toronto raptors linkage – sept 18
This is a player who really became one of the league’s brightest stars for a relatively short time and seemed last year to have already lost that stardom by age 29. But if it’s possible for him to get it back, playing alongside Chris Bosh in the front-court could be as good a way as any. As consistent as anyone in the league over the last three seasons, Bosh has become one of the game’s best face-up big men. O’Neal could be just the complement for him to allow both players to be more effective.
Bosh operates very well from mid-range and the high post, but his stringbean body occasionally causes him trouble with his back to the basket. Without an interior scoring presence beside him, he has been faced with all sorts of extra defensive attention, particularly come playoff time over the last two years. A healthy O’Neal can create offense with a variety of quick and powerful moves on the low blocks, and he can also step out and hit the jumper from the wings as well. Both bigs are unselfish players who are willing to move the basketball. With high levels of agility between them for big men, both could engage in a lot of motion and help free each other away from the ball as well. On the defensive end, Bosh’s height and wingspan combined with O’Neal’s shot-blocking abilities and general presence inside could allow the Raptors to stretch their perimeter defense with opponents faced with the knowledge that twin big men are lying in wait in the paint.
Before the Beijing Olympics, Bosh probably would have been about eighth or ninth on this list. Not anymore. His willingness to play inside and do the dirty work for Team USA portends well for the Raptors. If Bosh uses that style as his foundation and complements it with his skilled perimeter and low-post game, he’s going to be a real headache. He also appears to have the look of a leader.
take a team that was inconsistent but on any given night could beat the elite in the NBA. A team who’s main knock was their lack of an interior presence defensively, and poor rebounding. Now make those two weaknesses some of your biggest strengths with one business move to acquire the services of Jermaine O’Neal. Watch what happens folks. This year with Bosh and O’Neal side-by-side in the paint, the Raps will be mighty good on both ends of the floor.
Now if only Bargnani could grow a pair, and play with some intensity. Hmmm, Jamario Moon might end up coming off the bench, but if he does i’m thinking potential 6th man of the year award if the Raps are as successful as they should be.
Jermaine O’Neal is not the answer. He just isn’t.
Who has the best franchise in Toronto right now? I think the answer has been clear for quite a long time. It is the Toronto Raptors by a mile. Leaf Nation can keep the faith all they like but the Stanley Cup is not coming to Toronto. Sure it sits in the hockey hall of fame but you know what I mean.
Ford sponsored the Toronto Raptors back in 2006, and one of the promotional ties in the deal was a special Ford Fusion Raptors Edition (here is the promo video). The car is replete with a magical selection of colors and images on the outside, and basketball-themed colors and textures inside. Check out that b-ball steering wheel, and those seats, and the TV in the trunk that would allow you to both ruin your eyes and watch games at a truly awful angle. If nothing else, we’re impressed that it took two and a half years to show up on the used car sales floor. Less surprising is the fact that it’s only done 5,900 kilometers in that time. It can be all yours for $25,000 Canadian..
I look at this unique tweeneyness of Bosh as being an advantage. Aside from Kevin Garnett nobody in the NBA can stay with Bosh based on lateral quicks which is a fact the Raptors need to exploit more (no jumpers). But at the same time when the likes of Trenton Hassell have success shutting you down its time to expand your game into the low-post so that opposing teams are forced to match not only your quickness but also your strength in order to stop you.
I think Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo made a clever move trading T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, and the 17th pick for O’Neal. Make no mistake; the Raptors are rolling the dice on O’Neal. Obviously, O’Neal being able to stay healthy is a big ‘IF,’ but when he is actually on the floor, JO is a monster. He scores, rebounds, and fiercely defends the paint, which is something the Raptors badly needed. Nonetheless, I thought the Cavs trade for Mo Williams was one of the most underrated acquisitions of the entire summer and will actually benefit Cleveland more than the O’Neal trade does Toronto.
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