A Toronto Raptors Association - Discontinued. See Inside

[john26]

hey guys, slouchda1234, an avid Raptors fan, made a video regarding the Raptors this season please watch
unfortunately, jermaine o'neal is not shown

phpBB [video]

plus check news block for some updates

[cavs4872]

Looks good. I like the recap presentation.

[john26]

XxCavaliers, thank you very much.

[Martti.]

Cool video and great wins over the C's!

[kibaxx7]

Superb wins. Amazing job!

[33_ALLDAY_33]

Hey man, great recaps. And two huge wins over Boston. Keep it up

[john26]

thanks for all the comments guys

I am still going to continue this, just a bit busy right now. Updated homepage btw

[cavs4872]

The homepage looks great. "This Week in Raptorland." That's pretty awesome.

[john26]

john26's Raptors Blog - And There Goes the First Slice; The Unofficial First Half of the Season
16 January 2009, 3:11 pm

The Toronto Raptors played their 41st game last night at the Conseco Fieldhouse, winning their 21st game and getting them just over the .500 mark on winning percentage. Although a bad start caused by injuries to starters bothered their early play, GM Bryan Colangelo was able to pull the trigger on two important trades that got them defensive stalwarts Andrei Kirilenko and Caron Butler.

There is a lot of things to note on this season. First of all, our starting point guard Jose Calderon, whose bad hamstring is still slowing him down, leads the league in Pure Point Rating from Dec 14 up to today, with a 15.35 ratio. Calderon has been vital to the Raptors' offense and his adjustment to the run and gun style of Jay Triano is a big part of the wins.

Andrei Kirilenko recorded 8 steals against the Sacramento Kings on December 26, 2008, a franchise record since it was founded on 1995 and, together with Chris Bosh, led them to a comeback win against the Kings where they had 22 free throw attempts in the third, almost reminiscent of the 2002 Western Conference Finals.

The Toronto Raptors beat the defending champions Boston Celtics on back-to-back blowout wins, each with a margin of 23 points or more, being the only team to do so this season. The Raptors have beaten the Celtics 3 straight on their last four meetings, also the only team to do so.

The Raptors have won their fifth straight game, embarking on their longest winning streak this season. They are also 8-1 in January, only behind the Charlotte Bobcats on the hottest team of 2009 with a 7-0 record. The Raptors have not yet won 5 straight games since April 6-April 15, 2006.

And there goes the first slice. The Raptors, on a 21-20 record, still need to upgrade their play for the next half of the season so they can secure a postseason spot.


-----------------------------------

Comments welcome.

[33_ALLDAY_33]

Nice read and good luck with the 2nd half man. Hope you kick ass in the East.

[kibaxx7]

With that record you could get a playoff spot (21-20 = 42-40)... good luck

[john26]

JOSE CALDERON
NICKNAME: Numero Ocho



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 10.2
RPG 2.7
APG 8.4
SPG 1.3
BPG 0.1
FG% 0.405 (109-269)
FT% 0.962 (77-80)
3P% 0.364 (31-85)
MPG 27.8
GP 32
GS 31

NOTES: Almost all of Calderon's stats took a dip from the previous year that almost gave him a spot at the All-Star team. This could be blamed for the hurt hamstring he's had for playing for Spain before the season or the separated right shoulder he suffered early in the season that forced him to miss about 12 games. His shooting percentages no longer qualify for the 50-40-90 club, unless he becomes John Stockton for the next half of the season and would only shoot providing he is really, really wide open. He was also asked to defend more, upping his steals rate but the negative part was a higher rate of fouls, averaging 2.0 per game. The only good thing that stands out from him aside for his assists numbers and pure point rating is that he has made 54 straight free throws and only missed three of his 80 attempts this season.


ROKO UKIC
NICKNAME: Rocking Roko



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 6.1
RPG 0.9
APG 3.1
SPG 1.2
BPG 0.2
FG% 0.506 (80-158)
FT% 0.820 (82-100)
3P% 0.363 (8-22)
MPG 13.1
GP 41
GS 6

NOTES: The Raptors backup point guard drafted in the second round in 2005 showed a lot of flashes and potential. His quickness and defense is pretty outstanding, but he is not tough enough in absorbing contact (or providing lockdown defense) and often throws off ugly, lazy layups whenever there is a defender in front of him on fastbreak. His shooting is pretty average, and being a part of a heavily offensive Raptors roster, he might need to improve on that. Rebounding numbers are pretty low and while he can get about 3 assists per game, he is often TJ Ford-ish and would rather take the bad shot than look for open teammates. Although he seems quite acceptable at the backup spot, there is a chance he'll be gone by the deadline for someone else, or have Anthony Parker on the 2nd string PG spot.


