Game 67: Toronto Raptors (35-30) @ Phoenix Suns (53-13) l Friday l 7:00pm l BSAZ

[SunsRback4Good]

Who: Toronto Raptors @ Phoenix Suns

When: Friday, March 11th @ 7:00pm (9:00ET) l BSAZ

Previous matchup: PHX 99-95; Jan, 11th, 2022

Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ








Toronto Raptors starting lineup:


C- Birch

F- Siakam

F- Barnes

G- Trent

G- VanVleet



Reserves: Boucher/Achiuwa/Young/Banton





Phoenix Suns starting lineup:


C- Ayton

F- Crowder

F- Bridges

G- Booker

G- Payne



Reserves: Shamet/Mcgee/Craig/Holiday

[spanishninja]

assuming CamPayne is ok, but what about the other one?

[SunsRback4Good]

assuming CamPayne is ok, but what about the other one?

Right now says game time decision, I would let his quad heal a few days longer and get him ready to play on Sunday against LA.

[lilfishi22]

Another well coached team that has underachieved this season but certainly still dangerous.

[bwgood77]

Another well coached team that has underachieved this season but certainly still dangerous.

I don't know if they have underachieved. Most people going in thought they were a tanking team. Got a high pick in the draft, got rid of their best player in Lowry, went young, Siakam had declined, etc. I thought they'd be pretty tough though. I wasn't expecting Barnes to look at good as he has though.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Another well coached team that has underachieved this season but certainly still dangerous.

The Raptors are better than your typical 8th seed. The east this year is great.

... Of course, if it weren't for the west's long injury list, the west would be just nuts. Lillard-Kawhi-George-Draymond-Davis would make a helluva starting lineup with Zion, Murray, and Porter off the bench. Paul, too, if he counts. Compare that to Irving-Beal-Hayward-Simmons-Lopez, with Rubio, Oladipo, Brogdon and Warren off the bench.

I really hope we win it all this year. Best shot at the title we've ever had. It should only be tougher next season. Anything can happen. A dynasty can disappear in a flash.

[lilfishi22]

Another well coached team that has underachieved this season but certainly still dangerous.

I don't know if they have underachieved. Most people going in thought they were a tanking team. Got a high pick in the draft, got rid of their best player in Lowry, went young, Siakam had declined, etc. I thought they'd be pretty tough though. I wasn't expecting Barnes to look at good as he has though.

Pretty sure they weren't planning to tank from the Raptors fans I talked to. They were aiming for squeak into the playoffs while developing their younger guys around Siakam, FVV and OG which is what they are doing now. I say they underachieved because they struggled to stay above .500 for most of the season until the past month and half.

[lilfishi22]

Another well coached team that has underachieved this season but certainly still dangerous.

The Raptors are better than your typical 8th seed. The east this year is great.

... Of course, if it weren't for the west's long injury list, the west would be just nuts. Lillard-Kawhi-George-Draymond-Davis would make a helluva starting lineup with Zion, Murray, and Porter off the bench. Paul, too, if he counts. Compare that to Irving-Beal-Hayward-Simmons-Lopez, with Rubio, Oladipo, Brogdon and Warren off the bench.

I really hope we win it all this year. Best shot at the title we've ever had. It should only be tougher next season. Anything can happen. A dynasty can disappear in a flash.

Yeah even though Lowry, Kawhi and Gasol are long gone, they still have dudes on their team who were pivotal to their 2018 championship like FVV, Siakam and to a lesser degree, OG. They also still have one of the best coaching mind in the NBA in Coach Nurse. Considering what they've gotten out of Barnes, OG and Trent Jr, they won't be a team that would just rollover.

They are certainly a better, more disciplined and relatively experienced team than you typical lower seed who are overachieving like the Pelicans, Hornets or even the Hawks.

[RunDogGun]

It would be super funny if the whole Raptor team wore Raptor masks when they came out for introductions.

[bwgood77]

Another well coached team that has underachieved this season but certainly still dangerous.

I don't know if they have underachieved. Most people going in thought they were a tanking team. Got a high pick in the draft, got rid of their best player in Lowry, went young, Siakam had declined, etc. I thought they'd be pretty tough though. I wasn't expecting Barnes to look at good as he has though.

Pretty sure they weren't planning to tank from the Raptors fans I talked to. They were aiming for squeak into the playoffs while developing their younger guys around Siakam, FVV and OG which is what they are doing now. I say they underachieved because they struggled to stay above .500 for most of the season until the past month and half.

OK, maybe the team wasn't planning that, and certainly not the players, but most of the fans on the Raptors forum were hoping for that to start the season for another high pick, mainly probably because when you win a chip you want your team to have good enough players to win one.

And they know to sustain it you need players on rookie deals or you will price yourself out of keeping a roster intact for long. And they may end up with a lottery pick anyway while also competing for the playoffs.

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[dremill24]

Turned the game on 3 minutes late to find the first possession i see where the Raps get 3 offensive rebounds lol deja vu?

[SkyBill40]

Off to a mixed start. Looks like Ayton is working at it, so that's a positive. Otherwise, the shooting hasn't been too great.

Saw a story about Chris Paul already getting some shots up, so perhaps he'll be back sooner than later. My only concern in that is he comes back prematurely, gets really injured, and then is OUT for the duration. We need him as he is an indispensable factor to the team in general.



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[Gorilla Warfare]

Every game I find myself asking “why does Monty let Payne and Crowder shoot the ball?”

[Slim Charless]

Are the Raptors always this good at rebounding, or its just us they're like this?

[Frank Lee]

Long and bouncy…. Our nemesis

[bwoolf2]

Every game I find myself asking “why does Monty let Payne and Crowder shoot the ball?”

Well tonight you would need to be asking that question on the entire team

[RaisingArizona]

Rebound the ball

[SkyBill40]

Another game of bricks, both of the shot and hands variety or so it would seem. Way too many opportunities for TOR both from boards and open looks.

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[Gorilla Warfare]

Incredible lazy pass by Book.