khandor’s sports blog

FINAL SCORE: Raptors 93, Nuggets 132
Game Info

Jeez-louise … that one was ugly.

Three points to make.

1. The person responsible for the Raptors’ current situation is not Sam Mitchell, the team’s head coach … it is Bryan Colangelo, the team’s President/GM, who has made the decisions which have led this franchise dangerously close to “Treadmill Status” [right now], something that was relatively easy to see as a likely predicament for this group of players since this past summer, at least, for those who have not been drinking of the Kool-Aid from MLSE.

It’s not necessary to re-hash that long list again, is it?

[Let's hope not. ]

The 2nd-3rd week of December is approaching quickly, and the FACT IS … the man has a history of changing head coaches during this first part of the regular season, if/when there’s a need for a scapegoat to be found to explain the sorry plight of a team which he has been responsible for constructing in the first place.

Will he do it again this year?

Hmmm …

For the sake of the Raptors’ long term goal, which should be trying to eventually bring a NBA Championship to the City of Toronto, let’s hope not.

2. That said …

There are some individuals in this world who are positive thinkers … despite what certain others might have to say about them and their ideas, which can sometimes be complex and difficult to understand, especially at first glance … and incapable of ever accepting a No-win Situation, for what it appears to be, on the surface. These individuals, IN FACT, are properly characterized as out-of-the-box-thinkers who have learned the lessons well of Sun Tzu, and knowing both themselves and their opponent, at all times, are able to “Make chicken out of chicken salad”, on a regular basis, because it’s who they happen to be and what they happen to do in this world. Different strokes for different folks.

Finding THE WAY OUT for this year’s team is akin to the classic “trap scenario” involved with the single room, two doors [one which leads to eventual escape and salvation; the other which leads to death and damnation], two gate-keepers, one who always tells the truth and the other who always tells a lie; and, the single question which you, as the solo game player, must be able to ask correctly, of either gate-keeper, in order to choose the one RIGHT door, without knowing in advance which keeper is the truth-teller and which is the falsemaster.

i.e. All the pieces to the puzzle have been laid out in front of you already; what you have to do is decipher them correctly. Once the answer to the riddle has been told to you, it makes perfect sense. It is not earth-shaking, in any sense. It is simple “common” sense; which really isn’t common at all, at least, not until everyone IN FACT has it “in common” with each other, which unfortunately not all do in this topsy turvy world. Still, if you think it through carefully, there is nothing preventing you, or anyone else for that matter, from arriving at THE correct answer for yourself. One of the keys? “See” and “listen” very carefully, as “Looking” and “Hearing” alone, won’t get you very far. The answer to the riddle is always to be found in the original source material. Sorta like THE pudding and THE eating.
When a team’s roster of players looks like this:

Calderon, Parker, Bargnani, Bosh, O’Neal
Ukic, Kapono, Moon, Graham, Humphries
Solomon, Adams, Jawai

a coach who is incapable of negotiating his way through the labyrinth correctly SHOULD NOT be held accountable for failing to be an out-of-the-box-thinker, in the first place …

as the simple FACT IS … relatively speaking, few men/women are, including the President/GM responsible for the operation of the Toronto Raptors.

3. There are some NBA observers who actually do know what they’re talking about when it comes to understanding, both, the League, in general, and the Raptors, specifically. If you wish to disregard what they have to say, on a regular basis, that’s your decision to make.

Complex, out-of-the-box-thinking is not everyone’s preferred method of operation.

It’s half-time of tonight’s Raptors [6-7] vs Bobcats [4-9] game, and this is what the Box Score looks like:

