Boogie! wrote:billy_hoyle wrote:Boogie! wrote:
If you honestly think the raptors hvve a chance of missing the playoffs with the roster as constructed I will lump you in as one of the analysts who have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. I can guarantee the raptors are making the playoffs and am willing to bet a large sum of money on that idea alone. I am also willing to bet a slightly lesser amount that they wi be a top 5 seed. If you actually follow the team and understand basketball and the state of the other teams in the league and the east specifically, theres no need to take the "wait and see approach" when assessing this team's playoff chances. The only chance this team misses the playoffs is if a guy like Lowry or siakam misses a significant amount of time due to Injury.
You misunderstood my post. I don't think the Raps are missing the playoffs. I do think the 50 win mark is up for debate, and that analysts thinking we are a low to mid 40 win team (with the built in factor of us possibly trading the veterans) is reasonable.
Duncan retired and the Spurs filled his salary and roster void with an all star (LaMarcus Aldridge), who was better than end of career Duncan. Not to mention Kawhi was comung into his own (replaced by all-nba'er DeMar). Your argument was just garbage. There's no comparison between the Spurs and this year's Raptors.
A more apt comparison would be us and the Warriors minus KD & Klay, but + Russell. The analysts think they will be worse this year Despite being a 60 - 70 win team the last 5 years. Go figure. Does that also piss you off?
The warriors lost iggy, Shaun Livingston, and basically replaced all their role playing depth with scrubs.
Siakam is due to take a big leap, Lowry is still Lowry and we still have gasol ibaka fvv and norm all from the championship core. The warriors comparison makes absolutely no sense. If we had replaced norm fvv and Ibaka with g leaguers, while keeping our starting lineup, that would be a more apt comparison to the warriors. Not to mention, it's not that the analysts think they'd be worse, prior to the start of the season some of them even said they'd still make the playoffs in the west. Meanwhile a lot of them have us as a fringe playoff chance in the east.
Somehow you're still trying to prove there's doubt when there isn't any. The analysts are all wrong. They've been wrong for years. Can't believe you're trying to suggest that I'm upset that people think "the raptors will be worse." that's clearly not my argument. No **** they'll be worse. My argument is that people somehow think they can miss the playoffs in the east. They have the Celtics as a top 3 seed when the Celtics are far less talented than the raptors.
It's odd you use the LaMarcus to Duncan comparison when that's essentially the kawhi to siakam talent drop. And Lowry has consistently been a top 10 impact player his entire tenure here. Ther is absolutely no doubt that the raptors are a playoff team and a top 5 seed in the eas on talent alone. If you're an analyst getting paid to assess basketball this is obvious. If you think the raptors are missing the playoffs you shouldn't be paid to talk basketball. And if you personally think the raltors are making the playoffs than I have no idea how you're defending the notion that it's possible they don't. Ill give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it's you that misunderstood, otherwise I have no idea why you're arguing with me.
Appears we just disagree and rate talent differently. Examples:
Duncan the year prior to his retirement was much worse than the prime LaMarcus that took his place. (By the way, I don't see how this is 'odd', you brought up the Spurs situation, I just used it to show your stance makes no logical sense - again that's IMO).
Kawhi last year (best player in the league IMO) is better than Pascal this year. You concede this fact. Therefore the Spurs are more likely to improve or stay afloat in comparison to the raps(who downgraded their primary option).
Shaun Livingston and Iggy were absolute scrubs last year from my limited viewing. SL retired b/c he was so washed.
The GSW are worse because they lost KD and Klay and replaced them with Russell. Full stop.
We will be worse this year because we lost Kawhi and Danny Green and replaced them with Stanley Johnson and RHJ. Full Stop. OG with a big Jump will clearly mitigate this loss by more than most predictions anticipated.
We will likely not win 50 games. It's ok if we don't, we took a massive hit in FA.
I seriously don't get why you are 'pissed off' about the projections.
I hope we win 55+. It wouldn't shock me to see us fighting for the playoffs.
We shall see if the analysts are right. Like you said they haven't been in previous years.