Did I overreact after game 2? Yes, absolutely. The season isn’t completely doomed yet. Buuuuuut, I did NOT like the way we closed out the game, regardless of the crappy reffing. We cannot give a good team that many free throws and blow a double digit lead at the end of the fourth. We will get burried by any competent team playing like that.

I really hope the guys can straighten out soon.

Well from my interactions with people last night,.it’s also Jak’s fault for not being the offensive big that fits this squad.

So, so far the reason we are bad, according to Reddit is:

• Fred VanVleet
• Nick Nurse
• Pascal Siakam
• Jakob Poeltl

Essentially all Lowry/DeRozan era players.

I assume next in line is:

• Malachi Flynn for being the sole destruction of the 2nd unit
• Gary Trent Jr. for not shooting enough or shooting too much
• Chris Boucher for being Chris Boucher, take your pick
• Dennis Schroder for not giving Scottie the ball enough
• Jeff Dowtin Jr because even though he’s not on the squad, the mention of his name induces an aggressive, impulsive reaction

I’ve said it multiple times and I’ll say it again: this sub is not ready for a rebuild. We’re only game 3 and people want Jak and Siakam out, not even giving any thought as to how Scottie will perform when teams scout him as the #1 option.

it’s not blaming or scapegoating. it’s falling out someone whose dragging the team by playing like ass. I hate how reactionary this sub is, but it’s not wrong to call out someone who wasn’t playing up to standard.

Nick’s offensive schemes went downhill last season, Fred was a ball hog on some possessions, and really prevented the offense from flowing. pascal’s playing like garbage. lazy passes, lackluster defensive efforts and passivity is all I’ve seen. it’s not blame, it’s accountability

I’m less concerned with Pascal and more concerned with our bench. I’ll be concerned about Pascal if he’s still averaging 15 points by game 10.

Under Nurse the team ranked like fifth in the league in isolation frequency. Pascal gets most of his points one-on-one isolation. This new offense does basically no isolation whatsoever. Which is good for the rest of the team but bad for Pascal.

It’s 100% up to the coaching staff to know that this is a huge problem and adjust accordingly. How many times last night did Joel get the ball at the elbow, they clear out, and he goes to work. Theres no reason why the raptors can’t do the same AND play a pass heavy style. Seeing as the best teams have figured it out.

But the biggest problem is just the players aren’t very good at the style. No one can pass except Scottie and Dennis. Every pocket pass to the roller is in traffic. And because they have so many forwards who can’t shoot, there’s no spacing, which makes their bad passing even worse.

tl;dr Pascal has to adjust to the new offensive style. The coaching staff also probably has to make use of Pascal’s elite iso skills. The FO has to unload these unskilled forwards for players who can shoot and dribble.

Trade him for Lavine.

We don’t have a good enough team to do any real damage. We are currently in a bit of a rebuild.

If Flynn was cut as he should have been, could be a 3-0 start already.

What? People haven’t been happy with Siakam play for awhile now

Kinda why masai and Bobby was shopping him the entirety of draft and offseason lol