Tag Archives: Brian Colangelo

by | July 16, 2010 · 12:09 pm

What Lebrons Decision Means for the Raptors

With the creation of the Miami “Super Heat”, there will be a resounding domino effect felt throughout the league and, in particular, the Eastern Conference.  Cleveland and Toronto will probably be the most affected by the signings in Miami, but make no mistake about it, there will be shockwaves all over the NBA.  Teams will change their views of how to build a winner and teams that were close to contending before, may find themselves on the outside looking in.

Toronto will feel the effects first hand next season.

The Raptors came to within one game of making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference this year and one would have to assume that their chances have taken a big hit with the loss of their best player, and leader, Chris Bosh.

Bosh was the centrepiece of the offense in Toronto and the main go-getter of rebounds. He was a leader on and off the court and was the sole reason the Raps were able to keep pace with many teams night after night.  Without that kind of contribution, one would have to assume,  the Raptors will be hard pressed to see any kind of success next year or playoff basketball.

With Lebron joining Chris and Dwayne Wade in Miami, the entire balance of power shifts in the Eastern Conference.  Cleveland will likely no longer be factors in playoff discussions and Miami will likely be at the top of everyone’s prediction charts.

Playoff spots are almost certain, barring injury, to teams like Miami, Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, and Chicago.  All of those teams kept major players or made strong upgrades through free agency.  That only leaves three more spots for the playoffs next season.  Those spots are likely to be teams that are thrashed in the first round by the teams mentioned.  Teams like Milwaukee, New York, Charlotte, Detroit and Cleveland will all be vying for those last three spots.

Colangelo is moving forward following the departure of Chris Bosh and his efforts could finally land the Raptors in the playoffs.

Will Toronto be one of those teams?

My feeling is that the Raptors will be more competitive than anyone gives them credit for.  They will not be predicted as one of the top eight teams in the East, but they have as good a shot as anyone.

Without Chris Bosh, the Raptors must alter their game plan.  Good thing the Raptors have a GM that is good at changing up his game plan.

Chris Bosh was the focus of the offense for the Raptors and as a result their offensive sets often involved giving Bosh the ball and waiting for him to shoot, drive or kick out to a shooter.  This plan got a little stale and as a result teams found the Raptors easier and easier to defend.  Jermaine O’Neal, Shawn Marion, Hedo Turkoglu were all brought in to compliment him, but in the end the Raps couldn’t find a compliment to Bosh.

With no Chris Bosh, the Raptors will be able to change-up their offensive sets.  Triano has proven in the past to be a decent X’s and O’s kind of coach and now he has a variety of players around that can do a multitude of things.  Ball handlers, shooters, guys that can drive, guys that feed on putbacks.  The “Boshless Era” may end up being an exciting time to watch the Raptors.

The franchise will not have to force everyone to mould to Bosh’s style.  Players will be allowed to be themselves, focus on their strengths and compliment each other.

The American Dream Team had a very hard time defeating the Spanish National team over the last few years.  The Dream Team had the talent, as Miami now does, but the Spanish utilized an unselfish, team oriented style of basketball.  In the end the Spanish team gave the U.S.  all they could handle and took gold away in the 2006 world championships.  Colangelo watched as the Spanish team spread the ball around the floor and defeated the highly touted American squad.

Now Colangelo has the chance to build a team oriented style with this Raptors group.

He has at his disposal a number of exciting, young players that have no problem sharing the ball.  Amir Johnson, Demar Derozan, Jarrett Jack, Sonny Weems, Ed Davis and newly acquired Linus Kleiza and Leandro Barbosa.  Plus we’ll finally get a chance to see what Andrea Bargnani looks like as a focal point on offense.

Plus, Colangelo isn’t done dealing.  He has a massive trade exception at his disposal as well as expiring contracts in Marcus Banks and Reggie Evans.  You can also be assured that one of his point guards will be dealt before the season begins.  More weapons to help build his team-oriented strategy.

Team oriented championships have happened before.  One needs to look no farther than Detroit to see that a team can win without a proven star player.

Will the Raptors win this season?  Time will only tell.

One thing is certain though.  This team will be exciting to watch.  They will play a different style of ball and new players will share the leadership role. They have enough talent to compete for one of the spots not held by the upper echelon teams in the East.

