Short Term vs Long Term: Does Winning Now Hurt The Raptors Future?

Are teams banking on a lottery pick to change the
fortunes of their teams?

Before the 2013/14 NBA season started there had been a lot of debates, discussions, assumptions and even accusations about how many general managers and their respective teams were planning to make sure they secured high draft pick/s in the talent-filled 2014 draft. 

When Masai Ujiri traded Rudy Gay, the collective sentiment was that he was setting the ball in motion for a "tank". All but making sure that the team was going to lose enough games and almost guarantee a high draft pick selection.

With Rudy Gay, there was hope for the playoffs. Without Rudy Gay, there is hope for the future. Most people thought trading Gay was a sign that the team was giving up on the season but strangely enough, at least for the last month, they has responded with wins which, if the trend continues, will jeopardize the hopes of a high pick. When the season started I figured the Raptors had a better than average chance of sneaking into the playoffs with a seventh or eighth seed and thus almost eliminating a high draft pick. I am not sure how many fans felt about this but I was personally thrilled with the possibility of the Raptors going back to the playoffs for the first time in six years. I figured Rudy Gay -- with a full training camp, preseason, and laser surgery on his eyes to boot -- was going to be the final piece for a young Raptor squad that could make the post season, especially in the weak Eastern Conference. 

I completely understand that making the playoffs, especially this season, comes with a very high risk of not adding quality talent through the draft. The roster currently has some young talented players but none of them have the franchise-player talent level that can ultimately take a team to the playoffs, yearly. Up until Ujiri orchestrated the trade that sent Rudy Gay, Quicy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes – I was all but certain that the Raptors had a chance to get a taste of the post season.

Instead, the team has somehow managed to become… well… a team! The addition of Vasquez has given Coach Casey more flexibility at the guard position. John Salmons adds a veteran presence that is very much a calming influence for DeMar DeRozan as he no longer has to fight for shots; Rudy Gay’s shot selection and shot-volume made the offence stagnant and this meant that the ball often ended in either Gays' or DeRozans' hands, as the shot clock winds down.

If I were in Ujiri's position, I would be both happy and sad about the current success of the team. On one hand I would want a top three pick which guarantees taking Parker, Wiggins or Julius Randle/Marcus Smart/Joel Embiid. On the other hand, I would be glad that the team is competing and winning games while working towards a goal of making the playoffs.

Changing the culture of the organization is something that teams need to learn. Only a handful of players can bring a winning culture to a team but most teams that want to be part of the yearly trip to the playoffs have to learn to assemble talent that can grow together and learn to win. This is what seems to be happening right now with the Raptors and I believe that if the trend of wins continues this year, it will add a special quality to the team that can only benefit the young players and the organization in the long run.

To me, a winning culture is just as important to an organization as much as a superstar player. A winning culture for the Raptors means that they will have what it takes to survive in case the lottery balls don't fall in their favor.

After all, a bottom five ranking at the end of the season only gives as high as a 25 per cent chance of the top three picks in the draft lottery.

REPOST >> Hot Spur: San Antonio Might Just be Unbeatable

Last year, I watched the Spurs shred opponents during the regular season and thought to myself, 'these guys are good enough to win the championship'. After all, they were tied for the best record with the Chicago Bulls and they had soundly beaten every team that were postseason contenders. Well, the outcome of the 11/12 NBA Finals proved once again that the real season begins when sixteen teams vie for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. I thought the match ups favored the Spurs throughout the playoffs - yes, even against the OKC Thunder! - but I was wrong. Spear-headed by Russell Westbrook, (Westbrooks injury and subsequent absence from the Thunder/Grizzlies series this year proved that the Thunder thrived on their speed which was primarily orchestrated by Westbook) OKC ran the Spurs off the court and exposed the inexperience of the Spurs young and athletic role players. 

What a difference a year makes......
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"I just think we're playing against a team that is at its peak, I don't see nobody beating them."

Those were the words of Al Jefferson, the 6'10 center for the Utah Jazz, after his team lost game 3 of the Western Conference playoffs by a score of 102-90. The series wrapped up last night as the San Antonio Spurs swept the Jazz, four games to none.

Jefferson's statement does have some truth to it because the Spurs are indeed a team that is playing at its very peak and they have been playing at this very high level all season long. The latter part of his statement - "I don't see nobody beating them." - forces one to wonder if any of the Western Conference teams that might be advancing to the next round can actually prove Jefferson wrong.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) are currently the only other team, aside from the aforementioned Spurs, to have advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Barring any sports miracles, the Lakers (up 3-1 versus the Denver Nuggets) and the Clippers (up 3-1 versus the Memphis Grizzlies), will both advance to the next round, as well. The Spurs might face the Clippers in the next round in what should be a very entertaining match-up, while the Lakers might advance to play OKC - an even more entertaining match-up.

How can the Spurs make it to the NBA finals if they, potentially, have to go through three teams with three different playing styles? Lets try to answer this question by beginning with the most probable match-up with the Clippers. It is evident that the acquisition of Chris Paul has given the once lowly Clippers a fighting chance of making it to the playoffs every year. The emergence and maturation of DeAndre Jordan also gives them a good center for years to come. Blake Griffin is the obvious reason for the teams turn around but he is still developing into a well rounded basketball player - a reliable jump shot and better free throw percentages are what's left to take his game to the next level. Outside of these three - and also if Randy Foye, Nick Young, Eric Bledsoe play really well and a healthy Caron Butler - the Clippers might just give the Spurs a minor headache. In the end though, they will find that they are lacking the defensive capabilities and the simple fact that their bench cannot match-up with the Spurs bench.

In a nut shell, the Spurs success during the season, and what will inevitably lead to their continued success in the playoffs is their depth. Let's move on from the Clippers by boldly claiming that the Spurs will win this - only if the Clippers finish off Memphis - series in six games. This leaves us with two possible opponents.

The Lakers or OKC? The Lakers have Kobe and that might be enough for some pundits to pick them to beat OKC and the Spurs. In order for this to happen,  Andrew Bynum has to be the focal point of the offense. This is not to say that Bynum should be the go to guy but rather that the offense should flow through him.

