Raps will make the playoffs, and 2nd round, if healthy

[jbk1234]

Asking a rookie to perform in the playoffs, particularly a one-and-done player, and adjust without issue is a tall order. It's why I don't think the Cavs should make any type of all-in move this season. Just getting those guys playoff experience and seeing what holes on the roster are more pronounced in the postseason would a W for both the Cavs and Raps in my book.

[everdiso]

Put some size on VanVleet and then make OG and Siakam beat you.

...and Trent and Barnes.

[Lunartic]

They might make the playoffs but they won't beat any of the top-4 teams

I think only the top 2 (Brooklyn and Milwaukee) deserve the benefit of the doubt.

- Chicago has been awesome, but this personnel has tons of questions to answer in the playoffs. Only Caruso has much positive experience. Derozan will have to prove he can keep this new look going in the playoffs. Vooch got humiliated by Marc Gasol, but was good against the Bucks the next year. Lonzo and Lavine have never been. I do think they have some clear holes that will be attacked in the playoffs (soft backline, small wings), but I'm not ruling out their success.
- Phili is a clear matchup problem for the Raptors, just because Embiid is too big.
- Miami is built to be a tough playoff team. My only concern is how healthy they'll be. They're old and creaky and Jimmy Butler (tail bone and now ankle) and Bam (thumb surgery) have been banged up pretty bad all season.

If the Raptors make the playoffs, they're still going to struggle to get consistent non-FVV offense. I'm not picking them outright against any of these teams. I just think after Milwaukee and Brooklyn, they have a puncher's chance. Nick Nurse is a mean man when it comes to playoff adjustments and will muck his way to a 7-game series when it should have been an easy sweep.

The Bulls defense with Lonzo/Caruso/Ayo has been suffocating and the Raptors don't have a legit 30 point threat that can create offense from nothing. I get your reticence about the Bulls and it's fair. Talent > experience.

Sixers should be able to abuse the Raps and have a very good perimeter defense as well. All depends on whether Embiid is 2019 version or 2021 version.

Miami is weird, sometimes they look like monsters and other times they look very soft. That would be a fantastic series.

I still think the Raptors lack the scorers, they're pretty much Kawhi Leonard/PG away from the finals which isn't a bad place to be.

[cupcakesnake]

They might make the playoffs but they won't beat any of the top-4 teams

I think only the top 2 (Brooklyn and Milwaukee) deserve the benefit of the doubt.

- Chicago has been awesome, but this personnel has tons of questions to answer in the playoffs. Only Caruso has much positive experience. Derozan will have to prove he can keep this new look going in the playoffs. Vooch got humiliated by Marc Gasol, but was good against the Bucks the next year. Lonzo and Lavine have never been. I do think they have some clear holes that will be attacked in the playoffs (soft backline, small wings), but I'm not ruling out their success.
- Phili is a clear matchup problem for the Raptors, just because Embiid is too big.
- Miami is built to be a tough playoff team. My only concern is how healthy they'll be. They're old and creaky and Jimmy Butler (tail bone and now ankle) and Bam (thumb surgery) have been banged up pretty bad all season.

If the Raptors make the playoffs, they're still going to struggle to get consistent non-FVV offense. I'm not picking them outright against any of these teams. I just think after Milwaukee and Brooklyn, they have a puncher's chance. Nick Nurse is a mean man when it comes to playoff adjustments and will muck his way to a 7-game series when it should have been an easy sweep.

The Bulls defense with Lonzo/Caruso/Ayo has been suffocating and the Raptors don't have a legit 30 point threat that can create offense from nothing. I get your reticence about the Bulls and it's fair. Talent > experience.

Sixers should be able to abuse the Raps and have a very good perimeter defense as well. All depends on whether Embiid is 2019 version or 2021 version.

Miami is weird, sometimes they look like monsters and other times they look very soft. That would be a fantastic series.

