Tag Archives: basketball

by | December 4, 2011 · 7:51 pm

Raptors Hoping to Bring the Thunder in “New NBA”

So it didn’t take too long to realize that this new Collective agreement in the NBA might not be that different from what was in place before the lockout.

The deal hasn’t even been ratified and already Chris Paul has demanded a move to a big market NBA team.  Dwight Howard, Deron Williams and who knows who else, are likely to follow.

Isn’t this what the lockout was trying avoid?  Or was I just drinking the Kool-aid with all the other fans who cheer for teams in smaller markets?

I thought the league and it’s owners wanted to avoid another Miami Heat situation.  I thought they weren’t going to let the big markets rob the smaller markets of their star power.

Here in Toronto, we are all too familiar with the process of stars wanting out of our city.  Damon Stoudamire, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Chris Bosh all left when they finally had the opportunity to go to a big market team or demanded a trade elsewhere. These moves crippled the franchise during the years afterwards.

Amir Johnson and Demar Derozan offer the Raptors hope for the future. They help form a growing nucleus.

What’s to stop this from continuing?

The new CBA has a soft cap, meaning there are lots of opportunities to keep the rich teams rich. 

Teams like New York, Miami and Boston will continue to be allowed to stock their teams with multiple superstars while smaller markets feel the blow of losing stars they intend to build around.

The CBA does include  a higher luxury tax to try and disuade owners from overspending but it will only do so in a limited capacity.  The Mark Cubans of the world will pay what needs to be paid to keep their teams winning.

There are provisions in the new CBA which will allow teams like the Raptors to offer more money to their rookies if they perform the way that Derrick Rose did this past year. This CBA addition may actually help  teams like the Raptors keep their young stars longer. 

The amnesty rule is another interesting nugget that could help the Raptors as well.  Shedding the contracts of a Jose Calderon, Linas Kleiza or Andrea Bargnani may help clear capspace for the Raptors so they can spend money on the free agent market or make a smart trade. Hopefully they take advantage of this rule at the right time and don’t rush to make space for a Tyson Chandler or Nene.

The reality for the Raptors is that they are going to have to look to the Thunder for inspiration.  That franchise and it’s success should be the blueprint for smaller market teams like the Raptors.

The Raptors, like the Thunder, are not going to be able to draw players in with their big city media coverage or long basketball history the way a New York or Chicago can.

The Thunder have built a success by drafting smart and making smart decisions, not going after big free agent splashes.

The Thunder drafted well.  Kevin Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Harden are all draft picks that were rewards for finishing at the bottom of the league.  Those players have come together to form a strong nucleus.

The Thunder coupled those picks with smart trades and free agent acquisitions that added depth and character.  Guys like Kenderick Perkins, Thabo Sefolosha and Nate Robinson add character and depth to the core of young players.  They didn’t make ill-advised signings like Jason Kapono or Yogi Stewart.

The Thunder were a Semi Final team in the Western Conference last year.  They did this all without the glitz and glam to draw in a Lebron, a Kobe or a Howard.  They’ve done it largely through smart decisions and can now attract free agents by winning basketball games.

The Thunder are the model that the Toronto Raptors need to follow going forward.  Draft smart, sign role players to reasonable contracts, and avoid handing out bad contracts to players coming off one good year (just say no to Tyson Chandler at $10 million per season).

This is the way that it has to be for the Raptors.  Draft well and make smart use of capspace.

Colangelo and his team have a difficult task ahead, especially with the short leash of a two-year contract, but he needs to resist the temptation of a Tyson Chandler or Nene now to focus on building a core into the future.

Derozan, Ed Davis, Amir and Valanciunas all may be a part of the team moving forward (maybe even Bargnani).  Hopefully so will a couple of top five picks in the next two years.

The system will not allow the Raptors to build through free agent splashes, but the new CBA may help the Raptors build from the ground up.

Let’s hope the Colangelo, Stefanski and the rest of the Raptor front office are doing their homework.

Winning in this new NBA is not going to be easy, but winning means work.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | March 20, 2010 · 4:37 pm

The Importance of the Next 15

60 quarters. 576 minutes. 15 games.

That’s all that remains in the regular season for the Toronto Raptors. And while it was an up down year, mixed with some good and some bad, how they play over the next 15 will not only effect what playoff seed they land (if any) it will also decide the fate of the franchise moving forward.

If the team plays well. Similar to how they were playing before the all-star break. They should be able to get the number 6 or 7 seed. Doing that will land Toronto either Boston or Orlando in the playoffs. Two teams the Raptors have a chance at defeating.

