Race for Ping Pong Balls

[basketballRob]

Now we need Toronto to beat the Nuggets, so they move ahead of the Bulls.

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[Knightro]

Wolves are 10-6 when Towns and Russell both play and they've made it clear they're not tanking down the stretch.

They should win more than a few down the stretch.

[RookieStar]

wow KPJ went beast mode to propel HOU win over MIL.

[RookieStar]

See guys? Even MIN and HOU can win games. No need to beat yourself up when we won againat the cavs

[Xatticus]

See guys? Even MIN and HOU can win games. No need to beat yourself up when we won againat the cavs

That doesn't dismiss the significance of last night's win. It is going to leave this front office open to criticism if we end up with one win too many. Minnesota isn't really a threat at this point and it's exceptionally unlikely that we catch Houston, but Detroit and OKC will probably go down to the wire.

Again, I have no issues if we win games through player development, but we brought back Ennis for last night's game and that made all the difference. If he doesn't play, we almost certainly lose. What was the benefit of him playing? He's old and on an expiring contract. What is the benefit of having him on this roster? I would've released him immediately after the deadline. If you are going to tank, don't do stupid **** like bringing back Ennis, Ross, or MCW. There are ten games left. Use your ten-day contracts and give them plenty of run to see if you can find someone worth a roster spot next year.

[pepe1991]

My gut tells me that Raptors are winning lottery.
They never won lottery in their franchise history and they had to move team just to make season playable. Silver will reward it. Just like nba alway rewarded moving teams in past.

[clwest25]

See guys? Even MIN and HOU can win games. No need to beat yourself up when we won againat the cavs

That doesn't dismiss the significance of last night's win. It is going to leave this front office open to criticism if we end up with one win too many. Minnesota isn't really a threat at this point and it's exceptionally unlikely that we catch Houston, but Detroit and OKC will probably go down to the wire.

Again, I have no issues if we win games through player development, but we brought back Ennis for last night's game and that made all the difference. If he doesn't play, we almost certainly lose. What was the benefit of him playing? He's old and on an expiring contract. What is the benefit of having him on this roster? I would've released him immediately after the deadline. If you are going to tank, don't do stupid **** like bringing back Ennis, Ross, or MCW. There are ten games left. Use your ten-day contracts and give them plenty of run to see if you can find someone worth a roster spot next year.

It’s about morale mann..

[Bensational]

My gut tells me that Raptors are winning lottery.
They never won lottery in their franchise history and they had to move team just to make season playable. Silver will reward it. Just like nba alway rewarded moving teams in past.

Bargnani’s heart just broke a little more. Completely forgotten #1 pick.

You can apply some sort of reward narrative to most teams if you really wanted to. It’s just a lottery though, IMO.

[drsd]

Orlando is currently 1 1/2 games worse than #5 IKC
Orlando is currently tied with Minnesota for the 3rd/4th worst team (but Minny has one more W)
Orlando is currently 1/2 game better than Detroit (but are tied in the W column)

Now we need Toronto to beat the Nuggets, so they move ahead of the Bulls.

Chicago currently sits 9th, 1 1/2 games back of the 10th worst Pelicans
Chicago is currently 1/2 game better than #8 Toronto

Chicago is currently 2 games outside a play-in slot

..

The computers currently project the Magic to finish as the 2nd worst team (projected to be a full 2 games worse than the tied 3/4/5 teams). And the Bulls to finish tied for 8/9, missing the play-ins.


..

[pepe1991]

My gut tells me that Raptors are winning lottery.
They never won lottery in their franchise history and they had to move team just to make season playable. Silver will reward it. Just like nba alway rewarded moving teams in past.

Bargnani’s heart just broke a little more. Completely forgotten #1 pick.

You can apply some sort of reward narrative to most teams if you really wanted to. It’s just a lottery though, IMO.

Damn it, the italian.
but what a bad draft. Aldrige, Roy....than late in first round Lowry and Rondo. And army of irrelevant bodies. ( and JJ)

[RookieStar]

See guys? Even MIN and HOU can win games. No need to beat yourself up when we won againat the cavs

That doesn't dismiss the significance of last night's win. It is going to leave this front office open to criticism if we end up with one win too many. Minnesota isn't really a threat at this point and it's exceptionally unlikely that we catch Houston, but Detroit and OKC will probably go down to the wire.

Again, I have no issues if we win games through player development, but we brought back Ennis for last night's game and that made all the difference. If he doesn't play, we almost certainly lose. What was the benefit of him playing? He's old and on an expiring contract. What is the benefit of having him on this roster? I would've released him immediately after the deadline. If you are going to tank, don't do stupid **** like bringing back Ennis, Ross, or MCW. There are ten games left. Use your ten-day contracts and give them plenty of run to see if you can find someone worth a roster spot next year.

You know... in my mind even if wr end up with the worst record BUT during the lotto we end up with the 4th pick and draft Mobley, posters here are gonna complain why couldnt we be 2nd place and jump to 1 or stay at 2.

Heck, how much you wanna bet that even if we stay at 2 both place and lotto and we end up pivking Cade, there would still be a lot of complains why we didnt pick Green or something.

It is what it is.. im not too worried or wanting to criticize as long as we maintain our standing in the top3. I already expect that a team outside top5 will jump in. So yeah, a lotto is a lotto and youcan never tell what will happen. Just saying no need to agonize too much over 1 win. when our fellow tankers also won.

