By RaptorTalkThe Raptors are not a great defensive team. It's pretty obvious that they hang their hat on their offensive prowess - so we better buckle our seatbelts and prepare for a bunch of 120 - 115 games.As we near the end of November, the Raptors continue to sport the worst ever rating of Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions in NBA history - at 116 pts per 100 possessions. Jay Triano's dream of a top ten defense is just that - a dream.That said, the Raptors have the talent to improve... Read Full Story

 By RaptorTalkAs was reported earlier, Bryan Colangelo said he'd have pretty good idea what kind of team he has by the end of the month. Well, the end of the month is only ten days away.So far, the men in red are sitting at 5-7 having played more road games than any other Eastern Conference team. Today, Raptors broadcaster Matt Devlin said their goal was to be 6-6 at this point and they’ve fallen a little short. Honestly, I expected a little better from the Raptors than what we've seen ... Read Full Story

  By RaptorTalk'Patience' is a word that has officially been removed from Bryan Colangelo’s vocabulary for the 2009-2010 Raptors campaign.Why?Simply put - this is a year where Bryan can’t afford to be patient because there might be a very steep price to pay for sitting idly by. Waiting patiently to see how this season plays out is not an option.      Prior to the impressive win against the Chicago Bulls, the Raptors’ GM was interviewed on the FAN 590. Eric S... Read Full Story

 By RaptorTalkHelp me understand this. Jay Triano's focus this season is on defence. Marc Iavaroni was brought in as a defensive specialist to further cement the Raptors' commitment to defence.In training camp, Triano proclaimed his goal was for Toronto to be a top ten defensive squad. Jay and Marc’s brilliant defensive scheme was branded as “protect the house”. They even placed tape on the gym floor so that everyone understood the boundaries of the Raptors’ ‘take no prisoners’ zone.Yet,... Read Full Story

 By RaptorTalk:Earlier today on Toronto's FAN 590, former Niagara University head basketball coach and Raptors TV analyst Jack Armstrong went on a very entertaining and informative mini rant.        Jack's rant was about the Raptors defence and the coaching staff's overall defensive philosophy. As best I recall, this is a summary of what Jack Armstrong had to say:First he said the Raptors are kidding themselves if they think they will bec... Read Full Story

 By RaptortalkSome will say it’s too early to pass judgement on Jay Triano after only three regular season games as the Raptors head coach. I see it differently. I view Jay Triano as someone who has been coaching the Raptors for 78 games and his overall record is less than stellar. In fact, I’ll go a step further and say that Jay Triano may very well be Colangelo’s “Hoffa” – a very bad managerial move that needs to be corrected sooner than later.       ... Read Full Story

 By RaptorTalk:  It’s two games in and we already know this new Raptor team will frustrate us to no end - just like the old Raptors. First they won an improbable game against LeBron and the Cavs, only to follow-up with a stinker loss to Memphis.So what have we learned so far and how do we grade the Raptors? So Jay, do you have any idea as to what you want me to do on the court? Bosh: 'A' –  Mr. Double/Double is still our franchise player. He can score and he can rebound. D... Read Full Story

 By RaptorTalkPreseason is done for the Toronto Raptors and there remain more questions than answers with the squad. While I am generally apt to put a positive spin on events in Raptorland, my Jalen-Rose colored glasses are a little clouded as the season opener approaches. Here are list of 6 questions (one for each preseason loss) that concern me, followed by the answers – which don’t necessarily fill me with confidence, either.      Q1: Should a 2-6 preseason re... Read Full Story

  By RaptorTalk:Earlier this summer, Andrea Bargnani signed a contract extension with the Toronto Raptors for a reported 5 years/ $50 million. The cynics panned the signing as an over-payment for a guy who has only performed well for a 60 game stretch and otherwise had under-performed. So when reports surfaced claiming that Portland had just inked PF LaMarcus Aldridge to a 5 year/ $65 million extension, I decided to do a little investigation into the numbers to determine i... Read Full Story

 By RaptorTalkGoing into this season, the Raptors new defensive philosophy was to protect an area which covers the paint and extends past the free throw line. No one and I mean no one would be allowed to score in that area called the ‘house’. Well, the brilliant new defensive strategy to pack 'the house' has backfired two games in a row as the Raps let easy three balls rain down against Boston and Houston. Shane Battier exploited the Raptors Achilles heel and shot 88% beyond the arc whil... Read Full Story