Pistons @ Wizards on NOW

[JNewton]

I know we’re all upset about losing ground in the tankathon, but this month has gone pretty well in that regard and losing some ground was an inevitability with this easy a schedule.

Part of our problem is that there’s just so many awful east teams so you get stretches like this.

Dre one shy of a triple double. 18 pats, 16 boards, 9 turnovers. Great and super efficient nights from both Wizard centers. That’s not all on Dre but much of it is.

The day he's no longer on this roster is going to be like Andy Dufresne coming out the otherside of the sewer pipe and embracing the rain.

[SamFlow]

I know we’re all upset about losing ground in the tankathon, but this month has gone pretty well in that regard and losing some ground was an inevitability with this easy a schedule.

Part of our problem is that there’s just so many awful east teams so you get stretches like this.

Dre one shy of a triple double. 18 pats, 16 boards, 9 turnovers. Great and super efficient nights from both Wizard centers. That’s not all on Dre but much of it is.

The day he's no longer on this roster is going to be like Andy Dufresne coming out the otherside of the sewer pipe and embracing the rain.

How we going to lose to the wizards. Mahimini has a day against.... who is our center?

[MotownMadness]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

[Snakebites]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

They had a shot vs Philly, they just blew it.

It's really frustrating how much some of these teams are losing these days. I'm not actually worried about the Pelicans anymore. They're clearly trending upward.

We've got the 8th most difficult schedule to close out the year, and most teams we're currently competing with have an easier close-out schedule than we do. So we've got that going for us.

We'll see what happens.

[The Moose]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.


EDIT: Just wanted to check ESPN playoff odds to see if it was a similar theory. They have us finishing 10th with 33 wins, Bulls with 32, Kings and Wolves with 31 each. Sounds about right

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/BPI-Playoff-Odds/espn-nba-basketball-power-index-playoff-odds

[MotownMadness]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.

Honestly ill take 7-10. Alot of safer players i like in that range and could still have decent percentages to move up.

[Snakebites]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.


EDIT: Just wanted to check ESPN playoff odds to see if it was a similar theory. They have us finishing 10th with 33 wins, Bulls with 32, Kings and Wolves with 31 each. Sounds about right

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/BPI-Playoff-Odds/espn-nba-basketball-power-index-playoff-odds

I think Charlotte is close enough as to resist a prediction like this. Anything could happen there, even though they look really bad right now.

Cleveland has one of the easiest remaining schedules, they could be in play- a lot depends on moves that are made.

Playoff odds have never been all that predictive of record with this much of the season left, I don't pay too much attention to those until we get closer to the end of the season.

[The Moose]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.

Honestly ill take 7-10. Alot of safer players i like in that range and could still have decent percentages to move up.

Me too, as long as it not on the backs of guys like Rose, Dre, Galloway and Morris. If the young guys get us there, so be it.

[MotownMadness]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.


EDIT: Just wanted to check ESPN playoff odds to see if it was a similar theory. They have us finishing 10th with 33 wins, Bulls with 32, Kings and Wolves with 31 each. Sounds about right

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/BPI-Playoff-Odds/espn-nba-basketball-power-index-playoff-odds

I think Charlotte is close enough as to resist a prediction like this. Anything could happen there, even though they look really bad right now.

Cleveland has one of the easiest remaining schedules, they could be in play- a lot depends on moves that are made.

Just stay top 10, honestly pretty much all the best prospects in the top 10 are PGs and all the teams picking there probably arent looking to draft one.

Cole Anthony
Lamelo Ball
Killian Hayes
Tyrese Haliburton
Nico Mannion
RJ Hampton

One of those guys will be there

[Snakebites]

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.

Honestly ill take 7-10. Alot of safer players i like in that range and could still have decent percentages to move up.

Me too, as long as it not on the backs of guys like Rose, Dre, Galloway and Morris. If the young guys get us there, so be it.

Other thing to note about ESPN playoff odds, they are actually projecting us to win a HIGHER percentage of our games to close out the year than we have thus far despite having an absurdly easy schedule so far and having the 8th hardest schedule to close out the year.

I have a hard time believe that will be the case.

[The Moose]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.


EDIT: Just wanted to check ESPN playoff odds to see if it was a similar theory. They have us finishing 10th with 33 wins, Bulls with 32, Kings and Wolves with 31 each. Sounds about right

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/BPI-Playoff-Odds/espn-nba-basketball-power-index-playoff-odds

I think Charlotte is close enough as to resist a prediction like this. Anything could happen there, even though they look really bad right now.

Cleveland has one of the easiest remaining schedules, they could be in play- a lot depends on moves that are made.

Playoff odds have never been all that predictive of record with this much of the season left, I don't pay too much attention to those until we get closer to the end of the season.

Charlotte has only won 2 out of its last 15 games. In the pre-season I thought they were a lock for the worst team in the league, but they started out hot. I think they were over achieving tremendously and are falling back to their actual level. I could be wrong though, time will tell.

You are right that playoffs aren't all that predictive of record, but the fact that there is such a huge gap between us and the bottom 5/6 teams says a lot to me. A lot of this will depend on the trade deadline for us of course.

[Snakebites]

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.


EDIT: Just wanted to check ESPN playoff odds to see if it was a similar theory. They have us finishing 10th with 33 wins, Bulls with 32, Kings and Wolves with 31 each. Sounds about right

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/BPI-Playoff-Odds/espn-nba-basketball-power-index-playoff-odds

I think Charlotte is close enough as to resist a prediction like this. Anything could happen there, even though they look really bad right now.

