The Toronto Raptors are just about ready to be done with the talking and got on with Game 5 tonight. How about no more two-day breaks? Oh, another one after this game? Sigh. The Raptors better come out and get it done, then, otherwise they’ll have to stew in a loss for two days once again.
Don’t get hype, stay hype
Doing so doesn’t seem to have sat well with them, because while confidence remains high, it’s pretty clear they’re itching to go. Whether that manifests in a hot start is yet to be seen, but getting out to a fast start seems to be a major focal point.
“It’s huge,” Casey said at shootaround. “They came out the first five minutes (of Game 4) and just ambushed us. I mean they just outworked us. Loose balls, quicker to the spot. WE didn’t fight for space…So the first five minutes you set the tone, but again you can’t just stop there. You gotta continue that same intensity, that same thrust, that same focus for 48 minutes. This is the playoffs, and every possession’s important. You can’t have ‘oh crap’ moments. You gotta make sure that every possession you know time and target, but most of all you gotta be there with your effort and focus.”
You know how the Raptors could get off to a better start? By starting Patrick Patterson. That may or may not happen, with the team understandably keeping that quiet. DeMar DeRozan did allow that the team has discussed “couple ideas,” and Patterson said he’s ready to start if needed. In any case, a hot start is paramount.
“It’s the most important,” DeRozan said of the first few minutes. “Especially being at home tonight. Seeing how they came out in that first quarter, we was fighting ever since. You take away the first six minutes of that quarter, we had a good chance of winning that game. We’ve gotta come out of the game understanding that they understand they’ve gotta play extremely hard. But we’ve gotta play extremely harder on our home court.”
The mood around the team seems upbeat and optimistic, though DeRozan did mention an anxiety in the locker room to get out there and finally play. Word.
Stop turning the ball over
The most tangible point of emphasis seems to be on ball control. The Raptors uncharacteristically coughed the ball up a ton in their Games 1 and 4 losses, and a lot of what Indiana likes to do on offense flowed from there.
“Look at the turnover column and you’ll see the biggest difference,” Casey said. “The transition defense, look at that column.”
That’s easier said than done against a high-pressure Indiana defense, and it will be interesting to see how DeRozan, in particular, responds to a six-turnover game and a continued smothering from Paul George. DeRozan and Lowry have spoke plenty about getting teammates involved as they find their way through their respective shooting slumps (another area starting Patterson could help with).
The Raptors also talked a lot over the last few days about expecting a more physical game. It will be interesting to see how the officials call the game early with so much talk about the style of play
Coach of the Year
Steve Kerr was named Coach of the Year on Tuesday. In continuing with the trend of a Raptor getting on ballots but not really registering, Dwane Casey finished fifth in voting. He earned six first-place votes, 12 second-place votes, and 17 third-place votes, finishing behind Kerr, Terry Stotts, Gregg Popovich, and Steve Clifford.
He joins Kyle Lowry (MIP, DPOY) and Patrick Patterson (6Man) on ballots before him, though those players each received just a single third-place vote.
I personally had Casey fourth on my unofficial ballot, but it’s hard to argue with Clifford edging him. He’s done a great job this season, and really over the last three, although all that will be quickly forgotten if Game 5 goes poorly.
Setting the scene
The Raptors are eschewing the camo and the purple in favor of some red and white, with some…interesting shirt designs for Game 5. I’ll withhold judgment until we see how the whole arena sets up, but here’s an early look. Points for trying something different, I guess.
The team seems aware that fans will be out en masse at Jurassic Park despite the cold, wet day, and that’s not lost on them,
“We gotta put on a great show and make sure they stood outside and got wet for a reason,” DeRozan said. “That’s what it’s all about, to have that extra motivation of knowing fans are still going to go out there and support you. We’ve gotta pay them back with a W.”
And if you’re worried about getting here on time for the 6 p.m. tip-off, Masai Ujiri will write you a permission slip. No, seriously.
