Raps are Good But CAUTIOUSLY optimistic thread

[MiamiSPX]

There's levels to this.

The goal should be to become a relatively consistent team that wins 45-50 games. Even if that entails losing in the 1st or 2nd round so be it. You can learn a lot about players from tough games and it makes it easier to decide who to build around longterm.

You evaluate your weaknesses and make moves to address those issues with the goal to become a 50+ win team. If you can get to this level, then you might just be one key move away from really making things interesting.

Very few teams go from 30 wins to title contender in a season. It's a process.

If we don't do well against above .500 teams but still beat up on all the lesser teams, that is still a step in the right direction IMO. I'll take being a paper tiger over the garbage teams we've had the past 3 seasons.

[OakleyDokely]

There's levels to this.

The goal should be to become a relatively consistent team that wins 45-50 games. Even if that entails losing in the 1st or 2nd round so be it. You can learn a lot about players from tough games and it makes it easier to decide who to build around longterm.

You evaluate your weaknesses and make moves to address those issues with the goal to become a 50+ win team. If you can get to this level, then you might just be one key move away from really making things interesting.

Very few teams go from 30 wins to title contender in a season. It's a process.

If we don't do well against above .500 teams but still beat up on all the lesser teams, that is still a step in the right direction IMO. I'll take being a paper tiger over the garbage teams we've had the past 3 seasons.

Like the famous quote, playoffs?!? I just hope we can win a game!

After the last few seasons, let's just string together some wins before we even worry about how we matchup in the playoffs against elite opponents

[everdiso]

The only injury / depth I'm concerned about is Poeltl.

which is at least a bit funny because the raps are 2-2 without him, with one of the wins coming against the cavs on the road, and the two losses being 1. against a vey tough Houston team and 2. philly on the backend of a back2back on the road.

[everdiso]

They are beating the teams they should be beating.

Maybe, but if i told you before they season that they'd go 7-2 vs CLE ATL IND PHI MIL to start the year would you have said those were teams we should beat?

[Morris_Shatford]

They are beating the teams they should be beating.

Maybe, but if i told you before they season that they'd go 7-2 vs CLE ATL IND PHI MIL to start the year would you have said those were teams we should beat?

If you told me that without any context of who those teams would be missing due to injury or resting I wouldn't have believed it.

[Prestige]

I just want to see a rim running backup big, like a Capela or Okungwu. We lack size and will be seriosuly exposed when Poetl inevitably goes down.

We also lack shooting but can get by for now until we consolidate and upgrade the backcourt.

[james vincent]

The only injury / depth I'm concerned about is Poeltl.

And Brandon Ingram. He can be frail and made of glass. Hopefully, the medical staff and trainers can manage their minutes and bodies so they play at least between 60-65 games this year; CMB is a bit of concern (but he’s a rookie getting used to the speed of the nba).

[Zeno]

Yep! This is it. If he goes down we are out of size, which means we most likely lose the rebounding battle, which then leads to disaster amongst other things like paint protection from the 5.

Yak is huge but I think his absence is slightly overstated because he has been absent or playing injured in the exact matchup you wouldn’t want him to miss. Spurs, Rockets, Dallas, Bucks and Philly(AD and Embiid played). So while they have been lucky with injuries, the timing has been unlucky as far as Yak goes. Still we really need him to stay healthy and get a backup with real size.

Poeltl's absence having huge impact, much more than it really should, is not a new thing. It's been happening for a few years now. This isn't timing thing. It's a matter of roster imbalance and lack of ability or willingness from FO to properly address it.

Yes but this year’s roster is actually in theory better at compensating for his absence than in previous years with Scottie, CMB, Mogbo and Mamu all as viable small ball options. The problem is you can’t go small for a full 48 against teams who have true physical 5s plus size at the 4 too. Either way I agree this needs to be finally addressed as soon as possible.

[raptorforlife88]

The team is looking really good offensively, and they've played enough games now that I think it's legit. They are going to be a good offensive team, they play well together consistently.

I think genuinely the bigger concern is defensively. They're about league average right now, but they are giving up a lot of both rim looks and corner threes. Where they're getting lucky right now is their opponents three point percentage is in the tank at 32% which is 4th best in the league right now. We'll see how that develops but it does sometimes feel like the opponent is missing some good looks.

