Can't Knock the Hustle

Im writing this as the Raptors are on pace to lose against the Hawks (98-69, 4thQ), and i have to admit this game and their last they looked pretty flat. However as the majority of the brokeankles readers seem to be T dot boys, you feel me when i say, you can't knock the hustle. For the majority of their games this season, this team has hustled, played hard, and worked together to to get things done. We have lost some tight ones, and have thrown punches with the best of them, but when you have a lineup consisting of Joey Dorsey, Linas Klieza and Sunny Weems on the court battling with the likes of Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Josh Smith (ATL example cause we're playing them) its hard to close out games, because of the talent level.

Problems like, Andrea does not understand that at the 5 spot you are suppose to play some kind of interior D, Sunny Weems thinking he's Kobe, certain "YOUNGONEZ" not asserting themselves as they should, are still issues that are lingering but in time these issues could sort themselves out...or can they? Anyhow, the point of all this, is that they are a young squad, new concepts on offense and defense, a few trades here and there have forced these guys figure things out on the fly. I am not the biggest fan of Bayless (never have been, even since his Zona days) but I do like his hustle and fire, the fact that we got a huge expiring contract in Peja, implies BC has finally understood we will acquire "that player" via trade.



Cause lets face it peeps, nobody wants to play in White Vegas nowadays. So we gotta force the issue. The team is 6-11 now, and to be honest I was expecting a lot worst. This season isn't one of those "wash" seasons, it's more of a building block season, hopefully these guys keep on developing, and you have a core next year of Andrea, Bayless, Derozan, Amir, Weems, Ed Davis and Julian Wright. Not exactly your top tier young talent, but good enough to surprise a lot of teams and do some damage in the long run. All those players mentioned have great amounts of athleticism, low bball IQs, but the key in all this, "potential". This "Young Gunz" movement, I like it, and much love to the people that organized the concept, web page and media coverage on this. Gives us a little more street cred and considering Derozan and Amir are from LA, and when I say LA i mean Gangster LA, not the Hills LA, it's kinda fitting. You gotta love that NWA shot above!

Ed Davis, will be joining the team sooner then later hopefully, its been a bit, and hopefully he'll had some more toughness, and length in the interior, Bayless will begin to understand the defensive schemes and Andrea will continue to improve game by game. It'll be a lot more tricky as the season goes on, but hey, nobody can knock a team for trying, playing with heart, grit and hustle.



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