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Is your Confidence Still Shaken?

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  • #16
    92TillInfinity wrote: View Post
    I don't really blame the fans for being sceptical. Toronto sports fans have been pretty much blue-ballsed the last few years with the Jays huge expectations and the Leafs huge playoff meltdown last year. I think we would just like to see this recent success maintained for more than 15 games before we can fully "buy-in".
    great username, a tribute to the souls of mischief?

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    • #17
      RPT23 wrote: View Post
      Well, if you look it as that, at least things could be worse. We could be the Milwaukee Bucks. (No offense to Milwaukee but it's not a place I'd want to be in, though it has a nice amusement/water parks)
      milwaukee is another story. but to say this current raptors lineup is as good as the miami heat = ludicrous and blatant homerism

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      • #18
        iblastoff wrote: View Post
        milwaukee is another story. but to say this current raptors lineup is as good as the miami heat = ludicrous and blatant homerism
        What's your definition of good? Miami isn't playing particularly well lately (they needed an OT win in Charlotte to avoid a 4 game losing streak) Can the Raptors at their best, hang with Miami at there best? Absolutely NOT. But are the Raptors playing who are playing pretty close to their ceiling better than the Heat playing almost at their basement? Absolutely. Now again, the odds of the Heat playing this uninspired for the rest of the season and/or the playoffs is nil, but it's pretty easy to argue that the Raptors (albeit less talented) are playing BETTER basketball.

        Hollinger has the Raps at 7th and the Heat at 9th in his power rankings. I don't think the raps have a legit chance at beating either the Heat or Pacers in the playoffs, but since the Gay trade we've been playing some of the best basketball in the league, and that's supported by stats, eye tests, and the general media (Raptors are top 10 on every power ranking I've seen in the last two weeks).

        I agree that arguing the Raps starting line up is better than the Heat is ludicrous. However, they are playing better than the Heat at the moment; however tenuous and short term and unsustainable.

        I wouldn't say the loss to the Celtics shook my confidence, just made it wobble a bit. The win over Minnesota restored that confidence (that we are the 3rd best team in the East and the favourites in the first round of the playoffs).

        We're playing really good basketball at the moment, but as well as we are planning we won't be able to overcome the talent gap against any of the following teams

        East
        Pacers
        Heat

        West
        Thunder
        Spurs
        Warriors
        Clippers
        Rockets
        Blazers


        I've given up the **** in everything except the avatar (and that will probably go at the trade deadline, once I know that lowry is here for good), but the reality is that we are probably this year's nuggets, with Lowry playing the role of Iggy, destined to take a step or two backwards next season.
        "They're going to have to rename the whole conference after us: Toronto Raptors 2014-2015 Northern Conference Champions" ~ ezzbee Dec. 2014

        "I guess I got a little carried away there" ~ ezzbee Apr. 2015

        "We only have one rule on this team. What is that rule? E.L.E. That's right's, E.L.E, and what does E.L.E. stand for? EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY. Right there up on the wall, because this isn't just a basketball team, this is a lifestyle. ~ Jackie Moon

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        • #19
          92TillInfinity wrote: View Post
          I don't really blame the fans for being sceptical. Toronto sports fans have been pretty much blue-ballsed the last few years with the Jays huge expectations and the Leafs huge playoff meltdown last year. I think we would just like to see this recent success maintained for more than 15 games before we can fully "buy-in".
          This is the best point yet.

          However, my first reaction was that the Boston game was a blip. Boston came out aggressive, and caught the Raptors off guard.

          Also, the Raps have lost so many times at the Gardens, it's hard to shake the bad karma. If the Raps keep playing with the constitution their showing, they'll shake off all the years of negative vibe.

          I'd say, a second round playoff exit to Indiana after putting up a hell of fight would go a long way toward putting us on the plus side of the karma bank.

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          • #20
            iblastoff wrote: View Post
            milwaukee is another story. but to say this current raptors lineup is as good as the miami heat = ludicrous and blatant homerism

            Who's saying we're as good as Miami? Our pre-all-star game season record since the Gay trade is Miami-esque. That's something to be very happy about.

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            • #21
              Pele wrote: View Post
              I'd say, a second round playoff exit to Indiana after putting up a hell of fight would go a long way toward putting us on the plus side of the karma bank.
              Indiana took it step by step. They first lost in the east semis then east finals. Now they are eyeing the finals. Raptors need to take similar baby steps, so if they can have a second round matchup against Indiana or Miami I would be satisfied.

              Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

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              • #22
                Pele wrote: View Post
                This is the best point yet.

                However, my first reaction was that the Boston game was a blip. Boston came out aggressive, and caught the Raptors off guard.

                Also, the Raps have lost so many times at the Gardens, it's hard to shake the bad karma. If the Raps keep playing with the constitution their showing, they'll shake off all the years of negative vibe.

                I'd say, a second round playoff exit to Indiana after putting up a hell of fight would go a long way toward putting us on the plus side of the karma bank.
                boston were shooting something like 34% the whole game. thats hardly aggressive. blaming extremely poor play on mystical karma = homerism.how many extra chances to win did boston give the raptors near the end? and every single time, raptors fucked it up.

