Tag Archives: Zan of the Night

by | January 13, 2013 · 11:16 pm

Opportunity Missed

Today’s game against Milwaukee was an opportunity to move into the playoff discussion, to cement this Raptors team as a playoff contender and to maybe give the fans of this playoff starved city a chance to believe that the playoffs weren’t a delusion of grandeur.

With a strong first quarter effort, the Raptors jumped out to an early 20 point lead.  But slowly and methodically, the Bucks came back.  They chipped away and chipped away at the Raptors lead and ultimately took over for good in the fourth quarter.  The Raptors, outside of Calderon, Amir Johnson and Ed Davis, lacked punch.  They had several opportunities to put the Bucks away and failed to do it.

A team with the likes of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings cannot be left alone.  The Raptors defensive effort relaxed and the hot shooting Bucks made them pay for it.  Even the likes of Mike Dunleavy had solid shooting efforts against the Raptor D and then there was John Henson who wins the Acie Earl Award for beasting.  The Raptors had absolutely no answer for him and without Jonas Valanciunas and Andrea Bargnani lacked the man power to shut him down.

All is not lost for the Raptors.  They are still within striking distance of the playoffs and if they can take advantage of their upcoming schedule they can and will get into that playoff discussion. They are also enjoying some absolutely inspired play from Amir Johnson, Ed Davis and Jose Calderon.  I’ve watched this team for a long time and have not seen these three look as good or as cohesive as they have this year.

The future is bright.

Zan For Three

What’s up With Lowry?

Kyle Lowry has been one of my favourite players over the last couple of years. I enjoyed watching him lead Houston to a late season surge last year and loved the way he started this season for the Raptors.  He’s fast, works hard on the defensive end and isn’t afraid to take it to the rack.

We haven’t seen that Kyle Lowry for a while.

Today we saw Kyle trying hard to be somebody that he wasn’t.  He looks lost.

I applaud him for taking his teammates words to heart when they were critical of his selfish play back in Utah.  I applaud that he is doing his best to get his teammates involved, but he has lost all of the things that made Kyle Lowry fantastic.

He needs to find himself again.  His issues are not about coming off the bench or getting more minutes on the court, they’re completely in his head.

Not even one of Amir Johnson's best games of the season could stop Monta Ellis and the Bucks from taking the wind out of the Raptors sails at the ACC on Sunday.

Not even one of Amir Johnson’s best games of the season could stop Monta Ellis and the Bucks from taking the wind out of the Raptors sails at the ACC on Sunday.

He is trying to force himself to be something he is not.  He has gotten away from the things that made him successful and as a result has not been nearly as effective.  What the Raptors really need him to be, if they are to make a strong push toward the postseason, is himself.  They need him to be the energetic force he was brought here to be.  They need him to shoot the ball, drive the lane and push the tempo, even if it is off the bench.

Lowry’s return to form will be a key to the Raptors fortunes for the rest of this season.

The Real DeMar 

DeMar DeRozan has been a revelation this year.  He has quieted his critics and proven to many that Bryan Colangelo wasn’t crazy or over shooting with the extension he was given before the season.

Over the last few weeks we have seen DeRozan go back and forth between good games and bad ones.  He’s played within the game and, then at times, has forced up shots.

Today we saw DeRozan play within the system and take charge of the game in the third quarter which helped the Raptors gain control of the game for a little while.  Then in the fourth he disappeared (with the rest of the team) and couldn’t hang on.

DeRozan needs to realize that this is his team now.  He is the leader.  He is number one.  There are times when he just needs to assume control of the offense.  He needs to be a little bit selfish and not out smart himself.

He is developing into a truly great player and needs to take that extra step of assuming leadership over this team.

To Trade or not to Trade? 

The rumours are swirling in Raptorland.  We are close to a playoff position, our general manager is on the hot seat and we have a few players that may be enticing to other teams.

Colangelo has a tough choice to make because the team is finally working together and playing as a team so adding another piece to that equation, no matter how talented, could disrupt all the things that are going right.  Then again adding a talented piece like Rudy Gay may be the nudge needed to get this team into the postseason.

The player that would make the most sense to send away (Andrea Bargnani) isn’t really someone who Colangelo is able to move and the one everyone wants (Jose Calderon) may be too valuable to the makeup of the current roster to trade away.

Definitely some tough decisions in the days ahead.

Zan of the Night

Amir Johnson – He plays through pain, works hard and does everything he is asked to do.  In a hockey centred town he really personifies everything Toronto wants to see in a basketball player.  Today he was once again one of the best Raptors on the floor and the chemistry he has developed with Calderon and Ed Davis is such a joy to watch in person.

Another contract that is looking a lot more like a bargain.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

–

Follow us:

@zantabakherald
@kpedlar

Leave a Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 23, 2012 · 11:03 pm

Raptors Tease Tank Nation in Loss to Bucks

For almost four complete quarters the Toronto Raptors threatened to take control of the game and hand the Milwaukee Bucks insult to injury.  The same night that the Bucks were officially eliminated from the playoffs, they almost let this game slip away against the near bottom-feeding Raptors.

Toronto played without Demar Derozan for most of the game as he was ejected in the 2nd quarter for throwing a ball in protest of a travelling call.  Not the smartest move by Demar and it gave his teammates an added challenge without their best player.

They hung with the Bucks for the entire game until giving it away in the last three minutes.

Still, despite the loss, there were some very positive signs for the team.  The Raptors got strong, strong efforts from James Johnson who had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Gary Forbes who chipped in with 15 points and 5 assists in extended minutes and Ed Davis added 11 rebounds.

