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

Norm2953 · Post #221 » by **Norm2953** » Thu Apr 5, 2012 3:16 am

Updated lottery standings:

Charlotte 7
Wash 12
NO 14
Cleve 17
NJ 19 (20)
Sac 19
Tor 20
Det 20
GS 21
Minn 25
Portland 25 (26)
Milw 26

Tough night for GS and Toronto and possibly NJ for Sacramento can be all alone in 6th place
if NJ wins tonight. Cleveland looks set at 4 with their two game lead on at least Sacramento
and possibly NJ. Minnesota is too far behind to catch up with the five teams ahead of them.

Post #222 » by **DeBlazerRiddem** » Thu Apr 5, 2012 4:29 am

DusterBuster wrote:Looks like Cleveland has all but locked up that #4 spot at this point. They're dropping games like it's going out of style. They have a pretty cake schedule in April for the most part, but with how bad they're playing, there won't be a ton of wins in there.

That will change when Irving comes back.

DusterBuster · Post #223 » by **DusterBuster** » Fri Apr 6, 2012 1:01 am

Detroit and Sacramento playing tonight. Detroit is leading the Wizards by 11 going into the 2nd half. Looks like they should have a decent chance picking up a win there.

The Kings play the Clips tonight. The Clips are on the 2nd of a B2B after a hard fought game with the Lakers last night. They're also on the road (as much as going from LA to Sacramento can be called on the road). It's impossible to tell what you're going to get from the Kings on a night to night basis. They have a lot of things going in their favor; home game, rest, tired opponent, etc. But then again, they're the Kings, so you never know what you're going to get. Some nights they can look like a playoff team, some nights they look like the lottery team they are.

Norm2953 · Post #224 » by **Norm2953** » Fri Apr 6, 2012 1:16 am

If Sacramento finds a way to beat the Clippers tonight, NJ would be all alone
in fifth place.

NJ's remaining schedule is easy with 7 home games and 3 on the road. They figure
to win games against Washington and Cleveland and have winnable road games
against Milwaukee and Toronto. Assuming they win 3 more games this season,
it appears they will finish in front of Sacramento who has a more difficult
schedule with only road games against the Hornets and Bobcats as winnable.

It appears NJ's pick will end up being either 6 or 7 for GS has a tough remaining
schedule and could run the table to get into the 6 spot which would allow them
to finish ahead the Nets. Detroit and Toronto have relatively easy schedules and
will probably win enough game to finish behind the Nets.

fishnc · Post #225 » by **fishnc** » Sat Apr 7, 2012 2:54 am

This is shaping up to be a poor night for both of our picks

Myth · Post #226 » by **Myth** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 1:04 am

Blazers vs Bucks could be big for the lottery.

Norm2953 · Post #227 » by **Norm2953** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 3:15 am

It appears after tonight's game, we can project we will finish 3-6 with wins against
GS, Sacramento and perhaps Utah (final game of season) and losses against
Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Memphis, SA and Utah.

That would give us a 29-37 record, solid 11th place in the lottery. It really does
not matter if we win or not anymore for we're not catching up with the pack of
teams with 20 -21 wins and Minnesota is tanking so hard, they can't beat anyone
unless Love scores 100 points.

DusterBuster · Post #228 » by **DusterBuster** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 3:40 am

Norm2953 wrote:It appears after tonight's game, we can project we will finish 3-6 with wins against
GS, Sacramento and perhaps Utah (final game of season) and losses against
Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Memphis, SA and Utah.

That would give us a 29-37 record, solid 11th place in the lottery. It really does
not matter if we win or not anymore for we're not catching up with the pack of
teams with 20 -21 wins and Minnesota is tanking so hard, they can't beat anyone
unless Love scores 100 points.

I disagree. I think the Blazers get a win against SA, we can pretty much guarantee that Pop is going to rest every starter he can that late in the season. He's done it for the past half-a-decade, so no question he'll do it again. I also think they can beat Dallas considering how well they've played them this year, plus it's a home game.

I expect the Blazers to go nearly .500 for the rest of the season. That said, I still think that the Blazers are locked into that #11 pick at this point.

It sucks that the TWolves have just absolutely gone into tank mode. I think they're permanently ahead of the Blazers in the lottery from here out. Meanwhile, the Bucks are good enough to pick up at least half of their remaining games, if not more, to keep them ahead of the Blazers record-wise.

No other real lottery changes for tonight.

Post #229 » by **The Sebastian Express** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 4:46 am

DusterBuster wrote:
Norm2953 wrote:It appears after tonight's game, we can project we will finish 3-6 with wins against
GS, Sacramento and perhaps Utah (final game of season) and losses against
Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Memphis, SA and Utah.

