The StatsMan

By The Statsman, Paul Bruno

So you don’t like it when the fans boo.

So you are the lone All-Star rep of the Toronto Raptors, one of the worst underachieving teams in the NBA this season

So you might be a free agent in at the end of next season.

Our question to you is, “are you playing to the best of your ability”, if for nothing else to justify your multi-million dollar salary?”

Our short answer is, “NO”.

By your position’s definition, you are a power forward. In prior years, we regularly saw the “power” elements to your game. You would routinely go hard to the basket on offense and be aggressive on the defensive glass, even in situations where you were potentially physically overmatched.

This year, especially most recently, you are settling more and more for the fadeaway jumper and not barging inside like you used to do in better times.

The Raps have a losing record, despite bringing in Jermaine O’Neal and the improved offensive play of Andrea Bargnani. Okay, the injury to Jose Calderon was a setback for a while, but this was supposed to be a better team than the one that was a sixth seed I the East last season.

So, why the poor record?

Leadership is lacking.

This team is looking at you to lead them in terms of a scrappy, never-say-die-approach. Too often this season, we have seen Bosh and the rest of his mates settle into a perimeter offensive game and if you watch closely, you see that upon the release of many outside shots, the entire Raptor frontcourt is headed back to their defensive end without contesting the possible rebound. Bosh needs to stay there and yet he’s sometimes leading the charge to the defensive end. Incredible!!!

The Raps have three “bigs”, in Bosh Bargnani and O’Neal, so you would think that they would have mismatches all over the floor in a half-court set. Too often that has not been exploited enough as it looks like these big men play small instead.

In relation to the booing of the home crowd, we say to Mr. Bosh, the fans pay their way to see you and your mates, play to the best of their abilities. That is clearly not happening so when a fan drops a couple of hundred dollars on a game ticket and sees a stinker, he has every right to let his feelings be known. That’s not a Toronto thing. That goes for the entire sports spectrum.

It goes with your territory and you know it. So cut out the sour grapes and play like we know you can!!