I Guarantee the Raptors Will Make The Playoffs
What’s up Dime readers! Before I defend my headline, I’d like to take a second to introduce myself to you all. My name is Gerald Narciso and I’m the newest addition to the Dime family. I’m Canadian but grew up in Utah and just finished a three-year stint in Vancouver (Canada not Washington). In the past, I’ve done some freelance work here as long as with Bounce. Apparently Dime liked me so much they kidnapped me from Vancouver and brought me over to the big apple. Anybody got any good suggestions on cool restaurants, bars or coffee shops I should check out, please hit me up!
Okay enough about me, let’s talk Raps. Living in Canada these past few years, I have seen my share of Bosh and Co. I have watched them go from a playoff squad to a lottery team that failed to meet high expectations in ‘08-09. To their credit, GM Bryan Colangelo has been on the ball this offseason trying to reconstruct his team back into a winner.
The additions of Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack, DeMar DeRozanand Marco Belinelli definitely strengthens the Raps’ depth chart. With CB4 in a contract year and Andrea Bargnani getting better and better each year, Toronto is making a case for a playoff berth. Although there is no doubt in my mind T-dot will improve from that dismal 33 win season, is it enough to warrent postseason spot?
I say yes. Every year the East is up for grabs. Yeah, non-playoff teams like Charlotte and Washington should be competeting for a slot. And Detroit and Atlanta are defintely stronger. But I don’t see why Toronto could possibly finish the season over Philly and Miami. Judging by their strong finish, I believe the team has started to gel under coach Jay Triano. They brought back Rasho Nesterovic for much needed help in the middle and they solved their backup poing guard woes by adding Jack. Plus my Canadian roots will not allow my to say otherwise.
What do you all think? The floor is yours.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Ric Hardwood says:
Raps will be in the playoffs… Pistons won’t…
August 24th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Tom says:
Yeah they’ll make it…they could go as high as 4th seed. If Boston can’t stay healthy they could even win the Atlantic like they did in ‘06.
But yeah I’d put money on them that they make the playoffs (5-8 seed is a lock imo).
August 24th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
S-SiN says:
Sounds very much like a possibility to me.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
nick says:
considering calderon was pretty much injured all of last year and the team upgraded the overall roster, i’d say its a safe bet to say they will make the playoffs.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
40cal says:
Gerald, welcome to New York feel free to email your bounce mag brother 40 to get around the city, maybe even play some pick up but if you think the Raptors are going to the playoffs then you’ve must have forgotten that the Eastern confrence is stacked.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
BRUCE says:
Is this a money back guarantee?
August 24th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
choster says:
I like your confidence…but it’s not like you’re guarantee is groundbreaking.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
So then the Heat will have 2 first round picks and oodles of cap space to sign another superstar boy I can’t wait for 2010!
August 24th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
LB says:
Wow, if Rasho Nesterovic is the answer for your center problems, I dont know what to say. I like the players on the Raps roster, but they all seem to be finesse players. Reggie Evans will add some toughness and grit, but he dosent have skill, size or talent. What you guys need is someone like old school JR Rider (that clip y’all put up earlier defnitely brought back some fond memories!) Hopefully Demar Derozan can be like JR (on the court, not off the court!) to provide your squad with toughness and swagger.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
NC says:
Definite playoff team … hoping for at least second round.
@Gerald Narciso did Dime bring you in because they finally realized that TO fans own the internet? Either way great read!
August 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Sam I Am says:
lol @ Bruce # 5
I doubt they can pull the playoffs out their hat.
No chemistry, no confidence, no heart
NO WAY NEW GUY
August 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
utahJZZ says:
The Raps are locked for the 4th seed
August 24th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
EarthJuice says:
This prediction is hardly going out on a limb, considering seeds 6-8 will probably be sub .500 teams.
I would like to see you go out further on a limb.
Earn that paycheque (paycheck?), Gerald!
Props on the new position with Dime.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
blah says:
“They brought back Rasho Nesterovic for much needed help in the middle”.
wow.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy says:
Gerald, you must be a mormon.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Nukky G. says:
The additions of Hedo and Jack are great but I think the sleeper transaction of the year might be Bellinelli. I was caught in traffic the other day and was listening to Colangelo on The Fan590 and he feels he could be a legit 6th man of the year candidate.
It’s gonna be interesting.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Jim says:
Yes, It’s a money back guarantee. Canadian money.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs before Slamball says:
Does dime just hire random dudes who own laptops at this point?
August 24th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Swirsky's Soldier says:
I’ll back this up and would go even further and guarantee 6th seed or better. Will be one of the deepest benches in the league this year.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Gerald Narciso says:
@ Tom. Top four might be pushing it, but for sure 7 or 8.
@ 40Cal. Absolutely I’d love to meet up and hoop. Id also like the meet up and discuss this issue. The East is stacked?? It’s improved, but I wouldn’t say stacked.