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			Field Goals				Rebounds
	pos	min	fgm-a	3pm-a	ftm-a	+/-	off	def	tot	ast	pf	st	to	bs	ba	pts
E. Okafor	F	11:13	1-2	0-0	2-2	+1	1	5	6	1	2	2	0	1	0	4
G. Wallace	F	16:57	5-8	0-0	7-11	-2	0	3	3	1	2	1	1	0	1	17
A. Ajinca	C	04:00	1-4	0-0	0-0	-3	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2
D. Augustin	G	21:18	1-2	1-2	3-3	-5	0	0	0	2	0	1	5	0	0	6
R. Felton	G	20:01	2-5	0-1	0-0	-2	0	1	1	4	0	1	1	0	0	4
J. Dudley		12:00	3-3	0-0	0-1	-6	1	1	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	6
A. Morrison		08:50	0-4	0-3	0-0	-6	1	1	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
M. Carroll		06:41	1-4	0-2	1-1	-3	0	1	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	3
N. Mohammed		07:29	0-1	0-0	0-0	-2	0	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	0
S. May		06:25	2-2	0-0	0-0	+5	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	4
R. Hollins		05:06	0-1	0-0	0-0	-2	1	1	2	0	2	0	0	0	1	0
S. Brown		00:00	-	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total		120	16-36	1-8	13-18		5	14	19	12	10	7	9	1		46
			44.4%	12.5%	72.2%		Team Rebs: 4				Total TO: 9

			Field Goals				Rebounds
	pos	min	fgm-a	3pm-a	ftm-a	+/-	off	def	tot	ast	pf	st	to	bs	ba	pts
C. Bosh	F	23:07	9-10	0-0	6-6	+1	1	3	4	0	2	1	1	2	0	24
J. Moon	F	12:06	1-3	1-1	0-0	+3	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	3
A. Bargnani	C	20:49	2-9	0-1	1-2	+2	2	4	6	2	2	0	2	2	1	5
J. Calderon	G	16:52	1-5	0-2	0-0	+4	0	2	2	4	1	0	2	0	0	2
A. Parker	G	18:02	2-3	1-2	0-0	0	1	1	2	2	0	2	2	0	0	5
K. Humphries		08:49	0-3	0-0	0-0	+6	0	2	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
J. Kapono		07:28	1-1	0-0	0-0	+3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
R. Ukic		07:08	1-2	0-0	0-0	+1	0	1	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	2
J. Graham		05:39	2-2	0-0	4-4	+5	1	2	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	8
H. Adams		00:00	-	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
W. Solomon		00:00	-	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
J. O’Neal		00:00	-	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total		120	19-38	2-6	11-12		5	15	20	11	10	4	8	4		51
			50.0%	33.3%	91.7%		Team Rebs: 2				Total TO: 8

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Tonight marks the first game this season, the Raptors will be without Jermain O’Neal in their 12-man line-up.

Since their blockbuster trade with the Pacers was consummated this past summer, this corner has repeatedly said that the Raptors did not NEED to make this acquisition at this point during their attempted climb up the Eastern Conference standings.

Well, with O’Neal in their line-up, this team has performed at a .461 pace so far this season.

It says here & now that as long as O’Neal is not healthy enough to play for the Raptors this season … and, instead, their other younger and/or more athletic players [i.e. Andrea Bargnani, Kris Humphries, Jamario Moon, Joey Graham & Roko Ukic] get those available minutes of floor time … this team will perform in a similar or slightly better way as they’ve done to this point with JO as their Starting Center.

THAT’S how little this Raptors’ team actually NEEDS Jermaine O’Neal on the floor.

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UPDATE:

• The Raptors are up by 5 points with 4:58 remaining in the 4th Q.
• They are being hurt right now by keeping Kapono on the floor with Calderon, Parker, Bargnani & Bosh. J-Killa is simply not athletic enough to play beside Calderon and Parker and Bargnani, none of whom are High End NBA Athletes in their own right.
• Returning Graham to the game, for Kapono, or going with Moon, instead, will address this problem.
• Graham returns for Kapono.
• Raptors now ahead by 3 pts.
• Okafor with a hoop, Raptors now ahead by 1pt.
• Bosh hits a jumper from the TOTK. Raptors ahead by 3 pts.
• Calderon to Graham at the front of the rim for a dunk. Raptors ahead by 5 pts. Time-out [Full] Charlotte.
• Felton, offensive foul. Drawn charge by Bargnani.
• Augustin misses with a runner. Shot altered by Bargnani & Bosh in the lane. 
• Calderon makes a dribble left pull-up jumper over Felton. Raptors ahead by 7 pts.
• Steal by Graham.
• Raptors win, 93-86.

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Here’s the final Box Score and the in-game Play-By-Play for you to examine for yourself.

FINAL SCORE: Raptors 89, Lakers 112
Game Information

The fundamental inequities which exist between the rosters of these two teams were on full display in last night’s exhibition game.

