well here we are....Frebruary 25 sitting in the 7th seed. But here to comes a brutal 10 game stretch...5 at home 5 on the West Coast. Check it out: 2/26 Orlando 2/29 Milwaukee 3/02 San Antonio 3/04 at San Antonio 3/05 at Memphis 3/07 at New Orleans 3/08 at Dallas 3/10 at Houston 3/12 Cleveland 3/15 Utah That's a difficult stetch right there with only Memphis really being a gimme...we have to at least get at least 4/10 to have any hoping of staying in the playoff race...can we?
A lot depends on when Devin comes back and how quickly he can fit in. The good thing is there are only 2 back-to-backs.
Memphis and Milwaukee should be two sure-fire wins for you guys. And lets be honest, you could probably go 3-7 on this stretch and still sit in the 8th spot, that's how awful the East is. It's really pitiful when you don't even have to be mediocre to get in the playoffs anymore.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Joey FistPump @ Feb 25 2008, 05:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>well here we are....Frebruary 25 sitting in the 7th seed. But here to comes a brutal 10 game stretch...5 at home 5 on the West Coast. Check it out: 2/26 Orlando 2/29 Milwaukee 3/02 San Antonio 3/04 at San Antonio 3/05 at Memphis 3/07 at New Orleans 3/08 at Dallas 3/10 at Houston 3/12 Cleveland 3/15 Utah That's a difficult stetch right there with only Memphis really being a gimme...we have to at least get at least 4/10 to have any hoping of staying in the playoff race...can we?</div> The only ways the Grizzles are a gimme is if they are tanking or the Nets are blown out so early the night before by the Spurs, that Frank rests the starters. -Petey
Personally, I'm looking forward to the back-to-back SA games. I want Vince to get pissed off and completely burn Bruce Bowen.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Moo2K4 @ Feb 25 2008, 05:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Memphis and Milwaukee should be two sure-fire wins for you guys. And lets be honest, you could probably go 3-7 on this stretch and still sit in the 8th spot, that's how awful the East is. It's really pitiful when you don't even have to be mediocre to get in the playoffs anymore.</div> Considering that Milwaukee which is the 12th seed is only 4 behind us I'd say a tough stretch like this could be concerning...As for it being pitiful...yeah it is. I will say I think in the next 3-4 years it will even back out...the fact that the West is this dominant actually bodes well for the East in tha t the next 2-3 years the top 5 talent in each draft should head to the Eastern Conference teams in addition to the fact that teams such as Orlando, Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and the Nets have solid cores to build around for the future. While this is happening, many of the Western Conference teams are getting older while trading draft picks and hurting there ability to replinish there teams...examples of these teams are Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Denver should fall off slightly. At that time I think we'll achieve better balance, as teams like New Orleans, The Lakers, Portland will be on top in West and teams like Orlando, Toronto and maybe an Atlanta or Nets team will be in front in the East. I will say that by banning highschoolers from the draft, the NBA might have actually made it easier to balance the leagues as players who go to College will recieve better evaluation and the disparity between great and bust will be revealed...Meaning teams will be less likely to grab a Monta Ellis in the second round, less likely to grab a Kwame Brown with a top pick and more likely to get a player that they've earned with there record.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Joey FistPump @ Feb 26 2008, 07:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Moo2K4 @ Feb 25 2008, 05:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Memphis and Milwaukee should be two sure-fire wins for you guys. And lets be honest, you could probably go 3-7 on this stretch and still sit in the 8th spot, that's how awful the East is. It's really pitiful when you don't even have to be mediocre to get in the playoffs anymore.</div> Considering that Milwaukee which is the 12th seed is only 4 behind us I'd say a tough stretch like this could be concerning...As for it being pitiful...yeah it is. I will say I think in the next 3-4 years it will even back out...the fact that the West is this dominant actually bodes well for the East in tha t the next 2-3 years the top 5 talent in each draft should head to the Eastern Conference teams in addition to the fact that teams such as Orlando, Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and the Nets have solid cores to build around for the future. While this is happening, many of the Western Conference teams are getting older while trading draft picks and hurting there ability to replinish there teams...examples of these teams are Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Denver should fall off slightly. At that time I think we'll achieve better balance, as teams like New Orleans, The Lakers, Portland will be on top in West and teams like Orlando, Toronto and maybe an Atlanta or Nets team will be in front in the East. I will say that by banning highschoolers from the draft, the NBA might have actually made it easier to balance the leagues as players who go to College will recieve better evaluation and the disparity between great and bust will be revealed...Meaning teams will be less likely to grab a Monta Ellis in the second round, less likely to grab a Kwame Brown with a top pick and more likely to get a player that they've earned with there record. </div> Don't forget that the better the West is the less quality teams make the playoffs, so you can get teams with close to 50 wins picking in the lottery above sub .500 teams in the East. So successful teams with quality talent get to add to their arsenals with a cheap solid player that could contribute right away. That's a real problem the league is going to need to address in order to balance the league again. Imagine if a team like Denver, Houston or Golden St. get 50 wins, miss the playoffs, and score a top 3 pick!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Netted @ Feb 26 2008, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Joey FistPump @ Feb 26 2008, 07:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Moo2K4 @ Feb 25 2008, 05:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Memphis and Milwaukee should be two sure-fire wins for you guys. And lets be honest, you could probably go 3-7 on this stretch and still sit in the 8th spot, that's how awful the East is. It's really pitiful when you don't even have to be mediocre to get in the playoffs anymore.