Dwane Casey has to be happy with the effort in this game from essentially his bench.

It all ends on Thursday in Toronto against the, soon to be Brooklyn, Nets.

Can’t wait for the playoffs to start, the offseason to begin and the Raptors to begin their retooling for next year.

Zan for Three

Bad News Bears

So, once again, Dwane Casey had this mixed band of misfits competing against a superior talent.  James Johnson, in his return to the starting lineup, chipped in with 22 points and 13 rebounds.  Forbes tossed in 15 points and 5 assists, Davis had 11 rebounds and Uzoh even chipped in with 8 points and 5 assists.

Despite a gritty effort from some of their second tier players, the Raptors couldn't hang on against the Milwuakee Bucks on Monday night.

Not bad from a group of players, most of which, were not expected to be significant contributors this year.

Whatever his magical potion or secret code that has got this team fighting every night, Dwane Casey deserves some kudos.

It’ll be exciting to see what he can do next year with more depth on the roster.

Get out of Here!

Demar Derozan was ejected from the game in the second quarter for arguing with an official over a travelling call and then throwing the basketball the length of the court.  It was a pretty dumb play on Derozan’s part to get that upset over the call.  Though he’s gotta be tired of never getting the benefit of the doubt with the officials.

He gets to the line consistently one game and then hardly at all the next. Seems to have the respect of the officials during one play and then is treated like a rookie on others. Demar is showing he has the ability to draw contact with the best of them, but yet hasn’t earned the respect of the officials. I call it Canadian bias. 

The referees don’t know him well enough.  He hasn’t estblished himself with them enough and thus doesn’t get consistent calls.  Not sure what else he has to do, maybe just give it time.

Sometimes you have to choose your battles, but I have a feeling Derozan was venting his frustrations with the lack of consistency of the officiating this year. The lack of calls has been quite apparent when looking at Derozan’s boxscores this year.

Still, cooler heads should have prevailed and Derozan should have stayed in the game. His presence could have turned the tide for the raptors.

Tank Nation

So it would appear that with Cleveland’s loss tonight the Raptors are still looking at the 5th or 6th most ping-pong balls in the upcoming draft lottery.  That means they could be drafting 5th or 6th or have a chance to move up and draft higher.

Tonight I’m not sure if fans were more happy or upset that the team allowed their double-digit lead to evaporate in the fourth Quarter.  There seems to be a growing desire to lose as many as possible and collect a higher chance to get ping-pong balls. With only one game remaining after this one I guess every loss helps.

In the end, it will still all come down to luck.  I mean remember when Orlando won the lottery twice in a row?

Losing isn’t fun, but when you add an opportunity to get a higher draft pick you can accept the late game collapse.  If your name isn’t Casey, that is.

Plus the Foul

Free Alabi

I’m liking the fact that Dwane Casey is allowing Alabi to get some burn, but it is allowing us all to see that he really isn’t ready for the NBA.  He’s a great guy, he’s got a big body, but has too much that he needs to fix to be a player that is brought back next year.  His time on the court has given us clear evidence that he should not be in the plans for the team next year.

A great guy, but he just isn’t NBA ready.  He may never be.

Zan of the Night

James Johnson

It is nice to see Johnson finishing the year much the way he started it.  He has been one of the most exciting and inspired Raptor players for most of the season.  He gets to the rim, grabs loose balls and plays tough defense.  He will be a very welcome addition to next years team, if of course the rift between he and Casey isn’t too deep to salvage.  Johnson has shown he is a very versatile player and could be very valuable coming off the bench next year to back up a number of different positions.  Tonight he scored, rebounded and got his team involved and was a pest all night for the Bucks on both ends of the floor.

Not Zan of the Night

The Bucks

Despite the win, Milwaukee fell short of their goal of reaching the playoffs.  It was a valiant effort, but in the end they came up just short.  Still with a team that sports Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings as well as Ilyasova they could be dangerous next year.  Still to miss the playoffs on the second last night of the season because you lost control of your own destiny, has gotta sting a little.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

–

Follow us:

@zantabakherald
@kpedlar

***

Leave a Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 2, 2012 · 12:29 am

Raptors Magic Fades in the Fourth

For three quarters the Raptors looked like a very strong basketball team.  The shots were falling, they defended the ball well, Dwight Howard wasn’t really a factor and the Raptors looked confident.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

It wasn’t pretty.  The shots didn’t fall, the perimeter defense was non-existent and the Magic shot the lights out from behind the arc.

The effort from this team was, for the most part, something to applaud.  Andrea Bargnani looked like a superstar out there for the third game in a row, Derozan battled through some early shooting trouble, and Jose Calderon was very effective at the point.  The Raptors battled and even had nice contributions from Jamal Magloire and Leandro Barbosa off the bench.

In the end the hot shooting of Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson and JJ Reddick were too much to handle for the Raptors defense.

This team continues to battle. They have shown much improved effort on the defensive end, especially in the first half  tonight, and they are hanging with teams on most nights.  The most impressive element of this loss is the way Andrea Bargnani has played.  He looks every bit a superstar out there and he is making a case to continue as the face of this franchise.

A loss is a loss but there are certainly positives to take away once again.

The Zan for Three

Toronto’s All-Star

It is way too early to even speculate about who will or wont make the All-star team, but if it were being held today, Andrea Bargnani would be on the roster.

During his last few years he has been criticized for not caring, not battling and being very weak on the defensive end.  This year, and I know it’s early, he looks confident. He is demanding the ball and scoring in a variety of ways, and although he isn’t the best defensive player he has created a presence under the basket.

