[ReekoParticipant]

 What’s up forum? It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on here, anyways today I have a blog post.  This is my first time writing anything resembling a blog so please feel free to comment on it and to neg it if you don’t like it, all I ask is that you be constructive in your criticism. 

[ReekoParticipant]

Reeko’s Got Next

In this edition of RGN, I discuss the up and coming Toronto Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas, a rising star in the North that is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.  It is my belief, that while the growth and development of all of the core players is essential for the team as a whole to take the next “step”, none is more important than the continued improvement of the team’s 1^st round selection in 2011; Jonas Valanciunas.  Provided that the core maintains last season’s level of production, and by bringing Lou Williams as a scoring-punch off the bench, this team should easily compete with the best in the Eastern conference and plausibly has the talent to reach the second round of the play-offs for the first time since 2001.  However, in order for the Raptors to reach the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals, #17, The Lethaluanian, Jonas Valanciunas needs to emerge, in just his 3^rd NBA season, as one of the leaders of this team.

Some may say that this is a tall order for such a young player, especially one that is not of North American descent and for whom English is not his first language.  At this point in his career, after 3 years of being immersed in North American culture, this cultural/language barrier should be dissolved this up-coming season. Based on his interviews, his English has improved substantially since the night that he was drafted and he seems to now be at a level bordering full fluency.  My point being, that he should now be fully capable of communicating with his teammates on the court and nowhere will this ability to communicate with his team be more crucial than on the defensive end of the floor.  When Valanciunas was drafted it was thought that he would be a defensive center in the mold of Tyson Chandler, a defensive-minded shot blocker and rebounder with some offensive potential.  While Jonas has not been a dominant shot blocker by any means, he has proven himself to be a very good rebounder leading the Raptors in rebounding with 8.6 per game and a fairly solid option on offense in the post and in pick and roll situations (when he’s not being looked off).  Although he is not a great shot blocker, I do think he can be adequate in this regard, though in order for him to become a very good defender, I believe it is necessary for him to learn how to properly quarterback a team defence similar to the way that Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Joakim Noah all quarterback and anchor their team defence.

On the offensive end, it is clear that Valanciunas has more ability than initially prognosticated, coming into the league with a fundamentally sound jump shot and has proven to be a solid option rolling to the rim in pick and roll situations. His problems on offense came when he was seeking to get position down low, and due to a lack of strength he was often muscled off the block by stronger players.  If his second season was any indication he has considerably closed the gap in strength between himself and the veteran players of the Association. Despite still being somewhat turn-over prone when he has the ball, he has shown considerable growth in his back to the basket game demonstrating improved fluidity and footwork, all of which should be improved this season given his off-season work with Hakeem Olajuwon. If there has been a thorn in the Valanciunas` side that has kept him from staying in games at times, especially when teams play small-ball, is his ability to run up and down the court.  Make no mistake there are very few big men in the league who run the floor as hard and as passionately Jonas does, while he isn`t a plodding big man like say Marc Gasol, he definitely is not on the same level of a Joakim Noah or Dwight Howard when it comes to running up and down the court.  According to head coach Dwane Casey, improving his running is something that Valanciunas has been working very hard on this summer, perhaps he has finally improved to the point where he is not a liability when teams go small and actually a positive for the Raptors when he is crushing other teams on the boards and beating his man down court on a fast break.  In addition to getting more touches to operate in the low post, exploring his ability to pass and run the offense from the high post is an intriguing prospect that would require a high level of trust from Coach Casey.

 

 

[ReekoParticipant]

Reeko’s Got Next

In this edition of RGN, I discuss the up and coming Toronto Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas, a rising star in the North that is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.  It is my belief, that while the growth and development of all of the core players is essential for the team as a whole to take the next “step”, none is more important than the continued improvement of the team’s 1^st round selection in 2011; Jonas Valanciunas.  Provided that the core maintains last season’s level of production, and by bringing Lou Williams as a scoring-punch off the bench, this team should easily compete with the best in the Eastern conference and plausibly has the talent to reach the second round of the play-offs for the first time since 2001.  However, in order for the Raptors to reach the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals, #17, The Lethaluanian, Jonas Valanciunas needs to emerge, in just his 3^rd NBA season, as one of the leaders of this team.

