Nov 4, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Tyler Hansbrough (center) reacts after he was fouled by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Sebastian Telfair (not pictured) at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Oklahoma City 100-88. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
This is the first part of a multi-part series.
Most of us have said it before: the Raptors have one of the deepest, if not the single deepest bench in the league. Further, all of Toronto’s supporting cast have experience (40+ games) as starters in the Association.
Which teams could the bench unit defeat if they were the starters, and Lowry, DeRozan, Johnson (Amir), Ross and Valanciunas didn’t exist? For the sake of this series, let’s simply compare Toronto’s top-five bench players with the five regular starters for some of the league’s saddest squads.
The Raptors
Centre: Tyler Hansbrough
Power Forward: Patrick Patterson
Small Forward: James Johnson
Shooting Guard: Louis Williams
Point Guard: Greivis Vasquez
This is an impressive small-ball unit with some solid defenders and strong three-point shooting.
A Team They Could Easily Beat
Nov 14, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Michael Carter-Williams (1) brings the ball up the court during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the 76ers 88-87. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia 76ers
(*their starting lineup is in a constant state of change, so I went with the most capable players)
Centre: Nerlens Noel
Power Forward: Luc Mbah a Moute
Small Forward: K.J. McDaniels
Shooting Guard: Tony Wroten
Point Guard: Michael Carter-Williams
The Raps could overwhelm this young team, causing enough problems on the defensive end to win big. Tony Wroten has looked really good so far this season, but this is largely because with Carter-Williams out for the first seven games of the season, he was one of the team’s few scoring options, so he got more than his fair share of looks. Carter-Williams, last year’s Rookie of the Year, is a talented player, but still struggles with shooting inconsistency and defensive awareness. This would be a fun game for Lou Williams, who could have his way with the lacklustre Sixers defence. You could expect two or three and-one three-pointers. This would also be a boring game for Johnson, who would dominate McDaniels defensively, with little effort.
A Team They Could Grind Out a Close Win Against
Nov 15, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng (5) and Minnesota forward Anthony Bennett (24) and guard Kevin Martin (23) and guard Corey Brewer (13) react during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Dallas won 131-117. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Timberwolves
Centre: Nikola Pekovic
Power Forward: Thaddeus Young
Small Forward: Andrew Wiggins
Shooting Guard: Kevin Martin
Point Guard: Zach Lavine
And so the rebuild recommences in Minnesota. This team has a lot of interesting tools for the future, but as of right now, they aren’t ready. The Raps outmatch them, especially at the point guard and shooting guard positions. With ‘Pretty’ Ricky Rubio out, Lavine would square up against Vasquez, who would dominate him with better defending, passing, and three-point shooting. Plus, Martin, one of the NBA’s weakest defenders at his position, would allow for a flurry of points for Williams. Pekovic would be a handful for Hansbrough, and would probable draw a lot of fouls. Thaddeus Young could also score some big baskets against Patterson, who isn’t the strongest defender. Ultimately, the Raps would win, but not by a massive margin.
In the comments, let me know what other teams you think the bench unit could beat.
Part two coming tomorrow.