GAME 5 RAPTORS VS. NETS: A DIFFERENT APPROACH

After a wild 4th quarter comeback, the Toronto Raptors were able to pull out a 115-113 Game 5 win to take a 3-2 series lead over the Brooklyn Nets. While most will focus on the Raptors blown lead, let me offer a different perspective. Several coaching mistakes were made, by both coaches, which were pivotal in the outcome of tonight's game.

While fingers will point at every player in that Raptors locker room, the person most at fault for the Brooklyn comeback is Head Coach Dwane Casey. Casey failed to adapt and make the necessary changes to maintain control of the game. After a small run by Brooklyn, Dwane Casey called a timeout, and appeared to have everything under control. But, when the timeout had ended, the same Raptor players that had struggled re-entered the court. At this point the Raptors had a 17 point lead. By sticking with John Salmons and Chuck Hayes, 2 players with the offensive punch of a newborn baby, Coach Casey allowed the lead to continue to dwindle. This tipped the momentum even further in Brooklyn's favour, and by the time he sent his starters in, it was too late. Momentum had taken Brooklyn's side. This culminated in a Joe Johnson three, tying the game at 101-101.

Now, let me focus the blame on Jason Kidd. At 101-101, Jason Kidd decided to full court press the Raptors, even with their starting PG, Kyle Lowry, on the floor. With 4 fouls as a team in the quarter, Mirza Teletovic fouled Kyle Lowry before he reached halfcourt. This gave the Raptors an easy 2 points at the free throw line, and the permanent lead. Kidd should have known this scheme would not work against an NBA team. He had the momentum on his side and had no reason to force the action or make changes to what was working.

Now that I've put the blame squarely on the coaches' shoulders, allow me to explain some general basketball principles that we can take away from this game. For the uneducated basketball fans, basketball is a game of runs. If a team starts shooting well, they are bound to cool off. Similarly, if a team is shooting poorly, they are bound to heat up. This applies especially to playoff teams, and even more so to veteran teams that know the game is not over until the final whistle blows. Runs, like the one the Brooklyn Nets went on in the 4th quarter tonight, happen. But, fans and players alike must remain composed, as often the team wastes all their energy coming back, and still falls, as was the case tonight. 

Now, going into Game 6, the Nets wasted a spectacular 4th quarter, the likes of which cannot be maintained. Instead of saving this great shooting streak for the next game, and accepting the blowout loss, they made their run, and still fell short, which was a huge momentum break in the series for Toronto. The Nets shot an amazing 53% and still lost the game. That kind of shooting cannot be maintained.

Expect a closely contested effort in Game 6 as the Raptors look to close out the veteran Nets, while Brooklyn looks to take the series back to Toronto for a Game 7.

-Wes

AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

When Masai Ujiri shipped off Rudy Gay and his $19 000 000 contract this past December, Toronto was prepared to tank. While the Raptors received several role players in return from Sacramento, fans and management alike expected a losing season due to the obvious spike in talent. What occurred next nobody could have predicted. After starting 6-12 with Gay, the Raptors finished the season with a franchise high 48 wins. The Raptors have a strong young core that will continue to grow and mature with added experience. Yet, Masai Ujiri has a difficult task ahead.

Similarly to Mr. Ujiri's surprise Denver Nuggets of 2012-13, the Toronto Raptors are a good team. But, to take the next step, and become contenders, Ujiri must evaluate whether or not the current core is sufficient to contend, or whether another major piece must be added. Chemistry has proven to be equally important as talent, so Ujiri must tread lightly in making any major changes.

The fact remains that only the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons have won a championship without a superstar player. The Pistons relentless defensive pressure and clutch shooting allowed them to do what no other team has done before. But, it is likely that the Raptors talent will surpass a team of this nature when "Young Gunz" Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas tap into their full potential.

