Series Thread: 1) Toronto Raptors vs 4) Cleveland Cavs

[msgkings322]

Not sure if the raptors should be encouraged or discouraged by the fact that the cavs role players have yet to get going.

Encouraged because role players if they shine usually do so at home and Toronto has HCA

 

[raptorlife4]

I agree---- Cavs in 7...maybe 6.....

I worry about the Cavs defense in this series though....

the Cavs offense will be much better I think- I dont care what regular season starts where-- the Pacers had soem damn good individual defenders between Oladipo, Stephenson, Joseph, --- Thad Young was playing very solid-- Bogan went nuts one game....

Toronto is a solid team and this is def. their best team- but that last series was just a knock-down-drag-out-physical brawl of a series.

The Raptors arent like that...its a team built around 2 guys offensively.

and the Pacers could single team LeBron and kind of get away with it when you have guys like Stephenson and Oladipo...those are, as far as options to guard LeBron- pretty good options

on the Raptors who guards LEBron? ________________ --- this makes them have to double team him. Then the 3 pt shooting gets going. Indianas very solid individual perimeter defenders let them single team lebron- lebron still beat hte crap out of them but it almost worked.

I dont think the Raptors can possibly single team LeBron. They got rid of DeMarre Carrol. Who covers LEBron? DeRozan?

I am guessing they hope 20 year old OG Agnouby can do it.

Did you hear that @TurnUpTheHeat OG Anunoby is the guy that is going to be responsible for covering LeBron. If not him then Norman Powell. A LITTLE different than Oladipo and Stephenson. I cant see how they dont double team.

2 guys offensively? Na sorry man we have multiple weapons and a different cast member nightly
We play great team defense and were the only team in the NBA in the top 5 in defense and offense

James will get his share as long as he can physically move. Raptors will be running at every chance.

Our bigs JV , Ibaka, Poertl Siakam and even Bebe will shut down Thompson no problem and he will not be a factor.

The Cavs will need to be remarkable from all series ans hope we are not for them to have a shot.
The crowd in Toronto will also play a role. This city is hungry and we smell blood.

Should be exciting to watch. I can assure you this is nothing close to the team from last year that got swept by Lebron.
Totally different system. No more ISO ball for DeRozan and Lowry. We share the ball and the bench will play tons. Some nights we play 12 men.

 

[WiggyRuss]

2 guys offensively? Na sorry man we have multiple weapons and a different cast member nightly
We play great team defense and were the only team in the NBA in the top 5 in defense and offense

James will get his share as long as he can physically move. Raptors will be running at every chance.

Our bigs JV , Ibaka, Poertl Siakam and even Bebe will shut down Thompson no problem and he will not be a factor.

The Cavs will need to be remarkable from all series ans hope we are not for them to have a shot.
The crowd in Toronto will also play a role. This city is hungry and we smell blood.

Should be exciting to watch. I can assure you this is nothing close to the team from last year that got swept by Lebron.
Totally different system. No more ISO ball for DeRozan and Lowry. We share the ball and the bench will play tons. Some nights we play 12 men.

who do you think covers LeBron?

 

[raptorlife4]

who do you think covers LeBron?

OG to start
Probably some Powell. I see Siakam stepping up as well.
Like I said he will get his. Nobody on the planet can stop him.

 

[WiggyRuss]

OG to start
Probably some Powell. I see Siakam stepping up as well.
Like I said he will get his. Nobody on the planet can stop him.

the Pacers single teamed LeBron practically the whole series and stayed home on the other shooters--- of course they had guys like Oladipo and Stephenson, very solid, very physical defenders.

I expect that Toronto will be forced to double team him much more than the Pacers. As a Cavs fan I hope this results in more 3's for the Cavs. I think its pretty much the Cavs best chance at pulling the series out.

A 20 year old guarding LeBron James, even one as athletically gifted as OG, is usually not a good recipe for success.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I like Wiggy's attempts to make the Pacers into one of the top teams in the East. Pretty funny.

They are the Raptors or Celtics (when healthy) but I think they can compete with those teams as well as some top teams in the West, the way they played. They have a rising star in Oladipo, versatile bigs, shooting from all 5 positions and they played hard-nosed defense.

The Cavs also did play some very good defense so that makes me feel a little better, their offense just sucked in the series. That has to do with Indiana’s defense and the Cavs missing way too many open shots and role players playing like shit

 

[flyerhawk]

They are the Raptors or Celtics (when healthy) but I think they can compete with those teams as well as some top teams in the West, the way they played. They have a rising star in Oladipo, versatile bigs, shooting from all 5 positions and they played hard-nosed defense.

