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ESPN 2013-14 East Standings [update: Post #86]

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  • #46
    Fully wrote: View Post
    Not quite.

    They won 7 of their last 8 games.

    Two wins came against Boston and Atlanta when they were resting their best players.

    Two wins came against the Bulls when they were sitting Deng/Noah/Gibson (and Rose obviously) in the first game and Gibson/Noah in the second. Malcolm Thomas played 25 minutes in one of the games (averaged 5 for the season) and Nazi Mohammed logged 43 minutes at centre in the other (after averaging 11 for the rest of the regular season). Of course the Bulls weren't explicitly trying to lose but I wouldn't be using those games as a true gauge for the Raptors potential either. Some of their top players were out of the lineup and they used inferior players for many more minutes than they normally would.

    Two more of the wins came against the Wizards and Wolves respectively, two lottery bound teams who had it in their best interest to actually lose at this point. The Raptors, coincidentally enough, were on the complete opposite end of this spectrum as they were motivated to win meaningless games so they wouldn't have to give up a higher draft pick to OKC. Wizards played with no Beal. Wolves started Rubio-Ridnour in the backcourt. Raptors should be beating these teams under these circumstances.

    The one legit win was against Brooklyn.

    Oh, and the team went 5-15 in the 20 games prior to that.

    I really don't think you can use those last 2 weeks as an accurate predictor of what's to come.
    I'm not one to argue that those couple of weeks is some "proof" of what they can do. I just don't agree with those that scoff at it as a total aberration "because opponents weren't trying". And the record itself isn't what I get the most encouragement from, but the evidence I saw that they were beginning to figure out how to play with each other, effectively as a team.

    As far as your assertion that the players were somehow trying harder to give OKC a lower pick: c'mon man, you can't be serious. You actually think those guys gave a damn whether OKC got the 11th or 12th pick?

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    • #47
      Xixak wrote: View Post
      It really depends on Bynum's health. Having a 20-10 center would make a massive difference for them.
      I seriously doubt Bynum goes back to being a 20 - 10 guy. He hasn't played in little over a year, he's going to be quite rusty.

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      • #48
        Xixak wrote: View Post
        It really depends on Bynum's health. Having a 20-10 center would make a massive difference for them.
        I ran across an interesting bit of info today: The NBA did not have a single 20-10 big in the entire league last year.

        Having dispensed with that little factoid, considering Bynum hasn't been able to stay on the court his entire career, I have a hard time having any faith in his bowling damaged knees holding up to much NBA action. certainly nothing close to a 20-10 season, to say nothing of all the shots that will be coming from that backcourt.

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        • #49
          lilmamba_ wrote: View Post
          i just cant take in that the cavs would finish in front of us... just cant its not gonna happen
          I can. They have an overall better squad if they stay healthy.

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          • #50
            Xixak wrote: View Post
            It really depends on Bynum's health. Having a 20-10 center would make a massive difference for them.
            The fact that both Atlanta and Dallas declined to make an offer to Bynum after meeting with him doesn't make me feel good about his chances of getting back to being an elite center. I'm guessing Bynum showed up fat and the team doctors said this guys knees are shot. There's a reason he's only guaranteed half the first year of his deal with Cleveland. The fact he still isn't healthy after sitting out a whole year is a huge red flag.

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            • #51
              i don't get the Atlanta love. i really like the millsap signing but i can't name a single wing on the team off the top of my head.
              @sweatpantsjer

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              • #52
                ceez wrote: View Post
                i don't get the Atlanta love. i really like the millsap signing but i can't name a single wing on the team off the top of my head.
                Lou Williams, John Jenkins, Kyle Korver, and Demarre Carrol will be getting most of the wing minutes. Mike Scott and Millsap will also see some time at the 3. Pretty much the same as last year but Jenkins will be getting all the minutes Devin Harris and Deshawn Stevenson used to get. Carrol is an upgrade over Tolliver as the backup SF. They also have a nice backup PG in rookie Dennis Schroder as well as an emerging starter in Teague. Brand is a big upgrade over Zaza at backup C. Not to mention they should have a huge upgrade in coaching losing Larry Drew for Budenholzer. I expect Atlanta to be a little better than they were last year.

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                • #53
                  The moves you just named dont exactly scream better to me.

