Game #5: Toronto Raptors 125 - Detroit Pistons 113

[RandomGuy]

Stomp them (Dwane), please, need a franchise record blowout victory... Always saw him as a two faced sleazebag even when he was with the Raptors (Fire Dwane Casey was my favorite thread).

[LJ2]

He hasn't played yet this season. Reggie Jackson also missed their last two games

Haven't watched many of their games but it seems like D. Rose is their only threat to score the ball. Kennard is having a good season and Drummond does Dummond things. I'm sure Casey will have Morris playing physical against Siakam to throw him off his game. Overall Raptors should have too much fire power and balance for the Pistons to handle.

[golden]

I suppose I'd be dubbed a Casey defender around here, though, I always had mixed feelings about him. I thought he got way too much credit early on and way too much blame towards the end. Ultimately, his playoff failures doomed him in Toronto, albeit likely later than they would have other coaches (he probably should have been fired after the WSH sweep).

He's definitely bitter and most people would be after getting replaced and watching the new guy win it all. I think it's also clear from a lot of his comments, snide and otherwise, that he feels betrayed by Nurse and maybe even Ujiri. Look, Casey was a company man and he likely feels Toronto owed him more in the end but, sadly, that's not the way the world works no matter how entitled he may feel to some special considerations.

When Casey retires and is sitting back in his rocking chair, he will crack a big smile and realize that Masai firing him in his COY season is one of the luckiest things that ever happened to him. Casey made out like a bandit with that 5 year deal he got from the Pistons.... a kings ransom to go along with really low expectations.

Actually, Masai getting hired by the Raptors was the luckiest thing that ever happened to Casey.... period. MU could have fired him the minute he arrived here. And so many other times along the way.

[planetmars]

Wonder who Masai would have replaced Casey with if he chose his coach in his first year? I remember names like Hoiberg and Smart being thrown around. Hoiberg was brutal with Chicago, and Smart doesn't have that cache around him like he used to.

Ultimately sticking with Casey was probably the right call. Gave the Raptors stability.. something they sorely lacked for the first 20 years in their history. In the end we won a chip.. and maybe we don't if Casey was replaced by someone Lowry couldn't get along with.

[RaptorsVictim]

The best thing I like about Nurse is that he is not stubborn. Casey was a stubborn coach, he tried the same things many times and it failed.

[RaptorsVictim]

Wonder who Masai would have replaced Casey with if he chose his coach in his first year? I remember names like Hoiberg and Smart being thrown around. Hoiberg was brutal with Chicago, and Smart doesn't have that cache around him like he used to.

Ultimately sticking with Casey was probably the right call. Gave the Raptors stability.. something they sorely lacked for the first 20 years in their history. In the end we won a chip.. and maybe we don't if Casey was replaced by someone Lowry couldn't get along with.

Sometimes, the best change is no change.

[The Great One]

[slaw]

I'm not sure who is more bitter about Casey's firing: Casey or Doug Smith.....

[RandomGuy]

I'm not sure who is more bitter about Casey's firing: Casey or Doug Smith.....

They probably had a chance to know each other so it's all subjective/personal tribute to his buddy.

[nubreed000]

I'm not sure who is more bitter about Casey's firing: Casey or Doug Smith.....

It wasn't as important as these people make it out to me. Give me an effing break. Are they going to start a petition to get this guy, who couldn't draw up a play to save his life, a statue/ring? Was Mark Jackson instrumental to the Warriors eventually winning a championship a year after he was canned too??

[Jclaw]

I wonder if Stanley will get much run against his old team. My guess is yes but my guess the other day was that he may be far down the bench. I don't think he saw any time against Orlando. And, FWIW, not sure if he's part of the team yet. Any time you see a great Raptor play and they then scan the bench for reactions, it seems more often than not that he is the one person not smiling or cheering. Doesn't make him bad but you'd like to see the support.

[bertarapsfan]

I wonder if Stanley will get much run against his old team. My guess is yes but my guess the other day was that he may be far down the bench. I don't think he saw any time against Orlando. And, FWIW, not sure if he's part of the team yet. Any time you see a great Raptor play and they then scan the bench for reactions, it seems more often than not that he is the one person not smiling or cheering. Doesn't make him bad but you'd like to see the support.

I noticed that too. He looks miserable on the bench. I'm thinking he came into camp thinking he was a shoe in for the rotation and even had a chance at starting. Think he got hit like a ton of bricks when he showed up and Nicks expectation were sky high. I hope that he take this the right way and puts his nose to the grindstone and not go the opposite. He's has a P.O for only 3.5 Mil nest year so he should be motivated to try and get minutes and increase his value.

[Hotshot]

I noticed that too. He looks miserable on the bench. I'm thinking he came into camp thinking he was a shoe in for the rotation and even had a chance at starting. Think he got hit like a ton of bricks when he showed up and Nicks expectation were sky high. I hope that he take this the right way and puts his nose to the grindstone and not go the opposite. He's has a P.O for only 3.5 Mil nest year so he should be motivated to try and get minutes and increase his value.

SJ should swallow his pride & ask to play a few games in the 905 to work on some things. It's his chance to resurrect his career with the Raptors & if not he could end up in China.

It still feels like Dwayne Casey holds a grudge & will treat this game like game 7 in the finals.

[Demographic Shift]

Pistons come in doing one thing well that we don't. Which is rebound. Other than that .. the Pistons are not world beaters in any other facet of the game. The Raps should come out on top of this one.

Head to Head

Derrick Rose despite the well wishes isn't the answer at PG. Neither is Reggie Jackson who is hurt. The Raps with Kyle and Freddy handle Derrick tonight.

I just don't see anyone on the Pistons roster who can stay wlth Siakam. He could go for 30 again tonight and have Markeiff Morris foul out in the process.

On the wing we sport OG and the Pistons counter with Tony Snell.. Have to like your odds on that matchup.

At the SG the raps will have to pay attention o Luke Kennard... Norm we need you tonight.

Drummond will get his rebounds tonight but Marc should be able to limit him to <15 points. t

No Blake hurts the Pistons a lot.... No Reggie might actually help them.

Regardless.. Raps post another profession win at home and hold the Pistons to less than a 100.

[bertarapsfan]

SJ should swallow his pride & ask to play a few games in the 905 to work on some things. It's his chance to resurrect his career with the Raptors & if not he could end up in China.

It still feels like Dwayne Casey holds a grudge & will treat this game like game 7 in the finals.

I think 905 is out of the question for a guy in his 5th year. I wouldn't expect him to go down to the G-League at this point. He's going to have to earn playing time going hard in practice and playing good defense when he gets a chance in garbage time.