Game #36 Atlanta @ Toronto (Tampa) - Thursday March 11, 7:30PM EST

[MixxAOR]

I didn't watch it and don't want to but sounds like the games they had early when they kept losing 4th quarters.

Lowry with 9 turnovers

[Demographic Shift]

Tough loss last night... but for those who play any sport you know the other guys/team are trying just as hard to win as you are holds true.
Hopefully the cavalry comes over the hill in Charlotte.
35 games to go....

[Jclaw]

First time we've been gutted at the buzzer in awhile

Best “in the moment” perspective.

[slaw]

I didn't watch it and don't want to but sounds like the games they had early when they kept losing 4th quarters.

Yeah, 4 minute drought started at the 6 minute mark of the 4th quarter cost them the game.

I do agree that the Bembry/Johnson combo makes it really tough on others but the turning point was Baynes coming in and just muddying everything up. It really got them out of sync.

Even for all that, they were up 7 with about 1:00 left. They gave up two wide open threes and a layup in that stretch, while missing two free throws and two makeable shots.

The loss was well earned.

[KeonClark]

Yeah, 4 minute drought started at the 6 minute mark of the 4th quarter cost them the game.

I do agree that the Bembry/Johnson combo makes it really tough on others but the turning point was Baynes coming in and just muddying everything up. It really got them out of sync.

Even for all that, they were up 7 with about 1:00 left. They gave up two wide open threes and a layup in that stretch, while missing two free throws and two makeable shots.

The loss was well earned.

I never thought I'd have to deal with Rafael Aruajo again as a Raptor fan. But he's back, with an Aussie accent.

I exaggerate, but he's my least liked player since Carroll. Another swing and a miss in the free agency market for Masai. Seriously, love Masai, but look at his signings since coming here. I won't include fringe roster guys, just ones brought in with expectations to contribute:

Tyler Hansbrough
DJ Augustin (trash when here)
Austin Daye
Greg Steimsma
Demarre Carroll
Cory Joseph
Luis Scola
Bismack Biyombo
Jared Sullinger
Patrick McCaw
Jeremy Lin
Aaron Baynes
Alex Len

Phewwww. That's 13 guys and maybe 2 pretty good signings (Cojo and Bismack, althought they left for nothing in return). Other than that, a steaming, stinking pile of shit.

Please stop talking about free agents. This team can't find anyone who will come here for a reasonable salary that is actually a good NBA player in his prime. Bismack and Africa connections and Cojo was from Toronto and they're our only 2 mediocre pickups .

[A.I]

I never thought I'd have to deal with Rafael Aruajo again as a Raptor fan. But he's back, with an Aussie accent.

I exaggerate, but he's my least liked player since Carroll. Another swing and a miss in the free agency market for Masai. Seriously, love Masai, but look at his signings since coming here. I won't include fringe roster guys, just ones brought in with expectations to contribute:

Tyler Hansbrough
DJ Augustin (trash when here)
Austin Daye
Greg Steimsma
Demarre Carroll
Cory Joseph
Luis Scola
Bismack Biyombo
Jared Sullinger
Patrick McCaw
Jeremy Lin
Aaron Baynes
Alex Len

Phewwww. That's 13 guys and maybe 2 pretty good signings (Cojo and Bismack, althought they left for nothing in return). Other than that, a steaming, stinking pile of shit.

Please stop talking about free agents. This team can't find anyone who will come here for a reasonable salary that is actually a good NBA player in his prime. Bismack and Africa connections and Cojo was from Toronto and they're our only 2 mediocre pickups .

Have the Raptors ever had cap space to sign anyone decent during those years? Most of it was spent re-signing players and whatever else was left was used to sign the mediocre ones you listed.

[Maury]

I had the TV remote in my hand. I turned it off before the ball hit the ground.

[KeonClark]

Have the Raptors ever had cap space to sign anyone decent during those years? Most of it was spent re-signing players and whatever else was left was used to sign the mediocre ones you listed.

