Toronto Raptors who are still playing Alumni thread ....

[Scraptor]

Yes, great regular season production and mediocre playoff performances captured in a single game. He produced all game long then kept getting shut down and blocked in the clutch.

He just doesn't have the game or size to get his offence against any type of defence. That's his ceiling as a 1A.

Yeah he really struggled at the end but I think with Pop they will make adjustments and figure out a way to closs games. Note that they ended up using DD as a decoy on the final play.

It's partly the new pace and rule enforcement that led to his career high in assists but I think DD might still have a few ounces of improvement to squeeze out.

It's fun, like watching your kid go to college lol.

[magoon]

If you didn't see Pistons/76ers tonight, it was a banger, and due credit to Dwane Casey who, unlike SVG, was able to recognize that Blake Griffin should be the primary ballhandler for Detroit because, you know, he's their best and smartest player by far. Unlike legendary SVG, who tried to recreate Lob City but with Reggie Bullock and Andre Drummond replacing Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan.

[Scraptor]

If you didn't see Pistons/76ers tonight, it was a banger, and due credit to Dwane Casey who, unlike SVG, was able to recognize that Blake Griffin should be the primary ballhandler for Detroit because, you know, he's their best and smartest player by far. Unlike legendary SVG, who tried to recreate Lob City but with Reggie Bullock and Andre Drummond replacing Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan.

Full credit to Casey for doing a great job with Blake and the Pistons but you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.
a) Reggie Bullock is the Pistons shooting guard
b) Reggie Jackson is their point guard but was injured last year and only played 6 games with Blake before Blake went down with a bone bruise. In fact they were only on the court together for 47 minutes total. Blake played mostly with Ish Smith.
c) For the games Blake played with the Pistons under SVG he led the team in usage and averaged 6.2 assists per game.
d) Blake averaged more touches per minute (2.7) under Van Gundy than under Casey (2.55).
e) Casey has an entire summer to implement a plan around Blake, Van Gundy got Blake mid-year. But even then SVG used Blake as a point several times in his debut (and onwards too), in the same way he used Hedo next to Dwight. Examples: https://www.sbnation.com/2018/2/1/16...stan-van-gundy

It’s great that Blake worked on his body all summer and Casey gave him the green light to take it inside again, where he was a monster tonight, but there’s no need to make shit up to make Casey look better. He’s doing a great job as it is.

[guyroch]

In Kobe new book he says " Vince brought the best in him "

[guyroch]

Full credit to Casey for doing a great job with Blake and the Pistons but you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.
a) Reggie Bullock is the Pistons shooting guard
b) Reggie Jackson is their point guard but was injured last year and only played 6 games with Blake before Blake went down with a bone bruise. In fact they were only on the court together for 47 minutes total. Blake played mostly with Ish Smith.
c) For the games Blake played with the Pistons under SVG he led the team in usage and averaged 6.2 assists per game.
d) Blake averaged more touches per minute (2.7) under Van Gundy than under Casey (2.55).
e) Casey has an entire summer to implement a plan around Blake, Van Gundy got Blake mid-year. But even then SVG used Blake as a point several times in his debut (and onwards too), in the same way he used Hedo next to Dwight. Examples: https://www.sbnation.com/2018/2/1/16...stan-van-gundy

It’s great that Blake worked on his body all summer and Casey gave him the green light to take it inside again, where he was a monster tonight, but there’s no need to make shit up to make Casey look better. He’s doing a great job as it is.

To go from Van Gundy to Cassey might have an immediate impack .. Gundy very intense ...

[golden]

To go from Van Gundy to Cassey might have an immediate impack .. Gundy very intense ...

Conflict of interest. You can't have the guy who pays you (or trades you) also deciding what your role is, or how many minutes you play. Wolves are a complete cluster with Thibs and the GM-coach role also didn't work with a nice guy like Bud in Atlanta. Way too much money at stake to give one guy so much power, which makes it really hard for players to trust the coach.

[planetmars]

Conflict of interest. You can't have the guy who pays you (or trades you) also deciding what your role is, or how many minutes you play. Wolves are a complete cluster with Thibs and the GM-coach role also didn't work with a nice guy like Bud in Atlanta. Way too much money at stake to give one guy so much power, which makes it really hard for players to trust the coach.

Yup... Bud, Thibs and SVG are all glaring examples of great coaches that struggled when they wore two hats. Bud is kicking ass again in Milwaukee, but he's only got the one hat again.

[slaw]

Conflict of interest. You can't have the guy who pays you (or trades you) also deciding what your role is, or how many minutes you play. Wolves are a complete cluster with Thibs and the GM-coach role also didn't work with a nice guy like Bud in Atlanta. Way too much money at stake to give one guy so much power, which makes it really hard for players to trust the coach.

I would say more importantly than that is the simple fact one man cannot do three full-time jobs (run an organization, manage personnel and coach) in the NBA. It's too much. I get why Van Gundy wanted the control after getting the shank in Miami and Orlando but it just doesn't work.

I guarantee you that Ujiri, Webster and Nurse probably all work 12+ hours a day in an average week and are likely constantly wired to the office. Just no way to do all that by yourself.

[TacoBreath]

I guess this is the proper place for DDR stuff. We Spurs fans are delighted with him.

DDR now holds the Spurs franchise record for points in his first five games, with 136. That easily surpasses David Robinson's 115.

He played some excellent D against the Lakers, btw, tough, energetic. Also had two steals and a block against them.

From San Antonio to Toronto: thank you! 😎

[Gonzz]

I guess this is the proper place for DDR stuff. We Spurs fans are delighted with him.

DDR now holds the Spurs franchise record for points in his first five games, with 136. That easily surpasses David Robinson's 115.

He played some excellent D against the Lakers, btw, tough, energetic. Also had two steals and a block against them.

From San Antonio to Toronto: thank you! ��

2 shy of a triple double and more assists than ever in Toronto.If he always played like this,nevermind.Bucking for all star in the tough western Conference.

[Shredder]

I guess this is the proper place for DDR stuff. We Spurs fans are delighted with him.

DDR now holds the Spurs franchise record for points in his first five games, with 136. That easily surpasses David Robinson's 115.

He played some excellent D against the Lakers, btw, tough, energetic. Also had two steals and a block against them.

From San Antonio to Toronto: thank you! ��

It's like seeing an ex with a good dude. It's weird but you're happy for them. Plus we are down with what we have now too!

[Mitchell Duong]

I'm not surprised about DeMar's buckets or that he is getting more assists (I think he would have gotten more assists last season if all our point guards got hurt)

I am surprised about the rebounding. I don't think I ever saw him go for boards in Toronto. At least not often.

[planetmars]

I'm glad the Spurs got a fair deal out of that trade. DeMar's a good guy. Hope he gets into the all-star game out West. That would be quite the achievement.

[Hotshot]

I'm glad the Spurs got a fair deal out of that trade. DeMar's a good guy. Hope he gets into the all-star game out West. That would be quite the achievement.

If he does it would be over someone like Klay Thompson or Jimmy Butler.

There is a chance it would be over Butler, since DD will get the sympathy votes & Butler is esstentially a villain lol

[Puffer]

2 shy of a triple double and more assists than ever in Toronto.If he always played like this,nevermind.Bucking for all star in the tough western Conference.

Prove 'em