7], Fri Nov 20
Game 14 vs Orlando [QIR #11; RDR #15], Sun Nov 22
Game 15 vs Indiana [QIR #20; RDR #18], Tue Nov 24
Game 16 at Charlotte [QIR #7; RDR #2], Wed Nov 25
Game 17 at Boston [QIR #1; RDR #9], Fri Nov 27
Game 18 vs Phoenix [QIR #10; RDR #10], Sun Nov 29
Game 19 vs Washington [QIR #15; RDR #12], Tue Dec 01
Game 20 at Atlanta [QIR #13; RDR #14], Wed Dec 02
Game 21 at Washington [QIR #15; RDR #12], Fri Dec 04
Game 22 at Chicago [QIR #11; RDR #8], Sat Dec 05
during which the Raptors [QIR #25/RDR #20] will face a series of opponents that Rebound and Defend, in general, in a different way than Cleveland [QIR #8; RDR #11], Detroit [QIR #13; RDR #20] and New Orleans [QIR #28; RDR #28] have to this point, in their losses to Toronto, respectively.
Legit Contenders To Win The NBA Championship, 2009-2010: PART I
The simple facts are …
#1. Scoring points has NEVER been a problem for the Raptors, under the direction of Bryan Colangelo [GM].
#2. It’s the OTHER TWO MAIN PHASES OF THE GAME … i.e. involved with Rebounding and Defense … that have been [and continue to be] the source of their major problems, when it comes to winning important games against upper echelon teams in the NBA.
Tags: Bryan Colangelo, Toronto Raptors
November 9th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Sorry, but what’s QIR and RDR? I think one is rebounding differential or something.
November 9th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
This blog just needs to be renamed Raptors Truth.
It’s my first internet stop everyday, most other places are propaganda pushing entities fueled by the BC Kool Aid.
It simply amazes me, how year after year, BC assembles teams that are deficient in point #2. For someone who has been around the game as long as he has, I cannot comprehend why he insists on pushing a model that functions under the “We will simply outscore our opponent” mentality.
It has never worked, it does not work, and barring any serious rule changes, it will never work. Is that the definition of insanity? Or are the fans insane for believing into something that will NEVER work?
He’s amazing when it comes to recruiting talent and people who will sell tickets (there’s always a wide range of personalities on the team, where any individual can find someone to identify with), yet playing together and playing well (when it matters) is something that escapes them.
All in all, it becomes difficult to be supportive of a cause, product, etc. that clearly will not flourish at the highest level. But I suppose there’s some console in knowing that it may not be a permanent situation.. hanging on to the hope that one day the right people will be put in place.
These are the things keeping me up at night, while he’s grinning from ear to ear and sleeping soundly on his silk sheets. And that’s the life of a Raptors fan.
Thanks for the opportunity and venue to vent, where one will not be ridiculed and cast as a non-supporter.
November 9th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Flux - amen, my man. I can barely read RR anymore, at least other than the articles…
November 9th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
There’s some tough games in there.
Easy to see a 6 & 8 record coming out of that stretch.
November 9th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Well said. Everything’s been going our way so far - every key player is basically playing to their ability - and its all adding up to .500.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Marz,
If you click on the links in this entry, then, you should be able to see the definitions which I’ve created for QIR [Quality Index Ranking] and RDR [i.e. Rebound Differential Ranking].
November 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Flux, Scott G. and Mike D,
Thanks for the compliment.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
brothersteve,
So, too, might it end up being a tad worse than that … unfortunately.
This is the stretch of games where the toll of playing heavy minutes, early in the season, might begin to catch up with Chris Bosh … who you will now note has recently taken to wearing TWO knee braces, rather than just one.
Those who think that the Quality Depth of this year’s Raptors team is vastly superior to the previous two versions under Bryan Colangelo are sorely mistaken.
The W-L Record which the Raptors put together during this upcoming stretch of games will give a solid indication of where exactly their team stands, in relation to the other high end outfits in the NBA.
While 6-8 should be okay, substantially less than that might actually foretell yet another trip to the Lottery.