GT #5 - Raptors (1-3) vs Rockets (1-2) - October 29th, 2025 - 6:30PM EST - TSN

elmer_yuck · Post #661 » by **elmer_yuck** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 4:59 pm

A lot of the moves by the front office the past few years have been so stupid that people think there must be some clever logic and wisdom behind them. When in fact they were just stupid.

Basketball_Jones · Post #662 » by **Basketball_Jones** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:20 pm

I think a pretty positive note is both Scottie and Ingram went off against a good defensive team. At least that’s their reputation. Some of it absurd hot shooting but I feel a lot better when our best players play like it even if we lose.

JB7 · Post #663 » by **JB7** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:20 pm

Troubadour wrote:
links135 wrote:
Troubadour wrote:
The Raptors currently have the 29th ranked defence in the league. Scoring might be up overall, but it's way up in Toronto.

Good news is we only play 1 team from the west in November.

It was hilarious though despite the fact we were clearly small as ****, RJ would go for like a floater or something, which is fine, but then all other 4 players would crash the glass, not get the offensive rebound and it's just an easy **** fast break the other way. You'd think if we were that small we'd at least focus on transition defense.

There's a five game stretch in November where we play Indiana, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington, and Brooklyn. If that is any worse than 3-2, major changes are needed for this group.

Thing is, I think LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Maxey are going to carve this group up. Real test will be how Alex Sarr looks against this frontcourt. If you can't handle a second-year stretch big in the paint, there's no team in the NBA you can defend.

The whole of November is pretty much playing these teams twice (Indiana, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Cavs) and these teams once (Wiz, Knicks, Bucks (maybe Giannis is rested as this game is the second of a back to back for the Bucks) and Hawks (with Trey probably hurt)).

If they are not back to .500 after November, then Darko might be in the hot seat.

JB7 · Post #664 » by **JB7** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:22 pm

Basketball_Jones wrote:I think a pretty positive note is both Scottie and Ingram went off against a good defensive team. At least that’s their reputation. Some of it absurd hot shooting but I feel a lot better when our best players play like it even if we lose.

Yes, Barnes, BI & RJ are all shooting really well to start the season. If IQ can pick it up, at least it is not O they are concerned with.

Troubadour · Post #665 » by **Troubadour** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:30 pm

Basketball_Jones wrote:I think a pretty positive note is both Scottie and Ingram went off against a good defensive team. At least that’s their reputation. Some of it absurd hot shooting but I feel a lot better when our best players play like it even if we lose.

All three of Scottie (64%), Ingram (64%) and RJ (66%) are above 60% TS right now. None of them have ever had a full season above 60% before. I'd be shocked if even one of them finished above 60% TS and it feels like this is what is making the offence work right now.

Brinbe · Post #666 » by **Brinbe** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:36 pm

Read on Twitter

Chat, is this bad? :-?

Basketball_Jones · Post #667 » by **Basketball_Jones** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:43 pm

Troubadour wrote:
Basketball_Jones wrote:I think a pretty positive note is both Scottie and Ingram went off against a good defensive team. At least that’s their reputation. Some of it absurd hot shooting but I feel a lot better when our best players play like it even if we lose.

All three of Scottie (64%), Ingram (64%) and RJ (66%) are above 60% TS right now. None of them have ever had a full season above 60% before. I'd be shocked if even one of them finished above 60% TS and it feels like this is what is making the offence work right now.

For sure that will come down. Ingram I think will probably be close though he looks consistent in what he does, I’m more disappointed in lack of playmaking hard to imagine he averaged 5 apg.

ATLTimekeeper · Post #668 » by **ATLTimekeeper** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:48 pm

Troubadour wrote:
Basketball_Jones wrote:I think a pretty positive note is both Scottie and Ingram went off against a good defensive team. At least that’s their reputation. Some of it absurd hot shooting but I feel a lot better when our best players play like it even if we lose.

All three of Scottie (64%), Ingram (64%) and RJ (66%) are above 60% TS right now. None of them have ever had a full season above 60% before. I'd be shocked if even one of them finished above 60% TS and it feels like this is what is making the offence work right now.

They'll go down, IQ and Gradey will go up. In terms of who the opposition is paying attention to, it's only BI and Gradey. Everyone else is feeding in transition or taking advantage of space.

Defensively there's a lot of confusion and just bad play. This is a terrible team right now, and resembles a Triano-era 'no one cares that you're here' level of coaching. I don't think that's the case with Darko, because this does seem like a high character team. I think it's probably just a lot of bad results early that need to be accounted for. Simplify IQ's role. Simplify Shead's role. Reduce BI's minutes. Choose one of Agbaji or Walter.

MEDIC · Post #669 » by **MEDIC** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:52 pm

Brinbe wrote:

Read on Twitter

Chat, is this bad?

Well......that 100% confirms what our eyes have been seeing.

How can a coach talk about winning with our defense & holding players accountable to playing good defense all freaking summer long, then start the season like this.

