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The Official 2006/2007 Toronto Raptors & NBA Thread (pg. 15)
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| exstasie |
| quote: | Originally posted by EvilTree
I think it's also a sign that opposing teams are actually taking the Raps seriously.
Took them long enough to figure out that the Raps are actually a decent team. |
I didn't get a chance to watch the game, but looks like we were kinda blown out again.
I do think this is more of what the Raptors can actually produce, but I believe that they currently are a +.500 team and will hopefully finish the season above 500.
Since our team is so young, every single game brings more experience to this guys and helps build and become stronger. I seriously think that in a few years, if the Raps don't do any stupid trades and maintain most of their top players, that they'll be in contention for the Championship.
I hope they make the playoffs as that will give majority of their players at least some playoff experience, which they desperately need.
And the Playoffs are looking pretty good right now since NJ and Knicks both lost tonight as well! |
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| infinity HiGH |
| quote: | Originally posted by EvilTree
I think it's also a sign that opposing teams are actually taking the Raps seriously.
Took them long enough to figure out that the Raps are actually a decent team. |
Yep. I think it's a combination of that and a bunch of other factors. Raptors aren't playing as solid on the D. They were shooting ~65% today though, which is amazing, but they were killed on defense. Couple that with Parker being injured. He's undoubtedly our best defender right now, and when we dont' have him to guard the likes of Lebron, Arenas, etc. this is what happens. |
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| Jeff Button |
Honestly, there were only two factors that came into last nights blow out.
1.) Fatigue - it showed... the Raps hit the ing wall. Sluggish, lack of quickness, these guys are just tired. They really need to wake up and realize that this is now the point in the season where they either coast their way into the playoffs relying on their ty division to push them in OR play like they did in the month of February and make a run in the playoffs.
2.) Incredible shooting - Washington just shot the lights out. Their whole night can be summed up by one play in the end of the first half. After hitting like six shots in a row - Arenas lined up for a three that was almost six feet behind the arc - and nailed it. These guys were just hot lastnight, and I'm convinced that even if they were playing the best team in the league lastnight (Dallas) they still would have been unstopable. |
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| tobywan |
| Ack, last night's loss was a tough one to swallow...but you need "tough love" sometimes and put in your place as the Raps have been gettin' a ton of attention from 'round the league. |
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| EvilTree |
Thank you Portland for giving us Juan Dixon.
Doubt Joey Graham is going to be happy with lack of playing time down the road though. Then again, he's been so inconsistent all season
Imagine where the Raps would be if Iguodala was drafted instead of Araujo... |
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| jon jon |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jeff Button
Honestly, there were only two factors that came into last nights blow out.
1.) Fatigue - it showed... the Raps hit the ing wall. Sluggish, lack of quickness, these guys are just tired. They really need to wake up and realize that this is now the point in the season where they either coast their way into the playoffs relying on their ty division to push them in OR play like they did in the month of February and make a run in the playoffs.
2.) Incredible shooting - Washington just shot the lights out. Their whole night can be summed up by one play in the end of the first half. After hitting like six shots in a row - Arenas lined up for a three that was almost six feet behind the arc - and nailed it. These guys were just hot lastnight, and I'm convinced that even if they were playing the best team in the league lastnight (Dallas) they still would have been unstopable. |
yup, I agree completely. |
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| EvilTree |
Fun game.
Can Ray Allen shoot or what. |
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| Porky |
i'm going to be an ass and say this
but
i don't really give too much respect to the raptors for being the 4th playoff seed in the LEAST-ern conference, winning their division with a .540% record.
sure they have some up and coming stars like calderone and bosh (deserved all star) and bargnani, but the raps don't compell me as 'must watch' tv as say Phoenix would.
they still have a few years of toiling to do b4 they become a dominant team like Detroit when they just walk into a town and expect to win. |
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| exstasie |
| quote: | Originally posted by Porky
i'm going to be an ass and say this
but
i don't really give too much respect to the raptors for being the 4th playoff seed in the LEAST-ern conference, winning their division with a .540% record.
sure they have some up and coming stars like calderone and bosh (deserved all star) and bargnani, but the raps don't compell me as 'must watch' tv as say Phoenix would.
they still have a few years of toiling to do b4 they become a dominant team like Detroit when they just walk into a town and expect to win. |
True..but atleast being in our division will give our players some experience, such as playoff experience. Even if its 3 or 4 games of playoff experience, it still helps. If we were in any other division, it might not be like that.
The Raps do have the 6th best record in their Conference, which would also be the 6th best record in the Western Conference.
Like you said, they WILL be a great team in a couple years...give them some time. The Raps are young the coaches have done amazing things with the team! |
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| Porky |
| quote: | Originally posted by exstasie
True..but atleast being in our division will give our players some experience, such as playoff experience. Even if its 3 or 4 games of playoff experience, it still helps. If we were in any other division, it might not be like that.
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the atlantic division is a pathetic joke. the raptors are the only team above .500
and honestly, the raptors .540 record is only helped by playing more games against the worst teams in the league (atlantic division), so even their .540 record is inflated somewhat
if they were in the western division, they would fail to even make the 8th seed. i think even a team like Minnesota is better than them. |
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| MarkT |
^^^ there is no way in hell Minnesota is a better team than Toronto. Take off KG and they will completely fall apart. Take away ANY one player on Toronto and the team survives.
actually, if I'm reading the stats right, the Raps *would* be the 8th seed, if you project out the #s.
there are only 6 teams over .500 in the western conference. the raps record would put them in the playoffs. ok, we have easier compeition over here, you say? true. So let's say they played over there and thus we will just look at just their % against West. Conf. opponents:
while the Raps are 12-15 against the Western Conference (.444), that is actually a better winning % than 8 of the 15 teams in that conference against their own conference's teams. So, factoring out their easier schedule, and going solely by everyone's records against Western Conf. opponents, the Raps would be the 8th seed, no?
erase the Raps horrible start (i.e. they are better than their overall record indicats), and they are a better team than their overall record would suggest.
in any case, sure it will definitely benefit the team to go into the playoffs winning the Atlantic. It means playing a tier team and possibly winning a round or two...whereas if they played in the West and went in as the #7 or #8 seed, they'd prob. get smoked in the 1st round by a division champ there.
I like to look at the Raps in a positive light...not just as a fan, but because they've also accomplished what they have with virtually a *completely* revamped roster. All of the top teams in the West (Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, Utah) have not made *major* changes and that's a big reason for their success (on top of their obvious talent level) and Houston remains largely the same, but has had injury problems.
give the Raps another year or two and they'll be competing with those teams. Bosh, Bargnani, TJ and Calderon easily match up with their counterparts on other teams. As the |
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