Bargnani looking ahead: Raptors center Andrea Bargnani missed more than half of the 2011-12 season -- 35 out of 66 games to be exact -- and his production took a big dive when he tried to come back from a calf injury in the second half of the season. “Before the injury, I was among the top (scorers),” he told the Toronto Sun. “That’s where I need to be and I know I can be there. Now I have to come back next year and do it.” Bargnani averaged 23.5 points in the first half of the season and just 16.1 after that, with his shooting percentage tumbling from 47.6 percent to 39.2. The injury is not expected to linger into the offseason, as Bargnani was largely sat as a precaution during the final month of the season. (Updated 05/20/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/26/12).
Fantasy Analysis
Bargnani, the former number one pick in the NBA Draft, looked like he was in the midst of a breakout season prior to the injury, so it will be interesting to see if he can stay healthy and maintain that production in 2012-13. The one issue that has lingered in his game, his poor rebounding numbers for a center, was also moderately improved before the injury, and he should be joined in the frontcourt next season by the team’s 2011 first-round pick, Jonas Valanciunas, which could help open things up for him even more. He is expected to be 100 percent healthy and should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy center, worthy of selecting with an early-round choice on Draft Day. (Updated 05/20/2012).
04/13/2012 22:09 Celtics' comeback falls short vs. Raptors
DeMar DeRozan scored 13 of his 22 points in the third quarter and made four pivotal free throws down the stretch as the short-handed Toronto Raptors held off the Boston Celtics 84-79 Friday night.
04/11/2012 21:26 Sixers drop Raptors, win second straight
Thaddeus Young scored 17 points, Nikola Vucevic had 12 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Toronto Raptors 93-75 on Wednesday night, an important victory in their chase of a playoff berth.
04/09/2012 12:46 Baseline Awards 4.9.12: Still like that old time rock and roll
The Baseline Awards hand out rewards for exceptional and not so exceptional events and players of the past week. Award rankings are at the end and please watch your step as you exit the ride.
04/04/2012 21:34 Raptors drop Sixers for third straight win
Andrea Bargnani scored 24 points and DeMar DeRozan had 18 to lead the Toronto Raptors to their third straight win, 99-78 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Although he wasn’t as durable as he’s been in recent seasons, playing just 66 games, Bargnani posted a career-high 21.4 points per game last year. But general manager Bryan Colangelo was not happy with the production he got from the 25-year-old Italian. Colangelo believes the Raptors need a strong inside presence and the 7-footer plays mostly on the wing as he averaged just 5.2 rebounds per game with 0.7 blocks, but did nail 77 3-pointers with more than one per game. Toronto used guys like Ed Davis, Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson to do the rebounding, but Colangelo would prefer the center do that job in a perfect world. That said, Toronto certainly doesn’t live in a perfect world and it will be Bargnani as the man in the middle once again. He might not be the prototypical center, but he still does enough to be considered a low-end No. 1 option at the thin position. Bargnani can be considered in the second tier of NBA centers on Draft Day. (Updated 8/23/11)
