Preseason Game 3: Toronto @ Portland, October 5th, 10:00 PM ET, TSN2

[Shaolin Fantastic]

I know it's still only preseason but these last two games have definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. We truly don't look like we're going to be very good this season.

We have 6 proven NBA players and two of them are not as good as they've been billed to be by many here (Ibaka, Miles). Idk why that would be a surprise and I've been saying this all summer. The ~48 wins predictions aren't hate, they are accurate and reasonable.

The strength of this team used to be that we could put very nice bench units around our 2 stars and basically play good lineups all game (except for Casey always having 1 really weird choice in the starting 5: Siakam, Scola). DeMar and Kyle would run with CoJo, Ross, Powell, 2Pat, Biyombo in 2015-16 and CoJo, Powell, Tucker, 2Pat, Bebe the last ~30 games last year. All two way guys who are at least competent offensively (except Biyombo).

Now we have Wright, Powell, Siakam, Poeltl and either Anunoby or Bruno. That's 1 guy there that we really know can give us anything on a consistent basis (i'm high on Wright but I need to see some offense from him too, just good D won't be enough since Siakam and Poeltl can't score, unless you guys like watching DeMar/Kyle go 1 on 5).

Plus for some reason with only 3 competent shooters we want to now play run and gun and hoist up 3s? Lol. Houston does that because they have the personnel and coach to.

[KHD]

Yeah its pathetic. Our coaching is horrible and this is my biggest gripe with Masai at this point.

i give it 10 minutes into game 1 of the regular season before we revert to the exact same scheme as last year.

Watching this team it's like dwane casey has literally just told them to shoot 3s and done nothing else.

[Machine]

i give it 10 minutes into game 1 of the regular season before we revert to the exact same scheme as last year.

Watching this team it's like dwane casey has literally just told them to shoot 3s and done nothing else.

Exactly!

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[KHD]

Plus for some reason with only 3 competent shooters we want to now play run and gun and hoist up 3s? Lol. Houston does that because they have the personnel and coach to.

yeah im on your side with this. The frustrating thing is that I know we're just going to go back to the old iso style. Because that "worked" (in the regular season), while this doesn't seem like it will. but that's because we haven't actually given a legitimate attempt at a real offence.

Jacking contested 3s is not the modern NBA offence. taking statistically good shots created by moving the basketball is. Dwane Casey continues to be a dinosaur who can't adapt.

[GLF]

i give it 10 minutes into game 1 of the regular season before we revert to the exact same scheme as last year.

Watching this team it's like dwane casey has literally just told them to shoot 3s and done nothing else.

LOL right! They look like they have no guidance or discipline at all. They're just hoisting up bad 3 after bad 3 and playing fast which is killing their defence. This isn't going to be good.

[GLF]

yeah im on your side with this. The frustrating thing is that I know we're just going to go back to the old iso style. Because that "worked" (in the regular season), while this doesn't seem like it will. but that's because we haven't actually given a legitimate attempt at a real offence.

Jacking contested 3s is not the modern NBA offence. taking statistically good shots created by moving the basketball is. Dwane Casey continues to be a dinosaur who can't adapt.

Exactly.

[GLF]

We have 6 proven NBA players and two of them are not as good as they've been billed to be by many here (Ibaka, Miles). Idk why that would be a surprise and I've been saying this all summer. The ~48 wins predictions aren't hate, they are accurate and reasonable.

The strength of this team used to be that we could put very nice bench units around our 2 stars and basically play good lineups all game (except for Casey always having 1 really weird choice in the starting 5: Siakam, Scola). DeMar and Kyle would run with CoJo, Ross, Powell, 2Pat, Biyombo in 2015-16 and CoJo, Powell, Tucker, 2Pat, Bebe the last ~30 games last year. All two way guys who are at least competent offensively (except Biyombo).

Now we have Wright, Powell, Siakam, Poeltl and either Anunoby or Bruno. That's 1 guy there that we really know can give us anything on a consistent basis (i'm high on Wright but I need to see some offense from him too, just good D won't be enough since Siakam and Poeltl can't score, unless you guys like watching DeMar/Kyle go 1 on 5).

Plus for some reason with only 3 competent shooters we want to now play run and gun and hoist up 3s? Lol. Houston does that because they have the personnel and coach to.

Yea I'm starting to see what you're saying. Ibaka and CJ don't look to be too good and Powell is the only young guy you can truly rely on. I don't want to over react because it is still preseason. I'll give it until the first game of the season before I start being my usual panicking negative self lol. Mainly because we haven't used any of our real lineups yet. Well at least Kyle, Demar and Jonas have looked good lol.

