Terrific tandems:
Charlie Villanueva- Season: 13.2pts 6.5rbs. Best game: 27pts 13rbs 12-17fgs
The Good: - Dont call him Charlie Hustle just yet, but Villenueva has certainly shown himself to be a lot more proactive then he was during his days at UCONN. Charlie has shown no difficulties adjusting to the NBA 3 point line as he is shooting nearly 38% from behind the arc. But, Charlie is still attacking the basket with abandon as his 48% shooting percentage and 2.8 offensive rebounds per game will attest.
The Bad: Fouls and free throws are the order of the day for Charlie to take full advantage of his massive potential. Villanueva hasnt shot a ton from the line, so Ill assume he can do a little better than the paltry 31% hes shooting now. The fouls are a bigger issue because its keeping him off the floor, even though its great to see him finally putting an effort in on the defensive end. Villanueva makes a great tandem frontline with Chris Bosh, but after he comes out of the game there is a precipitous drop off in production, so it is imperative that he remain on the court. Not every team has the luxury of playing rookies unlimited minutes, so Charlie must take full advantage of the opportunity.
Outlook: Villanueva has positioned himself to be an impact player for a young and talented Raptors team. With tons of playing time available and the ability to play through his mistakes, Charlie has a tremendous chance to harness his vast potential and become an impact player. The only risk I see with Villanueva is that he may grow complacent with his situation. As the losing continues and without the pressure to perform coming from another hungry bench player, Charlie could see some slippage in his game. The key for Villanueva is the same as its always been-if he stays aggressive then he can be a fantastic player.