Game #80: Toronto Raptors 107 - Miami Heat 104

[The Great One]

This is going to be a tough game. 2nd game of a back to back vs a desperate Heat team. American Airlines Arena is going to be rocking. I fully expect a sold out crowd. Heat have a great/loyal fanbase. They're so loyal that they followed LeBron in Cleveland. Just look at that pic!

Raptors

C - JV
PF - Hansbrough
SF - Ross(?)
SG - DeRozan
PG - Lowry

Heat

C - Whiteside
PF - Haslem
SF - Deng
SG - Wade
PG -Dragic

[rocwell]

I hope Kyle is feeling good today. Casey should sit him for this one anyway.

Anyone who had back injury know that sore back feeling 1st day after intense workout.

[RepTdot]

I hope Kyle is feeling good today. Casey should sit him for this one anyway.

Anyone who had back injury know that sore back feeling 1st day after intense workout.

Yea I think Lowry should sit 1 game on back to backs, its all about playoff mode now while not having him rusty, have him sit vs Mia & Cha and play Boston.

If Ross is N/A is our starting lineup Lowry, DD, JV, TH & JJ?...one 3 pt threat is a concern but what an interior game/defensive unit/rebounding presence would that be up front! I would love to see that combo on the floor to start tonight...got a good feeling it might work regardless of the potential spacing issues.

[consmap]

Yea I think Lowry should sit 1 game on back to backs, its all about playoff mode now while not having him rusty, have him sit vs Mia & Cha and play Boston.

If Ross is N/A is our starting lineup Lowry, DD, JV, TH & JJ?...one 3 pt threat is a concern but what an interior game/defensive unit/rebounding presence would that be up front! I would love to see that combo on the floor to start tonight...got a good feeling it might work regardless of the potential spacing issues.

Psycho T and Jonas were killing it on the boards the other night. Once JV's offense comes around I really like them together.

[Jangles]

Unfortunately, there's a reason psycho is a borderline nba player

[Joey]

Unfortunately, there's a reason psycho is a borderline nba player

I'm not sure how you can say he's "borderline NBA player". In other words, implying he is on the cusp of being unemployable? I think that's absolutely silly. Players like Tyler have made a great living for decades off being willing to work just a little bit harder than their opponent.

[Joey]

Why is there a Cleveland Cavaliers picture ..? They don't play for the Heat .. Lol

[Jangles]

I'm not sure how you can say he's "borderline NBA player". In other words, implying he is on the cusp of being unemployable? I think that's absolutely silly. Players like Tyler have made a great living for decades off being willing to work just a little bit harder than their opponent.

He's a 3rd stringer on a good team. A Derrick Martin.

[yabadabayolo]

Damn Miami has so much more talent than we do yet their 11th in the east. But yea Casey sucks.

[007]

Hands Bro continues his work for a new contract.

[hotfuzz]

Damn Miami has so much more talent than we do yet their 11th in the east. But yea Casey sucks.

1) their best player plays like half the games.
2) their 2nd best player is out for the season.
3) their 3rd best player was just recently acquired.

[Joey]

He's a 3rd stringer on a good team. A Derrick Martin.

That's not borderline NBA player though ... that's a Role Player. And Hansbrough is that to a T.. no pun intended. Lol

[white men can't jump]

Damn Miami has so much more talent than we do yet their 11th in the east. But yea Casey sucks.

Miami has more talent? If you look on paper after the Dragic trade, sure, and then it's still all in their starters so it's more that they're more topheavy in talent (Toronto's is spread around with a deeper team)...but that doesn't do justice to the way their season has actually played out.

So you can say they're more talented, but for a big chunk of the year they had no C and no PG. Bosh has missed like half the season and Wade almost a quarter of the season. And their depth might be as bad as any team in the league.

So they've had a pretty fucked up season. And still, if Bosh and/or Wade stay healthy, it's not hard to think they'd be in the 45+ win area as well, with still a super shitty bench and no PG or C for like half the year.

[psrs1]

Any posters at game tonight?

[yabadabayolo]

Miami has more talent? If you look on paper after the Dragic trade, sure, and then it's still all in their starters so it's more that they're more topheavy in talent (Toronto's is spread around with a deeper team)...but that doesn't do justice to the way their season has actually played out.

So you can say they're more talented, but for a big chunk of the year they had no C and no PG. Bosh has missed like half the season and Wade almost a quarter of the season. And their depth might be as bad as any team in the league.

So they've had a pretty fucked up season. And still, if Bosh and/or Wade stay healthy, it's not hard to think they'd be in the 45+ win area as well, with still a super shitty bench and no PG or C for like half the year.

I could argue their starting. 5 is better than ours even without bosh. On paper talent wise. Our bench is our strength but their bench also has guys capable of completely destroying if their head on straight. I.e. Beasly. He killed it in the 2nd for them against the bulls and they were up huge but for some reason didn't play the rest of the game. Sound familiar.

They should not be as shitty as they have been, even with the injuries they have the talent to be better than us, but maybe Casey is actually a decent coach. (I still want him fired tho)

EDIT: wade has played more games than derozan this year...the only other guy they've missed for significant time is bosh