Title: Raptors Reasonablists, Volume IV, Part IV: Who deserves our theoretical All-Defensive Team votes?
Date: April 17, 2020
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: Eric Koreen and I will be doing a semi-regular email exchange column about the Raptors, dubbing ourselves The Reasonablists. The latest edition looked at which Raptors are deserving of All-Defensive Team consideration.
Welcome to another edition of Raptors Reasonablists with Eric Koreen and Blake Murphy. Throughout the year, Raptors staff writers Koreen and Murphy discuss hot-button issues surrounding the Raptors, but with an even-keeled approach in pursuit of finding a reasonable middle ground. If we have faith in anything, it is that reasonable middle grounds lead to: a) workable long-term solutions; b) increased empathy and understanding for others; and c) more wins — at least more wins when they truly matter, probably. We hold these truths to be self-evident, and we hold these truths to be good truths.
KOREEN: The curse ended last year, Blake.
No, not the curse regarding the Raptors escaping the East or winning the title. Obviously, I’m talking about the All-Defensive Team curse.
Prior to last year, no Raptor had ever made either of the All-Defensive Teams in any of the franchise’s first 23 seasons. That was just a coincidence until 2009-10, but officially became a curse when the Raptors willingly — excitedly, even — decided to start Jose Calderon, rookie DeMar DeRozan, Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani next to Chris Bosh, eschewing the importance of preventing the other team from scoring. That team was the worst defensive team in the league that year, and one of the worst ever when comparing it to its competition. As punishment, the basketball deities decided that no Raptor would earn placement on an All-Defensive Team for the foreseeable future.
Continue reading at The Athletic.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 