I agree with all of this. We need this team healthy so we can see what they can be. If they can make a run that goes into a competitive series in the WCF or better then we know that the team is headed in the right direction and that Olshey and Stotts should stay and just make a few tweaks or if we win a chip try and bring everyone back. If the team can't do that when healthy (Zach is not an excuse) then fire Neil immediately and get a new GM who decides who stays and who goes. Hopefully we stay healthy and make a big run because after nine fucking years Olshey and Stotts better be able to deliver a contender.
Wow? Expectations for sure. Did you happen to post on the prediction thread? How many wins did you predict? Did you honestly think they were that much better than the Lakers, Clippers, Suns, Jazz? Nuggets? (By the way those are serious questions not snarky or combative at all) I know some of the posters on there had them at something around a .700 winning percentage but i really never thought those were serious predictions. I went with 42-30 on my prediction which is a .583 winning percentage. In a regular season a 50 win season is .609 winning percentage. It's widely considered a good season that a team could be in contention. They are currently 22-16 which is a .578 winning percentage with arguably their toughest stretches still in front of them and it sounds like Nurk won't be back for another week or two. In order to even make my prediction they will have to go 20-14 the rest of the way. Very possible and if they do i would think people would consider that pretty good considering the schedule they are facing. A 44-28 record would match a 50 win season pretty much. If they are playing that well i would think they could do well in the Playoffs. 22-12 the rest of the way would be absolutely fantastic in my book. Now as far as Playoffs go? making the WCF's would be very good in my opinion. If they get past the first round we all know anything can happen.
I did post a prediction I feel like it was an optimistic 42 wins. Wins in the WCF isn't what I'm expecting because I don't believe Olshey has built a good enough team and Stotts hasn't and won't coach well enough to do that. Their run of nine years without a conference finals win is unprecedented. So if they don't get one now, they both need to move on. Olshey first and then the new GM can fire Stotts. This team and Dame (even if he doesn't want it) needs a fresh set of eyes and a new direction. What we're doing is averaging three wins per post season in the Olshey/Stotts regime. That's not counting the two seasons we didn't make the playoffs. I know I don't have to explain this but that is averaging a first round exit. It's just unacceptable. We aren't in contention and we're not in the running for high lottery picks (not that I want that). So it's a win in the conference finals or bust for this team as currently constituted.
The problem is when new/old guys come back it changes the dynamic/chemistry of the team so I wouldn’t expect instant success. My guess is we go 5-5 maybe 6-4 in next 10.
So you posted 42 wins also but now are thinking they should get to the WCF's? If they get there and if they make a series of it i will be highly impressed with what this team has done!
