Game 34: Raptors @ Cavs 12/23/2022

[ijspeelman]

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[LoveMyRaps]

[ijspeelman]

Lots of open threes and transition buckets allowed.

Not liking how this one is going. We are missing a lot of open threes ourselves

[ijspeelman]

JB benched all starters after going down 25ish and the reserves have done a pretty good job bringing it back to 16.

[JujitsuFlip]

Cavs always struggle with the Raptors.

[jbk1234]

Very frustrating game between the officiating and open corner threes. The Raptors are a pretty simple team. They're going to pinch down into the paint and leave the corner three open, and offensively, they're going to run the floor or bait the officials in the half court. They're really not that good. None of their guys can break down a defense. They all need to be able to use their off arm to create space. I'd be fine with the officials letting that go, but rewarding Barnes and Siakam with free throws for running into Okoro who beat them to the spots is too much. I cannot think of a team who needs the right officiating crew on the floor in order to be successful more than the Raptors, and it seems like they always get one when they play the Cavs.

Not to belabor the point, but with a young crew, I think you have to challenge that one obvious offensive foul on Barnes when he grabbed Okoro's arm early on. I just think you want to show young officials that they're in for a long night if that's how they're going to call the game.

[LoveMyRaps]

There was a point towards the end of the third where all of the big 4 (Garland, Mitch, Mobley, Allen) were off the floor...

Does Bickerstaff do that every game? I would think you'd wanna have at least one elite playmaker (Mitch or Garland) out there at all times.

[ijspeelman]

There was a point towards the end of the third where all of the big 4 (Garland, Mitch, Mobley, Allen) were off the floor...

Does Bickerstaff do that every game? I would think you'd wanna have at least one elite playmaker (Mitch or Garland) out there at all times.

He actually never does it.

I think he was upset with the starters and let the all reserve line-up go out there (and actually get us back into the game).

[jbk1234]

There was a point towards the end of the third where all of the big 4 (Garland, Mitch, Mobley, Allen) were off the floor...

Does Bickerstaff do that every game? I would think you'd wanna have at least one elite playmaker (Mitch or Garland) out there at all times.

No, he never does it. But, the starters were giving poor effort and he was pissed about the officiating. He was sending a message to two audiences.

[gflem]

There was a point towards the end of the third where all of the big 4 (Garland, Mitch, Mobley, Allen) were off the floor...

Does Bickerstaff do that every game? I would think you'd wanna have at least one elite playmaker (Mitch or Garland) out there at all times.

No, he never does it. But, the starters were giving poor effort and he was pissed about the officiating. He was sending a message to two audiences.

I'm glad its not just me who feels this way about the Raptors. They clear out with their off arm almost every time they go to the basket. They also grab constantly on defense, which the refs ignore, at least against the Cavs. But, for whatever reason the Raps seem to shoot the lights out against the Cavs. I guess they feel like they have the Cavs number at this point and it helps their confidence?
I would like to have seen JB get tossed, have a blow up and maybe change the attitude of the team and maybe the refs perspective as well. I just know going in that watching the Raps play the Cavs that I am going to be annoyed afterward.

[jbk1234]

There was a point towards the end of the third where all of the big 4 (Garland, Mitch, Mobley, Allen) were off the floor...

Does Bickerstaff do that every game? I would think you'd wanna have at least one elite playmaker (Mitch or Garland) out there at all times.

No, he never does it. But, the starters were giving poor effort and he was pissed about the officiating. He was sending a message to two audiences.

I'm glad its not just me who feels this way about the Raptors. They clear out with their off arm almost every time they go to the basket. They also grab constantly on defense, which the refs ignore, at least against the Cavs. But, for whatever reason the Raps seem to shoot the lights out against the Cavs. I guess they feel like they have the Cavs number at this point and it helps their confidence?
I would like to have seen JB get tossed, have a blow up and maybe change the attitude of the team and maybe the refs perspective as well. I just know going in that watching the Raps play the Cavs that I am going to be annoyed afterward.

The quick fouls on Okoro, as well as the one on Allen, really changed the entire dynamic in terms of how the Cavs defended them. First off, it took our best wing defender out of the game five minutes in. Second, it encouraged the Raptors to continue to initiate contact. Third, it required the Cavs to help in the paint as getting to the spot first as the defender would only result in a foul. But when you have to help in the paint, you leave the corner three open.

Nevermind the fact that we were playing at home, players are coached to defend with their feet and not reach starting in middle school and the way that game was called was an abomination that flipped the rules on their head. I really hope the front office sent the tape into the league for that game because it was an absurdity. That baseline official in particular was screened off and making calls based on contact he anticipated but didn't actually see. Finally, shame on the two officials who were out there with him, who did have a clear view, didn't make those calls, and didn't say anything to him.