NBA Toronto Raptors thread

[Dr Pepper]

Man, they just can't get over that Cleveland hump, can they?

No matter how many wins they rack up in the regular season, Toronto is coming up short when it matters most.

Hell, Indiana put up more of a fight than these Raps have so far. Doubt this series goes 7 now.

 

[Stylizer1]

I agree with them but I also agree somewhat with Carrol. The problem with Toronto is that they don't have good role players and Defrozen and Lowry are too ball heavy. If the conferences were more balanced the raps would be in the 6,7,8 spot than challenging for the conference.

Bump.

 

[Stylizer1]

You are 100% wrong. The last few minutes are where the best elevate their play. The playoffs is where those best put their teams on their backs.

All you have to do is watch the last 5 minutes of any raptors game against a good team and watch Derozen. It is even more noticeable in the playoffs. DeRozen doesn't have another gear. Against the Lakers he will score all day.

Bump.

 

[Stylizer1]

Raps also beat Cavs by 34 without Lowrie or Ibaka. So give them credit. This week is proof they are an elite team. People also say Derozan can't play good against great teams. Constantly double teamed against the Cavs so dishes out 8 assists (without playing the fourth). Ibaka comes back which opens up space a bit for him and he puts up 42. This teams legit.

Bump.

 

[Stylizer1]

I've watched sports for enough years to realize that Some teams look like championship caliber, some are good, and some get lucky. At this point in his career DeRozan has to average 30+ points in the playoffs not 22 and guarantee he will play better after a terrible game and follow it up with a worse game.

I'm skeptical that they can turn it up enough to beat a team like the Cavs.

Bump

 

[Stylizer1]

You glorify everything the DeRozan does and I point out how I think it's a little premature. DeRozan hasn't proven that he can lead a team to playoff victories and it has been very apparent in the last 3 years in the playoffs. I don't get my hopes up like that. Raps have a better team this season and are poised to make a long run. Does this automatically mean Derozan doesn't turn into DeFrozen in the playoffs, we will see. To me the regular season doesn't really mean much but you seem to use that as some ultimate measuring stick to how great a team is. Can you make a valid argument as to why DeRozan has been not very good in the playoffs? The Raptors are my team but that doesn't mean I have to love every single player with blind allegiance. DeRozan is on par with Paul George good player but not a superstar. You need superstars to beat superstars.

Boomshakalaka

 

[King Mapes]

Bump.

2 games were by 1 and 2 points. This is with Ibaka playing like shit. So series could just as easily be 2-1 Raps

 

[c9777666]

We'll get 'em when the teams come back the ACC. Oh, that day probably won't come till next fall.
Amazing that a team in control of both games, can "give" those games away. Good for Cleveland, but in basketball, the team with best player often wins....and that would be Cleveland.

The Cavs are not a team. They are a poorly put together roster of that just happen to be lucky LeBron is on their team.

They basically just throw stuff together and say SAVE US LEBRON.

I mean, their vaunted trade deadline guys- Nance/Hood/Clarkson- have done next to nothing.

 

[c9777666]

I still think Toronto has a good future going forward with youth, coaching, Lowry, DeRozan.

Cleveland is basically an aging team on its last legs, oldest roster in the league, biggest payroll, 33 year old LeBron with so much mileage.

The Cavs are basically squeezing out 1 more run to hold the Torontos and Boston and Phillys back before they blow things up. This Cavs roster probably won't look like this next year.

Don't blow it up considering the Cavs are not likely to being the whole band back together.

 

[c9777666]

The frustrating thing with the Raptors is that I saw this team sweep Houston, give the Warriors 2 good battles, split with the Celtics.

It's hard to believe they hold up better against those teams than ONE guy in LeBron. They somehow match up better against those teams who are better!

I'd say this is like Caps/Pens, but THAT might change on Monday.

Who would've thought Ovechkin would be closer to conquering his bugaboo than the Raps?

 

[Jussi]

The Cavs are not a team. They are a poorly put together roster of that just happen to be lucky LeBron is on their team.

They basically just throw stuff together and say SAVE US LEBRON.

I mean, their vaunted trade deadline guys- Nance/Hood/Clarkson- have done next to nothing.

If they're so bad, how bad are the Raptors then since they're one game away from being swept?

 

[King Mapes]

If they're so bad, how bad are the Raptors then since they're one game away from being swept?

Maybe you missed the Lebron part.

Where do you think they finish once they lose Lebron?

 

[Finster8]

The only thing bigger than LeBron's bank account is his ego. We all saw his amazing shot to win the game. Seeing him brag and say how great a shot it was and his look at me I am the greatest after the shot should be motivation enough for a Toronto. He is to good to be bragging for himself .

 

[Jussi]

Maybe you missed the Lebron part.

Where do you think they finish once they lose Lebron?

If the Raptors can't beat a one man team, why should they deserve any respect?

 

[Stylizer1]

The Cavs are not a team. They are a poorly put together roster of that just happen to be lucky LeBron is on their team.

They basically just throw stuff together and say SAVE US LEBRON.

I mean, their vaunted trade deadline guys- Nance/Hood/Clarkson- have done next to nothing.

