3 in the Key: Raptors' Game-Day Preview vs. Mavericks
by TheFanboy on Dec 30, 2011 8:03 AM EST
in 3 in the Key
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PrintAfter losing a closely fought game to the upstart Indiana Pacers, the Raptors head back on the road and find themselves in Dallas for a showdown with the champions tonight. The HQ's Sasha Kalra previews the action.
The Raptors split their opening two games of the season and are heading out on a 3 game road trip, starting tonight. They will face the defending champion Dallas Mavericks who have somehow managed to get 15 years older over the summer. Lamar Odom and Vince Carter are two veteran players that they have managed to add to their core and they will be hopeful of keeping their championship window open for at least this season.
While it's early in the season, tonight should be the Raptors' toughest game yet, and a great chance to see how their revamped defence matches up against a top-quality basketball team. The Mavericks can be a matchup nightmare and have many options off the bench. They're also coming off a hard-fought loss against the Thunder and while the Mavericks haven't quite clicked into gear yet, it would be folly to underestimate them, especially at home.
This game will also mark Dwane Casey's return to Dallas and he should be looking to make a statement. Here are 3 keys he should keep in mind when formulating the game-plan...
James Johnson has been coming off the bench as of late but is it too soon to plug him into the starting lineup? His offensive game is still a work in progress but he has been the Raptors' best wing defender in this embryonic season as his work rate, defensive intensity and knack of being able to steal the ball have helped the team. The Mavericks will likely field a combination of Vince Carter, Lamar Odom and Shawn Marion at the 3 tonight and James Johnson's athleticism will serve him well in these match-ups.
The Mavericks will be playing the second half of a back to back after grinding it out with the uber-athletic Thunder last night. The Raptors have a younger and more athletic team than the Mavs and it would be worthwhile to get running early and take advantage of those tired old legs.
Sound familiar? Last season we saw many games where Andrea Bargnani put up 20 some points, and at times DeMar DeRozan put up big numbers as well. But it wasn't until the end of the season that both started to together, and even then, a third option offensively was usually needed. We saw this again Wednesday night against Indiana when the Raptors simply couldn't execute offensively down the stretch. The team's two biggest scoring options at this point are again, Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan, but they cannot do it on their own. They need help putting the ball in the basket and so far no player has shown that they can consistently be that third guy. Could it be Barbosa? Bayless? Jamaal Magloire? In all seriousness, the Pacers showed the advantage of having a third option, especially one close to the basket, and it would be great for someone on the Raptors to take on that role.
In addition to our three keys...
Some intriguing matchups tonight:
- Young and athletic DeMar DeRozan up against old, slow and round Vince Carter?
- Andrea Bargnani going up against the player with whom he has been most often compared with. Dirk with another chance to show everyone that the comparison was mostly unwarranted.
- Leandro Barbosa up against Jason Terry in a battle of the undersized off the bench 1.5's who like to shoot.
SASHA KALRA
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Dallas Is Minus 8.5 to 9.0
I would take the Raptors and the points.
Current year to date record against the line 1 – 0
The Raptors are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
Mavs are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Formerly known as timboslice85
by Rebrand_the_Raps on Dec 30, 2011 12:43 PM EST up reply actions
While It Lasts
After the first five days of the season the Raptors are tied for the lead in the Atlantic Division. LOL
Opponents FG %
Raptors are currently ranked 5th in the league
Mavs are currently ranked 30th in the league
FG% Differential – Raptors are currently #1 in FG% differential +9.0
Raptors are currently 30th in the league in Personal Fouls committed Differential a +7.5 Personal Fouls per game.
Just like in Dallas, Casey is putting defensive stamp on Toronto
Dwane Casey was headed back to Dallas on Friday with a better winning percentage than the team he left behind. The surprise is that he left the champion Mavericks in order to become head coach of the cheerless Raptors………….
“What made you feel good in Dallas last year is that all the players talked about was defense, so you kind of changed the culture,” said Casey. “That’s the same thing we have to do here is change the culture, from thinking about my last shot, my next shot, my next touch, to let’s get the next stop. Once we change that mentality, we’ll be fine.”
James Johnson off the bench
I’m not too hung up on James Johnson not starting as he is getting his minutes and is on the floor at crunch time. He’s actually leading the team in minutes played. We do need to get something however out of Butler or Forbes for the few minutes Johnson is not on the floor.
Come on guys, look at our their record!
We’re playing the WORST team in the league tonight!
It’s a guaranteed W right!?
You thought it looked easy against Cleveland? Watch out tonight!
…BARGS!
