2015-16 Raptors and General NBA Thread

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Top four teams in the league are in a different stratosphere.

Might have to say 5. I know Steph is hurt but Portland is really giving them a run here.

[corporatejay]

[corporatejay]

Lillard going beast

AND THEN

Curry going HAM and makes sick pass to Draymond to FLUSHES.!!!

[Hockey Fan #751]

Watching this game is like watching a completely different league than Raptors/Heat.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

Watching this game is like watching a completely different league than Raptors/Heat.

The amount of ball movement is unreal. Like most plays the ball touches 3 or 4 hands. There's no isolation. High tempo. High FG percentages.

[corporatejay]

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

x2

[kmart]

When you watch a team like the basketball that was available in that Warriors Portland game you just have to shake your head at the Raptors offence. Lillard and Curry are truly true stars of this league. When they pass they create great looks for their teammates and when they shoot it's always shots they can make.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by kmart

Lillard and Curry are truly true stars of this league. When they pass they create great looks for their teammates and when they shoot it's always shots they can make.

While this is true it also ignores that both Lillard and Curry take a lot of "bad" shots, just like Lowry and DeRozan. The difference is Lillard and especially Curry are tremendous pure shooters, whereas DeRozan might be one of the worst midrange shooters in the league and Lowry is the king of shooting contested jumpers. So you live with Lillard and Curry forcing 3s off the dribble and from 30+ feet, even though those aren't good shots. The difference between having good players and superstars.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Now the rumour is DeRozan has a broken thumb, and at the very least he's got a thumb injury serious enough to affect him. If he is hurt badly enough he just needs to sit rather than force bad shot after bad shot. He's having a postseason unlike any other, and not in a good way

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‏@hoopshype
2016 DeMar DeRozan has the worst playoff shooting percentages of any player with at least 200 attempts since 1960.

For the record Lowry is barely above him. Which just shows how much the East sucks that a team with two of the worst shooting performers ever should be up 3-1 in the secound round.

[Regorium]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

While this is true it also ignores that both Lillard and Curry take a lot of "bad" shots, just like Lowry and DeRozan. The difference is Lillard and especially Curry are tremendous pure shooters, whereas DeRozan might be one of the worst midrange shooters in the league and Lowry is the king of shooting contested jumpers. So you live with Lillard and Curry forcing 3s off the dribble and from 30+ feet, even though those aren't good shots. The difference between having good players and superstars.

I think Lowry is quite close to Lillard. He's having a historically bad shooting playoffs, but you can see he's still getting the assists, the rebounds, the steals and just trying to help his team win.

Lowry has absolutely gone off before with great shooting percentages, so I can give him a pass with regards to playing through an injury.

Demar is just Demar. He's been like this for more than half a decade. His averages have always been awful, and buoyed by free throw shooting, which is a dangerous game in the playoffs. Look at his statline. 3 rebounds , 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 3 TO. Just not doing anything except pouting and chucking.

[kmart]

There is no way DeMar returns right? Masai let Lou Williams go for free and DeMar is essentially Lou with more size and a three point shot.

Also, anyone sense a divide between Joseph and Carroll against Derozan and Lowry? Its almost like Joseph and Carroll refused to pass to DeRozan at the end of the game and OT

[Senator Clay Davis]

Given how awful DeRozan has been in the playoffs I'm starting to think he comes back on a 2-3 year deal with player options so he can opt out after next year. As I said last night he might be chasing a max deal to Orlando or Detroit or the Nets as opposed to the Lakers or Clippers. If the market is soft for him, and I would think he's hurt his value at least a little with this run, then I definitely think him coming back on a shorter deal with opt outs will be a good fall back for him.

[kmart]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Given how awful DeRozan has been in the playoffs I'm starting to think he comes back on a 2-3 year deal with player options so he can opt out after next year. As I said last night he might be chasing a max deal to Orlando or Detroit or the Nets as opposed to the Lakers or Clippers. If the market is soft for him, and I would think he's hurt his value at least a little with this run, then I definitely think him coming back on a shorter deal with opt outs will be a good fall back for him.

Hoping this doesn't happen. Masai needs to be smarter than that.

[pria(kin)16]

Originally Posted by kmart

DeMar is essentially Lou with more size and a three point shot.

I wish Demar had a 3 point shot, under 30% for his career and only 200 made over his career. At least then he would be a bit more versatile.

Injury or not, his terrible decision making and poor basketball IQ have shined through during this playoff run and any GM thinking about giving him the max deserves him. I appreciate what he's done for the Raptors but he is not worth the money long term.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by kmart

Hoping this doesn't happen. Masai needs to be smarter than that.

At the end of the day even as deeply flawed as DeRozan is, they're still easily in the Eastern Conference Finals if JV doesn't get hurt. If it's a short deal with outs, it's a limited downside move. If he has a career year next year and then bolts, no biggie since he's unaffordable at that point....but you did get a career year out of him. If he's same old DeMar, it's only a short deal and he probably still opts out just to leave Toronto after next year. Might as well take one more run at it adding the Knicks pick into the fold.

[pria(kin)16]

Are there any realistic Sign & Trade options for Derozan? Maybe Clarkson if he goes to the Lakers? I'd say Randle but I know that's not going to happen.

[dino7c]

how are the Raptors ever going to convince real stars to play in Canada? In the NBA the champs always have the big name guys and I just can't see Toronto ever being a legitimate threat

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by dino7c

how are the Raptors ever going to convince real stars to play in Canada? In the NBA the champs always have the big name guys and I just can't see Toronto ever being a legitimate threat

That's why many advocated for tanking for Wiggins, because that's the surest way to get a superstar in Toronto (obviously doesn't mean they'll stay i.e Bosh, McGrady etc...). Ironically Wiggins was not the guy to tank for, that was Karl-Anthony Towns.

[pria(kin)16]

What would it take to move up into top 6 range to get the next Canadian star Jamal Murray? Knicks pick and Tross? Or am I dreaming. I think a 3 guard rotation of Lowry, Joseph and Murray would be pretty good.