This is something that Toronto fans need to be happy about.  If the Raptors win because Andrea plays like an All-star, that’s a win I’m willing to take no matter how it affects our draft position next year.

He is a reason to be excited so far this year.

Hedo Turkoglu was a factor in Orlando's fourth quarter comeback.

Ball

Oh the obligatory “ball” reference.  Hedo actually looked pretty good out there but I’m talking about the Raptors new offensive philosophy.

Dwane Casey has said that his number one option on offense is Andrea Bargnani and his number two is Demar Derozan.  He is going to ride them all the way win or lose.

This philosophy is both positive short-term because it allows us to see whether either player can handle the rigors and pressure that come with being a number one or number two option.  It also helps the Raps in the long-term because it signifies that this is their team.  They will be the focal point offensively going forward and next year, when the games start to matter, they will be ready to lead.

Ball.

Mr. 3000

Say what you want about Jose Calderon.  He seems to be the new poster boy for the haters out there, but he is one efficient point guard out there ont eh offensive end.  His stats speak for themselves, but he really does put his teammates in good position out there and he protects the ball quite well.  Although he likely isn’t part of the future he seems like a great choice to lead this years young team.

He’s also got 3000 assists in his career.

Jose has been my favourite Raptor in his time in Toronto.  He’s had is ups and downs to be sure, but he has been a constant professional, plays hard, shares the ball, loves the city and genuinely loves being a Raptor.

Congrats on 3000 Jose.

Zan of the Night

Ryan Anderson

Wow, can this guy shoot.  He is a dangerous, dangerous player out there.  He’s tough to guard and if he’s open he’s lights out.  The Raptors D did a pretty good job on the interior, but they fell asleep on this guy late in the game and he absolutely killed us.

Not Zan of the Night

Ed Davis

Maybe it’s just bitterness that he is on my fantasy team and hasn’t delivered yet, but he’s been kind of invisible out there this year.  True, a lot of his minutes are going to Magloire and Amir definitely deserves to start, but I was expecting a lot more.  He is going to have to work a lot harder out there and take advantage of his reduced minutes in order to get more.  I believe he’s part of the future of this ball club, but he hasn’t shown it so far this season.

 

1 Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 12, 2011 · 11:33 pm

Hawks Get a Late Assist From the Refs to Beat the Raptors

I don’t believe that sports are fixed or that refs have alterior motives when calling a game, but the fourth quarter at the ACC on Wednesday night looked awfully fishy.

One could call it a bad break, a lack of respect, or just sheer bad refereeing.

Whatever way you slice it, the Raps lost a game they seemed to have right in the palm of their hands.

A great effort from Leandro Barbosa and another dominant effort from Andrea Bargnani were not enough to overcome and absolutely unreal performance by Jamal Crawford a late dagger three by Mike Bibby ( a Raptor killer if there ever was one).

The Raptors shouldn’t hang their heads because the effort was there on both ends of the floor and the team got contributions from every player that touched the floor.  The team really seemed to channel the energy of JYD, who was present court side for this one.

In the end the Raptors had an opportunity to put it away in the fourth, but a very questionable call on an Amir Johnson screen turned the ball back over to the Hawks where Bibby hit his three-point dagger.  The Raptors followed with a Jose Calderon drive where he got absolutely hammered and the ball went off of him.  The Raps lost the ball and the game.

Refs can be your friends sometimes and then they can also be your worst enemy.  Tonight the Raps were beaten by the Hawks with an assist to the zebras.

Zan for Three

Refs Suck

Some might call it bad luck, others will say Jose flopped, but I think the refs missed the call at the end of the game.  Even if they got that one right, the earlier call on the Amir screen was tick-tack and they could have sent Derozan to the line several times and didn’t.  The Raptors played with heart out there and I’m proud of their effort, but it hurts to lose when so the calls by the refs were so one-sided.

Tick-tack foul on one side of the floor and total non-calls on the other.  Watching the game back again and it was a little ridiculous.  The Raptors couldn’t buy a call tonight.

I tack this up to being a young team that just isn’t respected by the league officials.  I don’t believe a league, with clear rules should award fouls based on reputation and status in the league, but no one can deny it is the way the league works.

Tonight the Raptors were robbed by the refs.  Yes, the Hawks made some tough shots down the stretch, but there is no way the free throw attempts should ever be so heavily weighted on one side of the court.  31 – 12 in favour of the Hawks.  That is just downright ridiculous and in no way representative of the way the game was played.

The Raptors fell painfully short against the Hawks at the ACC, but it wasn't for lack of effort.

I hate it, but I also know that the more Demar and co. drive the lane and get hammered, the better their calls will be down the road.  We may have to wait a few years for Demar to get foul calls he is not getting now, but they will come.

This is just how the NBA officials work.

Busting Out

Andrea Bargnani is beginning to bust loose on the NBA.  Ever since he was drafted, rather infamously, number one overall, Raptor faithful have mused: “if he can ever put it together consistently, he’s gonna be great…”

It would appear that we are on the cusp of that time.  Bargnani has been damn good for several games in a row and looks like a key building block going forward.  He is gaining confidence with every game.  The true mark of a great player is when they shoot the ball, you just know it’s going in.

Lebron has that feeling. Kobe has that feeling.  Vince used to have it. and Bargnani is starting to have that feel to his game right now.

When he let’s go of the ball, you can just hear the swish before it’s left his hands.  He feels like an automatic every time.

