Game 2, NBA FINALS: Golden State Warriors @ Toronto Raptors - Sunday June 2nd, 8pm ET TSN

[Zak24gege]

Wonder if Igoudala will play. Looked banged up last game.

He is questionable as he looked to aggravate the injured leg. I expect he will attempt to play, but will he be effective on both ends of the court???

[Zak24gege]

Durant will not play until Game 4 at the earliest. The Media drum beat that Warriors need KD to beat the Raptors is growing and getting louder.

[007]

I am at the Vancouver’s Whitecaps - Toronto FC game. The Toronto fans sitting near me have started a “Let’s Go Raptors” chant a few times, and some Whitecaps fans (including myself) have joined in hahaha

[KeonClark]

Holy shit this giannis quote. Raptors changed him. Still sees marc in his sleep

Full quote: “I learned a lot of things watching Kawhi while the game was going on,” Antetokounmpo said. “Like his patience. From the way he operates. He operates in the mid-range area. You saw that? He took the ball a step inside the three and faced up. And now he’s got everybody. He sees everybody coming, right? So, why was he doing that? You know why? Because he felt really comfortable in his mid-range game.

“He got a lot of threes out of the pick-and-roll when Brook was back, a lot of catch-and-shoot, a lot of transition threes, but when it was a set game, ain’t nobody shooting threes. It’s the toughest shot in the game. He was going to the easiest shot in the game, that people think is tough, the midrange, like the 15 foot, contested two – something that all the greats do: Kawhi, Kobe, Jordan, KD, LeBron. When he won the series against Toronto, he was shooting mid-range shots.”

“I feel like last year I was so comfortable shooting my mid-range shot, my fadeaway in the right post, doing all that, one-leg, two-legs, getting into the paint, shooting over guys, winning games,” Antetokounmpo said. “I won games coming down the stretch like that. For you to score and be a closer, you gotta be able to add mid-range shots, a lot of easy shots.” “I feel like this year, it was just, ‘Boom. power through … guys,’ ” Antetokounmpo said. “And then my back was hurting. I could still play more. If we were playing today, I could play. I could have an even longer season, but at the end of the day, I want to be more skilled. I want to make my game easier.” “And it’s something from Year 5 to Year 6, I was like, ‘Yeah. OK, I put on seven pounds of muscle. Bro, I’m the most dominant guy in the fucking league. I’m just going to go and fucking dunk it.’ You can get away with it to a point. It’s good if you’re able to do it, but I gotta be more skilled. I gotta get back to my old self. Think like a guard, not as a big.”

“Now, every day in my head, I’m seeing Gasol double-team me,” Antetokounmpo said. “You think I’m joking, but I’m not. I’m not seeing anybody else. I don’t care who’s guarding me. Give me a name. Thaddeus Young. All I’m seeing is Kawhi, Gasol coming because I know that. When I get to that situation, it might not be them. It might be (Joel) Embiid. Ben Simmons guarding me, Embiid double- teaming, but that’s what I’m seeing now. That’s what I feel like I have to do better.” “And, thank you. Thank you, because Gasol and Kawhi made me a better player. I’m not trying to be sarcastic. I’m being honest. They’re going to push me to be better. You gotta use this year as motivation. You cannot just come here and mope around.

[Zak24gege]

I am at the Vancouver’s Whitecaps - Toronto FC game. The Toronto fans sitting near me have started a “Let’s Go Raptors” chant a few times, and some Whitecaps fans (including myself) have joined in hahaha

Gee I'm watching the Whitecaps - FC match and Montero (VAN) just missed on a decent scoring chance.

[bertarapsfan]

My boy McCaw going to have a big game 2

[Scraptor]

He is questionable as he looked to aggravate the injured leg. I expect he will attempt to play, but will he be effective on both ends of the court???

MRI came back clean but yeah he may be hobbled.

