Yardbarker: Hidayet Turkoglu

Keep Your Picks: Raptors vs. Kings (Round One, Game Nine)

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:55:29 -0500

This is a match up between established stars and players on the rise. The Kings are undersized because neither Peja or Hedo are meant to play power forwards. The Raptors are oversized with Antawn Jamison and Chris Bosh. Tracy McGrady highlights the back court for the Raptors. Since this is the first round I'm smelling an upset here. Expert Picks: Bowers: Sacramento Kings Pickard: Toronto Raptors

Reviewing the calls: Lakers-Kings Game 6

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:25:15 -0500

Roland Beech of 82games.com takes a look at the tape. Was Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference really fixed? Was there a clear bias shown to favor the Lakers calls? Or was it just a poorly officiated game?

Ranking the Top 30 Small Forwards by Total Value

Mon, 26 May 2008 13:00:17 -0500

This is the third of five installments of my position-by-position rankings, where I consider the four major factors that affect a player's total value: talent (statistical performance), contract, age and potential. To see a more detailed explanation of my approach, give my point guard rankings a gander. I have also completed the first edition of my shooting guard rankings. To summarize a player's stats, I'll use the NBA Efficiency statistic, which is defined as: EFF = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) - ((Field Goals Att. - Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. - Free Throws Made) + Turnovers)) Essentially, the order of this list depends on the answer to the question – would you trade Player X for Player Y, assuming the goal is to win a title in the next three seasons, while also building a strong franchise for years to come? On with the rankings... 1. LeBron James, Cavaliers Age: 23 EPG: 30.6 Contract: three years, $47.3 M ($15.8 M per) What's there to say about LeBron that hasn't already been said? He's only 23 and is, at worst, the second-best wing in the NBA. He has some things to work on (i.e. post game, consistent shooting), but the sky is the limit. 2. Kevin Durant, Sonics Age: 19 EPG: 15.2 Contract: four years, $23.3 M ($5.9 M per) ROY probably should have gone to Al Horford, but Durant won it and his game is dripping with potential. I don't think the Sonics would trade Durant away for anyone on this list but LeBron. 3. Rudy Gay, Grizzlies Age: 21 EPG: 18.5 Contract: three years, $10.3 M ($3.4 M per) Gay broke out in a big way, averaging 20/6 in his sophomore season. He's young and talented, and will be the cornerstone to Memphis' rebuilding effort. (See the rest of the list after the jump.)

Hedo gets denied as Pistons advance

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:45:47 -0500

The Pistons-Magic series came to an end a few days ago, but the big play at the end of the game was between Hedo Turkoglu and Tayshaun Prince. Prince, known for his defense, was beat by Hedo (who had a great series) but recovered just in time to block Hedo's game tying dunk attempt with under 15 seconds remaining in the game. Check out the video for the full clip. Crazy recovery speed!

AccuScore Detroit-Orlando Game 5 Preview

Tue, 13 May 2008 16:06:22 -0500

The Pistons try to close out the Magic at home. Chauncey Billups is questionable tonight, but AccuScore still sees Detroit having the edge.

ORL: 111, DET: 86 - And The Rain Did Fall

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:11:10 -0500

"Rashard! We're not gonna get swept! Piggyback ride!"

