Raptors 95, Knicks 83
The Toronto Raptors kicked off their back-to-back series with the New York Knicks with another come from behind victory. Make no mistake about it, however, this was the Andrea Bargnani Show.
-I'd seriously forgotten what a ridiculous basketball player Andrea Bargnani is. That's not meant in a negative way, but everything he does is just a little bit different. Seemingly pumped up to be facing his former team, Andrea came out and dropped 10 points in the first quarter, to go with his 5 rebounds. He hustled hard for offensive rebounds, and played some nice defense which helped deliver the Knicks their early advantage. Unfortunately for Andrea, this game was yet another tease from the Italian, as he would finish the game with 18 points (6/17FGs), miss a key defensive rotation leading to a John Salmons triple, and throw a hilarious late turnover, which was met with loud boos from the crowd. Keep being you, Andrea.
-One run from Toronto was always going to win the game, yet you never really got the feeling it was coming. Like a quality team, however, the Raptors played a near-perfect final quarter to run away with the victory. After 15 turnovers in the first three quarters, the Raptors only committed 1 in the final stand, and together with intense defense, were able to win the quarter 29-12. Essentially, poor fundamentals (15 turnovers and 10 missed free throws) allowed the Knicks to lead all game long, until the Raptors switched it on late.
-Jonas Valanciunas made a big statement against the Knicks. He made a couple of early blunders, but continued to compete extremely hard, and was rewarded. Even against Tyson Chandler, seen as defensive beast, Jonas took the ball to the rim with confidence, and made a couple of lovely second chance buckets. Pulled in a career high 18 rebounds, too. I loved hearing him say that the keys to the comeback were "energy and playing together".
-Didn't love the Toronto defense for the first three quarters. We kept trying to trap the Knicks with double-teams, daring them to find the open man. With the Knicks able to do this pretty easily, extra pressure was put on our defensive rotations, and the Knicks found open shots at will. I'm glad the team pulled out the intense defense they did for the last quarter, because otherwise the game would easily have slipped away.
-Quick player notes; Terrence Ross shooting with confidence is a massive positive for this team. John Salmons has continued to fit in really well to this team, and his tight defense on JR Smith was crucial late. Tyler's two rough fouls leading to 4 missed free throws was brilliant, and so very Tyler Hansbrough.
PLAYER VOTES
3 votes- JONAS VALANCIUNAS (16pts, 7/11FGs, 18rebs, 7o.rebs). One of this best games yet. Again, if this is what he can do on a regular basis...
2 votes- DEMAR DEROZAN (25pts, 7/13FGs). An efficient 25 from Demar. When the Raptors needed someone to come up with a big performance to stay in the game, he did this, at least to some extent. Glad he didn't take another 20 shots.
1 vote- KYLE LOWRY (15pts, 4/10FGs, 11asts, 4rebs). Showed Knicks fans exactly what they missed out on. I love Kyle's ability to make his own offense late in the shot-clock, and drain deep threes.
NEXT- 28 December vs NEW YORK. REMATCH. Let's do it. In reality, we should win this one pretty easily, and move to 13-15 for the season. Can't wait to see how Andrea is received in Toronto; considering we booed him pretty loudly when he was actually on our team, I can't imagine it will be pleasant.
Saturday 28 December 2013
Thursday 26 December 2013
RAPTORS CHAT: AUSTRALIA VS CANADA?!?
I've never really considered the fact that I'm a bit of a unique position, being a crazy Toronto Raptors fan whilst living on the other side of the world, in Melbourne. Mitchell Machtinger (@MitchMatch24), a Toronto local, reached out to me recently, and we've had a lovely little chat about various perceptions of the Toronto Raptors and the NBA in general, as well as views on the state of the current team.
(Just to avoid name confusion, MM= Mitchell Machtinger, AM= Alex Mitchell)
MM- How did you become a Raptors fan? I’ve found it very interesting the global fan base that the Raptors have. So far online I’ve come across fans from the UK and yourself from Australia. The Raptors have always been marketed as ‘Canada’s Team’ but it is evidently more than that. What attracted you to the Raptors over more popular teams like the Heat and Lakers?
AM- I'm so glad I support the Raptors rather than the Heat or the Lakers. I don't know if that seems like a ridiculous concept, but I really don't see the fun in supporting the winning teams and just expecting titles every season. I had been vaguely following the NBA for a while, but I chose the Raptors as my team after the 2008 Olympics, based solely on seeing Chris Bosh and liking how he played. What drew me in to the Raptors and made me love the team, and what I think would attract others, is the image of the Toronto Raptors as the 'outsider'; a team not even in the United States, regularly dismissed as an irrelevant, hopeless team. The Raptors intrigue me, in that nobody seems to even care about the team's existence; the thought of this team being a factor in the league and making a title run is such a ridiculous thought, and supporting the journey to this happening really interests me.
