Toronto Raptors closing line-up

[slightly biased bias fan]

Ibaka
Leonard
Anunoby
Green
Lowry

I am assuming this will be their closing line-up depending on match ups, I really like their defensive potential. Do you think think this gets them to the Eastern Conference Finals?

[GreenEnvy]

Not the best offensive group.

Depends who they play in the semis, and if they have home court. I expect them to be the 2-3 seed with Philly. HCA may be the difference.

Celtics will score on that lineup.

[makaveli]

Toronto worries me less and less every year. They are not a problem. Out of that line up they have one player that  can be in our starting five...and our bench is ridiculous

[slightly biased bias fan]

Not the best offensive group.

Celtics will score on that lineup.

Toronto worries me less and less every year. They are not a problem. Out of that line up they have one player that  can be in our starting five...and our bench is ridiculous

We are the clear favourites in the east, if everyone in our roster plays to their potential and is relatively injury free we should wipe the floor with the eastern conference possibly winning 60 + games. Even though I agree with GreenEnvy, Toronto's offensive potential is lacking they could be the best defensive team the league with their length, switching ability and experience...always remember defence wins championships and the most talented teams don't always win e.g 2004 Pistons over Lakers.

[SparzWizard]

Toronto worries me less and less every year. They are not a problem. Out of that line up they have one player that  can be in our starting five...and our bench is ridiculous

The Raptors did ok beating the Celtics last season without Hayward and some also without Kyrie (and Theis and Smart).

The healthy Raptors should get smoked by the Celtics when their key players are healthy.

At least this time, LeBron ain't in the East anymore so they could probably get as far as the Eastern Conference Finals, again.

[Eddie20]

I think they'll be playing a lot of small ball and I do think Siakam is better than Ibaka. Ibaka's game has really fallen off. Not only is he not the same defender, but holds the ball on offense and tends to take a lot of long 2's.

5 - Siakam
4 - Leonard
3 - Green
2 - Lowry
1 - Van Fleet

[tazzmaniac]

They're not going to be able to close with a small ball lineup against the Sixers. 

[Eddie20]

They're not going to be able to close with a small ball lineup against the Sixers.

Can't ever stop thinking about the Sixers can you.

On the flip-side, who on the Sixers is going to be able to cover the shooting and quickness that the small ball Raptors lineup would throw at them? Who are you putting Redick on? If he becomes unplayable, then how will you create spacing on offense?

[gouki88]

They're not going to be able to close with a small ball lineup against the Sixers.

Can't ever stop thinking about the Sixers can you.

On the flip-side, who on the Sixers is going to be able to cover the shooting and quickness that the small ball Raptors lineup would throw at them? Who are you putting Redick on? If he becomes unplayable, then how will you create spacing on offense?

Yeah, Toronto is way more problematic for Philly than Philly is for Toronto, unless the new coach drops the ball

[tazzmaniac]

They're not going to be able to close with a small ball lineup against the Sixers.

Can't ever stop thinking about the Sixers can you.

On the flip-side, who on the Sixers is going to be able to cover the shooting and quickness that the small ball Raptors lineup would throw at them? Who are you putting Redick on? If he becomes unplayable, then how will you create spacing on offense?

Pretty obvious to think about the Sixers.  Raptors/Sixers meeting in the semis seems likely as mentioned by the 2nd poster.  I thought about mentioning Miami but Whiteside looked horrendously bad in the playoffs.  I forgot the Wizards picked up Howard.  He could give that small ball lineup problems.  I guess I could mention the Pistons too but I don't see them finishing better the 8th so we'd take care of them in the 1st. 

The Raptors offense isn't particulary intimidating.  The Sixers were a top 5 defense.  Covington, Simmons, McConnell, etc with Embiid as a backstop will do just fine against them.  I don't see Redick becoming unplayable against anyone but definitely not the Raptors.  I'd probably put Redick on Green. 

[Eddie20]

They're not going to be able to close with a small ball lineup against the Sixers.

Can't ever stop thinking about the Sixers can you.

On the flip-side, who on the Sixers is going to be able to cover the shooting and quickness that the small ball Raptors lineup would throw at them? Who are you putting Redick on? If he becomes unplayable, then how will you create spacing on offense?

