Comparing the Raptors to the Hawks
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009When Raptors fans look at the way their team is perfoming during the final 20 games of their disappointing season …
———-
|
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
|
Mar 6 |
vs Mia * |
L |
|
Mar 8 |
vs Uta * |
L |
|
Mar 11 |
at Phi * |
L |
|
Mar 13 |
vs Det * |
L |
|
Mar 15 |
vs Ind |
W |
|
Mar 16 |
at Cha |
L |
|
Mar 20 |
vs Cha |
L |
|
Mar 22 |
vs LAC |
W |
|
Mar 25 |
vs Mil |
W |
|
Mar 27 |
vs OkC |
W |
|
Mar 29 |
vs Chi |
W |
|
Apr 1 |
at Orl * |
W |
|
Apr 4 |
at NYK |
W |
|
Apr 5 |
vs NYK |
L |
|
Apr 7 |
vs Atl * |
L |
|
Apr 8 |
at Ind |
? |
|
Apr 10 |
vs Was |
? |
|
Apr 12 |
vs Phi * |
? |
|
Apr 13 |
at Was |
? |
|
Apr 15 |
at Chi |
? |
* – >.500 Team
winning only 7 of the 15 games [.467] they’ve played thus far.
———-
they need to make an accurate appraisal of the players who will form the nucleus of this team going forward from here:
|
khandor’s Player Efficiency Rating [kPER] RAPTORS vs Hawks [Tue Apr 07 2009]
|
|||||||
|
Best RAPTORS |
Best Hawks |
||||||
|
1 |
Bosh |
+30 |
38:35 |
1 |
Horford |
+23 |
32:16 |
|
2 |
Calderon |
+28 |
35:00 |
2 |
Johnson |
+22 |
39:29 |
|
3 |
Marion |
+16 |
37:02 |
3 |
Smith |
+22 |
46:38 |
|
4 |
Douby |
+10 |
08:58 |
4 |
Bibby |
+18 |
34:08 |
|
5 |
Bargnani |
+7 |
29:07 |
5 |
Evans |
+16 |
35:52 |
|
6 |
Parker |
+6 |
31:06 |
6 |
Pachulia |
+9 |
16:22 |
|
7 |
Kapono |
+4 |
18:39 |
7 |
Murray |
+7 |
28:23 |
|
8 |
Graham |
+3 |
13:42 |
8 |
Law |
0 |
06:14 |
|
9 |
Ukic |
+2 |
05:11 |
9 |
West |
0 |
00:19 |
|
10 |
O’Bryant |
+2 |
16:22 |
10 |
Gardner |
0 |
00:19 |
|
11 |
M-Bonsu |
0 |
06:18 |
11 |
Jones |
DNP |
|
|
12 |
Voskuhl |
DNP |
|
12 |
Morris |
DNP |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
+108 |
|
|
TOTAL |
+117 |
|
Unlike many others in Raptorville, this corner does not believe that the main problems this team has experienced this season have been rooted in the assortment of injuries they’ve sustained and/or the overall poor performances of Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon, who are their best players by a wide margin.
Until Bryan Colangelo significantly upgrades the players who are currently slotted into the #3-15 spots on the Raptors’ roster:
i.e. Shawn Marion/#3, Andrea Bargnani/#4, Anthony Parker/#5, Joey Graham/#6, Kris Humphries/#7, Jason Kapono/#8, Roko Ukic/#9, Pops Mensah-Bonsu/#10, Quincy Douby/#11, Jake Voskuhl/#12, Patrick O’Brant/#13 and Nathan Jawai/#14
there is little chance this team will make serious headway in the Eastern Conference next season.
Using the 4th place Atlanta Hawks, as one comparative example:
1. While Chris Bosh [C] can hold his own against other up-and-coming young players like Al Horford [C] or Josh Smith [PF], Andrea Bargnani [C] cannot; and, is simply out-classed by either of these two players.
2. While Jose Calderon [PG] can hold his own against a solid veteran like Mike Bibby [PG], Shawn Marion [SF] cannot stay with a multi-dimensional, dynamic Wing player like Joe Johnson [SF/OG/PG].
3. While Joey Graham has made a significant jump this season … i.e. from a seldom-used after-thought to a serviceable Wing player … he is simply not as good as Maurice Evans [OG/SF], nor as consistent.
4. While Jason Kapono is one of the best stand-still “catch & shoot” artists in the NBA, he is simply not as versatile a Back-up Guard/Forward as a Flip Murray, who can capably fill in for the Hawks, as an under-sized OG and an emergency PG.
5. While Kris Humphries is a solid Back-up Big Man, he is simply not as good as Zaza Pachulia.
6. While Roko Ukic has the make-up of a solid Point Guard, in the NBA, he is not a superior player to Acie Law, at this position.
7. While Pops Mensah-Bonsu certainly brings some badly needed energy and NBA athleticism to the Raptors, he is simply not in the same class of serviceable Back-up Big Man as a versatile player like Solomon Jones [who was a DNP in last night's game but can capably fill-in for the Hawks at both C and PF].
Most of which was on full display in last night’s game.
FINAL SCORE: RAPTORS 110, Hawks 118
Complete Game Info