As a Toronto local, why have you kept an interest in the Raptors? We've been extremely mediocre for ages, and really seen as a 'joke' team? What about the Raptors makes you still support them?
MM- Basketball is my favourite sport and they are my hometown team, so it makes sense in that way. It’s a weird response because I’m a Boston Red Sox fan in baseball, but I just feel a lot stronger connection to the Raptors than any other Toronto sports team. Once I started following them online additionally through Twitter live-game chats and other networks, I realized that the fanbase is very active and loyal despite our lack of recent success and it gave me another way to interact with the team and express my opinions about their play. With guys on the squad like Amir Johnson and DeRozan, you can tell they love they have for the city and the hustle they put on is not going unnoticed by fans.
You mentioned the Raptors being an 'outsider' team to the United States, but as an 'outsider' fan to the league itself, what unique perspectives or experiences have you had as an international fan? Is it hard to follow the league?
AM-There is no NBA on free television in Australia. We have two or three games a week on subscription TV (ESPN Australia), but the NBA is just not a part of the Australian sporting landscape. NBA League Pass is a must for any Australian fan. It is weird that I've never watched an NBA game at night; 7pm Toronto time is 11am here in Melbourne; in this regard, following the league here in Australia can be difficult, as most of the action is occurring right through the middle of the day.
In terms of following the league in Canada, I find it interesting that NBA teams each play 82 games a season. To me, that is a huge amount of games. Why do you think we follow the league so closely, when each game means so little in the overall scheme of things?
MM- To me, Game 1 matters as much as Game 82. Playing a large amount of games is necessary because it helps establish the overall talent level of a team. Any team can win or lose five games in a row, but when you play 82 games it has a lesser effect on the overall result. I think it's easier for the league to stay interesting because we have access to watch all the games we want. This is especially true on days like Christmas (except maybe not this year), where marquee teams and matchups are all featured in one day.
AM- What is the perception of the Raptors in Toronto? Where do the Raptors fit in to the Toronto sporting landscape?
MM- Their season runs the same time as the Leafs so they are never the number one team in town. Most people say 'oh the Raptors suck' but don't actually follow the team or know what pieces we have. Hockey is and always will be number one in Toronto and Canada. The Raptors season runs at the same time as the Maple Leafs, so the team is never given front page attention unless it's game day. Even then, if the Leafs play the same day, the Raptors are normally bumped to page two. Most casual fans would think negatively of the team right now based on their performance over the past few seasons, which is fair, however they don't realize the pieces we have on the roster.
Let's talk Raptors. It's fair to say that the team's record is reflective of the talent on the roster. However the direction of where the team is going is hotly debated among media and fans. How should the Raptors approach this season? Are you a member of tank-nation or do you like the direction the current team is heading?
AM- I'm very anti-tanking, for a lot of reasons. I really don't understand how Raptor fans are actually cool with the idea of us spending another season losing; that's really all we've done since I started following the team. The argument that losing a Playoff series this season instead of tanking will harm the team long-term annoys me; how will we possibly build a winning culture for Toronto if we tank again? Another reason why I am against the tank is that I really don't think our team will be anywhere near bad enough to land a high pick. If we want to tank, Ujiri needs to move Kyle Lowry and Amir Johnson instantly, otherwise we will not lose enough games. A team cannot successfully tank with a guy like Amir on the roster. Maybe I'm missing the point of long-term success, and maybe this roster isn't capable of making a deep Playoff run, but all I want to do is support my team and watch them win. I've never even seen a Raptors Playoff game!
I'm interested in your thoughts on this too, but I also want to know about Andrew Wiggins. Is he the main reason why Toronto fans want to tank? Just how big would it be to the people of Toronto have him playing for the Raptors?
MM- I agree 100%. I understand both sides of the argument, but I can’t personally root for the team to do poorly. Besides, drafting high does not always equal guaranteed success (see: Bargnani, Andrea). If you whiff on the pick, that could set your team back another few years. It’s easy to point to the Thunder and say that getting a few high picks works out great, but it’s important to note that teams like the Bobcats and Cavaliers have had a number of high picks over the past couple years and are yet to reap the rewards of constant success.
