***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

We'll agree to disagree then. But I think Graham can be a really poor man's Glen Robinson with better defense. Joey's strength is clearly his mid range jumper.

I'll agree with you there. I admit, I am a little biased towards him as he is my favourite Raptor, but I see his shortcomings too. If he can handle the ball a little better and learn to use his size to take it to the basket a little more, he will be a tremendous scoring option for a team that is constantly finding more scoring options.

I just love how in all loose ball situations or the small plays that don't end up on the score sheet, Joey's around the ball making a positive difference. When he and Mo-Pete/Parker are out on the floor at the same time, it's the best perimeter defence we've seen in years, maybe ever around here.

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Well, not much can be said about the Nets game. If Vince makes an effort to score from the inside-out, he can be next unstoppable. Watching that game last night, I saw glimpses of VC's first few years here. Posting up, penetrating and drawing the foul. Very tough to stop.

Very disappointed in the starting 5. Going in, I felt that the bench would really have to play well for us to win. They did that, with 57 bench points. But the starters needed to keep it fairly even with the Nets' starters, and it wasn't even close.

Oh well, everyone can have a bad night. Just so happened that T.J. and Bosh had a bad night on the same night. Tough to overcome that.

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Big game tonight. To go 2-1 on this road trip would be huge with 5 home games coming up. Might get a sniff of .500 in a couple of weeks if they can beat Boston tonight.

[SPTO]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Ok folks here's something I have to say. I think this is the first TRULY legit Raptors team for now and the future.

Hear me out here.....

The last time the Raptors were on the rise and were a good team they rode all their success on the back of Vince Carter. (BTW I recently saw the list of double/doubles in Raps history and he only had 36!) Management gave Vince too much power by trying to appease to him so they bent over backwards getting older guys and his buddies on the team for big money contracts which eventually sunk the club.

Today, you're actually seeing a TEAM. Bosh is the main man but the team doesn't revolve around him. We seriously have a great triple threat of Bosh, Ford and Bargnani who will be a star in this league by the end of the year or next year at the very latest. I don't really like Smitch but the guys play hard for him and this team has great depth.

I hate how the Americans on here seem to downplay the Raps but I honestly think this team will be making serious noise for the next 5 years at the very least.

This is the most fun i've had watching a Raptors team. Yes, this is even better then the playoff team because you can actually see this team functioning as a unit and making a progression as a team.

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Ok folks here's something I have to say. I think this is the first TRULY legit Raptors team for now and the future.

Hear me out here.....

The last time the Raptors were on the rise and were a good team they rode all their success on the back of Vince Carter. (BTW I recently saw the list of double/doubles in Raps history and he only had 36!) Management gave Vince too much power by trying to appease to him so they bent over backwards getting older guys and his buddies on the team for big money contracts which eventually sunk the club.

Today, you're actually seeing a TEAM. Bosh is the main man but the team doesn't revolve around him. We seriously have a great triple threat of Bosh, Ford and Bargnani who will be a star in this league by the end of the year or next year at the very latest. I don't really like Smitch but the guys play hard for him and this team has great depth.

I hate how the Americans on here seem to downplay the Raps but I honestly think this team will be making serious noise for the next 5 years at the very least.

This is the most fun i've had watching a Raptors team. Yes, this is even better then the playoff team because you can actually see this team functioning as a unit and making a progression as a team.

I agree with you for the most part. This team is looking like one with a bright future, and the three players you named definitely have a chance to be special (Bosh already is). I DESPISE Mitchell, and when the media around here talks about the Raps having trouble after the first half of a game, they are neglecting to mention that Mitchell gets flat-out out-coached. He just doesn't make the right adjustments.

However, I still enjoyed watching the Raps in the early VC years a little more. Different offensive philosophies, but in VC's first 3-4 years, every game you had a feeling you were gonna watch him do something special.

Having said that, this team is highly entertaining (because of the three players mentioned) and extremely maddening (because of Mitchell's coaching) all at the same time.

Edit: I forgot to add that I hope Colangelo does not pull the trigger on the rumoured Pistons deal (Mo-Pete for Dale Davis and Flip Murray). We don't need them and no sake in making a change for the sake of change. I'd rather see the Mo-Pete contract off the payroll at the end of the year than acquiring the two players from Detroit.

[SPTO]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

I'll make this short and sweet....

It's clear this team is headed in the right direction but they're clearly firmly ensconced (sp) in the mediocre to pretty good category. They need a couple of pieces before they can actually beat the bona fide good teams in the league.

As long as Colangelo doesn't make any rash decisions I think this'll happen sooner rather then later.

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

What an exciting last few minutes in the Hornets/Raps game. The sign of a team getting better is being able to beat lesser teams when you're nowhere near your best. They were fortunate, but credit goes to Bosh, Calderon and Mo-Pete. Outstanding performances by the first two and Mo-Pete came up huge on the defensive end in the last quarter.