Subtract Stephen Jackson and you basically
have the same Spurs squad from the 11/12 season

OKC will most likely dispatch the rotating services of Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka on Bynum. If Bynum plays at the peak which he has displayed occasionally during the season, the OKC bigs (this includes an underrated defender in Nick Collison) will have their hands full. Pau Gasol is not the physical center that Bynum is but what he does have are skills that a rare for most big-men. It is obvious that the Lakers have the interior advantage between these two teams but the Thunder definitely have the upper hand on the wing and in the back court, with the collective efforts of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and even Dereck Fisher (he is old but his knowledge of the Lakers and particularly Kobe gives OKC another edge) will prove too much for the Lakers.  So what could the outcome of this powerful tilt be? I predict that the team with the better bench will win it out in six or seven games. By all accounts, OKC has the better bench.

Bench production is key to winning and it is the reason why the Spurs will play OKC and defeat them in six games. Indeed, the Spurs truly are a balanced team and OKC is the only team that comes close to matching their depth in this playoffs - close but not as polished and balanced. The Spurs are doing it with both half court plays and fast break style of play and this is the main reason why they will be in the finals. They can run  their offense - the X's & O's -  better than any team out there and they can also run the fast break with Parker and Ginobili and the young new additions of Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. Add Tiago Splitter, Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson and the underrated shooting of Matt Bonner and Gary Neal to that mix and you have a team that can do it all with play calling and also on pure athleticism and good shooting. OKC has three great scorers in Durant, Westbrook and Harden but their strengths rely on one-on-one play making. The Spurs team defense should nullify them and force them to have to run a slower and more 'play-calling-based' offense - something which is evidently not their strength. And should OKC try to force the uptempo game, Coach Popovich will simply shift gears and match them with his athletic bench.

Barring any miracles, the prediction you have just read above will hold true. I agree with Al Jefferson, "I don't see nobody..." beating the Spurs either.

The ‘No-Star’ System

It has often been said that in order for any NBA team to be successful in the playoffs and inevitably win a championship, there has to be a star player or two or three on the roster.

In case there are any confusions as to what a star player is, one just has to look at the roster of most of the teams that are expected to succeed or win it all this year. With the exception of maybe two or three teams, every other teams has players that are either legitimate stars or are stars that somehow carried a larger share of the load for their teams in order to be in the playoffs. In other words, this star system does not mean the player has to be on the same level as a Lebron James or a Carmelo Anthony. Players like Paul George of the pacers, Stephen Curry of the Warriors, and James Harden of the Rockets, all belong in this star system.

These are players that, nine times of out of ten, will have the ball during the last few minutes or seconds of a close game. It is important to make note that being an All-Star does not qualify, in my opinion, as the benchmark of what a ‘star’ player is.

Stars of the “No-Star System”

The Denver Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies are the only two teams in the 2013 NBA playoffs and both are somewhat divulge of legitimate stars, by NBA standards — the Milwaukee Bucks have Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings whom without both they would be the Charlotte Bobcats.

By NBA standards, the Denver Nuggets do not have any stars or potential stars-in-the-making type of players on their roster. An argument can be made that Ty Lawson has potential star qualities but I would argue that Lawson has a scoring ability that makes him efficient on the offensive end but lacks the consistency of a player like Stephen Curry. Curry has shown – when healthy – that he can carry his team with his lethal scoring, shooting and passing abilities.

By all accounts, Andre Iguodala was supposed to be a top-tier NBA star.

Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers back in 2004, Iguodala was supposed to be the do-it-all player that would catapult the 76ers back into playoff contention. At six foot seven, many experts touted him as an ultra-athletic player that could potentially give you 20+ points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, a couple steals and a block per game. In Iguodala’s eight years in the league, he has averaged 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and .5 blocks per game. These are very good numbers but they only position him as a well-rounded role player that adds value to his team but is not the focal point of his teams offense.

Why should Iguodala be the focal point of the Nuggets offense when what he brings to the team is part of the reasons why they are currently third in the standing for the Western Conference and are about to take on the sixth seed Golden State Warriors, in the playoffs. Iguodala brings a defensive intensity that makes me rank him as a top-ten perimeter defender in the NBA. This makes his career averages quite impressive when one compares his stats to another top ten perimeter defender in Tony Allen of the Grizzlies. Iguodala does more offensively while locking down the best scorers in the league.

Andre Igoudala is best described as a Swiss Army knife type of NBA player

In a league that goes above and beyond to promote its star players, Iguodala and the Denver Nuggets are doing something that not even the Bucks or the Grizzlies are trying to do – they are embracing their ‘no-star’ system. Their head coach, George Carl summed it up best:

"This is the way the game of basketball is supposed to be, it's supposed to be a team game. It's supposed to be five players playing as a unit that magnifies unto a special team. It's an 82-game season, and depth is important. We can overcome an injury ; there's a lot of teams that can't overcome an injury."

Is coach Carl on to something here – something that might re-revolutionize the NBA? Will the future of the league be more about parity? The answers to these questions can only be answered in the future. It requires a mind shift by the league itself and then by those who make player decisions for their respective teams. If more general managers and coaches embrace the George Carl philosophy, then maybe someday there will be ten teams in the playoffs with a roster much like the Nuggets.

Making the case for success in the NBA playoffs and inevitably winning the championship without a ‘star’ player is very difficult. Personally, I cannot think of  a team, in recent history,  winning the Larry O’Brien trophy without having a legitimate star on its roster. What George Carl and the Denver Nuggets are trying to accomplish is extremely difficult but not impossible.

If you asked me who will win this years championship, I would say the Heat have the best odds of doing just that – but then, I would go further by saying I hope they go seven games against the Nuggets, in the NBA Finals.

The Heat Model vs. the OKC Model

With the NBA draft less than twenty-four hours away,  I wanted to open up a dialogue on something closely related to the draft. The issue regarding what some NBA pundits feel will be the new model for winning the NBA championship.  Will the Miami Heat model entice other teams to seek instant success by clearing cap-space with the hopes of luring two or three big name players? Of course there will be some attempt by a few teams; the NBA is sometimes called the 'copy-cat' league but ultimately, this model will not yield the same reward as the Miami Heat.