"the Truth"
Gray Update
SpearsNBAYahoo Marc J. Spears
Raptors say Aaron Gray is getting monitoring & testing for cardiac health after episodes of a rapid heart rate. He can practice but not play
1 hour ago
to bad
this is a tough road trip…but then road trips are tough.
When you lose a player you are counting on and have not replaced his minutes with a temp pick up, it will be hard to coach.
Can Gray go in med list so they can pick up a body?
How does this work???
No. The Raptors already have 15 on their roster.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
According to Toronto Raptors press release:
The Toronto Raptors announced Friday centre Aaron Gray is currently undergoing further monitoring and testing of his cardiac status. Gray has experienced episodes of a rapid heart rate.
In consultation with Dr. Allan Schwartz, NBA League cardiologist, the club has made the decision to withhold Gray from game action at this time. He will, however, continue to participate in full contact practices.
Dallas kinda "needs" a win
Dallas needs to beat the Raptors at home tonight.
But, it’s games like this that the Raps need to win if they hope to even be in contention for the 8th playoff spot in the East. Dallas is coming off a tough loss to OKC and they haven’t been able to win yet. There is a good opportunity for the Raps to serve notice they have not just had a facelift, but a complete hardcore makeover.
Or we can play great, make it a tough game and play great D but not quite win. Ping pong balls or Ws, every game is a win/ win this year….
"every game is a win/ win this year…."
You know what, that’s a great way to look at things this year! If they win, fans win. If they lose, fans win! Works for me! This may help many fans keep thier sanity this year.
Actually, if the Raptors win, the fans and the organization lose in the long run. Fighting for an 8th playoff spot would pretty much put the Raptors back on the same track they’ve been for the past 16 years…
http://www.wearingfilm.com/picketfence/2011/12/those-who-cannot-remember-the-past/
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
Some Think That Way
I don’t.
My reasons were given in previous thread on Raptor HQ. No point in repeating them here.
Yes, no need.
Thankfully, most of the fan base and Raptors management (finally) disagree with you.
Bring one quote with a link from any NBA player or NBA member of management who says it is better to lose
Go ahead
RIch Cho
http://basketball.realgm.com/blog/214274
Mark Cuban & Kevin Pritchard
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/25914/mark-cuban-hopes-to-lose-and-lose-badly-someday
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
Raptors Are Not A Middle Of The Road Team
We are talking about the Raptors in case you aren’t aware of it.
No quote from Cuban that he wanted to lose in that article.
Considering that you brought a non-applicable article and non-quote from Cuban I give your response a “F”
Next
I wasn’t asking for a grade, but I believe it would be “an F”.
And if the Raptors try and compete for a playoff spot this year, middle of the road is exactly where they’d end up being. I didn’t think I’d have to point out that fact.
And I did EXACTLY what you asked. Brought quotes from management that said losing can be a good thing.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
The truth is that most GMs are more scared of losing than actually wanting to win. You need to have the full backing and confidence of ownership to go through a few years of losing, and most GMs don’t have that. Most owners would rather simply compete every year than be in danger of losing money for a few years in order to try and contend.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
And just out of interest, what difference does it make what a player thinks? They’re being paid to play not build a championship team.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
Thankfully, the people in charge seem to disagree with you. There’s just far too much evidence (as I posted) to support the belief that getting into that mediocre territory (again) will do anything but hurt the team. Without a franchise player, the team has very little chance of actually contending and has a lot of chance of hopping back onto the mediocrity treadmill. And as a Raptor fan from the beginning, I’ve pretty much had enough of that, thanks.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
Prime example is BC’s first year here. The Raptors won their division and lost their 1st round pick which set them back. They had opportunity to draft a complimentary player (one better than they added in FA that year).
Picked with Raptors playoff pick.
Jared Dudley
After
Wilson Chandler
Aaron Affalo
Tiago Splitter
Carl Landry
Glen Davis
Kyrulo Fosenko (the guy were looking at signing last offseason)
Marc Gasol
Aaron Gray
Ramon Sessions
Yes, prime example. Instead of grabbing a bunch of veterans that simply pushed the team to mediocrity and another first round loss, Colangelo should have been more patient and continued to build through the draft. The problem was that Bosh needed to be re-signed and, as you say, the team was without a first round pick then next season.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
The Problem Were
1. Bargnani had not yet accepted the responsibility of playing defense
2. Reggie was hurt
3. Turk played way below what he was capable of
4. Bosh got injured
If Bargnani had bought into defense, Bosh and Reggie hadn’t been injured and Turk had played like he was capable of the Raptors would have won 45 – 50 games and still had DeMar and Amir. Yes they wouldn’t have Jonas but then they still don’t have him.
