#FireCasey

[Barolt]

Curry is also in a well developed and stable offensive system. We have nothing like that. We have DeMar finding his or someone else's shot, and Kyle finding his or someone else's shot. That's pretty much our entire offense.

[Primer]

This next 3 game stretch will be a good test for us. 3 road games against Eastern Conference playoff teams (Pacers, Hornets Heat). If we can take 2 out of 3 then we'll really solidify ourselves as a top team in the East, and may even end up in 1st place. Granted, we were in 1st at this point last season too, but I'd feel pretty good about it if we can get 2 of the next 3 games, these are the teams we can expect to have to play in the playoffs.

[LJ2]

We've always struggled against the Hornets, and they are having a great season by their standards. I don't know what our win/loss record is against the Heat, post LeBron, but I seem to remember them playing us really well too. Will be a tough test for sure. Those two games are ones we really need Carroll to play well in.

[Axel]

We've always struggled against the Hornets, and they are having a great season by their standards. I don't know what our win/loss record is against the Heat, post LeBron, but I seem to remember them playing us really well too. Will be a tough test for sure. Those two games are ones we really need Carroll to play well in.

2-2 vs Miami combined this year and last.

[Wild-ling#1]

This next 3 game stretch will be a good test for us. 3 road games against Eastern Conference playoff teams (Pacers, Hornets Heat). If we can take 2 out of 3 then we'll really solidify ourselves as a top team in the East, and may even end up in 1st place. Granted, we were in 1st at this point last season too, but I'd feel pretty good about it if we can get 2 of the next 3 games, these are the teams we can expect to have to play in the playoffs.

Sure, we'll all be watching these games with interest. But I'm not sure it's fair to gauge where the team stands on a road swing vs some tough teams, which includes a back-to-back when we have two starters missing. Would seem fair, perhaps, to draw a positive inference if we perform reasonably well, but cut the Raps some slack if we drop a couple of games.

[Wild-ling#1]

Curry is also in a well developed and stable offensive system. We have nothing like that. We have DeMar finding his or someone else's shot, and Kyle finding his or someone else's shot. That's pretty much our entire offense.

Scola has certainly contributed - not fair to leave him out. I like that Lowry has started to find the bigs more often, too.

But given Biz and Scola's limitations, our offense has rather had to be focused on DeRozan and Lowry, hasn't it?

I think we've seen better play-calling and more flexibility with rotations this season, too. Sort of a miracle we're a half-game back of the Cavs with the injuries. But DeMar is working on his game and Jonas was seeing more 4th quarter time before he went out. And the coaching staff was candid about focusing on the defensive systems, in practice, early in the year.

I know many RR members will want to see more team improvements, and consistency, before they set aside the criticisms that have built up over years of following the team. But I think it imight be time, now, to take a step back and see how things progress. The Raps players - and Casey and the other coaches - seem to be fully aware of what the weaknesses have been and in which directions they need to go ...

[Barolt]

Scola has certainly contributed - not fair to leave him out. I like that Lowry has started to find the bigs more often, too.

But given Biz and Scola's limitations, our offense has rather had to be focused on DeRozan and Lowry, hasn't it?

I think we've seen better play-calling and more flexibility with rotations this season, too. Sort of a miracle we're a half-game back of the Cavs with the injuries. But DeMar is working on his game and Jonas was seeing more 4th quarter time before he went out. And the coaching staff was candid about focusing on the defensive systems, in practice, early in the year.

I know many RR members will want to see more team improvements, and consistency, before they set aside the criticisms that have built up over years of following the team. But I think it imight be time, now, to take a step back and see how things progress. The Raps players - and Casey and the other coaches - seem to be fully aware of what the weaknesses have been and in which directions they need to go ...

http://stats.nba.com/playtype/#!/off...ort=Poss&dir=1

Going to post this here as well. Look at just how few screens we actually set and tell me that our offense tries to find shots for guys other than DeMar and Lowry. It's funny though, everyone's defending Scola today because he had a nice game yesterday, but I seem to recall less than a week ago people calling for his head because he had a couple of off nights.

The screen numbers show a complete lack of awareness by the coaching staff of where we need them set. Ross gets less than 1/game, Lowry gets less than 2/game. They're both pretty good off screens. DeMar gets over 3.5 screens per game, and is in the 20th percentile in the league coming off screens. CoJo has had THREE screens set for him all season. The same number as Norman Powell.

[Axel]

Scola has certainly contributed - not fair to leave him out. I like that Lowry has started to find the bigs more often, too.

But given Biz and Scola's limitations, our offense has rather had to be focused on DeRozan and Lowry, hasn't it?

I think we've seen better play-calling and more flexibility with rotations this season, too. Sort of a miracle we're a half-game back of the Cavs with the injuries. But DeMar is working on his game and Jonas was seeing more 4th quarter time before he went out. And the coaching staff was candid about focusing on the defensive systems, in practice, early in the year.

I know many RR members will want to see more team improvements, and consistency, before they set aside the criticisms that have built up over years of following the team. But I think it imight be time, now, to take a step back and see how things progress. The Raps players - and Casey and the other coaches - seem to be fully aware of what the weaknesses have been and in which directions they need to go ...

I don't think Scola's limitations are on offence though. He's a good passer and crafty scorer and his entire career has been built around his offensive skills. So no, I don't buy that the offence has to be built the way it is. That is a choice that was made.

We call the 4th most ISO. We are 21st last in using the Roll Man. 20th in spot up shooting frequency. 21st in using cuts. Last in Assists and Potential Assists. These aren't a result of Carroll or JV missing time, this is Casey's plan.

