2011 Toronto Raptors/NBA/Labour Negotiations Spectacular

[GhostofPotvin29]

Haven't given up 100 points in a game yet have they?

They did against the Magic.

Ahh, well then!

 

[maplesyrup]

Oh, I know... Still, 1st time they've given up less than 80 since '99?

Um, no. Maybe the first time they've given up less than 80 to the Cavs since '99.

Sorry... I need to clarify...  I think they said less than 80 @ home since '99... Is that true? Seems an awfully long time to me.

 

[Kin]

Sorry... I need to clarify...  I think they said less than 80 @ home since '99... Is that true?

Nope. You may have heard '09 as that's the last time I can see it happened.

 

[maplesyrup]

Sorry... I need to clarify...  I think they said less than 80 @ home since '99... Is that true?

Nope. You may have heard '09 as that's the last time I can see it happened.

Ah, that's probably it...

 

[L K]

Oh, I know... Still, 1st time they've given up less than 80 since '99?

Um, no. Maybe the first time they've given up less than 80 to the Cavs since '99.

Sorry... I need to clarify...  I think they said less than 80 @ home since '99... Is that true? Seems an awfully long time to me.

I honestly wouldn't be shocked if half the games the Raptors played under Kevin O'Neill had the combined score under 160.

 

[Derk]

Raptors start 7 games in 9 nights by losing to the formerly 1-6 Nets on home court. Boo.

 

[L K]

Raptors start 7 games in 9 nights by losing to the formerly 1-6 Nets on home court. Boo.

Long-term its better for the draft.  Bad shooting night.

Demar - 1/6
Fobes - 1/5  (why he took 5 shots in beyond me)
Barbosa - 1/5

7 steals and 10 blocked shots and they still managed to lose though.  The Nets are really bad and are going to be awful next year when Williams walks.

 

[Derk]

Raptors start 7 games in 9 nights by losing to the formerly 1-6 Nets on home court. Boo.

Long-term its better for the draft.  Bad shooting night.

Demar - 1/6
Fobes - 1/5  (why he took 5 shots in beyond me)
Barbosa - 1/5

7 steals and 10 blocked shots and they still managed to lose though.  The Nets are really bad and are going to be awful next year when Williams walks.

Looks like they are thinking about the draft again tonight, getting crushed in Philly in the 3rd.

 

[L K]

Raptors start 7 games in 9 nights by losing to the formerly 1-6 Nets on home court. Boo.

Long-term its better for the draft.  Bad shooting night.

Demar - 1/6
Fobes - 1/5  (why he took 5 shots in beyond me)
Barbosa - 1/5

7 steals and 10 blocked shots and they still managed to lose though.  The Nets are really bad and are going to be awful next year when Williams walks.

Looks like they are thinking about the draft again tonight, getting crushed in Philly in the 3rd.

Too bad, Bargnani with a bit of an off shooting night (8/18  and only 2/4 from the line).  But he broke Casey's 8 rebounds requirement for the first time with his first double-double of the season 19-11 in the 4th (down by about 30 points). 

Casey talked about a lack of democracy on offense and yet
Barbosa - 1/7
James Johnson - 3/10
Carter/Forbes/Butler - 1/8
Jose/DeMar - 6/19

 

[Derk]

Yikes. Those numbers are awful. No wonder.

 

[seahawk]

Sacramento has already fired their coach after starting 3-5. Washington is 0-7 and probably won't be too far behind. In a shortened schedule like this, that kind of start can bury you. What I found interesting in looking at the standings is how tight 6-10 is in the East. 2 wins separate Orlando and the Raps.

 

[Derk]

Lost by 35 points. Ouch!

 

[Kin]

Yeah, I know it's wrong this early in the season but, yeah, considering the crazy talent that could be in this year's draft...I'm alright with this.

 

[L K]

Yeah, I know it's wrong this early in the season but, yeah, considering the crazy talent that could be in this year's draft...I'm alright with this.

Bargnani's effort is certainly giving me optimism for what a full year of Casey getting his system in place + hopefully some more progression from DeMar (it seems he added a 3-point shot to his game, if only he finds a way to balance that with a bit of a slash to the basket effort) + Val + what should be at the very least a top 10 pick in a strong draft + the ability to trade some of the 1-year contract guys to someone else at the deadline.

This is two bad blowouts in a row, but otherwise they have played pretty well to start the year.  I'm actually glad that they are struggling early on this stretch of games, because it's a hectic (7 in 10 I think?) and things probably won't get better.  This was the weakest part of their schedule, so if they lose a bunch of these "winnable" games, it makes their draft position even better. 

It's a rebuilding year so I care more about individual improvements and the slow progression toward a better team defensive scheme.  It's easier to insert new pieces into a defensive system, then it is to teach a system from scratch.

 

[Kin]

Bargnani's effort is certainly giving me optimism for what a full year of Casey getting his system in place + hopefully some more progression from DeMar (it seems he added a 3-point shot to his game, if only he finds a way to balance that with a bit of a slash to the basket effort) + Val + what should be at the very least a top 10 pick in a strong draft + the ability to trade some of the 1-year contract guys to someone else at the deadline.

In my perfect world the Raps can trade some combination of pieces at the deadline for a mid-round #1 and wind up with one of Jones/Barnes and one of Rivers/Kabongo. Then next year you have a five man unit of Kabongo/Rivers, DeRozan, Barnes/Jones, Bargs and Valanciunas for next year. That would be a fun team to watch.

 

[L K]

Bargnani's effort is certainly giving me optimism for what a full year of Casey getting his system in place + hopefully some more progression from DeMar (it seems he added a 3-point shot to his game, if only he finds a way to balance that with a bit of a slash to the basket effort) + Val + what should be at the very least a top 10 pick in a strong draft + the ability to trade some of the 1-year contract guys to someone else at the deadline.

In my perfect world the Raps can trade some combination of pieces at the deadline for a mid-round #1 and wind up with one of Jones/Barnes and one of Rivers/Kabongo. Then next year you have a five man unit of Kabongo/Rivers, DeRozan, Barnes/Jones, Bargs and Valanciunas for next year. That would be a fun team to watch.

That would be pretty ideal and fun indeed.  I think Myck might be one of those guys who carries a team in the NBA because of his speed and playmaking abilities.  He'd be much more Steve Nash than Jose Calderon.  Which makes me wonder whether Calderon might be the guy you look to trade if he's still having a decent season.  He wouldn't be bad to keep around as guy who probably wouldn't complain as he eased him out of the starting role though. 

I was looking at where Calderon sat in terms of career GPs, and if he stays health this year and next, he'll be the Raptors all-time GP leader.  And for a side of hilarity, Andrea Bargnani is going to be 3rd in career rebouding by the end of the year.

 

[L K]

Bargnani continuing to make the most of his season.  31 points 9 rebounds in a win over the Timberwolves.  11 of 25 from the floor but 8 of 9 from the free throw line.

 

[Erndog]

Watched the 4th quarter and overtime of the Lakers/Jazz last night and Kobe Bryant is playing like a man possessed.  Not bad for the 7th best player in the NBA (eh ESPN?).

 

[hockeyfan1]

Tough loss last night to the Pacers, but...

"(Toronto is) a tough team to score against," said Vogel. "Hats off to those guys. I'm proud of our guys for grinding out a game that really didn't go our way."

For more:  http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/2012/01/13/raps_pacers/

 

[hockeyfan1]

Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki recorded his 23,000th point.  That's in a 15 year NBA career, in the Mavs 102-76 win over the T-Wolves Friday night.

Source:  Sportsnet