Houston @ Toronto 7:00 SN1

[stooley]

DD plays 9 more minutes on average looooool

So DD should get to the line more often also in DD second year he could take as many shots/drives he wanted because there was no high usage player on his team with him, Ross on the other hand plays 9 less minutes on average and has to play with a high usage player in DD

Ross 2nd year USG: 18.7%
Demar's 2nd year USG: 23.2%
Demar = 24% more

Ross 2nd year MPG: 26.4
Demar 2nd year MPG: 35
Demar = 32% more

Ross's adjusted FTA (if he had same usage and mpg) is 1.1 x 1.32 x 1.24 = 1.8
Demar's was 4.9

So he still sits well ahead of Ross on the FTA per game.

Not taking sides, just picking out inconsistencies, being a pain in the ass, which i love.

[MACK11]

Thats the thing. Thats my biggest issue with some of the posters on here. Some criticize DD for is consistency but don't criticize other players who should be doing the very things they expect from Demar (how often does Ross get to the line?). Demar is top 10 in scoring and free throw attempts/makes.....what more can you possibly want?

In all fairness, if you're going to critize someone (OldSkoolCool this is for you)

Demar's rookie season FTA 2.5 per game in 21 mins / Demar's second year his FTA rose to 4.9 per game at 35 mins

Ross's rookie season FTA 0.6 per game in 17 mins / Ross' second season rose to 1.1 FTA per game in 26.4 mins

Just take that in.... I wonder when you will start to criticize Ross.

Demar averages 7.9 FTA per game this season BTW.

DD plays 9 more minutes on average looooool

So DD should get to the line more often also in DD second year he could take as many shots/drives he wanted because there was no high usage player on his team with him, Ross on the other hand plays 9 less minutes on average and has to play with a high usage player in DD

[GLF]

I personally don't think DD is able to do it all the time because of his limited handle and slow feet, which is why we see him settle for the 2 because it is the shot he knows he can get.

BUT

The philosophy of getting to the rim shouldn't be placed just on DD's shoulders. The team as a whole often settles for the mid range and I would like to see us improve our ability to get to the rim, as well as utilize our big's in the paint more because 1) they are efficient in there and 2) because they are all very good FT shooters and they will get contact/foul calls. The team as it stands is imbalanced and puts too much emphasis on perimeter guard play, DD is a large part for this because he is our leading scorer and his habits will rub off on the rest of the team. I think this is a must solve problem going forward as a team, and not just emphasis on one player, but it does start with DD.

3 future goals for continued building of the team:

1) More drive and kick
2) better utilization of posts
3) 3 point shooting to open lanes/stretch floor and knock down kicks from the post/drive

I agree. People think DD can do it whenever he wants but you have to have better handles and first step than DD does if you want to get into the paint at will. DD at times can't even get passed a big man one on one so I know he doesn't have the first step to get to the rim at will.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

This is very true. Way too often for my liking. I'm hoping he comes back next year with an improvement in his handles and also extends his range on his jumper. Those improvements would take him and this team to another level.

Such a DeRozan hater! lol

[special1]

I think Ross has better handles than Demar too, so he should be driving more than him.

Sadly, Demar has a tendency to lose the ball when driving through traffic (off his own foot, or simply the ball just gets away from his hands somehow). So increasing his drives to the basket would also increase his turnovers and might not be a net positive. I'm sure it's something the Raptors analytics department looks at.

This is very true. Way too often for my liking. I'm hoping he comes back next year with an improvement in his handles and also extends his range on his jumper. Those improvements would take him and this team to another level.

[Puffer]

This is a forum, not a bunch of guys sitting around in a room watching a game on a big screen TV. There is no catching tone or facial expression. Words have meanings, and we can't read minds. So if some guy says "This team is shit" I take that to mean he thinks the team is shit. If he had said "This team is playing like shit right now" then I take that to mean he hates the way the team is playing, but recognizes they are capable of better.

If somebody writes, "Why doesn't DeRozan ever drive to the hoop" then I have to assume the writer is blind, or wilfully ignorant because I see DeRozan take it to the hoop every game...not as frequently as I would like, or as frequently as most of us would like, but he does take it to the hoop.

