Raptors Breakdown: No Bite in Toronto

With their current roster, the Toronto Raptors need to shoot lights-out from the perimeter to win games.

Andrea Bargnani did his part in Toronto’s recent 101-85 loss to Detroit, but the team still had trouble scoring against the streaking Pistons.

All told, the game highlighted a number of reasons as to why the Raptors are doomed to a first-round playoff exit...

 

Why the Raptors Can Win a Playoff Series

First, the good news.

After Bargnani missed two of his first three shots—long jumpers early in the shot clock—Sam Mitchell benched the youngster for his unwillingness to attack the rim.

To Bargnani’s credit, he got the message.

Bargnani’s shooting numbers for the game were solid (10-16 FG, 3-5 3FG, 25 PTS), and the youngster was much more aggressive when he checked back in, driving from the left wing for a dunk before driving along the right baseline for another throw-down.

Bargnani showed he’s an excellent one-on-none shooter, as nearly all of his looks from behind the arc were unguarded. When he drives against inferior defenders, his bizarre combination of length and quickness makes him an extremely difficult matchup for opposing centers and power forwards.

With T.J. Ford out of the lineup, Jose Calderon got the starting nod at point guard. Calderon (7-13 FG, 3 REB, 9 AST, 1 TO, 2 STL, 15 PTS) was able to penetrate off screen/rolls, always looked to pass, and, because Detroit decided to go under his screen/rolls, punished the Pistons with a lethal pull-up jumper going left.

Unlike Ford, Calderon’s decision-making was perfect—he never forced a shot or a pass. Calderon should be Toronto’s starter for the duration.

Chris Bosh was an athletic rebounder (16 rebounds) and an excellent midrange baseline shooter. He also showed good patience on a post, turn, and step-through from the right box for a layup.

Bosh can drive hard in a straight line if no defender picks him up, as was the case on a third-quarter driving layup and a fourth-quarter baseline dunk.

At one point, Mitchell called a play on which Bosh curled around a down screen to hit a midrange jumper. My only question: Why didn’t Mitchell call that play more often?

Jamario Moon is an excellent baseline scorer who can drive or shoot. Though his release is a bit slow and he airballed a midrange jumper, when he had time he drilled a left baseline three.

Moon also got up high to block a short Rip Hamilton jumper.

Kris Humphries’ (1-4 FG, 3-6 FT, 6 REB, 5 PTS) dive cuts to the basket usually resulted in layups or free throws.

While Anthony Parker’s jumper didn’t show up (2-11), and while he bit on a number of Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince head fakes, he's usually an excellent defender, and one of the few Raptors who will drive to the hoop with alacrity.

The Raptors play very unselfish basketball and are loaded with shooters.



Why the Raptors Are Doomed to a First-Round Exit

And now the not-so-good news.

Bargnani may be the worst defender in the entire league. He was befuddled by screen/rolls, he was lost while defending the paint, he was shoved around at will, he was completely unaware that Rasheed Wallace loves to shoot threes, his close-outs were pathetically clumsy and late, he didn’t challenge shots at the basket, and in 40 minutes of playing time, he grabbed two rebounds.

Even Eddy Curry will grab more than two rebounds in 40 minutes!

Bargnani also rarely created his own shot, instead looking for Calderon to spot him behind the arc, or attacking the rim off of busted plays. For a No. 1 pick, Bargnani is too soft, too defenseless, and too one-dimensional.

As unselfish as Calderon was on offense, he was that porous on defense. Whether posting up or off the dribble, Chauncey Billups was far too physical for Calderon to handle.

The only positive defensive plays Calderon made were on early first-quarter interceptions of lazy entry passes to Billups. Every other time he was attacked, the Pistons were rewarded with an open look.

While he’s an athletic rebounder, Bosh isn’t really a physical one, and Antonio McDyess was able to muscle him around for several offensive rebounds. In truth, though, Bosh was often working one-on three on the glass—and all things considered, he did an excellent job.

However, Bosh is timid in the post, and only wants to shoot turnaround jumpers. He was clumsy when trying to dribble away from a rare Pistons double-team, and once dribbled the ball off his foot out of bounds. He isn’t the physical presence this team needs to win playoff games.

Aside from some dive-cuts and rebounds from Humphries, the Raptor bench was abysmal. Jason Kapono, Carlos Delfino, and Juan Dixon were all completely defenseless, and couldn’t find open shots for themselves.

When the Raptors closed within five at the end of the third quarter, Sam Mitchell gave his starters their usual rest and put in Delfino, Kapono, Dixon, and Humphries to play alongside Bargnani.

Within two minutes, the Raptors turned the ball over twice, had Carlos Delfino brick a short jumper, and watched Rodney Stuckey dominate Dixon for two assists and a bucket to extend the lead back up to 11.

When Calderon was on the bench, the Raptor offense was crippled.

Only Calderon and Parker can create for others, while only Calderon, Bosh, and sometimes Bargnani can create for themselves.

The Raptors were soft on defense, and totally reliant on jump-shooting on offense.



If their jumpers are falling, the Raptors have the offensive firepower to make the playoffs. Also, credit Sam Mitchell for fielding a totally unselfish unit.

But unless the Raptors are converting their looks at a phenomenal rate, their playoff run will quickly face extinction.