PG & GT#39 RAPTORS @ CELTICS on Friday, January 9th, 2026 @ 7 PM EST on SN/1050

[TheGeneral99]

Gradeys shotput style jump shot is ass for sure I don’t know how it worked at Kansas but I’m not that surprised it sucks here in the NBA. That being said, can’t complain too much about him last game but obviously we wanted more Shead.

Yeah I mean it's tough.

He has a bit of a weird sling shot that is unorthodox, but guys like Bird and Jokic also have that similar sling shot form.

It's like sometimes it's a beautiful pure swish and other times he's way off, not consistent.

[Thaddy]

Anyone crapping on Dick doesn't understand NBA basketball. He's a positive on defense now, he is turning into a defensive stopper. No one saw that coming. He is essentially the guard version of CMB right now. His body will adjust and he will shoot better. I'm writing off this season.

If his shot never comes back but his handle improves he will still be a really good player and the SG of the future. We are still rebuilding, we gotta let our GM cook and make good deals for basketball (not cap) reasons.

I know RJ is important but if we can sell high and fix our cap woes it could be worth it.

Alright Folks.we have our formula for future success.

Trade RJ and trust in Dick. Dick will never shoot, but he will be the next all defense SG.

Not sure if Joking. You are starting to sound like Reeko.

Neither of them will be a part of a championship team in their career. We need to build the overall value of our roster. That means we should be selling high and buying low. Selling Dick makes sense for cap reasons but what if he blows up on another team, then what? It will look like the worst move in a decade. At the end of the day we invested a lottery pick in Gradey. RJ was a piece we never wanted in the OG trade.

Even trading IQ now doesn't make sense. His value is at an all time low. The contract is flat and waiting will make it look much better. Other players will be getting insane contracts and he'll look better relatively.

You know what won us a chip before? Selling high, buying low, and internal growth. That's the formula.

[tsherkin]

You know what won us a chip before? Selling high, buying low, and internal growth. That's the formula.

It was also "ensuring you've built a successful team with lots of assets that was performing really well for a half decade."

Need to accumulate assets in order to do that.

[Tripod]

I thought people on here were down playing Brown. Taking stats too seriously. You got to trust your eyes. I wouldn't mind Brown as a Raptor at all.

There was lots of "Siakam is better than Brown" when Siakam was a Raptor. But I think Brown has improved and also shown he has another level that Siakam doesn't have.

For the most part Siakam has been fantastic this year doing his best to carry a team that is nowhere near as good as the celtics. not sure brown would do any better on the pacers

pascal's last few games while also playing excellent defense and 35 minutes:

30/14/3
22/4/3/1/2
34/7/5
23/9/5
26/4/0/1/2
23/4/4
33/7/5

in those games the team went 1-6

It was no slight against Siakam. He has shown he can increase his volume and be a 24pt guy.

Brown showed previously he could be a 26 guy, and now an almost 30pt guy, and a finals MVP guy.

It's just a higher level that Siakam hasn't reached.

[Thaddy]

You know what won us a chip before? Selling high, buying low, and internal growth. That's the formula.

It was also "ensuring you've built a successful team with lots of assets that was performing really well for a half decade."

Need to accumulate assets in order to do that.

And we have. Ingram, RJ, IQ, and small trades like what we did with Davion, and signing Mamu.

We should be letting them cook, raise their value and then make a trade that makes sense. Not Trae, Davis or Sabonis.

What we need is a guard like Garland that can break down a defense and play make. That'll raise the value of our role players. It's a big reason why Walter, Dick and others don't look as good as they should.

[MEDIC]

You know what won us a chip before? Selling high, buying low, and internal growth. That's the formula.

It was also "ensuring you've built a successful team with lots of assets that was performing really well for a half decade."

Need to accumulate assets in order to do that.

And we have. Ingram, RJ, IQ, and small trades like what we did with Davion, and signing Mamu.

We should be letting them cook, raise their value and then make a trade that makes sense. Not Trae, Davis or Sabonis.

What we need is a guard like Garland that can break down a defense and play make. That'll raise the value of our role players. It's a big reason why Walter, Dick and others don't look as good as they should.

Can't argue with the last part.

[tsherkin]

And we have. Ingram, RJ, IQ, and small trades like what we did with Davion, and signing Mamu.

It's definitely a start.

We should be letting them cook, raise their value and then make a trade that makes sense. Not Trae, Davis or Sabonis.

I don't know that they're going to have value a lot higher than that.

What we need is a guard like Garland that can break down a defense and play make. That'll raise the value of our role players. It's a big reason why Walter, Dick and others don't look as good as they should.

Yes, it would. Unfortunately, there's a near-0% chance that we're going to get a player of that quality by leveraging what we've already got at the moment. Garland's under contract for two seasons beyond the current one and is a multiple-time All-Star who is at the core of Cleveland's ability to suceed.

Those guys don't come cheap.

