Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Do Raptors have an identity?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    tucas wrote: View Post
    I think it's too early to say Rebounding is our identity. Raptors were in the bottom 10 in the league in rebounds last year. We're off to a good start. But there have been way to many threads this season with such a small sample size.
    I came in to say something similar. An identity is crafted over a season, or in some cases, a number of them. Not after three games. Let's wait until the 15-20 game mark and some tougher competition before we start calling this team the second coming of the Bulls.

    Comment


    • #17
      brothersteve wrote: View Post
      It’s only three games into the regular season, but it is already obvious Raptors Head Coach Dwane Casey’s defense is back. Number 7 in the NBA for points allowed per 100 possessions at 96.1 and number 1 in rebounding and in keeping opponents off the offensive glass, this time Casey’s defense might even be better than in the lockout shortened 2011-2012 season. Plus, after playing three of last season’s Eastern Conference playoff teams in row, it can’t be said the early indications were the result of soft schedule. Raptors Coach Casey’s Defense Is Back

      This team's identity is defense & rebounding - that is what the changes made to the roster in the summer were all about.

      By the way - getting the ball back by rebounding better trumps a few points on the FG% every time - of course its better to do both well.
      Wait a minute. I was at that Boston game and I feel confident saying the Celtics may actually be the worst team in the NBA until Rondo gets back on the floor. Still, the Raptors had their hands full. The Bucks are a middle of the pack squad. The Hawks are somewhere in the same realm and they smacked the Raptors around for most of the night.

      I don't think anything is obvious about this team after only three games. Defense, rebounding, the overall quality of the team... you name it. I'm not saying that they can't sustain them necessarily but it's waaaaay too early to be extrapolating those things over a full 82 game season. Tonight against the Heat will be a great measuring stick.

      Comment


      • #18
        brothersteve wrote: View Post
        It’s only three games into the regular season, but it is already obvious Raptors Head Coach Dwane Casey’s defense is back. Number 7 in the NBA for points allowed per 100 possessions at 96.1 and number 1 in rebounding and in keeping opponents off the offensive glass, this time Casey’s defense might even be better than in the lockout shortened 2011-2012 season. Plus, after playing three of last season’s Eastern Conference playoff teams in row, it can’t be said the early indications were the result of soft schedule. Raptors Coach Casey’s Defense Is Back

        This team's identity is defense & rebounding - that is what the changes made to the roster in the summer were all about.

        By the way - getting the ball back by rebounding better trumps a few points on the FG% every time - of course its better to do both well.
        I disagree it is back but I've been wrong before and look forward again. I am looking forward to December 15th to see where this team really is beyond a 3 game sample.

        You are basing this defensive prowess off two wins versus Milwaukee and Boston? I hate to say it but those teams SUCK - Boston missing best player and Milwaukee starting a 2nd round rookie as their starter with starter and back up out due to injury (Knight and Ridnour). Neither of those wins were convincing either. Atlanta is the only decent team they have played and they lost giving up 102 points.

        Small sample size yada yada yada works both ways - good and bad.

        That opponent field goal percent is extremely important. In 2011-12, the only team that wasn't in the playoffs in the top 10 of opponent fg% was Toronto. Last season the only team in the top 10 not in the playoffs was Washington. Even one of your articles from 2011-12 featured it a quote from Casey trumping the importance of it:

        Evidence of a culture change can be found in hard statistics everywhere one looks. The Raptors have languished near the bottom in defensive efficiency, points allowed and opponents’ field goal percentage seemingly forever, but that is no longer the case.

        “We are fifteenth in defensive efficiency and we were about 25 (last season) and I didn’t think we would make that big of a jump in year one,” Casey said. “All I can go back to is in Dallas where we started very low and we got to the middle of the pack in year two, so we have really exceeded expectations to get to fifteenth and be consistently in the top 10 in field goal percentage (against).”

        http://www.hoopsworld.com/toronto-ra...n-accomplished
        That culture change didn't last too long.

