The 2012 NBA Draft: 6th & 11th picks, and some random 2nds.

[DaVoiceMaster]

4-4 since the trade deadline

Once Nate was fired, I had the Blazers going 7-16. I didn't have them winning against the Bulls, but I did have them beating the Bucks. They've got a brutal stretch coming up and could end the season on an ugly note. 7-16 is still a possibility, but they may pick up a few extra wins.

[Walton'sBeard!]

NJ at GS tonight. Should be a total tankarama.

[Norm2953]

So far so good tonight for Wizards, Milwaukee, are winning tonight. If Minnesota
can come back against the Celtics it would help. Hoping for a Sacramento and GS
win tonight and of course the Clippers to take care of business.

[Wizenheimer]

So far so good tonight for Wizards, Milwaukee, are winning tonight. If Minnesota
can come back against the Celtics it would help. Hoping for a Sacramento and GS
win tonight and of course the Clippers to take care of business.

Washington winning is not good news. We don't want the gap between Wash and NJ to close.

Toronto's loss propels them into a tie with the Nets

[Norm2953]

There's a five game gap between the Nets and Wizards. Neither team is likely
to suddenly go on a winning streak and the Wizards are unlikely to screw things
up by allowing the the Hornets to catch them for second place.

The big battle is for spots 4-8 for five teams are vying for ping pong balls and
GS is only two games behind. I keep hoping for Portland to give up and go into
player development mode for lottery positioning is like the bowling for losing
out would force GS to lose 14 out of their last 17 game to keep ahead of
Portland. I think it likely we will end up picking 10 with our own pick in the
end.

[LOOSH]

Crash with 24 Pts, 18 Reb, 5 Ast, 6 Stl, 1 Blk tonight

[DaVoiceMaster]

I wouldn't bet on Washington lying down for the remainder of the season. They got a big improvement when they traded for Nene. Washington is definitely a team to watch out for ... not so much because of their game, but because they will win a few more games and could affect the lotto positions for a team like New Jersey.

[Mr Odd]

Crash with 24 Pts, 18 Reb, 5 Ast, 6 Stl, 1 Blk tonight

Only 1 blk?? What a joke!!

I'll miss him.

[DusterBuster]

After last nights games, NJ dropped to the #7 pick and the Blazers dropped back to #11 in a tie with the Bucks. Cleveland, Sacramento and NJ are basically in a virtual tie. It looks like these team are just going to shift spots until the season is over.

[Beeboywhoo]

i could see the cavs barely winning a game for the rest of the season... irving is out, and they might just milk his injury to enter the anthony davis contest

[Norm2953]

Golden State seems to be in full blown tank mode for they need to be in the top 7
of the draft or else lose it the Jazz.

The race for lottery positioning is heating up and tonight's game with the Wolves
is going to be critical. Minnesota already owes their pick to the Hornets and has
no incentive to lose while we need to keep our hopes for a top 10 pick alive by
losing tonight.

[Walton'sBeard!]

The race for lottery positioning is heating up and tonight's game with the Wolves
is going to be critical. Minnesota already owes their pick to the Hornets and has
no incentive to lose while we need to keep our hopes for a top 10 pick alive by
losing tonight.

All true, but I don't see any quit in the Blazers, while the Wolves have looked pretty bad since Rubio went down.

[Wizenheimer]

The race for lottery positioning is heating up and tonight's game with the Wolves
is going to be critical. Minnesota already owes their pick to the Hornets and has
no incentive to lose while we need to keep our hopes for a top 10 pick alive by
losing tonight.

All true, but I don't see any quit in the Blazers, while the Wolves have looked pretty bad since Rubio went down.

they've lost Peckovic as well

[DusterBuster]

Yeah, unfortunately, I don't see the Blazers players being at all interested in tanking. It really makes me a sad panda.

I don't see the Blazers getting past the #10 pick.

[fishnc]

I would be thrilled if we finished with the 10th pick at this point.

[DaVoiceMaster]

Probably looking at the #11 or #12 pick unless there is an injury to Aldridge, Batum or Matthews.

[TBpup]

A funny thing happened on the way to the draft...the Nets started winning games. They have now dropped to #7 and are just out of dropping/climbing to #8. Portland's two lottery picks are looking more assured but less attractive everyday.

That drops Portland down to the Jared Sullinger/Harrison Barnes range with the Nets pick and still holding around the Terrance Jones area with their own pick.

[DusterBuster]

The Nets had a pretty soft last week of March. Outside of a surprise win against the Pacers (who went into a bit of a funk recently), that really wasn't a huge shock to see them pick up a couple wins here. Golden State is unashamedly tanking and the Kings are about as unpredictable of a team as there is in the NBA.

Here is their April schedule....

@ LAL
@ POR (2nd of B2B)
vs WAS
vs CLE
vs PHI
@ PHI
vs BOS (2nd of B2B)
vs MIA
vs NYK
@ MIL
vs PHI
@ TOR

Overall, that's a pretty rough schedule. TOR and CLE are in full on free-fall mode, so expect 2 wins their for them. I think you can pencil in the MIA, BOS, LAL, MIL and 2 of the 3 PHI games as losses. So imo, that means 8 are pretty much a forgone conclusion and 4 games as toss ups.

[DusterBuster]

Looks like Toronto make have stumbled into a win tonight. They're leading the Wizards by 14 with 8 to go in the 4th. Barring a comeback, this should help push them closer to the Nets.

[PhillyBlazer92]

The win tonight will not help the tank. Blazers have been playing with good energy the past three games.