2018 Raptors/NBA | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

2018 Raptors/NBA

Wouldn't you know it? ... I watched the last 10min of regulation and then some against Milwaukee ... of course they lost, and I didn't like at all how they lost in the end. Pouring threes, like someone told them that to drive the ball is going to cause them cholera or something. Is this what they come down to, or was this an unfortunate anomaly I experienced?
 
The three quarters before the fourth and OT was pretty bad. It's like they came out of the all star break half asleep and coasting. It's not even that Milwaukee played that well, the Raps played poorly. Shooting threes against Milwaukee is not a bad thing because with Giannis and John Henson, they have pretty good interior defense. The starters were not doing well and the 2nd unit was doing well, yet for some reason Casey's rotations kept the starters in much longer than he has all season. Considering their record, every team is bound to have games like this and the Raps have lost back to back games only 4x this season, so I'm hoping for a solid effort tonight against Detroit.
This team has yet to consistently show they can move the ball and make good decisions in close, late game situations. However, making those mistakes is tolerable in the regular season, as long as it builds improvement for the post season.
 
Wouldn't you know it? ... I watched the last 10min of regulation and then some against Milwaukee ... of course they lost, and I didn't like at all how they lost in the end. Pouring threes, like someone told them that to drive the ball is going to cause them cholera or something. Is this what they come down to, or was this an unfortunate anomaly I experienced?

Not sure if you watched tonight, but that was a thorough dismantling of Detroit.
Problem is, they need to be practicing their play in the close games, not blowouts!
 
I always end up feeling that this sport is too rich for my blood. Maybe I'll go watch some polo in the spring and work my way up?

Well once the Air Canada Center becomes the Scotia Bank Arena you will be richer then you think if you can afford tickets to go. But sadly leafs tickets are still more then Raptors tickets.


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Not sure if you watched tonight, but that was a thorough dismantling of Detroit.
Problem is, they need to be practicing their play in the close games, not blowouts!

Does it matter? Detroit is 9th in the East .... I have feeling this team no different than Raptor teams of late. Closing games, winning close games and stop relying on 3-point ball is essential for play-offs ... sorry I just cannot see the Raps making a mark this year. But .... I will watch another game for sure.
 
Nah the 3 pointers are good, mid range game is dead, since the 90s. Even 7 footers shoot them now(KP, Kat, Joel embiid, Kd, etc etc) that’s the future


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All the time? Can they win without raining 3's? .... I think no and no. While GSW or Cleveland can still grind it out with other facets of the game than 3's ....
 
So they were driving/penetrating a lot more yesterday. Then I quickly realized the Magic is not a team where they exactly protect the lanes ... they were terrible in that respect and their standing shows it I guess.

Tomorrow's game should be a lot more telling, hopefully.
 
Nice to see the Raps pull out a close game win. Casey did a great job with the player rotations and it's pretty awesome when the bench is scoring as much as the starters.
 
Nice to see the Raps pull out a close game win. Casey did a great job with the player rotations and it's pretty awesome when the bench is scoring as much as the starters.

Bench is the backbone of the team imo


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I haven't watched enough games from Houston to really see what's up. Golden State is practically like an all star team, so kind of like how everything in the east runs through Lebron, the same goes for the west, until they demonstrate otherwise. I think they just have the capability to turn it up when it matters most. My hope is that Houston takes the west.

In the east I'm actually less worried about Boston and Cleveland and more impressed about teams like Philly. No matter what, I think Toronto is now deep enough to withstand any of the east in a 7 game series.

The more this season plays out, I see it as Houston vs. Toronto in the Finals.

Looking forward to a good game on Friday night between Raps and Rockets - the ACC will be hyped!
 
I haven't watched enough games from Houston to really see what's up. Golden State is practically like an all star team, so kind of like how everything in the east runs through Lebron, the same goes for the west, until they demonstrate otherwise. I think they just have the capability to turn it up when it matters most. My hope is that Houston takes the west.

In the east I'm actually less worried about Boston and Cleveland and more impressed about teams like Philly. No matter what, I think Toronto is now deep enough to withstand any of the east in a 7 game series.

The more this season plays out, I see it as Houston vs. Toronto in the Finals.

Looking forward to a good game on Friday night between Raps and Rockets - the ACC will be hyped!


"I haven't watched enough games from Houston to really see what's up. "

...same. Only Harden was an all-star (and likely the season's MVP), but Chris Paul must be making a difference there too. And they're leading the west. Gotta tell you something.

"No matter what, I think Toronto is now deep enough to withstand any of the east in a 7 game series."

...Ok, I am being picky, but I think the Raptors need two things to happen:

1. Norman Powell to play better - I think there's a deficit at the small forward position on this team. He could be the answer, but man, his confidence is in the toilet right now.

