PhilasFinest wrote:LongLiveHinkie wrote:PhilasFinest wrote:
They didnt lose by 20...they were actually up a majority of the game, which has been the script in quite a few games. Down the stretch, when your missing Okafor and Noel.... and your best player is limited to 20 minutes or so, its going to be tough to close out games and sustain leads with Hollis Thompson, TJ McConnell and Nik Stauskas playing.
The positive I take away from the games, is that when Embiid is playing, we have been competitive. And thats surrounded by pretty much misfits. Insert Simmons, some type of talent in the forms of Okafor/Noel/Trade and then maybe we can close out some of these games.
So, I'll ask you. If I'm expecting too much, what should I be expecting then overall? How many wins by season's end? How many by the mid-way point? How many by new year?
Being "competitive" is too vague.
I couldn't give you a number, because I dont know what will happen in the coming months.
When does Simmons return? Noel?
Does Noel/Okafor get moved?
Does Embiid remain on a minutes restriction all year?
Way too many variables to factor in. At the end of the day, you take away from the games whatever you wish. I wish we would win every game too, but ill take hanging with teams for 4 quarters with a D league supporting cast around Embiid on a minute restriction as a step in the right direction. If we are blowing games like this and losing nightly with Simmons/Embiid then ill start becoming frustrated.
Well, that's my point. I am taking away from these games that we've had many close ones so far to start the season, and every time we blow a close one with horrendous and inexcusable mistakes, and go scoreless for 5 minute stretches in crucial parts of the 4th quarter, and I get annoyed, people always tell me I'm asking too much. And I find that annoying, because I think wanting my team to win more than a couple games every month is not asking too much at all.
No matter how low you set the bar, people want you to keep setting it lower. And eventually it's like well why even watch if you aren't supposed to expect anything from watching the games? Remember, tank season was supposed to be over. This season wasn't supposed to be about wins, but it was supposed to be about progress. Aside from Embiid's individual domination, as a team effort, we are seeing very little.
My win projection(pre-Simmons injury) was actually on the low side. I predicted 21 wins. A lot of people had high 20's. And looks like even I will be high with my prediction. Disappointing.