Raptors pre-playoff musings about Rounds 1 & 2

[BigCamB]

I Can't see the Pacers embarassing the Raptors in a lopsided 4 game sweep of blowouts even if they're somewhat near their best. Not given how competitive the series has been between them over the last two seasons. Playoffs are a different story of course and the Pacers were insane earlier in the season, but I still think the games would be pretty competitive. I'm still never going to say I would prefer to face the Big Six over the Pacers though, No way.

[Mr.Z]

Well it will take a Raptors loss in NY and a Bulls win in Charlotte now for this to potentially happen. The dream road of Washington and then Indiana is over now so it's take on the deadly Nets and then shaky Pacers or take on the shaky Wizards and the deadly Heat.

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Ill take the deadly Nets and the shaky Pacers please

[psrs1]

I hope Indiana gets their shit back together so there's some half decent basketball in the East's later rounds.

Disagree. Would love Atlanta to upset Indy.

[psrs1]

Well it will take a Raptors loss in NY and a Bulls win in Charlotte now for this to potentially happen. The dream road of Washington and then Indiana is over now so it's take on the deadly Nets and then shaky Pacers or take on the shaky Wizards and the deadly Heat.

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Unless Atlanta beats Indy which is not so far fetched.

[Raps76]

Lost in all of this is the fact that Miami isn't playing too hot either. Except we know with Miami they can flip the switch a lot easier than Indiana. D-Wade being hurt also helps..

I guess at this point all we can do is hope we play tight ball in the first round and that both of the big 2 get taken to the limit.

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[Mediumcore]

Since Indiana has the #1 seed locked, would they play the winner of the 3rd/6th seed or 4th/5th seed in the second round should they get past the first?

If they are playing the 4th/5th in the second round then it might be a good idea to use a bit of strategy and concede the 3rs seed to Chicago if they can.

[stooley]

Since Indiana has the #1 seed locked, would they play the winner of the 3rd/6th seed or 4th/5th seed in the second round should they get past the first?

If they are playing the 4th/5th in the second round then it might be a good idea to use a bit of strategy and concede the 3rs seed to Chicago if they can.

The issue is do we even get out of the first round if we play Brooklyn?

I say we play every game hard, win as much as possible, and let the matchups fall as they will. It isn't like we're trying to win the championship this year anyways.

[Primer]

The issue is do we even get out of the first round if we play Brooklyn?

I say we play every game hard, win as much as possible, and let the matchups fall as they will. It isn't like we're trying to win the championship this year anyways.

You won't be saying that if Brooklyn takes us to 7 games, meanwhile Chicago sweeps the Wizards. Brooklyn is the worst possible first round matchup. The only team we'd play that has playoff experience and star power (refs on their side). We are still the better team, but I can see myself throwing stuff at the TV as Paul Pierce acts his way into a plethora of foul shots every game. I'd much rather flip channels to see Joakim Noah going beast mode on Brooklyn as we beat the piss out of Washington.

[stooley]

You won't be saying that if Brooklyn takes us to 7 games, meanwhile Chicago sweeps the Wizards. Brooklyn is the worst possible first round matchup. The only team we'd play that has playoff experience and star power (refs on their side). We are still the better team, but I can see myself throwing stuff at the TV as Paul Pierce acts his way into a plethora of foul shots every game. I'd much rather flip channels to see Joakim Noah going beast mode on Brooklyn as we beat the piss out of Washington.

What? As in, if Brooklyn falls to the sixth seed?

That would suck, but I still think it'll be a valuable lesson in playoff experience.

Who better to learn from than the old-ass Nets?

[Primer]

What? As in, if Brooklyn falls to the sixth seed?

That would suck, but I still think it'll be a valuable lesson in playoff experience.

Who better to learn from than the old-ass Nets?

Guess you didn't see the news but Brooklyn is apparently resting their 6 top players in an effort to lose their final 2 games to drop to the 6 seed and play us in the 1st round.

[stooley]

Guess you didn't see the news but Brooklyn is apparently resting their 6 top players in an effort to lose their final 2 games to drop to the 6 seed and play us in the 1st round.

hrmmm....

well...

i still say let the chip fall as they will, though less enthusiastically

[The Great One]

Seems like the Nets really want the Raptors in the playoffs

If the Nets lose their last 2 games(Knicks and Cavs) and Washngton beats Boston tomorrow. Nets will fall to 6 and Washington will be the 5th seed.

The Nets are playing a bunch of scrubs tonight vs NY. I think NY wins this game easy.

New: Nets might play only eight players, one starter tonight http://t.co/ejZnZmsOVi #Nets

— The Brooklyn Game (@TheBKGame) April 15, 2014

Would you put it past Jason Kidd (a man who staged a sideline collision/drink spill) to throw a couple games for favourable seeding?

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) April 15, 2014

[rocwell]

Karma is a bitch, Mr. Kidd!!

[Primer]

If Brooklyn loses tonight, it might make sense for us to rest the starters against NY. Washington will be trying to win as much as possible, because if they lose and Charlotte beats Chicago, Washington would fall to 7 seed and play the Heat in the 1st round. So you can pretty much chalk up a win for Washington against Boston. That means Brooklyn could get the 6 seed by losing their final game, which they can basically do on purpose. So it would be a no-lose beneficial situation for us to lose to NY and have a shot at the 4 seed. Worst case Chicago loses too and we still end up with the 3 seed playing the 6 seed Nets, but we have a good shot at getting the 4 seed and playing Washington followed by Indy.

[stooley]

If Brooklyn loses tonight, it might make sense for us to rest the starters against NY. Washington will be trying to win as much as possible, because if they lose and Charlotte beats Chicago, Washington would fall to 7 seed and play the Heat in the 1st round. So you can pretty much chalk up a win for Washington against Boston. That means Brooklyn could get the 6 seed by losing their final game, which they can basically do on purpose. So it would be a no-lose beneficial situation for us to lose to NY and have a shot at the 4 seed. Worst case Chicago loses too and we still end up with the 3 seed playing the 6 seed Nets, but we have a good shot at getting the 4 seed and playing Washington followed by Indy.

Maybe the nets are playing mind games with us and actually intend to win, get the fifth seed and secure a second round match up with the Pacers.

Maybe they're "leaking" all this info to trick us into falling into the fourth seed.

I'll take however the chips fall.