The Raptors' Positive Outlook (from John Hollinger)

[supersub15]

It's an Insider article, but thought I'd share this bit with you:

That's the vision the Raptors had in building this team. With big guys Bargnani and Bosh able to stroke it from outside, and wing players like Parker, Delfino and Jason Kapono also knocking down 3s, the idea was that this team would be virtually impossible to guard on pick-and-rolls. But it only works if Bargnani is knocking down shots, as well as rebounding and defending enough to justifying leaving him on the court for his offense.

Last night he did, and the results were spectacular. No, the Raps won't shoot that well every night, and yes, other teams might be quicker to adjust to this lineup by going small (Boston's normal response would have been to put in James Posey at the 4, but he wasn't available). But the win gave Toronto fans a little taste of what could make this team so dangerous down the road.

[Live Free]

thanks for sharin ss, its startin to look like bargnani is becomin the key to the raptors success.. if we can get some great production from him it'll open tons of doors

[S.W.A.N]

The key is that as bargs develops a low post game other teams will not be able to go small to counter our bevy of outside shooters. Until then there will be a few match-ups that are really bad for us. But we will always be a very dangerous team with our shooters

[brown_kids]

thanks for sharin ss, its startin to look like bargnani is becomin the key to the raptors success.. if we can get some great production from him it'll open tons of doors

Consistency is key. He played with a lot of confidence, and should continue to do so

[Hank_Scorpio]

Whatever happens with Bargnani, I have complete confidence that he WILL develop into a much better player than he is now. Will he ever be a superstar? I don't know. But I don't think we are looking at a guy who will end his career as a sub-.400 shooter.

[Mandrake]

I think us missing TJ and Garbo is a bigger loss then Boston missing James Posey. But he definetly would have made an impact for them the Celts last night

[inrapscity]

you shouldn't do this. infringes copyright laws or something.

[hoop_head]

I believe Bargnani will become a solid player, and the Star or All-Star tags might come, but that's going to be largely up to him. Playing against Boston, he showed that he can be very productive, even make a clutch play or two. If he can stay positive and focused on basketball, continues to mature in body and mind, and puts relentless effort into learning his craft, I think he will be special, and might earn that Star tag after all.

The Boston game must have been a huge lift for him. Let's see if he can build on the success against the Bucks.

[Anticon]

I think Hollinger is dead on with this.

With Bargnani on, it's a freewheeling offense where all 5 guys on the floor can hit shots from all over the court. The only weak link is Moon, but Delfino and Kapono are always available to provide some spacing and hit shots off the bench.

The offensive rebounding deficits might be something to get used to though, although Moon is probably the guy who can counteract that somewhat.

But the Phoenix East label works with this offense, perhaps not in pace but in principle: the Raps would largely be outscoring their opponents, not outworking or outrebounding them.

[Pchu]

That's the vision the Raptors had in building this team. With big guys Bargnani and Bosh able to stroke it from outside, and wing players like Parker, Delfino and Jason Kapono also knocking down 3s, the idea was that this team would be virtually impossible to guard on pick-and-rolls. But it only works if Bargnani is knocking down shots, as well as rebounding and defending enough to justifying leaving him on the court for his offense.

Last night he did, and the results were spectacular. No, the Raps won't shoot that well every night, and yes, other teams might be quicker to adjust to this lineup by going small (Boston's normal response would have been to put in James Posey at the 4, but he wasn't available). But the win gave Toronto fans a little taste of what could make this team so dangerous down the road.

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3212609&name=hollinger_john

[Schad]

He's right that teams can go small, but that plays into our hands if Bargs isn't playing his best; our Bosh/Moon/Delfino/Parker/Calderon line-up has becoming a staple of late-game situations (full disclosure: I was critical of its overuse in the past), and it has been very effective at times.

[supersub15]

He's right that teams can go small, but that plays into our hands if Bargs isn't playing his best; our Bosh/Moon/Delfino/Parker/Calderon line-up has becoming a staple of late-game situations (full disclosure: I was critical of its overuse in the past), and it has been very effective at times.

Yeah, except that we're getting killed on the boards when this unit is out there. And I mean KILLED.

[Schad]

-= original quote snipped =-



Yeah, except that we're getting killed on the boards when this unit is out there. And I mean KILLED.

Yeah, no doubt, and that's why I criticized its use at times (against the Cavs, for instance, who slaughtered us on the glass and outworked us offensively). But as a response to other teams which go small, I think that it can be effective.

[bill russell]

hollinger makes the further point that jose and bargs worked well together on the pick and roll. i noticed that as well. good to know jose can do it with either big.
i agree with SS about rebounding. didn't matter which unit was out there, though. bosh and bargs, bargs and rasho, bosh and hump -- we got killed no matter what

[rise of raptors]

The game against Boston was a preview of Colangelo's vision for the Raptors. Having five guys out on the floor that can hit from all cylinders makes us virtually impossible to guard.

Imagine if TJ was there, the Raps could've penetrated even more. And a healthy Garbo to provide toughness would have been awesome.

If the Raps can be consistent, take care of the ball (too many TOs last game), this team could be an offensive juggernaut.

[foetopsy]

I like the quote.

[Anticon]

-
Yeah, no doubt, and that's why I criticized its use at times (against the Cavs, for instance, who slaughtered us on the glass and outworked us offensively). But as a response to other teams which go small, I think that it can be effective.

And it's certainly better than the first small lineup we had at the beginning of the year, which I think was Ford-Dixon-Parker-Delfino-Bosh, with Kapono making an occasional appearance.

[WesWesley]

I really hope this game gives bargs some confidence back.... I wanna see him have a streak of good games.

Once he gets his confidence back, this board will get their confidence back in him, too.

[seanied]

hollinger makes the further point that jose and bargs worked well together on the pick and roll. i noticed that as well. good to know jose can do it with either big.
i agree with SS about rebounding. didn't matter which unit was out there, though. bosh and bargs, bargs and rasho, bosh and hump -- we got killed no matter what

Dare I say better than it works with Bosh? Usually when Jose passes the ball to Bosh off the pick and roll/pop, Bosh looks to the basket, thinks about a drive, thinks about a shot, or maybe a drive, nah, let's shoot. Or drive. But when Bargnani gets the ball, he quite often passes it on, which sometimes leads to a three from the corner. I love Bosh to death, but I think faster decision-making from him will make the team more effective, and lead to more opportunities for Bosh himself to drive.

[yellowknifer]

-= original quote snipped =-



Dare I say better than it works with Bosh? Usually when Jose passes the ball to Bosh off the pick and roll/pop, Bosh looks to the basket, thinks about a drive, thinks about a shot, or maybe a drive, nah, let's shoot. Or drive. But when Bargnani gets the ball, he quite often passes it on, which sometimes leads to a three from the corner. I love Bosh to death, but I think faster decision-making from him will make the team more effective, and lead to more opportunities for Bosh himself to drive.

I concur with this. It's one of the weaknesses in his otherwise stellar game.