Let's End the Tank vs. Non Tank discussions

[esel1000]

I'm sure a lot of this has been said in game threads or other posts but I just want to get my own thoughts on this young season down.

Obviously things can change, especially when Rondo's back, but I remember always jumping back and forth between the tank and non tank opinions. I mean on one hand if we aren't contenders, we may as well go for a good pick especially in this draft as a potential future all/super star on this team or good asset in a package. On the other, we're better as a franchise than a past year's tank team like the Bobcats... this is the Boston Celtics, and we shouldn't create a culture of losing for our young players.

But as I watch these games I've realized something... both pro and anti tankers are going to win this battle. We've spent so much time debating this based on the above principles, but truth is, this team isn't going to purposefully tank... they're just gonna be bad enough, especially in comparison to the elite teams in this league, to get a top pick in this draft.

I know it's early for me to be saying this as we're 12 out of 82 games into the season, but as I watched that Celtics vs. Rockets game last night as the Rockets wrecked us I realized we used to be like that Rockets team to other teams. In other words, we were an elite team, and used to thrash down on the bad teams... now we're the bad team. And it amazingly doesn't bother me, because we're young and have young talent playing hard every night.

This isn't our year, and it isn't meant to be. Sure the (L)east is awful, but sneaking in as the 8th seed is useless and even so it doesn't matter because I'm pretty confident there's 8 teams in the East better than the Celtics and will be after 82 games. Let's forget about the wins and losses, the fact that we have no real go to player at this stage (it's not Green, at least not consistently), and the fact that we are far from elite. Let's root for our young talent to play well and develop, let's root for the fact that they're going to play hard Celtics basketball regardless and if with this roster that's only good enough for a top pick, so be it. We'll root for that player as well next year, hopefully a franchise changing talent as Pierce was in 98. And Ainge has set us up with plenty of picks in this draft and future drafts as well, so let's root for the fact that soon we'll be back in a good place.

There's no real  tank vs non tank debate necessary. This is what we are...  Every team goes through it at some point. And this is our time.

[cltc5]

Tank u for the post:)

[esel1000]

Tank u for the post:)

I see what you did there :p

[indeedproceed]

I'm just sitting here, thinking about the people who pointed at 4-4 and said, "You really think this team is even *capable* of a bottom 10 record?"

We're bad. Whether you wanna call it tanking or not, who cares? The team was constructed to be not very good. To be very not very good.

[D.o.s.]

I don't think anyone hasn't been rooting for those things.

I feel like double negatives are appropriate when looking at the silver linings of what appears to be a bad team.

[BleedGreen1989]

I'm just sitting here, thinking about the people who pointed at 4-4 and said, "You really think this team is even *capable* of a bottom 10 record?"

We're bad. Whether you wanna call it tanking or not, who cares? The team was constructed to be not very good. To be very not very good.

Pretty much my thoughts.

Is it really considered "tanking" if you just plain suck?

[esel1000]

I'm just sitting here, thinking about the people who pointed at 4-4 and said, "You really think this team is even *capable* of a bottom 10 record?"

We're bad. Whether you wanna call it tanking or not, who cares? The team was constructed to be not very good. To be very not very good.

Agreed entirely. I mean we'll have stretches where we win some games but I doubt it happens often at all.This is not our year to be good. The more Wiggins, Parker, and Randle I watch, the more I wish we could just fast forward this season and get to the draft already...

But hey this season will be a good learning experience for guys like Sully and KO who hopefully will contribute nicely to future celtics playoff contender, or raise their stock (though id rather keep them unless we net something great)

[LooseCannon]

I'm rooting for the Celtics to win the Atlantic division with 35 wins.

[esel1000]

I don't think anyone hasn't been rooting for those things.

I feel like double negatives are appropriate when looking at the silver linings of what appears to be a bad team.

I think you have your people who could care less how hard the Celtics try as long as we lose. I personally feel we should root for them to play hard and try to win every game... that's the mentally our young players need for the future, even though they're most likely gonna lose enough regardless to be a bottom feeder

[esel1000]

I'm rooting for the Celtics to win the Atlantic division with 35 wins.

It's amazing how bad the Atlantic is... what a change in a year,I'm sure it evens out though.  if that happens so be it, then our team goes further than I expect and it'll just be hilarious to be a 4th seed with 35 wins

[Fafnir]

You know what you can't do on Celticsblog? End a conversation. (short of locking and ban hammering it out)

See Rondo threads that have been going with often the same people for three years, or the trade rumors, etc etc.

While your thoughts on this are solid and I share a lot of them, the idea that they'll "end it" for everyone else is pretty silly.

[D.o.s.]

I'm just sitting here, thinking about the people who pointed at 4-4 and said, "You really think this team is even *capable* of a bottom 10 record?"

We're bad. Whether you wanna call it tanking or not, who cares? The team was constructed to be not very good. To be very not very good.

Pretty much my thoughts.

Is it really considered "tanking" if you just plain suck?

Circumstantially. I don't think Ainge would necessarily roll out this team if the upcoming draft class wasn't predicted to be so awesome.

[esel1000]

I'm just sitting here, thinking about the people who pointed at 4-4 and said, "You really think this team is even *capable* of a bottom 10 record?"

We're bad. Whether you wanna call it tanking or not, who cares? The team was constructed to be not very good. To be very not very good.

Pretty much my thoughts.

Is it really considered "tanking" if you just plain suck?

Circumstantially. I don't think Ainge would necessarily roll out this team if the upcoming draft class wasn't predicted to be so awesome.

Perhaps, but it's not like we really had that many options anyway this offseason with cap constraints. Great draft or not I feel like this roster was pretty much set, we got back what we could for aging stars and I think it really helps in the long run. I'm just happy this is happening when the draft does happen to be great

[moiso]

I don't think anyone hasn't been rooting for those things.

I feel like double negatives are appropriate when looking at the silver linings of what appears to be a bad team.

I think you have your people who could care less how hard the Celtics try as long as we lose. I personally feel we should root for them to play hard and try to win every game... that's the mentally our young players need for the future, even though they're most likely gonna lose enough regardless to be a bottom feeder

I will personally feel happy if we lose and Bradley takes 30 shots and Green takes 6

[cltc5]

I'm just sitting here, thinking about the people who pointed at 4-4 and said, "You really think this team is even *capable* of a bottom 10 record?"

We're bad. Whether you wanna call it tanking or not, who cares? The team was constructed to be not very good. To be very not very good.

yea I lol' d at that too