[kalel123]

Yak is huge but I think his absence is slightly overstated because he has been absent or playing injured in the exact matchup you wouldn’t want him to miss. Spurs, Rockets, Dallas, Bucks and Philly(AD and Embiid played). So while they have been lucky with injuries, the timing has been unlucky as far as Yak goes. Still we really need him to stay healthy and get a backup with real size.

Poeltl's absence having huge impact, much more than it really should, is not a new thing. It's been happening for a few years now. This isn't timing thing. It's a matter of roster imbalance and lack of ability or willingness from FO to properly address it.

Yes but this year’s roster is actually in theory better at compensating for his absence than in previous years with Scottie, CMB, Mogbo and Mamu all as viable small ball options. The problem is you can’t go small for a full 48 against teams who have true physical 5s plus size at the 4 too. Either way I agree this needs to be finally addressed as soon as possible.

Yes, can't go small ball all the time and it puts undue strain on those guys and opens them up to unnecessary injury risk as they have to go up against players that are bigger than them on a nightly basis rather than on a match-up basis. Even Mamu is really more of a natural 4 and Mogbo... well, would rather not go there. He really shouldn't see the floor IMO unless there are more than one injured or foul trouble.

[ash_k]

not reason to be cautious about anything, as long as BI and Scottie can play, we will be fine(50-win) as expected

[everdiso]

They are beating the teams they should be beating.

Maybe, but if i told you before they season that they'd go 7-2 vs CLE ATL IND PHI MIL to start the year would you have said those were teams we should beat?

If you told me that without any context of who those teams would be missing due to injury or resting I wouldn't have believed it.

missing players:

1. ATL (W) - none ---------------------------------> CMB, Jakobe
2. MIL (L) - none ----------------------------------> CMB, Jakobe
3. DAL (L) - Gafford, (Kyrie 33) -----------------> Jakobe
4. SAS (L) - Fox -------------------------------------> none
5. HOU (L) - (FVV) ---------------------------------> Poeltl
6. CLE (W) - Mitchell, Allen, Garland, Strus ---> Poeltl
7. MEM (W) - Morant, Edey -----------------------> Poeltl
8. MIL (W) - none -----------------------------------> Ochai
9. ATL (W) - Trae, Kennard ------------------------> none
10. PHI (L) - Barlow, (George 35) ----------------> Poeltl
11. BKN (W) - Thomas -----------------------------> Mamu, Ochai
12. CLE (W) - Garland, Strus ---------------------> CMB, Ochai
13. IND (W) - (Hali), Nesmith, Toppin -----------> Ochai
14. CHA (W) - Miller --------------------------------> Ochai
15. PHI (W) - Embiid, (George 35) ---------------> CMB, Ochai

[Appostis]

Maybe, but if i told you before they season that they'd go 7-2 vs CLE ATL IND PHI MIL to start the year would you have said those were teams we should beat?

If you told me that without any context of who those teams would be missing due to injury or resting I wouldn't have believed it.

missing players:

1. ATL (W) - none ---------------------------------> CMB, Jakobe
2. MIL (L) - none ----------------------------------> CMB, Jakobe
3. DAL (L) - Gafford, (Kyrie 33) -----------------> Jakobe
4. SAS (L) - Fox -------------------------------------> none
5. HOU (L) - (FVV) ---------------------------------> Poeltl
6. CLE (W) - Mitchell, Allen, Garland, Strus ---> Poeltl
7. MEM (W) - Morant, Edey -----------------------> Poeltl
8. MIL (W) - none -----------------------------------> Ochai
9. ATL (W) - Trae, Kennard ------------------------> none
10. PHI (L) - Barlow, (George 35) ----------------> Poeltl
11. BKN (W) - Thomas -----------------------------> Mamu, Ochai
12. CLE (W) - Garland, Strus ---------------------> CMB, Ochai
13. IND (W) - (Hali), Nesmith, Toppin -----------> Ochai
14. CHA (W) - Miller --------------------------------> Ochai
15. PHI (W) - Embiid, (George 35) ---------------> CMB, Ochai

Also during those first 4 games,the games Yak did play he was severely limited.

[Morris_Shatford]

Maybe, but if i told you before they season that they'd go 7-2 vs CLE ATL IND PHI MIL to start the year would you have said those were teams we should beat?