In terms of Wiggins, I think a lot of casual fans get caught up in the hype surrounding him and are obsessed with the idea of the ‘hometown hero coming home’ storyline. He has been hyped both here and in the States as almost the biggest thing since LeBron James and the fact that he’s stated how he’d love to play for the Raptors just adds fuel to the fire. All of his games at Kansas are televised nationally here, which is the first time this level of attention has been put on a local kid. Despite all of that, I think it would be huge for the fans and city of Toronto if Wiggins ended up on the Raptors. We are so used to having our top talent and stars leave the team to go play elsewhere, and it is refreshing to know that there are highly talented players who want to play for this team and bring wins and success to the organization.
One last question: who is your favourite Raptors player? What is your favourite memory of the team?
AM- I'm going with the big Lithuanian, Jonas Valanciunas. On the court, he has been having such limited opportunities, in that he never seems to get the ball, yet he keeps his head up and continues to play hard for the team. His potential to be a star big is huge, and is a great reason why we should all keep following this team's development.
It's hard to pick a favourite memory, as I've only been watching all the games for the last few seasons. One game that I remember loving was against Atlanta in 2010, where Chris Bosh hit a game-winner. This was before I really knew much about the team, and clearly before I had learned to dislike Bosh. I remember this as a moment where I felt proud to be a Raptor fan; all my friends thought it was a bit ridiculous that I was as excited as I was for a team they thought didn't really matter at all. It's easy to support teams like Miami where your team is just meant to win every game, but supporting a team like Toronto is just way more fun. Yours?
(Just to avoid name confusion, MM= Mitchell Machtinger, AM= Alex Mitchell)
MM- How did you become a Raptors fan? I’ve found it very interesting the global fan base that the Raptors have. So far online I’ve come across fans from the UK and yourself from Australia. The Raptors have always been marketed as ‘Canada’s Team’ but it is evidently more than that. What attracted you to the Raptors over more popular teams like the Heat and Lakers?
AM- I'm so glad I support the Raptors rather than the Heat or the Lakers. I don't know if that seems like a ridiculous concept, but I really don't see the fun in supporting the winning teams and just expecting titles every season. I had been vaguely following the NBA for a while, but I chose the Raptors as my team after the 2008 Olympics, based solely on seeing Chris Bosh and liking how he played. What drew me in to the Raptors and made me love the team, and what I think would attract others, is the image of the Toronto Raptors as the 'outsider'; a team not even in the United States, regularly dismissed as an irrelevant, hopeless team. The Raptors intrigue me, in that nobody seems to even care about the team's existence; the thought of this team being a factor in the league and making a title run is such a ridiculous thought, and supporting the journey to this happening really interests me.
As a Toronto local, why have you kept an interest in the Raptors? We've been extremely mediocre for ages, and really seen as a 'joke' team? What about the Raptors makes you still support them?
MM- Basketball is my favourite sport and they are my hometown team, so it makes sense in that way. It’s a weird response because I’m a Boston Red Sox fan in baseball, but I just feel a lot stronger connection to the Raptors than any other Toronto sports team. Once I started following them online additionally through Twitter live-game chats and other networks, I realized that the fanbase is very active and loyal despite our lack of recent success and it gave me another way to interact with the team and express my opinions about their play. With guys on the squad like Amir Johnson and DeRozan, you can tell they love they have for the city and the hustle they put on is not going unnoticed by fans.
You mentioned the Raptors being an 'outsider' team to the United States, but as an 'outsider' fan to the league itself, what unique perspectives or experiences have you had as an international fan? Is it hard to follow the league?
AM-There is no NBA on free television in Australia. We have two or three games a week on subscription TV (ESPN Australia), but the NBA is just not a part of the Australian sporting landscape. NBA League Pass is a must for any Australian fan. It is weird that I've never watched an NBA game at night; 7pm Toronto time is 11am here in Melbourne; in this regard, following the league here in Australia can be difficult, as most of the action is occurring right through the middle of the day.
In terms of following the league in Canada, I find it interesting that NBA teams each play 82 games a season. To me, that is a huge amount of games. Why do you think we follow the league so closely, when each game means so little in the overall scheme of things?
MM- To me, Game 1 matters as much as Game 82. Playing a large amount of games is necessary because it helps establish the overall talent level of a team. Any team can win or lose five games in a row, but when you play 82 games it has a lesser effect on the overall result. I think it's easier for the league to stay interesting because we have access to watch all the games we want. This is especially true on days like Christmas (except maybe not this year), where marquee teams and matchups are all featured in one day.
AM- What is the perception of the Raptors in Toronto? Where do the Raptors fit in to the Toronto sporting landscape?
