In the NBA, it is always better to win a game than it is to lose one.
This said … Winning certain games, in and of themselves, can often mask specific deficiencies which, if left unchecked, will rot the core of an otherwise tasty apple.
The only other time in the history of the Toronto Raptors franchise the dinos have started their season with a 3-0 mark was in 2004-2005, which ushered in two years of doom & gloom and, ultimately, resulted in the trading of their only superstar player [i.e. Wince Carter].
What were the root causes of the team’s many eventual problems that season?
1. The lack of QUALITY DEPTH throughout the roster.
2. An inability to REBOUND the ball like a team with a top notch QUALITY INDEX RATING.
Despite a positive start to the regular season, when a team (i) does not have confidence in the players on its bench AND (ii) cannot sustain a Positive Rebounding Differential, over an extended run of games, it is only a matter of time before its W-L record balances out and, quite possibly, tips in the opposite direction.
———————————–
FINAL SCORE: Raptors 91, Bucks 87
Game Info
POSITIVES
|
|
POS |
MP |
FGMA |
3FGM-A |
FTM-A |
+/- |
OR |
DR |
TOT |
AST |
PF |
ST |
TO |
BS |
BA |
PTS |
|
F |
41:27 |
6-10 |
0-0 |
8-10 |
+14 |
1 |
9 |
10 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
20 |
|
|
F |
27:35 |
4-8 |
3-6 |
4-4 |
+9 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
15 |
|
|
G |
43:52 |
4-10 |
1-3 |
2-2 |
+10 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
11 |
|
|
G |
43:21 |
8-15 |
3-4 |
6-6 |
+10 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
|
|
|
25:10 |
3-5 |
1-1 |
2-2 |
-5 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
* 3FGM-A [%] vs Opp: 8-16 [50.0] vs 3-13 [23.1], +15 Pts
* FTM-A [%] vs Opp: 23-26 [88.5] vs 12-19 [63.2], +11 Pts
NEEDED AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
|
|
POS |
MP |
FGMA |
3FGM-A |
FTM-A |
+/- |
OR |
DR |
TOT |
AST |
PF |
ST |
TO |
BS |
BA |
PTS |
|
C |
28:43 |
5-10 |
0-0 |
1-2 |
-2 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
|
17:29 |
0-3 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
-9 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
04:21 |
0-1 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
-4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
* Assist:Turnover Differential vs Opp: +4/22:18 vs +10/24:14 [Tor -6]
* REBOUNDING DIFFERENTIAL:
1st Half – Tor 20 Rebs, 41 Pts; MLW 20 Rebs, 40 Pts
3rd Q – Tor 8 Rebs, 19 Pts; MLW 7 Rebs, 21 Pts
4th Q – Tor 7 Rebs, 21 Pts; MLW 12 Rebs, 27 Pts
TOTAL – Tor 35, 91 Pts; MLW 39 Rebs, 87 Pts [Tor -4]
KEY POSSESSION OUTCOME[S]
* 00:21 4th Q … Tor 84, MLW 85 … Calderon’s Made 3PT-shot, which resulted from Sessions defensive miscue, i.e. helping off JC at the Top Of The Key, versus CB4′s Right Wing isolation … Tor 87, MLW 85
———————————–
The next time these two teams meet, if the Bucks get even slightly better performances from:
|
|
POS |
MP |
FGMA |
3FGM-A |
FTM-A |
+/- |
OR |
DR |
TOT |
AST |
PF |
ST |
TO |
BS |
BA |
PTS |
|
F |
36:03 |
3-13 |
0-3 |
3-4 |
-6 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
|
|
G |
43:39 |
7-19 |
1-6 |
4-7 |
-4 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
|
|
|
13:12 |
1-5 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
+1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
and give some additional PT to:
|
|
POS |
MP |
FGMA |
3FGM-A |
FTM-A |
+/- |
OR |
DR |
TOT |
AST |
PF |
ST |
TO |
BS |
BA |
PTS |
|
C |
31:18 |
7-10 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
-2 |
5 |
4 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
|
G |
36:46 |
5-10 |
0-0 |
2-4 |
-9 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
9 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
|
|
|
05:47 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
+6 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
19:35 |
4-7 |
0-0 |
1-2 |
+5 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
|
|
DNP – Coach’s Decision |
||||||||||||||||
it would not be a surprise at all to see Milwaukee triumph on the scoreboard … given the Raptors lack of QUALITY DEPTH and their REBOUNDING DEFICIENCY.
Although both of these teams should be in the playoff hunt this season, in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors hold an edge due to the presence of Jose Calderon & Chris Bosh, who are each superior players to their counterparts on the Bucks.
