How much have we improved?

[Scraptor]

Sounds good to me. Bets off if Lowry/Deebo suffer a serious injury.

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Deal.

[A.I]

The only player the Raptors will miss is Tucker, but other than that, the Raptors have improved in every way.

[The Claw Reborn]

We still can’t contend with the roster we have.

Health of the core is what would prevent them from going past the first round as usual. Lowry and Ibaka both need to stay on tip top shape before April or at least 80%. Nicks and bruises are fine but injuries that can be chronic then they are done.

[ogi]

Deal.

I feel like "serious injury" should be defined before this deal is made.

[rocwell]

OG/Siakam > 2Pat? Maybe in a year or two.

I'll make you a sig bet that we don't win more games than last year. 52 or more, you win. 51 or less, I win.

Loser wears the other's choice of sig (nothing dirty) from end of regular season till the draft.

I don't like betting against the Raps but since we disagree on practically everything this should be fun.

Well, smart Vegas and Asian bettors are taking Raptors under 47.5. I took over, so it's bit weird seeing sharps(big money bettors) taking under on this total.

[psrs1]

I understand someone saying the team is worse than it was in the playoffs last year - the front line talent is just as good, but the depth is definitely less proven.

But I do not remotely understand the thinking that the team is worse than they were at the beginning of last year. They traded depth for front line talent since that time (generally a good idea), and much of the presumed depth they started with failed them miserably last year, with Patterson basically useless by the end of the season and CoJo crapping the bed for most of the year.

Hey DanH I suspect we will be a pretty good regular season team. It’s the post season that is a huge question mark. Let’s home LBJ gets that knee sprain at the right. I am skeptical BUT I in fact put $20 on Raptors to win NBA championship in Vegas payout 1220$. The Sixers had worse odds than us .perhaps better bet would be 7/1 on Raptors to win division.

[Scraptor]

I feel like "serious injury" should be defined before this deal is made.

I'd say if either Kyle or DeMar misses more than 20 games, the bet is off. Does that sound fair Chr1s1anL?

[Chr1s1anL]

I'd say if either Kyle or DeMar misses more than 20 games, the bet is off. Does that sound fair Chr1s1anL?

combined 35+ missed games it's off?

[Puffer]

The three's have seemed legit. I haven't checked, but with the regular rotation playing regular minutes I would guess the team is shooting around 34% from three. Of course, CJ is bound to come back down to earth, but OG, Norm, Delon, et. al. may very well improve their percentages... by taking better shots that are more within the flow of the offense.

Improved 3's is going to make a very significant improvement to this team. Derozan and Lowry could have a field day inside. Shooting %'s could go up all around.

[Scraptor]

combined 35+ missed games it's off?

Sure, that works. Good luck - I want to see the Raps do well, even if I don't think the win total will go up.

[Scraptor]

The three's have seemed legit. I haven't checked, but with the regular rotation playing regular minutes I would guess the team is shooting around 34% from three. Of course, CJ is bound to come back down to earth, but OG, Norm, Delon, et. al. may very well improve their percentages... by taking better shots that are more within the flow of the offense.

Improved 3's is going to make a very significant improvement to this team. Derozan and Lowry could have a field day inside. Shooting %'s could go up all around.

We shot 32.6% from 3 this preseason, 6th worst among NBA teams. However, we made the second most, because we attempted the second most, after the Rockets.

Given that we only shot 37.7% from mid-range last year, even making 32.6% of threes is going to be more efficient. Question is whether we stick to the game plan once other teams begin adjusting their defensive strategies after scouting us, or if we revert back to old habits.

[GLF]

We shot 32.6% from 3 this preseason, 6th worst among NBA teams. However, we made the second most, because we attempted the second most, after the Rockets.

Given that we only shot 37.7% from mid-range last year, even making 32.6% of threes is going to be more efficient. Question is whether we stick to the game plan once other teams begin adjusting their defensive strategies after scouting us, or if we revert back to old habits.

Was that 32.6% when the regulars played close regular minutes? Or is that just overall the whole team for the whole preseason?

[MixxAOR]

Was that 32.6% when the regulars played close regular minutes? Or is that just overall the whole team for the whole preseason?

Overall

[GLF]

Overall

Okay well then that's not bad because a lot of guys who won't be shooting it when the actual season starts took a lot of shots. Also I expect guys like Serge and Norm to shoot it better than they did. Even Kyle could shoot it better than he did.

[Mess]

We won't be chucking quite as much in the regular season I'd have to assume.

But still, take the preseason stats and give 5-8 more minutes to Lowry with same or improved %, 8-10 more for Norm with a slightly improved % and 10 more for Ibaka with improved % (all 3 likely) and that will raise the overall average a good chunk. Even when you figure in Miles not hitting 50%.

Those 4 players took 50% of the 3's in preseason and you can assume their piece of the pie will only get bigger.