Toronto Raptors 2013/14 Season

[The Big Chill]

What a strange team.

[darklord700]

We should trade Ujiri away so we can really start tanking.

[pria(kin)16]

Since the trade this team is much more entertaining to watch. Great ball movement, JV getting more looks and solid effort every night. Even after they trade Lowry this team will be fine with Vasquez running the point, an underrated pg with something to prove. As sad as I am that they wont be in the running for Wiggins/Parker/Smart/Randle, I'm excited about the potential of playoff basketball and this core learning to win and grow together. Go Raps!

[moon]

If the play-offs started today the Raptors would face the Bobcats not only would that probably be the worst series in sports history that might be the two worst teams to ever make the play-offs in sports history.

I always thought the play-offs are cool and exciting for your team to get in but if they get in basically by default not so sure it is that exciting or does anything in terms of building a "winning attitude" for the future.

[The Big Chill]

Do you mean the two worst besides the 6th, 7th, and 8th seeds?

[moon]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Do you mean the two worst besides the 6th, 7th, and 8th seeds?

I think those teams are better than the Raptors and Bobcats and there is about 0 chance that ends up as a 4-5 match-up at the end of the year.

Detroit and Washington already have better records than the Raptors do and Celtics only half game behind.

[The Big Chill]

If there is zero chance then what's the point in saying that?

Anyways, I agree that the Raptors won't end up there. I think the Nets will get healthy and get on a roll at some point and win the division. But this Raptors team was never even close to bad enough to tank the way so many were calling for. I think they are better off winning a few now to make their assets a little more valuable when it comes time to sell them.

[moon]

I said if the play-offs started today so obviously not projecting until the end of the season.

I guess the point was I was shocked that those two teams could be in those positions with their pathetic rosters.

[Senator Clay Davis]

You know its funny you mention pathetic rosters moon, cause here's a side by side of the Raptors and the Heat.

Ray Allen
Joel Anthony
Shane Battier
Michael Beasley
Chris Bosh
Mario Chalmers
Norris Cole
Udonis Haslem
LeBron James
James Jones
Rashard Lewis
Greg Oden

DeMar Derozan
Landry Fields
Tyler Hansbrough
Chuck Hayes
Amir Johnson
Kyle Lowry
Steve Novak
Patrick Patterson
Terrance Ross
John Salmons
Jonas Valanciunas
Grevis Vasquez

Hmmm...seems to me that outside the Big 3 of Miami, not a whole lot of difference between them and in fact I'd rather have Toronto's roster after the big 3 than Miami's (more variety, less risk with no Oden/Beasley). So I guess if LeBron gets hurt with a season ender you'll think of Miami's roster as pathetic cause well relying on gimpy Wade and the dinosaur sounds like a 1st round elimination. Amazing what having the best player in the world does to make a somewhat decent team championship worthy.

[moon]

The fact that all it takes is a couple of stars to go from 0 to Champs in NBA is why this Raptors team needs to finish bottom 5 not middle of the pack.

[darklord700]

You take the big 3 our of SA, Westbrook and KD out of OKC, they don't look much better than the Raptors as well. Miami is done if you take LBJ out of the line up.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I'd argue San Antonio would still be a playoff team because of Popovich, but yes in the NBA stars are the difference, we all know this. We also all know that Bryan Colangelo is why this team is in the spot they are: Not bad enough to tank, not good enough to matter. The Raptors within the East can win that division and maybe even a series with the right matchup. But they can't get into the right spot in the draft unless they unload everyone. Even if they just get rid of Lowry, Vasquez is decent enough that they probably still won't be horrible. What a bad spot the franchise is in.

[darklord700]

TO can only rebuild with draft picks as FA won't sign with TO, Uriji must be smart enough to know that. Not matter what, chances for TO competing for a championship is slim unless we can draft the next LBJ and keep him.

[Senator Clay Davis]

The outstanding Zach Lowe breaks down the Raptors current predicament

Winning a title in the NBA generally requires a top-10 or top-15 overall player. The Raptors don't have such a player. DeRozan gets better every season, but he's 24, putting up an above-average Player Efficiency Rating for the first time in his career. Ross is intriguing, but he's not going to be a star. Valanciunas has the best shot of reaching franchise-player status among Toronto's young core, but he hasn't shown those kind of signs yet. (He's only 21.)

The best way to acquire such a player is to draft him, and the best way to do that is to pick at or near the top of the right draft. That's why teams still tank today. Tanking doesn't always work, but for a certain species of team and ownership group, it can be the quickest and easiest way to transform a franchise. That's why Toronto thought about it, and why it might do so again if this run turns out to be fool's gold. The wins in Dallas and Oklahoma City were impressive, but the Raptors caught Oklahoma City on a back-to-back after a draining win over the Spurs. The rest of the recent wins have come against tankers or mediocrities, including a back-to-back sweep of the sad-sack Knicks. The Raptors have also had almost perfect health the entire season; what happens if a key cog gets hurt? Are these new Raptors for real? Is anything real in the Eastern Conference?

The Raps play Indiana and Miami three times combined in the next 10 days, and the schedule after that eases into a series of games against the kind of average-or-worse teams Toronto must beat in order to snag the no. 4 seed and win a playoff round. The Raptors will learn a lot about themselves over that stretch, and they'll watch how the trade market evolves — in both directions. The Raptors could turn into buyers, using Ross as the linchpin to net one of the many proven veterans playing on rebuilding teams. One such veteran, Arron Afflalo, is a former Ujiri guy who plays for a team that values Ross highly, per several league sources. There are lots of other potential targets out there, though things would get much more complicated if the Raptors work to unload either Landry Fields or Steve Novak in any "buy now" trade talks.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...oronto-raptors

[TurnedTheCorner]

Rod Black's droning voice makes me want to end myself.

[Da_Chief]

Raptors hanging in tough verses one of the best in Pacers on TSN. Good, tough basketball.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Seriously, who are these guys?

[Senator Clay Davis]

I think its time to realize a tank isn't happening and come to grips with the reality that this can be the 3rd best team in the East. And who knows, LeBron and Paul George can both get hurt and then the path is open. But I mean how can you sell a tank anymore? This team has gotten so much better without Rudy. The ball movement is terrific. The talent is there. Casey even seems to be improving. Gotta just let it ride this season.

[Da_Chief]

Up 14 with less then minute and a half. Screw Wiggins, these guys can play. lol.

Pacers concede defeat, bench coming on for them.

[Machiavelli]

It's crazy what some confidence can do.