Everything Valanciunas

[Shaolin Fantastic]

How are you going to give him more credit when he himself said that it was Casey's D...

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He could've been trying to help get his assistant a job. I do think Casey had a big impact (especially game-planning for LBJ specifically) though. It's hard to tell this stuff without actually being with the coaching staff. I just see Carlisle's previous record and am inclined to credit him more because of that.

[DanH]

We were about 4th I think during the 21 game stretch post ASB with JV and DeMar starting too so fair point.

Maybe it's about raising the defensive level of the guys around them. You're right, that Dallas team got away with regularly playing two sieves (Terry and Dirk) on defense.

I give Carlisle more credit for that D than Casey though. He had a track record of coaching elite defensive teams in Indiana and Detroit before.

I doubt we'll see a top 5 defense though. We're really missing that leader that we had with Tucker. He had even DeMar looking fairly decent on that end, making hustle plays I hadn't seen since his rookie season. I don't think Norm has the cache to be that guy and Ibaka doesn't seem that vocal.

I think it's well established that that defence was Casey's. Of course, Casey doesn't use that defence here, so...

I do think the top 5 status over that stretch is a little misleading with the marshmallow schedule, and a lot of it was just a bump after a trade, not any sustainable effect a guy like Tucker can have; even the DeMar effort was a short-term mirage, IMO. I agree that the team is not going to be a top 5 defence. But with their offence, they don't need to be. Top 10 or so is what I expect.

[GLF]

I think it's well established that that defence was Casey's. Of course, Casey doesn't use that defence here, so...

I do think the top 5 status over that stretch is a little misleading with the marshmallow schedule, and a lot of it was just a bump after a trade, not any sustainable effect a guy like Tucker can have; even the DeMar effort was a short-term mirage, IMO. I agree that the team is not going to be a top 5 defence. But with their offence, they don't need to be. Top 10 or so is what I expect.

I hope you're right about the top 10 defence. But at this point I only care about the playoffs. I want our guys and our team as a whole to FINALLY play to their standards in the playoffs. Seeing everyone, especially Demar and Kyle struggle is getting tired.

[DanH]

I hope you're right about the top 10 defence. But at this point I only care about the playoffs. I want our guys and our team as a whole to FINALLY play to their standards in the playoffs. Seeing everyone, especially Demar and Kyle struggle is getting tired.

Yeah, Powell starting in the Bucks series was really great, because largely those two have struggled with trapping in the playoffs (there have been some simple shooting woes as well but the trapping is the main thing), and we found the answer to that. It's part of why I'm so invested in Powell starting during the season - if we're going to have to go to that in the playoffs anyway, that's what we should do from day one - it's not a matchup-specific decision, it's the key to unlocking the Raptors' offence, as we've seen with the various multi-guard lineups over the past few years. Same argument I had for Patterson starting over Scola and Siakam. Thankfully the downside of the wrong choice is less this time, but I'd still prefer to see the right choice - the bench should get a chance to play together in the form it will take in the playoffs.

[S.R.]

Top 10 at both ends of the floor is easily as much as you can ask for out of this roster, I think that's a reasonable best case scenario and probably the 2nd best team in the East.

That Mavericks championship roster also had quite a few plus defenders, those players need some of the credit that Casey always gets when reflecting on that team's defence.

[Demographic Shift]

We were about 4th I think during the 21 game stretch post ASB with JV and DeMar starting too so fair point.

Maybe it's about raising the defensive level of the guys around them. You're right, that Dallas team got away with regularly playing two sieves (Terry and Dirk) on defense.

I give Carlisle more credit for that D than Casey though. He had a track record of coaching elite defensive teams in Indiana and Detroit before.

I doubt we'll see a top 5 defense though. We're really missing that leader that we had with Tucker. He had even DeMar looking fairly decent on that end, making hustle plays I hadn't seen since his rookie season. I don't think Norm has the cache to be that guy and Ibaka doesn't seem that vocal.

The Raps won't be top 5 defensively..however they could be in the range of 9 to 12...They finished 8th in overall Def Rating last year. Yep they lose Paterson and Tucker and lightning rod Carroll...but this year we will see more of Ibalka for PPat and Powell for Carroll will be beneficial...Tucker isa real loss though. Wright at 6'6" will provide more disruptive length in the defensive lanes than Joseph did last year.

Up against the other 3 teams who are in the mix for 1 through 4 they are somewhat surprisingly the best of the lot.

Cleveland in overall D Rating clocked in at 22nd. They didn't pick up anyone who would improve that standing.

Washington struggles on the defensive end as well and last year they finished 20th. No new players on that team either..Who ever gets Bogdonovics minutes will make them better on D..but it won't move the needle.

Boston came in at 12th overall. That was last year. Gone are Crowder, Olynyk, Bradley and Johnson. Sandpaper guys you really didn't look forward to playing against. This years team is soft. Marshmallow soft. Bargnani soft.

All in all the Raps should be about the same. Decent to Good defensively and better than their closest rivals.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

I just want to point out that 9-12 isn't an elite defense, it's just ok. Those spots tend to only be slightly better than league average.

Edit: 1 more thing. I say top 5 because that is a key ingredient to the recipe to beat LeBron. In his entire career he has only been eliminated by a non top 5 defense ONCE and that was when he did not show up and played scared in the 2011 finals. Without that, we have a 0% chance of beating LeBron in a playoff series imho.

