2015/16 Toronto Raptors Season Thread !!

[gfelover]

Raps finally get a win on this home stand, granted, it was against the Lakers. On the upside Raps were missing 2 of their big men and arguably their best defensive player. Nice win!
AND.....the 11 million dollar finally looked the part, now, will he continue to play well or was that a blip and he goes back to being nothing for the next while????

D, knew you wud have points on tRoss after last night! Finally, they didn't play all the way down to LA's level and did enough to win. Lotsa love for KB last night which was a surprise. Great player but kinda of a screw up as a person. Now Cojo gets to hug old friends and hopefully show them up, too.! I know..wishful thinking..

Injuries starting to pile up so that will impact. AB really does need a stint in DLeague too. 3-3 is where this home stand ends up and that will be disappointing. Hope they surprise the Spurs!

 

[Dawgger]

D, knew you wud have points on tRoss after last night! Finally, they didn't play all the way down to LA's level and did enough to win. Lotsa love for KB last night which was a surprise. Great player but kinda of a screw up as a person. Now Cojo gets to hug old friends and hopefully show them up, too.! I know..wishful thinking..

Injuries starting to pile up so that will impact. AB really does need a stint in DLeague too. 3-3 is where this home stand ends up and that will be disappointing. Hope they surprise the Spurs!

Yup he drives me nutz! The talent is there, it just shows up so rarely. He is making a piss load of money based on potential. Would love to see what he would do if he had an incentive based contract.

 

[wonkyknee]

My how much difference a year makes. Eastern conference is a powerhouse this year!!!

 

[raptorizedguy]

My how much difference a year makes. Eastern conference is a powerhouse this year!!!

The parity in the East is what I notice more ... The top teams in East have taken a step backwards ( Cavs when healthy an exception ) and the bottom of the conference have stepped up their game ...

 

[Dawgger]

Raps surprised me and possibly the Spurs, they played incredibly well for three quarters and hung on in the fourth. Casey played 8 guys and if that continues there will be burn out in the second half. Two starters and Lucas(who was just beginning to look like he would help) injured. See the 11 million dollar man was back to normal.

 

[gfelover]

Raps surprised me and possibly the Spurs, they played incredibly well for three quarters and hung on in the fourth. Casey played 8 guys and if that continues there will be burn out in the second half. Two starters and Lucas(who was just beginning to look like he would help) injured. See the 11 million dollar man was back to normal.

Dawg, in today's vocabulary 11Million means up and down and down and up and down and.......you need to get yo 14 million to remove some downs!!

That was a solid effort last night but I do agree that they'll wear themselves out before the break and leave nothing in the tank come the time for a run into the playoffs. Injuries right now but hope when they get back they allow for the backcourt to get some rest. Would like to see Powell get some time. Now no letdown through the weekend with Bucks and 76ers and home stand can be salvaged...

 

[wonkyknee]

The way the Raps are playing and with some of the pieces we are developing like Bebe, the Cabo and JV, we might be able to pull a trade and go for a championship. Its a long shot but I think its a possibility. I actually think we might have gotten better without JV. I don't relish the idea of giving up Bebe and Cabo but that just means they are good trade material too!

 

[raptorizedguy]

The way the Raps are playing and with some of the pieces we are developing like Bebe, the Cabo and JV, we might be able to pull a trade and go for a championship. Its a long shot but I think its a possibility. I actually think we might have gotten better without JV. I don't relish the idea of giving up Bebe and Cabo but that just means they are good trade material too!

'
What one piece away are we that you would be talking about ? A PF ? Lowry close to 100 percent when playoffs start maybe the " it factor this team needs ...

 

[wonkyknee]

Our 3 guards are pretty solid. 3 spot is filled if Carroll is healthy. Either the 4 or 5 could be upgraded to a 20 and 10 beast, and solid on "D". Is that too much to ask? Cousins? Jefferson? LOL. Not sure if either play any defense.

And damn, didn't we have a shot at Andre Drummond in the draft???

 

[Dawgger]

The way the Raps are playing and with some of the pieces we are developing like Bebe, the Cabo and JV, we might be able to pull a trade and go for a championship. Its a long shot but I think its a possibility. I actually think we might have gotten better without JV. I don't relish the idea of giving up Bebe and Cabo but that just means they are good trade material too!

Biyombo has done better than a lot of us expected as a starter while JV recovers. He rebounds and blocks well, however, I still am looking forward to the return of JV. Carroll has been outstanding defensively, my concern there is his health. That heel injury will benefit from the contusion he is currently recovering from, cause I don't believe he had fully recovered from that heel injury when he returned. I agree Bebe was making a decent contribution before the sprain, but I have not seen anything from Bruno to date that excites me other than the wing span, which he has not yet learned how to use. Doubt he would get you much unless Philly wants to take another step backwards and give up an Okafor. Ross, I would trade in a heartbeat for almost anything. Bennett not being used can go too. Just don't think they will bring you anyone that will help. That leaves you with picks to trade????

