To finish .500 for the year we'd have to finish 36-18

[Natopher]

Where is the cutoff point in the draft where #1 scoring options are no longer able to be drafted?

Where was Isaiah Thomas drafted? 30th pick in the 2nd round? Let's be safe and say that's the cut off.

Dinwiddie was drafted later than that and people around here got him pegged for PG of the future. I'm pretty sure a 9th pick could get us a really good "such and such of the future". I'm not sure what the beef is with drafting mid lottery other than bragging rights to say we have a high pick (which is pretty weird to brag about).

Thomas was actually the last pick in the draft (60th overall). The way I wrote it was misleading, but I definitely agree. I don't understand why everyone is always so obsessed about the location of draft picks. Obviously you have a better chance of getting a good player if you draft early, but drafting early is not a guarantee of success and drafting later is not an indication of failure. Paul George was drafted 10 and he's arguably the best SF in the league (at least in the top 5). Manu Ginobili was drafted 58th overall I think. Just because we get an early draft pick doesn't mean we'll get a good player. Look at Wesley Johnson, the 4th overall pick in the 2010 draft.

We've been spoiled over the past 4 years with Monroe, Knight, Drummond and KCP. People seem to assume that since we've drafted later in the lottery we'd be guaranteed a better player had we gotten a top 3 pick, but that's not necessarily the case.

[DocRI]

I'm glad to see Dre improving and am obviously glad Smith is gone, but..... seriously, another 9th pick? We're going to improve just enough to fight for the last playoff spot and miss out on a top pick again. We're never going to be a good team without a viable #1 scoring option.

Where is the cutoff point in the draft where #1 scoring options are no longer able to be drafted?

That entirely depends upon the draft year, and I'm not even talking about surprises like Karl Malone or (much more extreme) Gilbert Arenas. Charles Barkley went #5 in his draft, while Anthony Bennet went #1. And before anyone posts that Bennet was a reach, look back over that 2013 draft class; there's wasn't a single true #1 scoring option to be had.

[Snakebites]

There's a chance to get a major difference maker at every pick in the draft.

It just scales down lower and lower the farther down you get.

[ImHeisenberg]

There's a chance to get a major difference maker at every pick in the draft.

It just scales down lower and lower the farther down you get.

We need a prime time wing. Paul George drafted 10th, Klay Thompson drafted 11th, Kawhi Leonard drafted 15th. Jimmy Butler drafted 30th (if I recall correctly)

See a trend here? I'm certain the odds scale with the pick. But, a great player can potentially be found anywhere in the draft. It's about development and managements ability to recognize the player they will become, opposed to who they are.

[Manocad]

36-18 is a .666 winning percentage which would represent a much better than average team the rest of the way. This is not a much better than average team. Not happening.

[ElectricMayhem]

To win our next game, all we have to do is win our next game.

That's really all we have to worry about. We can't control the past, so the Pistons just need to take it a game at a time and worry about incremental improvement. Beyond that, what happens, happens.

[Blkbrd671]

36-18 is a .666 winning percentage which would represent a much better than average team the rest of the way. This is not a much better than average team. Not happening.

How so ? i believe defensively we've been decent all season, and our struggles have come from the offensive end.

[Billl]

36-18 is a .666 winning percentage which would represent a much better than average team the rest of the way. This is not a much better than average team. Not happening.

How so ? i believe defensively we've been decent all season, and our struggles have come from the offensive end.

The clippers are playing 66% ball. The east is obviously easier, but that is the level of competitiveness you are talking about.

[Lucidity]

Usually the benchmark to make the playoffs in the east is a record at about .500 (41-41). Of course, this can be give or take a game or two but its fairly likely that 41-41 would be good enough to get us in IMO.

If we had to get to .500 and be 41-41 to make the playoffs(which is a realistic record IMO) we would have to finish 36-18 our final 54 games(After our 5-23 start) which means winning 2 out of every 3 for the rest of the year. That seems incredibly hard for a 5-23 team to win 2 out of every 3 over 54 games. Don't get me wrong, I'm hopeful.... and I think we are good enough to start playing .500 ball but that isn't close to getting us into the playoffs... we'd have to win .666 of our games which is something only elite level teams do.

Nice post and good perspective. Another way to look at this (and a bit more optimistic) is that the current 8th seed is Miami with a .438 winning percentage. If that winning percentage holds for #8, then we only need 36 wins (.438*82 games = 35.916 wins). So our 8-23 needs to become 36-46, so we'd have to go 28-23 the rest of the way, a much more realistic goal.

this

[Snakebites]

36-18 is a .666 winning percentage which would represent a much better than average team the rest of the way. This is not a much better than average team. Not happening.

How so ? i believe defensively we've been decent all season, and our struggles have come from the offensive end.

The clippers are playing 66% ball. The east is obviously easier, but that is the level of competitiveness you are talking about.

This. .666 isn't just an above average winning percentage. Its elite or at least a touch under it. The Pistons made it to the finals twice with that winning percentage.

Our team simply isn't that good. We don't have the talent and while we are playing with better energy people are getting a little carried away after having a couple of games where we shot the lights out.

[ComboGuardCity]

The .500 mark is truly arbritrary. The current 8th seed is on pace to win 35 games. We need to go 27-24.

[Manocad]

How so ? i believe defensively we've been decent all season, and our struggles have come from the offensive end.

The clippers are playing 66% ball. The east is obviously easier, but that is the level of competitiveness you are talking about.

This. .666 isn't just an above average winning percentage. Its elite or at least a touch under it. The Pistons made it to the finals twice with that winning percentage.

Our team simply isn't that good. We don't have the talent and while we are playing with better energy people are getting a little carried away after having a couple of games where we shot the lights out.

Bingo

[Blkbrd671]

The .500 mark is truly arbritrary. The current 8th seed is on pace to win 35 games. We need to go 27-24.

That's a depressing stat, these games before teh allstar break are going to define our team

[Blkbrd671]

How so ? i believe defensively we've been decent all season, and our struggles have come from the offensive end.

The clippers are playing 66% ball. The east is obviously easier, but that is the level of competitiveness you are talking about.

This. .666 isn't just an above average winning percentage. Its elite or at least a touch under it. The Pistons made it to the finals twice with that winning percentage.

Our team simply isn't that good. We don't have the talent and while we are playing with better energy people are getting a little carried away after having a couple of games where we shot the lights out.

aHHH, okay you guys right, we still have a shot at the playoffs, i don't think anyone cares about .500. i truly believe our boys see smith being waived as a new era

[Blkbrd671]

36-18 is a .666 winning percentage which would represent a much better than average team the rest of the way. This is not a much better than average team. Not happening.

How so ? i believe defensively we've been decent all season, and our struggles have come from the offensive end.

The clippers are playing 66% ball. The east is obviously easier, but that is the level of competitiveness you are talking about.

if its against eastern conference teams, i think its possible. unfortunately , not even looking at the schedule, i don't think it is