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OT: The Official Toronto Raptors Thread

BI looking like an improved or better version of Demar Derozan…..him and Scottie have strong chemistry with each other. Both players are playing like all stars right now so far. The eye test and advanced statistics both demonstrate this fact.
 
Raptors 9-5 to start the season, have really been enjoying the games so far


tonight’s game had Just awful and inconsistent officiating. But Ingram came with a big performance on both sides of the court tonight. Without him, we lose for sure . The rest of the starters brought no energy tonight and even the bench was hit or miss. TOR barely won and squeezed that one out.

Last year, we would have lost a game like tonight because we lacked a closer and three level scorer like BI. Now we have him and we can win the close games where gamebreakers like Ingram, who can create their own offense from everywhere and can make the difference with their scoring ability. He’s not a passive player either, he takes charge, he initiates and dictates the play, drives ball possession, and is willing to make the shots. I love when he finishes his plays with authority.

But overall in November ( except tonight’s game) Our Starting 5 lineup looked solid so far. Our Bench is more reliable now with the growth and development of younger players like Jamal Shead, Gradey dikk, and Ja-Kobe Walter. Colin Murray-Boyles looks like a really good pick, I think he could become a player similar to Barnes. Mamu looks like a great signing so far. Him and Jakob Poeltl are Very effective bigs/centers/power forwards..
 
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I see an opportunity for the Raps this year

Knicks, pistons and the Cavs are maybe the only legitimate contending teams in the east this season.

But Pistons remain a wild card/darkhorse in my mind despite their stellar 7-2 record . They’re a Talented, young and up and coming team led by Ivey( out for 4 weeks because of a knee surgery) cunningham and Duran. They will easily be a playoff team this year but I’m not sold on them being contenders for some reason. Maybe because they’re still too young/inexperienced and too much of a top heavy team? Other than Duran/cade/ivey, it seems they have no one else of note. I don’t trust their bench or depth.

Cavs will make the playoffs easily but can this core ever advance beyond the 2nd round ? They lost in round 1(2023), and in round 2 ( 2024 and 2025)

The stars seem to be aligned for the Knicks this year. Their road to the finals is much easier, there won’t be Celtics or pacers on their path. Can they finally seize the moment?

Magic are a deep, tough, physical, young, energetic, good defensively and hard to play against. They significantly improved their offense by adding volume scorer and shooting guard Desmond bane on their roster last summer. They traded one starter(Caldwell-pope) , one bench player( Cole Anthony ) and four unprotected first-round picks to get him. Orlando might regret trading their draft picks but not Caldwell-pope and Anthony. It was an overpayment that was worth it, it made their team better and stronger. They can surprise and do serious damage this season. They gave a hard time to the Celtics last year in the playoffs

Bulls are pretenders. I believe that Their early season record is a mirage. They’re not « second seed in the east » good. Their roster is just average on paper and they’re overachieving on the court. They won’t last long.

Bucks will always competitive as long as they have Giannis. Myles turner is a great addition for them. Him and Giannis are twin towers. Skyline duo of power forwards/bigs.
And young guards AJ Green and Ryan Rollins successfully replaced Damian Lilliard.

Sixers are off to a hot start but as a team they have bad underlying advanced statistics, they probably suck. Embiid and George are old, less effective, less productive, mobile, dangerous and down from years of injuries. Wear and tear and their best years are behind them. Maxey is too passive and Jared McCain/vj edgecombe are still too young to take charge and lead the team. Grimes, Bona and Watford are decent platoon/bench players though.

Heat will be tough and competitive as usual but they won’t be contenders. At best they will be a tough out in the playoffs. Powell, Wiggins are not enough. They have solid young players though.

Hawks and Raps are both play-in calibre teams. Above average at best. Both teams are young, somewhat Deep but still lack true elite talent.

