Can Raptors compete for #1 seed in east this upcoming season?

[yabadabayolo]

All symptoms of playing against a tough team.



Again its not the Bulls who were bad, its the Wizards who made them look bad.

naw bro. They were really bad. Their defence was solid but they couldnt score to save their lives. The wizards defence wasnt as good as chicago made it seem.

I think the raptors and wiz are in the same boat, both could win the division or finish in the middle of the pack. It all depends on their internal growth since theyre both young teams

[JordanMariam14]

I know this doesn't have much to do with the thread but.. anyone know where I can catch a replay or download the game 7 against nets?

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[Mr.Z]

I know this doesn't have much to do with the thread but.. anyone know where I can catch a replay or download the game 7 against nets?

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Don't do it to yourself man

[JordanMariam14]

Don't do it to yourself man

LOOOOOOL

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[iblastoff]

They beat us when Lowry was fouled out, Patterson was ineffective because he just came back from injury, and Terrence Ross had an injury earlier in that game.

If JV and TRoss improves as well we'll be much better than them. Beal isn't even a good defender, DD has size over him.

And the Bulls were the biggest fraud in the playoffs, they really were horrible. When I watched them play they could barely make a basket, the Nets would have beat them.

So many players in Toronto will improve for a lot more years, JV, Ross, Patterson, DeRozan, Bebe, Bruno.. Wizards only have Wall, Beal, Porter, who are young and will produce well in the future (Porter is still a question mark to me)

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Who says any of those players will improve? Especially Bruno and bebe, who arguably were part of the worst summer league team I have ever seen. When lowry and derozan are our best players, our ceiling is kind of not that great in terms of being a contending team.

Beal is only what? 21?? Wall and beal are the easts future best back court. They have way higher upside than Lowry and derozan.

Wizards now have legit vet presence and some strong pieces in humphries and Dejuan Blair who can cover nene whenever he goes down. Not sure why everyone wants a team full of just really young dudes. That type of team is not going to get anything done, as seen by our first round exit last year.

[Mack North]

Who says any of those players will improve? Especially Bruno and bebe, who arguably were part of the worst summer league team I have ever seen. When lowry and derozan are our best players, our ceiling is kind of not that great in terms of being a contending team.

Beal is only what? 21?? Wall and beal are the easts future best back court. They have way higher upside than Lowry and derozan.

Wizards now have legit vet presence and some strong pieces in humphries and Dejuan Blair who can cover nene whenever he goes down. Not sure why everyone wants a team full of just really young dudes. That type of team is not going to get anything done, as seen by our first round exit last year.

Yea, not sure what buddy is saying when he put Bruno and Bebe in there... but Porter is a question mark? I still like our team better than Wizards, mostly because we beat them up last season and seem to match up well with them. They should improve quite a bit with those new bigs, and with wall and Beal getting more experience. I expect both teams fighting for top 3 or 4 spots with Chicargo and Cleveland.

[raptors999]

Yea, not sure what buddy is saying when he put Bruno and Bebe in there... but Porter is a question mark? I still like our team better than Wizards, mostly because we beat them up last season and seem to match up well with them. They should improve quite a bit with those new bigs, and with wall and Beal getting more experience. I expect both teams fighting for top 3 or 4 spots with Chicargo and Cleveland.

Beal is undersized and Wall can't shoot. Paul Pierce is not a small forward anymore. Nene is probably the toughest matchup of the 5 starters and Hump and Blair aren't that special. Losing Arizas shooting is going to hurt. Like Gortat but he isn't special either, hurt the Raptor on PnR but that was due to poor defence. Like the Wizards but they are #5-8 seeds.

[Mack North]

Beal is undersized and Wall can't shoot. Paul Pierce is not a small forward anymore. Nene is probably the toughest matchup of the 5 starters and Hump and Blair aren't that special. Losing Arizas shooting is going to hurt. Like Gortat but he isn't special either, hurt the Raptor on PnR but that was due to poor defence. Like the Wizards but they are #5-8 seeds.

Don't forget the division they play in. I think they can definitely beat out Miami this year, albeit by a small margin. That puts them in top 4 seeding just by winning the division. Unless you believe Miami will be better than Wizards?

[Mack North]

Beal is undersized and Wall can't shoot. Paul Pierce is not a small forward anymore. Nene is probably the toughest matchup of the 5 starters and Hump and Blair aren't that special. Losing Arizas shooting is going to hurt. Like Gortat but he isn't special either, hurt the Raptor on PnR but that was due to poor defence. Like the Wizards but they are #5-8 seeds.

