Raptors Playoff Thread

[blayze]

New thread for those of us following the Raptors run in Toronto.

There's been quite a buzz around this in the city this week... haven't seen anything like it since the Leafs short run 2 years ago.

I think the Raps could potentially make a deep run into the conference finals before they meet the Cavs.

Everyone on the bandwagon!

[Zorro]

No bandwagon here, you have to cheer for the only Canadian team!! It's nice to see the ACC awake and actually making some noise!!

[kovalchuk17]

i find it bizarre the past 2 years theyve put the raptors playoff game at 930am pst/1230pm est on saturdays.

[Eazy BZ]

Overtime!!!

[blayze]

Ugh, it's driving me nuts that they keep giving up these offensive boards.

[newfcollins]

Didn't even know the playoffs started today. Used to follow the sport a lot more closely, but I find the games are never on TV any more when I am at home.

Did the Raptors win at least?

[ericdaoust]

Didn't even know the playoffs started today. Used to follow the sport a lot more closely, but I find the games are never on TV any more when I am at home.

Did the Raptors win at least?

They lost. Paul Pierce was getting more coverage than the upcoming start of the playoffs.

[2014olympicgold]

Issue 1 is obviously the inconsistent Off boards. All season they have either bullied teams with Vally, or gotten beaten up if Vally is taken out of the game early due to missing shots. The team lives and dies by the 3, and they aren’t that good at it. An average percentage is roughly 30%, and yeah the Raps may get 9 in a game (Woot! 27pts!) but they take 30 3pters. They aren’t an efficient team, they lack consistency, and honestly need a better coach now. GV is always exploited, same with pick-and-rolls, yet we don’t make the adjustments. And no James Johnson so often is astounding. He’s a great energy guy on offense, and plays shutdown on defense. He goes to the rim hard, and plays some old school ball, WHICH is what we should be doing.

Derozan, Lowry and Lou (I think) were like 9/40 in shooting in that game until the last 10 minutes, that wont win ANY games. I will say tho, they were 1cm off on a lot of shots. Front Rim back rim out kinda deal.

The team needs a lot better back-up PG for defending, Vally and Ross need to become more consistent, and get someone who can gobble up rebounds like its going out of style.

Nothing against the raps, I’m a huge fan and have been to the last 5 playoff games they had, but they need to make major FA/trades soon, or they will miss the window to compete in the east. But don’t trade BeBe or Bruno…lol

[rataylor22]

New thread for those of us following the Raptors run in Toronto.

There's been quite a buzz around this in the city this week... haven't seen anything like it since the Leafs short run 2 years ago.

I think the Raps could potentially make a deep run into the conference finals before they meet the Cavs.

Everyone on the bandwagon!

It's more than likely they don't get past the first round. But if they beat the Wizards, they won't get past the Hawks (or Cavs, if Chicago somehow loses)

[blayze]

It's more than likely they don't get past the first round. But if they beat the Wizards, they won't get past the Hawks (or Cavs, if Chicago somehow loses)

I didn't think basketball brackets get reseeded... the only reason I was happy aobut Toronto facing the Wizards over the Bucks is because they could avoid Cavs in the 2nd round.

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I was losing my shit watching them give up all those offensive boards in game 1 haha

I havent' watched many games this year so I don't know if that's been a recurring trend (sounds like it has), but it is a HUGE problem.

[2014olympicgold]

I didn't think basketball brackets get reseeded... the only reason I was happy aobut Toronto facing the Wizards over the Bucks is because they could avoid Cavs in the 2nd round.

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I was losing my shit watching them give up all those offensive boards in game 1 haha

I havent' watched many games this year so I don't know if that's been a recurring trend (sounds like it has), but it is a HUGE problem.

Raps are 5^th in OPP 2^nd pts. Which is pretty much opponents points off 2^nd chances (rebounds and tip battles around the rim pretty much). They gave up an average of 14.2Pts of 2^nd chances. And it’s not like in losses they give up a bunch because they quit trying, in wins they still give up 14.1pts.

The best thing they do is limit turnovers, and points on turnovers, which they did very well with limiting the points off turnovers last game (11) but gave up 12 turnovers.

Blocks, steals, and assists were normal for the raps, but OR was dreadful, fast break points was low (but always is) and the points in the paint was slam my head off a wall bad. But that was because of the OR.

But this was by next top 2 issues with the raps. If they fix these with the OR they should roll for 4 straight wins really. Get to the line more, and convert your 3pters. 10/14 from the line won’t cut it from this team. Derozan goes to the line at least 10 times in wins, get those free points up there, and force the other team to not play as tight D in fear of fouling out. 6/29 from 3 point range. 6/29. 20.7%. And they think of themselves as a 3 point team. That looks like a Calculus exam result from a burnout highschooler, not a 3pt team’s shooting percentage. You get to the foul line, push up fouls on opposing stars, get extra space to drive, everyone collapses, and kick out the ball for open threes. They just would hover and go around the perimeter and shoot a semi contested 3. They need the open ones to get them in.

Look tonight for Lowry to go full on bulldog, Derozan needs to stay aggressive to get to the line, and when that happens it opens so much more up. They improve on their rebounding to limit the Wiz’s OR, then the points in the paint drop, along with trips to the foul line for the Wiz.

I hate to say this, but the team needs a new coach. He isn’t bad at all, but he won’t win you much because he isn’t great at in game adjustments. If James Johnson doesn’t play again tonight I’m going to be upset.

Lowry and Derozan better finish better than 8/30 like Saturday.

[Big Ev]

We don't give a shit about "it"!

[2014olympicgold]

Well I’d like to say they were better on their own boards last night, but because their defense was subpar, they let more open shots through and gave the Wiz an easy bucket. Easy Bucket=No chance for a Rebound. Opposite goes for the Raps, 0 offensive rebounds it seemed like (5 actually).

FREE THROWS OMG. I don’t get how professional basketball players can’t go 80% from the line. Especially at home. They missed 11 free points, so did the Wiz actually. But 11, there’s your win right there.

1^st quarter they played perfect raps basketball to me. 2^nd and 3^rd quarter, NO ADJUSTMENTS MADE. ARGH. Try the same thing a couple of times, not for the whole quarter. The Wiz made great adjustments and I’ll give them all the credit they deserve, but come on Casey, they’re targeting Lowry with Beal making him run. Do something about that. Chip Beal, slow him down, do something!

Speaking of Lowry, 3/10 WON’T CUT IT BUD. He’s gotta be hurt still, he worked his butt off on defense, but his offensive timing was off. These last 2 games have showed me GV needs to be upgraded. Ya he gets you some points and emotion, but his defense is god awful. He had 7pts last night, but was a -22.

Pierce knows basketball I’ll give him that. Starting the 3^rd he had the team out there warming up, breaking a sweat. Meanwhile the Raps were chilling/hanging out on their side. First possession in the 3^rd, Pierce gets draws a foul. Ready vs Not Ready.

[Slug]

I admit to not watching the Raps much this year. Have they been this awful on defense all season long? Most of the time they look like they are mailing it in. Cant see them winning a game playing like this.

[2014olympicgold]

I admit to not watching the Raps much this year. Have they been this awful on defense all season long? Most of the time they look like they are mailing it in. Cant see them winning a game playing like this.

They haven’t been this bad on defense in back to back games in a while. Their defense has been like the 1^st quarter of this game for the season more or less. Not terrible, but not stingy. The 2^nd quarter, giving up like 38pts or something will NEVER win you games. Outscored by 16 in one quarter is what last place teams do, not playoff teams.