I'll ignore the ridiculous last comment and just talk about the Raptors. Don't you think the Raptors lack something? Their collection of talent and depth is good and I believe they will contend for home-court advantage in the first round. But ingredients are missing. While Bosh is a stud, he can't carry a team the way Kobe and Wade can. He needs another standout player as a complement. Depth is good and I like Calderon/Garbagosa/Parker/Bargnani/T.J. But the Raptors need another guy to play out of his mind to be contenders this year. The Jazz, who have Boozer and Deron Williams, illustrate the point. The Jazz also have a toughness the Raptors don't have. If a good regular season and another first round exit satisfies you, then your team is all set. I don't think the Raptors as constructed will reach the next level (even in the Eastern Conference).
It's subjective, IMHO I think an all Euro (or all international... gotta include my man Yao in that team ) will take out the U.S team...probably not "easily" as i stated earlier, but they would win. PG: Steve Nash/ Parker ...stevie's still got it. SG: Ginobili / Barbosa .... Ginobili is the ultimate team player. SF: Luol Deng / Kirilenko ....Dueng is a future superstar... PF: Dirk / Gasol ......Dirk is just coming off an MVP type season. C: Yao Ming / Okur .... Yao is just hitting his prime, he's unselfish and is the top Centre in the league...... Vs. Pg: Kidd / C.Paul ... Kidd can't shoot worth a lick, but probably gives this team a chance w/ his playmaking abilities. SG: Kobe / Arenas ... Kobe will probably never pass, especially to Shaq...same does for Arena$$ SF: Pierce / allen ... he'll keep shooting those 3 at a low %, Allen will fall and hurt himself PF: Garnett / Duncan... Well, they are who they are........ C: Shaq / Wallace... Both gettin old, Yao will eat them for lunch. I know the U.S team would be deeper, but International players are just better TEAM players, they tend not to have that EGO factor...which gives them the edge...
Yeah I would ignore the Euro posts that I make as well..... As far as the Raptors go, I agree that the Raps need another player who can compliment Bosh, especially in the SG/SF position, but the East is so weak that it's not going to be a real issue, it's up in the air for anyone to take. I guess we differ in how we view the East, the CAVS as a team are absolutely mediocre and they made it to the finals, that's saying a lot. You are going to find out how good Mr. Bosh is in this upcoming season, maybe my expectations from him are too high, but I think his game is going to hit another level….and once Bargnani becomes that force most Rap fans think he will be, we'll see that this team will be one of the top teams with chicago in the East….those are the only two teams that have a bright future.
ehhh, raptors were a fluke... the team is not built for the playoffs AT ALL anyway. they need to trade some of that depth for an all-star SG or SF or i doubt this squad could ever get passed the second round no matter how well they play. with the east getting a little stronger this year i doubt they win the same number of games they did last year. i say 40 - 42 wins, 7th or 8th seed.....if they make it at all. one and done in the playoffs
while they do need a second go-to-guy next to bosh in order to advance in the playoffs, they are built to cause matchup problems during the regular season. projected starting line-up: bosh bargnani kopono parker ford bosh and bargnani will have a speed and agility advantage over most centers and power fowards. they can also spread the floor (bosh: mid-range / bargnani: 3pt line) along with kopono, which would allow ford to attack the basket with his quickness and parker to post up smaller SG's. add a deep bench to the mix and they are looking good. i still don't see them grabbing HC in the playoffs though. only because boston should win the division.
You need a bench to win in the playoffs, KG, PP and RA are going to slow down as the season goes on, they are going to have to carry the load ALL season, and all three are up there in age, I don't know why people are buying into Boston taking the East....
they might not win it this season after this one coming up. but this next season they will take the east. these 3 guys are hungry and good. will be fun watching them.
The Raptors did get beat rather soundly by the Nets last year - but it was more than just Kidd and their experience. Bosh was a little shell shocked and just didn't play anywhere near the level he can. At this point, it can still be chalked up to first time jitters or stagefright. The ting that people are forgetting, is that Bargnani was coming back from an appendectomy and was not in game shape, let alone playoff shape, and that Garbajosa wasn't playing at all after his severe ankle injury. A lot of people feel he was the glue guy with the toughness and smarts last year. Both TJ Ford and Jose Calderon were also nursing injuries in that series as well. I think a year of seasoning,a full return by Garbajosa and Bargnani, and the additions of Kapono (shooting) and Delfino (slashing) will pay dividends. I won't claim they're built to contend with the Spurs or anything, but having a playoff year under their belt (and losing their playoff debut) will make them a better team than they're given credit for in this thread. Sam Mitchell is still a weakness, and there does feel like there's a personnel void in terms of playoff clutchness - but I have a hunch Bargnani will be the one to grow into that role. He plays like he has ice water in his veins and will be the yin to Bosh's yang - and they both have to step up their D if the Raptors wish to have a prayer at anything substantial in the postseason.