I am not going to apologize for responding to someone who is either writing stuff that is demonstrably wrong, or something that is not what they really mean. On the other hand, if being clear is not important to you, then in future I will ignore this type of post. You can go ahead and keep being ignorant and uninformed...I mean writing as if you are ignorant and uninformed. See the difference?

[psrs1]

Fans are emotional. It's no different than when people start talking about how we can take Indi easily in the 2nd round and should really start planning for an ECF showdown with Miami, right before a loss to the Celtics or whoever. Fans get high when the team is doing well and low when the team is doing bad, which the instantaneous access of the net only serves to magnify.

The easiest thing to do is to try and remember not to get too high or low, and to avoid posts that reflect your temporary extreme state of mind. Hahaha ya right, this is a forum in real time, as others have said! I think the onus is on readers to remember to apply context to posts, rather than take each and every one so literally!

GLF gets teased for his in-game mood swings, but I find it entertaining and appreciate his passion. I'm not the least bit worried about his health hmmm... should I be??? lol

I love GLFs passion. He is an easy target but should not be discounted as is often bang on.

[Primer]

Thats the thing. Thats my biggest issue with some of the posters on here. Some criticize DD for is consistency but don't criticize other players who should be doing the very things they expect from Demar (how often does Ross get to the line?). Demar is top 10 in scoring and free throw attempts/makes.....what more can you possibly want?

In all fairness, if you're going to critize someone (OldSkoolCool this is for you)

Demar's rookie season FTA 2.5 per game in 21 mins / Demar's second year his FTA rose to 4.9 per game at 35 mins

Ross's rookie season FTA 0.6 per game in 17 mins / Ross' second season rose to 1.1 FTA per game in 26.4 mins

Just take that in.... I wonder when you will start to criticize Ross.

Demar averages 7.9 FTA per game this season BTW.

I think Ross has better handles than Demar too, so he should be driving more than him.

Sadly, Demar has a tendency to lose the ball when driving through traffic (off his own foot, or simply the ball just gets away from his hands somehow). So increasing his drives to the basket would also increase his turnovers and might not be a net positive. I'm sure it's something the Raptors analytics department looks at.

[special1]

If DD took it to the hoop consistently he would lead the NBA in FTA. I think that's where the frustration stems. But at the same time, he's 5th in the league in FTA and 3rd in FTM. That's ridiculously freaking good and it seems like a lot of people on here don't realize that, and only bitch about how he should be shooting even more FT's.

Thats the thing. Thats my biggest issue with some of the posters on here. Some criticize DD for is consistency but don't criticize other players who should be doing the very things they expect from Demar (how often does Ross get to the line?). Demar is top 10 in scoring and free throw attempts/makes.....what more can you possibly want?

In all fairness, if you're going to critize someone (OldSkoolCool this is for you)

Demar's rookie season FTA 2.5 per game in 21 mins / Demar's second year his FTA rose to 4.9 per game at 35 mins

Ross's rookie season FTA 0.6 per game in 17 mins / Ross' second season rose to 1.1 FTA per game in 26.4 mins

Just take that in.... I wonder when you will start to criticize Ross.

Demar averages 7.9 FTA per game this season BTW.

[Primer]

Fair enough in the game thread.

However, if I think out loud in a game thread, at the start of the game when I find out that Lowry is not playing, that "the Raps are doomed without Lowry", I'd have an issue if somebody targeted my post the day after a game and attacked me personally. Point out that we won that game without him all you want, but don't attack me and say I was a hater and whatever else. Yes, the use of the word "doomed" was likely a bit of hyperbole brought on by an emotional reaction, but it hardly warrants a barrage of personal attacks.

I agree that posters sometimes need a thicker skin. I'd also say that posters should stick to posting their own opinions, rather than attempting to tear down their fellow posters. I mean we've been having an enjoyable exchange, despite not agreeing on every point. But it's been respectful and we haven't felt the need to attack each other... that's the part I just don't get.

It's pretty much the first comment that sets the tone. You didn't use hyperbole or anything outrageous to express your opinion and my responses were similar. But when somebody starts with a sensational hyperbolic statement, then they should expect similar responses. I also don't consider it a personal attack to tell someone they were wrong, but it seems like a lot of posters here do. The comments that started this whole discussion between us were quoted replies with one word "wrong". How is that a personal attack?

