I was a major advocate past 2yrs actually but most certainly this yr that the league has gotten better. The East has flipped the tables on the West for now and it's very clear this is the case. Our record most definitely is better but are we actually better?
In short the answer is clearly yes but in long it's no. Short answer says yes simply put, our record is improved after 25gms...11-14 compared to last yr's metric 5-20. The truth lies in comparing the current set of circumstances against those of last yr with similar.
The main issue being health.
How many games would last yrs team have won if Melo was healthy all yr, Calderon didn't miss the first near 2mos, Smith and Shump near month, and Barg and Shved played the whole yr etc etc. This is with consideration of relatively decent health(not perfect) and better diligence in putting together a team to start the season vs trying to find some answers back half of season. No trades either. Bargs/Shved/Smith all put up decent numbers during their best stretches of play, regardless of what we thought of them as talents. So we're on pace to win about 35gms this yr if everything stays the same but what would last yrs team have won 5-10-15 more games? I'm gonna say 12(when you factor things like trades and tanking) I only want to use talent vs talent and moderate health projections. I'll place us at 29wins. Well 35gms minus 29gms puts us at a mere net of 6gm improvement in theory... the numbers can be fudged here and there for pro or con above or below 30wins but not by much.
I had us winning about 33gms last yr and right at 29-30 this yr. Here's a quick look at the West
When you look at the rest of the league while some teams took dips and some teams have risen, ultimately there is a closer median of record when you subtract the very top of conference(Warriors-Spurs/Cavs) and very bottom(Lakers/Sixers/Pelicans). So as we improved in short so did many other teams and we can't take the losses we have already away. Our wins on the season...very few are quality and we have an awful record against winning teams. This team must stay healthy and it's gonna need incredible stretches of play to challenge the 35 win total.
In short the answer is clearly yes but in long it's no. Short answer says yes simply put, our record is improved after 25gms...11-14 compared to last yr's metric 5-20. The truth lies in comparing the current set of circumstances against those of last yr with similar.
The main issue being health.
How many games would last yrs team have won if Melo was healthy all yr, Calderon didn't miss the first near 2mos, Smith and Shump near month, and Barg and Shved played the whole yr etc etc. This is with consideration of relatively decent health(not perfect) and better diligence in putting together a team to start the season vs trying to find some answers back half of season. No trades either. Bargs/Shved/Smith all put up decent numbers during their best stretches of play, regardless of what we thought of them as talents. So we're on pace to win about 35gms this yr if everything stays the same but what would last yrs team have won 5-10-15 more games? I'm gonna say 12(when you factor things like trades and tanking) I only want to use talent vs talent and moderate health projections. I'll place us at 29wins. Well 35gms minus 29gms puts us at a mere net of 6gm improvement in theory... the numbers can be fudged here and there for pro or con above or below 30wins but not by much.
I had us winning about 33gms last yr and right at 29-30 this yr. Here's a quick look at the West
When you look at the rest of the league while some teams took dips and some teams have risen, ultimately there is a closer median of record when you subtract the very top of conference(Warriors-Spurs/Cavs) and very bottom(Lakers/Sixers/Pelicans). So as we improved in short so did many other teams and we can't take the losses we have already away. Our wins on the season...very few are quality and we have an awful record against winning teams. This team must stay healthy and it's gonna need incredible stretches of play to challenge the 35 win total.
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