Where Do The Raptors Rank In The East?

[golden]

Opa ! Siakam / Lillard and the Alphabet....

Still its a lot give up for what might be .... and Lillard is 30 next season...
Never say never.. but thats a lot

Yeah, I keep forgetting that Lillard came into the league as a 4-year college guy. And PGs don't traditionally age that well after 30. But hey, we're entering the Load Management Era.

[Demographic Shift]

Yeah, I keep forgetting that Lillard came into the league as a 4-year college guy. And PGs don't traditionally age that well after 30. But hey, we're entering the Load Management Era.

Still.. the Alphabet and and Siakam on the wing with Lillard in the backcourt... and Nurse drawing up a new offense on a nightly basis..
Wow..

[The Claw Reborn]

Not gonna disagree with that at all. If the Raptors have proven anything, it's that "defense can still win championships" and that 1-way, offensive players like DeRozan and Lillard can also hurt you in the playoffs. I'm just saying that if people want Lillard, that's going to be a potential asking price because the Blazers can run a very long auction.

Masai already learned his lesson after those stuck in the mud playoffs duds with a flawed player leading the way. Why Rumors mentioned that he was really after Paul George then finally got lucky to acquire Kawhi. Was he also after Jimmy Butler?

I truely believed that his focus now is 2021 because that free agency summer could be the historical offseason ever and he wants to be at the forefront of that.

[S.R.]

I don't see Dame as a 1B star at all. That's like saying Curry is a 1B star. Situation matters and I think you surround Dame with the right players (something Curry has enjoyed for a long time) and he is just as much a superstar as Curry. Can't argue with the contract though...you're screwed if things don't work out.

Whoa Dame is nowhere near Curry's level offensively.

[DogeLover1234]

If your team falls apart because "Zach Collins got hurt", then you really should be thinking seriously about blowing it up.

I mean I see your point, but I disagree. Hes very good, the jack of all trades bigman who defends well, sets good screens, shoots a bit and is great around the rim. Hes not an allstar but hes miles better than any of their other bigs, and great for how they play. I dont think Portland is a dumpster fire yet, just banged up - missing Nurkic badly, Whiteside is awful

[KeonClark]

Whoa Dame is nowhere near Curry's level offensively.

Yeah I was all like whoa then i was like whaat and then i was like yikes

Curry had an all time great 5 year run folks. 2015-16 is arguably the best offensive season of anyone, ever. Dame is an all star, Curry is an all timer.

[chris]

Whoa Dame is nowhere near Curry's level offensively.

Yeah I was all like whoa then i was like whaat and then i was like yikes

Curry had an all time great 5 year run folks. 2015-16 is arguably the best offensive season of anyone, ever. Dame is an all star, Curry is an all timer.

Totally. Curry was also the weakest link in the starting five of one of the best defensive teams in recent history and as such got picked on in the playoffs quite a bit against opponents hunting mis-matches, but has always acquitted himself on that end way more than he's credited for.

Offensively it's just a complete other level. Hasn't mattered who you put on the floor with him, he affects the game with and without the ball equally which is not something you could say about Lillard

[Gonzz]

Totally. Curry was also the weakest link in the starting five of one of the best defensive teams in recent history and as such got picked on in the playoffs quite a bit against opponents hunting mis-matches, but has always acquitted himself on that end way more than he's credited for.

Offensively it's just a complete other level. Hasn't mattered who you put on the floor with him, he affects the game with and without the ball equally which is not something you could say about Lillard

Drafted the same year as Derozan and was hoping he was available at our spot. Derozan wasn't a bad consolation prize.

[JawsGT]

I agree, no way i include OG in a trade for lillard. Lillard is a pipe dream anyways IMO, but if you go after him its gotta be to add him to the siakam/OG core. You'll need those two at least to make up for the porous d that lillard brings to the table. And honestly, i'm done with one way players. If they cant bring it on both ends, i'm not interested (unless its curry). F'k harden too!

[DogeLover1234]

Yeah I was all like whoa then i was like whaat and then i was like yikes

Curry had an all time great 5 year run folks. 2015-16 is arguably the best offensive season of anyone, ever. Dame is an all star, Curry is an all timer.

You put it pretty well, though with Curry hurt I cant definitively list 2 better PGs. Lillard will be looked back on as a huge what if imo. A couple years this decade they had a great team but had key injuries so you never knew how good they really were. He consistently puts together fantastic regular season performances just a step below Harden, Curry, Westbrook level numbers, has probably more clutch moments than any other guard in the league and carries his team beyond expectations every year.

If you go back to can he be a 1a scorer the answer is yes, hes just never gotten the luck and roster that someone like Dirk did to prove it and win a title. (Not that Lillard is Dirk level)

[bertarapsfan]

You hate to see it...

[chris]

Drafted the same year as Derozan and was hoping he was available at our spot. Derozan wasn't a bad consolation prize.

at least we aren't wolves fans!

[golden]

You hate to see it...

Yeah, you really do.

[Demographic Shift]

Are the Hinkies just scuffling till they find thier stride...... or are they more representative of their 7 and 5 record ?

The Chowders are on yet another improbable start similar to the one where they reeled of 14 in a row with more smoke and mirrors than a Vegas magic act. They pulled one out against a rather decidedly crappy Warriors last night to go 10 straight. Buying or selling crustacean stock ?

Is the East as wide open as it looks to be right now or do you hold your water and see what things look like at Christmas ?

[S.R.]

Are the Hinkies just scuffling till they find thier stride...... or are they more representative of their 7 and 5 record ?

The Chowders are on yet another improbable start similar to the one where they reeled of 14 in a row with more smoke and mirrors than a Vegas magic act. They pulled one out against a rather decidedly crappy Warriors last night to go 10 straight. Buying or selling crustacean stock ?

Is the East as wide open as it looks to be right now or do you hold your water and see what things look like at Christmas ?

I think it is as open as it looks.

The Raps are better than I would have hoped, that brings them up a notch.

The Sixers without Butler and Reddick are, predictably, struggling offensively. Too many gaps and too much overlap in size + skill sets.

Butler is, as predicted, a great addition to a scrappy Heat team who have taken a step forward.

In Boston, it seems just taking Kyrie Irving out of a locker room does wonders for team chemistry. This isn't that surprising and bodes well for the rest of the EC when Durant returns to Brooklyn next year. Boston's 10-1 record is inflated but last time they didn't have Kyrie they kept this up for a whole season and 3 playoff rounds so I wouldn't be too presumptuous about them falling back to earth (but I hope so).

If Indy had a full year of Oladipo, they'd be right in this too. I don't expect them to keep pace now but they will be in the playoffs.

And the Bucks don't have enough talent around Giannis now. Arguably they clearly didn't last year when the Raps won 4 in a row and Milwaukee responded to that by...losing one of their top 3 guys and some 3 pt shooting. That team is going to Sam Presti their way out of contention at this rate.

I'd say it's pretty wide open! A bit of the top couple teams being slightly worse than many predicted but also a lot of the teams behind them being better than most predicted.