Top 30 NBA Small Forwards

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:23:52 -0500

When it comes to small forwards, LeBron James is king, with Carmelo Anthony right behind him. He confirmed that he's 6'9 and 260 pounds, yet he's fast and athletic. He had an MVP caliber regular season with 30 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.2 APG 1.8 SPG and 1.1 BPG. Unguardable 1-on-1, LeBron is only 23 years old, and is a force to be reckoned with in the NBA. Player (Current Team/Former Team) PPG, RPG, APG, SPG, BPG * = Best in Category (R) = Rookie Steals 1+ Shown Blocks and Steals Shown if both are 1+ 1. LeBron James (CLE) 30*, 7.9*, 7.2*, 1.8, 1.1 2. Carmelo Anthony (DEN) 25.7, 7.4, 3.4, 1.3 SPG 3. Caron Butler (WAS) 20.3, 6.7, 4.9, 2.2 SPG 4. Shawn Marion (MIA/PHX) 15.4, 10.2, 2.2, 2, 1.5 BPG* 5. Andre Iguodala (PHI) 19.9, 4.8, 5, 2.2 SPG 6. Ron Artest (SAC) 20.5, 5.8, 3.5, 2.3 SPG* 7. Paul Pierce (BOS) 19.6, 5.1, 4.5, 1.3 SPG 8. Gerald Wallace (CHA) 19.4, 6, 3.5, 2.1 SPG 9. Corey Maggette (LAC) 22.1, 5.6, 2.7, 1 SPG 10. Rudy Gay (MEM) 20.1, 6.2, 2, 1.4, 1 11. Richard Jefferson (NJN) 22.6, 4.2, 3.1 12. Hedo Turkoglu (ORL) 19.5, 5.7, 5 13. Stephen Jackson (GSW) 20.1, 4.4, 4.3, 1.3 SPG 14. Josh Howard (DAL) 19.9, 7, 2.2 15. Mike Dunleavy (IND) 19.1, 5.2, 3.5, 1 SPG 16. Luol Deng (CHI) 17, 6.3, 2.5 17. Andrei Kirilenko (UTA) 11, 4.7, 4, 1.2, 1.5 18. Peja Stojakovic (NOH) 16.4, 4.3, 1.2 19. Ricky Davis 14, 4.3, 3.4, 1.1 20. Tayshaun Prince (DET) 13.2, 4.9, 3.3 21. Marvin Williams (ATL) 14.8, 5.7, 1.7, 1 SPG 22. John Salmons (SAC) 12.5, 4.3, 2.6, 1.1 SPG 23. Shane Battier (HOU) 9.3, 5.1, 1.9, 1, 1.1 24. Grant Hill (PHX) 13.1, 5.3, 2.9 25. Francisco Garcia (SAC) 12.3, 3.3, 1.6, 1.2 SPG 26. Travis Outlaw (POR) 13.3, 4.6, 1.3 27. Andres Nocioni (CHI) 13.2, 4.2, 1.2 28. (R) Al Thornton (LAC) 12.7, 4.5, 1.2 29. (R) Jamario Moon (TOR) 8.5, 6.2, 1.2, 1, 1.4 30. Boris Diaw (PHX) 8.8, 4.6, 3.9 31. Linas Kleiza (DEN) 11.1, 4.2, 1.2 Just Missed Out (R) Jeff Green (SEA) 10.5, 4.7, 1.5 Desmond Mason (MIL) 9.7, 4.3, 2.1 Martell Webster (POR) 10.7, 3.9, 1.2

LeBron/DeShawn, Josh Howard, MIP and more

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:35:09 -0500

It's kind of sad that the most compelling thing about the Cavs/Wizards series is all the drama surrounding the ongoing feud between LeBron James and DeShawn Stevenson, though I have to admit I love hearing clueless announcers describe the insult in LeBron's comparison of DeShawn to Soulja Boy. Then Soulja Boy shows up and meets Stevenson before the Wizards go on to blow the Cavs out in Game 3. Apparently, LeBron bought a private room in a club that night and played a new Jay-Z song in which he disses Stevenson. Caron Butler and his squeeze were in the club and when they heard the song, they left. On and on it goes. Oh yeah, the Cavs are up 3-1 heading back to Cleveland. Hedo Turkoglu won the Most Improved Player award, making me three for three in my year-end award predictions. (Read the rest after the jump.)

Raps vs. Magic - Game 5 Preview

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:25:09 -0500

To be honest, I'm not completely sure what happened in Game 4. The Raptors looked like they were starting to pull away, were up by about 7 and then all of a sudden, the wheels fell off. Much in the same way that big time players come through in the 4th quarter, big time teams come through in the 4th quarter and the Raptors showed that they just aren't ready for that sort of responsibility right now. If you have that sort of collapse in the 4th quarter in the playoffs, then you don't have the foundation necessary to win in the playoffs. One of the things I notice (well, it isn't like you have to look that hard) is just how afraid the Raptors are of attacking the lane with Dwight Howard there. The Raptors are taking off balance shots, are pulling up for jumpers when a lane to the basket is more than apparent and are rushing shots when they have them. Look, Howard is going to get his blocks. That's going to happen. Who cares? When he starts getting into block mode, he is also going to foul more because he starts looking for the block every time the opposition comes down the court. When you have an athletic advantage over your opposition, you should be able to exploit their deficiencies, not play into their strengths. On D, the Raptors are almost embarrasing in how they let Howard rule the boards and pickup easy putbacks. Sure, it is easier said than done, but you have to make some sort of effort against him. At this point, you might as well put Hump in there for some minutes against Howard. I'm dead serious. Are you telling me that Hump wouldn't at least Humpslap Howard at least once? I guarantee you he would get his money's worth in there. Hump may not be the best guy to have on the court for extended minutes, but when he has been asked to walk in and play a role for a short period of time, he has been effective. The Raptors are down 3-1, there really isn't that much to lose. So into Game 5. I still don't think the Magic are that much better of a team than the Raptors, I really don't. If the Raptors are able to not fall into another giant hole in Orlando, they still have a chance to bring this back to Toronto. If you bring it back to Toronto, the crowd is going to be seriously pumped. You pick up a win there and then anything can happen. Sure, it is a lot to ask, but it isn't completely impossible. If I see Hedo walk through the Raptors for another layup, I am going to lose it. They are making Hedo and Jameer look like they are the fastest guys in the league. Also, the Raptors PGs have to realize that if they are playing up to their regular standards, Jameer shouldn't even come close to beating them off the dribble, so when he has the ball, they have to get up on him. You can't sit as far back from him as they have been, because he has shown in this series that he can get hot with his shot. Hedo and Jameer are very similar in that fashion, they can both get hot in a hurry and then they just get on one of those streaks that is tough to stop. So once again, just like many times during the season, the Raptors have a big game. Hell, they're all big games from here on in. But just like during the regular season, the Raptors have to get tougher. They can't get pushed around, especially in the 4th quarter. Somebody has to knock Howard down, I don't care if you have to cheap shot him, it has to happen. I'm not talking about something like cutting his legs out from under him, you don't want to see anybody get hurt, I just mean that somebody has to pull something like what Hedo did to Bosh. Make a statement. Another statement game for the Raps? There's a surprise.