While Bosh, Lebron and Wade will have difficulties sharing the ball next season, the Raptors will be full of players that want to share the ball and will do anything asked to make the team better.

Losing Bosh may end up being the best thing that ever happened to the Raptors.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | March 14, 2010 · 6:24 am

Raptors in Free Fall and Bosh is Pissed

Curry has been a revelation this year and continued his strong rookie season with a big win over the Raptors.

It was like deja vu all over again for the Raptors.  A strong first half from the Raptors saw the team carry a four point lead into half time.  Then the third quarter reared its ugly head.  The Raptors gave up 43 on Wednesday night in an embarrassing loss to Sacramento and followed it up by giving up 41 to the third worst team in the association.  The defense disappeared, the offensive sets went nowhere and the Raptors found consistency out of no one.  Chris Bosh, the teams best player, couldn’t help but notice the lack of effort from himself and his teammates.   “Act like you care, you know,” he said. “We need to do the things that win, we don’t do the things that win.”  Tough love from the teams’ best player who seemed absolutely enraged after the game.

There’s reason to be pissed.  The Raptors are now treading dangerously close  to falling out of playoff contention.  They sit in the 8th spot at the moment, only one and half games ahead of Chicago, for the final playoff spot in the East.  They must come together quickly or risk wasting a season that had the makings of something special.

The Zan for Three

Star Power

If you want to win games consistently in this league, your best players have to step up and lead the way.  The Raptors didn’t get that kind of effort from their stars and the Warriors did, plain and simple.  Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and Corey Maggette went off on the Raptors scoring 31, 35, and 20 respectively.  Chris Bosh scored 24 for the Raptors but  Hedo Turkoglu scored a whopping 4pts, Andrea Bargnani added 11 and Jarrett Jack tossed in 7.  If the Raptors have any design of playing playoff basketball they need to start getting production from their main guys.  In a playoff atmosphere it will be these players that will  be called on to lead.  But there won’t be any playoffs to play in if the players don’t start stepping up now.

Rookie Class

What a great rookie class this year turned out to be.  Jennings, Curry and Evans are in a sprint to the finish for Rookie of the Year.  Evans looked great on Wednesday and Curry had his opportunity to impress tonight against the Raptors.  He took advantage of terrible defensive positioning and got to the rim at will.  He made shots and got his teammates involved as well.   Curry looks like a player the Warriors should build around in the coming years.  He just has the mentality of a winner and isn’t afraid to take big shots.  He has many qualities of his father, former Raptor Dell Curry, that make him a dangerous player to play against. A great mix of skill and smarts.

Piss and Vinegar

Good teams go through bad spurts all the time.  It is impossible in the long NBA season not to go through stretches where the team doesn’t play to their potential and ability.  The Raptors have chosen the wrong time to play their worst ball of the season and someone needs to do something about it.  Chris Bosh looked downright angry after the game and the Raptors could use a little bit more of that fire.  I have been waiting all season for someone to call the team out and take charge of the locker room.  Call all the team meetings you want, fly in Colangelo to talk to the team if you like, but something or someone has to light a fire under the players.  Tonight Chris Bosh called his teammates out.  It was long overdue but someone had to do it.  Someone has to do the dirty work of reminding this team that they are not doing the things that need to be done to win.  Let’s see if this can ignite a fire in that dressing room.  I expect an angry squad on Sunday night in Portland.

Towel.

Zan of the Night

Stephen Curry

He is looking every bit a star this year.  He has ice in his veins and has qualities of a leader at this young stage of his career.  He shot the lights out tonight and propelled his team to, what ended up being, an easy victory.  He has the makings of a star in this league.

