At the 20 game mark of the season, the Toronto Raptors have achieved Brothersteve’s earlier prediction of a 7 win, 13 loss record. Predicting the Raptors will bounce back in 2009-10, the Raptors were forecast at:
“Raptors go 2-8 out of the gate”
“The next 10 games get a little easier but with road games against Denver, Utah, Boston, and Atlanta, matching the 2006 record of 5 and 5 will be an accomplishment.”
That “accomplishment” over the past 10 games was something the Raptors were supposed to be able to do!
So maybe, the earlier prediction isn’t exactly leading a fan to the same conclusion as the Raptors play.
The First 10 Games
The Toronto Raptors started off the 2009-10 season on a strong note.
The Raptors 1o games in were better than expected at 5 wins and 5 losses and they had beaten some good teams in the process.
“In the five Raptors wins, they have held opponents to just 91.6 points while scoring a laudable 104.2. That’s a defensive performance worthy of any of the league’s top 6 defensive clubs.”
“But in the five Raptors losses, the Raptors have scored 109.6 points while their opponents have poured in 120.2.”
An inconsistent start for a team with nine new players and a new coaching staff wasn’t anything to be surprised at. Plus four of the losses were against western conference clubs on the road.
The Last 10 Games
There was good reason for optimism around the Raptors. Even if the second ten game stretch included seven very good teams with better than .500 records.
And the next five games followed earlier expectations. The Raptors lost in another couple of tough western conference road games before coming home to take two of three, beating Miami and Indiana. So far, so good.
There was no indication that the Raptors would lose the next five in a row.
It started with an embarrassing 35 point loss to the 4-9 Charlotte Bobcats. Followed by Paul Pierce’s embarrassing dunk over Chris Bosh in the loss to Boston. And ending with the 146 points given up to the Atlanta Hawks.
Perhaps the worst result of this five game skid is that it has become apparent Head Coach Jay Triano has lost the room and the Toronto Raptors players have not “gelled” as a team.
What are the Raptors saying?
Chris Bosh is saying the Raptors just aren’t a very good team.
Jarrett Jack and Antoine Wright are saying the coaches are not making players take responsibility for their mistakes. The coaches are not teaching players how to correct their mistakes. They are being told everything is okay – But it’s not okay!
Jay Triano isn’t talking to his players post game whether they win or lose. He is telling the press everyone is trying hard, even when it doesn’t appear so.
In perhaps his most divisive statement, Jay Triano has said to a press conference that Bosh should be calling out his teammates for not supporting him.
Recently Raptors TV analysts have been asking what the Raptors players should be doing to help out Chris Bosh. Maybe they were just trying to help Triano divide up the locker room a little faster?
In perhaps what should be most concerning is what isn’t being said by the Raptors’ leadership.
We have yet to hear Chris Bosh come out and say, “I played bad! I have to step up my game! I let my team down!”
We have yet to hear Jay Triano say, “I screwed up! I should have called a time out! I should have got thrown out for yelling at the referees tonight!”
If the team’s leadership will not take responsibility for the team’s results, the rest of the players have no one worth following.
Rock Bottom?
The result of this lack of leadership is the question, Where is rock bottom for the Raptors?
This week’s two important road games against Washington and Chicago have become almost “must wins” for the Raptors. But rock bottom would be a loss to Minnesota at home on December 11th.
Asking if the Raptors would be hitting rock bottom in December is not something most fans were anticipating!
Jay Triano had better have a thick skin and ear plugs if the Raptors fail to perform at their next home date.
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brothersteve,
IMO, it is off-base to focus on a supposed lack of leadership for this team from [i] Chris Bosh … an observation I happen not to share … and [ii] Jay Triano, but make no mention of [iii] Bryan Colangelo’s absence from public view for the past 48 hours, and the overall role which he’s played in the construction of the current roster.
There is only 1 individual responsible for the present goings-on in Raptorville.
I got no problem throwing Bryan Colangelo on the lack of leadership pile.
But Bryan does owe it to his coach and star player to let them say something publicly first.
Otherwise he may as well fire/trade them on the spot!
Bosh seems like the bball equivalent of baseball’s “spring hitter”… There are always baseball players who come out of the gate firing on all cylanders and then their production slows… Is CB4 an example of someone who can dominate UNTIL everyone else rounds into form?
Not quite as bad as a spring hitter!
But Bosh’s production does seem to go from Super-star to start the year to very good player as the season progresses. Don’t know if he just can’t keep up the effort or everyone else just adjusts/catches up.
It is quite the tease though, isn’t it.
thinking the low point would be a loss to the Nets this month, to break the Nets’ losing streak.
That WOULD be the low point in several years, I’d say.
That’s a low point I hope we never get to see!
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