SotD: Raps bench #1 in NetRTG.

[vini_vidi_vici]

It seems in the DC era, it doesnt matter who stays, gets injured, or goes, this team always cobbles together an elite bench.

They are the best bench by .7 points per 100 possessions.

#3 in DRTG and #3 in ORTG.

In 59 mins, OG/DW/CJ/Jak/FVV are a +12.6. KL/DD with the bench is good too in limited mins.

With OG/NP flip flopping, its small samples, so its good to see the unit as a whole performing well.

[ReggieSlater]

Why do I think a thread that should be praising DC is going to turn into a thread about how his rotations are bad and he should be playing the bench more.

[vini_vidi_vici]

Why do I think a thread that should be praising DC is going to turn into a thread about how his rotations are bad and he should be playing the bench more.

Because ppl are embedded in their opinions and never change.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Best part is CJ-Fred-Pascal-Poeltl-Norm make 14.8 million combined.

[johanliebert]

question is who is left out the rotation in the playoffs.

[Mister Ze]

FVV is number 1 in the NBA in Net Rating at 18.9

[Yallbecrazy]

Most teams use a total of 8 or 9 guys (3 maybe 4 bench players), Raptors are using 5-7 bench guys every night which makes this even more incredible.

[lolwut]

FVV is number 1 in the NBA in Net Rating at 18.9

And to think I was fully on the Heslip bandwagon last training camp... shame on me!

[vini_vidi_vici]

FVV is number 1 in the NBA in Net Rating at 18.9

So to clarify some things.

a) among qualifiers (mins/GP).
b) He isnt, the lineup while he is on the floor is a +18.9.

I see alot of ppl type this (not just you), but just wanted to clarify because we dont need to perpetuate some myth. Incredible to see nonetheless.

[ruckus]

It truly is remarkable that a) Masai has put together an effective bench and b) Casey has worked them into the rotation without skipping a beat.

Compare the #1 bench to the #2 bench (Houston):

OG/Powell, Wright, FVV, Miles, Poeltl, Siakam, Bebe

vs

Nene, Tucker, Mbah a Moute, Gordon (now that CP3) is back

When healthy, our bench goes 7 deep. It's crazy.

Our bench's experience combined is 22 years and 12 years of that is due to CJ Miles. Houston main bench pieces combined is 39 years.

All that being said, without better top end talent, we really aren't going anywhere.

However, if anyone ever questioned Casey's legitimacy as a coach or Masai's ability to scout, this bench is the counterpoint to that.

[Throwback24]

question is who is left out the rotation in the playoffs.

Depends on who we matchup with. One of Delon/FVV might have to take a backseat and I'm not sure it'll be FVV. He can shoot, Delon can't.

OG ..... may or may not play depending on the matchup. I don't know. Tough decisions will have to be made. In past years I would guess Powell, it won't be him based on the contract extension.

[slothrop8]

Huge credit to Masai for pulling the depth on this roster together. I was and continue to be very high on our young players and even I expected a little step back this season losing Patterson/CoJo/ and Ross pre-All Star and Tucker post-All Star from the bench. Even though I wanted to turn the young guys loose and believed it was by far the right thing for us long term, I expected some growing pains in year 1 with the younger players in expanded roles. I also strongly disagreed with setting up the rotation in such a way that the Lowry+ Bench unit was really no longer a thing.

I was wrong so far - our young players have been fantastic, Miles has fit right in, and losing the vets off the bench group hasn't hurt at all yet, and we've been able to shave 4.5 minutes per game off Kyle's workload. Great job by Ujiri and Masai both.

[MikeM]

Credit to Stackhouse and the 905 for our bench.

[ruckus]

Huge credit to Masai for pulling the depth on this roster together. I was and continue to be very high on our young players and even I expected a little step back this season losing Patterson/CoJo/ and Ross pre-All Star and Tucker post-All Star from the bench. Even though I wanted to turn the young guys loose and believed it was by far the right thing for us long term, I expected some growing pains in year 1 with the younger players in expanded roles. I also strongly disagreed with setting up the rotation in such a way that the Lowry+ Bench unit was really no longer a thing.

I was wrong so far - our young players have been fantastic, Miles has fit right in, and losing the vets off the bench group hasn't hurt at all yet, and we've been able to shave 4.5 minutes per game off Kyle's workload. Great job by Ujiri and Masai both.

That's the thing. Most experts pegged the Raps between 43-48 wins IIRC. Most likely due to the losses of Pat, Cojo and Tucker. The way this team is currently playing - it's a mid-50 win team. Granted, it's still early in the season and a lot of things can change but, the early results are nothing short of amazing.

[vini_vidi_vici]

Huge credit to Masai for pulling the depth on this roster together. I was and continue to be very high on our young players and even I expected a little step back this season losing Patterson/CoJo/ and Ross pre-All Star and Tucker post-All Star from the bench. Even though I wanted to turn the young guys loose and believed it was by far the right thing for us long term, I expected some growing pains in year 1 with the younger players in expanded roles. I also strongly disagreed with setting up the rotation in such a way that the Lowry+ Bench unit was really no longer a thing.

I was wrong so far - our young players have been fantastic, Miles has fit right in, and losing the vets off the bench group hasn't hurt at all yet, and we've been able to shave 4.5 minutes per game off Kyle's workload. Great job by Ujiri and Masai both.

That's the thing. Most experts pegged the Raps between 43-48 wins IIRC. Most likely due to the losses of Pat, Cojo and Tucker. The way this team is currently playing - it's a mid-50 win team. Granted, it's still early in the season and a lot of things can change but, the early results are nothing short of amazing.

Consider the early season SOS (at points we were top 3-5 hardest) too, its pretty amazing.

[scopy]

Why do I think a thread that should be praising DC is going to turn into a thread about how his rotations are bad and he should be playing the bench more.

Because ppl are embedded in their opinions and never change.

I was never a huge Casey fan, but cannot criticize him at all this year.

I still don't like his suits, but that's all I got.

[spicy4MVP]

Why do I think a thread that should be praising DC is going to turn into a thread about how his rotations are bad and he should be playing the bench more.

Because ppl are embedded in their opinions and never change.

I was never a huge Casey fan, but cannot criticize him at all this year.

I still don't like his suits, but that's all I got.

toronto raptors are the most bi-polar fans in NBA. Give it few games until Casey turns into the worst coach in NBA and how we should fire him immediately or you'll quit watching raptors.

[slothrop8]

I was wrong so far - our young players have been fantastic, Miles has fit right in, and losing the vets off the bench group hasn't hurt at all yet, and we've been able to shave 4.5 minutes per game off Kyle's workload. Great job by Ujiri and Masai both.

Ha - it pains me so much to give Casey credit where it's due I botched it here when I tried. Great job by Casey and Masai both.

[ATLTimekeeper]

This definitely should morph into an apologize to Casey thread.

3rd overall in net rating. In the last 10 we're 8-2 and our net rating is 11.4. Boston is 8-2 with a net rating of 5.4. During that stretch we have a negative FTr - Opponent FTr of -.077. No other team on a streak is in the negatives other than Utah. And the only team with negative numbers close to ours are like 1-9, 2-8 teams. Casey's basically dealing with a starting unit that makes too much and doesn't give enough effort, so he balances that out by playing the right bench notes, he's dealing with a strong push back from the officials, has had only two close games (both losses) and both had two minute reports favouring the opposition.

Anyway, we'll bounce in the 2nd round and Cleveland-Boston will get their moment, but I'll enjoy this while it lasts.

[LLJ]

I'll apologize to Casey when we win a Game 1