Breaking Down the Toronto Raptors' 2011-12 NBA Schedule
by Adam Francis on Dec 7, 2011 10:15 AM EST
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The 2011-12 NBA Schedule was released last night and the HQ breaks down the way things may potentially unfold for the Toronto Raptors.
I've had this feeling before.
It's the one where you know, you're approaching the peak of the biggest loop on a roller coaster, just before you make that huge, precipitous plunge.
You know what's coming, but there's nothing you can do to alter what's about to transpire, and it's going to be so intense, that it will seem over before it's begun.
That's pretty much how I would describe my feelings last night as I perused the recently released 2011-12, abridged, NBA schedule. It's going to be a rush, with the league packing in as many games as possible between Christmas day and April 26.
For the Toronto Raptors this means:
-17 of the team's first 26 games are on the road
-20 back-to-back games
-19 games in the 31 days of January
-A stretch in that January span that includes 8 of 9 straight on the road
How's that for the team's lottery chances?
However if you look closer at things, the schedule doesn't have as many pitfalls as I assumed it would. Yes, the start is pretty rough for sure, but Toronto only has one back-to-back-to-back, and it's against the beatable trio of Minnesota, Washington and Sacramento from January 9 to 11. Other than subbing in the Cavs and Bobcats there, the NBA couldn't have given a team a more favourable "trio" situation.
In addition, Toronto's opponents as laid out in this new schedule had a winning percentage below .500 last year (.495 to be exact), so it's not as if the NBA dealt the Dinos the best possible hand in terms of maximizing ping pong balls.
For fans, unfortunately the abridged schedule means folks like Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant and more importantly, Steve Nash won't be making a trip to the friendly confines of the ACC this year.
As well, only four Sunday home games, the type of matches that were traditionally a staple of a Toronto Raptors' regular season schedule.
But forget the overview, let's dig into things as we did back in July when the original schedule was released, and present a month-by-month look at how Toronto may fare this season, based on the new schedule.
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First Thing On The 2011-12 Raptors Schedule
is player voting for the proposed CBA.
Voting begins in 10 minutes
Any Raptors players reading this, vote yes and
Nice catch Buddha – updated ;)
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 7, 2011 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
Ed Davis Incentive To Not Get Injured and Go On Rehab - LOL
johnhollinger John Hollinger
RT @KBergCBS unlimited D-League assignments for three years. Veterans can go, but only with consent.
29 minutes ag
o
Anyone for sending Bargnani to the D-League? LOL
If You Re-Read The Tweet Sounds Like More Than Three Years
Another Raptor has arrived
what constitutes consent? that’s my question.
by Justin Azevedo on Dec 7, 2011 1:37 PM EST up reply actions
what constitutes consent?
turns out its much different depending on who your lawyer is………
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Dec 7, 2011 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
Negotiators have 'closed the deal' on b-list
According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, the league and players union have pretty much “closed the deal” on the number of so-called “b-list” issues holding up a final collective bargaining agreement.
Players will beging electronic voting on a new CBA Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET and finish at 6 p.m. Owners will vote at their Board of Governors meeting Thursday. All of this needs to be done in time for free agency and training camps to officially begind Dec. 9 as scheduled.
Three interesting points in the resolved b-list items, via Berger:
Players will be subject to offseason testing, but only for steroids, a source says. Prior random tests were only from Oct. 1-June 30.
Unlimited D-League assignments for three years. Veterans can go, but only with consent. League had wanted five-year program.
All indications remain that draft eligibility age will stay the same until there is time for further discussion. Which means this year’s superstar class won’t be affected.
Once the new CBA is ratified, the league will be fully open for business once again.
Players will be subject to off-season testing, but only for steroids, a source says.
I don’t think we have to worry about Bargnani failing this test. LOL
by Buddahfan on Dec 7, 2011 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
All indications remain that draft eligibility age will stay the same until there is time for further discussion. Which means this year’s superstar class won’t be affected.
This is the critical part for the Raptors. The D-League changes may help, too. Alabi might see some time there this season.
Amnesty
.
Any final word on whether over-the-cap teams can bid on amnestied players?
.
From what I understand...
The team bidding has to have the cap space for the salary they are offering…
The team cutting the player gets:
a) The players full salary remaining off of their cap space
b) A reduction of pay owed by whatever amount the winning bidder offers
c) The FULL amount of the cut player’s salary counts towards the teams MINIMUM payroll requirements
So, the winning bidder has to have the cap space but the cutting team doesn’t have to replace the salary to stay above the minimum required spending limit…
"the Truth"
which begs a question
what would you guys bid for Richard Jefferson?