ANTHONY PARKER
NICKNAME: A.P.



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 10.4
RPG 1.6
APG 2.2
SPG 1.8
BPG 0.0
FG% 0.445 (135-303)
FT% 0.628 (49-78)
3P% 0.426 (35-82)
MPG 23.5
GP 34
GS 27

NOTES: Dubbed as the Michael Jordan of Europe, Parker came here from 2006 and would produce the same identical production, added with tough perimeter defense. This year was different. Parker was a step slower now he's turning to 33, his usually reliable, MJ-picturesque fade away jumpers went brick and he was cheating on defense at times. His scoring decreased by 2 points, and I am pretty sure it was not because of the arrival of scorers on the team. The Raptors experimented on having him at point sometimes, and it worked, having him at the backup point guard position. What is really surprising is his free throw shooting percentage, only 62.8% from the line this year.


RUDY FERNANDEZ



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 11.9
RPG 1.9
APG 1.8
SPG 1.1
BPG 0.0
FG% 0.490 (185-377)
FT% 0.876 (71-81)
3P% 0.381 (45-118)
MPG 19.9
GP 41
GS 12

NOTES: It was surprising how the Raptors threw in two of their bad contracts for 2 good ones: Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum. Fernandez was surprisingly good, taking the best shots he can get. On defense, Fernandez was a bit of a liability. He can get steals at a high rate, but he is not tough and tends to get pushed around by stronger perimeter players. If he can add more pounds, he may be able to take his game to an all-around level.


CARON BUTLER
NICKNAME: TOUGH JUICE



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 15.2
RPG 3.5
APG 2.8
SPG 1.6
BPG 0.1
FG% 0.461 (216-468)
FT% 0.876 (121-138)
3P% 0.415 (54-130)
MPG 30.1
GP 40
GS 36

NOTES: Butler's defensive presence was a big help for the Raptors. His offensive game was also a bonus, but it took a slight dip being the second or even third option on the team. Its hard to tell what his offensive role is in the Raptors' roster, but he was a big steal from the Wizards. Rumours are around that he would like to be traded back to Washington for the next season, and Washington wants him back. There is a high possibility he'll be gone next year with the improvement of Nicolas Batum.


ANDREI KIRILENKO
NICKNAME: AK-47



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 9.1
RPG 4.2
APG 2.4
SPG 2.0
BPG 1.4
FG% 0.471 (106-225)
FT% 0.916 (55-63)
3P% 0.217 (5-23)
MPG 25.5
GP 30
GS 10

NOTES: Andrei Kirilenko will never put the Ak-47 type of stats he put in 2004-2005 season again. He was given a bench role after getting traded from Utah and it was actually better for him, regardless of his contract. Coming to Toronto, he did put up the same all around game he used to. One thing he's struggled to do all around his career is keep a high percentage on 3-pointers, shooting 21.7% from the field, 0.4% short of matching his career worst. Toronto's system doesn't mesh well with his shooting abilities, and he might need to work on it for the next half of the season if they are planning to keep him.


NICOLAS BATUM



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 5.3
RPG 1.2
APG 0.9
SPG 0.7
BPG 0.3
FG% 0.490 (76-155)
FT% 0.780 (39-50)
3P% 0.416 (15-36)
MPG 11.5
GP 39
GS 5

NOTES: Batum was a big surprise from the 2008 draft class. The Frenchman was projected to spend time in the D-League before getting minutes in an NBA game, but his skillset is so vast, its not good to let him sit on the bench and just watch. He has an all around game similar to Andrei Kirilenko and the athleticism on the NBA Level.


ERSAN ILYASOVA



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 1.6
RPG 0.2
APG 0.6
SPG 0.2
BPG 0.0
FG% 0.750 (3-4)
FT% 0.500 (1-2)
3P% 1.000 (1-1)
MPG 3.4
GP 5
GS 0

NOTES: Ilyasova rarely saw minutes after signing a $2.93 million one year contract with the Raptors. Ilyasova was activated when the Raptors missed Bosh, Calderon and Parker. Once he saw the floor, we noticed he could shoot, pass, rebound and defend. While he has shown an almost well-rounded game, Toronto has a jam in the forward positions and he may never see minutes again this season.


