Game #52: Toronto Raptors 112 - Minnesota Timberwolves 117

[white men can't jump]

It is but I dont agree that Scola is the reason why we lost. Everyone played like shit. Scola is definitely an issue and a big one but no one played good D tonight and Scola barely played. Shit started to go south when we took out both Kyle and Cory becauss of their foul issues to end the half. I just feel that if Dan H is going to blame Scola and Casey for every loss then I dont understand how he has so much faith in this team because they most likely arent going anywhere. And we know Casey is stubborn so as long as Scola is here he is starting him.

Scola was atrocious. He was obviously the thing killing us both to start the game and the 2nd half. And it was a clear deliberate gameplan to match him up against Towns on D. That's pretty insane.

In the first half we overcame it and played well. In the 2nd half it cost us our lead and the momentum just slipped away from there. We were actually destroying them in the 1st half. Most guys were playing well too. When the momentum swung guys started forcing things a bit and the whole thing fell apart. And that happens. It just should never have gotten to that point. And there's really no logical reason whatsoever to put Scola on Towns. At first when the game started, I thought I just must've missed a switch or two in transition.

Anyway, losses are never on a single guy, but Scola's ineffectiveness was easily the "biggest" factor from players. And it was a matchup that was planned, so coach has to take blame for that. There were other negatives, but that whole thing was a the biggest problem. That much was obvious.

[Chr1s1anL]

Towns was playing PF, Dieng was playing C.

How do you know that Dieng wasn't playing PF and Towns was playing C? PF/C is so interchangeable now cause you expect the same thing out either position. Same as SG/SF.

[GLF]

I believe we SHOULD get past the first round but that expectation certainly factors in Patterson getting a much larger role than Scola in the playoffs. I am perfectly aware that Casey can screw stuff up. But I'm not going to adjust my expectations so that failure is expected. If Casey screws the pooch, he's costing this team big time, which I refuse to adopt as the acceptable status quo.

I expected the team to beat WAS last season because I set my expectations for a professional NBA coach well above the "starts Tyler Hansbrough" bar. I don't regret that - Casey's ineptitude should be viewed in the light of reasonable expectations for a team with playoff aspirations.

Agreed. I just hope you don't get an aneurysm complaining about Scola for the rest of the season and the playoffs because unless he is traded Scola will be the starter. And unless Casey is fired Scola will be the starter. As long as you can handle that I think you'll be fine lol.

[Primer]

How do you know that Dieng wasn't playing PF and Towns was playing C? PF/C is so interchangeable now cause you expect the same thing out either position. Same as SG/SF.

Because one plays down low like a C, and was guarded by our C, and guarded our C, the other one played on the perimeter, was guarded by our PF, and guarded our PF.

[Chr1s1anL]

Because one plays down low like a C, and was guarded by our C, and guarded our C, the other one played on the perimeter, was guarded by our PF, and guarded our PF.

Dieng was in the corner a lot this game. He was on the perimeter quite a bit. They played a lot of 4 out 1 in. With Towns being the one in.

[breakin_ankles]

Agreed. I just hope you don't get an aneurysm complaining about Scola for the rest of the season and the playoffs because unless he is traded Scola will be the starter. And unless Casey is fired Scola will be the starter. As long as you can handle that I think you'll be fine lol.

He won't have to worry, dude played himself of this team... trade imminent . BOOK IT.

[jacobdr4]

How do you know that Dieng wasn't playing PF and Towns was playing C? PF/C is so interchangeable now cause you expect the same thing out either position. Same as SG/SF.

The point isn't who's playing where it's just your trying to pin Kat's explosion on Jv (like you always do) when it was Scola and Patterson guarding him the whole game.

[GLF]

He won't have to worry, dude played himself of this team... trade imminent . BOOK IT.

Well for Dan H's sake I hope you're right lol.

[GLF]

This is going to be a long 9 days. They should have won. Smh

[Scraptor]

Well for Dan H's sake I hope you're right lol.

