The Goat Pen

I don't get why so many of the fanbase thinks that Durant is such a realistic possibility. Maybe because OKC ownership has proven to be really really cheap.

But I see nothing wrong with what Drake did. Yeah, the team paid the fine but the publicity we get from it is worth every penny. It's got people inside and out talking and possibly get Durant to think about the possibility. I'm thinking Leiweke is loving the attention as well. If I were him, I let Drake know he can do it again if he feels the timing is right and they'll gladly pay the fine for him. The fine is probably a lot less than what they'd have to pay PR people to get as many people looking in our direction.

As for article on Wiggins, in the back of every single Raptors fans minds, we are all thinking about it. We are all calculating how long it'd take for him to come back home if he went to Minn vs if he stayed in Cle. Grange just happened to say out loud what everyone's thinking already. But yeah, the idea that he'd come after his rookie deal expires is just stupid. It's going to take minimum 7 years if he's any good unless he demands a trade at some point, something that we all frown upon.

Yoss,

I have no problem with fanboy speculation/wild trade scenarios/delusions being batted around an internet forum.... it's not my cup of tea but I don't "hate" it

but when a professional journalist/beatwriter publishes that junk for a national paper then I think it's too much

Well, I appreciate solid journalism as much as the next guy, but those guys couldn't stay in business if they didn't eschew "real" journalism and cater to the "fanboy speculation/wild trade scenarios/delusion" crowd at least half the time. Probably more than that...

True. We have created the monster, not them.

TDot: Agree with you for the most part. But Grange has been solid enough of the times (compared to other Toronto beat writers at least) that I'm willing to overlook this one.

What I can't stand are the idiots who claim with certainty that Wiggins will somehow risk his career just to come back home after his rookie contract is over. Like I said, let's see what happens in 7 years minimum and then talk. He may not even be the player we all hope he can be.

whether anything good ever comes from Drake's concert isn't really important except to show that the organization wants to be deemed legitimate. the playoffs showed the league how desperate this fan base is and that is a good thing..... the fans were fricken insane. players see that. so everything the organization can do to build, that's a good thing..... even if the results might be years away. and with a GM that always seems to make good decisions, i actually have faith now.

but, damn, i am going to miss this guy.... http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11377 ... s-39-years

just a very classy ref that i don't remember ever seeing officiate..... he never seemed to be on the court..... that means he was a top notch ref

I almost missed that we signed Jordan Hamilton to a one year deal. that's a great pick up on a one year loaner at low cost. provides really nice depth if we have injuries.

#1 in the east!

best start in team history

thoughts so far guys?

I thought this year we would be a depth team with no stars but it's definitely becoming the Lowry/DeRozan show, Jonas neds to be more involved and we rely way too much on jumpers

other then the defensive rebounding fiasco against Miami & playing Boston way too close I'm pretty happy

Totally did not expect us to smash & destroy the Wizards last night

Isn't this week one?

I wasn't impressed when we were 4-1.... i thought the team played one good quarter in 4 of the 5 games but it was enough. they were brutal defensively over the first 5 games. The Washington and Philly (even tho Philly is brutal) changed my mind. They played great defense and moved the ball better.

Agree on Valancuinas.

DeRozan is making some of his shots too tough. Lowry always seems to find a way to make a play that changes the game. He is the heart and soul of this team

I think it's going to be a very good season from what I see. I just hope that Williams learns to find better shots with the 2nd group. He seems to force alot of his shots and he seems to kill ball movement at times.

We are 1-1 when facing quality NBA teams. We are going through easy party of the schedule and we've been inconsistent enough, even before yesterday, that I'm not sold yet. Tomorrow should be a good test though. First game on TNT in a LONG while.

One of the bigger complaints for me is that Casey is still way too happy to pull the trigger on Valanciunas when he makes mistakes and yet, at the same time, doesn't reward quality play with more PT.

well if someone told me we would be 20-10 right now, i would have taken it even knowing our schedule was fairly weak. 23-7 is a bonus

30 games in, here are my thoughts - Lowry is one of the top 3 PG's in the game right now. I find it hard to find anyone that impacts both ends of the court as much as he does. Lou Williams is a leading candidate for 6th man of the year - loved the pick up in the summer but he has been even better than i imagined. he seems to draw contact way more than most players his size and his defense has been far better than i expected. JV has had moments but often looked disinterested. Ross has too much talent for his basketball IQ. he simply doesn't know the game but has every fricken skill set imaginable. he just doesn't know how or when to apply it.

Amir has been Amir.... and dang his mom looks like a tranny. Vasquez has been inconsistent. Patterson has been solid... a very underappreciated player in the rotation.

i hope that when DeMar comes back he goes back to the player he was late last year.... trying to get fouls even when they don't call it. if he does, this could be a very impressive season.

if Lowry plays 82, i think this team will push 55+ wins in a weak East.

Slightly different topic, but I'm hating how SGs shooting 43% from the floor and sub 40% on treys get so much respect. DeMar is much more of a disappointment to me than he is to most people and I have not felt he has earned his contract (Paul George is the same way...early good shooting, then a yearly decline as his touches increase). I love Kobe to death, but he started this acceptance of inefficiency in "stars."

don't disagree Brook.... DeMar is most effective when he attacks.... i hate his game outside 15 feet. that's why, despite the points early in the season, i wasn't impressed.... he was attacking less than he did. efficiency is everything

with that said, i had an early season criticism of Lou Williams where i was totally wrong.... he just needed time to find his spots. that dude can score. he attracts fouls by his craftiness. and he plays defense far better than i anticipated.

Lou is a natural sixth man. He was never supposed to be a heavy minute guy. His offensive game has always been versatile and solid. He was a legend in the Atlanta area so large that I heard about him from my family years before he hit the L.

Hansbrough needs more playing time...

If you're a Wizards or Hawks fan.