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1st round PLAYOFF MATCHUPS - desired and worst matchups for the raps

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  • #31
    Mess wrote: View Post
    So some teams have improved and the Raptors are exactly the same...right?

    Man, the uniforms aren't even the same as last year, let alone the 4 new rotations players that wear them.



    I get that Casey is to blame for the emotional scar tissue that a lot of people are dealing with here, but if you can look past that it's not quite as bleak as you're making it out to be.
    For me, the 4 biggest components of the last 2.5 years are still constant (i.e. Casey, Lowry, DeRozan, Jonas). That's where my nervousness comes from going into April.

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    • #32
      Talent wise, im only concerned about Cleveland as a team that should beat us, we should beat everyone else. I do look at how we have had trouble adjusting mid series in the past (see paul pierce at the 4), which makes me a little concerned if a series gets to a game 6 or 7.

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      • #33
        I'm nervous as hell but its been like that for a long time watching the Raptors. Nothing ever seems to go right. But one thing I've been enjoying about this season is their overall team defense. Keep that up then our chances our good.

        Swapping GV, Lou and Tyler for CoJo, Carroll and Biyombo is the reason whey we get into round two despite Casey's flaws. Lowry of course is the engine, and so far so good. He actually even played well in the ASG. So that's a good sign as well.

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        • #34
          Nilanka wrote: View Post
          For me, the 4 biggest components of the last 2.5 years are still constant (i.e. Casey, Lowry, DeRozan, Jonas). That's where my nervousness comes from going into April.
          I seem to have read a fair number of posts about DD's improvements, about the new assistant coaches, JV's incremental growth, and they would seem to suggest those aren't exactly constants.

          Maybe DD and KL (even Ross' last 35 games) playing the best they ever have is too good to last. Maybe Biyombo will forget how to jump and morph into the Congolese Tyler Hansbrough. Maybe a lot of stuff could happen. Maybe I just realised I don't know why I care if people want to assume the worst....
          Two beer away from being two beers away.

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          • #35
            Mess wrote: View Post
            So some teams have improved and the Raptors are exactly the same...right?

            Man, the uniforms aren't even the same as last year, let alone the 4 new rotations players that wear them.



            I get that Casey is to blame for the emotional scar tissue that a lot of people are dealing with here, but if you can look past that it's not quite as bleak as you're making it out to be.
            LOL. Yeah, like there needs to be a sub-forum called Rehab Republic, for recovering Raptor fans who require therapy to learn how to enjoy a professional sports team again. You know, like.... trust falls, singing kumbaya around the campfire, Anthony Robbins motivational speeches, etc..... lol.

            The spotlight really is now intensely on Casey, i.e, how he gets the team rested and prepared down the stretch and then the team's performance in the playoffs, since the roster has been proven to have the talent to compete at a top 6 NBA level in the regular season against other contenders. That's a big change from last season. Even many of the US media outlets, who normally take great delight in crapping on Toronto, are predicting a Raps-Cavs ECF with the Raps giving the Cavs a good series. Again, that's something new. However, I'm already emotionally prepared for a first-round flame-out, cause we all know that Casey-gonna-case. So anything beyond 1st round flame-out is found money. You adopt that mindset and there's isn't a whole lot to worry about, other than Masai's ability to pick the next coach.

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            • #36
              slaw wrote: View Post
              The fact that posters are so concerned about mediocre to below average teams like Charlotte, WSH, Detroit, Indy says less about those teams and the Raps and more about how badly last postseason affected the psyche of Raps fans.
              I'm sorry, but do you remember last season? I've never seen a higher get pummelled so badly in the first round. Wouldn't be surprised if we made the record for the worst loss in the 1st round by a higher seed. Can't see how anyone be confident after that.
              "Stay steamy"

              - Kobe

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              • #37
                Nilanka wrote: View Post
                That's on Casey to make the adjustment.
                ..... Shit.

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                • #38
                  For sure last year ended badly. Very badly. But the beauty of sports is.. that's its last year and its over.
                  This is a different Raps team this year. We don't win games by having to put up 39 points in the 4th quarter.

                  This team is not the charmin soft raptors of old. There is some real sandpaper up front. JV and Biz set some really hard screens. Not headhunting screens but if its not called out fast enough there are some body bruises incurred. Rebounding against Biz is like sticking your body close to a windmill. Eventually during the game your going to get clipped. Hard. Biz doesn't get intimidated in the least. His first 17 years were spent in the not so democratic republic of the congo. Trash talk doesn't compare to getting shot at.

                  Carroll, when he gets back, is a really good on the ball defender on the wing. He is also mentally tough. Something that we didn't have much of in last years playoffs when the Raptors collectively rolled over and died. Its nice to have a counter to potential matchups with Paul George LBJ, Jimmy Butler which is very different than last year.

                  Joseph is also a good defender and a very capable ball handler under pressure. Yeah he throws some away but there is a marked difference to this years two PG guard combo of Kyle n' CoJo rather than Kyle with Lou or GV.

                  Demar is relentless going down the lane and he gets banged up doing it but there is no quit in that dog. He just keeps coming.

                  Scola is slow and probably has a one inch standing vertical but he gets to balls on the defensive end and the offensive end by boxing out. Every now and again you see some guy wind up in photographers row and Luis starts up the floor with the ball. Does he play to much .. probably but he adds an element of veteran savy and he doesn't rattle under pressure when he is out there and the pressure goes way up in the playoffs.

