2025-2026 Tank Race Prediction Contest and Current Results Thread

[Tremendous Upside]

I'm not sure I agree with that. I don't think they are that much better than us without AD.

That's crazy.

Even without AD, the Mavs have like 8-9 players who would get steady rotation minutes on any NBA team.

We have two.

 

[KqWIN]

MPJ keeps cooking. Nets have their own Lauri situation. I really wish they played him against us.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Even without AD they are still high level defense with 48 minutes of starting centers in Lively/Gafford.

You could be right. I do think they are motivated to maximize their lottery odds this year. This is the last year for awhile that they control their pick.

 

[jazznik]

There is so much hand-wringing and despair every time when the Jazz win a game. Because it is such an important year to get a high pick in the loaded draft and the Jazz will not be able to compete with so many blatantly tanking teams.

Except I don't see any obvious tanking. Memphis, Dallas and Portland are fighting tooth and nail for the wins. The Pacers, Hornets and Nets went 4-6 in their last 10 games. Even the Wizards are 3-7. The Bulls, Kings and Bucks are legitimately struggling and/or having some unfortunate injuries. I don't see any of these teams not playing their best players like the Jazz did last year. I don't think that the tanking Olympics are started yet and they may not start before the All Star Break.

In short, it's way too early to worry about tanking and obsessively count the wins: all potential tankers are bunched up pretty close together. It will not be the current position that determines where the Jazz pick in 2026 but, instead, what kind of moves they and other teams do around the trade deadline and right after it.

 

[KqWIN]

What other teams are doing is irrelevant to the choice to tank or not tank. Wins and loses count the exact same now versus the end of the year. It does not matter if we're fighting to keep the pick or simply increase our chances at top 4. When lotto day comes, we're going to wish we had more L's.

The tanking choice is real simple. It's the value of wins versus the value of loses. Right now, the value of wins is nothing.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

- Blazers win (probably not in the tank race)
- Pelicans win
- Nets win
- Hornets win!
- Wizards win (probably not a good thing)

 

[Tremendous Upside]

The tanking choice is real simple. It's the value of wins versus the value of loses. Right now, the value of wins is nothing.

On the contrary. Winning is always better than losing. When you embrace that mindset, the path becomes clear.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

30% in to the season:
1. WAS
2. NOP
3. SAC
4. IND
5. LAC
6. BKN
7. CHA
8. UTA
9. POR
10. DAL

Utah currently with 3 more wins than 3rd place.

 

[homeytennis]

The Ainges and Hardy need to keep their eyes on the prize.

 

[bopahull]

As the season progresses it appears less likely that Utah can hang on to their pick. Maybe it's time to consider trying to make sure the pick OKC gets from us is as bad as possible.

 

[Udidthizz]

Different sites seem to show slightly different outcomes, but according to this site we have the 3rd hardest schedule remaining (somehow having had the 7th hardest schedule so far already). That should help the tank.

https://powerrankingsguru.com/nba/strength-of-schedule.php

 

[David Hume]

We could just instruct our players to shoot at our own basket. And if we played another tanking team and they tried the same strategy, at least you would have a competitive game.

As the season progresses it appears less likely that Utah can hang on to their pick. Maybe it's time to consider trying to make sure the pick OKC gets from us is as bad as possible.