Drafting well in the NBA will often result in post-season success!

Take for example the Oklahoma City Thunder and their recent run to before falling short of winning it all. They are the modern day epitome of how an NBA team should build for a bright future - draft really well and then surround the young talents with a few veteran players to round out this important but elusive formula for building a team. Another team that is following this model is the Chicago Bulls (hoping Derrick Rose makes a full recovery). The last eight NBA championship teams have all had star players that were drafted  by their respective teams; from the 2004-2005 season, the list includes Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki. Although the Miami Heat just won their championship through the 'Superstar Acquisition Model' (SAM), they had to go through a formidable OKC team that is on the cusp of becoming a consistent opponent of any Eastern Conference team (ahem.....Miami?) in the Finals, for the next few years.

A lot has been made about this Heat model of winning the championship that they are ushering in a controversial new era of team building in basketball. I for one think this is all nonsense! This formula is like lightening in a bottle that worked for the Heat but history and other factors will likely not favor other teams and players that might try this model (ahem...New York Knicks  a la Melo and Stoudemire). The formula for relative success in the NBA still falls on drafting well and trading well for pieces that balances out the roster. The Heat Model might have worked this season  but the fact still remains that teams like the the Oklahoma City Thunder are doing it the smart way; one might even say the right way (depending on the context and who you ask).

Trades are part of the game and one cannot separate it from how teams build and develop but that is not what SAM is all about. It is about the failed attempt of the 03/04 Lakers signing Karl Malone and Gary Payton to join Shaq and Kobe. It is also about the 96/97 Houston Rockets bringing in Charles Barkley to join Olajuwon and Drexler - this experiment lasted for two season with no trip to the finals. Drexler retired but the Rockets tried the SAM once more by bringing Scottie Pippen on board. The result was another season without a championship. In other words, this model has more failures than it has successes.

SAM worked for the Heat because it was the right timing with the right players. Chances of the timing being right and the availability of the right players aligning like this has a very slim probability of reoccurring. OKC has the right model and it might pay off next year when they face the Heat again.

(Ahem, that's a bold prediction!)

On a related note:

I would like to congratulate the Miami Heat.........actually, I would like to congratulate LeBron James on winning his first championship and in the process, temporarily silencing the critics and what seemingly looks like half the population of North America. In my honest opinion, it was well deserved. I was never a LeBron hater but more of an unbiased observer of all things LBJ. I scolded and applauded him when either was genuinely warranted. He is definitely undeserving of the level of hate that gets thrown at him - s0me of it is warranted but not that much!

...and what about the Raptors draft?

As for the draft itself, I am refraining from making any predictions about the Raptors but I will let my opinion be known. I have read all about the Dion Waiters and the Damian Lillard possibilities but the player that intrigues me the most is Royce White. White is projected to be drafted in the mid to late first round - he is a 6'8 forward that can do it all. He led is Iowa State Cyclones in points, rebounds, assist, steals and blocks and has the tenacious mentality that the Raptors really need. Although there have been rumblings that Waiters has the makings of the second coming of Dwyane Wade, the fact is that Waiters potential is erratic at best. He could end up being a poor mans D.Wade -  which is still very good - or end up being an exact replica of Smush Parker. Nuff said!

It would be ideal if the Raptors could work a trade in order to secure another pick before the twenty-first pick - where he is being predicted to be picked by the Celtics. I would trade Ed Davis because I thing White is already a better basketball package and has a higher developmental ceiling than Davis.

Selecting Waiters with the 8th pick would be nice but the icing on the cake would be orchestrating a trade that would somehow allow the Raptors to pick Royce White.

Hot Spur: San Antonio Might Just be Unbeatable

"I just think we're playing against a team that is at its peak, I don't see nobody beating them."

These were the words that came out of the mouth of Al Jefferson, the 6'10 center for the Utah Jazz, after his team lost game 3 of the Western Conference playoffs by a score of 102-90. The series wrapped up last night as the San Antonio Spurs swept the Jazz, four games to none.

Jefferson's statement does hold some truth to it because the Spurs are indeed a team that is playing at its very peak. They actually have been playing at this very high level all season long. The latter part of his statement - "I don't see nobody beating them." - forces one to ponder if any of the Western Conference teams that might be advancing to the next round can actually prove Jefferson wrong.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) are currently the only other team - aside from the aforementioned Spurs - to have advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Barring any sports miracles, the Lakers (up 3-1 versus the Denver Nuggets) and the Clippers (up 3-1 versus the Memphis Grizzlies), will both advance to the next round, as well. The Spurs might face the Clippers in the next round in what should be a very entertaining match-up, while the Lakers might advance to play OKC - an even more entertaining match-up.

How can the Spurs make it to the NBA finals if they, potentially, have to go through three teams with three different playing styles? Lets try to answer this question by beginning with the most probable match-up with the Clippers. It is evident that the acquisition of Chris Paul has given the once lowly Clippers a fighting chance of making it to the playoffs every year. The emergence and maturation of DeAndre Jordan also gives them a good center for years to come. Blake Griffin is the obvious reason for the teams turn around but he is still developing into a well rounded basketball player - a reliable jump shot and better free throw percentages are what's left to take his game to the next level. Outside of these three - and also if Randy Foye, Nick Young, Eric Bledsoe play really well and a healthy Caron Butler - the Clippers might just give the Spurs a minor headache. In the end though, they will find that they are lacking the defensive capabilities and the simple fact that their bench cannot match-up with the Spurs bench.

In a nut shell, the Spurs success during the season, and what will inevitably lead to their continued success in the playoffs is their depth. Let's move on from the Clippers by boldly claiming that the Spurs will win this - only if the Clippers finish off Memphis - series in six games. This leaves us with two possible opponents.

The Lakers or OKC? The Lakers have Kobe and that might be enough for some pundits to pick them to beat OKC and the Spurs. In order for this to happen,  Andrew Bynum has to be the focal point of the offense. This is not to say that Bynum should be the go to guy but rather that the offense should flow through him.