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At the 02:41 mark of the 3rd Quarter, the Lakers made 3 substitutions:

* Replacing V-Radmanovic with Lamar Odom,
* Replacing D-Fisher with Trevor Ariza, and
* Replacing A-Bynum with Jordan Farmar;

while, the Raptors made 1 substitution:

* Replacing A-Parker with Jason Kapono.

9 seconds later, at the 02:32 mark, the Raptors made a 2nd substitution:

* Replacing J-Calderon with Roko Ukic;

and leaving each team with the following line-ups on the court:

RAPTORS - Ukic [PG], Adams [OG/SF], Kapono [SF/OG], Bargnani [C/PF] & O’Neal [PF/C]

LAKERS - Farmar [PG], Bryant [OG/SF], Ariza [SF/OG], Odom [PF] & Gasol [C]

After Jason Kapono made 2 Free Throws to put the Raptors ahead, 72-70, the Lakers closed the quarter with a 10-4 run which put them up, 80-76. 

During the run, the Raptors made 1 substitution, at the 00:30 mark:

* Replacing J-O’Neal with Chris Bosh.

To open the 4th Quarter, the Raptors made no new substitutions, while the Lakers made 2 substitutions:

* Replacing K-Bryant with Luke Walton, and
* Replacing P-Gasol with Chris Mihm;

leaving them with the following line-up:

LAKERS - Farmar [PG], Ariza [OG/SF], Walton [SF/OG], Odom [PF] & Mihm [C].

Without bringing Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, or Andrew Bynum back into the game, the Lakers then outscored the Raptors in the 4th Quarter, 32-13, to seal their victory.

The following table indicates the substitutions made by each team during these respective phases of the game:

while the final table reflects the playing time alotted to each player for both teams who saw action during these two sequences of the 3rd and 4th Quarters: 

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When assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the Raptors and the Lakers, it is comical to think that some other NBA observers are actually considering the current version of the Raptors:

1. To be a ‘legitimate’ contending team in the NBA this season; or,

2. To be a ‘legitimate’ contending team in the Eastern Conference this season.

As is … the cold, hard, reality is: 

I) When Jose Calderon is not in the game, the Raptors do not have a capable back-up Point Guard who they can use to run their team against a high calibre opponent.

[Note 1: In part, this is because they have shown little to no interest, thus far, in using Anthony Parker ... a capable ball-handler and decision-maker ... in this capacity.]

II) When some combination of Chris Bosh, Jermaine O’Neal and Kris Humphries are not on the court together, the Raptors are incapable of rebounding the ball in a way which is consistent with being a legitimate contending team in the NBA … given the deficiencies of their back-up players, like Andrea Bargnani [C/PF], Jason Kapono [SF/OG], Hassan Adams [OG/SF] and Roko Ukic [PG], in this specific area of the game.

III) The absence of QUALITY DEPTH on the Raptors’ roster is going to be an achilles heel for their team this season, in comparison with the other top flight teams in the NBA this season,

e.g. Boston Celtics, LA Lakers, Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers;

as well as, the other 2nd & 3rd tier teams that are in the ‘chase pack’ alongside Toronto.

Since the Jermaine O’Neal trade was first announced, this corner has said repeatedly that this move alone was NOT going to solve the Raptors’ REBOUNDING problem … which occurs when they play against a high calibre opponent with as much or more ‘athleticism’ at the 5 positions on the floor, in comparison with Toronto’s line-up.

When this current collection of Raptors matches-up with a team like this current group of 76ers … what you’re going to get, more often than not, is a ‘Board Deficit’ like you saw in yesterday’s encounter:

Box Score: Philadelphia 85, Toronto 79

There are specific ways to effectively address a team’s REBOUNDING problem … when it’s the type of problem the Raptors have had for the last two years … but, one of them is NOT:

* To trade your team’s 2nd best Rebounder [who is also your best Low Post Defender, i.e. Nesterovic]
* To include a flip-flop of 1st & 2nd Round Draft Picks [which turns out to be ... THEY get Roy Hibbert; YOU get Nathan Jawai!!!]
* To include your back-up PG in the deal [Ford]
* To include a throw-away Big from the end of the bench [Baston]
* Plus, decide to let another throw-away Big from the end of the bench to walk for nothing [Brezec]
* Plus, decide to let a useful player like Carlos Delfino walk away for nothing
* Plus, decide to let a VERY useful player like Jorge Garbajosa do the same

… in exchange for adding:

* Either inexperienced and/or marginal players like Jawai, Roko Ukic, Hassan Adams, and Will Solomon
* Plus, a veteran player like Jermaine O’Neal, who is returning from a series of leg injuries.

