TWO: Tank World Order

[Dr Octagon]

I'm legit baffled.

We are so bad.

But the East this season... THE EAST IS HISTORICALLY GOD AWFUL. WE ARE THE THIRD BEST TEAM IN THE EAST. HOW.

Bell and Rogers and waiting to pounce on you when Raps make playoffs.

Get the lube ready.

[stealthmode]

personally I am not an advocate for tanking, and this raps team has a lot of talent. if we can get the 4th seed (or heck the 3rd seed) and play a Washington or Detroit in the first round then anything can happen! I miss that excitement from playoffs in '07

[Kabatnaz]

This team is winning basketball games and we're going to get to see some playoff ball.

Only on this board are fans ticked off when the teams not losing.


two is dead.

[Wo1verine]

This team is winning basketball games and we're going to get to see some playoff ball.

Only on this board are fans ticked off when the teams not losing.


two is dead.

You're wrong!
Some fan bases would like to tank and not play meaningless basketball.
Just look around the forum.

BTW, enjoy the post-season potentially this year, i hope to see you around and posting when the rest of the east catches up with us next year.

tWo will be back before you know it , unfortunately

[Throwback24]

Yeah lock this up. Ujiri totally missed the boat with this but that's because the sly mofo can use 7-11 as his excuse. Winning the atlantic means that we aren't in that range in this pathetic conference.

Whatever. i guess we'll be drafting another all-star depth piece at 16 right? And I say all-star because unlike the rest of the league, most Raptor draftees have unlimited potential until they're traded or let go.

I hope Raptor fans enjoy this year. I also hope the East improves and stays healthy next year. We'll be a 9th seed in not time.

I said it before and I'll say it again, there's actually a chance the Bulls may luck into drafting a top 5 talent. Raptors... Raptors... Raptors.

[Dr Octagon]

Yeah lock this up. Ujiri totally missed the boat with this but that's because the sly mofo can use 7-11 as his excuse. Winning the atlantic means that we aren't in that range in this pathetic conference.

Whatever. i guess we'll be drafting another all-star depth piece at 16 right? And I say all-star because unlike the rest of the league, most Raptor draftees have unlimited potential until they're traded or let go.

I hope Raptor fans enjoy this year. I also hope the East improves and stays healthy next year. We'll be a 9th seed in not time.

I said it before and I'll say it again, there's actually a chance the Bulls may luck into drafting a top 5 talent. Raptors... Raptors... Raptors.

Can the Bulls say that they are Atlantic Division Champions? Only the elite can say that.

[Badonkadonk]

Just felt I should leave the sig here after the previous two posts (no pun intended).

Carry on.

[Randle McMurphy]

TWO may have lost the battle, but this war is not over by a longshot. We will prevail.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

So which one of y'all is Sting?

[Sheldon Cooper]

This thread has been pointless for a while now... As for everyone saying how Raptors suck and are garbage because the East is garbage, we have had the toughest schedule of any team in the East so far and one of the toughest in the entire league. Yet we are almost .500 even with two months of Rudy-ball dragging the record down. Given the remaining schedule it would not be surprising for this team to win 50 games at all. And you people are still discussing the tank?

[Kabatnaz]

This thread has been pointless for a while now... As for everyone saying how Raptors suck and are garbage because the East is garbage, we have had the toughest schedule of any team in the East so far and one of the toughest in the entire league. Yet we are almost .500 even with two months of Rudy-ball dragging the record down. Given the remaining schedule it would not be surprising for this team to win 50 games at all. And you people are still discussing the tank?

Say the Raps tank and get a top 3 pick. After this franchise had mortgaged it's future trading Lowry and DD; they spend the next 3 years "building". In those same three years; if whoever this team drafted isn't putting up GOAT numbers, the tWo will be screaming bloody murder and pushing for another tank.

Draft picks are shinny new toys for these guys; like little preciouses.

Tank is dead and this team is fun to watch. I honestly feel they have chance at winning tonight.

And RIP James "Uncle Phil" Avery

[fredericklove]

This thread has been pointless for a while now... As for everyone saying how Raptors suck and are garbage because the East is garbage, we have had the toughest schedule of any team in the East so far and one of the toughest in the entire league. Yet we are almost .500 even with two months of Rudy-ball dragging the record down. Given the remaining schedule it would not be surprising for this team to win 50 games at all. And you people are still discussing the tank?

Say the Raps tank and get a top 3 pick. After this franchise had mortgaged it's future trading Lowry and DD; they spend the next 3 years "building". In those same three years; if whoever this team drafted isn't putting up GOAT numbers, the tWo will be screaming bloody murder and pushing for another tank.