Tonight he carried his team.  Il Mago was the only consistent Dino, outside of Barbosa, and he put the team on his shoulders for periods of the game.  This is another mark of a star.

Now, I’m not suggesting that Andrea Bargnani be the centre of the Raptors universe and Bryan Colangelo should build around him like he did with Chris Bosh.  I think Bargnani is a great #1B or #2 on a competitive team.  He is showing that he deserves consideration for an All Star position and carrying  the load without the departed Chris Bosh.

It no longer feels like a matter of if, but rather when he will become a legitimate star.  He’s getting attention from around the league and has earned the respect of the officials.

Most importantly his coach and teammates trust him when the game is on the line.

Il Mago is on his way.

Northern Lights Out

Is it just me, or does Jamal Crawford love playing in Toronto.  The guy always seems to show up when he plays at the ACC.  Tonight he was absolutely unconscious.  There was a point in the game where I thought we might see another 81 point night.  Everything he shot went down.  His long, long three in the fourth quarter while the shot clock was winding down, was a shot that should never have gone down, but may have swung the game to the Hawks.

Jamal Crawford is a dangerous player and sometimes does not get the credit he deserves. Yes, he is a mostly one-dimensional player and could be classified as a “volume-shooter”, but he has put up some impressive numbers against the Raps and has really come into his own on this Hawks team.

Whether he starts or comes off the bench he always seems to have the Kryptonite  that shuts the Raptors down.

Plus the Foul

Welcome back JYD

Gotta love seeing JYD back at the ACC.  One of, if not my absolute, favourite Raptor of all-time.  He played the game the right way and fought hard.  He wasn’t the most gifted or skilled player on the floor, but he had the biggest heart.  He endeared himself to Raptors faithful on the first day he became a Raptor by driving himself to Toronto from Detroit and he never looked back.  Tonight the Raptors channelled a little JYD as they fought to stay in the game and had the chance to win it at the end.  Heart is something yo just can’t measure in Sports.  JYD had it in spades and it is obviously contagious.

Zan of the Night

Leandro Barbosa

He has been one of the most consistent Raptors this season. At the beginning of the year I predicted that Linas Kleiza would be the “X-Factor” of this season, but it has clearly been Leandro Barbosa thus far.  He has been an absolute gem off the bench for the Raptors filling in admirably at both the point and the wing position.

He doesn’t always pass the ball, but he also doesn’t always need to.  He is unquestionably still one of the faster players in league and certainly changes the tempo when he enters the game.  The Raptors have been lucky to have him and he rewarded his teammates tonight with a stellar shooting performance ( 11-16 for 26 points).

The Brazilian Blur gets the Zan tonight!

Not Zan of the Night

Demar Derozan

Yes, he is young. And yes, he is inconsistent.  This is something we are coming to know about Demar Derozan.  One game he looks like the next big thing, then he disappears for a game.  Tonight the Jekyll and Hyde routine continued as he was ineffective against the Hawks defense.  To his credit, he did take the ball to the rim, but was rarely rewarded for his efforts.  The kid is having a tough time doing what his coach wants and not seeing the payoff at the same time.

Demar just needs to keep doing what he is doing right now and eventually he will start getting to the line more.  A nice young player who just has to play through nights like this one.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar

The Zan Tabak Herald
***
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Zantabakherald

2 Comments

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 2, 2011 · 9:06 pm

Raptors Fight to the Bitter End

The Boston Celtics are arguably the best team in the East, at least until Miami or Orlando beats them in a seven game series. Tonight the Raptors hung with the best and had many opportunities to pull away, but suffered from a very poor shooting night.  This is the kind of loss you have to take with a grain of salt.  The Celtics are the best team in the East, the Raptors are a young team still finding an identity.  There is no shame in this loss.  The Raps fought hard all game long and should hold their heads high.

Paul Pierce was absolutely brilliant and the Celtics hung around long enough for their other star players to warm up and contribute to the victory.  Pierce was basically a one man show for much of the game and seemed to single-handedly keep his team in the game.  The hotter Paul Pierce gets the better the Celtics will be.  Going into the second half of the season the Celtics are gonna need Pierce to be at his best.  Like a fine European wine, he only gets better as time goes on.

His dunk in the second half over virtually everyone was absolutely awe-inspiring!

Not to be outdone Demar Derozan once again was the best Raptor on the floor and may be turning a corner in his development.  He looked confident and was aggressive on the offensive end of the floor.  The Raptors are banking on Derozan becoming a big part of the team’s future and lately he has been looking like the real deal.  Tonight he played great ball against some of the best in the game.

Paul Pierce and his 30 points were too much to handle as the Celtics beat the Raptors 93-79 at the ACC on Sunday.

 

Zan For Three

Hard Work Rewarded

Two players worked harder than anyone else out there today: Joey Dorsey and Ray Allen.

Joey Dorsey was matched up against Shaquille Oneal and Jermaine Oneal, arguably one of the most frightening assignments in the NBA, in my honest opinion. He was solid defensively, worked his ass off on the offensive glass and was a key contributor all game long.  The Raps are down a few guys and have never been an overly effective team when it comes to rebounding, but Dorsey is doing it all in the limited amount of time he’s been given.  A few more games like this and Dorsey may earn himself more playing time, even after others come back from injury.

Ray Allen is a timeless wonder.  His outside shot is an automatic if he’s open.  He’s become, arguably, one of the most dependable players in the league.  He is never going to go out there and stink up the joint.  Today he had the quietest 23 points I’ve ever seen.  His team was struggling, outside of Paul Pierce, and they needed someone else to start hitting shots.  Enter Mr. Dependable.

