Tankathon Rankings

[ColdPickleNachos]

I'd say the most likely scenario is that the Suns pass the Nets and end up with the 4th worst record. Winning both of those Minnesota games would be very bad for the tank. At least the Suns are winning with young, promising players.

 

[slinslin]

Minnesota

MIN@OKC - loss
MIN@PHX - winnable
MIN@MEM - winnable
MIN@HOU - winnable
GSW@MIN - loss
SAC@MIN - winnable
MIN@WAS - likely loss
UTH@MIN - winnabe
PHX@MIN - winnable
LAC@MIN - loss
MIN@UTH - winnable
DAL@MIN - likely loss
MIN@GSW - loss
MIN@SAC - winnable
MIN@POR - likely loss
HOU@MIN - winnable
NOP@MIN - winnable

9 games against playoff teams.

I'd guess that Minnesota is going to win anywhere between 3-6 more games.

Brooklyn

BRK@PHI - winnable
MIL@BRK - winnable
PHI@BRK - winnable
BRK@CHI - loss
BRK@DET - loss
CHA@BRK - likely loss
CLE@BRK - loss
IND@BRK - loss
BRK@MIA - loss
BRK@ORL - winnable
BRK@CLE - loss
BRK@NYK - winnable
NOP@BRK - winnable
BRK@WAS - likely loss
BRK@CHA - likely loss
BRK@IND - loss
WAS@BRK - likely loss
TOR@BRK - likely loss - but hopefully Toronto has locked in its seed

Brooklyn might only win 2 more games this season. It is critical that they beat the 76ers at least and maybe then scrap together 2-3 more wins against the likes of New York, Milwaukee, New Orleans and season final vs Toronto.

 

[slinslin]

Hopefully Watson experiments with Alan Williams, Chase Buddinger and Brandon Knight with lineups now at the cost of additional wins.

 

[Catlover]

Hopefully Watson experiments with Alan Williams, Chase Buddinger and Brandon Knight with lineups now at the cost of additional wins.

So I guess you're with the others here who believe our recent 3-2 stretch reveals more about us than the fact that even with those victories we've still won just 6 of our last 38 games?

 

[3rdside]

Hopefully Watson experiments with Alan Williams, Chase Buddinger and Brandon Knight with lineups now at the cost of additional wins.

Give the ball boy a run if we have to, we need to be top 3.

 

[slinslin]

So I guess you're with the others here who believe our recent 3-2 stretch reveals more about us than the fact that even with those victories we've still won just 6 of our last 38 games?

We have momentum and Len is playing stellar.

In the 30 games before the ASG our PF position was non-existent for the most part especially on defense.

So yeah I believe we are favored vs NYK tonight.

 

[Catlover]

Give the ball boy a run if we have to, we need to be top 3.

Why? I've seen flashes of brilliance from several college players this season but more often than not, they've looked ordinary or worse the next time I see them. Maybe there's a game changer in this draft but I'm not sure he'll go in the top 3 or top 5, this one looks to be a real crapshoot.

I'd still rather have the higher pick and the chance to grab the guy we like the best but I don't think it's a big deal this season. Winning 7 or 8 more games this season could very well be more important to this team in the long run than drafting in the top 2. Not that I think we have a good chance of winning 7 or 8 games.

 

[3rdside]

Why? I've seen flashes of brilliance from several college players this season but more often than not, they've looked ordinary or worse the next time I see them. Maybe there's a game changer in this draft but I'm not sure he'll go in the top 3 or top 5, this one looks to be a real crapshoot.

I'd still rather have the higher pick and the chance to grab the guy we like the best but I don't think it's a big deal this season. Winning 7 or 8 more games this season could very well be more important to this team in the long run than drafting in the top 2. Not that I think we have a good chance of winning 7 or 8 games.

I'm not exactly following college players other than the occasional highlights reel so it's other poster comments as the main source of info, where consensus seems to say it's Simmons and Ingram 1 & 2 as locks.

And by being the third worst team it gives us a 1 in 3 (about) chance of the top pick, whereas fourth worst means it's about 1 in 5...Big difference.

But if someone thought there was a nailed on game changer beyond those two then I'm all ears, but it doesn't sound like there is and as we never draft this high, it could be potentially stupid to throw away a good (i.e. awful) record at this stage.

 

[slinslin]

Even at #3 making our own choice is a lot better than being at #5 and picking who is left over.

