NBA Thread

[Dick_Pole]

When you're the #2 or 2.5 option on a team with a superstar, you're going to be a lot better when teams are designing their defense to deal with the #1. Who couldn't have foreseen this? Just hope for an absolute clusterf*** year in LA and that Kawhi decides that stability, peace and the unconditional love of an entire country beats out warm weather and Unkie Dennis. That should extend the Raptors' window for a good 3-4 years.

[AdamGreenwood]

Remember when Toronto rolled out the red carpet for Kawhi with all those Kawhi eats for free signs.

I think we could do something similar for Harden. Like Harden gets lap dances for free.

 

I'm just not sure if there's a single word verb for receiving a lap dance, so it's not as catchy. I've tried ejaculate, but it's a little presumptive. Harden ejaculates for free? I dunno. Still a work in progress, but I think it could really make the difference.

[Abomination]

Steph is having some kind of night. 45 points through 3.

[Laika]

So it's the end of an era, obviously.

 

What would blowing it up look like?

[Abomination]

So it's the end of an era, obviously.

 

What would blowing it up look like?

 

I'm not even sure we need to. We need a replacement center (and a good one). We're getting killed there right now.

[Dick_Pole]

It's as if you guys don't remember the Raptors going in a funk before. They've had runs like this over the last couple of years just not at the start of the season where it's noticeable. The defense has been sloppy, offense okay. If they were playing good defense and losing the games I'd be more worried.

[Spanky99]

It's as if you guys don't remember the Raptors going in a funk before. They've had runs like this over the last couple of years just not at the start of the season where it's noticeable. The defense has been sloppy, offense okay. If they were playing good defense and losing the games I'd be more worried.

 

It's as if you're opine is of 3 or 4 posters, whilst using a brush to menstruate yourself as that guy, comes off as lame bro, you jumped in on 4-5 games, lol... you both look dumn.

[glory]

Replacing Ibaka and Gasol with Boucher (playing more) and Baynes is a big reason for this start. Even a declining Gasol was a smart defensive player and a good passer. The front court loss is huge, and it's making an impact on D and on offense.

 

Any time you lose a top 5 player (Kawhi) + players who could start on a championship team (Green, Ibaka, Gasol) and not replace them with even an established NBA rotation player aside from Baynes, or a high upside young player, then it's going to be tough to keep winning. It is still early, but no way this team succeeds beyond a 1st round exit with the current front court. Plus, Siakam is looking like not quite an all star anymore, and a lot of the team's success was riding on him taking that next step. He's actually regressed since the bubble.

[Brownie19]

Remember when Toronto rolled out the red carpet for Kawhi with all those Kawhi eats for free signs.

I think we could do something similar for Harden. Like Harden gets lap dances for free.

 

I'm just not sure if there's a single word verb for receiving a lap dance, so it's not as catchy. I've tried ejaculate, but it's a little presumptive. Harden ejaculates for free? I dunno. Still a work in progress, but I think it could really make the difference.

 

what's wrong with "free lappers for Harden"?

[Orgfiller]

The guy who we gave a max contract to finally showed himself for the first half. Keep that going Pascal.

[Abomination]

The guy who we gave a max contract to finally showed himself for the first half. Keep that going Pascal.

 

Yeah, good to see. Baynes is a complete disaster though. He can't hold onto the ball, he can't shoot, he can't rebound if there's any traffic.

[Orgfiller]

Yeah, good to see. Baynes is a complete disaster though. He can't hold onto the ball, he can't shoot, he can't rebound if there's any traffic.

 

Yeah Baynes is brutal. He aged 15 years this offseason it seems.

[Orgfiller]

This is the best game the Raptors have played all year but the Phoenix Suns decided that missing shots isn't fun.

[Krylian]

So...what's the NBA draft like this season?

[glory]

So...what's the NBA draft like this season?

 

If there is any season the Raptors should take a knee, this one is it. Draft class looks good, they spend the entire season on the road, season is always iffy due to Covid, and their plans for Giannis went down the tubes so they need high end talent (high draft pick is a good way). I'm ready for the subtle tank. Next season when hopefully they are playing in Toronto with fans in attendance, they can go back to regularly scheduled programming.