The Cavs also did play some very good defense so that makes me feel a little better, their offense just sucked in the series. That has to do with Indiana’s defense and the Cavs missing way too many open shots and role players playing like shit

The Pacers were a good team. They played really good ball in the 2nd half of the season and have some really nice pieces and a potential superstar in Oladipo.

But they are a deeply flawed team in the playoffs because their entire offense is centered around one guy. If Oladipo gets neutralized they just don't have the guys to take up the slack. No one else on that team can create their own shot.

But they do play really solid defense. They are similar to the Jazz but without the monster defensive presence of Gobert.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I see todds mom is getting butthurt again cos it don't know shit

Speak English?

 

[WiggyRuss]

Looks like the Raptors play Siakam, Poeltl, Wright, and Miles off the bench every game- and then sprinkle in a Powell, Brown, Van Fleet.......

Siakam, Poeltl, Wright and Miles played all 6 games.

Van Fleet only 2...Powell 4, Brown 2--- all for very limited minutes.

Raptors basically have a 9 man rotation it looks like.

Id guess that Anunoby, Siakam, Miles and maybe a little bit of Powell if/when he plays will guard LeBron.

I am thinking Ibaka covers Love so that Valunciunas can stay in the middle and guard the rim......I hope Thompson throws some good picks, and makes Valunciunas show at the top of the key.

If Love can keep Ibaka on the perimeter, and Thompson throwing picks for Bron can get Valunciunas to show and leave the middle, then the Cavs offense should operate better.

Itll be so much better for JR, Korver, Hood, Clarkson- with guys like DeRozan and Lowry and Wright guarding them then Oladipo, Stephenson, Joseph, Collison guarding them.

Its gonna be a very interesting series thats for sure.

 

[Shanemansj13]

2 guys offensively? Na sorry man we have multiple weapons and a different cast member nightly
We play great team defense and were the only team in the NBA in the top 5 in defense and offense

James will get his share as long as he can physically move. Raptors will be running at every chance.

Our bigs JV , Ibaka, Poertl Siakam and even Bebe will shut down Thompson no problem and he will not be a factor.

The Cavs will need to be remarkable from all series ans hope we are not for them to have a shot.
The crowd in Toronto will also play a role. This city is hungry and we smell blood.

Should be exciting to watch. I can assure you this is nothing close to the team from last year that got swept by Lebron.
Totally different system. No more ISO ball for DeRozan and Lowry. We share the ball and the bench will play tons. Some nights we play 12 men.

Shut down Thompson? Sorry you are never going to outwork Tristan. The only team I havd seen give him problems is GS and possibly Houston, bc of Capela. Toronto does have some young, athletic bogs though like Indiana which scares me but they just aren’t as good as Indiana’s.

Love needs to step up and role players to make this a great series for the Cavs plain and simple. If they don’t it will be a very tough battle.

 

[Shanemansj13]

The Pacers were a good team. They played really good ball in the 2nd half of the season and have some really nice pieces and a potential superstar in Oladipo.

But they are a deeply flawed team in the playoffs because their entire offense is centered around one guy. If Oladipo gets neutralized they just don't have the guys to take up the slack. No one else on that team can create their own shot.

But they do play really solid defense. They are similar to the Jazz but without the monster defensive presence of Gobert.

They do need that 2nd option if they want to compete but they have a ton of depth, they didn’t have much of a problem scoring without him. I mean when Oladipo went 2-15 they still almost won and guys step up. If they get that 2nd scoring option they could be lethal imo

 

[flyerhawk]

Shut down Thompson? Sorry you are never going to outwork Tristan. The only team I havd seen give him problems is GS and possibly Houston, bc of Capela. Toronto does have some young, athletic bogs though like Indiana which scares me but they just aren’t as good as Indiana’s.

Love needs to step up and role players to make this a great series for the Cavs plain and simple. If they don’t it will be a very tough battle.

OH FFS. Thompson played 23 minutes TOTAL in the previous 6 games prior to yesterday. Go away with this "The only team that gives him problems is GS". Clearly the Pacers gave him problems because he was invisible prior to yesterday.

 

[flyerhawk]

They do need that 2nd option if they want to compete but they have a ton of depth, they didn’t have much of a problem scoring without him. I mean when Oladipo went 2-15 they still almost won and guys step up. If they get that 2nd scoring option they could be lethal imo

The Pacers scored more than 100 points ONCE in the series. Against one of the worst defenses in basketball.