 

[Big Papa Smurf]

The Raps aren't even close to competing for a championship. If Lowry keeps up this pace, I would deal him in the offseason to the Lakers. The Lakers want Durant, but they will need some talent to lure him there. In return, I'd take their 1st rounder, then I would trade that pick, along with our 2017 1st rounder, to Portland for Lilliard. Lilliard is younger than Lowry and is signed long-term. Then, I'd flip the NY pick and Valanciunas to the Kings for DeMarcus Cousins.

I would then use the the freed up cap space to sign Joe Johnson and re-sign Patterson. I would use our 2016 pick to take Zhou Qi ( 7'2" PF).

PG - Lilliard / Joseph / Wright
SG - Ross / Johnson / Powell
SF - Carroll / Caboclo / Daniels
PF - Patterson / Qi
C - Cousins / Biyombo / Nogueira

 

[Dawgger]

How long you been working on that Papa? Nice to dream but you have willing trading partners to make it work, I take it you are hanging on to Ross cause you know no one else will take him. Watched him last night and I swear he is afraid to attack the basket when there are opponents near it, not even necessarily under it.
Agree, Raps have a ways to go before they compete for the big prize, nucleus is there but the support isn't.
Anyway, Raps win third in a row with Philly next up. Which Raptor ream will show up for the Philly game?

 

[K Douglas]

The Raps are one shooter away from being a contender. We didn't replace Lou Williams, a guy who can go off for 25-30 on a given night. Can't keep relying on DeRozen and Lowry to score.
Lakers would not have much interest in Lowry because they believe D'Angelo Russell is their PG of the future.
I'd love to get DeMarcus Cousins here but that's a pipe dream. The cap hit is huge.

 

[gfelover]

Papa, love be the thoughts but as mentioned it takes two to dance. And all the guys that you'd like to get here are on franchise salaries that wouldn't fit the Cap here as a whole. There in lies the issues with player personnel decisions as folks like Lillard and Cousins are their current franchise's star so what we'd have to do is lose bench strength to get salary cap relief. Plus going forward without this backcourt is a brave new world, especially in today's game. Tough to see Ross provide what DD gives over 82. :hand:....but that's why Masai gets the big bucks.....and how you beat the Bucks...:closed_2:!!

....please no letdown on Sunday.....!!

 

[Dawgger]

Ryan Anderson of the Pelicans is rumored to be available. Think he would look good as a Raptor, he can play the 4 and the 5. If he continues to put up the numbers he will be looking for max dollars. Maybe the 11 m that Ross got will look good to the Pelicans???:Eek:

 

[Dawgger]

knocked off the 1 win 76ers, it has been said here countless times, a win is a win and the Raps will take it. 20 points was actually deceiving as the bench kept letting the sixers back in after the A team had built up a lead. Just because I have been told that if you can't say something nice about someone , don't say anything, I won't mention the useless tool they gave an 11 million dollar per year contract to by name. O points -13, enough said.

 

[bestman007]

knocked off the 1 win 76ers, it has been said here countless times, a win is a win and the Raps will take it. 20 points was actually deceiving as the bench kept letting the sixers back in after the A team had built up a lead. Just because I have been told that if you can't say something nice about someone , don't say anything, I won't mention the useless tool they gave an 11 million dollar per year contract to by name. O points -13, enough said.

Terrence Ross has to lay off expending energy on all those groupies and save some of the friggin games.

 

[gfelover]

D, does that mean 11M man won't get an All Star vote from you?

We need desperate measures for that bench now. SC and JV being down has forced more time on this group and they have come up wanting. Playing starters over 30 minutes against Philly is a recipe for disaster tonight! big week with the three road games : Pacers, Hornets and Heat. One is really good now, other we always lose there and last is where TRoss goes to play (off court of course!!!!)! With the Kings next Sunday 1-3 is my expectation so I hope they tell me to suck it after this week! BTW we must have given the Bucks the cojones to do what they did...GSW must have wondered what hit them!

 

[Dawgger]

D, does that mean 11M man won't get an All Star vote from you? LOL not if he was in the D league where he belongs!

We need desperate measures for that bench now. SC and JV being down has forced more time on this group and they have come up wanting. Playing starters over 30 minutes against Philly is a recipe for disaster tonight! big week with the three road games : Pacers, Hornets and Heat. One is really good now, other we always lose there and last is where TRoss goes to play (off court of course!!!!)! With the Kings next Sunday 1-3 is my expectation so I hope they tell me to suck it after this week! BTW we must have given the Bucks the cojones to do what they did...GSW must have wondered what hit them!

Assume your SC is a typo and you mean DC! No question the bench has to step up and soon, Joseph has been a lot better than I thought he would be, and Patterson is showing signs of getting there. James Johnson has his moments, just not enough of them. Unless Casey has been told to play Ross, I don't understand why he is playing him. As a forward you need to go inside at least occasionally, very rarely does he play inside and even rarer he goes to the foul line. He needs to ride the pine or the D league bus.
As far as the Bucks big win goes, a lot of thanks has to go to the Celtics and that double OT game the night before.

 

[gfelover]

Assume your SC is a typo and you mean DC! typo..!
As far as the Bucks big win goes, a lot of thanks has to go to the Celtics and that double OT game the night before.

Yea, I know but damn if I'm ever going to thank the Celtics for anything.....lol!!