NBA Playoffs! Round 1, Game 4: Toronto Raptors 98 - Washington Wizards 106 (TIED 2-2)

[rocwell]

Damn. RIP Morris in advance. OG is being forced to talk.

OG on Morris altercation: "He pushed me for no reason."

— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) April 21, 2018

[hotfuzz]

Look, the stats are heavily in our favor. Teams up 2-0 win the series 93% of the time in the NBA.

If we turn out to be one of the 7% it would just be classic hilarious Raptors bad luck. Think of the jokes! We're really in a no-lose situation.

Jeez can you imagine. Lebron looks mortal for the first time in a long while and we don't even win the series to meet him.

I might just give up watching if we lose this series.

[GOLDBLUM]

Let's go boys.

Raptors bench has the worst net rating in the playoffs thus far. Huh.

— Jason Patt (@Bulls_Jay) April 21, 2018

Heal up soon, FVV.

[rocwell]

Serbian mother-in-law (and Toronto) resident Skype analysis of last night's game: "Last night was a disaster. Disaster. Don't ask me anything about the Raptors, Zach." STAY STRONG TORONTO

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) April 21, 2018

[rapfan10]

I am legit concern about this team. They didn't just lose last night, they got blown out.

Also, the Raptors defence is just as bad as Washington if not worse. They can't stop anyone. Are we sure this is a top 5 defensive team?

Raptors lost game 3 vs the Bucks last year by 27, and bounced back to win game 4.

Despite all our playoff "failures", we have proven time and time again that we can bounce back after a poor game in the playoffs.

[Hotshot]

Raptors lost game 3 vs the Bucks last year by 27, and bounced back to win game 4.

Despite all our playoff "failures", we have proven time and time again that we can bounce back after a poor game in the playoffs.

Unless they mentally check out like they did against the Cavs. Can't let the Wizards punk us next game that's for sure.

[Demographic Shift]

OG on the other hand is playing like a 4 year veteran. Goes to show that OG is in fact closer to a top 10 talent in this very deep draft. If OG were to have been drafted in 2016 without his injury and was showing to the scouts the same skillsets we are currently witnessing in the playoffs, then he would be closer to a top 5 pick.

When he went face to face with fake tough guy Morris you knew he had stones. Morris usually has his brother and a few other guys behind him and picks his fights with 40 year old men who don’t have anyone around them....and of course he picks the 20 year old rookie to show he’s a gangsta. He likely shit his pants when the kid pushed back and walked towards him.
Notice that Gangster Markieff was not to be found in the tough going after that.

OweGee is indeed playing very well....

[Demographic Shift]

See that Marc Davis is on the floor tonight in Minnesota...freeing the raptors from his unique brand of game management in game 4 tomorrow.

[rocwell]

League announces @MookMorris2 gets fined $15,000 for criticizing the refs Friday. Fifteen minutes later, it announces @Keefmorris is fined $25,000 for trying to escalate an altercation and for pushing an official. Because #twins

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) April 22, 2018

[rocwell]

Leafs 2-0!!! come on, make me happy.

[Mitch P]

Watching games all day today. It really is remarkable to see the difference between regular season and playoff officiating. The amount of contact in the paint is incredibly higher with very few calls made. On the other hand they call things on the perimeter about as much as usual. Not being that partisan in any of the games I didn't see any real bias; other than a few "star" calls. Dwayne Wade apparently doesn't merit those anymore; he was beaten up badly I thought without many trips to the line. I'm not sure whether this style of officiating is good for us or not. I felt the Raptors weren't attacking the paint enough last game but perhaps they realize they'll have trouble finishing and won't get calls either.

[KeonClark]

Casey really needs to shorten the rotation when fvv is out. OG could have played more. JV could have played more. Do we really need 3 or 4 ball handlers at crunch time? If it's defense you're worried about, play OG or siakam. Shotmaking, miles or ibaka. Rebounding, JV.

But we're fine at crunch time ball handle wise with Kyle demar and delon. There is absolutely zero reason we needed to stick to the "fred rotation" and give Powell and brown 18 minutes combined as the nominal 10th man. This is the F'n playoffs come on. Rolling 10 is great...when 10 quality guys are dressed. Right now we are 9 deep. So be it

[rocwell]

This is me if Sonny posts one more negative message...

[Scraptor]

Watching games all day today. It really is remarkable to see the difference between regular season and playoff officiating. The amount of contact in the paint is incredibly higher with very few calls made. On the other hand they call things on the perimeter about as much as usual. Not being that partisan in any of the games I didn't see any real bias; other than a few "star" calls. Dwayne Wade apparently doesn't merit those anymore; he was beaten up badly I thought without many trips to the line. I'm not sure whether this style of officiating is good for us or not. I felt the Raptors weren't attacking the paint enough last game but perhaps they realize they'll have trouble finishing and won't get calls either.

I think it feels like that due to the intensity, and I certainly feel like things are chippier, but I remember reading a study that playoff free throw rates are still the same as regular rates.

You can sort of see it for the last few years' FT/FGA regular season vs playoffs:
2017 .209 vs .221
2016 .209 vs .212
2015 .205 vs .214
2014 .215 vs .235
2013 .204 vs .227

Playoff free throw rates are actually a little bit higher than the regular season, though to be exact you'd have to account for the higher quality teams that are a little better at drawing fouls.

[consmap]

If it makes anyone feel better, Houston is currently down 16 to Minnesota