Bryan Colangelo, unplugged [Dec 08]

“The answer to the riddle is found in the original source material.”
- khandor

As a Raptors fan, you need to Listen to the whole thing.

Of Scorpions, frogs, GM’s and coaches [April 30, 2008]

Nothing more and nothing less than THAT.

First good news out of Raptors’ camp

According to a report on FAN590 radio, this is how things are shaping up during the early stages of training camp for the Toronto Raptors:

STARTING UNIT: Calderon, Parker, Moon, O’Neal & Bosh

2nd Unit: Ukic, Kapono, Graham, Humphries & Bargnani

Reserves: Solomon or Adams & Jawai or Sampson

As straight-forward, conventional line-ups go, in the NBA … if the Raptors eventually decide to stick with this one - i.e. using Kapono & Graham as the primary back-ups for Parker & Moon, at the 2 & 3 positions, respectively – they are going to find themselves in a solid position to compete night-in and night-out with the other 2nd tier group of teams in the Eastern Conference, on the heels of Detroit and Boston … so long as there are no major injuries to Bosh, O’Neal or Calderon.

As is … the major problem with this team is the overall Lack of Quality Depth … but, there’s no denying the fact that the squad has 10 pieces to the puzzle of a 15-piece Playoff Contender Set, in the Eastern Conference, this season.

If Raptors fans everywhere do their best to avoid (i) crossing paths with Black Cats, (ii) walking underneath ladders, and (iii) breaking mirrors, etc., who knows … maybe just this one time, this team can roll the dice, in this way, and gingerly side-step the injury bugaboo that almost always rears its head and derails the best laid plans of mice & men who try to play the game with a short stack.

Although, in general … high risk, low reward propositions seldom produce a winning combination, in the NBA, over the long grind of an 82-game season.

Improved Rebounding & Defense for the Raptors

For the benefit of Raptors fans everywhere …

Sam Mitchell speaks on the FAN590 [Fri Sep 12 2008]

… about the arrival of Jermaine O’Neal, the play of Chris Bosh & Jose Calderon at the Olympics, the quality of his wardrobe, the expected improvement of Andrea Bargnani, what builds good character, which players are going to get the most playing time this season and at what positions, plus what’s needed for the Raptors to advance in the NBA Playoffs.

Pay particular attention to the final half of the interview … from the 7:15 mark on …

“We’ve got to rebound the basketball. I think we’ve proven, since I’ve been here, that we’ve been able to score the basketball fairly well … but our Defense & Rebounding, it starts with the Defense and you finish it off [on the] on the Defensive Boards. We got to play D and Rebound the basketball … you’re not going to win, you’re not going to win … being 29th in the league in Rebounding.”

and, then, what he has to say in his closing comments:

“We’re not going to change a lot of things. A lot of the stuff we run Chris & Jermaine can do. We run a lot of Double-High Post-ups, which is great for those guys … and the difference is … you know, also … we can put both Chris and Jermaine down on that Low Post, at times, [and] and command the basketball … we’re excited with the team, I like our basketball team, on paper … if we can stay healthy … but, again, it’s all going to be decided once we get on the floor.”

It is going to be a most interesting season in Raptorville.

13 players on the roster and $1,100 under the NBA’s Tax Threshold

For the benefit of Raptors fans everywhere … 

Bryan Colangelo speaks on FAN590/PrimeTime [Tue Sep 09 2008]

Pay particular attention to the final segment … beginning approximately @ the 25:00 mark … during which the Raptors’ GM discusses: (i) Ball-stoppers in the Low Post; (ii) having enough talented play-makers to gain the trust of said Ball-stoppers; and, (iii) a realistic picture of where he sees this team stacking up this season in the Eastern Conference with the likes of Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Washington, etc.

As is … there’s a lot to like about this team, this season … but, also, a healthy dose of trepidation, as far as the actual amount of improvement which is likely to occur in the immediate future.

The Eastern Conference is improving, on the whole … and the Raptors could well be treading water for several seasons to come.