I was talking about 2006, but even that year the Raptors would end up being a mediocre team with a ceiling of the second round, at best. Bosh, Bargnani, Turk, DeRozan and Amir is not a team that is ever going to contend for a Championship. Even if you ad a piece or two.
And Bargnani is still a poor defensive player. He just tries harder.
And without Jonas, this team’s future is A LOT dimmer.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
If wishes were kisses we would all be living in Wonderland. The team was poorly constructed and BC was playing from behind. It is ancient history now but my point was having a good pick can make a difference in that if the team had missed the playoffs that year, they could have kept their pick and drafted a decent player who could have complimented Bosh.
Fighting for an 8th playoff spot would pretty much put the Raptors back on the same track they’ve been for the past 16 years… [Tim W.]
I disagree.
Thankfully, most of the fan base and Raptors management (finally) disagree with you. [MAS11]
Might want to re-poll that again.
.
2012 will bring us:
- Jonas – who I (and others) would argue is a top 5 pic – were he to be part of the 2012 draft.
- 10 – 15th pick (should we do that well) – will (apparently) still feature quality players. And if the lottery Gods are with us, we snatch a top 3 pick.
- 10-20 million in cap space – will allow Raptors to chase after a quality free agent, or trade for such a player. We have someone like Davis who is probably our best trade asset, as he’s cheap, up and coming, has a nice left hook, and has NBA ancestry in him.
- If you flip Davis for a quality SF, and we snag a PG in the draft (and jettison Bayless – Jose’s a better tutor), that will mean our weak positions have been upgraded.
An eventual 10 player line-up (pending player seasoning) could be:
- New PG / Jose
- Demar / ?
- New SF / JJ
- Andrea / Amir part time
- Jonas / Amir part time
ALMOST making the play-offs is not so bad. In fact, I would argue that just missing them would be the best possible scenario – as it will give guys like Demar reason to believe it’s worth staying in Toronto, and making this work.
.
If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.
by RapthoseLeafs on Dec 30, 2011 5:52 PM EST up reply actions
Oops
Having Amir split PF & Centre, means 9 players. We would need another Big, which hopefully we can pick up via amnesty, the 5 million dollar (I believe) mid-level , or via a trade.
.
I might even argue that you’ll see some of these moves at the trade deadline this year – Barbosa, and whatever else develops (ie. Ed ) – should our talent rise a few notches.
.
If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.
by RapthoseLeafs on Dec 30, 2011 6:03 PM EST up reply actions
Not gonna lie, right up until I read your signature at the bottom I thought this was Buddha posting...
I read it in my head in my “Buddha voice” then realized it should have been read sounding like a more sane individual…
"the Truth"
The Raptors still lack a franchise player, and the absolute best odds of getting one is in the top 5 in the draft. Without a franchise player, the Raptors would pretty much become the Atlanta Hawks, AT BEST. At worst, they’d perennially fighting for a first round berth. Either way, they would never become a contender.
No matter how you stack it, without a franchise player, the Raptors will continue to be mediocre.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
Jonas Will Be A Franchise Player
by 2014-15
I’m a huge fan of his, but I"m not willing to bet the entire organization on it.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
But
you’re willing to bet it on a draft pick – that hasn’t experienced what JV has (in terms of quality opponents at a more NBA level) ?
.
If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.
by RapthoseLeafs on Dec 30, 2011 6:21 PM EST up reply actions
I’m not betting on A draft pick. I’m betting on two. Between Valanciunas and hopefully a top five pick in the 2012 draft, I think the Raptors have a pretty decent chance of ending up with a franchise player.
It’s not as if I’m suggesting trading Valanciunas away. I’m saying keep him AND get a top five pick.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
Okay
but to get a top 5 pick, means we have to be bottom 3 or 4 in the league – as someone with a better record will get lucky and grab a top 3 pick. In fact, 3 teams might get lucky and snag the top 3 spots. If Raptors have the 6th spot (by record), that latter scenario could mean a 9th pick overall.
.
Given a better defensive effort, improvement amongst Demar, Ed, Amir, Andrea, and JJ (not all though), we are not ending up in the bottom 5 – despite what some sports writers are suggesting. Finding ourselves in the bottom 5, would mean we either experience a heavy injury season, or we regress – with heavy emphasis on REGRESSING.
.
To me, that window of snagging a top 3 pick is delusional. To me, we have to look at this as not rebuild mode, but build mode.
.
If we didn’t have Jonas coming over, I could agree with some of the sentiments. But he is, and to me, he’s equivalent to a top 5 pick in the 2012 draft. In some respects, whatever we get for our pick, is a bonus – albeit, a needed bonus.
.
