The New Raps Will Be A +0.500 Playoff Team

[skywalker]

My gut is telling that the raps are on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. However, i am optimistic and hope to be proven wrong! And I am very excited about the upcoming basketball season!!

In other news, can we create an ANTI-HEAT page!?! I seriously want them to do so bad! HAHA

[vinnie_paz]

Raptors projected staring 5: Jack, DeRozan, Kleiza, Amir, Bargani

These 6 teams clearly have a much better team:
Celts: Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, O'Neill
Hawks: Bibby, J. Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, Horford
Heat: Wade, Miller, LBJ, Bosh, Anthony
Bucks: Jennings, Salmons, Maggette, Gooden, Bogut
Magic: Nelson, Carter, Pietrus, Lewis, Howard
Bulls: Rose, Brewer, Deng, Boozer, Noah

And I'd argue that even these 4 are better than Raps:
Wizards: Wall, Arenas, Thornton, Blatche, McGee
Sixers: Holiday, Turner, Iggy, Young, Brand
Knicks: Felton, Azubuike, Gallinari, Randolph, Stoudemire
Nets: Harris, Lee, Outlaw, Favors, Lopez

So what are we realistically talking about? Maybe 11th seed in the East? Disappointed? We shouldn't be, we can get a good player in next draft and let our young core get heavy minutes which will do them wonders. Can we surprise people? It's possible if we really start dominating the offensive glass and playing team defense. Think Houston early last season before that idiotic trade they made. But I wouldn't bet on it, Chandler and Barnes could have been the recipes for this kind of play, without them I just don't see Kleiza or Jack becoming lockdown defenders, much less Bargs becoming a monster on the glass either. I hope that BC comes up with something good in February when underachieving teams look to shed salary (dare I say Josh Smith guys?) But the next 18 months will determine if we come up with a true contender in 4 years time, or if another 5 seasons of 35-40 wins. But this summer looks promising after a long time.

+1

[SitnonDfence]

Lots of haters recently drinking the ESPN Kool Aid and crucifying our team before the season starts.

Theyre drinkin something but its sure aint Kool-aid. Maybe this?

[Babyface_killah]

We have no players on this squad that can create their own shot off the dribble or in a ISO. Is there any team in the league outside of the T-wolves are like this? Plus we didn't improve at rebounding and maybe got marginally better on defense.

On offence we are no doubt going to miss Bosh, call him a "ball-sticker" or whatever but he still is one of the more efficient players in the NBA (4th in PER last year). He gets to the line at superstar rate and can create his own shot off the dribble (a rarity for big man). He draws the double-team for other teammates (Bargnani was brutal when Bosh was injured).

Even though I don't see this team being a +0.500 ball club, I will still enjoy next year seeing the young players improve and gel.

[Prime]

Barbosa, while quick, isn't in the same league as Derrick Rose. Rose is a game-changer. Chicago has a solid team from top to bottom.

I don't see him changing many games till he develops a reliable jump shot.

[smushmush]

I don't see why everyone is so afraid of the playoffs. So what if we get swept? It's 4 more games of experience. And if we do it with a record greater than .500, I'd say it's a step in the right direction. "Rebuilding" involves two things: adding young talent, and growing as a team. You don't grow as a team when you have a losing mentality.

The problem with being swept in the playoffs is a double tragedy - it shows that you were not supposed to be in the playoffs in the first place and the draft lottery position is in the middle(15-20) which does not help a team that has been swept except if you are good draft scouting organizations like the Spurs,Jazz, OKC, Portland. Add in that we are basketball siberia(even if some fans argue, it is a reality) and a small market like Spurs, Jazz, OKC and Portland but with a bad draft scouting instead and we are doomed to mediocrity.lol.. It is like the situation with the Atlanta Hawks where they can only get to the second round and get embarassed, they are and will never be close to being a contender(add cap killer Joe Johnson's $124m contract and it is much worse).. It seems that some Toronto fans like mediocrity and are wishing for the playoffs for the excitement(which unfortunately means more money for MLSE) where being out of the playoff race might actually be more helpful to the team.

[Old guy]

Realism does not exist in professional sports! It is all fairy tale and meant to make us forget how crappy the world is...much like all entertainment throughout history. There is nothing wrong with being critical, but there is also something to be said about positive thinking, and the power therein. It is my personal opinion that if bosh didn't quit half way through the year, and we didn't have the half ass attitude of Hedo the team would have performed better. As well I am beginning to see a "quitters" attitude that I didn't think Bosh had. He is not a winner, and couldn't bring this team to perform above level. The coaches and organization wanted him to be a leader, but he is anything but that. He is selfish, and now that I have read his latest comments I have to believe that he was bitter about being the number one option, and having to work hard. Now that attitude is gone, we will see different players, even from the ones we thought we knew.

Have faith man. The only place to go is up!

[Apollo]

It takes character and loyalty to continue to cheer for your home team, that more than likely won't make the playoffs. Many of you are not unlike the three amigo's in Miami.

I think the fact that you're typing this on a Raptors fan site defeats the whole message. We wouldn't be here talking about the team's positives and negatives if we didn't care and cheer for the team. I think it will be interesting to see how those who claim this team is going to the playoffs react to the team falling well short.

[RPT23]

I'm going to swim against the current this time and agree with Multi... I think we're in for a few positive and overwhelming surprises. I've been preaching to my buddies that "this is the year... this is the time..."in the years past but always came up dissappointed. I can't give up the tradition now... lol.

[Hassan]

seriously this season depends so much on demar derozan on my opinion we seriously need a franchise player and i think demar is that player but hes need to prove himself by preforming I can see the raps making the playoffs if demar can play some solid ball and score 18 points a game. if he can surprise everyone like brandon jennings did with the buck we can do very well. on the other hand if demar sucks this year so do the raps

[hateslosing]

I think it's way too early to start making predictions about this team, I mean we just lost our best player and really have no idea what the team is going to look like or what system we are going to run.

I do think this team has potential to be a playoff team but it is going to come down to three players: Bargs, Amir, and DD. If Bargs can take on the role of primary scorer and get maybe 22 a game at a fairly high percentage, If Amir can stay on the floor for 30 minutes a game at the same intensity level we saw last season, and if Demar can turn up the heat and become our secondary offensive threat I think you'll see an even better, more efficient offense than what we had even this last season.The Defense Will improve this season due to the addition of a couple new guys and Demar getting stronger.I'm excited.

[Mr.Grinch]

So, everyone is in agreement we will be a +500 team then?

Yes!

[Krix]

I don't see him changing many games till he develops a reliable jump shot.

Obviously you didn't see the Boston-Bulls playoff series.

[Arenick]

I think it's way too early to start making predictions about this team, I mean we just lost our best player and really have no idea what the team is going to look like or what system we are going to run.

I do think this team has potential to be a playoff team but it is going to come down to three players: Bargs, Amir, and DD. If Bargs can take on the role of primary scorer and get maybe 22 a game at a fairly high percentage, If Amir can stay on the floor for 30 minutes a game at the same intensity level we saw last season, and if Demar can turn up the heat and become our secondary offensive threat I think you'll see an even better, more efficient offense than what we had even this last season.The Defense Will improve this season due to the addition of a couple new guys and Demar getting stronger.I'm excited.

I completely agree. If we see DD and Bargs develop into 20+ players, then this team is playoff bound for sure. Demar is our future, and he has to really step it up this year. For the team, and for his future.

[jlongs]

So I guess if you don't think the team is talented enough or good enough to make the playoffs, then you are considered a "hater." Nice.