2020 Playoffs Round 1 Game 3 Raptors at Nets Friday August 21st 1:30pm on SN

[Puffer]

Got a question. Raps were missing guys all season. What were the names MIA against the Celtics, if any? I don't recall.

And anyway, this Raptors team is a significant upgrade over the regular season team. Can't use the 2019/2020 regular season pre-bubble games as any kind of an indicator. It's a whole new ball game.

Raptors in 5.

[A.I]

Got a question. Raps were missing guys all season. What were the names MIA against the Celtics, if any? I don't recall.

And anyway, this Raptors team is a significant upgrade over the regular season team. Can't use the 2019/2020 regular season pre-bubble games as any kind of an indicator. It's a whole new ball game.

Raptors in 5.

Rondae missed the first game which we lost. Pascal, Norm and Gasol missed the second and third game which we split and then of course the bubble game which we got blown out in.

Celtics did not have any major players out in any of the games. Smart missed one game thats about it.

I'll be surprised if the Raptors win in 5, but it'll be a welcomed surprise.

[Rudy Bargnani]

RE Boston vs Toronto:

In their bubble game Theis, Wannamaker and Ojeleye short 6 for 11 from 3. Jaylen Brown shot 4-8 from 3. If that happens we lose. With Hayward out Boston has depth issues. You swarm Tatum on D and hope the math holds on their role players.

In my view the 3 point % for Theis tells you who wins the series.

[G__Deane]

The main reason I'm pretty confident we can take Boston is the main issue our offence faces is when Siakam is faced with length and we can't score inside. Boston just does not have the rim protection to stop Siakam getting better looks inside. The offence should be pretty solid against them.

Meanwhile, we have enough defenders to throw at their multiple creators, which most teams fall a bit short of. Without Hayward our bench scoring punch may be an advantage. And with Smart being one of their most effective defenders, he's too easy to cheat off on defence, and facing teams with players we can ignore is when the Raps defence really clicks.

I think Raps in 5 or 6. But let's see what develops between now and the beginning of that series.

I think 5 is optimistic but I'd sure take it

[inthepaint]

RE Boston vs Toronto:

In their bubble game Theis, Wannamaker and Ojeleye short 6 for 11 from 3. Jaylen Brown shot 4-8 from 3. If that happens we lose. With Hayward out Boston has depth issues. You swarm Tatum on D and hope the math holds on their role players.

In my view the 3 point % for Theis tells you who wins the series.

This makes sense. The two teams are pretty close pound for pound overall, so what might tilt the series could very well be one role/bench player getting hot and bringing it home. I take our bench over theirs any day.

[MixxAOR]

In the usual situation with homecourt advantage I would take Raps over Boston but with bubble I'm afraid

[G__Deane]

In the usual situation with homecourt advantage I would take Raps over Boston but with bubble I'm afraid

I don't see any way this isn't a long series. Let's take game 1 and certainly not get blown out plz

[A.I]

In the usual situation with homecourt advantage I would take Raps over Boston but with bubble I'm afraid

You could make the argument the Raptors will be better in the bubble because they are the better road team. Tied for the best record on the road. Of course its a neutral site, but it isn't at home.

[golden]

Other than Kanter, the Celtics bench looks pretty thin. Nurse should consider starting Serge vs. the smaller, quicker Theis and having Gasol come off the bench to guard Kanter, who is a gifted post-scorer and very good offensive rebounder.

[planetmars]

Other than Kanter, the Celtics bench looks pretty thin. Nurse should consider starting Serge vs. the smaller, quicker Theis and having Gasol come off the bench to guard Kanter, who is a gifted post-scorer and very good offensive rebounder.

That will probably be the adjustment if we lose a game. I think Marc starts game 1 though.

[DanH]

Other than Kanter, the Celtics bench looks pretty thin. Nurse should consider starting Serge vs. the smaller, quicker Theis and having Gasol come off the bench to guard Kanter, who is a gifted post-scorer and very good offensive rebounder.

Probably better to just have an early sub for Serge so we can still play Marc with the starters, we want that defensive backbone against their starting group’s scoring. But you are right, we might need to hide Serge from Kanter, like we had to hide him against Monroe a couple seasons ago vs Milwaukee in the first round. Might just end up having to play Marc more than his comfortable 28 minutes in this series.

[planetmars]

Another option that would really work is Siakam at the 5. Siakam, OG, Norm, Fred, Kyle.

[DanH]

Another option that would really work is Siakam at the 5. Siakam, OG, Norm, Fred, Kyle.

Gets a little tougher to fill out the rest of the rotation if you start with that though. More likely a closing look if Gasol has to play the early 4th against Kanter and needs a break.

[G__Deane]

Probably better to just have an early sub for Serge so we can still play Marc with the starters, we want that defensive backbone against their starting group’s scoring. But you are right, we might need to hide Serge from Kanter, like we had to hide him against Monroe a couple seasons ago vs Milwaukee in the first round. Might just end up having to play Marc more than his comfortable 28 minutes in this series.

I don't think that's exactly what he was saying

[golden]

Probably better to just have an early sub for Serge so we can still play Marc with the starters, we want that defensive backbone against their starting group’s scoring. But you are right, we might need to hide Serge from Kanter, like we had to hide him against Monroe a couple seasons ago vs Milwaukee in the first round. Might just end up having to play Marc more than his comfortable 28 minutes in this series.

It's also about hiding Marc from quicker centers and because he's playing like doo-doo.