GAME 44 - Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers - 6:00PM ET

[Yuri Gagarin]

Year | Raptors net rating | 1st Q net rating
2021-22: +0.4, -0.4
2020-21: -0.4, +1.7
2019-20: +6.1, +7.5
2018-19: +5.8, +7.2
2017-18: +7.7, +7.0
2016-17: +4.3, -0.7
2015-16: +4.4, +2.4
2014-15: +3.1, -0.5
2013-14: +3.3, +7.0

Methinks you are living in the past. They've had a better 1st Q rating than their overall rating for three straight years (excluding this year, where they are essentially break even both overall and in 1st Qs). The most recent real "slow start" seasons were 2015-16 (Luis Scola!) and 2016-17 (starting rookie Pascal Siakam for no reason).

Up until the first sub-in at the start of each game theyve been down at a worse percentage than their season win percentage for the past three years

[DanH]

This is a multi year tank. This year they maximized value of their players and will trade them away. Next year we will play a bunch of young guys and tank for even better pick.

When has this organization or front office ever given the impression they would be remotely, at all, interested in a multi-year bottoming out?

If the team gets hobbled by injuries again and ends up scraping and clawing to squeak into a play-in spot, they likely make the same decision as last year - rest guys, maximize that pick, sure. But trading away the core? I don't think they have any interest in that. They want their pieces staying on the team to make a trade to move up in the world, not down.

[DanH]

Up until the first sub-in at the start of each game theyve been down at a worse percentage than their season win percentage for the past three years

If you are winning by the end of the 1st Q, is starting slow really a problem for the team?

Also, where did you get that data on the first sub? Would be very interested to look at that.

[MixxAOR]

When has this organization or front office ever given the impression they would be remotely, at all, interested in a multi-year bottoming out?

If the team gets hobbled by injuries again and ends up scraping and clawing to squeak into a play-in spot, they likely make the same decision as last year - rest guys, maximize that pick, sure. But trading away the core? I don't think they have any interest in that. They want their pieces staying on the team to make a trade to move up in the world, not down.

They didn't. That's not what the conversation was about. I'm saying its what they should do.

[DanH]

They didn't. That's not what the conversation was about. I'm saying its what they should do.

Yeah it's not like the front office has a very recent history of being very right about their approach instead of tanking.

[MixxAOR]

Yeah it's not like the front office has a very recent history of being very right about their approach instead of tanking.

Yes they were right to tank last year.

[DanH]

Yes they were right to tank last year.

They were right to a) try to win for most of the year, b) not trade any of their core pieces except a FA they intended otherwise to let walk at the end of the year (for another pending FA no less), and hold onto the other, higher value pending FA, and c) only rest guys to tank right at the end of the season? Oh, good, glad we are on the same page.

The problem with a full on tank (ie fire sale approach) is you get that star and then it can be very difficult to both give them a winning environment to develop in and also surround them with the requisite talent to reach the peak, since you purged your team of all the talent you had. A tank is a perfectly viable path when you are backed into it. If you are treadmilling and there is no reason to expect internal improvement, yeah, you maybe should think about selling off your mediocre assets. The Raptors are running one of the youngest rotations in the league and still winning half their games, already have a high end prospect on the team, and have excess salary and assets to be able to improve the team.

[KeonClark]

I mean...they lowkey were. East was just weak af.

They were until they weren't. Raptors never win the title without what happens the 5 years prior.

[golden]

I mean...they lowkey were. East was just weak af.

So Lowry is a faux GROAT then?

[MixxAOR]

So Lowry is a faux GROAT then?

That booty is GROAT

[KeonClark]

According to Vegas we're still somehow the favorite without Fred. Not sure how.