OKC will most likely dispatch the rotating services of Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka on Bynum. If Bynum plays at the peak which he has displayed occasionally during the season, the OKC bigs (this includes an underrated defender in Nick Collison) will have their hands full. Pau Gasol is not the physical center that Bynum is but what he does have are skills that a rare for most big-men. It is obvious that the Lakers have the interior advantage between these two teams but the Thunder definitely have the upper hand on the wing and in the back court, with the collective efforts of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and even Dereck Fisher (he is old but his knowledge of the Lakers and particularly Kobe gives OKC another edge) will prove too much for the Lakers.  So what could the outcome of this powerful tilt be? I predict that the team with the better bench will win it out in six or seven games. By all accounts, OKC has the better bench.

Bench production is key to winning and it is the reason why the Spurs will play OKC and defeat them in six games. Indeed, the Spurs truly are a balanced team and OKC is the only team that comes close to matching their depth in this playoffs - close but not as polished and balanced. The Spurs are doing it with both half court plays and fast break style of play and this is the main reason why they will be in the finals. They can run their offense - the X's & O's -  better than any team out there and they can also run the fast break with Parker and Ginobili and the young new additions of Daniel Green and Kawhi Leonard. Add Tiago Splitter, Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson and the underrated shooting of Matt Bonner and Gary Neal to that mix and you have a team that can do it all with play calling and also on pure athleticism and good shooting. OKC has three great scorers in Durant, Westbrook and Harden but their strengths rely on one-on-one play making. The Spurs team defense should nullify them and force them to have to run a slower and more 'play-calling-based' offense - something which is evidently not their strength. And should OKC try to force the uptempo game, Coach Popovich will simply shift gears and match them with his athletic bench.

Barring any miracles, the words you have just read above will hold true. I agree with Al Jefferson, I don't see nobody beating the Spurs either.

LeBron, Please Stop Passing with the Game on the Line!

LeBron James is a great passer of the ilk of Magic Johnson but he might need to look for his own shot more often when the game is on the line. Actually, he just needs to heave up a game-on-the-line shot! I do not care if he has to go 1 on 5 to do this. It really doesn't matter right now if he gets a clean look at the basket but I say he heaves it from mid-court if he has to. Please, just attempt one to appease the basketball 'know-it-alls'.

He needs to do this so that the otherwise great statistical season that he his having - averages of 28ppg, 8rpg and 7apg, with almost 2spg while shooting over 50% from the field and over 42% from distance - does not become somewhat tainted by all this talk about a lack of late game heroics.

Before I go any further, lets take a look at some stats - not the perception that one has from seeing LeBron pass a possible game winning shot during this years (2012) All-Star game, and most recently the March 2nd game against the Utah Jazz in which he - again - opted to make the pass rather than take the shot. The fact is that LeBron has actually taken 'game-on-the-line' shots before and has actually made quite a few in his esteemed career. According to stats gathered by the good folks at 82games.com, from the 03-04 to the 08-09 season, LeBron has actually taken 31 'game-on-the-line' shots and has made 17 of them; that is a respectable tally of 34%. It was also noted that Kobe Bryant has the most 'game-on-the-line' misses during that span.

The notation about Kobe proves that fans have a penchant for remembering the great 'makes' over numerous 'misses'. They also have knack for taking note when a great player continuously passes up these 'greatness' opportunities. This is the risk of perception that LBJ is toiling with - that many fans and pundits alike will keep harping on this issue because they are witnessing a great player who seems to be building a reputation as a player that defers to others, when taking the last shot should be something he innately craves.

All the greats have this innate desire to want the ball during the closing moments of a game. Michael Jordan seldom passed up an opportunity to be his teams closer - he used his superior athletic and leaping ability to create a enough room to elevate over his defender for a shot. Whether contested or not, almost everyone expected and wanted Jordan to take the shot; and Kobe is not different. So what makes LeBron - whom I think is arguably the most physically gifted basketball player on the planet - so different?

Well, LeBron is not that different. Lets return once more to the sample data provided above - the stats supports the argument that King James would rather make the correct basketball decision but does not shy away from taking the potential game winning shot. Based on the numbers taken from the sample period, LeBron, Vince Carter and Kobe are the top three players with fifty or more game winning attempts. Of the three, LeBrons' percentage is better than both Carter and Kobe; it should be noted that Kobe's actually percentage is only 25%.

So why am I suggesting that LeBron needs to hold on to the ball - by all means necessary - during the fading moments of a close game? Here is the answer:

When the Heat played the Jazz on March 2nd, with 4.5 seconds left on the clock and the heat down by one point. A play was drawn for none other than King James himself. The Jazz seemed to be playing a soft zone defence. LeBron receives the inbound pass with Josh Howard trailing around a pick. Paul Millsap is at the top of the key protecting against a drive to the basket. LeBron takes one dribble and bounce passes the ball to Udonis Haslem - for the record, Haslem was open and is a very reliable shot maker from that range - who takes the shot and misses.

From the video footage, a argument can be made that LeBron could have dribbled one or two more times because Howard was trailing from his right and Millsap was on his heels. A step back and elevation would have given him a good enough shot for a game winning attempt. He should have taken the shot because he was on fire and had scored 17 points in the fourth quarter alone. He should have taken the shot because, pound for pound with all the skills packed into his 6'8 and 260 pounds frame, he can get almost anywhere he wants on the court and shoot over almost any defender. This was a bad basketball decision.

But this should not be how he is perceived during close game moments. It is unbecoming of great basketball players to be perceived as not being clutch - worse is to be perceived as shying away from clutch moments. One of the Jazz commentators uttered these words right after the shot from Haslem clanked off the rim: "He passed it again."

This is what I am afraid LeBron's 'clutch-legacy' might become. A great player that is 'perceived' as being reluctant to take 'game-on-the-line' shots when all he is doing is making the right basketball decision.

Although the stats paint a different picture, the reality is that public opinion rarely takes the time to examine the stats. So I ask one more time; LeBron, please chuck-up a couple 'game-on-the-line' shot attempts, because the perception is becoming too loud and is drowning out the stats that prove otherwise.