That ^^^, right there, is like making a 7 for 4 deal, where …

Toronto Loses: Nesterovic + Ford + Hibbert + Baston + Brezec + Delfino + Garbajosa

and

Toronto Adds: O’Neal + Jawai + Adams + Solomon

[strictly speaking Ukic cannot be included amongst the additions since his rights already belonged to the Raptors]

in which 5 of the 6 players who you know already can play effectively in the NBA, in some capacity, are going the other way … while you are getting ‘the best player’, overall … but, who you can only HOPE is going to regain his effectiveness coming off his most recent injury.

THAT ^^^, right there, is a BAD TRADE.

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By trying to make a ‘blockbuster’ trade this summer … instead of simply moving TJ Ford for a back-up, serviceable, Wing player like Rodney Carney … and promoting Calderon to the starter’s position … and, THEN, holding onto Nesterovic, Delfino & Garbajosa, until further notice … what the Raptors have done now is, in fact, ROLL THE DICE big time that they do not pick up any sort of serious injury to Bosh, O’Neal or Calderon, and can survive these next two years with their current line-up intact, while not dropping down into the #9-12 spots in the EC, where they would be a DEFINITE ‘treadmill’ team … i.e not good enough to make the playoffs and not bad enough to get a high NBA DRAFT Lottery Pick anytime soon … waiting for the 2010-2011 season when they will once again have some wiggle room under the Salary Cap/Luxury Tax Threshold to add/subtract players to/from their roster.

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Which, in turn … given the Raptors’ current player roster … is part of the reason they SHOULD think long and hard, right now, about:

* Removing Anthony Parker from their starting line-up
* Shifting Jamario Moon to the #2-spot
* Inserting Joey Graham into the starting line-up
* Using AP as the primary back-up PG/OG, coming off the bench
* Removing Jermaine O’Neal from the starting line-up
* Inserting Kris Humphries into the starting line-up, as the partner for CB4
* Using O’Neal [PF] and Bargnani [C] together, as the Bigs with their 2nd Unit
* Using Jason Kapono for instant offense off the bench, as a spot player on the Wing with either the 1st or 2nd Units, at a later point in the game when the situation dictates
* Using a system of higly structured set plays which would allow limited offensive players like Graham, Moon, Humphries, and Bargnani to function at their maximum level of efficiency by only shooting ‘designated’ shots …

and, thereby, create a better balanced rotation for this Raptors’ team, which accounts for and integrates the areas of Rebounding, Defense and Team Offense.

===============================

Then, again … this corner could always be proven wrong about this … over the course of time.

There’s an interesting interview with Larry Bird on NBA.com today which gives his interpretation of the Pacers’ situation looking forward to this season and their future in the next few years ahead.

———————————–

NBA.com: What do you see as the No. 1 area of improvement for the Pacers this season?
Larry Bird: Obviously we have to get better on the defensive end. Last year we committed too many fouls and we didn’t defend the three-point shot. So overall our defense has to get better to win games. Offensively, we’ll score a lot of points. Defense was the problem last year. As far as the team goes, I think we did something in the draft to help us overall, and I think we solidified our point guard position with Travis [Diener],T.J., and Jarrett Jack so we’re very strong in that area right now.

NBA.com: How big of an impact will rookie Roy Hibbert have on the defensive end in the role of shot blocker, overall defensive presence?
Larry Bird: It’s always good to have a big guy in there. Without Jermaine last year we didn’t have that potential to block shots. With Roy in there he takes up a lot of space and even if we don’t block a lot of shots, you can get guys to shoot up over him and maybe distract them a little bit. I think it’s going to be a major plus for us. Obviously he’s a rookie and he’s got a lot of learning to do, but in the long run he’ll be fine.

NBA.com: Who is the team leader?
Larry Bird: I think it can be a couple guys. We’ve had some players around here just waiting for the opportunity to step in and I think now they’ll look at the training camp and go through and you’ll sort of see after a while who the players gravitate to.