Only time will tell if this core is capable of contending, and, if not, if Masai is capable of making the necessary changes to contend. Either way, here are some suggestions of what can be done moving forward:

Sign Vince Carter: Proposterous, I know. But as he has shown in these playoffs, Vince is a clutch shot maker and great 3 point shooter. He has playoff and big game experience and would be valuable off the bench as a replacement for John Salmons. Salmons, now in his 12th season in the NBA, is clearly on his last legs, and should not remain part of the team beyond this year.

Start Patrick Patterson: Patterson has a quick bounce and is a great shooting big man. His inside-outside capabilities make him a difficult matchup for teams that play big or small at the Power Forward position. Patterson's presence on the perimeter will also clear room to help Jonas Valanciunas isolate in the post. The Raptors will have an added advantage of bringing Amir Johnson off the bench, against backup players. With the starters off the court, the Raptors will need to produce easy buckets, Johnson's specialty. This slight change will make the Toronto Raptors even more of a nightmare for defences around the league.

Sign Greivis Vasquez long-term: Vasquez has been vital to Toronto's success this season. He is capable of playing both Point Guard (PG) and Shooting Guard. This gives Dwane Casey the flexibility to play both his PGs together, or give Lowry rest and have faith in his backup PG. He is, self-admittedly, not the fastest player on the court. But, his combination of Basketball IQ and lethal shooting make him a valuable asset off the bench.

Draft P.J. Hairston: After being arrested for possession of marijuana, P.J. Hairston was kicked off the North Carolina basketball team. He then joined the Texas Legends of the NBA's D-League. In his first 5 games, Hairston scored 40 points twice, and he finished 6th in the league in scoring against professional competition. Hairston is athletic, a great shooter, and a solid defender. Adding him off the bench would ensure our high percentage shooting is maintained when the bench players enter the game. While Hairston may have personal issues to deal with, the Raptors, led by Kyle Lowry, have enough character and chemistry to make Hairston adapt. With a strong leader and strong core, Hairston will want to be a part of this great team.

Sign Kyle Lowry: DUH! Lowry has proven to be one of the best PGs in the league. He is the heart and soul of this Raptors team. Lowry is an excellent shooter, great rebounder, and capable defender. His mental toughness has given the Raptors youth the confidence to succeed in this new Playoff environment. While practically limping, Lowry had a magnificent Game 4, finishing off the Nets with a driving floater over Kevin Garnett.

If we can learn anything from Indiana's monumental collapse, it is that teams, especially those without a superstar, must have exceptional levels of chemistry and skill to contend for a title. It is up to Masai Ujiri to tip the scales in Toronto's favour.

-Wes

YOUR NEXT GM

What does it take to be a great General Manager (GM) in the NBA? Knowledge of the Xs and Os? Playing experience? A legal or business background? Knowledge of player personnel?

The key to being a great General Manager, above all else, is talent evaluation skills. Whether it is recognizing talent on another team, or in the draft, a great GM sees beyond what is happening on the court. A great example of this is Andrew Wiggins. While Wiggins lacks the Basketball IQ and shooting skills to succeed next season in the NBA, he has top flight athleticism. A great GM sees the intangibles that cannot be taught or learned through practice. It is up to Wiggins whether he will fully tap into his potential through hard work, but his athleticism cannot be taught, he was born with it. Examples in today's NBA include Demar DeRozan and Terrence Ross, both drafted by Bryan Colangelo.

In order for a team to succeed, they must have star power. No team wins without go-to scorers. Despite analytics and the eye test, though, we will never truly know how a big-name player will fit in on another roster until they are forced to play together. GMs have to be willing to take a risk for their team to take the next step. This position isn't for the faint of heart. Examples of this include the Toronto Raptors signing Hedo Turkoglu and trading for Rudy Gay. While these moves were unsuccessful, and placed a financial burden on the Raptors, the potential for success with "winning players" was worth the risk.

It is also necessary to have Basketball Operations experience to succeed as an NBA GM. Experienced management understand the ins and outs of running a team, and are familiar with the management of the other 29 teams. Established relationships build a foundation of trust amongst Managers, which allows the GMs to deal with each other, which culminates in trades. An individual like Bryan Colangelo has both the experience as a General Manager, and rapport with other teams around the league, which would allow him to step in and succeed from Day 1.

