twilo28 (212 posts)  1/23/2013 12:11 PM

There are many reasons why I'm starting to get irritated with this guy but reason #1 is his bumbling misuse of Kyle Lowry. Lowry is currently ranked #4 overall in per/36 rankings right behind Durant, Paul, and Lebron. That's some pretty elite territory. This is not even taking into consideration his injuries and benchings. When you have a player that is this good you don't bench him like an idiot. What is this guy doing? I think he is so desperate to save his job he'll try anything. Calderon is no slouch, but c'mon, when I was watching Lowry through the first few weeks he looked like the most dominant player on the court burying 3's left and right, rebounding like crazy, stealing the ball, racking up assists. This guy is truly dynamic and the stats speak for themsleves: 18.3pts/2.2 3ptm/5.8reb/7.7ast/1.8stl/0.5blk/.423fg%/.830ft%/2.6TO   Tell me those numbers are not absolutely ridiculous. They're ridonkulous.  

tonika_zr (989 posts)  1/23/2013 12:57 PM

Must wait for that Calderon trade...untill then will be same story every game, plus I'm not sure Lowry is healthy right now for 35-40 min. games.

Cap. (518 posts)  1/23/2013 1:27 PM

The answer is simple.  Dwayne Casey doesn't care about fantasy stats.  Lowry was a great individual player early in the season, and the Raptors were losing.  Calderon is a protoypical team player, and the Raptors have been winning.  Lowry might be the best example of fantasy vs. reality in the entire league.  I don't own Lowry, but if I did I'm sure I would be frustrated like you, but as a Raptor fan, I hope Calderon continues to start this year and beyond.  It's no lock that Calderon gets traded this year, but there is a very good chance that Lowry starts again at some point, so I wouldn't be selling low or anything.  He'll be a fine fantasy player when it's all said and done (if he can stay healthy).  The Raptors have had over 100 man-games missed so far this year with all their injuries, so Casey has really had to shuffle his lineup around a lot.  Calderon is gelling with the first unit right now, and has been a top 20 player himself over the last few weeks, so why break up a good thing?

mbuser (4320 posts)  1/24/2013 7:05 PM

I see Lowry as a victim of circumstance, as his own injury coincided with Bargnani's. Lowry's per-36 +/- with Bargnani on the court is -6.2 and +4.1 with him off [link]. Calderon's is -2.6 with Barngani on the court and -2.5 with him off [link].

mtofell (18 posts)  1/25/2013 1:49 PM

Maybe Lowry should call Alex Smith of the SF 49ers and ask for sympathy :)  Pretty much the same story.... only difference is I don't see Toronto in The Finals.

jbs5635 (21 posts)  1/26/2013 1:24 PM

Seems ot me Lowry may be more worried about his individual play and his stats, then actually winning and or the team concept. That's what I have gathered from watching him play, and also from reading a few things here and there about him. Just doesn't seem like many good things are being said about Lowry.

tonika_zr (989 posts)  1/26/2013 1:45 PM

Toronto is perhaps the most realistic landing spot for Gasol, given the uncertainty in the organization about whether Andrea Bargnani will ever develop into a star there. Bargnani wouldn't have to be a star in LA. He would simply have to stand at the 3-point line and make shots, a La Howard's former teammate in Orlando, Ryan Anderson. Toronto also has a point-guard problem to solve. And while Jose Calderon has frequently been mentioned as trade bait, league sources say the Raptors are far more amenable to trading Kyle Lowry, who has not made many friends in his new surroundings.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/21614044/postups-whether-dealing-gasol-howard-or-standing-pat-lakers-in-bind

Da Ruhl (173 posts)  1/26/2013 3:08 PM

Can't be sure, but I continue to think the playing time for Calderon is showcasing him for a trade. Clearly keeping both Lowry and Calderon is suboptimal, and given the age differences (31 vs. 25 for a team with no real near-term prospects), the fact that Calderon expires this year with no guarantee of re-signing, Lowry's reasonable contract, Lowry likely being a somewhat better player, and not insignificantly the embarassment factor of flipping Lowry so soon after acquiring for a GM who is already on the ropes... I just can't see Lowry being the trade bait unless they got a great offer for him...

-DR

EwingsKneepads (19 posts)  2/13/2013 7:05 PM

Casey started Fields tonight, leaving Amir to come off the bench.  I'd like to hear your perspectives on this - Is this starting lineup based on matching up with the Knicks' small lineup or do you forsee Amir coming off the bench for the forseeable future (with either Fields or Bargs starting)?

Interesting stat: For the season, the Raptors are +131 with Amir on the court and -220 with him off the court.  Wow.

mbuser (4320 posts)  2/13/2013 7:06 PM

Matchup thing, no question.

Cap. (518 posts)  2/13/2013 9:58 PM

Yeah, this was just a matchup decision, thinking Fields would be a better defender on 'Melo and hoping he would be motivated against his former team.  It turned out to be a good one considering 'Melo shot 5-24.  Don't get used to it though, Amir should be back in the starting 5 next game.

brandonislegend (115 posts)  2/15/2013 1:51 AM

Should I trade Felton for Amir?