Ping Pong Ball Tracker

MrOrlando · Post #31 » by **MrOrlando** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 5:47 pm

Guys I'm not gonna lie to you, I kind of hoped Orlando would drop 12 straight, win two games, then drop 9 more in a row. I'm not evil, I just want a good pick in the lottery.

thelead · Post #32 » by **thelead** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 9:03 pm

Nyce_1 wrote:I was all for playing to win and make a push for the playoffs. We were close, and if healthy, would've been the 8th seed. However, with our recent losing streak and string of injuries, I'm full on board with the tank. I'm excited with every CLOSE loss (big blowouts piss me off cause this team is better than that) and will be watching more and more college games.

What's our ranking now?

Tied for sixth still but watch New Orleans climb above us. They are 3-2 since Eric Gordon's return (with a win over the Spurs).

thelead · Post #33 » by **thelead** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:08 am

Updated.

Took sole posesssion of 6th worst record tonight. The same night that my boy McLemore went for 33 points on TWELVE shots!

drsd · Post #34 » by **drsd** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:24 am

thelead wrote:Updated.

Took sole posesssion of 6th worst record tonight. The same night that my boy McLemore went for 33 points on TWELVE shots!

McLemore is up to #1 on some draft-projection sites. NBAdraft.net has Marcus Smart at #6. He is a classic bench player. Does the Magic really need to be drafting its bench? I think not.

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Tarot Magician · Post #35 » by **Tarot Magician** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:26 am

1991-1992: 17 game losing streak. With the 1st pick, Magic pick Shaq
2003-2004: 19 game losing streak. With the 1st pick, Magic pick Dwight

As cool as it would be to not dip down to those streaks, if third time's a charm...
Though none of the centers blow my mind.

Tarot Magician · Post #36 » by **Tarot Magician** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:28 am

thelead wrote:Updated.

Took sole posesssion of 6th worst record tonight. The same night that my boy McLemore went for 33 points on TWELVE shots!

If Magic get McLemore, I'd hope they continue to play Afflalo out of position at the 3. It'd mean losing more games next year, too, but that's the draft everyone's crazy about.

thelead · Post #37 » by **thelead** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:02 am

drsd wrote:
thelead wrote:Updated.

Took sole posesssion of 6th worst record tonight. The same night that my boy McLemore went for 33 points on TWELVE shots!

McLemore is up to #1 on some draft-projection sites. NBAdraft.net has Marcus Smart at #6. He is a classic bench player. Does the Magic really need to be drafting its bench? I think not.

..

So you also doubt Hennigan and his staff can find a great player with a great pick? There are many on this board that are still stuck on Otis's drafting abilities. There are plenty of starters in this year's draft. We have to trust that Hennigan can find the really good starter with a great pick.

drsd · Post #38 » by **drsd** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:16 am

thelead wrote:So you also doubt Hennigan and his staff can find a great player with a great pick? There are many on this board that are still stuck on Otis's drafting abilities. There are plenty of starters in this year's draft. We have to trust that Hennigan can find the really good starter with a great pick.

I doubt the coming draft in its entirety. There are 2-5 mid-quality starters and some nice role-players, but not a single "That guy's a stud" type players.

I do trust Hennigan and I think he can find a starter at #10 as easily as #5. So, just win!!!

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Cigamodnalro · Post #39 » by **Cigamodnalro** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:35 pm

drsd wrote:
thelead wrote:So you also doubt Hennigan and his staff can find a great player with a great pick? There are many on this board that are still stuck on Otis's drafting abilities. There are plenty of starters in this year's draft. We have to trust that Hennigan can find the really good starter with a great pick.

I doubt the coming draft in its entirety. There are 2-5 mid-quality starters and some nice role-players, but not a single "That guy's a stud" type players.

I do trust Hennigan and I think he can find a starter at #10 as easily as #5. So, just win!!!

..

