Boucher is almost getting 14 points a game averaging 23 minutes. Pretty impressive. Lowry, Siakam and VanVleet play much more.
Hollis-Jefferson is doing okay with Minnesota but it looks like Toronto picked the right horse. If Baynes and Davis get going than the team could be a contender… the team is highly dependent on Siakam, who seems fairly focused. This was a worry of mine - that frustration would outweigh that - but the team still has some tenacity. Might they make the second round?
(heh - in case there isn’t enough Raptor coverage here 
)
I like how a rising Boucher has at least somewhat filled the void of Gasol and Ibaka. Their absences obviously will never be fully filled, of course, and Bainsy sure hasn’t met that challenge convincingly (although defensively he’s still a contributor).
The fact alone the Raptors have had the second-best win/loss record in the east since game 10 reassures me enough that they’ll finish, I predict, fourth in the east this season.
Still blown away by the east’s mediocrity - last week only three out of fifteen teams were above .500, while this week that’s only slightly improved.
Not sure if this is going to be the tale of the tape for the rest of the season (yes I realise that was a jumbled metaphor), but in the last four defeats (in a row) Antetokounmpo has gone 33.5 ppg, 60% shooting, 13 rebounds and seven assists, and not even that can carry the team. I’ll bet he won’t play out his entire contract in Milwaukee.
According to this, Boucher is in the top sixty - better than Zion…
The 76ers are a good team (leading the East) but the Raps have been playing great ball against them. It looks like they will win this one and bring their record to 16-15. Not the best start, but they lost six of their first seven. And they won without Lowry. Boucher, Anunoby and Freddy looked good.
Baynes has been SO bad offensively that he has been the worst player on the team, and by a wide margin. A center shooting 41% would be much better off never shooting at all, which means never playing at all.
(heh, not quite sure if you were disputing or augmenting, there)
Indeed, if his offense had been at least as good as his defense - being very vocal and protecting the rim - then he’d be a much more worthwhile contributor.
Looking forward to Boucher becoming an absolute block-monster. Heh - he has the funniest-looking throwing mechanics - the way he pulls way back before releasing the ball. (also kinda funny - Lebron, last year, doing a double-take at Boucher, and going “who is this kid”?)
Baynes has not been great, but two years ago you might have said the same about Anunoby. It might surprise you to learn Nick Nurse is a better NBA coach than I am. Maybe he’ll find a way to make him work. If not, at least there’s Boucher.
Aron Baynes is 34. Two years ago, OG Anunoby was 21.
Fair point. Still, if anyone can bolster Baynes…
Whooshed me - no idea what this means.
As with many pro athletes that get to “that stage”, Marc Gasol, 40, is returning to his roots to play for Barcelona. Six-time allstar, three-time Olympic medalist for Spain, two-time champion with the Lakers, a career average of 17 points and 9.2 rebounds, and awesome drunk during the parade.
To think - 20 years ago* he was Rookie of the Year.
*huh - just found out that the average length of an NBA career is 4.8 years - don’t know why I though it would’ve been longer.
That’s impressive. I didn’t know that was the average NBA career length either.
It’s fair to say Gasol improved considerably at 3 pointers his last couple years in Toronto.
It’s also fair to say that both of Nurse’s assistant coaches were poached to become head coaches of other teams - namely the Pacers and Timberwolves. I’m not saying Nurse can get Baynes to improve. But he has a better shot at it than I do. 
Why are the Utah Jazz playing so well this year, with basically the same team from last year?
Raptors with a tight loss against Boston, so now 17-19. Without Anunoby, Siakam or VanVleet still had some very respectable play from Boucher and Davis. A slow start but so am beginning to feel this team will make it to the second round of the playoffs.
All-Star Team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant have selected their squads, and LeBron’s drafting prowess remains, as usual, exemplary.
Team LeBron
Starters
F LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
G Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
C Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Reserves
G Damien Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
G Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
G Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
G Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
F Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
F Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers
C Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Team Durant
Starters
G Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
G Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
F Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
F Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Reserves
G James Harden, Brooklyn Nets
G Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
F Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
G Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls
F Julius Randle, New York Knicks
C Nikola Vučević, Orlando Magic
G Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
LeBron’s starting five gives the Dream Team a run for their money. They should win this game pretty easily.
And if they do, they deserve to. Only an idiot picks Kyrie Irving over Stephen Curry, teammate or no.
Devin Booker of Team Durant is injured, and G Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz has been named as his injury replacement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Nice to see Lillard put on a shooting show. That swish from backcourt was amazing, and then his traditional last second bucket from half court.
Also nice to see Anfernee Simons win the dunk contest. He’s the first Blazer to ever win it.
Portland’s poor defense continues to haunt them. They should not have lost that last game against Phoenix, but they showed that they really cannot consistently defend against a hustling team. And it’s the same story every damned year. I don’t know if it’s crappy coaching or if the players are just doing whatever they please out there, but something’s gotta give.
Okay folks, I just watched the wildest 4th quarter of basketball I think I’ve ever seen. After 42 minutes of lackluster play, and trailing by 17 with 6 minutes left in the game, Portland launched a blitzkrieg against a dominant New Orleans team. They scored 16 unanswered points in four minutes. I had given up on Portland in the third quarter and was reading a book with the TV on in the background. All of a sudden it’s a one-point game.
With 24 seconds left, down by three, Blazers fouled Ingram, who unbelievably missed both free throws with 7 seconds left. Blazers took possession, NO fouled Lillard, who sank both shots to make it a one point game.
Again un-fucking-believably, NO flubbed the inbound pass, giving POR possession. Lillard launched a two that missed but was fouled in the attempt. He again sank both shots, giving POR a one point advantage with 1.2 seconds on the clock. NO threw a long bomb to Williamson, but he was bothered by Covington enough to where he missed his last second try. Lillard finished with 50 points. Unreal.
Former NBA center Shawn Bradley paralyzed as result of bike accident.
The news was just reported but the accident happened in late January.