A GM must also be selfless and have strong moral fortitude. They cannot compromise the team's success for the security of their position. They must make decisions in the long term interest of their team, whether or not they will remain part of that future.

Lastly, a great GM dresses better than you. A great GM looks the part as much as he acts the part. He is professional at all times. Whether speaking in the media, or simply in their daily lives, they are representatives of a team and a city.

-Wes

THE TRUE IMPLICATIONS OF DONALD STERLING'S COMMENTS

Though it has been a great week of Playoff basketball, the play on the court has been overshadowed by comments made by Los Angeles Clippers Owner, Donald Sterling. Yes, Sterling's comments were racist and unacceptable, and he should be expelled from the NBA for his years of incompetence and indifference as an Owner. But, what most fail to see are the true implications of Sterling's comments.

The Los Angeles Clippers have had a history of failure up until recently. In the 2009 NBA Draft they drafted Blake Griffin 1st overall, and they were able to add Chris Paul via trade in December of 2011. The Clippers have had a talented roster these past few years, but they were never contenders. This past year they appeared to reach new heights. Blake Griffin finally took advantage of his supreme athleticism and became a bonafide superstar. DeAndre Jordan led the league in Rebounds, and the Clippers won a franchise best 57 games. Yet, the Clippers had yet to take that next step in the Playoffs, where it mattered most.

Last year, the Clippers led the Memphis Grizzlies 2-0 in the 1st round of the Playoffs, before falling in 4 straight games and losing the series. They were outplayed, out-hustled, and frankly beaten by the "Grit-n-Grind" Grizzlies. Despite the obvious improvement in Blake Griffin's game, and the team's impressive record, the team remains mentally weak. Doc Rivers' comments before and after Game 4, as well as the apparent affect on the players in a blowout Game 4 loss, shows the lack of mental toughness this team has always had. If the Clippers want to save their season, which hangs in the balance as they go home for Game 5 tonight, they must toughen up, forget about Sterling, and play hard for themselves and their teammates. 

Heading into tonight's game, with Mr. Sterling being permanently banned from the NBA, and most likely now being forced to sell the team, the Clippers must show the mettle they have failed to show these past few years. Now that Mr. Sterling has been punished for his injustice, the focus goes back to the basketball court. If it exists within them, the Clippers must now show true championship grit, forget all outside comments and influences, and win.

-Wes

PLAYOFF PARITY

We are a week into the NBA Playoffs and nothing has gone according to plan. The road teams have a 19-14 record thus far. The once unbeatable Pacers, who started the season at 18-2, cannot hit a shot to save their lives, and Roy Hibbert has disappeared. The Kings of the West, the San Antonio Spurs, who regained their near championship form from last season, are in a battle with a Dallas Mavericks team they swept during the regular season. The parity in these playoffs has led me to several conclusions:

1. The Regular Season means nothing. OK…not literally nothing…but practically. The Portland Trail Blazers started the season extremely well in a difficult Western Conference. As the season went on, they appeared to tire, and an injury to their best player, LaMarcus Aldridge, caused the team to fall into the 5th seed in the West. The team had lost the momentum of their hot start, and were forced into a difficult matchup with the star studded Houston Rockets. The Rockets won the season series 3-1. Houston appeared in control of Game 1, with a 10 point lead and only a few minutes left to play. But, thanks to the amazing shooting of both LaMarcus Aldridge and Sophomore PG Damian Lillard, the Blazers fought back and eventually won the game in OT. Since then, the Blazers have made every big play necessary to win them 3 out of the first 4 games. The Blazers have their momentum back and are fighting on every defensive possession. While few picked the Blazers to win this series, they are poised to make a deep playoff run. 