 

[Catlover]

We have momentum and Len is playing stellar.

In the 30 games before the ASG our PF position was non-existent for the most part especially on defense.

So yeah I believe we are favored vs NYK tonight.

Perhaps. Granted, the Knicks are on the second night of a back to back. And the mileage is starting to show on Carmelo, so the 39 minutes he played last night might hit him hard in our game. But I'd still make the Knicks slight favorites as long as Anthony can handle 30 minutes.

I agree that Len has been playing great of late but that still leaves us very weak at the 1, 3 and 5. I know Tucker will be on Anthony at times but I wouldn't be surprised to see him get Len in foul trouble early in the first quarter. And Booker will have his hands full with Afflalo pounding on him.

 

[Catlover]

Even at #3 making our own choice is a lot better than being at #5 and picking who is left over.

Yeah, I think I said that. It's better but it's not as important as it would be in most drafts IMO. But it's still early so maybe someone will stand out in the tournament and on measurements day.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

We're totally going to blow our top 3 status...so depressing.

 

[Cheesebeef]

We're totally going to blow our top 3 status...so depressing.

yup. we already had a pyrrhic season a couple years ago, why not throw a couple more pyrrhic victories on top of what should be a lost year this year to knock us out of the top 3?

 

[Phrazbit]

I'll be there tonight, hoping for a very entertaining defeat.

 

[BC867]

Why? I've seen flashes of brilliance from several college players this season but more often than not, they've looked ordinary or worse the next time I see them. Maybe there's a game changer in this draft but I'm not sure he'll go in the top 3 or top 5, this one looks to be a real crapshoot.

I'd still rather have the higher pick and the chance to grab the guy we like the best but I don't think it's a big deal this season. Winning 7 or 8 more games this season could very well be more important to this team in the long run than drafting in the top 2. Not that I think we have a good chance of winning 7 or 8 games.

I think the two biggest factors to where we wind up will be injuries (Len is always susceptible to that) and how the return of Brandon Knight will affect the chemistry.

If we lose Len at the "4" for any period and count on Knight as a facilitator (which will negatively affect Devin Booker's performance), we won't have to try to tank.

 

[sunsfan88]

yup. we already had a pyrrhic season a couple years ago, why not throw a couple more pyrrhic victories on top of what should be a lost year this year to knock us out of the top 3?

They need to do the smart thing and start resting Booker/Len. Especially Booker, we already know what he can do, great, I don't need to see much more for this season.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

They need to do the smart thing and start resting Booker/Len. Especially Booker, we already know what he can do, great, I don't need to see much more for this season.

Huh? He is the number 1 reason to watch the games, imo.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'll be there tonight, hoping for a very entertaining defeat.

I hope it's tankarific.

 

[sunsfan88]

Huh? He is the number 1 reason to watch the games, imo.

You'll live, watch some LSU or Duke games instead and imagine how great it will be to get Ingram/Simmons along side Booker and how nice that will be.

 

[Catlover]

Do the smart thing, continue to develop our stars of the future. Rest the old guys (Tucker, Price, Chandler, Teletovic) maybe but not Booker and Len. If we pick up another win or two without our rivals doing the same then maybe rest Alex.

 

[sunsfan88]

Good L tonight. Booker played great and Len was ok. Will take that.

 

[hsandhu]

If we tie brooklyn in wins, who gets the higher pick. Is tiebreaker team with worse head to head gets higher pick?

 

[sunsfan88]

If we tie brooklyn in wins, who gets the higher pick. Is tiebreaker team with worse head to head gets higher pick?

No I don't think they look at head to head for this. I think it's either a coin toss or both teams get equal number of ping pong balls in there.

 

[Catlover]

If we tie brooklyn in wins, who gets the higher pick. Is tiebreaker team with worse head to head gets higher pick?

They add the number of lottery chances together and divide by the number of teams that tied for that spot. I'm not sure what they do if it doesn't result in a whole number but I think it's a coin flip.

 

[Catlover]

Good L tonight. Booker played great and Len was ok. Will take that.

He had a 20 second stretch early in the 4th quarter that really showed his potential to effect a game with more than his shooting. He made a beautiful over his shoulder assist pass to a cutting Chase for Budinger's first points with us and then he beat two Knicks to a loose ball/rebound that involved him taking the right angle and using his body perfectly.

Len picked up 2 fouls early which kept him from really having the kind of performance we've become used to but he still gave us 14 and 10. Not too bad for an off night.