GAME 5: Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics 09/07/20 6:30 PM ET TSN

[Scraptor]

Same team with no Kawhi unfortunately. Lots of second/third option and high quality players, no real #1 option.

Pascal playing like a role player is a major problem. We might 04 Pistons it if he plays like a second option. But we don't have a hope if Kyle has to drag us every night, like Matt/Jack talked about.

Also it is hard to keep trying to come from behind after every first quarter hole. I love Marc but the tone for the game is just absolute shit with him vs the Celtics. He has to be a specialist at this stage in his career, used to defend guys like Embiid.

[inthepaint]

I don't like Fred's usage creeping up. For the playoffs, he's now #1 for mpg, #1 ppg, #2 fga. Sorry but if your team is Fred VanVleet as your 1A guy, a second round exit sounds about right.

I don't like either, but when Pascal is a no show, and Kyle is having an off night, that's who we're gonna get, along with the occasional OG 3 & dunk. You certainly won't get anything from Gasol offensively as he rarely looks at the basket and actively shrinks the floor for everyone else as the defence ignores him, play his passing lane, and crowd our other guys. Serge & Norm are good boost scorers, as is Matt Thomas, but those guys don't see the court till mid to late first-quarter, and by then the damage is often already done.

If this team wants to go anywhere they need WAY better first quarters. If there's one knock on Nurse is that. I don't know if it's supposed to be him or another coaching staff, but someone needs to get these guys fired up pre-game. We don't have the home crowd firing them up anymore, so it's even more imperative these guys do something mentally before they start the game. Shouldn't require a loss on the prior game to get them going.

Shitty first quarters happen way too often with this team, going back to Nets series and even the regular season. They're a resilient bunch, but sometimes the hole you dig early is too big. Need to come in hot, establish a lead, and play with the lead.

[S.R.]

Nah more Fred is part of the problem, not a solution. He's dominating the offence more than he should be.

Guy's shooting 38% from 2. He's dominating the ball and jacking shots. It's not helping.

[inthepaint]

Raptors in 7.

That's what I called before game 1. I still believe it, and hopefully it will come to pass.

[The Great One]

Nah more Fred is part of the problem, not a solution. He's dominating the offence more than he should be.

Guy's shooting 38% from 2. He's dominating the ball and jacking shots. It's not helping.

They don't have a choice. He and Lowry are best options they have.

[The Claw Reborn]

Nah more Fred is part of the problem, not a solution. He's dominating the offence more than he should be.

Guy's shooting 38% from 2. He's dominating the ball and jacking shots. It's not helping.

When we had Kawhi last season, I was the first one to say “crap” on Nurse and Van Vleet why the usage.?

Having no Kawhi and a Siakam who is not prime yet to take the mantle and being hounded by an ultra defender like Jalen Brown, I would understand that Van Vleet should be the “pseudo” 1A. Kyle should be the guy but for 34 year old body who is playing 40+ minutes that is too much to ask. Gasol is close to retirement and OG has so much on his plate defensively.

So you are definitely on track, 2nd round is about right and beyond that as I said is a bonus.

Why a play to acquire a Lillard or a Beal this offseason to pair with Siakam and maintain that winning culture to entice a legitimate 1A in 2021 free agency should be the focus.

[MixxAOR]

Nah more Fred is part of the problem, not a solution. He's dominating the offence more than he should be.

Guy's shooting 38% from 2. He's dominating the ball and jacking shots. It's not helping.

Thing with Fred he'll waste half of shot clock doing nothing

[Sonny]

Siakam got called out by his coach tonight. Let's see how he responds on wednesday.

[slaw]

Nah more Fred is part of the problem, not a solution. He's dominating the offence more than he should be.

Guy's shooting 38% from 2. He's dominating the ball and jacking shots. It's not helping.

Just far too predictable offensively. No ball movement, guys standing around watching pick and rolls that don’t create any advantage. Celtics have them figured out.

All I think you can do at this stage is give the ball to Lowry more, try and keep backing up the offence to create space and hope some threes start going down and Pascal has a big game. We talked a lot on here about Nurse saving offensive sets for the playoffs but it is clear now that this is the offence. I am completely baffled why we haven’t seen Lowry-Siakam in a two-man game but what do I know.

[S.R.]

As a point of reference, Fred is putting up 19 FGA over the past 4 games. DeMar averaged more attempts than that ONCE in Toronto, when he had 20. Fred is putting up DeMar-level shots. Only when DeMar put up 20 he was a 3x All-Star and scored 27 ppg that year. That's the usage Fred is getting right now to score 19.

19.8 pts on 19.3 fga these past few games. FWIW nearly everyone else in the rotation is scoring more efficiently than that but Fred is now taking the most shots.

[S.R.]

There is the possibility that this really isn't anybody's fault, this is just the ceiling of this team and Boston is better. They're grasping at straws.

Still a chance, just have to win 2 in a row again. Disappointing it's gotten ugly again, felt like they may have started to turn a corner before this one.

[MixxAOR]

There is the possibility that this really isn't anybody's fault, this is just the ceiling of this team and Boston is better. They're grasping at straws.

Still a chance, just have to win 2 in a row again. Disappointing it's gotten ugly again, felt like they may have started to turn a corner before this one.

I feel like we are not underachieving in this battle. So we can be disappointed but this is not upset.

[Scraptor]

Thing with Fred he'll waste half of shot clock doing nothing

So much pounding the rock.

I don't think he is quick enough to take all his matchups off the dribble, so he ends up trying to figure out what to do for 10 seconds.

It feels like he is best when he gets the ball in secondary action. Either catch and shoot the three or fake and drive for either a layup or dish.

[MixxAOR]

So much pounding the rock.

I don't think he is quick enough to take all his matchups off the dribble, so he ends up trying to figure out what to do for 10 seconds.

It feels like he is best when he gets the ball in secondary action. Either catch and shoot the three or fake and drive for either a layup or dish.

When Fred spots up he's at his best.

[golden]

Just far too predictable offensively. No ball movement, guys standing around watching pick and rolls that don’t create any advantage. Celtics have them figured out.

All I think you can do at this stage is give the ball to Lowry more, try and keep backing up the offence to create space and hope some threes start going down and Pascal has a big game. We talked a lot on here about Nurse saving offensive sets for the playoffs but it is clear now that this is the offence. I am completely baffled why we haven’t seen Lowry-Siakam in a two-man game but what do I know.

According to Nurse, he rarely calls any plays. If we’re not seeing plays specifically designed to get Pascal going, it’s because Lowry and FVV are calling the sets on the fly.