for the series and Whiteside is questionable. Both injuries looked the opposite in terms of severity.
It never fails folks. You could go 100-0 on this site and your very next NBA thread will have burning money bags in it in the first quarter.
I haven't hedged out.
We came this far. We have to go all the way.
The injuries have come fast and furious:
Valanciuns, Derozan (playing with a bad thumb), Carroll (100%?), Whiteside, and Deng.
Whiteside is not going to play game 7. We'd be on far more solid ground if he was playing. He neutralizes Derozan and Lowry from the outside where you can D up on the perimeter more (and they've gotten hot of late, especially Lowry).
But he's gone so it's a moot point.
Deng is clearly playing injured. I don't know if he can give us anything at all.
But here's what's in our favor:
1) Spo, like Casey, has fully adjusted with his small ball lineup. He started JJ, Winslow, Wade, Dragic and Deng.
Deng gave us ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and we still took it down. What if he gives us 10-12? Those points will go a long way.
In the series, the Heat are now outscoring the Raptors by a 117-89 margin when Miami does not have a big man on the floor
2) Dragic has come alive.
Dragic drove to the basket 21 times, his most in a game this postseason. The Heat scored 26 points off of those drives, tied for the second-most points off a player's drives this postseason. Before Game 6, the Heat were averaging 6.6 points per game on shots where Dragic drove to the basket.
Keep doing more of the same. THIS game is the reason the Heat brought him here and he knows it.
3) Experience
Everyone knows who has the advantage here. Raptors won their first Game 7 ever last series and with a huge lead, did everything they could to choke it away. If a few calls go the other way, they may not even be in the second round.
The history and experience of Wade as a leader (and Spo as a coach with Riley in the background) are invaluable in this spot. The Raptors have absolutely nothing like that to lean on psychologically.
4) All the pressure is on the Raps here.
Last series: LWWLWLW
This series: LWWLWL
A team like the Raptors can't keep pushing the envelope like this. This series has an eerie feel to it that the Nets Raps had in Toronto two years ago. And JJ is on the court. Although he's been mostly dead this series, it's possible he comes alive for one last showing when we need him.
Listen, Lowry and Derozan are going to be the focal points here and that is a ton of pressure to put on these two kids. Let Biyambo beat you. Let Patterson beat you. Don't let these two guys take you out. And you know Casey will go to them every time for shot selection that is worse than better because Spo will throw everything at them.
5) We have the refs folks
You know the NBA would want a Lebron Heat series FAR more than a Derozan Lebron match-up. THAT MATTERS.
And for those of you who think that is conspiracy and think the refs are not more on the Heat side than the Raps side, did you see the Biyambo goaltending call?
Even the announcers were going ballistic.
When you cap a series like this, you have to throw in the refs.
IMO, the Raps have to jump out to a very big lead here to take this one down and Dragic is hot, Wade has been hot and our small ball game is effective.
We only get +130 compared to the +175 for the Heat in game 7 but that's the breaks. A win is a win if we get it and it is +130 not -110. That's a good thing. I don't see that line mattering. Heat take it down or the Raps win convincingly but I'm still fine with riding this bet out with all the adjustments the Heat have made.
Well having Dragic off his season high in points is a positive sign going into a Game 7. We'll get Wade's best. Let's just hope for a Derozan withering and/or Lowry shooting 33%. We'll get the Heat's best fight. This won't be OKC/Spurs Game 6. Not even close. Raps simply don't have that firepower especially with Jonas missing underneath. I'd be pretty worried if I was a Raps fan.
It never fails folks. You could go 100-0 on this site and your very next NBA thread will have burning money bags in it in the first quarter.
I haven't hedged out.
We came this far. We have to go all the way.
The injuries have come fast and furious:
Valanciuns, Derozan (playing with a bad thumb), Carroll (100%?), Whiteside, and Deng.
Whiteside is not going to play game 7. We'd be on far more solid ground if he was playing. He neutralizes Derozan and Lowry from the outside where you can D up on the perimeter more (and they've gotten hot of late, especially Lowry).
But he's gone so it's a moot point.
Deng is clearly playing injured. I don't know if he can give us anything at all.
But here's what's in our favor:
1) Spo, like Casey, has fully adjusted with his small ball lineup. He started JJ, Winslow, Wade, Dragic and Deng.
Deng gave us ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and we still took it down. What if he gives us 10-12? Those points will go a long way.
In the series, the Heat are now outscoring the Raptors by a 117-89 margin when Miami does not have a big man on the floor
2) Dragic has come alive.
Dragic drove to the basket 21 times, his most in a game this postseason. The Heat scored 26 points off of those drives, tied for the second-most points off a player's drives this postseason. Before Game 6, the Heat were averaging 6.6 points per game on shots where Dragic drove to the basket.
Keep doing more of the same. THIS game is the reason the Heat brought him here and he knows it.
3) Experience
Everyone knows who has the advantage here. Raptors won their first Game 7 ever last series and with a huge lead, did everything they could to choke it away. If a few calls go the other way, they may not even be in the second round.
The history and experience of Wade as a leader (and Spo as a coach with Riley in the background) are invaluable in this spot. The Raptors have absolutely nothing like that to lean on psychologically.
4) All the pressure is on the Raps here.
Last series: LWWLWLW
This series: LWWLWL
A team like the Raptors can't keep pushing the envelope like this. This series has an eerie feel to it that the Nets Raps had in Toronto two years ago. And JJ is on the court. Although he's been mostly dead this series, it's possible he comes alive for one last showing when we need him.
Listen, Lowry and Derozan are going to be the focal points here and that is a ton of pressure to put on these two kids. Let Biyambo beat you. Let Patterson beat you. Don't let these two guys take you out. And you know Casey will go to them every time for shot selection that is worse than better because Spo will throw everything at them.
5) We have the refs folks
You know the NBA would want a Lebron Heat series FAR more than a Derozan Lebron match-up. THAT MATTERS.
And for those of you who think that is conspiracy and think the refs are not more on the Heat side than the Raps side, did you see the Biyambo goaltending call?Even the announcers were going ballistic.
When you cap a series like this, you have to throw in the refs.
IMO, the Raps have to jump out to a very big lead here to take this one down and Dragic is hot, Wade has been hot and our small ball game is effective.
We only get +130 compared to the +175 for the Heat in game 7 but that's the breaks. A win is a win if we get it and it is +130 not -110. That's a good thing. I don't see that line mattering. Heat take it down or the Raps win convincingly but I'm still fine with riding this bet out with all the adjustments the Heat have made.
This statement rings true for NBA more so then any other league. Raps need to play close to prefect game to win here IMO. They can do it and should but if they get off to slow start it is going to be real tough. You know Wade will get every call and unlike 95% of NBA players his size he will continue to drive to the hoop to create contact. It will come down to Lowery, Raps cant win if he doesn't play above average.
NBA should be embarrassed if this is similar to Crooklyn game 7 but I know they don't care. Cavs v Heat series is a gold mine for them ratings wise. I have said before I enjoy seeing Toronto sports teams fail but I am kind of want them to win tomorrow just to stick to NBA. BOL
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