Raptors wrecking a starless Nets team. I figure they'll wobble around and stay pretty much where they are.
I am still hoping the Kings can make a decent run at the play-in and move above the Spurs in the standings. The addition of Sabonis should translate to wins since the Haliburton and Fox combo was a duplication of skills. Still too early to judge the new Kings though, they started off well with 2 wins with Sabonis and have had a bunch of losses against tough opposition but one loss against a horrible Nets team thrown in. If they beat OKC tonight and Spurs lose to Memphis they'll only be 2 losses behind the Spurs.
I think the Pelicans are going to finish in the final play-in spot as their lineup of CJ-Herb-Ingram-Hayes-Valanciunas has played good basketball. Even before the CJ trade that lineup of JV-Herb-Ingram with Josh Hart and Devonte Graham had a really good net rating, their bench was just horrendous. They also finally moved to Devonte to the bench and put CJ at the 1, you cannot start CJ and Devonte together they were getting abused on D.
The Blazers are tanking hard and will definitely finish with a worse record than the Spurs.
Thus, I think there's a good chance the Spurs finish with the 4th worst record in the West after Houston, OKC and Portland. In the East, Detroit, Orlando and Indiana are locks to finish worst. That would give the Spurs the 7th worst record. Knicks look like they are in free fall but not sure Thibs knows how to tank and not play his main guys 43 minutes. The Spurs could then also decide to package the Raptors and Celtics picks in the late teens and early 20's into another lottery pick potentially, maybe in the 12-14 range and get Tari Eason or Jalen Duren.
Next two games for the Kings are @Pels and @ spurs on a B2B.
I don't believe in them but if they win both they can stay in the race.
The Pacers may be more of a problem than the Kings, even. The East is sewn up as far as they're concerned while the bad teams in the West still have a shot.
Since the new lottery odds :
7 has won 3 straight times
8 has won 2 times
11 has won once ( rigged for LAL )
We are 7th so top 4 is 100% guaranteed start scouting Chet and Smith.
Prediction-spurs finish 13/7 in their final 20 games
Haliburton and Fox aren't a duplication of skills. The former is a much better shooter/play maker while the latter is a much better slasher. Nah, it isn't too early; the team still sucks.
Agreed with the standings bit and I know you said could, but I'll believe the Spurs drafting Eason or Duren when I see it. They're not Spurs type bigs/personalities.
Celtics Jalen Brown might miss some games after that ankle sprain
Raptors with 5 games ahead the 9th and 10 th place of the East, still not sure they can beat Brooklyn and Atlanta/Charlotte in the play in but they will stay top 8 imo.
Lakers with another L and a strong schedule.
The 7,8 teams only have to win one game to play in. They play each other, and the winner is in. The loser plays the winner of 9,10 and the winner of that game is in, so two chances to win a game.
Very important games the next couple of days.
Sacramento @ New Orleans
Sacramento @ San Antonio
Spurs have a chance to get in top 10 very soon and have a very winnable home heavy schedule over the next three weeks. With Lakers collapsing even 9th is within reach. Spurs host both Lakers and Pelicans in this stretch. Let's hope they play their best basketball of the season.
Yes, i know , thanks exstatic. That's why i said that im not sure they could win BK "AND" Charlotte or Atlanta. They could lose both.
Yeah a top 5 pick is pretty unlikely at this point. Might as well gun for the play in and get these guys some experience.
I think we should all expect 3 picks in the 10-25 range at this point. Beating the Lakers in the play-in would be very satisfying.
Your AND was what confused me. It’s an OR. CHA/ATL are 6/14 in their collective last 20.
you're right. It's just that everything is possible in one game, the Hawks for example are playing bad but in one game with a big Young they could win. Still the Raps will have at least two chances to make the Po ( they will be 7 or 8 imo).
Yeah, I think they'll qualify for the play-in. Really, there are no stars in this draft, at least obvious ones, and the Spurs would likely do something funky and weird even if they got a top 5 pick. Even at pick 10 they'd likely zig while everyone else was zagging and tab some surprise.
Good loss against the Kings. Only 2 losses ahead now. Boston looks like they’re going to finish in the 4-5 range in the East maybe even as high as 3rd seed. The Raptors had a bad loss today against the Pistons. I still think the Raptors CAN finish 6th with Cleveland dropping down to 7. I’d rather get that pick this year, no guarantees they make the playoffs next year. And I think they could easily lose out in the play in if they end up 7th. All it would take would be a loss to the 8 seed Nets and then a loss to likely the Hawks or Hornets both who can catch heat.
If you haven't watched Ohio State this season, make a point of it and watch Malaki Branham. He could be another Desmond Bane (who I screamed for the Spurs to take). He's got that same sort of build, and hard-nosed style of play. I think he's as filled out as Bane was as a freshman, and he's shooting 44% from 3P which is much better than Bane as a freshman. If he declares, he should be available with one of the Spurs' later first round picks.
I wasn't real high on using the Spurs' own pick on Eason because I don't think he's that kind of player. But i saw him play against Arkansas and I would take him in a heartbeat with one of the later firsts. He forced his way to the line time after time, and knocked them down. I don't think he'll be able to bully that much in the NBA, and I'm still not sold on his 3P shot. But that extra dimension of forcing guys to foul him plus his D will put him on the court off someone's bench.
I'm looking at AJ Griffin from Duke here. At the least (that's the least we could do.)
Wrong thread.
Maybe I'm to pessimistic here, but I have zero faith in Toronto winning a single game in the Play in games. Hope I'm wrong but I got a real bad feeling about the pick.
As much as it sucks to be looking at the lottery for a third straight year...we are still only 3.5 games back on the "championship favorites" Lakers, so we got that going for us, which is nice.
Also, Lakers don't even own their pick this year
Last edited by Dex; 03-04-2022 at 10:09 AM.
Looks like Raptors wanna keep their pick this year.
Raps back to back losses to the Pissed Ons and Magic. No FVV in either game, No OG, and Gary Trent stinking up the joint and not hitting a shot in either game, means the Raps are basically a lottery team. Its just Siakam, Barnes and a bunch of nobodies.
Raps need to get FVV back quick or they'll keep losing.
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