bLACKpANTHER

This stretch before the Allstar break might make or break our season because there are so many matchups between us and the teams we are fighting for position in the rankings right now.. we really need to start playing our best B-Ball right about now.. no more d!ck'n around:

@ BOS
vs CLE
vs MIA
vs TOR
vs CHI
@ DET
vs MEM
@ MIN
vs CHI

I like what Ish brings as a player - but not as your backup PG to run the 2nd unit.. and if the 2nd unit is missing Kelly Oubre - it gets real tough - we really need a facilitating PG to make it all jell together.. Oubre, Hayward and McD are unique players that have helped Borrego a ton.. they have hidden the roster's dark spots

and whenever Ish is in there, and the ball is moving and being driven/kicked out and swung around - and then it ends up in Ish's hands - you know he isn't shooting the 3 ball unless he is WIDE open.. that's not his game

scoring has never been our problem.. some nights the 3ball isn't falling but if we play Defense - we can hang until it starts going down again.. that's the key

we get a BIG game on prime time vs the Lakers tomorrow.. they will be playing the 2nd half of a back-to-back (1st half vs 76ers tonight on TNT) - so everyone watch and see AD vs Embiid

Bouk seemed small out there on the court - but check his height and he is listed at 6'4.. he needs to bulk up

On 1/24/2022 at 8:14 AM, bLACKpANTHER said:

This upcoming B2B against TOR/IND might be out best chance at winning both sides of a B2B the rest of the way through the season.

welp... 

damn.. i really thought we turned a corner as a franchise and these type of loses were behind us..

we gotta get our edge back.. cant afford to drop in the standings.. I thought this was supposed to be the easy streak of our schedule where we stack wins..

any/all attempts to get me excited for the 2022 football season..

Hayward was missed..

his steadiness was missed in this game.. sometimes when the shots aren't falling for us - He is the guy to come in and get a solid elbow shot that is like 90% efficient for him.. i keep thinking he is the guy they might flip for someone at the deadline - but he is extremely valuable but at the same time over-payed.. lol

11% from 3pt line.. oof

on to the next one.. 1st of 3 games vs Raptors in the next month..
they have kinda been on the rise since the new year - gotta bounce back

So we currently have played 8 Back-to-Backs (B2B).
We have lost the 2nd game of every B2B we have played:
Oct 24: @BRK - W
Oct 25: BOS - L

Oct 31: POR - W
Nov 1: CLE - L

Nov 7: @LAC - L
Nov 8: @LAL - L

Nov 19: IND - W
Nov 20: @ATL - L

Nov 26: MIN - W
Nov 27: @HOU - L

Dec 5: @ATL - W
Dec 6: PHI - L

Dec 19: @PHO - L
Dec 20: @UTH - L

Jan 2: PHO - L
Jan 3: @WASH - L

Now we will play 6 more B2Bs the rest of the season:
Jan 25: @TOR
Jan 26: @IND

Feb 11: @DET
Feb 12: MEM - #3 in West

Feb 27: DET
Feb 28: @MIL  - #4 in East

Mar 8: BRK - #2 in East
Mar 9: BOS

Mar 27: @BRK - #2 in East
Mar 28: DEN - #6 in West

Apr 7: ORL
Apr 8: @CHI - #3 in East

This upcoming B2B against TOR/IND might be out best chance at winning both sides of a B2B the rest of the way through the season.

Oubre was HUGE off the bench because Hayward wasn't getting his buckets..
Gordon seemed that he was tired trying to keep Tatum locked up..

the combo of Mitch and JB is one of the best in the league..

like @toldozer said - we have chosen some late round gems and developed a ton of young talent under this coaching staff.. it is what gives me hope in the future about Bouknight and Kai.. i dont think we need to sell the farm to get a legit center because in a year - Kai might be ready to contribute.. in 2 years, i expect him to be a problem for other teams..