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                  • #54
                    Primer wrote: View Post
                    Lou Williams, John Jenkins, Kyle Korver, and Demarre Carrol will be getting most of the wing minutes. Mike Scott and Millsap will also see some time at the 3. Pretty much the same as last year but Jenkins will be getting all the minutes Devin Harris and Deshawn Stevenson used to get. Carrol is an upgrade over Tolliver as the backup SF. They also have a nice backup PG in rookie Dennis Schroder as well as an emerging starter in Teague. Brand is a big upgrade over Zaza at backup C. Not to mention they should have a huge upgrade in coaching losing Larry Drew for Budenholzer. I expect Atlanta to be a little better than they were last year.
                    Brand is old as dirt. Millsap is not Josh, he can't play the three. Love Lou's game, respect Korver, Carrol is unspectacular but doesn't make big mistakes... a lot of names you mentioned I've never heard of and I've been a Hawks fan since Dominique and Bird were going at it. Not saying they can't make the playoffs, I can never doubt Horford, but there's a lot to be concerned for. I'm actually surprised that they're not trying to dive this year. Being stuck on the treadmill won't help their box office long term.

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                    • #55
                      I also don't really get the Atlanta love. I'm a guy who thinks Josh Smith just robbed the Pistons with his new contract, but he was so essential to what Atlanta was doing.

                      Note...team ratings last year:
                      10th in DRTG
                      18th in ORTG

                      I don't think there's any question they've gotten worse on D and with depth. They've lost Smith, Pachulia, Harris, Morrow, and may still lose Ivan Johnson. Isn't that their entire bench + Smith? And aren't all those guys except Morrow pretty critical to their D and physical presence (looking at Zaza and Ivan the Terrible here).

                      Brand is hardly an upgrade over Pachulia at this point. They play pretty much the same role. They have basically lost something, at least depth, at every other position. It's extremely questionable to expect Schroeder to provide much in his rookie year. They lost another shooter in Morrow. Harris was a key player for them as he formed a nice 3 quick guard rotation with Teague and Williams.

                      Budenholzer is expected to be a good coach....but lets not go crazy here. Drew overachieved with the Hawks team last year according to many, so it's not like he was a bad coach. And all the good coaching in the world can't stop a bad team from being bad.

                      I don't know how a team that hasn't really gained anything offensively, and has definitely lost something defensively, is going to be as good or better this year. Especially if you consider they clearly depended on their D to help push their pace and create shots. Shots they'll have a harder time hitting with a rookie PG as a backup, and more shallow wing rotation that will depend on Jenkins basically moving into a regular role competently (entirely possible, not a guy I know enough about to say either way) to replace Morrow's shooting.

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                      • #56
                        If JV and Gay can dominate their positions on more nights than not, the Raptors have a decent chance at the 7th or 8th seed. Wish there was a thread about Gay and JV being besties, as the two of thems chemistry is what I'm more interested in.

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                        • #57
                          Mediumcore wrote: View Post
                          If JV and Gay can dominate their positions on more nights than not, the Raptors have a decent chance at the 7th or 8th seed. Wish there was a thread about Gay and JV being besties, as the two of thems chemistry is what I'm more interested in.
                          When Gay arrived last year, I actually thought he showed a lot of willingness to get Jonas involved and forge some kind of relationship with him. Thought it was a really positive sign. Not something I really expected from Gay.

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                          • #58
                            blackjitsu wrote: View Post
                            Brand is old as dirt. Millsap is not Josh, he can't play the three.
                            Neither can Smith, really; the difference is that Millsap knows it and Smith doesn't.

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                            • #59
                              white men can't jump wrote: View Post
                              When Gay arrived last year, I actually thought he showed a lot of willingness to get Jonas involved and forge some kind of relationship with him. Thought it was a really positive sign. Not something I really expected from Gay.
                              I'm hoping they can form a good tandem like what we saw from George and Hibbert in the playoffs. To me those two (Gay & JV) are clearly the most talented players on the roster and the team will go only as far as they can take them.

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                              • #60
                                white men can't jump wrote: View Post
                                When Gay arrived last year, I actually thought he showed a lot of willingness to get Jonas involved and forge some kind of relationship with him. Thought it was a really positive sign. Not something I really expected from Gay.
                                Noticed the same thing. He continued to be the one who seemed to be the most willing to pass to JV and then it looked like Lowry started doing it a bit more later in the season.

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