[Mess]

Why does Kyle have a wrap around his left wrist. Lord. Not again

Another golfing injury probably.

[Demographic Shift]

This is amplified even more when the bench doesn't have any great creators. The offence is just grotesque.

I know it's still only preseason but these last two games have definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. We truly don't look like we're going to be very good this season.

But yea Serge is really worrying me. No wonder people think he's like 40 something lol. He's playing like a man who father time has caught up with and that shouldn't be seeing as he's only 27.

i give it 10 minutes into game 1 of the regular season before we revert to the exact same scheme as last year.

Watching this team it's like dwane casey has literally just told them to shoot 3s and done nothing else.

Guys agree what we have seen so far is less than optimal...

But..

1. The only game that saw most of the top 9 players all dress and play was game 1. They won that. Games 2 and 3 saw two of the better players watching. Portland was also a quasi back to back with 3 time zones in between it and Honolulu.
2. The new scheme actually sees the ball move a lot more. Problem is that it’s the Bruno’s and Bebes and Rautins and McKinnies taking the open or mostly open 3’s. Norm went 3 of 4 on his looks out of the offence. Miles history says he is going to make his from the corner when he gets the ball.
3. It’s only 3 games in on a new scheme .. practice, practice, practice...the more reps with it..the better.
4. No effing idea what Serge is thinking out there.
5. Beginning to think Brazil should be off limits to the Raptors ....Rafael Arujuao, Bebe, Bruno... please stop.

[ogi]

Guys agree what we have seen so far is less than optimal...

But..

1. The only game that saw most of the top 9 players all dress and play was game 1. They won that. Games 2 and 3 saw two of the better players watching. Portland was also a quasi back to back with 3 time zones in between it and Honolulu.
2. The new scheme actually sees the ball move a lot more. Problem is that it’s the Bruno’s and Bebes and Rautins and McKinnies taking the open or mostly open 3’s. Norm went 3 of 4 on his looks out of the offence. Miles history says he is going to make his from the corner when he gets the ball.
3. It’s only 3 games in on a new scheme .. practice, practice, practice...the more reps with it..the better.
4. No effing idea what Serge is thinking out there.
5. Beginning to think Brazil should be off limits to the Raptors ....Rafael Arujuao, Bebe, Bruno... please stop.

Hahha shoutout to Brazil for providing the two worst players in raps history...and considering the history that's quite an achievement.

[Machine]

Hahha shoutout to Brazil for providing the two worst players in raps history...and considering the history that's quite an achievement.

I did enjoy Barbosa when he was on the team tho

[tDotted]

i give it 10 minutes into game 1 of the regular season before we revert to the exact same scheme as last year.

Watching this team it's like dwane casey has literally just told them to shoot 3s and done nothing else.

Well.... yeah of course. Masai was asking a guy who's only familiar with his old school style of play to suddenly switch on a dime and properly implement an offense he's shunned and ignored his entire life. What were the expectations?

Masai has done a whole lot of good for this organization, but him retaining Casey after his tirade about the shitty offence and the culture is fucking foolishness. He's way out of his element here.

[Chr1s1anL]

Why are you guys making conclusion from a preseason back to back? Where 3 of our top rotation players take a night off. Guys it's preseason where nobody cares but, Lowry. Wait for the real games before saying were not going to be good.

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[Nilanka]

yeah im on your side with this. The frustrating thing is that I know we're just going to go back to the old iso style. Because that "worked" (in the regular season), while this doesn't seem like it will. but that's because we haven't actually given a legitimate attempt at a real offence.

Jacking contested 3s is not the modern NBA offence. taking statistically good shots created by moving the basketball is. Dwane Casey continues to be a dinosaur who can't adapt.

Cultures don't change when the 6 most important people in the franchise are retained (Masai, Casey, Lowry, DeRozan, Ibaka, Jonas).

45-48 wins sounds about right.

[DanH]

I know it's still only preseason but these last two games have definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. We truly don't look like we're going to be very good this season.

Your signature is becoming relevant again. Don't give in to the dark side, GLF!

Seriously, though, there is absolutely no reason to take anything from pre-season play. The Cavs were 2-4 in pre-season last year, while the Hawks and Wolves went 5-2. Shockingly, the Cavs were a very good team, and the Hawks and Wolves not so much.

Relax. We've barely seen any of the regular season rotation, and even when we have, guys are trying random stuff out because it's pre-season, plus the coaching staff having the team get comfortable shooting (the wild 3 point attempt numbers will come down in the regular season, you can bet on that).

You know what we do have? Actual NBA season minutes from almost all of our key rotation players that suggest they'll be very good to just fine in the roles they have for this season.