Lithuania Comes From Behind To Beat Spain - More To Follow

[matt]

This truely is the year....

We may have dodged a bullet on the Bobcat deal. Diaw looks really unfit and Chandler is playing a small role on the US team though this maybe more about the Euro style than his abilities and we werent getting a pg back in that deal. Keeping Jose for another year (or part of it) as a backup might raise his profile/numbers/play which could make him more marketable at the trade deadline. I am fully prepared to consider this year as a rebuilding/retooling year, get a decent pick, hopefully have our young guys get experience and finally make a descision on Bargnani depending on his showing as a main option.

Where the team has to decide based on Bargnanni's performance if he is for real and can at least play as a true PF while averaging 20 pts and 8 rebs a game and play decent defence.
Also another year of the Jack/Calderon tandem wouldn't hurt either.
I also would like to see a bigger role for the "young gunz" and see how they react to the absense of Bosh's presence at the post.
With kleiza playing well I do hope he carries that momentum into the season but unlike most of you I'm not expecting much, he wasn't part of the plan anyways.

[ShinobiOne]

Where the team has to decide based on Bargnanni's performance if he is for real and can at least play as a true PF while averaging 20 pts and 8 rebs a game and play decent defence.
Also another year of the Jack/Calderon tandem wouldn't hurt either.
I also would like to see a bigger role for the "young gunz" and see how they react to the absense of Bosh's presence at the post.
With kleiza playing well I do hope he carries that momentum into the season but unlike most of you I'm not expecting much, he wasn't part of the plan anyways.

Firstly, Bargs won't be playing PF this season, he will still be starting as center (unless you think Alabi, Davis or Andersen will be getting that spot?? not likely)
Secondly how can you say Kleiza wasn't part of the plan...Im pretty sure BC has a definite plan in mind when he signs players like Kleiza. We can't always play run and gun and Kleiza is stronger in a half court offense so we have options offensively.
I think we all take FIBA performance with a grain of salt but wouldn't you rather see them perform well there instead of playing like dog shit?

[Buddahfan]

Where the team has to decide based on Bargnanni's performance if he is for real and can at least play as a true PF while averaging 20 pts and 8 rebs a game and play decent defence.
Also another year of the Jack/Calderon tandem wouldn't hurt either.
I also would like to see a bigger role for the "young gunz" and see how they react to the absense of Bosh's presence at the post.
With kleiza playing well I do hope he carries that momentum into the season but unlike most of you I'm not expecting much, he wasn't part of the plan anyways.

The Raptors currently have five players under contract with at least some kind of option through 2013-14

1. Bargnani
2. Johnson
3. Kleiza - Player Option
4. DeRozan - Qualifying Offer
5. Davis - Team Option

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9165

[matt]

The Raptors currently have five players under contract with at least some kind of option through 2013-14

1. Bargnani
2. Johnson
3. Kleiza - Player Option
4. DeRozan - Qualifying Offer
5. Davis - Team Option

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9165

Actuallly I knew his contract, I just didn`t he was younger the Bosh, thought he was like 30, apparently he`s only 25

[Buddahfan]

Actuallly I knew his contract, I just didn`t he was younger the Bosh, thought he was like 30, apparently he`s only 25

I hear ya.

When the Raptors announced that they agreed to deal with him I thought he was about 27-28

So I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that he is only 25

[madeupid25]

Isn't beating Spain without Pau Gasol significantly less of an accomplishment?

[Blasterfi9]

Is it juss me, or does spain look a lil lost at times with Rubio running the point majority of minutes..... i think they miss Calderon -_-

[Buddahfan]

Is it juss me, or does spain look a lil lost at times with Rubio running the point majority of minutes..... i think they miss Calderon -_-

I didn't see the game, but I do think that if the Raptors trade Calderon for any player other than a superior PG Raptors fans will miss Calderon.

[johnp]

Where's all the idiots who say that's not real basketball because it's not NBA? Where are all the Kleiza bashers that say he's slow and soft cause he's a Euro?
Where's all the guys who said Weems should start instead of Kleiza?
Where's all the B.C. bashers on how B.C. screwed up getting this soft guy who will not make us better?
Where's the B.C. bashers who do not give him credit for signing Turk to continue to try and build for RuPaul, and then dumping him after one year when most thought the bum was untradeable for Barbosa who's way better, and signing Kleiza who is also way better than Turdolou?

+1....funny how no one is bashing Kleiza the way they shit on Bargs' performances

[vinnie_paz]

Where's all the idiots who say that's not real basketball because it's not NBA? Where are all the Kleiza bashers that say he's slow and soft cause he's a Euro?
Where's all the guys who said Weems should start instead of Kleiza?
Where's all the B.C. bashers on how B.C. screwed up getting this soft guy who will not make us better?
Where's the B.C. bashers who do not give him credit for signing Turk to continue to try and build for RuPaul, and then dumping him after one year when most thought the bum was untradeable for Barbosa who's way better, and signing Kleiza who is also way better than Turdolou?

wouldnt these be questions to ask i dont maybe after kleiza consistently plays well for the raps AGAINST REAL NBA PLAYERS ??

[Buddahfan]

+1....funny how no one is bashing Kleiza the way they shit on Bargs' performances

1. Bargnani is a #1 overall pick. - Kleiza is a MLE sign
2. Bargnani has played four seasons for the Raptors so Raptors fan know what his good and bad points are
Kleiza has yet to play for the Raptors.

Wait until Arase throws Kleiza "under the bus" which he will and maybe even opening night. Then people will criticize him more.

[golden]

Where's all the idiots who say that's not real basketball because it's not NBA? Where are all the Kleiza bashers that say he's slow and soft cause he's a Euro?
Where's all the guys who said Weems should start instead of Kleiza?
Where's all the B.C. bashers on how B.C. screwed up getting this soft guy who will not make us better?
Where's the B.C. bashers who do not give him credit for signing Turk to continue to try and build for RuPaul, and then dumping him after one year when most thought the bum was untradeable for Barbosa who's way better, and signing Kleiza who is also way better than Turdolou?

I like your passion, but don't put too much stock in these international tournaments. Remember how Sarunas Jasikevicius was the best point guard at the worlds one summer? And Spanoullis for Greece? And how Rudy Fernandez looked like a stud at the Olympics dunking over D12? Trying to extrapolate these games to the NBA is like comparing apples and bowling balls.

That said, I'd rather have Kleiza playing great than not, if for nothing else but to build his confidence. Although, he doesn't lack confidence, and is a bit cocky, if anything. LK is a very streaky shooter, so please remember to post again after he shoots the Raps out of a few games this season. I agree he is not soft, but he is slow for a SF.

[madeupid25]

Agreed. Judging FIBA 2010 to guage what's going to happen next year in the NBA is not far off summer league, or saying what happened lat year in the NCAA tournament is what is going to happen next year in the pros...

[pistol pete]

This summer: derozan & weems were solid; bargnani was good, sometimes very good; kleiza and barbosa are playing well. Sure, summer league, fiba basketball, not NBA. But I agree with the idea (Buddahfan posted it somewhere) that in 2010-1011 we might be not bad at all.

[JoePanini]

Hope Kleiza can do this for us aswell. His scoring and strength will help, plus he's the only player with true play-off experience (Denver, Olympiakos and National team). But I don't expect too much from him, remember Turk was supposed to be what Kleiza is now, but I am positive he'll be better, or atleast have a better presence on the team.