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New-look Raptors won't make playoffs

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  • #16
    Quick look at the schedule has me putting us at 39-41 games.

    Didnt look at back to backs, or anything just games I thought we should take beyond reasonable doubt.

    The thing I do like, is that if we do achieve something close to that record, I believe there is a great chance of us making the playoffs. We close against chicago(x2), brooklyn and boston. These teams ( especially boston) could sit the starters ( we all know boston will, and depending on Droses health), obviously depending on seeding and Games back.

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    • #17
      Mediumcore wrote: View Post
      You are correct that there is as much chance of things going bad, as there is for it to go well this season. The one thing I'm trying to keep in mind is that much like last season we should be able to hang our hats on defense. Casey is a contstant in this equation, so the defense should not change too dramatically. Also, those other teams in our division that don't have our depth like say Philly for example are an injury to a key player away from a lost season. The Rap's on the other hand can afford to lose any single key player from the roster and shouldn't really miss a step. Defense and depth are the two key factors imo to making the playoffs this season.
      Actually, in regards to the D, I think we'll be better. Lowry and Fields are upgrades in the starting line up. Vala and Ross project to be big time additions to the bench (even if Vala starts it's still an upgrade) and McGuire is only even in the L for his lockdown ability. The D shouldn't be an issue at all this year. I think it's all gonna come down to Smitchs favourite scapegoat: Shawts.
      LET'S GO RAP-TORS!!!!!

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      • #18
        minks77 wrote: View Post
        Actually, in regards to the D, I think we'll be better. Lowry and Fields are upgrades in the starting line up. Vala and Ross project to be big time additions to the bench (even if Vala starts it's still an upgrade) and McGuire is only even in the L for his lockdown ability. The D shouldn't be an issue at all this year. I think it's all gonna come down to Smitchs favourite scapegoat: Shawts.
        I've taken some flack from other posters because I tend to think the upgrades we've made defensively might be a bit negated by the return of AB to the starting line up. He played pretty good D at the beginning of the season, but imo Amir and Ed whom started in place of AB while injured are the better defenders (This doesn't mean that what AB brinds on the offensive end is not more valuable). As you pointed out though we've improved defensively with the additions at several other positions so if we can make defense the trade mark of this team we should stand a pretty good chance of out lasting other teams through the season. Playoffs are not such a long shot imo.

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        • #19
          I'm really interested to see which Andrea will show up this year: The one that made the haters STFU, (myself first and foremost) or the Andrea we've all grown to know and bag on (for good reason)? If it's good Drea then all else is gravy and playoffs are well within reach. Bad Drea and we're going to be asking too much from the newbies to make much noise.

          Man I really don't wanna work today.
          LET'S GO RAP-TORS!!!!!

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          • #20
            I have a hard time naming 8 teams in the East that are legitimately better than the Raptors. I can count 7 (Miami, Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Indiana, Chicago [even without Rose they are better than the Raptors. This isn't open for discussion]) but the 8th spot is pretty wide open between the Hawks, Bucks and Raptors. The major thing working against the Raps is that the Atlantic division is now the toughest division in the NBA and they have to play those teams 16 times while teams in a weak division like Atlanta get 12 cakewalk games against Charlotte, Orlando and to a lesser extent Washington

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            • #21
              I've said it before, but I think Philly could go either way. They replaced Andre Iguodala, the best wing defender in the league except for possibly LeBron, with Jason Richardson, who is terrible on D and coming off the worst season of his career. They amnestied a solid defensive center (Brand), and replaced him with a very, very good two-way player (Bynum) whose knees are definite question marks. They've got a pretty good coach who has a history of clashing with players who won't follow orders, and they just acquired a star player who is notoriously bratty and disrespectful of coaches. Plus, Lou Williams was their microwave, and they let him walk. If Richardson doesn't have a big-time comeback year, where does the guard play that allows Bynum to not be constantly double-teamed come from?