Raps vs. Magic - Game 3 Preview

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:19:48 -0500

All things considered, the Raptors really haven't played that bad basketball over their first two playoff games this year. They have had two absolutely terrible quarters, which happen to be the first quarters of both games, but outside of those first two quarters, they have outscored the Magic 162-140. Until Hedo hit his miracle shot to put the Magic up in Game 2, he hadn't done anything in the second half and the Raptors had done a pretty good job controlling the Magic offense. They had a horrible last play and some defensive lapses were clearly evident, but I don't think the situation is as bad as everybody seems to think it is. If the Raptors are able to win on home court and even it up, I think they'll take the series. I know, I'm the only person saying that and I know that the numbers are heavily against them, but when it comes to the playoffs, momentum has everything to do with everything. If you start getting your opponent to question themselves, you're already halfway there. While the Raptors didn't win Game 2, if they had, you would probably hear people talking about the great job the Raptors did in splitting away from home. So 2 points one way or the other defines how well or how poorly a team played? Let's keep it in perspective. Let's not kid ourselves though, the Raptors have some serious work to do in order to come out strong in the first quarter. Right now, nothing is working for them in the first quarter. They can't stop anybody, they can't get anything started, they're a mess. Sam has said that he is going to shake up the lineup, which will most likely mean that Jose will start, Rasho will sit and Kapono will be in. They really do need to get a better first 8 minutes from the PG position, as TJ has not been attacking the way he usually does, which is strange. If anything, you would expect TJ to be trying to do too much. Instead, we are watching TJ pull up for jumpers. Speaking of pulling up for jumpers, Kapono will most likely be in, because when a guy has so much confidence in his shot that he will put on the breaks and spot up for a jumper on a 3 on 1, you have to find a way to get him as many minutes as possible. They key for Bargnani will be to stay active. Too many times on offense and defence, we see Bargs standing around. He has to learn to bring the game to himself, to try to work the flow of the game into his part of the court. At this point in the series, I think it would be a good idea to go with TJ and Jose on the court at the same time for extended periods of time. We have seen that when the Raptors are attacking, the Magic cannot handle their speed. It's not even close. We saw Hedo and Nelson get into foul trouble because they had magnetic feet and I don't think it would be that hard to get them into that situation again. Jameer Nelson also thinks he is the cow's teat right now, which has led to him trying to hot dog, which has then led to him turning the ball over. Belief in yourself is a dangerous thing. A little too much placed in the wrong spot and all of a sudden, you can go from the hero to the goat in (say it with me) a millisecond. Jameer Nelson just can't handle speed. He thinks he can, but he can't. If the Raptors go small with Jose and TJ on the floor at the same time, the Magic could be exposed. This might mean that AP would see a little less time on the floor, but you can't have a guy who is supposed to be taking shots out there not taking shots. That's just wasting your space on the floor. Either shoot it or sit. AP's defensive game is decent, but it's not good enough that he is going to win playing time on it. I also think it would be a good idea to get Jamario some more PT, but only if he is going to attack the rim. He can fly with the best of them, but his problem all season has been getting him to realize that he is not a SG. I would love to see him challenge D12, just go up and try to dunk on him. If it doesn't work, hey, you're a rookie who tried, but if it works, you'll get the Starks over Jordan treatmentâ€¦and then maybe Leo and Chuck will start talking about how much they love your bodyâ€¦erâ€¦awkward. Anyway, I don't think the situation is as dire as everyone seems to have made it out to be (I mean, really, trade Bosh talk? Come on.). True, the Magic won more games on the road than at home this season, but that was the regular season. Totally different situation. For example, the Raptors typically serve themselves up to their opponent in the 3rd quarterâ€¦but in the playoffs, they have been doing it in the first. See? Totall different. Enjoy the game!

