2022 PreSeason - 3 Weeks to Camp Opening - Where Do The Raps Stack up in the East ?

[LJ2]

I think it does.
We always talk about The NBA being a star driven league.... mostly because they only play 5 guys .. and you can play two or three of them for most of the game. Can't do that in hockey or soccer ... Baseball is a tough compare as the game is just different and football has split responsibilities between offense and defense.
To be relevant (a contender for the Conference Championship or League Championship.......Scottie has to be a star..

Agreed, how Barnes develops is a likely difference maker in how the Raptors do in the post season.

I was referring to the regular season and a comment on how other teams in the East have improved via the draft over the last couple of season in relation to the Raptors. I think Raps are going to be one of the better regular season teams if they can stay healthy. They should be able to overwhelm most teams with their defense this season and shouldn't run into dry spells on offense with so many weapons. They are deep as well which should help keep starters fresh.

[golden]

We got spoiled in 2019.
And
As the saying goes "once you see Paris its hard to keep the boys on the farm".
A colloquial way of saying expectations are considerably higher for the Raps after winning it all. You get spoiled.
And why not ?.
The Raps are a big market team, with good management and are more than adequately funded.
The goal is championships.
Got my day glo orange spray paint can and have marked my X at the Prince's Gates at Strachan and the Lakeshore ready to go.
But probably not this year.

Improvement will be getting out of round 1.

Nurse hasn't won a legit playoff series since Kawhi left.

[LJ2]

No one is saying the Raps won't be better with the expected growth of Barnes and perhaps a surprise from someone we don't expect it from happens along the way .
Its that East as a whole got better... and perhaps there is a gap between how much the Raps improved vs how much the conference improved.

It sounds like you're saying Barnes' development is the only way this team will have improved from last season (barring any surprises). True, he isn't close to being the best player on the team yet based on last season and as he closes that gap with Siakam and Fred the team will be that much better. However I consider the additions of veteran players to the bench and the continuity of having the core together for a second season to be big factors in how much better the team will be this season. Siakam might just have a career year this season and while Fred's role may change it might be to his (and the teams) benefit. OG is just entering his prime, Trent and Precious should continue to grow as well. It doesn't all rest on Scottie's shoulders.

[DanH]

Nurse hasn't won a legit playoff series since Kawhi left.

Gasp! During a rebuild???!! Well, I never.

[Demographic Shift]

Agreed, how Barnes develops is a likely difference maker in how the Raptors do in the post season.

I was referring to the regular season and a comment on how other teams in the East have improved via the draft over the last couple of season in relation to the Raptors. I think Raps are going to be one of the better regular season teams if they can stay healthy. They should be able to overwhelm most teams with their defense this season and shouldn't run into dry spells on offense with so many weapons. They are deep as well which should help keep starters fresh.

Yes... Cleveland has got better with the Mitchell trade. The two young players Mobley and Garland are going to be a pain the butt for the raps for a while.
They will be a preseason fave ... with good reason. I think they leap frogged us.

Tier 1 The Pre Season Contenders tier has the Bucks, Chowders and Nets rounding out the top 3. Durants ego is bruised.Could be the KD revenge year.
Tier 2 Almost there. Two Gotta win now teams with Philly and the Heat and they are joined by what might be the best young team in the East.in the Cavs..
Tier 3 Young teams on the rise.. The Hawks .. The Raptors ...
Tier 4 Gotta win now teams that aren't going to win now... Treadmill teams The Bulls, The Pacers, Charlotte and the Whiz
Tier 5 Making moves to get out of the lottery..... Detroit, Orlando
Tier 6. The Knicks manage again to be the home for misfit toys... no structure.. no direction ...lots misery. Happy.for RJ Barett but would you give him the bag? Jalen Brunson as your new focus in the backcourt.. again for the bag. Mix in ball hog Julius Randle .. who also got the bag and they are locked in to the bottom of the heap for a while. Lots of draft choices though.

[SkywalkerAC]

Nets?

[LJ2]

Yes... Cleveland has got better with the Mitchell trade. The two young players Mobley and Garland are going to be a pain the butt for the raps for a while.
They will be a preseason fave ... with good reason. I think they leap frogged us.

Tier 1 The Pre Season Contenders tier has the Bucks, Chowders and Nets rounding out the top 3. Durants ego is bruised.Could be the KD revenge year.
Tier 2 Almost there. Two Gotta win now teams with Philly and the Heat and they are joined by what might be the best young team in the East.in the Cavs..
Tier 3 Young teams on the rise.. The Hawks .. The Raptors ...
Tier 4 Gotta win now teams that aren't going to win now... Treadmill teams The Bulls, The Pacers, Charlotte and the Whiz
Tier 5 Making moves to get out of the lottery..... Detroit, Orlando
Tier 6. The Knicks manage again to be the home for misfit toys... no structure.. no direction ...lots misery. Happy.for RJ Barett but would you give him the bag? Jalen Brunson as your new focus in the backcourt.. again for the bag. Mix in ball hog Julius Randle .. who also got the bag and they are locked in to the bottom of the heap for a while. Lots of draft choices though.

Maybe I'm setting myself up for disappointment, but I think the Raps will be in the top tier with the other contenders in the East. I'm looking for a smothering defense that will overwhelm teams.

[SkywalkerAC]

Remembering the newfound allstar-backcourts of some of our rivals Garland-Mitchell and Young-Murray really makes me want to start OG at the two so we can bully them on both ends. Mismatches baby!

[golden]

Gasp! During a rebuild???!! Well, I never.

80-90% of the eastern conference has also been in a rebuild since Kawhi left. What's your point?

[TrueTorontoFan]

does anyone remember what was thads best passing game from the season? not post season but season?

[A.I]

80-90% of the eastern conference has also been in a rebuild since Kawhi left. What's your point?

And which of those rebuilding teams has won a "legit" Playoff series?

Hawks' run in 2021 was the most impressive. Outside of that its been the elite teams winning Playoff games. The Heat, Sixers, Bucks, Celtics and Nets

[DanH]

80-90% of the eastern conference has also been in a rebuild since Kawhi left. What's your point?

What's your point? That Nick Nurse should have had this team into the ECF at some point over the last three seasons?

[The Great One]

What's your point? That Nick Nurse should have had this team into the ECF at some point over the last three seasons?

Golden has really lost it.

1. 2020 - Was it Nurse's fault that his best player didn't show up the entire series? the fact that the Celtics series went 7 games was still pretty impressive. The Raptors probably would've won that series if Siakam had one good game.
2. 2021 was the Tampa Tank.
3. 2022 - They were a rebuilding team facing one of the best teams in the Conference. Again, a REBUILDING team, and they finished 5th in the conference.

And for a billion time golden, Nick Nurse is not a sorcerer. He just can't magically make this team a championship team.

[Demographic Shift]

Nets?

The KD revenge season.
Coming to an arena near you.

[golden]

What's your point? That Nick Nurse should have had this team into the ECF at some point over the last three seasons?

Never said anything about making the ECF.... which "non-elite" coach, Nate McMillan, actually achieved with a young, rebuilding team.

Just pointing out that Nurse hasn't won a legit playoff series since Kawhi left. Like, not even 1 single playoff series.

And that most of the teams in the East were also rebuilding during the same period as the Raptors, with much less experienced players than Fred/OG/Siakam and Lowry/Norm for 2 seasons. No need to create extreme strawmen or get upset. It's simply a statement of fact.