That would give us a 29-37 record, solid 11th place in the lottery. It really does
not matter if we win or not anymore for we're not catching up with the pack of
teams with 20 -21 wins and Minnesota is tanking so hard, they can't beat anyone
unless Love scores 100 points.

I disagree. I think the Blazers get a win against SA, we can pretty much guarantee that Pop is going to rest every starter he can that late in the season. He's done it for the past half-a-decade, so no question he'll do it again. I also think they can beat Dallas considering how well they've played them this year, plus it's a home game.

I expect the Blazers to go nearly .500 for the rest of the season. That said, I still think that the Blazers are locked into that #11 pick at this point.

It sucks that the TWolves have just absolutely gone into tank mode. I think they're permanently ahead of the Blazers in the lottery from here out. Meanwhile, the Bucks are good enough to pick up at least half of their remaining games, if not more, to keep them ahead of the Blazers record-wise.

No other real lottery changes for tonight.

A funny stat I read on twitter tonight courtesy of one of the Minnesota beat reports: Kevin Love has won three games in April.

His entire career - this is his 4th season.

Those three came in his rookie season. Granted, he only played one April game last year, but still.

Post #230 » by **The Sebastian Express** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 5:08 am

Both Phoenix, and shockingly, Golden State won tonight. Winner.

DusterBuster · Post #231 » by **DusterBuster** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 5:14 am

The Sebastian Express wrote:Both Phoenix, and shockingly, Golden State won tonight. Winner.

That's nice, but I still think GS is too far gone at this point. Way too far behind for Portland to catch.

Post #232 » by **The Sebastian Express** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 5:39 am

There's always hope!

Norm2953 · Post #233 » by **Norm2953** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 5:53 am

It makes you wonder where we would be if we had sacked Nate a month earlier
(#8 playoff seed?) or had kept Nate.

I do think we are locked into the 11 seed for the real race is between Minnesota
and GS for the Wolves are tanking so hard, they might catch GS for I doubt if
the Wolves will win one more game this season. Whether we are 29-37 or 30-36
is meaningless but it would be better to stay safely ahead of New York or Milwaukee
if those teams decided to tank in the end. The thing about Milwaukee and New York,
they play in the Eastern Conference with six solid lottery teams while Portland
in the West has only 3 other lottery teams ahead of them.

Post #234 » by **DeBlazerRiddem** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 7:24 am

Someone tell me why in the world would Minnesota be tanking?

They are just a terrible team without a playmaking genius like Rubio at the helm. That kid single-handedly added so many wins for them this season.

DusterBuster · Post #235 » by **DusterBuster** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 7:36 am

DeBlazerRiddem wrote:Someone tell me why in the world would Minnesota be tanking?

They are just a terrible team without a playmaking genius like Rubio at the helm. That kid single-handedly added so many wins for them this season.

Tanking might not be the right word. They aren't tanking in that they're purposely trying to lose games. They've just gone into the tank since losing their starting PG and C.

Post #236 » by **The Sebastian Express** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 9:50 am

What is sad is they don't even get their pick - New Orleans does via the Clippers for the Paul trade.

DusterBuster · Post #237 » by **DusterBuster** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 10:11 am

The Sebastian Express wrote:What is sad is they don't even get their pick - New Orleans does via the Clippers for the Paul trade.

Exactly. They have zero incentive to be playing as bad as they are.

fishnc · Post #238 » by **fishnc** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 1:30 pm

DusterBuster wrote:
The Sebastian Express wrote:Both Phoenix, and shockingly, Golden State won tonight. Winner.

That's nice, but I still think GS is too far gone at this point. Way too far behind for Portland to catch.

True, but they are also threatening to pass the Nets now.

As for the Wolves, they are another team we want to finish in front if we want to draft Marshall with our second pick. I could definitely see NO looking to replace Jack and Vasquez.

Blazinaway · Post #239 » by **Blazinaway** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 2:33 pm

DusterBuster wrote:
The Sebastian Express wrote:Both Phoenix, and shockingly, Golden State won tonight. Winner.

That's nice, but I still think GS is too far gone at this point. Way too far behind for Portland to catch.

well we do want GS to stay ahead of NJ so their win is a good thing

Wizenheimer · Post #240 » by **Wizenheimer** » Sun Apr 8, 2012 4:03 pm

right now, it looks like a possibility there could be a 3-5 team coin-toss elimination round to determine slots 4-8

and the Blazers may end up in a coin-flip too