Not Zan of the Night

Take your pick. Every Raptor, outside of maybe Calderon, played horribly at some point in the ball game.  Hedo Turkoglu is an obvious target with his four point night.  He didn’t score a single point after the first quarter.  The $53 million dollar man is looking lost and lethargic.  He personifies everything that is wrong with this team right now.  They are not playing with energy, not making smart decisions, aren’t playing defense and don’t seem to care.  He was signed to be a leader.  To be an example.  And to get us to the playoffs.   He hasn’t led all season. He is setting the wrong example as his laissez-faire attitude seems to be catching on.  And there is a very real chance we might miss the playoffs.  Not acceptable.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | February 17, 2010 · 10:48 pm

Raptors Lose an OT Heartbreaker at the ACC

It wasn’t quite the start to the not-so-second half that the Raptors had in mind.  Playing against a Memphis squad that was on the second night of a back to back, the team got down early in the first, but battled back and had control of the game with under a minute left.  Five unanswered points in the last 40 seconds from the Grizz erased a 16pt fourth quarter from Chris Bosh and sent the game into Overtime.  The Grizzlies looked every bit a team ready to take aim at a playoff spot in the extra frame.  Mike Conely and a seemingly unstoppable Rudy Gay, snatched a victory away from Toronto in overtime, ending their eight game home winning streak.

Mike Conely drives past Jose Calderon. Conely was a key to the Grizzlies' Overtime victory over Toronto on Wednesday night.

The Zan for Three

Lonely All-Star

Chris Bosh had a monster night for the Raps.  He had 32 points and 10 boards on the night with 16 of them coming in the fourth quarter.  It seemed Bosh had single handedly propelled his team to victory until the wheels fell off.  Bargnani was the only other starter that scored in double digits.  If the Raptors are going to win ball games, especially in the dying minutes of games, someone else is going to have to step up.  Hedo, Jack and Derozan were not really factors and the Raps were thoroughly outscored in the first and third quarters.   A better effort is needed from the starting five to give their All-Star a little help.

Trade?  No Way, Jose!

Calderon did not play great defense on Rudy Gay at the end of the game and let Conely walk right in for the game tying points at the end of the fourth, but are you sure you want to hand the keys to this team to Jarrett Jack?  No offense to Jack, he has had a great year thus far, but he is far from consistent.  Jack was a non-factor tonight and it was Calderon that brought the team back in the second and fourth quarters.  Without his effort off the bench this game would be a write-off.  Calderon and Jack compliment each other well.  When Jack is having an off night, Jose is there to take the lions’ share of minutes and vice versa.  Not to mention Jose has made the second unit a force to reckoned with. If you subtract Jose from the equation; nights like tonight will be much, much worse.  Hold on to the depth that has gotten you this far.  You’re welcome, Mr. Colangelo.

Hockey Mentality

Toronto is a hockey town, no matter how hard I wish for it to be otherwise.  This team is beginning to find a personality that mirrors the city it represents.  Amir diving for balls?,  Antoine Wright getting stitched up and returning minutes later?  These are the characteristics of fighters.  Tonight the second unit fought for the victory outscoring the Memphis bench 43-9.  The Raps may not have come out on top, but that kind of effort from your bench gives you reason to believe the team is almost ready for the fight of a playoff series.  That, is of course, if the starters can get their act together.

Zan of the Night

Rudy Gay.  The Man was unstoppable and his shot was falling.  He was the difference maker, especially down the stretch, and the Raptors had no answer for him.  Chris Bosh also deserves mention as he was a one man team in the fourth quarter and deserved better support from his starting unit.

Not Zan of the Night

Hedo.  I don’t know if it is the mask or ball or whatever, but this guy needs to step up.  Like yesterday.  He is a key to our fortunes down the stretch and into the playoffs and if he is going to play like this:  He can take his ball and go home.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | February 10, 2010 · 10:29 pm

Raptors Pull Together for Big Win Before the Break

It wasn’t an easy win by any stretch. Lou Williams decided to play one of his best ever games leading the Sixers back from a 23 point deficit. But in the end, the Raptors used contributions from almost everybody on the team to hold on for the victory.  The win is the teams’ 29th of the season and ties a franchise record for victories at the break.  The Raps are 20-6 at home and now a comfortable 6 games over .500.  Statistics that should be creditited to an under-appreciated coaching staff and the chemistry this team has developed. The Raptors were a complete team tonight, especially down the stetch, using defensive stops and smart offensive sets to finish off a surging Sixers squad.  Bosh, Bargnani, Wright and Weems came up especially big in the final minutes of the game.  But Derozan, Calderon, Jack and Johnson were solid at times as well.  A complete team victory tonight.  Including Reggie Evans.