Paul Pierce was the best player on the court today for the Celtics, but no way they win without the contribution of their silent leader.

Young Onez Unite!!

Am I the only one who is starting to get a little excited about the future of this ball club?  True, there is no Lebron James type or a John Wall that you can hope becomes an NBA superstar, but these kids are really starting to mature into fine NBA players.

Demar Derozan has elevate his game to another level recently and looks like he may finally explode into the player many hoped he was going to be.  Ed Davis is looking like a bona fide gem and Amir Johnson has played with increasing maturity.  If Amir stays on the floor, he has a good game almost every time.

This season has certainly had its bleak moments, but there is definitely something to be hopeful about as the new year arrives.

Gotta Cash in Those Freebies

I’ll be the first to admit the Raptors did not get the benefit of the doubt on a lot of calls in the paint.  Derozan and Calderon got hammered several times without a whistle, but would the Raptors have done much with their extra chances even if they had them?  10/22 from the Free Throw line isn’t going to cut it.  That’s twelve free points you’re not cashing in.  When you lose a game like the raps did today, you can look at that stat alone and see how close the game

Demar Derozan may be turning a corner in his development and is becoming what Raptor fans dreamed of when he was drafted two seasons ago.

really could have been.  The Raptors have got to be more consistent from the stripe.

 

Zan of the Night

Demar Derozan

In truth Paul Pierce played a damn fine game, but Derozan gets the Zan for putting together another gem.  This kid is playing aggressively out there.  He is taking the ball to the rim whether he’s gonna get hammered or not.  He is getting to the line and he seems more and more comfortable shooting the ball.  When he drives the net he opens up opportunities for the rest of his team.  Derozan followed up a gem against Houston with another gem against one of the toughest opponents in the NBA.  This kid may have finally arrived.

Not Zan of the Night

Linas Kleiza

True fact: Nobody on the Raptors team was hitting shots with consistency.  Barbosa, Calderon and even Amir Johnson all had bad shooting nights, but no one made it look as ugly as Kleiza did.  He threw up some of the worst shots I have seen in a long time.  I like that he has confidence in his abilities, but you also have to be aware of when it just isn’t your night.  He was downright awful on the offensive end tonight.

 

 

***

 

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
***
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Zantabakherald

 

 

1 Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | December 16, 2010 · 12:22 am

Bulls Teach Young Raptors a Lesson

So that was ugly, wasn’t it?

Once it was confirmed that Andrea Bargnani wasn’t going to play because of a sore left knee, the Raptors were pretty much destined for an ass whooping.  This one got ugly by the half, but credit where credit is due, the young Raptors showed some fight and there is reason for hope for the future.

Chicago is arguably one of the top four or five teams in the East and, with Carlos Boozer back in the lineup, they are a hard team to beat each and every night.  The Bulls have a tough as nails coach, in Tom Thibodeau, who preaches defense and a young core that seems to be growing well together.

The Raptors should take notice.  This is a team they should try to build themselves in the mould of.

Zan For Three

2010 Free Agency Redux

So looking back at the circus that was the 2010 free agency period Lebron and Wade remain the biggest pick ups and are starting to make a tremendous difference with the Miami Heat.  They are beginning to be everything they were advertised to be but how about the pick up of Amare Stoudamire and Carlos Boozer?

Much was made of Lebron, Bosh, Wade and Amare but Boozer was almost a forgotten bridesmaid during that time.  His off-season injury also erased him from our minds during the first part of the season.  He is back and he is kicking some serious ass.

Carlos Boozer was unstoppable tonight at the ACC. He almost single-handedly defeated he Raptors. There simply was no way to stop Boozer on Wednesday night.

Boozer is, by far, the best player on the court for his team and that is saying something with a starting five that looks the way it does in Chicago.  Miami may have built a winning culture in South Beach, but Chicago picked up a piece that really puts them over the edge.

Forget that he dominated Amir Johnson and Joey Dorsey.  These are not playoff calibre power forwards yet.  Boozer’s dominance inside makes him a very tough match up going into any playoff matchup.  Bosh vs. Boozer?  I’ll take Boozer.  Horford vs. Boozer? I’ll take Boozer .  Kevin Garnett might be the only one who can shut him down, and he’s a bit slower and maybe not as tough.

Watch out Eastern Conference.  This guy is going to make a big difference this year.

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Jay Triano and his staff should be paying close attention to what Tom Thibodeau and his staff are doing in Chicago.  This is a team that can score, but man is their defense good.  Chicago allows their offense to dictate their offense and the Raptors still haven’t figured that out yet.

The Bulls forced stops on the defensive end and turned them into points on the offensive end.  The Raptors are still trying to out-shoot their opponents.  This strategy doesn’t work very often, if ever.

It’s time Colangelo, Triano and the rest of the organization look at teams like Boston and Chicago and start imitating what they see.  The players in Boston and Chicago both bought into Thibodeau’s system and have reaped the benefits.  Why would the Raptors not want to try the same philosophy?

Obviously a change of team philosophy requires some new players, and possibly coaches, but it may be something that the “big Wigs” of MLSE should seriously consider.  That is, of course, if they’re interested in winning at all.

Silver Lining

Tonight Sucked.  Let’s just call a spade a spade and move on.  We are not in the calibre of a team like Chicago.  We are not.  Plain and simple.  However tonight provided some opportunities to be hopeful and look, positively, into the future.