One more game to get to .500

[Vince]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

someone tell me i wasn't the only one who stopped watching after the lead balooned to over 10 in the last 5 minutes.

i come back to watch only to see bosh going crazy after hitting the game tying 3.

i feel like **** for missing it, but what a performance.

i'm liking jose more than tj

[y2dan]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

The Raptors are finally at .500! It took another fourth quarter comeback, but it's finally happened. Now if only this team could put together a whole 48 minutes of good basketball...

They expect to come back like this every game.

[SPTO]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

A win is a win is a win

Seriously the Raptors sometimes really play down to their opponents' level. Let's hope the last couple games were due to them being very comfortable at home and they play with some more jump against Indy.

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Woohoo, .500!

Watching the Colangelo interview during half-time on TSN just re-affirmed to me that this team won't be making a change for the sake of change. The man knows his sh*t and has made a believer out of most of us in the Greater Toronto Area. Anybody that can find guys like Anthony Parker, Jorge Garbajosa and have the stones to draft Bargniani earns my respect and faith as GM. I can just imagine how the players feel playing for a team run by this guy.

I've noticed something about this Raps team that is a bit troubling moving forward. They seem to really struggle against very athletic teams. Say what you will about the Celtics injuries, but 1 through 5 they are extremely athletic and that has given the Raps fits the last two times they've played them. Gerald Wallace on the Bobcats forced them to go to a zone and the Hornets (another young, very athletic team) almost beat them. I don't think it's that they're playing down to their competition, like someone else mentioned (otherwise they would have struggled beating Philly on the road a couple of weeks back), I just think they have a tough time manning up on athletic players because outside of Bosh and TJ, they are more fundamentally sound than athletic. Just a thought.

Anyways, on to Indiana and I actually feel better about this game than I think I would have before the trade because of said athletic theory. I know they've beaten Indiana already this year with Jackson and Harrington there, but I just have a better feeling they match up better now with the Pacers' roster than they did before.

p.s. I'm very disappointed in My Favourite Raptor, Joey Graham, over the last week or so. Last couple of nights, very little energy and effort on the defensive end but the most disappointing part was at the game I went to against the Bobcats. At the end of the game he put up a wild three-pointer, showing very little sportsmanship. I really hope Mitchell can get through to him, because he has an opportunity to be a very good player and be an important cog on this team on both ends of the floor. He just needs to mentally commit to every game.

[Vince]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Joey's D hasn't been very good. He really struggled in the Bobcats game...

Jorge's numbers have been brutal in January. I don't care because Jorge is more than a numbers guy. He does so many little things(cliche i know), that don't show up in box scores. He and Parker are our best perimeter defenders IMO.

Raptors need to quit playing to the level of their weaker opponents.

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Joey's D hasn't been very good. He really struggled in the Bobcats game...

Jorge's numbers have been brutal in January. I don't care because Jorge is more than a numbers guy. He does so many little things(cliche i know), that don't show up in box scores. He and Parker are our best perimeter defenders IMO.

Raptors need to quit playing to the level of their weaker opponents.

You hit the nail on the head. Garbo doesn't contribute stats, he contributes the little things, like you said. There's a reason why he was on the floor last night as long as he was (and when, too) even though his shooting has been sporadic as of late. Because of defence, rebounding and hustle.

This is a good mix of guys and Mo-Pete has been as good as he's ever been in a Raps uniform as of late, IMHO. He may have put up bigger numbers in the past (by default if you ask me) but what he's contributed in the last couple of weeks off the bench has been more than a coach can ask for from a bench player. I don't want to see him go anywhere anymore.

Morris Peterson is Mr. Toronto Raptors and this city identifies with guys like him.

[SPTO]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Derrick Martin is lucky to be in the NBA. My Lord, everytime he was on the court he stunk it up. He isn't the reason the Raptors lost but when TJ isn't there the PG spot is kinda weak.

[sroz39]

Re: ***Basketball Club of Toronto: 2006-2007 thread***

Derrick Martin is lucky to be in the NBA. My Lord, everytime he was on the court he stunk it up. He isn't the reason the Raptors lost but when TJ isn't there the PG spot is kinda weak.

Just don't call in to the Fan590 to tell them that. It's a Derrick Martin lovefest on that radio station. I think they see his involvement with the younger players (talking to Bosh, Jose etc. during timeouts) and use that to COMPLETELY excuse his sorry play when he's on the court.

I'm sorry, but a veteran point guard should not be looking for his shot first. He reminds me of Milt Palacio, who would seemingly hold onto the ball for 20 seconds of the 24 second shot clock and then try to create something for himself. When Martin is on the court, I am genuinely suprised to see someone else end up with a shot. Maybe I just feel that way because he takes so many bad shots.

Pacers game: when Marquis Daniels hits a half-court shot with the shot clock running out, you just know there is no comeback to be had. They just ran out of gas.