Eastern Conference | Round 1 | (4) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors (PHI 3-2)

[bebopdeluxe]

Fun fact:

This is the THIRD STRAIGHT POSTSEASON where Pascal Siakam's TS% has dropped by about 9%.

It is much harder to have a high TS% when you don't get to the line. When Siakam plays 48 minutes in a playoff game and has ZERO free throw attempts, your TS% is going to plummet.

https://sites.northwestern.edu/nusportsanalytics/2020/01/09/what-matters-more-for-true-shooting-percentage-free-throw-attempt-rate-or-free-throw-percentage/

When Siakam is doing all of that dipsy-doodle dribbling - especially when being guarded by Embiid (although Harris made him work as well) it limits his ability to get to the line - unless he is more aggressive and initiates (or forces) enough contact to get to the line. You can hate Embiid and Harden all you want, but they put pressure on the rim and get to the line. As long as Siakam continues to not get to the line, as the study from Northwestern suggests above, his TS% will continue to suffer.

[bisme37]

The fan in me was hoping this would be a competitive series but I gotta admit the mod in me is quite ready for it to end lol.

Thread has been the worst disaster on RGM by a mile and last time I jumped in to get it back on track I got called a fascist in the thread and received heartwarming PMs such as, "boston fan, just stfu, moron."

Sorry Raps fans but Go Sixers. Just put us out of our misery please.

[bebopdeluxe]

The Raptors are calling themselves a rebuilding franchise to make being a treadmill team sound sexy. The Raptors have the same overall average player age as the Timberwolves (25 years old) with one strong caveat, the two best players on the Raptors are 28 years old. KAT is 26 and the Wolves have hope that 20 year old Anthony Edwards becomes a superstar. It's obvious that there is a belief that the Raptors can again acquire someone else's superstar in order to make a championship run. That's the hope.

Barnes certainly has the potential to be a star...but just being a star is usually not enough. Just about every team in recent memory that has won a championship has has at least one top-10 type player, with at least another 1 or 2 top-20 type players. FVV is probably a top-20 player, but Siakam continues to struggle to translate his regular season into the playoffs.

I would think that in order for the Raptors - as currently constructed - to be a championship contender, Barnes needs to be a top-10 player. Could that happen? It is possible, I guess. But it will probably take another 2-3 years before you know what his ceiling is - at which point both FVV and Siakam will be over 30. Will they still be top-25 type players in 3 years? Maybe.

A lot of maybes here.

[ATLTimekeeper]

The Raptors hope Scottie Barnes becomes a superstar. We'll have to see, but he's had a great rookie year and he's a professional. Siakam and VanVleet are the same age as Embiid. Whatever they are is likely solid for a few more seasons, and then they can wait and see what happens with Barnes. Personally I'm not worried about these other teams in the conference. You don't get credit until you win it all. A good situation is just that, including these current Raptors. They have a lot of good pieces. A President/GM that's built a champ, a champ head coach, and some good players. They're development team is considered near top of the NBA by players, and they have NBA prospects that ask not to be drafted just so they can sign with us.

[Murray_17]

The fan in me was hoping this would be a competitive series but I gotta admit the mod in me is quite ready for it to end lol.

Thread has been the worst disaster on RGM by a mile and last time I jumped in to get it back on track I got called a fascist in the thread and received heartwarming PMs such as, "boston fan, just stfu, moron."

Sorry Raps fans but Go Sixers. Just put us out of our misery please.

You must be on the same payroll of the refs

[SelfishPlayer]

The Raptors are calling themselves a rebuilding franchise to make being a treadmill team sound sexy. The Raptors have the same overall average player age as the Timberwolves (25 years old) with one strong caveat, the two best players on the Raptors are 28 years old. KAT is 26 and the Wolves have hope that 20 year old Anthony Edwards becomes a superstar. It's obvious that there is a belief that the Raptors can again acquire someone else's superstar in order to make a championship run. That's the hope.

Barnes certainly has the potential to be a star...but just being a star is usually not enough. Just about every team in recent memory that has won a championship has has at least one top-10 type player, with at least another 1 or 2 top-20 type players. FVV is probably a top-20 player, but Siakam continues to struggle to translate his regular season into the playoffs.

I would think that in order for the Raptors - as currently constructed - to be a championship contender, Barnes needs to be a top-10 player. Could that happen? It is possible, I guess. But it will probably take another 2-3 years before you know what his ceiling is - at which point both FVV and Siakam will be over 30. Will they still be top-25 type players in 3 years? Maybe.

A lot of maybes here.

FVV has a career playoff FG% of .392. There is absolutely no way that he is a top 20 NBA player.

