RSS
Home
Where we stand: the Raptors' season thus far
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Andrea Bargnani has continued to build on last season's breakthrough.
Four games into the NBA regular season, the Toronto Raptors have an even record despite some rather uneven performances. Is this an intense, defensively accountable team like the one we saw in the opener against Cleveland, or a team that will allow offensive boards and uncontested jumpers as they did against Orlando?
Let’s take a look at what we’ve learned about the Raps early in the ‘09/10 campaign – both the positive revelations and the elements that will need work moving forward.
The Good:
Even with Hedo in tow, Bargnani is the x-factor
Four games is four games and should not have too much importance attached, but it doesn’t take the keenest of insight to see Andrea Bargnani’s effect on the team. Bargnani is averaging 25 points in the team’s two wins, compared to 19 points in their two losses. His ability to stretch defences with his perimeter shooting not only tends to get him some open looks, but also helps free up the paint for Chris Bosh. For the team to succeed moving forward, he will need to remain a presence in Toronto’s offense. Oh, and Andrea, PLEASE make sure your feet are set when you are about to shoot!
Bosh is hearing the critics… and responding
When CB4 isn’t hearing speculation on his future beyond the summer of 2010, he’s hearing critics question whether he can be a franchise player on a championship contender. Now, you won’t hear anyone this side of Matt Devlin refer to the Raptors as championship contenders, but Bosh is proving to be a player through whom you can run a highly successful offense. He has shown a fire early on that has him ranked fifth in the league in scoring (29.5 ppg) and second in rebounds (13.0 rpg). Against Orlando, he overshadowed his much-hyped counterpart, Dwight Howard, with a 36-point, 16-rebound outburst.
The second unit needs a nickname
Okay, so maybe they still have a ways to go to earn it, but the Raptors are getting consistent production from its bench for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The team’s bench has outscored their counterparts in all four games thus far, owning a 103-85 advantage. Jarrett Jack is leading an up-temp attack as the back-up point guard, Marco Belinelli has enjoyed some hot shooting stretches, Rasho Nesterovic and Antoine Wright have defended and contributed the odd bucket, and Amir Johnson has nicely filled the ‘energy forward’ role previously held by guys like JYD, Matt Bonner, and Pops Mensah-Bonsu.
The Bad:
No ‘D’ in Raptors
A terrific team effort helped contain LeBron James in the season-opening win over Cleveland (he still wound up with a triple-double, mind you), but that same commitment on the defensive end has not been present for more than stretches since. The Raptors currently rank 7th in the NBA in points allowed (107.5 ppg), which is not a category you want to rank highly in. Some of the problem can be attributed to their up-tempo style of play, but it is still an area of weakness. Since the team does not have that one shutdown defender that can latch onto the opposing star player, the team needs to dedicate themselves to the defensive effort.
The slow transition
Perhaps you’ll soon be able to file this one under the category of “spoke too soon”, but Hedo’s Turkoglu’s transition into the Raptors’ offensive schemes has not been a swift one. True, his stats are nicely in line with his career averages, but it’s clear that the offence isn’t flowing seamlessly when it is run through Turkoglu. For one thing, he hasn’t had many plays set for him, and Bargnani has been the go-to option on the perimeter thus far. That being said, chemistry will come with time and head coach Jay Triano will do everything he can to get the Turk involved.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
