DeRozan Injury & Raptors Gameplan Without Him

[KeonClark]

A serial killer and a manic-depressive aren't great company, Stooley!

Lol!!

[bryan colangelo]

Demar's minutes have been down this year. I attribute the injury to Demar playing on team USA and just working out really hard in the off season.

[planetmars]

A serial killer and a manic-depressive aren't great company, Stooley!

I believe you meant a manic-depressive's dad

[Chr1s1anL]

Yeah that is too bad.

Silver lining: we see what Ross is all about.

As for starter: put fields or Bruno out for 4 minutes then get into regular rotation. Don't mess with it.

Start two guys that have played 1 game all season?

[Chr1s1anL]

This is make or break time for JV and Ross. The opportunity is there. Time to see if these guys are worth paying

[white men can't jump]

Yeah that is too bad.

Silver lining: we see what Ross is all about.

As for starter: put fields or Bruno out for 4 minutes then get into regular rotation. Don't mess with it.

I don't think that's a good idea. I understand and generally like the idea of trying to keep a regular rotation...

-Fields I can maybe see as an option. At least he's been here a couple of years and is familiar with the system, and it would make sense to keep rotations/roles stable...but given how little-used he is, I wouldn't count on it.

-Bruno...I'd love to see him get more minutes during this stretch, but don't think a raw rookie who's been with the team 2 months is going to move up into the starting spot. I'm not sure one injury is enough to really open up a window for him to get playing time.

Figure it'll be JJ or Lou taking the open starting spot. Matchups could dictate who's used, and I'd be ok with that. I'd like for it to be JJ more often, with Ross sliding to starting SG and Lou/GV maintaining their (likely expanded) bench roles, but I can see Casey being worried about not having enough scoring out there and starting Lou more often.

[mcHAPPY]

Start two guys that have played 1 game all season?

Yeah.

For extremely limited minutes.

Keep the rotations in check.

Spread DD's extra 27 minutes over the usual suspects - Lou, GV, JJ.

[MACK11]

I don't think that's a good idea. I understand and generally like the idea of trying to keep a regular rotation...

-Fields I can maybe see as an option. At least he's been here a couple of years and is familiar with the system, and it would make sense to keep rotations/roles stable...but given how little-used he is, I wouldn't count on it.

-Bruno...I'd love to see him get more minutes during this stretch, but don't think a raw rookie who's been with the team 2 months is going to move up into the starting spot. I'm not sure one injury is enough to really open up a window for him to get playing time.

Figure it'll be JJ or Lou taking the open starting spot. Matchups could dictate who's used, and I'd be ok with that. I'd like for it to be JJ more often, with Ross sliding to starting SG and Lou/GV maintaining their (likely expanded) bench roles, but I can see Casey being worried about not having enough scoring out there and starting Lou more often.

I'd like JJ starting so we could start the game with a defense 1st approach. Because if we start Lou I think Vasquez is gonna go full chucking mode because since Lou isnt with him hes gonna take all his shots

[yabadabayolo]

The love for lowry is a bit too high. Your only all star and arguably best player just went down with a freak injury. And all people have to say is that thank god it wasn't lowry or this is all Casey's fault. No way in hell should that be said. I understand that a lot of people around here don't like dd, but chill with your thank-fullness. This isn't a good thing. This is probably the worst thing to happen to this franchise since bargnani was drafted 1st.

Losing any player to injury is terrible and nobody should happy about it. Now that we lost demar INDEFINITELY. Some people are acting like its Christmas. Smh.

Get well soon demar, #proveem

[Chr1s1anL]

Personally feel that James Johnson will take the most advantage of this opportunity.

He already miss the games when the bench was gelling. His the right person to start

[MixxAOR]

with JJ in the line up. You get a good defender but he turnovers too much when he starts trying to create off the dribble and he doesn't provide any spacing. Sometimes defenders don't even guard him when he's on a three point line. That makes it easier to pack the paint. GV is my choice. He gets to play with Lowry again. Lowry can play off the ball. GV can also distribute the ball to Amir and JV. I like Lou Will as a scorer off the bench.

[Mr.Z]

This fuckin blows harrrrrrrd

[Chr1s1anL]

The love for lowry is a bit too high. Your only all star and arguably best player just went down with a freak injury. And all people have to say is that thank god it wasn't lowry or this is all Casey's fault. No way in hell should that be said. I understand that a lot of people around here don't like dd, but chill with your thank-fullness. This isn't a good thing. This is probably the worst thing to happen to this franchise since bargnani was drafted 1st.

Losing any player to injury is terrible and nobody should happy about it. Now that we lost demar INDEFINITELY. Some people are acting like its Christmas. Smh.

Get well soon demar, #proveem

I know exactly what you mean. Knowing what we know of DD he'll be back before no time.

[white men can't jump]

The love for lowry is a bit too high. Your only all star and arguably best player just went down with a freak injury. And all people have to say is that thank god it wasn't lowry or this is all Casey's fault. No way in hell should that be said. I understand that a lot of people around here don't like dd, but chill with your thank-fullness. This isn't a good thing. This is probably the worst thing to happen to this franchise since bargnani was drafted 1st.

Losing any player to injury is terrible and nobody should happy about it. Now that we lost demar INDEFINITELY. Some people are acting like its Christmas. Smh.

Get well soon demar, #proveem

I think many of us are thankful it's not Lowry because he clearly takes the lion's share of leadership responsibilities on this team, both on the court and in the locker room. Saying we'd miss Lowry more isn't supposed to be a slight against DeMar. It's not being thankful DeMar is injured...it's being thankful Lowry's not. Anyone who's thankful DeMar's injured needs their head checked.

And are people blaming Casey? If so, that's beyond stupid.

This is a terrible thing. From an injury perspective, I can't think of the last time we had one so significant....Garbo's injury? Way back to the Vince days?

However, as someone who despised so many moves this team made post-Bargnani drafting, it is not the worst thing to happen since then. (JO, Kapono, Hedo, etc...)

[white men can't jump]

with JJ in the line up. You get a good defender but he turnovers too much when he starts trying to create off the dribble and he doesn't provide any spacing. Sometimes defenders don't even guard him when he's on a three point line. That makes it easier to pack the paint. GV is my choice. He gets to play with Lowry again. Lowry can play off the ball. GV can also distribute the ball to Amir and JV. I like Lou Will as a scorer off the bench.

GV would probably be my choice if we had a competent 3rd string PG....but without one, it makes it tricky. It makes it hard to stagger GV and Lowry's minutes so you don't end up exhausting them with long shifts. That's why I think it might be JJ or Lou.