I still think the Raptors lack the scorers, they're pretty much Kawhi Leonard/PG away from the finals which isn't a bad place to be.

I don't doubt the Bulls point of attack defense (Caruso/Ball/Ayo as you mentioned). I'm more interested in what's hiding behind that (Lavine, Derozan, Vooch). It just seems like the kind of thing ripe to be figured out in the playoffs. I'm not guaranteeing it will be, I've just never seen a defense built quite so tilted towards the perimeter. The Bulls overwhelm ball handlers, but what happens when teams are more prepared for those traps in a well scouted 7 game series? The Bulls have been one of the most interesting teams this season, and I think they'll stay interesting in the playoffs.

I think the Bulls would be the obvious betting favorite to beat the Raps. Like you say, the Raps just probably can't punish a team enough on offense to win a 7 game series. But I think a healthy Raps team could bother Lavine and Derozan with their army of giant wings, and possibly use their bigger ball handlers to pass around the feisty perimeter defenders of the Bulls (or maybe not, maybe Ball and Caruso overwhelm the smaller VanVleet and the less than elite handles of some other Raps). I think it would be a cool series, especially with Derozan looking for revenge and to put some old ghosts to sleep.

[cupcakesnake]

Put some size on VanVleet and then make OG and Siakam beat you.

...and Trent and Barnes.

Sure. I was just listing the Raps top 3 scorers but we can go on down the list if you want.

Trent is a pull-up shooter (only gets 6% of his offense around the rim). I love his 3&D game, but don't think it's winning you multiple playoff games. Barnes is a playoff unknown. He's been an all-around attack the gaps guy, who has been solid but unspectacular all over the floor. If the team forces Scottie Barnes to beat 3 on 2 all day, how much offense can he generate? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he busted out in the playoffs, but it wouldn't be crazy for him to get some shooting jitters or tentativeness. Rookies are wild cards.

[ShootersShoot]

On paper, they have a bunch of players one would want for the modern nba. A starting lineups worth of high level defenders who can shoot. All of whom on a nightly basis give the team 15-20+ points. They need a couple of rotation vets though, without dragic their bench is just super thin.

[Ayt]

I can see it. At least two all-star caliber players. Deepest starting lineup in the league. No offensive or defensive holes in the starting lineup Have offensive talent, defensive talent, compete, coaching, youth, length, speed, and championship experience.

Fun team.

What does that mean?

[ShootersShoot]

Put some size on VanVleet and then make OG and Siakam beat you.

...and Trent and Barnes.

Sure. I was just listing the Raps top 3 scorers but we can go on down the list if you want.

Trent is a pull-up shooter (only gets 6% of his offense around the rim). I love his 3&D game, but don't think it's winning you multiple playoff games. Barnes is a playoff unknown. He's been an all-around attack the gaps guy, who has been solid but unspectacular all over the floor. If the team forces Scottie Barnes to beat 3 on 2 all day, how much offense can he generate? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he busted out in the playoffs, but it wouldn't be crazy for him to get some shooting jitters or tentativeness. Rookies are wild cards.

I think scottie will be fine in the playoffs. He is the type to take advantage of mismatches and 3v2 is most definitely a mismatch. He is an extremely high IQ player and is an above average decision maker to go along with being both really shifty and bouncy at the same time. My concern for the raps in the POs would be that they dont actually have a legit #1 option and closer. Siakam aint closing games and I really personally do not like FVV as a closer or #1 option.

[Ayt]

Lets see how they do tonight vs the Bucks.

If they get blown out, they have zero chance in the playoffs, they need to prove they can beat the good teams, which they havent proven at all this year.

Giannis, Grayson, Pat, Donte, Brook, and coach Bud are all out. A win tonight doesn't mean much.

[old skool]

I can see it. At least two all-star caliber players. Deepest starting lineup in the league. No offensive or defensive holes in the starting lineup Have offensive talent, defensive talent, compete, coaching, youth, length, speed, and championship experience.