[SelfishPlayer]

The Raptors hope Scottie Barnes becomes a superstar. We'll have to see, but he's had a great rookie year and he's a professional. Siakam and VanVleet are the same age as Embiid. Whatever they are is likely solid for a few more seasons, and then they can wait and see what happens with Barnes. Personally I'm not worried about these other teams in the conference. You don't get credit until you win it all. A good situation is just that, including these current Raptors. They have a lot of good pieces. A President/GM that's built a champ, a champ head coach, and some good players. They're development team is considered near top of the NBA by players, and they have NBA prospects that ask not to be drafted just so they can sign with us.

How about NBA free agents?

[ATLTimekeeper]

The Raptors hope Scottie Barnes becomes a superstar. We'll have to see, but he's had a great rookie year and he's a professional. Siakam and VanVleet are the same age as Embiid. Whatever they are is likely solid for a few more seasons, and then they can wait and see what happens with Barnes. Personally I'm not worried about these other teams in the conference. You don't get credit until you win it all. A good situation is just that, including these current Raptors. They have a lot of good pieces. A President/GM that's built a champ, a champ head coach, and some good players. They're development team is considered near top of the NBA by players, and they have NBA prospects that ask not to be drafted just so they can sign with us.

How about NBA free agents?

Why do they need NBA free agents? They've won a title without needing to use that tool.

This tone you're taking reminds me of when the Raptors got swept by the Wizards in 2015. Kyle Lowry and DeRozan were both awful. Bradley Beal bumped Lowry with total disrespect. A lot of fans pointed to the pedigree of John Wall (#1 overall pick) and Bradley Beal compared to our try hards. Fast forward and John Wall is on a toxic deal because he's injury prone. Bradley Beal is happy to put up 30 on a losing team. Lowry has a ring and DeRozan was traded for Kawhi Leonard, and has himself grown into one of the best offensive players in the NBA.

[SelfishPlayer]

The Raptors hope Scottie Barnes becomes a superstar. We'll have to see, but he's had a great rookie year and he's a professional. Siakam and VanVleet are the same age as Embiid. Whatever they are is likely solid for a few more seasons, and then they can wait and see what happens with Barnes. Personally I'm not worried about these other teams in the conference. You don't get credit until you win it all. A good situation is just that, including these current Raptors. They have a lot of good pieces. A President/GM that's built a champ, a champ head coach, and some good players. They're development team is considered near top of the NBA by players, and they have NBA prospects that ask not to be drafted just so they can sign with us.

How about NBA free agents?

Why do they need NBA free agents? They've won a title without needing to use that tool.

This tone you're taking reminds me of when the Raptors got swept by the Wizards in 2015. Kyle Lowry and DeRozan were both awful. Bradley Beal bumped Lowry with total disrespect. A lot of fans pointed to the pedigree of John Wall (#1 overall pick) and Bradley Beal compared to our try hards. Fast forward and John Wall is on a toxic deal because he's injury prone. Bradley Beal is happy to put up 30 on a losing team. Lowry has a ring and DeRozan was traded for Kawhi Leonard, and has himself grown into one of the best offensive players in the NBA.

Free agency is why the Raptors couldn't defend their title or compete for one after McGrady left town.

[JShuttlesworth]

Who are the notable FA signing for Philly in the last 10 years? Covington? JJ? Big Al Horford?

No one is lining up to play in Philly. That's why you havent been able to compete for one since 1983.

2001 was a nice effort, but Iverson wasn't good enough to get more than a game. That was kind of like this series.

[SelfishPlayer]

Who are the notable FA signing for Philly in the last 10 years? Covington? JJ? Big Al Horford?

No one is lining up to play in Philly. That's why you havent been able to compete for one since 1983.

2001 was a nice effort, but Iverson wasn't good enough to get more than a game. That was kind of like this series.

Why did you limit it to only 10 years?

[bebopdeluxe]

Who are the notable FA signing for Philly in the last 10 years? Covington? JJ? Big Al Horford?

No one is lining up to play in Philly. That's why you havent been able to compete for one since 1983.

2001 was a nice effort, but Iverson wasn't good enough to get more than a game. That was kind of like this series.

Well, it kind of sounds like James Harden forced his way to the Sixers. So there's that.

And there have been conflicting reports that the Sixers were his preferred destination when he was traded from Houston; I am not sure what the truth on that actually is. There was some reporting that there was NO WAY that Fertitta would approve a trade to the Sixers, but there has also been reporting that Harden was given his choice, and he chose Brooklyn. In his introductory press conference with the Sixers, Harden said his initial preference was to be traded to the Sixers - which kind of ties with the reporting that Fertitta was never going to trade him to the Sixers because of the whole Morey situation.