[GLF]

Yeah, Powell starting in the Bucks series was really great, because largely those two have struggled with trapping in the playoffs (there have been some simple shooting woes as well but the trapping is the main thing), and we found the answer to that. It's part of why I'm so invested in Powell starting during the season - if we're going to have to go to that in the playoffs anyway, that's what we should do from day one - it's not a matchup-specific decision, it's the key to unlocking the Raptors' offence, as we've seen with the various multi-guard lineups over the past few years. Same argument I had for Patterson starting over Scola and Siakam. Thankfully the downside of the wrong choice is less this time, but I'd still prefer to see the right choice - the bench should get a chance to play together in the form it will take in the playoffs.

You really think just starting Powell will finally have Demar and Kyle as well as the team play well in the playoffs? Also I couldn't agree more. We will end up having to go to Powell anyway so might as well start it from day 1 so we develop that chemistry and it's not something new we have to start in the playoffs. I really wish I could be confident in Casey doing the right thing but I just have this bad feeling CJ will start. Casey has made it very clear he doesn't like to make the right decision until or almost too late.

[GLF]

I just want to point out that 9-12 isn't an elite defense, it's just ok. Those spots tend to only be slightly better than league average.

Edit: 1 more thing. I say top 5 because that is a key ingredient to the recipe to beat LeBron. In his entire career he has only been eliminated by a non top 5 defense ONCE and that was when he did not show up and played scared in the 2011 finals. Without that, we have a 0% chance of beating LeBron in a playoff series imho.

As do maybe 25 other teams.

[GLF]

Yeah, Powell starting in the Bucks series was really great, because largely those two have struggled with trapping in the playoffs (there have been some simple shooting woes as well but the trapping is the main thing), and we found the answer to that. It's part of why I'm so invested in Powell starting during the season - if we're going to have to go to that in the playoffs anyway, that's what we should do from day one - it's not a matchup-specific decision, it's the key to unlocking the Raptors' offence, as we've seen with the various multi-guard lineups over the past few years. Same argument I had for Patterson starting over Scola and Siakam. Thankfully the downside of the wrong choice is less this time, but I'd still prefer to see the right choice - the bench should get a chance to play together in the form it will take in the playoffs.

I know Powell being put into the starting line up made the difference in the Milwaukee series but do you think it's maybe because they weren't prepared for it? If Powell starts the whole season and teams get used to that lineup and develop a real scouting report on Powell do you think he will still be the answer to our playoff woes?

[LJ2]

Top 10 at both ends of the floor is easily as much as you can ask for out of this roster, I think that's a reasonable best case scenario and probably the 2nd best team in the East.

That Mavericks championship roster also had quite a few plus defenders, those players need some of the credit that Casey always gets when reflecting on that team's defence.

Yeah top 10 would be about the ceiling for the talent level on the roster I think.

I'd like to think if you gave Casey a couple of all world defenders like Jermaine O'neal, Bell Wallace or Tyson Chandler in their primes that he could replicate the defensive success those Carlile coached teams had.

[DanH]

You really think just starting Powell will finally have Demar and Kyle as well as the team play well in the playoffs? Also I couldn't agree more. We will end up having to go to Powell anyway so might as well start it from day 1 so we develop that chemistry and it's not something new we have to start in the playoffs. I really wish I could be confident in Casey doing the right thing but I just have this bad feeling CJ will start. Casey has made it very clear he doesn't like to make the right decision until or almost too late.

I know Powell being put into the starting line up made the difference in the Milwaukee series but do you think it's maybe because they weren't prepared for it? If Powell starts the whole season and teams get used to that lineup and develop a real scouting report on Powell do you think he will still be the answer to our playoff woes?

I don't think it was a lack of scouting. Powell got inserted in the playoffs the year before too, and started a bunch of games in-season - teams should have seen it coming. Having a third ball handler makes a huge difference when being trapped.

As for whether Powell starting is the fix to Lowry and DeMar scoring well in the playoffs... In the first three games, Lowry and DeMar posted TS%'s of 49% and 50%, and in the final three games, both hit almost exactly 60%, with their combined turnover rate dropping as well.

[DanH]

Yeah top 10 would be about the ceiling for the talent level on the roster I think.

I'd like to think if you gave Casey a couple of all world defenders like Jermaine O'neal, Bell Wallace or Tyson Chandler in their primes that he could replicate the defensive success those Carlile coached teams had.

But he has. The Dirk championship team, for example, was 8th ranked in DRTG, IIRC. He's accomplished about the same here as he did there.

[GLF]

I don't think it was a lack of scouting. Powell got inserted in the playoffs the year before too, and started a bunch of games in-season - teams should have seen it coming. Having a third ball handler makes a huge difference when being trapped.

As for whether Powell starting is the fix to Lowry and DeMar scoring well in the playoffs... In the first three games, Lowry and DeMar posted TS%'s of 49% and 50%, and in the final three games, both hit almost exactly 60%, with their combined turnover rate dropping as well.

Well that's very good to hear. It does make sense that if you have a player who can attack and either finish or get fouled when you trap Demar and Kyle, that teams will be a little more reluctant to trap. Which would then give Demar and Kyle more room to operate and do their thing. Well now I want Powell to start even more. Why do you think we struggle so bad against Cleveland? Cause starting Powell didn't help us there. Also Powell didn't play anywhere close to as well in that series. Is it just Lebron and Cleveland as a whole being that much better than us?

[Shaolin Fantastic]

As do maybe 25 other teams.

I don't care about 25 other teams. I want to have a chance at the title.