Today in Raptorland

Acie · 10-28-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Teams in the NBA's Eastern Conference should heed the words of Hedo Turkoglu.

While players were asked yesterday for predictions on the coming season, which begins tonight for the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre against the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, Turkoglu suggested that anyone who believes his club will not succeed is misinformed.

"We are as good as anybody out there right now," said Turkoglu, whom GM Bryan Colangelo brought over from the Orlando Magic in July. "We don't get a lot of credit, even to make the playoffs. But we really don't care. I'm very confident about myself and my teammates."

Perhaps it's Turkoglu who is wearing the rose-coloured contact lenses.

Most basketball publications pick the Raptors, who finished 33-49 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006, to finish anywhere from fifth to eighth in the East

Playoffs Motivate Bosh

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Chris Bosh is extremely hesitant to talk about where he may play next season or what it would take to sign another deal with the Raptors, the only NBA club he has ever known.

But the four-time all-star opened up a little when he said that what will make him content is making the playoffs, on a regular basis, with the possibility of going deep into the post-season.

"I think about all the games I watched when I was little. What games do I remember? Playoff games. You don't remember like: 'Hey, do you remember when Jordan had 30 in February?' " he said. "It's all about the playoffs

Raptors face an uphill battle

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With apologies to the residents of Chinatown, Little India, Corsa Italia and beyond, let's not kid: Toronto is a monoculture. A losing culture.

The one-win Leafs and the Argos are to laugh. Most Blue Jays games are funerals. And the local beer-swilling soccer spectacle begs a narrowing of the definition of "pro athlete." But Wednesday night, when the Raptors open their 15th season against LeBron and Shaq and the Cleveland Cavaliers, marks a welcome beginning in a town accustomed to dead ends. Toronto's NBA outfit just might be pretty good this season.

And then again, they might come to rank among the more scorn-worthy citizens of the City of Losers.

Chemistry critical to Raptors' success

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You can't touch it or smell it or measure it in any quantifiable manner. It's an elusive concept that many talk about but no one can really clearly define.

Yet it may be the one thing that determines whether the Raptors' season, which opens Wednesday night as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers, is a wild success or an unqualified failure.

It is team chemistry, which can be getting disparate personalities not familiar with each other to mesh into a cohesive unit or asking some to accept lesser roles for the common good or simply respecting each other as people and co-workers.

Fifteen memorable Raptors

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Mengke Bateer

All right, he did very little on the court and lots of fans won't remember him, but the big man from China gave the Raptors an in-road into an underdeveloped market and they did get a Mandarin radio deal out of it.

Vincenzo Esposito

He was the first Raptor ever signed, so that has to mean something on this list. Couldn't really play a lick in the NBA, he still became something of a fan favourite if only for the cheesy music they played when he checked into a game.

Three issues facing the Raptors

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POINT

Big is bold

The Raptors start a front line of 6-foot-10 Hedo Turkoglu, 6-foot-10 Chris Bosh and 7-foot Andrea Bargnani, all capable of making outside shots, creating matchup problems.

COUNTERPOINT

Big doesn't board

The Raptors may be large but they aren't the greatest rebounding team in the history of the game and their shortcomings on the boards will cost them a game or two, for sure.

Will Bosh stay or will he go?

Quote:

Somewhere up ahead, there is a fork in the road. We don't know where either road leads after the crossroads are reached; we don't know exactly what the road looks like between here and there. But we know that for the Toronto Raptors, the highway splits somewhere between here and the horizon.

"It's an unclear picture," says Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, and that's about right.

Down one road, the franchise keeps Chris Bosh. Down the other, Chris Bosh heads in a different direction. There are 82 games between now and the summer of 2010, maybe some playoffs, and the season starts tonight. It's too soon to say what Toronto's franchise player - and then, the franchise - will decide.

Sunshine Girl - 28.10.09

Torontosaurus · 10-28-2009, 09:08 AM

I like the confidence Hedo is bringing early in the season. His leadership abilities starting to show.

Superjudge · 10-28-2009, 09:30 AM

And so it begins.

Big Game!

ps. Ahh Dave feschuk is back. Thanks be to the cynical voice of reason NONE of us want to hear, not just yet..hahaha

Barracuda · 10-28-2009, 09:31 AM

Dammit SJ, go to bed!

**fancylad** · 10-28-2009, 12:34 PM

The National Post article pisses me off. Already they're talking about Bosh staying or going?

Like i know it's going to be an issue following the team, but it's already proving to annoy m.

Acie · 10-28-2009, 12:37 PM

But the SSG is hot.

lonewolfpoet · 10-28-2009, 03:28 PM

for the SSG. Who is she?

Gurk · 10-28-2009, 03:50 PM

Yeah this is back. Nice SSG today

**Belsius** · 10-28-2009, 03:53 PM

Nice job Acie

10-28-2009, 09:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
Superjudge is pounding the rock! Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 17,371 Representing:	And so it begins. Big Game! ps. Ahh Dave feschuk is back. Thanks be to the cynical voice of reason NONE of us want to hear, not just yet..hahaha Last edited by Superjudge; 10-28-2009 at 09:37 AM.

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10-28-2009, 09:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
Torontosaurus waiting for the Masai-a on ihateus Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Victoria, home of the Nash-ites Posts: 3,859 Representing:	I like the confidence Hedo is bringing early in the season. His leadership abilities starting to show.

10-28-2009, 09:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
Barracuda the fighter of the Nightman Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Cherry Bomb Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 7,728 Representing:	Dammit SJ, go to bed!

10-28-2009, 12:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
fancylad blah! nosce te ipsum Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: east side. Posts: 13,266 Representing:	The National Post article pisses me off. Already they're talking about Bosh staying or going? Like i know it's going to be an issue following the team, but it's already proving to annoy m.

10-28-2009, 12:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
Acie landry fields forever Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Living in a van down by the river Posts: 19,088 Representing:	But the SSG is hot.

10-28-2009, 03:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
lonewolfpoet thinking Stephen Harper has got to go. Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Markham, Canada Posts: 1,236 Representing:	for the SSG. Who is she?

10-28-2009, 03:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Gurk is dead inside you ain't bout that life Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 22,015 Representing:	Yeah this is back. Nice SSG today

10-28-2009, 03:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
Belsius a paranoid android My name is Iñigo Montoya Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 8,602 Representing:	Nice job Acie