Does DeMar DeRozan Possess Next Level Drive and Game?

What is DeMar DeRozan up to these days?

From watching several YouTube videos, I have seen with my own eyes that the Raptors two/three guard has been keeping busy playing in the Drew League on the summer league circuit. The Drew League is based in Compton, Los Angeles (DeRozan grew up in Compton). The League amalgamates professional basketball, college, street-ball and even some high school players into two divisions that each consist of twelve teams. This is where DeRozan has been getting in some serious summer runs; playing for the team, Go H.A.M!

 Over the last two NBA seasons we have witnessed the maturation of a player that one day - 'one day' here means next season, if there is a season (damn you NBA lockout) - will unequivocally become the best player and face of the franchise. He is developing before our eyes and all we hope for is that the development does not plateau anytime soon.


Talented players with high work ethics often find ways to add different dimensions to their game. They work on their weaknesses during the off-season and add new wrinkles to their overall game. Take for example the instance when Kobe Bryant at some point added about twenty pounds of muscle to his frame, hoping that it would take his game to another level. The very next season in 2007, he lost the weight because he wanted more quickness and energy. The point is that Kobe was willing to try the additional weight, hoping that it would give him an advantage.

Does every player have the desire to work on their game or add new dimensions to it? Most players use their summers to stay in shape. Only a handful look to become better than their previous selves. What DeRozan did in the second half of last season shows he might just have figured out how to turn the next level switch on. Whether he will achieve greatness is another topic all together. Right now, the important thing is to have development that translates to better stats and wins.

In the first 32 games of the 2010/2011 season, DeRozan averaged 13 points per game. In those early games, he had ten games in which he totaled less than ten points. The last 50 games of the season is where the revelation of DeMar began to unfold. He averaged 20 points per game and only had four games in which he scored below ten points.

On the season, he shot 47 per cent from the field while attempting 14 shots per game. The next level expectation for DeRozan is to see if he can maintain the excellent percentage from the field while being asked to assume a more prominent role on the offense. Can he average 20-25 points per game while rounding out other aspects of his game?

Hopefully scoring and the other aspects are being developed as he plays several months of summer ball. Some might argue that the competition is watered down but the fact that the league thrives on showcasing scoring and athletic abilities, might prove advantageous. It seems that all DeRozan needed last season was to believe that he has the game to shine in the league. The added confidence translated to improved play down the seasons stretch. Imagine what he can bring to the Raptors after posting good numbers in a single summer league game.

That's right! He shot 7 for 11 from three point range. The negative about that is that he launched eleven, which might make a lot of Raptor fans cringe. The positive is that he is working on his shot. Whether from beyond the arc or inside it, this is considered to be a good thing from my perspective.
Majority of the names on the box score are not household names but that should not inspire any thoughts regarding the level of play. Most of the players in the league played college ball and some play professionally in Europe and/or Asia. These are not your average pick-up games that might get intense every once in a while. These are regular-summer-league-season-games that lead up to the Drew League playoffs. This is where most of these guys sharpen up their game; some with the hopes of trying another run at making it to the NBA. Others work on improving/staying in shape for their contract work overseas.

And there are those like DeRozan and a few other NBAers who play because they are gym rats. You will find them in the gym working out or playing ball - alone or in a league. Bottom line here is that the competition in summer leagues are exactly what Raptor fans hope will help bring DeRozan's game to the next level.

That and his own desire to work on his game - in a gym hoisting up shot after shot. Earlier today, he Tweeted: "In the gym...". A little while later, he followed that tweet with "Shooting jumpers til my arm fall off...".

DeMar DeRozan: Talent - check; Drive - check; Work ethic - check!

Able to lead Raptors to the playoffs and beyond - TBD!

Andrea Bargnani is Lucky to have Jonas Valanciunas and Dwayne Casey!

With the fifth pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select...................Jonas Valanciunas!?!?

Jonas Valanciunas will add a lot of much needed size to the Raptors roster.

Unless you were an NBA scout, you probably had the same reaction to this selection as I did. The general consensus amongst basketball heads was the Raptors should have selected Kemba Walker, Brandon Knight or Bismack Biyombo. I initially did not like this pick because I felt that the need of the team was either in the back court with a point guard or a defensive minded post player.
I know Valanciunas is a young and talented center, but I did not think he was good enough to be selected with the fifth pick. His contract and buy-out situation with his club, Lietuvos Rytas, was another major deterrent in considering him a worthy selection. Also, I made it clear before that selecting another European big was not in the best interest of the team and the fans.

So, with all that said, why would I think that picking Valanciunas helps the Raptors and especially Andrea Bargnani?

I came to my senses on the selection because I realized that in order for the Raptors to actually have success in the future, they need a 'true-center' in every sense of the word - one that actually wants to play in the post.

Andrea Bargnani's offensive game should soar to new heights with the addition of Valanciunas. 

Andrea Bargnani, with five seasons already under his belt, has shown time and time again that he can mix up his game, but would rather play away from the basket. With Valanciunas, the Raptors have a pair of seven footers that will create match-up nightmares for opposing bigs and defenses. Bargnani improved offensively and proved that he can score pretty much on any opposing center; he averaged 21 points and 5 rebounds per game in the 2010-2011 season. Although his low post game is
improving and his 3 point attempts (223) was the lowest in five seasons, his natural instinct offensively is to jab step, take his man off the dribble, step back and shoot. Often when he gets the ball in the low post, he would pivot and face up his man.

In comes this young Lithuanian center that stands at a legit 7 foot tall with a 7'4 wingspan. His shooting touch is improving, but for Raptor fans, it is better that he has a limited range. At present, Valanciunas is capable of knocking down shots from about 12 ft. No need to panic until he starts launching 3 pointers. According to several scouts and some YouTube footage, Valanciunas lives predominantly in the post. He shot 70% from the field in the Euroleague last year and knows to give up the ball when double-teamed.

