Game Thread 2022-23 Game #80 - BLAZERS @ SPURS - APRIL 6, 2023 - THURSDAY - 5:00 PM (PDT) ROOT

They are currently tied for 5th, one game out of 8th. I doubt their dislike for us will supersede their desire to make the playoffs.

 

UNLESS winning this game would’ve put us in the spot that wins the lottery. 5th best odds is obviously the goal but guarantees nothing.

 

Warriors don’t have enough bad players to counter JBJr at PG.

 

Agreed we don't want to mess around. I'd hope Steph, Klay, Draymond, and Poole fighting for playoff seeding can out play John Butler and Kevin Knox.

 

This is true. There is no other plan that would work.

 

A lot of things will have to go right for GS in order for them not to have to win that game in order to avoid the play-in. That being said the guys at the end of the Warriors bench are better than our guys... I mean Shaedon would be the best guy on the floor but if the Warriors have to play 7 or 8 guys to get through that game then they have to play guys like and JaMychal Green. Those dudes aren't going to play bad on purpose and they are way better than what we can put out against them.

This was the one that was going to be hard to lose and it was. I think as long as we keep Shae sitting, those last two should wrap up the fifth spot but (ugh this wanting to lose shit sucks) I guess that's why they play the games.

 

I would hope so too. But the team that played Minnesota and Memphis on the road is more than capable of beating the Warriors at home.

 

The idea I've suggested before is to keep the process the same, but the lottery standings freeze at the All-Star break. So the league would take all the teams that didnt' make the playoffs and look at their record when the all-star break was and assign their probability accordingly.

A few teams will still tank all season, but it would even allow those team to actually try hard the last two months of the season.

 

I forgot how bad they are on the road.

 

The problem with that is that you would get teams that could have absolutely no talent on their squads for a decade and decimate fan bases like the Pirates were for a couple of decades. I don't think that's an option. The teams should always pick worst to best after the lotto but you could do a lot to discourage losing on purpose through the lotto itself.

You also don't want to take a chance in basketball of giving some dynastic team the first pick in the draft two seasons in a row when they won the title those two seasons. They could become unstoppable.

Your solution here, really would hurt small market teams worse than they already are.

 

That's correct. This is why they have a system that does encourage tanking despite it being very bad for their product.

To be clear, I'm not saying this is what I think should happen, I'm pointing out the way to prevent tanking.

 

Just a random thought: the fact that Cam Reddish has been “hurt” and sitting out these games tells me that the team already has an agreement with him for next season.

 

Too close

 

The Lakers and Pelicans could be tied with the Warriors after tomorrow.

The Knicks play at the Pelicans. The Knicks are set at the 3rd spot.

The Suns play at the Lakers. The Suns are set at the 4th spot.

The Warriors play at Sacramento. Sacramento still has a shot at the 2nd seed.

 

Or he's hurt. I hope we wouldn't have a handshake with Cam unless it's for a reduced salary from what he's being paid right now because I don't think there are a lot of teams who would shell out 6M for what he's shown so far in his career especially over multiple seasons. I don't even think we can give Cam his QO because that's just too much money if he accepts it 9M for what he brings is not smart. But again we'll have to wait and see.

 

That’s not good.

 

Yeah, just root for a Warriors loss and then even if the Pels lose to the Knicks the Pels have the tie breaker and play the Wolves in their last game. The Warriors are either going to have to beat the Kings or they are going to have to beat us. I think beating us is more likely... if the Warriors beat the Kings and the Pels lose to the Knicks, the Warriors could then phone in the game against us... that being said our poor tank squad will be on the second afternoon of a back to back. Our guys will be dragging and the Warriors guys won't and Chauncey showed tonight that if he needs to he'll fucking roll Butler out at the point.

 

Warriors might be fighting just to get into the playoffs.
If the Warriors lose tomorrow in Sacramento (which still has a shot at the 2nd seed) and the Lakers and Pelicans win, there will be a 3-way tie among those teams.
I don’t know what the tiebreaker would be.
Have to root hard for the Kings for tomorrow’s game against the Warriors.

Remaining Schedule:
Warriors at Kings
Warriors at Blazers

Knicks at Pelicans
Pelicans at Timberwolves

Suns at Lakers (Suns playoff seed is set)
Jazz at Lakers

 

However, I believe the Lakers have the tiebreaker with the Warriors.
The Lakers finish with two home games.
The Jazz at Lakers begins at the same time as the Warriors at Blazers.

Unless the Lakers lose at home to the Suns , whose position is set and there is talk of sitting players, then the Warriors will HAVE TO beat the Blazers to get the 6th seed even if they win their next game in Sacramento. (At least they will go into the game assuming they have to win to lock up the 6th seed. The Jazz I suppose could somehow beat the Lakers.)

edit: Yes, the Lakers won the season series with the Warriors, 3-1.

 

would there be a scenario the clips tank against us to get sac instead of phx?