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So with the Raptors' final 8 neutral site games to round up the season:

Aug 1 - Lakers
Aug 3 - Heat
Aug 5 - Magic
Aug 7 - Celtics
Aug 9 - Grizzlies
Aug 10 - Bucks
Aug 12 - 76ers
Aug 14 - Nuggets

Here is what I hope expect to happen:

• 6-2 at worst, 8-0 at best finish with a lock on the 2nd seed in the East. Voted for 7-1.
• Injuries are going to plague several teams, given the abrupt return to crunch-time games that demand a high level of intensity.
• Raptors depth and defensive acumen, in tandem with Nurse's "go-with-the-hot-hand" mentality, shall carry them to the 2020 NBA Finals.

we are a clear cut above everyone except LAL, BOS, and MIL. I know people like to **** on the Celtics but they are very good and have been almost as injured as we have. I went with 5-3.

Heat - good team, not on our level
76ers - lol
Nuggets - See Heat, also this game may not matter with respect to standings so we could see some guys get reduced minutes or get rested all together.

6-2 maybe 5-3.

i expect 6-2, voted 5-3 to be a little pessimistic.

How realistic of a chance do Celts have of taking the #2 spot? They would almost certainly have to beat us in the game we play against them

We have a few games on the Celtics so we just need to go out there and win a few of these games and use the time to get into a good rhythm. Even if it takes some time to get our legs back under our shots offensively, I'm hoping defensively we'll be sound right from the start.

We don't have the easiest schedule. Orlando and Memphis are the only two fringe teams that we face, we've got to win those.

That matchup on August 7 against Boston is an important measuring stick type of game. We get to see certain players, run certain matchups, try out some different things. I'm excited for that one.

nikster wrote:i expect 6-2, voted 5-3 to be a little pessimistic.

How realistic of a chance do Celts have of taking the #2 spot? They would almost certainly have to beat us in the game we play against them

Well we're 3 games up.

So even if we only win 4-5 games, they'd have to win 7-8 just to tie us. We are definitely in a position to take care of our own destiny, especially if we can beat them in our head to head matchup.

EDIT: Boston won two of three matchups this year so far, so they own the head-to-head right now.

The Celtics start off by playing the Bucks / Trailblazers / Heat. That's a tougher first three games than what we've got. Their last 3 games are a breeze compared to ours though.

JShuttlesworth wrote:

nikster wrote:i expect 6-2, voted 5-3 to be a little pessimistic.

How realistic of a chance do Celts have of taking the #2 spot? They would almost certainly have to beat us in the game we play against them

Well we're 3 games up.

So even if we only win 4-5 games, they'd have to win 7-8 just to tie us. We are definitely in a position to take care of our own destiny, especially if we can beat them in our head to head matchup.

We've won two of three matchups this year so far, so we own the head-to-head right now against Boston.

The Celtics start off by playing the Bucks / Trailblazers / Heat. That's a tougher first three games than what we've got. Their last 3 games are a breeze compared to ours though.

Okay that's what I thought. So if they beat us and season series is tied what's the tie breaker?

Aug 1 - Lakers (W)
Aug 3 - Heat (W)
Aug 5 - Magic (W)
Aug 7 - Celtics (W)
Aug 9 - Grizzlies (W)
Aug 10 - Bucks (W)
Aug 12 - 76ers (W)
Aug 14 - Nuggets (L)

nikster wrote:

JShuttlesworth wrote:

nikster wrote:i expect 6-2, voted 5-3 to be a little pessimistic.

How realistic of a chance do Celts have of taking the #2 spot? They would almost certainly have to beat us in the game we play against them

Well we're 3 games up.

So even if we only win 4-5 games, they'd have to win 7-8 just to tie us. We are definitely in a position to take care of our own destiny, especially if we can beat them in our head to head matchup.

We've won two of three matchups this year so far, so we own the head-to-head right now against Boston.

The Celtics start off by playing the Bucks / Trailblazers / Heat. That's a tougher first three games than what we've got. Their last 3 games are a breeze compared to ours though.

