Post-Game: Raps beat Nets, go back above .500

[TheGeneral99]

Standings are beginning to sort themselves out (i.e., teams are falling into their rightful categories)




Our goal is to sneak into that top 6.

Bucks are a one-man wrecking crew - a Giannis injury and they'll plummet.

Pistons won't finish 1st, but they'll still hold onto top 6.

Cavs, Knicks, 76ers will likely finish top 6 as well, which means I think the Raps can overtake the Heat and Bucks at some point in the season.

I swear I saw a graphic the other day during one of the games I was watching, that the Bucks have one of the top 3 easiest SoS between now and December 31st. That mofo is going to single-handedly drag them to 50+ wins if he stays healthy.

The biggest surprise for me so far is Miami, but still early in the season. Chicago started hot but I think will start coming back to earth. As many predicted I think the Raptors will hover around 5-8 depending on health.

[LascelleL]

The 2000s Pistons didnt have a true Number 1.

[Tha Cynic]

The Raptors are playing well and improving without any of their young guys really breaking out or going on stretch runs. That’s going to eventually happen. This team has a ton of room to still improve and they’ve already started better than most here expected. Some of us said before this season that this team should be fighting for homecourt advantage and I think that’s going to happen.

If we can ever get a more active big who can cover this team’s defensive woes at the wing positions, we would be really dangerous.

Like the way Barnes is playing - always felt he was more like the later version of Garnett on the Celtics who wasn’t the main focal point on offense but still helped direct them and lead the team from the defensive end, while making timely offensive plays. He’s got that type of style in him.

[JCP11]

The 2000s Pistons didnt have a true Number 1.

True but they had a generational defense.

[Reeko]

The 2000s Pistons didnt have a true Number 1.

I would argue that they did in Chauncey Billups, despite him never cracking 20ppg. He was just a true floor general that understood that the path to team success was through sharing the ball. But when the game was on the line they went to him again and again and he delivered. They didn't call him Mr Big Shot for no reason.

[mdenny]

Post of the year.

Because our goal is to compete this year, I think many inexplicably thought we would jump out to an 8-3 record and anything less is an abject failure. We look a million times better than we have the last 2 seasons and yet there are calls to trade Barnes asap (despite no team ever trading their best player 11 games into the season when they have a good relationship and he didn't ask out).

Beat the Nets by 10? Not good enough, should have beat them by 20.
Point out that 2 of our 3 highest paid players led the way? But RJ!
Bring up that Barnes has been our best overall player? No!! He's not true #1, why haven't they traded him?

Not telling anyone how to be a fan (I hate when others do that), but I do genuinely wonder why some even follow this team. It's like they "hate watch" them.

At one point IQ was 16, 4 and 4, with no turnovers on like 6-12 from the field and the GT was acting like the guy was losing us the game. I'm sort of neutral on him, but that was a little wild to watch.

The micro analyzing of our PGs since Lowry left has been kinda funny. I think people want IQ to stand in the corner and take 3 shots a game.

Kyle was the most divisive/hated on player on this board for 3 to 4 years too. Don't you remember that? The Brooklyn series was a high point but it was on-going in every regular season too. It's pure revisionism that he was beloved all those years.

Ppl ALWAYS blame the ball-handler (which is usually the point guard). And they make fan favorites of the guys who are never tasked to create or dribble. Ie Norm, Serge, OG.

As soon as one sees that pattern it becomes indeniable. In terms of player roles....the less ball-handling a player is tasked with....the less hate he gets on social media.

I think there's an explanation for why Darko is spamming Walter through struggles. Walter has the potential to create off the dribble. That is extremely rare. Guys like Battle don't have that potential. But struggling while learning to create off the dribble is going to stick out to haters more than any other role development.

If a 3 and D guy is struggling....it's only apparent to ppl via missed shots on catch and shoots. And that doesn't infuriate ppl as much as guys turning the ball over while trying to create something. But the problem is you DO need guys who can create off the dribble. So NOT letting prospects suffer through that learning curve is a big problem too.

[JB7]

Standings are beginning to sort themselves out (i.e., teams are falling into their rightful categories)




Our goal is to sneak into that top 6.

Bucks are a one-man wrecking crew - a Giannis injury and they'll plummet.

Pistons won't finish 1st, but they'll still hold onto top 6.

Cavs, Knicks, 76ers will likely finish top 6 as well, which means I think the Raps can overtake the Heat and Bucks at some point in the season.

I swear I saw a graphic the other day during one of the games I was watching, that the Bucks have one of the top 3 easiest SoS between now and December 31st. That mofo is going to single-handedly drag them to 50+ wins if he stays healthy.

The biggest surprise for me so far is Miami, but still early in the season. Chicago started hot but I think will start coming back to earth. As many predicted I think the Raptors will hover around 5-8 depending on health.

- Heat have pushed up the tempo to compensate for their lack of scoring. Teams might eventually adjust to their style of play to mitigate their early success.
- Pistons schedule has been very weak, so I expect them to fall back down into the pack.
- Knicks and Cavs are beginning to make their way back to the top of the conference
- Bucks and Sixers are fools gold. Easy schedules combined with an overreliance on key players, means both will probably wear out their stars (Giannis & Maxey) leading to injuries and decline in overall team play.
- Bulls seem to be coming back down to earth, after an easy start in the schedule
- Hawks and Magic are still figuring things out, but it looks like the Bane acquisition wasn't the cure all for their teams lack of shooting
- Celtics will eventually pull the string on Brown & White, and do what the Pacers realized is the best strategy for this season.
- Hornets, Pacers, Wiz & Nets are all horrible tanking teams, that the Raps get to play many games against this season to pad their record.

Raps should end up in Top 6, in an Eastern Conference that is epically pathetic this season.

[WaltFrazier]

I swear I saw a graphic the other day during one of the games I was watching, that the Bucks have one of the top 3 easiest SoS between now and December 31st. That mofo is going to single-handedly drag them to 50+ wins if he stays healthy.

The biggest surprise for me so far is Miami, but still early in the season. Chicago started hot but I think will start coming back to earth. As many predicted I think the Raptors will hover around 5-8 depending on health.

- Heat have pushed up the tempo to compensate for their lack of scoring. Teams might eventually adjust to their style of play to mitigate their early success.
- Pistons schedule has been very weak, so I expect them to fall back down into the pack.
- Knicks and Cavs are beginning to make their way back to the top of the conference
- Bucks and Sixers are fools gold. Easy schedules combined with an overreliance on key players, means both will probably wear out their stars (Giannis & Maxey) leading to injuries and decline in overall team play.
- Bulls seem to be coming back down to earth, after an easy start in the schedule
- Hawks and Magic are still figuring things out, but it looks like the Bane acquisition wasn't the cure all for their teams lack of shooting
- Celtics will eventually pull the string on Brown & White, and do what the Pacers realized is the best strategy for this season.
- Hornets, Pacers, Wiz & Nets are all horrible tanking teams, that the Raps get to play many games against this season to pad their record.

Raps should end up in Top 6, in an Eastern Conference that is epically pathetic this season.

Bane and magic looked very good last night. I think they'll end up top 6 unless Banchero is out a long time with groin