2018 PLAYOFFS: (1) Toronto vs. (4) Cleveland

[NovU]

phpBB [video]

LBJ with a game winner!


Another dominant performance by LBJ. 38-6-7 on high efficiency with complete defensive stats. He makes it look so easy that some can't even tell how he got these numbers.

Supposedly better players of the Raptors are struggling in this series. Perhaps is the biggest cause of the loss. DeRozan disappeared tonight. Ibaka's little use. Valanciunas not as good either.

Thanks to the Celtics fluking out, it is looking more and more like it'll be the Cavs to the Finals again.

[Dee4Three]

Derozan didn't play a second in the 4th quarter. Casey decided to bench him, and it almost paid off. Toronto almost completed the comeback for the win.

Casey is going to get some shit for the decision, but it made sense considering how horrible Derozan was playing. Horrible body language from Demar.

Also, Celtics are absolutely not fluking out, anybody who watched them all season would know that's not the case. This Celtics team is not only well coached, but has some serious talent despite the injuries.

[Andrew]

I can see Casey losing his job over the series, though. The blade has to fall on someone after a disappointing end to the season, and as the saying goes, you can't fire all the players, but you can fire the coach.

[Dee4Three]

I can see Casey losing his job over the series, though. The blade has to fall on someone after a disappointing end to the season, and as the saying goes, you can't fire all the players, but you can fire the coach.

Should cement Stevens as Coach of the year. Can't have a fired coach be the coach of the year.

[Andrew]

It'd definitely be awkward with the current format of having the awards ceremony after the season. George Karl did get fired the same season he won Coach of the Year some years back, after his Nuggets were eliminated in the first round.

[NovU]

It's stupid that every frigging year we get to hear people complaining who should win or lose based on playoffs performance alone when there was 82 games loong season which the awards are really based on. Yeah, let's reward/punish players and coaches based on 4 to 7 playoffs games and forget entirely there were 82 games that were played by all teams. Good grief.

It's not like any other coach could have done much better than Casey with what he's got to work with against LeBronto and Lue, the dynamic duo.

[[Q]]

I can see Casey losing his job over the series, though. The blade has to fall on someone after a disappointing end to the season, and as the saying goes, you can't fire all the players, but you can fire the coach.

I do get the feeling Casey might lose his job either this summer or maybe next.

Problem is the players that they have aren't built for winning in the post season. It's weird to think a #1 seed needs to rebuild, but DeRozan, Lowry aren't going to get it done for them.

[Andrew]

It's definitely strange to say about a #1 seed, but when a team seems to have hit their ceiling and that's being great in the regular season but second round fodder come the Playoffs, they do have some tough decisions to make moving forward.

[shadowgrin]

Ridiculous clutch shot by LeGOAT, a floater off the glass.


I think Raps need another reliable scorer to help out DeRozan and Lowry. Team already has decent bigs and a good bench.

[[Q]]

phpBB [video]

[NovU]

I think Raps need another reliable scorer to help out DeRozan and Lowry. Team already has decent bigs and a good bench.

They relied heavily on their bench success during regular season that they are having problems trying to win with tightened rotation and minutes.

I think this is largely the classic example of why your 3 best players matter. Not one of them is first team all NBA caliber. Neither 3 combined is worth more than LBJ. Perhaps the reason why the Blazers fell well short too. It's just much harder to win when your best players are outmatched and not producing much when you're supposed to ride them.

[Lamrock]

Who even is Toronto's third best player? Valanciunas? Van Vleet? Casey might be the scapegoat for them flaming out in the playoffs, but they just don't have the talent to contend for a title. Five years ago, Lowry and DeRozan were the team's two best players, and the consensus was that they should trade Lowry and tank for Andrew Wiggins (lol). Rather than do that, they developed the guys they had, and fans of the team talked themselves into thinking their ceiling was higher than it was.

