On changing the system

by zenbowl on May 23, 2007 5:57 AM PDT

Let me play Devil's Advocate here and say that I like the lotto system just fine. You can look from a numbers point and say "Memphis deserved that top pick" and you'd be right. Memphis is lousy. They need help. You can also say "Boston deserves one of the top choices, the Celtics have been in the doldrums for too long." And that might correct, too.

But, thanks to the lotto, a team that worked its ass off after "losing" the first overall pick in 2006, picked up Aldridge and BRoy, will now be a legitimate playoff contender with Greg Oden guarding the bucket.

Similarly, a team with a a good base of fans and a greedy owner will be forced to remain as Kevin Durant draws the fans and keeps the Sonics in Seattle.

Flukey? Sure. And it could have been different. We could have ended up sending the two best players in the draft to Memphis and Boston, where they would have languished thanks to terrible coaching and awful front-offices.

You can look at this draft as punishing two teams (I'm not even going to talk about the Bucks who tanked so terribly, they deserve their six seed, which, btw, is where BRoy was selected last year). Or you can look at this system and decide that it saved two teams (potentially three with the Hawks getting two lotto picks).

Why would we want to condemn the best players in the draft to go to teams like Memphis and, yes, Boston? If anything, that might be an incentive for a good college baller to tank a game in March and drop his stock down a few spots so that he doesn't end up with the Grizz.

Why reward teams who tank, who are the worst of the worst? One player will not make a difference to these teams. If Memphis or Boston is smart they'll take a page straight out of the Blazer draftbook, put twelve irons in the fire on draft day, and really shake things up. Because that's what's going to make a difference.

Something tells me the folks in Boston are going to hang their heads, bemoan their fate, curse the stars, shake their fist at the heavens, and have a very uninspired draft day. And why should we want to reward a team like that?

So yeah, the lotto system isn't fair, it's flukey and it screws some teams over. But it beats the tar out of frogmarching Greg Oden to Memphis.

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i love

that our team played with heart and determination to win and we're rewarded for that with the number one pick.

yeah, it may be luck, but then again, we worked DANG hard for that number 6 spot. I feel we earned it. If we'd had different picks... kp would have made something ELSE special happen. I'm certain.

by ratbastird on May 23, 2007 6:20 AM PDT reply actions

definitely

But that faith in the players and the front office is something that a lot of teams, even playoff teams, don't have.

Being a Blazer fan is feeling mighty good right about now.

by zenbowl on May 23, 2007 6:52 AM PDT up reply actions

yeah

it really does!!!

by ratbastird on May 23, 2007 7:50 AM PDT up reply actions

we got 4 last year with the worst record

and still had one of the most successful draft days in NBA history. all these cranks boo-hooing about not getting the top pick. we had the worst record in the NBA last season. we were so bad we improved 11 games and still weren't even in the running for a playoff spot. we also got the 4th pick. who got the rookie of the year, though? who had two all rookie first team players? we did.

success on draft day is not determined by ping pong balls. the ping pong balls simply set the action into motion. it can end up a million different ways.

the lottery is fine. the last two years should be reason enough to show that tanking doesn't work. memories are short and people forget what can happen on lottery day. and if you don't think you can fill seats without a top pick? here's some advice: try filling seats with competitive basketball. sure you may lose but at least your fan base doesn't have reason to expect it's intentional. to every team out there who may or may not have tanked, you gambled and you lost.

rip city forever

by PhillthyBaller on May 23, 2007 8:26 AM PDT reply actions

This is cool

but it's better to keep comments regarding a subject that's already being talked about under that subject (in this case on the main page).

I loved the "frogmarching Greg Oden to Memphis" line, by the way. The mental image there is just too funny.

--Dave

by Dave on May 23, 2007 9:08 AM PDT reply actions

OK

I didn't want to put such a long comment under your diary, but I'll know better next time.

The idea that anyone would be able to frogmarch Greg Oden anywhere is pretty funny.

Draft Oden

by zenbowl on May 23, 2007 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions

the bottom line is

and i keep saying it like a broken record the nba is a bandwagon league.and believe me when i tell you guys oden*durant have been dismissed by the nba media.and to me that's a shame because like i said unless your dunking the ball nobody cares period.but if the celtics would've won the lottery you'll never here in the end of it.it would be the pride is back in beantown to bad that's a dream if you support green team east....

by fatty on May 23, 2007 2:18 PM PDT reply actions