I really don't see the Warriors winning tonight, isn't Portland playing to avoid Dallas in the first round?
Given the size of the rosters and the effect that any one player can have I think each league has it about right. One thing that might be interesting for the NBA to consider would be taking a snapshot of the standings at 60 games for lottery placement, at least then you'd have eliminated teams giving their all in the final month and a half.
I really don't see the Warriors winning tonight, isn't Portland playing to avoid Dallas in the first round?
It would depend on how it was implemented - I'm thinking the lotto teams would still be the teams outside the playoffs on the final day. I can't see bubble teams tanking just to move from a 14 to a 12, just in case. As for sending it in, if you're serious, to who exactly?That's actually a clever idea -- you should send it in -- although I could see some games be played there (wander along, then suddenly kick it into gear down the stretch to make the playoffs).
That's actually a clever idea -- you should send it in -- although I could see some games be played there (wander along, then suddenly kick it into gear down the stretch to make the playoffs).
first of all, are you serious? You couldn't have summed up this novel?
Also, when was the last time tanking actually work to a teams favor? It almost always backfires. Losing breeds losers. Always has, always will.
what a bunch of pompous BS this is. Get off your high horse.
Because people on here disagree with you they're automatically short sighted. Lame.
People say that a lot, witout ever acknowledging that the league ALREADY is the only major sports league (in North America at least) with ANY kind of deterrence to tanking. The only one who has come up with the lottery idea to try to muddle matters. All the other leagues -- NFL, MLB, NHL, they just go by straight inverse order. In other words tanking should be a MORE direct problem everywhere BUT the NBA.
The problem isn't the NBA not trying to address the issue, the problem is the unique challenges of basketball/the sport itself. Its much easier/more direct for teams in those other leagues to tank, but its less talked about. Why? Because in none of them does a single tremendous player have the impact that it does in the NBA, nowhere is it of such paramount importance, and because for all the claims that its all a crapshoot etc. etc. those truly great players in basketball are routinely identified or at least heavily suspected. And its a flat out conundrum. The league in the past has dorked around with the lottery odds, how many teams were in the lottery etc., but that's all just tweeking. And when they open things up so that the top teams are less likely to get the top players all that does is allow pretty good teams like Orlando to get those megatalents, and leaves the terrible teams out in the cold, shortcircuiting the entire process of renewal and hope that the draft represents. As bad as tanking is, its nothing compared to the effects of year after year after year of losing for terrible franchises unable to ever get the player they need to turn things around.
Yeah, it turns out the local news is running a piece on why it would be good if they lose. So let's all cross our fingers.Well, the season series is in favour of Portland. They've only lost the last game between the two, if anything, they should be trying to avoid the Jazz. Not that it really matters, though, since without Roy, it's really rather immaterial who they'll be playing.
Well, the season series is in favour of Portland. They've only lost the last game between the two, if anything, they should be trying to avoid the Jazz. Not that it really matters, though, since without Roy, it's really rather immaterial who they'll be playing.
For these reasons, I think the league should give 1 ping pong ball to each team that is not in the playoffs. If you are the poorest team and end-up with ball #14 - well better luck next year. This will only happen once every 14 years on average anyway.
Wait, is this suggesting that Portland would rather play Utah than Dallas? If so, yeahhhhh. LA is #1A and Dallas is #1B.
Apparently after all the tie breakers are settled Blazers play Phoenix now, may not have even mattered if they won or lost.
I think that only worked out mid-way through the game. But there were a few posts that seemed to indicate that Portland would be playing Utah now which isn't the case.They already knew that during the game. Or at least the announcers did. The game was totally meaningless to the two teams playing, but very meaningful to us