5 to 9th seed is still up!!

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Early line is wolves by 3

I would have guessed 5. I'd take the Wolves if i were betting.

So, now the various outcomes are pretty easy. Assuming we beat the Nuggets:

1) we are the 5th seed if OkC loses to Memphis and Portland beats Utah (or the 7th if Utah wins) Not going to happen, but please... (

2) We are the 6th seed if the Spurs can upset the Pellies...NO is only a 3.5 favorite, so not preposterous.

3) And of course, we are the dreaded 8th seed if OkC and NO both win. This is the most likely (and in my opinion) worst possible outcome. I will likely end my TV boycott tomorrow (my tix are already spoken for) and start the game cheering for the Wolves. But I will become the biggest Nuggets' fan in the world once it is apparent that OkC and NO are on the way to victories. Sorry guys...I'm in this for the long term.

Go Memphis! Go Spurs!


(go wolves)

[Lipoli390]

I think the Wolves will beat Denver tomorrow night. I agree with Monster that the Wolves are the better -- I'd say more talented -- team between the two. We almost beat them at Denver without Jimmy and now we'll be playing at home in front of a loud packed house with Jimmy playing somewhere close to 30 minutes. Moreover, as LST pointed out, the Nuggets have not been a good road team this season.

The only hesitation I have is the possible absence of Taj Gibson. But his absence won't be enough to tip the scales to the Nuggets. I'll predict that, if Gorgui starts in place of Taj, we will see a great game from Gorgui.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Maybe, Lip, but I think expecting anything productive out of Gorgui nowadays is more hope than anything. He's been the worst version of himself as a player this season and in my mind I can't wait for him to be off this team's roster. What used to be a jack-of-most-trades big off the bench has turned into a can't-do-anything-well big who's sucking up $14-16M annually. Regardless, I think he needs to go sooner rather than later, though I don't see a team that would be willing to take him.

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Nah, we need taj to keep milsap in check and to lean on jokic at the other end, Im assuming that malone will have milsap guarding kat again.

At the other end, taj can still be a nuisance inside against jokic. Dieng has looked better offensively, but he still isnt a threat to get jokic in foul trouble.

[Lipoli390]

Maybe, Lip, but I think expecting anything productive out of Gorgui nowadays is more hope than anything. He's been the worst version of himself as a player this season and in my mind I can't wait for him to be off this team's roster. What used to be a jack-of-most-trades big off the bench has turned into a can't-do-anything-well big who's sucking up $14-16M annually. Regardless, I think he needs to go sooner rather than later, though I don't see a team that would be willing to take him.

I see no reason why Gorgui can't at least be the player he was last season if he's starting. I continue to believe his problem is that he hasn't been able to adjust to coming off the bench, especially with inconsistent minutes. I don't like it that he hasn't adjusted, but I think it's the reality. If he's not going to start, then he's of little use to this team playing the way he's played off the bench this season. Unfortunately, like you, I don't see a realistic deal out there for him without the Wolves offering valuable assets as enticement -- something this organization absolutely should NOT do. Another thing to consider is that this organization has to figure out what they're going to do after next season when Gibson's contract has expired and he turns 34 years old. Another issue will be whether we re-sign Belly after this season.

There isn't a team out there that would give us decent value for Gorgui or Teague, given their contracts. The question is whether there's an organization still intrigued enough by Andrew's talent to give us good value in return for him. Those are the three guys I'd shop this summer, although not necessarily in that order.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

It's interesting to revisit where our heads were last April in the days leading up to the finale against Denver. I was certain we were going to beat Denver that night (we were a much better team than Denver last year) and thought that was the worst possible outcome if it meant getting the 8th seed. Lip might have been the only other poster here who understood the ramifications of a Wolves win, but I don't blame him for cheering for the Wolves that night...I would have been too if I had been in the arena like him rather than watching on TV.

But not being with the crowd allowed me to be more objective, and after I realized that the other games were going the wrong way and a win meant 8th seed, I was actively cheering against the Wolves the rest of the game. Yeah it felt weird, but as I explained here, I'm in for the long haul and a Wolves loss seemed to be better for the franchise. Of course being a wolves fan means always being let down, and this time they let me down with a win.