MM- Their season runs the same time as the Leafs so they are never the number one team in town. Most people say 'oh the Raptors suck' but don't actually follow the team or know what pieces we have. Hockey is and always will be number one in Toronto and Canada. The Raptors season runs at the same time as the Maple Leafs, so the team is never given front page attention unless it's game day. Even then, if the Leafs play the same day, the Raptors are normally bumped to page two. Most casual fans would think negatively of the team right now based on their performance over the past few seasons, which is fair, however they don't realize the pieces we have on the roster.
Let's talk Raptors. It's fair to say that the team's record is reflective of the talent on the roster. However the direction of where the team is going is hotly debated among media and fans. How should the Raptors approach this season? Are you a member of tank-nation or do you like the direction the current team is heading?
AM- I'm very anti-tanking, for a lot of reasons. I really don't understand how Raptor fans are actually cool with the idea of us spending another season losing; that's really all we've done since I started following the team. The argument that losing a Playoff series this season instead of tanking will harm the team long-term annoys me; how will we possibly build a winning culture for Toronto if we tank again? Another reason why I am against the tank is that I really don't think our team will be anywhere near bad enough to land a high pick. If we want to tank, Ujiri needs to move Kyle Lowry and Amir Johnson instantly, otherwise we will not lose enough games. A team cannot successfully tank with a guy like Amir on the roster. Maybe I'm missing the point of long-term success, and maybe this roster isn't capable of making a deep Playoff run, but all I want to do is support my team and watch them win. I've never even seen a Raptors Playoff game!
I'm interested in your thoughts on this too, but I also want to know about Andrew Wiggins. Is he the main reason why Toronto fans want to tank? Just how big would it be to the people of Toronto have him playing for the Raptors?
MM- I agree 100%. I understand both sides of the argument, but I can’t personally root for the team to do poorly. Besides, drafting high does not always equal guaranteed success (see: Bargnani, Andrea). If you whiff on the pick, that could set your team back another few years. It’s easy to point to the Thunder and say that getting a few high picks works out great, but it’s important to note that teams like the Bobcats and Cavaliers have had a number of high picks over the past couple years and are yet to reap the rewards of constant success.
In terms of Wiggins, I think a lot of casual fans get caught up in the hype surrounding him and are obsessed with the idea of the ‘hometown hero coming home’ storyline. He has been hyped both here and in the States as almost the biggest thing since LeBron James and the fact that he’s stated how he’d love to play for the Raptors just adds fuel to the fire. All of his games at Kansas are televised nationally here, which is the first time this level of attention has been put on a local kid. Despite all of that, I think it would be huge for the fans and city of Toronto if Wiggins ended up on the Raptors. We are so used to having our top talent and stars leave the team to go play elsewhere, and it is refreshing to know that there are highly talented players who want to play for this team and bring wins and success to the organization.
One last question: who is your favourite Raptors player? What is your favourite memory of the team?
AM- I'm going with the big Lithuanian, Jonas Valanciunas. On the court, he has been having such limited opportunities, in that he never seems to get the ball, yet he keeps his head up and continues to play hard for the team. His potential to be a star big is huge, and is a great reason why we should all keep following this team's development.
It's hard to pick a favourite memory, as I've only been watching all the games for the last few seasons. One game that I remember loving was against Atlanta in 2010, where Chris Bosh hit a game-winner. This was before I really knew much about the team, and clearly before I had learned to dislike Bosh. I remember this as a moment where I felt proud to be a Raptor fan; all my friends thought it was a bit ridiculous that I was as excited as I was for a team they thought didn't really matter at all. It's easy to support teams like Miami where your team is just meant to win every game, but supporting a team like Toronto is just way more fun. Yours?
MM- Guys like MoPete and JYD are still loved by the fans in Toronto. On today's squad I'm also a big fan of JV and obviously Amir. You can tell how badly those guys want to win and their growth each year has been impressive. I've been telling people that JV will be an All-Star in five years, and I'm really hoping this is true. My favourite memory of the team is Vince Carter putting on the greatest performance in Slam Dunk Contest history. I think he was the one who turned the team from an expansion squad to a legitimate NBA team.
Sunday 22 December 2013
"ALL HEART AND EFFORT"- Amir Johnson
RAPTORS 104, THUNDER 98
Because beating the Mavericks just wasn’t
enough, the Toronto Raptors decided to produce another stirring fight-back and
roll the Oklahoma City Thunder too. While Kevin Durant’s off-night (5/16FGs)
clearly helped the cause, this was another massive team victory, sending the
Raptors back to the top of the Atlantic Division.