Pretty obvious to think about the Sixers.  Raptors/Sixers meeting in the semis seems likely as mentioned by the 2nd poster.  I thought about mentioning Miami but Whiteside looked horrendously bad in the playoffs.  I forgot the Wizards picked up Howard.  He could give that small ball lineup problems.  I guess I could mention the Pistons too but I don't see them finishing better the 8th so we'd take care of them in the 1st. 

The Raptors offense isn't particulary intimidating.  The Sixers were a top 5 defense.  Covington, Simmons, McConnell, etc with Embiid as a backstop will do just fine against them.  I don't see Redick becoming unplayable against anyone but definitely not the Raptors.  I'd probably put Redick on Green.

Interesting so who's covering Lowry and Van Fleet? Don't forget that Covington's biggest issue defensively is his lateral quickness and preventing dribble penetration.

[tazzmaniac]

They're not going to be able to close with a small ball lineup against the Sixers.

Can't ever stop thinking about the Sixers can you.

On the flip-side, who on the Sixers is going to be able to cover the shooting and quickness that the small ball Raptors lineup would throw at them? Who are you putting Redick on? If he becomes unplayable, then how will you create spacing on offense?

Yeah, Toronto is way more problematic for Philly than Philly is for Toronto, unless the new coach drops the ball

Why?  When I look at them, the Raptors still look better as a regular season team with their depth meaning less in the playoffs.  Ibaka, Green and Lowry are past their prime.  They look like a team poised to make one last playoff run, fail at it and then get broken up in a rebuild. 

[tazzmaniac]

They're not going to be able to close with a small ball lineup against the Sixers.

Can't ever stop thinking about the Sixers can you.

On the flip-side, who on the Sixers is going to be able to cover the shooting and quickness that the small ball Raptors lineup would throw at them? Who are you putting Redick on? If he becomes unplayable, then how will you create spacing on offense?

Pretty obvious to think about the Sixers.  Raptors/Sixers meeting in the semis seems likely as mentioned by the 2nd poster.  I thought about mentioning Miami but Whiteside looked horrendously bad in the playoffs.  I forgot the Wizards picked up Howard.  He could give that small ball lineup problems.  I guess I could mention the Pistons too but I don't see them finishing better the 8th so we'd take care of them in the 1st. 

The Raptors offense isn't particulary intimidating.  The Sixers were a top 5 defense.  Covington, Simmons, McConnell, etc with Embiid as a backstop will do just fine against them.  I don't see Redick becoming unplayable against anyone but definitely not the Raptors.  I'd probably put Redick on Green.

Interesting so who's covering Lowry and Van Fleet? Don't forget that Covington's biggest issue defensively is his lateral quickness and preventing dribble penetration.

Against your proposed closing lineup, McConnell guards Lowry.  I'd try Redick on VanVleet.   If that doesn't work, I'd shift Redick to cover Green and whoever of Covington or Simmons isn't guarding Leonard would guard VanVleet.  With Embiid planted in the paint, I wouldn't be that concerned about dribble penetration.  The wildcard is Fultz.  He wouldn't have to improve all that much before I'd put him on VanVleet. 

So tell me, how do the Raptors guard Embiid with Siakam at the 5? 

[Big333223]

Obviously everyone is talking about the Raptors' season hinging on Kawhi, and rightfully so, but I think Lowry's play is going to have a lot to do with it as well. He's still their #2 scorer and lead ballhandler. How he adjusts to Kawhi and if he can still be an all-star caliber player will mean a lot for them.

If Lowry takes a step back and it's the Kawhi Leonard show, that might not be enough to get past a healthy Sixers team.

[saltlover]

Obviously everyone is talking about the Raptors' season hinging on Kawhi, and rightfully so, but I think Lowry's play is going to have a lot to do with it as well. He's still their #2 scorer and lead ballhandler. How he adjusts to Kawhi and if he can still be an all-star caliber player will mean a lot for them.

If Lowry takes a step back and it's the Kawhi Leonard show, that might not be enough to get past a healthy Sixers team.

That said, Lowry was a deserving All-Star last year, and there’s not much evidence that he’s primed to take a step back this year other than it happens eventually to everyone.