Game #77 - Toronto Raptors 96 - Charlotte Hornets 90

[tDotted]

This was a good win. I liked the move to have Thompson come in and play some of the second quarter minutes - he's really active beside JV defensively, and Patterson can't handle playing 18 straight minutes in both halves.

Only real thoughts are, good game overall, team played with good energy.

The rotation that we saw last night is what I suspect the playoff rotation will look like (more or less). DD will get a few more, Powell/Ross a couple less, but overall this is pretty close to what will likely happen. Scola will play his 15 and JT will get a few minutes to spell (really enjoying Thompson next to JV).

I never realized how good this pairing was until I checked the stats. +19.7 on the court together. Pretty clear that JV needs quickness beside him on the defensive end.

[white men can't jump]

I never realized how good this pairing was until I checked the stats. +19.7 on the court together. Pretty clear that JV needs quickness beside him on the defensive end.

Scola is actually just awful defensively. Not only is he slow, but he plays like an idiot on that end all too much. I can't think of a single defensive area he's good at (he hasn't even been rebounding well since early in the season). Every once in a while he'll make a good read and get a steal or something. But yeah, generally he's been arguably the worst defensive PF the Raps have ever started (and yes, I'm counting Bargs...that's how bad Scola has been). I don't know how much Jonas needed quickness beside him as much as the starting unit in general needs as little Scola as possible. He makes everyone's job harder on D.

Jonas has been pretty good defensively all year. And whenever we've had units that have Thompson, Pat or even Carroll (early in the season) at the 4, they've all looked better than when we put Scola out there with him. That 4-out lineup early in the year with Carroll was phenomenal. Dangerous as fuck on both ends.

Thompson is not that quick. He's mobile and active, but he's not all over the court on D or anything. Him next to Jonas is a pretty old school combo as JT very much resembles an old school PF. So the drop off in quickness from Pat (or Carroll) to him is still significant. So it's not like we play a small-ball/quickness friendly unit with JT out there. Scola is just that bad/slow.

[OldSkoolCool]

I never realized how good this pairing was until I checked the stats. +19.7 on the court together. Pretty clear that JV needs NOT SCOLA beside him on the defensive end.

Fixed that for ya

[MACK11]

I know it won't happen but the defense would be more consistent if you had JV-2pat/JT together and Biz-Scola together.

In the playoffs Scola is gonna play like 10 mins altogether in the 1st and 3rd. Then Patterson is gonna have ridiculously long shifts of playing time.

[slaw]

I know it won't happen but the defense would be more consistent if you had JV-2pat/JT together and Biz-Scola together.

In the playoffs Scola is gonna play like 10 mins altogether in the 1st and 3rd. Then Patterson is gonna have ridiculously long shifts of playing time.

I think we will see JT playing second quarter minutes to break up those stretches unless PP is on fire. Scola isn't moving to the bench. It's not happening unless they get in serious trouble in the playoffs.

[DanH]

I know it won't happen but the defense would be more consistent if you had JV-2pat/JT together and Biz-Scola together.

In the playoffs Scola is gonna play like 10 mins altogether in the 1st and 3rd. Then Patterson is gonna have ridiculously long shifts of playing time.

I think we'll end up with what happened this game. Scola starts and plays his short shifts. Patterson plays most of the second half, but gets spelled for a short stretch in the first half by Thompson (or possibly Carroll at the 4) to keep him alive for the end of the game. Might see Carroll in some closing lineups too if he comes along really well.

[KeonClark]

I think we'll end up with what happened this game. Scola starts and plays his short shifts. Patterson plays most of the second half, but gets spelled for a short stretch in the first half by Thompson (or possibly Carroll at the 4) to keep him alive for the end of the game. Might see Carroll in some closing lineups too if he comes along really well.

Definitely see Carroll in closing lineups by the end of the first round, as long as there's no setbacks and he's not an abomination

[hotfuzz]

Why is everyone so quiet today?

[KeonClark]

Why is everyone so quiet today?

I've been "working" today. It hurts my posts per day but stats aren't everything, if keonclark is burnt out by the playoffs this board is as good as done

[GLF]

I wonder if Carroll has recovered well after going through a full practice? I haven't heard anything about it. But I know after watching his interview that was what they wanted to see. How his knee reacted.

[hotfuzz]

I've been "working" today. It hurts my posts per day but stats aren't everything, if keonclark is burnt out by the playoffs this board is as good as done

posts per day is a useless stat. What's your QP/36 like? (Quality posts per 36 mins)

[KeonClark]

posts per day is a useless stat. What's your QP/36 like? (Quality posts per 36 mins)

It doesn't compare to our resident capologist Dan, but I have a pretty good LARP (Likes Above Replacement Poster)

[consmap]

Wow all of you. Stats are for nerds