Everything (2016-2017) Regular Season Game Threads

[S.R.]

I don't know that one team's success (yet to be achieved in Philly's case) will influence more teams to tank, but the way the current CBA is working to help teams keep their stars sure might. We're going to see more and more stars stick with their current franchise, imho, less top-tier player movement in FA, and that's going to weight the "should we tank?" decision for sure as we all see what's currently written on paper play out in reality. It's likely a continuing & permanent trend, the league doesn't like player-built superteams or the difficulty so many franchises have had building stable rosters (i.e. losing FA stars to superteams). They want parity and happy owners, which means star players sticking around.

[3inthekeon]

And as far as Hinkie having the last laugh, he's not going to be laughing as an NBA GM. The Process also included him losing his job.

[Scraptor]

Game 43: Toronto Raptors 78 - Charlotte Hornets 113

TORONTO RAPTORS

PROJECTED STARTERS











AT:

CHARLOTTE HORNETS

PROJECTED STARTERS













NOTES:

• Charlotte is 3-7 over its last ten, but 13-7 at home
• Last meeting Raps last won 113-111 in Charlotte
• Raps may be dealing with injuries to Carroll, Bebe, and Patman
• Sullinger's return should help fill the gap

[rocwell]

It's always tough to play in Charlotte

[Demographic Shift]

Philly has two top 10 picks (in a draft loaded with their position of need - PG), Simmons hasn't played, plenty of cap room and two centers as trade chips. They're in a pretty good spot imo.

i am hoping 76er dominance will get the league to fix the draft system to eliminate tanking. might take a few copycat organizations to try it first though.

So how do you figure Minny then boyos ?
.
They have last weeks gods gift for those with an attention span of less than 1 day can't miss superstar - Karl Anthony Towns.
They actually have the namesake of the TANK FOR WIGGINS campaign at any cost under contract for the next few years.
They have the freakish super athletic jump out of the gym phenom Zach Lavine who still struggles to be consistent week to week on his ability to put the basketball in the basket.

And they STILL AREN'T ABLE TO WIN even with a pedigreed coach who 85% of the members of this community twould have traded for in a New York minute for the current guy walking the sidelines in Toronto right now. Minny currently is 25th in a 30 team league with all that talent and rosiness. In fact they were supposed to be in the western confrerence playoffs.
But they are not.

And.. Minny just might be in an even better position right now in terms of talent and upside than Philly who has yet to acquire one or possibly two pimple faced 18 to 19 year olds who may or may not pan out.

Just another perspective on the breadth and size of the rainbows coming out of Phillys ass. Improvement is not a straight line linear progression in sports. Shit happens. Guys get hurt (Brandon Roy). Can't miss prospects suddenly stop improving (Marcus Smart). Team chemistry evaporates. Other teams get lucky and find some guy (Giannas) outta nowhere who brings a middle of the pack team hurtling past you.
Embiid is good.
But Philly has a LONG way to go.
I will believe it when I see Philly's name in the playoff bracket in 2019-20 and they are favoured to win the first round matchup.

[tDotted]

Embiid was a #1 overall talent (yes, at the time) who fell down to #3 because of his potential career-damaging injuries. I'm not sure why Hinkie deserves so much credit. If they actually won the lottery (which they were obviously trying to do) then they would've taken Wiggins #1 because the risk of taking Embiid would've been too much. This is just a case of "things going right" for a team; not some long-awaited deliberate plan by Hinkie.

[Demographic Shift]

Hinkie will have the last laugh. 3 years of utter ineptitude will be a distant memory when they're the kings of the east in 3 or 4 seasons, playoffs by next year.

And besides, when looking back later, is 3 years of winning less than 10 games any worse than endless "false hope" years the Knicks, Nets, Magic etc offer up year in and year out

Your rationalizing ...
Its easier to go without coffee or booze than it is to stop rationalizing situations that aren't or don't meet predetermined hoped for outcomes.

[KeonClark]

And even if Embiid stays healthy, there's no guarantee him being great will be enough to actually have a great team. Don't have to look any further than the Pelicans, who have an almost identical superstar quality young C and have achieved nothing for it, even in years where Davis has been healthy.

