Game 34: Dallas Mavericks (12-21) vs. Portland Trailblazers (13-19) | 9:30pm CST

[DanSchwartzgan]

Its hard to see a very effective tank being maintained if Kyrie returns anywhere near to being Kyrie and AD keeps putting in streaks of healthy games all in the 2nd half of the season. 

Low level lottery pick I guess remains doable given the quality of the West but this team's veteran players will be thinking playoff run. The illusion is strong.

Again, we are 5th in lottery terms in losses...right now.  We owe the road so many games and it gets worse in January (while Kyrie isn't playing.  10 of the next 16 are at home.  Then 19 of the final 30 are away.  We are 3/12 away from home.

It isn't hard to imagine AD coming back for a few games and then being shipped off and the team being extremely cautious with Kyrie's return.  I don't think it will be that hard to stay in the 5-8 range.  With the flattened lottery odds, that isn't a bad place to be.