[bertarapsfan]

Holy shit this giannis quote. Raptors changed him. Still sees marc in his sleep

you gotta respect Giannis for that one. he's one of the few superstars in the last decade who is actually likeable. you sure as hell won't see a quote like this from Embiid. Dude acknowledges he got bested and will come back as a better player next year. which will be scary for us but still good too see a young players with a good head on his shoulders and a solid mindset after a disappointing post season

[GOLDBLUM]

I switched to Chauncey over Tabak because even though Tabak played a lot more minutes for the Raps, Chauncey was the one who talked some sense into Lowry that one offseason, and the Raps remind me a lot of the 04 Pistons.

[GOLDBLUM]

Holy shit this giannis quote. Raptors changed him. Still sees marc in his sleep

Wow.

[GOLDBLUM]

[Jclaw]

Just posted an article from the Ringer in the FVV thread. Goes over the crazy stat of how Curry shot when guarded or not guarded by Freddy.
"Curry played 80 offensive possessions Thursday night. On the 47 possessions when other Raptors guarded him, he had 30 points while shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 4-for-6 from 3. On the 33 possessions VanVleet guarded him, he had four while shooting 1-for-6 from the field, missing all three 3s he attempted."

I know this may seem like heresy and there's no point fixing what's not broken but...any point in starting Freddy? Putting him on Steph really frees up Kawhi to not have to do that. Fred on Steph, Kyle on Iggy, Kawhi on Draymond, Pascal on Klay and Marc on (insert big here). Might limit the bench point guard play and may be an unneeded slight to Danny when he's just getting his shot back. But maybe it's a fivesome they play a bit more. For reference, the starting lineup played 15 minutes and was -2 while a Fred for Green lineup played 13 minutes and was +10 (half w Marc and half with Serge)

https://www.basketball-reference.com...er_by=diff_pts

[JimiCliff]

Just posted an article from the Ringer in the FVV thread. Goes over the crazy stat of how Curry shot when guarded or not guarded by Freddy.
"Curry played 80 offensive possessions Thursday night. On the 47 possessions when other Raptors guarded him, he had 30 points while shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 4-for-6 from 3. On the 33 possessions VanVleet guarded him, he had four while shooting 1-for-6 from the field, missing all three 3s he attempted."

I know this may seem like heresy and there's no point fixing what's not broken but...any point in starting Freddy? Putting him on Steph really frees up Kawhi to not have to do that. Fred on Steph, Kyle on Iggy, Kawhi on Draymond, Pascal on Klay and Marc on (insert big here). Might limit the bench point guard play and may be an unneeded slight to Danny when he's just getting his shot back. But maybe it's a fivesome they play a bit more. For reference, the starting lineup played 15 minutes and was -2 while a Fred for Green lineup played 13 minutes and was +10 (half w Marc and half with Serge)

https://www.basketball-reference.com...er_by=diff_pts

I can't see them changing the starting lineup, but I could see Vanvleet getting subbed in earlier in the 1st/3rd quarters - around the six minute mark, or even before then.

[G__Deane]

Holy shit this giannis quote. Raptors changed him. Still sees marc in his sleep

I love Giannis. Every quote he gives is thoughtful, classy and shows how badly he wants to keep improving and be the eventual GOAT.

I have referenced this quote before but I loved it when Giannis says he refuses to get together and practice with other stars in the off season like so many do. Something like "when I work out, when I practice , it's with my teammates. Why would I want to show the opposition the moves I'm working on?"

"I can't work out with you in the summer and then play you in a few months," Antetokounmpo said. "It feels weird. It doesn't feel right with me. Like other players, it's cool for other players, but I don't. I don't want to. Other guys do it.

"I hate it when …" [Antetokounmpo cuts himself off to pretend to put his arm around someone and pose for a picture]. "I hate that. I don't want [opponents] to see me to be buddy-buddy with them"


LOVE the guy. He's the opposite of the NBA brotherhood mantra; he's the team-first, lead the charge general.

[DanH]

I can't see them changing the starting lineup, but I could see Vanvleet getting subbed in earlier in the 1st/3rd quarters - around the six minute mark, or even before then.

Green has been effective on Klay too. Subbing him early for FVV when Klay sits and bringing him back for the bench unit Klay anchors makes a lot of sense.