And are you really downplaying Beal and Wall like they can't play? Hump and Blair give them a lot more added toughness, and Pierce is the proven vet winner that can teach them a thing or two. Don't sleep on them man, not saying they will be great, but they will be a strong team in the east.

[JordanMariam14]

Who says any of those players will improve? Especially Bruno and bebe, who arguably were part of the worst summer league team I have ever seen. When lowry and derozan are our best players, our ceiling is kind of not that great in terms of being a contending team.

Beal is only what? 21?? Wall and beal are the easts future best back court. They have way higher upside than Lowry and derozan.

Wizards now have legit vet presence and some strong pieces in humphries and Dejuan Blair who can cover nene whenever he goes down. Not sure why everyone wants a team full of just really young dudes. That type of team is not going to get anything done, as seen by our first round exit last year.

I said our young players will improve for a lot more years, not next year.

No doubt Washington has the best future backcourt in the East, but what other young pieces do they really have? Otto Porter is a question mark to me because I know nothing about him since he got injured. But is he really as good as Wall & Beal? When I watched him in college he wasn't anything spectacular and the only reason he was selected so high was because of the weak 2013 draft.

Blair and Humphries will help but won't be anything special, Pierce helps them a lot but I'm not sure if he'll play to much this season, but if he does it's not like he's gonna carry them.

I was trying to prove a point that we have a better team than them, like I said we have guys who will improve next year, DD, PPatt, Ross, JV. And guys who will improve for the next couple years, our Brazilians.

People keep saying the Wizards will be at a higher seed than us but I really don't believe that. We beat them 3-1 last year and people (Americans) are saying we won't get better because we just brought back the same team? Players improve, and it's not like Wizards added star power, they replaced Ariza with Pierce, added Blair and Humphries, will Blair and Humphries be enough to replace Nene if he gets hurt again?

All I'm saying is, I think they're the 4th seed while we're 3rd, and have more potential.

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[Scraptor]

No, the Bulls were bad. They couldn't score at all. You know how weaknesses are magnified in the playoffs because you play the same team over and over so it's easy for them to adapt? The Bulls were just an absolutely awful offensive team.

May not be conventional thinking, because "Defense wins championships!", but it reminds me a little of the 7SOL Suns... you can be an awesome defensive team but you need SOMEBODY to score the ball.

Still think we are not quite there yet in that regard as well. Hopefully Demar's handles have ticked up a notch or two, and Val/Ross can show us a little something.

[raptors999]

And are you really downplaying Beal and Wall like they can't play? Hump and Blair give them a lot more added toughness, and Pierce is the proven vet winner that can teach them a thing or two. Don't sleep on them man, not saying they will be great, but they will be a strong team in the east.

They aren't a favorite against the Heat, Atlanta and Charlotte for the division. Pierce teaching is good but getting 30+ MPG isnt. As a second unit player Pierce is a great signing but him replacing your start SF was a desperation move. I love Wall and Beal but one can't shoot and one is small.

[JordanMariam14]

They aren't a favorite against the Heat, Atlanta and Charlotte for the division. Pierce teaching is good but getting 30+ MPG isnt. As a second unit player Pierce is a great signing but him replacing your start SF was a desperation move. I love Wall and Beal but one can't shoot and one is small.

And if you're going to rip DD on being bad defensively, don't forget Beal

[JordanMariam14]

And if you're going to rip DD on being bad defensively, don't forget Beal

Just to clarify I was adding to what you said.

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[Mack North]

They aren't a favorite against the Heat, Atlanta and Charlotte for the division. Pierce teaching is good but getting 30+ MPG isnt. As a second unit player Pierce is a great signing but him replacing your start SF was a desperation move. I love Wall and Beal but one can't shoot and one is small.

I would actually put money on them being the favorite for that division. I don't get the love for ATL by some people, Miami is definitely taking a few steps back and Charlotte is a wild card.

Wall still goes for 20 and 9 basically, maybe not the best fg%, but I believe that's bound to improve with better teammates, where he's not chuckin, but facilitating. And the "Beal is small" argument just doesn't have any merit to it. The guy can flat out play, and he's only entering his third season.

Again, I don't love these guys and I think the Raps will beat them out by 2 or 3 games, but they are better than last year from my point of view.