[Poll] How many games does this team win next season?

That is dry humping the NBA.

 

I'd set o/u around 28-30 which - like others have said, is actually an improvement.

The next year it gets tricky. You're gambling that Thompson or Whitmore turns out to hit, or that Green or Sengun has some kind of level up breakout, neither of which seems especially probable by itself.

The other route is some kind of trade, which would be fine also - the young "core" was always a mirage if they're still in the same place after 3 seasons.

Also if the Rockets somehow get a top 4 pick in 24 they absolutely should trade it (just like this year's pick was "as good as gone" per Iko)

 

The roster is essentially finished. Even if they add one more player in FA that’s left in the pool, that person doesn’t matter. Certainly not enough to change the win total. It’s no where near silly

 

I voted for 37 to 40. FVV at point guard is a good basketball pick up that will add some wins. Having a real coach & defensive system will add a few wins and the young guys playing better - and sitting if they don't will add a few wins. More in the 35-38 camp so I could have gone a notch lower in the pool. Sending out Daishen Nix and not gifting Jabari Smith Jr. 30+ minutes a game will add 5 wins alone.

I definitely agree on those bad teams in the East. Except the Nets - I think they will be sneaky good. Nic Claxton is really good along with their young wings and forwards. Philly could implode if Embiid is injured again. The West is so tough though. We would have to go 20-10 against the East to hit above 40 wins. It might happen.

 

Fvv alone is worth minimally 6-8 wins(I think more), so that means at 28-30 the rest of the roster and Udoka’s coaching vs Silas did not improve the team at all.

Why would it be improbable for Sengun and Jalen to improve when that’s all they have been doing the first two years. They have shown to be on the standard trajectory of good young players, which takes another leap in year 3. Jabari is the big question mark since we have no idea if he will improve this year or if he’s a bust.

 

I threw out a hopeful 42 win projection.

Given more thought, have to add to that, if DB does not buy into the system and be less of a DB, he could cause a major chemistry problem with this squad. Then we'd probably be looking at 30 wins or so and no postseason. Hope he realizes how big of a hit he took league wide with all his ish last yr. Sadly, the Rox ignored it and shelled out a joke of a fully guaranteed 4 yr contract so not sure if he'll learn his ways. Maybe even worse. If so, gonna be hard to watch for sure. I don't mind $hit talking, but his yelling and dancing is obnoxious as fk.

 

Why don’t we wait and see what DB’s real contract looks like before we say how bad it is? It is reportedly front loaded and has incentives and bonuses. His defense alone will help the team. If he is chucking bad shots then Ime will take him out. If not, the Ime is not the coach we need.

 

But you’re still going from someone horrible (kpj) to someone who’s actually good (fvv). You don’t think a massive upgrade at our weakest spot is a positive? That’s just wild

 

Wow. Those are a lot of highly confident assertions about the future team dynamics of people who have never played together, with a coach who has never worked with any of them, and none of whom you have ever met.

When a post starts with all the things you were wrong about last year, it might do to sprinkle a few “I think”s or “maybe”s around, or perhaps be a little less specific on who will team up with whom in the civil war.

But what would clutchfans be without underserved confidence?

 

I had similar concerns but about Dillon Brooks. He is an anarchist.

Basically Vleet and Brooks are mercenaries coming into a new environment and new territory to be marked, I am sure they know it and I doubt they let themselves be silenced.

----Assertion of dominance.

Basically Ime is okay with them fighting it out internally.

 

All year long I've compared KPj stats to Brunsin and VanVleet. Observed their situations.

Even posted their numbers in comparison all season. Noted conflict between FVV-Scottie Barnes-Gary Trent Jr in real time.

KPj had better numbers and comparable assists per game. The difference was the Raptors bringing in Poetlol at the trade deadline and VanVleet milking that PnR tandem to pad his assist stat.

Both KPj and VanVleet can do the lob pass to a vertical threat......Rockets never gave KPj that vertical threat.

If we had traded for Poeltl and the Raptors didn't, KPj would have had the greater assist total....
but we were tanking.

Is the strife and human nature factor that you are leaving out. I've worked with troubled kids between the ages of 12 and 17. That $43 million per year contract that is just average is not going to sit well with Jalen Green, KPj, Jabari, Tari, Cam Whitmore, Amen. Especially if he is barking at them and then turning to the media and saying I'm worth my $43 million dollar contract.....but they suck.

Don't forget Jalen Green and Scottie Barnes are best friends. Scottie is telling Jalen everything about FVV's punk a**

 

If you watched the Rockets last season you'd know we'd get 30 wins simply with better coaching. Not only did we gain better coaching we have an upgrade in talent. The only loss that contributed was KJ and he was a bad defender. 30 wins is the absolute floor not the ceiling

 

I mean i guess ultimately if you’re still saying that kpj and brunson are equal, or kpj and fvv then there’s nothing to talk about. At that level of delusional it just is what it is

 

This is quite a stretch from the contract jealousy aspect. I’m not a huge FVV and really wanted them to use that money on a starting SF if possible, but his impact to the team will be measured in how we are less turnover prone and better defensively. None if these youngsters have the right to rebel against coaches or vets. If Ime can’t control these kids he is the wrong guy.

