*Updated* Turkoglu's usage rate is lowest in 5 years!

[Double Helix]

Don't really care about Hedo's usage rate. What this team needs to do is play more in transition.

Why do you think that? It seems to me teams like Atlanta and Philly might benefit from a more uptempo transition style offence but if anything... we probably want to slow the pace down, don't you think?

Slowing the pace down reduces the chances of us being out-hustled/outran/out-jumped and instead allows us to allow Turk to create something or feed the ball to Bosh and when neither of those works... find open shooters to bomb away like we do best. A slower pace also reduces the overall score which is okay when you have one of the more efficient offences in the league.

Get out run when you can. I like to see Belli and Demar getting easy buckets but other than that... I'm okay with a guy like Turk dribbling around, setting things up off screens, feeding it to bosh on Isos and scoring deliberately and methodically.

I also think it's good practice for the playoffs (which I hope we'll participate in). The teams who do really well in transition tend to fizzle in the playoffs when pace slows down and defensive intensity picks up. If we're able to score efficiently in the half court it will help us out. A notable exception to this was Golden State's upset over Dallas but I chalk that up more to Dallas essentially playing to GState's strengths, rather than forcing them to play to their own.

[Double Helix]

He was used much more effectively tonight. I was very pleased with what I saw from Turk and the way he was used tonight.

[Drakeem]

You switch their roles that they have right now, let Hedo control the ball, and let Jose be the spot up shooter.

[redeye514]

Jay Triano reads RealGM:

"Hedo can score, he can rebound and he can make plays for everybody. We saw that in Orlando, that he can make plays, and we have a similar situation here, where Chris is like Dwight Howard and Andrea is like Rashard Lewis. He keeps the floor wide open and gives us the ability to create. He can get inside, he can kick balls out if they help. He's big enough to see over top of defences and pick you apart. This is where the majority of our offence is going to come from."

As well as it should.

Now all we need is BC to get on board and trade Bargs + Jose for a 18ppg+ two way SG, a true 9/2 boards/blocks center, and a defensive PG who can hit an open shot, then we will have a team.

[EliteBaller]

Jose complains if he doesn't have the ball in his hands and stagnate the offense. Cant blame Triano or Hedo.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Hedo Turkoglu's usage rate for the Raptors thus far is 18.5. In Orlando, his usage rates were:

2008-2009 - 23.0
2007-2008 - 24.8
2006-2007 - 21.7
2005-2006 - 20.6
2004-2005 - 24.8
2003-2004 - 18.1 (San Antonio Spurs)
2002-2003 - 18.4 (Sacramento)

The NBA league average for USG right now is 19.54

For a point forward with ball handling and passing skills that's simply unacceptable. He is quite easily the most versatile and least one-dimensional offensive weapon on our team. With the commitment we've made to him we should probably give him even more opportunity with the ball than he's had in the past.

If you sort by USG rate on Hoopdata, Turk's on the 5th page. He is being underused and needs to become a bigger part of our offence.

http://hoopdata.com/advancedstats.aspx

I'm sure they realise this, the fact he came into camp late, and is playing injured kind justifies his minutes though.

[redeye514]

Jose complains if he doesn't have the ball in his hands and stagnate the offense. Cant blame Triano or Hedo.

Three things:

1. No one is blaming Hedo for anything
2. Blame can definately be put on the head coach for the way an offence is run.
3. I have never seen Jose complain about anything, rather, I see Jose as this group's best teammate, always cheering and hi fiving guys regardless of whether he is in the game, or on the bench.

Now with that said, in my opinion, Jose (and Bargs) still need to be traded now that their respective values are still relatively high, and they can still get you a good piece in the trade market that better fits a Bosh / Hedo combination. However, Jose should DEFINATELY 100% NOT be traded for an expiring contract, which is the most brain dead thing I have read on this board this year (and that's saying a lot).

[Walid]

Belinelli & Amir > Hudo & Bosh

[blizzah]

give it time...he hasn't been 100% healthy and we're still trying to figure out where everyone fits.

AND we have no goddam defense....i REALLY think reggie evans is our KG...defensively....wihtout him we will just fall apart....which is happening right now...so.....WE NEED REGGIE BACK DAMMIT!

You do know Reggie's never played for Toronto in a regular season game right.

So how can he be back...

[Double Helix]

Updated the main thread now that we're a quarter of the way through the season:

Key stats:

1) Hedo is below the league average in terms of usage.

2) This is the lowest he's been involved with a team in 5 years, dating back to his San Antonio/Sacramento days.

3) There are 183 players in the league with higher usage rates than hedo Turkoglu.