Reggie fights Jason Kapono for the ball in his 5 minutes of Furry on the floor for the Raptors

The Zan for Three (plus the foul)

A Legend is Born

I haven’t seen so much excitement in this city for a returning player since Mats Sundin.  Reggie Evans obviously has the hearts of the fans.  He played only five minutes in the game but you could just feel the change in energy.  I know the Sixers felt something change the moment he approached the scoring table.  Reggie looked good out there, a little slow, but he provides the Raps with something they haven’t had.  A dirty inside presence that makes the opposition think twice about attacking the rim.  He’s a game changer. The Big Dirty.

Papa Calderon looking After the Kids

How great was Jose Calderon working with the Young Guns?  He was feeding them alley-oop after alley-oop.  Calderon. Seriously? Jose is a steadying presence on the second unit and provides patience and leadership for the occasionally erratic young Raptor core.  Amir Johnson and Calderon have had chemistry since Jose returned to the lineup but Weems and Derozan worked exceptionally well with the Spaniard tonight as well.  This could be a perfect marriage for the Raptors.  Jose is very efficient with the ball.  He doesn’t turn it over and is good at slowing the tempo.  On the flip side the kids can run and sometimes force Jose to get out of his comfort zone and push the ball up the floor.  The perfect balance.

Substitutions

How good is Jay Triano getting at managing his bench?  There was a time this season when everyone and their grandmother was questioning the way Triano utilized his bench, but now?  He is utilizing Antoine Wright and Sonny Weems as defensive substitutions that have been most effective at the end of ballgames.  He interchanges Jack and Calderon depending on what style he wants to play.  Case in point: Calderon played key minutes in the fourth when Jay wanted to run a more controlled offense to combat the Sixers run.  Triano then took Calderon out of the game and used Weems, Jack and Wright in the key defensive possessions at the end of the game.

Demar Derozan lays it in en route to one of his best games as a Toronto Raptor.

(plus the foul)

The Dagger

The Raptors are getting very good at closing out ballgames.  Another testament to the coaching staff.  The Raptors let Lou Williams and the Sixers back into the ball game with lazy defense and poorly executed offensive sets.  Jay Triano let them play through it and saw Calderon use the ol’ 4pt play to take the lead back.  Bargnani then hit a huge three to finish off the Sixers.  The Raptors ended the game on an 11-0 run.  That’s how you close out a game.  Well done.  And they secured Pizza for the Raptor faithful.  Perfect.

Zan of the Game

Jay Triano.  A case easily could have been made for Mr 20 and 10, Chris Bosh, or even Jose with the way he ran the team in the fourth quarter, but Jay gets it.   He ties the team record for wins at the All Star Break and has led this team to ten consecutive games with over 100 points.  Incredible.  Not only that but he is becoming a very effective strategist on the court using the full range of his bench.  This team believes in him and that’s the reason for the huge turnaround this season.  They should now be considered a team to be reckoned with come playoff time.  Watch out Boston! 4 games back.

Not Zan of the Game

Jason Kapono.  Arguably one of Colangelo’s worst decisions as GM of the Raptors was to bring him in.  Then again he was flipped for Reggie Evans, so he was of some use.  Not only did Kapono lose to his former team but he was awful when he was on the floor.  He still has not regained confidence in his shot and finished the night with 0 points on 0 for 2 shooting.  He is only sticking around in Philly so his contract can expire.  He could be on his way out of the league this summer.

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | January 9, 2010 · 7:23 pm

Reggie Evans: Man or Myth?

Reggie Evans is expected to bring defensive energy and intensity when he returns to the Raptors' lineup later this month.

When the Raptors traded Jason Kapono this off-season for Reggie Evans General Manager Brian Colangelo was banking on getting back an X-Factor, a game changer, and someone who could anchor the defence with his strong physical presence.  The guy is a beast and has a reputation around the league as someone you don’t want to match up with.  He embodies everything that has been missing from the Raptors lineup this season: hustle, defense, intensity and physicality.  Since his injury, and with the Raptors defensive struggles during the early part of the season, his importance to the Raptors has been discussed regularly by fans and pundits alike.