CHRIS BOSH
NICKNAME: CB4



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 20.1
RPG 6.2
APG 1.8
SPG 1.4
BPG 1.3
FG% 0.478 (106-225)
FT% 0.884 (100-113)
3P% 0.083 (1-12)
MPG 37.5
GP 30
GS 30

NOTES: Bosh's scoring rate took an expected dip with the arrival of Andrei Kirilenko and Caron Butler. The same also happened to his rebound rate. There is nothing wrong with him, he may just not be able to post the same stats as the past year because of the defensive specialists on the team he's on. One advice though, he should just leave the three-point shots alone and improve them this summer, he is 1-12 beyond the arc this year.


POPS MENSAH BONSU
NICKNAME: POPS



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 2.7
RPG 2.3
APG 0.6
SPG 0.3
BPG 0.6
FG% 0.500 (44-88)
FT% 0.714 (20-28)
3P% 0.000 (0-0)
MPG 9.0
GP 40
GS 0

NOTES: Mensah Bonsu is a good energy guy off the bench for the Raptors. He gives one of the things the Raptors need the most - rebounding. What he can't do is pass, and keep the ball on his hands. He has awful handles. He also needs to polish his offensive game, maybe add a 15-17 foot jumpshot. All his points come from garbage baskets and he is 0-5 on shots beyond 5 feet. The Raptors, worst team on the league on rebounding at 31.4 per game, has to start him at some time. He has played more games than Bosh (40) yet he has not cracked the first five lineup.


JAKE VOSKUHL



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 0.9
RPG 1.9
APG 0.2
SPG 0.0
BPG 0.1
FG% 0.600 (6-10)
FT% 0.000 (0-0)
3P% 0.000 (0-0)
MPG 4.1
GP 14
GS 0

NOTES: Out of desparation, the Raptors signed Voskuhl to the minimum salary only to put him on the end of the bench and rarely give him minutes. Because of this, I have the sense that it might have offended him too much as he's never attempted a free throw and only taken 10 shots this season.

HILTON ARMSTRONG



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 0.7
RPG 1.2
APG 0.0
SPG 0.1
BPG 0.2
FG% 0.277 (5-18)
FT% 0.642 (9-14)
3P% 0.000 (0-0)
MPG 5.1
GP 26
GS 0

NOTES: Another Raptor who has not seen very much minutes, Armstrong is young and has good back to the basket skills. He may see more minutes in the second half of the season, with the injury of Andrei Kirilenko.

KURT THOMAS



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 4.2
RPG 4.9
APG 0.8
SPG 0.8
BPG 1.0
FG% 0.455 (62-136)
FT% 0.833 (45-54)
3P% 0.000 (0-0)
MPG 20.2
GP 40
GS 34

NOTES: Thomas is tough, and can be a good insurance to Andrea Bargnani. He fits well with Toronto because he can cover Bargnani's low rebound rate. His offense is also a bonus for the Raptors. But inside reports say he demands more minutes, it may not be possible considering he's not getting any better, or younger.


ANDREA BARGNANI
NICKNAME: IL MAGO



Oct-Jan Statistics

PPG 13.1
RPG 6.2
APG 1.2
SPG 1.1
BPG 1.0
FG% 0.534 (231-432)
FT% 0.703 (38-54)
3P% 0.426 (38-89)
MPG 23.1
GP 40
GS 0

NOTES: Bargnani is offensively good, and has improved his man-on-man defense drastically working together with Jermaine O'neal. He shoots a high percentage from the field and also has an outside game, what he lacks is a post game. He also needs to use his height to get some rebounds, his rate is low for his size.

[john26]

1. Derrick Rose, PG, Bulls
17.5 ppg, 5.5 apg

Leading the rookies in scoring and second in assists per game, just one-tenth of an assist behind Oklahoma's Russell Westbrook, Rose is a tough player and does a good job on defense. He scores on driving layups and is a clutch performer. What he needs to improve on is his 3-point shot, 27.5% this year which is 16-58.

