NBA Thread

[Jaws]

Great news for the Raptors and fan base

[CanDB]

It is a great day in The North!!! I will not expand, but I feel they were the best team/organization in basketball, and were rewarded for it. I also give credit to Golden State for their courage and effort. They will go down as one of the best teams in history, regardless of the defeat.

I can appreciate the disappointment based on injuries to key players. But having said that, The Raptors managed their star player throughout the season (missing 1/4 of the games), were a close #2 seed to The Bucks, who they beat 4 straight games in the playoffs, and were dominant against GS all season, winning 6 of 8 games, all 4 in Oakland, twice against a healthy Durant, and once minus Leonard.

The next huge question on the minds of Raptors fans.....can we sign Kawhi? Sure hope so. It would make our summer complete. If not, it sure was a great run!!

[DenverBlood]

Congrats Can! In 5 years no one will remember the injuries. Just that the Raptors won. I wasn’t rooting for them but I won’t take credit from them. But Toronto winning gives hope to other markets like Denver that have never won before. You build the right Roster and add a star even if it’s via trade instead of free agency and you can take down the big market power houses.

They have a chance now with a good young core to keep Kwahi. I still think he goes to L.A. where he wants to be. Probably the Clippers. But there is a chance now to talk him out of it.

As for the Wizards offer to Uriji I would turn that down. I don’t care if it’s a lucrative offer. Why start over? And from Toronto’s perspective match the offer ASAP

[broncolee]

Congratulations to the Raptors.

They beat a wounded team and the injuries to the Warriors are the reason the Raptors won.

That being said, the Raptors did what they were supposed to do against a wounded team. Good for them.

[CanDB]

As an aside, this offseason will be pretty interesting. Of course, The Draft is coming soon. The Kawhi contract should garner a ton of interest. My fingers will be crossed till we get the final word!

Kyrie will keep talking it up. But what may be a real story will be the injury to KD. I read yesterday that he will miss the entire season. If that's true, it would be a travesty. And it will heat up debates on how he was managed, especially given his contract situation. Sure, this may pass with just a few small bumps, but it is never surprising to me how these things unfold, once the "team spirit" factor simmers.

And I doubt it related, but did Klay's hamstring issue influence in any way what happened to him last night. I will take it that it did not....but one wonders.

Should be an interesting summer.

[CanDB]

Congrats Can! In 5 years no one will remember the injuries. Just that the Raptors won. I wasn’t rooting for them but I won’t take credit from them. But Toronto winning gives hope to other markets like Denver that have never won before. You build the right Roster and add a star even if it’s via trade instead of free agency and you can take down the big market power houses.

They have a chance now with a good young core to keep Kwahi. I still think he goes to L.A. where he wants to be. Probably the Clippers. But there is a chance now to talk him out of it.

As for the Wizards offer to Uriji I would turn that down. I don’t care if it’s a lucrative offer. Why start over? And from Toronto’s perspective match the offer ASAP

Thx DB! You are so right, you win the prize in any way you can, and you go down in history. I give the team and organization credit for what they did, within what they could control. Were they supposed to let up and give the mighty Warriors a better chance? Do all fans realize that they methodically benched their superstar for 1/4 of the season, which in hindsight, seems much wiser than what may be the outcome for KD in the coming year...and possibly beyond? And as you say, does it give renewed hope for other teams and their fans, which can only be good for the game? BTW...you have a really good team, and were not far from the dance.

Lots of questions.

In the end I, like all other Raptors fans, were treated to an amazing journey, which started when a risk-taking, decisive GM threw caution to the wind, and went for it after last season. It was never a for sure thing, and the thought of playing Philly, The Bucks and The Warriors would have been very daunting indeed. I am just very proud of the team, and how they have super charged a nation, and all of their fans round the world.

:thumb:

[atwaterandstir]

Congrats Can and other Raptors fans!
That was a really entertaining game to watch. Hopefully Thompson and Durant come back fully healthy. One good thing about these "super teams" is that it takes a super performance to beat them.

That was a a really fun NBA season. Now let's go Jazz....Carsen Edwards could do for us what Vanvleet did for Toronto. The ability guys like that have to close games is incredible.

[Bronco51]

Side note, as a Nugget fan I’m ecstatic Jeremy Lin got a ring while Melo is still ring-less.