Joey Dorsey (12 pts and 13 reb on 5-8 shooting in 29 minutes)

This is an impressive stat line from the young power forward out of Memphis.  Yes, some of those points were scored in garbage time, but he is resembling something the Raptors may want to take a chance on.  He is a big body and possess some post-up skills and might be worth investing in.  He showed some fight tonight and banged inside against some pretty tough interior players.

Jarryd Bayless ( 20 pts and 4 Assists in 33 minutes)

Bayless has been the engine on offense.  Although many of us would like to see a point guard pass the ball a little more, he has played well since being acquired from New Orleans.  He is resembling more of a shooting guard, but this kid is 22 years old and certainly has some upside.  He gets to the rim, can shoot and is serviceable on the defensive end of the floor.

Ed Davis (10 pts on 5/9 shooting, 10reb, in 32 minutes)

His first start as a Raptor and he played well in spurts.  He was overmatched inside by Chicago’s bigs but Davis held his own against some pretty admirable talent.  This kid is going to be a decent NBA player.  I like the look of him, I like the way he plays the game.  He doesn’t force the issue and will only get better and better.  If the team, as I suggested earlier, starts looking at the defensive side of the ball then Davis could be a key player moving forward.  Definitely something to look forward to.

Zan of the Night

Carlos Boozer

The man is an absolute beast.  I would not want to meet him in an alley or in the paint.  He scares me and even thinking of him tonight gives me shivers.  He absolutely dominated the inside tonight and basically took whatever he wanted from the Raptor bigs.  Amir Johnson was his play toy tonight and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Not Zan of the Night

Amir Johnson

Hey dude, I love you as a player.  On this current Raptor squad, you’re probably my favourite player, but tonight was not your night.  Mama told you there’d be days like this.  More fouls than points, not a lot of minutes for you out there because of the foul trouble and not much brewing on the offensive end either. Take it as a learning experience and move on.  Carlos Boozer is one of the best.  You have work to do before you are competing consistently with the likes of that bad boy.

***
Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
***
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Zantabakherald

7 Comments

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | November 28, 2010 · 4:15 pm

Hawks Claw the Raptors Apart

It was a rough day at the office for the Toronto Raptors as they were absolutely dismantled by the Atlanta Hawks 96-78 at the ACC.  The Hawks were deadly from the three-point line and without Reggie Evans and Peja Stojakovic the Raptors could not compete against one of the more deadly teams in the Eastern Conference.

What should be a concern for the Raptors is the deficiencies they have in the starting lineup.  They do not start games well, nor do they start the second half very well.  The Raptors have one of the better benches in the NBA, but their starters take them out of games early.  This is something that needs to be rectified as the road only gets more difficult without Reggie Evans in the lineup.

Today the Hawks absolutely destroyed the Raptors inside and ran circles around the starting unit, especially in the second half.  Josh Smith was brilliant on both ends of the court  and the Hawks spread the ball around the floor with all starters in double figures.

The Raptors need to get to the line more and play with intensity on defense.  Everything they had going for them in their recent four game winning streak was non-existent today.  Without Reggie it might be a long season ahead.

The Zan for Three

A Tale of Two Halves

The Raptors came out of the gate with a great deal of energy and took advantage of a Hawks team that was on the second game of a back to back.  The Hawks were ripe for the picking as the game was an early start and the Hawks played the night before.  Calderon and Bargnani were hot in the first half and Joey Dorsey was looking serviceable.  They ended the half a little rough but were still very much in the game.

The second half killed them.  There was no defense to be found, shots were not falling and nobody was trying to get to the free throw line.  As the Raptors continued to fall behind they insisted on throwing up three balls to get themselves back into it.  At one point in the third quarter the Raptors used four possessions in a row to toss-up a three, none of which connected.

What was more frustrating was the lack of team defense in the second half.  The Raps looked lethargic and uninterested.  The Hawks are a quick team, but a rested Raptors squad could not keep up with the Hawks on the defensive end.  The ball went inside and then outside and their was simply no guarding the Hawks perimeter shooters.  On top of it all the Raptors took bad shots and couldn’t buy a bucket for large stretches of the second half.

It was like watching two completely different teams from one half to the next.

Point Guard Controversy?

Tim Chisholm made a bold suggestion this weekend, only  two games into the post Jarrett Jack era, that the Raptors should think long and hard about bringing Jose off the bench and starting Jarryd Bayless.

I do not for a second think Jay Triano will make this change so quickly after the trade, but a couple more losses at home and why not?  Bayless is doing something that no one else on the team seems to be willing to do and that is drive the lane.  Bayless entered the game in the second half, with the result no longer in doubt, and brought his team back a little bit.  He play aggressive defense, which the starting unit lacks, and he drives the lane and gets to foul line, something the starting unit needs to do more of.

Bayless looks to  be a potential building black going forward and there is no harm inserting him into the starting unit, especially if the Raptors begin to fall out of playoff contention.

Without the contributions of Reggie Evans, the Raptors will be in tough, as they were Sunday against the Hawks.

 

The Reggulus Way

I love Reggie Evans.  Have I mentioned that yet this year?  The guy is a beast on the court and plays his heart out on every possession.  He has a broken foot is could be out for a long, long time, but there he was on the court, complete with crutches, with his team instructing them on some defensive ideas.  Let’s not get into the fact that his ideas obviously didn’t work out, but he was there with his team in body and in spirit.  In a city used to the Chris Boshs and Vince Carters of yester year, it was nice to see a guy who was trying to contribute any way he could despite his injury.  I know  Reggie is an expiring contract and he likely does not fit into the future plans of this franchise, but this is a character guy that would be a great veteran off the bench for a young team going forward.

