BallFebruary is a key stretch of games for the Raptors as their schedule, seemingly, gets lighter in that 6 of the 10 teams they play are under .500. It starts today with a home-and-home with Indiana. This will be the third time this season they have played a home-and-home, with the Raptors going 3-1 in those games; the only loss coming to Milwaukee on the road.
In addition, not only are there no back-to-backs, but there is at least a day off between games. If the Raptors can steal one of Memphis, Portland or Cleveland (all home games) then they have a great chance of finishing February 32-25. Miami on the other hand has two back-to-backs in the same week, and a much tougher schedule. Considering where this team was two months ago, to put things together and make this run is quite the accomplishment.
The goodness can start today against Indiana; the Pacers are 16-31 heading into this game, 4-6 in their last 10 with the last two games 20+ point losses to the Lakers and Cavs. What’s worse is that the fan-base holds out zero hope of this lot making the playoffs. The Raptors seemingly have a better chance of moving up to 4th in the East than the Pacers have of making the playoffs.
Tim Donahue from Eight Points, Nine Seconds (a great Pacers blog) projected where the Pacers will end up, and even though I’m not much of a Pacers fan, it depressed me how bad this team is and their outlook for the rest of the season. When words like; spitballing, battered, on pace to win only 28 games are being said and no one is disagreeing, the team is done.
With how the Raptors have been playing, and the manner in which they have been closing out games, the Raptors still can’t take this Pacers team lightly. They still have big guns in Granger, Murphy and Dunleavy. All of whom represent a type of player that the Raptors have historically been unable to defend properly.
Of the three, Murphy poses the biggest problem for the Raptors. For some reason, these mobile power forwards who can spread the floor with perimeter shooting give us big problems. When they pull Bosh or Bargnani away from the paint, they open the lane for penetration. More often than naught, Granger will just jack a gawdawful three and rim out, negating the space. In terms of strategy, though, you can’t count on an ill-advised shot as your way out of a situation.
Fortunately, Antoine Wright has been giving the Raptors EXACTLY what they need at the 2/3 with his defense, and occasional spot up shooting. With late game defensive duties falling on his shoulder, and the bulk of the offensive burden on Weems and Belinelli, the shooting guard by committee should be strong.
So after watching that Knicks game again, Hedo actually didn’t get that many more touches than he normally does. I mean, he did, but he seemed to do more with the ball than he normally would, and by that, I mean shoot it. Where normally he would try and create for a teammate, he created for himself. He averages 10 shots a game, and took 16, but got 2.4 less assists than he has been averaging for the year. Maybe ‘ball’ means to let him do what he wants, which doesn’t sit that well with me. Regardless, I think we can all agree that he has been under utilized this season, and based on his game and post-game comments, the ball (*groan* sorry) is squarely in Triano’s court.
I’m looking for both Italians to bounce back tonight after pretty rough performances in New York. The Pacers just don’t have anyone to defend against Bargnani, and with Bosh probably getting the most attention once he gets the ball inside 15ft, Bargnani will have a field day. As far as Belinelli goes, that step back-fade-away three point off one leg should be looking good after 3 days of rest.
The gamblers have the Raptors as 9 point favourite, with an over/under of 217.5. Should be an exciting one, and the Raptors should extend their winning streak to 5 for the first time this season.
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52 Raps
Thoughts on counteracting their smallball lineup? Bosh and Triano seem to suggest we should just stick with our plan rather than matching up with them. But why isn’t our own smallball lineup (with Hedo or Wright at the 4) a bad idea?
It makes absolutely no sense to have Bosh chasing around Granger on the perimeter. I’d rather have Hedo or Wright do it. If we go big and Bosh has to waste energy guarding Granger, he won’t have energy to be as effective on the other end. Otoh, if Wright or Hedo is guarding Granger on one end, and Granger guarding Bosh on the other, we win.
you should never match up to another team when you can force them to match up to you. If they go small… pound the ball inside and punish them. Force them to go big.
The Raptors shouldn’t let the Pacers dictate the game.
I don’t know if that makes sense in this case. Like, the point of their smallball lineup is to tire CB on defense (ideally putting him in foul trouble too) by making him guard Granger.
On the other end, our only options for punishing them on the other end are Bosh and Bargs. Bargs will likely be guarded by Troy Murphy…it isn’t like there is a huge mismatch in our favor their. Granger will be guarded by Bosh. Excellent matchup on paper for us, but Bosh will tired, possibly in foul trouble, and Indiana will provide help for Granger.