Video - Hedo knocks Bosh, called for flagrant (1)

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:35:55 -0500

Hedo Turkogulu puts a little extra push on Chris Bosh, sending the Raptors forward to the floor.

Raps vs. Magic - Game 2 Preview

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:46:59 -0500

Well, going into Game 2 against the Magic, the Raptors can start with taking a positive out of Game 1. I know, you're thinking, "A POSITIVE? WHAAA?", but yes, there were a few positives to be taken out of that game that can be carried over to Game 2. Let's start with the fact that the Raptors could have laid down and let the game completely get out of hand, but they managed to cut into the lead before half and at one point where really within striking distance at a 5 point deficit. While their defense was nothing to write home about, they did manage to start closing out on some of the open looks that the Magic used to get that lead in the first quarter, so they have to concentrate on carrying that aggressive behaviour over to Game 2. While Dwight Howard put up some great looking numbers, I honestly cannot say that I thought he dominated any part of the game. The Raptors did a decent job of keeping him away from the basket considering that they really don't have anybody who can match his size and the fact that they had Bargnani on him for stretches at a time. They were making efforts to cut off the lead-in pass to Howard, to the point where the Magic just forgot about him a few times down the floor, which is exactly what you want them to do. When Howard started complaining that he wasn't getting the ball, the Magic then gave it to him far from the basket, which plays into the Raptors favour. Let's be honest, this season, the Raptors have done a decent job against Howard. I'm okay with him getting 30 points a game, because I don't think he's the guy who is going to beat the Raps, it's the rest of the shooters. So working into what the Raptors need to do to generate some success in Game 2, it is imperative that they close gaps on shooters. I don't see anyone on the Magic who really has the speed to beat the Raptors D off the dribble (although SOMEHOW, Nelson managed to do it to TJ and Jose all night). While Hedo has some good parts to his game, like we've said earlier, he's just one of those guys who when he gets in the flow, look the hell out. But while he had some clear lanes the the basket in Game 1, I wouldn't be that worried about him driving either. Bosh is going to have to do a better job against Lewis off the dribble, because he is the one guy who can just use his athleticism to put the ball on the floor and then attack. If the Raptors are able to close gaps quickly and then get help by having teammates slide up if a Magic player puts the ball on the floor or dishes, things could be a lot more balanced in Game 2. The Raptors have to be able to play 4 quarters of solid basketball. One of the consistent problems for the Raptors all season was their inability to play 4 quality quarters of basketball. Typically, it was the third quarter that gave them trouble throughout the season, in Game 1 it was the first, but either way, the Raptors will have to find a way to be consistent over 4 quarters. If you take a quarter off in the playoffs, you'll be giving the series away before you know it. This is where Sam will have to ensure that the guys are ready to go from the opening tip and that when they come out in the second half, they keep the energy up. I think the Raptors will come out more awake in Game 2, but I'm a little worried about the third quarter. If they're not awake coming out of the break, they are going to be in some serious trouble. Enjoy the game.

End-of-season Basket-Blogger Rankings

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:48:13 -0500

A couple dozen basket-bloggers voted every two weeks on awards like MVP and Rookie of the Year. With the final Rookie, Coach, and Most Improved Player awards unveiled, did Kevin Durant hold off Al Horford? Did Doc Rivers win Coach of the Year over Kevin Garnett?