[mihaic]

And we have. Ingram, RJ, IQ, and small trades like what we did with Davion, and signing Mamu.

It's definitely a start.

We should be letting them cook, raise their value and then make a trade that makes sense. Not Trae, Davis or Sabonis.

I don't know that they're going to have value a lot higher than that.

What we need is a guard like Garland that can break down a defense and play make. That'll raise the value of our role players. It's a big reason why Walter, Dick and others don't look as good as they should.

Yes, it would. Unfortunately, there's a near-0% chance that we're going to get a player of that quality by leveraging what we've already got at the moment. Garland's under contract for two seasons beyond the current one and is a multiple-time All-Star who is at the core of Cleveland's ability to suceed.

Those guys don't come cheap.

Ya it would be a lot of picks. I don’t understand why we never draft a point guard, in the first round. It's ridiculous. It feels like they always draft tweeter forwards or combo guards.

[DelAbbot]

Raps are 0-9 now vs the other top 10 teams. I asked an AI source what does it mean when a team can't beat the top teams? Response:

When a team can't beat top teams, it usually means they lack consistency, tactical flexibility, or the elite-level execution needed to overcome superior talent and organization, often struggling with discipline, key player performance, and adapting to high-pressure situations, even if they dominate lower-ranked opponents. It signals a gap in either individual talent, coaching strategy, or mental toughness compared to the league's elite, showing they can't consistently raise their game when it matters most. 

Common Reasons for This Struggle

Tactical Mismatch: Top teams often have better-structured tactics that exploit weaknesses, such as creating large gaps in a high-pressing defense or neutralizing a star player, which less-organized teams can't counter.
Mental & Preparation Issues: They might get complacent, take the opposition lightly, or lack the consistent focus and preparation that elite teams maintain, leading to underperformance.
Lack of Discipline: Inability to maintain defensive shape, poor shot selection, or undisciplined play gives more efficient teams easy opportunities.
Inconsistent Key Players: A team might rely too much on a few stars, or conversely, lack the "superstar" presence that can create moments of magic, leading to predictability or collapse when things go wrong.
Systemic Limitations: Their system might be too rigid or not suited for breaking down elite, well-drilled defenses, as seen in gaming simulations where tactics fail against strong opponents.
Poor Execution: Even with good plans, they might fail to execute crucial plays (like finishing one-onones) at the necessary high level. 

What It Means for the Team

"Good, Not Great" Status: They are likely a solid team in their own tier but lack the extra gear, talent, or mentality to compete with the true contenders.
Need for Growth: It highlights areas needing significant improvement, such as player development, coaching adjustments, or a cultural shift towards elite standards.
Vulnerability in Playoffs: While they might cruise in the regular season, this flaw becomes glaring in high-stakes playoff games where every possession and tactical adjustment matters. 

Get that AI-generated slop out of here

[Duffman100]

Raps are 0-9 now vs the other top 10 teams. I asked an AI source what does it mean when a team can't beat the top teams? Response:

When a team can't beat top teams, it usually means they lack consistency, tactical flexibility, or the elite-level execution needed to overcome superior talent and organization, often struggling with discipline, key player performance, and adapting to high-pressure situations, even if they dominate lower-ranked opponents. It signals a gap in either individual talent, coaching strategy, or mental toughness compared to the league's elite, showing they can't consistently raise their game when it matters most. 

Common Reasons for This Struggle

Tactical Mismatch: Top teams often have better-structured tactics that exploit weaknesses, such as creating large gaps in a high-pressing defense or neutralizing a star player, which less-organized teams can't counter.
Mental & Preparation Issues: They might get complacent, take the opposition lightly, or lack the consistent focus and preparation that elite teams maintain, leading to underperformance.
Lack of Discipline: Inability to maintain defensive shape, poor shot selection, or undisciplined play gives more efficient teams easy opportunities.
Inconsistent Key Players: A team might rely too much on a few stars, or conversely, lack the "superstar" presence that can create moments of magic, leading to predictability or collapse when things go wrong.
Systemic Limitations: Their system might be too rigid or not suited for breaking down elite, well-drilled defenses, as seen in gaming simulations where tactics fail against strong opponents.
Poor Execution: Even with good plans, they might fail to execute crucial plays (like finishing one-onones) at the necessary high level. 

What It Means for the Team

"Good, Not Great" Status: They are likely a solid team in their own tier but lack the extra gear, talent, or mentality to compete with the true contenders.
Need for Growth: It highlights areas needing significant improvement, such as player development, coaching adjustments, or a cultural shift towards elite standards.
Vulnerability in Playoffs: While they might cruise in the regular season, this flaw becomes glaring in high-stakes playoff games where every possession and tactical adjustment matters. 

So things we already knew and didn't need AI to tell us?

And i wonder how many of those 9 games were healthy.

I was going to say, pretty much everyone knows this. At best we might make it to the 2nd round.

Either way it was a really good fight against Boston considering how injured we were