NBA.com : Raptors are suprisingly catching attention

[Jakay]

Funny how posters that possessed common sense, as well as certain media, predicted that the Raps would require time to gel and get going. Factored in with our very difficult early schedule, some of us said to remain patient and understand how this process needs to unfold. Low and behold, as the 2nd half of the season inches closer we are starting to come together. Better yet, as this team gels and gains confidence we are entering into the easiest part of the schedule. We could be 7 or 8 games above .500 by February's end.
I realize this board is plagued with bi polar insane ranters. I know those posters opinions change not day to day but quarter to quarter. Even though we experience a very similar trend back in 06/07, it's funny to watch people travel down the exact same road, apparently learning nothing from the previous experience.
This team is much better than many claimed it could be. Posters that ranted about blowing this up and starting over are now no where to be seen. This team has a legitimate shot at match or exceeding our best season ever and with a few breaks and a bit of luck, a shot at a 2nd round advancement in the playoffs. We still haven't played our best ball yet, I expect that to be reached around the end of February.

Not out of the woods yet. It would still only take back to back losses for a wave of "BLOW IT UP TRADE EVERYONE FIRE COLANRIANO MLSE TO VEGAS" to wash over the board. But if the Raps keep playing well, eventually this board won't go into cardiac arrest over a loss.

*hahaha, did I say this board wont go in to cardiac arrest over a loss? I'm sorry, I meant maybe they won't complain about how numb their arm is so loudly.

Also that SVG post game interview on the end of that article is pretty good. I've been letting it play in the background while I peruse. I'm not crazy about how he coaches, but him and his brother are always interesting to listen to when they talk about games. Best line by far:

Some Random Reporter: I noticed that the other team has been grabbing a lot of long rebounds. The Magic come down and fire up a quick shot and don't follow it up, and the other team has been grabbing it.

SVG: Okay. *silence*

[Veggamattic]

I was among those who thought the tough early schedule and the new roster (and also training camp time missed) meant that this team would take time to come together.

However, I was very, very concerned because their continued failings did not appear to be from needing time to gel, but from:

a) effort

b) basic coaching strategies (defense, player rotations)

Those were the major failings as the 1st half of the season progressed, and the team was actually looking worse and worse, hence the doom and gloom. The turnaround is very welcome, and hopefully can be maintained.

Definitely agree with the bolded part above. I wasn't concerned that they were losing. It was how they were losing. It's apparent now that there there was an issue with the different personalities gelling together & communicating.

At the beginning of the season, I expected the team to be within a few games of .500 by the end of 2009 (which they were) & that they would start gelling & pulling away from the .500 mark.

The seem to be exactly where I predicted they would be.

I notice you excluded the second point. I would also have excluded it because aside from his unwillingness to tinker with the starters, Jay is easily a step ahead of Sam Mitchell and actually, now that I think about it, a step ahead of any other Raptors ex coach when it comes to player usage and rotations. Except maybe Brendan Murphy. I'm not a huge fan of Jay's but he is easily a better coach than Mitchell.

[doogie88]

Winners 7 of last 8 sounds better than 7 of last 10. Wonder why they did that :/