Game #13: Toronto Raptors 128 (12-1) - New York Knicks 112 (4-9)

[S.R.]

The Bucks are kinda overrated. They're like the Raptors of the last couple of years. They're good but you know they're not a real contender.

They have a great 1A guy, a really good coach, and not bad talent down the roster but the talent down the roster is not nearly as good as in GS, Toronto, Boston, etc. I think that eventually catches up to them and they level out a bit.

[G__Deane]

Bucks biggest issues in the past were coaching. They are a scary team though. They have a legit top 5 player (Giannis). An all-star (Middleton). A top tier coach (Bud) with a system that can put up a lot of points and win a lot of games.

Raptors and Celtics should both be better.. but whoever gets them in the playoffs will not have an easy time.

I don't want to see the Bucks against us in the post season. You just know the NBA would like to see Giannis advance, even if we have Kawhi. They would favour the Celtics for the market TV numbers over both of us.

[planetmars]

I don't want to see the Bucks against us in the post season. You just know the NBA would like to see Giannis advance, even if we have Kawhi. They would favour the Celtics for the market TV numbers over both of us.

Yeah.. plus the first game will be at 1pm EST.

[S.R.]

This is a fun page to play around with right now: https://stats.nba.com/lineups/advanc...roupQuantity=2

[DogeLover1234]

The Bucks are kinda overrated. They're like the Raptors of the last couple of years. They're good but you know they're not a real contender.

I agree they probably arent a top flight team, but Id say its hard to count them out of any eastern conference playoff series. Those guys have to be hungry after poor playoff showings the last couple years, and with four monster Giannis games they are scary. If Boston ever figures it out, the eastern playoffs will be fun.

[KeonClark]

Pascal may never reach Draymond ceiling as a defender, but hes already a better scorer. Maybe we're looking at Giannis lite

The cameroonian freak

[007]

Siakam is currently 4th in the NBA in 2-pt field goal percentage (71.3%). Ibaka is 5th (66.4%). Lowry is 18th (61.1%)

[inthepaint]

Bucks next games are golden state, then Clippers+Denver on a b2b, all on the road

[KeonClark]

Siakam is currently 4th in the NBA in 2-pt field goal percentage (71.3%). Ibaka is 5th (66.4%). Lowry is 18th (61.1%)

As a point guard jesus. So hes scoring extremely efficiently both inside and outside, lapping the field in assists, and leading the league in charges taken.

Mvp.

[golden]

Pascal may never reach Draymond ceiling as a defender, but hes already a better scorer. Maybe we're looking at Giannis lite

The cameroonian freak

Pascal is nothing like Draymond, except that he's a PF who can dribble and pass better than the average PF. And the average PF is getting better at those things. Draymond gets it done with strength and Pascal uses quickness and athleticism. Draymond shoots 3's. Pascal can't. Their differences are much farther apart than their similarities are close.

Giannis Lite is way more accurate, right down to the lack of 3-pt shot.

[golden]

Siakam is currently 4th in the NBA in 2-pt field goal percentage (71.3%). Ibaka is 5th (66.4%). Lowry is 18th (61.1%)

Our entire starting lineup (Serge/Pascal/Kawhi/Green/Lowry) is top 17 in adjusted impact (PIPM). That's ridiculous. Props to Nurse for figuring that out, so far. A high-octane starting lineup with few weaknesses is way more valuable in the playoffs than having the league's best bench mob.

[planetmars]

It's too bad we couldn't have this team last year. We would have smoked the Cavs.

[KeonClark]

Our entire starting lineup (Serge/Pascal/Kawhi/Green/Lowry) is top 17 in adjusted impact (PIPM). That's ridiculous. Props to Nurse for figuring that out, so far. A high-octane starting lineup with few weaknesses is way more valuable in the playoffs than having the league's best bench mob.

Pipm IS easy?

[ReubenJRD]

Our entire starting lineup (Serge/Pascal/Kawhi/Green/Lowry) is top 17 in adjusted impact (PIPM). That's ridiculous. Props to Nurse for figuring that out, so far. A high-octane starting lineup with few weaknesses is way more valuable in the playoffs than having the league's best bench mob.

Have we seen the "death" lineup that many of us called for yet?

Lowry-Green-Kawhi-OG-Siakam.

I'd like to see that against Golden State, holy.

What's working so well for the current starting lineup is everyone's ability to hit shots; Green is pretty much lights out this season, and Ibaka has barely missed a shot.

[Mitch P]

I was just skimming through some team stats. Interesting that the one that correlates best with team success (Golden State, Bucks and Raptors are 1,2,3) is adjusted field goal percentage. That I'm sure also correlates with the "only 3's and shots at the rim" philosophy. I still feel that this works only if you have the right players. But the Raptors seem to have that with Siakam, Ibaka and JV scoring a lot at the rim and Lowry and Green hitting threes. Leonard is good at both and is the one guy we don't mind shooting midrange. This plus a solid defence (which should get even better) should assure a deep playoff run....at the least.