41 Wins? Playoffs?

[Benjamin Linus]

For the record Jack averaged better stats in practically every single category as opposed to Augustine.

I'm not going to dispute your opinions on which players you think are better, you could find Bargnani to be far superior to Nowitzki for all I care, but this statement just caught my eye. I mean where are you getting your information from?

Per 36 minutes
Jack (4th season) = 14.2 PTS... 4.5 ASTS.... 2.4 TO.... 45 FG%.... 35 3FG%.... 85 FT%
D.J. (1st season) = 16.0 PTS.... 4.7 ASTS.... 2.2 TO.... 43 FG%.... 44 3FG%.... 89 FT%

Per 48 minutes
Jack (4th season) = 12.2 PER....... 17.7 Opponent PER...... -5.5 Net
D.J. (1st season) = 16.5 PER....... 14.3 Opponent PER...... +2.2 Net

Sources
Jack - Basketball Reference & 82 Games
D.J. - Basketball Reference & 82 Games

[Walt Cronkite]

owned.

[KFlight]

lol I found it funny how you didn't even attempt to compare felton to calderon...

annnnnnnnnnnd if you want to go by this per 48 mins crap I could grab some players who average 2 ppg in 1 min and throw up some ridiculous numbers to make myself look intelligent. You failed.

[Benjamin Linus]

???

When did I ever mention anything about Felton being better than Calderon?

Augustin averaged 26.5 minutes per game, Jack averaged 33.1 minutes per game. You have have even playing fields when comparing players and I don't believe the gap between their playing times were large enough to skew the numbers to be honest.

[e4Nf6]

Is there something in the water in Toronto? Toronto MLS fans are just as annoying. Thank god I don't follow Hockey or the CFL.

You said that Jacks numbers were better than Augustin's, and Ben shows you hard evidence you were wrong. Man up and admit that what you said isn't true. If you can't do it for yourself, do it for the reputation of Raps fans everywhere.

As an aside, those numbers show that DJ is not the disastrously bad defensive player some make him out to be. (*cough*Bassman*cough*)

[Walt Cronkite]

Everyone's a disaster to Bass.

[Paydro70]

Presumably he meant per-game.... though of course those are close, and the Pacers play on the 3rd fastest pace and the Bobcats the 4th slowest.

[Bassman]

Everyone's a disaster to Bass.

Man, I'm getting a reputation that I don't deserve. Yes I'm demanding as a fan, but I do believe I have a reasonable eye for talent and player evaluation. DJ is a nice player, but he has yet to prove anything at the NBA level. Yes, he can score, and demonstrates skill in his offensive game. But his defense was severely lacking in his rookie season. Not that he can't improve, but his physical limitations will always diminish his contributions.

Our best hope is that the team does gel and play much better together with a full camp, because none of our players are capable of becoming go-to stars (with the exception of Crash).

There's nothing more boring than mediocrity. If a team is at the bottom, it's fun to see them build it up into a winner when they make great decisions on draft picks & personnel, good trades, etc. The Cats have done some of that more recently with the JR for Diaw & Bell trade, drafting Derrick Brown (Henderson is OK but now I'm wondering if we should have taken Tyler). But sprinkled in there are the picks from last year, the cap-eating deals for Diop and Vlad, etc. It's some of those decisions (plus no help this year for a PF) that threaten to keep us in the middle of nowhere.

I really am a very glass half full guy! But every time we need one more good deal to get us over the hump we don't get it done. I have hope that we'll be better enough to compete for the 8th spot, but I have doubts.

[Paydro70]

I think it's undeniable Calderon is a much better offensive player than Felton. The question is, does a similar gulf on the defensive end (and in rebounding) make up for it? PER differential suggests that Calderon gets it (+4.6 to +2.9), but +/- points heavily to Felton (+0.5 to +4) and adjusted +/- even more so (-4.27 to +1.78).

To be honest I'd still rather have Calderon... with the right players and system he could be hidden on defense, but Felton is a consistent liability on offense and probably always will be. But it's certainly not a laughable proposition to prefer Felton.

Augustin vs. Jack is no contest though.

[spectre_]

I think it's undeniable Calderon is a much better offensive player than Felton. The question is, does a similar gulf on the defensive end (and in rebounding) make up for it? PER differential suggests that Calderon gets it (+4.6 to +2.9), but +/- points heavily to Felton (+0.5 to +4) and adjusted +/- even more so (-4.27 to +1.78).

To be honest I'd still rather have Calderon... with the right players and system he could be hidden on defense, but Felton is a consistent liability on offense and probably always will be. But it's certainly not a laughable proposition to prefer Felton.

Augustin vs. Jack is no contest though.

I think the 2 starters work with certain teams; with our coach defense is going to be the preferred route. You also have to add in health.