-I can’t say enough good things about that
last quarter. Down 9 after three quarters, the game was essentially over; OKC
had made their run and would surely cruise to victory. What ensued was twelve
minutes of tough defense, limiting the Thunder to only 14 points. That’s two
games in a row where clutch defense has carried the team to victory, and this
is such a good sign for the team’s development.
-Amir. Johnson. He saves this team time and
time again. That’s another 17 points without the offense ever being run through
him; just pure hustle and heart. When you factor in the rebound he scrapped for
with 25 seconds left, and his chase-down block on Westbrook, we can see this as
a win we must really thank Amir for. +21 if +/- is your thing.
-I’ll have to keep saying it every game, it
seems; can Kyle Lowry please stay a Raptor long-term? I don’t know how we can
possibly do that, but Lowry is playing amazing ball right now. Drew three
charges (only one of them was a humongous flop), came up with 4 steals, and led
the team in scoring and assists.
-Haven’t been loving how many minutes John
Salmons has been playing, but he was critical to the victory tonight. He played
really physical defense on Durant, and then came up with clutch buckets. Never
really looks like he wants to be playing, but he is proving to be a weapon off
the bench.
-Quick note on the sophomores; Terrence
Ross can take some really awful shots, reflected by his 2/10 shooting. He
actually played some solid early D on Durant (I thought he would be murdered).
Jonas Valanciunas had another efficient night, with 6/10 shooting and 6
rebounds.
-The interesting line-up competition right
now is Hansbrough versus Patterson for the back-up big minutes. I’m surprised
to see Patterson is still getting more minutes, considering that he hasn’t been
overly impressive since being traded here, and how effective Tyler had been
before his shoulder injury.
-Ok, so the Raptors are going to finish
with a winning record from this road trip. Let’s be honest, winning even one
game seemed pretty unlikely at the start of the trip. Credit to all the players
and Coach Casey, because they’ve genuinely restored the hope and excitement in
this franchise. Our 11-14 record puts us atop the Atlantic Division again, and
if this standard of play continues, we can remain there.
PLAYER VOTES
3 votes- AMIR JOHNSON (17pts, 7/11FGs,
13rebs). Brilliant performance. I’m going to say it again; this team cannot
tank with this animal in the lineup. He wants to win that much.
2 votes- KYLE LOWRY (22pts, 6/16FGs, 9asts,
7rebs). The 9 assists stand out for me; how many people are going to keep
calling him a ball-hog? That is just an absolutely inaccurate statement.
1 vote- JOHN SALMONS (14pts, 5/12FGs,
3rebs, +22). First vote for Salmons, an honour for him I’m sure.
NEXT- 23 December at SAN ANTONIO.
Saturday 21 December 2013
WE ACTUALLY BEAT A WINNING TEAM!
RAPTORS 109, MAVERICKS 108
The Toronto Raptors took an entertaining,
hard-fought overtime win in Dallas to get the three-game road-trip (Dallas,
Oklahoma City, San Antonio) off to a perfect start, and, for the first time this season, beat a team with a winning record. After trailing by 19 points
early, Kyle Lowry led a huge rally in which the Raptors played some of their
best tough basketball for the season.
-Kyle Lowry is just on fire right now. He controlled the Raptors all night, dictating the play and making big shots of his own. I would love for Kyle to stay in Toronto long term, he is the sort of player that a championship team needs. If he’s getting traded, pull the trigger soon, I’m not sure his value can get much higher than right now.
-I was mad at Coach Casey for the Charlotte game, where Jonas Valanciunas only got 23 minutes of court time. So, credit where it’s due, Casey seemingly learned from that mistake and let Jonas close the game out, and play all of overtime. And look, Coach; he delivered! Big double-double, efficient 8/13 shooting, how can you not watch this guy play and not see big potential? Sure, there were a few cases where he was slow to cover shots defensively and times where his man easily got to the rim, but he won’t be learning how to do better sitting on the bench.
-Demar DeRozan shot 6/18, yet found a number of ways to contribute to the victory. Particularly, 9 assists and a highlight-reel block were a big reason that the Raptors got the win. The driving jumper DeRozan hit to tie the game in the fourth will hopefully teach him a big lesson; long twos are not the answer late in games.
-I essentially can’t ever remember Toronto defense as good as it was to start the fourth quarter. Every guy was switched on and playing with high energy, forcing 4 early turnovers. That is exactly what Toronto fans need to see to be encouraged of the team's development; big-time defense in crucial situations.