                  I like our chances against anyone in the East outside of Cleveland.
                  There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                  - TGO

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                  • #39
                    I don't think last years sweep is on Casey. And the season before we lost to a superior team, by a single basket thru 7 games, that just happened to get out to a worse start than the Raps did and were the lower seed.

                    Nonetheless, I have my reservations too. But if Carroll can perform at a high level and Ross and Pat play well, then I think we should do well in the playoffs. Neither Demar or Lowry look like they will be as easy to defend as last year, and our defense is much better. Lou was easily handled last season too, and he was a big part of our offence.

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                    • #40
                      I'm prepared for the worst
                      Only one thing matters: We The Champs.

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                      • #41
                        Scraptor wrote: View Post
                        Washington is a This is an awfully smug statement given that Washington swept us, and has swapped out Pierce and Gooden for Dudley and Morris. They've been absolutely decimated by injuries and are far better than their record suggests. https://www.mangameslost.com/category/nba/

                        Charlotte is mediocre/below-average and Detroit is very young, but that posters could be so cavalier about our chances after losing twice consecutively to lower seeds suggests that if enough time passes fans can forget about losses or make excuses for why we lost in the first place.
                        Washington is a tough out if they are hitting the midrange shot. Tough to gauge but think we would beat them this year. Think we have Charlotte's number this time out as well. And while we'll have trouble with Detroit we'll beat them in 5 games at most. Indy scares me more due to Paul George. Elite players (even after injury) have a way of elevating their play when needed. They're also well suited to grind it out playoff ball. I wouldn't underestimate them.

                        We need to avoid Chicago in the first round and all will be good. But something tells me there will be a lot of jockeying for position down the stretch to get the right match-up. Toronto generally doesn't do that.

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                        • #42
                          Honestly i think Detroit or Indy is our ideal match up Pacers r scary with PG but we seem play well against em and DC and JJ should be able to slow him enough for us to win in 5 or 6. Detroit would be probaly my ideal match-up. their just good enough to give us a good 1st round test to push us but think we get the advantage win in 6. plus the north would invade the palace basically taking away home court. I could see detriot doing what tampa bay did in the nhl last year and only selling tickets if u live in detroit.
                          To be the champs you got to beat the champs

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                          • #43
                            ADD ON: would be amazing if bull slipped the 8th and had to play clevland first round. Also boston is the one team in the east im actually rooting for. if they could slip to 4th and have to play clevland 2nd i seriously think they could upset them. Great team to watch kinda in the same boat as raptors, no huge superstar talent but somehow making it work, come to think of it bos vs tor 2nd round could be a classic matchup would be great to see
                            To be the champs you got to beat the champs

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                            • #44
                              bertarapsfan wrote: View Post
                              ADD ON: would be amazing if bull slipped the 8th and had to play clevland first round. Also boston is the one team in the east im actually rooting for. if they could slip to 4th and have to play clevland 2nd i seriously think they could upset them. Great team to watch kinda in the same boat as raptors, no huge superstar talent but somehow making it work, come to think of it bos vs tor 2nd round could be a classic matchup would be great to see
                              boston has that youthful exuberance that might be able to upset cleveland. they can run for days, play good d and i am guessing crowder is going to be a great playoff player.

                              you also explain the best possible scenario for us making the conference finals with a slight chance at the finals. even if cleveland gets there they will be pretty tired having to go through chicago and boston.

                              i would be scared of indiana as well. hill is a handful for us at the 1 and george could go crazy. would be a bad matchup without carrol.

                              i think we would beat detroit. i don't think they are deep enough for a playoff run yet.

                              charlotte scares me with walker and lin. two us killers.

                              atlanta and miami are tough with the vets and experience. best chance against miami without bosh.

                              i think this is a lost season for washington as the team has just had too many injuries for them to play at a high level.
                              Last edited by Miekenstien; Sat Feb 20, 2016, 02:39 AM.

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                              • #45
                                Miekenstien wrote: View Post
                                boston has that youthful exuberance that might be able to upset cleveland. they can run for days, play good d and i am guessing crowder is going to be a great playoff player.

                                you also explain the best possible scenario for us making the conference finals with a slight chance at the finals. even if cleveland gets there they will be pretty tired having to go through chicago and boston.

                                i would be scared of indiana as well. hill is a handful for us at the 1 and george could go crazy. would be a bad matchup without carrol.

                                i think we would beat detroit. i don't think they are deep enough for a playoff run yet.

                                charlotte scraes me with walker and lin. two us killers.

                                atlanta and miami are tough with the vets and experience. best chance against miami without bosh.

                                i think this is a lost season for washington as the team has just had too many injuries for them to play at a high level.


                                Yea pretty well agree too. Think miami is actually not to bad of a matchup if bosh is out. Hornets have had our number but id rather face them than the wizards. Think they have a mental edge and the raps would probably be the ideal match-up for them. Char-Raps would actually be a really good series just from a fans prespictive. i would be worried about them wearing us down with a tough hard nosed series and be too gassed for round 2.
                                If i had to rank who id like to face probably be
                                1.detroit
                                2.indy
                                3.miami (without bosh)
                                4. hornets

                                Hopefully wash and chi both miss playoffs do not want to face either
                                Last edited by bertarapsfan; Sat Feb 20, 2016, 04:22 AM.
                                To be the champs you got to beat the champs

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