Everthing Championship Season Preseason

[LJ2]

Lowry's role this coming season reminds me a lot of D. Wade's role with the Heat for the last few. He's going to be the veteran player that the young guys look towards for guidance and they will rally around Lowry to be competitive as long as he is. We won't fold, but we will be outmatched against the top dogs. I think I had the Raptors pegged for around 6th seed, but I can see us as high as 4th.

[Quirk]

Raptors will play their first playoff game next year at home. No doubt unless there is a major injury or trade.

[planetmars]

Looking at the schedule for the first time.. we play the Lakers/Clippers B2B.. lol

Doing an early Western road trip.. could be good or bad.

The end of the season schedule looks really soft (last 6 teams could all be in the lottery).. so could really do some playoff seeding/juggling then. Sit a few guys out like Lowry/Gasol to get ready for the playoffs or play them all if we're hunting home court in the first round.

Get to see Kawhi in Toronto in December.. wonder if he shows up for his ring. Hope he does.

[G__Deane]

Looking at the schedule for the first time.. we play the Lakers/Clippers B2B.. lol

Doing an early Western road trip.. could be good or bad.

The end of the season schedule looks really soft (last 6 teams could all be in the lottery).. so could really do some playoff seeding/juggling then. Sit a few guys out like Lowry/Gasol to get ready for the playoffs or play them all if we're hunting home court in the first round.

Get to see Kawhi in Toronto in December.. wonder if he shows up for his ring. Hope he does.

I think he does or it will be the whole "disrespecting Toronto not saying goodbye" thing all over again.
There will be 95% cheering (plus multiple articles on Sportsnet with quotes from Kyle reminding us that we should cheer ) and I think he looks forward to that

[DanH]

Looking at the schedule for the first time.. we play the Lakers/Clippers B2B.. lol

Doing an early Western road trip.. could be good or bad.

The end of the season schedule looks really soft (last 6 teams could all be in the lottery).. so could really do some playoff seeding/juggling then. Sit a few guys out like Lowry/Gasol to get ready for the playoffs or play them all if we're hunting home court in the first round.

Get to see Kawhi in Toronto in December.. wonder if he shows up for his ring. Hope he does.

Lakers/Clippers back to back on the road is a really good way to use up a back to back. No travel, which has been shown to be a huge contributor to the effects of back to backs.

[The Great One]

[G__Deane]

I highly prefer Giannis refreshing attitude of never teaching the opposition what you're working on but that's just me.

[inthepaint]

Looks like the Demar we all know and love: great handle, deadly smooth midrange jumper, then on the other end lets Norm calmly pull up a 3 in front of him.

[golden]

DeMar is the guy who set the example of working your ass off in the summer and introduced the young Raptors into the elite Southern California basketball training scene (Drew League, UCLA runs,....). Those serious work habits are a big part of why Masai is able to find non-lottery talent and turn them into hidden gems. Fred, Pascal and Norm are carrying that torch and have already passed it on to the guys who came after them. That's the definition of a successful culture... the type of DNA that you want in your franchise.