Everything Valanciunas

[slaw]

Why is anybody concerned about the 'handling' the Cavs? Without Lebronto running that pick & roll, the Cavs are back to late lottery / treadmill threat level. They have zero shot creators, so you can basically guard every ball handler straight up - which is the Raps strength. Cavs will look a lot like Kevin Love's T-Wolves of 5 years ago, but with a less athletic Kevin Love.

The Cavs will be lucky to win 30 games....

[golden]

How quickly you forget their coach is a mastermind

It's all relative.....





https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/5...ey-cavs-losing

[KeonClark]

Why is anybody concerned about the 'handling' the Cavs? Without Lebronto running that pick & roll, the Cavs are back to late lottery / treadmill threat level. They have zero shot creators, so you can basically guard every ball handler straight up - which is the Raps strength. Cavs will look a lot like Kevin Love's T-Wolves of 5 years ago, but with a less athletic Kevin Love.

How quickly you forget their coach is a mastermind

[golden]

JV and Pascal might be able to handle TT and Love, unless Love starts playing in the post. It's a good game for Toronto to dictate the match up's imo.

Why is anybody concerned about the 'handling' the Cavs? Without Lebronto running that pick & roll, the Cavs are back to late lottery / treadmill threat level. They have zero shot creators, so you can basically guard every ball handler straight up - which is the Raps strength. Cavs will look a lot like Kevin Love's T-Wolves of 5 years ago, but with a less athletic Kevin Love.

[LJ2]

Opening night is a perfect example. Sure it’s just the carcass of the Cavs but who do you start against Love (if that’s who they start). JV, Serge or both? I’m getting some bad flashbacks.

JV and Pascal might be able to handle TT and Love, unless Love starts playing in the post. It's a good game for Toronto to dictate the match up's imo.

[G__Deane]

Any word from Nurse if JV will be starting or not. I'm really curious if JV is getting moved to the bench because I remember Nurse saying something along the lines of them having to get JV more involved on offence...does that mean he's going to be the primary source of O, with the second unit? And Serge as the starting C....errrrr

SportsNet putting a positive spin on this but I don't like the sounds of it. Sounds like Srrge will start more than his fair share at C.
Still have to give Nurse the benefit of the doubt for now and I really do like the versatility of mixing and matching lineups.....but JV should be your starting C for the vast majority of games. What Serge gives you over him is vastly outweighed by his deficiencies imo. I guess we'll see how it plays out

https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/...urse-requires/

[DanH]

I sort of presumed Nurse would be looking at swapping guys out at PF and whichever wing position Kawhi isn't listed as, but not at C. It's a pretty big difference in what you get between JV and Serge at that position.

I'd love for JV to be guaranteed a starting spot and I'd hope by the end of the year that he will be. But early in the year I expect Nurse to give Ibaka at C a lot of reps with that starting group to establish whether it's a feasible option against smaller looks. Might lead to some losses, and on any night it does I'll probably be apoplectic, before calming down and looking at the big picture the next morning.

If the guys rotating in and out are only Ibaka and Green, that would be ideal, or barring that, Ibaka, OG and Green, I'd be pretty happy. But I don't think we should expect that right away.

[DanH]

Opening night is a perfect example. Sure it’s just the carcass of the Cavs but who do you start against Love (if that’s who they start). JV, Serge or both? I’m getting some bad flashbacks.

I think CLE will start both Love and TT, so if the matchup theory holds true we might see last year's big starting lineup for game 1, even if it ends up being rare thereafter.

[Jclaw]

Opening night is a perfect example. Sure it’s just the carcass of the Cavs but who do you start against Love (if that’s who they start). JV, Serge or both? I’m getting some bad flashbacks.

[LJ2]

Nurse has been steadfast that he will change starting units from game to game and even half to half, especially early in the year. JV will definitely be starting some games and halves, and definitely coming off the bench for other games and halves. We won't know for a while what proportion of halves he'll be starting versus coming off the bench.

I sort of presumed Nurse would be looking at swapping guys out at PF and whichever wing position Kawhi isn't listed as, but not at C. It's a pretty big difference in what you get between JV and Serge at that position.

[DanH]

Any word from Nurse if JV will be starting or not. I'm really curious if JV is getting moved to the bench because I remember Nurse saying something along the lines of them having to get JV more involved on offence...does that mean he's going to be the primary source of O, with the second unit? And Serge as the starting C....errrrr

Nurse has been steadfast that he will change starting units from game to game and even half to half, especially early in the year. JV will definitely be starting some games and halves, and definitely coming off the bench for other games and halves. We won't know for a while what proportion of halves he'll be starting versus coming off the bench.

[LJ2]

Any word from Nurse if JV will be starting or not. I'm really curious if JV is getting moved to the bench because I remember Nurse saying something along the lines of them having to get JV more involved on offence...does that mean he's going to be the primary source of O, with the second unit? And Serge as the starting C....errrrr

[Puffer]

Been waiting to see this from JV for a while. He screwed up on D a couple of times, but mostly just played big. That's what you want from your big men. His passing game was on display too. Pinpoint. Great game. Hope he gets a chance to continue under Nurse.

[Yuri Gagarin]

If they were a junior High team maybe. These guys dont need a father figure as a coach at this point.

[Gonzz]

The guy's confidence was completely shot at one point under Casey. I bet this feels like paradise.

It's a testament to his team-first mentality that you never heard him complain about his narrowly-defined role.

I read in the comments that most of the young men on the Raptors lacked a father figure in their lives.Casey was the perfect father figure.Can’t think of any players going against him in his time here.J V was raised by a single mom and fits this profile.