Game #6 Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors. Monday, January 4, 2021, 7:30 PM, Sportsnet

[GOLDBLUM]

Well...
Much to our chagrin...
Our Raps have dug themselves a pretty good hole to start the season.



Only one thing to be done, only one thing they can control...

And that's to dig themselves out.

And what better way to do that than by facing our demons.




That's right, we're going right on back to where it all began.
To where it all ended.
To those fugly leprechauns.

It's easy to forget we went 7-1 in round-robin play this summer, dominating the league in the homestretch of the truncated regular (though entirely fuckin irregular) season, before easily sweeping the Nets. Our only aforementioned loss over that span, as we tuned-up for what we hoped would be a return to the dance, was to our much-loathed nemeses, the Bos-turds. ... And of course, in the second round, it was they who would ultimately, unceremoniously dispatch us, ending our season, late in the fourth quarter of the seventh game of a hard-fought, back and forth series.

That exit certainly dampened our Champion's mirth and likely gave way to some of the ensuing personnel changes over the offseason.

And now, early in this unusual 2021 campaign, our Raptors find themselves in the midst of an identity crisis. Nobody, not even Dennis Scott, could've predicted we'd start the season going a disappointing 1-4.

Pascal said it after yesterday's game, "We're a winning team, and losing is unacceptable."

He'd also previously spoke of the need to find that joy once again, which he's evidently yet to accomplish.

That absence seemingly started a little earlier for him, but I think that's true for this team on the whole.

We need to rediscover that joy.

So...

Let it begin where it was ultimately lost.
Let it begin against those who took it.

Let's have some pride. Let's destroy these clovers.
And may our squad earn the right to take some pleasure in doing so.

Raptors are, and have always been, about the love.

Let's bring it on back.



GO RAPS!!!!!!

[MixxAOR]

“I think in general we want to continue to give him as many reps as possible in a lot of different scenarios,” Nurse said. “So, I guess his teammates are going to have to be accepting of that. We're going to probably be more high volume on purpose with him than maybe we would [be] if we were just letting the game flow out or playing to the rhythm of the game or playing to matchups or whatever. So, I just think we need to continue to polish his reps at bringing it up, facing double-teams in the post, certain scoring plays, situations, things like that.”

Positive optimistic hat on

I couldn't find exact article but I remember Nurse saying he wanted to challenge Pascal in different ways and put him in uncomfortable situations so he's ready and I think he said something along the lines of "If we have to sacrifice games so be it".

So we know that in playoffs lane will be closed and paint will be packed. We need Siakam to be threat from outside. We need him to be a playmaker. Obviously it's been rough. Really rough. Development is rarely linear. It's like arms race. You have new offensive move. Defense takes it away. Now you are back at the drawing board and trying to beat new defense. His outside shot needs to get to the point where defense has to respect it. Lanes will open up and now he will be able to attack it. He needs to learn to recognize the double teams. This will take time. Most importantly it'll take losses. We all want development and wins but I think last year skewed our expectations of Siakam and now we need to accept that development must come before the wins will.

Here I hope Siakam will find the balance between trying to expand his game and doing what made him successful in the past.

[JawsGT]

Finally a goldblum game thread...winning streak to follow. Go Raps!,

[G__Deane]

I was wondering if any game thread starter would survive to make 2 in a row. Now is as good a time as any.
Maybe Masai needs to fly in Jacob Poeltl for a weekend to help Pascal find his joy again?

Beating the Celtics would almost make this pizz poor start worthwhile....almost

[Truth Teller]

Our lineups are kinda janky. Undersized guards with a slow center. Siakam doesn't want to draw contact for some easy points.

Remember the Ibaka vs Gasol debate? I wish we had 1 of them now. Baynes is a good sub, not a starter for any team that wants to have a deep run.

On the bright side, draft is suppose to be deep...

[golden]

I was wondering if any game thread starter would survive to make 2 in a row. Now is as good a time as any.
Maybe Masai needs to fly in Jacob Poeltl for a weekend to help Pascal find his joy again?

Beating the Celtics would almost make this pizz poor start worthwhile....almost

But the Yak & Skillz reunion almost surely happened already when we played the Spurs. The following game was the now legendary meltdown. We’re running out of excuses & fixes now.

[G__Deane]

But the Yak & Skillz reunion almost surely happened already when we played the Spurs. The following game was the now legendary meltdown. We’re running out of excuses & fixes now.

No, they need spooning time over a weekend, not just seeing each other at the court ....

[Jclaw]

I'll keep it simple.....Go Raps!

[G__Deane]

Boston edged Detroit so they'll be coming in fat and satisfied on the b2b....I hope
Nets dropped a close one to Washington, looks good

[007]

Fuck Boston. That is all

[Yuri Gagarin]

Great game thread goldblum! 👍🏻

Yup fuck boston. Good time to get back on track. Lets see Raptor ball again!

[G__Deane]

I don't sense any great anticipation on GAME DAY!

[RandomGuy]

Boston is fine, fuck Brooklyn!

We will go for another 50+ three-pointer attempts without our best shooters on the floor, not sure if I want to watch that.

[The Great One]

Key matchup tonight: Brown vs Siakam. The Celtics played last night so they should be tired. And the last couple of years RR told me Siakam is the superior player. So advantage Siakam. Right?

[RandomGuy]

This Joy thing is plain stupid as well, Siakam is getting paid $125000 per day, grow the f up and earn your money, dude makes one person's life salary in a month and complains about the loss of joy, acts like he's Lebron in his prime with one ASG in his resume.