I certainly agree that Caleron can be "hid" on defense...but the Raps aren't doing that. Another thing I seem to remember (so no stats, could be wrong); didn't he look a lot worse when Bosh was injured? I know Raps' fans have complained that he always seems to throw it to Bosh and no one else; maybe he needs a "go to" guy to make him look so good offensively?

Betcha both our PGs would look a lot better if they had Bosh to bail them out of bad situations.

And in regards to DJ defense...we were 2nd in the LEAGUE in opponent's PER at the PG position. For the life of me I can't understand why people want to mess with that.

[Paydro70]

Oh no doubt the Raps aren't hiding him, I was just considering if I were offered the two players in a vacuum ("to start a team" or "win right now" or whatever) I would prefer Calderon slightly.

I don't know how Calderon would play without Bosh... Bosh played 77 games last year so there's not much of a sample size there. Certainly he can't hurt, but the Raptors were only an average offensive squad, so I don't think it's an example of a guy thriving in a stacked offense. Would Felton play better on the Raptors? My guess would be yes, because he'd be playing uptempo and Bosh is better on the pick and roll than anyone on the Bobcats. But Felton still wouldn't be able to shoot.

[Mezotarkus]

We won 35 games last year and we are at best treading water while many in the league are improving. It'd be nice to win 41 games and make the playoffs but it'd also be nice to have seen Sean May care. Just because something would be nice to see happen doesn't mean it will happen.

We have been lucky to get 82 games from Okafor recently and am concerned our luck will run out. Felton won't be playing for a contract anymore - any possibly won't be playing for us either.

Honestly, I think we'll win about 35 games again this year. Long term - we won't attract any superstar free agents. We have to hope to win lottery gold and build a team through the draft.

[SWedd523]

The main argument is that most of the teams that got better were better than us anyway so we wont lose ground. Well don't we have to play all of those teams that got better?

[Walt Cronkite]

Yea, what Swedd said. Cleveland mopped the floor with us, Orlando beat us down, we play pretty well against the Celtics. Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaulkee, NJ, NY, Philly are the same or worse. So, how much better have Toronto, Washington and Miami become?

[NEM]

magic fan here... i really dont know what your GM is doing but it's not looking good. hopefully he has something else lined up to improve you guys. personally i want every SE division team to make the playoffs because over the last few years (before our rise) the SE has been considered the weakest division, we used to suck, as did atlanta. you guys were a new team so nothing was expected. miami was alright, but not good enough to play with the big boys. washington was mediocre. now that we have an elite team (magic), a young team that can beat anyone (hawks), a team lead by a superstar, who can also beat anyone by himself (heat), and the return of arenas (wizards), all we need is the bobcats to grab #8 in the east and we'll be the first division EVER to have all of our teams in the playoffs. unfortunately the okafor trade makes me question johnson's desire to win. i hope you guys bring in AI because he can single handedly grab #8 in the east. this is what i want:

1. orlando
2. boston
3. cleveland
4. atlanta
5. miami
6. toronto
7. washington
8. charlotte

this is what it will probably be:
1. boston
2. orlando
3. cleveland
4. miami (with odom)
5. atlanta
6. washington
7. toronto
8. detroit

anyways, good luck. i have always followed the cats closer than any other team not named the magic because i feel like we have ties in the 2004 draft. can you imagine if we selected EO50 and you guys ended up with dwight? you could have been a top 4 team in the east by now kinda like we did with shaq

[Relentless88]

I don't know why many people on this thread don't believe the Raptors will make the playoffs. We arguable have a better team than the one that won 47 games and the Atlantic division a few years ago. I think/hope the Bobcats will sneak in, but not having the Raptors in the playoffs is laughable, especially to the poster who thinks they have a better lineup. The difference between Bosh and your PF is so much greater than the difference between Wallace and Hedo, or Felton and Calderon. By the way those match ups are very close and could go either way.

Calderon/DeRozan/Hedo/Bosh/Bargnani

Bench: Jack, Delfino (probably), Wright, Rasho, Evans

[SteveMorrison15]

We won't even win one game.

Injuries will plaque the team. Our starting 5 will be

Diop
Diaw
Rad
Henderson
Felton

Now the Raptors will make the playoffs...

[arh1109]

I don't know why many people on this thread don't believe the Raptors will make the playoffs. We arguable have a better team than the one that won 47 games and the Atlantic division a few years ago. I think/hope the Bobcats will sneak in, but not having the Raptors in the playoffs is laughable, especially to the poster who thinks they have a better lineup. The difference between Bosh and your PF is so much greater than the difference between Wallace and Hedo, or Felton and Calderon. By the way those match ups are very close and could go either way.

Calderon/DeRozan/Hedo/Bosh/Bargnani

Bench: Jack, Delfino (probably), Wright, Rasho, Evans

Not to be an ass, but stop boasting about a team that no one has even seen play yet. And for the record, I might have put the Bobcats ahead of the Raptors but I still put the Raptors in the playoffs. There are still problems on your team that your fanbase has yet to discover.