Raptors pre-Kawhi - Biggest Playoff Dropoff Ever?

[dankok8]

2014-2018 Raptors

Regular Season: +4.0 rORtg, -0.8 rODRtg, +4.8 rNet
Playoffs: -1.2 rORtg, +2.7 rDRtg, -3.9 rNet

They dropped off on both ends of the court by a huge margin come the postseason.

Specifically in 2018, we looked like a legit contender until we got to the playoffs.

2018 Raptors

Regular Season: +5.2 rORtg, -2.7 rDRtg, +7.9 rNet
Playoffs: +3.3 rORtg, +7.3 rDRtg, -4.0 rNet

There we barely beat a poor Wizards team and then got crushed by a mediocre Cavs team, a series in which we couldn't stop simple P&R action.

That was a painful time for Raptor Nation. I can't think of any other modern team that had a bigger drop-off in the playoffs. I remember when they called us Craptors and called our stars the Trash Brothers. :facepalm

[SouBeachTalents]

I'm curious how other non title winning cores like the Nash Suns, KD/Westbrook Thunder, Lob City Clippers etc would compare from the regular season to the playoffs. Obviously, I'm assuming their drop off isn't nearly as significant as this, but I would be curious to see if they saw any clear drop off in performance.

[dankok8]

I'm curious how other non title winning cores like the Nash Suns, KD/Westbrook Thunder, Lob City Clippers etc would compare from the regular season to the playoffs. Obviously, I'm assuming their drop off isn't nearly as significant as this, but I would be curious to see if they saw any clear drop off in performance.

Without checking the numbers yet, I think only the Lob City Clippers drop off significantly but in their case either CP or Griffin were injured in seemingly every postseason.

By the way relative ratings correct for competition so even teams that lose early in the playoffs or play tough opponents shouldn't drop off a lot compared to the regular season if they are playing up to standard.

[Im Still Ballin]

I assume the relative numbers are to regular season league averages and not playoff opponent regular season averages yes?

[dankok8]

I assume the relative numbers are to regular season league averages and not playoff opponent regular season averages yes?

Playoff numbers are adjusted to opponent regular season averages not league averages.

[Im Still Ballin]

Playoff numbers are adjusted to opponent regular season averages not league averages.

Oh, that's good then.

[Axe]

In 2018 they were a game away from 60 wins with 59, a franchise record. Too bad dwane casey was a very unlucky guy in the playoffs.

[999Guy]

Might be one of the clearest examples of bad coaching. A two-way drop off like that on a consistent basis across different rosters is a huge sign of being gameplanned and schemed on to a really high level.

And of course Demar Derozan was sewer trash come playoff time as well. That does have to be acknowledged. Horrible defender with no resilience offensively.

[dankok8]

For SouBeachTalents

2005-2010 Suns

Regular Season: +6.6 rORtg, +1.2 rDRtg, +5.4 rNet
Playoffs: +10.6 rORtg, +2.5 rDRtg, +8.1 rNet

The Suns only got better in the playoffs.

2010-2016 Thunder (minus 2015)

Regular Season: +4.5 rORtg, -1.9 rDRtg, +6.4 rNet
Playoffs: +5.5 rORtg, -2.0 rDRtg, +7.5 rNet

OKC also got better in the playoffs.

2012-2017 Clippers

Regular Season: +4.5 rORtg, -1.0 rDRtg, +5.5 rNet
Playoffs: +4.4 rORtg, +0.8 rDRtg, +3.6 rNet

The Clippers as I predicted got worse in the playoffs but injuries were a big part of that. They hardly had both CP3 and Griffin healthy in any postseason. And still, their drop-off doesn't come close to the Raptors. And somewhat interestingly, the Clippers had more issues on defense than offense come postseason time.

[dankok8]

BONUS

2013-2020 Rockets

Regular Season: +3.9 rORtg, -0.4 rDRtg, +4.3 rNet
Playoffs: +2.3 rORtg, -2.3 rDRtg, +4.6 rNet

Even the Harden Rockets got a bit better in the playoffs although they traded some offense for defense.

[Im Still Ballin]

'90s Seattle would be an interesting look. George Karl's teams always overachieved in the regular season IMO.

[dankok8]

1993-1998 Sonics

Regular Season: +4.9 rORtg, -3.5 rDRtg, +8.4 rNet
Playoffs: +3.5 rORtg, -2.3 rDRtg, +5.9 rNet

Pretty significant dropoff.

[pandiani17]

Late 90s Miami Heat or Thiabaudeau's Bulls came to mind. Always good in the regular season but rarely went too far in the playoffs.

[tpols]

I'm curious how other non title winning cores like the Nash Suns, KD/Westbrook Thunder, Lob City Clippers etc would compare from the regular season to the playoffs. Obviously, I'm assuming their drop off isn't nearly as significant as this, but I would be curious to see if they saw any clear drop off in performance.


All 3 of those teams definitely played better than the Raptors. Suns probably the best of the group.

[pandiani17]

All 3 of those teams definitely played better than the Raptors. Suns probably the best of the group.

For me OKC did the best of that group. Only one who made the finals, and they made another two WCF in 2011 and 2016, where they were very unlucky to lose 4-3 to the Warriors. The Suns were competitive in the playoffs but were never a big threat after the summer of 2005, when Amare got injured and Joe Johnson traded to the Hawks. Those Clippers, in my mind, were what you call a "regular season team", they used to beat all the weaklings but when things got serious they always came up waaaay short, except in 2015.

[SouBeachTalents]

For me OKC did the best of that group. Only one who made the finals, and they made another two WCF in 2011 and 2016, where they were very unlucky to lose 4-3 to the Warriors. The Suns were competitive in the playoffs but were never a big threat after the summer of 2005, when Amare got injured and Joe Johnson traded to the Hawks. Those Clippers, in my mind, were what you call a "regular season team", they used to beat all the weaklings but when things got serious they always came up waaaay short, except in 2015.
OKC made the WCF in 2014 too, and probably their most underrated moment was giving the Lakers a hell of a scare as the 8 seed in 2010.

The Suns could have easily won the title in 2007 if not for those bogus suspensions, and they played the Lakers very tough in 2010.

[Manny98]

They're known as the Craptors for a reason :lol