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What’s of most interest to this corner is:

(1) The possible location of two former Raptors on Indiana’s current depth chart, i.e. TJ Ford and Rasho Nesterovic; and,

(2) The overall level of optimism Larry Legend has for the likes of Mike Dunleavy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Roy Hibbert, et al., as a core group of players which the Pacers can build around over the next few seasons …

specifically, in comparison with the current roster of the Pacers’ trading partner in the deal they made this summer for Jermaine O’Neal.

———————————–

While most of the ‘2008-2009 NBA Season Forecasts’ these eyes have read, thus far, see the Pacers finishing toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference; and, the Raptors with a solid chance to finish in the top third of the EC … looking strictly at the rosters of these two teams, paints a very different picture in the mind of this NBA connoisseur.

Is it possible that the Raptors manage to navigate the entire NBA season without a significant injury to one [or more] of their key players [i.e. Bosh, O'Neal or Calderon]?

Yes it is.

If so … then, it is certainly possible to see how the Raptors might finish this campaign higher in the EC standings than the Pacers.

However, on the flip side … even if Toronto goes injury-free this year …

Is it also possible to see how this Pacers’ roster … with the Quality Depth it has … might, in fact, be able to generate just as many W’s this season as the Toronto Raptors?

Yes it is … if Larry legend is correct and the players he’s mentioned are indeed capable of stepping up their games to assume Leadership Roles with their team this season.

———————————–

From the perspective of this corner, these are just two of many teams in the EC that could realistically finish anywhere from #6-14 this season should the breaks go their way or not.

Which one of these two player rosters would you prefer to have, going forward from this point, if you were Jerry West and you were the GM for the Toronto Raptors?

[please read the question carefully]

—————————-

—————————-

1. Make a choice between A or B.
2. Provide your rationale, if possible.

According to a quote attributed to Bryan Colangelo yesterday …

This is ‘best’ Raptors team on paper, GM Colangelo says
Bryan Colangelo considered the question and considered the moment and considered the circumstances in which the query was posed. And then he offered a qualified answer about the talent level of this incarnation of the Toronto Raptor roster.

“On paper, in terms of just pure talent, I would say, yes, this is the best team we’ve had,” the Raptor president and general manager said Monday afternoon.

So off they go to training camp, a merry band of just 13 players but a group richer in individual talent than has been put together in Toronto in years. No games have been played, no practices have been held so every question about the season came with qualifications but the over-riding feeling out of the annual media day was of unbridled enthusiasm.

—————————-

Hmmmmm ….

Here’s the team’s current roster:

and here’s a snapshot of the previous 9 teams [1999-2008] in Raptors’ history:

Does it seem to you as though this might, in fact, be the one with the most ‘pure talent’ on it?

Or …

How about just in the last 3 years? 
[since the start of Bryan Colangelo's tenure with the team]

—————————-

Cause unless these eyes have suddenly lost their ability to see with any degree of acuity … this statement is very, very far away from being accurate.

According to the judgment of this corner … there are, at least, 5 other teams on that list which, on paper, are superior to the current version of the Rapshow … i.e. ‘99-00, ‘00-01, ‘01-02, ‘06-07 and ’07-08.

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It is going to be a very interesting season in Raptorville.
NOTE:
* Heart concerns sideline Raptors’ Jawai
* Spotlight squarely on Raptors’ Bargnani
* O’Neal ready to take his lumps

The 2008-2009 NBA season officially opens today for the Toronto Raptors.

Together, Chris Bosh [PF/C, current All-Star], Jose Calderon [PG, current 'almost' All-Star] and, new arrival, Jermaine O’Neal [PF/C, former All-Star] form the core of a team with significant ambition this season … which includes a stable starting 5-man group BUT a plethora of question marks elsewhere on the roster. 

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O’Neal likes Raptors chances of ‘doing great things’ this year
The difference between the Raptors and the other contenders and pretenders is the level of excitement that goes with today’s official opening of the 2008-09 season.

They are talking great, not good, expecting success unrivalled in the franchise’s 14-year-history, the optimism based on the arrival of a new big man and the natural maturation process of a roster now dotted with experience rather than question marks.

“Me, Chris Bosh and Jose (Calderon) sat down after the scrimmage (last week) and it was like, ‘Man, we have a real shot here,’ ” newcomer Jermaine O’Neal said. “We’ve got a real shot.

