Cleveland Playoff Watch Thread

[Chaplin]

(Sticky this one, Joe?)

The Cavs were down by 25 last night to the Hornets, but they came back and actually won. They are now a game and a half out of the 8th playoff spot in the East.

Getting that pick would be great--either we will get a solid mid-round player or have something tangible to trade to perhaps get rid of Eisley's contract.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Chaplin
(Sticky this one, Joe?)

The Cavs were down by 25 last night to the Hornets, but they came back and actually won. They are now a game and a half out of the 8th playoff spot in the East.

Getting that pick would be great--either we will get a solid mid-round player or have something tangible to trade to perhaps get rid of Eisley's contract.

The Cavs have tied the Sixers for 9th (they lost last night) and Iverson is injured. Boston is in free fall, so this could very well turn into a two team race with the Heat for 8th place.

The Heat have been playing better as of late. Prior to their loss last night they had won the previous four games including a win at home against the Nuggets. However, prior to that Miami lost 5 games in a row.

The Cavs have also been up and down, but in their latest string of three wins, they beat the Spurs, Knicks, and Hornets.

One interesting quirk of the schedule is that the Cavs and Heat meet in back to back games in the last week of the season.

 

[slinslin]

Boston is 3-17 in their last 20, we are 2-14 in our last 16.

But even if Boston loses all of their games we would have to finish 6-18.

Same for Philly.

Both teams are falling but it almost impossible to catch us unless we screw up by winning more than we should.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin
Boston is 3-17 in their last 20, we are 2-14 in our last 16.

But even if Boston loses all of their games we would have to finish 6-18.

Same for Philly.

Both teams are falling but it almost impossible to catch us unless we screw up by winning more than we should.

The key is for Cleveland to win and the Knicks to lose.

 

[Chaplin]

Of course, history tells us that in order to get the #1, you shouldn't finish with the worst record in the league.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Chaplin
Of course, history tells us that in order to get the #1, you shouldn't finish with the worst record in the league.

Although it does give you a good chance to get the second pick.

 

[Yuma]

Thread killer here:

You would think after all the years of ping pong balls falling just right for the NY's of the world, that Collangelo would get some mojo. This is the weakest draft EVER!! That's just perfect for us to get number 1! I believe it!!

 

[slinslin]

Doesn't matter. Some teams will always be trying hard to move up to #1.

It is not like the Suns need a rookie anyway because of his salary and inexperience. And they have one in Vujanic already.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin
Doesn't matter. Some teams will always be trying hard to move up to #1.

It is not like the Suns need a rookie anyway because of his salary and inexperience. And they have one in Vujanic already.

I'm seeing a lot of news articles saying that Okafor is likely to go #1. Howard will be great, but not right away. After that...

Several articles have suggested that there could be as many as three HS players in the top six: Howard, Smith, and Livingston (and even Telfair could hit the top 10). The Euro's are all very young as well: Podkolzine, Perovic and Chiriaev
are 19, and Biedrins is still 18. Deng is a freshman at Duke and Iguodala is only a sophomore.

It is not out of the question that except for Okafor, Gordon, and maybe Nelson: everyone else projected in the lottery could be under the age of 20.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Originally posted by Yuma
Thread killer here:

You would think after all the years of ping pong balls falling just right for the NY's of the world, that Collangelo would get some mojo. This is the weakest draft EVER!! That's just perfect for us to get number 1! I believe it!!

This time of the year, for the past 4 or so drafts, people have claimed "this is the weakest draft ever"

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by thegrahamcrackr
This time of the year, for the past 4 or so drafts, people have claimed "this is the weakest draft ever"

A lot will depend on which college players come out after March madness. There certainly aren't very many college seniors of note besides Nelson (Okafor is in his third year of play even though he has graduated).

 

[Joe Mama]

To be honest I'm not sure whether it is really in the Phoenix Suns best interest to have the Cleveland Cavaliers make the playoffs. Some teams might not want a mid-to late first-round pick in THIS draft.

I'm watching Okafor right now against St. John's. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if he isn't even one of the top three players taken in this draft. It's not like he is such a great prospect that a couple guys couldn't jump over him.

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

I'm guessing Howard will end up being the #1 pick. He has more "upside."

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by elindholm
I'm guessing Howard will end up being the #1 pick. He has more "upside."

I agree.

Joe Mama

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by thegrahamcrackr
This time of the year, for the past 4 or so drafts, people have claimed "this is the weakest draft ever"

I think this is because we don't get to watch and evaluate the players during the college season anymore. All the evaluation starts when the high school and foreign players start working out for teams. The talent pool is such an unknown. Just look at how many teams overlooked Amare.

How many players with at least 2 years of college experience have made an impact in the NBA in the last few years?

As stupid as the Suns organization has looked at times this year at least they have a good history of evaluating talent. Hopefully they'll get a star with the 1-5 pick.

Who remebers what the Suns got with their last #2 overall pick?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Armon Gilliam??

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

In other news the Hawks are winning by 20 against the sixers. How is this hawks team able to even SCORE twenty points??


I guess Stephen Jackson is gonna try and play himself into a new contract, and Jason Terry is trying to get some trade value.

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by thegrahamcrackr
Armon Gilliam??

Now that was a weak draft!

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
To be honest I'm not sure whether it is really in the Phoenix Suns best interest to have the Cleveland Cavaliers make the playoffs. Some teams might not want a mid-to late first-round pick in THIS draft.

Joe Mama

Except that Utah gets it whether they want it or not.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by elindholm
I'm guessing Howard will end up being the #1 pick. He has more "upside."

I'm guessing it will depend on who gets the pick. I would say there is no way that Chicago takes another HS player on the first pick and it is dead certain that Atlanta would take Howard because he is local and Washington because Howard could be an outside guy for them. If it is Orlando it would be Okafor.

I would take Okafor because he would produce more quickly, but I'm sure Howard would be a very good pickup.

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
Except that Utah gets it whether they want it or not.

All I ever read was that Utah gets the Knicks pick.

Where did you read that the Suns can send them the Cleveland pick instead of the Knicks pick?

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by devilalum
All I ever read was that Utah gets the Knicks pick.

Where did you read that the Suns can send them the Cleveland pick instead of the Knicks pick?

All the news reports said that Utah gets the latest of the Suns picks.

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
All the news reports said that Utah gets the latest of the Suns picks.

That is great news.

Ideally

The Suns win the lotto and get the #1

Knicks fall out of the playoffs and we get a mid lotto pick to bribe somone into taking Eisley.

Utah gets the Cavs pick.

Pretty nice.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by devilalum
That is great news.

Ideally

The Suns win the lotto and get the #1

Knicks fall out of the playoffs and we get a mid lotto pick to bribe somone into taking Eisley.

Utah gets the Cavs pick.

Pretty nice.

That's a great plan except that Charlotte bobcats are not going to take JUST a mid lotto pick in this year's draft for Howard Eiseley.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
That's a great plan except that Charlotte bobcats are not going to take JUST a mid lotto pick in this year's draft for Howard Eiseley.

Joe Mama

There is no way. In another thread I suggested that the Suns might have to use their lottery pick to move White if the Bobcats decided to play hardball.