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Doug Smith has had some good brain farts in his blog today. 
Another one he addressed this morning was team toughness. Sure toughness isn't always measured by strength, but it definitely helps ESPECIALLY in the paint. I mean, the last Raptors roster that I think can be considered tough was when we rolled with AD, Oak, JYD, amongst others. They knew how to handle themselves down low.
Look at what strength has done for Bosh's game. Although last night was a rough night for Chris, but one thing he didn't do was back down to either Nene or KMart. Two physically strong post players. If that's not toughness then I'm not sure what is.
I realize bulking up and putting on 20 pounds of muscle isn't for everyone, but it can't hurt in most cases. Perhaps Andrea & Jose can get on "the sauce" next summer and add some muscle which in turn might translate into a little more toughness. j/k
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Another one he addressed this morning was team toughness. Sure toughness isn't always measured by strength, but it definitely helps ESPECIALLY in the paint. I mean, the last Raptors roster that I think can be considered tough was when we rolled with AD, Oak, JYD, amongst others. They knew how to handle themselves down low.
Look at what strength has done for Bosh's game. Although last night was a rough night for Chris, but one thing he didn't do was back down to either Nene or KMart. Two physically strong post players. If that's not toughness then I'm not sure what is.
I realize bulking up and putting on 20 pounds of muscle isn't for everyone, but it can't hurt in most cases. Perhaps Andrea & Jose can get on "the sauce" next summer and add some muscle which in turn might translate into a little more toughness.
j/k
They are not going to consistently beat big, physically tough teams in a million years and we saw why last night.
The Nuggets took it to them in the paint, they battered them with aggressive defence and it should have come to the surprise of no one that the Raptors wore down as the game went on.
It’s not a fatal flaw but, in the parlance of the day, it is what it is.
Chris Bosh is stronger this year, no doubt about it, and he’s rebounding more aggressively more consistently than he ever has. But he’s alone.
Andrea is what Andrea is, a good shooting big who every now and then goes to the rim. He can’t successfully guard Nene any more than you can so they had to try to junk up the defence to lessen the hit they would take.
Antoine Wright’s a lot of things. Strong enough and big enough to guard Carmelo Anthony are not two of them. So they had to junk up the defence on Anthony, too.
Chauncey? Stronger than Jose.
Kenyon Martin? Maybe the most under-rated post defender in the game and a veteran who knows all the tricks.
Those old saws: “Horses for courses” and “styles make fights” held true; it’s simply the way it is and to have expected the Raptors to slug it out with the Nuggets and win was wishful thinking.
There will be games where those shortcomings aren’t an issue – they weren’t in Phoenix, they probably won’t be tonight in Utah, they won’t be Friday at home against Miami.
Luckily for them, they only play the Nuggets twice.
The Nuggets took it to them in the paint, they battered them with aggressive defence and it should have come to the surprise of no one that the Raptors wore down as the game went on.
It’s not a fatal flaw but, in the parlance of the day, it is what it is.
Chris Bosh is stronger this year, no doubt about it, and he’s rebounding more aggressively more consistently than he ever has. But he’s alone.
Andrea is what Andrea is, a good shooting big who every now and then goes to the rim. He can’t successfully guard Nene any more than you can so they had to try to junk up the defence to lessen the hit they would take.
Antoine Wright’s a lot of things. Strong enough and big enough to guard Carmelo Anthony are not two of them. So they had to junk up the defence on Anthony, too.
Chauncey? Stronger than Jose.
Kenyon Martin? Maybe the most under-rated post defender in the game and a veteran who knows all the tricks.
Those old saws: “Horses for courses” and “styles make fights” held true; it’s simply the way it is and to have expected the Raptors to slug it out with the Nuggets and win was wishful thinking.
There will be games where those shortcomings aren’t an issue – they weren’t in Phoenix, they probably won’t be tonight in Utah, they won’t be Friday at home against Miami.
Luckily for them, they only play the Nuggets twice.
