Tanking

[sprew8]

What you think about that... the Celtics did it to get the first overall pick

[detroitbasketball]

Boston wasn't the worst in the NBA.

I don't think it's right, but you can't really blame the teams for doing it. At least with the lottery it isn't definite.

[McGahee]

I say make it so all non-playoff teams have an equal chance at getting the 1st pick. So what if some teams who always suck will get unlucky and have picks in the 12ish area even if they were 2nd worst. The way the NBA works is that some teams will always be good, and some teams won't. Trying to balance the league just causes a bunch of sub .500 Eastern Conference teams fighting for playoff spots.

[Cerrano39]

Please, don't even get me started. Sure, the Celtics probably "tried" to lose a couple games this season.

Paul Pierce missed 35 games.
Wally missed 50 games.
Tony Allen missed 49 games.

I guess Allen faked his torn ACL to tank. Also, Wally's surgery was probably just fake. He only turned his ankles 10 times this season. Oh, I bet Pierce, who is consistently a league-leader in free throw attempts, had off-season surgery, and generally has the shit kicked out of him, was faking too.

Shut up.

[sprew8]

hehe i knew it would cause a debate... i kind of agree with mcgahee on that one, make a lottery cause its a cheap shot for the fans who pay big prices to go to games and teams that "try" to lose is not fair for the buyers.

[Cerrano39]

That just wouldn't work though. In the NBA, where one player can truly turn a franchise around you can't take hope away from teams that are bad. Interest would wane quickly if your team stunk for 20 years and never received hope. Not in a town like Boston, but Memphis, absolutely. Also, if you gave equal chance, what would stop a team who was fighting for the 8th seed to tank a couple games and get a chance at an Oden or Durant (or whoever was available) instead of an ass-kicking in round 1?

The NBA will never accomplish parity like the NFL, but the lottery atleast allows teams to quickly turn around.

[McGahee]

Atlanta has sucked forever... how is it fair that they get the 3rd pick in the draft forever and continue to destroy that talent. It also allows teams who are middle of the pack to challenge the top teams, rather than have team's like Toronto try to build around Bargiani, who clearly will never be able to lead a team.

And I would find that the 8th seeds tanking is better than a third of the league tanking... also, players wouldn't be willing to tank out of the playoffs with bonuses and media attention at stake. It's much different when you're 15 games out in December and don't have any hope for anything...

[Cerrano39]

Toronto is building around Chris Bosh and are very good and young. I don't know a team that wouldn't take Bargiani. The kid can flat out play.

And also, players don't control things. Coaches and front executives decide who plays.

How is it unfair that Atlanta picks third? Should we award that to San Antonio for being good? Where's the sense in that? Creating a larger talent gap than already exists seems very counterproductive to me

Saying a third of the league tanked is just false too. I mean, every team cannot make the playoffs. I doubt any Clippers fans (if there are any besides Bill Simmons and Frankie Muniz) would agree they tanked. I can for one say that I watched probably 75-80 Celtics games this year and only saw them truly tank once or twice. The fact is, because of injuries, they don't have good talent. Neither does Atlanta. Or Philadelphia. Or many of the other "tanking" teams.