The Dallas Mavericks entered the playoffs playing as well as an 8th seed can. Despite their position, they won 49 games. Yet, they were matched up with a San Antonio Spurs team that swept them 4-0 in the regular season. Interestingly, the talent difference in these teams is minor, but many assumed the fluid play of the Spurs would be too much for the Mavericks to handle. The Mavericks, though, have proved all doubters wrong. Their mental toughness, led by 2011 Championship MVP Dirk Nowitzki, has allowed them to hang with the Spurs on both ends, and has carried them to a 2-2 series tie thus far.

2. The Playoffs are about matchups. A team's regular season record and subsequent Playoff seeding become irrelevant once the ball is tipped for the Playoffs. Only one of the higher seeded "favourites" (The Miami Heat) currently have a lead in their series (The Heat swept the Bobcats 4-0 last night). The Toronto Raptors play better as a team than the Brooklyn Nets, but Brooklyn's experience allows them to hang with Toronto. Houston, with 2 superstars, appeared to have the edge over Portland. But, Wes Matthews' lockdown defence, and LaMarcus Aldridge's active help defence has forced James Harden into a terrible shooting series. San Antonio won a league leading 62 games, but are in a dogfight with the battle tested Dallas Mavericks. 

3. There is an advantage to being the lower seed in the Playoffs. As mentioned prior, 7 of the 8 lower seeded "Underdogs" are tied or winning their series'. It is generally believed that the goal of the Road Team is to steal 1 of the first 2 games in the opponent's building. If the "Underdog" is then able to arrive home with the series tied 1-1, they have the advantage of potentially winning both home games and taking a commanding 3-1 series lead. The other added advantage of being the Road Team is the lack of pressure. The Home Team bears the burden of winning both home games, without having figured out their opponent's schemes. The "Underdog," after stealing 1 of 2 Road Games, then gets to arrive home with 2 Playoff Games of film to help them maintain their Home Court advantage. Lastly, the mentally tough Playoff teams, the Champions, love to win on the road and quiet the crowd, as Paul Pierce did in Game 1 in Toronto.

Can any of these "Underdogs" actually finish off their higher seeded opponents? Only time will tell if this parity is an illusion. 

-Wes

THE NBA LAW OF AVERAGES: RAPTORS VS. NETS

We are halfway through the Raptors vs. Nets 1st Round Eastern Conference Quarterfinal battle, and everything has gone according to plan. At times the Raptors youth has overwhelmed the Nets, and at other times the Brooklyn players' experience has given them the edge. Nevertheless, we are deadlocked at 2-2 headed back to Toronto for Game 5.

As was the case in the regular season, each team has proven capable of winning in the other's building. None of the games have been pretty. Each team has grinded out wins by making a few more big plays down the stretch than their opponent.

I would like to use Game 4 to explain how in NBA Basketball, teams, especially great shooting ones like the Raptors, typically shoot a percentage in the 40s. Teams will go through runs of shooting both well and poorly, but in the end, it all averages out. I call this "The NBA Law of Averages."

Let me explain further:

In the 1st quarter, the Raptors shot above 60%. This cannot be maintained in NBA Basketball no matter who you are playing. It is extremely rare that a team shoots near 60% for a game, especially one on the road in the Playoffs. Based on my years of experience, "The NBA Law of Averages" tells us that this hot shooting cannot be maintained.

In the 2nd quarter, the Raptors shooting faltered and they scored only 16 points in the quarter. This was bound to happen due to Toronto's hot start. No team can maintain the kind of shooting Toronto displayed in the 1st quarter.

In the 3rd quarter, the Raptors continued their poor shooting. The offence went cold, and the Nets pounced and took a 5 point lead. The Raptors quickly recovered with back to back buckets, and they finished a poor shooting 3rd quarter tied 67-67. This was a great sign as a Raptors fan. Based on my knowledge of "The NBA Law of Averages," I knew the Raptors were in a great position to win the game. They had shot terribly in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, scoring just 16 points in each. Yet, I knew, at some point, this would turn around.

