Raptors @ Hawks — Oct 22nd — 730PM EST — SN

Thaddy · Post #1 » by **Thaddy** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 6:54 pm

A win here would be a great way to start the regular season. The keys to the game would be:

- Containing Porzingis as a scorer and shooting threat
- Defending Porzingis by going small and using defensive options like Barnes and CMB against him, which forces him to be an interior scorer
- Using our transition offense and finding our shooters earlylike IQ, RJ, Ingram, and Dick

What do you think the keys to the game will be?

GoRapstheoriginal · Post #2 » by **GoRapstheoriginal** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 6:59 pm

GO RAPTORS GO! LETS GO RAPTORS! WE GOT THIS #TEAMPOSITIVEPOLLY!

!

Potential · Post #3 » by **Potential** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 7:05 pm

The full court pressure and defensive intensity leading to fast breaks is going to be fun to watch all season long. Lets see how it looks from game 1 in Atlanta

MEDIC · Post #4 » by **MEDIC** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 7:34 pm

Potential wrote:The full court pressure and defensive intensity leading to fast breaks is going to be fun to watch all season long. Lets see how it looks from game 1 in Atlanta

Yeah. I am really looking forward to it because its the brand of basketball that I like.

This common ideology that teams in the NBA don't press because the players are too good & it won't work........it's a myth. We can see very clearly that it does work & it is disruptive & that NBA player really don't like being pressed. They are frustrated by it.

The truth is, teams typically didn't press historically because NBA players don't want to have to work that hard on defense. Also, the NBA wants to see freedom of movement because fancy scoring moves are what sell the game to the average fans that don't know the game of basketball all that well.That's why you always saw a quicker whistle........to deter teams from doing it.

The NBA has changed their stance on that the last 2 seasons & you are seeing more teams focusing on defensive effort.

hyper316 · Post #5 » by **hyper316** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 7:39 pm

Who is going to defend Young?

I think IQ will get torched, probably same with Shead.

I would throw big bodies on Young, Barnes from starters, and CMB from bench

Thaddy · Post #6 » by **Thaddy** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 7:55 pm

hyper316 wrote:Who is going to defend Young?

I think IQ will get torched, probably same with Shead.

I would throw big bodies on Young, Barnes from starters, and CMB from bench

Okongwu - Poeltl
Risacher - Ingram
Porzingis - Barnes
Young - RJ
NAW - IQ

I would probably go with something like this. Throw size at Young and make him take it inside or call for the switch, it'll kill their sets by wasting time on the clock. It'll let RJ go out in transition on defensive boards and jump start the transition offense.

Prestige · Post #7 » by **Prestige** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 8:22 pm

You guys are forgetting Jalen Johnson, unless he's injured. He's their 2nd best player.

causal_fan · Post #8 » by **causal_fan** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 9:16 pm

Atlanta is a good team - I expect them to steamroll the Raptors.

Post #9 » by **HiJiNX** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 9:18 pm

Hawks will be one of the teams that takes a leap this year.

mihaic · Post #10 » by **mihaic** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 9:28 pm

Is will still around to post in the 1st page of 1st game?

Anyways, if I were betting, I would favour the Hawks on this. Their offense is still run through Trae so they should be further along. We still have a chance if our 3s are in mid-high thirties, or if Barnes gets to FT, or if the unicorn is rusty from 3.

dballislife · Post #11 » by **dballislife** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 9:36 pm

honestly spots 3-10 is the east is up for grabs, and hawks are right in that area so this is a great test right off the bat

if we want to do anything this year we gotta at least compete in games like this even if we dont win it

Syd-TK3 · Post #12 » by **Syd-TK3** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 9:37 pm

This our first game on the road to start the season in forever

Pointgod · Post #13 » by **Pointgod** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 11:42 pm

hyper316 wrote:Who is going to defend Young?

I think IQ will get torched, probably same with Shead.

I would throw big bodies on Young, Barnes from starters, and CMB from bench

Probably Barrett

hyper316 · Post #14 » by **hyper316** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 11:43 pm

Pointgod wrote:
hyper316 wrote:Who is going to defend Young?

I think IQ will get torched, probably same with Shead.

I would throw big bodies on Young, Barnes from starters, and CMB from bench

Probably Barrett

Barrett has like the worst lateral quickness out of the wings tho...

Ochai would do a good job

NinjaBro · Post #15 » by **NinjaBro** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 11:48 pm

mihaic wrote:Is will still around to post in the 1st page of 1st game?

He's been banished to Guangdong permanently.

Brinbe · Post #16 » by **Brinbe** » Sun Oct 19, 2025 11:53 pm

Trae usually plays well against us but who knows how things will go. CMB being back will be a big help.

C_Money · Post #17 » by **C_Money** » Mon Oct 20, 2025 12:23 am

Syd-TK3 wrote:This our first game on the road to start the season in forever

Yeah it doesn’t feel right. Should be at home

mihaic · Post #18 » by **mihaic** » Mon Oct 20, 2025 12:36 am

So apparently the Pascal trade deal-breaker was waived by the Nets:
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/282425/Nets-Waive-Kobe-Bufkin

I know a lot of people were high on him.

Thaddy · Post #19 » by **Thaddy** » Mon Oct 20, 2025 12:49 am

mihaic wrote:So apparently the Pascal trade deal-breaker was waived by the Nets:
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/282425/Nets-Waive-Kobe-Bufkin

I know a lot of people were high on him.

What happened to that guy? I thought he was a lock to be a good scorer. At least off the bench?

mihaic · Post #20 » by **mihaic** » Mon Oct 20, 2025 1:57 am

Thaddy wrote:
mihaic wrote:So apparently the Pascal trade deal-breaker was waived by the Nets:
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/282425/Nets-Waive-Kobe-Bufkin

I know a lot of people were high on him.

What happened to that guy? I thought he was a lock to be a good scorer. At least off the bench?

Hawks gave up on him, but I expected Nets would give him a chance. He must have had a terrible showing in the training camp.