Reports are indicating that Evans may return some time during the month of January and from listening to Raptor Nation you’d think the Raptors were getting Charles Barkley circa 1993 back, or maybe Kevin Garnett.

His legend has grown during his time on the shelf and with every Raptor loss it grows more still.  When the Raptors get abused inside the announcers always mention “it would be nice to have Reggie Evans back”, “How much do the Raps miss this guy?Dominique Wilkens even strode up to the Raptors announce table during the debacle that was the Atlanta game and said two words to Devlin and Jack Armstrong: “Reggie Evans”.  In his mind, and in the minds of many, he is the missing ingredient that could help transform this team into a defensive presence in the East.

The Raptors have been playing very well recently and are starting to “turn a corner” as Jay Triano gets more consistent with his rotation, the players get to know each other better and the defensive effort becomes more consistent.  The presence of Reggie Evans can only expediate that process.  He could be the added shot of energy this team needs: a human can of Red Bull to lift them during the second half of the season.

Reggie Evans has built a career on rebounding the ball

In his time with Philadelphia, Reggie earned a reputation as a player you did not want covering you.  Ask Al Horford, ask Kevin Garnett, ask Jermaine O’neal, Ask Chris Bosh.  This is a tough guy to play against.  There are no easy baskets against Reggie Evans; he is going to make you earn every bucket you get.  On top of that, if you miss, he won’t let you get the rebound.  That ball, fine sir, belongs to Reggie Evans.  That sense of dominance and energy has been missing for the Raptors for large periods of time this season.

With Reggie coming back it will mean less time for Amir Johnson who has been consistently reliable and occasionally exceptional.  It may cause Triano to have difficulty figuring out how to distribute minutes.  A nice problem to have but one that could also disrupt the recent cohesion of this group.   His return will likely push Bargnani, Bosh and the young gun Johnson in practice and improve the help defense for the perimeter players (Calderon, I’m looking at you). It will also certainly mean more emotion from the Raps.  An intangible element that is contagious and incredibly beneficial in a seven game series, which the Raptors seem destined to be a part of.

…And the Legend continues.

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by | January 3, 2010 · 9:31 pm

Bosh is all-time greatest Raptor In big victory over Spurs

Chris Bosh finally became the all-time leader in points as a Raptor and the Raps did something they haven’t done since the beginning of the year: beat a top team.  Bosh was his consistent self and the team got huge minutes from Demar Derozan on the offensive end, and Marco Belinelli and Antoine Wright on the defensive end.  Throw in a little Bargnani D on Duncan and Jarrett Jack’s smooth running offense and you have a recipe for success.

The Zan for Three

Chris Bosh celebrates a big win against San Antonio. Bosh also became the all-time leading scorer for the Raptors.

Finish Them!

In the game Mortal Combat when beating an opponent the game asks you to “Finish Him!” and it’s your job to then rip off your opponents head or rip out their heart . For whatever reason the Toronto Raptors haven’t been able to finish off big time opponents and the Spurs are one of the more dangerous ones out there.  The Raptors let the Spurs hang around in the fourth quarter but instead of giving up the game, the Raptors ripped off their proverbial head and finished the game strong.  Kudos to the Raps for pressing the right combo code to get it done.

Deep Bench

Hedo Turkoglu was out (A cold? What??) and the Raps were in tough against a San Antonio team that had won 5 straight, so they needed help from everywhere and anywhere.  Enter Demar Derozan, Marcus Banks, Marco Belinelli and Antoine Wright.  These guys played key minutes on both ends of the floor and steadied the ship to a big W.  Banks ran the second unit well and looks good enough to continue getting heavy minutes.  Belinelli did not shoot well but got to the line at key points in the game and his defensive intensity was integral to the victory.  Derozan played well in the first half and brought the crowd to life with a couple of thunderous dunks.  Say what you will about Antoine Wright but he played tight defense on Ginobli and Jefferson and hit the free throws to ice it.  The bench is beginning to show the gusto Brian Colangelo envisioned when he put this team together.

