2016-17 Toronto Raptors and General NBA Thread

[Otto-matic]

Perkins in particular revealed that he would have trouble going to war with the pair if they didn't truly believe they could win against the 'King'.

"I'll tell you what," Perkins said, "my personal opinion is if I was on that team, being the role player that I am, I can't follow [Lowry and DeRozan's] lead."

"I think it's time to break Toronto up," Garnett weighed in. "There's a certain level of respect they're giving [James] that you can't give a player when you're playing against him. I get it, he's cold, he's good, but..."


http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/n...break-toronto/

[Senator Clay Davis]

DeRozan's main problem as a player is that he doesn't shoot threes. What team's star/best player doesn't shoot threes in this day? If he could shoot 35-37% he'd be in the MVP discussion, instead he shoots 28%. If he shot it like from deep like Lowry he'd be the best player in the East not named LeBron. He needs to lock himself in the gym and shoot 200 threes a day from the five spots on the arc.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

DeRozan's main problem as a player is that he doesn't shoot threes. What team's star/best player doesn't shoot threes in this day? If he could shoot 35-37% he'd be in the MVP discussion, instead he shoots 28%. If he shot it like from deep like Lowry he'd be the best player in the East not named LeBron. He needs to lock himself in the gym and shoot 200 threes a day from the five spots on the arc.

He has tried to add it to his game and unfortunately not been able to unlike other parts of his offense which he has improved. Maybe another year will get it done? He is way too one dimensional and mentally weak to be the number one player on a team.

They should see if the Pacers would bite on a deal with Derozan for George as the main parts.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I mentioned this before, but Paul George's across the board numbers are worse than DeMar's except for three point shooting. So it's basically a like for like swap that leaves the Raptors exactly where they are right now. Just like DeMar, you aren't winning an NBA title with George as your number one guy.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I mentioned this before, but Paul George's across the board numbers are worse than DeMar's except for three point shooting. So it's basically a like for like swap that leaves the Raptors exactly where they are right now. Just like DeMar, you aren't winning an NBA title with George as your number one guy.

Last second shot I'd have a helluva lot more faith in George then DeRozen; he just can't bring it come playoffs.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I mentioned this before, but Paul George's across the board numbers are worse than DeMar's except for three point shooting. So it's basically a like for like swap that leaves the Raptors exactly where they are right now. Just like DeMar, you aren't winning an NBA title with George as your number one guy.

Derozan's regular season numbers mean squat to me and they don't consider defence. Did you watch the playoffs last year? George was a man on a mission to eliminate the Raptors, and the only problem was that the team around him sucked. He was an absolute beast. Switch places between him and Derozan and the Raptors eliminate the Pacers in 4 maybe 5 game.

I'm not saying George is the answer to beating Cleveland, but I think the Raptors are a hell of a lot better team with George than Derozan. Derozan is mentally fragile and relies exclusively on getting to the foul line. The problem is Derozan can't get to the foul line when teams step up the D and force him to the outside, and they know they can force him to the outside because he shoots 3s about as good as Big Country Reeves did.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I mentioned this before, but Paul George's across the board numbers are worse than DeMar's except for three point shooting. So it's basically a like for like swap that leaves the Raptors exactly where they are right now. Just like DeMar, you aren't winning an NBA title with George as your number one guy.

PG13 is a much better defender though. I'd take George over DeRozan in a heartbeat

[Senator Clay Davis]

Swapping George for DeRozan the last two years might actually have the Raps in the 5-8 seed range, so the "he brings it better in the playoffs" argument ignores that unless he's playing at a Jordan level, he can't get his team out of the first round because his teams get bad seeding. George and DeRozan are not any different in that you need a "Big 3" type team around them. Neither of them are at the level of a LeBron or Harden or Durant or Kawhi, the true elite level type players. If you want to win a title with either of them, you'd prefer they are the #2 option on your team.

[killer_carlson]

I think Demar can be a great complimentary piece, even for the Raptors. But you need a different coach and a different point guard who can involve the forwards in the offence.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I think tonight showed the top 2 MVP finishers should probably be Russ and LeBron. Kawhi will always have Pop as his coach which means they'll be good even without him, and obviously a no show from Harden tonight says it all. Whole Rockets team probably thought "No Kawhi, see you in game", instead utter humiliation.

[Strange Brew]

Don't know if anyone here watched Rockets/Spurs but Harden's performance in elimination game at home was embarrassing. Not attempting a shot until 2nd quarter and an absolute non factor.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Warriors in 6
Cavs in 5 regardless who they play

I'm tempted to pick the Spurs. Even though the Warriors are clearly the superior team, Popovich against Mike Brown is massive coaching advantage to the Spurs.

[Senator Clay Davis]

NBA should just go ahead and add the E and make it NBAE and just stop pretending we're watching anything legit. Warriors must commit illegal screens on half or more of their possessions, and yet nothing. Funny thing is I think the ratings for Warriors-Cavs 3 is going to be awful since the only way it won't be a Warriors sweep is if the refs....ahhh, yes, NBAE. No doubt it's going 7 regardless.

[St. Pats]

MU admits he has no clue how to beat the Cavs or the Warriors. Interview is on the TSN website if you want to give it a listen. I mean yeah it's painfully and obviously true but how about letting us have our false hope.

[bluejays]

^ I actually like that he wasn't an overly confident corporate shill. We know he's got a tough road ahead and that he's highly intelligent. The only way is drafting a premier talent IMO.

[Machiavelli]

Cavs up by 41 at the half, LOL

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

Cavs up by 41 at the half, LOL

It looks somewhat likely that the Warriors and Cavs will both enter the Finals 12-0 in the playoffs.

The NBA is such a weird league right now. The entire regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs are essentially exhibition games.

[You Need a Thneed]

4 combined games of the conference finals so far, halftime leads have been:

20 points
28 points
22 points
41 points

[Senator Clay Davis]

If only the Spurs held on without Kawhi in game one, we'd at least have a little intrigue. As it is, it's basically can LeBron enter the Jordan conversation for real if he beats the Warriors? He'd have to go even more insane then he's currently going (and get some help like maybe another Draymond nut shot).

[FireGilbert]

I'm not an NBA fan but as a big sports fan try to watch a bit of the playoffs. This has to be the least exciting playoffs I have ever seen in any sport. They should have just had the Cavs and Warriors play a best of 27.