OT: Can the Raptors save this city?

[Divine]

This city doesn't need saving. We could go 1-81-0 and still have the largest fan base in the league/world.

I'd argue if we go 1-81 next year, and draft Connor McDavid, we'd actually grow our fanbase.

 

[tooncesmeow]

They rank top 10 in defensive efficiency.
I understand the past few games they've been getting torched but that doesnt change the fact that they've been a really good defensive team this season.

Yeah but specifically Demar and Lowry are not good defenders themselves, largely its our inside D thats keeping the team strong, and Ross is undersized as a 3. The biggest weakness is Ross for the Raptors because they have to go through guys like George or Lebron to get to the Finals.

 

[Puckstuff]

The raptors are winning because they are built the right way... Defense first. Casey preaches defense first and they are benefiting from it. When will professional sports teams realize that spending millions on offensive doesn't get you anywhere. There's a reason why Carmelo Anthony and the knicks suck... there's a reason why Lupul and the leafs suck... There's a reason why the Anaheim Angles and their 100 + million dollar lineup suck... Offensive gets you no where if you can't play defense. In every professional league defensive wins. Best MLB teams? Rays and Giants... why? Pitching and defense? Best Hockey teams? Blues and Bruins. Why? Defense. Best NBA teams? Spurs. defense. Seriously the leafs need to follow the raptor ****ing model its not that complicated. Defense. You can't always rely on your offensive skills but defensive ability is something that you ALWAYS have. It never goes away. The Raptors are built the right way by a great GM, a good young up coming coach who was a defensive coach for a championship team. The Leafs need to follow this model. I'm sorry Lupul, Kadri, Kessel, Raymond... these aren't guys you win with. You can probably get away with just Kessel but everyone else that cant put PPG needs to go. I'm pumped for the Raptors they should get more coverage on TSN.

 

[tooncesmeow]

The raptors are winning because they are built the right way... Defense first. Casey preaches defense first and they are benefiting from it. When will professional sports teams realize that spending millions on offensive doesn't get you anywhere. There's a reason why Carmelo Anthony and the knicks suck... there's a reason why Lupul and the leafs suck... There's a reason why the Anaheim Angles and their 100 + million dollar lineup suck... Offensive gets you no where if you can't play defense. In every professional league defensive wins. Best MLB teams? Rays and Giants... why? Pitching and defense? Best Hockey teams? Blues and Bruins. Why? Defense. Best NBA teams? Spurs. defense. Seriously the leafs need to follow the raptor ****ing model its not that complicated. Defense. You can't always rely on your offensive skills but defensive ability is something that you ALWAYS have. It never goes away. The Raptors are built the right way by a great GM, a good young up coming coach who was a defensive coach for a championship team. The Leafs need to follow this model. I'm sorry Lupul, Kadri, Kessel, Raymond... these aren't guys you win with. You can probably get away with just Kessel but everyone else that cant put PPG needs to go. I'm pumped for the Raptors they should get more coverage on TSN.

Spurs haven't really been the best team, and also its not their defense so much as everyone buying into a system and having the best PF to ever play on your team and a brilliant coach. Every team in the NBA needs offense and in the NBA its much harder to stop offense, great defensive teams rarely go far in the NBA, look at Memphis for instance.

 

[weems]

Yeah but specifically Demar and Lowry are not good defenders themselves, largely its our inside D thats keeping the team strong, and Ross is undersized as a 3. The biggest weakness is Ross for the Raptors because they have to go through guys like George or Lebron to get to the Finals.

I havent heard the Lowry is a bad defender thing much before.

 

[weems]

Spurs haven't really been the best team, and also its not their defense so much as everyone buying into a system and having the best PF to ever play on your team and a brilliant coach. Every team in the NBA needs offense and in the NBA its much harder to stop offense, great defensive teams rarely go far in the NBA, look at Memphis for instance.

Indiana took Miami to game 7 last year in the conference finals and they ranked #1 in defensive efficiency last season.

 

[tooncesmeow]

I havent heard the Lowry is a bad defender thing much before.

I'd rate him subpar, but thats just me I guess. He's not Calderon defensively, but he's not good.

And Indiana took Miami to 7 games (and was arguably better) but it wasn't just the defense, they played a perfect system and tore into Miami, its possible to play defensively but the problem is maintaining it over a 7 game series (See: Chicago). It wasn't just the defense, it was also Hibbert, George and Stephenson's emergence as good-great players. Toronto doesn't have a Hibbert, or a George. They might later on, but not right now. Indy played great D, but they also had a Top 5 player in the league and arguably the best center in the league last year.

 

[weems]

I'd rate him subpar, but thats just me I guess. He's not Calderon defensively, but he's not good.

And Indiana took Miami to 7 games (and was arguably better) but it wasn't just the defense, they played a perfect system and tore into Miami, its possible to play defensively but the problem is maintaining it over a 7 game series (See: Chicago). It wasn't just the defense, it was also Hibbert, George and Stephenson's emergence as good-great players. Toronto doesn't have a Hibbert, or a George. They might later on, but not right now. Indy played great D, but they also had a Top 5 player in the league and arguably the best center in the league last year.

Who was this top 5 player for Indy last season?

George wasnt anywhere close to a top 5 player in 12/13

Kyle Lowry has been a significantly better player this season then George was last year.

 

[bursilym]

I'd rate him subpar, but thats just me I guess. He's not Calderon defensively, but he's not good.

And Indiana took Miami to 7 games (and was arguably better) but it wasn't just the defense, they played a perfect system and tore into Miami, its possible to play defensively but the problem is maintaining it over a 7 game series (See: Chicago). It wasn't just the defense, it was also Hibbert, George and Stephenson's emergence as good-great players. Toronto doesn't have a Hibbert, or a George. They might later on, but not right now. Indy played great D, but they also had a Top 5 player in the league and arguably the best center in the league last year.

