Race for 7th Worst Record!! - We Did It!!!!!

[rapstarter]

The play in isn't the worst idea. Especially if the league shortens the season which is something NBPA has wanted for a long time. The western play in is good. Team10-7 are all fairly close. I'd prefer they played more than single game elimination though. Maybe if only the 8th spot was up for grabs and 7 and 8 played single game, and 9-10 played single game and then a best of 3 for that 8th spot. I know people think what's the point of fighting for the 8th spot for a team that is most likely going to get their as*es handed to them, but there are a lot of teams who need it just to maintain a decent fanbase. Some of you might remember how the Hawks had whole empty sections worth of seats in their playoff games.

Getting embarrassed by a superteam is unlikely to yield more fans. If anything it might make more of them hop on the superteam bandwagon.

[Basketball_Jones]

We are so close, just gotta hope Washington has some injuries but if we do play them again that would be great. Easy win.

[tecumseh18]

The play in isn't the worst idea. Especially if the league shortens the season which is something NBPA has wanted for a long time. The western play in is good. Team10-7 are all fairly close. I'd prefer they played more than single game elimination though. Maybe if only the 8th spot was up for grabs and 7 and 8 played single game, and 9-10 played single game and then a best of 3 for that 8th spot. I know people think what's the point of fighting for the 8th spot for a team that is most likely going to get their as*es handed to them, but there are a lot of teams who need it just to maintain a decent fanbase. Some of you might remember how the Hawks had whole empty sections worth of seats in their playoff games.

Getting embarrassed by a superteam is unlikely to yield more fans. If anything it might make more of them hop on the superteam bandwagon.

I remember four or five years ago when the Raps hosted the Warriors and it was a real shoot out. Steph had 41 points and Lowry ended up with 40. Of course, GSW won by 1 point. (Bebe had a good game, IIRC)

I watched it on TV with my then 8-year-old son, who was wearing his DeMar jersey. After the game he turned to me and said, "Can you get me a Steph jersey and poster?" He also wanted a toothguard so he could dangle it in his mouth the way Steph did.

So yeah, there's always the risk that the superteam attracts more young fans then your team. And that wasn't even blowout.

[WeThe2019Champs]

Here comes the rough schedule.

[Johnny Bball]

FiveThirtyEight has us finishing tied for 10th with Washington at 31-41.

i can't see the raps going 7-7 over the stretch, especially with players "resting."

raps will be lucky to win 3-4 games.

We’re not tanking. Masai added depth to this team for a late season push to get the privilege of getting **** ed by the nets/sixers.

We aren’t anymore. Lowry literally laughs at thinking we never did though including after adding them.

[OAKLEY_2]

We are so close, just gotta hope Washington has some injuries but if we do play them again that would be great. Easy win.

Check the schedule. We aren't the same team as last year. Gone: Gasol, Ibaka, Powell. That is a significant amount of playoff experience minutes and poof just not there. We're not close. Fanless Tampa ball coming to a merciful end. We're going younger. GTjr-22. Malachi-22. OG-23. Gillespie-23. FRP-19-21. Stanimal-24. We have zero cred chanting f Brooklyn this year. In fact in did make the play in we are likely roadkill like Brookly was last first round. That was exciting for league. We just have to hope Masai is back to do f Brooklyn in Jurassic Park.

[mdenny]

Raps would beat the Sixers in 7 game series. Cry about it if you want to. It would be glorious enough to lose in the second round and be happy as ****.

This would be a great achievement.

[PhilBlackson]

Why do people keep fantasizing its the Sixers?! Lol

Oh I know they want to daydream that in some make believe world Embiid and Simmons won't lock up Siakam and Fred again and somehow Khem is going to be able to guard Embiid as literally only Gasol had despite being substantially smaller....oh but best part

THE NETS ARE IN FIRST, NOT SIXERS!! Lol

We would be getting absolutely curb stomped by Kevin Durant who will no doubt be ready to get his revenge for our crowd cheering his injury. Meanwhile all the team will hear repeatedly by the media is how we wouldn't have a ring if he's healthy and constantly discredited, yes what a dream finish to this awful year of basketball lol.you gotta be kidding me.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Can we stop using the curb stomped analogy? - so gross!