2. Valenciunas has had a very good season, but for whatever reason, Casey pulls him out quickly and often, even when (to me) he's playing very well. Some games, Siakim and Poeltl play more.
 
The more this season plays out, I see it as Houston vs. Toronto in the Finals.

Looking forward to a good game on Friday night between Raps and Rockets - the ACC will be hyped!

You honestly believe Raps have the people and numbers to unsettle Cleveland? The same goes for the West ... hard to believe (barring key injuries) that GSW (I agree with your assesment of being all-star team ..... how is the league allowing this imbalance???) would lose to anyone to not make the final.

I have never bought much into preaching "playoffs are NOT the same as regular season" .... but it's growing on me. The two teams can crank it up a notch when things really start to matter, can the Raps do that too?
 
"how is the league allowing this imbalance???"

...how do you prevent this? players are allowed to sign for whomever they wish.
 
Some teams go crazy over the salary cap and essentially buy their trophy. Other top tier players sign for considerably less than they are worth on the market to help a team build a super team. I'm not sure how the league stops the imbalance, because the flip side is the insane number of teams playing for the bootom and best odds at high draft picks.
The way that Toronto, Boston and Philly (and maybe some others) have built their teams is awesome. The future has not been mortgaged for a win-now mentality and they are doing really well with developing young talent in house. For all the talk about how Toronto can't compete with Golden State and previously Cleveland - personally, I'm fine with that, because I really like watching the young picks do well and watching the organization grow as it has.

As for Normal Powell - if he doesn't pick it up before the end of the playoffs, they may move him. That's a lot of salary that could be used to resign one of the other young guys who are delivering every night. It sucks because I like Norman and I'm not sure what his funk is.

As for Valanciunas, I used to get ****** at Casey because I felt he catered to the way the other teams were playing, rather than dictate the pace and tempo etc. Last year, Jonas would ride the bench for long periods of games because of 'match-ups'. This year Valanciunas is playing very composed and Casey has been giving him a better run in close game situations and overall. I think having Poeltl play so well has allowed him to let Jonas sit more, but not because Jonas hasn't been doing as well, but because Jakob is doing a great job and can almost split the minutes for the centre position 50/50 with Jonas. I'm hoping for big things out of both those guys this post season. I agree that it seems like Casey chooses to sit him and play the young guys when Jonas is killing other teams. I guess it's a good problem to have, because I remember having Rasho Nesterevic as our primary guy.

I completely buy into the whole playoffs are not the same as regular season thing. I just think that with Kevin Love coming back and also the team trying to properly integrate the new players, the odds are not as favourable for Cleveland as they have been in the past. Not that they aren't capable, because they might just trounce the Raps again this year, but because they don't have the same familiarity as they did in previous seasons, it should be a difference maker. Next year I think Cleveland can come back really strong with a full off-season and regular season to integrate the new guys and make some minor changes. But for now, yes, I think that (barring injuries) if the Raps move the ball well on offence and play swarming defence, they are the post season alpha in the east.
 
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"how is the league allowing this imbalance???"

...how do you prevent this? players are allowed to sign for whomever they wish.

Would you not agree that NHL hockey got better by controlling how much they can spend on salaries? NBA I guess does not mind to have majority of their best players in just 2-3 teams. Anyway, perhaps I have it wrong, but that's how it looks to me.
 
I completely buy into the whole playoffs are not the same as regular season thing. I just think that with Kevin Love coming back and also the team trying to properly integrate the new players, the odds are not as favourable for Cleveland as they have been in the past. Not that they aren't capable, because they might just trounce the Raps again this year, but because they don't have the same familiarity as they did in previous seasons, it should be a difference maker. Next year I think Cleveland can come back really strong with a full off-season and regular season to integrate the new guys and make some minor changes. But for now, yes, I think that (barring injuries) if the Raps move the ball well on offence and play swarming defence, they are the post season alpha in the east.

Seeing how Blake Griffin was having his way at the end of the game, just reminded me why LeBaron can beat them single handily and there will not be much Raps can do about it.

Sorry, not trying to be negative, just disappointed when they lose in such a fashion. Well, they didn't really last night, but the end of the regulation was simply ugly for many reasons.
 
I agree. Big stars like Griffin and Lebron will walk all over raps in the playoffs.

We dont have anybody like this.

Seeing how Blake Griffin was having his way at the end of the game, just reminded me why LeBaron can beat them single handily and there will not be much Raps can do about it.

Sorry, not trying to be negative, just disappointed when they lose in such a fashion. Well, they didn't really last night, but the end of the regulation was simply ugly for many reasons.
 

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