The good, bad, and ugly for the first month of Raptors basketball

Romer Bautista, staff

After a 47-35 season and an Atlantic Division crown last year, expectations were high for Canada’s lone NBA team, the Toronto Raptors. With another year of experience for the Raptors’ young core, and with the additions of Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino, some die-hard fans were even expecting the Raptors to make the leap into the Eastern Conference’s elite.

However, fans weren’t the only ones to realize how talented the Raptors had become. Opposing teams no longer are looking at the Raptors as a bunch of push-overs. Because of this, the Raptors have been in tough all season, coming into this week’s action with a 7-7 record.

Even though this year’s start to the season has been better than last year’s, there are still a lot of things that the Raptors can improve on.

So here is a look at what’s been good, bad, and ugly for the Raptors one month into the season.

The good

Who knew that best move that General Manager Bryan Colangelo would make during the off-season would be the signing of Jamario Moon, a 27-year-old undrafted rookie, who last year was playing for the Albany Patroons in the Continental Basketball Association. After being glued to the bench for the first three games of the year, Moon has stepped up to become the team’s starting small forward. He crashes the boards, provides defence against four positions, and can absolutely jump out of the ACC. His hustle and energy have already made him a crowd-favourite, and also brings a different dynamic to the jump-shot-happy Raptors.

The point-guard play in Toronto is once again a key to the success of the team. “Forderon” (that would be the combination of starter T.J. Ford and backup Jose Calderon) have developed into the best back-court duo in the league. Before suffering an arm stinger that’s forced him to miss the last couple of games, Ford was easily the Raptors most consistent player. Calderon, on the other hand, comes off the bench with a different energy, and is always finding his open teammates for easy buckets. Combined, Forderon is averaging 28.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 14.6 assists, and just 3.6 turnovers a game. That’s not to shabby an output from your point guard position.

The bad

After a brilliant rookie campaign last year, expectations were probably the highest for Andrea Bargnani. Unfortunately, not only has Bargnani made little progress in his game, he seems to have regressed a little. Last season, he looked like he had ice in his veins, confident in any shot he took. This season, Bargnani is constantly looking unsure of himself, timid even. But what’s even more troublesome is Bargnani’s ability, or lack thereof, to grab a rebound. Despite a seven-foot frame, Bargnani is averaging just 4.5 rebounds per game.

Bargnani’s failure to thrive could be tied to head coach Sam Mitchell’s questionable rotation. Bargnani’s playing time has fluctuated all season long, from a low of five minutes, to a high of 35. A more stable role within the team could go a long way in Bargnani’s improvement as a player.

Mitchell’s strange rotation has not only been a detriment to Bargnani’s growth, but to the team’s play in general. I can’t even count the number of times Mitchell has decided to sub-in Calderon, despite getting terrific play from Ford (and vice versa), or the number of times that Kapono and Delfino have been rewarded for making key shots with a trip to the bench. Mitchell needs to stop trying to please all of his players, and keep going with what is working during the given game.

The ugly

No one really expected Jorge Garbajosa to return to form after last season’s horrific, season-ending leg injury, so it wasn’t a surprise to see a lackluster start to the season from him. In turn (and partially due to the emergence of Moon), Garbajosa saw his role diminish, to the point where he was averaging just 10 minutes of playing time a game.

But the way in which Garbajosa reacted to this new role is surprising. Considered to be the team’s “glue guy” last year, the player that held things together for the Raptors, Garbajosa has sulked on the end of the bench, while making public jabs at Mitchell’s use of him.

And now, word coming out of Toronto is that Garbajosa may need a second surgery to help fix his ankle, which would likely put an end to his season. This would be the same surgery that Garbajosa refused to have last season because it would have meant that he would not have been able to represent his home-country of Spain in this past summer’s FIBA European Championships.

With Moon, Kapono, and even Kris Humphries stepping up their play this year, the loss of Garbajosa will not make as much of an impact as it did last season. But a strained relationship with Garbajosa could lead to a strained relationship with his fellow countryman, Calderon, who is in the final year of his contract with the Raptors. Anything that could possibly hinder Toronto’s re-signing of Calderon should be handled with care.