We almost have complete control over whether or not we get the spot at this point, without having to rely on other teams to lose more than us. We just need Chicago to take an extra L. Otherwise, we can match game for game with the Wizards because of our tie break, and playing them one more time.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Raps would beat the Sixers in 7 game series. Cry about it if you want to. It would be glorious enough to lose in the second round and be happy as ****.

This would be a great achievement.

In that scenario we probably don't lose in the second round as we would play new york or atlanta - those two teams don't have the playoff chops to take us out.

[pilkoids]

Anyone else get the feeling like this last push is just to salvage what's remaining of the fanbase, create some hype for a possible playoff spot, only to have it's legs pulled out from under it in the last few games with some mystery injury to key players that has them fall short by a game or two so that it can be blamed on injuries?

Or maybe i'm just delirious from my 2 month old keeping me up all night

[pilkoids]

Also worth remembering that even if we get to that 10th spot, we have to go through two of Heat/Hornets/Pacers/Wizards just to get into that 8th spot.

[Zeno]

Raptors probably need to win at least 7 games of final 11 minimum, probably more just to get to the play in given how easy the Wizard’s schedule is. I just don’t see 7 wins here.

[JJ From Deep]

So...is this the place team mediocre likes to hang out?

[Fairview4Life]

So...is this the place team mediocre likes to hang out?

Yeah man, they're all in here just enjoying stuff, waiting on you to come ruin things.

[JJ From Deep]

So...is this the place team mediocre likes to hang out?

Yeah man, they're all in here just enjoying stuff, waiting on you to come ruin things.

Don't mind me. I'll just be alone in the back. Taking in the scenes.

[ruckus]

As someone who is fine with whichever way this season ends up, can someone explain to me why our stats are clearly that of a 7th place team and yet we're in 12th? Our NetRtg, our point differential, our assist%, our tov rate. The only stat pointing to us being a lottery team is our rebounding %.

If we do make it to the playoffs, whoever we face should geniunely be fearful.

[JShuttlesworth]

Next 5 Games, 4 of them are on the road where we're 10-20.

Apr 27 Brooklyn Nets
Apr 29 @ Denver Nuggets
May 1 @ Utah Jazz
May 2 @ Los Angeles Lakers
May 4 @ Los Angeles Clippers

This could be it folks

[Zeno]

As someone who is fine with whichever way this season ends up, can someone explain to me why our stats are clearly that of a 7th place team and yet we're in 12th? Our NetRtg, our point differential, our assist%, our tov rate. The only stat pointing to us being a lottery team is our rebounding %.

If we do make it to the playoffs, whoever we face should geniunely be fearful.

I don’t think fearful is the right word. They might be slightly less pleased than if they play another team like the Wiz or Bulls.

[Basketball_Jones]

Why do people keep fantasizing its the Sixers?! Lol

Oh I know they want to daydream that in some make believe world Embiid and Simmons won't lock up Siakam and Fred again and somehow Khem is going to be able to guard Embiid as literally only Gasol had despite being substantially smaller....oh but best part

THE NETS ARE IN FIRST, NOT SIXERS!! Lol

We would be getting absolutely curb stomped by Kevin Durant who will no doubt be ready to get his revenge for our crowd cheering his injury. Meanwhile all the team will hear repeatedly by the media is how we wouldn't have a ring if he's healthy and constantly discredited, yes what a dream finish to this awful year of basketball lol.you gotta be kidding me.

Barely beat them last time, so it’s a given we’ll destroy them now! Stop questioning the optimism. Plus we swept the Nets this season they clearly are no match.