They'll definitely make some changes this off-season. Doubt they blow it up, but I could see some roster turnover, and possibly Casey's termination. I think Casey is one of the league's best coaches,and he'll be able to find a job immediately if he wants, but sometimes to go in a new direction, that's a change you make. See: Atlanta

You need dominant players to go far in the playoffs. They can win as many regular season games as they want to by out-working the opposition, but come playoff time, teams are giving it their all, and wins don't come as easily. Toronto can keep making the playoffs with the guys they have, but unless they somehow luck into a superstar, they aren't a legitimate contender.

[Jeffx]

I can see Casey losing his job over the series, though. The blade has to fall on someone after a disappointing end to the season, and as the saying goes, you can't fire all the players, but you can fire the coach.

Painful playoff losses are part of "the process". The Bad Boy Pistons had some brutal playoff defeats to Bird's Celtics - eventually, Detroit learned how to beat them. Same with Jordan's Bulls against those same Pistons. DeRozan & Lowry have to do what Jordan, Magic, Isiah & others did - seriously work on their game during the summer and come focused, with a vengeance. The media called Magic "Tragic" after the '84 Finals - we all know what happened next.

The window won't last forever. Toronto has to get it done before free agency and age takes its toll. Boston and Philly are ready to take over the east once LeBron starts slipping. Raptors have to keep pace.

[Andrew]

Absolutely. That patience and chance for redemption has become rarer since then, though.

[Andrew]

And so ends the run for the most disappointing #1 seed in NBA history. Well, that dubious distinction is up for debate, but surely these Raptors rank up there.

[NovU]

Almost won 60 games too yet looked like an absolute shit team. Can't trust the record in this 'tankathon' and 'coast during regular season' era.



Unfortunately Lowry is an undersized 32 years old PG. Still the best player on the team. And Demar's game comes and goes. They are not gonna get better. I really hope the Raptors will do better next year but unless someone new comes in to be the best player over one of these two, they are not gonna improve.

[air gordon]

good for kevin love.

what can the raptors do? i think they've drafted well. van fleet, siakam, wright and OG are good young pieces.

ibaka plays like he's already 40. stick a fork in him. that '15 playoff incaranation of him is long gone

[shadowgrin]

I was hoping the Raptors could extend the series so the more games the Cavs play the more chances LeBron and his entire team could figure their shit together in the playoffs since they had lost and added a lot of new players and only been with the team for about 3 months.
I think the Pacers series going the full 7 games did just that and helped the Cavs.

[dwayne2005]

"Even in the darkest days of the Isaiah Thomas “era,” ..."

A good thing they have gotten rid of that pesky Isaiah Thomas and that little less pesky Dwyane Wade with how good Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hood played in that round.

Jordan Clarkson:
Game #1: 5 points in 12 minutes on 2/7 shooting
Game #2: 5 points in 13 minutes on 2/5 shooting
Game #3: 5 points in 11 minutes on 2/7 shooting
Game #4: 5 points in 19 minutes on 2/8 shooting

Rodney Hood:
Game #1: 2 points in 16 minutes on 1/5 shooting
Game #2: 0 points in 12 minutes on 0/2 shooting
Game #3: 0 points in 10 minutes on 0/2 shooting
Game #4: DNP

Larry Nance Jr also underwhelmed.

[Dee4Three]

"Even in the darkest days of the Isaiah Thomas “era,” ..."

A good thing they have gotten rid of that pesky Isaiah Thomas and that little less pesky Dwyane Wade with how good Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hood played in that round.

Jordan Clarkson:
Game #1: 5 points in 12 minutes on 2/7 shooting
Game #2: 5 points in 13 minutes on 2/5 shooting
Game #3: 5 points in 11 minutes on 2/7 shooting
Game #4: 5 points in 19 minutes on 2/8 shooting

Rodney Hood:
Game #1: 2 points in 16 minutes on 1/5 shooting
Game #2: 0 points in 12 minutes on 0/2 shooting
Game #3: 0 points in 10 minutes on 0/2 shooting
Game #4: DNP

Larry Nance Jr also underwhelmed.

