Game #19: Toronto Raptors 96 - Atlanta Hawks 86

[JimiCliff]

Biggest surprise of the game? Demar didn't even touch the ball the entire 4th quarter until the last 30 seconds.

Goddam I wish I'd seen this

[Snooch]

Goddam I wish I'd seen this

it was great.

fantastic ball movement.

Lowry was allowed to kick ass.

Joseph looked fantastic again.

Defense was great, not run outs off of bad shots missed for Atlanta.

And a bigtime comeback win

[JWash]

it was great.

fantastic ball movement.

Lowry was allowed to kick ass.

Joseph looked fantastic again.

Defense was great, not run outs off of bad shots missed for Atlanta.

And a bigtime comeback win

Ball movement was not fantastic or even good. We had 12 assists on 36 made field goals.

We won this game because of a Herculean effort from Lowry in the 4th quarter.

[Chr1s1anL]

Nice comeback win, and I know the defense is what gave them a chance, which is a change from last year, but this is still the same shit as last year. We've seen this before, Lowry having to go super human to save the team.

This isn't a sustainable strategy. This team still doesn't play team basketball, too many possessions rely on Lowry and DeRozan taking turns trying to make something happen. This all comes off as a facade to me. Casey preaches playing playoff basketball all year. This offense isn't successful in the playoffs as proven last year.

I hope Masai recognizes this and makes changes to improve the style of play. Otherwise we're looking at finishing 3-6 in the east and suffering another 1st round playoff loss.

I think this team could finish top 3 in the east

[Snooch]

Ball movement was not fantastic or even good. We had 12 assists on 36 made field goals.

We won this game because of a Herculean effort from Lowry in the 4th quarter.

lol. ok guy.

[Wild-ling#1]

At this point I'd be pretty surprised if DD wasn't selected to his 2nd AllStar game in 2016. It'll probably be the coaches doing it (again), which means just as much, if not more.

Not sure yet. But it sure seems doable.

[Demographic Shift]

Absolutely it would be concerning if he were showing signs of tiring, playing 18 straight minutes on the back end of playing 25+ minutes total, and was contributing nothing of value on the court, AND had a viable upgrade just sitting on the bench waiting to get in the game. As it is, he looked fresh the entire time, was playing 14 straight minutes having only played two minutes before that stretch, was contributing big time on the court with help defence, offensive possessions AND rebounding, AND the only possible subs were significant downgrades based on how the game had gone.

I could see how you might get confused though.

As Russell Peters would say" take it and go" as this may be the closest it gets to giving consideration that perhaps a 23 year old centre can actually play an entire quarter without the need for a med unit present

The confusing part is that both centres are 23 yet the standards used to pronounce judgement is somehow different.

[LJ2]

Nice comeback win, and I know the defense is what gave them a chance, which is a change from last year, but this is still the same shit as last year. We've seen this before, Lowry having to go super human to save the team.

This isn't a sustainable strategy. This team still doesn't play team basketball, too many possessions rely on Lowry and DeRozan taking turns trying to make something happen. This all comes off as a facade to me. Casey preaches playing playoff basketball all year. This offense isn't successful in the playoffs as proven last year.

I hope Masai recognizes this and makes changes to improve the style of play. Otherwise we're looking at finishing 3-6 in the east and suffering another 1st round playoff loss.

I'll start by saying I enjoy the game much more when the team is sharing the ball. However...

I'm not so sure that one style of play or the other is the ONLY way to win in the regular season or the playoffs. Sure if you have a roster full of shooters like the Warriors then a share the ball offence is a great option and makes sense, but look at Atlanta. Same concept of sharing the ball and they got demolished by and iso heavy offence from the Cav's in the post season. There isn't just one way to be successful in the NBA, history has shown us this. Maybe this roster is better suited for playing the style they are playing?

[Wild-ling#1]

I think DD will get selected just because its in Toronto and he's putting up pretty ok numbers

I'd be happy with that outcome. But I think the numbers and the narrative are both good: DD is trying hard to carry a significant load as necessary, on a team without a true "superstar" (as we are constantly and indefatigably reminded!) while learning to play with new teammates, and more within himself, when he can. So far so good ...