        Also in the 6 reasons why Raptors make 2012-13 playoffs, one of the reasons you trumpeted was defense included the opponent field goal percentage of 2011-12:

        1. Defense

        In 2010-11, Toronto gave up 105.4 points per game and was the second-easiest team to score on in the NBA. The Raptors couldn’t stop anyone. Since last summer, Coach Casey has changed the team’s culture and in a lockout shortened season, the Raptors surrendered the ninth-fewest points allowed at 94, while holding teams to the league’s eighth-lowest field goal percentage. With a full training camp and preseason schedule, there is a realistic expectation the Raptors’ defense would have been even better this time without any roster upgrades, but this roster is better.

        http://www.hoopsworld.com/six-reason...s-the-playoffs
        If the Raptors don't get that opponent field goal percentage down these first two wins of the season will only emphasize how bad Boston and Milwaukee are/were at that time due to missing players. Raptors play a solid defensive team and suddenly their 18th fg% is not going to squeak out a when when they are giving up the 23rd worst opponent fg%.

        Comment


        • #19
          @sweatpantsjer

          Comment


          • #20
            brothersteve wrote: View Post
            This team's identity is defense & rebounding - that is what the changes made to the roster in the summer were all about.
            Just reiterating what everyone else has said, but it's only been 3 games man. I would certainly like it to be our identity though. Tonight will be the ultimate test.
            Twitter - @thekid_it

            Comment


            • #21
              Raps were +2 on glass

              104 pts

              49/44/83 shooting

              Defense!!!!

              Go team!

              Comment


              • #22
                brothersteve wrote: View Post
                It’s only three games into the regular season, but it is already obvious Raptors Head Coach Dwane Casey’s defense is back.
                Let this be a lesson to all of you. Don't go into the media profession.
                Twitter - @thekid_it

                Comment


                • #23
                  Yes, we have an identity. A long-2 jump shot identity.
                  OG is our king

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Matt52 wrote: View Post
                    Raps were +2 on glass

                    104 pts

                    49/44/83 shooting

                    Defense!!!!

                    Go team!
                    Oh no we didn't stop the World Champions we must be the worst team in the league
                    @Chr1st1anL

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Chr1s1anL wrote: View Post
                      Oh no we didn't stop the World Champions we must be the worst team in the league
                      They didn't stop the perennial 6th seed Hawks either.

                      But they did manage to squeak out wins vs the Bucks starting a 2nd round rookie at PG with starter and backup out and the Celtics with a top 5 PG out (and we'll disregard the blatant tank).

                      Go Raps!

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Answering to the question, yes of course they do and even average pirate Ejike from Somali knows it:

                        Small ball.
                        Official Pope of the Raptors sponsored by MLSE.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Matt52 wrote: View Post
                          They didn't stop the perennial 6th seed Hawks either.

                          But they did manage to squeak out wins vs the Bucks starting a 2nd round rookie at PG with starter and backup out and the Celtics with a top 5 PG out (and we'll disregard the blatant tank).

                          Go Raps!
                          You beat the teams your suppose to beat.
                          @Chr1st1anL

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Chr1s1anL wrote: View Post
                            You beat the teams your suppose to beat.
                            Yet the heat didn't. Same with Brooklyn. Chicago too.

                            The problem is the teams Toronto are suppose to beat number about a 1/3 of leave then there are 5-6 they should be competitive with then there is half the league they should lose to by your standards.

                            #blowitupalreadymasai

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Matt52 wrote: View Post
                              Yet the heat didn't. Same with Brooklyn. Chicago too.

                              The problem is the teams Toronto are suppose to beat number about a 1/3 of leave then there are 5-6 they should be competitive with then there is half the league they should lose to by your standards.

                              #blowitupalreadymasai
                              It's the NBA. Theses guys are professionals! Any team can be any team on one night. No team right now is a finish product either.
                              @Chr1st1anL

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Chr1s1anL wrote: View Post
                                You beat the teams your suppose to beat.
                                I don't get what you're trying to say. Are you happy with just beating the tankers and the other lower seeds of the league? If that is the best you can do then why not support a tank in the hopes of getting more talent on the team? I think someone mentioned that we've lost to Miami 12 straight games now which is not a sign of a team being able to beat any team on any given night.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X