POST GAME - DETROIT - HOME

worcester wrote:Since no one in the entire Celtics organization is even thinking about losing games intentionally, this discussion on tanking incorrectly presumes that we contributors to Sam's Celtics Forum have uncanny psychic powers that are able to influence the outcomes of individual games and the Celts' won-loss record for the season. Hence the struggles to win this argument - to tank or not to tank. This reminds me of what I'd long thought was a quote from Henry Kissinger but actually was from Woodrow Wilson:
   "The reason that university politics is so vicious is that the stakes are so small.

Whether games are being lost intentionally or not is an argument some are free to have if they wish. I've already said my piece on it before in an earlier thread so I'm over it.

Either way, the fact still remains that losing is losing and that doesn't have a positive impact on a struggling team with so many free-flowing variables circulating at once. No one really knows who will be traded or retained and players have to make themselves look as valuable as possible in order to keep their job in the NBA, whether it's with the Celtics or another team.

The only conceivable benefit to losing so many games is indeed a high draft pick, lottery permitting. I think this is primarily where the "not minding losses" mentality comes from. Yes, it is foolish to pour the hopes and aspirations of an entire franchise on one player. More likely than not, the top few picks are not once-in-a-generation players. I think we all knew the Celtics would struggle to win games this year, and it just so happens that this incoming draft class is looking to probably be the best one in 10 years.

Overall, I think the main desire from everyone is in fact winning. Do I agree with tanking? No. I think it defeats the purpose of competition in the first place. I don't think the Celtics players are tanking. They've played with a lot of heart and its tangible how much they want to win more. But if this year's rough patch means the drafting of a potentially great player, then perhaps this season's struggles weren't for naught.



KJ

I hope we win as many games as possible, that the ping pong balls still fall our way, and that we draft 2 guys of Rajon Rondo's and Paul Pierce's caliber. We did pretty darn well with those two late picks.