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  1. #976
    Esse quam videri ploto's Avatar
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    San Antonio Spurs
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    Wow! Never thought I would see the day when someone would finally appreciate Rasho's defense. Interesting that it comes from an opponents NBA site.

    2006-07 Every Play Counts All-Defensive Teams

    Defense: the final frontier. If the statistical analysis of basketball offenses lingered in the 20th century for many years, defense was still in the 19th century. Most everyone acknowledges that blocks and steals are insufficient to measure defense, yet they, defensive rebounds and fouls are still the only defensive statistics officially tracked by the NBA.

    Fortunately, independent sources, led by 82games.com, have moved to fill in some of the gaps. We can now track how a team's defense performs with and without a player on the floor (using net defensive plus-minus, the difference per 100 possessions in these ratings), have an idea of which players are the best at drawing charges and have very rough estimates of performance by opposing players at the same position...

    Shooting Guard

    Anthony Parker, Toronto
    Parker has helped key Toronto's remarkable defensive turnaround that has led the Raptors to the Atlantic Division le. Parker isn't quite as physical as the stereotypical wing stopper, but he's an excellent athlete with good size and length for the position at 6-6. Opposing shooting guards have just a 47.5% effective field-goal percentage against Parker (league average is 49.6%). Toronto struggled defensively when parker sprained his ankle early in March.

    Honorable Mention:
    Manu Ginobili, San Antonio - Benefits from playing alongside the league's best stopper, but very good on defense in his own right.


    Small Forward

    Bruce Bowen, San Antonio
    I say this both as an analyst and an employee of a Western Conference opponent: Eventually Bowen has to lose a step, right? At 35, Bowen has had another outstanding season. With Bowen on the floor, the Spurs allowed a microscopic 97.0 points per 100 possessions (San Antonio narrowly leads the league with a 100.9 Defensive Rating overall). Since an early controversy with the Knicks over allegedly dirty tactics, Bowen has stayed out of the news this season.


    Power Forward

    Tim Duncan, San Antonio
    Guards and centers and Bruce Bowen come and go, but the San Antonio defense is positively metronomic in its consistency. If the Spurs hold off Houston to lead the league in Defensive Rating this year, it will be the eighth time in the last nine years. The other year, they finished third. There have been two constants in that period: Duncan and Gregg Popovich. It's hard to say just exactly how much of the credit for the defensive juggernaut deserves to go to Duncan and how much to Popovich, but each complements the other and there is plenty of credit to go around. Duncan is the anchor; he has terrific individual statistics and always has a positive impact on the Spurs defense when he's on the floor. That is why he is this year's Every Play Counts Defensive Player of the Year.


    Center

    Honorable Mention:
    Rasho Nesterovic, Toronto - Another key to the Raptors defensive turnaround. Nesterovic is criticized for being soft, but he can block a shot and is usually in the right place on the floor to use his size.
    Every Play Counts

  2. #977
    Esse quam videri ploto's Avatar
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    Steve Aschburner, well-respected beat writer at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, named Rasho Nesterovic the best centre in Minnesota Timberwolves history earlier this season. Of course, Sam put it in context, in a joking manner, Monday night in the Target Center.

    "Yeah," he said. "It was him or Luc Longley or Felton Spencer. Some compe ion."

    Funny thing is, you could probably make the case that Rasho is the best centre in franchise history for two franchises, Toronto and Minnesota.

    Spencer and Longley got nothing on Oliver Miller and Rafael Araujo.
    Rasho is the GOAT

  3. #978
    Believe. Kobulingam's Avatar
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    963
    Hakeem is the best center to have played for Toronto.

  4. #979
    Ball Don't Lie Rip-Hamilton32's Avatar
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    Detroit Pistons
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    2,075
    Good thing the Raptors are winning, since Leafs won't make the playoffs
    neither are the habs

  5. #980
    TheDrewShow is salty lefty's Avatar
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    101,216
    Ture ; but that was an answer to a member from Toronto

    By the way, Red Wings will choke again

  6. #981
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    Tonight at 6:00 PM San Antonio time will air NBA Stories: Toronto Raptors on ESPN 2.

