Thinking about what could have been......

[iblastoff]

A healthy Raps team (current edition) could beat the Wiz, Pacers, Hornets, Hawks, Knicks on any given night. To me it's a toss up with a healthy Celtics team, they just seem to have our number sometimes. I don't think it can take a 7 game series regularly from any of the current Nets, Bucks or Sixers. Yes anything can happen but you could say just as easily they could lose a 7 gamer to the first group of teams above.

A high draft pick isn't going to change that this year; I think most of us agree the team needs an Alpha, history has shown we need an Alpha ..... and any time soon, we're not likely getting an Alpha.

Better learn to love second round exits as a ceiling ....

the 2019 and 2020 raptors? sure. the 2021 raptors? im not so confident.
of the teams you listed, the only ones the raptors have winning records against this year are the wizards and the hornets. if thats the bar we're at (beating what are considered bottom of the barrel teams and yet somehow they made the playoffs and this team didn't) then i guess so be it.

on top of the whole homecourt controversy, this raptors team is even more abysmal on the road (11-25). if that translates to playoff games, theres no way they're beating anyone.

[G__Deane]

the 2019 and 2020 raptors? sure. the 2021 raptors? im not so confident.
of the teams you listed, the only ones the raptors have winning records against this year are the wizards and the hornets. if thats the bar we're at (beating what are considered bottom of the barrel teams and yet somehow they made the playoffs and this team didn't) then i guess so be it.

on top of the whole homecourt controversy, this raptors team is even more abysmal on the road (11-25). if that translates to playoff games, theres no way they're beating anyone.

OK but you're quoting their record this year when they primarily weren't healthy or were resting starters or weren't at home ever, completely ignoring the fact that I started with a "healthy team". This team could beat any of the lower seeds in the East, yes a low bar. I also said they could lose to them on any given night or a 7 game series.

Yes, that's the bar we're at.

[Dvdvideo]

last year they were 26-10 at 'home'. this year they were 16-20. shouldnt they have lost a lot more games last year too then?

even if we take away home court, lets look at this team on the road. last year they were 27-9 on the road. this year they're 11-25. that dropoff is insane, and nothing to do with playing at 'home' or not.

I dont think that's a fair comparison at all, we had no center and it decimated the offense and the defense. You could see the difference even a moderately capable center like birch made right away.

[Dvdvideo]

While I love the top goal, I don't like the idea of scrapping the season for your fans either.
They need to balance the top goal with now as well. They took a very capable team who was just getting healthy and intentional made them miss the playoffs. They do realize that even if the stars align, we get a great draft pick, are the best team in the league, its still incredibly difficult to have the stars align to "win a championship".

Even think back to the year we won, our road to Champs might have been different if say embid was healthy, or the warriors are at full strength.
Again, like the goal but it must be tempered with winning games for the current fans and being realistic.

You never know how things turn out. Let's say scenario 1, they tank. Lowry walks. Raps sign no free agents. Drop to 8th in draft, bad luck.
No chance at championship........

Scenario 2, raptors finish season seeing and make some noise in playoffs, 7 games into round 2.
Lowry decides being with his buds in Toronto who he just went to war with again is what he wants and stays. A free agent center signs with TO as he sees they are still competitive. Draft pick comes up #8 still and the raps get a decent player.
Maybe a chance at a championship.....

Anyhow, I like the goal, but it must be tempered with other factors. I mean look at the lakers last year, they had no business winning, they put maybe the 3 or 4th best team in the league and win anyhow. (I'm sorry but other than ad and lebron that entire team was horrible)

[DanH]

the 2019 and 2020 raptors? sure. the 2021 raptors? im not so confident.
of the teams you listed, the only ones the raptors have winning records against this year are the wizards and the hornets. if thats the bar we're at (beating what are considered bottom of the barrel teams and yet somehow they made the playoffs and this team didn't) then i guess so be it.

on top of the whole homecourt controversy, this raptors team is even more abysmal on the road (11-25). if that translates to playoff games, theres no way they're beating anyone.