</div> Considering that Milwaukee which is the 12th seed is only 4 behind us I'd say a tough stretch like this could be concerning...As for it being pitiful...yeah it is. I will say I think in the next 3-4 years it will even back out...the fact that the West is this dominant actually bodes well for the East in tha t the next 2-3 years the top 5 talent in each draft should head to the Eastern Conference teams in addition to the fact that teams such as Orlando, Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and the Nets have solid cores to build around for the future. While this is happening, many of the Western Conference teams are getting older while trading draft picks and hurting there ability to replinish there teams...examples of these teams are Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Denver should fall off slightly. At that time I think we'll achieve better balance, as teams like New Orleans, The Lakers, Portland will be on top in West and teams like Orlando, Toronto and maybe an Atlanta or Nets team will be in front in the East. I will say that by banning highschoolers from the draft, the NBA might have actually made it easier to balance the leagues as players who go to College will recieve better evaluation and the disparity between great and bust will be revealed...Meaning teams will be less likely to grab a Monta Ellis in the second round, less likely to grab a Kwame Brown with a top pick and more likely to get a player that they've earned with there record. </div> Don't forget that the better the West is the less quality teams make the playoffs, so you can get teams with close to 50 wins picking in the lottery above sub .500 teams in the East. So successful teams with quality talent get to add to their arsenals with a cheap solid player that could contribute right away. That's a real problem the league is going to need to address in order to balance the league again. Imagine if a team like Denver, Houston or Golden St. get 50 wins, miss the playoffs, and score a top 3 pick! </div> Personally I've always been in favor of the system that the NFL runs...let your record decide where you pick...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Joey FistPump @ Feb 26 2008, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Netted @ Feb 26 2008, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Joey FistPump @ Feb 26 2008, 07:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Moo2K4 @ Feb 25 2008, 05:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Memphis and Milwaukee should be two sure-fire wins for you guys. And lets be honest, you could probably go 3-7 on this stretch and still sit in the 8th spot, that's how awful the East is. It's really pitiful when you don't even have to be mediocre to get in the playoffs anymore.</div> Considering that Milwaukee which is the 12th seed is only 4 behind us I'd say a tough stretch like this could be concerning...As for it being pitiful...yeah it is. I will say I think in the next 3-4 years it will even back out...the fact that the West is this dominant actually bodes well for the East in tha t the next 2-3 years the top 5 talent in each draft should head to the Eastern Conference teams in addition to the fact that teams such as Orlando, Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and the Nets have solid cores to build around for the future. While this is happening, many of the Western Conference teams are getting older while trading draft picks and hurting there ability to replinish there teams...examples of these teams are Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Denver should fall off slightly. At that time I think we'll achieve better balance, as teams like New Orleans, The Lakers, Portland will be on top in West and teams like Orlando, Toronto and maybe an Atlanta or Nets team will be in front in the East. I will say that by banning highschoolers from the draft, the NBA might have actually made it easier to balance the leagues as players who go to College will recieve better evaluation and the disparity between great and bust will be revealed...Meaning teams will be less likely to grab a Monta Ellis in the second round, less likely to grab a Kwame Brown with a top pick and more likely to get a player that they've earned with there record. </div> Don't forget that the better the West is the less quality teams make the playoffs, so you can get teams with close to 50 wins picking in the lottery above sub .500 teams in the East. So successful teams with quality talent get to add to their arsenals with a cheap solid player that could contribute right away. That's a real problem the league is going to need to address in order to balance the league again. Imagine if a team like Denver, Houston or Golden St. get 50 wins, miss the playoffs, and score a top 3 pick! </div> Personally I've always been in favor of the system that the NFL runs...let your record decide where you pick... </div> I don't mind the lottery... keeps teams from tanking, but I would limit it to like the worst 7 or 8 teams and then it's all by record. Whether you make the playoffs or not.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (soul driver @ Feb 26 2008, 12:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>looks like we get devin either during a San Antonio game or Memphis </div> If not Memphis than I would actually like to see them either wait til Cleveland or bring him off the bench in Dallas.
Ouch, looks like a 3-7 spiral to me at best. The Texas triangle will be brutal, Houston and San Antonio will destroy them, the only winnable game down there may be Dallas. Harris needs to get back for that one.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (footswalker @ Feb 26 2008, 12:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Ouch, looks like a 3-7 spiral to me at best. The Texas triangle will be brutal, Houston and San Antonio will destroy them, the only winnable game down there may be Dallas. Harris needs to get back for that one.</div> Houston became winnable when Yao went down with a stress fracture in his foot. Suddenly the playoff race in the West got a lot clearer.
Yeah, feel bad for Yao and Rockets, but that's good news for the Nets. The Rockets absolutely abused us earlier in the season. Okay, 4 and 6 is a possiblity, but Nets will have to win a game vs. either Cleveland, Utah or tonight vs. Orlando. They better keep rotating guys on Howard tonight. Let everyone use up their fouls, Nenad, Stro, Boone, Diop, Williams, everyone. Make him earn it from the line, and don't double to free up all their 3 point shooters like we did last time!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (footswalker @ Feb 26 2008, 03:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, feel bad for Yao and Rockets, but that's good news for the Nets. The Rockets absolutely abused us earlier in the season. Okay, 4 and 6 is a possiblity, but Nets will have to win a game vs. either Cleveland, Utah or tonight vs. Orlando. They better keep rotating guys on Howard tonight. Let everyone use up their fouls, Nenad, Stro, Boone, Diop, Williams, everyone. Make him earn it from the line, and don't double to free up all their 3 point shooters like we did last time!!</div> I expect good things from Diop on Howard. Won't stop him, but hopefully he'll slow him down enough to where they stop feeding him the ball.
