Game #13 Dallas Mavericks (6-6) @ Toronto Raptors (4-8) 7:30 TSN

[Demographic Shift]

I'm old enough to remember 2 days ago when people were pegging the Mavs as the first in a line of 6 properly tough games that were going to expose the Raptors. A nice double digit win later and the Mavs matchup has been completely reclassified as a bird course. I don't know how anyone handles that kind of whiplash without a chiro appointment, though maybe that's what it takes who knows.

This 6 game stretch of tough games? 4 of those 6 teams are .500 or worse. It's COVID basketball, it's a weird, shitty season for a lot of teams and individual players and that was always a strong argument for not overreacting to the Raptors' first handful of games.

Boucher is a fun early storyline. Stanley is a surprise. Norm can be better. TD hasn't even shown up yet. Siakam should continue to get better, looks like he's slowly figuring out how to play COVID ball out of a hotel room. OG's fitting into his role without trying to do too much. Fred's been solid. Lowry's Lowry.

Boucher's development is weird because a lot of it's just decision making and pace. How does a guy just decide in one offseason to make better decisions with the ball and could this guy please mentor Stanley and Norm.

For all intents and purposes Boucher began playing basketball when he was 18... He is now 28 I believe. He has been playing the game for 10 years. Most if not all of the guys he plays against have probably been playing it since they were 5. Chris has figured out the rhythm and pace of the game he has played for 10 years and how he can play in it with his skills.

Great for Chris ..

[planetmars]

We also swapped Nate for Finch. Finch is a big man coach that helped develop Jokic and then Zion last year. He might have helped in Boucher's development.

[The Great One]

If i;m the Mavs i'd call Masai right now and offer a package for Lowry. If they can't make it work then target Lowry in free agency. He should be their #1 priority.

[Yuri Gagarin]

I was thinking trading lowry incase he walks but changed my mind. Fug that! Hes the man, hes the glue, hes such a smart player. Keep him, tell him we want him and work on a fair deal. Goat raptor deserves it. He’ll be a coach one day

im a stanley fan now. I like defensive players to have SOME offense but really his man to man play is off the charts. Its the kind of intensity this team needs - its contagious.

speaking of intensity TD fouls are part of the package. Hope he improves on them but again this team has too many sleepwalkers TD, stanley, boucher are the players that get this team rolling back to old raptor basketball - intense, defensive, fast paced ball that benefit others pascal in particular

[Jclaw]

Lowry is still our best player. Did you see the Mavs get a 24 second violation on their first possession because Kristaps wasted 5-7 seconds trying to post up Kyle?

[golden]

Lowry is still our best player. Did you see the Mavs get a 24 second violation on their first possession because Kristaps wasted 5-7 seconds trying to post up Kyle?

Lowry is our best player. Chris Boucher is our second best player. Glass half-full or half-empty?

[golden]

We also swapped Nate for Finch. Finch is a big man coach that helped develop Jokic and then Zion last year. He might have helped in Boucher's development.

Yeah, Finch has done wonders for Baynes, Pascal and Len (who just got waived).

[S.R.]

I love Lowry and am up for the Toronto retirement feel good storyline but if there's a trade this year that gets a good return, then that's what they need to do for the future of the team. Lowry and Norm are the two most obvious trade pieces, then there's some filler.

If Lowry moves it will be for long term benefit. The short term gain is to just keep him.

That calculation only changes if there's some handshake deal for him to come back on a team friendly deal next year, but I have a hard time seeing that happen. He really celebrates teammates getting the bag and understands the business side and most likely makes the decision that's best for him, Raptors will need to do the same.

They've had 4 rotation players walk for nothing the last 2 offseasons and can't afford to keep doing that. Eventually it sets you back too much.