Greatest of All-Time

Congrats to Chris Bosh on becoming the Raptors all-time leading scorer.  He has been a true professional in his time here in Toronto and it’s fitting to see his name at the top of an impressive list.  He’s the greatest player this franchise has ever seen and let’s hope he stays around long enough to also become the most successful player in franchise history.   A nice moment for Bosh, let’s hope there is a nice ceremony at the next home game to commemorate one of the best to wear the red and white, black and red, purple and black and occasionally green.  Nice to see the fans at the ACC give Bosh a proper ovation and get up out of their seats for something other than free pizza.

Zan of the Night

Chris Bosh

Who else?  The guy is now the top scorer in franchise history and more importantly he was the key to victory in the fourth quarter.  Big time players come up big at the right moment and with the Spurs charging back into the game late in the fourth he hit a huge shot and two huge free throws to put the game away.  This is what franchise players do.  Kudos to the rest of the Raptors team for also remembering who should get the ball down the stretch.

Not Zan of the Night

Manu Ginobli

Not a good game for the 6th man of the decade.  He went 2-9 from the field and was held in check by Wright and Belinelli.  The Spurs needed him to step up and he simply couldn’t.

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by | October 6, 2009 · 11:50 pm

The Power Forward – According to Zan

The Players

Chris Bosh will lead the Raptors in the battle for the Playoffs this season.

Chris Bosh will lead the Raptors in the battle for the Playoffs this season.

Chris Bosh

Reggie Evans

Amir Johnson

The Story

Chris Bosh is the most important player on the Raptors team.  He is the focal point on offense, he is the team leader and the city’s biggest star.  He also happens to be an impending free agent.

This season Bosh will be under the microscope.  His game will be judged and assessed by General managers all over the league as to whether he is worth a max offer at the end of the season.  Whether or not this proves to be a distraction for the Raptors remains to be seen.

As a player in his contract year he is going to want to impress executives around the league in order to achieve that max contract that will be handed out to his other draft alumni.  This could hypothetically lead to increased results as Bosh puts forth the increased effort needed to become a first tier player in the league.

Although Bosh put together another all-star year last season he didn’t always look like an all-star.  His effort was, at times, questionable and his defense was suspect for much of the season and he seemed to disappear in games where he was matched up head to head with other premier power forwards.  Bosh seemed to improve near the end of the season but it wasn’t enough for a playoff run.

He comes into training camp bulked up, putting on several pounds of muscle and is playing with, arguably, the most talented team he has ever played alongside.  He seems to have the right attitude and can hopefully play through the off court distractions.

Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson have been brought in to help anchor a strong, athletic, hard working, bench.  Their athleticism and toughness add a dynamic to the bench that has been missing for the Raptors for a long time.  Their energy and grit will also push Bosh on a daily basis in practice; something that cannot be overlooked.

The Best Case Scenario

Bosh comes out of the gate like a man possessed.  He leads the team on and off the court and returns to, yet another, All-star game.  He hits career highs in points and rebounds and is once again mentioned a possible long shot MVP candidate.  The distractions of his contract turn out to be overblown and he posts a career best year.  He looks energized and plays other power forwards tough, as a result of his harder practices.  The team makes the playoffs and he re-signs with the club.

The Worst Case Scenario

Bosh comes out of the gate slow and the Raptors struggle. He implies he will not return next season or he tells Colangelo outright that he will not re-sign with the club long term creating a media frenzy that distracts the team all year long.  The Raptors struggle to find their groove on offense and look lost on the defensive end.  Bosh remains the focal point on offense and the team struggles to be creative with the ball.  He is force fed the ball even when it doesn’t make sense to do so and he becomes quite content to shoot the jump shot instead of driving incurring the wrath of Raptor fans.

The Prediction

Bosh does come out of the gate with a flying enthusiasm but eventually comes back down to Earth.  He draws double teams from the opposing players which leaves the perimeter shooters open for business.  He is able to play a little more rested due to the emergence of Reggie Evans as the primary backup.  He seems more focused and tough as a result of his competition in practice and CB4 is named to the all-star game for  a 5th time in his career. He benefits greatly from the added firepower and increased ball distribution on this team posting close to career highs.

He continues to be a weak help defender but shows improvement on defense against elite power forwards in the game.  Somehow, Bosh, avoids the media questions for most of the year and the distractions to himself and the Raptors are minimal.

