Everything (2016-2017) Regular Season Game Threads

[Barolt]

Defense are always "shaken" when they have to deal with Debo. His averaging 30 a game.

Raptos hit 12 of 23 threes. They finally started hitting the constant open looks this offence produces every game. That's why we had 28 assist.
Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

I'm telling you though, from what I saw, it seemed different for him tonight. I feel like on a lot of nights he makes the passes because he can't find a way to get his own. Tonight he was making the passes because he had confidence his teammates could get theirs. It wasn't a last resort tonight, which probably gives the other guys more confidence on their shots because they feel like he has faith in them.

Maybe I'm right, maybe you are. Either way, to me it looked like a different DeMar tonight, not just 'same DeMar but other guys hit shots'.

EDIT: Also, there's a difference between defenses 'shook' because they think DeMar can hit impossible shots, and defenses 'shook' because they aren't sure if they can double because he'll hit the open guy immediately.

[Chr1s1anL]

I'm telling you though, from what I saw, it seemed different for him tonight. I feel like on a lot of nights he makes the passes because he can't find a way to get his own. Tonight he was making the passes because he had confidence his teammates could get theirs. It wasn't a last resort tonight, which probably gives the other guys more confidence on their shots because they feel like he has faith in them.

Maybe I'm right, maybe you are. Either way, to me it looked like a different DeMar tonight, not just 'same DeMar but other guys hit shots'.

EDIT: Also, there's a difference between defenses 'shook' because they think DeMar can hit impossible shots, and defenses 'shook' because they aren't sure if they can double because he'll hit the open guy immediately.

I'm telling you the only difference was players making open looks. Do you think Debo's highest assist night just happens to be on the night Cojo/2pat/Carroll all have their best shooting night? I dont.

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

[Barolt]

I'm telling you the only difference was players making open looks. Do you think Debo's highest assist night just happens to be on the night Cojo/2pat/Carroll all have their best shooting night? I dont.

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

Yeah, I genuinely felt like he played differently tonight. He averages 8.2 POTENTIAL assists per game this year.

He had 9 assists tonight.

So, uh... that math doesn't work out if that's just his usual.

[Puffer]

Easily my favourite game of the year. Still some issues, but the Raps were clicking on 6 out of 8 cylinders and it looked good.

[golden]

I'm telling you the only difference was players making open looks. Do you think Debo's highest assist night just happens to be on the night Cojo/2pat/Carroll all have their best shooting night? I dont.

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

It's a bit of both. For sure, those 3 veterans (JYD, CoJo, 2Pat) haven't been making shots. No argument there. But DeMar looked like he was giving up the ball much earlier tonight with the purpose to get his teammates involved earlier in the possession. That seemed fairly evident and derives at least 3 side benefits: (1) giving confidence to his teammates, (2) having the shooters ready to shoot, (3) DeMar can have conserve energy for defense.

In my opinion, the Raps defensive problems are also linked to the offense - with the root cause being energy. If Raps can spread out the load on offense, then Lowry and DD have more energy for defense and the offense also becomes harder to defend. Otherwise, you need a super high energy defensive rim protector like Biz who allows Lowry to rest on D, because we need his KLOE heroics on O.

[Barolt]

Christ1an: You hate DeMar!

Me: This was my favorite DeMar game of the year, he was fantastic tonight. Love what he brought and if he plays like this I'm a DeMar fan.

Christ1an: He didn't play any differently, everyone else just didn't let him down tonight!

Me:

[slaw]

See, like we were all saying, the defense is fine.

[rightsideup]

Cory took some of the load off Kyle tonight, jv and dc started and finished well. demar just let the game come to him doing well in all area's. nice to beat the rockets

[tDotted]

Harden had 12 turnovers... lol

Welp there goes my turnover numbers in Fantasy

[white men can't jump]

Only negative was probably Bebe. That guy was hard to watch tonight. Didn't look like he wanted anything to do with a basketball game for much of his time out there.

Everyone else played well.

I think this was DeMar's best game all year. He impacted the game beyond scoring. Got involved with good energy on both ends. He was actually pretty responsible defensively.

Carroll and Cojo played well, and Carroll was active on D. It was actually not painful watching him on that end, even though he still needs to be better.

I can't believe anyone could say anything negative about Ross so far this year. He's been good to great almost every night.

This was easily the best game we've played as a team, and our main guys fit into exactly the kind of roles they should be playing. If we had been a bit better at controlling the pace during a couple of stretches in the 2nd half, it would've been a 25 pt blowout. They kind of lost control of the pace a bit during the 4th and that should've been the stretch where they put their foot on Houston's throat. Instead the speed picked up and we had some bad defensive possessions. We are not good at being a fast team.

Finally, on the D, it looked a lot better, especially in the 1st half. We actually didn't let Harden get whatever he wanted in the p'n'r. Positioning was sound and our guards did a good job forcing him away from the screen whenever they could. He rarely got to turn the corner and get right down the middle. It's a step in the right direction.

[white men can't jump]

It's a bit of both. For sure, those 3 veterans (JYD, CoJo, 2Pat) haven't been making shots. No argument there. But DeMar looked like he was giving up the ball much earlier tonight with the purpose to get his teammates involved earlier in the possession. That seemed fairly evident and derives at least 3 side benefits: (1) giving confidence to his teammates, (2) having the shooters ready to shoot, (3) DeMar can have conserve energy for defense.

In my opinion, the Raps defensive problems are also linked to the offense - with the root cause being energy. If Raps can spread out the load on offense, then Lowry and DD have more energy for defense and the offense also becomes harder to defend. Otherwise, you need a super high energy defensive rim protector like Biz who allows Lowry to rest on D, because we need his KLOE heroics on O.

Don't forget pace in terms of defensive problems. When we rely too much on Lowry and DD to create, they can also take worse shots, or rush, or do any number of things that result in bad possessions the other team can run on, even without turning it over. We played with a nice flow on offence where we didn't try to force too many early shots. We had some bad late-clock situations, but those still favour a pace that helps us beat a team like Houston. We let the game be slow enough for JV to be a factor as well, and his presence alone made it near-impossible for Houston to run. Even if he didn't get the ball, by the 2nd half they were triple teaming him on rebounds. Hard to run when 3-4 of your players are at the rim just trying to make sure you get the ball.

*We're just better when we don't try to play fast. We were still able to run off our D just fine, and our D is much better when we play slow (or at least don't try to run).

[Bendit]

I see where KLove hit for 34 pts in the 1st Qtr. lol. against Portland. Wow.

[Joey]

I see where KLove hit for 34 pts in the 1st Qtr. lol. against Portland. Wow.

And finished with 'only' 40 ... Lol But ya, pretty crazy.

[hotfuzz]

And finished with 'only' 40 ... Lol But ya, pretty crazy.

Aaah so the Cavs pulled "The Jonas" on Love.

[Scraptor]

I can't believe anyone could say anything negative about Ross so far this year. He's been good to great almost every night.

He was outstanding. I've been pretty critical of him in years past but this kind of consistent effort shows I was wrong. If he can keep it up all season he'll be exactly the type of key 3-and-D piece we'd hoped he would become.

He's become kind of rangy and slippery, dangerous like a snake in the best way possible.

Also Zainab, I can't remember if this is your first game thread or not, I think it is, but tradition dictates you keep making them until we lose.