NBA Thread

[burlingtonbandit]

I have been paying more attention to JJ on defense lately. He is very Lowry like, gambles a lot, roams around away from his man. Lots of big plays but a lot of missed assignments, leaving guys open or allowing cutters through

 

Agree. I think people overate him on defense because of his athleticism. Like you said, he seems to be struggling lately. According to NBA.com for the month of December he's allowed his opponents to shoot 44.2% from 3 which is 8.7% higher than their average. Now compare that to November where he allowed opponents to shoot only 29% from 3 which was 6% lower than their average.

 

Now their probably is a bit of luck involved when looking month to month and when you take into account that the Raps defense in general has been a lot worse the numbers will likely be higher, but I don't think it is unreasonable to say JJ has been a lot worse defensively lately.

[GD]

“We do get a lot of in-between shots,” says Dwane Casey, a coach of the year candidate

 

Lol

[Spanky99]

Lol

 

It's true though, it's just how s*** works.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Imo I think it happens more than just the gamble here and there but agree with your point. I don't know if SportVU has data on it but Ross has been dreadful on fighting through screens. I mean in that clip he took an awful angle which took him completely out of the play and we all remember how Kyle Korver goes off everytime we play the Hawks.

 

He's one of the worst I've ever seen at beating screens.

 

He just hates contact in general. It's a mental block. Can't remember the last time I've seen him take a charge or do something overly physical.

[Guest]

Hawks are playing in the east, plus they have a good young coach. I think they'll be around the top 4 seeds when it's all said and done.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

At least the Raps have a top 4 seed locked up due to the terrible Atlantic.

[burlingtonbandit]

Everything I've seen from the Hawks suggest this is real. I would put them on the same tier as Toronto and Chicago and think those 3 teams will be the top 3 seeds with Washington 4 and Cleveland 5.

[jays_fever]

I'd put Washington right there with us, probably them ahead by an inch if I wasn't biased. We do match up with them really well though so there's that.

 

Come playoff time, I could see us beating the Wiz in 5 and losing to the bulls in 5, while the Wiz sweep the bulls. Hopefully the Raps pull their heads out of their asses soon and reclaim a top 2 seed. The number 4 seed in the East is going to suck

[burlingtonbandit]

I'd put Washington right there with us, probably them ahead by an inch if I wasn't biased. We do match up with them really well though so there's that.

 

Come playoff time, I could see us beating the Wiz in 5 and losing to the bulls in 5, while the Wiz sweep the bulls. Hopefully the Raps pull their heads out of their asses soon and reclaim a top 2 seed. The number 4 seed in the East is going to suck

 

Washington has also had the 2nd easiest schedule according to Basketballreference thats why I had them as the 4th seed. Honestly wouldn't be surprised at any combination of the 1-4 seeds going to the big 4 in the East as its so wide open.

 

Question as a Raps fan would you rather finish 4th and face the Cavs first round in the playoffs while Atlanta is the number 1 seed (team TOR matches up pretty well with) or come 1st in the East but Cavs/Bulls finish 4/5.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Doubt the Bulls finish lower than 2nd at this rate. They're starting to mesh really well.

 

On another note, f*** I can't wait for the Hawks game next week. Getting my tix now.

[jays_fever]

Definitely prefer an easy 1st round series vs the Bucks or Nets, it'd be pretty heart breaking to see them lose again in the opening round

[burlingtonbandit]

Doubt the Bulls finish lower than 2nd at this rate. They're starting to mesh really well.

 

On another note, f*** I can't wait for the Hawks game next week. Getting my tix now.

 

Hawks seem like last year's Raptors. For as good as their O has been their defense is top 10.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Definitely prefer an easy 1st round series vs the Bucks or Nets, it'd be pretty heart breaking to see them lose again in the opening round

 

We were destroying good teams earlier in the year. Demar is back and we have a run of games at home. There is nothign to worry about. Casey is probably killing them with defensive drills this week.

[KingKat]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-east-for-the-taking-torontos-master-plan/

 

Big Raps article by the man Zach Lowe. Check it out

 

Really good and interesting article but I hated the references to Drake. I'm sorry but he's just not that important. Going so far as calling the team the Drakes is practically trolling. Would you call the Laker the Jack Nicholson's? Would you call the Nicks, the Spike Lees or call the Nets the Jay-Zs? Drake is a fan boy. A very useful one from a marketive perspective but even when he's on the payroll, he's still basically a high profile fan.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Really good and interesting article but I hated the references to Drake. I'm sorry but he's just not that important. Going so far as calling the team the Drakes is practically trolling. Would you call the Laker the Jack Nicholson's? Would you call the Nicks, the Spike Lees or call the Nets the Jay-Zs? Drake is a fan boy. A very useful one from a marketive perspective but even when he's on the payroll, he's still basically a high profile fan.

 

Oh my god he's just joking around.

 

Calm down. You get way too emotional about the dumbest stuff.

[KingKat]

You get way too emotional about the dumbest stuff.

 

This coming from you...

[eastcoastjaysfan]

This coming from you...