Draft picks are shinny new toys for these guys; like little preciouses.

Tank is dead and this team is fun to watch. I honestly feel they have chance at winning tonight.

And RIP James "Uncle Phil" Avery

@Sheldon: 50 games lol, what's next? Championship w/ this current core?

@Bottom guy: I won't miss Lowry much since ppl know he'll be traded soon and certainly won't miss DD cos he always choke hard, but oh because Masai the draft expert's specifically chosen top 3 pick isn't gonna replace the elite level of those two right? 3 years of rebuilding beats the next 5 years of treadmilling. So much hopes and positive notes on tonight's game but wait till you see the bad beating they get.

[Sheldon Cooper]

This thread has been pointless for a while now... As for everyone saying how Raptors suck and are garbage because the East is garbage, we have had the toughest schedule of any team in the East so far and one of the toughest in the entire league. Yet we are almost .500 even with two months of Rudy-ball dragging the record down. Given the remaining schedule it would not be surprising for this team to win 50 games at all. And you people are still discussing the tank?

Say the Raps tank and get a top 3 pick. After this franchise had mortgaged it's future trading Lowry and DD; they spend the next 3 years "building". In those same three years; if whoever this team drafted isn't putting up GOAT numbers, the tWo will be screaming bloody murder and pushing for another tank.

Draft picks are shinny new toys for these guys; like little preciouses.

Tank is dead and this team is fun to watch. I honestly feel they have chance at winning tonight.

And RIP James "Uncle Phil" Avery

@Sheldon: 50 games lol, what's next? Championship w/ this current core?

@Bottom guy: I won't miss Lowry much since ppl know he'll be traded soon and certainly won't miss DD cos he always choke hard, but oh because Masai the draft expert's specifically chosen top 3 pick isn't gonna replace the elite level of those two right? 3 years of rebuilding beats the next 5 years of treadmilling. So much hopes and positive notes on tonight's game but wait till you see the bad beating they get.

Did you want to give me a legitimate reason for why they can't win 50 games? Or do you just think your mocking statement is enough because what I'm saying is so outlandish? Have you seen the schedule? Given the way they are playing and our strength of schedule, we are currently ranked #10 on Hollinger's Power Rankings and are quickly moving up the list. This whole talk of tanking, while beyond dumb to begin with, is incredibly dumb at this point in the season given the remaining schedule and the current record.

[fredericklove]

@Sheldon: 50 games lol, what's next? Championship w/ this current core?

@Bottom guy: I won't miss Lowry much since ppl know he'll be traded soon and certainly won't miss DD cos he always choke hard, but oh because Masai the draft expert's specifically chosen top 3 pick isn't gonna replace the elite level of those two right? 3 years of rebuilding beats the next 5 years of treadmilling. So much hopes and positive notes on tonight's game but wait till you see the bad beating they get.

Did you want to give me a legitimate reason for why they can't win 50 games? Or do you just think your mocking statement is enough because what I'm saying is so outlandish? Have you seen the schedule? Given the way they are playing and our strength of schedule, we are currently ranked #10 on Hollinger's Power Rankings and are quickly moving up the list. This whole talk of tanking, while beyond dumb to begin with, is incredibly dumb at this point in the season given the remaining schedule and the current record.

You made 50 wins statement look so easy like it's a piece of cake talk, you look at it like oh the tough west coast trip is over, now in 2nd half its a bunch of easier opponents, buddy we had flexible schedule despite tough opponent so far but we have so much rest in between, have you ever try factoring that issue into our upcoming schedule? Have you looked at how many back 2 back games in a week or the 4 games/7 days week trip we have in 2nd half?

This team plays hard, but playing hard isn't compatible w/ this core of lowly insufficient talent especially when you get all these jam packed schedule which about to pile up and drain our guys' energy level like succubus, there's bound to be tough stretch of losing streak when guys don't show up due to extreme fatigue, unless you have star player who can carry your team thru to bail them out. 50 wins buddy, it's no easy task, don't let the recent winning streak pull you over the ladder to such a lucrative record projection, buddy, you should pull yourself back to reality.

[kingr]

After we traded Gay, I was really pulling for the tank. Even though we're winning, something doesn't feel right about it.

[CaseySmalls]

This team is winning basketball games and we're going to get to see some playoff ball.

Only on this board are fans ticked off when the teams not losing.


two is dead.

I'm all for playoff ball, but I'm afraid we still won't be seeing meaningful playoff ball for quite a while - where the team has a legitimate shot at winning a round or two, as well as returning to the playoffs the following season.

