Game #26: Toronto Raptors 115 - Phoenix Suns 109

[psrs1]

Agree re posts on Norm forcing the issue. Is it the contract or lack of playing time?

[planetmars]

He's shooting 44 % from three on the year. And I think I saw somewhere he's top 3 in corner 3 %. The guy can get hot.

Wow really? Should pick him up in Fantasy then lol

[jacobdr4]

Wow really? Should pick him up in Fantasy then lol

Only averaging ten a game. But tons of minutes on the sun's team. Especially while Booker is out.

[3inthekeon]

I think the big reason for the bench struggles is the lack of 3 pt shooting. If Norm and FVV were both shooting at even league average, it would help prevent teams from going under screens and packing the paint. And when Miles shot isn't falling, the bench offence totally goes to shit. Ball movement is great, but when all it creates is a wide open Pascal 3, it's rather pointless.

[Maury]

Game #26: Raptors @ Suns, 9:00 PM EST Dec. 13, 2017

I told you guys this would happen when norm got sent to the bench. The only place I could see individual success happening that doesn’t severely impact the lineup negatively is with the starters because he doesn’t have the mentality that he has to score. For some reason he thinks he has to be Demar when Demar isn’t on the floor and it hurts his game. He’s got brutal tunnel vision and his mentality is completely wrong. What made him so great the last two years was his ability to be a complimentary player. He would shoot when he was open, drive when there was an open lane, or swing the ball if neither of those options were there. He also focused on playing lockdown defence but now he’s too upset about his offence to focus on his defence. He needs to realize that even with the bench mob he has to be a complementary player and not an offensive focal point or he’s gonna fall out of the rotation and his contract will become an albatross.

[golden]

Yeah, Norm looks completely lost in this new offense. Norm and CoJo were being groomed to be lite versions of DD/KL in the old offense, ie, dribble drive penetrators. A lot different now that the Raps ball movement offense doesn’t hide his shooting and decision making flaws as much. He’s a hard worker, so I think he’ll be alright.


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[planetmars]

Powell's minutes will drop too when Wright gets healthy. We're going with a 10 man rotation now, 11 with Wright, maybe 12 with Bebe but we really should consider bringing that down to 9 by the playoffs. I'd prefer DD, Lowry and Ibaka to each play over 35 minutes. It's the fucking playoffs.

With FVV closing games, is he a shoe-in for that 9 man rotation (despite the fact that he's pretty meh)? CJ brings the shooting. Poeltl and Siakam are our best bigs off the bench. Wright will get backup PG duties. Does Powell even play in the playoffs and if so how much? 10 minutes?

I fear his stock is going to crumble by the summer. Hope he doesn't become a negative asset. Although even TRoss got us Ibaka so I guess I'm hoping for the best.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I told you guys this would happen when norm got sent to the bench. The only place I could see individual success happening that doesn’t severely impact the lineup negatively is with the starters because he doesn’t have the mentality that he has to score. For some reason he thinks he has to be Demar when Demar isn’t on the floor and it hurts his game. He’s got brutal tunnel vision and his mentality is completely wrong. What made him so great the last two years was his ability to be a complimentary player. He would shoot when he was open, drive when there was an open lane, or swing the ball if neither of those options were there. He also focused on playing lockdown defence but now he’s too upset about his offence to focus on his defence. He needs to realize that even with the bench mob he has to be a complementary player and not an offensive focal point or he’s gonna fall out of the rotation and his contract will become an albatross.

I put this on Casey. It's one thing to force-feed DeRozan and Lowry, but it's even more problematic when other players are forced into similar roles to maintain the same style of offense when the two all-stars are on the bench. Casey has done this to numerous PGs (ie: Vasquez, Joseph, Wright, Van Vleet, etc...) and SGs (ie: Weems, Ross, Powell, etc...).

[LJ2]

Powell's minutes will drop too when Wright gets healthy. We're going with a 10 man rotation now, 11 with Wright, maybe 12 with Bebe but we really should consider bringing that down to 9 by the playoffs. I'd prefer DD, Lowry and Ibaka to each play over 35 minutes. It's the fucking playoffs.

With FVV closing games, is he a shoe-in for that 9 man rotation (despite the fact that he's pretty meh)? CJ brings the shooting. Poeltl and Siakam are our best bigs off the bench. Wright will get backup PG duties. Does Powell even play in the playoffs and if so how much? 10 minutes?

I fear his stock is going to crumble by the summer. Hope he doesn't become a negative asset. Although even TRoss got us Ibaka so I guess I'm hoping for the best.

I wouldn't assume all of those players are in a Raptors uniform when the playoffs roll around.

[golden]

I put this on Casey. It's one thing to force-feed DeRozan and Lowry, but it's even more problematic when other players are forced into similar roles to maintain the same style of offense when the two all-stars are on the bench. Casey has done this to numerous PGs (ie: Vasquez, Joseph, Wright, Van Vleet, etc...) and SGs (ie: Weems, Ross, Powell, etc...).

Heck, even Patterson was turning into a dribble driver. It was maddening to see our stretch PF turn down open 3s in favor of awkward forays to the hoop.


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[MixxAOR]

Dribble drive is too advanced for our guys? lol basic fundamental skills. Shoot the three when open, when defense contests: drive, when help defense comes up: pass, if help defense is late: go to the basket.

[golden]

Dribble drive is too advanced for our guys? lol basic fundamental skills. Shoot the three when open, when defense contests: drive, when help defense comes up: pass, if help defense is late: go to the basket.

At the NBA level? Sure does need to be pretty advanced.


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[MixxAOR]

At the NBA level? Sure does need to be pretty advanced.


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But how is that coaches fault? If he can't read the game. Then it's on him.

[MixxAOR]

His problem right now is he doesn't take the open three because he has no confidence in his shot. If he played like OG he wouldn't have these issues.

[The Great One]

Reading some of the posts here(lol) sounds like they almost lost to a team without Devin Booker.

This team is in fucking trouble. Same old shit every year.