Carroll was certainly supposed to be a "big deal". 60 million over 4 is like 90 million over 4 in todays NBA, and we had to deal a 1st round pick to get rid of him. Hansbrough, Baynes, Scola and Sullinger are the 4 bigs that were all expected to play every single game and were all pretty fucking shit. I think we payed Sullinger 100k per hot dog.

Nobody in that list met expectations except Biyombo really.

[Maury]

Carroll was certainly supposed to be a "big deal". 60 million over 4 is like 90 million over 4 in todays NBA, and we had to deal a 1st round pick to get rid of him. Hansbrough, Baynes, Scola and Sullinger are the 4 bigs that were all expected to play every single game and were all pretty fucking shit. I think we payed Sullinger 100k per hot dog.

Nobody in that list met expectations except Biyombo really.

Scola started on a 56 win team. I think he was pretty good /s

[G__Deane]

Hawks finished on a 24-8 it was more than just the last 6 minutes or Norm's missed F/T
A post from SN:

Another lopsided game at the Free Throw line as I expected. In Atlanta's previous 5 games before the All-Star game they had Free Throw totals of 17,17,17,18,and 21 or 22. No surprise they got 35 attempts in this game.

Raptors had 25 team fouls giving Atlanta 35 shots from the Free Throw line. Atlanta had 1 more team foul then the Raptors (26) and we only got 23 Free Throw shots. Can't argue the Raptors take more 3's resulting in less foul calls because Atlanta took more 3's then the Raptors and the Raptors actually finished with 9 more shot attempts over the course of the game. Doesn't matter who you are if the Zebra's give your opponent 35+ Free Throws you're gonna have a hard time winning games period

[GOLDBLUM]

. Hansbrough, Baynes, Scola and Sullinger are the 4 bigs that were all expected to play every single game and were all pretty fucking shit. I think we payed Sullinger 100k per hot dog.

Nobody in that list met expectations except Biyombo really.

Did anyone have expectations for Sullinger??

[KeonClark]

Did anyone have expectations for Sullinger??

I expected he could show up to camp not looking like the notorious b.i.g.

[golden]

Did anyone have expectations for Sullinger??

Or this guy?

[A.I]

Carroll was certainly supposed to be a "big deal". 60 million over 4 is like 90 million over 4 in todays NBA, and we had to deal a 1st round pick to get rid of him. Hansbrough, Baynes, Scola and Sullinger are the 4 bigs that were all expected to play every single game and were all pretty fucking shit. I think we payed Sullinger 100k per hot dog.

Nobody in that list met expectations except Biyombo really.

To be fair, Carroll got hit by injuries and still hasn't gotten back to the level he was pre injury, same goes for Sullinger, Scola was old and was Hansbrough ever good? All I remember was the guy got into scraps.

[KeonClark]

OK, so you guys are content with the free agency track record. Fair enough.

All I know is that in the past, "Lowry, Powell and the bench" win this game by 8. Remember Lowry and the bench? That group could win 48 games in the East! Now, "the bench" is a bunch of G league level guys. Other than Lowry, Powell, Boucher and maybe Bembry, the rest of the guys that played last night will be lucky to be in the league in 2 or 3 years.

That's why I'm of the opinion we have to trade Lowry, and came to that conclusion halfway through this season when I saw how much we were "getting" from guys like Terrence Davis and Matt Thomas etc. There's nothing on this roster coming down the pipe. I know a treadmill when I see one. I'm a Vancouver Canucks fan living in Calgary, and while it's different sports, both the Canucks and Flames denied needing a rebuild for far too long and now they're both a mess.

We don't need a "rebuild", but we definitely need a retool. Lowry is not getting any younger, and bringing the band back plus adding maybe a 18th overall pick doesn't exactly inspire me when you look at Brooklyn and Philly and Boston and Milwaukee all set up for the next few years.

If Lowry can get you a lotto pick, or a blue chipper, you need to add him to this promising(but well short of where we need to go) core of Fred, Pascal, OG and Norm.