Game #23: Raptors at Celtics, Dec 9th, 7:30 PM, Sportsnet 1
Probable Starters
Toronto
PG - Kyle Lowry
SG - DeMar DeRozan
SF - Norman Powell
PF - Pascal Siakam
C - Jonas Valanciunas
Boston
PG - Marcus Smart
SG - Avery Bradley
SF - Jae Crowder
PF - Amir Johnson
C - Al Horford
For anyone who recalls my performance tracker from last year (will be debuting this year's version today sometime): odds of Raptors winning game = 54%. Back to back on the road always tough, but with Isaiah Thomas out with a groin injury, this should be winnable, even with Carroll presumably sitting the back to back.
Fun facts:
Boston, as predicted, has really struggled on the glass this year - their total REB% of 47.9% ranks 5th worst in the league. The Raptors, surprisingly, have also struggled there, placing 12th from the bottom with 49.9%. The Celtics give up the 3rd most 2nd chance points in the league (14.9/100 possessions), while the Raptors give up the 9th most (14.2).
For all the talk of the Raptors' struggling defence, Boston's is not much better - they have a DRTG of 104.4 to Toronto's 104.9, and rank 15th to Toronto's 17th. Meanwhile, Boston has a 107.3 ORTG (7th) to Toronto's 114.7 (2nd).
Boston is a team that passes the ball - a lot. They have the highest AST ratio (assists per 100 possessions) in the league outside of the exception to every rule, Golden State. The Raptors rank 21st in assist ratio, with 16 assists per 100 possessions to Boston's 18.7. Both teams take great care of the ball, in a virtual tie for 3rd lowest turnover rate in the league (12.3 and 12.4 turnovers per 100 possessions), though technically Toronto has a lower rate, so take that, Celtics. Either way, a clash of offensive styles tonight.
Boston is not a team that likes to push the ball - they rank 23rd in fast break points per 100 possessions (probably due to having to gang rebound on the defensive end). The Raptors, meanwhile, rank 6th, with 15 FBPs/100 to Boston's 11.
We do a lot of complaining. We denigrate our own players and think up trade ideas to dump the guys we don't happen to like.
I'm not saying we don't have issues. All our players have deficiencies. Our defense is still a work in progress.
I do think we should enjoy what we do have a bit more though. I've followed the team since day 1 and this is the best I've felt about our present and our future.
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We will appreciate what we have a bit more, but we've got to go through out natural progressions. We started hating the coach and now I barely see anything posted in the Casey thread. Hate DeRozans mid range game and now he's in MVP talks. Ross and Carroll were bums but now they are starting to play up to their contracts. The point is you have to let people be idiots.
I think we'll open as underdogs at Vegas. Boston w/o IT is still a very dangerous team. They look more disciplined tbh. I say we will win tonight, but B2bs on the road are always tricky...
I think we'll open as underdogs at Vegas. Boston w/o IT is still a very dangerous team. They look more disciplined tbh. I say we will win tonight, but B2bs on the road are always tricky...
Model has it as essentially a coin toss, so I agree this is dangerous. I do think they will struggle to score, even against the Raps' moderately porous D, without Thomas. And although his absence will help them defensively, of late it hasn't mattered much what teams do defensively against the Raps.
We do a lot of complaining. We denigrate our own players and think up trade ideas to dump the guys we don't happen to like.
I'm not saying we don't have issues. All our players have deficiencies. Our defense is still a work in progress.
I do think we should enjoy what we do have a bit more though. I've followed the team since day 1 and this is the best I've felt about our present and our future.
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Fair.
I've also have been a fan since day 1. I talk trades. I like all our players except bad Ross. I don't really care if we beat the wolves by 9.8 points. I want to see good basketball and I want to see us perform at the highest level and win. Last night's game was entertaining but it wasn't good basketball.
I don't think I denigrate our players. I think we should have a frank discussion about our team. For example, I'm a homer for norm but I'll definitely talk trade if I think it will help us win.
Same way jack Armstrong said the organization owes it to Lowry and derozan and put them in the best position to win, I think they owe that to the fans that watched them lose all those years. We should not be content until they're parading down yonge street. That's the dream imo.
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