OK, I was on Quick Reaction duty and the post-game reaction podcast, and it’s 7pm on a Saturday I’ve already committed all of to the Raptors, so I’m going to zoom through post-game notes and quotes a little bit.
What the heck happened in the paint?
The Raptors were dominating the glass and the points in the paint through three games. Indiana was the worst at-rim shooting team in the playoffs, and if I’m remembering right, the Raptors had a 40-point edge in the paint. And then…
Pacers in the restricted area…
G1: 13-for-29
G2: 8-for-16
G3: 13-for-26
G4: 23-for-36G4 points in the paint: 50-26
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) April 23, 2016
Ian Mahinmi went insane despite battling a back injury, so this sounds pretty uncomfortable:
Myles Turner “Ian Mahinmi literally put the team on his back. The fun is just getting started.”
— Pat Boylan (@PatBoylanPacers) April 23, 2016
mahinmi gets podium game. opens with “this is pretty cool. don’t they usually have gatorade, bars over here?”
— Holly MacKenzie (@stackmack) April 23, 2016
1st podium game for Mahinmi who looks like a podium game vet w/ that suit: “this is everything you always see on TV” pic.twitter.com/WKVdgJOViE
— Holly MacKenzie (@stackmack) April 23, 2016
DeRozan and Lowry struggle again
Dwane Casey is taking the heat for his All-Stars, but through four games of poor shooting from each, I’m not even sure what the answer is.
Casey takes blame, takes DeRozan and Lowry off the hook. Says he needs to game plan better to get them shots.
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) April 23, 2016
Moving the rock will help, I suppose, and it’s further evidence the Raptors should be playing a bit smaller, or at least with more Patterson to make those passes higher-EV plays.
Casey says he’s got to do a better to get DeRozan open looks, but added: ‘we have to trust the pass’
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) April 23, 2016
M.I.A. in all forms.
couldn’t get a good shot of derozan/lowry at the podium which feels kind of appropriate for today’s game. #sadface
— Holly MacKenzie (@stackmack) April 23, 2016
For their part, Lowry and DeRozan think they’re taking the right shots, they just need to make them. Lowry’s also preaching keeping a confident, level head with two days off coming up with which to make adjustments.
Others taking blame, too
Uncharacteristically, even the Raptors bench lacked energy in this one.
Patterson took blame. Said bench struggled. ” it was just our lack of energy. Can’t get outrebounded and everything … ”
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) April 23, 2016
The Valanciunas-George skirmish
Valanciunas and George got into it a bit when Valanciunas appeared to get a hand up around George’s throat fighting for a rebound. They received coinciding techs, and Carroll got one for stepping in, too.
Paul George said that JV had his elbows up all series, did it the play before the skirmish so he finally responded ‘I didn’t like that’
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) April 23, 2016
“I guess he tried to run up on Jonas, but, we don’t need none of that. I was just trying to protect him and that’s all I can do.” Carroll
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) April 23, 2016
George, Carroll, and contact is apparently the it storyline of Games 3 and 4, now.
Carroll on PG talking Gm3 fouls “I like my money. I have a son & daughter. I’ll say: Wish it was the old days. Detroit Piston days” #Raptors
— Matthew Scianitti (@TSNScianitti) April 23, 2016
Where I’m at
The series is tied 2-2, and this game sucked, but there’s a reason you try to win 56 games. The Raptors have home court in what’s now a best 2-of-3, and you have to be confident in that scenario. Well, you don’t have to be, but you feel me.
