He has had an awesome olympics ... I know Valanciunas plays on Lithuania but you gotta give Kleiza some love.
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Kleiza has always been a solid player who can easily score 10+ PPG and 4 RPG off the bench for you. Personally, I sorta expect Kleiza to have a much more productive season next year off the bench and he might actually be fighting for minutes with Fields in the 3 spot (assuming he can stay healthy). You gotta remember that last season was a shortened season where he was just getting back from massive knee surgery. As a back-up sharing minutes with Fields, I can see him having 12-14 PPG, 5 RPG, and 1 APG. Having said that, this fight for minutes would hopefully entice Fields to play even better. I'm pretty sure you can all tell that I'm really excited for next yearLast edited by Blacklash2k4; Sun Aug 5, 2012, 02:29 AM.
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It's hard for international players to get the kudos they deserve from the media when they play team USA, because everyone is so focused on how they were doing. But Linas has beasted this olympics, and the whole Lithuanian squad is so good. I wish more of them would come to the NBA. The timberwolves picked up AK47 and one of his CSKA Moscow teammates, and I kinda hope we could be the place for Lithuanians in the coming years.
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I made a comment in the starting line ups thread. He is much more healthy coming into this season, he should have a bit of increased mobility that will help him on defence. I look for him to have a consistent role this year, helping to solidify our wing rotation.Twitter @WJ_FINDLAY
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WJF wrote: View PostI made a comment in the starting line ups thread. He is much more healthy coming into this season, he should have a bit of increased mobility that will help him on defence. I look for him to have a consistent role this year, helping to solidify our wing rotation.
Casey and Colangelo consistently said after the season that mistakes would not be tolerated next year. Defensive miscues and/or poor execution have been problems for DeRozan in the past.
Keep in mind this is merely speculation on my part. DeRozan truly is an enigma from my perspective.... even more than the 'enigma of enigmas'. When it comes to DeRozan I can't get any idea of his future role with the Raptors or his future in the league.
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Matt52 wrote: View PostWould it be outlandish to speculate on a starting lineup with Fields and Kleiza at SG and SF?
Casey and Colangelo consistently said after the season that mistakes would not be tolerated next year. Defensive miscues and/or poor execution have been problems for DeRozan in the past.
Keep in mind this is merely speculation on my part. DeRozan truly is an enigma from my perspective.... even more than the 'enigma of enigmas'. When it comes to DeRozan I can't get any idea of his future role with the Raptors or his future in the league.
Even though LF is clearly getting starter money .. I think we all know thats due to the nash blunder .. so I personally would be looking to look past that and bring him off the bench if thats the right thing to do. If he can knock down the 3 at a resonable % .. then he will keep the job .. but if not, I think LK gets it quickly.
In the end, maybe LK and TR will be our two best wings this year.....??
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Kleiza has played great the two Lituhuania games I've seen - I hope he's healthy this season. However, I think he's better utilized as scoring punch off the bench. Bargnani and Lowry will be the 1A/B scoring options in the first unit. Derozan as a slasher is well suited to being a 3rd scorer. Kleiza strikes me as a guy who thinks he is a 1A scorer (like Barbosa) - great as scoring punch off the bench, but he might take too many shots if playing with the starters.
I'm hopeful Derozan comes up big this year, but I think he might be Nick Young - scores and not much else.
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How does this look for a bench unit, all 5 guys non-starters
PG Jose
SG Ross
SF Linas
PF Ed/Amir
C Amir/Ed
I like what that line-up could bring to the floor, good shooters, good post play, athleticism, can work in the half court or on the break. Early in the year we may see Amir as a Starter with Jonas off the bench, but it could be Gray starting in November as well.Twitter @WJ_FINDLAY
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Matt52 wrote: View PostWould it be outlandish to speculate on a starting lineup with Fields and Kleiza at SG and SF?
Casey and Colangelo consistently said after the season that mistakes would not be tolerated next year. Defensive miscues and/or poor execution have been problems for DeRozan in the past.
Keep in mind this is merely speculation on my part. DeRozan truly is an enigma from my perspective.... even more than the 'enigma of enigmas'. When it comes to DeRozan I can't get any idea of his future role with the Raptors or his future in the league.“The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.” - Martin Luther King
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Kleiza looked great against the Americans. 25 points against the best team in the world (probably) when he was the obvious Lithuanian scoring punch? They weren't doubling him because they don't have to, of course, they have so much offence themselves.
Kleiza on a Raptors team with a few other scoring options is very exciting. I do expect him to have a better year.
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coastal wrote: View PostKleiza has played great the two Lituhuania games I've seen - I hope he's healthy this season. However, I think he's better utilized as scoring punch off the bench. Bargnani and Lowry will be the 1A/B scoring options in the first unit. Derozan as a slasher is well suited to being a 3rd scorer. Kleiza strikes me as a guy who thinks he is a 1A scorer (like Barbosa) - great as scoring punch off the bench, but he might take too many shots if playing with the starters.
I'm hopeful Derozan comes up big this year, but I think he might be Nick Young - scores and not much else.
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YoungGuns wrote: View PostHe has had an awesome olympics ... I know Valanciunas plays on Lithuania but you gotta give Kleiza some love.
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Miekenstien wrote: View Postin international play tweeners aren't as exposed. in the nba the talent jumps and people are either bigger than you if you go up and faster than you if you go down.
klieza is a good player but he always plays well in international competition
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mountio wrote: View PostI think a LK/DD starting lineup with Ross and LF filling in the 2/3 off the bench is entirely possible. On the one hand, I can certainly see them wanting to justify the $ they spent on Fields .. but on the other hand ... hes really more of a 2 and is LK truly is healthy for the first time, he may well be our best option at the 3.
Even though LF is clearly getting starter money .. I think we all know thats due to the nash blunder .. so I personally would be looking to look past that and bring him off the bench if thats the right thing to do. If he can knock down the 3 at a resonable % .. then he will keep the job .. but if not, I think LK gets it quickly.
In the end, maybe LK and TR will be our two best wings this year.....??
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