Raptors Discussion: v51 | Wizards up 1-0 | ECQF Game 2 vs Wizards: Tues, April 21st @ 8:00 PM EST

[Swervin81]

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[Swervin81]

Well, with the Celtics losing tonight, we have officially clinched a playoff berth.

 

[Budsfan]

Well, with the Celtics losing tonight, we have officially clinched a playoff berth.

Despite loss, Raptors clinch playoff spot

http://www.tsn.ca/despite-loss-raptors-clinch-playoff-spot-1.240418

Greivis Vasquez poured in 22 points on Wednesday, but it wasn't enough to lift the Toronto Raptors past the Chicago Bulls in a 116-103 loss.

Toronto would have officially clinched a playoff spot with a victory, but it wasn't to be on a night the Raptors fell apart down the stretch. The Raptors clinched their second-consecutive playoff berth later in the night, thanks the Boston Celtics' loss to Miami.

 

[Swervin81]

Tonight against the Lakers without Kobe. No excuses, have to demolish them.

 

[Budsfan]

Game Day: Raptors vs. Lakers

Jay Satur - Raptors.com

The Raptors continue a three-game homestand tonight with an eye on earning season-series split against the Lakers at Air Canada Centre (7:30 PM ET, TSN 2, TSN 1050 Radio).

Projected Starting Lineups

Raptors: Greivis Vasquez (G), DeMar DeRozan (G), Terrence Ross (F), Amir Johnson (F), Jonas Valanciunas (C)

Lakers: Jeremy Lin (G), Jordan Clarkson (G), Wesley Johnson (F), Ryan Kelly (F), Tarik Black (C)

Injury/Roster Report

Raptors: Kyle Lowry - back spasms (out), Lucas Nogueira - on assignment with NBA Development League

Lakers: Kobe Bryant - right rotator cuff surgery (out), Steve Nash - sciatic pain (out), Ronnie Price - right elbow surgery (out), Julius Randle - tibia fracture (out), Nick Young - fracture, left kneecap (out)

NEED TO KNOW

Jordan Clarkson is on a tear for the Lakers. He drained 30 points against Oklahoma City this week, shooting more than 60 per cent from the field, and followed that up with a 20-point performance in L.A.’s win over the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Alongside Clarkson in the backcourt, Jeremy Lin has averaged 22.3 points in his last three games. With an injured Steve Nash announcing his retirement and Kobe Bryant out for the season, however, the Lakers have continued their abysmal 2014-15 campaign that is on track for the worst winning percentage—.271—since the team moved to Los Angeles from Minnesota in 1960.

 

[Eyedea]

Tonight against the Lakers without Kobe. No excuses, have to demolish them.

Jeremy Lin with the game winning 3 because why not?

 

[Longshot]

Feel bad for Oklahoma. Durant is out for the season.

 

[DD03]

Wonder if this is going to be a long-term thing ala Yao Ming. Sounds pretty serious.

 

[Longshot]

Wonder if this is going to be a long-term thing ala Yao Ming. Sounds pretty serious.

Hope not, but it is an example of how basketball players get "old" quick. The running, the leaping, their body sizes in general - a lot of stress.

 

[Stats01]

just win the game guys...just win the game. I don't care how ugly it is and all this talk about defence and all that and how this team is playing. JUST WIN THE GAME!

 

[Stats01]

Anyone else having issues with TSN2 and TSN4 the last few days? those stations keep flickering and the signal seems off, it keeps freezing. Maybe it's my box? Only been a real issue for the last few days and no improvement. SN and all those stations are fine.

 

[Swervin81]

http://bballbreakdown.com/2015/03/23/jonas-valanciunas-has-quietly-killed-the-raptors/

Well, that's kinda what happens when you try to force JV into a system he can't play and keep ****ing with him.

 

[Stats01]

I'm not sure how Valancuinas can do much better than he's doing right now when he gets treated like trash by the coach. The minute Casey sees the other team make moves he immediate takes out Val for either P.Pat or JJ...his numbers are skewed because he doesn't have a chance to work it out, he gets thrown to the bench immediately so of course the team is going to look better when they go small. The numbers are very skewed against him

 

[Swervin81]

Did Matt and Jack just say Isiah Thomas had a great eye for talent as a GM?!?! Ummm WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?! Did you MISS his entire Knicks tenure as living proof that he is one of the worst execs all time in NBA history and that we dodged a major bullet with him not lasting here too long?

 

[Swervin81]

I'm not sure how Valancuinas can do much better than he's doing right now when he gets treated like trash by the coach. The minute Casey sees the other team make moves he immediate takes out Val for either P.Pat or JJ...his numbers are skewed because he doesn't have a chance to work it out, he gets thrown to the bench immediately so of course the team is going to look better when they go small. The numbers are very skewed against him

Our system is total **** as well. It's an overly complex press that requires everything to go perfect, everyone to be mobile, and max 110% effort at all times or else it falls apart faster than Sonic the Hedgehog.

 

[Swervin81]

Holy crap, wake the **** up! The Lakers are ****ing ****, COME ON!!!

 

[Swervin81]

Finally, some boos. Good, totally unacceptable effort so far.

 

[p.l.f.]

17 points ?
bleah

 

[showtime8]

The Raps defence is making these Lakers look like the late 80's Lakers. Too easy.

 

[Swervin81]

Finally, we're actually doing something... bout time.

 

[Swervin81]

GO GRAB A ****ING REBOUND!!!!!

x

 

[Swervin81]

Sorry, jist a little ****ing angry here at our D. We should not be making these Lakers look like the ****ing showtime Lakers.

 

[showtime8]

Sorry, jist a little ****ing angry here at our D. We should not be making these Lakers look like the ****ing showtime Lakers.

Embarrassing defence for a while now.

 

[Swervin81]

James Johnson playing terrific.

 

[Swervin81]

Embarrassing defence for a while now.

Yup. Our system is balls. Our perimeter D is the root of all our issues there. Our system in a nutshell:

>Guard gambles for steal or just plays straight up
>Both ways fail, get blown by
>Everyone converges down low
>Leave shooter wide open for 3 or foul shooter since rotating is slow
>Everyone scrambles outside to cover shooter
>If shot misses, fail to get the rebound because nobody's there
>Give up easy putback