2. OJ Mayo, SG, Grizzlies
16.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.0 spg

Can he be the next Kobe Bryant? He's got the offensive firepower and an almost all-around game.

3. Eric Gordon, SG, Clippers
16.1 ppg

A brilliant scorer who can light it up from beyond the arc, Gordon is undersized for the SG position. Other than offense, he brings nothing else to the table.

4. Michael Beasley, PF, Heat
13.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg

One of the most talented prospects of the 2008 draft class, Beasley is stuck in the jam at forward in Miami with Shawn Marion and Udonis Haslem. He'll raise his stats once one of them gets moved, or if he himself does.

5. Rudy Fernandez, SG, Raptors
11.9 ppg, 1.1 spg

Offensively talented, Fernandez needs to get tougher to bring his game to the next level. He is only 185 pounds and also needs to create shots for others.

6. Kevin Love, PF, Timberwolves
11.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg

Love can shoot it from the outside, and grabs rebounds at a high rate. His stats are almost identical to Toronto's Chris Bosh. He is good to pair with Jefferson and we think the twin towers can carry Minnesota to a postseason spot in the tough West.

7. Russell Westbrook, PG, Thunder
10.7 ppg, 5.6 apg

He's ready to defend at the next level, and he doesn't struggle creating the Thunder's offense. His heart and character should earn him quality minutes.

8. Marc Gasol, C, Grizzlies
10.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg

Great footwork combined with good back to the basket skills results into a tough rookie center ranked 8 in the rookie watch. Marc Gasol is tough and provides a lot of hustle. Can Gasol and Mayo carry the Grizzlies though?

9. DJ Augustin, PG, Bobcats
9.7 ppg, 3.1 apg

Augustin can score and create shots for others at the same time, a perfect complement for Larry Brown's system.

10. Courtney Lee, SG, Magic
9.7 ppg, 0.9 spg

An above average perimeter defender, Lee is a perfect fit for the Magic. Not only he brings their much needed filler for the 2 spot, he can also shoot it from beyond the arc.

[john26]

hey guys, back here with some new games. still going to continue this, was a bit busy this week

[cavs4872]

Great win at The Palace. Wow, Hamilton led Detroit in rebounds. What happened to Rasheed?

[kibaxx7]

Nice job man, tough loss against the Hawks!

[Kite]

Edit: My bad, thought you were seomeone else for a second by your writing skills.

Keep up the good work.

[john26]

XxCavaliers, Sheed had a disappearing act

thierryhenry50, Oh, it was a simulated game, but it was just four points.

Kite, I haven't made any associations before, but I'm a big fan of the Raps even though i don't live in Canada.

thanks for all the comments guys

[Its_asdf]

Nice ESPN layout with tons of detail. I'd honestly poop my pants if the Raptors ever got such an insane lineup. Keep up the good work. I'm also a huge Raptor fan so it's nice to see another person doing a dynasty/association with the Raps.

[john26]

Its_asdf, thanks.

I am kind of thinking of trading away Bargnani. He is poor in rebounding and kind of limits bosh's effectiveness. I am wanting to acquire an expiring contract and get Jason Smith (Philadelphia). He plays like Bargnani.

What do you guys think?

[Kite]

If you want to get rid of Bargnani, you don't trade for another C that plays like Bargs.

I would try to get a more traditional center in the post.

Although Jason Smith seems young (generated rookie) so you can still improve him and the expiring is also nice.

I guess you could go either way tho.

[Jsmoov05]

can someone give me the templates and show me how to use them

[john26]

Jsmoov05, what templates do you want? you can make your own by editing the espn page and then saving it as html so you can edit it every game if you have FF and Firebug (that's what i do). that might be a lot of work but that is how i want to do it.

[Its_asdf]

Ouch those two losses hurt, especially considering that they were pretty winnable games.

You can edit templates with FF? That's definitely news to me.

As for trading Bargnani, I wouldn't want to switch him with Smith. If you thought Bargnani was soft then you're in for a treat with Smith. Maybe Marese Speights would be a better option to trade for? He reminds me of a poor man's Al Jefferson.

[john26]

Its_asdf, In real life, raptors won both games by DOUBLE DIGITS

Ah yes, my templates are html, if you have firebug though, if not, you'll be using dreamweaver

Well, I am kinda looking for a finesse center that likes running the floor, and can get blocks.