If they play poorly and continue to slide down the standings. They’ll either sneak into eighth and have to face the Cleveland Cavaliers or they’ll finish ninth and miss the playoffs all together.

Both would be disastrous.

1 down, 14 to go. The Raps took care of business last night against the Nets - despite Terence Williams'' best effort.

Without stepping forward. And by that I mean advancing into the second round. Chris Bosh will almost certainly leave the team. That would leave Bryan Colangelo up the creek without a paddle, forced to salvage what he can, by utilizing a sign and trade.

What happens next is anyone’s guess. But starting from scratch seems likely. Two to three years of lottery picks followed by a rebuilding process. Ladies and gentlemen, that sounds like day one.

Being a fan of this franchise has been tumultuous at best. Over the course of past 15 years we’ve seen the playoffs five times and the second round only once. That’s 10 years of bad basketball. Starting over would feel like another punch in the gut to a franchise that has continually struggled to get respect.

15 games. 60 quarters. 576 minutes.

It’s the biggest 15 games in franchise history. Let’s hope the team makes them count.

Let’s go Raptors.

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Jeremiah McNama
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | March 1, 2010 · 11:32 pm

Raptors Spanked in Houston. Spanked Real Bad.

Well that didn’t go well. And you can’t be surprised I guess. The Raptors looked not so hot last night against Oklahoma, they get a game the very next day against the Rockets and then you take away Calderon and Turkoglu. I’m surprised they scored 50 points. I’ll say this though, the coaches have their hands full over the next couple days. Not only did the Raptors look like the worst defensive team in the history of the NBA but their offense has suddenly come screeching to a halt. They were a mess tonight. Discombobulated in every sense of the word.

For three, plus the foul

Fantasy tip

If you’re in a fantasy pool this year, may I suggest picking up players on whatever team plays us. Anderson, Scola, Battier. It didn’t matter. As a team, the Rockets were lights out tonight. Putting on clinic from the three point land and scoring at will from everywhere else.

That’s a big wall

Well this picture sums it up nicely, doesn't it?

You can’t win em all rook. After a fairly solid first half, Demar Derozan has smacked into the wall like a seagull flying into a skyrise building. He’s been bad bad bad. But let’s not be all negative about it. He’s playing hard and that counts. He’ll break out of it soon, I’m sure. And you can really see the frustration in his eyes.

How do you say disappointed in Italian?

After a monster first quarter, Andrea Bargnani decided that was enough for the rest of the night and didn’t score again in the game. It’s not entirely his fault. Teams are really focusing in on him without Chris Bosh. But Andrea has to realize he’s the best player on the court for us when CB is out. And he will in time. I feel like these last three games are the first three games of him taking the next step. It’ll be interesting to see how he develops from here on out.

The next two

I can’t say enough about how important it is for the Raptors to right the ship over the next two games, against Philly and New York. Because after that, we’re on a west coast swing again.  Injuries or not, this little trip means a lot and we have to find a way to win. There are three teams behind itching to take our place. We have to play to win.

Zan of the Night

Jack Armstrong

Not enough love for Jack Amrstrong on this site, or around the world really. He’s the greatest. Keeping me interested in blow out games and always fun to listen to. Big fan of Jack

Not Zan of the Night.

Antoine Wright.

You could pick anyone tonight, so I went alphabetical

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Jeremiah McNama
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | January 10, 2010 · 4:20 pm

The Raptors fail to measure up against Celtics once agian

Oh man. Nothing quite gets my blood boiling like the Raptors playing the Celtics. They may just be my least favorite team in the league. Maybe it’s because they’re so good. It’s probably because they’re so cocky. The one good thing to take from this game? We don’t have to play them again this year.

Zan for three

Hedo who?

It’s time for Jay Triano to call out  Hedo Turkoglu. We’re paying him big money and he hasn’t lived up to that.  He’s not playing like a 7 million dollar player right now. Just last week we saw Ron Wilson rip into Phil Kessel, it’s time for Jay to do the same.

Best of the bunch

Out of the four games we’ve played the Celtics this is the best of the bunch. More confident. More aggressive. The Raptors are a team on a roll right now, but the Celtics are the best coached team in the league and they’re top three in talent. That’s a tough combination to match up against.

Rasheed and Rondo

These guys have swaggar!  As a Raptors fan It was horredous to watch these two play on Sunday, but you have to appreciate their energy and confidence as a basketball fan. Rondo has really turned a corner as an NBA player.  He was once a scrub on a three man team and has since  become an All Star.

