NBA Toronto Raptors thread

[c9777666]

 

[Dr Pepper]

Good start, first win of many this season hopefully.

 

[Stylizer1]

If Ibaka just plays average this season JV won't see the floor much. He is just too slow and nonathletic to be effective in a quick game.

 

[La Masse]

If Ibaka just plays average this season JV won't see the floor much. He is just too slow and nonathletic to be effective in a quick game.

Depends on the matchup. I like Nurse not really giving a shit about having the same starters night in and night out. Casey would have never started Ibaka last night over JV tho

 

[King Mapes]

Ibaka is still trash but I like the rest of the teams look. Kawhi is as advertised, Green has been better than I expected to start the year and you can see improvements defensively, one against a tough team. Yes very early but I like our odds. I think we are on par with Boston and no one else is really that close (even Philly).

 

[Say Hey Kid]

The Raptors will be in the ECF.

 

[Dominator13]

Ibaka is still trash but I like the rest of the teams look. Kawhi is as advertised, Green has been better than I expected to start the year and you can see improvements defensively, one against a tough team. Yes very early but I like our odds. I think we are on par with Boston and no one else is really that close (even Philly).

Huh? How was Ibaka trash after posting 21 and 16 points while playing a defensive role?

 

[justafan22]

Another win last night.

It's early but as long as Lowry plays this well and Kawhi is 80% of his form 2 years ago, this team will win 55+ games

 

[Dr Pepper]

The Raptors will be in the ECF.

Sadly, we've heard that one too many times. Past incarnations of the Raps proved themselves to be mental midgets in the playoffs, usually ducking out early.

Here's hoping this is the year they can finally put it all together.

4-0 so far, off to as good a start as anyone hoped.

 

[La Masse]

Sadly, we've heard that one too many times. Past incarnations of the Raps proved themselves to be mental midgets in the playoffs, usually ducking out early.

Here's hoping this is the year they can finally put it all together.

4-0 so far, off to as good a start as anyone hoped.

The difference is this team can actually play defense and switch 1 through 5. Green and Kawhi are terrific defenders that will make a difference in the playoffs IMO

 

[Stylizer1]

The difference is this team can actually play defense and switch 1 through 5. Green and Kawhi are terrific defenders that will make a difference in the playoffs IMO

Slow down cowboy. lol Didn't we go through this all last season?

They look to be a lot better than last year though.

 

[La Masse]

Slow down cowboy. lol Didn't we go through this all last season?

They look to be a lot better than last year though.

Yes with offense not defense. Last year they simply outscored teams and couldnt defend much.

 

[Cassano]

Sadly, we've heard that one too many times. Past incarnations of the Raps proved themselves to be mental midgets in the playoffs, usually ducking out early.

Here's hoping this is the year they can finally put it all together.

4-0 so far, off to as good a start as anyone hoped.

The difference is there's no LebronTo

 

[Stylizer1]

The difference is there's no LebronTo

Toronto never looked good against any team in the playoffs. Lebron used them to rest uo for the next round.

Swapping out DeFrozen for Leonard and Green was such a colossal trade in terms of improving a roster over night.

 

[Belieber]

Such an effortless 5-0 start. It’s beautiful.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Toronto never looked good against any team in the playoffs. Lebron used them to rest uo for the next round.

Swapping out DeFrozen for Leonard and Green was such a colossal trade in terms of improving a roster over night.

It was always a one-sided deal on paper - assuming Kawhi was healthy, and that looks to be the case.

My main gripe when it happened (and to this day) was Ujiri's misleading of DeMar, moving him a few days after telling him that he was part of the future and wouldn't be traded.

On a related note, it should also be noted that Casey's Pistons are off to a hot start as well.

 

[Stylizer1]

It was always a one-sided deal on paper - assuming Kawhi was healthy, and that looks to be the case.

My main gripe when it happened (and to this day) was Ujiri's misleading of DeMar, moving him a few days after telling him that he was part of the future and wouldn't be traded.

On a related note, it should also be noted that Casey's Pistons are off to a hot start as well.

DeRozan doesn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. It's business. The only reason players don't get traded is because GM's can't find a better replacement. Masai may have gave the impression he wasn't going to trade Demar but how would it have looked if he told him he might get traded and didn't? By DeRozan's drama after he was traded it's clear he would have probably sulked along with Lowry. Now you have 2 players feeling like this team doesn't have confidence in us. Who knows maybe at the time there was no deal when they spoke and things heated up in the following days.

Ujiri doesn't owe any player anything. They are paid too much to perform and when they don't it should fall on their shoulders. Demar's reaction shows you he was fragile and is maybe why it was right to move him after many years of loyalty.

As for Casey he was a good coach and I hope he does well in Detroit. I don't think he should have been fired if they were going to move out DeRozen but Nurse so far has this team playing really well together. He uses the roster so much better.

 

[Stylizer1]

Toronto needs to add Butler.

 

[tony d]

Good start for the team thus far. 5-0. Playing Dallas tonight so should be a good game.

 

[Dominator13]

Toronto needs to add Butler.

I wouldn't touch the current team. They're unbelievably well rounded and the kids are developing at a quick rate.

 

[Stylizer1]

I wouldn't touch the current team. They're unbelievably well rounded and the kids are developing at a quick rate.

In order for Toronto to be able to beat GS they still need another big time player. Butler is a great 2 way player and would be needed on D. GS can role out just too many combinations for any team to deal with. I wouldn't want to give up Siakam or Anunoby but if you are going to go for it you have to go for it. Can't worry about next season. this is the best raptors team to date so you might as well go all in.

 

[King Mapes]

DeRozan doesn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. It's business. The only reason players don't get traded is because GM's can't find a better replacement. Masai may have gave the impression he wasn't going to trade Demar but how would it have looked if he told him he might get traded and didn't? By DeRozan's drama after he was traded it's clear he would have probably sulked along with Lowry. Now you have 2 players feeling like this team doesn't have confidence in us. Who knows maybe at the time there was no deal when they spoke and things heated up in the following days.

Ujiri doesn't owe any player anything. They are paid too much to perform and when they don't it should fall on their shoulders. Demar's reaction shows you he was fragile and is maybe why it was right to move him after many years of loyalty.

As for Casey he was a good coach and I hope he does well in Detroit. I don't think he should have been fired if they were going to move out DeRozen but Nurse so far has this team playing really well together. He uses the roster so much better.

Only issue I have/had was only one year left on the contracts. On paper if Kawhi is healthy, the trade is incredibly lopsided short term.

 

[justafan22]

Only issue I have/had was only one year left on the contracts. On paper if Kawhi is healthy, the trade is incredibly lopsided short term.

He appears to be around ~80% or so healthy and is putting up fringe MVP numbers already. If the raps make the finals, lose but he leaves, it's still worth it since you kick start the rebuild, which you couldn't with derozan's contract

 

[Stylizer1]

When Lowry and Leonard are on the bench this team looks lost. They need 1 more star.

 

[Stylizer1]

Ibaka should never shoot another 3 for the rest of his career. He does so much more under the net and could be a valuable rebounder during crunch time.