Next 5 games...

[Nilanka]

Milwaukee is gonna be tough. Let's not forget that their coach is Jason Kidd, who completely dismantled Casey's offense last spring. I could see them putting 'Po on DD defensively, playing off and making him a shooter. DD can't post and shoot over 'Po either, like he can with most shooting guards. Young fella is almost a 7-footer now, apparently, with guard skills. smh.

The same Jason Kidd whose practices consisted of nothing more than playing H.O.R.S.E?

[Superjudge]

So basically you dont know what this team is regardless of their glamorous record.... im on the same boat.

If we go 3-2 in this stretch then i'd say we are good.

yeppers.
hhahaha

[007]

I say 4-1.

Not sure who we lose to.

[ahoang]

Nov.19 vs Memphis - LOSE - we get bullied inside

Nov. 21 vs Milwaukee. - WIN - f*k Kidd

Nov. 22 @ Cleveland - LOSE - Starting to mesh, Lebron is a Raptor killer

Nov. 24 vs Phoenix. - TIE - too close to call. Will bet over 210 points. Assuming everybody is playing, we squeak this one out.

Nov. 26 @ Atlanta. - LOSE - Again, bullied down low

2-3 sounds right. Anything less we get the media and fans to go on a scare frenzy so the Raps come back like ARod and tell us to R-E-L-A-X and proceed to go 10-0. Book it!

[Nilanka]

I'd just like to point out that we were 2-0 vs. Memphis last year.

Nov 13, 2013: Raptors @ Memphis Grizzlies W 103 - 87
Mar 14, 2014: Raptors vs. Memphis Grizzlies W 99 - 86

[Chr1s1anL]

Which ever games JJ misses will be the one we lose

[Since Day 1]

So basically you dont know what this team is regardless of their glamorous record.... im on the same boat.

If we go 3-2 in this stretch then i'd say we are good.

How we'll do you know all the players? I knew this team was good before the season started and predicted 53 wins. Trust me this team is very good. Depth can compensate for true superstars and we are the deepest team in the league.

[ball4life]

Next 5 games...

How we'll do you know all the players? I knew this team was good before the season started and predicted 53 wins. Trust me this team is very good. Depth can compensate for true superstars and we are the deepest team in the league.

I know the players as much as you do unless you are an NBA scout in which case I bow down to you.

I am aware we have good players and are good enough to win 50 games this season based on our start to this season.

My post was more in the line of how good are we against good/better opponents which we clearly don't know this season since we stunk 2 out of 3 games against good/better opponents. (Considering that's what this thread is about)

I am also aware that regular season success may not always translate better into post season.

2013 Denver Nuggets 57wins first round exit.

I am trying to say the next 5 games will solidify our status as a good team if we manage to get 3 out of 5 games or more.

[Bendit]

I'd just like to point out that we were 2-0 vs. Memphis last year.

Nov 13, 2013: Raptors @ Memphis Grizzlies W 103 - 87
Mar 14, 2014: Raptors vs. Memphis Grizzlies W 99 - 86

Conundrum: Both teams, each game, with Rudy Gay & without Rudy Gay. Upcoming game ...neither has Rudy Gay.

Fair contest? Result in doubt?

[planetmars]

The Grizz game should be easier than the Bulls game.. the Bulls game was on TNT and that I'm sure created some pressure. The Grizz game is just another regular season game.

Tony Allen does a pretty good job against DeMar.. as long as he doesn't force anything it should be okay. Amir is actually a pretty good match up for Randolph since he likes playing in the low post. I think JV can do an okay job against Gasol as long as he keeps his fouls in check. I like the Raptors bench a lot more than the Grizzlies bench (Carter seems to have dropped quite a bit since last year). Hopefully JJ is ready to go.

Milwaukee will be a tough contest because they play solid D.. but they are also a very young team and the Raptors have some savvy vets (Lowry, Lou, Hansboro) and can use that as an advantage. Cleveland will be a lot of fun. They have the best player of his generation but they do worse when he has to do more.. their bench and D suck.. so there is a good chance that they can be beaten.

Phoenix is going to be tough.. I don't see JV getting a lot of minutes as Casey likes to play small when playing a team that loves going small. The Suns will have an advantage there. As for the Hawks.. well we killed them in the home opener (up until the 4th) and I can't see why that can't be repeated again despite being on the road.

I'm going bold and will predict 4-1 with a loss to the Suns.

[iblastoff]

The Grizz game should be easier than the Bulls game.. the Bulls game was on TNT and that I'm sure created some pressure. The Grizz game is just another regular season game.

Tony Allen does a pretty good job against DeMar.. as long as he doesn't force anything it should be okay. Amir is actually a pretty good match up for Randolph since he likes playing in the low post. I think JV can do an okay job against Gasol as long as he keeps his fouls in check. I like the Raptors bench a lot more than the Grizzlies bench (Carter seems to have dropped quite a bit since last year). Hopefully JJ is ready to go.

Milwaukee will be a tough contest because they play solid D.. but they are also a very young team and the Raptors have some savvy vets (Lowry, Lou, Hansboro) and can use that as an advantage. Cleveland will be a lot of fun. They have the best player of his generation but they do worse when he has to do more.. their bench and D suck.. so there is a good chance that they can be beaten.

Phoenix is going to be tough.. I don't see JV getting a lot of minutes as Casey likes to play small when playing a team that loves going small. The Suns will have an advantage there. As for the Hawks.. well we killed them in the home opener (up until the 4th) and I can't see why that can't be repeated again despite being on the road.

I'm going bold and will predict 4-1 with a loss to the Suns.

tayshaun prince is the one that usually checks demar. allen is checked by ross. and amir usually squares off against gasol while JV is the one that checks randolph.

[planetmars]

tayshaun prince is the one that usually checks demar. allen is checked by ross. and amir usually squares off against gasol while JV is the one that checks randolph.

JV has lost a lot of his mobility since his first two years.. so I don't think he will be covering Randolph as much as he might have before. Prince has a lot of length which can make it difficult for DeMar but he's become a lot slower has he's aged. If Allen is used on Ross that's a good advantage for us since Ross is basically the 4th option on the team.

Either way, I still like the Raptors chances against Memphis. Consider me a homer

[rightsideup]

at this point i cant even tell whos better. sacramento or the raptors? did we lose in the rudy trade? kings have had a tougher schedule then we have and have beat way bigger teams. they JUST beat the spurs and were actually robbed in the memphis game (kings should have won that too).

basically we have to go 4-1 (probably lose to the cavs, especially if we dont have james johnson back) or we're gonna look like chumps!

I think both teams won the rudy gay trade.

[white men can't jump]

JV has lost a lot of his mobility since his first two years.. so I don't think he will be covering Randolph as much as he might have before. Prince has a lot of length which can make it difficult for DeMar but he's become a lot slower has he's aged. If Allen is used on Ross that's a good advantage for us since Ross is basically the 4th option on the team.

Either way, I still like the Raptors chances against Memphis. Consider me a homer

He looks more mobile this year than last year. And last year he did cover Randolph.

[Nilanka]

He looks more mobile this year than last year. And last year he did cover Randolph.

It's weird....he looks more mobile in his defensive stance, but feels slower from baseline to baseline. The former likely explained by increased familiarity with defensive responsibilities, rather than an actual uptick in quickness.

In other words, he seems to be better at anticipating action at the defensive end, but may not have necessarily increased his foot speed.