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by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Nov 26, 2009 1:36 PM EST in Daily Links Comment 7 comments

The Toronto Raptors had no answer for the Charlotte Bobcats' Gerald Wallace (3) last night. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

The Toronto Raptors were destroyed by the Charlotte Bobcats last night in what was possibly their worst performance of the young season. If you're a glutton for punishment, check out the post-game reports from Bobcats blogs Rufus on Fire and Bobcats Baseline, the Fan 590's Eric Smith, the Zan Tabak Herald and Raptors Republic.

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, be sure to check out Raptor Fan Fridays hosted by Raptors Republic at the Sports Centre Cafe.

Basketball Propectus has the story on the Raptors' unique path to a mediocre record.

Is there any hope for the Raptors defensively? Well, they are a young team and evidence suggests that NBA defenders do get better with age.

Another reason to improve the defence? Henry Abbott of TrueHoop points out that the key to winning in the NBA is point differential. And the Dinos don't seem to have much room to improve offensively!

Don't expect Reggie Evans to come to the rescue anytime soon.

A 'prominent Toronto writer' gets taken to task by Chris Black from T.Jose Caldesports.

With the benefit of hindsight, Bill Simmons' revised top 10 for the 2009 NBA Draft would have the Raptors selecting speedy backup point guard Ty Lawson.

Yesterday's Daily Dime on ESPN.com projects the Raptors making the playoffs as an 8th seed.

The Toronto Star's Dave Feschuk has more on the Raptors' mauling at the hands of the Bobcats.

Listen to former Raptor and Charlotte Hornet Dell Curry on the Fan 590.

Allen Iverson played for one person, and now his career appears to be over with a whimper.

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Defense

The six most important rules of defending in basketball are:

1. Always stay between your player that you are guarding and the basket
2. To the extent possible keep the player that you guarding off of their sweet shooting spots.
3. Play defense with your feet and not with your hands.
4. Always close out your shooter without fouling them.
5. Verbally communicate with your teammates on the court when playing defense.
6. Do not allow second chance opportunities after missed shots by your opponent.

If players on a team can successfully execute those five things for 48 minutes a game while on defense the team will be good defensively

by Buddahfan on Nov 26, 2009 2:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Great points...

… especially #5 — there’s no way this team is communicating properly on the defensive end of the floor. Otherwise, you would rarely see the stupidity of Jose Calderon being stuck guarding Dwight Howard in the post on a switch.

by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Nov 26, 2009 3:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i think our defensive woes have to be credited it to calderon and turkaglu maion was definetly a better fit then turkaglu

by raptors_run_the_show on Nov 26, 2009 6:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No kidding

Marion is also a better player than Turkoglu

by njd.aitken on Nov 27, 2009 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

raptors need to win there next game to get an 8-9 record same record sam was fired at

by raptors_run_the_show on Nov 26, 2009 6:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Grange’s post today was spot on on so many levels. Man, I hate Allen Iverson

Kinnon "Vicious D" Yee
Author - RaptorsHQ.com Twitter @RapHQVicious

by Raptors HQ - Vicious D on Nov 26, 2009 6:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Grange's comments today

This quote from Grange today after the Charlotte loss was as funny as it was damming of the Raptors:

“I’m thinking of introducing a new term to the local basketball lexicon: When an opposing player pulls a rebound off the defensive glass and dribbles the length of the floor for an uncontested fast-break layup; having to neither think of passing or even changing direction, it should be called A Raptor. As of now Gerald Wallace leads the NBA in Raptors though I think it’s a safe bet that Rajon Rondo will challenge for the lead by the time the Celtics are finished with Toronto on Friday.

Embarrassing. "

by MAS11 on Nov 26, 2009 10:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs