Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

2018/19 Raptors Power Rankings Thread

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #61
    LJ2 wrote: View Post
    Oh for sure. Loses are going to happen and nobody is thinking this is a 70 win team here, but the letdown always seems to happen immediately after getting to the top. It's almost like clock work.
    There you go. A seventy win team loses 12 times. No shame in losing a couple of close ones. At least it wasn't a blowout.

    As has been said already, on nights when there is a lid on the basket, you just have to try hard and hope for better another night.

    Comment


    • #62
      Dec 3 - Dec 9:


      ESPN (2) [-1]:
      http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...ptors-showdown

      It was a dispiriting 1-3 week for the Raptors, who lost two games at home and posted an effective field-goal percentage of only 48.5. Kyle Lowry converted only four of his 28 field-goal attempts last week, though he averaged 8.7 assists over that span and still leads the team in Real Plus-Minus. Toronto now hits the road for a tough stretch of four games in six nights out west, a slate that includes the Clippers, Golden State, Portland and Denver. -- Arnovitz


      NBA.com (3) [-2]:
      http://www.nba.com/powerrankings/201...=powerrankings

      Maybe Kyle Lowry will find his shot on the West coast, though he can't break out of his shooting slump (8-for-42 over his last five games) if he doesn't shoot. Worse than Lowry missing shots is Lowry passing them up, because his ability and willingness to shoot 3-pointers off the dribble (he was the best pull-up 3-point shooter over the last two seasons) opens other things up (for both himself and his teammates), and when he does pass up an open shot, the Raptors might not get a better one on the same possession. That was the case on multiple occasions as they lost close games to Brooklyn and Milwaukee over the weekend, and it's not a coincidence that the last four games (four of the six games in which Lowry has attempted less than nine shots) have been the Raptors' worst stretch of offense (102.2 points scored per 100 possessions) this season.


      CBS Sports (2) [-1]:
      https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...bucks-success/

      Apparently, I'm a jinx. The Raptors have lost three of their past four, including an oddball loss in Brooklyn, since I (perhaps belatedly) elevated them to the top spot last week. Kyle Lowry, so great to begin the season, has sputtered the past couple weeks; he hasn't scored more than 10 points in any of his past five games, and was held scoreless in the Raptors' loss to the Bucks on Sunday, going 0-for-5 from three. This team does still feel like the best-constructed team to have a shot against the Warriors in a 7-game series. Pascal Siakam has one of the top defensive field goal percentages in the league, and he's contested more three-point shots than anyone in NBA. This team is scary good.


      SI (1) [-]:
      https://www.si.com/nba/2018/12/10/nb...y-kyrie-irving[/QUOTE]

      Despite the results this past week, I still firmly believe Nick Nurse knows what he’s doing. Especially when it comes to baffling Ben Simmons. Well, that might have more to do with Kawhi Leonard, but either way, the coach knows how to use his MVP candidate. The three close losses to the Nuggets, Nets and Bucks help make Toronto look much more beatable to the rest of the league than they appeared a week ago. But when you realize the Raptors didn’t lose the fourth quarter in any of those games (they lost overtime to the Nets 8-7 after winning the fourth quarter 19-18), it puts into perspective just how good you need to be to knock them off. Cause they will keep fighting for all 48 minutes.

      Comment


      • #63
        SI still has us at #1! Might need to buy a subscription again

        Comment


        • #64
          #3 at worst. Puts in perspective. The sky is only falling on raptors republic
          9 time first team all-RR, First Ballot Hall of Forum

          Comment


          • #65
            they suck.