Fun team.

What does that mean?

Their starting lineup goes FIVE DEEP!

[Duffman100]

Classic jinx thread. I prefer another late lottery piece and push in 22/23. But can't be mad if the OP is right. Its a win/win scenario.

I want this as well, but probably best we both admit we're too good to have a top 10 pick.

[Triple M]

Dude, at least wait to see how the next 4 games go before you even think this. We've beaten 3 depleted rosters ffs lol.

I’m a Bulls fan, not a Raps fan. Just calling it like I see it.

The "we're getting slept on" made it seem like you were a Raptors fan.

Regardless, I think you're being far too aggressive with this take. The Raptors lack depth and don't have a real Center. If we can somehow fix those things at the trade deadline then we're in business. Otherwise, we're good with just proceeding with the rebuild and hope it figure those things out in time.

I was about to go off on this because it seemed like a Bulls fan was pretending to be a Raps fan, but it looks like autocorrect got the OP.

As for the likelihood of the Raps winning a playoff round I would be more cautious. They need to get into the top 6 to assure themselves the playoffs first. At the end of the year they might be better than 5/6 but I don't necessarily seeing them getting out of play in seeding because I think people underestimate how little the standings change.

[PistolPeteJR]

Part of me wants us to be competitive in the playoffs. The other part of me wants us to take advantage of some team at the deadline who pays a pretty penny for Siakam, and we end up with a nice return and a nice lotto pick, maybe some summer trades and signings, and seriously kick it into gear next year.

[everdiso]

Put some size on VanVleet and then make OG and Siakam beat you.

...and Trent and Barnes.

Sure. I was just listing the Raps top 3 scorers but we can go on down the list if you want.

Trent is a pull-up shooter (only gets 6% of his offense around the rim). I love his 3&D game, but don't think it's winning you multiple playoff games. Barnes is a playoff unknown. He's been an all-around attack the gaps guy, who has been solid but unspectacular all over the floor. If the team forces Scottie Barnes to beat 3 on 2 all day, how much offense can he generate? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he busted out in the playoffs, but it wouldn't be crazy for him to get some shooting jitters or tentativeness. Rookies are wild cards.

Trent is no rim runner but he's much more than a spot up 3 and D guy. He creates his own shots and in midrange too.

[everdiso]

I can see it. At least two all-star caliber players. Deepest starting lineup in the league. No offensive or defensive holes in the starting lineup Have offensive talent, defensive talent, compete, coaching, youth, length, speed, and championship experience.

Fun team.

What does that mean?

It means all 5 guys are legit 2-way full-time starter minutes (I.e. ~35mpg) caliber players.

You'd be surprised by how few teams can say that about their starting 5. Most teams have a guy in the starting lineup who's not really a starter, and maybe multiple guys who either you can't put the ball in there hands offensively or are defensive liabilities. Raps don't have any holes like that in their starting 5. You want all 5 of them playing full 35mpg shifts out there.

[JujitsuFlip]

No team that is starting a rookie is going anywhere deep in the playoffs.

The 2009 Magic are on line 1.

Forget the Magic. We've got a team from 1980 with a player who called himself Magic that would like to have a word with you.

My lines are tied up, tell him to leave a message.

[donaldtrump_00]

Dude, at least wait to see how the next 4 games go before you even think this. We've beaten 3 depleted rosters ffs lol.

I’m a Bulls fan, not a Raps fan. Just calling it like I see it.

The "we're getting slept on" made it seem like you were a Raptors fan.

Regardless, I think you're being far too aggressive with this take. The Raptors lack depth and don't have a real Center. If we can somehow fix those things at the trade deadline then we're in business. Otherwise, we're good with just proceeding with the rebuild and hope it figure those things out in time.

im a bulls fan and i agree with every word. raptors do look very nice. its the barnes pick along with og playing like a allstar thats got me thinking high on them as well. also chris brouche is a pf/center. yes they lack size but so do the bulls. why isnt dragic playing with them? he could play both guard positions. but if there still undecided on whether to tank or compete then either choice is bright looking forward. there probably not a finals team but they can get into the playoffs for sure. but they probably want another draft pick rather then rely on vet help.

