Inside the Numbers: San Antonio's Chances To Make Playoffs And 3 Reasons To Be Mildly Optimistic

[ZeusWillJudge]

the sultans don’t give a bean
about any long wing-playing team
it aint what they call basketball
yeah, the sultans play brent forms (brent forms)

You get a feeling at the tip
That the coach don't give a rip 'bout winning
Down on the bench you see Marco Belinelli half asleep
Our team is blowing leads, double digits
You feel let down when you see Bryn Forbes in the fourth

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

Post a link to people who say they believe that "a 15 pick will instantly change the course of time in a positive way". Show who all you're talking about or shut. the . up. I'm so sick of you people and your stupid-assed straw man arguments.

I mentioned last night that one draft slot was the difference between Livio Jean-Charles and Rudy Gobert. And it's kind of funny that you mentioned the 15th pick, since that's where Kawhi was drafted. The simple fact is that a lot of better players get taken earlier in drafts. There are always sleepers, but everyone available at 17 was also available at 15 - not the other way around. If the team isn't going to contend (and the Spurs sure as aren't), then it's a good idea to build for the future. And you can't make a single argument that a late draft pick is better than an early one. There are a lot of very good basketball players in the league every year, but most of them aren't All-Stars.

Now the real news you should get through your head: the Spurs won't lose games because some fans want it to happen, and they won't win games because your dumb ass is watching at home rooting for them to win. "Stop talking like losers"? off.

Why you so mad bro? Oh sorry I'll put that in words you understand why you so mad dumb bro...

[FutureMan]

If they finish the season like the last two games, 8th.

If they finish the season like they have played the 53 games before the last two, 12th.

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

Post a link to people who say they believe that "a 15 pick will instantly change the course of time in a positive way". Show who all you're talking about or shut. the . up. I'm so sick of you people and your stupid-assed straw man arguments.

I mentioned last night that one draft slot was the difference between Livio Jean-Charles and Rudy Gobert. And it's kind of funny that you mentioned the 15th pick, since that's where Kawhi was drafted. The simple fact is that a lot of better players get taken earlier in drafts. There are always sleepers, but everyone available at 17 was also available at 15 - not the other way around. If the team isn't going to contend (and the Spurs sure as aren't), then it's a good idea to build for the future. And you can't make a single argument that a late draft pick is better than an early one. There are a lot of very good basketball players in the league every year, but most of them aren't All-Stars.

Now the real news you should get through your head: the Spurs won't lose games because some fans want it to happen, and they won't win games because your dumb ass is watching at home rooting for them to win. "Stop talking like losers"? off.

Oh sorry my math was off I meant to say 14 as in out of the playoffs. 15 was random and obviously hurt your feelings...

[monty4329]

The belief that a top 15 pick or better will somehow instantly change the course of time in a positive way is ridiculous. The history of draft picks and who works out is like literally like playing powerball.

Looking at the number one picks since LBJ, only two I think have won les. The sheer amount of players who get.picked in top 10 and amount to nothing is staggering.

Let's not forget, two of our most recent heroes were picked what 27-28?

F tanking...stop talking like losers wishing for the lottery. Win all the time

Tanking is for losers, only Losers don't realize that.

[Prime BEEF]

Tanking is for losers, only Losers don't realize that.

Technically the spurs are losers right now sooo...

[timvp]

The biggest thing I disagree with is this: "San Antonio is due for a couple more close games to go their way." If the Spurs were hanging tough in close games and just not getting the right bounces at the end, it would be one thing. But so many of the close losses have come from the Spurs collapsing. They're not bad breaks - they're reaching out and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Those games aren't going to start going the Spurs' way unless they start playing like a different team. If that happens, they could actually make the playoffs. If it doesn't happen, they don't have a prayer.

That makes sense ....... but research has shown it's pretty random. If you look at Spurs history, you can see the randomness of it. Some of the "clutchest" Spurs teams have underperformed their expected win total, while some of the Spurs teams you'd expect to collapse in close games overperformed.

[SAGirl]

They definitely have a schedule that allows them to make a run if they were up for it, and frankly Murray's confidence and play raises their ceiling quite a bit. Grizzlies do have a very tough schedule (are young too, so expecting some regression from some of their guys who had hot hands in January is normal at this point) and Blazers with the Lillard injury are due to fall off even with an easy schedule.

Ultimately it's all up to the Spurs to make a run through some kind of winning streak. It's not over yet.