Okay that's what I thought. So if they beat us and season series is tied what's the tie breaker?

"Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division)"

TIEBREAKER BASIS WHEN TWO TEAMS ARE TIED:

· (1A) Better winning percentage in games against each other
· (2A) Division winner (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division)
· (3A) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division)
· (4A) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference
· (5A) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
· (6A) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in opposite conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
· (7A) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (point differential).

JShuttlesworth wrote:

nikster wrote:

JShuttlesworth wrote:
Well we're 3 games up.

So even if we only win 4-5 games, they'd have to win 7-8 just to tie us. We are definitely in a position to take care of our own destiny, especially if we can beat them in our head to head matchup.

We've won two of three matchups this year so far, so we own the head-to-head right now against Boston.

The Celtics start off by playing the Bucks / Trailblazers / Heat. That's a tougher first three games than what we've got. Their last 3 games are a breeze compared to ours though.

Okay that's what I thought. So if they beat us and season series is tied what's the tie breaker?

"Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division)"

TIEBREAKER BASIS WHEN TWO TEAMS ARE TIED:

· (1A) Better winning percentage in games against each other
· (2A) Division winner (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division)
· (3A) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division)
· (4A) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference
· (5A) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
· (6A) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in opposite conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
· (7A) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (point differential).

We actually are 1-2 against Boston this season. We would need to win to tie the season series. Game 1 we lost 112-106 when we were up late and Nurse brought in Gasol for Ibaka and we choked the lead. Game 2 was the christmas day massacre and then game 3 was when we beat them a few days later.

If I'm Nurse, I'm circling the Celtics game on the calendar. I'd watch that game for a first run at playing at playoff-level intensity. Just got to be careful with the injuries.

Judging by our record against good teams this year...

Imma go with 3-5

I'm gonna be optimistic and say 6-2

Lakers - W (Lakers depth doesn't scare me at all)
Heat - L
Magic - W
Celtics - W (must win game, Celtics struggle beating the Raptors when they aren't at the Garden)
Grizzlies - W
Bucks - L
76ers - W (Sixers are dominant at home, trash on road...Orlando is the road)
Nuggets - W (no altitude advantage, no problem)

6-2. L's to RaptorsSouth (they need wins like water in desert) and Magic (they somehow seem having our numbers hence trap game)

Abs0ul13 wrote:

JShuttlesworth wrote:

nikster wrote:Okay that's what I thought. So if they beat us and season series is tied what's the tie breaker?

"Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division)"

TIEBREAKER BASIS WHEN TWO TEAMS ARE TIED:

· (1A) Better winning percentage in games against each other
· (2A) Division winner (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division)
· (3A) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division)
· (4A) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference
· (5A) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
· (6A) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in opposite conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
· (7A) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (point differential).

We actually are 1-2 against Boston this season. We would need to win to tie the season series. Game 1 we lost 112-106 when we were up late and Nurse brought in Gasol for Ibaka and we choked the lead. Game 2 was the christmas day massacre and then game 3 was when we beat them a few days later.

You are correct

I was reading a Boston article and read the W/L column backwards

Edited my original post. Thanks for that

4-4
Beat the Heat,Magic,Celtics and Grizzlies

Would be so much easier to predict after watching an exhibition game first. Who knows how the guys will be in an empty gym. But based on the match ups, and the way they were playing before the hiatus.. I have them at 5-3.

Going to predict W's against LA, Orlando, Memphis, Philly and Denver. L's to Miami, Boston, and Milwaukee

Im fine with a 5-3 or even 4-4. These r warm up games with guys being out so long. Its not gonna be pretty but it also doesn't mean they wont be good to go come playoffs. Just keep that 2nd seed and lets move on to the games that matter

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8-0, at least.

7-1

If we get by Miami, we'll be undefeated in the restart going into the MIL game, and then that becomes the loss.

Lose to the Nuggets only if they really need to win to avoid the Clippers bracket, which is an unlikely scenario.