The cavs are a team it is just they are not coached and LeBron is a ball hog. For this reason Lebron has hurt his career by micromanaging everything around him. He always got the players and coaches he wanted and when the going got tough he bailed. He did it to Cleveland once(maybe twice) and did it to Miami. He never earned anything on his own. It took Riley,Wade and Bosh to teach him how to win. For me those 2 championships were manufactured. LeBron is the reason why the NBA sucks competition wise. He would have won some championships eventually He was just worried that by the time he did he wouldn't have enough. The one thing He will never have like the greats before him is a Dynasty.

I like the analogy that great albums are like great teams, each song/player contributes to something that will stand the test of time. Nowadays kids don't buy albums anymore they rent songs. That's the NBA.

 

[King Mapes]

Wow, am I seriously agreeing with Stylizer?

Excellent post, which is odd to say. Him leaving with his buddies to build a potential dynasty hurt him big time as a great. I forget which legend said it (might have been MJ) but said something like "I never wanted to join forces with other great players, I wanted to play against them and beat them".

 

[Virtanen18]

Meh. If he stayed in Cleveland which was and mostly still is a terribly run organization and didn't win much there, people would hold that against him. I highly, highly, highly doubt that he would have this oh so great untainted legacy if he didn't join Miami.

 

[Hadoop]

Looking back I think LeBron's 'heel' turn worked out great for Miami and the NBA. Riley, Wade et al. taught James how to win championships and the league got a superteam to cheer against. As for him playing GM on the current Cleveland team - well again considering they beat a 73 win Warriors team and ended 5 decades of sports agony - you can't argue with the results there either.

 

[Stylizer1]

Looking back I think LeBron's 'heel' turn worked out great for Miami and the NBA. Riley, Wade et al. taught James how to win championships and the league got a superteam to cheer against. As for him playing GM on the current Cleveland team - well again considering they beat a 73 win Warriors team and ended 5 decades of sports agony - you can't argue with the results there either.

He left one supper team to create another. Kyrie was a star in the making and Love was a point scoring, rebound machine.

 

[Virtanen18]

Kyrie was a young chucker scoring sone buckets on an awful team and Love has been shit on constantly for not being the dominant force he was in Minnesota. Reach

 

[Stylizer1]

Wow, am I seriously agreeing with Stylizer?

Excellent post, which is odd to say. Him leaving with his buddies to build a potential dynasty hurt him big time as a great. I forget which legend said it (might have been MJ) but said something like "I never wanted to join forces with other great players, I wanted to play against them and beat them".

Much appreciated. And it was Jordan. That's what made the NBA great. Every team had there star player who was the leader. College players came out of school better and it was more a mans league. There is no more earning your credentials because so much is given on potential as to maximize the profits that go with it.

 

[Stylizer1]

Kyrie was a young chucker scoring sone buckets on an awful team and Love has been **** on constantly for not being the dominant force he was in Minnesota. Reach

The reason for Love being shitted on is because Lebron disrupts the flow of the offense has much as he compliments it. There is no need for a point guard on that team and is probably the main reason Kyrie bounced. LeBron made Thomas less of a floor general. With Lebron's size he should be around the rim more but instead he is alway parked at the 3 point line starting the offence. Everybody on a team has to have a role and Lebron by having the ball so much turns his teammates into reactionary players based on what he does. When you look at GS it is the complete opposite and a very smooth offense. They have some of the sickest passing plays to score a basket where everyone on the floor touches it. Kind of like you learn in JR high school in practice when the coach says make 5 passes before you score.

 

[Hadoop]

The reason for Love being ****ted on is because Lebron disrupts the flow of the offense has much as he compliments it. There is no need for a point guard on that team and is probably the main reason Kyrie bounced. LeBron made Thomas less of a floor general. With Lebron's size he should be around the rim more but instead he is alway parked at the 3 point line starting the offence. Everybody on a team has to have a role and Lebron by having the ball so much turns his teammates into reactionary players based on what he does. When you look at GS it is the complete opposite and a very smooth offense. They have some of the sickest passing plays to score a basket where everyone on the floor touches it. Kind of like you learn in JR high school in practice when the coach says make 5 passes before you score.

LeBron is a much better floor general than Kyrie and IT though; a better passer and in 'analytics' speak a more efficient passer.

LeBron also definitely should NOT be around the rim much at this late stage of his career. The guy has a lot of mileage and it's in both his and Cleveland's best interest for him to take as little contact as possible (and the stats show this, his drives have dropped, he is drawing fewer fouls due to less physical contact, and he is shooting more fade-aways than ever before.)

Also..... isn't this the Raptors thread??

 

[Stylizer1]

LeBron is a much better floor general than Kyrie and IT though; a better passer and in 'analytics' speak a more efficient passer.

LeBron also definitely should NOT be around the rim much at this late stage of his career. The guy has a lot of mileage and it's in both his and Cleveland's best interest for him to take as little contact as possible (and the stats show this, his drives have dropped, he is drawing fewer fouls due to less physical contact, and he is shooting more fade-aways than ever before.)

Also..... isn't this the Raptors thread??

LeBron is better than both but it makes them irrelevant. That's the point.

This was the Raptors thread until Lebron took it over.

 

[Hadoop]

This was the Raptors thread until Lebron took it over.

LOL Touché