[RC_Drunkford]

You get a feeling at the tip
That the coach don't give a rip 'bout winning
Down on the bench you see Marco Belinelli half asleep
Our team is blowing leads, double digits
You feel let down when you see Bryn Forbes in the fourth

mumble rapper bars

[JPB]

They definitely have a schedule that allows them to make a run if they were up for it, and frankly Murray's confidence and play raises their ceiling quite a bit. Grizzlies do have a very tough schedule (are young too, so expecting some regression from some of their guys who had hot hands in January is normal at this point) and Blazers with the Lillard injury are due to fall off even with an easy schedule.

Ultimately it's all up to the Spurs to make a run through some kind of winning streak. It's not over yet.

I also expect Memphis to regress. They've clearly overachieved.

Global rankings usually correspond to point diff at the end of the season and MEM is 0.6pt under the spurs right now, which is significant. If SA does their part with some winning streak and momentum, that 8th spot is all but attributed yet.

That's a big IF but what we've seen the last couple games is intriguing so there's still hope.

[ZeusWillJudge]

That makes sense ....... but research has shown it's pretty random. If you look at Spurs history, you can see the randomness of it. Some of the "clutchest" Spurs teams have underperformed their expected win total, while some of the Spurs teams you'd expect to collapse in close games overperformed.

I remember maybe 10 years ago, give or take, the Spurs kept winning games decided by 1-3 points, and people were crowing about how "clutch" they were. Somebody posted a very well-written article that showed games decided by just a few points went to the weaker team just as often as the better team. The point was that those games come down to one turnover or one shot. People argued, but later in the season things began to even out.

I believe in that totally. A number of the Spurs' close losses this season were the result of the team getting its ass kicked for a solid quarter. I got the feeling that if the game went another quarter, the Spurs would have lost by double digits. Like a lot of people, I put a big share of the blame on Pop's personnel decisions. He left Marco on the bench last night - that's a good place to start turning it around. Murray is looking like he's getting back to where he was before the injury, and that's a big help too. All the teams they are fighting for that last spot have crap records, too. So there's no doubt they COULD right the ship enough to get there.

I've never said I wanted the Spurs to lose games. But I have said all along that I think the worst of all possible worlds would be for them to finish in the middle of the pack with no hope of advancing in the playoffs. Whether they get that 8 seed or not, that's pretty much where they are. One draft pick isn't enough to lift a team out of mediocrity. But it's a start.

[Spurtacular]

The belief that a top 15 pick or better will somehow instantly change the course of time in a positive way is ridiculous. The history of draft picks and who works out is like literally like playing powerball.

Looking at the number one picks since LBJ, only two I think have won les. The sheer amount of players who get.picked in top 10 and amount to nothing is staggering.

Let's not forget, two of our most recent heroes were picked what 27-28?

F tanking...stop talking like losers wishing for the lottery. Win all the time

Sure. If you want to wrongly state how most people really see it. An ac ulation of young talent pays dividends. And drafting high enough, there's always a good enough chance that a stud will be found. That said; sure, this is a long-term issue.

[Spurtacular]

One draft pick isn't enough to lift a team out of mediocrity. But it's a start.

If the Spurs get a pick 10-12 and draft the best player available, it could be a game changer. This is the range that players like Dirk, Pierce, etc. were drafted.

[MultiTroll]

Tanking is for losers, only Losers don't realize that.

Tanking for Tim Duncan.
Losers.

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

Technically the spurs are losers right now sooo...

The st. Louis Blues were the worst team last season going into January, that turned out well for them

[Prime BEEF]

The st. Louis Blues were the worst team last season going into January, that turned out well for them

lol Dumb comparison. it’s almost March now and we’ve been healthy all year. The blues had some early injuries too.

[monty4329]

Tanking for Tim Duncan.
Losers.

ah, right, next draft's Duncan....please name it

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

Tanking for Tim Duncan.
Losers.

Tanking for Kwame

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

lol Dumb comparison. it’s almost March now and we’ve been healthy all year. The blues had some early injuries too.

It is meant to be a sports reference of how things can change and when your three games out of a playoff spot and not giving up.

Maybe you can mention for the game is played on ice and basketball is not

[Strategic]

Grizzleys Jackson out a few weeks with knee injury.

[Robz4000]

this thread

[RD2191]

[slick'81]

Atleast timv sniffer was only mildly optimistic

[RC_Drunkford]

SniffVP

[DPG21920]

NO and POR win!