khandor’s sports blog

Earlier this summer, this was Philadelphia’s projected roster:

Tier 2B – Questionable Playoff Contenders

With this news today, however …

76ers agree to terms with Carney

… there is now, at least, a good possibility that Philadelphia might actually choose to field a line-up with a different configuration, when the regular season starts, which looks like this:

Key Differences

• Shifting Andre Iguodala to the Starting OG position.
• Shifting Thaddeus Young to the Starting SF postion.
• Shifting Elton Brand into the Starting PF position.
• Shifting Willie Green into the Back-up OG position.
• Shifting Jason Kapono into an Extra OG position.
• Inserting Rodney Carney into the Back-up SF position.

… in which case, the 76ers would warrant proper re-classification into the slightly higher category of Tier 2A – Possible Playoff Contenders, i.e. along with Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Charlotte, Toronto and Washington.

The moves which Ed Stefanski has made, thus far, this summer, in an effort to continue the gradual development of the 76ers have all been solid:

1. Hiring a sound, experienced NBA head coach [i.e. Eddie Jordan].

2. Trading Reggie Evans [an excess Back-up PF/Rebounder] for Jason Kapono [a Back-up SF-OG/Spot-up Shooter].

3. Drafting a young athletic PG-of-the-future with good size.

4. Allowing Andre Miller [veteran PG] to leave, via UFA.

5. Re-signing Royal Ivey [still youngish veteran 3rd-string PG] to a cost-effective contract, via UFA.

6. Re-signing Rodney Carney [still youngish veteran Back-up SF-OG/Defender-Rebounder-3PT-Shooter] to a cost-effective contract, via UFA.

This is now [I] a VERY athletic group of players, with [II] good size [especially, at the PG, OG, SF and C positions], [III] an elevated FG shooting percentage [on the whole], [IV] a solid core of returnees, and [V] a significant number of highly serviceable new additions that were not part of last year’s squad, including:

#1/Elton Brand/returning from an injury
#2/Jason Smith/returning from an injury
#3/Jrue Holiday/2009 1st Round Draft Pick [No. 17]
#4/Jason Kapono/via trade
#5/Primoz Brezec/via UFA; and,
#6/Rodney Carney/via UFA.

The group of players and coaches now on Philly’s roster should be able to compete night-in and night-out for a 3rd consecutive berth in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.  

… given the specifics of this trade

and,

* Knowing who the Raptors’ FOUNDATION player is [Jun 04, 2009]

* Five off-season moves for the Raptors which would have helped to address their Treadmill status [May 29, 2009]

———-

1. Now is not the time to rejoice, in Raptorville; as,

2. Reggie Evans might not prove to be the “best fit” for their team; and, 

3. According to Bryan Colangelo [GM], “We’re not done yet.”

The 76ers are one of three teams in the Atlantic Division that finished with a better Won-Lost Record than the Raptors [33-49/.402] this past season:

1. Boston Celtics, 62-20/.756
2. Philadelphia 76ers, 41-41/.500
3. New Jersey Nets, 34-48/.415

and, for all intents and purposes, give up nothing of value in this deal … given the list of Bigs which they have on their current roster; while adding a spot-up 3PT-shooter who they can use in limited minutes to stretch the defense and augment their more athletic slashing players.

On the other hand, the Raptors now have a glut of players at their Big spots … including Bosh & Bargnani, their two most talented players … and remain relatively “unathletic” at the Wing position without a dynamic scorer who can consistently create his own shot:

Depending on the OTHER moves which the Raptors decide to make this off-season, including who they select in the upcoming NBA Draft, time will tell if this trade is the first phase of an actual resurgence for their team, relative to the other squads in the Atlantic Division [and the Eastern Conference, in general], or not.

At this point, however, at least it’s a start down a better path.