[tiderulz]

My gut tells me that Raptors are winning lottery.
They never won lottery in their franchise history and they had to move team just to make season playable. Silver will reward it. Just like nba alway rewarded moving teams in past.

the lottery is not fixed. A company is not going to risk their billion dollar reputation certifying results that are fixed. not saying it couldnt have happened in the far past, but a Big4 firm isnt putting their rep on the line for that

[drsd]

My gut tells me that Raptors are winning lottery.
They never won lottery in their franchise history and they had to move team just to make season playable. Silver will reward it. Just like nba alway rewarded moving teams in past.

the lottery is not fixed. A company is not going to risk their billion dollar reputation certifying results that are fixed. not saying it couldnt have happened in the far past, but a Big4 firm isnt putting their rep on the line for that

One can argue the lottery cannot be fixed. The numerous near playoff teams moving up in the draft will cause league grumbling, as when Orlando won its pick that became Penny. There is also the basic fairness question as to why playoff teams are ineligible to gain high draft picks (good management is being punished).

This is why ideas like "The Wheel" might make more sense than the current lottery.
But to fix tanking, having the top-7 teams of a division in the playoffs, and having the other 8 teams in a single-game tournament to become the 8-seed, that would both i) be awesome and ii) nearly eliminate tanking. I don't think we need a wheel to end tanking.

An editorial on THE WHEEL



..

[tiderulz]

My gut tells me that Raptors are winning lottery.
They never won lottery in their franchise history and they had to move team just to make season playable. Silver will reward it. Just like nba alway rewarded moving teams in past.

the lottery is not fixed. A company is not going to risk their billion dollar reputation certifying results that are fixed. not saying it couldnt have happened in the far past, but a Big4 firm isnt putting their rep on the line for that

One can argue the lottery cannot be fixed. The numerous near playoff teams moving up in the draft will cause league grumbling, as when Orlando won its pick that became Penny. There is also the basic fairness question as to why playoff teams are ineligible to gain high draft picks (good management is being punished).

This is why ideas like "The Wheel" might make more sense than the current lottery.
But to fix tanking, having the top-7 teams of a division in the playoffs, and having the other 8 teams in a single-game tournament to become the 8-seed, that would both i) be awesome and ii) nearly eliminate tanking. I don't think we need a wheel to end tanking.

An editorial on THE WHEEL



..

i mean "fixed" in that you know Team X will win it no matter what.

[drsd]

i mean "fixed" in that you know Team X will win it no matter what.

Yes there is literally no chance for that. Conspiracy theories drive me nots, because people love to spill the beans. Cover ups are impossible. At this scale, you would be talking about 1000 people involved in the conspiracy. It is beyond ridiculous,. The lawsuits would be many and large. And for what?

LAL, NYK, Dallas, Chicago, and Boston are all fine. No need to juice the big money makers to "be better".

EDIT: when Houston wins the lottery, let's re-look at this Conspiracy !!!

..

[drsd]

Kings and Wizards both win as the Bulls lose. A really night night for the second FRP.

[drsd]

Orlando is currently tied as the 2nd/3rd worst team.
Orlando is currently 0.5 game back of 4th worst Minny
Orlando is currently 3 games better than 1st worst Houston

Chicago is currently 3 games outside the play-in
Chicago is currently tied as the 7th/8th/9th worst team
Chicago is currently 2 games back of 10th worst New Orleans
Chicago is currently 5 games better than 6th worst OKC


...

At this point it is nearly assured that Orlando will finish as the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th worst team. And 2nd worst is the most probable.
At this point it is nearly assured that Chicago will finish as the 7th, 8th, or 9th worst team. And 7th worst is the most probable.

Indeed the computers has Orlando finishing 2nd worst and Chicago finishing 7th worst.

..

[GelbeWand09]

See guys? Even MIN and HOU can win games. No need to beat yourself up when we won againat the cavs

That doesn't dismiss the significance of last night's win. It is going to leave this front office open to criticism if we end up with one win too many. Minnesota isn't really a threat at this point and it's exceptionally unlikely that we catch Houston, but Detroit and OKC will probably go down to the wire.

Again, I have no issues if we win games through player development, but we brought back Ennis for last night's game and that made all the difference. If he doesn't play, we almost certainly lose. What was the benefit of him playing? He's old and on an expiring contract. What is the benefit of having him on this roster? I would've released him immediately after the deadline. If you are going to tank, don't do stupid **** like bringing back Ennis, Ross, or MCW. There are ten games left. Use your ten-day contracts and give them plenty of run to see if you can find someone worth a roster spot next year.

Yea, its just stupid to bring Ennis back at the end of the season, with no fans, against a team which is much worse than its record.
Ennis got a 62 TS%, while playing solid defense & is smart. He wont matter vs. the good teams but against the Cavs, Pistons or the Sixers without there starters in the last 2 games (pretty sure they gonna rest Embiid, Simmons, Harris & co), he will.
Cant understand the, ''its hard to lose 15-20 games in a row'' comments. No its not. Just keep the vets out, its that easy lol All wins since the trade, are Vet driven wins. We had 2 wins because of freaking Otto Porter, who was a throw in expiring contract. The guy probably will never play again for us but won us 2 games in the 3 he played.
Against Detroit, the same thing gonna happen again. Detroit shut down all the tank killing vets like Joseph, Grant & co.
There young players are more gritty than the Cavs, so i think its still a 50:50 game but it shoudnt.

[MoMM]

Wolves are 10-6 when Towns and Russell both play and they've made it clear they're not tanking down the stretch.

They should win more than a few down the stretch.

Bad, bad decision.

[MoMM]

My gut tells me that Raptors are winning lottery.
They never won lottery in their franchise history and they had to move team just to make season playable. Silver will reward it. Just like nba alway rewarded moving teams in past.

the lottery is not fixed. A company is not going to risk their billion dollar reputation certifying results that are fixed. not saying it couldnt have happened in the far past, but a Big4 firm isnt putting their rep on the line for that