If the Season Ended Today

[LarBrd33]

I think it's time for a proper update to this thread.

1/4/14 4:33PM Eastern -  If the season ended today...

#1 - Boston would miss the playoffs and have the 9th best odds in the lotto.  That gives them a mere 1.7% chance at the #1 pick, 2% chance at the #2 pick and a 2.4% chance at the #3 pick.  81% chance at picking 9th.  12.2% chance at picking 10th.   Good spot to be in for a draft loaded with upper talent.  One of those 7 guys could trickle down a couple spots.  Say for instance some team with a competent PG reaches for a big... you might see someone like Dante Exum (currently projected 7th on nbadraft.net) fall to us.  I think Danny is the type of GM who will always take the best talent available... even if he already has that position filled.  For the record, the team with the 9th best odds HAS in-fact won the Lotto before.  It happened when Chicago (9th worst record) landed the #1 pick and drafted Rose.

#2 - The pick Boston got from Atlanta/Brooklyn would be #20.  Atlanta would get Brooklyn's pick... which is currently Top 6.   

#3 - The Raptors have won 5 in a row... they are ABOVE .500!!  Good for them!  They just added a teenie weenie bit of respect to the Titanic Division.   One team above .500!! WOoO hOoo.  They have been on fire since trading Gay and sit as the lone competent team in the Atlantic.  There is a 4 game gap between them and the 2nd best team (Boston).   Raptors would end up with the 4th seed in the playoffs and the #19 pick in the draft.  So much for their tanking plan. 

#4 - The Bobcats currently sit in the "No Man's Land" 8th seed slot.   They have plummeted by losing 5 games in a row.  Currently sitting at a 14-20 record.  That's the awful #8 seed/15 pick slot.  They get a scheduled beating by the Pacers and then miss the lotto.     Bad news for Boston:  They are only a half game above us in the standings.  We could flipflop with them at any time ... and go from Top 9 pick to 8th seed/#15 pick.  Eww.

Some stuff to watching heading forward:   We are a half game out of the 8th seed, but only 2 games above the team with the 5th worst record.   A nice losing streak would put us in golden territory (Top 5 pick).  A couple wins could stick us right back into the "No Man's Land" playoff race.   This West coast trip could be a huge turning point in our season.   Also, Atlanta has lost Horford and could presumably start losing some games.  Brooklyn, on the other hand, is only 2 games out of the playoffs.  A tiny win streak would turn around their entire season.

[boscel33]

Nbadraft.net has jerami grant at #9 right now.

[BleedGreen1989]

My god, we're only one game out of the playoffs despite playing this poorly?

Ughhhhh

[Fafnir]

My god, we're only one game out of the playoffs despite playing this poorly?

Ughhhhh

Detroit and Charlotte have also fallen on their faces and are actually in the playoffs still.

[D.o.s.]

I'm all for rooting for the team to win, but, uh...

I watched that Bucks Heat series last year. It wasn't fun. And our team is worse than that one was.

[Celtics18]

I'm all for rooting for the team to win, but, uh...

I watched that Bucks Heat series last year. It wasn't fun. And our team is worse than that one was.

If Rondo is healthy by then, we are probably better than last year's Bucks. 

[Fafnir]

I'm all for rooting for the team to win, but, uh...

I watched that Bucks Heat series last year. It wasn't fun. And our team is worse than that one was.

If Rondo is healthy by then, we are probably better than last year's Bucks.

Maybe, it depends on if our defense continues to sag. Rondo should improve us offensively but while he'll help over Crawford he's not going to change most of our defensive issues.

[Celtics18]

I'm all for rooting for the team to win, but, uh...

I watched that Bucks Heat series last year. It wasn't fun. And our team is worse than that one was.

If Rondo is healthy by then, we are probably better than last year's Bucks.

Maybe, it depends on if our defense continues to sag. Rondo should improve us offensively but while he'll help over Crawford he's not going to change most of our defensive issues.

I'm expecting our defense to return close to form.  I don't think they've completely thrown in the towel yet. 

[PhoSita]

I'm all for rooting for the team to win, but, uh...

I watched that Bucks Heat series last year. It wasn't fun. And our team is worse than that one was.

If Rondo is healthy by then, we are probably better than last year's Bucks.

Maybe, it depends on if our defense continues to sag. Rondo should improve us offensively but while he'll help over Crawford he's not going to change most of our defensive issues.

Yeah, that Bucks squad was pretty good at defense, while ours is pretty mediocre (and lately fairly awful).

[LarBrd33]

My god, we're only one game out of the playoffs despite playing this poorly?

Ughhhhh

We're sitting with 8th best odds right now.  We're a game out of the playoffs but we're also a game out of having a Top 5 pick.  The team with the 5th worst record is only 2 games out of the playoffs.  Lol

[VitorSullyandKOFan]

I see us losing the next 4 games we may be in top 5 territory by Monday.

[D.o.s.]

If the season ended today I'd be really bummed that I'd have to wait until Spring for the playoffs to start.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I see us losing the next 4 games we may be in top 5 territory by Monday.

 

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

You know as someone who hates the Knicks almost as much as I like the Celtics, my hope was they just barely make the playoffs, to be promptly swept out in round 1 by the Pacers. However, if the present scenario holds, they get squeezed out of the playoffs by the Charlotte Bobcats, which is almost as hilarious.

[LarBrd33]

Well as of today...

1/11/14 8:00AM Eastern -  If the season ended today...


#1 - As fully expected, talent is king and Brooklyn is A-Ok.  Up to the 7th seed in the playoffs thanks to a 5 game win streak.  #16 pick would go to Atlanta.

#2 - Boston sitting with the 5th best odds in the draft thanks to a 7 game losing streak.  A half game out of the 4th worst record.  Looking really good from a draft perspective.  We aren't out of the woods yet... we're a mere 2 games out of the playoffs.

#3 - Atlanta has won 2 in a row... still standing tall with the 3rd seed.  We would have their pick right now... #20.

#4 - Knicks have won 3 in a row and are a game out of the playoffs.  New York teams should make the playoffs this year.

#5 - Chicago wants to tank, but they have won 4 in a row... sitting at the 5th seed with the #18 pick.


Things to watch:  Rondo might be back within the week.  Should be interesting to see how we handle this situation.  Pretty sure Boston would love to have a Top 5 pick.  We currently have a Top 5 odds.  Rondo's return could jeopardize our draft.  It's no longer #9 vs #15... we're talking about having 8% chance at #1.  10% chance at #2 ,  11% chance at #3, 26% chance at #5 , 36% chance at #6 and 8% chance at #7.    A top 7 pick would be a lock if the season ended today...  and we have 7 guys people are very fond of:  Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Exum, Embiid, Smart, Gordon.

Who still wants to see this team make a run for the 8th seed?  Anyone?