Erick Blasco's Sunday Review, Nov 23 Edition

Defenseless Raptors Stuck in Mediocrity Unless Toronto gets a defensive-minded big man, there is absolutely no way the Raptors will get anywhere near the second round of the playoffs, let alone an NBA Championship. Despite the hoopla of the Jermaine O’Neal signing in the offseason, Toronto’s backline defenders are simply awful. Chris Bosh can‘t defend, Jermaine O’Neal is a wimp, and Andrea Bargnani might be the softest player in the entire league. Since that trio can’t defend the paint, of course opponents are going to attack the basket any chance they get. The Raptors have to crash all their defenders into the paint to overcompensate, and when they do, opponents have all day to plug threes. Of course the physical Boston Celtics are going to walk into the Air Canada Centre and bully the Raptors around. And that’s what the Celtics did on their way to a 118-103 victory much uglier than the final score indicated. Whether the Celtics wanted to go outside or ... (link)