 

Drake has had a great PR impact with this club and Lowe was just joking around about it. Stop being so sensitive.

[KingKat]

Drake has had a great PR impact with this club and Lowe was just joking around about it. Stop being so sensitive.

 

Yeah I get that it was tongue and cheek, hence why I called it trolling. Also since you fly off the handle all the time, you might want to refrain from making comments about who is and who isn't senstive. It's pretentious and presumptions at the best of times and it's really rich coming from mister knee jerk reactions.

[GD]

This coming from you...

 

Hahahaha

[jays_fever]

We were destroying good teams earlier in the year. Demar is back and we have a run of games at home. There is nothing to worry about. Casey is probably killing them with defensive drills this week.

 

I wouldnt go that far. From what I remember we were near the bottom when you look at the record where all playoff teams are playing each other. We've have some solid wins and some crappy loses, nothing special. We played the Hawks this year both times before they really took off so there's that as well. There's a very good chance this roster as constructed doesnt get past the second round.

 

We do have a lot of trading chips though that won't hurt our team for this year (3 1st round picks in the next 2 years I believe), Bebe, Ross, Fields expiring. I really hope they do something to improve the roster.

 

I do love this team obviously but what they do best is out work their opponent ( 9 times out of ten) and beat the teams they're supposed to beat. Come playoffs, they aren't going to be able to just out hustle everyone.

[jays_fever]

Also for all the talk about James Johnson over helping and being to slow getting back out to shooters. Like I said we have much bigger problems to worry about. I.E the clown wearing #21

 

http://i0.wp.com/espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/raptors-4.gif

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Yeah I get that it was tongue and cheek, hence why I called it trolling. Also since you fly off the handle all the time, you might want to refrain from making comments about who is and who isn't senstive. It's pretentious and presumptions at the best of times and it's really rich coming from mister knee jerk reactions.

 

Watching Greivis Vasquez act like Kobe = justifiable rage.

 

Having a panic attack because a very good writer called them the "Toronto Drake's" = not justifiable rage

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Also for all the talk about James Johnson over helping and being to slow getting back out to shooters. Like I said we have much bigger problems to worry about. I.E the clown wearing #21

 

http://i0.wp.com/espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/raptors-4.gif

 

Pretty much the definition of ball watching.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Welcome back Demar:

 

http://assets1.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/SN-DEROZAN.jpg

[SpeedyGose]

Really good and interesting article but I hated the references to Drake. I'm sorry but he's just not that important. Going so far as calling the team the Drakes is practically trolling. Would you call the Laker the Jack Nicholson's? Would you call the Nicks, the Spike Lees or call the Nets the Jay-Zs? Drake is a fan boy. A very useful one from a marketive perspective but even when he's on the payroll, he's still basically a high profile fan.

 

The Drakes is a running joke he and a few other writers have on twitter. Nothing big going on there.

[SpeedyGose]

I wouldnt go that far. From what I remember we were near the bottom when you look at the record where all playoff teams are playing each other. We've have some solid wins and some crappy loses, nothing special. We played the Hawks this year both times before they really took off so there's that as well. There's a very good chance this roster as constructed doesnt get past the second round.

 

We do have a lot of trading chips though that won't hurt our team for this year (3 1st round picks in the next 2 years I believe), Bebe, Ross, Fields expiring. I really hope they do something to improve the roster.

 

I do love this team obviously but what they do best is out work their opponent ( 9 times out of ten) and beat the teams they're supposed to beat. Come playoffs, they aren't going to be able to just out hustle everyone.

 

The thing is, Masai is in an interesting spot. We weren't supposed to be in the position we are this quickly, does he abandon his plan and try to go for it right now? Or stick with the 2-3 year plan going forward.

 

Should be a very interesting deadline for us to follow

[SpeedyGose]

Also for all the talk about James Johnson over helping and being to slow getting back out to shooters. Like I said we have much bigger problems to worry about. I.E the clown wearing #21

 

http://i0.wp.com/espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/raptors-4.gif

 

I hate GV so much. He really thinks he's steph curry out there with the amount of pull up 3s and contested drives he attempts. Gets torched off the dribble almost every defensive possession too

[SpeedyGose]

Welcome back Demar:

 

http://assets1.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/SN-DEROZAN.jpg

 

Something to keep in mind with Demar - we had a very soft schedule up until the time he was injured. Some of those numbers may be inflated

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Something to keep in mind with Demar - we had a very soft schedule up until the time he was injured. Some of those numbers may be inflated

 

That is true. However he is clearly a better defender than Ross/Lou/GV (all of whom cannot keep a defender in front of them to save their lives).

[Orgfiller]

Welcome back Demar:

 

http://assets1.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/SN-DEROZAN.jpg

Not to discredit the impact DD has on this team, but most stats are obviously skewed because we had the toughest part of our schedule with him out. I don't think losing him made opponents shoot better from the free throw line lol. The thing we missed the most from him is his ability to get to the line, as well as giving Lowry some slack on offense, even if he starts to get too Kobe-ish at times.