Watch, we unintentionally lose our 1st round pick that’s protected by the Rockets and somehow the Pelicans get hot and we have no 1st’s next year. Would be somewhat comical.
Hopefully people would realize we need to trade Dame if that happened. I'm sure there would still be folks thinking we had a chance though.
the only way we lose our own first is if we finish ahead of at least two of MIN/LAC/LAL/NOP. AND on top of that we have to get through the play-in. and keep in mind both LA teams don't have their first rounders this yr so there's no incentive to tank. and NO's not inclined to tank cuz they might just make our pick from them better. this ain't happening.
We'd have to not only make the playin, but win likely 2 playin games to make the playoffs. With this baren roster we got it would be pretty freaking unbelievable to accomplish that. I'd have to imagine Simons is playing at an All-NBA level and Nurk an Allstar, plus other solid contributions. And we would watch at the least 4 playoff games in addition to the 2 playin games. We would free up an obligation to send out a future first round pick, so we could then trade any of our seven 2023-2029 1st round picks, plus we'd have the bucks 2025 1st round pick to keep or trade. So while it would really suck to all the sudden not have any first round 2022 draft picks, that scenario would probably be better for the future of our roster than what most of us expect, to have one of the worst records in the league from now until the end of the season.
Would Lillard not play if the team without him made it past the play-in to the playoffs? I read that the recovery time for his surgery is 6-8 weeks which would mean mid-March. Our last regular season game is April 10th.
New Orleans has the eighth toughest strength of schedule for remaining games. Portland has the 26th toughest strength of schedule for remaining games. Another scenario is that Portland passes New Orleans in the standings and prevents them from even making the play-in, then intentionally loses to enter the lottery. A more exciting scenario is that Portland meets New Orleans in the play-in, beats them, then loses.
It would be comical if it weren't for our rich history of bad draft choices, fractures, mystifying management, and penis pics.
I wouldn't be surprised if Nurk and Ant had great run from now on and made that run you talking about. Happy Nurk, Ant without CJ and Powell talking his shots and young players playing what Billups wants...
We're not going to have to try and lose anything. The Kings got a lot better and will pass both us and the Pelicans in my estimation. The Lakers are going to get a lot better in the buyout market because they're the Lakers and we just made the Clippers a lot better so I think the play ins in the west will be Wolves, Clippers, Lakers, Kings. I know we just beat a very dysfunctional Lakers team but make no mistake about it we are a worse team than the team that just lost 6 straight before that game. The 2-8 record we've had in our last 10 is about right going forward... maybe we'll do a little better because of strength of schedule but not much. A lot of post game press conferences with Chauncey talking about how we played the right way and he likes the direction we're headed in after losses.
Wow! San Antonio won tonight in Atlanta. They are now only 1 game behind Portland and New Orleans in the win column. I didn't even think to watch that game. Tomorrow, the Spurs host the Pelicans! Go Spurs! Also tomorrow, the Kings will be in Washington to play the Wizards. Go Kings, better than ever with Sabonis! If New Orleans loses in San Antonio, and Portland beats the Knicks in Portland, Portland will knock New Orleans out of the play-in (for now). EDIT: The Spurs play the Pelicans in New Orleans, not San Antonio, tomorrow.