Jason Goff. "Raptors will take a step back". Aug 12,2014

[Joey]

NBA sked out tomorrow at 6 ET. Raptors schedule will be interesting, with world junior tourney forcing Raptors and Leafs to road for weeks

— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) August 12, 2014

Week long road trips? Definitely gonna take a step back

Just means we get alot of our road games out of the way in one trip. Longer home stands as well I guess?

[iblastoff]

Just means we get alot of our road games out of the way in one trip. Longer home stands as well I guess?

not sure if thats actually better though. then again we did play better on the road last year for a good chunk of the season than we did at home.

[bryan colangelo]

I number of things broke well for us last year — guys had career seasons, and we suffered no serious injuries, particularly to Lowry and DeRozan — which is pretty damn lucky, considering how much contact they absorb.

On the other hand, we lost ground during the first third of the season, before the Rudy Gay trade.

To me, it's a wash. I expect their record to be pretty much the same. The team will play better as a motivated unit but we'll have our slumps, lose a guy here and there for a few weeks.

[enlightenment]

I think the guys are hungry, I don't see either Lowry or Derozan, who had career years, taking their respective feet off the pedal.

[mcHAPPY]

I think the guys are hungry, I don't see either Lowry or Derozan, who had career years, taking their respective feet off the pedal.

Especially considering both are playing for another contract.

Especially Lowry. He said he got what he wanted with the 4th year player option. If he goes back to old ways everything Masai told him last summer will no longer be whispered it will be fact.

So what some might say, sure he is getting $36 or $48M. True but you know what is better than $36-48m? Another $36-48m.....or more.

[Uncle_Si]

Especially considering both are playing for another contract.

Especially Lowry. He said he got what he wanted with the 4th year player option. If he goes back to old ways everything Masai told him last summer will no longer be whispered it will be fact.

So what some might say, sure he is getting $36 or $48M. True but you know what is better than $36-48m? Another $36-48m.....or more.

Not to mention, if you take Lowry at his word, he cares about having a team to call his own, to be the leader of. If he doesn't show up to lead like he did last year KLOW be out da dOe b4 ya kno.

Masai has no trouble singing big money contracts and flipping them in the first year (see nene)

[godkingleonidas]

every team is going to make adjustments. between seasons. between games. between quarters. it's important that the front office has achievable goals for sustainable, long-term sucess. i don't mind a step back, so long as it means 3 steps forward.

[psrs1]

Hey Jason Goff---guess you were wrong....

[S.R.]

Really interesting to look back at our preseason predictions, hey. Pretty spot on, a lot of them - just didn't account for the massive emo roller coaster ride

[ezz_bee]

It's hard to say we took a step back, but we definitely didn't take a step forward. Overall we're about the same. Big steps forward, massive steps back (partly due to injury, it could be argued).

[psrs1]

It's hard to say we took a step back, but we definitely didn't take a step forward. Overall we're about the same. Big steps forward, massive steps back (partly due to injury, it could be argued).

I agree we are about the same. I tire of this so called media experts making statements as if they know more than most posters on this site---it simply isn't so.

[ezz_bee]

I agree we are about the same. I tire of this so called media experts making statements as if they know more than most posters on this site---it simply isn't so.

Fair enough, I'm not really bothered by it though, I read/watch/listen to the people who I think know what they are talking about (or have the guests who know what they are talking about) or are funny.

A lot of media people just have to keep churning out content, or the newest buzz word "hot takes" the more topics you cover the less time you can devote to primary research. So much of what media people say is regurgitation of what other media people have said (because they don't have the time/are too lazy do do primary research). Not having anything new to say has never stopped media people from churning stuff out. And unfortunately churning stuff out is more important that churning out something that is actually worthwhile.