The team shares the ball well and returns to the playoffs led by CB4. He then announces his plans to re-sign with the team long-term for a maximum contract.

Reggie Evans plays his way into the fans’ hearts and he becomes and instant favourite due to his energy and toughness.  He is frequently summoned from Jay Triano’s bench and plays a key role in the success of the team.

Amir Johnson shows occasional flashes of brilliance but not enough to earn a regular spot in Jay Triano’s rotation.  He plays inconsistent ball and sees most of his minutes come in games that have already been decided.

The position is as strong as it has ever been and will be a key reason the Raptors will return to the playoffs.

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by | October 4, 2009 · 9:19 pm

The Center – According to Zan

The Players:Bargnani

Andrea Bargnani

Rasho Nesterovic

Pattrick O’Braynt

and Amir Johnson

The Story:

After a great second half by Andrea Bargani last season, Raptor fans will be interested in seeing if the Big Italian can continue on his success. He’s backed up by the Big Steady, Rasho Nestrovic. A solid, dependable, fan favourite.

Worst Case Scenario:

With a new contract already signed, Andrea’s game regresses. He doesn’t improve his physical play. He shoots the jumper more often than he drives. Rasho steps in for defensive purposes more than we’d like, taking Andrea’s valuable offensive game off the court.

Best Case Scenario:

Andrea’s game improves. He plays tough and he plays strong defense.  His confidence continues to sky-rocket as he begins to look like a seasoned veteran.  There’s even talk of an all-star appearance.

Rasho plays like Rasho. He doesn’t show signs of age. He continues to be the stable, defensive force he ‘s always been.

The Prediction:

Somewhere close to the best case scenario.  Andrea’s game does improve, but fans will still cry for more rebounds and more toughness; A facet of his game that will never fully satisfy the hardcore Raptor fan. But this year, his numbers won’t disappoint. Expect something close to 18 and 6 for the season. Which should be enough to get him some consideration for the All-Star team.

Rasho will be Rasho. He’s got a good couple years left in him before he starts to regress.

POB  shouldn’t see much court time. If he provides anything that can help this team it will be a plus.

Look for Amir to play some nights against smaller, more athletic line ups.

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by | September 7, 2009 · 11:02 am

The Garbajosa Factor

When Brian Colangelo began his first year with the Raptors in 2006 he overhauled the roster with players that weren’t household names.  Guys like TJ Ford, Anthony Parker, Kris Humphries and Rasho Nesterovic came aboard and changed the culture of the struggling NBA team.  The Raptors took on the mentality of winners and with a developing Chirs Bosh were able to capture the Atlantic Division title.

The most important player that year , the one who contributed most to whether they one or lost, was not Chris Bosh or Jose Calderon who now continue to make up the core of the Raptors franchise.  The one player that gave the Raptors the chance to win every game, that tipped the scales in their favour each night was Jorge Garbajosa.

No player in Raptors history (with the exception of maybe Charles Oakley) was able to do the little things so well that he a key component to whether the Raptors won or lost.  Garbajosa rebounded, fought for loose balls, made open shots when he had them, played consistent team and help defense and was the on court and off court leader for most of that season.  For much of the year you could be excused if you did not notice Garbajosa that much as he was hardly flashy and went about his business quietly.  But make no mistake it was his grit and versatility that helped propel the Raptors to the Atlantic division crown.

Garbajosa’s contribution became all the more evident when he went down with a season ending leg injury against Boston that left him questioning his career.  Without Garbajosa the Raptors were not the same team.  They did not defend the small forward position well, their team and help defense fell apart, they had a hard time corralling rebounds and there was a question of leadership.  As a result the team finished the season in unimpressive fashion and eventually were eliminated by The New Jersey Nets.  One could argue that if Garbajosa was on the floor the team would have been able to defeat the Nets.

The following season the Raptors continued grasping for a Garbajosa replacement.  Jamario Moon came in and faired well but wasn’t the same player.  Joey Graham was given opportunities but he could not re-capture the energy, hussle and gritty play of Garbojosa either.  The Raptors made the playoffs but were once again eliminated in the first round by Orlando.  They played well but something was missing from the year before.