LOL JV is arguably better than hibbert. Hibbert was a little bit better last year, but still massively overrated

 

[tooncesmeow]

LOL JV is arguably better than hibbert. Hibbert was a little bit better last year, but still massively overrated

I...wha..
what..


what...

like...

are you being serious?

Like really?

This can't be a real post can it?

 

[bursilym]

I...wha..
what..


what...

like...

are you being serious?

Like really?

This can't be a real post can it?

We talking about Roy mother****in Hibbert right??? Your ****in reaction makes it sound like he is Shaquille O neal. Go check up stats. Hibbert averages 11.2 points and 6.6 rebounds at 44% FG, while playing 30 minutes. Jonas averages 11.2 points and 8.8 rebounds at 53% FG, while playing 28 minutes. Hibbert has more blocks and has the edge defensively though. But you can make a case for Jonas. Not to mention Jonas is 6 years younger. Nice reaction btw LMAO

 

[King Mapes]

Must be nice to be a Boston sports fan. I'd be satisfied if Toronto sports teams won even a 1/2 of the number of championships in my lifetime that Boston has won in the last decade

Up until the last decade, their NBA, NHL and MLB teams weren't good either. The Sox went like 90 years without a title, Bruins went 39, and Celtics went 22 years. They went through the same kind of thing.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

I...wha..
what..


what...

like...

are you being serious?

Like really?

This can't be a real post can it?

Roy Hibbert is averaging less than 10 ppg and around 4 rpg since the all-star break. He's getting destroyed down here by the American media, who over-hyped him during Indiana's playoff run last year. He is by no means significantly better than the younger, cheaper, Valanciunas.

 

[Swarez]

I'm not a very big raptors/basketball fan but good for the city that they are in. Hope they do a raptors/red square down at the ACC and its packed just so the media stops talking leafs. Plus you know young people love em.

Need a fun summer distraction, this could be it.

 

[hoglund]

If the Raptors can get to 2nd round, it would create excitement. Basketball isn't my favourite sport, but since the trading of Rudy Gay, the Raptors have played great and I'm starting to watch more games, I jumped on the bandwagon.

 

[leafsrule123]

This city doesn't need saving. We could go 1-81-0 and still have the largest fan base in the league/world.

If we do that next year would be the year to do so...Connor McDavid lol

 

[Melrose Munch]

right. my friend lives in Boston and she says when it comes to all their sports, the Bruins are like the 4th on the rung there.

not even surprised. they will be talking about the pats offseason workouts when they win the cup.

 

[Platapie]

The question is silly and non-sensical.

What I do hope is that the Raptors play well and gain some new fans. I myself really grew to love basketball during the NHL lockout. It's fun watching multiple sports/can ease the pain of one team sucking.

 

[Arizonan God]

Basketball garners little interest in this city... So i doubt it, what about our playoffs last year.?

Clueless post

 

[William Hylander]

Yeah but specifically Demar and Lowry are not good defenders themselves, largely its our inside D thats keeping the team strong, and Ross is undersized as a 3. The biggest weakness is Ross for the Raptors because they have to go through guys like George or Lebron to get to the Finals.

Lowry has always been recognized as one of the best defenders at the point. I guess your eyes are better then everyone else's. Also better than statistics.

 

[Faltorvo]

I have no plans on following anything this ownership group owns.

 

[Jackson14]

The Raptors will become huge if they make it passed the 1st round which by all accounts they should. Imagine also if they get matched up with Miami at any point. They were a pretty big deal back in the VC days. Their crowds at the ACC are one of the loudest in the NBA and seem to reflect the make up of Toronto more so than the 2 other major franchises.

The part that sucks about the NBA though is they have very little if any chance of winning the finals despite being a decent team. The elite teams always win. The Stanley Cup playoffs are a lot more wide open.

 

[Melrose Munch]

I have no plans on following anything this ownership group owns.

Honestly, I don't blame you.

 

[Tak7]

Raptors crowds tend to be much younger, and as someone who sells tickets for playoffs games for the Raps, I've noticed that it's the young generation of fans that are snapping up tickets and calling me up.

That's pretty important.

Those young fans define a generation's worth of sporting interest and talent. Lots of people in this city experienced the Leafs playoffs last year, but if this conceivably is a scenario where the Raptors make the playoffs and have success for sveral years, and the Leafs continue to dither in sub-mediocrity, then you could possibly see a shift in the fan base.

But to suggest that the city needs saving is ridiculous. Let's be honest - this is still a hockey town. People eat, sleep, and breathe hockey.

It dominates our newspapers.

It dominates our sports broads and highlight shows (keep an eye on the NHL playoffs and see what sort of coverage they get compared to, say, the Jays or TFC - it will open your eyes).

It dominates our sports radio talk.

Hockey, and Toronto, isn't in any danger. This isn't a "damaged brand" the way that the Canucks are.

Hockey in Toronto is fine and it will be for a very long time until a generation of fans basically get sucked into another sport, which is something that just won't happen for a while

 

[Errol Swaghammer]

Basketball garners little interest in this city... So i doubt it, what about our playoffs last year.?

I'd disagree, this was certainly true a few years ago but with the growing influx of immigrants in the city that's slowly changing as they're not just focused on hockey.

I think the proof is in the fact that this year in the NBA draft there might be as many as 5 kids from Toronto taken (Wiggins, Ennis, Stauskas, Powell, Ejim). That's pretty incredible, and honestly I can't remember many other cities doing that from the States either.

That's a good indication of growth when you've got that many kids from one city about to enter the league.