2018/19 Toronto Raptors Season Thread !! Go Raptors Go !!!

[Dawgger]

Good win last night.
Awesome welcome for DD.
IMO the welcome may have impressed Leonard as much or more than it did Demarre. He got booed San Antonio while Demarre got nothing but love from the fans here. However, Leonard is so stoic you can't read him, one just hast to hope he is impressed enough to give staying some serious consideration.

 

[wonkyknee]

Good win last night.
Awesome welcome for DD.
IMO the welcome may have impressed Leonard as much or more than it did Demarre. He got booed San Antonio while Demarre got nothing but love from the fans here. However, Leonard is so stoic you can't read him, one just hast to hope he is impressed enough to give staying some serious consideration.

I was thinking the same thing. the better the reception Demar gets the better impression on Kawhi, however I'm sure there's been plenty of fan appreciations over the years for San Antonio players that Kawhi witnessed. can't hurt his impression of the city. I think the biggest impresson fans can make on him is in the stands during playoffs and in Jurassic Park outside.

By the way I'm still not sold on the Valunciunas trade for Gasol. Not sure who the better big man is. Valunciunas has proven himself against most of the top big men in the league, and he's so much younger than Gasol for future use. We'll probably be keeping Gasol on his player option at 27 million next year which is even higher than Valunciunas' salary that people balk at. JV was very productive in 17 minutes a game, and so far I don't see us playing Gasol any more minutes than that. I hope I'm wrong. If Gasol gives us that much more than JV come playoff time, we should be Easter Conference champs, but I'm not so sure yet.....

 

[Dawgger]

I was thinking the same thing. the better the reception Demar gets the better impression on Kawhi, however I'm sure there's been plenty of fan appreciations over the years for San Antonio players that Kawhi witnessed. can't hurt his impression of the city. I think the biggest impresson fans can make on him is in the stands during playoffs and in Jurassic Park outside.

By the way I'm still not sold on the Valunciunas trade for Gasol. Not sure who the better big man is. Valunciunas has proven himself against most of the top big men in the league, and he's so much younger than Gasol for future use. We'll probably be keeping Gasol on his player option at 27 million next year which is even higher than Valunciunas' salary that people balk at. JV was very productive in 17 minutes a game, and so far I don't see us playing Gasol any more minutes than that. I hope I'm wrong. If Gasol gives us that much more than JV come playoff time, we should be Easter Conference champs, but I'm not so sure yet.....

That Ibaka/JV combination was working real well until JV got hurt. Always liked JV and like you not sure how much better the Raps get with Gasol in the line up, so far, IMO, little if anything. Losing Wright and Miles was probably a plus. Miles is done and Wright was going to be looking for serious money next contract and he just wasn't consistent enough to be paid the mega millions. I was away for the first half of Feb. so have not seen much basketball, but the little I have seen, Gasol has not impressed. Should see an improvement once he gets a feel for the system(I hope!). Lin has energy and may help, still like Fred VV better once he heals. Sure are deep at the 1 and 2,lots to interchange.
If Leonard doesn't stay, doubt they pick up Gasol's option.

 

[K Douglas]

Eric Lindros is another example of a guy who should have been taken care of better

He was his own worst enemy keeping his head down a lot of the time.

 

[K Douglas]

I was thinking the same thing. the better the reception Demar gets the better impression on Kawhi, however I'm sure there's been plenty of fan appreciations over the years for San Antonio players that Kawhi witnessed. can't hurt his impression of the city. I think the biggest impresson fans can make on him is in the stands during playoffs and in Jurassic Park outside.

By the way I'm still not sold on the Valunciunas trade for Gasol. Not sure who the better big man is. Valunciunas has proven himself against most of the top big men in the league, and he's so much younger than Gasol for future use. We'll probably be keeping Gasol on his player option at 27 million next year which is even higher than Valunciunas' salary that people balk at. JV was very productive in 17 minutes a game, and so far I don't see us playing Gasol any more minutes than that. I hope I'm wrong. If Gasol gives us that much more than JV come playoff time, we should be Easter Conference champs, but I'm not so sure yet.....

Gasol is not as athletic as JV but he's a better all around player. You haven't seen what he can do because his minutes have been limited.

 

[curr3n_c1000]

I'll take Gasol's defense, passing and basketball IQ over JV's scoring any day.

 

[wonkyknee]

If Leonard doesn't stay, doubt they pick up Gasol's option.

If I'm not mistaken its a $26million player option for Gasol next year. I'm not sure anyone else will pick up that salary; unless he plays like a beast in the playoffs and takes us to a championship. He's most probably staying. If we lose Kawhi(and probably will) hopefully Gasol is playing well, and we at least still have him and Lowry, with Siakam, OG, Van Vleet, and the rest of the team that has won games when Kawhi wasn't around.

 

[HOLLYWOODG]

Gasol is not as athletic as JV but he's a better all around player. You haven't seen what he can do because his minutes have been limited.

