2017-18 Toronto Raptors and General NBA Thread

[octothorp]

Credit Casey for finding that Bebe + 3 PG lineup that turned the game around.

[The Big Chill]

This has to be one of Wright's best games of his career. Made a huge impact.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

This has to be one of Wright's best games of his career. Made a huge impact.

Still my favorite youngster on this team, I think the upside is huge.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Credit Casey for finding that Bebe + 3 PG lineup that turned the game around.

JV with 13 minutes. Ouch. He looked horrible though so definitely good call.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

JV with 13 minutes. Ouch. He looked horrible though so definitely good call.

Yeah, not his matchup. We'll need him against all three potential first round opponents though (Miami, Milwaukee, Washington).

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Still my favorite youngster on this team, I think the upside is huge.

I agree. If he can get some more consistency on his jumper then he can be a really good player. Wright and FVV can give us a great combo at PG for years to come.

I find Siakam incredibly interesting as a prospect as well. He has some really excellent physical tools, and has a work ethic that is just as good. He is very raw though and could take a long while to refine his game.

Anyways, ugly win tonight. Maybe just what we needed.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Theees just nothing about this Raptors team over the past couple of weeks that makes me the slightest bit confident going into the playoffs. I hope Boston takes Cleveland out in round 2, because I can’t see us being able to win more than a game or two against them.

[Senator Clay Davis]

So remaining games:

CLE: WAS (4/5), @PHI (4/6), @NYK (4/9), NYK (4/11)
PHI: CLE (4/6), DAL (4/8), @ATL (4/10), MIL (4/11)

So for the next two games, we love LeBron and hope the Cavs win them, because then they are likely locked into the #3 seed. But if they lose tomorrow, Raps gotta throw the game Friday to keep their options open.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

So remaining games:

CLE: WAS (4/5), @PHI (4/6), @NYK (4/9), NYK (4/11)
PHI: CLE (4/6), DAL (4/8), @ATL (4/10), MIL (4/11)

So for the next two games, we love LeBron and hope the Cavs win them, because then they are likely locked into the #3 seed. But if they lose tomorrow, Raps gotta throw the game Friday to keep their options open.

Cavs should get the win against WAS as they look like they are trying to lineup against the Raps.

[Drake]

In the aftermath of left knee surgery, Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the regular season and playoffs.

[octothorp]

Damn, that's some crazy injury problems Boston has had this year. Stevens is a good coach but without Irving and assuming Hayward doesn't make a miraculous return, they don't have the horses for a deep playoff run.

I think Cleveland definitely should want the third seed, because Irving was the only thing that made them threatening to Cleveland, and they can probably realistically hope that a series against Philly wears down the Raptors.

[Senator Clay Davis]

So ####ing Cavs, looks like round 2 it is. They'll definitely lose tomorrow, and that's that.

Edit: That said, forgot Lue was coming back tonight. He is so bad that he alone gives the Raps more hope.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Thanks reverse jinx.

[St. Pats]

LOL Bucs lose to the Nets to stay away from the Cavs. Both Was and Bucs going to try and lose every game till the end? Heat will have to face the Cavs then.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

LOL Bucs lose to the Nets to stay away from the Cavs. Both Was and Bucs going to try and lose every game till the end? Heat will have to face the Cavs then.

Heat are probably the one team that's not afraid of LeBron at all. Spolestra knows him better than any other coach in the NBA and they've got the personnel to defend him.

https://clutchpoints.com/heat-video-...-lebron-james/

I don't think they can knock off the Cavs, but I think they can play them better than most. Washington's only hope against Cleveland is to just match them shot for shot, and Milwaukee can make James work by running everything through Giannis, but they don't have the shooting to hang with them.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Watching the Sixers annihilating the Cavs right now, it's gotten to the point I will be totally shocked if LeBron isn't playing for the Sixers next year. The process worked, and in a just world Sam Hinkie should be given Executive of the Year. Celtics gotta be feeling great too, get Kyrie and Hayward and it probably won't matter.

Also, if Ben Simmons ever learns to shoot, look the #### out.

[savemedrzaius]

Raps rested DD, JV, Yak and Delon today and still won no problem. I know it's the Magic but still. It's nice to have the luxury to rest key guys down the stretch and still win games.

Ibaka with 13 points (6-11) 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. If he can keep playing like this in the playoffs it will be a huge boost for the Raps.

[Senator Clay Davis]

So who gets coach of the year? Might be the most stacked awards race ever. You have Casey, Brad Stevens, Eric Spoelstra, Mike D'Antoni, Terry Stots, Quin Snyder and Brent Brown who all would be deserving winners. I would think Brown probably takes it, but it's gonna be tight and might be a tie.

[octothorp]

Tonight's going to be a really crazy night of scoreboard watching. One win-and-in game between Denver and Minnesota, but even beyond that only five of sixteen spots are nailed down (first/second in both conferences, plus Indiana in 5th). In the west, everyone is still presumably motivated to win simply to avoid Houston and GSW (although GSW does not look invulnerable). In the east, The bottom three would all probably prefer 7th to get a banged-up Boston team, and would probably prefer to avoid Cleveland, except that Cleveland could still finish either 3rd or 4th. In total, eight of the 15 games have seeding relevance.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Russ gets 17 rebounds in two and a half quarters, and will average a triple double for the second consecutive season. Unlike last year, won't be anywhere close to the MVP race though.