The rest of your post is a bunch of Haterade. Sorry your team is getting dusted. Better luck next season! Good luck growing that roster into a top-5 caliber team. I was actually trying to be complimentary to your team's future - saying that FVV was a top-20 player (and getting smacked down for that). But after reading your post, go pound f'n sand.

[M2J]

Raptors should've tanked again this year for another top 5 pick. They definitely have talent, but they're not winning anything anytime soon.

[Jadoogar]

The Raptors are calling themselves a rebuilding franchise to make being a treadmill team sound sexy. The Raptors have the same overall average player age as the Timberwolves (25 years old) with one strong caveat, the two best players on the Raptors are 28 years old. KAT is 26 and the Wolves have hope that 20 year old Anthony Edwards becomes a superstar. It's obvious that there is a belief that the Raptors can again acquire someone else's superstar in order to make a championship run. That's the hope.

Barnes certainly has the potential to be a star...but just being a star is usually not enough. Just about every team in recent memory that has won a championship has has at least one top-10 type player, with at least another 1 or 2 top-20 type players. FVV is probably a top-20 player, but Siakam continues to struggle to translate his regular season into the playoffs.

I would think that in order for the Raptors - as currently constructed - to be a championship contender, Barnes needs to be a top-10 player. Could that happen? It is possible, I guess. But it will probably take another 2-3 years before you know what his ceiling is - at which point both FVV and Siakam will be over 30. Will they still be top-25 type players in 3 years? Maybe.

A lot of maybes here.

Siakam>FVV imo. FVV has been terrible in this series too.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Free agency is why the Raptors couldn't defend their title or compete for one after McGrady left town.

Right, we couldn't defend our title. Good one. I'm grateful that Kawhi left. He's been injured and flamed out against Denver. The Raptors were able to reset without owing him an enormous financial commitment in his declining years. And I think really highly of him, but without question being a bad free agent destination helped us dodge a bullet.

McGrady is a bit of a reach. The CBA is different and a star really can't leave after their first two contracts. I'm not sure how that applies to Toronto now.

[SelfishPlayer]

Raptors should've tanked again this year for another top 5 pick. They definitely have talent, but they're not winning anything anytime soon.

I believe that FVV and Siakam don't have much trade value so they couldn't trade them in return for anything like a lottery pick. I don't believe that Masai has rebuild authority. Their only hope is that Barnes becomes a superstar or they somehow acquire one through trade or developing a diamond in the rough sort of guy.

[SelfishPlayer]

Free agency is why the Raptors couldn't defend their title or compete for one after McGrady left town.

Right, we couldn't defend our title. Good one. I'm grateful that Kawhi left. He's been injured and flamed out against Denver. The Raptors were able to reset without owing him an enormous financial commitment in his declining years. And I think really highly of him, but without question being a bad free agent destination helped us dodge a bullet.

McGrady is a bit of a reach. The CBA is different and a star really can't leave after their first two contracts. I'm not sure how that applies to Toronto now.

McGrady wasn't a star when he left Toronto.

[JimmyPlopper]

Would I be the 100th person to mention that one team is coached by a Nurse and the other a Doctor?

[fbalmeida]

Raptors should've tanked again this year for another top 5 pick. They definitely have talent, but they're not winning anything anytime soon.

I believe that FVV and Siakam don't have much trade value so they couldn't trade them in return for anything like a lottery pick. I don't believe that Masai has rebuild authority. Their only hope is that Barnes becomes a superstar or they somehow acquire one through trade or developing a diamond in the rough sort of guy.

About Masai's authority, he has carte blanche to run the franchise as he sees fit from Larry Tannenbaum.

[DonaldSanders]

The fan in me was hoping this would be a competitive series but I gotta admit the mod in me is quite ready for it to end lol.

Thread has been the worst disaster on RGM by a mile and last time I jumped in to get it back on track I got called a fascist in the thread and received heartwarming PMs such as, "boston fan, just stfu, moron."

Sorry Raps fans but Go Sixers. Just put us out of our misery please.

A quick reminder to everyone:

If someone sounds like a troll to you, it's best to assume everyone else can see the same thing, you don't need to point it out. When you respond to someone that you think is being a troll, you feed the trolls and help bring down the discussion to a lower level.

Engage with fans you think are being reasonable, there are plenty of people on the other sides of arguments that will have non-troll takes. You'll find that you enter the board feeling rejuvinated and it's a source of relaxation outside of life, rather than feeling charged up/stressed and ready to "throw down" with the people you are arguing with.

Sorry you've had to deal with all this stuff mods!