VanWest82 wrote:SFour wrote:VanWest82 wrote:
Raptors have trouble scoring. Magic have one of the best defenses in the NBA. They have a player, Isaac, that was pretty much grown in a lab to slow down Siakam. Not saying Magic should be favored or anything but it might be closer than you think.
what did Siakam average in the 1st round against Magic/Isaac
22.6 points on 53/36/90........I don't see where Isaac slowed him, and that was last season, he's a much better player this season.
Siakam vs. Magic (mostly Isaac) this year: 17.3/11.0/4.0 and 3.0 TOVs on 42.4% TS in 110 mins. Last year Orlando used most of their defensive attention on Kawhi. It might be different this time around.
Raptors are still 3-0 vs Magic this season despite Siakam averaging lower than his season average...I would say that's a good sign.
It's not like Kawhi left and the Raptors are still the same team as last season, there's a reason why they have the 3rd best record in the leauge...you have Lowry, FVV, Ibaka, Powell etc all making improvements in their offensive games which the Magic didn't have to deal with last season.
FVV averaged 7 ppg against the Magic in 2019 playoffs, Ibaka averaged 9 ppg, Powell averaged 9 ppg, Lowry only 11 ppg...that won't happen this season....all 4 of those players nearly doubled their scoring output this season.
Magic won't have to deal with Kawhi but their defensive attention will now have to deal with this:
FVV is averaging 17.6 ppg
Lowry is averaging 20 ppg
Ibaka is averaging 16 ppg
Powell is averaging 16.4 ppg