Too Damn Funny
BallisLife Tweeted this
Ballislife Ballislife.com
VIDEO: Who Has The Best Windmill Dunk In The NBA? shar.es/oKCzH
Is it @KingJames @russwest44 @John_Wall
So I Tweeted him. What about this
So then BallisLife Tweeted this
Ballislife Ballislife.com
VIDEO: Who Has The Best Windmill Dunk In The NBA? shar.es/oKCzH
Is it @KingJames @russwest44 @John_Wall @DeMar_DeRozan ??
RFLMAO
Amir is the Ron Paul of the NBA. LOL
tangental perhaps???
but yeah Ron Paul at least has a grasp of the issues and is not playing hide the sausage with The Donald.
No respect
Amir is the Ron Paul of the NBA.
Not to argue a simple point, but I’d say Amir is the Jon Huntsman of the NBA …. as Ron Paul gets no attention because he’s old – despite his good ideas. Huntsman gets no respect because he actually makes sense. And you Budda … have always said Amir makes sense (to this team).
:-)
.
by RapthoseLeafs on Dec 7, 2011 4:16 PM EST up reply actions
RP Makes More Sense Then Any of The Others
People under 30 love him and the U.S. Military loves him.
Only the establishment dislikes him because they know he will drain and clean the swamp and each one of them is part of the goo in the swamp.
About Amir
BC said today that the Raptors management and coaches don’t know the physical condition of Amir and won’t until after they check him out tomorrow.
LOL
Ryan Wolstat: Leandro Barbosa walked in to the ACC. I asked him if his Brazilian buddy Nene was signing with Toronto. “No man, it’s too cold.” #raptors Twitter
Rumors tagsToronto Raptors, Free Agency, Leandro Barbosa, Nene
jeeze, toronto may be the warmest canadian city too. haha.
by Justin Azevedo on Dec 8, 2011 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
NBPA urges ratification of labor deal
By Chris Sheridan
December 07, 2011 at 5:10 PM
NEW YORK — A memo was sent out this afternoon from the players’ union urging ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement.
Players have until 4 p.m. Thursday to vote "yes" or "no" on the deal.
In the memo, a copy of which was obtained by SheridanHoops.com, union director Billy Hunter wrote: "Although the players made significant financial concessions, including taking a reduced share of Basketball Related Income, collective salaries will nonetheless increase over the course of the CBA, the players retained important system issues, and achieved gains on non-economic issues.
The document goes on to list the terms of the agreement. Among them:
Four Part Interview With BC, DC and ES
BC did most of the talking.
Nothing much new though there was one interesting comment by DC.
He said the Raptors will change their defense to protect the bigs all of them, not just AB
Hayes To Sign With Kings - Looks Very Likely According to Stein
ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein
Kings source confirms Sacramento has offered four-year deal at midlevel exception ($20 million) to Chuck Hayes and optimistic he’ll accept
$20 mil for Hayes?!? Um ya, I'm confident he'll sign too!
Glad we had the lockout! Sure corrected the problem of NBA GMs being “forced” to “overpay”.
Good interview with BC on the Fan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjhqnvCRkDA&feature=player_embedded
mentions a few key things:
- continuing the “rebuilding” theme from last year
- has a few potential things lined up for when free agency starts
- not interested in doling out long term contracts and would like to maintain cap flexibility through next season
- looking forward to next year with 2012 draft pick and JV
- part of pitch to casey was the young talent and the idea of rebuilding
- McCown asked if there’s a fear of creating an “apathetic fanbase” due to rebuild, BC replied that rebuilds take time and patience is required
For all the crap BC takes, he’s saying all the right things so far – let’s see if he walks the walk as well
elephant shell
never question our ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory - yardly
He has plans for free agency
Hmm, at least he said he was not interested in any long term contracts.
Demar Derozan, JJ, Bayless, Ed, Amir…….
back ups of Jose, Andrea, Barbosa
This year should be better than last, but next year should be great…especially if this year we play hard but develop a system and worry less about killing ourselves to win every game…then we draft high next year and we will get two young top picks coming in next season to compliment our young roster….
Let the championship journey begin. And if we win a little bit more this year and don’t get as high a pick, so what. It’s a deep draft and winning is rarely bad. It is a state of mind, and if Casey can get this team to win a bit more than they should and we will benefit in other ways. But if we can play tough D, get our young guns lots of minutes and happen to lose a lot of close games, better.
2012-2013
We are a top six team in the East with most of our players under 25.
no, we will be not
it will still take some time to develop talent, not even Griffin has taken the Clippers to the Echelon
Not Until Bargnani Goes
At the All-Star break I can hear it now.
