GT #72: T-Wolves @ Wizards 7 PM (CSN/99.1 FM) [3/25/16]

[FAH1223]

YOUR Washington Bullets are 35-36. They are 2.5 games back of the 8th spot with only 11 games left to play! It looks like the season will end without a playoff berth or a lottery pick in #SoWizards fashion. Will it be enough to have Ted Leonsis finally #FireGrunfeld? We can only pray.
For some end of the season Friday night hoops, the very young Timberwolves come to DC. They’ve had a disappointing season but a very bright future once they are able to get a head coach with an actual offensive system. They nearly upset the Warriors the other night and coming off a big W, they look to build more momentum for next season.
HERE'S your lineups.




-------------------------AT-------------------------

Last game:
ATL Hawks vs. Wizards (L) 122-101
Kings vs. T-Wolves - (W) 104-113


Lineups:











Bench:

[AFM]

I predict we will end the season 0.5 games out of 8th. It's only fitting.

[thricethefun]

I predict we will end the season 0.5 games out of 8th. It's only fitting.

How can you end a season 0.5 out? Do we play one less game than every other team or something?

[AFM]

I predict we will end the season 0.5 games out of 8th. It's only fitting.

How can you end a season 0.5 out? Do we play one less game than every other team or something?

Exactly. The entire team gets arrested soliciting hookers with Andray Blatche.

[dlts20]

Yes. Tied for the 8th spot but lose the tie breaker to the Pacers....lol

This is truly a must win. We have 11 games left and 5 of them are against playoff teams so we without a doubt have to win all of the other 6 games against Min, LAL, Sac, Phx, and BK twice. Most of the games against playoff teams are must wins so these are definitely must wins. Those 6 games right there give us 41 wins which is .500 and normally enough for the EC but not this year

[m1chal]

Uh-oh. Another high-end, elaborated game thread. It's a recipe for a disaster, it seems after last night.

[AFM]

We are going to lose to GSW and LAC. We have to win practically every other game to make the playoffs. It's possible we can lose one more, finishing 8-3 to go 43-39.

What we need is a Tricky_Kid win streak.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Hard to see the Wizards catching anyone for the playoffs. The Pacers won't be caught. Their schedule is pretty easy -- 2.83 points per game worse than average (after accounting for home court advantage). They should finish with 45 or 46 wins.

Detroit's is relatively tougher (1.08 ppg better than average), but they should be able to manage 42 or 43 wins.

Chicago's schedule is about average in difficulty -- 42 wins looks likely for them.

Washington's schedule is about half a point worse than average. 41 wins looks probable, barring a miraculous change in level of play.

Here's the way their chances of winning look through my prediction machine:

- MIN -- 68%
- @LAL -- 67%
- @GSW -- 13%
- @SAC -- 47%
- @PHX -- 62%
- @LAC -- 28%
- BRK -- 76%
- @DET -- 36%
- CHA -- 49%
- @BRK -- 61%
- ATL -- 44%

As things work out, they'll probably win one or two they "should" lose and lose one or two they "should" win. If they could take all the "should wins" and the two where they're coinflip dogs, they could get to 43 and take the 8th spot.

Still alive.

[FAH1223]

Hard to see the Wizards catching anyone for the playoffs. The Pacers won't be caught. Their schedule is pretty easy -- 2.83 points per game worse than average (after accounting for home court advantage). They should finish with 45 or 46 wins.

Detroit's is relatively tougher (1.08 ppg better than average), but they should be able to manage 42 or 43 wins.

Chicago's schedule is about average in difficulty -- 42 wins looks likely for them.

Washington's schedule is about half a point worse than average. 41 wins looks probable, barring a miraculous change in level of play.

Here's the way their chances of winning look through my prediction machine:

- MIN -- 68%
- @LAL -- 67%
- @GSW -- 13%
- @SAC -- 47%
- @PHX -- 62%
- @LAC -- 28%
- BRK -- 76%
- @DET -- 36%
- CHA -- 49%
- @BRK -- 61%
- ATL -- 44%

As things work out, they'll probably win one or two they "should" lose and lose one or two they "should" win. If they could take all the "should wins" and the two where they're coinflip dogs, they could get to 43 and take the 8th spot.

Still alive.

Just saw a TNT playoff promo with Wall in it

Hmm.....

[wizfan91]

We got this, pistons play the hornets tonight and the hawks tomorrow. Detroit isn't that good, I'm optimistic. The golden state game coming up will be hard, but maybe the clippers game will be easier than expected. Looking at the standings, the clippers have nothing to play for right now, they are locked into the 4 seed so maybe we can steal a win there. Anyways, we gotta take care of Minnesota tonight and the Lakers on Sunday. Even if the wiz are going nowhere this season a series against the cavs would be fun and better than watching detriot get swept by them in the playoffs.

[AFM]

If wiz win we all getting crunk tonight

[Kanyewest]

Chicago's schedule is about average in difficulty -- 42 wins looks likely for them.

So do the Bulls look like they are going to finish with 41 wins with the loss to the Knicks?

[TheSecretWeapon]

Chicago's schedule is about average in difficulty -- 42 wins looks likely for them.

So do the Bulls look like they are going to finish with 41 wins with the loss to the Knicks?

Probably. That was a "should win" for them.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

This weekend is BIG.

Win both with the Pistons blowing a gasket and we're 1/2 a game back. Lose ground and we may be toast.

[dlts20]

It sounds crazy but it may actually be better that we lost the 2nd Hawks game. Our team just loses focus and gets a big head when we do well. That loss puts them on notice to bring their A game the rest of the year and the b2b Bulls losses eliminated any chance of our guys being depressed about blowing it. I actually could see us losing to the Wolves or Lakers if we had swept the Hawks but no way I think these guys let that happen now and they also will not sleep on the Hawks in the final meeting.

Another way it really helps is that the Hawks were the hottest team in the East so that loss to us made them refocus while they still won the 2nd game so they won't be down and go into a tailspin. That's huge for us because they now play the teams in front of us and are more likely to knock them off now imo

[wizfan91]

I noticed that the ticket prices for this game are pretty high for them, and it appears to be almost sold out on ticketmaster, hopefully we get a good crowd tonight!

[ozthegap]

Also Paul George left the end of last nights game with a muscle confusion so maybe...

[AFM]

Which muscle was confused?

[pineappleheadindc]

Which muscle was confused?

Of COURSE you'd want to know.

[ozthegap]

Haha Oops typo