Raps vs. Magic - Game 1 - Post Game

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:24:48 -0500

The way the Raptors came out to start their first playoff game of 2008, you would almost think they were playing a preseason game. This looked like an All-Star game (minus the All-Stars) with no defense being played and nobody wanting to lay a hand on anybody. Sam Mitchell acted like he was in an All-Star game, just standing and looking on, randomly subbing guys in and out and tinkering with the lineup for no apparent reason. Too bad the Raptors weren't able to put any sort of All-Star performance together. So let's start with the tinkering of the lineup. There was a lot of talk about the international on international matchup of Bargs on Hedo, but really, sometimes you just have to manufacture a story when the boss is looking for ink. The real story would be why in the first game of the playoffs, a coach would start a player who has been incosistent at best throughout the season, has had many defensive miscues over that same season and has never really been known for his defensive ability. One has to wonder why you start a guy who has struggled in his sophomore season when you know he will be facing one of the most improved if not THE most improved player in the league. This isn't to say that Andrea was the reason the Raptors lost, because he wasn't. Sure, Hedo had far too many untouched lanes to the basket, taking Andrea off the dribble, but he also made some nice fadeaways too. Overall, Hedo didn't tear the Raptors apart and I have to give credit to Bargs that he was also one of the few people who was willing to actually slap Dwight Howard on his way up to the rim. The guy looked like he had just run a marathon, but switching between Hedo and D12 is no easy task for any player. So essentially, what was the point of starting Andrea? I'm not really sure. If you believe the post game interview of TJ Ford, the players didn't even know until game time that Andrea was starting, which seems somewhat strange. I guess some guys need to know in advance so they can get themselves prepared, while other guys might just get even more tense if they know they are going to start. Either way, it was strange. There was some suggestion that it was done in order to match up more on size, but we all know that while that looks good on paper, it doesn't always translate well onto the court. Mitchell said that he was looking to avoid post-ups by having Bosh and Andrea on the floor at the same time, but really, at any point this season, have we seen teams not be able to post up against the Raptors because they have had Bosh and Bargs on the floor? At any point, has "Bosh and Bargs" brought any fear into Raptor opponents? No. Also strange were some of the defensive strategies the Raptors employed this afternoon, if you can call them strategies at all. Why on Earth the Raptors were double-teaming Dwight Howard 16 feet from the basket is beyond me. You could be trying to capitalize on the fact that he is not comfortable being out there and will look to get rid of the ball as soon as he can, possibly creating a turnover, but I'm more of the thinking that I'm happy with him that far from the basket. Also, if I am going to double-team, I don't think I am going to use TJ Ford as my second man in there. True, TJ does have some quick hands and is pretty good at stripping the ball, but Howard is most likely going to keep that thing up high, which would just lead to a reach-in foul. Interesting how the Raptors were quick on getting two guys out on D12 when he was away from the basket, but when all of their shooters were setting up, there were no Raptors to be found, providing more open looks than a night at the Brass Rail. A while earlier, I was saying that the Raptors should watch what they wish for. They were celebrating when they got the news that they were going to be facing the Magic in the first round and now that has come around to slap them in the face. The Magic put a stamp on things, dropping 43 points in the first quarter, which is almost too big of a number to even believe. At some point, you have to start seeing that the other team is getting far too many good looks from the perimeter and you have to adjust. The post season is all about making quick adjustments and the Raptors and their coaching staff just weren't about it today. You have to give it up to Jason Kapono. Not too long ago, I criticized him for his lack of effort in creating open looks for himself. Tonight we saw Kapono working off screens, hustling into open spaces and generally finding spots on the floor where he was going to be able to use his patented quick release. He made it easier for himself to get minutes and kept the Raptors in the game, when they easily could have been light years out of it. You also have to appreciate how stead Rasho is. Can it mean anything that the two guys who had the most solid games are both guys who have some playoff victories under their belts, some championship success? Those guys looked like a couple of guys who had done this before. Can anybody explain to me why Bosh was on the bench for so long, especially when the Raptors had closed the gap to 5? There is always an interesting debate over whether to keep going with the squad on the floor that has closed the gap or insert the star player, but when you are the Raptors and you have seen on repeated occasions what happens to the team when the star is not in the lineup, you would think that you should get the star back on the floor before things fall apart. Well, you would think that, but Sam Mitchell wouldn't. When you have 8 minutes left in the game and you have managed to get the score down to 5 from being 24 at one point, you have to make a move to get your star back in the lineup and slow the game down so you can maximize what he has to offer. By the time Bosh was back in the game, it was much too late. That's a risk I'm willing to take. Put Bosh back in with 8 minutes to go and 2 fouls available. If he fouls out with a couple of minutes to go, you're probably going to be relying on your outside shooting anyway by that point. Just another strange decision by Sam. Well, let's not read too much into how game one turned out. Let's not start jumping ship like I have read a lot of guys here are doing. These series are long. There is more than enough time to get the ship back on course. Here's hoping the Raptors have figured something out before Tuesday rolls around.

Phil Jackson for COY

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:44:46 -0500

This year's awards are probably the absolute hardest to hand out. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) might be the toughest one, but the others are debatable as well. I think that only two of the are unanimous and have already been decided based on the superb play of the players receiving the awards. Phil Jackson has done a superb job with this year's Los Angeles Lakers...