Chris Bosh has been a force for the Toronto Raptors this season, leading the team in almost every meaningful offensive category. (David Zalubowski/Canadian Press)
Toronto Raptors' mid-season report card
Signs of improvement
The Toronto Raptors' sudden success proves GM Bryan Colangelo is no dummy when it comes to hoops
Last Updated Mon., Feb. 19, 2007
Jason Satur, CBC Sports Online
This past off-season, Toronto Raptors' general manager Bryan Colangelo wasted no time shaping his new team according to his own vision.
But that vision brought skepticism from both fans and critics alike.
From the NBA washout coming from the Israeli league, to the Spaniard with less hops than a bankrupt brewery, to the unproven first-overall draft pick from Italy who might not be "al dente" enough for the American pro-game — no one had high hopes for these international men of mystery.
But, to borrow from a popular shoe company's ad campaign, you were fooled.
Currently sitting at 29-24 at the all-star break, the Raptors are poised to take their first Atlantic Division crown, and that may only be the tip of the iceberg in an Eastern Conference that doesn't appear to feature a superpower this season.
So, as the NBA prepares for a mid-season breather with the All-Star Game taking place in Las Vegas, Sports Online grades the surprising Toronto Raptors after 53 games.
Starters: B+
The Raptors' usual starting five of T.J. Ford, Anthony Parker, Jorge Garbajosa, Chris Bosh and Rasho Nesterovic has come together quickly and effectively, largely due to the presence of two high draft picks surrounded by smart veterans.
The Lenovo +/- stat evaluates the best five-man lineup combination in terms of point differential and the Raptors' starting five with Jose Calderon instead of T.J. Ford ranks 20th in the league. Last season, Toronto didn't have a five-man combo that ranked in the top 60.
Despite Ford not being a part of that winning combination, he's looked like the little engine that could this season. The diminutive Texan has shown a big game to the tune of 14.3 points per game and 7.8 assists per game — good for eighth in the league.
Ford's primary target, Chris Bosh, is having his breakout season. The starting power-forward in this season's all-star game has benefited from two pass-first point guards who know the offence runs through him. He's also added an element of decisiveness and consistency to his game, which has translated to huge stats.
Bosh is now expected to put up 20 points and 10 rebounds nightly, and it's rare when he doesn't deliver. Those MVP chants at the Air Canada Centre may be a tad premature but Toronto fans should keep practicing — they may get to use it for real very soon.
Rounding out the starting five are three more new additions who stand out for, well, not standing out. Nesterovic, Parker and Garbajosa are perhaps the best positional defenders on the entire team and work well within the offence, taking smart shots when they should and deferring to teammates for better looks. And, at least as important, the trio has added a sense of professionalism and veteran savvy that's kept this team poised and focused.
Bench: A-
With four new starters, players like Morris Peterson and Joey Graham have been pushed back in the rotation, which is probably where they belong on a playoff team.
Backup point guard Jose Calderon has improved by leaps and bounds. (Canadian Press)
Peterson had a somewhat erratic start to the season, but he seems to have bought into his role as a sixth man of late — coming off the bench to provide instant offence for Toronto.
Graham has improved and has shown tantalizing flashes of the athleticism and mid-range game that made him a first-round pick, but his consistency and decision-making on the floor stand to improve with more experience.
But it's another young, dynamic point guard/ big man duo that earn this grade for the bench.
Calderon has improved by leaps and bounds from his first season and is now being mentioned as one of the best back-up point guards in the league. His shooting percentage has gone up from 47 to 52.7 per cent, forcing defenders to play him tighter. The result is a player that can beat you with the jump shot or by accelerating past a defender for easy lay-ups.
But while Calderon has been one of several bright spots this season in Toronto, has any Raptor looked more intriguing than Andrea Bargnani?
The young Roman has adjusted just fine to the NBA, thanks largely to his international seasoning. With nearly every passing game, the rookie seems to show something new and seems committed to improving. The shooting, ball-handling, passing and shot-blocking skills are all there, but if Bargnani starts rebounding and defending a little better, the sky's the limit.
