Hornets playoffs / surpassing previous wins?

ghostowl · Post #1 » by **ghostowl** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:03 pm

How many games does Hornets need to win to probably get into playoffs this year? Because I can see this squad outperforming last year's performance (of 33 wins). But Eastern Conference changed up a little bit too.

Cavs and Bulls are for sure getting in. Then it's Hawks and Wizards that are likely to get in next.

The last 4 slots are up for grabs, the contenders are: Heat, Hornets, Celtics, Raptors, Bucks, and Pacers.

Do you guys think it's more likely we get in playoffs than surpass last year's performance? This team is showing potential, going 7-0 in preseason.

Reflexx · Post #2 » by **Reflexx** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:42 pm

I expect to see the Hornets surpass 40 wins. This style of play works really well with the personnel.

HornetJail · Post #3 » by **HornetJail** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:36 pm

We are probably better than last season's 33 wins, even without MKG. However since we are without MKG, I'm not sure I see us any higher than .500. The optimist in me is saying a 41-41 record and the 7th seed, with MKG coming back in late March and helping us to the playoffs and at least one win in the first round. Baby steps.

Kswiss · Post #4 » by **Kswiss** » Fri Oct 23, 2015 9:36 am

MotorKeepsGoing wrote:We are probably better than last season's 33 wins, even without MKG. However since we are without MKG, I'm not sure I see us any higher than .500. The optimist in me is saying a 41-41 record and the 7th seed, with MKG coming back in late March and helping us to the playoffs and at least one win in the first round. Baby steps.

I'm gonna boldly say 45 wins and fifth seed, could definitely see 41 happening though. If we stay relatively healthy, we're gonna scrap out a lot of wins, that's for sure

Hornet Mania · Post #5 » by **Hornet Mania** » Fri Oct 23, 2015 11:26 pm

It seems like spots 7-10 in the East will be much more competitive than last year, I'm thinking a team needs 43 wins just to be safely above the cut this year.

The pre-season performance has me more optimistic about our prospects then I was earlier in the summer, but it's still hard to see a clear path to 40+ in an improved conference without our defensive ace (and arguably best player). I've adjusted my expectations from 30ish wins to 35ish wins.

The main obstacle I see for a playoff slot is the sheer number of other teams who are equal or better. Chicago/Cleveland/Washington/Toronto/Miami/Atlanta are just about a lock to be better, and only two of the Indy/Milwaulkee/Charlotte/Detroit/Boston group can make it if those first six perform as expected. It's not unthinkable that we're the best (or second best) of that group, but it's also not crazy to think two or more of them will outperform us either.

Post #6 » by **fatlever** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 5:00 am

I think in order for us to make the playoffs it will require at least two teams out of the ones mentioned by HM to get ravaged by injuries thus taking them completely out of the playoff race.

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #7 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 3:22 pm

On the latest Zach Lowe podcast JVG had some nice things to say about Cliff and Charlotte near the end. He's predicting that the Hornets will win half their games or better.

Post #8 » by **yosemiteben** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 3:34 pm

48 wins, assuming there is not another major injury

qiantom · Post #9 » by **qiantom** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 3:43 pm

fatlever wrote:I think in order for us to make the playoffs it will require at least two teams out of the ones mentioned by HM to get ravaged by injuries thus taking them completely out of the playoff race.

Every year there seems to be at least one team ravaged by injuries. As long as it is not the hornets, they have a fair chance to sneak into the playoffs I think.

sidestep · Post #10 » by **sidestep** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:27 pm

in bill simmons AMA on reddit, he was asked:
"JVG said he thought they would be a surprising team this year, do you agree?"

simmons replied: "Surprising as in 'I am surprised by how bad they are'"

so far, only JVG has said anything positive about this team in national media

Post #11 » by **JDR720** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:35 pm

JVG is a big clifford fan.

im still quite doubtful of playoffs, guessing you'll need to be above .500 to make it this year. gonna say 31-37 wins

Post #12 » by **JDR720** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:40 pm

and simmons is still butthurt by the celtics/hornets draft no deal

EwingSweatsALot · Post #13 » by **EwingSweatsALot** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:48 pm

JDR720 wrote:JVG is a big clifford fan.

im still quite doubtful of playoffs, guessing you'll need to be above .500 to make it this year. gonna say 31-37 wins

Clifford is close with both Van Gundys. I take what they say about them and our team with a grain of salt.

Hornet Mania · Post #14 » by **Hornet Mania** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:49 pm

Simmons is a moron. Plenty of sports media personalities hailing from Boston have a provincial streak, but he's easily the biggest man-baby of the lot.

EwingSweatsALot · Post #15 » by **EwingSweatsALot** » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:52 pm

I don't see how we get more than 35 wins. We are at best the 9th best team in the conference. 10th depending on how you view Indy and possibly 11th or 12th if Orlando and Detroit finally make a jump.

We don't have a single plus defender on the roster. We sure as hell don't even have an average post defender. Just because we shoot threes now doesn't make us good. We have a lot of guys who shoot threes and we have a lot of guys that don't shoot them well. As Fats said, the only way we get in is if 2-3 teams get hurt or just absolutely **** the bed.

sidestep · Post #16 » by **sidestep** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 12:13 am

EwingSweatsALot wrote:
JDR720 wrote:JVG is a big clifford fan.

im still quite doubtful of playoffs, guessing you'll need to be above .500 to make it this year. gonna say 31-37 wins

Clifford is close with both Van Gundys. I take what they say about them and our team with a grain of salt.

JVG has gone out of his way to never criticize any 'fellow' coach, sometimes to the point of sounding disingenuous. But the positive stuff he said about this team in a recent podcast with Zach Lowe were far beyond the usual I-got-your-back support. Eg, he was listing off a bunch of intangibles with the team.

But regardless of how serious anyone takes JVG's comments, he is generally fond of saying the opposite of the mainstream opinion. And that's exactly the case here. JVG's opinion, or rather the opposite of it, is a barometer of the 'consensus' view.

therebirth · Post #17 » by **therebirth** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 12:24 am

This team will surprise a lot of people this year. I think they can win anywhere between 45 to 47 and people will be scrambling to explain how they did it. The only thing they can't afford is another major injury. Bill Simmons prediction just makes me more sure than ever. He wrongly predicted us being a very good them last year. The year before he also predicted us being super bad. Wrong again.

RollingWave · Post #18 » by **RollingWave** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:56 am

They'll be around 40 assuming no more devastating injuries, the pre-season probably push them more over than under that.

So they're probably right around the edge of making the playoffs, they can only hope their chemistry carries them and health luck decent from this point on.

euphorbus · Post #19 » by **euphorbus** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:48 pm

A couple of more positive articles amongst all the negative ones, although the second still cannot refrain from sarcasm:

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/6-nba-teams-that-may-surprise-you-this-year/

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2582256-4-lessons-the-preseason-taught-us-about-2015-16-nba-season

predators · Post #20 » by **predators** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:20 pm

I just want them to be entertaining.