Basically, the maxim “pound the ball inside” is unlikely to be effective this game. You can’t expect your PF to be chasing someone around on the perimeter and to be maximally effective on the other end.
If Bosh spends most of his time guarding Granger, we probably lose the game.
agreed. pound them inside and make em pay for going small
We don’t have a traditional back to the basket pf/center to make this work…
what happened last time Triano tried to match up to Indiana’s small ball?
If Bosh is forced to ‘Chase’ Granger around so be it. Let Bosh mutilate him inside. Pound on him. Get him into foul trouble. Force someone else to play PF.
I doubt Bosh will chase Granger much if he is either:
1) sitting on the bench in foul trouble
2) Playing SF because they need more size against the Raps.
The Pacers are gonna play small with Granger on Bosh so the Raptors should start Wright at the two and have him guard Granger. The raptors can play their defence however they want. They shouldn’t let Indiana dictate their schemes.
Indiana is a streaky team and can hurt you with the jump shot. However, they tend to take quick shots which should limit the amount of running Bosh needs to do on the defensive end. I say we try a little bit of Zone defense and let Indiana shoot themselves out of the game.
All biases aside (well, not really), but Amir played Granger pretty well last time. No doubt that he’ll foul him a lot – but I’ll take it – 1/2 game with him on Granger. While a tad smaller, Weems and/or Wright may be reasonable options as well. Need quickness on him.
#FreeAmir he cause can #Ball.
“In addition, not only are there no back-to-backs, but there is at least a day off between games.” Amen and praise the lord for that… it should help.
Is it just me or
no back-to-backs = at least a day off between games..?
Is it just me = duh ?
:)
there are back to backs but your math is correct
Actually if we win today it will the second time we’ve won 5 straight this season.
Yeah, I thought we had a 5-game winning streak also!
yea me too
Yeah, and it wasn’t that long ago, the last five games in December.
my bad
Raps fan, thanks for the shout out.
If you think it was depressing reading it, you should try writing the stuff.
In any case, I did another piece on the Small Ball lineups that some more interested in a mind-numbing amount of stats might like.
http://www.eightpointsnineseconds.com/2010/01/the-numbers-behind-going-small/
Personally, I’m hoping we use the Hibbert/Granger smallball combo to start out, but Roy really has no one to guard on your team. We can’t shoot, and our defense – once solid, believe it or not – has been steadily swooning, and somehow the no offense, no defense strategy has been working out for us. (I know. I’m baffled. Seemed sound to me.)
I expect it to be like the first game up in Toronto. You guys will jump on us early, we’ll wander back into the game a bit (what we at 8p9s refer to as a patented Pacer “faux comeback”), then you’ll put us away.
But, mostly, I just wanted to say that I miss Jarrett Jack.
Thanks, Tim
Yeah, shocking that we got him for little more than we pay Marcus Banks to sit in a suit, and its considered “Too much.”
I feel for you guys.
* hasn’t been working out for us.
If everything goes right with the raptors in this eight game stretch before portland, oklahoma, and cleveland, 32-23 is not out of reach, so going 7-1 isnt impossible given that 7 out 8 of those team are under .500 with only memphis (ACC) being out only problem, and the griz arent that good on the road.
I love for them to win all eight games, and go 11 games about 0.500 but we all know whats up with the Raps so we wait and see, take it one game at a time
On the schedule I’m looking at, Raptors play the Pacers in Indiana on Tuesday (Feb 2) and then play New Jersey at the ACC on Wednesday (Feb 3). Back to back.
http://www.nba.com/raptors/schedule/
And another Feb 19/20. But apart from them…
I didn’t consider the Nets a real team, more like a more involved practice.
probably … but we know Hump is gonna want to bring a little extra something to make it a game. could be a better contest than it might look right now. (could be.)
but … that’s for Wednesday.
We need revenge for that ugly comeback loss against us which we should have won.
There is no way we’re losing this game.
Nice, 6pm game again.
Raps really need to take 2 from Indy and they should!
Bobcats and Bulls are hot right now – if they Raps drop a winnable game before the all-star break, they’ll find themselves back in 7th or 8th real fast.
Can’t wait to watch the Raps burn the Pacers tonight at the ACC!!!
We definately need to put together a long stretch of wins if we hope to keep the 5th spot. Our next trip out West is murder with 4 games in one week and two back-to-backs.
We gotta stock up these home games and “winnable” games this month like a paranoid Cold War enthusiast during the Cuban crisis.