@ NC. Thanks! Yeah, T.O. is definitely well represented in the world wide web.
@ Earth Juice - I think they’ll be borderline .500. but that’s a hell of a lot better than 33 wins. Ha! Not many people know about the spelling differences: colours, centre. Silly Canadians
@Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Nope definitely not a morman. But played in a morman bball league. In a lot of their wards (churches)there is carpet on the floor. Not a fan, its like the basketball version of astroturf.
@Bron42 aka Had Springs before Slamball. Yeah they do! I didn’t even need to send a resume!
August 24th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Diego says:
LOL @ Bron42!
August 24th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
T.J. says:
Dime needs to sign some hawks fans lol. I think guranteeing the playoffs is iffy for the Raps. No one they picked up is a sure fire contributer. (Hedo is good but he did play along side some good talent)
August 24th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Gerald Narciso says:
@ TJ. Noted. I like the Hawks too. Jamal will be huge for them (as long as he can accept getting less shots and coming of the bench). Teague is nice too. I think they have a chance to be in the top 5. Just as long as JS stops settling for jumpers
August 24th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Jeffco says:
Breaking News: Raps make the playoffs
Not So Breaking News: Raps get swept in the first round
August 24th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Diego says:
@ Gerald, post 23: Top 5? In East? Hawks were top 4 in East last year, and unless the Wiz gel and Arenas plays like everyone thinks they and he will, Hawks will be no. 4 in the East again this year. (D. Wade, Cheech and Chong with the Heat sure won’t move up.)
August 24th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
sans says:
I think the Raps make it, but saying the Pistons improved invalidates their statement. Hedo is gonna fall off hard when Bosh doesn’t command centaur levels of attention in the post.
August 24th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Alvin says:
i say they finish either 4th or 5th.
August 24th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
loc says:
Raps are gunning for the 4th seed,
and they’ll get it,
and I’m a Canadian die hard raps fan lol.
Hopefully they just make the damned playoffs
August 24th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
onekingdown says:
No F way in hell. You are going to tell me a team with that much turnover is going to win many game. RIiiight.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
momo says:
are you fuking kidding me? did you just say that detroit is stronger than toronto? LOL! only from the new guy…..
August 25th, 2009 at 4:39 am
elaly says:
I mean adding that many pieces to a rotation and expecting immediate success(see 1 season), only works with veteran teams i.e. the spurs for example…
I mean Bosh is nice, but I dont think he will ever be a true franchise player that can take over games deep into April/June… and to go from 33 wins to playoffs with a bunch of new young finesse players with no experience in the East where the Wizards got stronger to grab another spot is just ludicrous… especially with Nestorovic or wtv his name is as your center… i dunno… they made all those trades just to suffice Bosh into trying to pretend that he is going to stay after this year…dude is going to dallas
at least u have hope up north though
August 25th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Craig says:
Nice article man.
To the haters: Rasho, is TO’s RESERVE centre, he’s happy with that role, and he’ll play it well. Wright was a highly under-rated pickup as well. They are a top 5 team. Book it!
To the Piston fans: In the past year, Dumars lost Billups, Sheed, and McDyess. They gained two ‘key players’ that cannot defend their position and a bunch of underachieving fillers. Sorry, Pistons are bottom feeding this year with the Bucks, Nets, and Knicks.
August 25th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Scott says:
@onekingdown … a team with that much turnover??? Check your stats before posting …. JC has had the best assist to turnover ratio in the league for the past two years
August 25th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Big Smoke Gary says:
This is also for onekingdown.
Raps had 9 new players in 06′/07′ and won 47 games and the Atlantic Division title.
You’re probably one of those Knicks Fans who think they’ll get two of Lebron, Wade or Bosh, but can’t do math and figure out how the shrinking cap is going to effect next summer.
August 25th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Big Smoke Gary says:
Would you like to know why the whole world is sick of Americans (beside the eight years under Bush). Because your education system has let you down and 99% of you are as dumb as sticks but think you know what you’re talking about. How many of you have commented on the Raptors and know nothing about them. How many have commented here that the Raps are bad because Rasho is the starting centre. He’s not, Bargnani is. How many have said Bosh is leaving for NY, Miami or Dallas but Bosh himself has said he’ll most likely stay in TO and wants to stay but is keeping his flexability by not signing before next year. Lastly, to speak in terms that Americas can understand, he can earn more then 30 million more if he stays in TO next year then going somewhere else. Can you do math!!!
August 26th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
mtindore520 says:
@34 bigsmokegary
you took the words out of my mouth…
05-06–23 wins
06-07–47 wins
August 27th, 2009 at 5:58 am
onekingdown says:
@ Scott - I meant player turnover
@Big Smoke - are you trying to make jokes about the Titanic Division Title..please… that banner is a fugazi as you can get.