Game #7: Toronto Raptors 111 - Denver Nuggets 129

[DanH]

Projected starters:

DEN:
Jamal Murray
Gary Harris
Wilson Chandler
Paul Millsap
Nikola Jokic

TOR:
Kyle Lowry
DeMar DeRozan
Norm Powell
Serge Ibaka/Pascal Siakam
Jonas Valanciunas/BeBe Nogueira

Fun stats:

The Raptors currently rank 11th in ORTG and 2nd in DRTG, leaving them 3rd in net rating on the season. Their schedule has been tough on the offensive end though, so adjusted ratings put them 6th, 2nd and 1st (!). Denver ranks 16th and 18th, and 18th in net rating. Thoroughly average. Though they have only beaten the Hawks, Kings and Nets, and lost to the Jazz, Wiz, Hornets and Knicks. So they've had a really friendly schedule and that average-ness might be exaggerated.

The Raptors have been shooting a lot of threes. We all know this. But here's a demonstration of the extreme they've gone to. Last season, only 4 Raptors took at least half their FGA's as three pointers (Patterson, Carroll, Ross, Lowry), with PP the highest at a crazy 66% of his shots coming from outside. Three of them are gone, and yet this year the Raptors currently have 5 players with at least half their shots coming from outside, including CJ Miles with an absolutely ridiculous 78% of his shots coming from 3 point land. Plus Bruno, the 6th guy above that mark, who has only taken 3's in his 7 minutes of game time.

Another test for the young bigs on this team if their veteran counterparts remain out of commission. Denver is ranked 8th in offensive rebounding rate. The good news is, in spite of the rash of big man injuries, the Raptors are posting a top 10 defensive rebound rate. Keep it up.

Pascal Siakam's run to the MVP has been co-opted by BeBe, who overtook Siakam in PER, WS/48 and BPM last night. Siakam dropped to 25.4, .307 and +8.3, while Bebe shot up to 28.3, .328 and +10.8, largely thanks to his .716 TS%, 20% rebound rate (which is definitely new for him), and 8.8% block rate, bypassing Poeltl's already nutty 6.8%.

The above is presented as a fun look at small sample numbers for exciting young bigs - but is also a warning. That success is not sustainable. These two will come down to earth, and hopefully our depth is back when they do.

[Nilanka]

Every time we play the Nuggets, I'm reminded of Linas Kleiza. Thanks Colangelo.

[Mack North]

They keep settin' em up, Dan keeps knockin' em down!

[BadDinosaur]

Every time we play the Nuggets, I'm reminded of Linas Kleiza. Thanks Colangelo.

It makes me think about this game :

[Nilanka]

It makes me think about this game :

Kleiza scoring 41 was almost as ridiculous as Ross dropping 51.

[KHD]

wonder if we'll see jonas tomorrow. sticking with jokic outside will be a good test for "new JV" if he's back.

[KeonClark]

wonder if we'll see jonas tomorrow. sticking with jokic outside will be a good test for "new JV" if he's back.

If not, we have the next best passing center after jokic in the nba

[golden]

Kleiza scoring 41 was almost as ridiculous as Ross dropping 51.

How dare you mock FIBA MJ.

[planetmars]

So doesn't seem like Millsap is fitting in as well as I thought he would. It's early but that was actually surprising to me. Hopefully they continue to struggle when we are in town.

If Denver finds themselves out of the playoffs (and it's a really tough Western conference).. wonder if Denver would consider dealing him in the off season? His age doesn't really line up well with all the youth that team has (he's 10 years older than Jokic is). They probably would have been better off keeping Gallo. Jokic needs as many shooters around him as possible.

[KeonClark]

So doesn't seem like Millsap is fitting in as well as I thought he would. It's early but that was actually surprising to me. Hopefully they continue to struggle when we are in town.

If Denver finds themselves out of the playoffs (and it's a really tough Western conference).. wonder if Denver would consider dealing him in the off season? His age doesn't really line up well with all the youth that team has (he's 10 years older than Jokic is). They probably would have been better off keeping Gallo. Jokic needs as many shooters around him as possible.

Marginally better than ibaka, but a bad 3 pt shooter unlike ibaka, also older than ibaka, and making 1.5x his annual salary at 30 million per year

I'll give it a hell no

[Maury]

Marginally better than ibaka, but a bad 3 pt shooter unlike ibaka, also older than ibaka, and making 1.5x his annual salary at 30 million per year

I'll give it a hell no

Milsap is a whole lot better than Ibaka. I don’t think I would do the trade just because it would cost us one of our young guys for it though.

[planetmars]

If Ibaka could play the 5 I would have loved to seen a Ibaka/Millsap front court. And trade JV+Powell for Millsap. But seeing Ibaka at the 5 now has turned me off that plan.

I would still prefer Millsap over Ibaka though. Millsap is a much better defender.

[KeonClark]

Milsap is a whole lot better than Ibaka. I don’t think I would do the trade just because it would cost us one of our young guys for it though.

Ok, so you sub out Ibaka for Millsap, how many more wins is that? You're still in the group behind Cleveland, and you're in cap hell with Derozan-Lowry-Millsap taking you right near the tax line already. 3 max guys where none of them are a top 15 NBA player, and 2 of them on the wrong side of their prime.

Again, no thanks

[Machine]

Would def not take Millsap over Ibaka at this point. Millsap AND Ibaka is still intriguing tho.

[Maury]

Ok, so you sub out Ibaka for Millsap, how many more wins is that? You're still in the group behind Cleveland, and you're in cap hell with Derozan-Lowry-Millsap taking you right near the tax line already. 3 max guys where none of them are a top 15 NBA player, and 2 of them on the wrong side of their prime.

Again, no thanks

That’s exactly why I wouldn’t do it. He’s definitely better than Ibaka but not by enough to make a justifiable difference.