But that might imply the Knicks were smart about basketball decisions.Quibble: Wouldn't the Knicks trainers want to hold KD out for game 5?
I'm staying out of the rest of this.
Raps are favoured by 4 tonight. Load up if you believe in GSW winning.Listening to the Woj/Marks pod today, I think it’s nuts they are treating the Raptors winning as a foregone conclusion. If I were a betting man I’d probably load up on the Warriors in game 5.
The implication is that he’s already a member of the Knicks. Go back to reading Garfield.Quibble: Wouldn't the Knicks trainers want to hold KD out for game 5?
I'm staying out of the rest of this.
The Raptors were favoured by 4 points tonight yesterday. I see it has just moved to 2 point favourites now though (likely with the KD news)Huh?
I think his beef was that the Knicks should NOT want him to be cleared and play tonight (and risk re injury)The implication is that he’s already a member of the Knicks. Go back to reading Garfield.
I get it but uhhhhhh I’m just trying to make some jokes here. This isn’t a Ken Burns special.I think his beef was that the Knicks should NOT want him to be cleared and play tonight (and risk re injury)
nah I know. I always appreciate and laugh at the updates.I get it but uhhhhhh I’m just trying to make some jokes here. This isn’t a Ken Burns special.
I've been thinking about the same, but OTOH that seems like the square play? Durant is obviously going to play tonight, but it seems like people/square bettors are too eager to assume that someone who is playing will immediately be 100%. I'm skeptical in this situation, where he basically has to play for a number of reasons.Listening to the Woj/Marks pod today, I think it’s nuts they are treating the Raptors winning as a foregone conclusion. If I were a betting man I’d probably load up on the Warriors in game 5.
Agree. If this thing isn't over tonight, it's coming back to Toronto for a game 7.The Raptors need to close it out tonight. Let the Warriors win game 5 and how many think they'd win in the Oracle's last game after losing at home? By game 7 it would be an all-out media frenzy putting an extreme amount of pressure on Nick Nurse & company.
Toronto should go all out tonight like it's a game 7. Player minutes to their max, shorten of rotations as much as possible, call time-outs early to stop runs, etc.
Agree, but if I’m the Raptors I’m a little more worried about allowing Durant getting his legs back and getting back in rhythm over the course of the rest of the series than I am the other concerns. Perhaps I’m underrating the Raptors, but if the Warriors are getting 80%+ Durant back for the rest of the series, I still like their chances.The Raptors need to close it out tonight. Let the Warriors win game 5 and how many think they'd win in the Oracle's last game after losing at home? By game 7 it would be an all-out media frenzy putting an extreme amount of pressure on Nick Nurse & company.
Toronto should go all out tonight like it's a game 7. Player minutes to their max, shorten of rotations as much as possible, call time-outs early to stop runs, etc.
I get it but uhhhhhh I’m just trying to make some jokes here. This isn’t a Ken Burns special.
I'm not going to make any more stupid predictions, but I don't see Toronto getting rattled. At least they haven't been rattled by anything in these playoffs so far.The Raptors need to close it out tonight. Let the Warriors win game 5 and how many think they'd win in the Oracle's last game after losing at home? By game 7 it would be an all-out media frenzy putting an extreme amount of pressure on Nick Nurse & company.
Toronto should go all out tonight like it's a game 7. Player minutes to their max, shorten of rotations as much as possible, call time-outs early to stop runs, etc.
Sure, but there's two rest days before each of the potential remaining games. No reason not to do this anyway. And if they put too much on this one game they risk a letdown/panic if they lose. But I agree with the larger point that this is their best chance.The Raptors need to close it out tonight. Let the Warriors win game 5 and how many think they'd win in the Oracle's last game after losing at home? By game 7 it would be an all-out media frenzy putting an extreme amount of pressure on Nick Nurse & company.
Toronto should go all out tonight like it's a game 7. Player minutes to their max, shorten of rotations as much as possible, call time-outs early to stop runs, etc.
Nope, its 1.5 fyi.Raps are favoured by 4 tonight. Load up if you believe in GSW winning.
It was 4 late last night, I hadn't checked after GS's walk-through but looks like yes it has moved down to 2. (1.5 on some sites)Nope, its 1.5 fyi.
Seems like the playoffs never end either.I get it but uhhhhhh I’m just trying to make some jokes here. This isn’t a Ken Burns special.
This guy is really growing on me. Seriously hilarious stuff. I hope he is getting paid for this somehow. I watched his Avengers: Endgame video and he had my cracking up.
@sreekyshooter
Kinda wild that this is the fifth straight year that the Warriors have had to battle the calves in the Finals
538 has Raptors as a 2 point favorite tonight.It was 4 late last night, I hadn't checked after GS's walk-through but looks like yes it has moved down to 2. (1.5 on some sites)Nope, its 1.5 fyi.
I love how Golden State set this up perfectly to erase the narrative from 2016. It's masterful, really.