If all goes according to plan regarding the development of Valanciunas, (one cannot forget Ed Davis who can play the four and sometimes the five if he has to) the Raptors will have a roster of bigs that are more versatile than any other team in the league. Bargnani, who is arguably the best player on the Raptor squad, (at least until DeMar DeRozan proves that the second half improvement he displayed last year was not a fluke) should really count his blessings. He now has the freedom to play his style of basketball, without having to be told to spend more time in the post. Valanciunas and Ed Davis will be responsible for the land under and around the hoop. Also, Bargnani will not be asked to guard the opposing centers.

This, though, does not excuse Bargnani from improving his defense. As a matter of fact, he really needs to get ready for the most defensively grueling season in his young career.

The hiring of Dwayne Casey as the new bench boss is arguably the best move thus far this off-season. Maybe even better than drafting Valanciunas, who some pundits believe could have been the number one pick, if not for his 'almost' iron-clad contract with his Euro club (which Colangelo managed to negotiate a buyout, which only requires Valanciunas to play one more season in Europe). Casey's defensively focused game plan is exactly what these group of young Raptors need. He redesigned the Dallas Mavericks defensive scheme by utilizing the length and athleticism of the Dallas Maverick players. Casey managed to make Dirk Nowitzki show more effort on defense, while hiding his weaknesses on that side of the court.

When Valanciunas joins the team in the 2012/2013 season, Casey will have an integral piece in establishing a similar defensive system in Toronto- a system which is predicated on accountability and plenty of swarming help from each man on the court.

With the uncertainty of how long the NBA lockout will last, Valanciunas is currently the only player on the Raptors squad that could see competitive action this season. He gets to play one more season in Europe, before coming to the Raptors to make Bargnani's basketball life a lot easier.

Raptors Pre-Draft Preview – Why Kemba Walker is not a good fit!

I have gone back and forth in my head, regarding the upcoming 2011 NBA draft. Particularly regarding the possible draft pick for the Toronto Raptors. A little over two weeks ago, I've stated before that the Raptors should stay away from European Big-Men and focus their attention on improving the point guard position; either Brandon Knight or Kemba Walker.

I am not one to put my foot down on an issue, without having the humility to change my stance or completely shift my position. In the time, since my last piece, I have watched a lot of footage and read a lot of articles covering a number of draft prospects that might be available when the Raptors pick fifth overall. For clarity's sake, I am not changing my stance that the Raptors should take Brandon Knight, but several mock-draft boards have him going to the Utah Jazz with the 3rd pick. Since my initial opinion was that the Raptors need a point guard more than they need a big; if this scenario plays out, the only topnotch point guard available after Knight is Kemba Walker. My opinion on Walker was not very high to begin with and it has dropped some more in the past few weeks. Unlike most other critiques of Walker, pointing to his 6'1 height as huge disadvantage, I point to his defensive limitations and his shot volume.

In forty-one games with UConn - including the tournament run to winning the national championship - Walker averaged eighteen shot attempts per game. He connected at a clip of .428 per cent. From beyond the arc, he launched six attempts per game and connected at a clip of .330 percent. These stats are neither great nor entirely bad - they are okay numbers for a college point guard who was the primary focus on offense for his team. I took into consideration the fact that Walker had the ball in his hand almost all the time. In addition, I also factored in that Jim Calhoun - head coach at UConn - runs a pro-style offense, which puts the ball in the best scorer's hands. My personal opinion is that Walker will go through an adjustment period as a pro. Anywhere from a full season, to a couple of years, before he learns to give up the ball to better athletes and scorers on his team at the next level. The Raptors have specific needs that require a point guard, with a pass first mentality and defensive acumen.

It is evident from last year, that the Raptors are statistically the worst defensive team in the league. A lot of their defensive woes came as a result of a lack of interior defense, team perimeter-help defense and bad shot selection that led to easy buckets for the opposing teams. Drafting Walker would not help this team at all. Matter of fact, I believe it would set them back a few steps defensively. I have never been a fan of point guards that are scorers first and passers second. Only a handful of dynamic guards in NBA history have been offensively gifted enough at the NBA level to score in bunches and effectively get their teammates involved. Allen Iverson is a perfect example here, but he was unique because his ability to score at will created a plethora of opportunities for his teammates.

Kemba Walker is no A.I! Heck, he is not even Nick Van Exel.

What would I do if I was Brian Colangelo? Since I have just stated my reason for not drafting Kemba Walker - on the premise that Brandon Knight has already been drafted? I would address another need. I would select the best defensive Big-Man left on the board. Bismark Biyombo!

Biyombo is an eighteen year old, 6'9 power forward from the Republic of Congo. He is offensively very raw, but not completely inept. He makes up for the limited offense with his defensive capabilities. I will go out on a limb right now and say Biyombo will win defensive player of the year honors at least twice in his NBA career.

2011 Draft Preview: The Toronto Raptors

Pick me! Will the Toronto Raptors pick Brandon Knight in the 2011 NBA Draft?

Brian Colangelo, GM of the Toronto Raptors has some serious decisions to make before the 2011 NBA draft on June 23. One decision, I think he should be weary of making is one that involves European players. Can the Raptors really afford to draft another player from Europe? According to a number of mock draft/basketball websites - ESPN, Hoopshype and nbadraft.net – the Raptors are being slotted to select either Jan Vesely or Jonas Valanciunas. The few websites that predict the Raptors will pick a non-European player, mostly suggested Kemba Walker or Brandon Knight. I am more inclined to agree with draft projections involving these two point guards.

Selecting Valanciunas or Vesely is not the way to address the needs of the team. From a public relations standpoint, the addition of another European player might not sit well with the loyal fan base. Fans are weary of experiments like Rafael Araujo, who is often used as the poster child of the failed Euro-experiments of the team. Although the team is obviously going through a rebuilding phase, selecting a player that might have to stay overseas for a couple of years does not really improve the team.

The Raptors have two major needs. The first is a true-big that loves to bang in the paint and can play post defense. In the 2010-2011 season, the team was ranked 21st in the league in rebounds per game. The team average of 40.32 RPG was better than that of the Boston Celtics’ 38.79 RPG. While the Raptors can stand to improve in the rebounding department, the fact that the Celtics made it to the second round of the playoffs with a lower rebounding average shows that the Raptors have other pressing needs.