Never seen DanH lose his temper but Scola has to be pushing him near the edge.

[DanH]

Fun fact, over the past 17 games the Raptors are 15-2, with a point differential of +111.

Luis Scola is a -61 in that time frame. No other player is worse than -16. Of the 5 other players with a minus rating, 4 are Wright, Powell, Nogueira and Bruno. JJ is the last, and he played a lot of his minutes with Scola in the starting lineup.

So, over the recent good play, the Raptors are -61 with Scola playing and +172 without him. That's a -233 point swing. No other player has a point swing (a bad one, anyway) bigger than -143.

Besides JJ and Powell, backups thrust into starting roles, the other three starters all have been positives in spite of playing many of their minutes beside Scola and his -61. JV +5, DeRozan +14, Lowry +81. With Scola they were -67, -67 and -45 respectively. So for each of these guys, they had a point differential improvement over this stretch of +139, +148 and +171.

And some people wonder what the issue with the starters is.

[Chr1s1anL]

The point isn't who's playing where it's just your trying to pin Kat's explosion on Jv (like you always do) when it was Scola and Patterson guarding him the whole game.

No I'm not. No one on this team could guard Towns. Just like no one could guard Jokic. Like I always say the game is changing. This will keep happening. Raptors need bigs that can guard on the perimeter. 2pat is the only one. His too small cause they just end up posting him up on the block.

JV is starting to become a specialist. He can only be effective when there's another old fashion big like him. When he has to go up against guys like KAT, Jokic and PK(all rookies) his out of his comfort zone.

[Primer]

No I'm not. No one on this team could guard Towns. Just like no one could guard Jokic. Like I always say the game is changing. This will keep happening. Raptors need bigs that can guard on the perimeter. 2pat is the only one. His too small cause they just end up posting him up on the block.

JV is starting to become a specialist. He can only be effective when there's another old fashion big like him. When he has to go up against guys like KAT, Jokic and PK(all rookies) his out of his comfort zone.

Of course you try to turn it into a hit job on JV....again....

[GLF]

Fun fact, over the past 17 games the Raptors are 15-2, with a point differential of +111.

Luis Scola is a -61 in that time frame. No other player is worse than -16. Of the 5 other players with a minus rating, 4 are Wright, Powell, Nogueira and Bruno. JJ is the last, and he played a lot of his minutes with Scola in the starting lineup.

So, over the recent good play, the Raptors are -61 with Scola playing and +172 without him. That's a -233 point swing. No other player has a point swing (a bad one, anyway) bigger than -143.

Besides JJ and Powell, backups thrust into starting roles, the other three starters all have been positives in spite of playing many of their minutes beside Scola and his -61. JV +5, DeRozan +14, Lowry +81. With Scola they were -67, -67 and -45 respectively. So for each of these guys, they had a point differential improvement over this stretch of +139, +148 and +171.

And some people wonder what the issue with the starters is.

Oh trust me all know Scola is the weakest link in the starting lineup but isn't the lineup as a whole like +2.5 or something. So I mean they still aren't terrible. As long as the starters can keep the game close or a least have a slight lead and then our bench does it's thing I think we should be okay. Hey, I'm just trying to be positive here. Because if Scola in the starting lineup is really that bad and it's going to cause us wins then the little faith I had in this team come playoff time might have to just go out the window if he doesn't get traded. I know you said Patterson can just play most of the minutes but that's what happened tonight and we still lost so clearly that won't always work.

[white men can't jump]

No I'm not. No one on this team could guard Towns. Just like no one could guard Jokic. Like I always say the game is changing. This will keep happening. Raptors need bigs that can guard on the perimeter. 2pat is the only one. His too small cause they just end up posting him up on the block.

JV is starting to become a specialist. He can only be effective when there's another old fashion big like him. When he has to go up against guys like KAT, Jokic and PK(all rookies) his out of his comfort zone.

He literally only matched up against Jokic.

Seriously, what the fuck have you been watching? Do you know what basketball is?