Coach: B-
Despite the team's success, the giant elephant in the corner of the Air Canada Centre still remains the contract status of head coach Sam Mitchell.
It was expected that Colangelo would want to put a candidate of his choosing behind the bench to replace Mitchell, based on his history of promoting assistants he's groomed for head coaching jobs over the years.
Yet Colangelo has given his inherited coach the opportunity to sink or swim and to Mitchell's credit, the guy can at least tread water.
So if the Raptors crack the playoffs with more than 40 wins, how do you deny Mitchell an extension?
The whole roster seems to relate to his direct approach as a former player who can identify with their experiences and, unlike past seasons, Mitchell has been given legitimate talent who work hard and actually want to be Raptors.
Raptors' coach Sam Mitchell is doing a good job handling prized rookie Andrea Bargnani. (Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)
In short, he's been given the tools to succeed and he's using them.
He still may not be the ultimate Xs-and-Os coach, but as this group continues to gel, players have started moving more effectively without the ball. Mitchell has incorporated more back-door cuts and plays off screens on offence, plus he's instilled an intensity on defence that's been missing in Toronto for years.
Mitchell's free to walk at season's end and with other potential coaching vacancies expected in the NBA, the Raptors may not necessarily be able to keep him. But "lame duck" isn't a term that's been used of late to describe his status.
What to expect
The Raptors have grown increasingly stronger with each passing month and, barring any major injuries, there's every reason to believe that the team will be back in the post-season for the first time since 2002.
Of Toronto's 29 remaining games, 15 will be within the friendly confines of the Air Canada Centre, where the team boasts a sterling record of 19-7.
With the trade deadline looming, there's always the possibility of a move from Colangelo, but a blockbuster shouldn't be expected.
Another rebounder and athletic young wing player must undoubtedly be at the top of the GM's wish list, but what can the Raptors offer in return?
Morris Peterson's the name that's been brought up the most in trade rumours, due to his pending free agency at season's end, but given his ability to shoot threes and defend, the Raptors might be better off keeping him unless they're blown away by an offer.
Later rotations players could be packaged with Peterson or moved out for draft picks, but don't expect much more than that.
As for the playoffs, Raptors fans should heed a five-word cautionary tale from last season — New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. That team also had a scintillating start to the season before the wheels fell off the playoff bus, losing 12 of 13 down the stretch and eventually finishing 10th in the West.
But led by Bosh, this Raptors team seems to be goal-focused and playoff-hungry. Should they advance to the NBA's second season, there's really no reason to think this team can't steal a seven-game series. The Raptors have beaten all of the Bulls, Wizards, Cavs, Magic and Pacers this season and come within an eyelash of knocking off some of the West's powerhouses.
Playoffs or not however, Raptors fans can look forward to a bright future with a young, talented nucleus leading the charge.
Key Numbers
- Record: 29-24
- Conference rank: 4th in the East
- Division rank: 1st in the Atlantic
- Home record: 19-7 (8th in the NBA)
- Road record: 10-17 (15th in the NBA)
- Versus conference: 20-10
- Versus division: 8-2
- Points-for-per-game average: 99.1 (18th in the NBA)
- Points-against-per-game average: 98.8 (16th in the NBA)
- Field-goal percentage: .463 (9th in the NBA)
- Opponents' field-goal percentage: .468 (25th in the NBA)
- Average number of total rebounds per game: 38.5 (30th in the NBA)
- Average number of blocks per game: 3.8 (26th in the NBA)
* 30 teams play in the NBA
Team Leaders
- Points-per-game average: Chris Bosh (23.29)
- Rebounds-per-game average: Chris Bosh (10.70)
- Assists per-game average: T.J. Ford (7.76)
- Field-goal percentage: Chris Bosh (50.53)
- Blocks-per-game average: Chris Bosh (1.19)
- Steals-per-game average: T.J. Ford (1.26)
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