Thursday January 28 2010 - 12:53pm Eastern - New York, NY
I feel like I have to preface this blog for all of those folks that go cuckoo for cocoa puffs anytime this topic is discussed …
1 - Jarrett Jack is a solid point guard
2 - Jose Calderon is a solid point guard
3 - Are the Raptors truly a better team with Jack starting over Calderon, or were there a number of factors that influenced Toronto’s turn-around (while Jack was the starter) like:
- Sonny Weems’ emergence in the 2nd unit (he barely played when Jose was in there)
- Amir Johnson’s continued ‘growth’
- Simply put: Chemistry. The team had been together for a longer period of time
- A softer portion of the schedule … after a brutal November
Whatever the reasons or factors may be, there’s no denying that Toronto has played better since Jack went into the starting line up following Calderon’s hip injury. It may be pure coincidence. Who knows. But to Calderon’s credit, since returning from his injury, he hasn’t said one negative word (publicly or privately) about coming off the bench. And on many nights the two guards either end up playing very similar minutes and/or they spend the final minutes of the game on the floor together. Thus, the “start” really comes down to one guy getting his name introduced during the pre-game theatrics theatrics. The two guards truly SHARE the position and form a very formidable 1-2 punch in the NBA.
Check out the neck-and-neck numbers:
CALDERON
22 games as the starting PG
Raptors record in those 22 games: 9-13
Key stats during those 22 games:
12.1 PPG
6.4 ASST
JACK
24 games as the starting PG
Raptors record in those 24 games: 15-9
Key stats during those 24 games:
12.6 PPG
5.2 ASST
And as for their OVERALL statistics for this season, here’s how those numbers break down:
CALDERON:
34 games played
28.6 MIN
50.3 FG%
41.0 3PT FG%
81.2 FT%
2.1 REB
5.8 ASST
0.78 STL
1.47 TO
11.2 PPG
JACK:
46 games played
28.2 MIN
47.9 FG%
39.1 3PT FG%
84.3 FT%
2.6 REB
4.7 ASST
0.77 STL
2.04 TO
10.5 PPG
Jack will continue to start. And he should. His intensity and willingness to get to the hoop are traits that Toronto needs. And Calderon has developed a great chemistry with guys like Johnson and Weems in the second unit … but he clearly has a built-in rapport with guys like Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani as well. So the switch from one guard to the other is seamless.
Things are pretty steady at the point in Raptorland. Toronto has a solid tandem going and if the players are complaining … the naysayer fans should leave it alone as well.
I’ll be back - with Jonesy - in about an hour with our latest New York City VLOG.
Have a good one
E. Smith
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they will trade jose if they can get a swingman
- Jose Haterhe makes 9 million a year coming off the bench, makes double the money jack does essentially the same thing, jose is a better shooter from deep, jack is better attacking, jack plays better D.
- Jose HaterIF we can move his contract we should
IF they trade Jose it will be because he is the only guy they really can move … not because they WANT to.
They’re not moving Bosh.
They can’t move Andrea without knowing if Bosh will sign in the summer or not.
You can’t risk losing both guys.
And Hedo won’t be traded. Heck, even if Toronto wanted to move him (which they don’t) I don’t see anybody picking up his $53 million tag with the way he’s been playing.
Thus, Calderon is the only one that truly fetches you anything of significance in the trade market.
I’ve said all of this in previous blogs and about 100 times on the radio.
I’m guessing Jose doesn’t get moved though. I don’t know that the Raps will make a big-splash trade. I think if a deal or two goes down before the deadline, it’ll be minor stuff.
- Eric Smithi agree with you eric. but i hope they do make a major splash.
I think we need to make the second round of the playoffs to keep bosh
The playoffs isnt good enough
- Jose Hater