Everything Playoffs 2022 (Non-Raptors Thread)

[KeonClark]

I can't wait until the Raps get that kind of a rivalry. They sort of have one with Philly now, which is good and will hopefully grow. Problem is that the Nets have been mostly awful for a long time, same with the Knicks. Before that, Toronto was mostly awful. Without an obvious geographic factor, you need those nasty playoff series and Toronto hasn't had a consistent opponent to get there.

The problem is with that, its deeply rooted regional pride.. So unless Montreal or Ottawa get an NBA team...

[Mindlessness]

The "Battle of Alberta" was pretty intense back in the day.

There's gonna be civil war and it's going to be great for the rest of us Canadians

[G__Deane]

My interest level is next to zero but Dallas is the only one of the four left that I'd cheer for. I don't like GSW (they are the only NBA team I can remember that I lost respect for when they started winning) and I hate all Boston teams. Completely ambivalent when it comes to Miami.

I am actually all in on the NHL playoffs. Haven't watched hockey in close to 20 years but the playoffs have been way more entertaining than the NBA.

Love that the Battle of Alberta will happen

[planetmars]

Our 6'9" lineup might be the best suited team to slow down Luka and limit the role players. Same with guys like Kawhi, PG, Lebron, Giannis, etc...

The Sixers with a brutish MVP center and a lightning quick PG may have been the worst possible matchup for the Raps.

Didn't Luka score like 40 against us? I believe that was the game where Scottie just left him wide open to take a 3.

Wasn't all 6'9's since Fred had like 42 minutes in that one. But if Fred's on the roster, and healthy, then we won't see much of that all 6'9 lineup anyway.

[G__Deane]

The problem is with that, its deeply rooted regional pride.. So unless Montreal or Ottawa get an NBA team...

Pistons would be the natural rival if the ever get decent, rather than just regularly beating down the Raptors.
Boston is another and that would have shown itself again if we met them in the post season.
Sixers? Meh, you need more than an airplane celebration to hate.

Cleveland is a team we might battle for years as an up and comer but these are all class B rivalries.

[Yuri Gagarin]

I don't really watch a ton of hockey either. Gretzsky wanted to be a leaf?!

Wayne Gretzky only played for one Canadian team during his professional career, but he was close to joining a second one in the mid-1990s.

After a brief stint with the St. Louis Blues in the second half of the 1995-96 NHL season, Gretzky was an unrestricted free agent looking for a new place to play. The NHL’s all-time leader in goals, assists, points and a plethora of other categories says he was nearly a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks.

“At one point in time we were close to Toronto. Cliff Fletcher [the Leafs GM at the time] really dug in deep and tried to make it happen,” Gretzky told Brady and Walker on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Thursday.

Gretzky, who grew up in Brantford, Ont., explained that he and his agent at the time, Mike Barnett, “were leaning to go to Toronto and be part of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” but it turns out the team was more interested in a new arena rather than signing The Great One.

“Timing is everything, and unfortunately at that time they were trying to raise money to move out of Maple Leaf Gardens and move into a new arena, a new facility, and the ownership just felt at that time they need to concentrate and put more of their resources into building an arena than to sign me,” Gretzky explained. “And that’s business and that’s what happens, but I thought I was close to signing in Toronto. I thought it was going to happen; unfortunately it didn’t.”

[Primer]

Pistons would be the natural rival if the ever get decent, rather than just regularly beating down the Raptors.
Boston is another and that would have shown itself again if we met them in the post season.
Sixers? Meh, you need more than an airplane celebration to hate.

Cleveland is a team we might battle for years as an up and comer but these are all class B rivalries.

Yeah the 3 you mentioned make the most sense to me, Detroit, Boston, and Cleveland. I suppose a Knicks rivalry is a possibility too, but they've got the same issues as Detroit. Boston has other rivals so not sure if we make the cut from their fanbase standpoint.

[Primer]

Wayne Gretzky only played for one Canadian team during his professional career, but he was close to joining a second one in the mid-1990s.

After a brief stint with the St. Louis Blues in the second half of the 1995-96 NHL season, Gretzky was an unrestricted free agent looking for a new place to play. The NHL’s all-time leader in goals, assists, points and a plethora of other categories says he was nearly a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks.

“At one point in time we were close to Toronto. Cliff Fletcher [the Leafs GM at the time] really dug in deep and tried to make it happen,” Gretzky told Brady and Walker on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Thursday.

Gretzky, who grew up in Brantford, Ont., explained that he and his agent at the time, Mike Barnett, “were leaning to go to Toronto and be part of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” but it turns out the team was more interested in a new arena rather than signing The Great One.

“Timing is everything, and unfortunately at that time they were trying to raise money to move out of Maple Leaf Gardens and move into a new arena, a new facility, and the ownership just felt at that time they need to concentrate and put more of their resources into building an arena than to sign me,” Gretzky explained. “And that’s business and that’s what happens, but I thought I was close to signing in Toronto. I thought it was going to happen; unfortunately it didn’t.”

Interesting. Edmonton let him go due to money concerns as well. Cheap owners shooting themselves in the foot.

[G__Deane]

Yeah the 3 you mentioned make the most sense to me, Detroit, Boston, and Cleveland. I suppose a Knicks rivalry is a possibility too, but they've got the same issues as Detroit. Boston has other rivals so not sure if we make the cut from their fanbase standpoint.

Knock them out in the playoffs and a rivalry will be born
Unfortunately, I see the Celtics being still on the upswing and good for a few years to come. Same with Cleveland from a lower starting point. I can't say the same for Miami or Chicago. I can see a 1B wanting to sign in Milwaukee when possible to play with the Freak for years from now so they'll be good for awhile.

[Bonus Jonas]

Our 6'9" lineup might be the best suited team to slow down Luka and limit the role players. Same with guys like Kawhi, PG, Lebron, Giannis, etc...

The Sixers with a brutish MVP center and a lightning quick PG may have been the worst possible matchup for the Raps.

Yeah we faced one of the few teams whose highest usage player is a big center

We would’ve looked better against almost any team

[JawsGT]

Yeah we faced one of the few teams whose highest usage player is a big center

We would’ve looked better against almost any team

Gotta disagree with you guys. I think the celts and Bucks would have crushed us. Philly was the match up. Embiid didn't win the series for them. Maxey and harden did.

[Kagemusha]

Gotta disagree with you guys. I think the celts and Bucks would have crushed us. Philly was the match up. Embiid didn't win the series for them. Maxey and harden did.

In a way Embiid and Harden did win the series coz they got us into believing that they will so we game planned for them and that mistake opened the game for Maxey.

Been saying since after game 1, don't double Harden, he is washed!

[Bonus Jonas]

Gotta disagree with you guys. I think the celts and Bucks would have crushed us. Philly was the match up. Embiid didn't win the series for them. Maxey and harden did.

I think all 3 beat us

But we would’ve looked a lot better against the other two teams. Embiid won the series for them by way of opening up everything for everyone else due to needing to be doubled every single time.

[Bonus Jonas]

Boston we definitely would defend straight up, and Giannis would really only attract doubles on drives

[Dvdvideo]

I think the xfactor in this series is Oladipo. I know he's never looked the same since his injuries but people forget just how good he was. If he can put together a couple of good series it's big for Miami.