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Toronto is the opposite of Charlotte. They have some weapons on offense, but their defense is awful. This is actually a more dangerous type of team for the Thunder IMO since they are more prone to offensive slumps than defensive ones, and Toronto should score some points in this game. The Thunder have held four straight teams under 90 points, though.

DeMar DeRozan has been putting up points in bunches lately. Thabo is actually useful in this game, since DeRozan is the kind of player he has the most success with (swingman with no 3pt shot). DeRozan is not the kind of player who is going to have a crazy efficient night unless you let him. Keep him off the line and challenge him at the rim, basically.

Bargnani is the guy who can be a Thunder killer. Ibaka will probably guard him, and we know Ibaka struggles sometimes guarding way out on the perimeter. Bargnani has 26 points and a season high 12 rebounds the last time he faced the Thunder.

This should be another win, though, despite all that. But the Raptors have weapons to keep this game competitive if the Thunder don't come out trying to take it.

This should be an easy win. Toronto isn't very good, and they are even worse away from home. I just hope the players don't feel the same way.

With Perkins I don't see us playing down to teams anymore. He doesn't put up with that **** on the court and if he sees someone slacking off, he'll call them out on it. He's already called a couple of guys out when they missed their responsibilities, including Ibaka and Westbrook.

Not saying that we'll never play a close game with a bad team again, but it will be because they are playing up to us instead of us playing down to them.

KD will get to show the Raptors the difference between playing the Thunder when he's not on the court, and playing the Thunder when he's on the court.

fallacy wrote:With Perkins I don't see us playing down to teams anymore. He doesn't put up with that **** on the court and if he sees someone slacking off, he'll call them out on it. He's already called a couple of guys out when they missed their responsibilities, including Ibaka and Westbrook.

seriously I love that

maybe even a bigger impact in that regard than what he does on the court (which isn't nothing)

really couldn't happier with the fit, leadership, and veteren experience Perk has been providing

DeRozan won't infiltrate our paint. Should be a win.

I guess we'll be surprised on D against Bargnani.

if you guys can allow derozan to have a good game and let us stay in the game until the last few mins, and then expose bargnani defensively in the last few mins to win the game, i'll be happy. thx

What are you doing Perkins?

Ibaka is a horrible PnR defender, and can't defend Bargnani on the perimeter.

slick_watts wrote:Ibaka is a horrible PnR defender, and can't defend Bargnani on the perimeter.

I just think he isn't trying hard. He plays great defense at the end of games. Its a mental thing for him and others.

feisty 1st quarter though, the guys need to calm down and execute.

dream_catcher_9 wrote:

slick_watts wrote:Ibaka is a horrible PnR defender, and can't defend Bargnani on the perimeter.

I just think he isn't trying hard. He plays great defense at the end of games. Its a mental thing for him and others.

He's always bad at this though against that type of player.

slick_watts wrote:

dream_catcher_9 wrote:

slick_watts wrote:Ibaka is a horrible PnR defender, and can't defend Bargnani on the perimeter.

I just think he isn't trying hard. He plays great defense at the end of games. Its a mental thing for him and others.

He's always bad at this though against that type of player.

you just said he plays terrible PnR. He doesn't at end of games, which is why I think he just isn't trying hard.

Ibaka is a horrible PnR defender at all points of the game...

The offense looks like they've never seen a zone in their lives and the interior defenders are confused by a jumpshooting big (which is weird because Ibaka should have plenty of experience from practicing vs Green).

slick_watts wrote:Ibaka is a horrible PnR defender at all points of the game...

no he isn't.

With a few obvious exceptions (Harden, Collison, Perkins) everyone's just a bit too lackadaisical out there.

And it seems like Ibaka's jumper has completely fallen apart.

Westbrook is playing really bad.

I wish I knew what Westbrook and Ibaka think they're doing.