Here is the schedule: 23 games left so make your predictions... Mine is .600 the rest of the way. @ Chicago = W @ OKC = L vs. Bucks = W vs. Griz = L @ Lakers = L vs. GS = W vs. OKC = W vs. NOLA = W @ Clips = L vs. Minny = W vs. Jazz = W vs. NJ = W @ Dallas = L @ Bucks = L vs. Houston = W vs. GS = W vs. Dallas = W @ Sac = W @ PHX = L vs. Utah = W @ Memphis = L @ SAS = L @ Utah = W 14-9
It depends on which Blazer you are talking about. I think some will do better from here on out whereas others will not. Gramps... ;-)
I don't support losing, so you will never read me wanting to lose games. If it happens, then it's good to get a nice pick. We play to win every night and good things will happen.
This is a coach that wants to win and looking at the picture of the players "tuned in", I think they are as well.
Mags, as important as the Blazers' finish is, let's not forget the Nets finish (I posted this this AM in another thread that's pretty much dead). This gives us the basic rundown on the Nets remainder of the season, so we can get a feel for where the Nets' pick will potentially land: In a deep draft, I'd be happy with our lotto and a #15. If NJ makes the playoffs, there is no way the pick will be any worse than #15. NJ is 4.5 games out of #8, and 9 games out of #7 (and #7 is Boston - that team has too many vets to collapse enough to let the Nets up to #7). That's with 22 games left (9 road/13 home), 9 of which are against teams that are currently Eastern playoff teams. NJ plays 3 more games against other Eastern teams that are currently ahead of them in the standings. They also play Utah, @GSW, @Sac, @LAL, @TOR, @PDX. And the #8 in the West will have a better record than the Nets (the #8 in the West is 9 games up on NJ in the NBA standings), so we get, at worst, the #15 pick in the draft to go with out other lotto pick. But I still am not counting on NJ making the playoffs. NJ has a small chance to get that #8 seed in the East, and while their schedule is not the toughest, it certainly isn't a cake-walk. There are 6 teams competing for that last playoff spot in the East. I'm still shocked NJ gave up this pick for G-Dub. Maybe they expect a Top-3 pick this year, and playoffs next year? In which case, we not only don't receive a lotto pick in this year's extremely deep draft, we end up with what I would expect to be a #15-19 pick. And for those conspiracy theorists that believe the draft lotto is rigged.... Maybe the NBA gives NJ a Top-3 pick this year so they keep the pick, draft a stud, and keep their roster deep. After all, don't they open a new arena here soon?
3-20 is my guess. I think we might be able to beat NO and Minny at home, and then either Sac or Pho on the road. 0-23 is not out of the question, I'm just in an optimistic mood.
Your scenario is very reasonable and I can agree that it's more likely than mine, but I will never root or cheer for tanking. Good things happen when teams actually care and play to win. Look what happened to us when we had the worst record. It was obvious we tanked and we got the worst possible pick in return. The following year we played to win and had the best outcome. We won the #1 pick. I believe in Karma and I suspect that this team needs to play to win. So I hope that's the game plan for management, coaching staff and players. Let's take this terrible turn of events and make it positive. And as for NJ, I am not worried about them. I think they barely miss the playoffs and we land a 8-10 pick. And that pick is gonna be damn good!
That New Jersey game at home should be interesting. The only for-sure win I see is NO at home... the rest, I could see us dropping. I'll go 8-15.
No I get it, but I don't think it's going to make us tank. I don't know if anyone else noticed, but Wallace, Camby and Nate on this team was getting blown out by 20+ on the road. Our home record wasn't that bad. Road woes have more to do with energy than anything else. Obviously the energy wasn't there.
To me, the only real question is whether our two best players are gonna play like they don't like losing... Yipes.
My entire post was about NJ positioning, and not about Portland's. I also don't advocate tanking, and I don't see NJ doing so (which is good, because then they won't land in a Top-3 lotto pick). As for Portland.... At this point, IMO Portland is tanking, no matter how hard the players try, no matter how many wins they get. Simply because that's how management has no constructed the team. You don't fire your head coach at this jecture if you're not tanking. And of the 4 or so guys to trade, we traded the two that are most productive and likely to help us win games, while keeping the bigger headcases who are also struggling. If Portland goes .500 or even looks respectable the rest of the way.... I'll still think management was tanking, but that the players had too much heart and respect for the game and they chose to go in a direct opposite of management.