“Obviously, we have the talent on paper and if we mentally believe that and bring that swagger every day, that we’re the best team on the floor every time we step on the floor, we’ve got a shot at doing some great things this year.”

O’Neal is certainly to be at the centre of any resurgence of the Raptors, who’ve bowed out of the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Turning 30 during training camp, he’s been impressive in informal workouts and scrimmages over the last week, according to teammates and coaches. He brings experience – albeit having missed most of two seasons with knee woes – and a steadying force under the basket.

“Watching the guys work out, it’s just amazing how much more confidence they have, having Jermaine O’Neal back there,” said coach Sam Mitchell. “I’m telling you man, just watching them work out, he was blocking shots and talking.

“The thing I love about him, not one time has he talked about ‘Give me the ball.’ All he’s talked about is playing defence and rebounding.”

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Rebounding & Defense are crucial elements for a legitimate contender in the NBA … but so, too, is QUALITY DEPTH throughout a team’s roster. 

Putting Anthony Parker [OG, 4th year] and Jamario Moon [SF, 2nd year] into the starting line-up, leaves a supporting cast of:

Key Bench Subs
Andrea Bargnani … C, 2006 NBA Draft No. 1 [overall] Selection, Yr/3
Jason Kapono … G/F, 2003 NBA Draft No. 31 [overall] Selection, Yr/6 
Kris Humphries … PF, 2004 NBA Draft No. 14 [overall] Selection, Yr/5
Roko Ukic … PG/OG, 2005 NBA Draft No. 41 [overall] Selection, Yr/1

Reserves
Will Solomon … PG, Undrafted 2002 Free Agent, Yr/1
Hassan Adams … OG/SF, 2006 NBA Draft No. 54 Selection, Yr/2
Joey Graham … SF/PF, 2005 NBA Draft No. 16 [overall] Selection, Yr/4
Nathan Jawai … PF/C, 2008 NBA Draft No. 41 [overall] Selection, Yr/1

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In the view of this corner, whoever sees this group of 8 secondary players for the Raptors as somehow being ‘good enough’ to get the ‘job done right’ in the Eastern Conference this year, Regular Season and Playoffs … is simply NOT being realistic, considering the potency of other teams in this half of the League right now, many of which subtantially upgraded their ‘quality depth’ this off-season.

2007-2008 Finish; TEAM; 2008-2009 Adds; [Number of Quality Depth Adds]

1 BOSTON - Giddens, Walker, Erden **, O’Bryant & Miles [3]
2 DETROIT - Michael Curry [new coach], Sharpe, Brown-K & Bynum-W [3]
3 ORLANDO - Battie [returns healthy], Lee, Pietrus, Johnson-A, Jones-Dw, Wilks & Richardson [4]
4 CLEVELAND - Hickson, Jackson-D **, Williams-M, Kinsey & Wright-L [3]
5 WASHINGTON - Thomas-E [returns healthy], McGee, Brown-D & Dixon-J [4]
6 TORONTO - O’Neal, Ukic, Solomon, Adams & Jawai [1]
7 PHILADELPHIA - Speights, Brand, Ivey, Ratliff, Marshall, Rush-K & Hill-H [5]
8 ATLANTA - Hunter, Claxton [returns healthy], Evans-M, Murray-R & Morris-R [4]

9 INDIANA - Rush-B, Hibbert, Ford, Nesterovic, Jack, McRoberts, Baston & Croshere [6]
10 NEW JERSEY - Lopez-B, Najera, Dooling, Simmons, Jianlian, Hayes, Anderson-R, CDR & Hodge [9]
11 CHICAGO - Vinnie Del Negro [new coach] & Rose [2]
12 CHARLOTTE - Larry Brown [new coach], Morrison [returns healthy], May [returns healthy], Augustin, Ajinca & Brown-S [5]
13 MILWAUKEE - Scott Skiles [new coach], Alexander, Mbah a Moute, Jefferson, Ridnour, Griffin, Jones-Da, Lue, Allen-M & Elson [5]
14 NEW YORK - Mike D’Antoni [new coach], Gallinari, Duhon, Houston, Ewing-P/Jr & Roberson [4]
15 MIAMI - Eric Spoelstra [new coach], Wade [returns healthy], Beasley, Chalmers, Diawara, Jones-J & Magloire [5]

** unsigned 2008 Draft Pick

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Instead of talking ‘Loud & Proud‘ at this point in the PRE-SEASON … on the first day of training camp, no less … it might behoove this version of the RapShow to simply try and ‘Walk the Walk’ properly, at first … for one of the few times in the history of this franchise … AND LEAVE THE TALKING OUT OF IT COMPLETELY, considering the fact that this team has advanced to the 2nd Round of the Playoffs only ONE TIME in its 13 year history.

