I have been saying that they are a 0.500'ish team all along.  Which they were (8-8) after losing to BNK on Nov. 21.  Since then they have won 6 of 7 against mostly good teams.  So now they are 14-9 and on pace to win 50 games.  So I am trying to figure out what is happening that I didn't expect.

The X-factors to me have been mostly Walsh and also Queta.  I did not expect Walsh to be stepping up and playing at a starter level, which is what he has been doing the last 7 games or so.  I didn't even expect him to be playing in the regular rotation.  Queta has exceeded my expectations also.  There are some other surprises, Minott, for example, but I think it is Walsh and Queta making the big impact.  The question is of course if they can keep it up as defenses adjust.

I feel that Mazzulla deserves a lot of credit also.  He has this team playing hard, playing connected.  If this keeps up, he will be in the running for coach of the year.  I would say Mazzulla is exceeding my expectations.  I never bought into the Mazzulla is the worst coach in the league narratives but I had him at good not great.  I would say he has been better than that this year so far.  It is pretty hard to make the argument that he is a bad coach at this point.

Well, I was hoping we would see this kind of production from Brown and he has truly ignited the rest of the team as well. Add Tatum and a big, and we are in the finals again. Hats off to our coach and GM too. Incredible job. I have been truly enjoying watching the games so far this year. Walsh and Hugo are also huge surprises. They look legit and for Hugo, he is going to become something special down the road. Walsh is like glue stuck to the offensive player he is guarding.

Watch Porzingis get traded and let go as well this year. Especially if they are able to snag Giannis if he is truly being traded. This could be an option for our big issue and it would cost nothing but money for remainder of year if it were too happen.

Yes, a better draft pick would have been nice, but you know what is nicer? Seeing Brown become a superstar who can lead, the thought of Tatum joining this team later towards the playoffs, and us returning to where we left off but on a higher level. I will take winning over tanking any day when the results are what we have seen so far.

Love this post!  Yes it?s a surprisingly fun ride this year so far.  The long shot fantasy of the team doing well without JT, Tatum returning in decent form by April, and Brad pulling off something to bolster the roster is still in play.   In addition to Walsh and Hugo (and JB) exceeding expectations I think we?d have to say the same for Minott. And with regard to Queta I didn?t really think what we are seeing was possible. I hoped for improvement but he?s looking like a legit starting center.  Also Baylor has been OK.   Also have to say that White and Pritchard are playing much closer to what was expected. I?m loving PP with greater confidence in the lane - duplicating some of JBs magic creating space to shoot 5-10-footers even at 6?1?.   Four guys in JB, DW, PP, and Simons who are creating their own shots, each also feeding open threes or feeding Queta at the hoop when there?s nothing there. 

Well, I was hoping we would see this kind of production from Brown and he has truly ignited the rest of the team as well. Add Tatum and a big, and we are in the finals again. Hats off to our coach and GM too. Incredible job. I have been truly enjoying watching the games so far this year. Walsh and Hugo are also huge surprises. They look legit and for Hugo, he is going to become something special down the road. Walsh is like glue stuck to the offensive player he is guarding.

Watch Porzingis get traded and let go as well this year. Especially if they are able to snag Giannis if he is truly being traded. This could be an option for our big issue and it would cost nothing but money for remainder of year if it were too happen.

Yes, a better draft pick would have been nice, but you know what is nicer? Seeing Brown become a superstar who can lead, the thought of Tatum joining this team later towards the playoffs, and us returning to where we left off but on a higher level. I will take winning over tanking any day when the results are what we have seen so far.

With Porzingis so unreliable and Holiday projecting that way more and more, Horford looking spent, I really think the guy they're missing the most (besides obviously Tatum) is Kornet.  Though he's been on and off the available list a lot too. 

Al Davis is not the guy you go all in for. Not by a long shot.

I would argue we got more out of Porzingis and we gave up a lot less in assets.

His super max salary also would really limit our options on filling out the rest of the roster to compete deep into the playoffs.

So I would have to PASS on this trade idea.

Yes, having 3 pieces, at $54m, $54m and $53m, to total $151m from 3 players, we would be nearly over the $151m cap with just those 3. Then our next tradeable contract would be Hauser at $10m and PP at $7m. Even with the ability to aggregate salaries by being under the 2nd apron we would have to ship out significant pieces that are arguably outperforming their salaries if we needed to make a chance. I'm not sure how comfortable Brad would be having a very financially top heavy roster, just from a balance sheet point of view, without even considering the on-court issues.

Walsh doesn't like the nickname garbage man, I agree, I don't like it either.  How about Dr. Manhattan from Watchman...short use the Doctor!.  Someone please put a picture of the good doctor on this site...I don't know how to do it.