Jonas was getting less 4th Q minutes than Biyombo.

So no, I don't think there really has been better play calling unless we are limiting it to ATO plays. Rotation is still pretty much same depth as last year, we've just seen different players because of the injuries.

Last year Casey admitted that there was no offensive system and that he knew it was going to be a problem for the playoffs, but did nothing to change it. So you'll have to forgive my skepticism that Casey is really aware of anything, because he should be aware of the fact that coaches who talk the talk but don't walk the walk, tend to get fired.

[3inthekeon]

Curry is also in a well developed and stable offensive system. We have nothing like that. We have DeMar finding his or someone else's shot, and Kyle finding his or someone else's shot. That's pretty much our entire offense.

The Hawks have a stable and well developed system and their offence is barely above average. They look very pretty tossing the ball around, but even with some very good players like Millsap, Horford and Teague and maybe the 2nd best 3pt threat in the NBA, they're not as effective as the Raptors.

Casey/Nurse's system may look like shit to many, but it seems to be effective. This isn't figure skating where you get style points.

[Wild-ling#1]

....I don't buy that the offence has to be built the way it is. That is a choice that was made.

We call the 4th most ISO. We are 21st last in using the Roll Man. 20th in spot up shooting frequency. 21st in using cuts. Last in Assists and Potential Assists. These aren't a result of Carroll or JV missing time, this is Casey's plan.

Jonas was getting less 4th Q minutes than Biyombo.

So no, I don't think there really has been better play calling unless we are limiting it to ATO plays. Rotation is still pretty much same depth as last year, we've just seen different players because of the injuries. ....

Nevertheless, Jonas was seeing more 4th quarter action, as people had hoped. The intention (forecast by Masai) was clear enough.

The coaching staff has said that working on team defense would come first. But it has to be pretty hard to do much to rework the offense when involving the front-court more is the aim - but the 4 is your acknowledged weakest position and your other two starters are on the bench.

I, too, look forward to seeing them make the progress you want when the team gets back to health.

[Axel]

Nevertheless, Jonas was seeing more 4th quarter action, as people had hoped. The intention (forecast by Masai) was clear enough.

The coaching staff has said that working on team defense would come first. But it has to be pretty hard to do much to rework the offense when involving the front-court more is the aim - but the 4 is your acknowledged weakest position and your other two starters are on the bench.

I, too, look forward to seeing them make the progress you want when the team gets back to health.

JV was averaging 5.1 MPG in the 4th (1.5 MPG less than Biyombo) after 11 games (he got hurt in game 14). Same 5.1 MPG as last year and less than the 6.7 MPG he was getting the year prior and less than his rookie season to boot. So no, we weren't seeing more JV in the 4th Quarter and it hasn't been trending up for a couple of years now.

http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/...s-thing-again/

It can be pretty hard to rework the offence, so growing pains would be expected, but we aren't seeing growing pains because Casey simply hasn't made any changes. So perhaps it's not the so called 'haters' that need to step back and assess the progress, but rather the defenders step back and see the reality of the situation.

[Wild-ling#1]

JV was averaging 5.1 MPG in the 4th (1.5 MPG less than Biyombo) after 11 games (he got hurt in game 14). Same 5.1 MPG as last year and less than the 6.7 MPG he was getting the year prior and less than his rookie season to boot. So no, we weren't seeing more JV in the 4th Quarter and it hasn't been trending up for a couple of years now.

http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/...s-thing-again/

It can be pretty hard to rework the offence, so growing pains would be expected, but we aren't seeing growing pains because Casey simply hasn't made any changes. So perhaps it's not the so called 'haters' that need to step back and assess the progress, but rather the defenders step back and see the reality of the situation.

No reference to "haters" in my post. Just the point about it being hard to re-work an offense with the injuries we've had.

Not sure what to make of the JV 4th quarter min's. stat, though. I'm sure it's accurate, but thought there was a consensus that they were trying to involve JV more. Hmmm ...

[Barolt]

No reference to "haters" in my post. Just the point about it being hard to re-work an offense with the injuries we've had.

Not sure what to make of the JV 4th quarter min's. stat, though. I'm sure it's accurate, but thought there was a consensus that they were trying to involve JV more. Hmmm ...

Once you start seeing the differences between what Casey says and what Casey does, a lot of things about the way our team is run make a lot less sense.

[Axel]

No reference to "haters" in my post. Just the point about it being hard to re-work an offense with the injuries we've had.

Not sure what to make of the JV 4th quarter min's. stat, though. I'm sure it's accurate, but thought there was a consensus that they were trying to involve JV more. Hmmm ...

Never said you did, merely pointing out that many Casey defenders (not completely directed at you, because there are many who offer nothing more than "hater" while you at least attempted a rationalized, if incorrect, point) aren't necessarily accurate with their assessments; your comment on JV's minutes increasing would be an example.

Not many consensus's around these parts. Not only was Biyombo playing more minutes in the 4th than JV, he was playing significantly worse in the 4th. It was classic Casey; stubborn old fool won't acknowledge what is right in front of him.

[Just Is]

Never said you did, merely pointing out that many Casey defenders aren't necessarily accurate with their assessments; your comment on JV's minutes increasing would be an example.

Not many consensus's around these parts. Not only was Biyombo playing more minutes in the 4th than JV, he was playing significantly worse in the 4th. It was classic Casey; stubborn old fool won't acknowledge what is right in front of him.

Keep in mind that he did say that he was trying to limit Lowry's minutes despite the fact that his minutes were actually up (and this was prior to the injuries to other players).

I don't think Casey even believes Casey at this point.