Everything (2016-2017) Regular Season Game Threads

[Axel]

I know its just a regular season game, but the Cavs are going to be working hard in this one. LBJ will want to prove that they are the cream of the crop in the East, and what better than beating their ECF opponent and on the road.

The good news is we have a healthy JV and they don't have a guy that can stop him. Mozgov is now playing in LA. Their biggest big is TT who'll get destroyed in the paint by JV. DD also gets up for the Cavs, so I suspect he'll have a good game. If KLOE shows up, this should be a win.

I was actually thinking that Cleveland will take the opposite approach. LeBron doesn't need to prove anything to anyone in the East while the Raps certainly have more to prove in this one. I think the Raps could get an early jump on the Cavs and take it as well. LeBron knows he doesn't need to care until the spring.

[DanH]

OK, second try at a rotation, this time assuming Siakam starts like last game. Same as last time, except more reasonably assume first subs after 7 minutes in first and third Qs, and only two subs in 2nd.

1st Q:
KL-DD-DC-PS-JV (7 minutes)
7 minutes in:
KL-TR-DD-PP-JV (2 minutes)
9 minutes in:
CJ-TR-DD-PP-LN (3 minutes)
2nd Q:
KL-CJ-TR-PP-LN (5 minutes)
5 minutes in:
CJ-DD-DC-PP-JV (4 minutes)
9 minutes in:
KL-DD-DC-PS-JV (3 minutes)

Repeat in the 2nd half, except in the final 7 minute stretch of the 4th Q, use these lineups instead:

4Q:
5 minutes in:
CJ-DD-DC-PP-JV (2 minutes)
7 minutes in:
KL-DD-DC-PP-JV (2 minutes)
9 minutes into 4th Q:
KL-CJ-DD-DC-JV (3 minutes)

That allows you to use the closing lineup without playing Joseph the entire 4th Q.

Results in:
PG: Lowry 36; Joseph 12
SG: DeRozan 25, Joseph 13, Ross 10
SF: Carroll 25, DeRozan 13, Ross 10
PF: Siakam 17, Patterson 28, Carroll 3
C: Valanciunas 32, Nogueira 16

Totals:
Lowry 36
DeRozan 38
Carroll 28
Siakam 17
Valanciunas 32
Joseph 25
Ross 20
Patterson 28
Nogueira 16

That's a lot more reasonable, in terms of minutes load for Patterson, Ross and Joseph, and way fewer minutes at PF for Carroll, so if Siakam can reliably buy the team time, we are looking pretty good. And it still maintains some lineups that were absolutely elite last year (and tried to replicate the bench lineups of last season with Nogueira in Biyombo's place).

KL-DD-DC-PS-JV (17 MPG): no data from last year (+9.7 RTG in one game this year, basically meaningless sample)
KL-TR-DD-PP-JV (4 MPG): +30.2 RTG last year (85 MP)
CJ-TR-DD-PP-LN (6 MPG): +5.4 RTG last year (19 MP, SSS)
KL-CJ-TR-PP-LN (10 MPG): +8.7 RTG last year (26 MP, SSS)
CJ-DD-DC-PP-JV (6 MPG): no data from last year
KL-DD-DC-PP-JV (2 MPG): +41.3 RTG last year (16 MP, SSS)
KL-CJ-DD-DC-JV (3 MPG): +20.4 RTG last year (36 MP, SSS)

Lack of Carroll playing much last year and Biyombo being gone from the bench relegates most of these to small samples, but promising small samples.

[Nilanka]

Game one is in the books. The excellent performances by Demar and Jonas are in the past now. Its time to focus on the future now...
LeBron, Irving, Love & Co. come to Toronto to face OUR TORONTO RAPTORS.
Not only will we need a good performance from Demar and JV again, but Kyle will have to play like Kyle again....
To be a champ you have to BEAT THE CHAMPS. It's time to get the W and give ourselves an early advantage on the bracket sheet.


Line Ups

Toronto
Klye Lowry - CJ
DeMar DeDrozan - TR
DeMarre Carroll - NP
Patrick Patterson - PS
Jonas Valanciunas - JP

Cleveland
Uncle D.Less
Jr. Brick
LeBitch, LeQueen, LeFlop, LeCry
D.Less's cousin Kevin
Role Player from Brampton


Lets start a streak so I keep making these amazing threads

And oh yeahh....
First National TV game of the season!

Is Patterson really starting?

[DanH]

Is Patterson really starting?

No word. Casey was making noises like they'd go back and forth depending on matchup, but I'll believe it when I see it. I expect Siakam to start every game unless he starts playing badly.

[Nilanka]

No word. Casey was making noises like they'd go back and forth depending on matchup, but I'll believe it when I see it. I expect Siakam to start every game unless he starts playing badly.

That's what I'm thinking too.

In other news, there was a lot of talk during last year's playoff run, on the importance of home court advantage (having survived two game 7s, and needing games 3 & 4 to get back into the series vs. Cleveland). I'm hoping the coaching staff gets our troops back into that mindset, and these guys come out hungry to 1) avenge last year's loss, and 2) get a leg up on the head-2-head/home court advantage game.