I think you are missing a big point on why those trades happened.

LeBron needs the ball in his hands/wants the ball in his hands almost all the time. Thomas and Wade also need the ball a lot to be super productive. Obviously the whole "distraction" part was involved, but in the best interest of the teams success (LeBron wanting to be in control at most times), those trades had to happen.

Thomas is awesome as a primary ball handler, Wade is still an ISO player. Both players are not spot up shooters. Hood is a spot up shooter, Clarkson was used to riding pine and being a "Spark", and kind of fading out, and Nance was nothing more than a hustle guy with LA most of the time.

Those trades fit in perfectly to what Cleveland/LeBron wanted to do.

[NovU]

dwayne. Let's face it. You and I know both Clarkson and Hood are shit players. Always have been. They're high usage low efficiency players. Problem is Wade and Isaiah at this point are NOT much different. Having them on Cavs team would have hurt the team even more because their name value would have automatically granted them bigger roles than Clarkson and Hood. Having less of Clarkson and Hood allowed others to step up in their shoes, like LBJ/JR/Love/KORVER. Possessions are limited, you know this.

The reason Cavs took chance on them is because of their youth and hopes that they would somehow become effective in low usage high efficiency role alongside LeBron.

[Jeffx]

And so ends the run for the most disappointing #1 seed in NBA history. Well, that dubious distinction is up for debate, but surely these Raptors rank up there.

As great as LeBron is, I really thought Toronto had a better team. But I didn't count on two things; 1) LeBron getting help from his guys & 2) Toronto's lack of mental toughness. DeRozan & Lowry had a COMBINED 18 POINTS in playoff elimination game! C'mon man, that shit is unacceptable. To quote Walt 'Clyde' Frazier, "the regular season is where you make your name, but the postseason is where you make your fame".

Did you hear DeRozan's press conference after the game? Pathetic is being kind.

You know what the Raptors need? Cats like Draymond Green and Marcus Smart - nasty, pain-in-the-ass mfers who play with a chip on their shoulder.

[Jeffx]

Someone posted this at Operationsports.com about Rodney Hood. Dude needs a serious reality check;

"When the Cavs called a timeout with a 30-point lead and 7:38 left Monday, Lue tried inserting Hood for James. It was a great opportunity for a struggling youngster to try and find his rhythm without any pressure before the next series. Instead, Hood refused to go in, multiple sources confirmed. A number of veterans huddled around him during the timeout and tried talking sense into him, but Hood still refused to go, so Jose Calderon subbed into the game instead. *Hood dressed quickly and was one of the first players out of the locker room after the game. *

For him, of all people, to refuse to go into a game during garbage time is grounds for a fine and suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. Lue hung in there with Hood when most other coaches would’ve gone away from him long ago. When these playoffs began, an opposing executive texted me “(Hood) is not built for this,” meaning the postseason. Now we’re seeing why.

Cavs GM Koby Altman intends to meet with Hood soon to discuss why he refused to go into the game and to get his side of the story, one source told The Athletic. Hood has struggled with stiffness in the past and, given how long he was sitting, the Cavs want to give him an opportunity to tell his side of the story. But according to multiple people who witnessed the exchange, this had nothing to do with stiffness and everything to do with a young player pouting.

“This is the playoffs. We’re trying to win a championship,” one Cavs player told The Athletic. “This isn’t about you.”

[Andrew]

Agreed on the team lacking mental toughness. As for Hood, yeah, not a good move at all. He should be jumping at any chance to get into the game and prove himself, even if it's in garbage time.

[shadowgrin]

As great as LeBron is, I really thought Toronto had a better team. But I didn't count on two things; 1) LeBron getting help from his guys

Agreed. Amazing how removing team cancer in the locker room like Isaiah Thomas and Dwyane Wade (even LeBron knew it, else his buddy wouldn't have been traded) and a 7 game series in the playoffs can improve team chemistry as to sweep the 1st seed.