As for calling people haters, some posters on here are haters, and shouldn't get their panties in a knot because someone calls them out on it. When every single comment they make about DD includes something disparaging him, that's being a hater. I think it's totally fine that posters do that, but like I said, don't get all whiny when someone calls you out on it.

[OldSkoolCool]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1435847526657047



This one's not bad.

I do like when DD posts up and that also helped #3. See how good it is when the ball goes inside first how open of shots you can get?

But the ball isn't getting into the bigs. If there was a foul call it would again be on a perimeter player and has the same effect as a foul on the long 2. Need to get that ball into the trees and get the opposing teams into foul trouble, that should be a team goal going into every game.

When opposing bigs get into foul it helps everything you do.

[stooley]

I personally don't think DD is able to do it all the time because of his limited handle and slow feet, which is why we see him settle for the 2 because it is the shot he knows he can get.

BUT

The philosophy of getting to the rim shouldn't be placed just on DD's shoulders. The team as a whole often settles for the mid range and I would like to see us improve our ability to get to the rim, as well as utilize our big's in the paint more because 1) they are efficient in there and 2) because they are all very good FT shooters and they will get contact/foul calls. The team as it stands is imbalanced and puts too much emphasis on perimeter guard play, DD is a large part for this because he is our leading scorer and his habits will rub off on the rest of the team. I think this is a must solve problem going forward as a team, and not just emphasis on one player, but it does start with DD.

3 future goals for continued building of the team:

1) More drive and kick
2) better utilization of posts
3) 3 point shooting to open lanes/stretch floor and knock down kicks from the post/drive

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1435847526657047



This one's not bad.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Comments in the game thread are generally relevant to the game, and posters should be able to assume that and respond accordingly. Why is the onus on me to delve into his doomed statement and think of all the possible reasons he could have said that, when the obvious answer is that he posted in the game thread, at the start of the game, in reference to the game at hand.

The most important thing you said is this "I never expect everybody to agree with me anyway, so I don't take posts personally."

People need to roll with the punches and not take it personally. If they get super defensive when somebody points out they were wrong then maybe they don't have thick enough skin to post on a forum.

Fair enough in the game thread.

However, if I think out loud in a game thread, at the start of the game when I find out that Lowry is not playing, that "the Raps are doomed without Lowry", I'd have an issue if somebody targeted my post the day after a game and attacked me personally. Point out that we won that game without him all you want, but don't attack me and say I was a hater and whatever else. Yes, the use of the word "doomed" was likely a bit of hyperbole brought on by an emotional reaction, but it hardly warrants a barrage of personal attacks.

I agree that posters sometimes need a thicker skin. I'd also say that posters should stick to posting their own opinions, rather than attempting to tear down their fellow posters. I mean we've been having an enjoyable exchange, despite not agreeing on every point. But it's been respectful and we haven't felt the need to attack each other... that's the part I just don't get.

[Primer]

I'm not saying he should take it to the hoop looking for contact every time he has the ball. I also give him full credit for improving his ability to get to the line, whether from driving or off pump-fakes. However, there are usually a couple times every game where he takes it to the basket and get frustrated at the lack of a call, which from the eye-test is because he went in soft looking to avoid contact (he contorts himself to make a circus shot). I've said for several seasons now that if he took it hard and tried to dunk over people on those occasions, the refs would have no choice but to blow the whistle and give him even more FT attempts. As I said, he's talented enough and capable enough.

Sounds like the perfect thing for DD to work on over the summer so he comes back even better next year, continuing his trend of improving year over year.
The All Star selection and playoff run will certainly help his reputation with refs and send more of the questionable calls his way.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

If DD took it to the hoop consistently he would lead the NBA in FTA. I think that's where the frustration stems. But at the same time, he's 5th in the league in FTA and 3rd in FTM. That's ridiculously freaking good and it seems like a lot of people on here don't realize that, and only bitch about how he should be shooting even more FT's.

I'm not saying he should take it to the hoop looking for contact every time he has the ball. I also give him full credit for improving his ability to get to the line, whether from driving or off pump-fakes. However, there are usually a couple times every game where he takes it to the basket and get frustrated at the lack of a call, which from the eye-test is because he went in soft looking to avoid contact (he contorts himself to make a circus shot). I've said for several seasons now that if he took it hard and tried to dunk over people on those occasions, the refs would have no choice but to blow the whistle and give him even more FT attempts. As I said, he's talented enough and capable enough.