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Although it isn’t quite the same as Ubuntu, the 2008-2009 Raptors would do well to embrace the following sentiment first popularized by acclaimed RoughRider, Theodore Roosevelt, over 100 years ago:

“Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.” - A West African proverb

There is still a long and arduous journey ahead for this team.

Three fifths (3/5) of the Raptors’ Best 5-Man Unit should be no surprise at all … given the presence of Jose Calderon [No. 1 Assist:Turnover Ratio in the NBA last season], Jermaine O’Neal [6-time All-Star] & Chris Bosh [Member of the Gold Medal winning Redeem Team] on their roster.

Barring injury, however, the eventual outcome for Toronto’s season, this year, will NOT be determined by the performance of three players.

It’s the two players who the Raptors decide to put with them … that WILL.

While other NBA observers/analysts have been quick to designate the following combination of players as the Raptors’ principal line-up this season, in all likelihood:

1/Jose Calderon
2/Anthony Parker
3/Jamario Moon [or Jason Kapono]
4/5 Jermaine O’Neal
5/4 Chris Bosh

this corner DISAGREES with this perception and DOES NOT believe that some combination of this group will/should form the Raptors’ Best [most effective] 5-Man Unit this season.

The Case For Calderon, Moon, Graham, O’Neal and Bosh

Those who visit this space on a regualr basis know already that simple ‘game stats’ (either Traditional or of the New Age variety) are of little meaning [overall] to the various interpretations of this corner.

That said … in an effort to help others better understand the sometimes unconventional thinking put forth here … it can be a valuable exercise to provide some of the basic statistics which the rest of the basketball related blogosphere seems to swear by these days and accept as gospel truth.

For Jamario Moon
* 21-51, 0.411 … 3PT-Shooting from the Left Corner & Left Wing, 2007-2008 [as per NBA.com/hotspots]
* http://www.82games.com/0708/07TOR8C.HTM
* http://www.82games.com/0708/07TOR8B.HTM

For Joey Graham
* 15-35, 0.429 … 3PT-Shooting from the Right Corner & Top Of The Key [TOTK], Career [as per NBA.com/hotspots]
* http://www.82games.com/0708/07TOR9C.HTM
* http://www.82games.com/0708/07TOR9B.HTM

If the Raptors commit to running a simple version of (i) the San Antonio Spurs’ High Middle Pick & Roll/Pop Series, with a few specific (ii) Horns’ based sets … there is NO VALID REASON whatsoever for Jamario Moon & Joey Graham … in combination with Calderon [an efficient & productive 3PT-Shooter], O’Neal and Bosh … to not form the Best 5-Man Unit possible for this team, this season … using a POWER based ’3 Out/2 In’ Offense which emphasizes Middle Pick & Rolls/Pops with Corner/Wing/TOTK 3PT-Shooting and significant improvement in the all-important areas of Team REBOUNDING and Team DEFENSE. 

On Offense

* Calderon was a … 0.429 3PT-Shooter last season
* Moon was a … 0.411 3PT-Shooter, from the Left Corner & Left Wing, last season
* Graham has been a … 0.400 3PT-Shooter, from the Right Corner & the TOTK, for his 3-yr career

* O’Neal & Bosh have both been … solid Middle Pick & Roll/Pop Bigs in the NBA for multiple years

On Defense

* Calderon [6-3, 210], as a PG, is capable of using his size to overcome his average-only quickness  
* Moon [6-8, 205], as a Wing Defender, is capable of dominating the glass from this position, with his length, quickness and overall athleticism
* Graham [6-7, 225], as a Wing Defender, is capable [physically, mentally & emotionally] of playing Bruce Bowen type lockdown defense against the best athletes in the NBA