This year we may appear to be out of no man's land, but next year...
- The tanking teams in the east won't be tanking anymore; instead, they'll have rookie studs and FA's signed with their cap space.
- Lowry will either walk for nothing, or will be overpaid, limiting our ability to sign other free agents.
- Our amazing luck with avoiding injuries will presumably run out and we'll be playing games without key guys.

Once those all happen, I think lots of currently bad team will surpass us and we'll be right back to the 9th seed, and won't have enough tradeable assets or cap space to improve. Unless Masai can trade Landry Fields for a superstar or Drake can convince one to sign for the MLE, this team pretty much is what it is - a sub-.500 team with little room for improvement the way it's currently built.

[Kabatnaz]

This team is winning basketball games and we're going to get to see some playoff ball.

Only on this board are fans ticked off when the teams not losing.


two is dead.

I'm all for playoff ball, but I'm afraid we still won't be seeing meaningful playoff ball for quite a while - where the team has a legitimate shot at winning a round or two, as well as returning to the playoffs the following season.

This year we may appear to be out of no man's land, but next year...
- The tanking teams in the east won't be tanking anymore; instead, they'll have rookie studs and FA's signed with their cap space.
- Lowry will either walk for nothing, or will be overpaid, limiting our ability to sign other free agents.
- Our amazing luck with avoiding injuries will presumably run out and we'll be playing games without key guys.

Once those all happen, I think lots of currently bad team will surpass us and we'll be right back to the 9th seed, and won't have enough tradeable assets or cap space to improve. Unless Masai can trade Landry Fields for a superstar or Drake can convince one to sign for the MLE, this team pretty much is what it is - a sub-.500 team with little room for improvement the way it's currently built.

"Meaningful playoff basketball"

What does that even mean? Tank or no-tank; there is no proof that either method is critical to playoff success.

You play to win the game.

[Kabatnaz]

I am sorry to say the tank is over. So lets just get behind the team and support them to their pointless pursuit to the 2nd round this year and years of treadmilling.

Maybe Masai can recreate a 57 win team that gets eliminated in the 1st round #reasonhewonEOTY....

Sent from my SGH-I747M using RealGM Forums mobile app

Tanking doesn't guarantee a championship

[CaseySmalls]

This team is winning basketball games and we're going to get to see some playoff ball.

Only on this board are fans ticked off when the teams not losing.


two is dead.

I'm all for playoff ball, but I'm afraid we still won't be seeing meaningful playoff ball for quite a while - where the team has a legitimate shot at winning a round or two, as well as returning to the playoffs the following season.

This year we may appear to be out of no man's land, but next year...
- The tanking teams in the east won't be tanking anymore; instead, they'll have rookie studs and FA's signed with their cap space.
- Lowry will either walk for nothing, or will be overpaid, limiting our ability to sign other free agents.
- Our amazing luck with avoiding injuries will presumably run out and we'll be playing games without key guys.

Once those all happen, I think lots of currently bad team will surpass us and we'll be right back to the 9th seed, and won't have enough tradeable assets or cap space to improve. Unless Masai can trade Landry Fields for a superstar or Drake can convince one to sign for the MLE, this team pretty much is what it is - a sub-.500 team with little room for improvement the way it's currently built.

"Meaningful playoff basketball"

What does that even mean? Tank or no-tank; there is no proof that either method is critical to playoff success.

You play to win the game.

As I said right after using the term "meaningful playoff ball", I was referring to it as "where the team has a legitimate shot at winning a round or two, as well as returning to the playoffs the following season". That, rather than simply a brief playoff appearance as the doormat for dancing Lebron, is what I think management should strive for.

Whether or not you believe in tanking, when your current core is at its ceiling and doesn't have the tradeable assets, draft picks, or cap space to improve, you really only have two options: keep adding band-aids and try to get the 8th seed (Bryan Colangelo anyone?), or unload guys and rebuild upon a stronger foundation.

Personally I think that once half the conference stops tanking, Lowry walks or gets a fat extension, and our injury luck runs out, this team will be hovering around the 9th seed until they start over with a new core. I think that is why some members here, myself included, aren't overly excited about this team and its quest for a .500 record.

[Wo1verine]

I am sorry to say the tank is over. So lets just get behind the team and support them to their pointless pursuit to the 2nd round this year and years of treadmilling.

Maybe Masai can recreate a 57 win team that gets eliminated in the 1st round #reasonhewonEOTY....

Sent from my SGH-I747M using RealGM Forums mobile app

Tanking doesn't guarantee a championship

Nobody says it guarantees anything , kabatnaz

One thing is guaranteed though - we aren't winning one with Lowry, DD, Amir, Ross, JV as our core.