Game 35/82: Boston (25-9) @ Toronto (19-18)
Posted by Brian Robb on Jan 10, 2010
Boston at Toronto
1:00 p.m. EST
Air Canada Centre
Local TV/Radio: CSN/WEEI
Opposing viewpoint: Raptors Republic
Offensive Efficiency:
Boston: 108.6 points/100 possessions (10th)
Toronto: 111.1 points/100 possessions (5th)
Defensive Efficiency:
Boston: 100.8 points allowed/100 possessions (1st)
Toronto: 113.1 points allowed/100 possessions (30th)
Probable Toronto Starters:
Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Jarrett Jack, DeMar DeRozan, Hedo Turkoglu
Injury Report
Toronto: OUT: Reggie Evans
Boston: OUT: Marquis Daniels, Kevin Garnett
Given that the Celtics played the Raptors just 8 days ago, we are going to go with a revamped version of last weekend’s preview for this afternoon’s camp. Believe it or not, a lot has changed since these two teams last met and it centers around Toronto playing much better ball. They have a 3 game winning streak going with 2 wins over formidable Orlando and San Antonio. Plus they are starting to play defense? More on that later. Now to the preview:
WHAT THE RAPTORS DO WELL:
Offense
The Raptors are built for one thing and that’s scoring points. They rank 6th in the league in offensive efficiency and have an impressive array of players that can hurt you from the inside (Chris Bosh) as well as the outside (Hedo, Bargnani, Jack). They rank 5th in the league shooting from downtown as well. A couple other highlights of their offensive prowess.
*8th in league for fewest turnovers
*2nd in the league in getting to the line
WHAT THE RAPTORS DO POORLY
How do you say? Ah yes….Defense
As good as this team is offensively, they are just as bad and in general even worse on the defensive end on the floor. Opponents get to the basket at will against Bosh and Barganni and the majority of their perimeter players play a certain matador defense, allowing their opponents easy openings to the hoop. The numbers are also ugly in other areas of the defensive end.
*27th in league in allowing offensive rebounds
*28th in league in forcing opponents turnovers
*Opponents get to the line against them…. a lot. (27th in league)
I wrote all of that last week, and in all honesty all those points still stand. With that said, this team has been playing MUCH better on defense lately. Now their much better play, still makes them the worst defensive team in the league, but it also has given them a much better chance to win games given their offensive firepower.
Jon Schuhmann had a very nice piece at nba.com (h/t: Zach Lowe) on the team Getting defensive in Toronto and how their defensive rating has been a solid 103.4 in the last 16 games, while their season has been turned around. Still not great, but teams can’t count on putting 100 points against the Raptors anymore as a foregone conclusion.
PLAYERS WHO MAKES ME WORRY
Chris Bosh
Clearly the team’s offensive MVP, the guy is having a career year thus far in his contract year, creating all kinds of problems for opponents within 10 feet of the basket. Averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds a game and gets to the line more than any other PF in the league at 9.4 free throw attempts a contest. Without KG in the lineup, look for Perk to try to hang with Bosh down low…..or maybe that’s just wishful thinking since I don’t want to see Rasheed chase him all over the court.
Jarrett Jack
An athletic PG who has taken over for an injured Jose Calderon in the starting lineup, he has recently started to hit his stride during the Raptors 5 game winning streak. Averaging 12 points and 6 assists in his last 10 games along with 50 percent from downtown. A day after a scoring guard in Jamal Crawford torched this team all over the floor in the 4th quarter, Rondo and company will have to work hard to contain Jack.
PLAYERS WHO DO NOT MAKE ME WORRY
DeMar DeRozan/Antoine Wright
The SG position is not a strength for this Raptors team and although DeRozan has some nice athleticism, the C’s should be able to contain him. Same for Antoine Wright, who is as offensively inept as they come.
WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FROM THE C’S TONIGHT
Offensive Rhythm
It’s the offense that has been this team’s biggest problem lately. Today, against a team firing on all cylinders in Toronto, the C’s will need to go back to basics like they did in their last win against Toronto last weekend in order to succeed. Good ball movement on the perimeter, getting out and running, and taking care of the ball will all be crucial to a C’s win today.
PREDICTION
Toronto has won 3 in a row as I mentioned earlier and 8 out of 9 overall. They are finally healthy with Jose Calderon back so they have players on both units that can burn the C’s. The C’s have won both matchups thus far this year but I have a bad feeling about this one, given the team’s offensive problems lately. Toronto is just on a roll right now and the C’s don’t generally do well in early starts. Raptors in a squeaker
Raptors 101, Celtics 98
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