* O’Neal [6-11, 260] & Bosh [6-10, 230], as Big Defenders are both under-sized … but with a solid combination of quickness & strength, help instincts and Shot Blocking ability

Rebounding

* Calderon, as a PG, is capable of neutralizing his individual check
* Moon, as a Wing, is capable of DOMINATING his individual check
* Graham, as a Wing, is capable of either NEUTRALIZING or DOMINATING his individual check

* O’Neal & Bosh, as Bigs, are capable of either NEUTRALIZING or DOMINATING their individual checks

In addition to being the Raptors’ best 5-Man Unit … what this specific line-up also does is allow …

[I] One-dimensional Offensive-minded players like Jason Kapono [2/3] and Andrea Bargnani [4/5] the opportunity to come off the bench and score the ball, in spurts;

[II] In concert with a solid but unspectacular jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none two-way player like Anthony Parker [as the team's principal back-up 1/2]; and,

[III] Still developing and inconsistent players like Kris Humphries [4/5], Wil Solomon [1], Roko Ukic [1/2], Hassan Adams [2/3] and Nathan Jawai [5/4] the chance to fill in as ‘extra-only’ players, where need be.

Historically, certain organizations [i.e. owners, GM's and coaches] in the NBA have known for many years just how important Team REBOUNDING, Team DEFENSE and Team OFFENSE (including Efficient 3PT-Shooting) actually are when it comes to giving themselves the best chance possible to win a game against a high calibre opponent in a meaningful regular season or playoff situation … while the vast majority HAVE NOT.

As the final countdown begins towards the start of the 2008-2009 season … it will be most interesting to see into which of these two categories this year’s version of the Toronto Raptors fits best … [A] The Legit Contenders, who place a premium on Team Rebounding, Team Defense, and Team Offense; or [B] The Also-rans, who do not. 

Which 5 players comprise their Best 5-Man Unit will go a long way towards answering this question.

According to Bryan Colangelo (GM), the player roster is now set for the start of next season.

Raptors add Will Solomon (G)

2008-2009 Toronto Raptors

STARTERS: Jose Calderon, Anthony Parker, Jemario Moon/Jason Kapono, Jermaine O’Neal, Chris Bosh
BENCH: Roko Ukic, Jason Kapono/Jemario Moon, Andrea Bargnani
RESERVES: Will Solomon, Hassan Adams, Joey Graham, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai

When you compare the ‘content & quality’ with the team that began the 2007-2008 campaign … i.e.

2007-2008 Toronto Raptors

STARTERS: Ford, Parker, Kapono, Bosh, Nesterovic
BENCH: Calderon, Delfino, Bargnani, Humphries, Garbajosa
RESERVES: Martin, Dixon, Graham, Moon, Baston

… it’s apparent that this year’s squad (as constructed) will not be taking a step up the ladder in the Eastern Conference anytime soon.

Jose Calderon is a significant upgrade at the Starting PG position over TJ Ford but other than that lone improvement the ‘quality depth’ on this roster is far below where it needs to be (and once was, at the height of the Glen Grunwald regime) in order to be considered a LEGITIMATE CONTENDER in the NBA.

Needing to upgrade their 2007-2008 roster with improved REBOUNDING & Defense the Raptors addressed neither of those primary concerns with the acquisitions they made this off-season …

* Adding O’Neal while discarding Nesterovic + Garbajosa is a zero-sum gain
* Adding Adams, Jawai, Ukic & Solomon while discarding Delfino + Baston + Martin + Dixon is a zero-sum gain
* Elevating Calderon while discarding Ford … and not getting a significant Wing player or an established back-up PG in return is a zero-sum gain

Looking back to what was written in this space on July 2 …

Understanding Bryan Colangelo’s method of operation (good & bad)

very little has changed over the years in the way that their GM conducts the business of basketball … i.e.

* Field a competitive team which wins its fair share of regular season games
* Concentrate efforts on finding ’solid’ players at a ‘reasonable’ cost
* Include sporadic ‘high end’ player acquisitions which come with considerable ‘risk’
* Construct a player roster which falls short of what’s actually required to be considered a Legitimate Contender for an NBA championship
* Always come in under the Salary Cap
* Make a lot of money for the team’s ownership

Despite the fact that this year’s team will have 5 (of 13) new faces on the player roster … the more things (seem to) change the more they (actually) stay the same in Raptorland.