2022-2023 Toronto Raptors/NBA season thread

[bluejays]

Concern I have with Masai and co is if their confidence has grown too much to the point where ego is taken over. I say that because the past few seasons they’ve taken a contrarian approach by wanting a few bench instead of star players. This year an exception by not having either really. So now you have to admit it was a wrong approach with low yield. What will they do?

[mile]

Good news for Canada Basketball

https://twitter.com/user/status/1649428895911886848


Masai speaking. Takes responsibility. Says he did not enjoy watching this team play and that this year was not them - lost the feel and the spirit of who the Raptors were. Believes in the players but will look at everything - whether it's tweaks or major changes. Says no when asked if he's happy with how young players were developed this season. Talks about the culture slipping and how it needs to be built back to what it was - selfishness and complacency were issues this season. Defends Nurse's comments in Philly, saying that people make mistakes and that "I'd go crazy if I had to talk to you guys every day." Thinks the timing wasn't great, but it didn't factor in the decision to fire him. Says that shooting on this roster has to be figured out.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Nick Nurse fired

Good. Watching him and Lowry over the years whine after EVERY SINGLE call was so off putting.

He puts Gretzky and McDavid to shame in the whine column.

but thanks for the 'ship!

[Strange Brew]

Rockets will be seriously interested in Nurse. Reading some of the comments here makes me wonder whether he is right coach for a young developing team. With $60 million in cap space and a shot at Victor or at least Scoot or Brandon Miller, Rockets are a team looking to make a big jump.

[octothorp]

IMO this is definitely an organizational failure. Not necessarily saying this is the wrong decision right now, but letting the relationships get to the point where they had to take this step is a failure... squandered one of the few advantages they had.

I agree with Ujiri that this wasn't a fun season of basketball to watch, and too many guys were playing selfish, and that bringing in Poeltl actually really helped with that to a certain extent (and then Nurse's weird comments blew up any gains that had been made during that time).

I'm really curious about where they go for coaching next. If it's Ime, I'm going to want some assurances from the organization that the worst rumours about what happened in Boston (him having an affair with a subordinate and then harassing her and making things uncomfortable for her after she broke it off) aren't true. Really though, after listening to the press conference and how he talks about organizational values and character and needing a coach who helps them get back to who they really are, that really doesn't sound like Ime. I think if they were already leaning to him, as some people have suggested, Masai would have talked more about the importance of scheme and Xs and Os in a new coach.

Still, either Ime or Vogel (who has had a lot of success with long, rangy defensive lineups kinda similar to the Raptors' current lineup), would suggest a focus on trying to win with the current group, while some other guys like Atkinson, Mutumbo, Stackhouse, or Mahalala would point toward a renewed focus on development; Adrian Griffin might be the balanced option. I think an underrated problem that the Raptors have had over the last few years is that they just lost so many good assistants... maybe that's personality, maybe that's the perception that Nurse was going to be here for the long haul so there was little chance of advancement.

Personally I really like the fit of Atkinson; I think the way Brooklyn played under him is really the style the Raptors currently need: more pace, more fun. Even though it worked out with Nurse, hiring first-time coaches is more risky than necessary, and I'm not sure any of the likely first-time candidates really have a high ceiling.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Rockets will be seriously interested in Nurse. Reading some of the comments here makes me wonder whether he is right coach for a young developing team. With $60 million in cap space and a shot at Victor or at least Scoot or Brandon Miller, Rockets are a team looking to make a big jump.

Oh, I absolutely think he's the right guy to develop a young team. Basketball is generally a young guys sport. He's a guy who can work with young and old. I think with Toronto they've had a deeper bench and it's led to guys rightfully being annoyed at not getting enough time. Again, this year excluded. I imagine it's like any business where there is limited time to make decisions and with guys like Malachi you have a very limited time to make an impression, and if you don't your reputation has been cemented. Obviously they'd devote most of their attention to a high draft pick, but otherwise, it's hard. He may struggle though, as ultimately Toronto had a full system from upper management to player facilities. If Houston has different setup or culture, it may not work. But I have no doubt Nurse can work with all types.

[octothorp]

nm

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Oh, I absolutely think he's the right guy to develop a young team. Basketball is generally a young guys sport. He's a guy who can work with young and old. I think with Toronto they've had a deeper bench and it's led to guys rightfully being annoyed at not getting enough time. Again, this year excluded. I imagine it's like any business where there is limited time to make decisions and with guys like Malachi you have a very limited time to make an impression, and if you don't your reputation has been cemented. Obviously they'd devote most of their attention to a high draft pick, but otherwise, it's hard. He may struggle though, as ultimately Toronto had a full system from upper management to player facilities. If Houston has different setup or culture, it may not work. But I have no doubt Nurse can work with all types.

