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Raptors: best front court in the NBA within 2 years?

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  • Raptors: best front court in the NBA within 2 years?

    This post was inspired by the Amir Johnson article on the front page, written by Tim W.

    I think that we are on our way to having one of the most efficient front courts in the NBA: Amir continues to be an advanced stats monster and Valanciunas, while not the TS% beast he was last year, puts up a double double per 36and shoot over 50%.

    Defensively, Amir is a great and Val is starting to show some of that rim protector potential with sime very nice blocks and good foot work. He's still a work in progress but more and more you can see him becoming the player we all hope he will be.

    The Raptors front court hopes don't end there though: Tyler Hansbrough has been a revelation off the bench. He's 8'th in offensive rebounding and offensive rating and is actually providing some good scoring in the second unit just of his second hand points. He is just what the doctor ordered for our volume shooting team and I'll take him as our back up four everyday of the week.

    I think that this needs to be this franchises fous going forward and fucusing on creating an environment for our big amn to succeed is priority 1. Maybe we can start by getting an offensive system that focuses on post play...like maybe the triangle?

    Anyway, just more positive thoughts to get us through the year.
    Last edited by hateslosing; Mon Nov 18, 2013, 08:22 PM. Reason: spelling!
    "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."

    -Churchill

  • #2
    all good points but sorry to be a wet blanket we need players willing to pass JV the ball now and again (Im getting the sad/scary feeling this iso ball is rubbing off on JV, he doesn't get the ball so on the odd time he does he take a shot thinking he will never see it again in the quarter)

    and we need a coach willing to play him in the 4th. I get it when JV is playing bad and you want to win Casey but when he is doing well and you still sit him that's just infuriating
    Last edited by Niagara Raptor; Tue Dec 3, 2013, 03:08 PM.

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    • #3
      Niagara Raptor wrote: View Post
      all good points but sorry to be a wet blanket we need players willing to pass JV the ball now and again (Im getting the sad/scary feeling this iso ball is rubbing off on JV, he doesn't get the ball so on the odd time he dies he take a shot thinking he will never see it again in the quarter)

      and we need a coach willing to play him in the 4th. I get it when JV is playing bad and you want to win Casey but when he is doing well and you still sit him that's just infuriating
      I remember Casey used to do this with Ed Davis.
      The most frustrating and slightly hilarious example was when we were in OT against Miami and Amir (or JV?) fouled out. Casey was playing small ball again and he needed a big to replace the one that fouled out, so he brought in Aaron Gray. I remember the commentators taking shots at Casey and wondering why he would not put in Ed Davis instead. Lol

      Anyways, I'm sure that once the roster is reworked (because I highly doubt Masai will keep this one for the long haul) we'll see the front court get more involved in the offense compared to now.
      OG is our king

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      • #4
        Whoa, slow down. we'll get better every year but the best within 2 years ? not a chance. Other than that, yeah time to shift focus from the wings to the inside ASAP.

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        • #5
          Dino4life wrote: View Post
          Whoa, slow down. we'll get better every year but the best within 2 years ? not a chance. Other than that, yeah time to shift focus from the wings to the inside ASAP.
          Well, what are the top front courts in the league? Let's rank the top 5!!!!

          1. Houston-Dwight and...Asik?
          2. Clippers: Blake and Jordon
          3. Detroit: Monroe and Drummand
          4. Memphis: Marc Gasol and Randolph
          5. Minnosota: Love and Pekovich

          I may have missed a team but let's go ahead anyway. So, can Amir and Jonas be the equals of any pair on this list? I think that the answer is yes, though it is a stretch. If you believe the hype and look at the strides Val has already made, there is no reason he can't be as good as anyone on that list. He is bigger than a lot of them and already has better touch than most of them will ever get. Now Amir admittedly is likely not as good at putting up numbers like most of these guys but I would argue his is as good as most of the power forwards on this list in terms of his defense and rebounding. Add his great offensive rebounding ability and his summer 3 and you have a play of guys who actually be defense, and I think there is an argument to be had if him and Val will make the top 5.
          "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."

          -Churchill

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          • #6
            You mean when we draft Randle?
            @sweatpantsjer

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            • #7
              An elite small forward alongside Jonas and Amir would be a top-notch frontcourt. That's all we need for the frontcourt, honestly.

