An Honest Raptors Fan’s Opinion
I love the Toronto Raptors, but that game 3 made me want to bring out the paper bag mask. It was a sham of a performance by a 51-win team. Please keep reading if you wish to hear more of my utter frustration with this team
I have basketball fans of opposing teams for friends and they love to give me the gears following a Raptors loss. Following the complete embarrassment that was Game 3, my friends were eerily silent. Truth be told, they felt sorry for me that I had my fandom tied to a team that played like that in such a crucial game.
Not only did the Raptors humiliate themselves and the city of Toronto, they humiliated every fan that defends them in basketball circles. I repeatedly heard the Raptors were “overrated”, “soft as toilet paper”, and even that they “were going to lose in five”. Of course I opposed that without hesitation. I pointed out every reason I could that the Raptors would pull this series out and challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers once again.
They Aren’t Who I Thought They Were
On the same night the Cavs came from 26 down to pull off a miraculous victory, the Raptors cowered in defeat to a raucous crowd in Milwaukee. The same night that LeBron James put up a 41-point triple-double, DeMar DeRozan, our supposed hero, didn’t make a single field goal. NOT ONE. Kyle Lowry’s redemption tour, following a game 1 disaster and game two excellence, died in game 3 with 13 points and a -18 plus/minus rating.
Personally, it drives me mad that the Toronto Raptors that I truly believed could be a finals contender, trailed by roughly 30 points for an entire playoff game. How can you score 18 or fewer points in 3 straight quarters? How can you show up to a playoff game this lackadaisical? It’s like they put on an Elliot Smith playlist to get them ready for the game. It’s so unbelievably frustrating.
Our Superstars Are Turning Into Choke Artists
As a fan, I’m not sure I can offer an opposition to anything my friends say anymore. For every year that DeRozan and Lowry have led us to the playoffs, we’ve seen their play fall off a cliff every time they touch a postseason basketball. Both are among the worst in NBA history for playoff field goal percentage. I know I am supposed to trust them to dig us out of the hole as they did on two different occasions last year, but how can I? They came out flatter than a month old can of Coke.
Overrated? Maybe they are. Soft? They definitely could be. Going to lose in five? I hope not, but things aren’t looking good. When you have to scrape out a victory, while getting blown out in your two losses, fans tend waver a bit. I strongly believe they should win this series, but whether they will or not is a different question.
Is There Any Solution??
The fact of the matter is that if the Raptors don’t win game 4, they are cooked. The asteroid has hit the earth, and the massive Greek volcano known as Giannis has killed off all the dinosaurs and all the fans’ hopes with them. The Raptors need to come out with more energy. They need to punch someone in the mouth. They need to play like their careers depend on it.
DeMarre Carroll, who’s been an unmitigated disaster for the Raptors, needs to have his best game in a Raptors jersey. DeMar and Kyle can no longer be the choke artists they continue to be. Jonas Valanciunas can’t be a sieve on defense. Pat Patterson, Cory Joseph, and Serge Ibaka have to hit their open shots. And for my own sanity, put Norman Powell, the only player who showed some backbone in game 3, in the rotation. Easy as pie right?
Obviously, every Raptor fan is probably as frustrated as I am. I hope they can figure it out because they need to. Let me know what you guys think of this team in the playoffs!