[Tor_Raps]

I’m a Bulls fan, not a Raps fan. Just calling it like I see it.

The "we're getting slept on" made it seem like you were a Raptors fan.

Regardless, I think you're being far too aggressive with this take. The Raptors lack depth and don't have a real Center. If we can somehow fix those things at the trade deadline then we're in business. Otherwise, we're good with just proceeding with the rebuild and hope it figure those things out in time.

im a bulls fan and i agree with every word. raptors do look very nice. its the barnes pick along with og playing like a allstar thats got me thinking high on them as well. also chris brouche is a pf/center. yes they lack size but so do the bulls. why isnt dragic playing with them? he could play both guard positions. but if there still undecided on whether to tank or compete then either choice is bright looking forward. there probably not a finals team but they can get into the playoffs for sure. but they probably want another draft pick rather then rely on vet help.

We're also lacking a true closer in the half court when games slow down in the playoffs, not to mention how inexperienced most of our players are in their current roles. I think beginning next year we can possibly upset a team and then really contend the year after.

In regards to Dragic, Banton started the season playing really well and took most of Dragic's minutes. It wasn't really a Dragic performance issue but more so we were going with the youth movement.

Then you include the fact that Dragic really didn't want to be here because he knew the direction we were going in. He tried to be professional but ultimately him and the team came to a decision for him to go away until a trade/buyout can be reached.

I was annoyed about this since I thought we should have brought him back now just like the Knicks did with Kemba. We could really use his skills on this team for the time being.

[Floody100]

I do think the Raptors will make the playoffs as well.

Don't see us beating the Nets and Bucks for sure. But I honestly believe we'd beat the Bulls. Call it a bold prediction if you have to.
A lot of folks here seem to be underestimating the heart of a champion & how vital playoff experience is for further playoff success.

Raptors are a .500 team as of now but most, if not all, of their losses have been because of their lackluster bench. Our bench is by far the worst in the league. Dragic would help a lot as OP pointed out but it seems like he wants no part of this team which is unfortunate for both parties.

An starting rotation in the playoffs of FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Barnes is very dangerous. All elite defenders and traffic on the offensive end as well.

If Raptors can address their bench and bolster their depth, they'll be a darkhorse in the playoffs. Otherwise, one injury and we're getting swept.

Still lots of basketball left to be played this season. Let's see how it all plays out and where the Raptors finish in the standings.

That might be the first & only time I’ve heard Vanvleet & Trent jr called “elite defenders”.

[LoveMyRaps]

I do think the Raptors will make the playoffs as well.

Don't see us beating the Nets and Bucks for sure. But I honestly believe we'd beat the Bulls. Call it a bold prediction if you have to.
A lot of folks here seem to be underestimating the heart of a champion & how vital playoff experience is for further playoff success.

Raptors are a .500 team as of now but most, if not all, of their losses have been because of their lackluster bench. Our bench is by far the worst in the league. Dragic would help a lot as OP pointed out but it seems like he wants no part of this team which is unfortunate for both parties.

An starting rotation in the playoffs of FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Barnes is very dangerous. All elite defenders and traffic on the offensive end as well.

If Raptors can address their bench and bolster their depth, they'll be a darkhorse in the playoffs. Otherwise, one injury and we're getting swept.

Still lots of basketball left to be played this season. Let's see how it all plays out and where the Raptors finish in the standings.

That might be the first & only time I’ve heard Vanvleet & Trent jr called “elite defenders”.

Well in that case... this is definitely not the first & only time time you'll be called a casual.
Trent has been one of the best defenders at his position this season.
FVV has always been one of the best defensive point guards in the league. Everyone who watches basketball knows that.