Game #49 - Raptors at Kings. Jan 25, 2023 @ 10:00pm EST

[MixxAOR]

8 man rotation...Nurse will do everything he can to bring this team back into playoffs

[SkywalkerAC]

High level win right there. Thoroughly enjoyed that one, putting the CLAMPS on Sabonis and the Kings’ high powered offense.

In short order, Scottie has really transformed a slight sophomore slump into sophomore stardom.

And Pascal is really, really good.

[Maury]

One of Scottie’s best games as a pro. Controlled the game in every way on the offensive end. Really impressive.

[Dvdvideo]

This is the team I thought we started the year with.......

Precious and Scottie very good in this game, if only we hadn't had so many key injuries.....

[Rudy Bargnani]

I didn’t see the game.
That said I think how you view Precious really impacts how you view the trade deadline. He’s playing better—if he can be your center do you really need to trade for another C?

[planetmars]

Finished the game this morning.. and caught it without being spoiled - whoohoo!

Fun game. I like how Nurse is separating Pascal from Scottie. To start the 2nd, and then to start the 4th. A little surprised he's going with OG over Gary considering it was Gary and that same squad that held the fort, and took the lead in the 4th over Knicks. But I guess OG is the "better" player. Either way it worked well.

Pascal needs the ball too much to be affective as does Scottie. It also gets Pascal a lot of rest (he only played 35 minutes yesterday, and 34 against the Knicks). That rest helps him look a lot better in the 4th when he checks back in. He had a great 3rd quarter though. Just punished the Kings. Great defensively as well.

I thought the game plan against Sabonis was great. I thought the defense was really working hard and smart. They got out to shooters as best as I've seen all season. Fred was only 2/9 from 3 but he looks like he's got his shot back. Overall was 7-16. Had 4 steals and 2 blocks as well. He was not allowing too many blow byes but it felt different. We weren't relying on the 1-1 game.. we used help defenders better to suffocate Fox and create turnovers. Sabonis alone had 9 of them.

Boucher was really great in the first half. I was cringing when he took those 3's.. and I do hope he decides to pass out of those shots more often but he was also getting into that dunker spot for clean passes. Had a wicked block when a King had a wide open dunk (forget who it was against). When Boucher plays well it helps because we get at least one bench player performing.

Yet Precious was also fire. Is Precious actually a better defender than OG? OG is great but Precious moves his feet a lot faster and that agility gets him into spaces that OG can't physically get into. Plus Precious is a way better rebounder.

I know we want Wemby or Scoot or a top 4 pick.. but I'd take a performance like that all day every day. It was a complete game with not many holes at all in it. Maybe Nurse could have stretched out the bench a bit more but that's fine.. Our starters all got good rest anyway.

[A.I]

Finished the game this morning.. and caught it without being spoiled - whoohoo!

Fun game. I like how Nurse is separating Pascal from Scottie. To start the 2nd, and then to start the 4th. A little surprised he's going with OG over Gary considering it was Gary and that same squad that held the fort, and took the lead in the 4th over Knicks. But I guess OG is the "better" player. Either way it worked well.

Pascal needs the ball too much to be affective as does Scottie. It also gets Pascal a lot of rest (he only played 35 minutes yesterday, and 34 against the Knicks). That rest helps him look a lot better in the 4th when he checks back in. He had a great 3rd quarter though. Just punished the Kings. Great defensively as well.

I thought the game plan against Sabonis was great. I thought the defense was really working hard and smart. They got out to shooters as best as I've seen all season. Fred was only 2/9 from 3 but he looks like he's got his shot back. Overall was 7-16. Had 4 steals and 2 blocks as well. He was not allowing too many blow byes but it felt different. We weren't relying on the 1-1 game.. we used help defenders better to suffocate Fox and create turnovers. Sabonis alone had 9 of them.

Boucher was really great in the first half. I was cringing when he took those 3's.. and I do hope he decides to pass out of those shots more often but he was also getting into that dunker spot for clean passes. Had a wicked block when a King had a wide open dunk (forget who it was against). When Boucher plays well it helps because we get at least one bench player performing.

Yet Precious was also fire. Is Precious actually a better defender than OG? OG is great but Precious moves his feet a lot faster and that agility gets him into spaces that OG can't physically get into. Plus Precious is a way better rebounder.

I know we want Wemby or Scoot or a top 4 pick.. but I'd take a performance like that all day every day. It was a complete game with not many holes at all in it. Maybe Nurse could have stretched out the bench a bit more but that's fine.. Our starters all got good rest anyway.

If he isn't already, he can get there. Same size as OG, quicker and more athletic.

[planetmars]

If he isn't already, he can get there. Same size as OG, quicker and more athletic.

Yeah.. if OG is ever moved it's not the end of the world since we have Precious on the team. Precious needs more offensive awareness, but it's not like OG is a world beater on offense either.

If we can get a haul for OG, I'm good to move on.

[G__Deane]

Yeah.. if OG is ever moved it's not the end of the world since we have Precious on the team. Precious needs more offensive awareness, but it's not like OG is a world beater on offense either.

If we can get a haul for OG, I'm good to move on.

What's a haul, the rumoured 3 firsts?
And how high would they have to be to be good value?

[A.I]

What's a haul, the rumoured 3 firsts?
And how high would they have to be to be good value?

I'd be down for the Pelicans package that was reported. Daniels, Herb and the Lakers pick.

[LJ2]

I didn't get a chance to watch the game either, but from the look at the final score I thought maybe our defense was really good in this one. Not the case unfortunately, but at least the offense was good and we were able to impose our game plan on them.

[planetmars]

What's a haul, the rumoured 3 firsts?
And how high would they have to be to be good value?

For me I'd want a really good young player and a draft pick with no protections. That's the baseline. So it depends on which "good young player" is being offered and from what team. 3 picks alone may not be enough depending on what the protection on those picks are or what team is sending them.

[G__Deane]

I'd be down for the Pelicans package that was reported. Daniels, Herb and the Lakers pick.

I think it would have to more sometin like this, players and a 1st or 2 since just trading him for first means sitting around for a few years to see if it worked out.....but I don't think OG is being traded.

[planetmars]

I didn't get a chance to watch the game either, but from the look at the final score I thought maybe our defense was really good in this one. Not the case unfortunately, but at least the offense was good and we were able to impose our game plan on them.

Our defense was great. We held one of the best offensive teams in the league to 95 points. They average 120 (highest in the league). Sabonis had like a stretch of 25+ games with double doubles, and he had single digit points and rebounds. And he wasn't in any foul trouble or anything.

If you want to see the Raptors finally play a good defensive game, watch last night's game some how. Good defensive games from this squad have been few and far between this season.

Offense was okay. Still missed a lot of 3's (shot around 30%). Had some good ball movement at times. Pascal was great in the 3rd quarter. Got anything he wanted. Scottie did a good job leading the bench again. He finished with 10 assists.

[planetmars]

What I loved the most out of last night's game is that the refs didn't make it about themselves. Raps went to the line 7 times, the Kings only 13. It was a pretty smooth game.