Game #10 to go Pacers at Raps Wednesday March 22nd 7:30 pm on SN1

[slaw]

Masai said he’d never get caught in the middle. If 7-11 is the middle, then we’re going to end up in the middle of the middle.

Clowns to the left, jokers to the right…

[TrueTorontoFan]

This is the type of game you just have to win if you want to be taken seriously.

Is it too late to tank?

we can stumble are way to the end of the play-in and hopefully fall out

[TrueTorontoFan]

Siakam deserves better than a chucking guard.

this bs is going to lead to him wanting out

[Dvdvideo]

Interesting game. Lost it on 3 point shooting and free throws. Once again for some reason the guy the raps bring in to shoot 3's who has a good percentage before comes in and misses wide open shots, i dont get it. Some great defense in that game vs a red hot offensive club.

Missing 2 of our better players, I can handle this loss, good effort.

[LJ2]

The team just isn't built to handle injuries to any of the core players. Or maybe it's just that the bench guys aren't able to step up because their play time is so erratic and they aren't able to develop any chemistry or rhythm.

[DanH]

Gah, really needed this win. But we're thin enough a team that you cut a few rotation players out and you need everything to go right, and so much went wrong in this one. Couldn't hit a three to save our lives, they hit all theirs, Jak bricking FTs (and no closing lineup alternative because of the injuries)...

I thought the effort overall was pretty good, not super mad at anyone, and even Nick could do very little better rotation wise (though starting Barton is not great). Flynn was decent, which was nice.

I guess the goal now is edge out the competition for that 8 spot and win the 7 seed that way. Gotta get Scottie and Gary (or at least one of them) back ASAP if we're gonna have a shot.

[planetmars]

Boy do we suck at guard penetration. What an embarrassing loss for this team. Add another to the list I guess. Even took the lead after a disappointing first half.. just couldn't hold on to it.

Andrew Nembhard just had his way. Gross effort defensively. I mean this was the same team that lost to both the Pistons and Hornets recently. We were at home and well rested too.

Poeltl was again a team low with -13 last night. His net rating is definitely taking a dive. OG was a disaster offensively. Fred took way too many shots, and many ill timed ones.. including one with like 20 seconds left on the clock. Pascal decided to take a nap for the first half. Thankfully he woke up but a little too late to the party. Barton has no arc on his shot. I have no idea how he's considered a "shooter".. either way he was bad again last night.

Flynn did well. TJ didn't really go off on him like I thought he would. Felt like Dowtin should have played more than 6 minutes.. but he wasn't going to really be a difference maker. Needed a bit more from Boucher. He ended up 4-10. Missed some bunnies around the rim, and fumbled the ball too many times.

Whenever we approach .500.. we always seem to lose 2 or 3 in a row. Such a frustrating team to watch this year.

[TomAmnot]

We are going to need a bit more from Will Barton... maybe I had too much hope, but after 10 games, he's really not shown a lot.

[Primer]

Barton was truly awful. He airballed a wide open 3. That's the opposite of being a vet. That's the one shot we need to be able to count on him to make (or at least hit the rim).

The poor shooting must have rubbed off on OG because he looked just as bad, and you could tell it was in his head mentally.

Poeltl and Siakam played well. Poeltl missing FT is part of the package, he still scored 23 points on 12 shots which more than makes up for it.

Fred was OK, I hate that he took 22 shots while being so off all night but when the other options are Barton and an ice cold OG I get why he did it this time.

Nurse needs to glue Barton to the bench and play Flynn and Dowtin. They aren't great but they are definitely better than Barton.

Boucher is one of the most frustrating guys to watch because he makes these amazing positive plays and then follows it up with brutally dumb bonehead plays. Just a total yo-yo all the time.

We really needed this win. Hopefully it lights a fire under guys and we win the next one.

If Pascal and Fred play there are no excuses for losing to a team like this. They are our leaders, all stars, "best" players. They need to be able to will us to a win. We got dominated by a 2nd round rookie.

[MixxAOR]

The team just isn't built to handle injuries to any of the core players. Or maybe it's just that the bench guys aren't able to step up because their play time is so erratic and they aren't able to develop any chemistry or rhythm.

Your star should be able to carry in times like this. Instead we need worry about Barton minutes.

[chris]

yeah barton is approaching that aron baynes zone where i feel genuinely bad for him repeatedly shitting the bed under the bright lights every time he steps on the floor.

miraculously he was only -3 last night. pretty sure the official scorekeeper must have mixed up barton's and poeltl's +/- lines

[DanH]

yeah barton is approaching that aron baynes zone where i feel genuinely bad for him repeatedly shitting the bed under the bright lights every time he steps on the floor.

miraculously he was only -3 last night. pretty sure the official scorekeeper must have mixed up barton's and poeltl's +/- lines

The starting lineup with Barton was -5, and that alone is a death knell for this team, whose entire formula for success since the Jak trade has been "the starters will win the game if the bench can just not be a complete disaster."

Barton's generally a disaster but the damage he does is so much more an issue when it's with the starting group vs with one of the bench groups.

[slaw]

Your star should be able to carry in times like this. Instead we need worry about Barton minutes.

Pascal had a good line but it didn't result in a win. Fred and OG shot poorly. That's your three best players not getting it done. Add in the piss poor defense and it's game over.

[Dr Hannibal Lecter]

Lol...are u not entertain..hehehe
U guys remember 2019...omg..2 this...wow..just amazing.
Should I just start s&^% on the supposed MJ on this team.. Mr..Minus 23, nah..forget it. We all know what he is, but it's never his fault..lol..
Hmm..it's interesting that all the guys who are out just can't stand playing him.. pretty sure if he was not there, there nagging injuries, they would play..I guarantee.