Game 44: Raptors vs Suns, Friday March 26 2021, 7:30 pm, SN

[LJ2]

I liked the fight they had in this game and if they had any rebounding we win by double digits. The need is pretty clear but I'm not going to be heartbroken if they don't address it until the off season. Eyes on the prize as they say. I'm pretty damn excited we could be adding a legit talent to this roster through the draft.

[saints91]

Good game against a great opponent. Honestly if the Raptors had a half decent 5 they would be a top 4 team in the East. I feel for these guys, they are busting the asses out there.

[inthepaint]

Whatever we do KEEP the Baynes minutes up. OG should have some load management too, make sure we ease him in sloooowlyy.

[inthepaint]

Good game against a great opponent. Honestly if the Raptors had a half decent 5 they would be a top 4 team in the East. I feel for these guys, they are busting the asses out there.

[The Great One]

During the Raptors 9 game losing streak, they only had their full starting lineup once - and that was against the Jazz and they almost beat the Jazz. They really should've won that game.

The other night they destroyed the Nuggets. Tonight they almost beat a very good Suns team. What does that tell me? This team when they're fully healthy is still a good team. Look at their schedule after the Blazers game: Pistons, Thunder, Warriors, Wizards and Lakers. That's 5 easy wins right there. After that they'll play the Bulls, Cavs, Knicks, Hawks, Spurs, Magic and Thunder.

The Raptors are going to make the playoffs folks.

[Dvdvideo]

During the Raptors 9 game losing streak, they only had their full starting lineup once - and that was against the Jazz and they almost beat the Jazz. They really should've won that game.

The other night they destroyed the Nuggets. Tonight they almost beat a very good Suns team. What does that tell me? This team when they're fully healthy is still a good team. Look at their schedule after the Blazers game: Pistons, Thunder, Warriors, Wizards and Lakers. That's 5 easy wins right there. After that they'll play the Bulls, Cavs, Knicks, Hawks, Spurs, Magic and Thunder.

The Raptors are going to make the playoffs folks.

I think they can definitely make the playoffs, baring any bad injuries. Also there is still hope we can pick up a waived center.....though I fear the best will go laker/nets before us.....

[planetmars]

Bad game from Lowry, but we almost had them. Phoenix does a really good job sharing the ball, and unlike most teams don't have to shoot 3's every time up the floor. They killed us in the paint and that has been a problem all year. Anyone else think that if Norm took that 3 that Trent did we would have been up by 1 instead of down by 2 without a minute left?

Paul getting that foul off of Fred to get the bonus situation is what makes him so elite. Those free throws were critical and he manufactured them.

Overall though a fun game. Some big runs in both directions. Pascal wasn't as smooth as he was against Denver but was still pretty good. OG's defense was great. Especially in the end there on Booker.. to bad the rebound went the way it did. Even if we had Tim Duncan out there, we would have missed grabbing that board. Just a really bad bounce off the rim.

Rodney Hood really sucks. Boucher had an off night, especially at 3. Trent was pretty good.. not as good as Norm but some solid defense. I liked Flynn last night. I thought he looked far more composed than usual, and he was guarding Paul a lot. After he turned over the ball, I love how he hustled back and navigated his guy into the Lowry charge to get the ball back. That's the kind of stuff that made him an all defensive player in college.

And Kia is so much better than Leo. Can we replace him with her permanently?

[GLF]

I love this board lol. Everyone here is so much more postitive than realgm. Man if this team could just get a decent big and stop playing Baynes we would at least be able to end up 6th in the East in my opinion. To me the Baynes minutes is what lost us this game. He was so bad man. I don't understand how at this point in the season is Nurse still playing Baynes 15 mins and playing him more than Boucher. I know Boucher was off last night and he's not a good rebounder but the team just plays better as a whole when he's on the floor. The eye test proves it and the stats prove it. Nurse needs to get it together with these Baynes minutes lol. We literally just blew out the Nuggets with Baynes only playing 3 mins, I think that should tell Nurse something.

[JawsGT]

Bad game from Lowry, but we almost had them. Phoenix does a really good job sharing the ball, and unlike most teams don't have to shoot 3's every time up the floor. They killed us in the paint and that has been a problem all year. Anyone else think that if Norm took that 3 that Trent did we would have been up by 1 instead of down by 2 without a minute left?

Paul getting that foul off of Fred to get the bonus situation is what makes him so elite. Those free throws were critical and he manufactured them.

Overall though a fun game. Some big runs in both directions. Pascal wasn't as smooth as he was against Denver but was still pretty good. OG's defense was great. Especially in the end there on Booker.. to bad the rebound went the way it did. Even if we had Tim Duncan out there, we would have missed grabbing that board. Just a really bad bounce off the rim.

Rodney Hood really sucks. Boucher had an off night, especially at 3. Trent was pretty good.. not as good as Norm but some solid defense. I liked Flynn last night. I thought he looked far more composed than usual, and he was guarding Paul a lot. After he turned over the ball, I love how he hustled back and navigated his guy into the Lowry charge to get the ball back. That's the kind of stuff that made him an all defensive player in college.

And Kia is so much better than Leo. Can we replace him with her permanently?

That all female broadcast was so refreshing, they were all pretty good. I'd love more of that...we've been listening to leo, rod, and jack since the beginning, nice to get some new voices in there. And those guys are pretty boring.

[G__Deane]

That all female broadcast was so refreshing, they were all pretty good. I'd love more of that...we've been listening to leo, rod, and jack since the beginning, nice to get some new voices in there. And those guys are pretty boring.

Keep Matty D, that's the type of voice that brings excitement to play by play imo. Lose Leo and Jack.

[JawsGT]

Keep Matty D, that's the type of voice that brings excitement to play by play imo. Lose Leo and Jack.

I find matty boring and leo is worse. Jack I dont mind so much but hes been there for decades. New faces are great.

[G__Deane]

I find matty boring and leo is worse. Jack I dont mind so much but hes been there for decades. New faces are great.

Yah we just hear it a bit differently. Matt has the kind of deep voice you need for play by play and he knows how to ramp it up for threes and blocks/dunks etc. He's a pro. Not the absolute best but really good at what he does.

Leo is just forgettable, doesn't add anything and Jack (for me) is ridiculous and grating.

[S.R.]

I don't mind Jack's "here for a good time" schitck, I find Leo more grating, Devlin is a very good play by play guy, as has been suggested it could be as easy as adding 1 more into the mix so you have a crew of 3 or even just 1 more in the rotation. Really enjoyed what Kia brought in particular - knowledgeable basketball insight. I think too many of the guys who have been there for years are permanently in the "basketball is new to Canadians" mode. The Raptors audience is ready for some substance imho, fans today have grown up with this.

[S.R.]

I didn't know Devlin got citizenship, that's pretty cool:

[golden]

Yah we just hear it a bit differently. Matt has the kind of deep voice you need for play by play and he knows how to ramp it up for threes and blocks/dunks etc. He's a pro. Not the absolute best but really good at what he does.

Leo is just forgettable, doesn't add anything and Jack (for me) is ridiculous and grating.

Jack’s tired schitck reminds me of Night at the Roxbury.... a SNL skit that was funny for 3 minutes, but never should have been turned into a 2-hr movie.

We need to bring in a well connected recently retired former player as the color analyst to get those inside scoops and insights that you get from other broadcasts (like Richard Jefferson in Brooklyn). Tough to find the right guy, because former players are usually pretty bad or boring or too far removed from playing days ... eg. Mo Pete. Alvin Williams started out pretty meh, but he is getting a little better these days. Hopefully he can take over for Jack soon.... like maybe next week?