Playoffs Game 2 GT - Tues, April 22nd /7:30pm /TSN / NBATV

for_tdot · Post #61 » by **for_tdot** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:25 pm

kidr1211 wrote:DD sucks

He sucks in Clutch games.

bape_lovers · Post #62 » by **bape_lovers** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:33 pm

Must win at all cost

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artsncrafts · Post #63 » by **artsncrafts** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:38 pm

Amir Ross and DD were no shows and Casey played hayes 6 minutes in the 4th when JV was dominating KG... Also no passing on offense and about 11 unforced TO`s

Post #64 » by **tsherkin** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:40 pm

This is the time of the season when people see what DD is and what he is not.

Anyone paying attention knows he isn't a terribly good scorer. He isn't awful, but he's certainly not someone from whom one should expect big things. He works well in the flow, and when he's off-ball.

There were several plays throughout the game where we saw him looking fine... almost all of which started with him catching the ball already on the move to the hoop. It ends well when he let him slash off-ball and leave the creating to Lowry. He sucks when he's asked to create above the break, it's that simple. But there are things he does VERY well, and we should be spamming those a lot more... and we aren't.

Also, someone needs to teach him... on wing post, if you get to the bottom of the restricted zone... TAKE THE DAMNED HOOK SHOT!!

However, half of that is frustration with his piss-poor performance and ignores that most of the team kind of pooped themselves with jitters in this game and that Casey's offensive strategy left much to be desired. We looked maniacally disorganized and shell-shocked for pretty much the entire second half and that hurt.

The reality of the situation is that even REALLY good players sometimes blow in their first playoff series, most especially when the D is focusing on you.

Durant shot 35.0% FG in his first postseason and dropped a 7/24 stinker in his debut with Artest getting under his skin, for example.

Demar struggled with the coverage, which is no surprise. The real issue is that we weren't playing this right; every time I see him playing with the ball at the point, I feel like someone should Gibbs-slap Casey for being an idiot. Lowry should have a cattle prod specifically for drilling that right out of Demar's repertoire. Then, of course, that leaves us relying on a Lowry/Vasquez backcourt to add sufficient on-ball creation to drive the team, and I'm not thrilled with that, but still.

I don't want to make it seem like this game rested on Demar, of course, but he was about as useless as is possible in the 3rd quarter and the lack of punch while the Nets weren't scoring killed us.

Yeah, he was 4/4 at the line in that quarter, but he also had a turnover and shot 1/5 from the field on mostly long jumpers (2 3s, one long 2 basically at the 3pt line and an 18-footer coupled with one shot he missed in the paint). That quarter as much as the first decided this game. We could have really made it a game if we hadn't gone -1 in the 3rd when they scored 17 points but instead, we stank it up and he was at the core.

Now, in Game 2, what happens if he finds his jumper early and gets a bit of confidence? This series is a very different story if Demar is able to play at anything like his regular season level. Even the level at which he played last season, actually. So we should probably reserve judgement on him a bit and remember that first postseasons often aren't all that pretty even for some of the greats.

CrymeTime · Post #65 » by **CrymeTime** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:58 pm

Give Jonas the ball, and get out of the way.

raptors_crazy · Post #66 » by **raptors_crazy** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:15 pm

Going to this game and bringing hell with me

720 · Post #67 » by **720** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:27 pm

raptors_crazy wrote:Going to this game and bringing hell with me

We need you dawg, you are the answer. Oh and when the raps get a big lead start a 'brooooklyn' chant.

Post #68 » by **tsherkin** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:28 pm

The biggest thing for us in game two is to just try and remain consistent. We had tons of fight early on and then we just sort of died in the third.

Our defense needs to improve but most of all, we need to find a way to stay more consistent and effective on O. If we can manage that, I mean even 42, 43% from the field with Brooklyn performing as they did today, then we'll be fine. We were seriously Derozan not sucking in the 3rd Q away from winning this game... but there were plenty of opportunities.

We had it tied with around 8:30 to go in the 4th quarter, it's not like we got curb-stomped so badly that we couldn't recover. We had it tied STILL with 6:24 to go. We were down by just one with 3:56 to go. KG hit a shot, then we had a shot clock violation and Pierce stuck a 3, which was basically the dagger. We convert on that possession and it's a whole different game.

So let's see what kind of offensive changes, if any, we see in game two.

SportsFan9 · Post #69 » by **SportsFan9** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:35 pm

I just hope everyone continues to support and stays loud. Hopefully another large crowd at the square as well.

SFour · Post #70 » by **SFour** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:37 pm

SportsFan9 wrote:I just hope everyone continues to support and stays loud. Hopefully another large crowd at the square as well.

It's at 7:30pm so maybe there will be even more people?

720 · Post #71 » by **720** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:37 pm

SportsFan9 wrote:I just hope everyone continues to support and stays loud. Hopefully another large crowd at the square as well.

if 2007 is any indication, game 2 gets louder.

goodvillain · Post #72 » by **goodvillain** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:55 pm

Great. Now we we have to wait for tuesday to come. So far away.

Post #73 » by **DG88** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:56 pm

With the first game playoff jitters out of the way I can see a more focused Raptors team coming out in game 2. I'll be at that game.

mbotan · Post #74 » by **mbotan** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:58 pm

MUST WIN

CrymeTime · Post #75 » by **CrymeTime** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:00 am

Should we counter their starting lineup and go small as well?

Lowry/Vazquez/Ross/DeRozan/Val

GP2 · Post #76 » by **GP2** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:02 am

I feel pretty relaxed after that game. We played some of our worst ball and we only lost by 7. This team is not a pushover like teams past. Only down 1-0. Still hungry.

bballsparkin · Post #77 » by **bballsparkin** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:03 am

Must win game. Jitters should be gone so hopefully the Raptors get some of their swagger back. Looking forward to it.

We got this!!!

36Mafia · Post #78 » by **36Mafia** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:04 am

Derozan looked shook in that pg interview

chriso1290 · Post #79 » by **chriso1290** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:06 am

CrymeTime wrote:Should we counter their starting lineup and go small as well?

Lowry/Vazquez/Ross/DeRozan/Val

The only thing I would change is Novak at centre. Spacing will win us this series.

Post #80 » by **DG88** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:10 am

We need to get our offense in our and I was surprised that we ran very little PnR sets with Amir and not making Pierce defend through out the game. Amir was the last guy that I thought would be a no show in the playoffs. DeMar I expected him to struggle because the Nets were doubling him every time he touched the ball. Ross as well I expected him to look bad as well. The other issue was not dictating tempo. We got caught in the Nets tempo too often giving us no chance at actually beating them. Next game we need to push the pace a bit more to get easier baskets. Our defense I don't have any issues with outside of Ross on JJ.