espn analysts not as optimistic as we are

[ChaSiu]

9/10 of their "experts" have orlando beating us in 5 or 6 games

marc stein's got faith in us tho!1
even the poll they have running (which is usually dominated by toronto fans nomatter what they are asking) has us losing


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[ChaSiu]

official schedule


Game 1 - Sun April 20 Toronto at Orlando 12:30PM ET TNT
Game 2 - Tue April 22 Toronto at Orlando 7:30PM ET NBATV
Game 3 - Thu April 24 Orlando at Toronto 7:30PM ET NBATV
Game 4 - Sat April 26 Orlando at Toronto 3:00PM ET TNT
Game 5 * Mon April 28 Toronto at Orlando 7:30PM ET NBATV
Game 6 * Thu May 1 Orlando at Toronto TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 3 Toronto at Orlando TBD TNT

[Kosta]

I don't blame them, from an outsider view, Orlando seems like the easy choice when you look at both teams respective records. I'm surprised Hollinger is going against us here though, he was gushing about us most of the season.

[Schad]

I don't blame them, from an outsider view, Orlando seems like the easy choice when you look at both teams respective records. I'm surprised Hollinger is going against us here though, he was gushing about us most of the season.

Heh, this is how Hollinger derived his analysis:

1. Open ESPN.com.

2. Go to his Power Rankings.

3. Choose the team higher in those rankings in every match-up.

4. Slap a number of games on there.

5. Nap.

I guess if you have a formula, now isn't the time to turn your back on it.

Also, who is particularly high on this team? I believe that we have a shot to beat the Magic, and that it will be a good series...doesn't mean that anyone should be picking us. Orlando is without a doubt the favourite; our chances lie in whether we can steal one of the first two in Orlando, then hold serve for the rest of the series...much as New Jersey did last year.

[ChaSiu]

momentum??

orl has won 6 of their past 9

raptors are 4-6 in our last 10

[vi3t]

Jalen Rose bettin against us

[Jason Michaels]

I'm more surprised at the homer broadcasters who think we will beat Orlando in 6 (Swirsk, Leo, etc)...we'll be lucky if THEY beat us in 6 or 7, as much as I hate to admit it

[JD225]

Now that Hollinger has picked Orlando to win in 6, I expect us to sweep them.

[whoknows]

Jalen Rose bettin against us

he's got a direct chance to play and listen to the wisdom of Sam's play book...

[asif9t9]

What worried me is these people picked us to lose last year, and we did. Accordingly. When you follow sports long enough, you can tell what's going to happen. Teams like the Raps go into the playoffs playing bad, but sell tickets by talking "what ifs" against their matchup. And then they get beat easy.

Our only hope is that Orlando isn't that good themselves. I think these media guys are reading the Raps perfectly, but perhaps they're giving too much credit to Orlando.

[dagger]

When you follow sports long enough, you can tell what's going to happen.

If so, everybody would predict the upsets, and they wouldn't be upsets.

[Monty2]

How can you argue with them with the way the Raps have been playing. They have not been a good team for a while. While I'm hoping for the Raps maybe the best thing to happen would be for them to lose in the first round. It'll make BC's decisions a lot easier in the off-season. Even if we beat the Magic there's no way we're going any further. Changes are needed before this team gets to the next level.
I think we chalk this year down as a learning experience.

[Schad]

What worried me is these people picked us to lose last year, and we did. Accordingly. When you follow sports long enough, you can tell what's going to happen. Teams like the Raps go into the playoffs playing bad, but sell tickets by talking "what ifs" against their matchup. And then they get beat easy.

Our only hope is that Orlando isn't that good themselves. I think these media guys are reading the Raps perfectly, but perhaps they're giving too much credit to Orlando.

Again, I would refer you to the '06/'07 Jazz. They stunk it up down the stretch...lost 7 of their last 11, 12 of their last 20. Then they won a hard-fought first round against Houston (who closed the season 17-6), obliterated the hottest team in the league in the second round, and lost to the eventual champions.

[chsh22]

-= original quote snipped =-
Again, I would refer you to the '06/'07 Jazz. They stunk it up down the stretch...lost 7 of their last 11, 12 of their last 20. Then they won a hard-fought first round against Houston (who closed the season 17-6), obliterated the hottest team in the league in the second round, and lost to the eventual champions.

This would be why they play the games to determine a winner, instead of relying on analysts.

[Jason Michaels]

-= original quote snipped =-



Again, I would refer you to the '06/'07 Jazz. They stunk it up down the stretch...lost 7 of their last 11, 12 of their last 20. Then they won a hard-fought first round against Houston (who closed the season 17-6), obliterated the hottest team in the league in the second round, and lost to the eventual champions.

We are not as good as the Jazz, and the Magic are arguably better than the Rockets were...this is an example of the sorts of comparisons that give fans false hopes. I want the Raptors to win a series (whether in 4 or in 7), but looking at our deficiencies which are now painfully exposed - unlike last season when we were a surprise package - I'm hoping we win 2 games in that series.

[Dolemite]

The 06/07 Jazz were:

Coached by Jerry Sloan, and to a man believed in defence, rebounding and gritty play that is a hallmark of Utah under coach Sloan.

A young Williams and Carlos Boozer are an amazing combo, and better than Ford/Bosh Calderon/Bosh.

I don't think people are getting just how inept the Toronto Raptors are, and how much they rely on hot shooting nights or defensive ineptitude to get their wins. Stan Van Gundy is going to coach circles around the Raps, I still maintain that we win one, MAYBE two games but I really doubt it gets to that.

[RapTelligence]

I just want a good series and some hope shown for next year. If we go down like the Ottawa Senators then it would be like seeing mustard on Bryans large collar. That would be unexceptable.

[Schad]

The 06/07 Jazz were:

Coached by Jerry Sloan, and to a man believed in defence, rebounding and gritty play that is a hallmark of Utah under coach Sloan.

A young Williams and Carlos Boozer are an amazing combo, and better than Ford/Bosh Calderon/Bosh.

No doubt, and we are definitely the underdogs. I was providing Utah as a counter-factual to asif9t9's assertion that the series is a foregone conclusion based upon our late-season record, which just happens not to be true.

[Fairview4Life]

No doubt, and we are definitely the underdogs. I was providing Utah as a counter-factual to asif9t9's assertion that the series is a foregone conclusion based upon our late-season record, which just happens not to be true.

Let's examine the hot team that stormed into the playoffs that the Jazz beat in the 1st round:

The 06/07 Rockets were:

Coached by Jeff Van Gundy, and to a man believed in defence, rebounding and gritty play that is a hallmark of Houston under coach Van Gundy.

A young Yao Ming, the best C in the NBA, and TMac are an amazing combo, and better than Ford/Bosh Calderon/Bosh.

Oh, and that Utah team that supposedly believed in defense and gritty play had the 18th ranked D in the league last year (worse than the 06/07 Raptors). The Rockets had the 3rd ranked D. The Jazz won last year on the offensive end, not on D. Saying they believed in D "to a man" might be true. But they sure as hell didn't practice it.

[RiceANDPeas]

You can't blame them for their predictions. We haven't exactly been lighting it up lately though I thought Hollinger would be on our side since he usually praises the Raps. They even have the Suns beating out the Spurs as well. You never know what will happen in the playoffs. Let's go Raps!