Game #4 New York Knicks @ Toronto Bay Raptors. 7:00 PM Tampa Bay, Florida. 7:30 PM Sportsnet

[inthepaint]

A 3-way Raps/Rockets/Nuggets trade would not surprise me.

To Raps: Harden, Tucker McLemore
To Nuggets: Pascal, TD, McCaw
To Rockets: MPJ, Powell, Harris, Barton, 2 1sts and 2 2nd round picks (from each of Raps & Nuggets)

It all works out perfectly, salary-wise.

Rockets covet MPJ, but Nuggets don’t want or need another one-dimensional ball dominant scorer in Harden.

Interesting that the Nuggets won’t play MPJ next 3 games for “COVID protocol” reasons. And we sat Pascal out for the equivalent of jaywalking across from your own house. Also notice that we’re not playing Flynn, so he’s probably in the trade talks too, but I don’t want to include him. Or maybe we’re trying to hide him, lol.

Pascal is a perfect fit for Denver after they lost Jerami Grant. Jokic/Murray/Pascal is a legit championship core for years.

That's actually pretty balanced. Looks like a win-win-win for the 3 teams given Houston's back is against the wall.

[inthepaint]

Fred gets bogged down trying to iso guys as well, and he not a great pick and roll passer. Lowry is notable the better passer and tends to get guys going better.

In fairness to Fred though, Lowry is a pretty high bar. Once Lowry establishes chemistry with a big, he will thread the needle and find pocket passes in the tiniest of spaces, flawless hit trailers in transition, screen opposing guards/bigs to create more space for teammates, facilitate team rebounding by boxing out at precisaly the right time. Lowry cordinates weak-side wing position off-ball, while keeping one eye there and one eye on the strong side. If anyone finds themselves open through off-ball actions, he'll immediately find them. Lowry has seen tons of defensive looks in his career.

Fred doesn't do that, not just because he's not as experienced as Lowry but because he's mostly looking at the basket and the defender in front of him, and maybe a wing (usually Pascal). Fred is a classic shooting guard that will punish you if you leave him open, will break your ankles with killer crossovers if you're napping, and is a relentless defender, but he's not going to initiate a strain on the opposing defence for his teammates. And that's ok. I just wish Nurse saw that and put another point guard with him (Flynn), when Lowry is sitting so our half-court offence doesn't deteriorate into Pascal static isos and shots from the logo at the end of the clock.

[golden]

I have a strong gut feeling that It’s just a matter of time for the big trade to happen.

A 3-way Raps/Rockets/Nuggets trade would not surprise me.

To Raps: Harden, Tucker McLemore
To Nuggets: Pascal, TD, McCaw
To Rockets: MPJ, Powell, Harris, Barton, 2 1sts and 2 2nd round picks (from each of Raps & Nuggets)

It all works out perfectly, salary-wise.

Rockets covet MPJ, but Nuggets don’t want or need another one-dimensional ball dominant scorer in Harden.

Interesting that the Nuggets won’t play MPJ next 3 games for “COVID protocol” reasons. And we sat Pascal out for the equivalent of jaywalking across from your own house. Also notice that we’re not playing Flynn, so he’s probably in the trade talks too, but I don’t want to include him. Or maybe we’re trying to hide him, lol.

Pascal is a perfect fit for Denver after they lost Jerami Grant. Jokic/Murray/Pascal is a legit championship core for years.

[saints91]

Fred gets bogged down trying to iso guys as well, and he not a great pick and roll passer. Lowry is notable the better passer and tends to get guys going better.

[inthepaint]

Where does the idea Fred cant run an offense come from? Like what mistakes does he make that Im missing? He has some limitations as an undersized guard but him and Lowry are the ones keeping the offense afloat. Fred was serving guys up if they could ever hit a shot. I get we are going to measure Fred against Lowry, but there is a reason Lowry gets 10 mill more a year - hes exceptional. These lineups offer limited secondary creation, poor spacing and meh player movement.

I cant really get upset cause save for Norm and Siakam you cant really expect much more from many of these guys. We are playing a lot of fringe rotation guys and getting about what youd expect. Hopefully OG can keep developing, and Pascal gets out of his funk - like it or not hes got to be the centerpiece. Wont be a pretty year but we should still should grind together a respectable record.

Fred struggles running a 1-5 pick and roll, which is the starting point of many half court sets. He uses a lot of clock to find space, has a hard time finding the big, due to a combination of limited court vision (tunnel vision to get to the rim himself), limited explosiveness and limited length. This is particularly magnified in teams that have lengthy defenders as guards.

He also has no floater/midrange, which a point guard needs when you're in that dead zone where the defending big dropped on the pnr but you're already inside the arc. When you watch Mike Conly or Chris Paul (or even Flynn) you can see how important that floater is for a classic point guard. When Fred gets caught there he either dribbles back to 3pt line, clanks the midrange, or passes to a wing with a short clock to work with.

He's an excellent player in my book though, great shooter and great defender, just not a good point guard.

[The Claw Reborn]

I have a strong gut feeling that It’s just a matter of time for the big trade to happen.

[The Great One]

Just saw a crazy stat today. RJ Barrett is 0/21 from 3 in his last 4 games. 0/21.

He's not a good shooter. So my question is, why keep shooting 3's? where's the common sense?

[golden]

Ya tell a kid from the Humble begging in Cameroon to turn down generational wealth...

With generational wealth comes generational expectations, is all I’m saying. Rise to the challenge and earn it, or lose the respect of peers and fans and deal with the fallout.

