Game 78: Raptors vs Heat, Sun Apr 3, 2022, 7:00 PM, SN

[Kagemusha]

Playoffs and how far this team goes this season is just icing in the cake. Its all about development and looking down the road a couple seasons from now.

You mean we're not going to win it all like what I read from a couple days ago?
bummer

[Kagemusha]

Watched the fourth quarter late last night and all the over-helping killed them. There were a couple times where they inexplicably helped off the strong side baseline shooter when help was also coming in the paint, which made no sense and resulted in made threes. It's the double-edged sword of the Raps defence.

On the other end, Miami did a really good job of forcing the ball to go where they wanted on the perimeter. Raps got looks but it wasn't Fred or Gary in rhythm and open.

Difference last night was a veteran team with championship aspirations against a solid team that hasn't matured and has roster holes that an experienced, well-coached team can exploit.

I agree.
helping just for the sake of it.
I thought we are a high IQ team?

[gambler]

He's averaging 33/game in TWO games that you hand picked lol. Are you serious right now? I'd stick to gambling.

hand picked?...they were against a common opponent.....tyler herro

[The Great One]

hand picked?...they were against a common opponent.....tyler herro

And?

What exactly are you trying to say? that Trent is better than Herro because he put up better numbers than Herro in the 2 games that you mentioned? lol. Give your head a shake. Trent also put up better numbers than Anthony Edwards in the 2 games against the Wolves this year. Trent > Edwards?

[golden]

Yeah, it seems to me the Sixers are the most vulnerable of the top 4 and it also seems likely they are to be in 4th place, so 5th might position the Raps in the best possible way to advance. Having said that, Raps are going to be a big dog at 5 or 6 and it would be a surprise if they got through round 1.

It looks like we have a formula for stopping Embiid and slowing down Giannis. So those would be our preferred matchup teams in that order. We don't matchup well stylistically with the Heat or Celtics. It's a toss-up, but I might slightly lean towards the Celtics as the preferred team because their 3-pt shooting role players aren't as deadly as Miami's.

[The Claw Reborn]

Interesting that eventhough OG was out, Nurse still opted to start Birch instead of Precious considering that Precious was a former player of the Heat and aside from Adebayo, there was no big body that Precious maybe inferior to.

As i stated before, Nurse is more comfortable having both Precious and Boucher as his 6th/7th men energy guys off the bench.

Playoff bound starters:
VanVleet/ GTJ/ OG/ Siakam/ Barnes

[gambler]

And?

What exactly are you trying to say? that Trent is better than Herro because he put up better numbers than Herro in the 2 games that you mentioned? lol. Give your head a shake. Trent also put up better numbers than Anthony Edwards in the 2 games against the Wolves this year. Trent > Edwards?

what im trying to say is that its un fukn believable that someone would say....."Tyler Herro is a rich man's version of Trent Jr"....because of one game when most would believe that tyler was outplayed in the other two.....pretty simple i assumed.....and no...im not saying that trent jr is better than herro...imo...trent will never be elite becasue he doesnt have the footwork or quick release to become so...maybe hell prove me wrong....what i believe that i am right about is taht herro is masquerading as a 6th man when he plays starter minutes....iirc...the last guy to do 30+ minutes as a 6th man was harden....who immeidately became a starter the following year...

[inthepaint]

There was basically only one problem this game: Strus going 7 of 9 from deep. That's pretty much it.

Anyone following the team for some time knows that role players hitting 3's (especially from the corner) is a chink in the armor. That used to bug me, but not as much; I see it as a reasonable price on a defence that will reliably shut down stars, which is who will impact playoffs the most.

For those thinking it would have been even harder if butler and tucker were playing, consider that even though they're impactful, every minute these two are on the floor, is one fewer minute for Strus on the floor (Heat leading scorer on this one).

OG also mitigates that problem with the massive amount of ground he covers defensively, and we didn't have him.

[slaw]

I agree.
helping just for the sake of it.
I thought we are a high IQ team?

It's not really about basketball IQ or instincts but more about cohesiveness and timing as a unit where everyone knows what everybody is going to do and trusts them to actually do it. Takes maturity and experience individually but also as a group and Raps still have a bunch of guys who make a lot of defensive mistakes like Barnes, Achiuwa, and Trent. Compare that to the '19 team where there were really no weak points anywhere defensively.

And don't forget, no OG. Anunoby is a difference-maker on defence who solves a lot problems. He's very important for Toronto against good teams.

[Yuri Gagarin]

I agree. Strus and oladipo had fluke nights and from what i saw there weren’t that many broke plays leaving them open 3’s. There was usually a hand up. Mighta been a extra pop by them for lowry. If both of those guys make one less 3 we win.

once in the playoffs the goal is to go for it all. Not win 1 or 2 rounds so i dont really go for this hope we play this or that team stuff. If we play the best team in the nba in first round fine - beat em and it should get easier. Again just lock up 6th and shut it down and rest these guys. Injuries are more a threat than any team at this point. All healthy not afraid of anyone

[Kagemusha]

I agree. Strus and oladipo had fluke nights and from what i saw there weren’t that many broke plays leaving them open 3’s. There was usually a hand up. Mighta been a extra pop by them for lowry. If both of those guys make one less 3 we win.

once in the playoffs the goal is to go for it all. Not win 1 or 2 rounds so i dont really go for this hope we play this or that team stuff. If we play the best team in the nba in first round fine - beat em and it should get easier. Again just lock up 6th and shut it down and rest these guys. Injuries are more a threat than any team at this point. All healthy not afraid of anyone

Did we watch the same game,
coz I saw a ton of open 3s.
Yeah, there'd be moments were a Raptor would rush to contest those shooters,
raising their hands up for the token D, which doesn't matter anyway.

[Yuri Gagarin]

Actually i was a little distracted for the game. From what i saw it wasn’t as bad as i usually see but maybe ya i missed them. Still think strus and oladipo fluked it. Also, herro kinda messed up late in the last loss i knew hed be hungry

[JawsGT]

We've had a few games like that this season. The team surrenders 3s, we know that, and in this one a couple of bench guys got unusually hot. No big deal, it's bound to happen given our defensive tendencies.

[Yuri Gagarin]

Incase anyone else was wondering...Ronaldinho was at TFC game too. Here to promote a new company hes involved with that will be starting celebrity soccer matches

[DanH]

Interesting that eventhough OG was out, Nurse still opted to start Birch instead of Precious considering that Precious was a former player of the Heat and aside from Adebayo, there was no big body that Precious maybe inferior to.

As i stated before, Nurse is more comfortable having both Precious and Boucher as his 6th/7th men energy guys off the bench.

Playoff bound starters:
VanVleet/ GTJ/ OG/ Siakam/ Barnes

It's very weird. Birch has done fine as a starter, but he does way better playing in a starting lineup with OG on the perimeter. Really think Precious fits better as the C to slot in because the other 4 starters need that defensive backbone more than the offence/glue contributions of Birch.

It really must be him just loving the bench big pair and wanting to keep that consistent.