Oklahoma City Thunder @ Toronto Raptors. March 21st 2014, 7:00 pm.

[GLF]

You are not wrong to worry. This foreshadows playoffs unfortunately.

Thank you sir. I'm glad we agree.

[Ambidextrious]

I can't begin to describe how I feel after watching Durant sink that three. My immediate question was why weren't we prepared to make Durant take a tougher shot. I blame Coach Casey for mot being able to make the right play call in that situation they should have doubled Durant on that last shot. And it should have been Lowry taking that last shot. I'm amazed at the lack of critical thinking that coach casey posses in the most crucial moments of the game. If it were up to me Coach Casey does not have my confidence to have his contract renewed next season.

Another thing that bothered me while watching this game was the fact Valancuinas cost us another game by not securing a key rebound late in the game that would have sealed the game for us. Second chance points have killed us this season and I can't understand why JV keeps making these same mental mistakes.

Lastly, how about John freaking Salmons? Yeah that guy. That was easily top 5 choke moments I've ever witnessed in a game. He gives away an inbounds pass but is lucky enough to recover the ball but he decides to be a hero and hold onto the ball while kyle Lowry was wide open right next to him. We all know what happens next. Someone on this team needs to check Salmons and let him know that was unacceptable and that it must not happen again. I mean seriously? You're a professional athlete getting paid millions and you miss 2 fucking free throws that would have iced the game. What a waste.

Rant over..

[iblastoff]

I love how NOW everyone is FINALLY seeing that our inability to win close games and close out games properly will hurt us come playoff time. Anytime I would say it everyone would get at me and say I'm worrying too much. If you don't care about Raps passing the first round and you're just happy they made it to the playoffs then fine. If you have them passing the first round as the expectation you should be worried. Not being able to win close games down the stretch will come to haunt them in the playoffs. They aren't going to win many playoffs games by 10 or more so they need to get it together. Everytime they would lose a close game everyone would say well they fought back and they'll learn from this. Clearly they aren't learning. They're not going to just all of a sudden learn to close out games when the playoffs come around. After the way this game went down unless we play Washington I truly don't see us getting out the first round. If you're fine with that then great but I sure as hell am not. We have been the best team in the East after Indiana and Miami for so long. For us to just lose all our momentum right when things count is quite disheartening. It just gives me the taste of the typical raptors, when things get tough and really start to matter they choke. You DO NOT lose a game where you are up 8 with 49 seconds left. It's just that simple. I don't care who the team is and how hard you played. To me that just cancels out anything good you did throughout the game. There are just no excuses that can be made and I find it funny that some people are still trying to make excuses and look on the bright side. If they don't learn from THIS, there is no hope for them come playoffs time. Like none.

more doom and gloom from GLF? BIG SURPRISE!!!!

[consmap]

I love how NOW everyone is FINALLY seeing that our inability to win close games and close out games properly will hurt us come playoff time. Anytime I would say it everyone would get at me and say I'm worrying too much. If you don't care about Raps passing the first round and you're just happy they made it to the playoffs then fine. If you have them passing the first round as the expectation you should be worried. Not being able to win close games down the stretch will come to haunt them in the playoffs. They aren't going to win many playoffs games by 10 or more so they need to get it together. Everytime they would lose a close game everyone would say well they fought back and they'll learn from this. Clearly they aren't learning. They're not going to just all of a sudden learn to close out games when the playoffs come around. After the way this game went down unless we play Washington I truly don't see us getting out the first round. If you're fine with that then great but I sure as hell am not. We have been the best team in the East after Indiana and Miami for so long. For us to just lose all our momentum right when things count is quite disheartening. It just gives me the taste of the typical raptors, when things get tough and really start to matter they choke. You DO NOT lose a game where you are up 8 with 49 seconds left. It's just that simple. I don't care who the team is and how hard you played. To me that just cancels out anything good you did throughout the game. There are just no excuses that can be made and I find it funny that some people are still trying to make excuses and look on the bright side. If they don't learn from THIS, there is no hope for them come playoffs time. Like none.

It's just the way you present your information/opinion. There's truth in what you say but the overwhelming negativity in your posts makes it difficult to take you seriously.

But yeah, it's really disheartening to know that this team tends to fold down the stretch in big games. At the same time I don't think that means they aren't learning. I really don't think I can fault the players for our inability to win this one; IMO Dwane Casey's decision to use Salmons down the stretch really cost us.
Whatever, the team can't think about this now. We have to focus on winning the games ahead.

[MACK11]

more doom and gloom from GLF? BIG SURPRISE!!!!

