Game 59 - Utah Jazz 94 - Toronto Raptors 104

[Nilanka]

Is Kyle lowry a superstar now? A legitimate top 10 player? We all talk about dd growth, who ever predicted this when kyle was acquired, and playing backup to jose?

I think everyone besides Jose's mother knew Kyle was the better player. Top 10 player I didn't see, but all-star.. definitely yeah.

Remember all the crying about giving up the 12 pick (which turned out to be Stephen Adams)? Lol.

[DanH]

Remember all the crying about giving up the 12 pick (which turned out to be Stephen Adams)? Lol.

Well, to be fair, it would have been Giannis, who Masai was reportedly trying very hard to trade back into the draft to get. Who is no slouch.

Still, it worked out very well.

[Just Is]

Is Kyle lowry a superstar now? A legitimate top 10 player? We all talk about dd growth, who ever predicted this when kyle was acquired, and playing backup to jose?

At that time, it was a horrible move (even before taking into account how he was neutered).

In hindsight; it looks even worse.

[Mess]

My favourite play was JV and Scola boxing each other out for the offensive rebound.

[blackjitsu]

At that time, it was a horrible move (even before taking into account how he was neutered).

In hindsight; it looks even worse.

How so?

[Just Is]

How so?

Kyle was the better player from the get go by a pretty good margin (and was immediately our best player by a pretty good margin).

[slaw]

The one thing that struck me last night was at the end of the game thinking to myself, 'routine win'. I've watched the Raps for most of the last 20 years and I have never, ever sat and watched any victory and thought' 'routine win'. Utah actually played pretty good but Toronto was just rolling along in second gear, kicked it up into third for about 10 minutes, and then just cruised. I wouldn't even say they played a particularly good game but there was never any question the result was in doubt despite how desperate Utah was playing.

I remember when this team made basketball look hard. Now, they make it look easy to the point where it's shocking when they don't win. I honestly can't believe this is the Toronto Raptors.

[Mess]

It helped that Biyombo used his head to take out Hood.




Are we still doing the fake win stuff? (just kidding...it died months ago, let's keep it dead)

[CNinja26]

Bebe to the rescue. Did a lot of good things in the few minutes he played - most importantly injecting some energy in our front court after Utah was eating us up and shifting the momentum back in our favor. Turning point of the game.

Trey Burke is an interesting player. He's a pretty solid PG - not the greatest passer, but he's quick and got a decent shot. Doesn't seem like the type of player to get buried at the end of a bench.

[Demographic Shift]

Don't worry Stamkos is on his way...

Yesterday after practice Stammer hit the golf course in Tampa for a quick 9 (where it was reported he met several Chicago Bulls players also booking tee times for April 15th) before he went to the beach for the afternoon.
Yesterday I shoveled 20 to 25 cm off the driveway and sidewalk.
On his way back to Toronto for sure.

[JWash]

Yesterday after practice Stammer hit the golf course in Tampa for a quick 9 (where it was reported he met several Chicago Bulls players also booking tee times for April 15th) before he went to the beach for the afternoon.
Yesterday I shoveled 20 to 25 cm off the driveway and sidewalk.
On his way back to Toronto for sure.

I swear the Leafs Stamkos thing reminds me so much of the Knicks with LeBron.

[nars]

here is my take on this win: just barely good enough to win the 40th game.
It also exposes the same crappy shit that Casey, DD and KL dish out in order to win, and which will not work even in the first round of playoffs. KL is an amazing guard who seems to have managed to wrap the team and coach around himself, yet if any team in playoffs just clamps on KL - Casey DOES NOT HAVE an answer. And please do not blame Scola, JV or any other SF/PF - the Raptors now are well trained to just trow garbage to the front court if their isolation plays are shut down or just leave trash for the bigs to collect after their failed hero ball attempts. Back court then rest on defense and lets PF/C's take the blame for blow byes. 60+ points from DD and KL last night? And people are HAPPY about that? WTF? Commentators on Toronto broadcasts are bunnies that obviously hop to this tune blindly, I will try the opposition league pass broadcasts - for some real insights into the game. Wake up Raps - you are developing into a dinosaur with diminishing mental and cognitive abilities only to be torched come playoffs because of your one dimensional play and predictability.

[KeonClark]

here is my take on this win: just barely good enough to win the 40th game.
It also exposes the same crappy shit that Casey, DD and KL dish out in order to win, and which will not work even in the first round of playoffs. KL is an amazing guard who seems to have managed to wrap the team and coach around himself, yet if any team in playoffs just clamps on KL - Casey DOES NOT HAVE an answer. And please do not blame Scola, JV or any other SF/PF - the Raptors now are well trained to just trow garbage to the front court if their isolation plays are shut down or just leave trash for the bigs to collect after their failed hero ball attempts. Back court then rest on defense and lets PF/C's take the blame for blow byes. 60+ points from DD and KL last night? And people are HAPPY about that? WTF? Commentators on Toronto broadcasts are bunnies that obviously hop to this tune blindly, I will try the opposition league pass broadcasts - for some real insights into the game. Wake up Raps - you are developing into a dinosaur with diminishing mental and cognitive abilities only to be torched come playoffs because of your one dimensional play and predictability.

So...Kyle and demar both scoring 30 is bad? Let's give more shots to the guys who aren't making them! Sure we'd lose the game, but hooray, we're sharing the ball!

[CNinja26]

here is my take on this win: just barely good enough to win the 40th game.
It also exposes the same crappy shit that Casey, DD and KL dish out in order to win, and which will not work even in the first round of playoffs. KL is an amazing guard who seems to have managed to wrap the team and coach around himself, yet if any team in playoffs just clamps on KL - Casey DOES NOT HAVE an answer. And please do not blame Scola, JV or any other SF/PF - the Raptors now are well trained to just trow garbage to the front court if their isolation plays are shut down or just leave trash for the bigs to collect after their failed hero ball attempts. Back court then rest on defense and lets PF/C's take the blame for blow byes. 60+ points from DD and KL last night? And people are HAPPY about that? WTF? Commentators on Toronto broadcasts are bunnies that obviously hop to this tune blindly, I will try the opposition league pass broadcasts - for some real insights into the game. Wake up Raps - you are developing into a dinosaur with diminishing mental and cognitive abilities only to be torched come playoffs because of your one dimensional play and predictability.

I'm generally a fan of balanced offense, but last night's game was not the game to make that argument. I thought our front court was getting outplayed by Utah's - we needed to shift the game heavier toward guard play to utilize our strengths.

The funny thing about 1 dimensional play and predictability is that it has been 1D and predictable for a couple years now. The Raptors aren't sneaking up on anybody anymore. Teams know who our stars are, what they do, what their strengths are, they game plan as such, and we are STILL beating them. That third game against Cleveland a week ago is a prime example. You don't think Cleveland knows the Toronto squad inside and out? You don't think they came out gunning to beat us? They certainly did, and failed.

I don't know why teams like GSW, OKC, LAC, and Cleveland can have their star players dominate the ball the entire game and put up huge numbers, but when the Raptors star players do it, they're selfish and the team is shit for it. It's a double standard.

[nars]

Yes - hooray!! Last year Raps won plenty of this type of games - and then came playoffs.
So what is this kind of win actually worth? Padded stats? Some kind of WOW factor? How does this win make the team better if the team is simply not included? Or is this actually Raps current modus operandi: KL/DD play ball - the rest of raps feed them and wipe their shit? And BTW, the guys who are "not making" the shots more often than not have better FG% as well.