OT: 2018-19 NBA Thread.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by jacobslide

I'd venture that without KD to guard, the Raps give Leonard the job of guarding Iggy with the idea that he can be more of a center fielder and come off him easily to help.

This would work with Siakam as well. Both are incredibly fast and incredibly long.

I still feel like I'm talking myself into being excited about the outcome, and it's gonna be W's in 5 or 6.

[jacobslide]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

This would work with Siakam as well. Both are incredibly fast and incredibly long.

I still feel like I'm talking myself into being excited about the outcome, and it's gonna be W's in 5 or 6.

As a lifelong Warriors fan, I still find it hard to feel confident about any of this. I'm still waiting for the ghost of PJ Carlesimo to come out and tell me I'm dreaming.

I wonder when/if KD comes back...

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by jacobslide

I'd venture that without KD to guard, the Raps give Leonard the job of guarding Iggy with the idea that he can be more of a center fielder and come off him easily to help.

So much of the Raptors offense goes through Leonard right now, I think they do that just to mildly lighten his load on the defensive end more than anything. God knows that's preferable to chasing Curry over a million screens.

On the flip side, what do the Dubs do when Curry gets caught in the post with Leonard or Lowry? The Raptors are going to hunt him out for those switches and isolations and make him work on that end.

[jtakeda]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Kyle Lowry is an above-average to good defender. I'm not sure that Klay eats him up, especially since Thompson makes almost all his impact in catch-and-shoot opportunities. That's typically covered more by help defense and rotation, and Toronto is excellent at rotation and closeout on weakside shooters. You can ask JJ Redick if you are skeptical.

Even if you think Lowry isn't that good and is a defensive weak link, I think you just put him on Iguodala and dare the W's to beat you running offense through Iggy. That's a schematic win for the Raps.

Healthy KD negates all of that, for sure.

Sure. But Kyle Lowry is listed a 6’0”

Klay is 6’7”
Iggy 6’6”

Klay will shoot over Lowry and Iggy is too strong for him.

He won’t post him up but he can definitely drive into Lowry and get him into foul trouble.

I think Siakam being effective is the most critical part of the match up. Kawhi is going to score and lock down anyone on defense. But the warriors have multiple allstars so it’s not as easy as locking down 1 guy

[jacobslide]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

Sure. But Kyle Lowry is listed a 6’0”

Klay is 6’7”
Iggy 6’6”

Klay will shoot over Lowry and Iggy is too strong for him.

He won’t post him up but he can definitely drive into Lowry and get him into foul trouble.

I think Siakam being effective is the most critical part of the match up. Kawhi is going to score and lock down anyone on defense. But the warriors have multiple allstars so it’s not as easy as locking down 1 guy

Lowry is a wide load though, and maybe can use some of that to move them off their spot a little.

Siakam, I agree, is the wild card. If he shoots well, and does all the little things, the Raps could be very dangerous - or, he could face a similar experience as Clint Capela did and just absolutely shrink at the worst times.

[jtakeda]

Originally Posted by jacobslide

Lowry is a wide load though, and maybe can use some of that to move them off their spot a little.

Siakam, I agree, is the wild card. If he shoots well, and does all the little things, the Raps could be very dangerous - or, he could face a similar experience as Clint Capela did and just absolutely shrink at the worst times.

I think Siakam might shrink. Also Kevon Looney is playing some killer ball. He’s faster than you might think and with a 7’4” wingspan he can really disrupt shots.

I think draymond and Looney are the keys for GSW.
Curry will be curry and Klay will lock down on D.


Also how injures is Kawhi?

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

I think Siakam might shrink. Also Kevon Looney is playing some killer ball. He’s faster than you might think and with a 7’4” wingspan he can really disrupt shots.

I think draymond and Looney are the keys for GSW.
Curry will be curry and Klay will lock down on D.


Also how injures is Kawhi?

I think all of these things are concerns for the Raptors. Which is why you will see most people saying something like W's in 5 or 6, some people tiptoeing up to 7 games but almost no one willing to call an outright series win for Toronto.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

I think Siakam might shrink. Also Kevon Looney is playing some killer ball. He’s faster than you might think and with a 7’4” wingspan he can really disrupt shots.

I think draymond and Looney are the keys for GSW.
Curry will be curry and Klay will lock down on D.


Also how injures is Kawhi?

This seems right. I think Draymond is the most valuable Dub, and Looney the most underrated. Crashing the boards against Green and Looney might be the only path to victory, and I still don't see it.

How are the Raptors using Gasol? Solely on the high PNR? It's seems kinda weird. I don't really get it.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

This seems right. I think Draymond is the most valuable Dub, and Looney the most underrated. Crashing the boards against Green and Looney might be the only path to victory, and I still don't see it.

How are the Raptors using Gasol? Solely on the high PNR? It's seems kinda weird. I don't really get it.

He's a great passer, excellent mid range shooter and emerged as a decent 3 point option. He drags an opposing 5 further from the bucket and in doing so clears the lane for space for Lowry, Leonard and the like to get to the bucket.

It's a hybrid of Brook Lopez in Milwaukee as Splash Mountain and Jokic as the point center.

And he's a big enough body on the other end to not require a double for guys like Embiid.

I'm not entirely sure how he stays on the floor, but Toronto going with Ibaka at the 5 and Siakam as the nominal 4 isn't necessarily the worst move ever.

[Jaybee]

Toronto also has in its pocket the Siakam at 5 lineup, which is something like +19 per 100 possessions this year. The catch there is most of those minutes came with OG Anunoby at the 4, and though he might be back for G4 or so, it's hard to believe he will be ready to contribute 100% after 7 weeks off. So the Raps have to go something like Siakam-Kawhi-Green-Powell-Lowry to make that work, or risk going even smaller with FVV in place of Green or Powell. Not sure that works if Dray-Curry-Klay are on the court. Maybe could get away with it when Quinn Cook is playing.

Another W's "weakness" over the past years is allowing offensive rebounds against 2-big lineups. Gasol-Ibaka aren't o-reb monsters like Tristan Thompson or Adams-Kanter was in 2016, but there may be something to exploit there in the non-Draymond minutes.

All this points to Ibaka possibly being the most pivotal player this series. If an Ibaka at 5 crew can hang with the Death Lineup, then we'll see a long series. If both he and Gasol get played off the floor, then it will probably be pretty quick.

[jacobslide]

Is it Thursday yet? Geez

[in_version]

Where has Danny Green been? and does he show up? VanVleet had a big impact on those last two wins, but I could easily see him falling to single digit scoring. Toronto's point guard is the second biggest question, to when KD will return. Warriors in 5, unless KD misses game 2 then 6.

[jtakeda]

We’re a little more than 24 hours away.

Our predictions have mostly been voiced BUT.

Who wins game 1? And why?

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

We’re a little more than 24 hours away.

Our predictions have mostly been voiced BUT.

Who wins game 1? And why?

The Raptors will win one game this series, and this will be it. They get the rebounding advantage, and win by seven.

[jtakeda]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

The Raptors will win one game this series, and this will be it. They get the rebounding advantage, and win by seven.

Interesting.

I think the warriors show their playoff experience and win game 1.

I think raptors adjust and win game 2 and then warriors win out