 

Ime is the right guy, but the mouth of VanVleet with under cut him.

Ime will have to silence FVV, but that goes against the real reason
they brought in FVV. To establish culture and be a leader.

Does a leader blame his teammates and say it's them and not him?

Head Honcho KPj took the blame for losing.

Head Honcho FVV said they (Raptors) were
babies
inexperienced (his teammates had more experience than ours on the whole)
he earned his stripes....they (his teammates haven't

Let me play the video again: just watch the first 3:20 minutes where you
can see FVV in interviews in his own words.

https://www.youtube.com/live/cFQ-Gjm_20k?feature=share
Watch the video.

Here he is talking about himself being top 50. Actually thinks he
is as good as Lillard.

You don't think he will have a target on his back, making $43 m per year?
You've lived a sheltered life. And no gunslinger was ever challenged either.
He's going to have to back it up with opponents and teammates
making a fraction of his pay. I guarantee it.

***Not all stats are as they appear***
Rondo would have a lot of assists with the Celtics, but experts say
Rondo would not give up the ball to Ray Allen or Pierce unless he got
the assist. Rondo would dribble into place until he was in position
to get the angle for the assist. This is the main reason Ray Allen
couldn't stand Rondo.

CP3 likes to slow things down to a half court game....clashed with
Harden because he & D'Antoni wanted to run. CP3 likes to slow
things and get in PnR so he can get the assist and reduce
the turnovers. F VanVleet likes to slow things....I've heard a
number of people make this claim. That he is going to
tell our young players, "hold up young blood, slow it up."

Fast breaking can often lead to turnovers. The teams going
at fast pace tend to have more turnovers. Problem is that
the Raptors had poor 3-point shooters. They were #27th
in 3-pt %. Houston was last 2 years in a row. Last year
the Rockets were 30th @ under 33%.

When you have no 3-pt shooting.....the more you go half court
offense.....the more you are going into a gunfight with a knife.

 

Just a refresher 22/23 season

Stat.......F V V........KPj
Mins.......36.7.........34.3
FG%........39.3%......44.2%
FGA.........16.1.......15.0
3P%.........34.2%....36.6%
3PA..........8.8.........6.5
2P%.........45.5%....50.1%
2PA..........7.3.........8.5
eFG%......48.6%.....52.2%
FT%........89.8%.....78.4%
Rebs.......4.1...........5.3
Ast.........*7.2..........5.7
Stls.........1.8...........1.4
TOV.........2.0...........3.2**
Pts.........19.3..........19.2

*F V V assists before Poeltl: 6.5
F V V assists after Poeltl (1st gm 02/10/23): 8.6

TOV's On drives (F V V): 4.4
TOV's On drives (KPj): 6.4
People want it to seem like KPj would turn it over on drives....
not so much the case. For reference:
M Smart 8.2
Westbrook 6.8
LaMelo 6.4
Lillard 6.8
DeJounte Murray 6.0
Tatum 6.5
Poole 8.5


Per-36 mins
Stat........F V V..........KPj
FGA.........15.8............15.7
FG%.........39.3%.........44.2%
3PA...........8.6.............6.8
3P%..........34.2%.......36.6%
2PA...........7.2............8.9
2P%..........45.5%.......50.1%
Rebs.........4.0............5.6
Ast............7.0............6.0
Stl.............1.7............1.5
TOV..........2.0............3.3
Pts...........19.0..........20.1

22/23 season
Stat.........F V V.........KPj
PER............17.0........16.2
TS%...........54.5%......56.5%
Reb%...........6.3%.......8.5%
Ast%...........28.1%.....25.7%
USG%..........23.2%.....24.3%

First 25 games.........................Rest of (22/23)
of season..FVV.....KPj.............FVV (44gms)...KPj (34 gms)
FGA...........15.7.....15.5.....................16.3.................14.6
FG%..........37.9%....41.3%.................40.1%.............46.5%
3PA...........8.5.........5.8.......................8.9..................7.1
3P%..........34.3%....33.3%..................35.1%............38.6%
Rebs..........3.9.........5.5.......................4.2.................5.2
Ast..............6.2........5.8.......................7.7.................5.7
TOV.............1.9........3.8.......................2.1.................2.7
Pts.............18.7......18.7.....................19.7...............19.5

 

I thought we were thinking about play-in LAST YEAR.

 

30-35

 

There was a point where Ime's coaching just clicked with the Celtics and they were nearly unbeatable down the stretch. I see the team having a learning curve and then turning into a force. This isn't just about FA signings, this is about finally having a coach with a vision instead of a chaperone. I say 37 wins exactly.