NBA Toronto Raptors thread

[Big Poppa Puck]

Even though they're in the same division as the Sixers, I've always had a soft spot for the Raptors, since Carter was my favorite player growing up. I guess you could say their my "Second Team." So unless they meet in the playoffs I'll be rooting for the Raps.

 

[Stylizer1]

Well you'd be the first to point out if he choked down the stretch but instead put the team on his back and won the game by himself.

I hope you are not talking about the playoffs(which is were my real gripe sits) because he has never put the team on his back nor Lowry. During the regular season he is going to have amazing games and crappy ones, and a bunch that are somewhere in the middle. That alone dens't make me put a player on a pedestal. In his playoff performances if he were averaging 32 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists in losses then you could say yeah he did everything he could to win. He averages 20 points a game. Again this isn't the playoffs and that is a different game. Now that the Cavs don't seem to be a dominant the Raps have a chance to make the East final.

 

[King Mapes]

I hope you are not talking about the playoffs(which is were my real gripe sits) because he has never put the team on his back nor Lowry. During the regular season he is going to have amazing games and crappy ones, and a bunch that are somewhere in the middle. That alone dens't make me put a player on a pedestal. In his playoff performances if he were averaging 32 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists in losses then you could say yeah he did everything he could to win. He averages 20 points a game. Again this isn't the playoffs and that is a different game. Now that the Cavs don't seem to be a dominant the Raps have a chance to make the East final.

Obviously I wasn't talking about playoffs but it's a very small sample size. You say only playoffs matter yet when he plays bad you are quick to jump in here. He had 2 straight ad games and he was "look like Derozan is on a big cold streak". Regular season doesn't matter though?

Also he averages 21.7 PPG in the playoffs. His career average is 19.7 so I think you're over blowing this just a tad. Don't let facts ruin your arguement though.

Your expectation is 32-7-7 in losses? So be the best in the world then you will admit he's good?

 

[Del Preston]

Dominating half thus far.

 

[Stylizer1]

Obviously I wasn't talking about playoffs but it's a very small sample size. You say only playoffs matter yet when he plays bad you are quick to jump in here. He had 2 straight ad games and he was "look like Derozan is on a big cold streak". Regular season doesn't matter though?

Also he averages 21.7 PPG in the playoffs. His career average is 19.7 so I think you're over blowing this just a tad. Don't let facts ruin your arguement though.

Your expectation is 32-7-7 in losses? So be the best in the world then you will admit he's good?

Obviously I am using those numbers as examples of give a shit type of game. His numbers go down in the playoffs as does Lowry's. When he plays bad I make comments to posters when I disagree with them. When i go at DeRozan I use stats to back up most of my claims. people rarely debate that and move the posts to arguments after every few games of "oh, look, DeRozan is good and you're wrong". I have never said DeRozan is bad. I have never said the Raptors are a bad team. I clearly give examples of where I think DeRozan's game lacks and you guys can't handle it.

You're boring to talk too.

 

[Ser Grogu]

Hello there

 

[donghabs98]

That was a big statement win. No one can objectively discredit or downplay the Raptors beating Houston

 

[Stylizer1]

That was a big statement win. No one can objectively discredit or downplay the Raptors beating Houston

It was a great effort.

 

[John Price]

we the north

 

[darko]

That was a big statement win. No one can objectively discredit or downplay the Raptors beating Houston

Why would anyone try to discredit? Raps are good.

 

[darko]

we the north

f*** the north.

 

[GoodKiwi]

Why would anyone try to discredit? Raps are good.

Have you been watching/listening to the US media? TOR hasn't been getting any respect (save for Barkley) south of the border.

 

[darko]

Have you been watching/listening to the US media? TOR hasn't been getting any respect (save for Barkley) south of the border.

Tbh i don't pay much attention to these experts.

IMO Raps are legit but i knew that before the Rockets game.

 

[GoodKiwi]

That was a big statement win. No one can objectively discredit or downplay the Raptors beating Houston

This was as impressive of a win by the Raptors as I've witnessed since I first started paying close attention to the team (from the Gay trade onward). What made it such for me is the fact that they owned Houston at their own game. They destroyed them when it came to perimeter defense. It was by far the biggest reason they won this game, even given their dominant 1st quarter. Houston would've won the game still IMO, if it wasn't for TOR closing the gaps in such an impressive fashion. They suffocated the Rockets' 3 point game, save for Harden (not really stoppable from downtown in any sort of consistent fashion no matter the team facing him). I realize TOR was very motivated for tonight's game, but I've never seen anything like this from this team before as long as I have been watching them. If (and that's a big if), they can push themselves to play like this defensively - you better watch out.

Thoroughly impressed by the team I saw play earlier. And I say this as someone who doubted this team on a consistent basis even during their last several 50+ win regular seasons. Tonight I saw them shift into a different gear all together. That much is clear.

 

[GoodKiwi]

Tbh i don't pay much attention to these experts.

IMO Raps are legit but i knew that before the Rockets game.

I'd agree with your last statement with one caveat. If by legit you mean that the Raps have a shot at winning it all then I'll be the first one to disagree. But they are a top echelon team in the NBA, no doubt and tonight's win didn't do much to sway my opinion one way or another. I still don't believe they can beat either HOU or GS in a seven game series, BUT it was this last game of theirs where I saw a different team. They still have ways to go to try and find this level consistently (I maintain that I have never seen it before) and that's a big ask and a tall order.