-I’m not sold either way on Grievis Vasquez yet. He took questionable shots early in the game, then played intelligent ball to get the Raptors going to start the fourth. Shot selection and defending needs to improve, but I think I see good, solid potential in Grievis.
PLAYER VOTES
3- KYLE LOWRY (20pts, 7/16FGs, 6asts, 5rebs). Paced the team beautifully to victory. Balled
hard, and also intelligently, on both ends of the floor.
2- JONAS VALANCIUNAS (18pts, 8/13FGs,
13rebs). Great game from Jonas, as noted above. Also, 4 huge rebounds in
overtime.
1-TERRENCE ROSS (15pts, 5/9FGs, 3/4 3PTs).
The third quarter, particularly, from Terrence was terrific. Looked very
comfortable shooting the right shots in rhythm. I wish he could have played
down the stretch, hopefully that will come with time…
NEXT- 22 December at OKLAHOMA CITY.
Monday 16 December 2013
Quarter Season Review!!
We're through 22 games of the Toronto Raptors 2013-14 campaign. Thankfully, the Raptors compete in the Atlantic Division, which means that our 9-13 record is actually quite brilliant. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. If Masai Ujiri (who fellow Raptor fans seem to rate as the greatest GM in the history of pro sport) decides not to blow the team up, and instead chase the Atlantic Division title, the Raps have a great shot at doing so.
24 votes- Kyle Lowry. Kyle is such a fun player and when he is on his game he has the ability to play a huge role for the team. Due to his expiring contract, I get the need to trade Lowry, but I think his influence on the team will be very much missed. 14.3 points, 6.9 assists at a 3 to 1 assist to turnover ratio, Lowry can be an important player on a contender team and I doubt a Ujiri-style salary dump trade for scraps would go down well with Raptor fans.
21 votes- Amir Johnson. Amir actually started the season quite slowly, but you always know what to expect from him; complete commitment and heart. The three-ball needs to go; yes, it's fun when the shot drops, but surely our offense can come up with better looks. The career night against the Lakers (32 points, 10 rebounds) was such a beautiful performance, and his ability to finish when he gets the ball in the paint is amazing. He will love playing the pick and roll with Grievis Vasquez.
17 votes- Jonas Valanciunas. Jonas can have invisible games and struggle on defense, but always shows flashes to remind us why he was a high draft pick, and why the franchise is seemingly being built around him. A lot more touches of the ball are available now Rudy has gone, and these need to involve Jonas. He's extremely talented offensively, but I do hope he diversifies a little; his post-up move does become a touch repetitive.
16 votes- Rudy Gay (traded)
11 votes- Tyler Hansbrough
6 votes- Terrence Ross
3 votes- Landry Fields
1 vote- Steve Novak
The Raptors host Charlotte next game before heading on a tricky Western Conference road trip before Christmas (Dallas, Oklahoma City and San Antonio). I hope the team continues to compete for the Atlantic Division and makes a playoff push; seriously fellow Raptor fans, do you honestly want to watch another season of losing? I watch basketball to see my team play hard and chase victories, and this Raptor roster has the ability to do just that.
Speaking of blowing it up, I'm personally not aboard the #RigginForWiggins movement, and disagree with the idea that the Rudy Gay trade represented Ujiri beginning the tank. We're all aware of Rudy's monstrous contract and player option for $19 million next season, so regardless of tanking, why would Ujiri not be looking to clear the contract for cap space? It's pretty clear, also, to essentially all Raptor fans, that the team is much more capable without Rudy. In the four games since the trade (3-1 record), the ball movement on offense has been sensational, and most unlike what Raptor fans have become used to.
Tanking seems a silly option for the Raptors, as they need to make big changes to be even nearly bad enough to compete for the worst record. With so many teams getting in the hunt for Wiggins, Parker, Randle and co, I can't see how we will lose enough games, especially with the competetive nature of a number of our players (shout out to @therealphdsteve who suggested on the latest Rapcast that Tyler Hansbrough would "punch his Grandmother in the mouth in order to get a rebound"...)
While winning the Atlantic Division and playing playoff ball might result in a crushing series defeat, another season of losing consistently just doesn't appeal to me. Have we already lost faith in building the franchise around Jonas Valanciunas? How has that decision been reached when the ball has only been passed to him a couple of times in the first quarter each game...?