              For the BACK court, though - we need a starting-quality point guard, and have to hope Ross develops into a starting SG (or DeMar does, but that seems less likely).

              And then we need a bench. Tyler is overperforming, good for him, but he's a good foul-drawing specialist. Raps fans get desperate looking for any upside and then mentally explode it. So we need

              - a sixth man, probably a three-point threat/scoring dynamo
              - a quality backup point guard
              - a quality backup centre
              - a third traditional big

              That's a LOT of stuff we need.

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              • #8
                magoon wrote: View Post
                An elite small forward alongside Jonas and Amir would be a top-notch frontcourt. That's all we need for the frontcourt, honestly.

                For the BACK court, though - we need a starting-quality point guard, and have to hope Ross develops into a starting SG (or DeMar does, but that seems less likely).

                And then we need a bench. Tyler is overperforming, good for him, but he's a good foul-drawing specialist. Raps fans get desperate looking for any upside and then mentally explode it. So we need

                - a sixth man, probably a three-point threat/scoring dynamo
                - a quality backup point guard
                - a quality backup centre
                - a third traditional big

                That's a LOT of stuff we need.
                You forgot something: a good coach.
                OG is our king

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                • #9
                  consmap wrote: View Post
                  You forgot something: a good coach.
                  Coaches are easier to get then players are. You can fire a coach any old time and hire a new one any old time. Players get contracts and interact with the cap.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    hateslosing wrote: View Post
                    Well, what are the top front courts in the league? Let's rank the top 5!!!!

                    1. Houston-Dwight and...Asik?
                    2. Clippers: Blake and Jordon
                    3. Detroit: Monroe and Drummand
                    4. Memphis: Marc Gasol and Randolph
                    5. Minnosota: Love and Pekovich

                    I may have missed a team but let's go ahead anyway. So, can Amir and Jonas be the equals of any pair on this list? I think that the answer is yes, though it is a stretch. If you believe the hype and look at the strides Val has already made, there is no reason he can't be as good as anyone on that list. He is bigger than a lot of them and already has better touch than most of them will ever get. Now Amir admittedly is likely not as good at putting up numbers like most of these guys but I would argue his is as good as most of the power forwards on this list in terms of his defense and rebounding. Add his great offensive rebounding ability and his summer 3 and you have a play of guys who actually be defense, and I think there is an argument to be had if him and Val will make the top 5.
                    Don't forget:

                    Atlanta: Horford/Millsap
                    Indiana: Hibbert/West
                    SA: Duncan/Splitter

                    ... I'd take any of these over Drummond/Monroe or Jordan/Griffin

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I love Amir but he's not a starting caliber PF in this league.
                      Mamba Mentality

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                      • #12
                        1. Gasol and Zbo
                        2. Hibbert and West
                        3. Horford and Millsap
                        4. Duncan and Splitter
                        5. Monroe and Drummond
                        6. Aldridge and Lopez
                        7. Blake and Jordan
                        8. Gasol and Hill
                        9. Bargs and Melo (yes, no joke!)
                        10. Tristan and Varejao
                        11. Kanter and Favours
                        12. Jonas and Amir (they should be ranked higher but I ranked them lower due to Casey's stubbornness of going small ball all the time esp sitting jonas in the 4th quarter)

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                        • #13
                          In 2 years, it is more likely that Favors and Kanter are the best front court in the league.

                          M Gasol and Z-Bo will have declined.
                          David West will have declined.
                          Millsap might have moved to another team.
                          Duncan should be retired.
                          Monroe and Drummond is a possiblity, if they keep Monroe.
                          R Lopez is a dud.
                          Blake Griffin and Jordan are a possibility but very doubtful
                          Lakers will have a new front court.
                          Bargs will be benched and Melo might be in LA.
                          Varajao will not be a starter.
                          Amir might not be a starter either depending on how we draft.
                          Heir, Prince of Cambridge

                          If you see KeonClark in the wasteland, please share your food and water with him.

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                          • #14
                            TRex wrote: View Post
                            I love Amir but he's not a starting caliber PF in this league.
                            I strongly disagree. He's not an all star caliber but he is without doubt at least a middle of the road starter.

                            Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk
                            9 time first team all-RR, First Ballot Hall of Forum

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                            • #15
                              Jonas could be one half of a solid front court, but not next to Amir.

                              I love Amir, but he's not in the "best of the best" category.

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