.
If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.
by RapthoseLeafs on Dec 30, 2011 6:19 PM EST up reply actions
No matter what, the chances of getting a top five pick increases the lower you end up. The lottery is all about the odds. The more balls you get, the better your odds of ending up in the top 3. Period.
You think the window of snagging a top 3 pick is delusional, but are willing to disregard every single sportswriter in basketball and say the Raptors have a good chance to be an 8th seed? Are you seeing the flaw in your logic?
And with Valanciunas coming over, the Raptors could end up getting a top three pick AND Valanciunas. I’m not sure why you want to limit the amount of high level talent the Raptors get, In the end, the difference between 25 wins and 15 wins (in a 66 season) is going to have very little effect on the development of the players. But it is going to greatly decrease the odds of getting a top 5 pick.
In the end, do you want a team that wins a few more games, or would you want to increase your chance of drafting an elite player?
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
What colour is the sky in your world? If you make the playoffs the lottery gods will not play a factor so that is strike one. You are not going to get a franchise player in the 15 and up spot and this team needs one desperately as Barney and Derozan are not franchise players and I am doubtful that Jonas will be either. If we had a different GM who has proven he can find value in the draft then that would be different but we have BC who has not been able to hit a decent pick outside of the lottery yet. Even if we just miss you are like the odds of .1 % ? You know that no team above 10 has won the lottery since they switched to the weighted system?
Cap space could be a billion dollars, what free agent are we signing?
Davis for a quality SF? Who are you talking about? What team is going to trade a quality SF for Davis?
In the draft that is to come, ping pong balls are not only wins but a winning season.
Formerly known as timboslice85
by Rebrand_the_Raps on Dec 30, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions
Turnovers Are Fun And Quite Delicious
By Mike Ulmer, Posted on December 29, 2011
Coaches and players hate turnovers.
No really hate them. They are like Moriarty to Holmes, Kryptonite to Superman, the Toronto Star to the Mayor of Toronto, environmental rules to the nice folks who run the Tar Sands. Turnovers to basketball lovers are like a Greenpeace inflatable that skids into an ice-floe jammed with nice, fat seals.
You want to elicit a hairy eyeball from an NBA coach, float the idea that turnovers are fun to watch……………..
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for cautious surgeons. I think we all agree nuclear scientists should be men and women of measured thought. Athletes operate in the moment.
If turnovers are so catastrophic, stop making players give the opposition the ball after they score. You don’t get the puck in hockey, the ball in soccer or the baseball just because you did something right.
Leave it to a game created by a Canadian to incorporate socialism into the rules. Honestly.
LOL
Just a quick comment on the idea of being in 8th spot entering the playoffs vs getting a top 3 pick in this yr's draft:
to me a top 3 pick in this draft is more valuable than getting our tails kicked out of the first round of the playoffs. The guy we pick at #1,2,3,4 or 5 in the draft is much more likely to have a major impact on this team than a guy we pick at 16, 17 or 18. I’m not for tanking but I’d like us to genuinely suck enough to get a top 3 pick in this yrs draft. This team is Harrison Barnes and a good point guard away from being a playoff team for years.
I Can Understand Why Raptors Fans Don't Understand the Importance Of Winning
especially for younger players
No history of that in Raptors franchise history.
in order to win you need good players. Right now The best option for the Raps to acquire these good players
is through the draft. The 2012 draft happens to be one of the absolute strongest in years and we desperately need to be picking high in it.
The winning will come when we’ve assembled a good enough group of players to win. We currently don’t have that group or at least we haven’t completed the assembling of that group. Squeezing into the playoffs this year and then out of the playoffs for another 3 makes no sense. Acquiring a star player or 2 to add to a decent core and going to the playoffs every year after that does make sense. The draft gives us an opportunity to grab that star; the last I heard CP3, DWill and Dwight Howard didn’t mention Toronto on their list of preferred destinations. Toronto’s only chance of acquiring a star like those named above is through a high draft pick; picking 16 to20 in the draft significantly reduces that probability of getting a franchise player.
Personally I’d be happy with two more top 5 picks before we start talking about sneaking into the playoffs as the 8th team.
Take a look at the history of the Raptors (in the three posts I linked to). Their history is full of teams that push to win a few more games at the expense of drafting better players. And it’s been 16 years of mediocrity.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
I agree that winning is important but sustainability is more important. As built the current
Raptors team may sneak into the 8th spot in a 66 game season but they are not built (talented enough) to sustain that playoff appearance year in and year out. We desperately need talent and if we have to lose for now to acquire that talent in the draft I’m totally fine with it. As long as our current core pieces are developing we’ll be alright
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