But his doom and gloom is something to be worried about, this team has shown numerous times that we cannot win close games. Its a combination of Casey and the players just making bone head plays

[Ambidextrious]

On a side note, it's not like we don't know already, but kevin Durant is a savage!!!!! He's everything I've always dreamed of having as a gm. Tim Leiweke and Masai both need to do everything in their power to sign this guy. If you have to let him sleep with your wife so be it. If you have to make him prime minister, I don't want to hear how just make it happen. Sounds about right to me

[Puffer]

I love how NOW everyone is FINALLY seeing that our inability to win close games and close out games properly will hurt us come playoff time. Anytime I would say it everyone would get at me and say I'm worrying too much. If you don't care about Raps passing the first round and you're just happy they made it to the playoffs then fine. If you have them passing the first round as the expectation you should be worried. Not being able to win close games down the stretch will come to haunt them in the playoffs. They aren't going to win many playoffs games by 10 or more so they need to get it together. Everytime they would lose a close game everyone would say well they fought back and they'll learn from this. Clearly they aren't learning. They're not going to just all of a sudden learn to close out games when the playoffs come around. After the way this game went down unless we play Washington I truly don't see us getting out the first round. If you're fine with that then great but I sure as hell am not. We have been the best team in the East after Indiana and Miami for so long. For us to just lose all our momentum right when things count is quite disheartening. It just gives me the taste of the typical raptors, when things get tough and really start to matter they choke. You DO NOT lose a game where you are up 8 with 49 seconds left. It's just that simple. I don't care who the team is and how hard you played. To me that just cancels out anything good you did throughout the game. There are just no excuses that can be made and I find it funny that some people are still trying to make excuses and look on the bright side. If they don't learn from THIS, there is no hope for them come playoffs time. Like none.

Everyone?

Is this the inability to close out close games or is it a tired vet screwing up and a great player on a top five team playing at an expected high level.

Sometimes when a pebble hits you on the head, it is just a pebble thrown by a goof, not the sky falling.

Maybe the inability to close out this game is a learning moment. And JV, Ross, DeMar, Lowry and Amir understand, on a gut level, that you can't ever afford to take a moment off; and that every possession and every decision about whether to take a shot or not, whether to drive or not, and whether to pass or not can have an impact.

"It just gives me the taste of the typical raptors, when things get tough and really start to matter they choke. You DO NOT lose a game where you are up 8 with 49 seconds left. It's just that simple. I don't care who the team is and how hard you played. To me that just cancels out anything good you did throughout the game. There are just no excuses that can be made and I find it funny that some people are still trying to make excuses and look on the bright side."


Your opinion. Lots of teams have lost lots of games in the final seconds.

[iblastoff]

But his doom and gloom is something to be worried about, this team has shown numerous times that we cannot win close games. Its a combination of Casey and the players just making bone head plays

what was the bone head play that cost us? salmons poor inbounding didnt cost us anything. what cost us was just his unlucky misses at the line and 3 extremely lucky 3 pointers in a row from OKC, all of which were defended pretty well. KD is a superstar. this is what he does. we don't have one.

boohooohoo a contender in the west won in double OT with 3 insane clutch 3 pointers in a row. yah thats a big worry for a young, good but not super great raptors team.

[white men can't jump]

I love how NOW everyone is FINALLY seeing that our inability to win close games and close out games properly will hurt us come playoff time. Anytime I would say it everyone would get at me and say I'm worrying too much. If you don't care about Raps passing the first round and you're just happy they made it to the playoffs then fine. If you have them passing the first round as the expectation you should be worried. Not being able to win close games down the stretch will come to haunt them in the playoffs. They aren't going to win many playoffs games by 10 or more so they need to get it together. Everytime they would lose a close game everyone would say well they fought back and they'll learn from this. Clearly they aren't learning. They're not going to just all of a sudden learn to close out games when the playoffs come around. After the way this game went down unless we play Washington I truly don't see us getting out the first round. If you're fine with that then great but I sure as hell am not. We have been the best team in the East after Indiana and Miami for so long. For us to just lose all our momentum right when things count is quite disheartening. It just gives me the taste of the typical raptors, when things get tough and really start to matter they choke. You DO NOT lose a game where you are up 8 with 49 seconds left. It's just that simple. I don't care who the team is and how hard you played. To me that just cancels out anything good you did throughout the game. There are just no excuses that can be made and I find it funny that some people are still trying to make excuses and look on the bright side. If they don't learn from THIS, there is no hope for them come playoffs time. Like none.

Meh. I've been worried for awhile because of Casey's coaching. Coaching becomes more important in the playoffs. Making adjustments between and during games. Quality execution down the stretch...not just of games, but of every quarter.

The only comfort I find is that other than Chicago, I don't think either BKL or WAS have better coaching. Wittman and Kidd are pretty hapless too. Still though, I can't stand the way Casey coaches. Our team can even have lapses where they give up significant chunks of leads even in the last couple of minutes of earlier quarters, nevermind the end of games.