If you told me that without any context of who those teams would be missing due to injury or resting I wouldn't have believed it.

missing players:

1. ATL (W) - none ---------------------------------> CMB, Jakobe
2. MIL (L) - none ----------------------------------> CMB, Jakobe
3. DAL (L) - Gafford, (Kyrie 33) -----------------> Jakobe
4. SAS (L) - Fox -------------------------------------> none
5. HOU (L) - (FVV) ---------------------------------> Poeltl
6. CLE (W) - Mitchell, Allen, Garland, Strus ---> Poeltl
7. MEM (W) - Morant, Edey -----------------------> Poeltl
8. MIL (W) - none -----------------------------------> Ochai
9. ATL (W) - Trae, Kennard ------------------------> none
10. PHI (L) - Barlow, (George 35) ----------------> Poeltl
11. BKN (W) - Thomas -----------------------------> Mamu, Ochai
12. CLE (W) - Garland, Strus ---------------------> CMB, Ochai
13. IND (W) - (Hali), Nesmith, Toppin -----------> Ochai
14. CHA (W) - Miller --------------------------------> Ochai
15. PHI (W) - Embiid, (George 35) ---------------> CMB, Ochai

6, 7, 12 perhaps, maybe 14 considering how close it was, and 15 I honestly have no idea if a healthy Philly team is even good anymore?

[LoveMyRaps]

To counter your points

1) Weak opponents/Injured teams

- That was the whole point of going for it this season. The entire association is stacked with injuries right now and the East is wide open. We're not the only ones playing injured teams (and we've also had to deal with injuries)

- we've actually had one of the harder schedules to start the season and have the played the fewest amount of home games. we now have one of the easiest remaining schedules

[Madvillainy2004]

To counter your points

1) Weak opponents/Injured teams

- That was the whole point of going for it this season. The entire association is stacked with injuries right now and the East is wide open. We're not the only ones playing injured teams (and we've also had to deal with injuries)

- we've actually had one of the harder schedules to start the season and have the played the fewest amount of home games. we now have one of the easiest remaining schedules

Can we even consider a team like Philly injured now? PG and Embiid will never play another b2b for the rest of their careers and embiids knee sounds like it will be a constant problem. I have my doubts either of them touch 35+ games this year.

[PushDaRock]

Yak is huge but I think his absence is slightly overstated because he has been absent or playing injured in the exact matchup you wouldn’t want him to miss. Spurs, Rockets, Dallas, Bucks and Philly(AD and Embiid played). So while they have been lucky with injuries, the timing has been unlucky as far as Yak goes. Still we really need him to stay healthy and get a backup with real size.

Poeltl's absence having huge impact, much more than it really should, is not a new thing. It's been happening for a few years now. This isn't timing thing. It's a matter of roster imbalance and lack of ability or willingness from FO to properly address it.

Yes but this year’s roster is actually in theory better at compensating for his absence than in previous years with Scottie, CMB, Mogbo and Mamu all as viable small ball options. The problem is you can’t go small for a full 48 against teams who have true physical 5s plus size at the 4 too. Either way I agree this needs to be finally addressed as soon as possible.

In essence, we are complaining about lacking a 3rd string C that doesn't even see the floor on a normal night.

It's even less of an issue in the playoffs where small ball 5's are more common than not.

Point being, if we are having to play that 3rd string C extended mins in the first place, we are kind of already screwed.

[Madvillainy2004]

Feels really similar to the 2014 team, top 10 in offense and Defense is really encouraging. Excitement is back and im ready for the ride.

[MiamiSPX]

To counter your points

1) Weak opponents/Injured teams

- That was the whole point of going for it this season. The entire association is stacked with injuries right now and the East is wide open. We're not the only ones playing injured teams (and we've also had to deal with injuries)

- we've actually had one of the harder schedules to start the season and have the played the fewest amount of home games. we now have one of the easiest remaining schedules

Can we even consider a team like Philly injured now? PG and Embiid will never play another b2b for the rest of their careers and embiids knee sounds like it will be a constant problem. I have my doubts either of them touch 35+ games this year.

I said the same thing last night. Sixers fans can't really whine about not having PG and Embiid since that will be the case for about 50 games this season. At this point you'd have to wonder if some of their FO execs are secretly hoping Embiid is medically forced to retire so they can just move on (not wishing this on him, I prefer him playing.....and failing).

[manjusaka]

Don’t overthink, just seated tight and enjoy the ride. The team has good chemistry, and is great to watch. Don’t put any expectations and just enjoy. Cheers