Memo to Bryan Colangelo: Keep this guy!

Zan of the Night

Josh Smith

He was all over the court.  He played tight defense on the Raptors and single-handedly shut down Andrea Bargnani, holding him to just two points in the second half.  He distributed to his teammates and was active on the glass, out-muscleing bigger stronger Raptors.  He ended the game with a triple double and was the heart and soul of his team today.  With a guy like this working with the rest of this very deep team, the Hawks might be my sleeper pick to come out of the East this year.

Not Zan of the Night

The Starting Five

It would be easy to give this to one guy or another, but this unit just didn’t have it.  Yes Reggie is out, so let’s forgive Dorsey for being horribly out of his league on offense and defense.  But Calderon, Bargnani, Derozan and Weems were all simply awful.  Bargnani was good int he first half and then didn’t even show up for the second.  Demar was brutal on both ends of the floor and Calderon needs to learn to shoot the ball every once in a while.  I like his giving nature, but for the love of humanity shot the ball when you are open.  Weems was awful as well.  This unit needs to find its identity or a change is needed.

 

***
Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
***
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Zantabakherald

 

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Post game, Raptor News

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 12, 2010 · 11:40 pm

Raptors Keep Hope Alive

It was an effort that came 24 hours after it was supposed to.  The Raptors looked confident and convincing in a 111-97 win on the road in Detroit.  The win moved them to within a half game of the idle Chicago Bulls.  The Raptors will be rooting for the Celtics tomorrow as they face off against the Bulls in a game that could make or break the Bulls’ chances at the post season.

Andrea Bargnani led his Raptor team to an important victory that keeps the Raptors very much alive in the battle for he 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.

The game was full of positives and negatives as Andrea Bargnani played the role of superstar for a night and Amir Johnson absolutely demolished his former team with 26 points.

On the flip side, Sonny Weems left the game with an ankle injury and was being X-rayed and looked at after the game.  Word from Paul Jones was that he would be okay.  The Raptors are going to need Sonny to help the team score in their final game, at home, against the Knicks.  A game that could send them back to the post season.

The Zan For Three…

That’s more like it

There is a part of me that would like to believe that Andrea Bargnani read yesterday’s Zan Post Game and was inspired to put together a 33 point night.  I realize that he, most likely did not, but it was nice to see him take on the role of team leader with confidence.  He was unstoppable tonight.  Bargnani is a tough match up on any given night and the more he exploits this mismatch against opposing teams, the more the Raptors will win games.  This team is at its best when Andrea is rolling.  Tonight he could do no wrong.  If this is the player we are going to see consistently then the Raptors could be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs.

How Do You Like Me Now?

It has gotta hurt for the Pistons to watch how much Amir Johnson has grown as a player this year.  They drafted him 56th overall in 2005 as the last high school player every to be drafted.  The Pistons watched him grow, but didn’t seem to have the time or patience to allow him to mature in Detroit.  He was traded to the Bucks and then flipped to the Raptors and is now playing a pretty consistent and important role on this team.  Tonight he put down 26 points against his former squad.  That’s gotta feel nice for Amir.

The Pistons on the other hand let him go so they could develop more “NBA ready” players in Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum.  How has that worked out for you, Detroit?

Amir Johnson got a chance to show Detroit fans what could have been with a 26 point performance against his former club.

Maybe you let one slip away.

Let’s Go Celtics

I never thought I would ever willingly cheer for the Boston Celtics, but here we are.  Two games left for Chicago, one for Toronto.  If Boston wins then Toronto will control its own destiny at home against New York on Wednesday.  I can’t believe I am going to say this.  C’mon Garnett!  Let’s go Rondo! Uggggh…. it had to be the Celtics, didn’t it.

Zan of the Night

No Question. Andrea Bargnani.  He played like a superstar and led his team to an absolutely imperative victory.  He looked like a top dog out there.  A player that could hang with the NBA’s elite.  Now we need to see this more consistently.

No Zan of the Night

Charlie V.  Did you really guarantee a victory tonight?  On What basis?  How many games have the Pistons actually won?  Charlie Villanueva is a solid player and I really enjoyed his tenure in Toronto, but you’re on a lottery team.  You don’t guarantee victories on a lottery team.  Time to lay-off the Twitter, you’re worse that John Mayer.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @zantabakherald

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

2 Comments

Filed under Post game

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 9, 2010 · 10:39 pm

Altanta Hands Toronto a Loss, as the Raptors Cling to the 8th Spot.

Amir with the throw down. He's been one of the few bright spots for the Raptors this year.

Another game against Atlanta, another loss. That team is too athletic and too talented for us to beat at the best of times, even with Chris Bosh playing. The good news is, Chicago lost to New Jersey. God knows how that happened. But it should set up an interesting game against the Bulls on Sunday. A game that more or less decides who plays in the post season and who doesn’t.

The not so curious case of Hedo

Hedo Turkoglu has had a terrible year. No question. But let me paint you a picture.

Last year, with the Magic, he had 29 games where he scored over 20 points. This year? 7. That’s a big time drop off.

But here’s what’s interesting. With the Magic he took over 1000 shots. With the Raptors, only 600. Jay Triano has got to find a way to get Hedo more involved in a game. If not this year, then next year. His scoring average is the lowest it’s been since 2005. And I’m not sure it’s totally his fault.

Does any body care?

Looking around during the fourth quarter, the Raptors were all smiles. Laughing and joking and talking it up with the Hawks. If the Chicago Bulls managed to win their game last night we’d be one game out of the playoffs. We need to show some passion. Our team was down by two possessions, their season is on the line, and no one seemed keen on forcing the action. It’s furriating. Just because Chris Bosh is gone doesn’t mean the season is over. Let’s show some fight.