    Here's the link for the preview; NBA Stories

    Nooooooooo! I missed it!

  7. #982
    TheDrewShow is salty lefty's Avatar
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    Nooooooooo! I missed it!
    U didn't miss anything ; that was just about Rasho

  8. #983
    CDs Nuts. resistanze's Avatar
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    Toronto Raptors
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    23,869
    Miami lost again. Raps have a 3 game lead and will probably get the third seed.

    A negative is Washington lost to the Nets; Nets may catch them for the 6th seed.

    I think a Raptors/Nets series is a dangerous one, but I still favour the Raps in that one.

  9. #984
    Esse quam videri ploto's Avatar
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    Miami lost again. Raps have a 3 game lead and will probably get the third seed.

    A negative is Washington lost to the Nets; Nets may catch them for the 6th seed.

    I think a Raptors/Nets series is a dangerous one, but I still favour the Raps in that one.
    Hey- don't count the Raptors out of the second seed just yet!

  10. #985
    No Sasha, no ring ata's Avatar
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    1,366
    While it would be nice it is just not realistic.
    Cavs are 3-1 against Raptors and are playing Nets, Hawks, @76ers and Bucks
    Bulls are 2-2 against Raptors and are playing bobcats, @Wizzards and @Nets

    Raptors are playing Pistons, Knicks, @Pistons and 76ers
    Raptors should win it all (while winning 8 in the row!?), while Cavs should drop two and Bulls at least one. And don't know how it is with tiebreaker agains Bulls.

  11. #986
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    U didn't miss anything ; that was just about Rasho




    Hey- don't count the Raptors out of the second seed just yet!



    Raptors' " Red Party" is tonight. I'm guessing it is their version of Tux and Tennies?

  12. #987
    Tim to Tony to Manu! bdictjames's Avatar
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    Bosh has a new blog on NBA.com, that picture he had was freaky.

  13. #988
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    So I am watching the Raptors Story now.

    I am so glad for Sho and the current team that they do not have to wear those uniforms with the Raptor on them.

    Little Dinosaur guys. hehe

  14. #989
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    Man, I don't recognize that first year Coach Mitc , thankfully.

  15. #990
    Tim to Tony to Manu! bdictjames's Avatar
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    So I am watching the Raptors Story now.

    I am so glad for Sho and the current team that they do not have to wear those uniforms with the Raptor on them.

    Little Dinosaur guys. hehe
    That Dino uniform was horrible. But the Spur logo with the pink gayish colors sucked too.

  16. #991
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    That Dino uniform was horrible. But the Spur logo with the pink gayish colors sucked too.

    Word. I don't miss those either.

  17. #992
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    Slokar sighting!
    Sho sighting!

    New look Raptors-

  18. #993
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    San Antonio Spurs
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    Aw... were they praying in the locker room? That's awesome!

  19. #994
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    Ah, I liked it!

  20. #995
    Esse quam videri ploto's Avatar
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    Raptors' " Red Party" is tonight. I'm guessing it is their version of Tux and Tennies?
    What is nice is that it is not a sit-down dinner where the players are snuck in the side and escorted out before anyone can talk to them. It is actually more of party where players, coaches, etc... mingle around the crowd.

    Also, for fun, the Raptors went to the Blue Jays game last night-- Bosh threw out the first pitch, but the whole team was there in a luxury suite.

  21. #996
    Esse quam videri ploto's Avatar
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    With no game for a couple more days, thought we could look back at who even gave the Raptors any chance this season:

    SPECIAL PREVIEW EDITION
    Bosh, TJ and the Euro-Raps



    Greg Anthony
    Bryan Colangelo has shaken things up, but this team is going to take time to develop. A lot of excitement north of the border with all the international flavor. The talent is there, but it will take time for them to jell.
    DIVISION RANK: 5 | CONFERENCE RANK: 13


    Chris Broussard
    Signs of progress will show, but not necessarily in the win column. Still a few years away from being a real playoff contender.
    DIVISION RANK: 4 | CONFERENCE RANK: 12