The home court controversy isn't about just losing the home court advantage in half your games. It's about essentially going through twice the physical and emotional wear and tear of any other team, psychologically playing on the road every night must be exhausting. Never mind the players have outright said they missed having the facilities (like ice/hot baths, etc) that their home practice court had. This season was a GRIND.

[iblastoff]

The home court controversy isn't about just losing the home court advantage in half your games. It's about essentially going through twice the physical and emotional wear and tear of any other team, psychologically playing on the road every night must be exhausting. Never mind the players have outright said they missed having the facilities (like ice/hot baths, etc) that their home practice court had. This season was a GRIND.

yep. it was a grind. all the more reason its extremely doubtful they would have made much noise in this years playoffs and their record shows it.

yet when they moved to the bubble last season, they won 14 of 19 games including the playoffs. where was the psychological turmoil there? nobody can speak to their mental state, but also more than half of this roster has never even played in toronto as a raptor.

[iblastoff]

OK but you're quoting their record this year when they primarily weren't healthy or were resting starters or weren't at home ever, completely ignoring the fact that I started with a "healthy team". This team could beat any of the lower seeds in the East, yes a low bar. I also said they could lose to them on any given night or a 7 game series.

Yes, that's the bar we're at.

im sure every team would have loved to be 'healthy' during the pandemic, but every team got hit at some level during the season. by the time they decided to rest players, it was already too late. they were barely gonna make the shitty play-in games, let alone 8th seed. this is not unique to the raptors at all.

the only thing unique to them is the home court issue. but their away games showed they certainly didnt fair any better on the road (whereas historically they have been better).

[Fuchan]

If its and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas. If the Raps did make it in, they would have gotten steamrolled. I like Masai's take on it best "Play in for what?..."

[golden]

If its and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas. If the Raps did make it in, they would have gotten steamrolled. I like Masai's take on it best "Play in for what?..."

This should be a sticky somewhere...

[Dvdvideo]

I can tell you were we would be - we would be watching the raptors battle right now, which would be fun. But hey if we get the 7th pick instead of the 8th it's all worth it.......insert giant roll eyes here. Problem is we don't know what they wouod have ended up with, the fates may have rewarded the effort with a higher pick despite lower odds.

if we get higher, maybe worth it.....

[A.I]

I can tell you were we would be - we would be watching the raptors battle right now, which would be fun. But hey if we get the 7th pick instead of the 8th it's all worth it.......insert giant roll eyes here. Problem is we don't know what they wouod have ended up with, the fates may have rewarded the effort with a higher pick despite lower odds.

if we get higher, maybe worth it.....

I wouldn't call battling at "home" where Tampa Bay residents are booing the home team fun.

[Jclaw]

I can tell you were we would be - we would be watching the raptors battle right now, which would be fun. But hey if we get the 7th pick instead of the 8th it's all worth it.......insert giant roll eyes here. Problem is we don't know what they wouod have ended up with, the fates may have rewarded the effort with a higher pick despite lower odds.

if we get higher, maybe worth it.....

It wouldn't have been the 7th instead of 8th. It would have been 7th instead of 14th. Still a crapshoot but a more significant range.

[MixxAOR]

I can tell you were we would be - we would be watching the raptors battle right now, which would be fun. But hey if we get the 7th pick instead of the 8th it's all worth it.......insert giant roll eyes here. Problem is we don't know what they wouod have ended up with, the fates may have rewarded the effort with a higher pick despite lower odds.

if we get higher, maybe worth it.....

You found Cavs series fun?

[Dvdvideo]

You found Cavs series fun?

What cavs series is that?

[golden]

I wouldn't call battling at "home" where Tampa Bay residents are booing the home team fun.

Yeah, just imagine the Raps are playing a "home" playoff game vs. the Heat. Duncan Robinson talked about that during a podcast.... how he felt sorry for us. And the opposing team doesn't even have to be local - it seemed like the loudest boos this year were vs. the Knicks. Even the Hawks fans could take a long road trip and boo us, like Raptors fans heading to Detroit.

Let's all collectively pretend that the Tamponto Bay Raptors never happened.