Basketball Gods, what did we do?

Why have you forsaken us? Every single year, something goes wrong. Our best players continually leave our team. The high risk signings we pick up, rarely turn out. And the one year, the one year, we get the first pick in the draft, is one of the weakest years in draft history. (The year before we could have has Chris Paul. The year after, Kevin Durrant)

Show us some mercy Basketball Gods. And now we’re clinging on to the final spot in the East, we lose Chris Bosh with a….broken face? Hedo is totally banged up. And now Antoine Wright seems like he’s gone for a few games. What’s it going to take to turn this franchise around? A little good fortune would be appreciated. Please for the love of god, show us some mercy. We could use a little.

Zan of the Night

Josh Smith

The guy’s a monster. When it comes to people talking about the best players in the game, he rarely gets a mention. But he most certainly should. He’s Mr. Consistency – bringing it every night

Not Zan of the Night

Andrea Bargnani

It’s not that he had a bad game. Although it struck me as odd when he didn’t play the end of the forth… It’s just that he needs to step it up a notch. He hasn’t developed that killer instinct that Dirk has and here’s hoping he can take a step towards.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Zantabakherald

***

Jeremiah McNama

The Zan Tabak Herald

1 Comment

Filed under Post game

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 4, 2010 · 11:23 pm

Warriors Break Raptor Hearts at the ACC

What an ending to that game.  The Raptors, down one, make a steal off the inbounds and get it to Bosh who misses a contested layup with no time on the clock.  Bosh did, basically, everything a human being could have done to get the Raptors the victory, scoring 42 points, but in the end Corey Magette and Stephon Curry were too much.  This loss will hurt a lot more in a couple of weeks if the Raptors aren’t able to find some magic against their next few opponents (Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta).  Wins are imperative at this time of year and the Raps really could have used this one.

Chris Bosh reacts to missing the potential game winner. He did everything, but hit that shot, tonight scoring 42 in a losing cause.

The Zan for Three

Rotation, Rotation

The Raps had the right unit on the floor at the end of the game with Weems, Bargnani, Jack, Wright and Bosh, but it took a long time to get it right.  Triano pulled Bosh out for what seemed to be an eternity mid way through the fourth and the Warriors quickly went up by 15.  When he came back in the Raptors slowly clawed their way back but didn’t have enough gas.  It was nice to see a defensive unit on the floor to end the game.  The Raptors could have used that intensity throughout the game.  Turkoglu, Calderon and others were largely ineffective tonight and it took a lot of mixing and matching for Triano to find the right chemistry out there.  Coaching is not always an easy job, sometimes it comes down to trial and error.  What works one night will not always work the next.  Hell, what works one quarter, won’t always work the next.

Holy 3 Pointers Batman!

The Golden State Warriors were 13-26 from downtown!  Are you kidding me?  That is an unbelievable amount of three balls.  The Warriors really lived and died by the sword tonight.  The Raptors were better defending the three-ball near the end of the game, but you can’t really fault the Raps for letting the Warriors take those shots.  Many of them were contested, they just went in at an alarming rate.  An incredible shooting display.  It was like watching 5 Dell Curry’s out there at all times for the Warriors.  Golden State has some talent and can certainly shoot the ball, but when you go for the money ball everytime you’re gonna lose some games.  Not surprising this team finds itself in the basement of the Western Conference.

Don Nelson

He has now tied Lenny Wilkens as the All-time winningest coach in NBA history.  He has been a consistent force on the bench for a long time.  He will best be remembered, I’m sure, for his very successful years in Dallas and for leading his Warriors to huge upset in 2007 over those same Mavs. Nelson is also known for his public spats with players and for being very opinionated about players on his team (See Marco Belinelli).  Always one of the more animated coaches, he has been a pleasure to watch out there.  He has earned every bit of the honour about to be bestowed on him.

Plus the Foul…

Stephon Curry had a lot to celebrate on Sunday night, leading his team to a thrilling road victory at the ACC.

The Raptors have a tough schedule ahead of them over the next three games.  It would have been nice to have a win against these Warriors, but now comes a true test.  If the Raptors are to make the playoffs they will have to face a top four team.  They now get the pleasure of three games in a row against the top of the Eastern Conference.  If this doesn’t prepare them for the riggors of the NBA playoffs, nothing will.  Buckle up gentlemen, the next week will be a bumpy ride.

Zan of the Night

Chris Bosh.  Stephon Curry is equally deserving for his near triple double and the way he took it to the Raptors in the second half.  Jarrett Jack helped lead  the Raptors back with 16 points in the fourth quarter alone.  But Chris Bosh scored 42 points and 12 boards tonight and got to the rim 23 times. He was the best player on the court, by far, and had a chance to close out the game with a big layup at the buzzer.  The only thing he did wrong was to stay on the bench when Triano told him.  An absolutely amazing night from CB4.  Here’s hoping Boshtown did enough tonight to convince him to stay in town.

Not Zan of the Night

Jose Calderon.  He was thoroughly outplayed by Stephon Curry, that was to be expected.  But a -15 on the night?  He was essentially useless.  It took Triano too long to ride the Jarrett Jack train tonight.  When you have two starting point gaurds it is hard to pick which one you want to go with and at what times.  Triano made the right choice, eventually leaving Jack in to stay.  Calderon had nothing going tonight.

***

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @zantabakherald

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

Leave a Comment

Filed under Post game

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,