I think there will be some gems in this draft; it will just be a matter of finding them. No draft has only produced two or three mid-quality starters and nothing else. Even the worst traft of all time produced Michael Redd, Jamal Crawford, Kenyon Martin, Hedo Turkoglu, Mike Miller, Quentin Richardson, and Keyon Dooling.

rcklsscognition · Post #40 » by **rcklsscognition** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:48 pm

I think most people are going a little overboard dismissing this draft. There will be 5 good, valuable players in this draft and they won't all go in the top 5 picks.

RookieStar · Post #41 » by **RookieStar** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 11:25 pm

Im hoping for a tony parker, Manu, Ibaka type of player that we can draft that's serviceable and a quality starter, ont necessarily a star.

thelead · Post #42 » by **thelead** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 12:37 am

RookieStar wrote:Im hoping for a tony parker, Manu, Ibaka type of player that we can draft that's serviceable and a quality starter, ont necessarily a star.

Parker is a star. Manu at one point was just as good as almost anyone in the league. Ibaka is still developing and could very well be a star. They are well beyond "serviceable".

drsd · Post #43 » by **drsd** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:04 am

RookieStar wrote:Im hoping for a tony parker, Manu, Ibaka type of player that we can draft that's serviceable and a quality starter, ont necessarily a star.

Two of these players are certain Hall of Famers: BTW.

Cigamodnalro · Post #44 » by **Cigamodnalro** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:20 am

Well, we're back in 6th (tie). I anticipate New Orleans winning a few and passing us in the next 10 days. I think Sacramento and Detroit both stay above us in the standings as well. Washington and Cleveland (trending up) and Phoenix and Charlotte (trending down) are our biggest obstacles to a top pick. Ultimately I wouldn't be shocked at all if the Suns ended up with the worst record in the league.

thelead · Post #45 » by **thelead** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:26 am

Cigamodnalro wrote:Well, we're back in 6th (tie). I anticipate New Orleans winning a few and passing us in the next 10 days. I think Sacramento and Detroit both stay above us in the standings as well. Washington and Cleveland (trending up) and Phoenix and Charlotte (trending down) are our biggest obstacles to a top pick. Ultimately I wouldn't be shocked at all if the Suns ended up with the worst record in the league.

Yeah, I'm going to update the thread tomorrow. I want to see what happens with that CLE/SAC game tonight. I agree with everything you said though. It wouldn't shock me if we finished anywhere from 3rd-10th worst record. Anything after that might be a shocker at this point.

MoMM · Post #46 » by **MoMM** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:44 pm

6h pick so far. NO, Phoenix, Charlotte, Cleveland and Washington are getting the top 5 picks.

NBADraft has us getting Smart with this pick and DraftExpress I. Austin, but McLemore is #7.

TruthTelling · Post #47 » by **TruthTelling** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:48 pm

Suns might not win more than 2 games in until the end of february. Their schedule is getting brutal.

I am projecting Charlotte, Phoenix, Cleveland as the top 3 worse records followed by Orlando and Washington.

Phoenix would likely decide between Muhammad and McLemore with their pick.

charlotte - mohammad
phoenix - mclemore
cleveland - len or noel
orlando - noel if not ? bennett or a PG?

drsd · Post #48 » by **drsd** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 4:28 pm

The Spurs have a new law-suit that if won would effectively make it illegal to tank.

ESPN LINK

The point is that fans have paid for the best possible product. If a team does not deliver on that promise, than fraud has been committed. That Stern, and even Popovich himself, criticized San Antonio's roster for a game makes this suit have some merit.

"If I was taking my 6-year-old son and daughter to the game, I would want them to see everybody," Popovich said. "And if they weren't there, I'd be disappointed."

Still, my expectation is that this suit is thrown out.

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cedric76 · Post #49 » by **cedric76** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:41 pm

this is BS, SA almost won that game

SA isnt tanking, STERN is a joke

doct3r dr3 · Post #50 » by **doct3r dr3** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 4:31 pm

magic making sure they lose to the bad teams (wiz, bobcats, etc.) is great for the ol' ping-pong balls. helps our lottery position while hurting theirs.