The Anatomy of Wins and Losses in the NBA:
Breaking Down Key Possessions

Game 19 – TOR 111 vs Ind (22-36) 122, L 12-7 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 18 – TOR 107 vs Min (11-43) 85, W 12-6 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 17 – Tor 102 @ IND (22-34) 98, W 11-6 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 16 – TOR 115 vs Nyk (17-38) 92, W 10-6 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 15 – Tor 99 @ NYK (16-38) 103, L 9-6 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 14 – TOR 127 vs Orl (34-21) 110, W 9-5 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 13 – TOR 109 vs Njn (22-30) 91, W 8-5 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 12 – TOR 88 vs Sas (33-17) 93, L 7-5 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 11 – Tor 105 @ MIN (10-38) 82, W 7-4 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 10 – TOR 98 v Lac (15-31) 102, L 6-4 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 9 – Tor 114 @ MIA (9-36) 82, W 6-3 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 8 – TOR 101 vs LAL (28-16) 121, L 5-3 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 7 – TOR 122 vs Was (24-19) 85, W 5-2 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 6 – Tor 104 @ WAS (23-19) 108, OT, L 4-2 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 5 – TOR 106 vs Mil (17-26) 75, W 4-1 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 4 – Tor 114 @ BOS (33-6) 112, W 3-1 … Boxscore 
Game 3 – Tor 95 @ PHI (15-25) 99, L 2-1 … Full Play-By-Play
Game 2 – TOR 89 vs Atl (17-18) 78, W 2-0 … Boxscore, Full Play-By-Play
Game 1 – TOR 116 vs Sac (15-21) 91, W 1-0

Record vs >.500 Opp: 3-3 (.500)
Record vs ≤.500 Opp: 9-4 (.692)

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

Key Possessions which determined the W-L result:

Some NBA games are decided during a specific ’sub-set’ of possessions during the 3rd Quarter … like this one, when

(with Indiana’s 16-pt lead reduced to a single digit … TOR 73, Ind 74 … following Toronto’s 15-0 run)

03:37 … Ind/subbed Travis Diener (PG/Starter) back into the game for Kareem Rush (G), after a rest of only 01:12
03:24 … Ind/Diener, Fade Away Jump Shot: Made/8 PTS, Ast: Foster/3 (Ind 76, TOR 73)
03:09 … TOR/Bargnani, 3pt Shot: Missed
03:08 … Ind/Dunleavy, Rebound
02:50 … Ind/Graham, Jump Shot: Missed
02:49 … Ind/Daniels, Rebound (Off:2 Def:2)|TOR/Delfino, Foul:Personal (2PF)
02:40 … Ind/Dunleavy, 3pt Shot: Made/20 PTS, Ast: Graham/2 (Ind 79, TOR 73)

after which the Pacers were never seriously headed, again; maintaining at least a 4-pt margin for the rest of the game.

Key Raptors: Andrea Bargnani (0-1, FGA/00.0%; 0-1, 3FGA/00.0%; 2 Defensive Miscues: i. failed to ‘Step out’ quickly and ‘Switch’ vs Diener, who used the dribble hand-off 2nd screen in the staggerred sequence; ii. failed to rotate properly vs Mike Dunleavy, coming out of an ‘Elbow Pick & Roll’ with a ‘Trap/Sag & Rotate’ sequence); Carlos Delfino (2 Defensive Miscues: i. failed to ‘Box-out’ vs Marquis Daniels/O-Rb; ii. Foul/Marquis Daniels)

Vital Components:
- 4 Defensive Miscues by Andrea Bargnani & Carlos Delfino during this specific ‘sub-set’ of possessions, plus 1 crucial Missed 3-pt Shot by Bargnani (in reply to Indiana’s successful ‘set play’) … gave the Pacers an extra Offensive possession & allowed Indiana to score 5 consecutive points during this sequence, creating a 6-pt deficit from which the Raptors never recovered against an inferior opponent. 

Next Game:
The key stretch of 19 games for the Raptors is finished.