How important is it for us to win as many games as possible?

[DERRENMATTS]

Speaking specifically about us (and not all NBA teams in general), and about our team this year, how important is it for us to go out and win as many games as possible?

This is not a "tank the season" thread, and I'm not advocating missing the playoffs so we can get a higher draft slot.

I'm wondering out loud if, for Brad and the team, losing a few more games this season, for the benefit of getting young players time to assimilate and find their roles, so that come playoff time the entire team will be geared up to go, is this the way to go?

We're giving Jaylen a lot of playing time. We're giving Rozier a lot of playing time. Even Demetrius Jackson got some burn time in the last game. Mickey is out there.

Part of it is because of injuries. Part of it is because these young guys may have earned it.

But part of it might be to get these young guys comfortable and knowing their roles, no? They'll struggle, they'll make mistakes, they may even cost us games. But the more they play, the quicker they'll be given the chance to figure it out.

So rather than winning 52 games and finishing with the 2nd or 3rd best record, maybe we finish with 47 - 48 wins as the 5th - 8th seed.

We may not have homecourt advantage, but ultimately, if our team is fully geared up, I'm fine with going up against any team on the road.

[jmost]

Player development should always be a higher priority than win total, at least for those who are likely to be rotation players when the playoffs come. Better players are more important than home court advantage.

[DERRENMATTS]

Nov 7, 2016 17:59:03 GMT -5 jmost said:

Player development should always be a higher priority than win total, at least for those who are likely to be rotation players when the playoffs come. Better players are more important than home court advantage.

And considering we are not going to be contenders this year either, anyways.

[oldtimeball]

It's not a debate. We must win every game we can. No way we can ever attract a free agent tanking or developing! Or keep al happy..

[FLCeltsFan]

those free agents would come if by the end of the season young players like Jaylen Brown, Jordan Mickey, and Terry RoZier are playing excellent basketball because they have been given minutes to develop. Say we win 50 games instead of 54 but then go to the ECF in the finals because we are so deep because we have developed those players throughout the season. I think that would impress a free agent more than if we win 56 games and end up out of the playoffs in the first or second round because we didn't take the time to develop our next tier of players.

[mev17]

I do think it is important for us to get out of the first round, and show we've taken the proverbial "next step." So to that end it would benefit us to be at least the [HASH]4 seed so we can have home court in the first round.

[DERRENMATTS]

If by year end, our young players are playing well and solidified their roles, then it may not matter if we play the Raptors, or the Hawks if we end up being the 6th or 7th seed.

I say keep feeding them minutes. Sure Jaylen screwed up by getting called with the travel call late in the game -- keep playing him. Sure Rozier hasn't looked like he did back in preseason -- keep playing him. We're going to need them come playoff time.

[freshnthehouse]

Nov 7, 2016 21:47:58 GMT -5 mev17 said:

I do think it is important for us to get out of the first round, and show we've taken the proverbial "next step." So to that end it would benefit us to be at least the [HASH]4 seed so we can have home court in the first round.

This is a good point. I think getting out of the first is more important this year than what our regular season record is.

[jrmzt]

It comes down to whether we think we're contenders. I would want to give our younger guys playoff experience because that pits them against top teams..but if we're not a contender even with Horford, then give them more minutes and put less mileage on guys like Horford and even Bradley (who came to us when he was just 19) and extend their primes for when we're truly ready.

[oldtimeball]

Free agents are not going to look at our bench like people on this board do. I can see Durant looking at our bench and saying wow! NOT! Lol.

The only way young players truly get better is they have great competition and they desire it.. Brad is a great teacher ,they just have to listen..They are our bench.. They will play more when they Earn it.. Just giving them more minutes is not the solution it's poison..