Rasheed Wallace just keeps on trucking. I thought his career might be done a couple of years ago but he just keeps getting better.  To be fair, he had a lot of calls go his way.  Maybe barking at the referees insessently works.  He never shuts up and is rewarded regularly.

Plus the foul

Enough of the Bosh talk

It seems as though Bosh trade talk has heated up in the past week or so. Unsubstantiated and biased. A lot of reporters (all from American media) seem to think it’s a forgone conclusion, when the truth is, nobody knows. Not Chris. Not Bryan. Not anybody.

I, for one, think Bosh is staying in Toronto. Why? He’s the man here with a good core of players. And the grass isn’t always greener. See Tracy McGrady. See Vince Carter. See Damon Stoudamire. Three of the Raptors departed.

Zan of the Night

Rajon Rondo

I was never a Rajon Rondo fan. In past years, I thought he was more hype than substance. But this year he’s proven me wrong. He’s fantastic.

Not Zan of the Night

Hedo Turkoglu

He needs less Pizza Pizza and a big time boost of motivation.

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Nest up a game against Indiana on Monday.  A big game to regain the momentum they’ve built over the last 10 games.

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Jeremiah McNama & Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | November 25, 2009 · 1:15 am

Raptors Beat Pacers In Uplifting Win

Well, that was fun. Just about all the offense you can handle from the Raptors tonight, as they handed the Pacers a 123 – 112 loss. The game got close to start the fourth, but you never really thought the Pacers had what it took to take the game. Mostly because our team was scoring at will. And scoring. And scoring. And scoring.

The Zan for three

The Big Italian

Is it just me or does Bargnani not look like himself these days?  Call it a lack of effort, or passion, or something else I can’t quite put my finger on. Sure his numbers looked fine, but the big man doesn’t look motivated. Who knows what could be going on. Maybe he’s still sick. Maybe there’s something going on in his personal life. Either way we need him to pick up the passion. He’s not going to be an all star unless we see a little more heat and hustle.

Not a lot of Chris.

Speaking of offense, you know what was nice to see? The Raptors put up 74 points in the first half (unreal) and Chris Bosh has just 6 of those points (unreal). That’s a credit to unselfish ball movement and a very deep bench. Kudos to Bryan Colangelo and the team he built and Jay for making it work. They’re starting to resemble the Phoenix Suns of yesteryear. If this team finds it within them to play some decent defense we could be in for a good season.

Reggie Reggie!

And that…leads to this. How nice is it to know that the one thing we need to improve on (defense) can be helped significantly by a guy who’s coming off an injury? Reggie Evans is exactly the type of player we need in a Raptors’ uniform. If we didn’t have him, we’d be crying to trade for a player just like him. That’s comforting.

Zan of the Night

Jarrett Jack

You gotta give it to him, right? 7 for 7. 18 points. 6 dimes. All against his former team. Stellar.

Not Zan of the Night

The New Jersey Nets

We didn’t even play them and they still get the Not Zan of the Night.

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by | November 14, 2009 · 2:27 am

After shaky first quarter, Raptors remember Clippers suck

What a game. The Raptors, down by 22 in the first quarter, scratch, claw, and fight their way back to win the game by 15 in what ties the teams biggest comeback in franchise history. And how weird it was. Even though the Raps were down for the majority of the game you kind of had the feeling they were going to win; and it’s a good thing too. With three tough games coming up on the road they needed a W more than ever.

Zan for three (plus the foul)Raptors Clippers Basketball

Baron Davis Sucks…

How happy are you that Baron Davis doesn’t play for your team? There’s just something about him. Maybe it’s the beard. Maybe it’s the undeserved swagger. Maybe it’s the fact that he doesn’t play hard. But he just has that special something that makes you want to kick him right square in the nuts.

Jose Calderon Does Not…

After the first couple games I was ready to burn Jose at the stake, but over the last few games he’s had the fire of a Kevin Garnett and the tenacity of a Steve Nash. He’s the type of guy you want on your team. He’s a fighter. He’s a scrapper. He is relentless. Jose reminds me of the type of player Toronto sports fans love to watch. Something’s got him fired up recently. Here’s hoping it’s permanent.

Camaraderie is King

Is it just me or does this team really like each other? Bryan Colaneglo has built a team of likeable, hard working players. From Anotinie Wright to Marco Belinelli to Amir Johnson. This team is finding itself.  Players are beginning to discover their roles and the depth that Colangelo has built for Triano is making it easier to win games. It’s the type of chemistry that was missing last year. It’s the type of chemistry you need on a team if you want to win games.

To Pops or not to Pops?

