khandor’s sports blog

During Wednesday’s television broadcast of the Orlando/Toronto game, Jack Armstrong, Toronto’s analyst, made the following observation about the perceived talent level for this year’s Raptors team:  

Then, on Thursday evening , during the FAN590’s ”Hoops” broadcast, Eric Smith, Toronto’s radio analyst, tried to re-iterated this same point of view, when a caller suggested that the Charlotte Bobcats should actually be considered as “a better team with more NBA talent than the Raptors” … along with, at least, 4 other teams in the Estern Conference, i.e. Boston, Orlando, Cleveland and Atlanta.

After hearing Eric’s response to that caller, this is the exact comment [including errors] which was submitted by yours truly to his FAN590 blog, The Rap, on Friday, Dec 18 2009, at 2:17 PM:

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Hi, Eric.

I heard you on speak with a caller on last night’s show, just prior to 8:00 PM, concerning your belief that the Raptors [11-17/.393] are a better team than the Bobcats [10-14/.417]. According to what you said, your opinion was based on conversations you have had with various NBA insiders who you have encountered across the league and what their impression of Toronto and Charlotte has been to this point in the season.

Respectfully, it is my contention that you … and these NBA insiders who you happened to have communicated with regarding the relative strength of these two teams … happen to be incorrect in this assessment, and will eventually be proven wrong are the season plays itself out.

After starting the season poorly, without Stephen Jackson on their roster, the Bobcats have begun to climb up the standings in the Eastern Conference, and are now ahead of the Raptors. Although the Raptors [#4] have played a more difficult schedule than the Bobcats [#15], to this point, IMO, Charlotte has more “NBA talent” on its current roster, and should probably be expected to close out the current season by finishing ahead of Toronto in the final standings.

Calderon [+1] > Felton
DeRozan < Jackson [+1]
Turkoglu < Wallace [+2]
Bosh [+2] > Diaw
Bargnani < Chandler [+3]
———————-
Jack = Augustin
Belinelli < Henderson [+4]
Wright < Brown [+5]
Johnson = Mohammed
Nesterovic [+3] > Diop
———————-
Banks < Murray [+6]
Seems [+4] > Law
 Mensah-Bonsu = Graham
Evans [+5] ?
O’Bryant = Ajinca
———————-
Triano < Brown [+7]

PS. Hopefully, the fanbase should now be able to see that we’ve been saying for a while now, re: Jose Calderon’s relative lack of individual defensive prowess not being the major catalyst for the team’s many short-comings on that side of the ball, has been a highly accurate assessment.

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As you can clearly see there are several typos and what appear to be “publication errors” contained in that specific comment, which was submitted rather hurriedly and is still awaiting moderation/publication at The Rap.

In an effort to clear up any mis-understanding which Eric Smith - or other visitors to his blog - might have … 

Here is a more “in-depth” analysis of the rosters for the Raptors and the Bobcats, with a few adjustments to the initial ratings that more accurately reflect the current state of affairs with these two teams, from the perspective of this coner:

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Visitors here are invited to elaborate further on their own answer to this question in the comments section.

re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year

Game 16 – at Charlotte [Wed Nov 25]

This is a back-2-back game for the Raptors. Although these two line-ups are relatively equivalent, in terms of individual match-up advantages, the additional experience which Raja Bell and Larry Brown have, in comparison with DeMar DeRozan and Jay Triano, respectively, gives Charlotte an edge which should be enough to secure a W in a close game.

Expect the Bobcats to be one of several improved teams in the EC this year battling for a lower tier playoff spot with the Raptors.

Raptors expected W-L Record: L, 6-10

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PS. This contest holds a high degree of interest, due to the presence of rookies DeMar DeRozan [No. 9/1st Rd, USC, OG-SF], Gerald Henderson [No. 12/1st Rd, Duke, OG-SF] and Derrick Brown [No. 40/2nd Rd, Xavier, PF-SF]. Brown, in particular, was a relatively unheralded player in this year’s NBA Draft who yours truly would have liked to see the Raptors trade down to obtain … in addition to receiving other assets, in exchange for the No. 9 [overall] Selection. Although it is still very early in the process, all three players seem to be acquitting themselves nicely in the NBA.

“How to turn around the fortunes of your pro sports team”, NBA 101 Management Handbook, p. 23.