In the 4th quarter, as the Raptors had done all season, they made the key shots when they mattered most, and the Raptors pulled away for a 87-79 victory. They were bound to make shots at this juncture in the game because they hadn't done so since the 1st quarter.

Basketball is a game of runs. Teams get hot, teams get cold. But in the end, "The NBA Law of Averages" almost always rings true.

-Wes

WHO WOULD YOU RATHER?

Comment on who you think is better and why!

-Wes

TORONTO'S UNSUNG HERO

The Toronto Raptors have been one of the NBA's biggest surprises this year. A trade, which appeared to decrease the talent of the roster, was made in December 2013. This allowed Masai Ujiri the opportunity to take his time in determining which players he wanted to keep moving forward. The result, nobody, including Masai, could have foreseen. The team flourished playing team basketball on both ends, focusing on screens and ball movement with a plethora of great shooters. Much has been made about the great job Masai has done, but he inherited the key pieces of this roster. The man truly responsible for the turnaround of the Toronto Raptors is none other than former General Manager Bryan Colangelo. 

Most fans and critics tend to focus on his mistakes. Yes, he drafted Andrea Bargnani 1st overall, but wasn't the potential for another Dirk Nowitzki worth the risk? Despite this, in his time in both Phoenix and Toronto, Colangelo has proven to be an impressive talent evaluator. In Phoenix, Colangelo drafted Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire, both of whom became perennial All Stars. Though his time with the Raptors has run out, his drafting and decision making will prove vital in building a champion in Toronto.

With the 9th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft the Toronto Raptors selected Demar DeRozan, an athletic swingman out of USC who only played one year of college basketball. DeRozan was a weak shooter and ball handler, but possessed the athleticism to one day be great. This past year Colangelo signed DeRozan to a 4 year 38 million dollar contract. Fans seemed displeased at the potential lack of cap flexibility, and articles mocked the deal believing DeRozan had been overpaid. Now in his 5th year in the league, DeRozan, through hard work, has become an All Star. He possesses a lethal midrange game and a quick first step, making him an unstoppable offensive force. Colangelo's foresight and continuous belief in DeRozan, not just in drafting him, but in signing him to a long term deal, proved the strength of his talent evaluation skills. Ujiri now has a go-to scorer being paid less than his contribution to the team. This gives him added flexibility to improve the roster.

The other key player in Toronto's current success, Kyle Lowry, was also acquired by Bryan Colangelo. The Raptors traded Gary Forbes, a journeyman, as well as their 1st round pick (#12-Steven Adams) for Kyle Lowry. Lowry, a small bullish Point Guard, appeared to get in fights with every coach he played for. The move was a low risk, high reward decision, which proved to pay off emphatically. Kyle's fighting spirit was nurtured by Coach Dwane Casey (also hired by Colangelo), as Lowry led the Raptors to the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Two key pieces to the Toronto Raptors success moving forward are starters Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas and Ross, picked 5th and 8th respectively by Colangelo, offer a rare mix of youth, athleticism, and skill. The Raptors are unique in that they are winning with youth. The Raptors are the only team with 2 Sophomore starters in the league.

Basketball is an inexact science. Bryan, like all others before him, made mistakes. But his drafting and foresight far outweighed any negative contributions. The most impressive and honourable feat Bryan Colangelo made as Raptors GM, was that he made decisions in the interests of the long term success of the Toronto Raptors. With his contract with the Raptors nearing its end, Colangelo drafted young talented players, despite knowing his tenure may end before the players would reach their full potential. His selflessness and professionalism as a General Manager will allow Masai Ujiri to build a contender here in Toronto.

Thank you, Bryan.

-Wes

WICTORY BABY

Welcome!

First of all, here is an explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggOQefxiBgo

I'm Wes, a 24 year old Law School Graduate and Lifetime Basketball Fanatic. The blog is primarily dedicated to the Toronto Raptors, but I will touch on other stories in the world of basketball, as well.

Enjoy!

-Wes