News

The Raptors appear to be a good deal further ahead this season than they were last, when the club was trying to integrate nine new players to a team coming off a 27-win season.

This time the Raptors have added three new faces: Maceo Baston, Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino.

The Raptors started last season 2-8 and were 7-14 in early December before they began to come together on the court. The expectation is that last season's bumpy early ride will smooth out this time.

"We had a lot of new pieces last year and a coaching staff that was trying to put together our identity as a team offensively and defensively," Anthony Parker said. "And I think we're coming into this year pretty clear of what we need to be on both ends."

The Raptors played their first game yesterday, an intrasquad scrimmage with a team consisting of a group of players who are anticipated to be either starters or the top half of the rotation (Chris Bosh, T.J. Ford, Anthony Parker, and Andrea Bargnani among others) defeating the remaining players 94-91.

The scrimmage was closed to the media but it was said to be a competitive affair that ended in a flurry of three-pointers. Luke Jackson missed a shot to tie at the buzzer.

To this point in camp the Raptors have been focused on defence. Having earned 20 extra wins last season in part by jumping from 30th in the NBA in team defence to 20th, the hope is that a move to the top half of the league will generate enough wins to pave a path to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Head coach Sam Mitchell is sticking to the same basic defensive philosophy he introduced last season. The only change Mitchell anticipates is using the team's depth on the perimeter as a means to demand more pressure on the ball.

"I'm going to be on guys to hound the ball, deny scorers," the coach said. Offensive cohesion can grow organically as players get familiar with each other, while defence requires players to learn precisely what everyone's responsibility is in different situations.

Another advantage the Raptors are reaping this preseason is the continued good health of all-star forward Chris Bosh.

A year ago, Bosh was struggling with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He missed the last preseason game and valuable practice time before the season opener. So far he has carried a full load and reports no ill effects.

"My main of focus over the summer was not to push it," said Bosh, who withdrew from the U.S. national team during the summer before the beginning of the FIBA Americas tournament because of concern about his foot.