Maplebeasts
I See Demons!!!!!
Well guys, we can stop paying attention now. The only potential finals matchups worth considering have already been decided, and someone didn't make the cut. Might as well pack it in and go home.
Embarrassing.
Raptors Discussion: v72| ECQF | (1) Raptors vs (8) Wizards | Raptors win series 4-2 and advance to EC Semi-Finals
- Thread starter The Nemesis
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Embarrassing.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
I don't even find it embarrassing. I just find it funny. We're leading the goddamn conference and they couldn't even just put one token Raptors matchup at the bottom because it's ESPN and they're too busy jocking the Celtics and Kyrie as hard as they possibly can.
Maplebeasts
I See Demons!!!!!
Yeah I think it's an egregious oversight. I think what makes it even worse is the crazy amount of love the Cavs are getting post deadline. Aside from Nance I wouldn't call any of their additions good defensive players.
Kurtz
Registered User
- Jul 17, 2005
- 10,075
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George Hill is a very good defensive player and was the Cavs biggest addition, I think. You can look at the way he was able to shut down Lowry in the playoffs 2 years ago, for instance.
Having said that, Hill doesn't come close to replacing Irving's contributions, and the Cavs are much more vulnerable this year as a result.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
Charles Barkley pronounced that there were only 2 elite teams in the east: Cleveland and Toronto. In your face, Boston. Barkley spent a few minutes gushing about Casey and the bench before the video cut him off mid-sentence because presumably they were sick of listening to him talk about those evil Raptors.
I suffered through listening to Stephen A Smith go full Stephen A Smith to deliver this news to you. My psyche may never recover.
I suffered through listening to Stephen A Smith go full Stephen A Smith to deliver this news to you. My psyche may never recover.
Budsfan
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- Sep 17, 2006
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Game Preview: Raptors vs. Bucks | Toronto Raptors
Game Preview: Raptors vs. Bucks
Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com
Posted: Feb 23, 2018
Milwaukee Bucks (32-25) @ Toronto Raptors (41-16)
When: Friday, February 23rd, 7:30 P.M. ET
Where: Air Canada Centre
Broadcast info: TSN, SN590
LAST MEETING
The Raptors are 2-0 against the Bucks this season. In their first meeting, DeMar DeRozan set a franchise record with 52 points on New Year's Day. In the second meeting less than a week later, the Raptors notched a dominant 129-110 victory in Milwaukee. After leading 61-59 at the half, Toronto exploded in the third quarter, outscoring the Bucks 43-19 to take a 104-78 advantage into the fourth. Jonas Valanciunas led Toronto with 20 points and 13 rebounds in just 17 minutes, shooting 8-for-9 from the floor, while DeRozan also scored 20 points and the Raptors had seven players in double figures. Serge Ibaka added 21 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 24 points, five rebounds and five assists in the loss.
LEADING INTO TONIGHT'S GAME
Injury report: The Raptors injury report is clear. For the Bucks, Malcolm Brogdon is out with a left quad tendon injury, Matthew Dellavedova is out with a right ankle sprain, Mirza Teletovic is out with pulmonary emboli, Tyler Zeller is probable with Gastroenteritis and John Henson is probable with right hamstring soreness.
Back to business: Friday's game will mark Toronto's return to the Air Canada Centre court following All-Star break. The Raptors last played on Feb. 14, defeating the Chicago Bulls 122-98, to take a franchise-best 41-16 record into the break where DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Dwane Casey and Toronto's coaching staff represented the organization in Los Angeles for All-Star 2018.
Coach's bragging rights: Though Toronto's backcourt both suited up for Team Stephen, it was head coach Dwane Casey and the Raptors staff, manning the sideline for Team LeBron, that came out on top in a 148-145 victory for Team LeBron. With the team back in Toronto and ready to take on the final third of the season, All-Star weekend is now firmly in the rearview as Casey and his backcourt are each focusing is on ensuring the team continues to approach each game as its own battle and is prepared to play the full 48 minutes.
EXTRA ASSISTS
Home court: Toronto is an NBA-best 24-4 on the Air Canada Centre floor this season. DeMar DeRozan is averaging a team-high 24.6 points at home, while the Raptors as a team are fourth in the NBA in scoring when playing at home, scoring 112.8 points per contest.
East coast living: Thanks to an extremely road-heavy start to the season, the Raptors continue to stay close to home in the final stretch of the season: they don't have a single west coast road game the rest of the way through. Of the 25 games remaining, 12 are on the road and 13 will be played at the ACC.
Seven straight: The Raptors come into Friday's game against the Bucks having won a season-high seven straight. Still, Dwane Casey bristles when asked about the team feeling comfortable in recent weeks. "No, nobody's comfortable," he said. There should be nobody in this building that's comfortable. It's fleeting. Success in the NBA is very fleeting and if anybody thinks any other way they're in the wrong business.
