2025-2026 Tank Race Prediction Contest and Current Results Thread

The Ainges and Hardy need to keep their eyes on the prize.

As the season progresses it appears less likely that Utah can hang on to their pick. Maybe it's time to consider trying to make sure the pick OKC gets from us is as bad as possible.

Different sites seem to show slightly different outcomes, but according to this site we have the 3rd hardest schedule remaining (somehow having had the 7th hardest schedule so far already). That should help the tank.

https://powerrankingsguru.com/nba/strength-of-schedule.php

We could just instruct our players to shoot at our own basket. And if we played another tanking team and they tried the same strategy, at least you would have a competitive game.

bopahull said:

As the season progresses it appears less likely that Utah can hang on to their pick. Maybe it's time to consider trying to make sure the pick OKC gets from us is as bad as possible.

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Good night for the tank last night.

SoberasHotRod said:

30% in to the season:
1. WAS
2. NOP
3. SAC
4. IND
5. LAC
6. BKN
7. CHA
8. UTA
9. POR
10. DAL

Utah currently with 3 more wins than 3rd place.

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Yup, far from having enough separation from the mid tier bottom to be too worried

fishonjazz said:

Good night for the tank last night.

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Are you concerned about Chicago and Memphis in the tank race?

SoberasHotRod said:

Are you concerned about Chicago and Memphis in the tank race?

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More than their opponents last night, yes.
Also, chicago has 1 more win than the jazz after last night so it would make sense to worry about them. (Bulls have played one more game than the jazz so they are essentially tied with Utah in the tank race) Memphis is #9 in the west and jazz are #10.
Whether the jazz keep their pick or not could come down to the wire. Those games last night could matter even if its not likely that they will. Just never know about injuries and whatnot. Im definitely happier that the teams that are right next to the jazz in the tank race won rather than lost. If chicago would have lost last night then they would have passed us in the tank race.

Man this tank race looks bad for us right now. I totally expected teams like the wizards, hornets, pelicans, and nets to be tough to beat.
I didn't think Dallas, chicago, sacramento, clippers, blazers, bucks, or pacers to be as bad as they are. Not that I expected those teams to be good, I just didn't think they would be this bad and I also thought the jazz would tank harder than they are knowing that their pick is protected.
Not good at all.

Jazz are 6-3 against the teams mentioned in this post fwiw. (which makes sense. Our record will obviously be better against the bad teams but I wish it was 4-5 instead of 6-3)

Cavaliers are now #9 in the East. 90% they recover and make the playoffs in my opinion, but just to play in fantasy land, if the jazz end up 9th, but the cavaliers just top 4, we would give up our pick to OKC and the swap would be void right? Imagine so since it was set first haha.