Let’s make this our new poll. Raps waive Douby, Rockets waive Pops. If  You’re Bryan Colangelo, do you bring Pops back in? Tick tock. Tick tock. Thinking about it now. I make the move. It’s a no-brainer.  He’s a fan favorite. He works hard. And he gives us energy off the bench until Reggie is ready to play.  The move makes a lot of sense.

(I wouldn’t hold your breath though)

Zan of the Night

Jose Calderon

He’s the heart and soul of this team; the pace car. When he plays hard the rest of the team can’t help but follow suit.  18pts, 9 assists and over 50% shooting: that’s a good night.

Not Zan of the Night

Barron Davis

I didn’t even look at his stat line. I just don’t like his beard.

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by | November 7, 2009 · 11:44 am

Raptors Stomp All Over A Helpless New Orleans Squad

Raptors Hornets BasketballIn what turned out to be the most effective game of the season, the Raptors travelled down to New Orleans and spanked the Hornets good. Led by a monster night from Chris Bosh and a back breaking 3 point display by the rest of the team, the Raps were simply too much to handle.

The Zan for three.

Mr. Bosh what have you become?

After the first couple games of the season, I thought all the talk of the muscle Chris Bosh put on was more hype than substance. And yup, I was wrong. Last night Chris Bosh was a monster. Not only shooting perfect from the field but also gobbling up rebounds and dunking furiously on anyone who happened to get in his way.  If Bosh decides to put on another quick 15 LB’s next summer; tickle himself unstoppable. Certainly deserving of the max deal we talk about here.

Firing on all cylinders

So that’s what it looks like when this team is in the zone and all weapons are firing full blast. It really was something to see. We were shooting, we were rebounding, we were playing defense. That my friends, is what the Raptors look like when they put it all together. And it looks very very promising.

Evil Jose.

Did someone slap Jose in the face before last night’s game? Who made fun of his mother? Whatever the hell happened to make him so mad last night worked like a charm. He was yelling. He was screaming. He was GOOD on defense. And he was licking shots to boot. If this is what evil Jose looks like I’d be happy to have him every single game.

Zan of the Night

Chris Bosh

Hands down. No questions asked. Zan. Of. The. Night.

Not Zan of the Night.

Emeka Okafor

At one point in the game it cut to Okafor on the bench. And you could just see the embarrassment in his eye. As if he was saying to himself  “I’ve got a lot of work to do.” And you do son. You got worked.

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by | October 28, 2009 · 10:01 pm

Raptors open season with emotional win over Cleveland.

An electric night at the ACC as the Raptors beat Lebron and the Cavs 101 – 91.  It was a great start to the season with the team showing a fluent offense and a restricting defense – holding the Cavs to under 35 percent shooting.

Your 2009/2010 Toronto Raptors

The importance of ball handlers.

One can’t help but notice the fact that for the first time since anyone can remember the Raptors have three able ball handlers to carry the ball and control the pace of the offense at any given time. Turkoglu, Jack and Calderon are all dependable and steady. And it was nice to see Calderon operate comfortably as a shooter and not as the sole quarterback of the team.

Wright guy for the job

Going into this season many of us heard that Wright was a defensive stopper, but last night he proved it. He was nothing short of exceptional on defense – seeming to stop Lebron whenever the Cavs needed a bucket. And thank God for that. A guard that can defend is an absolute must if this team is going to succeed.

New team. Different result

Early in the third the story looked all too familiar. The Raptors we’re up by double digits and the lead was slowly withering away. But then something funny happened. We weathered the storm. We stay composed. The Raptors effectively used Bosh and Andrea, who prove to be a very difficult cover, and Hedo and Jose looked extremely aggressive, slashing and cutting through the defense – yet playing unselfish.  It was something to watch.

Cleveland who?

Is it just me or does Cleveland not look like the same team that finished first in the Eastern Conference last year? Anthony Parker is their starting shooting guard and Jamario Moon is a key figure off the bench. We saw this last year in Toronto didn’t we? It didn’t turn out all that well.

Zan of the night

Chris Bosh.

Shout to Andrea Bargnani for putting together an amazing first game. But Chris Bosh was the it factor at the end of the game.

Not Zan of the Night

The Officials.

Some interesting calls out there. Let’s hope it’s a case of shaking off the rust.

One last thing: At one point towards the end of the game the camera cut to a shot of Bargnani and Belinelli sitting on the bench together. It wouldn’t have looked out of place if they both started sipping cappuccinos.

