Did tankers really think we were going to drop the last 10+ games of the season?
The schedule was pathetically easy. Most figured 3 wins out of the last 8 games given two philly games. Just because we lost the first 4 of those last eight doesn't mean that further wins were not going to happen. If you were paying attention, the team was playing well in every one of those losses except Washington. They continued to play well and beat two teams that mailed in games.
Heck last night they followed the tankers handbook, sat their three best players, played rookies and DLeaguers, shot extremely well and won. What can you do? Tell the player to purposely miss shots and throw the game? All it takes is one player coming out and saying that and the team has the feds and the league looking into them.
The 3rd slot was never in play. Never. The team was playing too well and the schedule was too easy too think wins were not going to happen.
We were tied for the 3rd slot with 4 games to play. How can you say it was "never in play", Nick?
Because given the way the team was playing and the schedule, as well as the schedule of the other teams involved, losing the rest of the games while the competition won their games was unrealistic.
The only way we lost the last couple of games is if the coach directed the players to throw the game, which I still think is illegal and I doubt the players would listen to the coach if he told them that.
Number 3 was never in play.
Tankers are really big into percentages and chances. Given 8 games left in the season, the C's in the middle of a losing streak but starting to play much better, the C's schedule, and the schedule of the competition, what was the likely percentage chance that the C's lost every game and finished 3rd? Probably a lot lower than trying to get into the top 3 picks from the 11th lottery slot. As is it, the odds played out as they should have and so, the 3rd spot was never in play.
Not true- the bobcats game we were heavy underdogs even with Rondo in the lineup. Once he was out we lose that game 7 times out of 10.
The cavs game was an anomally with Olynyk and co shooting the lights out and the Cavs needing to get their lottery odds up as high as possible.
No Rondo, no Sully and no Bayless and we still dominate....which is not what the bookmakers expected at all.
You're trying to mould an argument that's based around your line of thinking In the hope that this team may be actually trying to win some games.
The plan was to lose these games but our terrible players decided to have excellent shooting performances and our opponents fell apart (purposely in the cavs case).
Danny and Brad can't ask players to miss shots- they can't ask the Cavs to stink.
The team isn't playing well and they haven't 'started to improve lately', they're just hitying difficult shots against teams that should normally beat them who are tanking themselves or having an absurdly bad night.
There are no games out of the last 10 games other than the 2 Philly games that we had/have any business winning because we are terrible- we even sat Rondo an extra game lol.
Sometimes you get lucky and your terrible jumpshots go in and your opponents have an off night.
We are one of the worst teams in the league and to say we had no
Edited. Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. at the 3rd seed is just not true. Completely biased opinion. It's closer to a 60/40 split that we SHOULD have the 3rd seed especially after losing to Philly and sitting Rondo vs Charlotte, THEN sitting Rondo, Sully and Bayless vs the Cavs.