I think embiid will be a tier above Davis, he has superior mobility, rim protection, range and ball handling in significantly less development time. He also has much more promising pieces there or still to arrive than the pelicans ever had.

[The Great One]

Embiid was a #1 overall talent (yes, at the time) who fell down to #3 because of his potential career-damaging injuries. I'm not sure why Hinkie deserves so much credit. If they actually won the lottery (which they were obviously trying to do) then they would've taken Wiggins #1 because the risk of taking Embiid would've been too much. This is just a case of "things going right" for a team; not some long-awaited deliberate plan by Hinkie.

Agree with everything you said except the first part.

Wiggins was the consensus #1 pick that year. Also the #1 overall talent. Remember all the LeBron James/ Tracy McGrady comparison? and the Sports Illustrated picture where he was standing beside Wilt Chamberlain? so much hype.

Jabari Parker i think was the consensus #2 pick that year.

[rightsideup]

Underrated pickup for the Sixers has been Ersan Ilyasova. He's been terrific for them, even in games that Embiid hasn't played. He would have been a perfect fit for the Raps as the starting PF. Gotta give props to Colangelo for that savvy move.

I agree but has he had the injury bug in the past?

[tDotted]

Agree with everything you said except the first part.

Wiggins was the consensus #1 pick that year. Also the #1 overall talent. Remember all the LeBron James/ Tracy McGrady comparison? and the Sports Illustrated picture where he was standing beside Wilt Chamberlain? so much hype.

Jabari Parker i think was the consensus #2 pick that year.

Wiggins was the clear-cut consensus #1 going into that college season for sure. Embiid wasn't even top 10 consideration then.

But at the time leading up to the draft and just before his injury, Embiid was getting just as much #1 consideration as Wiggins and Parker. He was improving at a rapid rate and he became Kansas' best player midway through the college season with such little basketball experience prior. He was getting legit Hakeem Olajuwon comparisons from everyone. That whole LeBron thing died down for Wiggins before the draft.

[Jclaw]

007 is down on the plains of Philly. Lead the charge, Scraptor!

[DanH]

I think embiid will be a tier above Davis, he has superior mobility, rim protection, range and ball handling in significantly less development time. He also has much more promising pieces there or still to arrive than the pelicans ever had.

Keep in mind, even with the suppressed playing time, Embiid is 22 already. He's been very good, but is still posting a .130 WS/48 and a +3.4 BPM, both of which are very good, especially for a rookie. But Davis played 4 seasons by the time he was 22, and never posted a WS/48 below .159, and saw his BPM climb dramatically in his second and third years to numbers well above +3.4. There is no guarantee Embiid will see the same growth, especially with him not being so young.

Really think you are underestimating Davis, here.

As for the pieces around him - promise is worth very little until it delivers. And I would agree they are in a better situation in terms of supporting cast, but all I'm saying is there is every chance they screw it up - just look at who is running the ship.

[Just Is]

Keep in mind, even with the suppressed playing time, Embiid is 22 already. He's been very good, but is still posting a .130 WS/48 and a +3.4 BPM, both of which are very good, especially for a rookie. But Davis played 4 seasons by the time he was 22, and never posted a WS/48 below .159, and saw his BPM climb dramatically in his second and third years to numbers well above +3.4. There is no guarantee Embiid will see the same growth, especially with him not being so young.

Really think you are underestimating Davis, here.

As for the pieces around him - promise is worth very little until it delivers. And I would agree they are in a better situation in terms of supporting cast, but all I'm saying is there is every chance they screw it up - just look at who is running the ship.

Yeah; I think people are underrating Davis more than overrating Embiid here.

I still couldn't believe he was able to drag the Pelicans to the playoffs a while back (especially given his team's pieces).

[S.R.]

Yeah; I think people are underrating Davis more than overrating Embiid here.

I still couldn't believe he was able to drag the Pelicans to the playoffs a while back (especially given his team's pieces).

Their roster, aside from Davis, is absolutely awful.