[The Great One]

Yeah not sure why people are blaming Casey. I thought putting Amir on KD was genius. Amir did a hell of a job. Their D last night was tremendous even though the Thunder scored a lot of points. If you want to play the blaming game. Blame Durant.......and Salmons for missing 2 FT's. And the referee who called an offensive foul on Vasquez.

Not sure why some people are blaming DeRozan either for that last shot. 1.6 sec. Catch and shoot situation. Who's the Raptors best catch and shoot mid range shooter? DeRozan. Unfortunately Thunder defended him well. I think it was Ibaka(or Durant?) who contested the DeRozan's shot. Tough.

As for closing out games. I thought the Raptors did a great job last night with their execution compared to the Hawks game last monday and the 3OT game against Washington. They were driving to the hoop. Not settling for jumpers. But Kevin Durant happened.

[white men can't jump]

what was the bone head play that cost us? salmons poor inbounding didnt cost us anything. what cost us was just his unlucky misses at the line and 3 extremely lucky 3 pointers in a row from OKC, all of which were defended pretty well. KD is a superstar. this is what he does. we don't have one.

boohooohoo a contender in the west won in double OT with 3 insane clutch 3 pointers in a row. yah thats a big worry for a young, good but not super great raptors team.

You could look at it that way.

You can also look at it as we only needed to execute on one play after the 1st 3 pointer to cement the win and didn't manage to do that.

You could also look at it as the only thing we had to do on that inbounds play was get the ball to Lowry or DeMar. Salmons fucked up the inbounds, then miraculously recovered it, and then looked off Lowry who was right beside him and could've easily taken a little handoff pass. Not to mention we had timeouts, so really, the first thing that should've happened and didn't was Salmons or Casey shoulda called one right away when the pass to DeMar or Lowry wasn't there.

It was embarrassingly bad execution down the stretch. I don't care if you're the Sixers or Bucks. Losing an 8 pt lead when you are fully in control is very very bad.

[iblastoff]

You could look at it that way.

You can also look at it as we only needed to execute on one play after the 1st 3 pointer to cement the win and didn't manage to do that.

You could also look at it as the only thing we had to do on that inbounds play was get the ball to Lowry or DeMar. Salmons fucked up the inbounds, then miraculously recovered it, and then looked off Lowry who was right beside him and could've easily taken a little handoff pass. Not to mention we had timeouts, so really, the first thing that should've happened and didn't was Salmons or Casey shoulda called one right away when the pass to DeMar or Lowry wasn't there.

It was embarrassingly bad execution down the stretch. I don't care if you're the Sixers or Bucks. Losing an 8 pt lead when you are fully in control is very very bad.

dont disagree with that either. now we know what brooklyn felt like when they were about to win and turned it over with the patman shooting a jumper for the win, even after several misses beforehand including an airball 3.

[white men can't jump]

Yeah not sure why people are blaming Casey. I thought putting Amir on KD was genius. Amir did a hell of a job. Their D last night was tremendous even though the Thunder scored a lot of points. If you want to play the blaming game. Blame Durant.......and Salmons for missing 2 FT's. And the referee who called an offensive foul on Vasquez.

Not sure why some people are blaming DeRozan either for that last shot. 1.6 sec. Catch and shoot situation. Who's the Raptors best catch and shoot mid range shooter? DeRozan. Unfortunately Thunder defended him well. I think it was Ibaka(or Durant?) who contested the DeRozan's shot. Tough.

As for closing out games. I thought the Raptors did a great job last night with their execution compared to the Hawks game last monday and the 3OT game against Washington. They were driving to the hoop. Not settling for jumpers. But Kevin Durant happened.

I liked having Amir on KD...and I don't blame Casey for that matchup or what I'm about to talk about (Again, I thought until that last minute it was one of the better coached games by Casey)

But I also wonder why they stopped doubling KD right in that last minute? IT worked pretty damn well on some plays where they had Jonas come all the way up to double him. It made it very hard for even the lanky KD to pass over Amir and Jonas, and forced him to swing it to the wing where our other guys could rotate. Definitely want to try and force the ball out of KD's hands, and it is something they managed to do with that method.

[3inthekeon]

Yeah not sure why people are blaming Casey.

Maybe because half the posters here can coach NBA teams better than half the coaches that actually do coach NBA teams?

[MACK11]

what was the bone head play that cost us? salmons poor inbounding didnt cost us anything. what cost us was just his unlucky misses at the line and 3 extremely lucky 3 pointers in a row from OKC, all of which were defended pretty well. KD is a superstar. this is what he does. we don't have one.

boohooohoo a contender in the west won in double OT with 3 insane clutch 3 pointers in a row. yah thats a big worry for a young, good but not super great raptors team.

I wasn't talking specifically about this game