Game #36: Toronto Raptors 124 - Chicago Bulls 115

[DanH]

VV is closing most games for the Raptors. The Raptors are 26-10.

26-10. And they are 5-4 in games where FVV plays closing minutes in close games. 4-2 in close games where he doesn't. Hmm.

I've got it! They must be 26-10 BECAUSE VanVleet is closing most games for the Raptors. Nailed it.

[JawsGT]

that was a very satisfying victory. At times it looked like the Bulls could take the game, but the Raps were coasting and turned it on down the stretch to take the game rather handily. Great game from Demar, and a very enjoyable to watch performance from Delon.

[DanH]

Anyway, this was a really fun game even with the starters (especially Lowry) sleepwalking through it (except DeMar). OG was bricking, Lowry was bricking and making some really dumb passes, JV was missing layups, Ibaka shot well enough but I have no idea what he thought he was doing defensively on switches early on... Overall they were OK defensively, but with the Bulls hitting all their contested shots early, they had to execute offensively to stay above water and they did not do that.

DeMar was a steadying presence throughout, I don't even know what to make of this shooting anymore. It looks real. More real than any other time he's gotten hot, and by a wide margin. And Delon gets game ball for a heck of a game, gutting out offensive boards early on to save the starters (and even the DD+bench which was cold to start), and generating steals (which seemed like the only kind of stops they could get for a while) to get the transition offence going. Great aggression from both he and FVV running the bench unit which makes a huge difference in their scoring.

Solid win overall, depth paid off against an inferior team even with the top end guys mostly taking a nap. I'll take it, road win in the middle of the season. Hopefully Lowry is OK, or gets some rest to get OK. With Delon and FVV both playing well, seems like the ideal time to give Lowry a break.

[3inthekeon]

Small Sample fun quiz.

Last 10 games 4 Raptors are shooting 40% from 3. DD is #1 at 53.1%, Miles #3 at 41.0%. Who are the other 2?

[G__Deane]

DD five 3's for the second game in a row. Who saw that coming lol

[KeonClark]

Small Sample fun quiz.

Last 10 games 4 Raptors are shooting 40% from 3. DD is #1 at 53.1%, Miles #3 at 41.0%. Who are the other 2?

Let's go Delon and Fred?

[3inthekeon]

Let's go Delon and Fred?

Nailed 'em. Delon 10 for 23 - 43.5%, FVV 9 for 22 - 40.9%

[DanH]

Trivia: if DeMar makes 5 threes next game, he'll become only the second Raptor to hit 5 threes in 3 consecutive games. Who was the first? It's an answer that surprised me.

As it is, he is one of only 11 Raptor players to have done it twice in a row (a total of 21 times, as a few players have multiple appearances on the list). You can probably guess the two other current Raptors on the list, Miles and Lowry. But what shocked me was that Lowry makes up almost a 3rd of the entire list, having gone for 5 threes in back to back games SIX times. Nutty.

[Demographic Shift]

I hate this choking on the playoffs narrative. It’s such a cop out for anyone to spew when it reality we have the third most wins in the playoffs in the last four years and have been quite successful albeit with our offensive struggles. We have been more successful than the thunder, Celtics, arguably the rockets, the clippers, even the spurs. It’s just so frustrating when people bring it up. Then we change our system which was obviously causing these offensive struggles (Note: not choking, still winning, just not being able to beat the best player in the world) and all the moronic talking heads like Paul Pierce and Jalen Rose won’t acknowledge. As Jalen likes to say: KEEP GETTIN’ DEM CHECKS boys.

Yeah... the boys have their favourites for sure. They are pretty much #fakenews. Last nights logic on the reason they aren't considered contenders is that they (Jalen/Billups/Pierce) don't see them on ESPN. Yet the reason they don't see them is that ESPN doesn't select them for appearances. Not that its within your control to remedy that eh boys ?

Just for a smidge of perspective on the playoff rants from the aforementioned 3 stooges.

The Celtics since the signing of Stevens in 2013 have posted a stunning 11 and 17 playoff record.... a 392 win percentage
The Raps are 17 and 24.... since Casey got them to the dance in the 2013 season... a 415 win percentage

In terms of series won and lost Boston is 2 and 3 where the Raps are 3 and 4

The Celtics got bounced in the first round twice... The Raps the same.....

The Raps got crushed last year by the Cavs in four. The Chowders got crushed in 5. Some of the Chowderhead games saw the Cavs with 40 plus point leads in the first half. That one game they won must have been truly pivotal in the minds of the stooges though.

Just looking at the numbers you might arrive at the conclusion that Toronto is the better playoff team... more outright wins, a better winning percentage and more series wins.... on the downside both share an equal number of stumbles out the gate in the first round.Two one and dones.

Yet somehow in the face of the only analytic that truly matters in sports, wins and losses, the inbred analysts from planet ESPN have arrived at the conclusion the Raps are playoff chokers and the Chowderheads are not....based on what appears to the casual observer using a "just because" metric.

stunning... absolutely stunning....

[3inthekeon]

Trivia: if DeMar makes 5 threes next game, he'll become only the second Raptor to hit 5 threes in 3 consecutive games. Who was the first? It's an answer that surprised me.

As it is, he is one of only 11 Raptor players to have done it twice in a row (a total of 21 times, as a few players have multiple appearances on the list). You can probably guess the two other current Raptors on the list, Miles and Lowry. But what shocked me was that Lowry makes up almost a 3rd of the entire list, having gone for 5 threes in back to back games SIX times. Nutty.

Donyell Marshall and that crazy career season of Mike James come to mind.

[DanH]

Donyell Marshall and that crazy career season of Mike James come to mind.

They both make the 2-game list. James once, Marshall with FIVE appearances, four of them in that crazy season. But neither is the 3-gamer. As a note, the 3-gamer does not appear on the 2-game list.

[planetmars]

Trivia: if DeMar makes 5 threes next game, he'll become only the second Raptor to hit 5 threes in 3 consecutive games. Who was the first? It's an answer that surprised me.

As it is, he is one of only 11 Raptor players to have done it twice in a row (a total of 21 times, as a few players have multiple appearances on the list). You can probably guess the two other current Raptors on the list, Miles and Lowry. But what shocked me was that Lowry makes up almost a 3rd of the entire list, having gone for 5 threes in back to back games SIX times. Nutty.

Ross?

[planetmars]

That 4th quarter was so much fun. Raptors just kept building on to their momentum. Great defense on one end.. and the ball movement created so many open shot opportunities.

DD amazes me again. Despite his performance it was Delon that gets the game ball for me. His tenacity is what lead us to that victory in that 4th quarter.

Bulls have been quiet good for the last 10-15 games.. despite their lack of talent they are a good team and got roasted in that 4th quarter.

[DanH]

Ross?

Think Bosh years.

Ross does appear once on the 2-game list.

[S.R.]

Think Bosh years.

Ross does appear once on the 2-game list.

Anthony Parker?
Alan Anderson?
Hedon't?

Hope I don't strike out.

Also from last night's game - what I'd really like to see at the end of the year is a highlight reel of Lowry defending bigger players on post-ups. Those are awesome.