This is the key, I think- he really doesn't have to make that much of a difference. I think most people would say that even without Durant the Warriors would be slight favorites on a neutral floor against these Raptors.Sorry, I just don't see how a Durant that hasn't played in a month and has only had about a 1/2 of a practice under his belt, suddenly comes in and makes enough of a difference against the Raptors at home. Tell me why I'm crazy?
YouTubers get ad revenue based on how many views they get so long as their videos aren't claimed by a 3rd party. They also utilize Patreon to have viewers pay them directly to show that they enjoy their content. Kind of like a digital tip jar.This guy is really growing on me. Seriously hilarious stuff. I hope he is getting paid for this somehow. I watched his Avengers: Endgame video and he had my cracking up.
But the Raptors won both of those games. I think it is time the lines adjust to the reality, that this Raptors team is better than the regular season suggested. I know I was sleeping on them, but for 3.5 games now, they have controlled the Warriors. I don't think a hobbled Durant is enough. Any shot he takes is a shot Klay or Curry don't get. Any defensive assignment he has could be less than a healthier Iggy/Livingston/Bell would do.This is the key, I think- he really doesn't have to make that much of a difference. I think most people would say that even without Durant the Warriors would be slight favorites on a neutral floor against these Raptors.
That's what the lines have said, anyway. Warriors were heavier favorites in Games 3 and 4 than the Raptors were in Games 1 and 2, all of which were Durant-less games. So he doesn't have to make that much of a difference to tip the scales.
Reading through this thread and chiming in from the sidelines ... I almost can't tell if the NBA championship is decided by sports-book linesetters or by the actual games played on the court.But the Raptors won both of those games. I think it is time the lines adjust to the reality, that this Raptors team is better than the regular season suggested. I know I was sleeping on them, but for 3.5 games now, they have controlled the Warriors. I don't think a hobbled Durant is enough. Any shot he takes is a shot Klay or Curry don't get. Any defensive assignment he has could be less than a healthier Iggy/Livingston/Bell would do.
They did, a little bit. Raptors opened -4ish for Game 5 before the Durant news I think, which is fairly close to what the Warriors were getting in Oakland. So I think we'd gotten to the point where people considered the Raptors to be roughly equal to the Durant-less Warriors, or maybe slightly better since those lines built in some possibility that Durant would return.But the Raptors won both of those games. I think it is time the lines adjust to the reality, that this Raptors team is better than the regular season suggested. I know I was sleeping on them, but for 3.5 games now, they have controlled the Warriors. I don't think a hobbled Durant is enough. Any shot he takes is a shot Klay or Curry don't get. Any defensive assignment he has could be less than a healthier Iggy/Livingston/Bell would do.
If he isn't sharp, stepping in against a fine-tuned Raptors squad playing at their peak will go bad quickly. Look at what has happened to Cousins. He is a shell of himself and they can't put him out on the floor right now because he becomes a turnstile.
TOR has shown in past years to not be mentally up to the stage they are on. Now, they've gotten rid of the coach during those lapses (and DD who never helped matters), they didn't have to face Lebron, and Kahwi plus Gasol brings a massive stabilizing force to the court....but it still remains to be seen if they can close out a team like GS. I'm not putting Milw in that conversation. Durant just being on the court, with Steph/Klay getting hot, could be a big issue for the old guard Raps.Sorry, I just don't see how a Durant that hasn't played in a month and has only had about a 1/2 of a practice under his belt, suddenly comes in and makes enough of a difference against the Raptors at home. Tell me why I'm crazy?
You are not crazy. Lots of teams have good players coming back from injury that don't make an impact their first game back.Sorry, I just don't see how a Durant that hasn't played in a month and has only had about a 1/2 of a practice under his belt, suddenly comes in and makes enough of a difference against the Raptors at home. Tell me why I'm crazy?
Comparing Kevin Durant to "lots of teams have good players" is really weirdYou are not crazy. Lots of teams have good players coming back from injury that don't make an impact their first game back.
I yell "Odds, bro!" at people whenever my team is favored.Reading through this thread and chiming in from the sidelines ... I almost can't tell if the NBA championship is decided by sports-book linesetters or by the actual games played on the court.
A betting line is a prediction of a future reality -- but not actually a concrete measure of a current reality, is it not? Some talk seems to indicate that getting the betting line in your team's favor is the victory -- hey, win or lose ... you can point to the lines and say "But my team is better. Oddsmakers just know."
Yelling "Scoreboard!" is for ... um ... losers? For backers of inferior teams? Somehow?
I've seen tons of "great" players not come back in time to save their teams. Maybe KD will prove me wrong.Comparing Kevin Durant to "lots of teams have good players" is really weird
List these "tons" pleaseI've seen tons of "great" players not come back in time to save their teams. Maybe KD will prove me wrong.
The crowd belting is out is money. Wish our crowds would do the same with the US anthem.O Canada ####ing rules
Those types of things are often frowned upon in the U.S. these days.The crowd belting is out is money. Wish our crowds would do the same with the US anthem.