Celtics and pacers won’t be competitive as usual this year without their best players. ( Tatum and Halliburton wont play at all this season because of injury/surgery/recovery. They got Achilles/tendon injuries in the playoffs last year but at different rounds . Tatum in game 6 against the new york knicks in round 2, and Halliburton in game 7 of the nba finals against the OKC thunder) I Expect both teams to struggle this year, it’s a write off season for them.
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/ty...2VpUUiZ1lnkVPYzta3TIcFoxGuFiLT5RPDxqHxnWTO5N#
www.tsn.ca

Haliburton’s season-ending injury forces Pacers to find different winning combination​

The defending Eastern Conference champs won’t be the same with two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton expected to miss the entire season because of a torn Achilles tendon.
www.tsn.ca
www.tsn.ca
www.tsn.ca

Celtics’ Tatum not ruling out potential return for next season​

The Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum said he isn't ruling out a potential return for the 2025-26 season as he continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles.
www.tsn.ca
www.tsn.ca


Hornets, wizards, and nets just suck as usual. I expect nothing else from these Hopeless and dysfunctional franchises with no longterm vision, bad coaching, bad management and bad team culture. I hate to watch these teams play, so glad I’m not a fan of them. They’re so boring and frustrating
 
Yes, the East seems to be wide open and weak compared to the West this season. Out west, the OKC thunder( the defending champs) and the Denver nuggets are in a class of their own, followed by the timberwolves, lakers, spurs, and rockets, then the mid/older/declining teams like the blazers/suns/warriors, then the bad teams like kings/grizzlies/mavericks/pelicans/jazz

Here in the East, the Knicks, pistons and Cavs are the biggest threats. Then with the exception of the bad teams at the bottom like the hornets/pacers/wizards/nets, there’s a fairly large second group of middle class contenders/pretenders ( raptors, hawks, bulls, heat, bucks, sixers, magic)

If both pacers/celtics were a little more healthier, they would have been right in the competitive mix. Their Injury situation doesnt do them justice. Pacers are not 1-13 bad.
 
Scottie Barnes is everywhere and literally does everything on the court…he took the next step in his development and is our best player so far…. I Loved to see him actually dictating the play for once…he was criticized for his passive attitude in the past but he seems more confident, involved and energized this year. Rebounder, facilitator, shot blocker, rim finisher and defender. He’s a Very versatile player.
Jamal Shead might be another Kyle Lowry in training…if he becomes as good as Kyle, we’re in business for the next decade.
Immanuel Quickley finally looking like the point guard we traded for
Jakob poeltl and his bench replacement/counterpart Mamu rebounding and offensive play in the glass….I love to see how effortlessly and effectively they use their size, reach/arm length and power to scoop up all the rebounds/second scoring chances around the rim and score lay ups. Good duo of power forwards/bigs

Ingram might be the most underrated/bang for the buck acquisition by an nba team in 2025. Three level scorer, closer, passer and with his length he can be a useful and effective perimeter defender..He knows how to use his length well in terms of disrupting inside plays and swatting away passes, and contesting shots. He is always a threat tipping away/intercepting passes, starting a fast break, and blocking inbound plays.
 
List of injuries on Eastern conference teams so far


Orlando magic: Paolo banchero is out indefinitely because of a left groin injury
Both Tyrese Halliburton ( Indiana pacers) and Jayson Tatum ( Boston Celtics ) likely wont play again this season- they’re in rehabilitation, still recovering from Achilles injuries/surgeries
Also Indiana pacers: Obi toppin, Aaron nesmith, and Ben mathurin also injured and out indefinitely. What a tough year for the defending eastern conference champs/last year’s finalists

New York knicks: Jalen Brunson out indefinitely because of a severe and serious ankle injury ( grade 1 right ankle sprain)
Detroit pistons: Jaden Ivey out for a month or more because of a right knee injury/surgery
Philadelphia 76ers: veterans Joel Embiid and Paul George are waking wounded, injured and old

The raps have a weak and soft schedule for the rest of the month and they’re lucky to have everyone healthy, no injured players on the roster so far. They avoided the injury bug that is hitting so many teams early in the regular season. Every other team in the East ( knicks, pacers, magic, Celtics, sixers, pistons etc) has a lot of injured star players/starters, excepted us. We have to seize the moment and take advantage of it
 
Scottie Barnes is our best player, but not our best scorer.

BI is our best scorer, but not our best player.

As an aside, I can see why it would be frustrating having BI be your best/franchise player. A volume scorer who doesn't have the best handle and a tough mid-range shot shooter.
 
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