He either has no idea what he is doing or he has lost the players already.

Tha Cynic · Post #670 » by **Tha Cynic** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 6:02 pm

Sigh I really wish we had kept Davion Mitchell and gotten rid of anyone else. He would be the perfect cheap starting PG on this team

Pointgod · Post #671 » by **Pointgod** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 6:33 pm

Brinbe wrote:

Read on Twitter

Chat, is this bad?

Predictably we’re a mid team but at least we aren’t the Pelicans!

MEDIC · Post #672 » by **MEDIC** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:06 pm

Tha Cynic wrote:Sigh I really wish we had kept Davion Mitchell and gotten rid of anyone else. He would be the perfect cheap starting PG on this team

100%. I always thought we should have kept him. He had that Klow toughness.

He was the perfect culture setter. Should have been here for a long time. I loved his game. You roll with him until you draft or acquire a star PG.

JB7 · Post #673 » by **JB7** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:07 pm

MEDIC wrote:
Brinbe wrote:

Read on Twitter

Chat, is this bad?

Well......that 100% confirms what our eyes have been seeing.

How can a coach talk about winning with our defense & holding players accountable to playing good defense all freaking summer long, then start the season like this.

He either has no idea what he is doing or he has lost the players already.

It is also a product of the teams they have faced, with Yak hurting. They have faced some of the largest lineups in the league so far with the Bucks, Spurs, Mavs and Rockets.

I would be more concerned if I were the Magic. Same record as the Raps, horrible efficiency and they have lost to the Hawks, Bulls, Sixers & Pistons. Not exactly top tier teams in the league.

tdotrep2 · Post #674 » by **tdotrep2** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:08 pm

we are trying to play like okc with only 1 plus defender in the starting lineup... i mean lol

TorontoBarneys · Post #675 » by **TorontoBarneys** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:15 pm

Tha Cynic wrote:Sigh I really wish we had kept Davion Mitchell and gotten rid of anyone else. He would be the perfect cheap starting PG on this team

This is why I don't value age & potential much for low ceiling roleplayers. Mitchell was already a solid back-up. We got greedy.

Son Goku 25 · Post #676 » by **Son Goku 25** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:25 pm

Basketball_Jones wrote:I think a pretty positive note is both Scottie and Ingram went off against a good defensive team. At least that’s their reputation. Some of it absurd hot shooting but I feel a lot better when our best players play like it even if we lose.

Insert Alonzo Mourning gif* hey it could be worse

YogurtProducer · Post #677 » by **YogurtProducer** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:27 pm

TorontoBarneys wrote:
Tha Cynic wrote:Sigh I really wish we had kept Davion Mitchell and gotten rid of anyone else. He would be the perfect cheap starting PG on this team

This is why I don't value age & potential much for low ceiling roleplayers. Mitchell was already a solid back-up. We got greedy.

We also couldn't afford a $12M backup who is extremely, extremely limited. Outside of contenders, every NBA team is rolling with Shead and his cheap deal and hoping he provided 90% of Davion for 10% of the price.

Shead also has been FAR from the problem so far this year. He has not been amazing, but he has played his role pretty solid.

YogurtProducer · Post #678 » by **YogurtProducer** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:28 pm

Darko is a freakin' idiot though.

Our best 5 man lineup this year? IQ/RJ/BI/Barnes/Mamu

Guess what lineup didn't play a single minute together last night?

ATLTimekeeper · Post #679 » by **ATLTimekeeper** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:45 pm

YogurtProducer wrote:
TorontoBarneys wrote:
Tha Cynic wrote:Sigh I really wish we had kept Davion Mitchell and gotten rid of anyone else. He would be the perfect cheap starting PG on this team

This is why I don't value age & potential much for low ceiling roleplayers. Mitchell was already a solid back-up. We got greedy.

We also couldn't afford a $12M backup who is extremely, extremely limited. Outside of contenders, every NBA team is rolling with Shead and his cheap deal and hoping he provided 90% of Davion for 10% of the price.

Shead also has been FAR from the problem so far this year. He has not been amazing, but he has played his role pretty solid.

Yeah, Shead has been as good as Davion this year. Also dude has legit rim protectors behind him with the Heat.

Troubadour · Post #680 » by **Troubadour** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 8:04 pm

ATLTimekeeper wrote:
YogurtProducer wrote:
TorontoBarneys wrote:
This is why I don't value age & potential much for low ceiling roleplayers. Mitchell was already a solid back-up. We got greedy.

We also couldn't afford a $12M backup who is extremely, extremely limited. Outside of contenders, every NBA team is rolling with Shead and his cheap deal and hoping he provided 90% of Davion for 10% of the price.

Shead also has been FAR from the problem so far this year. He has not been amazing, but he has played his role pretty solid.

Yeah, Shead has been as good as Davion this year. Also dude has legit rim protectors behind him with the Heat.

Davion Mitchell is a much better defender than Jamal Shead. That might change, but it's a much bigger gap than 10%.