The direction of the team will become more clear in the coming weeks, as Ujiri potentially explores further trades. I am a big Kyle Lowry fan and hope he remains a Raptor, but a potential trade must be explored at this point due to his expiring contract and clear value. Again, this trade does not convince me that the team is tanking (trade Amir and then I might believe it..). The New York offer which seems to revolve around Felton, World Peace, Shumpert and Hardaway Jr. seems decent, as long as we can secure one of the two key prospects (Shump and Hardaway) and a draft pick.
Reviewing the Rudy Gay portion of the season (6-12) seems pointless at this stage, as the contrast between the two styles of team play is enormous. Let's not forget, however, that a number of the losses were more than winnable and completely down to Raptor stupidity, particularly the Charlotte, Brooklyn, Miami and Golden State losses. As with most Raptor seasons, we always seem to have games stolen from us, yet never steal games from our opposition. Hopefully this is a trait that the team will develop with increasing maturity.
The trade was extremely necessary for the development of DeRozan, Valanciunas and Ross, and we picked up quite a nice prospect in Grievis Vasquez. Valanciunas, in particular, was not getting the opportunities to show his offensive capability; forget about developing for the future, Jonas is currently one of the two most talented offensive players for the Raptors, and if we're looking to win games giving him the ball is crucial. Vasquez's vision and tendency to play the pick and roll game will benefit Jonas.
Assuming we continue to chase wins, what this team needs to develop is extremely clear; a defensive identity, and an offense where the ball is shared around. Both these features have been much more apparent after the trade, especially in the most recent victory against Chicago, and with more time to develop on both ends post-Rudy, I can only see improvement for the Raptors.
PLAYER VOTES RECAP
So I've been giving the three best Raptors each game 3-2-1 votes to find my inaugural Raptor of the Year (extremely prestigious title, I know). After 22 games, the leaderboard is essentially what you would expect it to be.
33 votes- Demar DeRozan. I've loved Demar's development this season. I feel like he was on track to become the new Rudy Gay, but he's tightened up his shot selection and become an efficient scorer. Averaging 21.4 points on 44% shooting, Demar has become a true leader for the Raptors, taking (and making) big shots- not necessarily game-winning shots, but rather in situations where the team needs to stop the opposing teams momentum. Demar has stopped forcing on offense, and it's important without Rudy that this continues.
Tanking seems a silly option for the Raptors, as they need to make big changes to be even nearly bad enough to compete for the worst record. With so many teams getting in the hunt for Wiggins, Parker, Randle and co, I can't see how we will lose enough games, especially with the competetive nature of a number of our players (shout out to @therealphdsteve who suggested on the latest Rapcast that Tyler Hansbrough would "punch his Grandmother in the mouth in order to get a rebound"...)
While winning the Atlantic Division and playing playoff ball might result in a crushing series defeat, another season of losing consistently just doesn't appeal to me. Have we already lost faith in building the franchise around Jonas Valanciunas? How has that decision been reached when the ball has only been passed to him a couple of times in the first quarter each game...?
The direction of the team will become more clear in the coming weeks, as Ujiri potentially explores further trades. I am a big Kyle Lowry fan and hope he remains a Raptor, but a potential trade must be explored at this point due to his expiring contract and clear value. Again, this trade does not convince me that the team is tanking (trade Amir and then I might believe it..). The New York offer which seems to revolve around Felton, World Peace, Shumpert and Hardaway Jr. seems decent, as long as we can secure one of the two key prospects (Shump and Hardaway) and a draft pick.
Reviewing the Rudy Gay portion of the season (6-12) seems pointless at this stage, as the contrast between the two styles of team play is enormous. Let's not forget, however, that a number of the losses were more than winnable and completely down to Raptor stupidity, particularly the Charlotte, Brooklyn, Miami and Golden State losses. As with most Raptor seasons, we always seem to have games stolen from us, yet never steal games from our opposition. Hopefully this is a trait that the team will develop with increasing maturity.
The trade was extremely necessary for the development of DeRozan, Valanciunas and Ross, and we picked up quite a nice prospect in Grievis Vasquez. Valanciunas, in particular, was not getting the opportunities to show his offensive capability; forget about developing for the future, Jonas is currently one of the two most talented offensive players for the Raptors, and if we're looking to win games giving him the ball is crucial. Vasquez's vision and tendency to play the pick and roll game will benefit Jonas.
Assuming we continue to chase wins, what this team needs to develop is extremely clear; a defensive identity, and an offense where the ball is shared around. Both these features have been much more apparent after the trade, especially in the most recent victory against Chicago, and with more time to develop on both ends post-Rudy, I can only see improvement for the Raptors.
PLAYER VOTES RECAP
So I've been giving the three best Raptors each game 3-2-1 votes to find my inaugural Raptor of the Year (extremely prestigious title, I know). After 22 games, the leaderboard is essentially what you would expect it to be.
