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SB Nation - 14-May-2014

For a team that has veterans and clutch players galore, the Nets have done a poor job down the stretch of playoff games. In the final five minutes of games during this postseason, Brooklyn has a -25 point differential and their opponents have shot 53 percent from the field. Their defensive efficiency is a woeful 133.9. Game 3 against the Raptors was almost a disaster, while Game 2 against the Heat...

SB Nation - 14-May-2014

The second installment of our end of season report card. We continue with our three-part end of year grades, evaluating six more  Raptors on the basis on their regular and post-season play. Dwight Buycks: Incomplete Off the back of a strong Summer League showing, the undrafted Dwight Buycks was signed in the off-season to give the Raptors some insurance at the point-guard position. And with D.J. Augustin...

Bleacher Report - 13-May-2014

Head coach Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors led the team to a 48-34 record, the second Atlantic Division title in franchise history and the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference in 2013-14. In 2012-13, things looked entirely different as the team finished last in their division. They missed the postseason by four games, ending a disappointing year with a record of 34-48. Even with new management...

SB Nation - 11-May-2014

The Brooklyn Nets have had Brooklyn-native Michael K. Williams and rapper Fabolous introduce the team's starting lineup prior to the start of Games 3, 4 and 6 in the first round of the playoffs against the Raptors . On Saturday, during Game 3 of the team's second round series against the Miami Heat , they had another Brooklyn-born rapper, Busta Rhymes, introduce the team's starting lineup. Video shot...

SB Nation - 10-May-2014

The Phoenix Suns will become the sole NBA affiliate of the Bakersfield Jam of the D-League, according to a report. Following the example set by the Memphis Grizzlies and Iowa Energy (both teams entered into a single NBA/D-League affiliation earlier this week), the Phoenix Suns and Bakersfield Jam will form a one-to-one relationship, according to a report on AZCentral.com . For more, see below: In...

SB Nation - 10-May-2014

The Brooklyn Nets lost a winnable game on Thursday night in Miami. One that put them down 0-2 in a SemiFinals playoff series against LeBron James and the two-time defending champs. The morning after, everyone is talking about Deron Williams ' scoreless performance, in which he shot 0-of-9 from the floor and failed to get to the free-throw line, marking the  first time in 60 career playoff games that...

SB Nation - 10-May-2014

The Toronto Raptors were only eliminated from the NBA playoffs a few days ago, but Adam Francis has a few early thoughts on the club's impending off-season. Paul Pierce's fingertips started the process. The exit interviews, the locker cleanouts, the post-season wraps-ups, and the fan thank you videos: And now we're in full-on offseason mode, a few weeks later than usual for this franchise, but offseason...

SB Nation - 10-May-2014

The missing posters for Deron Williams ' lack of production should contain Kevin Garnett's face and information as well. Garnett averaged a career-low six points and six rebounds per game as a Brooklyn Net during the regular season. Most of this was blamed on lack of playing time and inability to get into a rhythm. Most people believed the postseason would be a different story. They hoped it would...

SB Nation - 09-May-2014

Former Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri penned an op-ed in today's Toronto Globe and Mail pleading for the world's help in the kidnapping of nearly 300 teenage girls in northern Nigeria ... near his hometown. Our good friend Masai Ujiri - formerly of the Denver Nuggets and now tasked with the responsibility of rebuilding the Toronto Raptors - has joined the chorus of world leaders condemning the Nigerian separatist...

Bleacher Report - 09-May-2014

Despite ending their season with an agonizing first-round loss at home in Game 7 against the Brooklyn Nets , the Toronto Raptors have a lot to look forward to. DeMar DeRozan is young and getting better, Kyle Lowry (once he’s re-signed) is a franchise point guard, there’s future cap flexibility and a fun first-round draft pick in 2016 courtesy of the hapless New York Knicks . But no reason...

Bleacher Report - 08-May-2014

Kyle Lowry 's transformation in 2013-14 was equally as dramatic as that of his Toronto Raptors . Maybe even more so. A perennial problem for his employer in the past, the 28-year-old matured into a major problem for the other 29 teams in the league. Skilled, strong and tough as nails, the All-Star snub finished his season with career marks in scoring (17.9) and assists (7.4) while contributing the...

Bleacher Report - 07-May-2014

The list of people who’ ve spent a sliver of their summer working with Hakeem Olajuwon—arguably the most fluid low-post player to ever lace up a pair of kicks—is quite long. Kobe Bryant worked with him. So did LeBron James, Amar ’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard . Also Robin and Brook Lopez . Rudy Gay. Macaulay Culkin . Don Cheadle . Just seeing if you’re...

Bleacher Report - 07-May-2014

One basket is all that separated the Toronto Raptors from their first playoff series win since 2001. It's what kept 20,000 fans at the Air Canada Centre and another 10,000 outside of the building from shedding tears of joy as they watched their beloved team fall short against the evil Brooklyn Nets in a 104-103 Game 7 loss on Sunday. A narrow defeat at the hands of an experienced Nets squad in a postseason...

SB Nation - 07-May-2014

The Toronto Raptors made it official today, Dwane Casey will return as head coach of the basketball club. But was this the right decision for the franchise going forward? So much for down time and a chance to rehash the Toronto Raptors ' first playoff series in six seasons. No sooner did I get home from job two last night to take a catch-up nap, but  the open market this summer ( Mark Jackson being...

SB Nation - 07-May-2014

Billy King made the rounds Monday, talking to Boomer and Carton on WFAN and Colin Cowherd on ESPN.  He talked a lot about the playoffs and the Nets chances, admitting to Cowherd that the Nets are built to "challenge" the Heat . Asked by Cowherd do teams build their rosters to beat the Heat, King responded, "Yeah, you try to build a team to challenge the champions." Specifically asked if the Nets did...

SB Nation - 07-May-2014

The Heat will look to beat the Nets for the first time this season when the two teams get together for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Tuesday. After a long rest thanks to a first-round sweep of the Charlotte Bobcats , the two-time defending champion Miami Heat finally take the court again Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs...

SB Nation - 07-May-2014

Brooklyn swept the regular season matchup with Miami, while Portland returns to the second round for the first time in 14 years. Tuesday night is going to be juicy. In the first matchup out East, the Nets will attempt to take down the Heat in Miami as the playoff-hardened squads duke it out in Game 1. Meanwhile, Portland will try to outgun the Spurs as it heads to Texas. Let's take a look at the games....

Bleacher Report - 06-May-2014

Worrying about Kyle Lowry 's impending free agency is overrated for Toronto Raptors fans. Lowry isn't going anywhere.  At least, he doesn't sound like he's going anywhere. "This is only the start for us and the Raptors organization," he said following Toronto's Game 7 loss to the Brooklyn Nets , per TSN's Josh Lewenberg . Tough to disagree.  Although Lowry will hit the open market in July,...

Bleacher Report - 06-May-2014

Vince Carter spent the first six years of his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors before requesting a trade and getting dealt to the New Jersey Nets in 2004-05. A lot has changed in the nine years since then, but is it possible the eight-time All-Star’s ugly exit could culminate with an offseason reunion? According to ESPN’s Marc Stein , the answer to that question may be yes. "Word is...

Bleacher Report - 06-May-2014

Dwane Casey didn't have to wait long for the payoff after his expectation-defying Toronto Raptors bowed out of a competitive first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets . Per Doug Smith of the  Toronto Star , the Raps reached an extension agreement with Casey just one day after they were eliminated from postseason play: The team's desire to keep Casey around should come as no surprise. Toronto...


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