3 In the Key - Raptors' Game-Day Preview vs. Magic
by Adam Francis on Jan 1, 2012 8:02 AM EST
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After a hard-fought loss in Dallas to the Mavericks, the Raptors are back at it tonight against the Magic. The HQ's Sean Tepper breaks it down...
Coming off of a tough loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors should be eager to start 2012 off against the Orlando Magic. In three games against Dwight Howard and co. the Raptors managed to go 2-1 despite the fact that Howard, who averaged 29 points and 12 rebounds against Toronto last season, manhandled them in all three games.
While Andrea Bargnani and Leandro Barbosa both showed flashes of offensive brilliance against Dallas, no Raptor is more eager to get back on the court more than DeMar DeRozan, who is coming off of his worst performance of the season. Having been a non-factor in Friday's game, playing Orlando may be just what the doctor ordered for DeRozan, who combined for 50 points in Toronto's two wins against Orlando last season.
Although the Magic are 3-1, they have beaten up on sub-par teams (Charlotte, New Jersey and Houston) and the Raptors should pose a formidable challenge for Stan Van Gundy's squad.
Here are three things to watch out for in this one.
Stopping Dwight - When I previewed Toronto's game against the Orlando Magic last season, I made it a point to note just how dominant a player that Dwight Howard was, and I said that it would be in Toronto's best interest to let Howard dominate them and focus on shutting down the rest of their team. This season, Howard, who has grabbed 24 rebounds in each of his last two games while scoring a combined 36 points, has solidified his spot as the best centre in the NBA, but unlike last season, the Raptors have to make it a point to shutdown a player that they have no obvious answer for. When he was named as the Raptors' new head coach in July, Dwane Casey promised to infuse this young squad with a sense of defensive toughness and urgency and while defending Howard is a tall task for any team, Casey has to find a way to neutralize one of the NBA's most dominant big men. Doing so can go a long way in inspiring a young team, while setting the tone for the rest of the season.
DeMar DeRozan - Whether you have accepted it or not, DeMar DeRozan is Toronto's best player and although he is coming off of his worst game of this young season, Toronto's young guard will have to bounce back in a big way. The main reason that DeRozan was rendered useless was because he refused to be aggressive and drive the ball inside. Instead, the third-year player settled for jump shots, and as any Raptors fan knows, that does not play to his advantages. What was arguably more concerning than DeRozan's lack of offense was the lack of productivity from the team's bench. Other than Leandro Barbosa, who scored 20 pints against the Mavs, the rest of Toronto's bench combined for a grand total of six points. With DeRozan still adjusting to Casey's new game plan, the Dinos' bench needs to step up and set the tone when their best player goes cold from the field.
Playing Fundamental Basketball - In yesterday's "Tip-In," Scott noted how the Raptors' inability to get to the free throw line played a pivotal role in their 99-86 loss to the reigning NBA champs, and this game won't be any different. On average, the Raptors allow opposing teams to get to the free-throw line 29.3 times per game, and on Friday Dallas shot 38 free throws from the charity stripe. Add that to the fact that the Raptors have turned over the ball at an alarming rate and you are left with a team that is constantly shooting itself in the foot. If the Raptors can get to the free throw line and limit their turnovers, they should have a legitimate shot at beating the Magic.
SEAN TEPPER
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Telling game about Casey
I know it’s still very early into the season, but tonight’s game will be the first time that the Raps have faced a dominant big center. I am interested to see how Casey will rotate his big’s around Dwight, and if he will tweak the starting lineup tonight and bring Amir off the bench. I have a feeling that we will be seeing more of Magloire and Gray (if still okay) tonight than we have all season long.
by Al Bundy is my hero on Jan 1, 2012 8:22 AM EST reply actions
I would argue
Andrea and Ed are better players tham Demar, whether the writer accepts it or not
Agree
about Bargnani -
Yet no-one on this team has shown enough consistancy to be called our best player.
The way the are pushing Demar at tlhe forefront of marketing this year is humurous.
Right now Bargnani is better than DeRozan. But after just two seasons in the NBA, DeRozan still has the potential to be a decent defender, and if that happens, then he’d surpass Bargnani.
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
JRW
I have a question. Everyone agrees that Ed Davis is too light/weak to play in the NBA at this time, yet Tyson Chandler weights 8lbs more, and no one says he’s not strong enough, so what gives?.
who agrees
Ed is too light/weak to play in the NBA?
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 1, 2012 10:23 AM EST up reply actions
haha
he’s definetely not too light!
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 1, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
Doesn’t Ed Davis already play in the NBA?
Tim W.
The Picket Fence
re: Tyson Chandler's weight vs Ed Davis
Those weight measurements aren’t always up to date. They can be years out of date, taken upon entry into the NBA or pre-draft measurements. IMHO Tyson Chandler has put on weight in the nine seasons since he was drafted. And given his larger frame, he probably outweighed Ed Davis when he first entered the NBA. However, he “seemed” like he took a long time to fill out his body, much like the Marcus Camby of the 2000s is different then the Marcus Camby who wore
Raptors purple.The fact Ed Davis was able to add 10 – 15lbs in one offseason bodes well for his ability (and willingness) to do the work necessary to handle the demands of playing PF in the NBA.
All that being said, the last time we had a home grown string bean playing PF it was Chris Bosh. He was certainly overmatched physically in most (all?) matchups in the early going. I wouldn’t fault anyone who wondered if those early battles contributed to injury problems down the line.