I believe that the team’s second and more pressing need lies in the backcourt. Even though it is important to have a low post player, improving the backcourt is more crucial for the future success of the franchise. Starting point guard Jose Calderon’s inability to stay in front of his man has been, what I would describe as the gateway to the defensive liabilities that plague the team. I am not knocking Calderon’s ability to command the offense and distribute effectively to his teammates. His 2010/2011 averages of 10 PPG and 9 APG proves this point. I think Colangelo should revisit the options available to him if they traded Calderon for a veteran post player or maybe for another draft pick in this draft.

This brings me back to the two players I think Colangelo should look to draft, if they are still available on the board. Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker are two point guards with different skill sets, but both have the potential to have solid NBA careers. Knight is a one-and-done player that played for the Kentucky Wildcats, where he posted averages of 17 PPG, 4 APG and 4 RPG. Even though he started the season slowly, Knight managed to show the promising game that was expected of him. He is 6’3, very athletic and is probably the best defensive point guard in the draft. His strengths are his athleticism, size – an NBA ready body – quickness and jump shot. My knock on his game is that he sometimes disappears for stretches. This is a weakness that can be addressed through more experience playing the game at the next level.

Kemba Walker's scoring ability will make it hard for the Raptors to pass up if he is still on the board.

Walker had a remarkable season and led the Connecticut Huskies to a victory in the NCAA championship game. He averaged 23 PPG, 4 APG and 5 RPG. Walker is considered more of a heady point guard that makes his teammates better. I beg to differ on this notion. From the several games that I have watched, I consider him to be a guard that looks to score almost every time he has the ball and only passes when he has to. His height, 6’1, might be a considered a weakness but I don’t see it as such.

If the Raptors were lucky enough to find both of these players available on the draft board, which one do I feel they should pick?, I think the sure bet here is Brandon Knight. His size, shooting ability, defensive willingness and ability along with his strong NBA-ready physique, make him a better prospect than Walker and put him right behind Kyrie Irving as the second-ranked point guard in this draft.

I Still Believe We Can Win....Convincingly

In anticipation of Nigeria's next match, the mood amongst most Nigerians is that of uncertainty!

I have spoken with many people; family members, friends and acquaintances about what might happen tomorrow as Nigeria faces South Korea in a match that determines whether the team goes home or not.

It seems to me that the uncertainty is accompanied by a lack of faith in a positive outcome, which is rooted in the way we have played thus far. How can I fault anyone for thinking that way since one only has to examine the team's first two matches before pessimism begins to take over.

Maybe it is simply a way of tempering expectations from a team that has disappointed many Nigerians up to this point. One thing I know for sure is that it is partially based on the team we are facing.

The South Koreans are perceived to be less-skilled in comparison to other teams in their group but they counter this supposed deficiency with their discipline on both ends of the pitch. They move cohesively, especially when attacking and utilize their speed to offset most good defenses. I have watched some replays of their previous matches and they don't seem to quit on any play. They pressed Argentina even when they were down three goals to nil.

I look at these variables and wonder if a team that makes lazy passes and often plays uninspired will have what it takes to pull off a much needed 3-0 victory. I look at South Korea and wonder about the conditioning of the Super Eagles? Is this team built to last 90 minutes of the highest and most scrutinized level of football?

These questions will be answered tomorrow, but for now, I say we should believe we can win convincingly. I am not about to concede a match before the match even begins.

Most Nigerians know what "1989" means in Nigeria's football history. It was the U-21 world cup in Saudi Arabia. We were down 4-0 in the second half and managed to even things up before eventually winning the match.

One reason I mentioned this feat is because I remember exactly where I was when this happened. This might be why I am such an optimist. I remember that my brother and I were listening to the match on the radio. Although our team was down four goals, my brother and I kept listening. In retrospect, I think we felt deep down that the improbable was possible. When Nduka Ugbade scored the tying goal, we heard what sounded like an entire nation's cheer and excitement from all the surrounding neighborhoods.

This leads me to the other reason I referenced this great comeback. No matter how long ago this feat was, it still shows what Nigerian football pedigree is. The gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics is another example of this.

We are a nation that loves football and we show it passionately either in support or in criticism of our team. We have experienced greatness in football and I do not see a reason why this version of the Super Eagles can not overachieve from henceforth.

Come tomorrow, I am certain that all the uncertainties that have been expressed will be replaced by excitement and optimism. I just wish the Super Eagles players could read this because it will show them that although I am one man, I believe I stand in proxy for every Nigerian when I say: I believe in a convincing victory for our Super Eagles!

Sportacularly Yours,


The Vicarious Athlete

Super Disappointment!

I am very very disappointed for many reasons. Anger, embarrassment and disgust are flowing through me right now.

Peter Odemwingie should not have been taken out of the match at such an early stage. Makes me wonder what Nigeria coach, Lars Lagerback was thinking there. This really upset me because I felt Odemwingie was the type of player that never quits and could impact the team with his skill and energy on offense.

Sani Kaita's stupid act really cost us. I watched the match downtown Ottawa on Elgin street with a number of fellow Nigerians. We argued relentlessly for the rest of the match whether his actions warranted a red card and a send off. My stance on this is that he should have been given a yellow card since his foot barely grazed the Greek player. My friends argued that he got the red card because of intent. They stated that it did not matter if the player did not get hurt. Personally, I think that the ref overreacted. This will be heavily debated for a long time by all Super Eagle fans.

After the red card, Nigeria played horribly. We became extremely passive and looked disinterested in mounting an attack. We settled back and waited for the Greek team to press us and dissect our defense.

Speaking of our defense. What is going on here? I thought the Argentina match was an exception because I figured it was the first game and we were timid. In this match, we displayed the same lackadaisical effort with our defensive scheme and energy.

One thing that I have noticed in both matches is that the players are often waiting for the ball to come to them. Opportunities to score are quelled easily by the opposing defenders by simply jumping in front of lazy passes. Maybe it is because of of the overall team conditioning or maybe it is because we just do not have the desire to dominate a match in which I personally thought we were favored to win. From my non-pundit perspective, I would say that it looks like we get too tired in the second half.