Look at these highlights from today. JV is 26 years old.

 

[whynot888]

Gasol is not as athletic as JV but he's a better all around player. You haven't seen what he can do because his minutes have been limited.

100% agree!

 

[Dawgger]

Gasol is not as athletic as JV but he's a better all around player. You haven't seen what he can do because his minutes have been limited.

I hope you are right, but, so far he has not earned minutes. Just hope he still has enough left to perform at a decent level, so far he hasn't. I was not unhappy with the trade as I believed he would help, an he may, but so far, IMO he is a disappointment.
Resting Leonard yesterday, starting to believe there may be more problems with his health than the Raps and Leonard want known. I know they need him for the playoffs, but is healthy enough to play every other night? I understood the resting on back to backs but getting close to crunch time and everyone has to show up ready mentally and physically.

 

[mynameisearl11]

I hope this guy knows what he is talking about...
https://www.si.com/nba/2019/02/22/kawhi-leonard-raptors-spurs-trade-demar-derozan-gregg-popovich

 

[Dawgger]

That was an awesome performance by the Raps. Second Q had some of the best team D I think I have ever seen. Now all they have to do is play like that every game! IMO Boston has chemistry issues and at this point in the season they can be difficult to fix. Gasol looked like what Gasol is suppose to look like, played well and looked like a team leader. Leonard and Green weren't over used, good night all around!

 

[wonkyknee]

that was great to see. We could still go seven games against Boston in the playoffs as it seems right now Home Court rules. I have a feeling, we'll see Scary Terry Rozier in the starting lineup come playoff time for Boston. His defense was definitely scary, and he can bring it on offense too.
You guys might be right about Gasol. Maybe just the idea that he keeps the offense moving the ball; its when we play best. It's contagious and even Kawhi moves it a little more when he sees it going on. His defense is solid too.
I was a little sad to see Delon Wright go. I thought he was going to be our tall long tenacious two way guard of the future, but if we can sign Patrick McCaw, I'm starting to think he's even better. Love his defense, and he has shown signs of Nasty on offense too(something Delon never did) Hopefully we'll be able to resign McCaw. We should have room when Kawhi leaves.

 

[ZeroSumPlus]

Playoffs = bench shortens to 9 players. Gasol is very well suited for slower, half-court playoff ball and will get heavy minutes. And if Gasol decides to leave... teams will be lining up to give him a $50 million 3 year deal.

 

[wonkyknee]

Milwaukee finally loses a game to sacramento. now we're only 2.5 games back and we need to take care of business with Casey's Detroit pistons to get us back to 2 games out of first place.

I suppose even if we finish 2nd in the east, if we can win the ECF and head to the finals with more wins than Golden State(or whoever wins the west) then that would help!

 

[wonkyknee]

Playoffs = bench shortens to 9 players. Gasol is very well suited for slower, half-court playoff ball and will get heavy minutes. And if Gasol decides to leave... teams will be lining up to give him a $50 million 3 year deal.

I'm starting to warm up to the Valunciunas/ Gasol trade. Would have been nicer if he hit that last second shot in regulation time against Detroit. I think I agree that Gasol can make the offense tick a little better overall and hopefully we hit full stride with all our new pieces come playoff time.

 

[wonkyknee]

even when the Raptors got the score back to 62-62 I just couldn't watch any further. Just can't fall that far behind to a good team so early in the game. They need to find some structure in their offense. Some of the guys just aren't that good to create their own shots like some of the great veteran teams can.

 

[gfelover]

Who are these guys in Raps unis nowadays?!? Mucho cambio in organazione! Much like me since I last strolled thru TERB! Been repping the Raps though not here in a while. Haven't had a chance to go back thru comments but I'm sure 2019 has evoked many sides of discussion equations! Me, I'm a believer that this is the group that will allow me to be in Raptor square in June. ( Yes, I will be there regardless ) Yes, the people and personality toll has been tough to take, change being what change is, but it's very easy to see the upgrades 1-15 from last year's May roster. Yes, they not all together for 48 minutes yet but BBall IQ, experience and determination is too good. As in real life, I'm taking this day by day and enjoying every moment, even if Dwane wants to spoil the occasional day. OKC dates will be fun to watch.

Hope you you all are well. Keeping it positive will be the mantra for the rest of this season. Let's go Raptors!

 

[wonkyknee]

tonight in Cleveland. no game is easy anymore. Golden state lost to Phoenix yesterday....a few weeks ago I thought our date with LA would be interesting , but they've lost Ball and Ingram now. Ingram was playing well. Still have to show up though

 

[HOLLYWOODG]

Ibaka should have shattered Marquise Chris' cheekbone or knocked his teeth out. Might as well as he's going to get suspended anyway for the little brouhaha. Thought it was a pretty weak showing by Ibaka.

Why even bother if you're not intent on following through?!