Suns get lottery pick from Lakers if they miss playoffs

[slinslin]

Here is an article on ACL tears

http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2261

And I think the talk about his raw offensive game is non-sense at this point. He is a 18 year old 6'11 F/C. I am not sure who was the last big guy who was really that skilled at that age offensively. It's to be expected and doesn't mean he can't be a 20ppg scorer in the NBA. He should score a decent amount of garbage points right away.

 

[elindholm]

The question isn't the tear specifically, but why he tore it. Does his game rely on putting too much dangerous stress on his ligaments? Is there some subtle structural thing in his body that makes him more susceptible to tears?

A broken bone is really the best kind of injury for an athletic prospect, because broken bones are always the result of freak accidents, they really are as good as new once they heal (the bone itself, anyway), and breaking a bone in your leg doesn't make you any more likely to break a bone in your arm later.

 

[slinslin]

He crashed into the basket after a chase-down block. Seems like a freak accident to me no matter if he returned early in highschool from an injury which MIGHT or might not have increased the chance for a follow-up injury.

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PS: The last posts should have been in the prospects thread

 

[Superbone]

Let's get this back on track. Here's a great stat for you: the Suns have won one out of the last 14 games and that was a 23 point victory over the Lakers. Perfect scenario for improving our lottery pick situation. Our two wins over the Lakers this year could easily be the difference in us getting their pick or not.

 

[slinslin]

I have a feeling that Utah beats OKC tonight.

- they are at home
- they should play like it is an elimination game while for OKC it is just another game, they still have something to play for but the game is no different than others
- for Utah it is the biggest opponent left on the schedule, they have little pressure because if they lose it will be the game you thought they could afford to drop but if they win they can feel very very good about themselves

Hopefully they would not lay an egg vs Minnesota if they can beat OKC.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I have a feeling that Utah beats OKC tonight.

- they are at home
- they should play like it is an elimination game while for OKC it is just another game, they still have something to play for but the game is no different than others
- for Utah it is the biggest opponent left on the schedule, they have little pressure because if they lose it will be the game you thought they could afford to drop but if they win they can feel very very good about themselves

Hopefully they would not lay an egg vs Minnesota if they can beat OKC.

If they do, itbis huge.

 

[HooverDam]

Id be perfectly happy with the Suns taking Noel. Its a risk, but likely one worth taking.

The Suns have never had a #1 pick, they've also never had a franchise Center. Why not change both of those things this year?

If they could get Noel in the top 4, and then take an athletic wing w/ LAs pick, I think we'd all have to be thrilled. Someone like Glenn Robison III, or even Shabazz if he falls (sights have him going in the 8-11 range now, maybe falling to 14 isnt too unrealistic. Though I Imagine OKC snaps him up as their Harden replacement at 8-ish).

 

[SweetD]

Well Utah lost by 10 and LA is up by 2 in the 3rd

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think Utah will have to win out at this point.

 

[SirStefan32]

And they are back in playoffs. Maybe Portland will manage to beat the Lakers tomorrow.

 

[Cheesebeef]

And they are back in playoffs. Maybe Portland will manage to beat the Lakers tomorrow.

that's the game the Lakers HAVE to lose if Utah has a shot. it's a road game, on a back to back, in a place the Lakers are notoriously awful in. with SA likely resting it's players and the Lakers likely getting enough calls to beat GS and a Houston team that might have nothing to play for, tomorrow night's has to be a loss.

 

[Bufalay]

that's the game the Lakers HAVE to lose if Utah has a shot. it's a road game, on a back to back, in a place the Lakers are notoriously awful in. with SA likely resting it's players and the Lakers likely getting enough calls to beat GS and a Houston team that might have nothing to play for, tomorrow night's has to be a loss.

Why would the spers rest their players? Aren't they trying to get the 1 seed?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Why would the spers rest their players? Aren't they trying to get the 1 seed?

the Spurs have never given a crap about the one seed throughout Pop's tenure and Ginobli is already out and Pop is worried about Parker who hasn't come back 100% from his injury. They'll probably play Duncan, but even then, you think Pop wants to go full bore to play the Lakers, possibly lose to them and give them confidence heading into a firts round matchup? I'd be surprised if he plays the full compliment that day.

 

[TJ]

And they are back in playoffs. Maybe Portland will manage to beat the Lakers tomorrow.

Yesterday's results were predictable. Jazz weren't going to beat OKC and The Lakers weren't losing to NO. But Kobe played a ton of minutes, and I have to imagine that's going to significantly impact them tonight.

 

[hcsilla]

And they are back in playoffs. Maybe Portland will manage to beat the Lakers tomorrow.

I highly doubt it, with both Batum and Matthews being out from the already short Blazers-rotation.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The Blazers might be starting 4 rookies tonight.

 

[Errntknght]

Blazers are maintaining a lead well into the 3rd Q... Kobe has almost half the teams shots and 1 assist so he's doing his best lead his team to a loss in a familiar pattern. Fire away, Kobe!

 

[SirStefan32]

And the Lakers win again. We just aren't meant to have that pick. At this point, it will take a miracle for the Lakers to miss playoffs. They may drop one of the remaining games, but there is no way they are losing two.

 

[TJ]

And the Lakers win again. We just aren't meant to have that pick. At this point, it will take a miracle for the Lakers to miss playoffs. They may drop one of the remaining games, but there is no way they are losing two.

Utah has to win out at this point and Lakers need to lose one.

Fortunately, Utah has Minny twice, but @ Memphis could go either way.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Utah has to win out at this point and Lakers need to lose one.

Fortunately, Utah has Minny twice, but @ Memphis could go either way.

if Memphis has anything to play for, we're hoping against hope there. calling a game where a likely 55 win team plays at home where they're 31-8 against a 40 win club who's 12-27 on the road doesn't look like a "could go either way" game IMO. That looks like a pretty likely loss if Memphis has something to play for and HCA will likely be on the line there.

 

[SirStefan32]

Even if Utah wins all three games, it's still not enough. GSW is not going to be beat the Lakers in LA, and I am not sure San Antonio or Houston will have anything to play for.

 

[hcsilla]

Even if Utah wins all three games, it's still not enough. GSW is not going to be beat the Lakers in LA, and I am not sure San Antonio or Houston will have anything to play for.

Houston definitely won't have anything to play for (other than beating and hurting the Lakers) and I easily can see them rest Harden and/or Parsons whereas San Antonio probably will play for the homecourt-advantage in (possible) WCF.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Sweep the leg!

 

[SweetD]

Remaining Games
April 12th -
Minnesota at Utah9:00 PM
Golden State at LA Lakers10:30 PM

April 14th -
San Antonio at LA Lakers 9:30PM

April 15th -
Utah at Minnesota8:00 PM

Golden State may pull out the win. San Antonio will be going for Home Court so there is still a chance. But LA's magic number is only 2

 

[Cheesebeef]

Remaining Games
April 12th -
Minnesota at Utah9:00 PM
Golden State at LA Lakers10:30 PM

April 14th -
San Antonio at LA Lakers 9:30PM

April 15th -
Utah at Minnesota8:00 PM

Golden State may pull out the win. San Antonio will be going for Home Court so there is still a chance. But LA's magic number is only 2

SA is already sitting Parker... and I think they'd much rather face Houston in the first round then the Lakers. I'll be shocked if he the Spurs use their full compliment in that game.