[Brownie19]

Yeah, good to see. Baynes is a complete disaster though. He can't hold onto the ball, he can't shoot, he can't rebound if there's any traffic.

 

f*** he leans forward on his shot like he's a 7 year old who doesn't have the strength to take a jump shot yet. WTF is up with that?

[Orgfiller]

f*** he leans forward on his shot like he's a 7 year old who doesn't have the strength to take a jump shot yet. WTF is up with that?

 

He's always shot like this, it just used to be moderately successful before this season.

 

Check out this career game he had less than a year ago:

 

What happened to that guy? Like I said before it's like he's aged a decade since that game happened, like damn I know he's old and has dealt with injuries but he just fell off a cliff physically and skill wise it seems.

[Abomination]

Well ... this is fun. Masai probably needs to try to address things if he doesn't want to completely write the season off.

[Spanky99]

Well ... this is fun. Masai probably needs to try to address things if he doesn't want to completely write the season off.

 

Have they mentioned anything else on Lowry other than personal? Our bigs stink, lol.

[Abomination]

Have they mentioned anything else on Lowry other than personal? Our bigs stink, lol.

 

I don't think so, but they did say he'd be back next game, so it isn't COVID.

[Abomination]

Well, did not expect that. Maybe I should criticize more often.

[Spanky99]

Well, did not expect that. Maybe I should criticize more often.

 

Such a different team from the 1st quarter.

[Abomination]

Until that last 3 pointer, with three minutes to go in the 4th Boucher had as many blocks as Steph had points.

[Spanky99]

That loss Abom sums up the early season.

[Abomination]

That loss Abom sums up the early season.

 

Yeah. Kinda a rough call at the end there. There might have been barely a foul, but we were getting mugged half the game with no calls at all.

[Abomination]

FFS Len. You're already not scoring. Don't goal tend balls others shoot that would go in.

[Abomination]

Man, that's tough two nights in a row.

[Brownie19]

Have they mentioned anything else on Lowry other than personal? Our bigs stink, lol.

 

Do they? Hasn't Boucher been really good this year? I'll admit I don't have a great eye for telling who's good and who's bad defensively, but he looks like a more athletic Ibaka...while acknowledging he probably gets exposed against heavier, stronger forwards.

 

Bayes and Len blow offensively - but so did Gasol last year. Are they both a significant downgrade defensively from 2019-20 Gasol too?

[Brownie19]

Well ... this is fun. Masai probably needs to try to address things if he doesn't want to completely write the season off.

 

I think you write this one off and regroup next year when you're back in Toronto.

 

The question is do you trade Lowry and retool with a core of Siakam, FVV, OG, a lottery pick + a TON of cap space with supplemental guys like Norm, Boucher, Flynn, Davis, etc.

[Orgfiller]

Do they? Hasn't Boucher been really good this year? I'll admit I don't have a great eye for telling who's good and who's bad defensively, but he looks like a more athletic Ibaka...while acknowledging he probably gets exposed against heavier, stronger forwards.

 

Bayes and Len blow offensively - but so did Gasol last year. Are they both a significant downgrade defensively from 2019-20 Gasol too?

 

Boucher is amazing, but his build means he's far too slim to guard some of the more traditional/larger bigs in the league - Nurkic, Jokic, Embiid, DeAndre Ayton, etc. Baynes has been horrendous and looks completely washed, Len is basically nonexistent on the offensive side and while he's a bit more of a presence on defense his play is still not up to par. So that leaves our 6'11 220 lbs toothpick as the only big we can rely on and because he's so skinny he gets bodied by bigger players and gets into foul trouble often.

 

Keep in mind our big rotation is so bad that we're already playing OG Anunoby significant minutes at the 5 position which is unsustainable for him physically and also leads to him getting into foul trouble against larger players. Baynes hasn't played in like 3 games and Len is averaging something like 5 minutes over the past 5.