Btw, I think Pascal was middle class.

[The Great One]

He is a good player, may not ever end up as a good #1 option, but he has proven to be a solid #2 option and there is nothing wrong with that. He just got put in a tough spot after Kawhi left where it fell on him to become the #1 option.

Proven #2 option? can we be honest here. He was a no show in the Sixers series. Kawhi Leonard singlehandedly CARRIED the Raptors in that series.

In the Milwaukee series, Kawhi got a lot more help. Lowry, FVV and Gasol hit a bunch of big shots in that series. Siakam? remember when he missed 2 freethrows to ice the game in Game 3? speaking of G3, that was the turning point of the Raptors season. Lowry fouled out early in the 4th, the game went to double OT and Kawhi once again pulled a Houdini and found a way to win that game.

As for the Warriors series. Siakam was tremendous in G1. But again, we need to be honest here. If KD was healthy we would've lost that series - probably in 5 games. Hell, If Klay Thompson did not get injured in G6, that series probably would've went 7. I'll take the chip but the Raptors were lucky as hell.

Another thing, KYLE LOWRY was the Raptors second best player that year not Siakam. I don't care what anyone say.

Btw, If you swap Siakam for Paul George right now, do you the Clippers would surpass the Lakers as the fav to win the title? he's a proven #2 right? I think they would get worse. PG is so much better than Siakam.

[A.I]

The more i think about pascal situation i wonder if it has to do with expectations. Dude has always been the surprise underdog.
His brother played basketball, and wanted to play D1 and eventually NBA. He liked soccer never really dreamed about making the league. He makes it.
Guy just go to a mid major in New mexico probabaly doesnt think his chances of getting drafted are high. He gets drafted to a winning organization.
Come in maybe just get some minutes in the G league. Sullinger gets injured now hes starting opening day.
Kawhi comes to town its his team just has to run the floor are hustle. He becomes MIP and has huge finals performance.
Kawhi leaves whatever expectations low for the next year. He comes out ball out and makes the All star game as a starter.
Now here comes the expectations he hasn't really had, used to playing without pressure. Now its all pressure
Then the bubble comes around the success of the team is firmly on his shoulders he starts trying to do to much, force his game, play outside his strengths. That attitude carries over to this year.
How he handles the 1st half of this season may determine where the rest of his career is going to end up

He is a good player, may not ever end up as a good #1 option, but he has proven to be a solid #2 option and there is nothing wrong with that. He just got put in a tough spot after Kawhi left where it fell on him to become the #1 option.

[bertarapsfan]

If you can’t handle the expectations, then take less money. Simple as that. And it really helps the team put talent around you. That used to be the Spurs way. Fans and media would cut him a ton of slack if he did that.

Ya tell a kid from the Humble begging in Cameroon to turn down generational wealth...

[golden]

The more i think about pascal situation i wonder if it has to do with expectations. Dude has always been the surprise underdog.
His brother played basketball, and wanted to play D1 and eventually NBA. He liked soccer never really dreamed about making the league. He makes it.
Guy just go to a mid major in New mexico probabaly doesnt think his chances of getting drafted are high. He gets drafted to a winning organization.
Come in maybe just get some minutes in the G league. Sullinger gets injured now hes starting opening day.
Kawhi comes to town its his team just has to run the floor are hustle. He becomes MIP and has huge finals performance.
Kawhi leaves whatever expectations low for the next year. He comes out ball out and makes the All star game as a starter.
Now here comes the expectations he hasn't really had, used to playing without pressure. Now its all pressure
Then the bubble comes around the success of the team is firmly on his shoulders he starts trying to do to much, force his game, play outside his strengths. That attitude carries over to this year.
How he handles the 1st half of this season may determine where the rest of his career is going to end up

If you can’t handle the expectations, then take less money. Simple as that. And it really helps the team put talent around you. That used to be the Spurs way. Fans and media would cut him a ton of slack if he did that.

[bertarapsfan]

I think its more of he is struggling, struggled in the bubble and the public clowning him.

The more i think about pascal situation i wonder if it has to do with expectations. Dude has always been the surprise underdog.
His brother played basketball, and wanted to play D1 and eventually NBA. He liked soccer never really dreamed about making the league. He makes it.
Guy just go to a mid major in New mexico probabaly doesnt think his chances of getting drafted are high. He gets drafted to a winning organization.
Come in maybe just get some minutes in the G league. Sullinger gets injured now hes starting opening day.
Kawhi comes to town its his team just has to run the floor are hustle. He becomes MIP and has huge finals performance.
Kawhi leaves whatever expectations low for the next year. He comes out ball out and makes the All star game as a starter.
Now here comes the expectations he hasn't really had, used to playing without pressure. Now its all pressure
Then the bubble comes around the success of the team is firmly on his shoulders he starts trying to do to much, force his game, play outside his strengths. That attitude carries over to this year.
How he handles the 1st half of this season may determine where the rest of his career is going to end up

[A.I]

I have to wonder if any of Pascal’s actions are flavoured by the fact that he is always mentioned in the Harden trade rumours and his gm has an itchy trigger finger. Just listened to the last Lowe Post all about Harden and they are still pretty high on the Raptors being a player

I think its more of he is struggling, struggled in the bubble and the public clowning him.

[Jclaw]

What was the benching all about?

I have to wonder if any of Pascal’s actions are flavoured by the fact that he is always mentioned in the Harden trade rumours and his gm has an itchy trigger finger. Just listened to the last Lowe Post all about Harden and they are still pretty high on the Raptors being a player