[Spice 1]

Congrats Can and other Raptors fans!
That was a really entertaining game to watch. Hopefully Thompson and Durant come back fully healthy. One good thing about these "super teams" is that it takes a super performance to beat them.

That was a a really fun NBA season. Now let's go Jazz....Carsen Edwards could do for us what Vanvleet did for Toronto. The ability guys like that have to close games is incredible.

Side note, as a Nugget fan I’m ecstatic Jeremy Lin got a ring while Melo is still ring-less.

I know you guys are rivals, but I hope you both get one.

[CanDB]

Congrats Can and other Raptors fans!
That was a really entertaining game to watch. Hopefully Thompson and Durant come back fully healthy. One good thing about these "super teams" is that it takes a super performance to beat them.

That was a a really fun NBA season. Now let's go Jazz....Carsen Edwards could do for us what Vanvleet did for Toronto. The ability guys like that have to close games is incredible.

Thx AT......I sure wish we would have visited TO one week later, and got to walk the downtown streets last night.....and the parade on Monday would have been sweet!

Yes indeed, Vanvleet was a closer.....and an undrafted one at that. Small, not necessarily fast, but deadly.

I did not realize you were a Utah fan. Man, I was a huge Stockton fan, and him and Malone were as dangerous a partnership as any!!! They delivered the mail and then some!!!:thumb:

[Spice 1]

Thx AT......I sure wish we would have visited TO one week later, and got to walk the downtown streets last night.....and the parade on Monday would have been sweet!

Yes indeed, Vanvleet was a closer.....and an undrafted one at that. Small, not necessarily fast, but deadly.

I did not realize you were a Utah fan. Man, I was a huge Stockton fan, and him and Malone were as dangerous a partnership as any!!! They delivered the mail and then some!!!:thumb:

The guy I'm really impressed by is Kyle Lowry. He changed the perception of his career in one series. Ibaka was great, Vanvleet was great, Siakam and Gasol were great at times, but to see Lowry take over like that was fun to watch after all the post season struggles he's had.

[CanDB]

The guy I'm really impressed by is Kyle Lowry. He changed the perception of his career in one series. Ibaka was great, Vanvleet was great, Siakam and Gasol were great at times, but to see Lowry take over like that was fun to watch after all the post season struggles he's had.

Good take Spice! Lowry has had a really good career, but lots of folks doubt him at times. He can try to do too much, but I love his energy and effort. I sensed he would do well last night, because he is a gamer, and a road warrior. I am glad for him.

Yes, I think The Raptors have a load of versatility, and can play games with every starter (and maybe a 6th player) in double figures. Plus they have become very sound defensively. No doubt in my mind that guys like Vanvleet and Siakam were basically unknowns until recently. But did they impress!!! I suspect both of them will keep growing and maturing as players, which will serve The Raptors very well. Siakam has limited basketball experience.

[broncoslover115]

Congrats Can!!! So happy for you and the Raptors!!!!

[CanDB]

Congrats Can!!! So happy for you and the Raptors!!!!

You're a pal! :thumb:

Ha ha, the Raptors jersey my kid got me for Christmas is starting to look mighty good, in public!! Not so the Blue Jays jersey.

How's your early summer going?

[beastlyskronk]

I hate to be that guy that just bags on the refs but I felt like the last two games they were letting Golden State be more physical on defense than they were Toronto. Maybe that’s because I only watched the Toronto broadcasts and they mentioned it quite a bit but I’ve also felt that the refs were influencing games throughout the entire playoffs whether it be for ratings or personal bias or whatever the case may be. Nonetheless the officials not calling a foul on Cousins for tripping Lowry which led to the fast break Klay got hurt on is the reason this series is over. Maybe Toronto would’ve closed out anyway but there was no shot once Klay went down.

The injuries shouldn’t take away from what they accomplished though. They beat some of the biggest contenders in Milwaukee and Philadelphia this season both of whom I actually think have the better team on paper. Kawhi is an all time great and absolutely should be in the conversation for best player in the world. And even if he leaves this offseason for LA or wherever, Toronto should still be excited that they have such a talented player in Siakam who is still relatively new to the game of basketball and quite honestly has the potential to rival some of the best in the game.