2014 NBA Playoffs: Toronto Raptors (3) vs Brooklyn Nets (6)

[therealbig3]

And for my fellow Nets fans...it's just Game 1.

The Spurs beat the Heat in Game 1 at MIA in the Finals last year. Plenty of home teams have lost Game 1 and have come back to win the series.

No need to claim we've won the series. We got a long way to go.

No one's saying we won.

But I think it's safe to say that the "Raps in 4" predictions were unwarranted.

(Yes, I know it's mostly just a joke, but it was CONSTANTLY posted for the last 2 days)

Raps in 5?

I guess...

[raptor jesus]

Nets locking down on the perimeter was not some anomaly. They are long and mobile and will continue to extend defense, especially with the extended rest in between game, and force the Raps to make tough shots over length and turn them over. They aren't a great defensive club, but they match up well to stop the Raps perimeter oriented offense.

[JMaine518]

That was probably the worst id seen our bench play as well. We gotta do better

[B-Ball Freak]

You can see that Brooklyn is just clearly the better, deeper and more experienced team though that is why a lot of Raptor fans are slightly disheartened after this game, we'll see how the Raps respond.

They have a lot of grit and it is still a long series...it would be terrible if the Raptors get swept which is possible after seeing how game 1 went.

[SFour]

Game 2 is a must win for the Raps. If they lose that I don't see them winning 2/2 in Brooklyn, only 1/2.

[disoblige]

this absolutely hysterical:



I feel for those fans tho :/

Nice a time lapse gif on basically the crowd reaction throughout the whole game from beginning to end.

It was a up and down game. We hit a bunch of big threes but Pierce answered.

[raptor jesus]

That was probably the worst id seen our bench play as well. We gotta do better

I can't believe how poorly Teletovic shot. Even more shocking was how wide open he was, as if he wasn't even on the Raps scouting report. If they continue to ignore him he could very well turn the tide of a game by making 5-6 threes.

[sonictecture]

Young teams typically play better with more even energy in the second game of a playoff series.

[brick_wall_55]

There were some bad calls on both sides (that pivotal D-Will charge was umm, a little suspect to say the least), but the Nets did play superior defense. They were a half a step ahead the whole game. Neither team was on their A-games necessarily, such as Brooklyn uncharacteristically missing 20 three pointers which won't happen again all series, plus their sub-par bench output. Nets were slightly better both offensively and defensively, staving off both of Toronto's key comebacks, and they deserved to win the game.

I'm happy the game was so close in a way as a Nets fan. Last year they destroyed that depleted Bulls team in Game 1 by 30 and seemingly thought they had it won, and got absolutely embarrassed in one of the biggest chokes of all time IMO. The fact that Toronto was so close to pulling this one out despite DeRozan literally being worse than Scalabrine would've been tonight should serve as plenty of fuel to keep their foot on the gas, which for some reason has been a problem with this Nets team the last few seasons. It really is their Achilles' heel, seemingly overconfident when things go their way, and too down when times are tough.

Two very evenly matched teams, but the Nets defensive prowess tonight really was on another level, and if it proves sustainable...have fun. I'm skeptical but optimistic.

Kind of agree with Raptor_Jesus that the Nets as individuals aren't exactly a group of "great" defenders, aside from the 20-25 min we get from KG, but as a team they really executed well for around 44 of 48 minutes tonight. Help D and rotations was probably about as consistently good as it's been all year.

[canballer]

Considering the way the young Raptors team came out to start the game, and the nerves that lasted throughout, I don't consider this a half bad result.

Reffing was absolutely atrocious, and before you swarm, I'm just making a statement overall. There was questionable calls on both ends. With that being said I think it is hard to argue with the whistles being put away in the 4th. No foul calls on Nets.

There were a few plays I remember of significance where whistles were pocketed (you may disagree, but I think they were grey at the very least)

1) Kevin Garnett post up where he scored 2 over Val. By the time he shot the ball he had been in the key for a good 8 seconds.

2) Paul Pierce drive, scores 2 (travel?)

3) Kevin Garnett pushing Val out of way as he tried to save the ball after Demar block on Joe Johnson.