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                • #23
                  Pele wrote: View Post
                  Who's saying we're as good as Miami? Our pre-all-star game season record since the Gay trade is Miami-esque. That's something to be very happy about.
                  that dude above that said going 71% win the rest of the season is entirely sustainable.

                  this isn't about being happy or not happy about the raptors current performance. of course i'm happy they're doing well right now. this is about how sustainable their run is going to be.

                  the whole point of this january 'easy' schedule is because if we're as good as some people say the raptors are now, we should be winning every 'easy' game to maintain our record/atlantic lead. thats why the boston loss, a team whos doing worse than sacramento and a lick better than utah, was understandably a slight eyebrow raiser.

                  of course bad teams randomly beat good teams all of the time. but raptors don't have a strong enough cushion in their record like the heat/pacers/etc have to afford these random losses.
                  Last edited by iblastoff; Sun Jan 19, 2014, 09:57 AM.

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                  • #24
                    ezz_bee wrote: View Post
                    What's your definition of good? Miami isn't playing particularly well lately (they needed an OT win in Charlotte to avoid a 4 game losing streak) Can the Raptors at their best, hang with Miami at there best? Absolutely NOT. But are the Raptors playing who are playing pretty close to their ceiling better than the Heat playing almost at their basement? Absolutely. Now again, the odds of the Heat playing this uninspired for the rest of the season and/or the playoffs is nil, but it's pretty easy to argue that the Raptors (albeit less talented) are playing BETTER basketball.

                    Hollinger has the Raps at 7th and the Heat at 9th in his power rankings. I don't think the raps have a legit chance at beating either the Heat or Pacers in the playoffs, but since the Gay trade we've been playing some of the best basketball in the league, and that's supported by stats, eye tests, and the general media (Raptors are top 10 on every power ranking I've seen in the last two weeks).

                    I agree that arguing the Raps starting line up is better than the Heat is ludicrous. However, they are playing better than the Heat at the moment; however tenuous and short term and unsustainable.

                    I wouldn't say the loss to the Celtics shook my confidence, just made it wobble a bit. The win over Minnesota restored that confidence (that we are the 3rd best team in the East and the favourites in the first round of the playoffs).

                    We're playing really good basketball at the moment, but as well as we are planning we won't be able to overcome the talent gap against any of the following teams

                    East
                    Pacers
                    Heat

                    West
                    Thunder
                    Spurs
                    Warriors
                    Clippers
                    Rockets
                    Blazers


                    I've given up the **** in everything except the avatar (and that will probably go at the trade deadline, once I know that lowry is here for good), but the reality is that we are probably this year's nuggets, with Lowry playing the role of Iggy, destined to take a step or two backwards next season.
                    miami may not be playing particularly well in their recent stretch, but this poor stretch also included a win over the raptors. i'd also take an OT Win over the bobcats vs LOSING to them in OT like we did. as for hanging with miami at close to their basement? every team can do that. thats not particularly a trait the raptors can solely claim as their own.

                    i said this in a previous post, but we don't have a good enough record to throw away 'easy' games like boston.

                    personally, i'm in the 'take it game by game' camp.
                    Last edited by iblastoff; Sun Jan 19, 2014, 10:29 AM.

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                    • #25
                      c_bcm wrote: View Post
                      Yeah. I take it one game at a time. The Minnesota win was nice since the boston game was so bad. Be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
                      Even more important was the fact that the Raps held the second highest scoring team in the league to under 90 points. I see their growth being sustainable if they keep this level of defense up. Much more so than relying heavily on the three ball, which on some night just wont fall. Not saying they can keep winning at a 70% clip but I do believe they have some pieces that will allow them to be in the top tier of the Eastern conference team. Some good drafting and slick moves by MU who knows how how they can go.

                      What should be obvious is that this just isnt a little 10 game run of good play. They arent gonna turn into a pumpkin at midnight. They arent the same team that overlooked bad teams or couldnt get over the hump and close out good teams like Indiana or OKC.

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                      • #26
                        FoxMachine wrote: View Post
                        great username, a tribute to the souls of mischief?
                        This is how I chill...

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                        • #27
                          I have confidence due to team's ownership ready to invest and go into tax in the future. Not too many teams have that support.

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                          • #28
                            rapfan10 wrote: View Post
                            Indiana took it step by step. They first lost in the east semis then east finals. Now they are eyeing the finals. Raptors need to take similar baby steps, so if they can have a second round matchup against Indiana or Miami I would be satisfied.

                            Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
                            The 76ers also made it to the east semi's the same year Indiana did, then missed the playoffs the following year.

                            Why do baby steps work for some and not others?

                            Both those teams were helped by playing against teams who lost there superstars (Dwight and Rose) in 2011/12. But the reason their paths divereged after is very obvious. Philly lost AI, Indy still had George, and George was improving.

                            Teams gain experience, and experience helps players become more productive, and productivity adds to wins/success. But talent still trumps all, because that talent adds the most efficient level of productivity.

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                            • #29
                              The reason OKC fans confidence doesn't swing wildly from game to game is because they've showed that they're an elite team for multiple years in a row now. They made the Finals in 2012, would have had a great chance to get back there if Westbrook was healthy last year and are 30-10 this season with one of the best players in the world and a couple other elite players beside him. The Raptors have been a good team for six weeks after half a decade of mediocrity or worse.

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                              • #30
                                and we just lost to the shitty lakers. this 'easy january schedule' isn't exactly working out for the raptors is it?

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