    Ric Bucher
    They've seriously upgraded their talent, but they still won only 27 games last year. A 10-game improvement would be a nice first step for the Bryan Colangelo regime.
    DIVISION RANK: 3 | CONFERENCE RANK: 11


    Chad Ford
    So the Euroleague gets a team in North America before the NBA gets one in Europe. GM Bryan Colangelo's international moves this summer should help the team's depth and experience problems, but the Raptors just don't have the talent to get into the playoff race.
    DIVISION RANK: 3 | CONFERENCE RANK: 11


    John Hollinger
    The front-office soap opera is over, but it will take Bryan Colangelo at least another year to get the product on the floor up to snuff. The Charlie Villanueva trade was a step in the wrong direction, but Chris Bosh will keep them compe ive.
    DIVISION RANK: 4 | CONFERENCE RANK: 13


    Scoop Jackson
    Didn't see the plan until they got T.J. Ford. Now the picture is clear as Pella. Rasho Nesterovic in the middle, Fred "I'll Dunk On You" Jones at the two (as sixth man), Andrea Bargnani wherever and CB4 (Bosh) better. Sam Mitc may get coach of the year.
    DIVISION RANK: 2 | CONFERENCE RANK: 7



    Tim Legler
    The climb back to respectability has begun. T.J. can create an up-tempo style and enhance Chris Bosh's game. The key, however, will be how quickly No. 1 pick Andrea Bargnani can produce consistently.
    DIVISION RANK: 3 | CONFERENCE RANK: 10


    Jim O'Brien
    Colangelo has a great plan and the Raptors will be exciting, but they are still a year or two away. Their high-octane offense will go for naught if they don't jump 10 spots at the defensive end.
    DIVISION RANK: 5 | CONFERENCE RANK: 13


    Chris Sheridan
    We liked most of Colangelo's offseason moves, with the Ford-Villanueva swap the exception. The Raptors will open things up and score a bunch, but look for Ford to lead the NBA in turnovers.
    DIVISION RANK: 2 | CONFERENCE RANK: 9



    Marc Stein
    This might be David "Globalization" Stern's favorite team, but Le Commish and Canada's hoops fans have to be patient. A playoff berth in Year 1, after an overhaul this drastic, is a lot to ask of Toronto's many new imports.
    DIVISION RANK: 2 | CONFERENCE RANK: 10


    Average ranks
    DIVISION: 3.3
    CONFERENCE: 10.9


    Bosh, TJ and the Euro-Raps

  22. #997
    Lurker SlovenianGuy's Avatar
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    Go Raptors!

    Rasho you are the be(a)st!

    How many current players, who are in NBA for more than 5 years, have reached playoffs in each season?

    I don't know the answer. Maybe someone else does ...

    BTW: That's post number 1000! Raptor's have a lot of fans here.

  23. #998
    Esse quam videri ploto's Avatar
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    How many current players, who are in NBA for more than 5 years, have reached playoffs in each season?

    I don't know the answer. Maybe someone else does ...

    BTW: That's post number 1000! Raptor's have a lot of fans here.
    If I remember correctly there were 5 players who have been in the NBA for more than 6 years and who had never missed the play-offs. Two may fall off that list this season- Peja and Jermaine O'Neal- which leaves Tim, Horry, and Rasho. I am sure that people will claim that Rasho is only on that list because of the PF's he has played with, but Bosh has never made the play-offs before and KG is now headed for his third straight season out of the play-offs.

  24. #999
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    What is nice is that it is not a sit-down dinner where the players are snuck in the side and escorted out before anyone can talk to them. It is actually more of party where players, coaches, etc... mingle around the crowd.

    Also, for fun, the Raptors went to the Blue Jays game last night-- Bosh threw out the first pitch, but the whole team was there in a luxury suite.

    How fun!
    I've never been to a professional baseball game.

  25. #1000
    God Talks To Me. angel_luv's Avatar
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    I checked on Raptors.com... all the pictures from the baseball game are of Chris Bosh.
    All right already! He was there. He threw a great pitch. I get it.

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