D12 Is Not Their Leading Scorer
Their leading scorer will be the guy that Bargnani will be guarding; i.e. Ryan Anderson.
They have also added Big Baby who comes off the bench.
Of course they still have “The Pizza Man”
Regarding D12 – Maybe Gray will be activated for this game or maybe?
I look for the Raptors to play as much zone as possible and pray that the Magic don’t get hot from beyond the arc.
This game could get ugly fast.
Now that Casey has said that Ed will be playing some at Center, I assume that is because of how useless Jamaal has been and Gray’s absence I expect Ed to get a lot of burn in this game.
If Amir starts against Howard I figure Amir will be lucky to top 15 minutes of game time today though if he gets lucky it could stretch to 20 unless. However if Casey starts off playing zone defense and sticks with it most of the game Amir might be able to top 20 minutes today.
D12 and Jonas
Right now he is averaging 17 PPG and 17.5 RPG
The last player and season in the NBA when a player averaged at least 17 points per game and 17 rebounds per game was Moses Malone who in 1978-79, over 30 years ago, averaged 24.8 PPG and 17.6 RPG
As good as D12 is ISTM that after last night not to many NBA media will be suggesting a Bynum for Howard trade today. Bynum was awesome last night. He has the best footwork of any Big in the NBA.
It was interesting watching Bynum destroy Mosgov who had destroyed Jonas last summer in the EuroLeague qualifying round. Jonas better put on some real weight and some real muscle. Bynum finished 13 of 18 from the field and most if not all of his buckets came in the paint.
Mosgove who pushed Jonas around something awful in the EuroLeague qualifying last summer was manhandled by Bynum though Mosgov did finish with some decent numbers; 8 Points, 10 Rebounds and 4 Blocks in 26 minutes. Mosgov is actually a pretty decent Center. I would rather have him at Center than Amir
well
some call rehab, vacation. ask Spears, Britney
way to cut out
a key part in that Budda
“Why did Reggie Evans, a nine-year veteran, sign a free agent contract with the Clippers?
"I wanted to win," Evans said Monday. "I took a two-year vacation in not making the playoffs, you know (playing with Toronto the past seasons.) I feel like coming here, my chance are good. I feel happy. It’s exciting.”
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 1, 2012 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
So You Are Saying What Reggie Really Said Was
I wanted to win and I knew the Raptors could never win (I guess he means make the playoffs) so I decided to go on vacation for two years and get my $10 million anyway. Them fools.
umm no
what he is saying is:
He missed the playoffs for 2 years. You are completely changing the context of his statement.
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 1, 2012 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
Oh I Get It
What Reggie said was
“Even though I want to win I am glad the Raptors missed making the playoffs for the two years I was on the team so I could start my summer vacation early.”
??
When did he say he was glad about anything?
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 1, 2012 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
I Was Interpreting What He Said Based Upon What You Posted
You don’t agree fair enough.
No need to continue to beat this to death. LOL
More Good Quotes To Start Off The Gregorian New Year
hoopshype HoopsHype
Translating Colangelo: “It was not my fault. And Bosh wasn’t that good, anyway.” b.globe.com/ujFJnB
1 minute ago
“Colangelo did not hide his belief that Bosh is not an elite player or franchise cornerstone.
"Even if there was an open market similar to what’s gone on with [Carmelo Anthony] last year and Chris Paul this year and Dwight Howard, he’s not that caliber of player,’’ the general manager said. "It’s just that simple.
"I never had an opportunity to move him for the kind of haul that some of these other deals are producing. But for us to end up with a couple of first-round picks, it was a nice way to segue toward the future.
"As long as we weren’t strapped with a $126 million contract and the inability to really build around the player, we feel like this is probably the best thing that could have happened to us.’’
this is why Colangelo can be such a joke.
1)Yes Bosh is not an elite franchise cornerstone player…. which BC didn’t catch on to until AFTER he left.
2) The ‘couple’ first round picks were #28 and the Raps own LOTTERY PROTECTED pick back.
3) The team would have only been ‘strapped’ with the Bosh contract if Bosh had accepted the contract BC offered in the first place
4) The best thing that could have happened was Bosh leaving for a #28 pick and a lottery protected pick back? Really?
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 1, 2012 2:24 PM EST up reply actions
1)Yes Bosh is not an elite franchise cornerstone player…. which BC didn’t catch on to until AFTER he left.
Maybe BC first learned about it when Shaq said that the Heat have only two superstars. LOL
4) The best thing that could have happened was Bosh leaving for a #28 pick and a lottery protected pick back? Really?
Other than not being stuck with an outrageously overpriced contract for Bosh by not resigning Bosh BC is able to change the culture of the Raptors.
One of the big Raptors problems up until Bosh left was that there were way too many Raptors players over the Raptors history wanting “out”.
ISTM that that is now changing. There are a number of key players on the Raptors who love Canada; eg. Baragnani and love Toronto like Amir and several others. Whether these players will ever be able to be part of a Raptors playoff team remains to seen but IMO BC is now bringing in or keeping more players who really like Toronto and do not want to leave.
I am pretty sure Jonas will love Toronto though it could be a little warm for him. LOL I am really glad that BC drafted Jonas not only because of his potential but because of who he is. When you watch his interviews and watch him play it is just very hard not to like the guy. Even if he never fulfills his potential with the Raptors I think Raptors fans are really going to love him. I also think that a lot of people in Canada will become fans of the Raptors because of him.
JMO
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