            Comment


            • #66
              Wouldnt say they suck but Bucks are better until proven otherswise

              Comment


              • #67
                Dec 10 - Dec 16:


                ESPN (3) [-1]:
                http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...test-team-east

                The Raptors concluded their 2-2 trip out west banged up. Kyle Lowry missed the final pair of games -- losses at Portland and Denver -- with a thigh bruise, and Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet sat out on Sunday with back injuries. The Raps can take some consolation in Lowry's return to form before the injury. After a lengthy shooting slump, the point guard shined in back-to-back wins at the Clippers and Golden State, converting 17 of 31 field goal attempts. -- Arnovitz



                NBA.com (3) [-]:
                http://www.nba.com/powerrankings/201...=powerrankings

                A 2-2 trip through L.A., Oakland, Portland and Denver isn't bad, given that the Raptors didn't have both Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard in any of the four games. Lowry got his shot back before missing the last two games with a thigh contusion, though it would be nice to see him shooting well (and aggressively) again in a game he plays with Leonard. Lowry has a higher effective field goal percentage (57 percent on 149 shots) with Leonard off the floor than he does with Leonard on the floor (49.7 percent on 179 shots), though the Raptors' offense has been just fine (117.1 points scored per 100 possessions) in the pair's minutes together. When the offense has struggled (scoring less than a point per possession) has been when Lowry has been off the floor. After that trip out West, the Raps have a couple of important games within the East this week. They've already played the Celtics, Bucks and Sixers two times each, but Wednesday will be their first meeting with the third-place Pacers.



                CBS Sports (2) [-]:
                https://www.cbssports.com/nba/powerrankings/

                This isn't the first you've heard this, but the continued development of 24-year-old Pascal Siakam has been one of the many keys for the Raptors this season, and among the most surprising to those who haven't followed the Raptors closely the past few years. Jonas Valanciunas' injury will put even more of an onus on the versatile Siakam during the next month or so. Siakam used to ooze potential but would often play recklessly. As he's matured, you can see the game slowing down for him. He's third in the NBA in true shooting percentage.


                SI (2) [-1]:
                https://www.si.com/nba/2018/12/17/nb...arriors-pacers

                Topping the Clippers and Warriors on consecutive nights was an impressive way to start a West Coast swing. It’s a shame the fans in Portland and Denver didn’t get to see just what Kyle Lowry brings to this team.

                Comment


                • #68
                  Just 4-5 in the month of December.

                  Comment


                  • #69
                    Nilanka wrote: View Post
                    Just 4-5 in the month of December.
                    With the injuries and the schedule they just played, I'm pretty damn happy they're still #1 overall tbh. Eff the Power Rankings.

                    This team has beaten Golden State twice!

                    Still at/near the top in some key indicators:

                    - Best road team (by far)
                    - #2 ORTG, #8 DRTG, #2 Net RTG
                    - #2 margin of victory

                    Still yet to attain the Kawhi Synergy Nirvana. When/if the Raps elevate to that state of being - look out.
                    Last edited by S.R.; Tue Dec 18, 2018, 10:03 AM.
                    "We're playing in a building." -- Kawhi Leonard

                    Comment


                    • #70
                      We're back

                      http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...urs-change-top

                      The Toronto Raptors are back atop the East after a double-overtime win over the Washington Wizards. In the midst of a top-three shakeup, Kawhi Leonard & Co. have regained the No. 1 spot in our weekly Power Rankings.

                      https://ca.nba.com/news/nba-power-ra...215gnfdlgoyvxa
                      That lineup has been dominant on both ends of the court this season, with them scoring at a rate of 114.0 points per 100 possessions while holding opponents to only 104.0 .

                      https://www.si.com/nba/2019/01/14/nb...-stephen-curry
                      It wasn’t the most daunting competition for the Raptors last week, but they got the job done. Sure, they needed two overtimes to get past the Wizards, but Kawhi Leonard also averaged 30.7 points over the three wins.

                      Comment


                      • #71
                        The Christmas break came and I totally lost interest in this (especially since the Raps were mediocre around the break lol). But yeah looks like they are #1 everywhere:

                        ESPN, NBA, SI, CBS, NYTimes, Yahoo. I think the Athletic has us at 1 but don't have a subscription.

                        Bleacher Report has us 3rd (although to be fair, their rankings come out on Friday not Monday).


                        Fuck Bleacher Report!

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X