They desperately need another playmaker. They have the cap space to get one but it remains to be seen whether they will spend the money to get him and whether they can lure someone to Indianapolis.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Well comparing the Raptors team from this to last year, they had these guys other than OG Anunoby on the roster, they just weren’t playing much.

Last year they had:

Carrroll
Tucker
Joseph
Patterson

Joseph was a huge piece they lost. Carroll and Tucker could defend Lebron and Patterson was their stretch 4.

Now you replace those guys with guys that were sitting under those 4:

Siakam
VanFleet
Poeltl
Wright has also played a bigger role.

Also added CJ Miles.

Seems like they are playing better as a team offensively and defensively BUT who guards Lebron. Before it was Carroll and Tucker who are pretty damn good defenders and have good size. Now you put this Anunoby kid on him or Derozan (probably not) and possibly CJ Miles.

The point is, they are a better team overall but it looks like unless they double Lebron it could be a replica of the Indiana series. Lebron vs Toronto. So that’s why it falls on role players stepping up and hitting shots

 

[Shanemansj13]

OH FFS. Thompson played 23 minutes TOTAL in the previous 6 games prior to yesterday. Go away with this "The only team that gives him problems is GS". Clearly the Pacers gave him problems because he was invisible prior to yesterday.

What? He didn’t play. How do they give him problems if he was in a suit? Lue obviously made a mistake not playing TT, it has nothing to do with the Pacers. Is this hard to comprehend?

 

[gordontrue]

The Pacers scored more than 100 points ONCE in the series. Against one of the worst defenses in basketball.

The Pacers were #12 on offense in the regular season.... so you can't just make that conclusion without at least considering the alternative that the Cavs playoff defense might be better than their regular season version.

 

[Shanemansj13]

The Pacers scored more than 100 points ONCE in the series. Against one of the worst defenses in basketball.

They desperately need another playmaker. They have the cap space to get one but it remains to be seen whether they will spend the money to get him and whether they can lure someone to Indianapolis.

That wasn’t the same Cavs defense if you watched the series. Hell if you watched Lebron alone play defense you would know this. Lebron played excellent defense, the team defense was 3rd overall for the playoffs so far. No reason to mention regular season defense going by what everyone saw. Now Toronto is going to be a different beast so they will have way more trouble stopping them.

 

[flyerhawk]

What? He didn’t play. How do they give him problems if he was in a suit? Lue obviously made a mistake not playing TT, it has nothing to do with the Pacers. Is this hard to comprehend?

So an entire season in which Thompson was banished to the back of the bench and the fact that he basically didn't play until Game 7 is irrelevant because he had a decent game yesterday? You think that maybe Turner and Sabonis and Bogdonavich all being in foul trouble may have been a factor in his play?

You think Thompson averages more than 10 MPG against the Raptors?

 

[WiggyRuss]

They do need that 2nd option if they want to compete but they have a ton of depth, they didn’t have much of a problem scoring without him. I mean when Oladipo went 2-15 they still almost won and guys step up. If they get that 2nd scoring option they could be lethal imo

The Pacers are a very good defensive team with some very solid individual talent.

Not only that, but they were well coached, and they were a team of guys that genuinely liked eachother and played together. There offense is not that great- but its unpredictable as you could have Sabonis go for 20 one game, or Bojan the next, or Turner the next or Thad Young, or even Collison who led the NBA in 3 pt %

I think the Pacers would have beat the Heat, Wizards, Blazers, Spurs, Bucks, and maybe even the Celtics if they would have played. It just seemed to be "their year" to do something special except for the fact they ran into LeBron James.

They might not have been as talented as some of those other teams- but i can tell you- i have not seen a team in the playoffs that played more together as a team, that played tougher, more physical, and played with a chip on their shoulder, than the Pacers did.

 

[WiggyRuss]

That wasn’t the same Cavs defense if you watched the series. Hell if you watched Lebron alone play defense you would know this. Lebron played excellent defense, the team defense was 3rd overall for the playoffs so far. No reason to mention regular season defense going by what everyone saw. Now Toronto is going to be a different beast so they will have way more trouble stopping them.

JR Smith played great defense in the series. Korver made some big plays, taking charges, getting Oladipo in foul trouble. Even Love played solid defense at times.

The Cavs defense played well in that series for the most part. JR Smith in particular was extremely important. If he can play that type of defense on DeRozan the Cavs will be overjoyed.