smackeddog wrote:Last update I'll be doing for a while as I'll be travelling round Mexico for 2 weeks- hopefully we'll be in sole possession of 6th place by the time I get back!

1) Memphis 18-44

2) Phoenix 19-46
3) Dallas 19-45

4) Brooklyn 20-44
5) Atlanta 20-44
6) Sacramento 20-44
7) Orlando 20-43

8) Chicago 21-41

9) New York 24-40

10) Charlotte 28-36
11) Lakers 28-34
12) Detroit 29-34

lakers have been winning lately so both they and the hornets have built up a small cushion between us

1) Griz: Bulls, Mavs, Nets, Kings (4 games)

2) Suns: Magic, Kings, Mavs (3 games)

3) Dallas: Griz, Knicks, Nets, Kings, Magic, Suns (6 Games)

4) Nets: Mavs, griz, Magic, Bulls, Bulls (5 games)

5) Hawks: Bulls, Kings, Magic (3 games)

6) Kings: Magic, Atlanta, mavs, Suns, Griz (5 games)

7) Magic: Kings, Suns, nets, Bulls, Atlanta, Knicks, Mavs (7 games)

8) Bulls: Griz, Hawks, Griz, Knicks, Magic, Nets, Nets (7 games)

9) Knicks: Mavs, Bulls, Magic (3 games)

I'm still hopeful that the mavs and Bulls will overtake us in wins (both have 7 games vs other bad teams), but I'm very p'd off with the nets- they should have won some games lately, but are looking diabolical. Now looks like they're going to stay ahead of us for the rest of the season. Griz, Suns and Hawks are locked in ahead of us too. There's an outside chance the mavs or Kings fall, but I very much doubt it.

So overall we have a shot at 7th or 8th (the spot we are forever doomed to pick at!), but would have to get really unbelievably lucky to end up 6th or 5th.

meloshouldgo wrote:

Cartman718 wrote:i wouldn't be surprised if we caught up to 3 or 4 teams in this mix. hornacek knows what he's doing regardless of what he says to camera lol at least that's the hope

We are 4 full games behind te nearest team,we would be lucky to caqtch move just one position.

EDIT - Didn't realize there's 5 teams within half a gameof each other

We have lost 12/13 and gained almost no ground. The reality is either we lose the rest--I means something like 2-16 and maybe 2-3 of those teams go on a 3-5 game winning streak. The problem is I dont think well go 2-16 and the other teams have 0 incentive to win.

Knixkik wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/3/6/17082610/mikal-bridges-nba-draft-3-and-d
I love Tjarks articles and on podcasts.

He's spot on. These guys are few and far between. In today's game, Bridges can have a star's impact without putting up star numbers. We need another star besides Porzingis of course, but guys like Ntilikina and Bridges can develop into those elite 2-way role players that championship teams needs.

At this point, I'd like to see kentucky and MSU have great tournaments,with knox and miles bridges leading the way , and maybe nova to catch a fluke loss in the early rounds. Mikal is our guy and I think i could see chicago, orlando and maybe cleveland ( via nets) giving him a hard look.

BRIGGS wrote:Another guy coming on
Carsen Edwards Purdue Pg 6-1 210
Last 6 games 27 points 4 rebound 4 assists efg67

I've mentioned him in one or two of your previous posts about Purdue players (Carsen Edwards). He'll likely be a 4 year player at Purdue and is only a sophomore now. There is no chance he goes pro after this season is over.

He has been filling it up, though. Just received 1st team all big 10 and 2nd team all american.

BRIGGS wrote:re Mikal Briges. Hes a player who would be great IF we had certain things in place

The honest answer is we do NOT have certain things in place.

Please God let us move up a few spots and swipe Trae Young--that is where the nBA is.

I'm coming around a bit on Sexton too. I think he can be a nice backcourt partner with Ntilikina, as far as where the league is headed. Hardaway can play the 3 for awhile and eventually make the transition to the 6th man if we land an elite SF at some point. Ntilikina and Sexton are both 2-way combo guards really, but different styles that should mesh well. I think we can use another scoring guard, since Mudiay has looked really bad. With our best player being Porzingis, it's essentially we surround him with shot creators, shooters, and defenders.

BRIGGS wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:re Mikal Briges. Hes a player who would be great IF we had certain things in place

The honest answer is we do NOT have certain things in place.

Please God let us move up a few spots and swipe Trae Young--that is where the nBA is.