@ OKC, Laker-town, and Houston. Even though the Pacific road games include Golden State, Sacramento, and the brutally injured Portland (Roy might comeback, DAMMIT we are dead), we are historically crappy in Sac and GState and Portland (and I still remember the game where Derrick Martin threw away the 4th quarter in Portland and ppl want Mitchell fired for keeping him in). The crappy West teams are as good as the 0.450 to .500 teams in the East due to their talent. This is gonna be the next huge grinder in our schedule in March.
It will be frustrating and annoying if the Raps begin the first quarter cold and in the hole digging to get out against the likes of a team like Indiana.
The Pacers have nothing to lose and they can play loose and easy, and that could produce an upset win. If the Raps assume they have a win against the Pacers, they could have an ugly surprise.
It seems to me that the idea of “stealing one” at home, is a lottery team mentality.
Playoffs teams should always expect to hold home court no matter who they playing at home.
Yea i didn’t get that sentence. I understand maybe stealing one from cleaveland, but from the Thunders and Grizzlies? are you kidding me? Have a bit more confidence on our team. If anything they steal one against us…
PLEASE don’t start that “steal” conversation again.
When we play these Grizzlies, we now should look at them as the Atlanta Hawks: due to the Gay-Mayo (LOL) combo, a good Samaritan Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol. Home or away, the Grizzlies don’t have as many flaws as Cleveland does, only their “experience” might get the best of them.
Giddy with excitement as the schedule and Raptors record mirrors what many thought at the beginning of the season. A tough start, an easier schedule and wins to be had come January/February. Now if the Raptors just take care of business and win the road game in Indiana, all of a sudden we look like contenders….. Whether that is the case or not we’ll see.
Also note Charlotte & Chicago are not pushovers……
Will be an interesting stretch after the All-Star game if the Raptors win these games…..
Hope I did not give the “kiss of death”…..
Charlotte is friggin rolling, I think The Raps gotta try to get 4th place from the Magic.
Why do rr contributors act like they’re coaches or gm’s? “doesn’t sit well with me”, well, it sat pretty well with the magic when they let hedo have the ball and do what he does, make decisions, and that’s his role in a perfect world.Ball
Triano heard our cries, and decided to #freeamir
Devlin asked Johnson what he attributed his recent increase in scoring to.
http://www.nba.com/raptors/index_main.html
Him and Wright are offseason priorities 2 and 3 (assuming Wright keeps playing like poor man’s Bowen.)
Pick up Weem’s option, then evaluate both Weems and Belli at the end of next year.
I’d like to move Calderon to free additional cash for these other kids. Also, I’d like to groom a young cheap backup PG. One thing I must say about Triano’s system is that he an excellent developer of players.
Bosh is now a willing passer, Bargs is playing hard, Wright found his jumper, Weems is playing under control, Belli has doubled his rate of going to the line from last year..
If Bosh stays Johnson will probably stay. He is a loyal guy. He had a chance to sign with the Spurs three years ago but stayed with the Pistons out of loyalty.
I am sure that he appreciates that Triano decided to have the guys pass him the ball as well as the playing time he is getting.
This is why I like Triano, despite his many flaws. Honestly, in my mind I prefer to think he is the good guy and it is evil Iavaroni who caused our defense to be so crappy and forced Cack on us:)
And of course Amir is playing like a rockstar. Imo, we need to move Reggie in the offseason to free up PT @ PF for Amir. I’m pretty sure that Amir will resign for us at a good price if we can guarantee him minutes. Last year festering on Detroit’s bench with a horrible coach probably has made him value minutes over money.
I hope BC sees that he does have potential, but we shouldn’t lock him up for 5 yrs @ 50 million because he can be retained for a LOT cheaper.
I would say somewhere around $5 million a year for 3 years.
Why 3 only? The longer the better, no? He cannot get worse than he is now.
Obviously that is too much. 5 mil a year 5 years sounds reasonable? 3 mil is too low..
He is only 22 years old, best defender on the team, and evidently has some scoring skills too. He also has no muscle on his body.
Worst case scenario, he doesn’t improve at all. Still an excellent energy big for the next 5 years. Best case scenario, he turns out to be poor man’s Josh Smith..
Who said $3 million?
I said $5 million.
The only problem I see with him signing a long term contract is that I am sure that he will want to start at some point in the not too distant future.
If Bosh signs for 5 years and with Bargnani locked up for 5 more years it is highly unlikely that Johnson will ever get to start playing for the Raptors.
That is why he might sign a shorter term deal with the Raptors unless he gets an offer from a team that he thinks he can start for next season.
However, he would probably be very happy with a decent 3 year deal in Toronto.
seriously,