My position hasn't changed...that win was not good for the Wolves long-term. Let's review the implications:

1) Sure, we got the playoffs, but a playoff series that we all knew would be ill-fated. I predicted we would win one game on a night where Houston just didn't care, and that's what happened. Playoff tickets are very expensive, and it just wasn't worth it.
2) Glen has as much as said it, and it's common knowledge among those in the know...Thibs would have been fired immediately after losing that Denver game. Come on guys...do you really think playing 5 playoff games was worth suffering through another half year (and agonizing off-season) of Thibodeau? I don't.
3) In addition to the 20th pick, missing the playoffs would have allowed us to keep our 14th pick that we instead had to give up to Atlanta. Look at the guys who were available at 14, and ask yourself if you would like to have one of them on our roster.

So the choice was this...beat Denver and get a playoff series in which we were destined to be destroyed, or lose to Denver and get a new coach who hopefully would have handled the Butler situation better (how could he not have?) and started the 2018-9 season better than Thibs did, plus getting an additional lottery pick. We made the playoffs and are now on the outside looking in...Denver missed the playoffs and, in addition to adding a PF who could be a star in the future (although hurt this season) is currently sitting in first place in the West.

Are you guys still happy we won that Denver game? If you could go back in time, would you be cheering for a different result?

[AbeVigodaLive]

This may shock people... but I disagree entirely with LST. I could not disagree more on this issue.

14 years. And as fans, we're supposed to hope to lose and choose luck ... AGAIN ... and promise... again ... and Potential ... again?

It's embarrassing to be doing that 30 years in... and after 14 consecutive seasons of abject failure. It's a loser's mentality... one that the Wolves were desperately trying to erase at the time. And it's not a take I would expect any other franchise to take -- or fanbase to accept.

[Monster]

It's interesting to revisit where our heads were last April in the days leading up to the finale against Denver. I was certain we were going to beat Denver that night (we were a much better team than Denver last year) and thought that was the worst possible outcome if it meant getting the 8th seed. Lip might have been the only other poster here who understood the ramifications of a Wolves win, but I don't blame him for cheering for the Wolves that night...I would have been too if I had been in the arena like him rather than watching on TV.

But not being with the crowd allowed me to be more objective, and after I realized that the other games were going the wrong way and a win meant 8th seed, I was actively cheering against the Wolves the rest of the game. Yeah it felt weird, but as I explained here, I'm in for the long haul and a Wolves loss seemed to be better for the franchise. Of course being a wolves fan means always being let down, and this time they let me down with a win.

My position hasn't changed...that win was not good for the Wolves long-term. Let's review the implications:

1) Sure, we got the playoffs, but a playoff series that we all knew would be ill-fated. I predicted we would win one game on a night where Houston just didn't care, and that's what happened. Playoff tickets are very expensive, and it just wasn't worth it.
2) Glen has as much as said it, and it's common knowledge among those in the know...Thibs would have been fired immediately after losing that Denver game. Come on guys...do you really think playing 5 playoff games was worth suffering through another half year (and agonizing off-season) of Thibodeau? I don't.
3) In addition to the 20th pick, missing the playoffs would have allowed us to keep our 14th pick that we instead had to give up to Atlanta. Look at the guys who were available at 14, and ask yourself if you would like to have one of them on our roster.

So the choice was this...beat Denver and get a playoff series in which we were destined to be destroyed, or lose to Denver and get a new coach who hopefully would have handled the Butler situation better (how could he not have?) and started the 2018-9 season better than Thibs did, plus getting an additional lottery pick. We made the playoffs and are now on the outside looking in...Denver missed the playoffs and, in addition to adding a PF who could be a star in the future (although hurt this season) is currently sitting in first place in the West.

Are you guys still happy we won that Denver game? If you could go back in time, would you be cheering for a different result?

