Season 2006/2007

Record 47-35

Everyone expected surprises from this young Toronto squad, as well as success from Colangelo, just not this quickly. In one year the team transformed from the perennial conference bottom-feeder into a very competitive group. The team has won its division. From the fan’s perspective, for the first time in five years the season didn’t end after 82 games. In this year Raptors took a very important step – it’s molded into a team. Sure the team has its weak spots, they are not up there yet with the best of the best in the NBA, but now Canada has a TEAM and looks like that team is not going to go away anytime soon. The core of the team is there to stay and is not going to fall apart.

Offseason

Draft

No picks.

Key Trades

Acquired: Carlos Delfino (Pistons) and Jason Kapono (Heat)
Not a bad addition that should keep Raptors as one of the deeper teams in the NBA.
Delfino’s addition makes more sense. He should help with his defense and rebounding. He likes to attack from the face line. When Bosh is playing in the high post, where he likes to operate, the Argentinean should have some space for his maneuvering.
Left: MoPete. When Toronto signed Parket, MoPete got lost in the mix and him leaving didn’t surprise anyone.

Offseason grade: B

Season 2007/2008

Toronto is really playing a different brand of basketball which creates many inconveniences for the opposing teams. Most of the NBA clubs are emphasizing physical play, watching the 3-second zone. They are not used to the game that Raptors players play. They are not used to center taking half of his shot from beyond the 3-point line. And in addition the second big can really run and very active creating matchup difficulties for the post 4’s in the game.
As any team that plays small ball (Suns, Warriors) Toronto has problems defending its basket. Even last season in the playoffs Nets had multiple opportunities to score off the offensive boards.
Raptors defense is really not bad at all. The team can play solid organized defense and does it from time to time. If you perform the calculations per 100 possessions (which is a more universal indicator than points score/allowed) Raptors are sitting 12th in the NBA. When Ford, Parker, and Delfino are on the court, team’s perimeter defense is covered.
Toronto also has a very long and solid bench. Everyone except Bosh as an equal coming off the bench to sub. There’s a question who is better – the starter or the player coming off the bench. You have Calderon coming in for Ford, Delfino or Kapono for Parker, Nesterovich for Bargnani, or vise-versa. Garbajosa and Graham. Dixon, Baston… When you look at it their bench is long enough to form an additional NBA team.


Note of importance

Chris Bosh. 17.5 ppg, 39% shooting, 9 rbs
These are the stats from the first round of the play-offs against the Nets, not the regular season stats. Chris is a big boy. He made an all-star team; his team has won the division. And his responsibilities are in tow. So, each duel that he lost to Richard Jefferson, each board that he lost to Nachbar made its way onto the pages of the newspapers, into the sports talk shows and TV programs. Bosh has all the tools. He has great athletic abilities and incredible mid-range jump shot.
He needs to develop some character. It is especially noticeable on defense. He is usually passive and lacks initiative (looking as though he is trying to preserve strength for the offensive end where the team really needs his help), but sometimes he looks like he just stops. He can just stand and watch at an opposing player just having his way under the Toronto basket. Will it change or will Bosh’s game remain the same?

Calderon. He is very quick and solid PG whose offensive game just grows. He is one of the better decision makers in the NBA and averages less than 1.5 turnovers per game.


Bottom Line

Team’s depth and game speed under the guidance of Ford and Calderon should be enough to repeat last year’s result.

Playoffs – yes
Championship - no

__________________
I think the Washington Wizards have got to be the dumbest team in the history of civilization. - C.Barkley

The small ball thing is pretty interesting and they really seem to have built the roster to play that way. They have Ford, Calderon, and Bosh at the ends, but everybody else seems to play the same position, including the two new guys they picked up.