A .500 team in the 2nd half of the season? How do YOU explain how the team has played over the last 35 games or so?
Getting bench players comfortable at the sacrifice of mid season wins. Seeing them actually win a few with small ball, resting LaMarcus and having Nico get his finger fully healed. In the end, mid season is not when you need to peak. Going into the playoffs is when you need to peak. We have winning records at home and on the road. We have 1 player out with injury who was huge for the bench defensively in Freeland. It seems pretty clear how things panned out. TRob, Wright, Mo and Barton have earned playoff minutes. The CJ experiment cost some games..he's not there yet. They had to play him and find out if he'd score big off the bench. Turns out Mo is that guy and Barton in better at this point. They occassionally tried to see if Leonard was playoff ready..during the slump, Stotts got a close look at the bench and tried some small ball with mixed results. That's my 2cents
Easily. From Jan 15^ On. Since Chicago on Friday we hadn't beat a team over .500 since January 18th. Couple the brutal schedule with injuries and it's plain to see why.
I'd say HailBlazer nailed it. You have to evaluate their play-off chances based on how they have dealt with the tougher schedule they have faced since the hot start. This team is more than a couple of minor tweaks away from being a legit contender.
If I'm one of them nut jobs. Sorry. But my expectations were elevated earlier on by their play. They beat and really put themselves on the same level as the west supreme. I personally think they are that good and I think these players also know this. My expectations come down to one thing. My belief in them and their abilities.