Cleveland has one of the easiest remaining schedules, they could be in play- a lot depends on moves that are made.

Playoff odds have never been all that predictive of record with this much of the season left, I don't pay too much attention to those until we get closer to the end of the season.

Charlotte has only won 2 out of its last 15 games. In the pre-season I thought they were a lock for the worst team in the league, but they started out hot. I think they were over achieving tremendously and are falling back to their actual level. I could be wrong though, time will tell.

You are right that playoffs aren't all that predictive of record, but the fact that there is such a huge gap between us and the bottom 5/6 teams says a lot to me. A lot of this will depend on the trade deadline for us of course.

If we close out the season with the same win % that we have right now, we will win 29-30 games. They're projecting 33 for us. That they're projecting us to improve by 3-4 games above projection despite going from one of the easiest schedules to one of the hardest in the second half is a huge red flag for me that makes me not put a whole lot of credibility into their projections at all.

[tmorgan]

We are the suck.

And this is good.

[zeebneeb]

If the Pistons end up at 7, 8, or 9 I'm gonna barf. Yet another crap season, and yet another BS pick.

KCP part deux here we come! Yay!

This team can't even suck the right way.

[Snakebites]

If the Pistons end up at 7, 8, or 9 I'm gonna barf. Yet another crap season, and yet another BS pick.

KCP part deux here we come! Yay!

This team can't even suck the right way.

We have too many veterans. That’s always been our problem.

[NYPiston]

Pelicans win, nice. Brooklyn needs to start winning though and lock the playoffs up in the east with Orlando.

Pelicans are getting Zion back, they are not our concern.
Lookng at the standings objectively, I think the lowest we finish is 7th.

I cannot see us finishing below any of the following

1. Warriors
2. Hawks
3. Knicks
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Hornets

Those 6 teams are just terrible, and have no intention of winning.

I think we will be contending with the Bulls, Kings and Wolves for 7,8,9,10.


EDIT: Just wanted to check ESPN playoff odds to see if it was a similar theory. They have us finishing 10th with 33 wins, Bulls with 32, Kings and Wolves with 31 each. Sounds about right

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/BPI-Playoff-Odds/espn-nba-basketball-power-index-playoff-odds

It's funny that you say those are the really awful teams yet the Pistons are barely ahead of them and are 3-7 against the Hornets, Cavs and Wizards. The Pistons are right there in contention for the bottom 5 and keep in mind that they've played a really easy schedule thus far.

I'd say the Warriors and Hawks are the truly awful teams and are pretty much locks to finish bottom 2. I think the Kings and Wolves will win enough games to clear the Pistons eventually, Pelicans too. The Knicks and Cavs are probably worse than the Pistons so I'd say 5-8 is the most likely ending spot. Of course, it also depends on who they sell off at the deadline.

[ComboGuardCity]

This draft class isn’t very good. So don’t really care for losses.

[MotownMadness]

Aside from Anthony Edwards there isnt really anything in the top 3 that intrigues me anymore than whats at 7,8 or 9 to be honest. Its just not that type of draft.

Im not really sweating it and personally think the best player from the draft might come from the back half of the lottery. Picking that guy is a whole other problem though.

[zeebneeb]

For all the people saying "there's nothing really in this draft" your setting yourself up for when the Pistons win 2-6 games to many, and we all watch some all star develope on another team, yet again.

The draft is a crapshoot and no one really knows how many great players will come out of each draft. The higher the pick, the better the odds.

We have all had over a decade of misery picking at the 7-15 slots and its not going to get better continuing to pick there year after year. I want a top three pick. Anything less then that and I'll be pissed.

The team has to have at least the 4th worst record to have a realistic chance at the #1 pick. 5th worst is better then nothing I guess but after that, your setting yourself up for a disaster.

Just in case, is there a consensus #1 pick this upcoming draft? A consensus 1, 2, 3?

[MotownMadness]

For all the people saying "there's nothing really in this draft" your setting yourself up for when the Pistons win 2-6 games to many, and we all watch some all star develope on another team, yet again.

The draft is a crapshoot and no one really knows how many great players will come out of each draft. The higher the pick, the better the odds.

We have all had over a decade of misery picking at the 7-15 slots and its not going to get better continuing to pick there year after year. I want a top three pick. Anything less then that and I'll be pissed.

The team has to have at least the 4th worst record to have a realistic chance at the #1 pick. 5th worst is better then nothing I guess but after that, your setting yourself up for a disaster.

Just in case, is there a consensus #1 pick this upcoming draft? A consensus 1, 2, 3?

Lottery odds have changed, last year Lakers and Pelicans jumped into the top4 from the teens. Not that having the higher pick isnt the better situation cause it is but the odds are way different now.

Also there really isnt anything after Edwards And possibly Wiseman that isnt basically the same tier all throughout the lottery. Even those two arent crazy talents though.

In fact i dont even think a team would know for certain what to do with a top 3 pick this year.

Thats where the draft sucks cause theres no consensus number 1 guy at the top like Zion, Davis, Morant etc... The rest of the lottery is about like normal drafts but the top is missing that franchise altering talent.

Someone will emerge for sure in time but its definitely not a draft where you hit a grandslam landing a top 3 pick. Ill still take it and want it but that part sucks.

Could easily see a guy like Haliburton, Toppin, Cole Anthony, Killian Hayes for example being the best and not being a top 5 pick.