2015-16 Raptors and General NBA Thread

[kmart]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Missed the game. I was assuming it would be on later than it was since it was in OKC? I see they won, did they look good?

Didn't look good, but they battled defensively and kept the game close. JV and Demar were great at the end of the game.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Last two games the Raps have closed on 18-3 and 12-1 runs. Impressive closing out of games and certainly a very good sign going forward. I also haven't called Masai a genius yet this year so I figure I'll throw that one in too. Carroll and Joseph have been significant upgrades over Lou/Vasquez.

[octothorp]

Regardless of win/loss record, I'll be really happy if they stick to this team identity. Two nights in a row, shutting down the other team's offense in the fourth through excellent defense and rebounding and an efficient offense.

Also I've got to give DeRozan credit... for all the times we harp on his fadeaway jumpers (including the night before against Barea), last night he was looking to drive constantly, and OKC had absolutely no answer. Shot chart shows him not taking any shots from above the free throw line, which is great.

[kmart]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Regardless of win/loss record, I'll be really happy if they stick to this team identity. Two nights in a row, shutting down the other team's offense in the fourth through excellent defense and rebounding and an efficient offense.

Also I've got to give DeRozan credit... for all the times we harp on his fadeaway jumpers (including the night before against Barea), last night he was looking to drive constantly, and OKC had absolutely no answer. Shot chart shows him not taking any shots from above the free throw line, which is great.

Personally, I didn't like the fact that DeRozan was consistently isolating. I know he was getting fouled at a high rate and really helped the team score, but I don't think it correlates to winning in the long run. Saying that, he's looking for his teammates much more this year and the Raptors in general are sharing the ball well, hopefully this game is a anomaly in terms of isolation.

[Johnny199r]

I spent what seems liked at least 30 minutes trying to watch the last 4 minutes of the Raptors game.

Are they ever going to eliminate or at least decrease the number of timeouts which makes the end of basketball games so painful?

I don't understand the need for timeouts. Are these pro athletes so stupid that their coaches don't trust them to memorize certain plays instead of having to draw them up every time?

I know the answer comes down to timeouts = commercial breaks = advertising money, but I don't know how basketball fans put up with it. I haven't been able to watch a game in years because of it.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Wow the officiating in the NBA is terrible. The main reason this will always be a secondary sport for me. I get into, see the refs effect the outcome of the game, and then I take a few games off.

[TheAlpineOracle]

I give the NHL credit, sure ther are calls I don't like, but it's not very often I feel the refs were directly responsible for affecting the outcome of a game. It's a regular occurrence when I watch the NBA.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Weird to give it to Jonas at the end when he's had 5 shots all night. Lowry really needs to take that. Offense was off but defense was strong. If the defense keeps up they'll be just fine.

[Da_Chief]

Wow Ross looks awful. 2 open looks, 2 air balls. Bosh is still a ######.

[Machiavelli]

Whoa, what is going on with the offense?

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

Whoa, what is going on with the offense?

They made the decision this year to move back to being a top 10 defensive team. They brought in a guy like BB who is hopeless on offense but a defensive stalwart and good rebounder. Joseph too is a good defensive player.

So if Ross and Patterson aren't hitting which they aren't so far they have no scoring off the bench.

I can see them needing to pick up some O at the deadline.

But they got nowhere being better offensively and being creampuffs. They are tougher now and way better defensively. Their offense will improve and they can add a one dimensional player later on in the season.

[Da_Chief]

I can't wait for Wiggins to come home and join the Raps.

Biyambo is just awful on the offensive end. Ross really lucked out, 33 million extension for shooting air balls.

KL is playing hard though.

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

I can't wait for Wiggins to come home and join the Raps.

Biyambo is just awful on the offensive end. Ross really lucked out, 33 million extension for shooting air balls.

KL is playing hard though.

Is that a thing?

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

They made the decision this year to move back to being a top 10 defensive team. They brought in a guy like BB who is hopeless on offense but a defensive stalwart and good rebounder. Joseph too is a good defensive player.

So if Ross and Patterson aren't hitting which they aren't so far they have no scoring off the bench.

I can see them needing to pick up some O at the deadline.

But they got nowhere being better offensively and being creampuffs. They are tougher now and way better defensively. Their offense will improve and they can add a one dimensional player later on in the season.

Yeah, and I think their playbook is still pretty limited compared to where it could go. After a year of playing largely iso, they're getting a bit more movement but it's a slow process. You could see it against Miami, they were rarely thinking about second or third options.
I have a theory that 3-point shooting heavy offenses are not good playoff offenses unless you have absolutely elite shooters (like GSW); because while it produces great results over an entire season, it's a lot swingier over smaller sample sizes, like a playoff series. And with a lot of the league seeming eager to get on the GSW smallball bandwagon, I think it may pay off for the Raptors to zag while much of the league zigs.
But even with a more paint-oriented team like the Raptors are becoming, they need guys to step up and hit open 3s. I place a lot of blame so far on Patterson and Ross, both of whom are getting a load of open 3pt attempts and missing most. The Raptors bench is among the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category (defensive numbers are okay). And you naturally expect Biyombo to be awful offensively, but that makes it all the more important that other guys don't go into prolonged slumps.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

Is that a thing?

He was a huge Raptors fan, wanted to wear Raps Jersey to a Raptors playoff game when he was still in college, his agent advised against it.

Some Raptors fans think this will happen when he's a free agent. I'm hoping.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Wiggins, I don't know. I mean he's looking more and more like the next Carmelo than the next LeBron. Great offensive player, but not a very good defender (though maybe not a liability). For all the hype about who the next LeBron was going to be, the closest guy is probably Kawhi who obviously no one could have predicted, but he also went to the dream situation.

And I'm glad I didn't say anything regrettably over the top after the 5-0 start. Defense is better but still needs work and the offense still doesn't really seem to be much different. Still need Jonas getting more touches in the block. With the Knicks better and the Celts improving as well, definitely will not be a gimme to win the division this year.

[TheAlpineOracle]

I was a big Scola fan before he played for the Raps, now that he is on them and I think I have a man-crush.

[St. Pats]

I like Scola as he knows what he can do on the court and just sticks to it. Unfortunately they have a coach who thinks he knows what he is doing and sticks to it. This despite the abundant evidence that what he does isn't working.

I frankly have no idea what he is trying to accomplish. His player usage and his offensive playbook are idiotic at best. Yet MU continues to have him at the helm. What is the point? They are going nowhere and really have no way to get anywhere.

I have no idea what MU is up to with the weird draft picks, the offseason signings or anything else for that matter. What is the end goal? Certainly not success / this team won't win anything of significance. They don't have a great young group growing together. They have no superstar or one in the making. They are poorly coached, poorly put together and seemingly have no plan in place to get better.

I'll enjoy watching them if they play a good defensive style but in the end it's not getting them to the top. What are they doing to move up the ladder?

[Senator Clay Davis]

Yeah I had some hope when we saw Jonas actually finishing games that maybe Casey had learned. And then we see him choose to play the last 7 minutes Sunday night 4 on 5 on offense because Biyombo has to play instead. I know Cousins is a handful and Biyombo can defend, but at some point if you ever want Jonas to become a top center you actually have to let him become one.

[kmart]

Watching this Warriors game is tough. Just goes to show how far away the Raptors are from being contenders. I doubt they make it to championship level with their current core of players. They are all just so stagnant and slow in ball movement in comparison to the Warriors. They are truly inferior to the top contenders of the league. Tough to watch being a Raptors fan knowing this team is likely a second round out year in and year out.