PG: Ball - ***
SG: Rozier - Martin
SF: Hayward - Oubre
PF: Bridges - McD
C; Plumlee - PJ

Closely behind upgrading the Center position - the backup PG spot is a role i think we might want to get some help before the deadline.. Ish is usually solid off the bench, but JB doesn't have him in the regular rotation because of his size/defense

with the stats Miles is putting up - he is looking at a Jaylen Brown deal @ $24-28m
with what Cody Martin is doing - he is looking at a Jeremy Lamb deal @ $6-12m

2022-23 NBA salary cap = $119m
2022-23 CHA contracts = $115m

We will have to move some salary to keep Miles + Martin..
Look for some combo of Hayward ($30) Plumlee ($9) Ish ($4.5) PJ ($4) Vern ($2) to get moved..

oh and next year will be the last year of $9m going to Batum..

49 minutes ago, Fox007 said:

So what we've been doing isn't this?

tears.. 

yeah - obviously looking back we were pissing away the year - but its about the mindset.. we were operating for half a year that we were playoff contenders.. we obviously were one of the bottom 3 teams.. now we hand no hope for playoffs and can operate honestly..

true that Rhule could make moves to put us in an even deeper hole.. hopefully Fitts has the true control and makes moves for the future - not the 2022 season

1 hour ago, toldozer said:

Rebounding is very very similar.  Scoring is two made baskets I wouldn't consider that far superior. I wouldn't want the dude anywhere near my team even at the same money mkg got 5 years ago.

5 hours ago, L-TownCat said:

You’re not wrong, it’s just that nobody wants to hear any of it.

yep..

Last year, like many, I was on the fence and honestly didn't know if we were going to be good-decent-or awful.. I don't think the team knew either and we all were looking at the moves we were making with rose colored glasses..

now that we know its all gone to sh*t - we can start the process of digging out of it.. even with this clown as our HC.. start the process of shedding bad $$ and obtaining draft stock and gathering real assets.. we just gonna throw a year away to right the ship..

I, for one, and happy to know i dont have to worry about this team for an entire season.. giving me back my sanity

7 hours ago, toldozer said:

Also averages 34 minutes a game vs mkgs 24. So times mkg stats by 1.4

Pts 11.76

Rebs 7.56

Simmons is a better passer but dude can't shoot. Not worth the money for 2 more made fgs per 34 minutes than mkg

I never argued he was worth the $$ - or that he could shoot.. I just gave their career stats because u made the comparison but they are simply not comparable.. Simmons is far superior to MKG in passing and every other stat

1 hour ago, toldozer said:

Simmons is a better passing mkg. Change my mind. 

after comparing Ben vs MKG - I can't believe we gave MKG anything over $5m @ year...

Cho was the WORST!!!!

MKG = 8.4 ppg
Ben = 16 ppg

MKG = 1.2 apg
Ben = 7.7 apg

MKG = 5.4 rpg
Ben = 8.1 rpg

Simmons has caught so much sh*t this year people forget he is a 3x All Star..
ya'll trippin..

the Defense is starting to look serviceable..

That is what is going to take us to another level..

Fug Philly, fasho!

now.....

Do I want to upgrade the Center position?    absolutely!!
Is Tacko going to do that?    probably not..

It's weird - We really need help at the C position but we have a ton of potential waiting in the wings.. Nick Richards can give us some minutes but by no means is a starter or 15mins a night guy.. Kai Jones is the one we are all hoping the project starts to come together sooner rather than later.. Vern and Thor too.. throw in Plumlee and PJ and you are 6 players deep at a position - but in reality - you have about 1.5 guys

So we just beat the Reigning Champion Bucks in back-to-back games and everyone is feeling good..

Time to celebrate.. but wait

We play Philly in Philly on Wednesday..

But after that we have a streak of "winnable" - "very winnable" games for about a month leading up to Allstar Weekend..

ORL
@NYK - Oubre should be back
@BOS
OKC
ATL
@TOR
@IND
LAL
LAC
@BOS
CLE
MIA
TOR
CHI
@DET
MEM
@MIN
MIA

Looking over this stretch of 18 games, I see a lot of potential..

we could come out something like 13-5

So enjoy the next few weeks - cus this stretch could really make our season if we lock in