Toronto Raptors: The Restoration Project

WARNING: Much to the chagrin of the masses, the following Toronto Raptors article will actually contain a level of positivity. Hitching a ride on the bandwagon of recent discontent is required, but light at the end of the tunnel is within sight.

A 13-point victory over the Boston Celtics on Saturday does not mean the Raps have lifted the losing streak’s curse (Beantown owns 10 first-round picks over the next two years for a reason), but it’s a step in the right direction.

Encouraging signs:

• 17 second-quarter points surrendered. The swarm of Toronto’s past finally made a cameo appearance.

• Giant leaps in the rebounding and shot-blocking departments took place. An intensified effort of 48 boards and 10 rejections went above and beyond the teams respective sub-par averages of 41.6 (ranked 22nd) and 4.3 (ranked 24th).

• Most of all, the insertion of James Johnson into the starting lineup paid tremendous dividends. For just the third time this season, Johnson surpassed the 30-minute mark. The across-the-board contributions of 15 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, 58.3 percent shooting, and one demoralizing dunk could (and should) lead to an official spot with the team’s first unit moving forward. Give an opportunity, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

• The rim attack that left the usually steady defense of James Young a little weak in the knees, in all its thunder:

The even-keel:

Over the course of 82 games, even the elite can endure frustrating stretches. Examining San Antonio’s last 19 games, in which 10 have notched the loss column (with a streak of losing six of seven intertwined), can act as reference point to help ease the pain.

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Aiding that notion, was Dwane Casey’s media scrum (pre-Boston, post-destruction of Kemba Walker):

The highlights:

“It’s about getting it right so we can be in the money come March and April.”

“You have a million different ways to skin a cat. You have every analytical idea or way you should do things, or analytical number that says: hey, here’s the area that’s right and wrong. But again, those numbers are people. And that’s the part that we got to understand.”

“I’ll listen to you. If you have an idea, I’m going to take it; if it helps us win.”

Advanced data:

In this day and age, analytics have become inescapable. Its truth-serum ability has infiltrated every sports fabric. But as Casey points out, a common ground must exist. After all, as much as athletes are treated as principles in robotics, the fluctuation of human elements must be added to the equation with more regularity.

With disclaimers in place, here’s a look at the how the Raptors stack up with the Eastern Conference’s odds-on playoff seeds. The uprising situation in Detroit calls for their inclusion. Hey, the Raps have been there. An uphill battle persists, but it’s warranted.

Before Saturday’s action. The less influenced, the better:

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/10/2015.

The overall offense, and it’s pace, can hang on their own merit. Not to mention Toronto’s turnover rate, free-throws per field goal attempt, and its true-shooting and effective field goal percentages.

But the residing shortcomings are in need of adjustments:

The Lowlights:

• An ongoing concern of a plummeting defensive rating. Ranking 17th overall in Assists Per Game on the offensive side can be concealed to a certain extent, but when you’re also surrendering the eighth highest, trouble would undoubtedly begin to brew. This defense is built on an old-school foundation. Rotations, screen recognition, and man-to-man fundamentals have all showed up late to the party so far. An uptick is needed on the tenacity scale.

• The rising amount of shots from downtown. Toronto has forever owned the reputation of being predominantly jump-shot reliant, and owns the ninth overall ranking in hoisting from beyond the arc to boot. Going 33-104 (32%) over the course of its four-game losing streak has one of its strengths transforming into an inconsistent weakness — raining 13 treys over the Celtics was a thing of beauty, but that doesn’t mean a squad should fall in love.

• The necessity for help in the paint. When you combine the lowest number of these eight teams in the percentage of available defensive rebounds (72.9) with the eighth highest mark of opponents offensive rebounds per game (11.3), the trade market could be visited sometime in the near future.

To the residents of Brooklyn, Miami, and Indiana:

I respect the fight, and if this notion comes back to haunt, I accept the repercussions. But I will take this opportunity to write you off.

Insert Jerry and Kramer re-enacting what those fan bases are currently thinking, here:

Now, as along as Coach Casey is taking suggestions …

Enter the intriguing talent of Bruno Caboclo. The 19-year-old who’s “two years away” from forcing overzealous analysts to begin eating their wild accusations.

Side note: Could the Raps’ brass have selected the native of Osasco, Brazil, later than the 20th overall pick? … Most likely. But kudos are earned when GMs are not afraid to take chances. Especially on the heels of an upper-echelon type season.

This is not a call for the tantalizing upside to all of a sudden come to fruition, however. It’s a cry for help. An insertion (or even just some semi-regular run) into this lineup could act as the rejuvenating factor the Raptors command. Full integration into the offense wouldn’t be possible at this point, but is 10 minutes of burn per game too much to ask for? …

Caboclo has played a grand total of 15 regular season minutes. 54 if you count his time spent with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Toronto’s D-League affiliate.

When one looks over a portion of the Raps roster, namely the likes of Terrence Ross and Landry Fields; both contributors in their own right, but hold one common denominator — predictability.

It’s evident that JJ’s versatility has energized this team on multiple occasions, and Caboclo brings that same trait to the table. Whether it’s running the floor, defense in the post, or even his arsenal from outside.

A smaller scale, yes. But the time is ripe to at the very least see what the kid’s got. A missing piece to the puzzle is potentially already in-house.

It’s time for some meaningful action, where a 25-point blowout hasn’t transpired.

“We want Bruno!” …

Next on the docket:

The slow-starting, now well-oiled machine, Detroit Pistons. A matchup Andre Drummond is all too familiar with.

Are we in store for “I cocked that joint back and banged on ’em” Part Two? … When Johnson enters the paint, be on the lookout.

The restoration project is in motion.

Next: 50 Greatest NBA Players Without a Championship