Game 23: Golden State Warriors (15-8) 128 - Toronto Raptors 131 (19-4)

[Scraptor]

PROJECTED STARTERS












AT














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NOTES:

• Raptors are 2nd in ORatg, 7th in Dratg, 2nd in NetRatg; Warriors are 3rd, 18th, and 5th
• Much of the Warriors' defensive woes has to do with the ongoing absence of perennial DPOY candidate and all-around donkey, Draymond Green, who will most probably be out the next two games (including this one). Green has missed 9 of the Warriors 22 games.
• EDIT: Steph Curry is listed as out with a groin strain
• Our current 6-game win streak is tied for the sixth longest in franchise history. If we win against the Dubs there will only be three longer win streaks in franchise history (of 11, 11, and 9 wins)
• According to bbref, we have lost 8 consecutive games to the Warriors, going back to March 2014. We lost a close one to them by 2 points this past January, at home, without Kyle; DeMar put up a valiant effort with 42 points but the Warriors got balanced scoring from Steph/KD/Klay and Green was a +24
• Kyle postgame on why we won in Memphis: "Can I say a curse word on here? We stopped b-tching, you know what I'm saying? That's what we stopped doing. We started to play basketball."

After we win this game:

[rocwell]

[Nilanka]

Let's do this!

[golden]

1 of 82. This ain't our Super Bowl.

[SamMitchells]

1 of 82. This ain't our Super Bowl.

This is what you say after we lose, not before the game.


This is a statement game; the entire league is watching.

Let's go Raptors!

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

[Nilanka]

1 of 82. This ain't our Super Bowl.

Most anticipated game of the season though (so far), isn't it?

[G__Deane]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/...vp-candidates/

At the quarter mark of the season:

Coach of the Year
Nick Nurse, Toronto Raptors — “It’s definitely unique,” Nurse told me of the situation he was entering when he was first hired as Dwane Casey’s successor. A first-time head coach usually doesn’t enter a season with expectations to reach the Finals while managing the on-and-off court challenges of incorporating a dominant talent like Kawhi Leonard to the existing framework of a winning organization.

Through his first 21 games at the helm of an NBA team, it’s safe to say Nurse has exceeded expectations. He’s been even-keeled and has earned his players’ respect early while managing to balance a deep roster worthy of playing time. Look no further than his fluid starting lineups and evolving rotations as proof that the Raptors are buying what Nurse is selling.

Dwane Casey, Detroit Pistons — Casey has done a great job getting the most out of Blake Griffin, who has stepped up as the Pistons’ veteran leader and best player. But beyond Griffin and Andre Drummond, it’s a fairly weak roster outplaying expectations at 10-7. Look no further than Detroit’s dramatic buzzer-beating win in Toronto to see the extent to which Casey already has his players responding to him.

Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks — He’s totally re-worked the Bucks’ offence, transforming them from a team that shot the 25th-fewest three-pointers last season to the second-most of any team so far this season. Budenholzer has also managed to somehow get even more out of Antetokounmpo than ever. Like Nurse, he’s been masterful at balancing a deep roster while also exhibiting excellent late-game play calling.

[G__Deane]

Executive of the Year

Masai Ujiri/Bobby Webster, Toronto Raptors — Does Webster, the Raptors’ GM, technically get the award? Either way, the Raptors’ brass is the clubhouse leader given how much Toronto’s off-season moves have contributed to its NBA-best 17-4 start.

From replacing Casey with Nurse to swapping DeMar DeRozan for Leonard (a clear upgrade on both ends of the floor) and managing to finagle All-Glue-Guy first teamer Danny Green from San Antonio in the process, the Raptors’ busy — and contentious — summer raised the team’s ceiling from outside contender to legitimate Finals threat.

Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder — Re-signing George was an enormous coup that will keep the 12-7 Thunder competitive. Don’t overlook how he’s improved the team’s depth, either. The acquisition of Dennis Schroder in particular gives OKC a tertiary scoring option its lacked recently, and another playmaker to help ease Russell Westbrook’s historically massive workload.

Jon Horst, Milwaukee Bucks — Like the Raptors, the Bucks have clearly made a good call in their coaching hiring. They’ve also done a great job of providing Budenholzer with players (read: shooters) poised to excel in his three-point-happy system. Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton, Ersan Ilyasova, and rookie Donte DiVincenzo were all relatively under-the-radar acquisitions that have boosted the Bucks considerably.

[G__Deane]

1 of 82. This ain't our Super Bowl.

If we lose, we need to blow it up, fire Nurse and trade Lowry

[007]

1 of 82. This ain't our Super Bowl.

Depending on the result, this game is either the most important of the regular season, or is completely meaningless in the long run

[Yuri Gagarin]

Ya no doubt biggest game so far. 2nd biggest is a 3 way tie - next bucks, spurs and piston games

[Scraptor]

Depending on the result, this game is either the most important of the regular season, or is completely meaningless in the long run

If we win you can be sure the first sentence in the articles will be about the absence of Draymond.

But I will be satisfied knowing that for at least one night bandwagon Warriors fans will cry salty tears and tell their mommies they hate dinosaurs now.

[Zainab]

Klay Thompson can see a Warriors vs. Raptors NBA Finals in June... �� pic.twitter.com/uiOo85KPrN

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) November 27, 2018

[LJ2]

Klay Thompson can see a Warriors vs. Raptors NBA Finals in June... �� pic.twitter.com/uiOo85KPrN

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) November 27, 2018

I think he's said that about a couple of East Conf teams already this season..Celtics for one and Bucks I think as well. He'll be a free agent next summer so good on him to be complimentary of other teams. Calling it now, Kyle Klay and Kawhi on the Raptors next season

[Demographic Shift]

Its an 82 game season and this is one of 82.

But..

When you have very real designs on being the last man standing ... there are about 10 games a season that are head and shoulders above the BAU fare. These games against really really good teams to see who can piss farther into the wind are when the paying customers get their moneys worth and more. Thursday vs the Warriors is one of those 10 games.

25% of the way into the season the Raps get the Champs. They get them at home and they are coming off a confidence boosting road win in Memphis where its hard to win. The Warriors will be coming in at full strength sans Draymond Green. Not a big loss as Green's reputation has been made playing FOR the Warriors in contrast to him being a force that makes them a better team. Harsh but true. If you had to choose between Durant / Curry / Thompson and Green I am pretty sure Green is 4th choice.

So here we go.... At the quarter pole the Raps are the BEST team in the East regardless of the self serving excuses and white noise you hear from the NBA MSM on why an 18up and 4down team is somehow in the backseat behind a 11-10 team. The Warriors are the champs till they aren't.

Should be a hell of a game eh boys ?

Raps who get more cowbell from their bench than the Warriors get from theirs emerge with a W.