[planetmars]

I was actually thinking that Cleveland will take the opposite approach. LeBron doesn't need to prove anything to anyone in the East while the Raps certainly have more to prove in this one. I think the Raps could get an early jump on the Cavs and take it as well. LeBron knows he doesn't need to care until the spring.

The Cavs could be the 8th seed in the East and still win it all.. I'm sure regular season doesn't matter to them at all. But he's a competitor. I think he sees certain games on his calendar and perks up a bit. I have a feeling tonight's game will be one of those. Especially since we knocked the snot out of them in preseason.

[slaw]

I would amend that to be more precise that: Casey, "backed up by Masai holding the player's accountable" is the best motivational team in the league. Casey without Masai gets no respect from Lowry, for example.

The usual suspects will jump in and get offended by those comments, but it's documented history that is backed up by interviews, articles, etc...

In my experience, that's true of every single manager in any business from mid-level guy to CEO. Everyone has a boss, and if your people don't think your boss has your back, you're eventually going to have a big problem.....

Guys like Pop and Carlisle wouldn't be nearly as effective if the players didn't know that they were full backed by ownership. Weak horse, strong horse kinda thing.....

[slaw]

That's what I'm thinking too.

In other news, there was a lot of talk during last year's playoff run, on the importance of home court advantage (having survived two game 7s, and needing games 3 & 4 to get back into the series vs. Cleveland). I'm hoping the coaching staff gets our troops back into that mindset, and these guys come out hungry to 1) avenge last year's loss, and 2) get a leg up on the head-2-head/home court advantage game.

Well, they looked motivated in the opener. Sure didn't appear to be a hangover. I think both teams will be giving a big effort tonight. Should be a good game.

With Siakam, as long as he's 'solid' (even if he does nothing much out there in terms of numbers) he'll play. Powell did next to nothing in his first few games last year but Casey stuck with him because he also wasn't making a lot of big mistakes. Plus, Casey is clearly a big fan of leaving the rotation alone if he can and starting Siakam lets him bring PP off the bench, which clearly seems to work for all parties involved......

[Barolt]

I'm less interested in the win or loss in this one than I am in seeing the Raps push JV's offense, and make the Cavs come up with a solution.

I want to see if the Cavs have anything that can actually slow him down if he gets rolling.

[CNinja26]

While Casey has never been a great tactician, you have to admit that he gets a little better year after year. You gotta at least give him that.

[Sinbad]

I'm less interested in the win or loss in this one than I am in seeing the Raps push JV's offense, and make the Cavs come up with a solution.

I want to see if the Cavs have anything that can actually slow him down if he gets rolling.

My fear is that if JV doesn't come barrelling out of the gates like he did against the Pistons that the Raptors will revert to the 2-man, your-turn, my-turn offense.

[white men can't jump]

While Casey has never been a great tactician, you have to admit that he gets a little better year after year. You gotta at least give him that.

I dont know if he gets better every year, but he has shown some growth in certain areas.

When he first started his rotations and timing for time outs were much worse than they are now. Of course Masai has taken out the biggest factor in bad rotations, which was Casey's love of end of bench vets. That was basically still a problem even last year with Scola.

And the timeouts he still needs to be better at drawing up plays...but man he used to let 20pt leads become 5 pt deficits before calling timeouts. Now he's much better at that. Now we will see him call timeouts when the team is up double digits if they show bad signs. That is probably the improvement I'm happiest with over his time here from a game management perspective. Even the play calls have gotten a bit better, at least when they're drawn up on the correct side of the court.

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[007]

Let's hope that JV can keep his momentum going.

[Lupe]

I dont know if he gets better every year, but he has shown some growth in certain areas.

When he first started his rotations and timing for time outs were much worse than they are now. Of course Masai has taken out the biggest factor in bad rotations, which was Casey's love of end of bench vets. That was basically still a problem even last year with Scola.

And the timeouts he still needs to be better at drawing up plays...but man he used to let 20pt leads become 5 pt deficits before calling timeouts. Now he's much better at that. Now we will see him call timeouts when the team is up double digits if they show bad signs. That is probably the improvement I'm happiest with over his time here from a game management perspective. Even the play calls have gotten a bit better, at least when they're drawn up on the correct side of the court.

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Yeah he could be better, but he's already one of the best.

[Axel]

I dont know if he gets better every year, but he has shown some growth in certain areas.

When he first started his rotations and timing for time outs were much worse than they are now. Of course Masai has taken out the biggest factor in bad rotations, which was Casey's love of end of bench vets. That was basically still a problem even last year with Scola.

And the timeouts he still needs to be better at drawing up plays...but man he used to let 20pt leads become 5 pt deficits before calling timeouts. Now he's much better at that. Now we will see him call timeouts when the team is up double digits if they show bad signs. That is probably the improvement I'm happiest with over his time here from a game management perspective. Even the play calls have gotten a bit better, at least when they're drawn up on the correct side of the court.

Last year is a great example, all year long the Raps trotted out a long expired Scola and Casey seemed to have dug his heels in on that issue despite the wealth of information. Then as soon as the playoffs started it's like, 'ok, bench this man'. He has shown the ability to make the right decision but he has also shown the ability to completely ignore problems. He is truly infuriating at times but his playoff decision making was noticeably better, so hopefully it carries over into this season.