OKC or San Antonio?

[spycam1]

Right, because people who smoke crack believe they are one special rock away from smoking the fountain of youth.



That's a contradictory stance anyway. They're saying if this group misses the playoffs and gets a draft pick then they'll be worse off than this group making the playoffs and not getting a draft pick. You either believe in this group or you don't. Two less wins isn't going to drastically alter the internal culture to the point of endless despair. It's two wins.

Yup.

 

[Sean]

If that's the case, then any team that can't lock down a top-three playoff seed should just opt out of the NBA playoffs anyway, right? I mean, if two less wins, and a playoff berth for the first time in two seasons, isn't going to drastically alter anything, why even try next year or the year after that? Unless we're confident, down the road, maybe five years from now, Utah will be contending for the number one seed, anything less than contending is fruitless.

I don't buy that.

 

[Stoked]

If that's the case, then any team that can't lock down a top-three playoff seed should just opt out of the NBA playoffs anyway, right? I mean, if two less wins, and a playoff berth for the first time in two seasons, isn't going to drastically alter anything, why even try next year or the year after that? Unless we're confident, down the road, maybe five years from now, Utah will be contending for the number one seed, anything less than contending is fruitless.

I don't buy that.

Damn man you are right! Utah clearly has a losing culture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Utah_Jazz_seasons

I can understand your arguement and I do not think you are wrong about wanting to make the playoffs. I just think you are exaggerating about what missing it this one time will mean. This is the Jazz they do not settle for mediocrity.

 

[spycam1]

If that's the case, then any team that can't lock down a top-three playoff seed should just opt out of the NBA playoffs anyway, right? I mean, if two less wins, and a playoff berth for the first time in two seasons, isn't going to drastically alter anything, why even try next year or the year after that? Unless we're confident, down the road, maybe five years from now, Utah will be contending for the number one seed, anything less than contending is fruitless.

I don't buy that.

Anything less than at least putting yourself in position to be a future contender is fruitless.

You seem to be satisfied with consistently being a good team, even if it never actually leads to anything. I'm not. I want titles, and unlike you, I'm willing to make the sacrifices that might actually achieve that.

 

[margodydek]

Poppovich scares me more than any players on OKC.

 

[mrob]

Anything less than at least putting yourself in position to be a future contender is fruitless.

You seem to be satisfied with consistently being a good team, even if it never actually leads to anything. I'm not. I want titles, and unlike you, I'm willing to make the sacrifices that might actually achieve that.

So giving these players a chance to be a playoff team and actually go up against other playoff teams in the playoffs isn't putting them in a position to be a future contender? Actually that's exactly what it does...

 

[Sean]

Anything less than at least putting yourself in position to be a future contender is fruitless.

You seem to be satisfied with consistently being a good team, even if it never actually leads to anything. I'm not. I want titles, and unlike you, I'm willing to make the sacrifices that might actually achieve that.

I'm satisfied with winning. You're satisfied with a team that will lose to put itself in position to maybe draft a pick that might, though we don't know, change things so dramatically that, down the road, we're possibly a contender. That is a losing mentality. Playing for the lottery, because grabbing that 8th seed isn't good enough, in maybe the most ironic way possible, is defeatist personified.

Forget that Utah is still technically playing for the sixth seed, which opens up their playoff possibilities a bit more, or that this team, which has shown some solid progress, but not consistency, is a few bad performances away from contending for home court in the first round, we should just embrace this idea that the 14th pick is game changer here and so much better than the playoffs. I disagree. Never, ever, ever give up on a chance to make the playoffs. Ever. Only loser franchises accept that logic. Yes, some luck out - but many don't. I don't cheer for a loser franchise. I cheer for a franchise that strives to win those two extra games because they know the playoffs are infinitely better than the 14th pick in the NBA lottery - no matter how stacked or deep it is.

 

[YB85]

I'm satisfied with winning. You're satisfied with a team that will lose to put itself in position to maybe draft a pick that might, though we don't know, change things so dramatically that, down the road, we're possibly a contender. That is a losing mentality. Playing for the lottery, because grabbing that 8th seed isn't good enough, in maybe the most ironic way possible, is defeatist personified.

Forget that Utah is still technically playing for the sixth seed, which opens up their playoff possibilities a bit more, or that this team, which has shown some solid progress, but not consistency, is a few bad performances away from contending for home court in the first round, we should just embrace this idea that the 14th pick is game changer here and so much better than the playoffs. I disagree. Never, ever, ever give up on a chance to make the playoffs. Ever. Only loser franchises accept that logic. Yes, some luck out - but many don't. I don't cheer for a loser franchise. I cheer for a franchise that strives to win those two extra games because they know the playoffs are infinitely better than the 14th pick in the NBA lottery - no matter how stacked or deep it is.

Preach on, Sean, preach on!

 

[spycam1]

So giving these players a chance to be a playoff team and actually go up against other playoff teams in the playoffs isn't putting them in a position to be a future contender? Actually that's exactly what it does...

Talent wins championships. This draft has more talent in it then any draft in recent memory before it, or in any draft expected to follow it for quite some time.

Yes, you have to start somewhere, and getting a 6-8 seed is certainly a stepping stone. But I'd rather gather as much talent as possible while we still can, then worry about the playoffs, not obsess about getting that 8th seed this year, then in a few years find out that we just don't have enough talent to get over the hump.

And again, your whole point revolves around the idea that if we get playoff experience now, it will help us develop for the future. Well, the majority of those holy playoff minutes are going to go to guys who we can't expect to be part of the future plans anyway. If it was Favors, Kanter, Hayward, and Burks leading our playoff march, then I would be all for it. But it's not, is it?

 

[margodydek]

Anything less than at least putting yourself in position to be a future contender is fruitless.

You seem to be satisfied with consistently being a good team, even if it never actually leads to anything. I'm not. I want titles, and unlike you, I'm willing to make the sacrifices that might actually achieve that.

So what key pieces has Chicago added via the draft since they sneaked into the playoffs 3 years ago (with a .500 record mind you) as a 7th seed and pushed Boston to 7 games, that has now made them title contenders?

OKC was the same thing two years ago when they got in as the 8th seed.

I'd venture to say that 9 times out of 10, playoff experience is more valuable than a 14th pick.

 

[spycam1]

I'm satisfied with winning.

Winning what? Regular season games? One game in the first round? Well, if you're honestly satisfied with that, then you must be a very happy man.

Would you answer my question already? This is the FOURTH time I have asked you: with the way this team is currently constructed, what do you logically view as the best method moving forward for us to become a contender?

 

[franklin]

So giving these players a chance to be a playoff team and actually go up against other playoff teams in the playoffs isn't putting them in a position to be a future contender? Actually that's exactly what it does...

They can't beat them in the regular season. You think getting utterly dominated in a playoff series is going to set these kids up better next year? San Antonio will project the dominant energy. It isn't going to reason with it, won't argue with it, just dominate it. Psssst. Psssst. Psssst.

Becoming the San Antonio Dog Whisperer's bitch is going to get inside heads and discourage the hell out of these kids to the point where they don't believe a championship is possible in Utah. Then they look for the exit and then we're back to "we have a winning mentality and will try to get back to the 8th seed next season".

This team needs to either attract a game changer or draft one. The players know this so you might as well start writing your good-bye cards just like we did with Boozer.