SMARTENING UP
POST SPORTS: THEY’RE NOT GETTING STRAIGHT As, BUT RAPTORS HAVE DONE THEIR HOMEWORK.
Lately, a new conversation has popped up surrounding the Toronto Raptors: Should they, given all of the uncertainty of the Eastern Conference, aggressively look to upgrade their roster in the hope of making a run in the playoffs?
This might be this iteration of the Raptors’ best chance to make it to the conference final. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are playing among the best basketball of their careers, and they are both in their prime. More to the point, these Raptors have proven they can hang with any team, even giving the Warriors two of their closest calls during their 24- game winning streak to start the year. The presence of the Cleveland Cavaliers should give the Raptors some pause, but not stop them in their tracks.
Given the way the first half of the season — minus a game — has gone, the Raptors could clearly use an upgrade at either of the forward spots. DeMarre Carroll’s eventual return, assuming he is healthy, will address some of that, but the Raptors’ bench gets thin awfully quickly.
Regardless, the first 40 games have to be looked at as a success. If anything, the team was so good that they have made being aggressive on the trade market an even more feasible proposition. Here is the first- half report card for the team:
ANTHONY BENNETT, FORWARD 10 games, 1. 9 points per game, 1.7 rebounds per game, 8.0 player efficiency rating
It is probably unfair to give Bennett a grade at all, given his lack of playing time. However, the late addition to the team has failed to gain Dwane Casey’s trust, despite injuries up front and on the wing.
BISMACK BIYOMBO, CENTRE 40 games, 5.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 13.7 PER
Biyombo stepped in admirably during Jonas Valanciunas’s absence, and is among the best rim protectors in franchise history. Ultimately, his defence does not make up for his flaws on the other end. He is a fine reserve, and a wonderful teammate.
BRUNO CABOCLO, FORWARD 16 games, 14.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 38.1% field goals ( with Raptors 905)
Caboclo doesn’t have enough of a resumé at the NBA level to warrant a grade, and Raptors 905 coach Jesse Murmuys has said Caboclo’s shot selection has improved. The raw statistics are still worrying — particularly his 30-per-cent three-point shooting.
DEMARRE CARROLL, FORWARD 23 games, 11.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 11.7 PER
Aside from the first few games of the year, Carroll has been significantly slowed by injuries every time he has been on the floor. Arthroscopic knee surgery will sideline him until March. When he has played, Carroll has looked out of sorts on both ends.
DEMAR DEROZAN, WING 40 games, 22.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 20.7 PER
As he has cut down on midrange jumpers in exchange for more drives to the rim, DeRozan is now doing everything offensively a wing who cannot hit three-pointers reliably can do. Only James Harden, DeRozan’s fellow Angelino, has attempted more free throws.
JAMES JOHNSON, FORWARD 32 games, 5.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 14.0 PER
What to do with Johnson, the people’s choice? The statistics suggest the Raptors excel when he is on the floor. He still makes enough mistakes, especially off of the ball defensively, that keep him from earning more than a part-time role. It is probably time to accept that this is who Johnson is.
CORY JOSEPH, GUARD 40 games, 8.7 PPG, 3.0 assists per game, 13.4 PER
Joseph endured a brutal month-long stretch during which he struggled with his shot. Regardless, there is no longer much of a fear that Masai Ujiri overpaid for the Spurs’ bit part. Joseph has been a sturdy influence at both ends. The most promising sign: When he and Kyle Lowry share the floor, the Raptors slaughter their opponents.
KYLE LOWRY, GUARD 40 games, 20.8 PPG, 6.4 APG, 22.8 PER
He has not quite kept up his out-of-this-world start to the year — because of DeRozan’s surge, he has not had to. Lowry, pictured, still is at the centre of the Raptors’ offence. He also has the best net rating, by far, of any Raptors rotation player who has been healthy for the whole season, and he has been a thief defensively.
LUCAS NOGUEIRA, CENTRE 13 games, 2. 9 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 73.9% FG
There is not much to go on here, but consider the expectations: Anything Nogueira, the oft-injured big man, could give the Raptors would be considered a bonus. When he has played, he has tantalized with his ability to roll to the rim and catch the ball on the move. That is not nothing.
PATRICK PATTERSON, FORWARD 40 games, 6.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 34.8% threepoint FG
A slow start from the floor masked the fact that Patterson was still producing. Despite his shots not falling, the threat of his three-pointer has continued to help the Raptors’ offence. And Patterson’s mobility is still a huge plus on the other end.
NORMAN POWELL, SWINGMAN 16 games, 1.3 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 31.3% FG
Powell’s lack of jumpshot has been exposed when he has gotten on to the floor for the Raptors. His athleticism and defence will continue to get him spot minutes, and he has dominated in his five games in the D-League. With Raptors 905, he has practically been a DeRozan replica, getting to the free-throw line repeatedly.
TERRENCE ROSS, SWINGMAN 34 games, 7. 9 PPG, 2.3 APG, 35.2% 3P FG
Ross had a brutal slump to start the year. The three-year extension worth more than US$30 million that he signed in November will colour his production for the foreseeable future. He is inconsistent on defence. Mercifully, he has emerged from that slumber in the last four weeks.
LUIS SCOLA, FORWARD 40 games, 10.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 15.1 PER
Scola has given the Raptors more than they could have reasonably expected from the 35-year-old. He has carried the Raptors’ offence for halves at a time. His 43-per-cent accuracy from three-point range is found money. He can struggle defensively, but Scola has been very good.
JONAS VALANCIUNAS, CENTRE 23 games, 12.2 PPG, 8. 9 RPG, 20.9 PER
The broken bone in his hand confuses matters, as does the way the Raptors use him — he continues to get ignored for quarters at a time. Valanciunas still struggles as a rim protector. The Raptors’ defensive strategy is asking Valanciunas to do less defensively, and they have thrived with him on the floor. When he does get the ball, Valanciunas delivers more often than not.
DELON WRIGHT, GUARD 10 games, 17. 9 PPG, 7.0 APG, 53.2% FG ( with Raptors 905)
Wright has been awesome in the D-League. He has gotten next to no opportunity to play with the Raptors. And with Kyle Lowry and Cory Joseph under contract, that figures to be the case for the rest of the season, health willing.
DWANE CASEY, COACH
25-15
It is fair to fret that the coach is riding his backcourt stars too hard. It is fair to worry about how the Raptors’ offence looks stagnant so often late in games. Yet, the Raptors have the second-best record in the conference, and Casey has the Raptors ranked sixth in offensive efficiency and tied for ninth on the other end. Casey, undeniably, is getting results.
MASAI UJIRI, GENERAL MANAGER
It is hard to judge general managers on a year-to-year basis, since so many of their moves are not designed to pay off immediately. Of Ujiri’s summertime moves, the Joseph, Biyombo and Scola contracts all look like smart investments. The Carroll deal certainly has not worked out well yet, and the Ross extension is highly questionable. This will be the most intriguing trade deadline for Ujiri yet, with a chance to see just how much he believes in his team.