Should we be Scared of the Playoffs?

[planetmars]

I want to see evidence that we're building a team with a championship future. I'd love to win a playoff round, but at the end of the day I want championships.

Well yes for sure, but it won't happen this year or next.. and Casey won't get us there.

The only goal for me is a first round win. Well and to not get embarrassed in the second round. That's it.

If they can't get to the second round it was a complete waste of a season despite winning more games then they ever had before. And more changes then just the playbook need to be made.

If they get to the 2nd round, then its Masai's job to get us to the 3rd or higher. And the offensive playbook this year won't really matter. If a big change like that is required then my hope is we get a coach that can get that team there (like GSW did when they swapped Jackson for Kerr). Or to acquire more dominant players (maybe we acquire a dominant PF that the ball goes through on offense instead of relying on DD so much), etc.

I just think it's way too early to think about that. Some baby steps are needed for this franchise. We've only ever gone to the second round once in over 20 years, and that was when the first round was a best of 5.

[Sinbad]

you are saying back to back champions and 4 times to the finals in 4 years is a bad building plan?

Don't be facetious. I never said that. They had the talent to compete and win against anyone, but they didn't win championships until they made the conscious decision to shift away from isolations and heroball. Just this past year, LeBron was forced into playing that style due to Cleveland's injuries in the playoffs, even going so far as to say publicly that he loathes playing that way. If it doesn't work for some of the most talented players in the history of the NBA, it's not going to bear fruit for Lowry and DeMar.

[OldSkoolCool]

The your-turn/my-turn offense may not help win a championship, but it might be enough to get you past the first round. And that's really the only goal right now.

Defense is the only thing I'm worried about.. more of what we've seen the past few games then what we've seen before that. Offense isn't an issue. It's the defense.

Well and no brain farts from Casey. Make sure you call a crucial play from the right side of the court please.

You build for a champions ship, and will wins on the way there

Otherwise if you build just to win a round or to...you will have to always press the reset button trying to figure out different combinations to try and get to the championship. Bad habits are formed that you need to break.

[iblastoff]

Which is why those 2 have missed a lot of clutch shots and made many. Both of them are legit superstars and 2 of the best scorers in the league, so you can afford to give them the ball in those situations. Lowry and DD are not, or at least not as good as those 2.

best scorers? maybe. but westbrook is actually one of the worst closers in 4th quarter play.

[Barolt]

best scorers? maybe. but westbrook is actually one of the worst closers in 4th quarter play.

Westbrook in the clutch this year: 37.2% usage, 50.9% true shooting, 36.4% assist rate, 11.8% turnover rate.

DeMar in the clutch this year: 37.8% usage, 52.0% true shooting, 19.7% assist rate, 7.7% turnover rate.

DeMar's slightly better, but not massively so, especially when you account for assist rate.

[OldSkoolCool]

Thing with OKC is they play the same we do, with better players than we have, and have put up a good amount of regular season wins as we have...

But that team is volatile...they can't hold leads, struggle to score at times, no advanced plays...pretty much the same boat as us

My guess is they flame out like we do

If they do, and we do...I wonder how long it will take the company suits here to finally admit that sometimes, somewhere, there may occasionally be, competent thoughts on the internet

[planetmars]

You build for a champions ship, and will wins on the way there

Otherwise if you build just to win a round or to...you will have to always press the reset button trying to figure out different combinations to try and get to the championship. Bad habits are formed that you need to break.

I don't completely buy that logic. Adding significant talent to the roster will immediately change the style of play. if the Raptors were able to get Cousins via a trade this summer, and he gets the ball more, then you don't need to have a 2-man tandem to help win games on offense. No reset required. Those bad habits can be broken via the proper leadership and by acquiring other significant talent.. both things you need to get from a 2nd round appearance to that 3rd round or higher.

So again, if the Raptors use this two man tandem on offense and it works.. ie, they get to the second round and it's not an embarrassment when they are there, then it was a success to me. That's all I want out of this season. So I don't care how they play in the playoffs.. just that they play well enough to win. And really this type of offense can work against teams like Detroit, Indiana or even Chicago.

An optimal playbook really only matters when we become a true championship contender - and that will happen once we have better talent.

[Scraptor]

I don't completely buy that logic. Adding significant talent to the roster will immediately change the style of play. if the Raptors were able to get Cousins via a trade this summer, and he gets the ball more, then you don't need to have a 2-man tandem to help win games on offense. No reset required. Those bad habits can be broken via the proper leadership and by acquiring other significant talent.. both things you need to get from a 2nd round appearance to that 3rd round or higher.

Yeah, adding another major option to the offense would help fix a lot of these issues. Question is whether you trust Casey to integrate the new piece effectively. CoJo and Carroll have both seen their efficiency drop outside of good systems. That's not a coincidence.

I for one look forward to seeing DeMarcus Cousins shoot eight three-pointers a game. #spacing

[KHD]

Yeah, adding another major option to the offense would help fix a lot of these issues. Question is whether you trust Casey to integrate the new piece effectively. CoJo and Carroll have both seen their efficiency drop outside of good systems. That's not a coincidence.

I for one look forward to seeing DeMarcus Cousins shoot eight three-pointers a game. #spacing

ahahahahahahahahahaha

[Just Is]

Only thing I'm worried about is Casey and Lowry's health.

The latter moreso than the former as I think the latter helps to negate the former.

[Niagara Raptor]

the only thing to fear is fear itself

.... and the refs

[JWash]

I don't completely buy that logic. Adding significant talent to the roster will immediately change the style of play. if the Raptors were able to get Cousins via a trade this summer, and he gets the ball more, then you don't need to have a 2-man tandem to help win games on offense. No reset required. Those bad habits can be broken via the proper leadership and by acquiring other significant talent.. both things you need to get from a 2nd round appearance to that 3rd round or higher.

So again, if the Raptors use this two man tandem on offense and it works.. ie, they get to the second round and it's not an embarrassment when they are there, then it was a success to me. That's all I want out of this season. So I don't care how they play in the playoffs.. just that they play well enough to win. And really this type of offense can work against teams like Detroit, Indiana or even Chicago.

An optimal playbook really only matters when we become a true championship contender - and that will happen once we have better talent.

By his logic, Golden State should've blown up their team after the 2013-14 season.