"You can look around the league, teams that you thought that were king of the world hit a hard time, boom, and you're not comfortable," Casey continued. "My job with our guys is to make the comfortable uncomfortable and the uncomfortable comfortable, and you've got to do that. That's the tone we've got to set. There's nobody here that should feel satisfied or feel like 'oh, we've got a cushion.' No. No way, no how."
donghabs98
Moderator
Mitchy
#HFOutcasts
Absolutely speechless in regards to DeRozan, for some reason, dunking it when they're down by 3 with barely any time remaining.
Dr.Funk
Registered User
- Jul 2, 2004
- 19,692
- 2,386
Meh.
There was just over 2 seconds when he got the ball by the time he would have found somebody open time would have expired before a shot got up. Can't argue with the quick two and give a foul then hope for a hail mary.
Le Cobra
Rent A Goalie
Suntouchable13
Registered User
I couldn't care less what the American media says. Raps are better than Cleveland. They will beat them in a series, that is if Cleveland will even make it through to the ECF. Cleveland is nowhere near a favourite to come out of the East.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
LeBron, the king of reputation calls, is complaining that he's not getting enough free throws because refs are biased in favor of shooters vs drivers.waaaahhhhhh..
Budsfan
Registered User
- Sep 17, 2006
- 19,218
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Game Preview: Raptors vs. Pistons | Toronto Raptors
Game Preview: Raptors vs. Pistons
Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com
Posted: Feb 26, 2018
Detroit Pistons (28-31) @ Toronto Raptors (41-17)
When: Monday, February 26, 7:30 P.M. ET
Where: Air Canada Centre
Broadcast info: SN1, SN590
LAST MEETING
The Raptors last saw the Pistons in mid-January, earning a 96-91 victory in Toronto behind a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double from Jonas Valanciunas. Toronto entered the game having lost their previous two games and wanted desperately to avoid dropping three straight. The Raptors got off to a strong start, but allowed the Pistons to keep things close, and the game was tied heading into the fourth. Toronto's defence held Detroit to just 18 points in the final quarter as they held on for the victory thanks to 18 points from Kyle Lowry and 17 from DeMar DeRozan. The Pistons were led by Andre Drummond's 25 points and 17 rebounds in the loss.
LEADING INTO TONIGHT'S GAME
Injury report: The Raptors injury report is clear. For the Pistons, Reggie Jackson (right ankle sprain) and Jon Leuer (left ankle surgery) will be out.
Looking for the bounce-back: Toronto would love to get back on track with a win following a frustrating overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Though a last-second dunk at the buzzer from Jonas Valanciunas forced overtime, it was the way the Raptors started the game that bothered Dwane Casey. "The game [on Friday], was lost in the second quarter," Casey said. "Our disposition, we didn't have a physicality about us, they were catching the ball where they wanted to catch it, going where they wanted to go with it, offensive rebounding, you name it."
New-look Pistons: The last time the Raptors faced off against Detroit, the team looked a little different. In late January, the Pistons acquired Blake Griffin, Brice Johnson and Willie Reed from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley and Boban Marjanovic. Griffin is a five-time All-Star, and a three-time member of the All-NBA Second Team, is averaging 22.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game this season.
EXTRA ASSISTS
Air Canada Centre: Friday's loss to the Bucks was just Toronto's fifth loss at home this season. The Raptors are an NBA-best 24-5 at home. The Pistons come to Toronto on a back-to-back, falling 114-98 against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday afternoon.
Siakam scoring: Pascal Siakam has scored 17 points off the bench in each of Toronto's previous two games. He is shooting 74 percent from the floor in that stretch, giving him 14 double-figure games in scoring this season. With the season now in the final stretch, Siakam's focus is on taking it one day at a time. "There's 24 games so we all know every single game is important," he said. "We just have to keep doing what we have been doing, keep getting better. We had that game Friday where we did not play our best but just keep getting better each game and that will take care of itself."
Heading out: After Monday's contest, the team will head out on the road for two games before returning to the ACC to take on the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, Mar. 4. Toronto will see the Magic in Orlando on Wednesday, then head Washington to take on the Wizards on Friday before returning home.
Budsfan
Registered User
- Sep 17, 2006
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Game Preview: Raptors at Magic | Toronto Raptors
Game Preview: Raptors at Magic
Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com
Posted: Feb 28, 2018
Toronto Raptors (42-17) @ Orlando Magic (18-42)
When: Wednesday, February 28th, 7 P.M. ET
Where: Amway Center
Broadcast info: TSN, TSN1050
LAST MEETING
Toronto's last meeting with the Magic came last season, with the Raptors earning a 131-112 victory behind a 36-point effort from DeMar DeRozan. The win came without Kyle Lowry who was out with a wrist injury. After a high-scoring first quarter for both teams, the Raptors held a one-point lead. They exploded in the second quarter, outscoring Orlando 38-23 to take a 73-57 lead at the half. Though the Magic would hang around in the third, Toronto was in control the rest of the way through, as Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and nine rebounds and former Raptor Cory Joseph had a 15-point, 13-assist double-double. Elfrid Payton had 22 points and nine assists to lead the Magic in the loss.
LEADING INTO TONIGHT'S GAME
Injury report: Toronto's injury list is clear. For the Magic, Terrence Ross will be out with a sprained right MCL, non-displaced fracture of right tibial plateau. Aaron Gordon is listed as questionable with a sore left hip.