Lots of ifs in your scenario. Im not knocking your position but for me I'm still cheering for the Wolves to win both last year and this year. Good franchises don't have to worry so much about picking a few spots higher because they missed the playoffs. That's my expectation we become a good franchise. Is it unrealistic? Maybe for the Wolves but it's what should happen. Derrick Rose likely doesn't come back in your scenario either and he has been a positive this year and COULD be one for the next couple years. Only time will tell. It's been a fun ride watching the guy play this year for the most part.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

This may shock people... but I disagree entirely with LST. I could not disagree more on this issue.

14 years. And as fans, we're supposed to hope to lose and choose luck ... AGAIN ... and promise... again ... and Potential ... again?

It's embarrassing to be doing that 30 years in... and after 14 consecutive seasons of abject failure. It's a loser's mentality... one that the Wolves were desperately trying to erase at the time. And it's not a take I would expect any other franchise to take -- or fanbase to accept.

Okay, I assume most of the board would agree with you. Your seem to be basing your take on avoiding embarrassment and shaking a loser's mentality. Personally, getting our asses handed to us in all but one meaningless playoff game was what was embarrassing to me. Maybe everyone here enjoyed watching our star player not showing up in the playoffs and not being competitive...I didn't. I compare that reward of making the playoffs to the rewards we would have gotten if we had lost to Denver...a lottery pick and a new coach, two things we desperately needed...and the two rewards just seem unbalanced to me.

And the loser's mentality argument just doesn't hold water with me...a loser's mentality can change overnight with the right coach and players. We beat Denver in that one game...it doesn't seem to have translated into a winner's mentality for the Wolves, or a loser's mentality for the Nuggets this year.

We live in an era where short-term pleasure is valued more than long-term gain. Sure, we got some short-term pleasure by winning that game, but it left us without a lottery pick and having to endure Thibs' ineptitude throughout the Butler saga. Is that really winning? Philly's fan base was told to stay patient during 4 seasons where they averaged less than 20 wins per season! That was short-term pain of the first degree, and short-term thinking fans whined about it. But look where they are now. Would we rather have the 76ers future or the Wolves. I think that answer is pretty clear.

I understand why it's difficult to cheer against your team, but if it means more success long-term, it's the right choice.

[kekgeek]

This may shock people... but I disagree entirely with LST. I could not disagree more on this issue.

14 years. And as fans, we're supposed to hope to lose and choose luck ... AGAIN ... and promise... again ... and Potential ... again?

It's embarrassing to be doing that 30 years in... and after 14 consecutive seasons of abject failure. It's a loser's mentality... one that the Wolves were desperately trying to erase at the time. And it's not a take I would expect any other franchise to take -- or fanbase to accept.

Okay, I assume most of the board would agree with you. Your seem to be basing your take on avoiding embarrassment and shaking a loser's mentality. Personally, getting our asses handed to us in all but one meaningless playoff game was what was embarrassing to me. Maybe everyone here enjoyed watching our star player not showing up in the playoffs and not being competitive...I didn't. I compare that reward of making the playoffs to the rewards we would have gotten if we had lost to Denver...a lottery pick and a new coach, two things we desperately needed...and the two rewards just seem unbalanced to me.

And the loser's mentality argument just doesn't hold water with me...a loser's mentality can change overnight with the right coach and players. We beat Denver in that one game...it doesn't seem to have translated into a winner's mentality for the Wolves, or a loser's mentality for the Nuggets this year.

We live in an era where short-term pleasure is valued more than long-term gain. Sure, we got some short-term pleasure by winning that game, but it left us without a lottery pick and having to endure Thibs' ineptitude throughout the Butler saga. Is that really winning? Philly's fan base was told to stay patient during 4 seasons where they averaged less than 20 wins per season! That was short-term pain of the first degree, and short-term thinking fans whined about it. But look where they are now. Would we rather have the 76ers future or the Wolves. I think that answer is pretty clear.

I understand why it's difficult to cheer against your team, but if it means more success long-term, it's the right choice.

Just a question if we missed the playoffs last year would you be rooting for them to miss it this year. Because we wouldn't have our pick this year. Also wouldn't be able to trade our 2020 pick right now.

Just personally I like having all our assets going forward.

Also if Glen made the decision of thibs based on one game that is really bad on his part.