Game Day: Raptors (23-28) @ Suns (26-25), Mon 1/30/23

[Superbone]

Had some big rebounds down the stretch too… I still think his defense has majorly regressed but tonight he played a good game

Totally disagree. But he would have had a great game (and we would have won by 20) if he could block out his man.

[Superbone]

If you just watched the 2nd half like I did, Ayton was ok tonight

I watched the entire game, buddy. I guess if you don't care about the Raptors getting a ton of easy baskets on put backs because DA doesn't block out his man, and only watch every thing else, he would look pretty good.

[Superbone]

If you only look at DA's stats, he had a GREAT game.

[The Bobster]

Had some big rebounds down the stretch too… I still think his defense has majorly regressed but tonight he played a good game

Totally disagree. But he would have had a great game (and we would have won by 20) if he could block out his man.

They really didn't have anybody else rebounding until Craig picked it up some in the 4th.

Landale and Biyombo combined for 1 rebound in 16 minutes, Johnson and Bridges combined for 6 in 65 minutes.

[Split T]

If you just watched the 2nd half like I did, Ayton was ok tonight

I watched the entire game, buddy. I guess if you don't care about the Raptors getting a ton of easy baskets on put backs because DA doesn't block out his man, and only watch every thing else, he would look pretty good.

Most of that must have been in the 1st half. I didn’t notice a ton of that

[Superbone]

I seem to be in the minority tonight. I'm going to quit watching him so closely. I just get really frustrated when a team gets so many put backs on offensive rebounds.

[AmareIsGod]

I seem to be in the minority tonight. I'm going to quit watching him so closely. I just get really frustrated when a team gets so many put backs on offensive rebounds.

He was barely a +1 tonight very late in the game. Kept doing jack shit on defense.

[TOO]

If you only look at DA's stats, he had a GREAT game.

This is the JeremyG method.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I seem to be in the minority tonight. I'm going to quit watching him so closely. I just get really frustrated when a team gets so many put backs on offensive rebounds.

I've found myself guilty of this in the past year or so. It's a lot easier to nitpick when you're focused on every step he makes, so I try to not do it now.

Regarding tonight, I think he a had a good game by his standard. He's in a mini shooting slump that hurt his scoring numbers, but this is the third game in a row that he hasn't really loafed around for stretches. Still the same issues with mental lapses, but like I said, good game by his standard.

[Flagrant Fowl]

These Raptors seem like a bad team, like a whole that is less than the sun of the parts. They seem all out of sorts. They can't stop Bridges or Ayton.

This is a big reason why I have a short fuse for the extreme Monty criticism...

Look at the Raptors. They have an all-NBA player, an all-star PG (1x), the reigning ROY, and a guy who's supposedly worth 2-3 first round picks. The Suns are better on paper, but it's not by much. Yet we never hear criticism for Nick Nurse. He's unquestionably one of the best coaches in the league and his team runs the clogged toilet offense. It's one or maybe two screens to try for a mismatch and then drive and kick every single possession. I'd lose my mind watching that crap for a whole season.

[ShelC]

Postgame quotes and videos

Spoiler: show/hide

[LazarusLong]

I seem to be in the minority tonight. I'm going to quit watching him so closely. I just get really frustrated when a team gets so many put backs on offensive rebounds.

Some of that was on Ayton. Raptors have a number of 6-8.6-9 guys who hit the boards and have significant wingspan.

Craig was somewhat inactive until later in the second half. And he looks a bit worn the past several games.
Wainright is only 6-5. Saric is not particularly athletic. Cam Johnson has length, but hangs out more on the outside.

[Mori Chu]

If you only look at DA's stats, he had a GREAT game.

This is the JeremyG method.

Guys, let's go easy on JeremyG. If you want to criticize Ayton's play, please go ahead, but JeremyG literally quit posting here because of all the folks bashing him. I realize that his persistent defenses of Ayton rubbed some of you wrong, but he isn't even here and some of you keep piling on him. I'm not trying to be oversensitive or censorious but I also want this site to be a place where we can talk to each other with respect even if we disagree.

[Mori Chu]

From reddit. Interesting.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I really like OG Anunoby. I think he's first team all-defense with all-NBA upside, but there's some paralysis by analysis going on with him right now mostly due to the Toronto's reported asking price. I'll wait until the dust settles to decide if he's at all relevant to the Suns.

[Split T]

OG isn’t a guy you want running offense…he’s basically a bigger mikal(before this leap he’s taken recently). Elite defense, can make open 3s, can attack closeouts

[In2ition]

If you only look at DA's stats, he had a GREAT game.

This is the JeremyG method.

Guys, let's go easy on JeremyG. If you want to criticize Ayton's play, please go ahead, but JeremyG literally quit posting here because of all the folks bashing him. I realize that his persistent defenses of Ayton rubbed some of you wrong, but he isn't even here and some of you keep piling on him. I'm not trying to be oversensitive or censorious but I also want this site to be a place where we can talk to each other with respect even if we disagree.

The JeremyG needling that's done here is juvenile at best, and downright disgusting at worst, but I'm not going to figure out each person's motives. Seems like too much time is spent with bully tactics, imo.

[bajanguy008]

Well just got finished
I said that I couldn't care less that Spurs game went OT because of getting to see that Mikal takeover

Well he definitely one-up that game
Top stuff from the dude, it's times like this where I wish I could do my own little video analysis to share on here

*Edit* - searched on Twitter

If Mikal had only scored 15pts I would have still been excited just from this play alone. We all know his struggles with full court pressure and also ball handling in traffic. FVV can pick pocket or strip with the best of them so



Then Barnes now on the full court pressure and this dime off the high pick n' roll. Again, I'm just giggling like a proud dad at this point lol



Can't find the final play, but it was smart D as they stopped him from taking the dribble hand off going left for his fav pull up. He calmly went back right and still hit the jumper

[TOO]

These Raptors seem like a bad team, like a whole that is less than the sun of the parts. They seem all out of sorts. They can't stop Bridges or Ayton.

This is a big reason why I have a short fuse for the extreme Monty criticism...

Look at the Raptors. They have an all-NBA player, an all-star PG (1x), the reigning ROY, and a guy who's supposedly worth 2-3 first round picks. The Suns are better on paper, but it's not by much. Yet we never hear criticism for Nick Nurse. He's unquestionably one of the best coaches in the league and his team runs the clogged toilet offense. It's one or maybe two screens to try for a mismatch and then drive and kick every single possession. I'd lose my mind watching that crap for a whole season.

Thats what winning a title does for you.

[TOO]

If you only look at DA's stats, he had a GREAT game.

This is the JeremyG method.

Guys, let's go easy on JeremyG. If you want to criticize Ayton's play, please go ahead, but JeremyG literally quit posting here because of all the folks bashing him. I realize that his persistent defenses of Ayton rubbed some of you wrong, but he isn't even here and some of you keep piling on him. I'm not trying to be oversensitive or censorious but I also want this site to be a place where we can talk to each other with respect even if we disagree.

The JeremyG needling that's done here is juvenile at best, and downright disgusting at worst, but I'm not going to figure out each person's motives. Seems like too much time is spent with bully tactics, imo.

It's no different than when everyone would harp on INFORMER because of draft picks and euros. None of it is malicious.