              If everything clicks for them, they're gonna be dangerous, maybe even conference finalists. But there are a whole lotta ifs. If someone were to offer me even money on who's gonna finish with the better record between Philly and Toronto, I'd think hard about it, but I'd probably take Toronto.

              Comment


              • #22
                the Locks:
                HEAT (Mario/wade/Ray/LBJ/Bosh/Lewis)
                CELTS (Rondo/JET/Truth/KG/Bass/Lee/**Bradley**) **even without him they have a healthy Jeff Green
                PACERS (DJ/George/Granger/West/Hibbz/HansB)

                next level:
                KNICKS (Felton/Smith/Anthony/Amare/Tyson/Camby)
                SIXERS (Holiday/JRich/Turner/T.Young/Bynum/NYoung)
                BULLS (Rose**Kirk/RIP/Deng/Booz/Noah/Gibson) ** they jump to a lock depending how soon rose gets back
                NETS (Dwill/JJ/Crash/Hump/Lopez/Brooks)

                on the bubble/in the mix:
                HAWKS (Teague/Sweet Lou/JSmoove/Big Al/ZaZa/Dharris/Korver)
                BUCKS (BJenn/Monta/Illy/Gooden/SammyD/LuckyLuc) + Carlos Delfino, Pryzbilla, MikeD
                RAPS (KLow/DD/Fields/Bargs/Vala/Caldé) + some potential in Ross/Ed & a healthy Amir
                WIZZ (Wall/Crawford/JanV/Nene/Oaka4/Beal) & the ghost of trevor Ariza
                DEEE-TROIT (Stucky/Daye/Prince/JJ/Monroe/Drummond) + Charie V, Maggette and a dead british artist named Richard Hamilton (according to googles fancy little top bar)
                CLEVELAND (KI/Waiters/Gee/TommyTdot/AndyV/Omri) and a man called boobie

                thanks for comin out:
                Bobcats
                Orlando

                It'll be tough. Hopefully the Hawks implode, Chicago gets mired in mediocrity and Boston runs out of time with KG.
                Last edited by minks77; Wed Oct 3, 2012, 12:35 PM.
                LET'S GO RAP-TORS!!!!!

                Comment


                • #23
                  I would not consider the Knicks a lock. They were out of the playoffs before Linsansity hit last year. Amare/Melo don't fit well together, and they are relying on a resurgence from both Kidd and Felton at the PG position. Shumpert won't be back until December, and Fields even though he had a bad year for them, was great depth off the bench.

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                  • #24
                    I was thinking the same thing about the Knicks, but J. Kidd has a way of bringing teams together and the combo of Camby and Chandler is ridiculous. Good luck trying to score in the post with those two manning the paint.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      They were also playing D'Antonis ssol offense without a pg capable of playing it and a SF who doesn't play that way. They're a lock, last year was an abberation. Felton, Kidd and Pablo are upgrades, Sheed, Kurt and Camby bring leadership, defense and ovaltine.
                      LET'S GO RAP-TORS!!!!!

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                      • #26
                        I'm still not buying it.. Melo is a better PF then a SF, yet he'll be playing the 3 because of Amare. Felton had a horrible year last year and got fat in the process. Kidd is more of a coach then a player now. So I don't quite see either of them as upgrades. I like the Camby acquisition but he'll be coming off the bench for Chandler and will probably only get like 20mpg. I'd be surprised if Wallace got any minutes at all. Any team can suffer the wrath of an injury, but the Knicks have so many vets that an injury is far more likely for them then for a younger team. If they do run into injury issues then I think they'll be in trouble as their depth is pretty weak.

                        NY has a very good chance to make the playoffs... but I still wouldn't consider them a lock.

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                        • #27
                          hmmm, fair enough. Ready to have your mind blown? YOU'VE CONVINCED ME! lol, let the record show that the Knickerbockers got pulled down, heheh, to that "next level"...
                          LET'S GO RAP-TORS!!!!!