Some may say that this is a tall order for such a young player, especially one that is not of North American descent and for whom English is not his first language.  At this point in his career, after 3 years of being immersed in North American culture, this cultural/language barrier should be dissolved this up-coming season. Based on his interviews, his English has improved substantially since the night that he was drafted and he seems to now be at a level bordering full fluency.  My point being, that he should now be fully capable of communicating with his teammates on the court and nowhere will this ability to communicate with his team be more crucial than on the defensive end of the floor.  When Valanciunas was drafted it was thought that he would be a defensive center in the mold of Tyson Chandler, a defensive-minded shot blocker and rebounder with some offensive potential.  While Jonas has not been a dominant shot blocker by any means, he has proven himself to be a very good rebounder leading the Raptors in rebounding with 8.6 per game and a fairly solid option on offense in the post and in pick and roll situations (when he’s not being looked off).  Although he is not a great shot blocker, I do think he can be adequate in this regard, though in order for him to become a very good defender, I believe it is necessary for him to learn how to properly quarterback a team defence similar to the way that Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Joakim Noah all quarterback and anchor their team defence.

On the offensive end, it is clear that Valanciunas has more ability than initially prognosticated, coming into the league with a fundamentally sound jump shot and has proven to be a solid option rolling to the rim in pick and roll situations. His problems on offense came when he was seeking to get position down low, and due to a lack of strength he was often muscled off the block by stronger players.  If his second season was any indication he has considerably closed the gap in strength between himself and the veteran players of the Association. Despite still being somewhat turn-over prone when he has the ball, he has shown considerable growth in his back to the basket game demonstrating improved fluidity and footwork, all of which should be improved this season given his off-season work with Hakeem Olajuwon. If there has been a thorn in the Valanciunas` side that has kept him from staying in games at times, especially when teams play small-ball, is his ability to run up and down the court.  Make no mistake there are very few big men in the league who run the floor as hard and as passionately Jonas does, while he isn`t a plodding big man like say Marc Gasol, he definitely is not on the same level of a Joakim Noah or Dwight Howard when it comes to running up and down the court.  According to head coach Dwane Casey, improving his running is something that Valanciunas has been working very hard on this summer, perhaps he has finally improved to the point where he is not a liability when teams go small and actually a positive for the Raptors when he is crushing other teams on the boards and beating his man down court on a fast break.  In addition to getting more touches to operate in the low post, exploring his ability to pass and run the offense from the high post is an intriguing prospect that would require a high level of trust from Coach Casey.

 

 

[ReekoParticipant]

What I have laid out is a best case scenario for the 3^rd year center, should he put all of these aspects of his game together over the course of the offseason and into this coming season.  In reality he might not put it all together until his 5^th or 6^th season as many big men do. With that being said Jonas` future looms bright as a future All-Star, if his first playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets indicated anything, it is that he is a player to be reckoned with now and to be feared in the near future.

[ReekoParticipant]

What I have laid out is a best case scenario for the 3^rd year center, should he put all of these aspects of his game together over the course of the offseason and into this coming season.  In reality he might not put it all together until his 5^th or 6^th season as many big men do. With that being said Jonas` future looms bright as a future All-Star, if his first playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets indicated anything, it is that he is a player to be reckoned with now and to be feared in the near future.

[IhateusernamesParticipant]

 Everytime he gets the ball in the post he either a) gets fouled b) creates a clean look for himself or c) draws a double team. 

That means he is efficient, and respected by defenses. Now Kyle Lowry has to make it a point to feed him throught the game not just in the 1st quarter. 

I know Lowry had a great year last year but the Raps will go further with DeRozanand Valanciunas carrying the load than his 5’10" ass shooting pull up 3s over bigger players.

[IhateusernamesParticipant]

 Everytime he gets the ball in the post he either a) gets fouled b) creates a clean look for himself or c) draws a double team. 

That means he is efficient, and respected by defenses. Now Kyle Lowry has to make it a point to feed him throught the game not just in the 1st quarter. 

I know Lowry had a great year last year but the Raps will go further with DeRozanand Valanciunas carrying the load than his 5’10" ass shooting pull up 3s over bigger players.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 The problem is Valanciunas is still very foul prone and turnover prone when operating out of double teams. A 7’ft big man operating out of the post is the easiest player to trap. Casey has done a great job of making sure Valanciunas is in a position to impact the game while not bieng a liability to his team. Although with all that being said Valanciunas needs to become a go-to option for Toronto for the team to take the next level and he has to be ablr to do it effieciently.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 The problem is Valanciunas is still very foul prone and turnover prone when operating out of double teams. A 7’ft big man operating out of the post is the easiest player to trap. Casey has done a great job of making sure Valanciunas is in a position to impact the game while not bieng a liability to his team. Although with all that being said Valanciunas needs to become a go-to option for Toronto for the team to take the next level and he has to be ablr to do it effieciently.

[Author]

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