Back on track: Dwane Casey was pleased with his team's response following a disappointing home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. With the Detroit Pistons in town on Monday, the Raptors notched a dominant 123-94 victory, and didn't let up in the final phases of the game. With the team now heading on the road for the next two games, Casey wants to see the same intensity and effort from his squad.
Sunshine state: This will be Toronto's first meeting with the Orlando Magic this season. The Magic are the only team Toronto has yet to face, and the teams will have all three of their meetings in the final 23 games of the season. Dating back to 2012, the Raptors have won 15 of 18 games against Orlando.
EXTRA ASSISTS
Siakam rolling: Pascal Siakam has now scored 45 points over his previous three games. Against the Pistons, Siakam had 11 points in 24 minutes, shooting 5-for-7 from the floor, making his only three-point attempt, and added five rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots. After the game, Dwane Casey praised Siakam for his efforts. "I think he's doing a heckuva job," Casey said. "His energy is an NBA skill, I'm telling you. He sets the tone for that second unit, the speed they play with. He'll embarrass you if you don't play to his speed and his tempo."
Familiar faces: Former Raptors GM Jeff Weltman is now in Orlando, after being named team president on May 23, 2017. This will be Serge Ibaka's first game at Amway Center since being acquired from Orlando Feb. 14, 2017 in exchange for Terrence Ross, who is currently on Orlando's injured list rehabbing from a knee injury. Orlando's big man Bismack Biyombo also signed with the Magic after a breakout season in Toronto during the 2015-16 season, and D.J. Augustin played with Toronto during 2013-14.
Taking care of business: Toronto enters Wednesday's game having won eight of nine games. The Magic are in the midst of a six-game losing streak. After allowing the Bucks to get the best of them on their home floor, the Raptors want to forget about records and streaks and focus on giving their best effort. "Their record doesn't depict who they are," Dwane Casey said. "They're a very talented team. We've got to go in there with our high beams on, ready to compete for 48 minutes."
Suntouchable13
Registered User
Looking forward to another beat down. We have not see a dominant team like this (for a full season) in Toronto in a long time.
Eyedea
The Legend Continues
Budsfan
Registered User
- Sep 17, 2006
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Game Preview: Raptors at Wizards | Toronto Raptors
Game Preview: Raptors at Wizards
Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com
Toronto Raptors (43-17) @ Washington Wizards (36-26)
When: Friday, March 2, 8 P.M. ET
Where: Capital One Arena
Broadcast info: SN1, SN590
LAST MEETING
The Raptors dropped their last meeting against the Wizards, 122-119 in Washington. Though the Raptors would have opportunities in the final seconds to extend the game they couldn't convert. The Wizards were without John Wall (left knee), who also missed the team's previous two meetings against Toronto this season. Bradley Beal stepped up in his absence, scoring 25 of his 27 points in the second half, while Otto Porter Jr. added 16 points. The Raptors were led by Kyle Lowry's 29 points — 17 coming in the fourth quarter — and 23 points from DeMar DeRozan in the loss.
LEADING INTO TONIGHT'S GAME
Injury report: OG Anunoby is listed as doubtful for Toronto because of a right ankle sprain. Anunoby rolled the ankle during the first half of Toronto's victory against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. For the Wizards, John Wall is out following left knee surgery.
February fine: In the month of February the Raptors posted a 9-2 record. In those nine victories, six were by 20+ points. Their +15.27 point differential was the best in the month of February since the 1990 Phoenix Suns.
Successful business trip: The Raptors want to avenge a 122-119 loss to the Wizards on Feb. 1, as well as finish up this two-game road trip with another win before returning to the Air Canada Centre. After Friday's game in Washington, the team will be at the ACC for a two-game stretch before hitting the road again. Toronto is an NBA-best 25-5 at home.
EXTRA ASSISTS
Pass the rock: The Raptors recorded 33 assists on 45 field goals in Wednesday's victory. This is the 47th time the team has topped 20 assists this season, compared to 34 times during the 2016-17 season. Toronto is ranked seventh in the NBA in assists per game, and is led by Kyle Lowry's 6.5 assists and DeMar DeRozan's career-high 5.2 assists per game.
Bench mob: In Toronto's victory against the Magic on Wednesday, once again it was the bench to come up big. The bench is averaging 41.1 points per game, scoring at least 40 points in each of the last 10 games, and averaging 52.4 points during that stretch. Pascal Siakam had 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot against the Magic. He scored 10 of his 14 in the fourth quarter where he, Jakob Poeltl and Fred VanVleet played all 12 minutes. Poeltl added 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocked shots while VanVleet scored 12 points.
Ignatius Reilly
Registered User
- Nov 25, 2010
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LOL @ Cavs...anyone else see what LeFlop did at the end of the games yesterday? LOL...they're not winning the East.
Suck it ESPN.
Suck it ESPN.
Suntouchable13
Registered User
I love it how as soon as they made those trades, everybody in America said the Cavs are favourites again. I am still a little scared of LBJ in the playoffs, but I don't think they are the favourites. Not by a long shot.
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