BC: Dwayne what is your opinion so far of our players now that you have coached them for a score or more games.
DC: Lot of good young talent led by Ed and DeMar but we have to find a way to get a sucker to take Bargnani off our hands.
If that conversation happens at the All-Star break, that leaves a week or two to unload him by the deadline!
by dhackett1565 on Dec 8, 2011 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
Jamal Magloire
Will be bringing his talents to the T dot. I prefer him for five reasons over Hayes.
1. He’s an obvious stop gap player who is not part of our future and he knows his role. This will allow us to focus on our future players, and not get confused. Hayes is a stop gap player as well, and we could confuse him for more than he is. With Magloire that can’t happen.
2. He’s more experienced and can be a stable force instead of energy, which we have a lot of already.
3. He’s cheaper and gives us more flexibility going forward.
4. we probably lose a game or two more so we get a higher pick (maybe, not a big difference either way and wins aren’t that crucial this year) so go with the cheaper alternative
5. he’s Canadian
I agree with all of your points but the last one as I couldn’t care if he was from Mars as long as the first 4 points are true. This is the kind of move I hope to see for the next few years, low risk. There is no need for this team to make a big splash in FA this year as we still lack a single true building block and would be just throwing away money. There are plenty of cheap, short term, and low risk players out there to add and who knows, if Magloire somehow picks up his game a little we might even be able to parlay him into a 2nd round draft choice for BC to squander on someone who has no chance to play in the NBA.
Even At 33 Years Old
He is a better defender and rebounder than Bargnani and JM can definitely play the Center position. He is big, strong and tough enough to play Center.
No he won’t start but he sure beats Dorsey, Alabi and Ajinca.
+1 on this signing
Agreed
Love this deal. Love Maglore as a stop gap at the vet minimum WAY more than Chuck Hayes at 3 mil a year. Also, I was listening to Jack Armstrong being interviewed on TSN radio this morning driving into the office and he made some good points (he’s a fan of the deal as well). It gives Toronto a cheap yet serviceable player to play centre, who can lead by example and teach the kids how to be pros. He will be an extension of Casey in the locker room, a big brother of sorts. Jack also referenced how Maglore has matured over the years, is a pro’s pro and has experience on some successful teams and may relish the role of quasi-player coach at this point in his career. Almost an ideal fit for a team full of younglings that may need to be reminded every now and then what it means to be a professional.
+1
Love the signing. Hoping for similar signings to fill out the rest of the roster. Need a decent 3, but the third PG and final big should hopefully be similar signings, even though I don’t really think we need another big at this point, unless we move one of the PF’s.
by dhackett1565 on Dec 8, 2011 11:11 AM EST up reply actions
Agree, not sure why we would need another big if we already have 2 centres (Maglore/Alabi) and 3 PFs under contract. We do need a 3 and a 3rd PG and would go "young long-shot high risk/reward with each of those positions. Simply because… why not?
Ethan J. Skolnick: Jamaal Magloire goes home, signing with Toronto. Well-liked in Heat org. Twitter
Rumors tagsMiami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Free Agency, Jamaal Magloire
BC said that the Raptors wanted to add a PG, SF and two Bigs
List is now down to One PG, SF and Big.
NBA to Introduce New Rules
Substitutions will only be allowed before the final free throw of any trip to the line that is not for a technical or flagrant foul.
Two horns will be sounded 15 seconds apart after every timeout. Teams whose players are not moving toward the court as soon as the second horn sounds will receive a delay-of-game warning.
Instant replay will be utilized only during full timeouts, not 20-second timeouts, when necessary.
Whether a player’s foot is on the three-point line or midcourt line will be determined by where it last touched the floor, meaning a player could have a toe on the three-point line but if he leans back on his heels before he releases the ball a successful shot would be deemed a three-pointer.
The eight-second backcourt violation will occur when the shot clock reaches 15 seconds, rather than 16.
The last rule is necessary because the 24-second shot clock will now be equipped to show 10ths for the final five seconds and work as a "true" clock. From a technical standpoint, the old shot clock began with 24.9 seconds and expired with .9 left. Now the clock will switch from 24 to 23 seconds after .1 second has expired.
SB To Heat
WindhorstESPN Brian Windhorst
Shane Battier picks Heat: es.pn/tZPSca
1 minute ago
Sam Amick
sam_amick Sam Amick
Source says Shane Battier to receive taxpayer midlevel from Miami. I’m assuming he gets full 3 yrs starting at $3 mil but haven’t confirmed.
If it’s the tax payer mid-level, then they are re-signing Chalmers to something significant, and keeping Miller.
by dhackett1565 on Dec 8, 2011 10:59 AM EST up reply actions
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