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2017/18 Raptors Power Rankings thread

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  • #31
    MixxAOR wrote: View Post

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    • #32

      Only one thing matters: We The Champs.

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      • #33
        ESPN #6
        prev. #7
        "Over his past 10 games, Kyle Lowry is averaging 20.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 48 percent from 3-point range. In that span, his player efficiency rating is 25.5, better than Stephen Curry's or Russell Westbrook's in that span. Entering this hot stretch, Lowry's PER was just below the level of an average NBA player at 14.9."

        NBA.com #5
        prev. #5
        Pace: 100.2 (11) OffRtg: 110.8 (4) DefRtg: 103.2 (10) NetRtg: +7.6 (3)
        "The Raptors have been at their best both offensively and defensively (and have been the league's best team by a wide margin) in the second quarter, which they've won in 12 straight games. They've won their last four second quarters by a combined score of 151-88, with Kyle Lowry making 10 of his 12 second-quarter 3-point attempts over that stretch. Starting the period on the bench (instead of on the floor, like in previous seasons) seems to be agreeing with Lowry, because his second-quarter effective field goal percentage of 79.8 percent is the best mark for any player (with at least 50 field goal attempts) in any period. The league's easiest December schedule continues with eight straight games against teams at least five games under .500."


        S.I. #6
        Prev. #7
        "This was the only thing that went wrong with the Raptors this week:


        CBS #5
        Prev. #10
        "They're just a really good basketball team right now: top five in net rating and offense, top 10 defense. However, Toronto being good in the regular season is nothing new. This is one long build up to the playoffs."
        Last edited by S.R.; Tue Dec 5, 2017, 01:43 PM.
        "We're playing in a building." -- Kawhi Leonard

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        • #34
          Tough to crack the top 5 and displace one of Houston, Boston, GSW, Spurs, or Cavs.

          ESPN #6
          "The Raptors' two best players have each improved significantly in a specific phase of their games. Kyle Lowry is averaging 6.5 rebounds per game after never averaging five in a season. The Raptors are 15-3 when he grabs five or more boards and 2-4 when he doesn't. DeMar DeRozan is averaging 5.1 assists per game, also a career high. The Raptors are 13-1 when he has five or more assists this season and 4-6 when he doesn't." http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...ankings-week-9

          SI #6
          "Just as I was preparing my “meh” remarks about the Raptors, they surged past the Grizzlies and totaled the most fast-break points (41) in the NBA since 2003. They’ve had a lot of time between games lately and it looks like it’s refreshed their legs." https://www.si.com/nba/2017/12/11/nb...s-kyrie-irving

          Bleacher Report #5
          "While you weren't paying attention, the Toronto Raptors became the deepest team in the East. A wellspring of youth, skill and athleticism is bubbling up from a firm foundation of veteran starters. And while Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka remain this team's key players, most of the stretches producing wins have come with a bunch of 23-and-under newbies on the floor. Here's The Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks on one of them:
          "Anunoby is not playing like a rookie. He gets the toughest defensive assignment on the wings every night. In his first two weeks as a starter, he has guarded James Harden, Jrue Holiday, Bradley Beal, and Victor Oladipo. At 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds with a 7-foot-2.5 wingspan, he is a physical marvel who can match up with players at all five positions."
          Dig this: Since Anunoby became a starter on Nov. 14, his on-court net rating is plus-11.0 points per 100 possessions. But Toronto's first unit (which also includes Lowry, DeRozan, Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas) is only producing a plus-1.1 net rating in that span. That means Anunoby isn't just being propped up by the other starters; he's tearing it up with other reserves.
          In addition to Anunoby, Toronto is getting quality production from Jakob Poeltl, Pascal Siakam and Fred Van Vleet.
          The Raptors are having their cake and eating it, too. While stabilizing their present with big expenditures on established stars, they've also fashioned a youth corps that is already excelling in major minutes. They've got a bridge to the future in place.
          It's almost impossible to overstate how hard it is to stay competitive while setting up the next wave of talent, but the Raps have done it.
          They went 2-0 this week and have won eight of their last 10." http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...tle-contenders

          NBA.com #5
          "Having averaged 7.0 dimes over the Raptors' six-game winning streak, DeMar DeRozan is at a career-high 5.1 for the season. He's Mr. Mid-Range in regard to his own shots, but 88 percent of DeRozan's assists have been on buckets in the restricted area or from 3-point range. That's the second highest rate (behind only that of James Harden) among 48 players with 100 or more total assists. Serge Ibaka has shot 13-for-21 from 3-point range over the last four games, having gone 0-for-12 over the previous four. The Raptors haven't played him too much at center (because Jakob Poeltl has been too good), but are a plus-30 in the 57 minutes in which they have."
          &
          "Plus-minus stud: Kyle Lowry (TOR) was a plus-65 in three games last week."
          http://www.nba.com/powerrankings#/

          CBS.com #6
          "The Raptors are beating the pants off of teams and they're flying under the radar. They have the NBA's third-best net rating behind the Warriors and the Rockets. Don't be surprised if they catch teams by surprise late in the season." https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...r-been-better/
          Last edited by S.R.; Mon Dec 11, 2017, 04:45 PM.
          "We're playing in a building." -- Kawhi Leonard

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          • #35
            It almost feels like a core of Wright, Freddy, Norm, OG, Siakam and Poeltl could win 35 games right now.