Where would we be without our goalie, Vincent Enyeama. He has single-handedly kept us in both matches and prevent us from looking much worse. This actually infuriates me even more because it forces me to think of what things might be like if we actually played up to our potential. A disciplined and aggressive team with a goalie like that would be undefeated right now.

Our chances for advancing are slim but they are still there. I am an optimist by nature and thus think that we can still make it to the next round. For this to happen, we need to be way more disciplined and energetic against South Korea. We will also need a lot of luck. Argentina must win and keep Greece of the score sheet and we have to beat South Korea by at least three goals without conceding any.

I am disappointed but still very optimistic in our chances. I believe we can do it. Just look at the way we made it into the world cup. It is possible!

Sportacularly yours,


The Vicarious Athlete

Super Eagles: Approach Greece with Caution!

My older sister called me on June 12th; merely minutes before the match between Nigeria and Argentina started. She told me she did not sleep well the night before because she was really excited and nervous.

My younger sister was sending PIN after PIN to my BlackBerry - she kept telling me if Nigeria plays poorly and were to lose she would be very upset.

I found myself relatively calm leading up to the match and felt very strong about our chances of securing a tie or winning the match. Neither of these premonitions came to pass since the outcome was a loss; a loss in a match in which my biased perspective unabashedly declares that we outplayed them and should have taken advantage of our opportunities. Yes, I am going to ignore the shots on goal which favored Argentina 20-9. Like I said, I am biased!

The disappointment of the loss to Argentina is still weighing heavily on my mind as Nigeria faces Greece. Although many of us are anticipating a victory - this is partially based on how sluggish the Greek team looked when they lost to South Korea - the fact still remains that talent and being expected to dominate and win does not necessarily result in that outcome. Switzerland proved this point by handing Spain a shocking loss.

With this in mind I will watch the match with measured confidence. Without players like John Obi Mikel and Obafemi Martins, the Super Eagles will have to maintain a high level of focus for every match. The trend so far in the early stage of this World Cup is that any team not named Germany needs to play their optimal best. One cannot even proclaim Germany to be a favorite yet because they simply did what Spain, Brazil and Portugal could not do: win or win convincingly.

I look for Nigeria to play better and win the match against Greece but it will not be easy. The Greek team was embarrassed by their loss to South Korea and will come out on Thursday with more fire under their boots.

In the spirit of the World Cup tournament, I say good luck to both sides but I will toss a horse shoe and a couple of four leaf clovers on the Super Eagles side.

Sportcularly yours,


The Vicarious Athlete

2010 World Cup in South Africa: Pride Personified!

***As you read this, please be cognizant that this is not a knock on any other sport or sporting event. Rather, it is simply a celebration......***

The beautiful game! A moniker that befits a game that touches the soul and caresses ones national pride. The game unites countrymen and women alike; and brings together different nationalities to display a higher level of tolerance and acceptance of each other. On the pitch, respect is earned and given. Off the pitch, a euphoric sense of togetherness is fostered. One can should not see as merely a form of entertainment because it goes beyond just that. Although it is simply just a sporting event, it has managed to transcend beyond the realm of sports. It embodies qualities that we all strive to master in our daily undertakings.

*It begins with patience: Imagine the concept of going backwards in order to go forward. Imagine taking twenty minutes just to set up a single play that results in a goal. I have heard fans of other sports say that the game is boring because a match can often result in a 1-0 outcome. The beauty of the game lies in the actions and counter-actions that the players patiently set up in order to reach that sole moment of glory. Victory! French writer, Alexandre Dumas Pere best sums up what patience is. He wrote: "All human wisdom is summed up in two words - wait and hope"

*It continues with dedication/hard work: One must realize that ninety per cent of soccer players play the entire game; constantly moving at minimal or full speed. Teams are allowed six substitutions but most only use an average of three. It takes a high level of dedication and hard work to reach a level of fitness unlike most other athletes. Those who reach the highest level of their sport have sacrificed a lot of blood and sweat to get there. Soccer players in the world cup have sacrificed a bit more. A lot of them play all year round. In this case, most go from finishing up playing in their respective leagues around the world and go directly into playing for their nations in friendlies and eventually in the World Cup. Hard work, dedication and sacrifice epitomizes the make up of the average professional soccer player.

*It "caps" it off with the concept of teamwork/cooperativeness: Every sport requires teamwork but none relies on it as heavily as soccer does. Superstars dominate sports like basketball, football, hockey and baseball. A player like Kobe Bryant or LeBron James can carry a team. Quaterbacks like Tom Brady and Drew Brees are signal callers that can solely increase the chances of a teams success. I think you get the point here but one must be clear in stating that teamwork is an absolute commodity for every sport. Although soccer might have great players like Messi, Ballack, Essien and Drogba etc, the reliance on a full team effort is more evident in the sport. A great striker, more often than not, relies on a pass that sets him up the goal. Whether it is a 3-5-2, 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 system of play, the players move in a strategic unison for the right moment to strike and score.

Generally, one can find these qualities in every sport but slightly higher doses are found in soccer.

This world cup features the most representation from African nations than ever before. All in all there are six African nations competing. History has already been made when South Africa was selected to be the host nation but the chances of further history being made is real. The hope is that one of these African nations will go further than any one of them has ever gone before. Every single person that is African or of African decent are either rooting for their respective countries or any - and all - African countries to do well.

It is only twenty four hours to go before the greatest sporting tournament in the world begins. If you're like me and you've been watching the World Cup since you were ten years old; the next month will bring out the inner child and super fan in you. You will not only have pride in your country or your team of choice but you will also enjoy the spirit of the tournament.

This years tournament is an extra special one because of the host nation. I am extremely proud because I feel every African nation is hosting and I'm confident that South Africa will do the rest of the continent proud, as the proxy host. Good luck to all the nations involved, but special good fortunes goes out to all the African nations that have their team represented.

SOUTH AFRICA, NIGERIA, ALGERIA, GHANA, CAMEROON & COTE D'IVOIRE.
























Enjoy the beautiful game!

Sportacularly yours,


The Vicarious Athlete