4) There are 5 other Raptors players who use more possessions with their time on the court than Hedo on the Raptors. They are:
Sonny Weems: 20.17
Demar Derozan: 19.06
Marco Bellinelli: 19.50
Andrea Bargnani: 22.18
Chris Bosh: 29.51

5) Usg Usage Rate is the number of possessions a player uses per 40 minutes. Usage Rate = {[FGA + (FT Att. x 0.44) + (Ast x 0.33) + TO] x 40 x League Pace} divided by (Minutes x Team Pace)

[Double Helix]

Here are the SFs (according to Hoopdata) in the league with higher usage rates (See post just before this on previous page for a definition on usage rate) than Hedo Turkoglu in ascending order:

Hedo Turkoglu 18.83


Danilo Gallinari 18.89
DeMar DeRozan 19.06
Ryan Gomes 19.12
Omri Casspi 19.25
Richard Jefferson 19.47
Kelenna Azubuike 19.52
Wilson Chandler 19.66
Al Thornton 20.17
Gerald Wallace 20.18
Andres Nocioni 20.36
Jeff Green 20.46
Thaddeus Young 20.48
C.J. Miles 20.59
Donte Greene 20.67
Corey Brewer 21.20
Ersan Ilyasova 21.61
Luol Deng 21.65
Chase Budinger 21.85
Paul Pierce 22.38
Caron Butler 22.59
Trevor Ariza 23.47

------------> This is around where Hedo's usage rate was in 2007 and 2008 over the past 2 seasons

Stephen Jackson 24.54
Anthony Randolph24.59
Travis Outlaw 25.21
Corey Maggette 25.75
Mike Dunleavy 25.79
Alando Tucker 28.08
Danny Granger 29.61
Josh Howard 30.54
Kevin Durant 32.08
LeBron James 33.18
Carmelo Anthony 34.44

Triano needs to pull the team aside and say that:

Bosh is option A
Bargnani is option B
Turk is option C

The rest of you shoot when you're wide open/near the basket/cutting/in transition or on put backs. Other than that, give it to the big 3 and big 3... realize that you are our scoring punch! Each of you guys should be shooting the ball over 14 times per game barring something unforseen.

There's too much diplomacy on this team. It started 3 years ago when the press went crazy on the idea that "On any given night a different Raptor can step up and be the difference maker. We've struggled to find an identity through our key players ever since.

[C_Money]

That kind of stuff happens when you have the worst coach in the league.

[Indeed]

That kind of stuff happens when you have the worst coach in the league.

This kind of stuff happens when your previous coach is that bad, only have one play, which is Bosh isolation.
When you want to change this, its very difficult (just watch our defensive system), its a mess.

[Mikeye]

Turkoglu = no heart and no passion...he just got paid...dont expect too much from him.

[Double Helix]

I think it's on the media at this point.

It's one thing for guys like Grange and Doug Smith to blog to us about how they think Turk isn't doing enough but what I want to hear are hard hitting questions directed towards Triano, Turkoglu and Colangelo!

It's clear that this is an issue with fans and media so media... stir up the pot and start bringing up usage rate, shot attempts and how his numbers are down across the board. And while you're at it... bring up the happy go lucky attitude issues that people seem concerned about. At least let him give us an explanation. It's better than letting nothing happen and simply asking, "Are you happy you chose the Raptors? Why did you choose the Raptors? Do you like the 4th quarter? Tell us why you like the 4th quarter so much."

Come on reporters... you're the voice of the fans. Let's get to the bottom of this with questions to Turk and Triano, rather than simply blogging about it.

[J Dilla]

This is on our idiot HEADless coach.

[StopitLeo]

It's the big contract let down. *Sigh*

[Double Helix]

It's the big contract let down. *Sigh*

I read this while checking my fantasy league team and tonight's box scores and noticed Haywood on pace for another great night. He's always been solid but his play this season has been the best he's played ever so I decided to check out his salary situation and low and behold... it's a contract season and he's 31 years old so it's probably the last big contract he's going to get in the NBA.

These are dangerous contracts and we've got one.

We need to get the most out of this guy while we can. We need to force him to become more than he currently is on this team.

[J-Roc]

Meh, our offense is predicated on giving the ball to one of the best offensive PF's in the league, who happens to like iso plays. It's how our team is setup so it's how it has to be. Running post plays for Dwight Howard was always a good thing for the defensive team. It was better for Orlando to have Hedo jack up a shot and let Dwight fight for a rebound and putback.

[Boogie!]

I think it's on the media at this point.

It's one thing for guys like Grange and Doug Smith to blog to us about how they think Turk isn't doing enough but what I want to hear are hard hitting questions directed towards Triano, Turkoglu and Colangelo!

It's clear that this is an issue with fans and media so media... stir up the pot and start bringing up usage rate, shot attempts and how his numbers are down across the board. And while you're at it... bring up the happy go lucky attitude issues that people seem concerned about. At least let him give us an explanation. It's better than letting nothing happen and simply asking, "Are you happy you chose the Raptors? Why did you choose the Raptors? Do you like the 4th quarter? Tell us why you like the 4th quarter so much."

Come on reporters... you're the voice of the fans. Let's get to the bottom of this with questions to Turk and Triano, rather than simply blogging about it.

why do we think we should be the coach of the team all of a sudden? seriously, with technology being what it is nowadays and everyone being connected to each other, we all think we play a role in everyone's business.

coaching is far more than saying, "hey, give the ball to turkoglu more and that'll win us more games." it's one thing to complain about it on a message board, it's another to actually think we should actually be telling professionals how to do their job. "hey coach, a bunch of kids on the internet are wondering why turkoglu isn't being used more, and think you're strategy is (Please Use More Appropriate Word). can you please give us an answer to this question? otherwise, the wise thing to do would be to take the kids' advice." seriously?