Where Do The Raptors Rank In The East?

[SkywalkerAC]

Anyone else finding fewer watchable NBA games this year? Maybe it's just Raptor success making me a snob for a certain calibre of basketball? It feels like every time I seek out a good non-raptors game all I see are sub-mediocre teams either playing each other, or playing really good teams that are probably going to cream them.

Are all the heavy-weight matchups happening in the second half of the season?

(Checks tonight's schedule...yup, best non-raptor options are the likes of Griz-Twolves or Lakers-Knicks)

[planetmars]

Anyone else finding fewer watchable NBA games this year? Maybe it's just Raptor success making me a snob for a certain calibre of basketball? It feels like every time I seek out a good non-raptors game all I see are sub-mediocre teams either playing each other, or playing really good teams that are probably going to cream them.

Are all the heavy-weight matchups happening in the second half of the season?

(Checks tonight's schedule...yup, best non-raptor options are the likes of Griz-Twolves or Lakers-Knicks)

I have the same problem. The quality of each game has dipped. When I'm bored I'll do some score board watching. Than flip to a game if it's close or looking like a good game. 5 minutes into it, it's already a blow out. Or a good team like the Bucks, Celtics, or Clippers are losing only to take the lead and win the game.

NBA has gotten really boring. No stars I want to really see either. Luka is fun though. I've found Dallas games to be a bit of a hoot. I have no rooting interest in them. But he's fun. It's too bad the Warriors aren't any good. I'd liked to have seen the Warriors without KD again and to see how well they would have played.

[bertarapsfan]

Anyone else finding fewer watchable NBA games this year? Maybe it's just Raptor success making me a snob for a certain calibre of basketball? It feels like every time I seek out a good non-raptors game all I see are sub-mediocre teams either playing each other, or playing really good teams that are probably going to cream them.

Are all the heavy-weight matchups happening in the second half of the season?

(Checks tonight's schedule...yup, best non-raptor options are the likes of Griz-Twolves or Lakers-Knicks)

I actually think there has been more watchable game this year. The playoff seeding fight has already started, the west has so many team in that 7-14 range that have a shot at the playoffs, twolves-grizz and kings-suns tonight for example. Just tune into game of team you wouldn't normally watch. I've probably watched 10 suns games and they are actually pretty exciting. Hornets have been a pretty decent watch. Ja is always exciting. I've actually found myself watching more of the fringe playoff teams this year then the celtics, sixers, Pacers as i pretty much know what im going to get when i tune into one of those.

[SkywalkerAC]

Yeah, the Warriors sucking hurts the overall product more than it should - together with Durant being out and that's 3 major stars out - and that's without being stuck with 'Nationally Televised' games. Zion's return might actually help boost my interest in some of these random games. A part of me almost wants the Knicks to be relevant again, just to have that magic something that happens with a big game at MSG.

But some of it must have something to do with scheduling. A quick check shows the Bucks have only played the Raptors, Sixers, and Celtics once each. The Clippers haven't played the Nuggets yet.

[SkywalkerAC]

Yeah, part of it is also a bit of an adjustment period - tuning into the likes of Indy and Phoenix and other smaller market teams that are actually interesting.

[The Great One]

Love this dude LMAO.

[SkywalkerAC]

And as a west coast fan, it sucks how early all the games have been scheduled around the league. By the time 7pm rolls around, there's usually just one game starting. And it always seems to be the Warriors.

[SkywalkerAC]

And thanks DeMar for taking it to the Celtics on the road!

[LJ2]

And thanks DeMar for taking it to the Celtics on the road!

And Spurs beat the Bucks by 20 something the game before. Can't get over how efficient DeMar has been this season.

[S.R.]

I actually think there has been more watchable game this year. The playoff seeding fight has already started, the west has so many team in that 7-14 range that have a shot at the playoffs, twolves-grizz and kings-suns tonight for example. Just tune into game of team you wouldn't normally watch. I've probably watched 10 suns games and they are actually pretty exciting. Hornets have been a pretty decent watch. Ja is always exciting. I've actually found myself watching more of the fringe playoff teams this year then the celtics, sixers, Pacers as i pretty much know what im going to get when i tune into one of those.

There are way more good/interesting teams this year than usual. The NBA is normally super top heavy, and the last decade was no exception. You'll never get more good teams in the NBA at the same time than we've got right now.

I think the boredom is partly championship hangover for Raps fans - I mean we're square in the NBA doldrums right now post-Christmas and pre-ASG. It's partly the snowballing effect of everyone involved saying the regular season doesn't matter and we only care about the playoffs. It's partly star players sitting out and injuries to arguably 2 of the top 3, if not 2 of the top 5 players in the NBA (out for the whole season). The injury bug has been bad this year.

But yeah, the other part of it is that the Raptors are actually a good team playing good basketball and they're fun to watch - a lot of other games are just less fun.

During the Bosh/Bargnani/early DeMar years, I'd always flip to San Antonio or some other quality team after watching another horrendous Raptors game. Needed to purge my basketball eyeballs. That's not the case anymore, Nick Nurse is flat out coaching one of the most interesting to watch teams in the league.

[bertarapsfan]

The Great One

Guess who has the most game winning shots in the last calendar year?

[Demographic Shift]

Have to give Nick Nurse and Kyle Lowry mega props for staying in the homecourt race in the East.
Not many teams are winning with the 11th through 14th guys on the roster playing significant minutes.
With four of their top guys watching .. Lowry and Ibaka and guys slotted in on the depth chart anywhere from 10 through 15 saw floor time and beat an NBA team with all their players.

This can't last forever and I am praying that Pascal, Marc , Norm and Freddy are fast healers.....Still... Viking war clap for Nick and his staff and Lowry for kicking screaming pushing shoving and eye gouging who suits up to keep the Raps in the hunt for home court.

[S.R.]

Have to give Nick Nurse and Kyle Lowry mega props for staying in the homecourt race in the East.
Not many teams are winning with the 11th through 14th guys on the roster playing significant minutes.
With four of their top guys watching .. Lowry and Ibaka and guys slotted in on the depth chart anywhere from 10 through 15 saw floor time and beat an NBA team with all their players.

This can't last forever and I am praying that Pascal, Marc , Norm and Freddy are fast healers.....Still... Viking war clap for Nick and his staff and Lowry for kicking screaming pushing shoving and eye gouging who suits up to keep the Raps in the hunt for home court.

Guys who couldn't even get on the court the first month of the season are playing 20-35 mpg right now. Pretty crazy, don't think we've ever seen a Raps season like this one.

[golden]

Guys who couldn't even get on the court the first month of the season are playing 20-35 mpg right now. Pretty crazy, don't think we've ever seen a Raps season like this one.

lol. Remember when people were on here talking about the Raptors "razor thin depth" this year? If everybody gets healthy, the real problem is going to be getting the bench players consistent minutes to keep them sharp and motivated.

What I find pretty amazing is how Nurse can throw a random group of 905'ers out there against the Blazers elite scorers, and they immediately gel as defensive unit, swarming the opposition like a well-oiled machine. The rotations, show/recovers and double-team on defense that night were impeccable. That's next-level coaching and preparation right there.

Contrast this to Dwane Casey, a self-proclaimed "defensive coach", who always seemed to find an excuse why he never had the personnel for his teams to play high-end defense.

[S.R.]

Holy, Embiid has a torn ligament in his left hand. Injuries this year are nuts.