Mike James 🤝 Alex Sarr /having a banger game overshadowed by some damn try hard spamming points

our collective capacity to be normal about a pretty cool sports thing happening is gone, and maybe never coming back

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where we're absolutely 100% stuck in a time loop 🏀Different night, same script against a good team 🏀Getting a little weary of the Brandon Ingram-led offense 🏀Have the Raps lost the soul of their offensive system a bit? youtu.be/bBTwDxA3Bh4

the rockets play offense like five cousins kissing

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where @vivekmjacob.bsky.social joins me to talk about how the Raptors' clutch time & against-good-teams issues 🏀It's time to lean more on Scottie late 🏀The grim numbers behind the Do Something Brandon offense 🏀How this version of RJ can help youtu.be/DJwi435bI1o

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where I take stock of a suddenly tight and compelling race for the 5 & 6 seeds in the East 🏀5 weeks of March & April hoops that matter? Kinda rocks! 🏀The Raptors have a chance to prove they're in fact good 🏀RJ's resurgence & more! www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOhB...

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where it's become painfully clear, if it wasn't already, that the Raptors are asking too much of Jamal Shead. 🏀No matter what happens, this summer needs to be the end of years of devaluing guard play 🏀The suddenly tight race for the Top-6 youtu.be/YRfaxSa8mQM

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where @trillbrodude.bsky.social joined to play a stupid little game called: Who's Better? It's as simple as it sounds. 🏀Scottie or Chet as a DPOY candidate? 🏀CMB or Derik Queen long term? 🏀Raptors or Lakers / Sixers / Hornets? Fun one! youtu.be/SZXD3LJR5gA

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where I dug into another loss to the Knicks, who are just much better than the Raptors. 🏀Progress against the good teams, yes. But not enough. 🏀Why it's good that the Raps' flaws have been laid bare repeatedly 🏀Starters humming & much more youtu.be/QnW4WoVFxlo

as good a half quarter as RJ has played in a Raptors uniform

there's undeniably been some progress re: the raptors hanging with good teams. problem is they were so decidedly not hanging with them before that there's still some gap to make up.

finding a lot of solace in how much ass the raptors starters are whipping

raps have done an okay job bouncing back up after some big time wallops from the knicks but man it's just oh so many wallops

raptors starting five: +12 every other lineup: -23

raps starters just keep on being very good at scoring

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where @vivekmjacob.bsky.social ask the question: is this the night the Raps finally beat the Knicks? 🏀They're gonna have to figure out how to score on NYK... 🏀Cavs or Knicks in round one? 🏀Our ideal 1-8 East bracket youtu.be/6lUKn-rfeYI

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where I went solo to talk about the Raptors falling to Wemby in a hell of a game. 🏀Why this game reminded me of a loss to OKC in 2014 🏀Learning the hard way: it's the only way 🏀4th Q issues, weird lineup choices, JAK BACK(!) and more! youtu.be/3sJuX9CUKAo

ahh, the spurs with The Coward's Ploy up 3...

next all star we need to see scottie v. wemby in a game of HORSE, but its with defensive plays

simply has to be more to the late game offense than draining the clock trying to get it to Ingram in the post every time down

think going shead-quickley is the right call here

no IQ, Barnes or Ingram on the floor to start the 4th trying to hold a lead against the 41-16 team led by the french god of limbs is a bit of strong choice

raps being crazy physical with wemby and its kinda working but i'm a little worried they're poking the 7'5 french bear

raps up at the half despite shooting 28.6% at the rim and taking only 18% of their looks there

watching Scottie bang a shot over an outstretched Wemby is about as impressive as I imagine it'd be to watch someone speedrun an everest summit with no oxygen

when the rim is a no fly zone having a bunch of middy merchants sure is nice

watching wemby play in person is genuinely one of the coolest things i've ever gotten to do for work

immanuel griftley (this is a good thing)

CMB aka Father of Wemby

fun quarter of hoop that

if we're in for a night where Scottie and Wemby trade increasingly absurd defensive displays, well I'll be OK with that

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where I dug into the most thrilling fake comeback we've seen in these parts in quite some time. 🏀What went right in the 4th & Scottie's insane impact 🏀What went VERY wrong in Qs 2 & 3 🏀Are the Raps running enough pick & roll? youtu.be/9nwrECvs5y0

just a heads up for any spotify listeners of the pod, there's been some kind of issue with updating the feed the last couple days. you can find monday and tuesday's shows on apple and on youtube in the meantime while it gets sorted out.

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where @vivekmjacob.bsky.social joined me to talk about the Raptors' struggles with elite teams this season. 🏀Does it matter that the Raps can't beat great teams? 🏀What would be a successful close to the season? 🏀NYK & DET matchups spotlight youtu.be/cCTnVm-zh2U

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where I went solo to talk about Immanuel Quickley & Brandon Ingram doing the thing without Scottie in Milwaukee. 🏀It's time to tamp down the IQ contract discourse several notches 🏀Ingram's doing more than just scoring 🏀Shead👍, RJ🫣 & more! youtu.be/qsirCXZeQ_4

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where I went solo to talk about a game the Raptors probably kick away without Brandon Ingram. 🏀BI bails out a miserable night of offense 🏀CMB & Walter among the other standouts 🏀Ingram's rim pressure, RJ out of sync & CMB over Jak? youtu.be/KuOdo3Hij9M

the linesman who beefed that Matt Duchene offside call 10 years ago and led to offside reviews being instituted should not be allowed to eat in a restaurant in peace

more like tres biens

hootin'. holding back on hollerin' for the time being.

never once doubted mitch marner's big game bona fides

already loading up my "well the US winning gold will be at least a little fake if they don't have to play Canada" cope

oh okay

Sticking with Binnington this far because "he's been there" while he's been a bag of holes for months is the most Canadian shit ever

sure is cool when connor mcdavid is on your team

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where Joe Wolfond joins me to talk about the things we're most interested to keep tabs on with the Raptors down the stretch. 🏀Can the offense find its early season form? 🏀Can the D stay elite? 🏀How will Darko deploy his front court guys? youtu.be/MrCzb3Qp0-s

New @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where @wtevs.bsky.social joins me from LA to talk All-Star 🏀Raps guys all over the weekend, what fun! 🏀Saturday night predictions & RIP Skills Challenge 🏀A half dozen existential crises hang over the weekend; will Silver get grilled? youtu.be/nWK-H_MSloY

snowboard cross rips so hard

I know they're down 15 and their offense was cheeks but the raps also did kinda just get shooting varianced by one of the worst shooting teams in the league. gotta figure out some paths to easier offense, but they can also absolutely slow down detroit's offense.

raps are kinda hangin' in despite some offense fresh outta the tampa season