I'm coming around a bit on Sexton too. I think he can be a nice backcourt partner with Ntilikina, as far as where the league is headed. Hardaway can play the 3 for awhile and eventually make the transition to the 6th man if we land an elite SF at some point. Ntilikina and Sexton are both 2-way combo guards really, but different styles that should mesh well. I think we can use another scoring guard, since Mudiay has looked really bad. With our best player being Porzingis, it's essentially we surround him with shot creators, shooters, and defenders.

Ive noticed something since we lost Jack--we actually have no PG. Look at next years draft---PG void. There are PGs in this draft--but its slim picking value wise with a high pick.

Agreed we have a bunch of combo guards. Our only guard capable of defending is ntlikina. Burke can score a little but he's nothing more than a change of pace back up. Mudiay doesn't look like a player at all. A scoring guard would look great paired with ntlikina.

BRIGGS wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:re Mikal Briges. Hes a player who would be great IF we had certain things in place

The honest answer is we do NOT have certain things in place.

Please God let us move up a few spots and swipe Trae Young--that is where the nBA is.

I'm coming around a bit on Sexton too. I think he can be a nice backcourt partner with Ntilikina, as far as where the league is headed. Hardaway can play the 3 for awhile and eventually make the transition to the 6th man if we land an elite SF at some point. Ntilikina and Sexton are both 2-way combo guards really, but different styles that should mesh well. I think we can use another scoring guard, since Mudiay has looked really bad. With our best player being Porzingis, it's essentially we surround him with shot creators, shooters, and defenders.

Ive noticed something since we lost Jack--we actually have no PG. Look at next years draft---PG void. There are PGs in this draft--but its slim picking value wise with a high pick.

Agreed we have a bunch of combo guards. Our only guard capable of defending is ntlikina. Burke can score a little but he's nothing more than a change of pace back up. Mudiay doesn't look like a player at all. A scoring guard would look great paired with ntlikina.

Frank N is not an NBA starter at any position unless flanked by Larry Burd Mchale D Johnson and Parrish.

He will be in a year or 2 though. He will be a fine 3 and D combo guard capable of being a secondary ball handler at worst.

Knixkik wrote:Players in the range we are at, i am most interested now in Mikal Bridges and Sexton. Looking at teams like Portland (Lillard and McCollum), Houston (Paul and Harden), Cleveland (LeBron and Hill) and GS (Curry, Green, and Durant) all the great teams have multiple ball handlers/shot creators. If Frank puts on 10-15 pounds this offseason, he will be able to effectively guard bigger wings, and be used as a secondary ball handler. Sexton at the PG with Hardaway and Ntilikina at the wings can really offer a more modern look with 2-way guards who can share PG duties. Eventually we will probably add a bigger wing (i.e Middleton, H Barnes, T Harris, etc) and move Hardaway to 6th man. I was hoping Mudiay could provide some offense, but he is so inefficient it's disappointing. Priorities should be adding playmaking, shooting, and defense.

Im going to beg that we somehow get a top 3 pick.

Knixkik wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Players in the range we are at, i am most interested now in Mikal Bridges and Sexton. Looking at teams like Portland (Lillard and McCollum), Houston (Paul and Harden), Cleveland (LeBron and Hill) and GS (Curry, Green, and Durant) all the great teams have multiple ball handlers/shot creators. If Frank puts on 10-15 pounds this offseason, he will be able to effectively guard bigger wings, and be used as a secondary ball handler. Sexton at the PG with Hardaway and Ntilikina at the wings can really offer a more modern look with 2-way guards who can share PG duties. Eventually we will probably add a bigger wing (i.e Middleton, H Barnes, T Harris, etc) and move Hardaway to 6th man. I was hoping Mudiay could provide some offense, but he is so inefficient it's disappointing. Priorities should be adding playmaking, shooting, and defense.

Im going to beg that we somehow get a top 3 pick.

To be honest, i don't see a huge variance in the top 10 or so. I mean there are obviously some better than others. Ayton and Doncic can both be franchise players, but there is no sure-fire franchise player here. There will be many all-stars, and definitely a couple drafted outside the top 5. This is a tricky draft. A couple guys drafted in the 6-10 range will be better than the guys in the top 5, in my opinion. We are going to get a good player regardless.

Id go

#1 Aayton
#2 Bagley
#3 Porter
#4 Doncic
#5 Young