Preseason Game One: Philadelphia 76ers at Toronto Raptors - Mon Oct 4th, 7pm ET - SN1

[golden]

Yeah. That one series vs Philly set an unrealistic expectation, I think. Embiid's career averages are 24+11 in the regular season and 24+11 in the playoffs. You just don't stop these guys totally (not any of the top players, at any position). Even with all that, Embiid's never been past the second round. You take the cliche approach to superstars, whether guards or wings or bigs: throw different looks at them, make them work, and beat them as a team. Especially when it comes to bigs, you'll still aim for the basic 3 > 2 advantage. Last night with Drummond was a perfect example - he had a pretty easy looking drop-step layup vs Precious at one end, Raps came back down the floor and Precious hit a step back 3 at the other end. Have fun with your layups Drummond, you can't defend out to the 3 pt line and you're a net negative for your team. That's going to be true for a bunch of bigs vs the athleticism and mobility of the Raptors, and a bunch of guards are going to be small. The Raptors philosophy here that players with this size and skill set are going to outmatch a lot of opponents - to mobile for the big guys, too big for the small guys - this is really interesting. You play to your strengths and beat the other guys as a team.

All that said - yeah you need a big body or two to throw at a dominant big. But it might only be 20 minutes of Khem Birch, then all the other looks. It's not going to be 38 minutes of Marc Gasol, that's just not happening.

There really was only one legit Embiid stopper in the NBA.... and that was Marc Gasol. No other center is even remotely close.

It's pretty hilarious, actually. Did a quick check on BBREF and Embiid averages 23-30 ppg in head-to-head matchups with virtually every other NBA center (from Gobert to Horford to Ayton or whoever), but he can only muster 12-13 ppg vs. Gasol. Truly Embiid's father. Man, the stars really aligned in 2019.

[Primer]

Someone lumped Horford in as a traditional center earlier in one of the threads which was odd to me. Horford is a 6'9 240lb PF who was forced to play C by the changing NBA game. He's no bigger than Birch.

[LJ2]

Here's our undersized C giving it to Drummond.

https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/st...PbJVHf0pg&s=19

[The Claw Reborn]

This is quiet hilarious to read anxious posts from some that the Raptors don’t have the big body to stop someone like Embiid.

Was this the same angst during Aaron Bayne’s time with the Raptors before they got Birch?

so does this mean that if they fail to meet those high expectations (one of which by some that this team can become a top tier team who will surprise teams of the East), it’s because the team don’t have a legitimate center?

lol

[The Claw Reborn]

I wouldn't mind one big body on the roster not named Gillespie. A vet like Derrick Favours would be a good get for those bigger matchups... I guess he would have to be content with getting a DNPCD in 3/4's of the games.

So you mean Derek Favors will elevate this team from a play-in team to a ECF contender?

or do you have any tangible player in mind?

[Kagemusha]

This is quiet hilarious to read anxious posts from some that the Raptors don’t have the big body to stop someone like Embiid.

Was this the same angst during Aaron Bayne’s time with the Raptors before they got Birch?

so does this mean that if they fail to meet those high expectations (one of which by some that this team can become a top tier team who will surprise teams of the East), it’s because the team don’t have a legitimate center?

lol

Not worried about Embiid at all.
Without Ben he would be run into the ground and break around ASB.

[Yuri Gagarin]

Mo Bambas value was pretty low last year wish we took a flyer on him. Have a feeling he’ll make big strides this year

[TrueTorontoFan]

Mo Bambas value was pretty low last year wish we took a flyer on him. Have a feeling he’ll make big strides this year

he is the one guy I wish we scooped up in a trade.

[GLF]

There is no one available that 1 on 1 stops Embiid. So no matter what big fat 7 footer we add he's not stopping Embiid. You treat Embiid like any other elite offensive player and double team him. We can do that with Precious or Birch + one of our other 6'9" players. We don't need to add a big fat 7 footer because they wouldn't make a difference anyways.

Thank you! Everyone is acting like there are prime or even Raptors Marc Gasol just laying there waiting to be grabbed. Just being big does not mean the player can make it hard on Embiid let alone stop him lol. Look at Baynes and Len last season. People act like Philly can’t be beat even if Embiid goes off. We beat Philly last year with OG at the 5 and no Kyle. Y’all need to calm down. We will be fine. And if we lose to teams with bigs like Embiid and Jokic so be it because there is only a hand full of them and most are in the West. No one is beating Raptors with a Drummond level big posting up. If teams want to try and beat us by making their 4th and 5th options number one options I welcome it. That just means the guys that should have the ball in their hands don’t. We will beat teams that do that more often than not just like last night.

[inthepaint]

Regarding centers, seems like everyone is assuming it's a one way game and not considering our advantage on the offensive end against crap lumbering centers like Drummond. There is a reason his +/- is always a minus. What he gets on offense he more than gives away on the other end. I welcome teams trying to beat us by pounding the ball inside to Drummond types. The answer isn't to give up our advantage by putting in an even shittier version of Drummond to try and counter him (whoever we find that big is gonna suck). Make teams adjust to us, not the other way around, that's one of the main points of positionless basketball. If they wanna play Drummond they better be prepared to give up a bazillion transition baskets while Drummond lumbers back on defense. You guys are inventing a problem where there isn't one. We won by 16 and Drummond was a huge part of that.

Great points. If our identity now is fast, lenghty, positionless, and versatile defensively, let's not sacrifice that by getting a crappy lumbering centre here. Let's make other teams adjust to us and not the other way around for a change.

The only "bruiser' C's in the league that can actually do damage inside and not give everything back on the other end are Embiid and Jokic, which are mvp caliber players utilizing a much more nuanced inside/outside game. The lumbering C is a liability in today's game, and if we're getting one we'd be taking away minutes from more versatile players on both ends of the floor.

[The Claw Reborn]

Not worried about Embiid at all.
Without Ben he would be run into the ground and break around ASB.

Ugh

[The Claw Reborn]

Friend of mine who recently attended the Mavs preseason practice that was open to the public….he said that Moses Brown has a great motor and a nose on defense…

[Scraptor]

Y’all need to calm down. We will be fine.

This brings a tear to my eye lol. Look how far you’ve come.

[saints91]

So you mean Derek Favors will elevate this team from a play-in team to a ECF contender?

or do you have any tangible player in mind?

I'm just saying having every tool in the toolbox would be beneficial. I fully support the vision of the 6'9 fast lineup. We will see, but I think there are going to be matchups that we're going to wish we had a skilled big body 5 at the end of the bench (like Favors). Not to start, or even be a rotational guy, purely just as an option at the end of the bench... a different look.

Elevate from play-in to EFC??? Not entirely sure, it's been one preseason game... I care about having the option if needed.

I'm not as high on Boucher as some of the other guys around here. I'm all for trading Boucher if they can round out the roster.

[GOLDBLUM]

I'm just saying having every tool in the toolbox would be beneficial. I fully support the vision of the 6'9 fast lineup. We will see, but I think there are going to be matchups that we're going to wish we had a skilled big body 5 at the end of the bench (like Favors). Not to start, or even be a rotational guy, purely just as an option at the end of the bench... a different look.

Elevate from play-in to EFC??? Not entirely sure, it's been one preseason game... I care about having the option if needed.

I'm not as high on Boucher as some of the other guys around here. I'm all for trading Boucher if they can round out the roster.

Favors ain’t it. Might as well just go ahead and bring back Big Cat if you’re headed that route.