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Make a legitimate run for the 8th playoff spot in the 2008-2009 season

Add Vladimir Radmanovic [Lakers] in exchange for Adam Morrison

Add DeSagana Diop [Mavs] in exchange for Ryan Hollins & Matt Carroll

Decide NOT to trade Raymond Felton [PG]

Add Raja Bell and Boris Diaw and Sean Singletary [Suns] in exchange for J-Rich & J-Dudley

Add Juwon Howard [as a veteran Big off the bench] from the scrap heap

Decide NOT to trade Sean May AND to sit him on the bench  

Add Cartier Martin [OG/SF] and Dontell Jefferson [OG] from the pool of undrafted players

Add DJ Augustin [as a solid PG] from the 2008 NBA Draft

Add Alexis Ajinca [as a long term project, C] from the 2008 NBA Draft

Decide NOT to trade Gerald Wallace [SF/PF]

Hire Larry Brown to coach your team AND empower him to make trades

Retain Nazr Mohammed [as a solid veteran Big off the bench]

Re-sign Emeka Okafor, your 2004 No. 2 [overall] Draft Pick, as an emotionally stable, hard-working Center, who can Rebound & Defend his position, when others suggested that he was a “bad” long term investment for your team

Hire the most reknowned former player in NBA history to oversee the operation of your franchise [i.e. you know who]

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It’s not rocket science … and, your GM certainly doesn’t NEED to have been named a winner of the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award even one time, during his career to-date.

FINAL SCORE: Raptors 86, BOBCATS 112
Complete Game Info

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It’s becoming comical to see and track just How MUCH BETTER the Raptors are when [1] Chris Bosh plays the Center position, in comparison with [2] the Power Forward position, or [3] when he’s not in the game at all.

Yet, certain fan web sites and on-line voices are now maintaining that the team MIGHT be better off long term if they trade their Captain and continue to re-build their squad around Andrea Bargnani, as their Cornerstone Player … either, as their Starting Center or their Starting Power Forward.

In reality, this option makes little sense … based on the in-game production of these two players, the roles they fulfil for this team and the way in which the Raptors perform when each of them is on the court, either, separately or together.

If you look at the following Substitution Chart, you should be able to see:

* How the Raptors played:

1. With Bosh at Center - 10:51, -1
2. With Bosh at Power Forward - 28:04, -10
3. Without Bosh on the floor at all - 09:05, -15

4. With Bargnani at Center - 34:17, -20
5. With Bargnani at Center AND Bosh at Power Forward - see 2 [above]
6. Without Bargnani on the floor at all - 13:43, -6  

* How the Raptors played with 3 or more Solid Rebounders on the floor, together, in comparison with only 1 or 2 Solid Rebounders on together:

3 Solid Rebounders, -5

PG/Parker + SF/Graham + PF/Mensah-Bonsu + C/Bosh = -1
PG/Parker + SF/Marion + PF/Mensah-Bonsu = -2
SF/Graham + PF/Mensah-Bonsu + C/Bosh = 0
PG/Graham + SF/Marion + PF/Mensah-Bonsu = -2

versus

1 or 2 Solid Rebounders, -21

SF/Marion + PF/Bosh = -11
SF?Marion + PF/Mensah-Bonsu = -4
SF/Graham + PF/Bosh = +1
SF/Graham + PF/Mensah-Bonsu = -7

Moving forward from here, with a 24-44/.353 W-L record, the best available option for the Raptors DOES NOT involve trading Chris Bosh [OPTION ONE] and using Andrea Bargnani as their Cornerstone Player, despite what many delusional Raptors fans and certain other NBA observers might think … but, rather:

OPTION TWO

I. Using Chris Bosh as their Main-Frame Center;

II. Using Shawn Marion as their Starting Power Forward AND Back-up Small Forward;

III. Using Joey Graham as their Main-frame Small Forward;

IV. Using Anthony Parker as their Starting Off Guard AND Back-up Point Guard;

V. Using Jose Calderon as their Main-Frame Point Guard;

VI. Using Andrea Bargnani as their Back-up Center;

VII. Using Pops Mensah-Bonsu as their Back-up Power Forward;

VIII. Using Jason Kapono as their Back-up Off Guard [or Back-up Small Forward];

IX. Not using any of their other players, except in emergency situations.

X. Adding a solid young, athletic, multi-dimensional player in the 2009 NBA Lottery;

XII. Re-signing Shawn Marion to a manageable contract extension, or signing a comparable or better UFA [e.g. Hedo Turkoglu]; 

XIII. Solidifying their Head Coach position;

XIV. Making the 2009-2010 Eastern Conference Playoffs; and,

XV. Re-signing Chris Bosh to a Maximum Contract Extension.

OPTION THREE

I. Trading Andrea Bargnani … in exchange for a more multi-dimensional “No. 2″ player, e.g. like Rudy Gay [OG/SF/PF];

II. See the remainder of OPTION TWO [above].

Rebounding, Team Defense and Shared Team Offense are the 3 main phases of Basketball and it is extremely difficult … if not impossible … for a team to function at a High End level with a Main-Frame Center that is not at least an above-average performer in the first two categories because of the other subsequent adjustments THIS FACT alone forces upon the other four [4] positions on your team, on a possession-by-possession basis.