Garbajosa never returned to full time duty and was not the same player after returning from his leg injury. The Raptors were never the same team as when they had Garbajosa on the floor and won the Atlantic division. Colangelo has tried many different players in the last two years trying to find that missing element.  Jamario Moon, Joey Graham, Carlos Delfino, Jermaine O’Neal and Shawn Marion all had varying amounts of success with the team but none had that missing element that Garbajosa brought.

Garbajosa, once a key to victories, has been a difficult player for the Raptors to replace.

Garbajosa, once a key to victories, has been a difficult player for the Raptors to replace.

Last year Colangelo said in an interview with NBA.com “The Garbo piece is still missing.  He was a glue player for us.  He provided a lot of the grit and intangibles that you just don’t measure in a box score…”. The Raptors were a team without grit last season and missed the playoffs for the first time in Colangelo’s time with the team.  It was apparent that grit and leadership were key focuses this off-season.

This summer Colangelo finally found a player that could defend, rebound, shoot, play-make and lead on and off the court.  A player that is built in the same mold as Jorge Garbajosa and has what it takes to win in the league.  Hedo Turkoglu possesses the intangibles that Colangelo referred to.  Judging by the success, or lack thereof, of the team following Grbajosa’s injury it is clear that it is these intangibles that play a major role in winning basketball games.  With the addition of Hedo Turkoglu the Raptors have hopefully found the right recipe for success.

Turkoglu has had success throughout his career.  He has been a major part of playoff drives with Sacramento, San Antonio and Orlando.  He is a player that is looked to for veteran leadership, clutch baskets and the “intangibles” that do not show up on a boxscore.  He has been a Garbajosa type player on many of the teams he has played on.  One only needs to look at Orlando’s drive to the Finals this year to see how integral Turkoglu was to the success of that team.  His numbers were decent but his play was better.

Ladies and Gentleman the new Jorge Garbajosa:  Hedo Turkoglu.

If all goes according to plan Turkoglu will help lead this team back to the playoffs and maybe even, something the Raptors have not seen since 2001: a playoff victory and a berth in the second round of the playoffs.

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by | September 2, 2009 · 8:59 pm

Stars Aligned for Possible Bosh Extension

So word on the street is that Chris Bosh will now consider an extension with the Raptors this summer despite earlier suggestions that he would wait until the 2010 free agent period when his fellow draft class alumni, Dwayne Wade and Lebron James, would also be available.

The timing would appear to be right for Bosh, and the Raptors organization, to sign long term as this summer the team has added a slew of players that look to form a nucleus for the future.  The other factor that may be more intriguing is that the big 2010 free agent period is beginning to look like it won’t be all it was supposed to be.  Don’t get me wrong, Lebron and Wade will get their money, but if the tax threshold for next season goes down and uncertain economic times continue then Bosh could, conceivably, make less money next summer than he could get from the Raptors right now.

If Brian Colangelo is able to pull this off it would be the cherry on his off-season sundae.  He has completely re-vamped this team with exciting new additions and has created a buzz in the city of Toronto.  Adding Chris Bosh to the long term core of this team would, theoretically, set up the franchise for success for the next 4-5 years.

The Raptors franchise player may decide to sign an extension this summer instead of waiting until next year.

The Raptors franchise player may decide to sign an extension this summer instead of waiting until next year.

But, why would Chris Bosh sign now and not wait until 2010?

- The team has made major moves to become contenders in the Eastern Conference and has locked up their core (Bargnani, Calderon, Turkoglu, and Jack) for the next 4-5 years.

- The team now has adequate backups (Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans, Rasho Nesterovic) at Bosh’s position meaning he will get rest when he needs it.

- The team went out and acquired one of his best friends in Jarrett Jack showing Bosh he truly is the franchise player they want to build around.

- Most importantly, he may not have another chance to make max money again as the 2010 free agent period will probably not hold the golden ticket he once thought it would.

The stars are now beginning to align and it appears the likelihood of a Bosh extension this summer is as close to happening as it has ever been.  If Bosh is wise he will sign now while he can still make max money and if he doesn’t the raptors can still offer him more than anyone else can next summer.

The thought of Bosh in another uniform has been a scary thought for Raptors fans for the last year but their worries could finally be all over.

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