<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Getting healthy is one thing the Raptors can be thankful for as they head into the home stretch before the all-star break. But it's far from the only thing. The early return to the hardwood for T.J. Ford in Monday's blowout win over the Miami Heat had everyone in the Raptors locker room feeling better about themselves, but even before Ford decided his body was again ready to take on the rigours of the NBA, the consistency that had been lacking in the Raptors' overall game this season was starting to show itself. The Raptors are first and foremost a team that relies on their shooting abilities. In order to take full advantage of this, the Raptors need to create space for their shooters. Too often this season that space just wasn't there, but go back over the last dozen and the open looks the Raptors have been getting is staggering. The reasons for this are Chris Bosh's return to complete health and his ever-improving ability to pass out of the double team when he gets the ball inside. There's the return of that missing confidence that Andrea Bargnani has back with his shot. With Bargnani zeroed in, teams no longer can ignore the centre. He is back to being one of those shooters teams have to pay extra attention to, which further opens up space for others. Now none of this matters if the Raptors aren't swinging the ball and finding the open man but lately they have been doing that as well as they ever have. Consider that in three of the past five games they have surpassed the 130-point mark, something they now have done a franchise record five times. The 31 assists the Raptors had Monday night was a perfect indication of how much the ball was moving.</div> Source: The Toronto Sun
130 points? They have not passed the 130pt mark in franchise history, they must mean 110 which is still very impressive.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MosDefinitely @ Feb 7 2008, 01:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>130 points? They have not passed the 130pt mark in franchise history, they must mean 110 which is still very impressive.</div> Yeah that is pretty strange. That topped 120 against Washington? Weirdos. Pretty boring read, really. I think we all realize that spacing is the key to the Raps on offense but what are you supposed to write with so many days off between games?
I kind of think there is something to this. We aren't maximizing our resources with the lack of spacing. Our shooters aren't getting the space they need to do their thing. I think a lot of this stems from the fact that we don't have any significant post threats. Most of Bosh's offense starts 10-15 feet away from the basket. Bargnani...well...you know. And none of our other big are post scoring threats, at least not the kind you can run an offense through. By not drawing defenders into the key it leaves a lot more floating around the perimeter where our shooters need space to work. Bosh, Jose and a lesser extent Andrea are tailor made for the pick and roll offense. But I think the rest of the roster is more of a traditional half court team