I'd love to see him in that game (with Kyle, of course). He's our guy (though no success is too good to be submerged beneath left-handed metrics ... or unabashedly sub-market valuations)

[Wild-ling#1]

Exactly. We'd be sending Jonas as well if he hadn't gotten hurt, as long as we kept on winning.

I feel really bad for Jonas. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity squashed like a bug. Kobe's legacy.

[Chr1s1anL]

I'll start by saying I enjoy the game much more when the team is sharing the ball. However...

I'm not so sure that one style of play or the other is the ONLY way to win in the regular season or the playoffs. Sure if you have a roster full of shooters like the Warriors then a share the ball offence is a great option and makes sense, but look at Atlanta. Same concept of sharing the ball and they got demolished by and iso heavy offence from the Cav's in the post season. There isn't just one way to be successful in the NBA, history has shown us this. Maybe this roster is better suited for playing the style they are playing?

Its all about your roster. You have to play the style that puts your best players in best position to succeed. Our players are at their best when attacking the rim.

[Wild-ling#1]

Good game. Our All-Star backcourt carried us again. Dd carried the offense in the first half to at least keep us in the game and Lowry did it in the second half. These two guys are so good together. Their both so hard to stop when they got a head of steam. Heard someone call them "The Slash Brothers" a couple games ago. That could stick. Seeing the way Lowry put the team on his back made me wish he was healthy in the playoffs. When Lowry is

Man, I love this team. These guys play so hard for Coach Casey. The more gritty games like this we play the better it prepares us for the playoffs.

Nice that, while Carroll had a rough time, he got watch his new teammates dismantle his old teammates in the "Ghost gym".

(What a shit crowd!)

Kind of the definition of a "character win": Gritty. Ugly. Shocking. Cool ....

[Wild-ling#1]

Very ugly at times. First half defence was really bad, we were lucky that Atlanta missed some open looks from deep.

Lowry with a star performance in the 4th. Nice to see after early struggles but we need more than just him moving forward.

Loved Bebe. Didn't love that his minutes weren't more regulated, but he looked fresh enough to leave him in down the stretch. Atlanta had to account for him rolling to the rim (something they didn't have to with Biz) and that helped create space for Lowry/CoJo in the 4th. He deserves more minutes and could take the backup spot from Biz when JV returns.

Ross and Patterson sightings - a must for this team to be successful.

Carroll, Scola and DD with very forgettable games. Carroll was pressing too hard.

Except that Derozan didn't "hog" the ball ... while outscoring Teague, Horford, Korver and Millsap (and all the Hawks).

[Nilanka]

it was great.

fantastic ball movement.

Lowry was allowed to kick ass.

Joseph looked fantastic again.

Defense was great, not run outs off of bad shots missed for Atlanta.

And a bigtime comeback win

Ball movement was not fantastic or even good. We had 12 assists on 36 made field goals.

We won this game because of a Herculean effort from Lowry in the 4th quarter.

lol. ok guy.

I thought JWash's assessment was bang on. This was a horrid game for most of the night. We had just 3 assists in the first half (is that even possible?).

Lowry went into God-mode in the 4th, a performance we haven't seen since the Carter days. He gets the bulk of the credit for this one.

[slaw]

Guys... we just literally stole one... Stole it... Down 17 in the 3rd and they didn't put us away... and we came back and took one... This is going to cause Atlanta to have a players only meeting if the pattern holds true...

Its not just Casey making adjustments.. its Nurse and Greer as well and maybe Greer says lets put him in to see if he can slow down the Atlanta dribble drive offense...He really did alter a lot of shots and Atlanta went cold as well... No one saw that coming.. No one... Whether you like Casey or not .. its not just him coming up with whats next...

Just enjoy the win.. you want to hate on someone.... pick the guys at Hydro One...

Some people are never happy. I mean, it's simple and easy to go on the road against one of the best teams in the East and win, right? You just move the ball and run a motion offense; shoot a lot of threes and get dunks/layups. Guaranteed win. It's not like the other team is trying to win or anything....