Greek freak and derozan are elite players make no mistake about it
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Literally the worst take ever. Monta Ellis has no 3 point range and is one of the worst defenders of all time.
Comparing DeRozan to Giannis may be the most laughable shit ever. A fringe all star player compared to a top 5 MVP candidate for years to come. DeRozan wouldn't even be in the discussion to be an all star in the West. Giannis would be a lock.Comment -
We’ll see pal. Betting on James in the East has served you well over the years. I have felt most of this season that Toronto was reaching the finals. If the games are tight I can see the Raptors reverting to their old ways down the stretch. I also can see them getting over the hump. But I legitimately believe they have the team to get past this version of Cleveland. And I really believe James is spent.Comment -
This dopes will find out soon enough - the new look cavs trash the raptors - last 2 regular season meetingComment -
It's simple with Toronto, if their stars show up they will be fine. If Lowry and Derozan choke like they have in the past and go a combined 8/34 they will be in trouble. Raps role players are way better than Cavs and Raps actually play defense. X Factor is that LeBron is easily the best player in this series. If Raps show up they should win, but that is yet to be seen.
Wiz you still think Philly takes game 2. I'm starting to think they go back to Philly 0-2. That Boston teams is day and night home and away. They are full of role players. Role players play great at home but suck on the road. Talent difference isn't actually that big between the two teams, Boston got some underrated guys.Comment -
I’m really not sure yet. I won’t be surprised to see them go down 0-2. Honestly going into this series you could have told me it would go 7 or it would be a sweep and neither outcome would have surprised me. I know this Sixers team like the back of my hand. What happened last night is nothing new. Boston is going to take away the 3 point shot at all costs. So what is the adjustment? Punish with Embiid down low and backcuts off screens. The Sixers can backcut all game with the way Boston is going over every screen. The main issue is their willingness to actually do it and also converting it into points. A guy like Covington can cut to the basket but he is so bad at finishing it’s almost not worth it. That’s where I think Ilyasova may need to play a bigger role. To me, that is the main adjustment for Philly. Taking some minutes away from Covington and giving them to guys who can finish around the basket. Saric and Ilyasova are both very good at drawing contact and finishing from inside 5 feet. If Philly can make Boston respect the paint, it will open up the 3 point shot again. Make no mistake about it. The Sixers want to launch 3s. The only way to do that however is to get the Celtics to back off by making them pay down low.
I need some more time to think about Game 2. Right now I would say +3.5 was the right side when it was available although that still leaves a slight cushion for Philly. I think they will need to really grind it out over the course of 48 minutes.Comment -
Pelicans +11 -110 (1x)
Pelicans +5.5 +300 (0.5x)Comment -
Laughing at Toronto.Comment -
No big deal....one game, in which Toronto was extremely unlucky. Cavs are still flawed, sh!t Indiana won a game in Cleveland and could have won 2 or 3. Toronto is far superior to Indiana, so no reason to think Raps cant win at least 1 maybe 2 on the road here.Comment -
If Toronto loses the series does the team get blown up in the off season?
Kinda have to think if they don't win the east now with a weakened lebron they will never win with this coreComment -
Casey better be coaching for his job now. These scrubs piss me off. Must be a Canada mental midget inferior complex issue when the playoffs come aroundComment -
We laugh at them every year, usually in a game 1.
As bad as Raps have been in game 1, they almost always bounce back in game 2 at home. Like what is the point of paying them max money if they don't come through when it matters most.
It's just amazing how much of a non factor Lowry and Derozan are down the stretch of big games.Comment -
Toronto reverted right back to dribbling the air out of the ball late into the shotclock late in the game. Really disheartening to see that. Maybe Seto was right. We’ll see. Long way to go fellas. I am sticking by my guns.
Pelicans hanging close but they are one big Warriors run from going down 15. They’ve answered every run so far but I don’t know how many more answers they have in them. Golden State is going to ramp up their defensive intensity and feed off the home crowd. Curry hasn’t missed a beat. Not surprising.Comment -
Yeah the only time they lost game 2 was when they got swept by the Wiz, but they lost the first game of that series in overtime. The narrative before that series was pretty much the same as before this series.
Honestly even I, who thinks Cavs win in 5 or 6 expected Toronto to win yesterday given the extra rest spot. The fact they couldn't even win that game tells me their season will be over very soon.Comment -
You can’t give games away and expect to win series - especially to the KINGComment -
Then a misunderstanding on my part
My comparison of giannis to derozan was not based on their play style which is very different but overall impact they have as the franchise player
Giannis was predicted as a dark horse mvp candidate going into this season but it's safe to say he fell short on that this yr despite his elite numbers
Derozan has similar numbers from a primary player perspective and both teams will have drastically underperformed if the raptors indeed fold up and quit
Both elite talents that have yet to cross the mental barrier into true superstar dom
Giannis may have higher potential and an arrow pointing up compared to derozan but both are in fairly similar spots as of right nowComment -
Giannis just impacts the game in so many more ways than DeRozan. He just plays for a sorry franchise that has made the worst coaching hires you could possibly imagine and put together a laughable roster around him. The only players worth a damn on that team other than him are Middleton (Middleton vs DeRozan is very close to me, and I'd probably pick Middleton) and Brogdon. Everyone else on that roster is either a bum or a flawed one-dimensional player. Giannis clearly however is not a very smart individual as he wants the Bucks to pay top dollar to keep Jabari. What a joke. I wouldn't even give Jabari 10 mill let alone the max.
I'd agree he's not yet on that MVP level some have him at (he was actually fav for MVP a couple weeks into the season which was laughable) but he's really close. I mean, players clearly better than him:
LeBron
Durant
AD
Steph
Kawhi
Harden
He's right in that 2nd tier with Westbrook, Kyrie, Dame, Butler, George, Wall, CP3.
Then you have the 3rd tier with Kemba, Conley, Oladipo, Middleton, Beal, Klay, CJ, and I think DeRozan fits here, as probably one of the less valuable players on the list but it's close no doubt.
Haven't included the newer guys like Simmons Embiid Porzingis and KAT cause it's a bit early to categorise them.Comment -
I may disagree with the ordering of that top 6 but it's the same core
When gaging giannis and derozan it can be easy to confuse potential with what is tangible.
Derozan is probably near his max potential save a better 3 point shot whereas giannis can improve greatly in many facets of the game. But in analyzing what they both bring currently I think it is very close
Giannis is still working on a go to move that involves skill over athleticism other than taking 1 dribble from halfcourt and dunking over everyone. He doesn't have a move he's quite comfortable with yet
While derozan isn't a knockdown shooter he has a flurry of go to moves off the dribble inside the 3 that is very difficult to guard. He can get free throws second only to Harden which is a big run stopper
For the record I'm a huge fan of giannis and not so much with derozan but I try to view it from a neutral view
Derozan is limited to a scorer and he is very effective. Giannis has the ability to be a Paul George pre leg inuryor even lebronesque player one day but he isn't right nowComment -
Greek freak overrated -Comment -
Greek Freak is a tier 1 NBA player, Derozan is like a tier 2 player who becomes a tier 3 player in the playoffs. I can probably name 20 guys I'd rather have on my team in the playoffs than Derozan. What did he have, like 7 points in the entire second half and OT last night?
At least Giannis is capable of putting up monster games and doesn't shy away from the moment. Just watching the Raps you can see Derozan and Lowry deferring to role players.Comment