Biggest thing Rockets needs is an injection of leadership and work ethic. I’d say current culture is too loose, a lot due to Silas. Nurse would need to change that. The other thing in Houston is GM Stone likes to get involved in on court matters. Interrupting practices etc. Now his seat is quite hot as well, and I’d expect any new coach will have more power than him.

[bluejays]

I do wonder if Nurse is looking for an upper management job, GM specifically as a next step. In basketball it's not the typical transition to front office like, say, the NHL, but if he's a tactical guy that sort of thing may be of interest.


Anyway, I didn't watch the Lakers game but Brooks hitting James in the groin was a circus. Firstly, no doubt it was intentional and deserved the ejection. However, James' exaggeration was over the top. We all know it's a terrible feeling to get hit there, but the guy is wearing a cup, and it was barely a tap. In reality he'd have continued playing but we all know James' history shamelessly selling calls. I found it embarrassing to watch. If I were a visiting crowd member I would definitely heckle his embellishments. Terrible for any sport, let alone from the ambassador.

[bluejays]

NSFW!

[Paulie Walnuts]

Ime Udoka to the Rockets.

[Beninho]

I could see Nurse waiting a year for a more attractive option to become available. Hell if Memphis crashes out to the Lakers that might be a landing spot for him in the near future. The Rockets job looks terrible minus them landing the #1 pick

[bluejays]

Yeah. He gets paid to sit out anyway. Could see that to a small degree but I think the guy has an ego and wants some level of attention. Just my thought that he’d want back into a winning team just to “show them”. Wait for the first legit contender to disappoint and I bet it’s the first team to consider him.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I do wonder if Nurse is looking for an upper management job, GM specifically as a next step. In basketball it's not the typical transition to front office like, say, the NHL, but if he's a tactical guy that sort of thing may be of interest.


Anyway, I didn't watch the Lakers game but Brooks hitting James in the groin was a circus. Firstly, no doubt it was intentional and deserved the ejection. However, James' exaggeration was over the top. We all know it's a terrible feeling to get hit there, but the guy is wearing a cup, and it was barely a tap. In reality he'd have continued playing but we all know James' history shamelessly selling calls. I found it embarrassing to watch. If I were a visiting crowd member I would definitely heckle his embellishments. Terrible for any sport, let alone from the ambassador.

Ummmm...pretty sure about 0.0% of NBA players wear cups - but maybe some will rethink that after this last week!

You're selling that contact no matter what. And I imagine most of us have experienced how brutal it can be when very slight contact hits the wrong spot, so it could easily have been legit. Even sometimes you get lucky and a hard contact to that area turns out to not be "the big pain", it's still shocking in those first few seconds and you inevitably react like you've been shot until you thank your lucky stars that you weren't.

Unfortunately I've had far too many incidents recently with a rambunctious toddler and his flailing limbs (despite pretty high vigilance at this point), that I've become a subject matter expert in the arbitrary causation of "the big pain" vs. the lucky near miss.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Yeah they dont wear cups.

Also a smack like that unexpectedly to your peanut is extremely painful.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Jimmy Butler goimg off

[Hockey_Ninja]

Jimmy Buckets back at it. One of my favorite ballers in the NBA

[Beninho]

Dillon Brooks getting a firsthand lesson on why you just don’t poke the bear. Lebron and the Lakers been on a mission to win this series since those comments. Even at 38 and looking as tired as I’ve seen him he is still making all the big plays needed. They are not going to win the title but the Lakers are making Memphis look like fools gold. There are levels to this game and Lebron is still levels ahead of anyone on the Grizz.

Grizzlies should have made a better offer for OG if it was possible. He wouldve been huge for them in this series. I wonder if thats a deal they try and make in the offseason.

[SuperMatt18]

22-20-7 at 38 years old. Oldest player to ever have a 20 point and 20 rebound game. That is remarkable.

And had the game tying basket with a second left and the 2 clinching buckets in OT.

[Paulie Walnuts]

On the flip side we have AD.

I seen a meme about him he's either Hakeem or Deandre Jordan no in between.

He should be league MVP and defensive player of the year candidate yearly but so injury prone and inconsistent.