Game #25: Toronto Raptors 91 - Los Angeles Clippers 96

[planetmars]

I think Casey prefers having Kyle play SG so he doesn't have to expel any energy in bringing up the ball.. that's the only explanation I can think of as to why FVV is closing or why CoJo was last year.. or Vasquez was before CoJo was here. He just loves doing that.. CJ would have made the most sense.

At least it wasn't Powell.. Powell's been garbage lately.

[DanH]

The Raptors had an 80% DREB% last night with JV on the court, helping them to a 93 DRTG.

When he sat, they had a 64% DREB%, so even with more mobile defenders on the court, that DRTG rose to 99. Meanwhile, the offence absolutely died, dropping from struggling along at 101 with JV to absolutely anemic at 75 ORTG in the 20 minutes he sat.

What a stupid reason to lose a game. How do you not capitalize on a night where JV, our erstwhile weak point, gives you that?

Oh, god there's more on-off nuttiness. With JV on the court and setting screens and giving a roll man option, the team was getting their inconsistent scoring entirely off of ball movement, with an AST% of 68%. While he sat? 38%. Turnovers leapt from 10% to 15% when he sat. OREB% dropped from 8% (poor) to 4% (hilarious). eFG% dropped 5 points. TS% dropped over 10 points. AST/TO went from over 2 to 0.7.

Like, with all that info, how in the hell does anyone decide that's the guy that needs to sit late? Don't give me the "he was gassed" excuse - Ibaka was far worse off on that front, and it showed in his late (or non-existent) defensive rotations and bricking jumpers front rim late in the game. Why Casey rolled Ibaka out so early in the 4th is beyond me, but if you have to go that route and want to close with him, you've got to get him a few minute breather with Siakam out there beside JV in the middle of the 4th.

[DanH]

I think Casey prefers having Kyle play SG so he doesn't have to expel any energy in bringing up the ball.. that's the only explanation I can think of as to why FVV is closing or why CoJo was last year.. or Vasquez was before CoJo was here. He just loves doing that.. CJ would have made the most sense.

At least it wasn't Powell.. Powell's been garbage lately.

That makes sense for the Lowry+bench units. The whole point of not expending energy early on, though, is so your stars can expend some freaking energy in closing minutes. Lowry and DD should have the ball in their hands late, even if they are looking to create rather than score.

[The Great One]

When things get tough, this team panic.
It's a joke. This team is a joke. The coach is a fuckin idiot. They also need better LEADERSHIP from their 2 so called all stars.

[The Great One]

When you're the best player on the floor like DeRozan and the game is close - you have to fuckin take over the game. Instead he disappeared and let Ibaka take all those clutch shots late in the 4th. Don't think Ibaka's shots were even close.

As for Lowry, if you're struggling shooting the ball i think it'd be better to to attack the rim and draw fouls instead of shooting long 3's? common sense right? and who wasn't surprised that he missed a clutch freethrow there in the end?

Bunch of chokers.

[The Great One]

The Clippers btw played without Griffin, Beverley and Gallinari. 3 starters.

People will keep talking about the win streak and how the Raps are 3rd in the East to make them feel good. Put them in the West and they'd ve competing for that 8th seed. Team is a joke. The core of this is a joke.

[DanH]

The Clippers btw played without Griffin, Beverley and Gallinari. 3 starters.

People will keep talking about the win streak and how the Raps are 3rd in the East to make them feel good. Put them in the West and they'd ve competing for that 8th seed. Team is a joke. The core of this is a joke.

Come on man. This team is really good. They had their bench, star, and coach crap the bed, on the road on a back to back, and still almost won the game, yes, against a weakened bad team, but good teams lose to bad teams sometimes.

[MixxAOR]

Fred Van Vleet with 2 pts (0-6) and no assists but with 24 minutes. Why he played so much? holy shit

[Chr1s1anL]

Lmao JV hive been waiting for a game like this. Out in full force. Your best player/3pt shooter makes one of the 6 3s he missed raptors win.

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

[LJ2]

That makes sense for the Lowry+bench units. The whole point of not expending energy early on, though, is so your stars can expend some freaking energy in closing minutes. Lowry and DD should have the ball in their hands late, even if they are looking to create rather than score.

Why would you want your best scoring options to have the defence keyed in on them in a late game situation? Would have thought Lowry plays off the ball so he might receive it in the form of an open shot.

[LJ2]

Tough loss. Was a good opportunity to close in on Boston. On to the next one.

[DanH]

Lmao JV hive been waiting for a game like this. Out in full force. Your best player/3pt shooter makes one of the 6 3s he missed raptors win.

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

Yes, if Lowry made a few threes, the team wins. Mostly because of JV, though.

And, "a" game like this? Over the past 7 games JV has the 2nd best net rating on the team, behind OG.

[planetmars]

The Clippers btw played without Griffin, Beverley and Gallinari. 3 starters.

People will keep talking about the win streak and how the Raps are 3rd in the East to make them feel good. Put them in the West and they'd ve competing for that 8th seed. Team is a joke. The core of this is a joke.

Meh.. Boston lost to Chicago by over 20. Cleveland lost to Atlanta earlier in the year. GSW lost to the Kings (at home). Good teams lose to bad teams all the time. Schedule can play a role.

If we got to play the same LAC team in the playoffs, with a day of rest between each game.. I'm guessing we win that series.

[planetmars]

The West is overrated. They have 3 great teams.. and a bunch of mediocre to bad teams.

[DanH]

Why would you want your best scoring options to have the defence keyed in on them in a late game situation? Would have thought Lowry plays off the ball so he might receive it in the form of an open shot.

Except, for him to be open, the defence has to leave him open, and it's way too easy to stop FVV without the defence moving at all. He's basically no threat to score unless he gets a clean layup.

I'd rather DD+Lowry be the attackers with Miles/OG as a shooter than FVV attacking with Lowry spotting up. Lowry's the best playmaker on the team, zero reason for him to be off-ball.

Of course, ideally you'd have a guy who can set a freaking screen on the floor so the defence can't be quite as keyed in on the playmakers, but your mileage may vary on that.