Hoping Lowry is gone is not pro tanking, that's nonsense. Tanking is purposefully losing to try and get the top seed. We aren't doing that. I'm pro giving developmental minutes to young players so we can potentially win a championship again in a few years. Lowry will take away crucial minutes we need for Trent, Flynn, Harris, and our draft picks. Keeping Lowry forces us to play FVV out of position at SG. I firmly believe that without Lowry we are still a top 6 team in the East. Lowry is not a good fit with FVV because they are both starting PG who are too small for SG. One has to go, and I prefer the older one goes because we need a few years of development.
Tanking is a debatable term for sure. It really means hoping for a better lottery position than hoping for any playoff spot.. If a team is out of the playoff running, or has to compete in a play-in for the 7th seed.. that's a tankable team... because that's exactly what we had this year. We rested Lowry against the pivotal Wizards game. Masai said he doesn't want to win a play-in.. he wants a championship. I don't want that next year. But if we lose Lowry.. that's our immediate future.
Fred and Kyle played together last year and we had the 2nd best record in the league. And were a few plays from advancing to the ECF with a friendly matchup against the Heat. That duo can work together.
I like Malachi but he's essentially a Delon Wright clone at this point. He's not some wonderkid that you have to develop. He can be a starting caliber PG, but you need a lot more in the starting unit for you to be able to win. Plus Flynn is already 23 since he played 3 years in college. The only guy in our system right now that might be worth developing is Harris.. but he's older too.. and since he was picked at 59 could use another year in the G-league (hopefully they get a full season). Trent took Norm's position as a backup 2/3. Or a starting caliber 2/3 due to injury. Lowry's minutes and/or games played will be scaled back anyway. We need him for about 50-60 games and playoffs. So even if we draft a guard, their development won't be impacted. Terence Davis' development wasn't messed up last season.
Anyway.. we lose Lowry we have arguably a worse team than the best team we could theoretically field in the playoffs this season. And if this year's team (with everyone healthy) would get a shit kicking in the playoffs, than next years team will be worse. That's all I'm saying.
I think this team if healthy would give a team like Philly, Milwaukee or even Brooklyn a good match up (unlike Washington/Miami or potentially Boston). I don't think they would have gotten their teeth kicked in. But I'm also generally an optimist when it comes to this team. If I thought they'd get smoked, than next year won't be any different. A first round / lottery pick is usually not helpful.. and free agency looks really underwhelming. Richaun Holmes is good, and will help us, but he's no Lowry.
Tanking is a debatable term for sure. It really means hoping for a better lottery position than hoping for any playoff spot.. If a team is out of the playoff running, or has to compete in a play-in for the 7th seed.. that's a tankable team... because that's exactly what we had this year. We rested Lowry against the pivotal Wizards game. Masai said he doesn't want to win a play-in.. he wants a championship. I don't want that next year. But if we lose Lowry.. that's our immediate future.
Fred and Kyle played together last year and we had the 2nd best record in the league. And were a few plays from advancing to the ECF with a friendly matchup against the Heat. That duo can work together.
I like Malachi but he's essentially a Delon Wright clone at this point. He's not some wonderkid that you have to develop. He can be a starting caliber PG, but you need a lot more in the starting unit for you to be able to win. Plus Flynn is already 23 since he played 3 years in college. The only guy in our system right now that might be worth developing is Harris.. but he's older too.. and since he was picked at 59 could use another year in the G-league (hopefully they get a full season). Trent took Norm's position as a backup 2/3. Or a starting caliber 2/3 due to injury. Lowry's minutes and/or games played will be scaled back anyway. We need him for about 50-60 games and playoffs. So even if we draft a guard, their development won't be impacted. Terence Davis' development wasn't messed up last season.
Anyway.. we lose Lowry we have arguably a worse team than the best team we could theoretically field in the playoffs this season. And if this year's team (with everyone healthy) would get a shit kicking in the playoffs, than next years team will be worse. That's all I'm saying.
I think this team if healthy would give a team like Philly, Milwaukee or even Brooklyn a good match up (unlike Washington/Miami or potentially Boston). I don't think they would have gotten their teeth kicked in. But I'm also generally an optimist when it comes to this team. If I thought they'd get smoked, than next year won't be any different. A first round / lottery pick is usually not helpful.. and free agency looks really underwhelming. Richaun Holmes is good, and will help us, but he's no Lowry.
Let's be real. Last year, we were way closer (0.5 seconds away) to being down 3-0 and most likely swept, than we were to advancing to the ECF. Lowry and OG were the only 2 guys that showed up consistently in the Boston series. That team gave every ounce of effort, talent and fight they had just to avoid being routed by the Celtics. Heart of a champion for real, but we don't have that extra juice to uplift us anymore.
If Davis has a groin injury, LA is in trouble. Those are tough to manage, let alone heal, and doing it during the playoffs is doubly hard. Suns are back in this thing.
Let's be real. Last year, we were way closer (0.5 seconds away) to being down 3-0 and most likely swept, than we were to advancing to the ECF. Lowry and OG were the only 2 guys that showed up consistently in the Boston series. That team gave every ounce of effort, talent and fight they had just to avoid being routed by the Celtics. Heart of a champion for real, but we don't have that extra juice to uplift us anymore.
Every playoff game is unique though. We would have won game 2 if Marcus Smart didn't turn into Ray Allen all of a sudden. But yeah sure.. we could have been down 3-0.. and we could have lost to the Bucks if we didn't have that 26-3 run in game 6 in 2019. Or if Kawhi had one bounce that went wrong, and lost in overtime to the 76ers. Or if KD didn't get hurt in the finals. Or if Klay didn't get hurt. I mean we almost lost game 6 in the finals too.. GSW had the lead if I recall before with about 5 minutes left in the 4th.. and it still went down to the wire.
But despite Pascal playing like Julius Randle this year.. we were close to getting by the Celtics. And if we don't have Lowry next year.. we're playoff fodder IMO assuming we get there.
If Davis has a groin injury, LA is in trouble. Those are tough to manage, let alone heal, and doing it during the playoffs is doubly hard. Suns are back in this thing.
Totally agree, without davis the lakers can't beat the sun's.
The Nets are smoking the Celtics. Sorry, they would have beaten us in 4-5, nothing wrong with admitting that.
Against the Raps, they'd have the three best players on the floor at any time.
Any of Harden, Durant and Kyrie can turn games by themselves.....
The Nets are smoking the Celtics. Sorry, they would have beaten us in 4-5, nothing wrong with admitting that.
Against the Raps, they'd have the three best players on the floor at any time.
Any of Harden, Durant and Kyrie can turn games by themselves.....
Celtics got their 1 game. Nets are going to be really tough but the Bucks might have a better shot than Philly.
Celtics got their 1 game. Nets are going to be really tough but the Bucks might have a better shot than Philly.
They swept the Heat, but the way they played does make me feel like that have a shot at beating the Nets. Bud changed up his system, Giannis is handling the ball less, Holiday is a great fit and averaged 10 assists in the Heat series, Middleton played well, Forbes shot the ball really well.
I don't see anyone on the Nets that can handle Giannis, but of course Kyrie, KD and Harden have enough firepower to beat anyone. Harden had 25 points and 18 assists tonight, KD had 42 points and Kyrie had 39 points.
Comment