Getting into the playoffs and getting swept in 4 games by Boston or The Cavs would not get our players real playoff experience. Now I agree with you I would love to be rooting for a team come April, but, truth be told our team is not good enough to be a playoff team. We just fourtunate to be playing in a weak conference where 3 games under .500 would be good enough to get you in the playoffs. I think getting into the playoffs would be a bit misleading about where our team is ala Philly last season.
Now about the pick in the draft I think it is critical to get a lottery pick this year because we dont have a pick at all next year,because of Layden and Isiah's trades we've had consecutive losing seasons but never consecutive lottery picks, so this season is likely another losing season in terms of records so why not have the lottery pick to show for it? Like you said it is a major long shot that a team who barely misses the playoffs ends up with a top 3 pick, but there is a shot whereas making the playoffs gives us absolutley no shot at getting a top 3 pick. Plus imagine if we have the #9 pick or so Donnie could make moves to move us up in The Lottery a lot easier if he is swapping a lottery pick as opposed to a early first rounder.
I think this year just chasing the playoffs will be good enough, making the playoffs should be the expectation for next year and we can build from there.
The knicks have as good a shot at having a top 3 or even top 8 pick as they do beating the Celtics/Cavs in a best of 7 series in my opinion.
Playoff experience is playoff experience. You can't make making the playoffs a negative experience. Its an accomplishment..and I would sacrifice moving 5 spots down in the draft if it meant having improved the team from last season.
We all think this team will be completely different come 2010..but odds are the young core is kept with Lee, Robinson, Chandler, Gallinari with an addition of 1 or 2 15-20 mil players. Anything these guys can accomplish right now only will help them in the future..Can't really argue that.
The team may not be good enough to be a playoff team, but neither is any of the teams in the east after the top 6. Each team has its problems, but I don't think we should root for the knicks to be the worst of the group. As of now I see the Knicks to have an equal chance to have any pick from 9-13, 15-16..and I'd be more happy with the 16th than the 9th in my opinion.