Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

ESPN Insider East Rankings: Raptors 13th out of 15

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • ESPN Insider East Rankings: Raptors 13th out of 15

    Toronto has finally come to grips with reality. No longer are the Raps delusional about loading up on mediocre veterans with long-term deals, nor about winning games without bothering to play defense. With Toronto again last in defensive efficiency in 2010-11, the overmatched Jay Triano was finally shown the door. Replacing him is former Dallas zone defense maestro Dwane Casey, who now must upgrade one of the most pathetic defensive outfits in league annals.

    Central to Casey's cause is center Andrea Bargnani, who is offensively gifted but remains one of the most clueless off-ball defenders in the game. He's mobile for his size, though, and the Raps might experiment with playing him at power forward periodically now that they have some genuine size. Don't be surprised if 7-footers Solomon Alabi and Aaron Gray get a fair amount of run.

    Alas, they also have to clear minutes for Ed Davis, a revelation as a high-percentage finisher last season, but one who needs to add strength to battle NBA big men. Ditto for Amir Johnson, who quietly had a strong season in 2010-11 but, like his frontcourt mates, suffers from a lack of lower-body strength at the defensive end.

    In fact, Toronto's frontcourt looks pretty darn good going forward. First-round pick Jonas Valanciunas won't be coming over this season, but at only 19 years of age, he ranks among the best players in Europe and looks like a star in the making. He and Davis could be a fearsome combo in five years; Bargnani, whatever you think of him, would make for a pretty potent sixth man in that arrangement.

    On the wing, DeMar DeRozan flashed some star potential as a scorer, but the rest of his game lies dormant; he needs to pass the ball once in a while and play some defense. Small forward looms as a huge weakness, although the talented but ridiculously mistake-prone James Johnson remains intriguing. And at the point, Jose Calderon is a flawless offensive operator and a traffic cone for opposing point guards.

    Big picture, there are a lot of problems here beyond Casey's control -- team president Bryan Colangelo invested almost entirely in offensive players, so the result is again likely to be a decent offense paired with a hopeless defense. But if Casey can persuade his charges -- particularly Bargnani -- to compete and at least use their length as a deterrent, the Raptors' D should be less of an embarrassment.
    Rankings are:
    1. Miami
    2. Chicago
    3. Boston
    4. Orlando,
    5. Philly
    6. Indiana,
    7. New York
    8. Milwaukee
    9. Atlanta
    10. NJ
    11. Washington
    12. Detroit
    13. Toronto
    14. Cleveland
    15. Charlotte

  • #2
    That is actually a very good write up. I find it tough to find anything in there to disagree with.

    Comment


    • #3
      Great read. Thanks for posting Ars.

      I'd say they were very fair in their evaluation of the Raptors.

      Comment


      • #4
        New York in 7th is a bit too low. I'm surprised that they have Atlanta out of the playoff picture.

        Comment


        • #5
          Matt52 wrote: View Post
          That is actually a very good write up. I find it tough to find anything in there to disagree with.
          agree with the assessment. not sure i agree with the standings prediction. not that i don't think the raps won't be somewhere in the 13th spot (give or take a spot or two in either direction), but rather, i see the c**tics having a bit of a slide & going with the spurs' approach of resting their older guys, sacrificing games (and placement in the standings) in an attempt to stay healthy enough to make what may be the last *real* push in the playoffs with the big-4.

          i'd re-order it thusly:

          1. Chicago
          2. Miami
          3. Indiana
          4. Philly
          5. Orlando
          6. Boston
          7. New York
          8. Atlanta
          9. Milwaukee
          10. Washington
          11. Detroit
          12. Cleveland
          13. NJ
          14. Toronto
          15. Charlotte

          i'm crazy for putting philly & indy so high, right?
          TRUE LOVE - Sometimes you know it the instant you see it across the bar.

          Comment


          • #6
            yertu damkule wrote: View Post
            i'm crazy for putting philly & indy so high, right?
            I'm really digging Paul George. He could very well be the best player on the Pacers.

            Comment


            • #7
              Matt52 wrote: View Post
              That is actually a very good write up. I find it tough to find anything in there to disagree with.
              The only part that raised an eyebrow for me was Alabi [potentially] getting minutes. I just don't see it happening.

              Comment


              • #8
                Good writeup. Here is my prediction on how the East will look:

                1. Miami
                2. Chicago
                3. Indiana
                4. New York
                5. Orlando
                6. Boston
                7. Atlanta
                8. Philly
                9. Milwaukee
                10. NJ
                11. Washington
                12. Detroit
                13. Cleveland
                14. Toronto
                15. Charlotte


                Orlando will become dysfunctional because of Howard and will drop. Indiana will be a surprising team, and Boston will fall due to what Yurtu was saying. NY will win the division over Boston this year.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Jordan sure did gut the Bobcats. It's going to be tough to do less than them.

                  I just love hearing all these analysts call JV a star in the making.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Orlando is way too high
                    @sweatpantsjer

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      My Rankings are;

                      1. Miami
                      2. Chicago
                      3. New York
                      4. Indiana
                      5. Boston
                      6. Orlando
                      7. Atlanta
                      8. Philadelphia
                      9. Milwaukee
                      10. New Jersey
                      11. Washington
                      12. Detroit
                      13. Cleveland
                      14. Toronto
                      15. Charlotte
                      NBADoppelgangers.tumblr.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        yertu damkule wrote: View Post
                        agree with the assessment. not sure i agree with the standings prediction. not that i don't think the raps won't be somewhere in the 13th spot (give or take a spot or two in either direction), but rather, i see the c**tics having a bit of a slide & going with the spurs' approach of resting their older guys, sacrificing games (and placement in the standings) in an attempt to stay healthy enough to make what may be the last *real* push in the playoffs with the big-4.

                        i'd re-order it thusly:

                        1. Chicago
                        2. Miami
                        3. Indiana
                        4. Philly
                        5. Orlando
                        6. Boston
                        7. New York
                        8. Atlanta
                        9. Milwaukee
                        10. Washington
                        11. Detroit
                        12. Cleveland
                        13. NJ
                        14. Toronto
                        15. Charlotte

                        i'm crazy for putting philly & indy so high, right?
                        Actually, I didn't consider the rankings - just the Raptors write up.


                        Here are my rankings:

                        1. Chicago
                        2. Miami
                        3. New York
                        4. Boston
                        5. Indiana
                        6. Atlanta
                        7. Philadelphia
                        8. New Jersey
                        9. Milwaukee
                        10. Detroit
                        11. Orlando*
                        12. Washington
                        13. Cleveland
                        14. Toronto
                        15. Charlotte


                        *Howard will be traded sooner than later to New Jersey (if this doesn't happen, put Orlando at 7, New Jersey at 11, and drop everyone from Philly to to NJ down one spot ---- clear?)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          boston is gonna be a 7 or 8 seed. that team is just too old and doesn't have any quality depth. the only team i can see them beating in the playoffs is new york. orlando maybe.
                          @sweatpantsjer

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            if/when howard gets traded orlando instantly becomes the worst team in the league
                            @sweatpantsjer

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              ceez wrote: View Post
                              boston is gonna be a 7 or 8 seed. that team is just too old and doesn't have any quality depth. the only team i can see them beating in the playoffs is new york. orlando maybe.
                              Yeah and Bargs is gonna have a quadruple double this season.
                              NBADoppelgangers.tumblr.com

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X