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by | October 18, 2009 · 8:49 pm

The Zan Report – Raptors Fall to Celtics

Chris Bosh playing his best against his favourite childhood player

Chris Bosh playing his best against his favourite childhood player

Not a great game played by the Raptors last night as they fell by almost 20 points to the Boston Celtics. But despite the final score there were a few good signs. Things that might indicate that this team is better than what their 2 and 5 preseason record suggests.

D Up Boys

Let’s forget about the ugly fourth quarter where it was Eddie House versus the Raptors bench. The defense was much improved compared to when we saw them last. The team played better individual defense and they rotated better on switches and picks.

All Things Jose

We were pretty tough on Jose after his last game but he seems to have found his game a little bit. He looked great moving the ball, he cut and weaved his way through Boston’s defense and his man to man defense didn’t stand out as a problem. Which is a plus.

The Turk Factor

I’m not sure what it is, maybe it’s the fact that he went to the finals last year, but having Turk on the floor adds confidence to this team and gives us more respect. Which is important considering we haven’t had much of either over the last couple seasons.

Keep Your Head Up Kid

Tough night for the kid, DeRozen. After being called out by his coach in the media yesterday he came out and didn’t play all that well. It’s all part of his learning curve of course. He still looks like he’s going to have a solid season.

Zan of the Night

Turkaglu, almost by default. His numbers we’re the best of the bunch.

Not Zan of the Night

The Referees

It was glaringly apparent that NBA refs were not in the house last night.

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One final thought. I just read that Pops Mensah Bonsu’s contract isn’t guaranteed in Houston. Just throwing it out there Raptor fans. Just throwing it out there.

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by | October 12, 2009 · 10:14 am

The Zan Report – Washington Wizards Edition

DeRozan put on a athletic show last night

DeRozan put on a athletic show last night

The Toronto Raptors beat up the Washington Wizards last night in what proved to be pretty solid game. For the most part, the game was back and forth, until the Raps were able to pull away in the forth.

Bellineli Factor

Doug Smith touched upon this in his blog here, but it’s worth mentioning again. Marco’s ability to slash is going to be very big for this team.

In the second and third quarter we were seeing a stagnant offense. Not a lot of movement, the ball was swinging around, but nothing was opening up. Similar to what we saw a lot of time last year. (Which is interesting considering we have 9 new players). But there was one glaring difference. Marco Bellineli.

When the ball was passed around 3 or 4 times, it would eventually get to Marco. Instead of continuing to swing, or dumping it down low, Marco would slash past his defender (at ease I might add) causing the defense to collapse and opening up various options.

Jay put it best

“If you take away his shot, he can create. He’s a play maker for other people and he extends the defence. You have to guard him on the three point line and if you run at him — I don’t know if there’s a better situation in basketball than to have a defender riunning at you. He’s just a smart basketball player.”

It was refreshing and very much needed. Hopefully others can learn from that. Specifically DeRozan. Not because he didn’t play well, but because he has the physical assets to do so.

The Point Play

I saw this thread on Real GM late last night when I couldn’t sleep. And it made me realize that the point guard play is going to be talked about a lot this year. I was hoping it would be a non-issue and we wouldn’t have a repeat debate of the Calderon – TJ Ford thing. Sadly, I think we will.

To be frank I think its’ warranted.  Jarrett Jack outplayed Calderon last night. The offense was crisper, the defense was on it’s heels, and it was Jack who lead the Raps to a forth quarter surge to pull away from the Wizards.

Calderon looked awful. The offence he ran was slow, predictable and he couldn’t create much.

It says here that were going to see a lot of Jack this year. And from the way Calderon looked yesterday, it’s a good thing. There’s something about Jack when he runs our team. He makes us better.

And this is coming from a guy who was drinking the Caldeorn Kool Aid for the better part of three years.

Reggie Why??

I love what Reggie Evans brings to the game. He’s tough, works hard, gives us a lot of grit. But for the love of God, he’s going to drive me nuts all year.

A lot has been reported about his lack of offense and I took that mean he doesn’t take a lot of shots.  Not so much. He wants to be good offensively. Which kinda sucks considering he’s 29 years old and still isn’t good at it.

He forces a lot of his shots (and to be fair he gets to the line) but more than a couple times a game he’s going to play outside his ability and it will make you shake your head and wonder why.

I wish he’d accept his role, get the rebounds, scare little kids in the crowd and pass the ball more.

The Zan of the Night:

Marco Bellineli and Demar DeRozan

One of the most insightful comments Matt Devlin made last night was how DeRozan’s athleticism will buy him the time to learn other things. Very true.

The Not Zan of the Night:

Jose Calderon.

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