Only hypothetically... The Raptors team that played tonight can win it all. Please understand the context. I'm not saying it's likely they'll play this way ever again during the remainder of the regular season or even the playoffs, but if they magically do - sky is the limit.

All IMO of course.

 

[King Mapes]

Obviously I am using those numbers as examples of give a **** type of game. His numbers go down in the playoffs as does Lowry's. When he plays bad I make comments to posters when I disagree with them. When i go at DeRozan I use stats to back up most of my claims. people rarely debate that and move the posts to arguments after every few games of "oh, look, DeRozan is good and you're wrong". I have never said DeRozan is bad. I have never said the Raptors are a bad team. I clearly give examples of where I think DeRozan's game lacks and you guys can't handle it.

You're boring to talk too.

But he averages nearly 22 a game in the post season and you ignore that, which is slightly higher than his regular season.

 

[darko]

I'd agree with your last statement with one caveat. If by legit you mean that the Raps have a shot at winning it all then I'll be the first one to disagree. But they are a top echelon team in the NBA, no doubt and tonight's win didn't do much to sway my opinion one way or another. I still don't believe they can beat either HOU or GS in a seven game series, BUT it was this last game of theirs where I saw a different team. They still have ways to go to try and find this level consistently (I maintain that I have never seen it before) and that's a big ask and a tall order.

Only hypothetically... The Raptors team that played tonight can win it all. Please understand the context. I'm not saying it's likely they'll play this way ever again during the remainder of the regular season or even the playoffs, but if they magically do - sky is the limit.

All IMO of course.

They are legit to come out of East. I can see them beating Houston. GSW is a different story. Mind you when it comes to this Warriors team we are talking about one of the greatest teams ever.

 

[Stylizer1]

But he averages nearly 22 a game in the post season and you ignore that, which is slightly higher than his regular season.

IF you generalize all his numbers. I take his stats on a season to season basis. If he scores 27 during the regular season and 22 in the playoffs, that's a problem. 22 points a game are not superstar numbers neither is getting spanked in the playoffs the way they have. The reason why they don't get any attention in the States is because they are just a good team. They haven't beaten anyone of any stature. The playoffs is where you have to step your game up and the raptors have never been able to find that second gear. On top of that the East has been terrible for many seasons and they still didn't look that good. That's why they don't get respect.

Playoff basketball is very different and hopefully their depth this season will make up for that because relying on DeRozn and Lowry hasn't worked to this point.

 

[Duke33]

I'd agree with your last statement with one caveat. If by legit you mean that the Raps have a shot at winning it all then I'll be the first one to disagree. But they are a top echelon team in the NBA, no doubt and tonight's win didn't do much to sway my opinion one way or another. I still don't believe they can beat either HOU or GS in a seven game series, BUT it was this last game of theirs where I saw a different team. They still have ways to go to try and find this level consistently (I maintain that I have never seen it before) and that's a big ask and a tall order.

Only hypothetically... The Raptors team that played tonight can win it all. Please understand the context. I'm not saying it's likely they'll play this way ever again during the remainder of the regular season or even the playoffs, but if they magically do - sky is the limit.

All IMO of course.

This is a good post. I think the reason Toronto still doesn't get much credit is they've had very good teams before and badly underachieved in the postseason. And one game certainly doesn't make a statement. I said in the NBA thread a few days ago that Houston was about to go into a 7 of 9 stretch away from home and they were bound to end the streak in there somewhere.

But heck, the beef about the media I have as well. As good as the Rockets have done, other than finally some coverage lately with the streak, they've been all but ignored by the idiots in the US. It's all LeBron James, the Celtics, and the circus that the Lakers are. Even the Warriors don't get the play they deserve.

Still, good game by the Raptors. But I was glad with the effort from Houston as well except for the first quarter. Third of four games on the road, and Toronto played almost a perfect basketball game, and absolutely shot the lights out, while Houston shot very poorly from three and didn't show up at the start. And Toronto still barely escaped in their building. That's twice now where Toronto shot ridiculously hot vs. us. If they do meet in the postseason it should be a terrific series. But there's a long, long, way to go before that.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Have you been watching/listening to the US media? TOR hasn't been getting any respect (save for Barkley) south of the border.

I love Barkley. One of my favourite commentators, because he has to quams about going against the NBA marketing machine and suggest that a team like Toronto is better than Cleveland. Almost everyone else on ESPN, TNT, or NBA TV won't give the Raps the time of day.

Wilbon is pretty good for brining up Toronto too. He's got into a few fights on PTI with Kornheiser about TK not giving Toronto any respect and blindly suggesting the Cavs are still number one.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Sorry to say this but Matt Devlin is a trash announcer.

 

[Stylizer1]

Sorry to say this but Matt Devlin is a trash announcer.

Better than Chuck Swirsky and a God compared to Rod Black.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Sorry to say this but Matt Devlin is a trash announcer.

You have god awful opinions. I feel bad for you.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

You have god awful opinions. I feel bad for you.

Are you saying that with a forced angry voice like Mike Devlin calling an amazing DeRozan play?

 

[King Mapes]

What a team. Haven't even played great the last 2 games but finding ways to win.