Also, not in the 4th, but I hope someone puts up videos of the big blocks between Val and Garnett. The one "block" KG had on Val looked like he absolutely clobbered him. Then the big block by Val later was 100% clean and he got called for the foul.

Again, I am obviously going to have perception biases. Not saying there weren't bad calls on the Nets, but just a few of the things I would note.

Going forward, I think I would like to run this lineup more:

Lowry
Vasquez
Demar
Amir
Val

We struggled to create clean looks and in that lineup you have multiple points of attack for P&R which Nets struggle to defend (and the simple / indoctrinated nature of P&R will help to alleviate youth uncertainty).

I'm still going to call Raptors in 6 if rotations are managed properly and Demar, Amir, and Ross clean up their acts even remotely.

[Trader_Joe]

First off.. just a plea for both sides to keep it classy.

I was amazed how civil the Bulls and Nets fans got along last year in the game threads. Great analysis, compliments on both sides and overall very respectful discussion. Would love to see that again.

Even though I had a bad feeling at the half, I originally thought BK had a very good chance at taking this game. I expect Toronto to come back with a vengeance in game 2 and win handily (my original prediction as well). Not sure I like the fact the Nets are traveling home and then coming back to Toronto.


Speaking of classy.. I missed this.
Ujiri shouting F Brooklyn to the crowd pre game.
http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/4/1 ... ptors-nets

[HelloBrooklyn]

at rap fans now trying to be reasonable now that they see reality. Like I said keep talking your garbage. This is series is 2 ez!!

[JWizmentality]

Somebody send an electrician worth a damn to Toronto STAT!

[Roland Brice]

Not sure how anyone saw one team be completely better than the other today. Neither team played above and beyond the other. I guess some people watched the game with a blindfold on.

[mattkobe1984]

only way raps can win is if their bench can outplay the nets bench which is possible. They have to take advantage of that

[WaltFrazier]

No fouls called on the Nets in the 4th quarter. Zero. it's unheard of. Exceot in the NBA , a rigged league.

[JMaine518]

That was probably the worst id seen our bench play as well. We gotta do better

I can't believe how poorly Teletovic shot. Even more shocking was how wide open he was, as if he wasn't even on the Raps scouting report. If they continue to ignore him he could very well turn the tide of a game by making 5-6 threes.

Agreed. My only take is that he was nervous. Last year he had no role in the playoffs and this year he does.

[HelloBrooklyn]

Hey guys raps in 4!! Hahahah shahs so fanny

[brick_wall_55]

First off.. just a plea for both sides to keep it classy.

I was amazed how civil the Bulls and Nets fans got along last year in the game threads. Great analysis, compliments on both sides and overall very respectful discussion. Would love to see that again.

Even though I had a bad feeling at the half, I originally thought BK had a very good chance at taking this game. I expect Toronto to come back with a vengeance in game 2 and win handily (my original prediction as well). Not sure I like the fact the Nets are traveling home and then coming back to Toronto.


Speaking of classy.. I missed this.
Ujiri shouting F Brooklyn to the crowd pre game.
http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/4/1 ... ptors-nets

Haha...in a strange way I'd kinda love it if my team's GM did stuff like that, and as a fan I kinda appreciate it as just part of the fun, and it shows that this truly is a budding rivalry and not just some "media fabricated" drama like some try to claim. On the other hand, it serves no positive purpose for the Raps for him to say that. Like I said, the fact that the Nets seem to need to conjure up motivation is a fundamental issue in and of itself, but if they needed it...those comments from Ujiri could certainly contribute. Still, despite it not necessarily being "classy", I gotta admire the balls it took to say that.

[Trader_Joe]

only way raps can win is if their bench can outplay the nets bench which is possible. They have to take advantage of that

Yup.. I pointed that out before the series as well.
Toronto has a very good bench that can cancel out Brooklyn's.

Brooklyn's bench played about as poorly as it could play today.
Thronton was a non factor (-15)
Anderson played ok (-3)
Teletovic was terrible (-13)
Plumlee couldn't stay on the court but was +13 in the 12 minutes he was able to play.
Blatche wasn't very good (-16)

Not sure why AK didn't play.
Anyone?