33 votes- Demar DeRozan. I've loved Demar's development this season. I feel like he was on track to become the new Rudy Gay, but he's tightened up his shot selection and become an efficient scorer. Averaging 21.4 points on 44% shooting, Demar has become a true leader for the Raptors, taking (and making) big shots- not necessarily game-winning shots, but rather in situations where the team needs to stop the opposing teams momentum. Demar has stopped forcing on offense, and it's important without Rudy that this continues.
24 votes- Kyle Lowry. Kyle is such a fun player and when he is on his game he has the ability to play a huge role for the team. Due to his expiring contract, I get the need to trade Lowry, but I think his influence on the team will be very much missed. 14.3 points, 6.9 assists at a 3 to 1 assist to turnover ratio, Lowry can be an important player on a contender team and I doubt a Ujiri-style salary dump trade for scraps would go down well with Raptor fans.
21 votes- Amir Johnson. Amir actually started the season quite slowly, but you always know what to expect from him; complete commitment and heart. The three-ball needs to go; yes, it's fun when the shot drops, but surely our offense can come up with better looks. The career night against the Lakers (32 points, 10 rebounds) was such a beautiful performance, and his ability to finish when he gets the ball in the paint is amazing. He will love playing the pick and roll with Grievis Vasquez.
17 votes- Jonas Valanciunas. Jonas can have invisible games and struggle on defense, but always shows flashes to remind us why he was a high draft pick, and why the franchise is seemingly being built around him. A lot more touches of the ball are available now Rudy has gone, and these need to involve Jonas. He's extremely talented offensively, but I do hope he diversifies a little; his post-up move does become a touch repetitive.
16 votes- Rudy Gay (traded)
11 votes- Tyler Hansbrough
6 votes- Terrence Ross
3 votes- Landry Fields
1 vote- Steve Novak
The Raptors host Charlotte next game before heading on a tricky Western Conference road trip before Christmas (Dallas, Oklahoma City and San Antonio). I hope the team continues to compete for the Atlantic Division and makes a playoff push; seriously fellow Raptor fans, do you honestly want to watch another season of losing? I watch basketball to see my team play hard and chase victories, and this Raptor roster has the ability to do just that.
Sunday 8 December 2013
Raptors Votes Update
So, at this point, my 3-2-1 votes on each Raptors game is becoming a bit of a flawed exercise; we are tanking (so I shouldn't really want my players to play well...) and one of the vote leaders (Rudy Gay) just got traded to Sacramento.
But I'm going to keep the votes going. Might as well have a bit of fun with it. I mean look, players might not view my award as prestigious, but give it time. Maybe.
I'm going to stop being lazy and get back into game recaps and votes after each game. But for now, I need to catch up on the votes from the last two games.
THE GSW CAPITULATION
Remember the time we blew a 27-point lead? We actually played three really good quarters that night. And the best three players were....
3 votes- Amir Johnson (16pts, 7/10FGs, 10rebs)
2 votes- Demar DeRozan (26pts, 10/18FGs)
1 vote- Kyle Lowry (20pts, 7/13FGs, 9asts, 4rebs)
PHOENIX
Just to clarify, Landry's stats don't read brilliantly...but he was the only player who tried on defense essentially, and I need to start putting more of an emphasis on D.
3 votes- Amir Johnson (22pts, 9/15FGs, 7rebs)
2 votes- Kyle Lowry (21pts, 7asts)
1 vote- Landry Fields (5pts, 2stls)
But I'm going to keep the votes going. Might as well have a bit of fun with it. I mean look, players might not view my award as prestigious, but give it time. Maybe.
I'm going to stop being lazy and get back into game recaps and votes after each game. But for now, I need to catch up on the votes from the last two games.
THE GSW CAPITULATION
Remember the time we blew a 27-point lead? We actually played three really good quarters that night. And the best three players were....
3 votes- Amir Johnson (16pts, 7/10FGs, 10rebs)
2 votes- Demar DeRozan (26pts, 10/18FGs)
1 vote- Kyle Lowry (20pts, 7/13FGs, 9asts, 4rebs)
PHOENIX
Just to clarify, Landry's stats don't read brilliantly...but he was the only player who tried on defense essentially, and I need to start putting more of an emphasis on D.
3 votes- Amir Johnson (22pts, 9/15FGs, 7rebs)
2 votes- Kyle Lowry (21pts, 7asts)
1 vote- Landry Fields (5pts, 2stls)
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