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                          • #28
                            minks77 wrote: View Post
                            hmmm, fair enough. Ready to have your mind blown? YOU'VE CONVINCED ME! lol, let the record show that the Knickerbockers got pulled down, heheh, to that "next level"...
                            LOL! No worries.... I just hate the Knicks so when I see someone talking highly of them I have to speak up.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              minks77 wrote: View Post
                              the Locks:
                              HEAT (Mario/wade/Ray/LBJ/Bosh/Lewis)
                              CELTS (Rondo/JET/Truth/KG/Bass/Lee/**Bradley**) **even without him they have a healthy Jeff Green
                              PACERS (DJ/George/Granger/West/Hibbz/HansB)

                              next level:
                              KNICKS (Felton/Smith/Anthony/Amare/Tyson/Camby)
                              SIXERS (Holiday/JRich/Turner/T.Young/Bynum/NYoung)
                              BULLS (Rose**Kirk/RIP/Deng/Booz/Noah/Gibson) ** they jump to a lock depending how soon rose gets back
                              NETS (Dwill/JJ/Crash/Hump/Lopez/Brooks)

                              on the bubble/in the mix:
                              HAWKS (Teague/Sweet Lou/JSmoove/Big Al/ZaZa/Dharris/Korver)
                              BUCKS (BJenn/Monta/Illy/Gooden/SammyD/LuckyLuc) + Carlos Delfino, Pryzbilla, MikeD
                              RAPS (KLow/DD/Fields/Bargs/Vala/Caldé) + some potential in Ross/Ed & a healthy Amir
                              WIZZ (Wall/Crawford/JanV/Nene/Oaka4/Beal) & the ghost of trevor Ariza
                              DEEE-TROIT (Stucky/Daye/Prince/JJ/Monroe/Drummond) + Charie V, Maggette and a dead british artist named Richard Hamilton (according to googles fancy little top bar)
                              CLEVELAND (KI/Waiters/Gee/TommyTdot/AndyV/Omri) and a man called boobie

                              thanks for comin out:
                              Bobcats
                              Orlando

                              It'll be tough. Hopefully the Hawks implode, Chicago gets mired in mediocrity and Boston runs out of time with KG.
                              I like the idea of tiering the conference, but I slightly disagree with your tiers

                              TIER 1 - In a class by themselves
                              Miami

                              TIER 2 - Contenders with holes
                              Boston
                              Chicago
                              Indy

                              TIER 3 - Talent + major question marks
                              Knicks
                              Nets

                              TIER 4 - The battle for 8th
                              Bucks
                              Hawks
                              Sixers

                              TIER 5 - Perennial Lottery players
                              Detriot
                              Cleveland
                              Washington
                              Raptors

                              TIER 6 - Just move the franchise
                              Robert Cats
                              Orlando

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                NoBan wrote: View Post
                                I like the idea of tiering the conference, but I slightly disagree with your tiers

                                TIER 1 - In a class by themselves
                                Miami

                                TIER 2 - Contenders with holes
                                Boston
                                Chicago
                                Indy

                                TIER 3 - Talent + major question marks
                                Knicks
                                Nets

                                TIER 4 - The battle for 8th
                                Bucks
                                Hawks
                                Sixers

                                TIER 5 - Perennial Lottery players
                                Detriot
                                Cleveland
                                Washington
                                Raptors

                                TIER 6 - Just move the franchise
                                Robert Cats
                                Orlando
                                I had posted a very similar breakdown in another thread a couple weeks ago, that was almost identical to that. I only had 2 differences

                                1. I put Chicago in Tier-3 without Rose (they'd be Tier-1 with Rose)

                                2. I put Toronto in Tier-4, to be in the battle for 7th & 8th. I think they are better on paper than you give them credit for, as I think they will be a significantly better team than Detroit, Washington and Cleveland.


                                For me, the closest tiers are 3 & 4. I could easily see the Knicks and/or Nets falling flat, back into the battle for 7th & 8th. I could just as easily see any of the Tier-4 teams jumping up to separate themselves from the rest of the back, safely into the playoffs.

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