            It's nice to know that when Lowry/DeRozan/Ibaka are long gone, we've got a semi-competitive roster already in place. Just a few minor tweaks needed to maintain a meaningful level of basketball, rather than a 3-5 year "rebuild".

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            • #36
              Reading about our youth movement makes a few more years of 50 win seasons while drafting a few more OG's seem bearable

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              • #37
                Nilanka wrote: View Post
                It almost feels like a core of Wright, Freddy, Norm, OG, Siakam and Poeltl could win 35 games right now.

                It's nice to know that when Lowry/DeRozan/Ibaka are long gone, we've got a semi-competitive roster already in place. Just a few minor tweaks needed to maintain a meaningful level of basketball, rather than a 3-5 year "rebuild".
                Ha, it's definitely going to make the post-KL/DD/Ibaka era a lot more interesting. Normally you'd offload those contracts, suck for a year or two, and draft high in the lottery. This team might be too good for a top 5 pick after the vets are done. What then? Still way too much time between now and then to know for sure, maybe they'll be able to open up cap space and look at a big FA signing instead of a lotto win. We'll see.
                "We're playing in a building." -- Kawhi Leonard

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                • #38
                  LJ2 wrote: View Post
                  Reading about our youth movement makes a few more years of 50 win seasons while drafting a few more OG's seem bearable
                  Not to mention the possibility of trading for picks and role players in two years time, or stocking up on free agents in three. Masao magic and a little luck have almost guaranteed fun and exciting Raptors basketball for another 6 years at least.

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                  • #39
                    Nilanka wrote: View Post
                    It almost feels like a core of Wright, Freddy, Norm, OG, Siakam and Poeltl could win 35 games right now.

                    It's nice to know that when Lowry/DeRozan/Ibaka are long gone, we've got a semi-competitive roster already in place. Just a few minor tweaks needed to maintain a meaningful level of basketball, rather than a 3-5 year "rebuild".
                    Love Zach Lowe, but it bugged me in his column a week or 2 ago when he praised our young guys but then quickly shut the door on any of them emerging by saying "none of them will be stars"

                    While that is certainly the safe or more likely bet, Zach of all people should know that you never close the door on that on a first or 2nd year guy showing nice potential. Yes its true that most stars are already scoring lots in their first year and drafted in the top 5, it's also true that unexpected leaps happen all the time in the NBA. In fact the list for the latter is almost as long as the list for the former. Out of the top 10 guys in the league right now, the only real "can't miss" guys were Lebron, KD, maybe AD but I remember a ton of questions on if his offense would be great in the NBA. Every other guy outplayed their expectations by various degrees, some like Kawhi and Draymond severely. The list gets longer when you expand it to top 30+, and gets more dense when you condense to AAU unknowns from overseas (OG, Poelt, Siakam)

                    To say definitively there is no all star there is presumptuous at best and ignorant at worst, ESPECIALLY OG who's 20 year old not even 2 months in and shows all the tools to possibly there
                    9 time first team all-RR, First Ballot Hall of Forum

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                    • #40
                      https://www.si.com/nba/2017/12/18/nb...-warriors-cavs

                      We cracked the top 5. I realize that there's a recency bias with all of these power rankings but the teams ranked 7 & 8 are the Pistons and the Knicks. Not in the east....in the whole league. WTF NBA?!

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                      • #41
                        Consistently in the top 5 the last couple of weeks, as high as #2 on NBA.COM last week and currently #3 or #4 on most, no real insights in the write ups - must be turkey season.

                        Houston has had the easiest schedule in the league to date and has now lost Harden for a couple of weeks. Definitely seeing some cracks in the foundation there after a December losing streak.

                        Edit: CBS had the Raptors at #1 last week, so there's that. Merry Christmas. Wonder if Toronto's ever been #1 on anybody's Power Rankings before? https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...favorite-team/
                        Last edited by S.R.; Tue Jan 2, 2018, 01:49 PM.
                        "We're playing in a building." -- Kawhi Leonard

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                        • #42
                          Bleacher Report has us moved up to #2, post trade deadline, ahead of GSW, 2nd only to HOU.

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                          • #43
                            We're number 3!

                            http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...nkings-week-18

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                            • #44
                              Good job Mike Conley!
                              9 time first team all-RR, First Ballot Hall of Forum

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                              • #45
                                We're number 2!

                                https://www.si.com/nba/2018/02/12/nb...ptors-warriors

                                BTW...gotta give SI credit for poking fun at themselves every time they move Demar's team up the rankings

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